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2010 HOSTAGE-TAKING

No further apology forthcomingDFA

By Sara D. Fabunan
FOREIGN Affairs on Friday said Manila had been expressing its regrets to Hong Kong on many occasions following a renewed demand for an apology from the families of the eight Hong Kong tourists who were killed during a hostage crisis in Manila two years ago. The department made the statement after the families of the eight slain tourists on Thursday trooped to the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong and demanded that President Benigno Aquino III apologize for the incident that took place on Aug. 23, 2010. The Philippine government, including its highest ofcials, have, on many occasions, expressed deep regret and sorrow for the unfortunate incident, Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said. That incident took place when a dismissed policeman, Rolando Mendoza, hijacked a tourist bus carrying 25 people 20 tourists and a tour guide from Hong Kong and four Filipinos in an attempt to get his job back, saying he had been summarily and unfairly dismissed and that all he wanted was a fair hearing and the opportunity to defend Next page himself.

Standard TODAY
Manila
Vol. XXVI No. 164 12 Pages, 2 Sections P18.00 Saturday, August 25, 2012

Sereno is it
By Joyce Pangco Panares and Rey E. Requejo
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said President Aquino was condent Sereno, whom he appointed to the 15-member tribunal in 2010, would lead judicial reforms. The 52-year-old Sereno could serve up to 18 years until retirement at 70. She replaces former chief justice Renato Corona, who was impeached and convicted in May for not disclosing some $2.4 million in bank accounts. Mr. Aquino, who led the campaign to oust Corona, called him an obstacle in his anti-corruption campaign. Sereno bested seven other candidates: acting Supreme Court Chief Justice Antonio Carpio; Associate Justices Roberto Abad,

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Nations first female chief justice to serve for 18 years

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Friday appointed Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice of the Supreme Court, making her the rst woman to occupy that position that was vacated after her predecessor was removed for violating the Constitution.
Arturo Brion, and Teresita Leonardo De Castro; Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, ex-Ateneo Law School Dean Cesar Villanueva and former congressman Ronaldo Zamora. In a brief interview at the Supreme Court lobby Friday night, Sereno said she was thankful for her appointment. First of all, I give all the glory to God. To the President, I thank you very much, she said. She also thanked the media for partnering with us in the Judiciary and promised to issue a more lengthy statement in the next few days. Sereno was Mr. Aquinos rst appointee to the Supreme Court and the youngest among the nominees. Next page

PH may be host to US regional radar site

WASHINGTON ofcials said on Thursday that the United States government was considering expanding its missile defenses in Asia by putting up a radar system in Japan and in Southeast Asia, including possibly the Philippines. According to Bloomberg, the plan to boost the USs missile defenses in Asia is in response to threats from North Korea and aggressive moves by China in the South China Sea. Two US ofcials said the Pentagon had been discussing with Japan a new radar installation on a southern Japanese island. An eventual installation in Southeast Asia would complete a more robust defense system if a location can be found, one of the ofcials said. The Pentagons willingness to make it known that new installations of advanced X-Band radar arrays made by Raytheon
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List of Chief Justices Term of Office

1 Cayetano Arellano | June 11, 1901 April 1, 1920 2 Victorino Mapa | July 1, 1920 October 31, 1921 3 Manuel Araullo | November 1, 1921 July 26, 1924 4 Ramn Avancea | April 1, 1925 December 24, 1941 5 Jos Abad Santos | December 24, 1941 May 7, 1942 6 Jos Yulo | February 5, 1942 July 9, 1945 7 Manuel Moran | July 9, 1945 March 20, 1951 8 Ricardo Paras | April 2, 1951 February 17, 1961 9 Csar Bengzon | April 28, 1961 May 29, 1966 10 Roberto Concepcion | June 17, 1966 April 18, 1973 11 Querube Makalintal | October 21, 1973 Dec.22, 1975 12 Fred Ruiz Castro | January 5, 1976 April 19, 1979 13 Enrique Fernando | July 2, 1979 July 24, 1985 14 Felix Makasiar | July 25, 1985 November 19, 1985 15 Ramon Aquino | November 20, 1985 March 6, 1986 16 Claudio Teehankee | April 2, 1986 April 18, 1988 17 Pedro Yap | April 18 July 1, 1988 18 Marcelo Fernan | July 1, 1988 December 6, 1991 19 Andres Narvasa | December 8, 1991 Nov. 30, 1998 20 Hilario Davide, Jr. | November 30, 1998 Dec. 20, 2005 21 Artemio Panganiban | December 20, 2005 Dec. 7, 2006 22 Reynato Puno | December 8, 2006 May 17, 2010 23 Renato Corona * | May 17, 2010 May 29, 2012 24 Maria Lourdes Sereno | August 25, 2012 current Jos Abad Santos was unable to preside over the Supreme Court of the Philippines due to the outbreak of World War II. * Renato Corona was impeached on Dec. 12, 2011 and convicted on May 29, 2012. Antonio Carpio is serving as the Acting Chief Justice. (Source: Wikipedia.org)

Moro rebel faction joins Katos forces

By Florante S. Solmerin
THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front said on Thursday that ghters from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement led by Ameril Umbra Kato and members of the defunct Moro National Liberation Front had joined forces in battling government troops. The MILF said the MNLFBILFM allied forces were the ones who launched simultaneous attacks on military detachments in Maguindanao early this month. According to MILF, the MNLF-BIFM ghters have even
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The annointed one. Maria Lourdes Sereno, the rst woman chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Lawyers, solons welcome Aquinos choice

By Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Christine F. Herrera
THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines on Friday welcomed the appointment of Associate Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno as the 24th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. IBP president Roan Libarios expressed optimism that Sereno would carry out reforms in the Judiciary. She will be a reform-oriented chief justice, Libarios said, noting that Sereno placed second in the mock polls of the IBP. The IBP ofcial also expressed hope that the new chief justice would strongly adhere to independence of the Judiciary. We need our SC to remain an independent branch of government, Libarios said in a text message. Lawyer Vince Lazatin, executive director of Transparency and Accountability Network, said he felt Sereno had so far shown an independent mind. Senators were happy with the Presidents choice as well. Next page

Long line of legal luminaries in Supreme Courts history

CAYETANO Arellano, who served from 1902 to 1920, held the ofce of chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines 18 years and 294 days, the longest period in history. Arellanos age, 73 years and 29 days, was also the greatest age ever reached by an incumbent chief justice, which is unlikely to be broken with the current mandatory retirement age of 70. Pedro Yap, who served for only 73 days in 1988, held the shortest tenure as chief justice. The other chief justices who served for less than a year were Felix Makasiar (85 days), Ramon Aquino (78 days) and Artemio Panganiban (352 days). These chief justices, except Aquino, left ofce when they reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. Aquino resigned in 1986 after the newly-installed President Corazon Aquino asked for the courtesy resignations of all the members of the Court. The oldest chief justice upon appointment was Pedro Yap, who was 69 years and 292 days old.
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Malacaang ritual. Six friends chosen to serve as pall bearers prepare to carry
the casket of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo into the historic Kalayaan Hall in Malacaang. Inset shows President Aquino standing beside the ag-draped casket during the memorial service in the palace.

Medical group downplays members ip-op issue

By Macon R. Araneta
A RANKING ofcial of the Philippine Medical Association on Friday denied that the cardiologist of former President and now Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo retracted his statement about his patients life-threatening condition. Group vice president Leo Olarte told the Manila Standard that Roberto Anastacio did not ip-op. ket into the hall, said presidential guard head Col. Nestor Herico. Robredos remains will be cremated and buried on Tuesday in Naga City, where he will be given full military honors including a
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Confetti rains as Robredos casket arrives in Palace

By Joyce Pangco Paares and Laila Gomez
PRESIDENT Aquino, in a white barong with a black arm band, stood beside the widow and three daughters of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo on Friday as honor guards carried his casket into Kalayaan Hall in Malacanang for a three-day state funeral. Presidential helicopters dropped white and yellow confetti as the casket was being brought into the historic Kalayaan Hall, where Robredos remains will lie in state until Sunday, ofcials said. Presidential guards in blue gala uniform wearing white Shako hats (it resembles a salakot, a coneshaped native hat) carried the cas-

There was no ip-opping because, according to him, he was merely misinterpreted and misquoted by the media, Olarte said. At a press conference in a restaurant near the Makati Medical Center on Aug. 17, Olarte had said that Anastacio had told them that he talked about the condition of the heart of the former President, which was within his expertise because he Next page was a cardiologist.

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SATURDAY AUGUST 25, 2012

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Lacierda said Mr. Aquino spoke to Sereno Friday, and the new Chief Justice was surprised that she was chosen from the shortlist of eight nominees. But during her interview with the Judicial and Bar Council in July, Sereno said it was her religious view that if you believe, the reward will come. Sereno also told the council she was optimistic that President Aquino would defy tradition and not merely pick the most senior among the justices. Sereno had issued a dissenting opinion on the Supreme Courts decision last year to allow Mrs. Arroyo to leave the country, a document that was later used against Corona during his impeachment trial. Sereno also wrote a separate opinion suggesting that the family of President Aquino be compensated more for Hacienda Luisita, which is to be distributed to farmers under the agrarian reform program. In her interview, Sereno said justices would sometimes yell at one another during deliberations, but said there was nothing to heal Ardo said. He said the majority of BIFM members had pending warrants of arrest issued by different courts for a string of criminal cases. Since the attacks on Aug. 5, the military has claimed that it has killed more or less 60 rebels, while the government side suffered ten casualties, including innocent civilians. The military also captured the rebels four camps. The MILF also questioned the MLNFs motive in joining forces with the BIFF/BIFM. In this regard, a question has to be asked. For what strategic or tactical gain, the two groups get from this alliance, we do not know. But to us, it is not a wise move on the part of the MNLF to cooperate with the BIFM/BIFF. First, it will not last long; second, some of the MNLF leaders are politicians and helping the BIFM/BIFF is a losing enterprise. after Coronas ouster because they could argue passionately then have a friendly lunch afterwards. She said she was undaunted at the prospect of staying in her new post for 18 years. I wont get burned out because the past 52 years of her life have been fruitful and exciting, she said. Among the 20 original nominees considered, she was reported to have scored the lowest in the psychological exam conducted by the JBC. Sereno declared P17.9 million in assets and P142,342.88 in liabilities, for a net worth of P17.76 million in 2010. She was reported to have taken a share of the P2.65 billion paid by the government to the legal team that handled the case led by German airport operator Fraport AG and Philippine International Air Terminal Co. before an international court in Singapore over the expropriation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. Born on July 2, 1960, Sereno is married to Mario Jose Sereno, with who she has two children, Maria Sophia and Jose Lorenzo.

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Sereno...
In her interviews before the Judicial and Bar Council in July, Sereno said she would ensure that our North star, our Constitution, will be followed. She also told the council that she did not want a leadership style that emphasized the leaders personality. Reforms must not be dependent on personalities sitting in the Supreme Court. There needs to be institutional commitment, Sereno said. Sereno was also of the opinion that an outsider should not appointed to head the Supreme Court. If we put an outsider (as Chief Justice), it is like appointing a civilian to be in charge of a war. I hope that people will recognize that there are many good justices. Reform can come from within, Sereno told members of the council. Sereno took up AB Economics at the Ateneo De Manila University for her pre-law and completed her law degree at the University of the Philippines in 1984, cum laude.

She had her post-graduate degree at the UP School of Economics and in 1993, she earned a Master of Laws degree from the University of Michigan. Sereno started her career in private practice as a junior associate of the Sycip Salazar Feliciano and Hernandez law rm in 1986. She has served as legal counsel of various government ofces such as the Ofce of the President, Ofce of the Solicitor General, Manila International Airport Authority, and the Department of Trade and Industry. She also previously headed the Information and Public Division ofce of the UP Law Complex. Earlier, Mr. Aquino said he was dissatised with the eight-nominee shortlist submitted by the JBC that excluded Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Am I satised? Personally, not. I dont think what happened was fair... Some people who are not yet really facing cases have been disqualied. So how can that be fair? the President said. But the President chose from the shortlist and made the appointment

days before the Constitutionallymandated deadline of Aug. 27. The Constitution doesnt give me that prerogative (to choose from outside the shortlist). The Constitution tells me that I have to choose from the list that they submitted, Mr. Aquino said. Malacaang said appointing a relatively young chief justice such as Sereno will allow judicial reforms to take root. With someone who will serve for as long as 18 years, reforms will be instituted and take root, Lacierda said. Thats the advantage of having a chief justice who will stay for that long. The presidential spokesman played down concerns that Serenos appointment will turn the Supreme Court into an Aquino Court. Lacierda said Mr. Aquinos appointees to the High Court so far number only three, including Sereno. Mr. Aquino will eventually have a fourth appointee to the Supreme Court for the post to be vacated by Sereno as Associate Justice. Sereno will take her oath ofce before President Aquino today. we expect the same treatment from our brothers in the MNLF, as what we did to them when they talked to the government. If they cannot support us, at least, they should not stand on the way, it added. In a phone interview, 6th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Rey Ardo said they received the same intelligence reports that MNLF units have joined the BIFF in the attacks in their bid to spoil efforts to end the armed conict in Mindanao. We urge MNLF leaders to abide with the 1996 peace agreement. Joining this BIFF band of criminals is not a good step towards peace in Mindanao. Well, you know MNLF units to join in criminal acts as what the BIFF has been doing, perhaps, is something unacceptable especially before the eyes of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries). The MNLF may lose esteem and support from the OIC if they continue to do that,

Confetti...
funeral cortege to be participated in by all services of the armed forces, and a 19-gun salute. A Philippine ag will be presented to the widow. The former secretary and two pilots died in a plane crash off the coast of Masbate on August 18. His body was retrieved underwater from the overturned fuselage at the depth of 120 feet on August 21. A team of investigators from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) said the emergency location transmitter (ELT) of the Piper Seneca failed to activate during the crash, which made it difcult for divers to locate the wreckage. The planes ELT was in off position when it was recovered, according to initial investigation conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board. CAAP director William Hotchkiss said the ELT was functioning well during routine check before the ight, and it activates automatically when the plane crashes or makes an emergency landing. But its too early to speculate. Our investigating team is still examining the plane wreckage to determine the cause of the accident, Hotchkiss said. He said divers continue to search for the right engine, but other parts of the plane are under tight security at the Masbate airport. The engine is a key part of our investigation. This will determine if, indeed, it was due to technical or mechanical problem that caused it to fail, Hotchkiss said. He said the investigating body was reconstructing the ight path of the plane, including the communication with the control towers, and where it refueled for its ight from Cebu to Naga City. It will not be an easy investigation but as directed by Secretary Mar Roxas, we will not leave any stone unturned to nd out the real cause of the accident, Hotchkiss said. Roxas has ordered the suspension of the Aviator Air, the operator of the Piper Seneca plane. Tribute continued to pour in for the former secretary. Galing Pook Foundation executive director Eddie Dorotan said local government ofcials must keep Robredos legacy alive by eradicating jueteng, a feat he accomplished as mayor of Naga City for 19 years. He has proven that if the mayor does not want jueteng, it can be eradicated, Dorotan said. Chiyo Kanda, acting country director of the World Bank, said Robredos death represents a tremendous personal loss for many of us in the development community. We have been inspired by your commitment to excellence and refusals to accept mediocrity. You advocated not only for straight and open governance but smart governance as well. We wre humbled by your personal integrity, simplicity and kindness, Kanda said. President Aquino proclaimed Tuesday, April 28, as a special non-working holiday in Naga City, the day of the internment of the late secretary. This is to allow the people of Naga to participate in the state funeral and pay their last respects to their beloved former mayfor and secretary of the interior, Aquino said. could help boost our economy, she said. The government should exhaust all the diplomatic means to address the problem. Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua and Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said the travel ban was unfair. House Assistant Majority Leader Sherwin Tugna said the Philippine government should not be distracted by the travel ban. Despite the travel ban, data from the Tourism Department showed that the tourist arrivals from Hong Kong had increased slightly, and by 2.36 percent to 57,790 in the rst six months of this year. With Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz, Vito Barcelo and Eric B. Apolonio

Long line...
Other chief justices in their 69th year upon appointment were Felix Makasiar (69 years, 280 days old) and Artemio Panganiban (69 years, 13 days old). The youngest Chief Justice upon appointment was Manuel Moran, who was 51 years and 256 days. Claudio Teehankee was Associate Justice for about 18 years before he was appointed as Chief Justice. He was twice bypassed by Ferdinand Marcos in favor of a more junior Associate Justice before he was nally appointed by Corazon Aquino. Associate Justices Florentino Torres and J.B.L. Reyes served more than 18 years in the Court without becoming Chief Justice. Pedro Yap, who served as Associate Justice for only 2 years and 10 days, was promoted as Chief Justice. Cesar Bengzon, who died in 1992 at the age of 96 years and 97 days, is the longest lived Chief Justice. Two other Chief Justices who lived past 90 were Ricardo Paras (93 years and 235 days) and Querube Makalintal (91 years and 322 days). The youngest Chief Justice to die was Jos Abad Santos, who was executed by the Japanese army in 1942 at age 56 years and 77 days. The youngest Chief Justice to die from non-violent causes was Fred Ruiz Castro, who died in 1979 of a heart attack inight to India, at the age of 64 years and 231 days. Abad Santos, Castro and Manuel Araullo are the only Chief Justices who died while in ofce. Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was appointed by Benigno S. Aquino III on August 24, 2012 became the rst female Chief Justice.

Moro...
expanded their operation to as far as Pikit, North Cotabatao, where they attacked a military detachment, killing a civilian and wounding three soldiers. In an editorial published on the MILF website www.luwaran.com, the rebel organization has urged the MNLF to respect the ongoing peace talks with the government, as it also voiced hopes that the decades-old armed conict in Mindanao would end through a negotiated peace agreement. We are raising this issue in the heels of reports that several units of MNLF forces joined the BIFM/BIFF in their current aggression in some parts of Maguindanao. There are several prominent names that cropped up but, out of respect, we will not mention them here, the article said. Now, it is the MILF talking to the government. Out of reciprocity,

Brady taken to hospital

AMBASSADOR to China Sonia Brady was brought to the hospital on Wednesday after she had a stroke in her residence in Beijing, the Foreign Affairs Department said on Friday. She is undergoing tests and waiting for the results, according to Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez. He said her condition was stable but she was under observation. President Benigno Aquino III appointed Brady as the Philippines ambassador to China in May. Brady, 70, served as ambassador to Beijing from 2006 to 2010.

Lawyers...
We welcome the appointment, said Senator Francis Pangilinan. We hope her relative youth and her passion and dynamism will invigorate the moribund and antiquated system of justice in the country. Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said Serenos appointment was a welcome development, while Senator Gregorio Honasan said the Presidents decision could not be questioned. Members of the House of Representatives were also hopeful that Sereno would bring about reforms in the court system. Her appointment comes at a very challenging time in our nations judicial history coming on the heels of the rst-ever impeachment of a chief justice of the Supreme Court, said Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua, a member of the opposition. I hope the sterling qualities that she brings with her to the High Court would serve well in resolving crucial constitutional and legal is-

sues in the judicial system and the long awaited sweeping reforms in the justice system, Fua added. Assistant Majority Leader Sherwin Tugna said that Serenos appointment would bring about reforms and transparency in the Judiciary. Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said he looked forward to the infusion of new ideas that Sereno could bring. But farmers groups had mixed reactions to Serenos appointment because she had favored President Benigno Aquino IIIs family by seeking a higher valuation of P5 billion for Hacienda Luisita, which is to be distributed to farmers under the agrarian reform program. Sereno is politically indebted to President Benigno Aquino III. She was Aquinos rst appointee to the Supreme Court. Now at 52, Sereno will enjoy an 18-year term as SC Chief Justice from 2012 to 2030. Aquino will have authority over the Philippine Judiciary, way beyond his presidency. Serenos appointment is denitely a family decision of the

Cojuango-Aquinos, Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano said. Mariano expressed concern over what he said was Serenos obvious political bias toward the family of the President. We are deeply concerned with the future Hacienda Luisita case under the helm of Chief Justice Sereno. We will remain vigilant, Mariano added. But Christian Monsod, lawyer for the Farmworkers Agrarian Reform Movement-Hacienda Luisita, said the Courts decision to distribute the land was already nal and executory. I dont think she will reverse the decision because it is already nal and executory. It cannot be reversed anymore, Monsod told the Manila Standard. On the other hand, Renato Reyes of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said the battle over compensation is not yet over because the Presidents family wants a higher selling price, and issue that might still end up before the Supreme Court. the South China Sea and place these large destroyers in that region on basically regular patrols, Bitzinger said. That could be obviously taken by the Chinese as provocative. One of the U.S. ofcials said the Philippines and Vietnam have been reluctant to host permanent U.S. military facilities for fear of provoking China. China called for the U.S. to stop gathering intelligence in waters off its shores after a 2009 incident in which its vessels harassed an American naval vessel 75 miles south of Hainan Island. The U.S. views the South China Sea as international waters and has repeatedly called for maritime states to respect freedom of navigation. Kong to make it lift its travel ban on the Philippines. We need to do fence-mending and negotiate with them to lift the black advisory, said Ang-See chairman of the group Citizens Action Against Crime. It will not just happen. Some lawmakers on Friday said the government should do something about the travel ban. The ban is unfortunate and needs a diplomatic solution... said Bohol Rep. Erico Aumentado, a member of the Houses tourism committee. Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay said it was unfortunate that the ban had not been lifted. Hong Kong is one of the closes [places] to the Philippines and

PH...
Co. are under consideration is intended to reassure U.S. allies as China increases defense spending and contests jurisdiction over maritime territories with countries including Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines, one of the ofcials said. Pentagon is reportedy deploying a second X-Band system to southern Japan in the light of North Koreas saber-rattling, ofcials said. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has shown no willingness since assuming power in December to abandon his regimes nuclear weapons program, and he oversaw an attempted launch of a long-range rocket in April.

If they are moving down to Southeast Asia, they are probably making an effort to counter Chinese missile systems, Richard Bitzinger, a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said of the reported missile defense plan. The Chinese would probably think about how they would have to counter these counters, and that would probably mean acquiring more systems or perhaps targeting those radar sites. China is reportedly developing an unprecedented new missile that is designed to be launched from land with enough accuracy to penetrate the defenses of even the most advanced moving aircraft carrier from a distance of more than 900 miles. life-threatening. His statement immediately drew ak from Olarte, who accused him of breaching the PNAs code of ethics by recommending treatment for something that was not within his expertise. But Olarte on Friday said Anastacio was very apologetic for the confusion brought on by the controversy. He said Anastacio was not scolded during the meeting. No doctor was berated, Olarte said. He said Anastacio was merely advised to stick to his specialization. He asked Anastacio to issue a formal denial of the stories about certain issues hounding the President With Maricel V. Cruz

When completed, the Dong Feng 21Da version of which was displayed last year in a Chinese military paradewould give China the ability to reach and hit U.S. aircraft carriers before the U.S. can get close enough to the mainland to hit back, according to a news report which appeared in FoxNews. Asked today whether a U.S. missile defense installation in southern Japan would raise hackles in China because it may be seen as protecting Taiwan, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that planning for Asia mirrors the work that were doing in Europe, the efforts that we have in the Middle East. These are defensive systems. Asked about the possibility of

a third radar system in a location such as the Philippines, which is far from North Korea, Nuland said she didnt have anything new to announce. The X-Band radar is a high-powered, phased-array radar designed to meet near-term ballistic missile threats from rogue states, according to the website of Waltham, Massachusetts- based Raytheon. Japan and the U.S. have decided not to put the new radar facility on Okinawa, given tensions over the American military presence there, according to the Journal, which said the Philippines is a possible site in Southeast Asia. Placing the radar in Southeast Asia would mean the U.S. would actually have to step up patrols in which we hope to further improve for the benet of our peoples. On Thursday, the relatives and survivors of the hostage incident observed a minute of silence and later chanted We will never forget as they handed their petition to the Philippines Consulate. Were very angry and disappointed, said Tse Chi-hang, the brother of tour guide Masa Tse who was killed during the incident. From the beginning to the end, our request remains the same: that the Philippine government apologise to the victims and their families, Tse said. Anti-crime advocate Teresita Ang-See on Friday said the government should take the initiative to break its impasse with Hong

Medical...
He was referring to the heart when he talked about his ndings. Perhaps he talked about life-threatening because of the blockage in the artery, Olarte said. He also informed the PMA fact-nding committee that conducted an inquiry last Wednesday that he never told reporters that there are were specialists in the country who could do cervical spine surgery on the President. Anastacio had said that the titanium brace implanted in Arroyos neck had shifted, blocking her air and food pathways and which could cause a heart attack. He said Arroyos condition was

No...
Mendoza freed some of the hostages following negotiations with Manila policemen, but after about 10 hours the talks broke down and Mendoza started shooting the people inside the bus, killing eight of the hostages and injuring the others. Mendoza himself was killed by policemen in an operation that was widely seen as inept. Hong Kong issued a black travel alert on the Philippines as a result of the incident, and when asked on Friday what Foreign Affairs was doing to have the alert lifted, Hernandez refused to answer but later said: We have a cordial relations with Hong Kong

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SATURDAY

AUGUST 25, 2012

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Court injunction against bases agency remains in force

By Rey Requejo
THE writ of preliminary injunction imposed by the Baguio City Regional Trial Court against the Bases Conversion and Development Authority will remain in effect since the Camp John Hay Development Corporation has led the injunction bond amounting to P736,328,465.50 with the court. The bond payment, coming at the heels of charges and counter-charges led by both parties in several courts, was made in compliance with the bond requirement attached to the writ of preliminary injunction that Judge Cleto Villacorta III issued against the BCDA last April 27. CJHDEVCOs executive vice president and chief operating ofcer Alfredo Yniguez said that the ling of the bond was done to show the developers good faith to the court. Our corporation is a rm believer in the rule of law. We have survived many administrations because we adhere to this principle. We believe that ultimately, the government and the courts will see that CJHDevCo has complied with all requirements due. The fact that BCDA has already been ordered by the court to submit to arbitration is proof of this, Yiguez said. The court issued the writ of preliminary injunction to prevent BCDA from ousting CJHDevco from the 247-hectare former American rest and recreation base that it had leased to the private developer. With my ndings of a clear and legal right against a unilateral takeover and of grave and irreparable injury arising from such an improvident act at this time, I am compelled to grant the application for a writ of preliminary injunction, the ruling said. The restraining order also prohibits BCDA from awarding the disputed leased property to a new entity. The bond was issued by surety Liberty Insurance Corp., the only bonding company now with Supreme Court Certication of Accreditation and Authority. In January, CJHDevCo led an arbitration case before the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center (PDRCI), as required by its contract, due to BCDAs constant and continuous violations of their contract, such as its failure to create a One Stop Action Center (OSAC) for the processing of permits for CJH DevCo. Instead of complying with the arbitration clause, BCDA refused to submit itself to the PDRCI and instead engaged in a costly PR war that included numerous full page advertisements directed against CJH Devco. This prompted CJHDEVCO to le a Petition before the Baguio court to compel BCDA to submit to arbitration. The Baguio RTC in July ruled in favor of CJH DevCo, compelling BCDA to submit to the arbitration process. BCDA has still not complied. Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan has also urged BCDA to submit to arbitration, in order for developments in Camp John Hay to continue. Instead of arbitrarily pushing for the collection of fees, BCDA must submit itself to arbitration with CJH Devco at the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, as stipulated in their contract, Domogan said in an earlier statement. Baguio City is entitled to 25% of the lease rentals that CJH DevCo pays to BCDA for the development of Camp John Hay. Baguio City has been deprived of lease rentals due to the refusal of BCDA to arbitrate. Last July 13, the Baguio City court granted a petition seeking to compel the government agency to submit to arbitration for resolution of all disputes involving the development of the 247-hectare of the former American rest and recreation base that it had leased to CJHDevCo. In a nine-page order dated July 13, 2012, Acting Presiding Judge Cecilia Corazon S. Dulay-Archog of RTC, Branch 6, granted CJHDevCos petition to compel BCDA to submit itself to the pending arbitration proceeding initiated by CJHDevCo before the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. (PDRCI). The Court nds the arbitration clause (of the 2008 Restructuring Memorandum of Agreement (RMOA) between BCDA and CJHDevCo) valid, existing and enforceable, Judge Dulay-Archog ruled, even as it directed BCDA to submit itself to the pending arbitration proceedings. Last January, 2012, CJHDevCo served a Notice of Rescission to BCDA of the 2008 RMOA on account of BCDAs continuing breach of its obligation to establish a functioning One Stop Action Center (OSAC). The OSAC was the contracted mechanism under which BCDA guaranteed issuance of all national and local permits to CJHDevCos projects within thirty (30) days.

Reasonable sin tax rate more likely

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Senate appears to be leaning toward

a reasonable sin tax following claims by stakeholders that a skyrocketing increase in sin taxes as proposed by Malacanang and the House of Reprepresentatives would have dire consequences.
Senator Ralph Recto, chairman of the senate committee on ways and means, said the lawmakers want a reasonable increase in taxes on cigarettes and liquors. I think everybody accepts that we need to increase tax but it should be reasonable, said Senator Raplh Recto, chairman of the Senate committee on ways and means. I dont think its not proper so we are listening to all. Were trying to look at a reasonable (rate) to generate maximum revenues for the government without so much dislocation or disruption. There is a way of doing it, Recto said. Malacanang wanted to collect an additional P60 billion revenues yearly from higher excise taxes, specically on alcohol and cigarettes or the so-called sin products. A huge chunk of the additional revenues will reportedly be used to address the health concerns of poor Filipinos. Recto took note of the advice of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on the proposed bill, which Enrile said would result to higher incidence of tax evasion and smuggling instead of generating higher collection for government as shown by past experience. Im not saying that, Recto said when asked by reporters if hes inclined to adopt Enriles proposal to instead revert to the system of imposing ad valorem taxes, but admitted that its (ad valorem) under consideration by his panel. Enrile said an increase in taxes will not curb the rampant smuggling in the country. He said nobody can police the entire country to stop smuggling. He cited the Mindanao region as a veritable corridor for smuggled imported cigarettes which are being sold cheap. Recto said that every proposal is under consideration. It is only our second hearing. There are four hearings. We are working to increase taxes that I think is more responsible, efcient, fair as much as possible and (would) generate most revenues. Its too early to say that Im convinced, said Recto, who added that there will denitely be a tax increase. We dont know yet how much, but we need to pass something, hopefully before the yearend. After four hearings we will make the decision and determine what is the best way forward, added the senator from Batanas. He added that his panel will wrap up after two more hearings and submit a committee report for plenary consideration in the hope that the Senate and the House can pass the nal version of the sin tax bill before they go on Christmas recess late this year.

Toyota donation. Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation contributed one million pesos for the rehabilitation projects in Lagunaa donation of 500 thousand pesos each was given to the City Government of Santa Rosa and the provincial government of Laguna. The donation was made through TMPs social and humanitarian arm Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation. From left: TMPF president David Go, TMP president Michinobu Sugata, Laguna Governor Jeorge E.R. Ejercito Estregan and Pagasanjan mayor Girlie Javier Ejercito.

IN BRIEF
Housing woes in CDO probed
VICE President Jejomar Binay has ordered the National Housing Authority to look into the allegations that some housing units built for the survivors of Storm Sendong in Cagayan de Oro City were substandard. We are taking these reports seriously because it is rst and foremost an issue of the residents safety, said Binay, who also chairs the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council. Certain residents at the Calaanan relocation site in Barangay Canitoan complained of cracked walls and oors, expressing fears that the houses could not withstand a low-magnitude quake. The housing czar added that the tight budget for each housing unit, roughly P110,000, should not be an excuse for the sloppy construction. Binay assured the residents of the resettlement site that their complaints will be looked into and that the constructors, including the Habitat for Humanity and Gawad Kalinga, should address the issue. Sara Fabunan

SC affirms valuation formula on former justices property

INVOKING scal autonomy, the Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the computation being used for determining the appraisal value of government properties acquired by its retired justices. In an en banc resolution, the SC afrmed the formula used by the Ofce of Administrative Services of its property division in computing the appraisal value of properties of the high court acquired by chief justices and associate justices after retirement. The tribunal held that the formula was consistent with joint resolution no. 35 of the Constitutional Fiscal Autonomy Group (CFAG) dated April 23, 1997, which was reiterated in the high courts resolution on March 23, 2004. The use of the formula provided in CFAG Joint Resolution No. 35 is a part of the Courts exercise of its discretionary authority to determine the manner the granted retirement privileges and benets can be availed of, the SC stressed. Any kind of interference on how these retirement privileges and benets are exercised and availed of violates the scal autonomy and independence of the Judiciary, but also encroaches upon the constitutional duty and privilege of the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court to manage the judiciarys own affairs, it said. The ruling was per curiam or jointly written by the justices in their full-court session last July 31. It was released only last Thursday afternoon. It effectively set aside the opinion issued by the ofce of the general counsel of the Commission on Audit in June 2010, which assessed an underpayment of P221,021.50 in the motor vehicles and television set purchased by ve retired justices from the SC. The COA had claimed that SCs OAS erroneously appraised the subject motor vehicles by applying CFAG formula when it should have applied the formula found in COA Memorandum No. 98569-A dated Aug. 5, 1998. Rey E. Requejo

PNOC Exploration: Coal deal settled

THE PNOC Exploration Corp. on Friday defended its coal supply transactions, which was used as basis for a plunder complaint saying that the claims of Wilson International Trading Private Ltd has already been settled through arbitration. The coal supply agreement was the subject of the criminal complaint filed by former PNOC Exploration chairman Crismel Verano against PNOC president Antonio Cailao, former PNOC Exploration president and incombent director Rafael del Pilar and other officers of the company. Verano led the P122million plunder against the PNOC and PNOC Exploration ofcials at the Ombudsman on the basis of the coal supply deal. PNOC Exploration management, however, said no formal charges were filed before the Sandiganbayan. These complaints have only been initiated before the Ombudsman who will necessarily investigate the matters referred to its Ofce in order to determine whether the charges need to be led at all, the statement said. The company questioned the timing of the ling of the case at the Ombudsman last July because PNOC Exploration was set to do an initial public offering this year to comply with the minimum 10 percent public ownership rule. Alena Mae Flores

Compact lamps to light 1.1m houses

By Maricel V. Cruz
THE Department of Energy on Friday said 283 members of the House Representatives, including party-list groups, would be included in the distribution of Compact Fluorescent Lamps of the agencys electrication program in the country. Appearing at a hearing before the House Committee on Appropriations, Secretary Jose Almendras said a total of 3.6 million CFLs would be farmed out to 1.165 million households under the Philippine Energy Efciency Project (PEEP) CFL DistributionNational Residential Lighting Program. Almendras said CFLs would also cover the 182 congressional districts, the areas of concern of the 51 Party-list representatives and of the 17 Department of Social Welfare and Development regional ofces. He said 10,000 CFLs each would be given to target beneciaries in the congressional districts and party-list groups starting next month. Almendras also admitted that his department had a hard time distributing the CFLswhich should have been kicked off in the latter part of August. Each household beneciary will receive 2 pieces of CFLs, he said. The Energy department said that the estimated annual savings to be generated from this project would be 64.8MW deferred power plant capacity, 83 MWh energy savings, P828 million monetary savings and 44,702 tons of CO2 emission reduction. This developed as several party-list lawmakers led by Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino, Agham party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones and Alagad party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta welcomed the DoEs electrication program. We welcome this development now that party-list groups are already included in the CFL distribution, Marcoleta, vice chair of the House Committee on Public Information, said. Palmones, vice chair of the House Committee on Science and Technology, said that the energization of sitios is the most important electrication project and gave his full support to the approval of the departments budget. The committee on appropriations chair, Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya said that the DoE could tap the committees network in the information dissemination, while Tawi-Tawi Rep. Nur Jaafar volunteered to shoulder the costs of delivery; handling and storage of the CFLs in his district to fast-track its distribution to his constituents.

Ombudsmans monitoring system goes digital

THE Ofce of the Ombudsman has centralized and digitized its monitoring system, public information ofcer Edgar Diansuy said on Friday. The Complaint and Case Monitoring System aims to provide a solid platform that can efciently search cases, generate reports, and track the status of cases, Diansuy said. Compared to acquiring thirdparty software that may cost millions of pesos, the CCMS is a cost-efficient and secure solution because it was developed internally without the need for out. He said CCMS will ensure condentiality of pending cases. CCMS is part of the bodys Information Systems Strategic Plan, a two-year project that aims to signicantly digitize the database of the Ofce of the Ombudsman. Merck Maguddayao

A4 SATURDAY

AUGUST 25, 2012

ManilaStandardToday Adelle Chua, Editor

Opinion
Medina and Burce are both polio victims and will compete out of a wheelchair; Vildosola, 36, and Tapia both have one arm. Avellana, 36, has one leg. All three powerlifters are wheelchairbound, while the 20-year-old Roble is aficted with dwarsm and stands less than three feet tall. Like the rest of the more than 4,000 differently-abled athletes from all over the world who are joining the Games, our athletes are determined to win honors for the country. The participation of our differentlyabled athletes in the 2012 Paralympics in London is considered a giant step towards fullling the mandate that is embodied in Republic Act No. 7277, also known as The Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, an Act Providing for the Rehabilitation, and Self-Reliance of Disabled Persons and Their Integration into the Mainstream of Society and for Other Purposes.

mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com

EDITORIAL
DIFFERENTLY abled. This is how politically correct citizens of the world describe those suffering permanent disability, either because of birth or circumstance. Many of the differently abled among us, however, live meaningful, vigorous lives, able to transcend their situation by sheer faith and strength of spirit. Most of them even embarrass us by achieving extraordinary feats and success in their chosen eld, or just by being their peaceful, content selves amid the pressures and demands of this world. From August 29 to September 9, the differently abled will again put on display that strength of spirit in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, in the same venues where world-class athletes awed us with their breath-taking and record-breaking performances. While the Paralympics pales in comparison with the pomp and pageantry

Different but able

of the Olympics, it is in itself a resounding success for being an event that honors those who have chosen to rise over their disability. For two glorious weeks, they will show the world that they too can be faster, higher and stronger. The Philippines, which is home to roughly eight million differentlyabled people based on a World Health Organization estimate, will be elding a contingent of nine athletes in four separate eventsits biggest since it started sending these athletes in 2000. The Philippine Paralympics team is composed of multi-awarded athletes Josephine Medina (table tennis), Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, Jingky Guion and Agustin Kitan (powerlifting), Marites Burce (javelin throw, discus throw and shotput), Andy Avellana (high jump), Roger Tapia (200-meter sprint) and Isidro Vildosola (1,500m run) and Bea Roble (swimming). While rehabilitation is a key component that involves concerned government agencies such as the Department of Health, self-reliance is a much deeper concept that springs from ones own set of beliefs and values formed through the years. This is why it is important for families of different abled people to recognize that they play a key role in providing a caring and nurturing environment at home. It is also just as important for the community, the academe, the workplace and the government to establish safe pathways, roads, transportation, and easy and convenient access to places they go to. As individuals, we can do our share of fulfilling that mandate by simply treating them as equals, and with utmost respect. At the end of the day, enabling the differently abled is ennobling ourselves.

Looking for Mr. Robredo

BACK CHANNEL
THEY have found and recovered Jesse Robredo from the sea that claimed him and now the search begins for another Jess Robredo. (Its like Looking for Mr. Goodbar, the 1977 lm about a school teacher, played by Diane Keaton, cruising New York bars looking for Mr. Right. Ill have to defer to Cesar Barrioquinto, who wrote two interesting pieces on pubs and Manilas girlie bars which I enjoyed reading. Without meaning to portray Cesar as some kind of a bary, I hope to see him and have a brew or two at his Other Ofce. For those not in the know, The Other Ofce is a favorite after-hours hangout of newsmen on Mabini Street near the corner of UN Avenue. But I leave the legend and the lore of the place to Cesar lest I digress from the subject of what really got me started on Jesse Robredo.) There have been reams of copy on the accolades being lavished on Jesse Robredo by his Bicolano and Naga City constituents. This, from the heart grief of simple folk who truly knew the man. The other outpouring of sympathy came from government ofcials and an administration who did not appreciate what the man was worth in giving a human face to its avowed straight and narrow path to good governance. Now the State wants to accord Jesse Robredo full honors including a burial at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani, a nal resting place coveted by some who least deserve it. But Jesse Robredo wont have his beloved hometown and simple folk cheated out of being close to their Jesse. He was snatched by the sea when the private plane he was on went down off Masbate. Robredo made sure he would always be close to his people We are given the fuller, true measure of the man when his wife revealed that it was Robredos explicit wish to be cremated and his remains to stay in Naga City where he was mayor for three terms. Such was the simple life style of the man. He never wanted to draw attention to himself, letting his good work speak volumes for him. The last thing he would probably want is for an alderman and the city
ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

The next DILG secretary will play a crucial role in the administrations agenda of winning in the 2013 polls.

council to propose renaming Naga as Robredo City or Congress passing legislation to call Camarines Sur as Robredo province. The search for Robredos replacement as Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary has started even as President Aquino has named Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa as caretaker. But if the Palace designation of Ochoas forgettable stint as anti-crime czar is to be a yardstick, Malacaang should really be looking for their own Mr. Right, right now. Without doubt, the next DILG Secretary would play a key role in the administrations agenda to ensure victory in the 2013 senatorial elections. He is after all in charge of the local government units that include governors, mayors down to the barangay (village) level, crucial links to winning elections. Because the DILG Cabinet post wields power and inuence, it is seen as a springboard to seeking higher public ofce. Politicians want the DILG secretary on their side, or if he is perceived not to pander to their overtures, he might not be conrmed by the powerful Commission on Appointments. Political opportunists wanting to ride the wave of national mourning for Robredo are proposing to confer CA conrmation posthumously, this after they had bypassed him several times. Senate President and CA chairman Juan Ponce Enrile is right to shoot down the mindless resolution. It doesnt matter whether Jesse Robredo is a full-edged or acting DILG Secretary, his good work speaks for him, Enrile said in rejecting the posthumous CA conrmation by some of his colleagues. Jesse Robredo looked every inch the brightest star in the Aquino administration and who knows, given his rising political stock, he could have been presidential material in 2016, The Philippinespolitical history has never seen a local executive such as a governor or mayor go on to become President. Our Presidents were drawn from the Senate and the Vice Presidency. In the US, these governorsGeorgias Jimmy Carter, Californias Ronald Reagan and Arkansas Bill Clintonmade it to the White House. Could Jesse Robredo have broken the trend of our Presidents being drawn from the ranks of senators? The nearest to achieving this is former Makati mayor, now Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Two very di erent men

POWER POINT
THE outpouring of love for this great man, former Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, a man who worked simply and quietly, and showed everyone the true essence of public service, continues. The whole country mourns with the untimely demise of Robredo. We lost a pillar of good governance. On the other hand, it has been almost two weeks since Senator Tito Sotto delivered two of his three-part turno en contra against the reproductive health bill. These speeches resulted in public uproar against him. Sotto, accused of plagiarism for lifting parts of his speech from, and without attribution to, Sarah Popes blog, responded unapologetically and almost arrogantly. This riled more people, especially bloggers whom he referred to as mere bloggers. Too bad for him, people also discovered that the contraceptive pill that the Senator alleged to have caused his sons death about forty years ago, was actually marketed a few years AFTER the sons demise. Virtually all points in his speeches were countered and proved to be at the very least, outdated. The loopholes are difcult to cover and the way his ofce handles the issue is not helping him. That is why until now, social media remain abuzz with anti-Sotto comments. Such come side by side with the praises for Secretary Robredo. How different peoples reactions are to these

ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO

two government ofcials! I guess it is because they are VERY different. The Robredo name is a clean name, one that anybody can honorably carry and be proud of. Under Sec. Jesses leadership, his town Naga rose from obscurity to being the best local government unit in the country. His fourteen Galing Pook awards remain unmatched. Tito Sotto, on the other hand, became popular rst as part Tito, Vic, and Joey, a troika of comedians famous for their television shows. Later, he was implicated in scandals involving the rape and suicide of a bold star, as well as something drug-related despite cultivating the image of a drug buster. Sec. Jesse, said those who worked closely with him, was a no-nonsense guy. As an engineer, he was scientic and liked numbers. He was methodical in his approach to problems. Sen. Sotto, on the other hand, seems to rely mostly on information that support his already pre-determined position no matter how old the data is. Opposing data, even if these are the most reliable and recent ones are disregarded. Being scientic is not one of his assets. Sec. Robredo was an action man and was always on to something. To him, everything was to be nished as soon as possible as said by his colleagues in the DILG. Time was an important commodity to him. Sen. Sotto does not seem to be bothered with wasted time. Look at the delays he is causing to the muchneeded RH bill. As the Senate Majority Floor Leader, he controls the ow of work during sessions. If he is true to his mandate, he will treat all bills equally and not create problems to those he opposes. Time is wasted, and so are
Manila

millions of taxpayers money each day he creates delays. Sec. Jesse, according to people in the know, frequently said, Listen to the people. They know the solutions to the problems they face. He was one of the few who went and talked directly to his constituents. He believed in the people. Sen. Sotto, on the question of the RH bill, does not listen to people. Especially the women who experience rst-hand serious problems caused by lack of access to services. Instead, Sotto disbelieves them and government statistics. Remember, as proof, he needs the death certicates of the women who perished from maternal complications. Sec. Jesse, when asked about the powers of LGUs to prohibit the sale and use of contraceptives, was very clear in saying that such was beyond LGU powers and asked them not to approve those local ordinances. He added that per law, only the Food and Drugs Administration could determine safety and efcacy of and categorize drugs. Sen. Sotto, on national television said that the RH bill violates the mayors right to choose. He said that if bill is passed, the mayors will not be able to implement their right to prevent the distribution and use of contraceptives in their localities. Ah. They are two very different men. I fully understand the honor and love the public heaps on the late Sec. Jesse. He deserves them, and more. As far as Sotto is concerned, I hope he learns from the people who know when a government ofcial is doing good even without fanfare. He should also learn from THE JESSE ROBREDO. bethangsioco@gmail.com bethangsioco on Twitter and @

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ManilaStandardToday Adelle Chua, Editor

Opinion
EAGLE EYES
IT ALWAYS hurts to lose a friend, and the late Jesse Robredo was both a friend I knew, and a friend to the Philippines which only multiplies the pain. As this piece goes to press, the rst of two parts dedicated to a remarkable government ofcial and an amazing person, it will have been about four or ve days since his body was recovered from the sea, a week hence from the date he and the crew of the plane he was on met their untimely fate. By now, we have all heard the condolences and commiserations, and testimonies of praise, from those who knew him well, shared in his burden, or who were beneciaries of his work as Naga mayor or Department of Interior and Local Government secretary, the ordinary people whom he swore to serve. These testimonials are worth repeating, until they are branded into the memory of the Filipino people. Hans Christian Andersen said that a human life is a story told by God. In Jesse Robredos case, its the story of good Philippine governance and politics. Robredo certainly was one of the most beloved and admired ofcials in President Noynoy Aquinos administration for what he had accomplished in his past as Naga mayor, what he aimed to accomplish in his present duties, and for what he stood for, our desires as a polity: hope for clean, honest, good Philippine governance and politics. Its hard to remain cynical, and be resigned to the business as usual governance and politics in the country
DEAN TONY LA VIA

SATURDAY AUGUST 25, 2012

A5

Palliative solutions
BACKBENCHER
THE price of fuel has again soared and as usual, we are frantic in coming out with outlandish suggestions to counter the spike to impress upon our people that this wayward government is doing something to rein it. The approach is hypocriticalwanting to open our mouth while in truth trying to appease the oil cartel for their unabated quench for more prot. One strange thing about the many suggestions is one that came from the militant Bayan Muna Party List. The suggestion made by Rep. Teodoro Casio was a departure from their usual holistic approach on such problems as oil, trade, land reform, etc. All of a sudden, he came out with a palliative recommendation no different from the politicians and apologists of the oil cartel. The same position was expressed by party mate Representative Neri Colmenares, and both have their eyes on the natural gas-rich Malampaya oil elds. To ostensibly reduce our heavy reliance on imports, they suggested the idea of reducing the current value-added tax (VAT) of 12 percent to 6 percent on basic commodities and the construction of a compressed natural gas (CNG) plant. According to Casio, Malampaya holds an estimated 2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas at Recto Bank. Maybe the two gentlemen hated Marcos for not espousing their brand of ideology. But what cannot be ignored is Marcos advanced a formula that deviated from the stereotype socialist method of just nationalizing problematic industries. Marcos boosted or should we say refinedfree enterprise by putting it back on track so the market players could bring down the price of oil and its by-products to a realistic level. Marcos may not be like many of our imperialist-oriented economists who would flaunt their credentials, but common sense tells us that there is no such thing as fair competition in an industry characterized by oligopoly. Such situation is likely to end up in the formation of a syndicated price cartel, which in fact was rmed up when the disciples of privatization sold all the government shares in Petron. It did not even seep into their mind that privatization alone would not entice the private buyers. In fact, they sought to append a law deregulating the price of oil just to assure them of a no-loss business proposition. After all, in monopoly or oligopoly industries, consumers could only choose between taking it at their price or leaving it altogether. The creation of Petron was designed to compete with the rest of the oil players, for it to make prot, and add revenue to the government. Petron as government-owned corporation effectively dismantled the oil cartel much that public interest remains at its back. It has to come out with its own price ceiling to break the price manipulation imposed by the
ROD P. KAPUNAN

Everyone a Robredo
that has hampered economic growth and social equity, when we see people of Jesses ilk in all levels of government. Champions of good governance, we call such people: allies in power who share our interests for transparency and accountability, and who would extend every help they could to advance that common cause. Even for Naga alone, Robredo more than qualied for the title Champion. Galing Pook gladly awarded Naga City an astounding fourteen various awards for good governance since 1994, because of his innovative efforts in transparency and accountability. As a trailblazer, he instituted policies that opened government to the scrutiny and participation of citizens, like Nagas i-Governance Program leveraging information and communications technology to give Nagueos a voice in government policy, or the Full Disclosure Policy he pursued in DILG that would mandate local governments to publicly publish their nancial documents. For these and other reasons I invited him to serve as teacher, speaker, and resource person for the Ateneo School of Government, in pursuit of that common cause of good governanceand rmly believing that it was possible to achieve even in our lifetimes. In addition to being a champion of good governance, lets be clear that Jesse at his core is a politician, an effective and ethical onewhich to many of us are an oxymoron. In my many conversations with Jesse, the topic of how good governance also means and requires good politics was a frequent theme. Jesse Robredo sought to open governments windows to the Filipino people. But do we reply by only looking through these windows graciously opened for us? Or do we reply further by entering through these windows, so to speak, by participating in the cause of good governance? The Persian poet Rumi wrote, Dont grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form. In losing Jesse Robredo we have lost friend and champion, but we should not lose faith, hope, and love in our country and our fellow human being that he had. As many testimonials have offered, the best way to celebrate his life is to emulate his life, and share it with others. To become like him, not just in demanding good governance, but in working towards it: every man and woman a Robredo, whatever our station in life. In memory of a good friend, perhaps its important to remind ourselves that we are not powerless, that we have the resources to make good governance possible. Robredo has done so for Naga and the DILGwhy cant others both in and out of government do so for our own cities, for our country? Why cant Nagas and Robredos DILG story, and his story, be our countrys story as well? Far better than to mourn death is to celebrate life that was lived. This should now be the rallying cry we offer to the memory of such an amazing life. DILG has sworn it would continue the reforms Robredo pursued, and many of his colleagues elsewhere in government and outside, have offered similar sacred oaths: Everyone a Robredo. It is the perfect way to keep his spirit alive in all of us, that a beloved friend weve lost come round to us in another form. Facebook Page: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

cartel. For that, Petron was able to slow down, if not reduce, the price of oil products without unduly hurting the protability of the other players such as Shell and Caltex. As the price setter in the industry, the two oil companies had no choice but to follow suit to prevent them from being eased out of the market by the natural impulse of open competition. More than that, the complication that ensued with the advent of privatization such as the imposition of the 12-percent VAT on many of the basic commodities, the tax credit rebate in the importation of oil, and the weird proposal to impose subsidy on oil importation to induce oil companies to reduce their price was eliminated by the streamlining of the system in just allowing the government to participate. Instead, privatization, deregulation, and the incentives given to oil companies gave criminals the idea to conceive of a multi-billion peso tax credit scam to defraud the government. Corrupt employees in the Department of Finance, in connivance with private individuals and importers like oil companies, confederated to defraud the government by their application of tax credit certicates to unqualied companies as in the Chingkoe tax credit scam case. Admittedly, one of the objectives in nationalizing the industry is to stop the runaway increases in the price of oil. However, that only substituted the unwanted approach of institutionalizing a government monopoly which often tends to be inefcient and graft ridden. Besides, if government control cannot prevent oil price hike, at least it could be minimized or lessened. The government, by virtue of its monopoly, is always bound to be blamed even on the slightest increase in the price of oil because consumers see no other competitor. Despite the realization that oil price hike could not be prevented, Marcos still came out with an alternative solution to cushion its impact without again swinging himself to the Left. He then created the Oil Price Stabilization Fund. As former Energy Secretary Geronimo Velasco explained: The pump prices were on the average, and the ministry, monitored the landed cost of crude oil being brought in by each of the members of the oil industry. The ones with a lower average cost the difference between the cost and the average pump price set by the Board of Energyhad to pay into the OPSF. On the other hand, those who had costs higher than the average set by the board withdrew from the fund. Through this mechanism, we managed to keep pump prices stable. When the average general price declined, we just kept collecting OPSF contributions to ensure that we had enough buffer against future price spikes. Unfortunately, even on this aspect, our brothers from the Left could still not see the wisdom behind that formula. For their hatred of the man, they only engendered isolation from the very people they wanted to liberate such that today, they are treated as some kind of political jesters serving to enliven the corrupt politics of the ruling elite. rpkapunan@gmail.com

Language is a peoples soul

By Val Abelgas AUGUST is National Language Month in the Philippines. But as in previous years, it will come and go without much fanfare. This may seem unimportant for Filipinos now living in the United States. But to me, the national language reects a peoples soul. Some people tend to forget the importance of their native language once they set foot on foreign soil. Trying very hard to adapt to their new country, these people speak the new language however difcult it is for them. When you speak in English to an American who knows no other language but English, or to another person who can only communicate with you in English, that is called necessity. When you talk to a Filipino in English in the presence of other persons who only understand English, thats courtesy. But when you talk in English to a fellow Filipino in private or in the presence of fellow Filipinos who all understand Tagalog or your native tongue, that may be deemed as TH or trying hard to be American. Of course, it is every ones prerogative to speak in the language he or she wants. But it speaks volumes about how one loves his roots, his native land. How many Latinos do you hear talking to their children, friends, or neighbors in English? Not many, Im sure. Although they and their children or their friends speak English uently, they would still talk to each other in Spanish, unless, of course, there are other people

DIASPORA

around who do not speak Spanish. Many Filipinos, in their desire to make their children speak uent English, talk to their small kids only in English, even when they are at home. This is a carryover from their days in the Philippines. Back home, kids who speak in English are considered smart, intelligent, and most probably, children of wealthy parents. Thats why when they hear their small kids growing up in America and speaking uently in English, they feel they have reached that status they have always desired in the Philippines. Never mind if the kid forgets how to speak in Pilipino. Never mind if he doesnt understand a single Pilipino word. (Although the 1987 Constitution spells both Filipino as a person, and Filipino as a language with F, I purposely spelled the language with P as a journalistic style to differentiate it from the person.) These parents reason out that the children might have difculty learning the English language if they spoke to them in Pilipino, and the children have to speak in English at school. This cant be any farther from the truth. You can Mr. Abelgas is a former managing teach a child ve languages at the same editor of Manila Standard. time, and hell learn them all.

I once met a young Filipino, who just graduated from a prestigious university. He spoke very uent English, having been born and raised in the United States. His mother, who hailed from Pampanga, spoke to him since birth only in English, and even told his friends and relatives to speak to the boy only in English. As a young boy, he got along very well with his young American friends. But when he went to the university and began associating with Filipino friends, thats when he began feeling sorry for himself for not learning to speak in Pilipino. His Filipino friends would all talk in Pilipino and he couldnt understand a word of what they were saying. He wanted to leave the group and join the mainstream guys, but he loved the company of his fellow Filipinos. He felt he belonged with them. He hated his mother for not teaching him how to speak in Pilipino and even Kapampangan. His Filipino friends, who were not even born in the US, could speak very uent English, and could speak and understand Pilipino, too! And some of them could even speak a third language or dialectIlocano, Cebuano, Kapampangan, and other Pilipino dialects. He felt losing his Filipino soul. But he is now trying to regain it, he said, by trying his best to speak and understand Pilipino. Its never too late to regain ones heritage.

A lm about aws
CHASING HAPPY
THE documentary Give Up Tomorrow, produced by Marty Syjuco and directed by Michael Collins, has made the rounds of various film festivals around the world. It premiered at the Tribeca Film festival in New York City in April 2011 and from there was shown in Canada, the United Kingdom, Kosovo, Latvia, Switzerland and Brazil. Last month it premiered in the Philippines during the Cinemalaya Film Festival. But it was perhaps at Malcolm Hall at the University of the Philippines College of Law, where it was screened earlier this month before an audience of law students, where the lm made an especially profound impact. The lm chronicles the arrest, trial, and conviction of Francisco Juan Paco Larraaga, son of a Filipino mother and a Spanish father, who was found guilty of the kidnapping, rape and murder of Marijoy and Jackie

ADELLE CHUA

Chiong of Cebu City. The sisters went missing in July 1997; one body, presumed to be Marijoys, was found in a ravine afterwards. The girl was also gang-raped. Larranaga, then 19, was arrested weeks later in Quezon City. Six others in Cebu were arrested as well. Until today, Larraaga insists that he was in Manila attending classes at the Center for Culinary Arts when the crime supposedly happened. That evening, he was with his classmates for a gimmick that lasted until the wee hours of the following morning. Later that day, he was again in school to take a test. His classmates and teachers all backed his story. One Davidson Rusia however emerged and claimed he was part of the group that perpetrated the crime. He said Larraaga was their leader. A bizarre investigation and trial concluded in a conviction where Larraaga and company were given life sentences. The judgewho gave much credence to Rusias testimonykilled himself a few months later. Larraaga and the others appealed to the Supreme Court, hoping it was a better, fairer venue. But the high

court affirmed the guilty verdict and modified the sentence from life to the death penalty. Eventually the death sentence in the Philippines was suspended and Larraaga was sent to Spain under a prison transfer treaty. The filmmakers disclosed that they are related to Larranaga. It was clear however that more than helping a kin, the filmmakers wanted to expose the rotten system of justice here. Indeed, according to lawyer Sandra Marie Coronel, who represented Larraaga during his appeal, everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong. Coronel, together with lawyers Mike Armovit and Jose Jose, Assistant Solicitor General Karl Miranda, DNA expert Corazon de Ungria, forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun and director Maryo delos Reyes all offered their views in a forum that followed the lm showing. The following issues were raised: Medias role in shaping public opinion. It is true that media have to tell stories in an interesting way to gain advantage over their competitors. In this case, it was easy to use stereoptypes in guessing who the bad guys were. Larraaga was shown as

a typical rich kid. His big frame, his mestizo looks, his English-speaking ability and his mothers connection to the inuential Osmea clan of Cebu conspired to show him as a brat who had to get whatever he wanted. But is it acceptable to make suggestions, insinuations with regard to a case without ever really knowing all the facts? Closure at any cost. How is justice obtained? Does closure come with the knowledge that somebody is in jail for the death of your child? Everybody can relate to the grief of parents who lost their children to voiolent crimes. But is it enough that somebodyanybody is in jail, even if it is the wrong person? Will closure come then? Witnesses weakness. The documentary also exposes the weakness of a system that relies heavily on testimonial evidence and the fallibility and subjectivity of human behavior. People can be driven by their own agenda. But there was a body, and it could have been processed. Physical evidence could have settled, once and for all, who the murderers were. But no such thing was done. Living within a flawed system. The justice system in the Philippines

is generally flawed. We have heard many horror stories in its various stagesprosecution, trial and correction. Police work may either be sloppy or complicit with the criminals agenda. Judges and justices may not conduct themselves honorably while in court. They may be pressured or motivated to decide on a case in a particular way. Prison authorities may show leniency to some who can afford to pay for it. One enters law school with the objective of being an instrument of change. Confronted with these ugly and disheartening realities, however, how does an aspiring lawyer keep the idealism alive? Ultimately, the documentary is not, per se, about Larraaga, who happened to have relatives with the skills, the resources and the network to tell his story to a global audience. Give Up Tomorrow makes us think about all the innocent people paying for a crime they did not commit, wondering whether they would ever see the day that truth prevails, or whether they would die waiting for something that would never come. adellechua@gmail.com

GENTA YELLOW BLACK

A6

SATURDAY AUGUST 25, 2012

ManilaStandardToday

News

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Militants mock Mar

By Gigi Muoz-David

IN BRIEF
357 foreigners charged
THE 357 foreigners arrested by the police in a string of operations last Thursday were formally charged before Department of Justice for online fraud on Friday. The suspects underwent inquest proceedings for violation of the Access Device Regulation Act upon the complaint of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission. The foreigners, who were rounded up in several residential units and subdivisions in Quezon City, Manila, Marikina, and Cainta and Antipolo City in Rizal, were held at the police Camp Vicente Lim in Canlubang, Laguna for inquest, according to Prosecutor General Claro Arellano. Rey E. Requejo

THE members of the leftist group Anakbayan said Friday they will unleash waves of protests against Transportation and Communication Secretary Mar Roxas for trying to railroad an increase in the fares of the Metro Rail Transit without deliberations or consultations.
MRT and LRT are public utilities, and the riding public should not bear the brunt for proteering businesses operating these services, said Anakbayan national chairman Vencer Crisostomo, referring to the Metro Rail Transit Corp., headed by Robert Johnn Sobrepea, which has unpaid debts that are being paid by taxpayers. Sobrepea and his group supposedly invested $300 million in the railway rm, but soon after secured a loan for $700 million that was guaranteed by the Philippine government, then headed by former President Fidel Ramos. Last year, Sobrepea signed an agreement with Metro Pacic Investments Corp. to sell his 48 percent in MRT Corp. Earlier this year, Metro Pacic Investments and San Miguel Corp. announced they are interested in acquiring the governments controlling stake in MRT Corp. The state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines owns 75-percent stake in the company while the Land Bank of the Philippines has a 22-percent share. The DOTC admitted last year that government subsidy for the train systems go to the latters debt to foreign banks and investors, and that fare hike will not be for maintenance nor improving services, Crisostomo said. He claimed the fare hike will be a prelude to privatization, which will mean higher fare rates, further proteering and abuse. The fare hike in the train systems is the rst move towards privatization. Once privatized, companies handling its operations will be free from state intervention. This means that riding public would have to pay more as companies dictate fares. Roxas announced in a congressional budget hearing on Wednesday that the government will increase the trains fares to approximate bus fares. Fare rates are set to increase to as high as P30 for the minimum charge. Under the present fare scheme, passengers are charged from P10 to P15 with the government subsidizing P55 per peson, Crisostomo said. Crisostomo said the government is actually burdening commuters with questionable debt while it assures contractors and private operators of super prots. Commuters benet from the relatively cheaper train fares. Majority of the commuter trains passengers are students and those whose income is lower than P10,000 a month, he said.

Onion imports hastened

THE Bureau of Customs will facilitate the processing of imported white and yellow onions to address a shortage of onions in the local market. The move came after the National Onion Action Team, a group of onion growers in the Philippines, recommended that the government issue Plant Quarantine Clearances for the importation of white and yellow onions from China, Holland, New Zealand and India. The group passed recently a resolution to address the current shortage of the said commodity in the local market. The resolution stated that the countrys inventory of yellow onion is now placed at zero as of July 27, 2012, triggering the increase of prices of onions as much as P80 to P100 per kilo. The resolution, however, stressed that the importation of yellow and white onion shall only be allowed from Aug. 10 until the end of October this year. Joel E. Zurbano

Demolion job. Settlers at a city-owned property in Makati protest the demolition that is set to be implemented next month. DANNY PATA

Makati defends demolition

By Ferdinand Fabella
THE demolition of squatters on the Makati Cityowned 870-square-meter lot in Barangay San Isidro will push through next month after City Hall complied with all legal requirements for its plan to build a P100-million multi-purpose complex on the property, a city ofcial said on Friday. Acting City Administrator Marjorie De Veyra said the Department of Interior and Local Government has approved the demolition of the illegal structures at the lot located at Guatemala Street. We have exhausted all legal means to arrive at a peaceful resolution to the issue. In fact, the city government had been holding dialogues with the concerned families and barangay ofcials since 2005, and we have given them reasonable options for a win-win situation, De Veyra said. The 236 families that live on the lot were given until Sept. 19 to vacate the area, based on a certicate of compliance issued by Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. on July 19. According to De Veyra, DILG-Makati Director Gloria Aguilar has validated the certicate and ruled that all procedures required by law to effect a peaceful and orderly demolition were complied with. The Makati Regional Trial Court has cleared the way for the demolition as it dismissed the petition of the affected informal settlers for a preliminary injunction. The property is being eyed as the site of a multi-community complex, including a barangay hall, health center, and sports facilities. De Veyra said the city government has the offered the squatters free 40x60 square meter lots in Calauan, Laguna. For those who want to relocate elsewhere, they will be given P24,240 nancial assistance. On the other hand, squatters who choose to go back to the provinces will be offered free fare and baggage fees and three-day food assistance, De Veyra added. At present, seven of the 30 families that opted for nancial assistance have already left the area, while nine families have agreed to relocate to Laguna, De Veyra added. The Makati ofcial said the city government conducted a series of dialogues with the affected residents in 2005, and in November 2008, February 2009, March 2009, May 24 and May 31 of this year, and lastly on June 7, when the 30-day notice was issued.

Jeep tagging gets boost

THE Land Transportation Ofce wants a more active role in the enforcement of the electronic tagging of public utility jeepneys in Metro Manila. The LTFRB and the police are not authorized to apprehend trafc violations and administrative violations, such as illegal public utility vehicles, said Teolo Guadiz III, director of the LTO Metro Manila ofce. Not even the trafc enforcers of the 17 local governments in the metro are deputized to apprehend administrative violations. Rio N. Araja

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

AUCTION SALE
ACME PAWNSHOP - 1st Level Glorietta 3 Ayala, Makati and its branches in Mejalco Bldg., Benavidez St., Legaspi Village, Makati and L & R Bldg., Pasay Road, Makati auction sale on September 03, 2012, 2:00 pm Alabang Town Center, Alabang Zapote Road, MJ Holding Bldg., Almanza Las Pias Acme Bldg., Real St., Las Pias Acme Pawnshop Inc. G/F San Bartolome Church Bldg., Malabon City, at 1:30 pm; Unit 3 Parklea Bldg., Edsa, Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City, Circle C G14, # 17 Congressional Ave., Bahay Toro, D1, Quezon City at 2:30pm. All items pawned March 16, 2012 - April 15, 2012. Sons of Lanuza Auctioneer.
(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION
Notice to the Public that the legal Heirs of the Late Escolastica B. Bernal had ExtraJudicially settled among themselves as per Deed by Extra-Judicial Settlement executed and entered into the notarial Registry of ATTY. DANTE GIL dated July 30, 2012 executed in Quezon City as per No. 462 Page No. 93 Book No. 38 Series of 2012;
(MST-Aug. 25, Sept. 1 & 8, 2012)

Department of Public Works and Highways

DAVAO ORIENTAL FIRST DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER
Baganga, Davao Oriental Region XI

INVITATION TO BID
The DPWH Davao Oriental First District Engineering Office, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors to apply to bid for the following project: 1. Contract ID Contract Name : 12LF0015 : Road Upgrading of Compostela-Cateel Road (Davao Oriental Side) Km. 1568+580-km. 1569+092 Contract Location : Cateel, Davao Oriental Brief Description : 120 ln.m. Gravel to Paved Road (4lanes) 282 ln.m. Road Widening (Additional 2 lanes) Appropriation : Php11,787,184.51 Contract Duration : 87 Calendar Days Source of Funds : Savings of CY 2012 Regular Infra

For fast ad results, please call 527-83-51 to 55 locals 227-228 Manila Office

36 Immigration men sacked since last year

By Vito Barcelo
SINCE March last year, the Bureau of Immigration has sacked 36 immigration ofcers and suspened 41 others for various offenses as part of its campaign against corruption. Commissioner Ricardo David said he has strived to be very decisive in investigating administrative complaints against Immigration ofcials and employees since he assumed the leadership of the bureau after an eight-month stint as Armed Forces chief of staff. We have consistently demonstrated a resolve to reform our practices and professionalize our ranks, David said as the bureau prepared to celebrate its 72nd anniversary on Sept. 1. Six employees were also dropped from the rolls and six others were reprimanded, he added. The BI chief encouraged all those who have complaints against immigration employees not to hesitate in ling their complaints. He formed a complaint redress section in his ofce where grievances against erring employees can be lodged through letters or phone calls and even by walk-in visitors. David vowed to continue his efforts to professionalize the bureaus ranks, adding that the Civil Service Commission has cited the BI for being the rst agency to submit an enhanced performance management system. Soon we shall be introducing a Strategic Performance Management System to institutionalize the process of measuring and evaluating the performance of our employees on a regular basis, he said.

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published. We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid. To bid for this contract, a contractor or his/her duly authorized representative as indicated in the CRC must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with the DPWH, (b) Filipino Citizen or 75% Filipino-Owned Partnership, Corporation, Cooperative, or Joint Venture, (c) with PCAB License applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or Credit Line Commitment at least 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Letter of Intent (LOIs) sent thru mail or fax will not be accepted. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH POCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOIs. The DPWH POCW Central Office will only process contractors application for registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Registration forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1. Issuance of Bidding Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference 3. Deadline of Receipt of LOI from Prospective Bidders 4. Receipt of Bids 5. Opening of Bids August 24, 2012 to September 12, 2012 August 31, 2012 @ 10:00 a.m. September 6, 2012 @ 12:00 noon September 12, 2012 until 2:00 p.m. September 12, 2012 @ 2:15 p.m.

PROVINCE OF PANGASINAN BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE (BAC)

2nd Floor Malong Building, Capitol Compound Lingayen, Pangasinan Tel. No. (075) 542-6918

Website@biddingandawards.pangasinan gov.ph, E-mail address: ebmendoza57@yahoo.com

INVITATION to BID
The Province of Pangasinan, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites suppliers/ manufacturers/distributors/contractors to bid for the project/s described hereunder: Project No. 1 Name of Project Location Source of Fund Approved Budget for the Contract Project No. 2 Name of Project Location Source of Fund Approved Budget for the Contract : : : : : : : : Delivery of 967 M.T. Asphalt Pre-Mix and 41 Drums Emulsified Asphalt (refer to bid documents) PGO, Lingayen, Pangasinan (for use in the Preventive Maintenance Pavement Resurfacing/Asphalt Overlay along Urbiztondo Basista Road) MVUC SLRF 2010 Project (PR# 2012-07-5481) P 5,995,000.00 Delivery of Various Seedlings (refer to bid documents) PGO, Lingayen, Pangasinan Grant DOE (PR# 2012-07-6034) P 4,049,000.00

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, organizations with at least sixty (60%) of the interest belongs to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizen/organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138. The bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. All particulars relative to the Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, pre-Bidding Conference/s, Evaluating of Bids, Post Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (as amended). The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows:
BAC Activities 1. Issuance of Bid Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference 3. Opening of Bids 4. Bid Evaluation Schedule August18, 2012 September 7, 2012 August 24, 2012; 10:00 am September 7, 2010; 10:00 am September 10, 2012 September 11, 2012 September 13, 2012

Rizal Alih sues Carlo Caparas over 89 lm

By Rio N. Araja
FILMMAKING couple Carlo J. Caparas and Donna Villa were slapped with a libel suit before the Quezon City Prosecutors Ofce over a 1989 blockbuster movie, Arrest Patrolman Alih: Zamboanga Massacre, a supposed bio-ick of renegade policeman Rizal Alih. But the 66-year-old Alih, represented by lawyer Fernando Pena, complained that the movie that starred former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr. was a falsity and defamed the former policeman who is detained at the Philippine National Polices Camp Crame headquarters. Alih was a patrolman of the defunct Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police in 1984 when he was arrested for the murder of Zamboanga City Mayor Cesar Climaco. He was detained in Camp Cawa-Cawa in Zamboanga City and was supposed to be transferred to Manila in 1989, but he refused to be transferred and supposedly led a prison riot that led to a three-dau hostage drama involving Brig. Gen. Eduardo Batalla, his aide Col. Romeo Abendan and 18 others. But Alih said he never beheaded Batalla and the police generals body was never mutilated as depicted in the movie. In fact, Alih claimed, Batallas death certicate showed that he died of heart failure. Pea said they only found out about the movies story line when Alihs police guard told him about the movie and downloaded the movie to his computer so that the detainee could watch it. I was indeed so shocked, speechless and angry that I was not able to nish watching the entire lm, Alih said in his complaint afdavit.

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at BAC Secretariat, DPWH Davao Oriental First District Engineering Office, Baganga, Davao Oriental, upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Php10,000.00 (BDs Fee). Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from the DPWH website, if available. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bids documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BDs. Bids must accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post qualification. Only the Prospective Bidders or their duly authorized representatives as indicated in the CRC will submit BDs. The DPWH Davao Oriental First District Engineering Office reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, and to annul the bidding process anytime before contract award, without incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s. Approved By : (Sgd.) ALBERTO L. CAINGHOG Asst. District Engineer Chairman, BAC
(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

5. Post Qualification 6. Notice of Award

The bidders shall drop their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and financial proposals in two separate sealed envelopes at the abovementioned address. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms. Late Bids shall not be accepted. Bid Documents can be availed at the BAC Office, 2/F Malong Building, Capitol Compound, Lingayen, Pangasinan upon payment to the Provincial Treasurers Office the amount of P1,000.00 Accreditation Fee for new bidders, and a non-refundable amount of P6,000.00/ bidder/project for Project No. 1 and P5,000.00/bidder/project for Project No. 1 to the Provincial Treasurers Office. Prospective bidders shall submit their Bid Documents to the BAC Office at the same address. The Province of Pangasinan assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation for their bids. Moreover, the Province of Pangasinan reserves the right to reject any or all bid proposals, or declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract, and makes no assurance that contract shall be entered into as a result of this invitation without thereby incurring any liability in accordance with RA 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. Approved by: (Sgd.) RAFAEL F. BARAAN Provincial Administrator BAC Chairman

(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

ManilaStandardToday Riera U. Mallari, Editor

Sports
will be a marked man in Bulgaria in view of his accomplishments in the Asian continental championship. Moymoy is a product of the NAMSSAs development training program for the motocross discipline. He started racing competitively in the Peewee class of NAMSSAs national motocross series at the age of 5. He honed his riding skills in the same series in the years that followed and where he was a perennial winner and champion in the

SATURDAY

AUGUST 25, 2012

A7

PH junior rider joins World GP

MARK Reggie Moymoy Flores, the
Philippines top junior motocross rider takes on the biggest challenge of his budding motorsports career this weekend when he rides against the worlds best in the 2012 FIM World Junior Motocross Grand Prix set in Sevlievo, Bulgaria on Sunday.
Moymoy, his father-coach Ro- the practice and qualifying sesdrigo and NAMSSA President sions set on Friday and Saturday. Macky Carapiet arrived in BulThe 14-year-old motocross garia on Wednesday, in time for sensation from San Pablo City, Laguna gained a berth in the world championship by topping the Asian Junior 85cc category during the opening leg of the 2012 FIM Asia Motocross Supercross Championship held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan last April. The win reasserted his stature as the regions best and was a tting follow up to his prolic title chase where he made the country proud by bringing home the Asian Junior 85cc diadem. Despite being a neophyte in the world-class event, Moymoy Junior classes. We are both happy and proud to send Moymoy and the Philippine colors ying in the FIM World Junior Motocross Championship in Bulgaria. We are grateful to Youthstream, the promoter of the event and President Bogdan Nikolov of the Bulgarian Motorcycle Federation for providing Asias top junior motocross rider the opportunity to compete in the prestigious event, said NAMSSA President Macky Carapiet. We also wish to thank the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee, Governor George ER Ejercito Estregan and the Province of Laguna for the invaluable support they had extended to Moymoys bid, he added. The NAMSSA is duly-recognized by the POC and the PSC as the national sporting authority for motorcycle sports and the sole Philippine federation afliated with the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme, the world governing body for motorcycle sports.

Smart/PH taekwondo goes to SM Masinag

AFTER a successful kickoff in SM Valenzuela and SM Marikina last Aug. 18 and 19, respectively, the 2012 SMART Philippine Taekwondo League moves to SM Masinag today with matches featuring elite teams from various institutions scheduled at 11:30 a.m. onwards. Among the participating squads afliated with the Philippine Taekwondo Association are Far Eastern University, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, College of St. Benilde, De La Salle University, San Beda College, University Santo Tomas, University of the East, University of the Philippines, Letran, Ateneo de Manila University, Lyceum, Emilio Aguinaldo College, National University, Arellano, La Salle Greenhills, Don Bosco Makati, De La Salle Zobel, Diliman Preparatory School SSA, LSQC and ESS. According to Tournament Commissioner Monsour del Rosario and Tournament Director Stephen Fernandez, the event set in different SM Supermalls continues to propagate the sport, reach out to more people and achieve a higher level of intensity in sparring or kyorugi. This (tournament) is denitely going to sharpen the skills of veteran and upcoming taekwondo athletes, according to former national performers Del Rosario and Fernandez. The PTL which is supported by MVP Sports Foundation, SMART Communications Inc. and PLDT is also slated to be held on Sept. 23 in SM Consolacon and Sept. 30 in SM Davao. Ofciating procedures like PSS (Protective Scoring System), ESS (Electronic Scoring System) and electronic armors and socks together with IVR (Instant Video Replay) will be used to eliminate human error and ensure accurate and fair scoring. The PTL will feature a special round called Tag Round patterned after one of the events organized by the World Taekwondo Federation. Under this system, a team can field a maximum of 10 players and make unlimited substitution in one round of five minutes with the team scoring the highest number of points emerging as winner.

La Salle, Ateneo teams show way

ATENEO pulled ahead by 11 in the Midgets 1 event at Capitol Hills, while De La Salle University took an eight-point advantage in seniors play at Intramuros at the resumption of the ICTSI-JGFP Inter-school golf tournament recently. Cousins Aidric Chan and Carl Jano Baldonado-Corpus combined for 104 points as Ateneo chalked up 152 to fend off the balanced scoring of a Xavier side (141) and assume leadership in the division for kids in Grades 5 to 7. Chan made 53 while Corpus tallied 51 to lead the assault for Ateneo which had Marc Elson Corrales as its third scorer with his 48. Matthew Dy-Buncio (48), Kendrick Diaz (47) and Enrique Diaz (46) produced the points for Xavier at the up and down Capitol Hills executive layout. Ateneo 2 was in third spot at 110, La Salle Zobel fourth at 107 and La Salle Greenhills fth at 104 in the division that drew the most number of entries in the series backed by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. as major backer and Pancake House Group and Philippine Airlines as other sponsors. Over at the short, but hazardladen Intramuros layout, Marvin Mendoza (48) , Eric Gallardo (47) and Allan Bumagat (44) pooled 139 to push La SalleTaft to a slim eight-point lead over Ateneo. Rocco Sumabat and Moshe Baldo each had 44 while Mikey Punsalan added 43 for the Ateneo cause. Tomorrow (Sunday, Aug. 26), Midgets 2 action resumes at Intramuros and Girls 2 at Valley.

Julian Tan of San Beda (left jin) delivers a roundhouse kick against EACs John Paul Maestro in their recent match in SM Valenzuela.

Zulberti, Coseteng prevail in kartfest

YOUNG aces Tai Zulberti of CityKart and Eduardo EJ Coseteng Jr. of San Miguel Racing Team unveiled impressive performances anew to clinch the titles in their respective divisions recently in the Enchanted Kingdom leg of the 2012 Coca-Cola Karting Super Series at the EK Kart Track in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Zulberti stamped his class by sweeping the qualifying, Pre-Final and Final Races to emerge the Formula Cadet Expert champion, while Coseteng bagged the crown in the Formula Cadet Novice division of this event sanctioned by the governing Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by CocaCola, Yokohama Tires, Motorstar and Aeromed. It was a breakthrough win for Zulberti, who wrested the top spot in the race for the series crown with 377 points or 28 points ahead from erstwhile frontrunner Dylan Arambulo, who now tallies 349 points. Despite the challenge of the 750-meter Enchanted Kingdom Kart Track and the bigger pressures of a neck-to-neck battle with Arambulo, Zulberti kept composure and stood strong throughout the 16-lap Final race which he completed in nine minutes and 50.528 seconds or 2.849 seconds ahead of runner-up Arambulo. AT Tuason of TRS-Castrol Kids took third place as he preserved his hold oN solo third place overall, while Jacob Chamness and Wils Casequin wound up fourth and fth, respectively. Coseteng continues to prove he has the makings of a champion like his father Jody as he copped his second straight triumph after the Asian Karting Open and improved his chances for at least a third-place nish. He now holds a total of 212 points despite missing the rst two rounds of the series.

IN BRIEF
QC league opens today
A BASKETBALL doubleheader will highlight the start of the 6th Quezon City Athletic Association season today at the BuddhaCare Gym, along Maria Clara Street in Quezon City. In a rematch of last years nals in the Boys Elementary Division, defending champion St. Patrick School will clash with Ateneo de Manila at 2 p.m. In the main game at 4 p.m., 2011 runner-up Sacred Heart Academy of Novaliches will tangle with St. Anthony Novaliches in the Boys High School Division. The premier six-month sports league among QC private schools aims to promote health fitness and friendship among the citys youthful students through sports competitions. Other sports events lined up in the QCAA calendar is volleyball,, which has attracted as many as 40 schools in both the elementary and high school divisions. According to QCAA president Lemwel Ortiz, the number of participating schools has increased by 10 percent his season. To date, we still receive inquiries on how schools can join the QCAA, said Ortiz. We provide equal opportunities to every school who wishes to join our league QCAA secretary general Jordan Tolentino, meanwhile, announced the creation of a developmental division to complement the competitive division.

Rondo coming to PH thru Red Bull clinics

NBA superstar Rajon Rondo is coming to the Philippines to share his skills at the Red Bull Skills Clinic for elite collegiate basketball players. Rondo, known for his tripledouble performance statistics at points, rebounds, and assists in the NBA, will also turn over a refurbished court to a local barangay. The NBA All-Star is currently on his Asian tour for the Red Bull King of the Rock in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Red Bull is currently nalizing its plans of bringing the property here in Manila on 2013. Rondo has always heard The next day, Rondo will lead about basketball as the PhilRed Bull Product of Europes ippines favorite sport local court refurbishing and decided to make project at the San Juan a pit stop to see how National High School in basketball-crazy Barangay Corazon de Filipinos really are. Jesus in San Juan City Part of his agenfrom 3 to 4 p.m. da is to spend time Rondo earned his with young but spurs as a young, exceptional college third-string point cagers of the Univerguard and played a supsity Athletic Associaporting role in his rookie Rondo tion of the Philippines and year in the NBA. He lanthe National Collegiate Athletic guished behind the shadows of his Association at an intensive skills more illustrious teammates. development session, the Red Rondo became a superstar Bull Skills Clinic, on Aug. 28. and soon started to y high, becoming one of the best point guards in the NBA today as one of the elite tripledouble athletes of the league. Young, up-and-coming players will get an opportunity of a lifetime to learn from one of the games best at the Red Bull Skills Clinic. Its a chance for these players to elevate their game at a higher level and be guided beneath the wings of the NBA superstar. For details about the event, please contact Danii F San Agustin at email: redbull.rondomanila@gmail.com or mobile no.: +63999.998.4522.

Manila Doctors golf set

THE Manila Doctors Hospital Internal Medicine Alumni Association, headed by Dr. Gene Gomez, will hold its rst golf tournament-cum family day today at Club Intramuros Golf Course. Tee-off is at 6 a.m. For non-golfers, family day activities will start at 7 a.m. up to 12 noon. Ticket prices are P2,500 (golfers, good for one) and P1,000 (non-golfers, good for three). Proceeds of the tournament will be used for the future humanitarian projects of the association. Prizes and trophies awaits the winners of the tournament and also in the parlor games for the family. For more info, call Matthew Hernandez of United Passions, Inc. at 268-1686 to 87 or 856-1318 or email us at sales@ unipas.net.

Plunging PH sports
INSIDE SPORTS
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III will serve out a six-year term as our countrys President and by all indications so far, he has done a commendable job in restoring international condence in the Philippines with all economic indicators validating a fairly successful drive against corruption which was the cornerstone of his new path. Now his uncle, Jose Peping Cojuangco, who has already served two, four-year terms as Philippine Olympic Committee president wants another term, which would mean heading the countrys sports program for 12 years if he is re-elected, which would be twice as long as the term of his nephew, the President of the Republic. Problem is, Peping Cojuangco has almost nothing to show as accomplishments. If anything, he has presided over one debacle after another, the last being the dismal showing in the London Olympic Games, which meant

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

that for his eight-year watch and two Olympic Games, including the 2008 Games in China, our country hasnt won a single medal. But to us, whats even more distressing is that our country with a population of around 100 million was relegated to fth place in the Laos Southeast Asian Games and an even more depressing sixth spot in the last SEA Games in Indonesia, which was the Philippines worst performance ever in a regional meet that has about the lowest standards in the world.. On top of the sorry lack of any real achievements, being beaten by much smaller southeast Asian neighbors like Singapore with a ve million population, the various National Sports Associations under the POC have been wracked by bitter power struggles, while Cojuangco used his inuence to try and remove athletics chief Go Teng Kok merely because the former ardent supporter had disagreements with him. One of the worst disagreements centers around un-liquidated funds provided the NSAs by the Philippine Sports Commission headed by a Cojuangco choice, Richie Garcia. The biggest violator is a Cojuangco favorite, Mark Joseph of swimming,

who hasnt liquidated over P10 million plus a P30 million, illegally channeled fund release directly to him by former PAGCOR chief Ephraim Genuino, who himself is facing various charges for graft and corruption. While all this has continued to push Philippine sports into the depths of mediocrity, the outgoing International Olympic Committee president Frank Elizalde has failed to do his share to help straighten the mess and to inform the IOC of the real situation in Philippine sports. As the feisty Go Teng Kok has said: Is he blind to realize that the only thing he can present to the IOC is not a progressive Philippine sports organization, but one that is a pitiful image before the whole world of sports. The image of seeking to concentrate power in one family in sports reared its ugly head in a March 14 expanded board meeting of the POC Executive Committee, where secretary general Steve Hontiveros, a onetime Marcos loyalist, who quickly changed colors after EDSA 1, proposed that Cojuangcos daughter, Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski be recommended as successor to Elizalde, who himself endorsed Mikees bid. As weve said countless times in the past, Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski is a ne lady and an accomplished and articulate sportswoman, who was an Asian Games gold medalist but to push for her as IOC

representative sends the wrong message that our country is devoid of talent, unless it has the Cojuangco bloodline. Surely, sports must never descend to being a family affair. True, there were family ties when President Marcos nephew Mike Keon was named head of Project Gintong Alay and was later chosen POC president. But look at the achievements in Keons time, which were stellar. It was a period when he took the Philippines from a mere ASEAN level competitors to the Southeast Asian Games level and on to the Asian Games. Now, we seem to be plunging in the opposite direction. It was during Keons time that the country produced such outstanding athletes as Asias sprint queen Lydia de Vega, 400 meters champion Isidro del Prado, steeplechaser Hector Begeo, long jumper Elma Muros, hurdlers Renato Unso and Agrina dela Cruz, several ne long distance runners, a crack 4x400 meter mens relay team and swimmer Billy Wilson, who won a gold, silver and bronze medal at the 1982 Asian Games, among others. The POC president who will be 82 years old in September 2016, the year of the next Olympic Games, has said, without batting an eyelash, its important for me to be given another chance especially now that the future of sports looks bright. No kidding.

Elizalde endorses Mikee

OUTGOING International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines Frank Elizalde has endorsed Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski to succeed him in the position. Philippine Olympic Committee secretary general Steve Hontiveros nominated Ms. Jaworski for the position at a POC Expanded Executive Committee meeting last March 14. In a copy of the minutes of the meeting obtained by the Manila Standard, Elizalde noted that although he cannot ofcially nominate Ms. Jaworski, being chairman of the nomination committee of the IOC, Elizalde said he honestly thinks Ms. Jaworski by herself can stand up against any competition for the position because of her inherent facility of expression and ability to articulate her thoughts. Ronnie Nathanielsz

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EAGLES EYE 5TH STRAIGHT WIN

ATENEO De Manila University eyes to stretch its winning streak as it opens its second-round campaign today in the 75th University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The front-running Blue Eagles (6-1) aim for their fth straight win when they take on an equally condent University of the Philippines (1-6) at 4 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena. In the curtain-raiser, De La Salle (4-3) shoots for its second straight win when it gets to meet a disoriented University of the East (1-6), who will have new coach Boysie Zamar at the helm starting today, at 2 p.m. Jeric Lopez

Sports
Manila Standard TODAY
Riera U. Mallari, Editor

LOTTO RESULTS
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sports@manilastandardtoday.com sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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SATURDAY AUGUST 25, 2012

Gilas stuns Iran, boosts bid for title

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

SMART Gilas Pilipinas stunned previously unbeaten powerhouse Iran, 77-75, to grab the top spot in the 34th staging of the William Jones Cup and move to within two victories of winning the coveted championship in Taipei.
The Philippine National Team, which suffered a rout at the hands of Lebanon on Thursday, came back with a vengeance, demonstrating an unrivaled ghting spirit in a remarkable turnaround to stop the Iranians, who are seeking a fourth straight Jones Cup title. Basketball observers felt that coach Chot Reyes relied on a strategic retreat in the game against Lebanon, resting Marcus Douthit and shooting stars Jeff Chan and Gary David, along with point guard LA Tenorio in the nal quarter, to prepare them for todays crucial game and also give the Iranians a false sense of security. The ploy worked and the Filipinos escaped with what Reyes termed a win that was not pretty, but gutsy scoring the countrys rst win against Iran in years. Gabe Norwood of Philippine Basketball Association champion Rain or Shine, who has had an outstanding tournament so far, came through with another superb all-around game and was named Best Player of the Game by the AKTV IBC 13 television panel. Norwood scored 17 points, made the big baskets in crucial situations and defended tenaciously. Naturalized American Douthit, coming off a disappointing game against Lebanon, when he got into early foul trouble, came back strongly to power his way into the paint against the Iranian giants. He never inched until he got hit in the groin in the dying minutes of the game and had to be pulled out with just under ve minutes to play. With the close score, he was forced to return and scored a crucial basket, but missed a three-point play opportunity to give the Philippines a 76-71 lead with 31.5 seconds remaining. A basket by Bharani cut the lead to three after which Ranidel De Ocampo missed two free throws, with Baharni scoring once more to bring Iran to within one at 76-75 with 7.7 seconds on the game clock. The Iranians were forced to foul but picked the wrong man in Rain or Shines Best Player of the PBA championship series, who coolly canned one of two charities under intense pressure to push Smart Gilas ahead, 77-75.

In this July 9, 2010, le photo, Lance Armstrong prepares to take the start of the sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 227.5 kilometers (141.4 miles) with a start in Montargis and nish in Gueugnon, France. Armstrong said on Thursday that he is nished ghting charges from the United States Anti-Doping Agency that he used performance-enhancing drugs during his unprecedented cycling career, a decision that could put his string of seven Tour de France titles in jeopardy. AP

Armstrong facing loss of 7 Tour de France titles

AUSTIN, TexasNever one to back away from a ght, Lance Armstrong is nally giving in and the cost of quitting is steep: His seven Tour de France titles could be gone as soon as Friday. The superstar cyclist, whose stirring victories after his comeback from cancer helped him transcend sports, chose not pursue arbitration in the drug case brought against him by the U.S. AntiDoping Agency. That was his last option in his bitter ght with USADA and his decision set the stage for the titles to be stripped and his name to be all but wiped from the record books of the sport he once ruled. Travis Tygart, USADAs chief executive, left no doubt that was the next step. He said Armstrong would lose the titles as soon as Friday and be hit with a lifetime ban, even though he is retired and turning 41 next month. Still to be heard from was the sports governing body, the International Cycling Union, which had backed Armstrongs legal challenge to USADAs authority. Tygart said the UCI was bound to recognize our decision and impose it as a signer of the World Anti-Doping Code. They have no choice but to strip the titles under the code, he said. Armstrong clearly knew his legacy would be blemished by his decision. He said he has grown tired of defending himself in a seemingly never-ending ght against charges that he doped while piling up more Tour victories than anyone ever. He has consistently pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he passed as proof of his innocence during his extraordinary run of Tour titles from 1999 to 2005. There comes a point in every mans life when he has to say, Enough is enough. For me, that time is now, Armstrong said Thursday night, hours before the deadline to enter arbitration. He called the USADA investigation an unconstitutional witch hunt. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999, he said. The toll this has taken on my family and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today nished with this nonsense.

Army tossers take 3rd win

PHILIPPINE Army broke free from a tight fth-set duel by dominating the net with its defense as it subdued Cagayan Valley, 17-25, 25-20, 25-18, 20-25, 15-10, to stretch its win run to three in the Shakeys V-League Open at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium yesterday. The Army Troopers scored four of the teams 13 blocks in the decider, including the clincher as skipper Cristina Salak foiled Thai Sutadta Chuewulims corner spike that wrapped up the 1:51 encounter in the third playdate of the leagues mid-season offering. After we dropped the fourth set, I told them that we had to toughen up on blocking and oor defense to win, said Army coach Rico de Guzman. Rachel Daquis, combining talent with looks, topscored for the Lady Troopers for the second straight time, churning out a 16hit effort to share scoring honors with Michelle Carolino while three others turned in double-digit scores to neutralize the combined 40-point game of the Rising Suns Sandra delos Santos and Honey Tubino. The win also primed up the defending champions for their keenly awaited match with Sandugo-San Sebastian College tomorrow. The Lady Stags are tipped to match Armys 3-0 start against the winless Navy side being played at presstime.

Stallions turn back Vanguard

LEONARDO Tamayo led the Manuel L. Quezon University Stallions to a 62-59 victory over the Emilio Aguinaldo College-Cavite Vanguard yesterday in the 11th Universities and ColGames Tuesday lege Ath(DLSU-Dasmarinas in Cavite) letic As10 a.m. MLQU vs OC 11:30 a.m. PSBA vs CCP sociation 1 p.m. DLSU-Dasma m e n s vs EAC-Cavite basketball tournament at the Central Colleges of the Philippines gymnasium in Sta. Mesa, Manila. Tamayo scored 18 points for the Stallions, who went on to secure their third win in seven games and remain in contention for a seminal berth in this cagefest supported by Mikasa and Molten Balls. With the Stallions slightly ahead, 44-40, at the start of the fourth, Tamayo unloaded nine points in the dying minutes, allowing MLQU to take a 53-40 edge Vanguard teammates Christian Ebdane, Patrick Bernal and Adrian Alban trimmed the decit to 54-59, but Tamayos layup in the last 43 second kept the Stallions safely ahead at 61-54.

Lascuna, Salvador head Davao golf cast

TONY Lascuna and Elmer Salvador, the top two players on the local pro tours Order of Merit ranking, banner a strong cast of teams vying in the third P1 million Davao National Pro-Am Presented by Samsung and Emcor which gets going Aug. 28 at the Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao City. Lascuna and Salvador, both two-leg winners after 10 stages of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, will be teaming up with Den-Den de Castro and Ryan Gotan, respectively, both raring to add the pro-am crown to their list of victories in a ourishing season. We will try our best (to win) but it will be tough. A lot of teams are also capable of winning this tournament, said Lascuna in Filipino. The 41-year-old shotmaker, who won the Southwoods and Eagle Ridge legs, is coming off a sorry setback in the Orchard Championship where he blew a nal round lead to Singaporean Quincy Quek and settled for joint second. Salvador, who ruled the Sherwood and Aboitiz Invitational stages, is also out to atone for his so-so 10th place nish at Orchard although the fancied duo faces a tough challenge from the rest of the teams joining the title hunt in the event put up by top electronics rm Samsung and leading retail business corporation Emcor.

Abueva kisses his MVP hopes goodbye

THE Beast of Baste is out of the Most Calvin Abueva. Its now up to the Valuable Player race of the 88th Na- Mancom if there are other sanctions, tional Collegiate Athletic Association said Lipa. mens basketball tournament. Management committee head Fr. Calvin Abueva lost the opportunity Vic Calvo of host Letran yesterday to earn another MVP plum conrmed that because of this year after commissionAbuevas infraction, he Games Today er Joe Lipa slapped him a (The Arena in San Juan) has now been stripped of 2 p.m. Arellano U one-game suspension. his chance of making a revs EAC (jrs) The 62 Abueva was peat as the leagues MVP 4 p.m. Arellano U vs EAC (srs) meted the suspension after this season. 6 p.m. CSB vs he committed a disqualiIan Sangalang, who is San Beda (srs) fying foul in the last six next top candidate in the minutes and eight seconds MVP race this season, of the Stags game with the Lyceum carried on for the Stags in Abuevas Pirates last Thursday at the Arena. absence. Sangalang led the Stags to The Stags were ahead, 51-47, an 83-75 beating of the Pirates. when Abueva was ejected for hitting Abueva, who later shattered the Vence Laude of Lyceum in the head plastic locker room door on his way with a closed st following a loose to the dugout is disqualied from reball scramble. ceiving any individual honors due his Its a one-game suspension for infraction. The Alaska Aces are set to offer the No. 2 overall pick Abueva the maximum contract for a rookie, reportedly a threeyear pact worth P8.7 million. The Aces cannot sign Abueva right away since he is still playing for San Sebastian. The reigning NCAA Most Valuable Player needs to nish the season with the Stags before he can sign with the Aces and ofcially be a Philippine Basketball Association player. Signing a professional contract would effectively end his collegiate career. Newly appointed Stags coach Allan Trinidad, who replaced Topex Robinson as coach, said he had warned Abueva about making any rash moves before the game. Sinabihan ko na siya bago mag-game na wala siyang kalaban sa MVP race. Kaya hindi na siya dapat gumanon, said Trinidad. Peter Atencio, Jeric Lopez

Calvin Abueva (right) with Alaska team manager during the PBA Draft

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Business
Manila Standard TODAY
Ray S. Eano, Editor extrastory2000@gmail.com Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor PAL attributed the increased revenues to higher passenger income, brought about by a 6.9-percent improvement in yields generated from promotional seat offerings and the growth in trafc. Revenues also include lease income from arrangements with an entity under common control. Total expenses rose 1 percent to P20.29 billion from P20.09 billion on year. The company attributed the slightly higher expenses to maintenance, passenger service, general and administrative and other expenses offset by the decrease in ying operations. Maintenance expenses rose 20.9 percent from last years P1.78 billion as a result of higher engine and component repair costs incurred during the current period. Growth in passenger trafc, especially on international ights, increased passenger service expenses by 3.3 percent to P1.30 billion. Costs incurred related to the nancing and delivery of one Boeing 777-300ER aircraft increased general and administrative expenses by P45.8 million, or 7.6 percent from last years P604.9 million. Flying operations improved by P212 million, mainly contributed by lower fuel costs and depreciation of ight equipment that was countered by the increase in aircraft lease rentals. Jet fuel, which remains PALs biggest operating expense, registered a 3.4 percent decrease over last years P9.11 billion after average jet fuel price per barrel decreased from $138 in 2011 to $135.60 in 2012. In April this year, San Miguel Equity Investments Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of San Miguel Corp., acquired a 49 percent equity interest in Trustmark Holdings Corp. Trustmark owns 97.71 percent of PAL Holdings, which in turn benecially owns 84.67 percent of PAL. Ramon Ang, PAL president, had said the airline would return to protability in 2013.

SATURDAY AUGUST 25, 2012

B1

PAL swings to P489-m profit

By Lailany P. Gomez

countrys first flag carrier, is back in the black after posting increased revenues in the first quarter of its fiscal year ending June.
PAL Holdings said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Friday that total comprehensive income in the April-to-June period hit P489.2 million, a turnaround from a loss of P475.1 million year-onyear, due mainly to higher passenger trafc. Total revenues in the rst quarter amounted to P20.78 billion, up 5.8 percent from last years P19.64 billion.

PHILIPPINE Airlines, the

IN BRIEF
Tetangco gets top rating
BANGKO Sentral Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr. was named by Global Finance magazine as one of the worlds top central bankers in 2012. The Central Banker Report Card, published yearly by Global Finance, gave Tetangco an A rating for leading the Bangko Sentral. The magazine also gave Tetangco an A in 2011. The report evaluates central bank governors of 50 countries using an A to F scale for their success in ination control, economic growth goals, currency stability and interest rate management. The A represents an excellent performance while F means outright failure. During one of the toughest years on record, the Worlds Central Bankers were tested as never before. Every year, we assess the determination of central bankers to stand up to political interference, and their efforts at inuencing their governments on such issues as spending and economic openness to foreign investment and nancial services, said Global Finance publisher Joseph Giarraputo. Other central bankers who scored an A rating were Glenn Stevens of Australia, Mark Carney of Canada, Stanley Fischer of Israel, Zeti Akhtar Aziz of Malaysia and Fai-Nan Perng of Taiwan. US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke obtained a grade of B an improvement from C last year. Anna Leah G. Estrada

CEB cited in travel poll

CEBU Pacic, the Philippines largest national ag carrier, was named third best budget airline in Asia in the 2012 Best in Travel Poll conducted by readers of SmartTravelAsia.com. Representing the Philippines, CEB bested other budget airlines such as Tiger Airways, Spice Jet, IndiGo and Virgin Blue. On its eighth year, the 2012 Best in Travel Poll is a three-month survey based on actual experience, word-of-mouth and brand image. Those who voted were travelers who took an average 16.22 annual air trips, with roughly 70 percent based in Asia, 15 percent in UK/ Europe and 15 percent in US/North America. SmartTravelAsia.com is the only dedicated travel magazine for Asia, with over 1 million unique visitors annually. We are proud to be the only Philippine carrier recognized in the survey by global travelers, said CEB vice president for marketing and distribution Candice Iyog said.

Nestl Lipa. Coffee farmers in Luzon can now gain better access to the latest coffee farming
techniques and robusta seedlings as Nestl Philippines Inc. launched its newly-completed Nestl Lipa Integrated Commercial Center in Lipa, Batangas City. Leading the ribbon-cutting ceremony (inset) to formally open the center are (from left) Nestl Philippines chairman and chief executive John Martin Miller; Nestl SA executive vice president for operations Jos Lopez; and Nestec Ltd. corporate head of agriculture Hans Joehr.

MPIC, Economic indicators point to slowdown By Bernadette Lunas hybrid rice firm in talks
By Othel V. Campos
HYBRID rice seed producer, SL Agritech Corp., hopes to nalize a proposed $10-million joint venture with Metro Pacic Corp. to expand the production of hybrid rice in the Philippines. Were looking forward to signing this agreement with MVP. This will greatly improve our standing as rice producer in the short term which is consistent with the DAs [Department of Agriculture] program on rice sufciency, SL Agritech Henry Lim Biong said in an interview Friday. Lim referred to Manuel Pangilinan, chairman of Metro Pacic, a unit of Hong Kongbased First Pacic Co. Ltd. Lim said the company offered a joint venture with Metro Pacic, in which SL Agritech committed to provide the seeds needed to launch a large-scale rice farming. First Pacic will contribute the land for tilling and other infrastructures in the joint venture. SL Agritech resident hybrid rice specialist Frisco Malabanan said the talks are still in their initial stage. The tie-up may pave the way for Metro Pacics entry into the agriculture sector. Metro Pacic earlier expressed interest at other plantation-type crops like banana, pineapple and rubber. SL Agritech aims to secure at least 10 percent of the P450billion Philippine rice market. If you just get 10 percent of that, thats P45 billion, said Lim. EARLY economic indicators signal a slowing gross domestic product growth in the third quarter, following a strong performance in the rst two quarters, the National Statistical Coordination Board reported Friday. The NSCB said the composite leading economic indicator, which serves as basis for short-term forecasting of the macroeconomic activity, slid to 0.146 in the third quarter from a revised 0.206 in the second quarter and 0.186 in the rst quarter. This indicates a possible slowdown of economic activity in the country for the quarter, the agency said in its latest report. The index is composed of 11 indicators that consistently move upward or downward before the actual expansion or contraction of overall economic activity. The economy expanded by 6.4 percent in the rst quarter and likely moved at the same pace in the second quarter. The NSCB will announce the ofcial second-quarter gure next week. Data showed that four of 11 indicators contributed positively in the third quarter, led by

trade index, electric energy consumption, stock price index, and foreign exchange rate. Indicators which exhibited contraction in the period were money supply, total merchandise imports, wholesale price index, visitor arrivals, hotel occupancy rate, number of new businesses, and consumer price index. The negative contributors accounted for 72.2 percent of the index, higher than 21.2 percent

share in the previous quarter. The NSCB said seven indicators in the third quarter shifted direction in contribution from the second quarter. Hotel occupancy rate, money supply, number of new businesses, visitor arrivals and total merchandise imports moved from positive to negative, while electric energy consumption and foreign exchange rate moved from negative to positive.

Microsoft bares revamped logo Organizers to create

By Michael Liedtke
SAN FRANCISCOMicrosofts corporate logo has a new look, setting the stage for a wave of products designed to cast the worlds largest software maker in a new light. The makeover unveiled Thursday marks the rst time that Microsoft Corp. has revamped its logo since February 1987. The Internet was barely around then, and cellphones were considered a luxury. The new Microsoft At the time, Microsoft was putting the Corp. logo is seen nishing touches on the second version on an exterior wall of its Windows operating system. Two of of a new Microsoft Microsofts biggest nemesesGoogle Inc. store inside the Prudential Center mall co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin in Boston Thursday. were just 13 years old. And Apple Inc. coThe introduction of founder Steve Jobs was just in the second the new logo marks year of an 11-year exile from the company the rst time that that went on to invent the iPod, iPhone and Microsoft Corp. has iPad after he returned. revamped its logo in The redesign features the Microsoft name in 25 years. AP a lighter, straight font called Segoe to replace the italic bold type used in the old standby. The new logo also includes the familiar red, blue, yellow and green colors used in the ag on Microsofts Windows operating system, but the colors will be in a square box instead of the curvy template that has been in place for years. Those color boxes evoke the tiles that will be central to Windows 8. By revamping its logo, Microsoft is trying to signal that it has changed its thinking and its products to cater to people who are interacting with technology much differently than just a decade ago, let alone a quarter century. Now, more computing tasks are being done on touch-based devices such as smartphones and tablets instead of personal computers tethered to keyboards and mice. Many software applications are now supplied over high-speed Internet connections for a monthly fee instead of being installed on individual computers. AP
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, August 24, 2012
Indonesia Thailand UAE Euro Korea China India Malaysia New Zealand Taiwan Rupiah Baht Dirham Euro Won Yuan Rupee Ringgit Dollar Dollar 0.000105 0.032062 0.272272 1.256300 0.000884 0.157394 0.018096 0.323311 0.814996 0.033374 0.0044 1.3519 11.4801 52.9706 0.0373 6.6364 0.7630 13.6321 34.3635 1.4072
Source: PDS Bridge

$100-b climate fund

GENEVAA new global fund on climate change that aims to channel $100 billion a year in aid to poor countries selected ofcials from South Africa and Australia as its leaders at its rst meeting Thursday. The UNs Green Climate Fundcreated as part of a deal struck in December 2011 at the 194-nation climate talks in Durban, South Africawill be led by Zaheer Fakir, head of international relations for South Africas environment agency, and Ewen McDonald, deputy head of Australias international development agency, the fund said in a statement. In what is hoped will serve as a new model of climate nancing, the fund would receive and distribute $100 billion that rich nations have pledged annually by 2020 to help poorer countries adapt to changing climate conditions and to move toward low-carbon economic growth. The commitment to provide those billions in climate aid through the new green fund came as part of a hard-fought agreement in Durban that was meant to set a new course for the global ght against climate change for the coming decades. AP

E ATE PSE COMPOSITE INDEX F OREIGNUnitXCHANGE RPeso Currency US Dollar

Closing August 24, 2012
United States Japan UK Hong Kong Switzerland Canada Singapore Australia Bahrain Saudi Arabia Brunei Dollar Yen Pound Dollar Franc Dollar Dollar Dollar Dinar Rial Dollar 1.000000 0.012744 1.586300 0.0128942 1.046463 1.006137 0.801539 1.046353 2.652661 0.266667 0.798339 42.1640 0.5373 66.8848 5.4367 44.1231 42.4228 33.7961 44.1184 111.8468 11.2437 33.6612 5200 4460 3720 2980 2240 1500 1200

P584-P695 LPG/11-kg tank

P47.15-P53.07 Unleaded Gasoline

OIL PRICES
TODAY

PESO-DOLLAR RATE
Closing AUGUST 24, 2012
40 42 44 46 48

P38.40-P41.05 Diesel P40.30-P52.20 Kerosene P27.20-P31.00 Auto LPG

P42.165
CLOSE

54.49

5,143.350

HIGH P42.090 LOW P42.215AVERAGE P42.162 VOLUME 747.050M

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B2 SATURDAY

AUGUST 25, 2012

ManilaStandardToday

Business
FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2012
Previous 52 Weeks

extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks dip; PLDT, Tanduay advance

uncertainties in the region and the lack of fresh news on the domestic front encouraged investors to sell shares.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, dropped 59 points, or 1.1 percent, to close at 5,143.35, as ve of the six subsectors ended in the red. The heavier index, representing all shares, shed 32 points, or 0.9 percent, to 3,429.29, as losers outnumbered gainers, 114 to 44, with 36 issues unchanged. Holding rms and property companies were the biggest losers. SM Investments Corp. dipped 5.4 percent to P705 while Ayala Corp. declined 2.1 percent to P421. Unit Ayala Land Inc. was down 2.5 percent to P21.45. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the most actively traded stock, gained 0.7 percent to P2,754. Tanduay Holdings Inc. was the biggest gainer among the 20 most actively traded stock, rising 4.6 percent

MST BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW

High
70.50 76.80 595.00 1.95 23.90 20.70 22.00 0.95 89.00 681.00 39.20 98.00 3.06 126.00 77.80 95.00 500.00 45.50 155.20 1240.00 140.00 2.06 35.50 13.58 23.90 1.70 48.00 1.65 2.96 250.00 144.00 3.07 9.70 7.00 6.75 3.80 18.00 78.55 30.90 0.02 12.36 7.40 2.35 120.00 8.40 1.90 3.20 26.00 15.30 295.00 12.20 3.00 17.40 14.94 3.78 33.00 132.60 1.90 2.44 0.250 5.30 3.00 1.41 69.20 5.50 1.12 1.22 1.18 59.90 0.019 13.70 2.97 5.02 6.98 3.15 485.20 64.80 5.20 520.00 5.22 36.20 6.21 1.54 0.91 3.82 4.65 6.24 7.50 2.40 750.00 1.78 0.620 1.370 3.34 0.83 0.218 22.85 5.62 9.00 5.66 2.90 1.50 0.127 1.11 0.90 3.06 1.44 4.50 2.33 0.42 0.990 0.71 38.10 3.50 18.86 7.71 2.70 8.95 18.20 1.03 4.55 0.80 4.50 42.00 18.98 0.78 10.92 102.80 0.5300 24.00 86.90 9.70 1750.00 1172.00 1270.00 11.00 77.00 0.98 4.70 34.50 3.87 3.79 11.12 3.85 2.35 3.15 22.95 8.58 3.32 10.00 60.00 17.88 2886.00 0.48 30.10 4.75 3.30 0.79 0.0083 6.20 6.22 25.20 48.00 0.380 30.35 34.00 2.51 61.80 1.21 1.82 2.070 0.085 0.087 36.50 12.84 8.40 0.032 7.05 28.95 48.00 0.062 69.00 257.80 0.029 47.90 580.00 18.00 11.02 116.70 80.00 1050.00 46.00 50.00 370.00 1.42 12.98 18.50 7.56 0.62 50.00 450.00 3.00 60.00 1.30 45.00 41.00 63.50 204.80 25.45 77.00 890.00 58.00 1.43 26.50 8.00 11.98 0.97 25.00 1.08

STOCKS retreated Friday, as lingering

to P12.72. Meanwhile, Asian markets fell Friday as disappointment over weak economic indicators from the United States, China and Europe offset hopes for more stimulus from central banks. Oil fell below $96 a barrel after a member of the US Federal Reserves policymaking board dampened hopes for additional stimulus. Japans Nikkei 225 declined 1.2 percent to 9,070.76 and Chinas benchmark Shanghai composite index lost 1 percent to 2,090.81. Hong Kongs Hang Seng shed 1.2 percent to 19,898.43. Traders were dismayed by US data showing the number of people seeking unemployment assistance rose for a second straight week. Markets rose Wednesday after minutes of the Federal Reserves

last policy meeting showed bankers favored more stimulus. But they fell Thursday after the president of the St. Louis Fed said ofcials were considering new data that might make further action unnecessary. There now once again appears to be a state of confusion as to what the market can expect from the Fed at its next meeting in mid-September, analyst Cameron Peacock of Australias IG Markets said in a report. Elsewhere in Asia, South Koreas Kospi declined 1.2 percent to 1,919.81, while Australias S&P ASX 200 was off 0.8 percent at 4,349. In China, a survey found manufacturing activity weakened in August despite repeated government stimulus efforts. HSBC Corp. said Thursday the preliminary version of its purchasing managers index fell to a nine-month low of 47.8 on a scale on which numbers below 50 indicate a contraction. New export orders fell at their fastest rate in three years. With Bloomberg, AP

2.12 41.00 36.00 2.30 7.41 4.83 2.80 1.00 12.50 51.50 22.50 0.0099 7.80 3.80 0.74 80.00 1.04 1.11 1.05 18.10 8.12 215.00 7.50 1.96 9.70 8.05 1.01 26.50 110.20 1.25 1.80 0.112 3.30 1.99 0.90 37.00 1.05 0.310 0.70

municipality of Naic, Cavite. Naic serves as a point of commercial convergence among the lowland and upland towns of Cavite. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) PNB executive vice president retail banking group head Joven Hernandez, Naic Mayor Edwina Mendoza, client Belen Chavez and PNB vice president and southern Luzon region head Reynaldo Intal. PNB now has 338 branches and 476 ATMs throughout the country.

PNB in Naic. Philippine National Bank inaugurated a branch strategically located at the rst class

0.65 35.50 0.014 8.00 1.80 3.00 0.260 1.49 272.00 30.50 3.30 455.40 2.94 19.00 4.00 0.61 0.300 1.790 2.56 2.55 1.22 0.91 450.00 1.00 0.620 0.185 1.70 0.38 0.150 13.36 3.08 2.26 0.80 1.20 1.07 0.060 0.67 0.54 1.63 0.98 1.50 1.51 0.168 0.080 0.41 12.50 2.08 10.00 2.51 1.80 6.00 10.94 0.64 1.80 0.45 2.60

SM Group issues $150-m shares

By Jenniffer B. Austria
SM Investments Corp. successfully raised $150 million or about P6.3 billion from a topup placement, according to chief nance ofcer Jose Sio. SM Investments said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the board of directors approved the placement of primary shares worth $150 million to institutional investors. It said apart from raising additional funds for the company, the placement is meant to further enhance the free oat and liquidity of company shares. SM appointed Macquarie Capital (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. as the underwriter and placing agent. The proceeds of the placement will be used to renance some of the companys existing obligations and for general corporate purposes, SM Investments said. Sources familiar with the transaction said the shares were sold at P700 per share, a discount from the stocks Thursdays close of P745 per share. The transaction was reportedly 1.7 times oversubscribed. The transaction is the second fund-raising activity undertaken by the company this year. The conglomerate raised P15 billion from issuance of retail bonds in July. Proceeds will be used to nance the companys capital expenditure for the next ve years. The bonds were purchased by a wide spectrum of investors ranging from individuals in the retail market, to banks, investment funds, pension funds, insurance companies and other corporates. Earlier, the conglomerate reported a 13-percent rise in rst-half net income to P10.9 billion from P9.6 billion in rst half of last year. Earnings growth was driven largely by strong earnings growth of residential development, banks and the mall operations. Total revenues also increased by 14 percent to P105.2 billion from P92 billion as all the core businesses delivered on their sales targets. During the rst six months of the year, the banks continued to provide the largest contribution to the groups consolidated net income with a 30.9 percent, followed by retail operations with 28.2 percent. Malls came in third with 24.2 percent followed by property development with 16.7 percent. For this year, SM Investments is targeting 12- to 14-percent increase in net income. It also plans to spend P56.8 billion in capital expenditures for this year primarily to build new shopping malls and expand residential businesses.
Close (P) 1.60 23.50 29.00 2.11 3.58 0.67 56.00 23.55 1.34 22.90 Change (%) (9.60) (9.44) (9.38) (8.26) (7.01) (6.94) (6.67) (6.36) (6.29) (6.15)

T OP G AINERS
STOCKS Chemphil Filipino Fund Inc. United Paragon IP Converge Information Capital Tech. Abra Mining Tanduay Holdings Conc. Aggr. `A' First Abacus LMG Chemicals Close (P) 120.00 11.50 0.0160 2.01 0.415 0.0042 12.72 89.95 0.75 2.25 Change (%) 33.33 9.52 6.67 5.24 5.06 5.00 4.61 4.59 4.17 4.17

T OP L OSERS
STOCKS ATN Holdings A Dizon Maybank ATR KE Keppel Properties Rockwell Sta. Lucia Land Inc. PNOC Expls `B' ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Benguet Corp `A'

28.60 1.60 0.45 7.30 4.12 10.2000 6.66 62.00 5.40 800.00 11.70 831.00 6.18 43.40 0.36 2.00 0.036 1.00 1.62 5.90 2.60 0.92 1.10 14.20 4.60 1.05 5.00 18.00 12.10 2096.00 0.25 10.68 3.30 2.40 0.27 0.0038 3.01 3.00 14.50 20.00 0.148 19.98 14.50 1.62 5.68 0.50 0.9000 1.0200 0.042 0.042 15.04 2.13 2.99 0.012 5.10 18.50 3.00 0.017 46.00 161.10 0.014 27.30 535.00

T RADING S UMMARY
FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS PROPERTY SERVICES MINING & OIL GRAND TOTAL SHARES 4,658,741 523,038,209 58,107,652 103,472,207 105,770,509 1,291,903,450 2,086,950,768 VALUE 322,487,368.25 775,137,254.895 7,616,171,100.02 553,556,071.09 1,125,253,718.7 178,721,506.25 10,571,327,019.2 FINANCIAL 1,275.54 (down) 11.61 INDUSTRIAL 7,836.8 (down) 34.07 HOLDING FIRMS 4,306.93 (down) 102.7 PROPERTY 1,939.05 (down) 37.4 SERVICES 1,759.09 (up) 4.9 MINING & OIL 21,471.24 (down) 133.91 PSEI 5,143.35 (down) 59.49 All Shares Index 3,429.29 (down) 32.53 Gainers: 44; Losers: 114; Unchanged: 36; Total: 194

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. Ayala Corp. Pref `A First Gen G 12.50 First Phil. Hldgs.-Pref. 6.00 GMA Holdings Inc. 107.00 PCOR-Preferred 74.50 SMC Preferred 1 1000.00 SMPFC Preferred

M S T
Low STOCKS Close High Low Close Change Volume
59.50 72.10 473.00 1.92 21.00 19.34 11.50 0.75 73.00 450.00 29.00 92.80 1.98 78.50 69.70 87.00 371.00 43.80 146.00 925.00 102.10 1.80 (0.42) (2.24) (0.42) (1.54) (2.55) (0.10) 9.52 4.17 1.39 (4.26) (9.38) (0.22) 1.02 0.00 (0.85) 2.29 (0.27) (0.45) (0.34) (3.65) (0.68) 0.00

Net Foreign

Trade/Buying
(32,692,838.00) (9,257,630.50) (3,621,590.00) (19,200.00) 2,890,896.00

Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. Inc. COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus First Metro Inv. Manulife Fin. Corp. Maybank ATR KE Metrobank Natl Reinsurance Corp. Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities Aboitiz Power Corp. Agrinurture Inc. Alaska Milk Corp. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alphaland Corp. Alsons Cons. Asiabest Group Calapan Venture Chemphil Conc. Aggr. `A Chemrez Technologies Inc. Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Euro-Med Lab. First Gen Corp. First Holdings A Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Greenergy Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp. Lafarge Rep LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Corp. Manchester Intl. A Manila Water Co. Inc. Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A Pancake House Inc. Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. Petron Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils. RFM Corporation San Miguel Brewery Inc. San Miguel Corp `A Seacem Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. Tanduay Holdings TKC Steel Corp. Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp. Vulcan Indl. Abacus Cons. `A Aboitiz Equity Alcorn Gold Res. Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A Asia Amalgamated A ATN Holdings A Ayala Corp `A DMCI Holdings Filinvest Dev. Corp. GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp. Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. Mabuhay Holdings `A Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Metro Pacic Inv. Corp. Minerales Industrias Corp. MJCI Investments Inc. Seafront `A SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

59.75 73.75 475.00 1.95 21.55 19.36 10.50 0.72 72.00 470.00 32.00 93.00 1.96 78.50 70.30 85.05 372.00 44.00 146.50 960.00 102.80 1.80

33.75 8.40 20.50 1.43 29.40 1.38 23.05 2.43 90.00 86.00 2.64 9.70 5.87 7.30 2.14 18.78 76.60 19.00 0.0160 12.30 4.25 0.630 96.50 9.25 2.16 1.46 2.53 26.90 17.000 257.00 10.90 3.42 10.30 8.30 4.04 34.50 112.00 2.42 1.77 0.147 12.16 2.05 1.18 61.20 1.37 0.600 0.94

0.78 48.20 0.0180 11.38 2.00 4.66 5.07 1.77 430.00 57.50 4.10 547.00 4.83 33.40 5.09 1.06 0.430 2.36 4.17 5.20 6.59 1.55 745.00 2.20 0.3300 0.400

A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A Arthaland Corp. Ayala Land `B Belle Corp. `A Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp. Empire East Land Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Keppel Properties Megaworld Corp. MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp. Phil. Realty `A Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp. Robinsons Land `B Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Development `A SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

3.00 0.600 0.170 22.00 4.77 5.46 1.50 2.85 1.14 0.075 0.79 0.790 1.94 1.26 2.30 2.33 0.1590 0.6800 0.460 14.58 3.53 18.54 3.85 2.80 6.10 13.80 0.72 4.00 0.510 4.390

ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Asian Terminals Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp. Cebu Air Inc. (5J) DFNN Inc. FEUI Globalports Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. I.C.T.S.I. Information Capital Tech. IP Converge IP E-Game Ventures Inc. IPVG Corp. JTH Davies Holdings Inc. Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Manila Jockey Pacic Online Sys. Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Puregold Touch Solutions Transpacic Broadcast Waterfront Phils.

26.05 1.37 0.600 9.00 9.92 0.1440 5.86 62.80 6.15 1000.00 24.50 1071.00 9.94 68.00 0.395 1.91 0.038 1.04 2.06 8.25 2.70 1.35 2.85 14.38 6.95 3.03 9.41 67.00 17.00 2734.00 0.315 28.30 3.54 2.70 0.470 0.0040 5.00 4.99 17.04 27.00 0.255 24.40 22.50 1.13 25.95 0.58 1.170 1.210 0.0610 0.0610 18.20 8.08 4.830 0.0170 6.00 18.86 37.30 0.049 60.00 224.80 0.0150

Abra Mining Apex `A Apex `B Atlas Cons. `A Atok-Big Wedge `A Basic Energy Corp. Benguet Corp `A Benguet Corp `B Century Peak Metals Hldgs Dizon Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A Lepanto `B Manila Mining `A Manila Mining `B Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A Petroenergy Res. Corp. Philex `A PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A PNOC Expls `B Semirara Corp. United Paragon

25.15 545.00 103.20 101.80 10.00 108.90 77.00 1018.00

FINANCIAL 59.60 59.30 73.60 72.05 475.00 472.00 1.92 1.92 21.00 20.50 19.36 19.30 11.50 11.20 0.75 0.68 73.00 72.00 460.00 450.00 29.50 29.00 93.05 91.40 1.98 1.96 78.60 78.50 70.30 69.30 87.00 86.50 372.00 368.00 43.80 43.50 149.00 145.00 925.00 925.00 102.90 102.00 1.80 1.80 INDUSTRIAL 34.30 33.25 8.40 8.38 21.00 20.35 1.43 1.26 29.40 29.30 1.38 1.38 23.80 22.05 2.45 2.45 120.00 120.00 89.95 89.95 2.65 2.62 9.70 9.70 5.92 5.86 7.33 7.27 2.15 1.80 18.78 18.44 76.60 75.90 18.60 17.50 0.0170 0.0160 12.46 12.30 4.10 4.03 0.650 0.620 100.00 96.25 9.20 8.94 2.32 2.10 1.46 1.46 2.53 2.49 27.20 26.90 17.000 16.600 258.00 248.00 10.90 10.90 3.47 3.39 10.36 10.14 8.35 8.13 4.04 3.95 34.50 34.35 112.10 111.50 2.44 2.36 1.81 1.77 0.145 0.138 12.86 12.10 2.04 2.02 1.18 1.14 61.40 59.75 1.41 1.35 0.620 0.590 0.94 0.93 HOLDING FIRMS 0.81 0.78 48.20 47.25 0.0170 0.0170 11.36 11.20 2.00 1.96 4.66 4.64 5.07 5.00 1.78 1.52 425.00 420.60 57.45 57.00 4.08 4.05 545.00 542.00 4.83 4.67 33.30 32.90 5.09 5.07 1.12 1.07 0.430 0.430 2.37 2.35 4.16 4.14 5.20 5.10 7.00 6.15 1.46 1.45 710.00 705.00 2.23 2.15 0.3300 0.3100 0.400 0.395 PROPERTY 3.15 2.94 0.600 0.600 0.171 0.170 22.00 21.15 4.77 4.69 5.55 5.40 1.49 1.46 2.85 2.75 1.15 1.10 0.075 0.073 0.81 0.79 0.800 0.780 1.92 1.92 1.26 1.24 2.11 2.11 2.33 2.26 0.1580 0.1560 0.7000 0.6700 0.450 0.440 14.62 14.62 3.60 3.55 18.50 17.88 3.80 3.57 2.74 2.55 6.10 6.03 13.90 13.56 0.69 0.67 4.00 3.91 0.510 0.510 4.390 4.340 SERVICES 26.15 24.80 1.35 1.26 0.600 0.600 9.00 9.00 9.97 9.78 0.1450 0.1380 5.99 5.78 63.45 60.80 6.00 6.00 1000.00 1000.00 24.50 24.50 1083.00 1071.00 9.97 9.70 68.00 67.25 0.415 0.415 2.05 1.97 0.039 0.039 1.04 1.02 2.09 2.01 8.10 8.01 2.80 2.70 1.32 1.32 2.86 2.69 14.38 14.30 7.10 6.90 3.19 3.03 9.45 9.45 68.00 67.95 17.00 16.52 2756.00 2728.00 0.315 0.315 28.25 28.00 3.54 3.54 2.70 2.51 0.465 0.435 MINING & OIL 0.0045 0.0040 4.95 4.85 4.85 4.85 17.10 17.00 26.50 24.00 0.250 0.245 22.90 22.90 22.80 22.50 1.10 1.10 26.30 23.00 0.58 0.56 1.180 1.150 1.230 1.200 0.0610 0.0600 0.0620 0.0600 18.58 17.82 8.15 7.45 4.880 4.700 0.0180 0.0170 6.02 5.96 18.90 18.54 36.90 36.00 0.049 0.048 56.00 55.00 225.00 219.00 0.0160 0.0150 PREFERRED 25.15 23.05 546.00 545.00 103.50 103.50 101.90 101.50 9.81 9.50 109.00 108.90 77.50 77.25 1018.00 1018.00

1,196,560 484,820 13,770 69,000 11,700 433,700 7,300 451,000 9,950 450 5,400 1,000,810 30,000 490 306,250 100 220 25,000.00 558,310 160 29,800 23,000

(27,540,153.00)

(9,252,970.00)

(3,720.00)

26,409,078.00 (81,630.00) 3,618,155.00 20,400.00 1,071,200.00

33.70 8.40 20.50 1.34 29.40 1.38 23.00 2.45 120.00 89.95 2.65 9.70 5.92 7.30 2.15 18.60 76.00 18.00 0.0160 12.30 4.03 0.620 97.30 9.20 2.25 1.46 2.50 27.00 16.600 252.00 10.90 3.41 10.18 8.35 3.95 34.50 111.70 2.37 1.81 0.138 12.72 2.04 1.17 59.90 1.35 0.620 0.93

(0.15) 0.00 0.00 (6.29) 0.00 0.00 (0.22) 0.82 33.33 4.59 0.38 0.00 0.85 0.00 0.47 (0.96) (0.78) (5.26) 0.00 0.00 (5.18) (1.59) 0.83 (0.54) 4.17 0.00 (1.19) 0.37 (2.35) (1.95) 0.00 (0.29) (1.17) 0.60 (2.23) 0.00 (0.27) (2.07) 2.26 (6.12) 4.61 (0.49) (0.85) (2.12) (1.46) 3.33 (1.06) (1.28) (0.41) (5.56) (1.05) 0.00 (0.43) (1.38) (9.60) (2.09) (0.61) (1.22) (0.64) (3.31) (1.20) (0.39) 1.89 0.00 0.00 (0.72) (1.54) 3.19 (5.81) (5.37) (2.27) (3.03) 0.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 (2.50) (0.21) 1.65 (2.00) (1.75) 0.88 0.00 2.53 (1.27) (1.03) (0.79) (8.26) (3.00) (0.63) 0.00 (2.17) 0.27 1.98 (2.37) (7.01) (2.14) (0.66) (1.45) (6.94) 0.00 0.00 (0.23)

1,014,000 33,100 44,600 3,554,000 800 5,000 16,500 1,000 20 10 811,000 100 10,598,300 762,900 39,000 1,384,400 725,150 134,700 469,700,000 61,800 20,000 62,000 98,860 5,500 1,800,000 3,000 28,000 658,700 29,000 134,690 100 1,467,000 1,549,800 76,500 1,428,000 178,500 498,100 980,000 46,000 1,120,000 6,756,800 113,000 6,679,000 2,591,470 4,153,000 404,000 593,000 10,507,000 1,160,500 100,000 18,603,300 42,000 37,000 26,000 1,831,000 539,160 1,444,660 197,000 79,180 60,000 331,700 2,170,900 292,000 60,000 551,000 8,075,000 104,600 17,600 2,000 785,310 667,000 700,000 620,000 1,165,000 1,000 3,490,000 9,872,100 1,937,000 29,600 1,185,000 45,000 33,000 1,020,000 239,000 4,229,000 50,000 6,899,000 31,000 52,710,000 1,610,000 1,348,000 1,300,000 500 82,000 4,151,600 543,000 61,000 425,800 7,889,400 1,546,000 71,000 371,000 1,127,000

104,800.00

5,298,590.00 554,778.00

(4,690,530.00) (1,494,404.00)

(2,880,000.00) 240,350.00 (1,472,889.50) (17,180.00)

531,470.00

(8,356,932.00) (338,120.00) (4,865,266.00) (573,300.00)

27,889,369.00 (46,280.00) 12,884,840.00

(31,328,845.00) (37,000.00)

0.77 48.00 0.0170 11.26 2.00 4.64 5.00 1.60 421.00 57.15 4.05 543.50 4.67 33.00 5.07 1.08 0.430 2.36 4.14 5.12 6.80 1.46 705.00 2.15 0.3200 0.400

(78,000.00) (30,837,865.00)

(34,719,174.00)

(26,983,530.00) 38,581.00 648,800.00 (20,793,795.00) (2,732,635.00) (6,452,738.00)

(15,137,000.00) 512.00

(323,607,825.00) (4,400.00)

3.03 0.600 0.170 21.45 4.76 5.55 1.47 2.80 1.15 0.075 0.81 0.780 1.92 1.25 2.11 2.26 0.1580 0.6800 0.450 14.62 3.60 18.10 3.58 2.74 6.06 13.60 0.67 4.00 0.510 4.380

(60,440.00)

(291,985.00) (634,410.00) (73,750.00)

18,720.00 (2,688,750.00)

(3,516,280.00) (64,550.00)

(23,889,514.00) (19,100.00) (489,990.00) (25,167,250.00)

219,000.00 1,320.00

25.00 1.33 0.600 9.00 9.80 0.1410 5.99 61.40 6.00 1000.00 24.50 1080.00 9.94 67.55 0.415 2.01 0.039 1.02 2.05 8.01 2.80 1.32 2.77 14.30 7.10 3.10 9.45 68.00 16.96 2754.00 0.315 28.25 3.54 2.70 0.465 0.0042 4.86 4.85 17.00 26.50 0.245 22.90 22.50 1.10 23.50 0.57 1.170 1.200 0.0600 0.0620 17.90 7.60 4.750 0.0170 5.96 18.82 36.90 0.048 56.00 225.00 0.0160

(4.03) (2.92) 0.00 0.00 (1.21) (2.08) 2.22 (2.23) (2.44) 0.00 0.00 0.84 0.00 (0.66) 5.06 5.24 2.63 (1.92) (0.49) (2.91) 3.70 (2.22) (2.81) (0.56) 2.16 2.31 0.43 1.49 (0.24) 0.73 0.00 (0.18) 0.00 0.00 (1.06)

919,000 380,000 500,000 20,900 5,085,200 78,380,000 156,100 1,814,600 1,000 6,530 20,000 45,010 253,300 351,400 10,000 38,000 1,400,000 649,000 98,000 17,300 167,000 56,000 3,641,000 13,900 4,700 3,723,000 160,000 6,620 439,900 239,940 500,000 1,448,200 3,000 4,000 130,000

1,582,118.00 36,000.00 6,995.00 (25,054,379.00)

(2,483,490.00) 4,575,898.00 4,150.00

20,100.00

38,880.00

(31,250.00) 567,000.00 382,160.00 2,592,880.00 299,653,300.00 34,920,075.00

5.00 (2.80) (2.81) (0.23) (1.85) (3.92) (6.15) 0.00 (2.65) (9.44) (1.72) 0.00 (0.83) (1.64) 1.64 (1.65) (5.94) (1.66) 0.00 (0.67) (0.21) (1.07) (2.04) (6.67) 0.09 6.67

763,000,000 71,000 33,000 337,200 3,700 1,930,000 21,100 39,300 6,000 451,900 1,616,000 15,686,000 7,757,000 55,100,000 70,710,000 214,700 1,723,500 1,518,000 12,100,000 59,700 2,213,500 146,000 308,100,000 1,300 149,710 48,700,000

41,000.00

(294,312.00) (40,500.00) (270,650.00)

(721,720.00) (440,400.00)

305,000.00 (125,244.00) (2,858,808.00) 47,500.00 (7,807,842.00) (808,360.00)

(15,876,248.00) (3,200.00) (78,984,560.00)

23.55 545.00 103.50 101.50 9.70 109.00 77.25 1018.00

(6.36) 0.00 0.29 (0.29) (3.00) 0.09 0.32 0.00

4,386,800 1,950 250 5,050 701,000 17,790 1,110 200

(1,816,030.00)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

adv.mst@gmail.com
Page Compositor: Diana Keyser Punzalan

ManilaStandardToday

Classifieds
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
Ifugao Second District Engineering Office Aguinaldo, Ifugao Republic of the Philippines

SATURDAY

AUGUST 27, 2012

B3

LUNGSOD NG MAKATI BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

J.P. Rizal St. corner F. Zobel St., Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 Fax No. 899-8988 www.makati.gov.ph

TARIFF COMMISSION

INVITATION TO BID
We are inviting interested accredited / eligible bidders to bid for the Proposed Projects as follows: 1. Proposed Construction of Emergency Hospital (Ospital ng Makati District I) Phase II, located at Malugay St., Brgy. Bel Air, Makati City P1,959,473,896.00 Interested parties may proceed to the Bids & Awards Conference Room, 9th Floor, New Makati City Hall Building located at J.P. Rizal Street corner F. Zobel Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City for details of the above projects. Bid Documents will be available 1 (one) day after posting / publication of the above projects. ACTIVITIES 1. Pre-Bidding Conference at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor 2. Opening of Bids at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor 3. Bid Evaluation 4. Post-Qualification 5. Notice of Award SCHEDULE September 04, 2012 (02:00 P.M.) September 18, 2012 (2:00 P.M.) September 18 - 25, 2012 September 25, 2012 October 2, 2012

INVITATION TO BID
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works and Highways - Ifugao Second District Engineering Office, Aguinaldo, Ifugao, through the General Fund 101 CY 2012 invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned project/s: 1. Contract ID Contract Name : 12PJ0028 : Construction of San Juan-San Jose Flood Control Contract Location : Alfonso Lista, Ifugao Scope of Work : Construction of Flood Control Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) : Php. 13,8458,45.81 Contract Duration : 150 Calendar Days

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING/CONSULTATION

Pursuant to Sections 401/402 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines (PD 1464), as amended, the Tariff Commission will conduct public hearing/consultation on 05 September 2012 at 9:00 A.M. regarding the petitions on the tariff modification of liquid dielectric transformers and electric vehicles, parts and components. Venue of the hearing/consultation is at the Tariff Commission Conference Room, 5th Floor Philippine Heart Center Building, East Avenue, Quezon City. The product coverage is indicated below: AHTN Code Description Electrical transformers 8504.23.10; Liquid dielectric transformers having power handling 8504.23.21 capacities exceeding 10,000 kVA but not exceeding 20,000 kVA Electric vehicles, parts and components 8702.90; Electric motor vehicles 8703.10; 8703.90; 8704.90; 8711.90.50; 8711.90.90 4013.10; 4013.90.31; Inner tubes, of rubber 4013.90.39 ex5806.32.10 Safety seat belt fabrics 7320.20.10; Helical springs and other springs for motor vehicles 7320.90.10 8483.10.23; 8483.10.24; Cam shafts; crank shafts; bearing housings; gears 8483.20.10; 8483.30.10; 8483.40.13; 8483.40.14 8501.20; DC motors; parts 8501.31; 8501.32; 8503.00.90 8507.30; 8507.80 Nickel Cadmium, Lithium ion and other electric accumulators for motor vehicles 8512.20 Other lighting or visual signalling apparatus 8536.41.00; Relays; other switches 8536.50.99 8537.10.90 Controllers Sealed beam lamp units and filament lamps for motor 8539.10.10; vehicles 8539.21.30; 8539.29.20 8546.90.00 Other electrical insulators 87.08 Parts and accessories of motor vehicles 9029.20.20 Other speed indicators and tachometers for motor vehicles 9405.40.90 LED lamps/lighting fittings for motor vehicles Interested parties will be given the opportunity to be heard and to present evidence in support of their positions. For particulars, please inquire at the Research, Investigation and International Trade Analysis Services (RIITAS) at telephone no. 926-8731 or 433-5896. Issued this 23rd day of August 2012, Quezon City, Metro Manila. (Sgd.) EDGARDO B. ABON Chairman
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Region III

The City of Makati reserves the right to disqualify any or all proposal, to waive any defects or informalities therein and to accept such proposal as may be considered most advantageous to the Government. Approved by: (Sgd.) MARJORIE A. DE VEYRA Chairperson

(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid. To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture (c) with PCAB License applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examinations of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH-POCW Central Office will only process contractors application for registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractors Registration Certificate (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1. Issuance of Bidding Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference 3. Deadline of Receipt of LOI from Prospective Bidders 4. Receipt of Bids 5. Opening of Bids August 24, 2012 to September 13, 2012 August 31, 2012 03:00 p.m. of September 6, 2012 Deadline: 10:00 a.m. of September 13, 2012 September 13, 2012 (After receipt of Eligibility Results)

LUNGSOD NG MAKATI Bids and Awards Committee

J.P. Rizal St. corner F. Zobel St., Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 Fax No. 899-8988 www.makati.gov.ph

REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS

INVITATION TO BID
The City Government of Makati, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites suppliers/ manufacturers/distributors/contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder projects: NO. 1 2 3 NAME OF PROJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION Brand New Chemical Firetruck with Foam Propotioner for the use of Makati Fire Department Brand New Fire Trucks for the use of Makati Fire Department Brand New Ambulance for the use of various barangays of District I and II LOCATION OM OM OM APPROVED BUDGET P9,190,996.00 P60,181,772.00 P14,387,620.00

Prospective Bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examinations of Bids shall use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria. Post-Qualification of the Lowest Calculated Bid shall be conducted. All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows: ACTIVITIES 1. Pre-Bidding Conference at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor 2. Opening of Bids at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor SCHEDULE September 04, 2012 (02:00 P.M.) September 18, 2012 (02:00 P.M.)

Bidding Documents will be available only to Prospective Bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of ______________________to the City Government of Makati Cashier. (fee for Bid Documents) (Procuring Entity) The City Government of Makati assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify (Procuring Entity) bidders for any Expenses Incurred in the preparation of the bid. The City of Makati reserves the right to disqualify any or all proposal, to waive any defects or informalities therein and to accept such proposal as may be considered most advantageous to the Government. Approved by: (Sgd.) MARJORIE A. DE VEYRA Chairperson

(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

Department of Health CENTER FOR HEALTH DEVELOPMENT-METRO MANILA

Republic of the Philippines

VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER

Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Tel. No. 294-6711 to 104 Telefax 294-4625 Email address: vmc_bac@yahoo.com

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at the DPWH Ifugao Second District Engineering Office, Aguinaldo, Ifugao upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Php.10,000.00 to the Cashier, DPWH-Ifugao First District Engineering Office, Lagawe, Ifugao. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs, if available, from the DPWH website. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their Bid Documents. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualification. The Department of Public Works and Highways - Ifugao Second District Engineering Office, Aguinaldo, Ifugao reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bid and to annul the bidding process at anytime prior contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s. (Sgd.) BERNARD A. GADDANG OIC, District Engineer
(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

INVITATION TO BID
PUBLIC BIDDING NO.: VMC-2012-015
The VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER invites all eligible bidders to bid on:

Department of Public Works and Highways

BULACAN 2 DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan
nd

OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER

DESCRIPTION PROCUREMENT OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (3D/4D ULTRASOUND MACHINE) RE-BID

PROJECT ALLOCATION P 6,000,000.00

NON-REFUNDABLE FEE

August 17, 2012

P 5,000.00

INVITATION TO BID
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of Bulacan 2nd District Engineering Office, through the Fund of Road Board (MVUC) CY 2012 and Regular Infra Flood Control CY 2012 , invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned projects: 1. Contract ID: Contract Name: 12CD0201 Repair/Rehabilitation /Improvement of Muzon-Tungkong Mangga Road, City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan , K0041+-779 K0042+000 With exceptions Contract Location: City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Scope of Work: Asphalting of road Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Php 9,899,936.02 Contract Duration : 20 calendar days 12CD0202 Repair/Rehabilitation /Improvement of Daang Maharlika Road (San Miguel Section), San Miguel, Bulacan, km 76+388.73 to km. 76+899.73 with exceptions Contract Location: San Miguel, Bulacan Scope of Work: Asphalting of road/concreting of road (widening) Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Php 9,899,982.52 Contract Duration : 90 calendar days 12CD0226 Construction of Slope Protection along Norzagaray-Bigte Road Phase I, Norzagaray, Bulacan Contract Location: Norzagaray, Bulacan Scope of Work: Slope Protection Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Php 6,789,845.84 Contract Duration : 120 calendar days

The bidding documents shall be available to interested bidders at the BAC Secretariat, BAC Office, 2/F, VMC, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City from 9:00AM to 4:00PM, starting August 25, 2012 upon payment of non-refundable fee as indicated above. The prebidding conference will be on September 3, 2012, 10:00am at the Mini BAC Conference Room, 2/F, VMC Annex Building, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre bid conference and raise or submit written queries (see revised IRR of RA 9184). Bid opening will be on September 17, 2012, 10:00am at the Mini BAC Conference Room, 2/F,VMC Annex Building, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. All particulars relative to bid evaluation and award of contract shall be governed by the provisions of R.A. 9184 otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. Bids received in excess of the Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC) shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ALTERNATIVE BIDS SHALL BE REJECTED. Bid bond shall be in form of cash, cashiers check or managers check equivalent to two percent (2%) of the approved budget of the contract. This invitation is also advertised with the Government Electronic Procurement System (G-EPS) at www.procurementservice.org and posted at the VMC BAC bulletin board. For inquiry, please call the BAC Secretariat Office at Telephone No, 294-6711 local 104; 294-46-25. VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO 1) REVIEW ALL THE REQUIREMENTS; 2) REJECT ANY OR ALL BIDS; 3) CONFISCATE THE BID BOND AND/OR PURSUE APPROPRIATE LEGAL ACTION SHOULD A BIDDER BE FOUND TO HAVE VIOLATED R.A. 9184; 4) WAIVE ANY DEFECTS CONTAINED THEREIN; and/or 5) ACCEPT THE OFFER MOST ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. ANY DECISION MADE BY THE VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER IS FINAL AND EXECUTORY. FURTHER, VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER ASSUMES NO OBLIGATION WHATSOEVER TO COMPENSATE OR INDEMNIFY THE BIDDER OR WINNING BIDDER. AS THE CASE MAY BE, FOR ANY EXPENSE OR LOSS THAT SAID PARTY (IES) MAY INCUR IN ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE PRE-BIDDING AND BIDDING PROCESS NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE THAT AN AWARD WILL BE MADE. (Sgd.) DONA D. SALMOS, RN, MAN Chairman, BAC "PHIC Accredited Health Care Provider"

Department of Public Works and Highways

OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER
Pampanga 2nd District Engineering Office San Antonio, Guagua, Pampanga
2.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Region III

Contract ID: Contract Name:

INVITATION TO BID
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Pampanga 2nd District Engineering Office, through the FY 2012 RA 10147 EXTENDED Regular 2011 Continuing invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned projects: 1. Contract ID Contract Name : 12CH0043 : PHUMP PHASE III, Lower Porac-Gumain River Diversion Channel (Supplemental Works) Contract Location : Pampanga SARO No. : SR2012-04-003475 Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Php7,934,103.45 Contract Duration : 75CD Non-Refundable Bid Doc Fee : Php10,000.00
3.

Contract ID: Contract Name:

The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid. To apply and to bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed and submitted by the person authorized in the Contractors License issued by PCAB. Upon submission of the LOIs, interested Contractor must also submit the photo copy and original (for authentication purpose and issuance of Bid Documents) of the following documents: 1. Class A Documents (contained in the Contractors Registration Certificate) (CRC), 1.1 Legal Documents: a) DTI Business Name Registration (DTI) or SEC Registration or CDA; b) Valid and Current Mayors Permit/Municipal License; 1.2. Technical Documents; a) Valid Joint Venture Agreement, in case of J.V., b) Valid PCAB License and Registration c) Certificate of Materials Engineer Accreditation duly certified by the Authorized Managing Officer (AMO), d) Latest copy of AMO course Seminar, e) Certificate of Safety Officer Seminar from DOLE, f) Document Request List (DRL) g) Latest CPES of J.V., b) Valid PCAB License and Registration c) Certificate of Materials Engineer Accreditation Rating; 1.3. Financial Documents; a) Prospective bidders Audited Financial Statement for the preceding calendar which should not be earlier than 2 years from the date of bid submission; b) Prospective bidders computation of its NFCC. The LOI must be submitted by the Authorized Liaison Officer as specified in the Contractors Information (CI). Submission of LOI by persons with Special Power of Attorney shall not be allowed. Contractors who will purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with DPWH & PHILGEPS, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (c) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (d) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment for at least 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWHPOCW will only process contractors applications for registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1. Receipt of LOI from Prospective Bidders 2. Issuance of Bidding Documents 3. Pre-Bid Conference 4. Submission of Bids Until 10:00 A.M. of September 13, 2012 for Item Nos. 1 & 2 and September 18, 2012 for Item No. 3 August 23, 2012 September 18, 2012 10:00 A.M. of August 31, 2012 Deadline: 10:00 A.M. of September 13, 2012 for Item Nos. 1 & 2 and September 18, 2012 for Item No. 3 September 13, 2012 for Item Nos. 1 & 2 and September 18, 2012 before 10:00 A.M. for Item No. 3 immediately after receipt of Eligibility Results

(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

The BAC will conduct the procurement process with the Revised IRR of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid. To bid for its contract, a contractor must submit a letter of Intent (LOI), purchase of bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, o joint venture, (c) the PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration, to the DPWH-POCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH-POCW-Central Office will only process contractors applications for registration, with complete requirements, and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1. Receipt of LOIs for Prospective Bidders 2. Issuance of Bidding Documents 3. Pre-Bidding Conference 4. Receipt of Bids 5. Opening of Bids Until 5:00 P.M. of Sept 20, 2012 On : Aug 25-Sept 20, 2012 On : Sept 7, 2012 at 2:00 P.M Sept 20, 2012 at 8:00 - 10:00 A.M Sept 20 , 2012 at 10:00 A.M..

Republic of the Philippines Department of Interior and Local Government National Police Commission Philippine National Police POLICE REGIONAL OFFICE ARMM Camp BGen SK Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao INVITATION TO BID CONSTRUCTION OF STANDARD TYPE B/C (Two (2) Storey with Deck and Roofing) MUNICIPAL POLICE STATIONBUILDING
The PNP, Police Regional Office ARMM (PNP, PRO ARMM) through the Regional Bids and Awards Committee (RBAC) invites contractors registered and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) to bid for the hereunder contract/s: Project Title Construction of Akbar MPS Bldg. Construction of Tabuan Lasa MPS Bldg Construction of KalingalanCaluang MPS Bldg Construction of Panamao MPS Bldg Construction of Rata MPS Bldg Location Akbar, Basilan Tabuan Lasa, Basilan KalingalanCaluang, Sulu Panamao, Sulu Pata, Sulu ABC/ Source of Fund Php 4,637,700.00/ SARO D-12-00094 dated February 2012 RA Nr 10147 Php 4,637,700.00/ SARO D-12-00094 dated February 2012 RA Nr 10147 Php 4,637,700.00/ SARO D-12-00094 dated February 20. 2012 RA Nr 10147 Php 4,637,700.00/ SARO Nr D-12-00094 dated February 20, 2012 RA Nr 10147 Php 4,637,700.00/ SARO Nr D-12-00094 dated February 20, 2012 RA Nr 10147 Php 4,637,700.00/ SARO Nr D-12-00094 dated February 20, 2012 RANr 10147 Php 4,637,700.00/ SARO Nr D-12-00094 dated February 20, 2012 RANr 10147 Contract Duration Nr 180 cal days 20, Nr 180 cal days 20, Nr 180 cal days Plans/ Bid Docs P 20,000.00 P 20,000.00 P 20,000.00

180 cal days 180 cal days 180 cal days 180 cal days

P 20,000.00 P 20,000.00 P 20,000.00 P 20,000.00

Construction of Talipao Talipao, Sulu MPS Bldg Construction of Parang Parang, MPS Bldg Maguindanao

5. Opening of Bids

Bidders should possess a valid PCAB license applicable to the above type and cost of the contract, have completed a similar contract with a value of at least 50% of the ABC and meet the other minimum eligibility requirements stated in the eligibility. The PNP, PRO ARMM will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on September 03, 2012 at 9:00 O clock in the morning at the PRO ARMM Conference room, Camp Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao, which shall be open % all interested parties who purchased the Bidding Documents. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before September 18. 2012 at 10:00 Oclock in the morning at PRO ARMM. Camp Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITS clause 18. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders/Bidders representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. Only bids which shall be rated pass in their technical requirements will be opened. The bidder with the Lowest Calculated Bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine its responsiveness to the financial requirements of the projects. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who is determined as such during post-qualification. All particulars relative to the eligibility documents, bid security, performance security, pre-bid conference, evaluation of bids, post-qualification and award of contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Revised IRR. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased at the BAC Secretariat/Regional Engineering Office upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount indicated above. The PNP PRO ARMM reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, to annul the Bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without incurring any liability to the affected Bidder/s. For further information, please refer to: RBAC Secretariat/ Regional Engineering Office PCINSP ARTEMIO P DOMINGO/ PSINSP ROGER V GATUSLAO Contact No. 064-425-0080 . . Email add: reo_armm@yahoo.com (Sgd.) JOEL MA T. ALVAREZ Police chief/Superintendent Deputy Regional Director for Administration Chairman, RBAC

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH-Pampanga 2nd District Engineering Office, San Antonio, Guagua, Pampanga, upon payment of a non-refundable fee of please see above. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from the DPWH website, if available. Prospective bidders that will downloaded the BDs from DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bid Documents. Bid must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the Bidding Documents (BDs) to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualification. The DPWH-Pampanga 2nd DEO reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bid and to annul the bidding process anytime before Contract award, without incurring any liability to the affected bidders. (Sgd.) GENE D. GONZALES BAC Chairman
(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH-Bulacan 2nd District Engineering Office, Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, upon payment of a non-refundable fee for Bidding Documents Ten Thousand Pesos (Php 10,000.00). Prospective bidders may also download the Bidding documents (BDs), from the DPWH website, if available. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their Bids Documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BDs. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualification. The DPWH-Bulacan 2nd District Engineering Office reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process at anytime prior contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s.

APPROVED: (Sgd.) GENE S. LEAO BAC Chairman Note : Pls. refer plan to the District Office
(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

(MST-Aug. 25, 2012)

For fast ad results, please call 659-48-30 l o c a l 303 or 659-48-03

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B4

SATURDAY AUGUST 25, 2012

Provinces
Manila Standard TODAYEdited by Leo A. Estonilo
www.manilastandardtoday.com leoestonilo@gmail.com

Honesty policy pressed

A PANEL in the House of Representatives has adopted a resolution urging the Department of Education to promote Honesty is the Best Policy signs in all public schools. The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture, presided by Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento, passed Resolution 895. Classrooms are the best place to put up the signages because the word honesty carries with it the positive attitude of integrity and truthfulness, which every school must uphold and instill among its students, said the resolution. It also underscored the need to instill values in children during their early years. Those who are at the frontline, in contact with the younger generations, have to stand for the responsibly of carrying their lifestyle to be honest, said authors of HR 895, among them was Sarmiento. So we go back to what we learned years ago and in fact during our time when we were still in the elementary school. Among the very important values that had to be learned by us was honesty is the best policy. The signage with versions in the dialects would serve as an effective medium to promote good manners and right conduct and will greatly benet the overall personality of students to become conscientious and upright citizens. Maricel V. Cruz

Universal Harvester Milagros Ong How welcomes a farmer during the 59th Philsutech Annual National Convention at the Waterfront Hotel. Oliver Samson

New breed of farmers wanted

Isabela on an even keel
By Brenda Gaudia
ILAGAN CITYIsabela Provincial Administrator Manuel Lopez turned 44 last Sunday, as the nation marked the 134th birth anniversary of the late President Manuel L. Quezon. The statesmanship of the countrys leader in the Commonwealth period must have rubbed off on the cum laude graduate of law from Saint Ferdinand College. I will serve Isabela to the best of my abilities, to the fullest of my capabilities, he said, with a sense of purpose and resolve demanded of his job. Alongside his role in strategic planning under Governor Faustino Dy III, he also attends to organizational matters as human resource specialist and coordinator of all local government executives on top of frontline duty in delivery of services particularly in disaster mitigation activities. Proving his worth as integrator, Lopez helped in synergizing the team-up of Dy and Vice Gov. Rolito Albano, from the provinces two main political clans. The Bojie-Rodito Opportunities or BRO drive reached out to key development goals such as food security. Lopez pushed for the BRO loan assistance of up to P4,000 to farmers without interest to boost their productivity from the present 80 cavans per hectare average to 120. A parallel BRO-Paneguro sa Pananim now on its fourth phase allocated P10 million to subsidize the planters share on crop insurance premiums for two crop seasons-2012 wet and 2012-2013, dry. For good measure, Lopez has strengthened the BRO bonding when Isabela received its Seal of Good Housekeeping from the late Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo.

By Oliver Samson

CEBU CITYMilagros Ong How,

executive vice president of Universal Harvester Inc. has her schedule full of business meetings but she nds time to pusher her advocacy for new blood in the agriculture industry.
search for The Outstanding Farmers of the Philippines 2012 focusing on the new generation.

She launched last month together with the Junior Philippine Chamber International Philippines the

This is to encourage the young, How told Manila Standard on the sidelines at Thursdays 59th Philsutech National Annual Convention at Waterfront Hotel which updates on best practices in the sugar sector. Im not trying to be a Mother Theresa, but I can help the farmers, she said, noting proper support and recognition are crucial in convincing the next generation to choose agriculture-based careers. How said her advocacy

stemmed from meeting farflung cooperatives in the countryside whose members always faced the difficulty of funding their next crop. She admits being touched by the lives of small farmers who are masipag (hardworking), inspiring her to give recognition to deserving ones especially among the youth. Hows Universal Harvest is on a mission to educate land tillers and other stakeholders on technology to improve their yield and income.

TOFARM 2012 will give out 11 awards: Individual category for young farmers, fisherfolk, livestock, agri-entrepreneur, agricultural innovator and urban farmer; and group for agriculture cooperative, family farmer, local government unit, agriculture initiatives, and peoples choice. The nomination period covers August 1 to September 30 with validation and judging in October and November, respectively, and awarding in December.

Padcal cleanup under way

By Dexter A. See
TUBAPhilex Mining Corp. will work with communities near Padcal Mine to clean up waterways of tailings from a leak in Pond no. 3 last August 1 amid heavy rain, said Eulalio Austin Jr., president. The move is in line with the companys environmental rehabilitation and re mediation efforts while working closely with its stakeholders and the local government units, he said. This ecosystems approach could become a formal program by Philex, vice president for commications Mike Toledo said. Victor Francisco, vice president for Community Relations, said the drive would be joined by households in Sitio Pambasan, Barangay Dalupirip, Itogon town, in a drive along parts of Balog Creek and Agno River to prevent the leak from reaching San Roque dam. The locals are more knowledgeable of the terrains and geographic characteristics of the affected areas, he said. Philex Mining deployed a four-team task force early this month to work on clearing pathways and trails. When the cleanup is done, Philex Mining will start developing projects and activities in the neighboring communities, which residents may use for their livelihood and in generating other sources of income, Eduardo Aratas, Philexs legal division chief, said. Austin said employees showed willingness to trek downstream to be part of the drive despite the bad weather and difcult trails. The spirit of volunteerism is very evident, said Mildred Daz, the companys budget manager for Padcal projects, also one of the managers-incharge at the Padcal command post. Emilia Tabula, General Services manager and in-charge of satellite ofces, said the cleanup staff had personal protective equipment after undergoing complete medical screening among other safety precautions. Philex voluntarily stopped operations at Padcal after the accidental discharge of tailings at one of its ponds. Experts conrmed the leak was non-toxic and biodegradable. With Othel Campos

Rice aid. Taiwan Association of the Philippines and Cavite Taiwan Association donated 20 tons of rice to the Cavite local government last August 18 in a turnover ceremony joined by House Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin Remulla (third from right), Governor Juanito Remulla (second from right), David Shih (rst from left), President of Taiwan Association of the Philippines along with Billy Yang, president of Cavite Taiwan Association. Also present were Kuo Yu Yen (third from left), Director of the Culture Center of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Ofce and Andrew Lin (fourth from left), Political Division Director of TECO who stood on behalf of TECO representative Ambassador Raymond L. S. Wang.

Health advocates. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Zuellig Family Foundation have partnered to

make health champions out of provincial and local ofcials after the signing of an agreement by Ambassador Roberto Romulo, ZFF chairman; UNFPA country representative Ugochi Daniels; and Ernesto Garilao, ZFF President. The package is worth P84 million with UNFPA providing P65.7 million and ZFF providing P18.3 million. Called Strengthening Provincial and Municipal Champions in Health, the ve-year leadership capability-building program will be given to the governors and provincial health ofcers of Ifugao, Mountain Province, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Eastern Samar, Surigao del Sur, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Compostela Valley.

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