CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Standard
TODAY
Manila
Vol. XXVI No. 270 16 Pages, 3 Sections
P18.00 Tuesday, January 1, 2013

www.manilastandardtoday.com • mst@mstandardtoday.com

2013:
NEW DAWN,
NEW HOPE By Anna Leah Estrada and Jenniffer B. Austria
Sunrise at Mt. Pulag, Benguet. DANNY PATA

MESSAGE
Mensahe ng Kagalang-galang Benigno S. Aquino III
Pangulo ng Pilipinas Para sa Bagong Taon 2013
[Ika-31 ng Disyembre 2012]
Kaybilis po talaga ng pa-
nahon: Ito na po ang ikatlong
bagong taon na ipagdiriwang
ng sambayanan sa tuwid na
daan. At hindi po maikakaila:
sinasalubong natin ang bawat
pagpapalit ng taon, nang may
matibay na pag-asa, at kompi-
yansang mas magiging maka-
buluhan, at higit na makahu-
lugan ang mga susunod pang
taon sa landas ng tapat at mab-
uting pamamahala.
Ang taong 2012 ay pare-
hong panahon ng pagsubok
at tagumpay. May ilan mang
lubak sa ating paglalakbay; may mga pilit mang humadlang sa
ating mga positibong hakbang; nanaig pa rin ang adhika nating
ituwid ang baluktot na sistema, at baguhin ang dinatnan nating
kalagayan ng bansa.
Kung dati, milyun-milyong tonelada ng bigas ang nabubulok
sa mga warehouse dahil sa maling pamamalakad, ngayon, dahil
sa tamang pamamahala, hindi na lamang rice self-sufficiency,
kundi ang pag-eexport ng matataas na klase ng bigas ang habol
natin pagdating ng 2013.
Ang minana natin mula sa ating sinundan: 66, 800 na kaku-
langan sa silid aralan. Ang pamana ng tuwid na landas sa mga
kabataan: sapat na classroom, sapat na mesa’t upuan, sapat na
aklat, para sa kanilang mas mayamang kinabukasan. Next page
THE year 2013 may shape up to become
a year of better tidings for the Philippines
following its mixed fortunes last year,
when the economy soared but Mindanao
was struck by a typhoon that killed over
a thousand people, affected millions
more, sent hundreds of others missing
and caused billions of pesos in damage to
agriculture, infrastructure and property.
Indeed, analysts are predicting of them said so.
a record year for the economy in And the political front is ex- Year of the Snake. A sales lady arranges a display of snake figu-
2013—particularly for the equi- pected to heat up as a result of the rines in a store in Binondo, Manila. Feng shui experts said the Year
of the Snake is the best time to start a new life, career or business.
ties and currency markets—as mid-term elections in May and
LINO SANTOS
more investors bet on the stock the continuing dispute between
market and support the peso in
anticipation of the Philippines’
the ruling Liberal Party and the
United Nationalist Alliance,
WATER SNAKE YEAR
debt receiving an investment-
grade rating.
An investment grade rating
which are at loggerheads as a re-
sult of Malacañang’s suspension
of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia
Best time to start afresh
THE Year of the Water Snake, which begins on February 10, 2013,
means Philippine debt is safe and for alleged abuse of authority. is the best time to start a new life, according to feng shui expert
carries little risk, hence attracting Garcia has defied her six-month Marites Allen.
more investors and, at the same suspension and lived inside her The United Kingdom-based Allen compares the year to a “reset
time, reducing the interest rate office at the Provincial Capitol button.”
that the country must pay for the since the order suspending her Thus, this is the year to start a new career or a business.
money it borrows abroad. was released on Dec. 19 and her “If you ask me, I’m back to zero all over again. I started Frigga
Adult Filipinos are also hope- replacement was announced. She (her feng shui-inspired clothing line). It’s a reset button for every-
ful for this year as indicated by has asked the Court of Appeals to body,” she said.
the results of a Social Weather step in and stop Malacañang. Compared to the Year of the Water Dragon, the Year of the Water
Stations survey for the fourth Both the peso and the stocks Snake brings good tidings. This is because the coming year has “a
quarter last year, when 92 percent Next page complete set of elements.” Next page

World hails Pinoys greet

New Year
with pomp,
ceremony
CANBERRA—-From the time
the first sunrise of 2013 is seen
on Kiribati in Central Pacific
to sunset on Savali island, Sa-
moa, in the South Pacific, peo-
ple around the world welcome
the New Year with pomp and
ceremony.
In Sydney, eager revelers
camped over Sunday night on
the shores of the harbor to get
the best vantage points as some
1.5 million are expected to see
the fireworks show centered on
the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
In Hong Kong, this year’s
12.5 million Hong Kong dollar
($1.6 million) fireworks display
was being billed by organizers
as the biggest ever in the south-
ern Chinese city. Police expect
as many as 100,000 people to
watch, local news reports said.
In Seoul, the ceremonial
15th-century bronze bell will
ring to keep with the tradition
of ushering in a new year.
Cityfolk are raring to dance
Gangnam style to a hit by Psy,
blending with the pyrotechnics
and street revelry.
Japanese merrymakers will
pay homage to their ancestors
Next page
New Year revelry. A fireworks display despite the ban in a Manila street shows a contrast compared with a street party in New York’s Times
Square (left) during the New Year’s Eve celebration. AP
No holiday in Cebu political dispute
By Joyce Panares, Chris-
tine Herrera, Jonathan
Fernandez and Bart
Ochea
THE political dispute in the Cebu
provincial capitol simmered on
Monday after the Malacañang-
designated acting governor, Ag-
nes Magpale slammed suspended
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia
locked herself inside her office
while her supporters held street
rallies.
Magpale accused Garcia of im-
posing mob rule in Cebu to oppose
the six-month suspension ordered
by Malacañang on Dec. 19 for al-
leged abuse of authority, “but we
are heartened that suspended Gar-
cia’s attempt to create trouble had
largely been ignored by the politi-
cally mature citizens.”
“It is mob rule that these groups
are trying to espouse, which sadly
does not reflect the sentiments of
the majority of the peace-loving
and law-abiding population of the
province of Cebu,” Magpale said.
About 5,000 Garcia support-
ers held a rally outside the capitol
during the weekend and marched
down the main avenue in the heart
of the city. The demonstrators in-
cluded health workers, members
of women’s groups and residents
from different towns and cities.
Next page
2013 with
big ‘crackers
despite ban
By Francisco Tuyay,
Maricel V. Cruz and
Dexter See
DESPITE stern warnings
from the government, Fili-
pinos “from all walks of life
celebrated the New Year with
traditional merrymaking, an
abundance of food on the table,
family gatherings, and yes, the
lighting of loud and “deadly”
fireworks, most of whicSh
were sold illegally.
A few resorted to firing of
Next page
Oil firms start year with price hike
By Alena Mae S. Flores
OIL companies raised pump prices by as much as 75 centavos a
liter 6 a.m. Monday to reflect the movement of world prices.
In separate announcements, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp.,
Total Philippines, Seaoil Philippines and Petron Corp. raised
prices by 75 centavos per liter for premium and unleaded gaso-
line, 65 centavos for regular gasoline, 30 centavos per liter for
kerosene and 20 centavos for diesel.
Petron said prices would not be raised, however, in Compos-
tela Valley and Davao Oriental, which were hit hard by recent
typhoons. Next page

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
A2 TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013
2013...
rose on Friday last week, ending
trading this year on a positive
note.
The peso gained 0.2 percent to
close at 41.05 against the dollar
last week and 6.4 percent since
the start of the year to become
Asia’s best performing currency
after South Korea’s won.
The PSEi, the 30-company
benchmark index of the
Philippine Stock Exchange, also
climbed, and by 17 points or 0.3
percent to close at 5,812.73 near
a record level. The index had
jumped by 1,440.77 points or 33
percent since the start of the year.
The PSEi’s 33-percent gain
was the second best in Asia, next
to Thailand Stock Exchange’s
36.3-percent increase, according
to First Metro Investments Corp.
Economists and analysts see
the peso and the stocks sustaining
their gains in 2013, when the
country is expected to receive
an investment-grade credit
rating. Overseas funds invested
in emerging markets with robust
economic performance such
as the Philippines led to the
appreciation of the peso and the
stocks.
“The strong surges in inflows
have resulted in considerable
appreciation pressures on the
peso,” Bangko Sentral Governor
Pinoys...
guns to “ward off” evil spirits,
a practice strictly prohibited
by law, but has continued to
victimize innocent residents.
It was another “dea.dly and
bloody” New Year, for hard-
headed Filipinos who ignored
the government’ s warning aga.
inst illegal firecrackers and
indiscriminate firing, the twin
evils of New Year revelry, Pinoy-
style.
The Health Department
said that since Christmas Day,
firecracker- related injuries had
risen to 186, including 33 with
Oil...
On Dec. 24, the oil
companies raised kerosene
prices by 60 centavos per
liter, regular gasoline by 55
centavos per liter, premium
and unleaded gasoline by 50
centavos a liter, and diesel by
45 centavos a liter.
Premium and unleaded
gasoline is now sold at
P50.05 to P58.50 per liter,
regular gasoline at P48.25
to P54.55 per liter, kerosene
at P48.18 to P55.43 per
liter and diesel at P39.70 to
P42.70 per liter.
Prices on cooking gas, on
the other hand, were rolled
back P2 a kilo effective
midnight, the Liquefied
Petroleum Gas Marketers’
Association said.
“Owing to the sustained
drop in the international
contract price of LPG, we
are further reducing prices
by P2 per kilo, or by P22 for
every 11-kilogram cylinder,”
LPG-MA Rep. Arnel Ty said
Monday.
“We see softer LPG prices
in the weeks ahead. We hope
this will just be the first of our
price cutbacks for 2013,” the
group said.
Refillers not aligned with
the big oil companies tend to
sell LPG at prices up to 20
percent lower than branded
cooking gas.
Ty said the international
contract price of LPG has been
steadily declining because
of weaker demand from the
United States and Europe.
“The stronger peso has also
made it somewhat cheaper for
Philippine importers to buy
LPG in dollars overseas,” said
Ty.
Meanwhile, amid the rash
of accidental fires, Ty renewed
his plea for the swift passage
of a bill proposing to establish
a one-time exchange program
for the benefit of consumers
possessing dilapidated LPG
cylinders.
The 55-member House
committee on trade and
industry previously endorsed
the bill for floor debate and
approval. – With Christine F.
Herrera and Maricel Cruz
ManilaStandardToday
Amando Tetangco Jr. had said.
“In order to help manage
volatilities in the exchange rate
movements, the Bangko Sentral
maintained its presence in the
foreign exchange market and
built up its reserves to a record
$84 billion as of November
2012.”
Bangko Sentral Deputy
Governor Diwa Guinigundo
said the strength of the peso
reflected the Philippines’ strong
macroeconomic fundamentals,
including its external payments
surplus and the capital inflows
attached to the country’s positive
outlook.
“As we expect sustained BoP
surplus next year, the peso will
remain firm,” Guinigundo said.
“The challenge to some
economic sectors is to improve
their efficiency and productivity
so they can compete in the
external markets. After all, a firm
peso helps reduce production
cost.”
\BDO analyst Jonas Ravelas
predicted that the peso will
fluctuate from 39 to 43.50 to the
dollar in 2013 before settling
at 42.10 by the end of that
year.
\Philippine Stock Exchange
president Hans Sicat said he
was confident about the stock
market’s continuing strong
performance as he expected
capital-raising activities in 2013
eye injuries, and six victims
whose limbs had to be amputated.
It was another “deadly and
bloody” New Year, for hard-
headed Filipinos who ignored
the government’s warning
against illegal firecrackers and
indiscriminate firing, the twin
evils of The DOH added that
most of the casualties were
children aged 10 or younger who
may be unaware of the dangers
of fireworks. It added that one
person was wounded by a stray
bullet.
But the police placed the
number of injuries caused by
fireworks at 454, as of late
Monday. It added that fireworks
World...
in temples before joining a
family meal of soba noodles and
enjoying New Year shows.
The buoyant economies of
the Asia-Pacific are prepared to
party with renewed optimism
despite the so-called fiscal
cliff threatening to reverberate
globally from the United States
and the tattered economy of
Europe.
Jakarta’s street party will
center on a 7-kilometer (4-mile)
main thoroughfare closed to
all traffic from nightfall until
after midnight. Workers were
erecting 16 large stages along
the normally car-clogged, 8-lane
highway through the heart of
the city. Indonesia’s booming
economy is a rare bright spot
amid global gloom and bringing
prosperity--or the hope of it--to
Indonesians.
Best...
“Things will be very good
because it has the presence
of two wood elements, two
water, two earth, a metal and
a fire. So this is a complete set
of elements. are hoping to go
through a better time after so
many years of [hardship],” said
Allen.
No....
Garcia’s staff also padlocked
the three main doors of the capi-
tol following reports she will be
physically bundled out before the
New Year.
The police assigned to guard
the capitol were left outside the
premises.
In Malacañang, presidential
spokesman Edwin Lacierda said
Garcia’s suspension is “final and
executory” and it cannot be over-
turned by a Temporary Restrain-
ing Order (TRO) that Garcia
sought from the Court of Appeals
(CA).
“The Office of the Solicitor
General has already submitted
its comment to the CA. The po-
News
to match, if not exceed, the more
than P200 billion raised through
that market in 2012.
Justino Calaycay, a this year.
stockbroker from Accord Capital
Equities Inc., said the PSEi was
expected to rise to a range of
6,800 to 7,000 points, with a
fighting target of 7,500.
“The momentum of 2012
may be expected to carry
over to 2013, with additional
impetus from the mid-term polls
scheduled in May,” Calaycay
said. “The market will keep tabs
on the country’s ratings, pregnant
with anticipation of reaching
investment grade, or at the very
least hints of getting there.”
DA Market Securities sees the
PSEi hitting 6,750 on the positive
economic outlook.
“Optimistically, end 2013,
there is a possible target of 6,750
and support at 6,280 to 6,300
level,” the company said.
BDO analyst Jonas Raveles
said inflation would continue to
be manageable and interest rates
low as the central bank would
continue to protect the market
from the volatility caused by the
global economic slowdown.
President Benigno Aquino III
said this year would be much
better than last year, and that
it would be a critical stage in
his administration’s crusade for
continuing progress and good
governance.
which emit deafening noise
and black powder smoke were
a common sight in several
communities, especially in
residential and slum areas.
National Police chief Gen.
Alan Purisima said police
were monitoring the metro’s
slums because- of the threat
of fire from stray fireworks.
He added that so far, 8 8
people have been- arrested
for firecracker violations
and nine were nabbed for
indiscriminate firing in the
National Capital Region.
The police also shut down
four stalls, which were found
selling’641 boxes, 600 pieces, 12
The New Year firework’s
display at Taipei 101 has long
been among the world’s most
spectacular. This year, South
Korean electronics giant
Samsung Electronics Corp had
offered 40 million New Taiwan
dollars ($1.4 million) to light
the building’s top stories with
Samsung name and logo after the
fireworks.
Increasingly democratic
Myanmar will have a public
countdown for the first time.
In Yangon, workers early
Monday were testing a giant
digital countdown screen with
the backdrop of the revered
Shwedagon pagoda.
Arranged by local Forever
Media group and Index Creative
Village, a Thai major event
organizer, the celebration will
be the first public New Year
countdown in Myanmar, a
country ruled for almost five
decades by military regimes that
discouraged or banned big public
Allen said those who were
born in the Year of the Tiger
and the Year of the Ox will
gain wealth-related luck during
the Year of the Water Snake.
Dragons and Snakes, on the
other hand, are seen to be
lucky in issues related to love,
romance and education next
year.
Other “lucky” animal signs
include the Horse, which is
seen to have more “prosperity”;
sition of the government is that
the decision of the Office of the
President is already final and ex-
ecutory and, therefore, cannot be
overturned by a TRO,” Lacierda
said.
In the event that the CA will
rule in favor of Garcia, the gov-
ernment will respect the TRO,
Lacierda said.
“We just hope the CA issues a
decision whether denying the pe-
ition or granting the TRO as soon
as possible,” he said.
Solicitor General Francis
Jardeleza, in his petition to the
court, said Garcia failed to dem-
onstrate that there was “flagrant
abuse of the exercise of the pow-
er of suspension by the Palace,”
and the decision of the president
in administrative cases is final
House Speaker Feliciano
Belmonte Jr. vowed there would
be a more responsive Congress
“We intend to maximize our
chamber’s efforts for the rest
of our term and hope to leave
a mark as most responsive
Congrees—one that has heeded
the effectively represented the
voice of our people from all
sectors of our constituencies,” he
said.
“May 2013 be a new
beginning for each of us and for
our nation.”
Senator Teofisto Guingona
III said the 2012 Framework
Agreement with the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front would
pave the way for greater progress
especially in Mindanao.
“That agreement will stabilize
our relationships and our
activities,” he said.
“As we support the process
towards peace, we must remain
vigilant that the products of the
process will truly bring peace.”
Senator Loren Legarda
welcomed a recent Pulse
Asia survey that showed the
Filipinos’ growing awareness
of the importance of protecting
the environment and increasing
approval of the government’s
environmental programs.
But she said that although
meaningful strides had been
made to protect the environment,
reams and 13 packs of .piccolo,
and seized illegal firecrackers
from 35 .ambulant vendors.
They also intercepted and
seized a truckload and 2.pickups
loaded with illegal firecrackers
at around 10 a.m. In eastern
Manila, the police confiscated
two jeeploads of assorted illegal
firecrackers and pyrotechnics.
NCRPO chief Leonardo
Espina said the arrests resulted
from 170 operations that the
police conducted against illegal
firecrackers.
In Baguio City, the police
confiscated and destroyed
more than Pl50,000 worth of
illegal firecrackers and gun
gatherings.
Spirits in the capital have been
further raised by the election of
a new, populist governor, who
is pledging action in tackling
the city’s massive infrastructure
problems.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover
Moore said about 1.5 million
spectators were expected to
line the harbor to watch the 6.6
million Australian dollars ($6.9
million) fireworks display, while
another 2 million Australians
among a population of 22 million
would watch it on television.
“This is really putting
Australia on the map in terms
of welcoming people to the new
year,” Moore told reporters at the
harbor before the event.
Thousands lined the harbor
shore in festive crowds
under a blue summer sky by
late afternoon, their number
undiminished by Australian
government warnings that the
Washington deadlock on the
the Rat, predicted to get the
energies of the “white star,”
which is associated with overall
success; and the Dog and Boar,
said to have better “heaven
luck” or karma.
On the other hand, Allen
said the Rabbit, Rooster, Sheep
and Monkey will not be as
fortunate during the Year of the
Water Snake.
Marites Allen will hold
a feng shui convention on
and executory.
Magpale said she found it dis-
turbing that “in the season of peace
and harmony the followers of Gar-
cia .... were agitating Cebuanos to
take part in a politically motivated
protest against a lawful order by
the Office of the President.”
“It was good that they were the
ones who padlocked the gates.
She locked herself in,” Magpale
said.
Sought for comment on the
controversy, Interior and Local
Government Secretary Manuel
Roxas said the police has been
ordered to exercise maximum
tolerance despite serious provo-
cations and even assault on its
uniformed personnel.
“Notwithstanding the open de-
fiance of a lawful order, we are
there was still a need to fully
implement the environmental
laws and to improve disaster risk
management.
Environment Secretary
Ramon Paje urged the Filipinos
to learn from the past in order to
avoid a repeat of the destruction
triggered by natural calamities
including that inflicted by
Typhoon “Pablo” in Mindanao.
“We’re hoping for a hazard-
free, disaster-free 2013,” Paje
said.
“We are calling on everybody
to be more prepared for stronger
typhoons that induce flash floods
and landslides so we can avoid
a repeat of Pablo and other
destructive typhoons.”
Pablo, the most powerful
typhoon to hit the country in
2012, slammed into Mindanao
on Dec. 4, killing 1,050 people,
injuring over 2,000 and sending
800 missing.
Pablo affected a total of 6.2
million people. Of the 168,227
homes that Pablo damaged, over
65,500 were totally destroyed
and the estimated value of the
property damage was $839
million.
Close to 12,000 people are
still in 43 evacuation centers.
“The devastation was total,”
Disaster Council head Benito
Ramos said. With Maricel V.
Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta
and Othel V. Campos
replicasv according to Chief
Superintendent Benjamin B.
Magalong, regional director of
the Police Regional Office in the
Cordillera.
The operation was led by
the Baguio City Police Office
led by Senior Superintendent
Jesus Cambay, Jr. Cambay
said the confiscated and
destroyed firecrackers include
pla-pla, whistle bomb, super
lolo, tiger, platinum, luces,
big sparklers, Judas belt, pop
pops while the over 50 pieces
of seized gun replicas include
M.I Armalite rifle, Baby
Armalite, shotgun, caliber
.9mm and .45 pistols.
US debt crisis was partly to
blame for a slowing Australian
economy.
When revelers pack Times
Square for the annual New Year’s
eve celebration on Monday night,
police will observe a tradition of
their own: giving them lots of
company.
Each year, the New York Police
Department assigns thousands of
extra patrols to the festivities —
in ways seen and unseen — to
control the crowd and watch for
any signs of trouble. Hundreds of
thousands of people from all over
the world are expected to pack into
the streets in Midtown Manhattan
to see the crystal ball drop and ring
in 2013.
In Paris where fireworks are
banned, crowds will get a laid
back view of the Eiffel Towere
and the Champs-Elysees.
Dubai lines up the Gulf’s
centerpiece display at Burj
Khalifa, the tallest building in
the world.
January 19, 2013 at the Infinity
Ballroom of Best Western
Premiere F1 Hotel at Fort
Bonifacio Global City. After
the Manila event, she will hold
similar talks on February 16 in
Monaco, March 23 in London,
March 31 in Tokyo, April 27
in Alaska, May in Iceland,
July in Norway, August in
Belgium, Spain and Malta, and
September in Denmark and
Sweden.
employing maximum tolerance
and patience,” Roxas said.
“Please recall that the viola-
tion for which the suspended
governor is being sanctioned is
grave abuse of authority but until
now they are abusing their au-
thorities,” he said.
Roxas was referring to the in-
cident involving Garcia’s son,
Pablo Garcia Codilla, who was
accused with two others for ass-
saulting a police officer for dis-
mantling the tents put up by sup-
porters outside the capitol.
Hilario Davide Jr., who was
picked to run as candidate for
governor of President Aquino’s
Liberal Party (LP) in elections
in May against Garcia’s brother
John Pablo, said in a statement
the suspension was pursuant to
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Message...
Matagal rin po tayong
binansagang “Sick Man
of Asia.” Subalit dahil sa
pambihirang arangkada ng
ating ekonomiya, sunud-
sunod ang mga namumuhunan
sa ating bansa. At mukhang
magpapatuloy ang ganitong
kompiyansa ng mundo sa atin:
ang 7.1 percent na pag-angat
ng GDP nitong 3rd quarter,
ay higit sa inaasahang target
ng mga dalubhasa, at siyang
pinakamataas sa buong Timog
Silangang Asya.
Hindi lang po rito
natatapos ang pagbuhos
ng mabubuting balita,
tagumpay at biyaya sa
bansa. Mula sa patuloy na
pagangat ngall time high ng
Philippine Stock Exchange,
hanggang sa pagpapanday
ng pangmatagalang
kapayapaan sa Bangsamoro;
Mula sa pagliwanag ng libu-
libong mga sitio, hanggang
sa pagkakapasa ng ilang
makasaysayang batas; Mula
sa pagpapantay sa timbangan
ng katarungan, hanggang sa
kahandaan at bayanihan ng
sambayanan sa harap ng mga
pagsusungit ng kalikasan,
pinapatunayan natin sa
buong mundo: basta’t handa
tayong gawin ang tama’t
magsakripisyo para sa ating
kapwa; basta’t sumasagwan
tayo nang sabay sa ngalan
ng sambayanan; walang
pangarap na hindi kayang
abutin ang ating bansa.
Simula lamang po ito.
Sa totoo lang po, ang kaisa-
isang limitasyon sa tayog
ng ating mararating ay
ang ating ambisyon. Nasa
pagtutulungan at tiwala
natin sa isa’t isa ang susi
ng tagumpay. Ang 2013 ay
kritikal na yugto sa ating
krusada ng pangmatagalang
kaunlaran at tuwid na
pamamahala. Ngayong
bagong taon, mas maigting
na pagkakaisa ang kailangan.
Umaasa akong magiging
mapanuri ang taumbayan sa
pagkilatis ng mga itatalagang
pinuno.
Ang mga pinunong ito
ang tutugon sa panawagan
nating isulong ang dangal at
katapatan sa paglilingkod-
bayan; Ang mga pinunong
ito ang aasahan nating didilig
sa mga repormang ating
ipinunla.
Kaya naman mahalaga
ang ating paninindigan at
pagtitimbang kung saang
direksyon tutungo ang ating
bansa: Sabay-sabay ba tayong
sasagwan patungo sa landas
kung saan nangingibabaw
ang kapakanan ng Pilipino?
O hahayaan lang natin
na muling matangay ang
Pilipinas sa mga daluyong ng
panlalamang, pagkakanya-
kanya’t kurapsyon?
Ang aking hiling ngayong
ngayong 2013: ituloy lang
natin ang bayanihan. Kapit-
bisig tayong humakbang
tungo sa maliwanag at
masaganang kinabukasan ng
ating bayan.
Muli po, kasama po ninyo
akong umaasa na ang ating
bagong taon ay di hamak na
mas maganda sa nakalipas na
taon.
rule of law, but Garcia’s defiance
was against the law.
Toby Tiangco, Secretary Gen-
eral of the opposition United Na-
tionalist Alliance (UNA) sneered
at Davide’s definition of rule of
law whose father, former Su-
preme Court Chief Justice Hi-
lario Davide, Sr., swore in Gloria
Arroyo as president despite the
unfinished impeachment of then
president Joseph Estrada.
“Clearly, it is useless to argue
with the namesake and Junior
of a person whose definition of
rule of law is presiding over an
impeachment, where the pros-
ecutors were allowed to walk
out and despite the unfinished
impeachment, swore Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo into office,”
Tiangco said.
mst.daydesk@gmail.com ManilaStandardToday News TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013 A3

RH law features informed choice

By Christine F. Herrera receive for free RH services and com- 6. Enhancement of services for 10. PhilHealth benefits for seri-
modities (Section 2 on Declaration of pregnant women and safe motherhood ous and life-threatening reproductive
Policy). is assured (Sections 5, 6 and 18). health conditions (Section 12).
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III had signed the 2. The hallmark of the RH law is 7. Women suffering from post-abor- 11. The provisions on prohibited
Reproductive Health measure into a law as Re- freedom of informed choice, which tion complications shall be “treated acts and penalties have been retained
shall not be subject to any form of and counseled in a humane, non-judg- to assure compliance with the law
public Act No. 10354 “without congenital defects” coercion (Section 3-a of the Guiding mental and compassionate manner” (Sections 23 and 24).
because the authors made sure it was not watered Principles for Implementation).
3. Massive nationwide information
(Section 3-j).
8. Inclusion in the Philippine Na-
12. Private health facilities and
hospitals are mandated to provide
down when delivered and approved, Albay Rep. campaign on reproductive health and tional Drug Formulary of hormonal family planning services to paying
Edcel Lagman said on Monday. rights is assured (Section 20 on Public contraceptives, intrauterine devices, patients with the option to grant free
Awareness). injectables and other safe, legal, non- care and services to indigents (Sec-
Lagman, one of the principal au- provisions of the RH law are substan- 4. The implementation of the Act abortifacient family planning products tion 7).
thors, said only cosmetic and redun- tially attuned with the pristine formu- shall be the joint responsibility of the and supplies is mandated (Section 9). 13. Creation of a Congressional
dant amendments proposed by critics lations: national government and the local gov- 9. Mandatory age and development- Oversight Committee to monitor the
of the bill, which did not destroy its 1. The State is mandated to pro- ernment units with the latter receiving appropriate reproductive health educa- faithful compliance with the RA 10354
essence, were accepted. mote universal access to reproductive financial and technical support from tion is assured for adolescents enrolled (Section 22).
“Killer amendments were rejected health services and family planning, the national government (Sections 5, in public elementary and secondary 14. Funding support is assured in
outright and voted down,” Lagman including voluntary contraception, 6, 8, 16 and 20). schools with the curriculum prepared the 2013 General Appropriations Act
said. with priority to acceptors from poor 5. The principal elements of RH are by the Department of Education adopt- (GAA) and in the subsequent years’
Lagman said the following salient and marginalized sectors who shall intact and enhanced (Section 4-q). able by private schools (Section 14). GAAs. (Section 25).

SC going
paperless
By Rey Requejo
THE Supreme Court will start
enforcing its paperless filing
system on January 2, the first
working day of the year, after
creating its new e-mail address
for online filing of petitions.
For the next six months,
petitioners may opt to file
their petitions in soft copy
with the high court via e-mail
through efile@sc.judiciary.
gov.ph or still by the tradi-
tional filing of hard copy of
petitions with the docket.il
address for online filing of
petitions, the high court said
in a statement issued by the
Public Information Office.
After six months or in July, the
e-filing system will be made com-
pulsory under the new Rule on Ef-
ficient Use of Paper Rule (A.M.
No. 11-9-4) promulgated by the
high court last November 13.
The new rule requires par-
ties before the SC to submit,
simultaneously with their
court-bound papers, soft cop-
ies of the same and their an-
nexes (the latter in PDF for-
mat) either by email to efile@
sc.judiciary.gov.ph or by com-
pact disc (CD).
It will be implemented in
full blast by the SC manage-
ment information system of-
fice in July, unless the high
court revises the rule and ex-
tends the voluntary period of
implementation.
For efficient use of paper, the
new rule also requires that all
pleadings, motions, and similar
papers intended for the consid-
eration of all courts and quasi-
judicial bodies under the super-
vision of the SC must be written
in single space with a one-and-a-
half space between paragraphs,
using an easily readable font style
of the party’s choice, of 14-size
font, and on a 13-inch by 8.5-inch
white bond paper.
400-year-old
RELIEF. A military helicopter airlifts goods and other relief items for typhoon victims in New Bataan, Compostela Valley, one of the
hardest hit by Pablo. DANNY PATA
Poor man’s magna carta okayed by Senate
THE Senate has approved on third and fi-
nal reading a bill which seeks to protect the
rights of the poor by ensuring them equal
access to basic rights and basic government
services.
Senate Billl 3309, the proposed Magna
Carta of the Poor, was introduced by Sen-
ate President Pro-Tempore Jose Ejercito
and Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Pia
Cayetano.
Senator Francis Pangilinan, sponsor of
the proposed measure said the proposed
law seeks to ensure that no Filipino
would be denied his or her basic rights
and basic government services, and that
no Filipino should be denied the oppor-
tunity to improve his or her station in
Helmets must be Trade-certified, gov’t warns
By Julito Rada
THE Trade Department will no longer
extend the inspection of helmets of mo-
torcycle riders.
Trade Undersecretary Zenaida
Maglaya said motorcyclists caught wear-
ing uncertified helmets will be penalized
starting Jan. 2.
“[There will be] no more inspection
of owner’s helmets. Enforcement starts
life through education and employment,
merely on the basis of his or her social
standing.
Once passed into law, Pangilinan said,
the state will ensure the protection of five
basic rights of every Filipino, namely, the
right to food, employment, quality educa-
tion, shelter and basic health services and
medicines.
“This measure seeks to ensure that pro-
poor policies and programs will continue to
be in place even after this administration’s
term is over,” said Pangilinan, chair of the
senate committee on social justice.
He said that resources will continue to
be allocated for anti-poverty alleviation
programs.
Maglaya said in a text message.
The department gave a one-time ex-
tension on Dec. 28 and 29 to accom-
modate motorcycle riders who were not
able to get their helmets inspected by
authorities. Helmets are marked with ap-
propriate stickers.
The inspection was held in SM Malls
in Metro Manila, such as in SM Mall of
Asia, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa and
SM Manila.
According to Pangilinanan, 27 percent
of Filipinos live in poverty without access
to food and shelter, employment, education
and health care.
He said farmers and fisherfolk suffer the
most with 37 percent and 35 percent respec-
tively living in poverty. He said 32 percent
of farmers and fisherfolk cannot even fend
for themselves.
“As elected representatives of the peo-
ple and as officials of government, we find
it unacceptable that large segments of our
population continue to live without their ba-
sic needs. WE have to ensure that the rights
of these marginalized groups are upheld
and protected,” he said.
Macon Ramos- Araneta
mation or breakage, crack and distortion
are also checked.
Inspectors also look for traces of
paint, stickers, petrol and other solvents
or if brand name and size are still evident
on the face of the helmet.
Based on Republic Act 10054 or the
Motorcycle Helmet Act, any person
caught not wearing the standard protec-
tive helmet shall be punished with a fine
of P1,500 for the first offense, P3,000 for
IN BRIEF
Coast Guard eyes revamp
THE Coast Guard will carry out a re-
shuffle p of key officers within the month,
Commandant Rodolfo Isorena said on
Monday.
He said this major reassignment is in
consonance with the rotation policy of the
command for the officers’ career advance-
ment.
Since Dec. 9, the Coast Guard has
been on full alert until Jan. 7.
“If we implement the reshuffle at this
time, it might lead to confusion…So the
reshuffle would take place after the New
Year so that we would not disrupt the ser-
vices of the coast guard during this holi-
day season,” Isorena said.
A board of officers would be assisting
the Commandant in drafting the list of re-
shuffled officials that would be proposed
to Secretary Abaya.
Among those who might be affected
by the reshuffle are the 12 district com-
manders namely:
National Capital Region and Central
Luzon chief Rear Admiral Cecil Chen;
Central Visayas Commodore William
Melad; Eastern Visayas Captain Pablo
Gonzales; South Western Mindanao Com-
modore Ferdinand Velasco; and Palawan
Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista.
Southern Tagalog Commodore Edu-
ardo Gongona; Western Visayas Com-
modore Athelo Ybanez; North Western
Luzon Commodore Leopoldo Laroya;
Eastern Luzon Captain Joselito dela Cruz;
South Eastern Mindanao Commodore
George Ursabia; Bicol Commodore Joel
Garcia; and Northern Mindanao Commo-
dore Elson Hermogino. Joel E. Zurbano
Parliamentarians
meeting in Manila
CLOSE to 300 parliamentarians from
six continents will troop to Manila from
January 30 to February 2 to attend the
5th Global Organization of Parliamen-
tarians Against Corruption.
The foreign participants will be
joined by 144 Philippine lawmakers, the
largest contingent to the conference.
Senator Edgardo J. Angara, vice
chairman of GOPAC Executive Com-
mittee and the Charter President of
the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians
Against Corruption (SEAPAC), said the
Manila hosting of GOPAC 2013, a his-
toric first, is a vote of confidence on the
Aquino administration’s anti-corruption
efforts.

Camarines Jan. 2 for no helmet, [or] helmets with-

church razed
A 400 year-old church was
gutted by a fire early dawn
Wednesday in a remote vil-
lage in Camarines Norte,
police said.
The National Police opera-
tions center in Camp Crame said
the church destroyed by the fire
was the St. Peter the Apostle
located at Brgy. Dos, Vinzons
town in Camarines Norte.
The reports also said
that the fire, which has
reached third-alarm and
started at around 1:30 a.m.
has completely destroyed
the church.
Destroyed also were sev-
eral antique equipments, re-
ligious icons and sculptures.
Cost of damage by the fire
was placed between P8 to
P10 million, the reports said.
The St. Peter the Apostle
Church is regarded as one
of the oldest churches in the
country. It was built by the
Franciscan Friars in 1611 af-
ter establishing Tacboan town
in 1581.
An investigation is un-
derway to determine the File photo of The St. Peter the Apostle Church in Camarines Norte, said to be the country’s
cause of the fire. CBCP News
out ICC [import commodity clearance]
stickers or with fake ICC stickers,”
oldest, which went up in smoke on Dec. 16.
Inspection is done to check if the
safety parts (shell, comfort paddings,
chin strap) are still intact. Dents, defor-
second, P5,000 for third, and P10,000
and confiscation of driver’s license for
President Benigno Aquino III will
keynote the four-day conference.
the fourth offense.
Carriers’ tax reform pushed
By Maricel V. Cruz
THE chair of the House commit-
tee on ways and means on Sun-
day asked the Aquino adminis-
tration for the speedy enactment
of a measure to rationalize the
taxes on air carriers.
Davao City Rep. Isidro Ung-
ab, the panel chair, said that
the proposals embodied under
House Bill 6022 and Senate Bill
3343 are “very similar” and that
there might not be a need for a
bicameral committee to recon-
cile them.
“There’s a possibility that
there won’t be (bicameral com-
mittee meeting). With the Sen-
ate approving a similar version,
I don’t foresee any further delay
as one chamber may adopt ei-
ther the House or Senate version
of the proposal, “Ungab said.
The House passed on third
and final reading HB 6022 on
May 21, 2012, while the Sen-
ate approved its version on third
reading SB 3343 last December
19. President Aquino earlier cer-
tified the bill as urgent.
Macon Ramos- Araneta
HB 6022, otherwise known
as “An Act Rationalizing the
Taxes on International Air Car-
riers Operating in the Philip-
pines,” authored by Batangas
Rep. Hermilando Mandanas,
provides that international air
carriers doing business in the
Philippines shall not be liable to
pay the Gross Philippine Bill-
ings pursuant to the principle
of reciprocity.
The grant of reciprocal
exemptions to International
air carriers shall enter into
force 30 days from the ex-
change of diplomatic notes
between the Philippines and
the foreign jurisdiction con-
cerned. Said diplomatic notes
shall constitute the agree-
ment between the two coun-
tries, the bill stated.
Under the National Inter-
nal Revenue Code, foreign
carriers are required to pay
2.5 percent gross Philippine
billings tax (GPBT or a tax
on income) and 3 percent
common carriers tax (CCT or
a business tax).
A4 TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013
EDITORIAL
OPTIMISM is always palpable
on the first day of every year.
2013 is no exception.
We look back to what happened
to our country and to our people
in the past year.
We have had our share of
tragedies—natural and otherwise.
We saw how typhoons and even
monsoon rains could snuff out
lives and destroy property and
livelihood. No matter how many
times these have happened before,
we still saw the scrambling of
local officials in providing relief
and rehabilitation assistance as
though it were the first time.
Two messages
GARY
OLIVAR
BYPASS
HERE is the economics portion of the
administration’s latest press release
on its achievements for the year 2012:
“…a roaring economy, one that has
experienced strong growth and stable
inflation despite the uncertainties of
the global economy. Philippine GDP
growth for the 3rd quarter hit a two-
year high of 7.1 percent—the highest
in Southeast Asia, and among the top
performing economies in Asia. Mean-
while, the Philippine Stock Exchange
index this year broke record high after
record high, soaring above expecta-
tions and breaching the 5,800 mark.
The Philippine Peso also appreci-
ated by as much as 6 percent this year
and is projected to gain even more
strength in the coming year.
“These positive indicators are un-
derpinned by an administration that
has maintained fiscal discipline, initi-
ated reforms to ramp up quality public
spending, and invested heavily in both
social and physi-
cal infrastructure.
This is manifested
in the 2.006 trillion
peso General Ap- One is a Palace
propriations Act for
2013, 10.5 percent
press release; the
higher than the 2012 other is a message
budget. The 2013
GAA continues the from a former
Aquino administra-
tion’s tradition of an
on-time passage of
the budget—elimi-
President.
nating leak-prone
reenactments and showing the determi-
nation of government to ensure that ev-
ery peso of the budget is spent wisely.”
And here are just a couple of real-
ity checks to keep in mind:
• It was in the previous decade that
the three pillars were laid for growth,
low inflation, and a strong currency.
One: “dollar-izing” the economy
through the rapid expansion of the
overseas Filipino workers community
abroad and the business process out-
sourcing sector at home. Two: stabi-
lizing public finances through higher
E-VAT rates, which are now funding
the huge government budgets that the
press release is boasting about. And
three: the continuing effectiveness of
the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as the
country’s inflation watchdog. This is
the momentum that President Aquino
was lucky to inherit, despite all his
manufactured moaning about the so-
called “problems” he was left with.
• The stock market boom is fu-
elled by “hot money”—portfolio
investments that can just as quickly
melt away whenever risk-adjusted
yields abroad improve. There are two
questions we should really be asking.
One, what is the administration doing
to manage down the peso in order to
spare our OFW’s and exporters? And
two, what is the administration doing
to take advantage of the peso while it
is still strong? This is the time when
dollar debt should be refinanced into
pesos, foreign direct investments
should be flooding in, government
should be spending on major infra-
structure capex instead of politically
motivated dole programs like condi-
tional cash transfers.
ROGELIO C. SALAZAR President & CEO
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO Publisher
RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN Managing Editor
CHIN WONG/ RAY S. EÑANO Associate Editors
JOEL P. PALACIOS News Editor
MARLON C. MAGTIRA Online Editor
CLIMACO E. CALIWARA Controller
ANITA F. GREFAL Treasury Manager
ManilaStandardToday
Adelle Chua, Editor
A self-fulfilling prophecy
We saw how our leaders
could be so blinded by pride
and resentment that they would
devote their time and resources
in pursuit of a single objective
against their sworn enemies.
We saw how Church leaders
attempted to imprison the nation in
an archaic mindset that promotes
blind obedience to dogmatic
beliefs, even as their messengers
cannot in any way claim to know
what it is really like to be poor,
uninformed and powerless.
There is the notion that all the
economic advances we boast of
are at best superficial and fleeting,
• As ever, the administration holds
out an investment-grade rating as the
holy grail of its economic policy. And
yet it makes no sense to chase after
the lower interest costs and greater li-
quidity from investment grade when
global interest rates are already so
low and we are awash in hot money.
The foreign direct investors that we
really need will not be impressed by
our credit ratings. What they want,
first and foremost, is the assurance
that laws and regulations would not
change against them mid-stream and
the playing field would be kept level.
But no matter how many press
releases the Palace churns out, this
is not something investors are see-
ing from the President’s inaction to
date—on protected industries like
logging and mining, or the need to re-
spect legitimate projects even if they
originated under his successor, or the
need to consider Charter change if
only to eliminate the vestiges of an
antiquated economic nationalism left
over from the previous millennium.
***
For comparison now with the Pal-
ace press release, consider the ex-
cerpts below from the New Year’s
message of former
President Arroyo:
“We are ending
the year with our
future brightened
by the continuing
vindication of over
a decade of hard
work by our coun-
trymen and their
leaders….
“The New Year
2013 invites us to
continue unfinished
work even as we
brace for new challenges. We are con-
cerned that the slogan of anti-corruption
still remains to be validated by mea-
surable progress, and continues to be
mocked by the abuse of political power
to favor those on the inside while per-
secuting those on the other side. The
promise of ideas like PPP remains to
be realized by the actual start, let alone
completion, of new projects that will
improve upon the substantial infrastruc-
ture we have already built.
“The fiscal stability and macro-
economic resilience that was first
achieved on my watch still remains
to be translated into more foreign di-
rect investments that will ultimately
deliver the inclusive growth that the
business sector and the impoverished
three million unemployed Filipinos
are still waiting for. To do this, we will
have to demonstrate a healthy respect
for contracts, a practical understand-
ing of how free markets operate, and a
willingness to adhere to genuine eco-
nomic data and not just propaganda.
“Most of all, we pray that true jus-
tice be administered to all without
bias and prejudice.
“These are the challenges that face
our leadership, even as the rest of us
hope that we may still reap the rewards
of the momentum for advancement that
has brought us so far ahead over the last
decade. May Divine Providence bless
us with a New Year that will bring us
to the realization of our hopes and the
prosperity of our country.”
***
And a Happy New Year to you too,
dear reader!
gbolivar1952@gmail.com
FRANCIS LAGNITON
ARMAN ARMERO
LEO A. ESTONILO
ROMEL J. MENDEZ
ROBERTO CABRERA
MA. EDITHA D. ANGELES Advertising Manager
EDGAR M. VALMORIDA Circulation Manager
Opinion
translating only to popularity in
surveys and an inflow of portfolio
investments. Unemployment
remains high and more people
count themselves poor, despite
stop-gap measures like the multi-
billion peso dole program that
may soon be used to curry favor
among the masses.
Despite these, we saw great
things as well: the eventual
passage of the reproductive
health bill after more than a
decade of struggle, the forging of
a framework agreement of peace
between the government and the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front,
Unsolicited advice
BONG C.
AUSTERO
ARE WE THERE YET?
AS I write, the whole neighborhood is
surprisingly quiet. Around this time
in the past, we would already be half-
deaf and the dogs and cats in the house
would have already been whimpering
in fear from the continuous explosion
of firecrackers and the blare of
loudspeakers set at maximum decibels.
It seems government has finally made
some headway in terms of regulating the
sale of firecrackers although it is still too
early to make a definitive assessment.
We would know by midnight if we have
finally succeeded in reducing casualties
from firecrackers.
It just takes political will and yes,
providing healthy alternatives such as
designating areas where people can
go to watch government-sponsored
countdowns and magnificent fireworks
displays. I remain ambivalent about
the wisdom of Department of Health
spokesperson’s Eric Tayag making a
spectacle of himself dancing Gangnam
Style in all his public appearances in
an effort to convince people that there
are other ways to greet the New Year
in style; but hey, if his antics are truly
successful in getting people to sit up and
listen, I will be the last to complain.
One wishes Tayag’s boss, Health
Secretary Enrique Ona, were more
accessible and is actually seen doing
his job. In fact, Ona is one of two
Cabinet members of this administration
whose appointment really needs
Senior Deskman
Senior Deskman
Senior Deskman
Art Director
Chief Photographer
and the continued involvement
of the public in the national
discussions on freedom of
information, for instance, aided
by social media.
The first day of 2013 is marked
by a sense of relief that we could
shed the not-so-good experiences
we had last year while embracing
the promise of the days to come.
We don’t know what will
happen, but we do know we all
have a stake in making sure that
economic growth is felt not just
by those who understand what
GDP stands for, that those in low
lying areas would see more benefit
reconsideration. The major health-
related issue in 2012 was the algebraic
increase in HIV/AIDS infections—
we’ve more than tripled infection rates
in the country and everyone else has
raised the alarm. International agencies
have pressed the alarm button and local
activists have been shouting themselves
hoarse trying to get the government’s
attention to address the rising rates
of infections. But Ona has remained
oblivious. Not only has Ona failed to
provide leadership in the fight against
HIV/AIDS, he has on many occasions
displayed blatant lack of empathy and
understanding of the issues around
HIV/AIDS.
The onset of a New Year is a good
time to take stock of what really needs
to be done to move this country moving
forward. The President can start by
relieving Ona of his post and putting
in place someone who can do the job
better.
The other cabinet member that needs
to be relieved of his post is Agrarian
Reform secretary Virgilio de los Reyes.
De los Reyes’s ineffectiveness in the
post has become a matter of public
record. He tried to fudge the facts
making it appear that 2012 was a banner
year for the department, but even
the employees of the department are
contesting de los Reyes’s claims. The
performance of the department under his
watch has been dismal; even the Union
of the department has openly asked
de los Reyes to “cut cleanly.” If the
President is truly serious in keeping the
promises he made during the campaign,
particularly on agrarian reform, de los
Reyes simply has to go.
Ona and de los Reyes claim that the
Standard
Manila
TODAY
Published Monday to Sunday by Kamahalan
Publishing Corporation at 3rd Floor Universal
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in protecting themselves than
exposing themselves to risk, that
peace would be attained in the long
run, that Filipinos would have more
access to government documents,
and that leaders would make
decisions with only the public good
—not revenge, acrimony, personal
gain—in mind.
Eleven days ago we proved
that the world was not coming to
an end. Today we celebrate the
opportunity to pick up from where
we left off, or start afresh. Let us
build success by committing to
be wiser, more circumspect, more
prudent and more involved.
call for their ouster has been politically
motivated and come from a very small
circle of vocal critics. Not true at all.
There were also calls for the ouster of
Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and
even that of Bureau of Internal Revenue
Commissioner Kim Henares, among
others. Those calls have not been picked
up by pundits because there is no doubt
that Baldoz and Henares may have critics
but they are doing their jobs effectively.
These two ladies have been fair and
square in most of their decisions.
Henares, however, need to listen to
employers and the labor sector. The
National Tripartite Industrial Peace
Council has been trying to dialogue
with the BIR commissioner in the last
year. We need to seriously revisit the
way income taxation is being done in
the country today; the current policies
are just not in sync anymore with
economic conditions.
The President himself needs to
recognize that one of the key reasons
why the economy has performed well
during his term is because of the high
level of industrial peace in the country.
Baldoz needs to be given credit for
this major accomplishment. But the
efforts of both employers and the labor
sector also deserve recognition. Sadly,
the President has not even deigned to
meet with the two sectors except for
a token audience in last year’s Labor
Day celebration. During his first Labor
Day celebration as President, Aquino
expressed his desire to meet with the two
sectors on a regular basis—he proposed
a quarterly meeting. The employers and
the labor sector are still waiting for the
President to make good his promise.
Happy New Year!
numbers 659-4830 to 32 (connecting all
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The law against
money laundering
EMIL
P. JURADO
TO THE POINT
I AM surprised that outgoing Senator
Joker Arroyo is opposing amendments
to the Anti-Money Laundering Law
which in its present form is prone to
abuse, mainly for political purposes.
An example of this is the freeze order,
issued on December 6, 2012 by the
Court of Appeals, on the bank accounts
of businessman Roberto V. Ongpin.
This is upon the ex-parte (one party)
petition of the anti-Money Laundering
Council.
To date, this freeze order against
Ongpin and some 30 others, mostly
innocent people, stands despite appeals
from Ongpin’s lawyers and an open
court hearing on Dec. 18.
This is distressful
on the part of the
businessman, who has
been responsible for
the entry of billions It is prone to
of dollars worth of
foreign investments.
abuse, especially
Most importantly, this for political
has resulted in “serious
reputational damage” purposes.
on Ongpin since he
also has businesses
outside the country.
Let’s rewind a bit on this case: The
Anti-Money Laundering Council on Dec.
6 in an ex-parte (without hearing Ongpin’s
side) petitioned the Court of Appeals to
freeze his personal accounts as well as
the accounts of some people associated
with him, including certain personnel
of the state-owned Development of the
Philippines, who were clearly innocent
bystanders to the never-ending saga of
Ongpin’s alleged behest loans.
There is no basis for the freeze order,
however, since Ongpin has not been
charged, much less convicted, of any
crime! This is plain harassment, if you
ask me.
Strangely, though, the ex-parte
petition of the AMLC was signed by
the Bangko Sentral’s deputy governor,
Nestor Espenilla.
This is the same Espenilla who stated
in unequivocal terms during the Senate
hearing on the Ongpin issue that the
loans from DBP, totaling P560 million,
were not only above board but also
profitable for the DBP. The bank in fact
made P1.4 billion from the transaction.
In fact, the BSP and the Monetary
Board approved the acquisition by
Ongpin of the Philippine Bank of
Communications. This would not have
been possible if Ongpin had violated
banking laws.
Again during the hearing on Dec. 18,
2012, the Office of the Solicitor General
admitted in open court that Ongpin
didn’t owe the government a single
centavo since all his loans from DBP
had been fully paid some years ago. And
yet, Santa Banana, the gods of the AML
Council and the Court of Appeals froze
Ongpin’s accounts, plus the accounts of
many others.
Insofar as Ongpin is concerned, I
know full well he can survive with the
freeze order. Still, that order has caused
him irreparable reputational damage
in the Philippines since he was in the
middle of organizing investments close
to $1 billion. The investors suddenly
withdrew for obvious reason. In
international business, the freezing of
one’s bank accounts is a very serious
matter. It implies that the person
whose accounts have been frozen has
committed or has been convicted of a
serious criminal act.
With this abuse committed by the
EVERYMAN
Dear Cynthia,
People say that souls have around
40 days before they finally leave this
earth and I believe so. I am writing
you this letter in the hope that you can
still take a peek and feel happy that
you have reaffirmed our respect and
love for you.
I remember the first time you came
to work for us. I had two partners
then and we were badly in need of a
good accountant and, one day, you
came in to work for us. You were very
reserved, very prim and proper but
along the way, we became friends. We
would speak in our native tongue—
there were just the two of us who can
speak Ilocano and I would speak to
you when I would rage against one of
my partners.
Then, one day, my husband and
I decided to put up our own agency
and I asked you to join me and you
immediately said yes. You were the
perfect finance officer for us and over
ManilaStandardToday
Adelle Chua, Editor
AML Council, several billions of
pesos worth in value of Ongpin’s listed
company stocks have vanished into thin
air. Freezing of one’s bank accounts is
regarded also by the Philippine investing
public as a serious matter.
Still, I’m amazed at the resiliency of
Ongpin as a businessman. He remains
bullish about the economy since he
continues to invest in high-end projects
through Alphaland, which he chairs.
The most preposterous accusation
thrown at him is that his DBP loans
were behest because of his friendship
with former First Gentleman Mike
Arroyo. In jurisprudence, a loan can
only be behest when it is in default, and
not been fully paid. But records show
that Ongpin’s DBP loans were not only
fully paid. They were in fact paid before
maturity. DBP suffered no injury since,
as I mentioned earlier, it even profited
by some P1.4 billion. All this was made
possible by Ongpin.
That’s why I find it
surprising that Senator
Arroyo should oppose
the amendments to
the AMLA Law when
it is now being shown
that the AML Council
has been abusing it
just to put down a
businessman, whose
only crime is to be a
friend of the former
First Gentleman.
Ongpin in fact wrote a letter to Joker
and gave copies to all the members of
the Senate how the AML Council picked
on him for harassment and persecution.
***
With the emergence of young
senatorial aspirants this coming 2013
mid-term elections, it’s becoming
clear that the next Senate would be
dominated by young blood. And Santa
Banana, gone are the likes of Joker
Arroyo, Edong Angara, Ping Lacson
and of course, Miriam Santiago. Senate
President Juan Ponce Enrile will also be
out of the Senate by 2016.
The dominance of the young in the
Senate augurs well for the Senate, which
remains as the counter-balance of the
executive department. This simply means
that new ideas will crop up. Indeed the
young have the vision and idealism that
we need to craft newer and better laws.
***
I predicted it from the start: That the
two existing political coalitions will end
up quarreling with each other because of
diverse interests.
For one thing, with the Liberal Party
dominating with the most representation
in Congress, the choice of administration
candidates in the local level will create
problems and intramurals. Even now,
the Nacionalist People’s coalition is
agitated because of the charges brought
against NPC reelectionist Pangasinan
Gov. Amado Espino for getting some
P900 million in jueteng money. The
beneficiary against this charge against
Espino is the Liberal Party candidate for
governor, Hernani Braganza.
Then we have the suspension of Cebu
Governor Gwen Garcia whose father
is House Deputy Speaker. To rub salt
on the wound, Cabinet Secretary Rene
Almendra’s sister, Agnes Magpale, a
Liberal, was appointed acting governor.
There are two ways of looking
at all these. One, Interior and Local
Government Secretary Mar Roxas, the
President’s pointman in these two cases,
is preparing for the 2016 presidential
elections against Vice President Jojo
Binay. Note that both Pangasinan
and Cebu are vote-rich provinces.
Two, Malacañang is also aiming to
control other vote-rich provinces, like
Pampanga, Cavite and Quezon.
So, what else is new?
Letter to a dear friend
the years, we would tell ourselves we
were blessed. God was there and we
agreed He would provide us with our
needs all the time. We prayed a lot for
the success of our office and you were
my number one prayer warrior. We did
it Cyn, didn’t we?
We were two extremely different
persons but we jived well—I would
have temper flare-ups but you were
always there to soothe me. You were
the cool one who was always there to
support me in everything I did. You
disciplined misbehaving staff and
taught them how to be honest and
trustworthy.
One day you got sick of breast
cancer, lost all your hair but you tried
to be very upbeat. After your surgery,
you would still come to the office
and leave in the afternoons for your
chemotherapy and then voila, you
were very well again. You grew back
your hair and regained all the lost
weight. You were well for six months
and on your birthday in September I
Opinion
DANILO
SUAREZ
MINORITY REPORT
NEW Year is when we ring out the old,
and ring in the new. It is that time of
the year when we give thanks for the
blessings of the outgoing year and pray
for divine favor for the upcoming year.
On this very day we reflect and plan,
hence the proliferation of New Year’s
resolutions. Some are humorous and
made with no intention of keeping them.
Some come with the grit of experience
and are made to improve oneself. Only
time will tell if these are kept or not, and
recycled for the following year.
While resolutions are kept and
tossed by the young with nary a
thought, we in the prime of our life seek
accomplishments which will define
us for future generations. One of my
favorite movies is The Bucket List,
which stars Morgan Freeman and Jack
Nicholson. The film deals with a wish
list before one “kicks the bucket.” In
a not-so-morbid setting, I also have a
bucket list before I finish my third term
as a legislator. I filed two bills which are
very close to my heart, both of which
were passed on third reading by the
House of Representatives. They are
now pending on Second Reading at the
Senate.
The first one, House Bill No. 6131,
intends to strengthen the original
Coconut Preservation Act (R.A. 8048)
by updating the fees involved to reflect
Challenges in 2013
DEAN TONY
LA VIÑA
EAGLE EYES
IN A disaster-prone country, typhoon
Pablo stood out in the magnitude of
destruction and loss of lives. With
more than a thousand casualties
accounted for and hundreds still
missing, the effects of the catastrophic
typhoon will be felt for years to come
especially in the affected areas.
Rehabilitation will be hard, slow
and painstaking. With the onslaught
of worsening climate change,
the country will be facing more
destructive climate disturbances.
The challenge is to institute effective
mitigation and adaptation measures
to prepare us for more erratic weather
patterns that will spawn crisis after
crisis. The threat of natural disasters
coupled with the poverty of many
of our people is the most serous
challenge we face in 2013 and
probably beyond.
With the approval by the Senate
on last and final reading, the freedom
of information bill enters a critical
stage. The challenge is to see the
final passage of the FOI bill that will
concretize the constitutional mandate
provided by Article III, section 7 of
the 1987 Constitution that recognizes
“the right of the people to information
on matters of public concern.” The bill
was first introduced as early as 1992
by then-Pangasinan Rep. Oscar Orbos
and since then various lawmakers have
filed several versions. The measure
mandates that government agencies
grant access to information within
15 days after receiving a request for
it. Government agencies must also
explain before the courts why it would
not release requested information.
The human rights situation
said “Cynthia this is your year—you
survived cancer—we have doubled
your pay because you were given
another project to handle and you have
regained all your hair.”
So we had a priest bless the office
and to pray for thanksgiving for you
but you were very quiet. I didn’t see
you happy or rejoicing then. I didn’t
know—in fact no one among us who
were happy for you that day knew that
you felt something going wrong inside
you, Cyn.
You disappeared from the office
in October. There was a news
black out. You did not want us to
come see you. But I remembered
two calls you made—one to
apologize for being absent which I
said was okay with me. At the end
of the call you said “I love you,
Ms. Sylvs.” To tell you the truth,
I was alarmed then because you
were never an expressive person.
All of us wanted to come see you
immediately—but I respected you
TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013
Bucket list
current monetary values and inflation.
The penalties are increased and it
also empowers Barangay Captains
of each locality so that they will be
more accountable in securing Coconut
trees in their area from illegal cutting.
Coconut trees are at the heart of a
vital Philippine industry. The coconut
industry is a dominant sector of
Philippine agriculture. Consider that
of the country’s 12 million hectare
of farmlands, 3.1 million hectare is
devoted to coconut. Sixty-eight out
of 79 provinces are coconut areas and
25 million Filipinos are directly or
indirectly dependent on the coconut
industry. The industry is among the
top five net foreign exchange earners,
averaging almost $760 million per year
on the strength of our having 59 percent
share in the world’s coconut exports.
Considering these statistics, our current
law should be updated to protect the
tree at the center of this industry. If
this amendatory act is not passed
immediately, there is a big chance that
the entire industry will collapse. I have
it on good authority that coco lumber is
now the favorite substitute for hardwood
and it is now the target of illegal logging
in most provinces.
The second, House Bill No. 137,
intends to set aside 1 percent from
the Internal Revenue Allotment of
local governments to answer for the
Retirement Pay of all elected and
appointed Barangay Officials, including
Barangay Tanods, Health Workers, and
members of the Lupon Tagapamayapa.
These barangay officials and employees
continues to be a concern and
impunity remains a problem. While
the civilian government generally
respects human rights, some security
forces, particularly the Philippine
National Police and the Armed
Forces, continue to commit human
rights violations. Long-standing
human rights concerns, including
forced disappearances, extrajudicial
killing, torture and arbitrary arrests of
leftist activists, journalists and petty
criminals, remain although arguably
on a much lower scale as in previous
years. But one killing or unlawful
arrest is one killing and unlawful
arrest too many. In general, the failure
to prosecute military personnel and
human rights violators implicated
in such killings and abductions
despite strong evidence against them
is a stain in the good record of this
administration. High profile fugitives,
like General Jovito Palparan and
former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and
his brother, former Coron Mayor Mario
Reyes, remain at large. Sadly, the arrest
of the Reyes brothers was recently
overtaken by the Court of Appeals’
decision to invalidate the second panel
which was created to re-investigate the
murder of Gerry Ortega. High profile
cases also remain unresolved like the
Dacer-Corbito murder case whose
prime suspect, former police colonel
Michael Ray Aquino, was allowed to
walk free with his release from the
National Bureau of Investigation’s
detention cell. Again, the challenge
for the present administration is to
take credible measures to eradicate
impunity and make significant progress
in promoting human rights in the
country.
Perhaps, the most serious challenge
we face in 2013 is the coming mid-
term elections this May. As we choose
our next Congress and set of local
enough not to just come barging
into your home when your wish
was to be left alone until you
were well enough to see us.
There was another call you made
to your best friend in the office,
Irene Tabalno, when you said you
wanted to see both of us so you
can hug us. Again, you wanted it
in your own time. And that time
never came.
Cynthia, farewell friend! We
were hopeful you would come back
to us. When I said 2012 was your
year—I did not mean you would die
this year—I meant this was the year
you have attained life’s best. But
come to think of it, Cyn, maybe in
our subconscious that was what that
statement meant—2012 was your
year—the year you would meet our
Creator because you have reached
life’s peak—Kris, your daughter, has
married a good man and Louie, your
husband, knows how much you have
loved him. I believe you have fulfilled
A5
are at the frontline of public service.
They all take the brunt of our
constituents’ complaints. They are the
first to rush to the scene in emergency
situations. As a veteran politician, I
know firsthand the danger to life and
limb that these frontliners are exposed
to. And yet, under the present Local
Government Code, barangay officials,
including tanods and members of
the Lupon Tagapamayapa, are only
entitled to honoraria and have no fixed
monthly salaries. It pains me to see
hardworking people who have served
their communities well, some for thirty
or forty years, come up empty handed
when their productive years are over. It is
high time we recognize their dedication
to their work and their service to the
community. Kudos to Senator Marcos
for sponsoring this measure on the
Senate floor in record time.
As I have already mentioned,
these two legislative proposals have
passed the scrutiny of the House of
Representatives and are now pending
on second reading at the Senate. I
know in my heart of hearts that our
counterparts at the higher chamber
also agree in principle at the policies
behind my two bills. Only the nitty
gritty remains to be tackled. We only
have a total of six regular session
days left before Congress adjourns
for the campaign period. My wish is
that these two bills be passed during
the 15th Congress as a legacy gift for
future generations.
I wish everyone a productive and
successful 2013!
officials, it is important to ensure that
this exercise is honest and credible
and conducted with the minimum
of violence. Once again, we will be
resorting to automation in this election.
It is very important that this works and
in a way that is not questioned by the
electorate. But the major challenge
continues to be how our politicians
conduct themselves in the campaign
and how we the people respond to
them. Already, the election fireworks
have begun with the Cebu events
involving Governor Gwen Garcia and
her suspension from office.
A year-ender review would not
be complete without mentioning the
Manny Pacquiao defeat at the hands
of Juan Miguel Marquez. It was a loss
that grated painfully on the national
psyche. For years, Pacquiao lorded it
over his opponents which earned him
an aura of invincibility. He united and
inspired a nation, and lifted the sagging
spirits of the Filipinos whenever he
was on the ring. Whether or not he will
redeem himself at some future time,
one thing is inescapable—all good
things must come to an end. Accepting
this and moving on is going to tough
for the country.
After all that is said and done, why
we should greet 2013 with joy and
celebration. By and large, the year 2012
was a year fruitful one for us. It is a
year fraught with learning experiences
—either from the good or from the bad.
In the end, it is our people’s unwavering
faith in the providence of the Almighty
God and the firm belief in ourselves
that enabled us to survive the travails
of the past year and to confidently face
the challenges and savor the blessings
of the coming year.
Happy New Year to all!
Facebook Page: Dean Tony La Viña
Twitter: tonylavs
your mission in life and now God
has willed that you would start your
journey to eternal life. It was truly a
blessed life and 2012 a blessed year
for you.
Rest well now, friend. We will miss
you but now we know we have an
angel up there praying for all of us as
we pray for your peace, down here.
Love,
Sylvia
Sylvia Europa-Pinca is President
and CEO of Europa Public Relations
JOJO
A. ROBLES
LOWDOWN
 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

A6 TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013 ManilaStandardToday News mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Another alien amnesty law eyed

By Maricel V. Cruz

FOREIGNERS who have stayed illegal-

ly in the country before June 30, 2000
may be granted legal residence status
under a proposed law amending Com-
monwealth Act 613, or the Philippine
Immigration Act of 1940.
If passed into law, it would be
the second time the Philippines
would grant an amnesty for il-
legal aliens after the passage of
Republic Act 7919, or the Alien
Social Integration Act of 1995.
House Bill 3591, authored by
former immigration commis-
sioner and incumbent Cagayan
de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez,
provides that foreigners who
have entered the Philippines pri-
or to June 30, 2000 can avail of
the bill if enacted into law.
The measure, which had been
pending before the House com-
mittee on justice, also seeks to
address the problem of illegal
aliens who are engaged in crimi-
nal activities in the country.
“The bill will also shield the
Philippines from foreign crimi-
Countdown to 2013. Workers put the final touches to a stage that was put up at the Ayala Triangle in Makati City for a New Year’s Ever nal elements using the country’s
countdown that was held on Monday. SONNY ESPIRITU territory to engage in terrorism,
human smuggling and traffick-
will be granted legal residence
status upon compliance with the
provisions of the proposed act.
The bill seeks to define the
country’s immigration policy to
foreigners who wish to come,
thereby legalizing their stay
in the Philippines through a
process that would be less ex-
pensive, more practical, more
humanitarian and, in the long
run, more mutually beneficial to
them and their host country.
Under the measure, the gov-
ernment also stands to benefit in
terms of revenues in the form of
application fees and other related
fees, which, in turn, can be used
to support the numerous projects
and services of the government.
The bill provides that those
who seek entry into the country,
whether on a permanent or tem-
porary basis, are subject to stan-
dards of admission, which do not

Metro Manila needs 224 new policemen
By Ferdinand Fabella
THE National Capital Regional Police Of-
fice needs 224 new policemen to strengthen
its anti-criminality drive in Metro Manila
in 2013, according to Metro Manila police
chief Director Leonardo Espina.
Espina said the 224 vacancies for police of-
ficer 1 will be filled up to satisfy the NCRPO’s
supplemental quota for the last quarter of 2012.
Of the 224 slots, 100 are allotted for appli-
cants who are residents of the National Capi-
tal Region while 124 are for Luzon-based
applicants, according to Espina.
Espina said the NCRPO has started its prepa-
ration for the activation of city and municipal
ad hoc screening committees that will process
the mandatory minimum requirements and oth-
er documents submitted by applicants.
“We are looking forward to achieve the
ideal police-to-population ratio. These addi-
tional personnel will be a big help in field-
ing more police officers in the streets and
keep the community safe,” the chief of the
17,000-strong NCRPO said.
Recruitment for PO1 in the Philippine Na-
tional Police is open to all qualified men and
women who are not less than 21 but not more
than 30 years old, holder of any baccalaure-
ate degree, and with good moral character,
NCRPO Human Resources chief, Senior
Supt. Arthur Felix Asis said.
Asis said the NCRPO and Luzon-based ap-
plicants should apply personally at the Office
of the Regional Personnel and Records Man-
agement Division at the NCRPO headquarters
in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan Taguig City.
Interested applicants must have appropri-
ate eligibilities for PO1 from the National
Police Commission, Professional Regulatory
Commission or the Civil Service Commis-
sion, he added.
“Applicants must not have been dishonor-
ably discharged from military employment
or on AWOL or Dropped from rolls of the
PNP service or dismissed for cause from any
civilian position in the government,” Asis
pointed out.
ing and other criminal activi-
ties,” said Rodriguez, former
Immigration commissioner.
Rodriguez, member for the major-
ity of the House committee on revi-
sion of laws, said the bill promotes
international order and justice by de-
nying aliens the use of Philippine ter-
ritory in promoting terrorist and other
criminal activities.
Under the bill, aliens who
stayed in the country illegal-
ly and who have entered the
country prior to June 30, 2000,
excluding those who already
availed in good faith of the ben-
efits of Executive Order 324 and
Republic Act 7919 whose appli-
cation has been duly approved
discriminate in a manner consis-
tent with internationally recog-
nized human rights and freedoms.
“The purpose of this bill is to
mandate the immigration agency
to run after undesirable aliens, who,
because of their nefarious activities
in the country, pose a clear and pres-
ent danger to national security, pub-
lic safety, public health and national
interest,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said there is a need
to adopt clearer but stricter rules
and regulations on immigration
to protect the security and safety
of the Filipino people without
jeopardizing government efforts
to attract foreign legitimate in-
vestors and tourists.

DOJ report on pyramiding scam probe out Jan. 4 IN BRIEF

By Rey E. Requejo
THE Department of Justice is set to
promulgate a resolution on January 4
recommending the criminal prosecu-
tion of Filipino-Malaysian business-
man Manuel Amalilio and other of-
ficials of Aman Futures Group Phils.
Inc. in connection with the P12-billion
Ponzi scam that duped some 15,000
investors from Visayas and Mindanao.
A member of the DOJ panel of pros-
ecutors made the disclosure on Monday
after the investigating body concluded its
preliminary investigation into the initial
set of syndicated estafa complaints filed
by victims against Amalilio and his men.
The criminal raps against Amalilio
and other officials of Aman Futures
was subjected to a preliminary investi-
gation at the DOJ on Nov. 27 and Dec.
27 and one in Pagadian City, where
most complainants and respondents re-
side, last Dec. 17.
Amalilio, who is allegedly in Kota
Kinabalu, Malaysia, failed to appear
in any of the hearings to answer the
charges despite notices sent to his ad-
dresses, including his house in Cebu.
Prosecution lawyer Mark Roland Este-
pa, a member of the investigating panel,
said they considered Amalilio’s failure to
attend the hearings and submit counter-
affidavit as a waiver of his right to an-
swer the charges.
It took the panel just six weeks to com-
plete the hearings after the preliminary
investigation was transferred to the DOJ
from the Pagadian City prosecutor’s of-
fice. The investigation process, under
the law, should be completed in 60 days
from the filing of the complaints.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said
there was a “slight delay” in the investiga-
tion because of late reply of Fernando Luna,
president of Aman and allegedly Amalilio’s
right-hand man, and his wife Nimfa.
However, she said the pace of the
hearings in this case was relatively
faster than the earlier syndicated estafa
complaints investigated by the DOJ.
President Aquino earlier directed the
DOJ to immediately file the case in
court to be able to secure arrest war-
rants, which could be used to bring
Amalilio back to the country and also
prevent other respondents from fleeing.
Apart from the resolution, which will
resolve whether or not there is prob-
able cause to indict the respondents in
court, the DOJ panel is also expected
to decide on the bids of Luna and other
nominal executives of Aman to become
state witnesses.
Tire fire teams fielded
THE Metropolitan Manila Development
Authority on Monday fielded a fleet of
its own fire trucks to help the Bureau of
Fire Protection contain fires caused by
deliberate torching of tires in the streets.
Chairman Francis Tolentino said the
agency’s fire trucks will be working
with fire fighters to ensure the safety of
New Year’s Eve revelers.
“We know BFP will have its hands
full in monitoring Metro Manila dur-
ing the New Year’s Eve revelries. Our
fire trucks and trained personnel will be
on 24-hour alert,” he said, reiterating
his appeal to the public to refrain from
burning tires in the street.

Father Jim goes Burning tires also damage road sur-

home to Maker
By Joyce Pañares
AMERICAN Jesuit priest James B. Reuter died shortly
after noon of Monday due to multiple organ failure. He
was 95 years old and would have turned 96 in May.
Reuter, known as Father Jim to generations of Filipi-
nos, died at 12:51 p.m. at the Our Lady of Peace Hos-
pital in Parañaque City.
He was born in Pennsylvania on May 21, 1916 and
first arrived as a 22-year-old seminarian in 1938. Re-
uter was imprisoned along with 2,000 other Americans
at a prisoner-of-war camp in Los Baños, Laguna dur-
ing the Japanese Occupation.
He returned to the United States in 1945, but relo-
cated permanently in the Philippines in 1948 when
he began a career in radio and television as a spiritual
guide and championed the Family Rosary Crusade of
fellow American priest Patrick Peyton.
In 1986, he was bestowed the Ramon Magsaysay Award for
Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts.
“From the time he first came to this country before
World War II as a young Jesuit novice, to his passing after
a lingering illness today, Fr. James B. Reuter found happi-
ness and fulfillment in his priestly vocation in the Philip-
pines,” Malacañang Palace said in a statement.
faces, especially asphalt, he noted. Aside
from its fire trucks, the agency’s Rescue
Unit and Road Emergency Group was
also deployed on alert to respond to all
types of emergencies during the New
Year’s Eve celebrations, Tolentino said.
Rio N. Araja
Plastics ban starts today
MAKATI City will start the full imple-
mentation of the citywide plastic ban
starting Jan. 1.
Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr.
said commercial establishments had un-
til Dec. 31 to use up all their remaining
stocks of plastic and polystyrene materials
before the city implements the ordinance
that carries fines of up to P5,000.
Once the plastic ban fully takes effect
in 2013, individual violators will be fined
P1,000 or imprisoned for five days to 30
days, or both, the city government said.
On the other hand, an errant corpo-
ration or establishment will be fined
P5,000 or the owner may be imprisoned
Her’s to a bountiful new year. A vendor hangs fruits at his makeshift stall in Binondo, Manila on from 30 days to a year, or both at the
Monday to symbolize hopes of a better new year. LINO SANTOS court’s discretion.
Ordinance No. 2003-095 or the Solid
Waste Management Code of Makati

No casualties in Albay despite Quinta flash floods
LEGAZPI CITY—Albay posted another
Zero Casualty record by evacuating some
2,513 families out of harm’s way, when
torrential rains brought about by Typhoon
Quinta triggered landslides and flashfloods
in at least five towns in the province.
Albay Gov. Joey S. Salceda said they
kept their Zero Casualty record through
continuous public warning, hazards
monitoring and preemptive evacuation
initiated by communities themselves.
The governor has pioneered the Zero
Casualty goal and preemptive evacuation
during disasters, which are now widely
adopted disaster risk reduction strategies.
Rainfall reached a peak of 19.8 mm
within seven hours of continuous tor-
rential bursts, or “an accumulated
138.3 mm heaviest” towards the morn-
ing of Thursday. Paradoxically, the
torrents came after Storm Warning # 1
had already been lifted by Pagasa and
people thought the disaster was over.
Salceda said the climate had become
so volatile, mostly on the negative side
of the spectrum. “We made continuous
updating, which served us well when the
rains came in torrentially and unremit-
tingly, just when Quinta was supposed to
be already far away,” he added.
“The result was that our people were
well-informed of the possible scenarios
and were not surprised when the unex-
pected torrents happened. They cooperated
smoothly when our local leaders decided
they need to evacuate. Thus, zero casualty
was achieved,” the governor stressed.
Salceda said they insisted on the con-
tinuous reiteration and implementation
of typhoon advisories: no crossing, no
sailing, avoid low lying areas, and prepa-
ration for evacuation of families living
in identified flood prone areas, despite
Pagasa’s lifting of the storm signal.
Evacuation was carried out mainly
through local initiatives of town and
barangay officials. The Albay Public
Safety and Emergency Management
Office responded only to specific re-
quests for assistance, particularly in
rescuing residents trapped by floods in
Legazpi City and in Polangui town.
prohibits the sale, distribution and use
of plastic bags as primary and secondary
packaging for dry goods, or as second-
ary packaging for wet goods.
Binay pointed out that the ban will
also be imposed on the sale, distribution
or use of polystyrene and other materi-
als with non-biodegradable components
that are being used as food, drinks, din-
ing utensils and beverage containers.
Since June this year, the city govern-
ment has deployed 45 teams from the
Plastic Monitoring Task Force to check
on the compliance of establishments to
the guidelines. Ferdinand Fabella
 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
ManilaStandardToday
Riera U. Mallari, Editor Sports TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013 A7

Athletes
to train PH to host world skating meet
abroad for IN 2013, the Philippine Skating Union
will make an effort to develop budding
the Philippines has been desig-
nated by the ISU as the hub for
clinched the national senior
men’s and women’s champion-
will undergo further training
and be sent to other interna-

6 months
By Peter Atencio
NATIONAL athletes from
13 sports disciplines will
initially be sent abroad in
the next six months to help
them prepare for upcoming
international meets.
Philippine Sports Com-
mission chairman Ricardo
“Richie” Garcia said this
as the agency stressed the
need to make national ath-
letes more competitive.
The athletes involved
will not only be exposed
to international competi-
tions, they will be there to
under intensive training as
well.
Garcia said the national
athletes belong to the sports
of archery, bowling, futsal,
gymnastics, karatedo, rug-
by, shooting, taekwondo,
wushu and wrestling.
The agency is set to first
fund the trips of national
athletes to China and Iran.
Garcia said a budget of
P400 million has been al-
located for the country’s
preparation this year.
But, P500 million is
needed for the whole year.
And they will have to get
the additional P100 mil-
lion through other means,
most likely from private
sources.
Sports officials noted
that neighboring Southeast
Asia countries are already
preparing early for inter-
national meets by sending
their athletes abroad.
the development of the sport in ships, respectively, for the sec-
skaters at the junior level. the world,” said Veguillas. ond time last November.
Filipino American standouts The 22-year-old Caluza found
PSU president Pocholo Veguil- years old and below. Christopher Caluza and Melis- little opposition from ailing lo-
las said they will have the op- So far, 12 countries have sig- sa Bulanhagui will again see cal star Michael Martinez as he
portunity do this after the Inter- nified their intention to join, and action for the Philippines in the ruled the men’s division with
national Skating Union granted most of them are from the South- Four Continents Figure Skating 187.28 points, while Bulanhagui
them the hosting rights of the east Asian and the Latin Ameri- Championships in Osaka from showed consistent form in taking
World Developmental Figure can regions. Feb. 6 to 11. the top honors in the distaff side.
Skating Championships this Veguillas added that most of If they make it to the top 24 Caluza’s rival Maverick Clint
April. the participating nations are just in the rankings, the two will be Eguia will join him in Osaka,
Countries which are starting to beginning to have skating rinks able to see action in the World and so will Martinez.
develop ice skating are joining. in their countries. Championships. Veguillas explained that the
Most of the participants are 18 “We got the hosting rights after Caluza and Bulanhagui highest scorer among the three
Redskins win NFC East
LANDOVER, Md.—“R-G-3!’’
was all Redskins fans needed to
chant when they wanted to ex-
press their love for Robert Griffin
III. For the lesser-known rookie,
they opted for his whole name:
“Alf-red Mor-ris!’’
It’s a new generation that has
Washington atop the NFC East
for the first time this millennium.
There’s Griffin—the vocal lead-
er, the first-round draft pick, the
Heisman Trophy winner, the team
captain. And there’s Morris—the
out-of-nowhere sixth-rounder
from Florida Atlantic who merely
ran for 200 yards and three touch-
downs in the division-clincher
and broke the franchise single-
season rushing record.
“These,’’ cornerback DeAn-
gelo Hall said, “aren’t ordinary
rookies.’’
The Redskins claimed their
first division title since 1999,
beating the archrival Dallas
Golf opener. Baguio Country Club President Atty. Federico R. Agcaoili follows the line of his ball Cowboys 28-18 Sunday night
after teeing-off on Monday in the 13th Nanoy Cup golf tournament at the Baguio Country Club hole in a winner-take-all finale to end
number 10. The golfest has the theme “Commemorating Atty. Potenciano ‘Nanoy’ Ilusorio’s 100th the NFL’s regular season.
Birth anniversary.” RICK REYES “I was 9 years old in 1999,’’ said
tional competitions as well.
Bulanhagui, who will soon
move to Korea where she gets
married next year, had the best
routine when she executed the
triple flip-double, toe-double
loop combo in the long pro-
gram, which she did to the tune
of Rockmaninov.
She will be accompanied by
Fil-Italian Zhaira Costiniano,
who once again settled for sec-
ond behind Bulanhagui with
98.34 points. Peter Atencio
Griffin, sporting a black baseball
cap commemorating the title. “So
I stand before you at 22, and the
Redskins are the NFC East cham-
pions. To me, talking to Alfred af-
ter the game, it’s the first time the
Redskins have been champs since
‘99 and we came in and we did it
in one year. The sky’s the limit for
this team.’’
Griffin, gradually regaining his
explosiveness after spraining his
right knee four weeks ago, ran
for 63 yards and a touchdown for
the Redskins (10-6), who finished
with seven straight wins after
their bye week. They became the
first NFL team to rally from 3-6
and make the playoffs since the
Jacksonville Jaguars in 1996.
With the running game work-
ing so well, Griffin didn’t have to
throw much. He completed nine
of 18 passes for 100 yards.
Washington will host Seattle
next Sunday, the Redskins’ third
consecutive playoff game against
the Seahawks. They lost at Seattle
as a wild-card team in the 2005
and 2007 seasons. AP

Thomas carries Kings past Celtics, 118 to 96 Djokovic, Ana

SACRAMENTO, California—With
the rest of the Kings’ backcourt banged
up, Isaiah Thomas is making the most
of his opportunity to start.
Thomas scored 27 points in his second
start in the past six weeks and made one
of Sacramento’s two four-point plays in
the second half as the Kings handed the
Boston Celtics their third straight lopsid-
ed loss on a California road swing, 118-
96 on Sunday night.
“That guy has an infectious personal-
ity,’’ Kings coach Keith Smart said. ‘’He
has that magnetism that brings players
and people around to him. He brought
that energy to start the game off right
with him in the starting lineup. All our
guards do a great job, but what he’s been
able to do is kind of give us a little injec-
tion of the steam that we need. He’s done
that, plus he’s making his shots.’’
Thomas got the chance to start in
part because Aaron Brooks (left an-
kle) and Tyreke Evans (left knee) are
sidelined. The Kings also lost Marcus
Thornton to a sprained left ankle dur-
ing the game but it didn’t hurt them as
they had their second-highest scoring
game of the season and had at least 28
assists for the fourth straight game.
DeMarcus Cousins, in his second
game back from a team suspension,
made Boston pay for its double teams by
posting 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10
assists for his first career triple-double.
John Salmons added 23 points off the
bench and Jason Thompson scored 20
as Sacramento won its fourth straight
home game.
“We played a great game as a team,’’
Thomas said. “We were very unselfish.
That usually happens when you’re un-
selfish and you’re playing aggressive -
things start to open up.’’
The Celtics are going in the other direction
after handily beating Brooklyn on Christmas
Day. They followed that win with a trip to
California to face the Los Angeles Clippers,
Golden State and Sacramento and got out-
scored by 69 points in losing all three to fall
two games under .500.
“The reason why guys came back
is because of what we built here and
that we are known to defend,’’ Boston
forward Kevin Garnett said. “For some
reason, we’ve gotten away from that.
So we’re going to have to go back to
our origins to figure it out.’’
The Kings were in control for most
of this game and then pulled away with
their long-range shooting in the fourth
quarter. James Johnson and Jimmer
Fredette made 3-pointers early in the
fourth and then Salmons’ 3-pointer mid-
way through the quarter off a pass from
Cousins gave the Kings a 100-84 lead.
Cousins found Thomas for a long-
range shot on Sacramento’s next trip
while being fouled by Paul Pierce.
Thomas added the free throw for the
four-point play that made it 104-86
with 5 minutes to play. AP
help Serbia
turn back Italy
PERTH, Australia—Novak Djokovic
showed little sign of fatigue as he de-
feated Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-4 on Mon-
day to give Serbia a 2-0 lead over Italy
at the Hopman Cup.
Djokovic arrived in Perth less than
24 hours before he stepped on court,
but still had a straight-sets win to add
to Ana Ivanovic’s earlier 6-0, 6-4 vic-
tory over Francesca Schiavone, giving
Serbia a win in the group-stage clash of
the mixed teams event.
The two teams are in Group A, where
Australia won the opening contest over
Germany on Saturday when Andrea Pet-

Jimenez breaks leg skiing
MADRID—Spanish golfer Miguel
Angel Jimenez has broken his right
shinbone and will be sidelined for
up to five months.
Jimenez said in a statement
Sunday that he had surgery on
his leg after injuring it while ski-
ing Saturday. Jimenez says ‘’I
was playing well, but you have
to take life as it comes.’’
Jimenez was a vice captain on
Europe’s Ryder Cup-winning
team in September. In Novem-
ber, the 48-year-old Jimenez be-
came the oldest European Tour
winner by capturing his third
Hong Kong Open title. He has
19 career European Tour titles.
Meanwhile, Butch Harmon
was talking retirement in the
spring. He turned 69 this year.
A Vietnam War vet, he has been
teaching most of his life, work-
Serena opens season with comfortable victory
BRISBANE, Australia—Ser-
ena Williams joked that since
the calendar still read 2012,
she needed to maintain this
year’s dominant form.
The 15-time Grand Slam
champion opened her 2013 sea-
son Sunday, and Williams needed
less than an hour to beat fellow
American Varvara Lepchenko
6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the
Brisbane International.
Williams won 31 of her last
32 matches during the 2012
season, including titles at Wim-
bledon, the Olympics, the U.S.
Open and the WTA Champion-
ships. She was 58-4 overall.
“Tomorrow is the last day of
the year, so technically I still
ing for Sky Sports and traveling
the world, which is starting to
take its toll. He worries about
the day when his attention span
is short or he doesn’t care as
much as he once did.
‘’It’s not there, but it’s coming,’’
he said. ‘’I will never step away. I’ll
always teach. I love to teach.’’
The next morning, he was
on the range at Quail Hollow
waiting for Phil Mickelson
to arrive. Gary Christian , a
40-year-old PGA Tour rookie
from England, walked over
and introduced himself. Chris-
tian said he was fascinated to
watch so many Americans use
the leading edge of the club on
wedge shots. They chatted for
a few minutes and after Chris-
tian walked away, Harmon
said, ‘’Who was that?’’ AP
had my 2012 rep on the line,’’
she said. ‘’I really needed to win
today so I could finish the year
with still just the four losses. So
that was important for me.’’
The third-ranked Williams
didn’t show any signs of the
minor surgery on her big
toes that forced her to with-
draw from an exhibition in
Thailand. She moved freely
throughout the match against
the 21st-ranked Lepchenko.
Williams saved five break
points in the first game as she
adjusted to a strong breeze.
“I was a little nervous, but
I was completely fine,’’ Wil-
liams said. “The doctor said I
would be fine. I was excited
Serena Williams of the U.S. plays a shot during her first round match against Varvaro Lep-
chenko of the U.S. during the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Austra-
lia, Sunday. AP
to get an early start, so just
in case I did have any pain, I
could have tomorrow off. But
everything was fine.’’
Williams said she didn’t
believe in New Year’s resolu-
tions. Goals are a different sto-
ry, and she’s aiming to sweep
the major tournaments.
She held all four Grand Slam
championships at one point,
winning the 2003 Australian
Open after claiming the French,
Wimbledon and US Open titles
in 2002. But she’s never com-
pleted a season slam.
“I think for me, absolutely,’’
she said of whether it was pos-
sible in 2013. ‘“I think maybe
whoever wins the Australian
Open will have that same
thought. I think there is no
way that Victoria (Azarenka)
or Maria (Sharapova) or may-
be some other players don’t
feel the same way. So I think I
definitely feel that way.’’
And if that doesn’t hap-
pen, she plans to give herself
a few more years to attempt
it. Her experience at the Lon-
don Olympics made her want
to keep playing until the 2016
Games in Rio.
Eight of the top 10 women
are entered in the Brisbane In-
ternational, with Azarenka and
Sharapova getting byes in the
first round.
Sixth-seeded Petra Kvitova
beat Carla Suarez Navarro of
Spain 6-3, 6-4 and will next
meet Russia’s Anastasia Pav-
lyuchenkova, who beat Lucie
Hradecka of the Czech Repub-
lic 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
In other matches, Australian
wild card Jarmila Gajdosova
beat 16th-ranked Roberta Vinci
4-6, 6-1, 6-3 to set up a second-
round match against Sharapova.
Urszula Radwanska of Poland
beat Tamira Paszek of Austria
2-6, 6-0, 6-2, and Slovakia’s
Daniela Hantuchova had a 7-5,
6-2 win over Lourdes Domin-
guez Lino of Spain.
Australia’s Samantha Stosur
was headlining the night ses-
sion Monday. AP
kovic had to retire from the singles and for-
feit the mixed after suffering a knee injury.
Meanwhile, Venus Williams and John
Isner led the United States to a 2-1 vic-
tory over South Africa on Sunday.
Williams rallied to defeat 60th-ranked
Chanelle Scheepers 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. After
Kevin Anderson beat Isner 7-6 (0), 7-6
(5), the match came down to mixed dou-
bles. Williams and Isner beat the South
Africans 6-3, 6-2 to clinch victory.
Williams took some time to settle in
against an opponent who rallied well and
hit the ball deep. Scheepers broke Wil-
liams at love to serve for the first set. But
after that, the seven-time Grand Slam
champion looked increasingly comfort-
able and began to play more aggressively.
Williams clinched the second set when
Scheepers double-faulted. She then won
the first four games of the third.
Williams was playing for the first time
since winning at Luxembourg in mid-
October.
“I was just trying to find some rhythm
out there,’’ she said. “She’s obviously a
really good player having maintained a
top-40, top-50 ranking the last couple
of years. She played a match yesterday,
too, so had an extra advantage. It felt
good out there.
“I’m not expecting to be perfect now, but
I’m thinking that my game will get better
every match. I think the doubles will help
as well to hone everything. More than any-
thing I was just so excited to be out there
playing, and I’m ready to go for it.’’
Spain beat France 2-1 after Fernando
Verdasco and Anabel Medina Garrigues
won the mixed doubles against Jo-Wil-
fried Tsonga and Mathilde Johansson.
Tsonga beat Verdasco 7-5, 6-3 in the
singles, and Medina Garrigues defeated
Johansson 6-3, 6-2.
On Monday, top-ranked Novak
Djokovic and former No. 1 player Ana
Ivanovic represent Serbia against the
Italian team of Andreas Seppi and Franc-
esca Schiavone. AP
 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports
NBA (HOME TEAM IN CAPS) LOTTO RESULTS
DETROIT 96 Milwaukee 94 6/55 45-01-11-42-36-23
6/45 05-17-13-08-01-23
San Antonio 111 DALLAS 86
SACRAMENTO 118 Boston 96
LA CLIPPERS 107 Utah 96 4 DIGITS 5-0-2-1
3 DIGITS 1-6-0
Manila Standard TODAY
sports@manilastandardtoday.com sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
Riera U. Mallari, Editor 2 EZ2 10-30
A8 TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013

Clippers win
17 in a row
th
LOS ANGELES—After their 17th
consecutive victory gave them a perfect
month, the Los Angeles Clippers finally
paused to admire their achievement.
‘’We got something extremely
magical going on,’’ said Caron
Butler after the Clippers beat
the Utah Jazz 107-96 on Sunday
night to become the third team in
NBA history to record a perfect
month. (See related NBA story
below, A7)
‘’When we win we usu-
ally jump up and down once or
twice,’’ coach Vinny Del Negro
said. ‘’Tonight we let them jump
and down three or four times, so
everyone had their fill.’’
The Clippers went 16-0 in De-
cember to join the 1995-96 San
Antonio Spurs, which included
Del Negro, and 1971-72 Los An-
geles Lakers as the only teams to
go undefeated in a month. Their
franchise-record winning streak
is the longest since Boston won
19 in a row four years ago.
‘’I am amazed because I
haven’t done it since I’ve been in
the league,’’ said seven-year vet-
eran Chris Paul, whose 19 points
and nine assists helped his team
maintain the league’s best record
at 25-6.
Butler led the Clippers with 29
points despite not playing in the
fourth quarter and made all six of
his 3-pointers, including five in
the opening period. Jamal Craw-
ford scored 11 of his 19 points in
the fourth quarter. Blake Griffin
piled up five fouls and was held
to seven points after getting dou-
ble-teamed.
‘’That shows our depth,’’ Paul
said. ‘’Our bench stepped up
amazing. On any given night it
can be another guy.’’
The streak isn’t talked about
among the players and coaches.
But it’s a popular topic among
everyone else.
‘’That’s an incredible record
to have,’’ Utah’s Derrick Favors
said. ‘’They’ve got 17 straight
wins and they’re playing hard.
I know there’s a lot of pressure
on them to try to keep it up, and
they’re going to keep coming out
and keep playing the same way.’’
Actually, it’s just the opposite,
according to Griffin, who said the
last month ‘’is the most fun I’ve
ever had playing basketball.’’
‘’You don’t really think about it
that much. We’re having a blast,’’
he said about the streak. ‘’It’s not
like it’s one of these things where
it’s so much pressure.’’
Al Jefferson scored 30 points -
one off his season high - to lead
Utah, which fell victim for the
third time during the Clippers’
streak. The Jazz lost 116-114 on
Friday when the Clippers rallied
from 19 points down, and they
were beaten 105-104 on Dec. 3,
both times at home.
‘’It’s frustrating,’’ said Gordon
Hayward, who had 16 points.
‘’Knowing that they’re a good
team and knowing that we’re
always right there with them,
knowing that we need to keep on
playing good for 48 minutes.’’
The Jazz lost their third in a
row and seventh in the last nine
games.
‘’We can’t make any mistakes
against them, especially on their
home floor because they make Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (left) goes up for a shot as Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors defends
you pay for it,’’ Jefferson said. AP during the second half of their NBA basketball game, Sunday, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won, 107-96. AP

Big 3 help Spurs send Mavericks to 6th straight loss Capitol

DALLAS—Dirk Nowitzki grabbed a
loose ball in the backcourt and started
the fast break himself, pulling up for a
3-pointer just like the days before his first
knee surgery.
Antonio Spurs and their Big Three.
Tony Parker had 21 points and nine as-
sists, Manu Ginobili had several key bas-
kets among his 20 points and the Spurs
handed the Mavericks their sixth straight
The Spurs, who snapped a four-game
road losing streak, never trailed a week
after beating the Mavericks by 38 in San
Antonio when Nowitzki made a surprise
debut earlier than expected.
before finally getting a basket on a driv-
ing layup. He finished with eight points on prevails,
donates
3-of-9 shooting - and didn’t come close to
trying another 3-pointer. He did have five
rebounds and three blocked shots.

to jungolf
The difference this time: The Dallas loss, 111-86 on Sunday night. ‘’I liked the focus of the team,’’ Parker said. ‘’He’s not Dirk Nowitzki, basically, one
Mavericks star threw up an airball. Two nights after his second 30-point game ‘’It’s never easy to play a team that we beat pretty of the greatest players that’s ever played,
Nowitzki will need more time to work his of the season, Tim Duncan had 10 in the sec- bad last week. From the get-go, we moved the so it’s going to take time for him,’’ Spurs
way back from a surgery that cost him the ond quarter before settling in for a more typical ball, took good shots and played great defense.’’ coach Gregg Popovich said. ‘’It’s very,
ED Rendon and Vicente
first 27 games of the season. Even then, it outing: 18 points and 10 rebounds for his 16th Nowitzki followed his first-half airball very difficult when you have a guy like
that out, and then he comes back.’’ AP Sumulong claimed top hon-
may not be enough to keep up with the San double-double to go with three blocks. by missing three more in the second half
ors in the members’ division,
while sisters Miya and Missy
Legaspi led the winners in the
Araña’s all-around expertise nets him Best Player of Week title jungolf event of the recent
2nd Chairman’s Cup at the
Capitol Hils Golf and Coun-
RYAN Arana’s worth is being proven in each game he Guiao of the former La Salle Green Ar- He spiked that output by stealing the ball try Club.
plays for Rain or Shine. cher, 12th pick overall in the 2007 draft. thrice, hauling down two rebounds and issu- Rendon captured the low
The Accel-Philippine Basketball Association Press “He has been known to be a scorer in his ing as many feeds that propped the E-Paint- gross award with his 61,
Corps Player of the Week showed that for the period amateur days, but here in the pros, he’s been ers’ drive to a 3-1 series lead. while finished with the low-
Dec. 24 to 30, when he helped the Elasto Painters rack doing a bit of everything, especially on de- That performance by Arana was eerily est net under the Double Peo-
up back-to-back wins that moved them within another fense,” added Guiao. “Iyung puntos darating at reminiscent of his exploits the game be- ria scoring system used for
win of making the Philippine Cup finals. darating sa kanya iyon, pero he’s now priding fore on Christmas Day, when scattered all the members and sponsors
The southpaw guard was doing it all in his team’s himself more on making the needed stops.” eight of his points in the second quarter that groups in the year-ending
semifinal duel with San Mig Coffee, scoring, assisting, The 29-year-old has indeed been stepping boosted them to a 51-32 halftime lead and event of the Ayala facility in
swiping the ball and making some hustle plays, while up in a team full of role players. into a 98-72 victory. Diliman, Quezon City.
taking his turn trying to shackle the likes of James Yap Araña shared the limelight with team- Arana went scoreless in Game 5 last Miya topped Class B with
and PJ Simon. mates Gabe Norwood and Ronnie Matias Saturday, a 67-79 loss that denied Rain or a 58 and Missy’s 63 gave her
“Si Ryan, he’s the kind of player who doesn’t com- in an 83-74 win in Game 4 of the best-of- Araña Shine outright entry to its second straight the Class D trophy in the jun-
plain about his playing time or the kind of role you seven series last Thursday, when he scored finals. But Guiao firmly believes Arana will golf side-event that was again
want him to play and that makes him very welcome 13 points, nine in the third quarter that helped Rain or bounce back in a big way on Game 6 Thursday. part of Capitol’s drive to pro-
in our organization,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Shine take a 54-36 lead that acted as cushion. “He doesn’t take too many days off,” said Guiao. mote youth golf development
in coordination with the Ju-
nior Golf Foundation of the

Black: We need the rest badly Philippines. The other boys

By Jeric Lopez
AS expected, both the semi-
final battles in the 2013
Philippine Basketball Asso-
ciation Philippine Cup semi-
finals are getting lengthy,
given the competitive bal-
ance of the four remaining
protagonists.
After a week full of action
with both best-of-seven af-
fairs’ alternating playdates,
Talk ‘N Text, Alaska, Rain
or Shine and San Mig Cof-
fee will now have a couple of
days’ off to gather themselves
heading to the homestretch of
their respective duels.
Through five games, the de-
fending champions Tropang
Texters and the Elasto Painters
found themselves holding 3-2
leads, needing only one more
win against their respective
TNT’s Jimmy Alapag (left) and Kelly Williams, shown here against foes to advance to the finals.
Alaska’s against Dondon Hontiveros, will surely welcome the four-day Being the veteran squad
rest of the Texters. that it is featuring seasoned
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
players advancing in age,
Talk ‘N Text plans to take
full advantage of the four-day
rest it will get, along with the
Aces to get itself fresh in its
bid to return to the finals.
Texters’ coach Norman
Black knows exactly how
meaningful this vacation is for
his wards.
“We definitely are the older
team here, so these couple of
days’ off will help us more
than them,’’ said Black. “They
(Aces) have lots of young play-
ers, so definitely they won’t
just give up and they are fresh-
er. We need every advantage
we can get.’’
Talk ‘N Text can finish Alas-
ka off when they meet again in
Game 6 on Friday at the Mall
of Asia Arena as it continues its
bid of making history by trying
to win its third straight Philip-
pine Cup crown.
The tug-of-war between
the Elasto Painters and the
Coffee Mixers resumes on
Thursday at the Cuneta As-
trodome.
The Mixers and the Aces
have the harder task of getting
to the finals since they need to
win two straight to get there
with no room for error.
Meanwhile, San Mig Cof-
fee is currently negotiating to
bring back Denzel Bowles for
its campaign in the Commis-
sioner’s Cup.
Bowles reigned supreme
in last season’s version of the
second conference, where he
claimed the Best Import award,
while leading the Mixers, then
known as the B-MEG Llama-
dos, to the championship in
a classic seven-game finale
against the Texters.
If negotiations go smooth,
expect the 6’10” inside op-
erator to once again don
the Mixers’ jersey, instantly
making them yet another ti-
tle contender.
winners were Charles Cor-
puz in Class A, Aldo Barro in
Class B, Aidric Chan in Class
C while Ashia Nocum joined
the Legaspi sisters in the ros-
ter of girls winners.
In the same event, Capi-
tol Hills general manager
Joe Dagdagan turned over
a check representing Capi-
tol’s contribution to the jun-
golf program. Members and
guests at Capitol contribute
P5 to JGFP for every round
of golf that they play and
also extends 50% discount on
green fees for all junior golf-
ers up to age 17.
“We at Capitol are of the
opinion that the only way for
the golf industry to flourish
is to grow the game of golf.
All segments of the industry
must play a role here. This
is a common ground where
collaboration instead of com-
petetion should prevail and
we need to see as many peo-
ple as possible playing golf
now to ensure golf’s future,”
said Dagdagan.
 Business
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila Standard TODAY Ray S. Eñano, Editor business@mst.ph

Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor; extrastory2000@gmail.com
TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013 B1

10 firms face trade suspension

By Jenniffer B. Austria Banking Corp., Alphaland Corp., Cosmos shares of listed companies that are not Several companies applied for delisting

TEN publicly-listed
companies, including San Corp. and San Miguel Properties Inc.
Miguel Brewery Inc. and
PAL Holdings Inc., face
trading suspension starting suspension
Jan. 2, after failing to
comply with the 10-percent shares
minimum public float rule would cover not more than six months, or
of the Philippine Stock
Exchange.
Other companies whose stocks will documentary stamp tax on every sale,
be suspended from trading are Allied barter, exchange or other disposition of
Bottling Corp., Nextstage Inc., Southeast
Asia Cement Holdings Inc., PNOC-
Exploration Corp., Philcomsat Holdings
compliant with the public ownership rule.
The PSE said if a listed company
remained non-compliant after June 30, its
from the stock market because of their
minimal public float level.
The PSE earlier approved the delisting
Toll road
The companies will be given the six-month
trading suspension as a penalty for their failure
shares would be delisted effective July 1,
2013.
It will lift the trading suspension
of Eton Properties Philippines Inc., whose
public float stood at only 5.65 percent.
The PSE also approved the delisting
bargain
to sell more shares to the public.
The PSE said in a memorandum the trading
imposed on the company’s shares if
the erring firm present sproof of com-
of First Metro Investments Corp., the
investment banking unit of Metropolitan offered to
will take effect on Jan. 2, the stock pliance with the public ownership re- Bank and Trust Co.; and Metro Pacific
market’s first trading day in 2013.
It said the trading suspension on the
quirement.
The PSE requires publicly-listed firms
Tollways Corp., the tollways unit of Metro
Pacific Investments Corp.
end row
of non-compliant listed companies to have a minimum of 10 percent of their Other companies that opted to delist
issued and outstanding shares, exclusive from the local bourse due to the public
By Lailany P. Gomez
until June 30, 2013.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue
of any treasury shares, held by the public.
The rule aims to provide a fair and
ownership rule were Alaska Milk Corp.,
PLDT Communications and Energy
THE Transportation Depart-
will also impose capital gains tax and a efficient facility for price discovery and Ventures Inc., Keppel Philippines
ment said the government of-
fered a compromise deal to
ensure that sufficient liquidity exists in the Marine Inc. and Chinatrust (Philippines)
resolve the dispute between the
stock market. Commercial Bank Corp.
proponents of separate major
road projects that will connect

IN BRIEF the South Luzon and North Lu-

Business missions up
THE Philippines received a record 487
inbound business missions in the first 10 months
of 2012, up 57 percent from 311 visits during
the same period in 2011, the Trade Department
said over the weekend.
“This influx of business missions is a strong
affirmation of the Aquino administration’s
economic reforms that have resonated
prominently to foreign investors worldwide,”
Trade Undersecretary Cristino Panlilio said.
These missions were composed of 147
individual company visits and 34 multi-
company delegation missions, where each
mission is composed of at least five corporations’
executives.
The Trade Department also noted a 112.5-
percent increase in multi-company delegations
from 18 last year to 34 in 2012.
Panlilio said the increase in inbound
business missions could be attributed to the
revival of interest of markets such as United
Kingdom, France and Canada, and the
growing interest coming from non-traditional
markets such as Russia, Turkey, Oman, Iran,
Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and
Nigeria.
“Traditional markets such as Japan, US,
Taiwan, and Korea remained a major source of
foreign investor visits,” Panlilio said.
Julito G. Rada
Construction up 8.2%
BUILDING constructions rose 8.2 percent
year-on-year in the third quarter of 2012,
based on the number of permits granted by
building officials.
The National Statistics Office said the
government granted 27,323 building permits
for construction of new projects in the July-
September period, up from 25,255 permits
approved in the same period in 2011.
It said permits for residential buildings
rose 7.5 percent to 19,523 from 18,154 a year
ago, while applications for commercial and
industrial building constructions increased 9.2
percent to 3,688 from 3,377.
Additions, alterations and repairs of existing
structures also increased 10.4 percent to 4,112
from 3,724 a year earlier.
The NSO said the value of these new
constructions also expanded 54.5 percent to
P64.3 billion in the third quarter of 2012 from
P41.6 billion in the third quarter of 2011.
Among regions, Calabarzon had the highest
number of new building construction projects
at 6,378 or 23.3 percent of the total, followed
by Central Visayas, Metro Manila, Central
Luzon and Davao. Anna Leah Estrada
zon expressways.
Transportation Secretary
Joseph Emilio Abaya said the
compromise agreement was
something the “government
think is acceptable to the par-
ties,” referring to Citra Metro
Manila Tollways Corp. of San
Miguel Corp. and Metro Pacif-
ic Tollways Corp. He declined
to elaborate.
Abaya said the Toll Regula-
tory Board would incorporate
the compromise in the supple-
mental toll operation agree-
ment.
The TRB is a collegial body
headed by the Transportation
Department, with the Public
Works Department as one of
the members.
“The TRB shall then forward
the STOA for presidential ap-
proval. Upon approval, a notice
to proceed shall be issued. In
parallel, [Public Works] shall
proceed with the Swiss chal-
lenge on the other project,”
Abaya said.
The government stepped into
the dispute when Citra and Metro
Pacific failed to reach an agree-
In recession. Women shop for fruit in the area of Little India in Singapore on Saturday. Singapore may grapple with elevated menton the common alignment
inflationary pressures for a third year in 2013, reducing scope for the central bank to provide stimulus to an economy that probably
entered a technical recession this quarter. Story on B2. BLOOMBERG segment of the road project.
Abaya earlier said the gov-
ernment wanted “to make sure
PH group, Malaysians eye oil palm tie-up that the common alignment is
available to other party who-
ever would not be construct-
The potential partners have not yet suitable for oil palm production. At least ing it. I think those things are
By Othel V. Campos implementable. What remains
identified a suitable oil palm plantation eight oil palm plantations operate in the
an issue is the arrangement on
A GROUP of Filipino investors plans site. Oil palm is the tree from where the Philippines, all located in Mindanao.
the common alignment.”
to tie up with a Malaysian company in oil, or palm olein, is extracted. The Philippine Palm Oil Development
oil palm propagation and later go into Arranza noted palm oil production Council Inc. said palm oil imports from Citra proposed to construct
a P25.4-billion, 14-kilometer,
processing in the Philippines. might soon outpace coconut oil volume. Malaysia had steadily increased.
Jesus Arranza, president of the CIIF- A one-hectare palm plantation can The Philippines in 2009 imported six-lane tollway that will have
Oil Mills Group, said two Malaysian process 500 kilograms of oil, higher than just 119,229 metric tons of palm oil exits in Quirino, Manila and
companies expressed interest to team up the 450 kilos extracted from copra. from Malaysia, before nearly doubling Plaza Dilao, Aurora Boulevard,
with the Filipino consortium. “Coconut oil, though, has a premium to 204,731 MT in 2010 and increasing E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon
“It is possible that the Malaysian over palm olein that makes it the to 543,000 MT in 2011 worth P28.03 Boulevard, Sgt. Rivera and
investors will be coming over to discuss the best choice for high-end coconut oil- billion. Imports from Malaysia alone Balintawak in Quezon City.
Metro Pacific seeks to con-
project. There had been preliminary talks. based products such as beauty soaps, could reach 597,000 MT in 2012.
struct a 13-kilometer connec-
It’s now a matter of finalizing the talks to pharmaceutical products and other value- “Given these circumstances, the
get the project going by 2013,” he said. added stuff,” said Arranza. Filipino group, I learned, is looking at tor road for P22.95 billion. The
Initial estimates put the cost of the The Southern Philippine Development displacing a hefty amount of palm oil connector road will run along
80,000-hectare oil palm plantation at a Authority identified about 304,000 imports once it starts commercially,” the tracks of state-owned Phil-
maximum of $100 million. hectares of land in Mindanao that are said Arranza. ippine National Railways in
Metro Manila.

30% of public vehicles to run on non-oil fuel Market rally expected

By Alena Mae S. Flores
THE Energy Department plans
to require 30 percent of all
public utility vehicles to run
on alternative fuels by 2030 to
promote energy security and
cleaner fuels.
“In order to attain such goal,
we will be relentless in promoting
the use of clean and alternative
fuels,” Energy Secretary Jericho
Petilla said.
Petilla said the government aimed
to achieve the goal by raising the
biofuel blend by up to 20 percent
of CNG buses.
The department, meanwhile,
in supporting the expansion of
mass transport systems. Again,
to be sustained in 2013
by 2030, increasing the number of has pre-qualified seven this is another good opportunity were emerging as sweet spots
By Anna Leah Estrada
compressed natural gas and auto- companies to bid for the for the department to proactively for overseas investors.
LPG vehicles plying the country’s government’s electric tricycle collaborate with various [local Ravelas said as the
THE stock market will continue
major routes and massively project, which will be funded government units],” Petilla said. government focused on
to advance in 2013, driven by
deploying electric automotives by a $300-million loan from Petilla said the push for the use plugging the budget deficit
favorable economic outlook and
starting off with electric tricycles the Asian Development Bank of more alternative fuels for the through fiscal prudence and
strong investors’ appetite for
with assistance from the Asian to replace 100,000 gasoline-fed transport sector would have an strong revenue collection,
equities in emerging markets
Development Bank. tricycles in the country. impact on oil consumption from coupled with improving
such as the Philippines.
The department has allowed “We will also be in constant 2012 to 2030 and show a clear infrastructure, foreign investors
BDO Unibank Inc. chief
state-owned PNOC Exploration collaboration with the [Metro departure from an increasing took notice of the country as an
market strategist Jonathan
Corp. to put up modular CNG Manila Development Authority trend in the Philippines’ Asean investment destination.
Ravelas said the Philippines and
stations to increase the number and Transportation Department] neighbor countries. The economy grew 7.1
other countries in Southeast Asia
percent in the third quarter

OPRICES
of the year, driven by robust
PSE COMPOSITE INDEX FCurrency
OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
P584-P695
PESO-DOLLAR RATE consumer and government
Unit US Dollar Peso
Closing December 28, 2012
United States Dollar 1.000000 41.1920 Indonesia
Friday, December 28, 2012
Rupiah 0.000104 0.0043
LPG/11-kg tank IL Closing DECEMBER 28, 2012
spending, while inflation
continued to be manageable,
5200 Japan Yen 0.011621 0.4787 Thailand Baht 0.032637 1.3444 P47.15-P53.07
40 hitting the low-end of the
Unleaded Gasoline
TODAY
4460 UK Pound 1.610100 66.3232 UAE Dirham 0.272279 11.2157
42 government’s target range of 3
3720 Hong Kong Dollar 0.129016 5.3144 Euro Euro 1.323800 54.5300
P38.40-P41.05 percent to 5 percent.
2980 Korea Won 0.000933 0.0384 44
Switzerland Franc 1.095170 45.1122
Diesel Ravelas said these helped
2240 China Yuan 0.160359 6.6055
Canada Dollar 1.004924 41.3948
46 the stock market achieve more
1500 Singapore Dollar 0.818197 33.7032 India Rupee 0.018203 0.7498
P40.30-P52.20 P41.050 than 35 record highs in the past
1200 Australia Dollar 1.035947 42.6727 Malaysia Ringgit 0.326904 13.4658
Kerosene 48 CLOSE 11 months. He said the stock
New Zealand Dollar 0.817127 33.6591
Bahrain Dinar 2.652661 109.2684 market’s rally had strong legs
5,812.73 Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266667 10.9845 Taiwan Dollar 0.034448 1.4190 P27.20-P31.00 HIGH P41.050 LOW P41.110 AVERAGE P41.078 supporting it, as the economy
17.84 Brunei Dollar 0.814863 33.5658
Source: PDS Bridge
Auto LPG was boosted by BPO revenues
VOLUME 677.300M
687.950M
and remittances.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B2 TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013 ManilaStandardToday
Business business@mst.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

Obama pushes Pacific trade deal

By Daniel Ten Kate and Margaret Talev
MORE than a century and a half after
Millard Fillmore dispatched an emissary
to Asia to transform commerce across the
Pacific, a US president again sees a historic
opportunity to strengthen America’s role in
the region.
Barack Obama sent his
secretary of state, Hillary Clinton,
to Asia for a record 86 days in his
first term, including—for the first
time—stops in all 10 members of
theAssociation of SoutheastAsian
Nations. Obama himself became
the first sitting commander-in-
chief to visit Myanmar, a nation
the International Monetary Fund
says may be the next economic
frontier in Asia.
As in the wake of US
Commodore Matthew Perry’s
1850s voyages to Japan,
American companies are seeking
greater opportunities, with
General Electric Co. and Ford
Motor Co. backing Obama’s plan
for an 11-country Pacific trade
deal that could bring in $108
billion a year. Instead of Perry’s
gunships, what may propel Asian
nations toward Obama’s vision is
concern from Japan to Vietnam
that China’s ascendance may
pose a threat.
“The US is serious about its
commitment to Asia and sees Asia
as the future in terms of economic
growth in the 21st century,”
said Simon Kahn, chairman
of the American Chamber of
Commerce in Singapore and
Google Inc.’s chief Asia-Pacific
marketing officer. “That has a
very real impact in discussions
with business counterparts in
terms of thinking about long-
term investments.”
Personal history
The connection is part personal
for Obama, 51, who lived in
Jakarta from 1967 to 1971. In
his second year in office, the
president returned to Indonesia’s
capital, addressing an audience
of about 6,000 at the University
of Indonesia highlighting
prospects for deeper economic
ties, “because a rising middle
class here means new markets
for our goods, just as America said in an interview. rather than pivot. professor at the Singapore-
is a market for yours.” TPP ‘magnet’ Even before her speech, based S. Rajaratnam School of
Less than two years after “It is intended to serve as a Obama on his first trip to Asia International Studies, said by
Obama’s visit, Boeing Co. magnet,” Froman said, referring met leaders from Asean as a phone. “This is something that
confirmed a record 230-plane to the TPP. “It’s an open platform bloc, an unprecedented move almost no regional country wants
order valued at $22.4 billion at so over time other countries can for an US leader. In another first, to see.”
list prices from PT Lion Mentari join.” the president now attends the China superseded the US as
Airlines, a budget carrier in Froman, who served at the East Asia Summit--a forum of Asean’s top trade partner the
Indonesia, the world’s fourth Treasury Department under 18 nations that includes Asean, year before Obama took office,
most-populous nation. Robert Rubin during the Clinton China and South Korea and that and is championing a separate set
“If you look at global administration, said that “what Obama wants to become the of trade talks to the TPP, known
growth, obviously this region the rebalancing strategy is about “premier” structure to address as the Regional Comprehensive
is where the action is,” Bill is the recognition of the critical regional security issues. Economic Partnership. If
Ford, executive chairman importance of the Asia-Pacific Military ties implemented without the TPP,
of the second-biggest US region to the United States” in Beyond the response to the that deal would reduce US
automaker, said in a response security and economic terms. TPP initiative, several East exports by $3.7 billion per year,
to questions while on a visit National security matters Asian nations have welcomed according to Petri’s calculations.
to Thailand, where he toured dominated US ties with Asia since the pivot from a security China’s muscle
a $450-million plant that the Japanese carrier planes bombed perspective. Indonesia in 2010 China also has shown
Dearborn, Michigan-based Pearl Harbor in 1941, with saw ties between its special willingness to use its wealth for
Condominium
blocks stand in the
district of Orchard
Road in Singapore.
Negotiators from
11 countries--
Australia, Brunei,
Canada, Chile,
Malaysia, Mexico,
New Zealand, Peru,
Singapore, the US
and Vietnam--will
meet in Singapore
in early March for
the 16th round of
the Trans-Pacific
Partnership talks

Ubuntu surprise
aimed at bringing
down tariffs,
strengthening
patent protection
and allowing
greater access
WILL the to government
makers of contracts.
BLOOMBERG
Ubuntu Linux CHIN WONG
really be
introducing a
top-secret new
DIGITAL LIFE company opened this year. The World War II leaving a legacy forces and the Pentagon restored foreign-policy purposes, with
product this
administration’s support for of American bases in Japan and 12 years after they were cut Japanese carmakers suffering a
week?
US manufacturers has helped South Korea, and routine naval due to human rights abuses. boycott of their products earlier
Try as I might, I couldn’t find a single document from Canonical
Ford expand its exports of the patrols of Asia’s waterways. In This year, the US announced this year as frictions with China
to confirm the rumor that started out in Linux Insider, which was
Explorer sport-utility vehicle the 1960s and 1970s, four US plans to sell Indonesia weapons deepened over a disputed island
regurgitated on other blogs and forums.
to more than 90 nations, he presidents sent half a million valued at $1.5 billion, including chain. Toyota Motor Corp.’s
“Save the date: Jan 2—Ubuntu set to disrupt a new ecosystem,”
said. soldiers to counter the spread of eight of Boeing’s Apache China sales slid the most in a
wrote Katherine Noyce, presumably quoting Canonical sources.
Growth prospects Communism in Southeast Asia. attack helicopters, an amount decade during September and
“Ubuntu will announce a brand-new product.”
The IMF forecasts developing After a deepening in cross- exceeding total arms sales October, and Honda Motor Co.
Tux Radar attributed the rumor to “a rather cryptic e-mail from
countries in Asia to grow Pacific economic ties in the to the country from 1950 to and Nissan Motor Co. cut their
Canonical’s PR company.”
7.7 percent in 2017, almost 1980s and early 1990s, the US 2011, according to Pentagon full-year profit forecasts by a
“Canonical is kicking off the New Year with a bang, and
triple the pace of advanced under Bill Clinton and Rubin statistics. fifth.
launching a brand new Ubuntu product,” the online magazine
economies, increasing demand spearheaded financial bailouts The Philippines received a One risk is that fallout from
quoted the release as saying. “We’ll be holding an exclusive event
for everything from toothpaste during the Asian financial crisis. used US Coast Guard ship last territorial disputes between
hosted by Mark Shuttleworth, founder of the Ubuntu project, to
and automobiles to missile The ensuing Bush administration year, and anticipates more naval China and its east Asian
give full details of what we believe is the next generation of cross
systems as nations protect their shifted focus to the Middle East vessels and maritime radar. In neighbors undermines prospects
platform operating system.”
newfound wealth. and Afghanistan in the wake of June, Defense Secretary Leon for economic expansion. IMF
Without any official word from Canonical, speculation was
Asian stocks also demon- the 2001 World Trade Center Panetta became the highest- Deputy Managing Director
rife. Some of it focused on the launch of an Ubuntu tablet to take
strate the region’s lure, with attacks, before Obama in his first ranking official to visit Vietnam’s Naoyuki Shinohara said in
advantage of the operating system’s touch-enabled and mobile-
the MSCI Asia Pacific Exclud- term embarked on a “pivot” in Cam Ranh Bay, a former US October that an escalation of
friendly Unity interface. Others suggested that Canonical might
ing Japan Index climbing 100 attention back to Asia. military hub, since the Vietnam the China-Japan conflict could
be ready to introduce a gaming console in partnership with Steam.
percent since Obama took of- Asia first War. ultimately have global economic
Still others said it could be some kind of a cloud-based service
fice, a period when the MSCI Hillary Clinton became the first Vietnam reset ramifications.
that would work on multiple platforms, including smart phones,
World Index rose 56 percent. secretary of state to visit Asia on “We have been talking with the Another danger is that a deeper
tablets and personal computers.
Price-to-earnings ratios pres- an inaugural overseas trip since Americans and we will agree to Chinese slowdown sparks unrest
Will there be a really new, market-moving product, or will this
ent “no obstacle” to more the 1960s. Her 86 days touring further raising our relationship to and prompts leaders to redirect
turn out to be PR hype? We ought to know in a day or two.
gains, according to Nomura 21 Asia-Pacific nations are the a higher level,” Vietnam Deputy domestic anger, triggering a more
Until then, a recent Slashdot interview with Shuttleworth, as
Holdings Inc. equity strategists most in a four-year period for a Foreign Minister Pham Quang aggressive diplomatic stance. That
well as an entry from his own blog might give us a few clues.
led by Michael Kurtz in Hong secretary, according to records Vinh said in a Nov. 28 interview leaves the potential “for a new
“Let’s make one OS that runs on the phone AND on your
Kong. Kurtz’s team targeted posted on the State Department’s in Hanoi. “It is for our interests, stage of international disputes,”
supercomputer,” Shuttleworth told Slashdot. “We’re close to
530 for the MSCI Asia Pacific website, which don’t include the but also for the interests of the said Ding Xueliang, a professor
that now—we know Ubuntu makes a great cloud OS and a great
Excluding Japan Index in 2013 travels of Dean Acheson or most region and the interests of the at Hong Kong University of
server OS and a great desktop... So our focus now is to establish
in a note dated Dec. 3, marking top diplomats who served in the world.” Science and Technology who
a great story around Ubuntu and mobile form factors—the tablet
a 14 percent gain from current 19th century. Japan agreed in September teaches contemporary Chinese
and the phone—on which we can build deeper relationships with
levels. Clinton, who will be succeeded to host a second American anti- politics.
everyday consumers.”
Obama’s trade strategy is by Democratic Senator John ballistic missile radar facility, Maritime claims
Anyone expecting to run Android applications within Ubuntu,
built around the Trans-Pacific Kerry of Massachusetts in a move that would free up US Last year, Chinese ships
however, will be disappointed.
Partnership. Negotiators from Obama’s second term pending Navy ships to be moved around chased away a boat doing oil
“No OS ever succeeded by emulating another OS. Android is
11 countries—Australia, US Senate confirmation, began to the Pacific. The US has more and gas exploration work for the
great, but if we want to succeed we need to bring something new
Brunei, Canada, Chile, articulate the policy shift in 2010. than doubled spending on Philippines and cut the cables
and better to market,” Shuttleworth said.
Malaysia, Mexico, New She outlined a plan of “forward- military education and training of a Vietnamese survey vessel.
“If we said we aimed to run Android apps, then two things
Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the deployed” diplomacy in Asia to programs for Cambodia, Laos China, citing historical evidence,
would happen. Every developer that potentially cared about
US and Vietnam—will meet advance American economic and and Vietnam. claims a tongue-shaped swath of
Ubuntu would feel it was OK to just write an app for Android.
in Singapore in early March security interests. A year later, “A shared concern is that if the the sea delimited by nine dashes
And every bug that would be specific to our implementation of
for the 16th round of talks Clinton unveiled the pivot in a US doesn’t do anything to further that extends hundreds of miles
Android’s APIs would of course be a bug for us to fix, not a bug
aimed at bringing down tariffs, speech titled “America’s Pacific consolidate its strategic position south from Hainan Island to the
for the app developer. So, we won’t do that.”
strengthening patent protection Century.” The administration in East Asia, China will fill in that equatorial waters off the coast of
The Ubuntu founder also made clear in his own blog that
and allowing greater access to now uses the term “rebalancing” gap,” Li Mingjiang, an associate Borneo. Bloomberg
Canonical would work to gain acceptance on mobile platforms
government contracts.
this year.
Stepping up
“It... matters that we be relevant for the kinds of computing that
people want to do every day. That’s why Unity in 2013 will be all
about mobile—bringing Ubuntu to phones and tablets.”
“There are significant risks to
the US of being marginalized
in Asia if they do not step up to
Singapore likely entered recession
A particularly intriguing product demonstrated last year but
the trade plate,” said Deborah By Sharon Chen growth slows. The Monetary to stem inflation in a nation that
still in development is Ubuntu for Android, which will have Authority of Singapore tightened uses its exchange rate rather than
Elms, head of the Temasek
both operating systems running alongside each other on Android
Foundation Centre for Trade
and Sarina Yoo policy this year by allowing faster borrowing costs to manage prices.
phones or tablets. currency gains in an export- Instead, the Singapore dollar’s
& Negotiations in Singapore. SINGAPORE may grapple with
Both Ubuntu and Android can run at the same time without dependent economy at risk from an 6 percent rise in 2012 may be
“They have to be able to push elevated inflationary pressures
emulation or virtualization because they share the same Linux uneven US recovery and Europe’s weighing on the manufacturing
the TPP past the finish line.” for a third year in 2013, reducing protracted sovereign debt crisis. industry, said Kit Wei Zheng,
kernel.
Japan, South Korea, Thailand scope for the central bank to “MAS faces twin challenges of an economist at Citigroup Inc.,
When the device is connected to a desktop monitor, it becomes
and the Philippines are all provide stimulus to an economy stubborn inflation and sluggish growth,” hurting an economy where total
a standard Ubuntu desktop PC with the Unity interface. This,
considering joining the TPP that probably entered a technical said Wai Ho Leong, a Singapore-based exports are equivalent to more than
in effect, gives smart phone users a full-blown computer recession this quarter.
talks—a move that, along with economist at Barclays Plc. The central one-and-a-half times its GDP.
that fits in their pocket, capable of running standard Linux- Gross domestic product
an entry by Indonesia and 11 bank may “continue to maintain a Non-oil domestic exports will
based desktop applications for Web surfing, word processing, contracted in the final three gradual appreciation stance, even in an probably rise 2 percent to 3 percent in
mostly smaller nations, could
spreadsheets and image editing, whenever it is docked to a months of 2012 from the previous environment of below-trend growth,” 2012, lower than a previous forecast of
bring the US annual income of
monitor and keyboard. quarter, according to five of 10 he said. 4 percent to 5 percent, the government
$108 billion a year, according economists in a Bloomberg News
I would love to have this functionality on my Samsung GT- Price gains have averaged 4.9 said last month. It predicts overseas
to Asia-Pacific Trade, a Web survey, where the median was for
i8150 but alas, Ubuntu for Android isn’t an application you can percent since the start of 2011, more shipments will climb 2 percent to 4
site whose contributors include an annualized expansion of 0.3 than double the 1.9 percent average percent in 2013.
simply download onto your smart phone—it has to be built into
Peter A. Petri, a Brandeis percent. A decline would lead to in the past two decades. The central Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
your phone’s firmware. That’s why Canonical is pitching the
University professor. the country’s first recession since bank forecasts an inflation rate may give some economic estimates
product to handset manufacturers, not end-users.
The US aims to complete the 2009. The report will be released higher than 4.5 percent this year and in his annual New Year message
Could this week’s announcement be an Android phone that also at 8 a.m. on Jan. 2.
TPP talks by the end of next in a 3.5 percent-to-4.5 percent range later Tuesday. The government
runs Ubuntu? Let’s wait and see. Elevated housing, transportation
year and have it take effect by in 2013. expects GDP to expand about 1.5
2015, Michael Froman, deputy and business costs have resulted in Currency gains percent in 2012 and growth of 1
Column archives and blog at: http://www.chinwong.com
national security adviser for one of the fastest inflation rates The third-best performing percent to 3 percent in 2013.
in the developed world even as Asian currency this year has failed Bloomberg
international economic affairs,
extrastory2000@gmail.com business@mst.ph ManilaStandardToday
Manila Business TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013 B3

Asian stocks decline

before fiscal cliff hits
BANGKOK—With just hours
left before the US hits the “fiscal
cliff,” stocks on the other side
US Speaker of the world wilted as investors
of the sold off riskier assets to lock
House John in profits just in case budget
Boehner negotiations fail in Washington.
walks to a American political leaders
closed-door
face a Monday night deadline
GOP caucus
as Congress
to reach an agreement before
meets to steep tax increases and spending
negotiate a cuts begin to take effect Jan. 1
legislative — this, at a time when the US
path to avoid economy is still struggling to
the so-called recover from the last recession.
‘fiscal cliff’ Democrats and Republicans
of automatic have failed so far to reach a budget
tax increases deal despite intense negotiations.
and deep Much of the impasse centers on
spending how to address the automatic
cuts that tax increases that take effect in
could kick in 2013. That’s when tax cuts first
Jan. 1., at the
enacted under President George
Capitol in
Washington.
W. Bush, and extended under
AP President Barack Obama, are
scheduled to expire.
That would drive taxes up for
nearly all Americans and deplete
the already fragile economy of
$600 billion. And budget cuts of
8 percent or 9 percent would hit
most of the federal government,
touching all sorts of things
from the military to weather
forecasting.
Some economists predict the
tax-and-spending effects of the
fiscal cliff could eventually throw
the economy into recession. If the
deadline passes, politicians still
have a few weeks to keep the tax
hikes and spending cuts at bay
by repealing them retroactively
once a deal is reached.
Still, the failure to adhere to the
deadline will be bad for investor
confidence, according to Francis
Lun, managing director of Lyncean
Holdings in Hong Kong.
“I think the market reaction to
that will be very negative. This
means the U.S. will never be
able to bring its house in order.
And the deficit will continue
to accumulate,” Lun said. “No
meaningful reform and no
solution in sight. You can throw
confidence out of the window.”
The uncertainty drove down
stock markets on the last trading
day of the year. Australia’s S&P/
ASX 200 fell 0.5 percent to
4,648.90. Hong Kong’s Hang
Seng, trading for a half-day, was
flat at 22,668.48. Benchmarks in
New Zealand, Singapore and India
also declined. Mainland Chinese
stocks rose. Markets in Japan and
South Korea were closed for the
New Year’s holidays. AP

Fiscal ‘cliff’ deal proving elusive

WASHINGTON—A Capitol
Hill deal to avert the “fiscal
cliff” was proving elusive
Sunday as a deadline to avert
tax hikes on virtually every
American worker and block
sweeping spending cuts set
to strike the Pentagon and
other federal agencies grew
perilously near.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.,
and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell
remained at odds on such key issues as the income
threshold for higher tax rates and how to deal with
inheritance taxes, among other issues.
McConnell complained that Reid had yet to
respond to a GOP offer made Saturday evening
and reached out to Vice President Joe Biden, a
longtime friend, in hopes of breaking the impasse.
Biden assumed the lead role for Democrats,
and a McConnell spokesman said the Kentucky
Republican and the vice president were expected to
negotiate by telephone into the night.
Rank-and-file lawmakers left the Capitol Sunday
night with hopes that their leaders would give them
something to vote on when they returned Monday
morning.
One sign of progress came as Republicans
withdrew a long-discussed proposal to slow
future cost-of-living increases for Social Security
recipients as part of a compromise to avoid the cliff.
Democrats said earlier Sunday that proposal had
put a damper on the talks, and Republican senators
emerging from a closed-door GOP meeting said it
is no longer part of the equation.
“I was really gratified to hear that Republicans have
taken their demand for Social Security benefit cuts off
the table. The truth is they should never have been
on the table to begin with,” Reid said late Sunday
afternoon. “There is still significant distance between
the two sides, but negotiations continue.”
At stake are sweeping tax hikes and across-the-
board spending cuts set to take effect at the turn
of the year. Taken together, they’ve been dubbed
the fiscal cliff, and economists warn the one-two
punch—which leaders in both parties have said
they want to avoid—could send the still-fragile
economy back into recession. Tax cuts enacted in
2001 and 2003 expire at midnight Monday, and
$109 billion in across-the-board cuts in federal
spending this year would also begin this week.
Workers could see more taxes withheld from
their paychecks and federal agencies are likely
to soon receive warning of possible furloughs if
lawmakers fail to reach a deal to avert the cliff.
The new Congress will be sworn in on Thursday
and would inherit the problem if the current crop of
lame-duck lawmakers can’t find an answer before
then.
Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said the two sides
remained at odds over the income threshold for
higher tax rates and tax levels on large estates.
Republicans said that Democratic demands for
new money to prevent a cut in Medicare payments
to doctors and renew jobless benefits for the long-
term unemployed should be financed with cuts
elsewhere in the budget. Republicans also balked at
a Democratic proposal to use new tax revenues to
shut off the across-the-board spending cuts, known
as a sequester in Washington-speak.
President Barack Obama, in a televised interview,
blamed Republicans for putting the nation’s shaky
economy at risk.
“We have been talking to the Republicans ever
since the election was over,” Obama said in the
interview that was taped Saturday and aired Sunday
on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” ‘’They have had
trouble saying yes to a number of repeated offers.”
“The mood is discouraged,” said Senator Joe
Lieberman, a Connecticut independent who
caucuses with Democrats. “The parties are much
further apart than I hoped they’d be by now.”
The pessimistic turn came as the House and
Senate returned to the Capitol for a rare Sunday
session. Reid and McConnell had hoped to have a
blueprint to present to their rank and file by mid-
afternoon. AP

China manufacturing picks up

BEIJIN—China’s manufacturing
grew at its strongest rate in 18
months in December but new
exports fell from the previous
month due to weak global
demand, a survey showed
Monday.
HSBC Corp. said its monthly
purchasing managers’ index rose
to 51.1 percent on a 100-point
scale on which numbers above
50 show expansion. That was up
from November’s 50.5 and the
strongest growth since May 2011.
The survey adds to data
showing China’s economy is
recovering from its deepest
downturn since the 2008 crisis
but some industries are still
weak.
“Such a momentum is likely
to be sustained in the coming
months when infrastructure
construction runs into full speed
and property market conditions
stabilize,” said Hongbin Qu,
HSBC’s chief China economist,
in a statement.
Qu said the latest activity
should support growth of
about 8.6 percent in 2013. The
International Monetary Fund
and private sector forecasters
expect growth of about 8 percent
in 2012—strong by Western
standards but China’s weakest
expansion since the 1990s.
Factory production and
consumer spending are picking
up but export demand is weak.
December trade data have yet to
be reported but November export
growth plunged to 2.9 percent
over a year earlier from the
previous month’s 11.6 percent.
Companies responding to the
HSBC survey said total new
orders grew at a faster pace in
December than the previous
month but new export orders fell
slightly. Just over 12 percent of
companies reported lower new
export orders.
“Fewer export sales were
linked to weak demand in
Europe, Japan and the US,”
HSBC said.
Beijing set a 10 percent target
for trade growth in 2012 but is
likely to fall far short of that.
Demand for China’s goods is
so weak that the government
has said exports will contribute
nothing to 2012’s overall
economic growth.
The commerce minister, Chen
Deming, warned in November
that Chinese exporters face
“relatively grim” conditions
in coming months and “many
difficulties next year.”
Western export markets face
uncertainties including the US
“fiscal cliff”—or impending
automatic tax and spending cuts
that could disrupt economic
A Christmas season poster is on display outside a fashion boutique as an employee (right) waits for customers
growth—and the euro area debt
at a shopping mall in Beijing. China’s manufacturing activity rose to a 14-month high in December, adding to
crisis. AP signs the world’s second-largest economy is recovering, but export orders weakened. AP

US Senate, House leaders reach deal to prevent doubling of milk prices

WASHINGTON—The top leaders
in both parties on the House and
Senate Agriculture committees
have agreed to a one-year extension
of the 2008 farm bill that expired
in October, a move that could head
off a possible doubling of milk
prices next month.
Senate agriculture committee
chairman Debbie Stabenow
indicated that the House could
vote on the extension as early as
Sunday evening, though House
leaders have not yet agreed to put
it to a vote. In addition to the one-
year extension that has the backing
of the committees, the Republican-
controlled House is also
considering two other extension
bills—a one-month extension and
an even smaller bill that would
simply extend the dairy policy that
expires Jan. 1.
Expiration of those dairy
programs could mean higher prices
at the grocery store within a few
weeks. Agriculture Secretary Tom
Vilsack said Americans face the
prospect of paying $7 for a gallon
(3.8 liters) of milk if the current
dairy program lapsed and the
government returned to a 1948
formula for calculating milk price
supports.
A spokesman for House Speaker
John Boehner said Sunday afternoon
that Republican leaders had not
decided how they would proceed
on the farm extension. Boehner
has pushed back on passage of a
new five-year farm bill for months,
saying there were not enough votes
to bring it to the House floor after
the House agriculture committee
approved it in July. The Senate
passed its version of a farm bill in
June.
The prospect of the higher
milk prices has motivated some
action. The bipartisan extension
also includes disaster assistance
to farmers affected by a lingering
drought this year, along with
extensions to other farm programs
that expired in October.
Instead of just extending current
dairy policy, the extension bill
includes an overhaul of dairy
programs that was in both the
Senate and House committee bills.
The new dairy programs include a
new, voluntary insurance program
for dairy producers. Those who
choose that new program would
also have to participate in a market
stabilization program that could
dictate production cuts when
oversupply drives down prices —
an idea that hasn’t gone over well
with Boehner.
In July, he called the current dairy
program “Soviet-style” and said
the new program would make it
even worse. Large food companies
that process and use dairy products
have backed Boehner, saying the
program could limit milk supplies
and increase their costs.
Stabenow blamed Boehner
for getting to the point where
an extension is the only option.
“The lack of action by the House
Republican leadership has put us
in a situation where we risk serious
damage to our economy unless we
pass a temporary extension,” she
said.
One of the reasons Boehner has
balked at bringing up a farm bill
is disagreement in his caucus over
how much money should be cut
from food stamps, vouchers that
are used by the poor to purchase
groceries, which make up roughly
80 percent of the half-trillion-
dollar bill’s cost over five years.
House Agriculture Chairman
Frank Lucas has unsuccessfully
pushed his leadership for months
to move on the legislation despite
the disagreement over food aid.
Lucas said Sunday he hoped
the extension would pass both
chambers quickly as Republican
leaders mulled their options.
“It is not perfect, no compromise
ever is, but it is my sincere hope that
it will pass the House and Senate
and be signed by the president by
Jan. 1,” he said. AP
 WORLD
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B4 TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013

UN mission Hillary Clinton hospitalized with blood clot

no longer in
East Timor
DILI — The United Nations
ended its peacekeeping mission
in East Timor on Monday,
leaving the country without
any direct security assistance
for the first time since a spasm
of political and ethnic violence
in 2006 almost overwhelmed
its shaky, post-independence
government.
WASHINGTON—Secretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clinton was
admitted to a New York hospital
Sunday after the discovery of a
blood clot stemming from the
concussion she sustained earlier
this month.
Clinton’s doctors discovered the
clot Sunday while performing a
follow-up exam, her spokesman,
Philippe Reines, said. He would
not elaborate on the location of the
clot but said Clinton is being treated
with anti-coagulants and would
remain at New York-Presbyterian
Hospital for at least the next 48
hours so doctors can monitor the
medication.
“Her doctors will continue to
assess her condition, including
other issues associated with her
concussion,” Reines said in a
statement. “They will determine if
any further action is required.”
Clinton, 65, fell and suffered a
concussion while at home alone
in mid-December as she recovered
from a stomach virus that left
her severely dehydrated. The
concussion was diagnosed Dec. 13
and Clinton was forced to cancel a
trip to North Africa and the Middle
East that had been planned for the
next week.
The seriousness of a blood clot
“depends on where it is,” said Dr.
Gholam Motamedi, a neurologist
at Georgetown University Medical
Center who was not involved in
Clinton’s care.
Clots in the legs are a common
risk after someone has been
bedridden, as Clinton may have
been for a time after her concussion.
Those are “no big deal” and are
treated with six months of blood
thinners to allow them to dissolve
on their own and to prevent further
clots from forming, he said.
A clot in a lung or the brain is
more serious. Lung clots, called
pulmonary embolisms, can be
deadly, and a clot in the brain can
cause a stroke, Motamedi said.
Keeping Clinton in the hospital for
a couple of days could allow doctors
to perform more tests to determine
why the clot formed, and to rule out a
heart problem or other condition that
may have led to it, he said. AP

‘Somalization’ in Syria
In recent weeks, the last of a
force of 1,600 police and military
officers from countries around
the world have been leaving
the country ahead of the formal
end of the deployment, which

a risk to world security

is a significant milestone in the
country’s journey following its
independence from Indonesia in
1999.
The United Nations and
other foreign development
organizations will remain in
the country supporting its
development for years to come.
It has oil and gas-reserves,
but these are not creating the
employment opportunities
needed for a country of 1.2
million, more than 60 percent
of whom are under 18. The
education system is not
supporting the development of
people with the skills needed to
change this.
“The Timorese people and its
leaders have shown courage and
unswerving resolve to overcome
great challenges,” said Finn
Reske-Nielsen, the head of
the mission. “As peacekeepers
depart, we look forward to a
new phase in this relationship
focusing on social and economic
development.”
The United Nations organized
the 1999 referendum that
resulted in an overwhelming
vote for independence but
also violence and destruction
by withdrawing Indonesian
troops and their militia proxies.
The world body directly
administered the country until
2002, when it formally became
a nation. AP
BEIRUT — The international
envoy seeking to end Syria’s
civil war warned Sunday that the
failure of the government and
the rebels to pursue a political
solution could lead to the “full
collapse of the Syrian state” and
threaten the world’s security.
Lakhdar Brahimi, who
represents the United Nations
and the Arab League, said that as
many as 100,000 people could
be killed in the next year as Syria
moves toward “Somalization”
and rule by warlords.
Brahimi has reported little
progress in his mission to push
forward a peace plan for Syria
first presented in June at an
international conference in
Geneva. The proposal calls for
an open-ended cease-fire and
the formation of a transitional
government to run the country
until new elections can be held
and a new constitution drafted.
But so far, neither the regime
of President Bashar Assad nor
the scores of rebels groups
fighting his forces across the
country have shown any interest
In this Nov. 9, 2012 photo, gymnasts from Russian-speaking immigrant families warm up at a competition organized for Israel’s immigrant in negotiations.
community, in the southern resort city of Eilat. Most of Israel’s Olympic gymnasts are settlers from the former Soviet Union. AP The rebels’political leadership

IN BRIEF Ex-Soviet immigrants change Israel has called Assad’s departure a

Whoops! Magazine
prints Bush obituary
BERLIN — Germany’s re-
spected news weekly Der Spie-
gel mistakenly published an
obituary Sunday for former US
President George H.W. Bush,
hours after a family spokesman
said the 88-year-old was recov-
ering from illness.
Bush was hospitalized in
Houston Nov. 23 for treatment
of a bronchitis-related cough
and moved to intensive care
on Dec. 23 after he developed
a fever. On Saturday, spokes-
man Jim McGrath said Bush
was moved out of intensive
care into a regular hospital
room again after his condition
improved.
The unfinished obituary ap-
peared on Der Spiegel’s website
for only a few minutes Sunday
before it was spotted by Internet
users and removed.AP
Spanish cops nab
17 voodoo pimps
MADRID — Spain’s Interior
Ministry says police have ar-
rested 17 people on suspicion
of smuggling Nigerian women
into Spain and forcing them
into prostitution using threats
including claims they would
cast Voodoo spells on them if
they didn’t comply.
An investigation began when
police detected in January that
around 10 women had been
brought into the country illegally
using a small boat.
Police said that following an
investigation its raids seized
computer equipment, mobile
phones, false identity and work
permit documents, as well as
objects which detectives said
were allegedly used in “Voo-
doo rituals.”
Officers tracked down the sus-
pected pimps in cities throughout
Spain and arrested 16 Nigerian
nationals and one Ugandan citi-
zen, a statement released Sunday
said. It was not clear when the
arrests took place. AP
TEL AVIV-- In parts of Israel, it’s
hard to find a single Hebrew sign
in a sea of Cyrillic. Shopkeepers
address customers in Russian,
and groceries are amply stocked
with non-kosher pork, red caviar
and rows of vodka. Russian pop
beats thump at bars, and in some
homes, people will as likely be
hunched over a chessboard as a
computer keyboard.
The Soviet Union crumbled 20
years ago, and in the aftermath,
more than 1 million of its citi-
zens took advantage of Jewish
roots to flee that vast territory for
Ageing eye
and aspirin
investigated
OLDER adults who use aspirin
regularly for 10 years or more may
have an increased risk of developing
an age-related eye disorder that can
lead to vision loss, a study found.
The risk of having wet age-
related macular degeneration was
about twice as high for those who
regularly took aspirin a decade
before researchers detected it in
an eye exam compared with those
who didnt take the medicine,
according to research today in the
Journal of the American Medical
Association.
About 19 percent of US adults
take aspirin regularly for pain,
arthritis and to prevent heart attacks,
the authors wrote. People shouldnt
stop taking the medication because
its benefits are well known, said lead
author Barbara Klein. Instead, more
studies are needed to understand
how aspirin may contribute to the
eye disorder, she said.
There are a lot of people who take
aspirin now for cardio-protective
reasons, Klein, a professor of
ophthalmology and visual sciences
at the University of Wisconsin
in Madison, said in a Dec. 14
telephone interview. Should this
influence their taking this medicine
to save their life? No, dont stop.
prerequisite for any political
solution, and it is unlikely
that the opposition’s National
the sliver of land along the Medi- ing soldiers, but they are just as migrants like him has grown from Coalition could even stop rebels
terranean that is the Jewish state. ubiquitous — maintaining habits a marginal force in politics to one on the ground from continuing
By virtue of their sheer numbers more suited to the “old coun- of its major powers. to fight.
in a country of 8 million people try” than their adopted Mideast The Russian-speaking com- Likewise, it is doubtful that
and their tenacity in clinging to homeland, like wild mushroom munity also wields an outsized top members of Assad’s regime
elements of their old way of life, foraging or winter dips in the influence in other aspects of Is- will voluntarily give up power.
these immigrants have trans- Mediterranean, the closest sub- raeli life. Every fourth employee The Syrian government
formed Israel. stitute to frigid Siberian waters. in Israel’s flourishing high-tech has remained officially mum
Israel has the world’s third- Today, Russian-speaking emi- industry is a Russian-speaking on Brahimi’s plan, which he
largest Russian-speaking com- gres and their children occupy immigrant, as is every other has pushed in the past week
munity outside the former Soviet virtually every corner of Israeli engineer. The world’s second- in meetings with Assad in
Union, after the U.S. and Ger- society, from academia and tech- ranked chess master, Belarus- Damascus, with top Russian
many. Russian-speaking emigres nology to the military and politics. born Boris Gelfand, lives in Isra- officials in Moscow and on
may not conjure up the same rec- A political party formed by Israel’s el, and about a quarter of Israel’s Sunday with the head of the
ognition as the country’s black- recently resigned foreign minister Olympic coaches grew up in the Arab League in Cairo.
hatted Orthodox Jews or gun-tot- to cater to Russian-speaking im- former Soviet Union. AP Speaking alongside Nabil
Elaraby on Sunday, he estimated
Car bombing targeting Shiites in Pakistan kills 19 that 100,000 people could be
killed if the 21-month conflict
continues for another year.
QUETTA—A car bomb target-
ing a bus carrying Shiite Mus-
lim pilgrims killed 19 people in
by radical Sunni Muslims target-
ing Shiites, whom they consider
heretics. The violence has been
hammed Ayan Danish, said the
attack was carried out by a sui-
cide bomber.
“Peace and security in the
world will be threatened directly
southwest Pakistan, officials and
eyewitnesses said.
especially pronounced in Bal-
uchistan province, where the latest
The bomber “rammed a small
car into the first bus, which con-
from Syria if there is no solution
within the next few months,”
Earlier Sunday, 21 tribal police- attack occurred. tained 43 pilgrims,” said Danish. he said. “The alternatives are
men believed to have been kid- In addition to the 19 people But Akbar Durrani, the home a political solution or the full
napped by the Taliban were found killed in the bombing in Bal- secretary in Baluchistan, said the collapse of the Syrian state.”
shot dead in Pakistan’s troubled uchistan’s Mastung district, 25 explosion was caused by a car Since meeting Assad early
last week, Brahimi has given
northwest tribal region, govern- others were wounded, many of packed with explosives that was
ment officials said. them critically, said Tufail Ahmed, parked beside the road and deto- no indication how his plan was
Reports conflicted about whether a local political official. The blast nated by remote control. received. When asked Sunday if
the car bombing was a suicide attack destroyed the bus and damaged a The pilgrims who were targeted there is any willingness among
or the device was detonated remotely. nearby bus also carrying Shiites. were headed to Iran, a majority Shi- the opposition to enter a political
Pakistan has experienced a Ahmed and a person who was ite country that is a popular religious process, Brahimi said, “No, there
spike in killings over the last year riding in the second bus, Mo- tourism destination, Ahmed said. isn’t. This is the problem.” AP
Japan detains Chinese boat
amid tensions over islands
JAPAN detained a Chinese fishing boat that entered its waters, bringing
the captain and two of the vessel’s crew members in for questioning,
China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.
The boat’s captain, Lin Shiqin, admitted his vessel entered Japanese
waters, Xinhua reported. China sent a diplomat to visit the three crew
members detained by the Japanese coast guard, Xinhua said, citing
the Chinese Consulate General in Fukuoka.
The Dec. 29 incident comes amid a dispute between China and Japan
over territorial claims in the East China Sea, with China asserting
sovereignty over uninhabited islands that are administered by Japan.
The detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain in September 2010 in
the area of the islands -- known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in
Chinese -- strained relations between the world’s second- and third-
biggest economies.
China asked Japan to ensure the sailors’ “safety and legitimate
rights,” Xinhua reported. BLOOMBERG Location of islands claimed by China and Japan. mapsoftheworld.com

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Manila Standard TODAY
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home work relationship
Hot and not
THE YEAR’S TOP HITS & MISSES, LIKES
& DISLIKES, SO-MUCH-WINS & EPIC-FAILS
By Ed Biado
cquiao
Manny Pa
Pro-RH bill protesters
Former Chief Justice Renato Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago
Corona JUST like that, we wrap up yet another year of news, newsmakers and newsworthy events. The world did not end
in 2012, but it was basically a hot mess all throughout. Just like in recent years, social media played a big part in
shaping the world; and the Philippines is no exception. Many of us got involved, kept glued to TV, periodicals
and online news outlets to get our daily dose of buzz.
There were items we loved, and also tidbits we’d rather do
without. Standard Today Lifestyle is recalling the year that was,
and listing down the moments that defined it, the people who
shaped it and the tools that made it all happen.
Because of social networking sites, Filipinos are more engaged
in current events. For perhaps the first time in history, we are
part of the larger discourse, with contributions coming in from
all socioeconomic classes and demographics. This is especially
true in politics, where almost every Pinoy Twitter and Facebook
user weighed in on three of the year’s most impactful political
Brillante developments—the impeachment of former Chief Justice
Mendoz
a Renato Corona (Twitter hashtag #CJonTrial), the great debate
on the Reproductive Health bill (#RHBill) and the passage of the
Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Due to the channels available for self-expression, it got
increasingly evident that Filipinos are very opinionated and are
more than willing to share their thoughts to the world. Some views
are valid (“Why is the punishment for online libel more severe
than traditional libel?”) but others are misinformed (“Cybercrime
law is martial law!”).
We heard the voices of reason in Congress, but we also
witnessed blind allegiance. We will remember dengue-stricken
Rep. Miro Quimbo casting his vote on the RH bill as a statement
of his commitment in serving the Filipino people while we will
chuckle thinking about Rep. Manny Pacquiao, who cited losing
a boxing match as a wake-up call to value life. The debates will
be missed but not the outrageously desperate arguments of certain
groups, like the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines,
and individuals asserting religion as basis of legislation.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Senator Miriam Defensor
Santiago is the person who made the most sense this year. Her
intellect and logic shone through the impeachment trial and the
RH deliberations. She was always there to get everybody back
on track and provide legal wisdom to virtually every ambiguity,
disagreement and conflict in the Senate and beyond. Once she
leaves for the Hague to assume her post as an International
Criminal Court judge, her absence will definitely be felt.
The same can’t be said about those dramatic and comedic
senators who have nothing to contribute to the political system
n
tto-Mo
e Barre aside from hilarity, comic relief and theatrics.
Claudin IA incident Speaking of, we don’t care much for certain Metro Manila Film
A
Tulfo N Festival entries either. Seriously, how long are they going to milk
those cash cows? Same plot, retold a dozen different ways. Isn’t
there any ounce of originality left in Philippine cinema anymore?
We can’t compete with Hollywood’s 3D technology and special
effects—all we have is story. But no, these producers simply have
to assume that the market is dumb, and that their scripts should be
dumber. We can, however, take solace in the fact that Cinemalaya
MMFF 20 is still there to renew our faith in the industry on a yearly basis.
12
But what’s with all those other so-called indie and digital films
NEW TAKE ON A
CLASSIC
WH
AT’
Everyone’s favorite street
S
INS
fashion footwear injects new
style philosophies that take
IDE
the creative spirit and that
rockstar cool up a notch.
TUESDAY
Gianna Maniego,
C1
Dinna Chan Vasquez, Assistant Editor
Sen. Tito Sotto
with only bad acting, bad lighting, bad dialogue, mediocrity and
nudity to offer? Is Brillante Mendoza the only true filmmaker left
in the country?
Although, what we can’t have enough of are stories about
misbehaving celebrities. We just hope that, in 2013, another
actress is going to do a Claudine at the airport. Or maybe at
the most crowded mall in the country. Then, we can all be
there to take videos of the incident and share them endlessly
on Facebook. That would be fun.
Actually, we don’t need a famous face to get all worked up.
All it takes is a grand gesture. We made a few people infamous
because they did things that we think aren’t appropriate and we
collectively lauded the “random karaoke girl,” who was plucked
out from obscurity to instant fame.
However, the one thing that makes us put all our differences
aside is a tragedy of apocalyptic proportions. We definitely
won’t miss Typhoon Pablo that recently ravaged the Visayas and
Mindanao and the enhanced monsoon that flooded the greater
Manila area in August. We’ve had enough calamities, but it seems
that it’s the only time that we help each other out. We won’t soon
forget the tragedies of 2012, just like we’ll always remember
Ondoy, but we’ll also think of #ReliefPH and #RescuePH—the
two hashtags that guided all of us in seeking and providing rescue
and relief in times of disaster.
The Internet has been an important tool in disseminating
information in a timely manner. It helped us live through those
dark days. It gave those in need hope that someone will come for
them; all they had to do was send out that tweet and help will
arrive shortly. Many Internet service subscribers shared their
connections via Wi-Fi for their neighbors to do just that. Mobile
communication factored significantly too. Carriers now even have
emergency text services that allow users to send out texts even
with no prepaid balance. These are all fantastic developments in
the application of information and communication technologies in
2012.
What’s not so great? Bad, intermittent and slow Internet and
mobile connections, which were common problems in 2012,
regardless of carrier and service provider. Seriously, we’re sick of
dropped calls and failed page loads.
But maybe bad connections can be good sometimes. Because
we’re also sick of Instagram pictures of every dish and every meal,
we’re done “liking” pages so that your cousin can win a contest and
we’re not too keen on seeing your check-in information every five
minutes. Yes, netizens go overboard sometimes. Our unsolicited
advice for 2013: moderation.
That also goes for insanely popular songs and dance crazes.
Everybody loved Oppa Gangnam Style, but do we have to hear it
everywhere we go until now? Do we have to watch every gifted
child dance to it at every chance? Enough is enough, people. Let’s
take it down a notch. Or eight.
FROM STRANGER
TO FAMILY
Learn how a once stranger
became part of a family
through Sun Life Financial.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
C2 TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013
New take
on a classic
By Marane Plaza
STREET fashion has never been exciting. So-
cial media has provided platforms for
us to express ourselves through fash-
ion and encouraged us to don our
daily ensembles like rock stars
as we document them through
Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr,
Blogspot and Instagram. And
who wouldn’t want to party and
look like a rock star effortlessly?
There is no other footwear
brand in the world that has of-
fered you that nonchalant sense
of street style combined with
stylish comfort than Converse.
Through its undoubtedly iconic
pair of Chucks, Converse has
revolutionized the impact of that
instant rockstar oomph into ev-
eryone’s overall casual ensemble
through the years.
Converse has once again un-
leashed the creative spirit, rock-
ability and cool fashion sense
of its clientele with its Fall 2012
Collection. Celebrating the
changing season with new colors
and modernized silhouettes, the
The industry
has two faces
By Ed Biado
Most critics agree: Thy Womb
is sublime and genius; Si Agi-
mat, si Enteng Kabisote at si Ako
is a lazy attempt to cash in on the
lead stars’ mass appeal; Sister-
akas is yet another Vice Ganda
vehicle; Shake, Rattle and Roll
14 is a tedious retelling of va-
pid horror cliches; One More
Try is just an okay drama; The
Strangers has a few interesting
twists but still formulaic; Sosy
Problems is a brain-
less romp featuring
a bunch of “it” girls
playing themselves;
and El Presidente is
a worthy biopic with
commendable artistic
merit.
Of course, box of-
fice numbers prove
that Filipinos prefer slapstick
over cerebral. Then again, what
did you expect from a so-called
film festival that recognizes the
best float and gives out four
“Star of the Night” trophies to
celebrities simply for being at the
awards ceremony?
The sad fact is that, in Philip-
pine cinema, critical acclaim and
commercial success don’t go
hand in hand. Some people say
that there are two film industries
in the Philippines—the main-
stream and the independent. The
former caters to the masses and
spoon-feeds them every bit of in-
formation so they don’t have to
think. It builds upon superficial
ideas, cracks a few (rehashed)
jokes, haphazardly ties it all up
with loose ribbons and dares call
itself cinema. The latter aims to
tell stories, explores the depths
of the human psyche and chal-
lenges viewers to reassess their
ManilaStandardToday
Gianna Maniego, Editor
Dinna Chan Vasquez, Assistant Editor
Converse Fall 2012 Collection is
a reflection of its never-say-die
American character. As it remains
true to its rich heritage, Converse
offers a diverse portfolio of foot-
wear that includes its new takes
on the classics -- Jack Purcell, Pro
Leather and Chuck Taylor. This
year’s fall season is the perfect
time to inject new fashion phi-
losophies that you’d surely love
to embrace.
Hues in the news
Trends come and go, but color
blocking shows no sign of leav-
ing the Fall fashion. Bring your
favorite palettes to the streets
with the Converse Chuck Taylor
truths. It’s bleak, dark and un-
comfortable, sometimes to ex-
ploitative levels, and begs the
audience to share its bleakness,
darkness and discomfort.
With a majority of Filipinos
living in poverty, most days are
already bleak, dark and uncom-
fortable. Why would they pay
P180 to see a film that will only
make them feel worse? We are
an escapist society—moviego-
ers want to forget about their
problems, if only for 95 minutes,
and immerse them-
selves in fantasti-
cal and magical
worlds where all’s
well that ends well.
Juan Dela Cruz
has no interest in
deciphering Nora
Aunor’s painfully
subtle gazes; he
lives and breathes painfully sub-
tle gazes.
This is why the Panday, En-
teng and Tanging Ina franchises
work. This is why The Unkabo-
gable Praybeyt Benjamin is the
highest-grossing Filipino film of
all time. This is why Thy Womb,
as culturally- and socially-rele-
vant and finely-crafted as it is, is
dead in these domestic waters.
Philippine cinema is an en-
dangered industry. Major studios
will only finance the develop-
ment of concepts that have the
potential to make a profit. They
will not invest in thought-pro-
voking and complicated movies
that they know the public will
not watch, no matter how many
accolades and standing ovations
these masterpieces can poten-
tially reap at international film
festivals. Prestige is not—and, in
these economic times, will never
be—enough.
dotcom
fashion beauty health wellness
standardlifestyle@gmail.com
Just Add Color Collection.
While bright colors might
look a little too sweet for your
own good, the famous silhouette
and style of Converse would not
hurt your cool fashion demean-
or at all. Your timeless Chucks-
kind-of style and this season’s
trend can be achieved through
this selection. The color block-
ing fad is all about mixing and
matching colors to get the full
overall color effect. The fea-
tured hues in this set are just
the right forces that can make
your street style popping. The
Chuck Taylor All Star Dainty
is the feminine collection, that
A showcase of 'getting active' campaigns
How do you get active?
Ask people that question,
and they would most likely
answer with the latest workout
craze they’ve signed up for, or
a certain hobby they’re recent-
ly occupied with.
For the youth however, get-
ting active takes on a different
meaning.
With college as an avenue
for experiencing new things,
developing brand new in-
sights, and learning new les-
sons, students are offered a
spirited atmosphere for every
kind of active pursuit.
Giving students recognition
for all their hard work in ac-
tively going after their aspira-
tions, Garnier, a leading Euro-
pean brand of natural skin care
solutions, held the awarding
ceremonies for one of its most
fruitful projects—The Garnier
Get Active Campus Challenge.
Through the Garnier Get
Active Campus Challenge,
youth groups from nine dif-
ferent schools all over the
country got to craft their own
campaigns, focusing on a wide
range of causes, from health
and wellness, to community
development, the environ-
ment, women empowerment,
and more.
Promoting youth activeness
so that young voices can be
Power up your phone with unlimited call and text
MOST people rely on their
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(Sun CTU 25 MAX) which lets
How a namesake turned a stranger to family
THE accidental namesake turned
into a relationship to nourish.
In 1981, on her first year with
Sun Life Financial, Marita
Bagasao-Abellera was browsing
through a broadsheet and came
across a name that immediately
caught her attention. Atty. Samu-
el O. Abellera, then president of
an oil company, then and there,
became the recipient of Maritz’s
phone call.
Maritz told Atty. Sammy
that she was a Sun Life Finan-
cial advisor and she would like
equally upholds the brand’s
sporty and casual appeal Its
Raspberry, as well as Warm Ol-
ive Chuck Taylor, is so adorable
and stylish. They’re perfect for
girly girls and shopaholics who
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feeling comfy and looking fab.
The smiling shoe collection
Your snappy and all-chill at-
titude in dressing up never goes
out of style, and let your feet do
the smiling with this season’s
Converse Jack Purcell Col-
lection- the original shoe with
a smile! I kid not when I say
it’ll look so good on any man,
and can make him a stand-out
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The Glazed Ginger/Dark Earth
and Burnt Henna designs will
go so charming and fashion-
able on a crisp, masculine en-
semble. The Black Jack Purcell
and the Chocolate styles exude
subtle formality and refresh-
ing vibes. With these pairs of
Jack Purcell’s, you can rock
your daywear into night outfit
Leon Flores III, Reese Fernandez, UM Representative Deborah Dia-
mante, Georgina Wilson, Major Masa
heard, Garnier started the Get
Active Campus Challenge with
one goal in mind: to ignite the
youth’s passion, and have them
realize the lengths through
which they can achieve great-
ness by giving them the power
to take care.
The nine finalists included:
St. Paul University-QC, As-
sumption College, University
of Sto. Tomas, Polytechnic
University of the Philippines,
University of Mindanao, Sili-
man University, Cebu Institute
you maximize your productivi-
ty until the post-holiday season.
Available at P25 valid for one
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to propose to him some ideas
that could appeal to him in the
future, if not now. To satisfy
her curiosity, she also recalls
asking, “Atty. Abellera, my
name and yours are spelled
the same. I wonder if it also
sounds like mine. Is it also
pronounced A-bel-ye-ra?”
To her surprise, Atty. Sammy
is also an Ilocano, like her hus-
band and herself. The ease of the
telephone conversation led to a
meeting where Maritz learned
that Atty. Sammy already had
in a breeze, in style. The Jack
Purcell features leather, cotton
and canvas portraying an image
of classic, understated style. Its
rugged style is finished off with
a vulcanized outsole.
The leather affair
Leather stands firm as an all-
weather go-to pair of shoes for
men. Versatility is the name
of the game and the Fall 2012
Pro Leather Collection of Con-
verse takes the men’s favorite
a notch higher in the fashion
ladder. Considering its clients’
fast-paced lifestyle, the selec-
tion keeps your leather fash-
ion afloat, with its bold colors
in both suede and leather with
an instantly recognizable Star
Chevron logo. Be it at the
emergency meeting with your
office’s bigwigs, or at the event
in a jumping club, you’re set to
have a bangin’ Chucks style.
The CT As Hi designs such as
Charcoal , Chocolate and Motor-
cycle Jacket Dark Navy can add
an instant sex appeal to your out-
of Technology, University of
the Philippines-Diliman, and
Ateneo de Davao University.
The Garnier White Intensive
special award was given to St.
Paul University-Quezon City -
Biology Society for being the
school with the most active
online reach. Their campaign,
The “G” Project, showed an
explosion of youthful talent,
creativity, and energy through a
variety show, as well as sports
and wellness activities.
Also taking the limelight
haven’t heard from in a long
while.
You will have no worries
reaching your non-Sun contacts
either with the generous 100
free texts to other networks that
now comes with Sun CTU 25
MAX. It’s a cost-efficient way
to accomplish a lot of things
through SMS – whether it’s in-
Sun Life policies, the first of
them having the face amount of
5,000 pesos, bought when he had
just started working.
From then on, Maritz kept in
constant contact with Atty. Sam-
my and it did not stop there as in
the following years, several gen-
erations of the family were also
given Sun Life policies.
Maritz as well has become a
constant part of Atty. Sammy’s
life. While the Abelleras didn’t
throw parties often, they made
sure that Maritz would be invited
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
fit, with its beefcake, manful aes-
thetics. Pair any of those with ca-
sual tees and jeans, button down
polos or coat and tie, and you’d
be definitely getting all eyes
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leather fashion statement, Ox
Black, Ox Charcoal and Choco-
late are the best to rock on any
day and occasion.
The boot
Converse’s boots line is not
yet as easily recognizable as its
iconic sneakers. However, heads
will definitely turn with the sleek
look of the Chuck Taylor All
Stars Boots Collection.
To encourage creativity, you
can customize your pair by
choosing unique colored shoe-
laces to complement the color
of the boots. The rough exte-
rior balances the light-weight
feel, re-engineered and rede-
signed to bring more comfort,
flexibility and traction. The
boots come with the not-to-
be-missed Chuck Taylor All
Star ankle patch.
was Polytechnic University
of the Philippines - CTHTM
Tours and Travel Agency
who bagged the Garnier Red
Rejuvenating special award
for being the school with the
most active voice in creative-
ly promoting their event.
Their project called “It’s
Our Time to Shine” focused
on women empowerment
through a campaign that
featured relevant talks and
activities headed by highly-
esteemed individuals.
Recipient of both the Garnier
Blue Energizing special award–
-for being the school with the
most number of active partici-
pants—and the Garnier Get Ac-
tive Campus Challenge Winner
is University of Mindanao - Pa-
glaum, who took home a total
of P100,000 as grand prize for
their campaign called Small
Spaces, Big Returns.
Their campaign served as
a pro-active project that pro-
moted the wonders of urban
container gardening, commu-
nity development, and envi-
ronmental care. Through this
campaign, students from Uni-
versity of Mindanao had the
chance to work on their own
sustainable gardening project,
and got educated on the impor-
tance of using small spaces for
helping the less privileged.
viting a wide circle of friends to
come over or asking a younger
sibling to pick up items at the
store.
Get Sun CTU 25 MAX from
your friendly Sun Prepaid re-
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load by texting CTU25 to 247.
Sun CTU 25 MAX is available
until January 31, 2013.
to their gatherings which includ-
ed Atty. Sammy’s 80th birthday
celebration.
Looking back on that moment
in 1981 when she was just brows-
ing through the papers and found
a surname just like hers, Maritz
has become more than an advi-
sor. “I am like a big sister to Ron-
nie and Gina and a tita to their
children and grandchildren.”
Never mind the fact that the
identical surnames were acciden-
tal. She was already part of the
family anyway.
 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

MARLON C. MAGTIRA, Section Editor

CHRISTIAN CARDIENTE, Asst. Editor
email: tech@mst.ph
ManilaStandardToday
Tech TUESDAY
JANUARY 1, 2013 C3

Pinoys embrace
mobile tech
Mobile technology will be more pervasive
in the succeeding years for more Filipinos
as they become more digital-centric,
according to “Media Atlas 2011-12
Philippines: The Digital and Media Habits
of Today’s Filipino Media Consumers”
recently conducted by Ipsos Media.
Carole Ann Sarthou, managing
director of Ipsos Philippines,
said the research indicated that
Philippines’ online penetration
rate is estimated to reach 40
percent in 2015 from 30 percent
in the 2012. Furthermore,
the report said smartphone
penetration in the country would
rise to 15 percent in 2015 from
the current 5 percent.
“Expect more Filipinos to use
mobile technologies for their
communication needs as they
become more mobile-centric,”
Sarthou said.
Ownership of laptops overtakes
that of desktops while ownership
of tablet among Filipinos is getting
bigger, according to Sarthou.
“With the multi-functionality
of mobile phones, Filipinos say
that aside from TV, it’s their
mobile phones that they can’t
live without and even plan to use
this more often,” the research
stated.
The research indicated 81
percent used mobile phones
followed by laptops (70 percent)
and 33 percent for smartphones.
Moreover, 30 percent of the
respondents said they couldn’t
live without the mobile phones
while 21 percent plan to use it
more often.
“With the multi-functionality
of mobile phones, Filipinos said
that aside from TV, it’s their
mobile phones that they can’t
live without and even plan to use
this more often,” the research
stated.
Other important mobile devices
for Filipinos are the digital
camera (25 percent), MP3 Audio
Playing (23 percent) and game
playing (22percent), Filipinos
figured prominently in social
media participation by being in
the eight spot with 26.9 million
members as of October 2012
behind the United States (154.
7 million), India (45.8 million),
Brazil (44.1 million), Indonesia
(43.5 million), Mexico (33.9
million), Turkey (31.3 million)
and the United Kingdom (30.1
million).
Furthermore, the Philippines
also ranked eight among the top 20
countries with Twitter accounts.
The accounts considered in the
survey were created before 1
January 2012. On the top of the
Philippines are the United States,
Brazil, Japan, United Kingdom,
Indonesia, India, and Mexico.
Sarthou observed that the
research indicated that the fusion
of traditional and new media
resulted has become obscured.
For instance, the development
of digital cameras has
drastically changed the method
of filmmaking. With a digital
camera, an aspiring filmmaker
can develop a film with a
limited budget. Furthermore, the
development of email has made
communication faster and more
convenient.
Sarthou said the research
showed Filipinos accessing the
internet at home reached 60
percent while the 43 percent went
to internet cafes and 11 percent
accessed it at the workplace.
The top online activity for the
respondents among the Internet
users last month was visiting
social networking websites with
76 percent followed by email and
chat (71 percent), information
and search (48 percent),
watching video (38 percent) and
downloading and uploading (35
percent).
With a 60 percent response,
Seizing mobile tech.
With the multi-functionality of
mobile phones, more Filipinos
can not live without it.
JUAN PAOLO MAGTIRA
the home has become the top
place for Internet access. Forty-
three percent said they used
Internet cafes for accessing the
internet while 11 percent used
the workplace.
“The affordability of laptops,
netbooks and tablets has enabled
many Filipinos to access the
internet right in their homes.
Furthermore, the increase in
family incomes of millions of
Filipinos mainly because of the
deployment of Filipino workers
overseas has enabled the family
members to buy these gadgets,”
said Sarthou.
Facebook emerged as the
most visited website for the
respondents with 90 percent
followed by Google and YouTube
with 69 percent each and Yahoo
at 66 percent.
Although online purchase
has still low acceptance in the
Philippines, Sarthou said there
has been a steady increase since
2009, and is greater among the
upper class, and younger-aged
groups.
Based on the demographic
profile, 63 percent of the
shoppers came from the ABC+
group followed by C- with 24
percent and D class, 13 percent.
The males were the bigger group
with 52 percent as compared to
the 48 percent of the females.
In the age grouping, the 25-
34 was biggest with 39 percent
followed by the 15-24 with 30
percent and the 35-44 with 16
percent.
The Greater Manila Area had the
heaviest online shopping activity
with 87 percent with Luzon and
Visayas at five percent.
The research indicated 43
percent of the respondents said
search for news and music
followed by sports with 32
percent and entertainment and
education with 31 percent.
Despite the pervasive presence
of digital media in the country,
the Ipsos research said the print
media still has niche especially in
the older generation. Meanwhile,
the younger still likes the
traditional magazine.
The general population (28
percent) favored the newspaper
with 29 percent opting for the
magazine.
The ABC+ showed 47 percent
like the newspaper and 43 percent
favored the magazine. In the 15
– 24 age group, 21 percent said
they liked the printed newspaper
while 25 percent opted for the
magazine. The 45-654 groups
showed a preference for the
newspaper with 33 percent while
17 percent chose the magazine.
Sarthou said social media is
changing consumer behaviors
and expectations. In response,
companies must create time with
consumers to determine their
needs and wants. tech.mst.ph

Global semicon revenues grow BYOD trend

SEMICONDUCTOR revenues worldwide IDC expects semiconductor inventories to
network infrastructure, and set-top
will see nominal growth this year at less than
1 percent reaching $304 billion according to
the year-end 2012 update of research firm
IDC.
come into balance with demand in the second

second half of 2013.

“We expect lower, but positive global
box deployments will drive a healthy
quarter of 2013 with growth to resume in the
semiconductor growth cycle over the next
five years.
Other key findings from IDC include:
IDC also forecasts that semiconductor GDP growth in 2013. Semiconductors for • Semiconductor revenues for the
revenues will improve by 4.9 percent to $319 smartphones will see healthy revenue growth
Computing industry segment will log year-
billion in 2013 and log a compound annual as appetite for data, multimedia processing,
over-year growth of 1.7 percent for 2013
growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1 percent from and multitasking will drive high-end and will show a muted CAGR of only 1.7
2011-2016, reaching $368 billion in 2016. smartphone demand in developed countries
percent for the 2011-2016 forecast period.
Weakness in PC demand, DRAM and overall while an ongoing transition to 3G networks
Semiconductor revenues from mobile PC
memory price deterioration, and semiconductor will accelerate smartphone adoption in demand will register 5.5 percent year-
over-year growth in 2013, after
declining 7.7 percent in 2012.
• Semiconductor revenues for
the Communications segment
will grow 6.5 percent year
over year in 2013 with a five-
year CAGR of 5.5 percent.
Semiconductor revenues for 4G
phones will experience annual
growth of 140.1 percent in 2013
and a CAGR of 103.4 percent for
2011-2016.
• Media tablets, e-Readers, set-
top boxes, and blu-ray players,
will continue to see above average
semiconductor revenue growth.
Sales of traditional devices such
as DVD players, DVD recorders,
DVD players, portable media
players, and game consoles
will continue to erode. Overall,
semiconductor revenues for the
Healthy growth. Smartphones, mobile consumer devices including tablets and e-readers will drive a Consumer segment will record
healthy semiconductor growth cycle over the next five years. KIN ENRIQUEZ year-over-year growth of 9.8
percent in 2013 and a 2011-2016
CAGR of 6.0 percent.
inventory rationalization, coupled with developing regions. PC demand will continue • Driven by strong global demand for
continued global macroeconomic uncertainty to remain in a period of transition next year automobiles and increased semiconductor
from lower global GDP growth, a slowdown in until more technology and design innovation content (i.e. applications such as in-vehicle
China, the Eurozone debt crisis and recession, begin to change the course of demand,” infotainment, automobile body electronics,
Japan’s recession, and ongoing fear of fiscal said Mali Venkatesan, research manager for and driver safety systems), semiconductor
cliff negotiations’ impact on IT spending by semiconductors at IDC. revenues for the Automotive segment is
corporations have all been levers affecting Regionally, Japan and Europe continue expected to grow 5.9 percent (CAGR) for the
global semiconductor demand this year. to be the two weakest regions. Although five-year forecast period.
Bright spots for the semiconductor market GDP growth has slowed in China, India, and • Regionally, Asia-Pacific will continue
include smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, Brazil, demand for smartphones, tablets, and to grow its share of semiconductor
and automotive electronics, which IDC automotive electronics remains strong. revenues, with year-over-year growth of
expects will continue to be key drivers of In the US, 4G phones, mobile consumer 5.5 percent in 2013 and a five-year CAGR
growth over the coming years. devices including tablets and e-readers, of 5.3 percent. Marlon Magtira
in 2013
A RECENT report by research firm Ovum revealed that
“bring you own device” (BYOD) is becoming very popular
among multinational corporations (MNCs) in Asia-Pacific.
Over 70 percent of the surveyed companies already have
policies to support approved employee-owned devices. Despite
the large number of MNCs embracing this trend, however,
support is initially limited to certain areas and roles within the
organization.
Claudio Castelli, Ovum senior analyst for enterprise
telecoms, said:
“The growing acceptance of the BYOD trend by IT
departments, and the greater need to mobilize data applications
and support a broader range of mobile devices, mean that chief
information officers (CIOs_ are struggling to define their
enterprise mobility strategy.
“This is even more challenging for MNCs in Asia-Pacific,
which have to cope with the various aspects of mobility across
a region that is extremely fragmented in terms of service
availability, network quality, workplace practices, culture, and
regulatory environment.”
Many companies’ IT departments frequently do not have the
ability or resources to meet the associated challenge in-house,
and are therefore considering providers’ help.
Managed mobility services offer an attractive approach to
the issue, and are increasingly popular. Providers see this as
a unique opportunity, and are launching a growing number of
solutions and services to support BYOD policies.
Over 60 percent of respondents identified the reduced cost
to the company in terms of purchasing hardware as a major
benefit of managing employee-owned mobile devices.
Many mobile device management (MDM) providers cite
innovation as another key benefit of supporting BYOD, but
most CIOs remain skeptical of this.
Less than a third of IT decision-makers believe innovation is
an important benefit of managing employee-owned devices.
“The BYOD trend is driven primarily by employees’ desire
to use their consumer mobile devices of choice at work.
Although CIOs recognize that employee satisfaction and
retention are important benefits of BYOD, they are pragmatic,
and are building the business cases around cost savings rather
than productivity gains,” concluded Castelli. newsbytes.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
C4 TUESDAY JANUARY 1, 2013
ISAH V.
RED
SIMPLY RED
THE entire local show-
biz circle rings in the
New Year today.
Happy New Year!
Yes, a lot of them are hoping for the
best. But not a few have raised eye-
brows in the thought that things will
still be just like year. I don’t blame
them. Many New Years had passed,
and showbiz has only gotten…well
not any better than many has hoped
for.
In television, we will still be treat-
ed to fantasy or what the networks call
fantaserye or telefantasya. And if they
were straight dramas, we will still see
the same plotline with lost or aban-
doned children rising to become busi-
ness tycoons or something like that,
but networks throw in elements of
love triangle, as if the Filipino people
have no other concerns but love.
Music has become so stale that last
year most recording companies turned
out CDs of recycled music by some
newbies or minor talents that instantly
became famous either because of their
looks or their family names.
Do we think that will change?
Nah! It will continue because, as we
all know, the businessmen controlling
the recording companies have only
one concern—the net income in the
sales ledger.
And in films?
Well, we all saw what’s happen-
ing in the recent Metro Manila Film
Festival. A good film like Thy Womb is
ignored at the box office, but the audi-
ence swarmed into theaters screening
Sisterakas and Si Agimat, Si Enteng
Kabisote, at Si Ako. The creative dif-
ference between the first and the two GMA talents Chynna Ortaleza and Ryza Cenon
movies are lightyears away. Perhaps,
the Filipino movie audience will nev-
er be ready for more serious, cerebral
kind of film experience. And I am say-
ing…NEVER!
Chynna Ortaleza and
Ryza Cenon in 2013
Celebrating birthdays are Chynna it earned by virtue of the fact that all
Ortaleza and Ryza Cenon’s way of
spending a pre-Christmas day bash
that is also a perfect moment of reflec- mon denominator.
tion for the closing year and the com-
ing one.
Both of them are looking forward to
a lucky 2013 blessed with new projects
and other opportunities they deserve.
Ryza, on the one hand, is the Ulti-
mate Female Survivor of StarStruck
second edition. She has enjoyed a busy
year with three programs to his credit--
My Beloved, Luna Blanca, and the on-
going Aso Ni San Roque in which she is
noticed for role as Grace Santos.
She is set to appear in the film
Migrante.
Chynna, on the other hand, is
hailed for her loyalty after being one
of the few noted celebrities noticeably
vocal about keeping her network af-
filiation intact. She has made her dent
as a pretty hot villain in several drama
series and her effective handling of
her roles has always provided pluses Pinoy pop group Down To Mars members
for the shows that she’s in.
This year she was in three drama Eugenio who many years ago helped Party Pilipinas. The boys have Japa-
series: Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga, Legacy,
and Luna Blanca.
Both Ryza and Chynna are GMA ing grounds on the local music scene.
Artist Center talents and members of
an all-female dance-and-sing group group already released a self-titled debut pop groups coming out these days.
called SH. Ryza celebrated her birth-
day on the 21st of December, while 7 Koreanovela, Smile Dong Hae.
Chynna observes her day of birth on
the 7th of the same month.
For 2013, Ryza is set to star in “My Everything,” “Oh! Oh! Here We innovators that project Filipino artistry.
GMA’s primetime drama, Indio and Are,” and “Fly, Fool’s Paradise.”
Chynna will be in Snow White.
Bring loved ones closer with Globe DUO International
BRING your loved ones closer to you
with Globe DUO International any-
time of the year. That’s another inno-
vative international calling offer from
Globe Telecom.
Globe Duo International is the only
international calling service available
in the market today that assigns a
Globe prepaid, postpaid, or TM sub-
scriber with a U.S. number that can be
used to receive incoming calls.
With subscribers getting a virtual
U.S. number, calls are charged with
local U.S. call rates instead of the stan-
dard IDD rates, making international
calling from the U.S. more affordable.
This means relatives and friends of
Globe subscribers in the U.S. can call
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Will it be just like year, or not?
Strongest Pinoy link read that “Down To Mars aims to
to K-Pop
Down To Mars is solidifying its of music influences and interracial
hold as the country’s premier act with roots. They call themselves as Down
legitimate credentials for music scene To Mars because “Down” serves as
domination. The group is alone in the their constant reminder to stay humble
Interpop music group brand, which while “Mars” means for them a world
of its members have interracial roots,
with having Filipino blood as a com- Chua, Jang Seung Ri, Daisuke Hagi-
Assembled by choreographer Geleen
launched the Universal Motion Danc-
ers to stardom, Down To Mars is gain- nese, Chinese, and Korean blood.
Formed barely two years ago, the
album with one of their songs “Nandito
Lang Ako” used as theme for the GMA-
Distributed by Polyeast Records, the has stormed the world over, have easily
album boasts tracks like the lead single embraced them with pride, being music
In their Facebook page, it can be most popular bands at the moment,
them as often as they want and will be
charged with domestic U.S. rates, pav-
ing the way for more holiday cheers,
greets, and conversations—without
having to worry about phone bills go-
ing over the top.
Globe Duo International is avail-
able for only US$25 valid for 30 days.
With the fixed amount, subscribers are
assured of no extra or hidden charges,
so there’s no need to rush calls and cut
conversations. Make your conversations
with loved ones longer, more meaning-
ful, and extra special this holiday sea-
son: talk about what’s on your Christ-
mas wishlist, what’s for Noche Buena,
what to wear during Christmas Mass,
your favorite childhood Christmas
showbitz
Manila Standard TODAY
bridge differences thru their myriad
that is unique and different.”
The boygroup, composed of Kenji
hara, Yheen Valero, Kiro Rivera,
Sky Young, and Jeongwon Song, is
regularly seen on Kapuso Network’s
Having Filipino roots and mentality
provides the difference for Down To
Mars in relation to the countless K-
Filipino audiences, currently be-
witched by the K-Pop phenomenon that
In a social network survey for the
memories, the Christmas Carols you
love to sing, and the list goes on. This
Christmas, bring back the telebabad fad
with Globe Duo International.
As a certified user of Globe Duo
International, funny comedienne Pok-
wang testifies to the importance of
staying in touch with loved ones espe-
cially at this time of the year. Pokwang
worked as an overseas Filipino worker
(OFW) before entering showbiz, and
understands the need to connect more
often with those who matter most, de-
spite being miles apart. Therefore, an
innovative, affordable, and relevant
service like Globe Duo International
will help bridge the gap, worry-free, al-
lowing families to call each other more
Isah V. Red, Editor standard.showbiz@gmail.com
Down To Mars ranked second to a high-
ly established rock band and reached
that high in spite of heavy competition
from alternative rock groups.
Down To Mars was also picked as
celebrity endorser of Chef Noodle, the
latest Korean franchise conquering
the local food industry.
At home, connected
and complete
Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez
got sick at a most inopportune time
early this month and it broke her
heart how she couldn’t give her best
to her audience after undergoing ar-
duous preparations for her silver an-
niversary concert.
Regine is one artist who gives her
heart and soul when she performs
and the dedication she gives to her
audience is quite unparalleled. That’s
why all eyes are trained on her as
she mounts the repeat of her “Silver”
concert on Jan. 5 at the SM Arena,
where it all began, for free!
“I expected the audience to walk
out, to boo me. I was prepared for the
worst. But ironically, the complete op-
posite happened. They felt my pain and
they sympathized with me. They were
one with me. Everyone was also very
emotional that night as I was. I have
never felt more loved by my audience.
That is the reason I wanted to give it
back to them. Hold this repeat and give
them what they truly deserve,” she said.
The big houses, the fancy cars, the
branded clothes, shoes and bags, trav-
eling around the world, running her
own businesses—name it, Regine has
had it for many years now.
But with the country’s top diva
raising her own family—her baby
Nate, her husband, singer-songwriter
Ogie Alcasid and his children with
Michelle Van Eimeren Morrow,
Regine’s outlook has broadened to not
often that ever before.
“With Globe Duo International,
families separated by distance need not
worry about high overseas call rates that
prohibit them from calling the Philip-
pines regularly. Those based in the U.S.
can now call their loved ones here more
frequently to keep their bonds and ties
intact despite being away from each
other,” said Rizza Maniego-Eala, Head
of International Business at Globe.
Added Maniego-Eala, “The service
is really beneficial to both calling par-
ties. U.S.-based subscribers on unlim-
ited plans can enjoy unlimited calling
services to their relatives in the Philip-
pines with Globe Duo International.
On the other hand, Globe subscribers in
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
just living it up, but, more importantly,
having a quality of life in which she
and those dear to her have the stron-
gest of connections at all times.
She knows it starts with herself. At
home, she doesn’t act like the superstar
that she is but joyfully assumes the role
of dutiful and loving wife and mother.
She bonds with Baby Nate by playing
computer and online games with him,
posting pictures of themselves on Insta-
gram which brings a smile on the tot’s
face whenever she shows it to him, and
they even watch videos on YouTube
together. She also researches via Inter-
net on ways to take better care of Nate
whether these are tips from mothers like
herself or expert advice.
“When I got pregnant with Nate,
I did all my research on the Internet.
I love reading about anything and
everything that could make me learn
about pregnancy and babies. Parang
nanganak nga rin ako ng Ipad nung
ipinanganak ko si Nate,” she said
laughing at the metaphor.
For her loving husband Ogie, the
diva prepares food that he simply can’t
resist. Knowing that Ogie gets to eat at
the finest restaurants on regular basis,
she offers him delightful and homey
alternatives by discovering how to give
old favorites new twists; interesting rec-
ipes that are out there in cyberspace that
can be accessed with a few typewritten
words and several clicks.
Regine also researches on possible
vacation destinations that she knows
Ogie would want to visit if and when
they would have that rare and precious
downtime. Sometimes, Regine would
purchase items that are only avail-
able online to give as surprise gifts to
her hubby since they both don’t have
much time to go to malls.
Regine extends her love for Ogie
to his daughters Leila and Sarah in
Australia by Skype-ing with the girls
regularly in order to update them on
their father’s goings-on and vice-versa.
She loves corresponding with Michelle
whom the former considers one of her
dearest friends. At times, Ogie, Regine
and Baby Nate have animated conver-
sation with Michelle, Leila and Sarah
regardless of differing time zones! Such
a happy, modern family, indeed.
But, of course, Regine’s fans re-
main on her list. So they feel connect-
ed with their idol at all times, Regine
tweets about her activities and her
sentiments from time to time. In order
to give them the best with her every
performance, the diva researches for
new songs to sing and new concepts
for her concerts. She also answers
their queries online or even just to ex-
change pleasantries with them and ex-
press her gratitude for their unending
support and loyalty.
All these things and more, Regine
couldn’t do without having the most
reliable internet connection that is
PLDT myDSL. With the Internet being
mostly individualistic, PLDT myDSL
changed the scenery by dramatizing
how better connections at home can
lead to rich shared experiences that
bonds the family even more.
Ask Regine and she’ll tell you:
A diva connected can celebrate the
beautiful life.
Regine Velasquez-Alcasid
the Philippines get to talk to their loved
ones in the U.S. longer and more regu-
larly. Using Globe Duo International is
as convenient and affordable as local to
local U.S. calls, making families feel
closer to each other.”
Registration is a cinch with two easy
ways. To register via SMS, simply text
DUOINTL 999 and send to 8888. You
will receive a notification within 24
hours, indicating your Globe Duo Inter-
national U.S. number and date of expi-
ration. Registrations done via SMS for
Philippine subscribers will be charged
P999 and will be deducted from the sub-
scriber’s load. To register via website and
to know more about the offer, visit www.
globe.com.ph/duointernational.