20 MARCH 2019

CITY IN RUINS 

PAGE 16 

WORLD 

FEBRUARY 

BOP 

SURPLUS 

PAGE 12 

BUSINESS 

ALLIES 

DUTERTE 

SHOULD 

DISOWN 

PAGE 5 

COMMENTARY 

SPURS 

STRETCH 

STREAK 

PAGE 13 

SPORTS 

WHO SINGS BETTER? 

PAGE 20 

SPOTLIGHT 

Brother summoned 

for Sytin’s murder 

By Elmer N. Manuel 

The Department of Justice (DoJ) on 

Tuesday disclosed its panel of prosecutors has 

summoned Dennis Sytin to answer the murder 

and frustrated murder complaints filed against 

him and two others for the death of his brother, 

Turn to page 6 

MANILA, PHILIPPINES WEDNESDAY, 20 MARCH 2019 

CHINESE Vice President Wang Qishan (center, right) meets with Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin along with other officials at Zhongnanhai in Beijing. 

AFP 

GMA: Just lawful budget 

To break deadlock 

By Hananeel Bordey 

and Mario J. Mallari 

Speaker Gloria Macapagal- 

Arroyo yesterday insisted 

Congress will not agree to the 

passage of an “unconstitutional 

ARROYO 

version” of the national budget 

even as she debunked Sen. 

Panfilo Lacson’s claim the House 

has recalled its version of the 

2019 General Appropriations 

Bill (GAB). 

Belying Lacson’s statement, 

the former President said, “No, 

we have not withdrawn our 

version.” 

“We’re in discussions about 

what is the proposed new 

version,” Arroyo revealed. 

But the House, she said, will 

be discussing options on the 

compromise that both Houses 

will agree on if only to break 

the impasse. 

“I’m going to meet today with 

the House members and with 

Congressman Ronnie Zamora,” 

Arroyo said, referring to her 

emissary to the Senate. 

Arroyo assigned Zamora to 

DILG warns sanctions 

vs pollutants 


The Department of Interior 

and Local Government 

(DILG) yesterday directed 

local government leaders to 

revoke the business permits of 

establishments within the Manila 


Bay Watershed Area found in 

violation of environmental laws. 

DILG Undersecretary 

Jonathan Malaya disclosed 

Interior Secretary Eduardo 

Año’s directive through a 

memorandum to all mayors in 


RESIDENTS of Addition Hills in Mandaluyong City queue for water amid the worst shortage in years. 

Water shortage hits Cebu, too 

By Rico Osmeña 

and Mario J. Mallari 

As lawmakers look to penalize 

Manila Water for its failure to 

Con doctor 

In her book, The Confidence 

Game: Why We Fall for It… Every 

Time, author Maria Konnikov 

bared that people are often 

unwilling to admit that they’ve 

ensure continuing service to its 

clients in the National Capital 

Region (NCR), Cebu City also on 

Tuesday raised the specter of a 

waterless summer at the onset 

fallen victims to a con artist. 

But, in a few instances, 

victims of scams muster the 

courage to go after the swindler. 


AFP 

of the El Niño dry season. 

In fact, the Metropolitan Cebu 

Water District (MCWD) warned 

officials about depleting water 


Judiciary 

strong even 

sans ICC 


TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte 

— The Philippines will 

continue to have a strong 

judiciary which will not be 

affected by its withdrawal 

of membership from the 

International Criminal 

Court (ICC). 

This was reiterated by 

Presidential spokesman 

Salvador Panelo as he parried 

attacks from Palace critics 

a couple of days after the 

Philippines ICC pullout. 

Malacañang also dismissed 

claims that there will be no 

recourse to punish abusive 

officials and heads of state 

following the ICC withdrawal. 

Panelo cited the ouster 

of then President Ferdinand 

Marcos in 1986 as a clear 

demonstration of how the 

people can exact accountability 

from their leaders. 

The incarceration of 

former Presidents Joseph 

Ejercito-Estrada and Gloria 

Macapagal-Arroyo, he pointed 

out, had likewise shown 

that the Philippines has an 


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NEWS 

2 

Wednesday, 20 March 2019 

Daily Tribune 

GMA: Just lawful budget 

Macapagal-Arroyo is still hopeful that Congress will 

pass the budget as President Rodrigo Duterte has 

already called a meeting to urge the approval of 

the GAB 

From page 1 

discuss with Lacson ways to 

settle the budget deadlock. 

Lacson had claimed the 

House made illegal realignments 

in the GAB soon after its 

ratification. 

Lacson reiterated that 

Zamora called to inform him 

that the House is recalling its 

budget version. 

Arroyo emphasized that 

the House is maintaining 

its stand against passing a 

budget containing lump sum 

allocations. 

She said lump sum budgeting 

is unconstitutional. 

“We will insist on no lump 

sum because that’s what is 

unconstitutional. That’s what 

we will insist, no lump sum. 

Now, as to the details, that’s 

the one that we’ll see,” Arroyo 

stressed. 

We’re in discussions about 

what is the proposed new 

version. 

The Supreme Court in 2013 

has ruled that the Priority 

Development Assistance Fund 

(PDAF), otherwise known as 

“pork barrel fund,” is illegal 

and unconstitutional. 

It prohibited the lawmakers 

from putting their hands in the 

implementation of the budget 

after the President has signed 

it into law. 

PDAF is a lump-sum 

discretionary fund made 

available for the lawmakers in 

both chambers. 

“Any post-enactmentmeasure 

allowing legislator 

participation beyond oversight 

is bereft of any constitutional 

basis and, hence, tantamount 

to impermissible interference 

sotto 

and/or assumption of executive 

functions. Any post-enactment 

congressional measure should 

be limited to scrutiny and 

investigation,” the Highest 

Tribunal ruled. 

Moreover, Arroyo is still 

hopeful that Congress will 

pass the budget as President 

Rodrigo Duterte has already 

called a meeting to urge the 

approval of the GAB. 

“If we don’t come to an 

agreement and then Tito Sotto 

does not sign the bill, then 

there’s no bill to send to the 

President. So, I do not know 

if we will but I would wish we 

would,” she said. 

No, we have not withdrawn 

our version. 

But the Senate is not inclined 

to meet again with leaders of 

the House for the passage of the 

2019 national budget with some 

Senators citing the need for 

congressmen to address their 

“internal impasse.” 

The national budget is 

pegged at P3.757 trillion. 

Sotto said his colleagues 

are confused about the House’s 

real stand. 

“Maybe not anymore,” 

replied Sotto when asked if 

they will agree to meet with 

their counterparts in the 

House, adding “we will just 

wait for their final decision.” 

Sotto reiterated the Senate 

stand that he will not sign 

the measure submitted by 

the House since it was not 

the version ratified during 

the bicameral conference 

committee last 8 February. 

If we don’t come to an 

agreement and then Tito 

Sotto does not sign the bill, 

then there’s no bill to send 

to the President. 

“We (senators) already have 

a final decision and that is to 

stand by what we ratified,” 

Sotto stressed. 

He said if the House does not 

recall the transmitted measure, 

there would be reenacted 

budget until August. 

“If they do not withdraw and 

revert to the ratified version, 

then it’s (reenacted budget) 

going to be in August for sure,” 

Sotto said. 

Lacson said the House needs 

to address what he called 

as its “internal impasse” to 

move forward in the budget 

discussion. 

The senator revealed an 

alleged manipulation by some 

House leaders of the proposed 

national budget even after 

ratification. 

He cited “pork barrel” as 

reason for the impasse. 

“Just when the stalemate 

between the Senate and the 

House is about to end, there is 

now a budget impasse within 

the House. Blame it on the 

dizzying pork,” Lacson said. 

“They should first break the 

budget impasse within their 

own house. Meanwhile, the 

Senate will just wait when they 

will recall,” he added. 

Manila Bay’s clean-up continues as tourists swarm the area. 

DILG warns sanctions 

vs pollutants 

The Manila Bay waters were found to have high fecal 

contamination which was the reason why swimming 

in the area was prohibited 

From page 1 

the National Capital Region 

(NCR), Central Luzon and 

Calabarzon to strictly implement 

laws to sustain the area. 

Malaya explained Año ordered 

“all LGU (local government 

units) to revoke or cancel 

permits of establishments found 

to have committed violations 

and/or are non-compliant 

with environmental and other 

applicable laws.” 

There are 178 cities and 

municipalities inside the Manila 

Bay Watershed Area. 

The DILG undersecretary said 

the memorandum was issued “to 

ensure that all establishments 

in their areas comply with 

the pertinent provisions of 

the National Building Code, 

the Fire Code, the Code on 

Sanitation and other related 

laws, regulations and policies.” 

Año likewise instructed DILG 

regional directors of NCR, Central 

Luzon and Calabarzon to report 

LGU and local chief executives 

who fail to abide by this directive. 

The Department of Environment 

and Natural Resources (DENR) 

and the Laguna Lake Development 

Authority (LLDA) have started 

the inspection of commercial 

establishments on 27 January 

to ensure their compliance with 

environmental laws. 

“They have issued cease 

and desist orders and notices 

of violations to various 

establishments,” Malaya said. 

“All concerned LGU should 

immediately act on the findings of 

the DENR and LLDA and revoke or 

suspend the business permits they 

have issued, as maybe applicable.” 

The DILG is closely monitoring 

all barangays and will call 

Water shortage hits Cebu, too 

BOB DUNGO JR. 

the attention of those not 

contributing to the clean-up 

effort, Malaya said. 

Several establishments near 

the Manila Bay were earlier 

ordered closed when they were 

found to have contributed to the 

pollution in the waters along the 

Pasay, Parañaque and Manila 

coastlines. 

Some of these establishments 

were found to have discharged 

septic and used water directly 

into the bay. 

The Manila Bay waters 

were found to have high fecal 

contamination which was the 

reason why swimming in the area 

was prohibited. 

In the early stages of the 

rehabilitation, local tourists have 

flocked to the Manila and Pasay 

sides of the coastlines and many, 

including children, dipped in the 

still murky water which DENR 

and other agencies said would 

take several years to rehabilitate. 

Fences were built where there 

was access to the sea to prevent 

the public from swimming in the 

areas being rehabilitated. 

The news will be an added concern to the national 

government 

From page 1 

supply for Metro Cebu during 

a meeting among stakeholders, 

Cebu City government officials 

and representatives of MCWD 

and Mactan Rock Industries Inc., 

both water suppliers for Cebu. 

Presently affected are 80 

barangays in the city. 

Customers, however, would 

still wait until June for 

the actual rebates when 

the computation by the 

Metropolitan Waterworks 

and Sewerage System is 

completed. 

MCWD produces 238,000 

cubic meters on daily average 

but with the dry spell, it is 

now down to just 230,000 cubic 

meters per day. 

Critical water level at the 

Jaclupan facility and the 

Buhisan Dam also caused water 

supply reduction to as much as 

15,000 cubic meters. 

Cebu City Councilor David 

Tumulak, who presided over 

the meeting, said “the city 

government through Mayor 

Tommy Osmeña wanted to know 

the real score on the city’s 

water supply as he received a 

lot of complaints in almost 80 

barangays in the city on no or 

low water supply.” 

Tumulak urged city residents 

and carwash operators to 

conserve water to avert shortage. 

The news will be an added 

concern to the national 

government which is trying to 

ensure enough water supply in 

Luzon, especially in the NCR 

where water shortage was being 

felt in the last two weeks. 

Also yesterday, President 

Rodrigo Duterte said he is 

looking to tap Singapore for help 

in resolving the water crisis. 

The Chief Executive disclosed 

this as he welcomed some of the 

newly-appointed Ambassadors to 

the country, including Singapore 

Envoy Gerard Ho Wei. 

“We need a lot of advice from 

Singapore and I’m sure these 

will help a long way to help us 

solve our problem, particularly 

in water. I know Singapore and 

Israel have the best operating 

machines for desalination,” the 

President said. 

The MWSS also noted that 

Manila Water could face 

penalties by June or July. 

Senators said rebates would 

be the least “penalty” for Manila 

Water Company Inc. in the 

aftermath of the water shortage 

in Metro Manila and some parts 

of Rizal affecting millions of 

residents. 

“The lowest (penalty) would 

be rebates. But it should admit 

that when you mean rebate, it’s 

the same as a penalty or a fine,” 

Senate President Vicente Sotto 

III said. 

Asked when the rebates 

should come, Sotto replied 

“they should (pay up) as soon 

as possible.” 

Customers, however, 

would still wait until June 

for the actual rebates when 

the computation by the 

Metropolitan Waterworks and 

Sewerage System is completed, 

according to lawyer Patrick Ty 

of MWSS. 

When asked about a possible 

case against Manila Water, 

Sotto said “we will leave it up 

to the regulatory body.” 

For his part, Manila Water 

president Ferdinand de la Cruz, 

who already apologized for the 

inconvenience brought by the 

water interruption, said the 

company is exerting efforts to 

provide relief to the affected 

customers. 

“What I’ve instructed my 

team is to explore ways to 

provide some relief to those 

affected and the easiest there 

is an adjustment on the water 

bill,” said De la Cruz during the 

Senate hearing. 

“We are looking into that 

considering what has happened 

and we will update this committee 

and we will discuss this with our 

regulator on what is reasonable,” 

he added. 

The Metropolitan Cebu 

Water District warned 

officials about depleting 

water supply for Metro 

Cebu. 

De la Cruz also reiterated 

that Manila Water is open to 

any sanction for violating the 

concession agreement on top 

of the voluntary relief they are 

working on. 

As of yesterday, there were 

still some areas where supply 

was yet to return to normal. 

The MWSS also noted that 

Manila Water could face penalties 

by June or July. 

“We do not need to wait 

because of this unprecedented 

situation. We are studying it 

right now, we are also actually 

studying the amount of the 

penalty that will be imposed, 

which can be rebated,” Ty said. 

“We are exploring the option 

of imposing it, if there is any, 

around June or July,” he added. 

The MWSS wants to prioritize 

fixing the supply and said it 

would give way to due process, 

Ty said. 

Next month’s bill for Manila 

Water consumers, he added, is 

also expected to be low due to 

the service interruption. 

Meanwhile, presidential 

spokesman Salvador Panelo on 

Tuesday revealed that President 

Rodrigo Duterte will meet with 

representatives of MWSS to 

discuss their response to the 

water shortage that has hit tens 

of thousands in the capital. 

Last week, Duterte ordered 

the MWSS to direct Manila Water 

and Maynilad Water Services to 

release water from Angat Dam 

by this week. 

With Kristina Maralit 

fresh delivery of tanks is on display as Metro Manila grapples with water outage. 

ROMAN PROSPERO


Daily Tribune 

PAGE THREE 

A Gasoline attendant had a busy time explaining 

to motorists the new round of oil price increases 

along Mindanao Ave. in Quezon City ANALY LABOR 

Court asked: Drop 

Trillanes’ motion 

Contrary to the claim of Trillanes in his 

motion, they have sufficiently alleged 

all the relevant facts and circumstances 

constituting the offense 

By Alvin Murcia 

Complainants in the inciting to sedition case against 

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV have asked the Pasay Prosecutor’s 

Office to dismiss the motion for partial reconsideration 

filed by the respondent lawmaker for utter lack of merit. 

The complainants have argued that contrary to the claim 

of Trillanes in his motion, they have sufficiently alleged 

all the relevant facts and circumstances constituting the 

Sara 

delighted 

with new 

survey 

results 

We are happy with the 

performance of a lot of 

our senators in the surveys 


Hugpong ng Pagbabago chairman 

and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte 

on Monday expressed elation over the 

results of the latest Pulse Asia survey 

showing eight of 13 HnP senatorial 

candidates to this year’s midterm 

polls barging into the Magic 12. 

“We are happy for the trust and 

confidence of the people to the senators 

of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) and 

as I said, we hope that their support 

will be maintained until election day,” 

Duterte said. 

President Duterte’s eldest daughter 

admitted that she is not hands-on with 

the candidates’ strategies for their 

respective campaigns, saying her job 

was limited to introducing them to 

the people. 

“What I know is how to sell them. 

I push them to the people so that the 

people will consider them as candidates. 

We are happy with the performance 

of a lot of our senators in 

the surveys and it was 

a “suntok sa buwan” 

(long shot) if we ask 

for more. So we 

just hope that we 

get the majority 

of 12,” she said 

in an ambush 

interview. 

Mayor 

Duterte 

said eight is 

beyond what 

they are praying 

for and getting eight was 

due to luck. “If we get 

more, say nine or 10, 

that means God loves 

them so much,” she said. 

offense, as borne out by the record of the case. 

Trillanes’ absurd claim, they said, is not supported by 

the record. Hence, the motion for partial reconsideration 

should be denied outright, according to the 9-page comment 

filed by Atty. Nasser Marohomsalic dated 18 March 2019. 

Apart from utterly lacking merit and disrespectful, the 

complainants said respondent Trillanes’ motion contains 

rehashed arguments already passed upon by the honorable 

office in the said resolution. 

“Notably, much, if not at all, of the arguments contained 

in the motion for partial reconsideration have already been 

raised in respondent counter-affidavit. For the record, this 

is the second time that the honorable office found probable 

cause to charge respondent Trillanes of the crime of inciting 

to sedition. His pattern of incitement is well established,” 

the comment stated further. 

Earlier, the Pasay City Prosecutors Office said that after 

Senatorial aspirant Bong Go is most at home with the masses. 

carefully evaluating the evidence it finds sufficient ground 

to establish the existence of probable cause against the 

lawmaker for the crime of inciting to sedition. 

Atty. Marohomsalic, Labor Undersecretary 

Jacinto Paras, Anti-Corruption Commissioner 

Manuelito Luna and Atty. Eligio Mallari 

filed the complaint based on the 

statement made by the senator calling 

the police and military not to follow 

President Rodrigo Duterte. 

The lawmaker made the 

statement on September 

2018 in reaction to Duterte’s 

Proclamation 572 that revoked 

the amnesty given to him by 

former President Benigno 

Aquino III. 

UN calls for ‘transformative solutions’ 

She also called on heads of states and government ministers 

to reshape the global economy into one that rewards careful 

stewardship and punishes waste and pollution 


United Nations 

(UN) Deputy Secretary 

General Amina 

Mohammed urged 

governments of the 

world to make 2019 

the “year 

o f 

Duterte 

transformative 

solutions” and “avoid 

the disastrous effects of 

climate change” which 

threaten ecosystems, 

the global economy, 

health and security. 

In a speech at the UN 

Environment Assembly 

in Nairobi, Mohammed 

said that she had been 

inspired by the ideas 

discussed at the conference 

— the world’s highest-level 

decision-making body on the 

environment — in support of 

UN environment’s (UNEP) 

#SolveDifferent campaign 

to find innovative solutions 

to environmental challenges. 

She also called on heads 

of states and government 

ministers to reshape 

the global economy 

into one that rewards 

careful stewardship and 

punishes waste and 

pollution. The UN Deputy 

Sec-Gen likewise reminded 

everyone that we are now 

living with the negative 

consequences of the current 

“Take, Make and Dispose” 

global economic model. 

Mohammed cited the 

harmful environmental 

and health impacts 

associated with the 

extraction of metals 

used in mobile phones; 

the millions of tons of 

plastic waste flowing into 

the oceans; and the huge 

amount of electronic waste 

generated every year. 

She explained the UN’s 

solution to breaking out of 

an unsustainable system 

that is wreaking havoc on 

the environment — which 

is to change the perception 

that it is necessary to deplete 

natural resources in order to 

grow the economy. 

Phl offers sympathies 

to Netherlands 

The embassy is still trying 

to ascertain if there are 

Filipinos among the dead 

and injured 

By Mario J. Mallari 

The Department of Foreign Affairs 

(DFA) on Tuesday extended the 

Philippine government’s sympathies 

to The Netherlands after a shooting 

incident that killed at least three 

people and injured nine others. 

Ambassador Jaime Victor Ledda 

is now working closely with Utrecht 

authorities to determine whether 

there were Filipinos among the 

casualties. 

Based on the latest report from the 

Philippine Embassy in Hague, there are 

three dead and nine injured in the mass 

shooting believed to be perpetrated 

by a 37-year-old man of Turkish origin 

identified as Gokmen Tanis. 

“The embassy is still trying to 

ascertain if there are Filipinos 

among the dead and injured,” the 

DFA said. 

“The Philippines is greatly 

saddened that such an incident has 

occurred in a peaceful country such 

as The Netherlands. Our thoughts and 

prayers are with the Dutch people 

and government during this difficult 

time,” it added. 

Ledda said efforts are being 

undertaken to verify whether there 

are Filipinos among the injured. 

“The embassy is also contacting 

Filipino community members in 

Utrecht and is advising them to take 

necessary precautions,” Ledda said.. 

“So far, no fatalities have been 

reported,” he added. 

Meanwhile, the Philippine 

embassy on Monday issued an 

advisory for Filipinos to take 

the necessary precautions after 

Dutch authorities raised the 

Netherlands’ threat level to five 

(critical). With E.N.Manuel 

Angara reelection 

bid gets boost 

Angara is running under the banner of HnP and the 

Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino — the political party 

founded by his father 

The reelection bid of Sen. 

Sonny Angara got a huge boost 

recently with an endorsement 

from the Senate leadership and 

various organizations nationwide. 

Senate President Vicente Sotto 

III, Senate President Pro tempore 

Ralph Recto and Senate Majority 

Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has 

thrown their support of Angara, son 

of former Senate President Edgardo 

Angara. 

Fellow senators Loren Legarda, 

Win Gatchalian and Joel Villanueva 

also endorsed the candidacy of 

Angara, who also got the backing 

of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s 

Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP). 

Angara is running under the 

banner of HnP and the Laban ng 

Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) – 

TRILLANES 

the political party 

founded by his 

father. 

Apart from 

his colleagues in the Senate, 

Angara’s reelection bid was 

also boosted by the support 

of various organizations 

and cause-oriented groups 

like the One Batangas, 

Confederation of Sugar 

Producers Associations Inc.; 

Filipinos for Peace, Justice 

and Progress Movement or 

FPJPM; Coalition of Services of 

the Elderly Inc.; Coop-NATCCO 

Party-list, and Davao-based 

District III Women Federation Inc. 

One Batangas is the local 

party of Recto’s wife Lipa City 

Rep. Vilma Santos. MJMallari

cOMMENTARY 

4 Wednesday, 20 March 2019 

Daily Tribune 

Daily 

Tribune 

WITHOUT FEAR • WITHOUT FAVOR 

“With 

the 

campaigns 

about to 

close, a 

political 

party 

appears to 

be running 

out of 

funds and 

the cry 

against 

the baring 

of the 

“narco 

list” was 

loudest 

among the 

candidates 

it 

supports. 

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 

Dope bets 

Not surprising was the reaction from the yellow mob 

and its allies after President Rody Duterte released yet 

another list of politicians who are linked to the narcotics 

trade either as protectors or traffickers themselves. 

The first persons to cry foul were members of the Otso 

Diretso ticket and the yellow partylist Akbayan. 

All of them accused Rody of trying “to control the 

outcome” of the 13 May elections through the release 

of the list. 

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano even wailed that the release 

of the document was an “abuse of power and discretion 

which tramples on the rights of every individual to due 

process.” 

Chel Diokno feebly urged Rody to “stop weaponizing 

lists.” 

Former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay accused the 

Duterte administration of using the list to ensure victory 

for its allies. 

Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin then issued a wild allegation 

that Mr. Duterte’s action of releasing the “narco list” 

could constitute an impeachable offense. 

Presidential spokesman Sal Panelo 

called Villarin’s allegation as nonsense 

and that he was making a statement on 

an “unfamiliar terrain to a non-lawyer 

like him.” 

The sharp and immediate reactions 

showed who are the most affected by 

exposing politicians who immensely 

benefit from the drugs trade. 

The first “narco list” when 

Rody assumed power included 160 

government personalities who are 

local officials, judges, members of the 

military and the police and legislators. 

The connection among so-called non-government 

organizations (NGO) which act as communist fronts and 

“narco politicians” was evident on the initial list. 

Among those named was a certain “congressman of a 

partylist, Panay chapter” but turned out to be a former 

chairman of and spokesman for an activist group before 

becoming a political consultant, spokesman and executive 

assistant of Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who 

was also on the rogue’s list. 

In October 2017, suspected Visayas drug lord Ricky 

Sereño issued an affidavit linking opposition stalwarts 

to the drugs trade. 

Sereño was accused of trafficking narcotics in the 

Negros Island Region and was arrested in January 2017. 

The affidavit tagged the top politicians and Mabilog 

as having conspired to monopolize drugs operations in 

Western Visayas. 

Sereño claimed he is a member of the notorious Berya 

Drug Group of Berya Tolentino which is the rival of the 

Odicta Group whose kingpin Melvin Odicta was gunned 

down in 2016 at a port near Boracay, Aklan. 

Sereño said because of a war among the drug lords 

Odicta was allegedly given protection by politicians and 

Mabilog to “destroy the drug business of the Berya group.” 

The link to solving the entire narcotics 

“The sharp 

and immediate 

reactions 

showed who 

are the most 

affected by 

exposing 

politicians who 

immensely 

benefit from the 

drugs trade. 

puzzle involving the yellows and the LP 

still remains the now-detained Sen. Leila 

de Lima. 

During the House hearings on the 

New Bilibid Prison (NBP) drugs network, 

De Lima was suspected of having acted 

as a fund raiser for the 2010 elections 

campaigns through drugs money raised 

from the narco inmates. 

Then Justice Secretary Vitaliano 

Aguirre II called De Lima the “common 

denominator” in the narcotics link between the opposition 

and drug lords. 

NBP high-profile inmates, including Jaybee Sebastian, 

pointed to her during a House probe as having been on 

top of the illegal drugs syndicate inside the national 

penitentiary. 

Former Police Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo, 

who was also on the initial “narco list,” has been closely 

linked to another high-profile politician and was even tipped 

as the probable Philippine National Police chief had the past 

presidential elections had a different outcome. 

Duterte also named four other police generals as 

guardian angels of the narcotics trade. 

With the campaigns about to close, a political party 

appears to be running out of funds and the cry against 

the baring of the “narco list” was loudest among the 

candidates it supports. 

“Villarin 

seems to 

be aware 

of the fact 

that an 

impeachment 

against 

Duterte is 

a useless 

exercise. 

“Both 

execs 

said all 

the right 

things, but 

a mere 

“sorry” 

would not 

repair the 

damage 

already 

done, 

as later 

pointed 

out by 

the House 

members 

at the 

briefing. 

Useless impeachment drive 

They can puff and 

huff, but no matter what 

they do, they simply 

can’t bring President 

Duterte down — even 

through impeachment. 

Akbayan partylist 

Rep. Tom Villarin is 

virtually calling for 

Duterte’s impeachment, 

saying he is still liable 

for the impeachment 

offense by releasing the 

list of public officials 

said to be involved in drugs, pointing 

out that malice was present since 

due process was denied them. 

“President Duterte’s act of 

naming public officials on a socalled 

‘narco list’ on the basis of 

administrative complaints filed in 

the Ombudsman would still face 

scrutiny for an impeachable offense 

as there was malice or intent to 

deprive these individuals of their 

constitutionally guaranteed rights to 

due process, privacy and presumption 

of innocence,” Villarin said. 

Truth is, even in criminal offenses 

such as libel, malice is much too 

difficult to prove, and certainly 

Villarin’s idea of malice in essence, 

being an impeachable offense, would 

be much harder to prove. Besides, a 

President certainly can, if he chooses 

to do so, release whatever records, 

including lists of politicians linked to 

drugs, as his Department of Justice 

can file cases against those on the 

list and prosecute these politicians, 

especially since Duterte has made 

dangerous drugs and “narco politics” 

a national threat to the Filipino 

people, if not to the country. 

The Palace spokesman came 

to the defense of his principal, 

saying the reading of the names 

on the “narco list” is comparable 

to releasing the names 

of criminal suspects 

who have already 

been charged 

FRONTLINE 

Ninez Cacho-Olivares 

The House of Representatives took 

center stage early Monday morning 

at the “Briefing on the Water Service 

Situation in Metro Manila,” hosted 

jointly by the House Committees 

on Metro Manila Development and 

Housing and Urban Development, 

attended by the executives of 

Metropolitan Waterworks and 

Sewerage System (MWSS) and Manila 

Water. Speaker Gloria Macapagal- 

Arroyo instructed the briefing to 

begin at 7 a.m., an unprecedented 

directive, and a wise one indeed, 

since it allowed more time for our 

House members to address this 

most important issue while the 

senators were busy in Taguig at the 

groundbreaking of their posh new 

building. 

However, what was meant to 

be a briefing by the top water 

executives turned into a grilling 

session conducted by legislators 

whose constituents were very 

much affected by last week’s water 

crisis. The images shown on media 

portrayed a city in distress, akin to 

a war zone. Even the middle class 

was affected as seen in the video of 

tenants lined up to get water from 

the condominium swimming pool. 

Truly, the development of a city is 

measured in its ability to provide 

the basic necessities. With this, how 

can we even call Metro Manila a 

world-class city if water is a scarce 

commodity? 

House Committee on Metro Manila 

Development chairman Rep. Winnie 

Castelo opened the discussion in 

the presence of Speaker Arroyo and 

Majority Leader Fred Castro with his 

introduction that glossed over how the 

crisis has inundated the authorities 

with complaints and pleas for help. 

Castelo shared how the situation has 

brought about conspiracy theories on 

social media, from the viral post of 

MWSS chief regulator Patrick Ty that 

was commented on by a certain and 

mysterious Angel Salazar who should 

really be given an award. He painted 

a picture of the water crisis as among 

the efforts to derail the Duterte 

before the Office of the 

Ombudsman. 

Villarin, who is trying 

so hard to make an 

issue out of this move 

on making public the 

list, was quoted as 

saying the Philippine 

National Police (PNP) 

has admitted there is 

not enough evidence to 

file complaints against 

those on the “narco 

list.” 

The partylist congressman 

stressed that PNP spokesman Col. 

Bernard Banac admitted that only 

criminal administrative complaints 

have so far been filed against the 

public officials on the list based on 

various “testimonies.” 

It is certain that Villarin is aware 

of the fact that most cases start 

with a complainant bringing his 

complaint, usually just an affidavit 

claiming so many transgressions 

without any bit of evidence to prove 

what allegations have been brought 

against the respondent. 

From there, the prosecutor merely 

relies on the respondent’s comment 

on the charges leveled against 

that person and the accuser is 

given his chance to comment on 

the respondent’s reply that can go 

on with counter replies from both 

parties. Then, even without any 

evidence presented at this stage, 

the prosecutor then makes his 

recommendation and many times, 

believe it or not, the case reaches 

the court, despite a clear lack of 

evidence from the accuser/plaintiff 

as evidence of his charges. And 

believe it or not, there have been 

times when, instead of the judge 

dismissing the case, the judge goes 

on with the case that can take a lot 

of time for the case to 

be resolved, despite 

there being no 

evidence. 

But Villarin 

goes on: “Any 

lawyer worth 

his salt 

Dam if we don’t 

administration which 

may have included the 

rice crisis, rising oil 

prices and maybe a 

looming power crisis. 

The bosses of water 

executives were allowed 

to discuss and Manila 

Water CEO Ferdinand 

de la Cruz immediately 

took full accountability 

of the mess. MWSS 

Administrator Reynaldo 

Velasco reiterated his 

commitment to the President to 

restore water in the metropolis at 

the soonest possible time. Both execs 

said all the right things, but a mere 

“sorry” would not repair the damage 

already done, as later pointed out by 

the House members in the briefing. 

The reins were 

“The idea 

of having 

a Water 

Department 

was floated, 

though 

this writer 

thinks 

adding 

another 

layer of 

bureaucracy 

in this 

instance 

may do 

more harm 

QUO VADIS 

Darren M. de Jesus 

handed to House 

Committee on 

Housing and Urban 

Development 

chairman Rep. 

Albee Benitez, who 

narrowed in on 

Patrick Ty due to his 

surprising statement 

that the MWSS has 

no power to impose 

penalties on the 

concessionaires. 

This irked a number 

of House members, 

which led them to 

scold Ty in a rather 

humiliating fashion. 

Buhay Partylist Rep. 

than good. 

and former Environment Secretary 

Lito Atienza wasted no time in 

asking the execs when they would 

resign, to which all replied that they 

would rather fix the issue at hand, 

instead of running away from it. 

What happens next? With every 

crisis, there are opportunistic 

individuals who capitalize on it. 

There really is nothing wrong with 

that as long as the public’s interests 

are of paramount consideration. 

Now, there is much talk on 

putting up a dam to keep up with the 

knows that administrative cases 

against public officials are a ‘dime 

a dozen’ and go with the territory. 

Any citizen can initiate or file an 

administrative complaint against a 

public official in the Ombudsman, 

even anonymous complaints.” 

So, Villarin is aware of this 

practice, but he appears to take the 

view that despite this charge of his 

that he also knows has no evidence 

is really needed, since he says “In the 

end, we all know that impeachment is 

a political process and enumerates a 

wide array of impeachable offenses 

from which to choose, from culpable 

violation of the Constitution to 

betrayal of public trust.” 

But no matter. 

“Malice 

is much too 

difficult to 

prove, and 

certainly 

Villarin’s 

idea of 

malice in 

essence, 

being an 

impeachable 

offense, 

would be 

much harder 

to prove. 

The truth is, the 

“narco list” being 

made public by 

the President 

who is also the 

Commander-in-Chief 

of the Armed Forces, 

which includes the 

military and the 

PNP, can hardly 

be considered as 

an impeachable 

offense and Villarin 

knows it. 

So, why he does 

it just makes him, 

a lawmaker, look 

like if not a legal and constitutional 

ignoramus, apart from the fact 

that Villarin certainly knows that 

even if he, or anybody else, files 

an impeachment complaint against 

Duterte, it will be just a waste of 

time and people’s money, since the 

numbers in the House needed for an 

impeachment to push the complaint 

forward are just not there. Right 

there, Villarin’s impeachment is 

dead in the water. There may not 

even be a full House vote either. As 

for the Senate, one can be sure that 

if, by a miracle, Villarin’s articles of 

impeachment, reach the Senate that, 

too, becomes a virtual double dead 

impeachment upon delivery to the 

Senate president. 

However, Villarin seems to be 

aware of the fact that an impeachment 

against Duterte is a useless exercise as 

he compared the President making the 

list public is just the administration’s 

shame campaign that he says is a 

“broken record” played again and again 

to sow fear, intimidation and violence 

against its critics. 

So, are the opposition lawmakers 

in the House doing hardly anything 

but trying a shame campaign and 

sowing fear and intimidation. 

Villarin should just hold his 

tongue. Nobody listens to what the 

opposition says this time. 

Next time, Villarin should stop 

huffing and puffing because he can’t 

bring the House of Duterte down. 

demands of the Metro 

Manila residents. We 

have the China-funded 

Kaliwa Dam located 

in Infanta, Quezon 

which has the blessing 

of Finance Secretary 

Carlos Dominguez. There 

is also a Japanese group 

with an unsolicited 

proposal to build a 

cheaper weir, or a low 

head dam – I admittedly 

had to Google this – in 

the same area. Aside from these, 

we have the surging Enrique Razon, 

fresh from his victories in getting 

the electric distribution franchise 

in Iloilo and the go-signal to build a 

casino in Quezon City, about to enter 

into an agreement with MWSS to 

form a dam venture. More proposals 

crop up almost everyday, to this I 

say — “About dam time!” 

Legislators have their own 

suggestions, too. Speaker Arroyo 

mentioned adding explicit penalty 

provisions to the concession 

agreement to give the MWSS sharper 

teeth. The idea of having a Water 

Department was floated, though this 

writer thinks adding another layer 

of bureaucracy in this instance may 

do more harm than good. Another 

suggestion is to review the mandate 

of the National Water Resources 

Board, although this is already being 

addressed in the reported Executive 

Order being finalized to transfer 

the bureau under the Office of the 

President. 

Luckily for me and my small family, 

we’ve been staying in a far-off area 

bordering Sta. Rosa, Laguna and 

Silang, Cavite, so water was aplenty 

where we were. A number of our 

officemates, however, were deeply 

affected and we really feel for them and 

everyone else hit by the water crisis 

which has to be addressed quickly for 

it not to happen again. And if it means 

firing certain executives, then so be it, 

Mr. President. 

Email: darren.dejesus@dejesuslegal.com 

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Daily Tribune 

“Have 

we simply 

grown 

indifferent 

to growing 

signs of 

racism? 

We are staring at the likelihood of a 

reenacted budget until August. 

If things turn sour than what it is now, 

we may use the same budget as last year’s 

until December. 

Welcome to the Philippines, ladies 

and gentlemen. Here is where you find 

political differences and postures taking 

the frontline before the people’s interest. 

At one side is the Senate which tries to 

make an impression of an unsoiled bunch. 

On the other is Congress, which 

says all papers are proper and which 

were signed by House Speaker Gloria 

Macapagal-Arroyo. 

The national budget should be ready for 

signing by President Rodrigo Duterte, but 

only if Senate President Tito Sotto would 

ink the book. 

There lies the 

reason why the 

national budget 

remains stalled. 

President Duterte 

could not sign the 

budget without Sotto’s 

signature. GMA has 

affixed hers, so she 

says she has done her 

part. 

As the local Muslim communities 

congregated for the weekly Friday 

prayers in the various masjids 

and mussalahs (prayer rooms), 

breaking news reports on the 

horrific attacks on two mosques in 

Christchurch, New Zealand flashed 

through the screens of our TV sets, 

handheld devices and laptops. 

Within minutes, the 

sociopath mowed down the 

hapless faithful — men, women 

and children — whose only 

wrong was to devote an hour to prayers 

for the graces received in their lives now 

painfully shortened in such gruesome manner. 

The whole world reeled in collective 

shock over the brutal and ruthless slaying of 

innocent worshippers, a vile plan callously 

and methodically executed by a young, selfavowed 

white supremacist. As if the murder 

spree was not enough to shock our senses, the 

gunman livestreamed the senseless slaughter 

on Facebook from a small camera attached to 

his helmet. 

Allies Duterte should disown 

There are many supposed allies of President 

Rodrigo Duterte whose competence leaves much 

to be desired, or are downright drunk with power. 

Because they are appointees of the President, they 

embarrass the President each time they make a 

mess of themselves. 

Agriculture Secretary 

“When 

Tolentino 

mismanaged the 

traffic situation 

in the metropolis, 

Aquino III had to 

ask the Highway 

Patrol Group 

to manage the 

traffic mess for 

his underling. 

Emmanuel Piñol is one. 

He used to be governor of 

Cotabato. Twice thereafter he 

ran for reelection and twice 

he lost. In 2016, he became 

agriculture secretary, thanks 

to his affiliation with the 

pro-administration Partido 

Demokratiko Pilipino party. 

Under Piñol, the local rice 

supply dwindled, thus triggering 

a runaway increase in the 

price of the national staple. He 

suggested that the people settle for weevil-infested 

and similarly substandard quality rice. 

Piñol is also at odds with the Cotabato 

provincial government over agricultural funds. His 

critics say he has been using government resources 

to promote the political campaign of his relatives. 

Earlier this month, Piñol rudely snapped at a 

correspondent of this newspaper who wanted to 

interview him at a public forum where he was the 

speaker. Piñol refused and said he does not like 

the way this newspaper has been reporting about 

him. Perhaps it did not occur to Piñol that this 

newspaper does not praise incompetent officials 

of the government. 

Then there is Frederick Mikhail Farolan, the 

egotistical lawyer appointed by President Duterte 

to the Board of Regents of the University of the 

Philippines (UP) in 2016. 

In April 2018, Farolan used his Facebook account 

to scold many parents complaining about the 

delayed release of the UP entrance examination 

results. Farolan labeled them presumptuous 

pseudo-intellectuals who, unlike him, did not pass 

the UP entrance examination and did not graduate 

from the UP College of Law. 

Where to Tito, GMA? 

“Unless 

the proposed 

national budget 

is signed by both 

Sotto and 

Macapagal-Arroyo, 

then there is 

nothing to 

approve nor veto. 

Sotto disagrees with his former top ally. 

He says he cannot sign the budget 

unless congressmen remove their line 

items from the budget. 

It’s their “pork barrel,” so screamed 

Sen. Ping Lacson. 

GMA defended her turf, explaining that 

lump sums are unconstitutional, thus the 

need to detail where the national budget 

should go. 

In between is President Duterte, who 

may have the power to veto parts or all of 

the proposed national budget. But unless 

the proposed national budget is signed by 

both Sotto and Macapagal-Arroyo, then 

there is nothing to approve nor veto. 

A reenacted budget, however, will affect 

the flow of spending by government. 

Foremost among its victims is President 

Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” projects. If 

there is no allocated fund for these, then 

there is no “Build, Build, Build.” Just 

MOORINGS 

Salma Rasul 

Aldrin Cardona 

“none, none, none.” 

Also, the Philippines is set to host the 

30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to start 

30 November this year. 

Its organizers had earlier projected 

the event as the “Duterte SEA Games.” 

The 30 November start was not set for 

nothing, right? 

Allocated for the Games is P5 billion. 

The fund should be managed by the 

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). 

But there is no fund. 

The PSC still could not act on the 

requests for purchase of equipment, 

rehabilitation of venues and other SEA 

Games-related matters that have costing. 

All it can afford is to continue with 

funding the athletes’ training — foreign 

or local — as it has enough money 

allocated for that. 

But the SEA Games are only eight 

months away. If the Philippines could 

not afford the hosting, organizers should 

disclose it now and allow either Thailand 

or Indonesia — two countries which have 

expressed readiness to fill in as host — enough 

time to regroup the Games. 

Nothing has been heard from President 

Duterte about the SEA Games, however. 

And in all likelihood, he is not about to 

release a special fund for the SEA Games 

anytime soon. 

The Games could not be more important 

than the promised salary increases for 

government workers and the military. But 

these, too, are held hostage by the warring 

lawmakers. 

A prayer for unity, peace 

Footages of the massacre were 

instantaneously spread online 

through Facebook shares, YouTube 

uploads and reuploads, Twitter 

comments and Reddit reposts 

thereby exponentially spreading 

the vile content across other links 

and platforms for hours before the 

videos could be taken down. 

The sociopath’s 74-page message 

of hatred and bigotry was posted 

two days prior to the massacre. The 

manifesto, emailed to the Prime 

Minister minutes before the bloodbath, had 

likewise been reposted on social media platforms. 

Even more appalling is the fact that the 

remorseless gunman had discussed the planned 

attacks before its execution, enabling site users 

of a peripheral platform to follow the gore and 

mayhem in real time. 

Hate-filled words and violent images cast 

and recast without restraint or censorship 

over a medium with a reach spanning billions 

of users. Are these within protected speech? 

Why does such dark content attract audiences? 

That rude outburst angered many, including 

Partylist Rep. Carlos Roman Uybarreta who 

demanded Farolan’s resignation. Farolan did not 

resign. 

Late in 2018, Farolan again used his Facebook 

account and urged the UP community to beat up 

members of the Ateneo University basketball team so 

they will not be able to play in the University Athletic 

Association of the Philippines men’s basketball 

championship match against UP. 

The public demanded Farolan’s resignation 

from the Board of Regents. Even the Board issued 

a public announcement that it has withdrawn an 

earlier recommendation urging President Duterte to 

reappoint Farolan. 

Despite all the public embarrassment Farolan has 

brought against Duterte, Farolan refuses to resign 

from the Board. A group of lawyers are considering 

filing disbarment charges against Farolan. 

Another misfit is Francis 

Tolentino, President Benigno 

Aquino III’s chairman of 

the Metropolitan Manila 

Development Authority (MMDA). 

Back then, Tolentino was a 

staunch supporter of Aquino 

III and his Liberal Party, and 

desperately wanted to be a 

senator under the LP banner. 

At one time, Tolentino 

learned about a cleric who, in 

“Under 

Piñol, the local 

rice supply 

dwindled, thus 

triggering 

a runaway 

increase in the 

price of the 

national staple. 

exasperation with the traffic mess, directed traffic 

at a road intersection snarl, and whose photograph 

went viral on social media. Tolentino tried to 

duplicate what the cleric did, with the media in 

tow, but it only got him public scorn. 

Likewise, Tolentino has not yet explained why, 

during his time as MMDA head, a set of traffic 

lights meant for Metropolitan Manila ended up 

in Leni Robredo’s LP bailiwick in Bicol, and why 

he spent public money improving a road rotunda 

near the airport, knowing that the rotunda was 

to be demolished soon thereafter, to give way to 

road widening. 

During the 2015 Metropolitan Manila Film 

He 

said 

She 

said 

Is the visceral pull of violent imagery and racist 

rhetoric much stronger in a world where “the 

othering” or “us against them” mentality has 

gained a semblance of legitimacy? Or have we 

simply grown indifferent to growing signs of 

racism? 

How does one prevent 

“We see hope 

in the random acts 

of 

solidarity — churches, 

synagogues and 

temples offering 

prayers for the 

Dinah S. Ventura 

The view from this angle is not so appealing, looking 

at the current tug-of-war between Houses of Congress on 

the 2019 national budget. 

Firstly, while not discounting the importance of money 

in running a country, this wrangling about allocations 

can get pretty ugly. 

The Executive had been able to release its budget 

version a month before deadline about eight months 

ago. But Congress failed to finish the task by the time it 

adjourned before Christmas last year. 

Because of that, Pinoys have gotten a sketchy 

education on the merits and demerits of a reenacted 

budget — the winners shrugging and losers complaining. 

Usually the big losers in a reenacted budget are 

those getting increases or new allocations. In the past 

and the present, the Education department finds itself 

on the losing end. 

Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones 

had, in fact, spoken up about the problem recently, 

reminding one and all that many government agencies 

and employees have been struggling to operate under a 

reenacted 2018 budget. 

I particularly like how she described as 

“fascinating” the back and forth debates 

between the House of Representatives 

and the Senate over the budget because 

it reeked of irony. 

Clearly, like many are already feeling 

at this point, this delay over the national 

budget had lost its novelty. It just seems 

like a tired ploy for something ordinary 

Juans have no time to understand. 

The issue is as “overstretched” as the 

resources from a reenacted budget. 

acquiescence to hurtful 

ideas threatening social 

cohesion by focusing 

on the differences that 

divide, rather than the 

commonalities that unite? 

New Zealand is a 

small, quiet and peaceful 

country with one of the 

victims. 

lowest crime incidences in the world. It has 

been a haven for refugees fleeing 

persecution and oppression and 

immigrants seeking a better 

future for their families. 

For New Zealand’s 

prime minister, last 

Friday’s carnage was an 

act of terrorism — one leaving 

Festival, Tolentino 

again sought free 

publicity by making 

sure that a film clip 

about his touted 

feats in the MMDA 

were played before each 

and every screening in 

all cinema theaters in the 

metropolis. Movie patrons found 

his tactic distasteful. 

When Tolentino mismanaged 

the traffic situation in the metropolis, 

Aquino III had to ask the Highway Patrol 

Group to manage the traffic 

mess for his underling. 

After the news 

media reported that 

scantily-clad girls 

were allegedly hired 

by Tolentino to entertain 

LP leaders attending a 

caucus south of Manila, Tolentino 

lost whatever chance he had to get 

elected senator. 

Tolentino was so desperate to 

become a senator that after losing, 

he sued Sen. Leila de Lima in the 

hope of replacing the latter as 

the 12th-place winning senator 

in the May 2016 senatorial 

polls. 

When Duterte won the 

presidency, Tolentino shifted 

his allegiance to Duterte and got 

himself appointed as the President’s 

political adviser. That’s a political 

loser giving advice about politics 

to a political winner. 

Tolentino is now running 

for the Senate, apparently 

with the blessings of President 

Duterte. Perhaps the President does 

not really expect a 12-0 victory in the 

Senate derby. 

“Usually 

the big 

losers in a 

reenacted 

budget are 

those getting 

increases 

or new 

allocations. 

“In this so-called battle of the budget… we have both 

Houses still debating and conversing with each other and 

it’s all so fascinating, all the speculations (being made). 

Budget tangle 

COMMENTARY 

a community in mourning and a country 

bewildered by its occurrence. 

We, Filipinos, pray that the Muslim 

community in Christchurch recover and heal, 

that New Zealand’s commitment to social 

harmony and tolerance remain steadfast. 

We see hope in the random acts of 

solidarity — churches, synagogues and 

temples offering prayers for the victims, 

teenagers singing for unity and peace in a world. 

Kia kotahi. Be one — for peace and love, not 

hatred. As Dr. Martin Luther King said: “Hatred 

paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses 

life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; 

love illuminates it.” 

But perhaps it’s time to shift to those who are deprived, 

who are suffering and the impact… on the economy,” 

Briones reminded at a press conference last Monday. 

The Education secretary was speaking in behalf of 

“one of the largest agencies of the government, with 

some 800,000 personnel employed under its various 

departments, schools and programs.” And that is just 

one department feeling the effects this budget tangle. 

Another area that is getting crippled by the 

bullheadedness we are seeing is the economy. 

In a report, the National Economic and Development 

Authority “estimated that should the country run under a 

reenacted budget up to April, the gross domestic product 

growth for 2019 would only be at around 6.1 to 6.3 percent, 

below the target range of 7 percent to 8 percent.” 

Again, this may not make sense to the average persons 

trying to make their own budgets fit the day to day 

expenses, but it sounds grim to experts. 

In fact, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto 

Pernia warned: “If the budget is passed in August, expect 

growth to be around only 4.9 percent to 5.1 percent. 

Worse, with a full-year reenacted budget, growth can go 

as low as 4.2 percent to 4.9 percent.” 

Let’s just say it doesn’t look good for the economy, 

or if you want specifics, then the reenacted budget 

spells delay — for both new and ongoing infrastructure 

projects, affecting job generation, as well as the 

financial assistance programs already begun, including 

unconditional cash transfer and Pantawid Pasada. 

The House version has been signed, but Senate is 

insisting that it must be fixed. 

The senators claim “the House itemized lump sum 

funds under the health facilities budget.” They add 

it was unconstitutional “to distribute the lump sum 

funds after the budget had already been ratified by 

both chambers.” 

It’s worth examining the reasons they have for holding 

off on the passage of the P3.37-trillion national budget. 

It’s worth looking at statements that have been made 

by the House leadership that seem to sound right but are 

not exactly on point or addressing the primary questions. 

Perhaps this is what’s giving the entire scenario an 

ugliness we sense but cannot pinpoint at the moment. 

It’s the talk of money that awakens that deep-seated 

distrust we have come to develop over decades of misuse 

and disuse. 

So, we can’t blame senators for exercising their duty, 

perhaps protecting the interests of the people. Yet at the 

same time we wish that they would act quickly. 

The end results certainly will affect the whole country. 

As Pernia said, “The longer we wait, the more adverse 

the effect will be.” 

5

6 NEWS 


Daily Tribune 

CONSTRUCTION of a pedestrian overpass is nearly completed in Laguna. 

ROMAN PROSPERO 

From page 1 

Judiciary strong even sans ICC 

independent and functioning Judiciary 

which is competent enough to try cases 

locally instead of depending on the ICC. 

“In other words, we have a robust 

judicial system. Our Constitution has 

provided many legal machineries by 

which we can prosecute any public 

official committing any wrongdoing,” 

he said. 

The Palace official likewise argued 

that crimes tried in the ICC are already 

embedded in the Philippines’ penal laws. 

“In other words, anybody can file a 

complaint with respect to the crimes (like 

war crimes, crimes against humanity, 

genocide and crimes of aggression),” 

Panelo said. 

“The courts or the administrative 

bodies where these cases are filed would 

be investigating and would determine 

whether there is a probable cause and 

there will be trial,” he added. 

The ICC, according to the President’s 

chief legal counsel, has become a 

political tool, which uses its power to 

subvert the sovereignty of a state party. 

“It is no wonder that powerful 

countries of the world like US, Russia, 

China and Israel have withdrawn and/or 

did not join the ICC,” he said. 

Panelo also dismissed criticisms that 

alleged human rights violations in the 

Philippines are turning away investors. 

“There is no direct correlation 

between human rights and the economy,” 

presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo 

said. 

Business confidence remains high, 

according to Panelo. 

“While we continue to adhere to the 

rule of law and uphold international 

humanitarian law and the protection 

of human rights, the critics and the 

Brother summoned for Sytin’s murder 

From page 1 

businessman Dominic Sytin. 

In a statement, the DoJ said 

it will require the younger Sytin 

— together with respondents 

Edgardo Luib and Oliver Fuentes 

alias Ryan Rementilla — to 

appear before the agency on 1 

April and answer the complaint 

filed against them. 

“You are hereby summoned… 

in connection with the 

preliminary investigation… and 

to submit your counter-affidavit 

and those of your witnesses and 

other supporting documents if 

any, in your defense,” said the 

DoJ subpoena issued Tuesday. 

The DoJ’s panel of prosecutors 

— led by Senior Assistant State 

There is only one, ASEAN Human 

Rights Court, that is the only 

court that allows private citizens 

to file cases. 

Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera 

— also warned that failure to 

comply with the subpoena “shall 

be considered as a waiver on your 

part to present your defense/s in 

this preliminary investigation 

and the case shall be considered 

submitted for resolution based 

on complainant’s evidence only.” 

Aside from Navera, other 

members of the panel are 

Assistant State Prosecutor 

Weldell Bendoval and Assistant 

Prosecuting Attorney Gino 

Angelo Yanga. 

The complaint against Dennis 

and the other 

respondents 

was filed by Dominic’s wife Ann 

Marietta and the Olongapo City 

police. 

Luib was arrested in Batangas 

on 5 March and he executed an 

extrajudicial confession that 

identified the younger Sytin 

as the mastermind and tagged 

Fuentes in the killing. 

Luib said he was promised P1 

million to kill Dominic but was 

paid only P50,000. 

Luib said he was promised 

P1 million to kill Dominic 

but was paid only P50,000. 

Dominic was shot dead in 

front of the Lighthouse Hotel in 

Subic. His driver Efren Espartero 

was wounded when he tried to 

fight back. 

However, the younger Sytin 

denied the allegations, saying he 

is only being used as a scapegoat. 

But investigators are looking into 

an alleged siblings’ squabble for 

the control of shares of UAI, one 

of the country’s biggest auction 

firms, prior to the killing. 

Aside from Luib’s extrajudicial 

confession, police also relied on a 

CCTV footage showing the gunman 

arriving at the hotel more than two 

hours before the incident, shooting 

the victim and fleeing on board a 

motorcycle. With Alvin Murcia 

detractors of the administration 

continue to vilify the President and 

the government, even raising the issue 

of human rights in connection with 

the drug war to other issues such as 

trade, business and the economy,” 

Panelo said. 

In other words, anybody can file 

a complaint with respect to the 

crimes (like war crimes, crimes 

against humanity, genocide and 

crimes of aggression). 

He cited the six-percent growth of the 

Philippine economy under the Duterte 

administration which is the strongest 

leap so far since the 1970s, according 

to the President’s economic managers. 

“In the first two full years of the 

Duterte administration, when the 

media propaganda war against the 

campaign on illegal drugs was virulent, 

the Philippines had an unprecedented 

$20.1 billion in net foreign investments 

in 2017 and 2018 compared with the 

first two full years of the Aquino 

administration which registered $2 

billion in 2011 and $3.2 billion in 2012,” 

Panelo said. 

TRANSPORTATION Undersecretary Mark Richmond de Leon (with microphone) and road safety advocate and 

celebrity Jolina Magdangal grace the talk for safety standards for child restraint system during the Keep Kids Safe 

in Cars event yesterday. 

ANALY LABOR 

Con doctor 

A YOUNG woman performs with a traditional instrument erhu during the 

China book affair at the UP Asian Center. 

YUMMIE DINGDING 

From page 1 

In Vintar, Ilocos Norte, the police 

arrested Tuesday Rodrigo Caniaveral Jr., 

who is allegedly posing as a doctor, as 

well as his cohort Arnel Valdez, on the 

strength of a complaint from the family 

of their victim. 

The complainants alleged Caniaveral 

demanded a payment of P800,000 for the 

treatment of a paralyzed woman, as well 

as P35,000 as downpayment for a special 

drug which bore no label at all. 

However, a friend of the patient 

warned her family about the supposed 

doctor, saying he too was duped by the 

suspect. 

According to the police, the suspect 

presented an ID supposedly issued by the 

Professional Regulation Commission. But 

tests conducted on the supposed drug he 

gave the victim proved the substance was 

not medicinal at all. 

As expected, Caniaveral vehemently 

denied the accusation although he 

admitted he is merely a “reflexologist.” 

His past proved to be his undoing 

as police records revealed he was 

previously involved in the scam of selling 

fake gold bars. 

He is currently detained and facing 

charges for estafa and violation of 

the Medical Act of 1959. If it’s any 

consolation for Caniaveral, now he has a 

lot of patients to practice his therapeutic 

skills, albeit behind bars.


Daily Tribune NATION 

‘Biker’ JV takes 

7 

Enthusiast Sen. JV Ejercito, a known 

motorcycle and sports buff, vows to protect 

and promote the interests of motorcycle 

riders. 

riders’ advocacy 

motorcycle riding community,” JV added. 

Ejercito welcomed Galvante’s 

Under the new law, a motorcycle owner must register his 

proposal, citing the serious risks of motorcycle within five days after purchase and failure to do so 

having enhanced licensed plate in would result in imprisonment or a fine of not less than P25,000. 

front of motorcycles 

Driving without a number plate can result in imprisonment 

and a fine of P50,000 to P100,000. 

By Mario J. Mallari 

Enforcers will also confiscate the motorcycle and it will 

only be released upon proof of ownership and payment 

Reelectionist Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito yesterday of the costs of seizure, and compliance with a number 

vowed to address concerns, particularly on safety and plate or readable number plate. 

hefty fines, raised by motorcycle riders following the 

Law enforcers may also face jail 

passage of the Motorcycle Crime Prevention 

time if they are unable to report 

Act or Republic Act (RA) 11235. 

or surrender a seized motorcycle within 

In a dialogue with various motorcycle 

24 hours. 

riders’ groups, Ejercito, who is a motorcycle 

The use of stolen plates will 

rider himself, said he is open to amending 

also have a fine of P50,000 

the law if only to address the issues raised 

to P100,000. 

by riders and other stakeholders. 

If proven that a motorcycle was used 

To address the safety concerns, Land for a crime of grave felony or escape 

Transportation Office Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante from the scene of a crime, its owner, 

proposed to place radio frequency identification or driver and passenger will face 12 to 

decal stickers in front and the enhanced license plates 40 years in prison. 

at the back. 

Sen. Richard Gordon, principal 

Ejercito welcomed Galvante’s proposal, citing the author of Republic Act 11235, 

serious risks of having enhanced licensed plate in front maintained that the law will 

of motorcycles. 

help curb crimes committed by 

On the hefty fines, Ejercito vowed to find ways to motorcycle-riding perpetrators. 

lower them. 

Gordon cited police data showing of 

“What is important is that we had a very fruitful the total of 28,409 motorcycle-riding crimes 

discussion with the stakeholders and we will try to address reported from 2010 to 2017, 13,062 or 46 percent were shooting incidents. 

those concerns, particularly the safety issues,” he said. And out of over 4,000 motorcycle-riding crimes or incidents in 2016, 

“As a rider, I really feel for the concerns of the only eight cases were solved. 


The jockeying for the coveted 

position of House of Representatives 

Speaker further tightened after Davao 

City Mayor Sara Duterte and Hugpong 

ng Pagbabago (HnP) chairman 

yesterday proclaimed returning Leyte 

Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez as 

the next in line for the job. 

Prior to yesterday, 

Sara almost always 

introduced during 

HnP campaign 

sorties, Marinduque 

Rep. Lord Allan 

Velasco, a known 

trusted ally of her 

father President 

Duterte, as the 

Speakership race tightens 

next Speaker. 

NEWS BRIEFS 

But Sara’s declaration could 

probably alter the plans of 

Velasco who until yesterday 

was deemed by kibitzers as 

way ahead of the race. 

Next in line Rep. Martin Romualdez apparently earned the 

nod of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as next House Speaker. 

Every now and then, other names 

like former DFA Secretary Alan Peter 

Cayetano and San Juan Rep. Ronaldo 

Zamora, also crop up as the possible 

replacement of incumbent 

Speaker and former President 

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 

But Sara’s declaration 

could probably alter the 

plans of Velasco who until 

yesterday was deemed by 

kibitzers as way ahead of 

the race. 

Sara made the announcement 

during the campaign rally of HnP in 

Romualdez’s bailiwick in Tacloban 

which was attended by more than 

5,000 supporters from different 

provinces in Region 8. 

During her 

acknowledgment speech, 

Mayor Duterte introduced 

Romualdez as the 

next House chief. 

Former mayor escapes jail time 

The Sandiganbayan 2nd Division has acquitted former Baliuag, Bulacan 

Mayor Romeo Estrella, who was accused of graft over the alleged favors he 

granted to his wife and sister-in-law for the lease of market stalls in 2013. 

In its 17-page resolution dated 12 March, the anti-graft court granted 

the demurrer to evidence of Estrella due to weak evidence presented by 

the prosecution. The same motion of his wife, Sonia, and sister-in-law, 

Renita Domingo, was also granted. 

“It is well-settled that in the trial of every criminal case, a judge must 

rigidly test the state’s evidence of guilt in order to ensure that such 

evidence adheres to the basic rules of admissibility before pronouncing 

an accused guilty of the crime charged,” the decision read. 

The Sandiganbayan also ordered the release of their respective bail 

bonds and the lifting of the hold departure order against them. 

To recall, the Office of the Ombudsman accused Estrella of unlawfully 

giving advantage to Sonia and Domingo between 18 February to 15 March 

of 2013, when he approved the contracts of lease for three market stalls 

at the Baliuag Shopping Complex. 

It is well-settled that in the trial of every criminal case, a 

judge must rigidly test the state’s evidence of guilt in order 

to ensure that such evidence adheres to the basic rules of 

admissibility before pronouncing an accused guilty of the 

crime charged. 

The prosecution said the lease deals violated the Baliuag Market Code, 

which only allowed the use of not more than two stalls. 

It added the accused also had financial interests with the deal since 

Domingo sub-leased the stalls to R & S Estrella Pawnshop owned by Sonia. 

The former mayor and his co-accused, on the other hand, argued the 

evidence was insufficient to prove their guilt, especially after the prosecution 

failed to present the complainant Antonio Halina during the trial. 

The Sandiganbayan agreed with Estrella, saying the lack of testimony 

from Halina and other documents hampered the case of the prosecution. 

Korinah Saromines 

Emergency preparedness enhanced 

The Department of Public Works and Highways on Tuesday announced its 

recent completion of a P33.9-million evacuation center project in Barangay 

Tinimbo, Cateel, Davao Oriental. The project was given priority by the national 

government to improve preparedness of the municipality in times of calamities. 

The facility has two-story accommodation building, an infirmary and office 

building, water tanks, and other necessary facilities and equipment. Besides 

the basic amenities, the newly constructed center also has prayer rooms, 

dining and kitchen area, breastfeeding rooms and separate toilet and bath 

buildings for males, females and persons with disabilities. The Philippines 

being highly vulnerable to natural calamities needs strong, reliable and 

well-equipped evacuation centers throughout the country. It can be recalled 

that Cateel was badly devastated during the onslaught of typhoon “Pablo” in 

2012, even losing the town’s evacuation center. 

Romualdez will be running for the 

1st District of Leyte replacing his wife, 

Yedda Marie, who will run as first 

nominee of Tingog Partylist. 

The President’s daughter had 

clarified earlier that tagging Velasco 

as the next Speaker was nothing but a 

jest and it was nothing serious. 

In an ambush interview, Duterte said 

she will be supporting those who have 

shown interest in helping his father in 

the remaining three years of his 

administration. 

“I think we also support 

(former Foreign Affairs) 

Secretary Alan Peter 

Cayetano because he is 

also interested to become a Speaker. 

As of now, all of these are uncertain 

because the elections are not yet over,” 

she explained. 

“I think the best time to talk 

about that (speakership) is after the 

elections,” she added. 

To recall, Romualdez, earlier issued 

a statement expressing his interest to 

take over the speakership. 

He also said he was honored to be 

endorsed by the President’s daughter, 

adding the mere mention of his name 

humbled him. 

Boracay 

shutdown legality 

questioned 


Three Boracay residents yesterday 

asked the Supreme Court (SC) to 

reconsider its decision upholding 

the legality of President Duterte’s 

Proclamation 475, that placed the 

island under a state of calamity and 

ordered its temporary closure to pave 

the way for its rehabilitation. 

Petitioners Mark Anthony Zabal, 

Thiting Estoso Jacosalem and 

OdeonBandiola asked the SC to 

take a second look by which Duterte 

exercised his police powers. 

They insisted Duterte’s decision 

failed to comply with the requisites 

under Section 6, Article III of the 1987 

Constitution. 

They specifically pointed out 

that the right to travel can only be 

curtailed in the interest of national 

security, public safety and public 

health, as may be provided by law. 

By Perseus Echeminada 

The Sulu Sultanate’s continuing Sabah claim 

is expected to receive a major boost as the 

claimants train their eyes on the United States 

which they expect to help them in their cause. 

This, as Phugdalum Kiram II is scheduled to 

lead the celebration of the 104th anniversary of 

the signing of the Carpenter-Kiram Agreement. 

The said pact was signed on 24 March 

1915 between the United States of America 

and the late Jumalul Kiram II, the Sultan of 

Sulu and North Borneo at that time. 

He said Sultan Kiram II is appealing 

to the US to fulfill the provisions of 

the 1915 agreement. 

Abraham Idjirani, secretary-general and 

spokesman for the sultanate, said Kiram II 

and his leaders will hold religious activities 

at their ancestral place in Kasangyanan, Jolo. 

“The celebration will focus on the US 

commitment to place the Sultanate under 

its protectorate and flag and the articulation 

under the 1899 Kiram-Bates Treaty that Sabah 

By Brigette Manalang 

Captivating Boracay remains one of the most beautiful islands 

in the world. 

Sabah claimants seek US help 

is wholly under leased with the British North 

Borneo Company,” he said. 

Idjirani said the Carpenter-Kiram 

Agreement is still in effect because the 

US Congress did not revoke it, although 

the Kiram-Bates Treaty was revoked by US 

President William McKinley in 1905. 

He said Sultan Kiram II is appealing to 

the US to fulfill the provisions of the 1915 

agreement. 

Under the pact, the world power had 

assured full protection would be given to 

the claimants should a question of territorial 

rights on North Borneo arise between the 

sultanate and any foreign country. 

The agreement was reportedly arrived after 

the late Sultan Jumalul Kiram I, cooperated to 

temporarily relinquish temporal sovereignty 

over Sabah. 

“The Sultanate of Sulu is now asking the 

US to help in pursuing its proprietary claim 

over the disputed territory,” he said. 

Aside from the US, the Sultanate has signed 

trade and arms treaty with Great Britain, 

China and The Netherlands. 

Homegrown tire brand debuts April 

The first motorcycle tire brand made 

from 100 percent locally-harvested rubber 

cup lumps will be launched in the market 

next month. 

The launch of 300x17 motorcycle tire to 

be called Pilipinas Agila, will be attended by 

President Rodrigo Duterte himself. 

It’s launch will come exactly one year 

after the Philippine rubber industry road map 

was crafted and presented to Duterte by the 

agriculture and trade officials. 

The initiative was undertaken by Philippine 

Rubber Farmers’ Cooperative (PRFC) in its 

effort to develop finished products from the 

raw rubber cup lumps. 

The bigger margin of profit, however, 

will be realized in the sale of the 

finished motorcycle tires, from 

which the cooperative is expected to 

gain at least P100 per unit sold. 

The cooperative was organized by the 

Department of Agriculture two years ago 

in cooperation with other agencies, before 

entering into an agreement with Leo Tires 

Manufacturing (LTM) for a supply and 

buy-back scheme. 

Under the agreement, PRFC will buy the 

cup lumps produced by its members and 

process these into rubber blocks called 

SPR-20, which will then be delivered and 

bought by LTM. 

The tire company will then manufacture 

the Pilipinas Agila motorcycle tires which in 

turn will be bought back by the PRFC to be 

sold in the market. 

According to the computation made by the 

PRFC, the cooperative will make a little profit 

from buying cup lumps from its members and 

selling these as SPR-20 to LTM. 

The bigger margin of profit, however, 

will be realized in the sale of the finished 

motorcycle tires where the cooperative is 

expected to gain at least P100 per unit sold. 

To maximize their earnings, the cooperative 

plans to undertake the marketing of the tires 

and sell them to its members since almost all 

of them own a motorcycle. 

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Daily Tribune 

By Komfie Manalo 

The national government has warned barangay chief executives 

they would face administrative charges or even dismissal from office 

if they fail to maintain sanitation in their localities and participate in 

the efforts to clean up waterways leading to Manila Bay. 

This, after Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu described 

barangay leaders as the “most powerful public officials,” as he 

called them the “elite special forces” in the ongoing effort to bring 

the heavily polluted bay back to its former glory. 

In a stern warning issued during the “Battle for Manila Bay” 

dialogue with barangays, Department of the Interior and Local 

Government Undersecretaries Epimaco Densing III and Martin 

Diño told local leaders they need to comply with the directive of 

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año to conduct a weekly maintenance 

of waterways in their jurisdictions. 

“If you do not want to do your job, then you should quit (as 

barangay chairmen),” Densing said, as he reiterated the call for 

public servants to comply with their mandate of protecting the 

environment. 

“I urge you to use your funds to enforce the law,” said Diño, 

who once served as barangay chairman for more than 10 years 

before being appointed in national position. 

He added Secretary Año had issued show-cause orders to at least 

1,000 barangay officials in Luzon to compel them to submit a report on 

their clean-up of creeks, rivers and other waterways in their localities. 

“The majority of garbage are coming from domestic sources. Those 

are your constituents and you should implement environmental laws. 

Remember, Republic Act 9003 makes it a criminal act to litter or throw 

garbage improperly. Violators of this law are criminals,” he stated. 

During the same dialogue, Cimatu called on barangay leaders 

around Manila Bay to serve as “elite special forces” in the ongoing 

effort to bring the heavily polluted bay back to its former glory. 

“The barangay leaders and members who are here today could be 

considered special forces in this endeavor,” the DENR Secretary said. 

American wanted for child 

pornography in Nevada 

New office in QC ensures orderly 

transactions concerning alienable lands 

METRO BITS 

Estafa x 2 

A man attending a court hearing in Manila for estafa was arrested 

by operatives of the Manila Police District over a second estafa case for 

which a warrant had been issued against him in Quezon City. 

The suspect, Brad Boie Peter Cheung, a resident of San Juan City, 

posted a bail of P48,000 for his temporary liberty in the second 

estafa case involving his alleged failure to complete 

a house whose construction he contracted from a couple. 

The complainants in the Quezon City case averred that despite 

their payment of P5 million to Cheung, the suspect failed to finish 

their house at Vista Real Classica in Barangay Commonwealth. 

PCS 

Off the streets 

Count two more alleged drug dealers off the streets of 

Mandaluyong. Arrested in a buy-bust operation were Francis 

San Jose, alias Yuki, 42, and Noel Calbay, alias Nonoy, 58, 

both residents of Barangay Hulo, Mandaluyong City. 

Senior Supt. Moises Villaceran Jr., Mandaluyong 

police chief, said the two suspects sold a plastic of 

shabu to a police poseur buyer in exchange for P500. 

Recovered from the suspects’ possession were three sachets 

of suspected shabu, P200 marked money and a coin pouch purse. 

Neil Alcober 

Singapore’s Defense Attaché, Colonel 

De Silva Joe Ronesh, presented yesterday 

before Philippine Navy (PN) officers 

what he touted to be their strict and 

“corruption-free” system in procuring 

equipment for their armed forces. 

Singapore’s procurement system 

takes spotlight. 

Ronesh’s PowerPoint presentation 

underscored that, like in the Philippines, 

strict rules are implemented during 

public biddings to guard against 

SINGAPORE’s Col. De Silva 

corruption. 

Joe Ronesh says untainted 

Both erring public officials and 

bidding rests on transparency. 

private contractors involved in a 

Bay ‘special forces’ tapped 

Barangays 

tasked to clean 

waterways 

Cimatu: Consider yourselves as the first 

line of defense 

SC reverses 

drug conviction 


The Supreme Court (SC) First Division ordered the 

release of a convicted drug suspect for failure of police 

officers to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt. 

The SC reversed the guilty verdict on Antonio de Leon 

rendered by the Regional Trial Court of Taguig and affirmed 

by the Court of Appeals in April 2017. 

Police failed to have witnesses during inventory. 

De Leon was accused of selling 0.060 gram of shabu to 

a poseur buyer on 13 August 2010 in Taguig City. 

The SC held that the police officers failed to observe the 

rule on the proper handling of evidence when no witnesses 

were on hand during the inventory of the seized drug. 

“Section 21 (a) of the IRR states “that non-compliance with 

these requirements under justifiable grounds, as long as the 

integrity and the evidentiary value of the seized items are 

properly preserved by the apprehending officer /team, shall 

not render void and invalid such seizures of and custody over 

said items,” the SC said. 

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) 

announced the impending summary 

deportation of two foreign fugitives — an 

American wanted in the US for distributing 

By Pat C. Santos 

child pornography and a South Korean 

wanted for swindling. 

Immigration Commissioner Jaime 

Morente identified the persons to be 

deported as Joel P. Aquino, 56, an American 

national who was arrested last Saturday, 

and Kim Jae Hyoung, 60. 

Aquino was collared in Clark Field, 

Land bureau squatter no more 

Nearly 10 months since its former 

headquarters in Manila was destroyed 

in a fire, the Land Management Bureau 

(LMB) has opened its new office 

at Estuar Building along Quezon 

Avenue in Quezon City. 

“We are now ready to 

process land applications, 

survey and dispose 

alienable and 

Banana plantation workers from Compostela 

Valley thanked Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada for 

allowing them to take shelter at the Liwasang 

Bonifacio while they staged a rally in Metro Manila 

to press for wage increases. 

The workers under the 

group Nagkakaisang Mamumuo 

sa Suyapa Farm met Labor 

Secretary Silvestre Bello III to 

push for added labor benefits 

disposable lands in our new home,” LMB Director 

Emelyne Talabis said. 

The new LMB office houses the Director and 

Assistant Director and all Bureau Divisions, 

including Records and Knowledge Management, 

Geodetic Surveys, Legal, Land Policy and Planning 

and Land Management. 

The Center for Land Administration and 

Management or CLAMP, as well as the Bureau’s 

Bids and Awards Committee and Administrative 

Support Staff, also holds office in the building. 

A staff bureau of the Department of 

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), 

the LMB recommends policies and programs for 

and have since gone back home to the province. 

Estrada responded by saying he has always 

been supportive of the cause of workers all over 

the country. 

“Your support was a big help to us while 

we are seeking a dialogue with the DoLE. May 

your undertakings and service to the people, 

especially to the labor groups, inspire other 

leaders for the welfare of workers,” the 

labor group said. 

Mayor Estrada said that it is his 

mandate to provide workers with 

whatever assistance the city can offer 

as they come from the provinces to seek 

dialogues with national government 

officials based in Manila. 

the efficient and effective administration, surveys, 

management and disposition of alienable and 

disposable lands of the public domain. 

It also oversees lands outside the responsibilities 

of other government agencies such as reclaimed 

areas and other areas needed for or are not being 

utilized for the purposes of which they have been 

established. 

Talabis, meanwhile, thanked the DENR Bureau 

Directors who allowed LMB people to temporarily 

stay in their offices, such as the Mines and 

Geosciences Bureau, the Biodiversity Management 

Bureau and the Environmental Management 

Bureau. 

Miguel Paolo Togonon 

Navy guards against corruption 

Banana workers thank Erap 

Rallying group allowed to take shelter 

at Liwasang Bonifacio. 

Pervert, swindler to be deported 

Peace and quiet A muster of storks rests at the Manila Zoo months after its closure to treat sewage it courses through Manila Bay. AFP 

Pampanga while Kim was nabbed in 

Lapu-Lapu City by elements of the BI 

fugitive search unit. 

“Aquino is wanted for child 

pornography in Nevada while Kim is a 

notorious swindler in Korea. They are 

facing very serious offenses,” Morente 

said. 

Anthony Ching 

questioned supply contract are penalized 

with imprisonment and fines, said the 

Singaporean official. 

The PN invited Ronesh in its 

Procurement Forum held at Rizal Park 

Hotel to promote transparency and 

accountability as the Navy undertakes 

the modernization of its fleet composed 

mainly of hand-me-down seagoing 

vessels. 

Around 300 officers and personnel from all 

branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines 

attended the forum intended to arm the 

Navy’s logistics and financial managers with 

knowledge on the best practices employed by 

other countries in procuring big-ticket items 

like warships. 

P.C. Santos 

Abby warns 

condos 

on drugs 

Makati Mayor Abby 

Binay yesterday warned 

condominium and condotel 

owners and managers to be 

vigilant against illegal activities 

such as drug dealings taking 

place inside their buildings. 

The mayor issued the 

statement as she commended 

the Makati City Police (MCP) 

for the arrest of two suspected 

drug dealers and the seizure 

of around P1.5-million party 

drugs from them. 

Owners, managers 

told to notify police 

on shenanigans 

happening. 

“I am calling on all 

condominium and condotel 

owners and managers in 

Makati to keep a tight watch 

on the goings-on in their 

buildings,” Abby said. 

Arrested were 24-year-old 

Adriel Ryoichi Suzuki at Unit 

736 of Cityland 9 during a follow 

up operation conducted by the 

station drug enforcement unit 

of the MCP headed by Chief 

Insp. Gideon Ines Jr. 

“Rest assured that we, 

under the leadership of 

PSSupt. Rogelio Simon, will 

not stop until all barangays 

in the city are cleared of 

drugs,” Ines said. 

“We thank our good 

Mayor for recognizing 

the hard work needed to 

fight the drug menace,” 

he added. 

One bust 

at a time 

The head of Makati’s station drug enforcement unit, Chief Insp. Gideon Ines Jr. says clearing the city of 

drugs is hard but not impossible. 

MCP

NEW 

SHOOTING 

LEAVES 

3 DEAD 

DIRK 

ECLIPSES 

WILT 

ALDEN’S MOST 

UNFORGETTABLE 

MOMENT 

HIGHER SSS 

CONTRIBUTIONS 

BEGIN 1 APRIL 

P16 

P13 

P19 

P12 

Jun Vallecera, Editor 


Daily Tribune 

BUSINESS 

9

10 BUSINESS 

Above all, the slow but sure healing would not have been 

possible without the skillful medical management of my wife’s 

medical issues by her healers 

Shortly before Christmas Day last 

year, I wrote about a wonderful gift 

that my family and I received just in 

time to celebrate at home the birth of 

our Lord Jesus Christ. My wife Liza had 

finally been discharged from St. Luke’s 

Global after undergoing two debilitating 

back-to-back surgeries within a period of 

about two weeks. I will never forget the 

long hours in the waiting room, anxiously 

praying while waiting for word on the 

outcome of Liza’s surgery. I was greatly 

relieved when I was finally informed by 

Liza’s surgeon, Dr. Dennis Serrano, that 

the procedure was successful. 

What struck me though were the 

words he uttered immediately after, 

“Now, the complications begin.” Frankly, 

it did not quite sink in what he meant 

until a few days after the surgery when 

we were told by the surgeon that because 

of my wife not having the ideal weight 

for the surgical procedure she had just 

undergone, plus her diabetic condition, 

a second one would be necessary in 

order to repair her herniated wound. 

The second surgery went well, but we 

were cautioned that it would probably 

take a relatively longer period of 

recovery compared to other patients 

recovering from similar surgeries my 

THE BPI unit is eyeing a 15 percent growth in its 

housing loan portfolio this year. 

BPI home 

loan comes 

with savings 

We continue to see strong demand 

for housing loans as more people 

have more disposable income 

By AJ Bajo 

BPI Family Savings Bank, the thrift unit 

of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, is 

rolling out a home loan offering linked to 

an initial savings account of as much as 

P100,000. The loan-cum-savings program forms 

part of the lender’s bid to address the backlog 

in the housing segment and promote financial 

inclusion at the same time. 

BPI’s Family Housing Loan Promo gives 

clients complimentary P10,000 in savings for 

every approved housing loan worth P1 million. 

This will be coursed either through the bank’s 

BPI Maxi Saver for higher yielding interest 

or Pamana Savings account bundled with an 

insurance cover. This will be made available after 

two months of amortization payments. 

The promo, which will run until 31 May this 

year, is available for a maximum of P100,000 

or for loan of at least P10 million. The housing 

loan offer has minimum loan term of 10 years. 

“What we’re trying to do now is to 

democratize housing loans,” BPI Family Savings 

Bank vice president Herbert Tuason said during 

the program launch on Tuesday. 

But now we see a tapering off, so 

we don’t really see a contraction, 

particularly on housing loans. 

“As of now our average loan amount is about 

P2.5 billion... that means we’re not targeting 

the ones who are really in need of a home. 

What we’re trying to do now is come up with a 

program to address exactly that.” 

Citing data from the Department of Trade 

and Industry, BPI Family Savings Bank president 

Maria Cristina Go said that the country’s 

housing backlog, now at 3.9 million, will still 

hit 6 million by 2030 assuming that housing 

unit production would average yearly by 200,000 

households. 

“We continue to see strong demand for 

housing loans as more people have more 

disposable income,” Go said. 

She added that interest rates, expected 

to remain steady this year on the back of the 

easing inflation, will also drive the demand for 

their housing and auto loans. 

“The challenge there in the past has been 

the volatility; the unexpected rise in interest 

rates. We had in the last year 175 basis points 

in interest rate increase, which was really quite 

sudden for a lot of our consumers,” Go said. 

“But now we see a tapering off, so we 

don’t really see a contraction, particularly on 

housing loans.” 

The BPI unit is eyeing a 15 percent growth 

in its housing loan portfolio this year, as well as 

a P60-billion target in new home loans. 

wife had just undergone. 

Being a diabetic, my wife’s recovery 

has been marked by the slow healing of 

her wound. With a great dose of patience 

and after three months of medication 

to fight off infection and the constant 

dressing of her wound and, of course, a 

lot of prayers, although we are not yet 

out of the woods, the wound has now 

almost healed. 

To my mind, Brian and Mitos, 

combined as a team, have been 

the perfect complementation to 

address Liza’s medical condition. 

With the reader’s kind indulgence, I 

feel compelled to publicly acknowledge 

the tremendous lift to our spirits that the 

healers of Liza have given us both these 

past few months. Above all, the slow 

but sure healing would not have been 

possible without the skillful medical 

management of my wife’s medical 

issues by her healers, a few outstanding 

physicians whom we have been most 

fortunate to have on her team. 

Foremost among them is Liza’s 

lead physician, Dr. Brian Cabral, who 

is a nephrologist and the main man 

in the management of Liza’s new 

TUESDAY 

19 MARCH 2019 

kidney. Nephrology 

is a specialty of 

medicine that focuses 

on kidney ailments. 

Brian is a University 

of the Philippines 

(UP) College of 

Medicine graduate 

and did his residency 

in internal medicine 

at the Cleveland 

Clinic Akron General 

(CCAG) in Ohio and 

his fellowship in 

transplant nephrology 

and hypertension in the Northwestern 

Memorial Hospital — Northwestern 

University in Chicago. He also just 

completed in 2017 a Master of 

Medical Management degree program 

at Carnegie Mellon University in 

Pittsburgh on a full scholarship. Until 

very recently, he was the medical 

director and senior vice president 

and head of Medical Practice Group of 

one of the country’s leading hospitals, 

St. Luke’s Medical Center Global 

City. Although my wife and I are 

unabashedly big fans of Brian, I am 

certain our admittedly biased views 

are similarly shared by his other 

patients who are under his care that 

stepping down from his management 

position in the hospital will only mean 

a much brighter future for him. 

Another of Liza’s healers is Dr. 

Mitos Cating-Cabral whose specialty is 

PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE 

NAME OPEN HIGH LOW CLOSE VALUE (P) 

FINANCIALS 

BANKS 

ASIA UNITED 58.1 58.75 58.1 58.75 326,631 

BDO UNIBANK 131 132.5 130.6 131.5 317,653,176 

BANK PH ISLANDS 88.15 88.15 87 87 112,937,667.50 

CHINABANK 27.7 27.7 27.45 27.5 3,948,165 

EAST WEST BANK 12.48 12.6 12.46 12.48 6,135,630 

METROBANK 81.85 82.35 81.65 82 189,504,130.50 

PB BANK 13.86 13.86 13.86 13.86 55,440 

PBCOM 21.55 21.55 21.5 21.5 167,800 

PHIL NATL BANK 60.1 60.5 57.8 59.2 42,559,575.50 

PSBANK 58.5 58.5 58.4 58.4 171,189.50 

PHILTRUST 110.2 122 110.2 122 2,322 

RCBC 26.3 26.45 26.2 26.35 1,093,950 

SECURITY BANK 169 170 165.9 165.9 90,730,337 

UNION BANK 62.9 62.9 60.8 61.2 1,069,311 

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS 

BRIGHT KINDLE 1.35 1.35 1.33 1.35 137,170 

BDO LEASING 2.25 2.3 2.24 2.3 241,380 

COL FINANCIAL 18.4 19 18.4 19 1,990,650 

FERRONOUX HLDG 4.42 4.42 4.28 4.3 212,240 

MEDCO HLDG 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.45 99,000 

MANULIFE 815 815 815 815 122,250 

NTL REINSURANCE 0.99 0.99 0.96 0.96 126,020 

PHIL STOCK EXCH 185 185 185 185 49,950 

SUN LIFE 1,815 1,815 1,815 1,815 344,850 

INDUSTRIAL 

ELECTRICITY, ENERGY, POWER & WATER 

ALSONS CONS 1.42 1.42 1.4 1.42 637,380 

ABOITIZ POWER 35 35.05 34.5 34.5 27,199,750 

BASIC ENERGY 0.236 0.243 0.236 0.24 19,140 

FIRST GEN 21 21.95 21 21.7 41,173,775 

FIRST PHIL HLDG 76 77 75.5 76 14,360,878.50 

MERALCO 375 376 372 375 110,156,992 

MANILA WATER 26.3 26.3 25.1 25.1 28,699,220 

PETRON 6.68 6.76 6.62 6.62 36,201,342 

PETROENERGY 3.77 3.86 3.77 3.85 1,845,970 

PHINMA ENERGY 1.3 1.33 1.3 1.33 6,446,560 

PHX PETROLEUM 12.26 12.28 11.86 12.28 2,054,262 

PILIPINAS SHELL 49.75 49.75 49.35 49.35 37,428,700 

SPC POWER 6.46 6.46 6.4 6.4 280,776 

FOOD, BEVERAGE & TOBACCO 

AGRINURTURE 14 14.46 14 14.38 5,655,024 

CNTRL AZUCARERA 16 16 15.36 15.36 35,430 

CENTURY FOOD 15.52 15.7 15.5 15.7 18,501,194 

DEL MONTE 6.28 6.28 6.18 6.27 60,007 

DNL INDUS 11.4 11.4 11.28 11.3 4,606,504 

EMPERADOR 7.45 7.56 7.4 7.52 540,699 

SMC FOODANDBEV 105 105 102.2 104 15,859,121 

ALLIANCE SELECT 1.01 1.04 1.01 1.03 3,732,600 

GINEBRA 27.3 27.3 27.1 27.2 3,955,020 

JOLLIBEE 315.2 316 312.2 313.6 115,083,494 

MACAY HLDG 11.08 11.2 10.7 10.8 153,728 

MAXS GROUP 12 12 11.94 11.96 1,148,452 

MG HLDG 0.196 0.196 0.196 0.196 15,680 

PEPSI COLA 1.41 1.41 1.38 1.4 1,645,950 

SHAKEYS PIZZA 12.2 12.2 11.92 12.1 30,068 

ROXAS AND CO 1.86 1.86 1.8 1.8 1,170,780 

RFM CORP 4.67 4.68 4.66 4.68 62,844,570 

ROXAS HLDG 2.73 2.73 2.52 2.69 61,700 

UNIV ROBINA 147 148 146.1 146.1 93,563,804 

VITARICH 1.63 1.64 1.62 1.63 2,271,420 

VICTORIAS 2.69 2.7 2.69 2.7 70,090 

CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE & ALLIED SERVICES 

CEMEX HLDG 2.87 2.92 2.71 2.71 47,951,120 

DAVINCI CAPITAL 5.84 5.84 5.8 5.8 492,543 

EAGLE CEMENT 15.76 15.86 15.76 15.8 16,242,844 

EEI CORP 9.15 9.19 9.05 9.1 2,215,999 

HOLCIM 9.81 9.86 9.6 9.65 11,824,363 

MEGAWIDE 20.35 21 20.35 20.7 18,436,910 

PHINMA 8.95 8.95 8.95 8.95 31,325 

TKC METALS 0.99 1.03 0.96 0.98 157,670 

VULCAN INDL 1.27 1.28 1.26 1.26 968,950 

CHEMICALS 

CHEMPHIL 110.2 110.2 107 110 925,804 

CROWN ASIA 1.91 1.91 1.88 1.88 20,980 

MABUHAY VINYL 3.5 3.6 3.34 3.6 51,500 

PRYCE CORP 5.8 6 5.8 6 766,000 

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS & EQUIPMENT 

CONCEPCION 43 43 43 43 249,400 

GREENERGY 2.3 2.39 2.15 2.36 60,742,340 

INTEGRATED MICR 12.9 13.4 12.9 13.3 31,606,704 

IONICS 1.66 1.7 1.65 1.65 224,640 

SFA SEMICON 1.3 1.34 1.3 1.33 133,550 

CIRTEK HLDG 29.3 29.8 28.7 29.8 5,656,570 

HOLDING FIRMS 

ABACORE CAPITAL 0.75 0.76 0.73 0.73 21,381,910 

ASIABEST GROUP 19.72 20.4 19.72 20 1,106,843 

AYALA CORP 934 934 928 930 158,706,005 

ABOITIZ EQUITY 58 58.75 57.95 58.4 37,414,710 

ALLIANCE GLOBAL 15.6 15.62 15.46 15.56 129,589,574 

ANSCOR 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 849,550 

ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.74 0.76 0.74 0.76 22,300 

ATN HLDG A 1.41 1.41 1.33 1.36 19,347,960 

ATN HLDG B 1.4 1.4 1.37 1.38 2,388,110 

COSCO CAPITAL 7.45 7.6 7.41 7.45 5,728,981 

DMCI HLDG 12.3 12.3 11.9 11.9 95,802,094 

FILINVEST DEV 15 15.4 15 15.4 54,539,280 

FORUM PACIFIC 0.236 0.24 0.233 0.233 129,180 

GT CAPITAL 1,002 1,002 995.5 1,000 69,807,710 

HOUSE OF INV 6.51 6.51 6.17 6.47 100,724 

JG SUMMIT 62.9 63 61.7 61.7 98,007,341.50 

LODESTAR 0.55 0.56 0.53 0.55 109,830 

LOPEZ HLDG 5.39 5.4 5.22 5.27 9,720,812 

LT GROUP 16.44 16.46 15.82 16 65,827,808 

MABUHAY HLDG 0.57 0.57 0.57 0.57 6,270 

METRO PAC INV 4.91 4.96 4.91 4.92 53,109,510 

PACIFICA 0.039 0.04 0.038 0.039 701,300 

PRIME ORION 3.08 3.17 3.07 3.12 3,883,470 

SOLID GROUP 1.34 1.34 1.32 1.32 1,157,630 

SM INVESTMENTS 949.5 955 938.5 951.5 159,204,350 

SAN MIGUEL CORP 175 176.8 174 176 147,480,630 

SEAFRONT RES 2.36 2.36 2.36 2.36 87,320 

TOP FRONTIER 276 280 272 279.8 2,041,916 

WELLEX INDUS 0.24 0.245 0.24 0.24 118,050 

ZEUS HLDG 0.375 0.395 0.375 0.385 35,354,600 

PROPERTY 

The healers 

The Eagle’s Nest 

Bing Matoto 

ARTHALAND CORP 0.85 0.86 0.82 0.84 4,269,430 

ANCHOR LAND 10.94 10.94 10.92 10.92 67,708 

AYALA LAND 43.1 43.45 43 43.25 561,065,370 

ARANETA PROP 1.93 1.93 1.93 1.93 173,700 

BELLE CORP 2.39 2.45 2.38 2.39 1,805,280 

A BROWN 0.79 0.79 0.78 0.79 70,360 

CITYLAND DEVT 0.92 0.93 0.91 0.91 114,040 

CROWN EQUITIES 0.242 0.242 0.24 0.242 871,620 

CEBU HLDG 6.5 6.7 6.2 6.7 112,000 

CEB LANDMASTERS 4.43 4.44 4.37 4.4 3,513,890 

CENTURY PROP 0.495 0.54 0.49 0.52 28,814,400 

CYBER BAY 0.395 0.395 0.39 0.39 845,450 

DOUBLEDRAGON 21 21.8 21 21 14,642,280 

DM WENCESLAO 11.4 11.4 10.76 11 14,349,856 

EMPIRE EAST 0.5 0.5 0.495 0.495 804,480 

FILINVEST LAND 1.51 1.55 1.51 1.54 47,985,880 

GLOBAL ESTATE 1.21 1.23 1.21 1.22 1,356,320 

endocrinology, which is 

the study of endocrine 

system, the different 

glands which secretes 

hormones in our body. 

The most common 

disorder in this field 

is diabetes. Mitos is a 

UP College of Medicine 

graduate and also did 

her internal medicine 

residency in the CCAG 

in Ohio. Her fellowship 

in endocrinology, 

diabetes and 

metabolism was at the UP-Philippine 

General Hospital (PGH) and she also 

had a clinical observership at the Mayo 

Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. To 

my mind, Brian and Mitos, combined 

as a team, have been the perfect 

complementation to address Liza’s 

medical condition. Oh, by the 

way, before I forget, I would also 

like to congratulate this brilliant 

husband-and-wife team of doctors who 

are now my fellow columnists in the 

Daily Tribune, with their inaugural 

column titled “The Doctor Diaries.” 

Another physician, however, who 

plays a very critical role in the 

healing of Liza’s wound is Dr. Gene 

Tiongco, a plastic surgeon and the 

head of the Complex Wound Care 

Center of St. Luke’s Global. He is an 

associate clinical professor at UP-PGH 

and medical director of the Aesthetic 


Daily Tribune 

Institute of the Philippines. 

However, my acknowledgments would 

not be complete without recognizing the 

immeasurable help of Tin de la Rosa, 

who is the head nurse of the Complex 

Wound Center in St. Luke’s Global and is 

the one who painstakingly cleans Liza’s 

wound daily. 

All of us without exception have 

had the need to turn to our 

favorite go-to doctors for help 

depending on the medical situation 

we happen to find ourselves in. 

To these healers, my wife and I will 

forever be grateful for all the help and 

care that you have extended to us and 

I am certain that I can speak on behalf 

of the countless patients that you 

have similarly helped and will surely 

be helping in the future. Maraming, 

maraming salamat! 

I am sure all of us without 

exception have had the need to turn 

to our favorite go-to doctors for help 

depending on the medical situation 

we happen to find ourselves in. These 

healers are literally our life savers and 

deserve every bit of recognition that 

we could possibly give them in our own 

individual ways. Next time you visit 

your healer, give them a big smile and 

say, “Thank you!” 

Until next week… one big fight! 

NAME OPEN HIGH LOW CLOSE VALUE (P) 

8990 HLDG 12.12 12.14 12.08 12.1 34,417,204 

PHIL INFRADEV 1.97 1.98 1.87 1.88 5,333,570 

CITY AND LAND 0.86 0.86 0.81 0.85 568,830 

MEGAWORLD 5.6 5.62 5.58 5.6 94,684,111 

MRC ALLIED 0.385 0.385 0.37 0.37 7,457,150 

PRIMEX CORP 2.78 2.8 2.76 2.8 180,960 

ROBINSONS LAND 24.1 24.1 23.25 23.3 29,170,190 

PHIL REALTY 0.47 0.47 0.45 0.465 275,650 

ROCKWELL 2.01 2.05 2.01 2.05 90,610 

SHANG PROP 3.12 3.2 3.06 3.2 981,470 

STA LUCIA LAND 1.59 1.6 1.58 1.6 873,750 

SM PRIME HLDG 39.1 39.45 38.7 39 353,894,685 

STARMALLS 6.98 6.98 6.65 6.73 7,512,006 

SUNTRUST HOME 0.75 0.77 0.75 0.77 25,540 

PTFC REDEV CORP 45.95 46.9 45.95 46.9 23,075 

VISTA LAND 7.3 7.39 7.28 7.3 33,124,210 

SERVICES 

MEDIA 

ABS CBN 20.65 20.75 20.35 20.5 2,226,435 

GMA NETWORK 5.7 5.72 5.69 5.71 533,221 

MANILA BULLETIN 0.57 0.57 0.55 0.55 1,388,410 

TELECOMMUNICATIONS 

GLOBE TELECOM 1,940 1,987 1,940 1,987 64,968,755 

PLDT 1,154 1,160 1,146 1,148 104,191,585 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

APOLLO GLOBAL 0.045 0.046 0.045 0.046 9,100 

DFNN INC 7 7.1 6.96 7.1 227,610 

IMPERIAL 1.92 1.92 1.91 1.91 24,850 

ISLAND INFO 0.128 0.13 0.126 0.126 109,520 

ISM COMM 5.42 5.45 5.31 5.36 12,868,747 

JACKSTONES 3.26 3.28 3.26 3.28 29,430 

NOW CORP 2.73 2.73 2.56 2.59 5,648,260 

TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.42 0.43 0.415 0.415 4,156,500 

PHILWEB 2.64 2.68 2.59 2.65 2,745,040 

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES 

2GO GROUP 12.4 12.78 12.36 12.74 815,546 

ASIAN TERMINALS 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 92,400 

CEBU AIR 80.8 83 80.75 80.75 4,187,000 

CHELSEA 5.95 5.95 5.76 5.8 5,263,116 

INTL CONTAINER 118.2 122.5 118.2 120.8 609,992,831 

LBC EXPRESS 15.78 15.78 15.32 15.32 3,110 

LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 900 

MACROASIA 21 21.05 20.2 20.2 10,178,870 

METROALLIANCE A 1.91 1.91 1.77 1.82 512,780 

PAL HLDG 10.36 10.4 10.3 10.4 117,422 

HARBOR STAR 2.88 2.9 2.8 2.87 2,591,580 

HOTEL & LEISURE 

BOULEVARD HLDG 0.074 0.076 0.073 0.076 6,892,910 

WATERFRONT 0.65 0.68 0.65 0.67 424,400 

EDUCATION 

CENTRO ESCOLAR 8.18 8.18 8.18 8.18 2,454 

IPEOPLE 10.66 10.7 10.66 10.7 53,420 

STI HLDG 0.7 0.7 0.68 0.69 2,129,410 

CASINOS & GAMING 

BERJAYA 2.75 2.78 2.74 2.77 639,930 

BLOOMBERRY 11.62 11.92 11.62 11.8 78,341,152 

PACIFIC ONLINE 10.1 10.48 10 10.16 2,228,966 

LEISURE AND RES 3.36 3.36 3.31 3.32 772,950 

PH RESORTS GRP 4.77 4.79 4.77 4.77 124,090 

PREMIUM LEISURE 0.88 0.9 0.87 0.89 3,905,850 

TRAVELLERS 5.6 5.64 5.6 5.63 6,428,586 

RETAIL 

METRO RETAIL 3.11 3.3 3.11 3.2 25,215,410 

PUREGOLD 48.9 48.9 47.6 48 51,992,615 

ROBINSONS RTL 82.8 83 78.5 78.9 167,239,520 

PHIL SEVEN CORP 125 125 120.3 124.5 9,909,054 

SSI GROUP 2.38 2.41 2.38 2.38 10,863,730 

WILCON DEPOT 15.62 15.7 15.3 15.3 12,256,416 

OTHER SERVICES 

APC GROUP 0.41 0.41 0.41 0.41 49,200 

EASYCALL 12.02 12.02 11.8 11.94 1,279,722 

GOLDEN BRIA 375 382 371.2 380 539,384 

IPM HLDG 7.1 7.1 7.08 7.08 70,880 

PRMIERE HORIZON 1.08 1.1 1 1.08 132,628,730 

SBS PHIL CORP 8.4 8.78 8.4 8.78 35,466 

MINING & OIL 

For comments, email bing_matoto@yahoo.com. 

MINING 

ATOK 13.36 13.36 13.36 13.36 1,336 

APEX MINING 1.44 1.45 1.42 1.43 1,791,930 

ABRA MINING 0.0021 0.0022 0.002 0.0022 1,107,900 

ATLAS MINING 2.86 2.86 2.86 2.86 22,880 

BENGUET B 1.12 1.12 1.11 1.11 12,220 

COAL ASIA HLDG 0.3 0.315 0.3 0.315 33,500 

CENTURY PEAK 2.35 2.37 2.33 2.37 1,636,280 

DIZON MINES 7.83 8 7.81 7.85 17,457 

FERRONICKEL 1.49 1.49 1.47 1.49 3,443,510 

GEOGRACE 0.239 0.241 0.237 0.239 431,910 

LEPANTO A 0.121 0.124 0.118 0.119 514,660 

LEPANTO B 0.127 0.127 0.12 0.12 134,340 

MANILA MINING A 0.0081 0.0081 0.0081 0.0081 8,100 

MANILA MINING B 0.0082 0.0082 0.0081 0.0081 81,900 

MARCVENTURES 1.06 1.06 1.06 1.06 49,820 

NIHAO 1.06 1.06 1.02 1.06 17,490 

NICKEL ASIA 2.57 2.6 2.56 2.58 4,911,600 

OMICO CORP 0.58 0.58 0.57 0.57 344,150 

ORNTL PENINSULA 0.94 0.96 0.94 0.95 294,040 

PX MINING 3.83 3.83 3.67 3.67 8,357,790 

SEMIRARA MINING 22.5 22.8 21.8 22 31,417,125 

OIL 

ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.012 349,800 

PHILODRILL 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 29,400 

PHINMA PETRO 3.14 3.14 3.14 3.14 59,660 

PXP ENERGY 13.98 14.12 13.98 14.08 4,123,328 

PREFERRED 

HOUSE PREF A 96.5 96.5 96 96 15,365 

AC PREF B1 467 467.2 465.2 465.2 517,410 

AC PREF B2 497.8 497.8 497.6 497.6 9,954 

DD PREF 98 98 97 98 210,720 

FPH PREF C 450.2 450.4 450.2 450.4 468,412 

GLO PREF P 480 480 480 480 24,000 

GTCAP PREF A 883 929 883 929 450,790 

GTCAP PREF B 900 900 900 900 45,000 

LR PREF 0.99 0.99 0.98 0.98 50,980 

PCOR PREF 2A 990 990 990 990 29,700 

PCOR PREF 2B 1,020 1,020 998 998 5,000,210 

SFI PREF 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 8,500 

SMC PREF 2C 77.35 77.35 76 76 254,226.50 

SMC PREF 2F 74.9 75.1 74.9 75 975,696 

SMC PREF 2G 73 73 73 73 490,560 

SMC PREF 2I 73.95 74 73.95 74 3,603,550 

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS 

ABS HLDG PDR 19.9 19.9 19.9 19.9 413,920 

GMA HLDG PDR 5.41 5.6 5.4 5.6 258,085 

WARRANTS 

LR WARRANT 1.86 1.9 1.84 1.86 239,100 

SMALL, MEDIUM & EMERGING 

ITALPINAS 5.34 5.34 5.05 5.05 4,047,093 

XURPAS 1.42 1.43 1.34 1.38 5,738,450 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 

FIRST METRO ETF 116.9 117 116.1 117 466,924


Daily Tribune 

MOST voters in New York think it was bad for the state when Amazon dropped 

plans to put a second headquarters in Queens and many think US Rep. Alexandria 

Ocasio-Cortez bears the blame for the deal falling through, according to a new poll 

released Monday. 

AP 

BRIEFS 

GBP carbon sink project in Iloilo 

Global Business Power Corp. (GBP) has partnered with the West Visayas State University 

(WVSU) for a reforestation and carbon sink project in a 150-hectare tract of land in the 

province of Iloilo. 

Dubbed as the Handumanan Reforestation and Carbon Sink Project, the program aims 

to mitigate climate change and promote environmental awareness by planting trees that 

will serve as carbon sink. GBP, through subsidiaries Panay Energy Development Corporation 

(PEDC) and Panay Power Corp. (PPC), has adopted a property owned by WVSU-CAF in 

barangays Jayubo and Sagcup in the municipality of Lambunao. 

“The 150-hectare carbon sink area inside the WVSU-CAF campus highlights the shared 

commitment of GBP and WVSU to help conserve the environment and combat climate change,” 

GBP president Jaime Azurin said. 

“This partnership between Global Business Power Corp. and WVSU is one big step towards 

ensuring the survival of our future generation. Our joint effort to plant trees and preserve 

our forestland is a legacy of love for humanity and Mother Earth,” said WVSU president Dr. 

Luis Sorolla Jr. Handumanan is a Hiligaynon term that means “legacy.” 

The seven-year project will have the first four years devoted to planting and establishment 

of the reforestation areas, while the remaining three years will be for the maintenance of the 

planted trees. 

Under the memorandum of agreement, a minimum of 67,000 seedlings must be planted 

per year. Prior to coordination and preliminary work on the reforestation project, GBP had 

been conducting planting activities in the area since 2015. 

In support of the project’s agro-forestry component, two types of trees will be 

planted — forest trees that are native to the area like narra and fruit-bearing trees like 

jackfruit. Tall forest trees provide canopy while shorter fruit-bearing trees provide livelihood. 

Aboitiz Power unit passes ISO audit 

Thirteen banks of and initial 14 members of 

the Philippine RMB trading community (PRTC) 

recently joined a renminbi (RMB) study tour 

in Hong Kong and Shanghai organized by the 

Bank of China. The learning tour served as 

platform for the PRTC to gain insights into the 

intricacies of RMB trades and its benefits for 

the local banking industry. 

“RMB is a relatively young currency in 

the Philippines. With this study tour, PRTC 

members were able to understand and immerse 

themselves on the complexities of RMB right 

at the source, providing them with the insights 

and knowledge of the RMB market,” said Deng 

Jun, country head of Bank of China Manila. 

The study tour is part of the knowledge 

sharing program of the RMB community, 

which signed a memorandum of 

agreement last October 2018. 

The initial members of the group include: 

Asia United Bank, Bank of China Manila, Bank 

of Commerce, Bank of the Philippine Islands, 

BDO Unibank, China Banking Corp., East-West 

Banking Corp., Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., 

Philippine Business Bank, Philippine Bank of 

Communications, Philippine National Bank, 

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., Security 

Bank Corp. and Union Bank of the Philippines. 

In line with the community’s mission to 

facilitate direct foreign exchange trading 

of the Chinese currency and the Philippine 

peso, the community visited five financial 

institutions in China — Bond Connect, Shanghai 

Clearing House, China Foreign Exchange Trade 

System, People’s Bank of China and Hong Kong 

Monetary Authority — all essential institutions 

in learning about the structure, policies and 

processes of RMB. 

BUSINESS 

‘Phl-China ties brought better loan terms’ 

While both loans for the Kaliwa and Angat dam projects have a 

maturity period of 20 years, the Kaliwa dam project’s grace period 

is seven years compared to the shorter five years for the Angat 

aqueduct project 

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III 

said the improving relations between the 

Philippines and China has brought better 

loan terms for the country’s infrastructure 

projects. 

“I believe that China and the Philippine 

leadership have come to the realization that 

despite the unresolved issues between us, 

there is much room for expanded trade 

(and) tourism cooperation,” Dominguez 

said. 

He likewise refuted claims the loans 

extended by China to the Philippines are 

more expensive than that offered by other 

sovereigns. 

According to him, claims that high 

interest rates were attached to Chinese 

Bank execs on 

RMB study tour 

loans were false and misleading as the 

Duterte administration actually secured 

better concessional loan terms for its big-ticket 

water infrastructure projects. 

He added the loan agreements have 

lower interest rates and fees and have 

longer grace periods than the ones obtained 

by the previous administration. 

Data from the Department of Finance’s 

(DoF) International Finance Group (IFG) 

show that the New Centennial Water 

Source-Kaliwa Dam Project, which China is 

helping fund with a $211 million loan was 

secured with a low interest rate of just 2 

percent per annum. 

“The Arroyo administration, on the other 

hand, was able to obtain the government’s 

Fresh and hot! 

Not one, but two fresh and 

new sections will now also 

be served piping hot each 

weekend! 

The Daily Tribune is 

pleased to present Living 

Spaces, for property news 

and features; and Techtalk, 

for information and 

technology. 

We are as excited as you 

are, dear readers! 

11 

$116.6 million-loan from China for the 

Angat Water Utilization and Aqueduct 

Improvement Project Phase II with a higher 

interest rate of three percent per annum,” 

the DoF said. 

The agency reiterated the loan 

agreement forge for the Kaliwa Dam Project 

is better than the financing sought for the 

Angat Dam Project. 

“While both loans for the Kaliwa and 

Angat dam projects have a maturity period 

of 20 years, the Kaliwa Dam project’s grace 

period is seven years compared to the shorter 

five years for the Angat aqueduct project. 

Similarly, Dominguez said the 

government secured a lower commitment 

fee for the Kaliwa Dam of only 0.3 percent 

of the undisbursed amount of the loan 

compared to the 0.4 percent charged by 

China for the Angat project. 

A lower management fee of 0.3 percent 

was also included in the Kaliwa Dam project 

while the Angat aqueduct project has 0.4 

percent. 

Joshua Lao 

The AboitizPower Oil Business Unit (AP Oil BU) recently passed an audit that ensures 

conformity to ISO 22301:2012 Business Continuity Management standards, underscoring its 

resilience during crises. 

TÜV Rheinland Philippines Inc., an affiliate of the German technical services provider 

TÜV Rheinland Group, conducted the stage 1 audit from 18 to 19 December 2018 and the 

stage 2 audit from 18 to 20 February 2019. 

“The Oil BU’s business continuity framework is aligned with internationally acknowledged 

standards, reinforcing our commitment to delivering the best products and services even 

during adverse conditions,” AP Oil BU president and chief operating officer Celso Caballero 

III said. 

According to the International Organization for Standardization, ISO 22301:2012 

specifies requirements to “plan, establish, implement, operate, monitor, review, maintain 

and continually improve a documented management system to protect against, reduce the 

likelihood of occurrence, prepare for, respond to and recover from disruptive incidents 

when they arise.” 

As a certifiable standard for a business continuity management system, it is the first 

and most recognized international standard for business continuity. 

UPS platform for Asian online merchants 

Smart businesses know marketplaces are the heart of e-commerce, but they can be 

cumbersome. Sellers must juggle multiple logins, the labor and logistics of packing, shipping 

and tracking sales and managing inventory. Then comes updating all the marketplace listings, 

which can take hours. 

Enter the rollout of UPS eFulfillment offering small- and medium-sized businesses 

worldwide streamlined fulfillment and shipping services to consumers in the US and Canada. 

The solution supports purchases and orders from 21 different marketplaces and web stores, 

including eBay, Wal-Mart, Etsy and Amazon, including Prime. The new platform augments 

UPS’s suite of custom e-commerce solutions designed to support small and medium-sized 

businesses. 

“With small and medium enterprises comprising 99.6 percent of Philippine businesses, 

e-commerce has emerged as a gateway to access new markets and opportunities. Greater 

accessibility and demand often bring about opportunities; but operations can also grow 

increasingly complex. 

UPS eFulfillment offers a streamlined platform for managing inventory, orders and 

costs — simplifying how you do business, while still making sure you meet consumer 

expectations,” said Chris Buono, managing director of UPS Philippines. 

Signing up is as easy as enrolling via a quick onboarding process and listing products. 

UPS, which is currently offering a risk free 60-day trial, handles storing the merchandise, 

packaging products once a sale is made and shipping from warehouses strategically located 

in Shepherdsville, Kentucky and Bloomington, California. 

Inventory stored in other locations, such as an existing warehouse, can be added to the 

platform to ensure dynamic updates as sales occur allowing for fulfillment efficiencies. 

Merchants select when the package needs to be delivered. 

UPS eFulfillment can be used by merchants around the world who want to list on US 

marketplaces and sell to customers in the US and in Canada. However, their inventory for 

sale needs to be stored in warehouses located in the US. 

According to the UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper study, shopping on marketplaces is 

almost universal. More than 96 percent of US online shoppers report making a purchase 

at a marketplace. With this in mind, smart sellers try to sell on as many marketplaces as 

possible to access the widest swath of potential customers.

51.00 

52.00 

53.00 

54.00 

55.00 

PESO-DOLLAR RATES 


52.83 

25700 

25200 

24700 

24200 

DOW JONES 


65.23 

7900 

7700 

STOCK MARKET 

7500 

7300 29.61 



INDEX SUMMARY 

INDEX VALUE CHANGE % CHANGE 

PSEi 7,843.41 -29.61 -0.38 ▼ 

All Shares 4,833.29 -12.13 -0.25 ▼ 

Financials 1,772.19 -11.90 -0.67 ▼ 

Industrial 11,575.17 -58.49 -0.50 ▼ 

Holding Firms 7,760.51 -15.13 -0.19 ▼ 

Services 1,573.26 -1.74 -0.11 ▼ 

Mining and Oil 8,148.28 -99.09 -1.20 ▼ 

Property 3,996.31 -17.64 -0.44 ▼ 

12 BUSINESS 


Daily Tribune 

CHINESE farmers harvest rice crops using combines in Xinghua in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. 

February BoP in surplus 

The country’s foreign-currency buffer more known as the gross 

international reserves stood at $82.78 billion in February 

By Joshua Lao 

The country’s economic 

transactions with the rest of the world 

registered a surplus in the balance 

of payments (BoP) in February, the 

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) 

said on Tuesday. 

“The country’s overall (BoP) 

position yielded a surplus of $467 

million in February 2019, a reversal 

Higher SSS 

contributions 

begin 1 April 

This is no joke but beginning 1 April this year 

higher Social Security System (SSS) member 

contributions will begin to be collected, the 

state-owned fund said on Tuesday. 

“Based on the new law, contribution rates 

will increase to 12 percent from the current 

11 percent starting the second quarter of the 

year and the adjustment of the minimum and 

maximum monthly salary credits (MSC) to 

P2,000 and P20,000, respectively,” the SSS said. 

SSS officer-in-charge Aurora Ignacio said it is 

high time for the MSC and member contributions 

to be adjusted higher as these help finance the 

retirement savings of members. 

1 percentage-point increase in 

contribution is reasonable as it was 

expected to generate additional revenues 

for SSS. 

“We all want a comfortable retirement and 

to do that, those who are in their productive 

years must work hard to save more. SSS is 

the cheapest and most accessible pension 

scheme. All workers, regardless of nature of 

employment, must save in the pension fund 

for their future retirement years,” Ignacio said. 

“The good news is that those who will save 

more with SSS under the new maximum (MSC) 

of P20,000 will have higher amount of benefits 

and loan privileges as the (MSC) is one of 

the main factors used in the computation of 

benefits and loan privileges,” she added. 

The SSS executive said that with the 

adjustment, member benefits and privileges 

will likewise increase. 

“For example, a member whose monthly 

salary is P20,000 and has paid 12 contributions 

in the 12-month period before the semester 

of contingency of sickness will enjoy P600 in 

sickness benefit per day from the current P480 

per day,” she explained. 

According to the pension fund, the 1 

percentage-point increase in contribution is 

reasonable as it was expected to generate 

additional revenues for SSS, which will further 

prolong its fund life by 13 years. JLao 

from the $429 million BoP deficit 

recorded in the same month last year,” 

the BSP said. 

The central bank said this 

development was owed to the BSP’s 

foreign exchange (FX) operations, 

the national government’s (NG) 

net foreign currency deposits and 

the BSP’s income from its offshore 

investments. 

However, these inflows were 

partially tempered by payments for 

its FX obligations during the month. 

On a cumulative basis, the country’s 

BoP position likewise registered a 

surplus of $3.17 billion for the January 

to February period, a turnaround from 

$961 million deficit in the same period 

a year ago. 

“The surplus may be attributed 

partly to remittance inflows from 

overseas Filipinos in January 2019 

and net inflows of foreign portfolio 

investments for the first two months 

of the year,” the BSP said. 

As a result of these developments, 

the country’s foreign-currency buffer 

more known as the gross international 

reserves (GIR) stood at $82.78 billion 

in February. 

“At this level, the GIR represents 

a more than ample liquidity buffer 

and is equivalent to 7.3 months’ worth 

of imports of goods and payments of 

services and primary income,” the 

BSP said. 

“It is also equivalent to 5.2 times 

the country’s short-term external debt 

based on original maturity and 3.6 

times based on residual maturity,” 

it said. 

STARBUCKS said it did not sell its VIA instant coffee in supermarkets on the Chinese mainland, responding to claims about "fake 

Starbucks" found in cities like Beijing and Nanjing. 

CHINA DAILY 

Asian stocks mostly down 

Asian markets mostly fell Tuesday as investors bide their 

time until the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting, while 

the pound fought back against the dollar after taking a hit 

from the latest twist in the Brexit saga. 

With little fresh information on developments in China-US 

trade talks, focus has turned this week to the US central bank 

and its interest rate plans. 

Board members are widely expected to hold fire on 

another hike but its post-meeting statement Wednesday will 

be pored over, with observers predicting the Fed will opt for 

just one increase this year as opposed to the two previously 

tipped, owing to the stuttering economy. 

The Fed’s softer tone has been one of the key factors in 

a global stocks rally this year, with investors buoyed by the 

prospect of cheap borrowing. 

Wall Street provided a positive lead with all three main 

indexes ending higher, though Asia struggled to take up the 

baton. 

Shanghai closed 0.2 percent lower and Tokyo ended 0.1 

percent weaker. 

Sydney, Singapore and Seoul were each 0.1 percent off, 

while Wellington, Manila and Taipei were also slightly down. 

The Fed’s softer tone has been one of the key factors 

in a global stocks rally this year. 

But Hong Kong recovered from an early sell-off to end slightly 

higher, extending a winning run to four days. 

The pound was slowly edging back up against the dollar 

after taking a hit from fresh Brexit uncertainty sparked by 

Prime Minister Theresa May being told she would not be 

allowed to hold another vote on her exit deal. 

Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow used a 

centuries-old rule that said the government could not submit 

its Brexit deal for another vote in parliament if it is “the same” 

or “substantially the same” to the one already rejected by MP. 

The decision means May must come up with a revised 

plan just two weeks before the key 29 March deadline for 

leaving, having already been told by EU leaders they will not 

budge any further. 

AFP 

PCSO on 

alleged 

corruption 

charges 

In light of the burgeoning 

unsubstantiated, baseless and unfair 

attacks against the Philippine Charity 

Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), its Board 

of Directors deems it necessary to make 

this public statement. 

The PCSO has established procedures 

and protocols that include security 

measures covering every aspect of its 

operations. There are documents and 

devices that can be reviewed, audited and 

examined objectively through proper legal 

channels. It is sad that there are veiled 

individuals determined on spreading 

innuendos, distortions, accusations and 

lies through social media to handicap 

PCSO and its mission. 

These same individuals take every 

opportunity to propagate their own 

misdeeds to blame and tarnish the 

image of board members and officials 

of the PCSO and camouflage their own 

wrongdoings. 

PCSO welcomes all forms of 

investigation on the alleged bribery 

on the fourth, 10th or any floor of our 

office. Any act of graft and corruption 

at the PCSO should be brought to 

the prover venue, be it the CSC, the 

Ombudsman or the court. 

CPG profits 

jump 72% 

to P1.1B 

Our very positive results in 

2018 are strong indications 

that our diversification 

strategy is starting to bear 

fruit and we are headed in 

the right direction 

Driven by its in-city vertical 

developments business and expansion 

to affordable housing and commercial 

leasing, Century Properties Group (CPG) 

has achieved four quarters of continuous 

growth in 2018. CPG registered a full year 

net income of P1.1 billion, a remarkable 

72 percent growth from P650 million in 

2017. 

The company also significantly 

increased its revenues by 60 percent to 

P10.7 billion against the previous year’s 

P6.7 billion. Revenue growth was driven 

by the completion of three residential 

buildings, an office tower and 259 

affordable housing units, with the latter’s 

contribution growing to 11 percent of 

revenue and 23 percent of net income. 

CPG’s commercial leasing assets now 

contribute 9 percent to the net income. 

“Our very positive results in 2018 are 

strong indications that our diversification 

strategy is starting to bear fruit and 

we are headed in the right direction. 

Century Properties Group’s expansion into 

affordable housing and commercial leasing 

have started to be profitable and we expect 

this upward trend to continue. These two 

businesses will contribute a bigger share 

of the company’s revenue and income in 

the coming years, sustaining CPG’s growth 

momentum,” said Ponciano Carreon Jr., 

chief finance officer and head of investor 

relations at CPG. 

The company is allocating P8 billion 

to P10 billion as capital expenditures this 

year to cover its residential and office 

development projects as well as land 

acquisition to be funded equally from 

internal and external sources. 

From being concentrated in high-rise 

residential properties, CPG undertook a 

business expansion program to diversify 

into allied areas of real estate. This 

diversification plan commenced five 

years ago with the goal of serving unmet 

market demands and increasing revenue 

streams while exercising business 

prudence and maintaining a robust and 

healthy balance sheet. 

2018 

DOT PROPERTY 

PHILIPPINES AWARDS 

2018 

LAROSSA CAPITOL HILLS 

BY PRIMEHOMES 

BEST RESIDENTIAL 

BOTANICAL DEVELOPMENT 

www.dotpropertyawards.com

JAPANESE 

OLYMPIC 

CHIEF QUITS 

P14 

UNITED 

VC CUTS 

CIGNAL 

LINE 

P15 

BRI: 

UNDERDOG 

HOPE 

P16 

GMA ON THE 

MALACAÑANG 

OF HER 

YOUTH 

P17 

Aldrin Cardona, Editor 


Daily Tribune 

SPORTS 13 

AS WARRIORS FALL 

Spurs stretch streak 

SAN Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan drives around Golden State Warriors forward Jordan Bell during the 

second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio. 

AP 

Dirk eclipses Wilt 

Nowitzki reached the milestone by hitting a 16-foot shot with 8:33 left in the 

opening quarter 

LOS ANGELES — Dirk Nowitzki, who 

helped revolutionize the game as a big man 

with a potent long-range jump shot, passed 

Wilt Chamberlain on the National Basketball 

Association’s all-time scoring list on Monday. 

The 40-year-old German, who is playing 

in his 21st and possibly final season with the 

Dallas Mavericks, needed four points in a 

home game Monday to pass Chamberlain, 

who scored 31,419 in his Hall of Fame career. 

He is widely expected to retire. 

Nowitzki reached the milestone by hitting 

a 16-foot shot with 8:33 left in the opening 

quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans. 

The long-time face of the Mavericks thrilled 

the home crowd, which was standing on its 

feet in anticipation of the moment. 

Nowitzki finished with eight points, 

giving him 31,424 in his career as the 

Pelicans won, 129-125, in overtime. 

Nowitzki is now the sixth leading all-time scorer 

behind Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe 

Bryant, Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 

The league’s leading scorer Abdul-Jabbar 

is the lone seven-foot star to score more points 

than Nowitzki, whose jump shot and ability 

to hit three pointers from beyond the arc 

changed the American game. 

Before Nowitzki and China’s Yao 

Ming, big men weren’t perimeter 

threats to score. Seven-footers 

like Shaquille O’Neal and Patrick 

Ewing would stand in the paint 

and reach over the top of smaller 

defenders and take short range 

turnaround shots to score. 

Nowitzki has yet to 

make a decision on 

whether this is the 

final season of his 

career, but he is 

widely expected to 

retire. AFP NOWITZKI 

They’re the hottest team in the league and 

obviously really well-coached 

SAN ANTONIO — The 

San Antonia Spurs aren’t 

concerned with making 

statements. They just want 

to pile up as many victories 

as they can late in the 

season. 

DeMar DeRozan had 26 

points and nine rebounds, 

LaMarcus Aldridge added 

23 points and 13 rebounds 

and Spurs beat the Golden 

State Warriors, 111-105, on 

Monday night for their ninth 

straight win. 

“We’re just trying to get 

wins, man. That’s all,” Spurs 

forward Rudy Gay said. 

“We’ve had wins, we’ve 

had big wins; we’ve had some 

bad losses, too. It just feels 

good to win the games we 

think we should.” 

We’re just trying 

to get wins, man. 

That’s all. 

Elsewhere, Jazz 

dominated Wizards, 116-95; 

Cavaliers upset Pistons, 126-119; 

Raptors stopped Knicks, 

128-92; Nuggets buried 

Celtics, 114-105; Heat silenced 

Thunder, 116-107; Pelicans 

escaped Mavericks, 129-125; 

Bulls outshone Suns, 116-101; 

and Trailblazers downed 

Pacers, 106-98. 

San Antonio won its 11th 

straight at home and moved 

into fifth in the Western 

Conference following the 

Thunder’s loss to Miami. The 

Spurs also clinched a winning 

record for the 22nd straight 

season. 

Stephen Curry had 25 

points after a slow start and 

Kevin Durant added 24 for 

the Warriors, who entered the 

game having won two straight. 

Golden State dropped into a 

tie with Denver for first place 

in the West with matching 

47-22 records. 

“They’re the hottest team 

in the league and obviously 

really well-coached,” Warriors 

coach Steve Kerr said. 

“They were executing and I 

thought they out-executed us, 

outcoached us. They deserved 

to win.” 

San Antonio’s winning 

streak is second only to 

Golden State’s 11 straight 

wins earlier this season. 

Remarkably, the Spurs’ 

longest winning streak since 

2016 comes directly after they 

went 1-7 for their worst Rodeo 

Road Trip ever. 

San Antonio has beaten 

Golden State, Denver, 

Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, 

Portland and Detroit during 

its streak. All of those clubs 

are among the top six teams 

in their conference. 

“Guys are playing 

better,” Aldridge said of the 

turnaround. 

“We’re trying to be better 

defensively. Communication 

has been better and it’s 

just winning time. I think 

everyone senses that.” 

Golden State was without 

DeMarcus Cousins and Andre 

Iguodala, who both sat with 

injuries, but remained within 

two possessions in the final 

minute. 

The Warriors had to rally 

in the second half after a 

sluggish start. 

Curry and Klay 

Thompson opened the game 

a combined 0-for-11, but the 

Warriors’ defense allowed 

them to tie the game at 

25 when Curry threw in a 

61-footer to close the first 

quarter. 

AP 

PORTLAND Trail Blazers 

guard CJ McCollum 

grimaces in pain after 

suffering an injury during 

the second half of 

their NBA basketball 

game against the San 

Antonio Spurs in San 

Antonio. 

AP 

McCollum suffers 

knee injury 

PORTLAND, Oregon — Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ 

McCollum said he was relieved that his left knee injury 

was not serious, especially this close to the playoffs. 

The Blazers said McCollum had a popliteus strain 

in his left knee and would be re-examined in a week. 

“I wasn’t sure exactly what it was. I knew where it 

was hurting, I knew that could mean a few different 

things based on the MRI. But it was positive, as 

good as it could be given the circumstances,” 

McCollum said on Monday. 

McCollum was injured in the third quarter 

of Portland’s 108-103 loss at San Antonio on 

Saturday night. The results of the MRI were 

revealed the following day. 

He has started in all but one of the 

Blazers’ games this season, averaging 

21.3 points, four rebounds and 2.9 assists 

per game. 

AFP 

EASTERN CONFERENCE 

Atlantic Division 

W L Pct GB 

x-Toronto 50 21 .704 — 

x-Philadelphia 45 25 .643 4½ 

Boston 43 28 .606 7 

Brooklyn 36 36 .500 14½ 

New York 14 57 .197 36 

Southeast Division 

W L Pct GB 

Miami 34 36 .486 — 

Orlando 33 38 .465 1½ 

Charlotte 31 38 .449 2½ 

Washington 30 41 .423 4½ 

Atlanta 24 47 .338 10½ 

Central Division 

W L Pct GB 

x-Milwaukee 52 18 .743 — 

Indiana 44 27 .620 8½ 

Detroit 36 34 .514 16 

Chicago 20 52 .278 33 

Cleveland 18 53 .254 34½ 

WESTERN CONFERENCE 

Southwest Division 

W L Pct GB 

Houston 44 26 .629 — 

San Antonio 42 29 .592 2½ 

New Orleans 31 42 .425 14½ 

Memphis 28 42 .400 16 

Dallas 28 42 .400 16 

Northwest Division 

W L Pct GB 

x-Denver 47 22 .681 — 

Portland 43 27 .614 4½ 

Oklahoma City 42 29 .592 6 

Utah 41 29 .586 6½ 

Minnesota 32 38 .457 15½ 

Pacific Division 

W L Pct GB 

x-Golden State 47 22 .681 — 

L.A. Clippers 41 30 .577 7 

Sacramento 34 35 .493 13 

L.A. Lakers 31 39 .443 16½ 

Phoenix 17 55 .236 31½ 

x-clinched playoff spot 

Monday’s Games 

(Tuesday in Manila) 

Cleveland 126, Detroit 119 

Utah 116, Washington 95 

Denver 114, Boston 105 

Toronto 128, New York 92 

Miami 116, Oklahoma City 107 

San Antonio 111, Golden State 105 

New Orleans 129, Dallas 125, OT 

Chicago 116, Phoenix 101 

Portland 106, Indiana 98 

Tuesday’s Games 

(Wednesday in Manila) 

Philadelphia at Charlotte 

Houston at Atlanta 

Golden State at Minnesota 

L.A. Lakers at Milwaukee 

Brooklyn at Sacramento 

Indiana at L.A. Clippers 

Wednesday’s Games 

(Thursday in Manila) 

Boston at Philadelphia 

Milwaukee at Cleveland 

New Orleans at Orlando 

Utah at New York 

Houston at Memphis 

Washington at Chicago 

Miami at San Antonio 

Toronto at Oklahoma City 

Dallas at Portland 

Thursday’s Games 

(Friday in Manila) 

Denver at Washington 

Minnesota at Charlotte 

Utah at Atlanta 

Dallas at Sacramento 

Detroit at Phoenix 

Indiana at Golden State

14 sports 


Daily Tribune 

Major embarrassment 

Japanese Olympic chief quits 

INTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee member and head of the Japanese Olympic Committee Tsunekazu Takeda 

bows as he arrives at the venue of a JOC executive board meeting in Tokyo. Takeda is resigning amid a bribery 

scandal that investigators suspect helped Tokyo land next year's Olympics. 

AP 

Thiem 

climbs 

ranking 

INDIAN WELLS, California 

— Dominic Thiem climbed to a 

career-best ranking of fourth 

on Monday after clinching his 

maiden ATP Masters title with 

his defeat of Roger Federer in 

Indian Wells, California. 

Austrian Thiem, who was 

also briefly ranked fourth in 

the world in late 2017, rose four 

places after beating Federer, 3-6, 

6-3, 7-5, to deny the Swiss star a 

record sixth Indian Wells crown 

on Sunday. 

Federer, 37, dropped one 

spot to fifth as the top three 

remained unchanged with 

Novak Djokovic ahead of Rafael 

Nadal and Alexander Zverev 

despite the Serb’s third-round 

exit in California. 

Nadal, who pulled out of his 

semifinals with Federer due to a 

knee injury, will skip this week’s 

Miami Masters as he targets a 

return to competition for the 

clay-court season. AFP 

RONALDO 

No regrets for Federer 

Sure, it’s frustrating and disappointing and sad to some extent 

INDIAN WELLS, California — Roger Federer 

departed Indian Wells empty-handed for a second 

straight year, but the Swiss great sees no reason he 

can’t get back on track at the Miami Masters. 

“Sure, it’s frustrating and disappointing and sad to 

some extent,” Federer said after falling 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to 

Austrian Dominic Thiem in Sunday’s final. 

Thiem, 25, denied Federer a record sixth Indian 

Wells title and returned to his career-high of fourth 

in the world — bumping Federer down to fifth going 

to the second leg of the “Sunshine Double” of Indian 

Wells and Miami. 

But Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam winner who 

claimed a remarkable 100th career title in Dubai last 

month, can afford to take the defeat in stride, especially 

when he’s playing well and feels his 37-year-old body 

is fully fit. 

“It’s just not as dramatic,” he said of falling to a 

player who was “just a bit better when it mattered.” 

“Whereas, when you’re hurt and things are difficult, 

maybe those hurt more.” 

“I’m going to Miami. The body is perfectly fine. That 

also always keeps me upbeat, and I feel it’s a privilege 

when I feel this way leaving a tournament.” 

“I have been playing every single day for the last 

three weeks. I can be very happy and proud of that fact.” 

As at Indian Wells, Federer could meet fellow Swiss 

Stan Wawrinka in the third round in 

Miami. 

Federer is a three-time winner at 

Miami, but he lost his second-round 

opener last year after falling to Juan 

Martin del Potro in the final at Indian 

Wells. 

With that in mind, Federer shied 

away from predicting he would 

bounce back in a big way from 

his loss to Thiem with the 

Miami event’s move to a new 

venue adding to his sense of 

uncertainty. 

“Now it’s totally 

different,” 

Federer said of 

the tournament 

moving from its 

long-time home 

on Key Biscayne to 

the Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the NFL’s 

Miami Dolphins. 

A new stadium court inside the actual stadium is 

the centerpiece of the new venue, which also features 

a secondary grandstand court and two smaller show 

courts and practice courts. 

AFP 

Ronaldo celebrated at the final whistle by mimicking Simeone’s gesture 

NYON, Switzerland — UEFA has charged 

Cristiano Ronaldo for a provocative 

gesture mocking Atletico Madrid coach 

Diego Simeone after Juventus 

eliminated the Spanish club from 

the Champions League. 

UEFA said its disciplinary 

panel would judge the charge of “improper 

conduct” on Thursday. 

Simeone was fined $22,700 by UEFA for 

making an obscene gesture after Atletico 

took the lead in a 2-0 win over Juventus 

in the first leg. 

Ronaldo’s hat trick in the 3-0 win in 

LONDON, United Kingdom — 

Former Tour de France winner 

Bradley Wiggins said Team Sky 

can maintain its dominance of 

cycling’s Grand Tour events under 

prospective new owners with general 

manager Dave Brailsford in an “ideal 

situation.” 

The media giant announced in 

December that it would be ending 

its decade-long association with the 

team at the end of 2019 with eight 

Grand Tour victories secured so far. 

Widespread reports suggested 

I am pulling out as JOC president and as a committee member 

TOKYO — Tsunekazu 

Takeda, the president of the 

Japanese Olympic Committee, 

is resigning amid a bribery 

scandal that investigators 

suspect helped Tokyo land 

next year's Olympics. 

Takeda announced 

Tuesday he will stand down 

when his term ends in June, 

but again denied corruption 

allegations against him. 

Takeda is also a powerful 

International Olympic 

Committee member and 

the head of its marketing 

commission. He holds the 

IOC spot by virtue of the 

Japanese presidency. 

He said it was his own 

decision, and in the interests 

of the future of the Japanese 

Olympic Committee. 

"I would like to leave 

the future of the JOC to 

a younger generation to 

lead up to Tokyo 2020," he 

said during an executive 

board meeting in Tokyo. 

"At the end of my tenure 

in June, I am pulling out 

as JOC president and as a 

committee member." 

His departure as head of 

the JOC will also end his 

terms at the International 

Olympic Committee. 

The scandal has cast a 

shadow over next year's 

Olympics and underlines 

UEFA sanctions Ronaldo 

Great Britain’s richest man Jim 

Ratcliffe, with an estimated fortune of 

$28 billion, would step in and create 

Team Ineos after the chemicals giant 

that he founded. Wiggins believes 

they will continue to thrive under 

Brailsford. 

“Dave will want to retain control 

and it is Dave’s way in terms of the 

way he manages the team, the way he 

sets the team up,” the Olympic gold 

medalist told The Bradley Wiggins 

Show on Eurosport. 

“I think he would have been 

flawed efforts by the IOC to 

clean up its bidding process. 

Japan is spending at least 

$20 billion to organize the 

Games, which open on 24 

July 2020. 

The organization of the 

last Summer Olympics in Rio 

de Janeiro was chaotic from 

start to finish and ended 

eventually with the arrest 

of organizing committee 

president — and Brazilian 

Olympic Committee 

president — Carlos Nuzman 

in a similar vote-buying 

scandal. 

The favorite to replace 

Takeda is Yasuhiro Yamashita, 

a judo gold medalist in the 

1984 Olympics. 

Takeda has acknowledged 

he signed off on about $2 

million in payments to 

a Singapore consulting 

company, Black Tidings, and 

its head Ian Tan Tong Han. 

French investigators have 

linked Black Tidings to Papa 

Massata Diack, one of the 

sons of powerful ex-IOC 

member Lamine Diack of 

Senegal. 

Lamine Diack had huge 

influence over Olympic 

voters in Africa. In 2013, IOC 

members voted for Tokyo, 

eliminating bids 

from Madrid 

and Istanbul. 

the return leg in Turin last week sent 

Juventus to the quarterfinals. 

Ronaldo celebrated at the final whistle 

by mimicking Simeone’s gesture. 

When Ronaldo played for Real Madrid, 

he twice won Champions League finals 

against Atletico. 

AP 

Sky’s still the limit 

reluctant to have another multinational 

company that came in that wanted it 

for the advertisement and to get their 

name out there, but would want the 

control in terms of ‘This is how we want 

to do it in terms of how we advertise 

our company.’ 

“Dave can continue running out 

this team with all his plans and 

philosophies so it’s an ideal situation 

for him and he is answerable to one 

man -- it’s his money. It will certainly 

help that team.” 

Team Sky’s partnership with 

Takeda has said he was 

not involved in the decisionmaking 

process and had no 

reason to question what he 

termed a "regular commercial 

contact" approved by others 

at the JOC. 

The scandal has also 

shined a light on the role on 

Dentsu, the giant Japanese 

advertising and marketing 

agency. Since getting the 

Olympics, Dentsu helped 

Tokyo organizers line up a 

record $3 billion in local 

sponsorship. 

I would like to leave the 

future of the JOC to a 

younger generation to lead 

up to Tokyo 2020. 

Dentsu has acknowledged 

it advised the Japanese 

bid committee about bid 

consultants just before the 

IOC vote in 2013. Tan was 

among them. 

In a 50-page report by 

the Japanese Olympic 

Committee investigating the 

bid, it said the committee 

— citing an evaluation from 

Dentsu — decided "that Tan 

was an extremely competent 

Asian consultant." 

It is not clear if Dentsu 

is a target of French 

investigators. 

AP 

ROGER Federer 

of Switzerland 

returns a shot to 

Dominic Thiem of 

Austria during the 

men’s final at the BNP 

Paribas Open tennis 

tournament in Indian 

Wells, California. AP 

Manaudou 

returns 

PARIS, France — Olympic gold 

medalist Florent Manaudou is making 

a comeback to swimming, aiming to 

compete in the 2020 Games in Tokyo. 

The Frenchman, who won the 

50-meter freestyle title at the 2012 

London Olympics, took a two-year break 

from swimming to focus on handball. 

Manaudou told L’Equipe newspaper 

he is missing high-level competition and 

that he is “excited to swim again and 

compete with the best.” 

His former coach, James Gibson, will 

train the 28-year-old Manaudou, a silver 

medalist in the 50-meter freestyle in the 

Rio de Janeiro Olympics. AP 

British media company Sky has 

delivered six Tour de France titles 

in the past seven years. 

Wiggins became Britain’s first 

Tour de France champion in 2012 

before Chris Froome won four 

Tour de France titles and Geraint 

Thomas became Sky’s third winner 

of cycling’s landmark event in 2018. 

But amid Sky’s success, there has 

been controversy over the team’s use 

of special exemptions to administer 

drugs that can enhance performance. 

AFP


Daily Tribune 

sports 

15 

AMID VARIOUS ISSUES 

Phisgoc slides 

off politics 

We will not meddle in politics 

By Julius Manicad 

The Philippine Southeast 

Asian Games Organizing 

Committee will not play part 

in the politics that wraps the 

controversies hounding the 

country’s preparation for its 

hosting of the 30th SEA Games. 

Phisgoc executive director 

Tom Carrasco said officials will 

leave it to Phisgoc chairman 

Alan Peter Cayetano and Phisgoc 

chief operating officer Ramon 

Suzara to answer the questions 

about the legality of Phisgoc’s 

existence, lack of funding and 

its failure to secure key venues 

needed for the biennial meet. 

Philippine Olympic Committee 

(POC) board member Prospero 

Pichay, the most vocal critic of 

Phisgoc, said the body should 

“cease to exist” as it operates 

without a board resolution nor 

has a memorandum of agreement 

with the local Olympic council. 

Pichay said the only person 

who recognizes the validity of 

Phisgoc as the country’s SEA 

Games organizing body is POC 

Tabuena 

By John Bryan Ulanday 

Magnolia fights for dear life when it collides 

with Northport in the Philippine Basketball 

Association Philippine Cup today at the Smart 

Araneta Coliseum. 

Action kicks off at 7 p.m. with the Hotshots 

looking to revive their quarterfinal chances 

against the Batang Pier, who is also seeking to 

stay alive in this all-Filipino conference. 

Alaska and Meralco, meanwhile, clash in the 

first game at 4:30 p.m. to stay in contention for 

a playoff seat. 

After regaining its groove with two straight 

wins, Magnolia crashed back to earth following 

a tough 93-97 loss to Ginebra last Sunday. 

With that, the Hotshots fell to the basement 

president Ricky Vargas. 

He said Vargas even advanced 

P7.2 million of POC fund to cover 

Phisgoc’s salary for the month of 

January. 

Pichay said he would raise the 

issue when the POC executive 

council meets on 29 March. 

Carrasco said it’s up to 

ranking POC officials to answer 

these allegations. 

“We will not meddle in 

politics,” said Carrasco, speaking 

on behalf of Phisgoc’s rank-andfile 

employees that reportedly 

already ballooned to 240. 

“If there are issues concerning 

our organization, we will just let 

our top officials answer them. 

We’ll just continue working for 

the success of the SEA Games.” 

Carrasco, however, admitted 

Phisgoc has its own share of 

shortcomings, especially in the 

selection of venues. 

Initially, the organizing body 

was looking at high-profile venues 

like the Mall of Asia Arena, Smart 

Araneta Coliseum, Marriott 

Hotel, SMX Convention Center 

and Philippine International 

Convention Center to host sports 

that would be held outside the 

New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. 

Basketball, a sport considered 

as the national pastime of 

Filipinos, was also moved from 

the Mall of Asia Arena to Filoil 

Flying V Centre in San Juan. 

“Yes, there were setbacks. But 

we’re trying to do our best to make 

ends meet,” said Carrasco, who is 

in charge of venues, information 

technology and games services. 

So far, Phisgoc had already 

processed the entries by number 

of 10 other participating countries. 

The Philippines is looking at 

sending around 9,000 athletes, 

but the number is expected to 

take a hit once various national 

sports associations and the SEA 

Games task force started to 

screen the competitors. 

“Except for Laos which asked 

for a one-week extension, all 10 

countries have already complied,” 

said Carrasco, adding that they 

will continue working while 

waiting for further development. 

“It’s now up to the top officials 

to settle their difference. As for 

us, we will continue working 

and follow orders from higher 

officials.” 

Thais eye 

rebound 

Tabuena will be back to 

defend the crown along 

with the other Filipino 

top guns and aces from 

13 other countries 

An 11-player Thai crew gears up 

for the Solaire Philippine Open next 

month, all aiming to finally break 

the long spell and nail the elusive 

crown at the dreaded The Country 

Club in Laguna. 

Prom Meesawat nearly pulled off 

the feat in the event’s Centennial 

staging last year when he stormed to 

the lead after three rounds of play 

in brutal conditions. 

But the veteran Thai campaigner 

took a heartbreaker of a defeat to 

local ace Miguel Tabuena as he lost 

in sudden death that extended the 

country’s perennial regional rivals’ 

woes in Asia’s oldest National Open. 

That could change as the 

likes of Wisut Artjanawat, 

Namchok Tantiphokakul, Sutijet 

Kooratanapisan, Pasavee 

Lertvilai, Nirun Sae-Ueng and 

Poosit Supupramai vow to 

accomplish what Meesawat had 

failed to achieve when the 101st 

edition of the fabled event fires 

off on 3 April. 

Tabuena will be back to defend the 

crown along with the other Filipino top 

guns and aces from 13 other countries 

making up the early 92-player field in 

the 72-hole championship. 

More bets, including new, crack 

international players, are expected 

to sign up in the next few days 

with the organizing Pilipinas Golf 

Tournaments, Inc. guaranteeing 

another down-the-wire finish. 

Ten Australians, led by Philippine 

Golf Tour Asia leg winners Damien 

Jordan and David Gleeson, and 

11 players from the United States, 

headed by regular local campaigners 

Sam Gillis, Lexus Keoninh, Brett 

Munson, Cory Oride and PGT leg 

titlist Nicholas Paez are also in the 

fold, all seeking to get a crack at the 

coveted crown. 

Magnolia seeks survival 

of the team standings with a 3-5 win-loss slate, 

just a hairline away from Alaska (3-5), Meralco 

(3-6) and Northport (2-5) for the last playoff spot 

entering the crucial stretch of th eliminations. 

Still, head coach Chito Victolero is not giving 

up on their chances. 

“That’s already done. We lost so I just told them 

to move on and look forward to our next game. We 

have to focus on Northport now,” Victolero said. 

True enough, Magnolia has the luxury of 

burying that sorry loss right away since it still 

holds its fate of advancing to the playoffs should 

it manage to win its last three games. 

“That’s the good thing about our chance 

despite the loss,” he said. 

“Our standings may be tight at the bottom but 

still, we hold our own destiny. So long as we’re 

RACHEL Anne Daquis of Cignal attacks the defense of Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani of United VC during their 

Philippine Superliga Grand Prix game yesterday at the Filoil Flying V Centre. United VC prevailed, 14-25, 

25-21, 25-21, 26-24. ROMAN PROSPERO 

United VC cuts Cignal line 

I’m proud of how the girls stayed composed 

United Volleyball Club banked 

on Filipino-American star Kalei 

Mau and import Yaasmeen Bedart- 

Ghani to dominate the skidding 

Cignal, 14-25, 25-21, 25-21, 26-24, 

in the Philippine Superliga Grand 

Prix yesterday at the Filoil Flying 

V Centre. 

Mau and Bedart-Ghani 

provided the firepower for United 

VC, which is back on winning 

track following a sorry loss to 

F2 Logistics in this prestigious 

women’s club league bankrolled 

by Asics, Mueller, Mikasa, Senoh, 

Team Rebel Sports, Bizooku, 

UCPB Gen, Cocolife, Hotel Sogo 

and Data Project. 

Mau and Bedart-Ghani 

unloaded 19 points apiece as 

United VC survived the 29-point 

explosion of import Erica Wilson 

By Joel Orellana 

ILAGAN CITY, Isabela — A 

12-year old swimmer from Cainta, 

Rizal upstaged Jasmine Mojdeh in 

Day 1 of the swimming competition 

of Philippine Sports Commission’s 

Batang Pinoy Luzon leg at the 

Isabela Sports Complex pool here. 

Aubrey Tom, a Grade 6 student 

of International Learning Academy, 

scooped three gold medals, one more 

than the output of Mojdeh, who has 

been representing the country in 

various international tournaments. 

Tom ruled the girls 12-under 

200m individual medley, 100m 

freestyle and 50m backstroke to 

become the first triple gold medalist 

of the event organized by the PSC for 

in-school and out-of-school children 

aged 15 and below. 

“I expected it (to win three 

golds). My coach told me to strike 

hard all the time so that I could 

beat any time,” said Tom, who will 

also be swimming in seven events 

in the coming Palarong Pambansa 

in Davao. 

Competing in her first Batang 

Pinoy, Tom clocked two minutes and 

37.95 seconds to beat San Rosa City’s 

Ysabelle Alcazar (2:56.60) and Navotas 

City’s Jhoey Leila Gallardo (2:58.17) in 

the 200m individual medley. 

She followed it up with another 

ready and have the right mindset, I’m confident 

over our chances.” 

Tipped to lead the charge for the Hotshots 

are Mark Barroca and Jio Jalalon, who erupted 

for 23 and 22 points, respectively, in their 

previous match. 

Also expected to come out strong are Ian 

Sangalang, Rome Dela Rosa and Paul Lee, who 

settled for just 10 points last outing. 

The Batang Pier, on the other hand, are no 

pushovers either as they are bent on putting an 

end to their league-worst five-game losing spell. 

After starting the conference on fire 

with a 2-0 slate, Northport cooled down with 

five straight losses, including a close 107-113 

defeat to reigning champion San Miguel Beer 

last week. 

in this battle that also has ESPN5 

and 5Plus as broadcast partners. 

Bedart-Ghani delivered the 

winning spikes that completed 

their fourth set comeback from 

a 21-23 deficit to finish with 14 

spikes, three blocks and an ace 

while Mau scored 18 of her 19 

points from kills on top of a superb 

defensive effort with 14 digs and 

14 excellent receptions. 

“I’m proud of how the girls 

stayed composed. The girls talked 

among themselves,” said United VC 

head coach Joshua Ylaya, whose 

wards improved to 5-4 win-loss 

slate. 

Ylaya also gave credit to Amy 

Ahomiro, who delivered the crucial 

service when they were down 21-23 

in the fourth set before import Tai 

Manu-Olevao scored back-to-back 

Tom strikes 3 golds 

golden performance in the 100m 

freestyle with 1:04.24, edging Laguna 

Province’s Qaantreulle Light Wangkay 

(1:09.47) and Baguio City’s Mekonah 

Hadsan (1:10.49). 

Tom, who is planning to sweep 

her two remaining events — the 50m 

fly and the 50m freestyle — made it 

three-for-three after conquering the 

50m backstroke with the time of 34.20 

seconds, beating Janelle Ashley 

Blanc of Marikina City 

(36.97) and Pangasinan 

Province’s Franice 

Baligod (37.64). 

Mojdeh also 

swept her two 

events in the 

first day of pool 

competition after 

topping the girls 

13-15 200m and 

400m IM. 

“It was 

tiring because 

I came from a 

tournament in 

Japan but it’s 

okay,” 

hits to tie the set. Wilson tried to 

pump life into the HD Spikers, but 

an error from Ana Artemeva and 

the winning hits of Bedart-Ghani 

allowed United VC to escape with 

the victory. 

“The coaching staff is just 

proud of how they handled that 

last stretch in the fourth set. 

Credits to the serving of Ahomiro, 

we have to serve strong in that 

crucial moment and she did 

well that made our offensive 

transition smooth,” he added. 

Manu-Olevao was also 

instrumental with 10 points while 

setter Alohi Robins-Hardy dished 

out 31 excellent sets, 16 digs and 

three markers. 

Artemeva backed Wilson with 

12 points while Jheck Dionela 

protected the floor with 30 digs and 

19 excellent receptions for Cignal, 

which absorbed its third straight 

loss with a 5-6 card. 

said Mojdeh, a Grade 7 student at 

Immaculate Heart of Mary-Paranaque, 

and is competing in her second Batang 

Pinoy meet. 

“My goal this year is to win all the 

gold medals and break Philippine 

records,” she added. 

Also making a splash in the pool 

were Samuel Ieuan Villanueva of 

Marikina City (boys 12-under 

200m IM), Gabriel 

Angelo Jizmundo of 

Dagupan City (boys 

13-15 200m IM), 

Patrick Anthony 

Vidal of Quezon 

City (boys 

12-under 100m 

freestyle) and 

Johan Carlos 

Aguilen of 

La Union 

Province 

(boys 13- 

15 100m 

freestyle). 

AUBREY Tom of Cainta, Rizal celebrates after winning three gold medals 

in the swimming competition of the Batang Pinoy Luzon leg yesterday 

at the Ilagan City Sports Complex swimming pool. JOEL ORELLANA

" 

16 

WORLD 

The BRI Forum is coming soon again and President Rodrigo Duterte is one of 

the early birds that have signified his commitment to attend 

Zaida Reyes 

Contributor 

On 22 to 24 March during the visit of President 

Xi Jinping to Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is 

expected to sign as announced a “framework deal” on 

the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with the Chinese 

President. European underdog Italy will become the 

first of the G7 states to sign onto China’s multitrillion 

global investments and infrastructure vision. Following 

Italy’s announcement, the Republic of Malta has also 

signified its interest in joining the plan. 

What makes Italy’s affirmation of its faith in the 

BRI singularly significant is that it is now done over 

the insistent objection of the United States and some 

other members of the European Union. Among many 

others Press TV headlined this, “‘US warns Italy against 

joining China’s new Silk Road project’.... “Italy is a 

major global economy and great investment destination. 

No need for Italian government to lend legitimacy to 

China’s infrastructure vanity project,” National Security 

spokesman Garrett Marquis said on Twitter. 

This development is that it debunks all the 

scaremongering the US and its media minions, including 

those in the Philippines, about a Chinese “debt trap.” 

Italy is already in a debt trap and they have no significant 

loans from China, as this piece from The Telegraph by 

Roger Bootle highlight “Italy is caught in a debt trap with 

little room to engineer an escape.” The truth is Italy sees 

China as the escape hatch by opening Chinese market to 

its exports and taking better terms for loans from Beijing. 

Detractors show their desperation at failing to 

deter China’s vision for global prosperity. 

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi di Maio said in 

response to US admonitions, “Let it be clear that, if we are 

looking at the Silk Road towards China for our exports, it is 

not to strike a political deal with China but only to help our 

companies...” The Financial Times reported 15 March, “Italy 

eyes loans from China’s development bank for projects” with 

“working documents” already signed for the two countries to 

“explore all opportunities for cooperation.... work together with 

the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)...” 

Another major European country that has long signed 

on to the BRI is Greece. Victimized by the predatory 

European financial system Greece suffered massive 

financial and economic collapse that persisted for a decade 

and through the 2015 Syriza leftwing party victory. In 2016 

Greece accepted Chinese investments into its biggest port, 

MOZAMBIQUE’S BEIRA 90% DESTROYED 

City in ruins 

It is a real disaster of great 

proportions 

JOHANNESBURG — More than 1,000 

people were feared dead in Mozambique 

four days after a cyclone slammed into 

the country, submerging entire villages and 

leaving bodies floating in the floodwaters, 

the nation’s President said. 

“It is a real disaster of great proportions,” 

President Filipe Nyusi said. 

Cyclone “Idai” could prove to be the 

deadliest storm in generations to hit the 

impoverished southeast African 

country of 30 million people. 

It struck Beira, an 

Indian Ocean port 

city of a half 

million 

BRI: Underdog hope 

people, late Thursday and then moved 

inland to Zimbabwe and Malawi with 

strong winds and heavy rain. But it 

took days for the scope of the disaster 

to come into focus in Mozambique, 

which has a poor communication and 

transportation network and a corrupt 

and inefficient bureaucracy. 

Speaking on state Radio 

Mozambique, 

Nyusi 

Piraeus, amounting to 1 billion 

euros for 67 percent stake plus 

500 million euros to improve 

the facilities. Greece has had 

no regrets as the cooperation 

with China has boosted the 

Piraeus port. 

The BRI has been a lifesaver 

for the beleaguered finances 

and economy of Greece and the 

same will be true for Italy. These 

Western European countries 

are only following the heels of 

Central and Eastern Europe’s 

underdog 16 countries that are 

already on the BRI bandwagon 

where Chinese companies have 

already invested more than $9 

billion in 2017 over and above 

previous years, imported 

agricultural goods from these 

countries rising 13.7 percent on 

average every year. Trade volume 

between the CEEC and China has 

grown from $40 billion to $70 billion in 

the six-year from 2018. 

The BRI Forum is coming 

soon again in April and President 

Rodrigo Duterte is one of the 

early birds that have signified 

said that while the official death toll stood 

at 84, “It appears that we can register more 

than 1,000 deaths.” 

Emergency officials cautioned that while 

they expect the death toll to rise 

significantly, 

they have no way of knowing if it will reach 

the president’s estimate. 

More than 215 people were killed by 

the storm in the three countries, including 

more than 80 in Zimbabwe’s eastern 

Chimanimani region and more than 50 

in Malawi, according to official figures. 

Hundreds more were reported injured 

and missing, and nearly 1,000 homes were 

destroyed in eastern Zimbabwe alone. 

Doctors Without Borders said rivers 

have broken their banks leaving many 

houses fully submerged and 


Daily Tribune 

his commitment to attend. Other 

world leaders are also joining, 

led by Russia’s President 

Putin, Pakistan’s new 

Prime Minister Imran 

Kahn, along with Italy’s 

PM Giuseppe Conte 

and many others that 

have already registered 

their attendance. This 

second BRI Forum 

will show the expanded 

membership of the BRI, 

fine tune the implementation 

of the multitude of funding 

programs and projects, 

direct response to 

critiques and reset 

buttons where required. 

The many brickbats 

thrown at the BRI is a 

measure of its success, 

as detractors show their 

desperation at failing to deter 

China’s vision for global 

prosperity and peace 

through genuinely fair 

economic and trade 

globalization and 

development. 

around 11,000 households displaced in 

Nsanje, in southern Malawi. 

The Red Cross said 90 percent of Beira 

was damaged or destroyed. The cyclone 

knocked out electricity, shut down the airport 

and cut off access to the city by road. 

UN officials cited reports that Beira 

Central Hospital’s emergency room was 

flooded and without power and that much 

of the building’s roof had collapsed. Doctors 

Without Borders said it had completely ceased 

operations in Beira hospital, local health 

centers and throughout the community. AP 

Wipeout Praia Nova Village, one of the most affected neighborhoods in Beira, Mozambique, is razed by the passing of Cyclone “Idai.” More than 1,000 people are feared dead in 

Mozambique four days after he powerful storm slammed into the southern African country. 

AP 

BRIEFS 

Nabbed for drunkenness 

Former Peruvian President Alejandro 

Toledo, who is facing extradition from the 

United States over corruption charges, was 

briefly jailed for public intoxication after 

getting drunk in a California restaurant. 

Toledo, 73, was arrested at the eatery near 

Palo Alto and spent the night in a cell before 

being freed early Monday. AFP 

Warner Bros. chief exits 

Warner Bros. chief Kevin Tsujihara, 

one of the highest ranking Hollywood 

executives to be felled by sexual 

misconduct allegations, stepped down 

from the studio following claims that he 

promised roles to an actress with whom 

he was having an affair. 

AP 

Another suicide 

Alan Krueger, a Princeton University 

economist and former top economic adviser 

to former President Barack Obama, reportedly 

committed suicide on Saturday. He was 58. His 

family said in a statement: “It is with tremendous 

sadness we share that Professor Alan B. Krueger, 

beloved husband, father, son, brother and 

Princeton professor of economics, took his 

own life over the weekend.” Meanwhile, Paris 

Jackson, daughter of the late superstar 

Michael, struck down rumors that she 

attempted suicide Saturday, assailing 

“liars” in an expletive-laden tweet. 

Celebrity news website TMZ initially 

ran the report saying Jackson, a 

20-year-old model, was hospitalized 

after a suicide attempt at her Los 

Angeles home. 

AFP 

Crimea annexation 

President Vladimir Putin led 

thousands to chant “Russia!” on a 

visit Monday to Crimea marking the 

fifth anniversary of the Black Sea 

peninsula’s annexation from Ukraine, 

as NATO and the European Union once 

again strongly condemned the land grab 

by Russia. 

AP 

New shooting leaves 3 dead 

UTRECHT — Dutch police on Monday arrested 

a Turkish-born suspect over a shooting on a 

tram in Utrecht that left three people dead in 

what officials said was a possible terror attack. 

Police had earlier launched a huge manhunt 

for Gokmen Tanis, 37, issuing a picture of the 

suspected gunman and warning the public not 

to approach him following the attack, in which 

five other people were wounded. 

CHRISTCHURCH — The 

first bodies from the 

Christchurch mosque 

massacres were 

due to be 

released 

late 

Mosques and schools were closed across 

the Netherlands’ fourth-largest city following 

the bloodshed, before heavily armed officers 

surrounded a building and arrested him. 

They “cannot exclude” other motives. 

Dutch authorities said they were still 

investigating a likely terrorist motive for the 

shooting but Prime Minister Mark Rutte said 

Tensions rise over burials 

Sunday amid growing frustration from victims’ 

families over delays in getting their remains 

for burial. 

Islamic custom dictates that the deceased 

should be buried within 24 hours, but 

authorities said the complex investigation 

into the massacre of 50 worshippers during 

Friday prayers made a quick process 

difficult. 

New Zealand officials said at 

least one body would be returned 

Sunday night, and that all 50 

should be back with their 

families by 

Wednesday. 

Young and innocent Clueless to what is happening, a child looks to her weeping father 

during floral tributes across the road at the Masjid Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New 

Zealand, where worshippers were gunned down three days ago. 

AFP 

they “cannot exclude” other motives, including 

a family dispute. 

“We have just heard that the suspect we are 

looking for has been arrested,” Utrecht police 

chief Rob van Bree told a dramatic press 

conference seconds after being handed a piece 

of paper with news of the arrest. 

The city’s mayor Jan van Zanen told the same 

news conference it was a “black day for Utrecht.” AFP 

“It’s a massacre, what else do they need to know?” 

Sheikh Amjad Ali, an assistant school principal who had 

traveled from Auckland to help with the funeral arrangements, 

told AFP about some frustrations with the wait. 

“The families are sad but they are getting a bit 

frustrated. The reasons of their deaths are known ... why 

not release those who have been identified,” he said. 

What else do they need to know? 

“I’m not going to talk against authorities because 

they have their own rules and regulations, but they 

are balancing between the culture and religious 

views and the local laws.” 

AFP 

============================================== 

======================= 

Case Law 

By VICTOR C. AVECILLA 

Terror 

horror A 

member 

of special 

police 

forces 

patrols in 

Utrecht 

near a 

tram where a 

gunman opened 

fire killing at least 

three persons and 

wounding several 

in what officials 

said was a 

possible 

terrorist 

incident. 

Magsaysay Mol Marine, Inc. v. Atraje 

G.R. No. 229192, July 23, 2018 / Third Division / Leonen, J. 

Remedial Law; Evidence. – Entries made in the sea vessel’s 

logbook, when made by a person in the performance of a duty 

required by law, are prima facie evidence of the facts stated 

in it. However, the logbook itself or authenticated copies of 

pertinent pages of it, and not merely typewritten excerpts 

from the logbook that have no probative value at all, must be 

presented. (VOLUME 2, NUMBER 56) 

======================================== 

AFP 

======================


Daily Tribune 

LIFESTYLE 17 

From page 18 

GMA on the 

Malacañang 

of her youth 

When I was growing up and turning into an adult already, she would 

sometimes invite me to her parties 

Disciplinarian mother 

JGS: Did Mrs. Macapagal solicit 

and then distribute gifts during 

Christmas? 

GMA: Yes, they had their Christmas 

Package Drive when they would give 

Christmas presents to the families of the 

presidential guards, but at that time it was 

only a battalion, which was the presidential 

security group. And so, the same ladies 

who would help my mother, including Tita 

Conching, were the ones who organized 

these as well. 

JGS: In a magazine article, it was 

mentioned that there were eight ladies 

who were close to your mother. Aside 

from your grandmother, Mrs. Macaraeg 

and you, they were Mrs. Rosemarie Toda, 

Mrs. Liwag, Mrs. Fernandez, among 

others. What did it take to earn the trust 

and friendship of Mrs. Macapagal? 

GMA: You know, my mother was a very 

frank woman. You knew anytime where you 

stood with her. She was not one of those 

candidates for Ms. Sunshine, and so a friend 

had to be somebody who understood her 

character. And to think that Tita Conching 

was her friend since 1949. So you can 

imagine that Tita Conching was like that 

also. I guess they understood each other 

very well. 

And when I had to go abroad 

to represent my parents, or for 

something, my mother felt very safe 

if Tita Conching was with me. 

JGS: I am just curious. Was Mrs. 

Macapagal a disciplinarian? 

GMA: Oh, very much so. 

JGS: Did she impose on your 

study habits? 

GMA: Study habits, I 

learned by myself, with 

my sister. But when it 

came to manners and 

spending habits, she 

was very strict about 

it. 

JGS: Did you ever 

dream of becoming 

the President of the 

Philippines? 

GMA: Oh, no, I didn’t 

even think I will enter 

politics. 

JGS: Ma’am, did you 

enjoy your first stay in 

Malacañang? 

GMA: I wouldn’t say that. To 

me it was a big house. A big house, 

that’s what it was. That’s 

what I consider it 

up to now. 

EVEN then, she showed signs of becoming a renowned academician. 

Long state visits 

Jojo: How were the state visits during 

your father’s time? 

GMA: State visits took longer than they 

do now. They took several days or one week. 

Nowadays, sometimes, the guests are just 

here for a day. In the case of monarchs, 

it’s like three or four days but that’s really 

stretching it already. But at that time, it was 

really longer. And so, aside from the state 

dinner, there would also be a less formal 

affair, called the Fiesta Filipina. 

But whether it was the state dinner or 

the Fiesta Filipina, maybe these are the 

things that Tita Conching and my mother got 

along well about. My mother being a fulltime 

housewife, she put a lot of effort into the 

state dinner and they were all very correct. 

And she didn’t always rely on professional 

entertainers or entertainment groups. 

She relied a lot on leaders of the political 

and civic society to participate in the 

entertainment. So during the state dinners, 

she would have a Rigodon de Honor, and 

in accordance with the term used, which is 

honor, it would be the persons of honor who 

would dance. And so Tita Conching would 

help a lot in organizing them. 

When their majesties, the Emperor 

and Empress of Japan (at the time of the 

interview), were still the Crown Prince and 

Crown Princess, they came for a state visit 

here. I danced in the state dinner together 

with my brother Arthur and some of our 

friends. The whole show was put together 

by Tita Conching. 

That statement she made in an 

interview, this was one of the models 

of Tita Conching who interviewed 

my Mom, that “She was the sister I 

never had.” 

I remember that in a particular 

affair for the King and 

Queen of Thailand, the 

Fiesta Filipina, the 

less formal one 

which was usually 

held downstairs 

at the Heroes 

Hall, there 

was a fashion 

show, where 

the children of 

the leaders of 

political and 

civic society 

participated. It 

was also Tita 

Conching who 

put up that 

one. What she 

was doing in 

Malacañang, she 

would later 

do for the 

Karilagan. 

MY mother was the one who made Pitoy Moreno very big. 

JGS: You were very young then. Did you 

have a chance to relate with Ms. Sunico? 

GMA: Yes, yes. Like in our performances, 

for instance. She would be there watching 

our rehearsals. She gave time to the 

preparations for those state visits. And 

when I had to go abroad to represent my 

parents, or for something, my mother felt 

very safe if Tita Conching was with me. 

For instance, during the New York World’s 

Fair, Tita Conching was my chaperone. 

And I went with them and the Karilagan. 

And that was the time the Karilagan had a 

show in Honolulu, and that culminated in 

the Lincoln Theater and the World’s Fair. 

I also remember that when I went to the 

wedding of King Constantine, we went to 

Greece together. We were four, my mother, 

me, Tita Conching and another lady. 

JGS: Did Tita Conching also host or 

organize parties for you and your set? 

GMA: We used to go to her house in 

Malate. Tita Conching, I remember, used to 

have themes for her parties. She organized 

one of my teenage parties, and they all 

came in pirates’ costumes. The boys were 

wearing scarves. 

Yes, Tita Conching would invite us then. 

When I was growing up and turning into an 

adult already, she would sometimes invite 

me to her parties. I remember the changes 

in her house. She would reupholster her 

furniture, the rattan furniture. She would 

change it once in a while in accordance with 

the fashion of the day. 

But whether it was the state dinner 

or the Fiesta Filipina, maybe these 

are the things that Tita Conching 

and my mother got along well 

about. 

JGS: Did you go to Ramon Valera or 

Pitoy Moreno? 

GMA: Moreno. My mother virtually was 

the one who made Pitoy very big. Because 

everybody before her was using Valera. I 

have a couple of Valera gowns, but by and 

large, it was Pitoy. 

Fetching smile 

JGS: Was there any moment when 

you were in a serious situation and Tita 

Conching gave you some words of wisdom? 

GMA: No naman, but I remember 

one time, maybe I was feeling inferior 

about some great beauties among 

our contemporaries, she said, “You 

know, you have a very fetching 

smile.” She wanted to make 

me feel good and to make me 

realize that I also had my own 

outstanding physical attributes. 

(laughs) 

JGS: How was Tita 

Conching with the First 

Gentleman? Was the FG 

around during your father’s 

presidency? 

GMA: Let me see…we 

started going together 

toward the end of the 

presidency. She witnessed 

those times when we had 

just met each other, so she 

would teach me about him. 

For instance, I did not invite 

him to my graduation ball. 

She said, “I heard that he 

cried all night,” which, I’m 

sure, was not true. 

In fact when we got 

married she was our ninang 

(principal sponsor). You know, 

at that time, it was not like 

now when you have dozens 

of sponsors. We only had two 

ninongs and two ninangs. 

The other ninang was my 

husband’s aunt, Teresing 

Tuason Lao. And then 

my ninongs were my 

husband’s uncle, Severo 

Tuason. They were both 

ROY PELOVELLO 

his ninong and ninang when 

he was baptized. And then, our 

other ninong was Tito Luis 

Araneta who was the other 

one who helped my mother in 

organizing the state functions. 

JGS: Did she help in the 

planning of the wedding? 

GMA: Yah, she did. She 

directed our rehearsals, she 

directed who would march 

first…she was the director of 

our wedding. 

JGS: I read that it was 

a cocktail reception where 

people moved around. 

GMA: It was her idea to 

make it a champagne cocktail. 

An international celebrity 

couple had just gotten married 

and they had a champagne 

reception so Tita Conching 

suggested a champagne 

reception. She also directed 

our rehearsal. 

Long gown and black tie 

JGS: Did you go to 

Assumption all the way, like 

from grade school to high 

school? 

GMA: Except grade one. Grade one, 

I was in St. John’s. I entered St. John as 

a kindergarten pupil, but after one week 

or something, they promoted me to grade 

one. So when I entered Assumption, grade 

two na. 

M mom never had an idle afternoon 

with friends. And I never had that 

habit either. 

JGS: Who were your close friends? 

GMA: That time, when the Prince and 

Princess of Japan came, the ones who 

danced with me were Suzy Bayot, Mary de 

Leon, Nina Lagdameo and Patty Araneta. 

We were five. That would indicate who my 

friends were. A lot of them like Suzy and 

Mary became close because the mother 

of Mary was my mother’s best friend in 

high school, Macaria Madrigal. They were 

classmates, in fact seatmates for four years. 

They sat next to each other. For instance, 

when they were all in Baguio, they would 

fetch mommy to go to their house everyday. 

Patty and Nina were my classmates. Linda 

Floirendo was another barkada of mine. 

Then, there was Menchu Katigbak who was 

my classmate. 

JGS: Did you have jam sessions? 

GMA: Not a lot, but we did have 

occasionally. Ahh, but another influence 

of Tita Conching and my Mom was when 

we had our parties, even when teenaged 

parties, a lot of them were ‘long gown and 

black tie” occasions. And you know, that 

thing about long gown and black tie, it was 

so ingrained in our young circle that when 

we were studying abroad, in Georgetown, 

I remember that the others who were also 

studying in Washington, when they would 

have a party, they would also make our 

parties black tie. On our own, already. 

(laughs) 

JGS: Just an aside. How was Bill 

Clinton when you were classmates? 

GMA: He was the president of our 

student council. He was very popular. He 

was bright and good-looking. 

Never idle 

JGS: In what way are you like Mrs. 

Macapagal? 

GMA: My mom never had an idle 

afternoon with friends. And I never had that 

habit either. Like when I was in high school, 

I would hear my classmates planning, “Oy, 

I will go to your house this Saturday, or 

something like that, which was part of 

schoolgirls’ routine, but that was not my 

thing. Sometimes I would insist I wanted to 

go to my classmate, so my parents would 

allow me, but it wasn’t something that I did 

every Saturday. 

JGS: I think that when Ms. Sunico 

was close to someone, she could be 

charming and fun. I suppose it was the 

same thing with your Mom. They didn’t 

easily smile. 

GMA: Tita Conching was not a smiling 

person so at the beginning, you would 

think that she was strict. Which she was, 

professionally. But there are some people 

who are Ms. Sunshine from the beginning. 

You feel comfortable with them already 

because they are always smiling. But Tita 

Conching and my Mom were not always 

smiling. Tita Conching was more pusong 

mamon (soft-hearted) than my Mom. 

JGS: How close were they? 

GMA: My mother considered Tita 

Conching her best friend. 

JGS: How would you assess Mrs. 

Macapagal’s friendship with Ms. Sunico? 

GMA: That statement she made in an 

interview, this was one of the models of 

Tita Conching who interviewed my Mom, 

that “She was the sister I never had.” My 

mom was an only child, so that said it all.

18 

lifestyle 

GMA 

on the Malacañang 

of her youth 


Daily Tribune 

proust is back! 

Jojo G. Silvestre 

“YOU have a fetching 

smile,” her Tita Conching 

told her. roy pelovello 

ASSISTING her mother, Mrs. Eva Macapagal, entertain then Crown Princess Michiko. 

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 

former president of the 

Philippines and today the 

Speaker of the House, 

spent her teenage years 

in the glare of flashbulbs 

and spotlights 

Presidential daughters through 

various political administrations 

have always fascinated the Filipino 

people. A surefire fodder for the 

media, they are constantly reported 

on, whether they are celebrating 

an 18th birthday, participating in 

a Girl Scouts’ encampment, or 

assisting in the charitable works 

of their mother, the incumbent 

first lady. 

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 

former President of the Philippines 

and today the Speaker of the House, 

spent her teenage years in the glare 

of flashbulbs and spotlights, being 

the youngest daughter of then 

incumbent president, Diosdado 

Macapagal, from 31 December 1962 

to 31 December 1965. 

Gloria, as the nation fondly 

referred to her, was mostly 

written about as an outstanding 

student. Even then, she showed 

signs of becoming a renowned 

academician, a role that she would 

prove to be adept at years later 

Conching Sunico was her mother’s 

best friend. 

when she taught economics at the 

Ateneo de Manila, University of the 

Philippines and the Assumption 

College. She left these academic 

institutions to occupy a key post 

in the Department of Trade and 

Industry, which was soon followed 

by her stint in the Senate that in 

turn led to the vice presidency and 

finally the presidency, making her 

the first presidential offspring to 

become a President. 

Her return to the palace 

was particularly exciting for the 

lifestyle media because unlike 

her predecessors from the time of 

Cory Aquino to Joseph Ejercito, she 

chose to make Malacañang Palace 

her official home, giving back to 

this fabled residence the eminence 

it had always known from the time 

of the Spanish governor-general 

who resided in it. 

The young Gloria, like the 

other president’s daughters 

before her, did her bit for her 

father’s administration, including 

representing her parents in 

international events like the World’s 

Fair in New York. Another time, she 

and her brother Diosdado Jr. went 

on a world tour accompanied 

by their maternal grandmother, 

Irenea Cruz vda. de Macaraeg, who 

was also known to bring Gloria to 

school at the Assumption in the 

morning and pick her up in the 

afternoon. 

GMA, as this nation now 

refers to her, was the incumbent 

president of the Philippines when 

I interviewed her primarily for an 

oral history on the socialite cultural 

promoter and former executive 

director of the Metropolitan 

Theater, Conchita Sunico. 

While the interview focused 

generally on her mother’s best friend, 

her Tita Conching, our conversation 

THEY had a cocktail reception on their wedding day. 

relatedly shifted to other aspects of 

her life as a teenager in the palace. 

She shared her thoughts about her 

mother, Eva, whose adherence to 

propriety, including an insistence on 

punctuality, is legendary. 

It was without any question 

that Chinggay Lagdameo, my 

research patron, and I abided 

by the protocol concerning visits 

and interviews with no less than 

the President of the Philippines. 

Appropriately garbed (I in my 1960s 

polo barong), we were first brought 

to a receiving room on the ground 

floor (actually a holding area) 

where we were given a briefing, 

before we were finally led to the 

iconic staircase. We then crossed 

the long thickly-carpeted hall, 

flanked by a security officer and 

two very polite protocol officers, 

all the way to her study. 

While I was quietly observing 

my hallowed surroundings, our 

chaperones alternated in giving 

us instructions as to where we 

should be seated and so on. (I do 

not remember where and at what 

point we were asked to sign the 

guest book, but I am certain there 

were no photographers to record 

my most awaited moment.) When 

the president came out to greet us 

with her signature smile and voice, 

all my anxiety went away. She had 

a way of making her guests feel at 

home and even familiar, probably 

because she was disarming as she 

conveyed the image of a kind and 

gentle school teacher. 

Thus began our nostalgia trip: 

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA): 

Oh, we love Tita Conching so much. 

Jojo G. Silvestre (JGS): Did 

you meet her even before your 

father was president? 

GMA: Oh, yes, yes, I had known 

her for as long as I can remember. 

JGS: Would you know how Mrs. 

Macapagal and Ms. Sunico met? 

GMA: From my recollection 

and from the stories they tell, 

because as I’ve said, I’ve known 

her for as long as I can remember, 

their friendship started when 

my father was chairman of the 

Foreign Relations Committee in 

the House, which was like 1949. 

She was the hostess with the 

mostest, so her parties had a lot 

of diplomatic personalities or she 

would in fact give parties in their 

honor. And because my father 

was chairman of the Committee 

on Foreign Relations, he would 

get invited to her parties. And 

because my mother spoke Spanish 

and my father also did, I guess they 

hit it off very well as early as that 

time. I was two years old then. 

That’s why I was saying I can’t 

remember when I first met her. I’ve 

known her practically all my life. 

JGS: Did that mean she often 

went to your house? 

GMA: Ahh, well, my mother’s 

personality was not that type who 

would have people come to the 

house. But definitely they would be 

together a lot. Going to functions 

together, or seeing each other, would 

be more like it. And Tita Conching 

would come to Malacañang because 

she would help during state visits. 

JGS: What was Mrs. Macapagal’s 

recreation? Or was she busy all the 

time cutting ribbons? 

GMA: Yes, she was busy all 

the time. 

JGS: Did your mom’s friends 

also get together in Malacañang? 

Was that your mother’s style? 

GMA: If you are talking about 

private parties, yes. But if you 

mean a day of mahjong, or an 

idle afternoon together, that was 

not my mother’s style. 


Asian chorales gather 

The Asia Choral Grand Prix is a competition of the top prize winners 

of international choral festivals in Asia 

The Cultural Center of the 

Philippines (CCP) will host the 

first Asia Choral Grand Prix on 

21 July. 

The Asia Choral Grand Prix is a 

competition of the top prize winners 

of international choral festivals in 

Asia: The Andrea O. Veneracion 

International Choral Festival 

(Philippines), the Bali International 

Choir Festival (Indonesia) and the 

Singapore International Choral 

Festival (Singapore). 

The two top winning choirs 

chosen by the organizers from 

the winners of the 2017 and 

2018 competitions of each of the 

participating festivals will come to 

Manila to compete in the first Asia 

Choral Grand Prix on 21 July at the 

Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP 

Main Theater). 

The six participating choirs 

are the Brawijaya University 

Student Choir (Indonesia) and 

the University of the Philippines 

Los Baños Choral Ensemble 

(Philippines) representing the 

Andrea O. Veneracion International 

Choral Festival; e Deum Voice 

(Indonesia) and the Paduan Suara 

Mahasiswa Universitas Padjadjaran 

(Indonesia) representing the Bali 

International Choir Festival; and 

the Vocalista Harmonic Choir 

ISI from Yogyakarta (Indonesia) 

and the St. Louis High School 

Choir (Indonesia) representing 

the Singapore International Choir 

Festival. 

Each participating choir must 

render a varied programme of its 

Brawijaya University Student Choir. 

choice with a maximum singing time 

of 20 minutes. 

A jury of five internationally 

renowned adjudicators with a 

maximum of two Asians will evaluate 

the competition. 

The Asia Choral Grand Prix 2019 

is jointly organized by the artistic 

and festival directors of the three 

competitions to elevate the overall 

quality and appreciation of the 

choral art and inspire audiences 

and artists through choral music 

by uniting the outstanding festivals 

and competitions in Asia. 

The next Asia Choral Grand Prix 

will be held in Indonesia in 2021 and 

in Singapore in 2023. 

The Asia Choral Grand Prix will 

coincide with the last day of the 4th 

Andrea O. Veneracion International 

Choral Festival which will be held at 

the Cultural Center of the Philippines 

on 18 to 21 July.


Daily Tribune 

SPOTLIGHT 

19 

Alden’s most 

unforgettable moment 

One of the most touching photos was that of Alden at the 

Church of Nativity about to kiss the floor where Jesus was 

born 

Actor-host Ryan Agoncillo showcased 

his skills in photography while he and 

his Eat Bulaga Dabarkads were on 

a pilgrimage tour at the Holy Land in 

Israel since last week. 

Ryan captured the EB hosts’ candid 

and stunning moments 

when they visited 

Bethlehem, Nazareth, 

Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee, 

Jordan River (Israel side) 

and Church of Nativity 

and posted these on his 

Instagram account. 

One of the most 

touching photos was that 

of Alden at the Church 

of Nativity about to kiss 

the floor where Jesus 

was born. 

Broadcast journalist Cristine 

Babao, an avid supporter of AlDub 

Scene Stealers 

Jun Nardo 

commented on Alden’s picture, 

“@aldenrichards02 Amen! Pray for 

us here in the Philippines. Julius (her 

husband) & I were there in the year 

2000. It was Christmas Time, so silent 

in Bethlehem. Before that star, we sang 

“Silent Night” and our 

pilgrim group ended up 

in tears.” 

Everybody knows 

that Alden is a God-fearing 

person and his visit to 

the Holy Land is an 

unforgettable moment 

for him. 

q q q 

Award-winning 

director Erik Matti 

revealed on his 

Facebook page that his interview 

with Ed Lingao and Roby Alampay 

for the duo’s show, The Chiefs, which 

airs on One News, is probably the best 

he ever had. 

Erik talked about the current 

situation of the local film industry. They 

tackled the result of the meeting with 

the cinema owners and the concerned 

“BUYBUST” and “On The Job” director Erik Matti. 

THE “Eat Bulaga” Dabarkad on a pilgrimage tour at the Holy Land. 

government body on the lowering of 

ticket prices and proposed moving 

of opening day for film screenings from 

Wednesday to Friday. 

“This is probably the best interview 

I’ve had in any show because it gives 

you the time to expound on things 

in detail. Most of the time other 

interviews have the interviewer barely 

listening, the mind elsewhere thinking 

of the next question to ask and doesn’t 

allow you time to answer more than a 

sentence of your thoughts because 

of time constraints. Since I am 

talkative, I love the interview with 

#TheChiefs that will air tonight. As I 

recall, I made sense in the interview. I 

hope I really did,” the director posted. 

Matti, however, said that he was the 

one that called the meeting. It was the 

result of his previous Facebook post 

about the problems of the Philippine 

film industry. 

“Una (first), internal muna and 

after that, FDCP sat down and also 

came up with a list of things and 

agreed on those terms,” Matti revealed. 

He added that the meeting was 

attended by presidential spokesman 

Salvador Panelo and representatives 

from the Motion and Television Review 

and Classification Board. 

ABS-CBN’s Acquisitions and 

International Sales Distribution 

partners with Animation Intl. 

Ltd 

Kapamilya kids are in for a world of fun 

and adventure as Doraemon finally joins the 

Kapamilya network. 

In a trade event held last 5 March at the Green 

Sun Hotel Axon, the titular robot cat from the 

future, along with his friends Nobita, Shizuka, 

Suneo and Takeshi was introduced to the 

public as a member of the Kapamilya network. 

ABS-CBN’s Acquisitions and International 

Sales Distribution (ISD) division partners with 

Animation Intl. Ltd., ShoPro and ADK Emoticons 

Inc., the companies that owns the rights to 

distribute the Doraemon franchise. 

NEA Crossword Puzzle 

© 2018 UFS, Dist. by Andrews McMeel Syndication for UFS 

ACROSS 

1 Crone 

4 Not outgoing 

7 Bear, to 

Brutus 

11 Smog 

monitoring 

grp. 

12 Cat’s-paw 

14 Within sight 

15 Sports 

Doraemon, now a Kapamilya 

“zebra” 

16 Boleyn or Baxter 

17 — accompli 

18 Sturdy shoe 

20 Coral islands 

22 Large green 

parrot 

23 Good buddy 

24 Nose stimuli 

27 Humidity problem 

30 Ephron of “You’ve 

“We are very happy and excited to finally 

say that Doraemon is a Kapamilya. It has been 

a long time coming and we believe this is a 

landmark acquisition for our kiddie viewers, 

and kids at heart, who have been asking when 

Doraemon will ever show up on ABS-CBN,” said 

ABS-CBN Acquisitions and ISD head Macie 

Imperial. 

Set to air on ABS-CBN’s TVplus channel, 

YeY!, starting May, Doraemon follows the 

CLASSIC anime series returns to Philippine TV. 

Got Mail” 

31 Viking letter 

32 Caught ya! 

34 Fem. saint 

35 Sharp pain 

36 Largest of the 

Marianas 

37 Bye (2 wds.) 

39 LX 

40 Antlered animal 

41 Zig’s opposite 

42 Ferret or mink 

45 Make 

possible 

49 Concerto or 

symphony 

50 Fish-eating 

bird 

52 Actress Tyler 

53 Cable 

54 Total failures 

55 Purpose 

56 Read quickly 

57 Go to -- for 

58 Corn serving 

DOWN 

1 Villain’s foe 

2 Triangle tip 

3 Large 

fishhook 

4 Looks a long 

time 

5 GM 

competitor 

6 Over there 

7 Develop 

8 True 

9 Go on a 

voyage 

10 Fine and liberal 

13 Pouncing 

19 Green pod 

SUDOKU 

adventures of Nobita Nobi, a young boy who 

suffers from bullying and his trusty friend 

Doraemon, a robotic cat sent by one of his 

descendants from the future to protect and 

guide Nobita. Using his four-dimensional pocket 

from where he pulls his gadgets, Doraemon 

helps Nobita in his adventures. 

“We are very excited because we didn’t 

have Doraemon on television for a long time 

and ABS-CBN is one of the best channels 

here so we’re really looking forward to this 

partnership,” said Animation Intl. Ltd. general 

manager Tim Kondo, who is elated to finally 

bring Doraemon to ABS-CBN via their YeY 

channel on ABS-CBN’s TVplus. 

Doraemon will premier on 27 May at 5 

p.m. on YeY, available on ABS-CBN’s TVplus. 

For updates, follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, 

Twitter and Instagram or visit www.abscbnpr. 

com. 

21 Fable 

24 Switch 

positions 

25 Pixels 

26 Two-color 

cookie 

27 Bean for 

sprouting 

28 French 

waters 

29 Query starter 

31 Caused 

resentment 

33 Pop singer 

— Grant 

35 Barbershop sign 

36 Prefix for billion 

38 Wane 

39 Least wacky 

41 “The Prisoner of 

—” 

42 Goes over big 

43 Heroic 

44 Emanation 

46 Feeling low 

47 Homer’s daughter 

48 Happily — after 

51 Apply salve 

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 

Streaming service 

introduces child 

safety feature 

iWant hits 80 million views and iWant YouTube 

channel gets Silver Creator Award 

iWant, the streaming service 

made by Filipinos for Filipinos, 

marks its growing subscriber base 

with a child safety feature and new 

original shows that showcase the 

best of Filipino storytelling set to 

debut this March. 

Parents have one less thing 

to worry about their children’s 

viewing preferences as iWant 

introduces its child safety feature, 

which offers age-restriction 

settings for videos that may have 

violent, sexy, or mature content. 

iWant also amps up its line-up 

of original titles this month with 

Bagman, a gritty socio-political 

thriller about a man who sacrifices 

his own moral values, and Touch 

Screen, a light-hearted show 

guaranteed to entertain the whole 

family. 

“Touch Screen” explores how digital technology has 

taken over people’s lives and personal relationships. 

The three-part anthology 

Touch Screen explores how digital 

technology has taken over people’s 

lives and personal relationships. It 

features Janella Salvador, Pokwang 

and Denise Laurel in lead roles. 

In February, iWant recorded 

80 million views, as it bannered 

new originals Allergy in Love, 

Hush, and Apple of My Eye 

and launched its iWant Sports 

section, while users enjoyed 

hassle-free access to Kapamilya 

programs, including its 10 

most watched, namely Halik, 

Kadenang Ginto, The General’s 

Daughter, Pinoy Big Brother 

Otso, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, 

Playhouse, Los Bastardos, It’s 

Showtime, Gandang Gabi Vice 

and Maalaala Mo Kaya. 

Users who cannot get enough of 

Angel Aquino and Tony Labrusca’s 

fiery love story in Glorious may 

watch never-before-seen scenes in 

the steamier director’s cut of the 

iWant original movie, which streams 

on the platform daily from 11 p.m. 

to 6 a.m. 

The streaming service, 

meanwhile, recently received the 

Silver Creator Award from YouTube 

as its YouTube channel reached 

more than 100,000 subscribers. As 

of 5 March, the channel has 173,431 

subscribers, who eagerly keep up 

with the highlights of 

Camp Star Hunt 

and iWant ASAP, as 

well as the trailers 

of its original shows 

and movies. 

iWant, which can 

also be accessed 

via web on iwant. 

ph, boasts a diverse 

library of free 

original movies and 

shows that have 

earned praises from 

Filipino users and 

continue to rack 

up views, including 

Spirits Reawaken, 

Alamat ng Ano, 

Ma, Laureen on a 

Budget, Everybody 

Loves Baby Wendy, 

High, The Gift, 

S.P.A.R.K., The End, 

High, Allergy in Love, Hush, 

Project Feb. 14 and Apple of My 

Eye. 

It also offers currently 

airing and old ABS-CBN shows, 

documentaries and specials, 1,500 

films, restored movie classics, 

fastcut versions of currently airing 

Kapamilya teleseryes, Asianovelas, 

thousands of songs, One Music’s 

live digital concerts and the 

livestreaming of Camp Star Hunt, 

iWant ASAP, DZMM TeleRadyo, 

ABS-CBN Channel 2 and ABS-CBN 

S+A. 

d a i l y g o s p e l 

Wednesday of the third week of Great Lent 

And the disciples asked 

him,“Why, then, do the scribes 

say that Elijah must come 

first?” 

He replied, “Elijah is indeed 

coming and will restore all 

things; but I tell you that 

Elijah has already come, and 

they did not recognize him, 

but they did to him whatever 

they pleased. So also the Son 

Matthew 17:10-13 

of Man is about to suffer at 

their hands.” 

Then the disciples 

understood that he was 

speaking to them about John 

the Baptist.

20 

SPOTLIGHT 

Dinah S. Ventura, Editor 


Daily Tribune 

THE SONGBIRD OR THE NIGHTINGALE 

Who sings better? 

When we perform, we always put ourselves in the position 

of giving our all as we are paid to do so, and that’s what the 

audience expects 

That was the question that singer Lani 

Misalucha, otherwise known as Asia’s 

Nightingale, was hard-pressed to answer 

when asked at a press conference for The 

Aces, a show that brings together herself 

and two other singers — Jona and Darren 

Espanto — at the Smart Araneta Coliseum 

on 30 March. 

Professional singers, like her, never 

compare themselves with fellow singers, 

much less publicly. Critics, and they are 

few and far between in this country, would, 

but they’d rather not as the mere act of 

comparison could trigger an endless word 

war between fans of the singers and the 

critic becoming a target of interminable 

bashing on social media by both groups. 

“When we perform, we always put 

ourselves in the position of giving our all 

as we are paid to do so, and that’s what 

the audience expect. We don’t think that I 

should perform better than anybody. Most of 

the time we think of outdoing ourselves, but 

never another singer, especially if both of 

you are in the same show,” Lani explained. 

Jona and Darren can only bow their 

heads in agreement. 

“This show is one memorable gig for 

me as I am with one singer I admire the 

most, Miss Lani, and a young and excellent 

performer, Darrren. When I was starting as 

a singer, it never occurred to me that I’d be 

on the same stage as Miss Lani. And now 

that I am, I am really very grateful for all 

the opportunities coming my way. And Miss 

Lani isn’t just a great singer. She shares 

her knowledge selflessly among her fellow 

performers,” Jona said. 

Darren, the youngest of the three, said, 

“When this show was offered to me and I 

learned that I would be with Miss Lani and 

Miss Jona, I felt really very nervous. They 

are such great performers and I didn’t know 

if I could be on the same level as them.” 

Jona, now known as The Fearless Diva, 

and Darren, as the Total Performer, join 

Asia’s Nightingale for the one-night only 

show at the Big Dome. The producers 

promise the audience will witness “great 

production numbers in an excellent show” to 

be directed by Marvin Caldito, with Jimmy 

Antiporda as the musical director. 

This show was mounted first at the 

Waterfront Cebu on 2 February then it 

moved to the SMX Convention Center in 

Davao City on 2 March. 

After the success of the two shows, 

the producers decided to mount the same 

show with additional production numbers 

in Metro Manila. 

“We see the potential of the show in 

Metro Manila, and we don’t want to deprive 

the fans of Lani, Jona and Darren here of 

not watching a great show they did in the 

Visayas and Mindanao,” says a spokesman 

of CCC Productions that has partnered 

with Star Music and Star Events to bring 

the show in Metro Manila along with PLDT 

Home. 

Three generations of singers in one-of-a-kind 

show is what The Aces is all about. 

Tickets are available via Ticketnet 

Online. 

Sharing the good news, 

bringing the hottest stories 

If you’re a radio person, and a fan 

of “talk radio,” or shows whose anchors 

(they used to be known as announcers or 

commentators in my days as a student of 

broadcast communication) talk a lot with 

either in-studio guests or telephone-patched 

guests or field reporters for the latest 

news on the streets of the city and nearby 

provinces, you could be listening (or in 

the current state of affairs, watching) 

Brothers Bo Sanchez, Alvin Barcelona, 

Randy Borromeo and Sister Risa Singson 

Simply Red 

Isah Red 

Kapweng every Saturday early morning (5 

a.m.) talk about faith, family and finances 

on DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 or watch them 

on DZMM TeleRadyo on Sky. The show is 

called Kape at Salita. 

This is, perhaps, the only local show 

on mass media that speaks freely about 

money and the benefits the listeners get in 

managing their finances correctly. 

Among the 20th century’s defining 

works of dramatic art, Angels In 

America is the most Tony 

Award-nominated play, breaking 

records in Broadway’s history 

with 10 Tony Awards, including 

Best Play and Best Revival of a 

Play. 

Bo said that whatever they say about 

money they always use the Word of God as 

a reference to teach the listeners practical 

tips in taking care of the family’s finances. 

Kape at Salita debuted in June 2018 

after ABS-CBN News and Shepherd’s Voice 

Radio and Television Inc. (SVRTVI) or 

Kerygma Radio signed a partnership to 

bring the program to DZMM. 

PAT-P Daza and Peter Musngi spice up afternoons in DZMM’s “Pasada Sais Trenta.” 

“We need to talk about money as it 

affects almost all aspects of life — family, 

health, fulfillment of dreams. But this 

should be discussed based on what is 

taught in the Bible. If not, we run the risk 

of worshipping money and putting it at the 

center of our lives instead of using it to serve 

God and to glorify Him,” Bro. Alvin said. 

Bro. Randy added, “Money is not bad. 

Money in the hands of a good person can 

do good (things). When we look at money 

the right way and through the lens of the 

Bible, we will not be blinded by it, instead 

we will use it in the proper way.” 

This is, perhaps, the only local 

show on mass media that speaks 

freely about money and the 

benefits the listeners get in 

managing their finances correctly. 

Rissa, meanwhile, said DZMM has been 

a big boost to their advocacy as they are 

now able to reach more people since apart 

from AM radio, DZMM is also seen on cable 

TV and ABS-CBN TVplus through DZMM 

TeleRadyo. Moreover, the station also has a 

strong online presence. 

Meanwhile, the new Pasada Sais Trenta 

anchors Peter Musñgi and Pat-P Daza’s 

dynamic banter and hard-hitting questions, 

which they carried over from their program 

for five years Teka Muna, have also become 

a hit among audiences in the afternoon 

timeslot. 

According to Peter, it was not a difficult 

decision to accept this new challenge for 

them, despite the apparent sacrifices that 

come with doing a daily show. 

“It’s a vote of confidence for us. They saw 

something in us that showed we our ready 

to do a daily program,” Peter said. 

Right away, DZMM’s dynamic duo 

JONA, Lani Misalucha and Darren Espanto together on stage for “The Aces.” 

was put to a challenge, co-anchoring the 

station’s election special “DZMM Ikaw 

Na Ba Senatorial Candidates’ Interviews” 

with the Dos Por Dos tandem of Anthony 

Taberna and Gerry Baja. It was a very 

fulfilling experience, especially for Pat-P, 

who got to “jam” with broadcasting veterans 

in Anthony, Gerry and Peter as they get to 

know the people aspiring for a Senate post. 

“We are happy to say that we interviewed 

the most candidates, 48 out of 63, because 

we started featuring the candidates earlier 

than all the other networks. The candidates 

came, both big names and newcomers, 

because they felt that they were going to be 

given equal airtime 

Pasada Sais Trenta airs Monday to 

Friday, 4:30 p.m. 

‘Angels in America’ returns 

To kick off its 20th anniversary, Atlantis 

Theatrical Entertainment Group is mounting 

Angels In America: Millennium Approaches. 

A groundbreaking masterpiece for the most 

phenomenal cast ever assembled, it includes 

Art Acuña as Roy Cohn, Pinky Amador as 

the Angel, Angeli Bayani as Harper Pitt, 

Topper Fabregas as Prior Walter, Cherie 

Gil as Hannah Pitt, Nelsito Gomez as Louis 

Ironson, Andoy Ranay as Belize and Markki 

Stroem as Joe Pitt. The entire cast will also 

play multiple roles throughout the show. 

The first part of Tony Kushner’s epic, 

set in 1980s New York City, zooms in on 

the lives of two main couples: Prior Walter 

is abandoned by his lover, Louis, as he 

contracts the AIDS virus, while a closeted 

gay lawyer named Joe Pitt struggles in his 

marriage to his pill-popping wife, Harper. 

Their fates intertwine as they explore 

the questions of love, justice, identity and 

change. 

The cast shares a new understanding 

coming from working on the epic masterpiece. 

With no time to spare, they are hard at work 

at rehearsals to prepare for opening night. 

Cherie Gil calls Tony Kushner’s writing 

“metaphorically amazing and humanly 

precise,” while Topper Fabregas says, “It 

goes straight for your gut.” 

Art Acuña calls it a “story that deals 

with our humanity,” and Angeli Bayani 

regards it as a show that will “stir people’s 

consciousness about the world.” 

Pinky Amador says that there will be a 

“paradigm shift” with the characters in the 

story, as well as the audience’s perception 

of life, death, and everything in between. 

For Andoy Ranay, taking on such a role 

is a new experience for him. “I am, most of 

all, excited, nervous and challenged to take 

on this endeavor outside my comfort zone.” 

As for the message that the play imparts, 

Nelsito Gomez simply hopes that it will 

“encourage people to be kinder. It’s the 

least we can do, but it will go a long way.” 

Markki Stroem says it will show audiences 

what it’s like “to be true to who they are and 

grow as people.” 

Among the 20th century’s defining works 

of dramatic art, Angels In America is the 

most Tony Award-nominated play, breaking 

records in Broadway’s history with 10 Tony 

Awards, including Best Play and Best Revival 

of a Play. It has also won a Pulitzer Prize 

for Drama, proving Kushner’s work remains 

BRO. Randy, Sis. Risa, and Bros. Bo Sanchez and Alvin talk about family, faith, and finance in “Kape’t Salita.” 

as transcendent and as potent and timely 

in its concerns, as when it premiered on 

Broadway over 25 years ago. 

Having worked on the play before, 

director Bobby Garcia says, “We have what 

is really a dream cast for Angels in America. 

Its cast I would not have thought I could 

assemble in the same room.” 

Angels In America runs from 22 March 

to 7 April at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, 

RCBC Plaza, Makati. For tickets, visit www. 

ticketworld.com.ph. 

Angels In America contains strong language 

and mature content. Due to its subject matter, 

this show is strongly recommended to ages 17 

years old and above.

20 MARCH 2019

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