Manila Standard Today - Sunday (September 30, 2012) Issue

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACKw w
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Missed your copy of Manila Standard Today? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@mstandardtoday.com
RONNIE LATINAZO
EMC chief saysCloud can
buoy PH business
ROMMEL GUTIERREZ
Toyota executive envisions PH
as car exporter
BUSINESS A6
Sunday
MST
The Sunday Edition of ManilaStandardTODAY
Vol. I No. 14 12 Pages, 2 Section
P18.00 SUNDAY, September 30, 2012
ARTS & LIFE B2 TECH
UK, Australia
on terror alert
Resolve conicts
peacefullyUN
heading heading
heading heading
House takes a swipe at Senate:
Too much pork is bad for health
Next page
Next page
SHARON
CAN COOK!
It is no secret
that Sharon
Cuneta is an
excellent cook.
She shares
some of her
favorite
dishes and
kitchen
tips.
B3
New chief.
President Aquino
administers the
oath of office on
Interior and Local
Government chief
Manuel Roxas II
in Malacaang on
Saturday.
(Story on A2)
The exhibition, AKA Peace, in collaboration with non-prot organization Peace One Day, show-
cases artists reinterpretation of AK-47 assault ries, reacting against the horror of violence globally
and recasting a weapon of devastation as a conduit to peace. Currently on display at the Institute of
Contemporary Arts in London, the art installations are to be auctioned at Phillips de Pury & Company
after the exhibition on Oct. 4 to raise funds for Peace One Day. AP PHOTOS
UK and Australia issued
their respective travel adviso-
ries two days after the United
States made a similar warning
to its nationals on possible
threats in Metro Manila.
The US Embassy, which did
not specify the threat, told its cit-
izens to avoid going to the me-
By Sara Susanne Fabunan
T
HE governments of United Kingdom and Australia on
Saturday advised their citizens from travelling to specic
areas in the Philippines, saying that the threat of terrorist
attacks is high, particularly in Mindanao.
tropolis at least until Oct. 10.
In its revised travel alert, the
British government warned
its citizens who are currently
residing or vacationing in the
country to exercise particular
caution and extra vigilance in
places frequented by expatri-
ates and foreign nationals.
The US embassy in Manila
has issued a message advising
By Maricel V. Cruz

TOO much pork is said to be
bad for the health.
But as far as congressmen
are concerned, pork is the most
essential and important ingre-
dient of their political health.
This was underscored by
House Minority Leader and
Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez on
Saturday as he sought a big-
ger and a more equitable share
of the Priority Development
Assistance Fundthe ofcial
name of, and a euphemism for,
the congressional pork barrel
for 283 members of the House
of Representatives.
Suarez, at a news confer-
ence, said that senators have
a huge pork barrel funds to
use although they do have
direct constituencies like the
congressmen and congress-
woman in the House of Rep-
resentatives.
Next page
LESS than a week after the United States Federal
Bureau of Investigation added a Renoir painting to
its list of Top Ten Unsolved Art Crimes, the Balti-
more police located another work by the Impression-
ist painter that was stolen from the Baltimore Mu-
seum of Art 60 years ago.
The Baltimore police on Friday (Saturday in Ma-
nila) uncovered a report from Nov. 17, 1951 showing
that an artwork that sold for $7 at a ea market was
actually worth $75,000.
According to the report, James N. Foster Jr., an ex-
ecutive assistant at the museum, reported that some
time between 6 p.m. Nov. 16 and 1 p.m. this date
(Nov. 17) someone stole the following painting.
The brief police report notes the small piece, On
the Shore of the Seine, was painted by Pierre-Au-
guste Renoir. It describes a river scene in pink and
blue. No other items were reported stolen.
Six decades later, a Virginia woman said she
bought the painting at a West Virginia ea market
in 2010. She kept it in storage for nearly two years
thinking it must be fakeand then decided to
have it examined by a suburban auction house.
The Potomack Co. veried it was Renoirs
Paysage Bords de Seine, which translates to
Banks of the River Seine. The auction house
said it checked a worldwide registry of stolen
artwork in July, and the Renoir piece had never
been reported stolen or missing.
By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

UNITED Nations General Assembly president Vuk
Jeremic said on Saturday that he fully supported the
Philippine position of resolving the dispute in the
West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) through a
peaceful settlement.
In his remarks during the opening of the UN Gen-
eral Assembly in New York,
Jermic said that this years theme, Adjustments or
Settlements of International Disputes Or Situations
By Peaceful Means, would be useful to all regions in
preventing new conicts and resolving existing ones.
The U.N president himself has personally chosen
Next page
of a threat against US citizens in
Manila, particularly in the Pasay
City neighborhood. The threat is
considered to be in effect until 10
October 2012, the advisory said.
Any attack could be indis-
criminate and we advise British
nationals to exercise particular
caution and extra vigilance in
places frequented by expatriates
and foreign nationals.
The advisory added that the
threat of terrorism was not lim-
ited to airports, shopping malls
and places of worship.
The U.K. also advised its citizens
against travelling to south-west
Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago
due to threat of kidnapping and on-
going clashes between the military
and insurgent groups.
We advise against all but es-
sential travel to the remainder of
Mindanao for the same reason.
There is a threat of kidnapping
in the Philippines, particularly
in the south. Kidnapping could
occur anywhere, including on
coastal and island resorts and
dive boats and sites in the Sulu
Sea, it said.
The Australian government
also advised its nationals to exer-
cise high degree of caution when
traveling in the Philippines.
Like the UK, Australia like-
wise advised its nationals cur-
rently staying in the country to
reconsider travelling in Eastern,
Central and Western Mindanao,
including Zamboanga Peninsula
and the Sulu Archipelago.
We continue to strongly ad-
vise you not to travel to central
and western Mindanao, includ-
ing the Zamboanga and Sulu
Archipelago, due to the very
high threat of terrorist attack,
kidnapping, violent crime and
violent clashes between armed
groups. We continue to advise
you to reconsider your need to
travel to eastern Mindanao, the
advisory stated.
FBI adds another
Renoir to list of
unsolved art crimes
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
SEPTEMBER 30, 2012 SUNDAY
A2
Sunday
NEWS
ManilaStandardTODAY
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Partys over,
for now: Roxas
focuses on DILG
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
Offce of the Regional Director
Region II- Cagayan Valley Region
Tuguegarao City
Invitation to Bid
The DPWH Regional Offce No. 2 through Bids and Awards Committee
(BAC), invites contractors to apply to bid for the following contracts.
1. Contract ID: 12B00020
Contract name: Minanga Bridge along Naguilian-Benito Soliven-San
Mariano Road
Contract Location: San Mariano, Isabela
Brief Description: Bridges- Construction-Steel Superstructure with Concrete
deck Slab and railings
Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): P 117,151,761.28
Contract Duration: 318 CD
2. Contract ID: 12B00021
Contract name: Road Upgrading (gravel to paved) based on Gravel Road
Strategies,TraffcbenchmarksforupgradingtoPaved
roadStandard(HDM-4projectAnalysis)(MFO-2
IntermittentSection,Cordon-Diffun-Maddela-Aurora
BoundaryRoadK0396+080-K0399+020withexceptions
(397+659.174-397+719.00)
Contract Location: Nagtipunan, Quirino
Brief Description: Road upgrading; width=6.70 m.; Legth=2,940
ln.m.;Thk.=0.23 m.
Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): P 68,899,985.68
Contract Duration: 237 CD
Procurement will be conducted through open competitive bidding
procedures in accordance with RA 9184 and its RevisedImplementingRules
and Regulations.
To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI),
purchased 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, (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to
ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC will
use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary
examination of bids.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for
registration to the DPWH-POCW central Offce before the deadline for the
receipt of LOI. The DPWH POCW-Central Offce will only process contractors
application for registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractors
certifcate of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the
DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
The signifcant time and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:
1. Issuance of Bidding Documents September 21-Oct 11, 2012
2. Pre-Bid Conference September 28, 2012
3. Receipt of Bids 10:00 AM, October 11, 2012
4. Opening of Bids 10:30 AM, October 11, 2012
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at the DPWH
Regional Offce No. 2, upon payment of a non refundable fees of P40,000.00
and 30,000 respectively . Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from
the DPWH website, if available prospective bidders that will download the BDs
from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission
of their bids documents. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the
amount and acceptable form, as stated in section 27.2 of the Revised IRR.
Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specifed
in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The
frst envelope shall contain the technical component of bid, which shall include
a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the fnancial component
of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as
determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualifcation.
The DPWH Regional Offce No. 2 reserves the right to accept or reject
any or all bid and to annul the bidding process anytime before Contract award,
without incurring any liability.
Approved by:

(SGD.)EDILBERTOB.BATTUNG
Chief Materials Quality Control
And Hydrology Division
(BAC Chairman)
(MST-SEPTEMBER 30, 2012)
For A healthy heart. Makati Medical Centers Dra. Marienella Francisco , pediatric chairperson of the
Council on Congenital Heart Disease of the Philippine Heart Association, checks the vital signs to detect
obstructions in the vessel of the lower extremeties of student athletes from the Benigno Aquino High
School as part of the celebration of the World Heart Day 2012 at the Makati City Hall. SONNY ESPIRITU
After taking his oath on Saturday, Roxas said he
would concentrate on his duties as a member of
the Aquino Cabinet, with eradicating criminality
among his priorities.
His decision to stemmed from the fact that the
midterm election would be one of the biggest
events in which his department and the National
Police would be one of the very important and
major components.
Roxas replaced the late Jesse Robredo who died
in a plane crash in August.
Roxas was accompanied by his wife,
broadcaster Kornina Sanchez and members of
the Liberal Party.
He said that he would pursue the reforms at the
DILG.
He said that as soon as he assumed ofce,
President Beigno Aquino III ordered him to give
priority to the eradication of criminality in the
country. Sara Fabunan
ON HIS rst day as Interior and Local Government chief,
Manuel Roxas II said he would immediately le his leave of
absence as president of the Liberal party to avoid a conict of
interest now that 2013 election is a few months away.
FBI...
The painting was to be sold at
auction for the woman on Satur-
day and it was expected to fetch
at least $75,000.
The auction was postponed
this week after a Washington Post
reporter rst found evidence the
painting had been on loan to the
museum from 1937 until 1951.
An expert on art thefts told
The Associated Press the mu-
seum likely has a strong case
to reclaim the painting. Robert
Wittman, a former FBI investi-
gator of national art thefts, said
the artworks dimensions and
composition are key in matching
it to a stolen piece.
The discovery of Paysage
Bords de Seine came less than a
week after the FBI added anoth-
er Renoir painting, Madeleine
Leaning on Her Elbow with
Flowers in Her Hair, to its list of
Top 10 Art Crimes.
The painting, estimated to be
worth $1 million, was stolen dur-
ing an armed robbery of a Hous-
ton home on Sept. 8 last year.
Information about the paint-
ing has been included in the
FBIs National Stolen Art File,
as well as other similar online
toolsincluding the Art Loss
Register and Interpols Works of
Art databasethat alert art deal-
ers, gallery owners, and auction
houses about missing and stolen
artwork.
If the thief tries to place the
painting with a reputable dealer
or gallery, or tries to sell it at auc-
tion, members of the art commu-
nity here and overseas who regu-
larly check these databases will
see that the artwork has been sto-
len and will alert the FBI, said
Bonnie Magness-Gardiner, who
manages the Bureaus art theft
program.
Renoir, a master Impression-
ist, painted Madeleine Leaning
on Her Elbow with Flowers in
Her Hair in 1918. The canvas
size is 50.17 x 41.28 centime-
ters, and the artist signed the oil
portrait in the lower right corner.
The painting was taken with its
frame intact from the stairwell
where it hung. AP
House...
I dont understand this. They
(senators) dont have legislative
districts yet they have the bigger
slice of pork. We congressmen
have to (be content with what we
have, and we have direct constitu-
ents, he told reporters.
But Suarez, a veteran legislator
and who was an administration
ally in the past administration,
was quick to clarify that he wished
senators would have a bigger sum
considering the national constitu-
ency that they have for as long as
congressmen and congresswoman
would get a proportionately bigger
and equitable share of pork barrel
funds appropriated annually for
both the House and the Senate.
I am not taking it against the
Senate and its 24 members that
they have such a huge allocation
of 200 million per senator, and in
the House, where there are 280 or
more congressmen each receiving
at least 70 million a year, Suarez
said. The basic difference how-
ever is that the 280 plus congress-
men and congresswomen directly
serve their constituencies all over
the archipelago.
But House Speaker Feliciano
Belmonte rebuffed Suarez, saying
that the pork barrel funds allocated
for senators and congressmen are
unchanged from previous Con-
gresses.
I dont think theres equity, Bel-
monte told the Manila Standard.
They (senators) allocate the
amount to the same purposes we
do. They also have constituents
to serve, only many more, Bel-
monte explained.
Each senator receives P200 mil-
lion, while each congressman gets the
equivalent of P70 million every year.
Pdaf allocations are good for
two years, according to the De-
partment of Budget and Manage-
ment (DBM).
While the feud over the Pdaf
funds heats up, Budget Secretary
Florencio Abad distance himself
from the issue, saying the Execu-
tive has nothing to do with it.
That is no really the problem
of the Executive, Abad, a former
congressman, told the Manila
Standard.
I think it is an informal ar-
rangement between the House
and the Senate. The Senators con-
tend that when they go around the
country, they are also approached
for projects by their constituents,
Abad said.
For 2012, DBM records showed
that senators and congressmen have
received a total of P15.244 billion
in pork barrel funds for this year, or
P60 percent of the P25-billion Pdaf
in the 2012 national budget.
The same amount of pork funds
was proposed to be allocated for
legislators under the 2013 national
budget.
The political reality is, accord-
ing to seasoned politician and
senior opposition member Siqui-
jor Rep. Orlando Fua, more than
any other resources in the arsenal
of any elective ofcial, funds for
projects and services for constitu-
ents are the most potent weapon in
the cache of every politician.
All the talk about pork or Pdaf
funds is politically driven because
of the coming May 2013 elec-
tions, Fua said.
UK, Australia ...
Meanwhile, deputy presidential spokesperson
Abigail Valte on Saturday said that the govern-
ment has heightened its security and police visibil-
ity in and around Metro Manila in response to the
travel advisory to foreign nationals in the country.
We spoke with General (Leonardo) Espina of
the NCRPO [National Capital Region Police Of-
ce] yesterday [Friday] and security has been aug-
mented in the facility along Roxas Boulevard sea
front, Valte said over Radyo ng Bayan.
The NCRPO is making sure that everybody (in
the police) has designated and practiced areas of
responsibility.
She added that since General Espina had as-
sumed his post as NCRPO chief, the police have
been placed in heightened alert and visibility,
highlighted by mobile security in the metro.
Valte said Espina also ordered all Philippine Na-
tional Police units to go out on eight-hour shifts.
If you have noticed, since the assumption of
General Espina as the NCRPO chief, they have
been implementing a new system of areas of re-
sponsibility at talagang heightened police vis-
ibility po ang order of the day, she said.
The two-minute response time is also being
implemented strictly. Tapos mayroong mga mo-
bile police units na dapat present at nagiikot po
doon sa mga areas na kanilang nasasakupan,
she added.
On Friday, US embassy spokesperson Tina
Malone said in a phone interview that they have al-
ready coordinated with Philippine authorities and
that they were given assurances that the US Em-
bassy building located along the sea front in Roxas
Boulevard would be safe against threat.
We are condent in their ability to protect us
and we want to thank them for their increased sup-
port, Malone said.
Malone said the US Embassys security detail
detected a possible threat against its citizens in the
Metro Manila area.
Although she did not have information on specic
threats, Malone denied that the advisory was related
to the continuing Muslim protests worldwide against
an anti-Islam lm titled Innocence of Muslims that
was produced in the United States.
Valte agreed with Malones view, saying that the
protests being conducted in Metro Manila have
been very peaceful.
Lets be fair, so far the protests have been very
peaceful and have been very orderly, she said.
Last week, a number of Muslim activists as-
sembled at Mendiola Bridge near Malacanang to
air their protest against the anti-Muslim lm, but
the rallyists later dispersed peacefully.
Resolve...
the theme for the 67
th
UN Gen-
eral Assembly.
I hope this framework will
usefully serve the noble cause
of preventing gathering conicts
and resolving existing one, he
said.
The Philippines and Vietnam
have separate territorial dispute
against China in the West Phil-
ippine Sea (South China Sea),
while Japan is also locked in a
territorial standoff against China
over Diaoyu island in the East
China Sea.
Three other countriesMalay-
sia, Brunei and Taiwanare also
disputing ownership of some parts
of the South China Sea.
Manila has been pushing to re-
solve the dispute through peace-
ful means by bringing the issue
before an international body,
particularly in the United Nation
Convention on the Law of the
Sea or Unclos.
Jeremic also lauded Manilas
position in seeking the resolu-
tion of the conict through inter-
national law.
Jeremic and Philippine For-
eign Affairs Secretary Albert del
Rosario discussed the West Phil-
ippine Sea conict during the
sidelines of the assembly, where
the UNGA president expressed
his full support to del Rosarios
efforts.
Jeremic lauded del Rosarios
utmost attentiveness and ener-
gy to the Philippine initiative at
the United Nations on the peace-
ful settlement of dispute.
For his part, Del Rosario wel-
comed Jeremics support, and
said that the UN presidents
statement of support underscores
the duties and obligations of
States to settle their disputes in
a peaceful manner as enshrined
in the Charter of the United Na-
tions and in international law.
Del Rosario described the
theme as timely the crucial
issues that confront the world
today.
It also provides, del Rosario
said, an opportunity for a syn-
ergy of actions by stakeholders
to advance the peaceful settle-
ment of dispute at the United
Nations.
The Philippines is condent
that under the able leadership of
President Jeremic, he will be able
to steer the General Assembly
towards the achievement of the
goals we all share as responsible
members of the international
community and we are encour-
aged by the clarity of President
Jeremics vision for the General
Assembly, Del Rosario said.
Meanwhile, the United States
has reafrmed its commitment
to the Asia Pacic region on the
maritime dispute in the South
China Sea.
In a separate meeting between
del Rosario and US State Secre-
tary Hillary Clinton, the US of-
cial said that Washington will
work with all countries when it
comes to building a stable and
just regional order that will
benet every nation.
The two discussed wide-rang-
ing issues, including regional
peace, stability and security, and
the peaceful settlement of dis-
putes and maritime issues.
This means supporting ma-
ture and effective institutions
that can mobilize common ac-
tion and settle disputes peace-
fully. It means working toward
rules and norms that help man-
age relations between peoples,
markets, and nations and safe-
guard universal rights. And it
means establishing security ar-
rangements that provide stability
and build trust, Clinton said.
Del Rosario described his
meeting with Clinton as con-
structive and signicantly
touched on key issues of mu-
tual concern for the Philippines,
its neighbors and the United
States.
The discussions during the
meeting emphasized the need to
secure stability in the region, the
peaceful settlement of disputes
and other maritime issues. The
holding of the meeting in the
Mission was very relevant, giv-
en the realities in Southeast Asia
and in the larger East Asian re-
gion, del Rosario said.
On maritime security, Clinton
said that the US government is
looking forward to the Expand-
ed ASEAN (Association of the
Southeast Asian Nation) mari-
time forum next week in Manila
on Oct. 5.
All 18 East Asia Summit states
have been invited to attend and
take part in in-depth discussions
on how to improve safety on the
regions waterways, combat pi-
racy and protect the environment.
We are encouraged by the re-
cent informal dialogue between
ASEAN and China as they work
toward a comprehensive code of
conduct for the South China Sea
as a means to prevent future ten-
sion in the region, Clinton added.
Del Rosario said that both
the 1st Expanded Forum and
the 3rd ASEAN Maritime Fo-
rum in Manila will serve as an
opportunity to discuss cross-
sectoral cooperation on region-
al maritime issues.
mst.daydesk@gmail.comSunday
NEWS
ManilaStandardTODAY
A3
Sotto: I inserted libel provision
Bam Aquino stands on economic freedom
Oil rms
announce
new prices
Lawmaker slams plan to increase ATM transaction fees
THE rst Vicente Sotto in the
Philippine Senate was said to be a
recalcitrant lawyer who promoted
Cebuano letters and fought for
Philippine independence through
the four newspapers he put up in
his lifetime.
He is best known among journalists for Republic Act
No. 53, enacted in 1946, which protects journalists from
being forced into revealing the identities of their news
sources. His legacy to Philippine journalism is now
known as the Sotto Law.
Sixty-two years after the principled Sotto died in ofce,
his grandson Vicente Sotto III is also making waves in the
Senate, but for an entirely different reason.
Over the weekend, the incumbent Sotto admitted to
the American news organization CBS News that he was
one of two senators who inserted the libel clause in the
recently-enacted Republic Act No. 10175, the Cybercrime
Prevention Act of 2012, which President Aquino signed
into law last Sept. 12.
Yes, I did it. I inserted the provision on libel. Because
I believe in it and I dont think theres any additional
harm, read the CBS News article by Barnaby Lo.
The article noted, however, that Sotto may actually
have an axe to grind with the Filipino online community
after coming under re for allegedly plagiarizing an
American blogger and the late Sen. Robert Kennedy for
his speeches against a controversial family planning and
reproductive health bill.
Sotto had claimed that the libel clause was not meant to
abridge free speech, but only to protect ordinary people
who are victims of online attacks, character assassination
and the like from people who do not observe the standards
of journalism.
But Senator Teosto TG Guingona III disagrees
and warned the public that the cybercrime law clearly
suppresses freedom of speech and expression guaranteed
by the Constitution.
The senator reiterated his opposition to RA 10175
which both houses of Congress passed last June after
ve separate petitions were led at the Supreme Court
challenging the laws constitutionality.
Guingona, who opposed the bill when it reached the
Senate oor, said the new law fatally steps backward
and leads to the vault of archaic policies that cannot
be made to apply to the modern man operating in a
modern world.
While Guingona conceded the need for a Cybercrime
Prevention Act, he said the law contains problematic
provisions.
While libel committed through traditional print media
is punishable by up to four years and two months of
imprisonment, online libel is punishable by a shocking
12-year imprisonment period, he added.
He further stated that with the new law, a person can
now be prosecuted for libel under the Revised Penal
Code and libel under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
This is contrary to the 1987 Constitution which protects
its people against double jeopardy.
A DAY after he was inducted into the ruling Liberal
Party, senatorial hopeful Benigno Bam Aquino
IV on Saturday said he hopes to champion in the
Senate his espoused principle that economic
freedom is just as important as political freedom
and he wants to make this part of his familys
legacy to the Filipino people.
The 35-year-old Aquino is president of Hapinoy,
a social enterprise that has been awarded around
the world for its poverty alleviation program using
innovations in micro-enterprise, micro-nance,
and the Filipino staple, the sari-sari store.
Since its inception in 2007, Hapinoy has already
improved the lives of thousands of households
from different parts of the Philippines.
Our experience in Hapinoy has shown that
when you give someone not just a dole-out but
access to credit, market, training, and other support
services, they will be able to lift themselves and
their families out of poverty, Aquino said.
From subsistence income-earners with barely
anything to eat, they become micro-entrepreneurs
who are able to run a successful micro-business
and support their families. Some of them even
graduate to running larger community stores that
also employ others in their community,he added.
Now, imagine if we can adapt and apply this idea
to larger programs and even to policy-making for
the poor. That is People Power. That is democracy
and freedom of access and opportunity.
A multi-awarded social entrepreneur and one
of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons for 2012,
Aquino was sworn into the Liberal Party on Friday
by Liberal Party president and Interior Secretary
Manuel Mar Roxas II, and witnessed by his
older cousin, President Benigno Aquino III.
In joining the LP, the younger Aquino vowed
to continue the Aquino legacy of democracy
and freedom, saying that poverty is one of the
biggest obstacles to enjoying true freedom, and
that economic freedom is just as important as
political freedom.
We literally have millions of Filipinos suffering
from poverty and socio-economic oppression,
Aquino points out.
We cant really say that theyre enjoying the
freedom and democracy that we have fought for,
because they feel that their poverty has limited
their options. We need to show them that this is not
the casethat there is a way out of poverty. Socio-
economic oppression is just as debilitating and as
unacceptable as political oppression.
No stranger to policy-making, Bam Aquino
became the youngest chairperson of the National
Youth Commission when he headed the agency
in 2003, at 25 years old. He was also an active
student leader.
I hope to be able to contribute to policy-making
that is pro-poor, pro-democracy, and pro-freedom of
economic and social opportunities, Aquino adds.
By Alena Mae S. Flores
THE countrys oil rms will implement
a new round of price adjustments
starting 6 a.m. of Monday to reect the
weekly movement of world oil prices.
Petron Corp. and Pilipinas Shell
Petroleum Corp. issued separate media
advisories that they will increase the
price of unleaded gasoline by P0.30 per
liter and diesel by P0.25 per liter.
Petron and Shell, however, cut the
price of regular gasoline by P0.30 per
liter and kerosene by P0.25 per liter.
Petron will implement the following
price adjustments (VAT inclusive)
effective 6 a.m. October 1: rollback in
Turbo Diesel and DieselMax by P0.30
per liter, rollback in kerosene by P0.25
per liter, increase in Blaze 100 XCS
Plus, and Xtra by P0.30 per liter and an
increase in Pinoy Gasoline and Regular
by P0.25 per liter, the company
announced Saturday.
Oil prices declined last week
due to several factors such as
speculations over the eurozone
economic instability and the news
of weak China production data and
Saudi output pledge also caused
prices to keep from rising.
Prior to the latest round of
adjustments, premium and unleaded
gasoline sold at P50.70 to P60.55 per
liter while regular gasoline sold at
P49.80 to P59.30 per liter. Diesel sold
at P44.50 to P48.80 per liter.
Earlier this month, lawmakers
demanded the governments
Independent Oil Price Review
Committee submit its much delayed
report on allegations of overpricing by
big oil companies.
Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan
questioned the motive behind the
IOPRCs allegedly deliberate delay
in coming out with the report amid
the spate of oil price hikes and said
consumers are growing impatient with
the Aquino governments inaction on
oil price increases.
By Maricel V. Cruz
BAYAN Muna Rep. Teddy Casio on
Saturday denounced the plan of the Bank
of the Philippine Islands to implement
a 50-percent hike in transaction fees at
its automated teller machine network
beginning October 22.
Casio said he will demand an
explanation from BPI why they are
planning to increase a charge on ATM
withdrawals from P10 to P15.
Such a decision, Casio said, would most
likely compel rival networks to impose
higher transaction charges of their own.
This developed as Casio also noted
similar complaints from workers on the
P2 charge of the BDO Cash Card, which
was described as a re-loadable prepaid
electronic debit card which does not
require a maintaining balance and is used
by many employers as a means to release
workers wages.
Casio earlier led House Resolution
353 directing the Committee on Banks
and Financial Intermediaries to conduct an
investigation, in aid of legislation, on the
reported irregularities attending unjust and
unwanted ATM transaction fees.
Casio said that he would include in
his call for the congressional probe the
BPIs impending 50 percent increase
in transaction fees and BDOs recent
P2 withdrawal charge in the list of
unwarranted fees and charges on
approximately 18 million ATM clients.
He said ATM clients make close to
two million transactions per day through
the three major ATM networks, namely:
BancNet Inc., Megalink Inc., and
ExpressNet Inc.
He said the investigation is necessary
to give all parties concerned the chance
to air their sides, and at the same time,
to enable Congress to study possible
legislation that would address the issue
in the banking industry.
We want the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas to explain this increase
considering that they are being used by
BPI to justify the increase, he added.
BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr.
earlier said that banks are free to impose
whatever transaction fee they believe
compensates them for the delivery of
service but stressed such fees should
always be transparent.
The BSP also issued an earlier
regulatory adjustment discontinuing the
practice of compensating the banks with
interest income for holding in reserve a
portion of their deposits.
Banks already earn prots when
the salaries and wages of workers are
coursed through them by employers, they
should not further extract prot from the
workers who need every peso of their
earnings, Casio said.
Second Filipino saint. A church workers readies an image of the Blessed Pedro Calungsod during a service at the San Carlos Seminary in Makati
City. The 17-th century Catholic martyr is set to be canonized at the Vatican next month. DANNY PATA
Getting there. Solaire Resorts and Casino of Bloomberry Resorts Corp. is nearing completion on Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard even as they are already training
employees to start work early next year. Inset shows the golden Belle Grande Manila which is also nearing completion. LINO SANTOS
By J. D. Batac
BORACAY during the monsoon season
isnt quite the picturesque island para-
dise guidebooks rave about. It is instead a
gloomy stretch of compact sand battered
by waves and relentless wind, low-hang-
ing gray clouds kissing the islands famed
shores with olympic perseverance. For obvi-
ous reasons, there are noticeably lesser peo-
ple meandering about. This lends comfort
and a semblance of joy to anyone repulsed
by crowds.
This somber, almost unwelcoming side of
Boracay only serves to quell well-worn cli-
ches people the world over pay for with gus-
to: There are no bleeding sunsets to capture,
no clear skies for golden tans, no open-air
drink binges to partake of, no banana boats
to ride on, and no dry beds by the shore to
laze around in. It is Boracay at its most se-
date and most unprotable.
I landed on Boracay on a rainy Wednes-
day afternoon. Ive missed my ight to Cati-
clan a day earlier, so I had to make do with
a 15-hour trip via RORO and multiple land
tranfers. It was a trip that was by turns dif-
cult and enchanting.
From Sampaloc in Manila, a RODAST-
CO van took me to Batangas Port where-
upon I boarded a sea vessel named Starlite
Navigator. It was an hour past midnight.
Four hours later I disembarked at the Cala-
pan Port in Occidental Mindoro, followed
by a lonely two-hour drive to Roxas in Ori-
ental Mindoro. At the decent-looking Port
of Roxas, I boarded a refurbished Japanese
liner bound for Caticlan. It was a smooth
four-hour trip that did fairly well given the
unfriendly weather.
Prior to this, I havent missed a ight nor
have I ridden a RORO vessel, so in a way
notwithstanding my misfortunesit was a
providential day of rsts. I was channeling
Paul Theroux, although I did so not out of
choice but out of lack thereof. Wasnt he who
said we are dened by the roads we choose to
take? There are, after all, easy roads and then
there are difcult ones. In the process, the ulti-
mate destination is rendered second by a more
primordial, more essential aspect of the whole
journey, and that is the journey itself.
The most remarkable part of the 15-hour
trip to a drenched paradise was how regular
it all seemed. There was nothing out of the
usual, nothing particularly startlingjust a
group of nameless strangers hopping from
one vehicle to the next. At times I would
chance upon a passenger or two staring out
into the bland uniformity of the open sea,
their deathly stillness and transxed gaze a
reminder of fervent prayers and secrets that
will never be told.
I sat by one of the ubiquitous green mono-
bloc chairs by the deck, tuned in to Alex-
ander Rybaks 13 Horses while musing
about my own luck. Somehow I was under
the impression that reaching Boracay was
increasingly becoming an anticlimax; by
then Ive gotten eerily familiar with the sight
and sound of the sea, I can almost taste its
salinity. Getting off the boat signaled the
end to an exhausting yet novel non-stop so-
journ across provinces and seas. It was, so to
speak, the beginning of an end and the end
of a beginning.
Heavy rains pounded the island by the time
I reached the budget inn at Station 3 where Ill
be staying in for the next couple of days. Rus-
tling winds, mad waves, and intermittent rain
showers inevitably lent an existential appeal
to a destination heralded for its sunny allure. It
was comical. As if that wasnt enough, I was
buried deep into the macabre imaginings of
Philip Roth as his nameless protagonist in Ev-
eryman (Houghton Mifin, 2006) ruminates
on his boyhood, his loves, his family, and all
else that one thinks of when certain that life is
ebbing away, when death in any of its various
forms shows up right at your doorstep, what
do you do? In Boracay, you either stay indoors
and take a nap or you brave the elements with
all the ennui that consequently comes with it.
The heavy downpour made it difcult
to traverse a sizeable stretch of the islands
Main Road, with one too many potholes
and clogged waterways resulting in muddy
sidewalks and pools of turbid water. At this
point, the vitality of Boracays commercial
district had withered down. Vendors selling
all sorts of merchandise from beaded trinkets
to chori burgers had to fend for themselves
in the face of reduced foot trafc to their
stalls. Nowhere were the moneyed thrill-
seekers to be found, only worn-out travelers
working on a shoestring at the height of the
off-peak season.
But even at this time of the year, a few
things remain constant on what is generally
regarded as the epicenter of the local tourism
industry. Tranny hookers, beggars, peddlers
of tourist traps, and the occasional pack of
overeager East Asians remain a xture in
key spots throughout the island, save for one
notable exception: Puka Beach.
Located at the far northern edge of Bora-
cay, Puka Beach is renowned as the very an-
tithesis of White Beach its rowdier, albeit
more popular, counterpart west of the island.
Named after the shells that litter the beachs
wide, cream-colored shores, Puka Beach is
remarkably bereft of any commercial activi-
ty. Nipa huts dot the foot of nearby limestone
cliffs and mangrove colonies on one side,
while stray dogs revel in the serene isolation
of the opposite area. Waves are noticeably
ercer on this side of Boracay, although this
is more than compensated for by the places
pristine, indubitably more relaxing vibe.
But the hub of commerce and entertain-
ment on the island can be found along the
entire stretch of White Beach and its imme-
diate environs. The luster of diners, hotels,
and the rest of prized beachfront properties
shimmer brightly at dusk, although this be-
comes less apparent especially when strong
winds and heavy rains batter the shore.
During inclement weather, tall windbreak-
ers made of bamboo and transparent plastic
are erected across establishments so that the
revelry and commerce can carry on among
those whove traveled far and wide to expe-
rience life on the island and those whove
shelled out considerable expense to hit it big
business-wise.
Indeed, money has become the name of
the game in Boracay. In fact, constructions
of varying range can be found everywhere.
This rapid, if not entirely unsustainable, pace
of development has brought to fore several
important issues, chief among them the ra-
bid and blatant disregard for the rights of the
islands original settlers, the Ati tribe, who
have been unjustly displaced from their an-
cestral settlements to give way to the highly
commercialized Boracay as we know it to-
day. The extent of abuse and discrimination
against members of the tribe is pervasive,
but this issue will more likely remain in the
underbelly of things as local and national
government executives seem inordinately
predisposed to cash in on the Boracay hype
than do anything else.
The rainy weather hasnt eased up a bit
by the time I was to leave the island. On my
nal early-morning stroll along the nearly
deserted shore, my footprints were immedi-
ately washed out by the raging waves, like
hazy memories rendered insignicant by
their tragic lack of details. A feast of steamed
mud crabs and a fruity concoction from Jo-
nahs were by themselves temporal, if not
eeting, delights. But what else is there to
remember in a paradise drenched in rain and
existential anguish?
J. D. Batac works as an editorial assistant at
a publishing rm.
Hacked!
EDITORIAL
A mothers faith
and courage
Waxing existential in a drenched paradise
Publ i shed Monday t o Sat urday 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;
Manila
Standard
TODAY
MEMBER
Philippine Press Institute
The National Association
of Philippine Newspapers PPI
ONLINE
can be accessed at:
www.manilastandardtoday.com
MST
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO Publisher
RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN Managing Editor
FRANCIS LAGNITON News Editor
ARMAN ARMERO Senior Deskman
EDITH D. ANGELES Advertising Manager
EDGAR M. VALMORIDA Circulation Manager
MARIEROSE ANG Graphic Design
LINO SANTOS Photo
OPINION ADELLE CHUA
ARTS & LIFE DINNA VASQUEZ
Staff JOBA BOTANA
GRACE CORTEZ
CARLA MORTEL-BARICAUA
TECH MARLON MAGTIRA
CHRISTIAN CARDIENTE
BUSINESS RODERICK DELA CRUZ
SPORTS REUEL VIDAL
659-4827 (Editorial), 659-4803, 659-
4802 (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
MST
ROGELIO C. SALAZAR President & CEO
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
A4
Sunday
OPINION
ManilaStandardTODAY
EVERYMAN
COURAGE comes in many forms. But
the most difcult of all must be the cour-
age to trust unconditionally and unequiv-
ocally; to really do so not out of despera-
tion or necessity but as a deliberate and
conscious decision. This kind of courage
requires total surrender. This kind of ab-
solute faith is the essence that is sadly
glossed over when we pray The Lords
Prayer and recite these powerful words:
Thy will be done.
My college friend, Noemi Solis-Iglo-
ria, recently went through a most difcult
personal crisis when her young son Adam
Anthony became a victim of a road acci-
dent in Cebu City. Adam valiantly fought
for his life at the intensive care unit but
eventually joined his Creator after six
days of being in coma. Noemi shared her
account of those fateful six days through
her Facebook account. Her account
moved and inspired many people not only
because it was a poignant testimonial of a
mothers love, but also because it showed
how courage and faith can be a source of
redemption and ultimately, forgiveness. I
asked Noemi if I can share in this column
excerpts from her reection and she read-
ily obliged. What follows are abridged
parts of Noemis account, edited slightly
for brevity:
Looking back at the series of events
starting Sept 4, 2012, 8:30pm when Adam
met an accident up to the time he expired
on Sept 9 at 7:25pm in the ICU, I rmly
say God was in total control of the situa-
tion. On our way to the hospital, I sensed
that something bad was going to happen.
I turned to the Lord and said Lord I com-
pletely surrender Adam to you...Thy will
be done. After that I was a little bit calm,
and felt the readiness to accept whatever
the doctor would say about his situation.
When the neurosurgeon told us that
Adam needed immediate operation to re-
move the 1.5 cm hematoma in the head
I just told him go ahead Doc, do what-
ever you can. Then I blessed the doc-
tor when he left the emergency room. He
walked away to prepare but not before he
told me your sons chance of survival is
below 50%. Adam also suffered a frac-
tured right leg with a severe open wound.
When the orthopedic surgeon told us that
my son needed immediate operation to
save his leg, I calmly told him go ahead
doc and God bless you.
The next six days could have been very
stressful for us emotionally and physi-
cally but they were not. We felt the guid-
ing hand of the Lord working in us. Not
once did I question God. I just found my-
self praising God and renewing my trust
and love in Him and repeatedly telling
Him Yes Lord Thy will be donegive us
strength to hang on.
On the fourth day of Adams stay at the
ICU, all signs worsened. The doctor de-
clared that Adam was already comatose.
I sincerely prayed Lord you know what
is best for Adam and what is best for us,
his family. Thy will be done. Take total
control of the situation. Later, a message
ashed in my mind My plan is different
from yours, my thoughts are not your
thoughts and my ways are not your ways.
On the fth day in the ICU Adam was still
non-reactive to tests. Slight movements
of his arm and shoulders were observed.
The doctor told us the movements were
involuntary and not dictated by his brain,
that those movements were not signs of
life. On the sixth day, the doctor declared
that Adams lungs and kidney were failing
and that anytime that day, Adam will have
a cardiac arrest.
I did not cry upon hearing those dec-
larations. I calmly ran to his bedside and
like what I did since day one I prayed
a lot for the salvation of his soul; mur-
muring endlessly at his bedside. I prayed
hard and really asked for the forgiveness
of my sons sins. I kept on praising and
worshiping God, calling all the Holy an-
gels and saints in heaven, calling the Im-
maculate Heart of Mary, the Most Sacred
Heart of Jesus, the intercession of Beato
Pedro Calungsod asking them to meet my
son. Every now and then for two hours, I
brought my lips close to Adam ears and
directed him to follow the light of Jesus,
to call upon His name and ask for for-
giveness. I even sang a song for Adam.
Those who were at the ICU including the
nurses would later say they were amazed
by my strength.
Adam expired at 7:25 pm on that day.
Strangely, I felt so much calmness and
peace while other family members started
to cry. I felt triumphant believing that I suc-
cessfully delivered Adams soul to God.
Adam could have died on the spot (when
he met the road accident). Why did God
allow him to live for six days? Because
God slowly prepared us emotionally; God
gave us the opportunity to guide Adam
in asking forgiveness for his sins. God
taught us to slowly lift up everything to
God and internalize the true meaning of
faith, trust and total acceptance of Gods
trial. What happened to the person who
wronged Adam? We have forgiven that
person. We asked for Gods forgiveness of
Adams sins. For Adam to be forgiven, we
must also forgive.
What we can all learn from my friend
Noemis experience is that faith is tested
in the most harrowing experiences; dur-
ing the most trying times when the temp-
tation to yield to anger, pain, or grief
becomes overwhelming. It is in those
times when we must have the courage to
believe, to trust, and yes, to forgive.
BONG C.
AUSTERO
ARE WE THERE YET?
SEVERAL government Web sites
were hacked this week by a group
called Anonymous Philippines
protesting the passage of what
is now known as the Cybercrime
Prevention Act. The law, signed
by the President earlier this
month, seeks to penalize users of
the Internet for posting libelous
materials online, among others.
According to the law, one can
be found guilty of libel through
blogs, social media network posts
and status updates, even retweets.
The commensurate penalty is
imprisonment.
At least five separate groups
have filed petitions before the
Supreme Court. They want the court
to declare the law unconstitutional.
Palace spokespersons were
however quick to defend the
bill, insisting that no freedom is
absolute and that people must be
held responsible for what they do
or say in any platform.
This even as some of the
Presidents allies have themselves
expressed strong opposition to the
law.
On the targeted media form,
the Internet, Filipino users have
generally been against the law as
well. They say it curtails freedom
of speech and endangers the liberty
of those intrepid enough to speak
their minds online.
In the meantime, whether the
hacking will go on is anybodys
guess. The people behind such
activities are evidently technology
savvy; they seem willing to do
anything to show their disgust at
the way this administration has
championed transparency and
freedom only with its lips.
Hacking is a tool to mock or
taunt the government to get its
attention and to prove a point. It is,
by all means, not the best option to
force a dialogue. But in the face of
perception that the administration
is impervious to proposals to review
the law, some may feel they have
to get dramatic -- especially when
then they have the technological
savvy to do so.
Logical and sober opposition
has been met with indifference.
Will the government start listening,
or will continue to smugly and
self-righteously ignore a legitimate
clamor?
A5
Sunday
FOREIGN
ManilaStandardTODAY
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Department of Public Works and Highways
Zamboanga del Norte 2
nd
District Engineering Offce
OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER
Labason, Zamboanga del Norte
September 27, 2012
I NVI TATI ON TO BI D
(MST-Sept. 30 & Oct. 6, 2012)
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works and
Highways, through the (FY 2012 Infrastructure Projects) invites contractors to bid
for the aforementioned projects:

1. a. Contract ID No. 13JC0005
b. Contract Name: Assets Preservation of National Roads Generated from
Pavement Management System/Highway Development
& Management (HDM-4),Rehab./Reconst/Upgrading
of Damaged Paved National Roads,Intermittent
Section,Liloy-Ipil Road, k1991+020-K1992+397
c. Contract Location: Zamboanga del Norte
d. Scope of Work: Upgrade to Concrete Pavement 280mm
e. Approved Budget for the Contract: P24,328,500.00
f. Contract Duration: 108 Calendar Days
Cost of Bid Docs.: P20,000.00
b. Contract Name : Assets Preservation of National Roads Generated
f rom Pavement Management Syst em/ Hi ghway
Development & Management (HDM-4),Rehab./Reconst./
Upgradi ng of Damaged Paved Nati onal Roads,
Intermittent Section, Sindangan-Liloy Road, k1958+750-
k1960+503,Re:Upgrading(Asphalt Paved to Concrete
Paved) along Liloy-Ipil Road, k1988+000-k1991+020
d. Scope of Work: Upgrade to Concrete pavement 280mm
e. Approved Budget for the Contract: P 30,681,840.00
Cost of Bid Docs.: P 20,000.00
b. Contract Name: Road Upgrading (Gravel to Paved) based on Gravel
Road Strategies,Traffic Benchmark for Upgrading
to Paved Road Standard (HDM-4 Project Analysis)
Intermittent Section Zamboanga West Coast Road
(Limpapa-Sibuco Section) K1979+(-685)-k1979+000
and k1980+000-k1981+980
d. Scope of Work: Road Upgrading (Gravel to Paved)
b. Contract Name : Road Upgrading (Gravel to Paved) based on Gravel Road
Strategies,Traffc Benchmark for Upgrading to Paved
Road Standard (HDM-4 Project Analysis) Intermittent
Section Liloy-Siocon Road, k1982+124-k1983+130
e. Approved Budget for the Contract : P 29,400,000.00
b. Contract Name: Road Upgrading (Gravel to Paved) based on Gravel Road
Strategies, Traffc Benchmark for Upgrading to Paved
Road Standard (HDM-4 Project Analysis) Intermittent
Section Siocon-Sirawai Road, k2080+000-k2081+300
6. a. Contract ID : No. 13JC0010
b. Contract Name: Road Upgrading (Gravel to Paved) based on Gravel
Road Strategies, Traffic Benchmark for Upgrading
to Paved Road Standard (HDM-4 Project Analysis)
Intermittent Section Siocon-Sirawai-Sibuco-Limpapa
Road, k2097+000-k2099+200
e. Approved Budget Budget for the Contract : P 29,400,000.00
b. Contract Name: Roads Opening/Construction to close the Gap Section
of National Road with determined alignment (including
ROW): Upgrading of Zamboanga West Coast Road,
including bridges, Zamboanga del Norte, 3
rd
District
Liloy-Siocon Road K1993+967-k1995+700 (Loay-Imelda
Section) and Tugbongon Bridge Approach
The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised
IRR of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected
at the opening of bid

To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI, purchase
bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration
with DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation,
cooperative, or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost
of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC
within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least
equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC
will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary
examination of bids.

Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration
to the DPWH-POCW Central Offce before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The
DPWH POCW-Central Offce will only process contractors applications for registration
with complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certifcate of Registration
(CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.
gov.ph.
The signifcant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:

Issuance of Bidding Documents October 3, 2012 October 23, 2012
until 10:00AM
Pre Bid Conference October 11, 2012 10:00 A.M.
Deadline of Receipt of LOI from
Prospective Bidders October 11, 2012 until 5:00 P.M.
Receipt of Bids October 23, 2012 10:00 A.M.
Opening of Bids October 23, 2012 2:00 P.M.
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at Department of
Public Works and Highways, 2
nd
District Engineering Offce, Labason Zamboanga del
Norte, upon payment of a non-refundable fee. Prospective bidders may also download
the BDs from the DPWH website if available. Prospective bidders that will download
the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission
of their bids Documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested
parties who have purchased the BDs. Bids must accompanied by a bid security,
in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR.

Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specifed in
the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The frst
envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy
of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the fnancial component of the bid.
Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in
the bid evaluation and post-qualifcation.

The Department of Public Works and Highways, 2
nd
District Engineering Offce,
Labason Zamboanga del Norte reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul
the bidding process at anytime prior contract award, without thereby incurring any
liability to the affected bidder/s.

Approved by:
(SGD) NAZARIO R. LAROGA
Engineer III
(BAC- Chairman)
(MST-Sept. 30, 2012)
Zamboanga del Norte 2
nd
Labason, Zamboanga del Norte
September 27, 2012
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Public Works and
Highways, through the (FY 2013 Infrastructure Projects) invites contractors to bid for
the aforementioned projects:

from Pavement Management System/Highway
Development & Management (HDM-4),Intermittent
Section: Preventive Maintenance of Sindangan-Liloy
Road k1949+955-k1950+085
c. Contract Location : Zamboanga del Norte
d. Scope of Work : Overlay 100mm with crrections
f. Contract Duration : 31 Calendar Days
Cost of Bid Docs. : P10,000.00
Development & Management (HDM-4),Rehab./
Reconst./Upgrading of Damaged Paved National
Roads, Intermi ttent Secti on, Li l oy-Ipi l Road,
k1974+643-k1975+000
d. Scope of Work: Recon AC 50mm
Cost of Bid Docs. : P 5,000.00
Development & Management (HDM-4),Rehab./
Reconst./Upgrading of Damaged Paved National
Roads, Intermittent Section, Liloy-Siocon Road,
k1984+729-k1986+002,Re:Reconst k1985+240-
k1986+002-k1988+000(with exception)
d. Scope of Work : Recon AC 50mm/Overlay AC 50mm
b. Contract Name : Replacement of Bridges along National Roads
(Temporary to Permanent) Lopoc Bridge along Liloy-
Siocon Road
d. Scope of Work : Replacement
f. Contract Duration : 114Calendar Days
The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised
IRR of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected
at the opening of bid.
To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI, purchase
bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with
DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative,
or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract,
(d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10
years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line
commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail
criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids.

Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to
the DPWH-POCW Central Offce before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH
POCW-Central Offce will only process contractors applications for registration with
complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certifcate of Registration (CRC).
Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.

Issuance of Bidding Documents September 27, 2012 October 16, 2012
until 10:00AM
Pre Bid Conference October 4, 2012 10:00 A.M.
Deadline of Receipt of LOI from
Prospective Bidders October 4, 2012 until 5:00 P.M.
Receipt of Bids October 16, 2012 10:00 A.M.
Opening of Bids October 16,2012 2:00 P.M.
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at Department of
Public Works and Highways, 2
nd
District Engineering Offce, Labason Zamboanga del
Norte, upon payment of a non-refundable fee. Prospective bidders may also download
the BDs from the DPWH website if available. Prospective bidders that will download
the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of
their bids Documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties
who have purchased the BDs. Bids must accompanied by a bid security, in the amount
and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR.

Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specifed in the
BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The frst envelope
shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC.
The second envelope shall contain the fnancial component of the bid. Contract will be
awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation
and post-qualifcation.

The Department of Public Works and Highways, 2
nd
District Engineering Offce,
Labason Zamboanga del Norte reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul
the bidding process at anytime prior contract award, without thereby incurring any
liability to the affected bidder/s.

Approved by:
(SGD) NAZARIO R. LAROGA
Engineer III
(BAC- Chairman)
Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Al-Jaafari, right, listens as U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the 67th session of the
United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters on Tuesday, Sept. 25. AP
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hosh-
yar Zebari on Friday proposed
plans to broker discussions for
a political transition in Syria
amid the paralysis at the UN Se-
curity Council which has cast a
pall over the annual gathering of
world leaders in New York.
Zebari told The Associated
Press in an interview that he
made the offer to bring together
Syrias regime and opposition at
a meeting Friday between nine
representatives of anti-Assad
groups and the Friends of Syria
a coalition which includes the
United States, the European Un-
ion and the Arab League.
He acknowledged that the
UN and Arab League joint en-
voy on Syria, Lakhdar Brahi-
mi, would need to take the plan
forward.
Establishing a more coherent
opposition is seen as a means of
increasing pressure on the Syr-
ian leadership amid Russia and
Chinas decisions to veto three
Western-backed resolutions
aimed at forcing Assad to end
the violence.
Rebels on Friday made their
broadest assault yet to drive
Assads forces out of Aleppo,
Syrias largest city. Activists
claim that since the 18-month-
old conict began, more than
30,000 people have been killed
in the ghting.
Syrias opposition has been
criticized as hopelessly frac-
tured and unable to coalesce
around a transition plan that was
adopted by members of the UN
Security Council in Geneva over
the summer, though Western of-
cials say they are beginning to
see tentative signs of progress.
Revolutionary councils in cit-
ies including Damascus, Homs,
Aleppo, Idlib and Deir al-Zour
are becoming increasingly or-
ganized, US ofcials insist. In
Idlib, in northwestern Syria, and
Deir al-Zour, in the countrys
east, the local councils are tak-
ing charge of municipal duties,
restoring power supplies and
cleaning streets.
Talks Friday focused on ef-
forts to boost cooperation be-
tween the rival groups, provide
them with millions of dollars
more in non-lethal equipment,
and help them cement authority
in areas freed from the Assad re-
gimes control.
It is encouraging to see some
progress toward greater opposi-
tion unity, but we all know there
is more work to be done, US
Secretary of State Hillary Clin-
ton told the meeting.
Mouaz Moustafa, a 27-year-
CARACAS, VenezuelaChina has launched a second satellite
built for Venezuelas government.
The remote sensing satellite soared into orbit atop a rocket from
the northwestern Chi-
nese province of Gansu.
The launch was
shown live on Venezue-
lan TV on Friday night.
Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez applaud-
ed as he watched along-
side aides in Caracas,
congratulating those
who worked on the
project.
Ofcials have said
the satellite cost $140
million and will provide
images for tasks such
as mapping croplands,
counter-drug efforts
and monitoring oods.
The launch came more
than a week ahead of
Venezuelas Oct. 7 presi-
dential election, in which
Chavez is seeking anoth-
er six-year term.
The satellite is named
after Venezuelan inde-
pendence hero Francis-
co de Miranda.
Venezuelas rst sat-
ellite was named after independence leader Simon Bolivar. It was
launched from China in 2008. AP
VATICAN CITYThe Vatican is
opening its doors on the most em-
barrassing scandal of Pope Bene-
dict XVIs papacy, putting the
popes butler on trial for allegedly
stealing and leaking papal corre-
spondence to a journalist in a bid
to shed light on what he called the
evil and corruption in the church.
Paolo Gabriele, a 46-year-old fa-
ther of three, faces up to four years
in prison if he is convicted of ag-
gravated theft in the worst security
breach in the Vaticans recent his-
tory. He has already confessed and
asked to be pardoned by the pope
something Vatican watchers say
is a given if he is convicted.
His trial opens Saturday in-
side the austere, wood-trimmed
courtroom of the Vatican tribunal,
housed in a four-story palazzo in-
side the walls of Vatican City.
While the Holy See has seen its
fair share of sensational trialsin
1600 Giordano Bruno was burned
at the stake after being condemned
by a Vatican court for heresythis
is the most high-prole case to
come before the three-judge panel
since the creation of the Vatican
City state in 1929.
Gabriele, who was replaced
as papal butler after his May 24
arrest, is accused of taking the
popes correspondences, photo-
copying the documents and hand-
ing them off to Italian journalist
Gianluigi Nuzzi, whose book
His Holiness: The secret papers
of Pope Benedict XVI, was pub-
lished to great fanfare in May. AP
World leaders urge
Assad foes to unite
UNITED NATIONSEfforts to draw
together the fragmented foes of Syrian
President Bashar Assad could lead to
direct talks between the leaders re-
gime and his opponents, a key ofcial
said after talks on the sidelines of the
UN General Assembly.
old activist with the Washington-
based Coalition for a Democratic
Syria, which lobbies on behalf of
the civilian councils and was in-
volved in the talks, said the local
groups could provide the roots of
a post-Assad Syria if they are sup-
ported with funding.
It will be undermined if its
not coupled with nancial sup-
port, he said. You have civilian
councils right now. If you dont
help them, you miss an opportu-
nity. Without money, they lose
credibility, viability and power.
He said in one instance, France
had supplied about $13,000 to
the Maarat al-Nuaman civilian
council, in northwestern Syria,
which allowed them to clean
streets, rebuild a bread factory
and pay for policemen. AP
China launches 2nd
satellite for Venezuela
Vatican opens door
on trial of butlers leaks
In this photo released by Chinas Xinhua
News Agency, a rocket carrying Venezuelan
satellite VRSS-1, a remote sensing satellite,
lifts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch
Center in Jiuquan, northwest Chinas Gansu
Province on Saturday, Sept. 29. AP
Sunday
BUSINESS
ManilaStandardTODAY
By Alena Mae S. Flores
RAYMUND Magdaluyo was only 25 years old and
a researcher at the Asian Institute of Management
when his mother asked him to help expand the
family-owned restaurant Red Crab Seafood and
Steaks at Clark Freeport in Pampanga in 1998.
AIM researcher transforms
Red Crab into a restaurant empire
More than a decade later, Magdaluyo,
now 39, oversees an empire of more than
a dozen restaurant brands that populate
the major shopping malls and commercial
districts in the country.
Red Crab Seafood and Steaks was later
renamed Red Crab Alimango House and
is now considered as the one of the most
well-loved seafood restaurants in town. It
has become a buzz word in the restaurant
scene and is associated with the best and
the most varied alimango and seafood
dishes.
Magdaluyo sat down for an interview with
MST Sunday during the recent opening of
Red Crabs latest branch at the second floor of
the newly opened Lucky Chinatown Mall in
Binondo. The Chinatown Mall branch is Red
Crabs fifth.
Our vision for Red Crab is to be the
top of its kind, the most preferred crab
and seafood restaurant among foreigners,
tourists and balikbayans, Magdaluyo,
who serves as Red Crabs managing
director, says.
He says Red Crabs vision is to be the
restaurant of choice when it comes to
celebrating special moments and occasions
among families, friends and colleagues.
The Red Crabs mission, he adds, is to
create a strong network of world-class,
pioneering, specialty restaurants combining
the best Filipino agro-resources and talent
with global avors and design.
Each concept is unique with their personality,
identity and drama for customers to experience.
The five existing Red Crab restaurants are all
geared for family and group gatherings and
celebrations where food will always be glorious
and extravagant so that each dining experience
will be enjoyed and remembered, he says.
First branch
Red Crab opened its rst branch in
Clark. Magdaluyo says his mother, who
hails from Pampanga, rst thought of the
idea to offer seafood and steaks in 1998,
to local tourists and foreigners who visit
Clark. He was asked to join and help
expand the business.
We wanted to push a different seafood
dining experience to consumers, Magdaluyo
says.
The rst Red Crab branch in Manila
opened at Remedios in Malate in 1999
with Magdaluyo at the helm. Magdaluyo
recalls having spent busy days at the
Remedios branch, where he learned the
ropes of the restaurant business. He says
he had to sleep in the same building which
housed the restaurant so he could give all
his time and effort to the business.
Magdaluyo says growing the business
has been lled with challenges such as
where to source its premium food item--the
red crab and how to make their customers
come back for more.
The company initially sourced crabs
from Roxas City and Bataan, but has
discovered other sources such as Bicol,
Masbate, Palawan, Zamboanga and
Basilan.
Magdaluyo also came up with a very
varied menu and launched the 24 ways
of cooking crabs which is now served
at the Chinatown Mall. Included in the
mouth-watering menu are Szechuan
Crab (crab sauteed with ginger and
chillies, nished off with sweet spicy
Szechuan sauce), Crab Maritess (crab
sauted in olive oil, with garlic and fresh
chillies, deglazed with white wine) and
Thai Chilli Crab (crab simmered in red
curry sauce, spiced with green chillies).
Other offers are Raymund Salt and
Pepper Crab (deep-fried battered crab
avored with aromatic spices and tossed
in sauted sweet onion and onion leeks),
Malaysian Chilli Kangkong Crab (crab
cooked in hot and spicy Malaysian sauce
with kangkong) and Causeway Bay
Typhoon Shelter Crab (deep-fried crab
with tossed noodles, topped with garlic,
chili and salted black beans).
Secret of success
For Magdaluyo, one of the secrets to a
successful restaurant business is location
as more people go the mall for dining
and entertainment. He says Red Crab
follows where the crowd is. At the same
time, the company tapped its long-term
relationship with property developers
such as Megaworld Corp. which built the
Chinatown Mall.
Magdaluyo says when Megaworld
invited Red Crab to Binondo, he did not
hesitate because this (Manila) is where
everything started, referring to the rst
Remedios branch, which had to close shop
later.
But for a creative and talented spirit like
Magdaluyo, the food business can offer so
much more to consumers. He has raised
his stake in restaurant industry and is an
investor in many of Metro Manilas favorite
dining places. By virtue of his investments
in other restaurants, the Red Crab Group
now includes Heaven n Egg, Flying Pig:
BBQ House & French-American Bistro,
Claw Daddy, Kung Fu Kitchen, BluFish,
Crustasia, Paloma, Cocorama, American
Grill, Hula Hula Seafood, Barbecue House,
Blackbeards Seafood Island, Sumo-Sam,
Texas Smoke Em, White House/Patio
Carlito, New Orleans, Tokyo Grill and Mr.
Kurosawa.
Magdaluyo is particularly excited about
Seafood Island, which is set to open 30
stores nationwide, further expanding the
Red Crab restaurant empire.
By Julito G. Rada
LAWYER Rommel Gutierrez never
thought he would end up working in the
local automotive industry. In fact, he says
his rst job after college was with an
insurance rm.
My rst job was with an insurance
company where I stayed for less than
a year. Thereafter, I found myself in
various jobs in accounting department
of a shipping/
manning
company, [then] manufacturing,
Gutierrez tells MST Sunday.
Gutierrez now considers it his destiny
to work in the auto industry, particularly
with Toyota Motor Philippines where he
serves as vice president. Concurrently,
he serves as the president of Chamber
of Automotive Manufacturers of the
Philippines Inc., the umbrella group of
car manufacturers and assemblers in the
country.
Right before joining TMP, I worked for
Raytheon Constructors in Saudi Arabia for
three years. I think it was by destiny that
I landed at TMP. I was never involved in
the auto industry before TMP and I never
regret joining this company, narrates
Gutierrez. My stint with TMP
has been the longest in my entire
career.
Gutierrez is both a certied
accountant and a lawyer. A native of
Zamboanga City and a devout Roman
Catholic, he nished Bachelor of
Science in Commerce major in
Accounting at Ateneo de Zamboanga
University and passed the CPA board
exam in 1988. He studied law in San
Beda College (Mendiola) and Arellano
University and passed the 2001 bar
exams.
I am happily married with four
kidsthree boys and a girl. I have been
with Toyota Motor Philippines for 10
years now, he says. Despite his
big responsibilities in the
industry, he gives his
family the highest
priority.
A f t e r
o f f i c e
h o u r s
[except
o n
occasional work-related dinners], I go
straight home to help my grade-school kids
in their homework and class assignments
[my wife does the major part]. I always
make it a point to have a healthy balance
of work and family time, Gutierrez says.
Priorities for the industry
My top priority for the industry is to
assist and extend all support to initiatives
that will sustain the growth of the industry
and further enhance the competitiveness
of the local assembly and manufacturing
of vehicles, he says.
He believes that as the share of imported
cars in the auto market continues to
increase, the government should set
a clear direction for the automotive
industry. The government must give
strong emphasis on the importance of
manufacturing plants already in place
so as not to give rationale for existing
industry players to leave the country,
he says. The government should put
in place policies and programs that will
boost investors condence particularly
to maintain assembly/manufacturing
plants in the country.
Campi submitted a roadmap to the
government, aiming to transform the
industry from a mere assembly of
completely-knocked down units to
manufacturing of vehicles for local and
export markets.
Recent industry data show that locally-
manufactured vehicles declined from 96
percent in 2000 to 44 percent in 2010.
Also, new vehicle registrations of LMVs
accounted for only 34 percent, or 75,000
units in 2010, only a third of the industrys
total production capacity of 250,000.
The roadmap has three principal stages.
The rst phase is the local market buildup
phase with the extension of incentives for
complete vehicles, parts, and components
exports. The second phase will be the
expansion of local vehicle sales and exports
of selected models for local manufacture.
And the third phase, which should be
reached by 2020, will be the integration
of the local automotive manufacturing
sector into the regional vehicle parts and
components sourcing network of brand
principals.
Unfortunately, Gutierrez says the draft
of the industry roadmap is still being
discussed with the Board of Investments.
It has undergone a number of renements
since the rst draft. The target is to nalize
it before the end of the year, he says.
Gutierrez says the government must
support the industry, even with the
scheduled shutdown of the manufacturing
operations of Ford Philippinesthe only
participant in the countrys car export
program in December this year.
Export is the ultimate objective of the
roadmap but we need to focus rst on
the domestic market until the industry is
ready to export its products. Currently, we
have exports of parts and components that
could be relied upon and should itself be
protected and incentivized, he says.
Achievable targets
Gutierrez is optimistic of achieving the
revised sales target of 185,000 vehicles this
year from an earlier projection of 154,000
at the start of 2012. The projected sales of
185,000 is a revised projection because of
the strong sales performance during the rst
half of the year. The trend continues and the
industry is condent that it could achieve
this target. Campi members continue to be
aggressive in their promos, introduction of
new models, and reciprocating the trust of
the buying public with prompt delivery of
quality and affordable vehicles, he says.
Still, he says the government should
do its part to promote the growth of the
industry, particularly in curbing smuggling
of luxury cars in some parts of the
country. There are existing laws against
smuggling and the government must
strictly implement them to discourage if
not eliminate smuggling, he says.
Gutierrez says the passage into law of
a bill proposing incentives to hybrid and
other alternative-fuel vehicles should
be also expedited because it will benet
the public. We support this bill as this
will encourage introduction of more
environment-friendly vehicles. The
passage of the bill could potentially lower
the prices of hybrid and alternative fuel
vehicles which will benet not only the
buying public but also our environment.
Senate Bill No. 2856 or the Electric,
Hybrid and Other Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Incentives Act of 2011 is currently pending in
the Senate. A counterpart bill from the House
of Representatives was already approved on
third reading in March this year.
Motorshow
Campi recently staged an international
motorshow which showcased the
latest motoring trends and automotive
technology. The Philippine International
Motorshow was a huge success because
of the full support of all the members of
Campi and the valuable participation
of other brands and suppliers. We were
able to provide the public an opportunity
to experience a world class motorshow
that showcased the latest automotive
technology and motoring trends without
having to set foot on foreign soil. This is
more important than the numbers as we
managed to draw around 50,000 visitors
despite the calamities, he says.
Continuous growth
Barring any calamities of last years
magnitude that affected the supply chain of
parts and vehicles in the country, Gutierrez
says the industry will continue to grow.
I see the auto industry having a
tremendous growth in 10 years given
the huge potential market and favorable
environment for the auto industry. Rising
GDP per capita and growing population will
spur demand for vehicles, he says.
With closer collaboration between the
government and the private sector, the
auto industry will continue to be a major
contributor to the growth of the economy,
says Gutierrez.
Toyota executive envisions PH as car exporter
A6
Raymund Magdaluyo
A7 MST Sunday
in focus
REAL ESTATE
Foreseeable results of the property surge
would be bustling metropolitan areas with
ultra-modern skylines and picturesque
housing estates in the coming years. As
one of the fastest-urbanising countries in
East Asia., the country becomes a more
conducive place to reside and do business
in, laying the foundation for national
growth and development.
Fuelled by rising incomes due to the
steady growth in the economy for the
past several years, as well as massive
interest among overseas Filipinos to re-
establish themselves by either permanently
or temporarily residing in the country of
their birth or ancestry, the outlook for the
residential sector remains optimistic. The
continuous inux of expatriates in the
country also contributes to the surging
demand for residential facilities.
The same kind of optimism was sound
off by CB Richard Ellis Philippines
chairman and chief executive Rick
Santos when he said that there will be
a continued show of confidence in 2012
in all sectors of the property industry.
According to Santos, the strength the
field had shown in the past year was built
from 2010 and will also be significant
coming into the present year.
The good standing of the real estate market
relies on a combination of remittances from
overseas Filipinos, and active consumer
spending brought of the dramatic growth
of the local business process outsourcing
(BPO) industry. Combined with the
positive outlook of stakeholders with the
governments performance on governance
and the economy, this pushed the increase
in the demand for real estate developments
in most cities and provinces.
Overseas Filipinos remittances mostly
make up the low-end to mid-range
residential property market. Housing
projects and mid-scale subdivisions in
Metro Manila and nearby provinces
such as Cavite, Batangas and Laguna are
largely sustained by remittances while
the expansion of the upper residential
market, including the luxury market, is
largely attributed due to the increased
housing demand from BPO employees and
expatriates.
Given these, a closer look at real estate
market developments is a critical element
of ensuring macroeconomic stability. The
Philippine real estate market today is
largely driven by BPOs and remittances,
and less on investors seeking higher
returns, according to the World Bank
report.
An estimated 60 percent of remittances
directly and indirectly benet the real estate
sector, which includes mall operations,
according to real estate research and
consultancy rm CB Richard Ellis.
Employment in the business-process
outsourcing industry grew by 22 percent
to 638,000 people in 2011, according to
the Business Processing Association of the
Philippines president and chief executive
Benedict Hernandez. The employment
and income boom generated by BPO
companies have resulted into a consumer
boom and pushed the sales of housing and
condominium units in commercial areas
around the Metro Manila.
Even though several areas are hampered
with oversupply, ofce space rental take-
up was expected to increase by about 10
percent in 2011. As a result, conditions
are positive in all commercial sectors,
such as ofce, retail and hotel as well as in
residential property.
The major real-estate developers are led
by Ayala Land, Vista Land, Robinsons Land
Corp., Century Properties, Megaworld
Corp. and Rockwell Land. These market
leaders have been actively launching
residential projects in various sites. Pre-
selling activities of entire towers in advance
of construction is common practice and
ensure the inux of buyers and movement
of units.
Property
developments
on the
RISE
THE remarkable year-on-year growth in the
residential and commercial/ofce segments
of the local real estate industry is indicative
of a property surge, according to observers.
These developments, in terms of the number of
development projects as well as sales, are on a
trajectory growth that is expected to be sustained
in the short to medium term.
With increased supply, despite a record
low rental rate (4 percent) in 2011,
the vacancy rate in the Makati central
business district (CBD) has started to rise
in the fourth quarter of 2011 from 3.8 to
4.1 percent (quarter on quarter), the World
Bank said.
Price range remained modest with rates
per square meters are around P130,000 for
Bonifacio Global City, P95,000 for the
Makati CBD and P80,000 for Ortigas.
Locally, most houses are sold with
cash payments or pre-sold by buyers.
Most property buyers have to deal with
problems such as high transaction costs,
corruption and red tape, fake land titles
and substandard building practices.
Housing loans have long been
discouraging with similar terms and
conditions, long delays in approval of loan
applications and high interest rates. The
foreclosure process is often delayed due
to land titling and registration problems.
Despite these realities, real estate loans
for purchase of residential properties
continue to grow.
The other challenge that the real
estate industry faces is the volatility
and political unrest in the Middle East
and North Africa. This may result
in repatriation of OFWs and cause a
decline in overseas remittances. The
economic difficulties of the U.S. and the
European states that bring commodity
price fluctuations may affect private
consumption growth as well.
Prospective image of Eton
Greenbelt Residences in
Makati City
One Pacic Place
A8 MST Sunday
in focus
REAL ESTATE
By Charmaine Cunanan
OWNING a real estate property is one
of the primary goals of every individual.
There are lots of advantages in purchasing
your own place whether you are an
independent working folk or a family
person. It is also a good investment
since houses or condominium units are
primary demands in our society. Pros
and cons should be seriously considered
before investing millions on a piece of
real estate property.
First thing to take into account
is the location. If you are a type of
person who likes to live in a peaceful
quiet environment and you want your
children to grow up without hassle
and the busy environment, never
settle on a place in the middle of the
metro. There are town houses and
condos that are available in nearby
provinces and rural areas. It is much
cheaper and more suitable to raise kids
compared to the ones in the city. Also
consider the proximity of your place to
schools, medical facilities, churches,
supermarkets, or shopping malls.
On the other hand, if you are single
and working, there are gazillion of
condo units you could choose from.
It is better if your place is just a few
minutes drive away from your work or
better yet, just walking distance. It is
more convenient too if you have easy
access to restaurants, supermarkets
or convenient stores making it easier
for you to grab things anytime. It is
also much better if the location is
near Metro Railway Transit or Light
Railway Transit stations thus, it would
not be that difcult for you to travel to
other places aside from work.
Not seriously considered before
but due to the climate change and the
tragedy brought by typhoon Ondoy
way back in 2009, people are starting
to consider the possibility of ooding
in prospective locations. It is prudent
to select a place where you are assured
of safety when calamity strikes.
Another thing to consider is the
amenities of the place you want to
acquire could offer. It is ideal for
children to be living in a village or
condominium that has a playground
or an area where they could interact
with other children. A swimming pool,
club house and other recreational areas
available for use are also a major plus.
Usual amenities of condominiums in
the city are swimming pool, gym facility,
and a function area that the occupants
could use during their free time.
The track record of the developer in
the real estate industry is an important
aspect as well especially for those who
are purchasing pre-sold units. It gives
guarantee that the project would push
through and that the turn over date will
not be delayed. You can ask the sales
representative about the background
of the developer or you could do your
own research just to make sure you are
placing your investment with a right
partner. There are a few developers who
are known for quality products since
they have been in the business for a long
time. Their units would surely be pricier
but be rest assured that your money will
not be put to waste.
Parking is not going to be a problem
if you are getting a house in a village
or subdivision because most likely
you will have your own garage. But
for those who are planning to live in
a condo, it is something to be checked
and considered. Condos rarely have
fee parking spaces. It is either you rent
it or you buy it and that does not come
cheap. You could ask the management
about the terms of the lease or how to
go about purchasing parking slots.
It is expected that if you live in the
city, it is not going to be as peaceful
and serene as compared to rural living.
Check on your neighbors and the
surroundings if you are planning to live
in a village or a townhouse. Villages
are supposed to be quieter. It is okay
if the neighbors are having karaoke
nights or parties once in a while but
if they do so almost every night, it is
something you should be concerned
about. The same goes to the ones who
want to live in a condo.
Likewise, it is equally signicant to
check the rules and regulations of the
place you are going to settle in. Check
if they are agreeable to you or not. For
example, check the curfew hours if
they have any, if they will allow pets,
if you could repaint or redecorate the
whole unit, and the likes.
Settling in a house
of your dreams
Security is a vital factor in
choosing a place. Make it a point to
know the security arrangements of
the real estate property. The safety
of the place you are going to live
in should be one of your optimum
consideration especially when the
security of your self, family and
belongings are at stake. Check the
security measures and emergency
details of the village or the condo.
A part of your monthly dues will be
allocated for the payment of salaries
of security personnel. Might as well
be certain that you are going to get
the value you paid for.
Lastly, consider the unit type of
your soon-to-be home. There is
nothing nicer than to live in your
dream place where you feel most at
home. Details like the design, the
view, and the ambiance, be it a condo
unit or a house, matters. Bungalow
type or up and down? Flat or loft? It
is up to you to select which one could
pass your aesthetic standards.
A condo-
minium near
a shopping
mall in
Makati City
A unique beauty contest
By Dinna Chan Vasquez
By Nana Nadal
BEURRE Blanc French-Mediterranean Restaurant and Wine
Bar started operations in September 2010, much sooner than
what executive chef and co-owner Mauro Ar jona Jr. had
planned. Although he knew that he was eventually going to
put up his own ne dining business, after all, he has been
whipping up French cuisine for 20 years. Arjona familiar-
ized himself with the cooking style in the kitchen of Le
Soufe, under the tutelage of esteemed chef Billy King.
We were offered a nice spot at Resorts World so we grabbed
the opportunity even though it wasnt really in our schedule
yet, shares Arjona. He chuckles at the memory of rushing the
concept paper and the menu of the restaurant, recalling how
they nished it in a matter of hours.
Weve been doing this for so long thats why it looks easy
for us but it was a rough journey getting to this point, says Ar-
jona. But he sought opportunity in every difculty and he has
been rewarded immensely.
No for mal tr aining
With only a high school diploma and no formal culinary
training, Arjona started at the far bottom rung of the ladder as
dishwasher. But because he was persevering and gifted with a
talented palate, he climbed to the top post in the kitchen. Later,
he ventured to being an entrepreneur. Together with business
partner Lar r y Cor tez, he now owns a chain which includes
Chefs Quarter Restaurant and Catering Services, Uncle Cheffy
Global Cuisine, Old Vine Grille, Kuse Traditional Filipino Cui-
sine, and Larry & Mau Diner.
Beurre Blanc is the piece de resistance in the group and the
testament to what they have achieved. We named it after the
butter sauce that is frequently used in French cooking. It seems
simple but is in fact quite difcult to make, says Arjona. The
opulence of the 120-seater establishment is reected in its ro-
mantic dcor, with a hand-painted ceiling artwork grabbing
ones attention and a fountain visible even from afar. Then
theres the extensive wine selection which offers several op-
tions by the glass. And of course, the menu.
Whats on the menu
The listing suggests various ways of enjoying the decadent foie
grasin your salad or in your pasta. It also highlights oysters and
escargot in its starters page. Among the entrees, the Roasted Chil-
ean Seabass and the Steamed Lapu-lapu Fillet are difcult to resist.
The lamb options are not to be skipped. They have Baked Rack
of Lamb and Slow-roasted Lamb Spare Ribs Provencale. Its no
surprise that they offer Marinated Duck Cont but whats interest-
ing is that they also have Roasted Australian Quail. The ultimate
temptation, I have been told, especially for those with hearty ap-
petites is the Grilled Wagyu Rib-Eye.
Clearly, vegetarians are welcome for there is an entire page
devoted to them with dishes such as Baked Ratatouille, Fricas-
see of Assorted Mushrooms and the Wild Rice and Vegetable
Pilaf (which is a winner with chicken and prawns!). Beurre
Blancs once-you-pop-you-cant stop aky, buttery puff pizza
is also available with a vegetarian option. Non-meat eaters are
not left out in the gastronomic fun here.
If you nd the a la carte menu confusing and you prefer
to get a taste of several items at once. Then the buffet spread
which Beurre Blanc launched recently is your best bet. Avail-
able during dinner from Monday to Sunday, and at lunch time
on Sundays, its a steal at P715 net, inclusive of a glass of ice
tea. They serve the whole nine yards with a nice selection of
appetizers plus a create-your-own salad station, seafood grilled
upon demand, and a generous line-up of hot dishes. The carv-
ing station alternately features beef back ribs, lechon pork bel-
ly, and roast beef. And yes, they have desserts too!
On top of the spectacular food, what I like best about Beurre
Blanc is the unobtrusive pampering that the waitstaff extends to
their guests. Our level of service is exceptional, very attentive
and personalized. Our team is our biggest asset, the members
are well-trained and grew up with us, we have taught them our-
selves, says Arjona. And it denitely makes a big difference in
the overall dining experience.
At Beurre Blanc, luxury and indulgence do not translate to burn-
ing a hole in the pocket. Its an ideal place for celebrating special
occasions but is also affordable enough to visit frequently.
Beurre Blanc is open daily, from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. It is located
at Level 2 Resorts World Manila, Newport Mall, Pasay City. For
inquiries and reservations, you may call (02) 836-4342. A function
room for 16 can be booked for meetings and small parties.
Romantic
AND OPULENT BUT AFFORDABLE
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
ARTS & LIFE
B1
THE Philippines is considered a hot spot
for beauty contests. We have beauty con-
tests for everything and every season.
Carinderia Queen is a unique beau-
ty pageant that is open to all kusineras,
carinderia owners and their family
members. It is the perfect platform
where women can showcase their
talents, beauty and personality, and
above all, their life stories and source
of inspiration that had kept them from
succumbing to hardships.
The contest is in line with Magno-
lia Fresh Chicken Carinderia Fiestas
objective, as an advocacy program, to
instill pride in every kusinera in her
trade and encourage them to continue
their hard work and perseverance by
giving them rewards and recognition.
Candidates will compete on three cat-
egories: Talent competition, Kusin-
eraWear competition, and Darling of
the Crowdthe candidate with the
most number of votes wins.
Carinderia Queen candidates will
join the welcome parade and take the
stage with their very own special num-
ber on Oct. 5 while the grand nals is
on Oct. 6. Both events will be held at
the World Trade Center. The pageant
will be hosted by Christine Bersola-
Babao. Special guest Mcoy Fundales
(former member of disbanded Orange
and Lemons) with his new band, Ken-
yo, will ofcially serenade the beauties.
Cookfest
Surely, there wouldnt be a Magnolia
Fresh Chicken Carinderia Fiesta without
a cooking contest. This years cooking
contests are even made more exciting
with the super food brands joining forces
as there will be six categories to compete
in: Best Magnolia Fresh Chicken Adobo,
Best Breaded Chicken using Magnolia
All Purpose Flour, Best Beef Kaldereta
Three of the candidates for the title of Carinderia Queen
using Monterey meat, Best Pulutan for Ginebra
San Miguel, Best Spaghetti using any Pure-
foods products and Best Ulam using any Dole
products. All entries should be presented in ac-
cordance to the events main theme which is the
Pahiyas Festival.
More is in store for the kids, too. The search
is on for Magnolia Fresh Chicken Carinderia
Fiestas Ultimate Mob. High school students are
encouraged to join the flash mob contest hap-
pening side by side with Carinderia Queen and
the delectable cooking contest. It will certainly
be a feast of beauty, food, dance and music.
Prizes are just as eye-catching as this years
line-up of activities; almost a million worth
of prizes are to be given away. An outpour of
appliances, gadgets and other giveaways will
surely satiate ones craving.
Carinderia Fiesta, launched last Sept. 23-
24, 2011 at the World Trade Center, was
lauded by the public and the various busi-
ness units in the food industry for its unfore-
seen, overwhelming success. A clamour
for another carinderia episode followed,
fuelled by an insatiable desire to continue
on inspiring kusinero and kusinera to excel
in their own carinderia business. Topping
of Year I, Carinderia Fiesta Year II, dubbed
as The Ultimate Carinderia Event of the
Year! aims to help more carinderias in the
country by opening their eyes and hearts
and help them realize their worth. The
event aims to uplift the level and standards
of our very own carinderias while keeping
the true Pinoy culture, may it be in cook-
ing, avor and values.
Meet and greet
Magnolia Fresh Chicken Carinderia
Fiesta serves as an innovative and effec-
tive forum where carinderia owners,
food and product suppliers can meet
face to face on common ground to con-
duct business and learn from each other.
It is an ideal venue to expand, upgrade
and reinvent business, source new tech-
nologies and solutions while network-
ing with industry icons.
In light of Magnolia Fresh Chicken
Carinderia Fiestas main objectiveto
inspire and to recognize carinderia own-
ers, kusinero and kusineraan exhibit
entitled, Pinoy Carinderia: The Next Big
Thing! will be open for the viewing pub-
lic. It attempts to showcase the many char-
acteristics that make Philippine carinde-
rias a force to reckon with. It dares to
show the heart of every carinderia
through its food, people, price, loca-
tion, its hook in the Filipino culture and
its evolution to a bigger carinderia with-
out losing its pagka-Pinoy.
Magnolia Fresh Chicken Carinderia
Fiesta Year II wouldnt be as festive and
as meaningful without the support of
successful and respected brands in the
country: Ginebra San Miguel, Purefoods
Star Corned Beef, Ulam King, Sizzling
Sisig, Liver Spread, Star Sweet Ham,
Purefoods Tender Juicy, Magnolia Star
Margarine, Magnolia Cheezee, Petron
Gasul, Primo d Italia, Magnolia Nutri-
Oil, Dole Philippines, Barako Bull,
Magnolia Health Tea, Purewater, Life-
drink, Fruit drink, San Miguel Coffee,
Magnolia All Purpose Flour, Condura,
G.S.M. Blue, G.S.M. Blue Light, Gran
Matador Light, Gran Matador Brandy,
Antonov Vodka and Lahing Ginebra.
For more information, visit www.carin-
deriafiesta.com or contact Marylindbert
International at 899-1943 to 44.
Chef Mau Arjona
French Chocolate Gateau
Baked Rack of Lamb
SEPTEMBER 30, 2012
ARTS & LIFE
ManilaStandardTODAY
Sunday
ARTS & LIFE
ManilaStandardTODAY
SUNDAY B2
By Carla Mortel
FOR Sharon
Cuneta
Pangilinan,
every day is a
never ending
celebration of life.
It is no secret that
Sharon is a pretty
amazing cook
and baker. She
makes excellent
pasta dishes and
her roast beef is
reportedly to-die-
for. Many people
dont know it,
but Sharon also
makes and sells
her delicious
carrot cake.
Moved by her passions,
Sharon continues to enrich her
brand, Celebrations by Sharon,
dedicated to great bonding mo-
ments with the family.
Launched last year, Celebra-
tions by Sharon covers the many
facets of the Megastars family
life, offering quality baking mix-
es, natural sauces, spreads and
salad dressings, scrapbook mate-
rials and gift wraps and kitchen
appliances.
THE year 2012 has so far been
another productive and meaning-
ful one for GMA Kapuso Foun-
dation, the socio-civic arm of
broadcast company GMA Net-
work Inc.
From January 2012 to date,
the foundation made its rounds in
various communities all over the
country serving a total of 432,444
individuals through various health,
education, disaster relief and val-
ues formation projects.
The Foundation is committed
to ensuring the sustainable opera-
tions of its programs. As we rec-
ognize our role of being a strong
bridge between donors and ben-
eciaries, we make it a point to
actively promote our initiatives
to generate maximum funding for
all of our projects, shared GMA
Kapuso Foundation executive vice
president and chief operating of-
cer Mel Tiangco.
Year to date, GMAKF was
able to collect a total of P
71,390,316.53 worth of cash
donations and P 18,461.703.78
worth of donations in kind from
donors here and abroad.
The rst seven months of
2012 was highlighted by several
major events including the inau-
guration of ve new classrooms
in Camarines Norte in January.
Immediately after, the team went
to Iligan to commence construc-
tion of 10 new classrooms in
Brgy. Mandulog in Iligan, where
the construction of the Kapuso
Village is also ongoing. The rst
seven classrooms were turned
over in June, just in time for the
school opening, while the re-
maining three classrooms, along
with the rst 20 houses of the
Kapuso Village, had just been
turned over last Sept. 1.
It further supported the cause
of education through its long-run-
ning Unang Hakbang Sa Kinabu-
kasan Project, which marked its
15
th
anniversary this year. With
this project, 45,208 incoming
Grade 1 pupils from all over the
country received a complete set
of school supplies.
The foundation also strength-
ened its regional presence with
the launch of its Davao Chapter,
which was aimed at enhancing
the delivery of service to under-
privileged residents of Davao
and nearby regions, last Aug. 17.
This is in addition to the three
other chapters established in
Cebu, Iloilo and Dagupan.
The presence of GMAKF
regional chapters proved to be
benecial in times of calamities
making the Foundations relief re-
sponse more prompt and effective
than ever. For instance, when the
intensity 6.9 earthquake hit Negros
Oriental in February, the advance
deployment of the GMAKF Cebu
Regional ofce facilitated the
transfer of relief goods from Cebu
to Dumaguete.
As disasters abound this year
from typhoon Gener, monsoon
rains and oods, earthquakes,
landslides and resGMAKF en-
sured the continuous mobilization
of donations and volunteers serv-
ing a total of 374,889 individuals
though its Operation Bayanihan
disaster relief program.
Under its Health program,
GMAKF has so far served a to-
tal of 12,079 patients through
various medical assistance proj-
ects. Among these are the Isang
Tuwa at Isang Pag-Asa project,
a joint undertaking with Tahan-
Tahanan, for children battling
with cancer; the ve-day medi-
cal, surgical and dental mission
in Tabuk, Kalinga, a pilot project
conducted with the Rotary Club
of University District Manila and
the Philippine Chamber of the
Pharmaceutical Industry (PCPI),
as well as other medical missions
conducted all throughout the pre-
vious months of the year.
More Filipinos also beneted
from the newly-constructed class-
rooms and sanitation facilities
built for Sendong victims in Iligan;
while countless lives were saved
from the Sagip Dugtong Buhay
bloodletting events held in Febru-
ary and August.
We are thankful for the con-
tinued and generous support of our
donors for without them these ac-
complishments would have never
materialized, said Tiangco. We
are, however, most grateful for their
condence and trust that they will
inspire us to go above and beyond
our duties as we continue to bring
help and assistance to those who
truly need them, said Tiangco.
Sharon loves to cook for her
husband and kids. At a young age,
Sharon took cooking lessons and
served international dishes during
family celebrations. As a foodie
and cooking enthusiast, Sharons
personal favorites are roast beef
and lamb and pasta dishes with
heavy cream and cheese.
Sharon once dreamt of taking
up Hotel and Restaurant Manage-
ment course but for she is happy
cooking for her family. While she
can whip up international dishes,
her family is much more in tuned
with local avors and would often
crave rice with Filipino dishes.
My husband loves my cook-
ing but he is so much like my fa-
ther; his favorites are still Filipino
meals, she shares.
Up to now, Sharon is still in-
timidated by cooking everyday
Filipino meals.
I still have yet to learn how to
cook the perfect adobo, exclaims
Sharon exclaims.
Other family favorites are Kore-
an barbecue, spaghetti and her not-
so-Carbonara with fettucine pasta.

Cook-off
At a recent cook-off battle
easy to use and space-saving.
Sharon took it upon herself
to scrutinize every detail of her
kitchen products and made sure
her specications were followed
to the letter. I wanted cooking
to be easy, quick and affordable,
shares Sharon. With any three-
piece equipment combined, any-
body can prepare a complete set
of delicious meals with less time
and costs.
Suggested three-piece com-
binations were over toaster with
rotisserie, blender and hot plate,
turbo broiler, blender and hot
plate, blender, rice cooker and
hot plate. Any of these combi-
nations can be used to prepare
sumptuous appetizers, main
dishes and desserts.

New products
With the partnership with
American Heritage going strong,
Sharon will soon add mixers,
skillets and grillets to her kitch-
en appliances collection before
the year ends.
At the culmination of the
cook-off battle, Sharon awarded
the championship title to stu-
dent-chefs from the University
of Sto. Tomas. Members of the
team were Ezekiel Romero,
Kathreen Madrona, Edina
Ngo, Kar issa Imper ial and chef
Allan Lorenzo as coach. The
team cooked Stuffed Chicken
with baked potatoes and vegeta-
bles as their winning entry.
The University of East team
garnered rst runner-up. St.
Pauls University of QC was
given the Peoples Choice
award. The winning team
took home P50,000 while the
runner-up took the P25,000
cash prize.
The rst American Heritage
Campus Kitchen Battle is an in-
ter-school culinary competition
that featured a cooking show-
down between student-chefs
from top colleges and univer-
sities in the Metro. Other par-
ticipating teams were from Far
Eastern University Manila and
Trinity University of Asia.
A GLIMPSE
OF MONGOLIA
Bridging the gap between donors and beneciaries
Sharon with BITC: (From left) general manager Arnold Sabado, Naresh
Mirani, BITC chief executive George Mirani, Rajiv and Ricky Mirani,
and store operations marketing head Grace Codoy
Mel Tiangco during the classroom turnover ceremony
FILIPINOS will get a
glimpse of Mongolia in the
current transition it is under-
going as the Mongols
adapt their nomadic ways
to the modern times through
a photo exhibit of writer/
photographer Karen Ca-
pino.
Karen Capino takes a
photographic peek into the
culture of the Mongols and
Mongolia which through
their revered ancestor and
national hero Genghis Khan
built one of the worlds great-
est empire and how they are
immersing themselves in the
present.
The photo exhibit titled
Nomads No More tries to tell
the story of present Mongo-
lia and how the Mongols
have retained some of their
rich history and culture as
they tread boldly into the
21
st
century.
Capino said her exhibit,
which open on Oct. 13 at
Bliss Cafe Baguio, will show-
case portraits of Mongols who
wear traditional garbs mixed
with modern fashion. She said
it was quite a scene to see no-
madic children, who live in
isolated gers erected in mag-
nicent steeps, wearing Adi-
das jackets.
The opening of the exhibit
will also be highlighted with
new music from Blues ni
Toper , DJ Paosin The Well
and The Cloud Rats.
Bliss Cafe is located in
Hotel Elizabeth, Gibraltar
corner Felipe streets in Ba-
guio City.
The photo exhibit will
help ll some gaps of what
we know about this indepen-
dent Northeast Asian nation,
who Capino says apparently
have a soft spot for Filipi-
nos, who are one of the few
nationalities who can visit
Mongolia without needing a
visa.
Capino started out as a
junior copywriter for Foote
Cone and Belding and
moved on to become a writer
for ABS-CBNs in-house ad
agency Creative Communi-
cations Management. She
quit her job in broadcasting
and became a cruise photog-
rapher for Royal Caribbean
and travelled all over the
world for two years. Shes
now a freelance and photog-
rapher. Her works have been
published in View Magazine,
Business Mirror and Manila
Times.
She is already preparing
for her next photo exhibit
to be called The Indig-
enous Hipsters in which
she photographed the styl-
ish indigenous people of
the Cordillera.
CELEBRATING LIFE,
one dinner at a time
for culinary students, Sharon
shared her passion for good
food and demonstrated her
cooking skills with the help
of chef Leonar d Quesada of
Apicus Culinary Arts and Ho-
tel Management Consultants
Inc.
For a simple appetizer,
Sharon prepared Ceasars
salad with cubed chicken
breast. For a more satisfying
salad, Sharon suggests to put
the dressing in a blender for
a smoother sauce over leafy
greens that should be totally
dry and topped with toasted
bread for that added crunch.
To make it more deca-
dent, put some butter!
adds Sharon.
Next, she served put-
tanesca sauce over
spaghetti noodles
topped with parme-
san cheese. As with
the salad dressing
and sauce, Sharon
blended, toasted
and heated her
food by using kitchen appli-
ances from her personal col-
lection.
Produced by American
Heritage, one of the countrys
leading brands in kitchen ap-
pliances, Celebrations by Sha-
ron features toasters, blenders,
oven toasters, microwave ov-
ens, electric stove and other
small appliances. With young
housewives, mothers who are
busy balancing work and fam-
ily and young adults who are
either starting their careers or
nishing their studies in mind,
the kitchen items are sleek,
The Unang Hakbang sa Kinabukasan kids in Samar
B3 SEPTEMBER 30, 2012 SUNDAY
Sunday
TECH
ManilaStandardTODAY
MARLON C. MAGTIRA, Section Editor
CHRISTIAN CARDIENTE, Asst. Editor
online.editor@manilastandardtoday.com
Cloud to buoy PH
businessEMC chief
PHILIPPINE cloud computing
services provider ArcusIT (www.
arcusit.ph) recently announced
the latest update on their ArcusIT
Cloud Server offering.
With the new platform up-
grade, the ArcusIT Cloud Server
now has even more extensive
conguration and Virtual Ma-
chine (VM) management fea-
tures, including load balancing,
autoscaling, availability & per-
formance zone selection, net-
work, and storage management.
All cloud management and pro-
visioning takes place through
an intuitive web-based Control
Panel, said Oamar Gianan of
ArcusIT.
ArcusIT virtual server service
provides users with a simple,
web-based interface for order-
ing, deploying, conguring, and
monitoring cloud resources on
demand.
New features of the upgrad-
ed cloud service include rapid,
easy-to-congure autoscaling for
the VMs.
Users can set VMs to auto-
matically scale vertically (add-
ing or removing RAM, CPU and
disk resources to each VM), and
scale VMs horizontally (by clon-
ing the VM) according to con-
gurable thresholds. All of these
can be done without interruption
to the running servers, Gianan
said.
Users can also now select au-
tomatic load balancing feature
for their deployed VM(s), con-
gure rewall, and control stor-
age and backup.
ArcusIT VM features also
include the template library of
pre-congured operating system
environments that deploy in a
couple of clicks.
The template library includes
multiple avors of
Windows, Linux,
FreeBSD and other
operating system
templates, both 32
and 64-bit.
ArcusIT is the
rst Infrastructure-
as-a-Service Cloud
provider in the
Philippines to of-
fer scalable virtual
I.T. resources on
monthly subscrip-
tion.
With the VM
update, users can
now access a li-
brary of Open
Source web appli-
cations packaged
as virtual applianc-
es for a discounted
monthly fee.
Free version is
also available with
a small set of ba-
sic templates, but
still allows users to
customize on their
own.
Virtualization, which forms
the foundation for cloud com-
puting, is taking off in the Phil-
ippines. Big Data, while in its
infancy, is beginning to pick up
in the country, Latinazo said
in a recent press brieng.
Latinazo said that while the
adoption rate of cloud technol-
ogy here in the Philippines cur-
rently lies somewhere between
11 percent to 15 percent levels,
the gure could easily increase
to reach the cloud adoption lev-
els of Singapore or Australia
at more than 50 percent within
three years.
According to Latinazo, the
Philippines current adoption rate
is similar to where Singapore and
Australia were three years ago,
such that a likely headroom or
potential for growth exists.
A study by research rm
Gartner showed increased in-
vestments in cloud technology
equivalent to about $100 billion
this year. This propels clouds
growth, along with the shift of
business process outsourcing
providers to utilize cloud com-
puting technologies in an effort
to further drive down cost and
enhance competitiveness.
Business environment is
well capable of supporting this
trend at the local front. Business
optimism in the Philippines re-
mains upbeat, as indicated by
positive economic outlook that
is tantamount to increased in-
vestment and spending on in-
formation technology. In the
case of EMC, it posted a re-
cord-breaking revenue growth
of 62 percent in the rst half of
2012 compared last year. It said
it also served more than half of
the total external disk storage
market in Q1 this year.
To sustain EMCs revenue
growth for the remainder of the
year, Latinazo said his rm will
further leverage and enable its
channel network, and support
infrastructure for mid-tier and
small and medium-sized busi-
ness segments.
ArcusIT upgrades
cloud platform
Gianan, ArcusIT senior product development
manager
Ronnie Latinazo
By Christian Cardiente

EMC Philippines Country Manager
Ronnie Latinazo appears to be surng
on cloud nine, and he has every reason
to be optimistic. Banking on EMCs
steady growth for 10th straight quar-
ter, Latinazo believes that his rm
will sustain positive business growth,
buoyed by the upwards trend in
cloud technology adoption of busi-
nesses here.
EMC will accelerate growth
in non-platform solutions that
include back-up and archival
services, security and services,
Latinazo added.
In order to propel business
growth in EMCs market, Lati-
nazo said his rm is increasing
its investments in virtualization
initiatives; believing that the
next big market growth driv-
ers would be data virtualization
and big data wave.
By encouraging businesses to
leverage on an automated hybrid
cloud infrastructure, Latinazo
believes that organizations will
be able to deliver greater ef-
ciency and agility by virtualiz-
ing mission-critical applications
and moving existing applications
into virtual infrastructure with-
out disruption.
The journey to cloud com-
puting is no longer a discussion
of why but when. If you look
around you, cloud computing is
increasingly becoming a real-
ity amongst organizations and
service providers and here to
stay, he added.
Bold decision to join EMC
Latinazo was with IBM pri-
or to his appointment at EMC.
He said it was a a bold deci-
sion to join EMC where I was
given the challenge to start
EMCs business operations in
the Philippines.
I had the opportunity to
start a business from practically
zero build a team, develop a
partner network and a strat-
egy to engage the local market,
and deliver the results that we
wanted in terms of revenue
growth and market leadership.
In a span of few years, EMC
became the market leader posi-
tion in the local external storage
market. Today, EMC continues
to enjoy the market leader po-
sition in the country, Latinazo
told Manila Standard.
Developing and empowering
a great team sets the stage for
success, according to Latinazo,
as he values the importance of
teamwork. With teamwork, we
become more effective in engag-
ing the market and our employ-
ees feel a sense of belonging and
shared accountability in deliver-
ing our desired results.
The future for EMC
If EMCs continued growth
for the past years were an in-
dication, Latinazo may very
well be in the right track. Per-
haps Latinazos rich and exten-
sive career in the IT industry in
South East Asia prior to his ap-
pointment as EMC Philippines
chief in 2000 helped him steer
EMC to the right direction
success towards the clouds.
Today, EMC in the Philip-
pines enjoys the highest market
share in any country in the region
and probably the world. EMC is
leading a new age in the technol-
ogy world. We have made big
bets in the area of cloud com-
puting and big data as we con-
tinue to be the global leader in
enabling businesses and service
providers transform their opera-
tions. We will continue to focus
our efforts in helping companies
accelerate their journey to cloud
computing, helping IT depart-
ments to store, manage, protect
and analyze their most valuable
asset information in a more
agile, trusted and cost-efcient
way, Latinazo added.
For
f ast
ad
r esul t s,
pl ease
c al l
6594830
or
6594903
(MST-Sept. 30, 2012)
Negros Oriental 3
rd
Siaton, Negros Oriental
The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the DPWH, Negros Oriental 3
rd
District
Engineering Office, Siaton, Negros Oriental, through the Proposed FY 2013 DPWH
Infrastructure Program invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned project(s):
1. Contract ID: 12HL0023
Contract Name: Rehabilitation/Reconstruction/Upgrading of Damaged Paved
National Road (Intermittent Sections)
Contract Location: Dumaguete South Road,
K0091 +000 - K0091 +881 /K0090+850 - K0091 +685.07/
Scope of Works: Concrete Paving
Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Php15,419,320.00
Contract Duration: Ninety-two (92) Calendar Days
Contract Name: Assets Preservation of National Roads Generated from HDM-4:
Preventive Maintenance (Intermittent Sections)
Contract Location: Dumaguete South Road
1) K0029+656 - K0031 +000 /K0029+656 - K0030+680/
2) K0031+000 - K0031+910 /K0030+680 - K0031+640/
Scope of Works: Asphalt Overlay (80mm) with corrections
Contract Duration: Seventy (70) Calendar Days
Contract Name: Assets Preservation of National Roads Generated from HDM-4:
Preventive Maintenance (Intermittent Sections)
Contract Location: Dumaguete South Road
6) K0036+533 - K0038+530 /K0036+535.50 - K0038+530/
7) K0038+530 - K0039+000
8) K0045+000 - K0045+440 /K0044+777.36 - K0045+170/
9) K0045+440 - K0046+000 /K0045+170 - K0045+600/
10) K0046+200 - K0047+000 /K0045+600 - K0046+600/
Scope of Works: Asphalt Overly (50mm) with corrections
Contract Duration: Ninety (90) Calendar Days
The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR
of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the
opening of bid.
To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), purchased bid
documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with DPWH, (b)
Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture,
(c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a
similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial
Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10%
of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and
preliminary examination of bids.
Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to
.the DPWH Central Procurement Offce (CPO) before the deadline for the receipt of LO.
The DPWH Central Procurement Offce (CPO) will only process contractors' applications for
registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractor's Certifcate of Registration
(CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph.
1. Issuance of Bidding Documents September 24, 2012 to October 16,2012 until 9:30 AM.
2. Pre-Bid Conference 2:00 PM, October 4, 2012
3. Deadline of Receipt of LOI
Prospective Bidders
from Until 2:00 P.M. on October 11, 2012
4. Receipt of Bids Deadline: 10:00 AM., October 16, 2012
5. Opening of Bids 10:30 AM., October 16, 2012
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BD's) at Negros Oriental 3
rd
District Engineering Offce, Siaton, Negros Oriental upon payment of a non-refundable fee
of Php10,000.00 for contract No. 1; and Php20,000.00 for contract nos. 2 & 3. Prospective
bidders may also download the BD's from the DPWH website, if available. Prospective
bidders that will download the BD's from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on
or before the submission of their bids Documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open
only to interested parties who have purchased the BD's. Bids must accompanied by a bid
security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR.
Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specifed in the BD's in
two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The frst envelope shall contain
the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second
envelope shall contain the fnancial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the
Lowest calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualifcation.
The DPWH, Negros Oriental 3
rd
District Engineering Offce reserves the right to accept
or reject any or all bid, to annul the bidding process anytime before Contract award, without
incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s.
Approved by:
(Sgd.) VIRGINlA C. CATIPAY
BAC Chairman
Noted by:
(Sgd.) ARAMIS E. TORREFRANCA
District Engineer
Annex A
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT
NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION
BRANCH 09, MANILA
LILIA M. RAMIL-VILLANUEVA
Petitoner,
-versus- CIVIL CASE NO. 12-127844
FOR: Declaration of Nullity
of Marriage
EDGARDO M. VILLANUEVA
Respondent,
x-----------------------------------x
SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION
WHEREAS, on July 17, 2012, the
Hon. Amelia Tria-Infante, Presiding
Judge of this Court, Granted the Motion
to Serve Summons by Publication fled
by petitioner through counsel.
NOW, THEREFORE, Respondent,
Edgardo M. Vi l l anueva, i s hereby
required to fle with the Regional Trial
Court, National Capital Judicial Region,
Branch 09, Manila, his Answer to the
Petition fled against him in the above-
entitled case within thirty (30) days
from the last issue of publication of
this Summons, serving copy thereof
Petitioner, Lilia M. Ramil-Villanueva,
through her counsel, Atty. Jonathan R.
Amoroso at Amoroso, Amoroso and
Associates Law Offce located at Rm.
506 Merchant Square Condominium,
E. Rodriguez Ave., corner Mabolo St.,
New Manila, Quezon City; otherwise,
Petitioner will take judgment against him
and demand in the Court the relief prayed
for in the Petition.
Let this Summons together with
the Petition be published once a week
for two (2) consecutive weeks in a
newspaper of general circulation in
the Philippines at the expense of the
Petitioner. Likewise, Petitioner shall
at its expense deposit copies of the
Petition at the Post Offce of Manila,
postage prepaid through registered
mail with return card, addressed to the
Respondent at his last known address.
WHEREAS, wi t ness t he HON.
AMELIA TRIA-INFANTE, Presiding
Judge of this Court, this 18
th
day of July
2012 in the City of Manila, Philippines.
(Sgd.) ATTY. EMMANUEL P. VILLANUEVA
Clerk of Court V
NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT.
BRANCH___
MANILA
LILIA M. RAMIL-VILLANUEVA,
Petitioner,
- versus-
EDGARDO M. VILLANUEVA,
Respondent.
Civil Case No. 12127844
FOR: DECLARATION OF NULLITY
OF MARRIAGE UNDER ART.
35 OF THE FAMILY CODE
OR BIGAMOUS MARRIAGE)
x ---------------------------------------- x
PETITION
PETITIONER, by counsel, unto this
Hon. Court, most respectfully alleges that:
1. Petitioner is of legal age, Filipino,
and residing at 2133 Zamora Street,
Pandacan, Manila; while respondent is
likewise of legal age, and with address
at Bo. Sto. Nino, Pasay City, where he
may be served with summons and other
legal processes.
2. Petitioner and the respondent
met sometime in 1984. After a brief
courtship, petitioner gave in to the
respondent's romantic advances and
they became steady sweethearts. At that
time, petitioner had been hearing rumors
that the respondent had a previous and
existing marriage with someone else.
Nonetheless, and out of her love for the
respondent, she simply dismissed these
stories as incredible and fanciful tales.
3. Eventually, he proposed marriage
to her and she readily accepted his
delightful offer. A copy of their Marriage
Certifcate is hereto attached and made
an integral part hereof as Annex A.
3.1 After the wedding, he took
her to the house of his parents at
Cavite where, according to him,
he planned to stay temporarily
until such time when he would be
ready to settle his family to a place
of its own.
4. However, she got the shock of her
life when his mother told her that the
respondent had a previous and existing
marriage to somebody else who was
still alive at the time of herein parties'
wedlock. True enough, she discovered
that respondent was not only once but
twice married before. She found out that
the respondent were civilly married to
Brenda Loyola on February 2, 1970
at Baguio City, Benguet.
4.1 He was also married to
Myrna Amando on April 24, 1981
at Tuba, Benguet. A copy of
the Marriage Contract is hereto
attached and made an integral
part hereof as Annex B and C,
respectively. Likewise, a copy
of the Certifcate of No Marriage
(Cenomar) issued by the National
Statistics Offce (NSO) is hereto
attached and made an integral part
hereof as Annex D.
4.2 At the time of the petitioner's
marriage with the respondent, the
above-named women were still alive.
Furthermore, the above marriages
were not yet dissolved at the time she
married the respondent.
5. Upon learning of he respondent's past
marriages, she immediately left him in 1984
and since then, she has not returned. They
did not even cohabit as husband and wife
from that time.
6. Under the foregoing Circumstances,
the marriage between petitioner and
respondent i s voi d ab i ni ti o bei ng a
bigamous marriage pursuant to Article 35
in relation to Article 41 of the Family Code
of the Philippines. Thus-
Article 35. The following marriages
shall be void from the beginning:
xxx
4) Those bigamous or polygamous
marriages not falling under Article 41;
xxx
Parenthetically -
A r t i c l e 4 1 . A ma r r i a g e
contracted by any person duri ng
t he subsi st ence of a pr evi ous
marri age shal l be nul l and voi d,
unless before the celebration of the
subsequent marriage, the prior spouse
had been absent for four consecutive
years and the spouse present had a
well-founded belief that the absent
spouse was already dead. In case of
disappearance where there is danger
of death under the circumstances set
forth in the provisions of Article 391 of
the Civil Code, an absence of only two
years shall be suffcient.
For the purpose of contracting
the subsequent marriage under the
preceding paragraph, the spouse
present must institute a summary
proceeding as provided in this Code for
the declaration of presumptive death of
the absentee, without prejudice to the
effect of reappearance of the absent
spouse. (Emphasis supplied).
7. They had been separated-in-fact for
a period of almost THIRTY (30) YEARS.
8. They have no children. They acquired
no common property. Neither did they incur
conjugal debts.
WHEREFORE, premises considered,
it is most respectfully prayed of the Hon.
Court that the marriage between the
petitioner and respondent be declared
NULL AND VOID for being a bigamous
marriage under Arti cl e 35 in relation to
Art i cl e 41 of the Fami l y Code of t he
Philippines.
Petitioner, further, prays for such other
relief as are just and equitable under the
premises.
11 April 2012, Quezon City for Manila.
AMOROSO AMOROSO AND ASSOCIATES
LAW OFFICE
Counsel for Petitioner
Room 506 Merchant Square Condominium
E. Rodriguez Ave., corner Mabolo Street
New Manila, Quezon City
By:
JON AN R. AMOROSO
IBP Lifetime No. 03497
PTR 159994/1-20-12/QC
Roll No. 43770
MCLE No. III 0020693/June 7, 2011
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)
QUEZON CITY
VERIFICATION/CERTIFICATION OF
NON-FORUM SHOPPING
I, LILIA M. RAMIL-VILLANUEVA, of
legal age and a resident of 2133 Zamora
Street, Pandacan, Manila, after having been
duly sworn to in accordance with law do
hereby depose and say that:
1. I am the Petitioner in the above-
entitled case.
2. I caused the preparation of the instant
Petition.
3. I read the contents thereof and found
them to be true and correct based on my
personal knowledge and authentic records.
4. I have not commenced any action
involving the same subject matter before
any court or quasi judicial agency and
should I thereafter learn that a case involving
the same subject matter is pending therein,
I shall inform the Honorable Court thereof
within fve (5) days from such knowledge.
I N WI TNESS WHEREOF, I have
hereunto set my hand this 7
th
day of May,
2012 at Quezon City.
(Sgd.) LILIA M. RAMIL-VILLANUEVA
$IDQW
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me
this 7
th
day of May, 2012 affant exhibiting
to me her 555 dentifcation Card No. 03-
7370701-4 issued at Quezon City.
Doc No. 335;
Page No. 67;
Book No. VI
Series of 2012.
(Sept. 23 & 30, 2012)
Manila StandardTODAY
Sports
B4
UP threepeats
The difculty of the stunts, and
the passion to make every execu-
tion almost awless won it for the
Diliman-based cheering squad dur-
ing last weeks UAAP Cheerdance
Competition at the SM MOA Arena.
The 60-member squad, who
shaved their heads some three
days before the competition, start-
ed out with a bang, impressing the
judges with the triple cupie right at
the opening of their number.
A cupie stunt requires one lifter,
who is aided by at least two spot-
ters to lift a cheerdancer in the air.
But this time around, lifters hoist-
ed three dancers at the same time.
It was a stunt which no other
varsity squad was able to do.
Snappy and quickly executed
pyramids followed, and this made
the judges take note again of the
difculty of the stunts.
These routines from the begin-
ning were so impressive that mi-
nor aws late in their performance
were almost forgotten.
The UP Pep Squad, their per-
formance inspired by the UP Ob-
lation, were already way ahead on
points when a girl fell while she
was trying to do a pyramid stunt
towards the end of their routine.
The preparations started last
summer. But it was all perfected this
week. And it was really hard. We
did a lot of adjustments. Our goal
this year was to do the most difcult
stunt and the most difcult dance
combined together, said UP Pep
Squad coach Lalaine Perea.
Perea discussed the challenges
which the Pep Squad experienced
inside a crowded dugout after the
championship was over.
The squads clean-shaven looks,
which was done in adherence to
the theme: Embracing Freedom,
was a far cry from their Madonna-
inspired blonde-haired perform-
ance last year.
After blonde Madonna, I
thought the routine had to be really
outstanding. I wanted to do some-
thing different. But it had to look
awless. It was not the usual rou-
tine. They used stunts which were
not used before. Our stunts and
routines stood out, said Perea.
This is the second time that the
TRIPLE CUPIE POWERS SQUAD TO 3
RD
TITLE IN A ROW
By Anita Abad
AFTER a disappointing loss dur-
ing the past world pool champion-
ship held in Manila Dennis Orcollo
asserted himself as the best pool
player in the Philippines by winning
the 2012 China Open in Shanghai,
China, recently.
Orcollo annexed the title by beat-
ing Taiwans Lu Hui Chan, 11-9, at
the Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Sta-
dium arena.
It was the second major title of the
year for the Surigaonon, who in May
won the US 10 Ball Championship in
Vegas, when he beat Francisco Busta-
mante in the nal.
Orcollo pocketed the $40,000 prize
for the title, while Lu settled for
US$20,000.
Orcollo broke a 3-3 tie with six
consecutive racks victory in a row in
the Alternate-Breaks format nal to
take a commanding 9-3 lead
From a 3-all deadlock Dennis (Or-
collo) won six straight racks. The Tai-
wanese didnt fold, however, and stood
strong up until the end of the match,
said Billiards Managers and Players
Association of the Philippines (BM-
PAP) founding head Ceferino Perry
Mariano in a published report.
Lu bounced back into the conten-
tion at 9-7 after winning four consec-
utive racks. The battle commenced
with Orcollo eventually attaining the
hill 10-9.
In the next rack Lu left a two ball
open and Orcollo siezed the opportuni-
ty, running out the balls for the victory.
I was so nervous today, but I just
tried to calm down and enjoy the game.
Chang is a great player and he played
good today. I have a lot of experience
playing on the TV table and Ive had a
lot of tough matches this week so this
helps me with the pressure. For the nal
I just need to relax, wait for my chances
and be aggressive when I nd an open-
ing, said Orcollo in a published report.
On the road to the nal, the former
sherman from Mindanao defeated Fu
Jian Bo of China 11-4, in the Round of
32, Dang Jin Hu of China, 11-9, in the
Round of 16, Han Hao-Xiang of China,
11-8, in the Round of 8, and Chan Yu-
lung of Chinese-Taipei, 11-19, in the
Round of 4.
Earlier, Orcollo won the US Open
10-Ball Championships at the Riviera
Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Orcollo defeated veteran Francisco
Django Bustamante 11-5 in the nals.
Earlier he ousted 2004 World 9-Ball
champion Alex The Lion Pagulayan
9-8 in the seminals. Bustamante also
beat Pagulayan to force a nals show-
down with Orcollo.
Orcollo asserts status as PH best
Orcollo earned the top prize of
$15,000 while Bustamante settled for
$8,500. He was coming off another
big win in the star-studded 3rd Annual
Hard Times 10-Ball Open title after
routing American Shane Van Boening,
considered the USAs top pool player,
11-3 in the nals.
By Peter Atencio
THE University of the Philippines Pep Squad
scored a threepeatwinning the University
Athletic Association of the Philippines Cheer
Dance title three years in a rowby taking
their act to a different level. UP blew away
the competition by performing the insanely
difcult triple cupie stunt, the rst time ever it
was performed in the UAAP.
UP Pep Squad won a three-peat
since they rst did it in 2002.
They won three straight from
1999 until 2001 before Univer-
sity of Santo Tomas clinched six
straight championships from 2002.
And 1999 was the year they won
their rst title, and on Perenas sec-
ond year as coach.
This year, the UP Pep Squad
won their eighth championship
with a total of 92.26 points.
Far Eastern University placed
second with 91.36 points, while Na-
tional University made history with
its third place and with 85.16 points.
The UP Pep Squads string of
good fortune did not end there.
They went on to claim their second
straight crown in the group stunts
competition, and rookie Nicolette
Erica Ambulo was give this years
stunner award.
Their latest victory allowed the
UP Pep Squad to join the Univer-
sity of Santo Tomas Salinggawi
Dance Troupe as the winningest in
UAAP Cheerdance history.
The Salinggawi Dance Troupe
used to be the most dominant pep
squad until their run of titles ended
in 2006 and UP asserted itself with
a crown one year later.
Laurence Martin Bautista is
among three remaining members
of a batch of performers who rst
tasted a title for the UP Pep Squad
in 2008, and later went to experi-
ence the joy of winning three more.
We wanted to show the other
schools what a free university can do.
We are a free university and we are not
afraid of anybody., said Bautista.
To show their courage, coach
Lala (Perena)
asked the Squad
to shave their
heads on Thurs-
day, some three days before their
performance.
At rst the other girls were
nervous and hesitant because
this will be the rst time for them
to have their heads cut that short.
They didnt know how it would
look like. But it turned out okay.
After that our condence really
shown through, said Bautista.
Kiko Cortez is also a ve-year vet-
eran with Bautista and Irish Adrienne
Planes.
The other members of the Pep
Squad are Marielle Barraza,
Feldren Cabigting, Mark
Louie Castro, Patrick Cos-
tales, Bighani Daqui-
gan, Leandro Martin
DeChavez, Noellyn
Jane Figueroa, Francis-
co Gatmaytan and Juan
Meliton Gerona.
The others are Christian
Gorgonia, Camille Lagmay,
Jendrick Lim, Christian Lim-
jap, Leann Melegrito, Frances
Munoz, Nesza Salvador, Ray-
mond Santos, Beatrice Seg-
undo, Leo Segundo, Gabrielle
Tuazon, Zsarinah Yu and Jari
Buenaventura.
Also in the UP Pep
Squad are Sarah
Marie Esguerra,
Kim Vincent Parra,
Joseph Francis Gue-
varra, Ruby Sabido,
Federico Sanchez and
Gerard Sison.
Baldies rule! Every single boy and girl in the 60-member UP Pep Squad had their hair shaved three days before the 2012 UAAP Cheer Dance competition as their way of showing that they embraced freedom. Above,
the members of the squad execute a split as they make a ying leap while they complete their oor exercises of the competition. Below, the members of the UP Pep Squad display their strength and athleticism as they
set up a difcult three level pyramid with the girl at the top executing an inverted split. EY ACASIO
Hes back! The countrys number one pool player Dennis Orcollo lines up a shot in
a match enroute to the title during the 2012 China Open in Shanghai, China.
Sunday

Manila Standard Today - Sunday (September 30, 2012) Issue

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Manila Standard Today - Sunday (September 30, 2012) Issue

Uploaded by

Copyright:

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

You might also like