Azkals gird for AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers vs Yemen

October 4, 2017 | 12:07 am

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Reporter

THE Philippine national men’s football team buckles up back to work as it gears up for its group play encounter with Yemen in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers on Oct. 10 in Doha, Qatar.

Currently the no. 1 and no. 2 teams in Group F, the two teams are out to get a big win at the Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Stadium to fortify their push for qualification in the main draw of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup which will happen in the United Arab Emirates.

The Philippines is atop of the group with a record of two wins and a draw for seven points while Yemen (1-2-0) is not far behind with five points.

Tajikistan (1-0-2) and Nepal (0-1-2) are the two other teams in Group F.

In the final round of the qualifiers, format calls for the top two teams in each of the six groups advancing to the main tournament of the AFC Asian Cup, joining 12 other teams that have already qualified earlier.

As part of the preparation of the Azkals the Philippine Football Federation recently announced the names of the players who will play against Yemen next week.

Most of the players play in the Philippines Football League, which is taking a break to give way to the national team.

Called up for international duty were Dylan De Bruycker (Davao Aguilas FC), Carlos De Murga (Ceres Negros FC), Dominic Del Rosario (Global Cebu FC) Patrick Deyto (Global Cebu FC), Curt Dizon (FC Meralco Manila), Neil Etheridge (Cardiff City FC), Harry Foll (FC Hansa Rostock) and Kevin Ingreso (Ceres Negros FC).

Also making a go are Sean Patrick Kane (JPV Marikina FC), Jesus Joaquin Melliza (Stallion Laguna FC), Hikaru Minegishi (Global Cebu FC), Paul Mulders (Global Cebu FC), Junior Muñoz (Ceres Negros FC), Nicholas O’Donnell (Davao Aguilas FC), Manuel Ott (Ceres Negros FC), Mike Rigoberto Ott (Angthong United), Stephan Palla (Wolfsberger AC), Iain Ramsay (Ceres Negros FC), Simone Rota (Davao Aguilas FC), Daisuke Sato (AC Horsens), Dennis Villanueva (Global Cebu FC) James Younghusband (Davao Aguilas FC) and Phil Younghusband (Davao Aguilas FC).

Coach is still Thomas Dooley and assisted by Kurt Kowarz.

Defender Sato is making his way back in the squad after serving his suspension in their previous game. Javier Patiño, Amani Aguinaldo, Luke Woodland, and Misagh Bahadoran are out of the squad due to injuries.

Incidentally, the Philippines and Yemen met the last time around on Sept. 5 where the two teams fought to a 2-2 draw at the Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium in Bacolod City.

Brothers Phil and James Younghusband accounted for the Philippines’ two goals that allowed the Azkals to secure a point to remain on top of its grouping.

“We did not get the full three points but I’m happy just the same of the result seeing how the players gave their all throughout. We look forward to meeting them again,” said Mr. Dooley of his assessment of their performance after their last game.

San Beda Red Lions give Perpetual Help the boot

October 4, 2017 | 12:06 am

THE defending champions San Beda Red Lions eliminated the University of Perpetual Help Altas in Season 93 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) with a 55-50 victory in midweek league action yesterday.

Needing to sweep the remainder of their assignments in the elimination round to stay in the hunt, the Altas had the death knell sounded for them as the Lions, already assured of a spot in the Final Four, showed little compassion and pounded on Perpetual Help, which saw its narrow path to the playoffs simply hard to overcome.

San Beda was challenged early on by the Altas but turned the heat on in the second period to create a separation it would not relinquish all the way to the end

The first quarter was a struggle for both teams offensively, with the score knotted at 11-all at the end of the frame.

In the next period, the Altas would make a 4-0 mini run to take the lead 15-11 with 6:36 remaining on the clock.

But the Lions roared back, turning things on the Altas in the next two minutes with an 11-0 blitz to take a 22-15 cushion en route to ending the opening fold holding a 27-19 advantage.

The Altas came out spirited to begin the third period, coming to within four points, 32-28, with under six minutes to go.

San Beda though would regain its footing, pulling away anew, 38-28, with four minutes remaining, led by Robert Bolick and AC Soberano.

It went on to finish the third canto ahead, 43-34.

AJ Coronel and Keith Pido led a ferocious run for Perpetual Help in the payoff quarter, trimming their deficit to just five points, 49-44, with four minutes remaining.

Back-to-back baskets from Donald Tankoua after gave the Lions more distance.

Perpetual Help made one more run as Flash Sadiwa had an and-one that put his team to within four points, 53-49, with less than a minute remaining.

That was the closest the Altas would get, however, as the Lions went on to claim the win.

Bolick led San Beda with 15 points, five rebounds and two assists while Tankoua had 14 points and nine rebounds.

Soberano finished with nine points and Javee Mocon eight for the Lions, who improved to 14-1, a close second to league-leading Lyceum Pirates (15-0), and have won 13 straight games.

Coronel, Pido and Gab Dagangon each had nine points for Perpetual Help, which dropped to 4-10 and out of the running despite having four games left in its schedule.

While they got the win, San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez still felt they could have done better and underscored the need for them to get better as the playoffs near.

“We’re happy with this win but we still need to work on some facets of our game. Defensively we played well but offensively we struggled. We have to review our offensive patterns,” said the coach. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Ateneo Art Awards winners’ works feature bubble gum, maps, and marca demonio

October 4, 2017 | 12:06 am

FOR EYES that are quick to judge, the three winning works of this year’s Ateneo Art Awards-Fernando Zobel Prizes for Visual Arts could be perceived and brushed off as ordinary, or simple, or repeatable. But not when you take a look beyond the surface to discover their narrative and the labor behind them.

You are invited to take a survey of the winning and short-listed artworks at Ateneo Art Gallery in Arete, a new creative hub within Ateneo de Manila University. The exhibition runs until Dec. 2.

Young artist Gale Encarnacion’s winning exhibition, called Blow Me, in its most simplistic description, is about bubble gum shaped as body organs. Overall, her works appeared like the pink fetuses in jars we often see in laboratories. But her works are more than just masticated gum in medical jars. She said they are metaphors of the body: it could be shaped and re-shaped, blown up – and perhaps, chewed on?

“I like working on the organic and the ephemeral,” she said.

Blow Me was her thesis exhibition at the UP College of Fine Arts, which ran from May to June 2016. As one of this year’s award recipients, she is granted an art residency at the Artesan Gallery in Singapore.

Ms. Encarnacion is a first-time nominee in the Ateneo Art Awards, as is another winner, Costantino Zicarelli, whose winning exhibition, Prelude to a Billion Years, was shown at Artinformal from September to October 2016.

Mr. Zicarelli utilized and manipulated graphite and charcoal to reimagine Fernando Amorsolo’s famed “marca demonio” Ginebra logo featuring St. Michael about to stab a demon with his sword.

The artist created his own wallpaper swatches, which were silk-screened onto the canvas and then painted with black and silver acrylic. The artworks’ fine manipulation appeared almost mechanically printed.

If there is one problem, though, his artworks were put behind glass making them hard to photograph and even see because of the reflection of light. But this challenge invites onlookers to take a very, very close look at his pieces.

Mr. Zicarelli, a recipient of the Cultural Center of the Philippines 13 Artists Awards in 2012, received an art residency at the Liverpool Hope University in the United Kingdom from the Ateneo Art Awards.

Short-listed in 2014, Cian Dayrit finally won the Ateneo Art Award for works that appropriated and played around with maps.

His winning works, called Exposition, were first shown in a group exhibition at the Lopez Museum and Library from September to December 2016.

Known for marrying history, iconography, and art to make a statement or to ask a question, Mr. Dayrit’s winning pieces did so again. He used the Lopez Library’s 1734 Murillo Velarde map and cartographer Jodocus Hondius’ depiction of the Orient to question how we view ourselves before, during, and after colonization.

The 1734 Murillo Velarde map is a hydrographical and chorographical chart of the Philippines and is said to be the first and most important scientific map of the country. The map is considered one of the major reasons why the Philippines won its claim over Scarborough Shoal (called Panacot on the map) and Spratly Islands (then called Los Bajos de Paragua) against China in the UN Arbitral Tribunal in 2016.

Exposition is a tapestry of mixed media including a rosary and icons. Mr. Dayrit worked with the embroiders of Pasig Market to overwrite and put statements on the map. Beside the Philippine Islands at the center, the Murillo Velarde map has drawings on the sides of the country’s indigenous peoples and their ways of life as well as drawings of Spanish and Chinese traders. The artist had the words “Polo perwisyo putragis” (forced labor, inconvenience, and an expression of annoyance based on the word “puta” or whore) embroidered beside the original map.

Mr. Dayrit received an art residency at La Trobe University’s Visual Arts Centre in Australia.

Also announced at the awarding ceremony on Oct. 1 were the two winners of the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prizes in Art Criticism. They are Arianna Mercado, whose prize is a regular column in The Philippine Star’s Arts and Culture section to be published twice a month for a year, and Josephine Roque, whose prize is contributing six articles to the ArtAsiaPacific Magazine for one year. – Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman

No Filipino casualty reported so far in Las Vegas shooting, says PHL gov’t

October 4, 2017 | 12:06 am

THE PHILIPPINE government yesterday expressed its condolences to the families of the victims of Sunday night’s mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada as it announced that no Filipino casualty has been reported so far. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the more than 50 victims who died… We likewise pray for the speedy recovery of the more than 500 people who were reported injured,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto C. Abella said in a statement. “We offer our deepest sympathies to the United States over this disturbing act of violence,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said in a separate statement. Adelio Angelito S. Cruz, Philippine Consul General in Los Angeles, said, “We are coordinating with Las Vegas police authorities and with leaders of the Filipino community to check on our kababayans there. We hope and pray that all of them are safe and accounted for.” — Rosemarie A. Zamora

IPC at 20: The season to be ‘blue’

October 4, 2017 | 12:06 am

Text and photos by Aries B. Espinosa

ISUZU Philippines Corp.’s (IPC) celebration of its 20^th year of operations in the country, held on Sept. 27, couldn’t help but turn “blue.”

Not that there wasn’t any reason to be joyful. On the contrary, IPC at the event unveiled Isuzu’s new Blue Power Technology diesel engines, as well as distributed among the guests a 100-page commemorative book. Titled Milestones of Trust, the book chronicles the auto manufacturing giant’s numerous achievements, including the fact that the 1.3-hectare IPC complex at the Laguna Technopark in Biñan, inaugurated July 31, 1997, has already assembled 254,893 units (by the time of the book’s printing). The book further states that “every day, IPC’s 200-plus assembly-line staff produces 42 light commercial vehicles and 24 commercial vehicles.”

ICONIC MODELS
The Milestones book also featured IPC’s iconic vehicles. Who can forget the ubiquitous Hilander of the late 1990s and early 2000s? How could we ignore the Asian utility vehicle Crosswind, which has sold more than 100,000 units from 2001 to 2015, making it one of IPC’s all-time best-sellers? Its pickups have carried their own weight as well — and then some. The Fuego and D-Max cemented Isuzu’s reputation as a maker of some of the toughest and most dependable pickups out there. And then, starting with the popular Alterra (which replaced the Trooper in 2005), IPC made a bid for the SUV market in 2014 that saw the introduction of the Mu-X, which immediately won Car of the Year-Philippines honors as best midsize SUV.

IPC at 20: The season to be ‘blue’

These light commercial vehicles form just half of the company’s story. The bigger picture has been IPC’s dominance of the local truck industry for the past 17 years. And the acknowledged workhorse of the Isuzu truck brand, the N-Series, has carried IPC to the top of the truck leader boards. From selling just 1,352 units in its first year, IPC sold 6,079 light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks in 2016. From 1996 to 2016, IPC has sold a total of 38,166 trucks.

ISUZU’S FUTURE
While Milestones fondly recalls IPC’s eventful first 20 years, the Sept. 27 celebration focused more on the future of IPC. The venue was lined with IPC’s current truck and light commercial vehicles, which are now powered by Euro4-compliant “Blue Power Technology” diesel engines. Blue Power Technology, now present in IPC’s vehicle lineup, is claimed to provide better engine output, fuel economy and durability, yet have cleaner emissions.

Through this technology, the 4JJ1-TCX engine that powers the D-Max and Mu-X is able to generate 175 hp and 380 Nm of torque.

IPC at 20: The season to be ‘blue’ — Isuzu Mu-X and D-Max are now powered by the 4JJ1-TCX engine that boasts higher output, better fuel economy and improved durability — all while ensuring cleaner emissions. — *ISUZU PHILIPPINES CORPORATION*

The face-lifted Mu-X is equipped with a six-speed transmission for both manual and automatic versions. It also comes with automatic leveling headlights, hill-descent control and an eight-inch touch screen panel for the entertainment system that has a USB port and text-to-speech navigation.

The new D-Max boasts of hill-start assist and hill-descent control, as well as multiple USB ports.

IPC has completely changed the Isuzu N-Series light-duty trucks as these — along with the medium-duty F-Series models — are now powered by the Blue Power Technology diesel engines. The C- and E Series lineups have also been made Euro4-compliant, and have engines that generate higher torque at low speeds due to a modified turbocharger and increased engine displacements.

Hajime Koso, who has served as IPC president since April 2015, acknowledged the company’s phenomenal growth despite the trying early years of its existence, and also revealed ambitious goals for the automaker.

“This year, we have increased our sales target to more than 30,000 units, three times our volume five years ago. Our Mu-X model sold the highest number of units here in the Philippines compared to any other country in the world. Our trucks hold the no. 1 position in total truck sales for 17 consecutive years; and in 2016, our total truck sales reached more than 6,000 units, more than triple our sales in the past years.”

Mr. Koso emphasized that besides providing products that “carry the promise of durability, reliability and fuel efficiency… we are committed to ensure that each customer will have a worry-free ownership by providing ready service, parts availability, technical assistance and training.”

PAST ISUZUS

Here are some passenger models that have rolled out of Isuzu Philippines’ plant in Laguna over the last 20 years.

Kings mindful of KaTropa bounce back in Game Two

October 4, 2017 | 12:05 am

WHILE they practically had their way in Game One of their best-of-five Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup semifinal series, the defending champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings are not inclined to get ahead of themselves and think they have it in the bag, knowing fully that in the TNT KaTropa they have opponents capable of turning things around if one let their guards down.

Set to reengage for Game Two today at the Batangas City Coliseum, the Kings are out to build on their dominant 121-94 win over the KaTropa in the series opener on Monday. But they are mindful that they will have it tougher this time around as TNT is only expected to come back more prepared and determined.

“Game Two is going to be pretty exciting and tight. That usually follows after games like this,” said Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone after their Game One victory.

“We’re happy we played like this and beat them the way we did. On the other hand, we just feel bad with giving them a whole bunch of motivation going to Game Two. There’s always a positive and negative to blowouts in a series,” he added.

In Game One, the Kings turned what was a competitive contest early on into a blowout that had them clicking both on offense and defense, rendering them just too hot to handle for the KaTropa.

After tying the game at 19-all late in the first period, TNT saw the defending champions pull away the rest of the way, even staring at a 34-point deficit at one point in the payoff quarter.

The KaTropa tried hard to rally back but the Kings were just unrelenting in their attack, even when it was their auxiliaries that were already playing on the court.

Import Justin Brownlee, who did not play in the fourth period, led Barangay Ginebra with 21 points on top of eight rebounds and five assists.

Joe Devance, named player of the game after, had 19 points while Greg Slaughter finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Mark Caguioa had 13 points with LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar and Jervy Cruz each having 10.

TNT, meanwhile, was led by Glen Rice, Jr. with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Jayson Castro had 16 points and seven assists while Roger Pogoy had 12 markers.

“We are just happy to get the win. We had good offense and good defense and that did it for us,” said Mr. Devance.

“I know though that they will make the adjustments in the next game and we just have to play our game and give our best,” he added.

Barangay Ginebra is looking to make it to its third finals appearance in four conferences while TNT is eyeing to return to the Big Dance for a second straight time. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Water service interruption scheduled in six Quezon City areas

October 4, 2017 | 12:05 am

ABOUT 12,000 households in six Quezon City areas could experience water supply interruptions on Oct . 3-5 due to “service improvement works” to be undertaken by Manila Water Co., Inc.

The young talent of The Sound of Music

October 4, 2017 | 12:05 am

NEAR the beginning of the musical The Sound of Music, the lead character, novice nun Maria is asked to leave the abbey to become the governess of the large Von Trapp family. When Julie Andrews played Maria in the iconic 1965 movie, she was carrying her guitar and a handbag while singing “I Have Confidence in Me.” The West End production that is now running at Solaire’s theater, instead of a handbag, Maria – now played by Carmen Pretorius – carries a backpack. This little difference is funny and noticeable, especially for the fans of the film.

While the backpack versus the handbag is a funny little detail, there are bigger differences between the play – which came opened in 1959 and features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse – and the Julie Andrews film which came out in 1965: the play does not give as much attention to when the Von Trapp family are about to leave for Switzerland, while the film highlights the suspense of when the Nazi soldiers are chasing the escaping family. The play has two songs – “How Can Love Survive” and ”No Way to Stop It” – which were not used in the film, though two of the film’s songs – “Something Good” and “I Have Confidence” – which were not in the original stage version, were added in the 1981 London revival and have been kept in ever since.

It is important to note, especially for the younger generations who associate “Do Re Mi” with their kindergarten days, that The Sound of Music, set in 1938, is fictionalized version of the real travails of the Von Trapp family during World War II.

But enough about the bag – the focus should be on the talent of the Filipino cast members who are part of the ongoing production which is running until Oct. 22 at Solaire.

Ms. Pretorius said the 16 Filipino children, who take turns playing six of the seven Von Trapp kids, are “talented and professional.” She said she was amazed at how everyone in the country seems to love singing and does it well. “I was at the grocery the other day and the lady [bagging the items] was singing,” she said, smiling, during a media call with the rest of the cast members on Sept. 28.

The children playing the Von Trapp kids are mostly amateurs, though two have had previous singing and acting stints: Krystal Brimner (who plays Brigitta) was the lead in Annie, while Gwyneth Dorado (who plays Louisa) was a finalist in Asia’s Got Talent in 2015.

On Sept. 28, the press preview, The Theater at Solaire came alive with The Sound of Music and its iconic songs – “Do Re Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” “The Sound of Music,” “So Long, Farewell” – which the children sang well, and with the gaiety required of them.

While every child was good that evening, easily the audience favorite was eight-year-old Faline Dorado, who played Gretl, the youngest Von Trapp. She was tiny in person but big in potential.

“Filipinos have a beautiful voice, that’s the reputation you guys have – and it’s true,” said Nicholas Maude who plays Captain Von Trapp, of his onstage Filipino children.

The 16 young Filipinos who are playing the six Von Trapp kids – Friedrich, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl; the eldest, Leisl, is played by regular cast member Zoe Beavon – were handpicked by director Jeremy Sams from among 400 hopefuls. His requirements were not only that they should have singing and dancing skills, but he wanted children who could stay focused. The training they received during rehearsals translated on stage – the one sour note being the extreme contrast between the hair color of the children if there was one criticism, it is the contrast in hair color between the six children and their dad and eldest sister, which is especially evident when they have a big group hug. It would take some effort and convincing that they are indeed a family. This is one of the drawbacks of international productions when they do tours abroad because they cannot not bring in young talents on tour and have to find a new set of children at every stop.

Still, it is great to see young Filipino talents on stage and in an international productions.

Tickets, available at TicketWorld, range from P1,500 to P7,000. – Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman

SBS associate acquires Mandaluyong property

October 4, 2017 | 12:05 am

A UNIT of SBS Philippines Corp. acquired a five-hectare parcel of land along JP Rizal Street in Mandaluyong City.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Tuesday, SBS said its associate company Cleon Phils. Holdings, Corp. struck a deal for the purchase of the lot, which traverses Barangays Vergara and Namayan in Mandaluyong.

SBS noted Cleon’s acquisition, set to close this month, is intended for investment purposes.

“The investment is in furtherance of the diversification and investment strategy of the SBS Group to invest in small ownership stake in companies investing in real properties to have a more diversified interest in different property holdings at a lower capital requirement and risk exposure to the company,” SBS said in the disclosure.

SBS’ stake in Cleon Phils. is at 37.5%.

Other than Cleon Phils., the company also holds minority stakes in Lakerfield Philippine Holdings Corp. (37.5%), Ayschester Holdings Corp. (25%), and I Bonding Holdings Corp. (17%).

With these investments, SBS established a wholly owned subsidiary called SBS Holdings and Enterprises Corp. as a holding firm for its property-related acquisitions.

Incorporated in 2001 originally as Sytengco Philippines Corp., SBS’ core business is in trading and warehouse distribution of chemical products. The company markets chemical products via direct selling as well as by wholesale basis. It has a total of five warehouse facilities, with two located in Quezon City, and one each in Mandaluyong City, Malabon City, and Marilao, Bulacan.

SBS’ attributable profit for the first half of 2017 dropped to P34.97 million, 94% lower than what it generated in the same period a year ago.

Shares in SBS shed three centavos or 0.48% to close at P6.20 each at the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday. — Arra B. Francia

VW Golf GTI still too tame? Add ABT parts

October 4, 2017 | 12:05 am

WHILE the Volkswagen Golf GTI can’t claim it started the hot hatchback genre — some special Minis (Cooper), Fiats (Abarth) and Renaults (Gordini) have preceded it — it did set the template on which high-performance subcompacts are molded. Throughout seven generations (stretching back to 1975), the GTI combined function with form and fast moves while managing to add refinement into the mix.

This, however, does not mean the GTI can’t be made to perform, sound and look better. Not if ABT Sportsline, a company that specializes in tuning Volkswagens (and VW Group brands Audi, Skoda and Seat), can help it.

VW Golf GTI still too tame? Add ABT parts — *PHOTOS BY BRIAN M. AFUANG*

Now Volkswagen in the Philippines has included to its attractions some of ABT Sportsline’s products for the Golf GTI, with the development announced on Sept. 30 at Volkswagen Quezon Avenue.

Offered at the dealership is the Power-Up module that promises to boost by 32% the stock GTI’s already prodigious output — from 220 hp to 290 hp. The stock car’s torque rating, also no pushover at 350 Nm, is also bumped up by 20%, or to 420 Nm, through the installation of the “plug-and-play” system. Volkswagen reckoned the increases allow the GTI to slash more than half a second off its rest to 100 kph sprint time (5.9 seconds versus the stock car’s 6.5-second capability), and to reach a top speed of 254 kph, 10 kph more than a showroom-spec GTI. And because ABT Sportsline is recognized by Volkswagen as a tuning partner, installing the Power-Up module won’t void the warranty covering a Golf GTI.

The power kit, which costs P145,000, can also be retrofitted to Golf GTIs that left Volkswagen showrooms without it.

For an outlay of around P2.8 million though (a stock Golf GTI lists for P2.290 million at Volkswagen Philippines’ Web site), a customer can drive from Volkswagen Quezon Avenue a GTI fully kitted with ABT Sportsline items. The total cost depends on which items are chosen, which, besides the Power-Up module, may include ABT Sportsline front grille, head lamp cover, aero pieces (front spoiler, side skirt, rear skirt with diffuser), quad tailpipes, and a muffler mounting kit.

Considering this package will combine to make a template-setting hot hatch even hotter, the price seems reasonable enough. — Brian M. Afuang

ABS-CBN, GMA claim lead in ratings

October 4, 2017 | 12:04 am

THE country’s top two networks once again both claimed the lead in television ratings, citing different audience measurement providers.

In a statement, ABS-CBN said it remained the leader in nationwide TV ratings with an average of 47% versus GMA Network’s 33% in September, based on data from Kantar Media. Kantar Media’s data covered a nationwide panel of 2,610 urban and rural homes.

On the other hand, GMA said it continued to beat ABS-CBN with an average total day people audience share of 41.9% versus the latter’s 38.8%, using Nielsen TV Audience Measurement data for Sept. 1-27.

ABS-CBN said it dominated the prime time block (6 p.m. to 12 midnight) with an average share of 51% versus GMA’s 31%, as FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano continued to be the most watched program in September.

The Lopez-led network said it continued to lead in the mornings (6 a.m. to 12 noon) with an average audience share of 40% versus GMA’s 31%; noontime (12 noon to 3 p.m.) with 47% against GMA’s 35%; and afternoon (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.), with 43% versus GMA’s 39%.

ABS-CBN also sustained its lead in Total Luzon with 43% versus GMA’s 36%, in Total Visayas with 54% versus GMA’s 27%; and in Total Mindanao with 54% versus GMA’s 30%.

Meanwhile, GMA Network said its ratings beat ABS-CBN in the morning and afternoon blocks, but did not give details.

GMA said it dominated Urban Luzon across all time blocks with a total day people audience share of 48% against ABS-CBN’s 33%. In Mega Manila (based on Sept. 1-23 data), GMA said it registered 50.7% total day people audience share against ABS-CBN’s 29.3%.

Former officials back original DoF tax reform legislation

October 4, 2017 | 12:04 am

FORMER Finance officials have expressed support for the original tax legislation proposed by the Department of Finance (DoF), saying that the government needs the funds to meet greater obligations starting in 2018.

Following the release of the Finance department’s P59.9 billion initial revenue estimate for the first year implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) under Senate bill No. 1592, the department solicited the support of ex-Finance Secretaries.

These include former Secretaries Roberto F. de Ocampo, Margarito B. Teves, and former Finance Undersecretary Romeo L. Bernardo, who are members of the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF).

Mr. Bernardo said that he wants the bill to “preserve as much as possible the original revenue requirements,” noting additional costs faced by the government in 2018 such as the free tuition for state universities, higher pensions for uniformed personnel and retirees, the rehabilitation of Marawi City, and the government’s infrastructure projects.

The Senate version will generate lower revenue compared with the P157.2 billion in the DoF’s original version of the legislation and the P133.8 billion to be raised by the approved House Bill No. 2636.

Such estimates have since been revised to P149.6 billion for the DoF proposal, and P119.4 billion for the House version.

Mr. Teves meanwhile noted that the higher revenue estimates will “enable the government to finance our growing needs as a developing country, such as accelerating infrastructure development, closing the gaps in health and education and improving social protection programs for the poor and marginalized.”

The statement quoted Mr. de Ocampo as saying that the measure would “improve tax compliance, and bring in more investment that would create more jobs, thus benefiting the country’s underprivileged sectors.”

FEF said “it believes that the comprehensive tax reform program will allow every Filipino an equitable opportunity to contribute to a sustained and truly inclusive economic growth.”

The variation in the revenue computations is mainly due to the number of value-added tax (VAT) exemptions. The House and DoF version yielded P62.3 billion and P60.9 billion, respectively, while the Senate yields only P14 billion.

The Senate retained VAT exemptions for electric cooperatives, and socialized housing for units worth less than P2 million, and located outside Metro Manila.

The Senate bill also had a lower personal income tax-exempt salary threshold at P150,000, against the House’s P250,000, and the annual incremental increase of fuel excise taxes at P1.75, P2 and P2.25 per liter over the next three years, against the House’s P3, P2 and P1 scheme.

It also proposed an excise tax at P10 per liter for beverages sweetened by High-Fructose Corn Syrup, P3 per liter for non-caloric sweeteners and P5 per liter for caloric sweeteners, against the P10 per liter flat rate regardless of sweetener content under the House and DoF proposals.

It also seeks new measures outside the original DoF proposal — imposing a P20 excise tax per metric ton of coal; 20% ad valorem tax on cosmetic surgery, a higher 20% tax on foreign currency deposits, dividends and capital gains tax on shares not traded on the stock market from the current 10%. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan