CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sunday
Vol. I No. 1 14 Pages, 2 Sections P18.00 SUNDAY, July 1, 2012

MST

The Sunday Edition of ManilaStandardTODAY

EDITORIAL
NEARLY eight years ago, the Manila Standard stopped churning out its Sunday issue for a host of reasons. Today we resume it. With MST Sunday, we can now claim to being a daily broadsheetno re-

The Standard answer

spite, no excuses. The decision may be baffling to some, in this day and age when print journalism is trying to reinvent itself to stay relevant amid the technological developments. For example, last month the Australian media group Fairfax announced that it would cut 1,900 jobs as it attempts to adapt itself to the future landscape of journalism, the Huffington Post reported. Around 20 percent of the jobs cut will be editorial roles, and two of the groups printing plants will also be closed. No such thing for the Standard at least for now. Turn to page 4

ERAP GIVES PNOY PASSING MARK

Playful. With a colorful and imposing skyline as backdrop, children romp and frolic in the fountain area
of Bonifacio High Street in the Global City. SONNY ESPIRITU

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

ORMER President Joseph Estrada gave President Benigno Aquino III a passing grade of seven to eight in his second year as Chief Executive.
Twenty senators, including Estradas son, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, voted to convict Corona for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. The impeachment court ruled that the chief magistrate was guilty of Article II of the impeachment complaint where he failed to disclose his statement of assets and liabilities and net worth (SALN). Estrada also lauded the strate-

Estrada said from a scale of one to ten, where ten is the highest, President Aquino earned a grade of seven to eight, due to his (Aquino) rm stand against corruption. So far so good. Passing grade, Estrada told the Manila Standard Today in an interview. Estrada said that he was pleased with Aquinos resolve to remove from ofce former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.

gy of the Aquino administration in collating evidences against former President and Pampanga Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who is currently detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center. Arroyo is facing an electoral sabotage case for orchestrating alleged massive cheating during the 2007 midterm elections in Maguindanao. Apart from Arroyo, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) also led a case against former Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos, former Maguindanao governor Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr., former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol, and former Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
Next page

Mutual admiration club: Estrada, Aquino

Coast Guard may pull out of shoal

GIVEN the weather condition in the West Philippine Sea, the government may order the Coast Guard and Fisheries agency to pull out of the disputed Scarborough Shoal, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said on Sunday. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said that the tropical cyclone Dindo moved away from the Philippines early Friday. It was forecast to exit from the West Philippine Sea by 6 to 8 a.m. Pag-asa also said that a potential cyclone might enter the Philippine territory on Monday. Next page

Church bucks megadeal

IN a high-stakes game, you can count on the high rollers to join the fray. The likes of Australian billionaire James Packer and Lawrence Ho, son of gaming mogul Stanley Ho, are being bruited about as gung-ho on investing in Manila, according to the Australian Financial Review. Estimates of the Packer-Ho megabuck venture could reach $1 billion, with the project site being eyed in the Manila reclamation area along Roxas boulevard. But before they could even roll the ceremonial dice, the Catholic church is getting in the way. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines says it will oppose any plan to build adNext page ditional casinos.

STANLEY HO

JAMES PACKER

Rare glimpse into Queen Soas private life

the Web site of Manila Standard Today gets a new and improved look starting today. While maximizing the exposure of Manila Standard Todays jam-packed content, the new upbeat layout is all geared up and straightforward. Readers will nd the refreshed ManilaStandardToday.com easier to use and easier to enjoy.

ManilaStandardToday.com gets a facelift. In a bid to boost its online presence,

QUEEN Soas visit to the Philippines should bring back fond memories. After all, the Spanish queen and King Juan Carlos spent their honeymoon in the country after they were married in May 1962. This little-known fact was shared by no less than Spains Ambassador Jorge

Domecq, during a round-table media brieng held at the Spanish Ambassadors ofcial home at Forbes Park, giving journalists a rare peek into the queens private life. Domecq, however, did not say in what part of the country the royal couple stayed.

The royal couple returned in 1995 for a state visit. Three years later, in February 1998, the queen ew to Manila to take part in celebrations marking the countrys independence from Spains colonial rule. The queen made two more visits in 2000 Next page and 2003.

Missed your copy of Manila Standard Today? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@mstandardtoday.com CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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NEWS

Erap...
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A2

SUNDAY

JULY 1, 2012

Netizens unite. The roads lead to the Ayala Triangle in Makatis nancial district where bloggers, the Twitterati and the rest of Internet users gather for a day of bonding and interaction in an event dubbed as Social Media Day. SONNY ESPIRITU

Church...
CBCPs Archbishop Jose Palma scoffs at the operation of casinos and other forms of gaming for the reason that the game of chance breeds social ills. The president of the bishops group says there are gains to be had in gaming, such as additional revenues to finance the delivery of public services including medicare, but the social costs far outweigh the benefits. Setting the Church opposition aside, Packer and Ho are said to have begun the spadework and nearing a deal with the local Bell group, represented by Henry Sy Jr. They will be pitted against Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada and port magnate Enrique Razon Jr. if the partnership deal forges ahead. Vito Barcelo

Coast Guard...
The inclement weather had forced China and the Philippines to withdraw their ships amid tension on Scarborough Shoal. The standoff between the Philippines and China started last April 10 when Beijing blocked Manila from arresting their shermen who were caught poaching corals, giant clams and live sharks at 124 nautical miles west of Luzon, or Manilas territory. The tension simmered down after President Benigno Aquino III ordered the Coast Guard

and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to withdraw from the shoal because of the threat brought by Typhoon Butchoy. China withdrew its shing vessels but refused to pull out its government ships outside the lagoon of the disputed area. China is asserting sovereignty over nearly 90 percent of the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea, including the resource-rich Spratly and Paracel-islands, on which the Philippines is also staking a claim. The Philippines also insists that the shoal is well within its 124-mautical-mile Exclusive

Economic Zone and Continental Shelf. Meanwhile, The Palace is looking at the possibility of extending the two-month shing ban in the West Philippine Sea. But that will depend on how the BFARs asseses the situation, Valte said. The shing ban covers 60 square nautical miles of Panatag Shoal and the one-mile distance from its margins or total of 90 square nautical miles. Two months ago, BFAR director Asis Perez issued a shing ban due to the protection and conservation of the maritime resources in the area. Sara Fabunan re-introduction of an optional Spanish subject in the secondary school curriculum Domecq have drawn up a packed itinerary for the Queens week-long visit on July 2-6, but also prepared an alternative schedule in case of bad weather. Before ying to Bicol, Soa and her delegation will meet President Benigno Aquino III, in a state banquet to be held in her honor. Sara Fabunan

Rare...
On May 14, 1962 then Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark married Infante Juan Carlos of Spain. In marrying Juan Carlos, she had to give up her right as heir to the throne of Greece, and had to convert to Roman Catholicism from Greek Orthodoxy. Her conversion was actually a

calculated act to court favor from Catholic Spain. She had fully embraced her new country and religion by changing her name, Sophia, to the Spanish variant Soa. The couple already had three children when Juan Carlos ascended to the throne as king in 1975, two days after the death of General Francis Franco, Spains dictatorial head of state. Now still a sprightly 73 year

old, Queen Soa makes her sixth visit to the country to see for herself the progress of several disaster-mitigation projects funded out of Spains development aid and grants in the country. What the Queen wants to do in this trip is to be able to go to the eld and see many of our projects which have been developed overtime, Domecq said. The ambassador said Queen Soa also wishes to push for the

(ISAFP) operative Capt. Peter Reyes. Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte, meanwhile, said the Aquino administrations biggest achievement was changing the mindset of the public. What is the biggest achievement so far, its the change in mindset of the people, of our people. The people are now more open with the reforms that are being undertaken by the government. They are now more engaged with the government, Valte said over state-run dzRB radio. While much has been achieved, much remains to be done. The Aquino administration continues to build on the momentum we have already gained. With everyones commitment, we are sure to lengthen our strides along the straight and righteous path. The message remains the same: honest and accountable governance is the anvil upon which our people can forge better futures for themselves, Valte said. The Manila Standard Today tried to contact former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo but was prevented by the tight security at the VMMC. Arroyo, though, had made plain her sentiment when she was interviewed early this year. She had said that the Philippines is now a weak state with an allegedly absentee President observing a nobody-home leadership. Arroyo also claimed that the Aquino Cabinet had met only four times last year. The gains achieved by the previous administrations mine includedare being squandered in an obsessive pursuit of political warfare meant to blacken the past and conceal the dark corners of the present dispensation. Rather than building on our nations achievements, this regime has extolled itself as the sole harbinger of all that is good, she said. Arroyo also said that Aquino had no will and the skill to properly navigate such uncertain waters citing that various crises that the administration has confronted, such as the Luneta hostage situation early in the year, and its failure to rescue Filipino drug mules from death row in China.

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS

Samar First District Engineering Office Brgy. San Policarpo, Calbayog City Region VIII

Republic of the Philippines

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Department of Public Works and Highways OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER

City of Zamboanga

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION 8th Street, Port Area, Manila

SOUTH MANILA ENGINEERING DISTRICT

DPWH INFRA-07-Standard Advertisement-Revised IRR

INVITATION TO BID
The DPWH - District Engineers Office, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors to apply to bid for the following contract(s): Contract ID: Contract Name: 12JA0021 Construction of Multi-purpose Building @ AbongAbong. Brgy. Pasonanca Contract Location: Zamboanga City Scope of Work: Multi-Purpose Building Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): PhP 9,550,000,00 Contract Duration: 90 Calendar Days Procurement will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures In accordance with R.A. 9184 and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations. To bid for this contract. a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI). purchase bid document and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative or Joint venture. (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financing Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit fine commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The ABC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility Check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH-POCW Central Office will only process contractors applications for registration with complete requirements and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph. The Significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:

INVITATION TO BID
The DPWH South Manila Engineering District, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) invites contractors to bid for the aforementioned projects; 1. Contract I.D. NO. 120H0098 CLUSTER Contract Name: Proposed improvement of roads and drainage system; a) Brgy. 604 and vicinity Zone 61, Bacood, Sta. Mesa b) Along Brgy. 599 and vicinity, Brgy. 599 Zone 59, Sta. Mesa c) Along Brgy. 598 and vicinity, Brgy. 598 Zone 59, Sta. Mesa d) Mayo st. and vicinity, Brgy. 899 Zone 100., Punta Sta. Ana e) Mithi st. and vicinity, Brgy. 646 Zone 67, San Miguel f) DPWH compound and vicinity, Brgy. 833 Zone 91,Pandacan g) Kahilum II st., and vicinity, Brgy. 870. Zone 95,Pandacan h) Road 3, Road 4 and vicinity, Brgy. 837 Zone 91,Pandacan i) Jesus Extn. and vicinity, Brgy. 835 Zone 91,Pandacan j) Hilum cor. T. San Luis, Brgy. 847 Zone 92,Pandacan k) Zamora st. and vicinity, Brgy. 846 Zone 92,Pandacan Contract Location: Manila City Scope of Work: improvement of roads and drainage system Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): (PhP 6,086,033.34) Contract Duration: 90 cal. days Bid Doclmlents: Ph P 10,000.00 The BAC will conduct this procurement process in accordance with the Revised Implementing Rules & Regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act 9184. Bids in excess of the Approved Budget for the Contract shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid. To apply and to bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed and submitted by the person authorized in the Contractors License issued by PCAB. Upon submission of the LOIs, the interested Contractor must also submit the photo copy and original (for authentication purposes and issuance of Bid Documents) of the following documents: 1. Class A Documents (Contained in the Contractors Registration Certificate )(CRC), 1. Legal Documents: a) Department of Trade and Industry Business Name Registration (DTI) or SEC Registration Certificate or CDA; b) Valid and Current Mayors Permit/Municipal License; 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) Certificate of Materials Engineer Accreditation and Identification duly certified by the Authorized Managing Officer (AMO) d) Latest copy of Authorizing Managing Officer e) Certificate of Safety Officer Seminar from DOLE f) Phil-GEPS Order Form (Document Request List) g) CPEs rating for the 1st Quarter; 1.3) Financial Documents; a) Prospective Bidders Audited Financial Statement for the preceding calendar which should not be earlier than 2 years from the date of bid submission; b) Prospective bidders computation of its NFCC. The LOls shall be submitted by the Authorized Liaison Officer as specified in the Contractors Information (CI). Submission of LOIs by persons with a Special Power of Attorney shall not be allowed. The contractor must purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with the DPWH & PHILGEPS (b) Filipino citizen of 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The contractors submitted proof of required equipments for the project are subject for inspection. The BAC will use nondiscretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWHPOCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH-POCW Central Office will only process contractors applications for registration, with complete requirements, and issue the Contractors Certification 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: Issuance of Bidding Documents - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pre-Bid Conference - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Deadline of LOI Receipt from Prospective BiddersDeadline of Bid Receipt - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Opening of Bids - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10:00 A.M. 12:00 Noon 12:00 Noon 02 :00 P.M. June 29-July 19,2012 July 06, 2012 July 13,2012 July 19,2012 July 19,2012

INVITATION TO BID
The DPWH-Samar First District Engineering Office, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites contractors to apply to bid for the following contract(s): 1. 12IJ-0048 CLUSTER 1: 1. REPAIR/REHAB./IMPROVEMENT OF GOMEZ EXTENSION (S00071SM) 2. REPAIR/REHAB./IMPROVEMENT OF GANDARA OLD ROUTE (S00067SM) Contract Location: 1. STA. 00+000 STA. 00+507, CALBAYOG CITY, SAMAR 2. STA. 00+000 STA. 00+506, GANDARA, SAMAR Scope of Work: RRA ROADS REHABILITATION ASPHALT RRP ROADS REHABILITATION - PCCP Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC): 1. Php. 4,948,641.00, 2. Php. 4,948,865.00 GRANDTOTAL (ABC): Php. 9,897,506.00 Contract Duration: 60 calendar days Cost of Bid Documents: Php 10,000.00 Contract ID: Contract Name:

The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR of R.A. 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid. To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration with DPWH, (b) Filipino citizen or 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of a similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment at least equal to 10% of ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/ fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids. The BAC will only accept/process LOIs signed by the person authorized in the Contractors License issued by PCAB and with complete requirements stated above. Unregistered contractors, however, shall submit their applications for registration to the DPWH-POCW Central Office before the deadline for the receipt of LOI. The DPWH POCW-Central Office will only process contractors applications for registration, with complete requirements, and issue the Contractors Certificate of Registration (CRC). Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DPWH website www.dpwh.gov.ph Interested contractors shall submit their duly accomplished Expression of Interest statements upon presentation of their original Contractors Registration Certificate in person or through their Authorized Representative as reflected in their CRC to the Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), DPWH Samar 1st District Engineering Office, Brgy. San Policarpo, Calbayog City not later done 10:00 A.M. on July 9, 2012. The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below:

1. Issuance of Bidding Document 2. Pre-Bid Conference 3. Deadline of Receipt of LOI from Prospective Bidders 4. Receipts of Bids 5. Opening of Bids

From July 2 to July 23, 2012 JULY 12, 2012 @ 2:00 P.M. 10:00A.M JULY 19, 2012 11 :00 A.M. JULY 23, 2012 2:00 P.M. JULY 23, 2012

1. Issuance of Bidding Documents 2. Pre-Bid Conference 3. Deadline of Receipt of LOI from Prospective Bidders 4. Receipt of Bids 5. Opening of Bids

June 25, 2012 to July 16, 2012 10:00 A.M., July 3, 2012 10:00 am July 9, 2012 Deadline:1:00pm July 16, 2012 2:00pm July 16, 2012

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH, District Engineers Office, MCLL Highway, Divisoria, Zamboanga City, upon payment of a non refundable fee of the following: Bidding Documents: 12JA0021- Php 10,000.00 Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from the DPWH web site, if available. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bids documents. Bids must accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post qualification. Pursuant to Section 41 of the IRR of RA 9184 the DPWH-District Engineers Office reserves the right 1.) Reject Bids, 2.) Declare of Failure of Bidding, and 3.) Not to award the contract without incurring any liability if the funds/allotments for said program/project/activity have been withheld or reduced through no fault of its own, Approved : (Sgd.) ANTONIO A. GONZALES BAC Chairman
(MST-July 1, 2012)

Prospective bidders may download the LOI Forms from DPWH website: www.dpwh.gov.ph (allowing the filing of Letter of Intent free of charge and prescribing fixed costs of bidding documents as per D.O. No. 52 dated October 3, 2011). The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at South Manila Engineering District, upon payment of a non-refundable fee as stated above for bid documents. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from the DPWH website, if available. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bid documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BDs. Bids must accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BDs in two (2) separate sealed bid envelope to the SMED-BAC Chairman; otherwise, it will be a ground for an outright disqualification. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a) copy of the CRC; b) if a propose Key Technical Personnel is an employee of the bidder and working on another project at the time of the bidding, the bidder shall submit a certification that (1) the personnel will be pulled out from the on-going project once the bidder is awarded the contract, and (2) he/she will be replaced with another person with equal or better qualifications, as certified by the head of the implementing office and c) The bidder may propose a Key Technical Personnel who is not its employee provided that the said personnel is required to submit a certification that he/she will work for the bidder if it is awarded the contract under bidding. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and the post-qualification. The South Manila Engineering District reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bid to annul the bidding process any time prior to Contract Award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s.

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents (BDs) at DPWH-Samar First District Engineering Office, Brgy. San Policarpo, Calbayog City, upon payment of a non-refundable fee stated above. Prospective bidders may also download the BDs from the DPWH web site, if available. Prospective bidders that will download the BDs from the DPWH website shall pay the said fees on or before the submission of their bids Documents. The Pre-Bid Conference shall be open only to interested parties who have purchased the BDs. Bids must accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the Bidding Documents (BDs) in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, which shall include a copy of the CRC. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and the post-qualification. The DPWH-Samar First District Engineering Office reserves the right to accept or reject any, to annul the bidding process at any prior contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s.

APPROVED: (Sgd.) ERNESTO P. LEONES Chief, Planning & Design Section BAC Chairman NOTED: (Sgd.) MIKUNUG D. MACUD District Engineer
(MST-July 1, 2012)

Approved by: (Sgd.) ALVIN A. IGNACIO BAC Chairman

(MST-July 1, 2012)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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Edited by FRANCIS LAGNITON mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY

NEWS

MONDAY JULY 1, 2012

A3

The green school anahaw built

By Joel E. Zurbano

Reds suffer highest toll this year in 2 battles

By Florante S. Solmerin
AT least 13 New Peoples Army rebels were killed while ve others were captured or wounded in two separate battles with government troops in the biggest loss for the communist rebels in a single day this year, military ofcials said. Army 2nd Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Eduardo del Rosario said a squad from the 74th Infantry Battalion enagaged more than 15 rebels in Sitio Makuyokuyo, Barangay White Cliff in San Narciso, Quezon. The reght happened at around 11:10 a.m. and resulted in the immediate death of nine rebels with two more rebels dying while undergoing treatment by Army medics. He said the soldiers were conducting combat operations in the area when they chanced upon the group of Armando Albarillo, alias Jun. The reght lasted for almost 30 minutes. Among those who died were Albarillo, the secretary of the SPN Berto Guerilla Unit 2 of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee, and two female rebels, del Rosario said. Recovered arms include 5 M-16 rifes, 1 M203 grenade launcher, 1 M79 grenade launcher, and a 12gauge shotgun. Earlier on Saturday, soldiers of the 24th Infantry Battalion killed two rebels and captured ve others during a 20-minute reght in Sitio Bihawo, Barangay Villar in Botolan, Zambales. Military spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. could not immediately give the names of the rebel casualties but they were already under proper custody. The two dead rebels were turned over to the local authorities while the one who was wounded was taken to the hospital for medical treatment. The rebels who were captured were turned over to the local police, Burgos said.

THE thought of Filipino children having to attend classes under an anahaw palm tree may be depressing to most, but it was an inspiration to the 700-member Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers to help the country ll its shortage of 51,800 classrooms.
The professional association, led by its president and Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Romeo Momo, envisions to build at least 20 schoolhouses out of anahaw leaves and locally-available wood on land to be provided by the Department of Education in 17 provinces. Our designs are cheaper since we will use indigenous materials and employ volunteerism. Our local chapters will provide service for free and the local ofcials will provide the laborers, said Momo, a member of the University of Mindanaos Class of 1974. The undersecretary said they plan to build 20 schoolhouses within the year at a cost of P6 million, or P300,000

per building. Thats P200,000 cheaper than the standard cost of P500,000 for a school building. he said. The average classroom will be seven meters by nine meters, or 63 sq. m. in size, as prescribed by the education department. To save electricity, the schoolhouses will also take into account the immediate environment and make use of natural light and ventilation. That way, we reduce use of carbon emitting materials, he said. Momo said the schoolhouse will also have rain collectors for use during drought and dry spells. The water to be collected can be used for watering plants, cleaning and ushing of toilets in schools. PICE recently sponsored a design contest using green technology as the theme. The winning designs will be

built by the association at the place to be chosen by the designer. This is just the prelude. We have nished one green-engineered school in Ilocos Sur. There is now one ongoing in Lamot, Ifugao, Momo said. Pretty soon, we will start in Tarlac, Pampanga and Cebu. The schoolhouse in Ilocos Sur was built for the Laoingen Elementary School in Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur and was part of PICEs social programs. As head of PICE, I have asked our members to help the community in any way they can, especially in disaster mitigation. We can offer our expertise and experience in helping the local government design improved structural designs to allow infrastructures to withstand earthquakes and minimize damages, he said.

Tougher anti-wire tapping law sought

By Maricel V. Cruz
FORMER President Gloria Arroyo and her son Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado have proposed to reinforce a persons right to privacy by imposing criminal sanctions on on those who would access their phone records or written communications without authorization. The mother and son led House Bill No. 6130, to be known as the Protecting Consumers Phone Records Act, that will provide penalties to violators. The bill proposes to amend Republic Act 4200, or the Anti-Wire Tapping Law, and penalize violators with a P20,000 ne for each violation or each day of continuing violation except that the amount assessed for any continuing violation shall not exceed P20,000,000. This law which was passed in 1965 provided protection against individuals who violated privacy of communication by prohibiting and penalizing wiretapping activities, the Arroyos said in the bills explanatory note. The young Arroyo said cited Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution, which states that a person has the right to privacy and any unlawful intrusion on a persons home and personal effects is a violation of this right. This also includes any persons communication or correspondence, be it verbal or written. Due to innovations in information technology, this right to privacy has now been extended in scope to include even electronic communications, he said. HB 6130 prohibits any person from acquiring or using the customer proprietary network information and phone records information of another person without the persons afrmative written consent by making false or fraudulent statements or representations to an employee of a covered entity. The bill also prescribes that it is also unlawful for any person to make false or fraudulent statements or representations to a customer of a covered entity; provide a document to a covered entity knowing that such document is false or fraudulent or access customer accounts of a covered entity via the Internet, without prior authorization from the customer to whom such condential phone records information relates. The bill prohibits any person to misrepresent that another person has consented to the acquisition or use of such other persons customer proprietary network information and phone records information in order to acquire such information. Similarly, the bill states that obtaining unauthorized access to the data processing system or records of a telecommunications carrier or an IPenabled voice service provider in order to acquire the customer proprietary network information and phone records information of one or more other persons shall be penalized.

22,000 Quezon volunteers re-plant Forest of the Tides

THE New Zealand naturalist Kennedy Warner extolled life on the edge and 22,000 volunteers from Quezon province tried to experience the thrill on Saturday as they linked arms to boost their own Forest of the Tides. Its all about mangroves, said Quezon Rep. Danilo Saurez as he encouraged his provincemates to help give a new lease on life to the longest coastline of any province in the Republic by planting 2.2 million seedlings on 21 hectares of coastline within 24 hours, an unprecedented and record-setting activity in itself. The coming years will see us planting more and more mangroves until we ll out the coastline of Quezon Province with this life-giving, food-producing and environmentally-protective forest cover, Rep. Suarez said. We aim to make Quezon province a true Forest of the Tides. Suarez was referring to the title of Warners 2007 article in the popular National Geographic Magazine which he quoted liberally to stress the importance of his mangrove reforestation project. To a country notoriously known for its disregard, disrespect, abuse, exploitation and wanton destruction of its treasured forest cover for decades now, nothing could be more welcome than an unprecedented, unique and ambitious attempt to replant with mangrove seedlings the coastline of Quezon province where a lot of shing communities live, he said. The congressmans son, Gov. Gov. David Jayjay Suarez, echoed his father and reiterated the economic impact of the mass replanting activity. The project has a livelihood component for the shermen because it will not just protect the natural resources but it will renew mangrove areas to improve shing activity in the areas, the governor said, quoting passages from Warnes article. Mangroves live life on the edge. With one foot on land and one in the sea, these botanical amphibians occupy a zone of desiccating heat, choking mud, and salt levels that would kill an ordinary plant within hours. Yet forests mangroves are among the most productive and biologically complex ecosystems on Earth, Warnes article read. The governor extolled the benets of mangroves where birds roost in the canopy, shellsh attach themselves to the roots, and snakes and crocodiles come to hunt and reminded his constituents that thousands will thrive if the provinces mangrove forests are revived. Maricel V. Cruz

PH, US start maneuvers in Mindanao on July 2

THE Philippines and the United States will start on Monday a nineday joint naval exercises in the Mindanao Sea, off the coasts of General Santos City and nearby Sarangani province. Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao commander Commodore Philip Cacayan said the Americans have deployed two Navy ships, the USS Vandergrift and USNS Safeguard, and a Coast Guard vessel, the USCG Waesche, for the maneuvers, dubbed Cooperation Aoat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2012. Around 350 US Navy personnel and 150 US Coast Guard personnel will participate in the activity. This year, they the Coast Gurad were included on the request of the US Coast Guard which would also like to be interoperable with the Philippine Coast Guard and not with Philippine Navy only, Cacayan said. The Vandergrift is a 4100-ton frigate while the Safeguard is a US Navy Military Sealift Command salvage and rescue ship. The Waesche is a 4,306-ton US Coast Guard cutter The Philippine Navy, on the other hand, deployed the corvettes BRPs Magat Salamat and Miguel Malvar, the fast patrol craft Salvador Abcede, and the coastal patrol craft Teotimo Figuracion, and 400 personnel for CARAT. The Philippine Coast Guard will also send BRP Pampanga and 50 personnel. The Pampanga was the PCG ship that recently patrolled the Panatag shoal. Florante Solmerin

Forest of the Tides. About 22,000 residents of Quezon province held a record-setting mangrove replanting project on Saturday similar to the one shown in this le photo of a replanting activitiy in Iloilo.

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Sunday
OPINION ManilaStandardTODAY

Edited by ADELLE CHUA

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A4

SUNDAY

JULY 1, 2012

A family heirloom
POP GOES THE WORLD
THERES this old Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook thats been in the family for years. It belonged to my mother, Malu Ledesma Lacson Alonso, who received it from her nanny, Phoebe Elustrisimo. Lola Phoebe migrated to the US when my mom was a teenager, but she did bring many warm memories of baking cookies and muffins, and brushing my mothers long brown hair in the mornings. As a child I preferred to stay indoors and read, rather than go out and play. On my great-aunt Bennetts sugar cane hacienda in Bacolod, where I lived for a year, there were no other children my age and I was not allowed to play with the children nga halin sa uma (from the farm). When I was brought back to Manila and to our little apartment near Vito Cruz, the neighbor kids were mostly boys and played rough. Not that I minded the knockabout games. I was a little tomboy, and the best on the swing, going as high up as I could and jumping off at the very peak of the arc. Dangerous games proved your bravery; any kid who didnt join in was a sissy. Girls were exempted from this, but a girl who was as tough as the boys got extra points in street cred. My rep was small but terrible. To this day Im amazed I didnt crack a leg or some other useful body part. I wonder how nearly all of us went through our childhood practically unscathed. The only casualties I recall were Alan next door (his family owned the swing) who broke his arm, and Mars across the street who snapped something in his chest when rough-housing with his German Shepherd. The break never healed properly and he developed a pigeon chest, a sort of protusion that shocked us all into a wary respect for dogs. It was boring and meaningless, keeping up the street rep among my playmates, and increasingly, I retreated into the other worlds of books. One of my favorites was this same 1956 edition Betty Crocker cookbook of my moms. Id pore over it for hours, flipping through the slick pages, ogling the glossy color pictures of classic American dishes apple pie, strawberry shortcake, Eggs ala Goldenrod. Written in the politicallyincorrect 50s, before organic foods and vegetarianism became fashionable, many recipes call for lard (an ingredient banned from todays enlightened kitchens, where low fat cooking is de riguer), meal suggestions are built around red meat and carbohydrates,

EDITORIAL

JENNY ORTUOSTE

and vegetable recipes occupy less than ten pagesmost of them variations on deep-fried this or that. Phrases such as low-calorie and artificial sweetener are nowhere to be found; cookie is spelled with a y. The illustrations are quaint and oh-so Fifties: women in flaring skirts and aprons lean over ovens and brandishladles. The chapters on baking were closest to my heart The Quick Breads (pancakes, muffins, and waffles), Cakes, Pies, and Cookies pages became the most dog-eared and creased. An instructional manual,the book contains step-by-step pictures on how to sift flour, knead dough, roll out pastry. Sort of like a primitive Baking for Dummies, but with photos.This proved a godsend to me when I actually started cooking on my own after I got married in 1990. Though a beginner at cooking, it was like my hands already knew what to do, thanks to those instructions. When my mom moved to the US in the early 80s and took that beloved cookbook with her, I was bereft, like I had lost a close friend. Theres a happy ending to this, though. Maybe ten years later, I coaxed my mom to send that cookbook to me in a balikbayan box. She was reluctant to let it go; as for me, it had much sentimental value for her. I suggested that it was time for the next generation (my children Alex and Erika) to enjoy that heirloom. That argument proved to be persuasive. Once in my hands, I placed that halfa-century old book in a place of honor on the shelf. Ik is the most interested in this old book. As I did, she studies the pictures and reads the recipes. Over the past several months this year, the inspiration built up to such a crescendo that yesterday, she convinced her ate Alex to help her bake muffins. For me, this particular cycle has come full circle, in terms of my childrens participation in the mythos of family traditions and rituals that shape so much of who we are and what we inuence our children to become. Yet time in the real world is linear, not circular. I stretch my mind to the future, where I see my grandchildren reading that Betty Crocker cookbook (now 70, 80 years old), baking buttery golden mufns for their lola, tita, and mom. Thus the cookbook is not merely a book, a construct of paper and ink, but a vessel of familial rites, a repository of histories, and a catalyst for the creation of fresh, life-shaping memories. *** Email: jennyo@live.com, Blog: http://jennyo.net, Facebook: Gogirl Caf, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jennydecember, Radio: DWIZ 882kHzAM 730-9 p.m. Saturday

The Standard answer

Continued from page 1 MST Sunday will attempt to both carry the dening characteristics of the more familiar, six-days-a-week Manila Standard Today, and set itself apart from it. MST Sunday will carry the same brand of fair, balanced and assiduous journalism. It will champion truthfulness at all timeseven as the truth may sometimes be difcult, if not impossible, to unearth. Its players will adhere to the strictest professional and ethical standards. It will respect its readers and refrain from insulting their intelligence by merely mouthing off information and pre-fabricated opinion. At the same time, MST Sunday will explore the under-reported, less obvious aspects of life in the Philippines. It is lightbut denitely not trivialtreatment. After all, just because you approach something lightly does not mean you take it lightly. On the contrary, a novel approach enables one to look at issues through a new set of lens. It is news, yes, but it also a life event that means differently to different people. People, indeed. MST Sunday will remind us that it is people who drive an economy, constitute a party, make mistakes, correct those mistakes, start a trend, end a cycleand build a nation. MST Sunday will have a different staff box. It will be driven by the newspapers younger, more dynamic individuals. This up-and-coming breed comes without the baggageexcesses and frustrationsof the generation that came before it. While they are equally attuned to developments in the so-called real world, these individuals are even more aware of what goes on in other places beyond national borders, and in cyber world. Through all this, they will operate under the direction and guidance of their seasoned mentors. The result would be something worth grabbing the newest player on the Sunday newsstands for. Or keying in www.manilastandardtoday.com for one more day in a week. Why are we resurrecting the Sunday edition during these challenging times? Our answer: Why not?

The language of grief

resident, and the patients nurse. Most of the family members in that room did not speak English. Some understood little of it, if at all. The patients grandniece acted as translator, even as she had a distinct accent. Our patient was a Cambodian man who collapsed at his home. When the emergency responders arrived, he had no pulse and was not breathing. After gallant efforts to resuscitate himwhich took the team almost 30 minutesthey were able establish a heart rhythm. The man was then brought to the hospital and eventually admitted to our ICU. We placed him on hypothermia protocol to try to preserve whatever brain function he may have. This intervention is used in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors, as studies have shown that this improves mortality and neurologic outcomes. The intervention entails lowering the patient body core temperature to 33-34 Celsius through cooling blanket and infusion of cold IV uids. It also involves deeply sedating them and medically paralyzing them, while placing them on life support. This process is an effort to slow the metabolism of the body and thus prevent further ischemic injury especially to the brain. After 24 hours of cooling them, they are rewarmed. The sedation and paralysis cease. The moment of truth comes after the patients body is rewarmed. If the patient shows signs of recovery, he or she will wake up. If not, he or she will remain unresponsive or show signs of brain injury from hypoxia (low oxygen supply) stemming from the cardiac arrest. That will be a very poor prognosis. Our Cambodian patient did not wake up. After rewarming, he remained comatose. He even had seizure-like activity, a tell-tale sign of severe hypoxic brain injury. This condition was what brought us to the consultation room. My colleagues and I needed to tell the family the heartbreaking news and to help them decide further direction of care. We presented the bleak situation to relatives; the grandniece interpreted for the whole family what we said. What followed was back-and-forth discussions among the family members in their native tongue. Some spoke animatedly. Some in whispering tones. I was lost in their conversations. I had absolutely no idea what they were saying. And then one by one, the family members started cryingsome softly, some loudly. I did not have to guess what they were saying anymore. I could not comprehend their words, but tears are a universal language. I understood them loud and clear. After more minutes, the grandniece spoke to us. She relayed that the family had agreed to have a Buddhist monk come and say a prayer for the patient and then take him off all life support. Soon, a Buddhist monk, garbed in a traditional orange robe, came. There were about 20 more people who arrived and crammed themselves into the patients small room. Under hospital rules, only two to three visitors are allowed at a time into the ICU. On that day, we bent the rules to accommodate the familys needs. I heard incantations and prayers through the closed door. This was followed, rst by sobs, then weeping. I looked around and saw that some of members of our medical staff were teary-eyed, too. Indeed we gave the patient the best care that we could. Grief. It transcends culture, religion and language.

By Amerlon Enriquez
Enriquez is a physician who lives in Iowa, USA. He blogs at pinoytransplant.com. I was sitting in the consultation room of our hospitals intensive care unit, talking to the family members of one of our patients who was not doing well. Not doing well was an understatement; on the brink of death was more like it. With me were the cardiologist, our senior ICU

MST Sunday
ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO RAMONCHITO L. TOMELDAN FRANCIS LAGNITON ARMAN ARMERO MARIEROSE ANG EDITH D. ANGELES EDGAR M. VALMORIDA Publisher Managing Editor News Editor Senior Deskman Art Advertising Manager Circulation Manager

ROGELIO C. SALAZAR President & CEO

OPINION ADELLE CHUA ARTS & LIFE DINNA VASQUEZ Staff JOBA BOTANA GRACE CORTEZ CARLA MORTEL-BARICAUA TECH MARLON MAGTIRA CHRISTIAN CARDIENTE BUSINESS RHODERICK DELA CRUZ SPORTS REUEL VIDAL

Standard PPI
Manila

MEMBER

MST ONLINE

TODAY

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

can be accessed at:

www.manilastandardtoday.com

Published Monday to Saturday by Kamahalan Publishing Corporation at 3rd Floor Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas corner Perea Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 659-4830 (connecting all departments), 659-4826;

659-4827 (Editorial), 659-4803, 6594802 (Advertising), 527-5016 (Sales and Distribution/Subscription) and 527-2057 (Credit and Collection). Fax numbers: 659-4804 (Advertising) and 527-6406 (Subscription). P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.manilastandardtoday.com E-mail: mst@manilastandardtoday.com

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Edited by: DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ Staff: Grace Cortez

Sunday
ARTS & LIFE
ManilaStandardTODAY

SUNDAY

JULY 1, 2012

A5

CAMARINES Sur Gov. LRay

Villafuerte admits that he once got in touch with Divine, Sarah Geronimos mother, to ask permission for his son Miguel to meet the Pop Princess. Miguel sent Sarah some owers and a cake even if the meeting never materialized because of their busy schedules.
The governor and his good-looking US-educated son made this admission during an interview with Kris Aquino when the TV host visited Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC). Miguel plans to run for governor of the province while LRay reveals that he will most probably run for Congress. Miguel tells Kris that he admires Sarah but somehow, their busy schedules have not given them the chance to meet personally.

Camarines Sur Gov. LRay Villafuerte and son Miguel

LRay
Sarah
wants son to meet

Dranreb now married

FORMER child Dranreb Belleza has married longtime friend Vale dela Riva last year. In an interview with Showbiz Central, Dranreb reveals that he has known Vale since he was in high school. In fact, Vales ex-boyfriend was his classmate in La Salle. It was Vale who took care of Dranreb when he was sick with lymphoma. Because you know, in this world, unconditional love is so hard to nd. She has accepted me with my past, he says of his wife.

Sarah Geronimo

RAY-BANS
Drew Barrymore Lady Gaga

LOVING THEIR

Angelina plays Malecent

MALEFICENT is the untold story of Disneys most beloved villain, Malecent, from the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty. The lm reveals the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora. Starring as Malecent, in one of the most classic cases of typecasting, is Angelina Jolie. The movie, which started lming in June, is directed by twotime Oscar-winning production designer Robert Stromberg (Avatar, Alice in Wonderland), in his directorial debut, and produced by Joe Roth. Malecent is written by Linda Woolverton (The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast) while the executive producers are Jolie, Don Hahn, Matt Smith and Palak Patel. Co-starring in the lm are Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Miranda Richardson, Juno Temple and Lesley Manville. Malecent is scheduled for a March 14, 2014 release in 3D.

WHAT do Drew Barrymore, Tom Cruise, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga have in common? They all love their Ray-Bans. Barrymore and Cruise have been spotted wearing their Aviators, Perry her Clubmaster while Lady Gaga loves her Wayfarers. In the Philippines, brand ambassadors include Anne Curtis, Divine Lee and Tim Yap. Ray-Ban is in partnership with SM Department Stores for an exclusive consumer offer. From today to July 15, the brand is giving away free headphones to shoppers who purchase any Ray-Ban sunglass at select SM Department Stores (SM Makati, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa and SM Marikina).

Katy Perry

and has so far shown them to a few close friends. The TV ITS an open secret that the TV host is an unlikely star of a host, who is separated from her sex video. She seems prim and missing-in-action husband, was proper, even prissy. the longtime girlfriend of the rich politician. The rich politiLoving your cian, who is also separated from own kind his wife, was so in love with the TV host that he even wanted to Overheard from a celebrity marry her. In the end, they part- mom: I tell my kids that it is not ed ways but the politico still has true that opposites attract. The many memories of the TV host relationship will not work. I tell and we dont mean in his mind. them that in looking for a girlUnknown to the TV host, friend or boyfriend, the other the politician has several vid- person must have a similar backeos of her in the act of mak- ground, goals and interests in ing love. Technically, the vid- life. eos are of the two of them but The topic of the conversaclever editing shows only the tion is the good-looking son TV hosts face. The politician of celebrity mom. The young hasnt made the videos public man is being paired with a girl

Face time

who isnt really his type but he doesnt have a choice. His real girlfriend is a young starlet who is the friend of his sister.

He forgot someone
During a recent TV interview, the former matinee idol, who is now a husband and a dad, was asked about his former girlfriends and he named a controversial celebrity as his rst girlfriend in showbiz. Those who have known the former matinee idol for a long time were surprised that he did not name a dramatic actress as his rst girlfriend. Something bad must have happened between the former matinee idol and the dramatic

actress because the guy cringes every time he is reminded that once upon a time, they were an item. It seems difcult to believe, seeing her now, but the dramatic actress was once svelte and beautiful.

Hey Janette!

SPOTTED arm in arm with a guy at a posh mall was former ABSCBN star Janette McBride, whose most memorable role was as Dina Bonnevies daughter in the Star Cinema hit Tanging Yaman. Janette became the girlfriend of DJ Mo Twister. After a while, she disappeared from showbusiness and was reported to be living in the United States, where she supposedly attended a university.

Party girl drip

ARE you tired and lethargic? Did you just pull an all-nighter but have to be at the ofce by 9? The Party Girl Drip, an infusion of vitamins and nutrients, is all the rage in Hollywood. It was named the Party Girl Drip after Rihanna tweeted a picture of her on the drip. Madonna and Simon Cowell are only some of the celebrities who have tried the drip, which supposedly contains vitamins B and C, magnesium and calcium. Some doctors say, though, that the sense of warmth and hydration one gets after the drip can be achieved by drinking water.

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Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY

ARTS & LIFE

Edited by DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ

A6

SUNDAY

JULY 1, 2012

UNIVERSITY
University can be hazardous to one's health or sanity. But if you know what you're doing, there is no reason why you wont graduate with ying colors
By Joba Botana

SURVIVAL KIT

I PRACTICALLY lived in a dormitory on campus during my junior and senior years in college. I lived apart from my parents. I learned to interact with everyone in the university and even with people outside the campus. Coming from a small place where everyone knows each other, that was a challenge at first. I learned many things from my more senior friends who have gone through humiliating and traumatic experiences. They were kind enough to give me tips to save me from going through similarly difficult situations. Some of the tips are, of course, based on personal experience.
Be Mr./Ms. Congeniality or at least, be a politician of sorts. I dont mean that you join every pageant or nominate yourself to the Student Council or be a member of different organizations but that wont hurt either. If its your first day in university, you must make a positive impression. The friends you make from your block will likely be your friends forever. Be friendly but don't be annoyingly in-your-face. Smile and be well-groomed all the time. Be nice to everyone you come in contact with but choose your friends wisely. There will always be people who, for some reason, wont like you or and it's not your fault. They simply dont like you and you cant do anything about it so the best way to deal with it is just ignore these people. You cant really please everyone. Whats important is that you have true and loyal friends who will stick with you. Extend your congeniality outside the classroom and the campus. When I was in college, my group's favorite hangout place was the library not only because we want to read during breaks but also because we enjoy the peace and quiet. The airconditioning didn't hurt either. There are times, however, when we arrive to find our usual spot already taken. The nice student assistant would usually place some books on the table to indicate that it is taken way before we arrive. We would sometimes give her a token like a gel pen or a note pad in return for her kindness. Most universities are strict about
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their "No ID, No Entry" policy. If you lost your ID or left it at home, theres a chance that youd be able to attend your class but if youre friends with the guards (in all entrance gates), you can most likely get into the campus. Work hard and take your studies seriously but make some time for leisure. Unlike other students who worked hard only during final terms, my friends and I prefer established a good start at the beginning of the semester so that we wouldnt be working too hard to get good marks. At the end of the semester, while many of our classmates were burning the midnight oil, we had time to go to our favorite coffee shop. When make an effort from the beginning, your professor will be impressed and he or she will likely give you credit for it. Going to parties during on a Friday, say, before a long holiday is fine but be responsible. While a few shots of alcohol are fine for some, always bear in mind that moderation is key. Nowadays, with social networking sites just a click away, one can't be too careful. You wouldnt want to see an unflattering photo the next day on Facebook or a video of you making out with a stranger on YouTube. If you live in a dormitory, be on good terms with your roommates while being alert at all times. You cant really judge a person simply by living under the same roof for several months or years. I was a victim of theft inside the dormitory during college. I let

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University is a good place to make new friends. IMAGES BY EY ACASIO

it go the first time because there was nothing I could do about it. There was no proof to pinpoint the suspect but after that incident, I was more careful with my belongings. I made sure that my drawers were securely locked and I dont leave any valuables lying around even on my own bed. It really pays to be vigilant. Be fully acquainted with your surroundings. Know the streets that are safe and those to avoid especially at night. It is good if you know your way around and if you have some friends outside the campus or your dormitory who can help you in case of emergencies. Our dormitorys curfew then was at 9:30 p.m. Beyond that, the guards wont let you in anymore (unless you have a pass from the administrator). There was one time when I finished a project due the next day in an Internet caf outside campus and I didnt notice that it was way past the curfew already. A friend who was staying with her grandmother in a house a

few meters away from my dormitory let me stay in her room. Expand your network. Being a member of the school publication helped me during the times when we needed a photographer for a project or a credible person to edit my articles. The publication office also served as place to study or do a group project that needed to be rushed since the place was near our college building. I also have friends who are officers of various school organizations. They usually gave me news about new school activities or programs. Do not join a sorority or fraternity just so youd be popular or cool. Make sure that whatever organization youd join promotes a healthy relationship among students and helps you improve as a person. Avoid bringing a lot of valuable items/gadgets (and a lot of cash) to school. Unless you need to use your laptop, iPod and iPad everyday, dont bring them especially if you commute because can be magnets

for robbers. If you can work using PCs in your schools multimedia room, thats better. Otherwise, make sure that your valuables are safely tucked or inconspicuous inside your bag. Also, choose your bag wisely. P e r s o n a l l y, I w o u l d r e c o m m e n d not using backpacks if you do a lot of walking because its easier for pickpockets to slash your bag from behind. Make sure that your bag is always close to your body. Use your time wisely. If you have a lot of time to spare, volunteer, try out for any sports or join an organization where you can use and expand your talent or skill. Why not get a part-time job? Studies have showed that students focus less on their own challenges with their transition to school when look at the needs of others. Volunteering puts students in a low stress situation because it allows them to meet other people with similar interests. Part-time jobs, on the other hand, can help develop one's organizing skills.

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STAFF:

JOBA BOTANA GRACE CORTEZ CARLA MORTEL-BARICAUA

Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY

ARTS & LIFE

SUNDAY

JULY 1, 2012

A7

YOUR SCHOOL BEAUTY KIT

(what it should contain)

Powder. Some girls are happy with baby powder while others prefer expensive powder foundations. Whatever works for you and is within your budget is good, as long as it keeps oiliness at bay. Remember that oiliness is next to ugliness. Lip balm. Cuteness should not be a factor when looking for a lip balm. A good one should prevent your lips from becoming chapped. If you prefer colored lip balms, look for a shade closest to the color of your lips. Eyeliner and mascara. If you must wear makeup, emphasize your eyes. You don't need anything else. Wet wipes are essential since you are using a lot of public toilets. You can also use this to clean your hands before and after a meal. Alcohol. This is for sanitizing your hands after using the toilet if there is no running water. In case you have to wade through a ood, wipe your feet and legs with alcohol to help prevent leptospirosis. You can't be too careful. Comb and ponytail holder. Your hair is your crowning glory. Check your hair in the restroom. You might need to x it or put it up if the day is very hot and your hair is sticking to your neck. Dinna Chan Vasquez

By Carla Mortel

PREPARATION
university. In her senior year of high school, Nikki was made to go through four review courses in two months. During the summer before that, she had one-on-one tutorial sessions three hours every day. Unfortunately, Nikki didnt pass the Upcat. Because of ambitious students and their parents, college entrance review programs are now part of an industry that addresses what is lacking in the Philippine educational system. Mostly held during the summer, college entrance review programs involve at least 20 learning sessions that train students to grasp general topics and basic concepts through practice tests and lectures. The diagnostic and dry-run exams hone students to think quickly and accurately under time pressure, similar to the nature of entrance exams. The review sessions generally cover Mathematics, Science, Language Prociency in English and Filipino, Reading Comprehension and Logical/Abstract Reasoning. Certain centers include sessions on essay writing. To enhance the educational abilities of students even outside the classroom, some review centers have ventured into publishing their own review books and materials. At the MSA Institute, one of the leading review centers, students undergo comprehensive preparation courses for admission to leading schools and universities. The institute also conducts refresher courses given a few weeks before the examination date. Aside from the classroom discussion and drills, students receive various tips and strategies that they can apply to improve chances of passing the entrance tests. Established in 2001, The Newton Study Center offers review packages that are sufcient for students to master test-taking skills. The center focuses on constant drills and testing to achieve speed and accuracy during examinations. Review instructors here make an extra effort to connect with students because they believe learning becomes more efcient in a friendly setting. Instructors employed at review centers are mostly graduates from top uni-

IT'S ABOUT THE

TODAY, it is not enough to have gone through at least two years of pre-school, six to seven years of elementary school and four years of high to be deemed competent enough to pass college entrance tests to what is now known as the Big 4University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University and University of Santo Tomas.
In the past, the college entrance tests relied on a students innate intelligence and the information and experience accumulated through years of education. These days, its about the preparation. Jessica (not her real name), 15 and a high school senior, has been preparing for the college entrance tests since she was a freshman. When she graduated from elementary, Jessica asked her parents to buy her reviewers from local review centers. Last year, she asked them to buy SAT reviewers online. Jessica herself is driven. In fact, her parents are surprised at her determination to get into Ateneo. It is a different story for Nikki (not her real name), who is now a sophomore at one of the Big 4 universities. Nikki said her parents, who both graduated from UP, wanted her to get into the state

versities who have aced their respective college entrance examinations. Having attained to the least a bachelor degree in Linguistics, and Sciences like Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, instructors are usually young so that students can easily relate to them. If you are a parent/student looking for a good review center, consider the following: 1. The review center should have a list of students that have successfully passed entrance exams. A posted passing rate percentage can be difcult to verify but try to do so. 2. Make sure that testimonials are from real people so look for full names and photos. 3. Check the review centers business record because the number of years matter when developing a review program. 4. Diagnostic exams should be given to determine the students strengths and needs. 5. Review programs should include test simulations and drills to provide students the necessary learning experience. 6. An orientation seminar should be held for both parents and students to discuss the review program. 7. Make an effort to know the pool of instructors and their credentials. 8. Review centers should have updated and well-researched review materials.

By Joba Botana

A hard habit to break

NOWADAYS, it is not uncommon to see students studying solo or in groups in coffee shops, milk tea chains, ice cream parlors, al fresco or garden restaurants and pastry shops while enjoying their favorite food or drink. Times have indeed changed. While some may still prefer to study in the comfort of their home or the school library, many students, particularly those in college and graduate school level, prefer to study in other places. Back in college, I would go to this Italian caf near my dormitory to study especially before major exams. I liked the place because it is quiet and even if the food and coffee dont fall under the student price range, I would still go there because I easily got distracted by familiar stuff inside the dormitory. I couldnt ask everyone to keep their voices down when talking or turn off the TV or their radios for me. For some, a new environment or an open space helps them absorb more of what theyre reading. There are also some who are just used to studying somewhere (read: anywhere except their own house). I scouted the city and found some nice places not only to hang out with friends but also to study. Chatime (Pioneer Branch). If you havent been to this place, youve got to check this out. This is, by far, the biggest Chatime branch. The stores second level makes for a perfect place to study or work because of the chic and cozy layout. You can lounge in one of the purple-and white-colored couches while you study. Of course, theres free Wi-Fi. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (along Emerald St. in Oritgas, Gateway Branch and inside Greenhills Shopping Center). Tucked beside a commercial building along EmerCYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

ald St., Coffee Bean offers a quiet and relaxing atmosphere and what most students are looking for. The Emerald and Greenhills branches face a landscaped garden, making it easier for one to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere. Mozu (Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center). This place is not readily accessible especially for those who reside in Makati or Quezon City, unless your school is located in Pasig. Mozu is not too far from Megamall or Edsa Shangri-La so if youre looking for a place that offers good food, this is it. Milk Tea 101 (Timog). I like the place because although located along Timog, it is surprisingly quiet. They also offer free Wi-Fi and is open until midnight. Starbucks (Skywalk Garden in SM North and Trinomas Garden Wing). If your campus is near these malls, these coffee shops are good places to study. They are located inside a mall so expect a crowd composed of students and shoppers. Hollys (along Taft near DLSU). Those whose campus are located along the Line 1 of LRT, this coffee shop makes for a nice spot to review for upcoming exams or do some reading without going far from the campus or dormitory as it is quiet and ambient. You may also check out the Cake Club at The Fort, Slice, UCC Cafe in Glorietta and Rockwell as well as Serenitea along Jupiter. McCafe in Mendiola is also student-friendly. I can cite a lot more ideal places to study, but it really is all about convenience and accessibility. Good study habits must not depend on the place but on the students ability to concentrate on his/her readings. If studying with a group in a garden coffee shop or solo in your own room works for you, then thats what you should do.

Starbucks Skygarden at SM North Edsa

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Sunday
ManilaStandardTODAY

ARTS & LIFE

Edited by DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ Staff: JOBA BOTANA

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A8 SUNDAY

JULY 1, 2012

From Negros Oriental

By Elvin Luciano

Physics teachers in Negros Oriental virtually attending the Learning Physics as One Nation (LPON) training being held in Pasig City

to PASIG IN REAL TIME

THE physics workshops of award-winning Filipino physicists
Drs. Christoper Bernido and Ma. Victoria Carpio-Bernido, Ramon Magsaysay awardees in 2010, continue to attract the brightest minds in the science community, here and abroad.
Smart Communications Inc. and the PLDT- Smart Foundation (PSF) sponsored the Learning Physics as One Nation (LPON) training sessions to be beamed live from Metro Manila to the two other venues the DepEd Regional Ofce in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental and the DepEd Division Ofce in Sagay City, Negros Occidental. Using the Internet services of PLDT and Smart, the Bernidos able to discuss concepts simultaneously and receive questions and feedback from all three locations. Its amazing how an educational workshop of this caliber was easily brought to us here in Negros Oriental through technology, said Alma Catacutan, Science Supervisor in Negros Oriental. Catacutan said although the schools in their division are very far apart with some located in Negros Orientals most far-ung areas, they were able to send more than 100 teachers to the workshop to get high-quality training from the Bernidos themselves through LPON. This LPON training for teachers is part of Smart and PSFs efforts to introduce and implement in more schools the Central Visayan Institute Foundation (CVIF) Dynamic Learning ProDr. Ma. Victoria Bernido discusses physics concepts in an educational video simultaneously beamed in three training locations.

When the Bernidos stepped inside the Department of Educations Bulwagan ng Karunungan in Pasig City recently, a number of physics teachers from different schools across the country took the chance to learn from the three-day workshop. These teachers came from Metro Manila area and the nearby provinces of Cavite, Nueva Ecija and Quezon while some ew in from as far as Cagayan De Oro and Basilan and Lamitan in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. But the trainings biggest delegation came from Negros Oriental and Negros Occidentalwith more than 150 teachers listening and participating in the discussion. They did all thesein real timeeven when theyre more than 350 miles away from the workshop venue.

gram (DLP), which was also designed by the Bernido couple. CVIF-DLP is a student-focused learning method that is producing promising results despite tough challenges faced by public schools. It limits teacher participation, focuses on student-driven activities and uses well designed learning plans and performance tracking tools. CVIF-DLP is perfect for our countrys current learning conditions, said Mon Isberto, Public Affairs head of Smart. It is designed to work even though schools, which are mostly overpopulated, lack books and teaching materials, and more alarmingly, qualied teachers. Physics is one of the areas where the country is in dire need of qualied teachers. At one point, the Department

of Science and TechnologyScience Education Institute revealed that out of all the physics teachers in the country, less than 10 percent are qualied. LPON aims to address this teacher shortage. The LPON, which also used CVIF-DLPs framework, uses the Physics Essentials Portfolio designed to lessen misinterpretation in much complicated physics textbooks. LPON also uses videos and other learning materials prepared by a national team of physicists and educators, demonstrating concepts using simple locally available materials in place of some lab equipment which are not available in many high schools in the country. It also takes advantage of technologies like email, text messages and online video conference to have questions from the eld answered by said physicists. Smart and PSF have already helped implement CVIF-DLP in public high schools in Cagayan De Oro last year. This year, we are bringing it to more schools in Negros Oriental, Sagay City in Negros Occidental and Lamitan and Basilan in ARMM. Part of our committment to these schools are the seminars and training sessions for the teachers like this LPON workshop, said Isberto. Negros Oriental Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Marilyn Andales aknowledged that the CVIF-DLP is a good strategy to use in schools whether big or small. With this LPON training, the expertise of our teachers will be fully maximized. The right concepts, especially in science, will be taught to the learners, she added. According to Isberto, hopes are high in Negros even though some of its schools have been affected by the earthquake which shook the region early this year. One of the benets of CVIF-DLP is that it is disaster-resistant, Isberto said. In Cagayan De Oro where Smart and PSF piloted the CVIF-DLP, student performance improved notwithstanding the massive ooding caused by typhoon Sendong last year. The program allowed the classes to resume despite damage in school facilities and loss of school properties because the method focuses on student-driven activities and is not too dependent on physical facilities and teaching materials. Daignostic tests for English, Science and Math prociency show statistically signicant improvements in all the schools, Isberto added.

LAST but denitely not the LEAST

By Gwen J. Carino

Clara with mom Pia Magalona and grandmother Edwina Arroyo

CLARA, the youngest daughter of Francis and Pia Magalona, is not as well known as her sisters Maxine and Saab but she is no less beautiful or talented. Cute, bubbly and artistic, the 11-year-old Clara likes to sing. At such a young age, she has over 16,000 followers on Twitter. Like most girls her age, she loves Justin Bieber and the British boyband One Direction. People who have meet the sixth grader have remarked that Clara is such a positive person who has a sweet smile and a kind word for everyone. "She's a darling," said someone who attended Clara's introduction as the new Goody Girl. During the launch, Clara performed a cover of Demi Lovatos Skyscraper while holding a pink Goody hairbrush in hand. Her sister, Saab Magalona

was teary-eyed while taking pictures of Clara. I love Goody products! My sisters and I would share all these stylish and useful brushes and hair accessories that our mom got us hooked on so I danced when I found out about the good news, said Clara. "We focus on Goody Girls with zest, spontaneity, elegance, inner beauty and outward condence, and at a very tender age of 11, Clara has set a stand-out following in the beauty and fashion scene by simply being her natural selfbubbly, energetic and spontaneous not only in the limelight but even behind the scenes," said Jenna Sy, marketing specialist of Goody Philippines under the LJS Group of Companies. Claras fashion sense is also very astute for her age. At the launch, she came in a loose pink oral top and fuchsia skirt, which she uniquely matched with dark blue sneakers. I express myself through fashion, Clara shared.

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extrastory2000@gmail.com mst_biz@manilastandardtoday.com

Edited by RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ

Sunday
BUSINESS ManilaStandardTODAY
SUNDAY JULY 1, 2012

A9

By Lailany P. Gomez

MVP expands
empire
The 65-year-old Pampanga native, who engages Filipino-Chinese taipans and FilipinoSpanish magnates either in joint ventures or competition, is a living testament that Filipinos can run a business. And what a business the MVP empire is. His First Pacic Group controls at least 17 of the largest corporations in the Philippines, with total market capitalization of over P1 trillion. These companies are so huge they hold their own annual Olympics aptly called MVP Olympics. The ve largest corporations he manages as chairman have combined annual sales equivalent to nearly 5 percent of the countrys gross domestic product. In the Philippines, the MVP empire owns stakes in the largest corporation by market value (PLDT), controls power and water

WHEN Manuel Pangilinan walks into the ballroom of the JW Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong to address a group of nancial executives during a recent regional conference, everyone turns attentive, anticipating with excitement what the top Filipino executive of First Pacics business empire has to say.

distribution, operates the largest hospitals, runs the longest expressways, mines the largest gold deposits, dominates mobile, broadcast and Internet services, secures the largest outsourcing contracts, and explores what can be the largest natural gas eld. It also plans to venture to railways, port and airport operation soon. Five of the largest companies he manages as chairmanPLDT, Manila Electric Co., Maynilad Water Services Inc., Philex Mining Corp. and Metro Pacic Investment Corp.reported a combined prot of P61.8 billion in 2011 and total revenues of P462 billion. Those revenues represented 4.8 percent of the Philippine gross domestic product estimated at P9.7 trillion in 2011. Pangilinan says First Pacic is very keen on growing its business in the Philippines, particularly the mining and agriculture sectors. Of the four areas of the economy where we feel we have some advantage of experience or strength, we are very excited about the opportunities in natural resources, particularly mining but also in plantations, whether they be oil palms or sugar or even bananas, he says. He is condent about mining, because of rising global demand for minerals. First Pacic-controlled Philex Mining Corp., the Philippines top producer of gold and copper, in fact looks at three possible acquisitions in Southeast Asia to sustain protability. Pangilinan sees Philex Mining posting a fourfold increase in ore production over the medium term. Philex operates the Padcal mine in Benguet, producing about 25,000 metric tons of ore a day. Its Silangan project in Mindanao targets to produce about 35,000 tons a day.

MVP business empire

Pangilinan, the managing director and chief executive of the Hong Kong-based First Pacic, is straightforward in his speech, giving participants of the Earths Resources Conference insights on how he runs his businesses and his vision for the future. Wherever we do invest, we insist on achieving control, or at the very least, signicant inuence. Our job at First Pacic is to generate cash ow up to head ofce, Pangilinan says, summing up his business philosophy that enabled First Pacic to post a net prot of $600 million in 2011 and expand in new areas in the Philippines. First Pacic, although operating from its headquarters in Hong Kong, exercises vast economic inuence in the Philippines and Indonesia. It has management control of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., which has ten times more SIM cards on its network than there are people in Hong Kong, as well as other major corporations in the Philippines. Although Forbes magazine failed to include him in its list of 40 richest Filipinos, Pangilinan, known in the business and media circles as MVP, is easily the most inuential Filipino businessman, who moves stock markets with a simple quip, jolts political alliance with TV ad placements and is a force in the sports and entertainment industries.

MVP Olympics

First Pacics investments are presently concentrated in two countries, with 70 percent in the Philippines and the rest in Indonesia. Pangilinan says the conglomerate is now looking at the potential of Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries. Pangilinan says First Pacic will stick to emerging markets, where it has thrived amid faster economic growth. In a mature economy, you dont see the kind of growth you get in less wealthy countries. China has been able to grow at 10 percent a year for the past several years precisely because it began from such a low base. A big, wealthy economy is very unlikely to match that. For us, its simply that the opportunities in emerging markets are so much greater than in mature markets. And weve been there for many years. Emerging markets are familiar to us. They are home, says Pangilinan. First Pacic group, through the publicly-listed Metro Pacic Investment Corp., also considers investing in airports, light rail, electricity generation and plantations. Pangilinan says the conglomerate looks at developing the former Clark air base into a secondary international hub because it has a longer runway which can accommodate heavier and larger airlines that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport cannot. We like the idea of investing in airports for the same reason that we like emerging markets and we like infrastructure: for growth. Anyone who ies to Manila is familiar with the delays, discomfort and inefciencies of the main airport, he says. Light rail is another area of infrastructure in need of investment, he says. Metro Pacic and the Ayala Group have recently formed a jointventure rm that would pursue the expansion of the countrys light railway system. While exploring other opportunities, PLDT remains the crown jewel of the MVP business empire and continues to deliver cash for the Salim family, the Indonesian top shareholders of First Pacific. Its no secret that PLDTs dividend payout has been 100 percent of core prot for the past ve years running. I dont see that stopping soon. Why am I so condent? Because of our insistence on signicant inuence or control, says Pangilinan. Pangilinan says without control or inuence, he cannot be condent about the companys dividend ow. First Pacics dividend income reached $322 million in 2011, the highest it has ever been. And when I look ahead over the next few years, I see continuing strong growth. This is vital for returning value to our shareholders whether it be via share price appreciation or dividend payouts of our own. I wont be condent in our growing dividend income if we arent in control of it, he says.

Asian expansion

In control

By Alena Mae S. Flores

SUNLIGHT, probably the most natural and readily available form of energy, can easily cover the rising electricity demand in the Philippines and energize the homes of around four million Filipinos in remote areas who still spend the night in the dark. The Energy Department, however, is not ready to endorse full development of solar energy projects just yet, claiming solar technology remained expensive and would only drive prices of electricity higher. Solar energy developers disputed this, saying the cost of solar energy projects was rapidly going down. In fact, solar projects mounted on rooftops, which harness energy from the sun and convert it to electricity, are already providing electricity to several farung communities outside the power grid at a cost of as low as P15,000 per installation. Solar homes systems are guaranteed to last up to 25 years. The power grid refers to the main power transmission network that conveys electricity from power plants to homes and establishments. Families in remote areas outside the grid can now enjoy the benets of two light bulbs, a mobile phone charger and a radio, thanks to solar rooftop systems. Solar rooftop projects have long been implemented in the country but it was only recently applied on a large scale such as the one installed by a multilateral bank. The Asian Development Bank inaugurated its own solar rooftop project at its headquarters in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City on June 5. The 2,040-photovoltaic panels occupying 6,640 square meters on the roof of ADBs main building is the biggest solar mounted rooftop to date. Once completed, the ADB rooftop project will generate 613-megawatt hours of electricity per year to run a portion of the banks air conditioning, lighting, and computer systems, in effect reducing the banks carbon footprint. Using rooftops and other open spaces is an efcient way for businesses and homes to capture and use the energy of the sun, said S. Chander, director-general of ADBs Regional and Sustainable Development Department. We hope other companies will follow ADBs example, Chander said. I expect that once prices go down, and the manufacturers are able to offer lower

prices, people should want to buy that. He said ADB was endorsing solar rooftop projects instead of ground-mounted solar projects because land should be utilized for agriculture. Propmech Corp., the winning bidder of the ADB solar rooftop project, has installed several solar rooftop projects in coordination with the Energy Department under the Rural Electrication Program of the government, supported by international aid agencies such as the World Bank, the United Nations and the United States Agency for International Development.

Govt shuns solar

However, solar power makes sense for rural because it is affordable compared to laying out kilometers of high-grade copper cable to sparsely populated areas. Also solar has no moving parts and are warranted for up to 25 years, Tong said. A bill proposed by Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casio in fact seeks to install one million solar rooftop projects in 10 years. The move, if approved, will make the Philippines a global leader in solar energy development. Aside from small solar rooftop projects,

500 villages

Largest solar project

The company won contracts to provide sustainable electricity in remote areas and had installed solar photovoltaic systems in over 500 barangays that previously had no access to electricity. Propmech expects to complete more than 10,000 solar installations by the end of the year. Propmech director Glenn Tong said the most spartan rural solar home system costs only about P15,000 to P20,000, although urban roof installations are on a different scale. Tong said solar home systems are customizable and can be installed very fast. If the materials are available, [installation will be] very fast. It would be a few days for most residential. However, what takes longer usually is the preinstallation part, particularly on explaining with the customer how solar works and what can and cant be done, he said. Tong said Spartan solar home and communal systems are the right technology for remote areas off the power grid, although there are various challenges along the way. Solar rooftop systems make the most sense for these areas, but logistics can be difcult since infrastructure of these areaslight, power, water, roadsare not available. Peace and order is a challenge as well, he said.

the Energy Department had approved 17 solar power projects with combined power generation capacity of 271.22 MW that were supposed to be connected to the grid. Another 24 projects with combined capacity of 117.83 MW seek approval from the department. Among the biggest projects are the proposed 50-MW Pasuquin-Burgos solar power project in Ilocos Norte of Energy Logics Philippines and the 50-MW Clark Freeport solar project in Mabalacat, Pampanga of Belgian rm Ennity Philippines Renewable Resources Inc. Ennity also proposed to build a 30-MW solar project in Cavite.

for three years, which was 50 percent lower than the 100 MW recommended by National Renewable Energy Board. This means that only 50 MW of solar power projects can be connected to the main power grid each year. Solar power developers questioned the departments decision, noting that this volume was only 18 percent of the 269 MW originally presented by Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras to President Benigno Aquino III during the launch of the National Renewable Energy Program in June 2011. Almendras had cautioned against putting up higher installation targets on renewable energy projects such as solar projects, which he said, were still expensive and considered intermittent. The energy ofcial said in a letter to a renewable energy developer the government had decided to limit the installation targets of renewable energy including solar because the present grid is not designed to handle too much intermittent power coming from RE. This is why we were compelled to limit installation targets of some RE resources until such time that the transmission system is fully upgraded, he said.

Last year, solar energy developers applied for a feed-in tariff rate of P17.95 per kilowatt-hour. The feed-in tariff, if approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission, will be xed for 20 years and will subsidize the cost of energy producers.

Feed-in tariff

Concerns over solar

The solar energy developers, however, later revised their FIT application to reect the lower cost of solar panels and submitted a lower rate of P14.59 per kWh, which proved solar energy cost was going down. They said the cost of solar electricity was nearing grid parity because the total cost of Manila Electric Co.s electricity (generation, transmission and distribution) was now at P12 per kWh. Tetchie Capellan, founding president of the Philippine Solar Power Alliance, predicted grid parity would be achieved by 2014. Capellan also said the impact to consumers of the solar utilization was only P0.01 per kWh under the FIT-Allowance, or the universal charge wherein all consumers were expected to pay for the cost of using renewable energy. She said the cost of building a one-MW solar plant had gone down to $2.2 million per MW from as high as $3 million, previously. The PSPA urged the government to immediately pass the FIT rates for solar projects, as this would encourage electricity consumers to erect solar rooftop systems at their homes, ofces and factories as a way to cope with rising electricity cost. She said solar energy could be easily and quickly installed on rooftops, allowing every home and business establishment to instantly cut their electricity expenses by as much as 30 percent.

Sound investment

Govt restriction

Development of these projects, however, threatened the Energy Departments decision to put a 50-MW cap on solar energy generation

Almendras said lessons learned from other countries also underscored the need to be cautious for some RE technologies. He mentioned the failure of US solar rm Solyndra which cost the US government some $600 million while China had an oversupply of solar panels waiting for buyers. In Australia, their government has cut back on solar FIT. In the United Kingdom, 1 Million was paid to RE wind developers not to supply the grid to prevent problems in the transmission system and wait until the system is upgraded. Multilateral agencies have also cautioned massive rollouts of RE technologies due to the experience of Spain and Germany, he said.

Capellan said consumers could fully recover their solar rooftop investment in ve to six years and would continue to enjoy free electricity for the next 20 years. Solar rooftops, she said, could be a sound investment particularly in Metro Manila where rooftop space is vast and power rates are high. Critics of solar say the technology is expensive. Waiting is no longer an option as consumers are now suffering from the high price of electricity. It is time for the government to pass the feed-in tariff... to bring immediate relief to electricity consumers, Capellan said.

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Sunday
Manila StandardTODAY
Edited by REUEL VIDAL sports@manilastandardtoday.com SUNDAY July 1, 2012

Sports

A10

Nonito Donaire Jr. shows off his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization Bantamweight championship belts during a press conference at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum. Donaire has since added the WBO Super Bantamweight championship belt to his collection of world titles. LINO SANTOS

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

career of pound for pound king, Fighter of the Decade and eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao winds down, millions of Filipinos and ght fans around the world continue to wonder as to who will become another Manny Pacquiao.
There are those who mention the name of Nonito The Filipino Flash as heir-apparent to the top spot among Filipino world champions but Donaire himself has said time and again that there is only one Manny Pacquiao and that he wishes to carve his own name in the ercely competitive sport. Donaire is a four-division world champion but his ambition is to win titles in six weight divisions, hopefully winding up as the junior lightweight champion of the world which was the pinnacle of success reached by his longtime idol, Gabriel Flash Elorde.

AS THE incredible

takes own path to boxing greatness

Donaire rst burst onto the scene when he effectively shut the mouth of cocky Australian IBF/IBO yweight champion Vic Darchinyan with a spectacular 5th round knockout on July 7, 2007. All it took was one, perfectly timed left hook to drop Darchinyan who tried to get up, rolled around the ring like a drunken sailor before crashing into the ropes near his corner. The smashing knockout earned for Donaire the coveted award as Knockout of the Year aside from being named the Upset of the Year which provides an insight into what kind of an underdog he was in the ght against Darchinyan. After dutifully battering Mexican challenger Luis Maldonado to score an 8th round TKO on December 1, 2007 Donaire fell upon some rough times as he and his promoter at that time, Gary Shaw, had an apparent falling out and it took eleven months before Nonito entered the ring to defend his IBF/IBO titles against little South African Moruti Mthalane on November 1, 2008. It wasnt the most convincing victory by Donaire although he broke Mthalanes nose, cut him on his eye and generally bloodied his face, forcing referee Joe Cortez to call a halt in the 6th round. The split with Shaw was consummated and Donaire linked up with perhaps the most astute promoter in the business of boxing today, Bob Arum of Top Rank. Arum in partnership with Solar Sports organized a championship double-header at the Araneta Coliseum where Brian Viloria stunned the world with an amazing 11th round knockout of IBF light yweight champion Ulises Solis while Donaire put on a clinic, dropping previously undefeated Raul Martinez of Texas four times en route to a 4th round TKO victory on April 19, 2009. Donaire decided it was time to begin his chase for more world titles and took on Panamas Rafael Concepcion who had earlier won the WBA super yweight interim title with a 10th round knockout of AJ Bazooka Banal in Cebu. After making short work of late substitute and clearly overmatched Manuel Chango Vargas at the Las Vegas Hilton on February 13, 2010, winning by a 3rd round

DONAIRE

Nonito The Filipino Flash Donaire Jr. is hard at work with a trainer in preparation for his July 8 battle against International Boxing Federation champion Jeffrey Mathebula in a unication title ght at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, USA. CHRIS FARINA, TOP RANK BOXING

Alaskas pool of young triathletes will benet from interacting with their professional athlete teammates as well as competing regularly not only in local races but also in international events as well. They are, from left: Dhill Anderson Lee, Nena Torres, Loren Dale Echavez, Banjo Northe, Martin Torres and Marc Altura.

Next generation to secure future of local triathlon

THE future of any sport belongs to the youth. With the goal of not only supporting local triathlon but more importantly developing the next generation of triathletes in the country Alaska Team Bike Boutique was formed. The team is composed of 10 members of four foreign professionals and six promising local athletes. The four professionals are David Dellow, Mathieu OHalloran, Caroline Steffen and Ali Fitch. The youngsters include Dhill Anderson Lee, Nena Torres, Loren Dale Echavez, Banjo Northe, Martin Torres and Marc Altura. The coach of the team is Brett Sutton who is widely recognized as one of the best coaches in the sport. Alaska Milk President and Chief Executive Ofcer Fred Uytengsu said they were glad to have the professionals in their team because they will serve as role models for the young team members. The young Filipino athletes will hopefully soon be able to represent the country in international competitions. Obviously, having a top caliber coach in Brett (Sutton) helps make this goal a real possibility. We just want to provide hope and opportunity through sport, said Uytengsu. More than just winning races the program hopes to develop the next generation of Filipino champions in triathlon. This will be accomplished through the athlete development program. The Filipino athletes in the team will follow in the footsteps of the pro athletes. Alaska Team Bike Boutique will compete in all major races in the Philippines. They will also participate in major international races including the Ironman Asia Pacic Championship in Melbourne, European Ironman Championship in Frankfurt and the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. Reuel Vidal

TKO, Donaire saved the day for the Philippines in Puerto Rico on July 10, 2010 when he became the only Filipino ghter to win while three others, including twodivision world champion Gerry Pealosa were beaten rather badly. Donaire cemented his hold on the WBA super yweight title with a comfortable 8th round TKO of Hernan Tyson Marquez. Donaire had always wanted the big names and the big ghts. One of the champions he long wanted to battle was veteran Mexican Fernando Cochulito Montiel. The long awaited showdown with Montiel took place on February 19, 2011. In a devastating performance that duplicated in many ways Manny Pacquiaos second round demolition of Ricky The Hitman Hatton whom he separated from his senses in the second round, Donaire annihi-

lated Montiel also in two rounds. Nonito had cloaked himself with glory by winning the WBC/ WBO bantamweight belts and once again being recognized as the ghter responsible for the Knockout of the Year. With three titles in his trophy room Donaire who was having problems making the 118 pound limit decided to move up to the super bantamweight limit to confront former champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. He dropped Vazquez in the 9th round and handily beat him except in the eyes of one of the judges, Dr. Ruben Garcia, who inexplicably had Vazquez the winner 115-112, receiving a round of boos when his scorecard was read and upsetting WBO president Francisco Paco Valcarcel with his incompetence if nothing else. On Sunday, July 8 Manila Time,

Donaire will take another path to glory by facing IBF champion Jeffrey Mathebula in a unication title ght at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California where the large Filipino community is expected to show up in support of Donaire. It will be a different kind of test for Donaire as Mathebula is some 3-4 inches taller with a longer reach and has said he plans to use these advantages to the hilt. Donaire is unfazed as trainer Robert Garcia welcomes the opportunity telling us, Nonito likes to ghter taller guys. He is strong and in great shape. Arum was full of enthusiasm in the lead-up to the ght after watching Donaire train. He told the Manila Standard, Hes not just good. Nonito is sensational. He is terric. Pacquiaos heir-apparent is taking giant steps on his own road to greatness.

Gallery of happy remembrances

THE MORNING AFTER
TIME was when sportswriters were labeled as the all-around specialists of the newspaper industry. They were the chronicler, critic, sports agent, mouthpiece and hero-worshipper. Todays sportswriters are a pampered lot, enjoying more liberties and juicy perks like traveling overseas with Manny Pacman Paquiao to the US or tagging along with the PH Azkals to see the world. Sportswriting has become a lucrative job. Those who know the terrain are invited to private parties by wealthy PBA team owners or by captains of big business in golf or moneyed politicians in horse racing. There is no special expertise in sportswriting or added skills beyond knowing how to write a story. Its just as simple as that, was the satirical remark of Eddie Alinea, the most seasoned and the most acerbic critic in the beat. For Alinea, a man of integrity and pride, to be a sportswriter is a rare and delightful exception from the rest on the job. A sportswriter stretches his imagination and refines his talents beyond the standards of mediocrity. Noel Albano of Times Journal, Reggie Amigo of Daily Express, Bert Eljera of Manila Bulletin, Gerry Carpio of Philippine Star and Clarito Samson of Malaya were among those who inhabited our small world in the eighties.

RAY ROQUERO

Those were also the days of Lydia de Vega, Isidro del Prado, Pia Tamayo, Leopoldo Cantancio, Joan Chan, Billy Wilson, Bong Coo, Rodolfo Guaves, Rolando Albuera, Jaime Sebastian, Itoy Esguerra and Franz Pumaren. The young guns of post-Martial Law era like Edwin Villanueva of Daily Inquirer and Howie Basilio of Times Journal were authorities in their specialized elds. The most durable of course was Clyde Mariano of Tempo, his last stop. Chito Manuel of Peoples Journal was a repository of national history. His remarkable one step backward, two steps forward quote in basketball made him the man of the hour in the PBA games. I missed Gerry Carpio, who would chuckle and feast on the folly of the not too diligent sportswriters missing a vital note during an interview. And Reggie Amigo was always impeccably groomed, cool and unappable. My elder colleague Philip Evardone at the Bulletin was a man of high respect and Noli Cortez of Malaya, with an engaging sense of humor, was admired for his air and style. The most articulate and assertive was naturally Clarito Samson. Kleng, as we called him, was a natural macho man, winning so many hearts I failed to keep track of them, the last time around. He was a man of intellect and depth, probity and passion. The new kids on the block, who would later on assume the mantle of leadership, are Rey Bancod of Tempo, also passionate and scented, and Roy Luarca of Inquirer, lively and fearless, among them. Ed Andaya of Peoples Tonite was personable

and principled and Manny Angeles of Manila Standard, a man of sophistication, was a montage of various virtues from charming and candid to graceful and dashing. The annual Palarong Pambansa was one of the most grueling sports coverages where you had to live with a Press Center which was nothing but a classroom converted into a working area. You relied on your provincial correspondents to gather the results of the games and when it was time to le your story, you had to rush to the solitary PLDT ofce in the city to phone in your report. It was not the case when Manila hosted the 1981 Southeast Asian Games. The amboyant Moying Martelino set up the rst Media Center of the Games which was hailed by foreign sportswriters as the best press center ever. Moying, backed up by the veteran Joe Pavia and Teddy Cecilio, set up a sophisticated communications system, supported by Marie Lagdameos Philcom telex rm at a time when the Abacus computer was still in its infancy. The quick and bright Joseph Dumuk produced up-to-date Games results and medal tallies which caught the air and fancy of the covering sportswriters, both local and foreign. Filipino sportswriters would later on cover the Asian Games and the Olympics with the Philcom gang of Lagdameo and Peking Cartagena in tow, making a mockery of the latest computer programming. Well folks, I am glad to be back, reminiscing once again the gallery of happy remembrances and acquaintances with the boys at the press box.

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Sunday SundayLeisure
SUNDAY JULY 1, 2012 CARLA MORTEL-BARICAUA Supplements Editor

Manila Standard TODAY

Sunday getaway
AN AWESOME
By Red Arguelles
This year, our family decided to select Camayan Beach Resort as the destination for our weekend getaway. Primarily, because we have heard so much about it from our friends and its just about two to two and a half drive from Manila to Subic Bay. We loved the warm hospitality of the staff who greeted us upon arrival. They were all very solicitous and accommodating throughout our stay at the resort. We surmised that this kind of customer service says a lot about the resort. We also appreciated that their rates were sensible considering the comfort and the ambiance of the rooms as well as the superb services they provide to customers. We booked a superior room in advance at a reasonable price. A superior room contains two comfortable queen-sized beds. This is absolutely perfect for our family of ve, consisting of three adults and two children. We loved the fact that aside from air-conditioning, refrigerator, Wi and satellite TV, the room had a mini-bar and a terrace. We were very pleased with the well-maintained their rooms and facilities. Of course no matter how inviting the comforts of the rooms were, we cannot wait long enough to dash to the shores and wallow along the beach! The white sand is simply gorgeous! The water is pristine. To declare that we really enjoyed swimming at the beach is such an understatement. We were practically in the water every day from breakfast till late afternoon! We just cannot get enough of it! We also noted that the life guard on duty is ever watchful. It gave us a sense of assurance with regards to the matter of the guests safety. Considering its not a very big resort, Camayan

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has a lot of cabanas, cottages and guest rooms to accommodate the inux of clients. The resort offers a variety of recreational activities that the guests may opt to avail. We were thrilled with our kayaking adventure. The guide was conversant and very helpful as he accommodated all of our inquisitive questions. We also played beach frisbee. I am not really into snorkeling but I tried it for experience. I was pleasantly surprised at how awe-inspiring it is to leisurely explore the reefs and observe the wonders of marine life under water. I was able to take note of at least seven different kinds of sh during this activity. Being one with nature in that manner was beyond doubt an extraordinary experience. Dining in the restaurant was a pleasant experience as well. Food was good but it was the setting that impressed us. To have the benet of having a sumptuous meal while enjoying fresh air and the panoramic view of the beach front is such a delight. The ambience was so serene it washed away all the tension and stress of the Metro. Camayan also offers a buffet breakfast and we loved their coffee, too. On top of that, the resort offers massage services. Who wouldnt want to pamper themselves with this treat? Getting good massages can do a world of good. Its so much therapeutic and benecial in managing stress, enhancing sleep quality, reducing fatigue and improving circulation and concentration. And I loved it! Of course, the resort is just right next to Ocean Adventure, which gives it distinction from other resorts. We dropped by and were able to watch their dolphin friends show and their sea lion marine patrol show. Everyone had a great time. True to our all friends feedback, the place is remarkable! It satised our expectations in terms of accessibility, value, cleanliness, and service. Most of all, one that makes Camayan resort truly unique is that this is a place where sea turtles are well-known to nest in. Although we were not fortunate enough this time to be able to see these amazing creatures, its something to look forward to in our next family getaway.

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SUNDAY JULY 1, 2012

SundayLeisure
Manila Standard TODAY

A Sunday well spent brings a week of content. unknown

WITH so many options laid before us in terms of relaxation and entertainment, it would be just a plain of waste of time not to grab the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and try something off-beat for you. Do not let the weekend slip away, instead, embark on the next adventure and start living for the moment. The day started slow as our weary group trudged up on the beach side for a day of nature tripping. Thanks to our gracious hosts we were being treated to day of snorkeling, sh feeding, seafoods for lunch and a dip to the clear waters of Padanon off the coast of Cebu. I have heard of a treat to the senses but this day taught me how this can be literally real. The boat ride itself was a treat. Fresh cool winds whipped our faces while our ears were lled with the soft sounds of the waves hitting the sides of our boat. Our eyes relaxed at the greenery offered by the nearby islands and the vast expanse of the sea while we soaked up under warm sunshine as time went by unnoticed. A refreshing drink of water did

An outdoor adventure

the trick of replenishing uids and cooling body temperatures. The long boat ride to Cebus marine sanctuary was worth the wait. From off-shore, the motorized banca attached itself to a oating buoy. Shortly, the lovely guide gave us instructions and safety reminders on how to go about snorkeling and sh feeding. Donning a life vest and snorkel, we gently eased down to the calm waters and slowly paddled clumsily at the sides of the boat. Those on board gave us pieces of bread for the feeding frenzy that was about to begin. As newbies, we fumbled with the snorkel and those with acrophobia (fear of heights) tried to catch their composure when faced with the seemingly seamless depth of the sea oor. Eager for their morning meal, sh of different varieties quickly swam toward us. With much enthusiasm, we handed out bits of bread to the feeding frenzy that ensued. This interactive activity will literally have aquatic creatures eating from your hands and maybe take a nip or two at your ngertips. The moment may take a surreal turn when it seemed like nothing else existed except the colorful sea bed, the school of sh and you. Stripped tiger sh are unabashed as they gathered around and grabbed every bit of bread. Bigger and darker shes are shy for they swim at a distance and catches

food swept by the undersea current. A large, aqua blue angel sh gracefully came with its cute mouth full of teeth and nibbled its share. Our patience were paid off once it received our offering and slowly returned to its comfort zone. Its nal bite and quick retreat was the perfect ending to this adventure until the next acquatic journey.

You dont need to read the newspaper to see what is going on with our environment. Every day, wherever you are, you can see signs of the need to act now and act quickly to save Mother Earth. This is a task that everyone should contribute to; individuals, corporations, and communities alike. Kraft Foods Philippines (KFP) works to incorporate this mission of helping protect the environment into its business. The Company aims to make today delicious, and this translates not only to its well-loved portfolio of brands but also to its community involvement and sustainability programs. Go Green is Kraft Foods continuous improvement program to help save water and energy, and reduce carbon emissions and waste. Started in 2008, Go Green aims to help in the preservation of the environment by ensuring that reducing, recovering and recycling precious resources is part of Kraft Foods manufacturing processes. From 20082013, Kraft Foods aims to reduce its use of water and energy, and carbon emissions by 5% year-on-year. Proof of the programs effectiveness is a Gold Award for Environmental Excellence given to Kraft Foods during the 4th Global CSR Awards 2012. Held last April in Boracay, the Global CSR Awards prides itself as Asias most prestigious recognition awards program for corporate social responsibility (CSR). This is the 5th award that Kraft Foods has received for its Go Green program in two years. one way which Kraft Foods helps Mother Earth through Go Green is the recent upgrading of its water recycling facility. In March of this year, Kraft Foods inaugurated its improved water recycling facility for its Sucat, Paraaque manufacturing plant. This upgraded facility utilizes reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light to treat the water that Kraft Foods uses in its production activities. To treat means to remove impurities the water has acquired through use. The goal of treating is to ensure the water returns as close as possible to its natural state. By treating the water it has already used, Kraft Foods is able to use less fresh water and help in preserving this natural resource. I am personally very pleased to share that with this improvement initiative, Kraft Foods will be able to make a significant

Kraft Foods Commits to a Sustainable Future

Kraft Foods recently inaugurated its improved water recycling facility for its Sucat, Paraaque Plant. The new facility aims to help reduce and recycle the water Kraft Foods uses for its manufacturing activities. This initiative is part of Kraft Foods 5-year Go Green program aimed at reducing not only its water use but its energy use, carbon emissions and waste as well.

reduction to its water consumption, says Sudip Mall, Kraft Foods Philippines General Manager. The amount of water that Kraft Foods hopes to reduce with this new facility is equivalent to filling up 4 olympic-sized swimming pools or 581,000 5-gallon containers of water! He continues, our programs like Go Green, dont just make sense for our business. We also work to protect resources for future generations. I would like to add that it is truly remarkable the way our employees have relentlessly

Kraft Foods Philippines Gold Award for Environmental Excellence was handed by Hon. Mayor John Yap of Malay, Aklan (center) and Atty. Michael Frederick Musngi (right) Undersecretary for Special Concerns of the Office of the Executive Secretary, The Office of the President of The Philippines, to the Companys Communications Officer Caitlin P. Punzalan (left) during the 4th Global CSR Awards.

focused on driving our environmental initiatives, of which this facility is an example. We are very proud of the

award bestowed upon us and this new phase of our program for the planets betterment. Making every drop reusable. For many years, Kraft Foods has had a wastewater recycling program inside its plant. Before, the water the Company treats was used only for watering plants or other maintenance tasks. This new facility ensures the treated water can be used for much more. Its because this specific process ensures that the treated water meets the high quality standards that Kraft Foods needs for its manufacturing activities. Instead of using fresh water to clean inside its production area, the treated water is now used instead. We have been a community partner of Paraaque for almost 50 years, since our plant opened in 1963, shares KFPs operations Director Gautam Pal. This improved water recycling facility is another way of helping our community. By using less water, and using it smartly, we are able to contribute to our communitys efforts to save our water resources. In the future, Kraft Foods is looking at installing biomass boilers, or those which use alternative energy sources, to reduce its carbon footprint even more. To find out the other ways Kraft Foods makes today delicious, visit www.kraftfoods.ph.

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SundayLeisure
Manila Standard TODAY

SUNDAY JULY 1, 2012

Day spa in your home

By Carla Mortel
The weekend is the best time to shake up the house and upgrade its exteriors and interiors. For those who love to spend time at the spa, you can also bring the same kind of ambiance right into your home. This Sunday, feel relaxed and rejuvenated as you step into your sanctuary and let your stress melt away. To achieve the spa set-up into your bedroom, consider the following steps for day spa makeover: Lighting is everything. Invite as much natural lighting as possible but also make sure that you can control the light for that desired effect. Soft lighting can also be achieved with articial lighting and is best for that relaxing atmosphere. Choose colors that are subtle and cool to the eyes. Repaint the whole room with colors that compliment each other. Earth colors, green and blue hues works well for your room of rest and relaxation. Replace cracked and chipped tiles with new tiles of colors, texture, and design that remind you of a spa room. Decorate with implements that remind you of nature. Put owers, plants, drift wood or sea shells to bring in the elements of the environment. You can also add pebbles and colored rocks for that added interest. Pictures or gures of butteries and dragonies work just as well. Choose bathroom xtures that simulate rain into your shower. You can also put in water features with owing water. Scent therapy is also important to stimulate the olfactory sense. Choose scents that relaxes you like lavender, rose and chamomile. Scents may come in oils, candles and incense sticks. Bring in new bathrobes, towels and slippers that are readily available. Put in soft music with sounds of trickling water, birds chirping or slow instrumental music. Schedule an appointment with a masseuse or massage therapist. There are many establishments that offer massage services right into your own home. Be ready with your soothing oil in lavender or chamomile scents. Finish your pampering ritual with a hot cup of tea. Tea has been known to calm the senses. Drink green or lemon grass tea. SUNDAYS are for families to get together after a whole week of work and school. The routine usually comprised of attending the mass in the morning then having lunch together. Typical Filipino families like to cook their own food rather than dine out for it is more economical money and also serves as bonding time. Conversations between family members over lunch are more enjoyable when paired with delicious Filipino delicacies. Adobo will not slip out of the mind when you talk about Filipino food. This is very easy to prepare. Filipinos have varieties of special adobo. It could be pork or chicken or a combination of both cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, onions, garlic, and black pepper. Sometimes Filipinos get away from the usual and use pineapple juice instead of vinegar. They sometimes add mushrooms and carrots aside from the customary potatoes. Others are experimental as they season the pan-fried adobo with melted cheese for that unique taste. Inihaw, literally meaning food cooked directly over charcoal, or barbecue is a popular Sunday dish as well. Be it pork, seafood, or chicken, inihaw is always a hit especially when partnered with a dip of soy sauce with calamansi. Kare-kare is a must have at the dining table. This authentic Filipino dish, usually with pork or beef and vegetables, is cooked with peanut sauce and served with bagoong. It does not matter if it is with meat or seafood, Filipinos love having soup with their meals. Filipinos usually cook tinola with papaya, sayote, or malunggay boiled to broth alongside ginger, onions and sh sauce. Sotanghon noodles could also be added to this dish and serves as a soup entre. Sinigang, a tangy meat soup, and

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Sunday family specialties

nilaga, meat boiled with vegetables, are also popular choices for soup viands. Another favorite is kaldereta or a dish consisting of pork or beef cuts with tomato paste, liver paste and spices. Some families prefer this dish spicy while others with peanut butter avor. For seafood dishes, escabeche and relleno are top choices. Bangus and tilapia are often used to make escabeche with vinegar or citrus juice for that sweet and sour taste. On the other hand, bangus is the usual main ingredient in relleno. Pinakbet and chopsuey, dishes made of different kinds of vegetables, are perfect viands to balance any meal. A meal would not be complete without dessert. Leche an, gelatin, and maja blanca are regulars on the table. Suman, sometimes fried, is best when dipped in brown or white sugar or topped with ice cream. Biko, a variety of native kakanin or cooked sticky rice, topped with latik, (cooked, shredded coconut) never disappoints and, of course, halo-halo with ice cream does the trick in satisfying every taste bud. Filipinos certainly love to eat and serving our very own delectable dishes especially during family time makes the gathering more special.

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Sunday SundayLeisure
JULY 1, 2012 SUNDAY

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Manila Standard TODAY

How to make binagol

By Carla Mortel

THIS Sunday afternoon try something different and test your culinary skills. This treat, when cooked well, is satisfyingly sweet that could easily transport you back to the charms of the rural setting.
Binagol reigns as the local delicacy originating from the island of Leyte. Soft, sweet and lling the local treat can be served as a snack or dessert right from the coconut shell that was covered with banana leaves and were bounded by strings tied around tight several times. Visitors of Leyte can expect to be

served with binagol twice or thrice a day because people there are so proud and condent that one denitely cannot resist this kakanin. Intrigued on how the binagol is made, we sought its local producer in Dagami, the municipality known There are many persons who look on Sunday as a sponge to wipe out the sins of the week. Henry Ward Beecher for binagol production. Binagol is made from talyan, a type of gabi. Unlike the more popular type of gabi in sinigang that is small and oval, the talyan is monstrously big, tubular and very, very itchy to palate and skin. Left without a choice, makers of binagol have to bear with the itchiness when pairing, chopping and grating the tuber. It is no wonder that some could not bear this irritating predicament and simply bow out of the job. We now reveal to you the step by step procedure of cooking binagol:

1. Pare, clean and grate talyan. 2. Add coco milk, sugar and peanuts and mix well. Tip: Use the kakang gata (rst extract) before using the thinner coco milk to keep the talyan mixture moist. 3. Put a layer of the mixture inside the coco shells. 4. Add sugary syrup. 5. Top with more talyan mixture. 6. Cover with banana leaves and use a twine to keep the leaves in place. 7. Put coco shells inside a cauldron and immerse with enough water. 8. Bring to a rolling boil and keep boiling temperature for at least seven hours to ensure that the pudding is properly cooked. 9. Remove coco shells from hot water and air dry. For handling purposes, secure leaves with a new set of string. 10. Binagol is now ready to serve. Thank you to Terry and Teresa Ortega for sharing their recipe. Their Original Binagol and other sweets can be found at Teris Leyte Delicacies in downtown Tacloban City.
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