Manila Standard Today - Monday (December 17, 2012) Issue

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SECTION D
Mexican Jorge Arce is helped by referee Laurence Cole after being knocked out in the third round by Filipino champion Nonito Donaire at their WBO junior featherweight title clash in
Houston. Inset shows Donaire landing the left hook that oored his foe. AP
Predator and prey. From left, the 20-year-old gunman Adam Lanza
and Grace McDonnell and Olivia Engel, two of the 20 children he shot
dead in a school in Connecticut. AP
First dawn mass. Catholics stand outside a church in a Manila suburb while attending the rst of nine dawn
masses that started on Sunday. AARON FAVILA, AP
TODAY
Standard Standard
www.manilastandardtoday.com [email protected]
Vol. XXVI No. 258 32 Pages, 4 Sections
P18.00 Monday, December 17, 2012
RHs fate known today
By Jonathan Fernandez
PRESIDENT Aquino has ordered
an investigation on the alleged
ties of Pangasinan Gov. Amado
Espino to the illegal numbers
game jueteng.
According to Interior and Lo-
cal Government Secretary Mar
Roxas, the President also wants
them to ensure the safety of the
whistle blowers: Bugallon, Pan-
gasinan Mayor Ricardo Orduna
and barangay chairman Fernando
Alimagno.
They accused the governor
of operating jueteng in the prov-
ince and receiving at least P800
million monthly in protection
money.
Orduna is a self-confessed
jueteng operative with whom Es-
pino had a recent falling out over
their business arrangements,
while Alimagno is reportedly a
jueteng nancier in Pangasinan.
I assure Mayor Orduna and
the people that I would use my
power as DILG secretary in ac-
cordance with the law to look
into this issue, Roxas said.
He reiterated that the resolve
of the Aquino government to
eradicate illegal gambling opera-
tions is unwavering.
By Joyce Pangco Paares
THE government and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front have
inched closer toward clinching a
nal peace agreement before the
end of the year with the success-
ful crafting of a draft fourth annex
that would esh out transitional
arrangements for the Bangsamoro
a new political entity that would
replace the Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao.
By Christine F. Herre-
ra, Ferdinand Fabella
and Joyce Pangco
Paares
HUMAN trafckers are target-
ing typhoon victims in ravage
areas of Compostela Valley
and Davao Oriental for the
esh trade or sweet ups, UMA-
LAB KA! Party-list disclosed
yesterday.
We urge the authorities to
take forceful actions to protect
displaced women and children,
many of whom have lost not
just their homes, but also their
fathers, mothers, brothers and
sisters, said lawyer Maria An-
gela Esquivel, spokesperson of
the party-list group Ugnayan ng
Maralita Laban sa Kahirapan
(UMALAB KA!).
The ultimatum is also aimed
at countering the fear and scare
tactics openly being mounted by
the Catholic bishops in the nal
stretch of the battle over the pas-
sage of what has described as the
most divisive Palace-backed
measure, according to House Ma-
jority Leader Neptali Gonzalez II.
If you are not with us, you
are against us was the ultima-
tum issued by President Benigno
Aquino III and the LP leaders to
the lawmakers in the House and
the Senate who have allied them-
selves with the opposition and the
Catholic bishops, Gonzales said.
Malacaang on Sunday said
it expected the Responsible
By Vito Barcelo
THE Catholic Bishops Confer-
ence of the Philippines on Sun-
day said the controversial Re-
productive Health bill was a gift
from lawmakers this Christmas
that could harm the nation.
Sunday marked the start of the
dawn masses in the Philippines,
and in a pastoral letter entitled
Praise and Rebuke, which was read
in all parishes nationwide, the bish-
ops said contraception did nothing
but corrupt the soul.
The RH Bill is being gift-
wrapped to look like a gift for
maternal health care. It is not so. It
will lead to greater crimes against
women, said the letter signed by
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop
Socrates Villegas.
Manila Archbishop Luis An-
tonio Cardinal Tagle, on the other
hand, urged the lawmakers to open
their hearts and heed the wisdom
that could only come from God.
The members of the House of
Representatives are expected to
vote today, Monday, on the RH bill
for the third and nal reading.
I appeal to our legislators
in the House of Representatives
and the Senate to welcome Jesus
with joy. His Word and Wisdom
(and not just any human word or
wisdom) is needed to form con-
sciences, Tagle said.
I pray that you may prepare a
straight path for the Lord so that
the Filipino people of today and
those of coming generations may
nd true and lasting joy.
Villegas is seeking the sup-
port of the 64 congressmen who
have not voted on the bill to be
enlightened and stand up for the
truth.
ALL 26 children and adults killed
at a Connecticut school were shot
more than once, and some as
much as 11 times, according to
the states medical examiner.
Ive been at this for a third of
a century, but this is probably the
worst I have seen, H. Wayne Carv-
er II said yesterday at a brieng
where he described small bodies
riddled with bullets. Families were
kept away from the remains, he
said. Instead, they were shown pho-
tographs of the faces of the dead,
who included 20 pupils, all believed
to be rst-graders, he said. The vic-
tims ranged in age from 6 to 56.
The details were the latest to
emerge on the Dec. 14 killings at
Sandy Hook Elementary School
in Newtown, the second- worst
mass shooting in U.S. history. The
gunman was 20-year-old Adam
Lanza, according to two law-en-
forcement ofcials briefed on the
case. His mother was found dead
at the family home nearby.
The shooting brought world-
wide attention to the town of
28,000 about 60 miles (97 kilo-
meters) northeast of New York
City. Students recounted cower-
ing in the corners of the school of
700, while parents told of rushing
to discover whether their children
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
HOUSTONNonito Donaire demolished
Mexican warrior Jorge Arce in three rounds
before a noisy crowd of over 7,500 predomi-
nantly Mexican fans at the Toyota Center
here Sunday in a spectacular demonstration
of speed, power and ring savvy.
Donaires win which kept the World
Boxing Organization 122-pound belt in his
hands cushioned the impact of the sixth-
round knockout loss suffered by Manny Pac-
quiao to Mexican legend Juan Manuel Mar-
quez last week.
And in a strange coincidence, Donaires
knockout came with one second to go in Round
3, just like Pacquiaos painful loss.
Each child shot more than once
Palace: Be
with us or
against us
Church: Beware of solons
with gift-wrapped RH bill
Govt, MILF
near final
agreement
Aquino orders Roxas to probe Pangasinan gov over jueteng ties
Typhoon
victims
target of
traffickers
Donaire kayoes Arce, keeps WBO crown
Next page
By Francisco S. Tatad
STUNG by his unbelievably
narrow margin during the vote
on second reading of the high-
ly controversial reproductive
health bill in the House of Rep-
resentatives last week, President
Benigno Aquino III has mobi-
lized all his forces to score a de-
cisive win when the House takes
it up on third reading. Aquino
is used to getting what he wants,
but the anti-RH bloc may not
make it easy for him this time.
Despite its having been outvot-
ed during the rst round, the anti-
RH bloc paradoxically appears to
be more condent now than ever
before. It got a big boost yester-
day when Filipino Catholics all
over the country trooped to the
rst of the nine-day predawn pre-
Christmas masses called Misa
de Gallo or Simbang Gabi, and
listened to homilies from the pul-
pit and a pastoral letter from the
Catholic Bishops Conference of
the Philippines (CBCP) on the
evil of the RH bill.
Entitled Contraception is
Corruption!, the letter was
signed by Archbishop Socrates
Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan,
CBCP vice president, on behalf
of Archbishop Jose S. Palma of
Cebu, CBCP president, who is
attending an Asian bishops con-
ference abroad. It congratulated
the 104 congressmen who voted
against the bill, while 113 voted
in favor, and called upon the 64
others who failed to cast their
votes to be enlightened and
stand up for the Truth.
Continued on page A5
Aquino now the chief
corruptor of Congress
ANALYSIS
Next page
Next page
By Christine F.
Herrera and Joyce
Pangco Paares
THE controversial
Reproductive Health
bill had become a
political issue,
and that in turn had
prompted the Palace
and the ruling Liberal
Party to issue an ul-
timatum in a bid to
counter the Catholic
Vote, an ofcial said
on Sunday
News
ManilaStandardToday [email protected] DECEMBER 17, 2012 MONDAY
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Govt...
Government chief negotia-
tor Miriam Coronel Ferrer said
a four-member panel has been
formed for the purpose dur-
ing the four-day talks in Kuala
Lumpur that concluded Saturday
evening.
It was a very rigorous proc-
ess with hard and exhaustive
discussions but we are pleased
to note that the two sides have
found common language on
many of the remaining issues,
Ferrer said.
Despite convening for the first
time, the newly formed team
was able to complete the draft,
Ferrer said.
The existing technical work-
ing groups for the annexes on
power-sharing, wealth-sharing
and normalization also submit-
ted their output during the meet-
ing in Malaysia.
We will now be conferring
with our principals on all the
current drafts produced by the
TWGs and elevated to the panels
for resolution, she said.
Ferrer added that while it has
been the goal of both parties to
complete all the annexes this
year, they are cognizant of the
remaining amount of detail that
still needs to be worked out.
Flexibility has always been
our trademark in this process.
There are difficult issues, but
no issue is insurmountable,
the government chief negotiator
added.
Earlier, President Aquino said
he wants a new law creating the
Bangsamoro to be enacted by
2015.
Aquino said an interim author-
ity should already be in place by
2015, or a year before the next
national elections.
We need the organic act en-
acted into law by 2015. This will
be passed through Congress and
approved in a plebiscite and we
hope to install the new govern-
ment with a mandate after 2016
elections. There will be an in-
terim authority from 2015 to
2016, Mr. Aquino said.
The President acknowledged
that spoilers of the peace proc-
ess between the government and
the MILF will remain, but he ex-
pressed optimism that they be a
spent force by the time the Bang-
samoro is put in place.
There will be some groups
that will still want to maintain
that nefarious habits but they
will be more and more margin-
alized. They will no longer have
their support bases, he added.
Under the framework agree-
ment, the Bangsamoro will have
for its core territory the present
composition of the ARMM.
The new political entity will
also include the municipalities
of Baloi, Munai, Nunungan,
Pantar, Tagoloan and Tangkal
in the province of Lanao del
Norte and all other barangays in
the municipalities of Kabacan,
Carmen, Aleosan, Pigkawayan,
Pikit, and Midsayap that voted
for inclusion in the ARMM dur-
ing the 2001 plebiscite; and the
cities of Cotabato and Isabela.
President Aquino is expected
to issue an executive order with-
in the month to create a Transi-
tion Commission that will craft
the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
The commission will be com-
posed of eight representatives
from the MILF and seven from
the government, including a slot
for a representative from the
Moro National Liberation Front.
Former MNLF chairman
Nur Misuari earlier rejected
the framework deal, saying it
was an insult to the 1996 final
peace agreement that created the
ARMM.
But MILF chairman Murad
Ebrahim has appealed to all
Bangsamoro people to unite be-
hind the peace process.
Church...
As St. John the Baptist di-
rected the people to justice, we
call on you also to seek justice
for the Filipino people, Ville-
gas said.
The Church teaches us to
follow our conscience, the in-
ner sanctuary where we are
alone with God, but such con-
science must be formed and
informed according to the uni-
versal values that are common
to all human persons. The truth
is that to be pro-child, pro-
mother and pro-poor, we must
resist all threats against them.
Villegas said the youth were
being made to believe that sex
before marriage was accept-
able provided they knew how
to avoid pregnancy. Those cor-
rupting the minds of children
would invoke divine wrath on
themselves, he said.
With voting on the RH bill
resulting in 113 in favor and
104 against with three absten-
tions, Archdiocese of Nueva
Segovia Auxiliary Bishop Wil-
liam David Antonio said eve-
rything was not over yet. He
said their focus was on the fi-
nal voting scheduled on Mon-
day, Dec. 17.
We continue to pray for our
representatives and senators
that they be guided by the Holy
Spirit in casting their votes,
he said.
Bacolod Bishop Vicente M.
Navarra alerted the Catholic
faithful in his 69 parishes and
chaplaincies with the passage
of the controversial Reproduc-
tive Health bill on second read-
ing at the House of Representa-
tives last week.
San Fernando Auxiliary
Bishop Pablo David said
they will continue to pray
and try hard at forming the
consciences of the faithful,
including those of Catholic
legislators.
Bishop David said it was the
lawmakers job to pass relevant
laws, while it was the Catholic
Churchs duty to uphold spir-
itual and moral values such as
the sacredness of human life
from the moment of concep-
tion.
On Saturday, Villegas signed
another pastoral letter entitled
Contraception is Corruption
and released it after President
Benigno Aquino III certified
the RH bill, which he prefers
to call the Responsible Par-
enthood bill, as urgent.
As we your bishops have said
in the past, a contraceptive men-
tality is the mother of an abortion
mentality, Villegas said.
The wide and free accessi-
bility of contraceptives, even
to the youth, will result in the
destruction of family life and
in greater violence against
women. With Jonathan
Fernandez
Aquino...
The DILG chief has ordered
the reshuffling of police person-
nel in Pangasinan to determine
culpability, if any, and to guar-
antee that there will be no white-
wash in the investigation.
We are determined to pursue
this case to its logical end under
the rule of law and should serve
as a warning to syndicates and
coddlers of illegal gambling op-
erations to stop or be stopped,
he said.
Meantime, a political analyst
and former University of the
Philippines (UP) official has ex-
pressed belief that the allegation
against Espeno was politically-
motivated.
Dr. Perla Legaspi, former di-
rector of the UP Center for Lo-
cal and Regional Governance
and former vice chancellor of
UP Diliman, also questioned the
timing of the expos.
Legaspi added that its normal
that during elections negative
issues against candidates come
out.
Earlier, the Nationalist Peo-
ples Coalition (NPC) came to
the defense of Espino and ac-
cused the Aquino administration
of harassing the governor, in
anticipation of next years elec-
tions.
Former Pangasinan Rep.
Mark Cojuangco, provincial
chair of NPC, said the expos
came out after a survey that said
that the candidate of Liberal
Party (LP) will not win against
Espino.
Espino, who is seeking a
third and last term under the
NPC against LP gubernatorial
bet Alaminos City Mayor Her-
nani Braganza, was charged
with plunder by Orduna before
the Office of the Ombudsman
in Manila, claiming that the
governor allegedly accepted
P900 million in payoffs from
jueteng operators in the last
10 years.
But Cojuangco said that if Or-
duna was the one giving money
to Espino, then the mayor must
also reveal where the money
was coming from.
He also challenged Interior
Secretary Mar Roxas to look for
the source of the alleged jueteng
payola. Why single out Gover-
nor Espino as if he is the cause
of all jueteng [operations] in the
whole country? That is not right.
It smacks of harassment because
their candidate has no chance of
winning, Cojuangco stressed.
With Gigi Munoz David
Typhoon...
Esquivel said the syndicates
were transporting the victims
here and abroad and sold them in
the flesh trade or in sweatshops.
The sudden collapse of fam-
ily units on account of the stag-
gering death toll, coupled with
harsh economic deprivation due
to widespread farm losses, has
made many survivors extremely
vulnerable to traffickers, Es-
quivel warned.
They may be easily exploited
by human traffickers dangling
all sorts of deceptive offers of
quick cash and new employment
here and abroad, she said.
Orphaned children are espe-
cially threatened, Esquivel said,
adding that long before Pablos
onslaught, child traffickers were
already known to be operating in
Southern Mindanao and Caraga,
which bore the brunt of the super
typhoon.
THE death toll from Typhoon
Pablo hit the 1,000 mark on
Sunday while the damage to in-
frastructure and the agriculture
sector rose to P24.1 billion, the
National Disaster Risk Reduc-
tion and Management Council
said.
Benito Ramos, the councils
executive director, said the total
number of people killed by Pablo
international name Bophahad
risen to 1,020 with 844 people still
missing. The number of injured
people also rose, and to 2,662.
Davao registered the biggest
number of deaths at 962.
Ramos said Pablo had affected
701,224 families in 2,910 villag-
es in 271 towns and 38 cities in
32 provinces. Of those, 230,453
families were still in 60 evacua-
tion centers, he said.
The damage to infrastructure
reached P7.61 billion, to agri-
culture P16.35 billion, and to
private property P48.95 million.
The typhoon destroyed 63,040
houses.
A total of 12 bridges and four
roads are still not passable while
30 areas are experiencing power
interruptions and six areas water
service interruptions, Ramos
said.
Guy Ryder, director-general of
the International Labor Organi-
zation, arrives in Manila today,
Monday, for a two-day visit to
extend his sympathies to those
who lost their loved ones to Ty-
phoon Sendong a year ago and to
Typhoon Pablo this month.
Such natural disasters affect
lives as well as livelihoods, Ry-
der said.
The effect of losing your
loved one, your home, and your
income at the same time is unim-
aginable.
About 2.3 million workers
were estimated to have been af-
fected by super storm Pablo, the
strongest to hit Mindanao in dec-
ades, as of Dec. 14, and most of
those were women.
Urgent action is needed to
rebuild communities and liveli-
hoods, Ryder said.
Workers in vulnerable forms
of employment, farmers and in-
digenous peoples are even more
at risk...and are often forced to
accepts any kind of work just to
survive.
Ryder will hold talks with Presi-
dent Benigno Aquino III, Labor
Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, and
Asian Development Bank presi-
dent Haruhiko Kuroda.
Meanwhile, the Philippine
National Police Academy an-
nounced Sunday it would be
sending cadets to the typhoon-
hit areas in Mindanao to help in
relief operations.
The purpose of the activity
is not only to help the victims
but also to inculcate to the ca-
dets the value of sharing, giving,
generosity and community serv-
ice, academy director Clarence
Guinto said.
The PNPA Cadet Corps has
raised P530,000 for the typhoon
victims as of Dec. 10.
Outgoing National Police
chief Gen. Nicanor Bartolome
on Sunday said they had raised
P7.4 million from the canceled
Christmas parties of police units
nationwide for distribution to
Pablos victims.
Bartolome, a member of the
Philippine Military Academy
Class of 1980, will retire on
Dec. 18 or three months before
he reaches the mandatory retire-
ment age of 56. He will be re-
placed by Deputy Director Gen.
Alan Purisima.
San Juan Rep. Joseph Vic-
tor Ejercito Estrada on Sunday
cautioned the Filipino workers
abroad to be wary of fraudulent
schemes to collect donations for
the typhoon victims.
He asked the workers to do-
nate their money to credible or-
ganizations like the Philippine
Red Cross.
I hope the government could
look into these fraudulent dona-
tion schemes, Estrada said.
There are always opportun-
ists who exploit people in times
of calamity. With Florante S.
Solmerin, Francisco Tuyay and
Gigi Muoz-David
Each...
were among the dead. President
Barack Obama will meet with
families of the victims today and
speak at a memorial service, the
White House said in a statement.
The investigation at the school
may extend into this week as of-
ficials examine the events lead-
ing to the shooting and the mo-
tives behind it, Connecticut State
Police Lieutenant Paul Vance
told reporters.
Asking Why
Detectives uncovered some
very good evidence in this in-
vestigation that our investigators
will be able to use in hopefully
painting the complete picture as
to how, and more importantly,
why this occurred, Vance said.
The sole survivor of the attack,
who is being treated for injuries,
will be instrumental to under-
standing what happened, he said.
It was the worst U.S. massacre
since 33 people died in a 2007
rampage at Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University in
Blacksburg, Virginia. So far this
year, there have been at least seven
mass murderskillings of four or
more peoplethat claimed at least
65 lives in the U.S.
Just four days ago, three died
when a gunman opened fire in-
side a mall in suburban Portland,
Oregon. In August, a shooter
took six lives at a Sikh temple in
Oak Creek, Wisconsin. In July, a
masked gunman opened fire at a
midnight movie in Aurora, Colo-
rado, killing 12 and injuring 58.
Our Own
Any of these neighborhoods
could be our own, Obama said
yesterday in his weekly radio ad-
dress. Just 24 hours before, that
neighborhood was in Newtown.
About 9:30 a.m., police re-
ceived a call from the school, for
children in kindergarten through
fourth grade, after the gunman
forced his way inside, Vance
said. Lanza shot through glass to
enter the building and killed the
principal, Dawn Hochsprung,
when she confronted him, said
Maryann Jacob, an assistant li-
brarian.
Elise Beier, 10, a Sandy Hook
fourth-grader, said she could
hear gunfire and shouting over
the public address system, which
remained on through at least part
of the incident.
There are bad guys out there
now, Kaitlin Roig, a first-grade
teacher, told her students. We
have to wait for the good guys.
She told the children she loved
them, in case those were the last
words they heard, she said in an
ABC News interview.
Family Guns
Authorities found two hand-
guns inside the school, a Sig
Sauer and a Glock, along with
a civilian modification of an
M-16, U.S. Senator Richard
Blumenthal told reporters. A
fourth firearm was found in a car
in the parking lot, he said.
Authorities are tracing the
origins of the guns, said Ginger
Colbrun, a spokeswoman for
the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, To-
bacco, Firearms and Explosives,
which had more than 30 people
checking with gun ranges and
dealers for information on the
suspect.
The guns belonged to Nancy
Lanza, Adams mother, the As-
sociated Press reported. Reuters
quoted Dan Holmes, the owner
of a landscaping business recent-
ly employed by Nancy, describ-
ing her as an avid gun collector
who often went target shooting
with her children.
Her survivors were among the
grieving.
On behalf of Nancys mother
and siblings, we reach out to the
community of Newtown and ex-
press our heartfelt sorrow for the
incomprehensible and profound
loss of innocence that has affected
so many, Rockingham County
Sheriff Michael Downing told
reporters outside police headquar-
ters in Kingston, New Hampshire,
where Lanzas brother, James
Champion, is an officer.
Wide-Eyed
Nancy Lanza and her husband
were divorced in 2009, court
records show. Louise Tambascio,
70, a friend of Nancys and the
owner of My Place, a restaurant
where the suspects brother used
to work, described Adam Lanza
as intelligent, quiet and awk-
ward. He had Aspergers syn-
drome, she said. He had a per-
sonality disorder, AP reported,
citing a law-enforcement official
briefed on the investigation.
The killer, seen in a picture
published by NBC News staring
wide-eyed into a camera beneath
brown bangs, attempted to buy at
least one gun before the shoot-
ing, said a federal law- enforce-
ment official who asked for ano-
nymity because the investigation
was continuing.
RHs...
Parenthood or Reproductive
Health bill, which Mr. Aquino
has certified as urgent, to be sus-
tained on third and final reading
today.
Deputy presidential spokes-
woman Abigail Valte said the
majority of those who were ab-
sent during the vote for second
reading were supportive of the
measure.
The absentees during the last
sesion...are being counted as pro-
responsible parenthood, Valte
said.
They[the majority of the so-
called swing votes] are voting
for the measure, so hopefully the
votes will be sustained.
Meanwhile, Senate President
Juan Ponce Enrile on Sunday
said he might take the RH bill,
which he opposes, to the Su-
preme Court when he was no
longer senator.
Thats not far, its just three
years away, said Enrile whose
term ends in 2016.
Enrile on Sunday also said he
no longer considered Senator
Miriam Defensor-Santiago, in
whose wedding he was one of the
sponsors, a goddaughter as he re-
turned her Christmas gift.
Enrile had engaged Santiago
and Senator Pia Cayetano in a
heated argument over the RH
bill that the two senators sup-
port.
Gonzales said the President
was making a final push for the
RH bill because he believed it
was the legacy he could leave
the country.
The President is making a fi-
nal push and as President, he will
do his best, Gonzales said.
The biggest hindrance is the
Senate, but it is also clear that
the pro-RH [lawmakers] have
enough votes there. There is a
good chance that the RH bill will
become a law and the President
is conscious about it, Gonzales
said.
This is politics. The presi-
dential certification, aside from
procedural, is now political. The
President has issued a serious
message.
It is about time the LP con-
gressmen support the party po-
sition, which is to pass the RH
bill.
Gonzales said those who
would not toe the party line
would be disciplined and would
be facing party sanctions.
The ultimatum came after the
LP leadership identified 26 Lib-
erals as among those in the 63
swing votes that did not regis-
ter their votes or were absent in
Wednesdays second reading,
Gonzales said.
There are 26 out of 92 LP
congressmen who chose to defy
the party line. It would be unfair
to those who toed the party line
and the allies that showed sup-
port for the President if those
who went against the Presidents
policy agenda would not be pe-
nalized, Gonzales said.
Akbayan Rep. Arlene Kaka
Bag-ao said the Palace had come
up with a road map as to which
areas would be given priority
in government resources in the
2013 mid-term polls.
Mondays crucial make-or-
break voting would clearly de-
fine the road map as to which
areas would rebuff or affirm sup-
port for the President, who certi-
fied the RH bill as urgent, Bag-
ao said.
Gonzales said the 26 LP mem-
bers who remained anti-RH were
down from 32 after President
Aquino certified the RH bill as ur-
gent.
And because of the presiden-
tial certification, the LP members
who had even voted No would be
voting Yes on third reading on
Monday.
In a secular State like the
Philippines, the Church may
participate indirectly in the
process of legislation by engag-
ing in the national discourse,
but religious interference is
constitutionally prohibited,
more so the threats of reprisal
against legislators at the polls,
which may even be an election
offense, said Albay Rep. Ed-
cel Lagman, one of the princi-
pal authors of the RH bill.
He said the writing on the
wall spelling the defeat of the
anti-RH critics was verily pat-
ent, which even the blind can
perceive.
All viva voce and nominal
voting consistently and repeat-
edly trounced those opposed to
the measure, Lagman said.
Gonzales said the bishops
should not take it against the
Cabinet members who were
present in the House during
the voting on second reading.
I am sad that the bishops re-
sort to scare tactics, he said.
Both the pro and anti-RH
camps made calls and texts over
the weekend to ask the lawmak-
ers to attend the Monday session
to muster a quorum.
Anti-RH Cagayan de Oro Rep.
Rufus Rodriguez, who said he
would rather die than vote Yes
to RH, said 40 of the 63 swing
votes indicated to the anti-RH
camp that they would vote No to
the bill, presidential certification
or not.
We had 104 on the second
reading. There were 63 who were
absent. At least 40 of them sig-
nified to us before that they are
with us. We expect that we will
overcome the lead of the pro-
RH, Rodriguez said in an inter-
view over dzBB.
The battleground is the 63.
With Macon Ramos-Araneta
Donaire...
I pretty much timed him. We
knew that he was going to open up.
He was a tough guy. He actually
got me in the body. I caught him
with a good straight right hand and
that counter hook came in, said
Donaire in an interview at the end
the fight card aptly termed Demo-
lition Day by ABS-CBN, which
telecast the fight over Channel 2
and to Filipino audiences in the
Middle East and Australia via The
Filipino Channel.
Arce earlier vowed to duplicate
the feat of Marquez, but Donaire
didnt give him a chance.
Just like he did when he scored
a ninth-round stoppage last Oct.
13 over Japans Toshiaki Nishioka,
who retired after the beating, Arce
also announced his retirement.
My career is over, I am leav-
ing after the best man, said Arce,
whose promoter Fernand Beltran
told the Manila Standard that
he had mixed feelings about his
wards loss.
I am sad, but I am happy be-
cause Donaire is a tremendous
fighter and he going to be around
for a long, long time. Arce tried,
he was not running, not like the
Japanese (Toshiaki Nishioka), but
he was trying and he was not em-
barrassed. Nonito is a great cham-
pion and I wish him the best.
Donaire used his left jab and
threw an occasional right in a
feeling-out opening round.
But he quickly got into his
rhythm after that and nailed Arce
with a solid right, dropping him
one minute into the second round.
In the third round, Donaire
caught Arce with a right hand,
followed by a left uppercut and
dropped him for the second time
in the fight.
Despite being hurt, Arce clawed
back like a true warrior and even
hurt Donaire with a solid right to
the body, but the champion coun-
tered with a vicious left hook that
had proven lethal against his pre-
vious victims and such greats as
Vic Darchinyan, Fernando Mon-
tiel, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and Jef-
frey Mathebula, who broke his
jaw in two places.
The three -punch combination
that culminated with the left hook,
resulted in Arce crashing into the
ropes and lying sprawled on his
back, with referee Laurence Cole
not even bothering to count as the
Mexicans brother Francisco was
about to throw in the towel.
A lot of fans said you got to
get him because this is for the
Philippines, but I love Mexico as
well. Mexican fighters are tough
and I have the best respect for all
of them. I m hoping the Filipinos
can be proud of what Ive done
tonight, said Donaire.
While his injured left hand had
healed 90 percent following the
Nishioka fight when it was ripped
open and required nine stitches,
Donaire conceded that he was
nervous coming into this fight.
FR. RANHILIO
CALLANGAN AQUINO
PENSES
Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
[email protected] DECEMBER 17, 2012 MONDAY
A4
WEDNESDAYS marathon ses-
sion at the House of Representa-
tives resulted in the Reproductive
Health bill getting passed on
second reading by a vote of 113
in favor and 104 against.
That by no means makes the
bill a lawnot yet, that is. Most
likely today, the House would have
a third reading of the law. Voting
at the Senate will also take place
this week. If the measure still
passes both Houses of Congress,
the two versions will have to be
reconciled before the President
signs it into law.
President Benigno Aquino III
has, after more than two years of
vacillating and attempting a dia-
logue with the Catholic Church,
rmed up his position on the bill,
certifying it as urgent last week.
This naturally did not sit well
with Church leaders who, aside from
branding the bill as immoral and anti-
life, have now also made contracep-
tion synonymous with corruption in
an obvious ploy to dent Mr. Aquinos
much vaunted advocacy. The Presi-
dent, they say, is pandering both to
popular opinion and the will of the
international community.
The Catholic leaders now also
accuse those who voted in favor
of the bill as taking part in an
Aquino-led campaign funded by
taxpayers money. They also now
vow to marshall their forces to turn
the voting around to their favor so
that the bill will not reach the next
stages in the legislative process.
But the nation has heard the
reasons plausible and ridiculous
for some lawmakers opposition to
the bill. We have no quarrel with
those who vote from their beliefs.
Imposing that conviction, however,
on the rest of the country smacks of
arrogance and self-righteousness.
This especially since the country
is composed of citizens of other
faiths as well.
The next few days will be inter-
esting. They will determine wheth-
er the reasons for Wednesdays big
win at the House are rm enough
to sustain the bill into its most
crucial phase. It will also give us
a peek into our lawmakers minds
and motivesif why they voted
the way they voted was something
they decided on independently and
intelligently, or was imposed upon
them through the lure of the carrot
or the threat of the stick.
This crucial week
What an RH law
should not be
THE House of Representatives has
voted for the passage of House Bill
4244. The ball is now on the Sen-
ates side of the court and from all
indications, the measure will nd its
way into law, the vehemence of ob-
jections to it particularly from Cath-
olic clergy and lay leaders notwith-
standing. There are plans afoot, I
hear, to challenge the statute, when it
is passed, before the Supreme Court
but no matter the earnestness of its
opponents and, without a doubt, the
sincerity and honesty of their convic-
tions, I do not see any constitutional
barriers that stand in the way of the
RH measure entering into force.
Truth to tell, there is nothing dramatic
in the House version that is far different
from the prevailing regime. Condoms
are freely available at the moment, and
instruction on human reproduction and
sex is widely and readily available both
in the forms that DOH, advocacy groups
and even schools make it available
as well as in the prurient versions that
video clips gone viral through mobile
phone or full length shows on cheap,
pirated DVDs and CDs continuously
proffer. Government hospitals routine-
ly perform tubal ligations and vasecto-
mies, procedures that are more readily
available in comparison to the dismally
inadequate life-saving equipment in
many a health facility. While I have
criticized the posturing of some of
the bills opponents who were not, to
me, sufciently respectful of the rules
of public discourse in a secular state
and in a pluralistic forum, what I nd
profoundly distressing about the pres-
ent aggressive push for the passage of
the RH bill is precisely the fact of its
insignicance as a legislative measure
in relation to facts that already obtain
(and laws already in place) aside from
the fact of course of xing matters in
a statutory vehicle!
It is becoming disturbingly clear to
me that Malacanang is intent on lock-
ing horns with the Catholic Church,
something it has not shied from doing
in the past, counting once more on its
vaunted popularity. It is the same
dynamic at work when claimant na-
tions bare their fangs and indulge in
the rigmarole of saber-rattling over a
speck of rock in the middle of nowhere
that makes its appearance only at low-
tide! Of course, the playing-eld is not
even because the resources at Mala-
canangs command are enormous. The
dastardly pork barrel has lard enough
with which to grease palms and con-
sciences as well, and this is not in any
way to disparage those who support
the measure out of true conviction.
The powers of todays brokers can de-
termine fates and spell the difference
between prosperity and woeat least
for now! If this is what it is, and it is
very difcult to think otherwise, then
it is truly petty and has nothing to do
with academic debates on human sexu-
ality. It is classic bullying with all the
pettiness that makes bullies the miser-
ably annoying beings that they are.
If HB 4244 or something close to
it is passed into law, it will follow as
a matter both of law and of logic that
any incentives given by government
to couples with fewer or no children
will constitute a violation of the basic
guiding principle of freedom of choice,
this notwithstanding the provision on
the ideal family size. The measure
does not and cannot espouse a two-
children policy without contradicting
itself. Increasing taxes (which can
take the form of downscaling tax
exemptions) for families with more
than two children is denitely a pu-
nitive measure and would be in vio-
lation of the law and of fundamental
freedoms. Furthermore, if the ideal
family size is two-children, then a
couple without children is not ideal
at all! And if the bill is serious about
reproductive rights, as it purports to
be, then it must with equal prodigali-
ty support the aspirations of those who
wish to have children!
It also becomes the duty of the State
to provide for access to information and
effective assistance in the employment
of the natural family planning method.
The incompetence of health workers
who instruct on the use of the method
should not be passed on to NFP itself,
as has so many times happened. Hindi
po kasi masyadong mabisa ang NFP
really translates into Hindi naming
gabay na ituro kung papanong gamitin
ang NFP! Any barangay health facility
that has a supply of condoms, contra-
ceptive pills, spermicidal gels, etc. but
does not have available for distribution
to the public instruments for the accu-
rate measurement of basal temperature
and other aids in NFP will be clear in-
stances of the laws violation.
And while women who suffer post-
abortion complications are to be rightly
attended to and cared for, a deliberately
procured abortion is still a police mat-
ter that must be handled as such and
whoever might be criminally liable,
including the woman herself, must be
investigated, prosecuted and, if found
guilty, duly convicted. That a woman
has the right to decide about her own
body (which is not at all an uncom-
plicated proposition in moral theo-
ry!) does not entail the proposition:
Therefore, she has the right to be rid
of the fetus in her womb. That was
bad logic in Roe v. Wade; it remains
bad logic in all of those who continue
to invoke it with fervent unction! For
this you do not need a theory of en-
soulment or hominization. You need
only the Constitution that wisely rec-
ognizes that human life commences
at conception a life over which the
mother has no dominion at all!
The law-in-the-making also makes
sex and reproductive health educa-
tion mandatory starting with Grade 5.
Catholic schools, as well as schools of
religious denominations with similar
persuasions on the issue, will however
be well within their rights to teach what
their credal persuasions are. A Catholic
school cannot be compelled, without
violating both religious liberties and
academic freedom, to teach as accept-
able what the teaching ofce of the
Church teaches is unacceptable. The
students have the right to know what
an IUD is, how pills are taken, how ef-
fective a condom is, and whether or not
a vasectomy is reversible, but when the
Catholic school then discusses the co-
latilla: All these methods, the Church
holds to be malicious, it will not be
violating the law by dissuading the use
of these methods, rst, because it is not
the duty of the Church to encourage
use of such methods; second, because
the Constitution stops the heavy hand
of the State from interfering with reli-
gious belief and practice, allowing in-
terference only on the ground of com-
pelling state interest!
On the part of the Church, the prayer-
ful reection must continue, and truly
involved philosophical and theological
debate must ourish so that the response
to the summons of faith may be truly
faithful not to the traditions of an institu-
tion, really, but to Him who calls us forth
constantly into newness and fullness!
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
EDITORIAL
Bad news, good news for agriculture
FIRST, the bad news.
The latest report is that the dam-
age wrought by Typhoon Pablo on the
countrys agriculture sector has already
breached the P11 billion mark, accord-
ing to the Department of Agriculture.
The National Disaster Risk Reduc-
tion Management Council had lower
estimates of to the damage to agricul-
ture but it is still huge at P9.9 billion.
Bearing the brunt of the howlers
destructive effects were farms, crops
and livestock in Northern Mindanao.
Among those damaged were corn and
other high-value crops like bananas,
coconut and vegetables.
This is bad news for farmers, espe-
cially the small ones. The amount re-
ects substantial losses in income for
them. It may take some time before
they recover what they have lost in
terms both of money and market op-
portunities.
This is also bad news for the country
as a whole. Those billions represent lost
revenues for the government and an ero-
sion of our share of the international mar-
ket, even if this is only temporary.
This is a major cause for worry since
this sector continues to play an impor-
tant role in the national economy.
But theres also some good news.
The way it looks, there seems to be
a widespread view that the countrys
agriculture sector continues to be a
bright spot.
One important indication is the en-
try of some of the worlds biggest ag-
riculture rms and investors into the
country.
We recall that, a few years back, a
United States-based agriculture com-
pany came into the country to intro-
duce a hybrid corn variety which re-
quires less chemicals and pesticide.
This is because the variety has its own
inherent, built-in ability to resist the
major pests that prey on corn crops. Be-
cause of the natural resistance to pests,
that corn variety allows the farmer so
save much on farm inputs and spares
the quality of the soil from damage.
Just recently, more major inter-
national agriculture conglomerates
have made signicant investments in
the country. These are the Argentin-
ian rms Fimaco SA and JMG SA.
The two have formed a local company
called Siembra Directa Corp.
It appears that the Fimaco-JMG al-
liance is also bringing in modern ag-
riculture technology into the country.
Based on initial reports, this includes
the use of automated processes in farm-
ing operations, as well as in livestock
and poultry raising.
The local rm Siembra Directa has
already started a major farm project for
corn and soya in Isabela where it show-
cases the features and advantages of
the agriculture technologies developed
by its Argentinian principals. It looks
like the Argentinian technologies may
bring the same benets to farmers and
to the environment as what the Mon-
santo corn variety did.
An interesting sidelight to the en-
try of the Argentinian investors into
the country is the P1.6 billion supply
contract it signed with local agriculture
conglomerate Calata Corporation.
Siembra Directa has tapped Calata
Corp. for its farm input requirements.
The choice must have been due to the
rather extensive presence of Calata
Corp. in the Philippine countryside,
and its own inventory of technologies
and products.
From the media viewpoint, the P1.6
billion contract inked by Calata Corp.
with the Argentinian conglomerate is
both welcome and interesting. It is a
welcome piece of news because this is
an expression of condence by the for-
eign investors both on a major Filipino
company and on prospects of the local
agriculture sector.
This is interesting because the P1.6
billion supply contract was signed just
days after the SEC concluded its probe
into allegations that certain parties
may have unduly inuenced the price
of Calata Corp. shares when the rm
listed at the stock exchange early this
year. This indicates that the swift and
non-controversial manner by which the
SEC handled the issue ensured that the
listed rm was not unnecessarily nor
adversely affected by it.
Earlier, Calata Corp. also disclosed
to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE)
that its third quarter sales performance
this year almost doubled compared to
what was generated same period last
year. It was during that particular quar-
ter this year when the SEC did the probe
as requested by Calata Corp. itself.
The agriculture sector is also a ben-
eciary of the prudent and sober SEC
probe. Calata Corp., notwithstanding
what its detractors say, has emerged as
an important player in that sector.
This is good news, too. This means
that the sector which produces the food
we eat is also a beneciary of the many
positive developments in the stock
market today.
The country will continue to face
natural disasters and calamities. May-
be, the food production sector will re-
main vulnerable to these. But given the
support of local and international in-
vestors, the sector will always be able
to get back on its feet.
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO Publisher
RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN Managing Editor
CHIN WONG/ RAY S. EANO Associate Editors
JOEL P. PALACIOS News Editor
ROGELIO C. SALAZAR President & CEO
MEMBER
Philippine Press Institute
The National Association
of Philippine Newspapers PPI
can be accessed at:
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MST
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ALVIN
CAPINO
COUNTER-POINT
DECEMBER 17, 2012 MONDAY
A5 Opinion Adelle Chua, Editor
ManilaStandardToday
[email protected]
AS THE children in the typhoon-
ravaged provinces of Mindanao
struggle against malnutrition, disease
and other silent threats, children in the
United States struggle to remain safe
in their own schools from gunmen.
On Friday, a 20-year-old gunman
who rst killed his mother and stole her
guns attacked kindergarten and grade
I pupils at the Sandy Hook Elementary
School in Connecticut, killing a total
of 28 children and adults. This has
been the second
worst attack on
helpless children
while in school
in the US. The
worst was the
Virginia Tech
shooting in 2007
which left 32
people dead.
The third worst
would be the
1999 massacre
at Columbine
High School in
Colorado where
13 people died.
The pattern has almost been the
same: after committing the carnage
the gunmen would kill themselves
leaving the victims families in a
traumatic vacuum and the authorities
bewildered. Who can be made
accountable? How can the affected
families and the communities ever be
restored to their lost sense of security
and trust in humans? This is a problem
the US government and all other
governments, for that matter, must
look deeply into.
One American teacher had said
that no law can stop shooting sprees
in schools because there is no way
to predict and stop an intelligent and
determined maniac from carrying out
a meaningless massacre of people.
But one question that begs an answer
is: why cant there be a law limiting
access to and possession of guns and
rearms so that the deranged will not
as easily be able to carry out senseless
killings? Too, cannot society look
at itself hard and ask what makes a
person sick enough to commit such
an incredibly horric act as killing
young kids? After all, the massacre in
Connecticut was not an isolated case.
Shooting sprees in schools by troubled
and maniacal young men have become
a regular and periodic occurrence
in the US. Surely, sociologists and
psychologists can surmise why and
what can be done to prevent them
from happening again. Is it a problem
of parenting? Is it culturally grounded
where those who feel like outcasts
take their revenge against the most
vulnerable and innocent? Or is it an
indication of an absence of spirituality
and faith in a Higher Being which
makes life meaningless for the
attackers? Only when these questions
are answered can the problem begin to
be addressed.
Whatever sociologists may say,
there is a tried and tested antidote
against troubled young minds--a
loving family. When parents give
value to their children, nurture and
love them with no conditions attached,
they learn to care and love, in turn.
* * *
Silent threats hound children in
typhoon-ravaged Compostela Valley,
Davao Oriental and Agusan del Sur.
Threats of severe malnutrition
and human trafcking, especially of
children, have surfaced as the extent
of devastation caused by Typhoon
Pablo (Bopha) fully reveals itself.
International agencies working for
the protection of children, namely:
Plan International, Save the Children
and UNICEF have raised concerns on
these two key issues because of the
number of children affected by the
disaster.
Of the 700,000 people affected
in these three worst-hit provinces,
an estimated
294,000 are
c h i l d r e n .
B e c a u s e
c h i l d r e n ,
e s p e c i a l l y
those under
ve, are highly
vulnerable, all
g o v e r n m e n t
agencies, local
representatives
a n d
h u ma n i t a r i a n
partners must be
highly attentive
to their particular
needs. Already, according to UNICEF,
many children have displayed signs of
profound stress and confusion. Some
of them have lost one or several loved
ones while others may have lost their
entire families. While there are those
who may not have lost loved ones, the
total destruction of their homes and
village must have resulted in their
profound shock. For a child to have
a healthy development, he must have
familiarity, routine and security.
Humanitarian agencies led by the
Department of Social Welfare and
Development have begun the difcult
process of registering children and
making temporary care arrangements
for them. What is critical at this stage
is ensuring that in the midst of chaos
and confusion, the vulnerable children
do not fall into the hands of human
trafckers for labor.
One other silent but real threat to
the children in these typhoon-hit areas
is malnutrition. Before the current
emergency, baseline nutritional status
among children in these areas revealed
a high percentage of under-nutrition.
In Davao Oriental, for instance, rates
of wasting or acute malnutrition
prior to the emergency were already
at 9.3 per cent; close to the 10 per
cent emergency level of intervention.
These low baseline levels mean that
it wont take much for children to
become severely malnourished, given
their present environment of poor
water and sanitation, as well as lack
of food. What is frightening is that all
these seriously-affected areas have no
existing capacity for the appropriate
management of acute malnutrition.
Although UNICEF is giving aid
to arrest malnutrition, so much more
is needed. Through this column, the
hungry children of the typhoon-ravaged
provinces appeal for help. Donations
may be sent through: http://www.unicef.
ph or by calling 632-7581000.
E-mail: [email protected]
Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph
The vulnerability
of children
ANALYSIS
There is one
antidote to a
troubled minda
loving family.
ONE iconic photo that captured Pablos
wrath was the Hiroshima-like landscape
of coconut trees with their tops looking
like upturned umbrellas and only their
ribs remaining.
To those familiar with rural livelihood,
the image of shorn coconut trees was the
one that sent fears. Destroyed roads
mean travel hassles. Destroyed coconut
trees equal hunger.
This is because while roads can
be repaved at a tempo ordered by
man, coconuts heal at a pace dictated by
nature. And that usually takes years.
If Pablo was a giant sickle that cut
down everything on its path, then it
couldnt have chosen a better place to
do its mowing.
Davao Oriental , Surigao Sur and
Compostela Valley are cocolandia.
There, people still wake up to the
rhythmic pounding of the wooden
paddle that tuba gatherers use.
But long before Pablo sickled
a wide swath of destruction
through coconut-growing towns, people
were already reeling from the pain of
low copra prices.
Mill gate prices of copra were
hovering between 13 to 16 pesos per
kilo when Pablo struck, which is a third
of the 39 to 42 pesos that a kilo of dried
coconut meat fetched in December last
year.
The bungee jump-like plunge of copra
prices actually started in summer this
year. But the effects were immediately
felt.
There is anecdotal evidence that
college enrollment dipped when copra
prices dropped. Beer sales, which is
a bellwether of economic conditions,
were also down.
Coconut farmers I talked to said
they have stopped harvesting nuts and
just let gravity do the thing because the
labor cost of deploying climbers,
cracking the nuts open, prying the
meat out and drying them by smoke or
sunlight can never be recouped by the
market price.
I dont know if the only good effect
that Pablo would cause is that it would
nudge prices up. Still, even in the remote
chance that it would, coconut farmers in
these provincesin a twist of painful
ironywould have no coconuts to
harvest.
The fact is our coconut farms were in
distress before Pablo barreled through.
Low prices, competition from palm oil
and other crops, and aging trees were the
1-2-3 punch which hurled the industry
on the ropes.
On the ropes, but not on the oor. I
see no knockdown in the future. True,
many epithets have been written for the
ailing sector, and sunset industry is
just one of them. Thankfully, there
are developments that should lead the
doomsayers to keep their requiems to
themselves.
First, healthy coco water is being
touted as the soda of the future. Sales
of what we call buko juice in the United
States and Europe rocketed to $265
million last year.
In fact, two US companies, Pepsi
Co. and Vita Coco, committed fresh
investments in the countrys coconut
industry to help quench the global
demand for coco water.
It is not only sales of coco water that is
perking up. Other parts of the tree of life
are in demand too. A recent Time report
says that coconut oil, once demonized
for its high saturated-fat content, has
been rehabilitated by research extolling
its health benets.
This image makeover of a once
slandered nut has triggered demand
that ranges from virgin coconut oil
that can sub for butter to vegan baking
products to coconut-based cosmetics.
Leaf through Vogue pages and that sheen
on a models puckered lip could be coco
lard.
And theres the demand for
biodiesel which makes our coconut trees
our oil drilling rigs.
But for us to tap on a world going
loco on the coco, then we must start
using our coconut.
We can start by using the P56.5
billion proceeds from the coco levy
that San Miguel Corp. had remitted to
the Treasury last October for ways of
helping the coconut industry, starting
with the farmer.
If this government has gone into
retail spending through the Conditional
Cash Transfer program, I cant see
why it should have qualms in directly
handing out dividends to qualied
coconut farmers.
I think this should be the rst step
as a matter of justice. The rst
batch of beneciaries can be small but
such symbolic gesture will send off the
process on the right path.
I understand the bias of government
for macro spending such as coconut
replanting programs as there is no
need to exhume lost receipts of levy
contributors.
But what cant also be denied is that it
is coconut farmernot the coconut tree
that needs urgent rehabilitation. If
some stimulus package is being
prepared, then it must be as much for the
individual as it is for the tree.
If a storm-hit coconut farmer has
not eaten for days, then help shouldnt
come in seedlings that will bear fruit a
decade from now, but in food that can be
consumed today.
The way to help a starving coconut
farmer is not to let him watch him a
Powerpoint presentation on how to plant
a coconut tree, but to rst feed him.
When he is back on his feet, teach him
how to plant a coconut tree, and give
him the seedlings to do it.
Using our coconut
Continued from page 1
Do not be swayed by worldly
pressures, the letter said to the 64, say
no to contraception, which is corruption,
and be faithful to the Christ Child who
was pro-woman, pro-child and pro-poor.
Be the champion of the people who voted
for you.
Reiterating a powerful statement
he rst made during a prolife and pro-
family rally at EDSA not too long ago,
the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan
said, contraception corrupts the soul.
The RH bill is being gift-wrapped to
look like a gift for maternal health care,
he said. But if enacted into law, it will
put the moral ber of the nation at risk,
and lead to the destruction of family life
and greater violence against women, he
added.
The RH bill will not improve the
lives of the poor, contrary to its claim,
the Archbishop said. The poor can
rise from their misery through more
accessible education, better hospitals and
lesser government corruption. Money
for contraceptives can be better used for
education and authentic health care, he
argued.
Aquino has already paid a high
price for his effort to divide an already
divided nation through the bill. But it
could go higher still. After subjecting
the congressmen to the same pressure
he had used in impeaching then-Chief
Justice Renato Corona, whom the Senate
subsequently convicted, and dangling
before them hundreds of millions of
pesos in projects in exchange for their
votes, all he got was a measly nine-point
margin when the congressmen voted.
No wonder Aquino appears sorely
disappointed. He had sent four of his
Cabinet members to the House to
monitor the proceedings and make sure
the promised votes were delivered. But
apparently the most they could do was to
convince some who could not support the
measure not to vote anymore so as not to
embarrass the President.
These included one high-prole
congressman who, at one point, was
being touted as the leader of the anti-
RH bloc. He participated in the period
of amendments but ultimately left the
session hall before the voting started.
Had the absentees decided to vote, the
pro-RH side might have lost, and Aquino
roundly humiliated before his foreign
patrons, who had openly pushed for the
vote.
The exact price Aquino will have to
pay is not easy to calculate. In using
the vast powers of his ofce and the
humungous pork barrel under his control
to buy the congressmens votes, the self-
proclaimed nemesis of corruption has
become the chief corruptor of Congress,
the principal promoter of graft---and a
deeper and more virulent institutionalized
form of graft and corruption at that.
In the process, Aquino has revealed
the utter vacuity and bogus character
of his Kung walang corrupt, walang
mahirap (The poor would not exist if
the corrupt did not)and his so-called
Daang Matuwid (The straight and
narrow path). He has exposed these as a
fraud.
One question asks itself: If Aquino is
convinced that the RH bill is good for
the nation, not just for the population
controllers and the condoms and
contraceptives manufacturers, why did
he have to use the taxpayers money
to buy anyones votes? Why did he
require his own ruling Liberal Party,
at the prompting of Local Government
Secretary Mar Roxas and Senator
Franklin Drilon, to impose the pro-RH
position as the ofcial party line, instead
of allowing party members to vote on the
issue according to their conscience?
What exactly is the payoff from
the foreign population controllers,
who staged a big family planning
summit in Manila, to announce to
the whole world that they had him and
the countrys corporate establishment
inside their pocket? How does Aquino
intend to survive as president of an
independent republic after he has been
proclaimed, without any objection on his
part, as an unabashed and undisguised
foreign puppet?
What exactly does Aquino expect
to gain by trampling upon the moral
convictions and religious beliefs of the
Catholic majority, and in the process
dividing the country and creating an
unwanted institutional opposition to his
presidency? Until now, he had been able
to congratulate himself for achievements
he had absolutely nothing to do with,
including the countrys economic
performance, which has been the work
of 12 million overseas Filipinos, and still
part of the momentum of an economic
program that ironically belongs to
the scandal-ridden but economically
defensible Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
presidency?
In an effort to press what he obviously
perceives to be a tactical advantage,
Aquino has certied the RH bill as
urgent so that it could be voted on third
reading before the anti-RH group could
consolidate its ranks. At the same time,
he has redoubled his personal efforts and
those of his political agents to persuade
those who had voted against the bill to
change their position, in exchange for the
infamous political pork.
But these efforts could still be
frustrated. Led by Congressman Rufus
Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro, the bloc
has questioned the constitutionality of the
bills certication, and the law appears to
be on its side. Under the Constitution,
the President may certify the necessity of
a bills immediate enactment to meet a
public calamity or emergency, without
having to require the distribution of its
printed copies to members of the House
that passed it three days before it is voted
upon.
But just exactly what public calamity
or emergency does Aquino seek to
address, is not clear to anyone. The only
calamity known to the nation is the recent
typhoon Pablo, which inicted extensive
death and destruction upon the country,
especially in Compostela Valley in
Mindanao. But the RH bill has nothing
to do with it.
Obviously the intention is to prevent
the anti-RH bloc from gaining time to
solidify its ranks, especially with the poor
packing all the churches to overowing
during the nine-day simbang gabi.
At press time, it was being claimed
that printed copies of the bill had been
distributed on Friday to enable a third
reading today (Monday). If this is
true, what then was the reason for the
certication on Friday?
The CBCP pastoral letter makes no
adverse or negative reference to those
who voted for the RH bill. But this is
no guarantee that priests, nuns, laymen
and lay women will not use the Advent
season to campaign against the pro-RH
politicians ahead of the campaign season.
Their names have been published, c
and many Catholic laymen and women
are eager to demonstrate that, contrary
to everything that has been said about
the absence of a Catholic vote, there is
indeed a Catholic vote, which could be
activated whenever necessary.
An early parish-based campaign
against pro-RH candidates should also
help inform the public on the issue in a
way they have not been informed until
now. Most of the 217 congressmen tried
to explain their votes last week. But none
of the pros said anything to persuade
anyone that the bill was either necessary
or constitutional.
None of them was bold enough to
speak of overpopulation as they used
to do in the past. They obviously have
those heard that the worlds real crisis
is the depopulation or demographic
winter, which has already engulfed a
number of countries in all severity.
No one also spoke anymore of people
as the cause of poverty as they used to
do in the past. They obviously have heard
of human capital, and realized that in an
election year they could not be asking
for votes from people if they considered
them the enemy of a sustainable
environment.
But some of them still spoke of
maternal deaths as the reason why there
must be an RH law. They spoke of
women dying while pregnant or during
childbirth, without talking of the far
greater numbers of women dying of
cancer, heart and respiratory diseases,
diabetes, tuberculosis, and other killer
diseases without any state support.
Despite Congressman Rodolfo
Biazons fanciful claim of an unveried
demand from an overwhelming majority
of the women he met for an RH law,
no one dared to refute or offer a story
different from that of Congressman
Antonio Alvarez of Palawan who said
that in his 27 years of uninterrupted
service as an elective public ofcial,
he had received all sorts of requests for
help for every conceivable need from
his constituents, but not once had he
ever received a request for condoms or
contraceptives.
Nor was there any attempt on the
side of the pros to respond to be points
made by several congressman but
probably best articulated by Pangasinans
Congresswoman Gina de Venecia,
who said the RH bill was nothing but a
population control bill masquerading as a
reproductive health measure. Has not the
bill overstepped its bounds in choosing
to interfere in the family life of citizens?
De Venecia asked. Is it appropriate for
the state to prescribe the size of family
one must have? Is it tting for the state
to mandate when our children should be
taught sex education and by whom?
Nor was there any attempt by the pro-
RH side to show that Cebus youthful
Rachel Marguerite (Cutie) del Mar
was simply imagining things when she
said the bill disrespects basic religious
belief and treats it as if it were separate
or could be separatedfrom the daily
life of a Catholic believer who must
live his faith, as if faith in God could
be easily explained away in economic
and demographic terms, and Catholic
citizenry would just meekly submit.
With clarity and vigor Del Mar
expressed the position of many when she
pointed out that the bill wrongly assumes
that Filipinos are a people of shallow
faith and feeble conviction, who with
the passage of time would embrace a bad
law, as if such a law eventually would
become good, as if religious belief and
resistance to the law would crumble in
the face of repressive legal sanctions.
The only acceptable response to that
would be to demonstrate by superior
reasoning and facts that the objection is
ill-founded and wrong. But Aquinos
response is to throw the awesome powers
of the presidency and its mighty pork at
the issue and try to manufacture a cash-
oriented majority to support a perverted
view of law and reality.
[email protected]@gmail.com
Aquino now the chief corruptor of Congress
RITA LINDA
V. JIMENO
OUT OF THE BOX
PASTOR APOLLO
QUIBOLOY
PLUMBLINE
Enjoy Christmas, govt tells rebels
New jobs for
nurses opened
New battleground for casino moguls
Mayor shot dead by hired
assassins in Pangasinan
News
ManilaStandardToday
A6
By Gigi Muoz-David
AMERICAN health insurance companies con-
sidered it cost-effective to offshore their clini-
cal services, creating a new demand in the Phil-
ippines for US-licensed Filipino nurses, House
Deputy Majority Leader Roman Romulo said
on Sunday.
Romulo, a ky congressional backer of the
thriving business process outsourcing industry,
said the pay is not be as good as nurses working
in the US, but higher than the average call center
employee.
There is a new demand here for Filipino
nurses with active US licences. The demand is
being created by US health insurers that have
increasingly found it more cost-efftive to offf-
shore their clinical services here, he said.
The clinical services include pre-servicing in
which a nurse helps evaluate the patients needs
and ascertain treatment, and review of patients
post-discharge care requirements.
To get a US licence, Filipino nurser must pass
the NCLEX or the National Council Licensure
Examination, which is administered by the US
National Council of State Boards of Nursing. In
the Philippines, the test has been administered
since 2007 by the Pearson Professional Center
in Makati City.
Romulo urged nurses to take the test so they
can obtain a US licence and seek employment at
the back ofces here of US health insurers.
He said at least three companiesRadiant
Services, Exelservice Holdings, and United
Health Grouphave been employing Filipino
nurses with US licences.
Military spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo
Burgos Jr said military operations against the
rebels were suspended, but security patrols
would be maintained to protect communities,
government establishments, military camps
and other vital structures.
The very purpose of enforcement of suspen-
sion of military operations is for them to have
the opportunity to spend the Christmas season
with their families. Go down and be with your
family this Yuletide season, Burgos said.
The Communist Party is yet to reciprocate
to the unilateral truce declared by the military.
But the National Democratic Front (NDF) in
Mindanao ordered the New Peoples Army
(NPA) to stop attacks on government troops
engaged in relief and rescue operations in ar-
eas hit by the recent typhoon.
NDF Mindanao declared a truce from
December 5 until January 2 next year. The
truce was essential as peace talks between
the NDF and government were stalled since
February 2011 because of disagreements
over procedural issues.
Burgos said the suspension of military op-
erations was a traditional practice during the
Christmas holidays but the security details
were normal functions of the armed forces.
These are what the Armed Forces do like
security patrols within the necessary protective
radius, which is aimed to protect communities,
government establishments, investment and
economic facilities, vital structures such as mil-
itary camps and detachments, Burgos said.
Recently, the government signed a Framework
Agreement that ended the decades-old Muslim
rebellion in Mindanao, which raised hopes that
the Aquino Administration might also pursue a
new peace agreement of the Communists.
By Florante Solmerin
THE military called on Communist
rebels on Sunday to go down from
the hills and spend the Christmas
holidays with their families during the
18-day truce declared by the govern-
ment from December 16 to January 2
next year.
By Rey Requejo
THE Philippines will become a new legal battleground
between two casino moguls and billionaire septuage-
narians after a libel suit was led by a local subsidiary
of Japanese Kazuo Okada against his Las Vegas-based
former business partner Stephen Wynn, Justice Secretary
Leila de Lima said on Sunday.
She said the Department of Justice (DOJ) would in-
vestigate and prosecute but the case would depend on
their evaluation of facts and evidence and determination
of probable cause.
DOJs mandate is to investigate and prosecute
crimes committed within the Philippine territory or any
and all violations of Philippine penal laws. So, if a prop-
er complainst is led before us, its our ministerial duty
to accept, De Lima said.
Okadas Tiger Resort, which is building a casino at
Paranaques sea-front Entertainment City, has led libel
charges against Wynn at the Paranaque Prosecutors Of-
ce. The complaint said Wynn harmed the character and
business interest of Okada in a press released issued in
the Wynn Resort website last February 19.
The complaint claimed Internet libel may be prose-
cuted in the Philippines under existing laws. Okada and
Wynn, who are both in their 70s, were former partners
whose partnership became sour.
De Lima said she could preempt the results of the pre-
liminary investigation and declined to comment when
asked if she would immediately act on the case.
I dont know what case exactly will be led. As to
whether a particular case will prosper, it will depend on
our evaluation of the facts and evidence needed for de-
termination of probable cause,
Cultural show.
Janine Tugonon,
Miss Philippines
2012, performed
at the 2012 Miss
Universe National
Costume Show last
Friday in Las Vegas,
Nevada. She and 89
other contestants
will compete for
the Diamond Nexus
Crown in December
19. AP
Wheres the street? Christmas shoppers and hawkers crowd the streets in Divisoria, the center cheap goods mostly from China, as part of the holiday scene.
SONNY ESPIRITU
Gift of knowledge. House Assistant Minority Leader and Leyte (1st Dist) Rep. Ferdinand Martin FM Romualdez
and Rebecca Fuellos of Childrens International Philippines turn over to school principal Josina Tanciongco (center)
2,121 textbooks for students of San Jose National High School in Tacloban City. Romualdez aims to provide a book to
every studuent in public schools in the rst district of Leyte. VER NOVENO
By Dexter See
SUSPECTED hired assassins shot dead a
three-term municipal mayor of Infanta, Pan-
gasinan during the weekend while he was
addressing a group of anti-mining protestors
in front of his house, police said on Sunday.
Ruperto Martinez, 59, died in the hospi-
tal in Sta. Cruz, Zambales while undergoing
treatment for multiple wounds on the head,
neck and chest, according to police Sr. Supt.
Mariano Luis Verzosa.
Our investigators are now in full force in
ascertaining the real motive behind the mur-
der, Verzosa said.
Witnesses said the mayor was talking
to protesters last Saturday afternoon when
two men riding tandem on a motorcycle ar-
rived. The gunman got off, pulled out a gun
from his waist and red at the mayor at close
range.
The mayor, a member of the Nationalist
Peoples Coalition, has led a certicate of
candidacy for vice-mayor. He was reported
to have rejected offers of security from the
police, claiming he has no enemies.
Verzosa said responding policemen re-
covered spent .45 shells from the scene of
the crime and investigators have started in-
terviewing witnesses.
He appealed on local ofcials and resi-
dents of the town to remain calm and help
police identify the suspects and possible
mastermind behind the murder.
Bus segregation starts
Seeding pocket
farms, plantations
More vacationers eyed
as mercury drops
News
ManilaStandardToday
A7
Manila
Standard
TODAY
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
Regional Offce No. IV-A
EDSA, Quezon City
(MST-Dec. 17, 2012)
Invitation to Bid
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Regional Offce No. IV-A,
through the FY 2012 RA 10155 Regular 2012 Current intends to apply the sum stated
hereunder to payments under the contract for the aforementioned projects ;
1. Contract ID : 12-DO-0051
Contract Name : Construction/Upgrading of Rizal Bdry. Famy-
Quezon Bdry. Rd. linking the Marikina-Infanta
Road via Sta. Maria, Laguna,
K0004+312.63 - K0013+545.80
Net Length = 9,233.17 L.M.
Contract Location : Rizal Province
Scope of Work : Concreting, asphalting & other related items of
work
Approved Budget for the Contract: P97,000,000.00
Contract Duration : 150 calendar days
Cost of Bidding Documents : P50,000.00
Contract Name : Asphalt Overlay of Cavite-Batangas Road
K0018+983.00 - K0019+232.10
K0019+550.40 k0021+380.00
Net Length = 2,078.70 L.M,
Contract Location : Cavite Province
Scope of Work : Road asphalting & other related items of work
Approved Budget for the Contract: P97,000,000,00
Contract Name : Concreting of A laminos-Lipa Road
Net Length 5,001.04 L.M.
Contract Location : Laguna Province
Scope of Work : Road Concreting, subbase & base course,
Drainage, pavement markings & other related
items of work
Approved Budget for the Contract: P93,044,340.00
Contract Name : Construction of Panda Bridge &
Approaches
Length : 80.00 L.M.M
Mauban-Tignoan Road
Contract Location : Real Quezon
Scope of Work : Construction of 3-span PSC bridge on bored piles
& other related items of work
Approved Budget for the Contract: P 77,600,000.00
Cost of Bidding Documents : P50, 000.00
Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)I Regional Offce No. IV-A
now invites bids for the above stated projects. Bidders must have an experience of having
completed at least One (1) contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder
is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.
Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-
discretionary pass/fail criterion as specifed in the Implementing Rules and Regulations
(lRR) of Republic Act 9184 {R.A. 9184}; otherwise known as the Government Procurement
Reform Act.
Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations
with at least seventy fve percent (75%) interest or outstanding capita! stock belonging to
citizens of the Philippines.
Interested bidders may obtain further information from DPWH Regional Offce No. IV-A,
BAC Secretariat Offce EDSA, Quezon City, and inspect the Bidding Documents at the
address given below from 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M .
Interested bidders are also required to present the originals of their Contractors Registration
Certifcate to the DPWH, Region IV-A BAC for authentication. Submission of Letter of Intent
is from December 17, 2012 - January 3, 2013.
A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the
address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents stated
above.
It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government
Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the DPWH, if avallable,
provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not Iater than the
submission of their bids.
The DPWH, Regional Offce No. IV-A will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on December 26,
2012 at 2:00 P.M. in the OPWH Region IV-A Conference Room, which shall be open to all
interested parties.
Bids must be delivered to the address below on January 8, 2013 on or before 2:00, P.M.
All bids must be accompanied by a bid security iri any of the acceptable forms and in the
amount stated in ITS Clause 18.
Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders representative who choose to attend at
the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.
The DPWH 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 thereby incurring any liability to
the affected bidder or bidders.
DPWH Region IV-A likewise assumes no obligation whatsoever to compensate or indemnify
any bidder or winning bidders, as the case may be, for any expenses 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.
For further information, please refer to:
ARD ROBERTO R. BERNARDO
BAC Chairman
Attention:
Head, BAC secretariat
DPWH, Region IV-A
EDSA, Quezon City
Tel. No. 4810-277
Approved by:
(Sgd.) ELVIN I. CARINGAL
OIC-Asst., Regional Director
Vice-Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee
Noted by:
(Sgd.) HUILLIO B. BELLEZA, MNSA, CESO III
Regional Director
Department of Public Works and Highways
REGION XII
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER
Cotabato City Sub-District Engineering Offce
008 Ramon H. Rabago Sr. St., Cotabato City
Telefax No.(064) 421-2206
I NVI TATI ON TO BI D

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of Cotabato City Sub-
District Engineering Offce (CCSDEO), 008 Ramon Rabago Sr. Street, Cotabato City,
through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors to apply to bid for
the following contract(s):
1. Contract ID: 12-MA-0098
Name of Project: Concreting of Farm-to-Market Road at Brgy. Benolen
Location: Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao
Brief Description: Concreting of 5.0mW Gravel Road
Major items of Work: Items 104, 200, 105 & 311
Approved Budget for
the Contract (ABC): P 9,700,000.00
Contract Duration (CD): 50 cal. Days
Cost of Bid Documents: P 10,000.00
Name of Project: Concreting of Farm-to Market Road at MILF Main Camp, Brgy.
Darapanan
Location: Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao
Approved Budget for the
Contract (ABC): P 9,700,000.00
Name of Project: Opening of Road at Upper Hot Spring FMR, Brgy. Benolen
Location: Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao
Brief Description: Const./6.0mW Road Opening
Major items of Work: Items 102, 104, 200, 103(6), 103(3) & 500
Approved Budget for the
Contract (ABC): P 5,820,000.00
Name of Project: Concreting of Farm-to Market Road at Brgy. Nituan
Location: Parang, Maguindanao
Approved Budget for
the Contract (ABC): P 5,000,000.00
Procurement will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures in
accordance with R.A. 9184 and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations.
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 (NFCC) 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 Offce before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH
POCW-Central Offce will only process contractors applications for registration with
complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certifcate of Registration (CRC).
Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The signifcant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:
1. Deadline of Receipt of LOI from
Prospective Bidders
December 27, 2012 at 10:00 A.M.
2. Issuance of Bidding Documents December 10-27, 2012 at 10:00AM
3. Pre-Bid Conference December 17, 2012 at 10:00 A.M.
4. Receipt of Bids December 27, 2012 at 1:00 P.M.
5. Opening of Bids December 27, 2012 at 2:00 PM
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at the Department
of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of Cotabato City Sub-District Engineering
Offce (CCSDEO), 008 Ramon Rabago Sr. Street, Cotabato City, upon payment of a
non-refundable fee of (As Stated Above). Prospective bidders may also download the
BDs from the DPWH web site, 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. 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 specifed in
the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The frst
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-qualifcation.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of Cotabato City Sub-
District Engineering Offce (CCSDEO), 008 Ramon Rabago Sr. Street, Cotabato City
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.

Approved by:
(Sgd.) EBRAHIM M. LANGEBAN
(BAC-Chairman)
(MST-DEC. 17, 2012)
Noemi Recio, Trafc Engineering
Center director, during the agencys
weekly radio program over dzBB, said
destinations and routes will be easily
identied.
Bus lane A is painted red and devot-
ed to 40 percent of the buses on Edsa,
while B is blue and for the other 40 per-
cent, she said. Lane C is half-red and
half-blue with 20 percent of the total city
buses to pick up passengers there. Re-
cio said segregation is designed to ease
Edsas yellow lane by 40 percent.
On the present yellow plan, Buses A
and B are separated at the loading bays.
She said operators welcomed the
By Cecille Garcia
MASINLOC, Zambales-Author-
ities seized a Korean-registered
ship and two barges at the Port of
Mansinloc for allegedly being used
in illegal mining.
A joint team of the Customs In-
telligence and Investigation Service
and Maritime police impounded MV
Shenyang-2 along with B/G Shin-
yang 7001 and B/G Shinyang 7002
and arrested the crew of six Filipi-
nos, three Korean nationals and the
ship captain, also Korean, but their
identities were withheld.
Their passports and Seamans
Book were taken for verifaction at
the Bureau of Immigration.
CIIS chief Richard Rebong said
the Warrant of Seizure and Detention
was served for violation of Customs
laws and lack of ship documents on
information from Maritime Industry
Authority Ofce-In-Charge Nicasio
Conti.
CIIS-Subic chief Jose Du said
the vessels arrived in May allegedly
without paying tariff and duties to
transport high-grade chromite, nick-
el and black sand.
A report from Chief Harbor Pi-
lot Capt. Reynaldo Rodolfo, of the
Masinloc-Sta. Cruz-Sual Harbor Pi-
lotage District, showed that the ves-
sels were chartered by Benguet
Nickel Mines.
CIIS-Subic assistant chief for
operations Reynaldo Gregorio said
a follow-up last Friday led to the
ofce of NeoOcean, a Korean rm
inside Subic Bay Freeport, indicated
as representative for the vessels.
SAN RAFAEL, Bulacan-
Thirty awardees at East-West
Seeds pearl year rites proved
that raising vegetables is a
high-value enterprise for Filipi-
nos farmers.
The awarding capped a
4-month search for planters
nationwide who have shown
innovativeness in adopting
improved technologies, con-
tributed to their communitys
growth, and boosted consumer
welfare through varied crops.
In marking three decades,
Dr. Mary Ann Sayoc, general
manager, joined ofcials in
launching the East-West Seed
Foundation and the rms new
building.
We could not think of a
more meaningful way to cele-
brate our 30th anniversary than
to pay tribute to the success of
Filipino vegetable farmers,
she said. Its time we recog-
nize their entrepreneurial spir-
it and hard work, which have
uplifted farming communities
and provided better lives for
their families.
Hailed as farmer-heroes
were Onofre Tudayan, Jose
Madriaga, Ernesto Pascual,
Gabby Retuva, Heherson Pagu-
layan, William Banay, Warlito
Dacumos, Ricardo Ronquillo,
Reynaldo Hilario, Maria Con-
cepcion Arcego, Danilo Ma-
teo, Cresencia Tuiza, Isidro
Dellova, Nestor Kalaw, Joselito
Tibayan, Marlon Medes, Bar-
tolome de Mateo, Noel Zabala,
Efren Saniel Germilito Atwil
Sr., Lyndon Presillas, Roy de
Asis, Edwin Sabanpan, Virgie
Llido, Bonifacio Montilla, Vi-
cente Gualberto, Jose Lorenzo,
Victoria Motril, Jaime Angeles
Tecson and Rolando Trinidad.
Since East-West Seed was
established, the mission of em-
powering farmers by equipping
them with the right tools: good
seeds and greater knowledge,
was an inseparable part of our
business culture. Our founder
Simon Groot said much of our
work can be described as mis-
sionary, said Sayoc.
We want to build on our
role as the farmers champion,
to become a builder of com-
munities. LAE
By Dexter A. See
BAGUIO CITYAs the mercury drops, holiday vacationers here
nd the chance to enjoy sitting by the replace and relive tradi-
tional Christmases past.
Dr. Salvador Olinares, senior weather specialist, said monitor-
ing by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomi-
cal Services Administration here showed 12.5 degrees Celsius on
Thursday, 0.3 degrees lower than the previous day.
The active northeast monsoon coupled with the enhanced cold
front and frontal system is causing a signicant drop in the citys
temperature which could extend up to early next year, he told
Manila Standard.
Olinares said readings at 13.4 degrees Monday last week, and
13.0 on Tuesday were below the 15 to 16 range in the cold spell
from November to March due to Siberian winds sweeping toward
the equator.
The city posted 6.3 degrees on Jan. 18, 1961, the lowest on
record.
Dr. Florence Reyes, city health ofcer, layered garment is
needed outdoors.
People, especially our visitors, must wear their thick clothes
to protect them from contracting diseases and make sure that they
will enjoy the numerous celebrations for the Yuletide season, she
said.
Reyes also warned against binge eating which could loosen
the waistline and lengthen the list of next years resolutions.
Twin citations. Yasubei Japanese Resto-Bar and Pearl Marina Beauty Spa represented by noted
entreprenuer and civic leader Rose Santiago (left) were recently conferred the 2012 Consumers Choice
and Asia Pacic Excellence Award during the Whos Who in the Philippines Awards at the AFP Theater
in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Presenting the award are former First Lady and Rep. Imelda Marcos
and German Moreno. Visit <www. pearlmarinaspa.com> or <www.yasubei.com> on franchise query.
Cargo ship
impounded
By Brenda Gaudia
SAN ISIDROFormer assis-
tant legal prosecutor of Isabe-
la, Lucky Damasen, also vice
mayor, is running for mayor
under the Liberal Party.
I am presenting my service
because I felt the need for bet-
ter roads, livelihood to farm-
ers, more support to education
and the improvement of our
municipal hall, he told Ma-
nila Standard.
Damasen, 46, spent more
than 20 years as a trial defense
lawyer after graduating from
the San Beda College of Law
with Justice Antonio among
his mentors. Among his class-
mates in the senior year was
Governor Aurelio Umali of
Nueva Ecija.
As vice mayor, Damasen
led the council in passing the
gender sensitivity measure
giving women equal oppor-
tunity in employment and
a child-friendly ordinance
which San Isidro was the first
to implement at the munici-
pal level.
My town needs a leader
who has a vision to upgrade
the level of services, he said,
adding that his line-up in-
cluded Froilan Tumamao as
vice mayor along with Ligaya
Alonzo, Roberto Ulep, Domi-
nador Mateo, Jennifer Dolo-
res, Jesus Guingab and Elpidio
Lomboy for councilors.
Former Isabela scal
joins town race
By Rio N. Araja

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Author-
ity rolls out today its bus segregation policy on
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue to guide both driv-
ers and riders even as various groups backed the
agencys truck ban.
scheme during dialogues with Chairman
Francis Tolentino.
Recio said the drive is meant to guide
commuters where to await their specic
ride.
On Edsa northbound, A buses can
only stop at Magallanes, Buendia, Gua-
dalupe, Shaw, Santolan, Farmers, Cubao,
Ermin Garcia Cubao, North Avenue,
Royal Balintawak and MCU Caloocan.
B buses only stop at Taft, Ayala, Es-
trella, Pioneer, Ortigas Ave., Main Av-
enue, Baliwag-New York St. Cubao,
Quezon Avenue, Congressional Avenue,
Oliveros Drive and Balintawak.
Southbound, A buses stop at Oli-
veros Drive, Balintawak, Roosevelt Av-
enue, Munoz, Arayat-Pinatubo Cubao,
Shaw Boulevard, Guadalupe, Buendia
Avenue, and Magallanes.
B buses stop at Monumento-Ca-
loocan, Kaingin Road-Balintawak, West
Avenue, Ortigas Avenue, Boni Avenue,
Estrella, Ayala Avenue at Taft Avenue.
Various groups and establishments
backed the agencys Christmas total
truck ban on Edsa which they wanted
applied to other roads as well.
At the same time, Tolentino said a new
scheme will be imposed to ease conges-
tion around Redemptorist Church.
We started giving out identication
cards to legitimate 1,000 vendors. See-
though fences have been placed to pre-
vent vendors from getting out of their
designated stalls, he said.
[email protected] [email protected]
Sports
Manila Standard TODAY
MONDAY
A8
Riera U. Mallari, Editor
LOTTO RESULTS
6/49 000000
3 DIGITS 000
2 EZ2 00
P11.7M+
NBA HOME TEAM IN CAPS
Golden State 115 ATLANTA 93
NY KNICKS 103 Cleveland 102
MIAMI 102 Washington 72
Indiana 88 DETROIT 77
Orlando 107 CHARLOTTE 98
CHICAGO 83 Brooklyn 82
MINNESOTA 114 Dallas 106 (OT)
LA Clippers 111 MILWAUKEE 85
SAN ANTONIO 103 Boston 88
Memphis 99 UTAH 86
Painters make semis
Quick ending expected
Hope, Colegio San Agustin make finals
Carrasco gets Asian triathlon post
Alaska Aces ready for
Blacks Tropang Texters
Cebu teener captures
world poomsae gold
Athletes
to train
abroad
ON paper, Jorge Arce looks dan-
gerous . Sixty-one wins. Forty-six
knockouts. With that awesome re-
cord, his six losses appear puny.
Hes had two draws, which is
strange considering Arces ghting
stylewhich is attack, attack and
attack.
In boxing, when one is on attack
mode all the time, chances are hed
win by knockout.
That is, if his opponent is a patsy.
That is, if his opponent loves to
brawl, too.
That is, if his opponent doesnt
know how to box, how to dance.
Quite incidentally, if not obvi-
ously, Arce, the 33-year-old Mexi-
can, found in Nonito Donaire Jr.,
the 30-year-old Filipino Flash, a
ghter who could box and, there-
fore, who could dance his way
around the roped ring.
Always, in this sport called lov-
ingly as sweet science, the one
who can box will have the biggest
chance to win.
The odds are 99-1/2 percent for
the boxer to win over a brawler.
A boxer always knows how to
avoid harms way.
A brawler always throws himself
into harms way.
A boxer prefers defense over of-
fense.
A brawler prefers offense over
defense.
It is in this clear scenario yester-
day that Donaire authored a reprise
of an old refrain: The boxer won
again over the brawler.
The sad thing was, it was over
in three rounds. Donaire knocked
out Arce with a second left in the
third, the ght not even lasting 10
minutes.
Sad because the sport lures
spectators eternally hungering for
blood. Usually, a short ght leaves
them unsatised. Bitin.
Not me.
Whenever I see a ght pitting a
boxer against a brawler, I expect it
to end abruptly, if not in a snap.
That happens mostly especially
if the boxer that dances is also en-
dowed with power in his stsas
in the case of Donaire.
As I keep telling people whod
care to listen, between Donaire and
Manny Pacquiao, Donaire has a more
technically sound style than Pacman.
While Pacquiao would some-
times tend to be careless as he also
loves to brawlmost of the time at
thatnot Donaire.
Donaire always ghts with pre-
cise shots, with calculating style, and
theres hardly a move wasted in him.
Hes methodical, clinical and his
basics are very scientic.
Thus, Arce, despite his punching
power, was a beaten man the minute
he climbed the ring yesterday at the
Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
The knockdown that Arce suf-
fered in the second round was the
signal.
It didnt help Arce any that he
repeatedly put up a faade of invin-
cibility after absorbing his rst fall.
Taunting here, taunting there.
Even when he fell for the second
time in the third, Arce was adamant
and ignored the impending dangers
from Donaires famed thunderous
sts that had felled 19 foes going to
yesterdays ght.
A thinking, sensible ghter
would have bided his time after
absorbing that knockdown as there
were only 9 ticks left in the round.
Not Arce.
True to every Mexicans calling
that hes not one to back down amid
doom, Arce even taunted Donaire
more and goaded him to come ght
him toe-to-toe with merely 9 ticks
left in the round.
Donaire, for once, obliged. After
a combination that jarred and next
sent Arce almost down again on
wobbly knees, Donaire unleashed a
well-timed left hook to the chin
sending the cocky Mexican crash-
ing to the canvas.
End of the mismatch.
Knockout No. 20 for Donaire,
who is now 30-0 in the last 11 years
for a 30-1 record, while retaining
his World Boxing Organization su-
per bantamweight crown (122 lb) in
his fourth ght of the year.
I will spend Christmas in the
Philippines and I need to rest, said
Donaire.
Of course, he needs a rest. It was
his fourth ght of the year, making
him the busiest ghter in 2012.
* * *
ALL IN Drs. Yugin & Donna
Fernandez, noted dentists of the
City of San Fernando in Pampanga,
are all praise for the hospitality and
kindness theyd experienced while
having their second honeymoon
at the Baguio Country Club in the
City of Pines this week. To GM
Anthony de Leon and Shin Paul
Chan, the dapper resident man-
ager, take a bow, please? Even
during the just-ended 63rd Fil-Am
Golf attended by 1,193 participants
from practically all over the world,
you did extremely well as hosts-
organizers of the world-class event.
Not a single minor hitch marred the
tournament. Cheers!
DECEMBER 17, 2012
HOPE Christian High School
and Colegio San Agustin lived
up to the hype and whisked off
the challenge of their respective
rivals yesterday, scoring a pair
of straight-set victories to seal a
showdown for the Shakeys Girls
Volleyball League National Capi-
tal Region leg crown at the Rizal
Memorial Coliseum.
With Desiree Cheng, Bel Molde
and Chester Ong on the ring end,
the defending champion Hope
Christian squad fashioned out a
25-21, 25-12 victory over Angeli-
cum College while the CSA tossers
leaned on the troika of Ana Gopico,
Samantha Torres and Julia Morado
again to frustrate Miriam College,
25-14, 21-18.
The Hope tossers actually had
to dig deeper into their vast ar-
senal to thwart the Angelicum
ladies spirited stand in the open-
ing set before the former settled
down and dominated their rivals
to complete the straight-set win.
In contrast, CSA imposed its
will and strength early and sus-
tained its form to take the ght out
of Miriam and gain a crack at the
coveted crown in the tournament
sponsored by Shakeys Pizza and
organized by Metro Sports.
Hope and CSA were disputing
the crown and the lone berth in
the Tournament of Champions at
presstime.
Angelicum later outlasted Miri-
am, 25-22, 25-15, 25-12, to clinch
third place honors in the event
backed by Tobys Sports, Mikasa
as ofcial ball, Tune Hotels as of-
cial residence of T-of-C, Asics
and Volley Prep as chief backers.
INCOMING Philippine Olympic
Committee chairman and current
triathlon president Tom Carrasco
has been elected by the Asian Tri-
athlon Confederation executive
board as the new Asian Area Rep-
resentative to the International
Triathlon Union Executive Board
effective January 2013.
During the 52nd ASTC Execu-
tive Board Meeting held at Subic
Bay on Nov. 24, the board mem-
bers elected current senior vice
president Carrasco to replace Sin-
gapores David Hoong, who has
served as Asian Area Representa-
tive over the last four years.
The vote was also done in an-
ticipation of the fact that current
ASTC president Yu Kyung-Sun
may not be able to fulll the du-
ties of the post due to his heavy
business commitments.
Traditionally, the ITU encour-
ages all continental presidents
to act as area representatives al-
though the decision is left to the
continental bodies to elect their
representatives.
The Asian Area Representa-
tive is tasked to coordinate with
the ITU the sports development
activities of the continent, as well
as ensure good governance for the
Asian body in line with the ITUs
policies and programs.
In other developments, the
ASTC agreed to form a commis-
sion focusing on Asian Para tria-
thletes with Hong Kong Triathlon
president Philip Penaloza as the
chairman.
By Peter Atencio
NATIONAL athletes will be
sent abroad for training to bet-
ter prepare them for the 2013
Southeast Asian Games in My-
anmar, according to Philippine
Olympic Committee president
Jose Peping Cojuangco.
I think we will have better
preparation next year. There
is more harmony now, said
Cojuangco during a Christ-
mas thanksgiving get-together,
which the Philippine Sports
Commission organized for the
1,000 members of the national
team at the Ninoy Aquino Sta-
dium.
The PSC has released a total
of P3 million in bonuses for
national athletes and coaches,
who will receive P3,000 each
by Monday.
Garcia said that instead of
throwing a party for its employ-
ees, the agency will do its share
to help the victims of Typhoon
Pablo in Mindanao.
A budget of P900,000 will be
used to buy canned goods, water
and other necessities for the ty-
phoon victims, who are mostly
in Campostela Valley.
Paul Lee unleashed his most
sensational performance this
conference at the perfect time
as he uncorked a career-high ty-
ing 25 points to lead his squad
to victory.
The Elasto Painters will now
face San Mig Coffee in a best-
of-seven semis in another an-
ticipated duel between the two
nalists in the last Governors
Cup.
It took a while before Rain or
Shine could shrug off its pesky
opponents, but Painters coach
Yeng Guiao said he will take it
gladly nonetheless.
Again, we had to do it the
hard way. We took the longer
route, but we made it to our des-
tination, said Guiao.
A blistering third-quarter
storm enabled the Elasto Paint-
ers to break loose and gain con-
trol of the game, which gave
them the semis ticket.
Rain or Shine ignited a rous-
ing 23-2 run in the middle of the
third to post a massive 21-point
advantage, 72-51, with exactly
four minutes before the nal
period.
Staying true to its never-say-
die mantra, Ginebra fought back
hard, tallying its own 21-7 run
that sliced the decit to just sev-
en, 79-72, with 7:56 remaining
in the game.
But the Elasto Painters re-
tained their poise and did not al-
low Ginebra to gain any ground
as they swiftly shut the door on
the desperate Gin Kings.
An 11-4 run capped by Larry
Rodriguezs basket closed the
deal as the lead went back up to
a safer margin, 90-76, with only
3:21 remaining.
Gabe Norwood had his high-
est output in three seasons by
tallying 21 points on top of four
rebounds and six assists.
IT wasnt just a victory that Alas-
ka took from their recent series
with Meralco in the quarternals.
For Aces coach Luigi Trillo,
the battle against the Bolts was
tailor-made to prepare and help
Alaska against its favored oppo-
nent in the defending champion
Talk N Text in the next phase.
The resemblance in the styles
of offense of the Bolts and Tro-
pang Texters will be benecial
for the Aces. The similar tenden-
cies between the two squads have
prepared the Aces for the Tro-
pang Texters, according to Trillo.
That Meralco series really
helped us for this next series
against Talk N Text in the semi-
nals, said Trillo, who is in his
rst seminals appearance in
just his second conference as a
Philippine Basketball Associa-
tion head coach.
Talk N Text and Meralco are
two entirely different teams, but
they both operate the same drib-
ble-drive system on offense ac-
cording to Trillo.
Both of those teams like
the dribble-drive where a player
penetrates into the paint then
kicks the ball out to the open
spot when the defense collapses
to stop the driving player. We
already had a glimpse of Talk
N Texts tendencies at least on
offense. Coach Norman (Black)
has his sets in a half court of-
fense but when in transition,
they drive and dish most of the
time, said Trillo.
Trillo cited the Talk N Text
defense as one aspect that the Tro-
pang Texters improved on with
Black now in tow. Jeric Lopez
A NEW, youthful Filipino taek-
wondo star is born.
Mikaela Calamba, a 15-year-
old high school junior at Cebus
University of San Carlos (North
Campus), made waves in the
recent 7th World Taekwondo
Poomsae Championships in Tun-
ja City, Colombia by bagging the
female individual freestyle gold
medal with a dazzling perform-
ance that showed her unparal-
leled exibility and balance.
It was a rare but well-de-
served triumph for the Cebu
teenager who held off the strong
challenge of silver medalist
Chau Tuyet Van of Vietnam and
bronze winners Dea Rosma-
niar of Indonesia and Ann Ber-
nadette Rodriguez of the United
States to the delight of the small
but competitive PLDT Poomsae
Taekwondo national team.
Calamba and her rivals drew
loud cheers from the crowd as
they kicked, twisted and ipped
their way across the mat against
imaginary rivals.
Were very proud of Mikeala
and our other poomsae (forms)
athletes, said a jubilant Philip-
pine Taekwondo Association
Chief Executive Ofcer Sung
Chon Hong after the event.
They all did well against the best
from 57 other countries including
powerhouse Korea, Spain, Iran
and Germany.
It was only the second gold
medal won by the Philippines in
the prestigious world champion-
ships organized by the World
Taekwondo Federation. Hong
gave a lot of credit to PLDT for
its tremendous support.
AL S. MENDOZA
ALL THE WAY
University of San
Carlos Mikaela
Calamba impresses
the judges during
her stint in the 7th
World Taekwondo
Poomsae
Championships.
Ginebras Rudy Hateld (right) rejects Rain or Shines Jervy Cruz in a PBA Philippine Cup game won by the
Painters, 102-89.
By Jeric Lopez
RAIN OR SHINE
completed the semi-
nal cast of the 2013
Philippine Basketball
Association Philip-
pine Cup after beating
Ginebra San Miguel
convincingly, 102-89,
in Game 3 of their
quarternal series last
night at the Smart
Araneta Coliseum.
B1
Business
Ray S. Eano, Editor [email protected]
Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor; [email protected]
Coco farmers seek
P1b from levy fund
Aboitizs Pilmico eyes Vitarich
IN BRIEF
PSE COMPOSITE INDEX
Closing December 14, 2012
P584-P695
LPG/11-kg tank
P47.15-P53.07
Unleaded Gasoline
P38.40-P41.05
Diesel
P40.30-P52.20
Kerosene
P27.20-P31.00
Auto LPG
FOREI GN EXCHANGE RATE
Currency Unit US Dollar Peso
United States Dollar 1.000000 41.0590
Japan Yen 0.011959 0.4910
UK Pound 1.611000 66.1460
Hong Kong Dollar 0.129041 5.2983
Switzerland Franc 1.082368 44.4409
Canada Dollar 1.015641 41.7012
Singapore Dollar 0.818733 33.6164
Australia Dollar 1.053519 43.2564
Bahrain Dinar 2.652661 108.9156
Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266667 10.9491
Brunei Dollar 0.815395 33.4793
Indonesia Rupiah 0.000104 0.0043
Thailand Baht 0.032658 1.3409
UAE Dirham 0.272287 11.1798
Euro Euro 1.307800 53.6970
Korea Won 0.000931 0.0382
China Yuan 0.160439 6.5875
India Rupee 0.018382 0.7547
Malaysia Ringgit 0.327547 13.4488
NewZealand Dollar 0.843882 34.6490
Taiwan Dollar 0.034400 1.4124
Source: PDS Bridge
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Friday December 14, 2012
OIL
PRICES
TODAY
PESO-DOLLAR RATE
40
42
44
46
48
P41.090
CLOSE
Closing DECEMBER 14, 2012
VOLUME 729.250M
5,707.110
80.84
HIGH P41.090 LOW P41.190 AVERAGE P41.135
5200
4460
3720
2980
2240
1500
1200
Car importers see 2013 sales climbing 10%
By Jenniffer B. Austria
THE Aboitiz group is interested in
acquiring listed poultry producer Vitarich
Corp. to boost its foods and feed milling
business, informed sources said over the
weekend.
Sources said Aboitiz-owned
Pilmico Foods Corp., one of
the three largest domestic our
producers in terms of sales, was
looking at Vitarich as a possible
acquisition target.
AEV chairman Jon Ramon
Aboitiz, in a recent chance
interview, declined to comment
when asked if the group was
interested in acquiring Vitarich.
I cannot conrm or deny
anything, Aboitiz said.
He conceded there were
synergies between Pilmico and
Vitarich, with both companies
engaged in food business that
includes animal feeds, poultry
and our milling operations.
Aboitiz also said Pilmico was
looking for new acquisitions for
expansion. He said the company
was expanding its our and feed
milling businesses.
We are always looking for
new acquisition for expansion,
Aboitiz said.
The Aboitiz group in 2010
expressed interest in acquiring
San Miguel Pure Foods Co.,
the food manufacturing unit of
conglomerate San Miguel Corp.,
to enable it to expand the food
business.
The planned sale of San
Miguel Pure Foods, however,
was shelved after the parent rm
decided to sell just 49 percent in
the business. Interested parties
wanted to acquire the entire
company.
Vitarich, founded in 1950
by the Sarmiento family of
Bulacan in 1950, is one of the
countrys largest largest poultry
integrators. It owns a number of
production facilities, including
feed mills, hatcheries and
dressing plants.
Shareholders of Vitarich
approved in October the increase
in the companys authorized
capital stock to P3.5 billion from
P1.5 billion, a move that will
enable the nancially-troubled
poultry and feeds producer to
facilitate the entry of a new
investor, or retire some of its
debts.
Vitarich plans to issue over
3 billion common shares
to accommodate a possible
conversion of debt into equity,
or sell part of it to an incoming
investor.
Vitarichs creditors include
Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co.,
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.,
Land Bank of the Philippines and
Philippine National Bank.
Harinang Pinoy. Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo (third from left) joins the local our millers group in launching Harinang Pinoy, which
will be used for the production of Pinoy Tasty and Pinoy Pandesal. Harinang Pinoy will be sold at a subsidized price of P750, or 20 percent cheaper
than other hard our brands. Joining the launch (from left) are Trade Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya; Alex Yabut, general manager, Delta Flour
Mills; Sandra Uy, Liberty Flour Mills; Sabin Aboitiz, president, Philippine Association of Flour Millers; Carmelo Sison, Philippine Flour Mills; Weevens
Ty, Wellington Flour Mills; Bureau of Trade Regulation director Victorio Mario Dimagiba; and Ric Pinca, executive director, Pafmil.
By Othel V. Campos
COCONUT farmers are asking the
government to release at least P1
billion from the P70-billion levy
fund to aid in the rehabilitation
of plantations destroyed by super
typhoon Pablo.
As much as 1.1 million farmers
supplying copra to the countrys
biggest coconut oil processor
sought the assistance of the CIIF
Oil Mills Group to mediate in
their behalf.
As it is, coconut farmers are
now reeling from the effects of
massive devastation on farms.
They do not have cash on hand.
And since most of them are small
farmers, they cannot readily
access loan from banks. Since
this is an emergency problem,
the sector needs emergency
solution, CIIF Oil Mills Group
president Jesus Arranza said in
an interview over the weekend.
He said the funding was crucial
to help the sector bounce back and
recover from losses. The money
can be used for fertilizer, replanting
and an intercropping program.
The group said it would be best
to intercrop bananas and corn in
affected coconut plantations,
which, along with bananas and
corn, were the crops worst hit by
the typhoon.
Banana took the brunt of the
typhoon with losses estimated at
P8 billion. Corn farms suffered
losses of P1.2 billion while
damage on the coconut sector
was placed at P800 million.
Coconut production may be
reduced by at least 20 percent in
2013 due to the typhoon damage,
according to initial estimates of
the private sector.
By Julito G. Rada
CAR importers forecast a
double-digit growth in sales next
year, on the back of stable supply
condition, election spending and
rosy economic outlook.
We may grow by 10 percent
in 2013, but that is still a
conservative target considering
the positive developments that
are happening in our country,
Association of Vehicle Importers
and Distributors president Ma.
Fe Perez-Agudo said.
Avid is one of the two major car
industry groups in the country,
the other being the Chamber of
Automotive Manufacturers of
the Philippines Inc.
Agudo said the 10-
percent growth forecast was
conservative.
We are in agreement that the
economy will continue to grow,
she said, citing the 7.1-percent
gross domestic product expansion
in the third quarter, the stability
of remittances and increasing
government expenditures.
She echoed the statement of
Campi earlier that industry sales
in 2012 might reach 185,000
units, up from the previous
estimate of 154,000 units after
supply began to stabilize in the
second quarter.
I believe 185,000 can be
achieved. That is a doable target,
Agudo said.
Industry sales hit 165,194
units in 2011. Campi accounted
for 141,616 units while Avid
contributed 23,578 vehicles.
Avid members include
Hyundai Asia Resources Inc.,
The Covenant Car Co. Inc.,
British United Automobile and
Motor Image Pilipinas.
Meanwhile, the automotive
industry expects to register sales
of 200,000-units in 2013 amid the
increasing demand for vehicles
and election spending in the rst
and second quarters.
We have yet to come up with
projected sales gures for 2013
and are [currently] getting inputs
from members. But 200,000
I think is possible, Campi
president Rommel Gutierrez
said.
EDC keeps rating
RATINGS agency Philippine Rating
Services Corp. maintained the credit
rating for the outstanding P12-billion
bonds of Energy Development Corp.
at PRS Aaa.
EDC issued the bonds in two
tranches, with P8.5 billion due in
June 2015 and P3.5 billion due in
December 2016.
PRS Aaa is the highest credit
rating on PhilRatings long-term
credit rating scale. Obligations rated
PRS Aaa are of the highest quality
with minimal credit risk. This
means the obligors capacity to meet
its nancial commitment on the
obligation is extremely strong.
The rating agency noted
Energy Developments reinforced
sustainable revenue stream and
strong cash ow generation;
enhanced standing as the leading
vertically integrated geothermal
power producer in the country;
its nancial exibility, as well as
improved debt prole.
Alena Mae S. Flores
Internet banking
BANK of the Philippine Islands
expects continued double-digit
growth for mobile and Internet
banking next year as more clients
are now banking electronically.
BPI Electronic Channels Group
assistant vice president Carlo Gatuslao
said in an interview the bank expects
more users to enroll in the banks
Internet and mobile banking.
We expect the year to end for both
mobile and internet-usage to grow
by 20 to 25 percent, the same growth
goes for 2013, said Gatuslao.
Well, we expect people to shift
to technology as people nd our
technology more convenient, said
Gatuslao.
He said almost all basic transactions
could be done electronically. More
complicated transactions such as
deposits and nancial advice, though,
will still require clients to go to the
bank. Anna Leah Estrada
Business
ManilaStandardToday
[email protected] [email protected]
B2
M
S
T
WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW
DECEMBER 10-14 2012 DECEMBER 3-7, 2012
STOCKS CLOSE VOLUME VALUE CLOSE VOLUME VALUE
FINANCIAL
Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 72.90 19,965,890 1,493,442,681.00 76.75 30,955,660 2,274,366,822.00
Bank of PI 94.60 6,335,490 1,605,132,513.00 95.25 11,044,030 1,046,714,325.00
Bankard, Inc. 0.70 435,000 303,440.00 0.70 350,000 247,500.00
China Bank 55.65 303,600 16,914,624.00 55.80 602,210 33,519,731.50
BDO Leasing & Fin. Inc. 2.04 51,000 102,150.00 1.93 314,000 623,680.00
COL Financial 19.96 63,100 1,261,105.00 20.05 307,100 6,171,015.00
Eastwest Bank 29.15 5,940,400 171,469,505.00 28.25 10,973,200 305,761,980.00
Filipino Fund Inc. 10.30 1,000 10,292 10.78 2,530 49,798
First Abacus 0.75 95,000 71,250.00 0.75 96,000 73,320.00
First Metro Inv. 89 110 9,790.00 89 3,210 278,400.00
I-Remit Inc. 2.80 264,000 724,190.00 2.65 289,000 791,620.00
Manulife Fin. Corp. 490.00 3,040 1,494,700.00 480.00 1,090 523,960.00
Maybank ATR KE 23.3 65,100 1,451,175.00 21.4 14,200 303,635.00
Metrobank 100.50 17,225,250 1,770,454,484.00 101.50 21,422,730 2,135,414,726.00
Natl Reinsurance Corp. 1.78 385,000 673,420.00 1.71 1,560,000 2,659,690.00
Phil. National Bank 92.70 9,601,980 881,627,590.50 88.00 7,423,650 645,336,025.50
Phil. Savings Bank 88.90 2,530 219,526.50 88.95 250 21,938.00
PSE Inc. 410.4 106,160 44,303,650.00 412 202,070 82,051,196.00
RCBC À 58.6 2,765,660.00 160,801,075.50 57.45 3,246,120.00 182,011,818.00
Security Bank 161 2,679,600 436,482,737.00 165.2 2,809,230 460,954,532.00
Sun Life Financial 1015.00 5,810 5,861,680.00 990.00 1,590 1,580,550.00
Union Bank 114.50 826,630 94,619,071.00 114.00 484,120 55,147,790.00
Vantage Equities 2.34 1,762,000 4,717,740.00 2.26 953,000 2,148,310.00
INDUSTRIAL
Aboitiz Power Corp. 36.8 13,083,800 485,533,240.00 37.1 28,267,700 1,035,078,200.00
Agrinurture Inc. 7.18 722,900 5,006,205.00 6.85 283,600 1,888,004.00
Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 2.03 12,926,000 26,609,620.00 2.12 21,510,000 45,579,390.00
Alphaland Corp. 27 3,700 102,120.00 27.8 300 8,340.00
Alsons Cons. 1.30 3,425,000 4,506,340.00 1.30 2,551,000 3,317,290.00
Asiabest Group 19.4 97,600 1,723,602.00 18.1 78,400 1,412,244.00
Bogo Medellin 86.00 10 860.00 69.80 1,010 67,781.00
Calapan Venture 4.1 388,000 1,597,390.00 4.8 1,000 4,800.00
Conc. Aggr. À 65.00 6,250 405,300.00 65.00 1,120 72,794.00
Chemrez Technologies Inc. 3.03 2,106,000 6,379,590.00 3.06 2,192,000 6,731,330.00
Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 18 963,100 16,646,048.00 17.3 402,600 6,814,242.00
DNL Industries Inc. 4.47 124,539,000 551,103,150.00
Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 6.75 122,983,700 840,554,756.00 6.85 159,612,700 1,105,230,946.00
EEI 10.00 6,935,300 68,761,396.00 9.70 6,128,800 57,842,608.00
Euro-Med Lab. 1.85 72,000 129,960.00 1.81 99,000 178,680.00
First Gen Corp. 22.65 8,443,700 193,547,445.00 23 13,580,300 311,380,835.00
First Holdings A 88.4 2,614,350 234,166,670.50 91.95 2,277,750 209,666,031.50
Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 17.20 108,900 1,866,546.00 17.20 40,800 709,044.00
Greenergy 0.0230 4,365,700,000 103,354,400.00 0.0240 2,628,400,000 62,254,700.00
Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.70 6,601,900 86,879,828.00 13.26 3,772,300 50,407,054.00
Integ. Micro-Electronics 3.95 233,000 927,170.00 3.93 59,000 233,100.00
Ionics Inc 0.630 595,000 388,200.00 0.650 123,000 80,440.00
Jollibee Foods Corp. 107.10 3,519,390 377,079,990.00 109.20 2,644,590 283,501,384.00
Lafarge Rep 10.8 4,071,200 43,036,566.00 10.48 28,438,700 291,107,900.00
Liberty Flour 41.50 500 20,750.00 48.00 4,700 207,200.00
LMG Chemicals 1.86 2,190,000 4,073,030.00 1.82 305,000 568,280.00
LT Group 12.6 6,103,700 77,627,844.00 12.88 4,449,000 57,689,760.00
Mabuhay Vinyl Corp. 1.61 29,000 45,690.00 1.57 12,000 18,840.00
Manchester Intl. A 15.52 10,093,500 167,179,908.00 16.46 3,858,600 19,180,732.00
Manchester Intl. B 15.2 4,363,000 76,093,154.00 16.46 3,606,300 43,224,594.00
Manila Water Co. Inc. 31.55 8,430,200 268,797,495.00 32.6 9,605,200 309,102,965.00
Mariwasa MFG. Inc. 4.24 126,079,000 382,998,350.00 3.9 45,000 179,040.00
Megawide 16.900 1,867,000 28,062,548.00 16.320 796,500 13,073,172.00
Mla. Elect. Co À 258.00 2,274,800 592,944,834.00 262.40 5,485,650 1,458,624,190.00
Pancake House Inc. 7.90 6,000 47,300.00 7.80 30,800 243,041.00
Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 5.7 19,943,500 116,062,415.00 5.76 21,090,900 120,387,949.00
Petron Corporation 10.46 13,093,300 137,421,004.00 10.40 27,850,700 290,285,418.00
Phinma Corporation 10.90 11,900 131,720.00 11.80 3,500 40,680.00
Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 9.10 1,180,700 10,720,299.00 9.24 4,571,634 11,587,058.00
RFM Corporation 4.43 23,072,000 99,296,620.00 4.14 3,850,000 15,853,590.00
Roxas and Co. 3.5 3,000 10,500.00 3.3 155,000 508,420.00
Roxas Holdings 3.2 982,000 3,242,940.00 2.6 3,000 7,800.00
Salcon Power Corp. 5.1 757,000 3,762,110.00 4.84 82,906,600 393,861,248.00
San Miguel Brewery Inc. 34.00 177,100 6,023,460.00 34.10 248,400 8,451,410.00
San Miguel Corp À 105.90 3,292,030 353,121,024.00 108.60 2,649,910 287,852,478.00
San MiguelPure Foods `B 242 609,920 146,405,994.00 240 272,610 65,589,424.00
Seacem 1.50 653,000 951,580.00 1.50 1,721,000 2,525,670.00
Splash Corporation 1.77 146,000 260,400.00 1.8 219,000 390,080.00
Swift Foods, Inc. 0.150 6,550,000 990,980.00 0.152 16,170,000 2,521,980.00
TKC Steel Corp. 1.79 737,000 1,266,420.00 1.80 526,000 941,570.00
Trans-Asia Oil 1.11 15,799,000 17,502,700.00 1.11 18,117,000 20,254,890.00
Universal Robina 78.00 9,413,860 750,531,933.00 81.45 8,938,670 712,389,071.00
Victorias Milling 1.28 61,823,000 83,056,690.00 1.29 27,052,000 35,130,070.00
Vitarich Corp. 0.9 15,342,000 14,703,840.00 1.05 10,321,000 11,328,540.00
Vivant Corp. 6.90 43,000 295,250.00 8.00 68,500 551,220.00
Vulcan Indl. 1.48 10,784,000 16,221,640.00 1.57 8,653,000 14,137,920.00
HOLDING FIRMS
Abacus Cons. À 0.66 9,171,000 6,077,250.00 0.67 20,253,000 13,407,470.00
Aboitiz Equity 50.90 6,149,350 314,583,798.50 51.80 12,515,620 645,490,444.00
Alcorn Gold Res. 0.1370 2,306,030,000 321,473,000.00 0.1420 1,809,040,000 259,735,780.00
Alliance Global Inc. 16.40 54,594,600 896,070,406.00 16.26 82,791,600 1,335,218,786.00
Anglo Holdings A 2.18 1,726,000 3,701,870.00 2.07 459,000 939,100.00
Anscor À 5.70 2,314,200 13,176,838.00 5.70 4,280,400 23,632,111.00
Asia Amalgamated A 5.20 3,632,000 18,870,190.00 4.00 539,000 2,184,690.00
ATN Holdings A 0.93 401,100 549,120.00 1 732,000 736,510.00
ATN Holdings B 1.04 872,000 858,750.00 1.1 515,000 553,460.00
Ayala Corp À 493 3,776,540 1,931,846,972.00 520 3,080,010 1,544,823,979.00
BHI Holdings Inc. 430.00 60 25,800.00
DMCI Holdings 52.90 6,962,230 370,685,095.50 53.95 9,497,410 516,033,477.00
F&J Prince A 2.9 360,000 1,022,000.00 2.9 262,000 736,150.00
F&J Prince B 2.95 20,000 59,000.00 3 13,000 37,800.00
Filinvest Dev. Corp. 4.69 4,606,000 22,408,630.00 4.82 5,921,000 28,710,680.00
Forum Pacic 0.240 460,000 100,640.00
GT Capital 677.5 826,570 544,287,785.00 650 1,398,080 842,706,930.00
House of Inv. 6.40 1,001,000 6,435,803.00 6.42 742,200 4,764,069.00
JG Summit Holdings 38.90 9,252,900 357,830,560.00 37.50 10,299,000 375,594,930.00
Jolliville Holdings 6.75 27,100 184,350.00 6.85 90,700 704,241.00
Keppel Holdings À 5.6 2,000 11,200.00
Keppel Holdings `B 4.4 15,000 66,000.00
Lopez Holdings Corp. 6.35 20,643,800 131,214,867.00 6.38 14,099,300 89,916,800.00
Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.97 1,772,000 1,730,090.00 0.97 12,309,000 12,110,540.00
Mabuhay Holdings À 0.380 673,900 257,650.00 0.400 2,380,000 950,500.00
Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 1.81 2,097,000 3,691,460.00 1.73 4,241,100 9,342,820.00
Metro Pacic Inv. Corp. 4.49 124,960,000 567,493,900.00 4.54 166,194,000 744,603,540.00
Minerales Industrias Corp. 6.1 2,871,100 17,575,147.00 6.16 7,342,800 45,942,128.00
MJCI Investments Inc. 5.63 105,500 628,804.00 6.05 23,500 133,745.00
Pacica À 0.0510 290,610,000 16,404,250.00 0.0460 8,800,000 397,400.00
Prime Media Hldg 1.410 122,000 161,580.00 1.300 168,000 186,670.00
Prime Orion 0.590 2,213,000 1,256,140.00 0.550 4,547,000 2,522,120.00
Republic Glass A 2.5 1,000 2,500.00 2.6 19,000 46,900.00
Seafront À 1.85 161,000 267,000.00 1.85 56,000 100,630.00
Sinophil Corp. 0.330 25,560,000 8,159,350.00 0.305 17,170,000 5,390,650.00
SM Investments Inc. 844.00 1,405,320 1,218,235,005.00 868.00 1,650,110 1,409,480,755.00
Solid Group Inc. 1.95 2,341,000 4,603,710.00 2.00 3,366,000 6,630,530.00
South China Res. Inc. 1.08 530,000 562,480.00 1.12 269,000 291,620.00
Transgrid 425.00 120 51,150.00
Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2550 680,000 174,450.00 0.2500 560,000 141,550.00
Wellex Industries 0.3050 4,060,000 1,227,800.00 0.3150 10,700,000 3,312,250.00
Zeus Holdings 0.335 4,280,000 1,476,400.00 0.330 10,140,000 3,443,900.00
P R O P E R T Y
Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 17.10 96,700 1,651,118.00 17.02 50,400 858,616.00
A. Brown Co., Inc. 2.95 860,000 2,553,410.00 3.00 1,384,000 4,188,650.00
Araneta Prop À 0.710 1,524,000 1,087,540.00 0.730 1,256,000 911,310.00
Arthaland Corp. 0.179 4,440,000 802,810.00 0.177 30,000 5,310.00
Ayala Land `B 25.05 73,331,100 1,877,565,550.00 24.50 84,189,100 2,031,466,555.00
Belle Corp. À 4.68 53,509,800 257,516,479.00 5 46,447,900 233,256,119.00
Cebu Holdings 4.17 262,000 1,089,970.00 4.18 832,000 3,491,370.00
Centennial City 1.4 9,226,000 12,961,090.00 1.43 17,328,000 24,590,360.00
City & Land Dev. 2.45 149,000 341,160.00 2.30 472,000 1,067,430.00
Cityland Dev. À 1.12 94,000 106,050.00 1.13 654,000 719,260.00
Crown Equities Inc. 0.067 3,010,000 190,400.00 0.067 560,000 36,640.00
Cyber Bay Corp. 0.79 5,477,000 4,348,910.00 0.80 8,261,000 6,589,380.00
Empire East Land 1.080 131,205,000 145,127,480.00 1.090 1,022,928,000 1,058,696,500.00
Eton Properties 2.90 45,000 130,500.00 2.85 3,957,000 11,856,930.00
Ever Gotesco 0.355 73,860,000 26,685,700.00 0.355 36,370,000 10,500,150.00
Global-Estate 1.96 16,190,000 32,075,730.00 2.00 140,442,000 280,337,510.00
Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.51 63,752,000 98,927,810.00 1.58 272,811,000 434,319,870.00
Highlands Prime 1.80 4,000 7,200.00 2.00 2,000 4,000.00
Interport À 1.18 1,471,000 1,747,940.00 1.19 7,263,000 8,458,460.00
Megaworld Corp. 2.8 395,461,000 1,113,483,460.00 2.79 657,144,000 1,779,927,920.00
MRC Allied Ind. 0.1550 255,040,000 40,291,990.00 0.1610 7,330,000 1,159,740.00
Phil. Estates Corp. 0.7800 18,602,000 14,446,960.00 0.7700 43,031,000 33,879,470.00
Phil. Realty À 0.450 410,000 183,750.00 0.450 770,000 344,900.00
Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 25.00 9,200 230,000.00 25.00 9,900 247,500.00
Primex Corp. 3.21 20,000 63,080.00 2.99 20,000 49,920.00
Robinsons Land `B 21.35 34,278,000 722,447,470.00 20.90 28,960,900 580,753,543.00
Rockwell 2.63 5,794,000 15,445,560.00 2.85 1,417,000 4,081,360.00
Shang Properties Inc. 3.00 345,000 1,035,570.00 2.95 1,470,000 4,404,640.00
SM Development À 5.95 3,733,100 22,263,929.00 6.00 6,885,200 40,787,773.00
SM Prime Holdings 15.94 55,467,600 880,294,268.00 15.76 186,413,800 3,012,157,642.00
Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.68 1,242,000 850,340.00 0.7 1,903,000 1,316,050.00
Starmalls 4 160,000 632,360.00 3.98 174,000 656,770.00
Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.560 1,245,000 702,720.00 0.550 12,462,000 7,312,010.00
Vista Land & Lifescapes 5.050 54,029,700 272,776,149.00 5.100 66,745,100 338,611,921.00
S E R V I C E S
2GO Group 1.75 213,000 378,210.00 1.81 109,000 211,710.00
ABS-CBN 32.3 960,700 31,368,665.00 33.8 1,212,600 39,826,210.00
Acesite Hotel 1.26 625,000 783,960.00 1.26 403,000 505,680.00
APC Group, Inc. 0.780 126,416,000 97,311,100.00 0.670 35,577,000 24,037,060.00
Asian Terminals Inc. 9.6 12,700 121,920.00 9.6 373,000 3,599,560.00
Berjaya Phils. Inc. 28 5,001,000 112,528,000.00 28 400 11,200.00
Bloomberry 13.10 27,637,100 365,912,668.00 13.50 41,280,700 574,577,000.00
Boulevard Holdings 0.1410 202,480,000 29,545,940.00 0.1500 148,920,000 22,736,290.00
Calata Corp. 4.88 10,241,900 53,524,449.00 5.84 5,615,800 33,332,726.00
Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 60.00 2,549,700 154,728,276.00 62.80 2,009,810 126,264,828.50
Centro Esc. Univ. 12.4 10,600 131,220.00 12.4 45,900 529,934.00
DFNN Inc. 4.35 1,235,000 5,460,720.00 4.60 1,946,500 9,151,291.00
Easy Call Common 2.30 137,000 298,280.00
FEUI 1080 2,450 2,571,345.00 1080 335 352,950.00
Globalports 19 8,000 152,000.00 19 8,400 159,590.00
Globe Telecom 1109.00 289,535 328,373,560.00 1142.00 386,820 437,289,425.00
GMA Network Inc. 8.80 1,659,000 14,490,895.00 8.74 3,386,200 29,795,442.00
I.C.T.S.I. 69.7 9,407,930 667,944,745.00 71.2 7,408,320 526,248,033.00
Information Capital Tech. 0.385 950,000 363,100.00 0.380 270,000 103,950.00
Imperial Res. À 8.00 422,500 3,677,183 5.10 1,900 9,690
Imperial Res. `B 33 2,100 83,250 32.5 1,000 32,500
IPeople Inc. À 9.5 10,138,200 86,176,047.00 8.5 5,097,100 43,533,011.00
IP Converge 2.95 2,294,000 6,702,810.00 2.75 1,344,000 3,552,650.00
IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.026 1,475,300,000 40,373,200.00 0.028 3,038,000,000 92,339,900.00
IPVG Corp. 0.58 17,738,000 10,522,680.00 0.6 35,902,000 22,891,790.00
Island Info 0.0530 333,550,000 22,343,320.00 0.0460 200,000 9,200.00
ISM Communications 2.1900 325,000 724,810.00 2.3300 143,000 340,780.00
Leisure & Resorts 7.80 5,171,000 39,608,820.00 7.89 5,992,700 48,507,106.00
Liberty Telecom 2.30 138,000 334,810.00 2.45 7,000 16,910.00
Lorenzo Shipping 1.7 11,000 17,280.00 1.31 2,000 2,980.00
Macroasia Corp. 2.70 13,000 34,710.00 2.71 13,000 35,230.00
Manila Bulletin 0.73 623,000 449,640.00 0.64 1,180,000 772,140.00
Manila Jockey 2.65 1,787,000 4,802,180.00 2.67 1,405,000 3,768,650.00
Metro Pacic Tollways 5.99 2,000 11,980.00 6.00 7,100 42,600.00
Pacic Online Sys. Corp. 13.8 131,600 1,827,016.00 13.9 68,250 2,827,080.00
PAL Holdings Inc. 5.00 464,700 2,331,665 5.00 422,100 2,113,553
Paxys Inc. 3.18 32,226,000 106,468,570.00 3.1 12,280,000 38,900,440.00
Phil. Racing Club 9.5 1,070,900 10,174,496.00 9.5 110,200 9,596,512.00
Phil. Seven Corp. 80.00 362,550 28,958,906.00 76.10 10,258,300 750,263,000.00
Philweb.Com Inc. 12.44 8,412,000 104,270,144.00 13.14 15,768,100 211,195,200.00
PLDT Common 2560.00 743,785 1,939,090,640.00 2648.00 1,308,010 3,400,385,860.00
PremiereHorizon 0.320 10,090,000 3,217,100.00 0.330 3,620,000 1,167,600.00
Puregold 33.80 10,564,800 358,020,045.00 32.60 9,759,800 320,094,940.00
STI Holdings 1.07 134,227,000 146,351,090.00 1.13 403,772,000 457,300,280.00
Touch Solutions 9.46 15,646,300 112,583,063.00 4.01 32,000 127,940.00
Transpacic Broadcast 2.06 15,000 31,000.00 2.09 59,500 130,280.00
Waterfront Phils. 0.420 2,380,000 972,400.00 0.410 2,170,000 888,400.00
Yehey 1.400 8,567,000 13,236,820.00 1.180 404,000 483,970.00
MINING & OIL
Abra Mining 0.0057 317,000,000 1,801,600.00 0.0058 321,000,000 1,846,600.00
Apex À 4.85 398,000 1,876,240.00 4.51 254,000 1,148,340.00
Apex `B 4.80 40,000 186,280.00 4.45 204,000 915,620.00
Atlas Cons. À 18.96 7,676,300 142,862,618.00 17.50 4,822,800 83,837,392.00
Atok-Big Wedge À 23.50 14,100 325,240.00 24.00 5,000 116,600.00
Basic Energy Corp. 0.270 7,820,000 2,158,100.00 0.275 9,700,000 2,633,800.00
Benguet Corp À 19.2 55,400 1,052,620.00 19 86,800 1,652,790.00
Benguet Corp `B 18.2 23,300 435,420.00 19 60,200 1,138,200.00
Century Peak Metals Hldgs 0.9 6,639,000 4,795,180.00 0.91 1,152,000 1,064,820.00
Coal Asia 1.06 22,549,000 23,651,480.00 1.06 23,127,000 24,719,380.00
Dizon 15.28 289,900 4,360,998.00 14.86 450,700 6,869,504.00
Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.52 7,092,000 3,621,570.00 0.51 10,478,000 5,190,650.00
Lepanto À 0.990 87,254,000 85,659,630.00 0.940 128,375,000 115,320,620.00
Lepanto `B 1.090 67,524,000 70,104,990.00 0.990 60,407,000 59,388,520.00
Manila Mining À 0.0580 909,150,000 54,120,310.00 0.0600 896,920,000 53,381,600.00
Manila Mining `B 0.0590 360,940,000 21,348,950.00 0.0590 178,920,000 10,650,310.00
Nickelasia 16.12 4,916,900 79,422,926.00 16.08 3,869,500 96,621,780.00
Nihao Mineral Resources 4.99 2,794,200 14,153,000.00 4.8 1,526,800 7,466,023.00
Omico 0.5700 823,000 479,460.00 0.5900 1,155,000 676,420.00
Oriental Peninsula Res. 3.350 4,185,000 14,311,090.00 3.120 2,909,000 9,029,180.00
Oriental Pet. À 0.0190 352,800,000 6,706,500.00 0.0200 600,400,000 11,567,700.00
Oriental Pet. `B 0.0200 15,000,000 300,100.00 0.0210 104,600,000 2,092,100.00
Petroenergy Res. Corp. 5.99 82,800 492,688.00 5.90 924,800 5,387,575.00
Philex À 14.98 31,614,600 459,907,676.00 13.30 16,572,200 215,760,152.00
PhilexPetroleum 29.5 1,371,600 38,983,190.00 26.95 893,900 23,955,060.00
Philodrill Corp. À 0.039 1,727,800,000 67,300,400.00 0.039 1,953,300,000 77,450,000.00
Semirara Corp. 222.00 410,270 90,302,484.00 220.20 658,820 145,575,018.00
United Paragon 0.0180 38,200,000 664,800.00 0.0180 368,500,000 6,628,300.00
PREFERRED
ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 31.9 3,970,300 127,870,725.00 33.8 8,749,000 285,889,820.00
Ayala Corp. Pref À 520 970 503,200.00 520 5,270 2,740,660.00
First Gen F 108 200 21,600.00 107 10 1,070.00
First Gen G 105 11,810 1,240,050.00 105 12,520 1,314,600.00
First Phil. Hldgs.-Pref. 102 24,790 2,528,580.00 102 98,860 10,075,479.00
GMA Holdings Inc. 8.91 16,245,200 143,829,597.00 8.75 3,885,800 33,742,536.00
PCOR-Preferred 108.5 174,670 18,909,709.00 107.4 79,800 8,610,628.00
SMC Preferred A 75 7,478,190 560,857,813.50 75 5,956,790 446,757,925.00
SMC Preferred B 75.25 62,120 4,673,780.50 76 8,070 612,585.00
SMC Preferred C 77.5 70,900 5,395,545.00 76 276,530 20,947,519.00
SMPFC Preferred 1007 4,785 4,846,745.00 1010 16,080 16,249,795.00
Swift Pref 1.25 34,000 45,350.00 1.36 1,000 1,360.00
WARRANTS & BONDS
Megaworld Corp. Warrants 1.78 12,690,000 22,354,590.00 1.71 14,362,000 23,795,030.00
Megaworld Corp. Warrants2 1.8 160,000 276,800.00 1.6 1,000 1,600.00
S M E
Fin. Corp. 4 14,000 42,500.00 3 12,000 36,000.00
Ripple E-Business Intl 5.29 35,000 180,080.00
Stocks to pull back
on mart correction
WEEKLY MOST TRADED
STOCKS VOLUME
Greenergy 4,365,700,000
Alcorn Gold Res. 2,306,030,000
Philodrill Corp. À 1,727,800,000
IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 1,475,300,000
Manila Mining À 909,150,000
Megaworld Corp. 395,461,000
Manila Mining `B 360,940,000
Oriental Pet. À 352,800,000
Island Info 333,550,000
Abra Mining 317,000,000
STOCKS VALUE
PLDT Common 1,939,090,640.00
Ayala Corp À 1,931,846,972.00
Ayala Land `B 1,877,565,550.00
Metrobank 1,770,454,484.00
Bank of PI 1,605,132,513.00
Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. 1,493,442,681.00
SM Investments Inc. 1,218,235,005.00
Megaworld Corp. 1,113,483,460.00
Alliance Global Inc. 896,070,406.00
Phil. National Bank 881,627,590.50
Spirit of 2012
EXACTLY a year ago in this column, I wrote
about the most wonderful time of the year
with a corresponding grown-up Christmas list
that includes my wishes for our country. The
year has truly been great with our better-than-
expected economic growth and improvements in
various rankings and ratingsfrom transparency
and governance to happiness indices and credit
upgrades. The lackluster figures of the past
have been changed into shining, shimmering,
and splendid figures akin to Christmas lights
that brighten our homes and cities alike.
There are some things that havent changed
from the year that passed. The extremely
devastating Typhoon Pablo brought back
memories of Tyhoon Sendong. The images that
we see on the Internet, TV and newspapers
make us sadder by the day. But as a resilient
people, we always stand up and face the music
in spite of circumstances that seem beyond our
control. This season of love is further enhanced
with compassionate gift-giving and donations
to our less fortunate brothers and sisters in the
southern part of the country.
Google Zeitgeist
As I reflect on what has happened this year, I
decided to search the events of 2012 and luckily
stumbled to what is known as Google Zeitgeist,
which is an aggregation of over one trillion
searches (or queries) that people typed into
Google Search this year. Zeitgeist is a German
word that means the spirit of the times.
Thus, this list provides the spirit of the
time and age for 2012 in the world and even
disaggregated the data for each country. Upon
browsing the list, I was eventually transported
with both glee and glum to various weeks and
months of the year. I even came upon events
that caused me to scratch my head and search
for a number of items that were not part of my
personal trending list.
There are two major indicators in Google
Zeitgeist: trending and most searched.
Trending means the amount of traffic (not the
one we experience heavily during the holidays)
being generated in the web through searches,
clicks, likes and dislikes and tweets and retweets
as compared to 2011 while most searched are
the most popular terms used in Google queries.
Whats hot in 2012
Google Zeitgeist has categories from people
and places to games and gadgets and provides
an interesting snapshot of what is hot in 2012.
For people, our country has lost two prominent
men, one politician and one actor, Jesse Robredo
and Dolphy, respectively. The beloved former
mayor and DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo has
truly embodied what good governance really
means. He was able to transform his city not
only economically but also socially, as well. He
was also able to show local governments how
power, prestige and privilege is secondary to
service to people. On the other hand, we have
Dolphy whose lowly beginnings did not deter
him from reaching his dreams and for making us
laugh both in the best and worst of times.
For places, the Tourism Department launched
Its More Fun in the Philippines campaign that
brought about trends and searches in Google
not only here but in other parts of the world as
well. It is high time that the world sees what
our country has to offer and everything is really
more fun, more exciting and more wonderful
here in our country.
Trending for 2012
There are lots of categories in Google
Zeitgeist and I would like you to search what
has been trending the past year. It is interesting
to learn what happened in the past to truly
reflect on what we will do now and in the future.
Tragedies and calamities will always be there.
Death is inevitable and may even surprise us.
Places, faces and occasions will bring us both
joy and sadness but what is truly important for
us, as a nation and as a person, is to continue
learning and reflecting on what can be done
not just for our personal growth but also for the
common good.
Visit Google Zeitgeist at www.google.com/
zeitgeist/.
Brian C. Gozun, PhD is dean of the College
of Business, De La Salle University Manila. He
can be reached at [email protected].
The views expressed above are the authors
and do not necessarily reflect the official
position of De La Salle University, its faculty,
and administrators.
BRIAN
C. GOZUN
GREEN LIGHT
SHARE prices will continue to pull back
this week on technical correction and on
fears over the US scal cliff, analysts said
over the weekend.
AB Capital Securities
said technical indicators
showed the stock market
would undergo much needed
technical correction after the
30-company benchmark PSEi
lingered at overbought levels
for nearly two months.
It said concerns over the
US fiscal cliff would also not
help in reversing the markets
current downtrend.
We think that the steep
climb of the PSEi translates
into a healthy correction that
we saw last week. The main
index will need to take a
breather first before resuming
its uptrend to new heights,
AB Capital said.
Freya May Natividad, an
analyst from online brokerage
firm 2TradeAsia, said the
market could re-test the 5,700-
point level, after peaking at
5,866 last week.
Momentum will slow
gradually, as prelude to
holiday portfolio closing.
Institutional players might be
inclined to unwind some of
their earlier buy positions, to
retain enough liquidity ahead
of the Christmas and New
Year breaks. With no firm
compromise pact in place yet
on the US fiscal deficit issue,
some might be on tentative
mode unless positive surprises
are announced, Natividad
said.
Natividad, however, said
long-term outlook remained
positive as flow of funds would
continue to favor high-growth
emerging markets such as the
Philippines.
The benchmark index last
week shed 87 points, or 1.5
percent, to settle at 5,707.11
while the broader all-share index
lost 28 points to 3,688.38.
Investors took profits on
concerns that the local market
was staying at the overbought
levels, making prices of most
stocks expensive.
Value turnover averaged
P6.28 billion while net foreign
selling was registered at P147
million, a reversal of the
previous weeks P89 million net
foreign buying.
The property sector,
however, managed to gain by
0.8 percent after the Bangko
Sentral kept the overnight
borrowing rate at a record-low
of 3.5 percent.
The mining and oil index
advanced 5.3 percent, with the
stock price of Philex Mining
Corp. returning to the P15-per-
share territory.
Share price of Atlas
Consolidated Mining and
Development Corp. gained
8.3 percent last week as its
subsidiary Carmen Copper
Corp. declared its first cash
dividends worth P1 billion.
Meanwhile, food additive
maker D&L Industries Inc.,
the newest company to list at
the Philippine Stock Exchange,
gained P0.17 per share from its
listing price of P4.30.
Manila
Standard
TODAY
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION
IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF
_________________________________

SCN CASE NO. _________
to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant
to Republic Act No. 9139.
x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x
PETITION
Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139,
petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to
become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and
respectfully declares:
1. My full name is TEJPAL S. GILL but I have also
been known since childhood as _____Tej _____ , or I
have been judicially authorized to use the alias name(s)
______N/A______.
2. My present place of residence is 1901 Luzon Avenue,
Sampaloc, City/Municipality of Manila, Province of ______,
and all my former places of residence are (please indicate
periods of residence):
1951 Honradez Ext., Samp. Mla. (Jan. 24, 1979 to Jan. 1980)
410 B. 3rd St., Honradez St., Samp. Mla. (Jan. 1980 to May 1981)
599 Altura St., Sta. Mesa, Mla._(May 1981 to Oct. 1984)
3. I was born on Jan. 24, 1979, in Manila, I have been
a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a
citizen or subject of India.
4. My father's name is Sukhdip Singh and he was born
on Sept. 18, 1954 in Manila. He is a citizen or subject of
Philippines. My mother's name is Kuljit Kaur and she was
born on March 29, 1958, in Punjab, India. She is a citizen
or subject of India.
5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is
_N/A_ and from which I derive an average annual income
of N/A, inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances.
My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful
occupation is N/A and from which she derives an average
annual income of P _N/A_.
Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark
(Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from
the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from
submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years
because I am a college degree holder [please state (1)
degree obtained: _Doct or of Medi ci ne_, (2) name of
school:_University of Perpetual Help Las Pias City_ and
(3) year graduated:_2006 who cannot practice my profession
(the practice of which requires a government licensure
examination) by reason of my citizenship.
6. My civil status is Single. I was married on N/A in N/A.
My wife's/husband's name is N/A and she/he was born on
N/A in N/A. She/he is a citizen or subject of N/A and presently
resides N/A.
7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage
was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment
dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular
court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and
my spouse died on N/A in N/A.
8. I have N/A child/children, whose names, dates and
places of birth and residences are as follows:
Name Date of Birth Place of Birth Residence
9. I received my primary and secondary education from
the following public schools or private educational institutions
duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture
and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government
and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school
curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race
or nationality:
Name of School Place of
School
Dates of
Study
Highest Grade
Completed
UST ELEMENTARY Manila 1985-1991 Graduate
UST HIGH SCHOOL Manila 1991-1995 Graduate
UST COLLEGE OF SCIENCE Manila 1995-1999 B.S. BIOLOGY
10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any
of the following dialects of the Philippines: Tagalog.
11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the
following public schools or private educational institutions
duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture
and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government
and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school
curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race
or nationality:
Name of Child Name and Place of
School
Date of
Enrollment
12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good
moral character. I believe in the principles underlying
the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a
proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period
of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the
constituted government as well as with the community in
which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have
evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs,
traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the
qualifcations and none of the disqualifcations under Republic
Act No. 9139.
I am not opposed to organized government or affliated
with any association or group of persons who uphold and
teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I
am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of
violence, personal assault or assassination for the success
and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist
nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I have not
been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude.
I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any
incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am
a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and
grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or
subjects thereof.
13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen
of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever
all allegiance and fdelity to any foreign prince, potentate,
state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to India of which at
this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously
in the Philippines from the date of the fling of this petition
up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.
14. My character witnesses are Dr. Leoncio D. Caringal
and Atty. Andres C. Mendoza both Filipino citizens, of
legal age, and residing at 414 T. Anzures St., Sampaloc,
Ml a and No. 439 3rd St., Honradez Ext. Sampal oc
Manila respectively, who have executed sworn statements
attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together
with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b)
detailed statements on the dates they frst came to know
me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the
reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the
number of times they have acted as character witnesses
in other petitions for naturalization.
15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of
this petition are the duplicate originals or certifed
photocopies of the following documents (please check
the appropriate box):
[ ] a. Petitioner's birth certifcate
[ ] b. Petitioner's alien certifcate of registration (ACR)
[ ] c. Petitioner's native-born certifcate of residence
(NBCR)
[ ] d. Petitioner's marriage certifcate, if married
[ ] e. Death certifcate of his/her spouse, if widowed
[ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or
granting legal separation, if such was the fact
[ ] g. Birth certifcates of petitioner's minor children
[ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children
[ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children
[ ] j. Affdavits of fnancial capacity by the petitioner,
dul y support ed by bank cert i f i cat i ons,
passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of
ownership of other properties
[ ] k. Affdavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses
who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation
in petitioner's place of residence
[ ] l. Medical certifcate from a government hospital
stating that petitioner is not suffering from
mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs
or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she
is not afficted with acquired immune defciency
syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious
disease.
[ ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the
petitioner from the school/s he or she attended
in the Philippines
[ ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor
children are enrolled in public schools or private
educational institutions duly recognized by the
DECS, where Philippine history, government
and civics are taught and prescribed as part of
the school curriculum and where enrollment is
not limited to any race or nationality
[ ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three
years
[ ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax
for the past three years
16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in
support of his/her petition:
Request Letter: Clearances NBI, BARANGAY, POLICE
& COURT CLEARANCE
My Father's Certifcate of Naturalization
Income Tax Ret urns f or t he Past (3) years, Bank
Certifcates & Property papers of my parents.
PRAYER
WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be
conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions
of Republic Act No, 9139.
Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this _____ day of
________, 20 _____.
TEJPAL S. GILL
Name and Signature of Petitioner
Address: 1901 Luzon Avenue,
Sampaloc, Manila
Telephone Number: _______________
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)
CITY/MUNICIPAL OF MANILA ) S.S.
I, TEJPAL S. GILL of legal age and a resident of 1901
Luzon Ave., Sampaloc Manila, after being duly sworn,
depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have
read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition
and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true
of my own knowledge.
TEJPAL S. GILL
Name and Signature of Petitioner
SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at Manila this
24
th
day of Nov., 2012.
Doc. No.
Page No.
Book No.
Series of
SCN FORM NO. 1
(R.A. NO. 9139)
(MST-Dec. 17, 24 & 31, 2012)
Department of Finance
BUREAU OF CUSTOMS
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
NOTI CE OF PUBLI C AUCTI ON SALE
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2601 to 2610 of the TCCP, as amended, in
relation to CMO 5-2003 dated March 17, 2003 and CMO 18-2003 dated 25 July 2003, CMO
5-2005 dated June 15, 2005 and CAO 10-2007 dated November 28, 2007, there will be
a PUBLIC AUCTION SALE (Sealed Bidding) to be conducted by this Port on December
28, 2012 (Tuesday) at 2:00 p.m. to be held in the Auction & Cargo Disposal Division, 4
th

Floor, BOC-NAIA Main Building, MIA Road, Pasay City, the herein-described articles in lot.
The said articles shall be available for viewing at the designated locations on December
26 and December 27, 2012 respectively from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
In the event of failed bidding, the same articles shall be offered in a second public auction
sale to be held on the third business day following the frst auction at the same time and
place with no reduction of the foor price and without any need for further advertisement.
Lot No. 1-12 Various Consignees Abandoned Cargoes
A.P. No. 020-2012 2 Units Satellite Plate, 90 Pcs. Screen
024-2012 Cleaning Wiper, 8 Pcs. Gasket
028-2012 O-Ring, 7 Pcs. Computer Cable Wire,
& 044-2012 6 Boxes Computer Mother Board, 36
Pcs. DVD Writer, 1 Pkg Computer
Parts and Accessories (AP # 20-2012,
AWB # 16029381483), 25 Ctns
Brochures, Paper and Plastic
Materials, 3 Ctns. Kitchen Set Spare
Parts, 2 Ctns. Data Acquisition Unit,
2 Ctns. Brake Assembly, 2 Units
Computer Server, 5 Pcs. Capacitor,
56 Pcs. Fleet Guard Filter
1
st
Advertisement Location: ACDD-NAIA Warehouse
As Is Where Is
Floor Price: PHP62,200.00
A.P. No. 019-2012 68 Pkgs. Personal Effects, 5 Ctns.
034-2012 Assorted Metal Casing, 4 Ctns
& 039-2012 Printing Ink, 1 Pkg. Steel Wire,
8 Pkgs. Assorted Computer Parts and
Accessories, 2 Pkgs. Aircraft Parts and
Accessories, 2 Pkgs. Various Spare
Parts, 1 Pkg. Power Supply Parts and
Accessories, 8 Ctns. Assorted Plastic
And Steel Materials, 1 Ctn.
Broadcasting Network Materials, 16
Ctns. Airline Company Materials,
Educational Printed Matters and
Magazines, 4 Pkgs. Life Straw
1
st
Advertisement Location: PAIRCARGO Warehouse
As Is Where Is
A.P. No. 017-2012 1 Ctn. Assorted Machinery Parts
& 027-2012 5 Pkgs. Personal Effects, 1 Ctn./10
Pcs. Umbrellas, 1 Ctn Insulating
Materials
1
st
Advertisement Location: MIASCOR Warehouse
As Is Where Is
Basic Guidelines:
1. Payment of non-refundable fee of PHP 2,000.00.
2. Posting of duly receipted bond in cash or Managers check in an amount equivalent
to 20% of the foor price. The bond shall be refunded to the losing bidder after the
closing of the auction. The bond shall be refundable to the losing bidders, after the
closing of the auction.
3. At the end of each bidding, the highest bidder shall be required to pay in Cash/
Managers Check ffty percent (50%) of the bid price on the spot upon announcement
of the winning bid as duly certifed by the Auction Committee and the Commission
on Audit (COA) representative. The remaining balance shall be paid within the next
business day.
4. Payment by Cashiers Checks to the BOC/NAIA shall bear the following:
a. Pay to the order of Land Bank of the Philippies-BOC NAIA
b. For credit of Bureau of Customs
c. For account of _________
Bidder
For further details, please contact the following telephone nos. 897-96-160 or 8771-
4150.
(Sgd.) ATTY. CARLOS T. SO
District Collector
MST Dec. 17, 2012
The Metro Manila III District Engineering Offce Maintenance
crew is undertaking maintenance/repair works along major and
secondary national roads by means of palliative patching using
hotmix asphalt on the noted patholes like Gov. I Santiago Street,
Valenzuela City, to relieve the motorists from traffc Inconvenience.
It is continous commitment by the DPWH-MMIIIDEO to the
riding public of Valenzuela City and Caloocan City to deliver well
maintained national roads that is free from potholes not only this
holiday season but for the whole year
(Paid Advertisement)
(MST-Dec. 17, 2012)
Business
ManilaStandardToday [email protected] [email protected] DECEMBER 17, 2012 MONDAY
B3
Govt to deny Philex appeal
Meralco expects sales to increase 7%
AirAsia
launches
2 flights
By Othel V. Campos
THE governments Mines and
Geosciences Bureau will not allow Philex
Mining Corp. to use the P1-billion ne as
rehabilitation fund for areas affected by the
tailings spill at the companys Padcal mine
in Benguet province in August.
We will deny their appeal. If we backtrack on our position, then
we will be put in a bad light. The public would surmise that we have
been bribed. More than that, the bureau believes that we have the
moral high ground here. The law has to be enforced, an ofcial of
the MGB told Manila Standard in an exclusive interview.
He said a draft memorandum dated Dec. 10 would be submitted for
nal comments of the MGB director.
They [Philex] can bring their appeal to the DENR [Environment
Department]. But I doubt if the Secretary [Ramon Paje] will give in.
The nal appeal will be at the Ofce of the President, the source
said.
These are the administrative remedies they
need to follow. On the other hand, they can
also go to court. This is tricky and dangerous
for them because the case may take time, he
said.
We told them unless you give us another
argument, something new we could work on
to what has been your comment before, then
the motion should be denied, he added.
The MGB said earlier it was willing to
reevaluate the density factor by a third party
as requested by Philex but the penalty
should be paid.
But up to now they have not come up with
any concrete proposal to review the density
level. Why? Simply because they know that our assessment of the
damages was modest. If it is to be analyzed by a third party, costs
[penalties] would probably escalate, the MGB ofcial said.
By Alena Mae S. Flores
MANILA Electric Co., the countrys
largest power distributor, expects
a 7 percent growth in electricity
sales in 2012, on higher demand
from its industrial and commercial
customers.
I think for full-year 2012, were
probably trending around seven
percent, year-on-year growth, Meralco
president Oscar Reyes told reporters.
Reyes said the 2012 sales growth
was a strong improvement from the
slightly above 1-percent increase
in 2011. Meralco earlier projected
a full-year core net income of P16
billion.
Last year was a growth of slightly
above 1 percent. It was 10 percent
[2010], then 1 percent, then 7 percent.
So if you look at the three years, thats
about an average growth of about 6
percent over the three year period,
Reyes said.
He said while it was hard to
forecast sales growth, Meralco was
looking at a growth of 4 to 5 percent
in electricity sales in 2013.
When it was 10 percent [2010],
we were hopeful that it will continue
but then it dropped to 1 percent then
7 percent so its tough to make a call.
But I think, were probably looking at
maybe a 4 to 5 percent growth next
year. Thats the average, Reyes said.
By Lailany
P. Gomez
P H I L I P P I N E S
AirAsia launched
two new international
ights from Clark
over the weekend.
AirAsia Inc. chief
executive Marianne
Hontiveros said the
budget airline opened
new routes from
Clark to Singapore
and Taipei on Dec. 15
and 16.
AirAsias newest
routes seek to better
serve our overseas
Filipinos while
helping drive tourist
trafc by providing
more low-cost options
for travel. It further
strengthens AirAsias
commitment to drive
tourism and trade in
the Philippines by
providing low-fare,
high value travel
experience, she
said.
Data showed about
177,600 Filipinos
were based in
Singapore, working
as professionals and
domestic helpers.
More than 100,000
Filipino workers are
based in Taiwan,
which is the countrys
fth largest source
of tourism with
over 155,000 of
them visiting the
Philippines as of
October.
The excitement is
building up in Clark
with our newest
routes. AirAsia guests
will benet from our
extensive network
spanning across 85
destinations in 24
countries in Asia and
Australia. Now, they
can have a winter
Christmas in Taipei
or treat the whole
family to a New
Year merrymaking in
Singapore or host a
barkada beach party
in Boracay. We will
take them there and
beyond with our
signature low fares,
reliable and on-time
service, Hontiveros
said.
AirAsia is the only
carrier offering four-
times-weekly services
on the ClarkTaipei
route.
Taipei is the low
fare airlines fth
and newest regional
destination following
Clark-Singapore with
daily ights.
B4
WORLD
Iran warns Turkey over Patriots
Mayas
of Mexico
tranquil
Secretary Clinton
sustains concussion
Manila
Standard
TODAY
OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Regional Offce No. VIII
Government Center, Baras, Palo, Leyte
Telefax No.: (053) 323-5553
Email Add: [email protected]
(MST-Dec. 17, 2012)
1. Contract ID : 13IO0017
Contract Name : Concrete Paving of Biliran Circumferential Road, KM. 1089+100
KM. 1096+640 w/ exceptions, (SAN AGUSTIN PAWIKAN ROAD
SECTION), Biliran Province
Contract Location : Biliran Province
Brief Description/Scope of Work : Widening of Roadway and Correction of grade and Concrete Paving
of 2.139 kms. Roadway; Construction of Embankment Protection Structure
and Installation of cross-drainage with Straight-type headwall.
Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) : Php 46,019,909.72
Contract Duration : 180 Calendar Days
Cost of Bidding Documents : Php 25,000.00
Contract Name : Rehabilitation/Reconstruction of Damaged Paved National Road
along Biliran Circumferential Road, KM. 1100+000 KM.1102+000 w/
exceptions, (Bunga Magbangon Road Section), Biliran Province
of 2.110 kms. Roadway.
Contract Name : Rehabilitation/Reconstruction of Damaged Paved National Road
along Biliran Circumferential Road, KM. 1016+000 KM.1018+000
@ Intermittent Section (BATO MUKALBUKAL ROAD SECTION),
Biliran Province
of 2.350 kms. Roadway.
Contract Name : Concrete Paving of Biliran Circumferential Road, KM. 1073+760
KM. 1074+640, (PINAMIHAGAN TANGHAS ROAD SECTION),
Biliran Province
of 0.9104 kms. Roadway; Construction of Embankment Protection
Structure and Installation of cross-drainage with Straight-type headwall.
1. The DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte, through the CY-2013 GAA (Regular
Infrastructure Project) intends to apply the sum above stated being the Approved Budget for the
Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the abovementioned contract/s. Bids received in
excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.
2. The DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte now invites bids for the abovementioned
description of works. Completion of the Works is required for the above stated contract duration. Bidders
should have completed at least one (1) contract that is similar to this project/s, equivalent to at least ffty
percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents,
particularly in Section II, Instructions to Bidders.
3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/
fail criterion in the Eligibility Check and Preliminary Examination of Bids as specifed in the Implementing
Rules and Regulations (lRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the Government
Procurement Reform Act.
Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, organizations or joint venture
with at least seventy fve percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the
Philippines.
4. Contractors/applicants who are interested in the DPWH civil works are required to register prior to the
set scheduled of submission of bid while those already registered shall keep their records current and
updated. Contractors eligibility to bid on the project will be determined using the DPWH Contract Profle
Eligibility Process (CPEP) and subject to further post-qualifcation. Information on registration can be
obtained at DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. Interested bidders may obtain further information from
DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address
given below from 8:00 A.M. 5:00 P.M.
5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below
and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount stated above.
Bidders can make payments for the purchase of the Bidding Documents at any DPWH feld
offces. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government
Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that
bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.
The signifcant date and time of procurement activities are shown below:
PROCUREMENT ACTIVITY D A T E / T I M E
1. Issuance of Bidding Documents December 14, 2012 January 3, 2013
2. Pre-Bid Conference December 21, 2012 @10:00 A.M.
3. Deadline for Receipt of LOIs from
Prospective Bidders
January 2, 2013 @5:00 P.M.
4. Deadline for Receipt/Submission of Bids January 3, 2013 @10:00 A.M.
5. Opening of Bids January 3, 2013 @1:30 P.M.
6. Pre-Bid Conference will be held at BAC Offce, DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte which
shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.
7. Bids must be delivered at BAC Offce, DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte. All bids must
be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause
18, or a Bid Securing Declaration as an additional form of bid security, pursuant to GPPB Resolution
No. 03-2012. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders representatives who choose to attend
at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.
8. To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit the following: 1) DPWH Standard Form of Letter
of Intent (LOI) on or before the deadline for submission of bids (per Department Memorandum
dated November 15, 2012 with Subject: Deferment in the Implementation of Section C.3 of D.O.
No. 64, Series of 2012); 2) Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC) at least equal to ABC or
Credit Line Commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC and 3) Original Receipt (OR) for payment of
bidding documents before submission/dropping of bids. Bidders shall likewise submit their bids
through their duly Authorized Liaison Offcers only as specifed in the Contractors Information
(CI) of the Contractor Registration Certifcate (CRC).
9. The DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte 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 thereby
incurring any liability or obligation to the affected bidder or bidders.
10. For further information, please refer to:
EDGAR B. TABACON, CESO IV
Assistant Regional Director
(BAC Chairman)
Attention:
The Head, BAC Secretariat
DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII,
Baras, Palo, Leyte
Telefax No.: (053) 323-5553
(Sgd.) EDGAR B. TABACON, CESO IV
(BAC Chairman)
NOTED:
(Sgd.) ROLANDO M. ASIS, CESO III
Regional Director
Invitation to Bid
December 13, 2012
Telefax No.: (053) 323-5553
(MST-Dec. 17, 2012)
Invitation to Bid
December 13, 2012
Contract Name : Rehabilitation/Reconstruction of Draingae along Naval
Caibiran Cross Country Road, Km. 1028+000 Km.
1040+000 at Intermittent Section (Calumpag Canceso
Road Section), Naval, Biliran
Contract Location : Naval, Biliran
Brief Description/Scope of Work : Construction of Covered Drainage Structure.
Contract Name : Rehabilitation/Reconstruction of Drianage along Naval
Caibiran Cross Country Road, Km. 1040+000 - Km.
1045+000 at Intermittent Section (Canceso Cabibihan
Road Section), Caibiran, Biliran
Contract Location : Caibiran, Biliran
Brief Description/Scope of Work : Construction of CHB Lined Canal Structure.
Contract Name : Rehabilitation/Reconstruction of Drainage along Biliran
Circumferential Road, Km. 1043+000 Km. 1050+000 at
Intermittent Section (Poblacion Burabod Road Section),
Kawayan, Biliran
Contract Location : Kawayan, Biliran
Brief Description/Scope of Work : Construction of Covered Drainage Structure.
Circumferential Road Km. 1068+000 Km.1073+ 000
at Inte r m ittent Section (Marvel Pinamihagan Road
Section), Culaba, Biliran
Contract Location : Culaba, Biliran
Brief Description/Scope of Work : Construction of CHB Lined Canal structure.
Infrastructure Program) intends to apply the sum above stated being the Approved Budget for
the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the abovementioned contract/s. Bids
received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.
description of works. Completion of the Works is required for the above stated contract duration.
Bidders should have completed at least one (1) contract that is similar to this project/s, equivalent
to at least ffty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the
Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II, Instructions to Bidders.
3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary
pass/fail criterion in the Eligibility Check and Preliminary Examination of Bids as specifed in the
Implementing Rules and Regulations (lRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known
as the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, organizations or joint
venture with at least seventy fve percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging
to citizens of the Philippines.
4. Contractors/applicants who are interested in the DPWH civil works are required to register prior
to the set scheduled of submission of bid while those already registered shall keep their records
current and updated. Contractors eligibility to bid on the project will be determined using the
DPWH Contract Profle Eligibility Process (CPEP) and subject to further post-qualifcation.
Information on registration can be obtained at DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. Interested
bidders may obtain further information from DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte
and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 A.M. 5:00 P.M.
5. Acomplete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address
below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount
stated above. Bidders can make payments for the purchase of the Bidding Documents
at any DPWH feld offces. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of
the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the
Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than
the submission of their bids.
Prospective Bidders
January 3, 2013 @5:00 P.M.
4. Deadline for Receipt/Submission of
Bids
January 4, 2013 @10:00 A.M.
6. Pre-Bid Conference will be held at BAC Offce, DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo,
Leyte which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding
Documents.
7. Bids must be delivered at BAC Offce, DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte. All
bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount
stated in ITB Clause 18, or a Bid Securing Declaration as an additional form of bid security,
pursuant to GPPB Resolution No. 03-2012. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders
representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.
8. To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit the following: 1) DPWH Standard Form
of Letter of Intent (LOI) on or before the deadline for submission of bids (per Department
Memorandum dated November 15, 2012 with Subject: Deferment in the Implementation of
Section C.3 of D.O. No. 64, Series of 2012); 2) Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC) at
least equal to ABC or Credit Line Commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC and 3) Original
Receipt (OR) for payment of bidding documents before submission/dropping of bids. Bidders
shall likewise submit their bids through their duly Authorized Liaison Offcers only as
specifed in the Contractors Information (CI) of the Contractor Registration Certifcate (CRC).
9. The DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte 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 thereby incurring any liability or obligation to the affected bidder or bidders.
10.For further information, please refer to:
(BAC Chairman)
Attention:
Baras, Palo, Leyte
Telefax No.: (053) 323-5553
(BAC Chairman)
NOTED:
Regional Director
Telefax No.: (053) 323-5553
(MST-Dec. 17, 2012)
Invitation to Bid
December 13, 2012
Circumferential Road, Km. 1054+000 Km. 1064+000
at intermittent section (Baganito Bool Road Section),
Kawayan, Biliran
Contract Location : Kawayan, Biliran
Brief Description/Scope of Work : Construction of CHB Lined Canal Structure.
Contract Name : Concrete Paving of Biliran Circumferential Road,
km. 1061+100 Km. 1061+800 (Acaban Bool Road
Section), Biliran Province
Brief Description/Scope of Work : Widening of Roadway and Correction of grade and
Concrete Paving of 0.750 kms. Roadway; Construction of
Embankment Protection Structure and Installation of cross-
drainage with Straight-type headwall.
Contract Name : Strengthening of Bagongbong Bridge, Km. 1033+100
along Biliran Circumferential Road, Almeria, Biliran
Province
Brief Description/Scope of Work : Strengthening of Bridge and Reblocking of 0.162 kms.
Roadway.
Contract Name : Asphalt Overlay along Naval Caibiran Cross Country
Road, Km. 1026+(-096) Km. 1026+722 & Km. 1026+722
Km. 1027+000, (Naval Calumpang Road Section),
Biliran Province
Brief Description/Scope of Work : Asphalt Overlay 50mm with correction of 0.744 kms.
Roadway.
Infrastructure Project) intends to apply the sum above stated being the Approved Budget for
the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the abovementioned contract/s. Bids
received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.
description of works. Completion of the Works is required for the above stated contract duration.
Bidders should have completed at least one (1) contract that is similar to this project/s,
equivalent to at least ffty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is
contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II, Instructions to Bidders.
pass/fail criterion in the Eligibility Check and Preliminary Examination of Bids as specifed in the
Implementing Rules and Regulations (lRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known
as the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, organizations or joint
venture with at least seventy fve percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging
to citizens of the Philippines.
4. Contractors/applicants who are interested in the DPWH civil works are required to register prior
to the set scheduled of submission of bid while those already registered shall keep their records
current and updated. Contractors eligibility to bid on the project will be determined using the
DPWH Contract Profle Eligibility Process (CPEP) and subject to further post-qualifcation.
Information on registration can be obtained at DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. Interested
bidders may obtain further information from DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte
and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 A.M. 5:00 P.M.
below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount
stated above. Bidders can make payments for the purchase of the Bidding Documents at any
DPWH feld offces. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine
Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring
Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the
submission of their bids.
Prospective Bidders
January 7, 2013 @5:00 P.M.
4. Deadline for Receipt/Submission of Bids January 8, 2013 @10:00 A.M.
6. Pre-Bid Conference will be held at BAC Offce, DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo,
Leyte which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding
Documents.
7. Bids must be delivered at BAC Offce, DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte. All
bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount
stated in ITB Clause 18, or a Bid Securing Declaration as an additional form of bid security,
pursuant to GPPB Resolution No. 03-2012. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders
representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.
8. To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit the following: 1) DPWH Standard Form
of Letter of Intent (LOI) on or before the deadline for submission of bids (per Department
Memorandum dated November 15, 2012 with Subject: Deferment in the Implementation of
Section C.3 of D.O. No. 64, Series of 2012); 2) Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC) at
least equal to ABC or Credit Line Commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC and 3) Original
Receipt (OR) for payment of bidding documents before submission/dropping of bids. Bidders
shall likewise submit their bids through their duly Authorized Liaison Offcers only as
specifed in the Contractors Information (CI) of the Contractor Registration Certifcate (CRC).
9. The DPWH Regional Offce No. VIII, Baras, Palo, Leyte 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 thereby incurring any liability or obligation to the affected bidder or bidders.
(BAC Chairman)
Attention:
Baras, Palo, Leyte
Telefax No.: (053) 323-5553
(BAC Chairman)
NOTED:
Regional Director
UH-MAY, MexicoAmid a
worldwide frenzy of advertisers
and new-agers preparing for a
Maya apocalypse, one group is
approaching Dec. 21 with calm
and equanimity--the people whose
ancestors supposedly made the
prediction in the rst place.
Mexicos 800,000 Mayas
are not the sinister, secretive,
apocalypse-obsessed race theyve
been made out to be.
In their heartland on Mexicos
Yucatan peninsula, Mayas
continue their daily lives,
industriously pedaling three-
wheeled bikes laden with family
members and animal fodder
down table-at roads. They
tell rhyming off-color jokes at
dances, and pull chairs out onto
the sidewalk in the evening to
chat and enjoy the relative cool
after a hot day.
Many still live simply in
thatched, oval, mud-and-stick
houses designed mostly for
natural air conditioning against
the oppressive heat of the Yucatan,
where they plant corn, harvest
oranges and raise pigs.
When asked about the end
next week of a major cycle in the
5,125-year Mayan Long Count
calendar, a period known as the
13th Baktun, many respond with
a healthy dose of homespun Maya
philosophy. AP
WASHINGTONSecretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clinton,
who skipped an overseas trip this
past week because of a stomach
virus, sustained a concussion after
fainting, the State Department
said Saturday.
The 65-year-old Clinton, whos
expected to leave her job soon,
was recovering at home after the
incident last week and is being
monitored by doctors, according
to a statement by aide Philippe
Reines.
Dr. Lisa Bardack of the Mt.
Kisco Medical Group and Dr.
Gigi El-Bayoumi of George
Washington University said
Saturday that Clinton was
suffering from a stomach virus and
fainted after becoming extremely
dehydrated. The doctors said
they recommended that Clinton
continue to rest and avoid
strenuous activity and cancel all
work events for the next week.
Clinton was diagnosed with
a concussion Thursday after
fainting at home earlier this week,
according to a State Department
ofcial who spoke on the condition
of anonymity because he was not
authorized to discuss Clintons
injury publicly. The doctors did
not determine it to be a severe
concussion, the ofcial said.
President Barack Obama
telephoned his top diplomat
Saturday to wish her well, a White
House ofcial said. AP
TEHRAN, Iran--A top Iranian military
commander warned Turkey on Saturday
against stationing NATO anti-missile
systems on its territory, saying such a
move risks conict with Syria.
The remarks by army chief of
staff Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi
were carried on state TV the day
after the Pentagon announced it
will send two batteries of Patriot
missiles and 400 troops to Turkey
as part of a larger NATO force
to protect Turkish territory from
potential Syrian missile attacks.
Firouzabadi said the Patriot
deployment was aimed at
protecting Israel from Iranian
missile attacks and inhibit
a potential Russian military
defense of Syria.
The wise and the elite in
Europe, US and Turkey should
dismantle the Patriots and take
them away from the region before
a re breaks out, Firouzabadi
was quoted as saying. We are
a friend of Turkey, we want
security with Turkey, not Turkey
being attacked through Syria so
that they would want to deploy
Patriots there.
Patriot missiles are a defense
line for the Zionists and a result
of [the Wests] concerns over
Irans missiles and Russias
presence to defend Syria, he
said. Western countries approve
the deployment of Patriots on
the Syria-Turkey border as they
design a world war, he said in
a separate quote carried by state
TVs website.
Iran and Russia are two of
Damascus key allies. Tehran has
provided Assad with military and
political backing for years, and
has kept up its strong support
for the regime since the Syrian
uprising began in March 2011.
On Thursday, a top Russian
diplomat said Syrian President
Bashar Assad is losing control
of his country. But on Friday,
the Foreign Ministry issued a
convoluted denial, saying its
top envoy for Syria was merely
characterizing the opinion of the
Syrian opposition rather than
stating Russias view. AP
In memory. A memorial for shooting victims is seen near Sandy Hook Elementary School, Saturday in
Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened re,
killing 26 people, including 20 children. AP
#lovemy
fashion beauty health wellness DECEMBER 17, 2012 MONDAY
C1
W
H
A
T
S
I
N
S
I
D
E
ASK AN HIV
COUNSELOR
Free yourself from all the
myths and get to know the
truth about HIV and AIDS.
Gianna Maniego, Editor
Dinna Chan Vasquez, Assistant Editor
DEFINED as a devoted fol-
lower of haute couture, we nd
a lot of them in our midst, giv-
ing color, excitement, vitality
and glamor to the dozens of so-
cial events that crowd our daily
schedule throughout the year.
Small wonder why our metropo-
lis can easily be branded as the
fashion capital of Asia. These re-
cent events show you why.
Bur dang Taal
Earlier this year, Batangas
vice governor Mar k Leviste
moved to promote awareness of
Taals local hand-embroidery in-
dustry and its great potential for
the future, by requesting the Es-
pino brothers, producers of Phil-
ippine Fashion Week, to help
this dying industry.
Responding positively to
this appeal, 16 of Manilas top
fashion designers showcased
Burdang Taal, Habing Filipino
at the Philippine Fashion Week
Spring/Summer 2013, with the
support of the Fiber Industry
Development Authority of the
Philippines (FIDA).
The show was a huge success,
gauging from the attendance of
the metros well-heeled, including
Fashionista
a large delegation from the Mu-
nicipality of Taal@its local gov-
ernment ofcers and stakeholders
in the embroidery industry.
Among the designs which
stood out during the show were
Edgar San Diegos 3-piece col-
lection, inspired by the basic
parts of the Filipino dress. The
tapiz, kimono, bell sleeves and
panuelo were cut in a stylized
manner and adorned with the
ne embroidery of Taal. The in-
teresting combination of brown,
silver gray, kiwi and olive on the
silk daskin material makes up
San Diegos 2013 Spring/Sum-
mer color palette.
Nator i
The 35 th anniversary of the
Natori Company was recently
celebrated at the Ayala Museum;
with guest of honor, Josie Natori
herself. Rustans hosted the glit-
tery event which also featured
the designers Fall Winter 2012
collection as well as the Capsule
collection that is exclusive to the
Philippines. It also had a retro-
spective exhibit, dating back to
1977 when the brand was born,
with iconic pieces such as an intri-
cately done bustier worn by Cindy
Crawford in Cosmopolitan maga-
zine, beaded cat suits, kimonos
and a night gown worn by Julia
Roberts in Pretty Woman.
The global stage is Natoris
perfect arena, as she combines
the heritage and traditions of her
Eastern upbringing with the con-
temporary, modern sensibilities
of her New York life.
Best dressed for char ity
An evening of glitz, glam-
our and gracious hearts was
the best way to describe the
9th Best Dressed Women of
the Philippine gala, chaired by
Helen Ong, Imelda Coj uang-
co and Dr. Rober t o Pat er no,
and one of the more awaited
social revelries in the country.
The evening event honored the
countrys fashion-conscious
creme de la creme while pro-
moting cancer awareness and
the value of compassion for
those suffering from such nal-
ady.
This year, the event, made
possible by CATS Motors, Inc.,
East West Bank and Lifestyle
Asia, also honored eight Exem-
plary Men of Inuence, led by
former President Fidel V. Ramos.
YOUR WEEKEND
CHUCKLE:
Give a person a sh and you
feed him for a day. Teach a per-
son to use the Internet and he
wont bother you for weeks,
months, maybe years!
For feedback, Im at bobzo-
[email protected]
NATASHA Vodianova is a top model who has earned the distinction of being
one of the few muses to have bags created for them. A special version of the
Piper Lux from Furla was designed and sold exclusively in Moscow to help
fund the models Naked Heart Foundation. All proceeds from the bags sale
are donated to the foundation.
But if youre not someone
who has a to-die-for bag designed
in your honor, the next best thing
is to covet the bag itself, together
with other key pieces by luxury
and designer labels from this
season and the next. Head-to-toe
accessories play an all-important
role in spicing up any outt. So
look out for the hottest bags,
shoes, timepieces and jewelry
that stylish folk are lusting after.
And that obviously includes the
quintessential item from Furla.
Piper Lux was intro-
duced last year and
was dispatched
to stores in
spring 2012.
It quickly be-
came
one of the brands bestselling
items. Those who want to get
their hands on new designs will
have to wait till spring, when the
collection gets refreshed. The
Spring/Summer 2013 edition of
the bag is realized in two vari-
ants: total white and total black.
Two new headlining items
from Tods are more reasons
to look forward to spring. First
presented to the Milan fashion
press, the D Bag and the Bal-
lerina ats reafrm the luxury
leather companys commitment
to craftsmanship and timeless
design.
The former, one of the brands
most iconic pieces, arrives in
a variety of supple dgrad py-
thon. A special Couture edition
in precious skins evoke pure
luxury and art, elevating the D
Bag to object-of-desire status.
Meanwhile, the latter (Bal-
lerina at) is rendered in fun
and youthful summer hues,
making the classic item an
important foot accessory for
seasons to come.
Meanwhile, a new
generation of the Char-
riol Celtic watch is available this
season. The latest incarnation for
men features an oversize case
measuring 43mm in diameter, up
from the traditional 38mm. The
one for the ladies retains a dainty
size of 26mm.
The Celtic line boasts a self-
winding movement visible
through the sapphire exhibition
backs and dials displaying Ro-
man numerals. The bracelets are
made with the brands trademark
chevron-structured cable design.
The current update comes in
three versions: steel case/stain-
less steel cable bracelet, steel
case/black PVD-coated cable
and black PVD-coated stainless
steel cable bracelet, and steel
case with 18K yellow or pink
gold bezel/stainless steel brace-
let.
Another brand thats doing a
lot of updating is Marco Bicego.
Backed by a rich history of ne
Italian design and quality, the
jewelry maker is revisiting its
most popular pieces from the
archives this year, updating the
collections with new colors and
sophisticated nuances.
Items form the Africa line,
inspired by tribal jewelry and
the soft dunes of the Sahara, are
mostly rounded and bear a glossy,
yet quite sandy, appearance. Eve-
rythings in gold, chunky and ex-
travagant, but theyre extremely
light. The necklaces, bracelets,
earrings and rings are all indi-
vidually engraved, brushed and
textured by hand at the brands
workshop in Trissino.
The multi-tone Goa line is
a play on contrasts, with 18k
white, yellow and pink gold in
the mix. The different golds are
twisted with and around one an-
other to create interesting lines in
circular shapes. The blending of
the warm and cool tones are fur-
ther accentuated with white dia-
monds for sparkle and additional
depth and swirling movement.
The nal new line is Jaipur
Link. As the name implies, the
pieces are chains of linked rings
and stones that ow and inter-
weave, giving the impression of
lively and playful movement
an expression of equal parts sim-
plicity and air.
Furla, Tods and Charriol are
exclusively distributed in the
Philippines by Stores Specialists
Inc. Marco Bicego is exclusively
available at Rustans.
ACCESSORIES
COVET
By Ed Biado
to
Africa
brace-
let
from
Marco
Bicego
The
Piper Lux
(Natalia
Vodianova
edition)
from Furla
The Celtic 26
Silver & Rose
Gold from
Charriol
The Ballerina
from Tods
Josie Natori and Rustans
President Zenaida Tantoco
Ambassador of Chile to the
Philippines Roberto Mayorga
with wife Madame Paulina
Lizzie Zobel and Josie Natori
Inno Sotto and David
Leung
A closer
look at San
Diegos
master-
pieces
(From left) Former president Fidel Ramos; Solar Entertainment Corporation
chairman Wilson Tieng; Corporate Link Management Group of Companies
founder Dr. Eduardo Ong; Turkey Chamber of Commerce to the Philip-
pines executive vice president Abdulgani Macatoman; Del Rosario and
Del Rosario Law rm managing partner Atty. Ruben Del Rosario, Owner
and chairman of Henann Resorts, Henry Chusuey; I-Remit, Inc. chairman
Bansan Choa; and Calata Corporation chairman Joseph Calata
Crickette Tantoco, Mike Huang, Donnie Tantoco,
Kathy Huang, Chris Tantoco and Dina and Paolo
Tantoco
Edgar San Diego and his 3-piece collection
The 2012 Best Dressed Women of the Philippines awardees (from left): Bernadette Montinola-Aboitiz in a gown by Juan Carlos Pinera; Tootsy Echauz-Ang-
ara in a fuchsia gown with black accents by Denis Lustico; Ana Amigo-Antonio is in her Rajo Laurel gown; Grace Barbers-Baja in a Jun Escario gown; Sheree
Jane Bangayan-Chua in an all-peated gown by Paul Cabral; 2012 Style Icon Ching Cruz in a Rosa Clara gown; Elizabeth Siy-Co in a beaded gown by Wilhelm
Chua; Joteen de Jesus-Jimenez in a daring low-cut gown by Liz Lirag of New Yorker; Kathleen Lior-Liechtenstein in an Ito Curata gown; Aziza N. Mondoedo
in a Rajo Laurel bustier gown with rufed skirt; Pinky Puno in her gown by Oliver Tolentino; Agile Abastillas-Zamora in her gown by Roy Gonzales
MONDAY C2
DECEMBER 17, 2012
Gianna Maniego, Editor
Dinna Chan Vasquez, Assistant Editor
ManilaStandardToday
#lovemy
fashion beauty health wellness
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
beauty
memo
beauty
memo
By Dinna Chan Vasquez
[email protected]
To learn more about HIV/AIDS and societys
awareness and knowledge of it, I spoke with reg-
istered nurse and HIV counselor Angelo Esper-
anzate.
Based on his counseling experience, he ob-
serves that people still think that kissing, mos-
quito bites, sharing of utensils, or the mere pres-
ence of the PLHIV (people living with HIV),
puts them at risk of acquiring the virus and that
its a death sentence. The reality is that HIV
has three modes of transmission: unprotected
penetrative sex, transfer of infected blood and
blood products, and infected mother to child
transmission.
In his line of work, Esperanzate comes across
common questions, which he answers for this ar-
ticle:
1. Whats the difference between HIV and
AIDS? HIV is the virus that destroys the im-
mune system leaving the body vulnerable to in-
fections and diseases previously easily fought
off. AIDS is the condition of the body where in
it can no longer ght off the simplest of diseases
and infections.
2. What are the symptoms of being infected
with HIV? None. The only symptoms that you
will see are those of the infection or the disease
that you have when youre body no longer has
the capabilities to ght it off. The only way to
know that youve got HIV is by taking the test.
3. What will I do if Im positive; will I die?
There are hospitals with treatment hubs for
PLHIV. They will check for the stage you are in
your infection and ensure that its progress will
stop or slow down with treatment to help you live
a normal life just like anyone else. One does not
die of HIV or AIDS; they die from whatever dis-
ease that befalls upon them.
Generally, they fear getting infected. But peo-
ple have different ways of reactingfrom those
who claim that they will forever abstain from
having sex to those who just dont give a crap
and continue to be risky, Esperanzate says of
peoples attitude towards HIV/AIDS.
To protect yourself against HIV, Esperanzates
advice is to follow the ABCDE rule: A, absti-
nence. B, being mutually faithful to your part-
ner. C, correct and consistent use of condoms. D,
dont use alcohol or drugs, which can alter your
state of mind, when you are expecting to have
sex. And E, proper education and early detection,
which is HIV testing.
For more information about HIV/AIDS and
to seek counseling, call the AIDS Society of
the Philippines at 376-2541 during ofce hours.
If you want to get tested, call the ASP clinic at
0917-826-iCON (4266) or 0932-877-iCON
(4266) to schedule an appointment. Esperanzate
is also available for any questions at 0927-947-
0229.
Ask an HIV
counselor
WITH Christmas just around the
corner, many are already plan-
ning on what food to prepare
during get-togethers and which
restaurant to go to celebrate the
holidays.
However, because of the mer-
riment, you sometimes forget to
control your food and alcohol
intake. This may result to not
just weight problems but also
harm your digestive system,
making you more susceptible
to tummy problems, including
constipation.
So this year, make sure to be
prepared for holiday binging
and be ahead of every situation
with these helpful tips.
Never starve yourself and
binge at a party. Before you
leave for the party, eat healthy
foods like raw vegetables or a
piece of fruit and drink water to
curb your appetite and prepare
your digestive system for food.
At the party, quickly scan the
buffet and decide what to eat.
Pair fatty foods with ber-rich
foods which can make them
easier to digest.
Consider what and how much
to put on your plate. Choose
only what you really want to
eat or what you missed the most
during Christmas. Or if you re-
ally want to have a taste of ev-
erything, go for portion control.
Another tip is to avoid eating
when you are not really hungry.
Dont be pressured to eat just
because there are a lot of food
in front you.
When drinking, know how
many glasses of wine or bottles
of beer you can handle. And
dont forget to drink plenty of
water after every round. Water
will aid your digestive system to
dissolve fats and soluble ber,
allowing these substances to
pass through more easily.
And to truly enjoy the parties
and work celebrations without
the worry of disrupting your
digestive system. If you feel
heavy and bloated due to prob-
lems like constipation, dont
worry, theres always (Bisaco-
dyl) Dulcolax to keep the fes-
tivities going.
Dulcolax is a safe and ef-
fective laxative that supports
the bodys natural process of
elimination through Dual Digest
Flow Action. First, it stimulates
intestinal muscle movement,
and then increases water accu-
mulation in our colon resulting
to gentle, predictable constipa-
tion relief in just 6 to 12 hours.
Plus, its tablet form has a protec-
tive coating so that youre sure it
acts only on the target organ, the
colon, making it safe even for
lactating women.
IF there is one
thing that pres-
sures most of
the people cel-
ebrating Christ-
mas, more than
the usual stress
brought by cook-
ing or preparing food, it is the often tedious and
dreadful search for the right Christmas gift; may it
be for your godchildren who are growing so fast and
need new gift ideas to replace the usual toys; or
your friends, colleagues, and relatives who are tired
of receiving your redundant towels, coffee mugs, or
picture frames.
Truly, gift ideas are hard to think of but with Nisce
Skin n Face, they have already provided a list that
will surely please both the giver and the recipient.
Check out the top 10 ideas for an easier thoughts of
both pamper and glam.
Dagdagay foot ther apy
Dagdagay Foot Therapy is a traditional foot mas-
sage with use of handcrafted sticks, and what more:
its a calming experience of sea salt scrub, foot bath
and clay mask in banana leaf wrap.
Hand parafn
Nisces Hand Parafn treatment improves blood
circulation to the skin and relax the muscles, which
can help relieve arthritis, osteoarthritis and bromy-
algia.
Blaise products for men
Nisce Skin n Face has Blaise products for men:
lightening oil control facial scrub, shaving cream,
after shave, toner, clarifying lotion, and anti-perspi-
rant deodorant.
Intense Pulse Light per manent hair removal
Nisce Skin n Faces pain-free IPL Permanent
Hair Removal is a perfect Christmas gift not only
for you but also for your wife, sister, mother or for
your in-laws.
GlutaCur ve or FitCur ve
GlutaCurve is
a combination of
effective whiten-
ing and slimming.
While FitCurve
has L-Carnitine
and Green tea ex-
tract that helps
burn fat and boost metabolism.
Radiage Radio Frequency for eye bag
/ eye wr inkle
Now, that youre on a stress break, its about time
to treat yourself and your hardworking mom this
coming holiday and avail the Nisce Radiage Radio
Frequency for eye bags and eye wrinkle treatment.
Nisce Skin n face soaps
For your nieces/nephews undergoing puberty,
why not give them Nisces Acne Guard, formulated
to ght root cause of acne. For your titas give them,
Nisce Rice Bran Organic Emu Soap, which contains
rice bran oil used to help smooth out wrinkles and is
a natural source of antioxidants that help slow down
the effects of aging. There are also Nisce Whiten-
ing Exfoliating Soap and the Nisce Whitening Soap
with Glutathione, Kojic Acid, and Arbutin perfect
for you or for your friends.
Nisce premium facial
Nisce Premium Facial is their newest type of fa-
cial that has whitening, anti-acne, and anti-aging ef-
fects. Whats nice about this service is that there is
no pricking unlike your usual facial.
Tr anquillity massage
Tranquillity Massage is a combination of Swed-
ish, Shiatsu, and Thai is a perfect Christmas treat
for those who are workaholic person like your
boss or employees, and even business clientele.
Manicure and Pedicure
Manicure and Pedicure are a perfect girly Christ-
mas gifts for a girlfriend, mother, mother-in-laws, or
even for your girl friends. This is denitely a great
time to bond and have chikahan / girl talk moments.
WITH cooler weather and the mili-
tary trends in the fashion air, its boot
season at Parisian, SMs iconic shoe
brand. Its the best time to amp up
your boot collection with the latest
looks from Parisian.
Ankle High Bootssleek and elegant,
these come with buckles, lace-up, and
zipper accents.
Military Bootsthese boots are
tougher, bolder, with a lot of fashion at-
titude. These can be worn with leather/
moto jackets and skinny jeans for that
biker chic look, or even with denim
shorts or a simple tee for a casual vibe.
Lace up bootsthese are the perfect
combination of style and function, as
well as high fashion faux fur boots.
Colorcolor comes in many ways
to the Parisian collection: from classic
black, brown and gray, to trendy red and
blue.
The Parisian collection is available at
all SM stores.
THE BOOT CAMP
Holiday gifts
WITH A TOUCH OF GLAM
By Ed Biado
HIV and AIDS are
not novel anymore.
Youd think that, by
now, we all know the
truth about the virus
and the condition and
have learned how to protect our-
selves from getting infected. But,
here at home, a lot of people still
dont have a clue. This is one of
the reasons that new cases of HIV
infection rose by more than 25 percent last yearagainst the trend
among comparable countries, which saw a 50 percent decline from
2001 to 2011. In 2012, at least nine new cases of HIV or AIDS are
reported everyday in the Philippines.
WOULDNT it be great
to wake up to savvy, styl-
ish and sleeker hair in the
comforts of your own
home every single day?
As one of the worlds
greatest consumer goods
companies, Unilever rec-
ognizes the ever-changing
needs of its consumers
and shoppers, especially
since more and more Fili-
pinas go to the salon to
further nourish and style
their hair.
Introducing their new-
est hair brand that will give
women salon gorgeous
hair at home, everyday
TRESemme. TRESemme
prides itself as a brand
being born from salons
and dedicated to creating
salon-quality, stylist-tested,
professional-grade wash,
care and styling products to
help you create your own
style at home.
TRESemme is avail-
able at two variants--
Smooth and Shine and
Anti-Hair Fall.
Smooth and Shine con-
tains Vitamin H and Silk
Proteins to calm frizz and
tame yaways leaving
hair silky, smooth and
shiny. Its moisturizing
formula quenches hairs
thirst to keep hair soft and
frizz-free.
Amino-Vitamin Com-
plex is the main ingredient
in TRESemmes Anti-Hair
Fall line. It deeply moistur-
izes and nourishes dam-
aged areas to reduce break-
age as it evenly conditions
hair to restore and revitalize
distressed locks, keeping it
smooth, healthy-looking
and strong.
Apart from nurturing
their locks, Filipinas love
to style and experiment
with hair styles almost
every day which is why
TRESemme offers their
Styling Mousse which
provides maximum hold
for lasting body and shine
and Hair Spray for a long-
lasting and extra rm hold.
TRESemmes Styl-
ing Mousse has a humid-
ity resistant formula which
protects against styling
damage and offers strong
hold for a salon-quality, in
control, and touchable style
all day while their Hair
Spray helps control your
preferred hair style style all
day long, even in damp or
humid conditions.
Salon gorgeous hair everyday
To binge or not to binge
Fact: Most people do not have dazzling white teeth.
This may be TMI but I am one of those people. My
dentist told me that the yellowing of your teeth may
be caused genetics. Some people's enamel is naturally
of a yellow hue, while certain genetic disorders like
dentinogenesis imperfecta and amelogenesis imperfect
may affect the color of teeth.
Aside from genes, the food and drinks that we take in
can also discolour teeth. Coffee, tea and soda are high in
tannins and dyes that can turn your teeth yellow. Food like
berries, soy sauce, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, beets
and curry can stain your teeth badly.
I dont need to say that cigarettes are not only bad for
your health, they can also ruin your teeth. Smoking to-
bacco products like cigarettes and cigars can cause your
teeth to turn yellow. This is due to a buildup of stains from
the tar, nicotine and other chemicals in the tobacco smoke.
The yellowing may appear not just in your teeth, but also
on your ngers and in your ngernails.
So what should you do? My dentist says brushing your
teeth after every meal would help but if you want perma-
nently whiter teeth, there are professional whitening treat-
ments that can help. The problem with these treatments is
that most of them are not too gentle on the teeth.
I recently received three tubes of Close Up White Now
and when we ran out of our regular brand at home, I opened
one time and used it. Initially, I was shocked that the lather
was blue! Apparently, Close Up White Now is a cosmetic
x that has an instant whitening effect on teeth. How does
it work? The process can be compared to a green tinted
concealer on skin blemishes. The toothpastes blue tiny
conceals the yellow of the teeths surface instantly. Yes,
you do get whiter teeth in just one brush and it doesnt hurt
your teeth in the process.
The effect is temporary and only lasts three hours but
you can really see after you rinse your mouth. Oh, Close
Up White Now has a gradual whitening action that light-
ens the color of your teeth with continuous use!
Quick x for teeth
C3
Classifeds
ManilaStandardToday
[email protected]
Page Compositor: Diana Keyser Punzalan
Daet, Camarines Norte
I NVI TATI ON TO BI D
(MST-Dec. 17, 2011)
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works
and Highways, Camarines Norte Engineering District, invites contractors to bid
for the aforementioned projects:
Contract ID : 12FC0306
Contract Name : REHAB./IMPROVEMENT OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM
AND SLOPE PROTECTION WORKS ALONG
BAGONG SILANG CAPALONGA NATIONAL
SECONDARY ROAD (PHASE 2)
Contract Location : Capalonga, Camarines Norte
Scope of Work : 45 ln.m., Slope Protection Work
Contract Duration : 60 C.D.
Source of Fund :
Tender Documents : Php 10,000.00
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, (e) Net Financial Contracting
Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10%
of ABC, and (f) Prospective Bidders must submit complete List of Equipment to
be used for above Projects. The said List of Equipment must be owned/leased
by the bidder itself (g) all interested Bidder/s who wish to participate in this
competitive bidding are required to have an Actual Site Inspection (ASI) on the
above mention projects.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for
registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Offce before the deadline for the
receipt of LOI. The DPWH-POCW Central Offce will only process contractors
applications for registration with complete requirements and issue the
Contractors Certifcate of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be
downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The signifcant times and deadlines of procurements activities are shown
below:
1. Issuance of Bidding Documents From DECEMBER 14, 2012 to JANUARY 7, 2013
2. Pre-Bid Conference DECEMBER 21, 2012 @ 2:00 P.M.
3. Deadline of Receipt of LOI from
Prospective Bidders
DECEMBER 21, 2012 until 10:00 A.M.
4. Receipt of Bids JANUARY 7, 2013 until 10:00 A.M.
5. Opening of Bids JANUARY 7, 2013 @ 2:00 P.M.
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at the Offce of
the BAC, DPWH, Daet, Camarines Norte, upon payment of a non-refundable
fee of (see cost of tender documents above). 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 specifed
in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The
frst envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include
a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the fnancial component
of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid
as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualifcation.
The Department of Public Works and Highways, Camarines Norte
Engineering District reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the
bidding process at any time prior contract award, without thereby incurring any
liability to the affected bidders.
(Sgd.)RICARDO L. PACARDO
OIC-Asst. District Engineer
BAC Chairman
Noted:
(Sgd.)SIMON N. ARIAS
OIC-District Engineer
ZAMBALES FIRST DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE
Offce of the District Engineer
Iba, Zambales
INVITATION TO BID
(MST-Dec. 17, 2012)
1. Contract Name: Package I - Construction of Various School Bldg., 1. Jesmag National H/S,
Sta Cruz, Zambales 1,129,000.00 2. Mapalad E/S, Sta Cruz, Zambales 618,000.00 3.
Pamibian Integrated School, Candelaria, Zambales -1,129,000.00, 4. San Roque E/S Annex,
Candelaria,Zambales,- 4,538,031.34 , 4. Sta Cruz National H/S (Lipay H/S). Sta Cruz, Zambales
1,586,176.92 / Contract ID No. 12CL0039 Amt ABC : 9,000,207.26
2. Contract Name: Package II - Construction of Various School Bldg., 1. Alwa E/S, Palauig,
Zambales 618,000.00, 2. Dona Luisa Obieta E/S, Iba, Zambales -4,538,031.34 ,3. Maguisguis
E/S, Botolan, Zambales 618,000.00, 4. New Taugtog National H/S, Botolan, Zambales, -
1,129,000.00, 5. Salaza H/S, Zambales,- 618,000.00 6. Zambales National H/S, Zambales -
618,000.00 / Contract ID No. 12CL0040 Amt ABC : 8,139,031.34
3. Contract Name: Package III - Construction of Various School Bldg., 1. Banawen Primary School,
San Felipe, Zambales - 618,000.00, 2. Don Getulio Arindaeng H/S, San Felipe, Zambales-
618,000.00, 3. Mabato P/S San Narciso, Zambales - 618,000.00 4. Pundakit H/S, San Antonio,
Zambales- 1,129,000.00 , 5. San Miquel National H/S, San Antonio, Zambales - 4,481,731.03 /
Contract ID No. 12CL0041 Amt ABC :7,464,731.03
1. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), through the General Appropriation Act
GAA intends to apply the sum of ABC - Package I 9,000,207.26, Package II 8,139,031.34 ,
Package III 7,464,731.03 being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under
the contract for
1. Contract Name: Construction of Various School Bldg., 1. Jesmag National H/S, Sta Cruz,
Zambales, 2. Mapalad E/S, Sta Cruz, Zambales 3. Pamibian Integrated School, Candelaria,
Zambales, 4. San Roque E/S Annex, Candelaria,Zambales, 4. Sta Cruz National H/S (Lipay H/S).
Sta Cruz, Zambales / Contract ID No. 12CL0039
2. Contract Name: Construction of Various School Bldg., 1. Alwa E/S, Palauig, Zambales 2.
Dona Luisa Obieta E/S, Iba, Zambales 3. Maguisguis E/S, Botolan, Zambales ,3.New Taugtog
National H/S, Botolan, Zambales, 4. Salaza H/S,Zambales,4.Zambales National H/S, Zambales
/ Contract ID No. 12CL0040
3. Contract Name: Construction of Various School Bldg., 1. Banawen Primary School, San Felipe,
Zambales, 2. Don Getulio Arindaeng H/S, San Felipe, Zambales, 3. Mabato P/S San Narciso,
Zambales , 4. Pundakit H/S, San Antonio, Zambales, 5. San Miquel National H/S, San Antonio,
Zambales / Contract ID No. 12CL0041
Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.
2. The Department of Public Works and Highways now invites bids 1. Contract Name: Construction
of Various School Bldg., 1. Jesmag National H/S, Sta Cruz, Zambales, 2. Mapalad E/S, Sta Cruz,
Zambales 3. Pamibian Integrated School, Candelaria, Zambales, 4. San Roque E/S Annex,
Candelaria,Zambales, 4. Sta Cruz National H/S (Lipay H/S). Sta Cruz, Zambales / Contract ID
No. 12CL0039
2. Contract Name: Construction of Various School Bldg., 1. Alwa E/S, Palauig, Zambales 2.
Dona Luisa Obieta E/S, Iba, Zambales 3. Maguisguis E/S, Botolan, Zambales ,3.New Taugtog
National H/S, Botolan, Zambales, 4. Salaza H/S,Zambales,4.Zambales National H/S, Zambales
/ Contract ID No. 12CL0040
3. Contract Name: Construction of Various School Bldg., 1. Banawen Primary School, San
Felipe, Zambales, 2. Don Getulio Arindaeng H/S, San Felipe, Zambales, 3. Mabato P/S San
Narciso, Zambales , 4. Pundakit H/S, San Antonio, Zambales, 5. San Miquel National H/S, San
Antonio, Zambales / Contract ID No. 12CL0041
Completion of the Works is required for 180 CD.
3. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of
bids, a single contract similar to the project, equivalent to at least ffty percent (50%) of the ABC.
pass/fail criterion as specifed in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act
9184 (RA9184), otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at
least seventy fve percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the
Philippines.
5. Contractors/applicants who are interested in the DPWH civil works are required to register prior to
the set schedule of submission of bid while those already registered shall kept their record current
and updated. Contract Profle eligibility Process (CPEP) and subject further post qualifcation.
Information on registration can be obtained at DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph or Central
Procurement Offce (CPO) 5
th
foor, DPWH Bldg., Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila from 8:00AM
to 5:00 PM.
below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Ten
Thousand Pesos Only (10,000.00) Package I to III.
It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic
Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders
shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids.
Payments can be made at any DPWH feld offce. The submission of the Original Receipt (OR) for
payments of bidding documents issued by any DPWH feld offce is suffcient for the BAC of this
District Offce to process the electronic eligibility evaluation of the contractors.
7. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on
December 21, 2012 AM at DPWH Conference Room, Iba, Zambales which shall be open to
all interested parties.
8. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before January 2,2013 10:00 AM at DPWH
Conference Room, Iba, Zambales. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of
the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.
Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders representatives who choose to attend at the
address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.
9. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Zambales 1
st
DEO, 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 thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.
MS. LOURDES F. ARINDUQUE
BAC Secretariat
DPWH-Zambales 1
st
DEO
Palanginan,Iba, Zambales
Tel No. 047-8113558/047-8111327
[email protected]
(Sgd.) ALLAN N. LADINES
BAC Chairman
Pangasinan Sub-District Engineering Offce
Area Equipment Services Compound
Tuliao, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan
INVITATION TO BID FOR
(MST-Dec. 17, 2012)
Rehab/Construction of Sinucalan River Dike, Tuliao, Sta.
Barbara, Pangasinan
1. The DPWH Pangasinan Sub District Engineering Offce, through the
Regular Infra 2012 intends to apply the sum of Php 19,400,000.00
being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for payments under
the contract for Rehab/Construction of Sinucalan River Dike, Tuliao,
Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan, Contract ID No. 12AJ0091. Bids received
in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.
2. The DPWH Pangasinan Sub District Engineering Offce now invites
bids for Clearing & Grubbing, Structure Excavation, Embankment,
Gabions, Filter Cloth, Boulder Fill, Occupational Safety and Health,
Mobilization & Demobilization, Project Billboard. Completion of the
Works is required 120 Calendar Days. Bidders should have completed,
within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids,
a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder
is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II.
Instruction to Bidders.
3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures
using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA
9184), otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.
4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from DPWH
Pangasinan Sub District Engineering Offce and inspect the Bidding
Documents at the address given below from 8:00 Am 5:00 Pm.
5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested
Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable
fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand
Pesos (Php 25,000.00).
It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the
Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and
the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the
fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.
6. The DPWH Pangasinan Sub District Engineering Offce will hold a
Pre-Bid Conference on December 28, which shall be opened to all
interested parties.
7. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before January 8
@ 02:00 pm at Tuliao, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan. All bids must be
accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in
the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.
8.
Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders representatives who
choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.
9. The DPWH Pangasinan Sub District Engineering Offce 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 thereby
incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.
CONSUELO J. CRUZ
BAC Secretariat
DPWH-PSDEO
Tuliao, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan
Telefax (075) 653-64-18
(Sgd.) VIRGILIO B. ZAMUDIO
BAC Chairman
Region X
Misamis Occidental 1st Engineering District
Oroquieta City
December 10, 2012
INVITATION TO BID
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) Misamis Occidental 1
st
Engineering District, through its Bids and Awards Committee
(BAC), invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned projects:

Contract ID: 12KI0047
Contract Name: Road Widening of Brgy. Upper Lamac/Villafor, Oroquieta City
Contract Location: Upper Lamac/Villafor, Oroquieta City
Approved Budget for the Contract: P 665,255.80
Allocation: P 700,000.00
Source of Fund: CY 2012 PDAF (2nd Tranche) SARO # BMB A 12 T000003171
Contract Duration: 45 CD
Cost of Plans & Bid Documents: P 1,000.00
Contract ID: 12KI0048 (Cluster I)
Contract Name: Construction of School Buildings, Misamis Occidental
Contract Location as follows:
1. Gata PS, Jimenez, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
2. Jimenez NCHS, Jimenez, Mis. Occ. - 1,681,020.00
3. Sinara Bajo PS, Jimenez, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
4. Taboo, ES, Jimenez, Mis. Occ. - 1,144,440.00
5. Camanucan PS, Panaon, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
6. Map an PS, Panaon, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
Total Approved Budget for the Contract: P 5,415,300.00
Total Allocation: P 5,470,000.00
Source of Fund: CY 2013 SCHOOL BULDINGS PROJECTS
Contract ID: 12KI0049 (Cluster II)

1. Banisilon PS, Aloran, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
2. Burgos ES, Aloran, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
3. F. Tayone PS, Aloran, Mis. Occ. - 657,360.00
4. Mitazan IS, Aloran, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
5. Nabuna ES, Aloran, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
6. San Pedro PS, Aloran, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
7. Tugaya ES, Aloran, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
8. Zamora ES, Aloran, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
Contract ID: 12KI0050 (Cluster III)

1. Lower Bautista ES, Sapang Dalaga, Mis. Occ. - 1,174,140.00
2. Caluya ES, Sapang Dalaga, Mis. Occ. - 657,360.00
3. Capundag ES, Sapang Dalaga, Mis. Occ. - 657,360.00
4. Casul ES, Sapang Dalaga, Mis. Occ. - 657,360.00
5. Dalumpinas PS, sapang Dalaga, Mis. Occ. - 1,174,140.00
6. Dasa ES, Sapang Dalaga, Mis.Occ - 657,360.00
7. Dioyo ES, Sapang Dalaga, Mis. Occ. - 657,360.00
8. Libertad ES, Sapang Dalaga, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
9. Manla ES, Sapang Dalaga, Mis. Occ. - 657,360.00
Contract ID: 12KI0051 (Cluster IV)

1. Bagong Tipan PS, Oroquieta City - 642,510.00
2. Bunga NHS, Oroquieta City - 773,190.00
3. Mabas PS, Lopez Jaena, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
4. Cartagena ES, Plaridel, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
5. Mangidkid ES, Plaridel, Mis. Occ. - 657,360.00
6. Naburos, ES, Baliangao, Mis. Occ. - 647,460.00
Contract ID: 12KI0052 (Cluster V)
1. Balongcot ES, Concepcion, Mis. Occ - 687,060.00
2. Debaloy ES, Concepcion, Mis. Occ. - 1,226,610.00
3. New Casul ES, Concepcion, Mis. Occ. - 716,760.00
4. Upper Dioyo ES, Concepcion, Mis. Occ. - 716,760.00
Contract ID: 12KI0053
Contract Name: Rehabilitation of MPB (Mateo Matunog Multi Purpose Center)
Phase VII
Contract Location: Calamba, Mis. Occ.
Approved Budget for the Contract: P 980,000.00
Allocation: P 1,000,000.00
Source of Fund: CY 2012 PDAF BMB A 12 T000003622
The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR
of RA 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 the ABC, or credit line commitment for at
least 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non discretionary pass/fall criteria in the eligibility check
and preliminary examination of bids.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration, to the DPWH
POCW Central Offce, before the deadline for the receipt of LOIs. The DPWH POCW Central
Offce will only process contractors applications for registration, with complete requirements,
and issue the Contractors Certifcate of Registration (CRC). Registration forms may be
downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
1. Issuance of Bid Documents December 10 27, 2012
2. Pre Bid Conference December 14, 2012 @ 10:00 AM
3. Deadline of receipt of LOI from Prospective Bidders December 20, 2012 until 5:00 PM
4. Receipt of Bids December 27, 2012 until 10:00 AM
5. Opening of Bids December 27, 2012 @ 2:00 PM
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH, Misamis Occi-
dental 1
st
Engineering District, Oroquieta City , upon payment of a non refundable fee as
stated above. Prospective Bidders may also download the BDs form the DPWH website
shall apply 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 Sec-
tion 27.2 of the Revised IRR.
Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specifed in the Bidding
Documents (BDs) in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The First
envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, including the eligibility require-
ments. The second envelope shall contain the fnancial component of the bid. Contract will
be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation
and post qualifcation.
The DPWH, Misamis Occidental 1
st
Engineering District, Oroquieta City 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 bidders.

(Sgd.) CHARITO B. MADULA
Engineer III
(BAC Chairman)
(MST-DEC. 17,2012)
DPWH INFRA 07 Standard Advertisement Revised IRR
December 10, 2012
INVITATION TO BID
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) Misamis Occidental 1st Engineering District, through its Bids and Awards Committee
(BAC), invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned projects:
Contract ID: 12KI0054 Cluster IV (2nd Tranche
Contract Name: Construction/Rehabilitation/Repair/Completion of Multi Purpose Buildings, Misamis
Occidental
1. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Matugas Alto, Jimenez, Mis. Occ. 487,376.57
2. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Agunod, Plaridel, Mis. Occ 477,903.35
3. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Manamong, Aloran, Mis. Occ 472,841.07
4. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Ospital, Aloran, Mis. Occ 480,979.80
5. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Dapacan Alto, Calamba, Mis. Occ 476,514.95
6. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Sibaroc, Jimenez, Mis. Occ 480,299.19
7. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Bonifacio, Calamba, Mis. Occ 486,605.48
8. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Dalisay, Aloran, Mis. Occ 484,540.40
9. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Sinampongan, Aloran, Mis. Occ 479,325.59
10. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Sulipat (Phase 2), Calamba, Mis. Occ 473,248.77
11. Const./Rehab./Repair/Completion of MPB, Malibacsan, Jimenez, Mis. Occ 479,792.01
Source of Fund: CY 2012 PDAF (2ND Tranche) SARO # BMB-
A 12 T000003171
The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR of RA 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 the ABC, or
credit line commitment for at least 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non discretionary pass/fall criteria
in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration, to the DPWH
POCW Central Offce, before the deadline for the receipt of LOIs. The DPWH POCW Central Offce
will only process contractors applications for registration, with complete requirements, and issue
the Contractors Certifcate of Registration (CRC). Registration forms may be downloaded at the
DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
1. Issuance of Bid Documents from Prospective Bidders December 11 27, 2012
2. Pre Bid Conference December 14, 2012 @ 10:00 AM
3. Deadline of receipt of LOI December 20, 2012 until 5:00 PM
4. Receipt of Bids December 27, 2012 until 10:00 AM
5. Opening of Bids December 27, 2012 @ 2:00 PM
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH, Misamis Occidental 1
st

Engineering District, Oroquieta City , upon payment of a non refundable fee as stated above.
Prospective Bidders may also download the BDs form the DPWH website shall apply 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 specifed in the Bidding Docu-
ments (BDs) in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The First envelope
shall contain the technical component of the bid, including the eligibility requirements. The second
envelope shall contain the fnancial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest
Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post qualifcation.
The DPWH, Misamis Occidental 1
st
Engineering District, Oroquieta City 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 bidders.
(Sgd.) DENISE MARIA M. AYAG
Assistant District Engineer
(BAC Vice Chairman)
(MST-DEC. 17,2012)
Region X
Misamis Occidental 1st Engineering District
Oroquieta City
DPWH INFRA 07 Standard Advertisement Revised IRR
NOTI CE OF LOSS
(MST-Dec. 10, 17 & 24, 2012)
Not i ce i s her eby
given that this Stock
Certifcate No. 154732
(5 shares) with Bank of
the Philippine Islands
were decl ared l oss
under Affdavit of Loss
executed by Rolando
R. Per ez bef or e
Notary Public ATTY.
GERVACIO B. ORTIZ,
JR. as per Doc. No. 93;
Page No. 20; Book No.
VLIX; Series of 2012.
REMINDER
MST Cl assi fi ed Ads section
requires a Two (2) day CUT-
OFF PERIOD on all ITBs, BID
BULLETIN, NOTICES and REOIs
prior to publication date(s).
For f as t ad r es ul t s ,
pl eas e c al l
659-48-30
l oc al 303
or
659-48-03
C4
Isah V. Red, Editor [email protected]
showbitz
ISAH V.
RED
SIMPLY RED
JOSEPH
PETER GONZALES
SHTICKS
WITH the Kapamilya
publicity claiming
leadership nation-
wide, the Kapuso
network has a ready
riposte.
GMA Network, Inc. remains on
the forefront of the ratings game as
its Regional News and Public Affairs
programs in Philippine key cities
Dagupan, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao,
continue to beat their counterparts,
claims the Edsa-based network.
Continuing it says that its regional
morning programs remain unrivaled
based on monthly data from Nielsen
TV Audience Measurement, empha-
sizing that the research outt is the
widely-recognized ratings service
provider
We are truly grateful to our re-
gional audiences for their continued
patronage. Time and again, they have
shown that when it comes to news
and information, the choice has al-
ways been GMA Network, says
Rikki O. Escudero, vice president,
GMA Regional TV and head of the
Expansion and Production Services
Division, GMA News and Public Af-
fairs.
Escudero adds that especially in
times of calamities, important events
and happenings that impact on the
general public, GMA programs show
marked increase in ratings.
For the period October to Nov.
17, GMA Dagupans Primera Balita
had household ratings of 9.2 percent
against ABS-CBNs Gandang Uma-
ga Kapamilya with only 2.7 percent
and TV 5s Good Morning Clubs 1.4
percent.
GMA Cebus Buena Mano scored
4.9 percent now on equal footing
with ABS- CBNs Maayong Buntag
Kapamilya but defeating TV5s Good
Morning Club with only 1.1 percent.
In Iloilo, Arangkada Ang Trip Mo
Kun Aga! earned 6.7 percent ahead
of ABS-CBNs Sikat Ka! Iloilos 6.0
percent and TV5s Good Morning
Clubs 0.9 percent.
Davaos Una Ka Bai Balita at Iba
Pa registered an increase of 2.1 per-
cent from 6.6 percent in October to
8.7 in partial November. In contrast,
ABS-CBNs Maayong Buntag Min-
danao decreased household ratings
from 9.4 in October to 8.6 in partial
November. TV5s Good Morning
Club also decreased from 1.9 to 1.4
during the said period.
Similarly, GMAs regional local
news programs remain to be the most
preferred source of news and informa-
tion aired over key cities nationwide.
Dagupans Balitang Amianan
outrated competition with 12.3 per-
cent ratings from October to Nov.
17 against ABS-CBNs TV Patrol
North Central Luzons 6.2 percent
and TV5s Sharon Kasama Mo Kap-
atid and T3 Reload Balitat Serbisyo
Ora Mismo! with the former register-
ing just 2.2 percent and the latter 7.1
percent.
Cebus Balitang Bisdak for the
said period had 10.1 percent in house-
hold TV ratings versus TV5s Sharon
Kasama Mo Kapatid with 4.4 percent
and Aksyon Bisaya with 6.0 percent.
Ratsada Iloilo soared at 9.1 per-
cent holding a rm lead against
TV5s Sharon Kasama Mo Kapatid
and T3 Reload Balitat Serbisyo Ora
Mismo! both scoring only 1.6 percent
and 1.9 percent respectively.
Balitang Bisdak and Ratsada Iloi-
lo continue to narrow the gap with
AiAi, Vice kiss,
make up for
Sisterakas
SMOOTH as silk, like the Asian
airline. Thats how AiAi de las Alas
and Vice Ganda now. The two,
along with Kris Aquino star in the
MMFF entry Sisterakas. They were
tabloid fodder in the past due to some
misunderstanding.
We were good during the
shooting of the lm, she says. Even
Kris (Aquino), who was instrumental
in patching things up between us
noticed that we were really talking
to each other. Its because we have
common denominator. For one, we
know many people in common.
His sister also happens to be a
good high school pal. Yes, I was able
to go to their house before. Ive met
Vices folks already. The two of us
went to the same university (FEU)
as well. So you can say that were
connected in a way.
In fact, there were times when
we were shooting that I would
buy him peanuts: its his favorite.
Then it would start a long stretch
of exchanging stories. You know, it
feels good because there are no bad
vibes on the set. Its all positive!
What did she learn about Vice as
an individual?
Well, I discovered that hes really
funny. No wonder he made it big in
showbiz. I see that he is basically
kind, too. I wouldnt mind bonding
out with him even after our movie is
shown.
AiAi admitted that her contract
with Star Cinema was why she wasnt
able to do the movie with Vic Sotto
and Bong Revilla.
And Im glad that they understood.
From what I gathered, in their
interviews, they said that its okay. I
talked to Bosing that I was asked to
do Sisterakas and I couldnt refuse
because I have to honor my contract.
It was relieving that he didnt take
it against me. He knows that I love
him! she states.
This year, Vic and Bong are
together again. A new addition is
Judy Ann Santos.
Yes, and its a strong
combination. But modesty aside, our
offering has also the makings of a
blockbuster. Apart from the fact that
this is my rst with Kris and Vice, it
is also directed by Wenn Deramas
whose box ofce record is simply
impressive. Of course, I wish that
both movies make money!
It will be an exciting awards
night, particularly in the Best Actress
category with Angel Locsin, Angelica
Panganiban and Superstar Nora
Aunor. Does she dream of bagging
another acting plum after her win for
Ang Tanging Ina series?
Honestly, I dont want to expect.
Im aware that competition is tough
this time especially with Ate Guy in
Thy Womb. If she would win, so
be it. I guess no one would question
that. But I can say that I did my best
in the movie. My foremost concern
is for it to perform very well at the
box-ofce and eventually end up as
one of the festival top-grossers,
ends AiAi.
JC staying as Kapatid
According to JC De Vera, hes
not leaving TV5 and hopes that
network would renew his contract
expiring next year. I still want to
work join them in their journey for
(sic) the top. It will denitely give
you a different high when you know
youre a pioneer. So far, Im content
with how they manage my career,
he explains.
But the actor doesnt totally close
his door to the future possibility of
trying ABS-CBN or move back to
GMA7.
Who knows, right? It will all
depend on the negotiation between my
manager and TV5. Whats important
is I signied my interest to stay as
their talent. As much as possible, I
want to be loyal to them!
When it comes to his love life, JC
admits that its presently zero.
Yes, after Danita (Paner), I
havent seen someone on a regular
basis. Perhaps, its part of my maturity.
I want my next relationship to be for
longtime, he says.
Kapuso rejoinder
GMA regional
leads, preps for 2013
competition especially when it be-
gan airing back-to-back with GMAs
agship primetime news program 24
Oras.
Testigo Alagad sa Kamatuoran for
the same period scored household rat-
ings of 13.0 percent leaving behind
Sharon Kasama Mo Kapatid with 2.1
percent and T3 Reload Balitat Serbi-
syo Ora Mismo! with 2.6 percent.
Since its relaunch in October, Isyu
Mindanaos rating continues to im-
prove as it further inches away from
programs in the same timeslot, with
in-depth reports and heart-warming
stories that affect the lives, especially
of Mindanaoans. Isyu Mindanaos
latest episode which aired on Nov. 17
rated 9.7 percent against ABS-CBNs
Honey Watch Outs 5.9 percent and I
Got It with 6.3 percent. Isyu Mindan-
ao is seen in Davao, General Santos,
and Cagayan De Oro.
In 2013, viewers can look forward
to more groundbreaking activities
and programs from the Kapuso Net-
work. Preparations are underway for
Eleksyon 2013, the countrys biggest,
most comprehensive, and most cred-
ible elections coverage.
GMA Regional News and Public
Affairs has been in the forefront of
both local and national reportage for
the network. Our corps of regional
reporters has been trained to report
news as it happens, when it happens,
where it happens. Our programs see
airing in GMAs international chan-
nelsGMA News International and
GMA Life. Denitely, we will be the
peoples eyes and ears in next years
elections, said Cel Amores, Assis-
tant Vice President for GMA Region-
al News and Public Affairs.
GMA Network counts 21 presti-
gious names from the government,
the private sector, the media, and the
academe as its partners in the upcom-
ing polls in 2013 and these are PLDT,
SMART, Philippine Daily Inquirer,
Inquirer.Net, PCIJ (Philippine Center
for Investigative Journalism), Catho-
lic Media Network, COMELEC,
PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for
Responsible Voting), AMA Educa-
tion System, Ateneo De Manila Uni-
versity, De La Salle University, UP
College of Mass Communication, UP
School of Economics, University of
Sto. Tomas, Youth Vote Philippines,
RockEd, Punongbayan & Araullo,
PCCI (Philippine Chamber of Com-
merce and Industry), CCPI (Cham-
ber of Commerce of the Philippine
Islands), Philippine Bar Association
and the Philippine Red Cross.
Christmas folk
tradition revival
The Nativity or birth of Jesus Christ
is reenacted during Christmas time in
many rural areas in the Philippines,
which usually involves dancing and
singing. It goes by different names in
various provinces, but is practiced more
widely in the Bicol region as Pastores
as an annual music festival.
One of the countrys century-old
Christmas traditions, Pastores Bikol
depicts the shepherds jubilation on
the birth of the Christ Child. It fea-
tures musical groups interpreting Pa-
stores A Belen (Shepherds to Bethle-
hem), a Spanish poem composed by
national hero Dr. Jose Rizal while on
exile in Dapitan in the 1890s.
It is performed by young boys and
girls in colorfully decorated hats and
arches, and colorful outts, accompa-
nied by musicians.
Introduced by Spanish priests in
the late 1800s, Pastores has spread
throughout Bicol and become a part of
the Yuletide observance in the region.
Albay, one of Bicolandias centers
of history and culture, has become the
home of the Pastores where it is still
popularly practiced.
Nearly all towns, from the capital
city of Legazpi to the remote munici-
palities, have their own version of this
age-old tradition.
There are variations in the Pas-
tores Bikol across the region because
of diverse inuences, indigenous
traditions and ethno-linguistic differ-
ences. In some renditions, carols sung
in the vernacular are integrated, thus
providing a fusion of Spanish and Bi-
col motifs.
The late National Artist Ramon
Obusan, founder of Ramon Obusan
Folkloric Group and a native of Ca-
marines Norte, put choreography to
the song to represent the Bicolanos
jovial nature.
In the 1970s, Legazpi-based Peo-
ples Broadcasting Network (PBN-
DZGB) revived the tradition by
launching a contest among students
and youths. Its role had become piv-
otal making a dying tradition a house-
hold tune by saturating the airwaves
with the Christmas melody.
Together, Department of Tourism-
Region V, the Provincial Government
of Albay and the City Government of
Legazpi are on in preserving the tra-
dition. Now, it is a much sought-after
event on Christmas.
Albay governor Joey Salceda is
optimistic that with the peoples par-
ticipation, this age-old tradition will
be passed on to succeeding genera-
tions and the province will continue
to be the cradle and steward of this
Christmas celebration.
Hi-5 at SM MOA
Center Stage
The Hi-5 gang of the popular
Australian pre-school television
show, thrilled fans of all ages at the
Hi-5 Holiday at the SM Mall of Asia
Center Stage.
The event was a joint project of
SM Cinema e-PLUS card, Hi-5 Op-
erations Pte Ltd, and Vivre Fort En-
tertainment.
Stevie, Casey, Lauren, Tim, and
the newest Hi-5 friend Dayen, are go-
ing to transport audiences to the most
amusing place in the world: the Hi-
5 Island, where theyll experience
adventures from surng huge waves,
dancing with penguins, and jiving in
the jungle.
In the brilliant Hi-5 Holiday
production, audiences were delighted
to hear and see their Hi-5 favorites
including Lets Get Away, Won-
derful, Zoo Party, and Celebrate
live along with brand new hits to sing
and dance along to.
Modern-day performers of the centuries-old Bicolano Christmas tradition of Pastores a Belen
Hi-5 gang
D1
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
The Philippines is expected to
receive its rst investment-grade
credit rating in 2013, a develop-
ment that will unlock vast eco-
nomic opportunities and intro-
duce to the world a country ready
to become a major player in glob-
al trade and investments.
Seven years after the Philip-
pines graduated from the Interna-
tional Monetary Fund tutelage as
a net debtor, the Philippines came
out strong with foreign exchange
reserves easily exceeding its for-
eign debt and recently commit-
ting as much as $1 billion to help
rescue Europe out of the debt cri-
sis. The global lender recognized
this and IMF managing director
Christine Lagarde, in her recent
visit to Manila, described the
Philippines as a vibrant emerg-
ing market that is approaching
investment-grade status.
Economists believe that the Phil-
ippines could attain its rst invest-
ment-grade sovereign debt credit
rating next year. The three major
credit rating rmsStandard &
Poors Rating Services, Moodys
Investor Service and Fitch Rat-
ingscurrently rate the countrys
sovereign debt just one notch be-
low investment grade. Another
credit rating upgrade will catapult
the Philippines into the ranks of
investment-grade countries, mostly
composed of rich economies.
What is investment grade?
Moodys analyst Christian de
Guzman explained to Manila
Standard how an investment
grade rating status would be ben-
ecial to the Philippines.
Credit ratings are an evalua-
tion of countries creditworthi-
ness, according to de Guzman.
All things equal, a higher rating
would correspond to a lower risk
premium demanded by investors.
In the case of the Philippines, a
higher rating means an invest-
ment grade rating because it is
currently rated just below that
threshold at Ba1, he said.
Bonds or debts with ratings be-
low investment grade are consid-
ered speculative or vulnerable to
default and, as such, are charged
with higher interests. An invest-
ment grade, on the other hand,
refers to the adequate capacity of
the debt issuer to meet its nan-
cial commitments which, in turn,
encourages the market to lend to
it at lower interest rates.
An investment grade rating
helps broaden access to a poten-
tial pool of investors. Many in-
stitutional investors, such as pen-
sion funds and asset management
rms, have investment mandates
that preclude them from purchas-
ing non-investment grade securi-
ties, he said.
De Guzman said an invest-
Investment-grade status
ment grade rating for the country
should improve nancing condi-
tions for the government, freeing
up critical resources to fund the
countrys vast infrastructure and
social spending needs.
In other words, the money the
government would have spent on
interest payments and other debt
servicing costs could be put to-
wards better schools, highways,
or healthcare, among others, he
said.
Reduced cost of nancing
One major British bank, Bar-
clays Capital, believes that the
country is ripe for an investment
grade rating. Barclays regional
economist Prakriti Sofat said an
investment grade would help re-
duce the cost of nancing of the
sovereign, resulting in a positives-
pill over to corporate and other
entities borrowing in the interna-
tional market.
This way, interest rate savings
can be used for infrastructure and
other social spending by the gov-
ernment. There will also be re-
duced risk perception of the coun-
try, which will encourage foreign
direct investment, she said in an
email to Manila Standard.
Barclays Capital said earlier the
country might get its investment-
grade rating next year after the elec-
tion. Reforms, it said, would likely
pick up after the 2013 elections, thus,
supporting their view that the Phil-
ippines will receive its rst ever in-
vestment grade rating in H2 2013.
By Roderick T. dela Cruz
LONG labeled as the sick man of Asia,
the Philippines is about to spring and
catch up with its more prosperous neigh-
bors in the region.
High-rise towers in Makati City are seen through a window. The Philippines is expected to receive its rst investment-grade credit rating in 2013,
a development that will unlock vast economic opportunities. BLOOMBERG
Next page
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Electricity Hospitals Toll Roads Water
We invest. We manage. We transform.
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
Growth momentum is picking up and now is the time to seize opportunities in the Philippines.
With the country rapidly growing to become one of the economies to watch in Asia,
Metro Pacifc Investments Corporation (MPIC) is continuously expanding and maximizing its
potential through a stellar portfolio of infrastructure assets. We invest, manage and transform
our companies to be world-class and dominant in each of their felds. We do so because we see
a positive outlook for long-term investment opportunities. We believe in the Philippines and
we want you to join us as we help spur national progress and pave the way for great changes.
Manila Standard TODAY D2
Japanese nancial group Nomura shares the same expectation.
Were actually expecting an upgrade to investment grade as early as
the second half of 2013. This is not only supported by strong GDP
growth but importantly the reform momentum, said Nomura analyst
Euben Paracuelles.
Paracuelles said another credit rating upgrade would greatly improve
the investment perception of the country. Many have already argued
that markets are already pricing this upgrade in which I agree but as the
example of Indonesia showed, there will still be some positive market
movements as a result of the upgrade itself, in part because there is an
automatic broadening of the investor base, i.e. investors which only
have the mandate for investment grade assets will now be able to look
at the Philippines. And more broadly, this is only going to be a further
boost to already strong investment prospects of the country, he said.
More reforms needed
Paracuelles, however, said reforms should continue even if the coun-
try attained such a credit rating status. I would emphasize that reach-
ing investment grade is not an end-all and be-all. We need to see con-
tinued reforms at least for the remainder of Aquinos term. So in a way
I think not getting an upgrade too soon is not a bad scenario because
it keeps the government in the hunt and, hence, have the incentive to
keep making progress, which is what matters more for the investment
climate than the upgrade per se, he said.
The government is optimistic about another credit rating upgrade
soon. We think that soon, the Philippines will be given an investment
grade rating, said National Economic and Development Authority
policy and planning director Rosemarie Edillon.
Usually, the rating agencies would be looking at sound macroeco-
nomic fundamentals [which we are demonstrating]; political stability
[which is present]; and consistently improving tax effort to ensure that
decits and debt are at sustainable levels, or rather, at the level that can
be afforded by the economy,
Source: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Investment... from D1
D3
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
Higher credit rating
to bolster investments
By Julito G. Rada
ATTAINING the much-coveted investment-
grade status next year will facilitate the in-
ux of foreign investments in the country.
Investment grade status will help attract
additional investments, particularly from in-
stitutional funds. The grade means the busi-
ness environment in the country has met
certain criteria, such as sound macroeco-
nomic fundamentals and prudent scal man-
agement, Trade Undersecretary and Board
of Investments managing head Adrian Cris-
tobal Jr. told Manila Standar d.
Cristobal, however, said the hard work
should not stop there, adding that both the
public and private sectors should work hard-
er together to attain more.
We still must work harder on the basic
drivers of investments, such as infrastructure,
logistics, the cost of doing business, and other
competitiveness indicators, he said.
The World Economic Forum, in the 2012
global competitiveness rankings released in
September this year, showed the Philippines
still lagged behind other countries in terms
of infrastructure development and ease of
doing business.
The inuential Makati Business Club
said while the country jumped 10 notches to
65th spots from 75th last year, it needed to
improve on those indicators. MBC chair-
man Ramon del Rosario said despite the im-
provement in rankings, many weaknesses
remain to be addressed.
The countrys infrastructure is still in a
dire state, particularly with respect to sea
and air transport, with little or no progress
achieved to date. Furthermore, various mar-
ket inefciencies and rigidities continue,
most notably in the labor market, Del Ro-
sario said.
The Philippines also needs to improve in
such areas as customs procedures, business
costs of terrorism, tuberculosis cases, redun-
dancy costs, exibility of wage determina-
tion and strength of investor protection.
Cristobal said as investment grade sta-
tus was expected to contribute to the gen-
eral business environment, all stakeholders
should not be complacent and let this rare
opportunity slip away.
Aside from working on drivers of
growth, the industry roadmaps will show the
gaps in supply chain and other interventions
government and private sector need to carry
out, Cristobal said.
Higher expor ts seen
The Bureau of Export Trade Promotion,
an attached agency of the Trade Depart-
ment, projected a rosy outlook for exports
next year owing to the improving economy
and expected granting of investment grade
rating to the country by international credit
rating agencies.
BETP executive director Senen Perlada
told Manila Standar d these positive de-
velopments, especially the credit rating up-
grade, would give a strong signal to foreign
investors to invest more in the country which
would result in exports growth eventually.
Because most sectors are investment-led,
the investment grade status will make easier
for us to convince the higher-value existing
activities here to expand or invest more,
Perlada said at the sidelines of the National
Export Congress at Philippine Trade Train-
ing Center in Pasay City recently.
He said exports growth next year would
remain in double-digit, but both merchan-
dise and services sectors should contribute
signicantly.
We can even surpass the highest level post-
ed in 2010, he said. Perlada noted that while
electronics exports fell this year, there is no
other way but to go up next year.
Merchandise exports in 2010 breached
the $50-billion mark, rising 33.7 percent
to $51.39 billion from $38.43 billion in the
previous year, on the back of higher elec-
tronics shipments.
Total exports were much bigger with the
addition of revenues generated from the
services sector, especially from the busi-
ness processing outsourcing. BPO revenues
reached $8 billion in 2010.
Perlada said merchandise exports growth
alone would be in the range of 7 percent to
8 percent.
Industr y roadmaps
Cristobal said the government sought the
active participation of different industries
through the submission of their respective
roadmaps that would play a vital role in
identifying which activities should be pri-
oritized in the formulation of the 2013 In-
vestment Priorities Plan.
IPP is an annual list of preferred econom-
ic activities that are eligible for incentives
from the government.
These [roadmaps] will be one of the
bases of 2013 IPP, Cristobal Jr. said in an
earlier interview.
Cristobal said it was important for the de-
partment to see the big picture rst before
identifying which sectors would qualify for
incentives from the government.
The department gave different industries
until the end of this year to nish, submit or
ne-tune their respective roadmaps.
The automotive industry, for example,
had until the years end to revise or ne-tune
its roadmap. Domingo wanted the auto plan
to be ne-tuned by the industry for lack of
clear-cut plan on the export aspect.
Cristobal did not say which of the current
activities in the 2012 IPP could be possibly
retained in the 2013 version. Incentives giv-
en to these activities are income tax holiday
and duty-free importation of capital equip-
ment.
Included in the 2012 IPP are agriculture/
agribusiness and shery, creative industries/
knowledge-based services, shipbuilding,
mass housing, iron and steel, energy, infra-
structure and PPP, research and develop-
ment, green projects, hospital and medical
services projects, motor vehicles, strategic
projects, and disaster prevention and recov-
ery projects.
Industr ialization
The Trade Department aims to consoli-
date different industry plans by the end of
the year in preparation for submission to
President Benigno Aquino III.
Cristobal said the consolidated plan
would be a part of a comprehensive indus-
trialization strategy in 2013.
The goal of the industrialization strategy
is to make the Philippines a seller, not just
a consumer, of other countries goods and
services, he said.
Cristobal said currently, about 50 indus-
try groups were in the process of crafting
their respective industry roadmaps. He said
the plan would be an important part of the
medium-term development plan under the
current administration.
He said the Philippines was consid-
ered a net importer of goods including
food products and with a ballooning
trade deficit.
Business leaders who participated in the
Philippine Business Conference in October
urged the government to include in its eco-
nomic development plan an industrializa-
tion component.
A study by the Asian Development Bank
also found that what the country had a weak
industrial and manufacturing sector.
The study said the country could not
attain progress, if it would just rely on
the services sector. On the other hand,
strengthening the industrial and manufac-
turing sector would hasten the countrys
development, it added.
Plant visit. President Aquino visists a manufacturing plant. The government is preparing a
comprehensive industrialization strategy in 2013
D4
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
PH turns competitive
into the country, according to the
Trade Department.
[It is a] great performance in
spite of low agricultural growth
rate due to calamities. This also
adds to the favorable macro-
economic statistics that help us
sustain high foreign direct in-
vestments inows, Trade Un-
dersecretary for International
Trade Group Cristino Panlilio
told Manila Standar d.
Panlilio said the latest GDP
gures showed the country was
truly getting more competitive
and productive.
The third-quarter expansion
was more than twice the 3.2-per-
cent growth recorded in the same
period last year. The economy
was fueled in part by a strong per-
formance from the services sector
led by the transport, storage and
communication, nancial inter-
mediation and real estate.
We are well on our way
towards sustainable, medium-
term high-growth environment,
Trade Secretary Gregory Do-
mingo said.
Trade Undersecretary and
Board of Investments manag-
ing head Adrian Cristobal Jr.
said reforms being carried out
by the administration are pay-
ing off. He said this encour-
ages us to do better and work
harder.
Cristobal said to sustain this
growth, there must be continu-
ous active partnership between
the public and private sectors.
National Economic and De-
velopment Authority director
general Arsenio Balisacan said
the Philippine economy was now
the best performer in the region.
Data from the National Statisti-
cal Coordination Board showed
that Indonesia registered a 6.2 per-
cent growth in the third quarter;
Malaysia, 5.2 percent; Vietnam,
4.7 percent; Thailand, 3 percent,
and Singapore, 0.3 percent.
Investment outlook
The BoI expects to register
P400 billion worth of new in-
vestments this year, despite the
absence of big-ticket projects.
Last year was an extraordinary
year for investments, when a
single project of Petron Corp.
involved P74.78 billion in capi-
tal for its modernization and ex-
pansion program in Bataan.
Cristobal said that single huge
investment from Petron pushed
upward the total investments in
2011 to P360 billion. The BoI
said that mark would be sur-
passed this year.
Investments this year would
be much higher, if not for the
restrictions on mining projects
and stricter guidelines on avail-
ment of tax incentives.
The Trade Department said
earlier mining could be one of
the major sources of invest-
ments in the country but inves-
tors were still waiting for the
amendment of the Mining Law.
Peace in Mindanao
However, the BoI said the re-
cent peace agreement between
the government and the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front would
lead more foreign companies to
take a second look at Mindanao
as an expansion site for their
businesses.
The European Chamber of
Commerce and Industry said
this is a positive development
because it brings peace. Anything
that brings peace is positive.
It [agreement] should be
successful in bringing develop-
ment in Mindanao. Investments
are anticipated when Mindanao
is at peace, ECCP president
Michael Raeuber.
Raeuber said a peaceful Min-
danao could also be an invest-
ment magnet for surrounding
countries in the region, particu-
larly Malaysia, Thailand and In-
donesia.
Investment missions
The BoI and its counterpart,
the Philippine Economic Zone
Authority, are aggressively
conducting investment mis-
sions abroad to promote the
countrys advantages in host-
ing investments from other
countries.
Panlilio, who is the head of
the DTIs International Trade
Group, said because of these
government efforts and the
countrys improving global
competitiveness ranking, the
Philippines remains in world
radar as business destination
of choice.
He said the Philippines edge
over its neighboring countries
include abundant supply of
skillful workforce, the ease of
doing business and lower labor
cost.
The Trade Department also
hosts business missions from
other countries. The agency
actually noted an increase in
inbound missions this year com-
pared to 2011, a proof that other
countries now consider the Phil-
ippines as an expansion site.
Panlilio said the department
hosted 25 inbound business
missions this year, up from 15
last year.
It recently concluded its 25th
inbound business mission, com-
posed of Italian businessmen.
This mission was the rst mis-
sion in 65 years of Philippines-
Italy economic relations.
We are happy to attend, brief
and extend our helping hand to
the newcomers to our land who
came here to see up close and per-
sonal what they have been read-
ing and hearing about that Philip-
pines today is truly an investment
destination of choice, Panlilio
said during the concluding pro-
gram of the mission.
The Trade Department said the
gross domestic product growth
of 7.1 percent in the third quarter
was the fastest among Southeast
Asian countries this year.
Sustaining such level of
growth would encourage more
foreign direct investment ows
By Julito G. Rada
A COMBINATION of high economic
growth and renewed focus on infrastruc-
ture development has enabled the Phil-
ippines to become more competitive in
global business and trade.
D5
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
Resilient BPOs
drawing capital
By Julito G. Rada
Business process out-
sourcing and information
technology companies
have proven themselves
as a magnet for foreign
exchange and a major
source of jobs.
With an investment grade rating just over
the horizon, more foreign companies are ex-
pected to come to the Philippines with sig-
nicant amount of investments.
The sector is resilient and one of the in-
dustries that can stand on its own, and grow
even without the benets expected under an
investment grade rating regime.
Jojo Uligan, executive director of the Con-
tact Center Association of the Philippines,
told Manila Standar d the industry can con-
tinue to attract future investments, just rely-
ing on a good track record of satisfying for-
eign clients.
Of course we are looking into it and as-
sessing its possible impact. It would denite-
ly be good times to invest [under the invest-
ment grade regime], he said.
The industry is poised to grow between 15
percent and 20 percent in the next ve years
under the Philippine IT-BPO Road Map
2011-2016.
The roadmap, launched in November
2010, identied the directions the industry
should undertake to sustain growth from
2011 to 2016.
The industry posted revenues of some $7.2
billion and generated some 442,000 employ-
ment as of end-2009. The roadmap indicated
revenues could reach up to $25 billion in
Next page
Call center companies enjoy good track record with foreign clients.
2016, or equivalent to a 10-per-
cent share of the global market,
while employment could reach
1.3 million.
Uligan said the kind of service
that Filipino talents provide, their
exceptional skills and adaptabil-
ity to different cultures would
spell the difference and make
existing clients to want more of
their services in the future.
The experience of our [for-
eign] clients in the Philippines,
the quality of service we provide,
assure that we will continue to
grow even without investment
grade rating, Uligan said.
The roadmap, though, noted
the need to increase the indus-
trys visibility internationally,
and enhance awareness of the
range of non-voice and com-
plex services that the Philip-
pines provides.
US anti-outsourcing bill
The reelection of US Presi-
dent Barack Obama has renewed
speculations that he might revive
moves to enact an anti-outsourc-
ing bill in the US Congress.
The outsourcing bill, called
Bring Jobs Home Act, failed in
the US Senate in July. It aimed to
eliminate tax breaks on US com-
panies that outsource services
and manufacturing jobs to other
countries and provide a 20-per-
cent tax deduction on costs as-
sociated with closing outsourced
operations and transferring jobs
to the US.
BPAP president Benedict Her-
nandez said outsourcing busi-
ness services to the Philippines
helps make American companies
more competitive and protable.
Protable companies hire more
workers, both here and in the
United States, he said.
Hernandez said studies had
shown that outsourcing had little
negative impact on job losses
and even fosters growth in com-
panies that export their business
processes.
Dartmouths Tuck School of
Business economist Matthew
Slaughter, in a study of the hir-
ing practices of 2,500 US mul-
tinationals, found that for every
job outsourced, nearly two new
jobs are created in the US, Her-
nandez said.
From a $35-billion global
IT-BPO market in 2009, the in-
dustry is expected to generate
at least $220 billion in revenues
this year, according to a report
by the Everest Group.
Demand for global IT-BPO
services is huge and continues to
expand at a rapid rate, Hernan-
dez said. Outsourcing is a win-
win proposition, and we believe
that both American and Philip-
pine companiesand American
and Filipino workerswill con-
tinue to benet from the opportu-
nities it provides, he said.
The Philippines IT-BPO in-
dustry in 2011, generated over
$11 billion in revenues and em-
ployed almost 640,000 Filipinos.
Client diversication.
Uligan is optimistic the indus-
try would not be hugely affected
by the anti-outsourcing bill, but
it must be on its toes and not just
rely on one big market like the
United States.
What is important here is we
continue to track and monitor the
course of this bill in the US Con-
gress. Also, we need to diversify
out clients, Uligan said.
He said diversication means
the local BPO industry should
try to corner a signicant portion
of other foreign markets as well,
like the European Union, espe-
cially the United Kingdom.
We have to focus also on
these markets to ensure our con-
tinuous growth, Uligan said.
President Benigno Aquino
III highly regards the industry
as one of the top job generators
in the country. The Trade De-
partment, through the Board of
Investments, thus consistently
included IT-BPO in its annual
Investment Priorities Plan.
The IPP is a list of preferred
activities that are eligible for in-
centives from the government.
These include scal and non-
scal holidays and duty-free im-
portation of capital equipment.
Infr astr ucture role
Vikas Bhalla, executive vice
president of global outsourc-
ing and transformation services
provider EXL, said during the
recent International Outsourcing
Summit in Manila that the local
BPO industry had the potentials
for further growth but infrastruc-
ture should support investments
to maximize these potentials.
Incentives, like tax breaks, will
kick-start the industry to make it
competitive in the global market.
But investments should be sup-
ported by infrastructure, Bhalla
said, adding the government plays
a very important role here.
Bhalla also said to ensure
continuous growth, the industry
also needs to cater to non-Eng-
lish speaking marketsor the
so-called multi-lingual BPO
including the Chinese market.
There is tremendous potential
in those markets, Bhalla said.
Bhalla said the Philippines
must continue tapping the -
nancial and healthcare services,
especially with the aging world
population. The Philippines
has a demographic edge here,
he said, stressing the countrys
younger workforce in the BPO
industry.
Real estate suppor t
Leading real estate advisory
company CB Richard Ellis Phil-
ippines said the ofce and com-
mercial sector will continue ex-
periencing increased demand in
2013, spurred in large part by the
BPO industry.
We are now experiencing the
best real estate market in the last
20 years. The challenge now is
how to cope with this unprec-
edented success, Rick Santos,
CBRE chairman and founder,
said in a recent brieng.
In the ofce and commercial
sector, Santos said the coun-
try was in a unique position in
Southeast Asia, adding the phe-
nomenal growth of the BPO sec-
tor was similar to Indias experi-
ence in the early 90s.
Santos said there was a lot of
room for expansion in other ar-
eas, such as software and Web/
graphics development, informa-
tion technology and engineering
services and healthcare BPO.
The Philippines is one of the
most cost-effective outsourc-
ing destinations in Asia, pro-
viding conducive environment
for foreign investors through its
excellent pool of skilled labor
and customer service, one of the
cheapest rents and highest yields
in Asia, he said.
Resilient...from D5
Infrastructure should support BPO investments.
Manila Water invites its customers and industry practitioners to witness its leading edge and fully-automated meter testing capabilities.
To prove its effciency and
competence in testing water
meters, Manila Water com-
pany recently inaugurated the
centers laboratory the sole
meter testing laboratory in the
country recognized by the Phil-
ippine Accreditation Offce
with an ISO/EC 17025:2005
accreditation. With this de-
velopment, the Manila Waters
Meterology Center is now au-
thorized to issue certifcations
for water meters that undergo
testing in the laboratory.
The laboratory uses state-
of-the-art fully-automatic and
computerized test bench sys-
tem. The facility is capable
of testing mechanical, electro-
magnetic, and ultrasonic me-
ters from 15mm up to 300 mm
in size for capacity from three
liters per hour to up to 500 cu-
bic meters per hour of water
volume.
For its rehabilitation, the
Metrology Center underwent
a constant upgrade and im-
provement through the years
with a total spending of P30
million. From the manual
test bench used at the start
of the concession 15 years
ago, the company enhanced
the facility by purchasing a
computerized test bench for
small meters in 2001 and
then another test bench, this
time catering to large meters,
in 2008.
In 2011, the Center under-
went renovation while total-
ly applying new technology
on the process for testing
meters to qualify for the ac-
creditation. Another set of
leading-edge and fully-au-
Manila Waters Metrology Center carries the only
ISO-accredited meter testing laboratory
tomated test benches were
also acquired, to comply
with globally-recognized
standards. From a single
fow test, Manila Water
fully implemented the ISO
4064 standards, where the
calibration experts test all
meters in four fows based
on its maximum fow, nom-
inal fow, transitional fow,
and minimum fow.
All these improvements are
testaments to Manila Waters
commitment to accuracy and
reliability in providing ser-
vice not just to its customers
for water and wastewater ser-
vices in the Metro Manilas
East Zone but also to part-
ners who seek certifcation
for water meters used across
the country. Thus, we in-
vite customers and industry
practitioners to witness how
we test our water meters and
better appreciate the rigid
and careful process of meter
testing and calibration using
state-of-the-art facilities and
systems, said Jun Santos,
Metrology Centers Quality
manager.
Numerous water districts
water service providers, prop-
erty developers and water me-
ter suppliers across the coun-
try have sought the services
of Manila Waters meter test-
ing laboratory to certify their
manufactured or installed
water meters for customers.
These frms include Subic
Water, Clark Water, Zambo-
anga City, Gumaca, Mey-
cauayan, Alaminos, Bacolod
City and Tagum City Water
Districts as well as Metro Ma-
nila's West Zone water ser-
vice concessionaire. Water
meter manufacturers such
as Luzon Foundry, Philip-
pine Valve and Alluminates
Metering Supply Co. Inc.,
among others, also have their
products tested in the Manila
Water meter testing labora-
tory. A number of property
developers and private sub-
division homeowners as-
sociations also engaged the
services of the laboratory to
test the water meters they use
in their developments.
D7
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
Farm investments to boost food sufciency
By Othel V. Campos
THE Philippines is on its way to achieving food sufficiency
next year, as the government increased the budget for agri-
culture while investors are taking a second look at the long-
neglected sector.
Investments in agriculture are expected to climb ve to six times
by 2016 and beyond, supporting the growth not only of the farm
and sheries sector but also the whole economy, according to Agri-
culture Secretary Proceso Alcala.
Alcala said both the government and the private sector were put-
ting more investments in agriculture and sheries sector, which ac-
counts for about a fth of the gross domestic product.
Government efforts to promote the sector, inside and outside the
country, have reached a second wind. Weve been bypassed in so
many years in investments opportunities. We nearly gave up be-
cause of the disasters that came our path. Time and again we man-
aged to move on, Alcala said.
The government expressed condence that
higher investments in agriculture would en-
able the country to attain food security and
sufciency, especially in rice.
Its food staples sufciency program seeks
to stop importing rice by 2013, on the as-
sumption that production would reach 20.04
million metric tons, a level deemed sufcient
enough to feed the entire nation, 21 million
MT by 2014 and 22 million MT by 2015 and
2016.
These targets were based on forecasts that
palay (unmilled rice) yield would increase
3.8 percent annually to 4.53 metric tons per
hectare in 2016 from 3.78 MT/hectare in
2011, while production would rise 6.3 per-
cent annually to 22.7 million from 17 million
MT in 2011 over the same period.
Agriculture is one of the agencies pushing
for the public-private partnership program for
the construction of multi-billion-peso, world-
class agriculture infrastructure projects.
The Agriculture Department opened its
doors to fresh investments in coordination
with parallel agencies such as the Trade and
Energy Departments.
Alcala said that in 2013, the department
would pursue P3.4 billion worth of cold
chain and grains central projects under the
PPP scheme.
The government is also counting on the
private sector to bankroll production and in-
frastructure projects in the sector, he added.
As we all are painfully aware, our govern-
ments nancial and management resources
are severely limited. We therefore would
welcome as many partners and supporters to
chip in and share their bit to these programs
and projects, he said.
Among the projects that will be imple-
mented under the PPP is the P1.35-billion
cold chain system.
Agriculture Departments planning service
director Zenaida Villegas said the agency
opened for private partnership the construc-
tion of common service facilities along four
major food routes to and from Metro Manila
and Cebu as well as the Benguet-Manila cold
chain route.
Each facility included pre-cooling, packag-
ing, handling, transportation, storage and dis-
tribution for high-value crops such as fruits
and vegetables, cut owers, shery, livestock
and poultry meat products.
The government will also establish grains
centers with bulk handling and logistics sup-
port in 11 major areas and 11 major seaports
nationwide, each costing P90 million each.
The facilities include provisions for bulk
handling system for corn, as well as trans-
shipment corn stations in six major ports,
where each costs P50 million. About 49 rice
production and postharvest service centers,
each valued at P18 million, will be estab-
lished in strategic production sites.
The department previously opened six major
projects for PPP which were still in the pipeline.
These projects are expected to lead to increased
efciency of the agriculture sector.
These include irrigation projects involving investments ranging
from P14.4 billion to P18.5 billion. Other areas for possible coop-
eration between the public and private sectors are corn production,
a major feed ingredient for livestock and main staples for 14 mil-
lion Filipinos in the Visayas and Mindanao as well as the provision
of farm mechanization services and construction of more postharvest
facilities including transshipment centers.
Also in the pipeline is the P200-million world-class meat han-
dling system that involves the construction of at least four triple A
slaughterhouses in major hog-raising areas in the Philippines to speed
up the processing of export-grade meat products.
These projects are crucial to our priority programs in particular
to the food staple sufciency program. Much has been said about at-
taining sufcient food supply but the road going there needs to be
paved so much so that we have pushed for bigger budget in 2013 to
ensure that everything that is on blueprint should be concretized,
said Alcala.
Congress recently approved the P2-trillion national budget for
2013, or 10.5 percent higher than this years budget of P1.81 trillion.
The agriculture sector will receive P74.1 billion, which is 21 percent
higher than the P64.1-billion allocation in 2012.
Much of the agriculture budget will go into the creation and reha-
bilitation of production facilities. Alcala believes this will also draw
parallel investments from the private sector.
Alcala observed that in recent years, a horde of investors began
exploring the vast opportunities available in the agriculture sector.
The department is also bullish in promoting local products and in-
vestment opportunities to other countries. Roadshows and invest-
ment missions are already part of the departments calendar of activi-
ties every year. We are now in the process of creating a group that
will monitor the progress of the trade missions, Agriculture Assistant
Secretary Salvador Salacup said.
Salacup said that in 2013, the plan was to stage three major road-
shows in Brussels, Switzerland and Italy.
More irrigation projects are needed.
D9
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
Bull run precedes upgrade
Foreign and local fund man-
agers already prefer Philippine
stocks, driving the benchmark
index to a new peak, on pros-
pects of an investment-grade
rating and continued lower
borrowing costs.
DA Market Securities said
the index in the rst half
of 2013 could breach the
6,300-point mark and 6,750 by
end of 2013.
DA Market Securities said
the uptrend in the market which
started in 2009 would likely be
sustained next year amid posi-
tive economic outlook.
The PSEi recorded its 37th
all-time high, when it closed
at 5,831.50 on Dec. 11. Phil-
ippine Stock Exchange chair-
man Jose Pardo said given the
steady rise of the stocks, the
index could hit the 6,000-point
mark sooner than later.
Achieving an investment
grade status would not only
lower nancing costs for the
sovereign but would allow
corporate the possibility of re-
ducing their borrowing costs,
according to economists.
This could also translate to
more investments in the coun-
try, more jobs, increased con-
sumer spending and higher
economic growth.
The positive economic pic-
ture supports optimism that the
stock market will sustain its up-
ward momentum through 2013.
Maybank ATR-KimEng
Capital Partners Inc. execu-
tive director Roberto Benares
said in an interview the mar-
ket would signicantly benet
from an expected upgrade in
its credit rating as this would
mean lower borrowing costs,
higher domestic growth and
increased jobs.
If the economy goes up
then the stock market will also
go up, Benares said.
Among the sectors that will
benet from a credit rating up-
grade are consumer-led stocks
as well as real estate companies.
Consumer-related stocks
listed at the PSE include Uni-
versal Robina Corp. and Pep-
si-Cola Products Philippines
Inc., which have climbed the
most this year amid prospects
of increased consumption.
Share prices of property
rms led by Ayala Land Inc.,
Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc.
and Megaworld Corp. also
surged this year as interest
rates remain low.
JP Morgan Securities Phil-
ippines Inc. said in a recent
brieng it was bullish on the
Philippines for 2013. The
global investment bank picked
the Philippines as one of the
three Asian markets that were
likely to perform better than its
regional peers.
The Philippines stands out
as a country with improving eco-
nomic growth, with consumption
picking up along with a new-
found investment upcycle,said
JP Morgan in a study.
The pervasiveness of re-
cord-low interest rates is a key
driver of these positive trends,
with policy rates of 3.5 percent
forecast to come off further in
the rst quarter of 2013. This
should help drive a further re-
rating in corporate earnings,
which we forecast to accelerate
to 17 percent growth in 2013
estimates, it added.
JP Morgan said that as the
growth of the local economy was
driven by domestic demand, it
expected the Philippines to con-
tinue to grow despite negative
developments overseas.
At the same time, dollar re-
mittances from overseas Fili-
pinos, which proved their re-
siliency in previous adverse
global economic conditions,
should also be a main driver for
domestic growth.
Among the companys top
picks for 2013 on positive earn-
ings growth include Ayala Land
Inc., Cebu Air Inc., Jollibee
Foods Corp., Metro Pacic In-
vestments Corp. and Ayala Corp.
To sustain the overall opti-
mism on the domestic econo-
my, analysts cited the need for
the Aquino administration to
show signicant progress on its
big infrastructure projects un-
der the public-private partici-
pation program.
Investors also expect the gov-
ernment to increase its spend-
ing to show scal gains.
COL Financial president and
chief executive Conrado Bate
said the PSEi would likely hit
the 10,000-point level by 2016.
For the rst time in the his-
tory of the Philippines, we en-
joy a credit rating which is just
one notch below investment
grade. This is a consequence of
the steady improvement in our
countrys nances, Bate said.
Bate also noted that foreign
exchange reserves had been in-
creasing since 2005, supported
by rising remittances and ro-
bust business process outsourc-
ing sector.
Compared to our Asian neigh-
bors, we are also less vulnerable
to developments in US, Europen
and China since we are the least
export dependent, with domestic
consumption accounting for 70
percent of our gross domestic
product, Bate said.
Source: PSE
THE stock market, which reached new
record levels this year, is expected to
sustain the bull run next year once the
country obtains the much anticipated
investment-grade rating.
ApproximAtely 40% of all
mobile phones sold worldwide
in the third quarter of 2012
were smartphones, compared to
around 30% for the full year in
2011, according to ericssons
mobility report.
the report also revealed that
mobile data traffc doubled
between the third quarter of
2011 and third quarter of 2012,
and is expected to grow 12
times between 2012 and 2018,
with total mobile subscriptions
expected to hit 6.6 billion by the
end of 2012, and 9.3 billion by
2018.
mobility is becoming an
increasingly signifcant part
of our daily lives with the
availability of smartphones and
tablets that have changed the way
we use the internet. We always
have devices within arms reach,
allowing us instant access to
information, entertainment and
social interaction, said Douglas
Gilstrap, Senior Vice president
and Head of Strategy at ericsson.
China leads worldwide in
net additions with 38 million
subscriptions, followed by Brazil
with 9 million, indonesia with 7
million, and the philippines with
5 million, making Filipinos the
worlds fourth fastest growing
mobile internet users.
Keeping pace with the growing
trend of mobile internet use in
the country and the increasing
affordability of smartphones,
Globe telecom remains bullish
with its mobile data business by
launching relevant and innovative
offers for its subscribers.
in partnership with Google,
Globe became the worlds frst
telecom operator to offer access
to the World Wide Web and select
Google services on internet-
enabled mobile phones without
any data charges via Free Zone.
With Free Zone, Globe prepaid
and tm subscribers get easy and
instant access to Google Search,
Gmail, and Google+ on their
feature phones and smartphone
without any cost via http://
libre.ph. With the new mobile
browsing offer, Globe extends
the unique experience of being
online all the time even to its most
budget-conscious subscribers.
Globe also pioneered the
mobile data market with its
mobile browsing plans that use
megabytes or mBs, a unit that
measures data in internet-related
transactions. through Globe
powerSurf mB, subscribers get
bulk megabytes (mB) of mobile
data, consumable per kilobyte
(KB), to surf the internet on their
mobile devices. Using KBs or
MBs in mobile surfng does not
look at the time spent online,
but on specifc mobile browsing
activities a user does such as
e-mail, social networking, photo
uploading, or video streaming,
making it more affordable to
surf on the mobile phone, totally
eliminating the risk of billshock.
Daily and monthly variants
are available depending on a
subscribers need.
the smartphone boom
has defnitely arrived the
philippines. this year, we
have seen tremendous uptake
in the purchase and use of
smartphones, giving more
Filipinos access to the World
Wide Web, said Jenny
Granada-echevarria, Head of
Globe mobile Data Services.
With our offers that give more
value for money, Globe further
enriches the mobile browsing
experience, empowering
more smartphone owners to
maximize their devices and
enjoy its full features, further
driving smartphone explosion
in the country.
For the frst nine months
of 2012, Globe mobile data
revenues reached p24.4 billion,
or 6% higher than last year. this
was driven in part by mobile
data browsing, which sustained
its robust growth momentum,
generating p2.2 billion, almost
55% better than the same period
last year.
Joerg Krahnert, managing
director of leading mobile
platform service provider
Netbuiscits, also shared that
mobile users will surpass desktop
users globally by 2014 and the
Web will be accessed through
mobile four times than via pCs
by 2015.
iN the midst of competitions
aggressive switching cam-
paign, Globe telecom reported
over 20% growth in its post-
paid segment in revenue and
subscriber base as of end-Sep-
tember 2012.
Contributing 35% to its
mobile revenue stream
in the third quarter of
2012, the companys post-
paid business grew to p5.8
billion from p4.6 billion in
the same quarter in 2011, a
25% increase year-on-year.
postpaid customers now to-
tal 1.66 million, still the undis-
puted leader by a single brand,
growing 22% from the previ-
ous years 1.37 million, bring-
ing total Globe subscribers to
32.1 million from 29.1 million,
up 10% year-on-year.
We are grateful to our loyal
base of Globe postpaid sub-
scribers for believing in our
brand promise. Globe postpaid
maintains a very strong fol-
lowing and continually ex-
panding calling circle, making
it a strong and resilient force to
reckon with amidst the negative
tirades, switching campaigns,
and sales promotions launched
by our competitors. in the end,
subscribers know which net-
work really delivers and gives
the best value, and we thank
them for their continued loy-
alty and trust with Globe, said
martha Sazon, Head of Globe
postpaid. As we start to feel
the gains of our modernized
network, we will use every
opportunity to revolutionize
and redefne postpaid with
offers that are truly relevant
and game-changing, bringing
a whole new mobile postpaid
experience in the country.
Globe attributes
the growth of its postpaid
business to the highly suc-
cessful my Super plan, the
countrys one and only fully-
customizable and personalized
postpaid plan that empower
subscribers to choose the most
affordable mix of call, text,
and browsing services relevant
to their needs.
Globe postpaid also led
the industry in launching the
most sought-after devices on
the back of its strong part-
nership with the worlds
leading handset manufactur-
ers. Keeping up with the surg-
ing demand for the newest
devices, Globe provided the
juiciest offer for the Samsung
Galaxy Note ii, with hard-to-
resist monthly cash-out and
shorter lock-up period.
Globe postpaid also an-
nounced the availability of
its exclusive line up of lte-
enabled smartphones this
fourth quarter. the lte-
powered smartphone de-
vices such as the Samsung
Galaxy S iii lte, HtC
one xl, Zte t81, and
Huawei Ascend p1 lte,
will provide subscribers
with faster mobile brows-
ing speeds and better qual-
ity SmS and voice services,
available to subscribers
starting at plan 999 and of-
fered with bundled services
such as unlimited surfing
on the Globe lte network,
consumable amount for
calls and texts, and a variety
of freebies.
We anticipate competition to
get more intense but we remain
confdent that our innovative
spirit and strong focus on our
customers will continue to dif-
ferentiate us in the market. our
business remains fundamentally
strong and the transformation
initiatives in our network and
it infrastructure are pushing
through as planned. We shall
build on our earlier triumphs to
bring out the best services for
our customers, said ernest Cu
president and Ceo of Globe
telecom.
Aside from modernizing its
network, Globe will soon roll-
out its new it backbone en-
abling customers better user
experience in terms of quick
and thorough servicing from all
customer touch points, dramatic
reduction in turnaround time on
resolution of complaints, and
customized products and pricing
plans based on usage and behav-
ior patterns.
Forty percent of mobile phones
sold worldwide are smartphones
Filipinos the worlds 4
th
fastest growing mobile internet users
Globe
maintains
lead
in postpaid business,
posts 25% growth YoY
Bourse awaits new
investment products
THE Philippine Stock Exchange will
launch more products next year to ride on
the growing optimism about the economy
and the countrys improving debt prole.
PSE president Hans Sicat said the ex-
change would launch new products in
2013 to further boost market trading as
well as increase liquidity in the equities
market.
The local stock market is still consid-
ered one of the smallest markets in Asia,
despite its recent bull run. It is smaller
than the stock markets of Thailand, Ma-
laysia, Indonesia and Singapore. It was
also left behind by its peers in terms of
product offerings.
The PSE wants to further develop the
market by launching next year the ex-
change traded fund, the online trading
platform, the Sharia index fund and the
real estate investment trusts next year.
Sicat said under the planned introduc-
tion of Shariah index fund, the exchange
would initially draw up a list of Shariah
compliant stocks.
He said the exchange was now in talks
with people who are respected and nan-
cially-adept to help nalize the list of
companies under the Shariah index.
The Shariah index fund is a list of stocks
that conform to Koranic law. Generally,
Muslims are prohibited from investing in
companies engaged in gaming and gam-
bling, interest-earning activities such as
banks and manufacturing of non-Halal
products and armaments.
Sicat said a number of Filipino Muslim
investors placed their money in Indonesia
and Malaysia because of the lack of Shariah
compliant companies in the Philippines.
The PSE aims to attract both foreign
and local Muslim investors and about $1.2
trillion worth of capital.
Likewise, the PSE prepares for the
launch ETFs by early 2013. ETFs are
exchange-listed products that mirror in-
dexes, commodities, bonds and currencies
and allow investors to buy and sell them
like stocks.
The PSE is condent the introduction of
ETFs in the country could increase trad-
ing activity. Data gathered by the PSE
showed there were 1,000 ETFs being
traded in over 40 overseas stock markets.
These ETFs have asset value of more than
$700 billion, but not one of them is listed
in the PSE.
Three nancial institutions already ex-
pressed interest in sponsoring an ETF that
would be listed in the stock exchange.
They are First Metro Investments Corp.,
which is the investment banking unit of
Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co.; Bank of
the Philippine Islands and BDO Unibank
Inc.
The PSE also works together with the
Securities and Exchange Commission to
address the regulatory constraints in the
implementation of the securities borrow-
ing and lending.
The PSE wants to amend the qualica-
tion and determination criteria for institu-
tions or broker-dealers that are qualied to
become lending agents.
Based on the current SEC denition, in-
stitutions need to meet the capitalization
requirement of P300 million to qualify as
lending agents.
The current capitalization requirement
for broker-dealers is P60 million, an in-
crease from the previous requirement of
P30 million.
Sicat said the private sector remained
in talks with the government for possible
amendments to the implementing rules
and regulations of the REIT law.
One contentious provision in the REIT
law is the requirement that REIT rms
must have a minimum public oat of 40
percent, to be increased to 67 percent
within three years from listing.
The private sector wanted the require-
ment brought down to 33.33 percent.
Another provision contested by prop-
erty rms is the revenue provision that
the initial transfer of real property into the
REIT vehicle will be subject to the 12 per-
cent value-added tax. The private sector
lobbied for an exemption.
Large real estate companies such as SM
Prime Holdings Inc., Ayala Land Inc.,
Megaworld Corp. and Robinsons Land
Corp. earlier expressed interest in form-
ing REIT companies once these conten-
tious provisions of the REIT law were ad-
dressed.
The PSE hopes that the introduction of
these new products would sustain the sig-
nicant improvement in the trading activ-
ity in the local bourse.
Data showed in the rst nine months of
2012, foreign investors were net buyers
of P95.21 billion worth of local stocks.
That represented a six-fold increase from
P15.61 billion in the
same period last year.
Total value turnover in the nine-month
period reached a record P1.31 trillion, or
25 percent higher than the P1.05 trillion
recorded a year ago.
The nine-month value turnover nearly
matched the full-year total value turnover
of P1.42 trillion in 2011.
The combined market capitalization of
listed issues in the PSE at the end of the
nine-month period climbed 28.5 percent
to P10.54 trillion from P8.20 trillion in the
same period last year.
The government sees natural gas as the
main fuel for the transport and power sectors
in the future.
The Energy Department pushes for the
construction and operation of critical natural
gas infrastructure around the country includ-
ing nine pipelines and three liqueed natural
gas terminals from 2013 to 2025.
The department, under the downstream
natural gas framework, calls for the devel-
opment of strategic infrastructure for receiv-
ing, storage, transmission and distribution of
natural gas.
It also promotes the use of natural gas be-
yond its utilization as fuel for power plant and
to serve as a major alternative fuel for trans-
port especially public transport.
Under the proposed Philippine Energy
Plan, the agency is eyeing the construction of
the 105-kilometer Batangas-Manila or Bat-
Man 1 project between 2015 and 2017, with
a cost $100 million to $150 million.
The terms of reference for the BatMan 1
project are expected to be released by middle of
next year.
The department earlier estimated that an ad-
ditional power demand of 600 megawatts from
industries would justify the construction of the
pipeline.
The government plans to build and operate
the pipeline through state-owned Philippine Na-
tional Oil Co.
The department, meanwhile, set the 15-km.
Sucat-Fort Bonifaco and 35-km. Sucat-Malaya
pipeline for commissioning by 2017.
The Sucat-Fort Bonifacio pipeline will de-
liver natural gas to industries from the 600 MW
Sucat plant in Paranaque, which will be con-
verted to a natural gas-fired power facility.
The Sucat-Malaya pipeline extends the Sucat
pipeline across the Laguna de Bai to the Malaya
plant in Pilia, Rizal, which is also being consid-
ered for conversion into a natural-gas plant.
Meanwhile, the 140-km. Bataan-Manila or
Batman 2 pipeline is envisioned to be opera-
tional by 2020, together with the 40-km Metro
Manila/ESDA-Taft Gas Pipeline or ET Loop.
The ET Loop will be located along Metro
Manilas main artery to service large commer-
cial users and the transport sector.
Other pipelines being considered after the
construction of Batman 2 are the 40-km. Subic
pipeline (2021), 25-km. Clark pipeline (2022)
and 40-km. Bataan-Cavite pipeline (2022).
The department also expects the start of op-
erations of compressed natural gas refilling sta-
tions in Metro Manila for the CNG buses from
2013 to 2015.
The LNG terminal hub in Pagbilao, Que-
zon is expected to begin by 2013 to 2014, the
Batangas LNG terminal by 2021 to 2030 and
the Bataan LNG by 2025.
The government said it received strong inter-
est from Royal Dutch Shell plc to explore the
potential of establishing the countrys first LNG
project.
Aside from Shell, other companies that ex-
pressed interest in LNG infrastructure develop-
ment in the country are Australias First Pacific
Capital and Energy World, Chinas ENN En-
ergy Holdings, Hong Kong-based Synergy In-
ternational, Koreas SKE & C, Korean Western
Power, BW Ventures and Hyundai Merchant
Marine, Philippine National Oil Co., GN Power
Ltd. Co., First Gen Corp. and Abacus Con-
solidated Resources/ENI-Saipem of Italy, AXI
LNG Gas from Canada and Mitsui Co. Ltd.
from Japan.
Platts, the leading global provider of energy
and metals information, expressed support be-
hind the private sectors move to put up LNG
and import facilities to secure the countrys en-
ergy requirements.
Jorge Montepeque, Platts global director for
market reporting earlier said LNG could ad-
dress the countrys growing demand for power
and avert brownouts.
The Philippines currently produces natural
gas from the Malampaya deep water-gas-to-
power project.
Natural gasfuel of the future
Mondelz International, Inc. (nASdAQ:Mdlz), the worlds pre-eminent maker
of chocolate, biscuits, gum and candy, is commemorating its launch as a new
company with events across its operations globally. The celebration is a worldwide
event involving around 100,000 Mondelz International employees across more
than 80 countries and 300 offces, research and development facilities, distribution
centers and manufacturing sites.
Formerly Kraft Foods Inc., the maker of many of the worlds most beloved food
and beverage brands -- including Cadbury Dairy Milk, Oreo, Tang and Toblerone
-- changed its name to Mondelz International, Inc. after spinning-off its north
American grocery business on oct. 1, 2012. The company name is a newly coined
word that evokes the idea of a world of delicious products. Here in the country,
Kraft Foods (Philippines), Inc. (KFP) is now part of the Mondelz International
family of companies and will change its name in due course to refect the name
of the new global company.
This is a very special day. Were making our debut as Mondelz International and
unleashing a global snacking powerhouse that is uniquely positioned to delight
consumers, said Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and Ceo of Mondelz International,
Inc. Were the worlds greatest start-up. We have $36 billion in momentum and
brands like Oreo, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Tang that have been loved by consumers
around the world for generations.
KFP, now part of the Mondelz International group, has done business in the
Philippines since 1963. Its largest-selling products in the Philippines include Tang,
Cadbury dairy Milk chocolate, oreo and Tiger energy biscuits, and eden Cheese
and Cheez Whiz. The company employs 450 people in the Philippines, with a
manufacturing facility in Paraaque City.
While our name might be new, weve done business in the Philippines for
almost 50 years. This change marks the start of a very exciting future, said Sudip
Mall, General Manager for KFP. our 450 employees are excited to commemorate
what we have done and what we are now all about: Creating delicious moments
of joy.
Kraft Foods Philippines is now part
of Mondelz International
new Company is the Pre-eminent Player in Global Snacking
D11
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
Investment rating to propel banks to new heights
By Anna Leah G. Estrada
PHILIPPINE banks achieved
record prots this year, thanks
to the robust economic expan-
sion that is worthy of an invest-
ment grade rating.
Bankers, however, said the
market already rated Philip-
pine bonds as investment-grade,
based on the favorable interest
rates fetched by government
and private sector debt issues.
The market has long rated
the Philippines as investment
grade, said BDO Unibank Inc.
president and chief executive
Nestor Tan.
BDO analyst Jonathan Ravelas,
however, said an investment grade
rating would further boost the
economy and the nancial sector.
For the country, it can tap
investors who cannot invest
in non-investment grade. Now
they can raise funds cheaper,
Ravelas said.
Philippine banks play an im-
portant role in the countrys
economic growth. Data showed
the country had more than 9,000
bank ofces as of end-June,
more than half of which were
branches of universal and com-
mercial banks.
Emerging strong from the
1997 Asian nancial crisis,
banks reduced their non-per-
forming loan ratio to below 3
percent and attained large prof-
its. Three of the countrys larg-
est banks are poised to book a
net income of at least P10 bil-
lion each this year.
Asian nancial crisis
The Asian nancial crisis in
1997, also called as the Asian
contagion, largely affected
Asian economies. At the on-
set of the crisis in July 1997, the
Philippines was plagued with
an overvalued currency. This
resulted in a decline in export
competitiveness, which in turn
led to a large trade balance.
Once the Thai baht was deval-
ued, currency speculators also
withdrew their funds from the
Philippines, leading to pressure
to devaluate, said economist
Philip Arnold Tuano explains in
a study.
Tuano, citing a survey made
by the Philippine Institute of
Development Studies, said
that during the crisis, problems
faced by nancial institutions
included high loan default rates
and lack of bank credits.
The Bangko Sentral initiat-
ed a series of banking reforms
that reduced banks default
rates and encouraged consoli-
dation in the industry.
Studies were conducted to
show how the Philippine bank-
ing system initiated various re-
forms but others labeled these
reforms as merely in response
of the Asian crisis rather preven-
tive measures against crises.
University of the Philippines
Economics Professor Ma. So-
corro Gochoco-Bautista in her
study titled The Past Perfor-
mance of the Philippine Bank-
ing System Sector and Chal-
lenges in the Postcrisis Period
said the occurrence of the
Asian nancial crisis has led
to a rethinking of how best to
strengthen banking systems so
as to prevent banking crises, or
to reduce banking system vul-
nerability to crises.
The return on equity of com-
mercial banks from 16.34 percent
in 1996 fell to 12.42 percent in
1997, to 6.6 percent at the end of
1998 and to 1.69 percent in 1999.
What is commendable perhaps
is the Philippine banking systems
ability to survive the Asian crisis
and its ability to post growth al-
beit at a slower pace.
Bangko Sentral Deputy Gov-
ernor Diwa Guinigundo said the
banking system now became
resilient despite the heightened
level of global nancial distress.
This is primarily due to the
limited exposure of domestic
banks to the US subprime fall-
out and other related securitized
assets, which accounted for only
0.4 percent of the banking sys-
tems total assets as of end-June
2008, its relatively strong bank
balance sheets with a return to
protability, improvements in
risk and liquidity management
fourth, strengthening of supervi-
sory and regulatory systems; and
fth, moves by banks into more
protable domestic business
lines such as consumer lending,
he said.
Investment gr ade outlook
Seventeen years after the -
nancial crisis, the country is
now rated one notch below in-
vestment grade. Credit rating
agencies upgraded the countrys
credit rating in recent months.
Anal yst s al so pr edi ct
t hat t he count r y wi l l soon
be r at ed as i nvest ment
gr ade as ear l y as second
hal f of 2013.
A source said based on dis-
cussions with economists, the
ratings agencies were looking
for the concrete steps the gov-
ernment was doing to ensure the
sustainability of GDP growth
such as reforms and investments
in infrastructure.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas headquarters
TeaM Energy Named Among
Countrys Greenest Firms
TEAM ENERGY was recently
named by the Department
of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) as one of the
companies with the most earth-
friendly business practices.
Te power frm received the
Departments Ofcial Seal of
Approval and was awarded under
the Philippine Environment
Partnership Program (PEPP).
TeaM Energys Sual Power
Station in Pangasinan and
Pagbilao Power Station in
Quezon received separate awards
for their strict compliance to the
countrys existing environment
laws. Along with a select group
of companies, both power
generation facilities were cited by
the DENR for their exemplary
environmental performance.
TeaM Energy is a partnership
between Tokyo Electric Power
Company and Marubeni
Corporation. It is one of the
biggest independent power
producers in the country with
over 2,000 megawatts of installed
generating capacity nation-
wide. It operates two clean-coal
facilities; the 735 MW Pagbilao
Power Station in Quezon, and
the 1218 MW Sual Power Station
in Pangasinan. It also has a 20%
stake in the 1200 MW natural
gas-fred plant in Ilijan, Batangas
Environment Management Bureau (EMB) Director Juan Miguel T. Cuna
(center) with Ruben H. Licerio, Sual Station Manager and Hilarion C.
Medrano, Pagbilao Station Manager.
Shown at the DENR offces with the awards are representatives of TeaM Energy (from L-R) Julian E. Escosura,
Environmental Analyst (Pagbilao), Hilarion C. Medrano, Station Manager/VP, Pagbilao Power Station, Hazel E.
Caasi, Pollution Control Offcer (Pagbilao), Yoshiyuki Fujie, VP for Operations Optimization, Melissa M. Meneses,
Pollution Control Offcer (Sual), Ruben H. Licerio, Station Manager/VP, Sual Power Station, Rodel E. Daban,
Assistance Vice President for Technical Services (Sual), Rodolfo N. Roxas, Senior Manager for Integrated
Management Systems and Dorcas M. Crooc, Associate for Environment Health and Safety.
Govt says now
is time to build
infrastructure
By Lailany P. Gomez
THE Philippines, described as
the new rising star in Asia after
it received nine credit rating up-
grades since July 2010, is build-
ing its infrastructure systems to
lay the foundation for long-term
economic growth.
The Transportation Depart-
ment, which handles most of the
countrys infrastructure projects,
believes it is the most opportune
time to implement projects that
will modernize the countrys sea,
land and air transport systems.
With this new optimism that
is prevailing in our country, the
DOTC takes every opportunity
to deliver to our people an im-
proved system of transportation.
We continue to encourage the
private sector to be more ac-
tive and creative in helping the
government in nation-building,
Transportation Secretary Joseph
Emilio Abaya said.
He said the agency guaranteed
the public a level playing eld.
There would be no under the
table. They will just be plain, fair
competition, Abaya added.
Two years after President Be-
nigno Aquino III took ofce, the
Philippines placed itself just one
notch below investment grade in
all three major credit rating agen-
cies scorecards.
Moodys upgraded the Phil-
ippines foreign and local cur-
rency long-term bond ratings
to Ba1 from Ba2, with a stable
outlook on Oct. 29, on account
of sustained economic growth,
strengthening external payments
position, improving scal dy-
namics and implementation of
governance reforms.
S&P lifted the countrys long-
term foreign currency rating to
BB+ from BB on July 1. The
agency also afrmed its BB+
long-term local currency rating
on the Philippines. Both ratings
were assigned a stable outlook.
Fitch Ratings, meanwhile, has
it at the same level as S&Ps.
A higher rating will allow the
Philippines to borrow abroad at
a cheaper rate, thus enabling the
government to set aside more
money for addressing infrastruc-
ture bottlenecks and helping the
poor.
Abaya said transportation was
the arterial structure connecting
and binding the local economy.
Efcient and accessible transport
systems facilitate the smooth
movement of workers from resi-
dence to workplace, the travel of
students from home to school,
and the transfer of goods from
producers to consumers, he said.
A disruption in the movement
between two places will result in
consequential delays and unpro-
ductive time spent in trafc.
The DOTCs efforts are not
just centered on bridging gaps
between places, but on bringing
together the factors that keep our
economy moving and improv-
ing. The construction of various
multibillion-peso transport infra-
structure projects also create jobs
and provide livelihood opportu-
nities while improving mobility
within the country, he said.
Recognizing the different
modes by which the private sec-
tor can help the government in
building public infrastructure
and delivering vital services to
the people, President Aquino,
through Executive Order No. 8,
renamed the Build-Operate-and-
Transfer Center as the Public-
Private Partnership Center to
revitalize and rationalize its
role in national development
projects.
PPP projects
The Transportation Depart-
ment has various projects in
the pipeline to improve con-
nectivity around the country.
Project preparations are now
moving faster this year.
It will roll out the construction
of a P10-billion new passenger
terminal building for the Mactan-
Cebu International Airport that
will accommodate an additional
8 million passengers to comple-
ment the existing terminal.
Aside from Mactan, three more
airports will have operations and
maintenance contracted outthe
new Bohol Airport which will
replace the existing Tagbilaran
airport; the Laguindingan air-
port in Misamis Oriental, which
is now just a few months away
from completion and is expected
it to start operation in rst quarter
next year; and the Puerto Princesa
airport in Palawan, which is also
being upgraded and improved to
meet the surge in tourists attrib-
utable to the Underground River.
The agency is also bidding out
the P1.8-billion Automatic Fare
Collection System, which is in-
tended for the Metro Rail Transit
and Light Rail Transit Lines.
Just recently, the bidding
for the P60-billion LRT Line 1
Cavite Extension was closed,
with four business groups
Light Rail Manila Consortium,
MTD-Samsung Consortium, San
Miguel Infrastructure Resources
Inc. and DMCI Holdings Inc.
competing for the contract.
The P60-billion railway ex-
pansion program involves con-
struction of the tracks, the station
and all its attendant facilities, as
well as the operations and main-
tenance and purchase of coaches.
Of the total project amount,
P30 billion will be sourced
through ofcial development as-
sistance by the government that
makes it a hybrid PPP and the
biggest project on the list.
The DOTC is also contracting
out to the private sector the op-
eration and management contract
of LRT Line 2, which runs from
Recto Station in Manila to Santo-
lan Station in Pasig City.
The private sector shall be en-
gaged to operate and maintain
the existing 13.8-km LRT Line 2
which runs along the Recto Sta-
tion in Manila, the Santolan Sta-
tion in Pasig, Magsaysay Boule-
vard and Marcos Highway.
The O&M will also include a
4-km extension that will be con-
structed from Santolan, Pasig to
Masinag in Antipolo City.
The PPP Center and Feedback
Infrastructure Services Pvt. Ltd,
the transaction advisor for the In-
tegrated Transport System proj-
ect, signed a consulting contract
for the ITS project on Nov. 23.
The DOTCs transaction ad-
visor will develop a feasibility
study on the viability of the ITS
project, using the PPP scheme
under the current BOT law. The
study will cover the construction
of two terminals located at the
south of the city, one terminal
serving passengers to and from
the Laguna/Batangas side and the
other serving those to and from
the Cavite side.
A third terminal that will serve
passengers to and from Northern
Luzon will be separately devel-
oped at the north side of EDSA.
The ITS project will estab-
lish three mass transportation
terminals that will integrate dif-
ferent modes of transportation,
connecting commuters from the
provinces to other urban trans-
port systems such as the MRT,
LRT, buses, taxis and other pub-
lic utility vehicles plying around
Metro Manila.
About 10,000 provincial buses
can be accommodated in the three
terminals, allowing commuters
easier and immediate access to
various modes of transportation
plying within Metro Manila and
to the different provinces.
This administration is doing
all it can to give everybody equal
treatment in all these PPP proj-
ects and all other PPP projects in
the future. We want to show the
world that in the PNoy adminis-
tration, it doesnt matter whom
you know. What matters now is
what you know and what you can
do to give the best value for our
peoples money, Abaya said.
As far as President Aquinos
government is concerned, what is
best for the people and the Daang
Matuwid remains as our guiding
lighthouses. We are condent that
with clear-cut rules, level playing
eld for competition, we shall be
attracting the investments that we
need to propel our country to the
next stage of development, he
added.
Larger and modern airports needed.
Ray S. Eano
Editor
Roderick T. dela Cruz
Assistant Editor
Edith Angeles
Advertising manager
Romel Mendez
Art Director
Dong Visagar
Deskman
Josie de Vera
Proofreader
SPECIAL REPORT PROJECT
D12
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
Remittances fuel demand
Working here has allowed me
to become more nancially sta-
ble, said Gimeno, 27, who wires
about P25,000 ($610) a month
to his retired father in Manila,
almost three times the minimum
wage in the capital. Opportuni-
ties here are everywhere.
Government projects in the
Middle East, spurred by the Arab
Spring and the global nancial
crisis, are drawing Filipino engi-
neers, nannies and ofce workers.
The rise may propel the Southeast
Asian nation ahead of Mexico
this year to become the worlds
number three in remittances be-
hind India and China. The funds
account for about 10 percent of
the Philippine economy.
Consumption has been driven
by remittances for years and with
investment picking up, the Phil-
ippines is set to become one of
Asias gems, said Santitarn Sath-
irathai, a Singapore-based econo-
mist at Credit Suisse Group AG.
Philippine assets will remain
attractive, with a strong upside
to the currency. Within Southeast
Asia, the peso would be our top
pick.
Funds sent home from Filipi-
nos working overseas will rise
5.5 percent to $24.3 billion in
2012, while Mexicos receipts
will drop 0.3 percent to $23.5 bil-
lion, the World Banks Migration
and Remittances Unit forecast
in a Nov. 20 report. The rising
inows prompted the Philippine
central bank to cut rates to damp
gains in the peso, the second-best
performer against the US dollar
among Asias 11 most-traded cur-
rencies this year.
Labor trail
The number of Filipinos who
left to work abroad climbed 15
percent in 2011 to almost 1.7
million, according to the Philip-
pine Overseas Employment Ad-
ministration. Saudi Arabia, the
United Arab Emirates and Qatar
accounted for about 40 percent of
the total.
Persian Gulf states were at
the forefront in the Middle East
in implementing greater gov-
ernment spending in light of the
Arab Spring and the global cri-
sis, Hans Leo Cacdac, head of
the POEA, said in an interview.
They opened up basic services
programs, built new infrastruc-
ture, hospitals, housing units, to
try to calm public dissatisfaction
and boost the economy.
Those programs created new
opportunities in the traditional
job market for Philippine migrant
workers, such as in construction,
tourism and services, Cacdac said.
Asia rising
While Asian migrant work-
ers are benetting from increased
spending in the Middle East and
Asia, those from Latin America
and the Caribbean are feeling the
effects of the global economic
slowdown and cutbacks in the US,
their main destination. Growth in
remittances to countries in South
and East Asia will outpace the rate
to Latin America and the Carib-
bean in 2012 and 2013, the World
Bank report said.
For many Filipinos, such as Riza
Lapatha in Manila, remittances
mean education for their children.
If my husband wasnt work-
ing overseas, we wouldnt have
enough to send our kids to school,
said Lapatha, 42, who has two chil-
dren in college, one in high school
and a four-year-old. She and the
children live with her mother-in-
law while her husband Rex works
as a mechanic at an aviation com-
pany in Abu Dhabi. He earns twice
what he could in the Philippines.
Still, while overseas jobs may
offer higher pay, the reality for
many is a cycle of debt and harsh
living conditions, according to a
report led by Professor Sevil Son-
mez at the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro.
Hot work
The 2011 report in the Health
and Human Rights journal cited
cases of construction workers suf-
fering heatstroke during 12-hour
shifts, in temperatures reaching
131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 Cel-
sius), and female domestic staff
working 100 hours a week with no
rest days.
The inux of overseas earn-
ings has helped advance the
Philippine peso by about 7
percent this year, touching
a four-year high last month.
The central bank in October
cut its benchmark interest rate
for a fourth time this year, to
a record-low 3.5 percent. The
central bank held that rate at a
meeting Thursday.
Migrant workers benet from increased spending in the Middle East, Asia.
By Karl Lester M. Yap
RAFFY Vital Gimeno started sending
part of his pay to his family in the Phil-
ippines after getting a job in Qatar in
2008. Now his wife and sister are also
working in the Middle East state and
theyre all remitting money home.
Deputy Governor Diwa
Guinigundo said the reduction
will help address the capital in-
ows. The Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas in July lowered the
rates for its so-called special
deposit accounts and banned
foreign funds from investing in
them to help curb the inux of
money.
Foreign investment
Rising remittances are not
the only boost to the Philip-
pines $225 billion economy.
The countrys young work-
force is attracting companies
from Japan, China and South
Korea looking for cheaper,
skilled workers. The nation of
7,107 islands lured $6 billion
last year in pledged foreign
investment, according to the
government.
The Southeast Asian na-
tion is forecast to be among
the 10 fastest growing econ-
omies in 2013 and 2014, ac-
cording to a Bloomberg sur-
vey of economists.
Thats boosting demand for
Ayala Land Inc. homes and Ford
Motor Co. cars. Growth acceler-
ated to 7.1 percent last quarter,
the fastest pace since 2010 and
the most in Asia after China.
The nations benchmark stock
exchange index has risen more
than 33 percent this year, touch-
ing a record this week.
Still, with a workforce fore-
cast to expand more than 30 per-
cent this decade, many Filipinos
will continue to have to nd op-
tions abroad. The nations labor
force will increase by almost
18 million, to 75 million, in the
years to 2020, Bank of America
Merrill Lynch projected in April.
D13
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
Expanding economy
needs power support

PHILIPPINES energy demand
is expected to rise sharply in the
next decade at least, as the econ-
omy grows more consistently
under an investment grade rating
regime. Investments in power
plants, thus, must keep pace with
the rapidly expanding economy.
We, at the Department of En-
ergy and the entire energy family
are relentless in our effort to fa-
cilitate and pave the way for the
entry of more investments in the
country, Energy Secretary Jeri-
cho Petilla said in a recent inves-
tors forum.
The department has prepared
a draft Power Development Plan
that lists power demand per re-
gion and the committed and in-
dicated projects from 2012 to
2030.
The power demand projections
were based on 4.3 percent to 4.5
percent growth rate assumed by
the electric cooperatives and dis-
tribution utilities.
At the moment, we have
around 16,000 megawatts in-
stalled capacity and 14,000
megawatts dependable capacity.
But we need to continue and ex-
ert more effort to achieve energy
sustainability, Petilla said.
The Philippines expects a total
of 868.7 MW of committed proj-
ects for 2012 to 2020, with 735
MW coming from coal, 21 MW
from oil-based fuel, 67.5 MW
from wind, 25.2 MW from bio-
mass and geothermal accounting
for 20 MW.
Committed projects are de-
ned as those that have com-
plied with the necessary per-
mits and clearances of several
agencies and concerned local
government units and are in the
process of nancial closing.
Total indicative projects for
2012 to 2020 reached 5,143.3
MW, consisting of 3,075 MW
of coal-red plants, 150 MW of
oil-based facilities 1,150 MW of
gas-red stations, and 466 MW
of wind power. Biomass power
accounts for 32.3 MW while geo-
thermal will contribute 120 MW.
Indicative projects are those that
are in different stages of develop-
ment prior to nancial closing.
The power demand outlook is
being reviewed annually, Lisa
Go, head of the departments in-
vestment promotions ofce said,
when asked if the forecast supply
will meet the growth in demand.
Additional capacity
Energy director Mylene Ca-
pongco said project proponents
must be able to comply with the
departments requirements so
that their projects will form part
of the energy plan.
The department expects nearly
1,400 megawatts of additional ca-
pacity in 2013 alone to come in for
the Luzon grid, with the bulk to
be generated by GN Power Ltd.s
600-MW coal project in Quezon.
Around 702.7 MW will come
from committed power projects
that include the 21-MW CIP 2
bunker-red power, 67.5-MW
Pilia wind project, 1.2-MW
Payatas landll gas and the 13-
MW Green Future biomass.
The department also expects
the 130-MW Bacman geother-
mal plant upgrating to be com-
pleted in 2013.
Some 685.8 MW in additional
capacity will come from indica-
tive projects next year, such as
the 150-MW aero combined cy-
cle, 300-MW Energy World gas,
90-MW Mabitac wind, 45-MW
Pasuquin wind project (Phase
1), 86-MW Burgos wind, 11.2-
MW Unisan biogas and 3.6 MW-
Lucky biomass power plant.
Only one committed project
is identied in 2014 in Luzon,
namely the 20-MW Maibarara
geothermal project.
Most of the projects in 2014 are
still in the indicative stage, namely
the 40-MW FDC coal, 300-MW
Redondo coal (phase 1), 300-MW
SLPGC coal, 300-MW Batangas
gas, 50-MW Cavinti wind, 80-
MW Caparispisan and Baloi wind,
the 70-MW Pasuquin wind (phase
2) and 17-MW Green Power bio-
mass project.
Committed projects for 2015
include the 135-MW Puting
Bato coal and 11-MW SCJI bio-
mass power plant while 1,105
MW of indicative projects are
lined up.
The indicative projects are the
300-MW Redondo coal (phase
2), 135-MW Puting Bato coal
(phase 2), 550-MW San Gabriel
gas, 40-MW Tanawon geother-
mal, 40-MW Rangas geother-
mal and the 40-MW Abrade Ilog
wind farm.
Visayas investments
There are no committed plants
for 2016 and 2017 but indicative
projects include the 500-MW
Quezon and 600-MW Masinloc
coal expansion for 2016 and the
300-MW SLPGC coal (phase 2)
and 40-MW Manito geothermal
for 2017.
No projects were lined up for
2018 and 2019 but the 150-MW
Kanan hydro project was been list-
ed as an indicative project for 2020.
The department is also woo-
ing investors to put up an ad-
ditional capacity in the Visayas,
which needs an additional 2,000
MW by 2030.
Visayas peak demand will
reach 3,270 MW from the cur-
rent 1,540 MW.
Committed projects for Vi-
sayas include the 8-MW Villa-
siga hydro (2013), 20-MW Na-
sulo geothermal (2014), 8-MW
Cantakoy hydro and 135-MW
Concepcion coal (2015), 4-MW
Asian Energy biomass plant
(2016) and 135-MW Concep-
cion coal plant (2017).
Indicative projects for Vi-
sayas include the 20-MW FDC
Danao and 50-MW Nabas wind
(2013), 54-MW Lorenzo wind,
12-MW Asea One Aklan bio-
mass, 17.5-MW Green Power
Panay biomass, 35-MW Green
Power Negros biomass, 30-MW
Asea One Iloilo biomass and 18-
MW San Carlos biomass plant
(2014).
Other indicative projects are
the 164-MW CEDC coal, 82-
MW PEDC coal, 17.5-MW Green
Coal power plant in Quezon.
Power Panay biomass (2016),
40-MW Dauin geothermal
(2017) and the 40-MW Southern
Leyte geothermal (2019).
Petilla urged the power sec-
tor to work together to meet the
challenge of a growing power
demand in the future.
With all the efforts and re-
forms undertaken by the energy
sector, let us all work together in
synergy to achieve energy security
and sustainability, Petilla said.
Mindanao outage
Petilla said Mindanao needs
more private sector participa-
tion, as the Electric Power In-
dustry Reform Act of 2001
prohibits National Power Corp.
from putting up new power gen-
eration plants.
Im hoping that private sec-
tor will come in but will the con-
sumer take it [the higher prices
in Mindanao]? Petilla asked.
The department is convincing
investors to put up some 1,950
megawatts of additional capac-
ity in Mindanao by 2030 as the
region continues to suffer from
power shortage.
Mindanaos peak demand is
seen to reach 3,351 megawatts by
2030 from the current 1,943 MW.
There are around 580 mega-
watts of committed power
projects for Mindanao from
2012 to 2019, with coal ac-
counting for 500 MW.
Committed projects include the
15-MW Mapalad diesel and 15-
MW EEI peaking plant (2013),
the 300-MW South Therma coal
(2014 to 2015), 100-MW Saran-
gani coal phase 1 (2015), 40-MW
Mt. Apo geothermal (2015) and
the 100-MW Sarangani coal proj-
ect phase 2 (2016).
Indicative power projects for
Mindanao from 2013 to 2019
include the 35-MW Bukidnon
biomass, 200-MW Steag coal,
35-MW Darong solar, 100-
MW San Ramon coal, 20-MW
FDC coal, 100-MW PNOC
coal, 20-MW Tagoloan hydro
and 12-MW Tamugan hydro.
Petilla said his vision was to
come out with a long-term en-
ergy plan that could stand on
its own, irrespective who will
sit as secretary of the depart-
ment.
I want to come out with
energy plan that is long-term
in nature that goes beyond the
term of secretaries. I want to
set that momentum and make
sure that if that secretary has
to transfer or if the post is va-
cated, it can move on its own.
Energy should not be personal-
ity-based because this is long
term. If there are new tech-
nology, [the plan] should be
dynamic enough to insert the
changes, he said.
D15
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE
Telecom rms keep
pace with expansion
By Lailany P. Gomez
TWO of the countrys biggest telecommunica-
tion companies are optimistic the industry will
continue to see growth in the coming years, in
step with an anticipated credit rating upgrade
from three major credit watchers.
A higher credit rating improves the Philip-
pine and the rated companies spread when they
borrow abroad.
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and
Globe Telecom Inc. said the curent sovereigns
credit rating, now just a notch below investment
grade, from Standard & Poors Ratings Servic-
es, Moodys Investor Services and Fitch Group
would further strengthen the domestic markets.
The three credit watchdogs have lifted PLDTs
rating by one notch to become the rst Philippine
corporate to be given an investment grade rating to
BBB- from BB+ with a positive outlook.
PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan said the
upgrade reafrmed the soundness of the com-
panys business strategy to transform itself into a
fully integrated telco operator offering a complete
suite of advanced communications services.
PLDT remains the leading player in the lo-
cal telecom sector with over 60 percent market
share in the cellular, broadband and xed line
businesses as of end-June 2012.
Its a very positive outlook. The volumes are
up, although the revenues are not as buoyant as the
volumes. People tend to choose the cheaper buck-
ets, PLDT president Napoleon Nazareno added.
S&P expects PLDT to retain its position as
the leading integrated telecommunications ser-
vice provider in the country in terms of sub-
scribers and revenue.
Data from the PLDTs Web site showed that as
of Sept. 30 this year, the company had a subscriber
base of about 68.6 million in the wireless market,
2.1 million (including 300,000 of Digitel) in the
xed-line segment and 3.2 million in the broad-
band segment. Together with Digitels subscrib-
ers, PLDT has a subscriber market share of about
65 percent across all segments.
We believe the Digitel acquisition further
strengthens PLDTs competitive position in the
cellular segment and its growth opportunities in
broadband services, S&P said.
PLDTs income slipped six percent to P28.7
billion in the rst nine months of the year from
P30.6 billion a year ago, due to a stiffer compe-
tition and manpower reduction.
Total revenues surged 13 percent to P128.56
billion from January to September compared with
P114.05 billion in the same period last year.
S&P expects PLDTs revenue to grow about
12 percent this year primarily on account of
full-year Digitel consolidation but fall to one
percent next year and in 2014 as the continued
growth in subscribers would be largely offset by
a reduction in average revenue per user (ARPU)
due to competitive pressure.
Globes chief nancial ofcer Alberto Lar-
razabal said the favorable credit ratings helped
strengthen the domestic market.
Its OK. It reects, I think, the overall eco-
nomic environment. General outlook so far is
quite positive. Telco is a consumer product and
therefore as the overall economy grows, as dis-
posable income improves and ination remains
benign people are condent about their spend-
ing, said de Larrazabal.
Fitch, meanwhile, afrmed Globes BBB-
ratings with a stable outlook.
In the midst of an aggressive switching cam-
paign from the competition, Globe reported a
20-percent growth in postpaid revenue and sub-
scriber base as of end-Sept. this year.
Contributing 35 percent to its mobile revenue
stream in the third quarter of 2012, the compa-
nys postpaid business grew to P5.8 billion from
P4.6 billion in the same quarter in 2011, a 25
percent increase year-on-year.
Postpaid customers stand at 1.66 million, up
22 percent from the previous years 1.37 million,
bringing total Globe subscribers to 32.1 million
from 29.1 million, up 10 percent year-on-year.
We anticipate competition to get more in-
tense but we remain condent that our innova-
tive spirit and strong focus on our customers
will continue to differentiate us in the market.
Car makers more
bullish on economy
By Julito G. Rada
CAR sales are revving up, indi-
cating a vibrant economy.
The expected investment grade
rating for the Philippines next
year will fuel sales increase in
the local automotive industry,
resulting likely in record turnout.
Frank Nacua, secretary gener-
al of the Philippine Automotive
Competitiveness Council Inc.,
said stronger sales mirror the in-
crease in the purchasing power
of Filipinos.
PACCI is composed of major
car manufacturers in the Philip-
pines--Ford Philippines, Honda
Cars Philippines, Isuzu Philip-
pines Corp., Mitsubishi Motors
Philippines and Toyota Motor
Philippines--and the Motor Ve-
hicles Parts Manufacturers Asso-
ciation of the Philippines.
As the rating upgrade will
affect the banking industry, -
nancing for car loans will be-
come easier, resulting in higher
demand from car buyers, Nacua
told Manila Standard in an inter-
view.
Nacua said the prole of car
sales in the Philippines shows
70 percent is coursed through
nancing with only 30 percent
paid in cash. That is the trend
now which shows that majority
of car buyers resort to making
loans just to acquire their own
vehicles, he said.
Nacua is among those who
believe that to maximize the
potentials of the industry under
an investment grade regime, the
government and industry players
themselves must work hand in
hand to implement measures that
would benet all stakeholders.
Nacua said foremost of
these is the implementa-
tion of the car industry
roadmap, which PACCI
submitted to the Board
of Investments early this
year.
Under the roadmap, the
industry aims to trans-
form itself from a mere
assembly of completely-
knocked down units to
manufacturing of vehi-
cles for local and export
markets.
Roadmap
Industry data show
locally-manufactured ve-
hicles declined from 96
percent in 2000 to 44 per-
cent in 2010. New vehi-
cle registrations of LMVs
accounted for just 34 per-
cent, or 75,000 units in
2010, only a third of the
industrys total produc-
tion capacity of 250,000.
The roadmap has three
principal stages. The rst
phase is the local market
buildup phase with the
extension of incentives
for complete vehicles,
parts, and components
exports. The second is
the expansion of local ve-
hicle sales and exports of
selected models for local
manufacture.
The third, which should
be reached by 2020, will
be the integration of the
local automotive manu-
facturing sector into the
regional vehicle parts
and components sourcing
network of brand princi-
pals.
Chamber of Automo-
tive Manufacturers of
the Philippines president
Rommel Gutierrez said
the industry roadmap
had undergone a series
of revisions after the BoI
urged car manufacturers
to state clearly their plans
on car exports.
The target is to nal-
ize it before the end of
the year, Gutierrez said
in an earlier interview.
Nacua said failure to
implement the roadmap,
even under the invest-
ment grade rating regime,
would not be good for the
industry.
I can say that if there
will be no roadmap, there
will be no positive effects
to the industry, especially
in terms of new invest-
ments, he said.
Gover nment suppor t
Although Gutierrez ac-
knowledged the impor-
tance of exportation of
locally-made vehicles, he
said the primary focus re-
mained the strengthening
of the domestic market.
Export is the ultimate
objective of the roadmap
but we need to focus rst
on the domestic market
until the industry is ready
to export its products.
Currently, we have ex-
ports of parts and compo-
nents that could be relied
upon and should itself be
protected and incentiv-
ized, he said.
Gutierrez said the gov-
ernment must continue
supporting the indus-
try, especially with the
scheduled shutdown of
the manufacturing opera-
tions of Ford this month.
Ford Philippines has
been the only participant
in the countrys car ex-
port program since 2002.
It has been exporting
some of its Laguna-man-
ufactured models to other
Asean countries.
It announced a decision
to close manufacturing
operations, citing econo-
mies of scale and low de-
mand for its vehicles.
Gutierrez said one of
the ways for the gov-
ernment to promote the
growth of the industry is
the curbing of smuggling
of luxury cars in some
parts of the country.
There are existing
laws against smuggling
and the government must
strictly implement them
to discourage if not elimi-
nate smuggling, he said.
Gutierrez said the pas-
sage of a bill proposing
incentives to hybrid and
other alternative-fuel
vehicles should be also
expedited because of the
benets to the public.
We support this bill as
this will encourage intro-
duction of more environ-
ment-friendly vehicles.
The passage of the bill
could potentially lower
the prices of hybrid and
alternative fuel vehicles
which will benet not
only the buying public
but also our environ-
ment, he said.
Hybr id behicles
Senate Bill No. 2856,
or the Electric, Hybrid
and Other Alternative
Fuel Vehicles Incentives
Act of 2011, is pending in
the Senate. A counterpart
bill from the House of
Representatives was ap-
proved on third reading
in March this year.
Gutierrez believes that
as the share of imported
cars in the auto market
continues to increase, the
government should set a
clear direction for the au-
tomotive industry.
The government must
give strong emphasis on
the importance of manu-
facturing plants already
in place so as not to give
rationale for existing in-
dustry players to leave
the country, he said.
The government
should put in place poli-
cies and programs that
will boost investors con-
dence particularly to
maintain assembly/man-
ufacturing plants in the
country.
Achievable tar gets
Early this year, the in-
dustry projected to sell
154,000 units as the au-
tomotive sector was reel-
ing from the effects of the
twin natural disasters in
2011 that hampered the
supply chain of parts and
CBUs.
But as supply started
to stabilize in the second
quarter of 2012, Campi
signalled that it might re-
vise upward its sales tar-
gets this year.
With stable supply in
August, Gutierrez an-
nounced that the indus-
try was looking to sell
185,000 units, or 31,000
more from the original
forecast of 154,000 units.
The projected sales
of 185,000 is a revised
projection because of the
strong sales performance
during the rst half of the
year. The trend continues
and the industry is con-
dent that it could achieve
this target, he said.
D16
PHILIPPINES:
ON THE EDGE OF A
RATING UPGRADE

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