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Vol. XXVI No. 263 14 Pages, 2 Sections P18.00 Saturday, December 22, 2012

The World has not ended

MERIDA, MexicoIn the darkness before dawn Friday, spiritualists prepared white clothes, drums, conch shells and incense ahead of the sunrise only to nd no exclamation point to conclude the 5,125-year cycle in the Mayan calendar. No one was quite sure at what time the Mayas 13th Baktun would ofcially end on this Dec. 21. Some think it already ended at midnight Thursday. Others looked to Fridays dawn here in the Maya heartland. Some had later times in mind. The galactic bridge has been established, announced spiritual leader Alberto Arribalzaga at a galactic connection ceremony Thursday in Merida. The cosmos is going to take us to a higher level of vibration ... where humanity is in glory, in joy. Mexicos National Institute of Anthropology and History even suggested that historical calculations to synchronize the Mayan and Western calendars might be off a few days. It said the Mayan Long Count calendar cycle might not really end until Sunday. As Fridays dawn began sweeping around the globe, there was no sign of an apocalypse. Indeed, the social network Imgur posted photos of clocks turning midnight in the Asia-Pacic region with messages such as: The world has not ended. Sincerely, New Zealand. Average residents of the Yucatan, where the Mayas invented the 394-year calendar cycles known as baktuns, the 13th of which ends Friday, were pretty upbeat about the day. Yucatan Gov. Rolando Zapata said he felt growing good vibes. We believe that the beginning of a new baktun means the beginning of a new era, and were receiving it with great optimism, Zapata said.
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Its now Saturday.

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Mayan heartland. People gather in front of the Kulkulan Pyramid in Chichen, Mexico, on Thursday. American seer Star Johnsen-Moser led

a whooping, dancing, drum-beating ceremony in the heart of Mayan territory to consult several of the life-sized crystal skulls, which adherents claim were passed down by the ancient Maya. AP

LP steps up pressure on Gov. Espino

By Christine F. Herrera
THE ruling Liberal Party stepped up its attacks on Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino on Friday, with Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone filing a resolution urging an investigation of the official, in support of the administrations campaign against the illegal numbers game or jueteng. Evardone, a Liberal Party member, led the resolution while Congress is on a month-long Christmas break, and sought the inclusion of Charlie Ang, a known Espino supporter, in the proble. A spokesman for the Nationalist Peoples Coalition to which Espino belongs, Rex Gatchalian, said the party would make sure Espino had the opportunity to clear his name, and that he would be treated with dignity and respect. Espino is pitted against the Liberal Partys Hernani Braganza in the gubernatorial race next year, and Gatchalian said accusations that he received P1 billion in jueteng kickbacks were politically motivated. Next page

Cebu capitol turned into garrison - UNA

By Joyce Pangco Panares, Rey Requejo,Christine Herrera, Sara Fabunan and Bart Ochea

THE political stand-off in Cebu over the suspension of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia turned into a battle for control of men and resources of the provincial capitol, which Malacanang has turned into a garrison, the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) said on Friday.
Talks of Malacanang losing ground in the face-off between Garcia and Agnes Magpale, who was designated by President Aquino as acting Governor, heightened as Provincial Board member Julian Daan rejected his designation as acting Vice Governor by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). But Magpale maneuvered to gain control by announcing a P30,000 bonus to employees and fired broadsides at Garcia, telling reporters: For the record, there is only one governor, the acting governor. UNA Secretary General and Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco accused Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas of escalating the tension by putting up barbed wire barricades and sending riot police to disperse Garcias supporters. Right now, the DILG and the LP (Liberal Party) are escalating tension at the provincial capitol by dispersing her supporters and turning the grounds into a garrison, Tiangco said.
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Stalemate. The political standoff at the provincial capitol in Cebu continued on Friday as suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia
still refused to leave despite the designation of Agnes Magpale as the acting governor to replace her.

Aquino vows stronger military forces

By Joyce Pangco-Panares and Francisco Tuyay
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has vowed to roll out a stronger and more capable Armed Forces of the Philippines with a P75 billion budget for hard power upgrade over the next ve years. In what ofcials described as a scaled down celebration of the AFPs 77th anniversary on Friday, Mr. Aquino said the modernization fund will put an end to jokes about the military being a poor cowboy who does not have the means to ght his enemies. The new AFP Modernization Act is key to building a modern, stronger, and more reliable Armed Forces, he said. Prepare the tarmacs now for new planes that would soar in our skies. Prepare the docks for our modern Navy ships that would protect our waters. It is time to retire the antique trucks being used by the Philippine Army and replace these with faster and more modern tanks and trucks. And of course, we will roll out high-caliber rearms and force protection equipment to further the AFPs capability to protect Filipinos, the President said. AFP planners had identied 39 projects to be covered by the revised modernization program. Next page

New storm forming off Mindanao

THE weather bureau on Friday warned of heavy rain that could trigger ash oods and landslides in parts of Mindanao on Sunday or Monday if the low-pressure area approaching the country developed into a cyclone. The areas in Mindanao that were ravaged by Typhoon Pablo, which made landfall on Dec. 3 and killed 1,047 people and caused 24 billion in damage, could be in the path of the new storm, the agency said. Still, weather forecaster Bernie de Leon said the low-pressure area might not intensify into a cyclone, but if it did it would be named Quinta and would be the 17th storm to hit the country this year. Next page

De Lima retains SC bets psycho tests

By Rey E. Requejo
THE psychiatric examination of the aspirants for the Supreme Court and the Ofce of the Ombudsman will be retained, and the Judicial and Bar Council will merely cleanse the system, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Friday. De Lima, the vice chairman of the council that vets the candidates to the high court and the Ofce of the Ombudsman, said the councils eight members made that decision during their last meeting. She conrmed the decision following a report that Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the councils chairman, ordered the ring of the psychologists of the high court who gave her a nearly failing grade of 4 when she vied for the post of chief justice in July. We discussed the propriety and necessity of the psychiatric exams for applicants, and the majority agreed to keep it, De Lima said. There were one or two members who wanted
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Bucor chief resigns over prison mess

President Fidel Ramos salute during the 77th anniversary celebration of the Armed Forces in Camp Aguinaldo. Bullit Marquez, AP

77 and counting. President Benigno Aquino III and former

By Rey Requejo
RETIRED Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan Jr. has resigned as Director of the Bureau of Correction, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Friday. De Lima said she was informed that Pangilinan led his resignation at the Ofce of the President while on indenite leave following the investigation on the abduction of prominent murder convict Rolito Go inside the New Bilibid Prison in August. Go, who was jailed after he was found guilty of killing La Salle
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Drilon claries two vetoed sin tax provisions

By Macon Ramos-Araneta
SENATOR Franklin Drilon on Friday explained why President Benigno Aquino III vetoed two provisions in the Sin Tax bill, including that mandating the National Statistics Ofce to survey ve supermarkets to determine the net retail prices of cigarettes and alcohol. The NSO could not conduct that kind of survey because its charter did not allow its data to be used for taxation purposes, Drilon said. As a result, the Bureau of Internal Revenue would be conducting the survey, he said. The second provision vetoed by the President says cigarette manufacturers should get 15 percent of their materials from local tobacco producers, something that was recommended by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and apparently to protect the farmers in the tobacco-producing provinces. Drilon said Mr. Aquino also rejected that provision as it would violate the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Mr. Aquino on Thursday signed the
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Plea to dismiss.

Impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona, accompanied by his wife Cristina, appeared before the Justice Department on Friday to ask the prosecutors to dismiss the P120-million tax-evasion case against him.

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senator under the UNA. Rep. John Garcia said the DILG and the LP made the provincial capitol look like it is under Martial law, pointing to the phalanx of riot police and barbed wire barricades that prevented people from entering the governors ofce. This is naked show of brute force on the part of the LP. This looks like Martial Law, with emphasis on the Mar, Garcia said, referring to the nickname of Sec. Roxas. Governor Garcia vowed she will never leave her ofce and Malacanang can take control of the capitol over my dead body. She said the suspension order was illegal because it violated the Local Government Code, provididng that the Ofce of the President must decide within 30 days after an investigation of the case. The investigation was terminated on August 31, 2011 so 30 days after that, on September 31, 2011, we should have had a decision. The decision came out on December 17, 2012. Thats 474 days, Garcia said. Lawyers of Garcia led a petition at the Court of Appeals on Friday, asking for a restraining order to stop her suspension, which was immediately rafed to the 12th Division, but the court has not acted on it until the close of business hours. Ofcials said the court will be closed during the long Christmas

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Cebu...
The political turmoil erupted last Wednesday when the DILG tried but failed to serve a six months suspension on Garcia for alleged abuse of authority. The order was then posted on the bulletin board. The case stemmed from a complaint led in 2010 by the late Cebu Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr, who died last year. He accused Garcia of bypassing his ofce and the provincial board in hiring contractual employees. Aquino designated Vice Governor Magpale as Acting Governor, but Garcia deed the suspension order and barricaded herself in-

side her ofce. Garcia, who is running for congressman in Cebus third district, called the order a power grab and an attempt by the LP to gain control of the province in preparation for the May 2013 elections. Magpale, who holds ofce at the Legislative Building next to the domed provincial capitol, said Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre has come over to her side and the provincial board has passed a resoslution allocating funds for the employees Christmas bonus. Police Regional Director Marcelo Garbo has pledge support to the acting governor burt Magpale said she would follow legal procedures and practice maximum

tolerance on protesters. I dont want this to descend into violence, Magpale said. I am here because I have a mandate. I have to take my oath as acting governor because I was told there must be no vacuum in leadership. Tension gripped the capitol on Thursday evening following reports that Garcia will be bodily taken out, but police seemed unable to handle scores of unarmed women supporters, who shielded the governor. Garcia was also joined by her father, 2nd district Rep. Pablo Garcia; his younger brother, 3rd district Rep. John Garcia; and Margarita Cojuangco, the presidents aunt, who is running for

holidays so the suspension order will be effective during that time. Garcia said the timing of the suspension order was intended to displace her and close her options to stay in ofce. Why just now? Christmas season? Not only is it very un-Christian but they also know that during the Christmas season, theres so many holidays, the courts may not be open for a full week when we go and seek legal redress, she said. Im standing my ground. Im standing by the rule of law. This is an illegal order. By its very essence, it did not follow the proper process. The gravity of the penalty is not commensurate to the alleged offense, Garcia said.

Drilon...
Sin Tax bill into law, and it is expected to raise an extra P33.96 billion in taxes. This is an early Christmas gift to millions of Filipinos who will benet from the universal health program and who will be weaned out from vices, Mr. Aquino said. He also assured the tobacco farmers that they had nothing to fear from the new law. He said Republic Act 10351 would provide additional funding for the tobacco farmers livelihood support program from the revenue generated from the excise tax on cigarettes. But the tobacco farmers said the new law signaled the death knell for the industry. We are in mourning because this is the beginning of the demise of the tobacco industry in our country, said Saturnino Distor, head of the Philtobacco Growers Association. Earlier this week, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said the Sin Tax provision in the local content requirement violated the GATT. In her privilege speech, Santiago said the Senate version of the local content requirement for tobacco appeared to be inconsistent with the ruling of the World Trade Organization, which is being administered by the GATT. She sought a review of the local content requirement as the Philippines might be brought before the WTO Dispute Settlement Body on the ground it was violating a GATT article dealing with internal taxation and regulation.

RH Act will prevent promiscuityauthor

CONTRARY to the fears raised by the Catholic bishops, the Reproductive Health Act will prevent promiscuity and help parents delay their childrens entry into sexual relations, one of the principal authors of the law said Friday. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said that under the law, some 7.5 million adolescents enrolled in Grade 6 and high school in public schools across the country would benet from better information about reproductive health. This gure represents the present enrollment from the data of the Department of Education, which will even be higher once RH education is implemented in the next school year, Lagman said. Lagman said the empirical studies conducted by the United Nations and countries where RH education is part of the school curriculum had documented the following results: 1) proper sexual values are inculcated in the young; 2) entry into sexual relations is delayed; 3) abstinence before marriage is encouraged; 4) multiple sexual partners are avoided; and 5) the spread of sexually transmitted infections is prevented. Under the law, adolescents refers to young people between the ages of 10 and 19 years who are in the transition from childhood to adulthood. The law, which is awaiting the Presidents signature, mandates the Education Department to formulate a curriculum to be used by public schools that may be adopted by private schools. Lagman said many private schools would opt to teach reproductive health education, too. Once it is in effect, the law will give Filipinos access to reproductive health services, including contraceptives. It will also provide for mandatory reproductive health and sex education in public schools for children aged 10 to 19. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines had earlier vowed to support a group of Catholic lawyers who said they would contest the measure before the Supreme Court once it became law. Maricel V. Cruz and Christine F. Herrera The NPC respects the actions taken by Congressman Evardone. We believe that Governor Espino will be able to vindicate himself once he is given the chance to air his side during the proposed investigation, Gatchalian told the Manila Standard. The NPC though, will see to it that the governor is given a chance to fully air his side in the name of fair play. We will also see to it that he is treated with respect, that he rightfully deserves being the highest elected ofcial of Pangasinan when the investigation takes place, Gatchalian said. Under House rules, committees can conduct investigations even while on recess. The House and Senate on Wednesday night adjourned their sessions for a month-long Christmas break and will resume their sessions on Jan. 21, 2013. Evardones resolution said there had been reports that a number of jueteng lords had become political warlords and could thwart the peoples true will in the May 2013 elections. The resolution also wanted to look into Angs operations, which Evardone said had established betting stations for jai alai games operated by Meridian Vista Gaming Corp. Evardone said Angs Meridien, whose operations were supposed to be conned to the Cagayan Special Economic Zone, have extended outside its authorized area, with mayors allowing the company to operate jai alai games in their respective jurisdictions.

Appreciation. President Benigno Aquino III and Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon greet returning migrant
workers at the airport to show their appreciation for their contribution to the economy. SONNY ESPIRITU

De Lima...
it scrapped, but the majority of us agreed to just cleanse the mode and the standard of people involved. De Lima said that while Sereno alone may decide on the fate of the psychologists, it would be better to consult the council rst. We are a collegial body and the safest way is to get the councils approval, De Lima said. Nonetheless, she said, the council discussed the possible replacement of the doctors being used by the group. She said many council members were surprised by the results Ofcials toned down Fridays celebration in deference to the victims of Typhoon Pablo. The celebration did away with the traditional y-by of the Philippine Air Force. It paraded motorized, mounted, and marching troops proceeded sans the humanitarian assistance and disaster response team and equipment, which are currently deployed in Mindanao for the relief and retrieval operations. The celebration, though, showcased other military assets and equipment and thrilled the crowd with a skydiving show. The AFP said it also canceled its traditional ball and dinner in honor of former chiefs of staff and dignitaries. AFP Chief of Staff General Jessie Dellosa said with the scaled down celebration and simple Christmas parties, the AFP were able to save 2 million, which he said will help augment the initial P3 million released to help and assist the victims of typhoon Pablo. Dellosa said this is on top of the P19 million worth of donations for the typhoon victims

submitted by the psychologists who conducted the tests on the applicants for chief justice. The results of Serenos psychological test reportedly showed that she projects a happy mood but has depressive markers, too, apart from her strong tendency to make decisions based on [her] current mood, thus [the] outcome is highly subjective and self-righteous. Sereno was also dramatic and emotional, she appears energetic and all smiles and agreeable, but with religious preoccupation in almost all signicant aspects of her life. De Lima said that while the psychological tness of the applicants should be determined, the

test merely serves as a guide and is not a xed criterion. Under the councils rules, a grade of 1 is considered excellent, a grade of 2 is very satisfactory, a grade of 3 is Satisfactory, a grade of 4 is not satisfactory, and a grade of 5 is very unsatisfactory. The same rules say that a candidate obtaining a grade of 4 is automatically disqualied for the position. President Benigno Aquino III knew about the low grade that Sereno obtained, but he still chose her to be his chief justice to replace impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona, bypassing many senior justices.

LP...
United Nationalist Alliance secretary general and Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco said the Liberals were zeroing in on voterich provinces such as Cebu and Pangasinan and were harassing candidates who had an edge over the Liberal bets. Tiangco said Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia was suspended for six months to allow the LP to take control of the province. She was immediately replaced by Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, who is a member of the Liberal Party and the running mate of its gubernatorial bet, Hilario Davide Jr., who ran but lost to Garcia in the 2010 elections. Cebu had 2.43 million voters in 2010, while Pangasinan had more than 500,000. Evardones resolution, in support of the anti-jueteng campaign of Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, called for an investigation of illegal numbers operations that were allegedly using legal franchises such as the Small Town Lottery. His resolution singled out Angs Meridien Vista Gaming Corp., which operates in the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Free Port and also in Pangasinan. Evardone cited news reports that said some politicians, highranking government ofcials, and police ofcials were alleged to be involved in illegal activities, and undermining the peoples trust and condence in the government.

Aquino...
The Air Force will acquire 21 additional UH-1B multipurpose helicopters to replace the Vietnam War-vintage UH-1H (Huey) helicopters and 10 attack helicopters in the next two years. The modernization program would also include the purchase of three medium-lift aircraft to complement the Air Forces C-130 Hercules cargo planes. The measure also exempts certain major defense purchases such as aircraft, vessels, tanks, armored vehicles, communications equipment and high powered rearms from public bidding. The new law also grants additional funding sources from public-private partnerships entered into by the defense department of the AFP and exempts from value added tax and customs duties the sale of weapons, equipment, and ammunition to the AFP. The president afterwards handed awards to 12 soldiers and civilian employees for their achievements, gallantry and bravery in combat.

gathered by the AFP General Headquarters. In a related development, newly-appointed Philippine Navy Chief Vice Admiral Jose Alano said that the Navy planned to enhance its alliance with foreign navies to strengthen its capability to protect the countrys territorial waters. Alano, who assumed the top Navy post on Wednesday, said a strong military partnership with foreign navy allies was necessary to protect our people and our territory. Alano replaced former Navy Chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama who vowed out of military service after reaching mandatory retirement age of 56 Wednesday. Alano and Pama were batchmates in the Philippine Military Academy Class of 79. We will further enhance engagements with our counterparts, particularly those who share common interests, values and beliefs, of peace and stability in the region, of freedom of navigation, of respect of rights of all nations, and of peaceful

resolution through observance of the rule of law and due process, Alano said. We will continue with our strategic partnership to make the Philippine Navy a strong and credible Navy, he added. As this developed, reports said that the US planned to deploy some of its newest warships and other high-tech weapons to the Asia-Pacic as part of its pivot in the region. The report said the Pentagon will send P-8 submarine-hunting aircraft, cruise missiles, Virginiaclass submarines, coastal combat ships and F-35 ghter jets to Asian ports and bases in coming years. Washington has been pushing for the pivot in Asia amid concerns over Chinas growing military power and its assertive stance in territorial disputes with its neighbors. Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries in Southeast Asia are locked in territorial disputes with China and have sought to bolster military ties to Washington to counter Beijings inuence.

Bucor...
student Eldon Maguan over a trafc altercation in 1991, went missing inside the New Bilibid Prison on August 14 this year, but reappeared more than 24 hours later. Go said he and his nephew Clarence Yu, who was visiting him at the time, were kidnapped by ve armed men and later brought to a hut in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. I am now waiting for conrmation so I can also ofcially start the vetting of his possible replacements, said De Limm. De Lima said there were already ve to six applicants for the top BuCor post now occupied by National Bureau of Investigation deputy director Rafael Ragos as ofcer-in-charge. But I prefer scouting for talents rather than picking among those who are apply-

ing, she added. As Justice secretary, De Lima has administrative supervision over BuCor and has the prerogative to recommend to President Benigno Aquino III Aquino Pangilinans replacement. Pangilinan was appointed by President Aquino in June last year to replace former BuCor director Ernesto Diokno, who was removed from the post over the unauthorized trip of former Batangas Gov. and convicted killer Antonio Leviste from the national penitentiary in May last year. Kabungsuan Makilala, a former assistant head of BuCors bids and awards committee, earlier claimed that under Pangilinans watch, VIP treatment of prominent prisoners, prostitution and corruption worsened in the NBP. He later led a complaint against the BuCor chief before the ofce of the Ombudsman.

New storm...
The storm was likely to drench Mindanao and parts of the Visayas until Dec. 25, De Leon said. The weather bureaus bulletin on Friday said Davao, Caraga and Central Mindanao were among the areas that were likely to experience heavy rain if the storm came. The rest of Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, the Bicol region, Aurora and Quezon could also experience rainy weather. But Metro Manila and the provinces nearby could expect fair weather on Christmas Day as those areas were not likely to be affected by the storm even if it came, the weather bureau said. The agency said the low-pressure

area was still over the Pacic Ocean near Palau Islands as of Friday. Meanwhile, Senator Loren Legarda on Friday expressed alarm over reports that human trafckers were prowling the areas devastated by Typhoon Pablo and urged local government ofcials and citizens to remain vigilant. I have always emphasized that disasters are linked inextricably to poverty and socio-economic inequality, Legarda said. Men, women and children from marginalized and devastated communities are at high risk, and we must do everything in our power to stop these illegal operations once and for all. Jonathan Fernandez and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Its...
Even before the baktuns end, hundreds of spiritualists from Asian, North American, South American and European shamanistic traditions mingled amiably with the Mexican hosts at a convention center in Merida on Thursday. Dozens of booths offered people the chance to have their auras photographed with Chi light, get a shamanic cleansing or buy sandals, herbs and whole-grain baked goods. This is the beginning of a change in priorities and perceptions. We are all one, said Esther Romo, a Mexico City businesswoman who works in art promotion and galleries. No limits, no boundaries, no nationalities, just fusion.AP

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DECEMBER 22, 2012

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Erring contractors face blacklist

By Joel E. Zurbano

CONTRACTORS who fail to comply with the

law on public works will not be eligible to participate in the bidding for projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said that contractors, to qualify for bidding, have to abide by RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act of 2003 regarding corrective or repair works on any defects to their completed projects within warranty period. He also cautioned DPWH ofcials who also fail to enforce the provision that they shall be likewise penalized in accordance with Civil Service rules and regulations. The move, according to Singson, will lessen the increasing number of public works projects which were issued certication of completion by DPWH implementing ofces but not yet issued with the certicate of acceptance even after the one year defect liability period had lapsed. He added this is due to the failure on the part of contractors to correct the defects. The DPWH implementing ofces were also ordered by Singson to conduct a review and list all infrastructure contracts that have been issued a cer-

in the ninety-day period from the time notice to repair works was issued, Singson ordered the forfeiture of their performance security bond to be used for the appropriate repair works to be undertaken by the concerned DPWH eld unit. More importantly, the names of contractors who fail tocomply with their contract will be blacklisted and barred from joining thed bidding. Our civil works procuring units namely project management ofces, regional and district ofces need to be on tight watch and guarantee that our contractors perform their responsibilities or obligations stated in their contracts, Singson said. The agency also tightened its project inSingson spection and quality assurance by engagticate of project completion yet were ing private rms to conduct quality assurnot issued the certicate of acceptance. ance inspection of DPWH infrastructure If these contractors fail to comply with- projects nationwide.

Labor group elects chief

MEMBERS of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines elected Gerard Seno as its new secretary-general in place of Democrito Mendoza who resigned last week. Seno and his new leaders vowed to continue to ght for the rights and welfare of the Filipino workers in the face of the economically difcult times. Being newly elected ofcers, we are again making a pledge to the Filipino workers that the TUCP is committed to protect and promote their well-being and welfare. They (workers) are the reason why the TUCP is existing and we are going to do just that, Seno said. Seno was elected on Friday last week during the TUCP regular national convention as required by its constitution and by-laws. Seno is also executive vice president of the Associated Labor Unions (ALU), the biggest labor federation in the country today. In the same convention, Victorino Balais was elected as the new TUCP president. Balais is the president of the Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO). While Esperanza Ocampo is the treasurer. The 12 new members of the executive board are Dolores Alegarbes, Temistocles Dejon, Concepcion Dodd, Arnel Dolendo, Edmund Estavillo, Arthur Juego, Gilbert Lorenzo, Micahel Mendoza, Gerry Rivera, Cecilio seno, Jose Suan, and June Elizabeth Tanqueng. Over 300 delegates and observers from TUCP afliates federations elected the new set of ofcers as mandated by TUCP constitution and bylaws. The new set of ofcers will serve a term of 5 years. Vito Barcelo

IT experts sought to ensure clean polls

By Macon Araneta
SENATOR Aquilino Pimentel III is inviting volunteer experts in the eld of information technology to help ensure that the 2013 election is fool-proof and glitch-free. Their task is to review the various source codes to be used by the Commission on Elections in the May 2013 elections. Pimentel issued the invitation as chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reform and Peoples Participation, saying that his ofce will be creating a pool of volunteer experts to review the source code. The senator urged the IT experts, especially those from the youth sector, to lend a hand in the patriotic endeavor geared toward reforming and ensuring the credibility of the co electoral system. The source codes and the machines that used them, the EMS, PCOS and canvassing system, were rst used by the Comelec in 2010. Our objective is to bring back the trust of the people in the Comelec and the elections itself. A review of the source codes would allow the detection of glitches, flaws and vulnerabilities in our electronic electoral system, said Pimentel. Such aws in the software and the hardware that use them must be detected and corrected if the 2013 and succeeding elections are to be protected from sabotage or attempts to favor any particular candidate, he said. A source code is any collection of computer instructions specifying the actions to be performed by a computer or a machine whose functioning is controlled by a computer. Source codes that have flaws are vulnerable to hacking and misuse by unauthorized persons, including those who may wish to alter election results. Pimentel said that the source codes of the EMS, PCOS and canvassing applications of the Comelec had been made available for review since February 10, 2010 in accordance with the law. Pimentel calls on Comelec to be less restrictive in the review, allow source code to be examined outside Comelec premises.

Delhi summit. Vice President Jejomar Binay listens to a speech at the plenary session of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-India commemorative summit in New Delhi Thursday. Indias Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told a summit of Southeast Asian leaders on Thursday that his nation attached the highest priority to its relations with their region. AP

600 workers wont be home for Xmas

By Sara D. Fabunan
THERE are at least 600 Filipinos working in US bases in Iraq who could not go home for Christmas because of the deployment ban, a recruitment expert said on Friday. Recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani said that the 600 Filipino workers in Iraq expressed fear they could no longer return to their job. [These] 600 Filipinos are facing a bleak Christmas and New Year since they are virtually prisoners inside the US bases since the Philippine government refuses to lift the {deployment) ban, he said. Geslani said that the workers have sought the partial lifting of the ban before the Department of Foreign Affair (DFA) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). But so far, Geslani said the the DFA has been dragging its feet on this matter. Due to the deployment ban, the Iraqi government refuses to issue visas for Filipinos, thus preventing them from going out of the camp. As they will be imprisoned in case they move out of the base to go to Baghdad or cities near their jobsite, Geslani said. The Philippines continues to observe a deployment ban to Iraq as tensions resumed after the withdrawal of American troops in December last year. Around 4,000 Filipinos worked in Iraq after the US kept its bases there. When the Americans left, some Filipinos stayed behind to work for foreign contractors. On September 2011, the POEA governing board allowed a partial lifting of the deployment ban for workers inside US facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq. This resulted in 6,000 Filipinos from Afghanistan and 2,000 from Iraq to come home in the Philippines and return to their job sites. But in February this year, the DFA raised alert level 3 over Iraq which ordered the evacuation or repatriation of all Filipinos living or working in Iraq. The POEA imposed a total deployment ban to Irq following the withdrawal of US military forces.

IN BRIEF
Payumo eyes comeback
BALANGA, Bataan--Chairman Felicito Payumo, of the Bases Conversion Development Authority, has led his certicate of candidacy before the provincial ofce of the Commission on Election here before noon Friday as representative of Bataans rst district. Running under the Nationalist Peoples Coalition Party, he substituted former Board Member Edwin Enrile. Payumo was joined by lawyer Jay Consunji who is NPCs bet for vice governor, replacing former board member Jun Uy. A three-term congressman, Payumo also served as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. His nephew, Dinalupihan Mayor Joel Payumo led his COC as governor on Thursday. The older Payumo and Consunji face reelectionists Rep. Herminia Roman and Vice Governor Bonjong Pascual, both of the Liberal Party. Butch Gunio

Public health issue. Professor

Robin Daly (left), chairman for Exercise and Ageing with the Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research at Deakin University, Australia and Dr. Rodolfo Florentino, president of the Osteoporosis Society of the Philippines, lead a roundtable discussion hosted by DSM Nutritional Products on the topic of vitamin deciency, a major public health issue.

Korean prociency test

MIGRANT workers returning to South Korea may now avail of a computer-based testing for language prociency at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration ofces on Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong. Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac and Ambassador Lee Hyuk led the opening of the P450-million facility that was built in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Korea through its Employment Permit System ofce here. With the computer-based test, we are hoping that all qualied Filipino workers can efciently reenter and work in Korea thereby minimizing the number of Filipinos choosing to illegally stay and work in Korea than to return home and wait for six months before they can reapply for EPS, he said. Gigi Muoz David

Top mentors search

THE nomination for the next batch of top mentors from public and private schools is open, the Department of Education said. The 29th Search for Outstanding Teachers is led by Metrobank Foundation Inc. To recognize best practitioners with exemplary competence, dedication to work and effective educational leadership. To qualify, candidates must be licensed Filipino teachers on full time in elementary, secondary, alternative learning systems or at tertiary level. Nominees must be on permanent status with full load at the time of nomination and not on leave for more than two years before the search., the department said in a statement. Interested parties may call 898-8898 or 857-0618 or send a message through <mb_sot@gmail.com>; <idlabitad@ metrobank.com.ph>; or <aareyes@metrobank.com.ph>. Gigi Muoz David

Pregnant dolls not for kids, Health department warns

By Macon Araneta
THE Department of Health on Thursday warned parents not to buy pregnant dolls that have been proliferating in shopping areas in Metro Manila. I recommend parents not to give the pregnant dolls as gifts this holiday season. It is inappropriate and offensive. It promotes teenage pregnancy and tends to glamorize the life of teenage girls who have babies at a young age which is not a very good example to share to children, said director Eduardo Janairo of the Healths national capital region. Pregnant dolls being sold in the open have a detachable stomach where a baby is supposed to come out, he said. The anatomical presentation is a perversion of the natural way of a childs delivery, he said. He noted that the emotional development of a child takes place during the tender age of ve to eight. During this age period, he said majority of children are yet to distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality. Most children will think pregnancy is ne because they are presented with an attractive pregnant doll to play with, said Janairo. He said that the imaginative minds of children are inuenced by what they see and hear. From age four years through five, they build up role playing scenarios. They participate in this type of play through the use of toy figures, puppets, dolls, or stuffed animals. They act out a particular role and create a drama amongst themselves. They often dress up and use props in this kind of role play, explained the DOH official. Instead of pregnant dolls, toys that are educational and essential to the learning years of a child offer much better alternative.

A4 SATURDAY

DECEMBER 22, 2012

ManilaStandardToday Adelle Chua, Editor

Opinion
zero perceived as highly corrupt and 100 as very clean. In the 1 to 10 scale last year, it placed 129th with a 2.6 rating, which had dipped to 2.5, 2.4, 2.5 or 2.3 since 2002. To Transparency Philippines president Rosalinda Tirona, looking tidier than Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia at the bottom rung is hardly a reason to crow about. She called for better rules on lobbying and political nancing, making public spending and contracting more transparent. Back in the lower chamber, Rep. Rodolfo Antonino has to face the fact that his right-of-reply provision has divided

mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com

EDITORIAL
IF LAWMAKERS fail to get their act together, the countrys corruption perception rating will remain in the bottom two-thirds of 176 countries despite attempts at a nose job through a freedom of information bill. The upper chamber passed Monday on third and nal reading Senate Bill 3208 or the Peoples Ownership of Government Information, leaving its counterpart bogged down since the 14th Congress where the measure was stalled. House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Taada III noted that a similar proposal was opposed because of the implications on news organizations, and particularly the disclosure of sources.

Pogi points
His colleagues should consider how Senator Gregorio Honasan managed to swing his proposed name for the measure which mustered 17 votes with neither nay nor abstention. Also shepherding the bill were Senators Loren Legarda, Franklin Drilon, Antonio Trillanes IV and Allan Peter Cayetano. Was there something in the catchy acronym that thumbing down POGI meant an unsightly act by all appearances? In its 2012 corruption perception index, Transparency International ranked the Philippines 150th, overtaking Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh and seven other countries to score 34 with the House with no quarters given. Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casio was dumbfounded when a session adjourned despite a quorum and the numbers to pass the bill. Rep. Ben Evardone said in his Tuesday speech that the bill dating from the 8th Congress had evolved into its form today out of 15 House versions based on 40 inputs and one from Malacaang. The Aquino administration must show resolve in its anti-corruption crusade. The Palace has already shown political will in passing the reproductive health bill. It should now walk its talk and push for freedom of information.

A sane approach to the SCS issue

THERE is an interesting CNN piece on how to resolve the South China Sea territorial dispute without dragging the major powers into a military conict. This piece was written by Parag Khanna, Senior Research Fellow at New America Foundation and Singapore Institute of International Affairs, and John Gilman, a member of the same Singapore think-tank. I will only dwell on the salient points suggested by the Singapore fellows who cited how a winwin situation was worked out between Norway and Russia in their Arctic Sea territorial row and how it was also extended to dene maritime boundaries in the Barents Sea. They proposed that the claimant countries, together with China, form the South China Sea Exploration Company, with their energy representatives as board members. The rst step, Khanna and Gilman suggested, was to set aside sovereignty issues, and instead focus on joint exploration of the potential oil, gas and mineral resources beneath the sea. As a joint stock venture, the multinational company could be listed in the Singapore Stock Exchange with prots to be shared among the SCS claimant countries. It makes sense to capitalize on Asian spirit of cooperation instead of adding fuel to a ashpoint that could set off the powder keg situation. The only great wall to this arrangement of joint exploration is the other claimant countries are now dealing with a stronger, aggressive China. A steady galloping economic growth in the last three decades has allowed China to beef up its military. Its assertive claim and bullying in the region, however, pushed the smaller countries to rely increasingly on the US which saw a window of opportunity to shift its naval forces to Asia and the Pacic. If straws in the wind are to be read into Beijings most recent statement, theres reason to be sanguine that China and the US would avoid any armed conict over the South China issue. The economies of China and the US have become interdependent and inseparable, said Vice Premier Wang Qishan at the annual US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade held in Washington. The twoday meeting dealt with contentious trade issues in the two countries $500-billion bilateral trade which is heavily in favor of China. The US has

BACK CHANNEL

ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

It makes sense to capitalize on the Asian spirit of cooperation.

been trying to level the playing eld and prodding China to allow market access for more American products, specially Detroits motor cars. Washington also would like to see China spur domestic consumer spending to reduce its export products which have been ooding the US market. Angara in Aquino Cabinet The political news of the week has to be the report that Senator Edgardo Angara is quitting his gubernatorial run in Aurora to accept a Cabinet position. After four months of campaigning in his province, Angara announced his decision Thursday but declined to say the specic Cabinet post President Aquino has offered him. It will still be an allfamily affair in Aurora politics. The senator has designated his brother, Baler Mayor Arthur Angara, to run in his place. The sister of the 78-year old senator, Bellaflor A n g a r a Castillo, is the current governor on her last term. His son Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, is running for the Senate in next years mid-term elections under President Aquinos Liberal Party. He was one of the prosecution panels spokesmen during the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona. There are all sorts of speculations as to which Cabinet post Angara would get. It would probably not be to replace recent appointees Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya or Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras. The guessing game continues. Will be it Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro who might want to return to De La Salle University? Angara used to be Education Secretary and University of the Philippines president The more titillating and probably welcome appointment would be to replace Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa who has been getting a lot of negative feedback. But dont rule out the DILG post for Angara in Januarys Cabinet shakeup. He could take the heat off from Roxas who has been making enemies in relation to his job. These are the fallout from the administrations move to unseat Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Gracia on graft charges and the investigation of Pangasinan Governor Amado Espina on alleged jueteng payola involvement. *** There was a reader query whether this columnist is related to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario. He is not, not by a mile or any stretch of the imagination.

Reminiscing Christmas
POWER POINT
CHRISTMAS has always been special. As a girl, my Christmases were simple, yet, I have happy memories. My family was not deeply religious. I lost my mother early and many of my early Christmases were spent with my lola and titas. Sure, we went to church but as youngsters, we were never forced to go when we did not feel like it. While I knew that Christmas is to celebrate the birth of child Jesus, the few traditions I grew up with were anything but religious. Christmas as a girl was about gifts, food, twinkling lights, caroling, family get-togethers, and visiting our godmothers and godfathers. I remember helping out in making Christmas trees. Ready-to-decorate plastic trees were unheard of then. Families made their own from whatever materials were available. I remember picking up dried twigs, painting them white, bundling them together and putting the tree-like thing in an empty biscuit can wrapped in green Japanese paper base. Then we took turns in carefully hanging Christmas decorations. Another year, instead of twigs, we used walis tingting. We painted the walis white, put it in a can to make it stand, and then hung decorations. And voila! We had a pretty Christmas tree! Still another year, my Tita used a bilao with pakong bakya all around and a thin tall wooden stick with one nail sticking out on top, at the center, as our tree. She tied crochet thread to the nail on top and hooked the thread to the pakong bakya below, then up again to the nail until the whole thing looked like an inverted cone with the bilao as base. Then it was time

ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO

to tie the Christmas balls to the strands of string. The last step was to put the star on top of the tree. I enjoyed making Christmas trees. My earliest Christmas memory may be this recurring scene in my mind: I was merrily hopping along our San Juan neighborhood in my new red dress, carrying an apple and a gift. I had just come from my ninongs house on the street next to ours. I distinctly remember this scene. I must have been four or ve years old then. I dont know why, but this memory always makes me smile. Another very special memory was receiving a gift from my father. This only happened once which I think is the reason why it was so special. I still remember the gift: a cook set that to me looked real if not for its miniature size. As I was growing up, I also went out to do caroling with friends. We had a routine, we would practice for at least an hour in the afternoon and then sing Christmas carols in the different streets of San Juan in the evenings. During those years, carolers didnt just sing, they rehearsed (although I assure you, my singing voice remained terrible despite the practice). Midnight masses were more seen as time with friends to have hot tsokolate and bibingka. These masses were also about wearing thick clothes because of the nippy December air. My titos were jeepney drivers. There was always one night before Christmas when after the days work, they would gather us children and some of our friends to do our traditional sightseeing tour. This meant riding their jeepney and going to the various Christmas displays. This trip was always special because we knew we would be treated to incredible sights. Oh how we enjoyed the lights and display at the Magnolia plant, Cocacola and Pepsi cola plants, and last, the

C.O.D. Department Store. As a girl, I thought we were brought to far away places! I was already in high school when I realized that except for C.O.D. which was in Cubao, all the others were only located along Aurora Boulevard. Preparation for noche buena was fun. We were poor but food was always special. On the 24th, Lolas kitchen was always abuzz with activity. The aroma of food being cooked the traditional way made me happy. I remember big slices of beef stuffed with carrots, cheese, chorizo, then tied, lined side by side in a big shallow pan. This would be Lolas Morcon. My titas and titos would take turns in cooking the halayang ube for hours before Lola pronounces it as . I still remember helping slaughter chickens for tinola. Lola would always bark at me to open my eyes to see what I was doing (I didnt like the slashing-theneck part, so I kept my eyes closed). Noche buena was always about family. In hindsight, perhaps I owe my happy memories to the fact that despite the simplicity, my girlhood Christmases were really about belonging to a community. From making trees to doing caroling, going to simbang gabi to gawking at lights, helping in cooking to going to my ninong and ninang, these were all done with family and friends. My Christmases were shared with loved ones. Now a days, life is more complex. We are always short of time, and almost everything we need is already neatly packaged for us. I wonder how families are making their own Christmas traditions. I wonder how we are creating friendships and communities. Perhaps, this Christmas is a good time to start. Go back to basics. Merry Christmas, friends! bethangsioco@gmail.com bethangsioco on Twitter and @

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mst.lettertotheeditor@gmail.com

ManilaStandardToday Adelle Chua, Editor

Opinion
EAGLE EYES
AS NOTED in my previous column, many nations and observers expressed severe disappointment with the adopted texts from the Doha climate change negotiations, and rightly so. A number of parties of the original Kyoto Protocol declined from taking part in the second commitment period, namely Russia, Japan and New Zealand. Canada withdrew from the Protocol altogether, leaving 35 parties to take on obligations for the second commitment period. Apart from that, the parties taking on legally binding commitments for the second period did not agree to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the 25-40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, which is the necessary rate to prevent global temperatures from a 2-degree Celsius increase. They committed themselves to only 18 percent below 1990 levels. Most problematic of all, the United States and China, the biggest emitters, continued to be exempt from legally binding commitments to reduce emissions. The United States argues for a pledge and review approach while China cites the common but differentiated responsibility principle as justication for its position. The lack of funding to be provided to developing countries in order for them to be able to take on climate change actions is another sign of the weakness of the so-called Doha Climate Gateway. However, Bernaditas Mueller, one of our lead negotiators, managed to prevent climate nance from being taken off discussion tables entirely, as long term cooperative actions were concluded the Doha sessions. However, despite the weakness of the products of the Doha climate talks, a practical assessment that my colleague
DEAN TONY LA VIA

SATURDAY DECEMBER 22, 2012

A5

The unique American dilemma

BACKBENCHER
ON DECEMBER 14, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, Adam Lanza started indiscriminately shooting 28 people, including his own mother. This is the latest massacre that took place in the US. Twenty of those killed were below 11 years old. The incident serves to highlight anew the danger posed by unrestrained freedom, in this particular instance amplied by the usual invocation by the Americans of the Second Amendment of the Constitution giving them the right to bear arms. Despite the numerous incidence of senseless killings carried out by psychotic individuals, Americans, to this day, continue to debate on whether or not to strictly limit gun control. The Gun Control Act of 1968 has done little to restrict the sale of guns. On the contrary, it loosened the sale and acquisition of automatic rearms or assault ries. This, despite the fact that the US now ranks as among the highest in the incidence of senseless killings, claiming 11 out of the 20 worst mass shootings over the last half century, according to Newsweek. The debate is not on how many more lives would be snuffed out by bullets red by roaming homicidal maniacs, but on their fear that restricting them would violate their Constitutional right. Some even interpret that as an infringement of their right to property. As posted by Think Progress Justice, a US-based nongovernmental organization which has for its advocacy gun control, it states, that people killed in the US by the use of guns is 19.5 times higher than similar high-income countries in the world. In the last 30 years since 1982, America has mourned at least 61 mass murders. Citing a few: 1. September 27, 2012, Andrew Engeldinger shot to death 5 at Accent Signage Systems in Minneapolis. Engeldinger ultimately killed himself; 2. August 5, 2012 US Army veteran Wade Michaela Page killed 6 Sikh temple members at gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Page killed himself later; 3. July 20, 2012, during the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, James Holmes killed 12 wounded 58; 4. April 2, 2012, One L. Goh killed 7 at Oikos University, a Korean Christian college in Oakland, CA.; 5. October 14, 2011, Scott Evans Dekraai killed eight in Seal Beach, CA.; 10) September 6, 2011, Eduardo Sencion shot 12 people in a restaurant in Carson City. 5 died, including 3 National Guard members; 6. August 3, 2010, Omar S. Thornton gunned down Hartford Beer Distributor in Manchester, CT. 9 were killed, including Thornton; 7. November 5, 2009, Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan at the Fort Hood army base in Texas killed 13; 8. April 3, 2009. Jiverly Wong opened re at an immigration center in Binghamton, New York before
ROD P. KAPUNAN

Positive outcomes of Doha

Therese Guiao and myself did of the texts in their entirety and the events leading to their adoption provides a glimmer of hope, and strong ground upon which developing countries like the Philippines can take a solid stand in future negotiations. In the Kyoto Protocol, for instance, developing countries were able to integrate a provision on an ambition mechanism, wherein countries party to the second commitment period would have to revisit and thereby increase their commitments in accordance with the required 25-40 percent emission reduction goal. Also, developed countries were prevented from being able to trade or use carry-overs from the previous commitment period, which would decrease even further the actions they must take to lower their emissions. Provisions on equity, unilateral trade measures, technology transfer and assessment, as well as intellectual property rights, were also included in the adopted Doha package, which could be counted as victories for developing countries. Finally, a signicant decision made in Doha is the setting up an international mechanism in 2013 to address loss and damage caused by climate change on developing countries is denitely a positive outcome. This was a result of strained and highly intense negotiations, with the United States quite vehemently opposed to its establishment. Secretary Lucille Sering and Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Segfredo Serrano played an important part in the development of the text for loss and damage, and in nding the compromise. One should not minimize the impact of this decision. As a pioneering lawyer in the eld of climate change, I have waited for a long time for this opening to what eventually could be a discussion on state liability and compensation obligations. This is denitely a welcome development and should provide us a hook to climate justice that we never had before. Included in the Doha Climate Gateway is a work plan for the new Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, or the ADP. The ADP is a subsidiary body under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that was established by a decision from last years Conference of the Parties in Durban, South Africa. The goal of the ADP is to come up with a new legal instrument under the UNFCCC by the year 2015 during the 21st meeting of the Conference of the Parties slated in Paris, France. With the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol established, more intense discussions will now begin in the ADP negotiations. Incidentally, in the ADP, I serve as the co-coordinator of the Group of 77 & China (the negotiation group composed of all developing countries, 130+ strong). Every year, for seven years now, I have conducted in the Ateneo de Manila University (in courses I teach to environmental science, political science and law students) simulations of the international negotiations on climate change. At rst, the students always behave like the countries they represent and reach an impasse in the negotiation game. As long as they followed their instructions and narrow political interests, they are not able to nd solutions to climate change. When this happens, at the end of the exercise, I come in and change the instructions to my studentsinstead of representing their countries, I ask them to do the right thing and take on the perspective of world citizens. Always, they are able to agree and come up with the right answers. It is my hope that someday, in the real negotiations, and perhaps starting with the ADP, this will happen as well. Only then will be able to say we have turned the corner on climate change. Facebook Page: Dean Tony La Via Twitter: tonylavs

In the last 30 years since 1982, the US has mourned at least 61 mass murders.

committing suicide. He killed 13; 9. March 29, 2009, eight died in a shooting at the Pinelake Health and Rehab nursing home in Carthage, NC.; 10. February 14, 2008. Steven Kazmierczak opened re in a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University, killing 6 including himself; 11. December 5, 2007, Robert Hawkins, shot up a department store in the Westroads Mall in Omaha, NE. Hawkins killed 9 before killing himself; 12. April 16, 2007. Virginia Tech became the deadliest school shooting in US history when Seung-Hui Choi, gunned down 32; 13. October 2, 2006, an Amish schoolhouse in Lancaster, PA was gunned down by Charles Carl Roberts. 5 young girls died, while Roberts committed suicide afterward; 14. March 21, 2005 Jeffrey Weise killed his grandfather and his grandfathers girlfriend before opening re on Red Lake Senior High School, killing 9 on campus. Weise killed himself; 15. March 12, 2005 church member Terry Michael Ratzmann killed himself after executing the pastor, the pastors 16-yearold son, and 7 others; 16. July 29, 1999, Mark Orrin Barton murdered his wife and 2 children with a hammer before shooting up 2 Atlanta Day Trading rms. He killed 12 including his family before killing himself; 17. April 20, 1999, teenagers Eric Harris and Dylan Kiebold shot up Columbine High School in Littleton, Co. They killed 13 and later killed themselves. Despite such horrors, the National Rie Association of the US that was headed for a long time by famous American actor Charlton Heston has been consistent in opposing gun control laws. They have succeeded in placing at a higher pedestal the right to bear arms than the value of life itself. Maybe it was on this assumption why the US Supreme Court has consistently upheld their stand. Many Americans would seldom give it a second thought that their appreciation of freedom is only as good as when they continue to live, nor would care to think that freedom is worthless when those who are supposed to enjoy it are no longer around. Such is the belief that now prevails because anti-gun controls lobbyists have instilled the idea that disarming the citizens is tantamount to depriving them of their defense and protection without them ever thinking that behind that right is the billions of dollars raked in by gun manufacturers. They have even forgotten that what their founding fathers had in mind was the right of the citizens to defend themselves against their colonial oppressors, the British redcoats. The right to bear arms was for the purpose of safeguarding their individual liberty and the independence of the breakaway colonies. Certainly, they would not have conceded to the idea of using guns that would result in the senseless bloodletting of their own people. More so today that the US has become so powerful. It is no longer a case where they would fear losing their independence, but the hubris of wanting to impose their will on other states by the naked use of arms and violence. rpkapunan@gmail.com

These killings must not happen again

By Val Abelgas
WHEN will this happen again, Daddy? This was what a scared seven-yearold kid asked his father several hours after 20-year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother, drove to the nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and shot to death 20 of the kids schoolmates and six adults, including the school principal, in another surge of senseless violence in the United States. The kid, who survived the shooting incident at the Connecticut school on Friday, asked what many people asked: When will this happen again? It has happened many times before, and it was, in fact, the fth such mass killing incident in the country this year. In July, 24-year-old doctoral student James Holmes barged into a theater with two assault weapons and killed 12 moviegoers while injuring 58 others before being apprehended in Aurora, Colorado. Just a few days ago, a man with a semi-automatic weapon killed two persons in an Oregon shopping mall then killed himself. Last month, gunman Jared was jailed for life for killing six people in Tucson, Arizona, in January 2011 in an attack that targeted congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head at point-blank range but survived. The Connecticut attack surpassed the killed in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, and was second only to the 32 dead victims in the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech, both of which triggered erce but inconclusive debates about the United States relaxed gun control laws. But this latest senseless act of violence

DIASPORA

claimed the lives of 20 very young children, who probably did not even have an idea of the word violence. In all these incidents, the guns most of the automatic or semi-automatic weaponswere purchased legally. The Colorado gunman even purchased 6,000 rounds of ammunition online. Thats how easy it is to buy guns and ammunition in this country that boasts of the Second Amendment, a constitutional provision that protects the peoples right to possess guns. The powerful National Rie Association and gun owners hide behind the Second Amendment each time the call for stricter gun control is raised after every such surge of violence involving guns. And each time, they insist that guns do not kill people; people kill people. And yet, we all know that without those powerful rearms, those mass killings wouldnt have happened. One thing is common in those mass shootings a gun that carries and releases lots of ammunition in seconds. Because of the lax gun control laws or the absence of it in some states, many people who shouldnt own a gun in the rst placecriminals, gangsters, mentally and emotionally disturbed peopleare Mr. Abelgas is a former managing able to buy guns. People outside of the military and law enforcement should editor of Manila Standard. He now lives not be allowed to own assault weapons in the United States.

or automatic weapons that hold lots of ammunition. Stricter rules for owning guns should also be imposed. It is hoped that with the terror and grief that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, more so because the victims were children between the ages of ve and seven, Washington would nally do something about the problem. American lawmakers have not approved a major new gun law since 1994, and they let a ban on certain semiautomatic ries known as assault weapons expire in 2004. Cited as a major reason for this non-action by the Democrats is the intense lobbying by the NRA and other gun groups, and fear of a backlash from gun-owning voters. The Republicans, on the other hand, have always supported gun ownership President Barack Obama tearfully said on national television that the country needs meaningful action to prevent more tragedies. But with the White House still locked in discussion over ways to avoid going over the scal cliff, it is doubtful if Obama and the Democrats would push gun control at this time. When the grief and anger over the killing of the 20 elementary students and the six school ofcials subsides, we hope that the cry for stricter gun control would not be reduced to a whimper. The rhetoric against gun violence should be turned into action immediately. Otherwise, another kid would be asking his dad again soon: When will this happen again, daddy?

Sex scandals, IPOs and succession

By William Pesek
FEW people are happier to see 2012 end than Hu Jintao, Yoshihiko Noda or Lee Myung Bak. It was a rocky year for the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea, who leave ofce with legacies in tatters. Gripes about President Hu doing little about Chinas biggest challenges outnumbered the accolades. Nodas premiership ended as ingloriously as those of the other ve leaders Japan has had in the past six years. Lees time as president will be remembered for South Koreas widening rich-poor divide and North Koreas march toward nuclearmissile capability. Tensions over tiny islands meant East Asias three biggest economies barely spoke to one another. Hu, Noda and Lee are but a few of the notable personalities that shaped a chaotic year in Asia. As 2012 draws to a close, some awards are in order for the people, countries and trends that mattered most, for better or worse. Man Behind the Curtain Award: To Thein Sein, the unsung hero of Myanmars embrace of democracy, market economics and a free press. Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will always be the symbol of her nations opening, but President Thein Sein is the low-prole technocrat behind the scenes removing the vestiges of the dictatorship that had cut off his 50 million people from the world. Whistle-Blower Award: To Wang Lijun, the former Chongqing, China, police chief who set in motion the scandal surrounding Bo Xilai, a powerful political gure. The fallout shook up and at times overshadowed the nations leadership transition. Wang turned over evidence to U.S. diplomats that Bos wife killed a British businessman. The result was the biggest scandal China has seen in decades and a global focus on the corruption and income disparities chipping away at the Communist Partys credibility. Stronger Than Bullets Award: To Malala Yousufzai, the 15- year-old Pakistani girl shot in the head by Taliban gunmen. The student-activist did more than defy their violence by surviving. Her story catalyzed a global movement against the forces of ignorance and extremism eating away at the Muslim world. Trying to silence Malala only made her voice louder. Horsing Around Award: To Psy, for showcasing South Koreas vibrancy. His rap sensation Gangnam Style and comical horse- riding dance moves were parodied everywhere and breathed fresh life into the Korean Wave industry of cultural exports, which could pay economic dividends for the nations 50 million people. Nail That Sticks Out Award: To Carson Block, the short- seller who cast a probing light on opaque corporate governance. His suspicions about deception at Chinese companies listed in North America, such as Sino-Forest Corp., proved correct. Is he right to compare Singapore commodities rm Olam International Ltd. to Enron Corp.? Stay tuned in 2013. Im Baaaaaaaack Award: To Shinzo Abe, Japans next prime minister. Many reached for this horror-lm dialogue mainstay as Abes Liberal Democratic Party rose suddenly from the ranks of the political dead. Act 1 for Abe: resurrecting technology giants Panasonic Corp., Sharp Corp. and Sony Corp., which have stumbled spectacularly. That includes acting fast to weaken a strong yen that has killed exporters. Sex and the City Award: To Singapore, site of several earthy peccadilloes. The resignation of Speaker of Parliament Michael Palmer this month over an extramarital affair came on top of multiple sex scandals and two days after the islands largest Chinese-language newspaper called 2012 a year of lust. Well, Singapores airport code is SIN. Could it be the casinos? Third Rail Award: To Benigno Aquino, the Philippine president. His support for a condom bill to provide contraceptives to the poor earned the ire of the powerful Catholic Church. His backing of higher taxes on cigarettes and alcohol is running afoul of tycoons such as billionaire Lucio Tan. Taking on taboo issues to limit population growth and plug holes in the budget will win a higher credit rating. So will his peace framework with Muslim rebels in Mindanao. Stealth Boom Award: To Malaysia and Thailand, two out-of- the-spotlight nations. Kuala Lumpur eclipsed Hong Kong as Asias initial-public-offering center and is poised to end the year as the worlds No. 4 IPO market. Thailand emerged as an unlikely deals powerhouse. Thai tycoons made a record $25 billion of purchases abroad, signing more deals in 2012 than in the previous 12 years combined. Lets Get Serious Award: To Ratan Tata, chairman of Indias largest business group, for shaming Manmohan Singh over his failure to promote growth and root out corruption. In several unusually candid critiques of Singhs administration, the billionaire called on the prime minister to get his act together as nimbler China grabs market share. Tata is leaving Tata Sons Ltd. after 20 years at the helm, and one of his greatest legacies may be cajoling the government into action. He Got Game Award: To Kim Jong Un, Norths Korea basketball-besotted leader. With the one-year anniversary of his fathers death bearing down, Kim and his generals were under intense pressure to wow the world. His successful rocket launch was the geopolitical equivalent of a 3-point shot just before the buzzer. Kims shot managed to ruin the holidays for many a world leader. Bloomberg

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SATURDAY DECEMBER 22, 2012

ManilaStandardToday

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Republic of the Philippines

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Page Compositor: Diana Keyser Punzalan

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS

Cordillera Administrative Region

Department of Public Works and Highways

Region X OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER Lanao del Norte 2nd Engineering District Seminary Drive. Pala-o, Iligan City Tel.: (063)221-5703 Fax Nos.: (063)223-0217, 221-4648 E-mail address: dpwh.lned2@yahoo.com

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS

REGION III OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER BULACAN 2nd DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE
Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan
December 18, 2012

OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Engineers Hill, Baguio City

BID BULLETIN No. 29

This Bid Bulletin No. 29 dated December 20, 2012 is issued to modify or amend items in the Bid Documents. This shall form as an integral part of the Bid Documents. REVISED APPROVED BUDGET COST (ABC) 1. Contract ID Contract Name : 12PO0059 : Road Opening/Construction of Kabugao, Apayao Solsona, Ilocos Norte Road (Apayao Side) Contract Location : Apayao APPROVED BUDGET COST (ABC) From To Php 123,675,000.00 Php 120,763,752.11 2. Contract ID Contract Name : 12PO0062 : Kibungan-Kapangan-Ambongdolan-(Tuel) Tublay-(Alno) La Trinidad Road Declared Strategic Tourist Destination (DSTD), Sta 002+500 Sta 006+200 (Ambongdolan Tuel Section) and Sta 003+486 Sta 006+076 (Ambongdolan-Bengawngaw Section) Contract Location : Ambongdolan & Tuel, Tublay, Benguet APPROVED BUDGET COST (ABC) From Php 97,000,000.00 POSTPONEMENT OF OPENING OF BIDS 3. Contract ID Contract Name : 12PO0061 : Ballay-Tabio-Tonoman-Bulalacao Road (Bulalacao Lake), Kabayan - Declared Strategic Tourist Destination (DSTD), Sta 007+000 Sta 015+200 : Ballay & Tawangan, Kabayan, Benguet OPENING OF BIDS From January 4, 2013 For guidance and information of all concerned. (Sgd.) CONSTANTE R. SARMIENTO Chief, Maintenance Division BAC Chairman
(MST-Dec. 22, 2012

INVITATION TO BID
The (DPWH-Lanao del Norte 2 Engineering District, Seminary Drive, Pala-o, Iligan City, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors to apply to bid for the following contract: 1. Contract ID: Contract Name: 12KF0052 Construction of Multi-Purpose Bldg. MSU-IIT MultiPurpose Cooperative, Iligan City Contract Location: Iligan City Brief Description: Construction of Multi-Purpose Bldg. which includes Excavation, Embankment; Structural Concrete members; Steel Works; Roofing Works; Masonry Works (CHB Walling for 1st. Floor only) Doors; Windows and Electrical Works (Provision only). Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Php7,196,805.08 Contract Duration: 150 calendar days
nd

INVITATION TO BID
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of Bulacan 2nd District Engineering Office, through the Fund - Special Road support Fund (MVUC CY 2012), invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned project: 1. Contract ID Contract Name : 13CD0006 : Package 1- Special Road Support Fund (MVUC CY 2012) a) Repair/Rehabilitation/Improvement of Norzagaray-Bigte Road, Norzagaray, Bulacan km 0076+500 to km 0077+500 with exceptions b) Repair/Rehabilitation/Improvement of Road to P.A. Camp, San Miguel, Bulacan km 00+000 to km 00+454 c) Repair/Rehabilitation/Improvement of San Miguel Sibul Road, San Miguel, Bulacan km 0086+038 to km 0087+621 with exceptions d) Repair/Rehabilitation/Improvement of Sibul Biak na Bato Road, San Miguel, Bulacan km 0088+(-470) to km 0088+000 with exceptions Contract Location : Norzagaray/San Miguel, Bulacan Scope of Work : Concreting of road, La=287.00 l.m.; Lb=306.00 l.m.; Lc=291 l.m.; Ld=315 l.m. Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): a) 4,949,995.36 b) 4,949,984.01 c) 4,949,995.36 d) 4,949,995.71 = Php 19,799,970.44 Contract Duration : 90 calendar days

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 the contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) 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 with PCAB License applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (c) completion of similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (d) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment for at least 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH POCW Central Office before the Deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH POCW-Central Office will only process contractors applications for registration, with complete requirements, and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1. Receipt of LOIs from Prospective Bidders 2. Issuance of Bidding Documents 3. Pre-Bid Conference 4. Receipt of Bids 5. Opening of Bids Deadline: 5:00 P.M./December 26, 2012 December 19, 2012 to January 8, 2013 2:00 P.M. /December 27, 2012 Deadline: 9:00 A.M./January 8, 2013 2:00 P.M. /January 8, 2013

The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid. To apply and to bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed and submitted by the person authorized in the Contractors License issued by PCAB. Upon submission of the LOIs, interested Contractor must also submit the photo copy and original (for authentication purpose and issuance of Bid Documents) of the following documents: 1. Class A Documents (contained in the Contractors Registration Certificate)(CRC), 1.1 Legal Documents: a) DTI Business Name Registration (DTI) or SEC Registration or CDA; b) Valid and Current Mayors Permit/Municipal License; 1.2. Technical Documents; a) Valid Joint Venture Agreement, in case of J.V., b) Valid PCAB License and Registration c) Certificate of Materials Engineer Accreditation duly certified by the Authorized Managing Officer (AMO), d) Latest copy of AMO course Seminar, e) Certificate of Safety Officer Seminar from DOLE, f) Document Request List (DRL) g) Latest CPES Rating; 1.3. Financial Documents; a) Prospective bidders Audited Financial Statement for the preceding calendar which should not be earlier than 2 years from the date of bid submission; b) Prospective bidders computation of its NFCC. The LOI must be submitted by the Authorized Liaison Officer as specified in the Contractors Information (CI). Submission of LOI by persons with Special Power of Attorney shall not be allowed. Contractors who will purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with DPWH & PHILGEPS, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipinoowned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (c) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (d) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment for at least 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH-POCW will only process contractors applications for registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1. Receipt of LOI from Prospective Bidders Until 10:00 A.M. of January 8, 2013 2. Issuance of Bidding Documents From: December 20, 2012 up to 10:00 A.M. of January 8, 2013 3. Pre-Bid Conference 2:00 P.M. of December 27, 2012 4. Submission of Bids Deadline: 10:00 A.M. of January 8, 2013 5. Opening of Bids January 8, 2013 @ 2:00 P.M. The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH-Bulacan 2nd District Engineering Office, Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, upon payment of a non-refundable fee for Bidding Documents Five Thousand Pesos (Php 5,000.00) for Item Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 13 & 17; Ten Thousand Pesos (Php 10,000.00) for Item No. 6 and One Thousand Pesos (Php 1,000.00) for Item Nos. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16 & 18. Prospective bidders may also download the Bidding documents (BDs), from the DPWH website, if available. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their Bids Documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BDs. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualification. The DPWH-Bulacan 2nd District Engineering Office reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process at anytime prior contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s. APPROVED: (Sgd.) ALEJANDRO B. CENTENO BAC Chairman NOTED: (Sgd.) ERELINA B. SANTOS District Engineer
(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

To Php 95,288,105.28

Contract Location

To January 15, 2013

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at (DPWH-Lanao del Norte 2nd Engineering District Office, Seminary Drive, Pala-o, Iligan City), upon payment of a non-refundable fee of P10,000.00 for Bid Documents. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs, if available, from the DPWH website. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bids. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any acceptable form in the amount stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accompanied forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which will include the eligibility requirements. 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 the post-qualification. The (DPWH-Lanao del Norte 2nd Engineering District, Seminary Drive, Pala-o, Iligan City) reserves the right to accept or reject any all bid and to annul the bidding process anytime before Contract award, without incurring any liability to the affected bidders. Approved: (Sgd.) MOCAMADALI P. PUNDOGAR Administrative Officer V BAC Chairman

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS

Region I 1st Pangasinan Engineering District OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER Alaminos City, Pangasinan

INVITATION TO BID
Contract ID : 12AG0157 Contract Name: Repair/Rehab/Improvement of Drainage Along Pang.-Zambales Road at K0319+790 to K0320+000 with exception & K0284+700 to Km 284+900 with exception 1. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), through the General Appropriations Act intends to apply the sum of Php 5,502,482.21 being the Approved Budget for the Contract ( ABC) to payments under the contract for the Repair/Rehab/Improvement of Drainage Along Pang.-Zambales Road at K0319+790 to K0320+000 with exception & K0284+700 to Km 284+900 with exception Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. 1. The Department of Public Works and Highways now invites bids for the Repair/Rehab/Improvement of Drainage Along Pang.-Zambales Road at K0319+790 to K0320+000 with exception & K0284+700 to Km 284+900 with exception The Scope of Works are Pay Item No. SPL-1 SPL-2 101 103(1)a 311(1)a.6 500(1)c 502 503 505 Description Construction Safety & Health Mobilization and Demobilization Removal of Structures & Obstruction Structure Excavation (Common Soil) PCC Pavement (Plain)-Conventional Method, 3 Pipe Culverts, 910mm dia.(36dia.) Manhole/Catch Basin/Inlet/Outlet Drainage Steel Grading w/Frame (600mmx60mm) Grouted Riprap (Lined Canal) Unit M.D. L.S L.S. M3 M2 lm Each Pairs M3 Quantity 821.00 All All 1,350.00 15.00 450.00 50.00 50.00 70.00

(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS

Misamis Oriental First District Engineering Office OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER Brgy 26., Gingoog City Tel./ Fax. No. (088) 861-1185 www.dpwh.gov.ph

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER Isabela City Sub-District Engineering Office Tabuk, Isabela City, Basilan
INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID
The Department of Public Works and Highways, lsabela City Sub-District Engineering Office, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) to apply for eligibility and if found eligible to bid for the contract to wit: Contract ID: Contract Name: 12JH0008 Repair/Rehabilitation and Improvement along Basilan Circumferential Road, Isabela-Lamitan Road Section K 0+760 to K1+260 with exception, Isabela City, Basilan Basilan Province RA-FUND 151-Special Road Support Fund Asphalt Overlay, Installation of Guardrail

INVITATION TO BID
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Misamis Oriental First District Engineering Office (DPWH-MOFDEO), invites contractors to bid for the projects as specified below: Contract ID. Contract Name Contract Location Scope of Work Availability of Fund 12KK0098 Construction of Three (3) Storey, Nine (9) Classrooms Brgy 18-A PS, (Lapak PS), Gingoog City Construction of Three (3) Storey, Nine (9) Classrooms, Brgy 18-A PS, (Lapak PS), Gingoog City - 1 unit : DepEd CY 2013 Regular School Building Program (RSBP) : : : :

Bidder s should have completed, within ten ( 10 ) years from the date of submission receipt of bids, a single contract similar to the Project, equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. 2. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR ) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), other wise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. 3. 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 keep their records current and updated. Contractors eligibility to bid on the project will be determined using the DPWH Contractor Profile Eligibility Process (CPEP) and subject to further post-qualification. Information on registration can be obtained at DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph or Central Procurement Office (CPO), 5th Floor, DPWH Bldg., Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. 4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from DPWH-Alaminos City, Pangasinan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. 5. A complete set of Bidding Document may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Php 10,000.00 It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippines Government Electronics Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the DPWH, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Document not later than the submission of their bids. 6. The Department of Public Works and Highways will hold a Pre-Bid Confernce On January 04, 2013, 10:00 A.M. at DPWH, 1ST PED, Conference Hall, Alaminos City, Pangasinan, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents. 7. Bids must be delivered on or before January 17, 2012, 10:00 A.M. at DPWH, 1ST PED, Conference Hall, Alaminos City, Pangasinan, all bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.1 Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders representatives who choose to attend at the aforesaid address. Late bids shall not be accepted. 8. 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.

Approved Budget for The Contract (ABC) : Php 11,060,280.00 Contract Duration : 240 calendar days Cost of Bid 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 these contracts, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with the DPWH, (b) Filipino Citizen or 75% Filipino- owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of these contracts, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/ fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH POCW- Central Office will only process contractors applications for registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: Activities Issuance of Bid Documents Pre-bid Conference Deadline for the Submission of LOI Receipt of Bids Opening of Bids Schedule From December 20 to December 27, 2012, 9:30 A.M. December 21, 2012, 02:00 P.M. December 21, 2012, 5:00 P.M. Deadline: 9:30 A.M., December 27, 2012 December 27, 2012, 9:30 A.M

Contract Location: Source of Fund: Scope of Work: Approved Budget for Contract: Php 9,778,634.54 Contract Duration: 45 CD Cost of Bidding Documents P10,000.00

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive. bidding procedures in accordance with R.A. 9184 known as Government Procurement Reform Act, and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. To be eligible 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 the DPWH, (b) Filipino Citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture, (e) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC witt use non discretionary pass/fail criteria in the Eligibility Check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their application for registration to the DPWHPOCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWHPOCW Central Office will only process contractors application for registratIon with the complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Registration forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: BAC Activities 1. Issuance of Bidding Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference 3. Deadline of Receipt of LOIs from Prospective Bidders 4. Receipt of Bids 5. Opening of Bids Schedule December 21, 2012-January 22,2013 January 8, 2013 January 16, 2013 January 22, 2013 @ 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. January 22, 2013@ 10:00 A.M.

The BAC will only receive Contractors LOI/Expression of Interest (NR-003) and issue Bidding Documents upon presentation of the original copies of their PCAB License and Contractors Registration Certificate (CRC) in person or thru their authorized representative as reflected in their CRC; Special Power of Attorney will not be accepted. The BAC will issue hard copies of bidding documents (BDs) at BAC Secretariat, 3rd Floor DPWH Building, Purok 5, Brgy. 26, Gingoog City, upon payment of a nonrefundable fee of the amount stated above. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from the DPWH website, if applicable. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their Bid Documents. The Pre-bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BDs. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualification. The Department of Public Works and Highways- Misamis Oriental First District Engineering Office 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 bidder/s. Approved: (Sgd.) PEDRO M. MERCADO OIC - Asst. District Engineer BAC Chairman Noted:

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at the BAC Secretariat, DPWH Isabela City Sub-District Engineering Office, Tabuk, lsabela City, Basilan, upon payment of a non-refundable fee as stated 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 Bid Documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BDs. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded top the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid (LCRB) as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualification. The DPWH Isabela City Sub-District Engineering Office 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 bidder/s. Approved: (Sgd.) ARACELI S. ALBERTO BAC Chairman Noted: (Sgd.) BENSALI A. KASIM Engineer IV (ADE) OIC-District Engineer

9. For further information, please refer to: MIENRADO V. INACAY BAC Chairman DPWH 1ST Pangasinan Engineering District Pandayan Street, Alaminos City, Pangasinan 075-552-7213 (Sgd.) MIENRADO V. INACAY Engineer III BAC Chairman NOTED: (Sgd.) SMILE D. FERMIN OIC, District Engineer
(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

(Sgd.) OMAR P. DIRON OIC-District Engineer

(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

(MST-DEC. 21 & 22, 2012)

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ManilaStandardToday

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SATURDAY DECEMBER 22, 2012

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Province of Zamboanga del Sur Municipality of Tambulig Invitation to Bid

Concreting of 13 Road Segments (Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur) DATE: December 22, 2012

Republic of the Philippines

The Municipality of Tambulig now invites bids for Concreting of 13 Road Segments Completion of the Works is required within 420 calendar days from the date of the official start of the subproject. Bidders should have completed in the last ten (10) years a contract for works that are similar to the works that are to be undertaken under the Contract that is the subject of this bid invitation. Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) : Php 25,562,263.66 Project Duration : 420 Calendar Days Minimum Bid Security : Php 511,245.27 Bid Closing Date : February 15, 2013 Description of Works Item No. I. 105 201 311 2. 105 201 311 3. 105 201 311 4. 105 201 311 5. 105 201 311 6. 105 201 311 7. 105 201 311 8. 105 201 311 9. 105 201 311 10. 105 201 311 11. 105 201 311 12. 100 101 105 201 311 500 13. 101 105 201 311 Scope of Work ROAD CONCRETING PORTION OFBONIFACIO STREET, HAPPY VALLEY, TAMBULIG, ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT CONCRETING OF TOLERO STREET, HAPPY VALLEY, TAMBULIG, ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT ROAD CONCRETING PORTION OF MABINI STREET, HAPPY VALLEY, TAMBULIG, ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT ROAD CONCRETING OF OSMENA STREET, HAPPY VALLEY, TAMBULIG, ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT CONCRETING OF HAPPY VALLEY CONTINUATION TO TUNGAWAN, TAMBULIG, ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT ROAD CONCRETING PORTION OF MARCOS STREET,RIVERSIDE,LOWER LODIONG, TAMBULIG, ZDS SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT ROAD CONCRETING OF MACAPAGAL STREET, RIVERSIDE, TAMBULIG, ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT ROAD CONCRETING OF COUCILOUR STREET, LOWER LODIONG, TAMBULIG, ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT CONCRETING MAGSAYSAY STREET LOWER LODIONG, TAMBULIG, ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT CONCRETING OF PELAEZ STREET, LOWER LODIONG, TAMBULIG, ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT ROAD CONCRETING OF QUIRINO QUIRINO STREET, LOWER LODIONG, TAMBULIG ZDS. SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT CONCRETING OF PROVICIAL ROAD GOING TO DUMPSITE, CALOLOT, TAMBULIG ZDS. CLEARING SELECTED BAROW FILL SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT INSTALLATION OF REINFORCE CONCRETE CULVERT & WING WALL CONCRETING PORTION OF NEW VILLAGE JUNCTION NATIONAL HIGHWAY, TAMBULIG ZDS. SELECTED BAROW FILL SUB-GRADE PREPARATION AGGREGATE BASE COARSE PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT 0.4732 1.8123 4.5111 0.3426 1.0926 2.6503 1.3293 3.7326 1.3253 4.8893 9.6882 0.7927 1.0531 0.3409 1.0873 2.6375 1,169.00 365.00 105.00 700.00 213.00 60.00 3,000.00 900.00 3,000.00 865.00 300.00 18.00 306.00 700.00 213.00 60.00 Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. L.M. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. 0.3426 1.0926 2.6503 0.6835 2.4059 5.5736 700.00 213.00 60.00 1,526.00 473.00 132.00 Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. % TOTAL 0.8757 2.2027 6.1499 0.4732 2.2165 5.5946 0.6009 2.1549 6.2566 0.3409 1.2345 3.6613 Quantity 1,658.00 350.00 145.00 1,519.00 471.00 131.00 1,366.00 384.00 148.00 1,000.00 215.00 90.00 Unit Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m.

For fast ad results, please call 659-48-30 local 303 or 659-48-03

REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS TANGGAPAN NG PANGULO Pangasiwaan Sa Pagpapaunlad Ng Kalakhang Maynila (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority)

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Mabini Campus, Sta. Mesa, Manila

Republic of the Philippines

Invitation to Bid for Fabrication, Installation and Delivery of Laboratory Equipment for College of Engineering
The Polytechnic University of the Philippines, through the funds donated by CHED intends to apply the sum of for Module 1 Eight Hundred Forty Four Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy Seven Pesos and Seventy Eight Centavos (Php 844,877.78), for Module 2 - Two Million Nine Hundred Fifty Eight thousand Four Hundred Fourteen Pesos and Seventy Eight Centavos (Php 2,958,414.78), for Module 3 Five Hundred Sixty Seven Thousand Six Hundred Twenty One Pesos and Thirty Three Centavos (Php 567,621.33) and Module 4 Seven Hundred Seventy Three Thousand Three Hundred Eighty Pesos and Eighty Four Centavos (Php 773,380.84) for a total of Five Million One Hundred Forty four Thousand Two Hundred Ninety Four Pesos and Sixty Five Centavos (Php 5,144,294.65) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Fabrication, Installation and Delivery of Laboratory Equipment for the College of Engineering. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. The Polytechnic University of the Philippines now invites bids for Fabrication, Installation and Delivery of Laboratory Equipment for the College of Engineering. Delivery of the Goods is required within 30 calendar days upon receipt of Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed, within three 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, Instructions to Bidders. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on December 20 to January 14 from the address below and upon submission of Letter of Intent (LOI) and payment of a non refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of for Module 1 One Thousand Pesos (Php 1,000.00), Module 2 Five Thousand Pesos (Php 5,000.00), Module 3 One Thousand Pesos (Php 1,000.00) and Module 4 One Thousand Pesos (Php 1,000.00). The Polytechnic University of the Philippines will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 04, for Module 1 - 10:00 am, Module 2 11:00 am, Module 3 1:00 pm and Module 4- 2:00 pm at Dr. Mateo Conference Room, 2nd floor, South Wing, Main Building, Mabini Campus, Sta. Mesa, Manila which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before January 14, 2013, for Module 1 - 9:30 am, Module 2 10:30 am, Module 3 12:30 pm and Module 4- 1:30 pm. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause I8. Bid opening shall be on January 14, for Module 1 - 10:00 am, Module 2 11:00 am, Module 3 1:00 pm and Module 4 2:00 pm. at Dr. Mateo Conference Room. 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. The Polytechnic University of the Philippines 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. For further information, please refer to: Engr. Antonio Y. Velasco Bids and Awards Committee 3rd floor, South Wing, Main Building, Mabini Campus, Sta. Mesa, Manila 5227252 or 7167832 local 397 Approved by: (Sgd.) Atty. Estelita Wi Dela Rosa Chairman
(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

INVITATION TO BID (ITB-027-2012-GOODS)

Source of Approved Fund Budget for the Contract Cost of Bid Documents Php 2,000.00

0.3426 1.0926 3.5704 0.2109 0.3900 1.5286 0.3601 2.0874 8.1489

700.00 213.00 80.00 240.00 66.00 30.00 1,464.00 505.00 161.00

Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m. Sq.m. Cu.m. Cu.m.

The MMDA Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) invites interested parties to bid for the hereunder project:
QTY PROJECT TITLE

Supply and delivery of various traffic supplies and Local Fund P2,624,608.00 materials to be used by Traffic Engineering Center for Road safety within Metro Manila

The eligibility Check/Screening as well as the preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid opening. Post-qualification of the lowest calculated bid shall be conducted. All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders who were able to log-in in the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) wherein the name of the company will be reflected in the Document Request List of the Bid Notice Abstract of the Procuring Entity, only from the address given below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount stated above from December 26, 2012 up to January 15, 2013 9:00 a.m. Payment shall be in cash and the bidding documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or his/her authorized representative. The MMDA Bids and Awards Committee will hold a Pre-bid Conference on January 03, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at the 6th Floor MMDA Bldg., EDSA corner Orense Street, Guadalupe, Makati City. Which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents. Bid Opening shall be on January 15, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the 6th Floor MMDA Bldg., EDSA corner Orense Street, Guadalupe, Makati City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders authorized representatives. Late bids shall not be accepted. The MMDA Committee on Awards reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals without offering any reason, waive the defect therein, and to accept the proposal considered most advantageous to the government. The decision of the MMDA Committee on Awards is final. For further information, please refer to: Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Bids and Awards Committee 6th Floor MMDA Building, EDSA cor. Orense Street, Guadalupe, Makati City Tel No. 882-09-19 or 882-2628 (Sgd.) EDENISON F. FAINSAN BAC Chairman
MST Dec. 22, 2012

Minimum Equipment Required: Bulldozer (1 unit)-leased/owned; Road Roller Vibratory Compactor (9 ton min. 1 unit)- leased/ owned; Road Grader (1 unit)- leased/owned; Loader (1 unit)- leased/owned; Dump Truck (4 units)- leased/owned; Water Truck (1 unit)- leased/owned; Backhoe/Excavator (1 unit)- leased/owned; Transit Mixer (3 units)-leased/owned ; survey instruments(leased/owned). Bidding will be conducted in accordance with National Competitive procedures, interested bidders may obtain further information from the LGU-BAC of Tambulig, Province of Zamboanga del Sur and inspect the Bidding Documents on February 15, 2013 at exactly 10:00 o clock in the morning at the BAC Office, tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by the interested bidders starting December 22, 2012 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the bidding documents in the amount Php 25,000.00 It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philgeps (www.Philgeps.gov.ph) provided that bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. The bidder may request that the Bid Documents be sent to them by mail or courier, and for this, the bidder shall pay the amount in Philippine Peso to cover the cost of mail or courier delivery. The fee for obtaining a copy of the Bid Documents and the cost of mail or courier shall be paid by the bidder thru a Cashiers Check or Managers Check issued in favor of the Municipality of Tambulig. The Municipality of Tambulig will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 30, 2013 at the BAC Office, Municipal Hall, Municipality of Tambulig, Province of Zamboanga del Sur, which shall be open to all interested parties. Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before February 15, 2013 at the Office of the BAC, Municipality of Tambulig, Province of Zamboanga del Sur. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in the form of Bank Guarantee and in the amount of Php 511,245.27. 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. The deadline for the submission of bids must not be later than February 15, 2013. The opening of bids will proceed immediately after the time set for the deadline of submission of bids as indicated above. Bids without original documents such as Business Permits, DTI Permits BIR Financial Statements, Certificate of Non Inclusion in the Blacklists, TIN Numbers Organizational Structures and etc are not accepted. The Municipality of Tambulig 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. The Invitation to Bid is not an integral part of the bidding document. For further information, please refer to: Engr. Bienvenido C. Suco ARCP2-LGU-BAC Chairperson/Infrastructure Municipality of Tambulig Province of Zamboanga del Sur Telephone No. 09464311826
(MST-Dec. 22 & 28, 2012)

ALBAY 2ND DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE Rediras Building, Regional Equipment Services Compound Airport Site, Legazpi City

Department of Public Works and Highways

Republic of the Philippines

INVITATION TO BID
The Department of Public Works and Highways Albay 2nd District Engineering Office, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors to apply to bid for the aforementioned projects: 1. Contract ID Contract Name Contract Location Scope of Work ABC Contract Duration Cost of Bid Docs : 12FB0052 : Construction of Flood Control Structure, Maroroy, Daraga, Albay : Maroroy, Daraga, Albay : 172.00 lm. Lined Canal & 213.5 lm. Road Widening : Php 1,999,762.23 : 60 C.D. : Php 10,000.00

(Sgd.) BIENVENIDO C. SUCO Municipal Engineer ARCP2-LGU-BAC Chairperson/Infrastructure

Republic of the Philippines Department of Public Works and Highways OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER Benguet 1st District Engineering Office Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet Telefax No. (074) 422 6163
December 17, 2012

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Republic of the Philippines

the

Invitation to Bid
The Benguet First District Engineering Office, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites Contractors to bid for the following Projects: 1. Contract ID Contract Name Contract Location Brief Description Approved Budget for the Contract Contract Duration Cost of Bidding Documents 12PE063 Repair/Rehab./Improvement of Baguio-Bontoc Road (Halsema Highway) Km. 253+521 to Km. 253+650 & Km. 254+150.10 to Km. 254+526.20, La Trinidad, Benguet Asphalt Overlay (Instapave) 9,883,306.10 45 C.D. 10,000.00

InvItatIon to BId for the operatIon and MaIntenance ServIce for power and UtIlIty SySteM of the departMent of fInance froM feBrUary 2013 to deceMBer 2013 (re-BId)

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 the bid. To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) and applications for eligibility and latest Class A documents are to be accepted by the BAC together with the bids and other relevant documents on or before the deadline for submission of bids. To purchase bid documents must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture, (c) with PCAB License applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC, (f) latest CPES rating preferably with a SATISFACTORY RATING. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH POCW Central Office will only process contractors applications for registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC), Registration form may be downloaded at DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1. Issuance of Bidding Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference 3. Deadline of Receipt of LOI from Prospective Bidders 4. Deadline of Receipt of Bids 5. Opening of Bids From December 20, 2012 to January 14, 2013 January 2,2013, 10:00 a.m. January 14,2013, 10:00 a.m. January 14, 2013, 10:00 a.m. January 14, 2013, 2:00 p.m.

1. The DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE (DOF), through the Government of the Philippines under the General Appropriations Act for CY 2013, intends to apply the sum of Four Million Forty Four Thousand Three Hundred Thirty Three and 46/100 Pesos (Php4,044,333.46) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Operation and Maintenance Service for the Power and Utility System of the DOF from February 2013 to December 2013 (Project). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. 2. The DOF, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) registered contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the Operation and Maintenance Service for the Power and Utility System of DOF from February 2013 to December 2013. Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project which is equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC for the Project. 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 a non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (R-IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. However, only those who have purchased the Bidding Documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications. 4. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens, sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138. 5. Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours. A complete set of the Bidding Documents shall be available at the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division, 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, Pablo Ocampo, Sr. St. corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila, starting December 26, 2012 upon payment of the non-refundable fee of Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) not later than the submission of their bids. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the PhilGEPS and the website of the DOF, provided that the Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids. 6. The schedule of bidding activities is as follows: ACTIVITIES Posting of Invitation to Bid Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Pre-Bid Conference Request for Clarification Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin Deadline for Submission of Bids Opening of Bids Schedule December 22, 2012 December 26, 2012 January 10, 2013, 1:30 pm January 11, 2013 January 15, 2013 January 22, 2013, 1:30 pm January 22, 2013, 3:00 pm

1. The Benguet 1st District Engineering Office, through the MVUC, intends to apply the sum stated above being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the following projects listed above. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. 2. 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. Instructions 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. Bidding is restricted to Filipino Citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. 4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from Benguet 1st District Engineering Office and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 5:00 P.M. 5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address above and upon payment of a non refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount specified 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 Procuring Entity. Provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids. 6. The Benguet 1st District Engineering Office will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on December 26, 2012, at 10:00 A.M. at the BAC room of Benguet 1st District Engineering Office, Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents. 7. Bids must be delivered on or before 10:00 A.M. on January 8, 2013, and will be opened on the same date at 2:00 P.M. at Benguet 1st District Engineering Office, Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet. 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 representative/s that chooses to attend at the stated address above. Late bid shall not be accepted. 8. LOIs and/or applications for eligibility and latest Class A documents are to be accepted by the BAC together with the Bids and other relevant documents on or before the deadline for submission of Bids. 9. 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 keep their records current and updated. Contractors eligibility to bid on the project will be determined using the DPWH Civil Works Registry (CWR) and subject to further post-qualification. Information on registration can be obtained at DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph or Central Procurement Office (CPO), 5th floor, DPWH Bldg., Bonifacio Drive, Port, Area, Manila from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. 10. The Benguet 1st District Engineering Office 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. Approved by: (Sgd.) CESAR L. BACANI Engineer III BAC Chairman

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH Albay 2nd Engineering Office, upon payment of a non-refundable fee stated above for LOI and Bidding documents. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from DPWH web site, if available. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bids documents. The PreBid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BDs. Bid must be accompanied by a bid security or Bid Securing Declaration, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the revised IRR and GPPB Resolution No. 03-2012 as amendments of Section 27.5 of the IRR of R.A. 9184. FORM AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY (% of ABC) Cash or cashiers /Managers Check issued by a Two Percent (2%) Universal or Commercial Bank Bank draft/ guarantee Irrevocable LC, issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank Five Percent Surety Bond callable on demand issued by a surety (5%) or insurance company duly certified by the Insurance Commission as authorized to issue such security Any combination of the foregoing. Proportionate to share of form with respect to total amount of security. In lieu of a bid security mentioned in Sec.27.2, the bidder may submit this form that is an undertaking which states, among others, that the bidder shall enter into contract with the procuring entity and furnish the required performance security within ten (10) c.d., or less, as indicated in the Bidding Documents, from receipt of the Notice of Award, and committing to pay the corresponding fine and be suspended for a period of time from being qualified to participate in any government procurement activity in the event it violates any of the conditions stated therein as required in the guidelines issued by the GPPB Validity Period 120 C.D.

120 CD.

7. Bids must be delivered at the address provided above on or before January 22, 2013, 1:30 pm. The bidders shall drop their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and financial proposals in two (2) separate envelopes in the bid box located at the abovementioned address. All the Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bid opening shall be on the date indicated above at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor DOF Building. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders representatives who choose to attend. LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 8. DOF reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, 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. 9. For further information, please refer to: Lilia R. Tan, Head - BAC Secretariat Department of Finance BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo, Sr. Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila (Sgd.) GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and DOF-BAC Chairperson
(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Submitted Financial and Technical documents, original and two (2) photocopies as copy one (1) and copy (2)are required to be properly book bounded numbered and paginated in compliance with D.O.#90 s. 2012. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post qualification. The Albay 2nd District Engineering Office 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 affected bidder/s.

(Sgd.) ELIGIO J. ARBOLEDA OIC Chief, Construction Section BAC Chairman Approved: (Sgd.) WALTER F. LUBIANO OIC District Engineer
(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

Noted: (Sgd.) DAVID A. BULIYAT OIC District Engineer

(MST-DEC. 22, 2012)

A8

SATURDAY DECEMBER 22, 2012

ManilaStandardToday

News
process the building permit applications in conformity to standard rules, adding that the applications were truly not accepted, much less processed. If [the applications] were [processed], then they should have borne marks, or notations, or even signatures of ofcials concerned, the ruling said. Associate Justices Napoleon Inoturan and Oscar Herrera, Jr. concurred with Baldos ruling. The Sandiganbayan sentenced Cuerpo and Roo to suffer the penalty of imprisonment from one month and 11 days of arresto mayor as minimum, to six months of arresto mayor as maximum; temporary special disqualication of 10 years, eight months and one day, and to each pay a ne of P1,000.

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Rizal mayor convicted

By Merck Maguddayao

IN BRIEF
Manila mayor turns 83
MANILA Mayor Alfredo S. Lim celebrated his 83rd birthday on Friday by attending a dawn mass and giving away gifts to children and senior citizens. The mayor attended the the misa de gallo at Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church in Delpan and at Sto. Nio de Tondo Parish Church in Chacon, Tondo. After the mass, Lim treated children and elderly residents at his ancestral home on Sgt. Mabagos Street to a free breakfast followed by the gift giving Zabala Covered Court in Wagas Street and Hospicio de San Jose. As in previous years, Lim also paid a long visit to the Hospicio de San Jose orphanage where he brought a huge cake, free breakfast and free lunch for all the wards being housed there. ] Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Sandiganbayan sentenced former Rodriguez, Rizal Mayor Pedro Cuerpo to six months in prison and disqualied him from holding public ofce for more than 10 years for defying a court order to process the building permit applications of a group of squatters.
Samahang Magkakapitbisig. The case arose stemmed from the complaint, led by Leticia Nanay, Nancy Barsubia, Ma. Victoria Ramirez, Crisanta Oxina and other owners of a parcel of land, accusing Cuerpo and Roo of defying the Sept. 17, 2003 order of San Mateo RTC Judge

The anti-graft courts Second Division found Cuerpo and municipal engineer Fernando Roo guilty of violating Article 231 of the Revised Penal Code for disobeying the order of the San Mateo Regional Trial Court directing them to process the W BLACK building permit applications of the

Elizabeth Balquin-Reyes directing them to process the applications for building permits. In a 23-page ruling written by Associate Justice Teresita Diaz-Baldos, the Sandiganbayan said Cuerpo truly disdained having the members of the Samahan settle at the municipality of Rodriguez because he regarded them as squatters or informal settlers, and he never hid his sentiment that he did not want squatters in his [town]. The Sandiganbayan observed that the applications [for building permit] were never for a moment allowed to lie in the ofce of the municipal engineer nor were they given the chance to be perused by the ofcials supposed to act on them, including the accused. It said that the RTC ruling was an explicit order for Cuerpo and Roo to

GMA wins labor case

LABOR Arbiter Gaudencio P. Demaisip Jr. of the National Labor Relations Commission favored broadcast giant GMA Network Inc. and GMA chairman and CEO Felipe L. Gozon in two labor cases led by former independent contractors of the company. The cases were led separately by Carmelita Montao and Adrian Raphael Santos and Rhodora Navarro, for illegal dismissal, payment of labor standards benets, damages and regularization. In its position paper, GMA argued that it is clear from the stipulations contained in the talent agreements of the complainants that they were not employees but independent contractors receiving talent fees. After a thorough evaluation of the records, Demaisip dismissed both complaints, because Montao, Santos and Navarro failed to refute that they are independent contractors whose engagement with GMA may be terminated upon notice. They are also not entitled to any rights or benets granted to regular employees other than those stated in the contract signed by all parties.

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EN BANC
IN RE: PETITION FOR R E G I S T R AT I O N O F T H E M A M A M AYA N T U N G O S A MAUNLAD NA PILIPINAS (MTM PHILS) AS A PARTY LIST UNDER THE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7941 FOR PURPOSES OF PARTICIPATION IN THE FORTHCOMING 2013 NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS MULTI-TRIBAL MOVEMENT IN THE PHILS. INC. (MTMPI), DEPARTMENT OF AGRARIAN REFORM EMPLOYEES FOUNDATION OF LAND TRANSPORTATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC. (FLTPI) AND FEDERATION OF MANDALUYONG DRIVERS ASSOCIATION (FMDA), C O L L E C T I V E LY K N O W N A S THE "COALITION PARTNERS" AND HEREIN REPRESENTED BY SAMUEL M. GAZAN, SECRETARY GENERAL, MTMPI, Petitioners. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x SPP NO. 12-134 (PL) SPP NO. 12-146 (PLM)

ORDER
It appearing that in the list of nominees the Law Department submitted to the Commission en banc, the names of the nominees of the petitioner were not indicated, instead it stated that "NO CONA" had been submitted, the Commission hereby directs the publication of the names of nominees of the Multi-Tribal Movement in the Phils. Inc. (MTMPI) as listed in its CONA attached to the Manifestation with Motion filed on April 03, 2012. Let the Education and Information Department Implement this Order. SO ORDERED. Given this 4th day of December 2012, at Manila, Philippines

Theyll be home for Christmas. Passengers queue up at the Araneta Bus Terminal in Cubao, Quezon City as they wait for buses that will take them to their home provinces for Christmas. MANNY PALMERO

Estrella yover made two-way

By Rio N. Araja
THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Friday opened the Epifanio de los Santo-Estrella yover in Makati City to twoway trafc to ease the congestion on the southbound lanes of Edsa going to Buendia Avenue, especially during this Christmas season. Chairman Francis Tolentino said the Estrella yover will be open to two-way trafc from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. from Monday to Friday. We started the dry run this morning and hopefully we can at least reduce the daily chokepoint at the southbound lane of Edsa, especially at the portion approaching the Buendia U-turn slot, Tolentino said. Completed in 1998, the two-lane, singledirection Estrella yover provides direct access to Rockwell Center for northbound vehicles on Edsa, enabling motorists from the Bonifacio Global City and the Makati central business district to go to Rockwell via Edsa. Tolentino said 25 percent of the vehicular trafc on Edsa to Buendia during rush hours is due to vehicles turning right on Edsa from Estrella Street. Part of the congestion is attributed to the opening this year of the Estrella-Pantaleon bridge that connects Mandaluyong to Rockwell in Makati. Right turning trafc from Estrella to Edsa creates daily chokepoint at Edsa southbound, especially from those swerving from Estrella to take the innermost 5th lane towards the Buendia U-turn slot, he noted. He said the two-way scheme will improve trafc ow in Estrella and Edsa southbound, particularly at the southbound yellow lane for buses. He said trafc ow usually slows down in the area as vehicles at the Edsa southbound lane reduce speed to avoid vehicles coming from Estrella. With the two-way scheme, he said they have eliminated the stop-and-go trafc at the corner of Edsa and Estrella, as Edsa-bound vehicles coming from Estrella get to use the yover towards Kalayaan and Buendia.

SIXTO S. BRILLANTES, JR. Chairman

RENE V. SARMIENTO Commissioner

LUCENITO N. TAGLE Commissioner

ARMANDO C. VELASCO Commissioner

ELIAS R. YUSOPH Commissioner

Tax exemption hikes proposed

By Maricel V. Cruz
A PARTYLIST congressman has proposed increasing the basic personal exemption for individual taxpayers from the present P50,000 to P75,000 and the additional exemption for taxpayers dependents to P40,000 from the present P25,000 to ease the income tax burden of ordinary working people. ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, in his House Bill 6723, said that the increases in personal exemptions will allow the lowest paid government employee to take home a non-taxable income of at least 69 percent of his or her annual pay, while assuring the middlelevel government employee and the minimum wage earner of 34 percent and 53 percent of their incomes, respectively. The current basic personal exemption now stands at 46 percent of the annual salary of the lowest paid government employee with Salary Grade 1 at P9,000 per month, 22 percent for middle-level government employees with Salary Grade 1 at P18,549 per month, 3 percent for government employees with Salary Grade 33 at P120,000 per month, and 35 percent for minimum wage earner with P11, 780 per month. Tinio, vice chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture, said his proposal adheres to the constitutional mandate that taxation must be equitable and progressive. By these principles, income earners from the lowest strata, especially purely compensation income earners, are to be taxed less and given more opportunities to decrease their taxable incomes. They comprise the majority of the income taxpayer base, and the State can do no less than increase the amounts they can take home to their families, Tinio said in the bills explanatory note. Looking at the adjustments to the personal exemptions over the past two decades, Tinio said Congress has been slow to respond to the needs of the people by increasing these amounts in a timely manner to keep up with the rising cost of living.

CHRISTIAN ROBERT S. LIM Commissioner

MARIA GRACIA CIELO M. PADACA Commissioner

_________________________________________________ ANNEX "B"

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Republic of the Philippines

CERTIFICATE OF NOMINATION
PURSUANT to the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution and By-Laws of MULTI-TRIBAL MOVEMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES, INC. a political party / sectoral party / organization/ coalition duly accredited by the Commission to participate in the May 13, 2013 elections under the party-list system, I, SAMUEL M. GANZA, President/Chairman/Secretary General of aforesaid party-list group, hereby nominate in the order stated the following party-list nominees: NAME 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. RENATO P. UY JOSE T. ENTERO VIOLETA M. BONILLA SAMUEL M. GANZAN DIOLITO N. INOSANTO RICHARD S. VITTO ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ADDRESS _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________

Teen pregnancy task force launched

By Macon Ramos-Araneta
THE Department of Health launched its rst Batang Ina Task Force in Mandaluyong City on Friday to help curb the increasing number of teenage pregnancies, according to the departments Metro Manila regional ofce. DOH Metro Manila regional director Eduardo C. Janairo launched the task force with Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Benhur Abalos Jr. Janairo said the Batang Ina Task Force aims to promote adolescents reproductive health awareness and provide early intervention programs to prevent teenage pregnancy. We will be organizing this task force regionwide to ensure that young pregnant women will get the proper health care and social support they need and also to teach them responsibility for their sexual and reproductive rights, Janairo said. He noted that teenage pregnancy greatly contributes to higher maternal and infant mortality because the bodies of teenaged girls are still growing and will need more nutritional support to meet the needs of her own body aside from that of her child. Moreover, most children born to teenage mothers have low birth weights and may incur inborn defects, mental retardation and even blindness due to the fact that they are raised by their mothers who lack parenting skills. The Filipino adolescent population in the country, aged 15-24 years, number about 16.5 million and they are expected to reach 30 million by 2030. According to the 2010 data by the National Statistics Ofce, the total number of teenage mother who gave birth to their rst baby is 655,980 (26.7%). A total of 1,260 teenage mothers gave birth below 15 years old and a total of 174,085 from aged 15-19. The 2012 Teenage Pregnancy Report from Mandaluyong City Local Civil Registry reported a total of 568 compared to 470 in the previous year. Age of the cases range from 14 to 19 years old. Most of pregnancy occur in teenangers at aged 19 with 211 cases, aged 18 with 149 cases, age 17 with 118, 16 with 65 cases, 15 with 19 cases and aged 14 with 6 cases. Abalos, for his part, pledged to nding viable solutions to curb the growing incidence of early pregnancy in the city through adolescents education and support programs, teen parent and child care information and services and providing safe, youth-friendly homes for homeless pregnant adolescents in the city.

__________________________
Instructions. Submit this form in twelve (12) legible copies in the Clerk of the Commission, Commission on Elections, Intramuros, Manila on the following dates. a) For new applicants for registration, not later than March 30, 2012 pursuant in Secs. 1.5 & 7, Rule 1 or Resolution No. 9366 dated February 21, 2012 and b) For duly registered party-list groups or organizations, on May 31, 2012 pursuant to Secs. 2 & 3 Rule 3of Relation No. 9366 dated February 21, 2012 in relation to Resolution No. 9359 dated February 8, 2012. Attach one copy of the Sworn Certificate of Acceptance to each Certificate of Nomination
(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

ManilaStandardToday Riera U. Mallari, Editor

Sports
Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Thunder, who had not lost a game since Nov. 23 at Boston. Its not the end of the world. A lot of people said the world is going to end today, tomorrow, but its not the end of the world, Durant quipped. We lost to a good team (Thursday). They came out and played extremely hard and they beat us. Were 21-5 and weve just got to go back and work. That it was Barea, and not the Olympian Love or the sensation Ricky Rubio who was chiey responsible was the biggest sur-

SATURDAY

DECEMBER 22, 2012

A9

Wolves snap Thunders streak

MINNEAPOLISKevin Durant and
the Oklahoma City Thunder have been blowing the doors off the rest of the Western Conference in these rst two months, playing with the swagger born of their run to the NBA Finals last season.
J.J. Barea and the Minnesota Timberwolves tried to send a message on Thursday night that a second straight trip isnt going to come easy. Playing with the tenacity that made him so important to the Mavericks run to the title two years ago, Barea scored 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to help the Timberwolves snap Oklahoma Citys 12-game winning streak with a 99-93 victory over the Thunder. Kevin Love had 28 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and Nikola Pekovic had 24 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota. But it was Barea who was the key, scoring 12 straight at one point for the Wolves to hold off the team with the best record in the league. Its important, coach Rick Adelman said of beating the best in the West. But I would like to see us get to a point where this is not a big deal. Its a big game against the best team, but this is something we can do. Kevin Durant had 33 points, seven rebounds and six assists and prise of all. Barea didnt join the Timberwolves until training camp had already started last season, then languished through the rst injury plagued year of his career. Finally healthy, hes getting back to the super pest that helped the Dallas Mavericks to the title two years ago. With the Thunder charging early in the fourth quarter, the smallest guy on the court played the biggest. After Durants two free throws cut Minnesotas lead to 80-77, Barea hit two 3s and scored on a putback under the rim amid the tall trees, an 8-0 run by himself that gave the Wolves a little breathing room. His long 3 with 5:26 to play made it 92-81, and the Wolves held on. I love it, Barea said. We just needed a little bit more tonight, a little energy and Im glad I was able to provide that for us tonight. Barea was also a nuisance on defense, drawing an offensive foul on Durant with 2:24 to play. The normally super-cool Durant uncharacteristically lost his composure, picking up a technical foul for arguing the call as well. AP

Esquivel warns Tuacao

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
MEXICOS former World Boxing Council bantamweight title challenger Christian Esquivel has warned former world yweight and reigning Oriental Pacic Boxing Federation champion Malcolm Tunacao not to make future plans until he faces him in their title eliminator in Kobe, Japan on Saturday. The 26-year-old Esquivel, who has a record of 25-3 with 18 knockouts, told the 35-yearold southpaw Tunacao: You cant make future plans. First, you must face me before thinking of ghting against (Shinsuke) Yamanaka, the current champion. Esquivel told the WBC website: I believe we boxers need to respect each other. I will defeat Tunacao rst and then I will focus on a rematch against Shinsuke. Im glad Malcolm is brimming with condence, because I will be all the happier when I beat him. The Mexican has reportedly sparred a total of 120 rounds and the WBC site said Esquivel is as strong as a lion. Esquivel conded: I trained hard to get used to ghting southpaw rivals, and Im ready! Ive been watching videos of Tunacaos ghts and I know exactly how to defeat him. However, Tunacao, the former WBC yweight champion, who won the title with a seventh-round technical knockout over Manny Pacqiiao conqueror Medgoen Singsurat on May 19, 2000, but lost by a rst-round TKO to Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in his second title defense, stands 57 and is expected to use his reach advantage and his experience to the hilt. Esquivel lost by an 11thround TKO to Yamanaka on Nov.16, 2011. He is coming off a twelve round unanimous decision over Jesus Ruiz last April 14.

Seno scores double in PSC-Philta netfest

JAN Godfrey Seno kept the momentum of his big win over second seed Emmanuel Vacallares in the seminals as he smothered Justine Prulla, 6-2, 6-0, to pocket the boys 14-and-under crown in the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine Tennis Association Age-Group Tennis Championships at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday. Seno later teamed up with Luke Flores as they fashioned out a similar one-sided 6-2, 6-1 victory over Brysl Libao and Sohaimen Mama to capture the doubles crown in the weeklong event sponsored by the PSC and Philta with Dunlop Fort as the ofcial ball. For his twin victories, Seno gained 350 ranking points, including 200 for his singles feat. Stefan Suarez, meanwhile, stunned top seed Marcen Gonzales, 7-5, 6-1, to seal a showdown for the boys 16-and-U crown with Betto Orendain, who defeated Daniel Villasenor, 6-2, 6-1. The third-ranked Suarez outsteadied Gonzales to snatch the opening set then sustained his form in the second to complete the sweep while Orendain dominated Villasenor from start to nish to gain a crack at the crown. Mikaela Vicencio clipped Alexandra Eala, 6-3, 6-2, to move into the nals of the girls 12-andU category against with fourth seed Bettine Bautista, who earlier downed Gia Sagandoy, 6-3, 6-2. Top seed Miko Eala likewise stayed on course of another title romp as he held off Marcus Del Rosario, 6-4, 6-2, to advance to the finals of the boys 12-and-U category.

Rafael Lopa, Executive Director of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (middle, left) and DepEd Undersecretary Lino Rivera (middle, right) are shown with Globe Telecom team led by Rob I. Nazal, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (second from right) and Marvin Mercado, President of Globe Power Speed Runners (second from left). With them are Carmela David, CSR Sr. Specialist (left) and Andrew Roxas, member of Globe Power Speed Runners.

Globe backs TEN Moves Run on Jan. 13

LEADING telecommunications company Globe Telecom has pledged its support for TEN Moves Run For 10, a fun run to be held at the Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City on Jan. 13, simultaneous with 10 other provinces nationwide. Rob I. Nazal, Globe Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, said that the 300-strong Globe Power Speed Runners club has expressed willingness to join Run For 10 which will also be organized in Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Legazpi, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zamboanga, and Zamboanga Sibugay. But more than running for a cause, Globe will be challenging the 300 runners to get at least 10 supporters each. In turn, every supporter will be asked to pledge P100 and to recruit 10 more people who will donate the same amount, and so on and so forth. This is in keeping with the 10 principle. We want to encourage everyone to take part in the building of classrooms by asking them to donate in small amounts even if they cannot join the run itself. Globe always considers education a priority because we rmly believe that the greatest evolution of our society can only stem from empowerment through education, Nazal said. TEN Moves, being spearheaded by the League of Corporate Foundations and the Philippine Business for Social Progress in partnership with the Department of Education, is the private sector and citizens response to address the classroom backlog in the country. It is most relevant these days in view of the devastation caused by Typhoon Pablo which damaged 170 classrooms in Compostela Valley and 182 more in Davao Oriental.

IN BRIEF
PSC to upgrade facilities
THE Philippine Sports Commission is getting ready to upgrade existing facilities at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, the Philsports Complex in Pasig and in Baguio City. PSC chairman Ricardo Richie Garcia said that plans are now afoot to modernize the facilities in order to help national athletes prepare better for international meets. Garcia said all this will be now be possible with a budget allocation of P25 million this year for improvements. At the Philsports Complex in Pasig, Garcia said the track oval will be resurfaced, while lights will be installed as well. The dormitories are now being converted to be a hotel-type facility, a mess hall will be added and a new gym will also be set up. In addition, an area for throwing and jumping will be put up. An articial pitch at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz, he added, is almost ready, while lights are also going to be installed at the ballpark. The sports medicine building will be reserved for injured athletes undergoing rehabilitation, while weight training equipment will be moved out of the area and installed elsewhere. Athletes in the North and South Towers will be relocated to the Pasig facilities. Peter Atencio

La Salle-Lipa eyes Tobys volleball semis

DE La Salle-Lipa A takes on De La Salle-Canlubang today (Saturday, Dec. 22), looking for its third straight win and the rst berth in the seminal round of the Tobys Junior Volleyball League at the Quorum Sports Arena in Pasig City. The DLS-Lipa A tossers swept past De La Salle-Zobel, 25-13, 25-17, and MGC New Life Christian Academy, 25-20, 25-11, to seize control of Pool B in the two-group girls division of the eighth staging of the event featuring some of the leading high school volley teams in the region. Gametime is at 11 a.m. after the 10 a.m. opener between College of San Agustin and Miriam College in girls Pool A of the tournament sponsored by Tobys Sports, Shakeys Pizza and Mikasa and organized by Metro Sports. The Miriam spikers return to action at 1 p.m. as they clash with the De La Salle-Lipa B side, which totes a 1-1 card, while CSA and De La SalleLipa B complete their double-headers at 4 p.m. De La Salle-Lipa, meanwhile, goes for its third straight win in the boys side as it squares off with a debuting St. Josephs College at 2 p.m. while Palanan Elementary School seeks its third win in four games against winless Rafael Palma Elem. School at 3 p.m. Hope Christian High School, coming off a victory in the Shakeys Girls Volley League NCR leg, shows the way in girls Pool A with a victory over De La Salle-Lipa B, 25-12, 25-14, last Dec. 9. The HCS tossers resume their campaign for a second straight title win on Jan. 5, 2013.

No place for thuggery

INSIDE SPORTS
WHILE Manny Pacquiaos childhood friend and protector, Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez stayed behind in the US to try and minimize the fallout from his actions along with socalled adviser Michael Koncz of roughing up award-winning Getty Images photographer Al Belo when they saw him taking pictures of a fallen Pacquiao, Koncz added insult to injury by claiming it was a misunderstanding. Sure, it was a misunderstanding, but it was Koncz, who patently misunderstood his role in the Pacquiao entourage and as he has done many times in the past, shown a particularly mean streak. The attack on Belo has been condemned by several boxing writers and columnists in the United States,

Meralco doubles golf set

thuggery need to be examined against what transpired when Pacquiao himself separated Ricky The Hitman Hatton from his senses in a brutal second-round knockout some years ago. That night, Fernandez was seen raising his hands and screaming with joy while photographers took shots of Hatton, who was out cold. Somehow, when Pacquiao was the recipient of a crushing knockout, the rules of the game changed, at least in the warped minds of Koncz and Fernandez. If Koncz promotes himself as a socalled adviser, then our beloved national hero Pacquiao has shown very poor judgment. Perhaps, the only justication for the attack on Belo is that Fernandez (deservedly) and Koncz (questionably) earn a huge sum of money for every ght, with Koncz reportedly getting $200,000 per ght. We know its Mannys money and he has an inherent right to spend it as he sees t, but believe us, there are many who feel that paying Koncz the equivalent of almost P10 million a ght is obscene.
NATIONAL team mainstay Jobim Carlos sets out for a second straight Meralco National Doubles Amateur (Closed) Championship crown with a new partner Jonar Austria when the event is held Dec. 26 to 28 at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong. Expected to compete for the top plum is defending champion and national team player Raymond Gonzales who has linked up with junior golfer Gabriel Manotoc. Others hoping to reign in the three-day event organized by the National Golf Association of the Phils., which features the two-ball (foursome) in the rst day, the four-ball (best ball) in the second and the aggregate in the nal round are national team player Rupert Zaragosa with jungolfer JP De Claro, LJ Go with Edzel Tan and Lawrence Celestino, coming off a big victory in the last weeks Philex NGAP Northern Luzon Regionals teams up with Kenneth Kano in the event sponsored by Pancake House, Titleist by Empire Golf, Pacsports and Golf Depot and serving as the nal leg of the Globe Business Amateur Circuit. Southern Ladies over-all champion Princess Superal with jungolfer Daniella Uy, champion in the ladies event of the Philex NGAP Regionals aim to win the Ladies Division to be challenged by upcoming jungolfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dana Gonzales, Philippine Junior Amateur champion Mia Legaspi with Felicia Medalla, and former national team player Andie Unson partnered with Lorna Tabuena.

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

as well as the National Union of Journalists here in the Philippines. Respected columnist Ed Graney referred to the letter sent to Kizer and NSAC chairman Skip Avansino by Getty attorney Vaughan, who made it clear that Anything short of a suspension for the two would be an unacceptable response. We agree, wholeheartedly. Aside from that, the question of how many people swarm around Pacquiao and are allowed into the ring with some of them making sure they stand behind ring announcer Michael Buffer to be seen on television, has to be tackled seriously. There were reportedly 26 people seen surrounding Pacquiao as he lay motionless on the canvas, several of them believed to be leeches in the Pacquiao entourage. It must be pointed out that while Koncz, who was seen grabbing Belo by his shirt and scowling and Fernandez kicking him merely because he was taking shots of Manny laying at on his face on the canvas, they didnt touch the HBO cameraman, whose

video was being ashed around the world. Why the double standard? Belo himself was scared as he later told Yahoo Sports, Had I not gotten off the ring, I have no doubt the two of them would have beaten the (expletive) out of me and I might have been seriously hurt. A mitigating circumstance if indeed there is room for such consideration in this case is that Buboy Fernandez sought out Filipino dentist Dr. Ed de la Vega, who makes mouthguards for champions when not doubling up as a writer and photographer for philboxing.com, requesting him to relay a public apology in a story on the widely read internet boxing site, stating how sorry he was for what happened and even stayed behind to get this done instead of returning home with Pacquiao. Koncz, on the other hand, in his typical boorish manner sent a text to Yahoo Sports in which he made the patently ridiculous claim that it was just a misunderstanding. Thats unadulterated BS! The post-KO events bordering on

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

NBA HOME TEAM IN CAPS

MINNESOTA 99 Oklahoma City 93 Miami 110 DALLAS 95 PORTLAND 101 Denver 93

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Manila Standard TODAY
Riera U. Mallari, Editor

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

A10

SATURDAY

DECEMBER 22, 2012

Mixers ride on Yaps shoulders

By Jeric Lopez

SAN Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone

wanted to see a lot of playoff intensity from his wards.
Wish granted. A painful right knee wasnt a hindrance for James Yap as he exploded for a conferencehigh 34 points and 10 rebounds to spearhead the Mixers to a 106-82 destruction of Rain or Shine, leveling their best-ofseven seminals series at 1-1 in the 2013 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Medyo masakit pa rin (right knee), pero walang excuse dapat. Semis na ito and mahirap makapasok dito. Kung kaya ko naman maglaro, bakit hindi? said Yap, who got the results of his hyperextended right knee the other day, which showed no torn ligaments. Joe Devance and Mark Barroca also had splendid showings as they supported Yap with their 17 points each for more repower for San Mig Coffee. We dont want this team to be up 2-0. We needed this game, said a satised Cone. The Mixers showed up with a lot more swagger and tenacity as they turned in a phenomenal second half that rattled the Elasto Painters, like their world was ending. Behind the guns of Yap and Devance, the Mixers ignited a 29-12 assault the third, that got them a 67-52 advantage at the 3:53 mark of the chapter. Yap tallied 16 of his points in the third, while Devance had 12 in the same frame as the offensive-minded duo scored 28 of San Mig Coffees 37 points in the period, while holding Rain or Shine to 22 points.

Andy Barroca (left) of San Mig Coffee tries to protect the ball away from Rain or Shines Tyrone Tang, who reaches out for a steal in a PBA Philippine Cup game won by the Mixers, 106-82. SONNY ESPIRITU

Cone thought that the matchups, this time around, favored the Mixers, who played with a small line-up for most part. I thought we got better match-ups. We got the matchups that we wanted as opposed to Game 1. We were really determined to come in and do that and we had a picture-perfect second half. It all came together for us. We played a great half and that got us the win, added Cone. As if the rout in the second half wasnt enough, the Elasto Painters even lost head coach Yeng Guiao, who was thrown out of the game at the 4:06 mark of the third period after committing his second technical foul for excessive complaining. He already got one early in the second period. Peter June Simon added 13 more markers for good measure. The Mixers attained their largest lead after Aldrech Ramos triple with 1:12 left in the game that gave them a 25-point bubble, 105-80.

Sulaiman supports random drug-testing Lascuna nears title,

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WORLD Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman and the WBC support random drug testing, which has been undertaken all year round by WBC Diamond Belt super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire. When asked for his stand on the issue of random drug tests, Sulaiman told the Manila Standard: The WBC has a medical recommendation since our convention in Las Vegas last year and it has been on study to amend the rules to have it in addition to the pre weigh-in 30 days before the event. Sulaiman explained that it has been on hold, because of recommendations on the testing methods, one of which is that the hair follicles should be tested, rather than the usual blood test. There are also considerations about the specic tests that we would prefer, as well as the form of assuring certainty of the sample, which are important considerations, the WBC president said. When informed of Manila Standards efforts to get ghters to undergo random drug tests, so as not to cheat and have an undue advantage of opponents, who are clean, Sulaiman said: One thing is a boxer having to take a medication, and another thing is to take drugs to be on an advantage over his rival. In an interview at the ABSCBN Christmas party, Donaire expressed his admiration for Sulaiman and the WBCs action on this issue and remarked that as far as he knows, the testing of hair follicles will denitely be cheaper, although he thinks the blood tests may be more conclusive. TONY Lascuna turned in his worst round in three daysa one-under 71but still padded his lead to seven, moving 18 holes away from wrapping up the P2.5 million ICTSI Wack Wack Championship crown and the Order of Merit title at Wack Wacks East course yesterday. Momentarily threatened by a charging Elmer Salvador in a ight ahead at the turn, Lascuna buckled down to work after an opening 37, ring two birdies at the back for that 71 and a 54hole total of eight-under 208 for a seven-shot lead over Salvador and Angelo Que. Salvador, who started the round eight strokes behind, closed to within four with a ery 33 but the ICTSI Sherwood and Aboitiz Invitational champion wavered with a closing 37 for a 71 and a 215. That was the same output put in by Que, who continued to struggle on a tough course he mastered in 2008 when he won the Philippine Open. He hit four birdies but made the same number of bogeys for a 72. There were no major threats from the other fancied men of the tour, who all struggled in another wind-blown day and tough pin placements with Carl Santos-Ocampo, winner at ICT-

Order of Merit crown

SI Palos Verdes, blowing a solid 32 at the front with a 37 for a 69. He moved up to solo fourth at 216, eight shots adrift. Zanie Boy Gialon, a two-leg winner like Lascuna and Salvador, fumbled with a 74 to drop to joint fth with James Ryan Lam, who matched par 72, at 218 while defending champion Frankie Minoza also failed to sustain a 34 start with a 37 for a 71 for a 219 in a tie with Clyde Mondilla, who made a 72. Its still too early to tell but If I win, it will be my third and it will make this year as my best year since I turned pro, said Lascuna, who ruled the ICTSI Eagle Ridge and Southwoods legs and nished second in two others to seize the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour OOM lead midway in the season. By salvaging a 71, Lascuna remained the only player to have scored in under-par rounds, including a lead-sharing 70 with Que Wednesday, and a ery 67 that put him six shots ahead halfway through. If they cant cut my lead after the front nine tomorrow (today), then this will be mine, said Lascuna, all set to add the P450,000 purse to his P1.8 million earnings on the tour organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by ICTSI.

Fresh cage mandate for MVP

By Peter Atencio
BUSINESSMAN-SPORTSMAN Manny V. Pangilinan got a fresh four-year mandate as president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. Pangilinan, who addressed the SBP national congress yesterday and was reelected by acclamation during a gathering at the Meralco multipurpose hall in Pasig City, said the SBP will strive even better to produce results in the next four years. We have to do a better job ahead. We cannot tire or retire from a goal of achieving excellence locally, and more importantly internationally. Weve always taken the view that the basketball community cannot disappoint, said Pangilinan. He said the SBPs grassroots development program needed to be strengthened not only at the national level, but at the provincial level as well, noting that in international competitions,, the Philippines had many opportunities to win championships, only to miss it by a hair. The SBP chief believed that many Asian neighbors like China and certain Middle East countries have improved their basketball. Because of this, Pangilinan feels that it is time for the SBP to move on to the next and higher stage of development. During the gathering, Misamis Oriental governor Oscar Moreno remained as chairman, while Ricky Vargas was reelected as vice president.

Muay thai champ. Arkhiaveli 'Aki' Antolin of Pandemic Gym Mandaluyong won the middleweight division
crown by technical knockout during the Muay Thai invitational championship recently at Valley Fair Town Center along Ortigas Avenue Ext., in Taytay, Rizal. The event was sponsored by Muay Thai Taytay Chapter.

Rivera wins Asian karting championship leg

SENTUL, WEST JAVAAgainst all odds in a foreign land where he barely had a decent practice session, FERN-C Racings Estefano Rivera made sure his victory was never in doubt. With the Filipinos terribly outnumbered by the motley group of Indonesian karters, the 15-year-old Rivera stunned the eld with his brilliant driving skills and wrapped up the season with a huge victory in the Formula 125 Open Juniors class in the championship leg of the 2012 Asian Karting Open Championship at the Sentul International Circuit here. The 15-year-old Rivera, a Don BoscoMakati junior high student, completed 18 laps of racing in 16 minutes and 1.736 seconds or 3.951 seconds ahead of Indonesian ace Aria Bima, with Singaporean Jon Lee Xuanhao claiming third place. What made the win doubly sweet was the fact Rivera and his brother Milo had to cope with a series of misfortunes the minute they landed on Indonesian soil. Upon arrival at dawn of Wednesday, the Riveras discovered that their equipment was misplaced by their airline and was recovered only late night the same day, forcing them to miss two days of practice as the team led by FERN-C head coach Edgen Dy-Liacco and chief mechanic Rommuel Salazar and backed by corporate partners Getaway Tours International Inc., University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, Kart Plaza and BOSCH Power Tools, had to work on the set-up of the karts Thursday morning. Furthermore, the uneven and bumpy condition of the tricky and hard track, made it a big challenge for foreign competitors who had a tough time getting the right racing line. This added to the woes of the Rivera brothers, especially Estefano, who was running four seconds off the fastest laptime Friday before race proper. Moreover, missing two days of practice denied the FERN-C Racing Team enough time to make necessary adjustments, particularly racing with a tougher and wet track conditions. But Estefano was unfazed. Using his excellent driving skills and racing strategy, Estefano silenced the huge Indonesian crowd as he quickly learned the right racing line and even pulled a dive on eventual Asian Karting Junior champ Darma Mangkuluhur of Indonesia to rule the Pre-Final heat of Round 4. It was the same result in the championship leg, where Estefano, taking advantage of his new slick tires in the Final race, pulled off another victory to emerge as the top Filipino nisher and end his fruitful year on a winning note, in an Asian tournament at that. Trailing as many as 27 points prior to this Indonesian stint, Estefano wound up his campaign with a total of 152 points for the Asian Junior runner-up crown, just 10 points behind Asian Karting Junior champ Darma Mangkuluhur of Indonesia.
Rivera

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Business
Manila Standard TODAY
Ray S. Eano, Editor business@mst.ph Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor; extrastory2000@gmail.com underpinning our exploration activity in Southeast Asia and East Africa, and providing Otto with the funding to pursue new initiatives to drive shareholder value, Otto chief executive Gregor McNab said. Otto said its share of the $188million capital expenditure in Galoc phase two was now fully funded through a combination of project financing and cash flows generated from the first phase of the project. The three-year BNP loan will mature on Dec. 31, 2015. Principal repayments will begin in the first quarter of 2014. Financial close for the facility is expected in the coming weeks once the conditions precedent are met, Otto said. The first drawdown of the facility will be in first quarter of 2013, consistent with projections set in August ahead of the final investment decision taken by Otto. Otto tapped independent financial advisor Argonaut Ltd., which supported execution of the facility. The Galoc joint venture issued the final investment decision on phase two in September and that substantial progress has been made since then. The company said it expected the mobilization of the drilling rig by the second quarter and first oil flow in the second semester. Otto said the Galoc field had substantial reserves of more than 30 million barrels for phase one and two, including future development project. Production from the field reached over nine million barrels to date. Otto holds a 33-percent direct ownership in the Galoc project through Galoc Production Co., which has 59.8 percent in Service Contract No. 14. Nido Production Ltd. holds 22.9 percent, Oriental Petroleum & Minerals Corp. and Linapacan Oil Gas & Power Corp., 7.8 percent; The Philodrill Corp., 7.2 percent and Forum Energy Philippines, 2.3 percent.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 22, 2012

B1

BNP Paribas funding Galoc

By Alena Mae S. Flores

OTTO Energy Ltd. of Australia, operator

of the Galoc oil eld, signed a $37.4million loan with BNP Paribas of France to help fund the second phase of the oil production in northwest Palawan.

Otto disclosed to the Australian Stock Exchange the financing facility underlined the robustness of the Galoc project. Galoc continues to be an important project for Otto, with the cashflow from phase one

Meralco contract extended 2 months

Synergy hikes public oat

SYNERGY Grid & Development Philippines Inc., a listed infrastructure company, said Friday it complied with the minimum 10 percent public oat of the Philippine Stock Exchange. The company said its public oat increased from 7.44 percent to 12.49 percent after a share sale. Synergy said president and stockholder Henry Sy Jr. sold Friday 830,000 shares to Benito Tan Ty and 441,452 shares to Jose Chua. East Fleming Holdings Corp., also a stockholder of the corporation, sold 388,548 shares to Chua and 840,000 shares to Antonio Collado. Synergy said the public now owns 6.18 million shares equivalent to 12.49 percent of the companys equity. Sy owns 44.5 percent while East Fleming holds 43 percent. Synergy was originally incorporated on June 1, 1970 as Mankayan Minerals Development Co. before the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the companys change of corporate name in 1994 to UEM Development Philippines lnc. It changed the companys primary purpose from engaging in mining activities to general construction and other allied businesses. The SEC again approved a change in corporate name in 2011 to the present one, as well as the change in primary purpose to engage in power, energy, utilities, infrastructure and allied businesses. Alena Mae S. Flores

IN BRIEF

Sustainable practices. The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines, Philippine Plastics Industry Association

PSE okays Eton delisting

THE Philippine Stock Exchange approved the delisting of Eton Properties Philippines Inc., the real estate arm of beer and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan. The PSE said Eton would be delisted from the ofcial registry of the stock exchange starting Jan. 2, 2013. The trading of Eton shares will also be suspended effective Dec. 26, 2012. Eton Properties earlier led a petition for voluntary delisting because of its inability to comply with the 10 percent minimum public ownership requirement of the PSE. Eton Properties public oat last stood at at 5.65 percent. Early this week, the PSE approved the delisting of First Metro Investments Corp., the investment banking unit of Metropolita Bank & Trust Co., and Metro Pacic Tollways Corp., the tollways unit of Metro Pacic Investments Corp. Other companies that have opted to delist from the local bourse due to the public ownership rule include Alaska Milk Corp., PLDT Communications and Energy Ventures Inc., Keppel Philippines Marine Inc., and Chinatrust (Philippines) Commercial Bank Corp. Jenniffer B. Austria

and the municipality of Lian, Batangas received awards from the Federation of Philippine Industries Inc. for their sustainable development practices for 2012. Receiving the plaques are (third from right) CeMAP president Ernesto Ordoez; Lian Mayor Osita Vergara; and PPIA member Vicente Go. CeMAP received the award for health and safety while the PPIA got the same recognition for optimum use and recycling of resources. With them (from left) are FPI chairman Jesus Lim Arranza, FPI president George Chua and Environment Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio Jr.

Foreign debt increases to $61.7bBSP

By Anna Leah Estrada
FOREIGN debt increased to $61.7 billion in the third quarter from the second quarter, the Bangko Sentral said Friday. The Bangko Sentral said the combined external debt of the government and the private sector grew by $493 million or 0.8 percent between June and September as drawdowns exceeded payments during the period. Data, however, showed the debt stock declined $707 million on a year-on-year basis, in spite of net availments due to higher investments in debt papers and downward foreign exchange revaluation adjustments. The foreign debt of the government declined to $46.7 billion in September from $47.1 billion in June while private sector debt rose from $14.1 billion to $15 billion. US dollar-denominated debt comprised 48.3 percent of the total, while Japanese yen obligations represented 26.1 percent and multi-currency loans from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, 11.8 percent. The rest of the accounts were denominated in 18 other currencies. Major external debt indicators remained strong in the third quarter, Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said. Tetangco noted that the gross international reserves stood at $82 billion as of September, representing 10.3 times the short-term debt. ST accounts consist of obligations with original maturities of one year or less. The Bangko Sentral said the external debt ratio, or outstanding debt as a percentage of the gross national income, also improved to 19.4 percent in September from 19.7 percent in June and 21.5 percent a year ago. The external debt service ratio, a measure of the sufciency of foreign exchange to meet maturing obligations, also improved to 7.3 percent by end September from 7.9 percent a quarter ago due to higher foreign exchange receipts and lower debt payments. The ratio consistently remained well below the 20- to 25-percent international benchmark, indicating a strong liquidity position relative to maturing obligations.

POWER Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. approved the extension of a transition supply contract between National Power Corp. and Manila Electric Co., the countrys biggest electricity retailer, by another two months, Meralco president Oscar Reyes told reporters Friday. Reyes said Meralco sought a six-month extension but received two months from December. We requested for six months extension but they [PSALM] supported two months. But we will continue to dialogue with them because we believe it is denitely good for the consumers and we think it will also be to PSALMs benet, he said. Reyes said Meralco would ask PSALM again to extend the transition supply by another four months. We are happy with the extension. We are still xing the volume with PSALM and gencos [generating power companies), Reyes said. He said Meralco was hoping to get a longer extension of the transition supply contract with Napocor covering up to 240 megawatts. The objective is to try to limit the potential sourcing from WESM [Wholesale Electricity Spot Market], Reyes said. WESM serves as the countrys trading oor of electricity. But we are also trying to talk to the generators to see if there is exibility in the scheduling of maintenance downtime because part of the reason is there are certain generators that schedule maintenance downtime. If they could move that around, then the requirement will be less, he said. Meralcos transition supply contract and its power rate discount scheme in economic zones were about to end Dec. 26, 2011 before they were extended for another year due to the concerns of the industries and large power users. Alena Mae S. Flores

Current account surplus climbs 40% to $7.2b PAL investor cleared

THE current account posted a $7.2-billion surplus in the rst nine months, up by 40 percent from $5.1 billion a year ago, on the back of higher remittances and improved exports, the Bangko Sentral said Friday. Current account represents the countrys external strength in trade of goods and services. A surplus means the country gets more foreign funds than what it pays abroad. The Bangko Sentral said the current account surplus accounted for 4 percent of the gross domestic product in the January-September period, an improvement from 3.2 percent of GDP a year ago. The current account recorded a higher surplus on the back of resilient remittances and the slight rebound in merchandise trade exports, the Bangko Sentral said. Data showed the current account surplus reached $3.1 billion in the third quarter alone, higher by 33.6 percent than $2.3 billion recorded in the third quarter of 2011. Meanwhile, the balance of payments yielded a surplus of $4.5 billion in the third quarter and $5.8 billion in the rst nine months. The BoP surplus in the ninemonth period was 40 percent lower than $9.7 billion registered during the same period last year. The lower external payments
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, December 21, 2012
Indonesia Thailand UAE Euro Korea China India Malaysia New Zealand Taiwan Rupiah Baht Dirham Euro Won Yuan Rupee Ringgit Dollar Dollar 0.000104 0.032669 0.272257 1.324700 0.000931 0.160508 0.018255 0.327439 0.832709 0.034471 0.0043 1.3413 11.1783 54.3895 0.0382 6.5901 0.7495 13.4440 34.1894 1.4153
Source: PDS Bridge

surplus was caused by the sharp decline in net inows in the capital and nancial account which more than offset the higher surplus in the current account, the Bangko Sentral said. It said the renewed setbacks to the recovery of the global economy weighed heavily on investor condence, contributing to the decline in net inows of portfolio and other investments. Anna Leah Estrada

to hike capital to P23b

to the increase in the capital worth P17 billion. PAL Holdings also raised its authorized capital stock and will subscribe to 85 billion common shares at P0.20 per share worth P17 billion. PALHoldingsincreased capital stock forms part of its investment agreement with conglomerate San Miguel through Trustmark Holdings Corp. The ag carrier said despite San Miguels investment in PAL, the ownership structure of the company did not change. The shares of Trustmark Holdings to be issued to San Miguel Equity Investments Inc. is equivalent to 49 percent of the outstanding capital stock of Trustmark. Trustmark holds 97.71 percent of PAL Holdings outstanding capital stock. San Miguel Equity, as a substantial shareholder of Trustmark, will have an indirect interest in the company.

THE operator of ag carrier Philippine Airlines said Friday the Securities and Exchange Commission approved its request to increase capital stock to P23 billion from P20 billion to give way to the entry of San Miguel Corp. and raise more funds to nance future expansion. Trustmark Holdings Corp., the majority shareholder of PAL Holdings Inc., will subscribe

E ATE PSE COMPOSITE INDEX F OREIGNUnitXCHANGE RPeso Currency US Dollar

Closing December 21, 2012
United States Japan UK Hong Kong Switzerland Canada Singapore Australia Bahrain Saudi Arabia Brunei Dollar Yen Pound Dollar Franc Dollar Dollar Dollar Dinar Rial Dollar 1.000000 0.011850 1.628200 0.129039 1.097213 1.012761 0.820883 1.046901 2.65240 0.266660 0.817528 41.0580 0.4865 66.8506 5.2981 45.0494 41.5819 33.7038 42.9837 108.9043 10.9485 33.5661 5200 4460 3720 2980 2240 1500 1200

P584-P695 LPG/11-kg tank

P47.15-P53.07 Unleaded Gasoline

OIL PRICES
TODAY

PESO-DOLLAR RATE
Closing DECEMBER 21, 2012
40 42 44 46 48

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

P41.070
CLOSE

26.20

5,823.940

HIGH P41.060 LOW P41.160 AVERAGE P41.133 VOLUME 687.950M 867.800M

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B2

SATURDAY DECEMBER 22, 2012

ManilaStandardToday

Business
52 Weeks

extrastory2000@gmail.com business@mst.ph

Market extends rally; Atok rises

near the record level, on speculation the Philippines will win an investment-grade rating next year after Standard & Poors raised its credit outlook to positive.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, rose 26 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 5,823.94 on Friday. The index actually reached an intra-day high of 5,860.12, near the previous record of 5,866.83 on Dec. 13. The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 6 points, or 0.2 percent, to settle at 3,700.50, as gainers led losers, 84 to 73, with 50 issues unchanged. Atok-Big Wedge Co. Inc., a company led by businessman Roberto Ongpin, surged 31.7 percent to P22, becoming the most active stock Friday. Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., the second most active stock, was up 2.1 percent to P101.70. SM Prime Holdings Inc. gained 2.2 percent to P16.52 while SM Investments Corp. added 1.8 percent to P889.50. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. advanced 1.2 percent to P2,570. Meanwhile, heightened uncertainty about the outcome of budget negotiations in Washington among President Barack Obama,

MST BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW

High
70.50 77.45 1.82 595.00 28.50 23.90 20.70 22.00 3.26 650.00 39.20 102.50 3.06 94.50 77.80 95.00 80.00 500.00 45.50 155.20 1100.00 140.00 2.06 35.50 13.58 1.70 48.00 1.62 138.00 144.00 2.75 9.74 6.41 7.77 19.40 79.30 0.02 13.10 6.00 2.35 120.00 8.40 3.20 3.19 27.45 6.95 18.10 280.60 12.20 3.65 16.00 14.94 4.42 2.49 3.90 6.50 34.60 129.20 3000.00 2.62 2.44 2.88 1.41 69.20 5.50 0.77 18.00 1.22 1.18 59.90 0.019 13.70 2.60 5.02 6.98 2.98 4.16 485.20 64.80 4.19 5.20 556.00 5.22 36.20 6.21 1.54 0.91 3.82 4.65 6.24 9.66 0.0770 2.20 0.490 760.00 2.71 1.57 850.00 0.420 0.620 0.980 48.00 3.34 0.83 0.195 24.15 5.62 9.00 2.85 2.91 1.50 1.11 0.94 3.80 0.310 2.74 1.44 2.14 2.34 0.36 0.990 0.67 4.33 19.94 7.71 2.85 8.95 18.20 0.91 4.55 4.66 4.72 42.00 18.98 0.78 10.92 102.80 0.5300 24.00 82.50 10.60 9.70 1270.00 11.00 77.00 18.40 6.80 4.70 34.50 3.87 0.0760 5.1900 10.30 3.70 2.65 0.84 4.08 22.95 8.58 3.39 10.00 17.88 2886.00 0.39 4.75 0.79 0.0083 6.22 20.80 48.00 0.345 34.00 2.23 61.80 1.21 1.81 2.070 0.085 0.840 36.50 12.84 1.100 8.40 0.032 0.033 28.25 48.00 0.062 257.80 0.029 50.00 580.00 103.50 109.80 11.02 80.00 6.20 46.00 50.00 0.68 370.00 27.80 13.80 18.50 7.95 1.91 420.00 3.00 60.00 1.30 56.00 41.00 69.00 52.00 210.00 29.45 77.00 879.00 58.00 1.43 26.50 8.00 0.97 25.00 1.08

STOCKS rose for the fourth day to close

House Speaker John Boehner and other Republican lawmakers drove Asian stock markets lower Friday. If a compromise is not in place by Jan. 1, the Bush-era tax cuts will expire and spending cuts will kick in automaticallya onetwo punch to the economy that many experts fear will push the US economy back into recession just as it begins to recover from the last one. Japans Nikkei 225 index fell nearly 0.8 percent to 9,964.53. Hong Kongs Hang Seng lost 0.8 percent to 22,483.20. South Koreas Kospi shed 0.9 percent at 1,982.49. Australias S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.3 percent to 4,618.60. Benchmarks in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Taiwan also fell. Malaysias index rose. US stock futures tumbled after rank-and-le Republican lawmakers failed to support an alternative tax plan by House Speaker John Boehner late Thursday in Washington. That plan would have allowed tax rates to rise on households earning $1 million and up. Obama wants the

level to be $400,000. I think the Republicans will have to yield, said Francis Lun, managing director of Lyncean Holdings in Hong Kong. Fighting for rich men does not endear you to voters. People earning more than $1 million are considered rich, so it doesnt do the Republican Party any good to really ght for the rights of rich people. Ironically, the two leaders had signicantly narrowed their differences toward a compromise. The latest setback, with Republicans bucking their leader, left precious little time for an agreement to be reached before the scal cliff of tax increases and spending cuts goes into effect. Dow Jones industrial futures dropped 1.5 percent to 13,070 and S&P 500 futures lost 1.6 percent to 1,418.30. Analysts cautioned, however, that market swings would be exaggerated because of light trading volumes that typically accompany end-ofyear holidays. Approaching the weekend and holiday, volumes will likely remain thin, with choppy trading sessions while the scal cliff talks will stay in the spotlight, said Kintai Cheung of Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong in an e-mail commentary. With Bloomberg, AP

45.00 42.00 2.30 7.41

4.83 2.80 12.50 51.50 0.0110 7.80 3.80 0.61 80.00 1.04

1.32 1.08 18.10 0.75 8.12 215.00 7.50 1.96 9.70 8.05 1.01 1.10 2.01 2.90 26.50 110.20 800.00 1.25 1.73 1.99 0.90 37.00 1.05 0.320 2.55 0.77 0.65 35.50 0.014 8.00 1.80 3.00 0.260 1.49 2.30 272.00 30.50 1.03 3.30 455.40 2.94 19.00 4.00 0.61 0.300 1.800 2.56 3.40 1.22 0.045 1.20 0.285 450.00 1.08 1.14 425.00 0.101 0.082 0.380 18.00 1.70 0.42 0.150 13.36 3.08 2.26 1.35 1.20 1.05 0.67 0.54 2.90 0.10 1.63 0.98 0.65 1.51 0.150 0.089 0.41 2.10 10.00 2.51 1.81 6.00 10.94 0.64 1.80 2.60

Farewell call.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima (left), in a farewell call, thanks Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Luca Fornari for two-and-a-half years in committed and competent foreign service. Ambassador Fornari is set to formally retire by the end of the year.

Banks to list exchange traded funds

By Jenniffer B. Austria
SIX local and foreign banks expressed interest in listing exchange trade funds with the Philippine Stock Exchange. PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat said in an interview these six local and international banks consulted the local bourse on possible ETF listing. Sicat said with strong interest from banks, the rst ETF listing was expected to happen by the rst quarter of 2013. He said the PSE was planning to issue the rst draft of ETF rules in January. Local nancial institutions BDO Unibank Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands and First Metro Investments Corp. previously expressed plans to create an ETF that will be listed with the PSE. The Securities and Exchange Commission approved the ETF rules last month. ETFs are exchange-listed products that mirror indexes, commodities, bonds and currencies and allow investors to buy and sell them like stocks. It allows investors to diversify their portfolio by buying a single product that represents a wide range of securities underlying an index. Under the approved guidelines, corporations planning to offer exchange traded funds should have a minimum capital of P250 million. The SEC also requires ETFs to register the shares under the Securities Regulation Code. An ETF must appoint a reputable fund manager that shall operate and administer the ETF and at least two authorized participants to handle the issuance and redemption of ETF shares. There are more than 1,000 ETFs being traded in over 40 overseas stock markets. These ETFs have assets valued at over $700 billion, but not one of them is listed in the PSE.
Close (P) 5.04 10.24 375.00 30.00 0.6500 0.2950 2.66 2.98 4.60 0.0480 Change (%) (16.83) (10.18) (7.41) (6.98) (5.80) (4.84) (4.32) (4.18) (4.17) (4.00)

T OP G AINERS
STOCKS Seacem Atok-Big Wedge `A' Imperial Res. `A' Alphaland Corp. Interport `A' Ripple E-Business Intl 2GO Group' Maybank ATR KE Araneta Prop `A' Primex Corp. Close (P) 2.25 22.00 7.50 27.40 1.25 10.50 1.88 22.00 0.820 3.60 Change (%) 50.00 31.74 20.97 13.46 10.62 8.70 8.67 8.37 7.89 7.46

T OP L OSERS
STOCKS Mariwasa MFG. Inc. Filipino Fund Inc. Transgrid San Miguel Brewery Inc. Phil. Estates Corp. Wellex Industries I-Remit Inc. Paxys Inc. Apex `B' Island Info

1.20 24.80 1.05 0.45 7.30 4.45 0.1010 5.20 60.80 8.20 5.44 831.00 6.18 43.40 5.00 4.30 1.75 0.036 1.00 0.042 2.550 5.90 2.60 1.03 0.57 1.21 13.80 5.35 1.05 5.00 12.10 2096.00 0.25 3.30 0.34

0.0038 3.00 14.50 20.00 0.170 21.20 1.05

T RADING S UMMARY
FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS PROPERTY SERVICES MINING & OIL GRAND TOTAL SHARES 143,221,911 845,661,259 206,844,022 250,078,462 516,590,770 654,535,997 2,488,098,301 VALUE 1,217,566,966.801 1,592,451,051.31 1,263,369,898.5536 1,593,068,930.61 1,664,914,198.25 651,734,657.013 7,983,770,854.5346 FINANCIAL 1,526.75 (up) 6.25 INDUSTRIAL 8,820.95 (down) 3.54 HOLDING FIRMS 5,148.7 (up) 32.38 PROPERTY 2,317.76 (up) 4.69 SERVICES 1,732.21 (up) 9.75 MINING & OIL 19,269.61 (up) 1.94 PSEI 5,823.94 (up) 26.2 All Shares Index 3,700.5 (up) 6.53 Gainers: 84; Losers: 73; Unchanged: 50; Total: 207

6.96 0.50 1.0600 1.0900 0.042 0.570 15.04 2.91 0.008 2.99 0.014 0.014 18.40 3.00 0.017 161.10 0.015 23.05 535.00 100.00 101.50 6.00 74.50 4.18

M S T
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012
Previous

Low

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

Close Change Volume

72.20 95.45 0.69 55.00 28.00 19.38 29.00 10.24 2.66 510.00 22.00 101.70 1.78 72.00 89.00 96.00 64.00 410.00 57.00 160.50 1010.00 114.00 2.37 0.14 0.42 (1.43) 0.00 3.70 (0.41) 0.87 (10.18) (4.32) 1.39 8.37 2.06 1.71 (2.70) 0.00 3.23 1.59 0.74 (1.89) (0.62) 1.51 (0.44) 0.00

Net Foreign

Trade/Buying
106,965,040.50 14,620,126.00 70,400.00

Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI Bankard, Inc. China Bank Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp. Maybank ATR KE Metrobank Natl Reinsurance Corp. Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine Trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

Aboitiz Power Corp. Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alphaland Corp. Alsons Cons. Asiabest Group Bogo Medellin Conc. Aggr. `A Chemrez Technologies Inc. Cirtek Holdings (Chips) DNL Industries Inc. Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI First Gen Corp. First Holdings A Greenergy Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp. Lafarge Rep LMG Chemicals LT Group Manchester Intl. A Manchester Intl. B Manila Water Co. Inc. Mariwasa MFG. Inc. Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A Pancake House Inc. Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. Petron Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils. RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings Salcon Power Corp. San Miguel Brewery Inc. San Miguel Corp `A San MiguelPure Foods `B Seacem Splash Corporation TKC Steel Corp. Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp. Vivant Corp. Vulcan Indl. Abacus Cons. `A Aboitiz Equity Alcorn Gold Res. Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A Asia Amalgamated A ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A DMCI Holdings F&J Prince A Filinvest Dev. Corp. GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp. Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. Mabuhay Holdings `A Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Metro Pacic Inv. Corp. Minerales Industrias Corp. MJCI Investments Inc. Pacica `A Prime Media Hldg Sinophil Corp. SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Transgrid Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

Anchor Land Holdings Inc. A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A Arthaland Corp. Ayala Land `B Belle Corp. `A Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A Cyber Bay Corp. Empire East Land Eton Properties Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A Megaworld Corp. MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp. Phil. Realty `A Primex Corp. Robinsons Land `B Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Development `A SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Vista Land & Lifescapes

2GO Group ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Asian Terminals Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp. Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ. DFNN Inc. Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A IPeople Inc. `A IP Converge IP E-Game Ventures Inc. IPVG Corp. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Pacic Online Sys. Corp. PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Racing Club Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon STI Holdings Touch Solutions Waterfront Phils. Yehey

Abra Mining Apex `B Atlas Cons. `A Atok-Big Wedge `A Basic Energy Corp. Benguet Corp `B Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A Lepanto `B Manila Mining `A Manila Mining `B Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A Oriental Pet. `B Philex `A PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A Semirara Corp. United Paragon ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. Ayala Corp. Pref `A First Gen G First Phil. Hldgs.-Pref. GMA Holdings Inc. SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C Ripple E-Business Intl

FINANCIAL 72.10 72.40 71.90 95.05 95.45 94.50 0.70 0.69 0.69 55.00 55.00 54.95 27.00 28.00 27.00 19.46 19.48 19.00 28.75 29.05 28.30 11.40 11.30 10.22 2.78 2.66 2.66 503.00 510.00 510.00 20.30 22.55 20.90 99.65 102.60 99.65 1.75 1.78 1.72 74.00 72.40 72.00 89.00 89.00 88.00 93.00 96.00 91.00 63.00 64.00 64.00 407.00 415.00 402.20 58.10 58.10 57.00 161.50 161.90 160.30 995.00 1010.00 995.00 114.50 115.50 113.90 2.37 2.39 2.37 INDUSTRIAL 37.00 37.05 36.90 6.90 7.00 6.95 2.00 2.00 1.99 24.15 27.40 24.15 1.27 1.28 1.26 18.88 18.88 18.00 57.00 66.00 57.00 64.00 65.00 64.00 2.95 2.95 2.94 21.50 21.70 19.40 4.40 4.450 4.39 6.80 6.89 6.75 10.00 10.00 9.94 22.50 23.00 22.50 90.20 90.30 88.40 0.0220 0.0220 0.0210 13.70 13.70 13.70 4.32 4.21 4.05 0.660 0.640 0.640 107.00 107.90 104.60 10.70 10.90 10.62 1.82 1.91 1.82 12.58 12.80 12.56 12.98 13.08 12.60 13.00 13.00 12.58 31.95 32.10 31.95 6.06 6.70 5.00 17.840 17.840 17.100 262.00 265.00 262.00 7.71 7.80 7.80 5.90 6.17 5.90 10.38 10.42 10.34 8.90 9.00 8.80 4.83 4.92 4.80 3.00 3.10 3.10 3.20 3.10 3.00 4.85 4.83 4.56 32.25 32.25 28.00 102.80 102.80 102.40 243.00 243.00 242.60 1.50 2.25 2.12 1.73 1.79 1.79 1.69 1.76 1.69 1.13 1.16 1.13 81.70 82.50 81.50 1.29 1.30 1.26 0.96 0.98 0.95 10.50 15.00 10.50 1.44 1.45 1.42 HOLDING FIRMS 0.66 0.69 0.66 52.20 54.00 51.50 0.1420 0.1420 0.1400 16.50 16.50 16.34 2.14 2.14 2.11 5.16 5.20 5.16 4.96 5.28 4.80 0.98 0.99 0.92 1.01 1.00 0.91 530.00 532.00 520.00 55.00 56.35 54.10 2.80 2.85 2.80 4.60 4.68 4.60 653.00 664.00 645.00 6.39 6.39 6.30 38.00 39.50 38.00 6.34 6.37 6.29 0.98 0.98 0.96 0.380 0.400 0.400 1.77 1.81 1.75 4.43 4.50 4.39 6.02 6.03 5.98 5.70 6.00 5.90 0.0490 0.0510 0.0480 1.280 1.280 1.280 0.315 0.325 0.315 873.50 890.00 860.00 2.08 2.11 2.02 1.04 1.04 1.04 405.00 478.00 375.00 0.2600 0.2700 0.2700 0.3100 0.3050 0.2800 0.350 0.355 0.340 PROPERTY 17.00 17.10 17.00 2.98 3.00 2.90 0.760 0.870 0.740 0.177 0.178 0.178 26.95 27.35 26.70 4.80 4.91 4.81 4.00 4.08 4.00 1.43 1.46 1.42 2.40 2.40 2.40 1.12 1.13 1.12 0.79 0.81 0.79 1.020 1.040 1.000 2.90 2.90 2.81 0.380 0.390 0.380 1.93 1.95 1.90 1.48 1.53 1.49 1.13 1.26 1.12 2.76 2.77 2.75 0.1560 0.1570 0.1550 0.6900 0.7100 0.6500 0.450 0.450 0.450 3.35 3.60 3.15 21.20 21.75 21.00 2.50 2.51 2.44 3.10 3.10 3.00 5.90 6.00 5.87 16.16 16.90 16.14 0.66 0.68 0.67 3.98 3.96 3.91 4.820 4.890 4.750 SERVICES 1.73 2.29 1.80 33.40 33.75 33.40 1.25 1.26 1.20 0.810 0.850 0.800 9.70 9.70 9.70 13.06 13.16 12.94 0.1370 0.1390 0.1350 4.02 4.03 3.90 61.00 62.50 61.00 12.40 11.92 10.74 4.10 4.30 4.30 1098.00 1095.00 1078.00 9.00 9.05 8.80 74.00 74.70 73.80 6.20 7.50 5.80 8.70 9.30 8.70 3.15 3.15 2.90 0.025 0.026 0.025 0.55 0.57 0.54 0.0500 0.0500 0.0480 2.2100 2.3000 2.2000 7.96 8.10 7.96 2.30 2.40 2.29 1.32 1.32 1.32 0.69 0.74 0.73 2.57 2.67 2.66 13.88 13.90 13.88 4.55 4.90 4.50 3.11 3.09 2.97 9.31 9.50 9.50 12.38 12.38 12.20 2540.00 2598.00 2568.00 0.335 0.335 0.325 1.07 1.09 1.05 7.66 8.68 7.50 0.405 0.420 0.410 1.350 1.430 1.350 MINING & OIL 0.0057 0.0057 0.0056 4.80 4.60 4.60 18.78 18.88 18.50 16.70 23.00 16.70 0.275 0.275 0.260 18.00 18.00 18.00 0.86 0.87 0.85 1.02 1.04 1.02 15.36 15.40 15.28 0.51 0.52 0.50 0.990 1.000 0.980 1.080 1.100 1.080 0.0580 0.0580 0.0570 0.0580 0.0580 0.0580 16.04 16.06 16.04 5.00 5.07 4.90 0.5500 0.5800 0.5500 3.480 3.500 3.480 0.0200 0.0200 0.0190 0.0200 0.0200 0.0200 15.04 15.200 14.960 29.40 29.35 28.65 0.039 0.040 0.038 230.00 234.00 227.00 0.0170 0.0170 0.0170 PREFERRED 33.45 33.90 32.60 520.00 525.00 522.00 105.00 105.50 105.00 103.50 103.50 103.50 9.28 9.40 9.05 74.85 74.95 74.50 74.10 74.20 74.10 74.50 74.60 74.50 SME 9.66 11.00 10.00

4,162,910 1,659,400 100,000 53,320 300 12,600 830,100 4,500 5,000 800 10,500 4,431,180 406,000 3,170 779,280 35,000 5,000 12,660 69,470.00 479,500 890 178,780 77,000

13,067,775.00 7,980.00

29,058,253.50 31,196,932.00 1,044,340.00

1,978,990.00 (21,378,343.00) (131,300.00) (2,958,561.00)

36.90 7.00 1.99 27.40 1.26 18.88 57.00 64.00 2.95 21.60 4.40 6.75 9.98 22.50 88.40 0.0220 13.70 4.21 0.640 107.00 10.90 1.85 12.74 12.80 13.00 31.95 5.04 17.100 262.00 7.80 6.15 10.34 9.00 4.90 3.10 3.10 4.70 30.00 102.80 242.80 2.25 1.79 1.69 1.15 81.50 1.30 0.95 11.18 1.45

(0.27) 1.45 (0.50) 13.46 (0.79) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.47 0.00 (0.74) (0.20) 0.00 (2.00) 0.00 0.00 (2.55) (3.03) 0.00 1.87 1.65 1.27 (1.39) 0.00 0.00 (16.83) (4.15) 0.00 1.17 4.24 (0.39) 1.12 1.45 3.33 (3.13) (3.09) (6.98) 0.00 (0.08) 50.00 3.47 0.00 1.77 (0.24) 0.78 (1.04) 6.48 0.69 3.03 (1.34) (0.70) 0.00 (0.93) 0.00 (1.21) 1.02 (2.97) (0.57) 2.00 0.00 0.00 (1.23) (1.41) 3.16 (0.32) (2.04) 5.26 1.13 (0.90) (0.33) 5.26 2.04 0.00 0.00 1.83 (2.40) 0.00 (7.41) 3.85 (4.84) (2.86)

2,695,200 10,800 2,086,000 1,000 819,000 300 30,128 110 84,000 77,600 4,425,000 30,077,900 547,800 2,138,000 590,300 276,600,000 200 202,000 20,000 206,880 263,500 115,000 466,900 89,900 129,100 2,472,700 1,566,000 167,400 213,290 600 11,027,800 1,928,200 285,300 3,427,000 19,000 17,000 249,000 41,700 997,540 540 911,000 12,000 40,000 5,797,000 895,380 4,995,000 2,026,000 193,500 379,000 9,215,000 2,363,730 117,270,000 10,425,600 152,000 576,300 58,000 17,000 309,000 611,630 1,167,550 12,000 3,549,000 51,250 11,500 1,068,900 1,341,300 1,394,000 20,000 55,000 42,614,000 119,000 3,100 2,500,000 1,000 2,060,000 190,230 616,000 736,000 30 200,000 6,810,000 1,160,000

(36,084,890.00) (6,000.00) 64,000.00

29,500.00 322,360.00 6,554,844.00 6,554,844.00 (3,642,543.00) (17,325,090.00) (12,113,362.00) 21,000.00 (2,740.00) (3,720.00) (1,179,745.00) 1,841,946.00

1,298,400.00 (29,601,130.00) (950.00) 59,060.00 (4,431,946.00) 5,676,224.00 (4,735,244.00) (730,141.00) 3,588,890.00

14,210,996.00

30,420.00 2,825,000.00 (5,609,644.00) 50,800.00 52,764.00 (8,580.00)

0.68 51.50 0.1410 16.50 2.12 5.16 4.90 0.99 0.98 527.00 56.10 2.80 4.60 645.00 6.30 39.20 6.32 0.96 0.400 1.79 4.39 6.00 6.00 0.0500 1.280 0.315 889.50 2.03 1.04 375.00 0.2700 0.2950 0.340 17.00 3.00 0.820 0.178 26.80 4.88 4.00 1.42 2.40 1.12 0.81 1.000 2.81 0.385 1.90 1.49 1.25 2.76 0.1550 0.6500 0.450 3.60 21.00 2.51 3.05 5.90 16.52 0.68 3.96 4.750

15,995,538.50 35,731,864.00 (51,800.00) 5,050.00

108,380.00 (19,221,940.00) 18,330,771.50 (9,686,310.00) (18,944,330.00) 10,264,320.00 3,335,000.00 9,600.00 (103,266,390.00)

20,243,295.00 40,600.00 14,800.00

0.00 0.67 7.89 0.56 (0.56) 1.67 0.00 (0.70) 0.00 0.00 2.53 (1.96) (3.10) 1.32 (1.55) 0.68 10.62 0.00 (0.64) (5.80) 0.00 7.46 (0.94) 0.40 (1.61) 0.00 2.23 3.03 (0.50) (1.45)

23,400 502,000 5,346,000 10,000 16,359,400 12,366,000 364,000 6,882,000 9,000 1,239,000 32,000 17,061,000 54,000 5,430,000 456,000 9,928,000 792,000 73,448,000 2,360,000 22,644,000 100,000 168,000 2,302,700 82,000 36,000 6,380,000 23,422,700 60,000 16,000 32,925,000

51,000.00 60,000.00 (40,500.00) 1,780.00 (28,501,575.00) (45,611,880.00) (84,240.00) (5,444,920.00) 1,071,110.00 171,600.00 1,650,990.00

(113,998,640.00) (85,850.00) 146,210.00 (19,072,060.00) 26,857,368.00 153,288,440.00 (21,819,720.00)

1.88 33.55 1.24 0.820 9.70 12.98 0.1350 3.90 62.00 11.92 4.30 1078.00 9.00 74.05 7.50 9.30 3.15 0.025 0.54 0.0480 2.3000 8.00 2.40 1.32 0.73 2.66 13.90 4.70 2.98 9.50 12.26 2570.00 0.335 1.07 7.54 0.420 1.400 0.0056 4.60 18.80 22.00 0.270 18.00 0.86 1.03 15.28 0.50 1.000 1.090 0.0580 0.0580 16.06 4.90 0.5800 3.480 0.0200 0.0200 14.96 29.30 0.038 230.00 0.0170 33.55 522.00 105.00 103.50 9.30 74.95 74.20 74.50 10.50

8.67 0.45 (0.80) 1.23 0.00 (0.61) (1.46) (2.99) 1.64 (3.87) 4.88 (1.82) 0.00 0.07 20.97 6.90 0.00 0.00 (1.82) (4.00) 4.07 0.50 4.35 0.00 5.80 3.50 0.14 3.30 (4.18) 2.04 (0.97) 1.18 0.00 0.00 (1.57) 3.70 3.70

175,000 127,000 127,000 83,675,000 10,000 5,800,600 28,810,000 722,000 145,430 4,800 16,000 189,735 449,000 1,258,730 7,200 326,600 186,000 101,200,000 4,201,000 260,000 65,000 378,900 28,000 11,500,000 15,000 131,000 28,000 53,000 1,144,000 1,000,000 1,851,900 167,660 3,050,000 10,740,000 2,351,800 320,000 36,000

(56,451,360.00)

(19,445,362.00) 51,680.00 15,610.00 (486,236.50) (140,527,225.00) 20,306,654.50 (1,828,800.00) (1,363,270.00) (114,600.00) (160,860.00)

(9,500,000.00) (14,135,472.00) 71,310,440.00 214,000.00 231,375.00

(1.75) (4.17) 0.11 31.74 (1.82) 0.00 0.00 0.98 (0.52) (1.96) 1.01 0.93 0.00 0.00 0.12 (2.00) 5.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.53) (0.34) (2.56) 0.00 0.00 0.30 0.38 0.00 0.00 0.22 0.13 0.13 0.00 8.70

80,000,000 5,000 788,400 30,098,900 5,590,000 10,000 834,000 1,339,000 3,800 358,000 15,115,000 3,313,000 191,550,000 129,960,000 863,200 70,700 67,000 1,286,000 6,500,000 1,200,000 1,447,200 115,300 180,300,000 178,900 3,300,000 688,600 1,000 38,130 3,000 2,142,500 179,530 6,460 114,590 65,600

(3,936,482.00) 500,948,600.00 (180,000.00)

105,220.00

391,330.00 195,000.00 (6,960.00)

(843,456.00) 1,058,135.00 117,000.00 3,825,166.00 (228,550.00)

20,000.00

extrastory2000@gmail.com

business@mst.ph

Manila ManilaStandardToday

Business
personal defeat for the Speaker, who retains the respect and affection of his tea party-infused conference, but sometimes has great difculty in getting them to follow his leadership. Boehners Plan B was crafted to prevent tax increases set to kick in on Jan. 1, 2013, on virtually every taxpayer. But it also would have provision that would have let rates rise for those at the upper income rangea violation of long-standing Republican orthodoxy triggered the opposition of antitax lawmakers inside the party. The hope was that successful House action on the measure would force Senate Democrats to respond. But Senate Majority

SATURDAY DECEMBER 22, 2012

B3

Obama moves to avoid fiscal cliff

WASHINGTONPresident Barack
Obama says hell press ahead with Congress to prevent across-the-board tax increases set to strike taxpayers Jan. 1 after House GOP leaders unexpectedly put off a vote on legislation calling for higher rates on million-dollar earners was abruptly scrapped Thursday evening.
ensure that taxes dont go up on 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses, citing statistics associated with Obamas campaign promise to increase top tax rates on household earning more than $250,000 a year. The measure did not have sufcient support from our members to pass, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, conceded in a brief statement. At the White House, Press Secretary Jay Carney said that Obamas main priority is to The President will work with Congress to get this done and we are hopeful that we will be able to nd a bipartisan solution quickly that protects the middle class and our economy, Carney said. Pointedly, the statement didnt say whether Obama would work with Boehner to revive stalled talks with Boehner or turn to the Democratic-controlled Senate to try to salvage the situation. Boehners attempt to tactically retreat from a longstanding promise to maintain Bush-era tax rates for all was designed to gain at least some leverage against Obama and Senate Democrats in the scal cliff endgame. Thursdays drama was a major Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., made it clear that Plan B would have been dead on arrival in the Senate. Speaker Boehners plans are non-starters in the Senate, Reid said. Boehner announced he would move to Plan B after with testing the waters with fellow Republicans regarding a possible pact with Obama on tax increases of $1 trillionincluding the breakthrough proposal on higher tax ratesand nding them not very receptive. Thursdays events leave little time for Obama and bruised lawmakers to prevent across-the-board tax increases and deep spending cuts from taking effect with the new year. Economists say the combination threatened a return to recession for an economy that has been recovering slowly from the last one. The House will not meet again until after Christmas, if then, and the Senate is expected to meet briefly on Friday, then not reconvene until next Thursday. In his written statement, Boehner said the House has previously passed legislation to prevent all the tax increases from taking effect, and noted that earlier in the evening it had approved a measure to replace across-the-board spending cuts with responsible reductions. AP

Bernard Madoffs brother sentenced

NEW YORKThe brother of imprisoned nancier Bernard Madoff was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for crimes committed in the shadow of his notorious sibling by a judge who said she disbelieved his claims that he did not know about the epic fraud. Peter Madoff, 67, had agreed when he pleaded guilty in June to serve the maximum sentence allowable to the charges of conspiracy and falsifying the books and records of an investment adviser. He follows to prison his 74-year-old brother, who is serving a 150-year sentence after admitting he created a fraud so large decades ago that thousands of people lost $20 billion. US District Judge Laura Taylor Swain urged Peter Madoff, of Old Westbury, to tell the truth even now. The judge said Peter Madoff, wearing a welltailored charcoal suit, was frankly not believable when he claimed at his plea that he only learned of the fraud when his brother revealed it to him just before he surrendered to authorities. Peter Madoff spoke briey Thursday and less emotionally than in June, saying: I am deeply ashamed of my conduct and have tried to atone by pleading guilty and have agreed to forfeit all of my present and future assets. He added: I am profoundly sorry that my failures let many people down, including my loved ones. Two investors, among 40 who wrote victim impact statements, spoke during the proceeding, each describing the nancial ruins of their extended family. Investor Michael De Vita, 62, also called for truth, saying he believed it to be physically impossible for a single person to carry out such a gargantuan task all by himself. De Vita said investors have waited four years for others to accept responsibility for this massive crime. We are still waiting for that today. All of this was preventable if only one person was willing to do the right thing and stop this in its tracks years ago. Peter Madoff could have been that person, he said. Amy Luria Nissenbaum, 49, choking up at times, also complained that Peter Madoff had chosen even after his plea to turn a blind eye, saying her home was in foreclosure and some days she struggles to clothe and feed my children. Nissenbaum said Peter Madoff was part of his brothers fraud for more than 30 years and he should serve the same amount of time in prison. When Swain announced that Peter Madoff will not have to report to prison until Feb. 6, Nissenbaum laughed out loud bitterly. The delay in reporting to prison will let Peter Madoff attend his granddaughters Bat Mitzvah on Jan. 19. He got into a BMW after he left the courthouse. AP
LuNgSOD Ng MAKATI Bids and Awards Committee
J.P. Rizal St. corner F. Zobel St., Makati City Tel. No. 870-1000 Fax No. 899-8988 www.makati.gov.ph
REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS

President Barack Obama shakes hands with House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio in this le photo in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, during a meeting to discuss the decit and economy. Congress and the White House can signicantly soften the initial impact of the scal cliff even if they fail to reach a compromise by Dec. 31. One thing they cannot control, however, is the nancial markets reaction, which possibly could be a panicky sell-off that triggers economic reversals worldwide. The stock markets unpredictability is perhaps the biggest wild card in the political showdown over the scal cliff. AP

Ex-Singaporean banker arrested for fraud

S&P cuts debt rating of Cyprus
STANDARD & Poors cut Cyprus long-term debt rating for the third time in ve months, citing a rising risk of default as the governments short-term nancing is increasingly vulnerable. The grade fell to CCC+ from B, S&P said in a statement, following declines in August and October. The outlook remains negative and S&P said it sees at least a one-in-three chance of a cut in 2013. The shortterm rating, last reduced in January, slid to C from B. Cyprus, the fth euro-area nation to seek a nancial rescue, faces a more serious scal situation than Greece, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who heads the group of euroarea nance ministers, said last week. The Cypriot government is negotiating with the euro area and the International Monetary Fund for aid. With the governments nancing options increasingly limited coupled with what we view as the hesitant attitude of Cyprus euro zone partners toward sharing the cost of a severe banking crisiswe view the risk of a sovereign debt default as considerable and rising, S&P said. Todays cut leaves Cyprus long-term rating seven steps below investment grade, the lowest of the euro area nations and lagging behind Pakistan and Belarus. The government may have to restructure its debt if external and scal nancing pressures escalate and ofcial assistance is not forthcoming, S&P said. Bloomberg A FORMER Singapore banker who allegedly helped Olympus Corp. engage in what US prosecutors said was a $1.7-billion accounting fraud was arrested in California. Chan Ming Fon was arrested in Los Angeles Wednesday and faces US fraud charges in New York, Preet Bharara, US Attorney in New York City, said in a statement. Chan, a citizen of Taiwan who lives in Singapore, made an initial appearance in federal court in Los Angeles yesterday. Olympus, a Tokyo-based camera and endoscope maker, restated ve years of earnings last year and took a $1.3 billion cut in its net assets after admitting it paid inated fees on takeovers and overpaid for three Japanese companies to conceal past investment losses. On Sept. 25, former Olympus executives including ex-chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa pleaded guilty in Japan to hiding losses in one of Japans biggest frauds. Chan Ming Fon was handsomely paid to play an international shell game with hundreds of millions of dollars of assets in order to allow Olympus to keep a massive accounting fraud going for years, duping its auditors and shareholders, Bharara said in the statement. The 13-year accounting fraud at the worlds biggest maker of endoscopes was exposed last year by former President Michael Woodford, who was dismissed in October 2011 after publicly questioning fees paid by Olympus for takeovers. Olympus later said it attempted to conceal past losses by inating fees to advisers on the $2.1 billion acquisition of London-listed Gyrus Group Plc in 2008 and overpaying for three Japanese companies. According to US prosecutors, Chans involvement in the scheme ran from 2004 to 2010. He worked as a vice president at nancial institutions that prosecutors didnt identify. One of his responsibilities was to manage a Cayman Islands entity called SG Bond Plus Fund that purportedly held Olympus funds invested in government bonds and other secure investments, prosecutors said. At the direction of Olympus executives, Chan transferred the portfolio to an Olympuscontrolled entity called Easterside Investments Ltd, prosecutors said. Easterside, based in the British Virgin Islands, liquidated the bonds and used the money to repay an undisclosed, outstanding loan, they said. These improper transfers and the concealed repayment of the loan allowed Olympus to present a signicantly stronger nancial condition of itself to its auditor, and ultimately, its investors, Bharara said. Chan also submitted false records about the portfolios value to Olympus outside auditor, prosecutors said. Confronted by agents of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation this week, he confessed that he was paid more than $10 million for purportedly investing money on behalf of Olympus, Bharara said. Chan is accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Bloomberg

INvITATION TO BID
The City Government of Makati, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites registered suppliers/ manufacturers/distributors/contractors to bid for the hereunder projects: NO. 1 NAME OF PROJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION Provision of Dialysis Supplies consumed per session of the patients of Ospital ng Makati LOCATION OSMAK APPROvED BuDgET P32,058,376.00

Spain pushes large solar plants

SOLAR developers in Spain are trying to build Europes rst largescale plants to sell electricity at market prices, taking advantage of a crash in equipment costs and some of the continents highest levels of sunlight. Builders have sought permits to connect 37.5 gigawatts of utilitysized projects to Red Electrica Corp. SAs transmission grid, company spokeswoman Susana Moreno said. While demand studies show thats far more new generation than the country needs, the rst few plants could set a commercial precedent. The companies include Gestamp Renewables Corp. and Solaria Energia Medio Ambiente SA, which only ve years ago could earn about nine times more than fossil-fuel plants under one of the planets most generous subsidy programs. As solar-panel costs tumbled, above-market prices were cut several times and killed altogether in January amid criticism in Parliament for adding at least 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) a year to consumer bills. Spain is probably set to have Europes rst utility- scale solar parks without subsidies according to Jenny Chase, the Zurich-based head of solar energy analysis at Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Solar cell prices have plunged about 67 percent in the past two years as Chinese manufacturers led by Suntech Power Holdings Co. ramped up production quicker than demand. The top ve makers of traditional siliconbased solar cells expanded output by 55 percent on average last year, according to data compiled by New Energy Finance, an afliate of Bloomberg News. Solar pioneers Spain and Germany have been winding down subsidies in the form of feed-in tariffs, along with the French, UK, Italian, Czech Republic and Greek governments in the last two years. Japan this year initiated feed-in tariffs, which pay an above market rate to generators that feed power into grids. Spanish project developers erected more plants than the rest of the world put together in 20072008 when prices were at their highest. Theyve been criticized by utilities that were forced to buy every kilowatt-hour they produced, by consumer groups for bloating bills for homes and businesses, and by analysts for attracting novices and speculators as promoters. Chase said the majority of the newest proposals may not be built. We believe most of these applications to be largely speculative, she said. Theres perhaps 1 gigawatt of serious projects under planning, which may get built in 2013-2014 on balance sheet and with short-term powerpurchase agreements, if approved by the government. Bloomberg

Prospective Bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examinations of Bids shall use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria. Post-Qualification of the Lowest Calculated Bid shall be conducted. All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows: ACTIvITIES 1. Pre-Bidding Conference at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor 2. Opening of Bids at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor SCHEDuLE December 28, 2012 (10:00 A.M.) January 10, 2013 (02:00 P.M.)

Bidding Documents will be available only to Prospective Bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of ______________________to the City Government of Makati Cashier. (fee for Bid Documents) (Procuring Entity) The City Government of Makati assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for (Procuring Entity) any expenses incurred in the preparation of the bid. The City of Makati reserves the right to disqualify any or all proposal, to waive any defects or informalities therein and to accept such proposal as may be considered most advantageous to the Government. Approved by:
(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

(Sgd.) Atty. ELENO M. MENDOZA, JR. Chairperson

LuNgSOD Ng MAKATI Bids and Awards Committee

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

REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS

INvITATION TO BID
The City Government of Makati, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites registered suppliers/manufacturers/ distributors/contractors to bid for the hereunder projects: NAME OF PROJECT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LOCATION APPROvED BuDgET Provision of Dialysis Supplies consumed per session of the patients of Ospital OSMAK P32,058,376.00 ng Makati 2 Dietary Supplies for daily operation of Ospital ng Makati for one (1) year OSMAK P14,597,262.32 3 Brand New 61-Seater Bus for official use of the City Government OM P13,858,004.00 Prospective Bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examinations of Bids shall use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria. Post-Qualification of the Lowest Calculated Bid shall be conducted. All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows: ACTIvITIES 1. Pre-Bidding Conference at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor 2. Opening of Bids at BAC Conference Room, 9th Floor SCHEDuLE December 28, 2012 (10:00 A.M.) January 10, 2013 (02:00 P.M.) NO. 1

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

(MST-Dec. 22, 2012)

(Sgd.) Atty. ELENO M. MENDOZA, JR. Chairperson

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WORLD
Manila Standard TODAY
UNITED NATIONS The UN Security Council on Thursday authorized military action to wrest northern Mali from the control of al-Qaida-linked extremists but demanded progress rst on political reconciliation, elections and training African troops and police.
A resolution adopted unanimously by the UNs most powerful body stressed that there must be a two-track plan, political and military, to reunify the country, which has been in turmoil since a coup in March. The Security Council authorized an African-led force to support Malian authorities in recovering the north an area the size of Texas but set no timeline for military action. Instead, it set out benchmarks to be met before the start of offensive operations, beginning with progress on a political roadmap to restore constitutional order. The resolution also emphasizes that further military planning is needed before the African-led force is sent to the north and asks Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to conrm in advance the councils satisfaction with the planned military offensive operation. UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said recently he does not expect a military operation to begin until September or October of next year. AP

B4

SATURDAY DECEMBER 22, 2012

IN BRIEF
Brazil to privatize two airports
BRASILIA Brazil will turn over operations of two airports to the private sector in a 2013 auction it hopes will attract close to $6 billion for their expansion and modernization the government said Thursday. One airport to be privatized is the Antonio Carlos Jobim airport in Rio de Janeiro, the countrys second busiest. The other is the Conns airport in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais state. The two cities will host games of the 2014 World Cup. President Dilma Rousseff said Thursday the auction will be held in September and that the airports will be ready to greet athletes and tourists in time for the World Cup. Earlier this year, the government privatized the nations busiest airport in Sao Paulo, along with those in the capital Brasilia and in Campinas. AP

UN orders action vs al-Qaida

Israel broke law targeting media

JERUSALEMHuman Rights Watch says Israeli army attacks on journalists and media facilities in the Gaza Strip during last months military operation violated the laws of war. Two Palestinian cameramen were killed and at least 10 media personnel were wounded in the offensive, which was launched after weeks of rocket attacks on Israel. The Israeli government says each of the targets was a legitimate military objective. A statement released Thursday by the New Yorkbased rights group says it found no indications that these targets were valid military objectives. Sarah Leah Whitson, the Mideast director at HRW, says that just because Israel says a journalist was a ghter or a TV station was a command center does not make it so. AP

Peace force. A police ofcer dressed in a Santa Claus costume walks in Macacos slum after arriving in a helicopter in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Dec. 20, 2012. The Pacifying Police Unit organized for Santa to visit and hand out gifts to young residents. AP

Russia: Syrian embattled leader may fall

BEIRUT Russian President Vladimir Putin distanced himself further than ever from Syrias embattled leader on Thursday, suggesting that Bashar Assads regime is growing weaker while warning that his decline could exacerbate the countrys crisis. Putin insisted, however, that Russias position on the conict has not changed and that only a negotiated agreement could prevent a breakup of the country and an endless civil war. Other Russian ofcials have made similar statements recently, although Putins carry much more weight, suggesting that resignation to the idea that Assad could fall extends to the Kremlins top reaches. Last week, Russias top envoy for Syria was quoted as saying Assads forces were losing control of the country. Although the Foreign Ministry backpedaled on the statement, analysts have suggested for months that Russias leaders recognize that Assad may fall. Russia has stood staunchly by Assad throughout the 21-month conict, providing his forces with weapons and, along with China, protecting his government from censure by the UN Security Council for its violent crackdown on the opposition. His latest comments, however, suggested that Russia realizes Assads days could be numbered. We are not preoccupied that much with the fate of the Assad regime, Putin told reporters during his annual, hours-long press conference in Moscow. We realize whats going on there and that the family has been in power for 40 years. Undoubtedly, there is a call for changes. But Putin said the erosion of Assads regime might extend the war, not end it. We are worried about another thing: What happens next, he said. We dont want to see the opposition come to power and start ghting the government ... so that it goes on forever. He said Russia does not seek to keep Assad and his regime in power at any cost, but to foster an agreement among Syrians that will ensure their safety and their participation in governing the country. AP

US-based think tank shuttered

Japan wants freer rein for military sector

TOKYO Imagine that North Korea launched a missile at Japan. Tokyo could and would certainly try to shoot it down. But if the missile were ying overhead toward Hawaii or the continental United States, Japan would have to sit idly by. Japans military is kept on a very short leash under a warrenouncing constitution written by US ofcials whose main concern was keeping Japan from rearming soon after World War II. But if Japans soon-to-be prime minister Shinzo Abe has his way, the status quo may be in for some change. Abe, set to take ofce for a second time after leading his conservative party to victory in elections last Sunday, has vowed a fundamental review of Japans taboo-ridden postwar security policies and proposed ideas that range from changing the name of the military now called the Japan Self-Defense Forces to revising the constitution itself. Most of all, he wants to open the door to what the Japanese call collective defense, which would allow Japans troops to ght alongside their allies especially the US troops who are obliged to defend Japan if either comes under direct attack. The United States has about 50,000 troops in Japan, including its largest air base in Asia. Right now, if Japans current standoff with China over a group of disputed islands got physical, and U.S. Navy ships coming to Japans assistance took enemy re, Japan wouldnt be able to help them. AP

DUBAIThe US-based policy think tank RAND Corp. says it has been ordered to close its Abu Dhabi ofce, the latest such move against Western research groups this year. The order appears to reect a tightening of politicalrelated activity in the United Arab Emirates, which has widened crackdowns on perceived dissent by activists and others. A statement Thursday from RAND spokesman Jeffrey Hiday says the group shut its Abu Dhabi ofce at the request of ofcials. The ofce conducted research into areas such as education and environment. He gave no further details. AP

Palestinians to isolate Israel

RAMALLAH, West Bank Weeks ahead of Israeli elections, Palestinian ofcials are already plotting a series of tough steps against Israel to be taken if, as polls predict, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is re-elected and peace efforts remain stalled. Emboldened by their newly upgraded status at the United Nations, the Palestinians are talking of ling war crimes charges against Israel, staging mass demonstrations in the West Bank, encouraging the international community to impose sanctions, and ending the security cooperation that has helped preserve quiet in recent years. These plans, combined with growing international impatience with Israeli settlement construction on occupied land, could spell trouble and international isolation for the Israeli leader. In a series of interviews with The Associated Press, a number of Palestinian ofcials all voiced a similar theme: Following the UN General Assemblys recognition of Palestine as a nonmember observer state in November, the status quo cannot continue. AP

Yule presents. Children line up to receive Christmas gifts at the national palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. AP

Central Bank head resigns over degree

QUITO, EcuadorEcuadors Central Bank president has resigned after acknowledging that he presented a fake academic degree 22 years ago a scandal that prompted the countrys leader to call for him to face justice. Central Bank President Pedro Delgado, who is a cousin of Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, apologized to the nation, the government and his family on Wednesday at a news conference. With honesty, I should acknowledge that I made a very serious mistake 22 years ago, Delgado said. I made a wrong decision to achieve my academic objective. He acknowledged that he had given a Costa Rican business school a document with no value (showing) a degree I didnt hold. I kept this act secret. I offer an apology to my wife, children, the Ecuadorean people, the government ... and above all to President Rafael Correa, Delgado said. Correa called it a very hard day in a message on his Twitter account. Weve veried that Pedro Delgado had presented a false degree, Correa said in the message, adding that it has done serious damage to the revolution. The scandal erupted after an investigation by opposition politician Enrique Herreria into Delgados academic record at the Catholic University of Ecuador and the prestigious INCAE Business School in Costa Rica. Herreria told reporters on Thursday that Delgado had left the country, possibly for the United States. AP

UN bans female circumcision

UNITED NATIONSThe UN General Assembly unanimously approved a resolution Thursday calling for a global ban on female genital mutilation, a centuries-old practice stemming from the belief that circumcising girls controls womens sexuality and enhances fertility. It has also been linked to religious and cultural practices, although Muslim and Christian leaders have spoken out against it. Although not legally binding, General Assembly resolutions reect international concerns and carry moral and political weight. The UN said in 2010 that about 70 million girls and women had undergone the procedure, and the World Health Organization said about 6,000 girls were circumcised every day. The resolution, cosponsored by over 100 countries and adopted by consensus, calls the practice harmful and a serious threat to the psychological, sexual and reproductive health of women and girls. AP

Chinese babies risk diabetes in one-child rule

DIABETES in China, already a greater burden than in any other country, is probably being exacerbated by its one-child policy. About 100 million families have just one child, the Chinese government says. That translates into an equal number of rstborns, a status that researchers are nding may be tied to conditions that raise obesity risk, said Chong Yap Seng, a scientist at Singapores National University Hospital. Chong and colleagues in Beijing and Southampton, England, are studying the biological mechanisms that have conspired with diet and lifestyle changes to produce 92.3 million diabetics in China, almost four times as many as in the US While rstborns start out smaller than siblings, they gain weight faster and are bigger as adults, a trajectory that increases obesity risk and may explain why Chinas diabetes prevalence has more than tripled in a decade, said Chong. You have a whole group of rstborns growing up in China who are all at a slightly higher risk for obesity and diabetes than in other societies, said Chong, an obstetrician who is investigating the origins of diabetes on the island-nation of Singapore, where 74 percent of residents are ethnically Chinese. Their ndings will help shape new approaches to preventing diabetes and other chronic diseases that Health Minister Chen Zhu says threaten to sap the labor force and slow the pace of economic growth. For drugmakers such as Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co., the metabolic condition is a boon for revenue. Sales of diabetes medicines in China will expand 20 percent a year to reach $3.2 billion by 2016, consulting rm IMS Health Inc. says. Bloomberg

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