Makati City News May 2013

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Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

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Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.
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Monument of Ninoy Aquino

Hit and run: More fun in the Philippines

By :Cito Beltran


From the looks of it, we can now add “Hit and run: More fun in the Philippines” to our slogans.

This is the message that comes out of the Makati Hall of Justice after a city fiscal by the name of Estefano dela Cruz reportedly filed a resolution for the dismissal of charges against an Indian businessman who hit a motorcycle rider, killed him, fled without giving aid to his victim and then sent out his “operators” to pay the victims’ family.

From what I gathered, the premise of the resolution to dismiss the charges is that since civil compensation has been made and since the families have issued affidavits of desistance, then there is no legal personality with a claim. Sounds simple enough right? No, its not.

When the story came out in the Philippine STAR, a foreign business executive sent an email that surprised me because of the language, intensity, as well as righteous indignation on a miscarriage of justice. Considering how the media in general has paid scant attention to the case, it is embarrassing that foreigners are more indignant about the case than Filipinos have been.

The email goes:

“ Pardon my French, but this is bullshit! You have to be f_ _ cking kidding me! You mean to tell me that “civil compensation” supersedes discovery of a blatant criminal violation? OK, the families were compensated for what that’s worth, but nobody has declared plain as day corruption within the Justice system? I mean the a _ _ hole didn’t even stop at the scene!”

Aside from his “French”, what got my interest was the line “civil compensation supersedes discovery of a blatant criminal violation.” So I called up a sitting Judge to help clarify the matter.

According to the honorable Judge, the resolution recommending dismissal of the charges is out of order on several points. Regardless of what has transpired, the fiscal should have conducted a preliminary investigation as a matter of process (reports indicate that there was none). Based on the charges, Fiscal Estefano dela Cruz was required by law to forward the case to a Judge instead of issuing a resolution to dismiss the charges.

According to the Judge, even if Rajiv Ramesh Dargani and his lawyer had paid civil compensation to the victim’s family, the entire matter should have been brought in front of a Judge to determine the legality, correctness and fairness of the settlement as well as other legal considerations such as violation of other laws.

Even if civil compensation had been paid, it does not free Rajiv Ramesh Dargani of possible criminal liability for failing to give assistance to a victim and for fleeing the scene of the accident. The Judge pointed out that one of these fall under a Republic Act and is therefore a case that should be submitted to a judge and not decided at the fiscal’s level.

I figure that Fiscal Dela Cruz can cite enough jurisprudence to prove his point, but I wonder, how he will defend his resolution for dismissal considering the Chief of Police of Makati himself has publicly stated that even if the victim’s family has been compensated, the Makati police still remains as the principal complainant in the matter of Rajiv Ramesh Dargani’s failure to give assistance to a victim, fleeing the scene of the accident or crime and evading arrest. Because these two violations pertain to a violation of the law and not damage to another person, the police becomes the legal personality and if they failed to file the case they in turn could be charged at the Napolcom or Ombudsman.

I don’t know if Fiscal dela Cruz has withdrawn his resolution or not, the Judge and I are of the opinion that this is one of the cases that should be thoroughly investigated by Secretary Leila de Lima’s office with regards to procedure and faithfulness to the law. It is an opportunity to once again clarify legal matters and decisions related to civil compensation, blood money, or “areglo” in order to prevent people from merely buying their way out of trouble and for victim’s families to be correctly guided to what the law provides in terms of their rights and entitlements.

It is also a good opportunity for the DOJ to emphasize adherence to process, the law, and transparency among fiscals especially in the city of Makati, where many lawyers have shared nightmare stories about fiscals.

Finally, I sincerely appeal to our lawmakers to write down a law concerning “civil compensation.” Too many “abogados de areglo” or fixer lawyers have paid off victims and families without the benefit of legal counsel and determination of a Judge. We need a law that makes it mandatory for such matters to be done either in the presence of, with the assistance of, or reviewed by a Judge. Better yet, it might be a good idea to have special courts dedicated to nothing else but civil compensation.

  • * *

A few days, ago someone posted on my Facebook page the picture of a TV personality with the statement that goes: 

“Nobody ever went broke under estimating the intelligence of the Filipino public. The dumber the TV shows, the higher the ratings.”

After that many people began to agree and like the statement without even realizing that “Filipino public” included them. Since then I have been talking to many TV personalities who seem resigned that the only way to click in TV now is to be so “Masa” and go “dumb and dumber.”

I strongly disagree and will argue against this point of view even on TV if they ever let me. Stop blaming the Filipino public or insulting their intelligence. In response I posted this reply:

“Correction! The lazier the TV executives and managers, the dumber the shows. It’s dumb and dumber, When those in a position to design and decide are dumb, you get shows that are dumb and result to an audience that are dumber. Don’t blame Filipinos, blame decision makers.”

In addition to what I posted, allow me to throw this into the pot. TV and media in general have always been about “what sells” to advertisers. The common denominator has been audience and to get the numbers come up with a show that gives away money and prizes, shows a lot of skin and sex, features offensive comedians and frustrated singers, and give as many people their 2 minutes of fame. The irony is that the audience don’t make those decisions, the network managers and executives do. The marketing people do, and the programing people do. Ultimately it’s the advertisers who bankroll the dumb shows, so why are they blaming their laziness, greed and lack of excellence on the Filipino viewing public?






PH jumps 5 notches in competitiveness ranking

By :Michelle V. Remo


MANILA, Philippines—With an economy growing at a robust pace and an efficient workforce to boast of, the Philippines jumped by five notches in this year’s World Competitiveness Ranking. From 43rd last year, the Philippines landed 38th in this year’s global survey on competitiveness conducted by international business school IMD. There are 60 countries covered by the annual survey. A country’s ranking results from queries to respondents, mostly from the business sector, focused on four main categories: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure. In the area of economic performance, the Philippines improved its ranking by 11 notches from 42nd last year to 31st this year. This came about following its encouraging growth performance last year, when its economy grew by 6.6 percent, surpassing the government’s target of 5 percent to 6 percent. In this year’s survey, the United States gained the top spot, while Switzerland landed second. Other countries in the Top 10 are: Hong Kong, Sweden, Singapore, Norway, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Germany and Qatar, which landed on the 3rd to the 10th spots, respectively. The countries at the Bottom 10 are: Brazil, Slovenia, South Africa, Greece, Romania, Jordan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Argentina. They landed on the 51st to the 60th spots, respectively.

Hit and run case vs Fil-Indian withdrawn not dismissed

By : (philstar.com)


MANILA, Philippines - The complaints of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, physical injuries and abandonment of one's own victim filed by the Makati City Police against Filipino-Indian businessman Rajiv Ramesh Dargani were not dismissed but were merely ordered "withdrawn" based on the recommendation of the investigating fiscal, Assistant City Prosecutor Estefano dela Cruz.

Makati Chief Prosecutor Feliciano Aspi said he approved Dela Cruz's recommendation to have the complaints withdrawn after Dargani's victims submitted affidavits of desistance.

In his one-page order dated May 21, 2013, Dela Cruz said the complaints against Dargani are considered withdrawn after victims Glenn Nacion and the relatives of Henrix Berbardo, who was killed, submitted affidavits of desistance. The affidavits, said Dela Cruz, are treated as motions to withdraw the complaints.

Aspi said the affidavits of desistance were attached in the complaint filed by the police.

Dargani figured in a hit-and-run incident along McKinley Road in Barangay Forbes Park last April 20.

Makati City Police chief, Sr. Supt. Manuel Lukban, expressed surprise at the recommendation saying they have not withdrawn the complaints.

"What we were really waiting for was the notification for the conduct of s preliminary investigation where we could present other evidence against Dargani," said Lukban.

Lukban added that the complainants in the case is the city police and not the families of Dargani's victims who have earlier desisted from pursuing the case and accepted monetary settlement from Dargani.

"We are the complainants here. The fiscal cannot use the affidavits of desistance by the victims and attach these to our complaint," he said.

Aspi defended the recommendation to have the complaints withdrawn saying the complaints filed by the police were "weak."

"The complaint cited witnesses but it did not include the affidavits of these witnesses. Also the complaint was filed by a police officer who does not have personal knowledge of the incident," he said.

Dargani is the president of Sunglass Hut Philippines, a retailer of top brand sunglasses.

Dargani was identified by witnesses as the driver of an Audi R8 that crashed into a motorcycle along McKinley Road at past 3 a.m.

Police said Dargani was driving along McKinley Road on his way home to Dasmariñas Village from the direction of the Bonifacio Global City when he allegedly overtook another vehicle and hit a motorcycle on the opposite lane.

Motorcycle driver Bernardo died on the spot while his passenger, Nacion Jr., was critically injured, police said.

Police said Dargani allegedly did not stop and instead drove to Dasmariñas Village. However, Dargani left the village and has not been seen since.

Relatives of Dargani’s victims told police that they are not pursuing the case and have executed affidavits of desistance. Police however still filed the complaints before the Makati City Prosecutor's Office saying that Dargani still has to face criminal liability.

Aspi however said he approved the recommendation to have the complaints withdrawn to allow the concerned parties - either the police or the victims or their families - to refile the complaints.

"The parties have the option of refiling the complaint later with all the supporting evidence and documents," he said.

LTFRB starts school bus inspections

By : Gellie Bilgera


LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez and other LTFRB personnel inspected school bus units in Makati City at the start of a wide campaign to ensure the safety of students.

The agency checked the roadworthiness of bus units, making sure that operators and drivers are complying with safety requirements.

School buses should bear yellow zebra prints.

Buses should display the LTFRB case and hotline number and bus aides should be present to assist students.

Bus units must not exceed 13 years old, and other requirements include onboard medical kits, fire extinguishers and protective grills on the windows.

But, there are other matters that the agency wishes to prioritize, such as specific training for school bus drivers and the formulation of a fare matrix.

Ginez disclosed that it is the LTFRB's responsibility to regulate fares including those of school buses.

He calls on parents to inform the agency of any complaints or to give suggestions on school bus fares.

Ginez explains that such a move can help rationalize the fare structure: "Kasi napagalaman namin na halos taon-taon sumasabay ang pagtaas ng pamasahe kasabay ng pag taas ng tuition ng mga eskwelahan (We understand that the school bus fees tend to keep pace with the increases in tuition)."

Bus operators say the rates should be fair to both parents and operators, even as a major factor is the variable cost of fuel, especially if the fuel price jumps P5 per liter.

The LTFRB will be holding public hearings and consultations on the fare matrix for school bus services.

Makati to implement full plastic ban on June 20

By : (ICRD/RJB/JCp/PIA-NCR)


MAKATI CITY, May 27 (PIA) -- Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay today reminded over 17,500 retail and food establishments in the city that effective June 20, the local government will fully implement the ban on the use of plastic, Styrofoam and other non-biodegradable materials as packaging for food and other products, as mandated by the Solid Waste Management Code of Makati enacted in 2003 through Ordinance No. 2003-095.

The mayor said the nine-year grace period for compliance to the Code’s provision on “Use of Environment-Friendly Materials” had ended last December 31, 2012 but was extended through Executive Order (EO) No. 007 series of 2012 to give establishments ample time to deplete their inventories and replace these with environment-friendly materials by June 20 of this year.

“I believe we have given the concerned establishments enough time to prepare for the full implementation of the plastic ban on June 20. Our deputized enforcers and members of the Plastic Monitoring Task Force are all set to conduct inspections and impose appropriate sanctions on violators of the ban,” Binay said.

The mayor also urged business owners to submit a report on their inventory on plastic, Styrofoam (polysterene) and other non-biodegradable materials to the Plastic Monitoring Task Force (PMTF) at the 7th floor of the Makati City Hall Building II from June 3 to 7 to avoid being penalized for non-compliance.

“The PMTF has informed me that to date, no establishment has submitted a stock inventory report on non-biodegradable materials, including single-use and carry-out plastic bags, which they are required to do quarterly,” he said.

Under the ordinance, individual violators will be fined P1,000 or imprisoned for five days to 30 days, or both at the discretion of the court. An errant corporation or establishment will be fined P5,000 or the owner may be imprisoned from 30 days to a year, or both at the court’s discretion. If warranted, the business permit or license may also be cancelled.

The PMTF has been designated to monitor the compliance of all supermarkets, public markets, shopping malls/department stores, restaurants, fast food chains, convenience stores, canteens, eateries and similar establishments to the ordinance. Under the Code’s section on the “Use of Environment-Friendly Materials,” these establishments are prohibited from selling, using or distributing plastic bags for use as primary or secondary packaging on dry goods, or as secondary packaging for wet goods. The sale, use or distribution of Styrofoam (polystyrene) and other materials with non-biodegradable components that are being used as containers for food, drinks, dining utensils and beverages is also strictly prohibited.

Once the ban finally takes effect this June 20, the management will be required to provide, for free or for a fee, paper bags, cloth bags, basket/woven bags made from biodegradable packaging materials, woven native bags and other similar materials in lieu of plastic shopping bags.

Moreover, the EO issued last June 2012 makes specific distinction between “primary” and “secondary” packaging materials and exempts certain products from the plastic ban.

Primary packaging materials are defined as “first level product packaging that contains the item sold,” which are used for wet produce, snack foods, frozen foods, and hardware, among others. On the other hand, secondary packaging materials are “those used to provide support for wet goods with primary packaging,” usually for the convenience of the handler or customer.

Among the products exempted from the order are plastic bottled products like bottled water, ice tea, cooking oil, alcohol, mayonnaise, jelly, peanut butter, coco jam, and the like. Also included in the exemption are plastic sachet products like shampoo and conditioner, soap/detergent, noodles; cosmetics; cigarette case; plastic bags used as primary packaging on wet goods with thickness of 15 microns above, and other similar products.

Data from the city’s Business Permits Office show a total of 13,173 retail establishments, 3,686 food outlets, and 664 carinderias doing business in the city.

Meanwhile, all covered establishments are also required to place a clearly marked “Plastic Bag Recovery Bin” at entrances and exits that are visible and accessible, for the purpose of collecting, recycling and disposal of plastic bags.

Barangay Halls are likewise required to have the same clearly marked recovery bins that will serve as drop-off points to collect plastic bags from barangay residents. DES will coordinate with reputable recyclers/organized junkshop operators for the proper collection, transportation, recycling and disposal of plastic bags dropped in the said bins.






Read-Along at 6 picks celebs as ambassadors

By : Kate Pedroso, Schatzi Quodala and Marielle Medina, Inquirer Research



MANILA, Philippines—The Inquirer Read-Along on Saturday marked its sixth year by training master storytellers and honoring celebrity readers in a daylong affair that gathered children ages 7 to 12 at the Inquirer office in Makati City. The celebration’s main event was twofold: coaching the first batch of “champions” to become Read-Along storytellers and organizers in their communities; and introducing the program’s first “ambassadors”— celebrity readers who have regaled children in the past with their engaging storytelling. The activity started with a training session on interactive storytelling facilitated by Read-Along veterans Rich Rodriguez and Posh Develos, followed by a reading session featuring actress Camille Prats, Rodriguez and outstanding workshop participants Ikko Esporna and John Rey Roxas. The celebration was highlighted with the launching of the Read-Along Ambassadors led by Inquirer chair Marixi Prieto, representing Inquirer president and CEO Sandy Prieto-Romualdez. The first batch of these Read-Along official representatives are Binibining Pilipinas-Universe 2007 Anna Theresa Licaros, Miss Earth executive director Cathy Untalan, actress Jasmine Curtis, news anchors Karen Davila and Kim Atienza and singer Nikki Gil. Launched in May 2007 by the Inquirer Research department and Junior Inquirer, the Read-Along program brings together children for story-reading sessions with celebrities, famous role models for the youth and achievers in their respective fields. Since then, the team has conducted more than 250 sessions with more than 16,000 children and over 300 celebrity readers. Volunteers from Tuloy sa Don Bosco, Hands On Manila, Makati Sporting Association and San Leonardians of Nueva Ecija joined the morning workshop for the “champions” program. In the afternoon, Prats read the book “The Gift” by Gidget Roceles Jimenez, which is part of the Great Men and Women of Asia-Children’s Series published by Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. It tells the story of Ramon Magsaysay awardee for public service Prateep Ungsongtham-Hata, who was cited in 1978 for bringing the gift of reading, learning, better health and hope to impoverished children in Thailand. Rodriguez read “The Kingdom of No Stories” by Mary Ann Ordinario-Floresta, published by ABC Educational Development Center, which tells about a king who bans stories in his kingdom and about a young girl who bravely writes stories and helps bring about change. Roxas and Esporna read “Ang Magkaibigan” by Angelita Aragon, a story about the friendship of a dove and an ant. “I really enjoyed reading to the kids, and the story I read was inspiring. I am happy that the kids seemed to enjoy the storytelling, and I hope that they were inspired by it as well,” said Prats, who appears on GMA shows “Mars” and “Bukod Kang Pinagpala.” The mother to 5-year-old son Nathan explained that while it was her first time to read to kids “in this kind of venue,” she has already some storytelling experience with children. “I read to my son most of the time and as a school owner, I also get an opportunity to read to children,” said Prats, who opened Divine Angels Montessori in Cainta in 2008. “I think education is very important that is why I support projects like the Read-Along. I think the best gift anyone can give to someone is education and not everyone is given that opportunity,” the actress said. Both neophyte storytellers, 20-year-old Esporna and 18-year-old Roxas said they were “shocked” to hear that they would be the top participants of the workshop.


“I don’t really have any experience in this kind of activity before, but maybe my training as a part of a theater group helped me in the workshop,” Esporna said. Roxas, meanwhile, said both of them were used to working with children through their parish’s youth ministry. The newly trained storytellers, who traveled all the way from Nueva Ecija, said they would use what they have learned from the workshop in their work in outreach programs. One of the kids in the audience, Marisol Blancaflor, said her favorite story was “Ang Magkaibigan,” where she learned about the value of lending a helping hand. Twelve-year-old Camille Medrano said she loved the story “Kingdom with No Stories” because the protagonist of the story was inspirational. “I learned that reading is very important if we want to achieve our dreams,” she added. Like Medrano, Noel Olorosa’s favorite story was also “Kingdom with No Stories.” “I admired the girl in the story because she wanted other children to learn how to read, too,” he said. Saturday’s session was hosted by Inquirer Libre editor Chito dela Vega, with the cooperation of GMA-7’s Jhops Cruz.






Mark Salling not too sick to host first-ever Circuitfest

By : NR Ramos


Actor Mark Salling of “Glee” fame planed in on Thursday to host the first-ever “Circuitfest 2013: Music and Skate,” happening today, May 25, at the Globe Circuit Event Grounds in Makati City.

A day prior, Salling tweeted excitedly about the visit, posting, “super jazzed to be in manila for circuitfest. question. does anyone know of any disc golf courses around these parts?”

Fans eager to hobnob with the star, though, were met with disappointment after the actor decided to simply stay in his hotel room upon his arrival reportedly due to jet lag.

He was a no-show as well during the press conference held Friday, prompting several media members to wonder if he will actually be able to attend the event.

But Salling, via show promoters, assured everyone that he would fulfill his duties as host of the much-awaited event.

Meanwhile, bands performing for the event including We Are The In Crowd, Mayday Parade, Downtown Fiction, This Century, All Star Weekend, A+ Dropouts, Before You Exit, Yellowcard and the only solo act in the bill, Megan Nicole, were seemingly all ready and raring to rock the event stage, promising all and sundry a “hell of a good time.”

“That’s what we do,” intoned Yellowcard singer Ryan Key. “We always have fun performing and hope you do too.”

This was echoed by Taylor Jardine, front woman of We Are The In Crowd.

“Like in any concert we play, we always have fun and we want you to have fun with us,” she said.

Both Yellowcard and We Are The In Crowd have been in Manila before and both attest to the musical passion of Pinoys.

“The first time I was here I was surprised with the adulation. It was like being in a boy band,” Key shared with a laugh. “I never saw anything like it before.”

“The amazing thing about the Philippines aside from the support of the fans is the food of course, but we never tried Balut as yet,” said Jardine. “Maybe someday.”

Most of the band members lament the fact that they aren’t able to see much of the Philippines' famed beaches due to their hectic schedules.

“Mostly we just see the city through our hotel windows...s o anyone interested in giving us like a week at least to enjoy the beaches around here, please feel free to contact our tour managers," said Key with a wink.

Also present at the conference is Riley Hawk and Willy Santos, big names in international skateboarding, who enjoined local skaters to join in on the fun.

“We have ramps specially built for the event, I hope everyone come and see us,” said Santos, a pioneering Pinoy skateboarder now based in the US.

Hawk, on the other hand, is eager to meet local skaters, hoping to share what he knows about the sport and vice versa.

“It is always a big deal to meet like-minded individuals,” he said.

Workers take brief break as fire hits Makati high-rise

By : Dexter Cabalza


A 20-minute fire broke out in a commercial building in Makati City Thursday morning and caused a brief, unscheduled break from work. City fire marshal Supt. Ricardo Perdigon said the blaze started at 10:34 a.m. inside the electrical room located at the third floor of Equitable PCI Bank Tower on Paseo de Roxas Avenue. It reached the first alarm at 10:52 a.m. but firemen managed to put it out shortly after. Perdigon said that no one was injured in the blaze although a woman employee suffered an asthma attack while another one complained of high blood pressure. Everyone in the building was immediately asked to step outside after the fire was reported. “But normal operations in the tower resumed as soon as the fire was put out,” the fire marshal said. Perdigon said that while the incident was still under investigation, fire probers suspected that the blaze was caused by an electrical problem.






Arraignment of gun-poking dad in Colegio San Agustin set

By : Mike Frialde


MANILA, Philippines - The father of a student at the Colegio San Agustin (CSA), who allegedly pointed a pistol at the head of his son's schoolmate last August, will be arraigned for a charge of grave threat before the Makati City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 65 on June 17.

Dominic Balane, lawyer forthe victim, 18-yar old Jesus Manuel Garcia, said that the earlier complaints of attempted murder, slander and slander by deed filed against accused Allan Bantiles before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office were dismissed and was reduced to a complaint of grave threat.

Bantiles, a construction contractor and a resident of 44 Stockholm St., Villareal Classica Village, Quezon City, earlier had his licenses for a Glock 9 mm pistol and a caliber .45 pistol revoked by the Philippine National Police in the wake of the alleged gun poking incident last August 30 at the CSA faculty room.

Garcia had accused Bantiles of slapping him in the face and pointing a caliber .45 pistol at his head.

Last October, Garcia's lawyers asked the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office to dismiss the accused’s motion to have the complaints of attempted murder, slander and slander by deed filed against him dismissed.

In their five-page opposition, lawyers Alan Tan and Balane, said the verified motion to dismiss or suspend preliminary investigation filed last October 23 by accused Allan Bantiles must be dismissed on the ground that it is a “dilatory maneuver which cannot be sanctioned under existing law.”

In his motion, Bantiles asked the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office to dismiss the complaint filed against him on the ground that Garcia had allegedly committed perjury.

Bantiles said Garcia stated in his complaint-affidavit that prior to the alleged gun-poking incident, he flicked a classmate’s shoulder with a ballpen.

Bantilles said that in several media interviews Garcia admitted having stabbed one classmate and punched another. He said this is the reason why Garcia’s classmate who is a minor and who was reportedly stabbed by him with a ballpen had also filed a complaint for child abuse against him (Garcia) before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office.

“Clearly, complainant had perjured himself in an effort to convince this Honorable Office that herein respondent has to be prosecuted,” said Bantilles.

“Hence, since a Preliminary Investigation should not and ought not to proceed based on a perjured Complaint-Affidavit, this matter should be dismissed or at least suspended until after the complaint for Child Abuse against herein complainant is resolved,” Bantilles added.

But according to Garcia’s lawyers, the incident being mentioned by Bantiles was never in question and that the use of the words “flick” and “stab” is just a matter of semantics and was not a denial of the incident between Garcia and his classmate.

“Respondent’s claim that complainant (Garcia) perjured himself loses traction as there is no false declaration whatsoever of the complainant relative to the material matter aforementioned,” said Garcia’s lawyers.

According to Garcia’s lawyers, their client never denied having hit a classmate with a pen, which they said was just their client’s reaction to his classmate’s “sustained acts of harassment.”

Balane said that even as Bantilles will be arraigned for the complaint of grave threat, they have filed motion for reconsideration for the three dismissed complaints.

Militants stage rally in front of TECO in Makat

By : Anna Liza Villas-Alavaren


Militant groups on Wednesday staged a protest rally in front of the office of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Makati City in light of alleged harassment towards Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in Taiwan.

The militants picketed outside the RCBC Bldg., where TECO's office is located, to call for an immediate resolution of the row between Manila and Taipei brought by the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman in the disputed waters last May 9.

Protesters took the opportunity to address the Taiwan government that OFWs are not their enemy. They also urged the Philippine government to take steps to protect OFWs, who were the subjects of harassment and violence by Taiwanese gang members allegedly to avenge the fisherman who was shot dead. At the same time, the protesters sent their sympathies to the relatives of the slain fisherman, Hung Shis-Cheng, 65.

The picket ended peacefully as militants decided to disperse after voicing their concerns.





Makati now accepts free livelihood training applicants until June 15

By : Jerome Carlo R. Paunan


MAKATI CITY, May 21 (PIA) -- The Makati Training Placement and Livelihood Consortia (MTPLC), the training arm of the local government based at the University of Makati, has announced that it will accept new applicants to form this year’s second batch of trainees on hard skills until June 15.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay encouraged residents to avail themselves of the opportunity to learn skills that could land them well-paying jobs here and abroad.

“I hope more residents will apply for the free training program offered by the MTPLC and be among the successful graduates who are now gainfully employed or successfully managing their own business ventures,” Binay said.

Prof. Apollo Mambiar, MTPLC program manager, said his office will accept applications until June 15 to give qualified city residents a chance to learn new skills for free at the city-owned university.

Mambiar said a one-day admission test is scheduled on June 18 while the official enrolment period will be on June 25 to 27. Classes will start on July 1 but enrollees will be allowed to change their course program from July 1 to 3 only.

Meanwhile, the first batch that started in February is set to complete their three-month training on food and beverage service, motorcycle servicing, and shielded metal arc welding. Mambiar said their graduation ceremony has been scheduled on July 23, of this year.

The MTPLC program manager also said that this June, four programs covering five months will be completed, namely, Automotive Servicing, Ref Aircon Servicing, Electrical Building Wiring and Computer Technology Servicing. The graduates will also form part of the first batch of MTPLC graduates this year.

Aside from UMak, the Makati Social Welfare Department (MSWD) and Department of Education – Makati also serve as MTPLC’s training providers on soft skills and on alternative learning program, respectively.

Mambiar said the operation and administration of MTPLC skills training programs at UMak is done in close coordination with the University administration and College of Technology Management.

The MTPLC offers ten hard skills training programs through UMak twice a year. The first batch runs from February to June and the second batch from July to December. On the other hand, the MSWD conducts three six-month course training programs on Alternative Medicine, Beauty Care and Sewing Craft.

The MTPLC is a key agency of the city government focused on providing skills training, livelihood, and job opportunities for residents of Makati. It serves as the central training arm of the city government that coordinates and synergizes all skills development and job placement efforts of similarly-oriented public and private institutions in the city. It has received many awards from TESDA. (ICRD/RJB/JCP/PIA-NCR)






Nancy Binay denies supplying Makati's cakes

By : Dharel Placido, ABS-CBNnews.com


MANILA – Senator-elect Nancy Binay on Monday denied that she is supplying the cakes given by the Makati City government to the city's senior citizens during birthdays and golden wedding anniversaries.

Binay, daughter of former Makati Mayor and now Vice-President Jejomar Binay, denied owning the company that supplies the cakes for Makati's senior citizens.

"No. I don't supply that (cakes). First of all, I don't bake. It's my husband who is in charge in the kitchen. It's not my company," Binay told ANC's "Headstart".

"Why would I do that? I am barred from doing that. My father (Vice President Jejomar Binay) used to be the mayor, my brother (Jejomar "Junjun" Binay, Jr.) is the mayor. Why would we do that?" she added.

According to a city council resolution uploaded on the Makati City website, Binay's brother, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay, is authorized to negotiate and sign contracts for the supply of birthday cakes for senior citizens.

A Philippine Information Agency report said Makati is spending P19.3 million for free cakes on birthdays and golden wedding anniversaries of the city's senior citizens.

In the interview, Binay said she and her family are used to being accused of practicing corruption.

She denied another accusation that her family owns at least one unit in all buildings in Makati City.

"It's not true. If it's true, why do I still live in my father's house with my kids and with my sisters who also have a family? If that's true, I would have moved out a long time ago," she said, adding that she is building a house just beside her parents' house.

The newly elected senator also noted that her family has moved on from the scandal involving her father's extra-marital affair.

"Before it came out sa mainstream media, our local rivals were already showing that every night in their campaign rallies. So when it came out on mainstream media, it was nothing new to us."

"It happened a few years back and we all have moved on. My mother has already forgiven him. Nagkaroon na ng forgiveness."

Binay placed fifth in the senatorial race after garnering over 16 million votes. Only 2 other United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatorial bets made it to the top 12.

The other two are JV Ejercito Estrada and Gringo Honasan.

Century Properties has high hopes for new retail project

By : Philippine Daily Inquirer


It might still be several months away but real estate developer Century Properties Group Inc. said it will open Century City Mall in the last quarter of 2013, marking its entry into retail development while expanding its portfolio of upmarket projects. “It will be the most exciting retail development in Makati City after many years. Our team of designers has gone through great lengths to create a place that is truly special. It will offer a wholly distinct retail, leisure and dining experience—from its design and store mix to its lifestyle concepts,” Century Properties Co-COO Marco Antonio said.


Upscale lifestyle center The upscale lifestyle center will be located inside the 3.4-hectare Century City. Residents of the newly completed Gramercy and the soon-to-open Knightsbridge Residences will be among the first to experience the new lifestyle hub, a uniquely shaped iconic structure that is now visible on Kalayaan Avenue. Likewise, patients and doctors at the soon-to-open Centuria Medical Makati, an outpatient medical arts center at Century City, will enjoy the new shopping and dining experience that the mall will offer. Century Properties has infused over P1 billion for the project, which was designed by the Singapore-based Broadway Malyan in collaboration with Century’s professional architecture and design team. “Century City Mall will exemplify the best in modern retail design and architecture, while taking care in providing retail convenience and spaces that encourage interaction,” Antonio added. More than 1,400 square meters of space in the mall basement has been dedicated to a new concept supermarket. Luxury retail brands will occupy the mall’s first level, while lifestyle fashion brands will be on the second floor. The third level will house cinemas that utilize the latest innovations in film technology, one of which will be an ultra exclusive 80-seater theater with its own lounge. The third level will also have retail stores such as the largest Apple reseller in Southeast Asia, as well as food and beverage shops. Al fresco dining will be situated on the fourth level, while the fifth level will have a rooftop bar. Comfort, too, is assured at Century City Mall as it enjoys plenty of natural light and ventilation. Heart of Century City “We have conceived Century City Mall to be the heart of the entire Century City development. We’d like to change the way people view going to the mall through our exciting retail mix, lively cinematic environments, world-class restaurants, generous outdoor spaces, seamless WiFi and the latest smart technologies. This is a lifestyle destination whose focus is a distinguished customer experience,” Antonio said.

Manila Symphony Orchestra concert de-stresses Makati rush hours

By : John Paul "JP" Tanchanco


What can you do to kill time when you're caught in the middle of the stressful Makati Commercial Business District (CBD) during the "rush hour" traffic?

Aside from hanging out at a mall, you can visit Ayala Museum and listen to the relaxing tunes of the symphony.

Rush Hour Concert

The Rush Hour Concert series features the live relaxing music of Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO).

Manila Symphony Orchestra is one of Asia's oldest symphony orchestras. It was founded by Dr. Lippay in 1926.

MSO will be relaxing audiences by performing live classical music at Ayala Museum during the busy and stressful "rush hour" in the middle of the busy Makati Central Business District.

According to Jeffrey Solares, MSO's Executive Director, the Rush Hour Concert series concept was created to become an educational and entertaining experience for locals and tourists to relax while they're caught in Makati CBD's busiest hours.

"We are fortunate to partner with Ayala Museum and bring our music to the busy people in the middle of the Makati CBD rush hour,” says Jeffrey Solares.

Ayala Museum's Jei Ente is also happy that the MSO’s ‘Rush Hour” concert series has gained popularity among busy yuppies, tourists and business people in Makati, the country's busiest business district.

"Our concerts hope to provide cultural entertainment that also helps alleviate stress. In time, we hope that this idea evolves to be an integral part of Makati City’s daily cultural life,“ Ente adds.

According to Ente, the performance will be conducted by Arturo Molina, who also led MSO in the first three rush hour performances.

The program includes a repertoire of Edvard Grieg, George F. Handel, Johann Sebastian Bach, and other classical composers’ works.

"The show on May 22 is the culmination of our concert series that features a full 70-piece orchestra. We've had 4 events and the initial events only featured the smaller sections of the orchestra," says Ente.

It's good to know that classical events like these are becoming popular and available to wider audiences.

There's nothing like chillaxing to live classical music. Johann Sebastian Bach and GF Handel are part of my all-time favorite classical artists.

So for those of you who are looking for great way to enjoy classical tunes and de-stress during Makati's rush hour, visit Ayala Museum and watch the culmination of Manila Symphony Orchestra's Rush Hour Series on May 22, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.

Half of Nicanor Garcia closed on weekend for Makati anniversary

By : Niña Calleja


MANILA—To make way for a weekend art fair called “Sining Kalikasan sa Reposo,” which is part of the celebration of the 343rd Foundation Day of Makati, the city government will close one lane of Nicanor Garcia Street (formerly Reposo Street) from May 18 to 19. In an advisory issued Friday, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. said that aside from delighting art patrons, the fair offers art and design exhibits, performances by world renowned artists, and art workshops and lectures organized by Grupo Reposo. “Grupo Reposo has prepared a multi-faceted lineup of art activities for the enjoyment of visitors. We invite families to visit the fair and delight in the performances of artists and learn useful tips and skills from renowned artists for free,” Binay said in a statement. Grupo Reposo, a non-profit organization composed of artists and gallery/store owners at LRI Design Plaza and other establishments located along Nicanor Garcia Street, will open the festival at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with an upbeat and lively dance performance by the Ati-Atihan and Studio 116. Participants will also be treated to a furniture and gallery expo and street Bazaar, entertainment by Wanlu, a ventriloquist and puppeteer, and Large canvas paintings by Blumentritt Group of Artists. A Children’s Art Workshop will be conducted by Arnel Ramiscal and Tintin Sioco for 50 street children of Virlanie Foundation, while a lecture on “Two Social Realists: An Update from 2007 to 2013” will be done by Boogie Tence Ruiz. Musical performances by Clarissa Ocampo, a Filipino-American mezzo soprano, and Dr. Raul Sunico, internationally renowned and multi-awarded pianist, will be presented at LRI Pavillion. At 2 pm, Alliance Francaise will screen musicale films at its auditorium. At LRI Design Plaza, Banda Kawayan and Filipino musician Bayang Barrios are also scheduled to perform. On Sunday, May 19, there will be a Furniture and Gallery Expo and Street Bazaar, and presentation of large canvas paintings by Blumentritt Group of Artists at 10 a.m. At 2pm, Joey Ayala will give a lecture on “Sining Bayan: The Art of Nation-Building”, and Egai Fernandez on “Artist Copy Write”. These will be followed by musical performances by The Filipino Tenors, and Joey Ayala, Contemporary Pop Music Artist. To serenade the guests is PhilBanda under the baton of Dr. Herminigildo Ranera. The day will be capped with a performance by Alfonso “Coke Bolipata”. Grupo Reposo’s “Sining Kalikasan sa Reposo” is organized by Market Access & Innovations Events Management Philippines in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, City Government of Makati and LRI Design Plaza. It is also sponsored by SM Development Corp. and Outdoor+Solutions.

Mrs. Binay asks court permission for US trip

By : Rolly T Carandang, Kris Joven Medalla


Former Makati City Mayor Elenita S. Binay again asked the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division to allow her to travel to California, USA from May 21 to June 17, 2013 for a vacation.

The wife of the Vice President through her counsel Juan Carlos Mendoza, sought that her unwithdrawn travel bond, amounting to P90,000 half of which was posted on July 24, 2007 and the other was on May 27, 2009, be applied as her bond for her new travel request.

Binay said while she is in California, she will stay at the house of her sister Fredesmina Sombillo Weinrich.

Binay has a graft case in the fifth division for her questionable P72 million purchase of office furniture for the new Makati City Hall when she was the city's mayor in 1999.

Her counsel said Mrs. Binay complied with the court’s conditions including her immediate arrival from her past trips in Paris, France last April 7 to 13.

Nancy Binay bashing: ‘It’s the beginning of the worst’

By : Leila B. Salaverria


MANILA, Philippines—The Internet memes, satirical articles and scathing commentary won’t stop even when she enters the Senate, Nancy Binay has come to accept. Binay, elder daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay and a political neophyte who ranked fifth in the partial vote count as of Tuesday afternoon, is bracing for more heat to come her way. “This is just the beginning. Today is not the end, it’s the beginning of worse things to come,” she told reporters on Tuesday at the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) command center in a Roxas Boulevard hotel. Binay is the highest ranking of the three UNA candidates—and nine administration Team PNoy candidates—so far occupying the 12 winning Senate slots. But the reality of her apparent victory “has not yet sunk in.” “I don’t what to think about it yet. I want to see the Comelec’s announcement first before I celebrate,” she said. On Tuesday she attended the proclamation of her brother, Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay, with her family. Their other sister, Abigail, won reelection as the representative from the city’s second district. Nancy expects the verbal assaults to continue since she was an easy target for those wanting to get at her father. The Vice President has made no secret of his presidential plans in 2016. “One way of hitting my father is through me,” she said. “Actually… I feel some of the black propaganda are now directed at my family, particularly my father.” She said that no amount of explaining would appease her haters on social media. “I think that for those who criticize me on social media, no matter what explanation I give, no matter what I show them I can do, they will continue to look for reasons to disparage me.” She said she planned to be an asset to her father by replicating, if not surpassing, his accomplishments. Jojo Binay was a longtime mayor of Makati before he aspired for national office. Asked if she felt pressured because of this, she said the pressure had been there from the start. During the campaign, unflattering cyberposts virtually slandering Binay circulated over the Internet and made the rounds by e-mail. One, the “anyare” (what happened) meme, juxtaposed her lack of experience with the accomplishments of rival and former party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros, noting that the neophyte was ranking higher in the surveys. “Pilipinas, anyare?” it asked. Another post riffed on Binay’s refusal to debate Hontiveros. It said she had sought a temporary protection order (TPO) from the court so she would not be compelled to engage in a debate. It is also not true that she had banked on her father’s name to ensure her victory, she said. She believes she has gotten the people’s attention on her own merits, recalling that when her family went to Quiapo recently, someone referred to her father as “ang tatay ni (the father of) Nancy.” Binay said she saw her detractors in a positive light. “The criticisms made me stronger. I learned not to be sensitive. I learned not to be affected when reading their comments. If not, my campaign would have been derailed,” she said. She said that some of the “black propaganda” didn’t hurt her at all because they were untrue.—With reports from Niña P. Calleja and Marc Joseph Alejo






Palace exec fails to vote

By : Aurea Calica


MANILA, Philippines - A Malacañang official was not spared from the election glitches yesterday.

In her Twitter account, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigal Valte said she was disenfranchised and not able to vote in Makati City.

She said she went to her precinct, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting table, Commission on Elections representatives in her polling place, and the Comelec office in Makati City and did not find her name in any of those places.

She said she was asked to “reactivate” her registration once the Comelec called for it.

Valte stressed she voted in 2010, having registered only in 2009.

“I remember it well because it was my first time,” she said in her Twitter account.

However, the Comelec office in Makati City told her that based on records she “didn’t vote in two consecutive elections.” “How can that be?” she asked.

“A Comelec official showed me the list (of voters) in 2010 and it didn’t have my thumb print or signature. Impossible that I didn’t sign it,” Valte said.

She said her name was “not on the list, in the computer and in the book of the Comelec.”






I’m not on the voters’ list, cries presidential spokesperson Valte

By : TJ Burgonio


MANILA, Philippines — “My name’s not on the list, not in the computer,’’ Undersecretary Abigail Valte tweeted Monday morning while lining up to cast her ballot in a public school in Makati City. After exhorting Filipinos to exercise their right to suffrage on the eve of the vote, the deputy presidential spokesperson failed to exercise hers in Monday’s mid-term elections, one among thousands of disenfranchised voters. The reason: her registration status was deactivated. Valte turned up in a polling precinct at the Palanan Elementary School in Makati Monday morning, but was stumped to find her name wasn’t on the list of registered voters. She checked with the Commission on Elections and was told that her registration status was deactivated because based on their records she skipped the 2007 barangay elections and 2010 presidential elections. “Strange because I voted in 2010. They showed me a hard copy of a list with photos and the space for my signature/ thumbmark for 2010 was blank. I have no idea why that is. I voted in 2010; it was my first time because I only registered in 2009,’’ she said in a text message. That was one less vote for the 12 handpicked senatorial candidates of President Aquino who was pushing for 12-0 sweep to muster a significant majority in the Senate in the second half of his term. Over government radio Sunday noon, Valte repeatedly appealed to voters to “go out and exercise your right to suffrage.’’ On the eve of the vote, she said the police and military were prepared to ensure “peaceful, credible and honest elections.’’ But she said only the Comelec could say if everything was set for the automated elections. Disenfranchisement was far from her mind. “Sadly, yes,’’ she said on being one of the disenfranchised voters. Valte said she’s now looking ahead to the 2016 presidential vote. “The Comelec official told me there was nothing I could do except wait for the next period of registration and reactivation,’’ she said. Valte drew sympathies from others, who were just as stumped as to why her name had suddenly disappeared from the Comelec list. “Good that he had no problems voting,’’ she tweeted on learning that Aquino marveled that voting through the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines was much faster. Aquino cast his ballot at the Central Azucarera Elementary School inside Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac Monday morning. He later monitored the conduct of the elections from Malacañang. But Valte found consolation in the fact that her mother managed to vote. “Good news is, I found my mom’s name and precinct number. At least one of us will be able to vote,’’ she tweeted.






Condé Nast Traveler lists two new Makati hotels among world’s best

By : Philippine Daily Inquirer


CONDÉ NAST Traveler recently released its 2013 Hot List of the world’s best, listing Fairmont Makati and Raffles Makati as the only city hotels in the Philippines in the “Best New Hotel” category. Earning a spot in this list is no small feat. Selections are based on style, location, service, comfort, value and sophistication—which both hotels provide impeccably to patrons and guests. The editors of Condé Nast Traveler also included Fairmont and Raffles in the “Best New Family-Friendly Hotel” and “Amazing Pool at Best New Hotel” lists. It was only four months ago when the Makati City welcomed the opening of Fairmont Makati and Raffles Makati. The launch of the two globally renowned luxury-hotel brands aims to help boost tourism in the country.

1 suspected robber killed, 1 wounded in Makati encounter

By : ELR, GMA News


A suspected motorcycle-riding robber was gunned down while his companion was seriously wounded following an encounter with police operatives in Makati City early Friday.

The suspects had engaged police in a brief chase from a checkpoint in Barangay Palanan to the Magallanes area, radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz reported.

Initial investigation showed the incident started at 6:30 a.m., when the motorcycle-riding men tried to speed away from a checkpoint at Barangay Palanan.

When the suspects reached Magallanes, they chanced on a team from the Makati police's intelligence operations unit conducting an operation.

One of the motorcycle-riding men then allegedly tried to fire at the policemen, prompting the policemen to fire back.

The motorcycle then went out of control and crashed.

Police said one of the suspects was declared dead on arrival at the Ospital ng Makati while the other sustained "serious" injuries and was brought to the Pasay City General Hospital.

Police have tightened checkpoint operations in time for the coming May 13 elections.

Friend identifies MRT-3 jumper

By :Dennis Carcamo


MANILA, Philippines - A friend has identified the man who jumped into the Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) tracks at the Guadalupe station in Makati City last Wednesday morning.

Oliver Villacorta said that the MRT-3 jumper was his boardmate in Makati City and a 31-year-old freelance photographer from Kalinga province.

Villacorta identified the victim at a morgue in Pasay City, where the body was brought after being removed from the Guadalupe station's tracks.

Authorities, however, declined to divulge the name of the victim as his family has yet to be informed of his death.

Villacorta told the authorities that the victim had a personal problem and had been missing for two days.

Villacorta also said that the victim did not have a car and that the car key found in his possession was just given by another friend.

MRT-3 general manager Al Vitangcol announced on Wednesday that crime scene investigators found a key for Hyundai car from the victim's denim short pants.

The discovery of the key prompted a police search for a Hyundai car near in the vicinity of Guadalupe.

Police said that the man jumped onto the northbound railway of the Guadalupe station while a train was approaching at 8:18 a.m. on Wednesday.

The victim was pinned in between two MRT coaches and was dragged 30 meters by the train before it stopped.

The mangled body of the victim was removed from the tracks three hours later.

The incident disrupted the MRT-3 operations for several hours and stranded hundreds of passengers.

Suicide leap on train tracks 5th since 2011

By :Inquirer Business, Miguel R. Camus, Niña P. Calleja


The apparent suicide that disrupted the operations of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 on Wednesday was the fifth case of people jumping onto train tracks in Metro Manila in the last three years, lending urgency to calls to install protective barriers on the heavily used transport systems. A man leaped to his death in front of an oncoming southbound train at Guadalupe station in Makati City around 8:30 a.m. in full view of passengers jamming the platforms. The Makati police at press time have yet to establish the identity the victim, who was described to be 20 to 30 years old and wearing a pair of denim shorts and blue shirt. He only had a key for a Hyundai car in his pocket, said city police chief Senior Supt. Manuel Lukban. A search for a car of that brand on the streets near the station later proved negative. The victim was dragged by the train for about 30 meters before it came to a stop. It took three hours for emergency response teams to pull the crushed body from under the train. Passengers were forced to come out and walk on the tracks, and the MRT service limited its southbound run from North Avenue to Shaw Boulevard before resuming normal operations around 11:30 a.m. Reached for comment, the MRT management said it had already begun addressing safety and security concerns a few months ago by installing barriers to prevent passengers from accidentally falling onto the rails. Such barriers are already in place at North Avenue station and should be installed in the rest of the 13 stations within the year, according to MRT3 spokesperson Tony Andulan. The new barriers are meant to address passenger safety, Andulan said without making any reference to past suicides or suicide attempts on the MRT tracks. In January this year, MRT operations were disrupted for an hour after Rica Fernandez, 28, tried to take her own life by jumping on the tracks as a train approached the Shaw Boulevard station at 11:15 a.m. Fernandez lived but her left leg, which was pinned under the train, had to be amputated. In August 2012, Lucy Aroma, 52, killed herself by jumping onto the tracks of the Light Rail Transit Line 1, the oldest of the three overhead light train systems in the capital. Aroma was killed on the spot at the LRT’s Edsa station after her head was crushed beneath the train wheels. The incident disrupted LRT operations from 5:50 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. In June 2011, LRT operations were delayed when Redito Alfredo, 29, tried to kill himself by jumping into the path of a Recto-bound LRT-2 train at the Cubao station in Quezon City. Alfredo lost his forearm in the incident. In January 2011, Jesus Sta. Ana Jr., 43, tried to kill himself by jumping on the MRT tracks at the southbound lane of the Ortigas station. Sta. Ana emerged unscathed by the incident, which delayed MRT operations for 15 minutes. With a report from Inquirer Research

Man jumps into MRT-3 tracks in Makati

By :Dennis Carcamo


MANILA, Philippines - The operations of Metro Rail Transit 3 along Edsa in Makati City was temporarily disrupted Wednesday morning after a man jumped into the train tracks.

A radio report said the man, who has yet to be named, leaped from platform onto the northbound railway tracks at MRT-3 Guadalupe station with an incoming train hitting him.

The man was stuck under the train wheel and was lifted out by authorities, the report said.

Meanwhile, the hundreds of passengers were reportedly forced to alight from the coaches and walked along the rail tracks because of the incident.

Ayala Land unit expects strong sales for first condo project - See more at

By :F. J. G. de la Fuente


ALVEO LAND Corp., Ayala Land, Inc.’s middle-income market arm, aims to sell within this month half of units at the first tower of Solstice, Alveo Land’s first condominium development at Circuit Makati. Circuit Makati is Ayala Land’s latest mixed-use hub in Makati City.

“We’re expecting it (Solstice Tower One) to be 50% sold within the month, which is around P2 billion in sales. The first building is around P4 billion in sales value,” Robert S. Lao, Alveo Land president, told reporters on the sidelines of Solstice Tower One’s sales launch at the Globe Circuit Event Grounds in Makati City on Saturday last week.

“We had our first selling before Holy Week, on March 21… since then, we’ve already had P1 billion sales,” Aris C. Gonzales, Alveo Land project development division manager, told reporters separately.

In a statement last Saturday, Alveo said Solstice Tower One, a 41-storey condominium targeted for turnover in the third quarter of 2018, will offer 461 residential units in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations, ranging from 32 to 132 square meters in size.

Amenities at Solstice will include a function room, lap and lounge pools, juice bar, lounge area, kids’ play area and pool, indoor and outdoor fitness gymnasiums, landscaped pocket gardens, lawn areas, the statement noted.

ON TRACK “The plan will be around 16 buildings for Alveo. For the second tower, we’re looking at the first quarter of next year,” Mr. Lao said when asked when Alveo Land expects to launch the next Solstice tower.

“We’re on track to launch one tower every year.”

Solstice will be located at the center of Circuit Makati, a mixed-use development at the site of the former Sta. Ana Race Track that was marked for Ayala Land’s P60- billion redevelopment plan for Makati City.

That plan entails development of six districts in the city for mixed residential, commercial, and office use.

Alveo Land, formerly known as Community Innovations, Inc., was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1995, according to its Web site. It is in charge of Ayala Land’s middle-income residential brand, Alveo.

Mr. Lao said Alveo Land is poised to rack up higher reservation sales this year compared to 2012.

“It’s good. It’s going to be better than last year, about 15% better in reservation sales,” Mr. Lao said when asked about prospects this year, adding that the firm ended 2012 with around P25 billion in reservation sales.

“Right now, we have a good pipeline -- one project per month, so around 12 projects this year. Last year we only had around 10 projects.”

Ayala Land was organized in 1988 when parent Ayala Corp. decided to spin off its real estate division into an independent subsidiary to enhance management focus on real estate.

Ayala Land has earmarked P65.5 billion for capital expenditures this year -- P46 billion for project completion and roughly P20 billion for land banking -- partly to help bankroll about 69 property projects collectively worth some P129 billion.

Ayala Land grew its net income by 27.69% to a record P10.33 billion last year from P8.09 billion in 2011, driven by strong sales. Revenues -- consisting of real estate sales, interest and investment income, equity in net earnings of associates, and other income -- rose 23.32% to P54.52 billion from P44.21 billion, while costs and expenses increased by 23.28% to P41.30 billion from P33.50 billion.

Ayala Land shares gained 75 centavos or 2.36% to close at P32.55 apiece on Friday last week. - See more at: http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=Ayala-Land-unit-expects-strong-sales-for-first-condo-project&id=69735#sthash.GdVuqIhs.dpuf

Intercon brings Aklan to Makati

By :The Philippine Star


MANILA, Philippines - Forty-five Ati-atihan dancers from the Western Visayan province in colorful costumes had the late afternoon crowd of mall goers, office workers and motorists swaying to the beat of their drums and fumbling with their cameras as they paraded around Ayala Avenue and the Glorietta Center in Makati City to herald the start of the Aklan Food and Fabric Festivals at InterContinental Manila recently. Diplomats in business suits as well as elegantly dressed ladies were likewise seen dancing to the beat in front of the hotel.

At the lobby, beautiful hand-woven fabrics of piña (pineapple), abaca and raffia fibers are on display together with cutting-edge piña clothes by Filipino designers Cesar Gaupo, Rajo Laurel, Jojie Lloren, Frederick Peralta, Barge Ramos and Milka Quin.

Makati collects P5.85-B revenue from local sources in 1st quarter

By : (PNA)

FPV/CLTC


MANILA, May 4 (PNA) — The city government of Makati has posted a total of P5.85 billion in revenue collection from local sources from January to March of this year, surpassing its record in the first quarter of 2012 by five percent. In a report to Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay, City Treasurer Nelia Barlis said the bulk of the collections came from business tax, amounting to P2.88 billion, and real property tax, P2.58 billion. Compared to 2012, business tax collected increased by one percent while realty tax increased by nine percent from January to March. Binay said the Treasurer’s report for the first quarter augured well for the city and its people because it meant adequate funds for the implementation of priority programs and projects of the city government for the year. “The impressive performance of our Finance team that again yielded an increase in our collections from local sources has assured us of sufficient funds to carry out our programs and projects for the year as planned,” the mayor said. Based on the Treasurer’s report, the city government collected a grand total of P6.07 billion in the first quarter of 2013, including its share of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) amounting to P173.13 million, lower by three percent than last year. For the same comparative period, the city’s collection from other local sources also increased; miscellaneous fees and charges increased by five percent from P324.38 million to P341.1 million, while its earnings from economic enterprises jumped 24 percent from P38.82 million to P48.30 million. Earnings from interest income also increased by 38 percent, from P28.82 million to P39.17 million. The mayor said priority programs to be implemented by the city government this year will focus on the upgrading of systems aimed towards more efficient and effective delivery of services, such as the full implementation of the Unified Benefits Card that consolidates all benefits for residents in one card. Recently, Binay signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Heart Center for the expansion of the Makati Health Plus Program (Yellow Card) to include subsidized health care at the leading cardiovascular health provider in the country to over 200,000 beneficiaries, including Makati-based public school teachers, policemen, firemen and jailguards. The city had earlier renewed its partnership contract with Makati Medical Center for the subsidized health care of Yellow Card beneficiaries. In both programs, an endorsement is required from the medical director of Ospital ng Makati, approved by Mayor Binay. The city government is also determined to fast-track the construction of the new 300-bed tertiary hospital in the first district to augment the present 264-bed Ospital ng Makati in the second district. Makati’s income from local sources has consistently topped that of other cities in Metro Manila, with the bulk of collections comprised by business and realty taxes. Since its new Revenue Code took effect in 2006, the city government has been implementing a moratorium on tax increases, yet its total revenue collections have continued to increase year after year. The city has also remained deficit-free for the past 26 years.

Gramercy got Makati OK after 5 floors added

By : Jerry E. Esplanada


MANILA, Philippines—The 73-story Gramercy Residences secured an amended building permit from the Makati City government only on June 8, 2012, more than a year after the construction of the skyscraper’s five additional floors was completed, according to the local Office of the Building Official (OBO). In a Feb. 25, 2013, letter to the National Building Code Office, OBO legal officer Amando Fabio Jr. said the permit was issued to Century City Development Corp. (CCDC), Gramercy’s owner and developer, “after proper evaluation and assessment of all documents, plans and specifications submitted to this office and after a thorough inspection of the building.” The inspection, he said, was “conducted by our technical staff pursuant to the provisions of the National Building Code and its implementing rules and regulations.” “It is true that it took only four days from the date of application (June 4, 2012) for the issuance of the building permit since all plans, specifications and related requirements submitted to this office conformed to the requirements of the code and its regulated regulations,” Fabio said. “Further, it is not required of us to indicate in the permit itself that we conducted the inspection on the building, since this is part of our mandate. Corollary to this, the International Organization for Standardization requires us to issue the required permits within seven working days from submission of all requirements,” he said. “There is no need for this office to conduct any investigation to determine the liability, if any, of CCDC, since a valid permit was already issued for the five additional floors.” The real estate firm Picar Development Corp., which is building the 74-story Stratford Residences near Gramercy on Kalayaan Avenue in Makati, has alleged that the addition of the five floors atop Gramercy was illegal. The Inquirer erroneously suggested yesterday in its report on the controversy that Stratford had been completed. Must “It’s a must.” Elizabeth Pilorin, head of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) public information and assistance division, was referring to the government requirement of securing a building permit before constructing or repairing a building, as well as adding a portion to the structure. Citing the National Building Code of the Philippines, she told the Inquirer “it is a requirement” and is “clearly stated” in the same law, also known as Presidential Decree No. 1096. Pilorin was apparently referring to Section 301 of the code, which states: “No person, firm or corporation, including any agency or instrumentality of the government, shall construct, alter, repair, convert, use, occupy, move, demolish and add any building/structure or any portion thereof, or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a building permit from the Building Official assigned in the place where the subject building/structure is located or to be done.” On the other hand, a building permit shall not be required for the following:

Minor construction of sheds, greenhouses, children’s playhouses, aviaries, poultry houses and the like, open terraces or patios, window grills, garden pools for water plants or aquarium fish and garden masonry walls. Repair work on deteriorated roofing sheets or tiles, gutters and ceilings, partition walls, doors and windows, and flooring. Sought for comment, architect Emmanuel Cuntapay, director of the DPWH-attached National Building Code Office, said violators of the building permit-related provisions of the code face only administrative liabilities. “They have no criminal liabilities. They face only administrative penalties, like fines,” he said. In a phone interview, Cuntapay said “with the construction of the additional floors of [Gramercy Residences], at stake here is public safety.” “That is why it is a DPWH concern,” he added. In a Jan. 28 letter-complaint to the Department of Public Works and Highways, Picar said Gramercy secured an amended building permit “long after, not before” the five floors were completed in early 2011. Picar also pointed out that “the construction of the five additional floors was outside Gramercy’s approved building permit.” The original building permit, issued in 2007, said Gramercy could only build a 68-story structure, Picar claimed. On March 13, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson issued an order preventing the owners of Gramercy from issuing occupancy permits for the top five floors of the structure pending the resolution of the Picar complaint. Singson also directed the OBO to submit the Gramercy file, including the skyscraper’s structural soundness, to the department.






Globe Asiatique to Pag-IBIG fund: What P6.5B damages?

By : Jerry E. Esplanada


Donald Trump and Paris Hilton may not be able to step any time soon on the top floors of what their publicists claim is the tallest building in the Philippines. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has issued an order preventing the owners of The Gramercy Residences on Kalayaan Avenue in Makati City from issuing occupancy permits for the top five floors of the building. The DPWH order on March 13 was issued to Century City Development Corp. Inc. (CCDC), the Gramercy owner and developer. This followed a complaint filed in the department on Jan. 28 by the owners of Stratford Residences, the Picar Development Corp., that CCDC constructed Gramercy’s five top floors without the necessary building permit from the Makati government. Picar also claimed that Gramercy did not undergo a building inspection by the city engineers. The DPWH papers say Gramercy has 73 floors; Stratford 74. From afar in the Makati skyline, Gramercy conjures an image of a bulky Wilt Chamberlain; Stratford, a slender Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The law firm Puno & Puno, counsel for Gramercy, said Wednesday that its client had secured the necessary permit and that Picar, whose chairman is former Ambassador Amable Aguiluz V, had no legal personality to lodge a complaint against Gramercy, owned by the Antonio family with partners Trump, one of the top US property developers, and Hilton, a popular model and wealthy heiress of one of the world’s largest hotel chains. It is unclear if the complaint was prompted by bragging rights. The two buildings sit on property on Kalayaan previously owned by International School. The Gramercy website says its building is the “undisputed tallest skyscraper in the country.” On deadline, the Inquirer was unable to secure documents comparing the height of Gramercy and Stratford in inches or meters. Not about height When this issue was raised in an item last month in the Inquirer’s Business section column Biz Buzz, Gramercy’s spokesperson Terrie Fucanan-Yu saw fit to issue a clarification: “Our vision for the Gramercy Residences transcends the issue of height. Indeed our emphasis has always been largely on Gramercy’s life-enhancing amenities, hotel-style concierge services and its unique location in Century City. “We are not in a race to deliver the tallest building in the Philippines. We just endeavor to deliver the building that we had promised our clients to make them happy. “We applied for an increase in building height as it was allowed for our overall floor area ratio by our zoning. Additionally, we ensured that our structural consultants considered this height in their design plans. As a result, the Gramercy building conforms beyond the requirements mandated by the local building code. “Delivering tall and iconic buildings is our contribution to making Metro Manila a global destination that can compete with Asia’s world-class cities. We are also genuinely delighted when other developers share this goal, passion and work ethic. “We salute those who plan to build taller, progressive structures for the betterment of this nation and our people. After all, that is what this business is really all about.” Makati City restrained In a March 13 directive, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson asked the Makati City government to refrain from “processing or issuing certificates of occupancy for the subject five additional floors of Gramercy Residences until after this case is resolved with finality.” Singson directed Makati to submit the Gramercy file, including the building’s structural soundness, to the department. Responding to the DPWH order, CCDC claimed it had secured the necessary permits from the Makati City’s Office of the Building Official (OBO) and said Picar had “no legal personality” to question its operations. In its letter-complaint, Picar alleged that the construction of the additional floors was illegal. It said Gramercy secured an amended building permit only in early June 2012 when the construction of its top five floors was completed in January 2011. Its original building permit, issued in 2007, said it could only build a 68-story structure. ‘Questionable’ Picar called the department’s attention to the allegedly “questionable” issuance by Makati City of an “amended building permit for the five additional floors on June 8, 2012, long after, not before they were completed.” “There is no indication in the amended building permit that the OBO inspected the building project to ensure that it complied with the National Building Code, or that it conducted the necessary inspection to determine CCDC’s liability, if any, for the construction of five additional floors without any valid building permit,” Picar told Singson. Picar pointed out that “the construction of the five additional floors was outside Gramercy’s approved building permit.” In an April 25, 2012 certification, engineer Nelson Morales, Makati’s building official, said based on OBO records, there was no application for an amended building permit for Gramercy.—With a report from Daxim

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