Manila Standard Today - Sunday (December 9, 2012) Issue

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The Sunday Edition of ManilaStandardTODAY
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Vol. I No. 24 12 Pages, 2 Section
P18.00 SUNDAY, December 9, 2012
(Top) Rescuers retrieve bodies of victims in Compostela Valey three days after Pablo hit Mindanao. The super-typhoon remains a threat to Western Luzon (map below). Clockwise: Twofriends are reunited after being separated by the typhoon. Amid scenes of death and devastation, a boy tries to pull his slippers out of the mud; people line up for relief goods, while a banana plantation becomes a wasteland. AP
PABLO MAKES A U-TURN

Western Luzon areas in typhoons path
By Francisco Tuyay, Joyce Pangco-Paares, Vito Barcelo, AP
S
Rich, poor haggle over climate talks
DOHA, QatarBlearyeyed negotiators from nearly 200 countries haggled through the night over new draft agreements on emissions cuts by rich countries and aid for poor as United Nations climate talks spilled into Saturday, two days after the lead Philippine negotiator broke down while reading his prepared statement. (Photo on A3) Malacaang said on Saturday it understood why chief negotiator Nederev Sao cried halfway through his emotional
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UPER typhoon Pablo, which left nearly 600 dead, more than 500 missing, and destroyed billions of pesos worth of infrastructure and crops in Mindanao, has not left the country and instead made a U-turn toward the western part of Luzon, the weather bureau said on Saturday.
Weather experts said Pablo, which was supposed to move toward the South China Sea on Friday, sloweddown after it was sandwiched by the combined weather systems to the east and west. The waters off Luzon would be rough to very rough, a forecaster said. This prompted the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to warn residents along the coastal villages in Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte of possible heavy rains and huge waves as the storm moves inland. In other developments: Price freeze for basic goods and price controls for prime commodities
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Pacquiao, Marquez desperate for win

LAS VEGAS Along with the bodies of the ghters, the prizemoney and attention have grown as Manny Pacquiao and JuanManuel Marquez meet for the fourthand presumably last ime in the rivalry that has served both ghters so well. Marquez will try once again to do what he hasnt been able to do in 36 evenly contested rounds against Pacquiaoget a decision from the ringside scorecards. At the age of 39, its a ght that may mean more to his legacy than his future career, which is why its a ght he seems almost desperate to win. All I ask is for the judges to be objective, Marquez said. They need to really see what is happening in the ring instead of what they think might be happening in the ring. Pacquiao is not as desperate, but he needs a win just as badly. The Filipino barely escaped with a majority decision over Marquez last Novembera result that drew loud boos from the pro-Marquez crowdand lost a widely panned decision to Timothy Bradley his Next page last time out.
BUSINESS B4
LAWYERENTREPRENEUR PROMOTES COCO SUGAR
ARTS & LIFE
B2
TIMES TWO
Raymond Noel Morales, a lawyerentrepreneur, spearheads the promotion of coco sugar as the healthy sweetener made from coconut that is gaining acceptance in many countries.
David and Anthony Semerad are not just basketball players. The Fil-Czech twins are also product endorsers and models.
Face-off. Manny Pacquiao, left, and Juan Manuel Marquez pose for the camera after the weigh-in for their
welterweight ght in Las Vegas. The pair square off in the fourth ght against each other on Saturday. AP
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Pacquiao...
A loss to Marquez would not only conrm the whispers that he is slipping after 17 years as a pro, but perhaps derail for good any talk of a ght against Floyd Mayweather Jr. that would be boxings richest ever. I have always been focused, but not like this ght, Pacquiao said. There are no distractions in my mind. The family problems I had I dont have this time. Neither ghter holds a title as they meet in a welterweight ght that will make both even richer. Pacquiao is expected to make more than $20 million by the time the payper-view receipts are totaled, while promoter Bob Arum said Marquez could make as much as $6 million. Its a far cry from 2004, when Pacquiao and Marquez could barely ll half the arena, and the money they made would barely pay for one of their luxury cars today. That ght, though, was intriguing,
with Pacquiao coming off a win over Marco Antonio Barrera that announced his entry into boxings elite and Marquez having stopped his previous 11 opponents. It seemed a mismatch when Pacquiao knocked the Mexican down three times in the rst round and Marquez barely survived to hear the bell. But he began a comeback in round 3, dominating the late rounds on his way to a disputed draw that foreshadowed what was to come in the years ahead. All three ghtsPacquiao won the past twowere so close they could have gone either way. And had they gone the other way, boxing history may have changed. Pacquiao might not have gotten the ght with Oscar De La Hoya that catapulted him to stardom in 2008 just nine months after beating Marquez in a split decision in their second ght. Marquez, meanwhile, might have become more than just an opponent getting rich off the names of ghters who will be judged better than him. AP
Republic of the Philippines
Department of public Works anD HigHWays region X office of tHe regional Director
Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City
CYAN by a banana plantation BLACK Motorists pass MAGENTA YELLOW that was destroyed at the height of Typhoon Pablo in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley. The economic losses began to emerge after banana exporters reported that 14,000 hectares of export banana were destroyed. The Philippines is the worlds third-largest banana exporter, supplying well-known brands such as Dole, Chiquita and Del Monte mainly to Japan, South Korea, China, New Zealand and the Middle East. AP
invitation to biD
The Department of Public Works & Highways (DPWH) Regional Office No. 10, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors to apply to bid for the following projects funded under CY 2013 Regular Infrastructure Program, to wit: 1. Contract ID: Contract Name: 12K00190 Rehab./Reconst./Upgrading of Damaged Paved National Roads Generated from Pavement Management System/Highway Development and Management-4 (HDM-4) (Intermittent Sections): Ozamis-Pagadian Road, Km. 1687+600-Km. 1688+000 Contract Location: Misamis Occidental, 2nd LD Brief Description: Upgrade to concrete 280mm Appropriation: P 6,286,000.00 Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Contract Duration: To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Cost of Plans & Bid Documents: P 5,000.00 12K00191 Rehab./Reconst./Upgrading of Damaged Paved National Roads Generated from Pavement Management System/Highway Development and Management-4 (HDM-4) (Intermittent Sections): Ozamis Port Road (Dual), Chainage 000-Chainage 0539 Contract Location: Misamis Occidental, 2nd LD Brief Description: Reblocking PCCP 230mm Appropriation: P 1,290,000.00 Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Contract Duration: To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Cost of Plans & Bid Documents: P 5,000.00 12K00192 Widening/Improvement of Ozamis-Oroquieta Road, (Clarin-Sinacaban), Km. 1705+979-Km. 1721+184 with exceptions Contract Location: Misamis Occidental, 2nd LD Brief Description: Widening/Improvement of Road Appropriation: P 28,471,000.00 Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Contract Duration: To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Cost of Plans & Bid Documents: P 25,000.00 12K00193 Upgrading (Gravel to Concrete), Sta. MariaCapalaran Road, Tangub City, Misamis Oriental Contract Location: Misamis Occidental, 2nd LD Brief Description: Upgrading (Gravel to Concrete) Appropriation: P 30,000,000.00 Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Contract Duration: To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Cost of Plans & Bid Documents: P 25,000.00 12K00194 Rehab./Reconst./Replacement/Retrofitting of Existing Permanent Bridges, Migcanaway Bridge along Ozamis-Pagadian Road, Misamis Occidental Contract Location: Misamis Occidental, 2nd LD Brief Description: Rehab./Reconst./Replacement/Retrofitting of Bridge Appropriation: P 18,900,000.00 Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Contract Duration: To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Cost of Plans & Bid Documents: P 25,000.00 12K00195 Rehab./Reconst./Replacement/Retrofitting of Existing Permanent Bridges, Dimalooc Bridge along Ozamis-Pagadian Road, Misamis Occidental Contract Location: Misamis Occidental, 2nd LD Brief Description: Rehab./Reconst./Replacement/Retrofitting of Bridge Appropriation: P 16,800,000.00 Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Contract Duration: To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Cost of Plans & Bid Documents: P 25,000.00 12K00196 Replacement of Bridges along National Roads (Temporary to Permanent), Bagacay Bridge, along Bagacay Cadre Road, Misamis Occidental Contract Location: Misamis Occidental, 2nd LD Brief Description: Replacement of Bridge Appropriation: P 3,660,000.00 Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Contract Duration: To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Cost of Plans & Bid Documents: P 25,000.00 12K00197 Preventive Maintenance (Intermittent Sections), Ozamis-Pagadian Road, Km.1674+124-, Km.1676+000; Km.1676+000-Km.1678+000 Contract Location: Misamis Occidental, 2nd LD Brief Description: Asphalt Overlay Appropriation: P 40,531,000.00 Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Contract Duration: To be discussed on Pre-bid Conference Cost of Plans & Bid Documents: P 25,000.00
In Pablos wake, a slew of proposals

By Maricel V. Cruz
Pablo...
are now in effect in areas devastated by typhoon Pablo as President Benigno Aquino III signed Proclamation No. 522 declaring a state of national calamity. The Labor Department released an initial P5.5 million fund for emergency employment and livelihood of workers who were displaced by Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao province. Although Pablos strength slightly weakened from 175 kph to 130kph, ofcials said it might still cause severe damages along its path once it hit landfall. As of press time, heavy rains brought by Pablo were already being felt in Baguio City and Pangasinan. As of 3 p.m. on Saturday, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration forecasters said Pablo was spotted 200km northwest of Dagupan city moving towards Iba, Zambales at a speed of 7kph and is expected to be 500km west of Ambulong, Batangas by Tuesday morning. PAGASA said the storm may cause havoc along its path, particularly in the coastal municipalities of Badoc, Sinait, San Juan, Sto Domingo, Vigan, Santa, Narvacan, Sta Maria, Santiago, Candon City and Sta Lucia, Masingal, Cabugao all in Ilocos Sur; Laoag City, Curimao and Batac Dingras, Pasuquin in Ilocos Norte. The NDRRMC also reminded residents in these areas to take precautionary measures, to prevent the recurrence of Pablos fury in Eastern Mindanao. Meanwhile, government and private search and retrieval units have intensied their search of 533 still missing, most of them believed to be buried under thick mud. Soldiers, police and volunteers have formed the bulk of the teams searching for bodies or signs of life under tons of fallen trees and boulders that were swept down from steep hills surrounding the town. He said the rocks, mud, tree trunks and other rubble that litter the town have destroyed landmarks, making it doubly difcult to search places where houses once stood. On Friday, bodies found jammed under fallen trees that could not be retrieved were marked with makeshift ags made of torn cloth so they can be easily spotted by properly equipped retrieval teams. Government authorities have decided to bury unidentied bodies in a common grave after police forensic ofcers process them for future identication by relatives, Esperanza said. He added that heavy equipment, search dogs and chain saws had been brought in by volunteers from as far away as the capital, Manila, about 590 miles to the north. Nearly 400,000 people, mostly from Compostela Valley and nearby Davao Oriental provinces, have lost their homes since Typhoon Pablo struck and are crowded inside evacuation centers or staying with relatives, relying on food and emergency supplies being rushed in by government agencies and aid groups. The typhoon plowed through the main southern island of Mindanao, crossed the central Philippines and headed to Vietnam, but it has lingered over the South China Sea for the past two days. Ofcials say 276 people were killed in Compostela Valley, including 155 in New Bataan, and 277 in Davao Oriental. About 40 people died elsewhere and nearly 600 are still missing, 411 from New Bataan alone.
2. Contract ID: Contract Name:
the need for the government to come up with a swifter and more organized response in providing medical and hmanitarian aid to those devastated by typhoon Pablo.
One of them, Rep. Senen Sarmiento of Western Samar, sought the construction of at least one 100bed hospital ship for dispatch to areas where medical facilities are wanting but needed the most. For his part, Rep. Juan Angara of Aurora, sought to regulate the use of government ambulances to prevent their misuse and ensure that these emergency vehicles are available at any time. Sarmiento, vice chair of the committee on national defense, said the tragedy in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley should be an eye-opener for the government to give priority toward the acquisition of a hospital ship which should be a perfect complement for the increasing accuracy of weathermen in forecasting weather conditions. What we need now is the capability to quickly deploy humani-
LAWMAKERS on Saturday stressed
tarian and medical aid even in the remotest barangay in case of calamities. Our experience with Pablo should already raise the urgency for us to get a hospital ship, he said. Typhoon Pablo with international name Bopha was the strongest typhoon that hit Mindanao in the past 20 years. It pounded Surigao del Norte, Siargao Island, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Samal Islands, Compostela Valley, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin, leaving nearly 600 fatalities and more than 500 missing individuals in a matter of three days. Sarmiento said that even without disaster situations, this hospital ship can be used to provide regular medical care to remote island barangays, most of which does not even have a small clinic and
would need to travel for hours just to reach the nearest hospital only to nd out the it is also ill-equipped. For a country like the Philippines which has more that 7,000 islands, a hospital ship should be a necessity, he said. Angara, meanwhile, denounced the misuse or abuse of government ambulances, saying that the sight of these vehicles in recreation areas and other place where they are not supposed to be is becoming usual and tolerated. Worse, there are instances where fees are collected for the their uses, or their use is refused for political consideratioins or opther reasons that defeat the purpose of their acquisition, he said. If the Angara bill is enacted, it would impose a penalty from suspension to perpetual disqualication from public sercie of the violators. Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco appealed to his colleagues to donate a portion of their pork barrel funds for the rebuilding and rehabilitation of the storm-ravaged provinces of Visayas and Mindanao. On top of the P5,000 donation from the salary of congressmen, Haresco encouraged his colleagues to allocate a portion of their pork barrel funds for the storm victims.
Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS Cordillera Administrative Region
OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR Engineers Hill, Baguio City
Rich...
peech, citing the devastation wrought by Supertyphoon Pablo. As we sit here in these negotiations, even as we vacillate and procrastinate here, the death toll is rising. There is massive and widespread devastation, Sao said as shown in a video posted in YouTube. I appeal to all, please, no more delays, no more excuses. Please, let Doha be remembered as the place where we found the political will to turn things around. Please, let 2012 be remembered as the year the world found the courage to nd the will to take responsibility for the future we want. I ask of all of us here, if not us, then who? If not now, then when? If not here, then where? he said. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Saos emotional breakdown came amid the Philippine delegations push for action on climate change and the Palace expects the delegation, which was expected to enplane Saturday night, to give a brieng next week. But as so often in the annual UN talks, negotiators struggled to reach an agreement, especially on money matters. After all-night wrangling, the latest drafts Saturday lacked the strong commitments on climate action and nancing by rich countries that poor countries had hoped for. But they did include a text on loss and damage, a relatively new concept which relates to damages from climate-related disasters. Island nations under threat from rising sea levels have been pushing for some mechanism to help them cope with such natural catastrophes, but the United States has pushed back over concerns it might be held liable for the cleanup bill since it is the worlds second-biggest emitter behind China. AP
BID BULLETIN No. 26

This Bid Bulletin No. 26 dated December 7, 2012 is issued to modify or amend items in the Bid Documents. This shall form as an integral part of the Bid Documents. REVISED APPROVED BUDGET COST (ABC) 1. Contract ID: Contract Name: 12PO0051 Road Upgrading (Gravel to paved) of Banaue Mayoyao A. Lista Isabela Boundary Road, K0345+169 K0345+300, K0347+527 K0347+880, K0348+718 K0349+000, K0350+752 K0351+829.11, and K0353+153 K0354+640 Contract Location: Banaue, Ifugao
APPROVED BUDGET COST (ABC) From To Php 109,821,460.00 Php 108,688,016.95
Procurement will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures in accordance with R.A. 9184 and its Revised Implementing Rules and regulations. To bid for these contracts, a contractor must 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) completionof a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC, 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 theeligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration, to the DPWH-POCW, Central Office before the scheduled date of bidding. The DPWHPOCW, Central Office will only process contractors applications for registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1. Issuance of Bidding Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference 3. Deadline of Receipt LOI from Prospective Bidders 4. Receipt of Bids 5. Opening of Bids Dec. 07, 2012 to December 27, 2012 @ 12 noon December 12, 2012 @ 2:00PM December 27, 2012 @ 12:00 noon December 27, 2012 from 8:00AM-12:00 noon 2:00 PM on December 27, 2012
12PO0052 Road Upgrading (Gravel to paved) of Banaue Mayoyao A. Lista Isabela Boundary Road, K0359+215 K0360+192, K0364+000 K0364+470, K0364+531 K0364+960, and K0365+435 K0367+957 Contract Location: Banaue & Mayoyao, Ifugao
The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH-Regional Office No. X, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City, upon payment of a non-refundable fee as stated above. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from the DPWH website, if available. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bid documents. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the Contractors Registration Certificate (CRC). The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and postqualification. The DPWH-Regional Office No. 10 reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bid and to annul the bidding process anytime before Contract award, without incurring any liability to the affected bidders. Approved by: (Sgd.) efren a. berba, ceo vi OIC, Assistant Regional Director BAC-Chairman NOTED: (Sgd.) evelyn t. barroso, ph.D. Regional Director
(MST-Dec. 9, 2012)
12PO0053 Road Upgrading (Gravel to paved) of Ibulao Julongan Road Declared Strategic Tourist Destination (DSTD), Sta 000+000 Sta 013+100 (I.S.) Contract Location: Kiangan, Ifugao
12PO0054 Rehabilitation/Improvement of Dalican - Batad Road Declared Strategic Tourist Destination (DSTD) Contract Location: Dalican-Batad, Banaue, Ifugao
For guidance and information of all concerned. (SGD.) CONSTANTE R. SARMIENTO Chief, Maintenance Division BAC Chairman
(MST-DEC. 9, 2012)
Sunday No numbers to defeat RH

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SUNDAY DECEMBER 9, 2012
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By Maricel V. Cruz
THE principal author of the controversial Reproductive Health bill in the House of Representatives expressed condence on Saturday that the measures supporters have overwhelming numbers to pass the controversial bill.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said the continuing tactic of anti-RH lawmakers to delay the vote on House Bill 4244 only proves that they lack the votes to block the bills passage. Neither braggadocio nor dilatory antics win votes, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said, saying superiority in reason coupled with ascendancy in numbers certainly wins the votes. The purported winning count against the RH bill boasted by an anti-RH legislator is baseless extrapolation akin to the imagined hazards of voluntary contraception, Lagman said. Lagman said that the voting pattern rejecting all killer amendments to the RH bill introduced by critics last Monday is irreversible because the succeeding nominal voting conrmed the results of the initial vote by acclamation and even suggested an even bigger margin of victory. Some of the amendments proposed by the anti-RH legislators include limiting reproductive health rights and benets to married couples only, thus attempting to exclude unmarried adults and adolescents; restraining the government from promoting reproductive healthcare services and supplies and mandating the government to adopt and promote religious dogma, both of which go against the very grain of the bill; providing that fertilization and conception are synonymous and fertilization is the beginning of life, a subject wherein legislators have no competence since even medical experts have no consensus, much more unanimity, on the issue; deleting the adjective reproductive from reproductive health which is unwarranted because the bill is on reproductive health; and deleting the
Working weekend. Canadian Ambassador Christopher Thornley and Gawad
Kalinga founder Tony Meloto spend some time with students of the Signal Village Elementary School in Taguig City on Saturday before they started repairing and repainting schoolrooms. MANNY PALMERO
guiding principles enshrined in the bill which constitute the essence of the measure. In all instances, the sponsoring committees rejection of emasculating amendments was sustained by the plenary, Lagman said. This developed as anti-RH advocate Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay called on the Catholic Church to ex its muscles during the vote on the bills second reading set on Dec. 12. Magsaysay also said that the Catholic bishops should not be admonished over their threats to campaign against lawmakers supporting the measure in next years midterm polls. If the Catholic Church exes its muscle in order to protect believers from laws that is against its teachings and may harm it, they have the right to do it, Magsaysay said. The Catholic Church should make a denite stand next week. Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of the Archdiocese of Lipa aired last week the possibility that Church leaders might ask believers to reject pro-RH lawmakers in the May 2013 polls as he lamented Malacanang and multinational companies promotion of contraceptives under the measure.
PH ready for Nokor launching

By Francisco Tuyay
DISASTER ofcials met on Saturday to monitor the third attempt by the North Korean government to launch its rocket scheduled between December 10-12. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council said it called the inter-agency meeting to discuss measures for civil defense and public safety in connection with the rocket launch. The NDRRMC said the existing preparations that were put in place during North Koreas second attempted rocket launch would be basically be the same mechanism that will be used. NDRRMC Undersecretary Benito Ramos said all preemptive measures, such as the no-y zone and the shing ban at the eastern seaboard, will be observed. Meanwhile, new satellite images indicate that snow may have slowed North Koreas rocket launch preparations, but that Pyongyang could still be ready for liftoff starting Monday. South Korean media reports this week quoted unnamed ofcials in Seoul as saying North Korea had mounted all three stages of the Unha rocket on the launch pad by Wednesday. But snow may have prevented Pyongyang from nishing its work by then, according to GeoEye satellite images from Tuesday that were scrutinized by analysts for the websites 38 North and North Korea Tech and shared Friday with The Associated Press. The analysis and images provide an unusually detailed public look at North Koreas cloaked preparations for a launch that the United Nations, Washington, Seoul and others say is a cover for a test of technology for a missile that could be used to target the United States. North Korea, for its part, says it has a right to pursue a peaceful space program and will launch a satellite into orbit sometime between Monday and Dec. 22.
By Joel E. Zurbano
Ballot spots to be rafed
THE rafe for the slots on the ofcial
Emotional appeal. Chief Philippine negotiator Naderev Sao delivers the Philippine position during the 18th Unirted
Nationsl Climate Change Conference in Doha, Qatar last Thursday. Sao would later break down as he appealed for stronger commitments from wealthy nations to curb their carbon emissions.
Robbery ringleader sprung from Bilibid

A NOTORIOUS robbery leader, who has been linked to at least 15 robberies and captured only lasy October, was sprung from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City early Saturday morning. Muntinlupa City Police Chief, Senior Supt Conrado Capa said Ricky Cadevero, alias Kambal, leader of the Ozamis robbery syndicate, was sprung by three men who overpowered a jailguard at the prisons Reception and Diagnostic Center. Cadavero was undergoing processing at the RDC prior to his transfer to Bilibids maximum security compound and the three men who sprung him posed as visitors who overpowered the guard and spirited Cadavero out on board a motorcycle. Cadavero was said to be directly responsible in 15 robbery incidents to include the Alabang Town Center, Robinson Mall, 7/11 store and LBC and other establishments resulting to dozens of civilians dead. Cadevero was arrested in Cavite City last October along with his girlfriend Fe Tolentino and sidekicks Randy Maratas and Avelino Lagata. The police also seized from Cadavero and his cohorts two calibre .45 pistols, one .38 revolver, assorted ammunition, 12 cell phones, three bank passbooks and assorted documents. Also found in their possession were three vehiclesMitsubishi Montero, Toyota Innova and Honda CRV which are believed to have been used in several robbery incidents in Metro Manila and adjoining provinces. Estipona said they located Cadavero from documents that were found in the possession of gang members who were arrested earlier Gregorio Telen, alias Alex; Antonio Espera, alias Lamsoy; and Ramil Espera, alias Junjun, who were collared on Oct. 7 and 9. Francisco Tuyay
Philhealth payments seen up by P10b

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. said it expects to post a P10-billion increase in total benet payments to members and dependents this year. Were on track to delivering between P44 billion to P47 billion worth of benets this year, or 30 percent greater than the P34 billion we paid in 2011, said Philhealth president and chief executive ofcer Dr. Eduardo Banzon. Banzon said Philhealth has already distributed approximately P32 billion in cumulative benets from January to September this year, up by P8 billion, or 33 percent, versus the P24 billion dispensed over the same nine-month period in 2011. Since August this year, weve already averaged nearly P1 billion in benet payments every week, he said. Banzon attributed the huge increase in benet payments to new and improved subsidies to multiple medical cases, plus expanded coverage as a result of more members and dependents enlisted. The Philhealth board, chaired by Health Secretary Enrique Ona, has approved the launch of large benet packs for catastrophic ailments affecting a growing number of members and dependents, including P600,000 for low-risk, endstage renal disease requiring a kidney transplant; P210,000 for standard-risk childhood leukemia; P100,000 for early stage breast cancer; and P100,000 for lowto intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Philhealth also introduced an P11,000case rate payment for leptospirosis, the most common disease transmitted to people from animals, mainly rats; and a P3,000-Animal Bite Pack for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis. These are on top of existing case rate payments for several medical conditions, including P38,000 for cerebro-vascular accident with hemorrhage; P32,000 for high-risk pneumonia; P28,000 for cerebral infraction; P16,000 for dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) with presence of shock; P15,000 for moderate-risk pneumonia; P14,000 for typhoid fever; P9,000 for essential hypertension; P9,000 for asthma; P8,000 for dengue fever or simple DHF; and P6,000 for acute gastroenteritis.
Englishman in Manila. Rock icon Sting, or Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Saturday for a one-night concert on Sunday. JULIE FABROA
Squad car video. Pasay City police chief Rodolfo Llorca tests the recording
function of a video camera that was installed at the windshield of a police squad car to record operations and other police activities. SONNY ESPIRITU
ballot for party list organizations has been reset from Dec. 14 to Dec. 17, the Commission on Elections announced on Saturday. The commission, at the same time, formed a ve-man committee to supervise the rafe at 1:30 p.m. of Dec. 17 at the Comelecs session hall in Intramuros, Manila. The commission decided to rearrange the party list groups in random order to prevent the advantage of groups with names starting with letter A and number 1. It said in the previous elections, these groups are often being picked by undecided voters or those who do not have a preference for any particular party-list group. The committee will be headed by Commissioner Rene Sarmiento as chairman and Comelec deputy executive director Bartolome Sinocruz Jr. as vice chairman. The three other members of the panel are the clerk of the commission Ma. Josena dela Cruz, law department director Esmeralda Amor Ladra and Comelec chief information ofcer James Arthur Jimenez. The panel will also be assisted by three supporting staff. Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the rafe of the slots will be held for purposes of determining their order of listing in the ofcial ballot to be used in the May 2013 national and local elections. He said earlier that party list groups with names starting with the letter A or with the number 1 might not necessarily get the top slots on the ofcial ballot. The Comelec will use a rafe drum and numbered balls, which correspond to the alphabetical order of the party-list organization. Commission spokesman James Jimenez said the decision to rearrange the list was also made to eliminate the voting bias in selecting party list groups at the top of the list. There are groups who really put As or numbers on their names so voters who did not chose their party-list groups beforehand will vote for those on the top of the list, Jimenez said. Last month, the commission disqualied more than 50 party list organizations, most of them have names started with 1 and A. Among them 1 Ang Batas, 1-A Health, 1-Aid Dalaw Inc., 1-Aurora Integrated Multi-Purpose Cooperative, 1-Akong Minimum Wager, 1 Alliance Of Public Transport Organization, 1-Koop Mindanao, 1-Pagasa, 1 Team For Education Advancement and Change Inc., 1 Alliance Advocating Autonomy Party. Ang Ating Damayan Citizens Alliance, Apila Ng Bayan Inc., Aktibong Bayang Pilipino Inc., Alliance of Concerned Entrepreneurs for Food Security, Inc., Acts-Overseas Filipino Workers Coalition of Organizations, Ako Bisaya, Ako ang Pasahero, Inc., Active National Federation of Bantay Bayan Inc., Advocates for Penology Enhancement and Legal Assistance Inc., Agrarian Reform Beneciaries Association, Inc., Adult School Drop-Out, and Alyansang mga Tsuper at Transport Operators ng Mindanao, Inc.
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
TECH
MARLON C. MAGTIRA, Section Editor CHRISTIAN CARDIENTE, Asst. Editor
email: tech@mst.ph
A4
SUNDAY
DECEMBER 9, 2012
DELL unveils
Windows 8 tablets, desktops

By Marlon C. Magtira
DELL is ushering in the next era of alwaysconnected touch-computing with a redesigned line of business and consumer devices that are optimized for Windows 8.
Recently launched to the Philippine market include the Latitude 10 tablet, Latitude 6430u Notebook and OptiPlex 9010 All-in-One touch screen. The combination of new Dell hardware and Microsoft software will allow customers to create and consume content in new and exciting ways, said Christopher Papa, Dell Philippines country manager. Were unveiling a comprehensive refresh of all our consumer and commercial products to take advantage of Windows 8. These stylish new products include clean and intuitive touch experiences, the security and manageability required by IT departments, and features to allow anytime, anywhere access to data and applications, Papa said. Designed to plug-in easily into existing management consoles, the 10-inch Latitude 10 tablet is packed multi-media features and full compatibility with current Windows applications. This tablet will also feature an optional fingerprint and smart card reader for two-factor authentication in early 2013. The XPS 12 is a full-powered laptop that doubles as a fully-featured touch-powered tablet with its unique flip hinge touchscreen display. According to Dell, the Latitude 6430u, the companys frist business Ultrabook, had taken a broad set of United States Militarys MILSTD 810G standard durability tests than any other system in its class. The Latitude 6430u is also the first to offer a wireless docking based on WiGig technology, which allows devices to communicate wirelessly at multi-
gigabit speeds for data, video, and audio. With 10 hours of battery life on a single battery charge, the Latitude 6430u delivers all day battery life, crucial for road warriors and on-thego executives, Papa said. The 23-inch OptiPlex 9010 Allin-One preserves limited desk space while businesses incorporate touch interfaces into work environments. It also offers options for a multipoint touchscreen, fixed or rotating camera and an articulating stand and is
optimized for Microsoft Lync to enhance the users work experience with Windows 8. Quotes: Dell continues to address the requirements of consumers who desire innovative blends of style and performance, and IT which needs to support flexible, yet controlled, computing environments, said Charles King, president and principal analyst, Pund-IT, Inc. The new Windows 8-based XPS, Latitude and
OptiPlex lineups should certainly appeal to consumers and IT alike. Dells solutions are designed to support the core security and manageability processes which concern business IT and are key to fulfilling the promise of BYOD. Pricing for the Latitude 10 tablet starts at US$768, and Latitude 6430u at US$1,508. The OptiPlex 9010 All-in-One touch with camera starts at P48,885 while the XPS 12 starts at P65,990. tech.mst.ph
Apple to produce line of Macs in US

APPLE CEO Tim Cook says the company will move production of one of its existing lines of Mac computers from China to the United States next year. Industry watchers said the announcement is both a cunning public-relations move and a harbinger of more manufacturing jobs moving back to the U.S. as wages rise in China. Cook made the comments in part of an interview taped for NBCs Rock Center, but aired Thursday morning on Today and posted on the networks website. In a separate interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, he said that the company will spend $100 million in 2013 to move production of the line to the U.S. from China. This doesnt mean that Apple will do it ourselves, but well be working with people and well be investing our money, Cook told Bloomberg. That suggests the company could be helping one of its Taiwanese manufacturing partners, which run factories in China, to set up production lines in the U.S. devoted to Apple products. Research rm IHS iSuppli noted that both Foxconn Technology Group, which assembles iPhones, and Quanta Computer Inc., which does the same for MacBooks, already have small operations in the U.S. Apple representatives had no comment Thursday beyond Cooks remarks. Like most consumer electronics companies, Apple forges agreements with contract manufacturers to assemble its products overseas. However, the assembly accounts for a fraction of the cost of making a PC or smartphone. Most of the cost lies in buying chips, and many of those are made in the U.S., Cook noted in his interview with NBC. The company and Foxconn have faced signicant criticism this year over working conditions at the Chinese facilities where Apple products are assembled. The attention prompted Foxconn to raise salaries. Cook didnt say which line of computers would be produced in the U.S. or where in the country they would be made. But he told Bloomberg that the production would include more than just nal assembly. That suggests that machining of cases and printing of circuit boards could take place in the U.S. The simplest Macs to assemble are the Mac Pro and Mac Mini desktop computers. Since they lack the built-in screens of the MacBooks and iMacs, they would likely be easier to separate from the Asian display supply chain. Analyst Jeffrey Wu at IHS iSuppli said its not uncommon for PC makers to build their bulkier products close to their customers to cut down on delivery times and shipping costs. Regardless, the U.S. manufacturing line is expected to represent just a tiny piece of Apples overall production, with sales of iPhones and iPads now dwarng those of its computers. Apple is latching on to a trend that could see many jobs move back to the U.S., said Hal Sirkin, a partner with The Boston Consulting Group. He noted that Lenovo Group, the Chinese company thats neck-and-neck with Hewlett-Packard Co. for the title of worlds largest PC maker, announced in October that it will start making PCs and tablets in the U.S. Chinese wages are raising 15 to 20 percent per year, Sirkin said. U.S. wages are rising much more slowly, and the country is a cheap place to hire compared to other developed countries like Germany, France and Japan, he said. Across a lot of industries, companies are rethinking their strategy of where the manufacturing takes place, Sirkin said. Carl Howe, an analyst with Yankee Group, likened Apples move to Henry Fords famous 1914 decision to double his workers pay, helping to build a middle class that could afford to buy cars. But Cooks goal is probably more limited: to buy goodwill from U.S. consumers, Howe said. Say its State of the Union 2014. President Obama wants to talk about manufacturing. Who is he going to point to in the audience? Tim Cook, the guy who brought manufacturing back from China. And that scene is going replay over and over, Howe said. And yeah, it may be only (public relations), but its a lot of highvalue PR. Cook said in his interview with NBC that companies like Apple chose to produce their products in places like China, not because of the lower costs associated with it, but because the manufacturing skills required just arent present in the U.S. anymore. He added that the consumer electronics world has never really had a big production presence in the U.S. As a result, its really more about starting production in the U.S. than bringing it back, he said. But for nearly three decades Apple made its computers in the U.S. It started outsourcing production in the mid-90s, rst by selling some plants to contract manufacturers, then by hiring manufacturers overseas. It assembled iMacs in Elk Grove, Calif., until 2004. Some Macs already say theyre Assembled in USA. Thats because Apple has for years performed nal assembly of some units in the U.S. Those machines are usually the product of special orders placed at its online store. The last step of production may consist of
mounting hard drives, memory chips and graphics cards into computer cases that are manufactured elsewhere. With Cooks announcement Thursday, the company is set to go much further in the amount of work done in the U.S. The news comes a day after Apple posted its worst stock drop in four years, erasing $35 billion in market capitalization. Apples stock rose $8.45, or 1.6 percent, to close at $547.24 Thursday. AP CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
email: tech@mst.ph
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
TECH
DECEMBER 9, 2012 SUNDAY
A5
80% of cyber attacks in 2012 came from legit sites

its year-end security report, Security Threat Report 2013, which labeled 2012 as a year of new platforms and modern malware.
What was once a homogeneous world of Windows systems, is now a landscape made up of diverse platforms. Modern malware is taking advantage of these trends, creating new challenges for IT security professionals, it said. The increasing mobility of data in corporate environments has forced IT staff to become even more agile. 2012 was also a retro year driven by resurgence in traditional malware attacks, specically malware distributed via the Web. For example, more than 80 percent of attacks were redirects, the majority of which were from legitimate websites that were hacked. Malware attacks: Riskiest and safest countries Unprotected computers are vulnerable to different kinds of malware attack. Exposure to the majority, but not all, comes from simply clicking on links in emails or browsing web pages that happen to be carrying malicious code. Although some websites are created with the intention of infecting visitors, legitimate websites continue to be a popular target for cybercriminals, as once they are compromised, they will infect completely unsuspecting internet users. Based on analyzed trafc, SophosLabs has ranked the riskiest and safest countries for experiencing a malware attack: Top 5 riskiest countries 1. Hong Kong 23.54% 2. Taiwan 21.26% 3. UAE 20.78% 4. Mexico 19.81% 5. India 17.44% Top 5 safest countries 1. Norway 1.81% 2. Sweden 2.59% 3. Japan 2.63% 4. UK 3.51% 5. Switzerland 3.81% The rankings were based Threat Exposure Rate (TER), which is measured as the percentage of PCs that experienced a malware attack, whether successful or failed, over a three month period in 2012. A look ahead While a large proportion of cybercrime continues to be opportunistic, Sophos said that, in 2013, increased availability of malware testing platforms some even providing criminals with money back guarantees will make it more likely for malware to slip through traditional business security systems. As a result, we can expect to see an increase in the number of incidents where attackers have gained and sustained surreptitious access to corporate networks. Additional trends expected in
ANTI-VIRUS rm Sophos has released
the year ahead include: More basic Web server mistakes Due to an uptick in credential-based extractions, IT professionals will need to pay equal attention to protecting both their computers as well as their web server environment. More irreversible malware More attacks will place a greater focus on the need for behavioral protection mechanisms as well as system hardening and backup/ restore procedures. Attack toolkits with premium features A continued evolution
in the maturation of exploit kits, including premium features such as built in scriptable web services, APIs, and malware quality assurance platforms that appear to make access to high quality malicious code even simpler. Better exploit mitigation Enhanced exploit mitigation will not mean the end of exploits, instead, the market will see a decrease in vulnerability exploits offset by a sharp rise in social engineering attacks across a wide array of platforms. Integration, privacy, and
security challenges With GPS and near eld communication (NFC) becoming more integrated into mobile platforms, expect to see a convergence in our digital and physical lives. This trend is identiable not just for mobile devices, but for computing in general. In the coming year, watch for new examples of attacks built on these technologies. Two of the dening terms of 2012 are empower and evolve. Attacks and threats on PCs, Macs and mobile devices continue to evolve as does the
technology to combat them, said Gerhard Eschelbeck, CTO of Sophos. As users demand more and better ways to do their jobs, IT continues to evolve, bringing forth a new set of operating systems and other advancements, replete with different security models and attack vectors, making it crucial for security technology to evolve, ensuring that end users are protected and empowered no matter what platform, device, or operating system they choose. Newsbytes.ph
Nokia introduces most affordable Windows 8 smartphone

NOKIA recently introduced the Nokia Lumia 620, the third and most affordable in its range of Windows Phone 8 smartphones. Alongside the agship Nokia Lumia 920 and mid-range Nokia Lumia 820, the Nokia Lumia 620 offers a more fun, youthful appeal, and compact design. The Nokia Lumia 620 uses a new dual-shot color technique to deliver a variety of striking color and texture effects. Duals h o t adds a second layer of colored, transparent or translucent polycarbonate on top of a base layer to produce secondary color blends and depth effects. With seven different exchangeable shells to choose from, people can adapt the look of their Nokia Lumia 620 to their own personal taste and style. We continue to execute on our strategy to reach new audiences and new markets, said Jo Harlow of Nokia. With its innovative design, the latest Windows Phone 8 software and signature experiences from Nokia, like Nokia lenses, Nokia Maps and Nokia Music, the Nokia Lumia 620 is a highly competitive smartphone at this price point. Among the features shared with the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820 are exclusive camera lenses that transform the creative power of the Nokia Lumia 620s ve megapixel main camera and VGA frontfacing camera. The Cinemagraph lens adds simple animations to still photographs, while Smart Shoot creates a single, perfect shot from multiple images, even removing unwanted objects from the picture. The Nokia Lumia 620 also provides access to the worlds best maps and location experience, including Nokia Maps, Nokia Drive, Nokia Transport and the exclusive Nokia City Lens. Nokia City Lens displays information about local surroundings overlaid onto buildings as seen through the camera viewnder. Powered by Windows Phone 8, the Nokia Lumia 620 delivers a more personal smartphone experience. Adjustable Live Tiles update direct to the Start Screen. People Hub pulls together contact information from multiple address books and social networks into a single location, making it easy to stay in touch with friends and set up contact Groups and private Rooms for sharing. From the Me Tile people can check in to their location, post an update, set chat status, see whats new and monitor notications across Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Windows Phone 8 also includes Xbox Live, Microsoft Ofce, 7GB of online SkyDrive storage and faster, safer surng with Internet Explorer 10. These features and capabilities are enabled by Qualcomms Snapdragon S4 Plus processors. People can do more of the things they love when they choose a mobile device that has a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, said Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president and president of Qualcomm Europe. The Snapdragon S4 Plus processor is the heart of the Nokia Lumia 620, making it possible to multi-task, stream in HD and share content at superfast speeds. The Nokia Lumia 620 will be available in a range of colors* including, lime green, orange, magenta, yellow, cyan, white and black. Estimated at USD 249, excluding taxes and subsidies, the Nokia Lumia 620 will begin selling in January 2013 in Asia, followed closely by Europe and the Middle East before expanding further.
MST Techbytes
Kaspersky Lab calls on students papers

KASPERSKY Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions, is calling on Filipino students to send their original research papers on internet security and cyber crime for the Asia-Pacic, Middle East and Africa (APAC and MEA) Cup of the 2013 Kaspersky Lab Student Conference. Authors of the most innovative concepts on cybersecurity will be invited to present his/her paper at the APAC and MEA regional nals to be held at the National University of Singapore from March 21 to 23, 2013. The APAC and MEA Cup is one of the ve regional rounds of Kaspersky Labs global annual conference, a collaborative environment where students, experts, scientists and researchers from all over the world will gather to discuss burning issues on global cybercrime. The conference also serves a platform for the next generation of experts to share their knowledge and ideas, pushing further the limits of IT security technology. The event also provides potential career opportunities to participants in the eld of IT security. The best research papers in the APAC and MEACup will compete with the rest of the other regional qualiers (from North America, South America, Europe, Russia and Commonwealth Independent States) in the international round of the conference to be held at the Royal Holloway, University of London in the United Kingdom in June 2013. In this annual competition, student research papers are carefully evaluated by a panel of top global security professionals. Only three papers from among the entries will be awarded the overall top prizes in the nal round; where winners will receive generous cash prizes of up to US$1,000 plus free trips and accommodation to the respective conference venues. Last year, two research papers from the University of the Philippines (U.P.) were the top picks out of the 2,500 submissions in the entire region. These papers eventually won for U.P. and the Philippines the rst and second spots in the APAC & MEA Cup held at the City University of Hong Kong.
Tablet forecast for 2012 raised as iOS picks up steam

A STRONG competitive landscape including surging Android tablet shipments and robust demand for Apples new iPad mini has led research rm IDC to increase its 2012 forecast for the worldwide tablet market to 122.3 million, up from its previous forecast of 117.1 million units. IDC also raised its 2013 forecast number to 172.4 million units, up from 165.9 million units. And by 2016 worldwide shipments should reach 282.7 million units, up from a previous forecast of 261.4 million units. Tablets continue to captivate consumers, and as the market shifts toward smaller, more mobile screen sizes and lower prices points, we expect demand to accelerate in the fourth quarter and beyond, said Tom Mainelli, research director at tablets at IDC. Android tablets are gaining traction in the market thanks to solid products from Google, Amazon, Samsung, and others. And Apples November iPad mini launch, along with its surprise refresh of the fullsized iPad, positions the company well for a strong holiday season. In addition to increasing the unit totals for 2013, IDC also updated its operating system splits for the year to reect Androids growing strength in the tablet market. IDC now expects Androids worldwide tablet share to increase from 39.8 percent in 2011 to 42.7 percent for the full year of 2012. During that same time Apples share will slip from 56.3 percent in 2011 to 53.8 percent in 2012. Long term, IDC predicts Windows-based tablets (including Windows 8 and Windows RT) will grab share from both iOS and Android, growing from 1 percent of the market in 2011 to 2.9 percent in 2012, on its way to 10.3 percent in 2016. The breadth and depth of Android has taken full effect on the tablet market as it has for the smartphone space, said Ryan Reith, program manager for IDCs Mobile Device Trackers. Android tablet shipments will certainly act as the catalyst for growth in the low-cost segment in emerging markets given the platforms low barrier to entry on manufacturing. At the same time, top-tier companies like Samsung, Lenovo, and ASUS are all launching Android tablets with comparable specs, but offered at much lower price points. Once again, IDCs increase in tablet shipments comes at the expense of eReaders. IDC lowered its forecast for eReaders for 2012 and beyond.
Sunday
OPINION ManilaStandardTODAY
mst.lettertotheditor@gmail.com
A6
Invoking Gods wrath

ARE WE THERE YET?
ITS difcult to believe that there really are people in this world who are callous enough to use Gods wrath as justication for calamities that claim hundreds of lives and bring untold suffering to millions. Its really saying that God is a punishing supreme being that would deliberately subject His own people to extreme pain and retribution. This dees many teachings of the Church, foremost of which is that Gods supreme commandment is love and that precisely because He so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). And then there is the matter of how cruel statements like that do not in any way empower the victims of tragedies. Its like saying that they deserved what happened to them; or that the suffering they experienced was caused by the behaviors of others. Its like rubbing salt on injury, repeatedly and deliberately. If its difcult to imagine any thinking or sensible person being guilty of such cruelty, imagine how awful it must sound coming from a bishop of the Catholic Church. But alas, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo has attributed the recent destruction wrought by Typhoon Pablo in the Mindanao and Visayas areas to the fact that the reproductive health bill is nally being debated and is close to being voted upon in both chambers of Congress. In so many words, Pabillo has said that the destruction brought about by the typhoon was a warning about the kind of divine wrath that would befall Filipinos if we continue to disagree with the archaic beliefs of the Church. This was not the rst time that a leader of the Church has conveniently used natural calamities and Gods name in the service of their campaign against the RH bill. Last August at the height of the monsoon rains, Father Melvin Castro, Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Family Life of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines also regurgitated the same gibberish about how god was punishing the Filipino people because the RH bill was being debated in Congress at that time.
BONG C. AUSTERO
It is not surprising that more Filipinos are distancing themselves from the faith.
Perhaps it is too much to ask that our religious leaders try to be a little more circumspect in their pronouncements, but I believe it is reasonable to expect them to be a little more discerning. Scare tactics dont really work in changing behaviors, much more in terms of changing paradigms. We all know those warnings about how smoking kills, or about how one can get killed by not using pedestrian lanes on Edsa, dont really work. Okay, so if rational thinking is not a reasonable expectation, how about just a little common sense? Everybody knows that Typhoon Pablo (international codename Bopha) did not originate in the Philippines and that it affected not only Filipinos. By saying that the typhoon was punishment from God, we have in effect claimed responsibility for the death and destruction caused by the typhoon to non-Filipinos, or to non-Christians. Imagine what would happen to international diplomacy if natural calamities were attributed to the lapses of certain countries and people! Do we really want to accept responsibility for Typhoon Bopha knowing that it has taken a path towards other countries west of the Philippines? This kind of cruel and irrational thinking has also been used to stigmatize people living with HIV/ AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Also last week, Catholic bishop Gabriel Reyes of Antipolo blamed gay men and gay sex for the increased incidence of HIV infections among Filipino men who have sex with men. Jonas Bagas of TLF Share Collective, the non-government organization working on HIV/AIDS prevention among MSM, has taken Reyes to task for the irresponsible and erroneous statement. As Bagas said, it is unprotected sex that causes the spread of HIV, not gay sex. At the rate members of the Catholic Church are making all kinds of irresponsible, cruel and irrational statements, it is hardly surprising that more and more Filipinos are distancing themselves from the faith. Yes, we are the largest Catholic country in Asia but the percentage of practicing Catholics is dwindling. With leaders such as Pabillo, Castro, Reyes and company, the Catholic Church does not need pro-RH people to render the church irrelevant; they are already making a good job of doing so.
On behalf of all of us
LEAD negotiator for the Philippines Naderev Sao made an emotional appeal to his counterparts from other countries during the climate talks in Doha, Qatar on Thursday. Sao asked those present to muster the will to arrive at a legally binding agreement for countries to cut the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Meetings have been held every year to draft a deal that would succeed the Kyoto Protocol which expires this month. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, resulting in global warming. This is believed to be responsible for the more frequent and stronger typhoons hitting numerous parts of the world, resulting in ood and landslides, death and destruction. Developed countries have also failed to commit, in concrete amounts, to help poorer countries cope with the devastating effects of climate change. Sao spoke as Filipinos from Mindanao were grappling with the effects of typhoon Pablo (Bopha), an unnaturally strong weather disturbance that made landfall on the island. Mindanao is not normally hit by typhoons. Pablo left hundreds dead and displaced thousands. He made the urgent appeal not as a negotiator, not as leader of my delegation, but as a FilipinoThe outcome of our work is not about what our political masters want. It is what is demanded of us by seven billion people. Sao ended by asking: If not us, then who? If not now, then when? If not here, then where? He was given resounding applause by his fellow negotiators and by representatives of civil society groups. Still, as the Qatar talks closed this weekend, it was apparent there would be little progress in eliciting more commitment from developed countries to do their part in keeping the increase in average global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius, instead of the 4 degrees to 6 degrees seen by experts, and to help most vulnerable countries enable their citizens to cope better with disasters. Saos words, amid our collective failure, will hound us and other countries in succeeding years. Then again, the effects of climate change are already making themselves felt. Ultimately, individual countries and communities would be left to their own devices to save themselves.
EDITORIAL
Muscles and peace through yoga

POP GOES THE WORLD
THERE are many studies proving that work-related stress is linked to many physical and mental health problems. The word stress comes from distress, which means extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain. The term comes from a Latin term that means to draw or pull apart. Certainly this is what many feel when laboring under the tension that modern life brings. We are pulled in many directions by work and home obligations, often feeling unable to cope and looking for a way to ease the strain. Coping mechanisms can be destructivealcohol, late nights, smoking, unhealthy lifestyles and habitsand positiveexercise, healthy eating, creative hobbies and sports, an interest in spiritual pursuits. Increasingly popular nowadays is yoga. The word comes from the Sanskrit that means to yoke, to connect and its
JENNY ORTUOSTE
emphasis is on the mind-body connection, the interrelation between physical and mental tness. Yoga studios have burgeoned in the metropolis since the early part of the last decade, although yoga has been around since at least the 70s. I recall my father and his contemporaries in media attending yoga and meditation classes at Ananda Marga (still around in Quezon City) at that time. Today, yoga studios offer a wide range of classes, from vinyasa to hot ow to anti-gravity yoga. Some emphasize physical tness, others infuse a spiritual component into the practice with chanting of sutras and mantras. In search of a sustainable activity suitable for an unt, sedentary, middle-age person, I happened upon Bliss Yoga Manila in Jupiter Street, Makati, and have attended several classes there. Gentle Flow with instructor Jill Kobza is, as described by the Bliss Yoga Manila Web site, a slightly-slower paced practice, with focus on the foundation and alignment of posesemphasis is
on awareness, control, and effective use of the breath, as well as on building strength and exibility. The class is good for those new to yoga. The poses mentioned are called asanas, and look effortless in photos of advanced yogis and yoginis (male and female practitioners, respectively), but they are in truth difcult to do for the newbie. Merely stretching like a triangle in the downward dog position or in plank (full pushup) or chaturanga (half-pushup) makes you use muscles you probably havent felt since high school calisthenics. Yoga, however, also ensures that each person practices at his or her own pace and performs comfortable variants of the poses until he or she gets stronger. Jill Kobzas Gentle Flow class is perfect for beginners. She is gentle and patient and guides everyone through the surya namaskarSun Salutation sequenceand other poses in a soothing voice. Nancy Siys Jivamukti class may also be attended by people at all levels of physical tness. It is a form of yoga
developed by a Western teacher, and incorporates chanting from the Patanjali sutras; Nancy chooses one sentence that conveys a lesson on a trait, such as aparigraha or non-possessiveness. There is nothing religious here, only philosophical and moral. Jivamukti is more challenging in terms of asanas, and Nancy goes around the studio to correct each students pose and help those who need to reach a bit farther or hike up their hips higher. In the latter part of each class, she puts students in the savasana (corpse) pose lying at on their backs in repose, with eye pillows for relaxation and to enhance meditation. A lecture tape may be played or silent meditation encouraged. Students are asked to listen to their bodies, to deliberately release any tension, to let go with each exhale. Jivamukti, Nancy says, helped her calm (her) mind and deal with the external clutter of daily life At the time she started, in 2009, she was irritable, angry, empty, and felt that there must be something more than the repetitive cycle of
everyday life. Yoga paved the way for my healing and emotional growth. Nancy was awakened to the reality of animal suffering and has also adopted veganism as a way of life. She was drawn to Jivamukti and its emphasis on ahimsa (non-violence) and compassion for all beings. Jill and Nancy end their classes with a chant of om, giving thanks to their students, and the valediction Namaste the spirit in me greets the spirit in you. Yoga is beyond the current popularity it is experiencing as some sort of trendy tness program. It is an ancient discipline, one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, dating back to before the Common Era and given formal shape in the early centuries CE. For us today in modern times, it can become a way of life, one that incorporates physical wellness and philosophy into an integrated whole. *** Email: jennyo@live.com, Blog: http:// jennyo.net, Facebook: Gogirl Caf, Twitter: @jennyortuoste
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ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN FRANCIS LAGNITON ARMAN ARMERO EDITH D. ANGELES EDGAR M. VALMORIDA MARIEROSE ANG LINO SANTOS Publisher Managing Editor News Editor Senior Deskman Advertising Manager Circulation Manager Graphic Design Photo
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Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
FOREIGN
SUNDAY
DECEMBER 9, 2012
A7
Snow may have slowed Nokors rocket launch

images indicate that snow may have slowed North Koreas rocket launch preparations, but that Pyongyang could still be ready for liftoff starting Monday.
South Korean media reports this week quoted unnamed ofcials in Seoul as saying North Korea had mounted all three stages of the Unha rocket on the launch pad by Wednesday. But snow may have prevented Pyongyang from nishing its work by then, according to GeoEye satellite images from Tuesday that were scrutinized by analysts for the websites 38 North and North Korea Tech and shared Friday with The Associated Press. The analysis and images provide an unusually detailed public look at North Koreas cloaked preparations for a launch that the United Nations, Washington, Seoul and others say is a cover for a test of technology for a missile that could be used to target the United States. The launch preparations have been magnied as an issue because of their timing: Both Japan and South Korea hold elections this month, and President Barack Obama will be inaugurated for his second term in ofce in January. North Korea, for its part, says it has a right to pursue a peaceful space program and will launch a satellite into orbit sometime between Monday and Dec. 22. That launch window comes as North Korea marks the Dec. 17 death of leader Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il. North Korea is also celebrating the centennial of the birth of Kim Jong Uns grandfather, national founder Kim Il Sung. Images from Dec. 1 showed no rocket at the launch pad, but by Tuesday North Koreans were seen working under
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Republic of the Philippines Department of Public Works and Highways National Capital Region SOUTH MANILA ENGINEERING DISTRICT 8th Street, Port Area, Manila Invitation to Bid for;
12OH0216 Proposed Repair/Rehabilitation of Drainage Main along Zobel Roxas, Ermita, Manila. Manila City Repair/Rehabilitation of Drainage Main GAA 2012 (Ph. P 9,651,441.63) 60 cal. days Ph. P 10,000.00 12OH0217 Proposed Drainage System along Gil Puyat Ave., Pasay City (from City Limit to Roxas Blvd.) Pasay City Drainage System GAA 2012 (Ph. P 12,600,107.79) 187 cal. days Ph. P 25,000.00 12OH0230 Proposed Drainage Improvement along Roxas Blvd. Service Road (US EMBASSY TO Arnaiz Avenue, Pasay City Pasay City Drainage System GAA 2012 (Ph. P 9,690,200.25) 150 cal. days Ph. P 10,000.00 12OH0231 Proposed Repair/ Rehab./ Improvement along South Super Highway (south bound) (P. Quirino Ave.-Bridge no. 2), Manila City Manila City Repair/ Rehab./ Improvement Of road GAA 2012 (Ph. P 9,914,272.30) 120 cal. days Ph. P 10,000.00 12OH0232 Proposed cleaning/declogging of Buendia outfall, Pasay City Pasay City cleaning/declogging of drainage outfall GAA 2012 (Ph. P 14,125,349.88) 120 cal. days Ph. P 25,000.00 12OH0233 Proposed Repair/ Rehab. Of Drainage System Along F.B. Harrison St. (P. Ocampo Sr. St.-EDSA), Pasay City Pasay City Repair/ Rehab. Of Drainage System GAA 2012 (Ph. P 26,180,278.54) 289 cal. days Ph. P 25,000.00 12OH0235 Proposed Repair/Improvement of Multi-purpose Hall 5th Floor, South wing, Annex Building, DPWH Head Ofce, Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila City Manila City Repair/Improvement of Multi-purpose Hall GAA 2012 (Ph. P 7,280,633.73) 60 cal. days Ph. P 10,000.00
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Contract ID No. CONTRACT NAME: Contract Location: Scope of Work: Source of fund and year: Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Contract Duration: Cost of Bid Documents:
SEOUL, South KoreaNew satellite
a dark canvas, according to the analysis by 38 North, the website for the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and the North Korea Tech website, which collaborated with 38 North on the report. The analysis contradicts South Korean media reports that the rocket stages were set up by Wednesday. Since the launch pad was empty Dec. 1, and it had taken North Korea four days to erect a similar rocket before a failed launch attempt in April, it should have taken longer for North Korea to prepare the rocket, the websites said. Snowfall earlier this week also may have temporarily stopped work at the site, according to the analysis written by Nick Hansen, a retired expert in imagery technology with more than 40 years of national intelligence experience. North Korea has a long history of developing ballistic missiles, but in four attempts since 1998 it has not successfully complet-
ed the launch of a three-stage rocket. It has also conducted two nuclear tests, intensifying worry over how its rocket technology could be used in the future, particularly if it masters attaching a nuclear warhead to a missile. A senior South Korean government ofcial told foreign reporters in Seoul on Friday that North Korea has been making technical preparations for a nuclear test and could theoretically conduct one in a short period of time, but that it isnt clear when or if they will test. The ofcial spoke on condition of anonymity, citing government rules. Fridays analysis of the satellite images said North Korea can still be ready for liftoff Monday. Based on its preparations for the April launch, which broke apart shortly after the rocket was red, Pyongyang has to nish stacking its rocket stages only two to three days ahead of time meaning workers could nish by Saturday and still be ready for a launch on Monday, the analysis said. AP
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Contract ID No. CONTRACT NAME: Contract Location: Scope of Work: Source of fund and year: Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Contract Duration: Bid Documents:
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Contract ID No. CONTRACT NAME: Contract Location: Scope of Work: Source of fund and year: Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): Contract Duration: Bid Documents:
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Nurse involved in hoax call dies

LONDONThe news that Prince William and the former Kate Middleton were expecting their rst childjoyous news for a couple looking forward to starting a familyimmediately turned bittersweet with the simultaneous announcement that the duchess was being hospitalized for acute morning sickness. Then there was an invasion of her privacy by two disc jockeys who impersonated Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles to gain information on her condition. By Friday, the sadness merely deepened, with the news that the nurse who unwittingly took the hoax call had died. The royal couple quickly issued a statement expressing their condolences over the death of Jacintha Saldanha, the 46-year-old mother of two duped by the Australian DJs, who had suddenly found herself at the vortex of a global incident. They stressed they had not complained about the hoax call, and indeed offered praise for the staff. The hospital, too, stressed that Saldanha had not been reprimanded. And yet the week can only be described as tragic, with the happiness so tarnished by the latest developments. Saldanha was found dead early Friday at apartments afliated with King Edward VII hospital in central London, where she worked for four years. Police didnt release a cause of death, but said they didnt nd anything suspicious. A coroner will make a determination on the cause. AP
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The South Manila Engineering District, through the [above indicated source of funding and year] intends to apply the sum of [Phil P 136,739,461.72], being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for [the above indicated name/no. of contract]. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. The South Manila Engineering District, now invites bids for [various construction projects indicated above].Completion of the Works is required [289 calendar days]. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, Instructions to Bidders. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non- discretionary pass/fail criterion in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy ve percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines. LOI and/or Application for Eligibility and latest Class A Documents (Contained in the Contractors Registration Certicate)(CRC), 1.1 Legal Documents: a) Department of Trade and Industry Business Name Registration (DTI) or SEC Registration Certicate or CDA; b) Valid and Current Mayors Permit/Municipal License; C) Tax Clearance; 1.2) Technical Documents; a) Valid Joint Venture Agreement, in case of (J.V.) and Eligibility Docs for each member; b) Valid PCAB License and Registration c) Certicate of Materials Engineer Accreditation and Identication duly certied by the Authorized Managing Ofcer (AMO) d) Latest copy of Authorizing Managing Ofcer e) Certicate of Safety Ofcer Seminar from DOLE f) Phil-GEPS Order Form (Document Request List) g) CPEs rating for the 1st Quarter; 1.3) Financial Documents; are to be accepted by the BAC together with the Bids and other relevant documents on or before the deadline for submission of Bids.
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Gigi Tanner, center, wife of Pearl Harbor survivor Robert Tanner, lays a wreath during the Pearl Harbor 71st Anniversary Memorial Service Friday, Dec. 7, 2012 at Laurel Land Memorial Park in Dallas. AP
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii More than 2,000 people at Pearl Harbor and many more around the country on Friday marked the 71st anniversary of the Japanese attack that killed thousands of people and launched the United States into World War II. The USS Michael Murphy, a recently christened ship named after a Pearl Harbor-based Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan, sounded its ships whistle to start a moment of silence at 7:55 a.m., the exact time the bombing began in 1941. Crew members lined the edge of the Navy guided-missile destroyer in the harbor where the USS Arizona and USS Utah, battleships that sank in the attack, still lie. Hawaii Air National Guard F-22 ghter jets ew overhead in a special missing man formation to break the silence. Let us remember that this is where it all began. Let us remember that the arc of history was
Pearl Harbor dead remembered

bent at this place 71 years ago today and a generation of young men and women reached deep and rose up to lead our nation to victory, Rhea Suh, Interior Department assistant secretary, told the crowd. Let us remember and be forever grateful for all of their sacrices. About 30 survivors, many using walkers and canes, attended the commemoration. Edwin Schuler, of San Jose, Calif., said he remembered going up to the bridge of his ship, the USS Phoenix, to read a book on a bright, sunny Sunday morning in 1941 when he saw planes dropping bombs. I thought: Whoa, theyre using big practice bombs. I didnt know, said Schuler, 91. Schuler said hes returned for the annual ceremony about 30 times because its important to spread the message of remembering Pearl Harbor. Ewalt Shatz, 89, said returning
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to Pearl Harbor keeps the spirit going, the remembering of what can happen. Shatz, who lives in Riverside, Calif., was on board the USS Patterson that morning when the alarm sounded. His more experienced shipmates were down below putting a boiler back together so Shatz found himself manning a 50-caliber machine gun for the rst time. The Navy credited him with shooting a Japanese plane. That was some good shooting, said U.S. Pacic Fleet commander Adm. Cecil Haney who recounted Shatz experience in the keynote address. Thank you for your courage and tenacity our nation is truly grateful. Online, Pearl Harbor became a popular topic on Facebook and other social networks, trending worldwide on Twitter and Google Plus as people marked the anniversary with status updates, personal stories of family and photos. AP
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Interested Bidders may obtain further information from South Manila Engineering District, and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from [8:00-12:00 A.M. and 1:00-5:00 P.M.]. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of [indicated above]. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids.
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6) The South Manila Engineering District, will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on [December 14, 2012- 10:00 A.M.] at [SMED-BAC OFFICE, PORT AREA, MANILA], which shall be open to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents. 7) Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before [December 27, 201209:00 A.M.] at [SMED-BAC OFFICE, PORT AREA, MANILA]. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted. 8) The signicant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: Issuance of Bidding Documents - - - - - - - - - Pre-Bid Conference - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Deadline of LOI Receipt from Prospective BiddersDeadline of Bid Receipt - - - - - - - - - - - - - Opening of Bids - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9) 10:00 A.M. Dec. 07-27, 2012 Dec. 14, 2012
Viral rapper PSY apologizes for anti-US protests

SOUTH Korean rapper and Internet sensation PSY is apologizing to Americans for participating in antiUS protests several years ago. Park Jae-sang, who performs as PSY, issued a statement Friday after reports surfaced that he had participated in concerts protesting the US military presence in South Korea during the early stages of the Iraq war. At a 2004 concert, the Gangnam Style rapper performs a song with lyrics about killing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives and their families slowly and painfully. During a 2002 concert, he smashed a model of a US tank on stage. While Im grateful for the freeCYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
PSY
dom to express ones self, Ive learned there are limits to what language is appropriate and Im deeply sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted, he wrote in the statement. I will forever be sorry for any pain I have caused by those words. The 34-year-old rapper says the protests were part of a deeply emotional reaction to the war and the death of two Korean school girls, who were killed when a US military vehicle hit them as they walked alongside the road. He noted anti-war sentiment was high around the world at the time. PSY attended college in the US and says he understands the sacrices US military members have made to protect South Korea and other na-
tions. He has recently performed in front of servicemen and women. And I hope they and all Americans can accept my apology, he wrote. While its important that we express our opinions, I deeply regret the inammatory and inappropriate language I used to do so. In my music, I try to give people a release, a reason to smile. I have learned that thru music, our universal language we can all come together as a culture of humanity and I hope that you will accept my apology. His participation in the protests was no secret in South Korea, where the US has had a large military presence since the Korean War, but was not generally known in America until recent news reports. AP
12:00 Noon Dec. 21, 2012 09:00 A.M. Dec. 27, 2012 01:00 P.M. Dec. 27-28, 2012
The South Manila Engineering District, reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected or bidders. For Further information, please refer to: Engr. RUPERTO H. PINGOL Head, BAC Secretariat/Procurement Staff South Manila Engineering District, NCR, DPWH 1018 -8TH Street corner Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila Tel. no. 023044020 rupertopingol@yahoo.com Fax no. 025279727 (SGD.) GUILLERMO D. SALASAC Ofcer in Charge Ofce of the Assistant District Engineer BAC Chairperson NOTED: (SGD.) MIKUNUG D. MACUD District Engineer
(MST-DEC. 9, 2012)
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SPECIAL FEATURE
NATIONAL ENERGY CONSCIOUSNESS MONTH

IN celebration of its 40th anniversary, the Energy Department (DOE) launched the 2012 National Energy Consciousness Month (NECM) program last December 3. Under the banner theme, "Achieving Energy Sustainability", the DOE conducts forums and activities that will promote the energy policies of the government for the whole month of December.
During the ceremonies, the Mactan Electric Cooperative, Electric Cooperative of Romblon, Angeles Electric Cooperative and Batuan Electric Light System were given recognition for achieving 100 percent household electrical connections. DOE chief Carlos Jericho Petilla led the ceremonial switch on of the solarpowered LED lighting in off-grid areas as part of the Philippine Energy Efciency Project (PEEP). Other activities highlighting the month-long event are the Rural Electrication programs, Don Emilio Abello Energy Efciency Awards and the Manila Energy Investment Forum. The DOE eld ofces in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao will also conduct information campaigns on energy efciency and conservation for the public and private sectors. The PEEP aims to reduce cost in energy production through energy efcient appliance utilization, adoption of energy saving measures in buildings, improvement of equipment testing facilities. The Philippine Energy Efciency Project is funded by the Asian Development Bank, which granted a loan of $31.1M to the Philippines with the government providing US$13.9M counterpart nancing. The Don Emilio Abello Energy Efciency Awards are given to outstanding companies and energy managers who have undertaken or are responsible in implementing energy efciency and conservation programs to achieve substantial savings in their energy consumption. After launching the Bright Now! Do Right. Be Bright Campaign last year, the DOE gears up to promote aggressive energy security policies and measures to address the present and future energy needs of the country. The NECM is a month-long celebration to increase public awareness on energy-related campaigns, programs and policies of the government in accordance with Proclamation No. 1427 which declares December of every year as the National Energy Consciousness Month.
ENERGY DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES
Power in off-grid areas. Energy Sec. Petilla (second from left) led the ceremonial switch-on of Solar-Powered LED Lighting System for 223 households in off-grid areas during the opening ceremonies with TEAM Energy Foundation, Inc. executive director, Roderick F. de Castro. Pettila assumed the Energy Department. chief post last November 12. Before his appointment, Petilla was the Governor of Leyte for three consecutive terms since 2004.
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ARTS & LIFE
B1
The imposing Koutoubia mosque
Morocco
The view of the Toubkal mountain from the Kasbah du Toubkal in the High Atlas
THE SMART
TOURISTS GUIDE TO
words and images by Dheza Marie Aguilar
MOROCCO is an exciting choice for rst timers in Africa because of its being quite liberal and stable compared to its neighbours. The country is a wonder to all sensesits colors are vividly haunting, the smell of the spices and the unique taste of its tagines and couscous are unforgettable, the chaos of the Jemaa el-Fna will remind you of our very own Quiapo and the sensation of spending a relaxing afternoon in their hamams and baths will make you want to come back. For Filipinos, it is very easy to visit the country because of the 90-day visa-free policy, the result of an agreement between our government and Morocco.
Morocco can be overwhelming because of huge cultural and the language barrier. Your rst encounters will probably be with male cab drivers, vendors and (touts) hustlers, all of whom are notorious with their persuasiveness. The working population is composed mainly of males which can be intimidating for women travellers. But in general Morocco is a safe country for travelers. Tourism is one of the countrys highest income-generating industries and the government is very keen on ensuring that tourists are wellprotected. There is even a police hotline especially for tourists. Like in many countries, the farther you go from the big cities, the friendlier the people become. An invitation to drink mint tea is a sign of fondness and must not be declined but you must also be careful especially when they are selling you something. Because Morocco is a very secular Muslim country, tourists are advised to follow strict conventions when it comes to clothing and amorous behavior in public. Although stuff and services in Morocco are relatively cheap (1MAD = 4.9PHP), the country can be very expensive when you fall prey to certain tourist pitfalls like paying too much for your cab or your pasalubong and not knowing your way around. Its ne to lose a couple of hundred pesos and charge it to experience but when you are being ripped off left, right and center, then you are probably doing something wrong. Here are some tips on how to avoid spending unnecessarily in Morocco and keep your wallet happy until your next visit. The easiest way to go around Marrakech is by cab because of the short distances and relatively cheap rate. Normally, Filipinos are used to cunning cab drivers who manipulate their meters to rob you off your money so encounters with Moroccan taxi drivers can be less shocking. But when you are dealing with rude cab drivers in a foreign country, the experience can still be unnerving and costly. Agree on the fare before you step inside the cab and stick with it. Airport cab drivers are of the shrewdest kind and in Morocco, they can easily double the fare once you are inside their cars. They can be very aggressive and if you are not used to dealing with rugged-looking males in an unfamiliar place who
A camel and his owner smile for the camera
Tourists brave the slippery rocks going up the cascades in the Ourika Valley
A carpet alley in the souks of Essaouira
When taking the cab
talks loud and fast, it is easy to get intimidated and give in to their demands. But stand your ground and repeat the price agreement for your destination once you are seated so they cannot demand more when you have arrived. Always carry small change or bills. One tactic used by a lot of taxi drivers is lie about not having small change when you pay with big bills. At the money exchange counter in the airport, you can ask them to give you coins and small bills which you can pay for cabs. Know when you are going and if possible the route you want to take. List down the place where you need to go as well as landmarks near or around it so that it will be easier for you to explain it to your cab driver. Although there is a xed meter rate in Morocco, like in the Philippines, some drivers will negotiate a higher price especially when your destination is not their usual route or when you get lost. Do not be intimidated, stand your ground. Filipinos travelers can be easily pushed around be-
cause of our placid nature. When traveling to Morocco, this trait can cost you a lot of money. So in an argument, whether with a cab driver or the annoying eatery touts, learn how to say no and always stand your ground. They will tug at your dress or bags, pull your hands and will even curse you with bad luck if you do not buy their products. Such are some of the methods of harassment that you can experience in a Moroccan souk, especially in Marrakech. But despite these, you should not miss the chance to visit the Moroccan souks and put your bargaining skills to the test. Haggling is a sport in the souks and only those who can play it right can get the best price. If you have time, try to go to the souks in the smaller cities like Essaouira because they are less busy and the vendors are usually not as aggressive. Still nothing in a souk goes for a song. Haggle up to the very end. If
When shopping at the souks
you are a regular of shopping places like Divisoria, 168 Malls and Greenhills, then visiting the souks might just be a little easier for you. But remember that you are dealing usually with male vendors who have made haggling their 24/7 jobs so do not be easily persuaded. Negotiate for the lowest price. Haggling is considered a part of the shopping experience in the Moroccan souks and sometimes they even nd it offensive if you dont barter. Do not pay the rst offer. The rst rule of haggling is not to buy with the price that is rst offered no matter how bad you wanted the item. Its a challenging exercise but after a few days of visiting the souks, you will get better at it. Negotiate 80 percent off the offered price. Haggle not from highest to the lowest but the other way around and be very rm with how much you want to pay. You will be surprised how effective this strategy is in getting cheap bargains. Take your time, visit the whole soukFinding out that your beautiful pashmina scarf is 30 percent cheaper in the next stall will be heartbreaking. So take your time, enjoy the colors of the souks, sniff the spices and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the market. Remember that you are here for the experience and you might actually not need most of the items you are thinking of buying. Mind your baggage allowance. That carpet and those hand-made lamps will probably make your living room an interior design masterpiece and those colorful tea cups will look very good on your dining table but do not forget that you are crossing a continent with a luggage that will be tossed and shaken before they reach your house. So be mindful of heavy, bulky and breakable items because you certainly dont want to cry over them when they break or you have to pay an arm and a leg to transport them. Not to mention the possible taxes that you have to pay at home. The easiest and safest way to go visit the tourist places outside Marrakesh is to arrange it through a travel agent. There are many Marrakech, from big agencies that has fancy Web site and expensive tours to the small operators with aggresive touts in Jemaa el-Fna.
Oranges and bottled drinks being cooled by the water streaming down the mountains
Colorful pottery sold in Ourika Valley Hundreds of differenct spices can be bought at the souks in Marrakech
On going around
A day trip will consist of one main destination, a brief stop at a viewing deck along the way, a visit to a traditional Berber house and stop-over and shopping at a womens cooperative where you can buy Argan oil, rose water and other aromatics which are really fragrant albeit overpriced. Day trips are reasonably price and there is not really a signicant difference between the prices of different operators. Hotels can usually arrange a day trip or longer excursions for you for only a bit higher than the usual price but it already covers the lunch for the driver and gas. Avoid the snake charmers especially in Jemaa El Fna. Even an eye contact with them is not recommended. They may be a wonder to watch and certainly an adventure to even get near those snakes but when you have a cobra coiled in your neck and the snake charmers asked you for a tip of P350, you would not even think of saying no. That was my husbands experience when he dared to have a close encounter with the snakes of Jemaa El Fna. Also do not kiss those snakes for the sake of your Facebook prole because they carry a lot of germs and getting sick will just ruin your whole vacation. The camel ride is not worth your money. Like rst timers who was thrilled at the sight of a camel, I immediately wanted to jump on top of it and ride it like a horse. His owner was only too happy to let me ride it. He said I can ride it for P250 but I ended
up paying double that price for a 500-meter tour from one end of the viewing deck to the other somewhere between Essaouira and Marrakech. I did not want to be rude to the very friendly owner even though his camel almost gave me a heart attacked so I parted with my hard-earned money without a discussion. Do not let that happen to you. If you really want to experience a camel ride, do that when camping in the desert. The trip will be longer than my 500-meter experience and will be an exercise to your buttocks. It can be very sore afterwards. Do not go to Ourika Valley. If you have been to our world class cascades like the Pagsanjan Falls or the Maria Cristina Falls a visit to Ourika Valley would be a complete waste of time and money. In addition to travelling for at least three hours and climbing the dangerously steep, rocks up to the waterfalls, the number of tourists swarming the place will only irritate you. Your day will be better spent in Ouarzazate, popularly known as the Gate of the Sahara and where Hollywood lms like Lawrence of Arabia, Mummy and Gladiator were shot. Be wary about taking photos of people. There is an old belief in the Islam religion that taking someone photos can somehow can steal their soul so not everyone in Morocco is willing to have their portraits taken. An old lady might allow you to take her photo for a few pesos but that can only be one shot.
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ARTS & LIFE ARTS & LIFE
B2
SUNDAY DECEMBER 9 , 2012 2012
Anthony is the one on the left. David is the one wearing a jacket.
Marie France gives back

MARIE France employees and volunteers recently went on a medical mission for residents of Purok 1,2,3,4, and 5 at the Purok 3, Barangay Pineda, Pasig covered court. The initiative was led by the companys management and a team of 15 in-house doctors who supervised volunteers in the different medical stations. Over 500 residents were able to receive free medical consultations, comprehensive check-ups, medicines and vitamins. Pasig City Mayor Bobby Eusebio was also preset at the event to show his support for the project which was supported by Servier Phils. Inc, Ideal Vision, Zydus Pharmaceuticals, Westmont Pharmaceuticals Inc, Glaxo Smithkline, Cathay Drugs Philippines, Waltermart Supermarket Inc. and Siena College.
Pasig Mayor Bo bby Eusebio
Times TWO
DAVID and Anthony Semerad were born ve minutes apart. Growing up in Australia, the Fil-Czech twins constantly confused classmates, teachers and even girls into thinking one was the other.
Oh, denitely, says David, the older, taller, and more outgoing of the two, when asked about the fun side of being a twin. We did everything together. And you always have a friend with you, someone who has your back and is always there to help you. So when they came across a pamphlet recruiting kids to learn how to play basketball, the Semerads, then in third grade, not only signed up together with their older sister, they discovered a mutual passion for the sport. We both loved it, says David. Its hard to explain, but the feeling you get when youre on the court is super fun. Since then, its been nothing but basketball for the boys, who played in teams for Australia and Czechoslovakia before ying to the Philippines three years ago to represent San Beda College. Good luck prying the two apart: though coaches and disgruntled parents have insisted on having the twins play for opposing teams, the smart thing to do would be to keep them together. Anthony, the more agile of the two, is a three-point shooter while David, the selfdescribed banger, is a power forward who gets all the rebounds. Moving intuitively on the hard court, the two are double trouble. Recalling the times when they would control games with their unique brand of teamwork, the Semerads admit that we would let the other teams earn points, then when it looked like a tight game, wed catch up, says David. People have always tried to split us up. But we play better together, declares Anthony. When we play separately, the energy isnt there. Put us together, and you get results. We dominate, we become unstoppable. Now 21, the twins carry on, well, like typical twin brothers, sharing everything from a Philippine sun tattoo on their left biceps to money from projects outside of basketball. Theres competition, but if one gets a break, the other will be happy for him, reports David. If one gets a job, he splits his earnings evenly with the other. And while they dont necessarily dress alike, they do have two cool gadgets in common, which also make a great pairing: the Sony Xperia J and the Sony SmartWatch. The Sony Xperia J has a large and bright 4-inch display, as well as Sonys trademark Walkman application and 5MP auto focus camera. Its super slim, marvels the 6-foot-four-inch David. It fits in the palm of your handand we have very big hands. Recommended for social media-savvy types like the Semerads (who like to tweet each other even when theyre just a room away!), the Sony Xperia J nds a perfect pairing in the Sony SmartWatch, an Android accessory that allows the boys to do almost everythingfrom checking social media updates and e-mails to selecting music and even taking pictures through their phonewith a discreet glance or tap of the watchs screen. With changeable straps and a minimalist, modern design, the Sony SmartWatch is as fashionable as it is functional. We wear the watch in class, to a meeting, and in the gym, and theres no need to reach for our phones to get instant Facebook and Twitter updates, says Anthony. Years after they can look back fondly on their basketball careers, these hard court heartthrobs, who are majoring in business marketing communications, plan to venture into business together, perhaps a restaurant like the one their parents are thinking of setting up when they eventually join their boys in Manila two years from now. This is denitely a partnership for life. Our dream, confesses David with a grin, is to build a huge mansion with separate rooms but a common kitchen, gym, and other areas.
Gadget crazy
Ball boys
A boy gets an
ion eye examinat
Marie Frances management and their own doctors
Over 2,000 run for a good cause

MORE than 2,000 joined the recently concluded Tetra Pak Recycle. Feed. Run event at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig to stay t and help make a change. The event, organized by Tetra Pak Philippines Inc. in cooperation with Hypersports Philippines was a rst of its kind for Tetra Pak, the innovative company which has been providing packaging and processing solutions to leading Food and Beverage companies that manufacture ready-to-drink milk, juice and beverages. Participants included tness and running enthusiasts. The race had four categories: 3K, 5K, 10K and 21K, with 21K having the most number of participants. In line with the theme of RecycleFeed-Run, participants brought at least two empty and clean Tetra Pak cartons for recycling when they registered. The Tetra Pak cartons received will be recycled into useful paper products like paper bags, envelopes, etc. Aside from contributing to recycling, participants were able to help feed-a-child with milk too since all the Tetra Pak cartons received from the participants during the registration were matched by Tetra Pak and its dairy customer partners with a donation of ready-to-drink milk in Tetra Pak cartons to a chosen foundation under the Tetra Pak Feed-a-Child program. Through the event we were able to get people to join the run to stay t, help protect the environment through the recycling of Tetra Pak cartons and to give back to the community through the milk donation that will benet underprivileged children in the chosen foundation. These were all made possible by our joint efforts with the participants and our dairy customer partners, said Gaine Clarke, managing director of Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines. The Tetra Pak dairy customer partners who have contributed to the joint milk
Milk donation
donation to the chosen foundation for the Tetra Pak RFR (Recycle. Feed. Run) event include Alaska Milk Corp., Del Foods Inc., Magnolia Inc, Nestle Philippines Inc. and RFM Corp. During the event, runners were acknowledged for their contribution to the recycling and feeding aspects of the event. One of highlights of the event was the ceremonial donation turnover for the milk donation to the chosen foundation which was witnessed by the runners and was led by Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore and Clarke, who also presented a Certicate of Donation with P250,000 worth of milk in Tetra Pak cartons to the Mother Teresa, Missionaries of Charity ofcial representatives, Abigail Amoncio and Tinnette Nisce. Also present were Jojo Guintu, Tetra Pak Commercial director and general manager and Tess Raymundo, Tetra Pak Communications and Environment manager. The donation will benet the underprivileged children Gaine Clarke (right) presents the Certicate of Donation under the care of the foundation.
Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY
SPORTS
B3
Antipolo City races to save famous falls

Even with polluted water when seen from a distance Hinulugang Taktak remains a breathtaking sight. Antipolo will have to overcome ve decades of neglect if they hope to rehabilitate the famous falls.
By Reuel Vidal
HOPING not only to promote tness
and health among Antipolo residents, but more importantly to draw attention to the present blighted state of the famous falls Hinulugang Taktak, Clinica Antipolo teamed up with the city government to hold Taktakbo sa Antipolo recently.
rity marshalls, and ambulances staffed by trained medical personnel in case of any emergency. There are two reasons for holding Taktakbo sa Antipolo. One is for tness and health. Running is great exercise and helps everyone become stronger and tter. The second is to support the call to rehabilitate Hinulugang Taktak. This is why the run was held here. It showcases the present state of this famous historical landmark, said Leyble. Almost 1,000 people, not only from Antipolo but also from different towns and city nearby,
Close to a thousand people from all walks of lifefrom veteran runners and tness buffs, to teenagers as well as school children, and even older participants who walked more than they ran answered the starting gun early morning, 5:30 a.m. last weekend. The fun run started in front of Clinica Antipolo and traversed three kilometers along Ninoy Aquino Avenue, Barangay Dela Paz. The hospital was helped by the city government of Mayor Nilo Leyble who informed the public of the event, provided the trafc enforcers and secu-
joined the run. The run was led by Mayor Leyble, Dr. Dominador Pedracio, president of Clinica Antipolo, Councilors Pablo Oldan and Edward OHara as well as civic leaders, businessmen and pillars of the Antipolo community. Robin Sagun won the race. The other winners include Joshua Ricaanca, Julius Yim, Richard Alcantara, and Mark Allen Cunanan. Fara Carolina Pedracio, Administrator of Clinica Antipolo, who organized the race expressed her appreciation for those who supported the successful race. All the members of the staff and management of Clinica Antipolo Hospital and Wellness Center thank everyone who joined or supported the fun run. This project is rooted in our desire to preserve the beauty of nature and return Hinulugang Taktak to its former pristine and unspoiled beauty. This will be our lasting legacy to the next generation, said Pedracio.
It was supposed to be a fun run. So, Antipolo residents with friends, members of their family and even children just had fun while trying to stay healthy and promote a worthy cause. In this case the cause was to create public awareness about the plight of Hinulugang Taktak and start the massive effort necessary to rehabilitate the famous falls.
The hospital teamed up with the ofces of city hallincluding the City Youth and Sports Development, Public Information Ofce, Public Order and Safety Department, General Services Ofce and Philippine National Policeto ensure the success of the event. The unspoiled beauty of Hinulugang Taktak and its tributary streams attracted numerous tourists to Antipolo. The falls itself was a thing of breathtaking beauty and the water was so clean that people could bathe in it with sh swimming right alongside. Hinulugang Taktak is one of the two biggest tourist attractions in Antipolo, Rizal (the other being the Antipolo Cathedral). It is a virtual national treasure with tourists coming from all over the country to experience its beauty. Its present plight is the classic story of the natural beauty of a tourist attraction falling prey to rapid urbanization. The idyllic image of Hinulugang Taktak now exists only in distant memory. Squatter shanties line the banks of creeks leading to the falls. It is estimated that 500 families have built shanties on the stretch of the creek leading directly to the waterfalls. Raw sewage and excrement from the homes of these illegal settlers, the sewage from the drainage system of the city itself and all sorts of trash and garbage ow into the falls from its tributaries. Hinulugang Taktak is still surrounded by mammoth trees and lush vegetation. But the water is a stinking sludge of sewage with trash and garbage including disposable diapers, plastic bottles,
Antipolo City Mayor Nilo Leyble, center, himself a sports buff, led the community in the fun run whose objective was to create public awareness about the condition of Hinulugang Taktak and start the process of rehabilitation. Beside him is Councilor Edward OHara, right, and businessman Art Sanchez.
discarded ipops, toys, bags and even the remains of dead animals, oating on its murky surface. Often the basin at the bottom of the falls looks like the interior of a washing machine with thick foam of soap suds but muddied dark brown foaming on its surface. The local government continues its efforts at cleanup with city workers regularly scooping garbage not just from the water basin but also from the tributaries leading to the falls. But it is clear that everything that government does will be ultimately futile without the active participation of the public.
The waterfalls is in such a blighted state not just because of government inaction but because of ve decades of neglect and apathy of the entire city of Antipolo. The rst step to the only permanent solution to rehabilitating Hinulugang Taktak therefore involves educating the public to stop using the creeks and waterways leading to Hinulugang Taktak as a toilet and trash receptacle for garbage. The falls can ultimately be rehabilitated and saved. But it will take the collective effort and involvement of everyone in Antipolo to make that a reality.
Pacquiao lets others do the talking for him

By Eddie G. Alinea
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (via PCSO)Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, who ghts Juan Manuel Marquez here today, by nature is not a talker. He doesnt need to be. More often, its chief trainer Freddie Roach who answers harsh words thrown in his pupils direction. In Wednesdays press conference for the fourth chapter of Pacquiaos rivalry with Juan Manuel Marquez, it was his counsel Ging Gacal who responded to Marquezs pronouncement that his December 8 encounter with Pacquiao is gonna be war. Media men in attendance in the press conference held at the Hollywood Theater of the MGM Grand didnt know whether it was planned or scripted as it was the rst time since Pacquiaos rise to prominence in the land of milk and honey that Gacal took the podium in his behalf. After 36 rounds and 108 minutes of ghting, were going another 12 rounds to decide which between Pacquiao and Marquez is the better ghter, Gacal told his audience. Gacal is Pacquiaos political adviser and is himself running for councilor in his native General Santos City. Thirty six rounds for these guys seems not enough. But I wont contradict myself. This rivalry will never reach 48 rounds, he said intimating the eight-division world champion is not allowing this fourth meeting to last another 12 rounds. Mannys eyes are focused on beating Marquez as what he did in their previous three ghts. Manny Pacquiao is running for reelection (as Sarangani Province Congressman) unopposed in the 2013 elections, so his eyes are xed only on one opponent, Juan Manjel Marquez, Gacal said. When his turn at the podium came, the normally cool Pacquiao, in a white suit over a gray polo short and with his trademark grin, could only say softly, even sounding apologetic: This ght, my fourth ght with Marquez, is going to be a good ght. I was told he worked hard for this ght and that he trained hard to prove something. Im ready for that. A pre-ght conference normally is marked by boasting, even threatening in high decibels and Marquez, who was in jogging suit with a pair of aming red sneakers was true to form, launching a few missiles. Im happy for this fourth ght. Its gonna be war! El Dinamita repeated at least ve times. This ght is my most important ght. This will be a good ght because he knows me and I know him. Bob Arum said what makes the confrontation the most spectacular event in many years is it offers what the 36 previous rounds couldnt, a denitive winner. I know that Juan Manuel Marquez believes he won all three ghts and wants to win this fourth by knockout. And I know that Manny Pacquiao, who experienced the ne judging in this town earlier in this year in this very same area last June is also not going to leave the outcome in the hands of the judges, said the Top Rank honcho, who will turn 81, in reference to the Pacmans points loss to Tim Bradley. Arum said that while the Pacquiao-Marquez rivalry comes in the form of a Philippine-Mexico feud, there is another rivalry in the presence of Miss Universe contestants, Filipina Janine Toyogon and Mexican Carissa Gonzales, whom he called to join Saturdays protagonists in a photo session. Roach, for his part said, he considers his rivalry with his counterpart in the Marquez camp, Ignacio Nacho Beristain a good rivalry. Counting the Pacquiao-Oscar DeLa Hoya ght where Beristain was also at the corner of the American, Roach owns a 3-0-1 win-loss-draw card over the Mexican guru. Beristain sees the coming ght promises to be a classic encounter between the two nest ghters in the world today.
Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez meet the media during Wednesdays press Conference held at the Hollywood theater of the MGM Grand for their coming fourth ght on Saturday (Sunday in Manila). WENDELL RUPERT ALINEA
Sunday
Manila StandardTODAY
Business
B4
Young entrepreneur
Raymond Noel Morales
has sweet dreams for coco sugar industry

foot of Mt. Apo in Barangay Eman, Bansalan, Davao del Sur is about 9 kilometers away from the town center. A recognized organic farm model, the site receives an average of 500 visitors each month. The farm has been producing various organic farm products since 2005 but it was only in 2010, or when the Morales family got involved in the business that it was formalized as a company called Lao Integrated Farms Inc. with Lao as president. Donnabelle brand All its products carry the brand name Donnabelle, coined after the name of the farm owners daughter. From then on, the business has been lling grocery shelves in strategic areas in the Visayas and Mindanao. The company produces different organic teas such as ginger, lemon grass, moringa and turmeric tea; native chocolate concoction; an all dip seasoning made from fermented coconut sap; organic vinegar; different native ice cream; fruit candies; coconut balls and cocovoron (polvoron with coconut sugar); and the companys premier productscoconut sugar and coconut syrup. When we came in, the farm owner and businessman Mr. Benjamin Lao already has several products that he sells in Davao like fresh goats milk, variants of candies such as guyabano and durian, pastries made out of fruits, exotic ice cream with avors like malunggay, durian and turmeric and his latest pet project at that time, was coconut sugar, Morales says. For a micro-industry, its farm and processing operations rake up as much as half a million pesos in monthly sales in the Visayas and Mindanao. Thats just the tip of the iceberg. The untapped areas in the Visayas and Mindano are still huge. And there is Luzon, an emerging market for our coconut sugar and syrup, Morales says. In 2013, the company plans to bring coco sugar and syrup to convenience stores, groceries, malls and even dutyfree shops in Luzon. It found its resolve to go for bigger and more popular venues as more and more of its competitors are able to market the products inside shopping malls. Export market eyed A parallel strategy is to look for export markets. Morales says the company has been already exporting to the US, although indirectly, through a local trader who has contacts in the worlds largest export market. Within the next three years, the company plans to directly sell coco sugar to the US, Australia, Germany and Southeast Asia. Morales says the company is banking on the health benets of coco sugar and coco syrup. The US is a potential big market, where obesity rate among children and teens is high and the incidence of diabetes in adults is on the rise. Recent studies found that coco sugar has the lowest glycemic index among sugar products. With a GI of 35, coco sugar is less sweet because it produces
By Othel V. Campos
THIRTY-THREE-year-old Raymond Noel Morales, who has multiple degrees and credentials on his resume, is on his way to fullling his dream career as a lawyer-entrepreneur.
I was the one tasked to manage the family business since I am the only one with graduate degree in business. I see myself managing the family business and pursuing a career as a lawyer. But right now, Im wearing many hats, he says in an interview. A budding businessman, a roving salesman and a certied tennis coach these are just a few things that get him preoccupied while waiting for the bar results in March. Morales earned two graduate degrees from the School of Law and the Business School at Dela Salle-FEU in Makati. Before this, he obtained a Certicate in Sports from the School of Human Kinetics in UP Diliman and a Bachelors as well as a Masters degree in Physical Education. Davao farm He has been recently appointed vice president for sales and marketing of Davao-based Lao Integrated Farms Inc. to introduce and promote the companys premier products in Manila and the rest of Luzon. The company produces organic, natural and healthy food products such as coconut sap sugar, or simply coco sugar, a traditional sweetener in granule or crystal form made from the sap of cut ower buds of the coconut. It is considered a healthier alternative to rened sugar. The Morales family, he says, got involved in coconut sugar production when Davao-based farm owner Benjamin Lao approached his father, lawyer Rafael Morales, for the much-needed nancing to develop and market coconut sugar and other value-added products. The company began as a goat raising coconut farm project back in 2009. The farm used goat manure as a source of organic fertilizer for vegetables and coconut trees. It later expanded the list of crops grown in the farm to include fruits such as mangosteen, durian and lanzones. Engaged in manufacturing, trading, selling and distributing coconut sugar and syrup and other related coconut sap-based products, the company employs men and women from nearby communities to do its processing activities. The farm serves as a model for other farmers in Mindanao, as far as valueadded products and farm diversication are concerned. The farm, located at the
less glucose than any other types of sugar. The sugar and syrup are produced from the sap of cut ower buds. Apart from low GI, both coco sugar and syrup contain Vitamin B complex, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, zinc and amino acids. About 16 out of 20 known amino acids are found in coco sap sweetener. Coco sugar and syrup can also aid in cancer prevention and has a calming effect that can be used to partly treat depression and panic attacks. Moreover, the products can also remove fats from the liver when used regularly and helps in hair regrowth. Model farm Morales proudly says that company president Benjamin Lao is a recipient of various awards that include the GawadSaka Organic Agriculture Farmer 2011, Gawad-Saka Coconut Farmer of the Philippines 2008, PBSP-BID Challenge Philippines Awardee 2012, MicroEntrepreneur 2009, National Winner on Productivity Olympics 2009, 2009 Outstanding OTOP MSME Awardee and recipient of BPI Family Savings Bank Business Excellence Award. The company received accreditations and recognitions from different institutions, including Halal certication from the Ofce of Muslim Affairs; EcoCert; USDA Organic; Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point certicate; One Town One Product Philippines.; Organic Farmers and Processors Association of the Philippines; Davao Quality certicate; and certicates of compliance from the Department of Science and Technology and Department of Agrarian Reform. Its products are certied carbon neutral by Verus Carbon Neutral. Verus Carbon Neutral is a group that specializes in the measurement and reduction of energy use and environmental impact. It helps companies create ways to control their life-cycle energy use and resulting greenhouse gas generated from product manufacturing and services.
Counting consumers as a lucrative profession

GARY de Ocampos job is to study the Filipino consumers and tell companies where these consumers live, how they behave and what they want. His job is classied under market research, a young but rapidly developing industry in the Philippines. De Ocampo, a 20-year veteran of market research, reveals that his company, TNS Philippines, booked P1 billion in revenues in its latest scal year, marking the rst time a market research company based in the country hit that income level. This speaks a lot about the growing size of the local market, he says. De Ocampo worked for the Finance Departments corporate affairs ofce before discovering the eld of market research. As TNS Philippines managing director, he is exposed to various discussions in the elds of personal care, food, beverage, telecommunication, banking, insurance, healthcare, utilities, broadcasting, automotive and even political and social issues. He says TNS is currently the top customized research provider in the Philippines, offering full service operations covering all aspects of marketing research and consulting, as well as in-house eld and data processing. TNS is a part of Kantar, one of the worlds largest insight, information and consultancy groups. De Ocampo, in a recent media brieng in Makati City, shared interesting results of various studies conducted by TNS in 2012. 1 million rich Filipinos The TNS consumer spending barometer 2012, for example, found that of the 92 million Filipinos, only 1 percent or about 1 million belong to the A and B income groups while the rest of the 91 million belong to the lowerincome groups. Together, Filipino consumers account for P2.9 trillion in combined value of household and personal budget annually, he says. De Ocampo says Filipinos remain optimistic about their future spending capacity despite having little savings. About 40 percent of their 1,520 respondents believe their lives are going to improve soon despite ndings that almost eight out of 10 have no extra money set aside for the rainy days. The general sentiment of Filipinos toward their quality of life is still upbeat despite having a weak culture for saving. This is because Filipino families spread their income to buy both essential and non-essential items, he says. The study found that household budgets vary greatly per region and economic class. The average monthly budget of a typical Filipino family across all socio-economic classes was estimated at P7,282. However, the more afuent families belonging to the A, B and C income groups have monthly budgets of P12,495, or P8,000 more than the family budget of those belonging to the Class E socio-economic class with just P4,440. 440 Facebook friends Another survey, the TNS Digital Life 2012 found that Filipinos spend an average of 11 hours online, of which 3.8 hours on social media networks each week. Furthermore, Filipino digital users spend an average of four hours accessing social media networks through their mobile phones. Filipino digital consumers have an average number of 440 friends on social media networks in 2012, with the younger users having more friends. Filipino teenagers between 16 and 20 years old have an average of 613 friends compared to the other age groups. TNS also looked into the social media activities of Filipinos in relation to brands and shopping. A large proportion of digital users limited time online is spent communicating and socializing and they actively participate in passing on messages and content to their friends. Becoming part of this conversation is the key opportunity for brands digitally, according to our 2012 Digital Life study, he says. Findings from the study also discovered that half of Filipino online readers feel that a single negative review can impact consumers purchase decisions. Mobile phone is considered the most owned and most likely to be bought device in the Philippines, according to the ndings. For a brand to retain a place on an individuals personal mobile space, it must provide content that adds value, says De Ocampo. Although majority of Filipinos still own a basic phone, penetration of smartphones is high at 34 percent in 2012. This is because Filipino mobile users show a desire to use their phones for MMS, work e-mails and WiFi connectivity. Voice calling is still widely used in the Philippines, and SMS messaging continues to be very popular, the results of the study show. Quality is king Meanwhile, results of Kantar Worldpanels monitoring of FMCG or fast moving consumer goods show that 62 percent of household purchase decision-makers equate a higher price with higher quality, and 84 percent say they buy well-known and trusted brands versus cheaper alternatives. It says brand equity remains an important consideration for Filipino shoppers. In fact, the study also revealed that the products that registered with the fastest growth in 2011 were not necessarily the cheapest in their categories. The Kantar Worldpanel study also notes that sari-sari stores remain the most important outlet in the Philippines with almost everyone (99 percent) buying from this outlet. This channel also accounts for 47 percent of household
spending on FMCG. Meanwhile, Kantars TV media study found that there are 15.1 million households with television sets across the country. About 40 percent of Filipino households watch television during the weekday primetime hours of 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., according to Kantar Media. Between June and November 2012, Kantar Media found that shampoos dominate the commercial ad spots. De Ocampo says TNS and Kantar Media will continue to conduct various studies to provide companies better insights on Filipino consumers. RTD

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Vol. I No. 24 12 Pages, 2 Section

P18.00 SUNDAY, December 9, 2012

PABLO MAKES A U-TURN

Pacquiao, Marquez desperate for win

ARTS & LIFE

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Republic of the Philippines

In Pablos wake, a slew of proposals

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Sunday No numbers to defeat RH

SUNDAY DECEMBER 9, 2012

Working weekend. Canadian Ambassador Christopher Thornley and Gawad

PH ready for Nokor launching

Ballot spots to be rafed

THE rafe for the slots on the ofcial

Robbery ringleader sprung from Bilibid

Philhealth payments seen up by P10b

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MARLON C. MAGTIRA, Section Editor CHRISTIAN CARDIENTE, Asst. Editor

Windows 8 tablets, desktops

Apple to produce line of Macs in US

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DECEMBER 9, 2012 SUNDAY

80% of cyber attacks in 2012 came from legit sites

ANTI-VIRUS rm Sophos has released

Nokia introduces most affordable Windows 8 smartphone

Kaspersky Lab calls on students papers

Tablet forecast for 2012 raised as iOS picks up steam

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SUNDAY DECEMBER 9, 2012

Invoking Gods wrath

Muscles and peace through yoga

ROGELIO C. SALAZAR President & CEO

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

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Snow may have slowed Nokors rocket launch

SEOUL, South KoreaNew satellite

Nurse involved in hoax call dies

Pearl Harbor dead remembered

Viral rapper PSY apologizes for anti-US protests

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SUNDAY DECEMBER 9, 2012

NATIONAL ENERGY CONSCIOUSNESS MONTH

ENERGY DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES

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ARTS & LIFE

SUNDAY DECEMBER 9, 2012

The imposing Koutoubia mosque

words and images by Dheza Marie Aguilar