31 AUGUST 2018

MCCAIN’S 106-YEAR-OLD
MOM TO ATTEND
SERVICES
ML UNTIL
FED
FRUITS OF
THE 2ND
HARVEST
AIIB RULES OUT
‘HIDDEN LOAN
COSTS’
PAGE 11
WORLD
PAGE 4 COMMENTARY
PAGE 16 LIFESTYLE
PAGE 9
BUSINESS
Short term
to lapse
impeach bid
PAGE 3
P391M fund use
legal - Makati
The Makati City government said
yesterday payments it made in 2017 to the
Land Bank of the Philippines for loans
obtained by previous administrations for the
period 2012 to 2016 are not being questioned
by the Commission on Audit (CoA) for
regularity or legality.
Makati City Administrator Claro
Turn to page 2
MANILA, PHILIPPINES FRIDAY, 31 AUGUST 2018
Longer martial law favored
Members of the
Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters were
behind the attack
By Elmer N. Manuel
and Hananeel Bordey
The House of Representatives
will take guidance from President
Rodrigo Duterte regarding the
proposal to extend martial law as
Peanut gallery not needed
a response to the Sultan Kudarat
bombing that killed three people
as the chamber’s leadership said
the President will just have to
make a request and it will be
immediately granted.
“If the President will ask for
it, then it shall be given,” House
Majority Leader Rolando Andaya
Jr. said.
Speaker Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo
also expressed her support to any
decision of Mr. Duterte regarding
martial law.
Arroyo, who also declared
martial law in Maguindanao in
2009 when she was still President
following the massacre of 58
people by men linked to the
powerful Ampatuan family, said
she will give her all-out support to
a martial law extension.
“I support martial law in Mindanao.
I support what the President does
because I’ve been President and I
believe that he doesn’t need a peanut
gallery to tell him what to do,” Arroyo
said. Turn to page 2
Nationalism burst Patriotic colors dominate San Juan City’s celebration of the 122nd Anniversary of the battle of Pinaglabanan with thousands of people taking part.
DFA chief: Hontiveros quit if plaint proven
Now, our fishermen
can venture into
Scarborough and the
environment is being
protected
PDP meets
anew with
DU30
The ruling Partido
Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) is
set to meet President Rodrigo
Duterte anew today to firm up
the party’s senatorial lineup
for the mid-term polls next
year and possibly iron out
kinks in the organization’s
leadership.
“We have a meeting
tomorrow supposed to be.
I will raise what should be
the best system to follow
to reduce the number of
names,” PDP president Sen.
Aquilino Pimentel III said.
He added the 24 names
on the shortlist submitted to
the President were down to 22
Turn to page 6
By Mario J. Mallari
Foreign Affairs Secretary
Alan Peter Cayetano challenged
Sen. Risa Hontiveros to resign
if he can prove the existence
of diplomatic protests the
government filed against China
in connection with the disputed
West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Conversely, Cayetano said he
will step down if he can’t show
proof that the Department of
Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued
protest correspondences against
China.
Cayetano made the challenge
in reaction to Hontiveros’
accusation that the “50
to 100” diplomatic
actions taken
by the Duterte
administration
against China
were “total fakery, non-existent
and a figment of imagination.”
Cayetano said the supporters
of former President Benigno
Aquino should reflect on the
previous diplomatic approach
with China.
“The Philippines
lost Panatag Shoal
(Scarborough) in
2012 – apparently
due to the failed
Road manna Children share a cup of softdrink given by a passing motorist along Roces Ave. in Quezon City.
ANALY LABOR
Turn to page 2
A close shave at judo gold
By Julius Manicad
JAKARTA, Indonesia — The
Filipinos’ medal rush has yet
to subside even as the 18th
Asian Games are percolating
to an end.
Kiyomi Watanabe sustained
Sweeping corruption
The Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA) is
the latest agency to be tainted with
corruption after the Commission on
Audit reported that it paid millions of
pesos to non-existent training centers and
scholars in 2015.
Turn to page 6
ANALY LABOR
Flying prices Sale of chicken turned sluggish at the Pasay Public Market as
its cost surged to P185 per kilo each due to expensive inputs. RAFAEL TABOY
the Philippines’ momentum as she delivered a silver
medal in the judo competition on Thursday at the
Jakarta Convention Center here.
The 22-year-old Filipino-Japanese had a
sensational performance in the earlier matches
before running into Nami Nabekura of Japan,
surrendering via ippon in the women’s -63kg class.
Turn to page 6
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NEWS
2
Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
Longer martial law favored
Declaration of martial
law is the call of the
Executive
From page 1
Executive Secretary Salvador
Medialdea said on Wednesday
extending martial rule in
Mindanao is an “option” in the
wake of the Sultan Kudarat
incident.
“The declaration of martial law
is the call of the Executive. The
President declares or extends,
Congress concurs,” Andaya said.
Andaya, however, said
Malacañang should call a
meeting of the National Security
Council, or even the Legislative-
Executive Development Advisory
Council to discuss the progress
of the Marawi rehabilitation
and the implementation of the
Bangsamoro Organic Law.
“What are the financing
bottlenecks, for example,”
Andaya said about the possible
agenda for such a meeting.
“The people of Mindanao
should be consulted. In the
House, the inputs and views of
the Mindanao bloc are important.
Civilian views should be part of
the discussion,” he said.
Try to avert talking peace
with one tribal group while
alienating the others.
Call premature
Senators, including Senate
President Vicente Sotto III
said discussing a martial law
extension will be premature.
“There is no need for it now,
even after Medialdea hinted
that martial law extension is an
option,” Sotto said.
“Maybe within a month or
two what happened there can
be resolved. It is not time yet to
think or talk about it,” Sotto told
reporters.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who is a
former Philippine National Police
chief, said the incident only
suggested that neither martial
law nor the Bangsamoro Organic
Law can guarantee peace in
Mindanao.
Lacson advised the National
Security Council and the security
agencies to take a hard look at
their security plans and strategy,
These projects were
already signed, approved
and paid before Mayor
Abby stepped in
From page 1
Certeza issued the clarification
Thursday as he stressed that
under the current administration
of Mayor Abby Binay, Makati
received from the audit agency
its first-ever unqualified audit
opinion in 2017 citing the
accuracy, completeness and
fairness of the city’s financial
statements.
The Daily Tribune earlier had
reported government auditors
especially in the South.
“They should try to avert the
vicious cycle of talking peace
with one tribal group while
alienating the others,” he said.
Both Sotto and Lacson said
it is now time to strengthen the
Human Security Act.
Lacson said he already filed
a Senate bill to enhance the
Human Security Act of 2007
“which has not been proving
itself effective in addressing
terrorism in our country.”
Defense Secretary Delfin
Lorenzana said it is too early
to make a recommendation on
whether or not to extend martial
law in Mindanao.
“Of course, it is an option,”
he said in a message to
reporters Wednesday. “Bit too
early in the day to make (any)
recommendation. We’ll see what
happens in the next several
months,” he added.
BIFF tagged
On Wednesday, a man left an
improvised bomb in a bag near
a grocery store in Isulan, Sultan
Kudarat as crowds gathered to
celebrate the town’s founding
anniversary and the blast had
left three dead as the latest
victim succumbed to injuries,
including shrapnel wounds to the
head at the hospital.
The military said it believes
that members of the terrorist
group Bangsamoro Islamic
Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a
splinter group of the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front, was behind the
attack.
Two more unexploded bombs
were found near the municipal
hall following the explosion.
Authorities are still trying to
determine the make of the bomb
to help them identify the group
behind the incident.
Lawmakers late last year
extended martial rule in
Mindanao until the end of 2018.
Mr. Duterte first declared
martial law and the suspension of
the privilege of the writ of habeas
corpus in 23 May 2017 after the
Islamic State-inspired Maute
group laid siege to Marawi City.
Sotto and Lacson said it is
now time to strengthen the
Human Security Act.
31 December of this year.
Twice, both houses of
Congress jointly extended the
martial law.
GMA retires 2019
Arroyo also confirmed her
retirement from politics next
year after the blessing of the
Romana Pangan District Hospital
in Floridablanca, Pampanga.
“We all have to move on.
People do reach retirement age,”
she said.
Arroyo also said that it is
a blessing to work with young
congressmen and she sees that
they will do good in doing their
jobs.
“I was also saying that one of
Dengvaxia misdeal Civic group members seek justice for victims of the anomalous Dengvaxia immunization
program initiated by the previous Aquino administration while seeking accountability from involved officials and
multi-national pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur.
AL PADILLA
He later cited a lingering
terror threat in Mindanao as
well as the armed insurgency
of the communist New People’s
Army as reason for seeking an
extension of martial law until
P391M fund use legal - Makati
questioned the city government’s
use of P391.49 million from its
Development Fund to pay the
Land Bank loans that were used
for the Makati Science High
School Building, University of
Makati and the controversial
Makati Parking Building 2.
We only inherited the Land
Bank loan obtained by the
previous administration.
“CoA’s audit findings were
limited to recommendations as to
where the loan payments should
be recorded. Should the payments
to Land Bank be
charged to the
Development Fund or the General
Fund? The Makati City government
squarely addressed these
concerns,” Certeza explained.
City got CoA clearance
“There was no question of
impropriety or irregularity as
in fact the city government was
given a clean bill by the CoA,”
he said.
Certeza issued the clarification
following reports that government
auditors allegedly questioned the
city government’s use of P391.49
million from its Development Fund
to pay the Land Bank loans that
were used for the Makati Science
High School Building, University
of Makati and the controversial
Makati Parking Building 2.
He said all projects
cited were undertaken
not by Mayor Abby but by
earlier administrations
from the bidding stage to
Grace and tradition Parañaque High School performers dance for participants in a tourism forum at Blue
Leaf Hotel on Macapagal Avenue in Paranaque City.
RAFAEL TABOY
the blessings of being a Speaker
now at this time is that I’ve
come to work with the younger
congressmen and seeing how
they work, seeing how good
they are I’m very confident that
the new generation will be very
good in taking over the reins of
government,” she said.
Sen. Ralph Recto Recto, for
his part, said they will need to
have a hearing on a proposal to
extend martial law.
“For now there is no
proposal,” he said in a separate
text message.
implementation and actual
payments during 2012-2016.
It was also the previous
administration that decided to
include these projects in the
Land Bank loan.
“These projects were already
signed, approved and paid before
Mayor Abby stepped in. We
only inherited the Land Bank
loan obtained by the previous
administration and we are paying
Land Bank religiously as required
by law,” he said.
“While we understand that
reports like these serve to
remind public servants of their
mandate, there are numerous
laudable developments in Makati
like enhanced efficiency and
transparency under the current
administration,” Certeza added.
H e
pointed out
that Makati’s 2017
tax collection hit
P15.91 billion which
was significantly higher
than the 2016 collection.
Likewise, he said the city’s
employment assistance programs
benefitted 3,112 students under the
Special Program for the Employment
of Students and an additional 3,456
young people under the Government
Internship Program.
Certeza said the bigger
revenue also meant the city
government can extend better
service to its constituents in
the form of 24,345 residents
enrolled in PhilHealth out of
the local government coffers,
disaster and relief assistance
to 226 families and 3,891 kids
served through the Day Care
Services Program.
Doors to fortune Tondo furniture maker works early in the day amid brisk
orders.
YUMMIE DINGDING
DFA chief: Hontiveros
quit if plaint proven
Why did the Aquino
administration not file
a single protest against
Malaysia and Vietnam?
From page 1
policy and poor handling of
the Aquino administration,”
he said.
China did not leave Panatag
Shoal after a two-month tense
standoff between Philippine and
Chinese ships in June 2012 when
Aquino ordered the pullout of
Philippine vessels from the area.
“As a matter of strategy,
your (previous administration)
strategy resulted in the loss of
Scarborough, tourism slowed
down, weakened agriculture
sector. We had so many problems,”
Cayetano said.
“The strategy of President
Duterte is the opposite. Now,
our fishermen can venture into
Scarborough, we have co-control
of Scarborough, the environment
is being protected,” he added.
“This is my challenge – if
it’s figment of my imagination,
I’ll resign. If it’s not, will you
(Hontiveros) resign?” Cayetano
asked.
Ask your scriptwriter
“Because me, I am sure of
what I am saying, I am not
reading from script. So you asked
her if her scriptwriter is wrong,”
Cayetano said.
Cayetano added he already
promised to submit to the Senate
all documents pertaining to the
diplomatic actions taken by the
Duterte administration against
China since July 2016.
Cayetano noted that opposition
politicians have been spreading
false information regarding the
government’s efforts in the WPS,
citing previous claims by Magdalo
Partylist Rep. Gary Alejano that
all patrols were stopped in the
WPS.
Recently, Alejano said Mr.
Duterte’s upcoming trip to Israel
has something to do with his
health. It turned out, however,
that the trip is an official visit
full of scheduled meetings.
False news purveyors
“How many times have
these critics revealed false
information?” Cayetano asked.
Cayetano turned the tables on
Hontiveros and Alejano, who are
known allies of Aquino, stressing
that the previous administration
did not file any protest against
Malaysia and Vietnam despite their
activities in the disputed WPS.
“Some critics say that ‘if
you don’t protest, it’s giving it
up.’ Why was she not able to
answer me when I asked why
the Aquino administration did
not file a single protest against
Malaysia and Vietnam despite
the presence of features inside?”
Cayetano asked.
“But now, with our good
relations with Malaysia and
Vietnam, I have and am discussing
it with them but our relations are
good,” Cayetano added.
“Their thinking is that when
you have a dispute, you are
enemies, you burn bridges. That’s
not diplomacy. Diplomacy is
you use all and every resource
available to find solutions,”
Cayetano added.
Friends to all
The country’s role as
coordinator for China in the
Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) will not
soften its claims to the WPS as
Cayetano reiterated the Duterte
administration’s foreign affairs
strategy is bearing fruit.
In fact, Cayetano said that as
country coordinator for China,
the Philippines will be in a
better position to ensure that the
Filipinos interest is protected in
all negotiations.
“We wear two hats—one as
country coordinator, we are
bridging ASEAN and China…
(and) we’re also (a) claimant
state. You cannot sacrifice your
own claims for the chance to be
the bridge or the coordinator,”
Cayetano said.
“It will be challenging but it
will be good for us because at
least we are sure that in all of
the negotiations, our claims are
protected,” he added.
Cayetano maintained that
the Duterte administration’s
foreign policy of “friends to all,
enemies to none” has benefited
the country.
At the same time, Cayetano
said the most significant
development in diplomacy
between both countries is the
discussion for the planned joint
exploration in the disputed area.
A top level working group has
been created by Mr. Duterte,
upon the recommendation of
Cayetano, to draft a framework
that would serve as guide in the
planned joint exploration with
China.
The most significant
development in diplomacy
between both countries
is the discussion for the
planned joint exploration.
“With your strategy, we did
not have any chance to harness
oil and gas there,” Cayetano said.
The 10 ASEAN member
states take turns in serving as a
country coordinator for the bloc’s
numerous dialogue partners. In
August 2018, the Philippines was
assigned to the ASEAN-China
Dialogue Relations.
Defusing tension eyed
Currently, the two parties
are working towards the early
conclusion of the Code of
Conduct (CoC), which is aimed at
defusing tensions in the strategic
waterway, where China, Malaysia,
Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and the
Philippines have overlapping
territorial claims.
On the draft CoC, China has
reportedly proposed the conduct
of regular joint military exercises
in the South China Sea, excluding
countries outside the region
“unless the parties concerned are
notified beforehand and express
no objection.”
Cayetano did not give any
detail on the proposed provision
in the draft but relayed Beijing
is interested in a document that
dispels “misunderstanding” and
“dispute” in the region.
“There’s an agreement
among the ASEAN member
states (and China) not to
disclose what is found in the
single draft, precisely because
the negotiation starts getting
complicated when we discuss
it in public,” he said.
“I was told that China, of
course, is sincere and interested
in a CoC and in all and any ways to
transform the South China Sea/
West Philippine Sea from an area
of dispute and misunderstanding
to a zone of peace, cooperation
and development,” he added.
Walter Douglas, deputy assistant
secretary at the State Department,
said US will maintain its presence in
the South China Sea in accordance
with international law.

Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
PAGE THREE
DE CASTRO SAFE FROM OUSTER
Short term to lapse impeach bid
DE CASTRO
If that would happen, granting for the sake of
argument that the retirement would precede the
termination of this case against her, definitely
it would be moot and academic
By Elmer N. Manuel
Moot and academic —
this will be the outcome
of the impeachment
complaint filed against
newly minted Supreme
Court (SC) Chief Justice
Teresita Leonardo-De
Castro should the case
proceed after her
impending retirement.
Oriental Mindoro Rep.
Salvador Leachon made the
statement in light of the coming
impeachment proceedings on
Tuesday next week
against De Castro
and six other
SC justices
who ousted former Chief Justice Maria
Lourdes Sereno.
In a TV interview Thursday,
Leachon said that the complaint
filed against De Castro may
become moot and academic
even if it hurdles the House
of Representatives after her
scheduled retirement
Leachon, who chairs the House
justice committee, said they will
start the impeachment proceeding
Tuesday next week and expect
to finish it within more or less
55 days. De Castro’s tenure will
only last 45 days.
“If that would happen, granting
for the sake of argument that the
retirement would precede the
termination of this case against
TO AVERT PRICE HIKE
Smugglers’ sanction only way?
By Gladys Mae Ablon
and Tina Maralit
Department of Agriculture
(DA) Secretary Manny Piñol sees
giving rice smugglers legitimacy
to operate as “the only way” to
address the high prices of the
country’s foremost food commodity
in the south.
In a radio interview on
Thursday, Piñol explained that
the areas of Zamboanga, Basilan,
Sulu and Tawi-Tawi have relied
on smuggled rice for a long time
as residents consider the practice
as “traditional trading.”
“The price of rice in the
south shot up when smuggling
stopped after President Rodrigo
Duterte discussed this issue with
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad,” Piñol said. “What we
consider as smuggling is, to them,
ordinary trading.”
“But the problem is, smugglers
joined the bandwagon and they
were smuggling rice via Sabah,”
he added. “But this was halted
after President Duterte went to
Sabah. And that is the reason why
there was shortage of rice in the
Zambasulta area.”
Piñol’s reiteration of his proposal
to establish a “trading center” in
the south, where the smugglers can
supply rice as legitimate, tariff-paying
importers, did not sit well with several
lawmaker. But the DA chief insisted
that this is the only way to curb rice
smuggling in the south that cost the
government millions of pesos in lost
revenues.
“We are left with two options: We
either allow smuggling to continue
and just close our eyes, or we take
full control of the situation. We set
up a rice trading center. We just
need to talk to the smugglers,”
Piñol said.
“The good thing about this, I
think, is we will be able to control
the volume of rice coming in to the
southern Philippines, only enough
for the needs of Zambasulta area,
so that farmers in the mainland
Mindanao will not be affected,”
he added.
It can be remembered that
three lawmakers on Wednesday
criticized Piñol and the National
Food Authority (NFA) officials over
the importation of rice and fish.
Perform mandate
Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito
Atienza said resorting to fish
imports revealed officials could
not properly perform their mandate
and demand they quit.
“Hearing the Secretary of
Agriculture himself saying:
‘there’s nothing we can do, we
have to import fish; well, if he
could no longer handle the job, he
should give up,” Atienza said on
Wednesday.
“I would include the Secretary of
Agriculture because he’s supposed
to be on top of all of this. The NFA,
the council members, they should
all resign. Did any of them speak?
None,” the lawmaker added.
House Minority Leader Danilo
GMA aims to hurdle last case
Former President and now House
Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, through
her legal counsel, on Thursday moved to
have the hearing on the electoral sabotage
charges filed against her be postponed
anew.
If found guilty, the incumbent
House Speaker will be facing
life imprisonment.
Arroyo’s laywer Joselito Lomangaya
sought the cancelation of the hearing
and filed a demurer before the Pasay City
Regional Trial Court 112. The substantiality
of Arroyo’s defense, before setting another
hearing, will be reviewed by presiding
Judge Jesus Mupas.
If the demurer is accepted, Arroyo
will be cleared of the electoral sabotage
charge. Otherwise, Mupas will continue
hearing the case.
Arroyo was allowed bail of P1 million
by the Pasay RTC in 2012.
The electoral sabotage charge filed
by the Commission on Elections against
Arroyo in 2011 over the controversial 2007
elections is the only remaining case against
the House leader.
If found guilty, the incumbent House
Speaker will be facing life imprisonment.
In February of 2012, Arroyo pleaded not
guilty to the charge, while in November of
the same year, President Benigno Aquino
III blocked Arroyo from leaving the country
on claims that she was trying to flee what
were then looming charges of corruption
I would include the
Secretary of Agriculture
because he’s supposed to
be on top of all of this. The
NFA, the council members,
they should all resign. Did
any of them speak?
and election fraud.
Days later, on 18 November, she was
arrested at a private hospital where
she was being treated for a bone
ailment.
The accusations against
the former President are
straightforward, as prosecutors
alleged that she ordered Datu
Andal S. Ampatuan, the
governor of the province of
Maguindanao, to manipulate
the election results in his area
to assure the victory of the 12
senatorial election
candidates of her
political party.
The prosecution of
Arroyo was an important
aspect of the anticorruption
campaign of Aquino,
who also supported
the impeachment
proceedings and the
eventual ouster of then
chief justice, the late Renato
Corona, who was branded as
a close ally of Arroyo.
Arroyo was acquitted last
year from plunder charges
filed by the Ombudsman
for supposedly taking
P366 million from the
intelligence funds of
the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office.
ENM
Suarez, meanwhile, said government
agencies concerned should come
up with a good presentation during
budget deliberations or they would
ask for a deferment.
Suarez said he found it
“befuddling” that the DA itself
proposed the importation of rice
and galunggong from other Asian
countries when these are staples
in the Filipino diet.
AKO Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo
Garbin also called Piñol’s plan to
legalize rice smuggling in the areas
of Basilan and Zamboanga as a form
of economic sabotage.
“Plain stupidity to call for
the legalization of smuggling on
agricultural products,” he said.
Senator Joel Villanueva,
meanwhile, said the NFA’s
management of the rice shortage
is “disappointing.”
He also called Pinol’s
suggestion to legitimize the rice
smugglers’ business as “terrible.”
“C’mon, that’s horrible!”
Villanueva said further.
Malacañang, meanwhile,
maintained Piñol still enjoys the
trust and confidence of President
Duterte despite numerous calls for
him to step down from his post.
“Unless fired, yes,” was
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque
Jr.’s short reply to Palace reporters
when asked about Mr. Duterte’s stand
regarding Piñol’s fate as Agriculture
chief.
The embattled DAR head also
remains unbothered and said it is up
to Mr. Duterte if he will stay or go.
“If the President says he is not
happy with my performance, I
would gladly pack up my bags and
go home to my farm,” Piñol posted
on his Facebook account.
her, definitely it would be moot
and academic. But as to the
other cases they would proceed,”
Leachon said.
De Castro was among the
seven SC associate justices who
are facing impeachment raps for
granting the Office of Solicitor
General’s quo warranto petition
to oust her predecessor, Maria
Lourdes Sereno.
The other associate justices
facing impeachment raps for
voting in favor of Sereno’s ouster
were Diosdado Peralta, Lucas
Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza,
Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr and
Alexander Gesmundo.
De Castro earlier had urged
her critics to move on, saying
her appointment should not be
viewed as a “reward” for her
role in Sereno’s ouster.
“I think people should just
look at my track record. I don’t
think one incident like that
would’ve been enough to elevate
By Alvin Murcia
After snubbing the first
hearing, opposition senators
seeking to invalidate the
Philippine government’s
withdrawal from the International
Criminal Court (ICC) will have
themselves represented by former
Akbayan party-list Rep. Barry
Gutierrez before the Supreme
Court (SC) next week.
Gutierrez formally entered as
counsel for Petitioner-Senators
in the case filed before the SC
challenging the validity of the
Philippines’ withdrawal from the
Rome Statute of the ICC.
Senators Francis Pangilinan,
Franklin Drilon, Bam Aquino, Risa
Hontiveros, Antonio
Trillanes IV and
Leila De Lima
expectedly
countered the
Philippine pullout
from the ICC.
In the last oral
arguments,
Anna Marie
Corominas,
representing
the petitioners
GOING to market seems fun for this kid but not for her dad
who had violated the helmet use and no-child passenger
laws on Thursday in Quezon City. YUMMIE DINGDING
me in the highest position in the
judiciary,” she said.
Leachon assured fair and
impartial hearings even though
they need to expedite the
process. The seven magistrates,
he said, will be summoned in
the course of the proceedings
and will be allowed to be
represented by their counsels
if they wish to.
“I guarantee the
complainants and the public
that we’ll have an impartial
proceeding. It’s just that, as
also instructed by the House
Speaker, we have to expedite
this but we have so many things
to do in Congress,” he said.
De Castro had also urged her
critics to just “move on” after her
appointment as the country’s top
magistrate.
De Castro said her
appointment should not be
viewed as a “reward” for her
role in Sereno’s ouster, as her
manifested that the minority senators
have yet to decide about their
representation in the proceedings.
De Lima earlier tried to convince
the SC to allow her to represent the
senators in the oral arguments but
was denied by the Court.
The lady senator, who is
detained for drug charges, and
the other minority senators
filed separate motions for
reconsideration which were also
denied by the High Court.
Corominas asked the High Court
that the senators be allowed to
participate in next week’s session.
Newly-appointed Chief Justice
Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, who
presided over the oral arguments,
replied that the court noted their
manifestation and will issue a
resolution on the petitioners’ request.
A similar petition was also filed
by the Philippine Coalition for
the International Criminal Court,
former Commission on Human Rights
chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales and
several others.
On 4 September the second oral
track record speaks for her work
in the judiciary where she has
served for over 45 years.
People should just look at
my track record. I don’t
think one incident like that
would’ve been enough to
elevate me in the highest
position in the judiciary.
“I think we should all move on
and work together for the good
of our judiciary. Let’s put the
past behind us. But, of course,
we should not forget the lessons
that we learned,” she said at a
press briefing after she took oath
as the new Chief Justice.
Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary
Alejano and activist Renato
Reyes claimed De Castro’s
appointment may have been her
reward from President Rodrigo
Duterte who had called Sereno
an enemy.
THERE’s rice everywhere and none elsewhere that this trader finds the line short at her store in Quezon City
on Thursday amid the controversies surrounding the price and supply of the country’s top food commodity.
YUMMIE DINGDING
Gutierrez steps in for ICC
The president is the chief
architect of foreign policy.
The Office of the Ombudsman opposed
on Thursday Senator Gregorio Honasan’s
motion before the Supreme Court
(SC) questioning the Sandiganbayan’s
jurisdiction over his alleged misuse of
P30 million in public funds.
The Ombudsman submitted a 15-page
comment which stated no abuse of authority
when the Sandiganbayan Second Division
issued a warrant of arrest against Honasan
after it found probable cause against him.
“No grave abuse of discretion
amounting to or lack of excess of
jurisdiction can be rightfully attributed
to the respondent court,” the prosecution
said in a statement.
Honasan was earlier slapped with
violations of Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019 or
the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
due to the alleged misuse of his P29.1
million Priority Development Assistance
Fund back in 2012.
According to Ombudsman investigators,
Honasan tapped the National Council
arguments will take place with
government to be represented by
the Office of the Solicitor General.
President Rodrigo Duterte on 14
March announced the Philippines’
nullifying its ratification of the
Rome Statute, a United Nations
treaty creating the ICC.
In his comment to the petitions,
Solicitor General Jose Calida
stated that (1) the president’s
power regarding treaties is only
limited to entering into these
treaties which requires senate
concurrence, but not in terms of
withdrawing from them; (2) there
is nothing in the constitution that
requires senate concurrence in the
termination of treaties and (3) the
president is the chief architect of
foreign policy.
“In deciding to withdraw
from the Rome Statute, the
president acted pursuant to
the constitutional mandate for
an independent foreign policy,
giving paramount consideration to
national sovereignty and national
interest…the withdrawal from
the Rome Statute was an act to
protect national sovereignty from
interference and preserve the
judiciary’s independence.”
Ombudsman counters Honasan plea
of Muslim Filipinos as implementing
agency and Focus Development Goals
Foundation, Inc. as non-government
organization-partner without complying
with government procurement rules.
Honasan attempted to dismiss the
No grave abuse of discretion
amounting to or lack of excess
of jurisdiction can be rightfully
attributed to the respondent court.
charges due to alleged lack of sufficient
evidence but the Sandiganbayan denied
his motion, thus forcing him to elevate
his case before the SC.
The prosecution said the
Sandiganbayan was correct in denying
Honasan’s motion to quash arrest
warrant and reinvestigate the case
since this resembles a bid for a judicial
determination of probable cause, which
is prohibited under the Continuous
Trial Rule.

COMMENTARY
4 Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
Daily
Tribune
WITHOUT FEAR • WITHOUT FAVOR
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
Crispin G. Martinez
Chito Lozada
Dinah Ventura,
Aldrin Cardona,
John Henry Dodson
Jun Vallecera
Jaimes R. C. Sumbilon
Larry Payawal
Komfie Manalo
Patricia Ramos
Board Chair
Willie Fernandez
Publisher and President
Founding Chair
Executive Editor
Managing Editor
Associate Editors
Business Editor
Central Desk
Special Reports
ML until Fed
“Rody
said his
commitment
to
Mindanao
is
unwavering
and that
he would
like to see
a Moro
President in
the future.
The broad coalition of anti-Duterte forces that included
the yellow mob, the Liberal Party (LP), the communists,
the prelates, the Islamic extremists and the drug lords
is a compelling reason for martial law to be extended in
Mindanao since peace in the region is in a critical juncture.
Palace officials said the extension of military rule now
in effect over the whole island is an option after the Sultan
Kudarat blast that killed a woman and a seven-year-old boy.
The blast last Tuesday happened a month after a deadly
explosion that killed 10 in Lamitan City, Basilan.
The unlikely alliance has one thing in common which is
the ouster of Rody and for the old ways of anarchy
and chaos to dominate which they
exploit profitably, particularly in
the unbridled drugs trade which
dominated during the previous
regime.
Despite the viciousness of the
enemies ranged against him, mandate remains
with Rody as he continues to command upwards
70 percent of approval and satisfaction ratings in
recent surveys.
Rody’s key goal of institutionalizing reforms,
particularly in providing lasting peace to the
whole country, is now under way through the
Federal shift that also seeks to integrate the
recently approved Bangsamoro Organic Law
(BOL) to end the protracted Moro conflict in
Mindanao.
The recent bombings are considered as having
stemmed from the recent BOL approval to incite
unrest among those who felt left out by the peace
agreement and those not satisfied
with it.
Duterte is trying to get both the
Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to back and promote the
agreement based on a federal model that will become the
system of government for the whole country if the Federal
shift pulls through.
“I do not think that the MNLF, MILF in government or
in joint venture with government can go wrong,” Rody said
in a speech regarding the BOL.
Rody said his commitment to Mindanao is unwavering
and that he would like to see a Moro President in the future.
“If by 2020, we can have a new president or a Moro
president for the Republic of the Philippines, the better
for us,” he said.
Rody is targeting 2020 to complete the Federal system
setup in the country.
The five-month siege of Marawi City last year by (Islamic
State) IS-inspired groups was contained indisputably as a
result of Rody’s decisive move to impose martial law in
Mindanao on the very day of the terror attack.
The move resulted in preventing IS groups from
spreading its reach outside the occupied city.
Rody’s bid for lasting peace was also evident after
he gave amnesty to poor Moros who joined the terror
groups out of desperation but they will have to renounce
violence and join community groups that will secure
peace.
The interval between the setting up of the
“The
recent
bombings
are
considered
as having
stemmed
from the
recent BOL
approval.
BOL and the creation of a Federal government
is critical as it would spell the success or
failure of the key goals of Rody to bring
lasting peace.
The enemies of Rody know that once the
process of instituting his reform agenda is
complete, they will become irrelevant.
The LP will become a fringe political
group, the communists and the extremists
will lose their mass base, the prelates
will give up much of their clout embodied in the
1987 Constitution that was crafted according to their
design, the narcotics syndicates go out of business and
significantly, the IS ideology will be rejected.
Thus far, martial rule in Mindanao had kept in check
the ambition of the unholy alliance against Rody.
It should remain at least until the Federal shift has
been completed.
Useless portrayal of political martyrdom
“The
constitutional
question over
the issue is
not whether
Duterte
is trying
to evade
accountability.
“In case
of damage
to baggage,
the
complainant
must file
his or her
written
complaint
within
seven days.
Detained Sen. Leila
de Lima takes every
opportunity to turn the
spotlight on her and she
again did this yesterday, as
she decried the Supreme
Court’s (SC) denial of her
plea to argue the case of the
country’s withdrawal from
the International Criminal
Court (ICC), slamming the
denial as “purely political.”
The detained De Lima
said the High Court’s denial
of her petition to argue her
colleagues’ plea on President Duterte’s
unilateral withdrawal of the country’s
membership from the ICC has “no basis
in fact or in law.”
In her statement, she said “the denial
is purely political” and that the High
Court “simply does not want me to,
again, speak the truth about Duterte’s
attempts to evade accountability for his
blood-soaked regime.”
The truth is, it is De Lima and the
yellow senators who are deep into
politicizing the ICC withdrawal issue
and virtually every other issue that they
insist on politicizing now that they are
out of power, as they had never criticized
the many unconstitutional acts of their
yellow president, when the yellows were
in power and position.
The ICC withdrawal issue has been
lodged before the High Court and
oral arguments were heard Tuesday
with another session scheduled on 4
In our Air Passenger
Bill of Rights, we were
apprised that airline
passengers have the right
to be compensated in case
of death or injury, or delay,
loss or damage to baggage
in accordance with the
relevant convention. The
relevant convention that
the country now adheres
to is the Convention for
the Unification of Certain
Rules for International
Carriage by Air, Montreal, 28 May
1999, otherwise known as the Montreal
Convention or “MC99.” This convention
is more particularly relevant to
international flights where the places of
departure and destination are located in
different countries.
MC99 is designed to be a single,
universal treaty, governing airline liability
around the world relative to carriage of
passengers, baggage and cargo. It amended
the now defunct Warsaw Convention and its
related protocols — which compensation
system, over time has become outdated.
As will be further explained, MC99
espouses a more modern and fair liability
regime than its Warsaw counterpart.
MC99 was ratified by the Philippine
Senate on 10 August 2015 and became
effective on 12 December 2015. To date,
132 of the 191 contracting states of
International Civil Aviation Organization
are parties to the MC99.
With the Philippines’ accession to
MC99, it has the force and effect of law in
this country. For purposes of this article,
we focus on the rules pertinent to death
or injuries to passengers, and loss, delay
or damage to baggage.
Accidental death
or injury to passengers
One of the key aspects under the
Montreal Convention is its establishment
of a two-tier liability for death or bodily
injury to a passenger. The first tier is
on the basis of a strict liability where
an airline carrier shall be made liable
for damage sustained in case of death
or bodily injury of a passenger on
the condition that the accident which
caused the death or injury took place
on board the aircraft or in the course of
any of the operations of embarking or
FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
A DOSE OF LAW
Dean Nilo Divina
September.
The senator-petitioners
made such a big issue out
of the Court’s denial of De
Lima’s plea to argue the
case for her co-petitioners
and for herself, even going
to the extent of showing
disrespect to the High
Court by refusing to
appear during Tuesday’s
oral arguments, lamely
stating that they are still
looking for another lawyer
to argue their plea.
That no-show move on the part of
the yellow petitioners certainly was
purely political, yet there went the most
political former justice chief under the
yellow president, portraying herself
as a political martyr by slamming the
High Court for denying her petition to
be granted temporary liberty while she
appears as the counsel for the senatorpetitioners
to argue their case against
Duterte’s unilateral withdrawal.
In denying her plea, the SC reminded
De Lima, who is currently detained
on drug charges, as well as her copetitioners—Senators
Francis Pangilinan,
Bam Aquino, Franklin Drilon, Risa
Hontiveros and Antonio Trillanes—to
refrain from “posturing” as the topic at
hand is already politically charged.
It is as clear as a smog-free day that
the detained De Lima, whose expertise
in law is grounded on election protests
and not constitutional law, along with
Airline Passenger Rights Part2:
The Montreal Convention
disembarking (Article 17).
Under this first tier of
liability, the carrier
cannot limit or exclude
its liability provided the
damage sustained does
not exceed 113,100 Special
Drawing Rights (SDR).
An SDR is a type of
foreign exchange reserve
asset created by the
International Monetary
Fund (IMF). Its value is
based on an artificial
basket of currencies consisting of the
US dollar, the euro, the pound and the
Japanese yen. The liability limits are
reviewed every five years.
In this regard, the
carrier may be held
liable even if it is not
negligent or at fault.
(Article 21) The carrier
is thus presumptively
liable up to the amount
of 113,100 SDR. The
carrier’s liability may be
reduced or exonerated
only in case where
damage was caused
by contributory or sole
“With the
Philippines’
accession
to MC99,
it has the
force and
effect of
law in this
country.
negligence of the passenger or person
claiming compensation (Article 20).
Under the second tier of liability, or
for all damages higher than 113,100 SDR
(or approximately up to $170,000 based
on current IMF valuation), the carrier
shall be liable unless it can show that
the damage was not due to its negligence
or wrongful act or omission, or that the
damage was solely due to the negligence
or wrongful act or omission of a third
party. (Article 21) Otherwise stated, for
those claims above 113,100 SDR, the
carrier shall not be liable under this
tier only if it shall prove that it was not
negligent or at fault. To emphasize, the
burden of proof is on the carrier.
This two-tier liability is a departure
from the liability regime under the
Warsaw Convention (and its subsequent
amendments) where the carrier’s
liability was limited to $25,000.00 (or
its equivalent) regardless whether the
airline was at fault or not. Also, the full
defense that the carrier or its agents has
taken all reasonable measures to avoid
damage is not already availing under
her yellow colleagues, has been using
this issue not only for her to have a
furlough but more importantly for her
to use the SC oral arguments to blast
Duterte during the orals and again be
on the media spotlight.
As she stated, the High Court denied
her plea because she alleged that the
Court refuses to have her “speak the
truth” about Duterte’s moves to evade
accountability for his blood-soaked
regime.”
That is a political
“It is De
Lima and
the yellow
senators
who are
deep into
politicizing
the ICC
withdrawal.
Published daily by the Daily Tribune Publishing Co., with offices at 3450 Concept Bldg., Florida Street, Makati City • Editorial: (02) 831-0496 • Administration: dailytribune@tribune.net.ph, (02) 833-7085 / (02) 551-5148. To advertise and subscribe: ads@tribune.net.ph, dailytribune@tribune.net.ph, (02) 833-7085 / (02)
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the MC99.
accusation from De
Lima, not a constitutional
argument, besides
which, her statement is
not supported by even
an iota of evidence.
The constitutional
question over the issue
is not whether Duterte
is trying to evade
accountability over
what De Lima claims is the President’s
“blood-soaked regime,” but whether
or not the President can unilaterally
withdraw the country’s membership from
a treaty that was ratified by the Senate.
The way it looks, using De Lima’s
argument, she would have easily lost her
case before the High Court. What she
insists on as her argument has, to quote
her, “no basis in fact or in law.”
Granting, but not conceding, that
despite Duterte withdrawing the
country’s membership from the Rome
Statute treaty, there is still that one-year
period before the withdrawal takes effect.
This means that the President may still
be held accountable—assuming that
the ICC probe is objective and fair and
find him accountable for crimes against
humanity—which is too difficult to prove,
apart from the fact that our courts are
functioning democratically and the ICC
case, should there even be one at all,
won’t fly.
So, what is De Lima bitching about
again, if not using yet another opportunity
to blast Duterte, even when her constant
slamming of the President has zero value
in her bid to dent Duterte’s popularity?
De Lima’s arguments are truly
bankrupt, precisely because she is
allowing her hatred for Duterte to take
over her emotional and mental state. She
should instead concentrate more on her
drug cases and disprove the prosecution’s
charges against her, because the longer
she occupies her mind with ways and
means to destroy Duterte, the longer she
stays detained in her prison cell.
Besides, the majority of the Filipino
people don’t care a whit about De Lima’s
constant wailing and her pseudo political
martyrdom.
She should try another tack, as
even her allies, the Rights groups and
Amnesty International don’t have any
credibility with the Filipino people, who
know better.
Destruction, loss damage
or delay in carrying baggage
In the case of destruction, or loss of,
or of damage to, checked-in baggage, the
carrier shall be liable for damages as long
as the destruction, loss or damage took
place on board the aircraft or during
any period within which the checked-in
baggage was under the carrier’s custody.
The carrier may be held not liable if and
to the extent that the damage resulted
from the inherent defect, quality or vice
of the baggage. In case of unchecked
baggage, including personal items, the
carrier shall be liable if the damage
resulted from its faults or that of its
agents (Article 17).
In those cases where the carrier is
held liable, the carrier’s liability shall be
up to 1,131 SDR for each passenger or
approximately $70 per kg luggage (per
current valuation). This is an apparent
increase from the previous limit under
the Warsaw Convention of only up to
$20 per kg luggage. The passenger may
only claim above the limit of 1,131 SDR
if he has made a special declaration of
interest at the time of check-in and has
paid a supplementary sum if the case so
requires. In such case, the carrier will
be liable to pay a sum not exceeding the
declared sum.
Note further the time limits set
under the MC99 in case of filing claims
against the carrier. In case of damage to
baggage, the complainant must file his or
her written complaint within seven days
from the date of receipt of the checked-in
baggage. In case of delay of delivery, on
the other hand, the complaint must be
made at the latest within 21 days from
the date of receipt of the baggage. (Article
31) These time limitations are important
since no action can lie against the carrier
if the complaints were made beyond the
period stated, save in the cases where
the carrier employed fraud.
On a final note, remember that along
with the provisions of MC99, the carrier’s
responsibility shall be likewise governed
by the carrier’s terms and conditions
made known to the passenger before the
purchase of the airline ticket. Surely, it
pays to be informed.
All told, may you always have a safe
flight!

Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
COMMENTARY
5
“I also
co-sponsored
House
Bill 4344
granting
tax
exemptions
for prizes
and awards
granted to
professional
Filipino
athletes.
I was fortunate to be in
Indonesia last week upon the
invitation of Ormoc City Mayor
Richard Gomez, our country’s Chief
of Mission to the 18th Asian Games.
The 18th Asian Games has been
a good one for Team Philippines
with our athletes so far having a
medal haul of four golds and 13
bronzes at 17th place. This is better
than our standing in the 17th Asian
Games in Incheon where we got
one gold, three silver and 11 bronze
medals putting us in 22nd place.
The thrill of the games brought back
memories of my time in the moot circuit when
I coached the moot team of the University of
the Philippines College of Law. Watching the
games brought back the adrenaline rush of
competing for me.
We fielded 272 athletes to compete in 35
events. During the send-off for the athletes,
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte told them that
they do not only compete for themselves but they
Rather tongue in cheek, Health Secretary
Francisco Duque III assured the public it is safe
to eat rice infested with weevils or bukbok as long
as it is washed and cooked thoroughly.
The assertion came on the heels of an exchange
during a congressional hearing on the rice shortage
which saw lawmakers daring Agriculture Secretary
Emmanuel Piñol to eat bukbok rice.
But anybody who has eaten weevil-infested rice
will swear its aftertaste is revolting enough to
make you lose your appetite. Once tasted, never
forgotten. That’s bukbok rice.
It may be a long stretch but a parallel can
be made with marijuana. Once you get to know
marijuana’s distinctive acrid-sweet smell you’d be
able to sniff out a pot session a block away.
Piñol retorted he has no problem consuming
bukbok rice if only to prove, like what Duque
said, that it is safe to eat even if it had been
fumigated by chemicals as what the National
Food Authority (NFA) did.
He can put his
money where his
mouth is through
a bukbok rice
boodle fight,
similar to
the chicken
eating binge
stunt pulled
by local
officials
of towns
producing
chicken during
the height of the
bird-flu scare.
For good measure,
he can throw into the
BRIEFING ROOM
Harry Roque
Going for gold
also carry with them the pride of
their families, their community
and the entire Filipino nation.
The Chief Executive then asked
the Filipino people in wishing our
athletes all the best as they hold
the values of integrity, resilience
and also sportsmanship in their
pursuit of the gold.
The four gold medals we
garnered were all won by women
athletes: Hidilyn Diaz in women’s
53-kg weightlifting; Yuka Saso in
golf women’s individual; Yuka Saso, Bianca
Pagdanganan and Lois Go in golf women’s team
and Margielyn Didal in skateboard women’s
street.
Pencak silat athletes, meanwhile, delivered
the most medals with four bronzes. Pencak silat
is the indigenous martial art of Indonesia. It is
my adopted sports.
Many of our athletes come from
underprivileged families. Dines Dumaan, a
bronze medalist in pencak silat, is one of them,
coming from a family of farmers in Capiz.
Pencak silat chief Princess Jacel Kiram, who
discovered Dumaan, said the young athlete
is very hardworking and has a lot of promise.
Dumaan is a ray of sunshine in the sport where
he won a gold medal in the last Southeast Asian
Games. He gave the cash incentive he received
from the government for gold medal win to his
parents for them to be able to buy the land
they were tilling.
I recognize the plight of our athletes,
especially those who pin their hopes on their
sport to be able to rise from poverty. There is
also a need to develop and hone the skills off
our athletes at the soonest time, thus it should
be a practice to scout for athletes in colleges
and develop their raw talent.
When I was still a member of Congress, I filed
House Bill 5891 which requires universities and
colleges to inform prospective students of their
athletic programs in order for these students
to make an informed judgment whether or not
to enroll in a particular institution.
This is in line with the policy of the State
What’s on the menu?
menu galunggong (round scad) imported from
China that local fishermen alleged were preserved
with formalin, a chemical used in embalming.
Incidentally, Duque himself fanned the flames
when he called a press conference to warn of dire
health issues eating formalin-laced fish.
But the formalin bubble burst into the face
of Duque when laboratory tests the Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) conducted
proved no cause for alarm.
The BFAR said samples of galunggong from
Balintawak Market and Quezon City showed “low
levels of formaldehyde” but stressed the chemical
compound “naturally develops when the fish dies.”
Enough of that digression. The more
important issue to ponder is
the rice crisis made worse
by grandstanding politicians
with their made-for-media,
knee-jerk statements.
Obviously, the government
must address the problem of
rice hoarding.
But it is equally important to correct the inefficient
and disorderly system at the NFA.
A perishable commodity, rice must be distributed
to end users as early as possible to ensure it
is eaten at its best and without any bukbok
infestation.
The bigger concern
“Bukbok rice
and formalin-laced
galunggong?
though is Piñol’s proposal
to legalize the smuggling of
rice in Mindanao centered in
Zamboanga City.
He claimed the
crackdown on smuggling restricted the supply
and resulted in rice prices hitting P70 a kilo in that
city which has since declared a state of calamity.
Total rice sufficiency means local farmers are
able to produce all the rice Filipinos need, thus
there’d be no need to import from neighboring
countries.
The irony is not lost that we are
importing rice from countries which,
during the Marcos years, sent their
agriculturists to the International Rice
Research Institute in Laguna to learn
how to increase their rice yield.
Those countries like Vietnam have not
only achieved rice sufficiency, they are also now
net exporters of the staple grain in Asia.
It is unbefitting for Piñol to propose rice
smuggling should be legalized. What the people
really want to know is how does he intend to
bridge the gap between total rice need and
to promote physical education and encourage
sports programs. In fact, all educational
institutions are mandated to undertake regular
sports activities throughout the country.
I also co-sponsored House Bill
4344 granting tax exemptions
“Watching
the games
brought
back the
adrenaline
rush of
competing
for me.
for prizes and awards granted
to professional Filipino athletes
in internationally sanctioned
sports competitions.
It is only fitting that athletes,
both amateur and professional,
who bring honor and recognition
to our flag and country be
given this perk. Doing so will
encourage athletes to excel.
As the President himself said to the
Philippine delegation to the 18th Asian
Games during its send-off, “Trust that we
in government will continue to support the
development of our athletes and intensify our
commitment towards sports excellence, global
competitiveness and the greater glory of your
country, the Philippines.”
local production.
While the figures vary year-on-year, it appears
that local rice production is just about seven
percent shy of meeting the total domestic rice
requirement. It is Piñol’s job to meet that measly
seven percent gap.
We should not allow our country’s food security
to be at the mercy of rice imports.
The Department of Agriculture’s failure to
achieve rice sufficiency and the lack of foresight
of concerned policymakers to ensure sufficient
rice supply do not in any way justify legalization
of rice smuggling.
That would only give smugglers more leeway to
cash in on the sufferings of our people.
Concept News Central
“Whoever
the CJ will
be after
8 October
2018, he/
she is
bound to
lead a body
that is
composed
of
undisputedly
intelligent
and
respectable
justices.
The title of this column may
raise some eyebrows, but please
allow me to cite my basis. The
Supreme Court (SC) decision
ousting Ma. Lourdes Sereno,
entitled “Republic v. Sereno,”
G.R. 237428, 11 May 2018, held
that in granting the quo warranto
petition filed by the Office of the
Solicitor General, respondent
Sereno was never qualified for the
position of Chief Justice (CJ). As
such, she held the position only on
a de facto status for six years.
More specifically, the SC proclaimed: “The
effect of a finding that a person appointed
to an office is ineligible therefor is that his
presumably valid appointment will give him
color of title that confers on him the status
of a de facto officer. Xxx… For lack of a
Constitutional qualification, respondent is
ineligible to hold the position of Chief Justice
and is merely holding a colorable right or
title thereto. As such, respondent has never
attained the status of an impeachable official
and her removal from the office, other than by
impeachment, is justified.”
Following this ruling of the SC, it is therefore
legally justified to state that CJ Teresita
Leonardo-De Castro, the 24th CJ of the Supreme
Court (Note: CJ Renato Corona was the 23rd),
is indeed the 1st female CJ of the Philippines.
QUO VADIS
Darren M. de Jesus
1st female Chief Justice
CJ De Castro has had a stellar
legal career and achieving the
highest judicial post is something
that she truly deserves. Starting
as a law clerk in the SC, CJ De
Castro spent nearly 20 years at the
Department of Justice, climbing up
the ranks to become State Counsel V,
prior to her appointment as Justice
of the Sandiganbayan. After handling
a number of controversial cases in
the Sandiganbayan, including the
trial of former President Joseph
Estrada, she was appointed to the SC by
former President now House Speaker Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo in 2007.
Yet, another first: CJ De Castro is set to be
Chief Justice for the shortest period of time, or
41 days to be exact. Set to compulsorily retire
on 8 October 2018, or merely 38 days from today,
what can the Chief Justice do?
CJ De Castro still has a full five weeks until
her retirement. This means at least five en banc
sessions to preside and a ton of decisions to
promulgate. The SC reorganized the Divisions,
since the CJ is designated to be the head of
its First Division. CJ De Castro presided over
the minority senators’ petition to invalidate
the Philippines’ pullout from the International
Criminal Court.
But perhaps the best thing that CJ De Castro can
achieve is its return to true collegiality — something
that was lost in the months that led to the ouster of
de facto CJ Sereno. The hearings held at the House
of Representatives allowed the public to see what
is usually shrouded in utmost secrecy.
The SC must be placed on a very high
pedestal and must be left alone to decide on the
most important cases and lay the foundation
of a country that is based on a rule of law.
CJ De Castro now has the role of unifying
the SC justices so that the next CJ may lead
and strengthen the judicial branch of the
government. This now begs the question – who
will be the successor of CJ De Castro? Let’s see
the frontrunners.
Justice Noel G. Tijam (retiring: 5 January 2019)
can be chief justice should President Rodrigo
Duterte follow his seniority rule. Justice Tijam
graduated from San Beda, same as the President
and he was among the appointees of President
Duterte. Justice Tijam was the ponente of the
Republic v. Sereno Decision.
Justice Antonio Carpio (retiring: 26 October
2019) was acting chief justice prior to the
appointment of CJ De Castro, but he declined any
nomination for Chief Justice due to his dissent in
the Sereno decision. Perhaps his biggest drawback
would be his strong position on the disputed
islands in the West Philippine Sea, something that
he most vocal about. Justice Carpio likewise found
support from Sen. Frank Drilon who mentioned
to the media that he urged Justice Carpio to
reconsider becoming CJ.
“CJ De
Castro
has had a
stellar legal
career and
achieving
the highest
judicial post
is something
that she
truly
deserves.
Justice Lucas Bersamin
(retiring: 18 October 2019)
and Justice Diosdado Peralta
(retiring: 27 March 2022) were
the other two nominated for
CJ along with CJ De Castro,
making them instant favorites
for appointment later on.
Both were previously from the
Court of Appeals and both are
known professors of law. Their
knowledge and experience in
the judiciary are impeccable.
Whoever the CJ will be
after 8 October 2018, he/she
is bound to lead a body that is composed
of undisputedly intelligent and respectable
justices. May I add that the latest addition
to the SC, Justice Jose Reyes, from the Court
of Appeals, is this writer’s senior co-faculty
member at DLSU and has definitely raised the
bar of the SC yet again.
Quite notably, out of the 13 incumbent
SC justices, nine will retire before 2022. The
President is also set to appoint a replacement
for now Ombudsman Samuel Martires. This
would mean that nearly all of the SC justices
will be appointees of President Duterte. Thus,
this country will have a “Duterte Supreme
Court” for years to come.
Email: darren.dejesus@dejesuslegal.com

6 NEWS
Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
From page 1
Watanabe, whose mother
hails from Cebu, said she came
into the match as the challenger
since Nebukura is considered as
a rising star in Japan following
impressive wins in the Asian
Championships, Grand Prix and
World Juniors Championships.
“She’s a strong player in
this competition. I wanted to
play my best, but in the (goldmedal)
match, I was so nervous
and I couldn’t do my best. It’s
something I regret,” said the
Nihongo-speaking Watanabe
through a translator.
“We already practiced
together in Japan. I had a plan
(against her), but I couldn’t
make it because she’s so good.”
Still, it was a good run for
Watanabe, a Sports Science
student at Waseda University
in Tokyo.
She opened her bid with an
emphatic win via ippon over
Orapin Senatham of Thailand
in the quarterfinals before
demolishing Gankhaich Bold of
Mongolia in the via shido and
waza-ari in the semifinals.
But Nabekura was simply too
strong to overcome.
“Nabekura is also a Japanese.
She’s very familiar with the
playing style of Kiyomi,” said
Philippine Judo Federation
president Dave Carter, adding
that this is their first gold
medal since the sport was
introduced in the Seoul edition
in 1986.
Japan’s best
“Kiyomi was quite nervous
entering into the match because
she knows that Nabekura is one
of Japan’s best players. But
reaching this far is already an
achievement. We’re glad that
she made it to the finals.”
Not as fortunate as Watanabe
were Megumi Kurayoshi, Mariya
Takahashi and Keisi Nakano.
Kurayoshi bowed to Po Sum
Leung via ippon in the Round
A close shave at judo gold
of 16 of the women’s -57kg
while Takahashi fell to Kim
Seongyeon of Korea also via
ippon in the quarterfinals of
the women’s -70kg class.
Nakano also followed his
twin brother, Shugen, at the
exit after surrendering to
Mohammad Barim Mohammad
of Iran via ippon in the Round
of 16 of the men’s -73kg.
Watanabe’s production is
another impressive addition
to the medal harvest of Team
Philippines, which is on its way
to its best finish since the Doha
Asiad in 2006 where it garnered
four gold, six silver and nine
bronze medals.
Right now, the Filipinos
already have four gold, one
silver and 13 bronze medals,
good for 17th spot in the
45-nation medal tally.
She’s a strong player in
this competition. I wanted
to play my best, but in the
(gold-medal) match, I was
so nervous.
China is also on its way to
an overall crown with 108 gold
medals, a little less than half
of the production of secondrunning
Japan with 58 gold
medals.
Over at the sprawling
GBK Athletics Stadium late
Wednesday, heavy favorites
EJ Obiena, Kristina Knott and
the 4x100-meter relay team of
Eric Cray, Anfernee Lopena,
Trenten Beram and Clinton
Bautista as well as Mark Harry
Diones all fell by the wayside.
Obiena, who trained under
the watchful eyes of Ukrainian
great Vitaly Petrov, registered
only 5.30 meters to settle for a
sixth-place finish.
Two-time Olympian Seito
Yamamoto of Japan took the
gold medal with 5.70 meters
while Yao Jie of China and
Obiena’s Southeast Asian Games
rival in Patsapong Amsam Ang
Sweeping corruption
Brew perks his day An early patron enjoys his coffee at a food shop.
of Thailand grabbed the silver
and bronze medals with a
similar record of 5.50 meters.
Knott was also empty-handed
after bowing in the women’s
200-meter run.
The Filipino-American
University of Miami standout
clocked only 23.51 seconds,
which is way inferior than the
timing of podium finishers
Edidong Odiong of Bahrain (22.96
seconds); Dutee Chand of India
(23.20 seconds); and Wei Yongli
of China (23.27 seconds).
Good but not enough
Knott, however, said she’s
very much satisfied with her
performance.
“This is my first time in
the Asian Games. I’m not too
upset about my performance,”
said Knott, who had a similar
clocking with a Chinese runner,
but still emerged sixth upon
review of the photo-finish
machine.
“These are the fastest times
I ran the whole year.”
Philippine Amateur Track
Mother-child routine Parents fetch children from a Pasig school in a scene that is repeated every day.
From page 1
An investigation of the
anomaly by TESDA Director
General Guiling A. Mamondiong
has yet to pinpoint the culprits
within the agency while
his predecessor, Sen. Joel
Villanueva, said he already quit
from the agency when the AMA
Computer College hosted the
fictitious scholars.
Initial actions of Mamondiong
to address corruption at TESDA
were the reshuffling of regional
and provincial directors,
inspection of all TESDA training
centers nationwide and the
offering of P50,000 reward to
whistle-blowers.
Mamondiong declared the
agency as corruption-free last
year but had to take back
his words on Wednesday by
admitting TESDA is not 100
percent corrupt-free.
Mamondiong turned to
employees for more ways
to counter corrupt insiders.
He believes that all TESDA
employees should be involved
as no one has the monopoly
Pinoy migrants face deportation
Most Filipinos illegally staying in Malaysia now face
deportation as less than one percent of the total undocumented
Filipinos availed of an amnesty program that ended yesterday.
Citing data from the Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur,
the Department of Foreign Affairs said it assisted at least
5,844 Filipinos since the program was announced in January
2016.
The number represents less than one percent of an estimated
400,000 undocumented Filipinos in Malaysia.
With the end of the program, affected Filipinos are facing a
nationwide immigration crackdown, starting 31 August.
Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles Jose assured
that the embassy is ready to provide assistance to Filipinos
who may be affected by the intensified immigration operations.
“We are reminding our kababayan in Malaysia, particularly
those without legal immigration status, that the amnesty
program ends today (Thursday),” he said.
Meanwhile, he reminded Filipinos with legal documents to
carry these at all times.
“We request our countrymen to exercise due prudence and to
ensure they carry their legal documents at all times,” he said.
ROMAN PROSPERO
of ideas.
“My office is open to anyone,
even the janitors, and I am
open for their suggestions,” he
said on Wednesday.
Mamondiong may have
found the perfect ally in his
cause as the janitors can be in
a better position to sweeping
TESDA clean of corruption.
and Field Association president
Philip Ella Juico said Knott
would be a marked woman in
the SEA Games next year.
“This is a vindication for her. In
the SEA Games, this performance
is good for a gold medal,” said
Juico, noting that Knott came
out with the best time among
Southeast Asian runners.
China is also on its way to
an overall crown with 108
gold medals, a little less
than half of the production
of second-running Japan
with 58 gold medals.
The men’s relay team was
also a letdown.
The squad clocked only
39.59 seconds to end at ninth
spot in the 14-team field in the
preliminaries.
Diones, on the other hand,
registered 15.72 meters to finish
12th in the 15-man field in the
men’s triple jump event with
Arpinder Singh of India (16.77
meters); Ruslan Kurbanov of
The Senate finance committee
did not take long yesterday to
approve the budgets of the Office
of the President (OP) and the
Presidential Management Staff
(PMS) for next year.
The proposed 2019 budget of
the OP, including the PMS, was
P6.773 billion or 12.32 percent
higher than this year’s approved
budget of P6.03 billion.
Deputy Executive Secretary
for Finance and Administration
Rizalina Justol made the
presentation on the proposed
budget.
The breakdown for the
proposed 2019 budget of the OP
are personal services at P1.078
billion; maintenance and other
operating expenses (MOOE) at
P5.184 billion and capital outlay
at P511.7 million.
Senator Loren Legarda, chair
of the Senate finance committee,
asked Justol to explain the
increases since
Order in queue Vehicles line up on light traffic at the Cavite Expressway toll gate.
ROY PELOVELLO
Uzbekistan (16.62 meters); and
Shuo Cao of China (16.56 meters)
emerging at the podium.
In kurash, former wrestler
Jason Balabal bombed out of
contention after succumbing
to Guvanch Begaliyev of
Turkmenistan, 0-10, in the Round
of 16 of men’s -90kg also at the
Jakarta Convention Center.
Meanwhile, the highly
popular women’s volleyball
team suffered a straight-set
beating from Olympic champion
China, 15-25, 9-25, 7-25, to fall
to the classification for fifth to
eighth places.
Jaja Santiago served as
the lone bright spot with
16 points for the Filipinos,
who will face Kazakhstan
on Friday for a chance to
salve a fifth-place finish in
this prestigious quadrennial
sports conclave.
Also looking to salvage
a fifth-place finish is the
Philippine men’s basketball
team, which will battle Syria in
the classification phase at the
7,000-seater GBK Istora.
the people would likely say that
President Rodrigo Duterte spends
big.
“Again, we have to explain this
because people (would say), under
(the) Duterte administration, there
was 12 percent increase (for) OP,”
she said.
Higher salaries
Justol said the 8.45 percent
increase in personal services
will be for the implementation
of the Salary Standardization
Law.
Meanwhile, the proposed
11.09 percent increase in
the MOOE would be used for
supplies and for the travels of
the President.
The 36.22 percent increase
in capital outlay would go
to the acquisition of various
machinery, equipment and
furniture, as well as other
improvements, new buildings
and other structures and
expansion and upgrading of
projects.
Legarda also asked for a
breakdown on where the confidential
and intelligence funds, amounting to
P2.5 billion, will go.
PDP meets
anew with
DU30
From page 1
which is expected to be further
reduced at the meeting.
“But actually from 24, we’re
down to 22. Slowly. I will not say
who were removed since both
have indicated that they are not
interested in running,” he said.
“I will not force them to
change their decision,” he added.
Pimentel said the party will
take guidance from the President
on the final lineup.
On the earlier shortlist are
Pimentel; Special Assistant to the
President Christopher Lawrence
“Bong” Go; former Metropolitan
Manila Development Authority
(MMDA) chairman Francis
Tolentino; Negros Occidental
Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez;
Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei
Nograles; Maguindanao Rep.
Zajid “Dong” Mangudadatu;
Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman;
Makati City Rep. Monsour del
Rosario; singer Freddie Aguilar;
former news anchor Jiggy
Manicad and Quirino Rep. Dakila
Carlo “Dax” Cua.
The list also has “friends” of the
party such as Duterte’s daughter,
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte;
Bureau of Corrections Chief Ronald
“Bato” de la Rosa; actor Robin
Padilla; former Sen. Lito Lapid;
former Secretary Rafael Alunan;
columnist Ramon Tulfo; presidential
spokesman Harry Roque and Taguig
City Rep. Pia Cayetano.
Incumbents among picks
Five reelectionist senators in
the Senate majority – Senators
Cynthia Villar, Juan Edgardo
Angara, Joseph Victor Ejercito,
Grace Poe and Nancy Binay —
were also part of the list.
“By tomorrow, let us say we
are getting guidance from the
President as chairman of the
party on the procedure to follow
on how to reduce the list,” he
said.
OP, PMS budgets zoom past Senate
Justol said the 8.45 percent
increase in personal
services will be for the
implementation of the
Salary Standardization Law.
Intelligence funds queried
Deputy Executive Secretary
Alberto Bernardo said the
proposed intelligence and
confidential funds are based on
national intelligence estimates of
local and foreign situations for
the formulation of the President’s
national policy.
Among the units in the OP
that are considered part of the
intelligence community and get
allocations from the intelligence
and confidential funds are the
Presidential Anti-Organized Crime
Commission, Philippine Center on
Transnational Crime, Presidential
Commission on Visiting Forces
Agreement, National Coast Watch
System and the Presidential
Situation Room.
However, Bernardo
admitted that they do not
have a breakdown of the actual
funding the units will receive
since specific allocations
would only be requested and
approved by the President after
a workshop of the intelligence
community is done at the start
of the year.
ROY PELOVELLO

Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
TITLE DEFENSE ON
Gin Kings take light Dyip
That feat will surely be the Gin Kings’ springboard for
this conference which they own for two consecutive
years already
By John Bryan Ulanday
Games today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:30 pm — Talk’N Text vs Phoenix
7pm — Ginebra vs Columbian
Riding on an amazing Commissioners’ Cup title run, reigning
champion Barangay Ginebra begins its defense of another crown
when it takes on the lowly Columbian Dyip tonight in the Philippine
Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup at the Smart-Araneta
Coliseum.
Game time is at 7 p.m. with the back-to-back champion Gin Kings
looking to kick off their three-peat bid on a winning note against
the Dyip (0-3) who are yet to score a victory in the season-ending
conference.
Prior to that, the slumping Talk ‘N Text (1-3) seeks to arrest its
skid against Phoenix (2-1) in the first game at 4:30 p.m.
Bannered by resident import Justin Brownlee, Barangay Ginebra
is a heavy favorite coming into the season-ending conference debut
against Dyip, especially after it rose from nowhere of the recently
concluded mid-season conference.
After starting with a meager 1-5 win-loss record, the Gin Kings
essayed an epic run capped by a 4-2 Finals series win over dethroned
titlist San Miguel Beer to win their first Commissioner’s Cup title
in 21 years.
That feat will surely be the Gin Kings’ springboard for this
conference which they own for two consecutive years already.
We just have to move forward. After all, we still have eight games.
Coach Tim Cone is worried, though, that his prized import
Brownlee will have the biggest target on his back due to three titles
already on his belt heading into his fifth conference with Ginebra.
Serving as resident import for Ginebra for two years and counting,
Brownlee though will have an added motivation on his chest
especially after his naturalization process for Filipino citizenship
now being tackled at the House of Representatives.
Good thing for him, he will not be alone in Ginebra’s first battle
as his intact and formidable local support will be ready in their title
defense led by recently-crowned Finals Most Valuable Player Scottie
Thompson alongside veterans Jeff Chan, LA Tenorio and triple towers
Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar and Joe Devance.
Columbian is coming off a tough 104-116 loss to shorthanded
NLEX on Wednesday to remain winless this conference with 0-3 card.
Worse, that was Dyip’s 19th straight loss in the Governors’ Cup
dating back from the 2016 season.
“Well, it’s tough to suffer that 19th straight loss. It was really a
struggle,” coach John Cardel said.
“We just have to move forward. After all, we still have eight
games. We have a big game against Ginebra, as the saying goes, the
ball is round so let’s see,” he concluded.
Leading Columbian’s breakthrough win bid is import Akeem
Wright whose monster outing of 37 points and 17 rebounds went
down the drain anew in their third straight loss two days ago.
For Dyip to have a shot at toppling the favorite Ginebra, Wright
needs his local support to click on all cylinders led by Jerramy King,
RaShawn McCarthy, Ronald Tubid and Eric Camson.
Batang Pinoy
moves up north
Baguio City will have the province of Benguet as its co-host in
this year’s staging of the Batang Pinoy National Championship on
15 to 21 September.
The partnership was confirmed at the signing of the memorandum
of agreement between Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner
Celia Kiram, Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Benguet
Provincial Governor Crescencio C. Pacalso yesterday at the Fortune
Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant, Baguio City.
The collaboration will help cater to the 6,500 participating
athletes in Batang Pinoy. The PSC is thankful that both our
co-hosts have met the requirements of the games.
“We are ready and we are very thankful for the PSC for choosing
Baguio City and Benguet to host the Batang Pinoy national
championships,” Domogan said.
Governor Pacalso echoed this sentiment and said: “It’s an honor
for Benguet to be part of one of the biggest sporting event in the
country.”
“The collaboration will help cater to the 6,500 participating
athletes in Batang Pinoy. The PSC is thankful that both our co-hosts
have met the requirements of the games,” Kiram said.
The national championships will have 21 sports held in Baguio
City and six sports in the province of Benguet, with over 1,000
medals at stake.
The PSC’s event for in and out-of-school school youth, 15-year-old and
below, will take place in 29 playing venues including the Baguio Athletic
Bowl, Baguio swimming pool facility, University of the Philippines Baguio,
University of the Cordilleras gymnasium, Saint Louis University, Beneco
Multi-Purpose Hall and Engineer’s Hill covered court.
KYOMI Watanabe of the Philippines sends Gankhaich Bold of Mongolia into submission
in their judo event on Thursday in the 18th Asian Games JCC Complex in Jakarta.
EJ Obiena soars high to clear the bar of the men’s pole vault event Wednesday night in the 18th Asian
Games at the GBK Grand Stadium in Jakarta.
SPORTS
Game on for PH triathletes
four years ago.
While defending Japanese champion
Ai Ueda is not around, compatriot Yuka
Sato, ranked No. 20 in the International
Triathlon world ratings, looms as the top
favorite in the women’s division, Brown
pointed out
PALEMBANG, Indonesia — Although
virtually unbeatable in Southeast Asia,
Nikko Huelgas and Kim Mangrobang are
aware that they will be going up against
Asia’s big guns in the 18th Asian Games
triathlon competitions unfolding on Friday.
Reigning Southeast Asian Game’s
women’s triathlon champion Mangrobang
and vastly-improved Fil-Am Kim Kilgroe
take first crack in the swim-bike-run event
starting at 7:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. in Manila)
within and around the Jakabaring Sport
City complex here.
“With her present form, a Top 5 finish
would not be farfetched for Kim, and if
she steps up, I wouldn’t be surprised
of a podium finish,” said coach Annie
de Leon-Brown of the Europe-trained
Mangrobang, who placed ninth in the
last Asiad held in Incheon, South Korea
Yeng gives way to Jojo
Owing to an impressive campaign without chief tactician Yeng Guiao,
interim coach Jojo Lastimosa gets the blessing to lead NLEX for another
game—this time with Guiao’s presence—for the Road Warriors’ grudge
match against the San Miguel Beermen on Saturday.
Guiao okayed, according to Lastimosa, as NLEX seeks for its fourth
win in five outings to solidify its hold of second spot in the Philippine
Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup.
Guiao, head coach of the Road Warriors, will be back Friday, making
him available to return to the NLEX bench after his national team duty in
the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
But Guiao will take the backseat, letting his staff led by Lastimosa
to call the shots.
“Coach Yeng said he’ll come in on Saturday but he will not coach the
game yet and he will let us call the shots,” shared Lastimosa after towing
NLEX to a huge 116-104 win over Columbian Dyip on Wednesday night.
Guiao left the coaching duties to Lastimosa even before
the start of the season-ending conference as he was tasked
to guide the Nationals in the quadrennial event in Jakarta.
His wards didn’t disappoint in his absence despite a
shorthanded line-up without Kevin Alas (injury), Kiefer Ravena
(suspended) and national team member Asi Taulava (Asiad duty)
as the Road Warriors managed to win three out of its four games so
far for solo second place.
JBU
With her present form, a Top 5 finish
would not be farfetched for Kim.
Huelgas, a two-time SEA Games gold
medalist, and John Chicano, the 2017
Malaysian SEA Games medalist, will
see action in the men’s competition on
Saturday. Brown said the men’s proper
will be even tougher considering there
will be more entries.
“If either Nikko or John finish in the
top 10 we would be happy,” Brown said.
Ababa
surges,
leads by
two
7
DANAO City, Cebu — Jhonnel Ababa
rebounded with a strong start yesterday and
sustained his charge to card a bogey-free
five-under 66 and grab a two-stroke lead over
Korean Kim Joo Hyung halfway through the
ICTSI Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational on
Thursday.
In a duel at the tight, tricky par-71 Club
Filipino layout, Ababa opted for precision
over power and proved rock solid from
tee-to-green with crisp iron play, producing
five birdies, including three in the first four
holes at the back that spiked his impressive
pair of 33s that put him on top of the heap
with a seven-under 135.
“Some fairways were tight in the opening
nine, so I played conservative. One mishit is
costly,” said Ababa due for a win with four
top 10 finishes in the last six Philippine Golf
Tour events in Mindanao and Visayas.
Ababa, who fumbled with a late bogey
in the first round and missed joining Aussie
Damien Jordan at the helm, hopes to finally
nail one this week.
But a horde of aces are hot on his trail, led
by the young but talented Kim, who moved
in contention for a second crown with a 68
for a 137 while Jordan stayed in the hunt at
138 despite a 70.
James Ryan Lam matched Ababa’s
five-under card to tie reigning Philippine
Masters champion Jerson Balasabas, who
shot a 70, at 139 while Dino Villanueva also
fired a 66 for joint sixth at 140 with Michael
Bibat, who matched par 71.
But some of the pre-tournament favorites
failed to gain ground halfway through the
P3.5 million event, including last week’s
Iloilo leg winner Carlos, who sputtered with
a one-over 72 and slipped to joint 10th with
Richard Sinfuego (69), Erwin Arcillas (71)
and Rene Menor (71) at 142 behind joint ninth
running Zanieboy Gialon (69) and Joenard
Rates (70) at 141.
Tony Lascuña, the former three-time
Order of Merit winner out to snap a long title
spell, also dropped to 14th place at 143 with
American Pete Vilairatana, who blew a fiery
backside 32 start with a closing 41 for a 73.
Expecting a spirited challenge from his
slew of pursuers, Ababa also stressed the
need for his putting to click given the layout’s
unpredictable, sloping surface in a bid to stay
in control all the way to the finish.
“A lot of greens have huge slopes that are
very hard to read. I just kept it close to avoid
making bogeys,” said Ababa.
“I have to putt better in the next two
rounds to have a realistic chance at the
crown,” said Kim, who rolled in putts from
as far as 20 feet (No. 7) and 30 feet (No. 9)
to move in contention for the top P650,000
purse.
Slowed down by drizzle early morning,
Jordan barely survived a rollercoaster round
and salvaged a 70 without using his driver
but missed closing in on the new leader with
flubbed birdies chances on three holes.
In the mixed relay on Sunday, Huelgas
and Mangrobang will be joined by Claire
Adorna, the 2017 Singapore SEAG gold
medalist, and Mark Hosana, she added.
“Claire and Mark were chosen (to be
part of the team) because they were really
meant for the mixed relay, which promises
to be an exciting race,” Brown stressed.
While she had no complaints about the
swim leg at the JSC man-made lake, the
coach was a bit worried about the bike
course “because we saw there were still
grains of sand on the road during practice.
This could result in accidents once the
triathletes race around the route, which
is a bit technical (hard).”
Brown said that they were assured by
Asian Games organizers that they would
clear the road of sand to make it safe and
secure for the riders.

8
SPORTS
Aldrin Cardona, Editor
Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
FOR WORLD CUP
PBA support to Yeng continues
The PBA is very much open to lend its players. We
will give them all the support they need if the Board
says so. It can be done as it was done in the past
By Julius Manicad
Game Friday
(GBK Istora)
6:30 p.m. – Philippines vs Syria
JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Philippines’ Gilas wrap up their
participation in the 18th Asian Games here with a good news from
the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), which said it will throw
its full support to the squad to see action in the second round of the
FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier.
League Commissioner Willie Marcial said the league’s Board of
Governors is inclined to make players available so that coach Yeng
Guiao can assemble the best team possible for the next window of
the crucial tourney in Tehran on 13 September.
He said the PBA board of governors already agreed to extend
support following the absence of 10 Gilas Pilipinas mainstays, as
well as head coach Chot Reyes and assistant coach Jong Uichico,
for their involvement in the ugly brawl with Australia in a previous
staging of the qualifier last July.
Also assessed with suspension was naturalized player Andray
Blatche.
With Jordan Clarkson returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the
Filipinos will be marching without reinforcement against the taller,
more experienced Iranian side.
“The league is always open to
supporting the National Team
program,” said Marcial, who
joined the PBA board in this
bustling Indonesian metropolis
in the first days of the Asian
Games to witness the ‘Gilastopainters’ campaign.
“The PBA is very much open to lend its players. We will give them
all the support they need if the Board says so. It can be done as it
was done in the past,” Marcial told Daily Tribune’s Asiad coverage
supported by Primehomes.
The only key player who will not be available is Junemar Fajardo,
who will miss two months with San Miguel Beer after suffering a
stress fracture on his right shin.
The squad will reunite on Monday to kick off its preparation
for the World Cup qualifier.
The Philippines will tackle Syria at 6:30 p.m. to salvage at least a
fifth-place finish, a performance that is way better than what Reyes
and his boys accomplished in the previous staging of the Asian
Games in 2014.
Right after the game, Clarkson will fly back to the United States
while the ‘Gilastopainters’ will head home to Manila.
The squad will reunite on Monday to kick off its preparation for
the World Cup qualifier.
Guiao hinted that the core of the squad like Beau Belga, Paul
Lee, Chris Tiu, Raymund Almazan, Poy Erram and even Don Trollano
could be retained together with other PBA stars.
Up in the air, however, are the fates of Christian Standhardinger
and Stanley Pringle, who failed to secure their Philippine passports
before they were 16 years old.
“We’re not yet sure,” Guiao said when asked how many players
would be out for the FIBA window.
“All of these 12 people with us, of course including
Don Trollano, are going to be considered as soon
as we return to Manila. By Monday, we would
have the team that’s going to Iran.”
Let’s not force that we become
good at all sports, but push that
we be great in one or a few
E=mc2
This is the famous Physics formula
of the genius Albert Einstein which
states that anything having mass has
an equivalent amount of energy and
vice versa.
But in the world of Philippine sports,
do we really need a genius to figure out
what is needed to bring our country its
first Olympic Gold medal?
After the 18th Asian Games is over,
my questions are: What do we do now?
Where do we go from here? Did we learn
anything from the Games?
I do hope that we do learn from our
own history in creating a more feasible
and realistic approach to this national
quest for Olympic Glory.
Four years ago in the 17th edition
of the Asian Games in Incheon, South
Korea, we won a solitary gold in BMX
cycling courtesy of our Daniel Caluag.
We also won silvers in wushu and
boxing and bronze medals in taekwondo,
archery and karatedo.
In the Jakarta Games we won four
golds (at press time), one of them from
Hidilyn in weightlifting, two from our
women’s golf team (Yuka, Bianca and
Lois) and one from women’s street
skateboard courtesy of Margielyn Didal.
And an additional 13 bronze medals
coming from takwondo, wushu, jiu-jitsu,
cycling, pencak silat and karatedo.
If we talk about what sports we
should focus on, then maybe all those
I mentioned above would make the
list because we obviously won Asian
level medals in them already. They fall
on what are weight category and wkill
sports. In addition, sports like judo and
SOUTH Korea’s Kim Jin-jea (left) takes a hard one
from Philippine boxer Eumir Felix Marcial during
their men’s middle (75kg) quarter-final boxing match
at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on Wednesday.
AFP
Yin and Yang of Sports
One Stroke At a Time
Eric Buhain
wrestling are also weight category sports
while shooting, gymnastics, bowling,
billiards and football are skill category
sports. And we can possibly even include
endurance sports like the marathon run,
and the marathon swim, plus triathlon. It
is important to point out that all of these
sports do not need height as an integral
factor for us to excel internationally.
I am asking myself: Did we ever push
for the development of BMX parks across
the country after Daniel won the gold for
us four years ago to search for new talents
in cycling, especially since we know we
can win gold in this event? Or did we
oversimplify things and just support Daniel
in his training in the US? Did we ever see
the signals already that BMX cycling is
also popular in the Philippines just like
skateboarding which just so happened won
us a gold this Asian Games also?
The more champions we have in each
sport, the more talents we will encourage
to get into that sport and
vice versa. The more competitors our
champions have, the more challenged
they become to better themselves and
maintain their top position. One cannot
succeed without the other.
I also asked if after Hidilyn delivered
that silver medal in the Rio Olympics two
years ago, did we develop weightlifting
facilities at least in a regional level to
look for more talents like her? Did we
push for weightlifting to be included
in the Palarong Pambansa for it to
be part of school-based sports since
there would be a tremendous amount
of students who could be part of our
talent identification program there?
I think that in order for us to become
even better in the sports mentioned
above we have to approach them from
two levels. We need more talent in those
sports and we need to support those on
top to become champions.
It’s like the Yin and Yang approach
for sports. The more champions we have
in each sport, the more talents we will
encourage to get into that sport and
vice versa. The more competitors our
champions have, the more challenged
they become to better themselves and
maintain their top position. One cannot
succeed without the other.
As the talent pool increases in each
sport, the probability of finding our next
champions becomes better. As these new
up and coming challengers go for the top
spot in their sports, the best athletes will
obviously push themselves even harder. It
becomes an ever-changing environment,
which is very healthy for that sport.
Everyone will be pushed to their limits and
not one will become complacent.
Luckily today we have the champions
already. Now we only need to find new
challengers. Let’s start with creating
a massive talent pool for these sports.
Le’ts tap the local government units,
the schools and universities, the private
sector and the National Government
to create this talent pool as soon as
possible.
Let’s not force that we become good
at all sports, but push that we be great
in one or a few.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure that
out.
Boxers
fight to
survive
for mints
JAKARTA, Indonesia — The last men standing for the vaunted
Philippine boxing team plunge in pursuit of glory Friday in the 18th
Asian Games.
Light flyweight Carlo Paalam, flyweight Rogen Ladon and
middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial shoot slots in the finals when they
tackle separate foes in the semifinals of the men’s boxing competition
Friday at the Jakarta International Expo here.
The last time a Filipino boxer emerged with an Asian Games gold
medal was in 2010 when Rey Saludar ruled the flyweight class of
the Guangzhou Asiad in 2010.
First to step into the ring is Rio Olympic veteran Ladon, who will
collide with Tongdee Yuttapong of Thailand at 2:15 p.m. (3:15 p.m.
in Manila), followed by Paalam against Amit Panghal of India at 6:15
p.m. (7:15 p.m. in Manila).
Then, Marcial, a two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist,
clashes with Madrrimou Israil of Uzbekistan at 7:45 p.m. (8:45 p.m.
in Manila) in a bout that is tipped to bring a lot of excitement due
to the Filipinos run-and-gun fighting style.
The last time a Filipino boxer emerged with an Asian Games gold
medal was in 2010 when Rey Saludar ruled the flyweight class of the
Guangzhou Asiad in 2010.
Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP)
president Ricky Vargas said they are looking to reclaim glory.
“Let us not be contented,” said Vargas following Marcial’s
masterful conquest of Kim Jinjea of Korea in the quarterfinals.
“We still have a job to do,” Vargas told Daily Tribune’s Asiad
coverage supported by Primehomes.
Paalam is tipped to have his hands full against Panghal, who
claimed the silver medal in the Commonwealth Games two years ago
and is a perennial campaigner in European slugfests.
Ladon will also have a tough time as he clashes with Yuttapong,
who is fresh from ruling the Thailand Open last July; as well as
Marcial, who is stacked against Incheon silver medalist Madrimou.
They are out to avenge the setbacks suffered by welterweight Joel
Bacho, lightweight James
Palicte, bantamweight Mario
Fernandez and female hitters
Nesthy Petecio and Irish
Magno.
JM
THE Philippines’ Mark Diones competes in the final of the men’s triple jump
athletics event during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on Wednesday. AFP
Unit 903 Centerpoint Condominium, Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Metro Manila
+632 706 6134 / 706 6135 Primehomes.com.ph @infoprimehomes.com.ph

51.00
52.00
53.00
54.00
55.00
PESO-DOLLAR RATES DOW JONES STOCK MARKET
25700
7900
25200
7700
53.43
24700
7500
60.55
24200
7300
22.20
29 AUGUST 2018 29 AUGUST 2018 29 AUGUST 2018
Lender’s note sale
secures top grade
Page 10
Jun Vallecera, Editor
Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
BUSINESS
9
The story of every drop of water
Coca-Cola continues to strive for water
leadership throughout its value chain
More than a main ingredient in our
beverages, water is one of the most
crucial resources essential to the
health and survival of individuals,
communities and our business
This is why The Coca-Cola
Company developed and adjusted
various aspects of its value chain
in order to achieve water leadership
status. From ensuring that raw
materials are grown with efficient
water use, to bottling facilities with
minimal impact on the water supply,
to bringing water access to waterdeprived
communities and in ensuring
that critical watersheds are cared
for and conserved, the Company
has stayed true to its commitment
to return to the communities and the
environment every single drop of
water used in the production of its
beverages.
The beverage company initially
looked at 2020 as the year to achieve
100 percent water replenishment
but this goal was achieved in 2015.
To date, Coca-Cola has returned
over 330 billion liters of water to the
environment and the communities
through various water programs and
initiatives.
In the Philippines, the Company
has audited an estimated 108
percent water replenishment
rate through its various programs
and activities, primarily through
the Agos program. Under the
program, Coca-Cola provides
water access to 180 communities
in rural parts of the country,
developed more efficient water
use in all bottling facilities and
contributed in the conservation
efforts of critical watersheds.
From one end of the value chain,
Coca-Cola has partnered with the
Department of Agriculture to bring
water access to small sugar farmers
in impoverished parts of the country.
Sugar is one of the key ingredients
in the various beverages under the
Coca-Cola line.
The Agos program of Coca-Cola
Philippines has provided far-flung
water-deprived communities with
access to safe water through simple
technologies such as ram pumps
that elevate water without the need
for electricity, gravity installations
that bring water to lowlands and
rainwater catchment facilities
To further serve the water poor
communities, Coca-Cola also
deployed a mobile potable water
treatment plant which produces
2,000 liters of potable water per day.
Earlier this year, the water treatment
plant had helped 4,300 internally
displaced persons (IDPS) at the Upper
Hinaplanon and Buru-un School
of Fisheries Evacuation Centers in
Iligan City. At present, the mobile
potable water plant is being deployed
in various barangays in Marawi and
has served water needs of 55,800
returning residents in the city.
Aside from giving back to
communities, the Company returns
water to nature by supporting the
restoration and conservation of
critical watersheds including the
Ipo Watershed-Sapang Munti and
the Sapinit Sub-Watershed within
the Marikina Watershed.
Despite achieving their global
goal, Coca-Cola vows to continue
its commitment to return to the
community and the environment
every drop of water used in the
production of its beverages.
AIIB rules out ‘hidden loan costs‘
China is offering a variable interest rate structure on
loans the Philippines will put forward for financing under
the Build, Build, Build program of President Duterte.
The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
(AIIB) also proposes the IOU be denominated in renminbi,
according to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.
We are quite sensitive to interest rates. Although
they may seem small amounts, we do not want to
reverse the trend of lowering our spreads.
Beijing likewise floated the likelihood of co-financing
the series of loans with “other multilateral institutions.”
These developed in the wake of a meeting by a Philippine
delegation led by Dominguez with executives of the AIIB as
they begin crafting the rough outlines of a financing plan
for the multi-year infrastructure buildup program of the
government.
Dominguez said he welcomed the AIIB proposal that is
even now exploring the various options making possible for
the loans to be funded at least cost to Filipinos taxpayers
who will eventually foot the bill.
He said at the meeting at AIIB Headquarters last week
with top officials led by AIIB president Jin Liqun, he was
given assurance the Chinese will focus on “the actual work”
in implementing the infrastructure projects to ensure they get
completed on schedule without any hidden or added costs.
Dominguez was with Socioeconomic Planning Secretary
Ernesto Pernia, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and
Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana
EMPLOYER’S
CORNER
Ed Lacson
in discussing
possible financing
approaches for
the centerpiece
infrastructure
program.
“We are
quite sensitive
to interest
rates. Although
they may seem
small amounts,
we do not
14th month pay
Before martial law the ringing of
Christmas bells signal the payment
of Christmas bonus
In the news these days is the Senate bill
on 14th month bonus for workers.
A bonus is a “voluntary” compensation on
top of what is strictly due to an employee.
There is an element of joy for employers and
surprise for employees when bonuses for
excellent performance or milestone events
are given, financials permitting.
DOMINGUEZ
want to reverse the trend of lowering our spreads. So it is very
encouraging that you are considering variable spreads (over the
LIBOR facility). I was hoping for an update on it. We are happy
about the local currency bonds as well,” Dominguez told AIIB
officials at the meeting. LIBOR stands for the London inter-bank
offered rate, the global lending benchmark.
Jin said the AIIB is highly responsive to the needs of
its borrowers, which is why it is willing to study flexible
financing schemes in extending loans for infrastructure
projects.
Joshua Lao
Before martial law the ringing of Christmas
bells signal the payment of Christmas
bonus, a season’s gratuity or aguinaldo (gift)
traditionally given by employers.
Then Labor Minister Blas Ople authored
PD 851 transforming the bonus to a mandatory
13th month pay as government’s “Christmas
Gift” to workers, a generous act paid for by
employers. The decree seized the pleasure
of traditional gift giving and made the act of
charity a chore with threats of legal scrutiny
for non-compliance.
Turn to page 10

10 BUSINESS
Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
FOOD inflation should soon come down and help push retail sales higher across the Philippines.
Moody’s Investors Service has assigned (P)Baa2 long-term and (P)Prime-2 short-term foreign currency senior
unsecured ratings to Security Bank Corporation’s (Baa2 stable, baa3) $1 billion medium term note (MTN) program.
Security Bank’s (P)Baa2/(P)P-2 foreign currency senior unsecured MTN program ratings are in line with the
bank’s Baa2/P-2 foreign currency deposit and
issuer ratings.
The notes constitute direct, unconditional,
unsubordinated, and unsecured obligations and
will rank pari-passu with the bank’s other senior
unsecured obligations.
The ratings do not apply to individual notes
issued under the program. Ratings on individual
notes issued under the program will be subject
to Moody’s satisfactory review of the terms and
conditions in the final base and supplementary
offering circular and the pricing supplements of
the notes to be issued.
These are underpinned by Security Bank’s
baa3 baseline credit assessment (BCA) and
incorporates one notch of uplift to reflect
Moody’s expectation of a moderate probability
of support for the bank from the government
(Baa2 stable) in times of need.
The bank’s baa3 BCA is underpinned by its
above-industry-average asset quality and strong
capital buffers, boosted by a capital infusion
from its new strategic partner, MUFG Bank, Ltd.
(MUFG, A1 stable, a3). At the same time, the BCA
takes into account expectation that following the
capital infusion, the bank’s asset quality and
capital profile will moderate over time because
of higher-than-industry growth plans.
In addition, the BCA takes into account Security
Bank’s modest funding owing to its relatively
smaller deposit franchise and branch network
compared to that of large domestic banks and
its higher reliance on market funds than that of
its peers. The bank’s overall liquidity remains
comfortable, with sufficient liquid resources to
meet near-term obligations.
The Court of Appeals (CA) has dismissed the
money claims complaint against Philodrill Corp.
for lack of jurisdiction and merit.
The decision, penned by Associate Justice Ma.
Luisa Quijano-Padilla on 10 August, dismissed the
complaints filed by former company president
Francisco Navarro asking for more than P20 million
additional retirement benefits.
Padilla also overturned the earlier ruling
by the National Labor Relations Commission
(NLRC) on 28 December 2017 as well as Navarro’s
motion for reconsideration filed on 26 April.
“The Court agrees with Philodrill’s position
that public respondent NLRC has no jurisdiction
to entertain Navarro’s case since the matter
is not a simple money claim against the
employer but is one involving an intra-corporate
dispute. Since Navarro was the president of
the corporation, therefore a corporate officer,
his complaint for the payment of the alleged
special retirement benefit is an intra-corporate
controversy, and thus falls under the jurisdiction
of the Regional Trial Court and not the Labor
Tribunals,” the decision said.
In his complaint, Navarro was seeking
P19.893 million worth of special retirement
benefits, a 2016 profit share of P1.391 million
and litigation expenses of at least P2.128 million.
The complainant retired as president of the oil
exploration company on 31 December 2016.
But the CA said Navarro was not entitled to
any special retirement benefit.
The claim for special retirement benefit was
based only on the marginal note made by the
company’s former president in 2014.
Andrew Malihan
THURSDAY
30 AUGUST 2018
PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE
NAME OPEN HIGH LOW CLOSE VALUE (P)
FINANCIALS
BANKS
ASIA UNITED 59.8 60 59.8 60 1,032,289
BDO UNIBANK 130 131.7 129.1 130 506,948,803
BANK PH ISLANDS 93.5 94.7 93.05 94 98,967,277.50
CHINABANK 31.9 32.1 31.85 31.9 1,835,735
EAST WEST BANK 14.42 14.52 14.42 14.42 4,991,722
METROBANK 73.85 74.6 73.8 74.15 132,334,457.50
PB BANK 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 8,260
PHIL NATL BANK 48.4 48.5 47.9 48 10,821,995
PSBANK 83.4 83.4 83.05 83.05 96,445.50
RCBC 29 29.2 28.6 28.6 2,856,335
SECURITY BANK 199.9 201 199.5 199.9 179,337,170
UNION BANK 78.95 78.95 78 78 1,566,953.50
OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
BRIGHT KINDLE 1.7 1.71 1.7 1.7 112,260
BDO LEASING 2.55 2.57 2.55 2.55 479,570
COL FINANCIAL 16.44 16.44 16.4 16.4 2,554,704
FERRONOUX HLDG 4 4.06 3.98 4.05 366,110
FILIPINO FUND 8.67 8.67 8.67 8.67 20,808
IREMIT 1.54 1.61 1.54 1.61 3,150
MEDCO HLDG 0.57 0.59 0.56 0.57 480,860
MANULIFE 820 820 820 820 16,400
NTL REINSURANCE 1.03 1.03 0.99 1 1,568,880
PHIL STOCK EXCH 196 196 194.5 194.5 220,742
SUN LIFE 1,850 1,850 1,850 1,850 379,250
INDUSTRIAL
ELECTRICITY, ENERGY, POWER & WATER
ALSONS CONS 1.22 1.22 1.2 1.21 318,060
ABOITIZ POWER 36.05 36.5 35.7 36.15 54,829,860
BASIC ENERGY 0.235 0.239 0.235 0.235 211,890
ENERGY DEVT 7.04 7.05 7.04 7.05 29,422,834
FIRST GEN 17.04 17.12 16.94 17.1 66,082,878
FIRST PHIL HLDG 63.8 65 63.8 65 65,113,277
PHIL H2O 5.08 5.08 5 5.08 727,315
MERALCO 372 375 366 374 141,688,808
MANILA WATER 24.85 25.85 24.6 24.9 40,123,215
PETRON 9.01 9.05 8.95 9.05 3,385,636
PETROENERGY 4.11 4.15 4 4.02 767,370
PHINMA ENERGY 1.03 1.04 0.99 1.01 3,422,170
PHX PETROLEUM 11.4 11.7 11.34 11.7 1,326,696
PILIPINAS SHELL 57.2 59.5 57.2 57.95 124,870,016.50
SPC POWER 5.46 5.6 5.46 5.6 1,644,441
FOOD, BEVERAGE & TOBACCO
AGRINURTURE 17.24 17.32 17.08 17.26 16,406,816
CNTRL AZUCARERA 20.4 20.4 19.7 19.92 74,316
CENTURY FOOD 14.5 14.66 14.48 14.5 13,803,898
DEL MONTE 7.5 7.5 7.42 7.44 43,294
DNL INDUS 10.3 10.58 10.3 10.58 13,553,414
EMPERADOR 7.27 7.3 7.27 7.3 2,914,208
SMC FOODANDBEV 94.5 95 93.5 94 161,965,463
ALLIANCE SELECT 1.06 1.07 1.02 1.02 9,486,250
GINEBRA 27.8 28.4 27.8 28.25 11,388,855
JOLLIBEE 285.8 286 278.6 286 154,098,064
MAXS GROUP 13.8 13.8 13.32 13.4 11,661,346
MG HLDG 0.197 0.197 0.197 0.197 7,880
PEPSI COLA 2.15 2.15 2.08 2.1 2,513,390
SHAKEYS PIZZA 13.12 13.5 13.12 13.4 5,120,256
ROXAS AND CO 2.49 2.49 2.49 2.49 410,850
RFM CORP 4.75 4.77 4.75 4.77 171,330
ROXAS HLDG 3.15 3.18 3.14 3.14 50,450
UNIV ROBINA 140 141.5 139.1 140.6 90,212,310
VITARICH 2.11 2.13 2.1 2.12 3,714,410
CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE & ALLIED SERVICES
CONCRETE A 69.1 69.15 69.1 69.1 54,595
CEMEX HLDG 3.3 3.33 3.28 3.3 16,813,290
DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.01 5.01 5.01 5.01 501
EAGLE CEMENT 16.24 16.24 15.98 16.22 27,473,690
EEI CORP 10.38 10.44 10.24 10.4 7,691,330
HOLCIM 7.44 7.46 7.35 7.36 375,603
MEGAWIDE 18 18.48 18 18.3 25,946,482
PHINMA 7.85 7.85 7.65 7.65 270,117
TKC METALS 1.04 1.04 1.01 1.01 118,570
VULCAN INDL 1.93 2.04 1.86 1.86 84,001,510
CHEMICALS
CHEMPHIL 210 210 210 210 2,100
CROWN ASIA 1.8 1.8 1.79 1.79 48,500
LMG CHEMICALS 4.97 5 4.95 4.97 929,400
MABUHAY VINYL 3.25 3.26 3.2 3.26 67,820
ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS & EQUIPMENT
CONCEPCION 45.5 45.65 45.5 45.6 4,148,790
INTEGRATED MICR 13.66 13.92 13.5 13.8 956,276
IONICS 2.21 2.27 2.19 2.22 2,960,020
SFA SEMICON 1.74 1.74 1.68 1.7 803,490
CIRTEK HLDG 29 33 28.5 31.45 69,131,505
HOLDING FIRMS
ABACORE CAPITAL 0.385 0.39 0.38 0.385 4,856,050
ASIABEST GROUP 36.5 38.6 35.5 38.25 22,578,880
AYALA CORP 992 992 975 990 162,789,470
ABOITIZ EQUITY 52.5 53.7 52.5 53.3 67,569,629
ALLIANCE GLOBAL 13.44 13.7 13.4 13.58 87,533,706
ANSCOR 6 6.1 6 6.1 155,782
ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.93 0.93 0.92 0.92 139,400
ATN HLDG A 1.54 1.54 1.44 1.47 39,652,700
ATN HLDG B 1.56 1.56 1.45 1.49 5,191,900
COSCO CAPITAL 5.98 6 5.97 6 20,232,157
DMCI HLDG 12 12.32 12 12.2 52,866,842
FILINVEST DEV 7.09 7.09 7.01 7.05 588,167
FORUM PACIFIC 0.207 0.207 0.205 0.205 45,320
GT CAPITAL 861 897 861 890 365,025,400
HOUSE OF INV 5.98 6 5.98 5.98 13,756
JG SUMMIT 59.2 60.15 59.1 59.5 95,021,013.50
LODESTAR 0.61 0.61 0.58 0.6 32,490
LOPEZ HLDG 4.7 4.99 4.65 4.8 21,078,580
LT GROUP 17.5 17.5 17.4 17.4 11,548,358
MABUHAY HLDG 0.63 0.64 0.62 0.62 1,192,870
METRO PAC INV 5.26 5.5 5.26 5.5 363,148,736
PACIFICA 0.04 0.041 0.04 0.041 844,900
PRIME ORION 2.82 2.89 2.8 2.84 2,108,660
PRIME MEDIA 1.27 1.28 1.25 1.26 244,860
SOLID GROUP 1.52 1.52 1.5 1.5 96,340
SYNERGY GRID 417 440 417 440 12,890
SM INVESTMENTS 970 975 959.5 965 174,424,290
SAN MIGUEL CORP 171 173 169.1 169.5 112,957,655
SOC RESOURCES 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77 16,170
SEAFRONT RES 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 7,800
TOP FRONTIER 290.2 300 283 298.8 1,909,672
WELLEX INDUS 0.34 0.35 0.33 0.34 6,119,550
PROPERTY
YUMMIE DINGDING
Lender’s note sale secures top grade
The bank’s overall liquidity remains comfortable, with sufficient liquid resources to
meet near-term obligations
Ratings on individual notes issued under
the program will be subject to Moody’s
satisfactory review of the terms and
conditions.
CA junks
money claims
vs Philodrill
The claim for special retirement
benefit was based only on the marginal
note made by the company’s former
president in 2014.
From page 9
ARTHALAND CORP 0.72 0.73 0.72 0.72 124,670
ANCHOR LAND 13.1 13.2 12.56 13.2 348,120
AYALA LAND 44.1 45 44.1 44.7 472,628,440
ARANETA PROP 1.97 1.97 1.97 1.97 39,400
BELLE CORP 3.1 3.1 3.05 3.05 3,985,990
A BROWN 0.98 0.98 0.95 0.97 2,895,850
CITYLAND DEVT 0.98 0.98 0.96 0.96 436,880
CROWN EQUITIES 0.25 0.25 0.248 0.249 1,352,910
CEBU HLDG 5.62 5.62 5.62 5.62 105,094
CEB LANDMASTERS 4.54 4.57 4.5 4.57 1,483,930
CENTURY PROP 0.45 0.45 0.44 0.44 4,486,200
DOUBLEDRAGON 26.1 26.3 25.3 25.8 22,952,150
DM WENCESLAO 9.22 9.39 9.2 9.35 2,072,217
EMPIRE EAST 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.58 5,800
EVER GOTESCO 0.113 0.113 0.113 0.113 2,260
FILINVEST LAND 1.53 1.53 1.51 1.53 1,711,750
GLOBAL ESTATE 1.2 1.2 1.19 1.19 291,950
8990 HLDG 7.28 7.36 7.24 7.25 1,408,914
IRC PROP 1.72 1.75 1.68 1.69 11,935,040
CITY AND LAND 0.93 0.95 0.87 0.95 1,791,230
MEGAWORLD 4.67 4.73 4.66 4.69 119,069,620
14th month pay
And as if the punishing compulsory 13th month
bonus is not enough, the Senate files today a
recycled bill mandating a 14th month bonus. This
maybe another gift-giving spree by government at
the expense of employers. The timing, by the way,
dubiously coincides with next year’s election.
Employers are worried that future lawmakers
might file a deluge of bills mandating a 15th, a 16th
and more to satisfy their generous hearts or until
the calendar runs out of months.
A law ordering employers, capable or otherwise,
to be generous is like a religious cult’s command
for excessive tithes from its followers who will be
condemned to suffer everlasting pain in hell, if they
disobey.
Once the bill is approved, the state’s legislative
power will particularly bear down heavily on MSME’s
as it forces this sector to scurry around to comply.
When a 14th month pay bill was filed in the recent
past, former Labor Secretary Linda Baldoz voiced out
government’s objection as follows:
“A 14th month pay would bring more harm than
good to workers, particularly in small and medium
enterprises. While everybody would like additional
benefit, it is a matter of how you can give it...
Mandating it under the law would affect 99.6% of
small and medium enterprises. Its affordability will
become the issue...many will not be able to comply,
wiping out existing jobs. We should be thinking
more of the 2.9 million unemployed and 17 million
underemployed.”
“Over and above the mandatory benefit, we should
promote productivity-based performance benefits and
incentives or leave it at the collective bargaining of
unions.”
Adding his voice against the same bill, the eminent
economist, Dr. Gerardo Sicat, wrote:
Once the bill is approved, the state’s
legislative power will particularly bear down
heavily on MSME’s as it forces this sector
to scurry around to comply.
“Some legislators and labor advocates think that
all it takes to improve everybody’s wages is for the
government to step in and pass a law that raises pay.
Thus, we get crazy ideas such as, the 14th month pay
proposal, filed in the Senate as a bill for adoption.”
“Ideas like these forced pay being required of
employers- are deleterious to labor who are outside
the system of regular employment. They add to the
cost of labor without creating any new productivity
to the enterprise. They reward employees for being
employed and not for their additional contribution
to the firm. They lead to the exclusion of those left
out in the system of beneficiaries.”
“To enterprises that can afford to pay the laborer,
such imposition simply adds new burdens but they
take away the incentive to reward employees for
their productivity. In the presence of competition
from other countries, such additional burdens
represent a turnoff to investors. We should attract
more investments, not provide disincentives that
make them turn to other countries.”
“Our labor market policies have acted to hinder
the growth of more employment because we have
rules unique to our system which prevent existing
employers from hiring more people in their
enterprises and which discourage investments in
more employment using activities.”
These two authoritative figures echo exactly ECOP’s
sentiments against the 14th month pay which it has
repeatedly articulated in many public fora.
Policymakers are urged to listen to unbiased
arguments against the 14th month pay which are
based on reason, economics and social justice.
NAME OPEN HIGH LOW CLOSE VALUE (P)
MRC ALLIED 0.63 0.63 0.62 0.63 10,980,370
PHIL ESTATES 0.46 0.485 0.46 0.47 5,844,800
PRIMEX CORP 3.45 3.51 3.42 3.5 1,122,610
ROBINSONS LAND 21 21.4 20.95 21 86,674,305
PHIL REALTY 0.5 0.5 0.49 0.495 251,350
ROCKWELL 2.01 2.03 2.01 2.03 824,250
SHANG PROP 3.22 3.22 3.19 3.22 662,160
STA LUCIA LAND 1.15 1.15 1.13 1.15 1,535,380
SM PRIME HLDG 38.55 39 38.55 38.85 370,583,825
STARMALLS 7.18 7.2 7.1 7.11 2,826,273
SUNTRUST HOME 0.78 0.78 0.77 0.77 8,570
VISTA LAND 6.4 6.41 6.38 6.4 8,363,790
SERVICES
MEDIA
ABS CBN 24.85 24.9 24.75 24.75 1,887,915
GMA NETWORK 5.6 5.6 5.49 5.53 291,292
MANILA BULLETIN 0.435 0.45 0.435 0.45 13,200
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
GLOBE TELECOM 2,096 2,118 2,082 2,110 134,974,270
PLDT 1,403 1,414 1,398 1,400 164,496,620
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
APOLLO GLOBAL 0.045 0.045 0.044 0.045 698,300
DFNN INC 8.3 8.64 8.2 8.5 1,690,678
IMPERIAL 2.07 2.09 2.07 2.09 4,160
ISLAND INFO 0.122 0.123 0.121 0.121 180,630
ISM COMM 3.14 3.15 3.06 3.13 11,259,780
JACKSTONES 3.64 3.65 3.51 3.65 50,250
NOW CORP 8.16 8.25 8.15 8.16 9,941,433
TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.7 0.71 0.66 0.66 51,622,550
PHILWEB 5.07 5.1 5.01 5.09 2,751,369
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
2GO GROUP 13.72 14 13.6 13.6 198,888
ASIAN TERMINALS 13.5 13.58 13.5 13.58 2,672,678
CEBU AIR 73.15 74.6 73.15 74.35 16,525,723
CHELSEA 6.21 6.27 6.2 6.2 7,673,435
INTL CONTAINER 94 95.9 93.6 94.7 169,413,116
LBC EXPRESS 15 15 15 15 93,000
LORENZO SHIPPNG 1.02 1.04 1.02 1.03 293,470
MACROASIA 20 20 19.94 19.96 2,309,776
METROALLIANCE A 2.07 2.1 1.97 2.06 594,220
METROALLIANCE B 1.96 2.09 1.96 2.07 28,230
PAL HLDG 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 18,270
HARBOR STAR 4.05 4.12 4.03 4.04 3,122,780
HOTEL & LEISURE
BOULEVARD HLDG 0.064 0.064 0.062 0.062 1,395,960
DISCOVERY WORLD 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 6,750
WATERFRONT 0.81 0.81 0.78 0.79 2,820,310
EDUCATION
STI HLDG 0.85 0.88 0.85 0.86 4,152,660
CASINOS & GAMING
BERJAYA 3 3.26 3 3.13 36,658,660
BLOOMBERRY 9.02 9.26 9.02 9.26 64,350,059
PACIFIC ONLINE 10.6 10.7 10.6 10.7 37,240
LEISURE AND RES 4.03 4.06 3.96 4 2,042,820
MANILA JOCKEY 5.34 5.5 5.09 5.3 451,282
MELCO RESORTS 6.56 6.88 6.48 6.82 7,916,636
PREMIUM LEISURE 0.88 0.88 0.86 0.87 1,301,750
TRAVELLERS 5.09 5.19 5.06 5.15 22,302,187
RETAIL
METRO RETAIL 2.93 2.95 2.86 2.89 1,277,610
PUREGOLD 46 46.05 45.6 45.95 36,913,475
ROBINSONS RTL 79 79.85 77.9 77.95 119,326,136
PHIL SEVEN CORP 113.5 113.5 106 109.5 26,559,500
SSI GROUP 2.14 2.2 2.13 2.18 3,309,530
WILCON DEPOT 11.6 11.66 11.58 11.6 14,039,594
OTHER SERVICES
APC GROUP 0.53 0.55 0.5 0.5 20,668,080
EASYCALL 25.7 25.7 24.9 25 1,125,295
GOLDEN BRIA 315 320 307.2 314 559,750
IPM HLDG 7.83 7.83 7.8 7.8 156,300
PRMIERE HORIZON 0.455 0.52 0.41 0.415 33,165,650
SBS PHIL CORP 8.15 8.28 8.13 8.28 202,699
MINING & OIL
MINING
ATOK 20.5 20.5 20 20.45 462,950
APEX MINING 1.58 1.6 1.58 1.6 2,161,010
ABRA MINING 0.0028 0.0028 0.0027 0.0027 273,100
ATLAS MINING 3.53 3.54 3.49 3.49 533,130
BENGUET A 1.42 1.42 1.41 1.41 18,390
BENGUET B 1.46 1.46 1.45 1.45 15,960
COAL ASIA HLDG 0.305 0.305 0.305 0.305 6,100
CENTURY PEAK 2 2 1.96 1.96 737,040
DIZON MINES 7.29 7.4 7.29 7.3 42,097
FERRONICKEL 1.99 2 1.97 1.97 3,584,260
GEOGRACE 0.212 0.214 0.212 0.212 34,100
LEPANTO A 0.13 0.13 0.121 0.122 530,450
LEPANTO B 0.126 0.128 0.122 0.122 190,370
MANILA MINING A 0.0089 0.0089 0.0084 0.0085 153,100
MANILA MINING B 0.0085 0.0086 0.0085 0.0086 110,700
MARCVENTURES 1.44 1.44 1.42 1.44 428,140
NIHAO 1.16 1.2 1.16 1.17 353,210
NICKEL ASIA 5.51 5.64 5.45 5.45 17,049,581
OMICO CORP 0.56 0.58 0.56 0.58 123,480
ORNTL PENINSULA 1.18 1.28 1.14 1.17 9,107,720
PX MINING 4.15 4.17 4.1 4.13 4,247,540
SEMIRARA MINING 28.9 29.35 28.7 29.1 120,848,315
UNITED PARAGON 0.01 0.01 0.009 0.0093 3,398,040
OIL
ORNTL PETROL A 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.012 355,500
PHILODRILL 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 110,400
PHINMA PETRO 3.6 3.7 3.56 3.7 731,370
PXP ENERGY 15.82 16.26 15.8 16 26,459,778
PREFERRED
AC PREF B1 501 504 501 504 1,986,140
AC PREF B2 502 502 502 502 1,004,000
DD PREF 101 101 100.1 101 4,809,966
SMC FB PREF 2 999 1,000 999 1,000 1,004,700
FGEN PREF G 101.2 101.2 100.4 100.4 44,336
GLO PREF P 500 500 500 500 555,000
GTCAP PREF A 970 970 970 970 494,700
LR PREF 1.04 1.04 1.03 1.03 10,320
MWIDE PREF 100.3 100.3 95.1 98.1 3,189,589
PNX PREF 3A 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.5 1,634,785
PCOR PREF 2A 1,011 1,011 1,011 1,011 1,516,500
PCOR PREF 2B 1,050 1,050 1,002 1,050 3,077,590
SMC PREF 2B 76.05 77.45 76.05 77.45 106,741
SMC PREF 2C 80.2 80.2 80.2 80.2 785,960
SMC PREF 2D 75.85 75.95 75 75.5 37,609,670.50
SMC PREF 2E 75.3 75.4 75.3 75.3 3,187,387
SMC PREF 2F 77 77 77 77 689,150
SMC PREF 2H 75.5 75.6 75.5 75.5 326,161
SMC PREF 2I 75.8 77 75.5 77 13,154,390
PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS
ABS HLDG PDR 24.2 24.8 24.2 24.35 41,830
GMA HLDG PDR 5.3 5.32 5.28 5.28 240,949
WARRANTS
LR WARRANT 2.46 2.53 2.38 2.48 1,085,390
SMALL, MEDIUM & EMERGING
ITALPINAS 5.39 5.54 5.23 5.46 10,423,242
MAKATI FINANCE 2.88 2.88 2.88 2.88 141,120
XURPAS 2.89 2.9 2.83 2.84 2,529,530
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS
FIRST METRO ETF 116 116.9 116 116.8 1,249,751

Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
WORLD 11
McCain’s 106-year-old mom to attend services
She once said her son
liked to hold her up as
an example of “what he
hopes his lifespan will
be.” But in the end, she
is mourning him instead
of the other way around
WASHINGTON — John McCain’s
rebellious streak didn’t come out
of nowhere. His mother, Roberta,
had a habit of speeding behind
the wheel and racking up tickets.
When told during a trip to Europe
that she was too old to rent a
car, she went out and bought a
Peugeot. Her son once answered
the telephone to hear his mother
say she was on a cross-country
driving trip — by herself, in her 90s.
Now 106, the wife of a Navy
admiral and mother of a Navy
captain lived a life full of travel
and adventure, punctuated by
her sass and determination.
She once said her son liked to
hold her up as an example of “what
he hopes his lifespan will be.”
But in the end, she is mourning
him instead of the other way around.
Though slowed by a stroke,
she is expected to attend
memorial and burial services in
Washington and Maryland later
this week for the middle son she
called “Johnny,” the Vietnam
prisoner of war, congressman,
senator and two-time presidential
candidate who died of brain
cancer on Saturday at age 81.
The senator said in one of
his books that “my mother was
raised to be a strong, determined
woman who thoroughly enjoyed
life, and always tried to make
the most of her opportunities.
She was encouraged to accept,
graciously and with good humor,
the responsibilities and sacrifices
her choices have required of her. I
am grateful to her for the strengths
she taught me by example.”
McCain’s father, too, had a
penchant for living large, with
the senator recalling that a
predilection for “quick tempers,
adventurous spirits and love
for the country’s uniform” was
encoded in his family DNA.
A native of Muskogee,
Oklahoma, Roberta Wright was
nearly 21 and a college student
in Southern California when she
eloped to Tijuana, Mexico, in
January 1933 with a young sailor
named John S. McCain Jr. He
would go on to become a Navy
admiral, like the father he shared
a name with and the couple would
have three children — Jean, John
and Joseph — within a decade.
China launches
platform against rumor
The platform allows the
public to quickly discover
and debunk rumors
floating around online
BEIJING — A national-level
platform to alert the public
about online rumors and refute
slander was launched in Beijing
Wednesday.
The platform is hosted by
the Internet Illegal Information
Reporting Center under the Office
of the Central Cyberspace Affairs
With her husband away on Navy
business most of the time, Roberta
McCain raised the kids. She didn’t
complain and loved Navy life. The
family lived in Hawaii, the Panama
Canal Zone — where the senator was
born in 1936 — Connecticut, Virginia
and many points in between.
“To me, the Navy epitomizes
everything that’s good in America,”
she told C-SPAN in 2008 during the
presidential contest John McCain
lost to Barack Obama.
John McCain followed his father
and grandfather’s footsteps into the
US Naval Academy in Annapolis,
Maryland, where he’ll be laid to
rest on Sunday. He became a fighter
pilot and joined the combat action
in Vietnam. He was on his 23rd
bombing run over North Vietnam
when he was shot out of the sky
and taken prisoner in October 1967.
She said that later learning her
son was alive and had become a
prisoner of war was “the best news
I ever had in my life.”
Roberta McCain missed
watching her son’s release from
Vietnam on television in 1973.
PUPILS eat candy floss in front of a school run by the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)
in Gaza City on 29 August 2018, on the first day of classes after the summer holidays. US President Donald Trump
cuts more than $200 million in aid for Gaza and the West Bank this month after earlier freezing of $300 million in
annual funding for the UNRWA.
AFP
MEXICO — More than 300
sea turtles from an endangered
species were found dead on
a beach in southern Mexico,
trapped in a banned type of
fishing net, environmental
authorities said.
In Mexico’s second mass
turtle death in as many weeks,
the Pacific Ridley turtles
(Lepidochelys olivacea) were
Commission and operated by
xinhuanet.com.
The platform operates under the
guidance of 27 units, such as the Party
School of the Central Committee of
the Communist Party of China,
and the National Development and
Reform Commission.
The platform allows the
public to quickly discover
and debunk rumors floating
around online, while at the
same time throwing light on
pseudoscientific theories.
So far, more than 40
rumor-refuting platforms have
been integrated into the national
one. Cutting-edge technology
is also utilized to improve
performance at tackling
online rumors. Xinhua
found floating just off the beach
of Puerto Escondido in the state
of Oaxaca, their shells forming a
bleak mini-island.
“They had drowned at sea
about eight days earlier, trapped
in banned 120-meter fishing nets
and six-inch nylon fishing line,”
said Mexico’s prosecution unit
for environmental crimes.
On 17 August, authorities
John McCain wrote in his
final book, published this
year, that his 106-year-old
mother’s “vivaciousness is
a force of nature.”
The settlement covers
over 150 women filmed by
Bernard “Barry” Freundel,
along with other women
who undressed where the
hidden camera was located
WASHINGTON — Victims of a
prominent Washington rabbi who
for years secretly videotaped women
as they used a ritual bath reached a
$14.25 million settlement with four
Jewish organizations, their lawyer
confirmed Wednesday.
The settlement covers over 150
women filmed by Bernard “Barry”
Freundel, along with other women
who undressed where the hidden
camera was located even if
they were not taped,
attorney Alexandra
Harwin told AFP
Wednesday.
Freundel was
sentenced to six and
a half years in prison
in 2015, after his
300 turtles found dead in Mexico
ELLEN Watterson reenacts an 1830s farm worker milking a cow named May in a barn at Old Sturbridge Village, in
Sturbridge, Massachusetts. The village is taking a deep look at the way it presents the past, including the roles of
minorities and women, in an effort to stay relevant to a 21st century audience.
AP
Someone telephoned and told
her to watch the TV, something
she said she did little of.
She later said she was
“ashamed” of her son for the
“terrible language” he used
toward the Vietnamese captors
who tortured him.
“I never would have
believed in this world he would
ever use language like that, but he
did,” Roberta McCain said in the
interview, which was conducted
at her Washington home.
Well into her 90s, she
became a fixture on John
McCain’s 2008 campaign,
connecting with audiences and
displaying some of the sass
and wit he appeared to
have inherited from her.
John McCain wrote
in his final book,
published this year, that
his 106-year-old mother’s
“vivaciousness is a force
of nature” but that
although a stroke has
slowed her once-brisk
pace and has made
speaking a “chore,” she
still has “a spark in her, a
brightness in her eyes that
would light up the world if she
could resume her peripatetic
life.” AP
IN THIS 13 May 2007, file photo, then-Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., talks to
reporters after appearing on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ with his mother, Roberta McCain, left, at the NBC studios
in Washington.
AP
Voyeur rabbi’s victims to get $14.25 million
said they had found 122 sea
turtles dead on a beach in the
neighboring state of Chiapas,
mostly from the same species.
In that case, some of the
turtles had wounds to the head
or shell.
Mexico banned the capture of
sea turtles in 1990, but there is
still a lucrative black market for
their eggs.
AFP
voyeurism went undetected for
years.
Rabbi at the Kesher Israel
synagogue in Washington’s upscale
Georgetown neighborhood, he
placed his secret camera near
the mikveh, a bath used to
achieve ritual purity
in Judaism.
A VENEZUELAN woman waits outside the Colombian migration office along the Rumichaca international bridge
before crossing from Ipiales in Colombia, to Tulcan in Ecuador, on 20 August 2018.
AFP
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump said Wednesday
that White House counsel Don McGahn will be
leaving his post, signaling more upheaval in the US
president’s legal team as the probe into Russia’s
election interference closes in on his inner circle.
McGahn, who has advised Trump on dealing
with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia
probe, also has been interviewed at length as a
cooperating witness by Mueller’s team.
He will be leaving his White House post “in the
fall,” Trump said via Twitter.
The 50-year-old lawyer is one of the few people
left in the White House who had a senior role in
Trump’s election campaign, where McGahn was
general counsel.
His replacement, according to media reports,
could be his current deputy White House counsel
ABU DHABI — Abu Dhabi
University, ADU, has launched a
happiness course as part of its
Public Health programme’s core
requirements across campuses
in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
Marking the first time that
such a curriculum is to be
offered at ADU, the Introduction
to Happiness and Positive
Psychology Course focuses on the
definition of happiness, positive
psychology, principles of positive
psychology and happiness, as
well as on positive psychology
strategies and the practical
application of happiness.
It will also cover the
core components of positive
psychology with an emphasis
on the optimistic side of human
nature and the most effective
ways for individuals to thrive and
achieve their potential.
Speaking at the launch,
Dr. Deena Elsori, Head of
Department of Applied Sciences
and Mathematics at ADU, said,
“The happiness course is a
fruitful outcome of several
rigorous workshops and training
The case has shocked the
city’s Jewish community, in
which Freundel was a highly
respected figure who taught at
several universities in the area.
The class action lawsuit
initially sought $100
million in damages,
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Case Law
By VICTOR C. AVECILLA
but the organizations’ insurance
policies “provided far less
coverage for the claims,” Harwin
explained.
AFP
White House lawyer leaving
As the president’s official legal advisor, McGahn
has served Trump well, advising on relations with
Congress and the Justice Department.
Emmet Flood, a Washington veteran who
represented president Bill Clinton when he faced
impeachment in the late 1990s.
Trump also maintains a team of private lawyers
led by former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani to deal
with his personal legal troubles.
Helped fill courts with conservatives
McGahn’s departure will come “shortly after the
confirmation (hopefully) of Judge Brett Kavanaugh
to the United States Supreme Court,” Trump said.
“I have worked with Don for a long time and
truly appreciate his service!” he added.
But despite that assertion, Trump made the
announcement on Twitter without first telling
McGahn, The New York Times reported, citing
people close to the president and the lawyer.
As the president’s official legal advisor, McGahn
has served Trump well, advising on relations with
Congress and the Justice Department as well as
dealing with Mueller.
AFP
Abu Dhabi opens happiness course
programmes for our faculty
members on the concept and
notion of happiness.”
Faculty members participating in
the training sessions examined ways
to develop individual happiness,
understand the fundamentals of
positive psychology and how to
transfer this learning into their roles
as educators.
WAM
Keuppers v. Murcia
A.M. No. MTJ-15-1860, April 3, 2018 / En Banc / Bersamin, J.
Remedial Law; Civil Procedure; Forum Shopping. —
There is forum shopping when a party files different
pleadings in different tribunals, despite having the same
identity or identities of parties, rights or causes of action,
and reliefs sought. Consistent with the principle of fair
play, parties are prohibited from seeking the same relief
in multiple forums in the hope of obtaining a favorable
judgment. The rule against forum shopping likewise
fulfills an administrative purpose as it prevents conflicting
decisions by different tribunals on the same issue.
(VOLUME I NUMBER 35)
==================================
"

NATION
12
Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
Villar: Empower local fishermen
We should not always think of importing. We should think of
empowering our small fisherfolks in the municipal water to
produce more
Sen. Cynthia Villar on Thursday
called on the administration, especially
the Department of Agriculture to launch
initiatives that would empower fisherfolks
instead of pushing fish importations
during closed fishing season.
In an interview at an event hosted by
the Bureau of Agricultural Research at
SM Mega Mall, Villar said empowering
the fisherfolks sector would enhance
the domestic fish production and
provide a long-term solution to the
country’s food security efforts.
“We should not always think of
importing. We should think of empowering
our small fisherfolks in the municipal
water to produce more,” the senator said.
She pointed out importation triggers
competition with the one-and-a-half million
local fishermen. The senator is proposing
resources for importing should be used
Customs ports that have been
concealed in magnetic lifters
which were found empty in Cavite.
This prompted President Rodrigo
Duterte to brand Aquino’s report as
“speculation” after the Bureau of
Customs (BoC) announced the four
magnetic lifters tested negative for
traces of shabu.
Aquino said the lifters
found in Cavite and in Manila
International Container Terminal
(MICT) have several similarities.
“Number one, because what
we seized and intercepted in
MICT. The only difference is the
MICT lifters contained shabu
while the lifters from Cavite
don’t have any. All the rest are
the same.” Aquino insisted.
“Secondly, our K9 responded
in every magnetic lifter twice
and we all know that K9 can
detect scents 10,000 times as
a human being. I know that
because I was once assigned in
a K9 unit during my junior days
and definitely we believe in our
K9,” he added.
In the past committee
hearing, Aquino explained that
drug-sniffing dogs respond to
presence of illegal drugs by
sitting. However, he also admitted
that fatigues also play a factor
and sometimes a dog would
sit down due to tiredness
even without the presence of
illegal drugs.
The committee also grilled
the BoC over alleged
inconsistencies of their
statements on the
X-Ray images submitted
before the committee.
BoC head of XRAY
Inspection Project
Atty. Zsae Carrie de
Guzman told the panel
there were “unofficial”
X-ray images being
circulated and sent
to media and the
politicians.
Hananeel Bordey
WE ARE HIRING!
Looking for highly motivated and result-oriented
individuals for the following posts:
Reporters/ Writers
Deskmen
News Monitoring Staff
Accounting Clerk
instead to support local production.
At the same time, Villar expressed
her disagreement over the proposal of
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol’s
to extend the 15-kilometer limit for small
fisherfolks for higher fish yields.
To recall, the DA suggested in June
to allow commercial boats to operate
in municipal waters to improve fishing
yields. Piñol cited the declining fish
production in the 15-kilometer fishing
limit that prevents commercial fishing
boats to operate closer to shore.
Meanwhile, the agriculture chief has
defended the government’s decision to
import galunggong to augment supplies
and temper inflationary pressure on fish
prices, insisting that galunggongs do not
have nationality.
“We have been importing and
this idea of Chinese galunggong,
PDEA chief insists on
P6.8B shabu ‘hunch’
Dismissing the more scientific
swab test, Philippine Drug
Enforcement Ageancy (PDEA)
Chief Aaron Aquino insisted there
is shabu inside the four magnetic
lifters found in a warehouse in
General Mariano Alvarez (GMA),
Cavite, describing the swab test
as “inaccurate.”
Drug-sniffing dogs respond
to presence of illegal drugs
by sitting.
Appearing at the House
Committee on Dangerous Drugs
motu proprio investigation into
the latest alleged shabu smuggling
incidents in the country, Aquino
dismissed the findings of the
swab test conducted by PDEA
and the Philippine National
Police on intercepted lifters in
Cavite on 8 August which tested
negative for traces of the illegal
substance.
“I just tell the truth, precisely
the truth... I found them positive
even without corpus delicti (body
of crime/concrete evidence)
it contained drugs,” he told
members of the committee.
The PDEA official was basing
his statement after similar
magnetic lifters were found to
contain some P2.4 billion worth
of shabu at the Manila Port on
7 August.
In his previous
testimony,
Aquino
speculated
that nearly a
ton of shabu
from Taiwan
slipped out
of the
Fatigues also play a factor
and sometimes a dog would
sit down due to tiredness
even without the presence
of illegal drugs.
Applicants may bring or email their resumé to the Daily Tribune
office at 3450 Concept Bldg., Florida St., Makati City.
dailytribune@tribune.net.ph / 8337085
By Alvin Murcia
Taiwanese galunggong, Vietnamese
galunggong – galunggongs don’t have
nationality,” he said. “The galunggong
from China doesn’t have chinky eyes.
That’s the same galunggongs swimming
in the waters that we share with these
countries, they were just the ones who
caught them. What’s the problem there?”
The senator is proposing
resources for importing should
be used instead to support local
production.
Indeed, he disclosed the country
imported 130,000 metric tons of fish in
2017 and “nobody complained.” This
year, some three billion fingerlings
from Indonesia will be imported.
Also on Thursday, Malacañang
dismissed calls for Piñol’s
resignation, saying President
Rodrigo Duterte still trusts
Criminal charges were filed
against former and current
officials of the Department of
Health (DoH) in relation to the
deaths of school children injected
with the controversial Dengvaxia
anti-dengue vaccine before the
Department of Justice (DoJ).
Named respondents by the
Public Attorney’s Office (PAO)
are former Health Secretary
Janette Garin, current Health
Secretary Francisco Duque III,
other health officials, as well
as officials and personnel of
vaccine manufacturer, Sanofi
Pasteur and its distributor,
Zuellig Pharma.
Charges of reckless
imprudence resulting in multiple
homicide, torture and violations
of the Consumer Protection
Act (Republic Act 7394),
particularly ‘defective product’
and ‘mislabeled product,’ were
filed over the deaths of Christine
Mae de Guzman, a resident
of Bataan;
More charges vs Garin, et al.
At the time the program was stopped, over 800,000
schoolchildren already received the vaccine
He said, he said. Philippine Drug Enforcement Ageancy Chief Aaron Aquino insisted there is shabu inside the
four magnetic lifters intercepted in Cavite but Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapena said scientific swabbing method
proves Aquino wrong.
DEXTER GATOC
Foreign Affairs Secretary
Alan Peter Cayetano expressed
optimism the US would return
the “Bells of Balangiga” – three
church bells taken by US army
in Balangiga town in Samar as
war trophies following a 1901
massacre during the Philippine-
American war – this year.
“We ‘re now in coordination
with the US Embassy and US
officials, of course we’re very
grateful and want them to be
delivered as soon as possible,”
Cayetano said.
He added the US Embassy
in the Philippines announced
that US secretary of defense has
informed their Congress on his
intent to return the historical
bells to the Philippines.
“So there’s the next 90 days by
Clarissa Alcantara of Baler,
Aurora and Erico M. Leabre of
Nueva Ecija.
Also included in the charge
sheet were: Vicente Belizario Jr.,
Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Gerardo
Bayugo, Lyndon Lee Suy, Irma
Asuncion, Julius Lecciones,
Joyce Ducusin, Rosalind Vianzon,
Maria Lourdes Santiago and
Melody Zamudio of the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA),
and Socorro Lupisan and Maria
Rosario Capeding of the Research
Institute for Tropical Medicine
(RITM); corporate directors
and officers of Sanofi: Carlito
Realuyo, Sanislas Camart, Jean
Louis Grunwald, Jean-Francois
Vacherand, Conchita Santos, Jazel
Anne Calvo, Pearl Grace Cabali,
and Marie Esther De Antoni; and
Zuellig’s Kasigod Jamias, Michael
Becker, Ricardo Romulo, Imran
Babar Chugtai, Raymund Azurin,
Nilo Badiola, John Stokes Davison,
Marc Franck, Ashley Gerard
Antonio, Ana Liza Peralta, Rosa
Maria Chua, Danilo Cahoy, Manuel
Concio III, Roland Goco and Ma.
Visitacion Barreiro.
The complaints were the 13th
to the 5th filed by the PAO, led
Kuhlin Ceslie Gacula
The Department of
Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR)
said it would designate
additional mineral
reservation areas
across the country to
provide equitable access
to mineral resources
and generate additional
non-tax revenues for the
government.
Undersecretary for Mining
Analiza Rebuelta-Teh said the
DENR-Mines and Geosciences
Bureau (MGB) is in the process
of identifying “mineralized
areas and high mineral potential
areas, including all existing
by its chief, Atty. Persida Acosta,
over the controversial P3.5-
billion school-based government
immunization program.
The vaccine was administered
during the incumbency of former
President Benigno S. Aquino
III, with the program halted
by the Duterte administration
following Sanofi’s admission
the vaccine should only be
given to those who have already
contracted dengue because
the illness might worsen in
recipients who have no history
of the disease.
At the time the program
was stopped, over 800,000
schoolchildren already received
the vaccine.
The forensic team of PAO
led by Dr. Erwin Erfe, noted a
‘common pattern’ among the
alleged victims: the children had
no history of dengue infection,
the children received one, two
or three doses of Dengvaxia
vaccine; the children became
sick after vaccination (fever,
rash, epistaxis, headache,
stomach ache, body weakness,
slurring of speech, etc.); the
operating mines,” for declaration
as mineral reservations.
Teh said certain sites had
undergone the process prescribed
by law and are ready for
endorsement to President Rodrigo
Roa Duterte for declaration as
mineral reservations, pursuant
to Republic Act 7942 or the
Philippine Mining Act.
“The law provides that when
the national interest so requires,
such as when there is a need to
preserve strategic raw materials
for industries critical to national
development, or certain minerals
for scientific, cultural or ecological
value, the President may establish
mineral reservations upon the
recommendation of the MGB
Director through the DENR
child died as early as 11 days
and up to eight months after
vaccination of the last dose
of Dengvaxia and forensic
examination of the body showed
enlargement of organs and
extensive bleeding in various
organs.
The executives of the Francebased
Sanofi Pasteur urged
the DoJ anew to grant them
additional time to submit
their counter-affidavits during
Thursday’s continuation of
the preliminary investigation
hearing into the earlier filed
12 cases.
Senior Assistant State
Prosecutor Ma. Emilia Victorio
granted the plea and gave them
up to 14 September to submit
their counter-affidavits.
The panel also allowed the
Sanofi executives to subscribe
to their sworn statements before
the Philippine Consular Office
in France or elsewhere they
may be.
A separate criminal complaint
for criminal negligence and
reckless imprudence, technical
malversation, causing undue
injuries, and violations of
the Procurement Law still in
connection with the Dengvaxia
controversy is also pending at
the DoJ.
New mineral areas
eyed for revenue bumps
Balangiga bells home this year?
the time that they announced but
there are still some procedural
matters but we are hoping that
everything will go well,” he
added.
The Balangiga bells were
taken by US soldiers and
displayed in separate US military
detachments. One was sent
to the 9th Infantry Regiment
at Camp Red Cloud base
in South Korea while
two others are on a
former base of the 11th
Infantry Regiment at F. E.
Warren Air Force Base in
Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Cayetano said the bells
have strong sentimental
values for the Filipino
people.
“They have great value
the agriculture chief.
Presidential spokesman Harry
Roque said Piñol continues to enjoy
the President’s trust
and confidence. Kuhlin
Ceslie Gacula
OVER DENGVAXIA DEATHS
A ‘common pattern’ among
the alleged victims: the
children had no history of
dengue infection.
to our people, to our history, not
only to the people of the towns
that these bells are significant but
also to the whole country,” he said.
Last week, President
A man repairs
a boat engine
used in fishing
off Manila Bay.
ALFONSO PADILLA
Secretary,” Teh pointed out.
Teh issued the statement
following news reports about
Audit Observation Memorandum
(AOM) issued by the Commission
on Audit (COA) Regional Office
XIII on the alleged failure of
the DENR to collect almost P2.6
billion in royalty fees from five
mining companies in the Caraga
region.
The AOM stated that royalties
should have been imposed against
the mining companies since they
extract mineral resources that are
owned by the government.
However, Teh clarified that
the present mining law requires
payment of royalty fees only
in areas declared as mineral
reservations.
Rodrigo Duterte turned down
the offer from US to supply new
military equipment and instead,
demanded the return of the
Philippine bells.
HB
Plaridel’s 168th birthday. The Association of Philippine Journalists – Samahang
Plaridel celebrated the 168th birth anniversary of Marcelo H. del Pilar last 27 August
2018 – National Heroes Day – with a special program at Manila Hotel.

John Henry Dodson, Editor
Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
Kerwin wants gun raps dropped
METRO
13
Atty. Jesus Oberejo, defense lead
counsel, claimed the grant of the
demurrer will virtually guarantee
Espinosa’s acquittal
By Pat C. Santos
Self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa
on Thursday asked a Manila court to dismiss
charges against him for illegal possession of
firearms and explosives, citing insufficiency
of evidence.
The charges stemmed from a raid on
Espinosa’s residence in Sitio Tinago, Binolho
Village in Albuera, Leyte in 2016 where
authorities seized illegal drugs allegedly
worth P1.9 million and assorted firearms.
Espinosa filed a motion asking Judge
Marivic Balisi-Umali at Manila Regional Trial
By Nelson S. Badilla
He’s the one that got away.
While many drug personalities
continue to fall into the hands of
authorities, an alleged long-time
pusher narrowly escaped from
the police dragnet in Makati City
Wednesday night.
Police reports said a certain
Jay Delfin and his partner
Johna Viene Magaro agreed
to sell shabu worth P500 to a
poseur-buyer during a buy-bust
operation around 8:30 p.m.
along Molave Street in Barangay
Cembo, Makati City.
But after receiving P500 as
payment for shabu, Delfin sensed
something was amiss, drew his
gun and fired at the undercover
operative. He missed.
Before the plainclothes
operative managed
to retaliate, Delfin
scampered to
a nearby
alley.
Court (RTC) Branch 20 to permit him to file
demurrer of evidence.
He argued the prosecution failed to
present any explosives or firearms to support
the accusations against him.
After the prosecution rests its case the
accused may opt to file a demurrer to
evidence to seek dismissal of the charges
on the ground of insufficiency of evidence
against him.
The court gave the prosecution five days
to file its comment.
Atty. Jesus Oberejo, defense lead counsel,
claimed the grant of the demurrer will
virtually guarantee Espinosa’s acquittal.
Following the prosecution’s failure to
present evidence at yesterday’s hearing, the
court moved the trial of Espinosa’s cases to
27 September, 11 and 18 October.
Earlier, the Manila court had dismissed the
Veteran ‘pusher’ eludes arrest
Delfin, who is identified as an
“old player” in drug trafficking
in the city, was the principal
target of the operation.
The police gave chase but
failed to catch the suspect.
Police officers said Delfin,
who is identified as an “old
player” in drug trafficking in the
city, was the principal target of
the operation.
If it’s any consolation to the
police they were able to get
Magaro, 24, who is allegedly
Delfin’s accomplice.
The police seized one sachet
of shabu and one Samsung
cellular phone from Magaro.
Magaro and Delfin were
charged with violation of the
Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs
Act of 2002. A complaint for
attempted homicide was also
filed against Delfin.
Meanwhile, the Makati police
collared a 21-year-old Filipino
of Pakistani descent around
11:30 p.m. Wednesday during an
anti-drug operation along 23rd
Avenue in Barangay East Rembo.
The police identified the
suspect as Mohammad Sajid, 21.
Authorities confiscated from
him four sachets containing
shabu, one cellular phone
and the P200 buy-bust
money.
Sajid was
also charged
for violation
of the anti-drug
law.
cases for possession of dangerous drugs,
illegal drug trading and illegal possession
of firearms and explosives against Kerwin’s
father and co-accused, Albuera, Leyte Mayor
Rolando Espinosa Sr., after he died during
a police operation at a Leyte jail in
November 2016.
Last Tuesday, Kerwin and
former associate Marcelo
Adorco entered a “not
guilty” plea on conspiracy to
commit drug trading charges
filed separately before the
Makati City RTC.
Their co-accused, Peter
Go Lim, is still at-large.
Justice Secretary Menardo
Guevarra said immigration
records indicate Lim is still
in the country.
Court appointment Controversial inmate Kerwin Espinosa seems unfazed on the way to
a Makati court to face trial for gun possession, one of the many criminal cases he is currently
facing in addition to drug-related charges.
ALFONSO PADILLA
Smell of Service Garbage collectors are essential in keeping our houses
and surroundings clean. Unless they come regularly, we will have to bear
with the stink of our trash.
YUMMIE DINGDING
MMDA to clear
Mabuhay Lanes
For the clearing operations,
Garcia said MMDA will
field over 1,000 traffic
enforcers
The Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority (MMDA)
will start clearing today the
so-called Mabuhay Lanes of
illegally-parked vehicles.
MMDA General Manager
Jojo Garcia yesterday said
the clearing operations will
be conducted from 6 a.m. to 9
p.m. on all 17 listed Mabuhay
Lanes or alternate routes
connected to EDSA.
“Motorists who do not have
parking space have long been
using major thoroughfares
and the Mabuhay Lanes as
their own parking area. This
practice has to stop,” Garcia
said.
He warned that violators
may be fined P200 for
violating the illegal parking
rule, P150 for disregarding
traffic signs and P150 for
obstruction.
“Traffic enforcers are
instructed to issue citation
ticket to vehicle owners. For
unattended vehicles, tickets
will be attached to their
windshields,” Garcia said.
Metro Manila mayors
earlier agreed to increase
the fine for illegal parking
from P200 to P1,000 and
from P3,000 to P2,000 for
unattended illegally parked
cars on top of towing fees.
However, MMDA said
public consultations are
necessary before the new
fines for illegal parking can
be implemented.
For the clearing operations,
Garcia said MMDA will field
over 1,000 traffic enforcers to
different Mabuhay Lanes to
ensure enough manpower is
available to address “hard-headed
vehicle owners.”
However, he said MMDA
will not use tow trucks in
clearing Mabuhay Lanes.
Instead, they will be used on
inner roads upon the request
of local government units in
Metro Manila.
MMDA earlier said it is
mulling to do away with
towing services amid growing
complaints of abuse. EWB

14
SPOTLIGHT
All hail the King
Excerpts from the opera ‘Why
Flowers Bloom in May’ is a
testament that Kasilag’s music
speaks to everyone
By Ditas P. Bermudez, Contributor
Lucresia Kasilag would have
turned 100 today, 31 August.
The celebration officially
kicked off with Sandaang
Kasilag: Celebrating the King
inaugural concert on 18 August
at the Tanghalang Aurelio
Tolentino of the Cultural Center
of the Philippines, where she
worked for 17 years
in varying capacity
from artistic director
to president.
The concert,
mounted by the
Philippine Women’s
University (PWU)
School of Music,
featured a wealth of
solo and ensemble
works of the National
Artist performed
by members of the
faculty and some
groups from the
university that prides
itself for having had
Kasilag as Dean of
its College of Music
and Fine Arts from
NEA Crossword Puzzle
© 2018 UFS, Dist. by Andrews McMeel Syndication for UFS
ACROSS
1 “— many
cooks spil the
broth”
4 Audit ace
7 Magna —
laude
10 Connections
11 Radius
‘Kasilag’s life and work give strong evidence of her
sound legacy from her Malayan ancestors—respect,
freedom and equality. There was neither seclusion nor
oppression of the Filipino woman in her growth and
development…Kasilag is driven by her dream that
music be the vehicle to assist mankind in achieving
reconciliation of cultural differences. Kasilag’s
contribution to the fulfillment of that dream is seen in
her efforts to combine Western and Oriental influences
in her compositions.’ —Dr. Angelica Franquelli,
‘Lucrecia R. Kasilag: The Western and Oriental
Influences In Her Compositions,’ 1979 Doctoral
Dissertation, Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins
University.
companion
13 Furry red muppet
14 — -de-sac
15 Assign stars to
16 Shaquille O’ —
17 Importune
19 Place for posies
20 “The Gold Bug”
author
1953 to 1977 and where she remained
as Dean Emeritus. Tita King, as
she is affectionately called, would
have been proud to see her works
interpreted by instrumentalists and
vocalists whose talents were honed
in the school whose music program
she has helped shape.
Perhaps the most poignant
part of the inaugural concert
was soprano Fides Cuyugan-
Asensio’s reminiscence of her
long-lasting working relationship
and friendship with Kasilag. In a
speech dubbed “The King and I,”
Asensio let the audience in on how
as a 16-year old who had then just
won a declamation contest she met
Kasilag, who asked if
she wanted to take
lessons with a wellknown
voice teacher.
“I don’t think anyone
here at the concert
has known Tita King
21 High times?
23 Knocks firmly
26 Like birds’ eyes
28 Quizzical sounds
29 Coal scuttle
30 Asimov of sci-fi
34 Laissez- —
36 Mother or Sister
38 Sandy’s reply
longer than I have,”
she declared, adding,
“after all, I am 89
years old.” Asensio’s
narrative of how she
became “Tita King’s
‘guinea pig’ for some
of her works, and that
there were times I’ve
had to complain that
the notes she was
asking me to sing
were too high even
for a coloratura.”
Asensio delivered
ONE of the concert’s highlights was soprano Fides Cuyugan-Asensio whose performance was reminiscent
of her long-lasting working relationship and friendship with Kasilag.
YUMMIE DINGDING
39 Gill or lung
41 Silvers of
Collins
42 Pandemonium
44 Nautilus locale
46 Wheels for
Nanny
47 Found seats
51 Bum around
52 Seine
moorages
53 Spider’s
creation
55 Felt grateful
56 Bend an ear
57 Yale grad
58 Rx givers
59 Layers
60 Barbecue bit
Down
1 Twitch
2 Unwelcome
obligation
3 Fjord setting
4 Bric-a-brac
5 Phony pill
6 Opposed
7 Not dirty
8 Amherst sch.
FACULTY and students pride themselves in having Lucresia
Kasilag as their dean.
YUMMIE DINGDING
a shorter version of the speech at the Concert
at the Park’s “Alay kay Tita King” on 26 August
at the Rizal Park’s Open-Air Auditorium that
showcased another set of musicians. That
university students and professors as well as
the so-called culturati sat side by side ambulant
vendors, street children and Luneta habitués
wearing shirts, shorts and flip-flops and
enjoyed “Fantasia on a Kulintang Tune” played
masterfully by young pianist Vincent Saavedra,
as well as “April Morning,” a composition
specially made for spoken word and some
excerpts from the opera Why Flowers Bloom
in May, is a testament that Kasilag’s music
speaks to everyone.
Tita King, as she is affectionately
called, would have been proud to see her
works interpreted by instrumentalists
and vocalists.
And yet, as pianist Jonathan Arevalo Coo
said at the Pagpugay lecture-concert presented
by the University of the Philippines College of
Music with the support of the Asian Composers
League Philippines, Inc. held on 29 August, Tita
King’s music isn’t heard enough. “Too many
articles have been written about Dr. Kasilag.
Tita King should be remembered through her
music.”
He challenged: “Our Filipino 20 th century
compositions deserve to be heard not only
once but in perpetuity. How does one become
a classic like Mozart, Bach or Beethoven? Give
her music to the public and let the Filipino
musician be responsible in performing her
works. A Cecile Licad concert should not
just be about promoting American works but
rather play Lucrecia Kasilag in every concert!”
“Sangdaang Kasilag: Celebrating
the King” is a year-round tribute that,
according to the PWU School of Music,
“will highlight Tita King as a composer, arts
administrator and music icon whose works
and achievements broke new grounds.”
The tribute includes concerts, workshops,
exhibits and conferences in different venues
from August 2018 to August 2019.
The National Commission for Culture and
the Arts joins the celebration of the birth
centenary of Kasilag, one of the pillars of the
NAMCYA, by including some of Tita King’s
compositions as contest pieces for the 2018
competitions in piano, voice and violin.
9 Burrowing
animal
12 Insurance giant
13 Diplomats
18 DJ’s platters
22 Valhalla host
23 TKO official
24 Detective’s cry
25 Air-pump meas.
27 Ms. Ferber
29 Hoagy
31 Long sigh
32 “Exodus” hero
33 Grey Cup org.
SUDOKU
35 Gadded about
37 Husk peanuts
40 NASA outfit
(hyph.)
41 — excellence
42 Throng
43 Wealthy folk
45 Bother-some
46 School event
48 Cuff
49 Washstand
item
50 Lox purveyor
54 Overalls front
Answer to previous puzzle
by Ramon Lorenzo
Write a numeral from 1 to 9 in each box so that each
appears only once in each row, column and 3 x 3 box.
Answer for yesterday’s puzzle
Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Covey
(Lana Condor) is an introvert.
A romantic sucker, she spends
her free time reading novels
and swooning in her fantasies of
love and romance, including an
imaginary forbidden kiss in the
fields. Also, watching John Hughes’
Sixteen Candles.
And Lara Jean has never had
a boyfriend. She has not even
experienced a date in her young life.
She is only capable of loving from
afar, always keeping her affections
to herself.
So Lara Jean, for the longest
Dinah S. Ventura, Editor
Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
REVIEW | ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’
Deliciously
realistic rom-com
FILM CHECK
Stephanie Mayo
time, has a huge crush on her older sister’s boyfriend, Josh (Israel
Broussard). And apart from boy-next-door (and off-limits) Josh, there are
four other boys that Lara Jean has loved in her lifetime, which includes
popular lacrosse player and “King of Cafeteria,” Peter Kravinsky (Noah
Centineo).
And to deal with her intense crush for these boys, Lara Jean had
written each of them a love letter -- complete with a mailing address.
No, Lara Jean never mailed the letters. They’re more like diaries. A
journal. Merely an outlet for her overflowing feelings which are kept in
a box given to her by her late mother.
One day, these highly detailed and sickeningly saccharine love letters
have mysteriously found their way to their recipients. All five love letters.
For all five boys she has ever loved before. Talk about a real nightmare.
THE author’s Asian-American background inspired the Song girls,
Kitty, Margot and Lara Jean.
From the five sent letters, it is popular heartthrob Peter that
“positively” responds. After receiving the love letter, he proposes a
deal with Lara Jean that she become his fake girlfriend and make his
ex Gen (Emilija Baranac) jealous. Lara Jean accepts in the condition
that Peter keeps her embarrassing love letters a secret and to save her
face from current crush Josh.
Netflix original film To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (TATBILB),
based on Jenny Han’s bestselling young adult (YA) novel of the same
name, has been the object of social media hype these days.
People all over the world are falling in love with Lara Jean and
Peter. And Peter Kavinsky now rivals William Darcy, Edward Cullen and
Heathcliff as the most popular fictional romantic hero.
A high school rom-com is almost a lost art that global streaming
giant Netflix seems to be reviving lately. After the appallingly sexist The
Kissing Booth, the video-streaming giant redeems itself with TATBILB.
Susan Johnson directs a sweet, unpretentious rom-com from the
adapted screenplay by Sofia Alvarez. What makes the film outshine
most recent YA movies is the realistic, more relatable portrayal of high
school kids.
ALTHOUGH it’s a make-believe act, Peter Kavinsky still developed a
close relationship with Lara Jean’s youngest sister Kitty.
The kids here speak and act their age, and it steers clear of the
genre’s typical portrait of a modern teenage world. Here is a movie
refreshingly devoid of wild ruffians, cuss words, toilet humor, rude
behavior, hedonistic parties and blatant sex -- in short, what Hollywood
finds “cool.”
TATBILB is the delicious opposite. The kids are actually normal here,
generally amiable and, well, authentic human beings in a modest high
school. There’s the usual mean girl, Gen, but she’s not fantastically evil;
the heartthrob Peter and the gay friend, Greg (Andrew Bachelor). There’s
none of the melodramatic and ostentatious stereotypes that warp our
view of teenagers. Kids here are actually nice to their parents and are
genuinely close to their siblings.
The film focuses instead on a young woman’s first love. Johnson
brings out the nuances of Lara Jean’s walled-off personality, her naiveté
and her endearing insecurity, without begging viewers to embrace her.
The female protagonist is also not desperate to win the hearts of
introverts; no cutesy antics here. She’s a closed-off human being who
unfortunately experiences the tragedy of inadvertently confessing her
innermost feelings to her crushes, and we instantly experience an
emotional connection with her. We don’t feel sorry for her, but we are
hopeful that these sent letters will change the life of our little wallflower.
Peter Kavinsky now rivals William Darcy, Edward Cullen
and Heathcliff as the most popular fictional romantic hero.
Vietnamese-American actress Lana Condor, who debuted in X-Men:
Apocalypse, brings soul to the Korean-American Lara Jean. Viewers will
immediately like her: her shyness, her fear of getting hurt, her stash of
romance novels and cluttered room and her yearning for a mother who
had died before her teens.
We also like her motherless family. The gynecologist Caucasian dad
(John Corbett), who tries to continue the Korean culinary traditions
of his late wife, and the youngest sister, Kitty (Anna Cathcart), who
is overly concerned by Lara Jean’s lack of social life and love life. And
there’s the eldest sister, Margot, played with maturity by Janel Parrish.
Now let’s focus on Peter Kavinsky, the current object of infatuation
on social media. Centineo knows how to throw “the look,” giving his
character the classic swoon-worthy crushable vibe. But you mostly
give credit to the writing and directing of the character, giving us a
conflicted love interest who thrillingly projects mixed signals to the
female protagonist. Does he secretly like Lara Jean? Is it possible that
he has developed real feelings for Lara Jean? If yes, is he crushing on
her right now?
Although the premise is nothing new, and the narrative is predictable,
TATBILB is that rare rom-com that is comfortable in its own charms
and its restrained but funny humor. It’s also a delicate poke to those
who fear expressing themselves in person.
With a wonderful and talented main cast and Johnson’s confident
direction, you’ll likely be streaming this little gem of a movie for the
second time. And maybe a third.
3.5 out of 5 stars

Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
LIFESTYLE
15
Go for the glow
We believe everyone should be able to experience
high-quality skin aesthetic services without feeling like
they’ve broken the bank
By Gilbert Kim Sancha, Contributor
To help Filipinos understand that self-care is not a luxury but a
necessity, Glow Skin Clinic, which recently opened at the Bonifacio
Global City, makes a wide array of treatments available at reasonable
rates. Worry not about quality – it assures patrons of only top of the line
equipment handled by expertly trained staff.
There used to be a large gap between luxury aesthetic clinics and
low-end skin clinics. On one end, one session that made you feel
good came at the cost of breaking the bank. On the other end, you
had to channel through the pain and doubt of a cheap facial. Glow
was conceived to bridge that gap and to show people that caring for
yourself doesn’t have to be difficult. Instead of compromise, self-care
should be both relaxing and liberating.
“We believe everyone should be able to experience high-quality skin
aesthetic services without feeling like they’ve broken the bank. Glow
Skin Clinic was conceived because we want Filipinos to embrace that
skin-care and self-love are not vain luxuries, but celebrations of their
natural glow from within. Our treatments have been conceptualized with
an understanding of what people need, and would definitely give them the
lift they need,” shared Sparkle and Glow president Camille Dizon Padilla.
The launch on 9 August was graced by Benefit Cosmetics San Francisco,
the number one brow brand
worldwide. Guests were
treated to brow grooming services
and exclusive makeup
looks for the event. Glow-Up
rooms instantly bring
a sense of lightness, with their
cheerful, pastel-colored design.
One may relax with the Essential
Facial, the foundation for clearer
and glowing skin, or the Signature
Facial, an eight-step facial that
cleans deeper and brings out a
youthful, dewy glow. These two
treatments fall under the Clarifying
category.
For dull skin, one Brightening
solution is the Glow-Up Laser
Light Facial, the clinic’s signature
ENDORSERS Daniel Matsunaga and Madi Ross (second and third from left) with Glow Skin Clinic’s business
development manager Chieng Mai Medina (left) and president Camille Dizon-Padilla (right).
laser facial that uses the world-class Fotona Starwalker laser machine,
which delivers an instant youthful glow.
The Jet Light Facial is a water dermabrasion and LED light treatment
that uses pressurized oxygen to rejuvenate dry skin and brighten dark
areas for a brighter, hydrated glow.
The Crystal Carbon Peel by Alma Q is a painless rejuvenating procedure
that combines an activated carbon peel with a versatile laser facial to
deeply exfoliate and resurface new, bright and beautiful skin.
For Moisturizing, one treatment is the HydraFacial Delight, which
bathes skin in intensive serums for a brighter and healthy-looking glow.
The Air Light Facial by BT Accent AIR is an oxygen-based facial that
plumps, nourishes and hydrates skin, as well as combats the signs of early
aging.
For Contouring, there is the Lift Off by Sygmalift, a
non-invasive procedure that instantly lifts, contours and
rejuvenates skin. Lift Off is the gold standard procedure to
achieve that youthful glow.
The Contour Facial by Pollogen Legend is a non-invasive
RF treatment that contours and slims the face, making skin
more svelte and elastic.
Among the Rejuvenating treatments, The Madonna
Glow by Oxylight is a premium facial that incorporates
six non-invasive beauty treatments into one, giving
you that celebrity glow that emanates from within.
The Clear + Brilliant Facial, meanwhile, is
a groundbreaking gentle laser technology that
greatly improves your skin’s tone and texture,
minimizes pores, giving it a young and healthy
glow even after just one session.
The Freshen Up Facial by OxyGeneO+ is a
3-in-1 super facial that instantly brings out
brighter skin and revives complexions for
a healthy, long-lasting glow even after one
session.
Customers can choose what glow treatment
best suits their needs after a consultation with
the clinic’s skin specialists.
Glow is located at the second floor of Uptown
Mall Tower 2, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
Fountain of youth in a gold mine
GLOW Skin Clinic was conceived to bridge the gap between luxury aesthetic centers and low-end
skin clinics.
Our treatments have been conceptualized with an understanding of
what people need and would definitely give them the lift they need.
GUESTS will instantly feel comfort upon entering the
clinic’s carefully designed rooms.
Robotic dog in new
action-adventure
Viva International Pictures and MVP
Entertainment proudly present A.X.L., a
fascinating action-adventure movie inspired by
the seven-minute short film titled “Miles,” also by
its director Oliver Daly.
A.X.L. is a top-secret, robotic dog with advanced
artificial intelligence created by the military. After an
experiment gone wrong, A.X.L. is discovered hiding
in the desert by Miles, a kindhearted outsider who
finds a way to connect with the robot. The two soon
develop a special friendship based on trust, loyalty
and compassion. Helping Miles gain confidence, the
robotic dog goes to any length to protect his new
companion, including facing off against the scientists
who want their creation back.
No matter what happens
outside, people can feel safe,
people can trust each other
For ages, man has been trying to
turn back the hands of time, aiming
to uncover the secret to ageless,
gravity-defying skin.
The earliest civilizations were
the first to harness gold’s intrinsic
curative qualities for healing rituals.
ARTIFICIAL Intelligence is expected to reshape
different facets of a person’s life as depicted in this
action-adventure film.
Portraying Miles is Alex Neustaedter, which
was Daly’s top choice for the role. He describes
Neustaedter as “a bit of Luke Skywalker character,
but with a James Dean quality as well.” Neustaedter
did not miss the opportunity to take on the role and
was also “impressed with how passionate Oliver was
about the film.”
Sara, “the true hero of the story,” according to
Daly, was played by actress, pop star and model,
Becky G who collaborated with the director on
making important decisions about her character.
A.X.L., the robotic dog with advanced artificial
intelligence, soon develops a special friendship
with an outsider named Miles.
CHIEF executive officer of Luxebrand
Global Incorporated (LGI) Yuval Mann
gives his welcome remarks.
With the continuous breakthroughs
in technology complemented with the
most cutting-edge techniques, it is
said that the power of gold has been
unlocked to achieve firm, glowing and
unblemished skin.
Setting the gold standard
This is the high-end experience for
men and women who want to lavish
themselves with the golden touch,
something that Orogold said that they
have been delivering for the past seven
years since they started operations in
the country in 2011.
Through its wide array of 24-karat
THE Orogold boutique at the Newport Mall in Resorts World Manila was fitted up for the occasion.
gold-infused eye creams, facial masks
and hand and body lotions, Orogold
has innovated custom solutions tailor-fit
to specific skin concerns. Whether it is
targeted for brightening a dull complexion,
nourishing dry skin or preventing the
signs of aging, there is an Orogold line
catering for every need.
Beneath the “golden exterior” is
an untold story of how the company
came to be.
Yuval Mann, chief
executive of Luxebrand Global
Incorporated, the company that brought
Orogold Cosmetics to the Philippines,
recounted the guiding principles and
philosophies that sustained the brand’s
journey over the last seven years.
“What we’re trying to create here
in Orogold is a world where no matter
what happens outside, people can
feel safe, people can trust each other,
people can help each other and find
some moments of happiness. This is, in
many ways, our secret to success and
FROM left Amor Maclang, GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications, Inc.
chief communications officer; Nofar Mann, chief operating officer and Claire
Ortega, marketing and operations head.
for building a really good company,”
Mann said.
Seven years of golden gifts
The company recently held its 7th
anniversary party in its flagship store,
the Orogold Exclusive in Newport Mall,
Resorts World Manila. Guests were
treated to a showcase of the brand’s
premium Orogold line.
On hand during the event was
Edwin Nombre, founder of True
Manila, a charity that supports
homeless children
and families
living in poverty
within various
communities in the
Philippines
Capping off the
night was a raffle
draw with lucky
guests bagging prizes
such as the Orogold
Aromatherapy Body
Oil and the Cleopatra
Nano Regimen, worth
a whopping P355,000.
Talk about bringing
the spa home from
the Nile. Guests also
got to take home their
own hand-sketched
portrait from an
on-venue artist,
capturing the best of
their Orogold glow as
a keepsake to take
home.
Jesus told his disciples this
parable: “The kingdom of heaven
will be like 10 virgins who took their
lamps and went out to meet the
bridegroom. Five of them were foolish
and five were wise. The foolish ones,
when taking their lamps, brought no
oil with them, but the wise brought
flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the
bridegroom was long delayed, they all
became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out
to meet him!’
Then all those virgins got up and
trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
‘Give us some of your oil, for our
lamps are going out.’
But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for
Although the main character is a robot, Daly still
“wanted the actors to have the experience of working
with something that’s actually on set.” To give him a
more lifelike appearance, they decided to incorporate
a suit performer inside to give the character a “sense
of genuine body language.”
The movie deals with important real-life issues,
particularly about the dangers of unchecked
technological advancement. Daly wanted people to
realize that artificial intelligence is not necessarily
the problem, but it is the people that control them.
For him, aside from new technologies being often
considered as weapons, “the biggest danger is that
the people with these technologies have a lot of
power, and that power can corrupt us very quickly.”
A.X.L., a timeless, epic adventure for the whole
family, is now showing in cinemas.
D A I L Y G O S P E L
Friday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time
Matthew 25:1-13
there may not be enough for us and
you. Go instead to the merchants and
buy some for yourselves.’
While they went off to buy it, the
bridegroom came and those who were
ready went into the wedding feast
with him. Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins
came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the
door for us!’
But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say
to you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, stay awake, for you
know neither the day nor the hour.”

16
LIFESTYLE
Dinah S. Ventura, Editor
Friday, 31 August 2018
Daily Tribune
The 9th Philippine Harvest: A Sustainable Food & Travel Fair
highlighted DoT-accredited farm sites across the different
regions of the country and featured a number of local food
exhibitors
Fruits
of the
2nd Harvest
An archipelago made up of more than
7,000 islands, each with its own strengths
and charm, the Philippines is mainly an
agricultural country whose produce yields
endless possibilities. Depending on the
physical circumstances of a place, since
the soil is different and the nurturing of the
nature surrounding it, such as the sun and
the sea, varies, each place yields different produce. Isabela,
for example, teems with monggo (mung beans), Cagayan
grows lots of dragon fruit, and Laguna has a never-ending
supply of coconuts.
Not to be missed is Abulug Dragon Fruit
Producers Association of Abulug, Cagayan’s A1
line of local wines, such as Dragon Fruit Wine,
Makopa Wine, Cucumber Wine, Coco Sap Vodka
and Cashew Wine.
The produce of the Philippines is as rich, bountiful and
diverse as the 17 regions in the country. This is why the
Philippine Harvest at Central Square is presented by
the Department of Tourism (DoT, headed by the
new Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who,
as then Agriculture Undersecretary, had food
tourism as the core of her advocacy); Central
Square (a compact, high-end shopping mall
or lifestyle destination in Bonifacio Global
City) and the SSI Group Inc. (leading specialty
retailer in the country, responsible for
bringing in some of the premier international
brands to the country), in cooperation with
Tourism Promotions Board and World Wide
Fund for Nature-Philippines.
THESE Miracle Berries from Canaan Hill Farm in Biliran, Eastern Visayas
can turn anything into sweet.
A three-day food and travel fair that highlights farm tourism,
local food and tourist destinations around the country, it has
become an annual affair that people look forward to because
they get to taste unique food products that are otherwise
hard to find in Metro Manila. Philippine Harvest brings under
one roof the chocolates and artisanal cheeses of Davao, the
famous Colonial sili ice cream of Bicol and the piaya of
Western Visayas.
Samplings are offered by the booth owners, but people
can buy whole portions should they want to indulge or take
it home and enjoy it at their own leisurely pace. Booths
are spread out all over the Atrium of Central Square,
occupying both Lower Ground and Upper Ground levels.
On-site cooking and demonstrations take place and products
are not just for visual appreciation but are on sale, as well.
Just last weekend, the 9 th edition of Philippine Harvest went
underway, much to the delight of shoppers
in Central Square. This is the second
year the event is being held in
partnership with the DoT.
The 9 th Philippine Harvest:
A Sustainable Food &
Travel Fair highlighted
DoT-accredited farm
sites across the different
regions of the country
and featured a number
of local food exhibitors.
Representing Luzon were
such farming companies
as Layog Country Farm
(Mountain Province),
Tam-An Eco-Tourism
Farm (Bayombong, Nueva
Vizcaya), The Farmhouse
by EDL (Capas, Tarlac)
Amadeo Nurture Farmacy
(Cavite), Amancio’s Dairy
and Produce Farm
A MALL-GOER trying out a scoop of Colonial Sili Ice Cream from Bicol.
WORLD OF FLAVORS
Dolly Dy-Zulueta
(Cordon, Isabela) and Terra Verde Eco Farm (Maragondon, Cavite).
From the Visayas and Mindanao came Sonrisa Farm
(Magarao, Camarines Sur), Binahon Agro-forestry Farm
(Lantapan, Bukidnon), Ephrathah Farms Corp. (Iloilo) and
Mariano’s Blooming Agri-Tourism Parm (Tupi, South
Cotabato).
Presented during the food fair was a treasure trove of
local produce. Some were familiar; but many of the local
food products were unique, exciting and just waiting
to be discovered. Had it not been for food fairs like
Philippine Harvest, which highlighted and focused
solely on them, these regional food products would
have stayed in their respective localities. It would
have been a pity, both for the local producers and
for consumers all over the country, not to have
exposed them on a national level.
RISA Chocolates from South Cotabato.
SANTOL Sherbet by Mama Sita’s.
EDIBLE
flower salad
by Rainforest
Kichene of
San Fernando,
Pampanga.
Interesting food finds
Some food finds included the Pancit Kalabuko noodle dish
available at the Forest Wood Garden Natural Farming booth.
It’s a super healthy noodle dish made with strands of kalabasa
(squash), raw papaya and buko (young coconut) stir-fried
with talbos ng kamote (sweet potato tops). It is a signature
dish and one of the gastronomic attractions of Forest Wood
Garden, located in San Pablo City, Laguna.
There was also the edible flower salad, which San Fernando,
Pampanga’s Rainforest Kichene made mall-goers try. At least
three varieties of edible flowers are now grown around the food
haven, and these are combined with lettuce, grapes and other
salad greens. The booth also sold bottled Garcia’s herbed butter
spread and premium crab paste whipped up by Chef Vince Garcia.
Bicol’s famous Colonial Sili Ice Cream found its way to the
Philippine Harvest, delighting adventurous ice cream lovers
who finally got to try the “hot” ice cream without having to go
to Legazpi, Albay; Naga City, Camarines Sur or Daraga, Albay.
Made with siling labuyo (bird’s eye chili) and coconut milk,
the Sili Ice Cream was first introduced by 1 st Colonial Grill
in 2004 and became an instant hit. The restaurant, which has
branches in Daraga and Legazpi, now serves its famous ice
cream in three spice levels and also offers other homegrown
ice cream flavors such as Malunggay (moringa), Pili (Bicol’s
famous nuts), Camote (sweet potato), Gabi (taro), Salabat
(ginger) and Tinutong na Bigas (roasted rice).
The Eastern Visayas booth had a number of local products
going for it. One was the three-in-one fresh tea. Just pick
leaves from three plants — stevia (a natural sweetener),
tarragon and mint — then put them in a cup, pour hot water
into the cup, wait a few minutes for the leaves to steep and
infuse in the water, then enjoy a good cup of fresh herbal
tea. Another interesting product was the dried jackfruit
chips, which were comparable with the premium jackfruit
chips of Thailand.
Then there’s Canaan Hill Farm of Caibiran, Biliran,
which cultivated a red berry plant called Miracle Berry.
Take something sour, such as calamansi, then chew a
piece of Miracle Berry and take the calamansi again,
and the sourness magically disappears!
Other interesting food finds: Risa Chocolates harnessed
the cacao goodness of South Cotabato to offer chocolate bars
in different variants and packs of cooking chocolate. Hiraya
It has become an annual affair that people look
forward to because they get to taste unique food
products that are otherwise hard to find in Metro
Manila.
Bakery of San Pablo City, Laguna, showcased delicious
baked goodies that make use of local ingredients.
Check out this list: Bignay Cream Cheese
Cinnamon Rolls, Passionfruit Ginger Sticky Buns, Goat
Kesong Puti Honey Spice Madeleines and Banana Leaf
Mallow S’mores Cake utilizing burnt banana leaves.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg or the burnt end of
the banana leaf.
Mama Sita’s proved that it is more than mixes and marinades
with its new Adlai Paella kit that promote the appreciation of
the local adlai grains, as well as its new Santol Sherbet. That’s
on top of its various vinegars, champorado mixes featuring
heirloom rice variants and natural fruit syrups.
S’MORES Cake by Hiraya Bakery
using burnt banana leaves.
Fresh Start sold nature-based insect repellants such
as citronella, eucalyptus and lemon; coco sugar; native
coffee; as well as freshly made piayas in interesting
flavors such as Squash and Sweet Chili.
Check out also the local ready-to-serve meals under the
Mom Made brand, such as Cebu Lechon Belly and Adobo
Flakes, developed by Happy Ongpauco, easy to heat and
ready to eat in just a few minutes.
Not to be missed is Abulug Dragon Fruit Producers
Association of Abulug, Cagayan’s A1 line of local wines,
such as Dragon Fruit Wine, Makopa Wine, Cucumber Wine,
Coco Sap Vodka and Cashew Wine.
“At the core of our programs and projects in the
Department of Tourism is our sustainable and responsible
tourism advocacy which we aim to promote with this
edition of Philippine Harvest,” says Tourism Secretary
Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
Anton Huang, president of SSI Group, which has supported
and provided the venue for Philippine Harvest since the start,
adds: “As we continue to provide lifestyle offerings to our
consumers, we at SSI are proud to once again showcase the
best of what the Philippines has to offer.”