Pangilinan-led LRMC eyes taking over MRT-3 early next year

The Manuel Pangilinan-led Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the operator of LRT Line 1, hopes to secure government approval of the proposed takeover of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) starting early next year.

"We hope sometime next year we can assume close loop ... Edsa, dulo-dulo, Roosevelt, then ikot all the way to Cavite," LRMC president and CEO Rogelio Singson said during a press conference in Pasay City on Thursday.

"It could be as soon as four to six months na iba na 'yung operator ng MRT-3," Singson said.

On July 14, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and the other stakeholders of the LRMC—Ayala Corp.'s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd.— submitted an unsolicited proposal to the government on taking over MRT-3.

"The unsolicited proposal is a total complete package with contract provisions, because we are just lifting the same provisions of the concession agreement on the LRT-1," Singson said.

"In other words, imbis na iba 'yung operator at iba 'yung maintenance provider, our offer is we'll take over, just like the Line 1," he added.

Part of the MRT-3 takeover proposal is replacing the rail tracks and upgrading the power supply and the train stations, and improving the reliability of trains.

"Exactly what was done in Line 1," Singson said.

LRMC hopes the government will grant the company an original proponent status (OPS) for the planned takeover.

"Once you're given an OPS, the government can go through Swiss challenge to whoever wants to offer a similar proposal so there's a period of 90 days or 120 days that they have to go through a challenge," he said.

"Hopefully, the best proposal comes out by the first quarter of next year," he added. — VDS/KVD, GMA Mews

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/623997/pangilinan-led-lrmc-eyes-taking-over-mrt-3-early-next-year/story/

NLEX sees P24-b revenues by 2022

The operator of North Luzon Expressway and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway said it expects toll revenues to double by 2022, boosted by existing and new tollway projects.

NLEX Corp. said toll revenues would likely reach P24.1 billion by 2022, up from only P11.7 billion this year.

The company’s core net income is expected to grow to P9.68 billion by 2022 from P4.7 billion this year.

“The driver would be the growth of the existent assets and eventually we will have new projects that would be completed in the next five years,” Rodrigo Franco, president and chief executive of NLEX and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. said.

The company is investing P29.43 billion in new projects between 2018 and 2020.

These projects are NLEX Segment 10 which is projected to be operational by first half of 2018; Segment 10 from C3 to R10 section to be completed by first quarter of 2019; and the expansion of Subic Freeport Expressway to be finished by first quarter of 2019.

The NLEX-SLEX Connector Road is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2021.

NLEX  earlier reported a net profit of P2.3 billion in January to June, up from last year’s P2 billion.

Toll revenues rose 8 percent in the first half to P5.7 billion from a year ago, on increasing traffic at both NLEX and SCTEX.

The average daily traffic along NLEX reached 233,652 daily entries in the first half, or 7 percent higher than the same period last year, while average daily traffic along SCTEX increased 24 percent to 54,991 daily entries.

Non-toll revenues amounted to P83 million, up from P73 million a year ago, because of an increase in royalty fees, utility facility fees and other non-toll initiatives.

NLEX submitted unsolicited proposals worth P122.43 billion to build two major expressway projects in Manila.

http://thestandard.com.ph/mobile/article/245039

Pangilinan-Ayala group eyes MRT3 takeover by early 2018

If everything goes as planned, the consortium headed by Manuel Pangilinan and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala expects to take over the operations, maintenance, and rehabilitation of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) by early 2018.

It was last July 14 when Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), together with Ayala Corporation and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings Philippines Private Limited, formally submitted an unsolicited proposal for Manila's most congested railway system.

"The unsolicited proposal is a total, complete package. It's lock, stock, and barrel... It would be as soon as 4 to 6 months from now and you'll see a new MRT3 operator," said Rogelio Singson, president and chief executive officer of Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), on the sidelines of an event in Pasay City on Thursday, August 31.

LRMC is the special purpose vehicle (SPV) that MPIC, Ayala, and Macquarie used for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) Cavite Extension Project. Singson said the group will most likely use a new corporate vehicle for the MRT3.

"It has to be a separate SPV. It would be a different concession agreement. It is because if the Line 3 encounters a problem, the Line 3 will likely be affected. But it is very possible na (that) the ownership [share] would be the same," Singson said.

LRMC is 55% owned by MPIC, 35% by Ayala's AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, and 10% by Macquarie. (READ: Groups of Ramon Ang, MVP set sights on MRT3 upgrade)

"Just like Line 1, we hope to take over, operate, and maintain [the MRT3]. That, to us, is the only way that will make sense. If the operator is the government and a private group is the maintenance provider, it would be complex. Even if your train cars are new but the rails are old, train cars will unlikely last," Singson said.

The MRT3 is currently being maintained by Korean-Filipino firm Busan Universal Rail Incorporated (BURI), while the system's rail replacement is being handled by the government.

Lock, stock, barrel

"In our proposal, part of the program is rail replacement of MRT3, improvement of the reliability of the rolling stock, upgrade of the power supply, and upgrade of the stations. This is exactly what's being done in Line 1. In other words, instead of different operators, our offer is lock, stock, and barrel," Singson reiterated.

He added that the unsolicited proposal also includes the execution of a compromise agreement to resolve the arbitration case in Singapore.

In January 2009, MRT Corporation, the current owner of the MRT3, filed an arbitration case in Singapore against the Republic of the Philippines due to, among others, failure of the government to pay equity rental payments on time. This case must be settled before an MRT3 takeover happens.

"I know they have the plans, but I am not at liberty to disclose," Singson said, adding that the proposal has been presented to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.

Once the group has been given the original proponent status, the MRT3 rehabilitation, operations, and maintenance deal has to undergo a Swiss challenge.

Under the build-operate-transfer law, the Swiss challenge is the course the government takes when dealing with unsolicited proposals. It requires an invitation to make competing offers while giving the original proponent the right to match them. This process can take 90 days to 120 days.

Although Singson declined to disclose the total project cost, he said the proposal entails 32 years of concession. (READ: How did the MRT3 mess start?)

The MRT3, which runs along EDSA from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City, serves more than 500,000 passengers per day, way beyond its rated capacity of 350,000.

LRT1 operator offers compromise on pending fare hike

Instead of a fare hike that would be a burden to commuters, the operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) suggested that the government subsidize the company's nearly P300-million claim.

"That is still a pending claim – fare adjustment under the concession agreement. We continue to discuss with the grantors. The claim is close to P300 million. We have suggested to subsidize it instead," Rogelio Singson, president and chief executive officer of Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), told reporters on the sidelines of an event on Thursday, August 31.

Stipulated in the concession agreement, the pending fare increase for the LRT1, which should have taken effect on August 1, 2016, would push fees "5% higher" than they were in January 2015, Singson said.

The end-to-end fare of the LRT1, which runs from Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City to Baclaran in Pasay City, is P30. (READ: Pangilinan-led MPIC to Duterte admin: Let's start with a clean slate)

The government had deferred the fare hike to seek a "win-win solution" for both the LRMC and commuters.

LRMC is led by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) and Ayala Corporation. LRMC had signed with the transportation department and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) a 32-year concession agreement for the P65-billion LRT1 Cavite Extension Project, and the operations and maintenance of the existing LRT1.

The company took over the railway's operations and maintenance in September 2015.

"To subsidize or to adjust fares is up to the transportation department," Singson, who is a former public works and highways secretary, told reporters. (READ: Tugade: Train fares, tollway fees will not go up)

In December 2014, the transportation department implemented fare hikes for the 3 major train lines in Metro Manila, including the LRT1, after several years of postponement.

Under Department Order No. 2014-014, the uniform distance-based fare scheme for all 3 train lines – or an P11 base fare plus P1 per kilometer – was adopted.

Continued upgrade

Despite the delayed fare increase, LRMC has continued upgrading and maintaining the country's oldest light rail system. (READ & WATCH: Engineers racing to fix LRT1)

"By 2020, we target to reduce waiting time between trains to 3 minutes from 4 minutes. We are also conducting replacement of the 32-year-old rails. By 1st quarter of 2018, we expect to increase speed to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) from 40 kph," Singson said during the event.

In less than two years since work began to upgrade the LRT1, LRMC on Thursday secured a certification from international body TUV Rheinland, affirming that its management systems meet global standards.

LRMC is now certified compliant with international standards in quality management systems (ISO 9001:2015) and environmental management systems (ISO 14001:2015).

Under the company's latest timetable, it is set to finish constructing an 11.7-kilometer extension from the present end-point in Baclaran to the Niog area in Bacoor City, Cavite by 2020.

The new stations will be named Aseana, MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino, and Dr Santos in Parañaque City; Las Piñas and Zapote in Las Piñas City; and Niog station in Bacoor, Cavite.

Duterte marks bill to address traffic jams as priority

President Duterte has certified as "priority" a bill that seeks to fast-track procurement at the Department of Transportation as part of efforts to ease traffic jams, one of his economic managers said Thursday.

The National Transport Act will be "emergency powers through legislation," Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia told ANC's Headstart.

Duterte had asked Congress at the start of his term last year for "emergency powers" to address traffic congestion that results in P2.4 billion in daily economic losses according to a Japanese study.

"It should have passed already in the first year of the administration, because that is a real crisis," he told ANC's Headstart.

The Senate and the House of Representatives have both approved the grant of emergency powers at the committee level.

Duterte also asked lawmakers to prioritize a law that will make the public-private partnership mode of financing infrastructure projects faster, Pernia said.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/08/31/17/duterte-marks-bill-to-address-traffic-jams-as-priority

Navotas now has 7 new villages

Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco expressed his gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte after he signed into law the creation of seven new barangays for the city.

Tiangco said the division of the big barangays will lead to better delivery of public service, programs and projects to its constituents. The city now has 18 barangays total, up from the previous 14.

On Aug. 23, the President signed three Republic Acts, abolishing three existing villages and creating seven distinct and independent ones.

In Republic Act 10933, North Bay Boulevard South or NBBS will be divided into three distinct and independent barangays –NBBS Proper, NBBS Kaunlaran and NBBS Dagat-dagatan.

With RA 10934, Barangay Tangos was split into two distinct and independent barangays—Tangos North and Tangos South.

With RA 10935, Barangay Tanza was divided into two barangays—Tanza 1 and Tanza 2.

A plebiscite will be held in the original barangays within four months after the new laws take effect to be supervised by the Commission on Election as mandated by the three RAs. The first set of officials of the barangays shall be elected not later than 90 days after the plebiscite.

The laws will take effect 15 days after being published in two publications of general circulation.

The Comelec is then mandated to conduct and supervise special elections of barangay officials to be held in the new barangays within the next two months. Expenses for the plebiscite and the special elections shall be borne by the city government.

All existing public infrastructure and facilities for public use will be transferred without cost and will be managed by the new barangays.

http://thestandard.com.ph/sunday-lgu-section-pdf/ncr/245772/navotas-now-has-7-new-villages.html

Pressure shifts to next host Philippines, as 29th SEA Games officially closes

KUALA LUMPUR — The 29th Southeast Asian Games came to a blazing close on Wednesday night, with host country Malaysia putting on a spectacular show at jampacked Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

Malaysia celebrated not just a successful staging of the SEA Games, but also its historic haul as Malaysian athletes won a staggering 145 gold medals out of the 404 mints that were at stake.

Malaysian athletes were feted at Bukit Jalil, which also saw performances from local superstars, a moment of appreciation for more than 14,000 volunteers, and a highlight reel celebrating their victories.

For the small Filipino contingent in attendance, the high point of the night was when the SEA Games flag was officially turned over to Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco, moments after the Games flame was extinguished.

Cojuangco then handed the flag to Foreign Affairs Sec. Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.

Instead of a grand performance by the next host country, as has become tradition, the Philippines instead opted for a simple video touting the various tourist spots in the country as well as the local cuisine.

The pressure is now on the Philippines not just to stage a similarly successful Games, but also to make up for a historically poor performance in Kuala Lumpur.

The Philippines managed to win only 24 gold medals in the 2017 SEA Games, five fewer than its output in Singapore two years ago, and its fewest since a 20-gold haul in Brunei in 1999.

Meanwhile, Malaysia can now party after its remarkable achievement in the SEA Games, and indeed the celebrations at Bukit Jalil lasted well into the night as the country also celebrated its 60th independence day.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/30/17/pressure-shifts-to-next-host-philippines-as-29th-sea-games-officially-closes

Metro Pacific hopes to integrate MRT 3 with LRT 1 by H1 2018

INFRASTRUCTURE conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is hoping to formally take over the operations of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 by the first half of 2018, should the government decide to proceed with its multibillion-peso proposal to rehabilitate and expand the most congested train line in the Philippines.

Rogelio L. Singson, the president of Light Rail Manila Corp., said buying out the corporate owners of the train system will prove to be a good proposition for Metro Pacific, given that it—together with Ayala Corp.—operates the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1.

He explained that taking over the line will pave the way for better passenger experience, as there will be a seamless transfer of riders from both lines, as the two systems are effectively connected on Edsa.

“Our proposal is all-encompassing. It is basically lock, stock and barrel. Our offer aims to address all the issues connected to the MRT 3: the equity value buyout of the government, the bonds issued to government financial institutions, existing service contracts, the existing concession agreement and issues with other investors. We will take over all those obligations,” he said.

The proposal, which involves an initial P12.5-billion tag price, was submitted to the transportation department on July 14.

The proposal involves the expansion of the capacity of the railway system by adding more coaches to each train, allowing it to carry more cars at faster intervals.

The multimillion-dollar expansion plan also aims to double the capacity of the line to 700,000 passengers a day from the current 350,000 passengers daily.

Same provisions as LRT 1 deal

Singson said the proposal submitted to the government somehow mirrors the current concession agreement for the LRT 1 Cavite Extension deal, which the company bagged in 2014 through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program.

“We have lifted the same provisions under the concession agreement under LRT 1. It means that instead of having a different operator and maintenance provider, our group will be the one to do both,” he added. “It is the only way that will make sense.”

The build-lease-transfer agreement between MRT Corp. and the Philippine government, signed almost two decades ago, requires the government—as the operator of the train line—to pay equity rental payments to the owner of the facility. The railway system is owned by the group of Robert John L. Sobrepeña and a few minority shareholders.

The proposal of MPIC also involves the replacement of the rails of the MRT 3. This, Singson said, will allow the company to operate the new trains purchased by the government from Chinese train manufacturer Dalian.

“Other components include the improvement of the reliability of rolling stock, the upgrading of power supply and the upgrading of stations,” he said. “We are hoping that the government will give the proposal serious evaluation and give the proponent the original proponent status.”

Should the government grant MPIC such a status, it can proceed with the Swiss Challenge for the deal. Unsolicited proposals are required, under the law, to go under a competitive challenge, wherein other groups can offer a similar proposal, and the original proponent can present a counter offer.

“It could be as soon as four to six months that the operator of the MRT 3 will be different. Hopefully, the best proposal comes out by the first quarter of 2018,” Singson said.

He noted that Metro Pacific has been in discussion with Sobrepeña for the acquisition of the facility.

Sobrepeña, in a text message to the BusinessMirror, contested, however, that his group has yet to touch base again with Metro Pacific.

Metro Pacific had an agreement with Sobrepeña’s group back in 2011, when it first submitted a proposal to upgrade the facilities of the MRT 3.

“No, they haven’t talked to us yet about their planned buyout,” Sobpreña, who is on a personal trip to Italy until mid-September, told the BusinessMirror.

Different vehicle

Singson noted, however, that LRMC will not be the vehicle for the said transaction, as issues linked to the MRT might affect the private company negatively.

“It has to be a separate special-purpose vehicle because it will be a different concession agreement, so that our concession will not be affected by any issue on the other. It is very possible that the ownership will be the same,” he said.

Should Metro Pacific win the said deal, there will be synergies between MRT 3 and LRT 1, which could result in cost and operation efficiencies.

“We can have synergies between Line 1 and 3 in terms of suppliers, depot management, logistics management—like one machine does not have to be bought by two entities. There will be a lot of synergies that can reduce the cost and improve efficiency,” he added.

Why invest?

The MRT 3 has been a big problem for the government for over half a decade now due to congestion relating to operations and maintenance issues.

On one hand, the maintenance provider of the MRT 3, Busan Universal Rail Inc. claimed that breakdowns, glitches and passenger off-loading incidents happen because, intrinsically, the train facility’s design is flawed.

Transportation Undersecretary Cesar B. Chavez, on the other hand, said these issues—reaching more than 2,000 incidents per year—are related to the poor maintenance of the train line. Chavez has said that the government is keen on ending its contract with Busan Rail.

It is also entangled in legal tussles. There is a pending case before a Singaporean arbitration court, which aims to result in the government’s P53.9-billion corporate buyout.  With all these issues at hand, why does Metro Pacific want to take over the line?

The answer, according to Singson, is simple: It is part of the company’s thrust for
nation building.

“Believe it or not, it is really part of their desire to contribute to nation building. They are all convinced that it is what is needed today. They are even willing to take all the reputational risk attached to it,” he said.

LRMC operates the oldest overhead railway facility in Southeast Asia. It recently received two international certifications on management and environmental standards from TUV Rheinland.  It is on the lookout for railway deals in the Philippines, syncing its expansion plan to the Duterte administration’s massive infrastructure thrust.

The Duterte administration has lined up several rail-infrastructure deals in its huge pipeline of projects: the Mega Manila Subway, the Mindanao Railway, the Philippine National Railways South Long Haul Line and the LRT Line 2 Extension, among others.

A number of these projects originated from the Aquino administration, mostly under the PPP Program.  The current administration, however, wanted to place these projects under state funding to hasten their construction.

A simple solution to MRT glitches

IT HAS been over a year since President Duterte assumed office, riding on the campaign promise of fixing the MetroRail Transit (MRT-3), among other things. Yet to this day, reports of breakdowns and glitches are in the news almost every day.

What’s puzzling is that the solution looks simple: Return the system’s maintenance to the private owners, the MRT Corp., and hold them to their responsibility under the contract of maintaining an efficiently functioning train system.

It may be time President Duterte took a direct hand and seriously looked at the MRTC proposal on the table.

Completed on July 15, 2000, the MRT-3 running in the middle of EDSA is operated by the Department of Transportation (formerly DoTC, now DoTr), but maintenance of the trains is a responsibility of the private sector (MRT Corp.) which it outsourced to Sumitomo Corp., the Japanese company that designed, built and maintained MRT-3 efficiently with hardly any glitch for 12 years.

In October 2012, under then DoTC Secretary Emilio Abaya, the government took over the maintenance by not renewing the contract of Sumitomo. In its place, the DoTC appointed PH Trams, a joint venture with dubious experience in maintaining light rail vehicles, without public bidding.

Who can forget the “runaway train” – the first major breakdown in August 2014? A train gone loose careened down the southbound tracks to the Taft Avenue terminal, jumped off the tracks, toppled a post, damaged three cars on EDSA and injured 32 train passengers, eight car riders and some pedestrians.

That occurred after MRT maintenance was transferred to PH Trams. Three years later – now under Busan Universal Railway Inc. (BURI) – the MRT remains as dangerous to ride as ever. The decadence has worsened, reportedly because there has been no purchase of spare parts since Sumitomo was replaced.

The MRTC has been reaching out to the DoTr proposing a solution, but it seems its officials are deaf to the idea – and blind to the fact that under the original Build-Lease-Transfer agreement between the MRTC and the government, the MRTC is the only proper contracting party to maintain the system.

In other words, it is the MRTC, the owner, that should choose and contract out the maintenance provider for the MRT-3.

The MRTC reportedly has offered the DoTr a $150-million solution. The proposal is on a “pass through basis,” meaning the MRTC will do this without profiting from it. The DoTr is being asked to revert to the arrangement in the BLT contract wherein the MRTC, as owner, will appoint and sign a contract with the maintenance provider.

Under MRTC’s fast-track rehabilitation proposal, the owners reportedly would begin with the purchase of spare parts worth at least $50 million. It would also hire at least 100 engineers for a full inspection of the entire system in 30 days, in preparation for its rehabilitation.

The MRTC says that if its proposal is accepted by the government, the system’s rehabilitation can be completed by the mid-term elections in May 2019.

The proposal will see the return of the so-called Single Point of Responsibility. Today, when there is a breakdown or glitch, the DoTr and BURI point at each other. When Sumitomo was maintenance provider, it had the “single point of responsibility” and did not hold anyone else liable for technical failures.

Word is that the MRTC has informed President Duterte that it has spoken with Sumitomo to do the fast-track rehabilitation and maintenance of the system and that the MRT owners even invited the DoTr to join in the discussions with Sumitomo “to secure the best possible terms.”

• Transpo chief not licensed to drive

REACTING to a DZMM Teleradyo report on Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade renewing his driver’s license in just five minutes Tuesday, our Star colleague Boo Chanco remarked on Twitter “But he doesn’t drive. He told me himself. LTO didn’t give him a driving test?”

Re the driving test, I explained: “Pag license RENEWAL lang, wala ng driving test. Madali talaga ang renewal if there are no changes in the license-holder’s details.”

Boo replied: “But Dik, he told us he doesn’t know how to drive and cited the irony coz he is transport sec. I assume he has no license.”

As other tweeters joined in, I decided to ask Tugade directly to settle the question. In answer to my text, the secretary said that he has no driver’s license, never had one, and had never driven a motor vehicle. So, Boo was right!

Tugade’s text-replies to me: “1. No valid driver’s license 2. Never had one 3. Never drove a car. I have mentioned these openly in the past. At hindi ko po kinahihiya ito – lumaki po kaming mahirap at kapos.

“Me undertaking the process was for demonstration purposes only and not to get a license. I have never had a license in my lifetime. This was made clear to the staff when they made me do the form. In fact, I did not fill out portions re driving skills/data. After, I gave instructions to remove my details from files and records. I also destroyed the ‘license’ issued. Btw, in the accomplished form I also intentionally committed ‘errors’ so I could observe how errors are corrected.”

Tugade’s staff said that the rollout of the plastic licenses with five-year validity, initially at the Land Transportation Office in Quezon City, was also meant to test how fast the system can renew or issue a new license, from encoding of the driver’s data up to the printing of the license card.

The secretary got his “license” in five minutes despite the correction of his “errors.” He told LTO Chief Edgar Galvante to study how to minimize human (manual) intervention in the processing of applications to eliminate “fixing” and corruption.

* * *

ADVISORY: All Postscripts from 1997 to the present can be accessed at manilamail.com. Follow me on Twitter as @FDPascual. Email feedback to fdp333@yahoo.com

http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2017/08/31/1734311/simple-solution-mrt-glitches

Duterte threatens firm that owns ABS-CBN over supposed DBP debt

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday announced that he is going after the holdings company that controls media network ABS-CBN over its supposed debt to the Development Bank of the Philippines.

At the 23rd anniversary of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Duterte spoke out against Benpres, which has since been renamed Lopez Holdings Corp., the firm that owns major shareholdings in ABS-CBN and in the power, property, and telecommunications sectors.

"I will go after itong mga elite. And I will not name the person, but ‘yung mga company nila noon — Benpres and about six other companies — may utang sila sa DBP. At ang utang nila, umabot ng... to finance this… pera ng tao, gagamitin nila to finance their business pero kanila ‘yung kita," he said.

"And yet, they were not able to pay and it was condoned by government. Kaya noong binabasa ko ‘yung... sabi ko, 'I will go after the elite in this country because they are the ones really who’s benefiting from all of these things,'" he added.

Duterte had previously threatened to unblock the franchise of ABS-CBN, which he had accused of not airing his campaign ad in last year's elections. Aside from ABS-CBN, he had repeatedly hit out at the Prieto-Rufino family that owns the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and he went on another tirade on Wednesday.

"Malakas ‘yan silang mag-atake, they have the media outlets and all. But sila talaga ‘yung nakikinabang sa corruption ng gobyerno," Duterte said.

"Ayaw magbayad ng taxes na tama. Ayaw magbayad ng utang. Na ‘yung Mile Long, were it not for… Kung hindi ako na-Presidente hindi talaga masauli ‘yang propedad na ‘yan," he added.

Duterte was referring to the Mile Long property in Makati City, which was developed by Sunvar Realty Development Corp. owned by the Prieto-Rufino family. Tenants of the property recently vacated the compound following a court ruling.

Last month, owners of the Inquirer announced they were in talks to sell their stake in the newspaper to San Miguel Corporation President Ramon Ang, who is known to be close to Duterte. —JST, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/623934/duterte-threatens-firm-that-owns-abs-cbn-over-supposed-dbp-debt/story/

Romantic road trip

Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia team up anew in the romantic-comedy “Love You To The Stars And Back.” It is expected to be another box-office hit like their first movie project “Vince & Kath & James (VKJ).”

Written and directed by box-office director Antoinette Jadaone, “Love You To The Stars And Back” has Julia playing the role of an “eccentric and socially awkward” girl named Mika who goes on a road trip to look for aliens. She found instead Caloy (Joshua), a simple and good-humored boy who is sick with cancer. Together, they get into adventures and misadventures and in the process teach each other important lessons on love and life.

Joshua’s acting career on TV started when he became part of the cast of the afternoon series “The Greatest Love.” After this, Joshua will star in “The Good Son.”

Julia, on the other hand, is currently in the cast of the Kapamilya series “A Love To Last.”

Direk Antoinette revealed that when she saw “Vince & Kath & James,” “sobrang nagustuhan ko silang pareho, kasi natural sila, hindi pilot ang istorya nila sa VKJ. Kinilig ako sa kanila. So nu’ng nakatrabaho ko sila, I realized kung bakit nag-click sila – kasi pareho silang sincere – sincere silang umarte, sincere sila sa mga tao.”

• • •

Better exhibit

Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) presented recently a bigger and more interactive World War II Exhibit at this year’s History Con in Manila held at the World Trade Center.

“We look forward to even more partnerships in the future with History Asia as we see a lot of common goals,” said PVB Chairman, Roberto F. de Ocampo, OBE.

A+E Networks Asia Head Jacque Ruby thanked PVB for joining History Con.

“Their artifacts helped make the convention both entertaining and educational especially for the students visiting the event. This year’s History Con is themed on the 75th anniversary of the start of WWII in the Philippines.

“Through the Philippine Living History Society, we helped visitors experience how it feels to be part of World War II by wearing one of several WWII-era uniform replicas like as an American G.I., Japanese Imperial Soldier, or a Filipino Guerrilla,” said Mike Villa-Real, PVB VP for Corporate & Consumer Relations.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Aug, 31, go to Jim Paredes, Zenaida Silva, Timothy Yuquimpo, Monching Fernandez, Dr. Inday Novales, Susan de Guzman, Baby Naidas Abacan, Cherry Pascual, Monching Tabuldan, Sean D. Belen, Ramona Ty, and Rachel Ann Go…Sept. 1: Ariel Rivera, Azenith Briones, Emma Borja, Philip Cruz, Peachie Naidas Abacan, Evita Bunyi, Dr, Jazmine Gongora, Minda Reyes, Edd Baluyut, Dennis Mendiola, John Avila, Michelle Carbonell, Alex Pili, and Louise de Los Reyes…

http://entertainment.mb.com.ph/2017/08/31/romantic-road-trip/