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Amalilio Wanted In MalaysiaComplaints Of Scam Victims In Kota Kinabalu Still Being Addressed

VOL. 481 No. 29 TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013 48 PAGES R18.00 IN METRO MANILA

By AARON B. RECUENCO

Touch them not, from now on.Infuriated with what he described

as a ruthless murder of a rookie policeman in Negros Occidental on Sunday, Interior and Local Govern-ment Secretary Mar Roxas vowed yesterday to run after those who would dare attack any member of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Roxas condemned the killing not only of Police Officer 1 Richard Canja but also of eight civilians in La Castel-lana town before dawn Sunday.

“You hit one of us, you hit all of us. And we will all come after you,” said Roxas in his speech during the 22nd Founding Anniversary celebra-tion at Camp Crame in Quezon City yesterday morning.

Aside from Canja, two other po-licemen were also wounded when suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels started shooting a truck where the victims, on their way home after a fiesta celebration in Barangay Puso, were aboard.

Reports revealed that the rebels gave the “finishing” shots on Canja

By PNA

The United States Navy salvage teams have pumped in 15,000 gal-lons of seawater into the tanks of the grounded USS Guardian to stabilize the ship and keep it from sinking after the same amount of fuel was sucked out on Friday.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)

Seawater Pumped Into USShip To Prevent Sinking

spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo said yesterday that this was done to ensure the ship would re-main stable while awaiting the two US salvage ships that would likely arrive in February to extricate the minesweeper from Tubbataha Reef, Sulu Sea.

“An equivalent amount of seawa-ter was pumped on her fuel tanks after US salvage teams have removed

Don’t Attack Policemen,

Roxas Warns

the last of 15,000 gallons of diesel fuel last Friday,” he added.

The fuel was placed aboard the US-contracted Malaysian tug M/T Vos Apollo.

Balilo stated that PCG ships monitoring the ongoing salvage works include the BRP Corregidor (AE-891), BRP Pampanga (SAR-003), the Philippine Navy’s BRP Mangyan

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By LEONARD D. POSTRADO

It may take a while before businessman Manuel Amalilio, head of the controversial Aman Futures Group Phils. Inc. behind the P12-billion investment scam that duped some 15,000 people in Visayas and Mindanao, is finally deported from Malaysia.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas yesterday said that Malaysian authorities are still addressing the complaints of scam

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SANTA MARIA, Brazil (AFP) – A massive blaze at a nightclub in Brazil killed 233 people, injured 116 more, and left relatives desperately search-ing for loved ones as horrific accounts emerged of a tragic rush to escape the inferno.

Shocked survivors, mostly science students in the southern college town of Santa Maria, described a traumatic scene of blocked exits and rising flames, with scores of revelers being trampled or passing out from smoke inhalation.

A band’s malfunctioning pyro-

233 Perish In Brazil Inferno

WASHINGTON (AFP) – With only days left until she steps down as America’s top diplomat, Hillary Clinton left the door open Sunday to a possible future run in the 2016

Clinton May Still Run In 2016presidential elections.

And, in a rare joint interview with CBS, she appeared to win the endorsement of none other than

By ROWENA JOY A. SANCHEZ

A film starring and co-produced by Filipinos has won the Audience Award under the World Cinema Dramatic Com-petition of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

“Metro Manila,” which was also produced by the United Kingdom, was recognized at the awarding ceremony held Saturday night (US time). It was in the same category as 11

‘Metro Manila’ Wins AudienceAward At Sundance Film Fest

other films from countries such as Chile, South Korea, Austria, Afghanistan, and Germany.

The film features Filipino ac-tors John Arcilla, Althea Vega, Jake Macapagal, as well as JM Rodriguez and Ana Abad Santos, among others.

Director and co-writer Sean Ellis, an Oscar and British Acad-emy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)-nominated British filmmaker, was quoted as say-ing in his acceptance speech, “I’m so glad that this film con-

IFC Assisting BSP • To Develop Basel 3-Compliant Debt Instruments

Agencies Told: • Rush Transport Projects

BOI January• Investments Reach R75B

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John Prats Gone Mushy • Over Isabel Oli

TO HELP YOU FIND A JOB OR BUY ANYTHING, ETC., READ MANILA BULLETIN ADVERTISEMENTS AND CLASSIFIED ADS

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H.D.O. PLEA —• Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) General Manager Nereus Acosta asks the Sandiganbayan to lift the Hold Departure Order (HDO) issued against him.

LEADING SENATORIABLES —• Senators Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, and Alan Peter Cayetano maintained their lead among senatorial candidates in a recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Station (SWS).

— Story on Page 6

— Story on Page 5

PROTEST AGAINST V.F.A. – A man cowers in fear while policemen chase a group of protesters who tried to storm the US embassy on Roxas Boulevard in Manila yesterday, January 28, 2013. The protesters were calling for the scrapping of the Visiting Forces Agreement in the wake of the grounding of a US Navy minesweeper on Tubbataha Reef. (LJ Pasion)

AWARD-WINNING PHOTOS – The photo of a boy trying to catch pigeons (top) taken by Manila Bulletin lensman Linus Escandor II (right) titled ‘Flutter of Wings’ won first prize in the recent Third Annual Rizal Park Photography contest ‘Isang Araw Sa Rizal Park’ photojournalism contest sponsored by the National Parks Development Committee. Another photo titled ‘Enjoying the Weekend’ also taken by Escandor showing children enjoying their time at the Rizal Park playground (above) won third place in the same competition. (Linus G. Escandor II)

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Local News2 Tuesday, January 29, 2013

By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will tighten its noose on smuggling activities that exposed a web of collu-sion among consignees, brokers, and Customs officials as it employs modern technology that will improve its ser-vices and anti-corruption drive.

BOC Commissioner Ruffy Biazon has a self-imposed deadline for the completion of the BOC’s computeriza-tion program before 2016 to improve the sluggish revenue intake and miti-gate the problem of smuggling.

The new program will pave the way for the BOC to enhance its monitoring and immediately detect smuggled goods and items, he said.

Since he assumed office in Septem-ber, 2011, Biazon has set in motion the improvement of the BOC’s technologi-cal capacity and identify where systems intervention can be improved.

Among these are the replacement of the electronic to mobile (e2m) system with Integrated Philippine Computer System and the implementation of the National Single Window (NSW) Phase 2 Project.

The NSW is a system which enables a single submission of data and infor-mation and the synchronous process-ing of data and information for Customs release and clearance.

The BOC, on the other hand, is upgrading its existing information tech-nology set up through the IPCS, which is designed to resolve the computer

BOC Eyes New Technology ToRaise Revenue, Clip Smuggling

By ANNA LIZA VILLAS-ALAVAREN

The suspected burglar who broke into the office of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis N. Tolentino has been slapped with three counts of robbery, the Makati Police said.

Senior Superintendent Manuel Lukban, Makati City police chief, said suspect Hilbert Mongkano, who was trapped in the office of Tolentino for about 34 hours last weekend, was not after documents.

“We decided to file three counts of robbery cases against the suspect because we have three separate com-plainants,” Lukban said.

The filing of the case was based on the initial findings of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), the finger prints found in the crime scene were positively identified as that of Mongkano.

“All the fingerprints lifted from the crime scene were all his. He had no accomplice,” said Lukban.

Lukban said they found no docu-ments from suspect Mongkano, 22, jobless, of 601 ABA Building, Baran-gay Pinagkaisahan, Makati City, who was arrested on Sunday afternoon by the agency’s security guards before he was turned over to police.

By FRANCIS T. WAKEFIELD

A 34-year-old Filipino-Chinese businessman was shot dead yester-day morning by two assailants as he returned to his car after withdrawing around P800,000 from a bank in San Juan City.

Senior Superintendent Bernard Tambaoan, city police chief, identified the victim as Kelvin Tan, a resident of No. 16, 18th Street, New Manila, Quezon City and reported owner of KT Builders, a construction and scrap materials business.

Tambaoan said Tan had just with-drawn cash from the Chinabank branch at Ortigas Avenue corner Madison Street at 10:30 a.m. when he was attacked.

Tan was had just boarded his Toyota Altis car with Plate No. POZ-789, when an unidentified man armed with a .45-caliber pistol approached his vehicle and shot him five times.

The gunman then boarded a mo-torcycle driven by his cohort and sped off.

Tambaoan said probers are still determining the motive in the killing.

“Based on our initial investigation, the money was handed by the victim to the bodyguard of one Benedict Tan, a friend of the victim. Before he left the bank, naabot na raw niya ang pera (he already handed the money),” he said.

“We are looking at the possibility that robbery was the motive behind the incident. But we are also not ruling out the possibility that the killing might be business-related,” he added.

Homicide investigators have made a formal request to owners of nearby establishments and the barangay for a copy of their Close-Circuit Televi-sion (CCTV) footage that might have captured an image of the gunman and his lookout.

BusinessmanShot Dead

Outside BankIn San Juan

Suspect InMMDABreak-inCharged

QC FIRE — Firefighters train their hoses on smoking remnants of seven houses hit by a fire yesterday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City. No one was reported hurt in the incident even as several of the victims raced to salvage tires from one of the buildings. (Mark Balmores)

network slow down.With IPCS in place, it shall feature

additional functionalities to facilitate faster transaction and tighter controls in the BOC.

Just last week, the bureau pilot-tested its electronic monitoring system

at the Broker’s Lounge of the Port of Manila and Manila International Con-tainer Port (MICT) to ensure the flow of work without delay in the processing of entry documents.

Biazon said these systems when utilized in full capacity will streamline

and speed up business processes and lessen the inconvenience of those transacting at the BOC.

The new computerization program will help curb red tape and protect the public from corrupt officials, he added.

By KRIS BAYOS

Planning the route of the Philip-pine central transportation spine, which aims to link superhighways with modern roll-on, roll-off ferry services to transport passengers, vehicles and goods from Manila to Mindanao, will soon commence.

This is after the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) has awarded the P12.3-million contract to implement a pre-feasibil-ity study for the proposed Central Spine RORO project to Woodfields Consultants, Inc.

In a notice dated January 24, 2013, the DoTC Undersecretary for Plan-ning Catherine Gonzales told Julius Francisco of Woodfields Consultants, Inc. to commence the pre-feasibility study and complete it within the next four months.

“The work shall be completed within four months, counting of which will commence within seven days upon receipt of this notice,” Gonzales said in the document.

According to the contract’s terms

Manila-MindanaoRoute Under Study

of reference, the winning bidder is expected to formulate a master plan for the Central Spine RORO by 2020 and a medium term plan on the proj-ect by 2016.

“The expected output will be the identification of road and ferry route options that will link the entire Philip-pines and existing RORO systems to the proposed or future Central Spine RORO,” DoTC said in the terms of reference.

Once established, the Central Spine RORO will facilitate the “seam-less, safe, expeditious, effective and economical” movement of passen-gers, vehicles and goods between the Luzon Island – Panay – Negros – Cebu – Bohol – Mindanao, which is the spine of the Philippines.

The Central Spine RORO is ex-pected to cut travel time from Luzon to certain areas of the Visayas and Northern Mindanao, including Cati-clan, Roxas and Cebu.

The project is estimated to be worth P49.3 billion and will be funded through official development as-sistance (ODA) and public-private partnership (PPP).

With the Sin Tax Law (Republic Act No. 10351) in force, the Depart-ment of Science and Technology (DOST) is helping the sector of small tobacco farmers adversely affected by the measure to find new and alterna-tive livelihood.

DOST’s National Academy of Sci-ence and Technology (NAST) con-ducted a forum recently at a hotel in Pasay City to address this concern.

DOST-NAST led the roundtable discussion, the focus of which was the theme “Are We Ready for Sweet Sorghum Bioethanol?”

Participants from government,

Alternative LivelihoodFor Tobacco Farmers

academe, non-government organi-zation (NGOs), and private sector discussed the potential of sorghum as a source of livelihood.

NAST's focal person for energy, Academician Alvin B. Culaba, con-ceded though that sweet sorghum's acceptance as a product by the public is still the subject of a painstaking study.

Culaba, who is with NAST's En-gineering Sciences and Technology Division, is a part of a research team on alternative and renewable energy source including biodiesel and bio-ethanol. (Edd K. Usman)

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Local News 3Tuesday, January 29, 2013

By CHARISSA M. LUCI

Lawmakers have called on the Climate Change Commission (CCC) to specifically discuss the status of the Kyoto Protocol after its implementa-tion expired last year.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Ro-driguez and Abante Mindanao party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez asked the Commission to brief the House Committee on Ecology on the issues concerning the international agree-ment which calls on most industrial countries to reduce emissions.

“Due to the very technical nature of the Kyoto Protocol and the even more technical nature of the extension, it would be very helpful if the CCC is invited to brief members of the House of Representatives on the effects of the extension,” the brother-lawmakers said in filing House Resolution 2994.

They said the CCC “could also an-swer questions of lawmakers and give a more detailed explanation on what the Kyoto Protocol has achieved.”

Kyoto Protocol sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European Community in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to an average of 5 percent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008 to 2012.

The older Rodriguez said the pact, which was signed in 1997, was sup-posed to expire last year.

“In a positive turn of events, a UN climate conference in Doha agreed to extend the Kyoto Protocol, a decision adopted by nearly 200 countries after hard-fought sessions and despite ob-jections from Russia,” the Cagayan de Oro lawmaker said.

Meanwhile, Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello, chairman of the House committee on overseas work-ers affairs, has urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to establish an Office of the Undersecretary for Climate Change that would strengthen the country’s “environmental diplo-macy” with other nations to boost the country’s capacity to fight climate change.

He asked Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to ensure that the Philippine government is not only boosting its political and economic relations with other countries, but also its ties to promote and protect the environment.

“Climate change is now a national security issue. The Philippines should take the initiative to press on United States and China to make their com-mitments or else we will experience more flooding,” he said.

“May we find innovative ways to get US and China to seriously tackle the is-sue. Environmental diplomacy should be at the forefront of our concerns,” he stressed.

China and the US, along with India are considered the three largest emit-ters of greenhouses gases and are not covered by the Kyoto Protocol.

Bello lamented the failure of world’s major polluters to give in to the pro-environment treaty would result in more environmental problems.

“We should keep on trying, efforts should continue to move forward because we are victims of climate change. We really obviously suffering because other nations are not cooper-ating,” he said.

“We should establish an Office of the Undersecretary for Climate Change to bring this issue at the forefront because climate change will become more serious issue,” he said.

Del Rosario said they would study Bello’s proposal even as he recognized that climate change is one of the major threats to country’s national security.

“Climate change mitigation and adaptation is a major subject matter in

By ROY C. MABASA

The Japanese Embassy in Ma-nila handed over P4 million worth of medical equipment to the Province of Apayao recently to improve the health status of the people in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), par-ticularly the women and children.

Japanese Embassy Minister for Economic Affairs Akio Isomata of-ficially handed over equipment for

birthing services such as delivery tables, Fetal Doppler, weighing scales for infants, and disinfecting kits for medical tools among others to the ru-ral health units (RHUs) and hospitals in Apayao province.

According to Isomata, another important component of the project is the conduct of Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BE-mONC) training for doctors and mid-wives in the CAR. These BEmONC trainings are expected to promote

cooperation among the health institu-tions in Apayao province.

These equipment aims to equip the BEmONC-trained health work-ers with the essential skills to deliver extensive and efficient maternal and newborn health services effectively.

Together with local officials, Iso-mata also visited the beneficiaries of the equipment including the Sta. Marcela RHU, barangay health sta-tions of Consuelo and Marcela, as well as the Sta. Marcela Medicare

Apayao Receives Japanese Medical Aidand Community Hospital.

In the CAR, Japan has provided since 2006 a five-year technical assis-tance to strengthen the local health

system in Benguet Province as well as a four-year project on maternal and child health (MCH) in the prov-ince of Ifugao.

Solons Seek Kyoto Protocol Answersour ASEAN position. We are now work-ing with other countries,” he said.

“We will give importance to it and

we will look at the possibility in includ-ing such Office in our affairs,” the country’s Chief diplomat said.

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Metro News4 Tuesday, January 29, 2013

METRONEWSBITS

X-RAY SCAN

Airport police authorities arrested an Australian national yesterday morning after an X-ray scan of his bag showed a gun accessory and several rounds of ammuni-tion inside. Andrew Stroud was at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 to check in for a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Bangkok when security personnel manning the initial se-curity checkpoint saw an image of bullets and a magazine inside his backpack. Francisco Ople, the X-ray operator informed Emily Timbal, the baggage inspector about his discovery who in turn requested for a physical inspec-tion of the bag. Upon examina-tion, one empty magazine for a 9mm pistol and one box of am-munition containing 45 rounds of 9mm bullets were found inside Stroud's bag. (Anjo Perez)

CCTV FOOTAGE

Several Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footages helped authori-ties identify a robbery suspect which eventually led to his arrest in Sta. Cruz, Manila yesterday. Suspect Martin Dela Cruz, an alleged robber, is behind bars after barangay watchmen ap-prehended him shortly after the actual robbery. Before the arrest, the suspect reportedly held-up a female call center agent in front of the Sta. Cruz, Church at 3 a.m. The victim told police investigators that while she was walking, the suspect approached him and declared the holdup at knifepoint. (Rizal S. Obanil)

MOST WANTED

Antique’s most wanted man was arrested in Quezon City yesterday morning after more than seven years in hiding for the murder of a barangay of-ficial. Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Sr. Supt. Richard Albano announced the arrest of suspect Noel dela Cruz, 39. Al-bano said that joint operatives of the QCPD’s Station 6 and Antique police arrested Dela Cruz at 9 a.m. yesterday along Bato Bato St., Barangay Commonwealth, Quezon City. Station 6 com-mander Supt. Ramon Pranada said that Dela Cruz is ranked number four in the most wanted list in Antique and the top most wanted man in the province’s Ba-rangay Mojon. (Jeffrey Damicog)

CONDO THEFT

A 27-year-old Korean national engaged in the cellphone busi-ness lost over the weekend P100, 000 cash and dozens of Iphone4 cellphones worth more than P1 million during a robbery inside his condominium unit in Pasig City, police Monday disclosed. Reports reaching the Pasig City Police Station said victim/complainant Yeon Cheol Jong, a Korean national and business-man residing at Unit 302 Dr-ezza Capri, Oasis Condominium, Ortigas Extension, Rosario, Pasig City, personally went to the po-lice station Sunday night to file a complaint. (Francis T. Wakefield)

B.F.P. WARNING

Newly appointed Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Officer-in-Charge Chief Supt. Carlito Romero is out to get firefighters who sell fire extinguishers on the side. Romero said that the law strictly prohibits fire officers from directly or indirectly sell fire ex-tinguishers and other equipment, as well as pose as agent or en-dorser in favor of any manufac-turer, dealer and supplier. “Such illegal practice must immediate-ly be stopped, otherwise it will duly affect the integrity of the BFP,” he said. Romero received reports that some BFP officers and personnel are into the busi-ness either personally involved or as representatives of manu-facturers and dealers. (Czarina Nicole Ong)

By FRANCIS T. WAKEFIELD

The chief of the Eastern Police Dis-trict (EPD) Monday said that at least two suspects behind Saturday's rob-bery incident at a mall in Mandaluyong City had been identified through a rogue gallery.

Chief Supt. Miguel T. Laurel, EPD District Director, said that witnesses possibly identified the two suspects who staged the daring heist at the F&C jewelry store inside the mall in Mandaluyong City at past 7 p.m. Saturday.

Laurel, during an interview, how-ever refused to divulge the names of the suspects in order not to jeopardize their ongoing operations to effect their immediate arrest.

"They (suspects) were positively identified by witnesses through a rogue gallery," Laurel said.

"We are following up on leads as part of efforts to arrest the suspects.

We cannot divulge their names in or-der not to hamper or jeopardize our operations," he said.

Laurel said that based on their investigation, the suspects, said to be members of the "Martilyo Gang," are members of a group engaged in rob-bery incidents in Metro Manila and Cavite City.

He said part of the suspects' modus operandi is to use a hammer (martilyo) in robbing jewelry shops and other establishments.

Meanwhile, Malacanang on Mon-day urged mall operators to further tighten security measures and ensure the safety of the public who patronize their malls.

“I think the mall management should take stock of the security measures that they have in their own malls and that goes also for the other mall operators. It’s important that we have a culture of malling,” Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing yesterday.

“In that regard, we would like to appeal to the mall operators to study their security measures and make sure that the security equipment that they have installed in their premises does in fact detect the presence of firearms,” he said.

As of press time, a conference is being presided by Laurel with other police officials regarding develop-ments in the case.

More or less 100 pieces of jewelry were reportedly taken by the suspects during the heist.

Laurel, however, said that store owners have yet to provide them with the total amount of jewelry taken by the suspects.

The chief of the Mandaluyong City Police Station, meanwhile, asked mall owners to step up or further improve its security plan by having X-ray ma-chines at the mall’s entrances to help detect persons with firearms and ex-plosives. He said this will be a big help as a deterrent to crime.

Senior Supt. Florendo Quibuyen added that it is also up to the manage-ment of the mall if they will impose punishment on their security guards because of the incident.

“There were indeed security lapses on the part of the security guards of the mall. However, it is up to them whether or not they will impose sanctions on them,” he said.

Quibuyen said that he has ordered the deployment of patrol vehicles near the mall as part of their security plan.

“We assure you that the incident was purely an isolated one. What’s important is that nobody was hurt or killed because of the incident,” he said.

Quibuyen added that they have asked mall management to also pro-vide them with more copies of their close-circuit television (CCTV) camer-as to identify the other suspects. (With reports by Madelynne Dominguez and Madel S. Namit)

By CARLO S. FELIPE

Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian yesterday expressed his support for the "Justice for Nicole Ella" campaign which aims to gather a mil-lion or more signatures to be submit-ted to Malacanang and to lawmakers to seek priority attention for stricter gun laws.

The campaign was initiated by Pastor Renato Franco after the in-terment of seven-year-old Stephanie Nicole Ella who died after she was hit by a stray bullet during the New Year revelry.

Franco said the campaign also

aims to encourage law enforcers to speed up the delivery of justice for Nicole and for government agencies to come up with changes in the laws and its enforcement.

Franco and the victim's father, Jay Ella, personally handed to Gatchalian signature sheets to be circulated in Valenzuela City and thanked him for his continued assistance to the cause of Nicole Ella's family.

“We are very thankful to Mayor Gatchalian even though that we are not his constituents he remains sym-pathetic to us,” he said. “We are grate-ful for mayors like him who can identify with the plight of people like us.”

“We personally cannot get jus-

tice for Nicole if we can't make any changes. It might be too late. But if we are able to get the necessary changes, then in a way it will be justice for our daughter and it can become her legacy,” Mr. Ella said.

They also requested the local chief executive to lead further initiatives like involving civic groups and con-ducting talking points about stricter gun laws in his area. The campaign as of late has gathered over 100,000 signatures.

“It is not only reforms in the laws that we need, but enforcement chang-es as well. People have to be held accountable for what happens after they fire their guns,” Mayor Gatch-

alian said.Gatchalian encourages everyone

to take part in the Justice for Nicole Ella signature campaign by visiting its Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-For-Stephanie-Nicole-Ella/.

Valenzuelanos who want to get involved with the campaign can get in touch with the Valenzuela Public Infor-mation Office at 352-1000 local 1410.

Gatchalian stressed that stray bullets do not discriminate and that he is in favor of stricter gun laws in regulating ownership, a more rigor-ous screening process in issuing gun licenses, and a more effective way of registering and tracking firearms.

By CHITO A. CHAVEZ

Former Senator Anna Domin-ique “Nikki” Coseteng filed qualified theft charges before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office against a lawyer and six others for allegedly stealing equipment used in the astronomy awareness program and science fair of private school Diliman Prepara-tory School (DPS) where she is the president.

Those charged with qualified theft were Armand Raquel-Santos, former managing director of Dis-cover, a corporate name chosen by Coseteng for the implementation of DPS' astronomy program; lawyer Efren Carag; Pickard Balajadia; John Hillary Balajadia; Godofredo Tunac; Jay Avelino and Ganny More.

Coseteng in her five-page com-plaint said that being the president and chief executive officer of Diliman Education Corporation (DEC), owner of DPS, she selected the corporate

name Discover to carry out her vision of nationwide awareness, promotion and appreciation of Astronomy and the Sciences in the hope that the Filipino youth will become interested in and pursue science-related career paths through an Astronomy Aware-ness Program for all schools in the country.

The former senator said that through Discover, she initially pur-chased two units of Digitarium Gam-ma portable planetarium systems in US eventually purchasing another unit of the same item later. All the items were stored in Discover's ware-house at Joefer Building along Com-monwealth Avenue, Quezon City.

On Dec. 3, 2012, Coseteng alleg-edly saw Raquel-Santos counting money at the counter of BDO in Sal-cedo Street, Legazpi Village branch in Makati City where Discover had its corporate savings account.

Based on the information from the bank manger, Coseteng later dis-covered that from the period of Jan.

1, 2012 to Dec. 3, 2012, there were al-leged unauthorized withdrawals from the account of Discover.

She also learned that it was Raquel-Santos who allagedly was the one responsible for the unauthorized withdrawals.

Coseteng further discovered that there were two withdrawal slips showing an apparent forgery of her signature in order to withdraw large amount of money from Discover's corporate savings account.

Following said irregularities, the Board of Directors of Discover terminated the authority of Raquel-Santos to represent Discover as its managing director.

During an inventory on Dec. 15, 2012 at the Discover warehouse, it was found out that several items and equipment were missing.

But sometimes first week of Janu-ary 2013, Coseteng was informed that there will be an astronomy exhibit at Rosario Ocampo Elementary School in Taytay Rizal on Jan. 12, 2013.

By CHITO A. CHAVEZ

The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) and the Quezon City government signed a Memoran-dum of Agreement (MOA) to require the estimated 65,000 establishments to secure LLDA clearances before the issuance of the mayor's permit, busi-ness licenses and similar permits.

Presidential Adviser for Environ-ment Protection and LLDA General Manager Nereus Acosta said the forg-ing of the MOA with the Quezon City government will ensure environ-ment protection not only of the city but achieve the desired clean water standards of Laguna Lake.

As part of the agreement, the LLDA will provide the Quezon City government with the list of firms, entities and establishments that are required to secure LLDA clear-ances.

The deal also paves the way for the LLDA to act on the recommendation of the city government within 20 days from receiving applications for LLDA clearances and to remit 30 percent

of the LLDA clearance and applica-tion fees referred by the Quezon City government.

In return, the Quezon City gov-ernment will impose the rule to all entities, firms and establishments or any projects in the city to apply and secure LLDA clearances or exemp-tions before the approval, issuance, releasing to the owners, proprietors or developers the original copy of the mayor's permit and business license.

The city government must submit to the LLDA every quarter of the year the list of entities, establishments or projects that applied or were issued mayor's or business permits while ensuring that the 30 percent obtained from the LLDA clearances shall be disbursed in support of activities like livelihood programs, or incentives or rewards to individuals, private orga-nizations and entities instrumental in promoting environmental enhance-ment and sanitation.

Acosta cited the importance of the partnership with the city govern-ment stressing that it is an essential key to keep track of the thousands of

businesses applying for permits in Quezon City.

As the LLDA has to deal with at least 50,000 squatter families around Laguna Lake, Acosta said that be-tween 60 percent to 70 percent of the fish source in the metropolis and nearby areas are obtained from the lake.

With the projected P300 annual col-lection from the "Green Fund,'' Acosta said that similar to the shares obtained from the fishpens at Laguna lake the industrial areas may make use of the funds through regulatory revenues, maximizing incentives incorporated in income investments, taxations and environmental investments.

After having received a letter from the LLDA, Mayor Herbert Bautista immediately ordered the closure of the Kamuning slaughterhouse due to certain Clean Water Act violations.

The signing of the MOA, Bau-tista said, is essential in ensuring the cleanliness of the waterways in the city, describing it as a momentous event as it also helps the informal dwellers improve their living condi-tions.

Valenzuela Backs ‘Ella’ Signature Drive

2 Mall Rob Suspects Identified

Nikki Files Astronomy Equipment Theft

QC, LLDA Sign Environment Deal

By ELLSON A. QUISMORIO

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) turned over to Barangay Doña Imelda a newly constructed police outpost beside the Araneta Substation in E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City.

The project was a collaboration between NGCP and the Barangay Council of Doña Imelda, the substa-tion’s host community. The outpost will be manned 24 hours by the joint forces of Philippine National Police (PNP) Station 11 and the barangay Public Safety Officers.

In her message during the inau-guration, Barangay Captain Con-cepcion Malañgen thanked NGCP for heeding the barangay’s call to provide an outpost within their area to increase police visibility and ad-dress problems on illegal vendors and bystander threats.

NGCP spokesperson, lawyer Cynthia Alabanza, noted that the police outpost presence will benefit the adjacent barangays of Tatalon, Dona Aurora, Damayang Lagi, and Santol.

The Araneta Substation—with an installed capacity of 900 megavolt amperes (MVA)—supplies power to Metro Manila and the lower part of North Luzon, with Meralco as one of its major customers. It also links the South Luzon and Bicol grids to the Metro Manila and North Luzon grids.

NGCP said the security of Arane-ta Substation is crucial to maintain the reliability and efficiency of the whole Luzon grid.

“The provision of the outpost will lessen threats not only to its physi-cal assets, but to the employees manning the substation’s opera-tions as well,” Alabanza said.

NGCP Donates

Barangay Police

Outpost

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By BEN R. ROSARIO

President Benigno Aquino III has aired reservations over the standards used by the Board of Investments in granting pioneering status and tax incentives to a Thai-owned firm that has been the object of protests among local hog and poultry growers.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has disclosed that Aquino has questioned the BOI decision on the grant of pioneering status to Thai-owned Charoen Pokphand, giving it a six-year tax holiday along with a 30 percent incentive for the importation of corn and other raw feed materials.

Butil party-list Rep. Agapito Guan-lao has also been questioning the BOI move as he aired fears that the entry of Charoen Pokphand and giving it business incentives would kill local domestic and poultry raisers.

“The President himself raised the question of how does one define pioneering status. How can the BOI grant the Thai company pioneering status when we have been raising hogs and chickens for so long?" Al-cala said in an interview.

A congressional investigation has been launched by the House commit-tee on agriculture into the issue after it was reported that the BOI did not consult Alcala before granting the pioneering status to CP.

Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza, committee chairman, has summoned BOI officials involved to explain their position before mem-bers of the legislative committee.

Guanlao said Alcala has admit-ted that the BOI only considered its required minimum capitalization of $200 million in granting pioneering

President QuestionsFirm’s Pioneer Status

status to CP.Swine Development Council and

Abono party-list chairman Rosendo So, however, said the BOI should also have considered that the P300 billion domestic meat industry would be adversely affected by the tax breaks extended to CP.

“The domestic industry is a P300 billion industry. If you compare that to CP's P2 billion investment, that is small. For so many years, the livestock industry has not enjoyed substantial benefits from the gov-ernment, and now the BOI is killing us for such a paltry sum that would benefit a foreign company," So said, in a separate interview.

“The more important issue is this: we are leaving our food security in the hands of a foreign firm. This runs counter to the policy of the Depart-ment of Agriculture of self-sufficiency for the agriculture sector," So said.

Alcala admitted that with the tax holidays extended to the global agri-culture giant, the local industry will be put at a disadvantage.

“I myself do not agree with the decision of the BOI . . . I am afraid it could eventually kill our domestic livestock industry," he said.

“There is nothing wrong in allow-ing the entry of foreign companies. But if we give perks to foreign firms, we have to give tax breaks as well to our local industry. In fact, our local growers are not asking for perks higher than what was extended to CP; they just want a level playing field," Alcala said.

So said the 1,800 jobs to be gen-erated by CP's projects will not compensate for the 7-million Fili-pinos who stand to be displaced if domestic hog and poultry growers close shop.

“We are really at a loss why the BOI approved the pioneering status for CP last year when its application was denied in 2010," So said.

He noted that the domestic indus-try has yet to recover from the ram-pant smuggling of pork and chicken products into the country only to face a worse problem with CP's pioneer-ing status.

He noted that in 2011 alone, some 87 million kilos of meat was illegally brought into the country through technical smuggling.

“With rampant smuggling, we are barely surviving. But with the tax incentives extended to CP, this will wipe out our local players. We are not asking for too much, we just want an equal playing field," So said.

"If the government does not ad-dress our concern, then our local agricultural players will die one by one, starting from the small backyard growers," he said.

A recent resolution signed by 25 agriculture stakeholder groups -- a copy of which was given to Alcala and President Aquino -- said that the tax breaks extended by the BOI to CP will "kill the swine, livestock, aqua-culture, and other allied industries in the Philippines."

"The BOI move favoring Charoen Pokphand undermines our national sovereignty and food security. It will also result in the loss of employment for millions of Filipinos as the agri-cultural sector employs 33 percent of the entire Philippine labor force," the resolution read.

The House committees on agri-culture and on food security earlier called on the BOI to suspend imple-mentation of the tax perks granted to CP while the matter is being investi-gated by Congress.

By ROLLY T. CARANDANG

Laguna Lake Development Au-thority (LLDA) General Manager J.R. Nereus Acosta has asked the Sandi-ganbayan Fifth Division to lift the hold departure order (HDO) against him, saying it violates his constitutional rights.

In a motion for reconsideration filed with the anti-graft court, Acosta through counsel Lodelberto S. Parun-gao, said the court should set aside the HDO, stressing that no good reason was stated therein to justify the limita-tion of the right to travel and freedom of movement of the accused.

The HDO against Acosta was issued by the court last January 3, 2013.

Last week, the court issued a war-rant of arrest against Acosta and his mother former Manolo Fortich mu-nicipal mayor Socorro O. Acosta, in connection with the perjury charges filed against them by the Office of the Ombudsman in October 2012.

As of this writing, Acosta has yet to post bail.

In his motion, Acosta's counsel said that the court did not have any finding

By CHARISSA M. LUCI

One of co-authors of the K- to-12 measure expressed confidence yes-terday that the education reform bill will be signed into law before 15th Congress ends in June 2013.

Agham party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones said he is optimistic that President Benigno S. Aquino III will sign the measure into law since it is one of his administration’s flagship projects.

“I’m confident that it will be signed into law this 15th Congress. The K to 12 is an essential element for the real-ization of Pnoy’s long term economic plans,” he said in an interview.

House Bill No. 6643 or the pro-posed Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2012 was passed on third and final reading by the 287-man chamber in

Education Reform Measure Seen PassedNovember last year, while the Sen-

ate has yet to approve its own version of the measure, which adds two more years to the country’s 10-year basic education cycle.

Section 8 of the K to 12 bill was proposed by Palmones, which allows the state to hire graduates of Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineer-ing, Music and other degree courses with shortages in Qualified License Examination for Teachers (LET) applicants to teach in their special-ized subjects in the elementary and secondary education provided that they pass the LET within five years after their date of hiring.

Palmones said this provision can-not be found on the Senate version of the bill.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo An-gara, chairman of the House commit-tee on higher and technical education

and one of the authors of the bill, said the long-stalled bill should be enacted into law, lamenting that Philippines’ basic education system has been lag-ging behind Asian neighbors.

Under the K-12 curriculum, stu-dents will be taught four prepara-tory technical vocational courses in Grades 7 and 8. In Grades 9 to 12, students can choose their specializa-tions, similar to courses offered by Technical Education and Skills De-velopment Authority, which includes aquaculture, tailoring, carpentry, caregiving, and household services, among others.

Last June 2012, the Department of Education (DepEd) started the implementation of its K to 12 initia-tive, which begins with kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school, and two years in senior high school.

Sandiganbayan Asked To Lift HDOthat the accused is intending to leave the country, or is a flight risk or evad-ing prosecution.

Acosta said that, on the contrary, he has no reason to leave the country to evade his prosecution because he is holding responsible positions in the government.

Aside from being LLDA general manager, Acosta is the Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection and a member of the Cabinet Cluster for Climate Change.

These positions necessarily re-quire him to regularly attend various international meetings, environmen-tal conferences and negotiations and multi-lateral engagements on global environmental protection and con-servation matters around the region and the world.

He had traveled extensively in the last few years for such purposes outside the country and returned de-spite the pendency of criminals cases against him. Therefore he is not a flight risk, Acosta’s counsel said.

Acosta was accused of having il-legally channeled P5.5 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to the Bukidnon Veg-etable Producers Cooperative (BVPC)

on Sept. 4, 2006 when he was still congressman of Bukidnon.

The Ombudsman said Acosta made a deliberate misrepresentation that the PDAF disbursement had the concurrence of the Sangguniang Bayan of Manolo Fortich. Prosecu-tors said BVPC is controlled by the defendant’s family.

His mother was implicated for al-legedly executing an affidavit affirm-ing that the transfer of Acosta’s PDAF to the BVPC was concurred in by the municipal council.

Ombudsman investigators said there was no record of any resolution by the Sangguniang Bayan approving such fund release.

The defense acknowledged that there was no such resolution but pointed out that the Acostas never made any assertion as to its exis-tence.

“While there was no Sangguniang Bayan resolution, there was indeed a confirmation of funding support provided by the Sangguniang Bayan. Accused thus did not commit Perjury when they stated that the release of the P5.5 million was with the concur-rence of the Sangguniang Bayan,” it added.

By MONCH MIKKO E. MISAGAL

Thousands of students, media practitioners, and marketing profes-sionals gathered at the first-ever Media Specialists Association of the Philippines (MSAP) Media Congress yesterday at the Newport Theater, Resorts World Manila in Pasay City to know about the latest and upcoming trends on media consumption.

Some renowned media practitio-ners and high-profile clients touted the 2013 confab which carried the theme, “Brave New World: Embrac-ing the Media Revolution.”

It focused on the best practices in the various touch points: out-of-home (OOH), print, digital, and broadcast (radio, television) media.

The whole-day event discussed how media usage evolved—from the traditional tri-media setup (radio, tele-vision, print) 20 years ago, to a multi-media setup (which utilizes current technologies)—for product brands to effectively engage their target custom-ers to purchase their respective goods or services.

Speakers tackled that nowadays people can control the content of the messages companies deliver to their target clients—especially through digital media (social networking sites, gadgets)—and directly affect brand perception, thus media agencies must keep up with the new challenges and demands.

He recalled the innovations that had taken shape in media, starting with the heyday on Philippine radio way back in the 1950s, followed by the golden age in Philippine television in the 1960s—

Media CongressCharts New Trends

adding that the very first television advertisement, featuring a popular detergent brand, was aired in 1960.

He urged the delegates “to em-brace the media evolution, and to face and keep up to the challenges that are abound for media practitioners”, in order for both the media industry and companies to evolve in this fast-changing world.

Gina Lorenzana, vice president for personal care of Unilever Philippines, shared nuggets of wisdom on what clients demand from media agencies, tackling how to make persuasive cam-paigns in her keynote speech.

“It was a very simple world back then. With the advent of all these new media that had come up, apart from the importance of brand experience in different channels, whether in-store, in activation, and consumer direct marketing, actually gave change to the way we look at media altogether,” Lorenzana said.

She said that “as people are get-ting busy, it takes longer for us to get home

Lorenzana noted the growing complexity of the environment people live in, as television is becoming more integrated with computers but new devices have enabled us to connect to one another instantly, regardless of physical distance.

She stressed, however, that broad-cast media—television and radio—still pervade the lives of billions of people worldwide, despite the in-creased usage of digital media, citing figures that spending in traditional media, remains afloat in the United States.

By MARIO B. CASAYURAN

The Senate must focus attention on addressing the country’s press-ing needs rather on heated argu-ments over the alleged mishandling of Senate funds by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chairper-son of the Senate foreign relations committee, asked her colleagues to agree on how “to resolve the issues without having to set aside what we must do to our people.’’

“What is happening in the Senate for the past days and weeks is unfor-tunate and has caused divisiveness. The Senate has to take the path of healing so that it can focus again on helping our wounded people – those who have been affected by recent disasters, especially in Mindanao; those whose crops and livelihood are affected by the cold weather, particularly in Northern Luzon; those who need support to gain bet-ter opportunities, especially in the rural areas,’’ she said.

Loren: Focus OnPeople’s Needs

“Filipinos need their senators as public servants, as legislators who must focus on crafting laws that would uplift their lives and push for policies that would foster unity,’’ she added.

Meanwhile, Legarda reiterated her support for Enrile who is en-gaged in a feud with four senators – Miriam Defensor Santiago, Anto-nio Trillanes IV and the Cayetano siblings, Alan Peter and Pilar ‘’Pia'' Julian -- over the alleged favorit-ism.

Last December, Enrile gave P1.6 million each in additional ‘’mainte-nance and other operating expenses ‘’(MOOE) to 18 senators but not to the four.

Enrile maintained it was his dis-cretion as Senate chief not to give the P1.6 million MOOE to the four senators.

“I continue to support as Senate President Enrile, as many other senators do. I believe in his wisdom and capability, and the Senate as a body has accomplished much under his leadership,’’ Legarda said.

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NATIONALNEWSBITS

GOVERNMENT WARNING AND DOCTORS’ ADVICE: SMOKING IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH. SO QUIT SMOKING AND LIVE LONGER.

By REY G. PANALIGAN

The Supreme Court (SC) has spared two drug pushers from the maximum penalty of life imprison-ment and a fine of P500,000 each when it found that law enforcement agents bungled in the implementation of the rules on the illegal sale of dangerous drugs in a buy-bust operation.

In a decision written by Justice Roberto A. Abad, the SC said that “it is material in illegal sale of danger-ous drugs that the sale actually took place.”

“What consummates the buy-bust transaction is the delivery of the drugs to the poseur-buyer and, in turn, the seller’s receipt of the marked money,” it said.

But in the case of Hong Yen E and Tsien Tsien Chua, the SC said that while they have turned over to the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) two kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) contained in two plastic bags, they have not received the money as payment for the drugs when the police operatives, on pre-arranged signal, arrested them on September 5, 2001 inside a restaurant in Binondo, Manila.

The money intended as payment for the prohibited drugs remained in the possession of the NBI agents as testified to during the hearing before the Manila regional trial court (RTC).

The SC said that “while the parties may have agreed on the selling price of the shabu and delivery of payment was intended, these do not prove consummated sale” because “receipt of the marked money, whether done before delivery of the drugs or after, is required.”

However, the SC pointed out that while Yen E and Chua could not be held liable for drug pushing they could be convicted for illegal posses-sion of dangerous drugs.

SC DefinesBuy-Bust

RequirementBy LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday hosted lunch for legislators who sup-ported the Church’s stand against the Reproductive Health Act. But the CBCP said this should not be seen as the Church endorsing their candidacy in the May, 2013, polls.

“This is just to show our ap-preciation to the legislators,” said Msgr. Joselito Asis, CBCP secretary general.

Catholic prelates had lunch with some lawmakers yesterday at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila, where the bishops Plenary Assembly was held.

Among the lawmakers present were Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate Majority leader Vicen-te Sotto, Senator Gringo Honasan, Ilo-cos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, Cebu

Just Lunch, NotEndorsement — Bishops

Rep. Pablo Garcia, Bohol Rep. Arturo Yap, Manila Rep.Amado Bagatsing, Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado, and Zam-bales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay.

CBCP President Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said they wanted to show their gratitude to the lawmakers for promoting the sanctity of life and other Christian values.

“We are tendering this luncheon as appreciation for what they have done,” he said.

Earlier, the CBCP said that it was not endorsing any candidate in the May polls but would provide guide-lines to the faithful on what kind of candidate they should vote for.

“We are not in any way partisan. We do not tell the whole world who to vote or name people who are the right person to vote,” Palma said.

“We trust in the discerning process of the people to choose by themselves, believing they know how (to choose),” he said.

Meanwhile, administration senato-rial candidate Risa Hontiveros asked the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday to dismiss six petitions challenging the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 10354, the Responsible Parent-hood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012.

In a motion for intervention, Hon-tiveros said the new law would help the government in addressing misconceptions about reproduc-tive health, particularly maternal deaths.

She was joined in her motion by Sylvia Claudio, Clarita Eneria, Merry Jane Arroyo, Geraldin Navarra, Almira Dizon, Evelyn Ornopia, Amor Esperela, Ma. Yolanda Parocha, Fe-lisa Avila, Leticia Lubong, Corsinnie Barbecho, Emily Ragub and Rubelyn Tonido.

Hontiveros said that RA 10354 does not legalize abortion in the Philippines.

By KRIS BAYOS

Executives of the Philippine Na-tional Railways (PNR) are supporting congressional moves to extend the corporate life of the 120-year-old mass transit system.

The state-run rail line was named to PNR from its former identity as Fe-rocarril de Manila-Dagupan through Republic Act 4156.

But PNR general manager Junio Ragrario said the various interpreta-tions of the RA 4156 and President Decree 741 amending RA 4156 place PNR's expiry on 2014 or on 2024.

"There are various interpretations but we proceed from Marcos' PD, which says that PNR is good up to 2024," Ragrario said.

But even if PNR would legally be abolished by 2014 or 2024, Ragrario assured the riding public that there is

PNR Supports Extension Of Charterno government plan to close the mass transit system.

"There is no threat of closure. Clos-ing PNR is not in the government's mind because why should we be re-viving the Bicol Express and continu-ously expand the passenger capacity through additional coaches if we are to close anytime soon?" he said.

Ragrario said the PNR supports the House Bill 6717 jointly filed by Pampan-ga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her congressman-son Camarines Sur. Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo, propos-ing the amendment of RA 4156.

HB 6717 proposes to extend the corporate life of PNR by another 25 years.

"If not renewed and extended, PNR will cease to operate and further deprive the Bicol region of a cheap form of transportation, the South Rail being an indispensable ingredient in sustaining trade and industry in this

part of the country," the younger Ar-royo said.

The PNR ceased operation in 1993 after several calamities hit Southern Luzon, threatening the structural in-tegrity and stability of the rail tracks and bridges.

But the PNR was rehabilitated and the tracks cleared of informal settlers towards the end of the Arroyo admin-istration. The PNR's Metro Manila commuter service and the interpro-vincial Bicol Express line resumed operations under the existing Aquino administration.

At present, the PNR's commuter line runs daily from Tutuban in Ma-nila to Alabang in Muntinlupa while the Bicol Express have twice-daily trips going to Naga City and to Al-bay. However, the Bicol Express is currently closed while the tracks are undergoing test run after a derail-ment incident last year.

PRESIDENT’S TEAMThe election campaign ad-

vertisement of the President Benigno S. Aquino III’s senato-rial candidates would serve as the “guide” of the electorate in choosing their bet in the May 13 polls, a Liberal Party stalwart said yesterday. Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said the television and radio ad of the PNoy Team would “draw the line” between the administration and opposition candidates. “The LP-led coalition fired off today its TV and radio ad which clearly defines its cam-paign line that this is the team of President Aquino. Evardone said the President endorsed the ad-ministration candidates whom he believes exemplify his “straight path” policy of governance. (Cha-rissa M. Luci)

EARLY REGISTRATION

Education Secretary Armin Luistro yesterday expressed confidence that the goal of the Department of Education (DepEd) to send all school-aged children to school will soon be a reality with the increased number of enrollees who participated in this year’s Early Registration Day. “The enrollment for five and six-year-olds is at 97 percent in the last three years,” Luistro said. “We’re trying to hit the remaining three percent,” he said. Con-ducted last Saturday, the Early Registration Day urged parents and guardians of incoming kin-dergarten, grade 1 and first year high school students to enroll the children early for the school year 2013-2014. (Ina Malipot)

BAGUIO WINNER

A helper in a surveying firm who took care of an ailing broth-er until the sibling died and then sent four nephews and nieces to school won the P13,641,613.20 jackpot of 6/42 draw on January 24, 2013, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said yesterday. The man claimed his winnings yesterday and told that PCSO officials he will continue supporting the education of his dead brother's kids. According to PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II, the winner from Baguio said he will buy a house and lot, engage in a mort-gage and lending business in his province. (Edd Usman)

POLITICAL DYNASTY

An independent senatorial candidate has asked the Su-preme Court (SC) to compel the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to implement the constitutional ban on political dynasties. In a petition, Ricardo Penson, who had launched a “Kontra Dynasty” movement, cited Section 26, Article II of the Constitution which states that “the State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.” According to Penson, Con-gress has failed to come up with a law that would define clearly the term “political dynasties.” (Rey Panaligan)

G.O.P.A.C. MEETING

About 400 lawmakers from 78 countries around the globe are slated to attend the four-day conference of the 5th Global Organization of Parliamentar-ians Against Corruption (GOPAC) which would be hosted by the Philippines this Jan. 30. Sen. Ed-gardo Angara said the anti-cor-ruption meeting is a good chance to show the world of the Philip-pines' serious efforts of cleaning up the government. “This is our chance to show the world that we are seriously doing our part in cleaning up our government, in keeping with President Beni-gno Aquino III’s thrust of “daang matuwid” (straight path),” An-gara said. (Hannah Torregoza)

By ELLALYN B. DE VERA

Popular names continue to domi-nate the list of top 12 contenders in the May 2013 senatorial elections on the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

In the January SWS survey com-missioned by BusinessWorld, Sena-tors Loren Legarda (65 percent), Francis Escudero (62 percent), and Alan Peter Cayetano (60 percent) continue to hold the top three spots.

Ranked 4th to 12th in the survey published on BusinessWorld last Monday were San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito (53 percent), Senator Gregorio Honasan (48 percent), Sena-tor Aquilino Pimentel III (48 percent), former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri (47 percent), former Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar (46 percent), Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. (46 per-cent), Senator Antonio Trillanes IV (45 percent), former Optical Media Board chairperson Grace Poe Lla-manzares (45 percent), and United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) deputy secretary-general Nancy Binay (43 percent).

Legarda, Escudero and Cayetano retained their rankings, while Ejer-cito rose from fifth to fourth place.

Honasan, who currently shares fifth to sixth places with Pimentel, was up from eighth, while Pimentel's ranking was at sixth to seventh last December.

UsualNames

DominateSenatorialRankings

HONOR GUARD — Members of the PNP Honor Guard stand next to the Bantayog ng mga Bayaning Tagapa-mayapa, on which are etched the names of policemen who fell in the line of duty, during the wreath-laying ceremony as part of activities commemorating the 22nd Founding Anniversary of the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame in Quezon City yesterday. (Mark Balmores)

By BEN R. ROSARIO

Administration solons have joined

the opposition in calling for a con-gressional inquiry into the alleged irregularities surrounding the bidding process for the printing of official bal-lots for the May elections.

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City) and his brother, Rep. Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. (Abante Mindanao), filed House Resolution 2995 which directs the House commit-tee on suffrage and electoral reforms to look into the bidding process.

Earlier, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez and members of the House

Solons Press Ballot Printing Inquiryopposition filed House Resolution 2884 calling for an investigation in aid of legislation into the alleged irregulari-ties in the awarding of the multi-mil-lion peso printing contract awarded to the Holy Family Printing.

Suarez said the pre-qualification requirements alone were suspicious.

“The NPO required bidders to have a six-year experience. Why not ten or three?” the opposition leader said as he aired suspicions that the requirements could have been tailor-fit to the eventual winner.

The opposition lawmaker said the Comelec, not the NPO, should have actively participated or have made the final decision in the printing of the bal-

lots to ensure that security concerns were addressed.

In HR 2884, opposition congress-men questioned the delegation of the task of printing 55 million elec-tions ballots to a private printing company.

According to the Rodriguez broth-ers, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was allocated the sum of P784 million for the lease, installa-tion and commissioning of printing machines including the supply and delivery of ballot paper with security features and other consumables for the printing of the official ballots for the May 13, 2013 national and local elections.

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Don’t Attack...(Cont'd from page 1)

Amalilio Wanted...(Cont'd from page 1)

victims in Kota Kinabalu against Amalilio, which he said was the pri-mary reason the Aman Group owner was barred from returning to the country last Friday.

Rojas, however, did not give any specifics on the complaint filed by Malaysian victims against Amalilio.

“Ang sabi meron daw mga local complainants sa Kota Kinabalu, so kailangan muna nila [Malaysian au-thorities] na asikasuhin yun. I think they are going to evaluate ‘yung mga complaints na yun na nagsulputan din bigla,” the NBI director told the Manila Bulletin.

When asked if the Philippine gov-ernment would be able to bring the infamous businessman back in the country, Rojas admitted that “Amalilio might not be brought to the country anytime soon.”

“Hindi natin alam kung gaano katagal ang proseso sa Malaysia. So right now, we are in a wait-and-see mode as our government talks with their [Malaysian] government,” he said.

Last Sunday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima confirmed interven-tion from Malaysian officials caused setback in the return to the country of Amalilio.

“His (Amalilio’s) flight was blocked by a Malaysian police commissioner on orders from ‘higher ups.’ As to exactly who are the ‘higher ups’ we still don’t know,” she has bared.

De Lima, however, said the four-man team from NBI tasked to fetch Amalilio last Friday night was not giv-en a clear, acceptable reason for the “last-minute” intervention on what should have been a smooth deporta-tion of the wanted businessman.

“We are still trying to verify the reason so we can determine the next step or move to ensure that we will

get Mr. Amalilio,” she vowed.For this purpose, she said her

office might consider officially re-questing for clarification from the Malaysian government about the incident.

Reports had it that Amalilio’s de-portation was blocked due to “incom-plete documents” after it was found out that he is also a Malaysian.

De Lima said the NBI team pre-sented documents proving the Aman head is a Filipino due for deportation to the country after a Pagadian City regional trial court ordered his arrest earlier this month to face two initial cases of syndicated estafa.

She admitted the cancellation came as a surprise since Philippine embassy officials, including the police attaché, assured there was “no more problem” in Amalilio’s deportation until about 10 minutes before the flight when the Malaysian policemen arrived and took him into custody.

Pagadian City Regional Trial Court Branch 20 Judge Dennis Vi-coy ordered last Jan. 11 the arrest of Amalilio and other accused in the two initial syndicated estafa cases filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier this month.

The court issued the order after reviewing the findings in the earlier preliminary investigation conducted by the DOJ.

Apart from Amalilio, also ordered arrested were Aman president Fer-nando Luna and his wife Nimfa; the five board members who had earlier cooperated with the probe of the NBI – Leila Lim Gan, Eduard Lim, Wil-lanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez, and Lurix Lopez; and two other of-ficers, Dhurwen Wenceslao and Dona Coyme.

All of them are now in NBI cus-tody.

and some of the barangay tanod, all of them shot in the head at short range, apparently to ensure the death.

“I take few moments to pause to think about them and to reflect that like them every single one of you here, everyday and all the PNP officers and men all throughout the country, Every day when you put on your uniforms, you become an im-mediate target,” said Roxas.

As law enforcers, Roxas said policemen should be rendered with due courtesy and respect as they are the agents of the government in emphasizing the rule of law in the country.

Shot In Cold BloodMeanwhile, Chief Supt. Agrim-

ero Cruz Jr., director of the Western Visayas regional police, said he was able to interview one of the survi-vors and found out that some of the fatalities were still shot although they were already raising their

hands to surrender.“They were all wounded and

tried to surrender but they were still shot,” said Cruz.

Cruz said one of the rebels was even quoted saying they were pun-ished for joining BPAT, or Barangay Peace Action Team, which serves as police augmentation in the vil-lages.

NPA Claims Responsibility?In a phone interview, Cruz said

the local communist rebels report-edly claimed responsibility in the attack where it was also stated that the operation was not sanctioned by the NPA top leadership.

“They already admitted that they were responsible and it was a mis-take on their part, according to the statement they issued,” said Cruz.

Cruz said the operation was al-legedly led by a certain Rico of the Guerrilla Platoon of the Negros Island Provincial Committee.

(AS-71), BRP Rizal (PS-74) and BRP Ismael Lumibao (PG-383).

He also added that the USS Guard-ian is now in a stable position and in no danger of foundering.

As this developed, it was reported that the United States Navy paid Hawaii P610 million or US$15 million for coral damage in 2009 – a generous amount to cover the damage and re-habilitation efforts for the 890-square meter damaged coral reef.

Given that the area damaged by the USS Guardian spans at least 1,600 square meters in Tubbataha Reef, the cost of damage and reha-bilitation should also be double the amount paid by the US Navy for the Port Royal incident in 2009, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF-Philippines) said.

WWF said the grounding of USS Guardian is but the latest in a long line of scrapes between ships and reefs because in February 5, 2009, the USS Port Royal, a guided mis-sile cruiser, ran aground less than a kilometer from the Honolulu In-ternational Airport in Hawaii, which destroyed about 890 square meters of coral reef.

The United States Navy promised

to pay the State of Hawaii US$8.5 mil-lion to settle claims over coral reef damage, plus another US$6.5 million for reef restoration, including the reattachment of 5,400 coral colonies to expedite regrowth.

The total assistance provided by the US Navy amounted to US$15 mil-lion or about P610 million.

Tubbataha Reefs Park superin-tendent Angelique Songco cited that under Republic Act (RA) 10067 or the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act of 2009, a fine of about US$300 or P12,000 per square meter is mandatory, plus another US$300 per square meter for rehabilitation efforts.

Given the estimated size of dam-aged reef, the minimum fine would be US$960,000 or P38 million.

Songco said further sanctions should include unauthorized park entry, non-payment of conservation fees, destruction of resources, and the obstruction of law enforcement.

“This is not the first grounding incident in the park – all previous cases paid the appropriate fines for damages. We will not ask for anything more than what the law requires. We wish only for the US Navy to be responsible enough when entering

our protected areas,” she said. At present, the USS Guardian

still sits on the northwestern portion of the Tubbataha Reefs’ south atoll. Two heavy lift ship-borne cranes are due to arrive in Tubbataha Reef on Friday to support the salvage opera-tions of the mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian (MCM 5), the United States embassy in Manila reported.

“Like a ticking taxi meter, the passing of each minute and hour raises the stakes,” WWF-Philippines vice-chairman and chief executive of-ficer Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan said.

“However, safety must be chosen over speed – hasty efforts might do further harm to the reef,” Tan, a member of the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board, also said.

United States Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. stated that the US government will take steps to address the environmental issues that have arisen from the incident.

“Clearly, parallelisms between the USS Guardian and the USS Port Royal can be made. In the case of the Port Royal, the US Navy did the right thing by working cooperatively to fund the restoration and continued protection of the damaged reef,” Tan said. (With reports from Ellalyn B. de Vera and Roy C. Mabasa)

Seawater Pumped...(Cont'd from page 1)

technics triggered the fire early on Sunday, witnesses said, in an incident likely to raise concerns about public safety as Brazil readies to host the football World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016.

The fire regulations permit for the Kiss nightclub expired in August, 2011, local media reported, citing the head of the state’s fire department.

“I saw victims who had one side of their face melted,” Max Muller, who was walking by and started to film some of the chaotic early morning scenes from outside the club, told AFP.

“I am traumatized. It is hard to forget what I saw. People who were trying to get out who stopped to give other people CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) – except they didn’t know how to do it, and they were breaking people’s bones.

“It is horrible to see so many dead people, kids, on the ground; people crying, other people throwing up, who can’t breathe. Some were ripping people’s clothes off to do CPR but had no idea what they were doing,” he recalled.

Santa Maria is located west of Porto Alegre, one of the World Cup host cities. The fire led Brazil to quickly postpone an event dubbed “500 Days until World Cup-2014,” planned for Monday in the federal capital Brasilia.

Health Minister Alexandre Padil-ha told a news conference the govern-ment’s priority was “saving the lives that we still can save.”

The tragedy appeared to be the

world’s deadliest such blaze in more than a decade, since a fire at a shop-ping center and discotheque in the central Chinese city of Luoyang killed more than 300 people in 2000.

“It was sheer horror. I lost a very dear friend. The emergency exits did not work, and then I lost my friend in the confusion,” Mattheus Bortolotto, a young dentist, told local television.

“Then a girl died in my arms. I felt her heart stop beating. I had only ever seen something like that in the movies.”

The pandemonium from inside the club soon spread to outside the building.

“The metal barriers they used to keep people in line on their way in, ended up blocking people from get-ting out,” Bortolotto said. “People were bumping into each other, crush-ing each other, falling down.

“And the people who were at the back of the club were simply trapped.”

Reports said the fire broke out around 2 a.m. (0400 GMT) when the nightclub was hosting a university party.

Survivor Michelle Pereira said a member of the band lifted a firework into the air, which set the ceiling on fire. The flames quickly engulfed the entire room.

Taynne Vendruscolo, another survivor, told reporters: “Everyone was pushing and shoving. The fire started out small, but within seconds it exploded. Those who were close to the stage could not get out.”

Santa Maria fire chief Guido de

Melo said the fire caused widespread panic, and that many revelers were stepped on or died from smoke fumes. He said club security had blocked people from exiting, sparking a stampede.

Firefighters doused the blackened shell of a red brick building with water and used sledgehammers to punch holes in the walls to get people out faster.

The town is home to the Federal University of Santa Maria.

“A friend of mine managed to get out but then had a heart attack and died,” Ana Paula Miller, a 19-year-old engineering student, told AFP.

Victims’ bodies were taken to a sports stadium that was then blocked off by police to keep grieving family members, many of them sobbing and some with soot-blackened faces, from streaming in.

Left outside they waited for news of missing loved ones. “My son was killed. My son was killed,” wailed one mother who came looking but only found his name on the list of the dead, and then passed out.

Brazilian President Dilma Rouss-eff cut short a visit to Chile, where she was attending a European and Latin American summit, to head to Santa Maria and oversee the response.

“It’s a tragedy for all of us, and I cannot continue here at the summit, because my priority is the Brazilian people,” the visibly emotional leader told reporters traveling with her in Santiago.

She said federal and local authori-ties are mobilizing “all resources, so that we do not just recover the bodies but also support families at this time and provide very efficient care to the injured.”

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‘Metro Manila’...(Cont'd from page 1) Clinton May...

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President Barack Obama, the man who beat her in the 2008 race to be the Democratic Party’s nominee.

For months, 65-year-old Clinton has insisted that after more than two decades in the political spot-light she intends to step back into the shadows, catch up on some rest and enjoy some downtime for a change.

But with her popularity riding high – at around 65 percent accord-ing to a Washington Post-ABC poll last week – many believe she will bounce back to take another shot at being the nation’s first woman president in 2016.

“I am still secretary of state. So I’m out of politics,” Clinton told CBS television’s “60 Minutes” care-fully, leaving herself the option of reviving her career once she leaves government.

A woman who has devoted much of her life to public service, as first lady and as a New York senator, she stressed she still cared “deeply about what’s going to happen for our country in the future.”

Clinton said neither Obama nor “I can make predictions about

what’s going to happen tomorrow or the next year,” in comments bound to rekindle speculation that she could be preparing a 2016 run.

“What we’ve tried to do over the last four years is get up every day, have a clear eyed view of what’s going on in the world. And I’m re-ally proud of where we are,” she added.

Obama did nothing to dampen speculation, heaping praise on Clinton and saying he believed she “will go down as one of the finest secretaries of state we’ve had.”

“It has been a great collaboration over the last four years. I’m going to miss her,” he added, saying he wished she was staying on.

“I want the country to appreci-ate just what an extraordinary role she’s played during the course of my administration and a lot of the successes we’ve had internationally because of her hard work,” Obama added.

The joint sit-down interview, which was filmed at the White House, was apparently Obama’s idea, and some observers saw it as an early endorsement should she

choose to run for president in 2016.Obama will have to stand down

after serving the statutory maxi-mum of two terms, but his endorse-ment is likely to give any candidate a big boost.

Often the vice president becomes the natural choice as the incumbent party’s presidential nominee. It is not clear yet if Vice President Joe Biden will make a tilt for the White House, but he will be 73 years old come 2016.

Obama hailed Clinton for having been one of his “most important ad-visors,” saying she had established “a standard in terms of professional-ism and teamwork in our cabinet, in our foreign policy making.”

Their relationship had evolved into a friendship, with “a sense of trust and being in the foxhole to-gether,” he said.

He told CBS he had asked Clinton from the start of her tenure in 2009 to go out and represent America abroad so he could focus on dealing with the economic crisis facing the nation.

But he dismissed criticism the United States had become reluctant to take a lead in the more complicat-ed issues of the day, such as Syria, arguing the late Libyan dictator Moammar Khadafy probably would not agree with that assessment.

nected with everyone. I’d like to dedicate this to my mom, who passed away last year...”

Ellis likewise served as one of the executive producers along with En-rique Gonzalez and Celine Lopez.

Lopez related via a post on Ins-tagram how special the recognition was for them.

“In a cold place! My psychic predicted almost four years ago that Metro Manila will prosper in a cold place. Sean and I were trying to figure out where this cold place is. Fast forward now.... It’s in Sun-dance! ‘Metro Manila’ wins the World Cinema Dramatic Audience award,” she wrote.

According to Arcilla’s Facebook account, “Metro Manila” was nomi-nated in seven categories. There are eight award categories in Sundance namely Grand Jury Prizes, World Cinema Grand Jury Prizes, Direct-ing Award, Cinematography Award, Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, Screenwriting Award: World Cinema Dramatic, Documentary Editing Award, and Audience Awards.

Apart from the award, “Metro Manila” has received positive com-mentaries such as from The Guard-

ian (a “poetic and searingly realistic migrant drama”), The Hollywood Reporter (“much of the film’s effec-tiveness is attributable to the lead ac-tors’ well-modulated performances; “Production quality is first-rate”), and Variety (“Overlong, sometimes inventive, yet with a self-indulgent tendency to exploit cliche as if it didn’t exist…”).

Set in the Philippines, “Metro Manila,” as described in the Sun-dance official website, centers on a family seeking greener pastures in the Philippine capital. However, they “fall prey to the rampant manipula-tions of its hardened locals,” forcing lead character Oscar (Macapagal) “to confront the perils he faces in his new job and life.”

As seen on Instagram, Rodriguez and Santos had a close encounter with Hollywood actor and ceremony host Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose directorial debut, “Don Jon’s Addic-tion,” premiered at Sundance.

Founded by Robert Redford, Sundance has been recognizing films with the “most original and authen-tic storytelling” for more than two decades now. It runs from Jan. 17 to 27 in Park City, Utah.

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STANLEY KARNOW

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Stanley Karnow has died at age 87. A son of the author, Michael Karnow, told The Associated Press that his father died in his sleep Sunday at his home in Potomac, Maryland. Stanley Karnow wrote the definitive book and television documentary about the Vietnam War and later won a Pulitzer for a history of the Philippines. At first a Paris-based correspondent for Time magazine, Karnow was assigned in 1958 to Hong Kong as bureau chief for Southeast Asia and soon arrived in Vietnam, when the American presence was still confined to a small core of advisers. Karnow reported on the first two American deaths in Vietnam.

AUSTRALIA FLOODING

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Officials say around 1,200 properties are flooded in the Australian east coast city of Bundaberg as rescuers struggle to reach dozens of people trapped on roof tops. There are no reports of injuries. Deputy Mayor David Batt told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio on Monday that hundreds of people need to be evacuated from their homes. Queensland state Premier Campbell Newman says emergency crews are trying to rescue 30 people trapped on roofs in Bundaberg. Bundaberg, which has a population of 98,000, is 385 kilometers (240 miles) north of the state capital Brisbane.

SETTLEMENT PLAN

JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel on Sunday approved a plan to settle tens of thousands of desert-dwelling Bedouin in permanent townships, triggering criticism from opponents who say it will displace many from their traditional lands. The government said it would “as much as possible’’ grant legal status to villages in the Negev desert that are currently unrecognized by the authorities and where some Bedouin live, if they met unstated minimum population criteria. A statement said that “most’’ residents of such communities; which now receive no government or municipal services, would be able to continue living there after the villages are granted legal status.

CHAVEZ PRAISED

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chilean President Sebastian Pinera warmly praised Hugo Chavez on Sunday, crediting the Venezuelan leader’s “vision, tenacity and strength’’ for forging the alliance of Latin American and Caribbean leaders that was able to meet European leaders as equals this weekend. “We’re all praying so that he can win a battle, perhaps the toughest battle of his life, and that he’s doing it with this strength and courage that he’s always showed, to recover his health,’’ Pinera said to applause from Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro and other leaders.

IMMIGRATION REFORM

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Eight US lawmakers crossed party lines to unveil a plan Monday that would provide a pathway to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants currently living in the shadows in the United States. “We recognize that our immigration system is broken,’’ the senators said in their bipartisan framework, which comes as President Barack Obama vows a fresh push on immigration in his second term.

SEVARE, Mali (AP) — French and Malian forces pushed toward the fabled desert town of Timbuktu on Sunday, as the two-week-long French mission gathered momentum against the Islamist extremists who have ruled the north for more than nine months.

So far the French forces have met little resistance from the militants, though it remains unclear what bat-tles may await them farther north. The Malian military blocked dozens of international journalists from try-ing to travel toward Timbuktu.

Lt. Col. Diarran Kone, a spokes-man for Mali’s defense minister, de-clined to give details Sunday about the advance on Timbuktu, citing the security of an ongoing military opera-tion.

Timbuktu’s mayor, Ousmane Halle, is in the capital, Bamako, and he told The Associated Press he had no information about the remote

town, where phone lines have been cut for days.

A convoy of about 15 vehicles transporting international journalists also was blocked Sunday afternoon in Konna, some 186 miles (300 kilome-ters) south of Timbuktu.

The move on Timbuktu comes a day after the French announced they had seized the airport and a key bridge in Gao, one of the other north-ern provincial capitals under the grip of radical Islamists.

“People were coming out into the streets to greet the arrival of the troops and celebrate,’’ said Hassane Maiga, a resident of Gao. “At night, youth from Gao went out alongside the Malian military. They scoured homes in search of the Islamists and the youth smashed the houses.’’

French and Malian forces were patrolling Gao Sunday afternoon searching for remnants of the Isla-mists and maintaining control of the

bridge and airport, said Kone, the Mali military spokesman.

The French special forces, which had stormed in by land and by air, had come under fire in Gao from ``sever-al terrorist elements’’ that were later “destroyed,’’ the French military said in a statement on its website Satur-day.

In a later press release entitled “French and Malian troops liberate Gao,’’ the French ministry of defense said they brought back the town’s mayor, Sadou Diallo, who had fled to Bamako.

However, a Gao official inter-viewed by telephone by The Associ-ated Press said late Saturday that coalition forces so far only controlled the airport, the bridge and surround-ing neighborhoods. And in Paris, a defense ministry official clarified that the city had not been fully liberated, and that the process of freeing Gao was continuing.

ALEPPO, Syria (AFP) — Syria’s 22-month war, despite its dehuman-izing effects, is teaching ordinary people to pull together and come up with innovative ways to survive without electricity or their daily bread.

‘’Buying bread or stepping out to collect water can be deadly,’’ said Abu Hisham, a young resident of Aleppo, the strife-torn country’s main northern city and one-time economic capital.

“People used to panic (last sum-mer) when warplanes started to bomb Aleppo, but now they’re so

used to it that almost nobody re-acts,’’ he told AFP via Skype.

A student in Damascus be-fore the conflict against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime erupted in March 2011, Abu Hisham fled to his hometown when he found out he was wanted by the intelligence services.

Abu Hisham became a citizen journalist, filming and uploading on the Internet from the city which has been devastated by six months of guerrilla warfare between rebel fighters and government forces.

“Before, during power cuts, ev-

erything would come to a halt. Now we celebrate if we have electricity even for just two hours,’’ he said, as residents come up with new ways to cope.

“The winter’s cold and there’s no fuel. Families are having to chop up their furniture for firewood,’’ Abu Hisham said.

The family of Umm Alaa, who is raising seven children in Aleppo, is among those suffering the most.

“Before, I could buy large quan-tities of food to last us for months, but now with no electricity, our fridge is of no use,’’ she said.

French, Mali Forces Approach Timbuktu

SYRIAN REBELS — Rebel fighters walk to position themselves as they prepare to fight Syrian regime forces in the village of Kurnaz, close to the Western city of Hama, on January 27, 2013. More than a dozen rebel fighters took up defensive positions in Kurnaz with light weapons against Syrian Army tanks roughly four kilometers away which were firing shells around them. (AFP)

MALI ADVANCE — A Mali soldier pours tea in a camp in the recently retaken town of Diabaly, Mali, January 26, 2013. French and Malian forces have taken control of the airport in the Northern town of Gao, according to the French Defense Ministry, as they continue their advance northwards along two main fronts in the northeast and northwest of Mali. The Northern Malian towns of Gao, Kidal, Timbuktu, Lere, and Diabaly were all seized by Islamic militants linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb but they are now steadily being retaken by the French and Malian forces. (EPA)

Syrians Come Up WithNew Ways To Live With War

Somaliland Westerners

Bulgarian Referendum

Zambia Rally

LONDON (AP) — British citizens should immediately leave the break-away Somaliland region of Somalia because of a specific threat to West-erners, British diplomats said Sun-day. It was the second such warning issued for an African region in just days and comes amid growing turbu-lence across the continent’s north.

In a statement emailed to report-ers, Britain’s Foreign Office did not go into any further detail about the nature of the threat but noted that “kidnapping for financial or politi-cal gain, motivated by criminality or terrorism’’ is an issue throughout Somalia.

Somalia has endured years of civil war, and Britain; along with the United States and a host of other countries,has long advised against all travel to the Horn of Africa nation. Sunday’s travel warning applies spe-cifically to the northwest territory of Somaliland, which declared its inde-pendence from Somalia in 1991 and has since been a haven of relative peace amid the chaos and bloodshed of the country’s south.

Somaliland Foreign Minister Mo-hamed Abdulahi Omar told a news conference that his government has full confidence in its security. “We don’t believe in that warning,’’ he said. “We are informing the public and foreigners in our country that there’s no security scares at all. But in general, terrorism is a worldwide menace.’’

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Unoffi-cial results show that more than 60 percent of Bulgarians voted Sunday in favor of building a new nuclear power plant, but the voter turnout was far below the threshold needed to make the referendum binding.

The issue, which has been seen as a barometer of the relationship between the European Union’s poor-est member and Russia, appears likely to head to parliament, where the center-right ruling party plans to block the project.

The pro-Western government last March canceled a deal with Russia’s Atomstroyexport for a 2,000-mega-watt nuclear plant at the northern town of Belene, arguing that esti-mated costs of up to (euro) 10 billion ($13 billion) were too high.

The vote was called by the op-position Socialist party in an effort to force the government to reverse its decision. It was Bulgaria’s first referendum since the fall of commu-nism in 1989.

An unofficial vote count by the Alfa Research Agency showed that 21.8 percent of the 6.9 million eligible voters cast a ballot in the referen-dum, and 61 percent supported hav-ing a new nuclear plant. Official re-sults were expected later this week.

LUSAKA (AFP) — Zambian oppo-sition leader Hakainde Hichilema on Sunday challenged President Michael Sata to arrest him again as his party held the first opposition rally allowed by authorities since Sata’s election in September 2011.

“I will not stop speaking for the Zambians, and if Sata wants let him arrest me even for 200 times. The man has failed and he wants to arrest oppo-sition leaders. I will not stop speaking for the people of Zambia,’’ Hichilema told thousands of supporters of his United Party for National Develop-ment (UPND), the country’s second-largest opposition party.

Hichilema has been arrested in the past; most recently on January 17, and is currently facing trial on charg-es of defaming the president and false publication.

The rally in the capital Lusaka is the first since Sata’s Patriotic Front (PF) swept to victory in the 2011 elections, booting out the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), which had been in power for 20 years.

After the election, Zambia won praise for the peaceful transition of power, but opposition leaders have since accused Sata’s government of waging an anti-democratic crack-down on them.

WORLDNEWSBITS

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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Private landowners are reaping billions of dollars in royalties each year from the boom in natural gas drilling, transforming lives and livelihoods even as the windfall provides only a modest boost to the broader econo-my.

In Pennsylvania alone, royalty payments could top $1.2 billion for 2012, according to an Associated Press analysis that looked at state tax information, production records and estimates from the National As-sociation of Royalty Owners.

For some landowners, the unex-pected royalties have made a big dif-ference.

“We used to have to put stuff on credit cards. It was basically living from paycheck to paycheck,’’ said Shawn Georgetti, who runs a family dairy farm in Avella, about 30 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.

Natural gas production has boomed in many states over the past few years as advances in drilling opened up vast reserves buried in deep shale rock, such as the Marcel-lus formation in Pennsylvania and the Barnett in Texas.

Nationwide, the royalty owners association estimates, natural gas royalties totaled $21 billion in 2010, the most recent year for which it has done a full analysis. Texas paid out the most in gas royalties that year, about $6.7 billion, followed by Wyo-ming at $2 billion and Alaska at $1.9 billion.

Exact estimates of natural gas royalty payments aren’t possible be-cause contracts and wholesale prices of gas vary, and specific tax informa-tion is private. But some states re-lease estimates of the total revenue collected for all royalties, and feed-back on thousands of contracts has led the royalty owners association to conclude that the average royalty is

18.75 percent of gas production.“Our fastest-growing state chap-

ter is our Pennsylvania chapter, and we just formed a North Dakota chap-ter. We’ve seen a lot of new people, and new questions,’’ said Jerry Sim-mons, the director of the association, which was founded in 1980 and is based in Oklahoma.

Simmons said he hasn’t heard of anyone getting less than 12.5 per-cent, and that’s also the minimum rate set by law in Pennsylvania. Simmons knows of one contract in another state where the owner re-ceived 25 percent of production, but that’s unusual.

By comparison, a 10 to 25 percent range is similar to what a top record-ing artist might get in royalties from CD sales, while a novelist normally gets a 12.5 percent to 15 percent roy-alty on hardcover book sales.

Simmons added that for oil and gas “there is no industry standard,’’ since the royalty is often adjusted based on the per-acre signing bonus a landowner receives. While many people are lured by higher upfront bonuses, a higher royalty rate can generate more total income over the life of a well, which can stretch for 25 years.

Before Range Resources drilled a well on the family property in 2012, Georgetti said, he was stuck using 30-year-old equipment, with no way to upgrade without going seriously into debt.

“You don’t have that problem anymore. It’s a lot more fun to farm,’’ Georgetti said, since he has been able to buy newer equipment that’s bigger, faster and more fuel-efficient. The drilling hasn’t caused any prob-lems for the farm, he said.

Range spokesman Matt Pitzarel-la said the Fort Worth, Texas-based company has paid “well over’’ $1 billion to Pennsylvania landowners,

with most of that coming since 2008.One economist noted that the

windfall payments from the natural gas boom are wonderful for individu-als, but that they represent just a tiny portion of total economic activity.

For example, the $1 billion for Pennsylvania landowners sounds like a lot, but “it’s just not going to have a big impact on the overall vi-tality of the overall economy,’’ said Robert Inman, a professor of eco-nomics and public policy at the Uni-versity of Pennsylvania’s Wharton business school. “I think the issue is, what difference does it make for the individual families?’’

Pennsylvania’s total gross do-mestic product in 2011 was about $500 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Inman noted that total gas indus-try hiring and investment can have a far bigger effect on a state or region, and companies have invested tens of billions of dollars just in Pennsylva-nia on pipelines, infrastructure, and drilling in recent years.

For example, in North Dakota the shale oil and minerals boom contrib-uted 2.8 percent of GDP growth to the entire state economy in 2011, ac-cording to Commerce Department data.

Another variable in how much royalty owners actually receive is the wholesale price of gas. That has dropped significantly over the past two years even as production has boomed in Pennsylvania and many other states. Average wholesale prices went from about $4.50 per unit of gas in 2010 to about $3 in 2012. For many leaseholders, that meant a de-cline in royalties.

The boom in natural gas royal-ties has even led to niche spinoff companies that look for lease heirs who don’t even know they’re owed money.

SANTIAGO (AFP) — Spain’s bid to join the Pacific Alliance il-lustrates the growing clout of the trade association between Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, a new rival to the South American trading bloc Mercosur.

In an interview with Santiago daily La Tercera, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said his country had asked for admission during the summit of the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Spain, a former colonial power with close cultural and economic ties to the region, is reeling from a severe financial crisis and high un-employment.

It sees the trade alliance as a gateway to the booming and re-source-hungry Asia-Pacific region.

“I am interested in the Pacific just as much as in Latin America, because in the Pacific we can in-vest, people from the Pacific can invest in our country, we can ex-port our products to countries that are growing,’’ Rajoy explained.

Other European leaders at the weekend’s EU-CELAC summit agreed.

“Efforts at greater integration of the Pacific Alliance will strengthen its position regionally and inter-nationally, which make them even more attractive partners,’’ said Eu-ropean Council President Herman van Rompuy.

An initiative of former Peruvian president Alan Garcia, the alliance was formally set up in Chile last June.

“I have no doubt that this pro-cess is the most important in Latin American history, not only because of the importance of its members but because of what they have al-ready achieved,’’ said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

Gas Drilling Royalties Transform Lives

PACIFIC PRESIDENTS — The Presidents of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos, Mexico Enrique Pena Nieto, Chile Sebastian Pinera, and Peru Ollanta Humala are seen during a conference at the VI Pacific Alliance in Santiago on January 27, 2013. (AFP)

CHANGING LIVES — In this Saturday, January 26, 2013 photo, Shawn Georgetti climbs out of his John Deere tractor on his 167-acre family dairy farm in Avella, Pennsylvania, United States. With royalties from Range Resources’ gas well on his property, Georgetti has been able to buy new farm equipment that’s bigger, faster, and more fuel-efficient. (AP)

Pacific LatAm

Countries Growing

Clout

TestFlight

Deal Signed

Cybersecurity Force

BEIJING (AP) — China said it successfully tested a heavy air force freighter that could be a mostly home-grown substitute for the older Russian planes it now uses while substantially boosting the Chinese military’s global reach.

The Y-20 flew took off from its de-velopment base near the northwest-ern city of Xi’an on Saturday, the China Daily and other newspapers reported Monday. The plane can fly 44,000 kilometers (27,300 miles) with 66 tons of freight, and is designed to fill the need for a stronger, long-range heavy lift capacity.

China now uses Russian IL-76 freighters, including for communi-cations roles, but those planes were first built in the 1970s and their tech-nology is outdated. The Y-20, which compares to the U.S. Air Force’s C-17 cargo planes, will use Russian jet engines until China develops re-placements, the reports said.

China in 2011 sent IL-76 freight-ers to rescue its citizens trapped by the fighting in Libya and the intro-duction of the Y-20 should substan-tially increase the military’s ability to deliver soldiers and equipment, including tanks, for combat missions or disaster relief.

Separately, the official Xinhua News Agency said China success-fully tested an anti-ballistic missile system Sunday but gave few details. China last successfully tested the system in 2010.

China has spent lavishly on its military in recent years as its econ-omy boomed, giving the country the second-largest official defense bud-get after the United States. That has given teeth to Beijing’s ambitions to take a leading role in the Asian Pa-cific region and deter Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as its own, from declaring formal independence.

While China says those arms are purely for defense, its recent ag-gressive moves to assert its territo-rial claims have unnerved Vietnam, the Philippines and other neighbors and prompted them to boost defense spending as well.

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The World Bank on Sunday announced a long-awaited deal to allow Myanmar to clear part of its huge decades-old foreign debt, opening the door for new much-needed lending to jump-start its lagging economy.

The bank’s Washington head-quarters said in a statement that the Japan Bank for International Coop-eration, the country’s overseas de-velopment bank, will provide a bridge loan to Myanmar to allow it to cover outstanding debt to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, which totals about $900 million.

Myanmar stopped payments on its old loans about 1987, making it ineligible for new development lend-ing.

The deal is a major breakthrough for Myanmar, with loans likely to go to upgrading its dilapidated infra-structure, including electricity and ports. The knock-on effect would be to bring in more foreign direct invest-ment, already attracted by the coun-try’s relatively low-cost economy.

The debt deal clears the way for Japan to push ahead with plans for a $12.3 billion plan to build a spe-cial economic zone near the capital which is being developed by a con-sortium including Japanese trading firms Mitsubishi Corp., Marubeni Corp. and Sumitomo Corp.

The deal is also likely to draw criticism, because it comes as Myan-mar’s army is pushing hard against ethnic Kachin rebels in the coun-try’s north, in an echo of the notori-ous counterinsurgency campaigns of previous military regimes.

A former General, Thein Sein, became the country’s elected presi-dent in 2011 and began reversing almost five decades of military re-pression by instituting political and economic reforms.

He won the substantial easing of economic and political sanctions imposed against the junta by the United States and other nations. But some pro-democracy activists say his administration has been reward-ed too much, too fast, allowing some abuses to continue, such as repres-sion of ethnic minorities.

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US Department of Defense has ap-proved a fivefold expansion of its cybersecurity force over the com-ing years in a bid to increase its ability to defend critical computer networks, The Washington Post re-ported late Sunday.

Citing unnamed US officials, the newspaper said the Defense De-partment’s Cyber Command, which currently has a staff of about 900, will expand to about 4,900 troops and civilians.

The decision to expand the Cy-ber Command was made by senior Pentagon officials late last year in recognition of a growing threat in cyberspace, the report said.

Last November, Defense Secre-tary Leon Panetta conceded that US cybersecurity needed more fi-nancial support and human capital.

‘’We’ve got good people that are involved in it, but, very frankly, if we’re going to stay on the cutting edge of what’s happening with re-gards to the changes that are occur-ring, we have got to invest more in that area,’’ he said during a speech in Washington hosted by the Center for a New American Security.

The seriousness of the threat has been underscored by a string of sabotage attacks, including one in which a virus was used to wipe data from more than 30,000 computers at a Saudi Arabian state oil company last summer, The Post pointed out.

According to the paper, the plan calls for the creation of three types of forces under the Cyber Com-mand.

The ‘’national mission forces’’ will protect computer systems that handle electrical grids, power plants and other infrastructure deemed critical, the paper said.

‘’Combat mission forces’’ will help commanders abroad plan and execute attacks or other offensive operations, The Post said.

Meanwhile, the task of ‘’cyber protection forces’’ will be to shield the Defense Department’s own net-works, the paper noted.

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10 MANILA BULLETIN TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2013

Editorial

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST AT HOME, IN SCHOOL, AT WORK, FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF FILIPINO PEOPLE.

THE Philippine National Police (PNP), the national police force of the Republic

of the Philippines, is marking the 22nd Anniversary of its historic creation on January 29, 2013.

Republic Act (RA) 6975, signed into law on December 13, 1990, reorganized the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the establishment of a police force that is national and civilian in character. On January 29, 1991, at Camp Crame, Quezon City, the Philippine Constabulary and the Integrated National Police were merged and the PNP was activated in its place. Republic Act 8551, the “Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998,” was enacted on February 25, 1998, to amend RA 6975. It provided for a community and service-oriented PNP responsible for peace and order and public safety. It strengthened and expanded the National Police Commission’s (Napolcom) authority over the PNP to include administration of police entrance examination. Napolcom is the agency mandated by the Constitution and Major Police Reform Laws, as well as RA 6975 and RA 8551, to administer the PNP.

The primordial task of the 140,000 men and women of the PNP is to fulfill its mandate of providing protection and security for the country and communities, essentially guided by the PNP philosophy Service, Honor, and Justice. The PNP provides law enforcement services through its 1,741 regional, provincial, municipal, district, and local police units nationwide.

It implements the PNP Integrated Transfor mation P rogram (ITP), the organization’s roadmap for long-term and

lasting reforms in the police force. The ITP seeks to improve the quality of police services, strengthen law enforcement capabilities, and enhance the welfare and benefits of PNP personnel and their dependents. The PNP is working to effect transformation in 12 key areas: National policy and institutions development, police operations, facilities development, human resources development and management, administrative and financial management, strategic planning and performance management, information and communication technology, demonstration of excellence through development of best practices, public information and advocacy, reform management, and promotion of human rights.

The Manila Bulletin, led by its Chairman of the Board Dr. Emilio T. Yap, President and Publisher Atty. Hermogenes P. Pobre, Executive Vice President Dr. Emilio C. Yap III, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Cris J. Icban Jr., Business Editor Loreto D. Cabañes, Officers and Employees, congratulate the Philippine National Police, headed by the Chief PNP Director-General Alan L.M. Purisima; the Deputy Chief for Administration, Deputy Director General Rommel D. F. Heredia; the Chief, PNP Public Information Office, Chief Superintendent Generoso R. Cerbo Jr.; the Chief, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Director Samuel D. Pagdilao Jr.; the Chief, PNP Highway Patrol Group, Chief Superintendent Arrazad P. Subong, other Officers and Personnel, on the occasion of the 22nd Anniversary of its creation. We wish them the best and success in all endeavors. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE 22ND ANNIVERSARY

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The Manila Bulletin, led by its Chairman of the Board Dr. Emilio T. Yap, President and Publisher Atty. Hermogenes P. Pobre, Executive Vice President Dr. Emilio C. Yap III,

Editor-in-Chief Dr. Cris J. Icban Jr., Business Editor Loreto D. Cabañes, Officers and Employees,congratulate the Philippine National Police, headed by the Chief PNP Director-General

Alan L.M. Purisima; the Deputy Chief for Administration, Deputy Director General Rommel D. F. Heredia; the Chief, PNP Public Information Office, Chief Superintendent

Generoso R. Cerbo Jr.; the Chief, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Director Samuel D. Pagdilao Jr.; the Chief, PNP Highway Patrol Group, Chief Superintendent

Arrazad P. Subong, other Officers and Personnel, on the occasion of the 22nd Anniversary of its creation. We wish them the best and success in all endeavors. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!

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Landscape

By GEMMA CRUZ ARANETA

Chaff From The Grain

By HECTOR R.R. VILLANUEVAFormer Press Secretary

By DR. JESUS P. ESTANISLAO

On Swimming Against the Current

Global View

By DR. BETH DAY ROMULO

Views Features Tuesday, January 29, 2013 11•

ALL CITIZENS AND OFFICIALS SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER THE NATIONAL INTEREST IS ABOVE ALL PERSONAL AND OTHER INTERESTS.

Reflections Today

Plain View

By ATTY. ROMEO V. PEFIANCO

Medium Rare

By JULLIE YAP DAZA

(Cont’d on page B-9)

(Cont’d on page B-9)

(Cont’d on page B-10)

(Cont’d on page B-9)

Awareness

(Cont’d on page B-10)(Cont’d on page B-9)

WEAK REPUBLIC

(Cont’d on page B-9)

GOVERNMENT TOWARDS ACHIEVING TARGETS OF THE PHILIPPINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2011-2016

OUR OLD POLS IN ACTION

(Cont’d on page B-9)

(Cont’d on page B-9)

(Cont’d on page B-9)

WHOEVER DOES THE FATHER’S WILLMARK 3:31-35

A VISIT

Finding Answers

By ATTY. JOEY D. LINA JR.Former Senator

IT was a fitting tribute to US Sec-retary of State Hillary Clinton that

Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, on behalf of President Aquino, presented her with the Philippine Legion of Honor – the highest award that the President can grant an individual without clearing through Congress – on her last week in Washington.

Mrs. Clinton, who has chalked up the most travel time of any US Sec-

retary of State – she has visited 112 countr ies during her term in office – has had a rough year. After returning from a European trip, she was alone in her house when she came down with a stomach virus, fainted, and fell, resulting in a concus-sion and a blood clot near her brain.

‘CURING’ WITH DOCTOR’S FENG SHUI

FENG shui “experts” have been so coming out of the woodwork it’s

unbelievable! How many of them can be believed if they don’t know how to read the ephemeris (in Mandarin) that tracks the movements of planets?

One practitioner who tugs a long string of heavyweight clients – bank-ers, developers, architects and design-ers – has been in the business 20 years but keeps a low profile in spite of his fame within that limited but influen-

tial circle, such as the owners of the Rockwell projects. He also happens to be an MD, and he sees ghosts, labeling himself a G.R.O. (ghost relations officer). Some of those ghosts he claims to have seen coming out of a large mirror in Malacañang – they were Katipuneros who didn’t

think the revolution had come to an end.

“Where do you send the spirits that you encounter?” we asked him over lunch at Toni Lo’s LRI Plaza. It was the first time Dr. Andy Tan, 50, of Chinatown Manila, wearing a wispy goatee and a rat tail, sat down with journalists, and did he have tales to tell!

“You cannot send them away,” he

“Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

THE Philippines is a weak republic that, like a church

mouse, occasionally roars like a lion, and settles down like a lapdog.

The timid, soft-shoe shuffle, and appeasing attitude of Fili-pino administrations vis-à-vis the Unites States, the South China Sea territorial dispute; and t h e M u s l i m secessionist ambition are three, among many, of the more notable and conspicu-ous examples of policy weak-nesses that characterize the Philippines as a weak republic.

First, at the Tubbataha marine sanctuary, the concern is not only the extent of the damage to the coral reefs, or the fines to be imposed on the United States Navy, but also concerns policy violation.

If truth be told, illegal dynamite blasting and sodium poisoning inflict more mass killing of ma-rine life and living corals than one solitary United States Navy minesweeper that lost its way.

The main policy issue is: what’s a foreign vessel doing inside Phil-ippine territorial waters without permission or public notice? In like manner, why does the Philip-pine government allow US war-ships, presumably carrying and armed with nuclear warheads, to enter Subic Bay, or other ports, when there is an existing inter-national treaty that prohibits the entry of nuclear-armed vessels into Philippine waters?

Whatever is the excuse or jus-tification, the point is that the US disregards Filipino sensitivity and treats Philippine sovereignty with impunity.

So much for Philippine inde-pendence and a strong republic.

Second, the South China Sea has become prominent and con-troversial not only because of the potentially rich deposits of oil and gas all along the South China Sea corridor but also because of the growing military dominance of China in the region.

For the Philippines, the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea islands have ceased to become exclusive Philippine possessions, and have instead become an in-ternational issue that will require protracted diplomatic negotia-tions with China and international arbitration.

In brief, owing to the country’s inherent military and economic weakness, the Spratly islands and environs appear inexorably to be slipping away from our grasp.

Third, the Framework Agree-ment between the National gov-ernment and the MILF is a clear sign of appeasement.

At first blush, the MILF Bang-

THE farther we go from the immediate confines of home and the tight circle

of friends, colleagues, and peers, the more we have to inter-act with people who are rather far from us. The people we share a town or small city with are much easier to identify with, relative to our fellow citi-zens of the Philippines (other Pinoys) and other men and women in the world today (the other global village persons). Understandably, it is easier for us to identify

(Editor’s note: ‘Amang’ Rodriguez led the Senate for 10 years but rarely distributed cash gifts more than R20 to R50 charged against his insurance company, Luzon Surety, near Escolta, as noted by the author.)

IN the early 1950s, the Senate Presi-dent was an early riser and attended

to his duties with clockwork punctuality. He dreaded a one-

JESUS’ mother and His brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent

word to Him and called Him. A crowd seated around Him told Him, “Your mother and Your brothers and Your sisters are outside asking for You.” But He said to them in reply, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers. For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister

and mother.”REFLEC-

TIONSWho are my

mother and my brothers? Jesus tells us that what matters to Him is not blood relationship but the bond created by doing the Father’s will, just as He always does.

We can apply this to our present

situation. What matters is not whether you are a Catholic or not, but whether you do the will of the Father. Belonging to the Church by baptism is a great grace, but as the Lord says in the Sermon on the Mount, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Mt 7:21).

The greatness of Mary comes not

HILLARY CLINTON, FRIEND OF THE PHILIPPINES

Hospitalized, then told to rest, she turned down the urgent call of her supporters to prepare to run for the presidential election in 2016.

America’s “most admired woman” Secretary Clinton was awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor for be-ing a “true and loyal friend of the Philippines.” As Secretary of State, she signed the Manila Declaration which confirms the US commitment

CULTURAL FORMATION (I)

“PINAGPALA ang Bayan na ang Diyos ay ang Pangi-

noon” is the local translation of the Holy Bible’s Psalm 33, Verse 12, printed in new editions of Philip-pine currency notes since 2010. And God’s promise – “Blessed is the na-tion whose God is the Lord” – is be-ing fulfilled as remarkable changes are taking shape in our economy that business sectors believe will soar even more in 2013.

The signs are unmistakable: Our credit rating is on the verge of investment-grade status, the 2012 Gross D o m e s t i c Product (GDP) surpassed the 5-to-6 percent

growth target, peso value is strong at almost 40 to a US dollar, and unemployment could be reduced significantly because job vacancies, both overseas and local (about 90 percent) posted in the Labor De-partment’s Phil-Job.Net website, exceeded for the first time by over 100,000 the number of registered job seekers.

Also, the inflation rate is stabi-lized at about 3 percent; our foreign reserves hit a record high of $81.9 billion last September surpassing the $78 billion forecast for 2012; and external debt in mid-2012, accord-ing to Central bank Deputy Gover-nor Diwa Guinigundo, went down to about 27% of the GDP from the 69% about 10 years ago. All these and a host of other blessings God is showering on the Philippines.

That international credit agen-cies like Moody’s, Fitch Ratings, and Standard & Poor’s have up-graded our credit rating, now just a notch below investment grade, shows our country is on the right path and has passed strict interna-tional scrutiny regarding economic resiliency, institutional strength, and government fiscal policies – including significant improvements in tax collection, anti-corruption drive, governance, rule of law, and transparency.

With the upgrade, Guinigundo told Sagot ko ‘yan teleradyo pro-gram (DZMM, 8 to 9 a.m. every Sunday), the resulting debt spread leads to a longer maturity period and thus, more development proj-ects could be effected – more roads and bridges, more hospital beds, and so on. For private enterprises, the effect could be expansion, lead-ing to more projects, more jobs, and lower prices of products, among others.

Pessimists warn of a bleak fu-ture contained in a United Nations report saying that “the prospects for the next two years continue to be challenging, fraught with major uncertainties and risks slanted towards the downside.” But some local bankers, quoting published reports, said: “We expect the mo-mentum of domestic demand and the country’s good macroeconomic numbers to outweigh the uncertain-ties in Western economies.”

The UN Global Economic Out-

BLESSED NATION

Awareness

METRO MANILA’SINTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION BLUEPRINT

ACCORDING to the recent So-cioeconomic Report (SER) 2010-

2012 of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the government is moving closer to achieving its expectations of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016, despite unexpected exter-nal forces that have threatened the nation’s economic growth. SER data show that by the first half of 2012, the

economy showed a more aggres-sive stance as real Gross Do-mestic Product (GDP) expanded by 6.2 percent. The growth was driven by services and industry on the supply and by household and government consumptions, and net

exports demand.The National Statistical Coordina-

tion Board announced that the coun-try posted a 6.5 percent growth in the first three quarters of 2012, and thus will likely surpass the 5.0-6.0 percent full-year growth assumption of the Development Budget Coordination Committee.

The report said fiscal performance

A NEW study is coming up to update the 17-year-old urban

transport blueprint that is now deemed obsolete, to improve the integration of the transport system of Metro Manila and nearby prov-inces. The study is being held with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the World Bank. The study will take into account current traffic conditions based on passenger trip

p a t t e r n s a n d public opinion o n t r a n s p o r t development.

The original blueprint was drawn up after the Metro Ma-nila Urban Transportation Integra-tion Study (MMUTIS) in 1996. Traf-fic conditions and urban planning priorities have become outmoded.

The 16 cities and one town com-prising Metro Manila have become progressive, industrialized, and highly urbanized. Traffic problems have reached massive proportions in Metro Manila, affecting its 14 million residents, as well as its daily visitors and workers. Economic losses due to traffic and roadworks in the metropolis are estimated to have reached R1.5 trillion in the last

SP O T L E S S LY c l e a n , a l m o s t immaculate, brilliantly lighted yet

soothing to the eyes; the w a i t i n g room of Dr. Stephen Mark Gan’s clinic is pleasant and comfortable w i t h c h i c leather couches, a glass cof- f e e t a b l e , and an enormous flat screen te lev is ion attached to a wall is on all t h e t i m e but practically mute. The reception counter is uncluttered – no ceramic dragons or over-dressed Santo Niños, or lucky

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Luzon News

LUZONNEWSBITS

12 Tuesday, January 29, 2013

By FREDDIE C. VELEZ

CAMP GENERAL ALEJO SAN-TOS, Bulacan — Three minors have been arrested by police for alleged involvement in the bludgeoning to death of an 18-year-old lesbian last Sunday in San Jose del Monte (SJDM) City, this province.

Senior Superintendent Joel Or-duna, acting Bulacan Police Provin-cial Office (PPO) director, said the suspects in police custody over the killing of Sabrina Jumaas Vergara of Pabahay 2000 subdivision in Baran-gay Muzon, SJDM, were residents of her neighborhood aged, 15, 16, and 17.

18-Year-Old LesbianBludgeoned To Death

3 Minors Arrested In BulacanOrduna said his men are hunting

down a fourth suspect he identified as Allen Pillar Austria, 19, single, a student and native of Cavite but also a resident of Pabahay 2000.

Supt. Raniel Valones, SJDM police chief, said the victim was walking with her friends before dawn on Sunday when she was attacked by teenagers at a dark portion of the subdivision.

Valones said Vergara was clubbed with a lead pipe and struck with stones in different parts of her body.

The suspects allegedly left her lying on the street until her friends came to her aid and rushed her to the Ospital ng Lungsod ng San Jose del Monte.

Vergara was declared dead on ar-

rival at the hospital.Valones said the motive in the at-

tack was still unclear and that efforts are underway to locate and arrest Austria.

Meanwhile, in Marilao town, Supt. Gerardo Andaya, in his report to Or-duna, said they arrested a suspected robbery-hold gang member from Valenzuela City.

Andaya identified the suspect as Rex Catalan Calinawan, 32, married, driver, native of Davao City and a resident of 43-A P. Faustino Street Punturin Valenzuela City.

Calinawan is a suspect in a holdup incident in Marilao involving two businessmen – Sandeer Kaur Singh, 26, and Ruman Preet Singh, 25.

WOODEN BRIDGES — To keep pedestrian traffic moving even after laying down hot asphalt, workers set up wooden bridges on Monday, January 28, 2013, across this section of Session Road in Baguio City which is preparing for the opening of the grand and colorful ‘Panagbenga Festival’ on Friday, Feb. 1, 2013. (Rizaldy Comanda)

By MAR T. SUPNAD and JONAS REYES

IBA, Zambales — Governor Her-mogenes Ebdane Jr. delivered yes-terday his state-of-the-province address (SOPE) at the Capitol, here, bringing to fore not just his accom-plishments the past year but his bid to open talks with the New People’s Army (NPA) for an end to communist insurgency in the province.

Ebdane revealed that he had started to open communication lines with the Communist Party of the Phil-ippines (CPP) and the NPA rebels operating in Zambales.

He mentioned that 17 NPA rebels had surrendered recently as concert-ed efforts of the local police and the

Zambales Opens Talks With Rebelsarmy are focused on a peaceful ap-proach to the insurgency problem.

Col. Michael Samsom, commander of the Army’s 24th Infantry Battalion, gave Ebdane’s move a good review. “There are only more or less 25 reb-els now operating along Zambales-Tarlac boundaries,” he said.

Ebdane’s SOPA also delved on the progress achieved by the province in the three years of his stewardship.

“Proper planning, budgeting, revenue mobilization, financial man-agement and budget execution, pro-curement and resource mobilization, were the strategies we followed in order for us to arrive at the more progressive and developed Zambales that we are in today,” he said.

Among the major projects the

governor has accomplished in less than three years include the im-provement of 115 provincial roads, 86 bridges, two dikes, 20 schools and 13 senior citizens buildings; installa-tion of modern medical equipment like CtScan, x-ray and ultrasound machines at the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital; the “Alis-Bukol” program which has given free sur-gery for cyst removal to almost 5,000 residents; construction of water system for potable water source in 10 remote barangays; the renovation and modernization of the Zambales Sports Complex.

At the same time, Ebdane also reported the decline in the province’s crime rate, indicating Zambales’ im-proving peace and order situation.

NEW VANS FOR ZAMBALES TOWNS — Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. (right) poses with Vice Governor Ramon Lacbain (left) at the turnover ceremony of 15 vans given to each municipality in the province, following the governor’s state-of-the-province address (SOPA) at the Capitol in Iba on Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. (Jonas Reyes)

By FRANCO G. REGALA

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Of-

ficials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) were celebrating yesterday as they announced posting the highest profit of the SBMA in its 20-year history – a resounding P789 million in 2012.

Although this is just the preliminary figure, SBMA Chairman and Admin-istrator Roberto V. Garcia called it a “complete turnaround” from the P1.2 billion loss of the SBMA in 2011.

Garcia said this was due “to in-creased revenues, reduced operating expenses, and a favorable exchange rate.”

The agency’s revenue increase of 16 percent versus the previous year’s was brought about by new major projects in seaport operations such as the Vale Ore Transshipment Project and the start of commercial operations of the Phase 2 New Container Port, he added.

“Coupled with an aggressive collec-tion campaign on existing accounts, new revenue streams were created through increased admission fees on importations and the imposition of fees to defray municipal expenses that were previously subsidized,” said the Freeport top boss.

Repairs and maintenance likewise decreased by 46 percent and adver-tising was slashed by 35 percent vs. 2011.

SBMA HitsRecord

P789-M Profit

By CHRISTINA I. HERMOSO

The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan (Pangasinan) will celebrate its 50th year as a Metropolitan See on February 16 coinciding with the Catholic Church’s observance of the Year of Faith.

A Metropolitan See heads an ecclesiastical province composed of several dioceses.

Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, in a circular, enjoined the faithful in his archdiocese to mark the event as a celebration of “dayew tan pisasala-mat” or praise and thanks giving, cit-ing the two churches in the province: the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Dagupan City and the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag, that have been granted a bond of spiritual affinity with a Papal basilica by the Vatican.

Pope Pius XI created the Diocese of Lingayen in 1928 with Bishop Cesar Maria Guerero serving as its first bishop. Blessed John XXIII elevated Lingayen Dagupan to the rank of a Metropolitan See in 1963 appointing Archbishop Mariano Madriaga as its first archbishop.

Bishop ‘Soc’Promoting

Golden Jubilee

By ARIEL P. AVENDAÑO

DIPACULAO, Aurora — The Sang-guniang Bayan (municipal council) of this coastal municipality has added a new member with the installation of a tribal leader from the “Ilongot” ethnic group, it was reported yesterday.

Randy Salo, an “Ilongot" leader from Barangay Ditale was installed as the newest member of the mu-nicipal council through the selection process undertaken by the local of-fice of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in the province recently.

Wearing the “Ilongot” costume at his installation ceremony, Salo was the first leader representing an ethnic group to become a town legislator in the province’s history.

1st TribalHead InCouncil

P15-MILLION SEIZEDDRUGS DESTROYED

SAN PEDRO, Laguna — Local officials of this town headed by Mayor Calixto Cataquiz wit-nessed the destruction of P15 million worth of illegal medi-cines at yesterday morning’s flag ceremony, here. Supt. Chi-to Bersaluna, San Pedro chief of police, together with Laguna Police Provincial Office (PPO) director Senior Supt. Pascual Muñoz led the destruction of 840,000 pieces of expired and tampered “Diamicron” tablets placed inside fourteen boxes. The tablets are a maintenance drug for diabetes patients, with a total value of P15,120,000. These were seized in a police operation in Barangay Lang-gam, here, last year. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

POWER OUTAGEIN 2 PROVINCES

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) an-nounced a nine-hour brownout today, January 29, in the entire province of Abra and 15 towns in the second district of Ilocos Sur. NGCP North Luzon Public Affairs Officer Lilibeth P. Gay-dowen said yesterday that the brownout will start at 8 a.m. and last until 5 p.m. “The cause of the brownout had something to do with the annual preven-tive maintenance and testing (APMT) of power transformer #3 and its associated equip-ment,” she said. (Freddie G. Lazaro)

LAST DANCE

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan — A former barangay chairman was peppered with bullets while on his way home from his high school alumni homecoming at the municipal plaza, here, where he danced his last, the other day. Supt. Gerry Roxas, chief of police here, said Romu-lo Roque, 51, a farmer and resi-dent of Barangay San Gabriel 1 was killed by a motorcycle-riding gunman at 3:30 a.m. on Sunday. Homicide investigators were still digging deeper into the incident for a motive and a possible suspect. Roxas said several bullet casings for a .45-caliber pistol were lifted from the crime scene. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

CAVITE ACTS VSCAMPAIGN POSTERS

TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) rules on poster-in-stallation will be put to a test in this province once the campaign period for local candidates gets going, starting March 30 (Black Saturday). Lawyer Juanito V. Ravanzo Jr., provincial Comelec supervisor, started removing tarpaulin-posters of election bets in Rosario town this early in consonance with Resolution 9615 rules and regulations that were issued by Comelec Chair-man Sixto Brillantes and the commissioners in mid-January. (Anthony Giron)

BATAAN MAYSEE JOBS BOOM

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — This province has various poten-tials that will trigger a boom in employment, former Na-tional Youth Commission (NYC) Chairman Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV said in his recent visit here. Speaking at the Bataan Polytechnic State Col-lege, Aquino called on students to answer to the call of many potential investments in this province, particularly in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. “While inves-tors are coming in, the work-force must be ready. Investors want a level playing field, a government with no corrup-tion. Second, they want skilled workers who are hard-working and kind,” he said. (Mar T. Supnad)

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Visayas News 13Tuesday, January 29, 2013

VISAYASNEWSBITS

PROJECT COMPLETED

ORMOC CITY, Leyte (PIA) – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Leyte Fourth Engineering District, under engineer Lino Francisco C. Gonzalez, has finished the construction of the tourism wharf and stilt cottage, along with additional boardwalk in Palompon, Leyte. The construction of the tour-ism building, under construct with Arca Construction and funded by the Department of Tourism, cost P7,311,503.15. Another DPWH project here, meanwhile, is the on-going maintenance and rehabilitation of the Pagsanga-an river flood control system. Worth P6.874 million, the project would staunch overflow of water to nearby barangays.

P.B.R. LINK

SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA) - Business Name (BN) registra-tion has been made easier with the link to Philippine Business Registry (PBR), an interlinked system of agencies includ-ing the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Social Security System (SSS), Home Mutual Development Fund (Pag-IBIG) and PhilHealth, said Engr. Lynna Joy Cardinal, DTI-Antique trade and industry de-velopment specialist. The link allows applicants to get one or a combination of the following: DTI Business name Certificate Number, BIR Tax Identification Number (TIN), SSS Employers Registration Number (ERN), PhilHealth ERN and Pag-IBIG Employer’s ID Number. PBR linkagage speeds up the pro-cess of starting a business, serves as a one-stop-shop and eliminates red tape.

P.W.D. ASSISTANCE

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occ. (PIA) - The Negros Occiden-tal provincial government has provided nine Persons with Dis-abilities (PWDs) associations in the province with a photocopier equipped with built-in scanner and printer. The project, worth P609,000, benefits PWD asso-ciations in Cauayan, Moises Pa-dilla, Pontevedra, Valladolid, EB Magalona and Toboso towns and Kabankalan, Bago and Sagay cities. The equipment can be used by the association for pho-tocopy services to gain income. Supplies and equipment main-tenance will be the association’s responsibility.

P.R.C. OFFICES

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PNA) – The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will open satellite offices in five congressional districts of Iloilo in a move to expand its hu-manitarian services and serve more people in the rural areas. Former senator Richard Gor-don, currently with PRC Board, said the expansion plan envi-sions one PRC satellite office with an ambulance each in each congressional district in the province. He said the PRC will be very visible and always in areas needing especially in times of crisis, calamity, or tragedy.

PRACTICES SHARED

SOUTHERN LEYTE (PIA) – May-or Rico Rentuza of St. Bernard town, Southern Leyte was pan-elist and speaker in the Interna-tional Recovery Forum in Kobe, Japan last January 20-23. The annual event explores measures addressing gaps in recovery practices and identifies resourc-es to said problem. St. Bernard Municipal Disaster Risk Reduc-tion (MDRR) Management Coun-cil Public Information Officer Rosalinda Jane Araneta said in the Forum, Rentuza presented inputs focused on government’s role as policy-maker in risk re-duction and recovery.

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PNA) – Pres-ident Benigno S. Aquino III is calling on Ilonggos, along with the rest of the nation, to be a united people.

In his message to Ilonggos de-livered for him by former Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. during the Dinagyang Festival on Sunday, Janu-ary 27, the President told the some 1.5 million people who attended the festival that “we have proven time and again, that nothing is impossible to a determined and united people. We have proven that in the face of challenges, we Filipinos can hold our heads high and smile.

This festival reminds us what it means to be a Filipino, to be kind-hearted, optimistic and persevering. Let us never forget that we are one nation.”

The President said the Dinagyang Festival is a going back to the “essence of the Filipino’s national identity and heritage giving Ilonggos an “under-standing of our society which is vital if we are to move forward together as one nation.”

He underlined the role of public service as “not for political survival, or transactionalism and corruption. It is the end-all and be all of government.”

“We righted the wrong and mend-ed the wounds in the national psyche and the social programs, empowered the people so that they too can help uplift the lives of others.”

The Dinagyang Festival cele-brated its 45th anniversary this year and the highlights includes the Ati-Atihan competition. Present were the Ambassadors of Australia, Brunei, Nigeria and South Korea. Also there were Senators Franklin M. Drilon and Ramon Revilla, Jr., former sena-tors Richard Gordon, Juan Miguel Zubiri, senatoriables Riza Baraquel, Cynthia Villar and Jamby Madrigal, city mayors of Guam, USA, several mayors of the League of Cities of the Philippines, numerous Philippine actors and actresses and officials of global non-government organiza-tions, Philippine movie and television actors and actresses and other celeb-rities. Dinagyang Festival Hailed As “Exceptional”

Meanwhile, Canadian photogra-pher Luke Myers who took part in the Dinagyang Festival described the latter as “really exceptional with the very energetic performances of the tribes and their colorful costumes.”

Myers said he has been to other

parts of the country to witness their festivals but said he considers Di-nagyang of Iloilo as “the best for photography.”

He also said efficient and orderly security carried out during the fes-tival gave photographers like him a chance to get amazing pictures of the tribes.

“We were allowed here to get clos-er to the action,” Myers explained. He has been assigned for two days in Stage 2, of the Kasadyahan Festival Regional Cultural Competition last Saturday and the Ati-atihan Competi-tion Sunday.

Stage 2 was sponsored by the Iloilo provincial government headed by Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr. In this stage, photographers and media covering the two-day highlights of the festivity were given designated areas and seats.

Myers said he will invite his fellow Canadians to come over next year to witness the festival for themselves. “I have been promoting the event to them,” Myers said while adding that those interested to come next year must secure their booking reserva-tions because of the huge influx of people going to Iloilo for the festival.

By RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT

CATARMAN, Northern Samar – The construction and concreting of a 44-kilometer road project costing P400 million which would connect two towns in this province is now in full swing, according to Northern Samar Governor Paul Daza.

Daza told reporters in an inter-view here that the said ongoing road construction and concreting project which was started last year con-nects the towns of Lope de Vega and San Isidro both in Northern Samar. He added that the project is being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways regional office 8 in Eastern Visayas based in Palo, Leyte.

He informed reporters that the road project is part of the national government’s ‘peace and prosper-ity road project’ connecting several communities in the province’s insur-gency-affected areas.

Aside from solving said insur-gency problems, Daza said the con-necting roads will also help in the improvement of economic conditions of the people in the localities.

The project, said the Northern Samar governor, will help boost ag-ricultural activities and productivity, shorten travel time and the transporta-tion of agricultural products from farm to markets and also at lower costs.

By PHOEBE JEN INDINO

CEBU CITY, Cebu – To provide costumers with more payment op-tions, the Visayan Electric Company (VECO) formally signed an agree-ment with SM City as its newest third party collection (TPC) partner.

VECO billing and collection man-ager Sandro Aboitiz said the new partnership is part of a plan to make bill payments more convenient for its varied clientele and help save trans-portation costs at the same time, as VECO customers can now pay their power bills at SM department stores, Savemore and Hypermarts.

“Our promise to our customers is to provide them with the best service experience. Forming partnerships with collection partners gives our customers a diverse array of pay-ment channels to choose from and enables convenient and hassle-free payments,” he said.

Aboitiz also assured that pay-ments made through the TPC will be posted timely at no additional cost. About 27 percent of VECO customers are being served by its authorized TPC partners.

Meanwhile, VECO Customer Ser-vices Group and Administration vice president Ricardo Lacson Jr. said VECO’s partnership with SM pro-vides added convenience to VECO’s clients, i.e., “we are giving more than what is required from us.”

VECO’s Full Service Center is located on the 2nd level of SM City Cebu.

Lacson said with the recent un-dertaking they are encouraging cos-tumers to pay their bills in the TPC partners.

“It’s quite a big growth and we’re driving it even higher so we can de-crease the number of customers pay-ing in our collection offices in such a way that we provide them more space and time to do multitasking apart from paying bills,” he added.

He said VECO is also currently looking at other established payment channels to cater to its (VECO’s) “underserved” market such as those residing in mountain barangays to help them keep from having to incur other costs, such as transportation, in addition to electric bills.

Aquino Describes Dinagyang As The Essence Of Filipino National Identity

PRETTY COMPETITION WINNERS – Miag-ao, Iloilo’s Salakayan Festival won the Kasadyahan regional competition in the Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival held over the weekend. (Tara Yap)

By EDITHA B. COLMO

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occ. – Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City ap-proved during its midweek session a resolution authored by Councilor Sonya Verdeflor which seeks the establishment of a Masskara City on the city’s reclamation area as a per-manent site of the annual Masskara Festival celebration.

Said site is intended as a tourism destination landmark in the city, Masskara festival being a world-famous activity here.

Verdeflor's resolution states that said Masskara City will be located at a five-hectare property that shall house and showcase permanent

booths of Bacolod City’s 61 baran-gays. There will also be a Masskara Museum where Masskara artistry and souvenir products, masks and costumes will be displayed for pos-terity and tourism promotion.

The venue will make space for food and drink establishments.Overall, said Masskara City will depict the history, arts and culture of Negros Occidental’s capital city, Bacolod as well as provide for the development of a cultural heritage tourism zone which is seen as bring-ing in new investments in tourism and related services.

For his part, City Administrator Atty. John N. Orola, Jr., concurrent officer in charge (OIC) Bacolod City’s Tourism Office, expressed appreciation for Verdeflor's resolu-

tion, particularly since, he said, the MassKara festival is already in the calendar of activities of travel agen-cies and tour operators.

Orola further said that the fes-tival should have “a cultural and religious significance and there is a need to have such preparations as MassKara is already known worldwide."

Frank Carbon of the Metro Ba-colod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) said, meanwhile, that Masskara City should be situated in a property named after the city.

In Verdeflor’s resolution, a bud-get of P20 million was proposed for the building of said Masskara City which the counselor said can be sourced from the city’s General Fund.

Northern Samar Road Project

Ongoing

VECO Inks SM TPC

Partnership

Masskara City To Rise Soon

By PHOEBE JEN INDINO

CEBU CITY, Cebu – As part of its 62nd anniversary celebration, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 has awarded three local government units (LGUs) here for their exem-plary performance in upholding children's rights.

The LGUs, which were this year’s child friendly awardees are Talisay City for the component city category,

Tubigon, Bohol (1st to 3rd class mu-nicipality) and the town of Pilar in Cebu (4th-6th class municipality).

Josephine Belotindos, DSWD 7 specialist said the recipients of said awards were chosen based on the na-tional criteria set by the Presidential Search for Child friendly cities and municipalities.

She said that of the three awardees, the town of Pilar is the most consistent winner as it has been getting the award since 2006.

Meanwhile, DSWD staff added

that the three will automatically represent the region for the national competition. Said winners also took P50,000 each and the child-friendly seal.

Belotindos shared that among the criteria to get the said awards is the policy, plan formulation of LGUs, budget allocation to uplift the childrens rights.

On the same occasion, DSWD 7 also awarded the Bohol province as the best local government unit for this year’s institutional recognition.

DSWD 7 Commends Child-Friendly LGUs

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MINDANAONEWSBITS

SAFE ELECTIONS

COTABATO CITY (PNA) — Security officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) yesterday started preparations to ensure SAFE (Safe and Fair Elections) on May 13. In a meeting called by acting Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman, Chief Supt. Noel Delos Reyes, police regional director for ARMM, said lawless elements and the great number of loose firearms in the region continue to be a main security concern. “The presence of rido or clan feud, which accounts for the most number of internal displacements in 2012, also poses serious security threat in some areas,” he said. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) earlier issued separate resolutions setting guidelines on the imposition of gun ban and the setting up of checkpoints ahead of the synchronized national, local and ARMM regional elections.

N.I.A. EXPANSION

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) — The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is targeting to restore and open up around 2,000 hectares of agricultural production areas in parts of South Cotabato province in the coming months as part of its continuing expansion and rehabilitation program for the area. Engr. Ramon Bugacia, NIA-South Cotabato division manager, said yesterday their work program for this year mainly focuses on the completion of the repair and rehabilitation of major irrigation facilities as well as the construction of lateral canals and protected dikes in various farming areas within the province’s 10 towns and lone city.

CHILDREN AID

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) — International aid group Save the Children is planning to expand its public-private partnerships (PPP) with stakeholders in parts of South Cotabato and other areas in Region 12 to provide a “healthier learning environment” for local schoolchildren. Dr. Amado Parawan, Save the Children’s health advisor, said yesterday they are currently evaluating various schemes that will facilitate the convergence and integration of various local initiatives into their program. He initially lauded the provincial government of South Cotabato for providing the needed support programs geared at further sustaining the project’s implementation.

PROTECTION PROFILE

DAVAO CITY (PNA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Davao Region, which heads the Child Protection Working Group (CPWG), has launched the Municipality Protection Profile for the towns of Boston in Davao Oriental and Monkayo in Compostela Valley. The Protection Cluster has categorized the two municipalities under very high risk level due to poor infrastructure particularly lacking in electricity or power supply and communication lines, presence of large number of minority communities in remote and hard-to-reach barangays; and weak referral mechanism on gender-based violence and security in remote areas.

FREE EYEGLASSES

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) — Some 209 farmers from North Cotabato received free eyeglasses under the Liwanag para sa Kapayapaan program. This followed the initial check-up and free eye screening conducted last Jan. 10. The beneficiaries are members of Libungan River Irrigation System (LibRIS) Division 5 Irrigators’ Association who sought the assistance from the office of Congressman Jesus Sacdalan. LibRIS president Danilo Tacan thanked Sacdalan’s office for its immediate response to their request.

Mindanao News Tuesday, January 29, 201314

By ALI G. MACABALANG

COTABATO CITY — The linger-ing energy crisis is a priority concern in Mindanao and will be raised at an upcoming multilateral development forum in Davao City as a major rea-son for the island-region’s renewed campaign for a bigger share from the national budget, local techno-crats said.

For one, key players of the Re-gional Development Council in Re-gion 12 (RDC-12) said they will push anew for an ample increase in Mind-anao’s share from the national bud-get to address squarely the wors-ening power shortage gripping its component areas.

Region 12 covers South Cotaba-to, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato provinces and the cities of General Santos, Tacurong, Korondal, Kidapawan, and Cotaba-to, all areas that suffer the brunt of power shortage in Mindanao.

The RDC-12’s Macroeconomy, Development Administration and Finance Committee (MEDAFC) will press for Mindanao’s bigger budget share and the immediate resolution of the energy crisis at the two-day (Feb. 1-2) 2013 Mindanao Develop-

ment Forum (MDF) which will be attended by foreign institutions be-longing to the Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Richlie Lyndon Magtulis, chair of RDC-12’s MEDAFC, said his com-mittee had recommended the pre-sentation of the two-prong agenda for discussion at the forum orga-nized by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) in Davao City.

On the recommendation of the MEDAFC, Magtulis said, the RDC-12 passed a resolution pressing anew for Mindanao’s bigger share from the national budget “since it remains very low compared to those of Luzon and Visayas.”

The same resolution cited the need for the implementation of more effective measures against the wors-ening power supply shortage in the island, an issue the forum’s pros-pected 300 ODA representatives alongside national agencies officials are equally concerned about.

The RDC-12 said the lingering “power outage” experienced in most of Mindanao has resulted to the slow-down of various economic activities.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has been imposing major power load cuts in the island in the last two years due

to the declining generation capacity of the National Power Corporation’s hydroelectric plants in Bukidnon and Lanao areas. But local techno-crats have been suspecting an “arti-ficial shortage” allegedly to jack up power rates.

Such suspicion was echoed here early last month by San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito, who claimed that the “energy crisis” was “worse than ter-rorism” and should draw “urgent national attention.”

Ejercito said concerned commit-tees in the House had discovered the availability of at least R2-billion in the national budget intended for energy development as early as 2011.

“We are surprised why the na-tional government did not spend the fund promptly to address the en-ergy crisis,” the San Juan legislator pointed out.

He said the power shortage should be given government atten-tion bigger than the so-called frame-work agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB).

“What peace are we going to talk about when the economy of the re-gion collapsed and poverty tightened its grip on the people as a result of the unattended energy crisis?” Ejer-cito asked.

Mindanao Renews Bigger Budget Drive

MULTIPURPOSE IRRIGATION CANAL — A woman bathes her son at an irrigation canal in Barangay Ulamian, Libungan town, North Cotabato. The irrigation canal does not only supply water to rice fields but is also used by residents for laundry and bathing. (Alexander D. Lopez)

BANANA LEAVES FOR SALE — A woman sells banana leaves at the Bankerohan public market in Davao City. The leaves are usually used in cooking rice cakes and other foodstuffs. (Alexander D. Lopez)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) — The national government has approved the release of around R150 million for the construction of flood-control structures in the prov-inces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

South Cotabato (2nd District) Rep. Daisy Avance-Fuentes said yes-terday such allocation was mainly in-tended for the development of stable embankments along critical portions of the Allah River in the municipali-ties of Sto. Niño in South Cotabato and Isulan in Sultan Kudarat.

She said the planned structures

would mainly protect local commu-nities from perennial flooding and prevent massive soil erosion along the riverbanks.

“The lack of embankments has caused the river to change its course and eventually eat up significant por-tions of farmlands and communities in the area,” she said.

Fuentes said their recent moni-toring showed that the gap between the river and some local communi-ties has been reduced to only around 30 meters due to the continuing soil erosion.

Hundreds of hectares of farm-

lands in the two municipalities had been wiped out in the last several years due to the massive erosion along the banks of the heavily-silted Allah River.

Allah River, which is considered as among the biggest natural water-ways in Region 12, traverses nine municipalities and a city in the prov-inces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

The river system, which has caused severe flooding in portions of the area in the past several years, drains towards the Liguasan Marsh and the Rio Grande de Mindanao.

Funds For River Embankments OK’d

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) — The San Ramon Power, Inc. (SRPI) and the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority and Free-port (Zamboecozone) have signed a 31-year lease agreement for the es-tablishment of a 100-megawatt coal-fired power plant in this city.

Under the agreement, the SRPI of the Alcantara Group of Companies (AGC) will pay the Zamboeconzone R7.2 million in rental fees for the first three years of operation while the plant is under construction.

Another R14 million in rental fees will have to be settled on the fourth year, R22 million on the fifth year and R105 million until the 31st year of op-eration.

Tirso Santillan, Jr., SRPI chief executive officer and AGC vice-pres-ident, said the coal-fired power plant worth R12 billion will occupy 30-hect-are property for the industrial area and 3.7 hectares for the port area within the Zamboecozone property in Barangay Talisayan, 26 kilome-ters west of this city.

Santillan said the construction of the power plant will start in Sep-tember this year and is expected to be completed and operational by the third quarter of 2016.

It is expected to generate new employment opportunities. The SRPI will hire at least 180 employ-ees to handle its operation and more than 1,000 during the plant’s con-struction period, he said.

The power plant will be con-structed by a Korean construction firm.

The signatories of the lease agreement also include Zamboeco-zone chairwoman Georgina Yu and the members of the Ecozone Board.

A groundbreaking ceremony at the plant site followed after the sign-ing of the lease agreement.

By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO

CABADBARAN CITY — All roads to the “2013 Dagkot Festival” in this Northeastern Mindanao city are now open. Tourists and “ba-likbayans” from around the world started arriving in this city to partici-pate in the “Dagkot” (lighted) festiv-ity this coming Friday and Saturday Feb. 1 and 2.

The much awaited activity or-ganized by the city government is in line with the fiesta celebration of “Nuestra Señora Candelaria.” Once again, the streets will be filled with colorful banderitas.

The almost weeklong festivity started yesterday.

“Dagkot” Festival is in honor of the city’s patron saint, “Nuestra Se-ñora Candelaria,” and is celebrated every second day of February.

As a tradition, the highlight of the festival is the street dancing compe-tition more popularly known as the “Dagkot Street Dancing Competi-tion” which had its concept taken from the city’s religious tradition.

BUTUAN CITY — Seeing the leadership of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) is on the right track in addressing the peace agenda of the government, the tribal chieftains in Mindanao have pledged to help in attaining the elusive peace in the southern island, particularly in Northeastern Mindanao (Caraga region).

The tribal chieftains also com-mitted their all-out support to the peace and development program of the government.

This pledge of commitment was relayed by the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP-Caraga Region 13) through the resolution of the tribal chieftains.

The resolution was signed and thumbmarked by Higaonon, Ban-waon, Manobo, Mandaya and Ma-manwa Tribal Coalition of Caraga Region. (Mike U. Crismundo)

ZamboangaPower Plant Deal Signed

‘DagkotFestival’

Chieftains’Support

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Sports News 15Tuesday, January 29, 2013

SPORTSNEWSBITS

GUARDE WINS Carlyn Bless Guarde defeated Averille Sacapano twice in simi-lar fashion to sweep the girls’ 12- and 14-and-under crowns in the Philta-Palawan Pawn-shop Regional age-group tennis tournament at La Paz Tennis Club over the weekend in Iloilo City. The top-seeded Guarde, an 11-year-old find from Sultan Kudarat, overwhelmed Saca-pano, 6-1, 6-1, in the 12-and-under finals then repeated the same feat to clinch the 14-and-under title in the event which served as the second leg of the 27-stage Philta circuit spon-sored by Palawan Pawnshop and Technosports.

WESLEY LEADS

TAGAYTAY CITY — Grandmaster Wesley So downed International Master Nguyen Duc Hoa of Vietnam to seize the solo lead after seven rounds in the Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championship late Sunday at the Tagaytay International Convention Center here. The top-seeded So im-proved his total to 6 points, half a point ahead of Vietnamese second seed GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son. Son split the point with 12-time National Open champion GM Joey Antonio to tally 5.5 points at solo second. Antonio is in third with 5 points along with Vietnamese GM Cao Sang, who beat IM Bayarsai-khan Gundavaa of Mongolia.

D-LEAGUE TODAY

Four teams fight for the three remaining quarterfinal berths today in the penultimate elimi-nation round play of the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at The Arena in San Juan. Struggling teams Big Chill and CaféFrance collide in the first game at 2 p.m. before Fruitas and Bora-cay Rum lock horns in the other match set at 4 p.m. Winning their respective matches will perhaps put these teams into the next phase of the season-opening conference. Big Chill is tied for fourth spot with idle Jose Rizal University at 5-4 while CaféFrance, Fruitas and Boracay Rum are locked in a four-way logjam for sixth with Cebuana Lhuillier at 4-5. —Jonas Terrado

TIGER AHEADSAN DIEGO (AP) —Due to the fog that wiped out an entire day of golf, the Farmers Insurance Open was never going to end on Sunday, even though Tiger Woods effectively ended it. Woods walked off Torrey Pines with a six-shot lead and only 11 more holes between him and winning on this course for the eighth time in his pro career. He drove the ball with superb control in the third round on his way to a 3-under 69 to build a four-shot lead after three rounds. He lost control with his driver in the fourth round and still managed three birdies in seven holes. “All we can do tomorrow is go out and try to make him think about it a little bit and see what happens,” said Nick Watney, one of two former winners at Torrey Pines who faced the tough task of trying to make up six shots on Woods.

N.C.A. DERBYThe National Cockers Alliance (NCA), the premier organiza-tion of gamefowl aficionados in the country, is holding a derby today at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City. The derby will be hosted by Eugene Martin and Luding Boongaling, and Joel and Danny Teves. Some of the most famous cockfighters in the country will participate in the tournament where they will face NCA members includ-ing Elan Nagaño, Boyet Joson, Rene Medina, Bebot Uy, Tommy Chua, Osang dela Cruz, Arnold Mendoza, Isaac Newton, Rudy Albano, Jimmy Ang, Ito Ynares, the Firefly Group, Boy Valenzu-ela and Mario Vilamor.

By NICk GIONGCO

The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) took note of Nonito Donaire’s year-round brilliance, nam-ing the Filipino-American puncher over the weekend as the recipient of its coveted Fighter of the Year award for 2012.

Donaire’s star shone like no other in 2012, winning all of his four fights, including an emphatic third-round knockout of Mexican legend Jorge Arce in December in Houston.

By being voted by the BWAA as its top choice, Donaire thus became only the second Filipino to earn the accolade after Manny Pacquiao, who had won the same award in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

The BWAA annual awards and banquet will be held in June in New York.

Donaire, one of the fastest rising stars in the sport, began 2012 with a big bang, overpowering Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in February at the Alamodome in San Antonio,

Texas.In July, Donaire returned to ac-

tion and did a similar thing on South African Jeffrey Mathebula at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Cali-fornia, same arena he used in sending Japanese pride Toshiaki N i s h -ioka to retirement three months later.

Meanwhile, Hall o f Fame promoter Bob Arum told the Bul-letin that Donaire’s fight on April 13 is a done deal and a major announce-ment will be made very soon.

The 30-year-old Donaire will face Cuban hotshot Guillermo Rigon-deaux, a two-time Olympic champion and world amateur titleholder, and the 81-year-old Arum said the choice of venue is going to be “a surprise to a lot of people.”

Arum likewise branded the $3 -million offer by Golden Boy Promo-tions (GBP) for Donaire to meet GBP fighter Abner Mares as “a publicity stunt.”

“We can talk about a Mares fight after we do the April 13 fight,” added Arum.

Donaire Named Fighter Of The Year

By WAYLON GALVEZ

FIBA-Asia secretary-general Hagop Khajirian of Lebanon yester-day urged the Philippines to assemble a strong and well-prepared team for the FIBA-Asia Championship that the country will host for the first time in 40 years.

Khajirian, who is here to meet of-ficials of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and discuss the orga-nizational aspect of the tournament scheduled Aug. 1 to 11, said that this is the best chance for the Philippines to win the FIBA-Asia since the event will be held here.

“It doesn’t come every year,” said Khajirian during a press briefing, which was also attended by SBP Executive Director Renalud “Sonny” Barrios and SBP consultant Mauricio “Moying” Martelino at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena. “Get the best of the best.”

“The Philippines playing in the semifinals (of FIBA-Asia)... Why not? Champion in FIBA-Asia… Why not? But it will come as a result of hard work, and not by luck. There’s no luck in winning the championship,” added Khajirian.

The FIBA-Asia official actually ranked the Philippines fifth in the coming FIBA-Asia behind defending

By CLYDE MARIANO

SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya — Navy Standard’s George Oconer exploited the wait-and-see attitude of the frontrunners and topped the accident-marred Stage 13 even as PLDT-Spyder’s Ronald Oranza kept his stranglehold of the overall lead in the Ronda Pilipinas that kicked off in Tuguegarao, Cagayan.

Oconer, who honed his skills for one month in Melbourne, Australia, outsprinted Mindanao-Cycle Line Butuan’s Junrey Navarra in a mad dash to the finish to clock four hours, 46 minutes and 45 seconds in the race’s longest stage spanning 204.4 kilometers.

Navarra was awarded a similar clocking with Oconer but settled for second, while Hundred Islands-Pangasinani’s Ferdinand Pablo towed a five-man field composed of Joseph Millanes, Jemico Brioso, Rustom Lim and Ronnel Hualda with identical time of 4:47:32.

“Inaalay ko ang panalo ko sa teammate ko na si Jan Paul Mo-rales na nagdiriwang ng birthday niya ngayon. Nalulungkot ako dahil naaksidente siya,” said Oconer, the 2011 Young Rider of the Year awardee and a third-place finisher the same year.

Morales spent his 27th birthday in a hospital after crashing into a canal in a downhill slope 20 kms near the finish line.

Malaysian Muhammad Samat and Filipino race marshals also figured in a separate accident in the first 12 kms of the race.

With his feat, Oconer leapfrogged from No. 11 to No. 7 overall with an accumulated time of 47:33:44, 13 minutes and 30 seconds behind Oranza.

Oranza kept his three-second advantage with a total time of 47:20:14.

Navy Standard’s Santy Bar-nachea was at close second with 47:20:17, while LPGMA-American Vinyl’s Irish Valenzuela and Road-bike PH’s Ronald Gorantes trailed behind with 47:20:47 and 47:21:25, respectively.

Stage 5 winner El Joshua Carino of PLDT-Spyder remained at fifth with 47:25.36, while crashing into the top 10 were LPGMA-Ameri-can Vinyl’s Cris Joven (47:25.41), VMobile-Smart’s Joel Calderon (47:34.05), Roadbike Phl’s Mark Galedo (47:34.45) and Team Tarlac’s Merculio Ramos (47:36.37).

The surviving 81 riders take a brather on Tuesday before tackling the 34-km Individual Time Trial from Pugo, La Union to Baguio City.

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics star point guard Rajon Rondo will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

The news came during Boston’s 100-98 double-overtime win over the Miami Heat on Sunday in which Ray Allen returned to his old home court for the first time.

“New guys are going to get an opportunity now,” Boston forward Paul Pierce said. “These guys haven’t had a chance to really showcase what they can do.”

For the past five seasons, Pierce, Allen and Kevin Garnett made up

Rondo Tears ACL; Season Over

Oconer Prevails;Oranza Hangs On

RONDA PILIPINAS

Grab The Opportunity,FIBA Exec Tells SBP

champion China, South Korea, FIBA-Asia Cup champion Iran and Lebanon, although Khajirian said he has his reasons.

According to Khajirian, his analysis came from the results of the past stag-ing of FIBA-Asia in the last decade, where Iran and China usually end up with the championship, while the Phil-ippines twice made the quarterfinals in Tokushima, Japan 2007 and Tianjin, China 2009, and the semifinals in Wu-han, China in 2011.

the Big Three. After Allen signed with the Heat as a free agent in the offseason, Rondo joined that group – and became the team leader with his ability to run the offense.

He was chosen as the starting point guard for the Eastern Con-ference in the All-Star game in Houston on Feb. 17.

Now the Celtics hope he can be ready for the start of next season.

“How far is that?” coach Doc Rivers said, “I don’t even know how long that is. Eight months? Nine months? So he’ll probably be ready, but I don’t know.

Rondo injured his right knee

in Friday night’s 123-112 double-overtime loss in Atlanta, a game in which the Celtics blew a 27-point lead, but Rivers said he didn’t know when.

He reported to the TD Garden on Sunday for a pregame shoot-around but was taken to a hospital after complaining of pain.

Boston 100, Miami 98 (2OT)L.A. Lakers 105, Oklahoma City 96

New Orleans 91, Memphis 83Detroit 104, Orlando 102

New York 106, Atlanta 104Dallas 110, Phoenix 95

L.A. Clippers 96, Portland 83

NBA RESULTS

NONITO DONAIRE

Tiger Woods shoots his way to a six-shot lead in the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Sunday in San Diego, California. (AFP)

Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero yesterday said government and all ma-jor stakeholders in sports should use the windfall coming from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), which saved P500 million from its allotted budget last year, to prepare for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

PSC Chairman Ricardo Garcia said the savings could go to national sports associations (NSAs) which can present viable programs that would ensure medal victories in the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and the Olympics.

“This is the first time that the PSC is claiming savings of as much as this, half-a-billion pesos that does not need

to be returned to the national treasury as it was saved from the agency’s corporate funds,” Escudero said. “But the PSC could not spend this much just for the SEA Games alone, as earlier reported in the papers.”

Escudero urged Garcia and his board to keep their focus on the Olym-pics, even if the Games are still three years away.

“Any savings is always a good news. Spending these savings wisely and effectively would make better news, however,” said Escudero, who batted for priority sports to receive bulk of the amount in efforts to revive the coun-try’s hope of winning what could be its very first Olympic gold medal.

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By CHINO S. LEYCO

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is looking at collecting P768.31 billion from the country’s large tax-payers this year, higher by 14 percent compared with P674.82-billion target

for last year.Data from the BIR, the govern-

ment’s main tax agency, showed yes-terday that the large taxpayers will be shouldering bulk of the agency’s P1.225-trillion collection target for this year as the group’s tax contribu-tions represent 62.7 percent.

But despite the group’s huge contribution to BIR’s annual col-lection, Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima had insisted that the share of taxes collected from large taxpay-ers should ideally be 80 percent of the total target.

NEWS IN BRIEF MARKET& INVESTMENT

INVEST IN THE PHILIPPINES: JOIN US TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND PROVIDE MORE JOBS FOR OUR PEOPLE

Tuesday, January 29, 2013 http://www.mb.com.ph

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SHIPPINGPHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY QUOTATIONS

LOCAL SHARES AT RECORd HIgH

Local shares closed higher, posting another record high, driven by advances in US equities Friday. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) closed 24.78 points or 0.40 percent, up at 6192.42 in heavy volume. A total of 2.27 billion shares valued at P9.0 billion was traded. Gainers outnumbered losers, 101-61, with 50 issues unchanged. Expectations of good economic numbers for the country support investor sentiment, analysts noted. (Dow Jones)

ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

CLOSE MIXEd

HONG KONG (AFP) — Asian markets began the week on a mixed note Monday, with the Nikkei again boosted by a weakening yen, while traders also took heart from a rally on Wall Street.Tokyo surged above the 11,000 mark for the first time since April 2010 in early trade as the yen extended its recent downward trend but profit-taking soon took hold and the index ended down 0.94 percent, or 102.34 points, at 10,824.31.

dRILLINg EXTENSION

The Department of Energy (DOE) has granted two-year extension on the application of Forum Energy plc to defer its drilling at the Recto Bank, a gas prospect which is being affected by the lingering diplomatic scuffle at the West Philippine Sea. (Page B-2)

MEgAWORLd SALES

The Megaworld group, the property development business controlled by businessman Andrew Tan, has sold more than P63.5 billion worth of residential projects for the full year of 2012. (Page B-3)

VISA STUdY

Only 2.5 million of the Philippines’ 100 million people hold credit cards. Yet, 71 million Filipinos have already bought airlines ticket, groceries and gadgets online and the country’s pre-paid “cardable” opportunity totaled $44 billion last year, according to global payments technology firm Visa. (Page B-3)

P/$ RATE CLOSESAT P40.91/$1

The peso exchange rate closed lower at P40.91 to the US dollar yesterday at the Philip-pine Dealing & Exchange Corp. (PDEx) from P40.66 last Friday. The weighted average rate depreciated to P40.741 from P40.687. Total volume amounted to $1.203.2 billion.

B.S.P. EXPECTS2.5%-3.4% INFLATION

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas expects annual inflation in Janu-ary to be at 2.5 to 3.4 percent, reflecting the impact of the in-crease in tax rates on tobacco and alcoholic drinks and higher power and water rates, Governor Amando Tetangco said. Lower food and oil prices and a strong peso, however, may offset higher prices of utilities, tobacco and liquor, he said. ‘’The latest fore-casts suggest that average infla-tion for 2013 and 2014 would settle at the lower half of the government-set target range of 3-5 percent, reflecting continued manageable inflation pressures and well-anchored inflation ex-pectations,’’ Tetangco told report-ers in a mobile text message. Annual inflation in December was at 2.9 percent.

BUKIdNONPOWER COOP

SECURES LOANPhilippine National Bank (PNB) in partnership with LGU Guar-antee Corporation (LGUGC) and World Bank granted a P213.880 Million 10-year term loan for Bukidnon Second Electric Coop-eratives Incorporated (BUSECO). BUSECO, a non-stock, non-profit rural electric cooperative, provides electricity to central and northern sides of Bukidnon Province with more than 74,000 household connections covering the City of Malaybalay and nine other municipalities. (JAL)

I.C.T.S.I. UPSIzESITS BONd ISSUE

Port operator International Con-tainer Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), said yesterday its board approved the increase in the size of a bond issued earlier this month by its unit ICTSI Treasury BV by as much as $100 million. ICTSI Treasury, which has a plan to raise up to $750 million through a bond issuance, early in January raised $300 million from the issuance of 10-year bonds guaranteed by ICTSI, which car-ry a coupon of 4.625%.

U.N. APPEALS FOR MORE TYPHOON AIdThe UN launched has appealed for more international aid to help nearly a million people in the Philippines as they recover from last year’s deadly typhoon. The UN said it needed another $48.6 million, on top of the $65 million earlier pledge, to give “immedi-ate life-saving assistance” to sur-vivors of Typhoon Bopha (local name: Pablo). (Dow Jones)

NEW P.d.I.C.ASSET SALE UP

The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) is set to sell via public bidding on an “as-is, where-is” basis 84 real proper-ties with an aggregate minimum disposal value of about P44.41 million on February 5, 2013.

By EdU LOPEz

The National Economic and De-velopment Authority (NEDA) has urged government agencies to fur-ther accelerate their programs and strategies to achieve the growth

targets of the transportation sector by 2016.

“While the quality of our national roads and bridges significantly im-proved since 2010, the actual output indicators are actually slightly below the targets for 2011. Implementing agencies need to double their efforts,”

said Socioeconomic Planning Secre-tary Arsenio Balisacan.

While the percentage of paved road length increased to 78.87 percent out of the total 31,242 kilometers) in 2011, this was still slightly below the year’s target of 79 percent, said

By BERNIE CAHILES-MAgKILAT

The Board of Investments is start-ing the year on a good footing with P75 billion worth of investments in the first month of 2013.

“At least we’re starting off with

close to P75 billion,” outgoing Trade and Industry Undersecretary Cris-tino L. Panlilio told reporters.

Project approvals in January were mostly those big-ticket items that failed to meet the cut off date for registration before the last BOI held its final board meeting for the year.

Approval of said projects has been delayed because of the failure of proponents to complete some re-quirements on time.

The biggest approved project is the P40-billion joint venture power project of Meralco and Aboitiz in Sub-

By MYRNA M. VELASCO

As the tram or cable car is being embraced as an alternative transport system in various parts of the world, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is mulling over prospects of bringing such policy and technology concept

for the Philippines.ADB principal energy special-

ist Sohail Hasnie noted that trams could be viable alternative for public transportation in the Philippines, and something that can complement the rollout of electric vehicles.

The initial step wherein the Bank could extend assistance will be in the

conduct of a feasibility study (FS) if the Department of Energy (DoE) will consider such in its policy agenda.

“We see potential for trams in the Philippines, and we can help in the feasibility study, but it would be up to the DOE to tell us what it needs,” Hasnie stressed.

NEW MAYBANK PHILIPPINES HEAdQUARTERS INAUgURATION — Maybank Chairman Tan Sri dato Megat zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor (second from left) leads the ceremonial toast at the inauguration of Maybank Corporate Center housing the new headquarters of Maybank Philippines, Inc., at Bonifacio global City, Taguig City, on January 25, 2013. With him (from left) are: Maybank Vice Chairman dato Salleh Harun; National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon, Managing director of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Leny Sylvestre, and Maybank Philippines President-CEO Sri Abdul Wahid Omar. (Photo by Manny Llanes)

Bir Eyes R768B From Big Taxpayers

(Cont’d on page B-11)

(Cont’d on page B-11)

(Cont’d on page B-11)

(Cont’d on page B-11)

(Cont’d on page B-11)

ADB Proposing Tram For Philippines

BOi January investments reach R75BOff To A Good Start

Agencies Told: rush Transport Projects

By LEE C. CHIPONgIAN

The International Finance Corp. (IFC), the financing unit of the World Bank Group, will be working with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)

and the banking sector to develop Basel 3-compliant debt instruments.

IFC Country Head Jesse Ang said since the Philippines will be adopting the latest set of upgraded core prin-ciples of the Basel Accord, there will be a need for qualifying capital instru-

ments under the risk-based capital adequacy framework for banks and quasi-banks.

“BSP is one of the early adopters of Basel 3 (January 2014) so clearly there will be a need for more capital,”

iFC Assisting BSP To DevelopBasel 3-Compliant Debt instruments

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Business NewsB-2 Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Asst. Editor: BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILATEditor: LORETO D. CABAÑES

E-mail: business@mb.com.ph

By MYRNA M. VELASCO

The Department of Energy (DoE) has granted two-year extension on the application of Forum Energy plc to defer its drilling at the Recto Bank, a gas prospect which is being affected by the lingering diplomatic scuffle at the West Philippine Sea.

“The deadline for completion of the second sub-phase, comprising the drilling of two appraisal wells, has now been extended by two years to 14 August 2015,” Forum Energy ex-ecutive director Andrew Mullins has stated in a disclosure to the London Stock Exchange.

The specific plans on the drilling, he added, “will be made in due course, as and when appropriate.”

The drilling will be part of the sec-ond sub-phase for Service Contract 72 for the Sampaguita block which is under the operatorship of Forum Energy.

Sources from the energy depart-ment have noted that the deferment permission given to the UK-incorpo-rated firm may also provide leeway for tension to ease first at the China-contested territories along the West Philippine Sea.

The company has previously ear-

marked $80 million for the scheduled drilling of the two wells; which if based on original schedule should have been completed by August this year.

Aside from the territorial strife which has spillover effect at the Recto Bank, Forum Energy is similarly hur-dled by the very tight market of rigs for deep-water offshore drilling. Hence, it opted to seek for extension.

Given the resource potential culled from seismic data, Forum Energy which is majority-owned by Philex Petroleum, has earlier initi-ated talks with China National Off-shore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) for a possible “commercial partnership” on the eventual development of the petroleum block.

Data submitted to the energy department reportedly portend of re-sources that may surpass the output of the Malampaya gas field. However, drillings have to be undertaken first to confirm if the scale of estimated re-serves could really merit commercial development.

The quantified resource potential at SC 72 was reportedly increased to 16 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas. However, it was not explained how such number was drawn relative to the higher estimate of 20TCF an-nounced by Forum Energy in 2008.

Recto Bank

Forum Gets 2-YearDrilling Extension

AMADEUS RENEWS PARTNERSHIP WITH GOLDEN SKY TRAVEL – Amadeus, a leading technology partner for the global travel industry, yesterday renewed its partnership with leisure tour specialist Golden Sky Travel Corp. The multi-year contract renewal allows Golden Sky Travel Corp. to use the Amadeus selling platform and access a wide range of services including airline reservations and ticketing. Amadeus Philippines general manager Albert Villadolid said they are proud to be part of the success of Golden Sky Travel Corp. Photo shows Amadeus Philippines general manager Albert Villadolid (right) shaking hands with Golden Sky Travel Corp. general manager Dolly Santos (left). Looking on were Amadeus account executive Bianca Andal and business development and solutions management director Beth Victory.

Citinickel Mines and Develop-ment Corp., the mining unit of Orien-tal Peninsula (ORE), said yesterday that the six farm lots and part of the river affected by the silt spill from its mines’ silt pond have all been totally cleaned and the farmers have all been compensated, according to a company official.

This assurance was given by Cit-inickel President Ferdinand Pallera who explained that a thorough clean-up of the affected areas had been completed 15 days after the incident happened on Nov 25, 2012.

“The situation was addressed immediately and we conducted ex-tensive dredging of the affected areas. Different environmental mitigating structures were immediately in-stalled upon discovery of the incident, and the compensation is being remit-ted straight to the affected farmers,’’ Pallera said.

A day after the incident, Citinickel immediately deployed personnel to

the area after a comprehensive as-sessment to manually and mechani-cally dredge the overflowed silted water, Pellera added.

Citinickel voluntarily suspended operations from November 26, 2012 to December 9, 2012 to conduct the clean up. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officials closely monitored the progress of the vacuuming of sediments that spilled into the six farmlands in the area, representing five hectares. There are about 70 farm lands in Barangay San Isidro, Narra, representing 102.75 hectares.

DENR issued a notice of viola-tion to Citinickel after water spilled from its silt pond no. 2 at its Toronto Mining Area in Narra, Palawan. Upon investigation, DENR officials recommended immediate desilting of all waterways along the stretch of Pinagdaguan Falls to lessen the negative effect to agricultural crops most likely during heavy rains. The

government agency also asked Ci-tinickel to pay the cost of damage amounting to Php146,745 to six farm-ers affected by the spill.

“We do not use chemicals in our mining operations because we have no processing, thus there are no permanent damage in the farmlands. We also distributed farm inputs to the farmers,” explains Pallera.

A test conducted by CRL Environ-mental Corporation, a PAO accred-ited laboratory of the DENR, water sampled from the surface water of Pinagduguan River churned -2.5 mg/L in total suspended solid, which means after the clean-up operations, water is clean as potable water.

Citinickel Mines and Develop-ment Corp., is the mining unit of Ori-ental Peninsula (ORE), a public-listed 100 percent Filipino company, which operates two nickel mining projects in the Province of Palawan, located in the municipalities of Sofronio Es-panola and Narra.

Citinickel Cleans Up Pond Spill

By MELODY M. AGUIBA

A joint committee involving the Department of Justice and the Depart-ment of the Interior and Local Govern-ment (DILG) will look into solving ille-gal mining which brings about revenue losses for government and unregulated environmental destruction.

The joint committee, created under Joint Department Order No. 002-2012 also involves the Depart-ment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). In relation to controlling illegal mining, govern-ment is strengthening regulation of small scale mining. It will confine all small scale mining operations inside the regulated “People’s Small Scale Mining” sites.

“The final draft of the imple-menting rules and regulations for

Republic Act 7076, the People’s Small Scale Mining Act will be presented to the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC),” said Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region 4-B Regional Director Roland de Je-sus at a mining forum.

Under consideration is the ban-ning of “hydraulicking” or the use of water guns to recover mineral re-sources practiced within the Tampa-kan copper area in South Cotabato.

Another dangerous system is compressor mining where miners use air compressors to be able to breathe while staying under water as they recover minerals in a mining pit full of water. Miners drowned last year in Camarines Norte using compres-sor mining. The use of mercury as a chemical agent to recover gold which expose small scale miners to health hazards has supposedly been banned

a long time ago. The fight against illegal mining is

part of a 10-point program to address revenue and environment-related concerns in mining.

Other action programs for this year, according to De Jesus, are the filing in Congress of a bill of the Aquino Administration on a new rev-enue sharing scheme; lifting of mora-torium on the issuance of new mining permits as soon as banned areas will have been mapped; and the approval of new mining expansion areas.

“The DENR will allow expan-sion in areas covered by existing contracts. As soon as it receives the certification of the Economic De-velopment Cabinet Cluster that the expansion is necessary to address economic urgency, the DENR will start processing applications for their eventual approval,” said De Jesus.

Joint Committee Formed To LookInto Illegal Mining Tax Aspect

FEMSA FINALIZES C.C.B.P.I. ACQUISITION – Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V., the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world, announced Friday that it had finalized the acquisition of 51% of Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI) from The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, the world's largest beverage company, for an amount of US$688.5 million in an all-cash transaction. Shown from left signing the acquisition documents are: William Schulz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc.; Guillermo Aponte, President, The Coca-Cola Export Corporation; Carlos Salazar Lomelin, Chief Executive Officer, Coca-Cola FEMSA, and Mr. Juan Ramon Felix, Director, Asia Division, Coca-Cola FEMSA.

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By EMMIE V. ABADILLA Only 2.5 million of the Philip-

pines’ 100 million people hold credit cards. Yet, 71 million Filipinos have already bought airlines ticket, groceries and gadgets online and the country’s pre-paid “cardable” opportunity totaled $44 billion last year, according to global payments technology firm Visa.

The bulk of the amount, or 38 percent, is in the general purpose sector, followed by 28 percent in overseas remittances, 12 percent in payroll, 7 percent in government, 4 percent in travel and 3 per cent in corporate.

Furthermore, in Visa’s 2012 study covering 8,000 consumers in eight countries across Asia Pacific, Central Europe and Africa, only 49% of Filipino respondents said that they have had more than a year’s experience in online trans-actions.

Still, 86% of Filipino respondents maintained they are likely to make more purchases for 2013.

“While e-Commerce is still in its early stages in the Philippines, we expect to see rapid growth

across all purchase categories,” confirmed Iain Jamieson, Visa Country Manager for the Philip-pines and Guam.

However, local e-Commerce ecosystem barriers need to be addressed, he added. Besides increasing consumer trust in on-line merchants when it comes to product delivery, online payment security concerns also have to be addressed.

“As we have seen in the survey, as important as it is to develop innovative solutions to improve security online, it is also crucial to communicate these measures frequently and effectively to the Filipino consumer, from both the banks and the merchants,” he explained.

Smartphones and translates are encouraging more people to shift to online shopping. Some 32% of those surveyed say they have browsed online for products or services via a mobile phone or tablet device in the last year.

In countries with higher mobile phone and tablet penetration, the trend is likewise shifting towards device-based purchases. Digital content was the most browsed item

on mobile phones at 40%, followed by personal electronics (33%) and household electronics (30%).

Because buyers can access retailers anytime, anywhere, “We expect to see more people brows-ing and shopping on-the-go as a result,” according to Jamieson.

The impact of online shopping even goes beyond virtual payments, as online browsing is highlighted as an essential part of both the online and offline purchase cycle.

Increasing one’s understanding of a product, exploring and select-ing product options and deciding on a purchase location are cited as top reasons for online browsing.

Product categories with the highest conversion from browsing to payment include movie tickets (52%), holiday and travel tickets (50%) and bill payments (48%), and a significant growth in online transactions is expected across all payment categories for this year.

Over the past 12 months, among the standout categories of online purchases were groceries (172% growth), movie tickets (147%) and fashion (131% growth). Purchases for movie tickets also grew 113% from the previous year.

Business News Tuesday, January 29, 2013 B-3

By JAMES LOYOLA

The Megaworld group, the prop-erty development business controlled by businessman Andrew Tan, has sold more than R63.5 billion worth of residential projects for the full year of 2012.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, The firm said the figure translates to a total saleable area of more than 550,000 square meters and is a 71 percent growth from its performance in 2011.

The Megaworld group expects a record capital expenditures (capex) spending of R35 billion in 2013, a sign of its commitment to the real estate

industry and its bullish outlook on the market. The group is looking to launch more than 10 new projects in the first half of the year.

Real estate reservation sales came from the group’s three brands namely, Megaworld, Empire East and Suntrust. Each of the brands cater to specific mar-kets ranging from the luxury to middle- income to affordable segments.

According to the firm, Megaworld Corporation owes its phenomenal sales growth to its superior portfolio and sterling track record in the Philip-pine property market.

Megaworld is a pioneering de-veloper of integrated live-work-play-learn township communities in the Philippines.

Earmarks R35-B For 2013 Expansion

Megaworld Posts R63.5-B Residential Sales

DOLE OFFICIALS WITH NEW LABOR ARBITERS – Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz (center, front), DOLE Undersecretary for Employment Danilo P. Cruz (right, front), and National Labor Relations Commission Chairman Gerardo Nograles pose with 13 newly-appointed Labor Arbiters during their mass oath-taking ceremony held recently at the Blas F. Ople Hall, DOLE Executive Building in Intramuros, Manila.

In Metro Manila, these townships include Eastwood City in Quezon City, Newport City in Pasay City, and McKinley Hill, McKinley West and Uptown Bonifacio in Taguig City.

Each of these projects will offer at least 500,000 square meters of residential space and 200,000 square meters of BPO office space.

The developer has also extended its reach to the Visayas with its on-

going township projects such as The Mactan Newtown in Cebu and Iloilo Business Park in Iloilo.

For more than 20 years, the group has emerged as the coun-try’s No. 1 real estate organiza-tion, completing more than 240 residential and office buildings with a total floor area of around 6 million square meters.

Two of Nestlé Philippines’ work-sites — Pulilan Factory and Cagayan de Oro Distribution Center (DC) —recently earned the Department of Environment & Natural Resources’ (DENR’s) Official Seal of Approval, the highest recognition conferred on companies by the lead govern-ment agency tasked to regulate the use of the country’s environmental resources.

Enhancing the achievement was the concurrent selection of the two worksites as awardees of the Phil-ippine Environmental Partnership Program (PEPP) of the DENR.

In order to qualify for the DENR Official Seal of Approval, the worksite must: have no case filed with the Pol-lution Adjudication Board (PAB) in the last three years prior to the date of application; be fully compliant with all applicable environmental laws, rules and regulations; and possess a proven record of superior environ-mental performance.

Since 2009, only 39 of the thou-sands of registered business entities in the country have been awarded the

elite DENR Official Seal of Approval. Among them are Nestlé Philippines’ Lipa, Cabuyao, and Cagayan de Oro Factories, and both Northand South Distribution Centers.

Pulilan Factory and Cagayan DC each earned the PEPP award after successfully meeting the stringent requirements of the PEPP Evalua-tion Committee, including a thorough review of voluminous documentation and an onsite audit.

The two sites were granted the award under the PEPP’s Track 1 Category, which covers companies surpassing compliance and are driven by competitiveness, image, and commitment to meeting supply chain requirements for enhanced performance.

The PEPP, pursuant to DENR Administrative Order 2003-14, is a DENR partnership program with industries, in cooperation with other environment-related agencies, aimed at promoting voluntary industry self-regulation for improved environmen-tal performance and full compliance with environmental standards.

DENR Gives SealOf Approval For Nestle’s Pulilan, CDO Facilities

Visa Study Pinpoints Huge CreditCard Business Opportunity In RP

NESTLÉ PHOTO SHOWS THE NESTLE PULILAN TEAM RECEIVING THE AWARD (from left): Corporate Affairs Executive Jess Reyes; Environment Management Bureau Assistant Director Eva Ocfemia, Site SH&E Head Jocef Serrano; Factory Manager Val Dizon; EMB Director Juan Miguel Cuna, and Department of Natural Resources Undersecretary Manuel Geroche.

The West Cebu Industrial Park (WCIP) is developing an additional 50-hectare expansion site that will be made available for medium to heavy industries in 2013.

Cebu Industrial Park Developers Inc. (CIPDI) is the developer of the 274-hect-are (WCIP) in Brgys. Arpili, in Balamban Cebu. It among the communities being managed by AboitizLand, Inc.

CIPDI recently marked 20th Anni-versary was held at the Hotel Brisa del Mar - Tsuneishi Hotel at the WCIP with the theme ‘Celebrating Partnerships’.

The WCIP currently hosts medium to heavy industries, particularly for shipbuilding and allied activities includ-ing Tsuneishi Heavy Industries Cebu, Inc. (THICI) and its affiliates, Air Liq-uide Pipeline & Utilities, Austal Philip-pines PTY Ltd., Balamban Enerzone Corporation (BEZ), City Savings Bank, Globe Telecom, K & A Metal Industries, Linde Group, Mactan Rock Industries, Inc. (MRI), Metaphil International, Inc., and Three Sixty Pharmacy. Because of THICI’s existence, Balamban earned the nickname as the ”Ship Building Capital of the Philippines

AboitizLand, Inc., the local part-ner in the CIPDI joint venture, under-scored the value of its strong partner-ships with the local community and government agencies in the success of CIPDI as the collaboration marked its 20th anniversary recently.

AboitizLand President and Chief Executive Officer Andoni Aboitiz em-phasized during the event that there has been strong support not only from the Philippine Economic Zone Author-ity (PEZA), and the Province of Cebu, the Municipality of Balamban and the Balamban townsfolk: “Of course we have to thank the townspeople of Balamban, for hosting us and making us a part of the

community,” Aboitiz said. On the other hand, CIPDI Chair-

man Roberto Aboitiz expressed hopes of expanding the geographic reach of the company as he explained that the strong partnership between the Aboitiz Group and the Japan-based Kambara Group “formed the plat-form for our association.”

CIPDI, he added, is committed to quality service and stellar relations with its various partners.

The affair was a successful cel-ebration of the Cebuano and Japanese cultures, with the heart-warming beats of the taiko and Sinulog drums, signifying the partnership between the Aboitiz and Kambara Groups. The “Kagami-Biraki,” opening of the sake barrel, was done by representatives of Kambara, Aboitiz, and selected gov-ernment officials. Later in the show, Richard Poon and Ana Fegi serenaded the guests with their classy rendition of classic and contemporary tunes.

CIPDI has consistently nurtured its relationships with partners - govern-ment, community, and locators, constant-ly opening new job opportunities with the opening of every new locator-company.

Government and private sector was appropriately represented at the event. In attendance were Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, 2nd District Rep-resentative Pablo Garcia, 3rd District Congressman Pablo John Garcia and Balamban Mayor Ace Stefan Binghay, Provincial Board Member Alex Binghay, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Chairman Jon Ramon Aboitiz, CIPDI Chairman Ro-berto Aboitiz, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Chief Executive Officer and President Erramon Aboitiz, AboitizLand Chief Executive Officer and President Andoni Aboitiz and Mr. Makoto Kambara of the Kambara Group.

West Cebu IndustrialPark Expanding

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77.7 58.9 10.00 3.91 76.15 76.4 76.4 76.15 76.35 3,653,240 278,867,216.50 19.53105.3 60 10.00 3.61 105 105 105.3 104 104.8 1,019,030 106,815,082 29.03595 48 10.00 42.46 55.5 55.55 56.5 55.55 56.15 782,890 43,927,454.50 1.3232.95 18.5 10.00 3.78 31.45 31.6 31.85 31.6 31.75 3,023,800 95,999,955 8.40108 75.5 20.00 5.02 106 106.5 108 106.4 107 1,803,580 193,099,287 21.31101.3 61.4 40.00 5.83 99 99.7 101.3 96 97 1,818,120 179,276,195 16.6468 58 10.00 2.43 68 - - - - 0 0 27.9870.5 30.3 10.00 4.43 68 68 69 67 68 569,520 38,709,089 15.35178 107 10.00 13.34 175.6 175.6 178 174.5 176.8 768,010 135,588,016 13.25140 73 10.00 10.28 119.6 120 123 118 118.5 206,230 24,796,783 11.53 0.96 0.67 1.00 0.08 0.83 0.83 0.83 0.82 0.82 163,000 133,690 10.252.2 1.6 1.00 0.14 1.95 2.04 2.04 2.04 2.04 25,000 51,000 14.5723.9 17.9 1.00 0.74 18.6 18.68 18.9 18.5 18.6 267,200 4,954,028 25.143.25 2 1.00 0.23 2.82 2.81 2.85 2.81 2.85 50,000 140,700 12.39590 420 0.00 0.8735 555 555 560 555 560 1,160 648,600 641.1239.2 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1.08 1.00 0.18 1.41 1.42 1.45 1.41 1.45 14,442,000 20,572,860 8.0618 3.68 1.00 0.641 9.49 9.01 9.01 9 9 1,500 13,514 14.04 13.58 6.22 1.00 0.81 8.07 8 8.01 8 8.01 7,700 61,637 9.892.26 1.26 1.00 -0.012992 2 2.03 2.04 1.96 1.99 1,422,000 2,859,110 -153.175.8 5.9 1.00 0 5.8 5.84 5.9 5.71 5.83 15,570,400 90,728,379 0.0023.95 16.5 1.00 -3.56 17.38 17.38 17.38 17.38 17.38 2,700 46,926 -4.88120 93 1.00 3.138 107.1 107.1 110 107 110 1,209,390 131,416,928 35.0562 38 10.00 3.93 48.5 48.5 48.5 48.5 48.5 200 9,700 12.3414.66 3.7 1.00 0.3 13.04 13.12 13.22 13.12 13.14 1,175,600 15,469,584 43.8012.2 6.8 1.00 0.38 7.94 7.8 7.8 7.8 7.8 5,100 39,780 20.536.88 2.2 0.15 0.08 6.25 6.3 6.3 6.23 6.23 2,001,300 12,508,229 77.881,010.00 240 10.00 18.65 241.6 243.8 243.8 241 241 9,760 2,353,822 12.925.18 1.42 1.00 0.161 4.84 4.86 4.95 4.86 4.95 2,158,000 10,609,720 30.753.9 2.3 1.00 -0.81 3 3 3.05 2.85 2.9 129,000 379,750 -3.700.22 0.123 1.00 -0.09 0.145 0.142 0.145 0.142 0.145 870,000 123,970 -1.6188 50.35 1.00 2.25 86.2 86.3 87.5 86 86.2 3,668,320 316,433,633.50 38.315.5 1.05 1.00 0.22 1.49 1.5 1.52 1.49 1.5 2,932,000 4,399,210 6.822.08 0.465 1.00 -0.57 0.92 0.95 0.95 0.91 0.95 321,000 297,490 -1.67 61 17.1 1.00 -0.07 18.88 19 19 18.78 18.98 7,700 145,090 -271.1411.3 4.5 1.00 0.7146 10.98 11 11.3 11 11.08 909,300 10,087,918 15.5114 10.52 1.00 0.31 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3 100 1,330 42.9011.8 5.76 1.00 0.4217 11.1 11.26 11.26 11.04 11.1 512,000 5,679,086 26.327.5 2.3 0.02 0.13 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.21 5.3 37,700 198,810 40.7718.8 9.9 1.00 0.68 18 17.6 18 17.6 18 18,600 333,988 26.4714 10.16 10.00 0.31 11.84 12.4 12.4 12.4 12.4 200 2,480 40.002.77 1.66 1.00 -0.5 1.75 1.84 1.84 1.75 1.75 14,000 24,680 -3.502.2 0.9 1.00 0.01715 1.53 1.53 1.53 1.52 1.53 243,000 371,680 89.21 3.12 2.42 1.00 0.24 2.97 3 3 2.94 2.94 160,000 474,480 12.253.8 1.2 1.00 0.06 1.93 1.93 1.93 1.93 1.93 2,000 3,860 32.178.4 1.44 1.00 -0.0056 2.71 2.8 2.8 2.63 2.63 1,748,000 4,653,790 -469.641.9 1.25 1.00 0.097 1.61 1.61 1.61 1.61 1.61 2,000 3,220 16.6022.5 1.51 1.00 0.217 13.78 13.02 13.7 13.02 13.6 28,100 375,892 62.67 28.95 7.6 1.00 1.3858 27.7 27.7 28.95 27.1 28.2 63,100 1,749,605 20.350.027 0.011 0.01 -0.0045 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.019 0.019 21,300,000 416,000 -4.225.44 3.8 1.00 0.043306 3.95 4 4.05 4 4.05 68,000 272,500 93.522.35 0.61 1.00 0.129918 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.63 0.64 72,000 45,580 4.93 2.44 1.7 1.00 0.13 1.72 1.73 1.74 1.72 1.73 32,000 55,200 13.31 1.03 0.65 1.00 0.28065 0.67 0.68 0.68 0.67 0.68 3,082,000 2,065,000 2.4259.9 41.4 1.00 3.838 55.75 55.8 56 55.1 56 1,050,580 58,510,619.50 14.590.169 0.014 0.01 0.000086 0.157 0.158 0.158 0.153 0.153 371,330,000 57,471,790 1774.9418.3 10.24 1.00 1.1776 17.48 17.54 18.3 17.5 18.3 14,899,400 268,484,986 15.542.7 1.88 1.00 0.25 2.33 2.36 2.36 2.34 2.34 397,000 929,180 9.365.95 3.3 1.00 0.74 5.55 5.63 5.69 5.55 5.55 201,600 1,129,100 7.506.98 3.75 1.00 -0.0451 5 5 5.3 5 5.18 123,400 639,060 -114.862.98 0.9 1.00 -0.00968 0.91 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 1,000 940 -97.113.52 0.88 1.00 -0.00968 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.94 1,000 940 -97.11557 346 50.00 14.53 552 552 552 548 550.5 1,277,950 702,871,080 37.8964.8 44 1.00 3.61 54.3 54.3 55.1 54.05 55.1 1,924,530 105,152,518 15.264.19 2.35 1.00 1.708 3 2.91 2.91 2.9 2.9 20,000 58,180 1.705.2 3.76 1.00 0.4 4.76 4.75 4.8 4.73 4.78 265,000 1,261,870 11.95694 455.4 10.00 26.6 670 670 690 667 668 203,970 137,569,970 25.116.8 3.49 1.50 0.869 6.38 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 51,000 331,500 7.4840.7 24.5 1.00 3.19 39 39 39.05 38.6 38.7 2,129,400 82,345,250 12.138.2 2.08 1.00 0.1863 7.22 6 6.22 6 6.22 93,700 581,724 33.391.54 0.89 0.10 -0.006 0.97 0.99 0.99 0.97 0.97 1,513,000 1,490,660 -161.677.14 4.9 1.00 0.8629 6.91 6.91 7.14 6.91 7.07 7,405,000 52,245,303 8.190.85 0.32 1.00 -0.0129 0.48 0.48 0.5 0.48 0.5 170,000 84,100 -38.763.82 1.71 1.00 -0.0327 1.97 1.99 2.08 1.97 2.02 3,160,000 6,379,840 -61.775.17 3.48 1.00 0.225 4.88 4.89 4.92 4.87 4.88 61,102,000 298,274,260 21.697.27 4.38 1.00 -0.018 6.9 6.99 7 6.9 6.98 2,032,800 14,134,690 -387.780.068 0.044 0.01 -0.00009 0.051 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 400,000 20,000 -555.561.95 1.02 1.00 -0.029 1.27 1.25 1.38 1.25 1.3 565,000 742,130 -44.830.7 0.42 1.00 0.11 0.67 0.68 0.68 0.67 0.67 1,549,000 1,042,150 6.092.59 1.2 1.00 -0.01537 2.25 2.12 2.2 2.08 2.2 125,000 263,190 -143.140.42 0.3 1.00 -0.00086 0.315 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.32 1,500,000 480,000 -372.09985 600 10.00 34.68 944 950 950 944.5 945 366,360 346,237,690 27.252.71 1.13 1.00 0.24 2.34 2.37 2.4 2.32 2.39 1,764,000 4,168,690 9.961.57 1.04 1.00 -0.008 1.14 1.14 1.14 1.14 1.14 200,000 228,000 -142.500.42 0.21 1.00 0.00042 0.27 0.28 0.285 0.28 0.28 850,000 239,000 666.670.6 0.28 1.00 -0.009 0.295 0.29 0.3 0.29 0.29 420,000 123,150 -32.220.81 0.33 1.00 -0.0002 0.55 0.56 0.58 0.55 0.57 5,076,000 2,834,480 -2375.00 3.89 2.37 1.00 0.0197 2.92 2.91 2.92 2.81 2.92 455,000 1,312,850 148.520.229 0.162 0.18 0.0019 0.195 0.204 0.204 0.194 0.195 990,000 193,040 102.6348 15 1.00 2.41 17 17 17.6 17 17.6 4,700 80,020 7.051.36 0.45 1.00 0.0016 1.01 1.01 1.04 1 1 1,963,000 1,984,280 625.0028.2 17.3 1.00 0.55 27.75 27.8 28.2 27.75 27.95 7,852,400 219,368,045 50.825.62 4 1.00 0.023 5.08 5.08 5.12 5.08 5.09 7,974,200 40,659,512 221.309 2.98 1.00 0.22 4.15 4.3 4.81 4.3 4.5 2,857,000 13,080,270 20.452.47 1.35 1.00 0.102 1.88 1.89 2.02 1.89 1.98 42,241,000 83,718,140 19.413 1.5 1.00 0.47 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 1,000 2,300 4.891.5 1.05 1.00 0.15 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.14 1.14 132,000 150,810 7.600.092 0.06 0.10 0.0015 0.068 0.068 0.068 0.068 0.068 20,000 1,360 45.031.11 0.76 1.00 -0.047 0.81 0.82 0.82 0.8 0.8 4,197,000 3,360,070 -17.021.13 0.6 1.00 0.017 1 1.01 1.02 1 1 8,265,000 8,294,770 58.820.445 0.155 1.00 0.017 0.385 0.385 0.39 0.385 0.39 2,820,000 1,093,050 22.941.73 1.15 1.00 0.12 1.7 1.7 1.73 1.7 1.72 90,443,000 154,850,910 14.332.32 1.63 1.00 0.005 2.05 2.05 2.06 2.02 2.06 3,156,000 6,449,630 412.003.8 1.34 1.00 -0.016 1.74 1.74 1.74 1.74 1.74 2,000 3,480 -108.752.14 0.74 1.00 0.11 1.15 1.14 1.15 1.13 1.15 690,000 786,200 10.453.33 1.58 1.00 0.319 3.18 3.18 3.23 3.18 3.2 46,299,000 148,407,770 10.030.285 0.105 0.20 -0.06 0.109 0.109 0.109 0.107 0.108 12,680,000 1,364,500 -1.800.99 0.36 1.00 -0.003 0.64 0.65 0.65 0.63 0.65 3,014,000 1,907,740 -216.6726.5 12.92 1.00 0.42 18 20 20 20 20 1,700 34,000 47.620.62 0.4 1.00 -0.04 0.495 0.48 0.49 0.48 0.49 110,000 53,800 -12.2522.6 13.2 1.00 1.16 21.95 21.9 22.45 21.5 21.7 3,794,400 82,974,595 18.717.71 2.35 1.00 0.15 3.07 3.09 3.18 3.08 3.11 1,419,000 4,435,840 0.003.23 1.99 1.00 0.222 3.11 3.14 3.14 3.1 3.1 152,000 472,870 13.967.57 5.72 1.00 0.495 6 6 6 5.96 6 2,821,900 16,888,033 12.1218.2 12.1 1.00 0.652 16.98 16.96 17 16.88 16.92 10,412,000 176,173,970 25.950.96 0.65 1.00 0.051 0.74 0.77 0.77 0.74 0.75 205,000 152,490 14.714.55 2.31 1.00 0.029 3.9 3.75 3.9 3.75 3.9 22,000 82,800 69.640.66 0.49 1.00 0.003 0.58 0.58 0.59 0.58 0.59 80,000 46,800 196.675.3 3 1.00 0.418 5.27 5.24 5.3 5.24 5.27 5,731,700 30,148,502 12.61 42 24.1 1.00 3.207 40.2 40.5 41.6 40.5 40.95 83,500 3,420,765 12.7711 7.85 1.00 0.353 9.61 9.62 9.64 9.62 9.64 43,200 416,026 27.310.84 0.6 0.06 1 0.76 0.77 0.77 0.73 0.73 14,000 10,260 12.17 1,255.00 990 50.00 74.02 1,168.00 1,168 1,177 1,166 1,169 129,070 150,786,545 15.793.13 2.28 1.00 -0.57 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.36 2.5 86,000 205,500 -4.392,940.00 2,290.00 5.00 16.2338 2,820.00 2,820 2,820 2,766 2,784 250,965 698,557,050 17.05 9.7 4 1.00 -0.33 4.7 4.69 4.8 4.68 4.68 101,000 473,320 -9.3618.4 4.5 5.00 -0.07 5.6 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 600 3,480 -82.864.7 1.75 1.00 0.23 3.78 3.78 3.98 3.76 3.9 186,000 731,180 16.961.65 0.54 1.00 -0.7843 0.68 0.67 0.7 0.67 0.67 1,518,000 1,020,870 -0.853.38 2.16 1.00 0.2679 2.2 2.2 2.28 2.18 2.28 286,000 628,480 8.5117.88 12.1 1.00 0.7258 14.14 14.06 14.06 13.86 14.06 1,146,400 16,051,926 19.3714.18 3.3 1.00 -0.02 8.8 8.81 8.88 8.8 8.85 63,300 559,839 -442.503.07 1.68 1.00 -0.0208 2.39 2.37 2.37 2.15 2.37 35,000 78,140 -113.944.5 1.14 1.00 N/A 1.31 1.34 1.39 1.29 1.29 30,000 39,570 N/A 4.72 1.35 1.00 -0.26 1.8 1.82 1.82 1.82 1.82 11,000 20,020 -6.5416.04 7.68 1.00 0.76 12 12.06 12.06 12.06 12.06 900 10,854 16.2977 52.4 1.00 5.93 61.7 62.95 64.1 62.95 63.5 1,351,380 85,989,558 10.5678 55 1.00 2.7283 76.5 76.35 76.45 76 76.45 424,230 32,365,387.50 27.982.65 1.1 1.00 0.02 1.55 1.55 1.6 1.55 1.6 23,000 36,750 77.50 18.98 1.05 1.00 0.43 1.31 1.32 1.32 1.28 1.3 31,000 40,400 3.020.242 0.101 0.10 0.0006 0.13 0.131 0.131 0.125 0.128 98,890,000 12,691,440 213.330.72 0.35 1.00 -0.008 0.415 0.405 0.415 0.405 0.415 530,000 218,800 -51.88

BDO UNIBANK BPI CHINABANK EW METROBANK PHIL. NATL BANK PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK **** OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTION **** BANKARD BDO LEASING COL FINANCIAL IREMIT MANULIFE MAYBANK ATR KE PHILNARE PSE SUN LIFE VANTAGE **** ELECTRICITY, ENERGY, POWER & WATER **** ABOITIZ POWER ALSONS CONS ENERGY DEVT. FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG MANILA WATER MERALCO A PETRON PHOENIX TRANS-ASIA VIVANT **** FOOD, BEVERAGE & TOBACCO **** AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT DNL INDUS GINEBRA JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LT GROUP PANCAKE PEPSI-COLA PUREFOODS A RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG. SWIFT UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH **** CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE & ALLIED SERVICES **** ASIABEST GROUP EEI CORP. HOLCIM LAFARGE_REP MARIWASA MEGAWIDE PHINMA TKC STEEL VULCAN IND`L **** CHEMICALS **** CHEMREZ EUROMED LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MANCHESTER A **** ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS & EQUIPMENT **** CHIPS GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICRO IONICS **** OTHER INDUSTRIALS **** SPLASH CORP. **** HOLDING FIRMS **** ABACUS A ABOITIZ ALCORN GOLD ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO-PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ASIA AMALGAMATED ATN HOLDINGS A ATN HOLDINGS B AYALA CORP DMCI HOLDINGS F&J PRINCE A FILINVEST DEV. GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDGS. MABUHAY HLDG. MARCVENTURES METRO PAC INV MINERALES IND PACIFICA A PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION SEAFRONT RES. SINOPHIL SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP SOUTH CHINA UNIOIL HLDG. WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HOLDINGS **** PROPERTY **** A. BROWN ALCO ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP. CEBU HLDG. CENTURY PROP CITY & LAND CITYLAND DEVT. CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY EMPIRE EAST EVER-GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL-ESTATE HIGHLANDS PRIME IRCPROPERTIES MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL. TOBACCO PHILREALTY ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHNG PROPERTIES SM DEVT SM PRIME HLDG. STA.LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND **** MEDIA **** ABS-CBN GMA NETWORK MANILA BULLETIN **** TELCOMMUNICATION **** GLOBE TELECOM LIBERTY TELECOM PLDT **** INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY **** DIVERSIFIED IMPERIAL A IP CONVERGE IPVG CORP. ISM COMM. PHILWEB TOUCH SOLUTIONS TRANSPACIFIC BR YEHEY **** TRANSPORTATION SERVICES **** 2GO GROUP ASIAN TERMINALS CEBU AIR, INC. INTL CONTAINER LORENZOSHIPPING **** HOTEL & LEISURE **** ACESITE HOTEL BOULEVARD HLDG. WATERFRONT **** EDUCATION ****

**** TRANSPORTATION SERVICES ****

****BANKS****

52 Weeks PARVALUE

2010EPS

PREVCLOSE

PERATIOLOWHIGH STOCKS LOW CLOSE VOLUME VALUEHIGHOPEN

PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE

iRIPPLE, INC. 9.400 17.06PHILIPPINE TOBACCO FLUE-CURING 20.000 11.11CEBU HOLDINGS, INC. 4.500 8.432GO GROUP, INC. 1.820 7.06CENTURY PROPERTIES GROUP INC. 1.980 5.32CENTURY PEAK METALS HOLDINGS 1.040 5.05ORIENTAL PET AND MINERALS "B" 0.022 4.76ATOK-BIG WEDGE CO, INC. "A" 22.000 4.76PHINMA CORPORATION 12.400 4.73ALLIANCE GLOBAL GROUP, INC. 18.300 4.69

JOLLIVILLE HOLDINGS CORP 6.220 -13.85APEX MINING CO, INC. "B" 4.500 -6.25CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY 11.200 -6.04GREENERGY HOLDINGS INCORP 0.019 -5.00MANILA BULLETIN PUBLISHING CORP 0.730 -3.95MARIWASA SIAM HOLDINGS, INC. 5.300 -3.64ROXAS HOLDINGS, INC. 2.900 -3.33F & J PRINCE HOLDINGS CORP "A" 2.900 -3.33COAL ASIA HOLDINGS INC. 0.940 -3.09LMG CHEMICALS CORPORATION 2.630 -2.95

AYALA CORPORATION 1,278 702,871PLDT COMPANY "Common" 251 698,557ENERGY DEV'T (EDC) CORPORATION 63,117 452,371MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY 1,323 384,546SM INVESTMENTS CORPORATION 366 346,238UNIVERSAL ROBINA CORPORATION 3,668 316,434METRO PACIFIC INVESTMENTS CORP 61,102 298,274BDO UNIBANK, INC. 3,653 278,867ALLIANCE GLOBAL GROUP, INC. 14,899 268,485SEMIRARA MINING CORPORATION 1,071 268,474

Most ActiveSTOCKS VOLUME VALUE

Top LosersSTOCKS PRICE %CHG

Top GainersSTOCKS PRICE %CHG

**** FOOD, BEVERAGE & TOBACCO ****

**** CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE & ALLIED SERVICES ****

**** CHEMICALS ****

**** ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS & EQUIPMENT ****

**** HOLDING FIRMS ****

**** OTHER INDUSTRIALS ****

**** PROPERTY ****

**** MEDIA ****

**** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ****

**** INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ****

World

January 28, 2013 closings

January 25, 2013 closingsWorld

Asia-Pacific

JANUARY 28, 2013

**** OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTION ****

**** ELECTRICITY, ENERGY, POWER & WATER ****

Tuesday, January 29, 2013Business News B-4

0.6%W Index 7,714.67 (42.09)

TAIPEI

0.5%SP/ASX4,835.20 (25.00)

SYDNEY

0.9%Nikkei 10,824.31 (-102.34)

TOKYO

2.4%Composite2,346.51 (55.20)

ShANGhAI

0.7%CAC403,778.16 (25.99)

PARIS

0.73%SET Index1,472.05 (10.64)

BANGKOK

0.4%Phisix 6,192.42 (24.78)

MANILA

SEOUL

0.4%KOSPI Index 1,939.71 (-6.98)

0.4%Hang Seng23,671.88 (91.45)

hONG KONG

0.14%ST Index 3,273.91 (4.60)

SINGAPORE

0.5%Dow Jones13,895.98 (70.65)

NEW YORK

1.4%DAX 7,857.97 (109.84)

FRANKFURT

0.3%FTSE 6,284.45 (19.54)

LONDON

KLCIClosed

KUALA LUMPUR

Dividends

**PS - per share**PCS - per common share**PSS - per share (special)

**PSR - per share (regular)**RPA - rate per annum**DRPA - dividend rate per annum**PDPS- per day per share

**POS - per outstanding share**TBA - to be announced**STA - subject to approval

DATE PAYABLEDATESYM TYPE VALUE EX-DIV RECORD DATE

SMC CASH P0.35 PCS Dec 28, 2012 Jan 04, 2013 Jan 30, 2013FPHP CASH P4.36155 PS Jan 04, 2013 Jan 09, 2013 Jan 31, 2013AC CASH P2.00 PS Jan 03, 2013 Jan 08, 2013 Feb 01, 2013 PGOLD CASH P0.10 PSR Jan 09, 2013 Jan 14, 2013 Feb 07, 2013*** HOTEL & LEISURE ****

**** EDUCATION ****

LR

ymv

Yellow Magenta Cyan Black

By JAMES LOYOLA

Food and beverage com-pany RFM Corporation re-ported a 34 percent jump in net income in 2012 to R682 million from the R508 million posted in the previous year.

In a disclosure to the Phil-ippine Stock Exchange, RFM said this came on the back of an 11 percent sales growth to R11.1 billion for the period.

With stronger cash flows from its business units and the proceeds from its recent disposal of its meat business, RFM said it is paying off in advance about R1.0 billion of its long term loans.

RFM president Jose A. Concepcion III credited the accelerated income growth to stronger sales of its higher margin businesses.

“The lower commodity in-put costs this year, such as for milk, wheat and sugar, were also important in keeping

the cost levels down, as well as better yields due to scale economies as we reach higher volumes in our key brands, such as Selecta ice cream, and Fiesta spaghetti,” he said.

Concepcion also cited the benefits of having a positive economic climate that further boosted consumer confidence and spending.

“This led to continued growth practically in all the company’s brands, led by Se-lecta ice cream, Fiesta pasta, White King cake and sauce mixes, Selecta milk and Sunk-ist juice,” Concepcion said.

The growth momentum is expected to continue this year with a bullish macro en-vironment, being a mid-term election year, and expectation of another rating upgrade for the country.

Fund managers and inves-tors have also been bullish on the country and several consumer-oriented companies like RFM.

12.5 9.7 1.00 0.53 11.92 11.9 11.9 11.2 11.2 1,300 15,120 21.131,100.00 800 100.00 46.59 1,066.00 1,077 1,078 1,072 1,078 195 209,930 16.5310 4.9 1.00 0.6374 9.2 9.2 9.5 9.2 9.5 87,500 828,420 14.90 51.9 8.13 1.00 0.025 13 13 13.06 12.94 12.96 4,140,800 53,727,068 518.400.237 0.019 0.01 0.004 0.024 0.025 0.025 0.024 0.024 582,400,000 14,327,900 6.009.9 6.28 1.00 -0.0383 8.66 8.69 8.88 8.69 8.84 1,119,500 9,863,367 -230.814.08 1.39 1.00 0.031 2.86 2.85 2.86 2.81 2.83 324,000 921,050 91.2922.95 13.78 1.00 1.8965 14.02 14 14.02 14 14 5,600 78,430 7.3818 8.8 1.00 0.39 10.48 10.52 10.92 10.52 10.6 81,400 865,012 27.180.39 0.275 0.25 0.0561 0.335 0.33 0.34 0.325 0.34 1,040,000 341,000 6.06 98 24 1.00 1.03 93 93 93 93 93 1,240 115,320 90.2924 3.65 1.00 0.69 3.84 3.82 3.82 3.69 3.73 228,000 847,740 0.0034.95 19 1.00 0.97 33 33.15 33.9 33.15 33.5 2,440,000 81,848,885 34.54 0.88 0.6 1.00 0.001 0.83 0.83 0.84 0.82 0.83 2,565,000 2,131,830 830.000.65 0.38 1.00 -0.03 0.42 0.425 0.425 0.42 0.42 90,000 38,050 -15.003.47 1.96 1.00 0.11 2.89 2.94 2.94 2.88 2.9 282,000 818,190 26.363.08 0.92 0.50 0.005 1.01 1.01 1.01 0.99 1.01 1,959,000 1,966,080 202.00 0.007 0.0039 0.01 -0.00005 0.0056 0.0056 0.0056 0.0056 0.0056 36,000,000 201,600 -116.676.2 4.1 1.00 -0.03 4.55 4.55 4.55 4.55 4.55 12,000 54,600 -151.676.22 4.4 1.00 -0.03 4.8 4.7 4.7 4.5 4.5 208,000 938,100 -150.0022.4 16.8 10.00 10.7637 21.75 21.6 22.4 21.45 22.4 2,395,700 52,865,240 2.0848 10 1.00 0.0063 21 21 22 21 22 5,100 107,200 3492.0629 18.5 3.00 8.5 18.78 18.78 18.78 18.78 18.78 4,800 90,144 2.2134 17.7 3.00 8.5 18.5 18.3 18.5 18.2 18.5 38,500 705,200 2.182.12 0.82 1.00 -0.0222 0.99 1.01 1.1 1.01 1.04 1,027,000 1,070,150 -46.851.68 0.93 1.00 0 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.93 0.94 13,504,000 12,757,960 0.0061.8 13.88 1.00 -0.00009 15.38 15.6 15.6 15.36 15.5 41,100 636,662 -258.331.21 0.48 1.00 0.0009 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.52 0.52 1,317,000 686,890 577.781.7 0.86 0.10 0.0063 1.16 1.15 1.15 1.13 1.13 17,307,000 19,713,030 179.651.87 0.92 0.10 0.0063 1.24 1.23 1.25 1.23 1.24 5,763,000 7,124,550 197.140.085 0.047 0.01 0.00002 0.065 0.065 0.065 0.064 0.065 218,370,000 14,053,780 3250.000.087 0.047 0.01 0.00002 0.068 0.068 0.068 0.067 0.068 11,610,000 785,070 3400.0036.5 15.78 0.50 2.64 19.64 19.64 20.3 19.64 19.82 1,031,300 20,561,398 7.5112.84 4.11 1.00 0.01 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.11 4.15 456,000 1,887,680 415.000.98 0.51 0.01 -0.0238 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.58 706,000 409,480 -24.418.4 3.07 1.00 0.322 3.45 3.45 3.5 3.38 3.42 655,000 2,234,990 10.6227.85 12.52 1.00 1.171 17.34 17.18 17.8 17.18 17.58 3,487,500 61,351,036 15.01257.8 200 1.00 16.93 249 250 252 249.6 250.6 1,071,170 268,474,478 14.800.028 0.014 0.01 -0.0002 0.018 0.018 0.018 0.018 0.018 15,100,000 271,800 -90.00 0.345 0.226 0.25 0.048 0.275 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 2,320,000 649,600 5.830.032 0.016 0.01 0.0019 0.021 0.021 0.021 0.021 0.021 42,100,000 884,100 11.280.033 0.017 0.01 0.0019 0.021 0.022 0.022 0.022 0.022 10,000,000 220,000 11.817.05 5.62 1.00 0.4764 6.16 6.16 6.16 6.16 6.16 5,800 35,728 12.9348 9.5 1.00 0.28 33 32.9 33 31.7 32.8 135,500 4,406,600 117.140.062 0.028 0.01 0.0056 0.044 0.044 0.044 0.043 0.043 153,600,000 6,731,900 7.68 580 505 100.00 0 535 528 528 520 521 240 125,550 N/A105.5 100 10.00 0 104 104 104.9 104 104.8 130,200 13,631,640 N/A108 100.7 100.00 0 101.4 101.3 101.3 101.3 101.3 18,470 1,871,011 N/A116.7 104.1 1.00 0 108.9 109 109 109 109 34,700 3,782,300 N/A75.15 74.5 5.00 0 75 75 75 75 75 1,640,000 123,000,000 N/A81.5 73.95 5.00 0 75.1 75.1 75.25 75.1 75.25 101,000 7,585,250 N/A77.9 74.5 5.00 0 75.65 75.65 76 75.65 76 124,780 9,483,105 N/A1,050.00 1,005.00 10.00 0 1,040.00 1,045 1,045 1,031 1,044 5,415 5,649,320 N/A1.92 1 1.00 0 1.3 1.35 1.35 1.35 1.35 16,000 21,600 N/A50 22.65 0.00 0 45 44.7 44.7 43.9 44.1 61,500 2,727,310 N/A11.02 7.9 0.00 0 10 9.95 10 9.95 9.99 6,018,000 59,899,492 N/A 2.2 0.74 N/A 0 2.06 2.07 2.07 2.07 2.07 50,000 103,500 N/A 11.88 4.21 1.00 0.32 8.03 8.42 9.88 8.42 9.4 18,200 162,572 29.38

CENTRO ESCOLAR FAR EASTERN U IPEOPLE **** CASINOS & GAMING **** BLOOMBERRY IP E-GAME LEISURE MANILA JOCKEY PACIFIC ONLINE PHIL. RACING PREMIEREHORIZON **** RETAIL **** 7-ELEVENCALATA CORP. PUREGOLD **** OTHER SERVICES **** APC GROUP ICTVI PAXYS STI_HOLDINGS **** MINING **** ABRA MINING APEX MINING A APEX MINING B ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET A BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA DIZON MINES GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B NICKELASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP. ORIENTAL P PHILEX SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON **** OIL **** BASIC PETROLEUM ORIENTAL A ORIENTAL B PETROENERGY PHILEXPETROLEUM PHILODRILL A P R E F E R R E D AYALA PREF. A FIRST GEN G FIRST PHIL HOLD PETRON PREF SMCPREFS2A SMCPREFS2B SMCPREFS2C SMPFC PREFS SWIFT PREF ABS-CBN PDR GMA HOLDINGS WARRANTS, PHIL. DEPOSIT RECEIPT, ETC. MEG-WARRANTS2 SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IRIPPLE

52 Weeks PARVALUE

2010EPS

PREVCLOSE PE

RATIOLOWHIGH STOCKS LOW CLOSE VOLUME VALUEHIGHOPEN

****SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES****

**** PREFERRED ****

**** OIL ****

**** MINING ****

**** CASINOS & GAMING ****

**** RETAIL ****

**** OTHER SERVICES ****

**** WARRANTS, PHIL. DEPOSIT RECEIPTS, ETC. ****

PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGEJANUARY 28, 2013

SECTORIAL SUMMARY ValueVolumePt. Change%changeOpen CloseLowHigh

FInAnCIALS 1,640.62 1,646.92 1,636.63 1,640.83 0.27 4.41 15,017,205 P 1,195,580,566.29 InDUSTRIALS 9,206.74 9,341.46 9,206.74 9,341.46 1.46 134.83 188,786,092 P 2,487,703,647.2 HOLDIng FIRMS 5,425.97 5,458.46 5,421.57 5,458.46 0.6 32.49 490,252,493 P 2,172,869,515.48 PROPERTY 2,438.99 2,458.71 2,437.58 2,445.05 0.3 7.32 330,874,848 P 1,355,692,665.97 SERVICES 1,865.96 1,870.53 1,847.71 1,855.62 -0.55 -10.34 708,149,937 P 1,370,692,921.37 MInIng AnD OIL 21,698.46 21,757.55 21,630.72 21,757.55 0.2 43.15 538,622,735 P 479,947,519.57 PSEI 6,167.64 6,192.42 6,165.08 6,192.42 0.4 24.78 ALL SHARES 3,885.25 3,902.18 3,885.25 3,902.18 0.43 16.89 SME 18,200 P 162,572 gRAnD TOTAL 2,271,721,510 P 9,062,649,407.8825

nO. OF ADVAnCES: 101 nO. OF DECLInES: 61nO. OF UnCHAngED: 50nO. OF TRADED ISSUES: 212

FOREIGN BUYING R4,977,530,359.97FOREIGN SELLING R4,256,773,329.21

Business News B-5Tuesday, January 29, 2013

COMPANIES UNDER SUSPENSION BY THE EXCHANGE AS OF JANUARY 28, 2013ACPR -AYALA PREF. B ALPHA -ALPHALAnD ASIA -ASIATRUST CAT -TARLAC 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 HOLDIngS PEC -PnOC A PECB -PnOC B PHC -PHILCOMSAT PnC -PnCC SMB -SAn MIgUEL SMC -SAn MIgUEL CORP. 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 -ALLIEDBAnK PREF SMCP1 -SMC PREF 1

HONG KONG (Basis Point) — San Miguel Corporation is seeking almost $2 billion in loans, sources said.

According to the sources, the conglomerate is sounding relationship banks on a five-year loan of at least $1 billion in size. Funds could refinance a $1 billion five-year bullet loan from August 2010 which paid a top-level all-in of 265 basis points (bp) via a margin of 240 bp over Libor.

The company could also seek a $300 million working capital facility additional to the $1 billion-plus loan, sources said.

Meanwhile, the company is considering a takeout of the $650 million one-year bridge loan recently mandated to Deutsche Bank and Standard

Chartered Bank. The $650 million bridge has an opening margin of 165bp over Libor (London interbank offered rate), stepping up to 200bp after six months, sources said.

The fully underwritten bridge funds the tender offer for $600 million in exchangeable notes due in 2014.

San Miguel announced the tender offer for redemption of the 2014 notes on Jan. 24. The notes, issued in 2011, are listed on the Singapore stock exchange.

The tender offer will close on Tuesday.

San Miguel has businesses spanning beverages, food and packaging. Its operations out-side of the Philippines extend to China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Ma-laysia, Thailand and Australia.

SMC RaisingAlmost $2B Loans

RFM Profit Surges34% To R682M, Sees

Even Stronger Growth

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Environment News Tuesday, January 29, 2013B-6 earTh biTs

‘sUPer Gras’ — Dogs in The Krewe of barkus parade walk the French Quarter during the Mardi Gras 2013 celebration in New Orleans, sunday. New Orleans is bracing for record crowds as the biggest sporting event of the year, the National Football League super bowl played on February 3, collides with Mardi Gras season in what many locals call “super Gras.” (reuters)

TUrTLe-breeDiNG

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — A state-owned turtle breeding farm in the Cayman Islands has released the findings of an independent inspection following concerns by animal rights groups. Investiga-tors found severe skin lesions on “a notable proportion’’ of turtles and reported concerns about some turtles being un-derweight and others dying at a young age. However, the report praised the farm for selling turtle meat, which reduces the number of turtles killed in the wild. The report also said turtles are killed in a human, hygienic manner. Cayman Turtle Farm officials said in a statement Friday that they’re working on the report’s recommendations, including hiring a full-time veterinarian and improving procedures for treating injuries. Officials also said they have built new hatchling tanks and changed feeding protocols. The farm is popular with tourists, who watch tagged turtles get released into the sea.

FiLThY hOMe

WRIGHT, New York (AP) — Authorities say 67 dead cats and 99 living cats had to be removed from a filthy home in upstate New York. Officials removed the cats from a home in Wright, near Albany, on Wednesday night. The Times Union of Albany reports the dead cats were packed in plastic bags in the freezer and the live cats were in crates stacked floor to ceiling. Sheriff’s depu-ties went to the home after a neighbor called to complain about the overpowering odor of cat urine and feces. Charges are being weighed against the cats’ owner. The manager of the animal shelter that took in the cats said she previously tried to try to help the woman. But she said the woman had “a hoarder mentality.’’

WaTer eXPO

The 2nd Water Philippines Ex-position and Philippine Water Works Association (PWWA) International Conference will be held March 20-22, 2013 at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, with the theme, “Sustain-ability of Water Resources and Environmental Solutions to Cli-mate Change.” PWWA president Edgar C. Lopez recently an-nounced this as he assured that it is all systems go for the twin international events organized by the PWWA in partnership with United Business Media of Malaysia (UBM-M) which is ex-pected to draw in 1,000 water sector planners, managers, pro-fessionals and technicians and hundreds of trade exhibitors in water supply and sanitation from here and abroad.

ThaiPUsaM FesT

KUALA LUMPUR (dpa) — Hun-dreds of thousands of Hindu devotees on Sunday trekked to a hilltop cave temple in the Ma-laysian capital of Kuala Lumpur to honor the warrior god Muru-gan. Police said more than 1 mil-lion people, mostly Malaysians of Indian descent, would gather at Batu Caves temple to offer prayers and seek the help of the Hindu god in the annual feast of Thaipusam. Devotees in color-ful attire climbed the 100-metre hill to reach the caves where the temple was built in 1890. Men shaved their heads and women wore colorful traditional saris as they carried milk pots, fruit and flowers to offer to Murugan.

POLLUTeD CaNaL

NEW YORK (AP) — Marine experts say a dolphin seen shaking black gunk from its snout after wandering into a polluted canal in New York may well have been ill before it lost its way and died. The wayward dolphin splashed around in the filthy waters of the Gowanus Canal before it died Friday. The canal is a federally-designated environmental cleanup site, where for years factories and fuel refineries operated. It runs through an industrial zone near some of Brooklyn’s wealthiest neighborhoods.

HANOI (dpa) — Many residents of Hoa Binh Peace Village, a non-governmental residential facility out-side Hanoi, were born well after the Vietnam War, but are still living with the effects of US chemical weapons dropped during the conflict.

In a small room lined with mats a group of disabled young adults sit bundled up in scarves and jackets alongside their carers. Chief physi-cian Vu Son Ha points out one man with an enlarged head and bulging eyes. ‘’He is the son of a soldier who fought in South Vietnam,’’ Ha says.

Sunday marks the 40th anniver-sary of the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, which ended the United States’ military involvement in the Vietnam War. But one of the conflict’s most destructive legacies, Agent Or-ange, continues to blight the lives of young Vietnamese.

The symptoms of the young man in Hoa Binh are thought to be a result of his father’s exposure to Agent Or-ange, a herbicide used by the US to clear jungle cover sheltering enemy soldiers.

More than 43 million litres were dumped on South Vietnam from 1965 to 1970, populated at the time by around 4.5 million people. It contained the dioxin TCDD, thought to have

strong carcinogenic properties and persistence in the environment and food chain.

Its impact on genetic material has passed some of the worst effects onto the next generation in the form of de-velopmental problems, experts say.

Hanoi says around 150,000 chil-dren suffered birth defects linked to the chemical. The Vietnamese Red Cross puts the figure at half a million.

The Hoa Binh Peace Village cares for more than 100 children whose par-ents or grandparents served or lived for at least a year in areas sprayed with Agent Orange, and have relevant symptoms as identified by the Min-istry of Health, director Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuong says.

“The US government should do more to help the victims of Agent Or-ange because their lives are still very difficult now, especially in the context of the economic crisis as donations have reduced,’’ she says.

Washington has not recognized the health impact of Agent Orange, even on its own troops. An attempt by US veterans in the 1980s to sue for damage suffered while serving in contaminated areas led to an out-of-court settlement.

In 2009 the Supreme Court refused

to hear a similar case by the Vietnam-ese Association for Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA).

Head of VAVA’s propaganda board, Mai The Chinh, says the US was try-ing to “escape their responsibility to Vietnam.’’

“For political, legal, economic and social reasons, the US government and companies do not dare to admit their legal responsibility,’’ he says. “Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange will continue to struggle legally in the US to bring justice for victims.’’

Since diplomatic relations be-tween the two countries were nor-malized in 1993, economic and politi-cal interests have led to burgeoning ties. Agent Orange, however, has remained a sticking point. Charles Bailey, former Vietnam director of the philanthropic Ford Foundation, started working on Agent Orange problems in 1998.

“In those days the issue was so polarized and sensitive that nobody wanted to talk about it,’’ he says.

Bailey is part of the US-Vietnam Dialogue Group on Agent Orange/TCDD, a group of experts from both sides who have helped bring their governments together on the issue. Its goals include providing services to the disabled, especially from con-

taminated areas.In August the two sides celebrated

the breaking ground of a 43-million-dollar joint project to clean up a heavily contaminated former US military base, a first after decades of negotiation. “Our ability to work constructively to resolve war legacy issues has contributed to an overall strengthening of our bilateral rela-tions,’’ US Embassy spokesman Christopher Hodges says.

Susan Hammond, director of the War Legacies Project, says more needs to be done to help some of the most severely affected, particularly those in remote areas, to provide them with the expert care they need.

But she says US funding to clean up dioxin hotspots and support dis-abled people has been helpful. ‘’You can get cynical about how long it’s taking, but compared to where we were just ten years ago we’ve made huge progress,’’ she says.

“Keep pushing, that’s all we can do, particularly our government, be-cause being an American I believe we bear a big burden here to address the issue and stop fighting over whether it’s Agent Orange or not and just provide the services where they are needed particularly to those who are more severely affected.’’

‘Orange’ Still Hurts US, Vietnam

WASHINGTON (AP) — Heat ris-ing up from cities such as New York, Paris and Tokyo might be remotely warming up winters far away in some rural parts of Alaska, Canada, and Si-beria, a surprising study theorizes.

In an unusual twist, that same ur-ban heat from buildings and cars may be slightly cooling the autumns in much of the Western United States, Eastern Europe and the Mediter-ranean, according to the study pub-lished Sunday in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change.

Meteorologists long have known that cities are warmer than rural areas, with the heat of buildings and cars, along with asphalt and roofs that absorb heat. That’s called the urban heat island effect and it’s long been thought that the heat stayed

close to the cities.But the study, based on a computer

model and the Northern Hemisphere, now suggests the heat does something else, albeit indirectly. It travels about half a mile (800 meters) up into the air and then its energy changes the high-altitude currents in the atmosphere that dictate prevailing weather.

“Basically, it changes the flow.’’ said Guang Zhang of the Scripps In-stitution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. He wrote the paper with Aixue Hu at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.

This doesn’t change overall global temperature averages significantly, unlike man-made greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Instead it redistributes some of the heat, the

scientists said.The changes seem to vary with

the seasons and by region because of the way air currents flow at dif-ferent times of the year. During the winter, the jet stream is altered and weakened, keeping cold air closer to the Arctic Circle and from dipping down as sharply, Hu explained.

The computer model showed that parts of Siberia and northwest-ern Canada may get, on average, an extra 1.4 degrees to 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 to 1 degree Celsius) during the winter, which “may not be a bad thing,’’ Zhang said. The ef-fect isn’t quite as much in northern North Dakota and Minnesota, where temperatures might be about half a degree warmer (0.3 degrees Celsius), and even less along the East Coast.

KAZIRANGA, India (AP) — Out of the early morning mists and tall grass of northeast India emerges a massive creature with a dinosaur-like face, having survived millions of years despite a curse — literally on its head. As elephant-borne riders approach, the formidable hulk sniffs the air for danger, then resumes its breakfast.

This is Kaziranga, refuge to more than 2,200 endangered Indian rhinoceros and one of the world’s best-protected wildlife reserves. But even here, where rangers follow shoot-to-kill orders, poachers are laying siege to “Fortress Kaziranga,’’ attempting to sheer off the animals’

horns to supply a surge in demand for purported medicine in China that’s pricier than gold. At least 18 rhino fell to poachers in and around the park in 2012, compared to 10 in all of India in 2011.

Insurgents eager to bolster their war chests here in India’s Assam state are also involved, according to police. Authorities are investigating a recent news report that a Chinese company offered two rebel groups a deal: weapons in exchange for horns and body parts of the one-horned species whose scientific name is rhinoceros unicornis.

Pitted against the poachers, some armed with battlefield rifles, are 152

anti-poaching camps staffed by more than 900 rangers, guards and other personnel - almost one for every square kilometer of the reserve. These include a well-armed task force rushed in when the poaching erupted again early last year. Ka-ziranga also is ready to deploy drones and satellite surveillance to track the intruders.

The rhino war is a bloody one on all counts. A number of guards have been killed along with 108 poach-ers since 1985 while 507 rhino have perished by gunfire, electrocution or spiked pits set by the poachers, according to the park. More than 50 poachers were arrested last year.

Rural Areas Feel Urban Heat

India Battles Rhino-Horn Poachers

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — The Brazilian government says it’s un-dertaking a four-year, $33 million study of its vast Amazon rainforest to compile a detailed inventory of the plants, animals and people that live there.

Environment Minister Isabella Teixeira on Friday signed an ac-cord with the country’s national development bank, which is funding the study. The government says the inventory will help in formulating environmental policies aimed at preserving the forest and prevent-ing deforestation.

Last year, Brazil lost 4,656 square kilometers (1,797 square miles) of Amazon to deforestation. That’s the smallest amount on record.

More than 60 percent of the Amazon’s 6.1 million square kilo-meters are located in Brazil.

The government’s last study of the region dates back to 1983.

OUIDAH, Benin (AP) — The deified residents of the Temple of Pythons, when released to find food, sometimes slither across the road into a Catholic church that once hosted Pope Benedict XVI. The lo-cal priest, the snake handlers say, is always good enough to call or bring the gorging reptiles back to their own spiritual home.

This is life in Ouidah, a mecca of spirits and gods worshipped by practitioners of Voodoo, a recognized religion in this former French colony in West Africa that is home to 9 mil-lion people. The religion has its own pope — or two, depending on who you ask — whose reign dates back to the 1400s and can be seen about town in his SUV.

This past Thursday, local banks and the post office closed as the town celebrated its annual Voodoo Festival, an event increasingly draw-ing curious foreigners. With its mix of beliefs and traditions, the Voodoo practiced here shows both a clash of cultures and the ability for ancient traditional beliefs to adapt to mod-ern life.

“It is like we are sending all the evil in the country, on the continent, away,’’ said Djabassi Manonwomin, a Voodoo priestess who leads others in the worship of a mermaid deity. “The people today are corrupt, we can see that. It is from the old days, but now more open.

“More people are hungry (for corruption). They put their bellies in front of themselves.’’

Brazil Rainforest

Voodoo Fest

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Section Editor: PINKY CONCHA COLMENARESAsst. Editor: JOHANNES L. CHUA

Property News Tuesday, January 29, 2013 B-7

GROUND FLOOR STOREFRONT

Robinsons To Open FirstFull Service Mall In Roxas CityRobinsons Place Roxas will open

in November, and it will be the largest first full-service mall in the area.

The mall will be situated at the northern portion of Pueblo de Panay, an emerging commercial develop-ment in Barangay Lawaan in the outskirts of Roxas City. Consisting of a two-level commercial structure with a total floor area of 37,000 sqm, the mall will have anchor tenants like the Robinsons Supermarket, Robin-sons Department Store, Food Court, Robinsons Movieworld, Handyman Do-it-Best, Robinsons Appliance Center, an Amusement Center and a Bingo Activity Center.

In addition, over 100 home, cloth-ing and fashion, jewelry and acces-sory, music and video, footwear and specialty stores, fast food and casual dining restaurants will be housed in the mall. And for the added conve-nience of shoppers, other tenants will include book stores, banks and government agencies.

Notably, the mall will feature four state-of-the-art cinemas (three digital and one 3D) that can seat over a thousand moviegoers. These will

be equipped with the latest digital technology for an enhanced viewing experience.

“As the first full service mall in Roxas, Robinsons Place Roxas will bring the ultimate shopping, lifestyle and business convenience under one roof,” said Arlene G. Magtibay, Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) general manager for Commercial Centers Division.

“At Robinsons Place Roxas, we will offer both quality and affordability with a complete variety of well-known retail brands. The spacious mall is designed to be a community hub and a large main atrium is incorporated in the building design. This is an ideal venue for a variety of local shows, events, exhibitions and other com-munity gatherings,” she said.

The new mall has been designed to be a regional shopping center of exceptional aesthetic appeal. Its external façade has tinted glass cur-tain walls and attractive horizontal banding in beige hues with red color wall accents.

Full height showcase windows allow mall-goers to take advan-tage of natural lighting, and green spaces will be strategically placed throughout the development. These will follow an Asian Tropical Land-scaping design, where areas will be predominantly planted with tropical palms. The 800-space open parking area, too, will be landscaped to follow the theme.

Magtibay said that accessibility is its best feature. “The mall is just a ki-lometer from Roxas City’s main plaza and is conveniently 200 meters from an existing bus and AUV terminal”.

For those from outlying areas who want to spend more time in Roxas City, Hotel Veronica, Cler Grand Hotel and Urban Manor Hotel are nearby.CINEMA LOBBY

MAIN ATRIUM FOOD COURT

Grand Midori Inaugurates First TowerThe Grand Midori Makati was

recently inaugurated after the completion of its first tower. Units will be turned over starting this year, opening a grand lifestyle to future residents.

The development is a land-mark venture of Federal Land Inc., Metrobank, and Orix Corporation, a leading multinational financial conglomerate from Japan.

The landmark has been designed to blend convenience, elegance, and security in one grand design and location. The name was coined from the Japanese word “green,” and sets itself apart through meticu-

lous design, premium finishes, and relaxing and well-balanced ameni-ties that will provide a sense of Zen living experience. Japanese modern design methods were also applied through generous spaces and ele-ments that promote harmony with nature.

The natural lighting system, among other eco-friendly features, has made this luxury residential condominium eligible for US Green Building Code or LEED registration (Leadership in Energy and Environ-mental Design).

The LEED is an internationally-recognized program that provides

third party certification for green buildings. One of its design teams, Tange Associates, is known for proj-ects that put emphasis on sustain-ability and environment. Its touch can be seen in the Zen-inspired amenity area, one of the features of The Grand Midori Makati.

The amenities include a 20-meter lap pool and a children’s wading pool that blend well with the calming Koi pond and Zen garden.

The podium level looks out to the Makati cityscape, providing refresh-ing open spaces in the middle of the concrete jungle.

Its team of internationally-ac-

Units Now Ready For Turnover

Filinvest

Studio Series Presents Ideal StartTo symbolize independence and

achievement, there’s nothing like having space of one’s own. With students and fresh graduates in mind, Filinvest has developed its Studio Series to provide this young set with opportunity to finally have their own space. From Studio City in Filinvest City, Studio Zen in Manila, and Studio A in Quezon City, they can find the perfect starter pad fit for all their needs.

Filinvest’s Studio series started in Filinvest City, Alabang, where Studio City, Studio 1 and 2 catered to call center agents and IT profes-sionals working in Northgate Cy-berzone, home to major BPOs and IT companies. The studios were de-signed to maximize available space while providing a stylish living area to accommodate the hip and busy lifestyle of its residents.

There are also stand-alone stu-dio developments in Metro Manila that are strategically located within university belts and transport hubs, making the trip from school to home easy and hassle-free. Medical facili-ties, lifestyle destinations, and other

recreational places are also very accessible.

And with affordable rates, stu-dents and fresh graduates can get a head start on the dream of owning their own pad.

Studio Zen, which had its ground-breaking recently, is located along

Taft Avenue, Manila, where trans-portation hubs abound.

It will offer college students to have a living and studying environ-ment so conveniently near schools or universities such as De La Salle University, College of St. Benilde, St. Scholastica’s College Manila, Arel-lano School of Law and UP Manila.

A visit to the newly opened Stu-dio Zen model units will give future residents an idea of how exciting studio living can be. The roomy individual units with its three-way bathroom are ideal for best buds sharing space. For those moments when one needs to get inspired, the central atrium with its natural light and freely circulating air makes the perfect studying spot.

Of course, everybody needs to take a break from studying — and they can have their pick of fun activi-ties at the roof deck.

From the events and theatre room, dance studio, game room, fitness center, and sky lounge — it’s the ideal place to chill and relax. WiFi is also available at the amenity area, providing easy connectivity

to do a quick research or updating social network pages.

Soon to rise in Loyola Heights,

Quezon City is Studio A, which is just a few minutes from Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam College and the University of the Philippines.

It will be easy to get fit when there’s a swimming pool and fit-ness center right in the building, or schedule a review session in the study hall.

For quiet moments of relaxation, the land-scaped pocket gardens make an ideal spot. Wi-Fi access, a must for the young set, is avail-able in the amenity areas while internet provisions are made in residential units.

Filinvest has built m o r e t h a n 1 3 5 , 0 0 0 homes on over 2,350

hectares of land to fulfill the dreams of Filipino families across the na-tion.

STUDIO ZEN

STUDIO A

GRAND MIDORI MAKATI

claimed architects and designers ensured that every aspect of the development adheres to its theme, right down to the pocket gardens tucked in every floor.

The amenities were all well executed from the fitness center to the sleek mini theatre room and 100-meter jogging path. A porte cochere is carefully constructed to ensure that residents and their guests are picked up or dropped-off safely.

It offers a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three bed-room and penthouse units. The development is almost completely sold out.

The on-site showroom is located at Legazpi St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013 B-9

PEFIANCO...(Cont'd from page 11)

VILLANUEVA...(Cont'd from page 11)

DAZA...(Cont'd from page 11)

ROMULO...(Cont'd from page 11)

said, “you can only counsel them, like informing them the revolution has long been over.”

Dr. Tan met the press to give a preview of the feng shui talk that LRI (on Nicanor Garcia st. in Makati) has set up for Feb. 7. “Just the basics,” he said, which ought to interest those who have heard so much about feng shui even if what they’ve heard is wrong, deceitful and outrightly fraudulent. Feng shui is not about little mirrors to drive away bad spirits, it’s not fortune-telling and placing lions and unicorns to “guard the main door,” and it’s not for snake-oil salesmen to pull the wool over their unsuspecting customers’ eyes.

Feng shui may be a science but it works in mysterious ways. Sometimes, a project with everything going for it – first-class talents, materials, mar-keting – will refuse to take off until wind-water “cures” are applied and then voila, there it goes, it flies! But who can explain it?

to the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty. She and Secretary Del Rosa-rio also signed a statement for the two countries to support the construction of a new National Coast Watch Center for the Philippines, during President Aquino’s visit to Washington this year.

Mrs. Clinton has been a public fig-ure since 1979 when her husband Bill became governor of Arkansas. She has served as First Lady twice – as the governor’s wife and later, as the wife of the President.

Mrs. Clinton had said that she would leave her job at the State De-partment after the Senate confirmed her successor. While she was in the hospital, President Obama nomi-nated the popular Massachusetts Democrat, Senator John Kerry, to become the nest Secretary of State. A combat veteran of the Vietnam War, and chairman of the Senate Com-mittee on Foreign Relations where he worked with both parties, Kerry, who has served 28 years in the Senate focusing on national security issues, is expected to sail through the confir-mation hearings with no opposition.

is generally commendable and has room for improvement in revenue collection. It noted the country’s improvement in its ranking in the Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013 of the World Economic Forum and the 2011-2012 Doing Business Report of the International Finance Corporation/World Bank. These developments translate to an average employment generation at 997,000 per year which is close to the PDP target of 1 million annually. The report also highlighted the vital reforms of the Aquino administration in good governance, the overarching strategy of the PDP 2011-2016.

Looking forward, the SER said that the nation will pursue a bal-anced growth policy that would har-ness the services, and agriculture sectors, the first being the country’s largest contributor to the economy at present and the latter two hav-ing untapped potentials and with substantial room for improvement. The government must continue to partner with the private sector in developing the industry and services sector.

The Manila Bulletin, led by its Chairman of the Board Dr. Emilio T. Yap, President and Publisher Atty. Hermogenes P. Pobre, Executive Vice President Dr. Emilio C. Yap III, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Cris J. Icban Jr., Business Editor Loreto D. Cabañes, Officers and Employees, congratu-late the government of the Republic of the Philippines headed by H.E., President Benigno S. Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, and the Cabinet Secretaries, Officers and Employees in their vital reforms in good governance towards achieving the program of the Philippine Devel-opment Plan 2011-2016. CONGRATU-LATIONS AND MABUHAY!

GOVERNMENT...(Cont'd from page 11)

11 years, according to the DOTC.The new blueprint, the MMUTIS

Update and Capacity Enhancement Project (MUCEP), seeks to enhance the productivity and quality of life of Metro Manila residents by making the transport system safe and effi-cient. MUCEP will complement the forward-looking Metro Manila Blue-print 2030, a program of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

Rapid growth and progress, in-dustrialization, and a bourgeoning population necessitate the update of the transportation plan for Metro Manila, primarily to support the forecast development plans for Metro Manila and the adjoining provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan. It will be done by coordinating the efforts of relevant agencies, led by the DOTC.

We congratulate the Department of Transportation and Communica-tions Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya and Metro Manila Develop-ment Authority Chairman Francis N. Tolentino, in their partnership to pursue programs that would realize an integrated, modern transportation system in the me-tropolis. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!

METRO...(Cont'd from page 11)

look 2013-2014 reports added: “For years after the eruption of the global financial crisis, the world economy is still struggling to recover. During 2012, global economic growth was weakened further.” But the Philippine economy proved to be different in 2012.

Ours defied the odds plaguing other countries.

True, difficulties lie ahead and much needs to be done but government and private business remain bullish over this year’s outloook. Rightfully so, because it is our trust in Divine Provi-

dence coupled with our determination to succeed as a nation that shall spare us from prolonged economic hardships and finally propel us towards prosperity with our unwavering collective belief: Blessed indeed is the Philippines whose God is the Lord.

ARANETA...(Cont'd from page 11)

LINA...(Cont'd from page 11)

samoro leaders, with the subtle prodding of Malaysia, were first of-fered a hand of friendship and had accepted it.

However, eventually the MILF will ask for the whole arm and es-tablish an independent Bangsam-oro substate within the Philippine Republic. This is tantamount to secession and capitulation.

Is this what the Filipino people want?

Thus, these three signs of weak-ness, plus corruption, killings, a decadent Congress, and oligarchy domination of Philippine society will conspire to debilitate and subvert the Republic.

While there are no quick fixes in geopolitics that will correct the structural maladjustment, strength-ening the core values is essential, critical, and urgent.

In summary, it is apropos to re-iterate the four factors that former National Security Adviser Gen. Jose Almonte (ret.) had advocated for the Filipino people which are; (1) “We must come to terms with ourselves,” i.e, know who we are; (2) “No matter what it takes, we must end our internal wars,” such as, separatism and insurgency; (3) “We must complete all the land and non-land reforms” whose completion will usher in growth, eradicate insur-

gency, and bring about unity; and (4) “We must transfer the power of the few over the State to the people,” by leveling the playing field.

When all is said and done, there is much work to be done, soul searching to be made, pursuit of reconciliation, and bring peace to the countryside for this country to stand tall, prosperous, proud, brave, and humane.

Only then will a strong republic emerge.

You be the judge* * *

(For comments and views please e-mail chaff_fromthegrain@yahoo.com.ph)

line motion: To declare his item vacant and subject to the votes of 24 senators. Senate employees in their late seventies can tell their friends and grandchildren that five senators took turns serving as Senate Presi-dent in 1951, 1952, and 1953. The five were Zulueta, Cuenco, Osias, Paredes), and Amang Rodriguez (named as Mr. Nacionalista).

PunctualityThe senators reported to the ses-

sion hall on time, except the seniors among them like Recto (reelected in 1949 but won his protest in 1951) and Laurel (overwhelmingly elected in 1951 but lost the presidential elec-tion in 1949). Laurel and Recto had no interest in the Senate leadership struggle.

Quezon served the longest as Senate president from 1916 to 1935 for a reason: His leadership in the US House of Representatives as resident commissioner – 1909 to 1916 – brought home the Jones Law of 1916. The law created a Legis-lature of two chambers – Senate and House – and became the first law-making body controlled by Filipinos.

Rigodon in the Senate Presi-dency

After the presidential elections in 1949, LP winner Quirino reached out in reconciliation to Avelino who was elected to a second term as leader of the Senate. Avelino’s presidency lasted 17 days. He was replaced by co-party leader LP senator Mariano J. Cuenco. Cuenco in turn was de-posed by fellow LP Quintin Paredes in 1952.

Five Senate presidentsThe Senate president’s chair

changed hands four more times in 1952: 1) NP Osias edged out LP

Paredes, 2) NP Amang Rodriguez replaced fellow NP Osias in the same year, 3) Osias divested Amang of his chair again, and 4) Osias was re-placed by Zulueta. Amang cooled his heels until the NPs led by Magsaysay won 70 percent of the votes in 1953. This time Amang served as Senate president from 1953 to 1963.

Replayed in No. 2 jobThe changing of the guards

was replayed in the job of Senate President Protemporé that was rotated among Cuenco, Paredes, Abada, Briones, and Zulueta. Que-zon stopped presiding at the Senate in 1935, after 19 years of banging the gavel since 1916. The Senate was abolished by the 1935 Constitution that created a National Assembly of one chamber. But in 1940, Quezon missed the Senate and soon an-nounced that national leaders badly needed training and apprenticeship in a revived Senate which was re-stored in the 1940 Amendment.

Block votingIn November, 1941, all 24 NP

candidates selected by Quezon won election to a restored Senate under a new system of election called bloc voting. The first top five – Recto, Roxas, Torres, Yulo, and Quirino – were all seen as presidential timber. From the NP slate of 24, three were elected presidents – Roxas in 1946, Quezon in 1949, and Garcia in 1957.

Most colorfulBut senior citizens still remem-

ber Amang Rodriguez as the most colorful Filipino who presided as Senate president. Amang rose through the ranks as a small-town mayor, governor of Rizal province, mayor of Manila for three months in 1923 (until rejected by the Senate commission of appointments for ac-

cepting Governor-General Leonard Wood’s offer). As stated by Quezon who had opposed Wood, Amang’s confirmation was given an “eye-wash.” Amang went on to become secretary of agriculture, mayor of Manila (appointed by Quezon this time), and senator in 1941.

Up and down and upIn 1946, Amang was the NP vice-

presidential candidate of President Osmeña. The two lost the election to Roxas and Quirino. In 1947, Amang ran for senator but lost in the count-ing. His protest was upheld and joined the other NPs in the Senate.

Two of his assistants were law students and were my chokaran. They said their Boss was a tight-wad when giving cash gifts of R20 to R50. But the cash came from Luzon Surety, Amang’s insurance company near Escolta, and NOT a cent from the Senate budget or tax money. In 1951, the daily wage was R4 x 22 days or R88 monthly.

Cash gif t for Ma Mon Luk only

Amang’s experience in politics was well-known but spoke in half-English/Spanish and mostly in Tagalog. And to this day it remains unclear if he completed two years of college education. According to columnist Joe Guevara, his cash gift was big enough for three visits to Ma Mon Luk (R1.10 for a bowl of mami and one siopao now costing R137 which currency experts would give a price increase of a few thou-sand percent).

Amang’s lecture to his staff not to spend their income on foolishness was a constant reminder. He safe-guarded tax money as hard-earned as his own. (Comments are welcome at roming@pefianco.com).

frogs or waving cats – no dust collectors, what a blessed relief. There are flyers, neatly piled, about the world-class services of GAOC. That stands for Gan Advanced Os-seointegration Center, a veritable tongue-twister, but descriptive enough.

Gan is Dr. Stephen Mark Gan, graduate of the University of the East (1993), who spent a year of externship on oral surgery at the University of the Phil ippines-Philippine General Hospital and three years (1995-1998) of advanced prosthodontic residency in Los Angeles, California. He specialized in prosthodontic implants at the West Coast Surgery Center for Os-seointegration, also in Los Angeles. Dr. Gan’s first dental clinic was in Binondo, and the rest is history, or history in the making, since Dr. Gan has several centers in Metro Manila and Cebu.

The wait is never long because at GAOC they are punctual and respectful of time; using SMS, you are cordially reminded of your appointments and requested to confirm; if your attending dentist will be late, for reasons beyond anyone’s control, you are informed; how very considerate. I am describ-ing the GAOC on the 12th floor of the Medical Plaza building on Amorsolo Street in Makati. A nar-row, frosted-glass door at the end of the reception counter swings open and an assistant calls you in a sweet gentle voice. The narrow corridor has small niches with miniatures of forgettable art work. There are several cubicles, all with frosted-glass doors that slide at a touch. The largest cubicle at the end of the corridor is the corner room of the building, all glass, the operating room with world-class equipment and a splendid view of Makati City.

Dr. Gan’s dentists are all highly qualified and well-versed in the latest techniques and technologies developed in First World countries. They are supported by assistants, hygienists, and dental nurses all dressed in cool blue with matching masks, shoo shields, and caps. The over-all impression is one of me-ticulous cleanliness and an almost palpable obsession for hygiene and sanitation. I suppose you cannot be too careful because of the intimate nature of dental services. GAOC has a newly opened clinic at the San Lorenzo Residences which is exquisitely modern and amazingly high-tech. Superstars go there and so do diplomats. I take my 90-year-old mother there because like most celebrities, she loves being pam-pered by such a good-looking, tall, affable, well-bred young dentist like Stephen Mark Gan. (gemma601@yahoo.com)

‘NIÑO’ PROCESSION – Atop a carriage, a boy watches with awe as he joins in the annual procession of over a hundred images of the Sto. Niño, along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, Sunday, January 27, 2013. (Ali Vicoy)

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ESTANISLAO...(Cont'd from page 11)

ourselves with our town-mates or province-mates; we still have some work to do – although we have made some progress in this regard – when it comes to identifying ourselves with our fellow Filipinos and with other citizens of the global village.

This is where our continuing cultural formation comes in. It helps us rise to a more inclusive patriotic outlook, which includes all Filipinos, irrespective of origins or other differ-ences, and finally to a more universal (global) outlook as well (which ex-tends to all men and women on our planet). Cultural formation serves to expand our outlook considerably. It goes much further. It also serves to extend our ability to inter-act and communicate with other men and women of past generations, i.e., all those who came before us, including those from centuries before us. This is because we have a common hu-man heritage, a good part of which has been passed on to us through culture.

Through cultural formation, there-fore, we expand our ability to take advantage of, and learn from, our common human heritage. Indeed, we

can learn from all the great men and women, who lived in centuries past. We can read about their ideas; we can take in the many lessons they have passed on. We can benefit from the perspectives they had as they con-fronted the events, circumstances, and issues of their day.

We too confront events, circum-stances, and issues of our day. All these require a set of perspectives, which we form based on the stock of knowledge we have as well as on the culture we decide to draw from. The greater our stock of knowledge, and the broader the culture we have the ability to draw from, the richer – and hopefully the more helpful – those perspectives.

Our continuing cultural forma-tion seeks to increase our ability to draw from the past, which offers many ideas and different lessons, which we should then evaluate for any possible guidelines in confront-ing the many modern-day issues we face in our own time. Not everything from the past can be of direct use to us; but everything can provide some guidance on the priorities we must set and on the problems we must

avoid. Even the egregious mistakes of the past can point to approaches we may have to avoid at all cost. We also have more than enough shin-ing examples from the past of the proper approaches we may have to consider in facing broadly similar issues today.

It used to be the case that read-ing properly selected cultural books was the main means of furthering our cultural formation. Reading con-tinues to be essential and important. However, there are now many useful supplements: Audio-visual materi-als, educational TV programs, and social media facilitate and widen ac-cess to the many ideas and lessons we can learn from the great minds and sterling experiences of the past. Moreover, these supplementary means for cultural formation are as entertaining – if not more so – as the plain, simple cultural reading of old. We have to take advantage of both, not only to add to our stock of knowl-edge but also to sharpen our ability to discern what ideas and lessons from the past we can put in play for our benefit in confronting the events and circumstances of our day.

REFLECTIONS...(Cont'd from page 11)

so much from the fact that she bore Jesus in her body but because she was a true disciple of her Son, doing the will of the Father like Him, as St. Augustine says.

Don’t be content with being a Christian or Catholic.Be a doer of the Father’s will.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

A man died after drowning in a portion of the Pasig River in Punta Sta. Ana, Manila the other night.

The victim was identified as Eugene Bahuta. He was already dead when rescue workers from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) found him.

Initial investigation showed that the incident happened at around 10 p.m. at the said area in Punta Sta. Ana, Manila.

Witnesses told police investiga-tors that the victim had been a passenger on board a boat on the Pasig River. Boatman Carlito Nikole said the victim was about to alight from the boat when he lost his bal-ance, slipped, and fell into the river. (Rizal S. Obanil)

A laborer was stabbed dead by his drunk co-worker inside a house they were both renting in Quezon City Sun-day afternoon.

Investigator SPO1 Jaime Jimena said the police now has in custody the suspect who was identified as construc-tion worker Judy Dahil-Dahil, 27.

Jimena said that Dahil-Dahil is the suspect in the death of the latter’s co-worker Ricardo Hernandez, 55, in a stabbing incident that took place at around 4:30 p.m. inside a rented house located along A.J. Delos Reyes St., Ba-rangay Milagrosa, Quezon City.

The investigator said the house was being rented by the employer of both Dahil-Dahil and the victim so that they, along with their fellow construc-tion workers, would have a place to stay in.

Hernandez sustained four stab

wounds in his chest and was rushed to the Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) but was declared dead on ar-rival at the hospital.

Following the stabbing incident, Jimena said Dahil-Dahil surrendered himself to the police.

Jimena learned that earlier last Sunday afternoon, Dahil-Dahil was drinking liquor alone inside the house when the victim came around and struck up a conversation.

The investigator said that Dahil-Dahil had difficulty explaining why he killed the victim.

In his account to Jimena, Dahil-Dahil could only say that he found Hernandez very annoying and boastful, and apparently piqued, he reached for a small bolo in his possession and sud-denly used it to stab the defenseless victim. (Jeffrey Damicog)

A 15-year-old girl died after she was ran over by a sports utility vehicle (SUV) as she was crossing Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City before dawn yesterday.

Traffic investigator PO2 Paul Florendo identified the victim as Danica Balbuena, a resident of Kaunlaran St., Barangay Comon-wealth, Quezon City.

Florendo said Balbuena died after a Nissan X-Trail (OIQ-777) struck her as she was crossing the street at around 1 a.m. in front of the Commonwealth Market along Commonwealth Avenue.

Balbuena was rushed to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) but was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

In the meantime, police have in custody the driver of the Nissan X-Trail who was identified as busi-nessman Valeriano Ponce, 55, also a resident of Quezon City.

Florendo learned that Ponce that morning was driving along the south-bound lane of the Common-wealth Avenue.

However, upon reaching the Commonwealth Market, the driver claimed that the victim suddenly appeared on his right side.

Balbuena apparently tried cross-ing the road from the Common-wealth Market but got hit by the SUV.

Ponce could face charges of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide. (Jeffrey Damicog)

Car Runs Over, Kills Girl

Man Drowns In Pasig River

Laborer Stabbed Dead By Co-Worker

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iFC...(Cont'd from page B-1)

Agencies...(Cont'd from page B-1)

BOi...(Cont'd from page B-1)

ADB...(Cont'd from page B-1)

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By BERNIE CAHILES-MAgKILAT

A combination of Constitutional amendments and improvement in infrastructure are needed to achieve a sustained growth of 7 percent or more in the coming years, according to an advisory and research institute.

The latest issue of its online news-letter Spark, Consultancy group Stratbase Research Institute (SRI) said that while the economic growth in the third quarter of 2013 is laudable, it is too early to offer congratulations. Stratbase issues Spark on a quarterly basis. It covers socio-political and eco-nomic analysis of timely issues that affect the direction of the economy and political landscape governing the Philippines.

“If one takes a longer view, the country has yet to establish a sustained growth record. The pattern is more boom-and-bust and growth has never exceeded double-digits. Taking popula-

tion growth into account will reduce the country’s per capita growth rate even further,” Prof. Victor Andres C. Manhit, president of SRI, said in the 16-page report titled Ready to Compete? An Assessment of Philippine Competitive-ness, Trade and Foreign Direct Invest-ment Regimes.

The report aims to present an analysis of the progress made and chal-lenges faced by the Philippine economy under the Aquino administration. It also offers insights on the importance of amending economic constitutional provisions and free trade agreements as they affect the competitiveness of the Philippine economy.

The Philippines’ gross domestic product grew 7.1 percent in the third quarter of 2012, second only to China’s 7.7-percent expansion during the same period.

Manhit, however, said the country needs to improve its competitiveness against other Asian economies, if it is to sustain such high-growth level.

“It is imperative that the Philip-pines improve its competitiveness so its economy can grow and meet the requirements of its growing population and for the nation to play its proper role as the 12th most populous nation in the world. The lack of will and imagination should not keep this goal beyond the Filipinos reach,” he said.

Foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the Philippines reached $1.1 billion in the first three quarters of 2012, up by 40 percent from $782 million a year ago. The figure, however, was miniscule compared to FDIs going to other Asian countries.

In addition, Manhit noted that the Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013 of the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked the Philippines 65th among 144 countries, a jump from 75th place in 2011. Nevertheless, the same report noted that the country is still in a transition phase between a factor-driven economic stage and an efficiency-driven economic stage.

Leading Filipino business person-alities will be sharing their views on the Philippines’ growth prospects for this year and beyond at the upcom-ing Philippine Investment Summit 2013 tomorrow in Makati City, which carries the theme “The Philippine Economic Upgrade: A Bright Spot in Asia.”

According to Roberto Juanchito Dispo, president of First Metro In-vestment Corporation, “The Summit is expected to be a landmark event that will bode well for the Philippines in terms of funds inflow and foreign direct investments, thus, provid-ing boost to the Philippine capital markets and other sectors including property, manufacturing, mining, energy and infrastructure.”

Finance Secretary Cesar Puri-sima will deliver the keynote address to open the Summit.

The highly anticipated presenta-tion of globally-renowned economist and strategist Dr. Nouriel Roubin will be the event’s highlight. He will deliver an in-depth analysis of the current state and outlook of the Philippine economy and its role in regional development, as well as the future of global economy.

Joining the Summit to give addi-tional insights, examine the prospects and investment opportunities, and as-sess risks and challenges in a round-table discussion are First Metro chairman Francisco Sebastian, First Metro president Roberto Juanchito Dispo, Philippine Stock Exchange president Hans Sicat, First Pacific Company Ltd. managing director and CEO Manuel Pangilinan, and Aboitiz Equity Ventures president and CEO Erramon Aboitiz.

Also joining the panel of reactors are economist Dr. Bernardo Villegas of the University of Asia & the Pacific and Bloomberg Senior Economist Michael McDonough. Coco Alcuaz of ABS-CBN News

Channel will moderate the discus-sion.

A follow-up event to the success-ful Philippine Investment Summit for Global Fund Managers held in October 2011, also organized by First Metro together with its parent company Metrobank, this Summit is expected to be attended by portfolio and investment managers, credit rat-ing agencies, as well as representa-tives from both foreign and domestic financial institutions.

By YURI KAgEYAMA

TOKYO (AP) — Now it’s official: Toyota is once again the world’s top automaker.

Toyota Motor Corp. released its tally for global vehicle sales for last year Monday at a record 9.748 mil-lion vehicles - a bigger number than the estimate it gave last month of about 9.7 million vehicles.

It was already clear Toyota had dethroned General Motors Co. as the Detroit-based automaker fell short, selling 9.29 million vehicles.

GM had been the top-selling automaker for more than seven decades before losing the title to Toyota in 2008.

GM retook the sales crown in 2011, when Toyota’s production was hurt by the quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.

The latest results show Toyota’s powerful comeback.

Global vehicle sales for the maker of the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury model

surged nearly 23 percent from the previous year. Overseas sales jumped 19 percent, while sales in Japan, where the economy has been troubled, recovered a whopping 35 percent.

Volkswagen AG of Germany, the world’s No. 3 automaker, sold a record 9.1 million vehicles around the world.

All three automakers play down the significance of the sales ranking and say they are focused on making attractive products.

``Rather than going after num-bers, we hope to make fine products, one by one, to keep out customers satisfied. The numbers are just a re-sult of our policy. And our policy will continue unchanged,’’ said Toyota spokeswoman Shino Yamada.

Still, the recovery for Toyota is impressive. Like other Japanese automakers, Toyota’s production was devastated by the March 2011 disasters, which disrupted supplies of crucial components. Flooding in Thailand, where Toyota has facto-ries, also hurt car production.

Charter Change And infra improvementNeeded To Ensure Growth Sustainability

investment SummitSlated January 30

Toyota regains GlobalMarket Leadership

said Ang. “But Basel 3 also eliminates certain tier 2 instruments in terms of its eligibility for capital, so if you’re going to need more capital you will have to develop more different types of debt instruments.”

IFC is in a position to assist Philip-pine banks and the BSP, he said. “We’d like to work with banks and with the BSP to develop some of these instru-ments.”

Debt instruments to be developed are sub-debt with loss-absorbency features. “(Which) means it is real debt where you could take some real losses subject to not meeting certain capital requirements. How will that market develops, what the mechanics would be needed?”

“Taken our experiences, we’re in a good position to help banks and work with the central bank to think about specifics how these structures (would be), features of the instruments and we can fund them also,” said Ang.

IFC will contribute by lending to the banks. “Actual lending (such as) when we develop sub-debt instruments

with loss absorbency feature we will invest in it as well. We will back up our developed instruments by funding it,” said Ang. “Banks will be in different positions as far as what they need to do to comply with Basel 3. We’ll talk to the banks and see what we’ll come up with,” he added.

The BSP has re-included the loss absorption feature in the amended circular on the definition of qualifying capital instruments. It was removed before when the BSP relaxed the circular on qualifying capital but only as pertains with other requirements under the risk-based capital adequacy framework.

The loss absorbency feature will be adopted for hybrid tier 1 as it must have a provision that requires the instrument to be either written off or converted into common equity upon the occurrence of a trigger event as determined by the BSP.

The BSP recently issued Circular No. 781 implementing the guide-lines for the full adoption of a set of minimum capital requirements under Basel 3. The circular will take effect January 1, 2014.

The BSP has already approved the implementing guidelines of the circu-

lar last December specifically on the revised risk-based capital adequacy framework on the minimum capital and disclosure requirements under Basel 3 rules.

The BSP’s Basel 3 guidelines which will be applicable to all univer-sal and commercial banks and their subsidiary/quasi-banks introduce a capital conservation buffer of 2.5 per-cent made up of common equity tier 1 or CET1 capital. In addition, banks which issued capital instruments from 2011 will be allowed to count these instruments as Basel 3-eligible until end-2015.

Thrift banks and rural banks will have its own set of Basel 3 guidelines but the set of requirements for qualify-ing capital will be the same, said the BSP in the circular memo.

Under the Basel 3 circular, banks will be subject to new risk-based capi-tal adequacy ratios or CARs. For CET1 for example, banks must at least com-ply with six percent of risk-weighted assets at all times, while tier1 capital must be at least 7.5 percent of risk-weighted assets at all times. Qualifying capital which is tier1 capital plus tier2 capital, must be 10 percent at least of risk-weighted assets at all times.

Balisacan.He noted that the percentage of

length of permanent bridges along national arterial roads went up to 94.63 percent out of 330,089 lineal meters, which is slightly below the 95.0-percent target in 2011.

Balisacan stressed the need to ac-celerate the approval and adoption of the National Transport Policy (NTP), which will ensure coordination among transport agencies.

“The NTP needs to be implement-ed to bring about a more integrated transport network and centralized

pines” is currently being reviewed.For the water, air, and rail trans-

port sub-sectors, individual agencies’ performance against target have mixed results in terms of attainment of objectives, according to NEDA.

NEDA said the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) constructed and rehabilitated Passenger Terminal Buildings (PTBs) in selected ports nationwide that gained an additional seating capacity of 1,166 seats in 2011. This was 126.05 percent over the year’s target.

“However, partly due to economic downturn and competing transport modes like air transport, the expected passenger volume in PPA ports for 2011 did not materialize, leading to

the subsector’s recorded negative performance,” said Balisacan.

Meanwhile, the air transport sub-sector had a good performance in 2011 due to the expansion of both airport facilities and air services, and the in-troduction of low cost fares by airlines and cheaper tourist destinations.

“Except for Clark International Airport (CIA), all major gateways exceeded their 2011 targets in terms of increasing the annual international and domestic passenger,” he said.

Airports under the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) collectively increased passenger vol-ume by 129.55 percent; Mactan-Cebu International Airport by 295.75 per-cent; and Ninoy Aquino International

Airport (NAIA) by 207.93 percent despite the current congestion in its runway. On the other hand, CIA posted a performance rate of only 26.25 percent in 2011.

In the rail transport subsector, the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2 in Metro Manila were not able to meet the 2011 target for the actual increase in the consolidated passen-ger volume.

Balisacan said the government will undertake several planned activities to improve the state of the country’s transportation sector. “Prospects for the roads and bridges subsector will also involve public-private partner-ship programs to augment regular budget allocation,” he said.

collection, monitoring and evaluation of needed information and statistics to track the development of the sub-sector,” said Balisacan, who is also NEDA Director-General

The NTP is a comprehensive long-term policy framework that will guide the accomplishment of trans-port objectives and goals, such as the restructuring of the subsector. The policies espoused under the NTP will ensure that government decisions are predictable and consistent, thereby promoting accountability as well.

A draft Executive Order on “Adopt-ing a Policy Framework that Sets the Direction of and Parameters for the Development and Regulation of the Transportation System in the Philip-

ic. According to Panlilio, the power project has increased its power capac-ity to 600 megawatts from only 300 MW in its original application. Thus, they need to get a new environment clear-ance certificate causing the delay in its registration. The company, however, has also already gotten the ECC.

The power project includes a transmission line making it all the more registrable with the BOI for incentives.

Had this project been approved in December last year, the BOI could have exceeded the 2011 investments registration and surpassed its growth goal in 2012. As such, the BOI’s overall

investments in 2012 only reached P360 billion, reflecting a 2.17 percent decline over P368 billion registered in 2011 and missed its P400 billion target in 2012.

Panlilio also noted that the delay in the release of the 2012 Investment Priorities Plan (IPP), the annual list of government preferred projects, may have caused the slowdown in the first half, one is the delay in the release of IPP

The IPP took effect sometime in June or July 2012 already because there were issues on energy projects. But project registration started to kick off in the second half of the year.

“You know very well that energy plans are the big ticket items, 1, 2 or 3 of them can bring out up to a hun-dred billion in investments,” he said.(BCM)

One of the major financing that ADB has extended to the DOE is for the planned five-year rollout of 100,000 electric tricycles which also serves as a flagship program of the Aquino administration.

This required project funding of $504 million. The chunk of $300 mil-lion was extended by the ADB; while the counterpart fund of $200 million will come from the Clean Technology Fund. And the balance of $4.0 million

will have to be funneled by the Philip-pine government.

The e-trike project will be a two-tiered deployment; comprising of 20,000 units in the initial phase while the scale-up level will entail a more aggressive rollout of 80,000 units.

The energy department has been embarking on a grand shift when it comes to the country’s transport system – with leaning on electricity usage as well as cleaner fuels like compressed natural gas.

To reinforce the market introduc-tion of alternative vehicles, the energy department has indicated that it will

“formulate policies that provide in-centives to encourage investment of alternative fuel vehicles or AFVs.”

It added that “safety standards to facilitate the utilization” of e-vehicles shall be instituted and for these to become part of the overall policy-making process.

And as it recognizes the role of local government units in ensuring the success of alternative vehicle de-ployments, the DoE noted that it will similarly “devise counterpart sup-portive measures to expand the use of EVs among cities and provinces in the country.” (MMV)

For this year, of the total goal for large taxpayers, the BIR expects its collection from the group’s income taxes to reach P430.57 billion, while the their value added tax is projected at P159.66 billion.

Meanwhile, the BIR also revealed that excise taxes of larger taxpayers may amount to P101.94 billion in 2013,

while its percentage taxes would reach P41.84 billion.

The BIR also expects to collect other taxes from large taxpayers this year and it is seen to reach P34.28 billion.

In BIR’s bid to enhance compli-ance and increase revenue collection from large taxpayers, the agency launched last year an audit on the value added tax (VAT) returns filed by the group in 2010 and 2011.

BIR Commissioner Kim S. Ja-

cinto-Henares explained the agency wanted to audit their VAT after its collection was short of its target.

The large taxpayers group is composed of the country’s top 1,300 corporations, mostly multinationals and publicly listed companies.

Conceptualized in 1998, the BIR has established a separate service line that will handle large taxpayers’ returns with full operational as well as service functions and it reports directly to the Office of the Commissioner.

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SkyCargo, the freight division of Emir-ates, one of the world’s fastest growing international airlines, has significantly boosted its total cargo capacity and dedi-cated freighter network with the addition of three new Boeing 777F aircraft. The three new freighters, each capable of carrying up to 103 tons of cargo, takes SkyCargo’s freighter fleet to 10 aircraft and dedicated freighter network to 12 destinations. These are Taipei, Chittagong, Eldoret, Lilongwe, Kabul, Almaty, Gothenburg, Zaragoza, Viracopos, Tripoli, Djibouti and Liege.

SkyCargo Acquires 3 New Boeing

Gulf Air is currently working on a bal-anced restructuring strategy that would take the airline on a path towards sustain-ability and support the future economic development of Bahrain.

The strategy aims at strengthening the national carrier’s core services by optimiz-ing its fleet and network, streamlining its organizational structure and re-engineering its internal processes to transform the air-line into a more dynamic and efficient na-tional carrier that will continue to serve the Kingdom of Bahrain and its customers.

Gulf Air Bares Balanced Strategy

By EDU LOPEZ The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has

launched an electronic system of moni-toring the status of shipments through the broker’s lounge installed at the Port of Manila (POM) and the Manila Inter-national Container Port (MICP).

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said the electronic system of monitoring the status of shipments

is a step further in the computeriza-tion program of the BOC, assuring the integrity, security, and smoother flow of work in the processing of entry documents.

The electronic monitoring system, to be pilot tested at the POM and MICP and replicated later in other major ports, will display among others the following information -- entry number, status sec-tion number, time and remarks.

Commissioner Biazon has in-

structed the district collectors to provide a kiosk for stakeholders where they could check the status of their en-tries in case a particular entry number is not displayed in the monitor.

Overcrowding and disorderly con-duct of transactions had long been a problem in the country’s major ports where hundreds daily elbow their way to have their shipments promptly at-tended to, at times resulting to delay when papers get misplaced or lost.

For security purposes and to maintain order in the workplace, the brokers and all other stakeholders are now prohibited from entering the premises of the formal entry division to follow up their shipment.

Commissioner Biazon has de-fended the reform measures he has instituted, saying he believes that in order for the bureau to achieve a state where revenue leakages are greatly reduced if not completely plugged,

systems and processes need to be streamlined and automated.

“Eradicating red tape, cutting down the number of steps in the processes and reducing the opportu-nities for human intervention to the barest minimum are our objectives in line with the vision to see a Bureau of Customs not only as a world-class Customs administration that Filipi-nos can be proud of, but one that the People can trust,” Biazon said.

BOC Unveils Electronic Shipment Monitoring

AIRBUS TO RECRUIT 3,000 PEOPLE IN 2013 (EPA) – Airbus employees work on an A380 Airbus aircraft at the final assembly line in Blagnac, southern France, January 25, 2013. The European aircraft manufacturer needs to recruit 3,000 people in 2013, after having already hired 10,000 over the previous two years.

The fleet of ships carrying miner-als and grains will expand at double the pace of trade growth for a second year in 2013, worsening a supply-demand imbalance, according to Clarkson Plc.

Vessel supply will increase 8 per-cent as demand climbs 4 percent, Clarkson, the world’s biggest ship-broker, said today in a report. That equates to a surplus of 411 Panamax-sized vessels, more than last year’s 404, it said.

The Baltic Dry Index, a measure of costs to transport raw materials on ships, reached a 26-year low in 2012 in terms of its annual average. A glut of vessels outpaced slowing commodities demand, sending hire rates for the biggest carriers to levels below operating costs for most of last year, according to the London-based

shipbroker.“Supply pressure on the dry-bulk

market is likely to remain consider-able this year,” Clarkson said in the report. The overall fleet now numbers 9,490 vessels after swelling 10 percent last year as demand gained 5 percent, it said.

The index declined for a fourth day today, falling 1.2 percent to 798, figures from the London-based Bal-tic Exchange showed. Still, it’s up 14 percent this year after three drops in a row. Daily average hire costs for Capesize ships, the largest ore carriers, slid the most, retreating 3 percent to $7,922.

The Capesize supply-demand imbalance will be the narrowest “for several years,” Clarkson said. Fleet growth will slow to 7 percent as shipments of iron ore, comprising

28 percent of the estimated 4.2 billion metric tons of global dry-bulk trade, rise 6 percent, it said.

The shipbroker based its trade-growth estimate on a Panamax with a capacity of 65,000 deadweight tons carrying 55,000 metric-ton cargoes on seven trips annually. The ves-sels are the largest to navigate the Panama Canal. Panamax charter costs declined 0.7 percent to $5,690, the exchange’s data showed.

Rio Tinto Group and Fortescue Met-als Group Ltd. will expand production capacity at Australian iron-ore mines by a combined 98 million tons by the end of this year, the report showed.

Daily hire rates for Supramax vessels declined 0.2 percent to $7,436 and Handysizes, the smallest ships tracked by the index, were 0.6 percent lower at $7,094.

Double The Pace Of DemandBulk-Ship Fleet Seen Expanding

China Cosco Holdings Co., the nation’s biggest shipping company, is facing trading restrictions on its shares in China after saying it expects to post a “substantial” loss in 2012.

The company may get a “special treatment” designation and inves-tors should be aware of risks, China Cosco said in a filing to Shanghai stock exchange yesterday, without specifying the amount of the loss. The Tianjin, China-based company, headed by Chairman Wei Jiafu, posted a net loss of 4.87 billion yuan ($783 million) in the first half of 2012 and a loss of 10.5 billion yuan in 2011.

China Cosco is expected to have a 6.5 billion yuan net loss for 2012, based on the average of eight esti-mates compiled by Bloomberg. The shipper is contending with higher fuel costs and slumping freight rates because of worldwide overcapacity. The Baltic-Dry Index, a measure of global commodity-shipping rates,

slumped to a 25-year low last year, prompting Korea line Corp. and Sanko Steamship Co. of Japan to seek court protection.

The company dropped 2.3 per-cent to close at HK$4.30 in Hong Kong yesterday. The stock has slumped 51 percent over the past two years. Its domestic shares fell 0.9 percent in Shanghai to close at 4.32 yuan.

The daily trading limit for any listed companies with a special treatment designation will be cut to 5 percent from 10 percent, ac-cording to listing rules posted by the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Companies that post annual losses for two consecutive years get that designation.

China Shipping Container Lines Co., the container shipping unit of China’s second-largest shipping company, said earlier this month that it expected to make a profit in 2012, compared with a net loss a year earlier. (Bloomberg)

China Cosco Expects Annual Loss

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (HACTL)has posted a 6.2 percent growth in total traffic in the fourth quarter of 2012 at 754,226 tons, the best total tonnage and an-nual growth in any quarter since the beginning of 2011.

The fourth quarter was also the best quarter for exports in 2012. No-vember's figure of 142,632 tons was the best in 2012, while December's was the third strongest.

2012 was the second best in Hactl's 37-year history, handling a total of 2.77 million tons, up by 2.1% compared with 2011 and just 4.2% short of the company's all-time re-cord of 2.899 million tons which was set in the post-recession bounce of 2010.

HACTL noted that the fourth quarter was positively impacted by traffic feeding through from the five new carriers signed up by Hactl since September. Air Astana has introduced twice-weekly B757s, Globus Airlines introduced twice-weekly B737s, SF Airlines added

five-times-weekly B737Fs, Uni-top Airlines added chartered B747Fs, and Vladivostok Air introduced twice-weekly A320s.

The fourth quarter also saw a boom in freighter services handled by Hactl, as carriers brought in 42 charter flights from late October to December, to help cope with the pre-Christmas boost in cargo traffic.

HACTL executive director, Lilian Chan said: "2012 ended stronger than we expected. Despite the continu-ing uncertainty in Europe and the US, our figures have maintained a modest and steady recovery that hopefully will become a sustainable trend."

"2013 will be challenging for us, as Cathay Pacific Airways migrates to self-handling and we relinquish their business in phases throughout the year. We are well-prepared, and our 100 other airline customers have been growing as a proportion of our total business, which will cushion the overall impact," Chan added. (EHL)

HACTL Posts Best Q4 Growth

HONG KONG TRAM (AFP) – In this picture taken on January 17, 2013, women pose by a tram for a picture in Hong Kong. Trundling along slowly against a backdrop of glittering skyscrapers, Hong Kong's trams are entering a new phase of their life but their well-loved retro look is here to stay.

More Dreamliner Flights Face Cancellation

TOKYO (AFP) – Japan's All Nip-pon Airways plans to cancel at least 379 flights in February due to the worldwide grounding of Boeing's Dreamliner, local media reported on Saturday.

The cancellations – 245 flights on domestic routes over 12 days from February 1 and 134 on international routes over 18 days – are expected to affect some 24,300 passengers, Jiji Press and Kyodo News said.

The total number of ANA cancel-lations since a January 16 emergency

landing in western Japan will now amount to 838, with 82,620 travellers affected, Jiji said.

International flights expected to be hit next month will include those from Tokyo's Haneda and Narita air-ports to Frankfurt, San Jose, Seattle and Seoul.

Boeing's cutting-edge new planes suffered a series of glitches earlier this month, prompting a global alert from the US Federal Aviation Admin-istration that led to the worldwide grounding of all 50 operational 787s.

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C1 • Tuesday, January 29, 2013 Editor: ISABEL C. DE LEONmblifestyle@gmail.com

(Turn to page C-2)

For june 22 issue

A HISTORICAL LANDMARK

BUILT IN 1912

A VENUE OF BIG EVENTS AND GRAND ASPIRATIONSONE RIZAL PARK,

MANILA, PHILIPPINESTEL.: (632) 527-0011 CONNECTING ALL DEPARTMENTS

FAX: (632) 527-0022 TO 24http://www.manila-hotel.com.ph

Email Address: resvn@manila-hotel.com.ph

PLEASE CONTACT:

C1 • Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Editor: ISABEL C. DE LEONmblifestyle@gmail.com

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•••••

A HISTORICAL LANDMARK

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BANQUET RESERVATIONS - TEL (632) 527- 8802––6 FAX (632) 527-8808––8

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A VENUE OF BIG EVENTSAND GRAND ASPIRATIONS

FOR RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT:MANILA HOTEL CORPORATION

P.O. BOX 307ONE RIZAL PARK,

MANILA, PHILIPPINESTEL.: (632) 527-0011 CONNECTING ALL DEPARTMENTS

FAX: (632) 527-0022 TO 24 http://www.manila-hotel.com.ph

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FOR CONVENTIONS OR BANQUET RESERVATIONSAT THE

FIESTA PAVILIONMANILA HOTEL TENT CITYCENTENNIAL HALLMAYNILA BALLROOMSAMPAGUITA HALL

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SEATING CAPACITYSEATING CAPACITYSEATING CAPACITYSEATING CAPACITYSEATING CAPACITY

CULTURED I N I N GG A R D E NF I T N E S STOURISM

L I F E S T Y L EA R T SFASHIONH O M EH E A L T HT R A V E L

•••••

CULTURED I N I N GG A R D E NF I T N E S STOURISM

For june 22 issue

A HISTORICAL LANDMARK

BUILT IN 1912

A VENUE OF BIG EVENTS AND GRAND ASPIRATIONSONE RIZAL PARK,

MANILA, PHILIPPINESTEL.: (632) 527-0011 CONNECTING ALL DEPARTMENTS

FAX: (632) 527-0022 TO 24http://www.manila-hotel.com.ph

Email Address: resvn@manila-hotel.com.ph

PLEASE CONTACT:

C1 • Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Editor: ISABEL C. DE LEONmblifestyle@gmail.com

L I F E S T Y L EA R T SFASHIONH O M EH E A L T HT R A V E L

•••••

A HISTORICAL LANDMARK

BUILT IN 1912

BANQUET RESERVATIONS - TEL (632) 527- 8802––6 FAX (632) 527-8808––8

ROOM RESERVATIONS - TEL (632) 527- 9462––6 FAX (632) 527-9467––8

A VENUE OF BIG EVENTSAND GRAND ASPIRATIONS

FOR RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT:MANILA HOTEL CORPORATION

P.O. BOX 307ONE RIZAL PARK,

MANILA, PHILIPPINESTEL.: (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

FOR CONVENTIONS OR BANQUET RESERVATIONSAT THE

FIESTA PAVILIONMANILA HOTEL TENT CITYCENTENNIAL HALLMAYNILA BALLROOMSAMPAGUITA HALL

2,5002,5001,250550200

SEATING CAPACITYSEATING CAPACITYSEATING CAPACITYSEATING CAPACITYSEATING CAPACITY

CULTURED I N I N GG A R D E NF I T N E S STOURISM

Text by CORA LLAMASIllustration by EUGENE CUBILLO

e t ’ s n o t e v e n go there. Why am I even going to bring it up?” wryly chuckles athletic trainer

Asha Macam over the phone in answer to my question on any guide-lines – or warnings – she might give to the dozens of young sports en-thusiasts she coaches in her sports clinics. Sobering a few seconds later, she adds, “Using performance drugs in any sports activity is a no-no.”

Rarely spoken of it may be, but the quote does serve as a fair warn-ing to athletes who would risk violat-ing the rules of fair play and do the short cut just to boost their chances of winning. Nor has there been a shortage of rules that strongly dis-courage if not outrightly ban the use of certain drugs that can severely damage the playing field in the are-na. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the leading organization in the world that advocates a drug-free environment in international athletics, works with governments and groups globally to monitor and implement an anti-doping code. Said code prohibits competing athletes from using performance drugs that

"L

The unethical useof performance-enhancing drugsUnfair Play

will enhance the abili-ties and other physical qualities of the user, do injury to him, and violate the spirit of that particular sport where he is compet-ing in.

It was the violation of the very essence of sportsmanship that created an outcry af-ter cycling champion Lance Armstrong ad-mitted on live televi-sion to Oprah Winfrey that he did indeed sys-tematically use pro-hibited performance-enhancing drugs for years. Allegations and suspicions had haunt-ed his victories prior to that admission. In October 2012, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency could no longer ignore the crescendo and stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour de France championship

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Health • FitnessC-2 Tuesday, January 29, 2013

EditorISABEL C. DE LEON

Assistant EditorMALOU E. ROSAL

Section EditorsFashion & Beauty • LIZA ILARDE

Celebrations & Events • MARBEE SHING-GOHome & Garden • DENNIS LADAW

Dining • GENE GONZALEZWellbeing • ROWENA BAUTISTA-ALCARAZ

Moms & Kids • AMYLINE Q. CHINGTravel & Tourism • Arts & Culture

EDUARDO GONZALES, MD

MEDICAL NOTES

Unfair...(Cont'd from page C1)

titles; a lifetime ban has also pre-vented him from participating in any cycling competition.

One of the questions that arose from this confession was the moti-vation behind it. Armstrong, after all, was considered a god in the business who did not need to cheat in the first place. Macam hazards a guess, not speaking of the fallen cyclist in particular, “He went through the proper conditioning and proper practice. The strength and the skill are there, but was he psychologically sound? Did he have underlying insecurities? We don’t know. Maybe despite his being a Hercules in the cycling community, emotionally, there was still that void.”

Macam adds of other seem-ingly physically strong, nearly unbeatable athletes who would succumb to doping. “Maybe they may have been physically strong, but they were not emotionally and spiritually strong,” she opines. “Mentally, they might have felt the pressure of staying in power. You just want to keep on winning and be ahead, to be on top of everyone else, no matter the cost.”

Several substances have been associated with Armstrong and his case which the mainstream media have branded as “the greatest deception in international sports”: EPO, testosterone, and human growth hormone.

The first, Erythropoietin (or EPO), is described by teachpe.com as “a naturally occurring hormone, secreted by the kidneys, whose function is to regulate blood cell production.” It has also been used for anemia cases. Macam explains the advantage that using EPO would provide to the doping athlete, “Your capacity to take on oxygen improves your aerobic

endurance and slows your fatigue. You can go on for hours and days. You do not get tired.”

As anabolic steroids, testos-terone “[enhances] strength and muscle size, but also [improves] body composition, bone density, libido, and immunocompetence,” according to Bodybuilding.com. Macam elaborates, “It adds strength and leads to lean mass and less fat in men. When you in-ject that, it will be better for your muscles. Remember that when you work out, you do micro damage to your muscles, which is expected; then you feed your muscles with protein, and your muscles are re-paired, and your muscle definition comes out.” Testosterone cuts to the chase by helping create the same results that could have been accomplished by resistance train-ing, without the sweat and tears.

Human growth hormones, an-other substance that Armstrong took, also provide the same ben-efits of training sans the time and effort. They help an athlete lose weight, build his strength, and speed his recovery. “Human growth hormones will cut short the need for resistance training,” points out Macam.

Those short cuts undermine not merely the Olympic spirit on which international athletics is founded, but can deal the user se-vere long-term damage to his body, mind, and soul. Recent news from the Armstrong debacle has his former colleagues testifying that the cyclist had hinted to them that using human growth hormones could have led to the development of his testicular cancer.

Should these allegations be proven true, then Armstrong's first unwise step into drug use has come full circle, a reminder to those still reckless enough to follow in his footsteps that what goes around comes around.

What is the like-lihood that the on-going flu epidemic in the US will affect the Philippines? How effective is

the flu vaccine in preventing flu? What antibiotic is most effective against flu?

– lindasanp@yahoo.com

Q.

There is a big possibility that the flu epidemic that is besetting the US will affect the Philip-pines because hu-

man traffic between the US and the Philippines is quite heavy, espe-cially during the Christmas and post-Christmas season. To address this problem, our Secretary of Health, Enrique Ona, has instructed the Bureau of Quarantine to intensify its fever screening at the country’s ports of entry. However, inasmuch as the signs and symptoms of the flu do not appear until days after infection, many infected people entering the country will elude detection. It is therefore important for the public to get informed about flu so everyone can guard against the disease.

Flu or influenza is an infection that is caused by any of the three types of influenza viruses: A, B and C, each of which has several subtypes or strains.

The flu viruses are transmit-ted by droplets that are coughed, sneezed or exhaled out by people with the disease and which enter the body of susceptible people through the nose or mouth; by direct contact with secretions from infected people; or, by touching contaminated objects

A.

How To GuardAgainst The Flu

and then touching the nose or mouth with the hands.

The signs and symptoms of flu appear, often abruptly, 24-48 hours after infection. They include fever, chills, cough, nasal discharge, sore throat, body malaise, muscle pain and headache.

Flu is generally a benign and self-limited illness that subsides spon-taneously after 1-7 days. However, some patients develop life-threat-ening complications like pneumonia. The more susceptible segments of the population to complications of flu are the very young (children), the elderly and those who are de-bilitated.

Active immunization or vaccina-tion is the best way to prevent flu, but the available vaccines have several limitations.

They provide only 65-80% pro-tection against the illness in young adults and just 30-40% protection among the elderly, although those who develop flu even when already immunized have lower risk of devel-oping complications.

They have to be administered an-nually not only because they confer protection for just 12 months but also because the prevalent type and

strains of the virus vary from year to year and it is not technically possible to incorporate all the strains of the viruses in one vaccine. The composi-tion of the vaccine is changed by the manufacturers annually based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Ideally, the whole population should get a flu shot, but because the price of the vaccine is rather prohibi-tive experts say it should be manda-tory only for health care providers, children between 6 months and 5 years of age, people with chronic dis-eases such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease, and people 50 years old and older. For all others, it is not a must but still desirable.

In the Philippines, the best time to administer the flu vaccine is in March because the flu season is from June to September—sometimes up to December. It takes at least two weeks from the time of immuniza-tion to develop immunity against the flu.

In case of a flu epidemic, to pre-vent getting infected, one should get plenty of rest and avoid touching his/her nose, mouth and eyes. He/she should likewise avoid crowded areas and close contact with people

who are sick.Antibiotics do not kill the flu virus.

Neither do they decrease the sever-ity of the signs and symptoms, nor shorten the duration of the illness. The best treatment for the flu is bed rest and plenty of fluids.

(Note: Email inquiries on health matters to: medical_notes@yahoo.com)

GNC’s Lose To Gain Challenge

Shed off those pounds and get more rewards with GNC’s Lose to Gain Challenge

By purchasing any of the featured GNC diet products, customers automatically qualify for the promo. Upon purchase, shoppers will be given a weight tracking card to monitor how much pounds they shed off. Special prizes await customers who are able to lose five pounds after two weeks. The more pounds they lose, the bigger the prizes they get. Five thousand pesos worth of GNC products and a free one-year membership at Gold’s Gym await the cus-tomer who attains the greatest weight loss.

Participating GNC products include: the Total Lean CLA, soft-gel capsules that help maintain lean muscle mass while enhancing one’s diet and supporting the metabolism; LIPO 6 Black Ultra Concentrate black-caps, a powerful appe-tite suppressant that is also a good source of energy; and the GNC Burn 60 - Cinnamon Flavored tablets, a power-ful thermogenic formula that increases calorie burning by up to 60%.

The Lose to Gain campaign runs from January to March 31, 2013.

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Health • Fitness C-3Tuesday, January 29, 2013

he Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has estab-lished a formulary for major pharma-ceutical companies

to slash prices of medicines by 20%.Patient-beneficiaries of the PCSO

will enjoy lowest-priced medicines following institution-wide reforms at the agency led by Chairman Margarita P. Juico. The reforms are intended to speed up financial transactions and assure suppliers of faster repayment to 45 days from the previous six months.

Chairman Juico said that PCSO’s huge volume of medicine require-ments entitled it to an 80 million pesos annual credit line with the major pharmaceutical firms. As a

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WB LOGS

After Typhoon Pablo hit, a team from Sanosil Philippines im-mediately responded to a request to donate Sanosil and to assist in preventing the outbreak of diseases in the typhoon-stricken areas in Mindanao.

A product of United Labora-tories, Inc. (Unilab), the leading pharmaceutical and healthcare company in the Philippines, Sano-sil is known for its effectiveness in controlling bacterial infections. Its extensive range of products are proven ideal in all major disin-fection requirements—for aerial decontamination, surface disin-fection including drinking water

Task Force Sanosil In Action

treatment, instrument disinfection, hand and feet decontamination, among others.

Armed with the right Sanosil products, Taskforce Sanosil pro-ceeded to Davao where it worked closely with the Philippine National Red Cross in carrying out its mis-sion. They also trained volunteers and staff of the Red Cross Health hub in Bagangga, where they also coordinated with doctors sent by the Department of Health (DoH) and other government agencies repre-sented there. In killing the bacteria in evacuation centers in typhoon Pablo-hit areas in Davao, Sanosil helped save the lives of evacuees.

Healthy Yet WealthyWith Santé Barley!

Best Practices and Innovative Ideas in Fighting Leprosy Contest

PCSO Slashes PricesOf Medicines

Maxicare And MakatiMedical City Tie UpFor Better Services

Text by ROBBIE PANGILINAN top consumer of pharmaceuticals, PCSO’s move in shortening repay-ment period gave it leverage to seek a price reduction, she added.

The pharmaceutical companies will likewise identify key points near PCSO assistance centers like clinics and provincial branches to assure availability and proximity of medicine supplies, said Dr. Larry Cedro, PCSO’s manager for fund allocation.

“Medicines requested for a pa-tient outside of Metro Manila can now be delivered to the PCSO branch nearest the requesting patient, scrapping the previous requirement where patients had to secure quo-tations from suppliers,” Dr. Cedro added.

Mid- January, Juico signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Zuellig Pharma Inc. president and CEO Raymund Azurin; Metro

Drug president and general man-ager Christian Eberle and retailer and contracting firm GB Distributors Inc. president and CEO Mark Allan Ramos.

Last year, the country’s biggest local drug manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer United Laboratories, and provider of specialty meds for chemo-therapy and dialysis GloboAsiatico Inc., also signed a MOA with PCSO.

PCSO raises charity funds through online lottery games that finance its medical assistance pro-gram to cover medicines, hospi-talization, diagnostics and other medical procedures. It carries out a policy of socialized assistance based on the social case study report of the patient and the severity of the illness as shown in the document require-ments. PCSO is quick to add that no one is sent away without getting help from the agency.

he health mainte-nance organization Maxicare recently opened a bigger and better primary care center (PCC) and

exclusive wing at the Makati Medical Center to provide faster and quality diagnostics, specialist consultations, and hospitalization services for its growing members.

The facilities will continue to offer its immediate and exclusive members access to customer service associates, primary care physicians specializing in internal medicine and pediatrics, and additional services.

The new exclusive wing gives privileged treatment to its Maxicare member through 21 newly furnished

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Text byNICKKY FAUSTINE P. DE GUZMAN

rooms with regular and large private categories. The new PCC mean-while, occupies the third floor with more counters and internal medicine physicians who can serve twice as many members.

“The new facilities will provide them (members) with better ser-vices. One can be confined or have checkups for free if you are a mem-

ber. If you only need consultation, it is also for free. We take care of every-thing. This (partnership) is a good development,” Maxicare president Jose Pastor Puno said.

Maxicare is the first and only health maintenance organization in the country with an exclusive wing in the country’s premiere hospitals. It has been in service for 25 years.

From left: Jose Pastor Z. Puno, Maxicare President and CEO; Dr. Roberto Macasaet, Maxicare Founding Chairman; Rose Montenegro, President and CEO of Makati Medical Center; Antonio L. Go, Equicom Group Chairman and Rene Buenaventura, Equicom Group Vice Chairman

Maxicare’s new and bigger Primary Care Center, 3F Tower 1,

Makati Medical Center

As producer and manufacturer of nutritional products contain-ing the best organic barley grass powder from New Zealand, Sante International Inc. carries on with its objective to provide high-qual-ity goods and services while offer-ing income-generating opportuni-ties for Filipino households.

Dr. Yoshihide Hagiwara, a Japanese doctor, scientist, inven-tor, pharmacologist and entrepre-neur claimed, “Barley grass is the only vegetation on earth that can supply nutritional support from birth to old age.”

With over 200 plant species researched in 13 years, Dr. Hagi-wara found that barley grass is the most excellent source of nu-trients the body needs for growth, repair and well-being. Barley is also recognized as the most nutri-tious of all plant foods, a total health food

As part of activities leading up to the observance of World Leprosy Day on January 29, the Department of Health (DOH) and Novartis Healthcare Philippines in partnership with the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable De-velopment (NFSD) have launched the “Best Practices and Innovative Ideas in Fighting Leprosy Contest.”

Open to organizations and in-dividuals, the contest invites par-ticipants to share best practices or ideas that highlight innovative approaches to leprosy control in times of relatively low prevalence.

Entries should include a com-pleted entry form, profile of the participating individual or organi-zation, 1-page executive sum-mary, and maximum of 5 pages of text (Arial, font size 11) and pictures. Submissions must con-tain project goal/s, beneficiaries,

that boosts the proper functioning of organs and the immune system since it contains essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes plus chlorophyll, phytonutrients and phytochemicals.

Grown in the rich Canterbury plains of New Zealand, Santé Pure Barley New Zealand is blended with nature’s most potent sweetener, Stevia, and has soluble fiber that completely dissolves in cold water without sedimentation. Santé Pure Barley also lowers bad cholesterol levels and blood pressure and re-duces the risk of heart disease and a powerful source of antioxidants that may prevent cancer.

For more information about Sante International, Inc., visit www.santebarley.com.

key actions taken, outcomes and resources. Entries must be e-mailed to leprosybestpractices@gmail.com on or before February 18, 2013. The winners will be announced on the week of March 4, 2013.

The contest has two categories: Best Practices (ongoing or complet-ed projects) and Innovative Ideas; three winning entries per category will be chosen. For the Best Practic-es category, the best qualifying en-try will win P100,000 while the sec-ond and third best qualifying entries will receive P40,000 and P20,000, respectively. The best qualifiying entry in the Innovative Ideas cat-egory will win P15,000 while the second and third best qualifying entries will receive P10,000 and P5,000, respectively. The entry form and full contest rules can be viewed by logging on to www.doh.gov.ph or www.novartis.com.ph.

The Sanosil team with Philippine National Red Cross workers

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Travel a-Z:

LIFESTYLETRAVEL • TOURISM

Text by Alvin BulAong Cruz

Kawalat by Angelos

D1 • Tuesday, January 29, 2013 Editor: ISABEL C. DE LEON

LIFESTYLETRAVEL • TOURISM

ow do I love Taal? I cannot count the ways, nor can I count the times I have seen Taal volcano, undoubtedly

one of the country's most-visited and photographed tourist destinations. But a place like Taal can never be too familiar because there isn't just one way of looking at the beauty of nature. The famous words of John Keating in the movie “Dead Poets Society” put it this way: “ I stand upon my desk to re-mind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.”

I never knew I could re-experience Taal from a whole new perspective until I set foot on Club Balai Isabel, a placid lake resort located in Talisay, Batangas, a few kilometes away from Tagaytay. It was the wedding venue of my cousin from Canada, and I was fortunate enough to be invited as his secondary sponsor. The moment I caught a glimpse of Taal volcano and the lake from the clubhouse, I knew it was going to be one of the most memorable garden weddings I would ever wirness.

But there's more to Club Balai Isabel than just a venue for weddings. It's a hacienda, community, farm, and resort all rolled into 12 hectares of fer-tile land that is home to a rich variety of tropical and indigenous trees. In

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Taal:UP CLOSE AND PERSONALTaal:

UP CLOSE AND PERSONALThere's everything for everyone in this charming lake resort where there are as many things to do for fun as there are ways of looking at Taal volcano.

fact, the whole land is so fruitful that a street with macopas or chicos is a common sight. One does not need to pick the fruits from the tree because they have all fallen to the ground. Among the trees that bear witness to its natural bounty are mangoes, mabolo, langka, santol, mansanitas, balimbing, kamias, sampaloc, and magic fruit.

According to Ms. Elizabeth Delos Santos, resident manager of Club Balai Isabel, what makes the resort a stand-out is its eco-friendly and com-munity setup that's not just closer to the famous island volcano, but also one that brings you closer to family as it provides a home away from home with its family-oriented accommoda-tions and facilities. Hence, the term “balai” in its name is very apt which means “house.”

“Our resort takes pride not only in being the only place in all Batan-gas that offers a perfect view of Taal Volcano and Lake, but also in being a place that does not leave any carbon footprint in the atmosphere,” Delos Santos said. To stand firm in its eco-tourism advocacy, the resort built an eco-center where non-biodegradable waste is reprocessed and recycled.

At present, Club Balai Isabel offers 200 rooms in Mediterranean-inspired villas, suites, and cottages built around a common attraction: the awe-inspiring Taal volcano and Taal Lake, which is at the heart of every

recreational activity, so-cial event, and business function in the resort. Yes, there are as many things to do for fun in Club Balai Isabel as there are ways of look-ing at Taal Volcano. For the more adven-turous, exploring the volcano and its crater is highly recommended. The 30-minute trail up the crater is a leisurely walk along shady trees that cul-minates in a steep climb for a breathtaking view of the island volcano's lake within a lake.

Water sports such as kayaking, sailing, jet skiing, and fishing may also be arranged at affordable rates. For those who are looking for the ultimate high, the resort also offers amenities for ziplining, rappeling, and wall-climbing. Since swimming in the lake is not advised, taking a dip in the infinity pool by the lake is the next best thing. Almost hidden by lush foliage and green vegetation, these pools look like hidden streams in a rainforest.

Aside from these recreational facilities, the resort also caters to your health and wellness needs by opening The Wellness Village which includes a spa, a butterfly sanctuary, and a beauty clinic.

There's also a bit of history bur-

ied literally in the ground beside the church. According to Delos Santos, ruins of a 17th century church had been unearthed and are now being studied by the National Museum of the Philippines. Also, suites named after Batangueno heroes and lead-ers like Mabini, Malvar, Laurel, and Recto pay homage to Batangas' heroic past.

But for people like me who delight in the simple pleasure of taking a quiet walk in the woods, the charm of the place comes from those little

shady corners with garden fountains, wooden benches, and nipa huts that seem to invite the guest to slow down and enjoy himself in quiet solitude. And if there's one thing I learned from looking at the Taal Volcano up close from this dreamy lake resort, it's the irony that its beauty becomes almost surreal, like seeing a dream within a dream.

For more inofrmation on Club Balai Isabel, log on to www.balaiisa-bel.com or call 043-728-0307, 043-773-0004, or 043-954-4157.

Charming nipa huts that seem to invite the guest to slow down and enjoy himself in quiet solitude The pool offers an alternative to swimming in the lake.

A home away from home with its family-oriented accommodations and facilities

A perfect view of Taal volcano

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E-1 �• Editor: CRISPINA MARTINEZ-BELEN • entertainment.mlabulletin@gmail.comTuesday, January 29, 2013

ENTERTAINMENT

John Prats Gone Mushy Over Isabel Oli

JOHN and Isabel on Instagram

John Prats has someone who puts a smile on his face these days: Isabel Oli.

The dancer-actor admitted his admiration for the actress

on “The Buzz,” Sunday, following re-ported sightings of them together.

“Whenever I’m with her, I’m such a fan. Fan ako ng ganda niya. Sobra lang akong name-mesmerize. Si Isa-bel naman talaga ’yung babaeng na-gagandahan ako ngayon… Attracted talaga ako sa kanya,” he said.

John confirmed that he and Isabel go out but “always in a group.”

“Nage-enjoy ako sa company niya, wala akong masa-bi,” he added.

W h e n a s k e d if they’re already dating, John said, “ S a n a , s a n a soon.”

John, however, doesn’t believe in courtship, saying, “I hate that word kasi parang it’s al-ways ‘best foot for-ward.’ But siguro ang maganda kasi nagsisimula kami sa pagkakaibigan. Kung anuman ang mas hihigit pa do’n, eh mas ikatutuwa ko talaga.”

He has gone mushy on Oli on social photo-sharing application Insta-gram lately, as seen in text-based posts like, “Please don’t be someone who hurts me,” “Take a chance on me,” and “…be closer to that person who can’t be happy without you.”

He also posted: “It’s not about who put you down and made you feel bad, it's about who made you smile again.”

“ W h y w a s t e your time getting hurt by someone when there’s some-one else out there waiting to make you happy?”

He even dedi-cated a post to the Kapuso actress that talks about how a girl could find the right guy.

The 28-year-old Kapamilya star likewise uploaded a cropped photo that seems of Isa-

By ROWENA JOY A. SANCHEZbel which bears the caption, “Being inspired everyday makes my whole world look different.”

Also, in one of their photos to-gether, John said, “Nakaka-miss ka @isabelolifee :).”

The last time John had a romantic relationship was with Bianca Manalo that ended on May 2012.

Blessings To Sam

John is apparently too happy to nurse regrets or bitterness over a pre-vious relationship. He has no problem with his best friend Sam Milby’s plans of courting Shaina Magdayao, who is John’s ex girlfriend.

“’Yung friendship naman namin ni

Sam ’di lang siya [pang]-kaibigan eh, [para kam-ing] magkapatid. And na-appreciate ko ’yung gesture na kinausap

niya ’ko… Totoo ’yung sinabi niya sa’kin na ‘If ’di ka papayag bro, I won’t do it.’ Sino ba naman ako para pigilan ’yung puso niya, eh matagal na naman ’yon?” he said.

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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-office. The following schedules are provided us in advance by exhibitors. You may call the theaters for confirmation.)

2

3

1

VAMPIRE SUCK -PG13

-R13

- PG13-R13

-PG13 -PG13

-G

-PG13

-PG13

HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTER

LIFE OF PI

ONE MORE TRY

- PG13

- PG13

- PG13

8:00 PM

-R 16- GP/R16

- PG13

LES MISARABLES

LES MISERABLES 2DHANSEL & GRETEL

HANSEL & GRETEL 3DHAUNTED HOUSEMENOR DE EDAD

LAST STANDJACK REACHER

LIFE OF PITHE IMPOSSIBLE

ZERO DARK THIRTY

LES MISERABLESHANSEL & GRETEL

LIFE OF PILAST STAND

Entertainment NewsMOVIE SYNOPSIS

LES MISERABLES (IN 2D) – PG

PARENTAL GUIDANCE/*THE LAST STAND – G/*R-16

A HAUNTED HOUSEONE MORE TRY

LIFE OF PI

HANSEL & GRETEL MENOR DE EDAD

SISTERAkAS

HANSEL & GRETEL

LES MISERABLESTHE IMPOSSIBLE

THE LAST STAND

THE IMPOSSIBLE

in 2D

HANSEL AND GRETEL

in 2D

March 9, 2013

Feb. 14,1 2013

Feb. 15, 2013

8:00 PM8:00 PM8:00 PMBryan Termulo

The New Minstrels & Circus Band

The New Minstrels & Circus Band

- PG13 - PG13

PARENTAL GUIDANCE

THE LAST STAND

ZERO DARk 30

PARkER

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-PG13

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS (IN 2D) – PGTHE IMPOSSIBLE (IN 2D) – PG

PARKER

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS (IN 2D) – PG

Opening across the Philippines on Jan. 30, “Gangster Squad” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company

8:00 PM

8:00 PM8:00 PM

8:00 PMChito Alcid with Dream Seven Band

Bo CerrudoCcat Singers

Bio Femme Private PartyJan 30, 2013

Feb. 12, 2013Feb. 22, 2013

Feb. 6, 2013

EL PRESIDENTE

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERHANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

THE STRANGERS

MENOR DE EDAD

TAGOS SA LAMAN ( IF )

DARK FLIGHT

24/7 IN LOVE

UHAW SA PILING MO ( IF )

MOUNTAIN SPIRITHANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

LIFE OF PI s/ SOSY PROBLEM

RESERVED

HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTERCLOSED

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERTHE STRANGERSSOSY PROBLEM

JACK REACHERLES MISERABLES

SISTERAKA

THE IMPOSIBLE

PARKER

LAST STANDSISTERAKA

THE IMPOSSIBLE

PARKER

HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTER

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

ZERO DARK THIRTY: KILL OSAM s/ LAST STAND

THE IMPOSSIBLE

HANSEL & GRETEL: s/ JACK REACHERRESERVED

CLOUD ATLAS

DIGITAL MOVIE

THE STRANGERS

LAST STAND

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERLAST STAND

LIFE OF PI s/ LAST STANDHANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

ONE MORE TRY s/ SOSY PROBLEM

LAST STAND

RESERVEDRESERVED

MENOR DE EDAD

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

RESERVEDLAST STAND

RESERVEDRESERVED

MENOR DE EDAD

LES MISERABLES

PARKER

LES MISERABLES

LES MISERABLES

PARKER

MENOR DE EDAD

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

LIFE OF PI

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER in 3D

LES MISERABLES s/ HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTERSISTERAKA s/ ONE MORE TRYTHE IMPOSIBLE

DIGITAL MOVIEZERO DARK THIRTY KILL OSAMA

CLOUD ATLASPARENTAL GUIDANCE

LAST STAND

MENOR DE EDAD

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER in 2DRESERVESISTERAKA

TAGOS SA LAMAN ( IF )

ONE MORE TRYLIFE OF PI

RESERVED

LIFE OF PI

PARKER HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTER

LES MISERABLES in 2D

THE IMPOSSIBLE

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER in 2D

LES MISERABLES s/ HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTER

PARKER

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER in 3D

PARKER

LAST STAND

JACK REACHER

LES MISERABLES

HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTER

THE IMPOSIBLE

LIFE OF PI in 2D

LES MISERABLES in 2D

LAST STAND

MENOR DE EDAD

RESERVEDRESERVED

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER

LIFE OF PI

SOSY PROBLEM

12:10, 2:45, 5:20, 7:55, 10:30

11:50, 2:00, 4:10, 6:20, 8:30, 10:40

11:20, 2:10, 5:05, 7:50, 10:40

12:00, 2:10

4:10, 6:30

9:00

11:45, 3:10, 6:35, 10:00

“Gangster Squad” is a stylish retelling of events surrounding the LAPD’s

efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time.Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the p r o s t i t u t e s and – i f he has his way – every wire bet p laced west o f Ch i cago . And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians he has under his thumb. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop…except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen’s world apart.

LES MISERABLES

in 2D

2D

GANGSTERSQUAD

8:00 PMFeb. 9, 2013 Male Rigor & Manila Sound Project

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Sonny Parsons, Joey Abando

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Entertainment NewsTuesday, January 29, 2013

E-3

First Jobs Movie Gets Red Carpet Premiere

PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) – The first movie about Ap-ple’s legendary co-founder got its world premiere a few days ago, just 15 months

after Steve Jobs’ death.“jOBS,” starring “Two and a Half

Men” actor Ashton Kutcher as the tech and computer entrepreneur who revolutionized the way people listen to music and built Apple Inc. into an international powerhouse, got a red carpet roll-out at the Sundance Film Festival ahead of a US national release in April.

“jOBS’ chronicles 30 defining years of the late Apple chairman, from an experimental youth to the man in charge of one of the world’s

most recognized brands. It is the first of two US feature films about Jobs, who died in 2011 at age 56.

Kutcher, 34, said on Friday he was honored to play Jobs but also terrified because of the former Apple chair-man’s iconic status.

“To be playing a guy who so freshly is in people’s minds, where every-where you go you can run into people who met him or knew him or had seen a video of him... that’s terrifying because everyone is an appropriate critic,” Kutcher told Reuters.

Hours before the screening, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said the movie appeared to misrepresent aspects of both his own and Jobs’ personalities and their early vision for the company.

Wozniak was commenting after seeing a brief clip of an early scene that was released online on Thurs-day.

“Totally wrong. ... The ideas of computers affecting society, did not come from Jobs,” Wozniak, who co-founded Apple with Jobs and Ronald Wayne in a California garage in 1976, told technology blog Gizmodo.com.

“The lofty talk came much further down the line,” Wozniak said in a se-ries of emails.

Wozniak, who is played in the movie by “Book of Mormon” musi-cal star Josh Gad, said that, based on the clip, “personalities are very wrong, although mine is closer.” He also said he never wore a tie in the early days.

But Wozniak added that “the movie should be very popular and I hope it’s entertaining. It may be very correct, as well. This is only one clip.”

ASHTON KUTCHER

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Entertainment News

COPY-PASTE by Stanley Chi

MA-COLLETE by Dexter Roxas

BLONDIE by Dean Young & Jim RaymondBALTIC & 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

NORMAN’S ISLAND by Norman Isaac

ZITS by Scott and Borgman

PUPUNG by Tonton Young

THE Daily Commuter PuzzleEdited by Wayne Robert Williams

(tuesday, 29 january 2013)

tuesday, january 29, 2013e-4

YOUR STARS

IPENUTS by Felipe de la Cruz

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) – It will be easier to deal with some persistent problem if you use new ideas. Remember that in some cases, an indirect approach produces better results than confrontation. It is alright to be a little more daring but in a well controlled mannerPISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) – A change of scene will do you good, but make thorough preparations, no waiting until the very last minute. Seek to establish a proper balance between work and leisure; if you work hard and intensively there will be more leisure time at your disposal. ARIES (March 21-April 20) – Do not draw unwarranted attention to yourself. Do however seek to obtain acknowledgement for what you have accomplished. If there is more work than you can really cope up with on your own, do not hesitate to say so rather than falling behind.TAURUS (April 21-May 20) – Do not be discouraged because of some minor mishaps; you can easily succeed if you are firm. You will find it difficult to keep your mind on the subject at hand. By an effort of will you will be able to overcome this handicap.GEMINI (May 21-June 20) – When organizing your day, try to keep some free time for unexpected developments which may force you to change your program of work. Having made up your mind on what you have to do, stick to it and act without dithering.CANCER (June 21-July 20) – The general situation is a bit con-fusing; do be careful where sentimental affairs are concerned. Before adapting a new procedure permanently, try it for a bit longer and then assess it carefully. Control your moods; you will now work in a much faster pace.LEO (July 21-Aug. 20) – Given a deadline for a special task, you will tend to be a little nervous but if you try your best, you will nonetheless be able to organize your time efficiently. By being more ingenious, you will be able to overcome an unusual problem. VIRGO (Aug 21-Sept. 22) – If you have to settle practical mat-ters, do it without delay; otherwise they may drag on and on. Some rather unfavorable news may affect you. Try your best to keep calm and take the best step to conquer it. Expect no more, preferably less from others than you do for yourselfLIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) – A deal you had been expecting to make will run into complications. Nonetheless, you will be able to get there in the end. . A friendly discussion will give you an idea you might not otherwise have thought of. Do not expect to receive without giving in your turn.SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) – You should leave yourself with enough room for expansion and seek not to get in your own way. A change in procedure which you have been postponing for some time now should not be delayed any longer. Make sure you do not waste time and try not to dissipate your energies. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 20) – Do not persist in what you are doing unless you are sure that it is the right thing to do. Try not to take everything quite so personally and do your best to maintain your enthu-siasm. Your first impressions of a newcomer could be very mistaken, so do not rely on themCAPRICORN (Dec. 21-Jan. 19) – You will be under pressure to produce good results, but don’t worry; if you persevere you will succeed in so doing. Avoid being too independent to accept help or to cooperate, but nor should you allow yourself to become dependent on the help of others.

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

TVGuide your everyday guide to local television and cable TV.

Local Channels

Cable ChannelsIn Seconds 4:00 Man vs. Wild 5:00 How Do They Do It? 5:30 How It's Made 6:00 Superhuman Showdown 7:00 Deadliest Catch 8:00 Man vs. Wild 9:00 Abalone Wars 10:00 Destroyed In Seconds 11:00 Man vs. Wild 12:00 p.m. How Do They Do It? 12:30 How It's Made 1:00 Superhuman Showdown 2:00 Man vs. Wild 3:00 Abalone Wars 4:00 Destroyed In Seconds 5:00 Man vs. Wild 6:00 How Do They Do It? 6:30 How It's Made 7:00 Curiosity 8:00 Flying Wild Alaska 9:00 Life In The Undergrowth 10:00 River Monsters 11:00 Surviving The Cut

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL 12:00 a.m. Family Guns 1:00 Inside World War II 2:00 America's Money Vault 3:00 Family Guns 4:00 Inside World War II 5:00 America's Money Vault 6:00 Family Guns 7:00 Seconds From Disaster 7:55 America's Money Vault 8:50 Inside World War II 9:45 Last Secrets of The Third Reich 10:40 Shark Men 11:35 Food School 12:30 p.m. Seconds From Disaster 1:25 Dog Whisperer 2:20 Shark Men 3:15 Kung Fu Quest 4:10 To Catch A Smuggler 5:05 Don't Tell My Mother 6:00 Last Secrets of The Third Reich 7:00 Dog Whisperer 8:00 Seconds From Disaster 9:00 Mystery Manhunt 10:00 To Catch A Smuggler 11:00 Locked Up Abroad

A1 12:00mn Into The Deep 1:00 a.m. Ultimate Playground 1:30 Formula D 2:00 Pororoca: Quest For The Endless Wave 3:00 Into The Deep 4:00 Into The unknown 4:30 Game For It 5:00 Lost 6:00 Into The Deep 7:00 Beyond The Horizon 7:30 Extreme Latitude 8:00 Nomads 9:00 Into The Deep 10:00 Into The Unknown 10:30 Game For It 11:00 Lost 12:00nn Into the Deep 1:00 p.m Beyond the Horizon 1:30 Extreme Latitude 2:00 Nomads 3:00 Into the deep 4:00 Into The Unknown 4:30 Game For It 5:00 Lost 6:00 Into the Deep 7:00 Beyond The Horizon 7:30 Extreme Latitude 8:00 Nomads 9:00 Into the Deep 10:00 Into The Unknown 10:30 Game For It 11:00 Lost

ANIMAL PLANET 12:00 a.m. Call of the Wildman 1:00 Gator Boys 2:00 Call Of The Wildman 3:00 North Woods Law 5:00 Gator Boys 6:00 Orangutan Island 6:30 Escape to Chimp Eden 7:00 Big Cat Diary 8:00 The Crocodile Hunter 9:00 Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom 10:00 I Shouldn't Be Alive 11:00 Animal Cops Houston 4:00 p.m. Fatal Attractions 5:00 Infested! 6:00 Dirty Jobs 7:00 Alaska Wildlife Troopers 8:00 Man-Eating Super Snake 9:00 Wildest Arctic 10:00 Drug Kingpin Hippos 11:00 Man-Eating Super Snake

CARTOON NETWORK 12:00 a.m. Chowder 1:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 2:00 Adventure Time 3:00 Camp Lazlo 4:00 My GYM Partner's A Monkey 5:00 Chowder 6:00 Strawberry Shortcake 6:30 Tom & Jerry Tales 7:00 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 7:30 The Amazing World Of Gumball 8:00 Tom & Jerry Show 11:30 Adventure Time 12:30 p.m. Tom & Jerry Show 1:30 Oggy The Cockroaches 2:30 Adventure Time 3:30 Codename: Kids Next Door 4:30 The Garfield Show 5:00 Oggy The Cockroaches 6:00 Johnny Test 6:30 7:00 Adventure Time 8:00 Toonilicious 9:00 Adventure Time 10:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 11:00 Oggy And The Cock

NICKELODEON 12:00 a.m. Chalkzone 2:00 CatDog 4:00 El Tigre 6:00 The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron 6:30 Fairly Odd Parents 7:00 SpongeBob SquarePants 8:00 Max & Ruby 11:30 SpongeBob SquarePants 12:30 p.m. Tuff Puppy 1:00 Winx 2:00 SpongeBob SquarePants 3:00 The Fairly Odd Parents 4:00 Artzooka 4:30 Winx 5:00 Kid vs. Kat 5:30 Tuff Puppy 6:00 The Fairly Odd Parents 6:30 SpongeBob SquarePants 7:00 iCarly 7:30 Big Time Rush 8:00 Victorious 8:30 True Jackson, VP 9:00 SpongeBob SquarePants 10:00 The Fairly Odd Parents 11:00 SpongeBob Squarepants

DISNEY CHANNEL 12:00 a.m. Sonny with a Chance 12:30 Shaun The Sheep 1:00 Kim Possible 1:30 Lilo & Stitch: The Series 2:00 Fish Hooks 2:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place 3:00 Good Luck Charlie 3:30 Phineas And Ferb 4:00 Stitch: The Series 4:30 Suite Life On Deck 5:00

AXN 6:00 a.m. House 6:50 Leverage 7:40 The Amazing Race 8:30 House 9:20 Leverage 10:10 Inuyasha 11:10 The Amazing Race 12:00 p.m. CSI: Miami 1:00 Wipeout 1:50 Last Resort 2:40 Breaking The Magician's Code 3:30 Most Shocking 4:25 The Amazing Race 5:15 Inuyasha 6:15 Cyril's Family Vacation 7:15 Wipeout 8:10 Breaking The Magician's Code 9:05 Most Shocking 10:00 Hawaii Five-0 10:55 CSI: Miami 11:50 Wipeout 12:45 a.m. Most Shocking 1:40 Breaking The Magician's Code 2:30 CSI 3:20 House 4:10 Leverage 5:00 Inuyasha

beTV 6:00 a.m. Ringer 7:00 Lost 8:00 Launch My Line 8:50 Summerland 9:40 Ringer 10:30 Pan Am 11:20 Launch My Line 12:10 p.m. Top Chef 1:00 Necessary Roughness 1:50 Drop Dead Diva 2:40 House 3:30 Pan Am 4:20 Ringer 5:10 The Real Housewives of New York City 6:00 Summerland 6:50 Launch My Line 7:40 Top Chef 8:30 Necessary Roughness 9:20 Drop Dead Diva 10:10 House 11:00 Necessary Roughness 11:50 Top Chef 12:40 a.m. The Real Housewives of New York City 1:30 Drop Dead Diva 2:20 House 3:10 The Real Housewives of New York City 4:00 Pan Am 5:00 Summerland

HBO 8:00 a.m. The Sunset Limited 9:30 Punch-Drunk Love 11:00 Boss S1 S103: Swallow 12:00 p.m. Battle Los Angeles 2:00 Courageous 4:45 The First Wives Club 6:30 It Takes Two 8:15 Johnny English Reborn 10:00 Abduction 11:45 The 40 Year Old Virgin 2:05 a.m. Raging Bull 4:15 Sleepy Hollow 6:25 Kicking And Screaming (2005)

MAX 6:30 a.m. The Last Airbender 8:10 Calendar Girl 9:35 Crimson Force 10:45 XIII S111: The Bunker 11:05 XIII S112: The Key 12:35 p.m. Surviving The Game 2:10 Internal Affairs 4:00 The Cool Ones 5:45 Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon 7:35 Hollywood On Set 8:05 Navy Seals 10:00 Profugos S107: 10:50 Profugos S108: 11:45 Pumpkinhead: Ashes To Ashes 1:15 a.m. Macgruber 2:45 The Guardian 4:15 The Evil Dead

STAR MOVIES 12:40 a.m. Bobby Fischer Against The World 2:00 Ramona And Beezus 4:00 Best Of The Festivals 5:00 Water For Elephants 7:00 The Next Three Days 9:15 Angels & Demons 11:35 Bernie 1:20 p.m. Bruce Almighty 3:05 Diary Of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules 4:50 The Covenant 6:30 The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe 9:00 The Other Side Of The Tracks 10:40 Angels & Demons

STAR CHINESE MOVIES 12:05 a.m. Overheard 1:50 Exodus 3:25 Warriors of Heaven and Earth 5:25 Election 2 7:00 The First Option 8:30 If You Are the One 10:40 Beast Cops 12:30 p.m. The Twins Effect 2:25 What on Earth Have I Done Wrong 4:05 When I Fall in Love ... With Both 6:00 Fate Fighter 7:35 Prince of Tears 9:40 Dry Wood Fierce Fire 11:20 Bullet and Brain

DIVA UNIVERSAL 1:00 a.m. Suits 2:00 How Do I Look 3:00 Law & Order: SVU 4:00 The Trouble with Dee Dee 6:00 The Break-Up 8:00 How Do I Look 9:00 Lxtv 10:00 Suits 11:00 Downton Abbey 12:00 p.m. Law & Order: SVU 1:00 The Trouble with Dee Dee 3:00 Home Shopping Network 4:00 Suits 5:00 Downton Abbey 6:00 How Do I Look 7:00 Basketball Wives 8:00 Grimm 10:00 Law & Order: SVU 11:00 The Break-Up CINEMA ONE 1:00 a.m. Kumusta Ka Hudas 3:00 Sgt. Melgar 5:00 Tamis Ng Unang Halik 7:00 Soltero 9:00 Daniel Escultor 11:00 Trip 1:00 p.m. I Have Three Eggs 3:00 In The Name Of Love 5:00 American Adobo 7:00 No Other Woman 9:00 Mr. Suave 11:00 Kahit Saan Kung Pwede

ESPN 1:00 a.m. Sportscenter Asia 1:30 Football Asia 2:00 Liga BBVA 3:30 FIBA World Basketball Weekly 4:00 Len European Short Course Swimming C'ships 6:00 Planet Speed 6:30 Sportscenter Asia 7:00 Basketball Tonight 7:30 Tour Down Under 8:30 Sportscenter Asia 9:00 Basketball Tonight 9:30 Southern Classic 12:30 p.m. Liga BBVA 2:30 C-USA Conference Basketball 4:30 Southern Classic 7:30 Sportscenter Asia 8:00 Premier League HL 9:00 Southern Classic 10:00 Sportscenter

Asia 10:30 Basketball Tonight 11:00 C-USA Conference Basketball

STAR SPORTS 12:00 a.m. Score Tonight 12:30 Liga BBVA 2:00 Motorsports@petronas 2:30 Score Tonight 3:00 Int'l Motorsport News 4:00 Planet Speed 4:25 Liga BBVA 6:30 Motorsports@petronas 7:00 Int'l Motorsport News 8:00 Liga BBVA 12:30 p.m. Int'l Motorsport News 1:30 Motorsports@petronas 2:00 Australian Open 4:00 Int'l Motorsport News 5:00 Australian Open 6:00 Liga BBVA 7:30 Australian Open 9:30 Score Tonight 10:00 The Football Review 10:30 Rebel TV 19 11:00 Australian Open

SOLAR SPORTS 12:00 a.m. Jai - Alai 1:00 PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open 6:00 OZ Style 6:30 Solar Sport Desk 7:00 HSN 8:00 World Mind Games 8:30 AFC Conference C'ship Game 12:00 p.m. HSN 1:00 World Mind Games 5:00 PGA Tour HL Humana Challenge 6:00 Ringside 8:00 BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series 10:00 FIBA Basketball HL 10:30 Solar Sport Desk 11:00 LIMBC

LIFESTYLE NETWORK 12:00 a.m. What Not To Wear 1:00 The Conversation 2:00 Giuliana & Bill 3:00 The Doctors 4:00 Interior Motives 4:30 Secrets From A Stylist 5:00 Cupcake Wars 6:00 Searching For 7:00 Rachael Ray 8:00 Indian Food Made Easy 8:30 Baking Made Easy 9:00 The Doctors 10:00 The Amandas 11:00 Martha 12:00 p.m. What Not To Wear 1:00 The Conversation 2:00 Kitchen Nightmares US 3:00 Interior Motives 3:30 Secrets From A Stylist 4:00 Martha 5:00 Cupcake Wars 6:00 Searching For 7:00 Rachael Ray 8:00 Jerseylicious 9:00 Listed 9:30 Mad Hungry 10:00 The Great Food Truck Race 11:00 The Antonio Treatment

BASKETBALL TV 12:00 a.m. NBA Greatest Game 2:00 Hardwood Classics 4:00 NBA Regular Season 6:00 NBA Gametime 7:00 NBA Action 8:00 NBA Regular Season 10:30 Hardwood Classics 1:30 p.m. NBA Action 2:00 HSN 3:00 NBA Greatest Game 5:00 Perspectives 6:00 NBA Action 7:00 NBA.com Fantasy Insider 8:00 NBA Regular Season 10:30 NBA Gametime 11:00 ACB Liga Endesa

MTV PHILIPPINES 12:00mn The Playlist 1:00 a.m. After Hours 6:00 Roll Out 7:00 The Playlist 8:00 Tong Hits 9:00 The Fave Five 9:30 The Playlist 5:00 p.m. The Fave Five 5:30 The Playlist 10:00 Machine & Man 11:00 The Playlist

MYX 12:00mn Myx Backtrax 12:30 Wer U At? 1:00 Myx Daily Top Ten 2:00 Rock Myx 2:30 My Myx 3:00 M.I.T 20 5:00 Take 5 5:30 Myx Backtrax 6:00 Myx Daily Top Ten 7:00 My Myx 7:30 Pinoy Rock Myx 8:00 Myx Sure Fire Hits 8:30 Myxellaneous 9:00 Pinoy Myx 9:30 Pop Myx 10:00 Myx Backtrax 10:30 Star Myx 11:00 Myx Mobile Top Picks 12:00 p.m. Myx Daily Top Ten 1:00 My Myx 1:30 Pinoy Myx 2:00 Mellow Myx 2:30 Pop Myx 3:00 Rock Myx 3:30 Myx News 4:00 Myx Daily Top Ten 5:00 Take 5 5:30 Myx Sure Fire Hits 6:00 Pop Myx 6:30 Pinoy Rock Myx 7:00 My Myx 7:30 Tugtugan 8:00 Myx Daily Top Ten 9:00 Pop Myx: K-Pop 9:30 Radio Myx/Myxposed 10:00 Star Myx 10:30 Urban Myx 11:00 Mellow Myx 11:30 Myx Sure Fire Hits

CHANNEL [V] INTERNATIONAL 12:00mn [V] Special: Take That The Ultimate Tour 1:00 p.m. Parental Control 1:30 Double Shot 2:00 The Rock Show 2:30 Flava 3:00 Poparazzi 3:30 The Record Shop 4:00 CD USA 5:00 [V] Special: Take That The Ultimate Tour 5:30 Double Shot 7:00 The Ticket 7:30 Soundtracks 8:00 America's Next Top Model S7 9:00 Double Shot 11:00 Poparazzi 11:30 The Record Shop 12:00nn Double Shot 2:00 p.m. Parental Control 2:30 Double Shot 3:00 America's Next Top Model S7 4:00 CD USA 5:00 Poparazzi 5:30 The Record Shop 6:00 [V] Special: Take That The Ultimate Tour 6:30 Double Shot 7:00 Fashion File 7:30 Double Shot 8:00 One-Tastic 8:30 Discovered 9:00 Arcade 9:30 Cactus Garden 10:00 Backpackers 10:30 Double Shot 11:00 The Rock Show 11:30 Flava

DISCOVERY CHANNEL 12:00 a.m. Superhuman Showdown 1:00 Man vs. Wild 2:00 Abalone Wars 3:00 Destroyed

ABS CBN 2 4:15 a.m. XXX 5:00 Umagang Kay Ganda 8:00 KrisTV 9:00 Inazuma Eleven 9:30 Reborn 9:45 You're Still The One 10:20 Master Chef Pinoy Edition 11:00 Minute To Win it 11:30 Be Careful With My Heart 12:30 p.m. It's Showtime 2:45 May Isang Pangarap 3:30 PHR Presents: Paraiso 4:15 A Gentleman's Dignity 4:45 Pinoy True Stories 5:15 Rooftop Prince 5:50 Kahit Konting Pagtingin 6:30 TV Patrol World 7:30 Princess And I 8:15 Ina, Kapatid, Anak 9:00 Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw 9:45 Kahit Puso'y Masugatan 10:30 Bandila 11:15 Patrol Ng Pilipino

GMA 7 4:30 a.m. I Witness 5:00 Unang Hirit 5:00 Unang Hirit 8:00 Mojacko 8:25 Doraemon 8:50 Inuyasha 9:15 Atashin'chi 9:40 Bleach 10:05 Detective Conan 10:30 One Piece 11:00 Knock Out 11:30 Kusina Master 12:00 p.m. Eat Bulaga 2:35 Yesterday's Bride 3:25 Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga 4:15 Smile Dong Hae 5:05 Paroa: Ang Kuwento Ni Mariposa 5:50 Forever 6:30 24 Oras 7:30 Indio 8:30 Pahiram Ng Sandali 9:30 Temptation Of Wife 10:30 The Princess Man 11:30 Saksi 12:00 a.m. Reporters Notebook 12:30 The Tim Yap

Show 1:00 “Lee San: Wind of the Palace” 1:30 One True Love: Second Chance

STUDIO 23 6:00 a.m. Myx 7:00 Iba-Balita 7:30 I Got It! 8:00 Swirl Fighters 8:30 Galaxy Racers 9:00 Wonder Pets 9:30 Back At The Barnyard 10:00 Kirarin 10:30 Eyeshield 21 11:00 Alias 12:00 p.m. Lunch Box Office 2:00 UAAP Season 75 Women's Volleyball 6:00 Alias 7:00 Barkada Nights 9:00 Iba-Balita 9:30 Donde Esta Eliza 10:30 WWE NXT 11:30 UFC Unleashed 12:30 a.m. Myx

TV 5 4:00 a.m. Mondo Manu 4:15 Reaksyon Replay 4:30 Presinto 5 5:00 Good Morning Club 7:30 Mickey Mouse Club 8:00 Jake and The Neverland Pirates 8:30 Fish Hooks 9:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 9:30 Dexter's Laboratory 10:00 The Alabang Housewives 10:30 Face To Face 11:30 Wowowillie 3:30 p.m. White Lies 4:00 Pink Lipstick 5:00 Jeepney Jackpot: Pera O Para 5:30 T3 6:00 Aksyon 6:45 Kidlat 7:30 Will Time Big Time 9:00 Super Sine Prime 10:30 Giants 11:00 Pilipinas News 11:20 Reaksyon 11:45 Ang Latest Up-Late

12:15 m.n. Medyo late night show w/ Jojo A. all the way

PTV 5:30 a.m. Pag-Asa I Weather 6:00 Metro One 7:00 Family Rosary Crusade 8:00 Japan Documentaries 9:00 EZ Shop 11:00 Winner TV Shopping 12:00 p.m. ASEAN Snapshots 1:00 News @ 1 2:30 ASEAN Basketball League 5:00 Teledyaryo 5:00 PTV Sports 6:00 News @ 6 7:00 Presscon 9:00 6 Digit & 6/42 Lotto Draw 9:15 News Life 10:30 ASEAN Snapshots 11:00 Oras Ng Himala

ETC ON RPN 9 6:00 a.m. Pretty Little Liars 7:00 The Lying Game 8:00 The Next 9:00 Emily Owens M.D. 10:00 I Am Meg 11:00 Entourage 11:30 TMZ 12:00 p.m. Pretty Little Liars 1:00 ETC HQ 1:15 2 Broke Girls 1:45 Etcetera 2:00 The Lying Game 3:00 The Next 4:00 Emily Owens M.D. 5:00 Pretty Little Liars 6:00 The Insider 6:30 Friends 7:00 Glee 8:00 The Vampire Diaries 9:00 Beauty And The Beast 10:00 Extra 10:30 The Insider 11:00 Friends 12:00 a.m. The Next 1:00 Pretty Little Liars 2:00 Gossip Girl 3:00 Stay Alive 5:00 Emily Owens M.D.

Advertising Magazine 4:40 Super Star Show

ARIRANG 12:00 a.m. Arirang News 12:30 Travelog 1:00 Showbiz Korea 1:30 Pops in Seoul 2:00 Arirang News 2:30 Discover World 3:00 Heart to Heart 4:00 Arirang News 4:30 Discover World 5:00 The Sensation 6:00 Day Break 6:30 Visit Korea 7:00 Korea Today 8:00 Prime Time News 8:30 Pops in Seoul 9:00 The INNERview 10:00 Arirang News 10:30 Discover World 11:00 Simply K-Pop 12:00 p.m. Arirang News 12:15 100 Icons of Korean Culture 12:30 Korea Today 1:00 Showbiz Korea 1:30 Pops in Seoul 2:00 Arirang News 2:30 Visit Korea 3:00 The INNERview 4:00 Arirang News 4:30 Discover World 5:00 Simply K-Pop 6:00 Arirang News 6:30 Korea Today 7:00 Showbiz Korea 7:30 Pops in Seoul 8:00 Arirang News 8:30 Visit Korea 9:00 The INNERview 10:00 Arirang News 10:30 Discover World 11:00 Simply K-Pop

JACKTV 12:00 a.m. Weekday Series Strip 1:00 Futurama 1:30 Unsupervised 2:00 Two And A Half Men 3:00 The Big Bang Theory 4:00 Wilfred 5:00 Glee 7:00 Bob's Burger 7:30 The Cleveland Show 8:00 Live From Abbey Road 10:00 Arrow 12:00 p.m. Weekday Series Strip 1:00 Arrow 3:00 Grimm 5:00 Paid Programming 6:00 Suits 7:00 Two And A Half Men 8:00 Raising Hope 10:00 The Office

PBO 1:30 a.m. Libingan Ng Mga Buhay 3:30 Diligan Man Ng Dugo 5:30 Alindog Ni Barbara 7:30 Laruan 9:30 Manila Manila Kingpin (The Asiong Salonga Story) 11:30 Judge Max Asuncion, Hukom Bitay 1:30 p.m. Megamol 3:30 Taken 5:30 Boy Pita 7:30 Petrang Kabayo 2010 9:30 Muling Umawit Ang Puso 11:30 Sundo VELVET 12:00 a.m. The Soup 12:30 Awkward 1:00 90210 2:00 Made In Chelsea 3:00 Ringer 4:00 House of Lies 4:30 So You Think You Can Dance 5:30 Excused 6:00 Is She Really Going Out with Him 6:30 I Know My Kid's A Star 7:30 Ringer 8:30 The Good Wife 9:30 Made In Chelsea 10:30 So You Think You Can Dance 11:30 Cougar Town 12:00 p.m. Mobbed 1:00 Inside The Actors Studio 2:00 Awkward 2:30 90210 3:30 Made In Chelsea 4:30 Ringer 5:30 So You Think You Can Dance 6:30 The Secret Lives Of Dancers 7:00 The Mortified Sessions 7:30 Cougar Town 8:00 Ice Loves Coco 8:30 Texas Women 9:30 Tia and Tamera 10:30 Nurse Jackie 11:00 RuPaul's Drag Race

VIVA CHANNEL 12:00 a.m. The OPM Show 12:30 Especially For You 1:00 Concert 2:30 Popstar Rewind 3:00 Petra's Panniest 3:30 Daily Top 10 4:30 The OPM Show 5:00 Pinoy Star Stories 6:00 Annebishowsa 6:30 Popstar Diaries 7:00 The Jon Santos Show 8:00 Petra's Panniest 8:30 Especially For You 9:00 Concert 10:30 The OPM Show 11:00 Especially For You 11:30 Annebishowsa 12:00 p.m. Daily Top 10 1:00 Popstar Rewind 1:30 Star Yayey 2:30 KC.com 3:00 Pinoy Star Stories 4:00 Petra's Panniest 4:30 Pantaxa 5:30 Daily Top 10 6:30 The OPM Show 7:00 Petra's Panniest 7:30 Daily Top 10 8:30 Star Yayey 9:00 The Jon Santos Show 10:00 Especially For You 10:30 Concert AUSTRALIA NETWORK 12:30 a.m. Q&A 1:30 Newsline With Jim Middleton 2:00 Tonic 2:30 Catalyst 3:00 ABC News Breakfast 6:30 Newsline with Jim Middleton 7:00 Business Today 7:30 News 8:00 Business Today 8:30 News 9:00 Giggle and Hoot 9:05 The Wiggles 9:30 Giggle and Hoot 9:35 Play School 9:55 Giggle and Hoot 10:00 English Bites 10:20 Study English 10:30 Underwater World for Kids 11:00 Worst Best Friends 11:30 News 12:00 p.m. McLeod's Daughters 1:00 Tonic 1:30 Catalyst 2:00 Giggle and Hoot 2:05 The Wiggles 2:30 Giggle and Hoot 2:35 Play School 2:55 Giggle And Hoot 3:00 News 3:30 English Bites 4:00 Underwater World for Kids 4:30 Worst Best Friends 5:00 News 5:30 7.30 6:00 Animal Rescue 6:30 Surf Patrol 7:00 Who Do You Think You Are? 8:00 Grandstand 8:30 News 9:00 Newsline with Jim Middleton 9:30 Offspring 10:30 Animal Rescue 11:00 Surf Patrol 11:30 Who Do You Think You Are?

Today 7:30 Inside Edition 8:00 Top Gear 9:00 Solar Nightly News 10:00 Medtalk 10:30 Solar Sports Desk 11:00 Anderson Live 12:00 a.m. Late Show With David Letterman 1:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 2:00 Inside Edition 2:30 Anderson Live 3:30 The Talk 4:30 Todays Talk

IBC 13 6:00 a.m. Gospel Of The Kingdom 7:00 Oras Ng Katotohanan 8:00 Pulsong Pinoy 9:00 Ez Shop 12:00 p.m. Tipong Pinoy 1:00 Pulsong Pinoy 2:00 Ez Shop 3:00 Ez Shop 4:00 Cooltura 4:30 News Team 13 5:00 Australian Open 2013:Men' Singles QF 9:00 PBA D-League 11:00 News Team 13 11:30 Cooltura

GMA NEWS TV 5:00 a.m. Diyos At Bayan 6:00 I-Witness 6:30 Kape At Balita 8:00 Reel Time 9:00 News To Go 10:00 Pinoy Abroad 11:00 I-Witness 11:30 Balitanghali 1:00 p.m. Cinema Klasika 2:30 I-Witness 3:30 Balita Pilipinas Ngayon 4:00 Takilya Blockbuster 5:30 News TV QRT 6:00 Mars 7:00 Personalan 8:00 Power House 9:00 State Of The Nation 10:00 Pop Talk 10:30 Tonight With Arnold Clavio 11:00 Acts 12:00mn Midnight Prayer Helps 12:30 Legal Forum

Sonny with a Chance 5:30 Hannah Montana 6:00 Upin and Ipin 6:30 Boboiboy 7:00 Bola Kampung 7:30 Mr. Bean: Animated 8:00 Upin and Ipin 9:00 Canimals 9:30 Boboiboy 10:00 Supa Strikas 10:30 Kick Buttowski 11:00 Oggy And The Cockroaches 12:00 p.m. Upin and Ipin 12:30 Mr. Bean - Live Action 1:00 Mr. Bean: Animated 1:30 Just For Laughs Gags 3:30 Upin and Ipin 4:30 Art Attack 5:00 Boboiboy 5:30 Dreamkix 6:00 Phineas & Ferb 7:00 Just Kidding 9:30 Phineas & Ferb 10:00 Oggy And The Cockroaches 10:30 Zig & Sharko 11:00 Fish Hooks 11:30 Pair Of Kings

ANIMAX 12:00 a.m. Spooky Kitaro 12:30 Idaten Jump! 1:00 Letter Bee 1:30 Last Exile 2:00 Fairy Tail 2:30 Beelzebub 3:00 City Hunter 3:30 Kekkaishi 4:00 Inuyasha The Final Act 4:30 Last Exile 5:00 Bleach 6:00 Inuyasha The Final Act 6:30 Last Exile 7:00 Fairy Tail 7:30 Beelzebub 8:00 Spooky Kitaro 8:30 Idaten Jump! 9:00 Bleach 10:00 Letter Bee 10:30 Last Exile 11:00 Fairy Tail 11:30 Beelzebub 12:00 p.m. Spooky Kitaro 12:30 Idaten Jump! 1:00 Bleach 2:00 Letter Bee 2:30 Last Exile 3:00 Fairy Tail 3:30 Beelzebub 4:00 Spooky Kitaro 5:00 Idaten Jump! 6:00 Inuyasha The Final Act 6:30 Last Exile 7:00 Fairy Tail 7:30 Beelzebub 8:00 City Hunter 8:30 Kekkaishi 9:00 Spooky Kitaro 9:30 Idaten Jump! 10:00 Fairy Tail 10:30 Beelzebub 11:00 City Hunter 11:30 Kekkaishi

HERO 12:00 a.m. Jigoku Shoujo 12:30 Reborn 1:00 Crystal Warrior 1:30 Yugioh 5D 2:00 New Captain Tsubasa Road To 2002 2:30 Code Geass 3:00 Sailor Moon 3:30 Devil May Cry 4:00 Working! 4:30 Gintama 5:00 Jigoku Shoujo 5:30 Slayers Revolution 6:00 One Outs 6:30 Phantom 7:00 New Captain Tsubasa Road To 2002 7:30 Devil May Cry 8:00 Yugioh 5D 8:30 Reborn 9:00 Crystal Warrior 9:30 Sailor Moon 10:00 Code Geass 10:30 One Outs 11:00 Working! 11:30 Slayers Revolution R 12:00 p.m. Jigoku Shoujo 12:30 Gintama 1:00 Devil May Cry 1:30 Phantom 2:00 New Captain Tsubasa Road To 2002 2:30 One Outs 3:00 Sailor Moon 3:30 Code Geass 4:00 Yugioh 5D 4:30 Reborn 5:00 Working! 5:30 Slayers Revolution 6:00 New Captain Tsubasa Road To 2002 6:30 One Outs 7:00 Sailor Moon 7:30 Jigoku Shoujo 8:00 Working! 8:30 Reborn 9:00 Slayers Revolution 9:30 Yugioh 5D 10:00 Code Geass 10:30 Gintama 11:00 Devil May Cry 11:30 Deltora Quest

STAR WORLD 12:00 a.m. Revenge 12:50 Parenthood 1:35 Jane By Design 2:20 Desperate Housewives 3:05 Splash TV 3:50 Grey's Anatomy 4:35 Revenge 5:20 Glee 6:05 Jane By Design 6:50 Once Upon A Time 7:40 Gary Unmarried 8:30 Revenge 9:20 Parenthood 10:10 Bunheads 11:00 American Idol 12:00 p.m. DC Cupcakes 12:50 Australia's Next Top Model 1:40 American Idol 3:20 Splash TV 4:10 Glee 5:00 How I Met Your Mother 6:00 Splash TV 7:00 Asia's Next Top Model 8:00 Cougar Town 9:00 The Glee Project 9:55 Greek 11:00 Parenthood

STAR PHOENIX 12:00mn Phoenix Midnight News Update 12:20 a.m. A Date With Lu Yu 12:25 Amzing Legacy 12:30 Phoenix Kidult Drama 1:20 A Date with Lu Yu 2:10 Phoenix Midnight News Update 3:00 Web Buster 3:25 Entertainment Whirlwind 3:50 Trendy Guide 4:10 Phoenix Buster 4:50 Health Express II 4:55 From Phoenix To The World 5:25 News Line 5:50 Singer Profile 6:30 Liao’s Standpoint 6:55 Music Video Selection 7:00 The Intellectual Life 7:30 Weekend Morning News 7:55 Weather Forecast 8:00 Who’s Who In Olympics 8:45 Singer Profile 8:55 Weather Forecast 9:00 Panoramic Eyeshot Of Phoenix 9:30 TLC From Phoenix 9:55 Mentally & Physically In Action 10:00 Phoenix Selection 11:25 Health Express II 11:30 Advertising Magazine 11:35 Music Video Selection 11:40 Totole Belle Gourment 11:55 Feng Lu Newsline 12:25 p.m. Weather Forecast 12:30 The World This Week 1:00 Bai Sha Celebrated China Heritage 1:05 A Voyage To The Western Ocean 1:45 Panoramic Eyeshot Of Phoenix 2:20 China Forum 3:15 Phoenix Buster 3:50 Super Star Show 4:35

2nd AVENUE ON RJTV 29 12:00 a.m. Top Chef Texas 1:00 Dogs In The City 2:00 Better with You 2:30 Outsourced 3:00 How Not to Decorate 4:00 Rocco's Dinner Party 5:00 Hart Of Dixie 6:00 The Jeff Probst Show 7:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 8:00 Top Chef Texas 9:00 Dogs In The City 10:00 HSN 11:00 Inside Edition 11:30 ET 12:00 p.m. The Ellen Degeneres Show 1:00 The Jeff Probst Show 2:00 Dogs In The City 3:00 Ben and Kate 3:30 How I Met Your Mother 4:00 How Not to Decorate 5:00 Top Chef Texas 6:00 Inside Edition 6:30 ET 7:00 The Jeff Probst Show 8:00 Suburgatory 8:30 Ben and Kate 9:00 The Middle 10:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 11:00 ET 11:30 Inside Edition SOLAR NEWS CHANNEL 5:30 a.m. Early Today 6:00 Anderson Live 7:00 Solar Daybreak 8:00 NBC Nightly News 8:30 Inside Edition 9:00 The Today Show 11:30 NBC Nightly News 12:00 p.m. Solar Newsday 12:30 Solar News Cebuano 1:30 Today's Talk 2:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 3:30 The Today Show 6:00 pm Solar Network News 7:00 Early

Join Drew Arellano on a personal tour of various exciting places

in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao with his newest travel show “BI-YAHE NI DREW,” which starts air-ing on Feb. 1 (Friday), 10-11p.m., on GMA News TV.

Drew will be your reliable travel guide on this weekly, one-hour

program which shows viewers that even on a limited budget and in just a few days, anyone can enjoy and have an unforgettable vacation around the country.

For its pilot episode, Drew will take us around Surigao del Sur and let us find out that there are many fascinating sights to

see in the province. Other major destinations to watch out for on “BIYAHE NI DREW” are Sagada (Feb. 8) and Iloilo (Feb. 15), among others.

The travel show is packed with useful information and travel op-tions such as where to stay, where to eat and where to go based on

Drew’s experiences and helpful tips from the locals.

Since 2005, Drew has explored various towns and cities in the Philip-pines with his programs “Balikbayan” on QTV and “Weekend Getaway” on GMA News TV.

‘BIYAHE NI DREW’ Starts Pilot Feb. 1

DREW ARELLANO

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013Entertainment NewsE-6 Tuesday, January 29, 2013Entertainment NewsE-6

Cesar Montano has all his time consumed by work these days. Aside from his projects under the Kapatid Network (including the soon-to-be

aired dramatic series “Never Say Goodbye” where he is teamed up with Ms. Nora Aunor), he is also starring in and directing another Alfredo Lim bio-film. We had a lengthy talk with Cesar at The Manor at Camp John Hay in Baguio City recently where some scenes of the drama series were shot. That was before the con-troversy about his alleged latest “love affair” surfaced, courtesy of his wife Sunshine Cruz no less.

Anyway, it is recalled that the first Alfredo Lim bio-flick starred the late Rudy Fernandez, the second, Ramon Revilla Sr. and the third, Eddie Garcia.

C e s a r t o l d us how hectic his schedule is these days, shut-tling from one set to the other, e s p e c i a l l y since the Al-fredo Lim film already has a play date (last

Cesar Montano Stars In, Directs ‘The Untold Story Of Alfredo Lim’CELEBRITY WORLD

CRISPINA MARTINEZ-BELEN

The movie, which is the fourth to be based on Mayor Lim’s life story, will tackle most of his earlier life including his education period. He is a lawyer, by the way.

Mayor Lim was a principal sponsor at Cesar and Sunshine Cruz’s wed-ding. He offered Cesar the film project, knowing that the actor is also an award winning director (for “Panaghoy sa Suba”). So Cesar is both the star and director of “The Untold Story of Alfredo Lim” also starring Ms. Gloria Romero, Nonie Buencamino and Marc Abaya among others.

In describing more the film project, Cesar concluded that “this is a film where I don’t have to fabricate ac-tion... because the story is really full of action.”

• • •Manila Sound Vocalists

In February Concert Male Rigor of VST & Company,

Sonny Parsons of Hagibis, and Joey Abando of The Boyfriends were among the top proponents of what is now known as the “Manila Sound.” Now, they will bring back the golden era of OPM in a rare three-in-one concert appearance billed “The Manila Sound Project.”

Set for Feb. 9, 8:30 p.m. at the Mu-sic Museum, the show will be one big musical party celebrating the best of

Original Pilipino Music dur-ing the ’70s and ’80s.

Rigor, original vocalist of VST and Company that also included the brothers Vic and Maru Sotto, helped popularize hits l ike “Swing,” “Awitin Mo, Isasayaw Ko,” “Rock Baby Rock” and “Ip-agpatawad Mo.”

S o n n y Pa r s o n s was part of the all-male group H a g i b i s , said to be the Pinoy c o u n t e r-part of the V i l l a g e P e o p l e . Composed of five mem-bers, Hagi-

bis’s famous songs include “Legs,” “Katawan,” “Lalake Babae” and “Nanggigigil.”

Joey Abando was part of The Boy-friends, another all-male group whose pop and disco harmonies were remi-niscent of the Bee Gees. This sound found its representation in songs like “Dahil Mahal Kita,” “Nais Kong Malaman Mo,” “Sumayaw Sumunod” and the classic “Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal.”

The concert night will be full of reminiscing from music to fashion to the dance craze of that era. The Manila Sound Project artists promise a show that will be worth the wait since it is a rare occasion that they will be joining each other on one stage. And because their groups have now disbanded, it makes this unprecedented reunion just that more special.

So it’s time to bring out your danc-ing shoes and sway your hips. Don’t miss the show on the 9th of February at the Music Museum.

Tickets to The Manila Sound Proj-ect are available at Music Museum, Ticketworld, and SM Tickets.

• • •Unlimited Fun

At ASTIgPANALOFEST Unlimited fun and entertain-

ment is on store at the TM ASTIG-PANALOFEST Unli-Saya Show top-billed by the TM brand ambassadors Coco Martin, Angelica Panganiban, Dingdong Dantes, Cesar Montano and

Parokya ni Edgar on Feb. 2, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Watch the special performances of your favorite TM ambassadors and get the chance to join them in exciting games and contests.

The event will also coincide with the grand launch of TM’s EXTEND promo, where subscribers can extend the validity of their favorite TM promo for one more day by texting EXTEND to 8888 at only P5.

To score your instant tickets, go to select Globe stores or SM Loading outlets and load at least P75 in your TM SIM. You could also reserve your ticket via text! Load at least P75 in your neighborhood sari-sari store and wait for the text instruction from TM after 24-hours on how to claim your ticket. Load now and bring the whole gang to the ASTIGPANALOFEST. For more information, text PANALO INFO to 8888.

The AstigPanalo Fest Unli-Saya Show starts at 7:30 pm with gates opening as early as 4 p.m. to allow the “Republika” of TM subscribers to enjoy the pre-concert festivities and booths.

Daiana Wants To Meld Love And Career Successfully

By JOJO P. PANALIgAN

week of February 2013).So what to expect from this movie?

Cesar’s answer: “Since I titled it ‘The Untold Story of Alfredo Lim,’ viewers will learn more about the man, stories that have never been explored in the first three movies about him. For in-stance, ’yung pinagmulan niya. Did you know that Mayor Lim grew up at the Hospicio de San Jose?”

As an infant, Mayor Lim was left at the door of Hospicio

de San Jose where he was taken care of till he was 12. Even-tually, he and his

mother were re-united. “Taga Bu-lacan ang mother

niya,” Cesar said. “At binigyan pa niya

ng bahay.”

• • •Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Jan. 29, Marvin Agustin,

Frankie Ferrer of Bais City, director Laurice Guillen, Ishko Lopez, Baby Bautista-Arce, Vic

Redoblado, Rosario So Adriano, Carolina Z. Mangawang, Mayor Benjamin Castillo, Amb. Rosalinda V. Tirona and Mateo D.C. Alegre... Happy wedding anniversary to Anto-nio and Elizabeth Antonio, and Mr. and Mrs. Cesar Esteba…

CESAR MONTANO

MALE RIgOR, Sonny Parsons and Joey Abando

ANgELICA PANgANIBAN

DAIANA MENEZES

Daiana Menezes is engaged to Cagayan de Oro Rep. Jose Benjamin “Benjo” Benaldo but she isn’t about to slow down with her career as model, actress and endorser.

“Many people think that once you have a love life, once you get married, wala ka ng career. Hindi totoo yan. I think when you’re hap-pier, the better you work,” she said when launched as endorser of Lady Grace, an intimate apparel and lingerie brand.

Despite being very busy (she is currently shooting “Sketch,” a

film with Pinoy Hollywood director Ace Cruz, among

other things), the Brazil-ian vixen said that the

wedding preparations will begin middle of

the year when her fa-ther’s work schedule eases up.

“Iba kasi ang kultura namin,

’yung father ang gumagastos at nag-aayos ng kasal ng

babae,” she said to that effect. “But I’m

really looking forward to it because getting married would mean I’d be staying more in the Philippines.”

Recall that Daiana and Benjo became a couple just

last year after her breakup with director GB Sampe-dro. Benjo proposed to her under the Eiffel Tower in Paris before flying to Brazil in order for the public servant to meet her parents.

Asked what she thinks about the amount of time it’s taking for the wedding to be underway, Daiana quipped, “We’re sure about each other – we don’t have to worry.”

Besides, Daiana is still hungry to level up her career in showbiz by growing as an artist. When asked if she regrets letting go of her stint on “Eat Bulaga” on which she enjoyed daily exposure, Daiana simply said:

“Fame doesn’t always mean happiness and suc-cess. I love them, they were a school for me and if not for them I won’t be here. But I want to improve in my craft and now I am able to do other things like acting, hosting, endorsement and movies.”

Daiana is the first celebrity endorser of Lady Grace that’s actually been around for several de-cades now. The daughter of the company owner said that they picked Daiana for being a “timeless” beau-ty, one who is “beautiful, funny and confident.”

The model-actress is as impressed with the product and the owner’s passion to give women an affordable but quality option for lingerie in the market. Daiana said that she knew the owners are the real thing when, upon seeing her, they correctly told her what bra cup size to use just by looking at her.

“’Yung sa iba, they had to ask me kung ano ’yung size ko, but these people, they know their business well,” she said.

Lady Grace is available at several SM depart-ment stores nationwide.

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magine a world where, to avoid an accidental drug overdose as well as to fully maximize the effects of ther-apeutic drugs, doctors are equipped with a diagnostic

tool that accurately determines the speed of their patients’ metabolism, enabling them to give dosages tailored to their patients’ genetic profile.

it sounds like science fiction, but it may soon be science fact. at the recent BPi-DOST Best Project of the Year awards, Jann adriel C. Sy, a BS molecular Biology and Biotechnology student at the University of the Philip-pines-Diliman, presented his project, “Single nucleotide Polymorphisms in the 3’ UTR of the Pregnane X Receptor gene and inter-individual Variability in Drug Response.”

Simply put, Sy was able to discover two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SnPs) — a genetic variation in a Dna sequence when a single nucleotide in a genome is altered — that lessen the production of proteins that processes drugs. Finding out if patients have these SnPs before prescribing them medicine will help doctors give dosages that are just right for their patients.

The judges at the competition were so impressed with his work that they awarded him first prize, netting him a R50,000 cash prize on top of the R25,000 he received from the Bank of the Philip-pine islands (BPi) as one of 30 finalists, as well as a post-graduate scholarship from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

“i think it was due to the innovative commercial potential of the project. i

By RONALD S. LIMPhotos by BOB DuNgO

WANTED!The Students and Campuses section is looking for campus writers. E-mail your resume and sample works at MByouthsection@gmail.com.

WANTED!

An exact scienceA UP Diliman student’s award-winning project could pave the way

to personalized drug dosages, all based on a person’s genetic profile!

also think that the judges saw the wide applicability of the project and its impli-cations on the way we take medicine,” Sy muses, when asked about what it was about his work that made the judges pick him for the top prize.

The BPi-DOST Best Project of the Year awards is an annual competition that aims to recognize and provide incentives to graduating students in selected colleges and universities who excel in specialized fields of science, namely: mathematics, physics, chem-istry, engineering, computer science, and biology.

ONE CURIOUS KIDSy says that even as a child, he had always displayed an interest in the world around him, a curiosity that was fostered within the family.

“i was always interested in the natural sciences and the way the world worked, and because of that, i guess it was the ‘world’ that first exposed me to sciences - and school just ‘formalized’ it,” he shares. “i remember in the lower years of grade school, i asked my dad to buy me a microscope, and he did! i looked at red blood cells, skin cells and anything that i could put under the microscope.”

That affinity for biology would stick with him as he grew up, leading him towards molecular biology and bio-technology, and an interest in stem cell biology, immunology, cancer, epigenet-ics, and pharmacoepigenetics. When it came time for him to do his thesis, his adviser, Dr. Reynaldo garcia, suggest-ed he take on this particular topic.

Carrying out this experiment would prove to be as difficult for Sy as it would be for a layman to properly pronounce

IT'S IN THE gENES — university of the Philippines' Jann Adriel C. Sy (right) presents his project before the panel of judges at the BPI-DOST Best Project of the Year Awards.

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013F-2

CAMPuS BEAT

By JANNICA DIAZ, Contributor

aYanihan, Dama-yan, Kawanggawa, Pa-hinungod.

T h e s e a r e t h e words that became the overwhelming din

as the spirit of volunteerism filled the halls of miriam College during the first national Conference on the engage-ment of the academe in Volunteering (nCeaV).

The event, held during the in-ternational Volunteering month last December, was organized in collabo-ration with the australian agency for international Development (ausaiD) and VSO Bahaginan.

almost 500 participants from cam-puses and organizations all over the country attended the two-day confer-ence. Supported by the Commission on higher education (CheD) and the Department of education (Deped), the confab had a total of 50 speakers.

THE EXPANDING ROLEOF VOLUNTEERSin a bid to provide a comprehensive volunteering system for the academe and schools, Commission on higher education chairperson Patricia Li-cuanan unveiled a framework that schools can use to coordinate volun-teerism and active citizenship towards nation-building.

Under the framework, the aca-deme is not only assigned to provide basic services or needs to a specific community in need of help; it is also in-structed to create extension programs that impart knowledge and skills to the members of the community for a long-term effect.

“all state universities and colleges, and most private universities are engaged in extension work, which is interchangeably called outreach, com-munity service or community engage-ment,” says Licuanan. “Though social outreach and extension programs, particularly through advocacy centers, higher education institutions work directly with poor and disadvantaged communities as well as with special sectors. By developing its capability, shaping values, building bridges and working for empowerment, it directly contributes to poverty eradication and national development.”

Licuanan emphasized the role of universities which is to empower the

Schools and volunteerism for nation-building

uST HOLDS INTER-SCHOOLON-THE-SPOT PAINTINg CONTEST

DEPED SETS 2013 NAT IN MARCH

LETRAN FACuLTY RECEIvES INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

ArellAno HS ClASS ‛63MARkS gOLDEN JuBILEE

THE University of Santo Tomas (UST) will hold the UST Annual Inter-School On-the-spot Painting Competition on Feb. 8, from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm at the UST Benavides Garden. The tilt is sponsored by the UST Museum in celebration of the National Arts Month.

This year’s theme is “Cno si Botong sau?” in line with the celebration of Botong’s birth centennial. Fine Arts students from 15 colleges and universities will present their views on the style and relevance of National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco’s art, and challenge themselves to find the same love of Filipino culture and country that was evident in every work he created. The competition is intended to foster solidarity among the youth by creating works of art that represent their ideas and passion.

Participating schools are Adventist University of the Philippines, Bulacan State University, College of the Holy Spirit, EARIST, Far Eastern University, Feati University, Mapua Institute of Technology, Philippine Women’s University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of the East - Caloocan, University of Makati, University of the Philippines and UST.

Entries should have a medium of oil or acrylic on a dry primed (white) non-textured canvas with a size of 30 x 40 inches. Winners will receive cash prizes of P40,000, P25,000, P20,000 and P8,000 for the first, second, third place and three honorable mentions, respectively.

Final list of participants must be sent by fax to the Competition Secretariat at (02) 740-9718 not later than Feb. 4. For details, call 781-1815.

THE Department of Education will conduct the 2012-2013 National Achievement Test (NAT) for elementary and high school students in public and private schools nationwide in March.

The NAT for fourth year students is set on March 6 while the date of exam for Grade 3 pupils of public and Madrasah schools is on March 12. The NAT for Grade IV pupils of public and private schools is on March 13.

DepEd administers the NAT every year to gauge the students’ academic performance in key subjects. Only the private elementary and secondary schools with permit to operate from DepEd shall be included in the conduct of the test. Each examinee in Grade IV NAT shall be issued with a Certificate of Rating (COR) per subject area which will reflect the examinee’s readiness for secondary education.

In line with this, the National Education and Testing Research Center (NETRC) of DepEd will hold a conference on the standardized administration of the NAT, the Test of English Proficiency for Teachers (TEPT) and the Process Skills Test (PST).

COLEGIO de San Juan de Letran College Business Administration and Accountancy (CBAA) faculty John Carlo Sampan received the “Best CEO Award” in the recent Ecopreneur International Business Competition in Ulaanbatar, Mongolia.

The tilt requires entrepreneurs to come up with ideas that will promote “green” businesses. Sampan was cited for his Marketing for the Environment and Nature (MEAN) Green Campaign which helps clients in generating concepts for profitable products and services to achieve effective green positioning in the marketplace.

Sampan was also awarded with the Best Commercial Film in Global Talentpreneur Innovation and Collaborations in Taiwan. The video talked about green businesses. In November, he topped the Certified Professional Marketing Exam, the only certification exam authorized by the Asian Marketing Association.

THE Arellano High School Class 1963 will celebrate its golden jubilee with a dinner, concert and general homecoming.

The celebration will bring together the members of Arellano High School Class, who studied and graduated from the Sta. Cruz, Manila campus 50 years ago.

A dinner will be held on Feb. 9, 7 p.m. at the Taste of LA Restaurant in Tomas Morato, Quezon City. It will be sponsored by Cora Ferrera Regpala. The concert, to be hosted by Class 1988 and 1963, will be held on Feb. 10, 3:30 p.m. at the Arellano High School campus. The UP Singing Ambassadors will perform at the event dubbed “Balik Arellano Merienda” concert.

This will be followed by the general homecoming at 6 p.m. at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel. Performers include Pilita Corales, the Rocking 60’s Band, Boy Camara and Dero Pedero.

The alumni are requested to come in white shirt and khaki pants for men and anything green for women. For ticket reservation, call Ysrael Cunanan at 0932-3870025 or Josephine Dy 0927-8770855.

members of a certain community by providing them adequate knowledge and skills.

“Volunteering is one important way of bringing people together, working in one goal,” says Rachel Quintos, spokes-person for the VSO Bahaginan, one of the organizers of nCeaV. “nCeaV provides opportunities for the academe to harness volunteerism among the youth, maximize their roles to influ-ence and encourage them to become change agents in their communities for a wider scope.”

Speakers of nCeaV came from various sectors of the country and tack-led topics such as Volunteers in Disas-ter Risk Reduction and management, Youth Volunteers and Social media, as well as the development of a White Paper to influence public policies.

BRINGING VOLUNTEERISMTO THE NEXT LEVELnCeaV will also coordinate with 15 universities across the country in the creation of action plans for volunteer-ing programs to ensure the effects of volunteering for a long run.

“We invited these schools to strate-gically work with us on post-conference activities; build on the gains of the con-ference and hopefully be able to con-tinue influencing policy, and re-defining the role of academe in volunteering,” says Jay neil ancheta, VSO Bahaginan program officer.

The Bulacan State University in hagonoy, for instance, is serious in its volunteerism efforts.

“Because they’ve been devastated by typhoons every now and then, they (now) want to form a volunteering movement in partnership with the municipality of hagonoy, Bulacan. So volunteering is one way to approach this kind of social issue,” ancheta says.

meanwhile, the University of the Philippines-Visayas plans to revive UP Ugnayan ng Pahinungod in its campus through nCeaV. Pahinungod is a vol-unteering body of the UP system that renders free services to communities in need. Currently, Pahinungod is being conducted only in two UP cam-puses in Los Banos and manila.

in mindanao, nCeaV will coordi-nate with the mindanao State Univer-sity on social matters in preparation for the emerging political entity of Bangsamoro.

‘VOLUNTEERINGGIVES HOPE’Licuanan also points out the impor-tance of volunteerism to the com-munities who received the services of volunteers, particularly the victims of natural calamities.

“in new York, new Orleans, Dar-fur, haiti, whatever the cause and extent of these human tragedies, the generous response of people has brought light and hope,” Licuanan says. “Closer to home, the floods of Ondoy and Sendong and now Pablo showed us that people serving people is an antidote to helplessness and pessimism.”

malou Pantua-Juanito, executive director of VSO Bahaginan, echoes the same sentiment, adding that volunteering can change the life of a volunteer as much as it did on the people he/she had served. “Volun-teers should always have a positive outlook,” she says.

miriam College is promoting volun-teerism through the national Service Training Program and social-related subjects, but what nCeaV hopes to do is to instill a long-term volunteer attitude for students that extends beyond their university days.

“Volunteering, not because you were told to or asked by a teacher, but it should be a part of your life. it is about learning from others and letting yourself be transformed,” Juanito says.

JOHN CARLO SAMPAN

MATH CHALLENgE PARTICIPANTS — More than half a million elementary and high school students from various public and private schools nationwide participated in the recent elimination rounds of the 2013 Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge (MMC). The eliminations were held in the 17 regions. Now on its 12th year, MMC is the most widely participated math competition. It is being organized by the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI), the Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP), and the Department of Education (DepEd). Winners in the eliminations will proceed to the Division Finals on Feb. 7 and 8. In photo are the contestants from San gabriel Elementary School.

A national conference on volunteerism looks at ways on how to sustain volunteerism in the academe...

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the title of his study.“This year, our institute, the na-

tional institute of molecular Biology and Biotechnology, moved to our new building in the national Science Com-plex, so that translated to about a month or two of delayed experiments,” he says. “Biological samples are prone to degradation and contamination compared to other types of samples. as you can imagine, if your samples are contam-inated or degraded, you’ll have to repeat certain steps or entire experi-ments.”

TO THE TOPmaking his way to the Best Project of the Year awards would prove to be as laborious. Sy had to first present his project to the faculty of the national institute of molecular Biology and Biotechnol-ogy, then the College of Science, and then to UP Diliman, after which he was selected as part of the three finalists the university would send to the awards.

The list was further trimmed, and right after Christmas break it was Sy and five other students from the University of Santo Tomas, the ateneo de manila University, Saint Louis Uni-versity, and De La Salle University that emerged as the top six science projects

in the country.Sy says that his winning was the last

thing on his mind when he presented his project to a panel of six judges that included representatives from the DOST and BPi.

“honestly, i was nervous just before presenting, but during the presentation itself, i felt more comfortable since i already knew my research by heart

“The project has great potential to be taken a lot further and to make it more applicable to Filipinos. i suggest that they work on discovering more mutations that affect levels of the preg-nane X receptor that are typically found in the Filipino population and they begin testing which of the microRnas actually regulate PXR,” he says.

moreover, he hopes that programs like the BPi-DOST Best Project of the Year awards further encourage young Filipino scientists to fur-ther test the bounds of science and technology.

“Competitions like these encourage young scientists to put their work out there – to make them feel more confident in their research abilities and to speak confidently about their findings,” he says.

But more than just gaining confidence, he wants Filipinos to realize that science is something that they can do in their everyday life.

“Competitions are not the only way for Filipinos

to get into science. You can take up a course in science and eventually work on a thesis, or look for jobs that lead to working in laboratories, here and abroad,” he explains. “eventually, you can go on to do a PhD, and you can work in various fields — academe, industry, scientific policy, scientific writing, en-trepreneurship, and the like. Science isn’t done in an ivory tower; it should permeate all aspects of life.”

(Cont'd from page F-1)

An exact...

and could speak about it freely,” he recalls. “after seeing all the presen-tations however, i knew that it was a toss-up whether i’d win or lose since my project’s topic was quite different from the others.”

While he does not plan to continue working on the project once he gradu-ates, he says that he would be happy to see other students build upon what he has already accomplished.

COMMISSION ON HIgHER EDuCATION chairperson Patricia Licuanan.

BSET PROJECT — Jann Adriel C. Sy (center) with (from left) his mentor, Dr. Reynaldo garcia, BPI Foundation, Inc. president Aurelio Montinola III, Science Education Institute director Dr. Filma g. Brawner, and BPI Foundation, Inc. senior vice president Randy Maranan.

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NewsbitsAnd

Photos

For the Love of Travel and Photography

Resolutions for your

Photography Life

Page G-3>

specialfeature

through a lens, clearly!

break of dawn

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Section Editor RONALD G. JAYMEg-1 EVERY TUESDAY • jAnUARY 29, 2013 Visit www.mbpictureperfect.com

Capturing Life through the Lens

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE WEEK

aLbert pedrosa

Passion for fashion

By JoJie AlcAntArA

Albert Pedrosa started shooting in high school, and went on to become a photographer for campus publication

during his college days. It was his classmate who taught him the rudiments of developing and processing in the darkroom.

(Turn to page G-6)

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January 29, 2013Picture PerfectG-2

Calling all photography enthusiasts!

If you have a good photograph that you would like to share and you think is good enough to be published, send it to us (including some technical information about the image). We are looking for images of any subject that will catch the readers’ attention and paint a thousand words. After choosing from among those photos submitted, we will publish one as our “Photo of the Week.” For details, please call us at 5278121 local 384, or email your photos to: pictureperfect.mb@gmail.com / picture05perfect@yahoo.com.

Photo by brian enriquezCainta, Rizal

photo of the WeeK

the radio freQuenCY reMote fLash trigger(Continuation of January 1, 2013 issue)

h e w i r e l e s s r a d i o frequency (RF) f lash trigger has brought new wave of excitement to photographers. It opened

up possibilities and lighting solutions to problems in taking situation shots that were deemed impossible with a wireless infrared remote trigger system.

Particularly amusing to users of the RF trigger is the unique ability to bypass on walls and other opaque barriers that used to be a limit of infrared wireless. For example: It became easy now to completely put out-of-picture-view the slave flash (or number of slave flashes)within sharp wall corners when shooting a very large crowd in a ballroom. Thus, it came to pass that the RF trigger was allotted with a space as a regular occupant in a professional photographer’s bag.

Meanwhile, brand loyalists and moneyed photographers silently waited for Canon and Nikon to come up with their own version of RF trigger. To many, branded gadgets are believed to be superior in performance. But the giant camera makers are occupied with the propagation of their infrared-based lighting system. They continue to ignore the potentials and advantages brought about by the new technology (RF remote flash trigger) and probably for a good and practical reason – risk.

As I mentioned earlier, the chaos of radio frequency allocations in different nations/continents could spell disaster

hotoWorld Asia 2013 will kick off on January 31 until February 5 at the Glorietta Ayala Malls for the photography trade show and exhibits and

at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati for the international photographers’ convention.

Topping the list of speakers at the convention is world-renowned National Geographic photographer Joe McNally who will conduct a whole day master class for photographers (Feb. 3) at the SGV Hall, AIM in Makati. He will share tips and techniques and his vast experiences as photojournalist and

Unleashing and Taming the Raw Light of Studio Flash (Part 97)

photographY 101

benJaMin riVera

A Beginner’s Guide to

This four-piece RF remote flash trigger from China is dedicated for Canon Speedlite. But the accompanying PC cord indicates that it can remotely trigger any other manual flash including studio strobe. It even claims that it can operate as a remote shutter release cable with range of up to 100 meters.

Joe McNally to Do Master Class with Philippine Photographers

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Understanding the Studio Strobe Flash

to worldwide distribution of any radio frequency transmitting product. The possibility of having a shipment of their product being declared illegal or held in the customs in certain countries could be real. Their non-entry to the segment of remote flash triggers provided vigorous activity to the open market.

Where there is no king, many aspirant kings arise. In the territory of wireless remote flash triggers, many brand names compete for supremacy over the other, claiming to be the best in their price range. To cite a few (whose name might ring a bell in readers’ memory): Pocket Wizard, Phottix, Young Nou, Radio Poppers, and Pulsar. In reality, however, it is wise to find the brand and model that offer good value for money.

To help the reader decide on which RF trigger to buy, here is a brief guide:

•Know the features between what you need as a photographer and what you want. These are two different things and the difference will be the sum of money you might save or spent.

• To know what feature you want is easy. It is like imagining what features you like to have in your next DSLR purchase. If you list it down, you will end up with the most expensive and top-of-the-line model.

•To know what features you need is a bit tricky. But here is a clue: What sort of photography work you are into? If you already own one infrared remote trigger unit, then most of your need has already been answered. Having used the infrared system, you must have already identified what and which shooting situation you failed. This situation is where you need the new RF triggering system. Figure it out. Did you use a studio strobe or your

dedicated flash?•If you trigger studio flash only, this

means that you need a simple manual remote triggering only. You need not pay for the bells and whistles that accompany the multi-purpose trigger unit.

•If you also want to remote trigger dedicated flash, then be prepared to dig deeper into your wallet. Top-of-the-line dedicated flash will demand a much more complicated remote RF commands and for that you will have to choose a pricey model.

Some features and basic specs you need to understand and look for:

1. Effective maximum range (distance) – The typical range is 30 meters; the longer, the better.

2. PC cord terminal or hot shoe provision only? – Many models have hot shoe provision only. This means you will have trouble in using it with your studio strobe. Most RF trigger is dedicated. You must find the one for your brand of camera. The ideal would be a model that has PC cord terminal so you can use it in your studio strobe and any other manual third-party flash.

3. eTTL or iTTL capable or not? – This feature tells you if you can use it with the high-end feature of your dedicated flash. If it is not TTL capable, then it might be the one you need for your studio strobe use only. Check for the PC cord terminal.

4. Number of operating channels – This is important to ensure that you can do your work in photographer-crowded venues. If other photographers will accidentally break into your channel, this could possibly ruin your setup. The more channels you have, the bigger

is your choice to avoid interference either by hackers or purely broadcast interference. Typical in most decent model is four to 16 channels.

5.Modulating Frequency – If you are based in the Philippines, you may ignore this as I am not aware of any case that our NTC has ever set their nose in this segment. But if you are outside the country, there is no harm if you start familiarizing with this specification. If

fine art photographer. Joe is a master photographer with a career that has spanned 30 years with assignments in over 50 countries. He has shot cover stories for The National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, LIFE, TIME, Newsweek, Fortune, New York, Entertainment Week, New York Times Sunday Magazine, and Men’s Journal.

Named one of the 100 Most Important People in Photography by the American Photo magazine, Joe has published best-selling books including The Moment It Clicks, Hot Shoe Diaries, Sketching Light and Guide to Digital Photography, among other publications.

In 2010, he was voted as one of the 30 most influential photographers of the decade in an industry-wide Photo District News survey. McNally won the first Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Journalist Impact for a LIFE coverage titled, “The Panorama of War.” He has also been honored numerous times by Communication Arts, PDN, Graphis, American Photo, POY, and The World Press Photo Foundation. His fine art work is represented by the Monroe Gallery of Santa Fe, and his prints are in numerous collections, most significantly the National Portrait Gallery of the United States.

Drew Gurian, first assistant to Joe McNally will also be on hand to deliver

his own talk. Filipino speakers include Allan Razo, advertising photographer G-Nie Arambulo, photojournalists Revoli Cortez and Edwin Bacasmas, cinematographer Nap Jamir II, videographer Dan Pamintuan, Prof. Cecilia Manikan, creative f ine art photographer Edwin Loyola, top wedding photographer Jomel Gregorio, photo magazine publisher Nick Tuason, fashion photographer Jay Tablante, and travel photographer/TV show host Paco Guerrero.

The trade show brings together the world’s leading brands of cameras, photography gear suppliers from various countries, as well as

local traders and manufacturers while the international photographers’ convention provides a forum where photographers can learn from each other. The convention will be capped with a final day of hands-on shooting with the master photographers at the Fernwood Gardens in Quezon City.

This year’s PhotoWorld Asia theme is “Limitless Possibilities” to underscore the vast potentials and higher goals that photographers can aspire to, and the unlimited opportunities that photography can offer the individual who learns the art and craft of making photographs.

Fo r d e t a i l s , v i s i t w w w.photoworldmanila.com

you could find a model that operates in the 2.4 GHZ band, then that’s it! You are completely safe. In fact Canon is now on for the big project in this frequency band, but that is really going ahead of our story. (More in our next issue)

For comments and suggestions and contributions, please call at 5278121 local 384 or 5253085 or email at rivera.benjie@gmail.com

. (Photo courtesy of http://www.ebay.com/itm/CowboyStudio-

RF-602-2-4GHz-Wireless-Remote-

Flash-Trigger-CANON-/170963065326)

Underwater Colors

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f e w m o n t h s a g o , PetaPixel featured a way by which to get more out of your inkjet printer. If you are ever faced with a situation when

you had to print a document but found your printer declaring your ink empty, you can squeeze a few more pages out of your ink cartridge by warming it up with a hair dryer. The article originally from The New York Times explains: “‘The heat from the hair dryer heats the thick ink, and helps it to flow through the tiny nozzles in the cartridge,’ says Alex Cox, a software engineer in Seattle. ‘When the cartridge is almost dead, those nozzles are often nearly clogged with dried ink, so helping the ink to flow will let more ink out of the nozzles.’ The hair dryer trick can squeeze a few more pages out of a cartridge after the printer declares it is empty.” This can work only once or twice per ink cartridge.

Should you need to find photos that are available for re-use or re-posting under Creative Commons terms, Yahoo! Image Search now makes it easy to find such photos on Flickr. Just go to Yahoo! Image Search with your

computer, tablet or phone. Select the “Labeled for Reuse” filter on the left rail to only see the photos that you can reuse. Hover over the thumbnail to see any details about the photo, including the photographer’s name. Click on any thumbnail and you can view the full image. And to see the specific Creative Commons license terms for the image, just click the “Attribution” link.

On the other hand, if by any circumstance you find your photos being used by others on the Internet without your permission, visit www.picturedefense.blogspot.com for advice on your options. The free website offers step-by-step instructions on how to get your copyrighted photos removed from almost any type of website.(PetaPixel)

Before Photoshop and digital cameras, film photographers used various techniques with their cameras and in printing the negatives to come out with fantasy, unusual and surrealistic compositions. One photographer today who continues to produce fantastic images with his film camera is Thomas Barbey. On his website, thomasbarbey.com, Barbey describes his process: “The process of my montage starts

with concept. It is then followed by the exposure and selection of the negatives. The design is then created by carefully choosing printing procedures as combination printing; sandwiching negatives together; thereby printing them simultaneously; pre-planned double exposure in the camera; the re-photographing of collaged photographs; and/or a combination of the above. I sometimes retouch and/or airbrush the collages before re-photographing them from above with a special contraption to hold the camera in place. I then make a master negative to make a limited edition of prints.” His gallery at thomasbarbey.com is a must-see for all photo enthusiasts.

And now to our featured readers.Leigh Pantaleon shares an untitled

photo of herself and her hubby while enjoying their vacation in Boracay last December 29. “It was our first time and we really enjoyed staying there,” she writes. The photo was taken by her sister-in-law, Kristine Charmaine Pantaleon.

Jovy Devillena, BSA student at Columban College, Olongapo City sent in a photo of their barangay in Botolan, Zambales. “It's the recent view of our

barangay after the tragedy brought by the typhoon Ondoy,” she explains.

Other photos on today’s column come from previously featured contributors.

Nathan Lubian narrates that the trip up north was originally meant to be a vacation with his girlfriend. It was a place they had never been to before. He writes: “Just the thought of the Kapurpurawan Rock Formations, the Bangui Windmills, and the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse ended up with me deciding to bring my camera, along with my laptop and three sets of high fashion dresses from Don. If you were a photographer, you'd most definitely do the same thing; and so what was supposed to be a mere vacation ended up to be another photo shoot.” He sent in the fashion photo titled “Air Bending At The Kapurpurawan Rock Formation.” Nathan gives thanks to “five amazing Ilocanos who made this shoot possible.”

From registered nurse She Ureta is the photo “Friends For Life.”

Geri Bermil sent in the photo “Pasyal” taken on a trip to Luneta children’s park with his kids.

Jena Abegail Acayen who describes

herself as “an aspiring photographer and still striving hard to be a good one” shares the photo “Mind In The City.”

“My son has never outgrown this habit of having the index toe over his big toe whenever stationary. When he was small, most of the pinches I got were not from his hands but from those very toes...” writes Emmanuel Vasquez. His photo titled “Over Big Toe” illustrates his story.

Charlene Yap writes that her l a n d s c a p e p h o t o t i t l e d “ T h e Lighthouse” was “taken at SBMA Boardwalk a moment before an approaching heavy rain.”

Bob Manzano shot his untitled photo of a devotee at the Sri Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

AdamNeville F. Esleta writes that he never tires of taking photos of Manila Bay. He sent in the photo of yachts at night with Manila’s lighted buildings as background titled “Reflections.”

Readers may now view issues of Picture Perfect including this column with the pictures at www.mbpictureperfect.com.

For comments, suggestions or just to share an image or idea, email rfyparedes@yahoo.com.

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Newsbits & photos

through a Lens, CLearLYraffY paredes

January 29, 2013Picture Perfect

Air Bending At The Kapurpurawan Rock Formation (Nathan Lubian)

The Lighthouse (Charlene Yap)

Botolan, Zambales (Jovy Devillena)

Friends For Life (She Ureta)

Over Big Toe (Eman.I.Vasquez)Reflections (AdamNeville F. Esleta)

Untitled (Kristine Charmaine Pantaleon)

Untitled (Bob Manzano) Pasyal (Geri Bermil) Mind In The City (Jena Abigail Acayen)

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speCiaL feature

Si n g a p o r e a n photographer and audio engineer Kim Lau is one of those who have a global perspective behind the lens. Lau believes that

photography has become a multi-faceted field. “Photography is an art form dedicated to capturing the moment,” he says. “It needs to be complimented with motion (video), sound and music to deliver documentary experiences.”

Taking pictures in different places is something that Lau specializes in as a self-dubbed travel photographer. As a matter of fact, it is his love for traveling that jumpstarted his career as a lensman.

for the Love of traveL and PhotograPhy

January 29, 2013Picture PerfectG-4

“Images of fun and adventure”

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In 1941, the flamboyant surrealist Spanish painter Salvador Dali a n d L a t v i a n - b o r n American portrait photographer Philippe

Halsman met in New York City. The ingenious artists decided to collaborate to produce photographs in the late 1940s. One famous photograph borne out of the mingling of their creative minds is the photograph known as "Dali Atomicus"(named as such in reference to Dali’s painting "Leda Atomica" which is seen on the right side of the frame).

The 1948 photograph explores the idea of suspension. It shows Dali suspended in mid-air, holding a palette and paint brush. Around him are three cats flying, water swooshing from a bucket, an easel, a footstool and a chair all floating in the air with him. It took 28 attempts before both artists were satisfied with the result. In the original shot, the strings to which the easel and chair were hanging, and the hand of the assistant holding the chair was visible. The unretouched version of the photograph was published in TIME magazine.

What started off as a half-hearted suggestion to a subject in the 1950s became a tradition that established Halsman’s distinctive shot. After each portrait session, he would ask his subjects to jump, hop or leap high. Halsman developed the philosophy of jump photography which he called "Jumpology.” He believes that when a subject is asked to jump, his attention is directed to the act of jumping and

the person’s real self emerges. Even the most restrained person tends to break into a grin as they execute even the tiniest hop. Halsman has a portfolio filled with Hollywood stars and A-listers frozen in mid-air. It is said that Halsman had enough wit and charm to convince the likes of Richard Nixon and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to leap in the air. Philippe Halsman’s Jump Book contains almost 200 jumping celebrities and famous people.

Salvador Dali had a penchant for bizarre images that showed in his surrealist work. His artistic repertoire covered a wide expanse that included painting, film, sculpture and photography. His most famous work is The Persistence of Memory. He was exceptionally imaginative and he loved indulging in unusual behavior that shocked the world. He loved grabbing attention because he believes that a public relations is more important than talent.

The collaboration between Dali and Halsman also resulted to the publication of Dali’s Mustache, a 1954 book that featured the various look of Dali’s famous mustache. The fruitful collaboration also produced the books In Voluptas Mors and Midsummer Night’s Mare. (Compiled by Tess Puzon-Rivera)

S o u r c e s : h t t p : / / w w w . c a h .u t e x a s . e d u / p h o t o j o u r n a l i s m / d e t a i l .php?nickname=halstead&picid=6/ http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://digitaljournalist.org/issue9904/images/ClintonLewinsky.JPG&imgrefurl=http: / http://digitaljournalist.org/issue9807/editorial.htm /

photo CLassiC

Dali Atomicus

By EugEnE Y. SantoS

According to Lau, his ardor for photography came after he got bitten by the travel bug in 2005. “I set out on a year-long journey then and I thought that I would take some good photos at the same time,” he relates. “I brought my first DSLR (an Olympus E-1) and travelled with it for the whole time, and I produced the first pictorial journey.” Lau’s interest in anthropology, history and different cultures furthered his enthusiasm toward travel photography. When he travels, his favorite subjects are his destination’s people and cultures.

As a travel photographer, Lau puts emphasis on finding the right photo

opportunity and being able to mingle with his subjects if possible. “People must be willingly photographed. Do not be afraid to approach your subjects because they may desire the attention you give to them. And, to deliver intimacy in your photos, time is needed.”

Lau understands that taking pictures involves a photographer’s conscientious mindset, and that a good

photograph should be able to catch and stimulate a person’s attention. “Academically, the effectiveness of a photo can have a hierarchy spanning informational, aesthetical, and emotional. Like any other art, a photo that casts a lasting impression to your audience is an effective photo. In my opinion, the state of mind of the photographer is extremely important. Inquisition, calm, and patience often deliver what I eye for,” explains Lau.

Apparently, people and brands like Olympus have been receptive to Lau’s works. He was able to mount a solo exhibit, and even got the occasional sponsorship for his travels. One of his personal accomplishments is being able to produce travel documentaries with photo, video, and music components.

Lau is also making the rounds in speaking at photo events. He was recently invited to attend the Tashkent Photo Biennale in Uzbekistan. He will also share some tips on travel photography at the Olympus booth on February 2 during the PhotoWorld Asia 2013 to be held at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati.

Visit www.olyphil.com for more details.

Kim Lau

Kim Lau's journeys with Olympus

Xinjiang, China (Olympus E-510, Zuiko Digital ED 11-22mm, f2.8-3.5)

Uzbekistan (Olympus E-3, Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F4.0) Songkol, Kirghizistan

Gas Well - Karakom Desert Turkmenistan

Jordan tibet

Inle Lake, Myanmar

Seam Reap, Cambodia (Olytmpus OM-1n, Zuiko 24mm f2.8)

Bosra, Syria

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Part II

MB-CAMERAHAUS PHOTO CHALLENGE WINNERS. Susan Celzo (third from right) is the grand winner of the MB-CameraHaus Photo Challenge 2012 (Oct.-Dec.) with the theme “Colors.” Photo shows during the awarding ceremony held at the CameraHaus-Glorietta branch in Makati City. Also in photo are (from left): Ronald G. Jayme, section editor-Picture Perfect; Norbert Nava, sales manager-RedDot Philippines; Brigido Alcayde, third place; Wilfredo Leonado, second place; and Robenson T. Ong Lo, VP-operations, CameraHaus/Super East Asia Ents., Inc. The photo contest is also in cooperation with SM Department Store.

Resolutions for your

Photography Life

Getting down and dirtyJust recently, my godson celebrated

his first birthday. To come up with photos for his invitations and birthday cake his mother asked me if I could spare around an hour to shoot her son. This was to be an easy shoot as we wanted to do it in broad daylight. No light setup, no backgrounds. Just the park and good ole sunshine.

This has a number of advantages. Anjo, my godson, likes the outdoors and the sunlight at precise moments of the day is perfect for portraits. We met around 9 in the morning, walked to the park, chose a relatively neutral background and started shooting.

There are some things to keep in mind when doing this.

What’s the right time?There is a good time and a better

time to shoot when the sun is out. One photographer argues that as long as there is sunlight, you have no excuse not to shoot and that means even hazy, dim light when it seems like it will be rain soon. If you’re a good photographer, you can certainly make a usable portrait regardless of the sunlight.

However, if you had a choice and the sun and weather cooperate, then things get better and easier. For starters, you have to know when it is considered “ideal” to shoot. That’s normally around 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and in the afternoon, that’s 4 to 5:30. p.m. Some people refer to the magic hour which can go all the way to 6 p.m. but you really have to be ready starting at 4 p.m. In the morning, things start getting interesting at 9 all the way to around 11. Remember, the season of the year does play a part in this so be sensitive and respectful of how the weather behaves.

What is it about this light? It’s warm, it’s soft and it’s a bit to the side. That “a bit to the side” detail is quite significant. Coming from the side and

not high above as you get when it’s high noon, you can get more sense of the shape of the face as long as you place your subject where the sun hits the side of the face. You also don’t get this whole “Batman” effect at high noon as some people refer to it. (What that means is you get this mask-shape due to the shadow created by light coming from on high and hitting your brow and then casting a shadow on your eyes.)

Another thing to note here is that at around this time, most children of this age will start getting active and inquisitive about their surroundings. They will look around and show fascination with what they see and show some seriousness bordering on disappointment with what they can’t explain or understand.

What’s the right position?We’re talking children here and

small kids at that. Their vocabulary has just about started to form and what they can understand is also quite limited. So what do we do? We can’t ask children this young to look at you and smile. Forget about giving such inane instructions as “make love to the camera.”

You have to play the child yourself and do what will attract the child. For most children, this is seeing his/her mother, perhaps the grandmother, a favorite toy, favorite food, etc.

What most parents forget though is that their children will tend to look at them and not the photographer himself and that’s actually where the child should be looking because that’s where the camera is. If you think about it, the parents don’t really have it all wrong. They just have to stay closer, much closer to the photographer. I normally ask a parent to be just slightly behind me with the face right above my shoulder. That way, when the parent starts calling the child, it’s almost like the child is looking at the camera whereas he/she is actually not.

o u r p h o t o g r a p h y e n t h u s i a s t s f r o m Myanmar swept the just concluded Southeast Asia-wide photography contest sponsored by

a Philippine government-hosted center.

The art competition was held under the auspices of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization-Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO SEARCA).

B a s e d i n t h e U n i v e r s i t y of the Phil ippines Los Baños (UPLB), SEARCA is one of the 20 regional centers of SEAMEO, an intergovernment body founded in 1965 to foster cooperation among Southeast Asian nations in the fields of education, science, and culture.

The photography contest revolved around the theme “Water is Life: Too Much or Too Little, Every Drop Counts.” It was open to Filipinos and nationals of 10 other SEAMEO member-countries.

SEARCA, headed by Director Gil C. Saguiguit Jr., announced that Kyaw Zaw Lay of Mandalay, Myanmar, won the first prize for his photograph titled “Hope.” Second placer was Tun Aung of Yangon and third was a photograph by Kyaw Kyaw Winn of Yangon.

Than Htike Soe of Mandalay bagged the “People’s Choice” (special)

Myanmar Photo Buffs Top Asia-wide Contest

Part V: The dirty

pants

Faward. His winning photograph was chosen by 353 people in a week-long Facebook voting.

The winners will receive cash prizes. The winning pictures and finalists are showcased in a photo gallery on the SEARCA website http://photocontest.searca.org.

Twelve other photographs received honorable mentions: 10 also from Myanmar, and one each from Indonesia and the Philippines. The Philippine entry was submitted by Eric Merced.

T h e o t h e r c o u n t r i e s t h a t participated in the photography contest were Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore. No entries were received from Brunei Darussalam, Laos, Malaysia, and Timor-Leste.

The winning photographs emphasize the usefulness of water, the challenges it faces, and the opportunities and threats it brings. They focused on three subthemes: water in people’s daily lives, water and food security, and water and climate change.

“The photo contest,” Dr. Saguiguit said, “best captures the importance of water in the lives of people, plants, and animals. Photos of users interacting with rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, springs, and wetlands from all over Southeast Asia were encouraged.”

second prizefirst prize third prize

2013

PhotoChallenge

• PEnTaX OPTIO VS20•P3,000•SM GIFT ChECK

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JanUaRY-MaRCh RELIGIOUS FESTIVaL MaRCh 21 MaRCh 26

•nIKOn S2600•P2,000•SM GIFT ChECK

MEChanICS:

• Open to all photograph-loving individuals (amateurs and professionals)• All entries must be in 5”x7” (5R), colored or black & white prints (photos taken using either digital or conventional cameras; minimal digital enhancement is allowed). • Each entry must be accompanied by an information sheet provided below (to be placed on the back of each photo; photocopy of registration form is only allowed if two or more entries are sent).

• Participants can send as many entries as possible.• The entry should not be entered in any other competition.• All entries sent (prints only) are considered as property of the contest organizers.• Non-winning entries will have the chance to be chosen as “Photo of the Week.”• Winners can win more than once

during the promo period.• The decision of the board of judges will be final.• Winners will receive an official call from Manila Bulletin and shall be given specific instructions on how to claim the prize.

SEn

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MB-CANON Photo Challengec/o Ronald G. JaymeManila Bulletin Publishing Corp.Muralla cor Recoletos StreetIntramuros, Manila

In COOPERaTIOn WITh:

Month theMedeadLine of subMission

pubLiCation date

Tel. nos. 527-8121 local 384E-mail: pictureperfect.mb@gmail.com

It used to be in vogue in the 70s and 80s to have graduation portraits with the person looking away from the camera. If that’s your thing, place the parent, toy, or food where you want the child to look. If you want the child looking at the camera, then the parent has to be much, much closer to the camera. A possible trick (just thought about it) is to have the parent’s shoulder as a tripod of sorts. Have the parent act like he or she is reaching for the child while the lens pokes out right above the shoulder. Have to try that next.

However, one position that’s always been a little awkward is when the parent, yaya, lola,or whoever, carries the baby and the adult tries to pull away so that it’s only the baby in the photo. Unless that adult has the uncanny abilities of a yogi or is actually a manananggal in real life, that just does not work. Also, when the child’s attention is called, he/she pushes against the adult’s chest giving the impression that he/she wants to break free. That may not necessarily

result in a good, comfortable photo and unless you do some cropping later on, the adult’s arm, head, or shoulder will still be there.

What happens if the child is the type of person who likes being in a stroller? Then put him/her inside and make sure the stroller presents a good background. Otherwise, put some solid-colored cloth to serve as your background.

Here’s where the dirty pants come in.

Remember we were shooting in the park? It had just rained that night and we were lucky it wasn’t heavy rain. Anjo was in the stroller and getting a level shot simply meant getting down on my knees. Being so used to this, it happened quite automatically. It wasn’t until around 10 minutes later that the wetness was apparent. Getting down low and getting your pants dirty is not as important as getting your shot. This is an important part of the family’s life and you’ve been privileged to be asked to help out. It’s the least you can do.

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Passion... (Continued from page G-1)

January 29, 2013G-6 Picture Perfect

“I got attracted by the play of chemicals in the darkroom,” he confesses. “I love the power of a photograph. It gives you the freedom of interpretation. It’s a powerful communication tool.”

After graduating college, he worked at an ad agency as graphic designer where he also did product photography. “In most of my career, I spent it in print industry managing a digital printing company for about 10 years. Three years ago I decided to quit work and tried to find myself again.”

Albert’s journey in finding himself began in 2010, when he opened a training center offering graphics application workshop and photography. Now an Adobe Certified Expert, he is a trainer in his own business, GRP Digital Imaging Institute in Cebu City.

“Before opening the center, I took an expert’s exam in Photoshop to back my skill which I fortunately passed. While teaching photography, I’ve met other people who shared the same interests and introduced me to fashion photography.”

Curious about artificial lighting and creating a concept into reality, he started exploring the limitless boundaries of fashion photography.

“I cannot define why I love to shoot fashion. Maybe it’s the combination of mood and style. Maybe it’s the thrill of making a masterpiece and in the process

– Albert Pedrosa

I cannot define why I love to shoot fashion. Maybe it’s the combination

of mood and style. Maybe it’s the thrill of making a masterpiece and in the process creating something

different. It’s sometimes finding it and losing it again.

creating something different. It’s sometimes finding it and losing it again.”

According to Albert, an effective photograph should be able to attract and pull you into its scene, leaving you to imagine with your own interpretation.

“In photography, you can either capture the moment or you can create it. I’m more into creating it. This is what leads me to shoot fashion.”

In his case, his mood dictates the result of his photos. He particularly

loves to shoot gothic, the way the shadows play with the light.

“Shooting commercially can sometimes be a daunting task but one must make a living at the same time, although there are some projects that are truly inspiring.”

Since he teaches photography, he is not affiliated with a particular organization and does not join a lot of photo contests. Instead, he gets invited to judge such competitions.

“To be honest, I’m really

afraid to shoot without my lights,” he muses.

On loving his profession, he says, “I love teaching photography. It’s an everyday puzzle for me on how to bring out the art in every student that I have. The more I teach, the more I understand. “

Apart from teaching, he also has a column in the local dailies about photography and lighting, and writes for Imag Magazine on lighting for fashion photography.

“My goal is to work with the best talented people in the fashion

industry,” he says.For Albert, the best thing about being

a photographer is being able to express oneself visually.

“I think that the equipment are tools and art comes from the person behind the lens. For me, photography is the best invention to preserve memories and a tool to express one’s art,” the proud Cebuano expresses his statements as briefly as he can.

In his articles, however, he relates to his expertise with lengthy discussions and guidelines that are helpful to beginners and professional alike.

albert Pedrosa loves to shoot gothic, the way the shadows play with light. For him, photography is the best invention to preserve memories and a tool to express one’s art.