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Report Politicians Abusing CCT
Politicians who use the Conditional
Cash Transfer (CCT) to gain votes
in the coming elections, beware.
Incumbent public ofcials found using
the CCT to gain votes in the midterm
elections will face administrative
charges for abuse of authority, said
Department of Social Welfare and
Development Secretary Corazon
Dinky Soliman during a Malacaang
press brieng.
Story on Page 3
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VOL. 483 No.14 THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013 9 SECTIONS R18.00 IN METRO MANILA
By THE NEW YORK TI MES
VATICAN CITY It billowed, and
it was black.
There was no mistaking the out-
come this time. The cardinals voting
for a pope on Tuesday came up with
no winner on their first round of bal-
loting, signaled by the black smoke
that poured out of a jerry-rigged
copper chimney on the roof of the
Sistine Chapel.
At the last papal election, in 2005,
the color was indeterminate in an
early round, prompting confusion.
But the cardinals locked inside the
chapel and the technicians who pre-
pared the chemicals to combine with
the burning ballots must have done
something right.
Technology helped, too. By the
time the smoke emerged, at 7:41 p.m.,
it was dark outside. But giant screens
in St. Peters Square showed the
spot-lit smokestack clearly. On a cold
and rainy night, the square was still
packed, and some people shrieked in
excitement at the spectacle.
But not some of the more jaded
Romans, a seen-it-all breed. Were
a little disappointed, said Angelo
By ELLSON A. QUI SMORI O
Exactly how long does P100
worth of electricity credits
last?
Frank Dianko, XESI business
development manager, said
this depends on the number
and type of appliances that one
Day 1: Still No Pope
Black Smoke From Conclave Signals No New Pontiff
WASHINGTON (AFP) US Presi-
dent Barack Obama pledged Tuesday
to bring up maritime disputes boiling
between China and its neighbors at
the US-ASEAN and East Asia sum-
mits in Brunei in October.
Obama To Raise Sea
Dispute At Asia Summits
By EDD K. USMAN
Sultan Jamalul Kiram III of the
Sultanate of Sulu yesterday ruled out
his followers disengagement from
By HANNAH L. TORREGOZA
Some Liberal Party (LP) mem-
bers have secretly promised to sup-
port the candidacy of senatorial bets
running under the United Nationalist
Alliance (UNA), two members of
the opposition coalition revealed
yesterday.
As this developed, Vice President
Brunei has already said that it
will pursue a binding code of conduct
among competing claimants in the
South China Sea during its ASEAN
chairmanship this year. China insists
By CHARI SSA M. LUCI
MEYCAUYAN, Bulacan The
ouster of Senate President Juan
Ponce Enrile would be on top of the
agenda of the winning Liberal Party
(LP) candidates in the next 16th Con-
gress.
Re-electionist Sen. Antonio Tril-
lanes IV revealed the LP ouster plan
against Enrile in yesterdays Team
PNoy sortie in this province.
Iyan po ang una nating gagawin,
kasi thats the first order of the day
Sultan Kiram I I I Rules Out
Disengagement From Sabah
LP Members
Backing
UNA?
Trillanes
Bares J PE
Ouster Plot
Prepaid Electricity:
Power To The People
( ConClusi on)
has.
For a house in the prov-
ince that only has one light
bulb, P100 could last as long
as three months. If the house
has a light, a television, and an
electric fan, then P100 may be
good enough for two to three
days, he said.
(Turn to page 5)
(Turn to page 5)
(Turn to page 16)
(Turn to page 16)
(Turn to page 16)
(Turn to page 16)
Sabah as earlier floated by Interior
and Local Government Secretary
Mar Roxas II.
Last Monday, Roxas met with
Bantilan Sultan Esmail Kiram III
ROXAS WI TH SABAH REFUGEES Department of the I nterior and Local
Government Secretary Mar Roxas I I (left) talks to young refugees in
Bongao Port, Tawi-Tawi, on March 13, 2013. The children were among
a group of Filipino refugees who arrived from Sabah aboard a Philippine
Navy ship. (Nonoy E. Lacson)
WAVING PHILIPPINE FLAG AT VATICAN (AFP/REUTERS) A Filipino migrant worker in Italy waves his countrys fag at St. Peters Square at the Vatican
on March 12, 2013 as Filipinos join other faithful awaiting the result of the papal conclave. I nset shows black smoke emerging from the chimney on
the roof of the Sistine Chapel on the same day, indicating that the 115 Cardinals taking part in the conclave have not yet elected a new pope.
NEW ENVOY TO CHINA SWORN IN President Benigno S. Aquino III
administers the oath of offce to Philippine Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary to the Peoples Republic of China Erlinda F. Basilio
during the oath-taking of newly appointed offcials at the Rizal Hall of
Malacaang on March 13, 2013. (Richard V. Vias)
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2
Thursday, March 14, 2013 Local News
By JC BELLO RUIZ
Hard up in raising the P44-million
blood money needed to secure the
freedom of overseas Filipino worker
(OFW) Joselito Zapanta, Vice Presi-
dent Jejomar C. Binay is hoping that
the government of Saudi Arabia will
eventually shoulder a portion of the
substantial amount just like what
happened in the case of pardoned
OFW Rodelio Dondon Lanuza.
Sana. Yun ang pinakamagan-
dang paraan (I hope. That would
be the best way), Binay said when
asked if he is also hoping for an in-
tervention from the Saudi govern-
ment similar to what happened in
the case of Lanuza.
Saudi King Abdullah last month
agreed to shoulder the balance of the
P25-million blood money for Lanuza
who similarly faced a death sentence
for killing a Saudi national.
Relatedly, Binays daughter,
United Nationalist Alliance (UNA)
Senate bet Nancy Binay, said the
opposition coalition is studying to
donate some amount for Zapantas
blood money.
Zapanta who is facing execu-
tion in Saudi Arabia for killing a Su-
Binay Seeking Saudi Kings Help
danese national has been given a
three-month reprieve by the Saudi
government.
He is covered by Saudi King Ab-
dullahs order to defer the execution
of all qizas or death penalty cases
in the oil-rich kingdom.
Binay, the Presidential Adviser
for OFW Concerns, said this was
confirmed by Adbulaziz Abdulrah-
man Al Gaeit, the Assistant of the
Undersecretary for Public Rights of
the Emirs Office, who met with the
Philippine Embassy officials in Ri-
yadh.
Zapantas reprieve begins the
day after the deadline set by the vic-
tims relatives for the payment of the
blood money or until June 8, 2013.
However, the Vice President
clarified that the reprieve did not
mean that the March 12-deadline set
for Zapantas family to pay the blood
money has also been extended.
There is an ongoing negotiation
between the family of the victim and
the Embassy officials in Riyadh on
the matter, Binay said.
Despite two previous extensions
of the deadline for the payment of the
P44-million blood money, the Philip-
pine government only managed to
raise P10 million.
Zapanta was given another re-
prieve of four months in November
last year to raise the blood money.
Tis year marks another pivotal
point in Junior Chamber Internation-
al (JCI) Manilas leadership devel-
opment history with the launching of
the 26th Blessed Teresa Award.
In a statement, the JCI Manila
said Blessed Teresas brief encoun-
ter with the group served as a chal-
lenge for us, in partnership with
the AY Foundation, to initiate the
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Award.
The award aims to give recogni-
tion to Filipinos who have dedicated
their lives in helping the poorest of
the poor through their devoutness
and leadership that reflect the works
of Blessed Teresa.
JCI Manilas 2013 president, Jo-
nas T. Ang said this is one of JCIs
most worthwhile projects because
we are able to unearth the goodness
within us. He expressed thanks to
the AY Foundation and Ambassador
Alfonso Yuchengco for their support
for this project, and this years BTCA
Chairman, JCI Sen. Glenn Chan.
Standing true to our objective of
building leaders, some of the most il-
lustrious name in government, busi-
ness, entertainment and the socio-
civic circles come from the ranks
of the JCI Philippines-Manila. More
than having a rich history of excel-
lence, JCI Manila upholds, above all,
faith in God and servant leadership
through the 26th Blessed Teresa of
Calcutta Award, the JCI Manila
statement said.
26th Blessed
Teresa
Award Set
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3
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Local News
By MADEL SABATER NAMIT
Politicians who use the Condi-
tional Cash Transfer (CCT) to gain
votes in the coming elections, be-
ware.
Incumbent public officials found
using the CCT to gain votes in the
midterm elections will face admin-
istrative charges for abuse of au-
thority, said Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Secretary Corazon Dinky Soliman
during a Malacaang press brief.
Soliman said the DSWD is co-
ordinating with Interior and Local
Government Secretary Mar Roxas
II on complaints against public offi-
cials threatening to remove benefi-
ciaries from the CCT list if they dont
support their candidacies, or prom-
ising to include them if they do.
Soliman urged the public to re-
port such complaints to 0918-9122813
with the following details: The name
of the politician, place, when it hap-
pened and other persons involved.
The more details, the more
we can act on the complaints, she
said.
Soliman also said DSWD person-
nel found involved in the bribery of
the voters would be suspended. She
said she had already suspended two
DSWD personnel since the Memo-
randum Circular on this issue was
issued in September last year.
No one can be a beneficiarys
name, not the mayor, not the gover-
nor, congressman or congresswom-
an, said Soliman.
Only beneficiary can get his or
her name removed from the list by
not complying with the conditions
for receiving benefits, she said.
Soliman said non-incumbent pol-
iticians who bribe their constituents
using the CCT program should be
made known to the Commission on
Elections (Comelec).
No politician can also add your
name to the CCT list if you are not
qualified, she said.
She said the DSWD continuously
monitors the compliance of CCT
beneficiaries. She said those who
are found to be incompliant will re-
ceive less cash grants this May.
Meanwhile, Team PNoy senato-
rial candidates are in favor of sus-
pending the implementation of the
conditional cash transfer program
as long as it is provided for by the
law.
Aurora Rep. Edgardo Sonny
Angara said while they believe that
there must be continued implemen-
tation of the dole-out initiative, they
would support any move to spare
the program from politicking.
If that is the interpretation of
the law, we should support it, he
said in an interview during yester-
days Team PNoy campaign rally in
Meycauayan, Bulacan.
He welcomed the move made
by the Department of Social Wel-
fare and Development (DSWD) to
strictly monitor the release of funds
and compliance of recipients to CCT
conditions.
Angara expressed confidence
that under Presidents leadership,
the program implementation of the
CCT will not be hampered.
Presidential cousin Bam Aquino
also threw his support to the gov-
ernment agencys move, describing
it as a good idea.
Ang CCT naman hindi pinipili
ang mayor na kapartido o hindi so
it is program that is ongoing. I think
ang 45-day suspension is probably a
good idea, mahirap namang sabih-
ing ginagamit lamang ito ng admin-
istrasyon because pati naman ang
kabilang partido na local govern-
ment officials mayroon rin silang
CCT na ipinapatupad, he said.
DSWD: Report Politicians Abusing CCT
The Department of Foreign Affairs
(DFA) commended the bravery of 13
Filipino crew members who coura-
geously stood their ground and put
out the fire on board their tanker after
an explosion off the coast of Portugal
last March 6.
A team dispatched by Philippine
Ambassador to Portugal Philippe J.
Lhuillier visited the crew members on
board the damaged chemical tanker
MT Harbour Krystal while the ship
was anchored in the Port of Setubal
in Portugal to provide assistance and
counseling, the DFA said.
The team was accompanied by
Lisbon-based Filipino priest Rev. Fa-
ther Jovito Osalvo who prayed over
the officers and crew of the MT Har-
bour Krystal, especially the Filipino
seaman who went missing after the
accident.
According to Third Secretary and
Vice Consul Rogelio Villanueva Jr.,
some of the Filipino crewmembers
still showed signs of trauma and have
had trouble sleeping since the acci-
dent happened.
Villanueva said the Filipino crew
recounted to the Embassy team their
frightening experience when they
heard a loud blast followed by fire and
thick black smoke coming from the
forecastle.
DFA Commends Brave Filipino Seafarers
By ROY C. MABASA
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he rising carnage and abuse
in Lahad Datu, and other
parts of Sabah where 100
plus Filipino members of
the Royal Sultanate Forces,
including our women and children -- long
time residents -- treated like animals
by Malaysian troops (Manila Bulletin,
Ali Macabalang, March 12, 2013), given
an unfriendly, if not adversarial yellow
administration, brings to the forefront
what may be described as the reluctance,
actually broken promises, of previous ad-
ministrations (post Marcos, exception to
the Estrada watch) to effectively pursue
the re-acquisition of more or less, 76,100
square kilometers of rich Philippine ter-
ritory. Such national commitment was
made to the Sultanate of Sulu ( as early as
House Concurrent Resolution No. 4, April
25, 1950 for the Quirino Presidency) who
are true sovereigns to North Borneo, yet
loyally genuflected themselves Filipino
citizens. Thus, with much gratitude to
the Kiram Clan, increased the territo-
rial and maritime breadth and wealth
of our country. For 2011 alone Sabah
contributed to Kuala Lumpur RM 22.7B
Ringgits Federal Taxes excluding other
collections; RM 200M Immigration Col-
lection; RM 15B oil revenue via Petronas,
yet is the poorest State in Malaysia, and
the income, used to develop other States
instead. (Calvin Cabaron Free Malaysia).
Extrapolate said figures in 50 years Sabah
under Malaysia? Further, if the Philipines
according to a Sept. 2011 en banc decision
By CHITO A. CHAVEZ
The Quezon City Engineering Depart-
ment (QCED), in preparation for the rainy
months, stepped-up the dredging and
de-clogging of the citys rivers, creeks,
canals and other waterways, amid the fine
weather condition.
Aside from the cleaning operations, Jo-
selito Cabungcal, Chief of the QCED, said
that his office is undertaking the repair
and improvement of drainage channels
to ensure the unimpeded flow of drainage
and rain water.
In district one, Cabungcal said, the
citys drainage improvement plan will
cover the drainage channels leading to
Araneta creek, Mariblo Creek, Matalahib
creek, Culiat River, San Francisco River,
Tangue Creek, Balaba Creek, Bayan
Creek, Katipunan Creek, Dario Creek,
Araneta Creek and Pasong Tamo Creek.
He added that work will also be done
along Tullahan River, which runs through
North Fairview, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Monica,
Gulod, Nagkaisang Nayon and San Bar-
tolome, in the second district.
In the third district the flood control
plan will be implemented at Barangays
East Kamias and Tagumpay and Cam-
pupot Creek going to San Juan River,
Aurora Boulevard Bridge and Lagarian
Creek in the fourth district.
Cabungcal told Mayor Herbert Bau-
tista that his department undertook de-
clogging, improved the drainage system
and repaired collapsed manholes in the
citys roads.
A comprehensive inventory of the citys
waterways, including boundaries and
adjoining lots, was conducted by the city
engineering department.
Cabungcal added that a study on the
estimated volume of accumulated earth
mounds, silt and debris removed during the
de-clogging and dredging operations will
also be undertaken by the department.
Bautista called for the pre-positioning
of the citys disaster preparedness pro-
grams to minimize loss of lives and dam-
age to properties during any eventualities,
especially typhoons and floods.
The citys department of public order
and safety provided retraining programs
to rescue and disaster control personnel
to further improve their response capabil-
ity in times of calamities, be it man-made
or natural.
Barangay officials from flood-prone
communities also underwent disaster
preparedness training during a series of
seminars initiated by the citys disaster
risk reduction management council to
enhance their capabilities to carry out
search and rescue operations.
Philippine
Petronas
QC Declogs Rivers,
Creeks, Waterways
Metro News
4
NO TO PRIVATIZATION - Supporters of the Anakpawis Partylist troop
to the Philippine General Hospital to protest the privatization of public
hospitals, yesterday, March 13, 2012. The group urged local offcials
of Metro Manila to make a stand on the issue of hospital privatization,
citing the move of the Davao City Council. (Ali Vicoy)
T
METRO CORNER
ERIK ESPINA
of the Supreme Court (Professor Melvin
Magallona vs. Executive Secretary Edu-
ardo Ermita) has acquired dominion and
sovereignty over Sabah, then the world
renowned Petronas Twin Towers is a
groaning monument, rightfully as Philip-
pine Petronas!
The inalienable pursuit of Sabahs re-
covery is the truest exemplification of our
Republics collective dedication to every
Filipino-Muslim brethren, ready to join
in aggregate cause with them, thereby
rendering by overt and patriotic acts the
disimilarites of ethnicity, religion, social
status, etc. obsolete, in founding one and
united nation. In this matter, there can
be no majority and minority among our
people. We are all in the majority to en-
treat, to protest, to make a stand, and if
required -- to be Tausugs, and to all go to
Sabah. May our government find its voice
and make remedial atonement for demin-
ished patriotism. For the road to recreant
pacification and advantages of diplomatic
bilateralism, has led to Malaysian bribery
of the highest order, encouraging their
neo-colonialist influence (political, eco-
nomic, etc.) in the Philippines; profligate
liberation mercenaries sponsored by
and of Malaysia in Southern Mindanao;
and with the betrayal of Malacanang oc-
cupants, embracing a mysterious over-
eagerness to please Kuala Lumpur e.g.
expect Charter-Change to accommodate,
an otherwise unconstitutional Bangsam-
oro Framework Agreement inked by the
Palace post May elections. The crown-
ing glory of our balkanization for peace;
plus marginalization of the Sultanates
ascendancy in a territorial conflict with
the MILF and Malaysia.
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Metro News
5 Thursday, March 14, 2013
By MADEL SABATER NAMIT

Malacaang disclosed yesterday
that President Benigno S. Aquino
III has appointed assistant solici-
tor general Roman G. Del Rosario
as the new presiding justice of the
Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).
Del Rosario will replace Ernesto
D. Acosta, the first and last presid-
ing justice of the Court of Tax Ap-
peals before the passage of Republic
Act (RA) 9282, which expanded its
jurisdiction from civil tax cases to
include cases that are criminal in
nature, as well as local tax cases,
property taxes, and final collection
of taxes.
Presidential spokesman Edwin
Aquino Appoints New CTA Head
Lacierda also said President Aquino
has appointed Rowena V. Guanzon
as ad interim Commissioner of the
Commission on Audit (COA) for a
term expiring on February 2, 2020.
Guanzon replaces Juanito G. Es-
pino, Jr.
Guanzon is a former mayor of
Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. She
is a known champion of womens
rights and is a professor at the
University of the Philippines (UP)
College of Law. She is also the
officer-in-charge of the Institute for
the Administration of Justice of the
UP Law Center.
Also newly appointed by Presi-
dent Aquino were Ciriaco Lagunzad
III, who replaces Lourdes Trans-
monte as undersecretary of the De-
partment of Labor and Employment
(DOLE); and Rolando Gosiengfiao,
who will serve the unexpired term
of Felicito Payumo as member of
the board of directors of the Bases
Conversion and Development Au-
thority (BCDA).
Payumo resigned last year to run
for Congress in the First District of
Bataan.
Gosi engf i ao, who owns t he
Healthway chain in the country,
will serve Payumos unexpired term
which will end on June 30, 2013.
Other new appointees include
Napoleon Imperial as deputy execu-
tive director IV of the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED); and
Maria Teresa Semana as Director
III, CHED.
Prepaid Electricity...
(Cont'd from page 1)
Trillanes...
Customers will be charged a cer-
tain amount per kilowatt hour (kWh),
or in the case of Batelec 1, around
P8.90 per kWh.
Feedback from users has been
positive, Dianko bared. People from
the pilot areas whom weve talked to
said that theyre now paying less for
electricity compared to the time when
they had traditional connection.
Night-Friendly Power
Prepaid electricity users also
need not worry about disconnections
during ungodly hours at night even
when their credits have been fully
consumed.
There will be no nighttime discon-
nections, or disconnections during
which time that sari-sari stores have
already closed. Electricity service
will continue up until the morning
when customers have the opportu-
nity to reload. The balance will be
automatically adjusted depending on
how much was consumed the night
prior.
Unlike cellphone load, Kuryentxt
load will have no expiry date, accord-
ing to Dianko. You can leave your
house with P30 worth of load, go on
vacation for three months, and still
find P30 when you come back.
Kuryentxt users can also avail
of special services (with additional
charge) that can be accessed by first
registering the customers mobile
phone number to XESIs user data-
base.
Once registered, the customer can
remotely activate a series of system
commands by texting keywords to an
access code given by his or her mobile
phone service provider.
These keywords include KWDIS-
CONNECT (remotely disconnects
power service), KWCONNECT
(remotely connects power service),
KWBAL (sends available balance
inquiry) and KWALERTS (auto-
matically sends text advisories when
balance is about to be depleted).

Not For EveryoneYet
While all these make prepaid elec-
tricity very enticing, XESI disclosed
that its target market are the mar-
ginalized consumers, those that are
daily or weekly paid workers.
Cash does not come easy with
these people. These are the primary
beneficiaries of prepaid electric sys-
tem, pointed out Dianko.
He said that Kuryentxt is tailor-
made for households with a monthly
electric bill of P800 to P1,200, which
makes up for the majority (around
60 to 80 percent) of the consumers of
the 45 electric cooperatives that XESI
has approached.
The business model particularly
with its relatively low load denomi-
nations may not be practical for
families living in Metro Manila whose
power bills reach up to P5,000 or
higher. At least for now.
These people wouldnt want to
load P100 repeatedly in one day. That
would be a bother. So its not for every-
one, Dianko said, noting that a load of
P100 could last only a few hours with
an air-conditioning unit turned on.
However, this does not mean that
prepaid electricity will never see the
light of day in the metropolis. Meralco,
which distributes power to some four
million homes in Metro Manila and
nearby provinces, is already develop-
ing its own PRES.
We also talked to them but after
seeing our system, they told us that
they want to make their own, the
XESI official said of Meralco.
He added that plans to put up load
denominations of P1,000, P3,000, and
P5,000 are now on the drawing board
to allow Kuryentxt to cater to bigger
consumers of electricity.
In the end, Dianko said that it
would be up to the consumer which
type of electricity connection he or
she would prefer traditional/post-
paid, or prepaid for as long as the
distribution utility has both services
available.
Now thats the power to choose.
sa Senado, kailangang mag-elect ng
Senate President, he said.
Trillanes said that while LP has yet
to discuss who would replace Enrile,
he would want Sen. Franklin Drilon to
assume the Senate presidency.
Iyun po ang pag-uusapan, pero
ako mayroon na tayong kandidato.
Ang kandidato ko po si Senator Dri-
lon, he said.
When asked if Enrile no longer
deserve to stay as Senate President,
Trillanes said, Naku maraming dahi-
lan baka maubusan tayo ng oras.
Trillanes and Enrile had verbal
tussles over the latters expos on
the backdoor negotiations initiated
by the young senator with the officials
of the Chinese government to address
the territorial spat in the West Philip-
pine Sea.
Citing notes from then Philippine
Ambassador to China Sonia Brady,
Enrile accused Trillanes of spreading
falsehoods, including the Filipinos
lack of confidence in the leadership
of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto
del Rosario.
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National News
6
By LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO
Only one issue remains before
the Commissions on Elections can
say its all systems go for the May 13
midterm polls.
Only one issue remains pend-
ing. Everybody knows it. The source
code. Once we finish it, we dont have
any problem anymore, Comelec
Chairman Sixto Brillantes said in
an interview.
Dominion Voting Systems has
been refusing to give permission to
SLI Global Solutions, the Comelecs
third party reviewer, to release the
source code certification to the poll
body amid an ongoing legal dispute
with Smartmatic International.
Progress I n Source Code Negotiations
But Brillantes said there is a real
good chance that Dominion will grant
the release of the source code.
From 50-50 chances before, the
negotiations is now at 75-25 so it is
already looking good. We can already
see some light that Dominion might
allow it. We might get it, he said.
Source code is defined as the
human readable instructions that
define what the computer equipment
will do.
Meanwhile, Smartmatic has se-
cured another contract from the
Comelec this time for the National
Support Center (NSC) for the May
13 polls.
In a statement, the multinational
company said it secured the rights to
set up and run the unit mandated to
render technical assistance to each
component of the elections.
The National Support Center
project leverages Smartmatics
unparalleled expertise in providing
large-scale technical support over
wide and varied geographic areas,
a competitive advantage that the
company has developed through
extensive experience in actual
elections around the world, said
Smartmatic.
According to Comelec - Special
Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC)
Resolution No. 4, Smartmatic, along
with Total Information Management
(TIM) and LRA Pacific Management
Consulting, Inc., have tendered a bid
of P111,555,454.
Smartmatic said the NSC will
feature a 1,000-seat call center that
will be powered by its Election Day
Management Platform (EDMP).
The NSC will also be equipped
with a hotline designed to process a
high-volume of calls and is intended
to be the go-to number for Board of
Election Inspectors (BEIs), field
technicians, and other authorized
personnel involved in the elections
in need of support.
Earlier, Smartmatic also won the
contracts for the provision of the
Modems; compact flash (CF) cards,
both Worm and Main; and the trans-
mission services for the May 13 polls.
It also sold to Comelec 82,000 units of
Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS)
machines.
By ELLALYN B. DE VERA
Parts of the country
are set to sizzle in soaring
temperatures this week,
but the Philippine Atmo-
spheric, Geophysical and
Ast ronomi cal Ser vi ces
Administration (PAGASA)
still wont say summer is
officially here.
PAGASA has yet to de-
clare the termination of
northeast monsoon (hang-
ing amihan) which indi-
cates the official start of
summer season i n t he
country but temperatures
in some areas are expect-
Areas To Experience
Sizzling Temperatures
ed to reach 35 degrees Celsius.
Based on the PAGASAs four-day
weather outlook, Metro Manila
and Tuguegarao City are likely to
record relatively high temperature
this week, reaching 35 degrees Cel-
sius by Friday and Saturday.
Last Tuesday, Quezon City re-
corded its hottest day so far this
year with 34.4 degrees Celsius.
The countrys summer capital
Baguio City is also expected to
record hi gher temperature, as
high as 26 degrees Celsius this
weekend.
The hi ghest hi stori cal tem-
perature in Metro Manila was 38.5
degrees Celsius on May 14, 1987,
while the hottest day in Philippine
history was registered in Tuguega-
rao City, Cagayan at 42.2 degrees
Celsius on May 11, 1969.
PAGASA forecaster Alvin Pura
said the warm and humid easterly
winds will continue to prevail over
the eastern section of the country
Thursday.
He said the whole country will
be partly cloudy with isolated rain
showers or thunderstorms, as
moderate to strong winds blowing
from the east will prevail over the
northern and eastern sections of
Luzon and Visayas.
It is expected that coastal wa-
ters along these areas will be mod-
erate to rough. Elsewhere, winds
will be light to moderate coming
from the east to northeast with
slight to moderate seas.
By AARON B. RECUENCO
More policemen will be
ordered out of air-condi-
tioned rooms to patrol the
streets in scorching heat
this summer.
The Philippine National
Police (PNP) has started
moving more policemen
from desk work to the field
to maximize police visibility
for the forthcoming midterm
elections in May this year.
Director General Alan
Purisima, PNP chief, said
assessments are now also
being conducted as to which
positions can be designated
to civilian employees, or the
so-called Non-Uniformed
Personnel of the organiza-
tion.
Fewer Desk Cops,
More Patrolmen
This is aimed at defining and
delineating the individual roles and
functions of every member of the po-
lice organization which has currently
148,000 uniformed personnel.
This is part of the plans to under-
take an organizational restructuring
at all levels primarily to strengthen
administrative support functions to
better serve the needs of the men in
the field who are performing actual
police work, said Purisima.
Despite heavy recruitment efforts,
the PNP still has to reach the ideal
ratio of 1 cop for every 500 population.
At present, the PNP ratio to popula-
tion in 1:700.
Our goal is that we tap as many
civilians possible in doing adminis-
trative functions and support ser-
vices so that we can maximize its
human resources in the field, said
Purisima.
Here at the National Headquar-
ters (at Camp Crame), for instance,
there is a substantial number of
uniformed police personnel perform-
ing administrative functions and
support services that can be readily
performed by non-uniformed person-
nel, he said.
And police presence is currently
needed as the PNP is currently se-
curing the 2013 midterm elections.
The task of securing the elections
is gradually getting difficult, as the
election fever is expected to further
heat up when the campaign period
for local bets starts at the end of
March.
Earlier, the PNP conducted a dry-
run for possible hiring of security
guards to secure police camps across
the country.
The planned organizational re-
structuring is expected to open
more job vacancies for civilians in
the PNP.
By BEN R. ROSARIO
Congressmen and media
groups yesterday urged
Malacanang to assure mem-
bers of the news media that
President Benigno Aquino
III will sign the absentee
voting bill for journalists to
avoid being disenfranchised
in the May 13 elections.
While congressmen are
confident that Aquino will
eventually approve the mea-
sure sent to it by Congress,
Sign Media Absentee
Voting Measure
the Alyansa ng Media at Showbiz
party-list appealed to the chief execu-
tive to sign it now.
The absentee voting bill for media
would allow members of the media
assigned to cover news events away
from their polling centers to exercise
their right to suffrage earlier.
With this bill, members of the
media will be able to use our right to
suffrage, said veteran broadcaster
and AMS first nominee Rolly Gon-
zalo.
Gonzalo said the Commission of
Elections (Comelec) has granted
October last year the petition of AMS
party list seeking to allow early vot-
ing for members of media to prevent
their disfranchisement.
Gonzalo said the Comelec, by vot-
ing 5-0, ruled that media are their
partners in ensuring the conduct of
honest, orderly, and peaceful elec-
tions through continuous coverage
and reporting of poll-related events.
The Comelec noted that disen-
franchisement definitely runs coun-
ter to the purpose of elections as it
will silence the voice of those who are
not otherwise disqualified to vote.
Salvage personnel are
moving towards the com-
plete dismantling and re-
moval of the USS Guardian
from the Tubbataha Reef
following the removal of the
grounded minesweepers
two engines last Wednes-
day.
The first main engine
and second engine were
pulled out and removed,
said Task Force Tubbataha head
Commodore Enrico Efren Evange-
lista.
The boom from fantail was re-
moved and transferred to Jascon 25,
he added. However, they still need to
dismantle two more main engines
and three auxiliary engines before
proceeding to the next section of the
vessel.
Evangelista said the removal and
transfer of two auxiliary engines
and one of the remaining two main
engines are underway.
Dismantling efforts began last
month and were scheduled to be
completed by March 23, the deadline
imposed by U.S government on the
salvage work. Among those already
dismantled and removed were the
parts of the 68-meter Guardians
superstructure namely funnel or
smokestack, mast, and the bridge
deck section. (Raymund F. Antonio)
Complete Dismantling
Of Guardian Soon
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National News
7 Thursday, March 14, 2013
By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO
While the big-time revenue earn-
ers floundered and failed, smaller and
medium-sized ports provided the saving
grace for the Bureau of Customs (BOC)
which suffered falling revenue collections
last month.
Collection records from the BOC
showed that the ports of Cagayan de
Oro, Legaspi, Tacloban, Clark, Subic,
and Davao registered surpluses that
help narrow down the agencys overall
shortfall for February.
They outperformed the ports that are
Six Ports Record
Surplus Collections
traditionally BOC cash cows which have
been hit by revenue shortfalls last year.
The CDO Port recorded an unprec-
edented excess collection of P82 million
as its collected revenues reached P507
million.
This welcome spike in revenues,
said CDO district collector and lawyer
Lourdes Mangaoang, inspires confi-
dence that our district is on track to meet
our 2013 collection target of nearly P5.65
billion.
The Subic Port hit a surplus of P110
million, out of its target of P463 million
last month while Clark posted a P184-
million surplus.
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World News 8 Thursday, March 14, 2013
After spearheading the successful
1st Asian Master Chefs Competition
held at the Manila Hotel last April
23, 2012, the Chineses International
Gastronomers Association (CIGA)
in Taiwan, under the auspices of
TECO, is going back to the Philippines
specifically for the 2013 Taiwan Culi-
nary Exhibition. This year, to further
promote the Taiwanese cuisine and
culinary tourism to the Philippines,
the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Office (TECO) in the Philippines, in
collaboration with the Lyceum of the
Philippines University (LPU), The
Bayleaf Intramuros, and Air Asia
Incorporated, is bringing chefs from
the renowned gastronomical group to
the LPU Culinary Institute for a 1-day
demonstration, where students could
learn culinary techniques particu-
larly unique to Taiwanese cooking. To
formally launch the event, TECO will
be hosting an exclusive gala dinner
entitled Tastes of Taiwan on March
14, 2013, at The Bayleaf Intramuros,
featuring a banquet feast specially
prepared by the CIGA chefs.
Taiwanese food has solidified its
role as a reflection of Taiwans culture.
While the Taiwanese fare is deeply
rooted in traditional Chinese cuisine,
it is epitomized by its homier, simpler,
and organic characteristic. Despite
the diverse array of offshoot ethnic
cuisines classified under Taiwanese
cooking, Taiwanese food mainly hinges
on the natural flavors, ensuring every-
one of the freshness of each dish.
In 2012, over 7 million tourists vis-
ited Taiwan, and with the additional
number of direct flights connecting
Taiwan to the world, the number is
still anticipated to increase. Taiwans
plethora of local delicacies has indeed
been a vital factor in the increase of its
popularity among tourists all over the
world. Aside from the gourmet dishes
featured by Taipeis 5-star hotels, tour-
ists heavily flock at the buzzing night-
markets located at almost every corner
of Taiwan to sample the local fare.
The internationalization of Tai-
wanese cuisine has been at the fore-
front of the countrys cultural surge.
With the 2013 Taiwan Culinary Ex-
hibition, TECO hopes to reacquaint
Filipinos with the tastes of Taiwan,
and contribute to the increasing in-
ternational appeal of Taiwans food
culture. Furthermore, this event
will not only serve as a platform for
Filipino students to learn authentic
Taiwanese culinary techniques from
some of the best chefs from Taiwan,
it will also stand as another medium
of cultural exchange between Taiwan
and the Philippines.
In recent years, TECO has been
promoting a wide range of substantive
cooperation plans with the Philippines.
These efforts exemplify TECOs firm
dedication to cultivate a closer relation-
ship with the Philippines. The number
of Taiwanese tourists visiting the Phil-
ippines has again surged in 2012, and
bilateral trade between Taiwan and the
Philippines has impressively reached
new heights. Furthermore, when it
comes to the rescue operations and ef-
forts in response to natural disasters in
the Philippines, TECO has always been
one of the fastest friends to extend
helping hands to the disaster victims
and their families. With TECOs fresh,
innovative ideas, the relationship
between Taiwan and Philippines will
enter a new unyielding phase.
TECO Launches
Taiwan Culinary
Exhibition
MANILA FAME EVENT FEATURES
DESIGN WEEK PHILIPPINES
A celebrat ion of design through events scheduled around Mani la FAME to strengthen the Philippines' position as Asia's Design
Destination.
International Trade Center
Aoxas Boulevard corner Gil Puyat Ave.
Pasay City
Email: banoneecttem.corn.pn
Your Sourcing HAL
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visit HaIlONE: Design for Export s
11 - 17 MARCH 2013
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GreenCrafts for Creati ve Environment- Bringing design to communit ies.
Design Tours- Int roducing design and art to tourism.
Katha Awards- A recognition of pure talent in design and i nnovat ion.
Sustainability Talks @ the Hub- Inspi rat ion and insights from sustainability experts and advocates.
Design Talks - The role and impact of design in the context of architecture and urban planning .
Art Festivals- Celebrating design through the five senses.
THE OTOP MARKETPLACE
Curated by Jinggoy Buensuceso, this pavilion is dedicated to the most promising One-Town-One-Product (OTOP) producers, and
gives a glimpse of the various indigenous materials and craft skills of the Philippine countryside.
MANILA WEAR
Josie Natori continues to bri ng together 27 of the country's fashion icons and rising star designers to showcase fashion wearables and
accessories that reflect arttsanal crafts and contemporary sensibili ties .
CRAFT SPOTS
Highl ighted in this edition is the use of Bamboo as a sustainable and versatile raw material for contempo rary Philippine products. The
cultural narrative of the Phi lippine handicrafts i ndust ry is told in l ive demonstrations by masters of traditional crafts suc h as the
Singkaban (bamboo shaving from Bulacan), Bamboo Basket Weaving from Palawan, and Bamboo Carvinq from Benguet.
CREATIVE HOTSPOTS
Manila FAME sets the stage for the next generation of creative entrepreneurs via special installations by some of Manila's notable
creative communities such as The Collective in Malugay, AONAC Art Center in Greenhills, 10A Alabama and Van Gogh is Bipolar for
154 Maqinhawa St reet in Quezon City.
MILLENNIAL HOME
A special setting curated by design icon Budji Layug for the New Consumer - The Millennials. Manila FAME's top manufacturers ti e
up with leadi ng Philippine designers to explore the manner in which the Millennials live in teday's 2417 connected world.
CAFE ELLE DECO + DEDON
A special feature of Manila FAME in collaboration with Elle Decoration Phili ppines and the world's leading manufacturer of outdoor
furniture DEDON. The Cafe is designed by Jinggoy Buensuceso of EPOCH with exceptional furniture provided by DEDON. Coffee Bean
and Tea l eaf completes the partnership.
SMX CONVENTION CENTER
METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES
DESIGN
Philippines 2 0 1 3
14 - 17 MARCH
The 57th edition of
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SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES AT MANILA FAME
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Design Week Philippines' Industrial Design Talks:
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ManilaFAME Exhibition
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The Hub Presentation: The Color of the Future is Green
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HALL ONE: Design for Exports (OPEN TOALL)
Culture and Architectural landmarks
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The Hub Presentation: MesseFrankfurt
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Manila FAME Exhibition
HALLONE: Design for Exports (OPEN TOALL)
Opening Reception And Katha Awarding Ceremony
(OPENTO EXHI8JTORS. 8J.IYERS. ANDINVITEDGUESTS)
The Hub Presentation: The Future of Real Estate
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PhilippineJewelry Museumand Shops
{FREE FOR1st 10REGiSIfRfD81JYfRS. Wf1H FEEFORNOM ,/AN/LA FAME PAFmClPANTS/
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BUDJI
DATE TIME VENUE
CO"". 14-15 Mar ch 9:00 AM- 6:00 PM SMXConvention Center
14 March 1:30 PM- 5:00 PM Offsite: International TradeComplex
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2:00 PM- 6:00 PM o rtsne: Makati, Ortigas
2:30 PM The Hub
SMXGlF Exhibition Hall
4:30 PM The Hub,
SMXGJF Exhibition Hall
6:00 PM Cafe ElLE Deco + DEDON,
SMX2/F lobby
15 March 10:00AM - 5:00PM Offsite: International TradeComplex
Friday Roxas Boulevard, PasayCity
2:00 PM- 6:00 PM Offsite: Manila (lntramuros)
,
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2:30 PM The Hub,

7:00 PM The Hub,
16-17 March 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM SMXConvention Center
16 March 10:00AM -5:00PM Offsite: International TradeComplex
Saturday Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
12:00 NN 5:00 PM Meeting Room 1
SMX21F
2:00 PM- 7:00 PM Meeting Rooms 4-6,
SMX 2/F
THE CREATIVE TEAM
DESIGNERS IN FOCUS
I
l
I
JA MES

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The Impact of Cultural Heritage on Design
-
Indigenous Filipino Architecture in the Modern Sell ing
GreenArchitecture for Sustainable Cities
AlTERchitecture 2012Awarding Ceremonies
2:00 PM- 6:00 PM Offsite: Manila, Pasay Design WeekPhilippines' DesignTour:
Manila Galleriesand Art Houses
{FREEFOR lsi 10REGISTERED BUYERS; WI TH FEE FOR NON-MANILA FAMEPARTICIPANTS}
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2:00 PM- 6:00 PM Offsite: Makati, Ortigas, Quezon City DesignWeekPhilippines' Specialized Tour:
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17 Mar ch
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Offsite: International Trade Complex
Roxas Boulevard, PasayCity
Design Week Philippines' Design Tour:
HALLONE: Design for Exports (OPENTOALL)
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PARTNER HOTELS:

L
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10 MANILA BULLETIN THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013
Editorial

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST AT HOME, IN SCHOOL, AT WORK, FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF FILIPINO PEOPLE.
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SECRETARY ALBERTO G. ROMULO, RET. PACIENCIA M. PINEDA
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Compliance Officer
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JOHNNY L. LUGAY
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MARTIN V. ISIDRO, JR.
SANDY U. COTOCO
ATTY. FE B. BARIN
M
ARCH is considered Graduation
Month in the Philippines. It is the
time of the year when most graduation
ceremonies are held.
Filipino families value and celebrate
each milestone in their children s
educational journey from pre-school, to
elementary, to high school, college, and
university. But the most anticipated event
is college graduation, when the student
finally ventures out into the bigger and
real world to explore new horizons and
confront new challenges.
Graduation is an opportune time for
the young graduate to thank their parents
and other benefactors and their teachers
for the gift of education; as well as their
siblings and friends who have helped them
through the years.
Employers will be in search of university
graduates who have the right values in
place, and who possess the right amount
of humility, confidence, tact, and a positive
attitude toward learning new things and
toward dealing with people. Strive to be
among the rare breed.
We congratulate our parents, teachers,
and graduates for their achievement
in the Republic of the Philippines.
CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!
GRADUATION MONTH
IN THE PHILIPPINES
We congratulate
our parents, teachers, and graduates
for their achievement
in the Republic of the Philippines.
CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!
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AUTHOR
JAN LENAERTS
DIRECTOR
RACHEL GUTTER
ECONOMIST
MARK ZANDY
Landscape
By GEMMA CRUZ ARANETA
Global View
By DR. BETH DAY ROMULO
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Features
Thursday, March 14, 2013 11

ALL CITIZENS AND OFFICIALS SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER THE NATIONAL INTEREST IS ABOVE ALL PERSONAL AND OTHER INTERESTS.
Refections Today
Plain
View
By ATTY. ROMEO V. PEFIANCO
On Swimming
Against The Current
By DR. JESUS P. ESTANISLAO
Medium Rare
By JULLIE YAP DAZA
Study
By ALISTER DOYLE
(Contd on page 12)
(Contd on page 12)
(Contd on page B-13)
(Contd on page 12)
Awareness
(Contd on page 12) (Contd on page 12)
CLOUDS, COMPUTERS
A
PLATFORM
FOR
DELIVERING
RESULTS
THAWING GLACIERS
Report
By PHILIP ELLIOT
SCHOOL BUILDINGS
(Contd on page B-13)
Analysis
By TOM RAUM
GETTING BETTER
ADDRESSING RESOURCE GAPS IN EDUCATION
YOUNG
POLITICIANS
AND
NATIONAL
LEADERS
(Contd on page 12)
(Contd on page 12)
(Contd on page 12)
JESUS WITNESSES
JOHN 5:31-47
IMAGES OF VALOR AND VICTORY
DEPED SECRETARY
BRO. ARMIN A. LUISTRO
THE U.S. MESSAGE TO SYRIA
A
S he assumed his duties as
the new US Secretary of State,
John Kerry reassured war-torn
Syria that the US will not abandon
it. He announced that America will
not only continue providing aid, but
will increase the amount, sending
the message to Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad that the time has
come for him to step down.
We are determined that the
Syrian opposition is not going to be
(left) dangling in
the wind, won-
deri ng where
the support is or
if it is coming,
Kerry sai d i n
a news confer-
ence in London,
on his first overseas tour as Secre-
tary of State. We are determined
to change the calculation on the
ground for President Assad.
W
E have now covered the full
range of facets from the
physical to the spiritual which we
need to con-
sider as we put
together our
personal gov-
ernance score-
cards. We now
know that we
need continu-
ing formation
under each of those facets. But
even as we go through a formation
program, we should not wait long
before actually delivering results,
which would begin bringing us
closer to the realization of our
dream or articulated vision.
The personal governance score-
cards we need to come up with,
after considering our need for
formation in manifold facets of
our life and work, need to specify
measures, targets, and initiatives
for each of the strategic priorities
we included in our personal strat-
egy map. Measures and the targets
specified for any given year, using
those measures, are important for
focusing our attention on what we
need to manage well so as to obtain
the type of result we are expected
to deliver. However, it is the initia-
tives that we commit to undertake
that would actually bring about the
results we need to deliver, in view
of the vision we have to realize. Our
careful choice of initiatives would
have to be guided by the type of
formation we decide to pursue and
subject ourselves to. That choice
we need to frame with the following
key points in mind:
Through our continuing forma-
tion under many facets, we should
choose those initiatives that would
bring about the transformation
we seek through our having to
realize our personal vision. Those
initiatives should secure for us
not only the bread we need, but
also the word we should live by.
Indeed, the combination of initia-
tives we choose should bring us to
a much higher level than we can
attain, if we limited our attention
and concerns to the mundane, the
immediate, and the purely opera-
tional. It is for this reason that the
initiatives we choose should be
genuinely strategic, and therefore
transformational.
In the choice of strategic initia-
tives, we cannot take on a purely
two-dimensional perspective. We
therefore have to move from a
simple-minded contrast between
the weaknesses we need to ad-
dress and the desired outcome
after those weaknesses have been
removed. Instead, we have to
move to higher ground, where all
the facets of our life and work are
closely inter-related, and where
J
ESUS said to the Jews, If I testify
on My own behalf, My testimony
cannot be verified. But there is an-
other who testifies on My behalf, and
I know that the testimony he gives on
My behalf is true.
You sent emissaries to John, and he
testified to the truth. I do not accept
testimony from a human being, but I
say this so that you may be saved. He
was a burning and shining lamp, and
for a while you were content to re-
joice in his light.
But I have tes-
timony greater
than Johns. The
works that the
Father gave me
to accomplish,
these works that
I perform testify on My behalf that
the Father has sent Me. Moreover,
the Father who sent Me has testified
on My behalf.
W
ASHINGTON, DC, United States
(AP) Despite constant budget
wrangling and finger-pointing by the na-
tions policy-makers, the governments
short-term fiscal outlook isnt all that
bad. Its actually getting better at least
for now.
Washington is borrowing about 25 cents
for every dollar it spends, down from over
40 cents just a few years ago.
The federal budget deficit will drop to $845 billion this
W
ASHI NGTON, DC, U n i t e d
States (AP) Ameri- cas schools
are in such disrepair that it would cost
more than $270 billion just to get elemen-
tary and secondary buildings back to their
original conditions and twice that to get
them up to date, a report r e l e a s e d
Tuesday estimated.
In a foreword to the report, former
President Bill Clinton said, we are still
struggling to provide equal opportunity to children and urged
O
SLO, Norway (Reuters) Cana-
dian glaciers that are the worlds
third biggest store of ice after Antarc-
tica and Greenland seem headed for an
irreversible melt that will push up sea
levels, scientists said on Thursday.
About 20 percent of the ice in gla-
ciers, on islands such as Ellesmere or
Devon off northern Canada, could van-
ish by the end of the 21st century in a
melt that would add 3.5 cm (1.4 inch) to global sea levels,
(Editors note: In the old days
most politicians and national
leaders were a lot younger, in their
mid-twenties
and early 30s,
as noted by
the author.)
D
URI NG
t he US
colonial period
in the Philip-
pines, politicians were consider-
ably younger in their mid-20s and
early 30s. They campaigned in all
big towns and cities. Elections in
November were preceded by heavy
rains or stormy weather in August,
September, and October, but these
did not stop voters from trekking to
their precincts even without fringe
benefits from vote-buyers. They
voted freely and without favor from
candidates.
Two old pals
In the nations capital, two old
pals Mayor Lim, 84, and Erap,
76 will slug it out starting March
29 for mayor. After signing a peace
covenant, Eraps choice for vice
mayor and five candidates for
councilor were arrested by the
police for holding a sidewalk bingo.
Isko Morenos two hands, still
dripping with ink, were caught by
an MB cameraman and landed on
about one-third of the front page.
Erap cried FOUL less than a
week from subscribing to a peace
MOA.
Manila mayor at 37
Manila Mayor, Arsenio H. Lac-
son, was elected to this office in
1951 at age 37. Lacson was an
outstanding congressman elected
by Manilans in 1949. Amang Rodri-
guez was appointed mayor of the
capital city in 1923 at age 40. But
his Bossing, Governor-General
Leonard Wood, had a spat with
Interior Secretary Jose P. Laurel
that led to a Cabinet crisis. Laurel
resigned followed by his colleagues
and Quezon and Roxas resigned
as members of the Council of
State. Amangs appointment paper,
according to Senate President
Quezon, was left unread. Amang
served less than a month before
he was turned down by the Com-
mission on Appointments.
Quezon and Osmea
Lets go back to the years be-
tween 1901 and 1935 of the US
colonial period. Elected leaders
were a lot younger, like Quezon and
Osmea who were classmates at
the UST college of law. They took
the Bar exams in 1903: Osmea
placed No. 2 and Quezon No. 5. The
two were elected governors in 1905
at age 27. In 1907 they won as del-
egates to the Philippine Assembly
that elected Osmea as speaker
and Quezon as majority floor
W
HEN Rene Moder visited a
school with 20,000 students, he
was pleased to see that they had a
lab with computers. But the students
were not free to use the computers!
He went to a company with an eye
on technology-assisted business and
saw more computers but no one in
the lab.
Whys that? Mr. Moder, Swiss-
German, married to a Filipina, with
a degree in physics from Univer-
sity of California,
Berkeley, holds
a job with the
name ent er-
prise database
architect/soft-
ware engineer.
Since 2011, when
he and his mother-in-law partnered to
form a solution integration or utility
computing company in Mandaluyong
thats a virtual server, he has been
A
LL efforts are being exerted to
close the resource gaps in the
education sector teachers, class-
rooms, tables, chairs, textbooks and
other school materials by 2013. The
government has vowed to eliminate
the shortage of 66,800 classrooms
nationwide. Some R10 billion was
released to the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) for the
construction, replacement, and com-
pletion of kindergarten, elementary,
and secondary
facilities in areas
from acute class-
room shortage.
Of the R10 bil-
lion, schools in
National Capital
Region will get
R1.7 billion, fol-
lowed by schools
in Region IV-A with R1.2 billion,
schools in Region VIII with R827.7
million, and schools in Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao with
R683.8 million. The DPWH will ad-
minister the construction of facilities
based on a list of recipient schools
identified by the Department of Edu-
cation (DepEd).
On December 23, 2012, the gov-
ernment released R8.8 billion to the
DepEd for the construction of class-
rooms in 14 regions, as part of Phase
But you have never heard His voice
nor seen His form, and you do not have
His word remaining in you, because
you do not believe in the One whom He
has sent. You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life
through them; even they testify on My
behalf. But you do not want to come to
Me to have life.
I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have
The European Union is also in-
creasing its non-lethal assistance
to the Syrian opposition.
On a military level, while it does
not supply arms, the US does train
rebel fighters, and the European
Union has supplied the opposition
with armed vehicles. The message
to Syria from both the US and the
EU is that Assad should leave, but
thus far he insists that his govern-
dropping in on schools and offices
to see how they get along with tech-
nology. Hes not elated but he wont
despair, and he sees no backward-
ness perhaps only an overcapacity
in machines mismatched with under-
trained technicians?
Renes mother-in-law, Mildred
Dominguez, is his boss the CEO.
When Mrs. Dominguez invited us
girls to sit down with Rene, I was
Y
ESTERDAY, at the Tejeros
Convention Hall of the Com-
missioned Officers Club of Camp
Aguinaldo, there was a meeting
of the technical working group for
Araw ng Kagitingan and Philip-
pine Veterans Week. Discussions
revolved around the World War II
heroes of the Visayas.
Someone said that it was Presi-
dent Ferdinand Marcos who cre-
ated the Araw ng Kagitingan
ostensi bl y to
commemorate
the epic stand
made by Filipino
freedom fi ght-
ers in Bataan.
Hi s Presi den-
ti al Procl ama-
tion No. 466 instituted Philippine
Veterans Week (April 5-11), the
objective of which is to promote
and preserve the principles, ideals,
and deeds of Filipino veterans so
that patriotism and love of country
may be enhanced especially in the
youth.
In the city of Manila, we are very
respectful of veterans. They are spe-
cial guests at the Battle for Manila
memorials which Mayor Alfredo S.
Lim religiously organizes on Feb-
ruary 3. He has a deep respect for
history and knows its value as an
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Features
12
PEFI ANCO...
ESTANI SLAO...
ARANETA...
ROMULO...
ADDRESSI NG...
THAWI NG...
DAZA...
eager to see the light, at least a

glimmer, shining on a totally exotic
subject called cloud computing. (I
love looking at clouds, but clouds in
cyberspace? More later.) As it turned
out, the silver lining was discovering
that my colleagues were just like me,
groping in the dark!
Obviously, what Rene and his team
at Arkipel are doing is strange and
new (to no-tech dinosaurs, anyway).
Their mantra being your data is
your business, they focus on ar-
chitecting, provisioning, monitoring
and managing dedicated and virtual
servers. The key word is VIRTUAL,
because servers are grossly expen-
sive to operate, not to mention the
software and power bills that come
along, and theyre obsolete after two
years. This doesnt compute with the
common sense of the medium-size
companies making P5-10 million in
sales who were among the first to be
briefed by Rene.
Just as strange (but only to dino-
saurs), Rene describes his office as
small, ordinary, with no hi-tech tools.
Apparently, thats the beauty of vir-
tuality. And clouds. How do they say
cloud computing in China, in France?
(To be continued.)
ment forces are winning.
President Obama has continued
to resist calls for American military
intervention. The lessons from both
Iraq and Afghanistan suggest that
such intervention does not guaran-
tee a peaceful situation.
Meanwhile, in preparation for
the time that Assad does eventu-
ally face the reality on the ground
and leave Syria, local towns are
already setting up their own town
councils to provide food rations and
electricity.
II of the Public-Private Partnership
for the School Infrastructure Project
(PSIP II). PSIP II concerns the de-
sign and construction of 10,680 class-
rooms, including school furniture
and comfort rooms. Recipients of
PSIP Phase I project were Regions
I, 3, and 4-A.
This year, the DepEd is build-
ing 17,939 classrooms with 90,461
new water, lavatory and sanitation
facilities, through public-private
partnership. It constructed 15,000
classrooms in 2011 and 35,000 in
2012. It is hiring 61,510 new teachers
and 3,500 non-teaching personnel,
including the over 7,000 teachers who
volunteered for the kindergarten
program that was started in school
year 2012-2013.
We congratulate the Department
of Education headed by Secre-
tary Bro. Armin A. Luistro and the
Department of Public Works and
Highways led by Secretary Rogelio
L. Singson, in their partnership to ad-
dress problems in the education sec-
tor and in their focus on improving
the quality of Philippine education.
We wish them the best and success in
all endeavors. CONGRATULATIONS
AND MABUHAY!
educational tool.
Yearly, groups of veterans come
to the commemoration of the Battle
for Manila and among them are
the Wa-chai and the Federation of
Chinese-Filipino guerrillas. We also
honor Gen. Vicente Lim, hero of the
Second World War, on the anniversary
of his birth.
However, there are veterans of a
previous war for freedom whom we
should never forget. I am referring
to those of the Filipino-American War
(1899-1907). We know so little about
that dirty little war the United
States waged against us. It is glossed
over in most history textbooks. Many
Filipinos of my generation are still not
aware that it happened; I wonder if
the younger generations have even
heard about it.
Are the veterans of that forgotten
war included in Presidential Procla-
mation No. 466? Perhaps, if only by
association, because every year, on
Araw ng Kagitingan, (Ret.) Lt. Gen-
eral Ernesto Carolina is at the Mauso-
leo de los Veteranos de la Revolucion.
Do you know where that is?
Lamentably, those who fought in
defense of our First Republic, during
the Filipino-American War are all but
forgotten. The mausoleum built in
their honor must have been so im-
posing at the end of the 19th century,
but since then, the proliferation of
tombs and gravesites in that area has
marred its perspective. Last year, Lt.
Gen. Carolina suggested that the city
government find a way to enhance
the surroundings of the Mausoleo de
la Revolucion.
As Filipino historians begin to
dig deeper into what occurred in the
Visayas during WWII, I would like
to gently remind them to also delve
into that previous war about which
we know so little, despite its indelible
impact on us Filipinos. (gemma601@
yahoo.com)
leader and both were 29 years old.
President Noynoy s father/
grandfather
But President Noynoys father
Ninoy was about the youngest to
win an elective post. He was elected
mayor of Concepcion, Tarlac, at
age 23 and went on to win as vice
governor then governor, before be-
ing elected as senator at 35 in 1967.
President Noynoys grandfather
won a seat in the House in 1919 at
25, reelected in 1922 and 1925, and
was elected senator in 1928 at age 34.
(The Jones Law, effective between
1916 and 1935, referred to 30 years
as the minimum age of a senatorial
candidate.)
Law clerk to a Chief Justice
Manuel A. Roxas graduated from
UP college of law in 1913 at age 21. He
took the Bar and earned a grade of
numero uno. Chief Justice Arellano
named Roxas to his staff as law clerk.
He was elected governor of Capiz in
1919 at age 27 and won a seat in the
House in 1922. He served as speaker
from 1922 to 1933.
Cabinet crisis
President Laurel was appointed
secretary of interior by Governor-
General Wood in 1923 at age 33 after
a one-year schooling at Yale U. Wood
reinstated an American detective to
the MPD over Laurels objection,
forcing him to resign. He won a seat
in the Senates Fifth District Que-
zons own district in 1925 at age 35.
He graduated from UP in 1915 and
placed No. 2 in the Bar.
Quirino
President Quirino was Laurels
classmate at UP. He was named
secretary to President Quezon. He
was elected to the House in 1919 at
age 29, and in 1925 he won election
as senator at 35.
Elections today are more expen-
sive than at anytime between 1935
and 1965. Political ads on TV alone
may cost millions for spots lasting
less than10 minutes. Endorsements
on radio and newspapers may cost
a lot less.
Orators
In the old days, politicians known
for their oratorical skill could attract
countless thousands who gath-
ered and waited at the town plaza.
Speakers like Roxas, Laurel, Pelaez,
Tolentino, Serrano, and Peralta (of
Sorsogon) could hold a crowd for
hours and long after angelus.
Suspended for libel
The most effective and popular
speaker in Manila was candidate
Lacson. He held an inexhaustible
store of epithets, jokes, and ridi-
cule in English and Tagalog with
a clear Visayan accent. Lacsons
favorite venue was Plaza Miranda,
where worshippers of the Black
Nazarene leaving the church could
hear his broadside. National/local
elections were held in November.
The crowd, that included students,
would not leave Quiapo if Lacson
was on st age i n dark gl asses
punching the air and cursing the
LP administration. One Lacson
verbal attack led to this suspen-
sion from office for libel in early
1952. (Comments are welcome at
roming@pefianco.com).
smart initiatives pitched against
one weakness can also make a
significant dent upon two or three
other weaknesses as well. We can
use the same inter-connectedness
of facets and the coverage of sev-
eral formation programs when we
are using sources of strength in
order to achieve even greater over-
all strength.
After going over our manifold
needs for continuing formation, we
need to choose those strategic ini-
tiatives for our performance score-
cards under the guide motto: not
many but much. In other words,
we limit ourselves to only a few
(therefore, not many) initiatives,
for as long as they secure for us the
maximum and optimum (therefore,
much) outcome, thereby bring-
ing us farthest on the road, which
most effectively leads us to the
final milestone, the realization of
our vision.
We should be clear, therefore,
that through our personal perfor-
mance scorecard, we construct a
platform for action that delivers the
desired outcome, after taking due
consideration of our many needs
for continuing formation. Once we
have that scorecard, with smartly
selected strategic initiatives speci-
fied and strongly committed, we
are ready to dive into day-to-day
operational implementation of our
personal governance program.
they said.
Governments are trying to under-
stand every likely centimeter of sea
level rise caused by global warming
to plan how to protect cities from
New York to Shanghai or low-lying
coasts from Ghana to Bangladesh.
We believe that the mass loss
is irreversible in the foreseeable
future assuming continued climate
change, the scientists, based in the
Netherlands and the United States,
wrote in the journal Geophysical
Research Letters.
Lead author Jan Lenaerts of the
University of Utrecht told Reuters
that the trend seemed unstoppable
because a thaw of white glaciers
would expose dark-colored tundra
that would soak up more of the
suns heat and further accelerate
the melt.
A total melt of the glaciers would
take several centuries. Climate
change is warming the Arctic faster
than the global average.
Most past estimates of Canadas
glaciers, based on less precise data
of their size and melt rates, pointed
to a smaller contribution to sea level
rise of perhaps 2 cm this century,
Lenaerts said.
The UN panel of climate scien-
tists has projected that world sea
levels will rise by between 18 and 59
cm this century, or more if a thaw
of vast ice sheets in Antarctica or
Greenland accelerates.
Canadas glaciers are little stud-
ied and often lumped into the panels
estimates with ice in Alaska, Patago-
nia, Russia, and Svalbard off north
Norway.
These glaciers are a significant
part of the whole equation and of
future sea level rise, said David
Vaughan, head of the ice2sea pro-
gram for studying global warming
based at the British Antarctic Sur-
vey in England.
We cant afford to ignore them,
he told Reuters. Vaughan was not
among the authors of Thursdays
study.
Most attenti on goes out to
Greenland and Antarctica which is
understandable because they are
the two largest ice bodies in the
world, said Michiel van den Broeke,
a co-author of the study at Utrecht
University.
We want to show that the Ca-
nadian ice caps should be included
in the calculations, he said in a
statement.
The experts used satellite data of
the extent of Canadian glaciers over
the past decade to work out a model
to project their decline.
The projection of a 20 percent loss
of volume was based on a scenario
in which world temperatures would
rise by 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 F) this
century and by 8 Celsius (14.4 F)
in the Canadian Arctic, well within
most UN scenarios.
the first federal study of school build-
ings in almost two decades.
Clinton and the Center for Green
Schools urged a Government Ac-
countability Office assessment on
what it would take to get school
buildings up to date to help students
learn, keep teachers healthy, and put
workers back on the jobs. The last
such report, issued in 1995 during the
Clinton administration, estimated it
would take $112 billion to bring the
schools into good repair and did not
include the need for new buildings to
accommodate the growing number
of students.
The Center for Green Schools
researchers reviewed spending and
estimates schools spent $211 billion on
upkeep between 1995 and 2008. During
that same time, schools should have
spent some $482 billion, the group cal-
culated based on a formula included
in the most recent GAO study.
That left a $271-billion gap be-
tween what should have been spent
on upkeep and what was, the group
reported. Each students share? Some
$5,450.
To update and modernize the build-
ings, the figure doubles, to $542 billion
over the next decade.
We have a moral obligation, said
Rachel Gutter, director of the group
affiliated with the US Green Build-
ing Council. When we talk about a
quality education, we talk about the
who and the what teachers and
curriculum but we dont talk about
the where. That needs to change.
Her organization is urging the Edu-
cation Department to collect annual
data on school buildings sizes and
ages, as well as property holdings.
The group also wants the Education
Departments statistics branch to
keep tabs on utility and maintenance
bills.
Its a secret that were keeping be-
cause its shameful and embarrassing
to us as a country, Gutter said.
Horror stories abound about
schools with roofs that leak, plumb-
ing that backs up and windows that
do little to stop winds.
Would you send your kids or
grandkids to one of these schools?
asked National Education Association
President Dennis Van Roekel, who
supported the report along with
the 21st Century School Fund, the
American Federation of Teachers, the
American Lung Association, and the
National PTA.
Schools appearances alone, of
course, do not guarantee students
success but it is certainly more dif-
ficult to teach and learn when water
is coming in through the ceiling, pipes
are growling or rooms are frigid.
SCHOOL...
DANCE PERFORMANCE Danc-
ers perform during the National
Commission for Culture and
Arts (NCCA) 5th Ani ng Dangal
Awards night at the Cultural
Center of the Philippines on
March 8, 2013. (Photo by Jac-
queline Hernandez)
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Luzon News 13
LUZON
NEWSBITS
By ANTHONY GIRON
IMUS CITY, Cavite Homer T.
Saquilayan has regained the capital
citys stronghold after the Supreme
Court lifted the temporary restrain-
ing order (TRO) on a decision declar-
ing him as the duly-elected mayor.
Saquilayan, fondly called Saki
by his peers, colleagues and friends,
is holding office for the meantime at a
small room of the government-owned
Cavite Computer Center pending
the issuance of a writ of execution
from the Commission on Elections
(Comelec) who declared him as the
mayor who won in the first automated
elections on May 10, 2010.
Saquilayan preferred to stay at
the Center to ensure peace and order
and smooth takeover transition. The
mayor is just waiting for the writ of
execution which was expected to
come out yesterday afternoon or any
day this week.
The 56-year-old Saquilayan and
a throng of supporters wearing red
and white t-shirts gathered at the his-
toric Our Lady of Pillar Parish-Imus
Cathedral just fronting the sprawling
city hall early yesterday morning
after the Thanksgiving Mass and
walked to the Center which is more
than one kilometer away.
Lawyer Ferdinand S. Topacio said
yesterday is the first day of office of
Saquilayan even as the embattled
mayor, Emmanuel L. Maliksi, has yet
to vacate the city hall. The lawyer is
a cousin of Saquilayan who has been
helping him on legal matters.
The Supreme Court decision is
executory but we have to wait for the
writ of execution. We want peace and
order to reign pending the transition,
Topacio said.
Voting 8-7, the Supreme Court in
an en banc session on Tuesday lifted
the temporary restraining order it
had issued in October stopping the
Comelec from unseating Emmanuel
Maliksi in favor of Saquilayan.
The High Tribunal also dismissed
Maliksis petition and affirmed the
Comelec ruling favoring Saquilayan.
The 43-year-old Maliksi was in-
stalled as mayor on December 28,
2011, one month after the Imus Re-
gional Trial Court ruled on the elec-
tion protest against Saquilayan.
The Comelec First Division led by
Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento de-
clared that Saquilayan won the 2010
elections by 8,429 votes after it made
an audit of the ballots in the election
precincts in question.
Later, the Comelec under Chair-
man Sixto Brillantes in an en banc
session affirmed the findings of the
division.
Maliksi is the son of former Cav-
ite governor and incumbent Imus
Rep. Erineo Ayong Maliksi. He is a
member of the Liberal Party, which is
headed by President Aquino.
Saquilayan, who belongs to the op-
position Nacionalista Party, thanked
Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno
for the decision on the much-awaited
TRO decision.
Im happy because the truth has
come out and also sad because it (the
decision) was delayed. But just the
same, I thank the Supreme Court on
their action, Saquilayan said.
Saquilayan has an extraordinary
record in his political career. He was
elected thrice as mayor of the capital
but protested and unseated each
time. The first and second were the
2001 and 2004 elections against Oscar
A. Jaro and the third and the last time
against the young Maliksi despite his
landslide win.
When asked what would be his
first move as mayor this time, Saqui-
layan said I would see if the house
is in order and call an audit of the
expenses and transactions made
by the de facto mayor (referring to
Maliksi).
By JONAS REYES
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT A
large number of soldiers from the
United States and the Philippines
will partake in this years joint mili-
tary exercises starting next month
in Region 3.
Around 8,000 soldiers from the
two countries will conduct their bilat-
eral exercises in Subic Bay Freeport,
Camp ODonnel, Crow Valley in Tar-
lac, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija
and other areas in Zambales.
According to a statement by the
US Embassy, the annual exercises
will begin on the fifth of April and will
end on the seventeenth.
Included in these exercises are
joint humanitarian assistance proj-
ects which will be conducted in
Zambales. A preliminary work on
some the infrastructures will begin
this month.
According to Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col.
Arnulfo Burgos Jr, military medical
personnel will offer free medical, den-
tal and veterinary care. In selected
communities, military engineers
will construct and repair schools and
other infrastructure.
The Balikatan series of exercises
focuses on training both the US and
Philippines armed forces to provide
relief and assistance in the event of
natural disasters and other crises
that endanger public health and
safety. Additionally, armed forces
personnel from both countries will
conduct combined staff exercises and
field training to improve interoper-
ability and contingency planning.
The end goal of these exercises is
to further promote and foster the ex-
isting friendship between the people
of the Philippines and the United
States and advance the security and
stability of the region in the near fu-
ture. Burgos said.
8,000 Soldiers I n Balikatan Exercises
Saquilayan Regains
I mus Mayors Post
IMPROVED ROADS
BAGUIO CITY (PNA) Several
bus and other land transport
companies have lauded the
great improvement of the roads
from this mountain resort up
to Laoag City, some 248 kilo-
meters north of here. Rommel
Cabuyadao, an offcial of a bus
company in the area, observed
that the multi-million peso re-
blocking projects implemented
by the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH)
widened and improved high-
ways between the two cities.
BAGUIO ASSURANCE
BAGUIO CITY (PNA) The
police chief of this mountain
resort on Tuesday assured
the peace and order situation
is stable. Police Senior Supt.
Jesus Cambay, Jr., city director
of the Baguio City Police Offce
(BCPO), while not denying that
a number of theft cases were
still unsolved, said there was no
increase in the citys crime rate
if we follow the Unit Crime Pe-
riodic Report (UCPER) system of
crime reporting. Cambay said
the UCPER reporting does not
include traffc accidents, mere
complaints just made for the re-
cord in the police blotters, com-
plaints lodged in the barangay
village courts called lupong
tagapamayapa, and those
involving children in confict of
law (CICL) like brawls which do
not result to fling of cases.
QUEZON PROJECTS
LUCENA CITY, Quezon The
top offcial of the regional offce
of the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) in
Calabarzon (Calamba-Laguna-
Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) dis-
closed yesterday that Quezon
province has a P2.1-billion fund
allocation for 2013. Engineer
Huillo Bellesa, regional direc-
tor of DPWH region 4A, said the
funds are intended to be used
to rehabilitate national roads
and bridges and undertake
food control projects under
the DPWH. He said the alloca-
tion covers the rehabilitation of
roads leading to tourist desti-
nations, ports, seaports, and
roads leading to airports which
projects are in line with the
tourist enhancement project
of the Department of Tourism
(DOT) and DPWH. (Danny J.
Estacio)
PAMPANGA AID
MEXICO, Pampanga (PNA) A
total of 58 families who ren-
dered services in Barangay
Tagle here on Tuesday received
salaries through the cash-for-
work program being implement-
ed by the provincial govern-
ment. Pampanga Governor Lilia
Pineda, along with other provin-
cial offcials, led the distribution
of salaries to the families who
performed community works for
the past few days. The cash-for-
work benefciaries were tasked
to clean the barangay and other
facilities for the convenience
of the residents. Each of them
got at least P7,500. Aside from
this, the provincial government
also provided food assistance
to the benefciaries and other
residents.
QUIRINO HOUSES
MADDELA, Quirino (PNA) The
Philippine National Red Cross
(PNRC)-Quirino chapter on
Tuesday turned over transitional
housing units to 27 families at
Villa Ylanan, Maddela. The vic-
tims houses were destroyed by
typhoons Pedring and Quiel
in 2011. Jesusa Leal, chapter
administrator of PNRC Quirino,
said the turn-over was graced
by offcials of the International
Federation of the Red Cross
(IFRC), which is the funding
institution. Aside from the hous-
ing project, they also provided
livelihood assistance of P10,000
each to some 800 affected
families in Diffun, Saguday, and
Maddela.
PROMOTING ORGANIC RICE An employee of the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Cordillera shows different
varieties of organically grown Cordillera rice which the agency is promoting in Baguio City as part of the
DA Year of the Rice program. (Rizaldy Comanda)
By FREDDIE C. VELEZ
CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan
The Bulacan provincial govern-
ment, together with the Department
of Education (DepEd), on Tuesday
recognized the outstanding teachers
of the province during the 23rd Bu-
lacan Outstanding Administrators,
Teachers and Supervisors (BOATS)
awarding ceremony held at the Hiyas
Pavillon inside the Capitol compound
here.
Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvar-
ado hailed the teachers, congratulat-
ing them for keeping the flames of
freedom alive.
Thank you very much for dedicat-
ing your lives to our children and to
our future, and more importantly, the
cause of freedom and enlightenment
in our country, he said
The 2012 awardees were 10 el-
ementary classroom teachers; one
elementary school head teacher; three
elementary school principal; one sec-
ondary school teacher; one secondary
school head teacher and one second-
ary school principal award.
The special citation for education
program supervisor award went to
Cynthia Mercado Vendivil, Iluminada
Valdivia Estinos and Zenaida Santiago
Fernando,Ed.D., all of DepEd Bulacan
Division Office.
The special citation for public
schools district supervisor awardees
were Juanita Mendoza Ignacio of
Meycauayan district, Alberto Bernabe
Bautista, Ph.D. of San Miguel South
district, Matilde Fajardo Zamora,
Ph.D. of Guiguinto district, Divina
Joson Florews of Calumpit district,
Amelia Antonio Santiago, Ph.D. of Bo-
caue district and Mario Daring Bareo
of Norzagaray district.
Meanwhile, Senator Teofisto TG
Guingona III, the guest of honor and
speaker, also recognized the important
role the countrys educators play in
nation-building and likewise lauded
their efforts in inspiring millions of
Filipino students to become better
citizens.
Guingona acknowledged the hard
work and dedication of public school
teachers in uplifting the quality of
education and by giving hope to poor
students. The senator likewise echoed
the efforts made by the Aquino admin-
istration in fighting poverty by invest-
ing in quality education.
By LIEZLE BASA INIGO
SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union
For the third time in a row, La Union
was adjudged as the cleanest, green-
est, and safest province in Ilocandia.
The recognition was presented by
the Region 1 Development Council
during the Annual State of Regional
Development Conference in Bauang,
La Union. National Economic and De-
velopment Authority (NEDA) Region
1 Director Juan Ngalob handed over
the award to La Union officials led by
Gov. Manuel C. Ortega on Tuesday.
Ortega said the award affirms the
unity of all officials and residents
who cooperated with each other to
make La Union a model province.
The Cleanest, Greanest and Safest
Province (CGSP) Award is a regional
search that recognizes significant
contributions of provinces that serve
as example in the promotion of clean,
healthy, and safe environment.
La Union also bagged the cham-
pionship trophy for Coastal Re-
source Management and Second
Runner-up title for its PRISM II
in the Search for NGO-LGU Project
Based Practices.
La Union
Again Wins
Awards
ILAGAN City (PNA) The prov-
inces of Isabela and Cagayan are
aiming to become the countrys vol-
unteerism hubs as they once again
mount major activities that will en-
courage volunteers to promote hero-
ism among individuals and groups,
most especially the youth.
Isabela provincial administra-
tor lawyer Noel Manuel R. Lopez
said the provincial government
through Governor Faustino G. Dy III
fully supports the upcoming Bayani
Challenge scheduled to be held
on March 23-27, 2013 at the Isabela
Sports Complex in this city.
Lopez cited the support extended
by the provincial government in mo-
bilizing Isabela youths who served
some 400 physically and mentally
challenged children from different
parts of the country that visited the
province last year.
Lopez urged the youth of Isabela
to join another challenge. We must
elevate the challenge of the spirit of
volunteerism among our youth and
community leaders in helping our
communities, Lopez said.
He urged school youth leaders
both in private and public schools
and in communities to encourage
other youths to become volunteers
and show to the public that volun-
teerism is a noble act that should be
expanded among its citizens.
Meanwhile, Cagayan province
Dominick L. Bangad service team
secretariat, said Bayani Challenge
is an annual five-day volunteerism
event showcasing the tremendously
beautiful and big heart of the Fili-
pino.
The summer event will engage
volunteers in building houses, refur-
bishing classrooms, planting trees,
conducting health missions, organiz-
ing fun events for kids and growth
sessions for adults, Bangad said.
The first Bayani challenge was
held in 2006 under the auspices of
Gawad Kalinga (GK) as a response
to a calamity devastated community
in Leyte.
I sabela, Cagayan Turn Volunteerism Hubs
Bulacan,
DepEd
Honor
Outstanding
Educators
L
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ymv
FIRE SAFETY
BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occiden-
tal (PIA) - The Safety Orga-
nization of Negros Occidental
(SONO) recently conducted a
Fire Safety Seminar at the Sugar
Workers Development Center,
Bacolod City with safety prac-
titioners, company representa-
tives from various sectors in
the province and Junior SONO
members of John B. Lacson
Colleges Foundation attending.
Resource speaker Jessie Otaez
spoke about Fire Extinguishing
techniques and Proper use of
Fire Extinguishers. The activity
was SONOs contribution to the
observance of the Fire Preven-
tion Month, now ongoing, earlier
launched by the Bureau of Fire
Protection.
FREE BREAKFAST
CEBU CITY, Cebu - McDonalds
restaurants in Asia, Middle East
and South Africa will celebrate
National Breakfast Day on March
18 by giving away some fve mil-
lion McMuffns. This will be the
biggest breakfast event in the
Philippines, said Meryl Timbol,
PR and communications man-
ager of Golden Arches Develop-
ment Corp., McDonaldss master
franchise holder in the Philip-
pines. On March 18, she said, all
McDonalds restaurants serving
breakfast in the country will offer
1,000 McMuffns from 5-9 a.m.
There are some 380 McDonalds
restaurants in the country, 12 of
which are in Cebu. McDonalds
realizes the importance of break-
fast and the role it plays in the
lives of our customersseen with
our Hooray for Today campaign.
(Phoebe Indino)
DEADLINE SET
DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros
Oriental (PNA) According to
the Department of Social Wel-
fare and Development (DSWD)
in Region 7, the agency will
not facilitate early release of
funds from its national offce for
the food-for-work program for
earthquake victims in Negros
Oriental unless local government
units (LGUs) have submitted
the requirements by deadline
time this Friday, March 15 The
DSWDs food-for-work program
is intended for LGUs in the prov-
inces frst district affected by
the magnitude 6.9 earthquake
that hit Negros Oriental last Feb-
ruary 6, 2012.
FACILITIES DONATED
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu (PIA) -
A memorandum of agreement
(MOA) was inked between the
Lapu-Lapu City government
and Aboitiz Foundation Inc. for
the construction of a two-story,
six-classroom building for the
Babag National High School.
Lapu-Lapu Mayor Paz Radaza
signed the MOA on behalf of
the city while Augusto P. Carpio
III, executive vice president
and managing trustee signed
on behalf of Aboitiz Founda-
tion. Radaza said data from
the countrys National Statistic
Coordination Board (NSCB)
show that Lapu-Lapu City is one
of two cities that have invested
heavily on health care in 2009
on a per capita basis.
FASTER
COLLECTIONS
ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PIA) - The
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
Regional Offce No.11 in Panay
has launched the mobile rev-
enue collection offcers system
(MRCOS) for faster service to
taxpayers. BIR-Regional Offce 11
Collection Division Chief Marivic
Tulio said the MRCOS is an ap-
plication system providing for mo-
bile receipting of tax payments,
generation of collection reports
and reconciliation of tax collec-
tions and tax returns. The system
is comprised of a wireless device
equipped with a general packet
radio service (GPRS), an internet
connection, and a handy printer
allowing the printing of receipt
upon payment of taxes.
Visayas News 14
A SPOT OF GREEN WITHIN THE URBAN JUNGLE Workers take a break under the cool shade
of trees in a mall park in Cebu City. (Cheryl Baldicantos)
WOMENS PRODUCTS An ongoing trade fair is held on the grounds of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol
as part of the celebration of the 2013 National Womens Month. Stalls selling a variety of prod-
ucts, including locally-made womens bags have been put up in said trade fair. (Tara Yap)
R1 B Earmarked For Tourist Road
Networks I n Western Visayas
By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
CEBU CITY, Cebu - Summer is a
perfect time to go scuba diving in Cebu
but a proposed ordinance is seeking to
regulate the water sport in the prov-
ince to prevent accidents.
Cebu provincial board member
Arleigh Sitoy, who authored the pro-
posed
ordinance, noted that there have
been many incidents involving scuba
diving tourists in the province.
This water activity continues to
be popular in the province despite
unfortunate incidents related to diving
activities, he said.
In his proposed ordinance, only
those who have completed 10 hours
of combined classroom and pool water
training activities will be allowed to go
on open water diving.
The training to be conducted by
a certified diving instructor and dive
master should also include proper
use, preventive maintenance and
care of diving equipment and demon-
stration of first aid, mouth-to-mouth
and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) capabilities.
The proposed ordinance, which
was passed on first reading, seeks to
penalize violators with P5,000 or im-
prisonment of at least one year.
CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar (PIA)
- To increase revenue collection and
achieve the 2013 targets, the Bureau of
Internal Revenue (BIR) District 87 has
introduced the Integrated Tax System
(ITS) during a recently-launched tax
awareness campaign at the Samar
State University Gymnasium in Cat-
balogan City.
Said ITS is a set of related sys-
tems and processes which runs and
facilitates the BIRs core business
functions. It provides maximum au-
tomation and minimum manual inter-
vention in BIR operation and supports
the Bureau in servicing taxpayers on
different aspects of tax collection and
administration processes.
During said tax awareness cam-
paign, BIR 8 Regional Director Atty.
Diosdado Mendoza congratulated
district 87 for being top in revenue
collection in the region.
Let us work hand and hand in sup-
porting governments efforts in nation
building. And with better collection of
taxes, our country will soon be a tiger
economy not only in Asia but in the
whole world, said Mendoza.
Tax collecting is made easier with
ITS as it enhances taxpayers compli-
ance by timely issuance of reminder
letters, prompt response to taxpayers
inquiries with automatic identification
and efficient monitoring of all receiv-
able accounts, and standardized and
systematic collection procedures, said
Revenue Officer Rolando Espina.
By PHOEBE JEN INDINO
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu- A mod-
ern, affordable hospital is how lawyer
Augusto Go describes what will soon
be known as the University of Cebu
Medical Center (UCMC) during its
groundbreaking ceremony and bless-
ing rite recently.
Go, who also owns at least four
University of Cebu campuses, bared
that it has been his dream to construct
a hospital that will cater to the middle
class.
Said hospital, to be called the
UCMC, is expected to open and start
offering services in mid-2014, while
its full operation is expected to start
by early 2015, said Wally Liu, chief ex-
ecutive officer of Primary Structures
Corp. which will construct the hospital
in this citys Barangay Subangdaku.
Meanwhile, Architect Maxwell Es-
pina revealed that the 12-floor tertiary
hospital will feature a design that will
make it very comfortable to patients.
Go said the new hospital is expect-
ed to have the ambiance of a hotel as
he envisions it to be a hospital-friendly
facility especially for children.
Espina added that UCMC will have
a spacious parking lot that can accom-
modate from 200 to 400 cars. It will use
eco-friendly bulbs and air-conditioning
units while landscaping is planned on
the sixth floor of the building.
We are always searching for ways
to improve our services. With UCMC,
medical education and medical care
will be enhanced to serve people, said
UC Chancellor Candice Gotianuy who
also shared that the construction of
the hospital is expected to increase the
number of UC nursing students.
Gotianuy stressed that the direc-
tion of UCMC is to provide quality
medical care at an affordable cost
even as it intends to acquire the best
possible equipment for the various
services it will offer.
BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan (PNA)-
Another cruise ship, the MS Europa,
from the European continent, will be
visiting the countrys premier holiday
island resort destination, Boracay ,
on March 19.
The arrival of said cruise liner
follows earlier successful visits of
two other big cruise ships, the MV
Legends of the Seas last year and the
MS Columbus which docked here last
January , 2013.
Department of Tourism (DoT) in
Region 7 director Helen Catalbas said
the March 19 visit of MS Europa, will
see Boracay welcoming 500 European
tourists on the island.
She said the tourists will be spend-
ing eight hours on Boracay.
Catalbas also said that the DoT, the
local government unit of Aklan and
other concerned government agencies
are currently working together to make
sure the visit of the foreign tourists will
be just as successful as the two previ-
ous cruise visits that brought in high-
spending visitors to the island.
By TARA YAP
ILOILO CITY, Iloilo - For 2013,
a P1-billion funding is allocated for
the construction or rehabilitation of
tourism road networks in the West-
ern Visayas region. Said fund will
be released by the Department of
Budget and Management (DBM) to
the Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) for Department of
Tourism (DoT) -DPWH tourism road
convergence projects.
This was disclosed by Atty. Helen
Catalbas, regional director of Depart-
ment of Tourism (DOT-6).
The joint Convergence on Tourism
Infrastructure Program of DOT-6 and
Department of Public Works and High-
ways (DPWH-6) will continue to address
the accessibility of the regions potential
and existing tourist destinations.
This years allocation is earmarked
for the Boracay Circumferential Road
and the Tangalan-Ibajay Road in Aklan
province.
Projects in Capiz province cover
roads leading to the Palina Greenbelt
Eco Park in Roxas City; Hinulgan
Falls and Balisong Hills in Pilar town;
and Basio Beach in Ivisan town.
In Guimaras province, projects in-
clude the concreting of the Guimaras
Circumferential Road and Rizal-to-
Jordan Wharf Road.
Projects in the city and province
of Iloilo include the upgrading of Jaro
Road, Tacas Road, the Iloilo Coastal
Road going towards Dumangas Port in
Dumangas town; and the Molo-Areva-
lo Road leading to Antique province.
Projects in Negros Occidental
include the Bacolod-Murcia-Don
Salvador Benedicto-San Carlos Road;
Silay-Lantawon-Patag Road; Punta
Taytay and the boundary road in Ba-
colod City. Also included are access
roads to Mambual Resort in Murcia
town, Guhawon Resort in Victorias
City, Patag Valley in Silay City and
The Ruins in Talisay City.
An initial P200-million fund was
released after said convergence pro-
gram was launched during the last
quarter of 2012.
BI R
I ntroduces
I TS I n Samar
New Tertiary Hospital To Rise
MS Europa To Visit Boracay
Strict
Scuba
Diving
Regulations
Proposed
VISAYAS
NEWSBITS
L
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Mindanao News
15
MINDANAO
NEWSBITS
By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO
BUTUAN CITY Officials of the
provincial government of Surigao del
Norte, Department of the Interior
and Local Government (DILG) and
the Office of the Presidential Ad-
viser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)
yesterday inked a Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) for the implemen-
tation of the P135 million peace and
development projects in the seven
municipalities of Surigao del Norte
and Surigao City.
The MOA signing of these projects
were done during the 74th Full Coun-
cil Meeting of the Regional Develop-
ment Council (RDC) at citys inland
resort, hotel and convention center
here yesterday.
These projects comprising of roads
are under the Payapa at Masaganang
Pamayanan or PAMANA peace and
development program of the OPAPP
are located in the municipalities
of Malimono, Bacuag, Sison, Del
Carmen, Mainit, Gigaquit and San
P135-M Peace
And Devt Projects
For Surigao Del Norte
Francisco, all of SDurigao del Norte
province and Surigao City.
In this MOA, concerned officials
led by RDC Chairperson and Surigao
del Norte Gov. Sol F. Matugas, DILG
and OPAPP agreed to help one an-
other for the successful implementa-
tion of PAMANA projects in different
conflict-affected areas.
PAMANA is the governments
peace and development program and
framework which seeks to improve
governance and empower communi-
ties through community-driven proj-
ects that address the peoples needs
while promoting peace.
The program is under the super-
vision and implementation of the
OPAPP.
Other than providing economic
development in conflict-affected
areas, PAMANA will also assists
in capacitating LGUs to provide
programs for reintegration of rebel
returnees, developing psycho social
de-briefing tools or interventions for
mainstreaming and mapping support
mechanisms.
These projects are also the conver-
gence framework through which the
national government, local govern-
ment units and development agen-
cies provide targeted interventions
in identified conflict-affected areas
(CAAS) focused on responsible gov-
ernance; improved delivery of basic
services; sustainable development
and economic reconstruction; and
security sector reforms by ensuring
delivery of basic services, implemen-
tation of transparent and accountable
mechanisms and capacity building
of communities while ensuring that
income generating activities and
economic development are supported
and employment opportunities being
provided.
Also part of the PAMANA projects
are farm-to-market roads, water and
light system and other driver towards
economic upliftment.
These PAMANA projects also
played a vital role in our far-flung
communities, especially those in
conflict-affected areas, said Gov.
Matugas.
BUTUAN CITY Good News to
farmers in Agusan del Norte.
The Department of Agrarian
Reform (DAR-Agusan del Norte)
is set to hand over more than Php 6
million worth of modern farm equip-
ments to two Agrarian Reform Ben-
eficiaries Organizations (ARBOs)
here next week, March 20.
Through the implementation of
Farm Equipment Set For Distribution
Agrarian Reform Community Con-
nectivity and Economic Support
Services (ARCCESS), this farm
implements will surely improve and
increase the production of farmers
and will also improve their living
condition.
Region Xlll DAR Regional Di-
rector Faisar Ali Mambuay said
the implementation of ARCCESS
i n the provi nce of Agusan del
Norte will contribute significantly
in transforming agrarian reform
beneficiaries (ARBs) into viable
entrepreneurs resulting to poverty
reduction in the rural areas.
He sai d these modern f arm
equi pments are now ready for
distribution to intended beneficia-
ries.
The modern farm equipment
comprise eight hand tractors with
implements, four cultivator power
tillers, five thresher (jeep-mount-
ed), one combined harvester and
two hauling trucks.
FIRE VICTIM A boy tries to wash his right foot from water coming out of a pipe of a house that was
destroyed during a fre on Sunday evening in Barangay 8A, Davao City that killed 3 persons and razed
dozens of houses. (Alexander D. Lopez)
CORPORATE CENTER Laborers work on the signage of the soon-to-open Abreeza Corporate Center in
Davao City on Monday, March 11, 2013. (Photo by Ruby Thursday More)
TANDAG CITY Economic move-
ment seen to return in this part of
Northeastern Mindanao after the
National Government released the
more than Php 50 million budget
for the repair and restoration of the
damaged road slip of the Payasan-Los
Arcos Section along Lianga (Surigao
del Sur) Prosperidad (Agusan del
Sur) Road, public works officials
yesterday said.
Aside of the economic activity that
will go back to normalcy, tourists and
even huge number of farmers in the
two provinces and its component
cities (Tandag and Bayugan) will be
benefited when this damaged road
will be restored.
This road section was destroyed
due to the Northeastern Monsoon
Rains that hit the province of Surigao
del Sur last January of 2011, said
Department of Public Works and
Highways Surigao del Sur 1 District
Engineering Office (DPWH 1 Surigao
del Sur DEO) District Engineer (DE)
Joseph R. Calderon.
He said the Php 50 million budget
was already received by the DPWH-
SDS I DEO and set for ground works
to the damaged (portion) road slip of
the Payasan-Los Arcos Section along
Lianga - Prosperidad Road.
DE Calderon is thankful for the
release of the fund as Payasan-Los
Arcos road is a short cut road con-
necting Surigao del Sur to Agusan
del Sur.
Economic
Road
By MALU CADELINA MANAR
KIDAPAWAN CITY Members
of the legislative council of Kida-
pawan City have approved, with final-
ity, the P75-million heavy equipment
loan during their special session on
Wednesday.
Of the 12 members of the Sang-
gunian, only two opposed the grant-
ing of an authority to the citys chief
executive to enter into a loan with the
Veterans Bank of the Philippines.
The discussion was too emo-
tional. We argued so hard to make the
other councilors understand our ar-
guments. For me, the loan is untimely
and I saw hidden agenda, especially
so that the elections are upcoming,
said Kidapawan City councilor Lauro
Taynan.
Taynan and another councilor,
lawyer Greg Yarra, have stood firm on
their position not to grant City Mayor
Rodolfo Gantuangco to enter into a
P75-million equipment loan.
Both have three reasons for the
opposition.
First, the loan is untimely since
the local elections are fast approach-
ing.
Equipment
Loan
PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan
del Sur Officials of the fast-rising
province of Agusan del Sur extended
their heartfelt gratitude to the Depart-
ment of Education (DepEd) and the
students from different elementary
and high schools in the province for
raking various awards in the recently
concluded 10th National Science
Quest (NSQ) held at the Teachers
Camp in Baguio City.
No less than whole officialdom of the
province led by Gov. Adolph Edward
G. Plaza personally extended his con-
gratulatory message to the students.
The winners in the elementary
level in the Science Creative Model-
ing group category were Princess
Magdaline Asis, Blessy Millen Salang,
Regine Kate Salazar, Angelei Gree
Bernadas, Hannah Rose Cotiangco,
Girly Sheen Fajardo, Nikka Noele
Galleron, Joei Lastimosa, Daryl Ra-
tilla, Hanz Adriane Badic, Ian Rod
Cabuntocan, Shyzle Mae Alguno and
Ramonit Rivera.
Science
Quest
CANDIDATES FORUM
BUTUAN CITY Candidates
in the mid-term May 13 elec-
tions will present their platform
for women during Candidates
Forum at citys hotel and con-
vention center today (March 14).
The Caraga Region 13 Regional
Development Council Gender
and Development Coordinating
Committee (RDC-GADCC), said
this Candidates Forum will serve
as venue for mayoralty and con-
gressional candidates for Butuan
City and 1st District of Agusan
del Norte, on their platform for
women. The forum will be at-
tended by about 200 women and
men from the different walks
of life; the youth, rural women,
religious, persons with dis-
abilities (PWDs), women NGOs,
academe, civil society, health
and business sectors. (Mike U.
Crismundo)
SALES BOOM
ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) The
blackouts in Zamboanga that last
more than eight hours in a day,
have brought about a boom in
the sale of rechargeable lights,
even electric fans. The eight-
hour blackouts that started way
back last November have raised
complaints from the business,
educational and all other sectors
in the city due to disruption in
work or just plain discomforts at
home. Zamboanga City Electric
Cooperative (Zamcelco) Presi-
dent Elbert Atilano explained
the power suppliers in Mindanao
could only provide less than 70
megawatts for the citys actual
need of 85 megawatts for its
150,000 power consumers in
Zamboanga per day.
FIRES STATIONS
BONGAO, Tawi-TawiThe Bureau
of Fire Protection regional offce
in the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao has completed
the construction of 33 fre
stations in the region coasting
the bureau some P111million.
ARMM-BFP Regional Director Sr.
Supt. Warlito Daus said the con-
struction of the fre stations had
started last July 2012 with fund-
ing drawn from the P8.59 billion
Transition Investment Support
Plan (TISP) for the ARMM. Daus
said each fre station will be
manned by 19 fre personnel,
14 for operations and fve to be
assigned to manned the offce.
Tawi-Tawi province he said is a
recipient of three fre stations,
located in the towns of Languy-
an, Panglima Sugala and South
Ubian. (Nonoy E. Lacson)

BREAKFAST DAY
DAVAO CITY Around 5,000
McDonalds restaurants in Asia,
Middle East, South Africa and
in the Philippines will celebrate
the First National Breakfast Day
come March 18. This was an-
nounced to the media by Mc-
Donalds management in a press
briefng here on Tuesday, March
12. In a press briefng released
to the members of the press,
Mcdonalds said the event will
be the frst and biggest break-
fast activation of the restaurant
where over 5 million McMuf-
fns will be given away to their
patrons and avid customers.
(Alexander Lopez)
FOOD AID

DAVAO CITY Victims of a fre
incident that killed 3 persons and
razed dozens of houses here on
Sunday evening received cash
and food assistance from the city
government through a distribu-
tion operation that was conduct-
ed on Tuesday, March 12. Davao
City Vice-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte
who now serves as Acting Mayor
personally handed to the victims
cash and food assistance totaling
P269,000.00. Individuals whose
houses were totally damaged by
the fre received P10,000 each
from the city government while
those whose houses were only
partially burned got P5,000 cash
assistance. Food packs flled with
rice, noodles and canned goods,
as well as assorted clothing were
also distributed by Vice Mayor
Duterte to the victims.
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News 16
Bonarelli, who was there with his
wife Tiziana. Its a long, cold, rainy
day and there was black smoke. Mrs.
Bonarelli said they would be back
Wednesday, when the cardinals re-
sume their voting rituals at 9:30 a.m.
Were from Rome. Its a tradition.
The outcome on Tuesday was ex-
pected, since all 115 of the cardinals
are theoretically candidates, and
the winner must receive two-thirds,
or 77, of the votes. In past modern
conclaves, the first ballot essentially
served as a primary, with a number of
cardinals emerging as leading vote-
getters. Subsequent rounds made
clear where the votes were flowing.
The smoke will be white when a pope
is elected. The schedule calls for two
rounds of voting in the morning and
two in the evening, as needed.
The conclave opened 12 days
after Benedict XVI became the first
pope in modern times to renounce
the throne of Peter. It was a period
fraught with tense discussions about
what kind of pope was needed for a
church threatened by secularism,
the scandal of clerical sex abuse and
a Vatican bureaucracy stippled with
corruption.
The script was clear for the cardi-
nals, and Vatican television showed
the conclaves opening pageantry.
The eminences glided two by two
from the Pauline Chapel in the
Apostolic Palace, through the Sala
Reggia and into the Sistine Chapel,
approached the altar and bowed
before it.
They took up positions behind
folded placards with their names on
tables placed along the length of the
chapels walls. Green ritual books and
red folders, presumably with the bal-
lots inside, lay before them, and they
placed their birettas square, peaked
crimson hats on the tables.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, an
Italian and the senior cardinal pres-
ent, led them in a collective oath, in
Latin, to maintain secrecy and obedi-
ence to the constitution on papal tran-
sition. They also made an oath that
if elected they would faithfully carry
out the duties of a pope and defend
the Holy See. Each then individually
swore adherence with a hand on the
gospel, in a Latin accented by their
native languages German, English,
Arabic, Spanish, and so on.
There were all in excellent form,
said the Vatican spokesman, the Rev.
Federico Lombardi, who was pres-
ent for the swearing in. They were
all there. We counted, he said with
a smile.
Then the papal master of ceremo-
nies, Msgr. Guido Marini, pronounced
the words extra omnes: every-
one out. Several dozen attendants,
clergymen and Vatican officials left
including Benedicts longtime per-
sonal secretary, Archbishop Georg
Gnswein.
He was there in his role as pre-
fect of the papal household, Father
Lombardi said. Benedict named
him prefect several months before
announcing his resignation. The for-
mer pope was 17 miles away at the
papal summer residence in Castel
Gandolfo, and Archbishop Gnsweins
dual role has reminded some in the
Vatican about the awkwardness
of having a former pope hovering
nearby an uncomfortable reminder
of past schisms in the church.
Monsignor Marini was then shown
closing the two carved wooden doors,
with a loud click.
After listening to a meditation pro-
nounced by a clergyman and bidding
farewell to him and Father Marini,
the princes of the church got down to
business, according to the rules gov-
erning papal transitions. They wrote
the name of their candidate on rect-
angular pieces of paper and tipped
them into a flying-saucer-shaped urn,
to be counted by hand and recorded
by three cardinals chosen by lot.
In the morning, the cardinals
had celebrated a special Mass led by
Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who gave
the last major public statement by a
Vatican prelate before the churchs
next supreme pontiff emerges. It
was a call to unity for a church whose
Vatican leadership has been riven
by scandal, and whose cardinals are
wrangling over what kind of pope
they want.
St. Paul teaches that each of us
must work to build up the unity of the
church, the cardinal said in his hom-
ily. All of us are therefore called to co-
operate with the pastors, in particular
with the successor of Peter, to obtain
that unity of the holy church.
Cardinal Sodano has long been
one of the most influential figures in
the Vatican and the ultimate insider,
serving both John Paul II and Bene-
dict as secretary of state. He referred
to the luminous pontificate of the
beloved and venerated Pontiff Bene-
dict XVI, to whom in this moment
we renew our profound gratitude,
drawing long applause from the wor-
shipers. A number of the cardinals,
but not all, clapped modestly.
The cardinals have appeared
divided over whether the next pope
should be an outsider who would re-
form the Italian-dominated Curia, or
Vatican bureaucracy or a galvanizing
leader who could shore up the church
in the face of growing secularism.
Benedicts decision to resign was not
universally welcomed in their ranks,
according to news reports.
The homily, firmly grounded in
Gospel readings, was markedly dif-
ferent from the last such speech,
which was given by Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger ahead of the 2005 conclave
that chose him pope. Then, Cardinal
Ratzinger delivered a sharp warning
against departing from fundamental
Catholic teaching, denouncing what
he called a dictatorship of relativ-
ism.
That showing was considered a
factor in his election. But Cardinal
Sodano will not take part in this con-
clave. He is over the age limit of 80.
It wasnt anything like Ratzing-
ers, said the Rev. Thomas Reese,
a senior fellow of the Woodstock
Theological Center at Georgetown
University who was in Rome fol-
lowing the conclave. That was
tough. This was more like a homily
on the readings than an agenda for
action.
Christopher M. Bellitto, a church
historian at Kean University in
Union, N.J., suggested that Cardinal
Sodano might have been issuing a
plea for gentleness to the cardi-
nals who may be looking for a pope
to shake up the bureaucracy of the
Vatican. Its pretty clear theres go-
ing to be a night of the long knives,
he said.
Day 1...
Obama To...
disputes are a bilateral matter be-
tween individual nations.
We will be discussing maritime
issues, Obama said after meeting
Bruneis Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
in the Oval Office, referring to the
two summits, which he is expected
to attend.
Obviously, there have been a
lot of tensions in the region around
maritime issues and His Majesty
has shown great leadership in order
to bring the countries together to
make sure that everybodys abiding
by basic precepts of rule of law and
international standards.
Obama said the summits would
also be a good venue to discuss
commerce, economic and other dip-
lomatic issues impacting a region
to which he has pivoted US diplo-
matic and military resources.
ASEAN members Vietnam, the
Philippines, Malaysia and Bru-
nei, and non-member Taiwan have
claims to parts of the South China
Sea, one of the worlds most impor-
tant shipping lanes which is believed
to be rich in fossil fuels.
Simmering tensions over the
issue have risen in the past two
years, with the Philippines and Viet-
nam accusing China of becoming
increasingly aggressive in staking
its claims.
The anger erupted during Cam-
bodias 2012 ASEAN chairmanship
which was marked by sharp regional
discord over the affair.
Efforts to secure a legally binding
code of conduct involving ASEAN
and China have floundered for
years amid Beijings insistence on
handling disputes bilaterally with
individual countries, while ASEAN
wants to speak as a group.
The president also noted in his re-
marks that the United States would
take part later this year in the first
ASEAN-US-China joint exercise, to
test how Pacific military powers can
work together on disaster relief.
Obama said the maneuvers in
June would be able to show how the
rival militaries can help people in
times of need and to try to help avoid
conflict rather than start conflict.
On a lighter note, Obama also ex-
pressed admiration for the Sultans
piloting skills, after he flew his own
jumbo jet into the United States on
Monday.
I think hes probably the only
head of state in the world who flies
a 747 himself, Obama said.
Obama became the first US presi-
dent to attend the East Asia summit
in Bali in 2011 and also took part in
the 2012 meeting in Phnom Penh,
Cambodia.
at Camp Crame in Quezon City to
discuss the Sabah standoff.
After that meeting, Roxas held a
press conference and revealed that
an agreement has been reached for
the Filipinos disengagement from
Sabah.
The Department of Foreign Af-
fairs (DFA), through spokesman Raul
Hernandez, said yesterday that the
disengagement plan was already
communicated to Malaysia and gov-
ernment is waiting for its response.
But in a separate press conference
held by Esmail, he made no mention
of the disengagement, but revealed
that he put forward plans and strate-
gies without providing details.
Even Kiram III, who approved of
Esmails meeting with Roxas, said his
brother never mentioned about such
disengagement.
No, no, no, was his report when
asked if his brother told him about the
disengagement plan.
He likened the standoff to a base-
ball game.
Kumbaga sa baseball, nasa third
base na ako, bakit pa ako aalis, mag-
back out pa ako? Kiram III asked
as he reiterated that there will be no
disengagement. (Like in baseball, I
am already on third base. Why should
I get out? Would I back out?)
Despite ruling out disengage-
ment, Kiram III said his door is still
open for talks with the government,
saying his house is so near. The gov-
ernment must talk to him, he said.
He said Japan is very far, referring
to President Benigno S. Aquino IIIs
meeting with Moro Islamic Libera-
tion Front (MILF) Chairman Al-Hadji
Murad Ebrahim in April 2011.
Sabah Claim Backed
As the standoff continues, several
ethnic groups have expressed their
full support to the Sultanate of Sulus
claim on oil-rich Sabah island.
Among the Indigenous People (IPs)
who had voiced their support for the
Sabah claim are Manobo-Banwaon,
Tausug, Manobo-Lapaknon, Kaagan/
Mandaya, Bagobo Bawa, Talaandig,
Lapaknon, Agusanon, Butuanon, Iga-
onon, Ubo Manobo, Bagobo Tagabawa,
Blaan, Dibabaon, Maranao, Maguin-
danaon, and Higaonon.
Several of the countrys tribal
people from Luzon, Visayas, and Min-
danao, such as Lumads, Moros, and
Christians assembled in Davao City on
March 8 for the Davao Tribal Summit
convened by the National Coalition of
the Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
Their 12-point covenant included
their support to the sultanates claim
over the disputed Sabah island in
Malaysia.
Sabah, they asserted, is an insepa-
rable part of our ancestral domains.
They expressed their collective
sentiments on various issues facing
them through a covenant signed by
51 of their leaders.
We call upon our Lumad, Muslim,
and Christian brothers and sisters na-
tionwide to continue to work for Peace
based on mutual respect, equality and
justice, they said.
Among others, they pointed to
the United Nations Declaration of
the Rights of the IPs, which they
said grants them the right to self-
determination.
Emanating from that right, they
said its gives the right to freely de-
termine our political status and freely
pursue our economic, social, and cul-
tural development.
Despite the standoff, the Philip-
pines has no intention of dropping
Malaysia as facilitator of the peace
negotiations between the government
and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF).
Presidential spokesman Edwin
Lacierda said Malaysia will continue
to broker the peace talks especially
since the concerned parties are al-
ready finalizing the peace agreement
that seek to end decades-old insur-
gency in the south.
But Minority Leader Danilo Suar-
ez and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez
said the Philippines could no longer
rely on Malaysia to act objectively and
independently that is required of a
third party in peace negotiations.
The Malaysian government has
Filipino blood in their hands now. We
can no longer rely on them to be an
independent and objective third party
as we pursue peace in Mindanao, said
Romualdez.
Suarez stressed that with the heirs
of the Sultan of Sulu decided in pursu-
ing its claim of Sabah, there is no way
Malaysia would allow the Philippines
to concentrate on such claim.
Help Pinoys
With the Sabah dispute still far
from over, members of the United
Nationalist Alliance (UNA) urged
President Benigno S. Aquino III to look
into the plight of Filipinos reportedly
mistreated by Malaysian forces.
Former senator Juan Miguel Zu-
biri said the President should make a
statement condemning the Malaysian
treatment of Filipinos who are report-
edly being treated inhumanely by
Malaysian authorities.
They treat us like dirt, trashour
fellowmen are being treated like dogs
there. I really hope that the President
do something about it. He should make
a strong statement, Zubiri said.
San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito-Estrada
echoed Zubiris observation, say-
ing they are in no way condoning
the wrong move of the Sultanate of
Sulu but said it is the governments
responsibility to defuse the tension
brought by Sultan Jamalul Kiram IIIs
claim that the Sabah belongs to the
Philippines.
Let me be clear, we are not con-
doning what Kiram did, but the gov-
ernment should bear in mind to work
for the interest of the Filipinos. The
government has the responsibility to
protect the welfare of all Filipinos,
Ejercito Estrada said.
Sultanates Followers
As this developed, the Philippine
Navy (PN) intercepted yesterday in
Tawi-Tawi two motorized boats with
35 suspected followers of the Sultan-
ate of Sulu.
PN spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Gregory
Gerald Fabic said several firearms and
ammunition were also found aboard
the water craft.
Authorities have yet to establish
exactly where the boats were headed
when intercepted by the PN vessels,
BRP Gen. Mariano Alvarez (PS38) and
BRP Jose Andrada (PG370) around
6:30 a.m. off Andulingan island in
Tawi-Tawi.
Fabic said that while they have
information that one of the water
craft had just arrived from Sabah and
the other on its way to Malaysia, this
remains to be verified.
The PN spokesman added that
of the 35 people on board the two
motorized boats, 34 were male and
one female.
Following their apprehension,
Fabic said the suspects were taken
to Bato-Bato in Tawi-Tawi where they
were to be turned over to the police.
Two members of the Royal Secu-
rity Force were apprehended by the
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) near
the Philippine-Malaysian border
yesterday.
Lieutenant Commander Lawrence
Roque, commander of Coast Guard
Station Bongao, said they were spotted
by PCG vessel BRP-EDSA (SARV-002)
aboard a motor boat and armed with
.45 caliber pistols, he added.
No Inhumane Treatment
Meanwhile, the government has
not yet recorded any case of inhumane
treatment of Filipinos in Sabah despite
the reported litany of rights abuses at
the hands of Malaysian authorities.
Social Welfare and Development
Secretary Corazon Dinky Soliman
said the government will file the ap-
propriate protest against Malaysia
once the complaints are gathered and
verified.
We have not recorded at this
point any of the abuses that is talked
about in media, Soliman said in a
Palace press briefing. (With reports
from Genalyn D. Kabiling, Hannah
L. Torregoza, Elena L. Aben, and
Raymund F. Antonio)
Jejomar C. Binay expressed belief
that President Benigno S. Aquino
III will not tolerate cheating in the
coming elections.
San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito Estrada
said they understand that most of them
wont openly admit their support to
their party but this would become evi-
dent once the ballots are read after the
May 2013 elections.
We understand their predicament.
Of course, they cannot openly declare
their support to us. But just the same,
I would not name names of the people
who have made their commitment. I
have had made many friends in Con-
gress, Estrada said in an interview.
Former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri
agreed with Estrada, saying most of
the friends they have in the House of
Representatives have promised to
vouch for their candidacies.
Most of them, Zubiri said, are afraid
their attention would be called by
Malacaang once they openly support
the opposition coalition since President
Aquino is leading the Team PNoys
senatorial slate.
We had been able to gain many
friends while we were in Congress. And
I personally think, they will not leave us
just like that, said Zubiri.
We cannot confirm nor deny their
support but for us, we just hope they
wont forget our friendship, espe-
cially when the ballots are tallied, he
stressed.
Binay, one of UNAs leaders, said
he will not allow cheating to prevail
and so as the President who is endors-
ing the candidates of the Liberal Party
(LP)-led Team PNoy coalition.
Di po tayo papayag na madaya.
Siguro naman hindi rin papayag si
PNoy (Aquino) na madaya tayo. (We
will not tolerate cheating. I believe the
President will not also allow cheating
in the elections), Binay said in a re-
cent sortie of the opposition coalition
in Bulacan.
He warned of marching in the
streets if UNA bets are cheated in
the elections.
Ejercito Estrada had earlier said
that he wants to land on the top five
of the Magic 12 of the senatorial
race as a precautionary measure just
in case the Aquino administration
pursues alleged plans to rig the elec-
tion results.
The San Juan congressman said
he would want to have some buffer
so he would not become a casualty of
election fraud.
Just in case the administration
forces its drive for a 12-0 for Team
PNoy, I would have some buffer, he
said.
The son of former President Jo-
seph Estrada said he has been work-
ing doubly hard the past weeks,
campaigning in four to five provinces
a week from two to three provinces
last February.
UNA bets Nancy Binay, reelection-
ist Senator Gregorio Honasan, and
Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile led the
opposition slate in a motorcade in the
4th District of Quezon City Wednesday
afternoon.
Enrile called on the countrys
industry and big business leaders to
enter into a partnership with schools
in order to provide more summer jobs
to thousands of needy students in their
pursuit of a college diploma.
He sounded his appeal as thou-
sands of college students prepare
for their summer break starting this
month up to June this year.
Emphasizing that this partner-
ship will not only financially help the
vacationing college students, Enrile
pointed out that this will also keep
them away from mischief during the
two-month school break. (With a re-
port from JC Bello Ruiz)
Sultan Kiram...
LP Members...
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Sports News 17 Thursday, March 14, 2013
SPORTS
NEWSBITS
INTERCLUB TENNIS
Cebuana Lhuillier posted a
second straight shutout win,
this time blanking Team Sports
Scholarship Program, 7-0, to
arrange a title showdown with
Team Olivarez in the Invitational
Interclub tennis team champi-
onship at the Olivarez Sports
Center in Sucat yesterday. Romy
Chan and Totoy Alina defeated
Boy Paller and Auge Armillo, 8-0,
while Jean Henri Lhuillier and
Jun Toledo also scored an 8-0
rout of Jun Orquina and Robert
Castro to lead Cebuana Lhuilliers
lopsided victory. Other winners
for the team, which also routed
College Country Club, 7-0, and
Villamor Tennis Club, 6-1, were
Jacky Tomacruz-Gilbert Estrada,
Manuel Suarez-Jojo Miranda and
Manny Capulong-Jun Frias Team
Olivarez, meanwhile, also domi-
nated Team SSP, 6-1, to clinch
the other berth.
U.E. GOLFEST
The University of the East (UE)
alumni will hold the 2nd P.O.
Domingo Cup, a lucky Double 8
golf tournament, on May 31 at
the West Course of the Wack-
Wack Golf and Country Club in
Mandaluyong City. The event was
organized to honor the late UE
chairman and CEO Panflo Obce-
na P.O. Domingo and is aimed
at raising funds for a scholarship
program that will help fnancially
disadvantaged students and for
sports and cultural development.
Spearheading the tournament is
UE Marketing Department execu-
tive director and former National
Food Authority chief administra-
tor Jesus Tanchanco Sr.
CAPATI CUP
Sta. Elena Team 2 assembled a
64 to hold off Valley Golf Club
and capture the Dominga Capati
Cup golf tournament crown held
recently at the South Course of
Canlubang Golf and Country Club
in Laguna. Composed of Carina
Ricamonte, Rio Co, Lily Chan,
Alice Jose, Ymir Oliquino and
Joey Co, Sta. Elena 2 sustained
a strong start to humble the
feld and cop the coveted feld
in the six-player team Scramble
format event. Valley Golf, led by
Jocelyn Sevilla, Arsenia Car-
los, Dina De Jesus, Supaporn
Kolkma, Dina Silva and Evange-
line Apuhin, settled for a 66 for
runner-up honors while Orchard
placed third with a 67 behind
the combined efforts of Marilyn
Nakamae, Marissa Romano, Nila
Patricio, Leanne Zuniega, Abigail
Lapid and Myrna Sutherland.

REUNION DARTS
Darters in the 70s to 90s will
see action in a reunion tour-
nament on Saturday, at the
Bullhouse Bar & Resto located
at L. Hernandez St., Las Pinas
City (in front of SM Southmall).
Organized by past and present
members of the Bisig Darters,
the event called the Jun Caleon
Cup will feature competition
in classifed doubles and ladies
singles. Cash prizes of P22,000
and P3,000 will be at stake in
the doubles and ladies competi-
tion, respectively. Balikbayan Jun
Caleon, a former Philippine team
member during the 70s and
80s, heads the list of veteran
participants together with Las
Pias vice mayor Louie Busta-
mante, himself an avid darter.

DJOKO WINS
INDIAN WELLS, California (AP)
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic
defeated Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (4),
6-1 to reach the fourth round at
the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday
with his 20th consecutive victory.
Defending womens champion
Victoria Azarenka extended her
own streak despite a nagging
ankle problem, defeating Urszula
Radwanska 6-3, 6-1 for her 17th
straight win. No. 3 Andy Mur-
ray beat Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan,
6-3, 6-2, in their frst meeting
in fve years, and No. 8 Caroline
Wozniacki played the late match
against No. 10 Nadia Petrova.
NBA RESULTS
By WAYLON GALVEZ
Games Tomorrow
(Ynares Sports Center, Antipolo City)
5:15 p.m. Meralco vs San Mig Coffee
7:30 p.m. Alaska vs Air21
Petron Blaze is frantically in
search of an import to replace Re-
naldo Balkman, who was banned for
life by the PBA last Monday for un-
sportsmanlike conduct.
Petron coach Olsen Racela said
they hope to find a replacement
before Saturdays Commissioners
Cup game against Rain or Shine in
Panabo City, Davao del Norte but
added that his team is ready to play
without an import.
We still dont have an import.
Still waiting for reply from agents,
Racela said in a text message to the
Bulletin.
The Boosters have been practic-
ing without an import since Mon-
day, the day Balkman was asked
to appear at the PBA office to shed
light on the incident when his team
played Alaska where he had a melt-
down during which he pushed his
fellow Blazers and coach, chased
referees and choked team star Ar-
wind Santos.
Later that day, the PBA issued
the ban and also asked Balkman to
pay a fine of P250,000.
Former PBA commissioner Noli
Eala, San Miguel Corp.s (SMC) di-
rector for Sports Development, said
rumors that said the company will
hire Balkman as import of the San
Miguel Beermen in the ASEAN Bas-
ketball League (ABL) are not true.
He said San Miguel will keep their
current ABL imports Brian Williams
and former Globalport reinforce-
ment Justin Williams, who is filling
in for the injured Gabe Freeman.
League sources said Petron is
eyeing Samardo Samuels or Rod-
ney White to replace Balkman. They
said the Boosters prefer White but
that the players rights are still held
by Barako Bull where he played last
season.
Barako, on the other hand, may
rehire White in case it decided to re-
place their own import, Evan Brock.
Samuels is a 6-foor-9 Jamaican
who played center at University of
Louisville. He last played in the NBA
Developmental League for the Reno
Big Horns, averaging 20.4 points,
10.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2
blocks in 21 games.
Another league insider said that
Petron considered tapping Free-
man, a two-time Best Import win-
ner who helped San Miguel capture
the Fiesta Cup back in 2009, but the
6-foot-6 forward suffered an injury
recently.
Petron I n Frantic
Search Of I mport
MIAMI (AFP) Dwyane Wade
scored 23 points while LeBron James
added 15 to spark the defending NBA
champion Miami Heat to their 19th
consecutive victory in a 99-81 rout of
the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
The Heat matched the fourth
longest single-season win streak in
league history, trailing only the 20 in
a row by Milwaukee in 1970-71, Hous-
tons 22 in a row in 2007-08 and the
Los Angeles Lakers record run of 33
from 1971-72.
Miami also matched the record
for the longest win streak by a de-
fending NBA champion, a 19-game
run by Boston in the 2008-09 cam-
paign.
Wade contributed six assists and
five steals while James added sev-
en assists and seven rebounds on
a night when he made only 3-of-11
shots from the field as the Heat won
a 15th home game in a row, improv-
ing to 30-3 at home this season.
Leading with our defense has
been the key for us, Wade said. We
come out defensive minded from the
beginning of the game.
The Heat, 48-14, have not dropped
a home game since losing to Chicago
on January 4. But Miami will em-
bark upon a five-game road trip that
starts on Wednesday at Philadelphia
and includes stops in Milwaukee, To-
ronto, Boston and Cleveland.
Wade said the Miami bench is a
major factor in sustaining the win
streak.
Los Angeles
Lakers center
Dwight Howard
reacts to crowd
taunting him
upon his return to
Orlando where his
team played the
Magic yesterday.
Howard, playing
for the frst time
at his former
home court, had
39 points and 16
rebounds to lead
the Lakers over
the Magic, 106-97.
Miami Stretches Streak To 19
A youthful, dynamic sportsman-
businessman who embodies todays
active breed of sports leaders will be
the guest of honor in the PSA-MILO
Annual Awards Night set Saturday
at the grand ballroom of the Manila
Hotel.
Globalport 900 Inc. team owner
and well-known sports patron Mikee
Romero joins the countrys oldest
media organization in a two-hour
special rites honoring the best and
brightest of 2012.
Romero will be joined in the
presidential table by the countrys
top sports officials led by Philippine
Olympic Committee (POC) presi-
dent Jose Peping Cojuangco and
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)
chairman Ritchie Garcia.
PSA president Rey Bancod of
Tempo said Romeros passion and
unwavering love for sports are un-
questionable, having been involved
in basketball, baseball, cycling,
shooting, mixed martial arts, and re-
cently, volleyball and polo.
His youthful enthusiasm also
makes him a perfect fit as guest
speaker of the gala night celebrating
the emergence of the young crop of
potential athletes as gleamed by the
huge number of recipients for the
Tony Siddayao Awards and the nam-
ing of the MILO Junior Athletes of
the Year.
The guest appearance of the
former basketball Godfather in the
affair aired live over DZSR Sports
Radio 918 and presented by the Phil-
ippine Sports Commission, Smart,
Meralco, Rain or Shine, Globalport
900, Philippine Basketball Associa-
tion, Senator Chiz Escudero, ICTSI
and Philippine Golf Tour, LBC, SM
Prime Holdings, and San Miguel
Corporation, couldnt have come at a
better time.
Romero PSA Awards Main Speaker
By TITO S. TALAO
SUBIC His most dangerous
opponent now behind him, light fly-
weight Jade Bornea methodically
cut down Wednesday quarterfinal
rival Rakhmankul Avatov of Kyrgyz-
stan, 16-6, in the 49-kilogram division
to reach the silver medal bout of
the 2013 ASBC Asian Confederation
Youth Boxing Championships at the
Subic gym.
Bornea, the World Junior bronze
medal winner from General Santos
City, will face Turkmenistans Shat-
lykyrat Myradov an 11-8 winner
over Irans Houman Myradov in the
other quarterfinal fight on Friday
for a place in the gold medal round.
Nakuha ko agad sa umpisa pa
lang kasi maliit siya kaya madaling
tamaan, said Bornea, a fourth year
high school student at University of
Baguio. Kailangan lang dumistan-
siya ng kaunti.
Attacking furiously from the
opening bell, Bornea took the first
round, 8-1 and built it up to 15-4 go-
ing to the third of the 10-division
tournament backed by the MVP
Sports Foundation, Subic Bay Met-
ropolitan Authority, PLDT, Smart,
NLEX, Maynilad, Clarktel, Subictel,
Department of Tourism, Tourism
Promotions Board, Videogear Inc.,
Exile Lights and Sound, Philippine
Olympic Committee, and the Philip-
pine Sports Commission, and sup-
ported by Sony Philippines, Nestle
Philippines, and Trame Oil & Envi-
ronmental Specialist.
As of presstime, seats in the
semifinals await as well PLDT-
ABAPs James Palicte (60 kgs), Ian
Clark Bautista (52 kgs), Jonas Bacho
(56 kgs), and Eumir Felix Marcial (64
kgs).
Bornea Cruises I nto ASBC Semis
Games Today
(Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City)
12 noon CafFrance vs Blackwater
2 p.m. Jumbo Plastic vs Hogs Breath Caf
4 p.m. Boracay Rum vs Informatics
Jumbo Plastic and Boracay Rum
look to bounce back from their open-
ing day defeats even as four teams
make their debuts in the resump-
tion of the PBA D-League Founda-
tion Cup today at the Ynares Sports
Arena in Pasig City.
Led by University of Santo
Tomas star Aljon Mariano, Jumbo
Plastic is determined to redeem
itself from Tuesdays 81-56 loss
to Fruitas when it takes on fellow
newcomer Hogs Breath Caf at 2
p.m.
Blackwater Sports begins its
campaign without ace playmaker
Jeric Fortuna against CafFrance
in the first game of the triple-
header at 12 noon before Boracay
Rum aims to enter the win column
against Jeric Teng and Informatics
in the last game at 4 p.m.
D-League Tripleheader
Cleveland 95, Washington 90
Charlotte 100, Boston 74
L.A. Lakers 106, Orlando 97
Brooklyn 108, New Orleans 98
Miami 98, Atlanta 81
Minnesota 107, San Antonio 83
Dallas 115, Milwaukee 108
Memphis 102, Portland 97
By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Top seed Albert Lim Jr. contin-
ued his remarkable run, blasting
fifth seed Vashisht Cheruku of India,
6-1, 6-2, yesterday to storm into the
semifinals of the Ajay Pathak Memo-
rial Cup/ITF 14-Under Development
Championships at the Rizal Memo-
rial Tennis Center.
Lim, the Week 1 boys singles
champion, was ruthless in the first
set as he produced one big shot after
the other to frustrate his rival.
He was so dominant he needed
less than an hour to wrap up the
match and arrange a Final Four
meeting with sixth seed Charles
Roberts of Thailand.
Roberts pulled off a minor upset
by trouncing No. 4 Sou Ming Chun
Alan of Hong Kong, 6-1, 6-3.
After a dominating performance
in the first set, Lim struggled early,
falling into several unforced errors
which his rival exploited.
Medyo naging sluggish ako
non, said Lim. Pero bumalik kaa-
gad yung focus ko kaya hindi ko na
siya hinayaang maka-iskor pa.
And again, Lim was the only
Filipino left standing after Jan God-
frey Seno and Fil-British Meredith
Jones bowed to their respective ri-
vals in the tournament held to honor
Pathak, the late former vice presi-
dent for international affairs of the
Philippine Tennis Association.
Seno, who survived Vietnamese
Nguyen Mau Vinh Quang, 4-6, 7-6 (1),
7-5 in the second round late Tuesday,
lost to third seed Parikshit Somani
of India, 6-1, 6-0, while eighth-seeded
Jones suffered a 6-1, 6-3 defeat to In-
dian Sruta Gunuganti.
Lim also advanced to the semis
in doubles as he teamed up with
Seno to beat Wu Yibing and Zhang
Changli of China, 6-3, 6-1.
Lim
Advances
To Semis
Camp John Hay drew a pair of 52
points from Fred Puckett and Clyde
Cabreros to post a two-point lead
over Royal Northwoods in seniors
play even as AMSI Shakeys Calam-
ba took charge in Group 3 with a 131
at the start of the 25th Camp John
Hay Philippine Corporate Cup yes-
terday at CJH Golf Club in Baguio.
Rommel Gomez added 49 Molave
points for the hosts, who pooled a 153
in the four-to-play, three-to-count
format event which drew a record
field of 78 teams on its silver staging.
Herr Bautista failed to count with a
42.
The San Rafael, Bulacan-based
Northwoods squad served notice of
its title aspiration as it assembled
a 151 on a pair of 50s by Tomas Jo-
son and Peregrin de Guzman while
Butch Bacanawa added a 51 and
Masakazu Saso didnt count despite
a 48.
Pugo Adventure, led by Park
Jong Wongs days best of 55, also
stayed in early contention with a 148
while Megafiber Golf Team turned in
a 144 followed by Texas (141), Macom
3 (138), Macom 3 (137) and A1 Driv-
ing School (135) in the annual event
founded by former Philippine Sports
Commission chairman Cecil Hecha-
nova in 1989 and now headed by
Southwoods chair Bob Sobrepea.
Ramon Villarel shot 45 points
while Manolo Agojo and Freddie
dela Pea scored identical 43s as
AMSI Shakeys Calamba assembled
a 131 and took a three-point lead
over Rural Bankers I, which had a
128, in Group 3 of the event spon-
sored by The Manor at Camp John
Hay, RizGolf Sports Marketing,
Ricoh Philippines, Titania Wine Cel-
lar, Nice Day Coffee and Le Chef.
J H Leads
Corp Cup
By JONAS TERRADO
GOLFHILL
Join us for our Open House
on March 16 to 17,
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at !tie
Golfhill Gardens Pavillion
Enjoy the best payment terms now!

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By LEE C. CHIPONGIAN
By BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT
Singapores health promotion
board (HPB) has urged food export-
ers whose products are branded as
healthier options need to comply with
its new food labeling or symbol which
provides consumers and shoppers
with nutritional facts at a glance.
Launched in October 1998, the
program aims to promote consumer
awareness on making healthier food
choices during grocery shopping.
Food products carrying HCS label
are in general lower in fat, saturated
fat, sodium, sugar and higher in di-
etary fiber, calcium and whole-grains
as compared to other products in the
same category of food.
Only foods that can meet the
nutritional guidelines set by HPB are
allowed to carry this symbol, said a
market report.
SCG Group Philippines has an-
nounced a P100 million upgrading
for its newly-acquired Mariwasa
Siam Ceramics plant to produce new
innovative tiles even as it launched
imported roofing materials that
would enable the Thai-owned firm
to provide complete solutions for
home-building innovations and at-
tain its projected 18 percent revenue
growth this year.
Jakkrit Suwansilp, vice-president
for sales and sales for Mariwasa, said
at yesterdays press conference that
this years growth target was a little
bit conservative compared to the 50
growth last year or $142 million (P6
billion) in revenue sales.
He said the 2012 revenue was
subst ant i al l y hi gher because
Mariwasa,which acquisition was com-
By HRVOJE HRANJSKI
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Ninety-one percent of people liv-
ing in Asia have improved access to
clean water, a remarkable achieve-
ment over the last two decades in the
worlds most populous region. But its
richest countries and wealthiest citi-
zens likely have better water supplies
and governments better prepared for
natural disasters.
The assessments made by the
Asian Development Bank in a study
published yesterday say countries in
the region could be disproportion-
ately affected by the potential impact
of climate change if they did not re-
think how they manage their water
resources. Nearly half of the deaths
caused by water-related disasters
and 90 percent of people affected by
such disasters from 1980 to 2006 lived
The Philippines will again out-
perform Asian economic growth this
year with gross domestic product
(GDP) expected to rise 5.8 percent
this year, Standard Chartered Bank
said in a report.
We are optimistic that the Philip-
pines will outperform the region and
enjoy another year of strong growth
momentum in 2013, the bank said
in its first Asia Focus Report 2013.
While domestic consumption is
likely to remain the biggest growth
driver, we expect investment growth
to pick up this year. Net exports, on
the other hand, are likely to act as a
negative (but limited) drag on growth.
Fiscal consolidation continues with
the implementation of the sin tax
in January, and we expect the fiscal
deficit to narrow gradually over the
The Department of Finance (DOF)
is supporting the ongoing undertak-
ing that would strengthen Philippine
Deposit Insurance Corporations
capability in targeting and managing
the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF).
Finance Secretary Cesar V. Puri-
sima said that the Financial Modeling
Project For Deposit Insurance being
undertaken by PDIC will enhance the
latters monitoring and surveillance
capabilities.
Officials from the PDIC along with
the World Bank met with Purisima for
a briefing on the project.
The DIF is the fund that the PDIC
draws on for paying out the insured
deposit claims for closed banks and
for financial support of joint bank
strengthening programs of the regu-
lators.
The World Bank, through the Fi-
nancial Sector Reform and Strength-
ening (FIRST) Initiative, has engaged
deposit insurance experts to design
customized stress-testing and failure
prediction models to better gauge the
possible impact of bank failures to the
DIF and to the financial system.
FIRST Initiative is a multi-donor
By CHINO S. LEYCO
WORLDBEX OPENING Shown (from left) at the opening on March 13, 2013, of Worldbex Conference and
Exposition are: Tessie Roque of NAIA Customs Bureau, Ambassador Malayureng Sakonhuinhom of Lao
Peoples Democratic Republic, Fernando Miguel of the Embassy of Angola, Chief Strategy Offcer Rodolfo
Confessor of ABS-CBN Foundation, Founding Chairman Joseph Ang of Worldbex Services International,
Executive Director Architect Francisco Flameo of Worldbex Services International, Chairman Francis
Tolentino of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Ambassador Massimo Roscigno of Italy, Co-
Founder Levi Ang of Worldbex Services International, and Co-Founder Amina Aranaz of the School of
Fashion and the Arts. The 18th Philippine World Building and Construction Exposition is being held at the
World Trade Center in Pasay City which will run until Sunday, March 17. (Photo by REGIE D. MASON)
By EDU LOPEZ
INVEST IN THE PHILIPPINES: JOIN US TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND PROVIDE MORE JOBS FOR OUR PEOPLE
Thursday, March 14, 2013 http:/ / www.mb.com.ph
MANILA BULLETIN
ACCEPTING ADVERTISEMENTS
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1 1 3 Ye a r s o f Se r v i c e t o t h e Na t i o n
BUSINESS BULLETIN
CLASSI FI ED ADS
SHI PPI NG
PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY QUOTATIONS
MARKET
& INVESTMENT
LOCAL SHARES
END SLIGHTLY
DOWN
Local shares closed slightly
lower yesterday as more
investors took advantage of
favorable prices to encash
their gains. The benchmark
Philippine Stock Exchange
index fnished 9.86 points
or 0.14 percent lower at
6,776.56. But trading volume
remained heavy with a total
of 3.32 shares valued at
P10.668 billion changing
hands. Losers topped gainers,
99-71, with 38 issues
unchanged.
ASIAN
MARKETS
HONG KONG (AFP) Asian
markets mostly fell yesterday,
with few catalysts to drive
buying after recent gains,
while Wall Street provided
a limp lead. Tokyo fell 0.61
percent, or 75.15 points to
12,239.66, Sydney slipped
0.50 percent, or 25.5 points,
to 5,092.4, while Seoul rose
0.32 percent, or 6.39 points,
to 1,999.73.
INTEREST-RATE
POLICY
The Philippines is stepping
up its battle against surging
capital infows with a plan to
shift to a multiple interest-rate
policy regime, as stocks at a
record and the peso near a
fve-year high heighten asset-
bubble risks. (Page B-2)
SEMICONDUCTOR
EXPORTS
The National Economic and
Development Authority
(NEDA) is expecting a further
improvement in the exports of
semiconductor despite its 23.2
percent decline in January this
year. (Page B-3)
SEMIRARA
INCOME
Coal producer Semirara
Mining Corporation reported
a six percent improvement
in audited consolidated net
income after tax to P6.36
billion last year from the P6.0
billion earned in 2011. (Page
B-6)
NEWS IN BRIEF
P/$ RATE CLOSES
AT P40.585/$1
The peso
exchange
rate
closed
higher at
P40.585
to the US dollar yesterday at
the Philippine Dealing & Ex-
change Corp. (PDEx) from
P40.615 the previous day. The
weighted average rate appreci-
ated to P40.588 from P40.629.
Total volume amounted to
$814.7 million.
BONDS GAIN
Philippine three-year bonds
gained, pushing the yield to
the lowest level in more than
a decade, on speculation in-
vestors are switching to fxed-
income securities on odds for a
cut in interest rates on central
bank deposits. The Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas will keep
its benchmark overnight bor-
rowing rate at a record low of
3.5 percent tomorrow, accord-
ing to all 16 economists in a
Bloomberg News survey. The
yield on the 6 percent bonds
due March 2016 fell three ba-
sis points, or 0.03 percentage
point, to 2.61 percent, accord-
ing to midday fxing prices at
Philippine Dealing & Exchange
Corp. Thats the lowest rate for
a three-year benchmark note
since Bloomberg started track-
ing the data in October 2000.
(Bloomberg)
CENTURY BONDS
Century Properties Group Inc.
is planning a $100 million bond
offering, just after it raised
P1.46 billion from an overnight
placement of shares, to help
fnance its capital expenditures
this year. In an interview, Cen-
tury chairman Jose E.B. Anto-
nio said Standard Chartered
Bank is organizing the bond of-
fering which will also fund the
frms working capital require-
ments. The frm is aggressively
expanding outside of its core
luxury residential segment and
expects its affordable residen-
tial condominium business help
boost growth in its reservation
sales by 10 to 15 percent from
P20 billion last year. Century is
planning to use a substantial
portion of this years capex
for land banking as it plans
to open projects in four new
areas with at least six to 10
buildings in each project. (JAL)
FOOD EXPORTS
Philippine food export products
proved it is gaining ground in
the international market as
Philippine companies clinched
$53.4 million in total sales at
the recently concluded Gulfood
2013 in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates (UAE). The value of
immediate sales orders re-
ceived by the 19 Philippine ex-
hibitor-companies came close
to $11 million throughout the
four-day trade fair, while the
projected value of sales orders
following the show is expected
to value over US$42 million.
POST-M.D.G.
The National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA)
has underscored the impor-
tance of developing priority
programs after the 2015 Mil-
lennium Development Goals
(MDGs) deadline. Socio-
economic Planning Secretary
Arsenio Balisacan stressed the
need to reassess the MDGs
successes as well as limita-
tions in order for the govern-
ment and the private sector to
respond to the new challenges
facing the country. (EHL)
Singapore I ssues Nutrition Labeling Rules
SCG I nvesting P100M I n Mariwasa
Asias Clean Water Access I mproves
RP Growth Seen Regions Standout
DOF Vows Support To PDI Cs
Capability Enhancement Tack For DI F
(Contd on page B-7)
(Contd on page B-7)
(Contd on page B-7)
(Contd on page B-7)
(Contd on page B-7)
L
R
ymv
Business News B-2 Thursday, March 14, 2013
By CHINO S. LEYCO
Asst. Editor: BERNI E CAHI LES-MAGKI LAT
Editor: LORETO D. CABAES
E-mail: business@mb.com.ph
By KARL LESTER M. YAP
and MICHAEL MUNOZ
(BLOOMBERG)
The Philippines is stepping up its
battle against surging capital inflows
with a plan to shift to a multiple inter-
est-rate policy regime, as stocks at a
record and the peso near a five-year
high heighten asset-bubble risks.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will
probably use the rate on special de-
posit accounts and the overnight lend-
ing rate to supplement its benchmark
as tools to guide policy, according to
Australia & New Zealand Banking
Group Ltd., Citigroup Inc. and No-
mura Holdings Inc. All 16 economists
in a Bloomberg survey predict the key
borrowing rate will stay at 3.5 percent
tomorrow.
Governor Amando Tetangco, who
has imposed limits on lenders cur-
rency forward positions and expanded
monitoring of real estate loans to fight
inflows, said yesterday the central
bank is moving to an interest-rate
corridor approach. Capital volatility
poses a risk for Asia-Pacific econo-
mies, Standard & Poors said last
week, raising the potential for asset
and credit bubbles 15 years after the
1997-98 financial crisis.
The Philippines is under pres-
sure to adjust its monetary policy
approach to deter capital inflows and
reduce the cost of absorbing excess
funds in the financial system, said Jo-
hanna Chua, Hong Kong-based head
of emerging Asia economic research
at Citigroup. Traditional inflation
targeting with a single interest rate as
its main policy tool is now being chal-
lenged because of abundant global
liquidity and further monetary accom-
modation in advanced economies.
The Philippine stock index has
risen almost 17 percent this year
and climbed about 300 percent since
October 2008, making it the worlds
biggest equity bull market. The peso
Monetary Authorities
Mulling Policy Shift
SUN BUSINESS POWERS REYES HAIRCUTTERS Sun Business, the corporate solutions arm of Sun
Cellular, recently entered an agreement with local salon giant Reyes Haircutters through the net-
works Sun Partner Program. Present at the contract signing event were (above photo, from left to
right) Corinne Zablan, Sun Cellular AVP for Strategic Sales Partnership, Faraday Go, Sun Cellular VP
for Retail and Corporate Sales, Celestino
Les Reyes, CEO of Reyes Haircutters,
and Marites Del Pilar, Franchise Support
Group Department Manager of Reyes Hair-
cutters.
has strengthened about 7 percent in
the past two years, the best performer
among emerging-market currencies
tracked by Bloomberg.
Bangko Sentral will probably add
to cuts on the rates on $46 billion of
funds in its special deposit accounts,
according to economists at Citigroup
and Barclays Plc. The rate, currently
at 3 percent, was lowered below the
benchmark in January for the first
time. The overnight lending rate is
5.5 percent.
The decision to reduce rates on
SDAs was an initial step towards
transitioning to an interest-rate cor-
ridor and further cuts cant be ruled
out, Tetangco said last week, adding
yesterday that the new approach
hasnt been officially adopted yet.
Such a move would be one of the most
important policy shifts since Bangko
Sentral adopted inflation targeting in
2002, said Emilio Neri, an economist
at Bank of the Philippine Islands in
Manila.
Bangko Sentral has intervened to
manage the peso, Tetangco said on
Jan. 15, as the currency approached
its strongest levels since 2008. A
liquidity surge drove the interbank
overnight rate to negative this year,
while money supply increased 10.84
percent in January, the fastest pace
in 19 months.
Net portfolio inflows were almost
six times higher in January compared
to December, spurred by funds in-
cluding Manulife Asset Management
and Western Asset Management Co.
The Southeast Asian nation will be
among the 10 fastest-growing econo-
mies in 2013 and 2014, according to
Bloomberg surveys.
Low rates increase the attrac-
tion of taking on leverage, particu-
larly when growth and confidence
are high, ANZ said in a Feb. 27 note.
This is further compounded by the
inflows associated with the perceived
run-up to an investment grade rat-
ing.
Sun Life Grepa Financial has
launched yesterday its limited-offer
life insurance product with an invest-
ment component designed to provide
capital protection and gives clients
the opportunity to invest in eight high
potential earnings emerging Asian
economies.
Naresh Krishnan,
Sun Life Grepa, presi-
dent and chief execu-
tive said its new offer,
Sun Grepa Global As-
set Builder (Emerg-
ing Asia), will invest in
the equities markets of
China, South Korea, Tai-
wan, Indonesia, Malay-
sia, Thailand, Vietnam,
and the Philippines.
The f orecast ed
growth of emerging
Asi an economi es i s
higher than that of the
United States, Europe,
and the World, Krish-
nan said.
This is the best op-
portunity for our clients
to enjoy higher earn-
ings for their US dol-
lars without the fear of
losing their capital, as
Sun Grepa Global Asset
Builder is designed to
protect 100 percent of
the principal, subject to
certain conditions, he added.
Sun Grepa Global Asset Builder
(Emerging Asia) is a single-pay, in-
vestment-linked life insurance product
that matures in seven years.
Clients can take advantage of the
potential strong growth of the eight
Asian economies, Krishnan said.
Sun Life Grepa first offering of Sun
Grepa Global Asset Builder sold more
than $15 million worth of premiums.
This figure attests that our clients
truly see the value of this product, as
it allows them to diversify their US
dollars, and gives them great potential
to earn from various assets that they
normally may not be able to access,
for a minimum capital of only $8,000,
the official said.
He said Sun Grepa Global Asset
Builder (Emerging Asia) utilizes a
best performance, look-back invest-
ment strategy that allows the policy
owners to participate in the highest
annual cumulative performance at the
end of the seven-year period.
With the products best perfor-
mance, look-back feature, clients
basically need just one good year out of
the seven years, in order to maximize
their returns, Krishnan said.
Sun Life Grepa is a joint venture
between the Yuchengco Group of
Companies and Sun Life Financial
Philippines (Sun Life).
Sun Life owns 49 percent of Sun
Life Grepa, which has an exclusive
distribution agreement with Rizal
Commercial Banking Corporation.
Sun Life Grepa
Launches New Asset
Builder Product
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Business News Thursday, March 14, 2013 B-3
By JAMES A. LOYOLA
By MYRNA M. VELASCO
By CHINO S. LEYCO
By EDU LOPEZ
The National Economic and De-
velopment Authority (NEDA) is
expecting a further improvement in
the exports of semiconductor despite
its 23.2 percent decline in January
this year.
The annual gain of worldwide
chip sales recorded suggests an
improvement for the industry for the
year, said Socio-economic Planning
Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.
Based on the report of the Semi-
conductor Industry Association (SIA),
worldwide chip sales recorded an
annual gain of 3.8 percent.
More orders for semiconductor
equipment may be expected as indi-
cated by the upward trend of book-to-
bill ratios in major electronics produc-
tion hubs like the United States (US)
and Japan, said Balisacan.
The countrys lower exports of
semiconductors (-23.2%), electronic
data processing (-72.7%), copper
metal (-78.9%), communication radar
(-63.7%), consumer electronics
(-53.4%) and machinery and
transport equipment (-3.4%)
mainly accounted for the con-
traction of manufactures (-5.8%),
which eventually declined total
export performance by 2.7 per-
cent during the period.
The decline in semicon-
ductor exports may be partly
attributed to lower value of out-
ward shipments to Singapore,
the People Republic of China
(PRC), the US and Japan, which
accounted for more than half (51.6%)
of the countrys semiconductor rev-
enues, said Balisacan, who is also
NEDA Director-General.
Other manufactured exports that
also declined year-on-year during
the period were garments (-41.7%),
machinery and transport equipment
(-3.4%), miscellaneous manufactures
(-13.9%), textile yarns/fabrics (-9.2%),
iron and steel (-6.1%) and baby car-
riage and toys (-6.1%).
However, total agro-based exports
were up by 33.3 percent (US$388.9 mil-
lion) in January 2013 from US$291.7
million and 12.4 percent contraction
in the same month last year.
This was driven by higher ex-
ports of bananas (151.7%), coconut
oil (27.3%), copra meal/cake (380.8%),
centrifugal and refined sugar (28.9%),
natural rubber (222.3%), molasses
(83.1%), pineapple concentrates
(181.8%), pineapple juice (26.2%),
fish products (1.9%) and ramie fibers
(100.0%).
TRIDHARMA MARKETING PARTNERS WITH GLOBE BUSINESS Trid-
harma Marketing Corporation Corporate Planning Manager Joselito
Albano (second from left) met with Globe Business executives at the
special tribute organized for select Globe Business partners. Tridharma
Marketing Corporation (TMC) has chosen Globe Business as a provider
of its wireless and broadband solutions. TMC is a member of the TAO
Community of Companies, one of the Philippines premier holding com-
panies focused on supply chain services. TAO is a multi-billion peso
corporation with its core businesses ranging from consumer brands
distribution, logistics management, and marketing and commodity
trading, including the popular coffee brand, Kopiko.
Publicly-listed Phoenix Petroleum
Philippines Inc. has raised P1.222 bil-
lion from additional equity subscrip-
tion.
A placement agreement was sealed
this week between Phoenix Petroleum
Philippines Inc. (PNX) and Phoenix
Petroleum Holdings Inc. (PPHI) on
the equity offer. It involved the sale of
130 million common shares of PNX.
Placement agent CLSA Limited
has set the common shares offer at
P9.40 per share. Evercore Asia Ltd.
has been tapped financial advisor
for PNX. The book of demand was
very comfortably covered at this price
level, the placement agent said.
CLSA added that there have been
good participation from international
long only, as well as domestic accounts
and hedge funds.
An agreement was also executed
between PNX and PPHI, indicating
that the latter shall make full pay-
ment of the subscription balance to
PNX for the 130 million shares at the
prescribed price.
CLSA has emphasized that more
than 30 accounts participated in total
for the equity placement.
The oil firm said it intends to use
the fresh subscription proceeds to re-
pay some of its debt obligations taken
out to fund its expansion in the number
of retail gas filling stations.
Phoenix Petroleum has been set-
ting its capital spending at P1.5 billion
annually in the past two years so it
can scale up its expansion program,
primarily for its retail portfolio in the
juicier market of Luzon.
The company has first established
its presence in Mindanao, but it has
been catching up well with competi-
tors when it comes to increasing its
presence in major urban centers.
The oil firm ended 2012 counting
270 stations in its network, but that
is set to growth with expansion plans
mapped out.
State-run Government Service In-
surance System (GSIS) has disbursed
P285 million in pension adjustments
to its 45,000 retirees as of February
after it revived the policy recomput-
ing their pension based on their first
day of retirement.
In a statement, the pension fund
for state workers said that the new
policy covers pensioners who retired
on or after September 2009 and are in
active status as of payment date.
The decision to adopt the pay-
ment of proportionate pension in 2011
was based on the principle that pen-
sion is not a privilege but an earned
right, Robert G. Vergara, GSIS presi-
dent and general manager said.
Pensioners were informed of their
adjusted pension through a letter and
received the amount through their
eCards.
Under the new policy, a govern-
ment employee who retired from
the service effective February 15,
for instance, will be paid a portion or
fraction of his or her pension cover-
ing February 15-28 apart from the
monthly pension thereafter.
Previously, a retiree would start
receiving his or her pension only in
March, which means losing a propor-
tionate pension in February.
GSIS started crediting P212 mil-
lion in pension adjustments to 33,000
eligible pensioners last December
2011.
The second tranche, amounting
to P50 million, was credited to 8,000
retirees in May 2012; while the third
tranche of P23 million covering 4,200
retirees was credited from December
2012 to February 2013.
The crediting of adjustments for
the remaining 1,870 pensioners is
scheduled this month.
Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines,
Inc. (PCPPI) has secured a P1-billion
7-year term loan to finance its capital
expansion plans this year which is seen
to reach $86 million from $75 million
in 2012.
In a disclosure to the Philippine
Stock Exchange, PCPPI chief finance
officer Imran Moid said the firm has
entered into a loan agreement with
Metropolitan Bank and Trust Com-
pany to finance its capex this year.
This loan affirms the confidence
by a major Philippine bank, one of the
largest in the country, on the strong
outlook, prospects, performance and
financial stability of PCPPI, he said.
Moid said 2012 was a strong year for
PCPPI which posted high double digit
revenue growth while profit before tax
almost tripled from 2011 figures.
We have carried the momentum in
2013 and expect a good year supported
by favorable economic macros and
elections, he added.
PCPPI intends to use its capex
budget for the year to increase its
manufacturing capacity and expand
its distribution network. The firm said
its capex will be split evenly between
its manufacturing and distribution
facilities. The firm reported that its
net income almost tripled, rising 192
percent, to P844 million last year on the
back of strong growth in sales.
Gross sales, fuelled by a 15 percent
sales volume growth across all brands
and categories, reached P22.73 billion
for the year, a considerable increase of
14 percent from 2011.
This is a significant feat given the
aggressive competition, marketplace
challenges and heavy monsoon rains,
said PCPPI vice president for Cor-
porate Affairs and Communications
Jika Dalupan. She explained that we
focused on driving growth of both the
carbonated and non-carbonated drinks
segments, in line with the strategy on
ensuring affordability and availability
across the Philippines.
On the back of this remarkable
performance, we expect to improve
further in 2013 with prudent cost man-
agement, increased marketing efforts
and a generally positive economic
environment, said PCPPI president
Partho Chakrabarti.
He added that we will continue to
innovate with brands that will satisfy
the thirst-quenching needs of the Fili-
pino consumers.
PCPPI delivered a high growth
of 21 percent in volume for the last
quarter of 2012. Its gross sales of P6.2
billion resulted to a doubling of net
income for the quarter to P147 mil-
lion, buoyed by high volume growth,
lower sugar prices and stringent cost
management.
NEDA Sees I mproving
Semiconductor Exports
Pepsi Secures P1-B Loan For Expansion
Phoenix Raises
P1.2B I n Equity
GSI S Disburses P285-M
Pension Adjustments
SINGAPORES BRANDING EXPERT HONES UP LOCAL BRAND OWNERS
Singapores award-winning international branding expert, Luke Lim
recently conducted a seminar titled The Road to Brand Growth: Build-
ing Successful Brands organized by U-Franchise Sales & Management,
Inc., in partnership with Francorp Philippines, PLDT SME, the Philip-
pine Franchise Association and the Philippine Retailers Association.
Photo shows Father of Philippine Franchising, Philippine Franchise
Association (PFA) chairman emeritus, Francorp Phils. and U- Franchise
chairman Samie Lim (left), and PFA vice chair and Francorp Phils., U-
Franchise CEO Ma. Alegria Bing Sibal-Limjoco (right), hand over the
plaque of appreciation to Luke Lim (center) for sharing his expertise
with over 200 Filipino CEOs who attended the seminar.
L
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Dividends
DATE PAYABLE DATE
SYM TYPE VALUE
EX-DIV RECORD DATE
**PS- per share
**PCS- per commonshare
**PSS- per share(special)
**PSR- per share(regular)
**RPA- rateper annum
**DRPA- dividendrateper annum
**PDPS- per dayper share
**POS- per outstandingshare
**POCS- per outstandingshare
**TBA- tobeannounced
**STA- subject toapproval
114 65 10.00 3.61 110 111.5 112 110.2 112 3,843,480 426,862,466 31.02
99 58.9 10.00 3.91 94.2 93.9 93.9 92.1 93 3,685,960 342,278,101.50 23.79
595 48 10.00 42.46 65.5 65 65.65 65 65.4 26,590 1,740,967 1.54
36.2 18.5 10.00 3.78 34.35 34.45 34.95 34.45 34.5 1,725,600 59,583,380 9.13
122 81.75 20.00 5.02 118.2 118.2 118.2 116.5 117 1,695,170 198,519,086 23.31
38.85 34.5 10.00 0 36.3 36.3 37 35.75 36.6 971,800 35,419,995 0.00
107.6 67.4 40.00 5.83 102.2 103.6 103.6 101.6 101.8 1,220,120 124,847,989 17.46
72 58 10.00 2.43 72 - - - - 0 0 29.63
130 76 10.00 8.44 125 124.8 127 120 127 640 79,730 15.05
70.5 40.35 10.00 4.43 65.6 65.9 68.3 65.6 68 2,743,180 183,963,895 15.35
186.2 120.1 10.00 13.34 184.3 184.4 184.4 183 183.5 280,770 51,506,164 13.76
127 94.6 10.00 10.28 125.9 126 126.5 125.5 126 138,560 17,446,760 12.26

1.5 0.67 0.55 0.08 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.18 1.24 5,257,000 6,564,750 15.50
23.9 17.9 1.00 0.74 19.4 19.4 19.7 19.4 19.7 82,700 1,616,340 26.62
22 8.63 1.00 0.0826 13.1 12.8 12.8 12.8 12.8 2,800 35,840 154.96
3.25 2.04 1.00 0.23 2.87 2.72 2.9 2.72 2.9 33,000 94,980 12.61
590 420 0.00 0.8735 560 560 560 550 550 550 303,500 629.68
39.2 9.6 1.00 0.3073 28.05 27.95 28.35 27.9 28.15 55,000 1,544,050 91.60
2.87 1.69 1.00 0.16 1.96 1.96 1.96 1.95 1.96 298,000 583,580 12.25
515 342 1.00 6.65 497 497 500 495.6 499 5,960 2,965,824 75.04
1,122.00 879 0.00 -22.7101 1,070.00 1,070 1,070 1,055 1,055 475 504,475 -46.46
2.7 1.71 1.00 0.245 2.61 2.6 2.6 2.58 2.59 523,000 1,353,340 10.57

40.5 31 1.00 2.94 39.4 39.2 39.7 39.1 39.65 4,847,600 191,466,630 13.49
1.62 1.2 1.00 0.072 1.37 1.37 1.37 1.36 1.36 1,443,000 1,964,530 18.89
7.9 5.59 1.00 -0.009 6.51 6.51 6.51 6.42 6.48 29,347,700 190,287,696 -720.00
27.45 13.3 1.00 0.3464 23.6 23.8 23.8 23.55 23.65 2,490,700 58,915,355 68.26
113.8 61.5 10.00 3.099 107.5 107.5 110 107.3 108.5 613,710 66,930,282 35.01
38.5 22.3 1.00 1.74 37.65 37.9 38 37.6 38 1,258,300 47,553,550 21.84
329.8 218.8 10.00 11.73 322.2 325 326 317 320 727,010 231,655,758 27.28
14.48 9.7 1.00 0.78 14.4 14.42 14.44 14.2 14.36 5,886,700 84,388,622 18.41
14.94 8.03 1.00 1 9.85 9.87 9.87 9.7 9.7 2,199,400 21,452,859 9.70
7.6 3.2 1.00 0.28 4.65 4.99 4.99 4.99 4.99 2,000 9,980 17.82
2.72 1.08 1.00 0.18 2.39 2.39 2.45 2.26 2.42 37,474,000 88,849,060 13.44
18 5.8 1.00 0.641 9.01 9.01 9.01 9.01 9.01 600 5,406 14.06

12.56 6.22 1.00 0.81 7.42 7.38 7.4 7.37 7.38 170,800 1,262,180 9.11
2.26 1.26 1.00 -0.012992 2.08 2.08 2.14 2.06 2.14 7,111,000 15,063,900 -164.72
7.2 4.32 1.00 0 6.76 6.78 6.83 6.56 6.71 11,219,500 75,248,347 0.00
23.75 15 1.00 -3.56 15.4 15.4 15.8 15.4 15.8 2,000 31,200 -4.44
131.2 93 1.00 3.138 125.3 126 126 122 124 479,080 59,272,344 39.52
15.84 3.7 1.00 0.3 15.1 15.1 15.2 14.9 15.16 1,729,100 26,022,090 50.53
12.2 6.8 1.00 0.38 7.9 8.1 8.1 8.1 8.1 100 810 21.32
6.88 2.5 0.15 0.08 6.35 6.35 6.4 6.29 6.4 14,109,500 89,534,796 80.00
950 239.8 10.00 18.65 300 295 298 295 298 7,710 2,292,522 15.98
5.18 1.54 1.00 0.161 4.86 4.86 4.86 4.8 4.83 763,000 3,677,070 30.00
3.5 1.5 1.00 -0.18 2.28 2.28 2.28 2.26 2.26 8,000 18,180 -12.56
3.9 2.3 1.00 -0.81 3 3 3 3 3 100,000 300,000 -3.70
125 100 5.00 4.97 115 115.2 115.2 114 114.5 697,100 79,889,167 23.04
0.22 0.124 1.00 -0.09 0.138 0.137 0.137 0.137 0.137 1,000,000 137,000 -1.52
99 57.3 1.00 2.25 98 98.9 99 96.9 97.5 1,919,110 187,026,514.50 43.33
5.5 1.05 1.00 0.22 1.5 1.52 1.53 1.49 1.5 2,206,000 3,336,060 6.82
2.08 0.47 1.00 -0.57 0.99 0.97 0.98 0.95 0.95 375,000 360,010 -1.67

54.75 17.1 1.00 -0.07 22.5 22.5 23 21.8 21.8 7,600 170,545 -311.43
13.4 5.34 1.00 0.7146 12.68 12.68 12.98 12.62 12.98 700,900 8,946,486 18.16
17 8.72 1.00 -0.07 9.1 8.91 8.91 8.88 8.88 5,500 48,924 -126.86
14 11 1.00 0.31 13.2 13.2 13.2 13.2 13.2 2,200 29,040 42.58
12.02 7.18 1.00 0.4217 10.9 10.9 10.98 10.8 10.98 316,200 3,441,918 26.04
7.5 2.3 0.02 0.13 6 6 6 6 6 5,900 35,400 46.15
18.8 12.3 1.00 0.68 17.8 17.8 17.8 17.8 17.8 80,700 1,436,460 26.18
14 10.16 10.00 0.31 13.92 13.94 13.94 13.82 13.82 8,800 122,070 44.58
2.2 0.9 1.00 0.01715 1.57 1.58 1.58 1.57 1.58 223,000 350,770 92.13

3.12 2.42 1.00 0.24 2.91 2.92 2.92 2.85 2.85 629,000 1,802,920 11.88
3.8 1.32 1.00 0.06 1.75 - - - - 0 0 29.17
6.72 1.44 1.00 -0.0056 2.44 2.54 2.54 2.3 2.3 324,000 757,610 -410.71
22.5 1.66 1.00 0.217 15 14.54 15.16 14.54 15 68,600 1,028,360 69.12

29.3 7.7 1.00 1.3858 24.05 24.2 24.2 23.5 23.5 23,500 556,030 16.96
0.027 0.013 0.01 -0.0045 0.019 0.019 0.02 0.019 0.019 12,500,000 238,600 -4.22
5.14 3.8 1.00 0.043306 4.17 4 4 4 4 10,000 40,000 92.37
2.35 0.61 1.00 0.129918 0.66 0.66 0.7 0.66 0.67 654,000 441,760 5.16
6.75 3.2 1.00 0.11 5 5.35 5.35 5.35 5.35 100 535 48.64

2.44 1.69 1.00 0.13 1.74 1.77 1.77 1.73 1.74 33,000 57,210 13.38

1.03 0.64 1.00 0.28065 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.66 0.66 103,000 68,530 2.35
61 44 1.00 3.838 59 59.1 59.7 58.7 59.05 2,396,670 141,740,468 15.39
0.173 0.014 0.01 0.000086 0.164 0.165 0.165 0.164 0.165 56,070,000 9,218,400 1914.15
22.95 10.86 1.00 1.1776 22.4 22.35 22.5 21.65 22 16,155,000 355,550,630 18.68
7.1 3.99 1.00 0.74 7.06 7 7.1 7 7.1 100,300 708,330 9.59
6.75 3.75 1.00 -0.0451 4.62 4.71 4.71 4.45 4.48 22,000 98,310 -99.33
2.98 0.9 1.00 -0.00968 0.92 0.92 0.92 0.92 0.92 10,000 9,200 -95.04
3.52 0.88 1.00 -0.00968 0.94 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 12,000 11,400 -98.14
595 395 50.00 14.53 555 560 560 554.5 559 661,130 368,559,110 38.47
64.8 51.5 1.00 3.61 54.2 54.3 54.3 53.85 54.2 508,800 27,516,496.50 15.01
6.32 3.87 1.00 0.4 5.9 5.88 5.88 5.8 5.8 204,300 1,190,940 14.50
3.5 2.35 1.00 1.708 3 3 3.03 3 3.03 30,000 90,300 1.77
805 455.4 10.00 26.6 768.5 767.5 767.5 757 761 126,770 96,536,825 28.61
8.38 4.02 1.50 0.869 7.78 7.78 7.78 7.77 7.77 252,100 1,961,162 8.94
41.5 25.8 1.00 3.19 39.6 39.9 40.5 39.6 40 1,442,800 57,458,250 12.54
6 3.25 1.00 4.309 5 5.05 5.05 5.04 5.05 117,200 591,848 1.17
5.8 3.62 1.00 4.309 5.1 5.65 5.65 5.65 5.65 8,000 45,200 1.31
1.39 0.86 0.10 -0.006 0.93 0.93 0.93 0.88 0.91 217,000 194,790 -151.67
7.68 5.04 1.00 0.8629 7.31 7.31 7.36 7.29 7.35 4,947,300 36,222,733 8.52
0.76 0.32 1.00 -0.0129 0.59 0.57 0.61 0.55 0.6 372,000 208,180 -46.51
3.82 1.71 1.00 -0.0327 1.8 1.78 1.78 1.75 1.75 746,000 1,307,780 -53.52
5.58 3.76 1.00 0.225 5.3 5.31 5.35 5.2 5.3 29,869,300 157,924,033 23.56
7.65 4.38 1.00 -0.018 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.6 6.6 21,800 144,880 -366.67
9.66 1.41 1.00 0.002 5.98 5.98 5.98 5.98 5.98 1,100 6,578 2990.00
0.064 0.044 0.01 -0.00009 0.051 0.051 0.051 0.049 0.05 7,360,000 367,740 -555.56
2.7 1.02 1.00 -0.029 1.95 2 2.7 1.94 1.94 7,052,000 15,632,940 -66.90
0.77 0.42 1.00 0.11 0.68 0.67 0.7 0.67 0.69 2,248,000 1,516,590 6.27
3.4 1.92 1.00 0.12 2.75 2.75 2.75 2.75 2.75 101,000 277,750 22.92
2.59 1.31 1.00 -0.01537 2.08 2.08 2.08 2.08 2.08 3,000 6,240 -135.33
0.38 0.3 1.00 -0.00086 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.315 0.32 2,250,000 719,750 -372.09
1,109.00 631 10.00 34.68 1,104.00 1,105 1,105 1,093 1,098 1,177,080 1,289,799,970 31.66
2.71 1.23 1.00 0.24 2.08 2.07 2.13 2.06 2.09 309,000 645,000 8.71
1.4 1.04 1.00 -0.008 1.15 1.13 1.13 1.1 1.1 150,000 166,350 -137.50
0.34 0.21 1.00 0.00042 0.265 0.26 0.26 0.255 0.255 850,000 220,750 607.14
0.49 0.26 1.00 -0.009 0.28 0.27 0.275 0.27 0.27 390,000 105,350 -30.00
0.77 0.33 1.00 -0.0002 0.475 0.475 0.49 0.47 0.49 1,860,000 888,000 -2041.67

3.89 2.37 1.00 0.0197 2.99 2.9 2.95 2.9 2.95 163,000 475,850 150.05
2.26 0.47 1.00 0.0016 1.92 1.92 1.92 1.84 1.85 1,509,000 2,821,060 1156.25
0.239 0.162 0.18 0.0019 0.208 0.21 0.21 0.21 0.21 620,000 130,200 110.53
33.25 18.8 1.00 0.55 31.4 31.55 31.75 31.05 31.2 14,690,700 460,715,885 56.73
6.29 4.4 1.00 0.023 5.9 5.9 6 5.82 6 4,761,500 28,334,947 260.87
9 3.7 1.00 0.22 4.85 4.85 4.85 4.66 4.66 290,000 1,374,800 21.18
2.44 1.35 0.53 0.102 2.19 2.2 2.2 2.11 2.18 12,776,000 27,377,670 21.37
1.5 1.05 1.00 0.15 1.12 1.12 1.12 1.12 1.12 6,000 6,720 7.47
0.97 0.76 1.00 -0.047 0.77 0.77 0.78 0.77 0.78 385,000 296,800 -16.60
1.13 0.61 1.00 0.017 1.05 1.07 1.08 1.06 1.08 62,189,000 66,358,460 63.53
0.445 0.155 1.00 0.017 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.32 90,000 28,800 18.82
2.07 1.17 1.00 0.12 1.98 1.99 2 1.96 1.97 21,146,000 41,694,680 16.42
2.22 1.63 1.00 0.005 2.12 2.12 2.15 2.12 2.15 2,836,000 6,048,670 430.00
2.14 1.03 1.00 0.11 1.29 1.28 1.3 1.28 1.29 1,139,000 1,465,090 11.73
4.05 1.77 1.00 0.319 3.8 3.83 3.84 3.76 3.79 58,309,000 220,877,090 11.88
0.245 0.105 0.20 -0.06 0.116 0.116 0.118 0.115 0.115 2,760,000 320,260 -1.92
0.99 0.54 1.00 -0.003 0.61 0.61 0.61 0.58 0.6 1,265,000 744,400 -200.00
0.68 0.4 1.00 -0.04 0.54 0.56 0.56 0.53 0.54 560,000 304,990 -13.50
25.95 15.74 1.00 1.16 24.2 24.45 25 24.2 25 2,769,400 67,906,720 21.55
7.71 2.35 1.00 0.15 3.26 3.3 3.38 3.2 3.21 7,561,000 24,706,680 0.00
3.87 2.4 1.00 0.222 3.49 3.4 3.5 3.4 3.45 201,000 683,630 15.54
9.6 5.72 1.00 0.495 8.29 8.48 8.6 8.27 8.27 4,049,900 33,962,500 16.71
20.8 12.1 1.00 0.652 18.92 18.94 18.96 18.88 18.9 12,133,700 229,394,608 28.99
1.35 0.65 1.00 0.051 1.19 1.2 1.2 1.09 1.1 19,582,000 22,139,310 21.57
4.55 2.31 1.00 0.056 4.07 3.82 4.07 3.82 4.07 34,000 137,860 72.68
0.66 0.49 1.00 0.003 0.6 0.62 0.62 0.61 0.61 332,000 205,540 203.33
5.55 3.5 1.00 0.418 5.43 5.43 5.47 5.34 5.35 24,586,600 132,208,569 12.80

42 24.1 1.00 3.207 38.5 38.5 39 38.2 39 105,900 4,094,330 12.16
11 8 1.00 0.353 9.95 9.89 9.94 9.7 9.94 312,200 3,093,921 28.16
1.06 0.6 1.00 0.06 0.89 0.83 0.9 0.82 0.84 307,000 260,470 14.00

1,235.00 990 50.00 74.02 1,189.00 1,189 1,205 1,189 1,198 73,565 88,220,095 16.18
3.4 2.28 1.00 -0.57 2.3 2.29 2.5 2.29 2.5 84,000 193,600 -4.39
3,004.00 2,290.00 5.00 163.24 2,970.00 2,968 2,980 2,950 2,968 258,285 765,925,520 18.13

8.6 4 1.00 -0.5 4.7 4.6 4.7 4.5 4.5 367,000 1,671,600 -9.00
12.16 4.5 5.00 -0.07 5.11 5.11 5.11 5.1 5.1 8,000 40,830 -72.86
4.7 1.75 1.00 0.23 4.25 4.29 4.3 4.15 4.2 36,000 153,560 18.26
1.39 0.54 1.00 -0.7843 0.66 0.65 0.65 0.63 0.64 386,000 246,400 -0.82
0.085 0.04 0.01 -0.002 0.056 0.055 0.06 0.055 0.057 26,320,000 1,521,850 -28.50
3.36 2.09 1.00 0.2679 2.15 2.15 2.15 2.11 2.11 42,000 89,060 7.88
17.88 12.1 1.00 0.7258 14.56 14.56 14.56 14.54 14.56 161,100 2,343,286 20.06
22 3.5 1.00 -0.02 19.28 19.14 19.52 18.98 19.2 78,500 1,512,142 -960.00

4.72 1.61 1.00 -0.26 1.71 1.71 1.71 1.7 1.7 72,000 122,850 -6.54
16.04 8.3 1.00 0.76 13.7 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3 6,600 87,780 17.50
71.4 52.4 1.00 5.93 68 67.8 68.4 67.75 68 544,850 37,034,433 11.47
91 58 1.00 2.7283 89.4 89.5 89.5 85.4 86.2 3,256,810 281,711,636 31.60
2.65 1.2 1.00 0.02 1.57 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 35,000 56,000 80.00
3.1 2.1 1.00 0.24 2.45 2.52 2.54 2.52 2.52 44,000 110,960 10.50

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52 Weeks PAR
VALUE
2010
EPS
PREV
CLOSE
PE
RATI O
LOW HI GH STOCKS
LOW CLOSE VOLUME VALUE HI GH OPEN
PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE
KEPPEL PHIL HOLDINGS, INC. B 5.650 10.78
LIBERTY TELECOMS HOLDINGS, INC. 2.500 8.70
SPC POWER CORPORATION 4.990 7.31
PANASONICMANUFACTURINGPHILCORP 5.350 7.00
UNITED PARAGON MINING CORP 0.017 6.25
NICKEL ASIACORPORATION 24.650 4.45
ABS-CBN HOLDINGS CORPORATION 41.700 4.38
IPEOPLE, INC. 10.900 3.81
RIZAL COMMERCIAL BANKING CORP 68.000 3.66
BANKARD, INC. 1.240 3.33
STA. LUCIALAND, INC. 1.100 -7.56
LMG CHEMICALS CORPORATION 2.300 -5.74
MANILABULLETIN PUBLISHING CORP 0.840 -5.62
FIRST GEN CORP- SERIES F 101.300 -4.43
SOUTH CHINARESOURCES, INC. 1.100 -4.35
DFNN, Inc. 4.500 -4.26
INTEGRATED MICRO-ELECTRONICS, INC. 4.000 -4.08
VITARICH CORPORATION 0.950 -4.04
ABRAMINING & INDUSTRIAL CORP 0.005 -4.00
CEBU HOLDINGS, INC. 4.660 -3.92
SMINVESTMENTS CORPORATION 1,177 1,289,800
PLDT COMPANY Common 258 765,926
San Miguel Corp Series 22-A 7,495 562,104
BLOOMBERRY RESORTS CORP 38,257 561,495
AYALALAND, INC. 14,691 460,716
BANK OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 3,843 426,862
AYALACORPORATION 661 368,559
ALLIANCE GLOBAL GROUP, INC. 16,155 355,551
BDO UNIBANK, INC. 3,686 342,278
INTL CONT TERMINAL SERV, INC. 3,257 281,712

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MARCH 13, 2013
**** OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTION ****
**** ELECTRICITY, ENERGY, POWER & WATER ****
Thursday, March 14, 2013 Business News B-4
WEB CASH P0.10PS Feb28, 2013 Mar 05, 2013 Mar 15, 2013
MFC CASH C$0.13PCS Feb15, 2013 Feb20, 2013 Mar 19, 2013
ALI CASH P0.14787806POCS Feb28, 2013 Mar 05, 2013 Mar 19, 2013
PSB CASH P0.75PS Feb28, 2013 Mar 05, 2013 Mar 20, 2013
RPL CASH P0.15PS Feb25, 2013 Feb28, 2013 Mar 22, 2013
LR CASH P0.035PS Feb25, 2013 Feb28, 2013 Mar 25, 2013
World

March 13, 2013 closings
March 12, 2013 closings
World
Asia-Pacifc
0.01%
W Index
7,995.51
(0.80)
TAIPEI
0.5%
SP/ASX
5,092.40
(-25.50)
SYDNEY
0.6%
Nikkei
12,239.66
(-75.15)
TOKYO
1.0%
Composi te
2,263.97
(-22.64)
ShANGhAI
0.1%
CAC40
3,839.97
(3.70)
PARIS
0.02%
SET Index
1,577.02
(0.34)
Intraday
BANGKOK
0.2%
Phi six
6,776.56
(-9.86)
MANILA
SEOUL
0.3%
KOSPI Index
1,999.73
(6.39)
0.5%
Hang Seng
5,092.40
(-25.50)
hONG KONG
0.4%
ST Index
3,288.52
(-14.50)
SINGAPORE
0.02%
Dow Jones
14,450.06
(2.77)
NEW YORK
0.2%
DAX
7,966.12
(-18.17)
FRANKFURT
0.1%
FTSE
6,510.62
(6.99)
LONDON
0.6%
KLCI
1,646.22
(-10.32)
KUALA LUMPUR

****BANKS****
*** HOTEL & LEISURE ****
L
R
ymv
18.98 1.05 1.00 0.43 1.3 1.33 1.33 1.29 1.33 18,000 23,800 3.09
0.205 0.101 0.10 0.0006 0.13 0.13 0.13 0.127 0.127 27,740,000 3,542,780 211.67
0.63 0.35 1.00 -0.008 0.405 0.4 0.405 0.4 0.405 500,000 200,650 -50.63

12.5 9.9 1.00 0.53 10.74 10.8 11 10.8 11 10,300 111,300 20.75
1,220.00 800 100.00 46.59 1,215.00 1,180 1,215 1,180 1,215 3,925 4,631,850 18.63
10.9 5.02 1.00 0.6374 10.5 10.5 10.9 10.5 10.9 8,500 89,450 17.10

31.95 17.5 1.00 1.16 24.9 24.9 24.9 24.9 24.9 3,000 74,700 21.45
49 8.13 1.00 0.025 14.96 14.9 15.2 14.5 15.06 38,256,800 561,495,312 602.40
0.182 0.019 0.01 0.004 0.026 0.026 0.026 0.024 0.025 2,313,900,000 56,707,900 6.25
9.9 6.45 1.00 -0.0383 8.67 8.62 8.63 8.5 8.5 599,500 5,164,400 -221.93
4.08 1.44 1.00 0.031 2.51 2.6 2.6 2.55 2.55 16,000 40,850 82.26
22.95 13.78 1.00 1.8965 15.2 15 15 14.8 15 21,500 322,200 7.91
0.39 0.3 0.25 0.0561 0.335 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.33 600,000 198,000 5.88

24 3.36 1.00 0.69 3.41 3.4 3.48 3.36 3.44 806,000 2,745,430 0.00
130 32 1.00 1.03 92 90 91 90 91 340 30,670 88.35
43.6 20.1 1.00 0.97 39.65 39.65 39.65 39.05 39.5 2,024,700 79,848,400 40.72

0.95 0.6 1.00 0.001 0.8 0.81 0.81 0.8 0.81 350,000 282,000 810.00
40 10 1.00 -0.056 20 20 20 20 20 100 2,000 -357.14
0.6 0.38 1.00 -0.03 0.43 0.43 0.43 0.43 0.43 50,000 21,500 -15.36
3.47 2.39 1.00 0.11 2.84 2.84 2.84 2.81 2.83 467,000 1,321,260 25.73
3.08 0.92 0.50 0.005 0.98 0.99 0.99 0.97 0.99 5,125,000 5,001,610 198.00

0.0068 0.0039 0.01 -0.00005 0.005 0.0048 0.0048 0.0048 0.0048 10,000,000 48,000 -100.00
23.35 16.8 10.00 10.7637 22.75 22.8 22.8 22.35 22.75 2,322,400 52,330,325 2.11
48 10 1.00 0.0063 19.3 19 19 17.5 19 3,500 64,250 3015.87
29 18 3.00 8.5 18.48 18.46 18.46 18 18 19,500 355,404 2.12
34 16 3.00 8.5 18.3 18.3 18.3 16 18.2 54,100 972,506 2.14
1.68 0.91 1.00 0 1.01 1 1.01 1 1 3,156,000 3,163,430 0.00
61.8 11.6 1.00 -0.00009 12.1 12.18 12.18 11.6 11.88 170,000 1,987,232 -198.00
1.03 0.48 1.00 0.0009 0.5 0.53 0.53 0.52 0.52 3,188,000 1,663,420 577.78
1.59 0.86 0.10 0.0063 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.09 1.09 10,550,000 11,526,050 173.29
1.73 0.92 0.10 0.0063 1.23 1.2 1.22 1.2 1.22 2,162,000 2,630,390 193.96
0.081 0.047 0.01 0.00002 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 17,010,000 1,020,600 3000.00
0.084 0.047 0.01 0.00002 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 70,000,000 4,200,000 3000.00
36.5 15.78 0.50 2.64 23.6 23.6 24.7 23.4 24.65 3,776,100 90,996,785 9.34
12.84 3.5 1.00 0.01 3.57 3.6 3.69 3.55 3.58 374,000 1,339,250 358.00
0.84 0.51 1.00 -0.023758 0.56 0.56 0.57 0.56 0.57 59,000 33,590 -23.99
8.4 3.07 1.00 0.322 3.47 3.47 3.47 3.38 3.39 596,000 2,029,910 10.53
27.85 12.52 1.00 1.171 18.1 18 18 17.76 18 4,301,200 77,075,680 15.37
258 200 1.00 16.93 244 246 246 236 240 189,410 45,194,242 14.18
0.023 0.014 0.01 -0.0002 0.016 0.016 0.017 0.016 0.017 59,900,000 980,300 -85.00

0.345 0.24 0.25 0.048 0.285 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 2,970,000 831,600 5.83
0.025 0.016 0.01 0.0019 0.02 0.021 0.021 0.02 0.02 10,700,000 214,200 10.74
0.026 0.017 0.01 0.0019 0.021 0.021 0.021 0.021 0.021 50,000,000 1,050,000 11.28
7.24 5.62 1.00 0.4764 6.96 6.96 6.96 6.9 6.9 52,800 364,920 14.48
0.062 0.038 0.01 0.0056 0.042 0.042 0.043 0.041 0.043 50,600,000 2,149,300 7.68
48 11 1.00 0.28 30.7 30.4 31 30.4 31 118,800 3,676,695 110.71

108 0 10.00 0 106 102 102 101.3 101.3 10,000 1,014,480 0.00
110 100 10.00 0 109.2 109.2 109.2 109.2 109.2 1,530 167,076 N/A
108 100.5 100.00 0 101.4 101.3 101.3 101.3 101.3 420 42,546 N/A
116 104.1 1.00 0 108.3 109 109 108.6 109 5,300 577,664 N/A
1,045.00 1,005.00 10.00 0 1,040.00 1,035 1,035 1,035 1,035 50 51,750 N/A
75.15 74.5 5.00 0 75 75 75 74.95 75 7,494,720 562,103,668.50 N/A
81.5 73.95 5.00 0 76.5 76.5 77 76.5 76.6 165,300 12,691,080 N/A
79.25 74.5 5.00 0 79 79 79 79 79 1,530 120,870 N/A
50 22.65 0.00 0 39.95 39.9 42 39.9 41.7 1,104,800 45,387,250 N/A
10.92 7.99 0.00 0 9.95 9.98 9.98 9.71 9.71 6,000 58,530 N/A

2.93 0.82 N/A 0 2.72 2.67 2.67 2.65 2.65 260,000 691,200 N/A
ACESITE HOTEL
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IP EGAME
LEISURE AND RES
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PACIFIC ONLINE
PRMIERE HORIZON
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PUREGOLD
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ABRA MINING
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ATOK
BENGUET A
BENGUET B
COAL ASIA HLDG
DIZON MINES
GEOGRACE
LEPANTO A
LEPANTO B
MANILA MINING A
MANILA MINING B
NICKEL ASIA
NIHAO
OMICO CORP
ORNTL PENINSULA
PHILEX
SEMIRARA MINING
UNITED PARAGON
**** OIL ****
BASIC PETROLEUM
ORIENTAL A
ORIENTAL B
PETROENERGY
PHILODRILL
PX PETROLEUM
P R E F E R R E D

FGEN PREF F
FGEN PREF G
FPH PREF
PCOR PREF
PF PREF
SMC PREF 2A
SMC PREF 2B
SMC PREF 2C
ABS HLDG PDR
GMA HLDG PDR
WARRANTS, PHIL. DEPOSIT RECEIPT, ETC.
MEG WARRANT
52 Weeks PAR
VALUE
2010
EPS
PREV
CLOSE
PE
RATIO LOW HIGH STOCKS
LOW CLOSE VOLUME VALUE HIGH OPEN
PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE
MARCH 13, 2013
SECTORIAL SUMMARY Val ue Vol ume Pt . Change %change Open Cl ose Low Hi gh
Business News
B-5 Thursday, March 14, 2013
COMPANIES UNDER SUSPENSION BY THE EXCHANGE AS OF MARCH 13, 2013
ACPR -AC PREF B
ASIA -ASIATRUST
CBC -COSMOS
CMT -SEACEM
EIBA -EXPORT BANK
EIBB -EXPORT BANK B
FC -FIL ESTATE CORP
FYN -FILSYN A
FYNB -FILSYN B
GO -GOTESCO LAND A
GOB -GOTESCO LAND B
MAH -METROALLIANCE A
MAHB -METROALLIANCE B
MC -MARSTEEL A
MCB -MARSTEEL B
NXT -NEXTSTAGE
PAL -PAL HLDG
PBC -PBCOM
PBCP -PBC PREF
PEC -PNOC A
PECB -PNOC B
PHC -PHILCOMSAT
PNC -PNCC
SMB -SAN MIGUEL BREW
SMP -SAN MIGUEL PROP
MED -MEDCO HLDG
PCP -PICOP RES
PMT -PRIMETOWN PROP
PPC -PRYCE CORP
PTT -PTT CORP
STN -STENIEL
UW -UNIWIDE HLDG
ABC -ABC PREF
TLHH -TEL PREF HH
SMCP1 -SMC PREF 1
**** PREFERRED ****
**** OIL ****
**** MINING ****
**** CASINOS & GAMING ****
**** RETAIL ****
**** OTHER SERVICES ****
**** WARRANTS, PHIL. DEPOSIT RECEIPTS, ETC. ****
**** EDUCATION ****
FINANCIALS 1,813.03 1,814.89 1,800.99 1,809.91 0.11 2 22,590,428 P 1,457,829,462.6
INDUSTRIALS 10,012.42 10,012.42 9,928.44 9,970.67 -0.09 -8.91 155,234,433 P 2,289,562,482.39
HOLDING FIRMS 5,999.48 5,999.48 5,932.18 5,959.57 -0.19 -11.52 144,841,323 P 2,603,213,318.67
PROPERTY 2,775.88 2,785.29 2,752.24 2,763.44 -0.05 -1.34 257,027,361 P 1,371,467,565.88
SERVICES 2,003.61 2,004.96 1,985.65 1,994.91 -0.31 -6.12 2,441,686,328 P 2,640,466,686.5
MINING AND OIL 21,488.26 21,532.45 21,317.33 21,520.48 -0.2 -43.8 302,382,291 P 305,918,517.76
PSEI 6,812.6 6,812.6 6,748.72 6,776.56 -0.15 -9.86
ALL SHARES 4,228.32 4,228.32 4,200.25 4,214.07 -0.09 -3.67
SME
GRAND TOTAL 3,323,762,164 P 10,668,458,033.806
NO. OF ADVANCES: 71
NO. OF DECLINES: 99
NO. OF UNCHANGED: 38
NO. OF TRADED ISSUES: 208
FOREIGN BUYING
R6,260,133,303.06
FOREIGN SELLING
R6,597,079,862.5
By JAMES LOYOLA
The Singapore Exchange
(SGX) and the Philippine Stock
Exchange (PSE) have en-
tered into a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) to co-
operate in the development of
Philippines-linked derivatives
products.
As part of the MOU, SGX
and PSE will jointly explore the
development and promotion
of Philippines futures and op-
tions to address the demands
of international investors.
The first product to be
launched would be a Philip-
pines index futures, based on
the MSCI Philippines index.
The product is targeted for
listing on SGX in the fourth
quarter this year, subject to
regulatory approval.
Both exchanges will also
look into the potential listing of
derivatives products on PSE in
due course in response to the
needs of the markets.
We are delighted to have
SGX as a partner in the build-
ing of the Philippines deriva-
tives market, said PSE presi-
dent Hans B. Sicat.
He added that we look
forward to leveraging on SGX's
experience and network, along-
side growing investment inter-
est in the Philippines, to bring
the country's capital markets
to new heights.
For his part, SGX chief
executive Magnus Bcker
said we look forward to this
strengthened partnership with
PSE and the opportunity to
advance both our derivatives
markets.
He noted that, with this
futures contract, investors
are assured of an efficient and
effective risk management
tool as they tap opportuni-
ties offered by the Philippine
economy.
The addition of this con-
tract also builds upon SGXs of-
fering of a one-stop access into
Asias key capital and growth
markets, said Bcker.
SAN FRANCISCO (dpa)
Iconic Apple founder Steve
Jobs famousl y di smi ssed
the concept of 7-inch tablet
computers, but according to
the latest report by research
firm IDC, sales of the smaller,
cheaper devices are going
through the roof.
''One in every two tablets
shipped this quarter was be-
low 8 inches in screen size.
And in terms of shipments,
we expect smaller tablets to
continue growing in 2013 and
beyond,'' said Jitesh Ubrani,
research analyst for IDC's
Tablet Tracker.
' ' Vendors are movi ng
quickly to compete in this
space as consumers realize
that these small devices are
often more ideal than larger
tablets for their daily con-
sumption habits.''
Apple's iPad mini is one of
the most expensive of these
smaller tablets and is facing
stiff competition from tablets
powered by Google's Android
operating system, the report
said.
Global tablet shipments
in 2013 will total 191 million
units, increasing 11 percent
per year until 2017, when tablet
shipments will reach 350 mil-
lion units. Apple's share of the
tablet market will decline to 46
per cent in 2013, down from 56
per cent in 2011, while tablets
operating Google's Android
operating system will grow to
48.8 per cent of the market.
Sales of personal comput-
ers will continue to decline in
2013, with a 1.3-percent drop to
345 million units sold.
PSE Signs Deal For
Listing Of Philippine
Derivatives I n SGX
Smaller Tablets Take
Tech World By Storm
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By JAMES A. LOYOLA
Business News B-6 Thursday, March 14, 2013
While corporate politics is al-
most always present in good and
bad times, this intensifies in an
environment of uncertainty. Uncer-
tainty can come from a number of
factors such as an economic reces-
sion, a faltering business, or simply
a major change in the business.
Any of these conditions or combi-
nation of all will make employees
worry about their jobs.
It is during these times that we
experience interpersonal relation-
ships suffering and compromised,
becoming more pronounced as the
business starts to falter. In my ex-
perience with working for several
companies, I have often observed
that friendships and collegiality
eventually become strained when
the company encounters business
difficulties. The poor performers
become isolated and ostracized by
his peers. Trust among colleagues,
the critical element that results to
organizational harmony, is lost as
each begins to jockey to protect
his turf.
To each his own as the say-
ing goes. In these instances, back
stabs become sharper, whisper
campaigns become more insidi-
ous and backdoor maneuverings
become the order of the day. In
other cases, consciously undermin-
ing others who are perceived as a
threat, usurping of credit, gossip
to the detriment of colleagues are
all symptoms of negative politics.
It is an insidious disease much
like a cancer that consumes the
organization very slowly. This in-
terpersonal environment can occur
at all levels of the business until it
consumes corporate energy that
could have been otherwise better
used to turn the business around.
In the process, the ability of the
business to weather the crisis de-
teriorates.
Unfortunately, some organiza-
tions, even large ones foster this
kind of culture. This is institutional-
ized by the structures that are put
in place like business structure
and performance measurement
systems that foster a culture of
destructive competition. I have
heard it many times before, I
dont care how the others perform
as long as I achieve my targets.
Company politics even become
more pronounced when people feel
that those who play by the rules
dont win and people are rewarded
other than merit.
Not all is lost however, because
the problem can be resolved but the
approach to solving the situation is
not as conventional as one would
think. In many cases, organiza-
tions tend to put the blame on an
individual whenever there is an
organizational problem or disaster.
The approach must be systemic,
meaning taking and reshaping the
very structures that foster internal
jockeying. What are the kinds of
structures that the leadership must
put in place that will minimize if not
eliminate destructive politicking?
First is leadership. An organi-
zation devoid of a good and trust-
worthy leader will foster a culture
of destructive politics. People will
quickly sense a weak leader and
they will act in ways that each one
to his own. During uncertainty, fear
becomes the dominant feeling and
this makes people act in overtly
destructive ways. A strong, fair,
transparent and respected leader
is necessary to carry the business
forward in turbulent times. Only if
the people sense this can they work
effectively and efficiently without
fear of being left in the cold when
crisis looms. The underlying cause
of destructive politics is eliminated
because there is a sense of trust in
the organization and this trust will
permeate across all individuals and
organizational lines.
With a trusted leader comes
organization openness. Without it,
people mistrust each other. Only by
having a shared information envi-
ronment can each individual work
effectively without fear of being put
one over by his colleague. Each
one in the company knows exactly
where the organization is headed
and how it will achieve the targets it
has set for itself. There is a sense of
openness where each employee is
allowed to freely express his views
and is permitted to participate in
the decision making process. A
good leader is not afraid to let his
people know the true condition as
well as the changes he is going to
make for the good of the business.
People can accept painful change
as long as they are aware that the
process is fair and transparent.
He must also make his employees
gain access to competitor informa-
tion so energies can be directed to
fighting external threats rather
than wasting resources on counter
productive politicking.
Finally, only by putting in place a
structure and performance system
that rewards transparent behavior
will one see a working environment
based on trust. Only when the
organization rewards people who
play by the rules and on merits and
not on what other people say will it
see an environment conducive to
teamwork and competitive advan-
tage. Only then can the organiza-
tion retain its good people. Email:
rbo811@yahoo.com
Corporate
Politics I ts
Negative Side
In anticipation of its 50th year
celebration in the Philippines in
2014, 3M Philippines confirms its
commitment to the environment and
sustainable development in 2013.
3M Philippines employees plant-
ed native tree species in an open
land area of Nuvali in Sta. Rosa,
Laguna late last year in support of
Haribon Foundations Road to 2020
Protecting Nature Preserving
Life. This is to help preserve the
existing biodiversity in the area.
Anabelle Plantilla, Chief Operating
Officer of Haribon Foundation, said
a high number of bird and vegetation
species existed in Nuvali. The habi-
tat found in the land is considered
good since there is diversity of life
in the area.
3M employees also planted trees
in the foothills of the Sierra Madre
Mountains in Tanay, Rizal to help
stave off erosion and prevent future
flooding in critical areas in Rizal
and Marikina City communities
such as those affected by Typhoon
Ondoy. 2,500 seeds have already been
planted over a total three hectares of
land in identified watersheds in both
Tanay, Rizal and Nuvali.
We dream of a disaster-free
Philippines in the near future, so we
partnered with the Haribon Founda-
tion to push this dream forward. 3Ms
support of sustainability is embed-
ded in the companys culture and
in 2013 we will continue to commit
to sustainability. We welcome this
opportunity to be involved in rain-
forestation where we use native tree
species to restore forests so that we
can help retain and expand wildlife
habitats and enhance biodiversity,
said Nene Amen, 3M Philippines
Manager for Corporate Marketing
and Business Planning.
Haribon said that a restored
and perpetually protected forest
will continuously increase the eco-
systems resiliency to cope with
climate change and raise healthier
communities.
The partnership with Haribon
best expresses 3Ms respect for the
social and physical environment and
our relationship with our custom-
ers and the community. We aim to
help restore one million hectares of
Philippine forests. Its not just about
Ramesh Ramadurai, 3M Philippines Managing Director, plants a tree
in Nuvali together with 3M employees.
3M Phils Recommits To Sustainability
meeting the minimum requirement
but going beyond that to achieve
more, Ms. Amen added.
She said that 3M is a global brand
that actively participates in reduc-
ing its carbon footprint by creating
innovative products and technology
for both industries and consum-
ers here and in other parts of the
globe. The company ranked 12th in
Interbrands 2012 list of Best Global
Green Brands, which is based on
both public perception of a brands
environmental performance and ac-
tual performance based on publicly
available information.
Coal producer Semirara Mining
Corporation reported a six percent
improvement in audited consolidated
net income after tax to P6.36 billion
last year from the P6.0 billion earned
in 2011.
In a disclosure to the Philippine
Stock Exchange, the firm said its con-
solidated earnings per share in 2012 is
P17.85, registering a 5 percent growth
from the 2011 EPS of P16.93.
Semirara said the net contribution
to its bottom line by the coal segment
and the power segment are P3.81
billion and P2.55 billion, respectively.
The results of operation of the coal
segment dropped by 7 percent year-
on-year due to the lower average price
of coal.
It added that the decrease in the
resulting net income was tempered
by lower strip ratio and higher volume
sold at 7.2 million metric tons com-
pared to 6.5 million MT or a 10 percent
increase year-on-year.
The growth of the companys con-
solidated net income mainly came
from the power segment which regis-
tered a 37 percent improvement from
2011. This was brought about by the 32
percent increase in energy generation
from 1,860 GWh in 2011 to 2,463 Gwh
last year.
This was achieved due to higher
availability of Unit 2 of its Calaca plant
at 88 percent with average capacity of
249 MW for a 48 percent and 15 percent
improvement, respectively, compared
to the previous year, since it came on-
line only in the second quarter of 2011
after Phase 1 of rehabilitation.
Moreover, Unit 1 was commis-
sioned on August 2012 after comple-
tion of its major rehabilitation and
contributed around 21.6 percent of
the total energy generated during
the year.
The power segment was also able
to take advantage of the higher spot
prices towards the end of the year fur-
ther augmenting the power segments
financial bottom line.
LANDBANK EXTENDS P3.65-B LOANS TO CEBU COOPERATIVES The Land Bank of the Philippines recently
approved a total of P3.65 billion in loans to Cebu-based cooperative clients, namely the Cebu CFI Commu-
nity Cooperative (Cebu CFICC), and Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative ( Lamac MPC). LandBank President
and CEO Gilda E. Pico (second from right, seated) signs the P3.5 billion loan line agreement with Cebu
CFI Community Cooperative Chairman Ret. Judge Esperanza F. Garcia (center, seated). They are joined
by LANDBANK First Vice President Joselito Gutierrez, Assistant Vice President Elsie Tagupa, and other
LANDBANK and Cebu CFICC offcers. The P3.5-billion short term loan line for the Cebu CFI Community Co-
operative will augment the working capital requirement of the co-ops lending business. The P150-million
loan line for Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative will help support the co-ops various economic activities,
including its relending activities to fnance agri- and non-agri projects of its members. Lamac MPC has
more than 50,000 members and 18 branches spread out across the Visayas.
What used to take days, may now
be accomplished in less than four
seconds.
Agilivant LLC (AGL) appoints the
Philippine Postal Savings Bank (PPSB
or PostBank) as its pay-out partner for
remittances sent by US-based Filipi-
nos, opening multiple possibilities in
mobile banking from both sides of the
Pacific.
Through its first product, remit-
tances from the US to the Philippines
via the Postbank outlets and PhilPost
branches established nationwide,
Filipino immigrants in the US can
now transfer funds to their families or
businesses in the country via mobile
phones.
The Agilivant claims that its remit-
tance service rate is the most afford-
able, starting off with an introductory
price of US$ 3.50, and the fastest. A
remittance transaction takes only four
seconds to complete.
Our core team has been working
together for over 19 years in informa-
tion technology, computer security,
prepaid phone systems, and banking
and financial industries, including with
Fortune 500s, says CEO and founder
Ren Bbi, in a recent press confer-
ence held at Annabels Restaurant in
Quezon City attended by PostBank
officials, the media and Colin Cesa,
director of Agilivant Asia Pacific.
The AGL team started with large
banking systems in 1994, and created
its first mobile banking system in 2003.
Since then, it has launched a number
of member banks.
This partnership with the Philip-
pine Postal Savings Bank shall add
new features to PostBanks active
services. With 25 existing branches
scattered from Luzon to Mindanao
and the strategic locations of around
1,800 Philippine Postal Offices serv-
ing as banking arms, the partner-
ship venture is expected to, aside
from facilitating fresh funds from
abroad, stimulate economic activi-
ties in remote regions of the country.
The visibility of PostBank outlets and
Postal Offices to countryside folks will
provide this dimension of accessibility
to mobile banking.
Agilivant specializes in technolo-
gies and processes for global money
transfer and payment systems. The
company has developed and pat-
ented technology and methodology
that enables mobile devices to move
money between AGL account holders
-- domestic and international -- very
securely, and within seconds with no
network association fees. It is an online
merchant, a merchant processor and
a bank processor utilizing its propri-
etary SaaS technology to operate and
manage bank debit card and mobile
cash accounts (MCA), and payments
and instant settlements for member
banks and their account holders.
We have several patents (both as-
signed and pending) for mobile bank-
ing technologies and banking security
products/processes. We are specialists
in the realm of fraud prevention and
detection, and have provided subject
matter expertise to the US Senate
Banking Committee on processes to
reduce fraud and money laundering,
adds Bbi.
Remittance service from US to
the Philippines paves way to other
deposit-payment transactions through
mobile banking. Wherever Filipinos
send money back home, they can now
enjoy and adapt these new systems,
which are being worked on in stages,
including similar domestic transac-
tions for domestic activities.
The only requirement is for the
sender to apply for an account in a
bank online or personally and type
in the receivers name. The receiver
must also open an account in any
PostBank in his or her place in order
to access the funds sent.
Semirara Profts Rise 6% To
P6.36B On Higher Power Sales
Remittance Firm Taps Philpost Bank
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Business News Thursday, March 14, 2013 B-7
By MYRNA M. VELASCO By CECIL MORELLA
(AGENCE FRANCE PRESS)
The Philippines makes its biggest
bet this weekend in a high-stakes
bid to join the worlds elite gaming
destinations, with the launch of a $1.2-
billion casino on Manila Bay.
Solaire Manila Resorts is the first
of four enormous entertainment ven-
ues slated to rise over a giant chunk
of prime, reclaimed land that industry
and government leaders expect will
attract millions of cashed-up Asian
tourists.
What Solaire brings is an enter-
tainment and gaming experience that
doesnt exist in the Philippines today,
its American chief operating officer,
Michael French, told AFP in an inter-
view this week ahead of Saturdays
opening.
It will be like going to Las Vegas.
This raises the scale, the excitement
and the... glamour.
Controlled by billionaire Philip-
pine port operator Enrique Razon,
Solaire has 300 gaming tables, 1,200
slot machines and seven restaurants.
The building also has 500 hotel rooms
and 2,000 parking slots.
It features glass ceilings filter-
ing abundant tropical sunlight, huge
chandeliers, thick red-themed carpets,
blown glass wall-to-ceiling panels,
water pools and an army of cocktail
waitresses in tiny red dresses.
Another wing is being built to add
300 all-suite hotel rooms, 30-40 high-
end shops and a theatre where French
plans to host travelling Broadway
shows as well as local and foreign
lounge acts.
Meanwhile, preparations are un-
derway for the launch of the three
other big-ticket casinos, which all in-
volve major foreign backers. The four
will together make up Entertainment
City, located near Manilas airport.
The Belle Grande a joint venture
with the Philippines richest man,
Henry Sy, Australian billionaire James
Packer and Macau gaming tycoon
Lawrence Ho is slated to open next
year, with its golden facade already
having been built.
Japanese gambling magnate Ka-
zuo Okada and Malaysias Genting
Group are involved in the other two,
each in partnership with local Chinese-
Filipino tycoons. Both are expected to
open between 2015 and 2017.
Cristino Naguiat, head of state
regulator Philippine Amusement and
Gaming Corp, told AFP he expected
Philippine gaming revenues to double
this year to $2 billion because of the
Solaire opening.
When all four are open, Entertain-
ment City is expected to boost the
countrys annual gaming revenues up
to $10 billion, he said.
The nations existing gambling
revenues come from 13 relatively
small casinos around the country run
by Pagcor, the gaming regulator, and
a bigger one in Manila run by Genting
and a Filipino tycoon that opened in
2009.
While Macau counts $38 billion in
annual revenues, Naguiat is confident
the Philippines will eventually have
one of the biggest gambling industries
in the world, comparing it with the
Las Vegas strips roughly $6-billion
turnover.
We will beat Las Vegas. Im pretty
sure of that, he said.
Naguiat said the casinos were
mainly targetting gamblers from
Asia, pointing out that Manila was a
mere 3-4 hours away by plane from
any point in China, Japan and South
Korea, where many of the worlds high
rollers live.
Actually its a no-brainer. The big
market is here in Asia, he said.
Naguiat said that to make it easier
for the foreign gamblers, a skyway
roadlink to Manila airport is due to
open in two years that will allow them
to avoid the citys notorious gridlock
and reach Entertainment City in just
five minutes.
The government has further sweet-
ened the offer by taking just 27 percent
in taxes off winnings for normal
gamblers, compared with Macaus 40
percent, according to Naguiat.
High rollers have it even better,
with winnings taxed at just 15 per-
cent.
Naguiat said he saw Entertain-
ment City as the key to the govern-
ments ambitious bid to attract 10
million tourists a year and create
more jobs in a country where a fourth
of the workforce is unemployed or
underemployed.
About 4.6 million tourists visited
the country last year, compared with
about 14 million for Singapore and 28
million for Macau.
The follow-on offering (FOO) of
Philippine National Oil Company-
Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC)
has been facing uncertainties with
Malacanang reportedly not giving its
go-signal yet for the state-run firm to
jack up its public float.
It was gathered from highly-placed
sources that when the follow-on list-
ing for the company was tackled in
the Cabinet, there was no consensus
reached if it has to move forward with
the process or if it could just opt for
delisting from the Philippine Stock
Exchange.
Even Energy Secretary Carlos
Jericho Petilla is reluctant about
giving details as to the real score on
PNOC-ECs stocks listing.
In a separate interview with PSE
president Hans B. Sicat on the side-
lines of the Euromoney Philippines
Investment Forum 2013, he confirmed
that PNOC-ECs FOO has not been
movingtheres no progress, but we
hope that they should have been lead-
ing the way in this process.
He added that they (PNOC-EC
officials) have been quiet as a lamb
as to their plans on meeting the 10-
percent mandatory listing require-
ment.
Sicat noted that no correspon-
dence or any form of communication
yet was forwarded to the local bourse
as to PNOC-ECs final decision on the
listing plan.
The last update they have given
to media was the target then to ap-
ply for listing as early as December
10, 2012 and to have a market debut
mid-February of 2013.
Prior to that, the companys finan-
cial advisor UBS AG has been com-
pleting the valuation of the companys
shares which should have been the
basis in pricing its offer.
From its current shares listing
of 0.21-percent or 4,467, 585 shares;
this will be increased by additional
9.79-percent for equivalent shares of
217,757,379.
Compared to all other listed firms,
the unique parameter for PNOC-EC
is its requirement to secure approval
first from relevant government agen-
cies, which may need discussion at
the Cabinet level or even the impri-
matur of President Aquino.
Some economic managers are
reportedly not keen on increased list-
ing for PNOC-EC given its status as
a crown jewel of the Philippine gov-
ernment, especially when it comes to
resource exploration.
The companys 10-percent minori-
ty stake in the Malampaya deep water
gas-to-power venture alone has been
raising sizeable revenues to partly
bankroll its projects and operations
as well as significant dividends being
remitted to the national treasury.
Solaire Launches RPs Bid As Among
Elite Global Gambling Destinations
PNOC-EC Listing Faces
Approval Uncertainties
DOF...
(Cont'd from page B-1)
RP...
Asias...
SCG...
Singapore...
grant facility that offers technical as-
sistance to promote financial sector
strengthening.
Purisima said the project will
be very useful in enhancing PDICs
monitoring and surveillance capabili-
ties and thus in helping to maintain
financial stability.
He also expressed optimism that
studying other deposit insurance-re-
lated issues, such as governance, and
risk-based assessments of deposit in-
surance premiums will be supported
by multilateral organizations like the
World Bank.
Motoo Konishi, World Bank coun-
try director, meanwhile, is hopeful
that once the project is implemented,
the PDIC will have the enhanced ca-
pability to assess the financial condi-
tion of banks.
A stress-testing model would be
an effective tool to simulate the ef-
fects of severe and disruptive market
scenarios on banks.
On the other hand, the custom-
ized failure prediction model is a
useful technique to estimate the
probabilities of failure of a bank and
its corresponding impact on the
financial system. This financial mod-
eling project for deposit insurance
improves PDICs tool kit in pursuit
of its mandates, in addition to the
examination and off-site monitoring
and surveillance of banks.
The World Bank Team and PDIC
will give a briefing on this financial
modeling project to other Deposit
Insurance Agencies as one of the ac-
tivities during the Executive Council
meeting of the International Associa-
tion of Deposit Insurers on June 17 to
19 hosted by PDIC in Manila
This will be followed by an Inter-
national Conference on Financial
Inclusion: Challenges and Issues for
the Deposit Insurer on June 20.
next few years.
The regional review identified the
positive factors that support the glow-
ing forecasts for the country such as
the moderate upside risks to inflation
and the no-change policy rate of the
central bank at least until the fourth
quarter.
The expected credit rating up-
grade to investment grade of Philip-
pine sovereign bonds by end 2014
is one of the significant positive
factors.
The bank said investment grade
is supported by a number of factors,
including a resilient economy, a
current account surplus, stable fis-
cal policy, and the narrowing of the
budget deficit.
As for concerns or limits to a long-
term sustainable growth, Standard
Chartered Bank said these concerns
are mainly focused on infrastruc-
ture development and investment
growth.
On the monetary side, with the
benign inflation outlook for this year,
the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is
expected to adjust rates only during
the latter part of the year. To slow
speculation and capital inflows, BSP
may continue to make minor adjust-
ments to other macro-prudential
policies, such as special deposit ac-
count rates.
The Standard Chartered Bank
report said progress in the govern-
ments public-private partnership
programs are looking optimistic this
year especially projects involving
infrastructure, transport and power.
The government is also working to
enhance policies and improve capac-
ity to improve the outlook for high-
quality PPP projects.
On the political and peace and or-
der front, the issues besetting central
Manila and the Autonomous Region
of Muslim Mindanao is also expected
to have resolutions. Citing a study, the
bank said the peace deal will improve
GDP growth by 0.1 percentage point
in the first year and 0.3 percentage
point by the fifth year. The economic
benefits of a deal would will also likely
spill over to the entire Mindanao is-
land group, it said.
In the meantime, the banks
market outlook for the Philippines is
also bullish. The peso and the bond
market is expected to remain strong.
Our overweight short- and medium-
term foreign exchange weightings on
the peso are underpinned by strong
growth in domestic consumption
and the current account surplus.
Near-term, the potential for further
macro-prudential measures is likely
to curb the pace of capital inflows
and peso appreciation, the report
said.
in Asia, the report said.
Developed nations like Australia,
Singapore, New Zealand and Japan
top the list of nations best prepared
to cope with floods, droughts, hurri-
canes, storm surges and landslides,
while Nepal, Laos, Cambodia, Tajiki-
stan, the Pacific nation of Vanuatu and
Bangladesh are the least prepared.
No country in the Asia-Pacific
region is a model for its management
of water services and resources, ac-
cording to the Manila-based lending
and development institution, whose
aim is cutting poverty. Thirty-eight
developing countries have low levels
of water security or have barely be-
gun to improve, and only 11 have set
up infrastructure and management
systems.
While the Asia-Pacific region has
become an economic powerhouse,
it is alarming that no developing
country in the region can be consid-
ered water-secure, said ADB Vice
President Bindu Lohani.
Nearly 80 percent of Asias rivers
are in poor health. Urban populations
are on the rise and so is pollution,
while food and energy needs are
putting more pressure on the water
resources.
Unless these competing needs are
balanced, water security will remain
elusive, undermining development
gains and the quality of life for billions
of people in the region, especially
the poor, said Ravi Narayanan, vice
chair of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum
governing council.
The good news is that the pro-
portion of the regions population
with access to drinking water has in-
creased from 74 percent to 91 percent
between 1990 and 2010. Progress has
been made in all subregions expect
the Pacific, where access remains
low at 54 percent. However, access
to reliable tap water supply paints a
different picture. Although more than
900 million people gained access to
piped water, more than 65 percent of
the regions population does not have
what should be considered a secure
household supply.
Most cities in Asia, which accounts
for half of the worlds 20 megacities,
have extensive infrastructure for
domestic water treatment and sup-
ply, although piped systems often
stop short of individual households,
and potable water services are not
maintained full-time at the point of
delivery, the ADB said.
For instance, some cities in China
and South Korea provide round-the-
clock water service, but in many other
cities tap water is only available for
limited hours. In Jakarta, water is
available in most areas for about 18
hours each day, and in Chennai, India,
water is available for an average of
only about four hours each day.
Then there is the question of
health. About 88 percent of all diar-
rhea cases are attributed to lack of
adequate access to water and sani-
tation.
Although the percentage of people
with access to improved sanitation
rose from 36 percent in 1990 to 58
percent in 2010, 1.74 billion people in
Asia and the Pacific continue to live
without access to improved sanita-
tion. More than 792 million people
still suffer the indignity of practicing
open defecation, and more than 631
million of these people live in rural
South Asia.
pleted in April last year, contributed
half of its 2012 total sales.
Last years growth was also
boosted by the 40 percent increase in
sales of its fiber cement board.
For this year, the business contri-
bution from Mariwasa is expected to
go down to 75 percent from 82 percent
but contributions from Cotto to 5 per-
cent from 3 percent and SCG products
to 20 percent from 15 products.
This means that imported con-
struction materials would further
boost its imported components to 75
percent from 83 percent and locally-
manufactured products to 15 percent
from 17 percent.
The growth in imports is largely
due to the importation of more SCG
products from Thailand, Suwansilp
said.
For its P100 million investments in
Mariwasa, Suwansilp said this will not
result in additional plant capacity but
would rather make it more efficient
and attain a 100 percent capacity
utilization.
Mariwasa has already introduced
the slim tile with 5.8 mm in diameter,
the latest and thinnest floor tile in the
industry but of durable quality as part
of the new products under its floor tile
manufacturing.
Also contributing its sales is the
introduction of more imported SCG
products into the local market like
insulation products and more roof-
ing selection. They are introducing
insulation products that would reduce
heat and noise. They too offers new
decorative ceiling.
For its Cotto products, the com-
pany is introducing an aqua twin fau-
cet that would allow regular water to
flow by using one knob and a filtered
drinking water when turning on the
other knob of the faucet.
SCG and Cotto brands include
roofing, fiber cement board, fiber ce-
ment wood substitute, thermal and
acoustic insulation, ceramic tiles,
sanitary ware and fittings.
For CPAC Monier Philippines, Su-
wansilp said the company is launch-
ing its Centurion profile with bigger
canal to allow stronger of water dur-
ing heavy rains season. Established
since 1969, CPAC is the countrys
leading manufacturer, installer and
distributor of total roofing solution
such as c oncrete roof tiles, fittings
and tile accessories that is cost ef-
fective, elegant and functional while
offering a high degree of design and
flexibility.
AWe offer complete solutions,
we are very excited because the
economy is booming and there is
a growing middle class and strong
OFW remittances so there is a very
good opportunity for us, he said
adding its growth is supported by its
strong 1,300 people of which 150 are
in sales.
In addition, Suwansilp cited the
governments Public-Private Part-
nership program that would further
beef up demand for SCG products.
SCG began its regional expansion
to the Philippines as one fo the stra-
tegic countries since in 1993.
Aside from the construction ma-
terials, it has also an energy unit
called United and Paper Co. Inc., the
countrys leading manufacturer of
high quality and cost efficient pack-
aging paper. UPPC produces both
linerboard and corrugating medium
where it is equipped with most green
technology. (BCM)
The use of HCS must be accompa-
nied by the Singapore-recommended
nutrition information panel, which
lists the energy value and contents of
eight nutrients expressed per serving
and per 100 grams of food. These are
protein, fat, saturated fat, trans fat,
cholesterol, carbohydrate, dietary
fiber and sodium.
To make nutrition labeling more
consumer-friendly, the Board intro-
duced in 2007 the enhanced versions
of the HCS. The healthier snack
symbol (HSS) logo is awarded to
snacks which are healthier compared
to snacks in similar category. These
snacks are also lower in fat, saturated
fat, sodium or sugar.
In addition, HSS snacks are pack-
aged in the recommended portion
sizes that are reflected as serving
sizes on the Nutrition Information
Panel.
There are 2,400 different food
carrying the HCS and HSS logo
spanning over 70 categories such as
convenience meals, sauces, bever-
ages, snacks and breakfast cereals.
(EHL)
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Agriculture News
B-8
Section Editor: ZAC B. SARIAN
AGRI PLAIN TALK
ZAC B. SARIAN
T
Fresh Eggs For
Thai Students
PREPARING EGGS FOR LUNCH Photo shows some of the students
demonstrating how they prepare the eggs for the lunch of the students
in Ban Busoong School. The school was visited recently by a group of
media people from the Philippines, including the editor of this page.
The school is found in a rural community where most of the students
come from poor families. By raising chicken and eating eggs and other
healthy foods, the school children are not only trained in raising poultry
but also to appreciate healthy meals.
ARRIVAL AT BAN BUSOONG SCHOOL The delegation of media people
from the Philippines was met by teachers and students of the Ban
Busoong School in Prachinburi town, Krabinburi province, Thailand. The
delegation was led by Dr. Pinij Kungvandij, vice chairman of CP Foods
Philippines, seen here being greeted by the teachers and students. At
right is Jun Soler, one of the visitors from the Philippines. The visitors
observed the CSR projects of the CP Foods Group in Thailand.
THE STUDENTS AND PHILIPPINE MEDIA VISITORS Two members
of the delegation from the Philippine media to the familiarization tour
of CP Foods CSR projects in Thailand pose with three students of Ban
Busoong School in Prachinburi, Krabinburi province. The students
take turns in attending to the layers which are raised in cages right
in the school premises. The print media members include Nia Calleja
(second from left) of Philippine Daily Inquirer and Zac B. Sarian of the
Bulletin at extreme right. Not in photo is Marianne V. Go of Philippine
Star. The girls are Grade 8 students.
VEGETABLES FOR STU-
DENTS FEEDING Some
vegetables are also
grown in the Ban Buso-
ong School to go with
the eggs and other com-
ponents of the healthy
lunch for the students.
Ban Busoong is just
one of 420 schools all
over Thailand where the
school feeding program
is part of CP Foods Cor-
porate Social Respon-
sibility efforts. Imple-
menting the project is
the Rural Lives Develop-
ment Foundation.
he Philippines can
learn a few smart
lessons from Thai-
land when it comes
to feeding under-
nourished school children. Instead
of buying noodles as is the usual
practice in the Philippines to feed
school children, some 420 schools in
rural areas in Thailand raise chickens
on their own campuses so that the
children can have fresh eggs as part
of their daily lunch.
Aside from having a more healthy
meal, the school children also learn
early practical techniques in raising
the chickens in a scientific way. They
can later adopt the skills learned in
putting up their own layer projects
in their own homes.
We had the opportunity to visit one
of the schools which are raising chick-
ens for their eggs used in the lunch
project that is being implemented
by the Rural Lives Development
Foundation financially supported by
Charoen Pokphand Group, one of
the big conglomerates in Thailand
engaged in agricultural production
and food processing.
The school which offers Grades 1
to 9 is the Ban Busoong School in the
town of Prachinburi in the province
of Krabinburi, about two hours drive
from Bangkok towards the northeast.
We were among the print and broad-
cast media practitioners who were
invited on February 28 to March 6 to
a tour of CP Foods CSR or corporate
social responsibility projects in Thai-
land and Vietnam.
The tour was led by Dr. Pinij Kung-
vandij and Arnnop Jeanprasert of CP
Foods Philippines that is currently
putting up a feed business and pig and
poultry projects in the Philippines.
At the Ban Busoong School, some
200 layers of the Isa Brown breed
from France are being raised in cages
in just a very small space right on the
school campus. The birds produce
an average of 170 eggs daily which
become part of a lunch meal the chil-
dren take at noon after classes.
Ban Busoong is one of the small
schools under the program of the
foundation. That is why only 200 lay-
ers are maintained in the school. In
bigger schools, the layer population
could run up to 500 hens.
The student lunch project is run
like an honest-to-goodness busi-
EGGS FOR SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM In the Ban Busoong school in the town of Prachinburi in the prov-
ince of Krabinburi, Thailand, students take turns in taking care of 200 layers of the Isa Brown breed. The
eggs produced are used as part of a school feeding program for students, making their meals much healthier
than just noodles. The school feeding program is supported by the Rural Life Development Foundation, an
NGO that is supported as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by the Charoen Pokphand Group,
a large conglomerate engaged in agricultural production and food processing in Thailand. Photo shows
Arnnop Jeanprasert and a student at the schools poultry project. Jeanprasert is senior vice president of
CP Foods Philippines who accompanied a delegation of media practitioners to visit their companys CSR
projects in Thailand. The student is Supakorn Ninaksorn, a grade 8 student at Ban Busoong School.
nessby the school cooperative which
was set up to oversee the day-to-day
operations by the teachers, students
and the board of education. The co-
op buys the eggs and manages the
school feeding fund deposited in the
projects bank account.
This is to maintain the sustainabil-
ity of the project. Charoen Pokphand
initially provided the chickens, the
feeds and the vaccines to the school.
At the same time, the technicians of
CP Foods trained the students how to
take care of the birds.
The school co-op receives privi-
leges from the CP Food to make
their operations more profitable. For
instance, replacement birds are ac-
quired at only 100 baht each instead
of the 200 baht per bird in the market.
Feeds are bought at only 10 baht per
kilo instead of 15 baht in the regular
poultry supply stores.
The Thai government is also
providing some funds for the Lunch
Project at 13 baht per student. This is
managed by the co-op in the school.
Under the Lunch project some 80,000
students are being provided with
healthy meals during school days.
This is something worth copying
by our government and well-meaning
business companies who would like to
support worthy causes as part of their
corporate social responsibility.
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Environment News
Thursday, March 14, 2013 B-9
MANILA (dpa) More than 75 per-
cent of Asia-Pacific countries face an
imminent water crisis unless immedi-
ate steps are taken to improve resource
management, the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) said Wednesday.
''While the Asia-Pacific region has
become an economic powerhouse, it
is alarming that no developing coun-
try in the region can be considered
water-secure,'' said Bindu Lohani,
ADB's vice president for sustainable
development.
According to the bank's Asia Wa-
ter Development Outlook 2013, 37 of
49 countries assessed were ''suffering
from low levels of water security,'' in-
cluding those which lacked measures
to tackle the problem.
''Twelve countries are shown to
have established infrastructure and
management systems for water se-
curity, while no country in the region
was found to have reached the high-
est model level of water security,'' the
report noted.
South Asia and parts of Central
and West Asia are faring the worst,
with rivers under immense strain,
while many Pacific Islands suffer
from a lack of access to safe piped
water and decent sanitation and are
highly vulnerable to increasingly
severe natural disasters.
''By contrast, East Asia, which
has the highest frequency of hazards
in the region, is relatively better off
due to higher levels of investment in
disaster defences, but urban water
security remains poor in many cities
and towns,'' the study said.
According to the Manila-based
bank, more than 60 per cent of house-
holds in Asia and the Pacific still live
without a safe, piped water supply and
improved sanitation.
It added that the region needs
130 billion dollars in investments for
water supply and improved sanita-
tion, adding that every dollar invested
will likely return between 5 dollars
and 46 dollars in reduced health
care costs and increased economic
productivity.
''Water supports health and liveli-
hoods, grows our food, powers our
industry, and cools our generating
plants, and these different uses can
no longer be seen in isolation from
each other,'' said Ravi Narayanan,
vice chair of the Asia-Pacific Water
Forum Governing Council.
''Unless these competing needs
are balanced, water security will
remain elusive, undermining devel-
opment gains and the quality of life
for billions of people in the region,
especially the poor,'' he added.
The report urged countries to
invest in ''reduce, re-use, recycle sys-
tems'' to better make use of dwindling
water resources and better sanitation
and other infrastructure, mobilize ad-
ditional resources to clean up rivers,
and modernize irrigation systems.
Governments must also step up
campaigns to educate people on
water scarcity and the critical situ-
ation, said Ian Makin, an ADB water
resources specialist.
''When you walk into the kitchen
and turn on your tap, it's very easy
to forget that there are millions of
people who don't have access to that,''
he told dpa. ''People have to appreci-
ate exactly how much water they're
using in their life and start to make
sensible decisions.''
Makin also stressed the need for
governments to address pollution,
which poses the biggest threat to wa-
ter security, ''because it has multiple
impacts.''
''If the water is polluted, using
it for anything else becomes more
expensive,'' he said. ''It will start to
have impacts on the economics of the
countries. It also has direct impact
on people's health and the ecology
systems.''
ADB: Asia-Pacifc Facing Water Crisis
LONDON (AP) Even without
modern-day temptations like fast
food or cigarettes, people had clogged
arteries some 4,000 years ago, accord-
ing to the biggest-ever study of mum-
mies searching for the condition.
Researchers say that suggests
heart disease may be more a natural
part of human aging rather than
being directly tied to contemporary
risk factors like smoking, eating fatty
foods and not exercising.
CT scans of 137 mummies showed
evidence of atherosclerosis, or hard-
ened arteries, in one third of those
examined, including those from an-
cient people believed to have healthy
lifestyles. Atherosclerosis causes
heart attacks and strokes. More
than half of the mummies were from
Egypt while the rest were from Peru,
southwest America and the Aleutian
islands in Alaska. The mummies were
from about 3800 B.C. to 1900 A.D.
Heart disease has been stalking
mankind for over 4,000 years all over
the globe,'' said Dr. Randall Thomp-
son, a cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid
America Heart Institute in Kansas
City and the paper's lead author.
The mummies with clogged ar-
teries were older at the time of their
death, around 43 versus 32 for those
without the condition. In most cases,
scientists couldn't say whether the
heart disease killed them.
The study results were announced
Sunday at a meeting of the American
College of Cardiology in San Fran-
cisco and simultaneously published
online in the journal Lancet.
Thompson said he was surprised to
see hardened arteries even in people
like the ancient Aleutians who were
presumed to have a healthy lifestyle
as hunter-gatherers. I think it's fair
to say people should feel less guilty
about getting heart disease in modern
times,'' he said. We may have oversold
the idea that a healthy lifestyle can
completely eliminate your risk.''
Thompson said there could be
unknown factors that contributed to
the mummies' narrowed arteries.
He said the Ancestral Puebloans
who lived in underground caves in
modern-day Colorado and Utah,
used fire for heat and cooking, pro-
ducing a lot of smoke. They were
breathing in a lot of smoke and that
could have had the same effect as
cigarettes,'' he said.
Study: Mummies
Had Clogged Arteries
LOS ANGELES (AP) People want
their dog to be a friend, not afraid.
But sometimes, fear grips dogs so
tightly they shake, cower, bite, growl
or pee. It can be constant, painful and
hard to overcome. Such dread can
consume a dog when it's freed from a
cage at a puppy mill or hoarder's home
because that's the only life the dog has
ever known.
Until now, it was up to animal shel-
ters to ease the fears, knowing if they
didn't, euthanasia was the likely alterna-
tive. But this week, the American Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
opens its Behavioral Rehabilitation
Center at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare
Center in Madison, New Jersey.
It's a two-year research project be-
ing financed by the ASPCA.
For now, dogs seized from puppy
mills and hoarders will be the primary
patients, said Kristen Collins, ASPCA's
director of anti-cruelty behavior reha-
bilitation and director of the center. It
will also include some dogs that have
been confined for long stretches as
evidence in court cases.
Dogs will come from shelters across
America as well as from seizures involv-
ing the ASPCA.
It's groundbreaking and exciting,
Collins said. It's the first ever facility
that's dedicated strictly to providing
rehabilitation for dogs that are victims
of animal cruelty.''
The research will also provide some
numbers, Collins said. No one knows
how many shy dogs are being placed
in homes now. And little is known about
how they fare after placement, so center
staff will spend a lot of time following up
on animals.
There are 27 kennels, an office, real
life rooms, treatment rooms and com-
mon areas at the center.
Rehab Center
Helps Fearful Dogs
WINTER WEATHER A man shovels snow off his car in a street of
Cambrai, northern France, Tuesday, as winter weather with snow and
freezing temperatures return to northern France. (Reuters)
KERTASURA, Indonesia (dpa)
Indonesian snake trader Wakira
released three cobras from a bag and
let them slither around his body.
He has been bitten by a cobra before
but said it's a risk he has come to grips
with. ''I've been dealing with snakes
since I was 10, when I was still a snake
hunter,'' said Wakira, 48, who like many
Indonesians uses only one name. ''I'm
not a snake charmer but I'm an expert,
and I know how to handle them.''
Wakira, known to his neighbours
as Boss Cobra, operates a snake
slaughterhouse at his large home in
Kertasura village in Cirebon district,
about 200 kilometres east of the Indo-
nesian capital.
Outside the house several work-
ers, mostly young men in their 20s,
washed dead snakes, removed their
innards and curled them before put-
ting them in ovens. Each day, Wakira
collects about a ton of snakes of vari-
ous species from local hunters, who
are paid a little as 1 dollar for each
kilogram of live specimens.
He then sells the meat and skins to
an exporter in East Java. Snake meat
is popular in Asian countries such as
China, where it is used in traditional
medicine and as food. Snake skins are
used to make products such as bags,
shoes, wallets and belts.
To kill the snakes, Wakira dumps
them into a large fibre container,
closes the lid and leaves them until
they suffocate and die. ''It's very easy
and efficient,'' he said. ''It takes about
three hours for them to die.''
Killing and skinning a python
requires a different method. That in-
volves bludgeoning the snake's head
with the back of a machete, inserting
a hose between its jaws and filling it
with water to make it swell so that it
can be skinned easily, he said.
Wakira said he buys about 100
cobras a day, but only a few pythons
each month. He said after paying his
workers, he made between 15 million
rupiah (1,500 dollars) and 30 million
rupiah per month, a large sum in a
village where most residents make a
living farming or hunting snakes and
frogs in the dead of the night.
''Thanks to this business, I have
managed to send my parents and
my parents-in-law on the Hajj,'' he
said, referring to the annual Muslim
pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
There are four other snake slaugh-
terhouses in the village, but Wakira said
his was the largest. ''People here treat
snakes as part of their daily lives,'' said
Wakira, who has four children, two of
whom help him with the business.
The trade in Asian snake species
is one of the largest under-regulated
trades in terrestrial wildlife glob-
ally, according to the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES).
Snakes are natural pest predators,
but hunting and loss of their habitats
have contributed to a significant de-
crease in their populations in recent
years, CITES said.
If snakes disappeared from Asia's
rice fields or other crop-producing
landscapes, their prey could destroy
agricultural production, threatening
food security and national economies,
CITES said.
There are 3,315 recognized snake
species globally, and Indonesia is
home to 128 endemic snake species,
followed by India with 112 and China
with 54.
Snakes Part Of Indonesian Life
By MARIO T. SUPNAD

SANTIAGO, Ilocos Sur To
prevent the effect of an oil spill on
the coastal fishing ground here,
fishermen and the local govern-
ment units are working to clean
the coastal areas in the provinces
second district.
Gov. Luis Chavit Singson said
that a massive coastal clean-up is
being carried out to protect not only
the fishing ground in five towns and
one city in the province but also to
maintain the beauty of the pristine
beaches of the province.
Affected by the oil spill are Candon
City, the towns of Tagudin, Sta. Cruz,
Sta. Lucia, Santiago and San Esteban,
Ilocos Sur.
The incident came after the MV
Harita Bauxite sunk off the waters
of Cape Bolinao in Pangasinan last
February 16, causing massive oil
spillage along the coastal areas of
Pangasinan, La Union and Ilocos Sur
that reached up to Ilocos Norte.
Newsmen learned that the Myan-
mar-registered MV Harita Bauxite
sank seven nautical miles of Cape
Bolinao.
Reports said that right after
the vessel sank, its oil spilled in the
area and spread all the way up to
the shorelines of the provinces of
La Union and Ilocos Sur, due to the
change of the course of the wind.
We are conducting massive
coastal clean up to prevent further
damage on the environment, said
Singson.
We are collecting the oil spill and
put it in sacks, Singson added.
Clean-up is also being conducted
by residents along the shorelines from
Pangasinan to Ilocos by the members
of the Bantay Dagat and personnel
from the Philippe Coast Guard.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD)
announced that a coordinating con-
ference was held to determine the ex-
act cause of the oil spill in the coastal
waters of Pangasina, La Union and
Ilocos Sur.
The conference was attended by
the Philippine Coast Guard, Philip-
pine Navy, Department of Environ-
ment and Natural Resources, Bureau
of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
and local governments of the affected
provinces, municipalities and cities.
OCD Regional Director Melchito
Castro said the conference will
determine what caused the oil spill
that first hit the coastal areas of San
Fernando City, San Juan, Bacnotan,
Luna and Bangar in La Union before
it reached the coasts of Candon City,
Tagudin, Sta. Cruz, Sta. Lucia, San-
tiago and San Esteban, Ilocos Sur.
A report received by OCD said
the oil spill reached as far as Curri-
mao, Bacarra and Paoay, all in Ilocos
Norte.
OCD said the oil spill affecting
the coastlines of Ilocos region for two
weeks is expected to be cleaned up
by March 18.
Castro said the coastal cleanup in
these provinces is continuing.
Ilocos Oil Spill Clean-Up On
HEAVY RAINSTORM A woman struggles with her umbrella in the wind during a heavy rainstorm in New York,
Tuesday. High winds and heavy rain were expected throughout the northeast United States. (Reuters)
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Section Editor: PINKY CONCHA COLMENARES
Asst. Editor: JOHANNES L. CHUA
Property News
Grand Hyatt Hotel And Residences
Bonifacio Realty Announces Hyatt Landmark
Hyatt Hotels Corporation an-
nounced recently that an affiliate
has entered into an agreement with
Bonifacio Landmark Realty and
Development Corp. (BLC) for the
development of the Grand Hyatt
Hotel and Residences in Manila.
BLC is a joint-venture company
of property developer Federal Land
Inc. and Japanese financial ser-
vices group, Orix Corp.
Expected to open in 2015, Grand
Hyatt Manila and Residences will
be part of a two-tower upscale
mixed-use project in the residential,
entertainment and business district
of Fort Bonifacio Global City in
Metro Manila. Grand Hyatt Manila
will be located on the top 14 floors of
the 66-story office and hotel tower,
and will offer 438 guestrooms.
Additional hotel amenities will
include a lobby, multiple food and
beverage offerings, a spa, fitness
center and pool, and comprehensive
business and meeting facilities with
state-of-the-art technology.
The residences will be located
in the second tower, and will offer
220 luxury units with private access
to the hotels amenities including
a spa, fitness center pool and res-
taurants.
Just recently, the substructure
of the Grand Hyatt Manila was
topped off, marking another mile-
stone for the project. Wong + Ouy-
ang and Ove Arup & Partners are
the architect and engineer respon-
sible for the Grand Hyatt
Hotel and Residences. The
firms have also worked on
several other Hyatt proj-
ects, including Grand Hyatt
Shanghai and Grand Hyatt
Hong Kong. Bilkey Llinas
Design will do the interiors
of the hotel.
As the political, eco-
nomic, social, and cultural
center of the Philippines,
Manila is attracting entre-
preneurs and business own-
ers that have an appetite for
luxury brands and residenc-
es, said Ratnesh Verma,
senior vice president of real
estate and development,
Asia Pacific, Hyatt Hotels
& Resorts. Grand Hyatt
Manila and Residences is
an opportunity to expand
the presence of the iconic
Grand Hyatt brand in this
rapidly growing Southeast
Asia market.
We are honored to work
with Bonifacio Landmark
Realty & Development Cor-
poration and to introduce
the Grand Hyatt brand to
the Philippines, said Larry
Tchou, group presi dent,
Asia Pacific, Hyatt Hotels &
Resorts. We are confident
the hotel will deliver a new hospital-
ity experience, and we look forward
to serving the neighborhood com-
GRAND HYATT
HOTEL &
GRAND HYATT
RESIDENCES
VERITOWN
FORT
Camella Opens Trece Martires Community
With all of its lifestyle pleasures,
home conveniences, and budget op-
tions nothing compares to Camella
Trece.
In the heart of Cavite lies the city
of Trece Martires, a hub that provides
access to all major transportation
systems, commercial centers, and
government services in the province.
It has become an urbanized metropo-
lis, renowned for its cleanliness and
beauty, enjoying the prominence of
being a gambling-free and a drug-free
city, earning various recognitions
and awards for its leadership and
governance.
This is also the home of a Camella
community, where the developer
has again blended accessibility with
high-quality living. There, well-built,
Mediterranean-styled homes, family-
oriented amenities, a multi-functional
clubhouse, parks and gardens, friend-
ly green spaces are set in a secure
community.
Camella Trece is a 45-minute drive
from Alabang and just over an hour
from Makati and Fort Bonifacio CBD.
There will also be a series of bustling,
commercial areas to complete the
initial 15-hectare community offering,
part of the vast 100-hectare consoli-
dated Trece land holdings.
Camella amenities in Trece Mar-
tires will feature a Fitness Park that
includes a full-sized basketball court,
Builds Mediterranean-Style Homes
DMCI Homes
Maricielo Villas Ready For Occupancy
Maricielo Villas, the Spanish-
inspired community down South by
DMCI Homes, recently completed
the construction of its last building
and is now ready for occupancy.
The first four structures, Se-
bastian, Segovia, Pontevedra, and
Madrid, began occupancy efforts late
last year, while Almeria was made
ready for occupancy in January
2013. The on-time turnover shows
DMCI Homes reputation of complet-
ing projects on time, and providing
homes that are not only comfortable,
but beautiful as well.
The 18,522-sqm project located
along Quirino and Casimiro Avenues
in Las Pias, imbibes the charm of
the past with the convenience of the
future. The development reflects
the rich history of the local district
through its general design and ar-
chitecture.
Maricielo Villas invokes
the architecture of old Span-
ish Missionary communities
through its buildings with
facades designed with promi-
nent traditional lines, and
offering pasilios or breeze-
ways that not only creates
more open spaces, but also
provides cooler ventilation
throughout the community.
And as this is a DMCI
Homes project, their sig-
nature single-loaded cor-
ridors where houses open
to an airy and landscaped atrium is
also present. Completing this fresh
atmosphere are pocket gardens
and key landscaped areas that add
a sense of green and nature to the
community.
Aside from architecture, the
buyers needs for safety and conve-
nience are also considered. Security
measures are in place to make condo
living worry-free for all families:
electrified perimeter fences, 24-hour
security service, CCTV cameras in
strategic areas, and roving security
personnel.
At the center of the developments
Spanish-inspired architecture are
lifestyle amenities that address the
needs of its residents. There is a
clubhouse where various fun activi-
ties can be planned.
The clubhouse, which has a total
area of almost 1,000 sqm, is to be the
center of most social gatherings, with
function rooms for family affairs or
reunion with friends. It also has a
game area that provides an additional
recreational venue for residents.
Aside from the clubhouse, also
available are the pool area for both
kids and kids at heart. Those with
an active lifestyle can also bike, or
brisk-walk at the surrounding and
well-landscaped park.
The project site is approximately
350 meters near the Alabang-Zapote
Road, and 1km near the C5 Extension
Road, making travels to the Makati
Business District easier.
Maricielo Villas bears the DMCI
Homes Quality Seal, which repre-
sents the companys commitment to
deliver homes that are built to last.
The new homes are subject to the
proprietary quality management
system of DMCI Homes, and come
with a two-year warranty.
MODEL UNIT
MARICIELO VILLAS
munity as well as business and
leisure travelers from around the
world.
This milestone
is testament to a
fruitful relationship
between companies
that share the same
vision, said Alfred
V. Ty, Chairman of
Boni f aci o Land-
mark and President
of Federal Land. It
also symbolizes the
future of a modern
Philippines.
Gr and Hy at t
Manila and Resi-
dences will be the
center of the master-planned de-
velopment Veritown Fort, which
will house 11 residential projects,
premier dining option and upscale
retail spaces and boutiques. Facing
7th and 8th Avenues, the hotel and
residences will provide guests and
residents with convenient access to
Kalayaan Avenue and the business
and residential district of Makati.
Additionally, the hotel and resi-
dences will be in close proximity
to the many restaurants and retail
outlets located in High Street,
Serendra, Burgos Circle, the Fort
Square, and Fort Strip, as well as
Market! Market! and the upcoming
SM shopping center.
Upon opening, it will be the
second Hyatt-branded hotel in the
Philippines joining Hyatt Hotel &
Casino Manila.
therapy walk, and jog-
ging trails. The Kids
Court will have safe
play equipment, sand
box, bike lanes, and
park benches. There
is also the Terraces
Garden where the
multi-purpose func-
tion area and amphi-
theatre for fun activi-
ties will be located.
The Village Cen-
ter will offer the con-
venience of a com-
mercial area right
where you live. It will
feature coffee shops, internet cafes,
water refilling stations, spa, health
and beauty salons, barber shops,
l aundromats, and conveni ence
stores.
A gated community with 24-hour
security, the property is fully fenced
and adorned with a grand entrance
designed for both elegance and
controlled access. Its strategic
location allows homeowners to be
within an easy drive to destinations
in Cavite, Manila, Tagaytay, Laguna
and Batangas.
Value-for-money home packages
and easy-on-the-pocket financing
schemes are available to future
homeowners.
Camella is the subsidiary cater-
ing to the mid-market segment of
Vista Land. A 2011 study showed
that Vista Land is the leader in
Philippine residential real estate
development with 18,422 houses,
house-and-lots and condominiums
sold out in that year alone.
Camella has long been a familiar
household name in the country. In
over 38 years, it has built a selection
of high-quality homes and themed
communities and master planned
cities across the islands each
one carrying Vista Lands expertise
in space planning, carefully thought
out and sustainable architecture,
and the most accessible and attrac-
tive locations.
To date, the group has built more
than 250,000 homes and maintains
a presence in Mega Manila and 31
other key provincial destinations
and 63 cities and municipalities.
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REFLECTI ONS...
the love of God in you. I came in the name of My Father, but you
do not accept Me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will
accept him. How can you believe, when you accept praise from
one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only
God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father: The
One who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you have placed your
hope. For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed Me,
because he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe My words?
REFLECTIONS
You do not want to come to Me. Jesus is confronted with the
unbelief of the Jews despite a threefold witness to Him: The wit-
ness of John, the witness of Jesus own works, and the testimony
of the Father on His behalf. What prevents the hearers of Jesus
from believing? Jesus gives the answer:
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one anoth-
er and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?
If we want to believe in Jesus and come to Him to have life,
we must seek the praise of God, i.e., Gods approval. And we will
get Gods approval only if we seek to do Gods will in love. We will
receive the grace to recognize Jesus for who and what He is the
Son of God and true God when we obey the Father in love.
Obey the Father in love and be in the light.
SOURCE: 366 Days with the Lord 2013, ST PAULS, 7708 St.
Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328;
E-mail: books@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph
Classifed Ads
year after topping $1 trillion for
four straight years, the nonpartisan
Congressional Budget Office proj-
ects. Even if Congress does nothing
further to cut spending or raise tax
revenues, deficits will continue to
shrink to $430 billion by fiscal 2015,
the CBO said.
But, barring a major fix by the
president and Congress, the govern-
ments finances will start to worsen
again as the three major entitlement
programs Social Security, Medicare
and Medicaid become more and
more expensive and unmanageable
under the increasing weight of retir-
ing baby boomers.
Recent budget improvements
were helped along by increasing tax
revenues as corporate America and
many better-off Americans snapped
back from the economic downturn
and paid more in taxes. Stocks are
setting new multi-year levels and
corporate profits are soaring.
Yet the recent improvements on
corporate and government ledgers
havent been shared by millions of
working-class Americans. Its almost
as if there were separate side-by-side
economies.
Unemployment is still a high 7.7
percent nearly four years after the
worst recession since the Great
Depression officially ended, still far
above the pre-recession levels of
around 5 percent. Companies feel
little pressure to raise wages since
the pool of job seekers is large. Those
with jobs are pressed to work harder,
increasing productivity for corpora-
tions.
Companies also have benefited
from the Federal Reserves easy-
money policies over the past four-plus
years.
In keeping interest rates near zero
and flooding financial markets with
newly printed dollars, the Fed has
helped drive up stock prices - partly
at the expense of many retired people
and other savers whove seen inter-
est earnings on their bank accounts
dwindle.
The private economy is doing
very well and is steadily improving,
said Mark Zandi, chief economist at
Moodys Analytics. Earnings are at
record levels, profit margins have
never been wider. Thats particularly
true for large companies whose stock
is traded.
Looking ahead, Zandi said: Im
hopeful things will simmer down in
Washington, and that the deficit will
stabilize by the end of the decade and
into the next decade. After that, it will
start rising again.
Even before the $85 billion in
automatic cuts started kicking in on
March 1, government spending was
shrinking because of the expiration of
federal stimulus and other recession-
fighting programs of Presidents
George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Steven Rattner, Obamas former
car czar, has criticized Obama for
exaggerating in depicting the $85-
billion sequester cuts as a disaster
imperiling the nation. Obama has
since toned down his rhetoric and
reached out to congressional Repub-
licans. That pleased Rattner.
I said he should stop just saying
the sky is falling, which hes done,
Rattner tweeted.
GETTI NG...
World-renowned inspirational
speaker and educator, Swami
Tejomayananda, of the Chinmaya
Mission, will be in Manila to de-
liver enlightening talks on the
timeless epic, Ramayana.
The visiting sage will hold a
free lecture series on the theme
Ramayana for the 21st Century:
Wisdom of Yesterday for Today
and Tomorrow.
Known for his unique, hu-
morous, anecdotal style, Tejo-
mayananda, will highlight the
many outstanding insights from
the life story and adventures of
the noble hero, Ram.
The Ramayanas universal appeal has been its poignant
wisdom that transcends cultural boundaries, making it relevant
till today.
The lecture series will be held from March 18 to 21, from 7
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Dasmarias Village Pavilion, 1417 Cam-
panilla Street, Dasmarias Village. Admission is free, and all
lectures will be in English.
Chinmaya
Missions
S.Tejomayananda
I n Manila
For Talks
TEJOMAYANANDA
The Caloocan City government
and the Social Security System (SSS)
have joined forces as they launched an
information and coverage campaign
for tricycle operators, drivers and day-
care workers recently.
Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Re-
com Echiverri said that the campaign
was launched at the Bulwagang
Katipunan of the main city hall on A.
Mabini St., Caloocan City last Febru-
ary 28, 2013, which was attended by
members of the Tricycle Operators
and Drivers Association (TODA) and
day-care workers in the city.
The campaign outlined the mem-
bers benefits and privileges which
they may avail of from the government
agencys social insurance program.
Echiverri and the SSS have also en-
couraged the workers to check their
status as agencys members so that
they would not encounter any prob-
lems in claiming their benefits.
Mayor Recom said that the Labor
and Industrial Relations Office (LIRO)
and the office of Liga ng mga Baran-
gay sa Pilipinas Presidente, Councilor
Ricojudge RJ Echiverri also as-
sisted in the information drive..
Echiverri also invited city resi-
dents to become members of SSS
which offers retirement and health
benefits. They can also make sal-
ary and calamity loans, he said.
Salary loans depend on the monthly
salary of the worker. Calamity loans
refer for such times when there is a
calamity that has been so declared by
the government, in the area where the
SSS member lives, such as flooding,
earthquake and natural disasters.
SSS, Caloocan Launch I nfo Drive
INDONESIAN MP IN PHILIPPINES Indonesian Member of Parliament, Dr. Sumarjati Arjoso recently visited
the Philippines to help boost initiatives being done by various civil society and grassroots organizations
to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015 while formulating the Post 2015 framework
and agenda. Photo shows from left, Cathy Tiongson, Atty. Maisara Latiph, Jolly Lais, Dr. Sumarjati Arjoso,
Indonesian MP; Beckie Malay, Lu Gargarita, and Jay Neil Ancheta.
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Gi ve t he gi f t o f l ove and r e me mbranc e .
Olympia Cruz Violago
Botsie
Afer 66 happy years on Gods earth,
4 years of engagement and 40 years of marital bliss
Returned to her Creator
on Monday, 11 March 2013
and joined her daughter,
Maria Socorro Corrina+.
Her bereaved husband Oscar I. Violago and
their children Anthony Jude AJ, Maria Lourdes Malou and
Ryan Tanjutco, Mary Margareth Princess and
Patrick Dee, and their grandchildren Enzo, Santi, Manu and Ellie
ask the pious reader to pray for her.
Her remains lie in state at the Sto. Nio de Violago chapel
at 222 E. Rodriguez Sr. (beside Walter Mart and near
St. Lukes Hospital Q.C.) where there will be daily 7:00 p.m. Mass.
Necrological services will be held on Saturday, 16 March 2013
after the 7:00 p.m. mass.
Interment will be on Sunday, 17 March 2013
at The Heritage Park, Bayani Road, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City,
after the 9:30 a.m. Mass at the Sto. Nio de Violago chapel.
Bootsie, in our 40 years together we have had our ups and downs
During all those years you were always there for me and for our children,
providing strength, comfort and wise counsel. You were our shining
and guiding star, our J oan of Arc, our Madonna. On our 40th wedding
anniversary, I promised that I will love you beyond eternity.
I repeat, I will love you beyond eternity I repeat,
I will love you beyond eternity Oca
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Gi ve t he gi f t o f l ove and r e me mbranc e .
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By LOUISE WATT
B-16 THURSDAY, March 14, 2013
PARIS (Reuters) Frances
Bourbon SA, which supplies ships
for the oil and gas industry, sees
sustained demand for its vessels
this year as stable oil prices en-
courage clients to make substan-
tial investments.
All the growth indicators re-
garding demand for vessels are
excellent, whether for drilling, con-
struction and commissioning felds,
or installing subsea well heads,
Bourbon said in a statement.
I.T.F. SOUTH EAST ASIA PROTESTS AGAINST F.O.C. ABUSES Member unionists of International Trans-
port Workers Federation (ITF)-South East Asia (SEA) stage protest rally recently in South Harbor Manila
demanding to halt abuses of Flag of Convenience (FOC) ships: Committing unfair maritime labor practice,
including substandard pay and failure to address health protection needs of seafarers working in their
vessels. The protest rally was held during the recent ITF SEA Week of Action (WOA). On front row are ITF
Philippines inspector Rod Aguinaldo (center, front row, in green hat), Dockworkers- AWU vice president
Alfredo Rones (in orange hat, at Aguinaldos left), PWUP General Secretary Jose Eduardo Oca (in white
hat, at Aguinaldos right), and Dockworkers -AWU board member Jose Alindogan (in orange hat, at Ocas
right). ITF Philippine inspectors issued warnings to two foreign ships in Cebu, an Antigua-fagged, the other
Panama-fagged, for low and unpaid wages. Dockers and seafarer- unionists also held rally in Cebu, as
ITF inspectors assisted in giving medical services to affected crews. The week-long action was highlighted
by the discovery of Chinese-owned, Togo fagged Ocean Dream described in the shipping world as ghost
ship, anchored off the waters of Laem Chabang, in Thailand.
BOURBON SA
BRUSSELS (Reuters) Euro-
pean Union competition regulators
are investigating whether 104 mil-
lion euros ($135 million) in state
aid granted to Cypriot national car-
rier Cypriot Airways complies with
EU state aid rules.
The European Commission said
it doubted that the airlines capi-
tal increase, with a 31.3-million-
euro contribution from the Cypriot
state, was conducted on market
terms.
CYPRIOT AIRWAYS
The discovery of Chinese-owned,
Togo-flagged ship Ocean Dream
off the coast of Laem Chabang in
Thailand, highlighted the 2013 week-
long campaign of the International
Transport Workers Federation (ITF),
ITF-Philippine inspectors led by Rod
Aguinaldo of Manila said.
The weeklong campaign held last
Jan. 21 to 25 was held by ITF unions
against Flags of Convenience (FOC)
ships completing a total of 67 inspec-
tions conducted in designated ports
in Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and
the Philippines. To date, ITF, which
is a global organization of transport
workers union, has 779 union mem-
bers in more than 155 countries,
according to him..
On the discovered ghost ship
Ocean Dream, official port records
showed the vessel sailed off last Oct.
19, 2012 with old rust bucket that
lies parked some 20 nautical miles
away from Laem Chabang port. The
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
used it to do business-offering twice
weekly four days, three nights cruise
trips on the Gulf of Thailand said
Aguinaldo, quoting an ITF dispatch.,
The 140 Chinese and Burmese crew
members, including 30 young girls
were found out to be living illegally
on board: with expired visas, unpaid
wages, dirty accommodation, and
very scarce rations and water sup-
ply.
There were no contracts or wages
accounts found on board. Interactions
with ITF team led by Jasvinder Singh,
ITF SEA FOC coordinator, revealed
that the crew were scared for their life
and safety, but refused to complain
in writing out of fear, though they
provided substantive information
verbally. A thorough follow-up with
ITF unions with the help of Thai au-
thorities is in place, said Aguinaldo.
Other inspections, teams including
those of activists from the Seafarers
Union of Burma (SUB), found crew on
a Singapore-flagged ship being paid
wages below the ILO (International
Labor Organizaton) minimum pay.
Owners companies of Hong Kong,
Panama and Singapore-flagged ves-
sels which are not yet covered by
ITF-approved agreements have been
contacted, added Aguinaldo.
In the Philippines, inspectors is-
sued warnings on very low wages to
two ships in Cebu: an Antigua-flaged,
and a Panama-flagged. Aguinaldo,
the Manila-ITF inspector, took up the
case of 10 Tanzanian crew on board
the Panama-flagged Hyundai Ad-
vance who were not yet paid of their
wages totaling US$12,846 (around
euro 8,000).

BEIJING (AP) In the annals
of Chinese bureaucratic power,
the Railways Ministry stood apart.
Running everything from one of the
worlds busiest rail systems to a
special police force, the ministry was
so pervasive and powerful it resisted
government reform efforts for years.
Chinese called it Boss Railway.
On Sunday, the government gave
notice it was firing the boss.
Under a plan presented to the
national legislature to restructure
Cabinet departments, the govern-
ment said it would dismantle the
ministry, moving its railways opera-
tions into a newly created company
and placing its regulatory offices in
the Transport Ministry.
The Railways Ministry isnt the
only target. Under the restructur-
ing plan, two agencies that censor
broadcasters and print media will
be combined into a super media
regulator; the commission that en-
forces the much disliked rules that
limit many families to one child will
be merged with the Health Ministry;
and four agencies that police fisher-
ies and other maritime resources
are being united into one to better
assert Chinas control over disputed
waters, potentially sharpening con-
flicts with Japan, Vietnam and the
Philippines.
Certain to be passed by the rub-
ber-stamp legislature this week, the
plan reflects the priorities of the new-
ly installed Communist Party lead-
ership as it seeks to reduce waste,
boost efficiency and address quality
of life issues for a more prosperous,
demanding society.
The scope and power of the
Railways Ministry made it a natural
place for the leadership to stamp its
determination. As it expanded the
railway system and built the worlds
largest high-speed rail network, the
ministry ran up hundreds of billions
of dollars in debt and sank into cor-
ruption, giving critics an opportunity
to pounce.
Reformers crowed at the min-
istrys abolition, saying it would
further market reforms. It means
the country has removed the last
stronghold in the way of reforming
the industry from a planned economy
to market economy, the official Xin-
hua News Agency quoted Wang Yim-
ing, a government macro-economic
researcher, as saying.
Even the current and seemingly
last railway minister had to bow to
the inevitable.
Ive no regrets. Whether Im min-
ister of railways or not is no matter,
Sheng Guangzu said on China Na-
tional Radio. The key is to develop
Chinas railways. Im subordinate to
the needs of the national cause.
Reform-minded Chinese leaders
and officials had been trying to bring
the railways to heel for 15 years when
the government first started separat-
ing state companies from regulatory
bodies. At each turn, the ministry
resisted, using long-standing ties to
the military and building a record for
performance. Over the past decade,
it created the showcase high-speed
rail system touted by the leadership
as a symbol for Chinese technological
power on par with the manned space
program.
In announcing the restructuring,
a senior Chinese official praised the
progress but explained why the min-
istry must be abolished.
By JOAN LOWY
and JOSHUA FREED
WASHINGTON (AP) A Boeing
plan to redesign the 787 Dreamliners
fire-plagued lithium-ion batteries
won approval from the US Federal
Aviation Administration, although
officials gave no estimate for when
the planes would be allowed to fly
passengers again.
The 787 fleet worldwide has been
grounded by the FAA and civil avia-
tion authorities in other countries
since Jan. 16, following a battery fire
on a Dreamliner parked in Boston
and a smoking battery that led to
the emergency landing of other 787
in Japan.
The 787 is Boeings newest and
most technologically advanced plane.
Its grounding marked the first time
since 1979 that FAA had ordered ev-
ery plane of a particular type to stay
out of the air for safety reasons.
The Boeing plan includes changes
to the internal battery components
to minimize the possibility of short-
circuiting, which can lead to over-
heating and cause a fire. Among the
changes are better insulation of the
batterys eight cells and the addition
of a new containment and venting
system, the FAA said in a statement
Tuesday.
Rep. Rick Larsen, who was briefed
by the agency, said that if all goes well,
the FAA could give final approval by
mid- to late April for the 787 to resume
flight. Boeing would still have to ret-
rofit the 50 planes already delivered
to eight airlines in seven countries,
Larsen said in an interview. That
could mean the plane wouldnt return
to the skies until late April or early
May, he said.
First, Boeings redesigned bat-
teries have to pass 20 separate lab
tests, Larsen said, then flight tests
would follow.
If theres any one test that isnt
passed, its back to the drawing board
for that particular part of the tests,
he said.
So far, test flights of two 787s have
been approved one with a complete
prototype of the new battery, the other
with only a new, more robust con-
tainment box for the battery, Boeing
spokesman Marc Birtel said.
The plan is an outline for a recer-
tification of the planes batteries, the
FAA said. The 787 has two identical
lithium-ion batteries, one of which
is located toward the front of the
plane and powers cockpit electrical
systems, the other toward the rear
and used to start an auxiliary power
unit while the plane is on the ground,
among other functions.
Every item that is part of an
airplane, down to its nuts and bolts,
must be certified as safe before FAA
approves that type of plane as safe
for flight.
This comprehensive series of
tests will show us whether the pro-
posed battery improvements will
work as designed, Transportation
Secretary Ray LaHood said in a
statement. We wont allow the plane
to return to service unless were sat-
isfied that the new design ensures
the safety of the aircraft and its pas-
sengers.
The cutting-edge airliners trou-
bles have raised concerns that the
FAA has ceded too much respon-
sibility for evaluating the safety of
new aircraft to manufacturers. To
save manpower, the FAA designates
employees at aircraft makers and
their subcontractors to oversee the
safety testing of new planes. Boeings
battery testing concluded that short-
circuiting wouldnt lead to a fire and
that the chance of a smoke event was
one in every 10 million flight hours.
Instead, there were two battery
failures when the entire fleet had
clocked less than 52,000 flight hours.
The FAAs approval of Boeings
battery plan is a critical and wel-
come milestone toward getting the
fleet flying again and continuing to
deliver on the promise of the 787,
Jim McNerney, the aircraft makers
CEO, said in a statement.
UBS analyst David Strauss esti-
mated that the 787 will cost Boeing $6
billion this year. Besides the battery
problems, the plane already costs
more to build than it brings in from
customers.
United Airlines is the only US
carrier with Dreamliners in its fleet.
It has six, plus another 44 on order.
American and Delta have also or-
dered 787s. Including United, 50 of
the planes had been delivered to
eight airlines in seven countries at
the time of the grounding orders.
Boeing has orders for more than 800
of the planes.
Steven Udvar-Hazy, CEO of Air
Lease Corp., which has ordered 12
of the planes, said it could still take
months for the plane to fly again and
that a very long-term grounding could
damage the 787 Dreamliner brand.
US Approves Boeing Plan
To Fix 787s Batteries
I TF SEA Steps Up Campaign Against
FOC Ships; Ghost Vessel Discovered
China Revamps Powerful Railways Ministry
CHINA RAILWAY MINISTRY DISMANTLED (EPA) Workers clean high speed trains in a maintenance facility
in Shenyang, northeast China, State Councilor Ma Kai announced Chinas debt-laden and scandal-ridden
Ministry of Railways is to be restructured with the administrative side to be taken over by the Ministry of
Transport and the commercial side by a proposed China Railway Corporation.
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he term atelier is more commonly used to
describe the workspace of a chi-chi fashion
designer or gallery-worthy artiste. But in this
case, Atelier 317 is the workstation of one of
Philippine societys glam girls who, not con-
tent with being a statistic on the Manilas Best
Dressed list, slips out of the designer dresses
to don a chefs jacket and cook for her customers. We refer,
of course, to Stephanie Zubiri, Cordon Bleu alum, food writer,
young fashion icon, entrepreneur, and now, after a gorgeous
wedding to Jonathan Crespi at Misibis Bay, a newly-wed.
Because of her rep as an it girl, she may seem intimidat-
ing and stand-offish until you get to sit down and chat with
her about her many passions, with a side-trip stories of her
teenage escapades in Europe. The same may be said of the
restaurant, by virtue of the owners background. It may seem
intimidating on paper, but a step inside Atelier 317 brings you
to a homey atmosphere,
with an artsy touch to
the knick-knacks on the
tables, the assortment
of unusual plates and
cups, down to the mis-
matched chairs of the
dining area.
There is even an old
sewing machine that she
had converted at a local
shop into a conversation
piece/eating area. Its all
hers, she says, I took my
time decorating because
I wanted it to reflect my
tastes. Everything here,
I chose myself. We didnt
get an interior decorator
I bought every piece,
and I am actually sur-
prised at how well it all came together.
The food is also quite eclectic. I am always asked what
kind of cuisine I offer, she grins. People like to box you in,
and probably because of my culinary training background,
they always think I make fancy French food. No, I dont make
fancy French food! she mock groans. For me, why does a
restaurant have to have a specific cuisine? For me, it is about
world food, not just French cuisine. Almost all these recipes
are what I eat at home. I like simple ingredients, I like using
herbs and spices. These dishes comprise my personal comfort
food. One of these is the Spicy Lamb Bolognese, which she
swears is one of her favorites and is a staple in her own home
Text by MAAN DASIS PAMARAN
Photos by NOEL PABALATE
C1 Thursday, March 14, 2013 Editor: ISABEL C. DE LEON mblifestyle@gmail.com
For june 22 issue
A HISTORICAL
LANDMARK
BUILT IN
1912
A VENUE OF BIG EVENTS AND GRAND ASPIRATIONS
ONE RIZAL PARK,
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
TEL.: (632) 527-0011 CONNECTING ALL DEPARTMENTS
FAX: (632) 527-0022 TO 24
http://www.manila-hotel.com.ph
Email Address: resvn@manila-hotel.com.ph
PLEASE CONTACT:
C1 Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Editor: ISABEL C. DE LEON mblifestyle@gmail.com
LI F ESTYLE
A R T S
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H O M E
HE A L T H
T R A V E L
A HISTORICAL
LANDMARK
BUILT IN
1912
BANQUET RESERVATIONS - TEL (632) 527- 88026
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A VENUE OF BIG EVENTS
AND GRAND ASPIRATIONS
FOR RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT:
MANILA HOTEL CORPORATION
P.O. BOX 307
ONE RIZAL PARK,
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
TEL.: (632) 527-0011 CONNECTING ALL DEPARTMENTS
FAX: (632) 527-0022 TO 24
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Email Address: resvn@manila-hotel.com.ph
FOR CONVENTIONS OR BANQUET RESERVATIONS
AT THE
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MANILA HOTEL TENT CITY
CENTENNIAL HALL
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CULTURE
D I N I N G
GARDEN
F I T NE S S
TOURISM
Borderless Cuisine
Atelier 317 offers a guided culinary
tour to the workings and wanderings
of Stephanie Zubiri
T
(Turn to page C-2)
Chicken Bicol Express
Atelier 317 owner Stephanie Zubiri
Salmon Eggs Benedict
Balsamic Beef Adobo
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t has been years
since my last visit
to one of my favor-
ite country restau-
rants called Balaw
Balaw. I remember
that it was a rather
easy place to go to as it was the only
restaurant of its size standing on the
main highway en route to the lake-
shore towns of Rizal and Laguna.
It was the doyen of writers, Gilda
Cordero Fernando, who took me
there and introduced me to owner
Digon Vocalan, an Angono artist
who devoted his life to the promotion
of Angono arts and culture. He was
one of the assistants of National Art-
ist Botong Francisco and his works
were evident in the style of mystical
country themes that depict fairies,
dwarfs, kapres and other elementals
Revisiting Balaw Balaw
I
Pleasures
of the Table
GENE GONZALEZ
Thursday, March 14, 2013 C-2 Dining
Editor
ISABEL C. DE LEON
Assistant Editor
MALOU E. ROSAL
Section Editors
Fashion & Beauty LIZA ILARDE
Home & Garden DENNIS LADAW
Dining GENE GONZALEZ
Wellbeing ROWENA BAUTISTA-ALCARAZ
Moms&Kids AMYLINE QUIEN CHING
Tech Lifestyle LEN GATBONTON-AMADORA
Travel & Tourism Arts & Culture
besides pastoral country scenes
and customs. My association with
Digon grounded me back as I saw
the honesty in his country cooking
with his brave dashes of creativity
in folk cooking (It was a crossover
of visual and culinary arts). He was
one of the chefs that lured me in my
explorations on Filipino cuisine and
convinced me to finish the book on
my hometown cooking. Now that he
is gone, his legacy lives on with the
Gigantes festival that he continually
promoted and the popularity of his
restaurant serving Angono and lake-
shore cooking with a special section
on exotic dishes, continued by his
wife Baby and her two sons.
I was able to find Baby and her
son, Rembrant, also a visual artist
tending to the restaurant the day
I visited. The restaurant is part
gallery and museum now and it
displays a nice collection of Digons
works and also of his friends. The
extensions in the second and third
floors are also a fascinating example
of how an artist would show his cre-
ativity via his architectural design.
The restaurants ambience projects
an energetic vibe alive with this
flow that I always feel whenever I
go to this place.
We started with a soup of minute
and headless freshwater prawns
from the lake that were pounded
to extract its essence. This form
of sinigang is known as Barutak
in Angono. It seems to be an ono-
matopoeic term for beheading and
pounding the fresh jumping shrimp
which is evident in Asian cultures
much like the other treatments for
shrimps. Other lakeshore towns
called this dish pinarusahan, quite
obvious as a cruel method but with
flavorful results.
Another starter was a dish made
of battered, crispy fritters of aro-
matic alagaw leaves. These fritters
had a crisp exterior with a refresh-
ingly green, herbal flavor on the
interior, complemented by a garlic
mayonnaise.
One cannot get to this restaurant
without having to taste the Balaw
Balaw which is fermented rice and
shrimp or the burong dalag. This
dish, which is served in varying
degrees of fermented strength and
aroma in South Asian countries
from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Malay-
sia, among others, is done in a very
subtle and mild style. Baby told me
that the DOST assisted them to get
the right degree of flavor without
acidifying its fermented rice too
much. Thus, their buro and balaw
balaw become aromatic gravies for
vegetables or whole hito (catfish) or
dalag (snakehead). I just love wrap-
ping this on fresh mustard leaves
and using it as a side dish for their
minaluto, a mix of different grilled
shellfish and lakeshore catch with
chicken and pork best known as a
lake fishermans packed meal. If
one wants a more sophisticated rice
flavor, one can opt for Bagoong Rice
or yellow rice cooked in annatto and
turmeric.
Another lakeshore specialty in
the menu is itik (duckling). This is
either served in adobo form where
the meat comes off the bone or is
served fried and crisp. One can also
opt for a mix of fried innards with
some un-laid duck eggs as big as
quail eggs in the mix.
Balaw Balaws Lechon sa Pakbit
is done to a bubbly crisp and topped
on heirloom vegetables.
One part where our table really
had some fun and where a few curi-
ous questions were answered was
the selection of exotic food in the
menu.
We opted for oc-oc or coconut
grubs featured by Andrew Zimmern
when he went to the Philippines
and visited this restaurant a few
years ago. This beige-white grubs
is cooked adobo style and the hard
gossamer skins were pressed out to
expose a delicious, creamy, garlicky
and custard-like filling.
We also had fried hantik as giant
red ants with their eggs gave off a
tart almost lemon drop like sour
flavor as we lightly chewed the crisp
fried ants laden with soy and garlic.
These are just two of the long lists
of exotic dishes they offer although
Balaw Balaw has adapted to the
changing times and seem to be more
sympathetic to the non-service of
species that are disappearing due
to urbanization such as snake and
monitor lizard.
With the meal and the nostalgic
feeling of filling ourselves up with
the Vocalanss cuisine, Balaw Balaw
is certainly a restaurant that is still
one of Angonos treasures and a
legacy of Digon, a true Angono son
and artist.
You can email me at:
chefgenegonzalez@yahoo.com Lechon at Pinakbit Fried Ants
Minaluto
Borderless Cuisine
( From page C-1)
kitchen.
She talks about her mission to
make an Atelier meal a memorable
experience. When I was starting
out, I was looking for an alternative
to my catering business. I wanted to
make a restaurant that people will
not go to only for special occasions.
I want to offer what people like and
look for every time they eat at the
restaurant, which is comfort food.
From our catering, we had a lot of
things that were really doing well,
like the Bicol Express Chicken. I
want people to come here with an
open mind, and try new versions
of the things that they like or are
familiar with.
Her travels also have a strong
influence on her menu. My menu
constantly evolves. I visited Vietnam
three times last year to explore, and
I loved the food. I went to cooking
classes in Thailand. I go around ask-
ing people for their recipes. These
are the techniques and flavors that I
try to translate with my own dishes. I
love Indian food, so I am developing
South Asian dishes. I talk to friends
in the food industry to find out what
is happening.
Still, she insists on keeping it
simple and relatable. For all the
prestige of Cordon Bleu, she can-
didly says she did not exceptionally
enjoy the experience. It was too
serious, too difficult! I like to cook
from the heart! Her tapa is a recipe
from her Lola Zubiri, and aside from
the addition of foie gras bits in her
molo soup, the bola-bola follows the
family formula. She used to make
her bola-bola with tomato sauce, and
on some days, I offer that as well,
Stephanie says.
She adds that her philosophy is
all about offering the best quality
within more reasonable price points.
Her hollandaise sauce for the fab
Eggs Benedict is made fresh from
scratch. Her best-selling Caprese
salad is made with kesong puti,
instead of the more expensive moz-
zarella. I dont want to charge P500
for a Caprese salad when there is a
good alternative that will offer better
value! she says.
Here, she flame-broils the cheese
and plump tomatoes to give them a
smoky flavor, and drizzles these with
olive oil and balsamic reduction, fol-
lowed by a smattering of fresh basil
leaves. A must-try is the melt-in-the-
mouth Balsamic Beef Adobo, slow-
cooked US Black Angus Short Rib
served with Portobello Mushroom
Sinangag Rice.
For those who are not inclined to
sin, Atelier 317 offers healthy veg-
etarian options such as the Falafel
Pita Burger and the creamy Spiced
Pumpkin Soup, along with salmon
dishes like her Red Curry Salm-
on Parmentier flaked, poached
salmon topped with lemongrass
and fried shallots, served with red
curry sauce.
The restaurant, which is now
equipped to handle small gatherings
for cooking demos at the top floor,
is a favorite haunt of well-known
personalities for its laid-back vibe.
The location, a stones throw away
from the Powerplant mall, is perfect
for a weekend brunch away from the
maddening crowds. Stephanie says
that her decision not to locate at a
mall offers some kind of freedom.
There is no pressure to have a
high turnover, and guests are more
inclined to linger over coffee or good
wine.
Atelier 317 is located at the Palm
Rock Bldg., 6060 Palma corner
Osias Sts. (near Makati Science
High School) in Poblacion, Makati
City. The restaurant is open Mon-
days to Fridays from 11 a.m. to 9:30
p.m.; Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to
9:30 p.m. and Sundays from 8:30
a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information,
call 358-0987, 0917-8308393 or e-mail
atelier317@epicurusinc.ph.
Vietnamese Pork Bahn Mi
Curry Rubbed Crisped
Skinned Salmon Fillet
Lamb Gyoza
Foie Gras
Molo Soup
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A Home with a View
Travel Tourism C-3 Thursday, March 14, 2013
T
S
TIMPLA'T
TIKIM
SOL VANZI
Feasting Safely On Street Food
treet food is con-
quering the world.
The tidbits once
abhorred by jet-
setters and fash-
ionistas as trash
and junk now dominate the TV Food
Networks prime shows hosted by
acclaimed chefs from food capitals
all over the planet.
Street food reflects the culture
and lifestyle of a city and its people,
and is often inexpensive and easy
to prepare using the barest kitchen
implements. In my travels over-
seas, I seek out street food and rely
on them for adventure and survival.
Among the most memorable are
takoyaki in Osaka, wonton soup in
Kowloon, thick ful soup in Cairo,
crunchy falafel in Amman, smokey
grilled lamb innards in Athens,
cheese and olives in Mainz, tiny
grilled langonisa in Mactan, em-
panada in Batac. You get the pic-
ture: food thats handmade, cheap,
tasty and could be consumed with-
out cutlery.
BEWARE OF FOOD-BORNE
AILMENTS -- Despite all those
years of enjoyable foraging through
the sidewalks of many continents, I
shirk at the thought of eating street
food in Metro Manila, where most
food vendors handle their goods
with bare hands and keep raw and
undercooked food unrefrigerated
for hours, The heat, the humidity,
the flying and crawling insects, the
air filled with germs and bacteria
all frightened me enough to make
my kids swear theyll never patron-
ize a sidewalk stall.
HOME-COOKED BANGKETA
FARE -- Not wanting my kids to
miss out on delicious food, we even-
tually found a way around that over-
protective precaution. My children
grew up eating street food quite
often, yet they never once got food
poisoning or stomach ailments from
this indulgence. The secret? They
only ate street food at home, never
in the streets.
A TRIO OF BALLS -- Our first
home venture involved fish balls,
squid balls and kikiam, the holy trin-
ity of skewered bliss sold straight
from their hot deep fryers at virtu-
ally every busy street corner and
school gate all over the metropolis.
These are sold chilled or frozen
at public markets and supermar-
kets, in kilo, kilo and 1 kilo packs,
and do not have to be thawed before
cooking. They can go straight from
the chiller to the fryer.
START WITH COLD OIL Con-
trary to western cooking methods,
fish balls should never be dropped
into very hot oil or they will never
expand. The extremely hot oil will
immediately cause a hard crust to
form on the surface of the balls, pre-
venting the air bubbles trapped in-
side from expanding and making the
balls bigger and lighter.
Place the cold balls in the warm
or cold oil over low heat, cook slowly
to let the oil heat up gradually. Pa-
tience is key. The heat may be turned
up to brown the surface once the
balls have expanded to their maxi-
mum size.
Before frying the second batch of
balls, allow the oil to cool down a bit
before starting the process all over
again.
SECRETS IN THE SAUCE
All fish ball vendors have their se-
cret sawsawan, or dipping sauces,
which often come in pairs: one red
and sweet, the other is brown with
a tangy spiciness. Both sauces are
thick, the better for them to stick to
each ball.
Fish balls have become so main-
stream that bottled fish ball sauces
are now sold at supermarkets along-
side oyster sauce and catsup. How-
ever, it is cheaper and more reward-
ing to make your own sauce with in-
gredients already in your shelves.
For the red sauce, the main in-
gredient is banana catsup, which
will provide the thickness, color, light
chili heat and some sweetness. Add
chopped onions and minced garlic
and thin with water, beer or any soft
drink. Taste and adjust seasonings.
For the brown sauce, start by
dissolving brown sugar in a little
water in a pan over low heat. Keep
stirring until dissolved and watch to
prevent scorching. Add a packet of
chicken powder or a bouillon cube,
one crushed red hot pepper, black
pepper, crushed garlic and chopped
onion. Stir in some soy sauce and a
tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved
in water to thicken the sauce. Lastly,
add vinegar to taste. Adjust thick-
ness by adding more water or corn-
starch mixture.
BE AUTHENTIC The small
oval paper trays used by sidewalk
vendors to serve fish balls are sold
at supermarkets and at small stores
in public markets. They are cheap as
short bamboo barbecue skewers are
used to spear and eat the balls with.
My children and their friends
used to get a kick out of eating fish
balls with all works in our very own
home. Weve also served them at
family gatherings, birthdays and oth-
er festive occasions.
LUMPIANG SHANGHAI The
supermarkets have taken the guess-
work out of making Lumpiang Shang-
hai; they now offer freshly mixed
ground pork, carrots, kinchay, spic-
es and binding all ready to be stuffed
into lumpia wrappers and fried.
To stretch the budget and make
more lumpia from a small amount
of filling, we sometimes add panko
(Japanese bread crumbs), mashed
or grated potatoes, chopped or
shredded leftover meats and an ex-
tra beaten egg as binder. Serve with
fish ball sauces.
MEXICAN LUMPIA Using the
same supermarket mix, we make
Mexican-style appetizers by adding
mashed cooked kidney beans, hot
chili peppers and grated cheese. We
serve fried Mexican lumpia with a
topping of fresh salsa (chopped to-
matoes, onions and cilantro sea-
soned with lemon juice and Tabas-
co) and a mound of fresh avocado
slices.
For feedback and comments,
email to: solvanzi2000@yahoo.com
he much anticipated
venture of Bloomberry
Resorts Corporation
(PSE: BLOOM) unveils
its flagship project, So-
laire Resort & Casino
this Saturday, March 16.
Solaire Resort & Casino (So-
laire) has been master planned
and conceptually designed by distin-
guished world-renowned architect
and designer Paul Steelman of Steel-
man Partners, based in Las Vegas,
Nevada. Solaire is set to become
the Philippines premier integrated
resort destination resort. In its first
phase, scheduled to open by the first
quarter of 2013 the resort includes,
approximately 500 spacious and ex-
quisitely appointed rooms, suites
and bay side villas, a world-class
casino encompassing 18,500 square
meters featuring the most popular
games and slot machines, and 15
impeccable dining options inclusive
of four signature restaurants for dis-
criminating palates.
Solaires full complement of
suites include a number of spectac-
ular bay side villas ranging in sizes
from 600 square meters to 1,000
square meters each overlooking the
picturesque Manila Bay. Staying at
each of these bay side villas should
be an unforgettable experience as all
villas include 24-hour butler service,
a dedicated chef for 24-hour meal
preparation, in-suite spa facilities,
home theatre, and even their own
private pool and Jacuzzi, and putting
green overlooking Manila Bay.
The resorts Entertainment
Lounge, named Eclipse, with a ca-
pacity of 200 guests will showcase
live music performances through-
out the day. The spa facility will be
offering unique wellness treatments
designed to relax and rejuvenate
all who wish to indulge. The Grand
Ballroom will be elegantly designed
to accommodate 1,000 guests for an
amazing dinner experience.
No stone was left unturned with
regards to service and experience
for each and every resort patron.
The resorts multi-level parking ga-
rage has been meticulously designed
to enhance every guests parking
experience and is conveniently con-
nected to the resort. The guest car
park can accommodate and secure
Rosario Chavez is the Vice
President of Table Games
of Solaire Resort & Casino.
Ms. Chavez has almost two
decades of management
experience in the gaming
industry across Asia, having
held management roles for
table games in Thailand,
Laos, Cambodia, Macau and
the Philippinies. One of
her most notable roles was
being part of the pre-opening
management team for Sands
Macau.
During its frst phase,
Solaire has placed
recruitment of Filipino talent
at the top of its priority list.
With its recruitment caravans
in Macau and Malaysia,
Solaire made it its goal to
entice Filipinos working
abroad to come back home
and share their outstanding
training.
One of those who
answered this call is Ms.
Chavez, who has taken this
opportunity to return to the
country with much joyful
excitement. She is elated
about the idea of coming
back full circle, being able
to lend her considerable
expertise to an organization
and professional team that
has proven their mettle,
integrity and excellence. On
a personal note, she is happy
to feel the warmth and love
of family and friends once
more, this time perhaps
for a much longer period of
time. Will she be here to
stay? People in the gaming
industry, who acknowledge
and respect her stature and
caliber, are hoping so.(with
reports from Malou E. Rosal;
Photo by Pinggot Zulueta)
Changes The Game
over 1,500 vehicles.
Solaires taste for the good life
is highlighted by a wide selection
of dining options that include four
signature restaurants headed by
experienced and world-class chefs.
With seating up to 240 persons, Red
Lantern is Solaires toast to tradi-
tional Cantonese Cuisine, featuring
an array of authentic Cantonese
cuisine with specialty Chinese teas
and international wines. Authen-
tic Japanese cuisine, on the other
hand, takes center stage at Yaku-
mi, a 150-seat fine-dining restaurant
that takes sushi and teppanyaki to
sublime heights. A nod to true-blue
Western-Style Steak House is Strip,
an innovative steakhouse that offers
a variety of prime-cut meats from
the United States, Europe, and Aus-
tralia, complemented accordingly
by inventive side-dish options, all
set in an upbeat restaurant rhythm
which is sure to make the Strip the
place to see and be seen . And lastly,
Finestra takes the flavors of Italy
and presents it in a fine-blend of the
traditional and the contemporary.
For guests looking to impress or be
impressed, Finestra will be their
venue.
For those who desire to dine in a
more relaxed setting, Fresh, a ca-
sual dining establishment that cele-
brates vibrant life and fresh flavors in
an international buffet environment
featuring various ethnic cuisines as
well as indulging pastry and sweets.
Lucky Noodles, on the other hand,
serves Asian delights and favorites,
including hand-made noodle dishes
24/7. And if those choices are still
not enough, Solaire will also feature
an impressively designed, 220-seat
Food Court for those on the go. And
for those looking to take in Manila
Bays spectacular sunsets by the
poolside, the Breeze Bar & Grill will
be their choice.
Those yearning for unparalleled
gaming/entertainment experience
need not look further as Solaire has
gaming tables featuring Baccarat,
Blackjack, Casino War, Craps, Money
Wheel, Pontoon and Roulette, as well
as 1,200 most popular slot machines.
As for the VIP treatment, Solaire
proves not one to skimp, as there
are no less than 6,000 square meters
of premium VIP gaming salons. Mi-
chael French, Solaires Chief Operat-
ing Officer, summarizes it, Our goal,
put simply, is to raise the bar for en-
tertainment offerings in Manila, as
it is our ambitious vision to be the
ultimate gaming resort in the coun-
try. Both construction and hiring are
progressing... the resort has hired or
made offers to approximately 2,400
employees, 88% of our anticipated
team members are locals with an ad-
dition of 8% of which are returning
Filipinos who have worked overseas
in places like Macau and Singapore.
The resort, upon opening of its first
phase, will provide a total of 4,600
new jobs to all aspiring Filipinos.
Management service for Solaire
is provided by Global Gaming Asset
Management (GGAM), composed
of industry veterans with over three
decades experience in global gam-
ing development and operations.
The three principles of GGAM, Bill
Weidner, Brad Stone and Garry
Saunders prior to forming GGAM,
held senior positions with Las Vegas
Sands Corp (NYSE: LVS).
Bloomberry (PSE: BLOOM),
meanwhile, is a publicly-traded com-
pany listed on the Philippines Stock
Exchange and is majority owned
by its Chairman and CEO Enrique
Razon, Jr. one of the countrys most
prominent industry leaders, and the
driving force behind port operator
International Container Terminal
Services Inc, (ICTSI) (PSE: ICT),
one of the biggest companies in the
Philippines.
For more information on Solaire
Resort & Casino, visit www.solaire-
manila.com
Solaires
Lady Luck
Solaire
Of The Philippine Entertainment Experience
Fish balls, squid balls and kikiam: the holy trinity of skewered bliss
sold at every busy street corner over the metropolis
Photo from: www.wikipedia.org (Celine Marie Castaeda)
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D-1
Editor: CRISPINA MARTINEZ-BELEN entertainment.mlabulletin@gmail.com Thursday, March 14, 2013
ENTERTAINMENT
S
howbiz newbie Jane Oi-
nezas first lead role as a
professional actress has
become her biggest break to
date with her nomination in
the Best Performance by an Actress
category at the 2013 New York Festi-
vals (NYF) Worlds Best Television
& Films.
Im very thankful po dahil na-
recognize nila yung ginawa ko.
Im more than overwhelmed, the
16-year-old told media when she was
launched as part of the Star Magic
Circle 2013.
By JECELYN V. MACAHINDOG
It was Janes Maalaala Mo Kaya
(MMK) episode with Angel Aquino
that got nominated. The controver-
sial MMK episode, titled Manika,
aired in mid-2012 and earned rave
reviews for Janes portrayal of a 15-
year-old girl who was raped by her
stepfather in front of her mother.
Sobrang bigat ng role pero thank-
ful po ako sa MMK dahil ipinagkati-
wala nila sa akin.
Jane also feels honored by the fact
that she is competing in the festival
with Hollywood stars Julia Stiles and
Troian Bellisario, who are both from
the web series WIGS.
The 2013 New York Festivals will
be held on April 9 in Las Vegas.
JANE OINEZA
Jane Oineza Jane Oineza Overwhelmed
With First Intl Nod
BEARER OF GOOD NEWS. Local indie flm Oros (The
Coinbearer) has just been hailed Best Feature at the 2013 DC
Independent Film Festival (DCIFF) held in Washington, DC from
March 6 to 10. Competing in the Narrative Features with entries
from India, Switzerland, Canada, United Kingdom, and United
States, Oros, which stars Kristofer Martin, is a tale of survival,
with people exploiting the dead through illegal gambling
operations at staged wakes
in order to put food on their
tables. Oros, screened
at the Asiatic Festival
(Italy) and Vancouver
International Film
Festival (Canada)
last year, had
its US premiere
at the DCIFF
on March 8.
Upcoming
screenings
include the
ASEAN flm fest
(March 28 to
30 in Sarawak,
Malaysia) and
Cleveland (April 3 to
14 in Ohio). (Report
by Rowena Joy A.
Sanchez) KRISTOFER MARTIN
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1
Tarlac City
MAGIC STAR MALL
(NOTICE TO MOVIEGOERS:The
schedules of showing are subject
to change without prior notice.
Sometimes a movie is pulled
out earlier than its stipulated
days of showing due to sudden
change in exhibition contract or
poor performance at the box-
offce. The following schedules
are provided us in advance by
exhibitors. You may call the
theaters for confrmation.)
2
3
1
VAMPIRE SUCK -PG13
- PG13 -R13
-PG13
-PG13
-PG13
-PG13
THE IMPOSSIBLE
JACK THE GIANT
SLAYER
MUST BE . LOVE
- PG13
- PG13
- PG13
8:00 PM
-GP -GP
- GP
OZ THE GREAT & POWERUL
DEADMAN DOWN 2D
MOVIE 43 2D
DJANGO UNCHAINED 2D
MUST BE LOVE
LAST EXORCISM 2D
OZ THE GREAT & POWERFUL
JACK THE GIANT SLAYER
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK 2D
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD
WARM BODIES
21 AND OVER
MUST BE LOVE
OZ THE GREAT & POWERFUL
Entertainment News
MOVIE SYNOPSIS
MOVIE 43 ( DIGITAL) PG13
JACK THE GIANT SLAYER PG13
DJANGO UNCHAINED
OZ THE GREAT
AND POWERFUL
in 2D
JACK THE
GIANT SLAYER
March 20
April 6
April 12,13
April 30
March 27
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
3PM & 7PM
Myx ( Invitational)
Franco Reyes
Willie Nepomuceno
Gerald Santos
Teen Saint Pedro The Musical
MUST BE
LOVE
-PG13
DEAD MAN DOWN (DIGITAL) PG13
OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL G
MUST BE... LOVE PG13
THE LAST EXORCISM( DIGITAL) PG13
Opening across the Philippines today,
March 13, Django Unchained has
been rated R-16 With No Cuts and
is distributed by Columbia Pictures,
local offce of Sony Pictures Releasing
International.
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
Air Forbes, Filipino Tenors & Janine Tugonon
Miguel Aguila
Ms. Gay Philippines 2013
The Filipino Tenors
March 26
April 12
April 17
April 20
MUST BE . LOVE in 2D
OZ: THE GREAT POWERFUL
MUST BE . LOVE
MUST BE . LOVE
MUST BE . LOVE
SABIK ( IF )
RESERVE
A MOMENT IN TIME
RESERVE
RESERVE
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
RESERVED
THE IMPOSSIBLE
MUST BE . LOVE
MUST BE . LOVE
MUST BE . LOVE
HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS
RESERVED
RESERVED
MUST BE . LOVE
MUST BE . LOVE
MUST BE . LOVE
MUST BE . LOVE
A GOOD DAY TO DIE
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES/ WARM BODIES
RESERVED
MUST BE . LOVE
CLOSED
CLOSED
WARM BODIES
MUST BE . LOVE
RESERVED
RESERVED
CLOSED
CLOSED
21 AND OVER
DJANGO UNCHAINED
MUST BE . LOVE
MUST BE . LOVE
MOVIE 45 IN 2D S/ LAST EXORCIM - 2 IN 2D
DEAD MAN DOWN S/ SILVERLINING IN 2D
DJANGO UNCHAINED
MUST BE . LOVE
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
LINCOLN
WARM BODIES
POSSESSION
RESERVE
SABIK (IF )
MUST BE . LOVE
RESERVE
BEAUTIFUL CREATURE
DJANGO UNCHAINED
MOVIE 43 ni 2D
MUST BE . LOVE
DJANGO UNCHAINED in 2D
OZ THE GREAT POWERFUL
OZ: THE GREAT & POWERFUL in 3D
MUST BE . LOVE
21 AND OVER
21 AND OVER
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL s/ OZ THE GREAT POWERFUL
DJANGO UNCHAINED in 2D
RESERVE
RESERVED
RESERVED
THE LAST
EXORCISM
in 2D
MOVIE 43
in 2D
- R13/ R-16
12:00, 2:05, 1:10
6:10, 8:20, 10:30
12:15, 2:50, 5:25
8:00, 10:35
12:50, 4:00,
7:05, 10:10
12:00, 2:30, 5:05
7:30, 10:00
S
et in the American South
two years beforetheCivil War, Django
Unchained revolves around Django
(J amieFoxx), aslavewhosebrutal history with
his former owners lands himface-to-facewith
German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz
(Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the
murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django
can lead himto his bounty. The unorthodox
Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free
himupon thecaptureof theBrittles dead or
alive.
Success leads Schultz to free Django,
though the two men choose not to go their
separate ways. Instead,
Schultz seeks out the
Souths most wanted
criminals with Django
by his side. Honing vital
hunting skills, Django
remains focused on one
goal: fnding and rescuing
Broomhilda (Kerry
Washington), the wife he
lost to theslavetradelong
ago.
Django and Schultzs
search ultimately leads themto Calvin Candie
(Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of
Candyland, an infamous plantation where
slaves are groomed to battle each other for
sport. But if Django and Schultz are to escape
with Broomhilda, they must choose between
independence and solidarity, between sacrifce
and survival
- R13
11:45, 3:10,
6:35, 10:00
DJANGO
UNCHAINED
in 2D
2D
-PG13
WARMBODIES BEUTIFUL
CREATURES
STOKER
JACK THE
GIANT SLAYER
THE FIGHTING
CHEFS
A GOOD DAY TO
DIE HARD
OZ: THE GREAT
AND POWERFUL
JACK THE
GIANT SLAYER
21 AND OVER
DJANGO
UNCHAINED
OZ: THE GREAT POWERFUL S/ JACK THE GIANT SLAYER
L
R
ymv
Entertainment News
D-3
Text and photo
by BHENJ AGUSTIN
Expect The Unexpected
At Jose And Wally Show
C
omic duo Jose Manalo and
Wally Bayola will be working
with people from Eat Bu-
laga in their concert at the
Smart Araneta Coliseum on
March 15 but they promise to show
things that theyve not done on the
popular TV show.
Ibang-iba po, assured Jose at
the recent press conference for Jose
and Wally Concert: A Party For Juan
And All!
Two of the guests in the concert
are Eat Bulaga mainstays Ryzza
Mae Dizon and Vic Sotto. The concert
producers also got the services of
Eat Bulaga writers. As of the inter-
view, though, the duo was clueless
on what Vics number at the concert
would be other than its bound to be
hilarious.
Recall that last year at the duos
well-attended first major concert, Vic
did his own version of Adeles Some-
one Like You.
Hindi din naman po kami nag-
kikita (ni Bossing) sa Eat Bulaga
kasi lagi naman kaming nasa labas
(ng studio) for (our segment) Juan for
All so wala ding chance magtanong,
Jose added.
As for Ryzza, she will be doing
a twist on her well-loved cha-cha
number and then some.
Kailangang walang lamya na
mangyari sa concert. Kailangang
dire-diretso po ang tawanan, yung
sayawan ng mga tao ay kailangan
po tuloy-tuloy, the two said.
Other special guests in the concert
are Bamboo, Gary Valenciano, Pok-
wang, Ogie Alcasid, Jericho Rosales,
and Dingdong Dantes. For tickets,
contact TicketNet or the concert
venue.
JOSE MANALO and Wally Bayola
L
R
ymv

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Cable Channels
T
his Thursday, the new-
est segment of MARS,
First Aid Mars!, will have
Louie Domingo of Emer-
gency Research Center
to share some tips on
how to deal with fre.
Learn from an I ron
Yoga expert as he teach-
es us the techniques in
the MARS studio.
Guests Yssa Muhlach
and Lara Quigaman sit on
our MARS Sharing Group
to take a stance on the fea-
tured topic: I s it still okay
to have standards when
hunting for Mr. Right?
Finally, Yssa mans the
MARS kitchen to cook her
signature dish, Beef Steak
I n Butter And Garlic.
MARS airs at 6 p.m.
on GNTV.
A
ndrew will tell Ofelia that he loves
her thats why he is concerned
about her and Laras welfare.
J anet and Becca, on the other
hand, will report about Lara being
kidnapped, pointing to Ofelia as the
kidnapper. But because of insuffcient
evidence, their claim will remain un-
noticed by the police. Oscar and
J anella will also Ofelia from J anet.
Bessie will convince Leandro that
while he is the father of Lara, he
shouldnt take her away from Ofe-
lia.
Meanwhile, Ofelia will be
convinced by Miling to accept
Andrews love for her to get
back Lara. Ofelia will decide to
leave the country with Andrew.
What will happen when Bes-
sie discovers that Lara is not
really missing? BUKOD KANG
PI NAGPALA airs weekdays in
GMAs Afternoon Prime.
CAMI LLE PRATS and Suzi Entrata-Abrera
J ENNI CA GARCI A and Mona Luise Rey
Today On MARS
Ofelia Torn Between
Love And Daughter
L
R
ymv
Entertainment News
BLONDIE by Dean Young & Jim Raymond BALTIC & CO. by Roni Santiago
BEETLE BAILEY by Mort Walker
DENNIS THE MENACE by Hank Ketcham
MARVIN by Tom Armstrong
REX MORGAN, MD by Woody Wilson and Graham Nolan
MOTHER GOOSE & GRIM by Mike Peters
TOK & MOL by William Contreras
THE BORN LOSER by Art Sansom
NORMANS ISLAND by Norman Isaac
ZITS by Scott and Borgman
PUPUNG by Tonton Young
THE Dai l y Commut er Puzzl e
Edited by Wayne Robert Williams
(THURSDAY, 14 MARCH 2013)
Thursday, March 14, 2013 D-5
YOUR STARS
IPENUTS by Felipe de la Cruz
COPY-PASTE by Stanley Chi
KULAS by Freely Abrigo
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Willingnesstohelpothersonitsown
is not enough; you also need energy and perseverance. You will discover
somenewfactorsinyour lifewhichwill needcareful thought; leavenoroom
for impulsiveactions. Makeit apoint toweight upall thealternativesbefore
comingupwithadecision.
ARIES (March 21-April 20) At frst an obstacle will seem like a
great impediment, but soonyouwill seeit is not. If youtry hardtoimprove
your performance you will defnitely succeed. Set yourself a time for doing
a certain chore and do it then no excuses. Avoid being rigid and do not
hesitatetomakesomenecessarychanges.
TAURUS (April 21-May 20) Just work hard and talk little about
your problemstodayandotherswill alsofeel relaxedandwill begrateful for
your understanding. No sooner have you fnished one thing then something
elsecomesalong. Just get onwithit makingsureyoudonot takeonmore
thanyoucanpossiblycopewith.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Donot hesitatetoapologizeif youhave
not donewhat youpromisedtodoby acertaintime; better still avoidsuch
delays. Indeed, the longer you leave it the harder it will be to do anything
properly. Make sure you do not forget your appointments; you will have
someunexpecteddevelopments.
CANCER (June 21-July 20) Though you may have some good
advice, it isbest not togiveit unlessanduntil youareasked. Youwill have
your doubtsandshouldpaydueattentiontothem. However, youareonthe
right trackandthereisnoneedfor amajor changeof course.
LEO (July 21-Aug. 20) If youact quickly, youwill beabletoavert a
source of confict in your place of work. There is a tendency to be restless
anddiscontented. Counter thefeeingbyseekingtothinkof thegoodthings
inyour life. If youareindoubt about what is theright response, youwould
dowell tothinkagain.
VIRGO (Aug 21-Sept. 22) There will be some complications and
you cannot deal with themby dismissing them. There is a tendency to be
somewhat lacking in persistence and will need all your willpower to make
up for this defciency. Beware; there is a tendency to leave an important
factor out of account
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) There will be some degree of tension
withsomeoneclosebut it will soondissipate. Trytotieupsomelooseends
that would otherwise threaten to destroy what you have recently accom-
plished. You will be able to provide for some possibilities so seek to focus
onwhat ismost likelytohappen.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) Always remember that in a healthy
relationship, individual differencesarealwaysreconcilable. Giveit theextra
timeandfocusit deserves. Youwill beabletoprovidefor somepossibilities
soseektofocusonwhat ismost likelytohappen.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 20) Youmaynot get onaswell with
othersasyouwouldlikebut domakesureyouarenot headstrongandthat
you give as well as take. There will be a good opportunity to press ahead
withaproject whichhasbeenlaggingbehinddont missit.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 21-Jan. 19) If youplanaheadwithaparticu-
lar task, you will discover just howmuch they exceed your expectations.
Even though some things looked good in the past, you still have to look
forwardtobetter thingsinthefuture.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Listen closely to what others are
saying but do not jump to conclusions about what it means. Dont isolate
yourself anddonot betooobstinateabout certainmatters. Youwill not be
able to make as rapid progress as you would have preferred, but more
slowlyandthoroughlyisfar preferable.
L
R
ymv
Thursday, March 14, 2013 Entertainment News D-6
MR. FU
WTFu!
(WHAT THE FU!)
I
ts now the awards season in
Philippine showbiz but unlike in
past decades (oo dekada na ata),
awards nights seem to have less
glitz, less glamor and, yes, less
sponsors.
We used to look forward to well-
produced awards broadcast live
on television. (Ngayon yata, di na
napapalabas o kaya naman, isang
The Usual Awards Night Sidelights
buwan delayed ang telecast!) Back
then, really big stars attend the cer-
emonies as one family (ngayon yata,
depende kung di sila busy, kaya ilan
lang ang nakakarating). I would like
to believe that celebrities still give
importance to such recognitions but
I really wonder why it has become
hard to mount a major award show
nowadays (kudos sa mga di pa su-
musuko!).
Let me now share with you some
sidelights whenever I cover an awards
night. Pardon me if I would not men-
tion names because I still love my job
(afraid!).
The Gown:
Any major awards show (local
The Fans:
Any fan would try to see his idol at
an awards night especially if the latter
is nominated or most likely to win. But
there was this not so popular TV
host who made it a point to be noticed
at a ceremony. When she alighted
her vehicle, people were asking: Ay
sino yan? Her fans were quick to
say: Si ______ yan! (sabay chant
ng name niya, habang mega-wave
si TV host ng kamay! Siya na ang
may hakot!).
The Time:
The usual question be-
fore an awards night starts
is: Bakit ang tagal
magsimula? The
answer: Kasi
S
he won as second runner-
up in last years Binibin-
ing Pilipinas beauty pag-
eant. This time around,
Ali Forbes tries to make a
name in the field of singing as she
stages her first concert on March
26 at the Teatrino Promenade in
Greenhills.
Her debut concert titled Invin-
cible conveys how strong a woman
Ali is. It is actually a tribute to her-
self, after braving the challenges of
the pageant and coming out second
runner-up. She is now determined
to prove that she can be a topnotch
singer, too. Unknown to many, Ali was
a lounge singer in various five-star
hotels before joining the 2012 Binibin-
ing Pilipinas pageant.
Asked how she feels about her
upcoming concert, Ali said shes
nervous but ready to face the chal-
lenge. She will be singing songs from
different genres including standards
and classics. Within the show, there
will also be a special segment featur-
ing inspirational songs and songs
dedicated to the environment (in-
cluding Paraiso, Somewhere Over
The Rainbow and Colors Of The
Wind) since Ali will be appointed
as ambassadress for the Clean Air
Campaign.
Alis special guests are Jan-
ine Tugonon, Binibining Pilipinas-
Tourism Katrina Dimaranan, the
Filipino Tenors and the Jazz Clean
Air Band.
Invincible is produced by Kaisa
sa Kalikasan at Kalusugan and the
CELEBRITY WORLD
CRISPINA
MARTINEZ-BELEN
Beauty Queen Tries Out Her Mettle In Singing
Gat Andres Bonifacio Music and Pol-
icy Research Foundation, Inc. Spon-
sors are Life Oil, and the Philippine
Society for Stem Cell Medicine with
Manila Bulletin as media partner.
Alis gowns are by Poi Subijano.
Tickets are available at Music
Museum box office and Ticket-
world.

KC Supports
Young Designers
Launched recently as Board-
walks newest endorser is Kapamilya
star KC Concepcion, whos certainly
a woman of substance, sophistica-
tion and grace and whose father,
former matinee idol Gabby Con-
cepcion, is also among Boardwalks
roster of endorsers. But of course,
this is not the reason she was tapped
to be Boardwalk Signature Style
ambassadress. Its because she has
made her own mark as a beautiful
and intelligent woman who stands
for what she believes in.
If KC is proud about this new post,
its because she admires Boardwalks
advocacy to support young design-
ers. This is a whole new experience
for me, especially with this advocacy
which I share with Boardwalk. Young
designers are coming out and we re-
ally want to support them to work in
the mainstream level, KC said.
Well-traveled and independent,
KC has her own style, an inspiration
not only to women but to the young
ones who design the unique Signa-
ture Style Pieces.
As Bernardo Madera, president
of Boardwalk, has said, There are
a lot of starting designers out there
who are talented but are not given
the chance to showcase their tal-
ent. With Signature Style, they
will be given the opportunity to
have their work materialized
not only that, KC Concepcion will
be wearing what they designed!
He and Vice President Imelda
Madera strongly believe in using
their business to open possibilities to
others. KC is perfect for the advocacy
also because of her awareness and
involvement in global concerns, a
vision and mode of action she shares
with the Boardwalk owners.
Signature Style may be ordered
through Boardwalk Personal Shop-
pers and online at www.boardwalk.
com.ph. Boardwalk Business Ven-
tures, Inc. is a direct-selling company
with over 22 years of experience in
the business.

LOL With Pooh And K Brosas
Expect the countrys top comedy
duo, Pooh and K Brosas, to make
you laugh out loud when they take
the center stage of Resorts World
Manilas (RWM) entertainment
hotspot, Bar 360, on March 18, for
the latest installment of the all-year
round concert series.
The Bar 360 Concert Series
features world-class performers
and live acts, kicking off last Janu-
ary with the sultry performance of
Bossa Nova Queen Sitti, followed
by the soulful live act of big-band
crooner Richard Poon in February.
Pooh is a two-time Aliw Awardee
for Best Male Stand-up Comedian
and ABS-CBNs Banana Split
mainstay. He is best known for im-
personating the Peoples Champ,
Manny Pacquiao. On the other hand,
comedienne K Brosas is in her own
right famous for her singing prowess
and stand-up comic flair. Together,
they will treat guests of Bar 360 with
fun and laughter, the kind they do in
successful stints and concerts here
and abroad.
Meanwhile, RWM also showcases
thrilling must-see live acts dubbed
as The Legends and Rock of
80s at the Bar 360. These live act
ensembles feature top European
gymnasts, acrobats, and extreme
artists brandishing jaw-dropping
bike stunts and roller-skating skills,
together with Bar 360 regulars such
as the countrys top vocal trio Primo
and electric violinist Bryson Andres,
among others.
Incidentally, the promo period
for RWMs First Quarter Raffle
Overdrive is until March 31, 5 p.m.,
with Mini Cooper Countryman S at
stake. Raffle draw is on March 31, 8
p.m., at Bar 360.
Visit www.rwmanila.com for
more information on the Bar 360
shows and concert series.

Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings
today, March 14, go to Louie Reyes,
Paolo Contis, Dindi Gallardo,
Remy Aquino, Marilen Nolasco-
Espiritu, Linda Buenviaje, Car-
melita Salvador, Elenita Bolipata,
Jhing de Leon, Angelo Gabriel
Gabe M. Pizarro, and Percy
Lapid... Happy wedding anniver-
sary to Lito and Ligaya Fernandez
and Carlo and Mina Martinez of
GMA, Cavite... Condolence to the
family of my dear friend Bootsie
Violago who passed away last
Monday, March 11. Her remains lie
at Santo Nino de Violago, 222 E.
Rodriguez St., Quezon City (near
St. Lukes Hospital)...
ALI FORBES
KC CONCEPCION
COMIC DUO Pooh and K Brosas
ITS NO ILLUSION. Just days
after announcing the concert
of classic American rock act
Aerosmith on May 8 at the SM
Mall of Asia Arena, the same
promoter has confrmed that it is
bringing in former Guns N Roses
lead guitarist Slash into the country
for a special performance on May 4
at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The
47-year-old Slash, a Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame inductee, considered
among the worlds best electric
guitarists, will be performing
alongside vocalist and long time
collaborator Myles Kennedy as
with the Conspirators.
T
V5 has introduced three
ladies namely Ritz Azul,
Nadine Samonte and Val-
erie Weigmann who all will
stir excitement in the life
of superhero Kidlat on the series.
From the start, Nadine as Lara
has been the object of Kidlats
(played by Derek Ramsay) affec-
tion. Many lamented Laras shock-
ing death on the series but viewers
need not worry as she may not be
dead as initially thought.
Ritz as the strong-willed Joey
is also vying for Kidlats affection.
She falls in love with Kidlat while
despising his alter-ego, Voltaire.
The actress shares a lot of kilig
scenes with her leading man, and if
the kiss between Joey and Voltaire
ever pushes through, Derek will be
Ritzs first kiss!
As for Valerie, the statuesque
Filipina-German fashion model
will take on the role of Natasha, a
sexy and mysterious fashion de-
signer who will eventually become
the villainess Enigma. Kidlat is
Valeries acting debut. Siyempre
excited ako na maka-pareha si
Derek, pero kinakabahan din
ako, she said.
Who among these three ladies
will ultimately win Kidlats heart?
Tune in every weeknight at 6:45
p.m. to find out.
Who Will Win Kidlats Heart?
man o international) surely
makes the ladies wear really
expensive gowns by famous
designers (binili man, binigay
o hiniram). It is expected that
when she graces the red carpet,
a reporter would ask her: Who
are you wearing? Im sure any
female celebrity would love to
say a name of someone well
known rather than, Sobra ito
sa pinagawa kong kurtina!
or Lumang bed sheet ito na
ginawa kong gown!
By the way, some male ce-
lebrities are now also conscious
of who they wear to these events
(well, marami kasi sa mga
males na ito, may pagka-female
na rin, chos!).
The Date:
If the celebrity is married or ro-
mantically involved with someone,
it is expected that he would bring
his partner to the red carpet. But if
he is single and wants to be talked
about, hell bring someone (showbiz
or non-showbiz) with him. If he is
promoting a project, expect him to
bring his partner in the movie or TV
show just to give the impression that
something romantic is going on be-
tween them (kahit sukang-suka na
sila sa isat-isa).
It is one of the best opportunities
where a celebrity can say: were dat-
ing or were friends or were get-
ting to know each other (karamihan
naman ay mga choserot chosera!).
wala pang artista! I think it is a
fact that if you are famous, you dont
arrive on time (oops, di naman
lahat ganyan). And since a lot of
them think they are famous late
lahat! Chos!
There was this actress who would
ask her assistant to be at the venue
before she arrives. The actress (ha-
bang nagpapa-ayos sa parlor) would
call her assistant and ask: Sino
na nandiyan? (In short, darating
lang siya pag nandun na ang mga
sikat!) There was even a time that
she was already meters away from
the venue but wouldnt want to pro-
ceed because her assistant told her:
Maam si ______ lang po nandito,
wala pa po si ______.
It is indeed fun to attend these
kind of events if only for the side-
lights. I just hope that we can bring
back the excitement of awards nights
of old or better yet, have our own ver-
sion of the Oscars (Oscars agad?!)!

WTFu Showbiz Extra:
Charice now sports shorter hair
of inconspicuous color.
So, may relevance talaga ang
pagpapagupit niya?
TV series Be Careful With My
Heart is reportedly extended until
December.
I salute the writers for this! Sila
na ang Mr. and Ms. Stretch 2013!
Kuya Germs will be celebrating
his 50th anniversary in showbiz next
month.
Hindi na raw siya
matutulog starting today
to prepare. Chos!
Young Actress Kim
Komatsu changes her name to
Kim Rodriguez.
Is that your final answer?
Mystica has three videographers
who record her daily activities.
Ang lakas maka-kasal-libing-
binyag video coverage nito ha!
(MR.FU hosts on 103.5 Wow FM,
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. and TV5.
@mrfu_mayganon)
RITz AzUL NADINE SAMONTE VALERIE WEIGMANN
(Illustration by Rod Caalita)
L
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MByouthsection@gmail.com
T
By MONCH MIKKO E. MISAGAL
MB Research
he International Civil
Aviation Organization
foresees a global short-
age of skilled aviation
professionals 20 years
from now.
By 2026, it says that over 350,000
pilots are needed to man 25,000 new
aircraft, while 480,000 new aircraft
technicians are required to maintain
them.
As early as now, airline companies
worldwide have started addressing the
issue. For instance, Lufthansa Techni-
cal Training Philippines (LTTP), a
Philippine branch of the German
flag carrier Lufthansa Technik AG,
has teamed up with the Far east Air
Transport (FeATI) University, one of
the Philippines leading engineering
and aviation schools to conduct
training for aspiring pilots and aviation
professionals.
This breakthrough collaboration
is Lufthansas first with an Asian
university.
AT PAR WITh GLOBAL
STANDARDS
The special training course is called
the european Aviation Safety Agency
(eASA) Part 66 Category A Program.
The globally recognized program,
which lasts from four months to two
years, will equip trainees with the
knowledge, skills, and attitude to pre-
pare them for actual aviation mainte-
nance and repair. It contains 12 eASA
modules with topics on mathematics,
physics, electrical, materials and hard-
ware, maintenance practices, aviation
legislation, and aerodynamics.
Qualified instructors, under the
close supervision of LTTP, will handle
the modules with are a combination
of theoretical lessons, workshops, and
computer-based training sessions.
The program is open to all FeATI and
non-FeATI students, as well as inter-
ested professionals. For the FeATI
aeronautics and engineering students,
the training course is already embed-
Wanted: Aviation Professionals
Lufthansa and FEATI University
tie up to address global demand
for pilots, aircraft technicians
By RAYMUND MAGNO GARLTOS
AUTION, terrain!
Caution, terrain!
The computer-
generated voice
kept on repeating
as I fidgeted between pressing one
button and another, while the view of
hong Kongs Victoria Peak becoming
larger as we dangerously approached
it. I turned the knob 260 degrees right
and the citys skyscrapers suddenly
jutted out of nowhere, and the skies
turned foggy with a strong chance of a
thunderstorm. We barely escaped the
land as we charged the plane upwards,
but now our altitude was too high and
we were very near the runway. So how
are we going to land after all this?
No, this is not a scene from an ac-
tual commercial flight from Manila
to hong Kong gone wrong. But the
experience of flying an airplane was
almost real in fact, it felt too real
especially after the plane runs off the
runway or crashes right before your
very eyes if not for the fact that it
was done in a setting that resembled
the cockpit of an actual Airbus A320,
with a control board that perfectly
imitated the real one, and views that
mimicked actual environments and
conditions, from airport to the sky,
whether daytime or nighttime, come
thunderstorm or (perish the thought)
if the airplane crashes.
This is what I felt after getting the
chance to take the pilots seat in the
newest Airbus A320 Flight Simulator
WCCs new Airbus A320 Flight Simulator makes fight training
a complete sensory and hands-on experience...
by WCC Aviation Company, the latest
of four existing flight simulators in
the country.
Using it makes you feel like youre
playing a computer game, complete
with accessories and even simulat-
ing the feel of an actual airplane
cockpit. however, this is a million-
dollar equipment, and you cant just
use it for fun. Learning this game
translates to worry-free safe and
secure flights for every passenger
taking to the skies for travel, said
ground instructor Romeo Layug.
I was one of the few who was able
to experience the flight simulators
high-tech features during a training
briefing. All of us had a chance to sit
on the captain and deputys seats
and were given a chance to operate
it, as one would a real aircraft. The
experience of holding the levers and
pushing buttons like pilots would was
very authentic, and their apprehen-
sions and intimidation (the pressure
of flying a formidable aircraft initially
got through our nerves) were soon
overcome. The facility was devel-
oped by Dutch-based SIM Industries
who also created flight simulators
for Boeing, honeywell and Smiths
Aerospace.

RIChLY-DeTAILeD
AND hIGh-TeCh
Built from an actual airplane cockpit,
it uses actual flight controls and in-
strumentation from manufacturers
to achieve the highest fidelity (in this
(Cont'd on page E-2)
ded in their curricula.
After finishing the course, the
trainees will become eligible for the
eASA Aircraft Maintenance License.
The training will be held at the newly
inaugurated FeATI Technical Train-
ing Facility in the FeATI campus in
Sta. Cruz, Manila.
The inauguration and blessing
of the facility held last Feb. 28 was
graced by executives from local avia-
tion firms, foreign diplomats, and local
officials.
NOT FOR The FAINT-heARTeD
FeATI Joint Venture Programs di-
rector Cesar F. Domingo said that
the training program is a very timely
response.
As a university, we need to fulfill
our mission of being a learning en-
vironment, which helps (answer) to
the need of the industry. When our
students come out of the university,
they should be job ready (and able to)
handle the initial steps in becoming an
aircraft mechanic, he said.
FeATIs new program, he added,
provides a better alternative for popu-
lar degree programs such as hotel and
Restaurant Management (hRM).
LTTP project managers Jerry
Asidao and Joerg Fristschen said that
the training course uses the same
materials being used worldwide and
will be handled by competent FeATI
instructors who will also be trained ac-
cording to international standards.
We are trying to bridge the gap
between the school and the industry
by using our tools, our materials, our
exercises, so the students can have a
better feel once they enter the aviation
industry, Asidao explained.
Fristschen also pointed out that
the course is actually not meant for
the faint-hearted, but is nevertheless,
fulfilling.
A very important factor is that
students are willing to study hard
because the program is not easy, and
its not easy to prepare the require-
ments. Thats the name of the game
Once they pass, they get certificates of
recognition, land jobs, and work for a
minimum of three years, he said.
After such period, aviation me-
chanics can apply to become pilots.
It is a matter of experience when
they finally get the license. This li-
cense is a very big advantage. It will
bring them everywhere because this
is recognized by many MROs (Main-
tenance and Repair Organizations)
abroad, Asidao said.
Through the training course,
Asidao hopes to be able to produce
globally competent aviation profes-
sionals who will not only bring pride
and honor to the country, but also help
improve the standards of the local
aviation industry.
C
LANDMARK COLLABORATION - Offcials of FEATI University and Lufthansa Technical Training Philippines (LTTP) inaugurate (left) its joint training
center for aspiring pilots and aviation professionals. Top left photo shows LTTP general manager Jochem Harms giving a forecast on the future
of the aviation industry. One of the facility features is a workshop room, where trainees can gain much-needed skills and technical know-how.
As Good as Flying
THE WCC Aviation Company offers students the chance to operate an aircraft, complete with various weather
and plane conditions, through a state-of-the-art fight simulator.
L
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E-2
A BIZZARe WAY TO DISCIPLINe
ChILDReN
arents of Jaybanga
elementary School
in Batangas brought
to the publics eye
the plight of 18 chil-
dren who were al-
legedly punished by Grade 3 teacher
Marineth Garzon. The video footage
on YouTube (http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=sr5W0wXoDcY)
showed the seriously wounded ears
of all the students.
According to reports, Garzon or-
dered them to stand in pairs in front
of the class, and rub each others
ears as punishment for cutting
classes and swimming in a nearby
river. School principal Lina Magol-
ing confirmed the incident and rep-
rimanded Garzon, who immediately
apologized.
What is novel
here is that the chil-
dren, not Garzon, di-
rectly hurt fellow stu-
dents. She deserves
pity for mis-appreci-
ating the meaning of
childhood. But her act
deserves condemna-
tion, being the fruit
of a palpable lack of
understanding of the
teaching profession.
T he G O L De N
RULe ReIGNS
It is mind-boggling,
however, to imagine
that a teacher at this
day and age could treat children
like adults captured in small bodies,
much like in pre-Industrial Age; or
believe like a slave owner, that the
minds and bodies of her wards can
be abused at will.
Teachers are, of course, but hu-
mans who could also get emotional.
But a teachers exasperation in her
failure to discipline a child does not
countenance her to put the law into
her hand nor treat children less than
the human she is.
If she were one of these children,
will she revel at an educator who
disciplines the way she did? If she
were one of the parents, will she be
thankful if her child comes home
bleeding for disciplines sake? The
act perpetrated is blatantly er-
roneous, if not patently brutal and
iniquitous.
CAMPUS BEAT
P
When an Abusive Teacher Debases, Degrades
and Demeans Students She Ought to Morally Train
BOTONG PAINTING TILT WINNER - THE University of Santo Tomas
recently marked the birth centennial of National Artist Carlos Botong
Francisco with the Cnu si Botong sau? On-the-Spot Painting Competi -
tion. A total of 218 Fine Arts students from 15 various schools partici -
pated. The winners were Clint Policarpio of the University of the East
(frst place); Aldwin Zapanta of Mapua Institute of Technology (second
place); and Byanka Clutario of Mapa Institute of Technology (third
place). Andew Tan of FEATI University won the Metrobank Choice Award.
In photo are Tan with Metrobank Judges, Assoc. Prof. Anna Marie Bau-
tista (frst from left), and Lalaine Calicdan (second from left).
PJMA MOUNTS MARKETING CONFAB
THE Philippine Junior Marketing Association will hold a national confer-
ence on current business strategies and marketing tactics for students on
March 16, 12 noon to 7 p.m. at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
Topnotch speakers from different felds of business will share their
knowledge and expertise on marketing, advertising and market research
to help students prepare for the corporate world.
PJMA will also recognize various local junior marketing associations in
the country who supported the federation. Special citations will be given
to organizations that initiated unconventional yet relevant projects for
the marketing industry. A total of 83 schools are also vying for the title
of Outstanding Junior Marketing Associations of the Philippines.
DLSU BUSINESS MNGT SOCIETY
HOLDS yEAR-END PARTy
DE La Salle Universitys Business Management Society will hold its 27th
year-end party titled REDux: Life Through Expression! on March 15
at the Philippine International Convention Center Forum 1.
Upholding the tagline of having to live life through expression can
mean many things, but indeed REDux is made of fve elements of street
art such as making music, dancing to the beat, hosting the show, doing
art and beat-boxing. Featured DJs are Carlo Atendido and Ray Umali.
During the event, the winner of frst-ever public art contest in DLSU
named Canvas of Expression will also be unveiled. A specially made
REDux shirt will be given to each of the ticket holders.
A PeRVeRTeD SeNSe
OF AUThORITY
She can argue that she never
thought of the consequences
of her act. But she cannot
argue that she did not know
that the children would be
hurt.
She, perhaps, did not know that
she would become the news in na-
tional and social media. She could
have presumably thought that she
could hide behind the cloak of author-
ity, unmindful of the childrens legal
rights; unmindful that they are to be
loved, not maltreated nor physically
abused most especially by their very
own teacher.
She passed her subjects in col-
lege and her board examination. But
she miserably failed in this particular
test. Worrisome is the extent of harm
GR 179090) was sentenced by the
Supreme Court for child abuse un-
der RA 7610 after hurting a 16-year
old girl with a piece of wood three
times, twice on the left thigh and
once below her right buttocks
resulting in contusion and hema-
toma needing three to four days
to heal. In November 16, 2011, the
same court found a Rafael Reyes
(Reyes v. People, GR 197199) guilty
of child abuse after hurting a 13-
year old boy by slapping his face
several times and striking his head
with a bicycle rim, (and)
used rattan rope to tie the
child to a copra weighing
scale and then held him
at knifepoint.
In the Marineth Gar-
zon case, there was no
piece of wood to inflict
pain, nor rattan rope
to hand-tie the abused.
There was no knife to
demand obedience. Uti-
lized here was the moral
ascendancy of a teacher
that was sure to com-
mand submission from
the victims which makes
this case compellingly
more disconcerting!
Garzons school and
all Philippine schools should imple-
ment a zero-tolerance policy against
teacher abuses. If the allegation
will solidly stand uncontroverted,
then the Department of education
should lose no time to remove Gar-
zon from her post, the Philippine
Regulatory Commission should
revoke her license and bar her from
teaching, and the parents of her
victims should bring her to court so
that other teachers will not follow
her example.
An alumnus and former fac-
ulty member of UP Diliman, PROF.
ROLANDO S. DELA CRUZ is
President of the Darwin Interna-
tional School System. He studied
in Osaka University (Japan), the
University of Cambridge (England)
and at the University of Leiden (the
Netherlands).
(Cont'd from page E-1)
As Good...
done to the 18 children. Their physi-
cal injuries will heal in time, but their
wounded perception of authorities, of
schooling, of themselves, and of life
will be sculpted by this psychological
and physical trauma.
SOCIeTY ShOULD ACT
TO PROTeCT ITS YOUNG
Republic Act 7610 (or the Child Abuse
Law), Section 3(b) states that Child
abuse refers to the maltreatment,
whether habitual or not, of the child
which includes any of the follow-
ing: (1) Psychological and physical
abuse cruelty and emotional
maltreatment; (2) Any act by deeds or
words which debases, degrades or de-
means the intrinsic worth and dignity
of a child as a human being
In June 5, 2009, a certain Le-
onilo Sanchez (Sanchez v. People,
case, the closest resemblance to the
actual machine itself) possible.
It is also richly detailed with an
extensive airport library (you can
learn how to fly from the various
pre-designed virtual airports from
anywhere in the world), that has 3-D
images of different airport runways,
cities, terrain and even weather con-
ditions. This gives students an overall
realistic experience from the sensory
cues delivered by the system, includ-
ing flight vibrations, pitching, rolling
and acceleration.
Manning Gods seat was our
ground instructor Romeo Layug, who
made sure that the experience of flying
felt realistic. Gods seat was actually
the simulator control deck, positioned
just right behind the captains seat,
which allows him (and his fellow
instructors) to change the scenario
details (times of the day, weather and
plane conditions, terrain and other
visual details) through a WIFI-enabled
computer.
For example, we can learn how to
fly the plane from any virtual airport
in the world, whether it is Manila or
Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore,
just by loading it from the simulators
virtual library, Layug added.
Though the Airbus A320 is a very in-
telligent machine capable of flying and
landing by itself in auto-pilot mode, the
instructors teach the pilot-trainees to
learn to run manually, using the hun-
dreds of buttons, levers and gears in
the control board. In my case, it was
learning it the hard way, meaning
we had to start flying the plane by
identifying which buttons to push or
levers to pull. In fact, we started our
flight test running off the runway and
into the grass field, zigzagging back
into the right course, giving our fel-
low passengers a temporary but very
believable scare.
One of the fellow trainees also ex-
perienced crashing a flight, sending
all of us to tumble inside the cockpit,
with fake smoke even coming out to
mimic emergency situations like en-
gine failure, fire on board, landing on
water among many other bleak pos-
sibilities. We thoroughly enjoyed the
experience, though it scared the wits
out of us! We realized that while the
Airbus A320 is an intelligent aircraft,
complete with intricate computer-
run systems and processes, nothing
beats a well-trained pilot to do the
job right.

PILOT TRAINING hUB IN ASIA
Responsible for this is Ramon N. Gui-
co III, WCC Aviation Companys top
pilot who wants to help commercial
pilots learn the intricacies of running
a formidable commercial aircraft like
the Airbus A320.
There are a lot of stakes in flying
a very expensive and sophisticated
machine like Airbus A320, and we
need pilots who are highly attuned
to maneuvering it, said the licensed
commercial pilot. Their flight simu-
lator is located nearest to the Ninoy
Aquino International Airport (NAIA),
in a hangar near the old domestic
(Terminal 4) and international airport
(Terminal 1).
We want to be one of the best not
only in the country but also in the
world, as an aviation services com-
pany. I consider myself a risk-taker
and hopefully it will encourage young
aspiring pilots-to-be to take not only a
lucrative but also an emotionally ful-
UPAA HOSTS MINI-REUNION
THE University of the Philippines Batch 88 will host a mini-reunion for
its silver jubilarians on March 16, 2 p.m. at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni in
UP Diliman, Quezon City.
Sponsored by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association
(UPAA) for this years silver jubilarians, the organizational meeting is in
preparation for the UP General Alumni-Faculty Homecoming and Reunion
which will be held on June 22 at the Luciano E. Salazar Hall, Ang Bahay
ng Alumni.
For inquiries, call UPAA Secretariat at 632-9206868, email upalumn@
yahoo.com.
LYCEUM SETS HOMECOMING
THE Lyceum of the Philippines University Alumni Association, Inc. (LPUAAI)
will hold its 61st Grand Alumni Homecoming on March 16, 5 p.m. at the
JPL Hall of Freedom, LPU main campus in Intramuros, Manila.
Themed Bangsamoro: Celebrating Filipino Culture, Fostering Peace
and Unity, the homecoming will have LPU president Roberto Bobby
Laurel as guest of honor and speaker.
LPUAA is headed by Agustin P. Nacino, president; Ambassador Eusebio
A. Abaquin, chairman emeritus; Victor B. Endriga, president emeritus;
Atty. Catalino A. Generillo, VP- Internal; Atty. Rogelio P. Nograles, VP-
External; Oliver A. Pandile, secretary; Guillermo P. Dimog, treasurer;
Grace M. Padaca, assistant treasurer; Abel F. Elpedes, auditor; Abu Md
Rahman, business manager; Jasmine I. de Guzman, PRO; and Marcelo
L. Tesalona, Vilma C. Valera and Engr. Rowel C. Bejar, board members.
For ticket reservations, call Bernadethe at 523-9729.
filling career in the skies, said Guico
who hails from Binalonan, Pangasi-
nan, home to the WCC Aeronautical
and Technological College and WCC
Pilot Academy.
The Academy is the first flying
school to operate its own airfield and
to offer Flight Navigator Trainers
Procedure II in its curriculum. WCC
is the only institution in the country to
offer a Bachelor of Science in Aviation
program with Airbus A320 training
incorporated in its curriculum.
Graduates of the course are entitled
the license to operate the actual Air-
bus A320 aircraft.
It will help local pilots to learn how
to fly the most sophisticated commer-
cial aircraft today, and if we produce
more pilots we can address the many
needs of the commercial airline indus-
try, Guico explained.
According to him, pilots flying local
destinations earn a monthly average
of R200,000 to R500,000 a month.
WCC is also targeting commercial
pilots who are required by the CAAP
and their own airlines to retrain after
they complete six months of flying.
each student will have the chance to
learn it for two hours in a day, coupled
with classroom lectures using the
simulators thousand-page manual
as textbook.
Our hope is that more Filipino pilots
would come to learn with us. We want
to establish the country as a leader in
aviation education in Asia and Filipi-
nos as top-of-the-line workers in the
aviation industry, Guico said.
ONE of Marineth Garzons abused students shows his
damaged ear in this youTube video of an ABS-CBN news
footage.
THE WCC Airbus A320 Flight
Simulator is the most modern of
four existing fight simulators in
the country. It is the brainchild of
licensed pilot Ramon Guico, who
hopes to make the Philippines a
pilot training hub in Asia.
size314mm page 16
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60
days
before
election
SS-4
2013 POLLS
SS-1
UNREACHABLE SUPERSTAR
#Tweetchasay?
for more
tweetable
quotes, please
follow
@mb_polls on
twitter
or email us at
mb.polls@gmail.
com.
BoTCHog: ELECTIoN MoDE By eugene cubillo
COMICS #DailyEpal
You can tweet your "epal" photos to @COMELEC #SumbongKo or @
mb_polls #DailyEpal.
To borrow former American President
Abraham Lincolns words that defned
an ideal government that is a
government of the people, by the
people, and for the people, it is
every government offcials duty to
make laws for the common good.
But does the ordinary Juan de la
Cruz think these laws are for his own
good?
(Compiled by
Sarah H. Velasco)
(turn to page ss-2)
firetrucK or caMPaign bus? This vehicle looks like a passenger
bus, rather than a firetruck, painted with the face of Rep. Joy V. Bernos,
who is running for another term in the lone Congressional district of
Bangued, Abra. (Photo by @renierbona via epalwatch.com)
#PollExtra
By Jc bello ruiZ
Illustration by norMan b. isaac
Tweetchasayers said:
Text and photos by
MoncH MiKKo e. Misagal
Elections serve as the cornerstone
of a representative democratic gov-
ernment like the Philippines. The Fili-
pino youth can harness this potential
to sustain the reforms that are taking
place in the country. Eligible to vote
or not, they can take part in charting
the nations destiny.
first-tiMer
Donna Orozco, 18, is eager to vote
for the first time, in the forthcoming
May 13, 2013, midterm elections,
saying she prefers to pick youth-
oriented candidates.
I will vote for the candidates
who have projects for children, for
example, streetlighting, so that the
latter could go home safely. I would
also desire projects that foster their
well-being, she said.
(Source:http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/
Philippines-POLITICAL-PARTIES.html)
first PHiliPPine
Political Party
The Philippines,
among Asian coun-
tries, has the longest
experience with de-
mocracy and demo-
cratic institutions.
The Federal Party or
Partido Federalista
was considered as
the first national po-
litical party. It was
founded in 1900 by
More grounds
The senatorial candidates of
the United Nationalist Alliance
(UNA) have been campaigning
as a group even on weekends
during the past two weeks, veer-
ing away from their previous
sHare tHe fun this van, adorned with bata Muna campaign advocacy paraphernalia, urges bystanders to vote for youth-friendly candi-
dates this coming May 13, 2013, midterm polls. this was used to transport a few campaign volunteers to and from intramuros, Manila, where
the solidarity launch activities took place on March 7, 2013.
Youth Voice In The Polls
Casting First Ballot: Herstory
Mb Polls asked: if you were a political
candidate, what existing laws would you
like to change? Why?
Valen LagataNofuente
Amend the cybercrime law
Jenrry Daulo
None. I would just like to
make sure signifcant and
relevant laws, if not all, are
implemented.
Himig Luntian
THE LAW ON MARRIAGE in the
family code. I think its time
for this country to have a law
on divorce.
H
e wants to be a superstar. Im just a character actor.
This was how United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatori-
al candidate San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito Estrada described
his estranged friend, re-electionist Sen. Chiz Escudero.
Nope, JV is neither trying to be humble nor seeing
green when he said, hes unreachable now.
JV and Chiz were close friends when they were with the
opposition during the Arroyo administration.
Chizs ambition to become President, JV claimed,
had alienated him from his friends from the opposition.
JV said Chiz would do anything to pursue his
dream to become President.
Their friendship turned sour in 2010, when Chiz
chose to support eventual winner, President Benigno
S. Aquino III, over JVs father, ex-President Joseph Estrada
in the presidential race. (Photos by Manny Llanes and
Jacqueline Hernandez)
dancing Queen
Move over former Sen. Teresa
Aquino-Oreta; there is a new a
claimant to your throne as the
Dancing Queen.
While fellow candidates per-
form individual antics to attract
voters attention, like singing or
hiring celebrities as endorsers,
Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay,
who is running for the Senate
under the
United Na-
tionalist Al-
liance (UNA)
coalition, is using her talent
in dancing.
The tough-talking crit-
ic of the Aquino admin-
istration is usually seen
dancing to the tune of
her campaign jingle dur-
ing motorcades or even on
stage during rallies.
In a sortie in Bukidnon early
this month, the solon from Zam-
bales leveled-up in her dancing
repertoire with Harlem Shake. Is
this an indication that Psys Gang-
nam Style is already pass?
Going back to Mitos, she has
earned the moniker UNAs Danc-
ing Queen with a little help from
movie actress-beauty queen Alma
Concepcion, who was in the rally.
schedules. UNA stalwart
Vice President Jejomar C.
Binay instituted reforms
in their campaign sorties
schedule to cover more
grounds.
Instead of holding rallies
from Wednesday to Friday,
UNA senatorial bets, as a
group, will now be cam-
paigning from Wednesday
to Sunday. While individual
rallies will be on Mondays
and Tuesdays.
As Vice President for
the past three years, Binay
knows the value of touching
base with people nation-
wide by visiting the prov-
inces. This could probably
explain his vast popularity
in the countryside. (Photo
by Cheryl Baldicantos)
elite people led by Trinidad Pardo de Tavera. In
the early 20th century, it was known as Progresista
Party, a political party which had an ideology of
conservatism. It was dissolved in 1910 and was
succeeded by Democrata Party.
Y
ellow
M
agenta
C
yan B
lack
L
R
size314mm page3 size314mm page2
SS-3 Thursday, March 14, 2013 SS-2 Thursday, March 14, 2013
2013 POLLS 2013 POLLS
#TheirViews
#CaughtOnMBCam
PCoS Worth Every
Taxpayers Centavo
(continued from page ss-1)
Youth Voice...
Comelec Trains gensan Teachers
on Automated Polls
By rMn general santos city
G
ENERAL SANTOS CITY
Teachers serving the Commis-
sion on Election (COMELEC)
as Board of Election Inspec-
tors (BEI) in the May 13 2013 polls
will be trained on automated election
system to acquaint them with the PCOS
(Precinct Count Optical Scan) machine.
They will all be trained. It is re-
quired under the law that everyone of
them must be certified as technologi-
cally capable in using the PCOS ma-
chines, Comelec Election Officer Anwar
Faiduma of General Santos City said.
Some 596 teachers will be trained
or roughly 76 teachers per day.
Faiduma said this will be the last
time all teachers of General Santos City
will undergo training before they send
all the machines in the National Head
Office for proper configuration then
back again to their office in time for
the midterm elections.
We are fully aware of all the issues
connected to the machines such as re-
liability, integrity and the certification
of source code, Faiduma said.
Under Section 168, Article XIV of
the Omnibus Election Code, BEI mem-
bers conduct the voting and count-
ing of votes in their respective polling
places.
They also act as deputies of the
Commission in the supervision and
control of the election in the polling
places wherein they are assigned, to
assure the holding of the same in a
free, orderly and honest manner.
(conclusion)
A volunteer for the Bata Muna
Campaign, she encourages fellow
youth to vote people with ideal
characteristics that will be sought
among the candidates.
Of course, those who stand
for their principles, who stick to
their word. But it would be bet-
ter if they match their promises
with concrete actions, so they
could help uplift our country,
she stressed.
Orozco urged candidates to
prioritize not only those who will
vote for them, but also the wel-
fare and well-being of children.
I have seen that crimes are
now commonplace and the chil-
dren are among the most vulner-
able, so I hope that this situation
will change. I also hope that our
leaders change their mindset,
because Ive also observed that
nothing happens after they get
elected, she added.
For her, the casting of ballots
i s an avenue where peopl e s
opi ni on coul d be heard, and
F
eeder Once the PCOS
machine starts up, the voter
can insert ballots into the
feeder in several ways but
always length-wise top or bottom
first, front or reverse side up.
touch screen The screen of
the PCOS machines alerts the voter
on the status of the ballot he or she
inserted. It is either accepted or
rejected.
The touch screen also displays
the total number of ballots that have
been inserted into the machine.
This number can only be reset
with the use of the security key
and the two personal identification
number codes.
card slots The information
displayed on the screen is saved in
memory cards inserted into these
slots.
One slot is for the primary
memory card, while the other slot is
for backup.
To ensure the integrity of the
digital information saved into these
memory cards, its latches are sealed
on election day.
Once the poll precincts close,
the inspectors who hold the security
keys and PIN codes must configure
the machine to switch off its ballot
counting contraption.
thermal printer The thermal
printer releases a piece of paper that
looks like a receipt.
This will show the total number
of ballots inside the ballot box and
the election results in the particular
precinct.
The inspectors must check if the
number of ballots based on the receipt
matches with the number of ballots
displayed on the touch screen.
siM cards Once verified, the
data from each PCOS machine will be
transmitted into three servers - one for
the Comelec, one for the media, and one
for major accredited political parties.
This transmission is done by
making use of carrier SIM cards.
According to Comelec official Ma.
Victoria Dulcero, to make sure that
signal strength will not be a problem,
SIM cards from the countrys three
major network providers - Globe, Sun,
and Smart - will be used.
As for rural areas that are totally
unreachable by telecommunications
signals, the PCOS machine is
compatible with Broadband Global
Area Network (BGAN) technology.
The B-GAN i s capabl e of
transmitting even without cell
site signals as it relies on three
geostationary satellites to provide
almost global coverage.
To send the data, these transmittal
devices will have to be connected to
the PCOS machine.
The data transmission will be
completed between three to five
minutes.
As for the counting of votes,
automated counting can be completed
in a matter of 48 to 72 hours no
longer the two to three months it used
to take under the manual system.
U
niversity of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Economics
Society, together with Blog Watch, UP Advertising
Core, and other partners, recently held Rundown 2013
designed to educate student voters on the importance of
protecting their right to suffrage, including the senatorial candidates
for the midterm election.
Aside from educating the student voters, Rundown 2013 also
serves as a venue for people to register their views on a num-
ber of senatorial candidates. Prominent citizen advocates using
citizen media were among the panelists.
Netizens nationwide and the world watched the event
through live stream and live social media updates powered by
Smart Communications, Inc.
Smart provided the Internet connectivity for Blog Watch, as
well as the streaming services for the public.
The event trended in the Philppine Trends of Twitter with the
hashtags #TheRunDown2013 and #juanvote.
Voters Education no sWeat
former
sen. ramon
Magsaysay, Jr.
(right) appears
showing fellow
united national
alliance (una)
senatorial
candidate former
sen. Jamby
Madrigal that
despite the
intense heat of
the sun, theres
no sweat to
long-stretched
campaign
sorties. (Photo
by richard
Vias)
sen. aQuilino KoKo
PiMentel iii, 49
Senatorial Candidate, Partido
Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng
Bayan (PDP-Laban)
Team PNoy
Senator (2011-present)
on resigning over a controversy
If the controversial issue involves
a question on the source
of my mandate or my very
right in the institution, then
definitely, it is time to let go
to save the institution. But
if the controversial issue
is because of my vote or
position on a hot issue,
then I would stay in the
institution because it is my
right to take a side and
vote even on controversial
issues, which is supposed
to be part of the job
description of
a senator.
first-tiMe Voter donna orozco, 18, encourages voters to pick youth-orient-
ed candidates when they flock into their respective polling precincts this May 13,
2013, midterm polls. she is currently the project manager of children talk to chil-
dren (c2c), one of the member-organizations of the bata Muna campaign.
bonding WitH tHe Volunteers commission on elections (comelec) chair-
man sixto s. brillantes, Jr. (back row, fourth from left) takes time to interact with
bata Muna campaign volunteers, during the advocacy groups solidarity launch of
its activities last March 7, 2013. the comelec has been pushing for voter educa-
tion in schools.
where the youth could voice out
their concerns.
The youth play a vital role
in our country, because the next
leaders come from them, and its
said that the youth is the na-
tions hope. Also, the candidates
must stay true to their calling,
because our nations progress
relies on them. And for my fel-
low voters, choose those who are
deserving, she emphasized.
Orozco said she desires that
genuine change will be actual-
ized, ending with her little piece
of advice, addressed to her fellow
countrymen.
Vote wisely, vote for the sake
of the youth. Start the change, for
everyone, Orozco stressed.
youtH deVeloPMent
National Youth Commission
(NYC) Legal Counsel Jani j ay
Alonzo explained that the govern-
ment must enhance its youth-
oriented thrusts.
I do believe that the govern-
ment shoul d exert al l efforts
to protect the children against
abuse exploitation, traffick-
ing, and other related activities.
Children are one of the most im-
portant assets of the government,
so they should do something to
protect their interest, he pointed
out.
NYC has laid out several youth
engagement pr ogr ams, such
as capacity building programs,
youth training projects, and the
Ten Accomplished Youth Organi-
zations (TAYO) Awards.
They shoul d not be pas-
sive members of society; they
should engage themselves, like
joining forums such as those by
the Bata Muna Campaign, and
make sure that their voices are
heard. They should be intelligent
enough to know which candi-
dates to support, he said.
He added that unlike his gen-
eration, which was being used as
part of the political machinery,
todays youth have an active par-
ticipation, thanks to social media
and government support.
coMelec sPoKesPerson
sPeaKs out
Commi ssi on on El ect i ons
(Comelec) Spokesperson James
Jimenez gave his piece on the
youths vital role in the upcoming
May 13, 2013, midterm polls.
Change doesnt happen over-
night, so as early as now, we are
encouraging the youth to think
about the concept of fairness,
that its okay for a politician
to lose. The most important is
for them to bear the concept of
representative democracy, even
without focusing on the politics
first, he said.
He added that the Comelec
has been pushing for the in-
clusion of voter education in
the schools curricula, for the
students to understand the im-
portance of the elections.
We have a concept of voting
mentallythat the children could
think about the candidates, and
choose whomever they want. But
we must be age-appropriate, he
pointed out. (With a report from
Krisselle Kate Q. Nery)
senate coMMittee on electoral reforms chairman aquilino Koko Pimentel iii
tests the Precinct count optical scan (Pcos) machines during a presentation by
smartmatic at the senate last year. (Photo by Jacqueline Hernandez)
Y
e
llo
w
M
a
g
e
n
ta
C
y
a
n
B
la
c
k
L
R
size314mm page1
size314mm page4
60
days
before
election
SS-4
2013 POLLS
SS-1
UNREACHABLE SUPERSTAR
#Tweetchasay?
for more
tweetable
quotes, please
follow
@mb_polls on
twitter
or email us at
mb.polls@gmail.
com.
BoTCHog: ELECTIoN MoDE By eugene cubillo
COMICS #DailyEpal
You can tweet your "epal" photos to @COMELEC #SumbongKo or @
mb_polls #DailyEpal.
To borrow former American President
Abraham Lincolns words that defned
an ideal government that is a
government of the people, by the
people, and for the people, it is
every government offcials duty to
make laws for the common good.
But does the ordinary Juan de la
Cruz think these laws are for his own
good?
(Compiled by
Sarah H. Velasco)
(turn to page ss-2)
firetrucK or caMPaign bus? This vehicle looks like a passenger
bus, rather than a firetruck, painted with the face of Rep. Joy V. Bernos,
who is running for another term in the lone Congressional district of
Bangued, Abra. (Photo by @renierbona via epalwatch.com)
#PollExtra
By Jc bello ruiZ
Illustration by norMan b. isaac
Tweetchasayers said:
Text and photos by
MoncH MiKKo e. Misagal
Elections serve as the cornerstone
of a representative democratic gov-
ernment like the Philippines. The Fili-
pino youth can harness this potential
to sustain the reforms that are taking
place in the country. Eligible to vote
or not, they can take part in charting
the nations destiny.
first-tiMer
Donna Orozco, 18, is eager to vote
for the first time, in the forthcoming
May 13, 2013, midterm elections,
saying she prefers to pick youth-
oriented candidates.
I will vote for the candidates
who have projects for children, for
example, streetlighting, so that the
latter could go home safely. I would
also desire projects that foster their
well-being, she said.
(Source:http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/
Philippines-POLITICAL-PARTIES.html)
first PHiliPPine
Political Party
The Philippines,
among Asian coun-
tries, has the longest
experience with de-
mocracy and demo-
cratic institutions.
The Federal Party or
Partido Federalista
was considered as
the first national po-
litical party. It was
founded in 1900 by
More grounds
The senatorial candidates of
the United Nationalist Alliance
(UNA) have been campaigning
as a group even on weekends
during the past two weeks, veer-
ing away from their previous
sHare tHe fun this van, adorned with bata Muna campaign advocacy paraphernalia, urges bystanders to vote for youth-friendly candi-
dates this coming May 13, 2013, midterm polls. this was used to transport a few campaign volunteers to and from intramuros, Manila, where
the solidarity launch activities took place on March 7, 2013.
Youth Voice In The Polls
Casting First Ballot: Herstory
Mb Polls asked: if you were a political
candidate, what existing laws would you
like to change? Why?
Valen LagataNofuente
Amend the cybercrime law
Jenrry Daulo
None. I would just like to
make sure signifcant and
relevant laws, if not all, are
implemented.
Himig Luntian
THE LAW ON MARRIAGE in the
family code. I think its time
for this country to have a law
on divorce.
H
e wants to be a superstar. Im just a character actor.
This was how United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatori-
al candidate San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito Estrada described
his estranged friend, re-electionist Sen. Chiz Escudero.
Nope, JV is neither trying to be humble nor seeing
green when he said, hes unreachable now.
JV and Chiz were close friends when they were with the
opposition during the Arroyo administration.
Chizs ambition to become President, JV claimed,
had alienated him from his friends from the opposition.
JV said Chiz would do anything to pursue his
dream to become President.
Their friendship turned sour in 2010, when Chiz
chose to support eventual winner, President Benigno
S. Aquino III, over JVs father, ex-President Joseph Estrada
in the presidential race. (Photos by Manny Llanes and
Jacqueline Hernandez)
dancing Queen
Move over former Sen. Teresa
Aquino-Oreta; there is a new a
claimant to your throne as the
Dancing Queen.
While fellow candidates per-
form individual antics to attract
voters attention, like singing or
hiring celebrities as endorsers,
Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay,
who is running for the Senate
under the
United Na-
tionalist Al-
liance (UNA)
coalition, is using her talent
in dancing.
The tough-talking crit-
ic of the Aquino admin-
istration is usually seen
dancing to the tune of
her campaign jingle dur-
ing motorcades or even on
stage during rallies.
In a sortie in Bukidnon early
this month, the solon from Zam-
bales leveled-up in her dancing
repertoire with Harlem Shake. Is
this an indication that Psys Gang-
nam Style is already pass?
Going back to Mitos, she has
earned the moniker UNAs Danc-
ing Queen with a little help from
movie actress-beauty queen Alma
Concepcion, who was in the rally.
schedules. UNA stalwart
Vice President Jejomar C.
Binay instituted reforms
in their campaign sorties
schedule to cover more
grounds.
Instead of holding rallies
from Wednesday to Friday,
UNA senatorial bets, as a
group, will now be cam-
paigning from Wednesday
to Sunday. While individual
rallies will be on Mondays
and Tuesdays.
As Vice President for
the past three years, Binay
knows the value of touching
base with people nation-
wide by visiting the prov-
inces. This could probably
explain his vast popularity
in the countryside. (Photo
by Cheryl Baldicantos)
elite people led by Trinidad Pardo de Tavera. In
the early 20th century, it was known as Progresista
Party, a political party which had an ideology of
conservatism. It was dissolved in 1910 and was
succeeded by Democrata Party.

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SMXGlF Exhibition Hall

eager to see the light, at least a

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