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Military spokesman Padilla, others promoted

By Rosemarie A. Zamora

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday signed the nomination of Brig. Gen. Restituto F. Padilla to the rank of Maj. Gen./Rear Adm., along with 20 others to the ranks of Lieutenant General and Brigadier General, to be submitted to the Commission on Appointments for approval.

“I wish to inform you that, per your letter-endorsement and in accordance with the recommendation of the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Chairman, Armed of the Philippines Board of Generals, pursuant to the provisions of Article VII, Section 16 of the Constitution and existing laws, the nomination of the twenty-one (21) General/Flag and Senior Officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to their ranks of LIEUTENANT GENERAL, MAJOR GENERAL/REAR ADMIRAL, and BRIGADIER GENERAL/COMMODORE will be submitted to the Commission on Appointments for confirmation,” Mr. Duterte’s Sept. 14 letter to his Defense Secretary, Delfin N. Lorenzana, reads.

Along with Mr. Padilla were 20 others who are nominated for the ranks of lieutenant and brigadier general.

Nominated to the rank of Lt. Gen. is Maj. Gen. Emmanuel B. Salamat O-9334 AFP.

To the rank of Maj. Gen./Rear Adm. are:

• Brig. Gen. Rolando Joselito D. Bautista O 9303 AFP
• Brig. Gen. Alvin A. Parreno O-9566 AFP (Parreño)
• Commodore Rommel Jude G. Ong O-9732 AFP
• Brig. Gen. Nicolas C. Parilla O-9771 AFP
• Commodore Giovanni Carlo J. Bacardo O-9693 AFP
• Brig. Gen. Isidro L. Purisima O-9335 AFP
• Brig. Gen. Macairog S. Alberto O-9568 AFP

To the rank of Brig.Gen./Commodore:

• Capt. Alberto B. Carlos O-10205 PN (GSC)
• Col. Joselito B. Ramos O-9876 PAF (MNSA)
• Col. Eric C. Vinoya O-9754 PA (GSC)
• Capt. Noel M. De Vera O-9815 PN (MNSA)
• Col. Bernie S. Langub O-10209 PA (GSC)
• Capt. Sean Anthony U. Villa O-9814 PN (GSC)
• Col. Ferdinand M. Cartujano O-9857 PAF (GSC)
• Col. Augusto D. Dela Pena O-10053 PAF (MNSA) (Peña)
• Col. Nilda L. Nesperos O-123881 NC (GSC)
• Col. Tyne T. Banas O-9804 PA (GSC) (Bañas)
• Col. Franco Nemesio M. Gacal O-9844 PA (GSC)
• Col. Vicente O. Bacarro O-9864 PA (GSC)

Economic managers plan China infra roadshow in late Sept.

CABINET OFFICIALS will visit China on Sept. 27-29 in a bid to attract more potential infrastructure investors as well as to review the progress of projects with pledged Chinese funding.

In a statement, the Department of Finance (DoF) said that the Philippine delegation will meet first with Chinese officials on Sept. 27 in Beijing, then will travel to Shanghai to seek investors for the government’s P8.4 trillion infrastructure program.

The delegation will be composed of Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia, Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno, Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade. Public Works and Highways Secretary Secretary Mark A. Villar; Vivencio B. Dizon, Bases Conversion and Development Authority President; and Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea.

The same team will be coming from Tokyo before the Sept. 27 China meeting, where the economic and infrastructure managers will likewise review the progress on Japanese-funded projects and brief potential investors.

Kaliwa Dam
One of projects funded by Chinese Official Development Assistance (ODA) is the P10.86-billion Kaliwa Dam project, formerly named by the previous administration as New Centennial Water Source, which is located in Quezon province. — www.mwss.gov.ph

Projects funded by Chinese Official Development Assistance (ODA) include the P2.7 billion Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, the P10.86 billion New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project, and the P151.3 billion North-South Railway Project (NSRP) South Commuter Line.

China also backs two Pasig River bridges – the P4.607 billion Binondo-Intramuros and P1.376 billion Estrella-Pantaleon bridge.

President Xi Jinping pledged $9 billion worth of ODA during President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s visit in October. Mr. Duterte also obtained a $9 billion package from Japan when Prime Minsiter Shinzo Abe visited the Philippines in January.

The government’s infrastructure push is expected to drive overall growth to 7-8% by the end of Mr. Duterte’s term in mid-2022 from the 6.2% average over the past six years, slash unemployment to 3-5% by 2022 from 5.5% last year and cut the national poverty rate to 14% from 21.6% in 2015. – Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Philippine bond market size up 10.2% at end-June despite rising yields – ADB

LOCAL currency bond issuances in the Philippines rose by an annual 10.2% at end-June, driven by the government’s retail bond offering together with strong corporate demand, even as prospects of more US rate hikes and the Duterte government borrowing more to finance its infrastructure plan have led to rising yields, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Friday.

In its September Asia Bond Monitor, the Manila-based multilateral lender put the size of the Philippine bond market at P5.168 billion at end-June. Last year, that number was P4.688 billion. In the first quarter of this year, outstanding Treasury bills and bonds amounted to P4.943 billion.

Government bonds accounted for 81.5% of the local bond market, while corporate debt comprised nearly a fifth of the total issuances for the period. Government-issued bonds were valued at P4.211 billion as of end-June, 5% up from the previous quarter and 8.5% from the previous year.

“The expansion in the size of the government bond market was sustained by increased issuance, particularly the issuance of Retail Treasury Bonds (RTBs) in April,” ADB said.

“The RTB offer was met with strong demand, prompting the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) to increase its initial offer size of PHP30 billion to accommodate investor appetite,” it added.

Corporate bonds, on the other hand, grew 2.7% to P957 billion from the previous quarter and 18.5% year on year.

“Market participants see the corporate bond market remaining vibrant even if the government shifts its project financing to appropriation from public-private partnerships,” the bank said.

“Should government spending, particularly huge infrastructure projects, gain further traction, it would spur economic activity and provide more opportunities for firms to expand,” it added.

Ayala Land, Inc., SM Prime Holdings, Inc., Metropolitan Banking & Trust Co., SM Investments Corp., and Ayala Corp. were the top 5 corporate bond issuers for the period.

“Between 1 June and 15 August, local currency (LCY) government bond yields in the Philippines rose for most tenors, particularly the 3-month, 6-month, 2-year, 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year maturities,” ADB said.

ADB said that the rise in yields reflected the market’s reaction to the looming US rate normalization, as well as the European Central Bank’s “adjusting the parameters of its policy instruments.”

The multilateral lender said there’s another factor driving Philippine bond yields up.

“With more spending in the pipeline, the government may need to borrow more to fund the gap, likely pulling up government bond yields,” it said. – Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Sta. Lucia Land builds Luzon, Davao land bank

HOMEBUILDER and mall owner Sta. Lucia Land, Inc. (SLI) is growing its land bank with the acquisition of over 50 hectares (503,488 square meters) of land, mostly in Luzon, it said will be converted into residential and commercial communities.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Friday, the listed real estate firm said its executive committee has approved the acquisition of land during a special meeting on September 14.

The parcels of land are located all over the country, the biggest of them in Marikina City at 355,310 square meters (sq.m.), followed by a total of 53,133 sq.m. in Quezon City. Another 31,254 sq.m. will be purchased in Batangas; 23,461 sq.m. in Palawan; 22,991 sq.m. in Davao; and 17,339.29 sq.m. in Laguna.

SLI Vice President for Investor Relations Jeremiah T. Pampolina said in an email that the additional land will be developed into residential and commercial communities. He added the company will target middle-income workers, small-to-medium enterprise owners, and overseas Filipino workers for the upcoming projects.

It was not immediately clear how large SLI’s land bank has become, although its web site said the company has so far developed “over 10,000 hectares of land” covering 200 projects throughout the country.

SLI, incorporated in 1996, is the builder behind Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall in Cainta, Rizal, seven golf and country clubs including Eagle Ridge, as well as several residential estates like the Royal Northwoods and condominium towers like La Breza Tower.

On Friday, SLI also said its executive committee further authorized the company to enter into a joint venture agreement for the development of its 212,890-sq.m. project in Palawan.

Last June, SLI also announced the acquisition of 300,000 sq.m. of land in Pangasinan, Batangas and Iloilo which may be developed into subdivisions or residential communities.

The company will be funding the acquisition through the P1 billion to P2 billion it allocates for capital expenditure every year.

The firm is currently developing a 67-hectare master-planned lake residential community in Silay, Negros Occidental valued at P400 million to P500 million.

Shares in SLI added one centavo or 0.98% to P1.03 apiece at the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday. – Arra B. Francia

Impeachment complaint transmitted to Sereno

THE Justice Committee of the House of Representatives has formally ordered Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno to answer the allegations in the impeachment complaint pending before the chamber.

In a letter dated September 15, Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the committee, gave Ms. Sereno 10 days to file an answer to the complaint.

“Wherefore, pursuant to Rule 5, Section III of the Rules of Procedure in Impeachment Proceedings, you are hereby notified to file an answer to the attached complaints within ten (10) days from the date of receipt of this notice, and to serve a copy of your answer to the complainants, by personal service. No motion to dismiss shall be allowed within the period to answer the complaint,” the letter said.

At a hearing on Sept. 13, the committee found the complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon sufficient in for and in substance, advancing the proceedings to the next level, determination of probable cause.

The complaint alleged that Ms. Sereno committed culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust and corruption.

Her lawyer, Carlo L. Cruz, said in a statement on Friday:

“We confirm that the Secretary-General of the House Committee on Justice has served a copy of the impeachment complaint to the Office of the Chief Justice. We now have ten days to formally respond to this complaint.”

“In her answer, she will explain why the complaint must fail. Chief Justice Sereno has always been a staunch defender of the Judiciary and our democracy, and has always exercised utmost competence, integrity, probity, and independence in her official conduct and in the performance of her functions.”

“The public may rest assured that the Chief Justice remains committed to her duties at the Supreme Court, and continues to pursue the judicial reform agenda even as the impeachment process unfolds.” – main report from Lira Dalangin-Fernandez/InterAksyon

Pag-IBIG increases Mindanao loan takeout target to P8.6 billion

DAVAO CITY – Home Development Mutual Fund, also known as Pag-IBIG Fund, is increasing its loan takeout target in Mindanao to P8.6 billion this year after a surge in demand surge in key cities, including Iligan and Cagayan de Oro where some Marawi City residents are looking to relocate.

Marilene C. Acosta, deputy chief executive officer for the Home Lending Operations Cluster, said the original 2017 target was P7.5 billion, but Pag-IBIG’s Mindanao offices have submitted a higher “fearless forecast” for around 8,600 borrowers.

“That is the challenge,” Ms. Acosta said in a media briefing here Thursday.

As of end-August, she reported, the takeout stood at P4.4 billion covering 4,951 borrowers.

Loan takeout is the process by which loan-originating banks, working with housing developers, turn over control of the mortgage to Pag-IBIG.

“There is still a significant amount to cover for Mindanao from September to December. That would mean an average of P1 billion takeout (monthly) so that they can hit the P8.6 billion,” she said.

Lawyer Marie Antoniette D. Diaz, a Department manager for the Pag-IBIG Davao office, said the fund is optimistic of achieving the target because of an increasing loan demand from members and the entry of new housing developers, particularly in the cities of Davao and General Santos.

“These are the two cities identified. However, we are looking into and trying to partner with other stakeholders such as Dole Philippines (Inc.), in Polomolok. Dole has contributed land wherein they have partnered with a developer and constructed (housing) for their employees,” Ms. Diaz said.

Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy P. Moti, for his part, said there is no indication that the crisis in Marawi City, where government troops have been battling IS-inspired local terror group Maute since late May,has dampened the interest of borrowers.

On the contrary, he said, there has been a spike in loan takeout in Iligan City, which is near Marawi, and where many displaced residents have moved, as well as in Cagayan de Oro City, located about 100 kilometers away.

Mr. Moti cited as an example the opening of the Camella project in Iligan of Vista Land & Lifescapes, Inc., one of Pag-IBIG’s partner developers, due to strong demand.

“So we encourage our developers to go to Iligan, the same in CDO, there’s a huge demand there because of Maranaos (former Marawi residents) who now prefer to stay in safer areas. We are encouraging everyone to avail of countryside housing as it produces quality big houses at very affordable rate,” he said.

The Pag-IBIG head said the agency’s portfolio is moving towards a higher share for areas outside the capital.

“Our regional operations used to be around 50% to 53%, now it’s hitting almost 60% to 65%,” Mr. Moti said.

Pag-IBIG’s nationwide takeout target for the year is P65 billion, up from P50.5 billion last year. Mr. Moti said actual takeout extended in 2016 hit P57.3 billion.

“Our (original) target this year was just P55 billion… (but) during a meeting we asked ourselves: Do we just want to relax and hit P55 billion or do we push some more and provide more housing and allow more members to have their dream homes. So the decision was to push,” he said. – Maya M. Padillo

NEA asked to allow bigger private sector role in rural power

LEGISLATORS have asked the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to allow the private sector to compete in areas in the Philippines where electric cooperatives have failed to deliver despite having the exclusive franchise to operate.

Sen. Loren Legarda, who chairs the Senate finance committee, asked NEA Administrator Edgardo R. Masongsong to come up with a policy on how the agency can improve the delivery of electricity to unserved and underserved communities, including those under electric cooperatives that are unwilling to waive their franchises despite being “inefficient and incompetent” in carrying out their obligation.

“We just want to do it at the least cost to government [and] for government not to hinder the private sector,” Ms. Legarda said during an inquiry on NEA’s budget for 2018.

Mr. Masongsong said NEA, the government agency tasked to oversee the country’s electric cooperatives, had proposed a budget of P9.63 billion for next year but the Department of Budget and Management recommended P4.9 billion as contained in the national expenditure program.

“Why would we spend billions of public funds which are not funded annually when in fact the private sector is willing to do this at zero cost to government and consumers,” she said.

In the same hearing, Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian said electric cooperatives block proposals by private entities to put up microgrids, or energy systems that are capable of operating independently from the main power grid.

Mr. Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate energy committee, said although regulations allow a qualifed third party, or QTP, to take over areas unserved by electric cooperatives, doing so would require a waiver from the franchise owners.

“What if they don’t want to waive?” he said, adding that he “encourage” Mr. Masongsong “to come up with this policy and submit to us and share to us this policy.”

“There are many who want to come in to serve the unserved area,” he said.

Ms. Legarda said if cooperatives refuse to waive their exclusive franchise even if they are inefficient, they are holding those in remote areas hostage. She said NEA should intervene in those cases.

“Once a cooperative starts deviating from [its] mandate, NEA can intervene to protect the people’s interests,” she said. – Victor V. Saulon

Bourse ends in another record high

LOCAL EQUITIES turned around at the last minute to finish at a fresh historic high after trading much of the day with losses, with analysts noting that investors’ safe-haven appetite was piqued by North Korea’s latest missile test on Friday.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) ended Friday at 8,180.85, 35.94 points or 0.44% more than Thursday’s 8,144.91, which was the previous record-high finish.

PSEi had corrected initially, opening nearly flat at 8.141.39 and then slipping by as much as 0.49% to 8,104.95.

Year to date, the PSEi has gained 19.6%.

The broader all-shares index similarly closed 20.42 points or 0.42% up at 4,836.33.

Five of the six sectoral indices ended with gains and foreigners turned net buyers.

“Market sentiment continues to be positive, buoyed by the favorable outlook of analysts on the overall market,” PSE quoted its president and chief executive officer, Ramon S. Monzon, as saying in a statement.

“This optimism was again validated with the market closing today at yet another record high and with trading value exceeding P11 billion,” he added.

“We remain hopeful that our market levels and trading volumes continue to be robust.”

Sought for comment, AB Capital Securities Inc. Senior Equity Analyst Lexter L. Azurin noted: “[W]e’re seeing a lot of optimism [over the] tax reform package” that is expected to hurdle the Senate “soon” and put the government on track in its plan to increase spending on infrastructure, with total expenditures reaching P8.44 trillion from 2017 to 2022.

Also still anchoring general optimism is the looming end to the Aug.22-Sept. 19 Chinese “ghost month”, during which investors put off major decisions, Mr. Azurin added.

Asked on stocks’ last-minute performance on Friday, Mr. Azurin said “it’s mainly because of the recent concerns in North Korea after launching their missile over Hokkaido”, prompting investors to run for cover in markets of countries deemed out of the hermit state’s sights.

Regina Capital Development Corp.’s head of sales, Luis A. Limlingan, noted that investors appeared to consider the Philippines less risky, adding that “the perception that we’ve entered bull market [territory grew] stronger.”

Overseas, much of Wall Street pulled back from Thursday’s historic records, with only the Dow Jones Industrial Average adding 0.2% to 22,203.48 on Friday, while the S&P 500 Index shed 0.11% to 2,495.62 and the Nasdaq Composite Index lost 0.48% to 6,429.09.

Other Asian markets bared mixed fortunes on Friday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix Index, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index and the Shanghai-Shenzhen CSI 300 gaining 0.52%, 0.42%, 0.11% and 0.03%, respectively, while the S&P/ASX 200 Index and the MSCI AS Asia Pacific shedding 0.76% and 0.21%, respectively.

With the exception of the financial sector, which lost 8.82 points or 0.45% to close 1,973.86, all the other five sub-indices gained: property increased by 50.19 or 1.30% to 3,926.80, mining and oil added 180.57 or 1.28% to 14,268.72, services increased by 12.63 points or 0.73% to 1,738.95, industrial firms rose by 75.22 or 0.67% to 11,367.26, while holding firms edged up 7.54 points or 0.09% to finish 8,050.10.

Friday saw only 98 issues gain, 101 decline and 48 unchanged.

The day also saw thinner trades, with 1.184 billion shares worth P11.184 billion changing hands, compared to Thursday’s 1.262 billion shares worth P8.448 billion.

Among Friday’s most-actively traded stocks, International Container Terminal Services, Inc.; Semirara Mining and Power Corp; Ayala Land, Inc. and SM Investments Corp. led those that gained, adding 2.45% to P108.80 apiece, 2.13% to P48, 1.93% to P45 and 1.21% to P835, respectively, while those that lost were led by GT Capital Holdings, Inc.; Alliance Global Group, Inc.; JG Summit Holdings, Inc. and Bank of the Philippine Islands that lost 2.09% to P1,174 each; 1.88% to P14.58; 0.92% to P75.30 and 0.88% to P101, respectively.

Foreign activity also resulted in P473.68-million net foreign buying, compared to Thursday’s P99.812-million net foreign selling. – Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

Peso unchanged in choppy trade amid N. Korea tension

THE peso held steady against the dollar even as the greenback surged against the yen as currency traders brushed off the latest missile fired by North Korea in a volatile day of trading on Friday.

The peso on Friday closed at P51.165, unchanged from the previous trading session. It was a choppy session, though, as the local currency opened weak at

P51.25 against the greenback and extended losses to hit a trough of P51.295 in intraday trade before recovering to close unchanged.

“The peso initially weakened today amid upbeat US inflation data, but trimmed its losses towards the end of the day due to profit taking,” Guian Angelo S. Dumalagan, market economist at the Land Bank of the Philippines, said in an email.

US consumer prices accelerated in August amid a jump in the cost of gasoline and rental accommodation, signs of firming inflation that could allow further monetary policy tightening from the Federal Reserve this year.

“Strong US inflation report keeps open the possibility of another US interest rate hike this year,” Mr. Dumalagan said. If realized, this would be the third US rate hike for the year.

Dollars traded were valued at $638.6 million, up from the $633.55 million recorded in the previous trading session.

Another trader said that dollar inflows came in 30 minutes before the foreign exchange market closed, that tempered the peso’s upward momentum.

“Agent banks sold again at the close. I I feel like that’s part of the reason why it closed higher yesterday,” he said in a phone interview.

For another trader, North Korea’s firing a missile that flew over Japan into the Pacific Ocean made traders adopt a risk-on sentiment.

The dollar slipped to as low as 109.55 yen in Asian trading, but rebounded in European trading.

“North Korea launched a missile again. However, I think there are still corporate inflows this afternoon. Also the market was profit taking ahead of the weekend,” she said. – Reuters with Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Tender offer for chemicals trader LMG’s 34% stake withdrawn

By Arra B. Francia

PRIVATE holding firm Newmanholdings, Inc. has withdrawn its tender offer to acquire the remaining 34% of listed chemical trader LMG Chemicals Corp.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Friday, LMG’s parent Chemical Industries of the Philippines, Inc. (CIP) said the withdrawal follows the termination of the share purchase agreement (SPA) between the company and Newmanholdings.

Newmanholdings had failed to complete the tender offer on August 1, the final date specified under both parties’ agreement when the deal should have been closed. CIP also said that Newmanholdings was unable to inform them of when it plans to proceed with the tender offer.

“As a result of such uncertainty and in light of the continued delay in the completion of the mandatory tender offer as earlier disclosed by the Corporation in its previous disclosure, the Corporation has decided to terminate the SPA with Newmanholdings,” CIP said in its Sept. 12 disclosure.

Newmanholdings disclosed its intention to fully acquire LMG last June through the launch of the tender offer. The company had earlier agreed to purchase nearly 66% of LMG for a total of P379.033 million or P2.97 per share, in a potential backdoor listing.

Incorporated in 1970, LMG was initially established as an industrial chemicals manufacturer and distributor, which includes caustic soda, sulfur, and other industrial chemicals. By 2009, the company had divested a number of its businesses and is now only engaged in the trading of chemical products.

LMG booked a net loss P240,678 in the second quarter of 2017, widening its full year loss to P491,506.

Shares in LMG picked up 8.01% or 33 centavos to P4.45 each at the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday.

Faeldon to file ethic cases against Lacson, Trillanes

By Mario M. Banzon

DETAINED former Bureau of Customs (BoC) Commissioner Nicanor E. Faeldon will file an ethics complaint against Senator Panfilo M. Lacson on Monday, Sept. 18. He is also preparing another ethics case for Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV to be filed on Sept. 25.

In an interview with reporters on Friday, Sept. 15, at the Senate, Mr. Faeldon’s lawyer, Jose Diño Jr., said the grounds of the ethics case against Mr. Lacson would be calumny, abuse of right and privilege as a seating senator and serious misconduct.

Mr. Diño also cited as basis of the ethics complaint Mr. Lacson’s Aug. 23 privileged speech, citing massive corruption at the BoC and Mr. Faeldon’s allegedly benefitting from that corruption network.

In the said speech, Mr. Lacson claimed said Mr. Faeldon received a welcome gift of P100 million upon assuming his position as bureau chief.

“Opening portion pa lang, Sen. Lacson laid bare the basis or lack of basis of his privilege speech. Ang sabi niya (He said) the very loud whispers across the four walls of customs, ‘yun po ang sabi niya (that’s what he said), so alam na natin (so we know now), pardon the language, it’s garbage. It’s hogwash,” Mr. Diño said.

Mr. Diño also pointed out that 21 days after his speech, Mr. Lacson has not yet presented evidence or even a single witness.

“Our prayer (is) nothing less than…for the suspension of the good senator or (his) expulsion from…office,” Mr. Diño said.

Mr. Diño said Mr. Faeldon intends to personally submit his ethics complaint to Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III, chairperson of the Senate Ethics Committee.

“Kasi po, pag may ipinaglalaban mo po (When you are fighting for something), you don’t fight with a proxy. Always remember any fight (by) Capt. Faeldon, he is a Marine, hindi siya lumalabas ng proxy (he doesn’t go by proxy),” he said.

Regarding Mr. Faeldon’s planned ethics complaint against Mr. Trillanes, Mr. Diño said: ‘Yung sa kanya, hindi po (As for him, it’s not about a)privilege speech, (but about) insinuations so hindi po pareho ng grounds (so the grounds aren’t similar). But we are carefully preparing it so that it will be substantial.”

Mr. Lacson said, in response, it is anybody’s right to file an ethics complaint against a senator.

“In fact, that was the advice to him by Senator (Richard J.) Gordon when he visited him in his detention place. The Constitution, however, is clear on the matter: ‘No member shall be questioned nor be held liable in any other place for any speech or debate in the Congress or in any committee thereof.’”

“Therefore, it is his right to waste bond paper and ink. Anyway, he has the money to pay his lawyers even if it’s tantamount to an exercise in futility and stupidity,” Mr. Lacson said.

Mr. Diño denied that Mr. Gordon had advised Mr. Faeldon to file an ethics case against the senator.

For his part, Mr. Trillanes said in a text message to the media: “That man (Mr. Faeldon) seems to not run out of gimmicks. But at the end of the day, he needs to face the committee and answer our questions.”

When asked if facing two possible ethics complaints against him will affect his role as senator, Mr. Trillanes said in a text message to BusinessWorld: “…I am confident that my colleagues will see through the pettiness of these cases and either dismiss or shelve them.”

Self‑care Packet Vol. 2: Rejuvenation Mix

If you’ve been following political news this week, you’re probably exhausted. It didn’t help that a storm came through, forcing vehicles to practically park along major thoroughfares. Now that it’s the weekend, take a rest. Read on.

Art Samantha Gonzales

SLEEP IN TOTAL DARKNESS

Weekends are made for staying up late and sleeping in until afternoon. But getting proper shut‑eye, which is very rewarding, can be made more effective through eye masks. Sleep in total darkness, advised former health secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan during a press conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Kamuning Bakery. In darkness, he explained, the body produces more melatonin, a hormone secreted by our brain’s pineal gland. This helps regulate hormones and the body’s circadian rhythm. In addition, keep an eye mask in your pocket for afternoon naps. Dr. Galvez Tan swears by it.

 

Art Samantha Gonzales

PAMPER YOUR FACE

Facial centers have adopted a fast‑food business model. Walk in, get your pores cleansed, and leave. Dermquest along Sct. Dr. Lazcano in Quezon City (near Tomas Morato) on the other hand, keeps the sanctity of the facial treatment as a beauty ritual. The clinic has a relaxing ambience—a stunning spiral staircase made of hardwood is the focal point, complemented by splashes of blue flowing through the first and second floors. Beside every bed, a candle is lit. With a very hands‑on dermatologist, Dr. Diane Dizon, at its helm, the clinic has a very professional staff which includes nurses. Not only do they take good care of your skin, they also explain every step and every ingredient and every process thoroughly. For this stellar service, the cost is worth it. A classic facial starts at ₱300, but we recommend the rejuvenating facial (₱550), which has a longer facial massage time. Aside from facial services, there are also dermatological services. For those with deeper pockets, they recently launched a promo offering unlimited Liporeduce and Lipofirm for a year for ₱30,000.

 

Art Samantha Gonzales

LISTEN TO THIS POST‑HIATUS SONG

If you haven’t yet, let Sam Smith serenade you with his latest song that pierces the heart. “Too Good at Goodbyes” is marking Smith’s return to the music scene after a two‑year hiatus where he “escape[d] into his mind and [wrote] music so freely,” he said in a note. The break, he said, rejuvenated him and left him with stories waiting to be sung. The brand new single easily climbed up the billboard charts, and fans have been lapping up the song: 13,283,939 times on YouTube (as of this writing) to be exact. Smith isn’t only good at goodbyes, he’s also good at making a huge comeback from a two‑year rest. Isn’t this the kind of positivity we all need to have?

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