Manila Standard Today - Sunday (January 20, 2013) Issue

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK w BLACKw
34 FILIPINOS SAVED FROM ALGERIA CRISIS MST T
Sunday
Vol. I No. 30 12 Pages, 2 Section
By Sara Fabunan and Vito Barcelo
P18.00 SUNDAY, January 20, 2013
The Sunday Edition of ManilaStandardTODAY
he Philippine embassy in Tripoli has deployed its rapid response team to assist and repatriate 34 Filipino workers who were dragged into the Algerian hostage crisis, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.
Its esta, Senyor. A festive atmosphere pervades Manilas district
of Tondo and Cebu in the Visayas and elsewhere in the country where Christians mark the feast of Sto. Nino. In Cebu, the province celebrates the Sinulog Festival , an annual event that is noted for its pomp and pageantry with its distinctive religious undertone. EY ACASIO in Tondo and JOSEPH C. TUBILAN in Cebu City .
Pit Senyor! ushers in Sinulog

CEBU City resounded with shouts of Viva Pit Senyor on the penultimate day of the Sinulog festival on Saturday with throngs of people joining a vehour procession that escorted a carriage bearing the statue of the Holy Child Jesus, or Santo Nio Jesus, around the city. Aside from religious devotees, local and foreign tourists, television and movie celebrities and even politicians of all creeds joined the procession that started and ended at the Minor Basilica of the Holy Child, the 16th century church that was supposedly built on the spot where the image of statue was found in 1565. Viva comes from the Spanish Long Live while Pit Senyor comes from the Cebuano sangpit sa Senyor (meaning call on the Lord) and they were again the buzzwords in the colorful festivities that began early Saturday when the Holy Child statue also starred in a uvial parade from Mandaue City. Coast Guard ofcials said 65 vessels were registered to join the uvial parade, but there also 20 to 30 unregistered vessels that joined the sea procession from Mandaue City where images of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Santo Nio stayed overnight. Next page
DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said that the team left Tripoli for Algeria to monitor the situation. There are at least 2, 400 Filipinos working in Algeria, mostly as highly-skilled workers. Algeria is about 60 kilometers away from Tripoli, the Libyan capital, another conict-hit nation. We have sent a team from our embassy in Tripoli to Algeria to monitor the incident on the ground and assist workers who may need assistance there, Hernandez said. Two Filipinos were killed by 15 of their abductors, who were members of an Islamist group. Another was injured during a reght between the hostage-takers and the Algerian military forces. The DFA ofcial said that the 34 Filipinos -- who worked in Algerian gas eld owned by Petrofac and run by British and Norwegian companies -- were now out of harms way. They have already been evacuated from the gas eld and are now in Spain for eventual repatriation to the Philippines, he said. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz for her part said the 34 Filipinos were own in two batches out of Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Next page
Comelec braces for massive cleanup

By Joel Zurbano and Maricel Cruz
THE Commission on Elections is bracing for a massive clean-up job after drawing criticisms for imposing curbs on political candidates and the media. Comelec on Saturday said it would form a special task force whose job is to remove illegal campaign materials or those posted in public places outside the common poster areas. The Comelec announcement hardly consoled the political opposition in the House who accused the poll body of suppressing the freedom of the speech of both the media and candidates in the May elections. House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez hit out at the Comelec for issuing a resolution that said that broadcasters who would have candidates as guests must rst secure an approval from the poll body. The restriction on media was contained in resolution 9615 issued by Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes, who said guesting cabe be abused as part of campaigning. But Suarez did not agree. He invoked the peoples right to know and get to know their candidatesso they can be guided and decided on who they would vote for. Also in that resolution 9615, the commission spelled out the clean-up job of the task foce. It said the team, in each city or municipality, will be led by
Next page
De Lima defended; Marantan on his own

By S. Fabunan, F. Tuyay and M. Cruz
MALACAANG on Saturday defended Justice Secretary Leila de Lima from accusations that she was interfering in the probe being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation on the January 6 killing of 13 people in Antimonan, Quezon. But police superintendent Hansel Marantan, who gured in the shooting, would have to fend for his own and foot the hospital bills, police said. De Lima has not done anything wrong when she appeared during the re-enactment of the case at the scene of the incident in Atimonan, presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said. Crisanto Bella, the lawyer for the members of the Armed Forces 1st Special Force who were involved in the incident, said De Limas presence and that of the reporters who were covering the event, turned the proceeding into a circus. We were surprised to see Secretary De Lima there with so many press people covering the event. What was supposed to be an objective re-enactment of events turned out to be a circus, Buela said. He also accused De Lima of bias after she declared that she was unconvinced that they died in a shootout. But Valte explained that as Justice Secretary, De Lima has jurisdiction over the National Bureau of Investigation which was tasked to investigate the incident. Again, let us explain it to them right? The NBI is under the jurisdiction of the DOJ, and who is the head of the Department of Justice? The secretary of Justice, Valte said over the state-owned dzRB Radyo ng Bayan. At the end of the day, the secretary of Justice is also responsible for what the NBI does. And our secretary
Next page
BUSINESS
TALENT GURU VISITS MANILA
William Byham, a world expert in talent development visited Manila recently and advised the BPO sector on how to keep their employees happy.
A8
ARTS & LIFE

KEEPING UP WITH THE ROMULOS
Liana Romulo and Sandie Romulo-Squillantini and their partners in Romulo Cafe want Filipinos to feel like they are dining at the home of the late statesman Carlos P. Romulo when they are in the restaurant.
B1
SPORTS
DELOS SANTOS PUTS BEST FOOT FORWARD
OJ Delos Santos strikes with full extension as he demonstrates the form that he hopes will win gold in the coming 2nd Southeast Asian Karatedo championships to be held in April.
A5
Missed your copy of Manila Standard Today? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@mstandardtoday.com CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
NEWS
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
A2
SUNDAY
JANUARY 20, 2013
Boy, 2, survives sea ordeal

FIVE Badjao people, including a twoyear old boy, were found drifting in the Sulawesi Sea by a search-and-rescue unit of North Sulawesi in Indonesia last January 11, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.
Jimjiani Julki, one of the male survivors, said that his group set sail in early December from Siasi in Sulu but ran out of fuel. He said his group drifted out to the sea for a month, carried by big waves and strong currents induced by super typhoon Pablo. The outpouring of sympathy and assistance given by the people of Manado and Bitung including a large presence of the local press made them instant celebrities, the DFA said. Following the rescue, Philippine Consulate General in Manado Jose Burgos visited the ve Filipinos and gave them goodies, clothes, toiletries, and toys for the two-year old boy. The rescued Badjaos were identied as Masuring Dusing (Male); Badaya Dusing (mother of the two-year old boy); Bersabe Andigel (two-year old); Mudaya Julki (wife of Masuring Dusing); and Jimjiani Julki (Male). They said that they live in the vicinity of Siasi pier and only knew two people in their hometown, namely; Herman Asilon, a Councilman and Suahili Paraja, a policeman. The Consulate sought the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs Regional Consular Ofce in Zamboanga to inform their relatives and friends in Siasi. A request has been made to the DFA for their repatriation requirements to the Philippines, the DFA said. The DFA said the survivors expressed their eagerness to go back to their families in Siasi. Immigration formalities have to be made before their return to their hometown, the statement said. Sarah Fabunan
The Artist (2nd from left) with his students on tuba artworks during a workshop.
Get high with Dante Enages tuba artworks

By Ronald O. Reyes
IT ALL started with childhood sketches, then an exposure to art workshops done by Tacloban-based visual artists like UP Prof. Dulce Cuna, Ed Rompal and Rico Palacio, and nally, a realization that he can personally create masterpieces out of constant exploration of his craft. Explore art, marami pang style na di pa nadidiskubre, wag matakot magkamali, its a part of learning. Kung walang pambili ng art material, maghanap ng objects, mixed media, coffee or tuba gaya ng gamit ko, says Dante Enage, 40, known for his exquisitely detailed and artistically unique paintings using tuba or native coconut wine which is popular in Eastern visayas being the 3rd coconut producing region in the country. Sensitive and passionate, Dante admits that he is pursuing this medium as his way of paying tribute to the late Leo Villaor, Leytes great tuba artist. Besides, tuba as a medium is unique and more cheaper, he adds. Though he nds that tuba is monochromatic he is condent that artworks can still be produced and that market can still be made out of it. Dante is currently working on a project dubbed as Hin-o ako? (Who am I?) tuba-painting series, about identifying oneself as a Filipino. According to Dante, his incoming artworks will feature banig patterns, Pintados tattoo patterns and the Baybayin native script which symbolize the natives of Leyte. His other nished artwork however was recently donated at Art for Humanity online auction to raise fund for the victims of typhoon Pablo. Dantes recent clients include Lilibeth Solajes, owner of Rancho Maria Lucas of Leyte who is interested in paintings about horses being done in tuba, and Alfonso Moreno, owner of Vino de Coco who commissioned him to do their family portrait also using their own tuba products. On February, which is the National Arts Month, Dante will have an exhibit of his tuba paintings with his partner Ge-ann and his ve-year old daughter Yumi who are also trying their hands on tuba artworks. To date, Dante is joining Art Philippines group exhibit at Formafuego Artist Space in Quezon city with other established and emerging Filipino visual artists in the country. Manila experience is great! I meet new artist friends who are also amazed on the medium I used, and even asked about the process of tuba painting, he shares, also humbled of the recognition from his contemporaries. Aside from painting, Dante also plays percussion for ethno-tribal band Kulahig and works as a tattoo artist. His artworks are regularly featured at 8 Magazine, rst travel and lifestyle magazine in Eastern visayas. I think the PNP will not shoulder the hospital bills of Marantan, Cerbo said. He added that it would have been better if would be better if Marantan was conned at the PNP General hospital. Cerbo said that should Marantan decide to transfer to the PNP hospital, he would be accorded full medical assistance as a police ofcer. Marantan have been conned for the past two weeks at the Global City hospital, an expensive medical facility that only moneyed politicians and businessmen can afford. As a police superintendent, Marantan receives P41,000 monthly, and observers are wondering where he would get the money to pay for his bills. Marantan sustained bullets wounds on his left leg and shoulder inicted by a 45 caliber during the incident, which he claimed to be a shootout with alleged members of a criminal syndicate aboard two sport utility vehicles. On Friday, NBI investigators visited Marantan in his room at St. Lukes for an interview as part of their ongoing probe, but the police ofcer reportedly refused to answer the questions. The caliber 45 slug taken from Marantans leg has been handed over to the NBI for further analysis. Marantan claimed the shoot occurred after a passenger of the SUV shot him, which forced the police and military men to retaliate. Posters made of cloth, paper, cardboard or any other material, whether framed or posted, with an area not exceeding two feet (2) by three feet (3); Streamers not exceeding three feet (3) by eight feet (8) in size displayed at the site and on the occasion of a public meeting or rally. The Comelec is encouraging candidates to use recyclable and environment-friendly materials and avoid those that contain hazardous chemicals and substances in the production of their campaign and election propaganda. Candidates or a political party is only allowed to display one sign-
34 ...
The rst batch of ve workers were brought to Gatwick Airport in United Kingdom, Baldoz said quoting Labor attache Ramon Tionloc. The second batch left for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. We already have the names of the 34 Filipino workers, Baldoz said. We are prepared to extend assistance to them upon their return home, she said. Hernandez conrmed reports that the Japanese embassy was able to establish that another Filipino national escaped with a Japanese during the reght between the Islamist group and the Algerian military forces. The Filipino was injured and on his way to the Algerian capital of Algiers for treatment. The repatriation is in line with the Governments mandatory evacuation program for conicttorn countries. The Rapid Response Team saw action earlier after violence broke out in Libya, Egypt, Syr-
De Lima...
of justice is just only making sure that the investigation is moving forward and if the NBI is focusing well, Valte added. Valte appealed to concerned parties not to waste their time on peripheral issues and just focus on the main issue. These are peripheral issues. There are more important and more pressing issues that the investigation is focusing on, and perhaps, we should all focus on what the main event and not on the peripherals. But on Saturday, De Lima continued to receive criticisms for her alleged interference on the case, this time from opposition lawmakers in the House. House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong, Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano, Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua said that De Lima made the wrong move when she issued a premature conclusion on what actually transpired on the incident. Fua, a noted lawyer, advised De Lima to keep her hands off on the investigation. Even administration allies led by House Assistant Majority Leader and party-list Rep. Sherwin Tugna of Citizens Battle against Corruption (Cibac) and Zambales Rep. Jun Omar Ebdane agreed that De
Lima should have allowed the NBI to nish its investigation. Tugna, also a lawyer, pointed out that the Justice Secretary had committed a breach of DoJ preliminary investigative procedure when she made the statement. The Honorable Secretary of Justice should not have made a pronouncement that prematurely concludes that the accused police and military personnel are more likely to be guilty. Due process and proper procedure in the countrys prosecutorial system should have been observed, Tugna said. Suarez and Albano said that while they acknowledge that the NBI is under DoJs supervision, De Lima should not have made any statement that may affect or contradict the ndings of the NBI. I didnt see anything wrong with the re-enactment conducted by Secretary De Lima. Technically, DoJ is the lead agency (tasked to do conduct the probe) because NBI is under the DoJ. But what is disturbing is the fact that she made a statement that there was no shootout, Suarez said. He added that the DoJ must now come up with supporting, solid pieces of evidence to support De Limas statement. Albano said that De Limas pronouncement may only complicate the probe. Datumanong, former justice secretary, also advised de Lima to allow To monitor and watch out for persons posting or distributing said unlawful election paraphernalia and to arrest said persons caught in the act; and To make a report of said activities done by them. Parties and candidates may post their campaign material in common poster areas in public places and private places with the consent of the owners. A common poster area does not refer to a post, a tree, the wall of a building or an existing public structure that is in active use, but a structure, the location and number of which are herein below deter-
the NBI to nish its job, and refrain from interfering with the probe. The NBI is the one directed by the president to investigate the Atimonan killing, and the investigation is still in the process. It is premature to make any conclusion at this point in time, Datumanong said. It should be the NBI to make any sort of conclusion in a report to the President. |Fua added that Secretary de Lima should not take the criticisms against her as an offense. The re-enactment of the Atimonan incident should be a joint effort with the NBI, Fua added. Ebdane, son of former National police chief and incumbent Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane shared the same view. She could have just let the NBI deal with the matter. Although the NBI is under the DoJ, the NBI is the investigating body lled with personnel who has full knowledge on investigations, plus their state of the art equipment, Ebdane pointed out. Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police has said that it would not pay for the hospital bills of P/Supt Hansel Marantan, who remained confined at St. Lukes Medical Center at Global City in Taguig City. PNP Spokesman Chief Supt Generoso Cerbo said it was unlikely that the PNP would pay the hospital bills of Marantan who is recuperating from the wounds he allegedly sustained during a gunbattle with the 13 killed in Atimonan. mined, that is temporarily set up by the candidates or political parties for the exclusive purpose of displaying their campaign posters, the resolution stated. The allowed campaign materials and election propaganda include: Pamphlets, leaets, cards, decals, stickers or other written or printed materials the size of which does not exceed eight and one-half inches (8 ) in width and fourteen inches (14) in length; Handwritten or printed letters urging voters to vote for or against any particular political party or candidate for public ofce;
ia, and Palestine. Hernandez said that DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario will be the one to decide whether or not to send team to the African nation. There are 2,400 highly-skilled Filipinos working in Algeria, many of them working in the gas eld. Unconrmed reports said that there were 35 hostages and 15 members of the Islamist group were killed during the raid. The militants--led by a Malibased al-Qaida terrorist faction known as the Masked Brigade-took hostages on Wednesday in protest of the French governments military intervention in the northern part of Mali where the insurgents took camp. The French earlier said that it would only stop its operations, air strikes and ground assaults, after the situation in its former colony stabilized. The United States reportedly refused to send troops to Mali but deployed an unmanned surveillance drone to monitor the situation in that African state. Sara Fabunan
The statue that was paraded around the city was supposedly given to the wife of the local chieftain Humabon by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan after she agreed to convert to Roman Catholicism in 1521. Magellan would be killed in a ght with local chieftains in the same year, but Spanish conquistadors returned in 1565 and they supposedly found the statue inside a burned wooden box that was left during the 1521 expedition. After Saturdays procession, were now ready for the Sinulog, Ballesteros said, referring to Sundays grand parade that will include 40 floats and 42 groups of dancers in varicolored costumes, who will parade around the city in the cadence that gave the festival its name. Sinulog comes from the Cebuano word sulog that refers to the back and forth movement of waves, one step forward and two steps back, the same steps that will be used in the grand parade.
Pit...
When the uvial procession reached Cebu Citys Pier Uno at around 8 a.m., hundreds of devotees where already at hand to release balloons carrying written prayers and escort the Holy Child statue back to the basilica. Also at hand were several troupes of dancers in addition to the policemen and rst aid teams that were deployed around the city to attend to the needs of paraders who brought the images to the basilica for the annual re-enactment of the rst Catholic mass in Cebu. At around 2 p.m., the statue was again the central gure in the procession that covered 6.1 kilometers and involved a throng, many bearing replicas of the Holy Child statue, that is estimated to have reached four million, according to Ricky Ballesteros, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation.
Comelec ...
an election ofcer and the police commander. A third member of the task force will come from the Department of Public Works and Highways or Metro Manila Development Authority, it said. The Task Force shall have the following duties and functions: To tear down and remove campaign propaganda materials posted in public places outside the common poster areas; To tear down and remove all prohibited forms of campaign materials wherever posted or displayed;
board not exceeding three (3) feet by eight (8) feet in size, identifying the place as the headquarters. During the 2010 polls, the Comelec discovered two months before the elections six of the nine presidential candidates have oversized and illegal campaign materials along major thoroughfares. According to the Comelecs Legal Department, the said campaign materials did not conform with the allowable size as prescribed under Comelec rules. Meanwhile, Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. reminded all candidates that campaigning is prohibited during the observance
of the Holy Week, particularly on March 28 (Maundy Thursday) and March 29 (Good Friday). While the campaign period for local candidates under the law starts March 29, 2013, take note that it coincides with the observance of Good Friday. Local candidates cannot ofcially campaign until March 30, said Brillantes. The campaign period for senatorial and party-list candidates will start Feb. 12 until May 11, 2013 while in the local positions such as congressmen, governors, mayors, councilors and board members will begin on March 29 until May 11, 2013.
Sunday Explain mishap, senators ask

ManilaStandardTODAY
NEWS
SUNDAY JANUARY 20, 2013
A3
By Jelly Musico
AT least two senators, Francis Escudero and Loren Legarda, demanded on Saturday an explanation from the Armed Forces why a United States Navy warship was in Philippine waters.
Escudero said the US government should also be held liable for all damages after the USS Guardian, a US Navy minesweeper, which ran aground on Tubbataha Reef. Why cant we have ofcial word from concerned authorities about the ofcial status of the ship in our waters? Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, said in a press statement. Legarda, on the other hand, wants the Presidential
Commission on the Visiting Forces Agrement with the US and the Philippine Coast Guard to explain how the USS Guardian was allowed to venture into the Tubbataha Reef. The VFACOM is tasked to monitor, in coordination with appropriate government agencies and NGOs, the activities of foreign military and civilian personnel, Legarda said. What kind of coordination was carried out when ofcials on board the USS Guardian refused to respond to the radio calls made by Philippine authorities
who were investigating their presence in our protected area? Legarda asked. Calling the incident a very serious one, Escudero said his committee may launch a probe to uncover possible violations of Philippine and international laws. The Philippine Coast Guard stationed in Tubbataha Reef said it radioed in the Guardians unauthorized entry and that it caused damage to the reef. Escudero said even Foreign Affairs department spokesman Raul Hernandez could not say if the warships entry was
authorized or not. The reefs protection status has been severely violated, neglected. We are also looking at what other violations were incurred. We should demand not only for indemnity for damages but also for the restoration costs. Reefs are grown over centuries, the extent of the damage and what it will leave cannot be quantied in any amount, Escudero said. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a 97,030-hectare Marine Protected Area in Palawan. It is 150 kms southeast of Puerto
Princesa City, at the heart of the Coral Triangle, acknowledged as the global center of marine biodiversity. The Coral Triangle is home to at least 40 percent of the worlds sh and 75 percent of corals. Being in the center of the Coral Triangle, Tubbataha Reef plays a critical role in marine biodiversity preservation, Escudero said. He also called on authorities to fully supervise and monitor the immediate extraction of the ship from the area to ensure that no further physical damage will be done to the reef. PNA
Salvage firm to evaluate ship damage

By Francisco Tuyay AN international salvage rm employed by the United States Navy had been dispatched to Tubataha Reef to evaluate the extent of the damage to the American minesweeper USS Guardian that ran aground at the protected marine park, sources said on Saturday. The US Fleet Industrial Supply Center in Singapore has purportedly asked the technical services of the salvage rm to remove the vessel from the Tubataha Reef without inicting further damage to coral reefs, the source said. The US Navy requested the salvage rm to tow the USS Guardian out of where it is stuck in the Sulu Sea without further damaging the corals it hit when she ran aground on Thursday, the source said. The motor tugboat Trabajador, owned by the salvage company, left the Subic port on Thursday and was already en route to the Sulu Sea to assess the damage to the Guardian. M/T Trabajador, the source saidm is expected to arrive the area where the US ship had been stuck early Sunday and engineers on board will immediately evaluate the situation. A US Navy destroyer or cruiser may also arrived in Puerto Princesa City on Sunday to support the evaluation process and the US Navy Seventh Fleet, based in Okinawa, Japan, has sent two support vessels to ferry out theg Guardians 79-man crew. The Guardian made a two-day port call in Subic, Zambales in January and left on January 15 for a still unknown destination, but it was reported to have ran aground on January 17.
IN BRIEF
Noynoy goes to Davos
PRESIDENT Aquino is set to leave for Davos-Klosters, Switzerland to attend the annual World Economic Forum, a Palace aide said on Saturday. Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigal Valte said Aquino will be leaving on January 23, Wednesday, for a three-day trip. During his visit to Davos, Valte said that Aquino will have an opportunity to interact with other heads of state and business leaders as well as share with them the countrys economic achievements. Among the events that the President will be attending in Davos is the informal gathering of world economic leaders, which will pave the way for a discussion on global economic issues with other world leaders [who] have also been invited, Valte said in an interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan. The Palace ofcial also said Aquino is also scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at the World Economic Forums Partnering Against Corruption event, where the Philippine leader will share the countrys experience in battling corruption. President Aquino will have the opportunity to meet and to discuss issues with global business leaders as part of our continuing pitch that the Philippines is under new management and that we are open for business, the Deputy Spokesperson said. There will be other opportunities for the President also to share what we have been doing, given that the Philippine economy has so far been surpassing expectations in light of the global economic slowdown that is happening in so many other economies, Valte also added. After the forum, Aquino will also meet with the Filipino Community in Zurich a day before he returns to the Philippines on January 27. Sara Fabunan
Embassy protest. Policemen push back leftist activists who tried to hold a demonstration at the United States Embassy on Saturday to protest the maritime mishap involving the USS Guardian, a minesweeper that ran aground at the Tubbataha Reef marine reservation on Thursday.
Miriam has chronic marrow disorder

A DAY after suffering a mild stroke, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago was diagnosed on Friday with a chronic bone marrow disorder, resulting in low blood cell count, known in laymans term as slow bone marrow. Santiago underwent a series of blood tests at the Philippine Heart Center laboratory, where results showed she has abnormally low red blood cells and low hemoglobin, according to a media statement from her ofce. Santiago herself said: I am quarantined from certain toxic people, and I am sequestered from political news. I may as well be shot, Santiago said. But then again, I will have more time for my four granddaughters, every single one of whom is precocious, beautiful, brilliant, and a potential Olympic champion. Santiago has authorized both the Heart Center and her staff to release copies of her blood test results to media. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein that enables them to carry oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to all parts of the body. When hemoglobin is low, the blood cannot carry an adequate supply of oxygen, causing fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and other symptoms. Other results of her Friday blood tests are also dismal. Santiago has high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and very high LDL (known as bad cholesterol), possibly aggravated by a recent bout with hypothyroidism. A high cholesterol count increases the risk of atherosclerosis, and thus increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Other ndings showed Santiago suffers from high calcium, high uric acid, and high blood urea. Former health secretary Esperanza Cabral, a well-known cardiologist, prescribed injections of a drug called epoetin, which is expected to stimulate blood cell growth. In an extreme case, bone marrow transplantation from the patients family might be necessary. PNA
Visayans surrender 136 guns

By Ronald O. Reyes
CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, LeyteThe Philippine National Police have seized at least 163 rearms in the Eastern Visayas region, including those surrendered by members of two private armed groups, according to Director General Alan Purisima. Purisima said the rearms were voluntarily surrendered, including members of two private armed groups he identied as Moloboco and Montealto groups whose operations are mostly in Samar areas. The arms included two M16 ries, 13 shotguns, one KG9, 19 9mm pistols, 64 Cal. 45 pistols, 17 Cal. 38 pistols, eight Cal. 22 pistols, 1 Ingram submachine gun, one Cal. 40 rie, ve Cal. 25, three Cal. 80, and one homemade shotgun. Eastern Visayas regional police director Chief Superintendent Elmer Soria said ve members of the the Moloboco group surrendered four pistols while the Montealto group, with its 13 members, surrendered ve. The armed groups surrendered to show their sincerity for a peaceful elections, Purisima said, also lauding the PNP special task force created dismantle and disarm private armed groups. Purisima also said that peaceful election requires not only the elimination of PAGs and seizing of loose rearms but it also needs support of the general public. You already known that peace and order is done with the help of the citizenry. It doesnt necessarily mean that [private armed groups] will just disappear and nothing untoward will happen. Many of those who are greedy for power think up of many nasty things to do, Purisima said.
Floods hit 18,000 people

FLOODS have affected more than 18,000 people in Surigao del Norte, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council announced on Saturday. The disaster ofce said residents in landslide-prone areas were warned of possible landslides while Agusan River was placed under Alert Level 2 because of rising waters. The oods affected 3,644 families, or 18,334 people, in Tubod, Butuan City, Alegria, Bacuag, Claver, Gigaquit and Mainit in Surigao del Norte. Of these, 2,472 families or 11,148 people are in 29 evacuation centers in 24 villages and one city in Surigao del Norte.
Women rising. Members of the Gabriela Womens Party hold up their index
figures to signify that they are one in fighting violence against women. MANNY PALMERO
Legarda slams delisting of carbon dioxide

SENATOR Loren Legarda scored the Department of Transportation and Communications move to delist carbon dioxide from the list of monitored gases in the mandatory emission test being required for motor vehicle registration. Legarda, chairwoman of the Senate oversight committee on climate change, said the emission testing should conform with the policies of the law particularly the Clean Air Act. She said a vehicle is required to undergo mandatory emission testing before it is registered with the Land Transportation Ofce, but the DOTC removed carbon dioxide from the emission test monitoring list although Clean Air Act requires that the Philippines phase out ozone depleting substances from the atmosphere. The order, which was initially announced by then DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas, also contradicts National Plan on Climate Change which President Aquino recently signed. The plan stipulates environmentally sustainable transport measures, including vehicle emission control and standards setting. Clearly, there are laws that need to be enforced and department issuances would need to conform with the policies, Legarda said, adding that carbon dioxide is recognized worldwide as the number one air pollutant. For its part, the ecological watchdog Anikalikasan reiterated their call to DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya to consider the issues involving air pollution, global warming and climate change and the implications thereof before implementing the department order. Weather scientists have attributed the abnormal inux of tropical storms which caused massive ooding in and around the country to consequences of global warming. Anikalikasan president Macario Evangelista rebuked DOTC for regressing in the clean air campaign because the DOTC required the testing of four gases, namely hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and oxygen, in 2005. The new DOTC Order has gone back three gases removing carbon dioxide, instead of going up to six to include nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide in accordance with international standards. Evangelista said the provisions in DOTC Department Order 2012-10 do not reect the recent technological and policy developments already recognized and being implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the lead agency in the implementation of the countrys Clean Air act. He renewed his plea for Abaya to recall and withdraw, or at the very least, hold in abeyance the implementation of DO No.2012-10 pending further reviews, public hearings and technical studies by the DENR and private sector stakeholders.
Woman working. An elderly woman watches over bric-a-brac, mostly demonetized bills and coins, that she is selling at a sidewalk in Manila. EY ACASIO
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
SPORTS
Edited by REUEL VIDAL
A4
By Reuel Vidal
which continues to gain adherents who practice it both as sport and as a martial art for either self defense or exercise. The Philippines has not been known to be a hotbed for karate but things are about to change according to Philippine Karatedo Federation Secretary General Raymund Lee Reyes.
petition for their athletes, the countrys karate federation will host the Southeast Asian Karate championships in Angeles City, Pampanga. We will hold the 2nd Southeast Asian Karatedo Championship in April at the Fontana Hot Springs and Leisure Parks inside Clark Freeport Zone. For our karatekas
ARATE is a growing sport
PHILIPPINE
Karate is a relatively new sport in the SEA Games according to Reyes. But competition has been intense because of the great interest in the sport by member nations. The Philippines remains competitive and holding the SEA Games karate tournament in the Philippines will go a long way in promoting the sport. The athletes and karatedo ofcials are not the only ones eager for the tournament. Fontana Sales Manager Jean Alonte said they are ready and excited to host the event. We really prepared for this at Fontana. We want to help our national team. We want them to experience rst class foreign competition. We do want to help the team. The coming competition will help them scout the opposition and thus become better prepared for the SEA Games. The tournament venue boasts of rst
KARATEKAS
DO BATTLE AGAINST FOREIGN FIGHTERS
late this month. Iran is considered an Asian and world karate powerhouse. The nationals will benet from the training there and will be back to test their mettle against the regions best during the SEA competition in Pampanga. We will send our national team to train in Iran. Only the countrys best will go. They will have access to the best coaching and best athletic facilities Federation World Shoto Cup Karate Championships. He also won a gold medal in the Karate Senior league where he beat the best including those from Iran which is considered a karate world power right now. The Philippines won the tournament which is staged every four years. Sixteen countries with 300 athletes joined the last edition. The countrys junior karatekas led the Phil-
The PKF ofcial says the Philippines will pull out all the stops and do everything to ensure the countrys success in its build-up to the Myanmar Southeast Asian Games scheduled later this year. The preparations include the athletes participating in intense tryouts and training abroad. In addition, to provide more com-
The countrys best karatekas go through their paces under the watchful eyes of the teams coaching staff. They are vying for slots in the national team that will compete in the 2nd Southeast Asian Karatedo championships to be held in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Filipino karatekas get a taste of foreign competition when the country hosts the 2nd Southeast Asian Karatedo championships April 17 to 21 at Fontana Hot Springs and Leisure Parks inside Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga. PKF Secretary Raymund Lee Reyes, center in black, joins the athletes and coaching staff led by coach David Lay and coach Ali Parvinfar as they prepare for competition at the Ultra Sports Complex.
this competition could very well decide who makes it to the Myanmar SEA Games, said Reyes. In truth holding tournaments of this scale is a big headache. There are so many problems. You need to plan. You need logistics. You need security. But it will be worth it. We will use
the competition not only as part of our national team tryouts, but also to scout our opposition at the Myanmar SEA Games. Expected to see action in the competition will be over 200 athletes from the 11 member countries in the SEA Karatedo Federation.
class facilities and has become a popular recreation, leisure and entertainment spot in Central Luzon, said Alonte. Fontana is proud and privileged to be able to host this big international karate tournament. Our resort complex features a world-class golf course, hot
springs, 70 hotel rooms, villas and a 600-capacity conference hall where the competitions will be staged. Reyes said competition in tournaments in foreign countries will be a great help. He said members of the team will leave for intensive training in Iran
in Iran. We want to be prepared for the coming SEA Games. The training abroad will help them maximize their potential in the sport, said Reyes. Our athletes will be led by OJ Delos Santos who bagged the mens kata gold during the 2nd International Shotokan Karate
ippine onslaught by almost sweeping all categories and the team eventually grabbed 22 gold medals. The USA placed second while defending champion Canada dropped to third place. ISKF Philippines Branch Chief and national team coach David Lay said they intentionally focused on preparing the juniors because they are the future of the sport. Meanwhile, Reyes added that after the controversies of the past years PKF chief Joey Romasanta was eager to bring honor and prestige not just to the organization but to the sport as well. Reyes said they are mending fences with karate ofcials and the rank and le of the organization That is also part of our preparation for the coming competitions. We are also strengthening our organization. We want to avoid any future problems and controversies. And that could be achieved only if everybody within the group have good relations, said Reyes. Improving the sport is really the desired objective. If youll notice karate has experienced a marked upswing since Joey (Romasanta) took ofce as our head. We increased the number of competitions even joining tournaments abroad. We now have an Iranian coach (Ali Parvinfar) to help coach David (Lay). We have invested a lot to improve the sport of karate in the Philippines.
SUNDAY
JANUARY 20, 2013
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
SPORTS
A5
YLANAN HOPES TO CARRY

COUNTRY'S COLORS AGAIN
JOANNA Ylanan established herself as the countrys best female karateka after winning a gold and a silver medal in the K1 World Cup Karate Championships in Busan, South Korea last November. In the process she was also given the nickname Typhoon by fellow karatekas from other countries because the Filipinos arrived in Busan after leaving the Philippines which was being ravaged by a erce typhoon that ooded Metro Manila and several provinces in Luzon. Ylanan is expected to lead the country in two upcoming tournaments: the 2nd Southeast Asian Karatedo Championship in April at the Fontana Hot Springs and Leisure Parks inside the Clark Freeport Zone and the Southeast Asia Games in Myanmar late in the year. She competed in the under 68-kilogram category and turned back the challenge of taller, heftier opponents including Park On You of Korea in the gold medal battle in South Korea. With the twin medal haul she surprisingly became the brightest star of the nine-member national delegation. Before that she reached the nals after beating Armandaei Nasim of Iran in the seminals. Ylanan says she was attracted to karate because it is the most dynamic of all the martial arts. A trained karateka is able to coordinate mind and body perfectly to unleash tremendous physical power at will. Great strength is helpful but it isnt what delivers power. Rather it is the ability to coordinate mind and body into one explosive motion. This is what appeals most to Ylanan. I like it because it is pure competition. It is physical combat. If you really think about it, it should be frightening. Because you could really get hurt. But that danger is what makes it all the more appealing. It is a combat sport after all. It is just so challenging, said Ylanan. The practice of karate develops composure, a clearer thought process and more self-condence she added. Keen coordination of mind and body is the only way to become procient in karate.
Joanna Mae Ylanan wants to once again carry the Philippine colors in the coming 2nd Southeast Asian Karatedo championships at Fontana Hot Springs and Leisure Parks inside Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga.
It is no wonder then that Ylanan is so attracted to the sport. The diminutive 20-year-old pride of Tacloban City turned to karate as a skinny 14-year-old student. Growing up from an awkward teenager into a condent woman karate affirmed her self-worth and gave her courage to face the world. After winning two medals, a gold and a silver medal, in the K1 World Cup Karate Championships in South Korea it isnt surprising that Ylanan shoulders the burden of meeting high hopes. It is something new for her but with hard work and luck she may yet live up to those lofty expectations.
DELOS SANTOS
IF the women have Typhoon Ylanan to lead the Philippine campaign for karate medals then the men have OJ Delos Santos to carry their colors. Delos Santos actually has even more impressive credentials. He made his mark by bagging the mens kata gold during the 2nd International Shotokan Karate Federation World Shoto Cup Karate Championships and the gold medal in the Karate Senior league late last year. Its not surprising then that the Karate federation should turn to him to once again lead the way for the coming 2nd Southeast Asian Karatedo Championship in April at the Fontana Hot Springs and Leisure Parks inside Clark Freeport Zone. The victory at the ISKF Karate Championships had to be the more memorable for the 22-year-old, Cebu-born Delos Santos. He gained the medal in his home ground with the tournament being held at the Waterfront Hotel grand ballroom right in Cebu. Delos Santos displayed power, precision and poise in performing the difcult hands-in-theclouds routine in front of a hometown crowd to impress all seven foreign judges and earn the best score of 42.3 points. He said he resolved to become the best he could be after watching the national team compete in a karate tournament in Cebu. I was not that serious about the sport early on, said Delos Santos. It was just something I enjoyed. But when I had the chance to watch the 2005 SEA Games and saw the national team members give their all for ag and country I was really motivated to become one of them. That was in 2005 when the karate event was held in Cebu. I was 15 years old then and had a purple belt. He said growing up he followed the career of Italian Luca Valdesi who became a three-time world champion at Kata. He said he admires Valdesis attitude towards preparing for competition as well as life in general. Valdesi emphasized the importance of having a target or a goal and as a child his goal was to become the best. Valdesi explained however that the best may not always be the one who wins but the one who eventually reaches his own goals and targets according to Delos Santos Like his karate idol Delos Santos is confident of his abilities. He always prepares hard knowing that it is the only way to improve his chances of victory. For the coming competition in April I always expect to win, said Delos Santos. But I dont want to be too condent. I will always do my best especially at practices. But at the same time I have to enjoy myself and the tournament. Delos Santos is arguably the countrys best hope to win gold in the coming competition in April. He is condent he will put his best foot forward and win a medal at home during the 2nd Southeast Asian Karatedo Championship.
puts best foot forward

The national karate federation has pulled out all the stops in the buildup to the coming Myanmar Southeast Asian Games in November including ying in Iranian karate coach Ali Parvinfar, right, to join the teams coaching staff headed by David Lay.
Parvinfar provides fresh perspective

LOCAL karate continues to develop attracting not only practitioners but the support of the general public. This is not surprising considering the hard work and effort by the ofcials of the national karate federation. Improving the sport is really the desired objective. If youll notice karate has experienced a marked upswing since Joey (Romasanta) took ofce as our head. We increased the number of competitions even sending our karatekas to tournaments and training abroad. We now have an Iranian coach (Ali Parvinfar) to help coach David (Lay). We have invested a lot to improve the sport of karate in the Philippines, said Philippine Karatedo Federation Secretary General Raymund Lee Reyes. Parvinfar has been coaching karate for two decades. He spent the last 16 years helping develop the karate program in Kuwait. The local karate federation recruited him to come to the Philippines and help train local athletes. The Philippine Karate Association contacted me through Facebook. I met some of the ofcials during past competitions. I imagine they liked my work with the Kuwait team which is why they called. I am here with my wife and I hope to stay and help the Philippine team improve, said Parvinfar. The Iranian coach said local players have potential. However, they will have a lot of work to do. But with hard work local karatekas can dominate the Southeast Asia competitions and be competitive even at the Asian level. Were in the early stage of our preparation for competition. Were something like 30 percent right now. But by April we hope to be 80 percent. Then 100 percent in November for the Southeast Asia games in Myanmar, said Parvinfar. The Iranian coach said the execution of local athletes are not that good. But they can be improved through proper training. The Iranian coach said local athletes also need foreign sparring partners so that they can adopt to different styles and different environments. Different opponents will help them become better karatekas. We need to go step by step and move forward slowly and deliberately. That way there will be steady improvement. The biggest competition will come from Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Their athletes are competitive, said Parvinfar. I love being in the Philippines. We live in the dorms here in Ultra. I havent had the chance to sample too many different Filipino food but my wife is more adventurous and tries everything. She loves Chicken Inasal.
OJ Delos Santos strikes with full extension as he demonstrates the form that he hopes will win gold in the coming 2nd Southeast Asian Karatedo championships to be held in April.
Sunday
OPINION ManilaStandardTODAY
mst.lettertotheditor@gmail.com
A6
Katy
ARE WE THERE YET?
I KNOW quite a number of people who rave over foreign musicals such as Les Miserables or Phantom of the Opera. Theyve watched the stage productions, have copies of the DVDs of the movie and concert versions, memorized the lyrics, and can even win in a Name That Tune contest featuring the songs of these musicals hands down. I dont begrudge them their obsession with foreign musicals; I also have a soft spot for musicals regardless of their origins. But I do take it as a slight when these people complain about the absence of Filipino musicals that are, in their words, comparable. I nd it even more annoying when these people snub Filipino musical productions that local productions painstakingly stage even despite the fact that ticket prices to these musicals are sold at a fraction of what they would willingly fork over for foreign musicals. The truth is that we do have original Filipino musicals that are comparable to, perhaps in many cases even better than foreign musicals. Sure, our musicals may not have the kind of spectacular special effects such as chandeliers that come crashing into the stage oor or helicopters that lift off the stage but it cannot be argued that they are inferior in terms of the other elements that make up a grand musical production. We certainly have the talentoh, lots and lots of talent. And what we lack in resources, we make up for with enthusiasm, and earnestness, and spirit. Onstage at the Little Theatre of the Cultural Center of the Philippines until next weekend is the latest revival of Katy, one of the most successful and well-loved Filipino musicals of all time. I rst watched Katy as a fresh out-of-college kid in the eighties at the Rizal Theatre in Makati. To this day, I still remember that life-dening experience of sitting in a darkened theatre being swept off by the immense talent of Mitch Valdez and Celeste Legaspi and the majesty of Ryan Cayabyabs music. One of the songs from the musical (Minsan Ang Minahal Ay Ako) became the default score for some of the difcult periods in my life. Its pointless to make comparisons even when both the origiBONG C. AUSTERO
nal and the revival is directed by the same person (Nestor Torre). Although some elements have been retained, this revival is clearly staged from a fresh perspective. The performers also bring in their own distinct interpretationsmany of them attaining great success both in dening the emotions and the spirit of the characters and in moving the story forward. Alas, I watched the media preview last Wednesday and the production was then still hobbled by technical glitches that hopefully would have been xed in time for the regular showdates. Katy chronicles the life and times of the Katy de la Cruz, acknowledged as the countrys Queen of Jazz and of Bodabil (localized version of Vaudeville). The lead part is played by Yedda Lambujon (young Katy), Aicelle Santos, and Isay Alvarez. All three acquit themselves musically. But it is Alvarez that owns the rolewhen she strode into the stage after the intermission, the whole show catapults several notches higher and careens wonderfully into a rousing end. Alvarez is a gifted actress and singer and she displays her chops in the musical as if its her last. I would willingly watch Katy over and over again just to watch Alvarez belt out Aba, Ba, Ba, Boogie. When she sings the musicals haunting showstopper Minsan Ang Minahal Ay Ako at the Epilogue, one could sense the audience wanting to rise to its feet even when it wasnt curtain call yet. Tirso Cruz III as Katys doting father and Gian Magdangal turn in exceptional performances. Magdangal, in particular, is so believable he actually looks and acts older as the show progresses. Dulce (as Olivia) has her moments, she is particularly riveting in Luha Sa Kinalimutang Lupa; but her acting came across as too forceful she did not stand out in the scenes for the right reasons. Lou Veloso (Direktor), as usual, steals scenes without meaning to. Epy Quizon (Dolphy) looks and moves exactly like his dad its almost uncanny watching him onstage. Despite the technical glitches, the performance of the Asosasyon ng Pilipinong Musikero deserved special commendation for succeeding in bringing alive the feel and sound of the big bands that accompanied Bodabil shows. There are a million reasons why we should watch Katy. But heres one that is compelling: Its a great production. I highly recommend it.
Coming clean
A DISGRACED former cyclist agrees to an interview with a television show host and admits what many people have believed all alongthat he had been taking performance enhancing drugs to win his tournaments. It was not also just about Lance Armstrong, either. It was about his entire team knowing about what was happening, doing the same thing, and perpetuating the lies for many years. Armstrongs deance in the beginning served to convince people that he was just being set up. Precisely because he was angrily denying the accusations, manyespecially those who admired his miraculous victory over cancer and his subsequent string of victories at the Tour de Francethought indignation at being falsely accused was fueling his anger. He also initiated lawsuits against former teammates and others who came out and told what they knew about the institutionalized cheatingand Armstrongs lead role in them. But an investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency found that the chances of his never having doped were less than one in a million. One by one, companies whose products he was endorsing distanced themselves from him. He was prevailed upon to step down as chairman of Livestrong, the foundation he established for cancer patients. Later, he got out of the Board altogether. That, he told his interviewer Oprah Winfrey, was his most humbling moment. One imagines Armstrong being in a better place these days, acknowledging his wrongdoing, talking about his drive to win at all costs and unloading his guilt. Despite strong evidence against him in the past, a mea culpa on global television can still grab headlines. The rest of the sporting world, cancer patients and their families are however far from that better place. Suspicions of widespread and institutional cheating will always haunt winners even if their claim to their title were legitimate. There will always be doubts about what extremes ones drive to win will take him or her. The Armstrong saga also shatters our belief in the archetype of the sick man who dees all odds and not only recovers but sets new records. Armstrong says he believes he deserves to be punished but does not believe he deserves the death penaltyhe is banned from the sport for life. He also says that he has committed to the process of correcting his mistakes rst by apologizing to numerous people, many of whom he had the temerity to sue even when he knew they were telling the truth. That is, if we are to believe everything he says. The problem with people who come clean after a pattern of deceit and deance is that you can never be too sure of their intentions.
EDITORIAL
Everybody lies
By Helen Oneill
LANCE Armstrong may have been branded liar and cheat of the month, but experts say hes not as different from the rest of us as wed like to believe. Lying, they say, is part of the human condition, something most people do every day. And thats reected in the cavalcade of celebrities cowed into confession after their deceptions were exposedfrom Richard Nixons denial of the Watergate break-in to Bill Clintons denial of an affair with an intern, from drug-abusing baseball players to fraudulent Wall Street executives. The world is rife with great liars, says Robert Feldman, a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts who studies lying and deception. Nothing about the Lance Armstrong case is shocking. We all lie every day. We live in a culture where lying is quite acceptable. The husband who says he is working late when he is having an affair. The worker who takes long-term disability for a serious injury, only to be found puttering around the golf course. The guy who says his car broke down because he is late for work. The dog who ate your homework. People lie to protect their self-image, Feldman says. Once theyve told a lie, they are in it, they live in it, and they justify hurting others to protect the lie because they dont see any way out. People who live a deception at the level of Lance Armstrong have what Feldman calls the liars advantage because they are telling us what we want to believe. We want to believe Lance Armstrong was a great superhero who overcame cancer and went on to win Tour de France after Tour de France, Feldman says. We always want to believe in the great comeback story. Armstrong, he says, was unusually energetic in trying to silence the opposition and damage his criticsa trait that, in the end, might be viewed as less forgivable than his lying. Lying is extraordinarily common and we couldnt get along without it, says David Livingstone Smith, a professor of philosophy at the University of New England in Maine, and author of the book Why We Lie. It greases the wheels of society. Lying, Smith says, is as automatic and unconscious as sweating. He points out that parents teach children at an early age that its OK to lie, just not to me. Kids are told to pretend to be grateful for a Christmas gift they dont want. And they witness their parents lyingabout the tooth fairy, and the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. Wise people throughout history have understood that lying and deception is part of life, Smith says: There is no commandment that says thou shalt not lie, though there is a commandment against bearing false witness. Dan Ariely, professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke Universitys Fuqua School of Business, has spent years studying why people cheat. He is the author of a book, The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone, Especially Ourselves. People basically try to do two things at the same time, Ariely says. On one hand, we want to be able to look in the mirror and feel good about ourselves. So we dont want to cheat. On the other hand, we can cheat a little bit, and still feel good about ourselves. He doesnt judge Lance Armstrong as being any differentor worsethan the rest of us. He cheated in a bigger way because the stakes were higher, and the system allowed him to do so. All cheaters, whether big or small, have a huge ability to rationalize their actions as they manipulate the system, Ariely says. They say, Everyone one else was doing it or It was for a good cause. In Armstrongs case, Ariely says, the fact that he had survived cancer and won the Tour de France multiple times and become an international role model gave him a huge incentive to justify his cheating and perhaps even believe that it actually helped him in his good works. Most people start off lying or cheating in a small way, Ariely says, and feel nervous about their deception at rst, a feeling that dissipates the more they continue. Ariely tells of another world-class cyclist he interviewed who started using performance enhancing drugs not because he wanted to win, but because he simply wanted to catch up. He felt it was justied because everyone else was doing it. He wound up enmeshed in a spiral of lies and drug use, and eventually a drug selling scandal that led to his downfall. He was a classic case of, I will just do it once, Ariely says. But then it became the slippery slope where the lies got bigger and the cheating more common and in the end he got caught. Ordinary people can become extraordinary liars, says Bella DePaulo, visiting professor at the University of California in Santa Barbara, who studies deception. In the 1990s, DePaulo and her colleagues monitored more than 100 people between the ages of 18 and 71 who kept a diary of all the lies they told over the course of a week. Most people, she found, lie once or twice a day, everything from the little compliment to spare another persons feelings to a selfserving statement that exaggerates their own importance, to trying to get a raise or a better deal on a car. But serious and long-term deception, DePaulo says, requires more planning and help. She cites the case of journalist Stephen Glass, who fabricated articles for The New Republic in the 1990s, making up characters and quotes and even events. Like other great liars who managed to continue their deception for years, DePaulo says, Glass had enablerspeople who wanted to believe he was as talented as he pretended to be. Liars can only sustain those kinds of deceptions, DePaulo says, if they get others to invest wittingly or unwittinglyin their lie. Your lies are going to have longer legs when people invest in you and look up to you and dont want to hear that you may have been a lying, cheating, scum all along. Armstrong, she says, had something elsethe power to make life miserable for those who threatened to reveal him. Although Armstrongs ruthlessness makes his cheating seem more extreme, he cant simply be dismissed as one bad apple, Ariely says. And whether the cyclist will eventually nd some kind of redemption is irrelevant. Ariely believes the only good that can come out of the case is if society uses it to examine standards in everything from sports to business, to create new systems where cheating becomes completely unacceptable and a mea culpa to Oprah is not considered the road to forgiveness. But he doesnt hold out much hope. Look at the bankers, he says. They all said sorry and nothing changed. AP
MST Sunday
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN FRANCIS LAGNITON ARMAN ARMERO EDITH D. ANGELES EDGAR M. VALMORIDA MARIEROSE ANG LINO SANTOS Publisher Managing Editor News Editor Senior Deskman Advertising Manager Circulation Manager Graphic Design Photo
ROGELIO C. SALAZAR President & CEO
OPINION ADELLE CHUA ARTS & LIFE DINNA VASQUEZ Staff CARLA MORTEL-BARICAUA GRACE CORTEZ TECH MARLON MAGTIRA CHRISTIAN CARDIENTE BUSINESS RODERICK DELA CRUZ SPORTS REUEL VIDAL
Standard PPI
Manila
MEMBER
MST ONLINE
TODAY
Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers
can be accessed at:
www.manilastandardtoday.com
Published Monday to Saturday by Kamahalan Publishing Corporation at 3rd Floor Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas corner Perea Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 659-4830 (connecting all departments), 659-4826;
659-4827 (Editorial), 659-4803, 6594802 (Advertising), 527-5016 (Sales and Distribution/Subscription) and 527-2057 (Credit and Collection). Fax numbers: 659-4804 (Advertising) and 527-6406 (Subscription). P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: mst@manilastandardtoday.com
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
FOREIGN
A7
Academic removed in Chinas latest sex scandal

BEIJINGA Marxist theoretician has been removed as head of an important, but obscure Communist Party research institute over a sex scandal as Chinas new leadership moves to end the latest, embarrassing revelation of high-level sleaze. The removal of Yi Junqing as director of the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau in Beijing, which was announced Thursday, has been anticipated for weeks since the appearance online of a salacious account supposedly written by a female post-doctoral fellow at the bureau who was a former lover of Yi. The 210-page document which was a brief Internet sensation before it was scrubbed off the web chronicled the illicit relationship between Yi and Chang Yan, from December 2011 to November 2012. Chang said she bribed Yi with 60,000 yuan ($9,700) and slept with him to get her fellowship turned into a permanent position only to discover he was not going to help and that he had other lovers. Chang later said the writing was ctional, but Chinese netizens believed it was real. Yang Jinhai, the bureaus general secretary who appeared in Changs narration in his real-life role, conrmed Changs stint at the bureau and said the author had correctly recorded the time and place of academic meetings but that her interpretation of events was subjective. The ofcial Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday that Yi was red for lifestyle issues often a euphemism for corruption and mistresses. Contacted by phone Friday, Yang said that Yis removal was related to the online account. Yes, his removal should be related to it, said Yang. Yang said Chang has returned to Linfen, Shanxi province, for rest, where she was a teacher at a local university. Yang said Yi remains at the bureau though his new assignment is unclear. Neither Yi nor Chang could be reached for comment. Yis fate comes after party leader Xi Jinping came to power in November vowing to stamp out corruption and warning that the problem if unaddressed could destroy the party. The scandal is reflective of how deeply embedded corruption is in the corridors of power, even in stuffy thinktanks, and of the hypocrisy of professed communists. Corruption has the ability to spread and infect when its unchecked, said He Zengke, an expert on corruption, who happens to work for the same bureau. He declined to talk about Yis case directly, saying he was speaking only in general terms. The eld of Marxism studies has become a business with competition for government funding, he said. Some people want to seek their own interest in the name of research, He said.
American killed in Algerian crisis

WASHINGTON One American worker at a natural gas complex in Algeria has been found dead, U.S. ofcials said Friday as the Obama administration sought to secure the release of Americans still being held by militants on the third day of the hostage standoff in the Sahara.
How Frederick Buttaccio, a Texas resident, died was not noted in a statement from State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland. A spokesman for the Buttaccio family in the Houston suburb of Katy, Texas, declined to comment. We express our deepest condolences to his family and friends, Nuland said. Out of respect for the familys privacy, we have no further comment. It was not immediately clear whether Buttaccio was the only
1. a. Contract ID No. b. Name of Project c. d. e. f. g. 2. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. 3. a. b. c. d. e. f. g.
N OTICE
Notice is hereby given that CEBU aiR, inC., with office address at 43rd Floor, Robinsons- Equitable Tower, ADB Avenue corner Poveda Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as New Operator of Air Transport Services for the acquision of one (1) Aircraft (A320#27) on a Pioneer status. Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication. (Sgd.) EvaRiStE M. CaGatan director Infrastructure and Service Industries Department
Industry & Investments Building, 385 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue, Makati City, Philippines Trunkline: 897-6682, (IPG) 896-9212, (MSG) 896-5167, (IDG) 895-3983 (ISG) 890-3056, (FASD) 890-9325 Website: http//www.boi.gov.ph P.O. Box 1872 Makati City
(MST-Jan. 20, 2013)
Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER Isabela 4th District Engineering Office Quezon, San Isidro, Isabela
invitation to Bid
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the DPWH Isabela 4th District Engineering Office, invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned projects: : 13BH0001 : Replacement/Rehab/Strenghthening of Calao Bridge along Daang Maharlika Location : Santiago City Major Item of Work : application of Tyfo SCH-41(Carbon Fiber) with Tyfo S epoxy Approved Budget for the Contract : 33,882,100.00 Contract Duration : 150 cd Cost of Bid Documents : 20,000.00 Contract ID No. : 13BH0002 Name of Project : Abulan Small Water Impounding Project Location : Jones, Isabela Major Item of Work : Embankment Approved Budget for the Contract : 7,495,000.00 Contract Duration : 85 cd Cost of Bid Documents : 10,000.00 Contract ID No. : 13BH0003 Name of Project : Anonang Small Water Impounding Project Location : Cordon, Isabela Major Item of Work : Embankment Approved Budget for the Contract : 6,206,028.95 Contract Duration : 85 cd Cost of Bid Documents : 10,000.00 : 13BH0004 : Repair/Rehab/Improvement of Daang Maharlika Location : Cordon, Isabela Major Item of Work : PCCP Approved Budget for the Contract : 9,700,000.00 Contract Duration : 90 cd Cost of Bid Documents : 10,000.00 Contract ID No. : 13BH0005 Name of Project : Construction/Rehabilitation of Municipal Hall Location : San Isidro, Isabela Major Item of Work : Painting/Tiles/Doors/Windows/Fixtures Approved Budget for the Contract : 4,850,000.00 Contract Duration : 90 cd Cost of Bid Documents : 5,000.00 Contract ID No. Name of Project Location Major Item of Work : : : :
The Ain Amenas gas eld in Algeria, where Islamist militants raided and took hostages Wednesday Jan. 16, 2013. British Prime Minister David Cameron said Algerian forces are still pursuing terrorists and looking for hostages at an oil installation in the Sahara desert. Cameron told lawmakers Friday Jan. 18, 2013 that Algerian troops were still engaged in an operation to secure a large and complex site. AP
American killed in the hostage standoff. U.S. ofcials told The Associated Press that Buttaccios remains were recovered Friday. Ofcials spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said she spoke by telephone with Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal to get an update on Americans and others in danger at the sprawling
Ain Amenas renery 800 miles south of Algiers. She said the utmost care must be taken to preserve innocent life. Clinton talked to reporters after the Obama administration conrmed that Americans were still being held hostage, even as some U.S. citizens were being own out of the country for recovery in Europe. The Algerian state news agency reported that 12 hostages had been killed since Wednesdays start of an Algerian rescue opera-
tion, and world leaders steadily increased their criticism of the North African countrys handling of the attack. Clinton, however, defended Algerias action. Lets not forget: This is an act of terror, she told reporters in Washington. The perpetrators are the terrorists. They are the ones who have assaulted this facility, have taken hostage Algerians and others from around the world as they were going about their daily business.
4. a. Contract ID No. b. Name of Project c. d. e. f. g. 5. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. 6. a. b. c. d.
IN BRIEF
Biebers mom produces anti-abortion short lm
LOS ANGELESJustin Biebers mother, Pattie Mallette, is an executive producer on an upcoming antiabortion short lm. The makers of Crescendo hope to raise $10 million for pregnancy centers at screenings worldwide starting Feb. 28. Mallette herself will appear at some of these, said production company Movie to Movement on Friday. The pop stars mother has written and spoken extensively about the addiction and abuse that led to her teenage pregnancy. She said in a statement she hopes her involvement with Crescendo will encourage young women all over the world, just like me, to let them know that there is a place to go, people who will take care of you and a safe home to live in if you are pregnant and think you have nowhere else to turn.
ANALYSIS
US Budget woes could hurt outreach to Asia

WASHINGTONPresident Barack Obama wants Asia to be a growing focus of his foreign policy, but as his second terms begins, success could hinge on his ability to manage hot spots elsewhere in the world and avert a scal crisis at home. Within two weeks of winning re-election, Obama became the rst U.S. president to visit Myanmar, signaling his intent to sustain his administrations pivot to the region following the decadelong entanglement in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thats a reection of Asias growing economic and strategic importance. In the past three years, Washington has embroiled itself in diplomacy over the disputed South China Sea, deployed more military-assets to the Asia-Pacic and pushed forward a regional trade pact. It has also put a lot of effort into managing ties with emerging rival China. Those moves have been broadly welcomed in Asia, but governments question the U.S. ability to sustain its policy. While Sen. John Kerry, the nominee to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state, is expected to continue the policy, the Middle East looks destined to demand the lions share of his attention. Theres no end in sight to the civil war in Syria and pressure could mount to take military action over Irans nuclear program. And it will be tough to enhance the U.S. prole in Asia in an age of austerity. In contrast to China, the U.S. can little afford more aid for its allies and to expand its military presence. But perhaps most critical to U.S. stature in the region will be how it manages its deep political divisions at home. Failure to resolve the long-running standoff between Obama and Republicans over how to manage Americas $16.4 trillion national debt weighs on global nancial markets. The Republican-controlled House is set to vote on a temporary measure next week that would permit the government to borrow more money to meet its debt obligations for about three months, although it wouldnt tackle how to reduce the debt. Without an extension in the debt ceiling, the worlds largest economy could default as soon as mid-February. That would likely prompt a downgrade in the U.S. credit rating, leading to higher borrowing costs in the U.S. and elsewhere. It would alarm creditor governments, such as China and Japan, which both hold more than $1 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities. It could undermine Americas position as a safe haven for investors and trigger economic turmoil. Australias foreign minister, Bob Carr, warned after a last-gasp deal at the new year staving off an immediate tax hike and budget cuts that the massive U.S. debt has raised questions about the United States ability to provide world leadership. But the trusted ally put a positive spin on things: America is one budget deal away from resolving the issue of American decline, he said. The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia agrees. Kurt Campbell, who is expected to stand down soon, said last week how the U.S. conducts itself domestically and handles its budget problems will be at the heart of how Asia views our enduring role in the Asia-Pacic region.
13BH0006 Opening/Rehabilitation of FTMR Pangal Sur,Echague, Isabela Aggregate base course/Aggregate subbase course/embankment e. Approved Budget for the Contract : 9,522,557.79 f. Contract Duration : 120 cd g. Cost of Bid Documents : 10,000.00
Procurement shall be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures in accordance with R.A. 9184 and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations. To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with DPWH; (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture; (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract; (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years; and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment of at least 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Office before the deadline of receipt of LOI. The DPWH POCW Central Office will only process contractors applications for registration with complete requirements, and issue the Contractors Registration Certificate (CRC). Registration forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. Significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: Issuance of Bid Documents : JANUARY 16-FEBRUARY 5, 2013 Pre-bid Conference : JANUARY 24, 2013 10:00 AM Deadline of Receipt of Bids : JANUARY 31, 2013 04:00 PM Opening of Submitted Bids : FEBRUARY 5, 2013 10:00 AM The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWHIsabela 4th DEO, Quezon, San Isidro, Isabela upon payment of non-refundable costs indicated above. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs if available, from the DPWH website. Prospective bidders that will download BDs from the website shall pay the stated fees on or before the submission of their bid documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who purchased the BDs. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Sec. 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include the eligibility requirements. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualification. The DPWH Isabela 4th DEO reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and to annul the bidding process anytime before contract award, without incurring any liability to the affected bidders. (Sgd.) REnato B. CLaRavaLL BAC- CHAIRMAN Noted by: (Sgd.) BERnaRdo P. MoREno DISTRICT ENGINEER
(MST-Jan. 20, 2013)
GENEVAU.N. ofcials say more than 130 nations have adopted the rst legally binding international treaty aimed at reducing mercury emissions. The U.N. Environment Program says the treaty was adopted Saturday morning, after all-night negotiations that capped a week of talks. The treaty will for the rst time set enforceable limits on emissions of mercury, a highly-toxic metal that is widely used in chemical production and small-scale mining. Joe DiGangi, a science adviser with advocacy group IPEN, says that while the treaty is a first step, it is not tough enough to achieve its aim of reducing overall emissions.
Treaty aimed at reducing mercury emissions signed
RESEARCHERS have chosen an experimental drug by Eli Lilly & Co. for a large federally funded study testing whether its possible to prevent Alzheimers disease in older people at high risk of developing it. The drug, called solanezumab, is designed to bind to and help clear the sticky deposits that clog patients brains. Earlier studies found it did not help people with moderate to severe Alzheimers but it showed some promise against milder disease. Researchers think it might work better if given before symptoms start.
Lilly drug chosen for Alzheimers prevention study
Sunday
Manila StandardTODAY
Business
A8
on how to retain BPO EMPLOYEES

ONE of the worlds leading
experts in talent development and training visited Manila recently and provided a group of business process outsourcing executives some tips on how to sustain and expand their talent and leadership pool.
leadership and workforce management in sustaining the growth of the BPO industry. DDI, which is celebrating its 35th year in the Philippines, is one of the worlds top talent management companies, as it helps companies identify talents, build a talent pipeline, develop leaders and grow and retain them as pivotal players in the successful execution of business strategies. Talent management is the top concern of the BPO industry, says Business Processing Association of the Philippines president Benedict Hernandez. He says this issue poses a challenge to the industrys something about it. Set goals, and then implement those goals. You have to identify the potential and then develop them, he says in an interview in Makati City. He says BPO companies need to appreciate the role of their employees, who have to work at night to serve clients in different time zones. You cannot change the situation. But you can change how employees feel about it, he says. Byham says it is important that BPO managers realize what their employees have to go through to work at night. Do they appreciate what you are doing? Is there some hope in the future that you dont have to do it forever, he says, speaking about what employees feel and expect from their employers. He says employees will appreciate if the top management make them feel they are taken care of. Byham says it will also help if the boss shows he is developing the employees and telling them they can grow in the organization. You cannot change the nature of the job but you have to change the motivation for employees to stay there, because the future is good, he says. Byham was apparently impressed by the growth of the BPO sector in the Philippines. I could not believe when I saw the statistics. It was so interesting. Any country would be proud of that. I guarantee it, he says. He says to achieve the governments and the industrys target to expand the BPO sector further, the government policy should focus on improving education. In other countries, they have the same problem, and it is about education in high school and college, he says. Byham says aside from knowledge, the overall development of the students should be considered, He says BPO companies need to make employees feel special on the rst day of employment. On the rst day, the boss will say here is how we are going to train you, how to develop you, not for promotion, but for personal knowledge and skills. And I guarantee you that person will go home to his wife or to his family and say you wont believe what a great job I go to, he says. Byham says employees will be motivated if they know that the companies are already planning their development. Employees will be excited to know that the management is not going to let them stay in their current position forever because there is a path way or learning path to their development, he adds. Another important factor, he says, is the role of networks and teams in the organization. Set up a network for the individual in the organization. If I am your boss, I will take you around and introduce you to members of the team as one of the critical players in the organization, he says. Byham says employees will be happy to work with the team whom they can count on to help them become skilled in an area or develop the skills to handle an irate customer, for example. The BPO industry looks to recruit thousands of more employees this year, as the country solidies its status as the call center capital of the world, while also attracting more companies in non-voice component of the industry. Hernandez, who also heads the Contact Center Association of the Philippines, cites the crucial role of the BPO sector in the growth of real estate, construction and food industry, its impact on the government in terms of remittances as well as its role in education. It also has an implication on language and culture, he says. Hernandez, however, cites the challenges of building more talents to keep up with the industry targets. He says if the Filipino labor force does not step up to the requirements, it will be a very critical scenario for the BPO industry. Hernandez says the industry probably achieved the 21-percent job growth and 23-percent revenue growth in 2012. We will do another survey to close the 2012 numbers. And then we will do another forecast. Our forecast in general, for the next couple of years, is 15-percent to 18percent growth, he says. Byham says to address the industrys requirements, companies need to adopt the best practices. He says the leader of a company has the most important role in steering the initiative of succession management. It is also important to develop an acceleration pool, not just specic replacements who have the potential and who are ready to execute directives. Most importantly, companies need to look at the whole assessment of the person, not just focusing on knowledge and skills but also leadership and capabilities. If you get people excited about the opportunities in the organization, they are less likely to look or answer phone calls from headhunters because they are absorbed in what they are doing, he says. RTD
TALENT GURU provides tips
William Byham, the 72-year-old co-founder, chairman and chief executive of Development Dimensions International, a world-leader in human resource training and development, says to sustain the growth of the industry, BPO companies need to get their employees and recruits excited about the career opportunities in the sector. Byham, an American entrepreneur, author and organizational psychologist who co-founded DDI in the US with Douglas Bray in 1970, cites the importance of succession management as well as
target of expanding the labor pool of the BPO sector to 1.3 million by 2016. Byham, however, says BPO companies need to identify and develop talents themselves and allow employees to grow to leadership positions in order to retain their loyalty. You just cant say there is a lack of talent. You have to do
including honing their interpersonal skills, which is important in the BPO sector. The best the government can do is help people come to apply for jobs who already know how to work in teams. They have some experience, and they have done that, he says.
PLDT top brass renew commitment to TV5

By Lailany P. Gomez
the TV5 network, following a failed bid to take over rival GMA Network last year. Ray Espinosa, a PLDT executive who heads ABC Development Corp. as its president and chief executive, is setting high hopes for the TV5 network, which was relaunched on Jan. 15 as a revitalized, more competitive, more energetic and more innovative TV station. ABC Development Corp. operates the TV5 network. TV5s innovation will be seen and felt this year, says Espinosa, who heads the regulatory affairs and policy group of PLDT. He is in charge of overseeing the media units of the PLDT Group. Espinosa, a bar topnotcher in 1982, also serves as the president and chief executive of MediaQuest Holdings Inc., Mediascape Inc. (Cignal TV), Nation Broadcasting Corp. and other subsidiaries of MediaQuest Holdings Inc. He is also the vice chairman of Philweb and a director of the PLDT Benecial Trust Fund. Espinosa says while a prot is not expected until 2015, the TV5 network will continue to build on its success with a wider and clearer broadcast coverage across the country. TV5 is reformatting and adding new platform which will be carried exclusively by Mediascape Inc. and its afliated cable companies. Espinosa says making it to the top will involve not only introducing new shows and programs, but also building up its own talents, so they are molded to the networks identity. PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan also committed to support the network, with his group infusing another P6 billion in 2013.
TOP executives of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. renewed their commitment to expand
The investment will be used partly to complete the networks Media Center in Mandaluyong. The studio is expected to be nished by the end of the rst quarter. The network also invested in transforming the Delta Theater in Quezon City as the new studio of Willie Revillames new noontime show. Pangilinan, Espinosa and other PLDT executives came in full force during the launch of TV5s new
theme Go5! on Jan. 15. The networks 11 new programs include Kidlat, Jeepney Jackpot, The Alabang Housewives, Wowowillie, Hayop sa Galing, Rescues and Aksyon Weekend, Never Say Goodbye, Balwarte, FB: Forever Barkada and Kanta Pilipinas (both set to premiere in February). Its current programs Game N Go All-Stars, Face to Face and Good Morning Club also introduced new twists and segments. The networks current 19 TV and ve radio stations around the country now cover 88.6 percent of the total urban population and is expected to reach its 100percent target by the end of 2013. TV5 global channels Kapatid TV 5 and Aksyon TV International, through its afliate Pilipinas Global Network Ltd., also reach Filipinos overseas in 79
countries and territories in four continents and bring them closer to home. Its current digital media platformsnews site InterAksyon.com, sports portal InterAKTV.ph and lifestyle review site Kristn.comcomplement the networks full service offerings in the emerging online media. The network says that since 2007, it has been steadily capturing market share in mid-teens and targets taking at least 30 percent of the pie by 2014 or 2015. Cignal TV, the largest direct-to-home pay-TV operator in the Philippines, has over 250,000 subscribers. The Kapatid network posted a strong nish in the fourth quarter, when it overtook rival network GMA Network in the viewerrich metro cities with a total of 4 million viewers, according to Nielsen TV Audience Measurements all-week overnight data. These cities are Iloilo, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod and General Santos Citywhere TV5 even shared the top spot with ABS-CBN. TV5 recorded its leadership in Dagupan, where the Kapatid network noted a steady rise beginning second quarter of 2012. PLDTs investments in media are made through MediaQuest, a wholly-owned entity of the PLDT Benecial Trust Fund. PLDTs nancial investment in the media industry is consistent with its overall strategy of evolving itself from a traditional telco into a multimedia service company. With the direct investment, MediaQuest will serve as the anchor for the PLDT Groups media offerings through the creation of content, generation of new revenue streams and provision of direct access to
Filipinos living overseas. Beyond geography, were taking TV5 one step ahead toward becoming a full multimedia venture, Pangilinan says.
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
ARTS & LIFE
B1
oneless r is the b bestselle binagoongan Caf ta A Romulo crispy pa
Sandie RomuloSquillantini and Liana Romulo
HE was among the liberating forces who accompanied General Douglas MacArthur in the historic Leyte landing on October 1944, won a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism in 1942 for Distinguished Correspondence, and was one of the original signatories of the 1945 United Nations Charter.
But to family, the late Carlos P. Romulo, or Popsy as he liked his grandchildren to call him, was many other things as well, including, as it turns out, a foodie with a weakness for sweets. First cousins Liana Romulo and Sandie Romulo-Squillantini laugh at the thought of their lolos favorite dessert. A cube of white sugar dipped in water, says Sandie, daughter of CPRs thirdborn, Ricardo. Naturally, it was the statesmans remarkable passion for food that inspired the birth of Romulo Caf, a dining hotspot featuring many of the familys well-loved heirloom recipes and creations. Known for its distinctly delicious yet reasonably priceddishes, hip and modern interiors, relaxed yet elegant ambience, and commendable staff service, the restaurant recently opened its second branch at Jupiter Street, offering a welcome haven for working professionals and families working and residing in Makati to indulge in its tried-and-tested culinary masterpieces. Founded and run by Sandie and her husband Enzo, with co-partners Yong Nieva and Ivy Almario, the restaurant also aims to give patrons the sense that they were relishing a meal right at his home. Floor-to-ceiling photographs of Romulo in various stages of his remarkable life and career prove the ultimate conversation pieces. The main dining area displays him posing with a slew of political VIPs, from American and Filipino Presidents to no one less than a foreign minister. Family photos hang in another area on
A taste of Romulo
ROMULOS
By Andrea Soriano
Tito G reg kare-k 's are
Keeping up with the
the ground oor, while the second oor showcases photos and mementoes of Romulo during his war time and UN days. Liana, who continues to take charge of documenting her lolos life through personal letters, photos, and keepsakes she tirelessly tracks down, remains overwhelmed by the volume of material that she discovers and has yet to sift through. There are 40-plus boxes in my house waiting to be looked at, she says. I think Im going to be doing this for the rest of my life!
it pus aby lic B ar in g
Well just keep putting up more restaurants! exclaims Sandie with a laugh. Its possible, given how foodies have taken to the restaurants specialtyFilipino food served in a modern way, as Sandie likes to put it. While most dishes are faithful reproductions of Lola Virginias recipes, such as the chicken relleno, which is still cooked at home, and the classic chicken pork adobo, prepared dry, its salty-sour sauce served on the side, there are also many new ways to savor Pinoy fare. Note, for instance, the res-
Heirloom recipes
taurants version of tokwat baboy, large tofu cubes stuffed with pork bits. Theres also a meatless tortang talong, a recent addition to the menu involving a stack of six small patties. Growing up, Liana and Sandie recall how dinners at their home were not only served at 7 p.m. sharp, they went by fast, the latter a result of their lolos routine of leaving after a meal when he was still a reporter. Thank you for the lechon de leche, he wrote in a letter to the Yulo family in December 1967. We blitzkrieged it. If there was a Peking duck in front of you, youd better get two to three pieces already because youre not going to see it anymore, says Sandie, whose own family can go through a meal in ve minutes tops. We all learned to eat fast because of lolo! Thankfully, patrons at Romulo Caf are not only allowed to linger long after lunch is through, most end up with doggy bags. Liana, who herself leaves this interview with packs of her late-lunch orders, assures that theres always take out in this restaurant. The portions are so big. Popsy would have approved.
The interiors are elegant but homey
JERIC AND JERON:

Hardcourt rivals, brothers and techies
detail. Its 16:9 screen ratio achieves a cinema-like video viewing experience, perfect for watching those HD videos on the go. Plus, with the Galaxy Note IIs Air View feature, Jeric can now preview scenes just by hovering his S Pen over the videos timeline. Jeron, on the other hand, is more of a celebrity stalker. Now that hes on Instagram, hes photo bombing with celebrities such as Lovi Poe and Solenn Heussaff. This is why the Galaxy Note IIs BROTHERS Jeric and Jeron Teng are competitors in the UAAP. Jeric is a University of Sto. Tomas Tiger and Jeron is a De La Salle University Archer. But they are alike in their mutual love for their favorite gadgetthe Samsung Galaxy Note II. Jeric, the older of the two, likes watching TV shows such as Walking Dead while on the go. The Galaxy Note II which has a 5.5 HD Super Amoled screen, allows him to watch movies and videos in crystal clear eight-megapixel rear-facing camera and the 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera are perfect for him. The Teng brothers also rely on their favorite gadget for their school work. The Galaxy Note II has an S Pen thats now longer, thicker and ergonomically designed, jotting down notes in class has never been easier. Research is also easier done with Easy Clip feature, which allows them to instantly outline and crop any content on the screen in any shape to save, share or paste. Dinna Chan Vasquez
Sunday
ARTS & LIFE
ManilaStandardTODAY ManilaStandardTODAY ManilaStandard StandardTODAY
B2
GMA News TV 11s State of the Nation with Jessica Soho has launched many rsts not only for the network but also for its anchor.
By Angela de Leon
Together with the distinction of being the agship news program of the countrys leading news channel is an equally big challenge to deliver night in and night out. It cannot simply be one of those newscasts on TV. It needs to be the newscast to watch. This may seem a daunting task for most broadcast organizations, but it seems just what the doctors ordered for GMA News TV. It is, after all, powered by the countrys most credible and most awarded broadcast news organizationGMA News and Public Affairs. State of the Nation was launched in February 2011 and it has, in a short period of time made its mark as a primetime newscast. Veering away from tabloid-ish news reporting, State of the Nation brings the days biggest news to viewers in a tougher and smarter way. And yes, the newscast is still in the vernacular to reach a wide viewer base. Easily, one of the most signicant factors contributing to the success of the newscast is its anchorJessica Soho. Soho is widely regarded as the countrys most awarded broadcast journalist after winning a number of local and international recognitions including the highly prestigious George Foster Peabody Award. This may come as a surprise to a lot of people, but State of the Nation is Sohos rst newscast as a solo news anchor. Soho, however, is not one to shy away from such a challenge, which is denitely a good thing for the newscast. GMA News TV couldnt have gotten a better anchor for its agship newscast. Proof of this is Soho being chosen as Readers Digests Most Trusted News Presenter for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012) and Comguilds Most Outstanding News Presenter for her work on State of the Nation. She was also cited as one of the countrys most popular and most trusted names on free-to-air television based on a recent study made by AGB Nielsen. State of the Nation even gained international recognition last yearearning a Certicate
FIRST TIME
More rsts
There is always a
for Creative Excellence for its typhoon Sendong at the 2012 US International Film and Video Festival (USIFVF). Now comes a look at the newscasts content. As mentioned earlier, State of the Nation provides a tougher and smarter approach to delivering the news to its viewers by delivering depth and context to the days biggest headlines. The newscast is fast becoming synonymous to getting rst and exclusive live interviews with signicantand at times, controversialpersonalities. State of the Nation has featured no less than the President a day after his 2011 State of the Nation Address. It also broke the silence of DILG Undersecretary Ronaldo Puno on the day he resigned. And one of the newscasts more recent exclusive interviews is with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chair Nur Misuari on the day the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement was signed. These exclusive interviews are all good for the newscast. But more importantly, these greatly benet the viewers by giving them a much wider perspective on the issue at hand. This is actually intelligent conversation happening before their very eyes. Also getting good feedbacks from the viewers is the newscasts Q and A portion where Soho asks related but totally unrehearsed questions to GMA reporters on site. And although the questions are unrehearsed, the public can trust Soho to ask the right questions and the reporters, in turn, to be ready with well-researched answers. Insightful enterprise stories are also made available to viewers via the newscasts GMA News Investigates and Assignment Pilipinas segments. Another highlight of the nightly newscast is its Postscript segment where Soho delivers her editorial ala State of the Nation. This last segment leaves the viewers pondering on the information and facts presented and not just merely watching a newscast.
Peabody awardee
Jessica Soho is the woman who delivers the news on SONA
The modern way of responding to disasters

By Elaine Ruzul R. Alanguilan
NATURAL disasters, which have long been putting the Philippines in world news, have increased in frequency and intensity of late. The situation is such that disaster response is no longer the sole responsibility of government. Private corporations have also taken the initiative to help minimize damage and supplement relief, rescue and rehabilitation efforts. Smart Communications Inc. has established its leadership as well in disaster preparedness and response, one of the pillars of its corporate social responsibility program. Smart not only offered free calls and Internet services to disaster-stricken communities and relief agencies. It was also involved in relief operations and helped provide basic needs such as food and potable water, through its employee volunteers, who are trained in disaster response and emergency preparedness. The telco supported the nationwide ood-mapping project of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and PAGASA, with the colocation of the agencies automated rain gauges in its cell sites. Some of the rain gauges and water level sensors were funded by Smart and have been turned over to DOST last year. In January last year, less than a month after typhoon Sendong struck Northern Mindanao, Smart employees based in Cagayan de Oro and Cebu trained in emergency preparedness; more training programs were held for those in Davao and Cebu in March and June, respectively. The following month, a Community Flood and Evacuation Drill for Noahs Ark was organized in Barangay Macasandig in Cagayan de Oro, culminating six months of trainings in one of the communities that were hardest hit by Sendong. Noahs Ark is a community preparedness program. In an emergency drill, barangay ofcials worked with residents to achieve zero-casualty during oods. (Sendong claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed billions of pesos in infrastructure and property due to severe ooding in Cagayan de Oro and outlying areas in 2011.) A drill was also conducted in Barangay Banago in Bacolod. In partnership with Get Ready Pinas, an alliance of over 105,000 members advocating disaster preparedness, Smart launched in September the S@ more bore the brunt of another typhoon, when Pablo wreaked havoc in the coastal towns of Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley and Surigao del Sur. As its engineers worked feverishly to restore communications in the affected areas, Smart coordinated relief efforts and marshaled the resources of the PLDT Group and Metro Pacic Investments Corp.to address the urgent need of typhoon victims for food and clean drinking water.
Barangay Macasandig ofcials and representatives of the Philippine National Police get briefed by Dr. Cedric Daep, Corporate Network for Disaster Response consultant during the Community Flood and Evacuation Drill for Noahs Ark in Cagayan de Oro
Smart and Vodafone engineers worked together to set up the Vodafone Foundations Instant Network
Noahs Ark
FEPH campaign, a series of events promoting the use of the Internet to prepare for and respond to disasters. Says Darwin Flores, Smart head for community partnerships: Social connections play a vital role when it
comes to communicating in times of emergencies, as Twitter and text messaging show. Also last year, Smart supported the development of the mobile version for Android phones of the DOSTs Proj-
ect NOAH weather information Web site by Davao-based developer Rolly Rulete. Inspired by his sherman father, Rulete developed the mobile application for DOST for free. Project NOAH Mobile, a weather app, was ofcially launched by DOST and Smart in October. In November, Smart tapped the Philippine Red Cross to train the Hotline 117 dispatchers of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on emergency preparedness. Participants were trained in basic rst aid and emergency response. Also launched the same month was TINGOG 2015, an innovative SMSbased citizen feedback service supported by Smart and other telcos. Tingog means voice in Bicolano and Cebuano. Piloted in Tabaco, Albay, the service gave ordinary citizens a voice in the development process, particularly in promoting the effective delivery of basic services towards realizing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. Before 2012 ended, Mindanao once
The company forged a groundbreaking partnership with global players Telecoms Sans Frontieres of France, an NGO focused on disaster communications, and Vodafone Foundation, which is afliated with one of the largest telcos in the world. In May, the telco supported Saranganis biggest festival through the SarBay fun run, aimed at promoting the preservation of marine life in Sarangani Bay and Davao Gulf. Funds raised were donated to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines. In June, Smart turned over to Barangay Buhangin in Davao City, a waste shredding and decomposing machine, part of a Materials Recovery Facility that it helped establish. To commemorate the anniversary of typhoon Ondoy, which caused massive ooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) and Smart launched the mobile app SnapPlot developed by WideOut Workforces Inc. In recognition of its environmentfriendly initiatives, Smart received the Environmental Leadership Award from WWF, the worlds largest independent environment conservation organization, last November.
A partnership and awards
email: tech@mst.ph
MARLON C. MAGTIRA, Section Editor CHRISTIAN CARDIENTE, Asst. Editor
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
TECH
SUNDAY
JANUARY 20, 2013
B3
Pinoy filmmakers thrive online

WITH more than 30
million Filipinos who access the Internet, its no wonder that Pinoy lmmakers, hobbyists, and even TV networks are turning to the web to engage movie buffs and avid viewers.
The 2011 Synovate Media Atlas Philippines survey of 5.8 million Filipino respondents indicates about 62% access videos on free platforms like YouTube, giving video creators a huge audience share to showcase their ideas. Whats YouTube? A video-sharing website, YouTube was born in 2005 out of the creativity online geeks former, on which users can upload, view and share videos. YouTube uses Adobe Flash Video and HTML5 technology to display a wide variety of user-generated video content, including movie clips, TV clips, and music videos, as well as amateur content such as video blogging, short original videos, and educational videos. Most of YouTubes content are being uploaded by individual registered users, although media corporations and other organizations offer some of their material via the site, as part of the YouTube partnership program. Unregistered users can watch videos, while registered users can upload videos. In 2006, YouTube was bought by Google for US$1.65 billion, and now operates as a subsidiary of Google. Short lms on YouTube Filmmakers can get paid for their creativity with the YouTube partnership
creators are applying a more creative approach to their content. Musician RA Rivera and University of the Philippines professor and comedian Ramon Bautista started a series of videos called Tales from the Friend Zone. Episodes start with Bautista reading letters from senders who are dealing with relationship issues, followed by a reenactment of the story in lm format, and then a relationship advice for the letter sender. The series gained instant popularity with the rst episode getting nearly 300,000 views. They produced the fth episode after only four months on air.
program, while talents like Charice Pempengco, Arnel Pineda, Ashley Rivera, Mikey Bustos, and KZ Tandingan become overnight global sensations. Tutorial videos in the style of Mikey Bustos and Petra Mahalimuyak have become popular. Still, other video
YouTube has a large community of video creators and viewers. Videos are shared by thousands, if not millions, of people every day. YouTube not only transformed the way we create videos, but also opened up a lot of opportunities for us, said Jam Sebastian of YouTube duo Jamich.
What we achieve with YouTube not only transforms the way we create videos, it really opens up a lot of opportunities for us, Sebastian said. Short lms launched the popularity of YouTube duo and real-life couple Jam Sebastian and Michelle Liggayu, better known as Jamich. Their rst YouTube video, By Chance, received well over 3,000 views the day it was uploaded. They started their YouTube channel h t t p : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / u s e r / JamichTV in May 2011 and already have more than 38 million views and 104,000 subscribers. The duo is also enrolled in the YouTube partner program where they get monetized for the videos they upload. YouTube as TV extension Television networks are also utilizing the web to broadcast their shows for greater viewership. GMA News TVs Bogart the Explorer, which is part of the comedy show, Hecklines, has a huge following online with each of the 18 episodes getting 70,000 to as much as 200,000 views. Its most recent video, the Gangnam Style parody, gained more than a million views on YouTube. Bogart the Explorer gains a lot of interest because it acquaints viewers with the unique Filipino culture that ranges from everyday Pinoy life like the infamous Metro Manila trafc, to how to get the best bargain at Quiapo, the famous shopping place; to the folklore mythical creature, kapre, or tree demon. About 200 episodes of TV5s news commentary, Word of the Lourd, are also uploaded on YouTube, each getting as much as 200,000 views even if the show has a wide viewership on prime time TV. Word of the Lourd is hosted by Lourd de Veyra, a multi-awarded broadcast personality, musician, and emcee. Each episode tackles a national issue like the State of the Nation Address, the impeachment trial for former Chief Justice Renato Corona, and the oods from the monsoon rains earlier this year. tech.mst.ph
Video creation on the web

By Marlon C. Magtira
ONLINE videos have ushered in a new dispensation of Internet landscape, spurring millions to tune in on the Web to watch countless footage and movie clips. Tagging on YouTubes phenomenal success, a huge number of Web sites have been taking a crack at offering motion picture experience to its users. With a cheap video camera or video phone, you can actually become a video producer overnight by uploading just about whatever videos you want for free to let the world watch your home videos of parties, cute babies or pets, family portraits, and even your nonsense jokes and pranks. Whats more interesting is seeing video junkies taking a further step in the world of online videos. We have rounded up some interesting sites on the Net, which allow users to create videos minus the special software. And its free! Online-Convert.com Online-Convert.com can convert audio, image and video les from one le format to another to hasten up you video creation for free. Media-Convert will come in handy with some sites that allow certain video format which may not be compatible with your video phone. With support to almost any media format on earth, theres a good chance Media-Convert can convert serve you needs. Media-Convert can actually convert PDF documents to Adobe Flash (SWF) les, and it even obscurely converts text documents to Morse code. Zamzar.com Zamzar is an online one-stop solution for a comprehensive le conversion needs. Its actually a web service that converts not just video les but almost any other audio, images and documents to other formats. It has an extensive list of conversion compatibility to transform songs, videos, images and documents into different formats. Movavi.com Movavi Online offers free online video converter that allows you to upload videos and convert them to formats you wish to use. Movavi Online also allows videos downloaded from YouTube, Google and other video-sharing sites to be converted to AVI, MPEG, MOV, FLV, MP4, 3GP for most widely used cellphones including iPhone and portable media players like iPod. Movavi also converts videos on your local PC without installing new software. Yes, its free minus the annoying ads! PhotoBucket.com Photobucket is one of the most popular Web sites for uploading and sharing photos, videos, and graphics online. With free accounts that can store thousands of photos and hours of video, Photobucket offers free tools for making slideshows of photos, videos with music. YouConverIt.com YouConvertIt is a cool and easy way for users to create and share video content both on the web and to mobile phones for free. YouConvertIt tries to catch the wave of mobile video buffs. YouConvertIts unique feature is its ability to converts Flash-based widgets for distribution to mobile phones. The Web site has applications that convert web-based photo and slide show widgets and online video from any social media page for cellphones and portable media players. CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Sunday
Manila StandardTODAY StandardTODAY
Sports
B4
Ernest John, here easily vaulting past the obstacle, is following closely in his fathers footsteps. Only in his teens, he is already comparable in skills with the best Asian athletes in his age group. (ErnestJohn)
Skys
The 17-year-old freshman erased the Philippine junior mark when he cleared 4.5 meters. He broke the old record of 4.3 meters set in 2006 by Adamsons Jerome Margallo which Margallo set when he was already 23 years old. Obiena is on track to vault to heights unreached by any local athlete in the sport Russian pole vaulter Sergey
THE LIMIT for father-son tandem

TENEO De Manila Universitys Ernest John Obiena reset the Philippine national junior record in pole vault at the 75th University Athletic Association of the Philippines at the Philsports Arena in Pasig, recently.
the foot, legs and knees could have a devastating effect on performance. Pole vaulting is not really a dangerous sport. There is greater danger for serious injuries in other sports including basketball. But when accidents do happen in pole vaulting injuries can side line competitors for a season or more. This is why vaulters vaulting and resulted in the national record of 5.0 meters by Lasquette which still stands today. Were actually friends, said Emerson. Nagkita pa kami sa California when I visited a few years ago and he took the time to show me around. He is also training Fil-Am pole vaulters in the US and our rivalry will prob-
By Reuel Vidal
Roach wants Pacquiao ght scrapped

want him to ght September ing a fth match with Marquez, and against (Juan Manuel Mar- who knocked him out cold in quez). Its his health and safety the sixth round on December 8 that should be the concern of in their welterweight matchup at everybody, he said. More than the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. pride because hell have his time That loss, voted as round of piecing together that lost pride. the year and knockout of the More than the money because he year by most media outts, led hasnt lost time earning them. the Nevada Athletic Commission In fact, if he meets Marquez to suspend the Filipino ring icon anew in September, that could for 90 days, not in the form guarantee probably his of punishment, but to give highest take in his boxhim time to recover. ing career, Roach proA pair of Filipino jected. neurologists, without Roach also explained the benet of tests, said that the coming midPacquiao had signs of term elections in the PhilParkinsons disease, ippines in May might conan ailment Muhammad sume most of Pacquiaos The Greatest time that might Ali and Roach hamper his himself. preparations. P a c Never mind if quiaos hes a sure winstatener as no ones ment opposing him that in his rehes election (as ready Sarangani to ght Province in April led Repreto the idea of sentapitting him against tive). either one of perceived Fact is lesser lights opponents he still like reigning welterhas to weight champion Timshow himself othy Bradley, who before the beat him June last electorate. year in a controversial A d d split decision, Brandon that JinRios, Robert Guerrero, kee (PacJessie Vargas and Vyq u i a o s abcheslov Senchenko. wife) is also And since the running (for SaNACs suspension rangani vice govwill not allow Pacernor) as well as his quiao to fight in brother (for General the United States, Santos City Conthe April bout, gressman). Manny should it matewill have to camrialize, would paign for them, have to be held Roach said. either in SingaRoach echoed his pore, oil-rich MANNY sentiment against Dubai in Abu PACQUIAO the idea of Pacquiao Dhabi or the going for a tune up gambling city ght before seekof Macau.
FREDDIE ROACH
By Eddie G. Alinea
HAVING the welfare of his prized pupil in mind, Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach said if he has his way, he doesnt want Manny Pacquiao to ght this coming April. Yes, I would advise all those concerned not to rush Manny to ght as early as April, Roach said in a long distance telephone interview from his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. I prefer that he rests rst, have a thorough examination of the extent of damage done, if theres any, as result of his recent knockout loss then ght in September. The 52-year-old Boston native said he had a talk with the eight-division champion early this week and told him of his sentiment. I talked to him by phone and he told me he wants to ght and that hes ready to do it in April, Roach said. A very typical Manny as we all know him. Hes not afraid of anybody and will ght anybody, anytime, any place. And I told him, okay, if you want to ght and ready to do it, lets do it. But, please, I added, consult an expert, have yourself examined further. Then if the doctors say its go, its go, the ve-time trainer of the year said. If I really have my way, I
Already in his late 40s Emerson Obiena has kept in shape and can still compete with the best of them. But he chooses to focus on coaching and teaching the next generation of pole vaulters. (Emerson)
Bubka electried the sporting worlds imagination and put pole vaulting squarely in the public consciousness when he broke the world record for mens pole vaulting 35 times. In the process he won six consecutive International Association of Athletic Federations World Championships as well as an Olympic gold medal. Second generation pole vaulter Obiena, son of the countrys most celebrated pole vaulter Emerson Obiena, could yet do the same for local pole vaulting. Obienas father Emerson, who is now the national coach in pole vault, is a two-time SEA Games silver medallist (1993 and 1999) in his sport. He won his last SEA games medal, a bronze, during the 2005 Southeast Asian Games held at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila when he was already 41 years old. Emersons ofcial best jump is 4.95 meters which he set during the 1999 National Open. Ironically, he has achieved a personal best of 5.1 meters, but only in practices. He says the biggest danger for pole vaulters are injuries. Pole vault is a precision sport and even minor injuries to
must understand and study the cause of injuries in order to better avoid them. Local pole vaulters have very limited options as far as training is concerned. Ernest John is trained by his father at the Ultra Track oval every day. Obiena tries to imbibe everything that his father teaches him knowing that he can only benet from the years of experience and knowledge of his father and coach. Emerson admits his biggest concern is ensuring that all his athlete trainees and not just Ernest John continue to make sensible decisions and put their safety as their paramount concern. He says that a pole vault athlete or coach who is always aware of the risks of the sport does not mean that they are soft. According to Emerson a pole vaulter needs to be brave but not be foolish and that having a healthy respect for the sport has helped him become a better athlete. And who doesnt remember the rivalry between Emerson and Fil-Am Edward Lasquette, who is now based in the US and also coaching. Their erce competition fuelled interest in local pole
ably continue when he brings his young wards to the Philippines from the US. He says that Filipinos have a chance to excel in the polevaulting. The sports most celebrated athlete, Bubka, is only six feet tall. Emerson is 511 and son Ernest John is already 61 tall. According to Emerson, given the proper training and opportunites, there is no reason for a local athlete not to achieve at least Asian level success. But the sports biggest drawback here in the Philippines is the lack of competition, both local and international. Obiena is on track to surpass his father Emersons achievements. He has the physical tools. But most important of all is that he has the best coach in his father who is teaching him everything to help him achieve his full potential. Will Ernest John Obiena achieve success in the Asian level thus surpassing his fathers achievement in the Southeast Asia eld? Will this Blue Eagle y to greater heights? Emerson has no doubt in his mind. He says the skys the limit as far as his son and other local pole vaulters are concerned.

Manila Standard Today - Sunday (January 20, 2013) Issue

Încărcat de

Informații document

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Manila Standard Today - Sunday (January 20, 2013) Issue

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK w BLACKw

34 FILIPINOS SAVED FROM ALGERIA CRISIS MST T

By Sara Fabunan and Vito Barcelo

P18.00 SUNDAY, January 20, 2013

The Sunday Edition of ManilaStandardTODAY

Its esta, Senyor. A festive atmosphere pervades Manilas district

Pit Senyor! ushers in Sinulog

Comelec braces for massive cleanup

De Lima defended; Marantan on his own

ARTS & LIFE

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

JANUARY 20, 2013

Boy, 2, survives sea ordeal

Get high with Dante Enages tuba artworks

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sunday Explain mishap, senators ask

SUNDAY JANUARY 20, 2013

Salvage firm to evaluate ship damage

Miriam has chronic marrow disorder

Visayans surrender 136 guns

Floods hit 18,000 people

Legarda slams delisting of carbon dioxide

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Edited by REUEL VIDAL

SUNDAY JANUARY 20, 2013

ARATE is a growing sport

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

JANUARY 20, 2013

YLANAN HOPES TO CARRY

puts best foot forward

Parvinfar provides fresh perspective

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

SUNDAY JANUARY 20, 2013

ROGELIO C. SALAZAR President & CEO

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

can be accessed at:

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

SUNDAY JANUARY 20, 2013

Academic removed in Chinas latest sex scandal

American killed in Algerian crisis

(MST-Jan. 20, 2013)

4. a. Contract ID No. b. Name of Project c. d. e. f. g. 5. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. 6. a. b. c. d.

US Budget woes could hurt outreach to Asia

Treaty aimed at reducing mercury emissions signed

Lilly drug chosen for Alzheimers prevention study

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

SUNDAY JANUARY 20, 2013

on how to retain BPO EMPLOYEES

TALENT GURU provides tips

PLDT top brass renew commitment to TV5

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

ARTS & LIFE

SUNDAY JANUARY 20, 2013

oneless r is the b bestselle binagoongan Caf ta A Romulo crispy pa

Sandie RomuloSquillantini and Liana Romulo

Keeping up with the

it pus aby lic B ar in g

The interiors are elegant but homey