From the finale of "GMA Gold" aired last June 17, 2000 on GMA-7.
In February 1998, the GMA management decided to reformat the show, introduce new segments and add new hosts. On its first anniversary, the show’s title Sobrang Okey Pare was shortened to SOP and introduced a new, lively theme song that says it all: "S-O-P dito sa GMA!"
Beauty queen Ruffa Gutierrez and young stars Angelika dela Cruz, Dingdong Dantes, KC Montero and Antoinette Taus were some of the latest additions in 1998. But what made SOP inch closer to rival ASAP in the ratings was the inclusion of Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez in the roster of SOP hosts and performers. Regine immediately blended with Janno, Ogie and the rest of the SOP gang as they started to conquer the Sunday noontime scene with aplomb like no other.
“Fitness.Fashion” also scored a coup with the runway debut of fitness enthusiast and sports advocate Sen. Pia Cayetano. Other guest models were Akiko Thompson, Amanda Carpo, Rina Go, Paolo Abrera, Phoemela Baranda, Svetlana Osmeña, Jeena Lopez, Enchong Dee, Ruby Gan, Fely Atienza, Trishan Cuazo, catwalk queens Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez and Apples Aberin-Sadhwani, and Inquirer’s own Tessa Prieto-Valdes and Leica Carpo.
Plus co-guest models are Willie Nepomuceno, Candy Pangilinan, Jon Santos, Ruffa Mae Quinto, Joy Viado, Klaudia Koronel, Mystica, Raffy Rodriguez, Marissa Sanchez, Selina Sevilla, Madeline Nicholas, Leo Martinez, Pekto, Ate Shawie, Ate Guy, Lorraine Baretto, Maribeth Bichara, Lara Fabregas, Jerome John Hughes, Melisa Henderson, Everly Locsin, Glydel Mercado, Cody Moreno, Marissa del Mar, Presbitero Velasco, Jr., Sarah Geronimo, Rachelle Ann Go, Erik Santos, Mike Chan, "Spicy" Susan Quinico, Hyubs Azarcon, Luane Dy, Angelica Jones, Dominic Ochoa, Bobby Yan, Cacai Velasquez, Amanda Page, Gabby Eigenmann, Bernadette Allyson, Mo Twister, Lalaine Edson, Jake Roxas, Ruffa Gutierrez, Angelika dela Cruz, Antoinette Taus, Jaya, Lani Misalucha, Anne Curtis, Toni Gonzaga, Jolo Revilla, Karylle, Angel Locsin, Nina, Danica and Oyo Boy Sotto, Kevin Vernal, Champagne Morales, Cogie Domingo, Roxanne Barcelo, James Blanco, Richard Gutierrez, Brad Turvey, Chynna Ortaleza, Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras, Yasmien Kurdi, Rainier Castillo, Cristine Reyes, Maxene Magalona, Dennis Trillo, Gab Valenciano, LJ Reyes, Lovi Poe, EB Babes, Karel Marquez, Isabella Gonzalez, La Diva, You've Got Male, Sugarpop, Chris Cayzer, Martin Escudero, Marina Benipayo, Patty Betita, Annette Coronel, Suyen Chi, Wilma Dassent, Marky Cielo, Aljur Abrenica, Kris Bernal, Stef Prescott, Rich Asuncion, Jesi Corcuera, Kiko Junio, Paulo Avelino, Sheena Halili, Jan Manual, Ailyn Luna, Paolo Bediones, Pia Guanio, Raymond Gutierrez, John Lapus, Mel Tiangco, Jay Sonza, John Lesaca, Fides Cuyugan-Asencio, Kata Inocencio, Lyn Ching, Suzi Entrata, Ryan Agoncillo, Mickey Ferriols, Mon Isberto, Arnold Clavio, Miriam Quiambao, Eagle Riggs, Hans Montenegro, Dina Bonnevie, Patricia Javier, Jimmy Santos, Manilyn Reynes, Dingdong Avanzado, Aiza Seguerra, Ruby Rodriguez, Jaime Garchitorena, Lady Lee, Eric Quizon, Jose Manalo, Allan K., Donna Cruz, Maricel Soriano, Valentin Simon, Jenny Syquia, Mitoy Yonting, Kristine Florendo, Camille Ocampo, Mausi Wohlfarth, Mike Zerrudo, Rosanna Roces, Gladys Guevarra, Lana Asanin, Steven Claude Goyong, Dindin Llarena, Sherilyn Reyes, Gemma Fitzgerald, Aji Estornino, Nadine Schmidt, Teri Onor, Diana Zubiri, Michael V., Keempee de Leon, Lana Jalosjos, Pauleen Luna, Alicia Mayer, Sugar Mercado, Ciara Sotto, BJ Forbes, Julia Clarete, Edgar Allan Guzman, Mark Ariel Fresco, Ryan Julio, Cindy Kurleto, Ho and Ha, Daiana Menezes, Ariani Nogueira, Vivian Velez, Gina de Venecia, Love Anover, Christian Esteban, Pia Arcangel, Drew Arellano, Tonipet Gaba, Jigs Mayuga, Avi Siwa, Ramon Bautista, Angel Rivero, Tado Jimenez, Hero Angeles, Sandara Park, Roxanne Guinoo, Joross Gamboa, Melissa Ricks, Michelle Madrigal, Joseph Bitangcol, Neri Naig, Raphael Martinez, Errol Abalayan, Kiray Celis, Katrina Legaspi, Mikylla Ramirez, Eliza Pineda, Kristel Fulgar, Sharlene San Pedro, Miles Ocampo, Angel Sy, Nikki Bagaporo, Julia Montes, Alfred Labatos, John Manalo, Iggy Boy Flores, Kobe Vidanes, EJ Jallorina, Carl Barrameda, Steven Fermo, Yong Chiu, Angel Aquino, Daphne Osena-Paez, Amanda Griffin, Iya Villania, Cheska Garcia, Iya Yotoko, Manu Sandejas, Archie Alemania, Kennevic and Kennie Asuncion, Laura Jean, Tim Yap, KC Montero, Miggy Eugenio, Rico Barrera, Chiqui Alcala, Jayson Gainza, Nene Tamayo, Jun Bob dela Cruz, Cass Ponti, JB Magsaysay, Racquel Reyes, Uma Khouny, Jenny Suico, Franzen Fajardo, Bettina Carlos, Reema Chanco, Bianca King, Inah Estrada, Alynna Asistio, Winwyn Marquez, Megan Young, Benj Punzalan, Ailyn Luna, Carmina Villarroel, Kat de Castro, Alex Gonzaga, Badjie Mortiz, Bangs Garcia, Joem Bascon, Charee Pineda, Timmy Boy Sta. Maria, Eda Nolan, Janelle Quintana, Mikel Campos, Blumark Roces, Jana Pablo, Kontin Roque, Smokey Manaloto, Kristoff Abrenica, Jamilla Obispo, Keanna Reeves, John Prats, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Yeng Constantino, Jay-R Siaboc, Ronnie Liang, Panky Trinidad, Irish Fullerton, Chad Peralta, Lucy Torres-Gomez, Grace Lee, Christine Jacob-Sandejas, Cheche Lazaro, Janno Gibbs, Anjo Yllana, Raymart Santiago, Oscar Orbos, Winnie Monsod, Aiko Melendez, Sunshine Cruz, Eric Fructuoso, Susan Lozada, Assunta De Rossi, Jackie De Guzman, Wendell Ramos, Antonio Aquitania, Diego Llorico, Shirley Fuentes, Alma Concepcion, Myka Flores, Luis Alandy, Aya Medel, Ara Mina, Sharmaine Arnaiz, Wowie De Guzman, Maureen Larrazabal, Francine Prieto, Regine Tolentino, Renford Alano, Aria Cariño, Isabella Dayto, Romina de Jesus, Mikee de Vega, Caleb Gotico, Ella Guevara, Nikki Liu, Sam Turingan, Rob Pengson, Mico Aytona, Lucky Mercado, Andrea Torres, Monica Verallo, Lolit Solis, Butch Francisco, Lorna Tolentino, Maybelyn dela Cruz, Trina Zuñiga, Biboy Ramirez, Sherwin Ordoñez, Joseph Izon, Danilo Barrios, Jason Red, Erwin Aquino, AJ Eigenmann, Roanna Ruiz-Jamir, Railey Valeroso, Karen delos Reyes, Tricia Roman, Valerie Concepcion, Charina Scott, Denise Laurel, Mitzi Borromeo, JC de Vera, Lester Llansang, Crystal Moreno, Fred Payawan, Sam Concepcion, Kevin Lapena, Cheska Ortega, Miguel Aguila, Kamae de Jesus, Dino Imperial, Bianca Manalo, Sam YG, Say Alonzo, Joaqui Mendoza, Aaron Juantas, Japoy Lizardo, Nica Calapatan, Tim Polero, Anton Asistio, Sara Castaneda, Pauline Lopez, Katrice delos Reyes, Michael Christian Martinez, Carlos Yulo, Micco Sollano, Marielle Infantado, Kyle Arrieta, Rafael Olbes, Eugene Herrera, Nash Aguas, Prince Carlos, Lukas Magallano, Marian Buitre, Fille Cainglet, Princess Gaiser, Dzi Gervacio, Mika Reyes, Alyssa Valdez, Kiefer Ravena, Thirdy Ravena, Mikee Reyes, Ricci Rivero, Jeron Teng, Matteo Guidicelli, Tyson Sy, Mark Bumgarner, Javi Benitez, Enzo Pastor, Illac Diaz, Ginggay Joven-dela Merced, Paco Magsaysay, Maggie Wilson, Divine Lee, Camille Villar, Mons Romulo-Tantoco, Zanjoe Marudo, Jake Cuenca, Victor Basa, Jon Avila, Rayver Cruz, Richard Gomez, Dingdong Dantes, Diether Ocampo, John Estrada, Priscilla Meirelles, Kristine Hermosa, Johnny Litton, Anton San Diego, Tomy Florencio, JC Buendia, Jojie Lloren, Ito Curata, Anton Mendoza, Bataan Rep. Albert Garcia, Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste, Tony Abad, Sander Tantoco, Santi Picornell and Michelle Pantoja.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Into the sunset
 |
| A security guard checks a list during the last day of Harrison Plaza’s commercial operations on Tuesday. The iconic mall built in 1976 is set to be transformed into a mixed-use development complex. |
Harrison Plaza sees last day as 2019 ends
Harrison Plaza ceased commercial operations on the last day of 2019, as the SM Group - one of the Philippines' largest conglomerates - is set to begin to transform the capital city's first major mall into a mixed-use development.
SM Prime Holdings earlier entered a long-term joint development agreement with the Manila government to modernize the 7-hectare Harrison Plaza complex that has been lagging behind newer entertainment centers in the capital region for decades.
The Malate mall was built in 1976 and was thriving up to the early '90s as mallgoers flocked to its in-house skating rink, bowling center, and upscale stores.
The city government of Manila will continue to keep and "protect" its interests in the iconic shopping center that was bid out to private firms by the previous city administration, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno earlier said.
"We are looking into how we are going to protect the interest of the city government of Manila we still have semblance of ownership in the area,” Moreno told reporters in a chance interview in August 2019.
"We will study it further on how it is going to be economically viable for the city government of Manila," he said.
ABS-CBN News tried to get a fresh statement from Moreno's office but has yet to receive a response.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/31/19/harrison-plaza-sees-last-day-as-2019-ends
SM Prime Holdings earlier entered a long-term joint development agreement with the Manila government to modernize the 7-hectare Harrison Plaza complex that has been lagging behind newer entertainment centers in the capital region for decades.
The Malate mall was built in 1976 and was thriving up to the early '90s as mallgoers flocked to its in-house skating rink, bowling center, and upscale stores.
The city government of Manila will continue to keep and "protect" its interests in the iconic shopping center that was bid out to private firms by the previous city administration, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno earlier said.
"We are looking into how we are going to protect the interest of the city government of Manila we still have semblance of ownership in the area,” Moreno told reporters in a chance interview in August 2019.
"We will study it further on how it is going to be economically viable for the city government of Manila," he said.
ABS-CBN News tried to get a fresh statement from Moreno's office but has yet to receive a response.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/31/19/harrison-plaza-sees-last-day-as-2019-ends
NUJP urges Filipinos to uphold press freedom amid attacks vs ABS-CBN
The group also decries President Rodrigo Duterte’s fresh tirade hurled against broadcast giant ABS-CBN
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) called independent Filipino journalists and the public to defend press freedom amidst President Rodrigo Duterte's attacks hurled against broadcast giant ABS-CBN.
This came after Duterte told ABS-CBN that it would be better to "just sell" the network as he reiterated that it was unlikely that Congress would renew its franchise months before the expiration of the media titan's franchise. (READ: Duterte to ABS-CBN: Better to sell the network)
In a statement released on Monday, December 30, the NUJP challenged the public "who cherish democracy to band together and protect the free arena of ideas that the closure or forced sale of ABS-CBN would severely weaken."
“The alternative— the death of freedom of the press and of free expression— is too horrible to contemplate,” NUJP added.
During his term, Duterte has intimidated and harassed media networks through different ways.
Aside from his threats to ABS-CBN, he has also warned other media outlets, including the Philippine Daily Inquirer, for their alleged biased reporting about him. In 2018, Rappler reporter Pia Ranada was banned from entering Malacañang Palace as well as from covering other presidential events after almost two years of constant coverage.
For NUJP, the latest rant against ABS-CBN “bears all the signs of a shakedown and raises questions over his real intentions for seeking to block the renewal of the broadcast network’s franchise.”
In his speech before the earthquake victims of M'lang town in Cotabato on Monday, Duterte also told ABS-CBN, “Mag-renew kayo, ewan ko lang kung may mangyari diyan (You try to renew, let’s see if anything happens).”
NUJP added that these words looked “marching orders” in Congress, led by Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte's defeated running mate and now the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Cayetano has admitted having “personal objections” to renewing the franchise in a clear conflict of interest.
Because of Duterte’s statements, NUJP said this leaves the network owners, the Lopez family, with a stark choice between selling or losing everything.
“But sell it to whom and for whose benefit?” the group asked.
This is not the first time that the President had been slamming the network. He did so at the start of his presidency as the network supposedly did not air his political ads during the 2016 campaign.
“The fact is Duterte has already shown a propensity for coercion, as he did in 2017 when he publicly told ABS-CBN to support his federalism drive and he would agree to settle his difference with the network,” NUJP cited.
He also slammed Inquirer on Monday, accusing it of being a "mouthpiece" of oligarchs. He also threatened the Ayala family and businessman Manny Pangilinan for alleged corruption in their water distribution operations in Metro Manila, which both have denied.
https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/248271-nujp-uphold-press-freedom-duterte-attacks-abs-cbn
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) called independent Filipino journalists and the public to defend press freedom amidst President Rodrigo Duterte's attacks hurled against broadcast giant ABS-CBN.
This came after Duterte told ABS-CBN that it would be better to "just sell" the network as he reiterated that it was unlikely that Congress would renew its franchise months before the expiration of the media titan's franchise. (READ: Duterte to ABS-CBN: Better to sell the network)
In a statement released on Monday, December 30, the NUJP challenged the public "who cherish democracy to band together and protect the free arena of ideas that the closure or forced sale of ABS-CBN would severely weaken."
“The alternative— the death of freedom of the press and of free expression— is too horrible to contemplate,” NUJP added.
During his term, Duterte has intimidated and harassed media networks through different ways.
Aside from his threats to ABS-CBN, he has also warned other media outlets, including the Philippine Daily Inquirer, for their alleged biased reporting about him. In 2018, Rappler reporter Pia Ranada was banned from entering Malacañang Palace as well as from covering other presidential events after almost two years of constant coverage.
For NUJP, the latest rant against ABS-CBN “bears all the signs of a shakedown and raises questions over his real intentions for seeking to block the renewal of the broadcast network’s franchise.”
In his speech before the earthquake victims of M'lang town in Cotabato on Monday, Duterte also told ABS-CBN, “Mag-renew kayo, ewan ko lang kung may mangyari diyan (You try to renew, let’s see if anything happens).”
NUJP added that these words looked “marching orders” in Congress, led by Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte's defeated running mate and now the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Cayetano has admitted having “personal objections” to renewing the franchise in a clear conflict of interest.
Because of Duterte’s statements, NUJP said this leaves the network owners, the Lopez family, with a stark choice between selling or losing everything.
“But sell it to whom and for whose benefit?” the group asked.
This is not the first time that the President had been slamming the network. He did so at the start of his presidency as the network supposedly did not air his political ads during the 2016 campaign.
“The fact is Duterte has already shown a propensity for coercion, as he did in 2017 when he publicly told ABS-CBN to support his federalism drive and he would agree to settle his difference with the network,” NUJP cited.
He also slammed Inquirer on Monday, accusing it of being a "mouthpiece" of oligarchs. He also threatened the Ayala family and businessman Manny Pangilinan for alleged corruption in their water distribution operations in Metro Manila, which both have denied.
https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/248271-nujp-uphold-press-freedom-duterte-attacks-abs-cbn
Harrison Plaza ceases operations
Only a few visitors drop by inside the 43-year-old Harrison Plaza in Ermita, Manila on Monday, December 29, 2019. Considered as the first modern shopping mall in Manila, Harrison Plaza will cease operations on December 31, 2019. Danny Pata
Duterte to ABS-CBN owners: Just sell it
For President Rodrigo Duterte, the clock is ticking on media giant ABS-CBN Corp.
Mr. Duterte on Monday told the Lopez family, controlling owner of the publicly listed company, to just sell off the media network.
In a speech during a visit to earthquake victims in M’lang town, Cotabato province, the President railed anew against the TV network, whose franchise will lapse on March 30, 2020.
“This ABS (CBN), your contract (franchise) will expire. If you renew it, I don’t know what will happen to you,” Mr. Duterte said.
Television and radio broadcasters in the country are required to get a franchise from Congress under Republic Act No. 3846.
Mr. Duterte went on: “If I were you, just sell it. Because it’s only now that the Filipino can retaliate against your abuses. And I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever.”
The President made the remarks nearly a month after he vowed to see to it that ABS-CBN would lose its battle to renew its franchise.
There was no immediate comment on Monday from the network, which in 2018 employed close to 11,000 workers and had assets worth P84.6 billion.
Water concessionaires
On Dec. 3, Mr. Duterte spent most of his speech on two occasions in Malacañang railing against what he claimed were onerous provisions of the concession agreements of Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. to distribute water in Metro Manila and parts of Rizal and Cavite provinces (See related story on Page A3).
The President on Monday also renewed his attacks on the owners of Manila Water and Maynilad.
Earlier this month, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said the House decided to prioritize hearing the 2020 national budget rather than the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise.
Cayetano vowed that the House would be fair in deliberating ABS-CBN’s application for a franchise, even if he, too, had a “personal complaint” against the TV network.
Mr. Duterte has vowed to block the franchise renewal, amid his previous accusations that the TV network swindled him by not airing his paid political advertisements during the 2016 presidential election.
Dennis Uy media group
The President’s fresh attack on the TV network came as his friend, Davao City businessman Dennis Uy, is expanding into the media and entertainment business with the founding of Udenna Communications Media and Entertainment Holdings Corp.
Since Mr. Duterte came to power, Udenna, Uy’s holding company, has rapidly expanded into several business areas. It is into oil product distribution and convenience store business, shipping and logistics, property development and leasing and even educational institutions and restaurants. In addition, it is into infrastructure, tourism and gaming.
Uy recently acquired Chevron’s 45-percent stake in the Malampaya gas-to-power project.
Life without franchise
On Dec. 18, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said ABS-CBN Corp. would survive even if its franchise was not renewed.
Andanar noted that ABS-CBN was not in the business of television alone. It was also into delivering content online, producing magazines and investing in movies, he said. “I’m sure ABS-CBN can find a way how to distribute their content if they lose their franchise,” Andanar said.
ABS-CBN also operates radio and cable television.
Over the years, the Lopez family has diversified into power generation and property development.
Should ABS-CBN fail to renew its franchise, it would be the second time that the Lopezes would not be able to operate the broadcast network.
The Marcos regime shuttered ABS-CBN during martial law. It was only after Ferdinand Marcos was ousted in 1986 that the Lopezes regained control of the television network. —JULIE M. AURELIO
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1207575/duterte-to-abs-cbn-owners-just-sell-it
Mr. Duterte on Monday told the Lopez family, controlling owner of the publicly listed company, to just sell off the media network.
In a speech during a visit to earthquake victims in M’lang town, Cotabato province, the President railed anew against the TV network, whose franchise will lapse on March 30, 2020.
“This ABS (CBN), your contract (franchise) will expire. If you renew it, I don’t know what will happen to you,” Mr. Duterte said.
Television and radio broadcasters in the country are required to get a franchise from Congress under Republic Act No. 3846.
Mr. Duterte went on: “If I were you, just sell it. Because it’s only now that the Filipino can retaliate against your abuses. And I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever.”
The President made the remarks nearly a month after he vowed to see to it that ABS-CBN would lose its battle to renew its franchise.
There was no immediate comment on Monday from the network, which in 2018 employed close to 11,000 workers and had assets worth P84.6 billion.
Water concessionaires
On Dec. 3, Mr. Duterte spent most of his speech on two occasions in Malacañang railing against what he claimed were onerous provisions of the concession agreements of Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. to distribute water in Metro Manila and parts of Rizal and Cavite provinces (See related story on Page A3).
The President on Monday also renewed his attacks on the owners of Manila Water and Maynilad.
Earlier this month, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said the House decided to prioritize hearing the 2020 national budget rather than the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise.
Cayetano vowed that the House would be fair in deliberating ABS-CBN’s application for a franchise, even if he, too, had a “personal complaint” against the TV network.
Mr. Duterte has vowed to block the franchise renewal, amid his previous accusations that the TV network swindled him by not airing his paid political advertisements during the 2016 presidential election.
Dennis Uy media group
The President’s fresh attack on the TV network came as his friend, Davao City businessman Dennis Uy, is expanding into the media and entertainment business with the founding of Udenna Communications Media and Entertainment Holdings Corp.
Since Mr. Duterte came to power, Udenna, Uy’s holding company, has rapidly expanded into several business areas. It is into oil product distribution and convenience store business, shipping and logistics, property development and leasing and even educational institutions and restaurants. In addition, it is into infrastructure, tourism and gaming.
Uy recently acquired Chevron’s 45-percent stake in the Malampaya gas-to-power project.
Life without franchise
On Dec. 18, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said ABS-CBN Corp. would survive even if its franchise was not renewed.
Andanar noted that ABS-CBN was not in the business of television alone. It was also into delivering content online, producing magazines and investing in movies, he said. “I’m sure ABS-CBN can find a way how to distribute their content if they lose their franchise,” Andanar said.
ABS-CBN also operates radio and cable television.
Over the years, the Lopez family has diversified into power generation and property development.
Should ABS-CBN fail to renew its franchise, it would be the second time that the Lopezes would not be able to operate the broadcast network.
The Marcos regime shuttered ABS-CBN during martial law. It was only after Ferdinand Marcos was ousted in 1986 that the Lopezes regained control of the television network. —JULIE M. AURELIO
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1207575/duterte-to-abs-cbn-owners-just-sell-it
Ahead of franchise battle, ABS-CBN sells 49% stake in provincial TV network
ABS-CBN Corp. quietly disposed of a 49-percent stake in the provincial television network that aired its Sports+Action channel, as it girded for battle with President Rodrigo Duterte over the renewal of its congressional franchise.
Like ABS-CBN, the franchise of the provincial network, Amcara Broadcasting Network, Inc., which has 32 TV and two radio stations, will expire in 2020. The sale indicated that both networks would lobby for new franchises from Congress under separate ownership structures.
Documents submitted to corporate regulators showed that ABS-CBN sold the Amcara stake on Jan. 24, 2019 to one of the majority shareholders, Rodrigo V. Carandang. The book value of the sale was P40.6 million.
ABS-CBN has also stopped paying blocktime fees to Amcara, based on its third-quarter 2019 financial report. ABS-CBN paid P36.5 million to Amcara in 2018, P27.6 million in 2017 and nearly P35 million in 2016, financial disclosures showed.
Amcara, which broadcasts the clearer ultra high frequency (UHF) television signals (as opposed to very high frequency or VHF), had aired ABS-CBN Sports+Action through 23 stations: Cebu, Davao, Dagupan, Naga, Batangas, Laoag, Bacolod, Zamboanga, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Botolan, Isabela, Koronadal, Olongapo, Iligan, Palawan, Roxas, Baler, Camarines Norte, Kalibo, Dipolog and Lucena. It had also aired ABS-CBN content in Iloilo through a VHF station.
The corporation is 51-percent owned by the heirs of Arcadio M. Carandang, one of the pioneers of Philippine television who had worked for ABS-CBN since the time of its original owners, James Lindenberg and Judge Antonio Quirino. Rodrigo Carandang now owns 49 percent.
As a result of the sale, ABS-CBN officials, led by Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III and veteran network executive Federico Garcia, stepped down as president and managing director, respectively. Rodrigo Carandang became chairman and Jose Antonio Veloso, a former vice president at GMA Network, Inc., was named president, documents showed.
Amcara was formed on April 11, 1994 and secured a 25-year franchise, under Republic Act (RA) 8135, the following year. President Fidel V. Ramos did not sign the franchise but allowed it to lapse into law. It will expire in July 2020.
The representative of the lone district of Camiguin, Xavier Jesus Romualdo, filed House Bill 3279 on July 31, 2019 to renew Amcara’s franchise, arguing that it was a “pioneer in the digital broadcast service” and had made “appropriate use of its franchise, complied with the provisions thereof, invested significantly in its stations and equipment, and intends to continue and expand its operations[.]”
Ten lawmakers, including Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, a former movie and television star, have filed separate bills to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN, RA 7966, which expires in March 2020.
Sought for comment, a spokesman for ABS-CBN declined, saying he did not have details of the Amcara sale. An official of Amcara has yet to respond to a request for an interview as of posting time.
On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte, who had vowed to block the ABS-CBN franchise, told its owners to just sell the TV network.
Duterte regularly lashes out as ABS-CBN, calling it the mouthpiece of oligarchs and his political opponents, and has a lingering dispute with the Lopez-led network over its refusal to air his 2016 election advertisement responding to an attack ad sponsored by his arch-critic, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
“Your contract is about to expire. You will try to renew it but I don’t know what will happen to that,” the president said on Dec. 30 in M’lang, North Cotabato, where he visited earthquake victims.
“Kung ako sa inyo ipagbili niyo na ‘yan. Kasi ang mga Filipino ngayon lang makaganti sa inyong kalokohan (If I were you, I would sell it. It’s only now that Filipinos would be able to get back at you for your wrongdoings). And I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever,” he added. (PressONE.ph)
https://pressone.ph/ahead-of-franchise-battle-abs-cbn-sells-49-stake-in-provincial-tv-network/
Like ABS-CBN, the franchise of the provincial network, Amcara Broadcasting Network, Inc., which has 32 TV and two radio stations, will expire in 2020. The sale indicated that both networks would lobby for new franchises from Congress under separate ownership structures.
Documents submitted to corporate regulators showed that ABS-CBN sold the Amcara stake on Jan. 24, 2019 to one of the majority shareholders, Rodrigo V. Carandang. The book value of the sale was P40.6 million.
ABS-CBN has also stopped paying blocktime fees to Amcara, based on its third-quarter 2019 financial report. ABS-CBN paid P36.5 million to Amcara in 2018, P27.6 million in 2017 and nearly P35 million in 2016, financial disclosures showed.
Amcara, which broadcasts the clearer ultra high frequency (UHF) television signals (as opposed to very high frequency or VHF), had aired ABS-CBN Sports+Action through 23 stations: Cebu, Davao, Dagupan, Naga, Batangas, Laoag, Bacolod, Zamboanga, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Botolan, Isabela, Koronadal, Olongapo, Iligan, Palawan, Roxas, Baler, Camarines Norte, Kalibo, Dipolog and Lucena. It had also aired ABS-CBN content in Iloilo through a VHF station.
The corporation is 51-percent owned by the heirs of Arcadio M. Carandang, one of the pioneers of Philippine television who had worked for ABS-CBN since the time of its original owners, James Lindenberg and Judge Antonio Quirino. Rodrigo Carandang now owns 49 percent.
As a result of the sale, ABS-CBN officials, led by Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III and veteran network executive Federico Garcia, stepped down as president and managing director, respectively. Rodrigo Carandang became chairman and Jose Antonio Veloso, a former vice president at GMA Network, Inc., was named president, documents showed.
Amcara was formed on April 11, 1994 and secured a 25-year franchise, under Republic Act (RA) 8135, the following year. President Fidel V. Ramos did not sign the franchise but allowed it to lapse into law. It will expire in July 2020.
The representative of the lone district of Camiguin, Xavier Jesus Romualdo, filed House Bill 3279 on July 31, 2019 to renew Amcara’s franchise, arguing that it was a “pioneer in the digital broadcast service” and had made “appropriate use of its franchise, complied with the provisions thereof, invested significantly in its stations and equipment, and intends to continue and expand its operations[.]”
Ten lawmakers, including Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, a former movie and television star, have filed separate bills to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN, RA 7966, which expires in March 2020.
Sought for comment, a spokesman for ABS-CBN declined, saying he did not have details of the Amcara sale. An official of Amcara has yet to respond to a request for an interview as of posting time.
On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte, who had vowed to block the ABS-CBN franchise, told its owners to just sell the TV network.
Duterte regularly lashes out as ABS-CBN, calling it the mouthpiece of oligarchs and his political opponents, and has a lingering dispute with the Lopez-led network over its refusal to air his 2016 election advertisement responding to an attack ad sponsored by his arch-critic, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
“Your contract is about to expire. You will try to renew it but I don’t know what will happen to that,” the president said on Dec. 30 in M’lang, North Cotabato, where he visited earthquake victims.
“Kung ako sa inyo ipagbili niyo na ‘yan. Kasi ang mga Filipino ngayon lang makaganti sa inyong kalokohan (If I were you, I would sell it. It’s only now that Filipinos would be able to get back at you for your wrongdoings). And I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever,” he added. (PressONE.ph)
https://pressone.ph/ahead-of-franchise-battle-abs-cbn-sells-49-stake-in-provincial-tv-network/
TV5 open to block-time agreement with ABS-CBN amid franchise row
The chairman of TV5 Network Inc. is open to the possibility of a block-time agreement with ABS-CBN Corp. if Congress refused to renew the franchise of the Lopez-led broadcast network.
“We have lots of highways, setting aside the politics, if they want to block time ... We don’t have much entertainment content after all,” TV5 chairman Manuel Pangilinan said.
Pangilinan, however, said there were no ongoing discussions between the two networks.
“They haven’t approached us. Nobody was talking to us,” he said.
“I don’t want to be presumptuous, to come and talk to us. We don’t want to think about it. We don’t want to take the first step,” he said.
Pangilanan, however, said he was “reluctant” to any possible agreement with ABS-CBN because of the political issues.
ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise will expire on March 30, 2020.
Five bills were filed in Congress to seek the renewal of ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise.
President Duterte earlier said ABS-CBN’s franchise would not be renewed once it expired on March 2020. Duturte accused ABS-CBN of not airing his paid political advertisements during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Under Republic Act No. 3846, radio and television stations are required to seek franchise from Congress.
ABS-CBN’s current franchise was approved through RA No. 7966 on March 30, 1995.
ABS-CBN earlier reported a 53-percent increase in net income to P2.26 billion in the first nine months of 2019 from P1.48 billion in the same period last year.
ABS-CBN generated consolidated revenues of P32 billion as advertising and consumer sales increased 8.6 percent.
Advertising revenues went up 15 percent, on the growth of political placements and regular advertising. Excluding political placements, regular advertising rose 5.6 percent.
Consumer sales also reached P302 million on the back of higher TVPlus Boxes sold and subscription revenues from Sky Cable.
https://www.manilastandard.net/index.php/mobile/article/313708
“We have lots of highways, setting aside the politics, if they want to block time ... We don’t have much entertainment content after all,” TV5 chairman Manuel Pangilinan said.
Pangilinan, however, said there were no ongoing discussions between the two networks.
“They haven’t approached us. Nobody was talking to us,” he said.
“I don’t want to be presumptuous, to come and talk to us. We don’t want to think about it. We don’t want to take the first step,” he said.
Pangilanan, however, said he was “reluctant” to any possible agreement with ABS-CBN because of the political issues.
ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise will expire on March 30, 2020.
Five bills were filed in Congress to seek the renewal of ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise.
President Duterte earlier said ABS-CBN’s franchise would not be renewed once it expired on March 2020. Duturte accused ABS-CBN of not airing his paid political advertisements during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Under Republic Act No. 3846, radio and television stations are required to seek franchise from Congress.
ABS-CBN’s current franchise was approved through RA No. 7966 on March 30, 1995.
ABS-CBN earlier reported a 53-percent increase in net income to P2.26 billion in the first nine months of 2019 from P1.48 billion in the same period last year.
ABS-CBN generated consolidated revenues of P32 billion as advertising and consumer sales increased 8.6 percent.
Advertising revenues went up 15 percent, on the growth of political placements and regular advertising. Excluding political placements, regular advertising rose 5.6 percent.
Consumer sales also reached P302 million on the back of higher TVPlus Boxes sold and subscription revenues from Sky Cable.
https://www.manilastandard.net/index.php/mobile/article/313708
Hindi lang ABS-CBN: Lopez’s Sky Cable may shut down if franchise not renewed
The Lopez family could suffer a “double whammy” from President Rodrigo Duterte’s wrath at the beginning of the new decade since not only broadcast giant ABS-CBN will cease its operations if it fails to secure renewal of its franchise from Congress, but also its sister company Sky Cable.
Sky Cable Corporation which is under the Lopez Holdings Corporation (formerly Benpres Holdings) needs to secure the passage of their congressional franchise on or before March 30, 2020—the expiration date set by its current franchise under Republic Act No. 7969—or the said entity will have to cease operating as company involved in broadband, cable and satellite television services if Congress fails to act on the franchise bill.
As of January 2017, the company had 1.4 million customers across the country, 200,000 of which are broadband internet subscribers.
Sky Cable also owns at least 26 local/provincial television cable utilities in the country.
Last August, North Cotabato Rep. Jose “Ping” Tejada filed House Bill No. 3121, seeking to grant a 25-year franchise to the Lopez entity “to establish, construct, maintain and operate for commercial purposes cable/community antennae television systems in the Philippines.”
Just like ABS-CBN, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz “Chicoy” Alvarez has yet to tackle the proposed legislation in connection with the franchise renewal of the cable television giant.
The Lopez family might lost two of their “crown jewels” at the same time by March 2020, since the existing legislative franchises of both ABS-CBN (under R.A. 7966) and Sky Cable are set to expire at the same time on that said period.
On Monday, President Duterte who have accused ABS-CBN of biased reporting and of “swindling” him said that the executives of the media conglomerate should just sell the network rather than face closure.
“Itong ABS-CBN, mag-expire ang contract ninyo, mag-renew kayo, ewan ko lang kung mangyari. Ako pa sa’yo, pagbili na ninyo ‘yan,” said Duterte during a speech in Davao City on Monday.
https://politics.com.ph/hindi-lang-abs-cbn-lopezs-sky-cable-may-shut-down-if-franchise-not-renewed/
Sky Cable Corporation which is under the Lopez Holdings Corporation (formerly Benpres Holdings) needs to secure the passage of their congressional franchise on or before March 30, 2020—the expiration date set by its current franchise under Republic Act No. 7969—or the said entity will have to cease operating as company involved in broadband, cable and satellite television services if Congress fails to act on the franchise bill.
As of January 2017, the company had 1.4 million customers across the country, 200,000 of which are broadband internet subscribers.
Sky Cable also owns at least 26 local/provincial television cable utilities in the country.
Last August, North Cotabato Rep. Jose “Ping” Tejada filed House Bill No. 3121, seeking to grant a 25-year franchise to the Lopez entity “to establish, construct, maintain and operate for commercial purposes cable/community antennae television systems in the Philippines.”
Just like ABS-CBN, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz “Chicoy” Alvarez has yet to tackle the proposed legislation in connection with the franchise renewal of the cable television giant.
The Lopez family might lost two of their “crown jewels” at the same time by March 2020, since the existing legislative franchises of both ABS-CBN (under R.A. 7966) and Sky Cable are set to expire at the same time on that said period.
On Monday, President Duterte who have accused ABS-CBN of biased reporting and of “swindling” him said that the executives of the media conglomerate should just sell the network rather than face closure.
“Itong ABS-CBN, mag-expire ang contract ninyo, mag-renew kayo, ewan ko lang kung mangyari. Ako pa sa’yo, pagbili na ninyo ‘yan,” said Duterte during a speech in Davao City on Monday.
https://politics.com.ph/hindi-lang-abs-cbn-lopezs-sky-cable-may-shut-down-if-franchise-not-renewed/
11 solons push for ABS-CBN franchise renewal in face of Duterte opposition
In the face of President Rodrigo Duterte’s determined opposition to the extension of the legislative franchise of media giant ABS-CBN, also known as the “Kapamilya” network, 11 of the most influential members of the House of Representatives want the network to continue operating beyond the March 30, 2020 franchise expiration.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has also guaranteed due process for ABS-CBN’s bid to fight off its demise, saying that congressional hearings for the application of their franchise extension will be held some time after regular sessions resume on Jan. 20, 2020.
Nine separate legislative measures filed by 11 House members are set to be heard by the House committee on legislative franchises chaired by Palawan Representative Franz Alvarez.
The cast of authors include four deputy speakers, one a member of the influential commission on appointments (CA); the head of the House contingent to the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET); and two committee chairpersons. The others are vice chairpersons of various committees.
Requesting anonymity, a senior opposition lawmaker said that in the coming session days prior to March 20, the fate of ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise application will provide the answers to questions nagging political observers.
“One, what the Lower House will tell us [about] the extent of President Duterte’s influence on us congressmen. It will also tell us the real extent of the president’s hatred of ABS-CBN,” the solon said.
Notwithstanding the filing of several franchise extension measures, the oldest being submitted as early as July 23, Alvarez has not called for a committee hearing to take up the bill.
The Palawan solon admitted that he has been waiting for a go signal from “upstairs” although he refused to say whether that meant Cayetano or Duterte.
In a media interview early this month, Cayetano allayed fears that the Kapamilya network will cease to exist after March 30, saying that Congress still has time to act on the franchise renewal.
The House leader explained that their consideration of the franchise bills was temporarily set aside because in the past months congressmen had to act on priority measures of the Duterte administration that included passage of the 2020 national budget and several tax measures.
The legislative franchise of the ABS-CBN network granted under Republic Act No. 7966 will expire on March 20, 2020, unless extended by Congress.
Common among the nine bills filed is the grant of a 25-year renewal of the expiring franchise.
The authors include Reps. Micaela Violago, vice chairperson of the House committees on appropriations, on housing, and on information and communications technology; and Joy Myra Tambunting, vice chairperson of the House committee on games and on information and communications technology.
PBA party-list Rep. Jericho Jonas Nograles, brother of Secretary Karlo Nograles, filed House Bill No. 3064.
Former Kapamilya star Deputy Speaker Vilma Santos filed HB 4305 while former ABS-CBN reporter and now Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones, chairperson of the House committee on tourism, filed HB 3947.
Deputy Speakers Rose Marie Arenas, Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, and Johnny Pimentel also filed separate bills, as did Cagayan De Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments.
Mindoro Oriental Rep Doy Leachon, HRET contingent head, co-authored a bill with Pimentel and Gonzales.
The latest filing was that of HB 5723 which was submitted to the House docket section only last Dec. 11 by Mindoro Occidental Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato, a member of the powerful CA.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/12/30/11-solons-push-for-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal-in-face-of-duterte-opposition/
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has also guaranteed due process for ABS-CBN’s bid to fight off its demise, saying that congressional hearings for the application of their franchise extension will be held some time after regular sessions resume on Jan. 20, 2020.
Nine separate legislative measures filed by 11 House members are set to be heard by the House committee on legislative franchises chaired by Palawan Representative Franz Alvarez.
The cast of authors include four deputy speakers, one a member of the influential commission on appointments (CA); the head of the House contingent to the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET); and two committee chairpersons. The others are vice chairpersons of various committees.
Requesting anonymity, a senior opposition lawmaker said that in the coming session days prior to March 20, the fate of ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise application will provide the answers to questions nagging political observers.
“One, what the Lower House will tell us [about] the extent of President Duterte’s influence on us congressmen. It will also tell us the real extent of the president’s hatred of ABS-CBN,” the solon said.
Notwithstanding the filing of several franchise extension measures, the oldest being submitted as early as July 23, Alvarez has not called for a committee hearing to take up the bill.
The Palawan solon admitted that he has been waiting for a go signal from “upstairs” although he refused to say whether that meant Cayetano or Duterte.
In a media interview early this month, Cayetano allayed fears that the Kapamilya network will cease to exist after March 30, saying that Congress still has time to act on the franchise renewal.
The House leader explained that their consideration of the franchise bills was temporarily set aside because in the past months congressmen had to act on priority measures of the Duterte administration that included passage of the 2020 national budget and several tax measures.
The legislative franchise of the ABS-CBN network granted under Republic Act No. 7966 will expire on March 20, 2020, unless extended by Congress.
Common among the nine bills filed is the grant of a 25-year renewal of the expiring franchise.
The authors include Reps. Micaela Violago, vice chairperson of the House committees on appropriations, on housing, and on information and communications technology; and Joy Myra Tambunting, vice chairperson of the House committee on games and on information and communications technology.
PBA party-list Rep. Jericho Jonas Nograles, brother of Secretary Karlo Nograles, filed House Bill No. 3064.
Former Kapamilya star Deputy Speaker Vilma Santos filed HB 4305 while former ABS-CBN reporter and now Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones, chairperson of the House committee on tourism, filed HB 3947.
Deputy Speakers Rose Marie Arenas, Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, and Johnny Pimentel also filed separate bills, as did Cagayan De Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments.
Mindoro Oriental Rep Doy Leachon, HRET contingent head, co-authored a bill with Pimentel and Gonzales.
The latest filing was that of HB 5723 which was submitted to the House docket section only last Dec. 11 by Mindoro Occidental Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato, a member of the powerful CA.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/12/30/11-solons-push-for-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal-in-face-of-duterte-opposition/
Duterte threatens to arrest water tycoons, tells ABS-CBN to ‘sell’
PRESIDENT Duterte on Monday threatened to have the businessmen behind the two water concessionaires—Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala for Manila Water Co. and Manuel V. Pangilinan for Maynilad Water Services Inc.—arrested for “non-bailable” offenses of syndicated estafa or plunder, saying he would love to see billionaires in jail.
Duterte said he won’t be letting go of this “issue of corruption” as this would be his “last shot” at life.
“Two years, I’ll be out. So these two years, I will use this for the people. You are asking, ‘Where’s the big fish? Where’s corruption?’… I will deliver to you now: Ayala and Pangilinan,” he said in a speech while visiting earthquake victims in M’lang, Cotabato.
“If those f****** commit a mistake, I will have them arrested. Look at them, when I insulted them, they are not responding anymore. That’s for sure. Syndicated estafa,” he added.
Manila Water is a publicly listed company and a subsidiary of Ayala Corp., while businessman Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) owns a controlling stake in Maynilad.
Despite Cabinet members telling him to negotiate the contracts, Duterte argued that there is nothing to negotiate as the contracts were already “null and void” from the very beginning.
“Because in that contract, the Philippines agreed to waive sovereignty. You cannot do it. And the tax‚corporate income tax, they will pass it on to consumers.
That’s a rip-off,” he said.
Sought to clarify the President’s statement, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said they have yet to find out what the President wants to do with the agreements with the water concessionaires after the Cabinet meeting on January 6.
“This matter is in the agenda for the Cabinet meeting on January 6. The OSG [Office of the Solicitor General] will present a new government version of the water concession agreements, with inputs from the MWSS [Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System], OGCC [Office of the Government Corporate Counsel], and DOJ [Department of Justice]. The DOF [Department of Finance] will also provide inputs on the financial aspect,” Guevarra said in a text message to BusinessMirror.
Just sell, Lopezes told
With three months left before the franchise of local broadcast network ABS-CBN expires, Duterte on Monday advised owners of the TV giant to just sell the network.
“Itong ABS, mag-expire ang contract ninyo. Mag-renew kayo, ewan ko lang kung may mangyari diyan. Kung ako sa inyo, ipagbili niyo na ‘yan [This ABS-CBN, your contract is about to expire. If you ask for a renewal, I don’t know what’s going to happen. If I were you, I would just sell it],” Duterte said in a speech in North Cotabato.
“Kasi ang mga Pilipino ngayon lang makaganti sa inyong kalokohan [Because it’s only now that Filipinos can seek redress for your misconduct]. I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever,” he added.
On December 4, Duterte said he is bent on not granting the renewal of the 25-year congressional franchise to ABS-CBN, still irked by the network’s supposed bias including alleged unfair reports about him and failure to run his paid political advertisements during the 2016 presidential race.
He said he would not change his mind, despite the news outfit’s persistence to come to him “begging.”
Unless the Congress grants its renewal, ABS-CBN’s franchise is set to expire on March 30, 2020.
Several bills have been filed at the House of Representatives, seeking the renewal of the ABS-CBN congressional franchise.
A congressional franchise bill needs to be first approved by the House before it can be transmitted to the Senate.
Once approved by both chambers, it will be submitted to the President to be signed into law. Duterte, however, has the power to veto bills that Congress approves.
Radio and television broadcast firms in the country are required to seek a franchise from Congress, pursuant to Republic Act 3846.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar, however, said ABS-CBN still has other options, should it fail to renew its congressional franchise.
“I’m sure ABS-CBN can find a way how to distribute their content if they lose their franchise,” Andanar said.
Rival TV5 has indicated it is open to the notion of having the Lopezes, owners of the network, to buy block airtime at TV5 and air their content there, but Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of TV5’s parent firm, denied they were selling their network to the Lopezes.
Wawa, Kaliwa
In a related development, the President in another speech on Monday also said he will order authorities to go ahead with the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project as well as the controversial Kaliwa Dam projects, but vowed to pay and relocate the locals who will be affected by the construction.
“I can give you a little bit of elbow room to move. Those who are living there, of course, they are all natives and they are trying to delay the project. We need water,” Duterte said in a speech in Digos City on Monday. “Without Wawa and Kaliwa Dam….this will be the last resort to have water for Manila. I will order them to go ahead.”
The construction of the Chinese-funded P12.2-billion New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project has been opposed by environment groups, citing the damage it will pose to the Sierra Madre and its biodiversity, as well as the displacement of the Dumagat indigenous tribes.
The Kaliwa Dam is also a 600 million liter per day water reservoir project in Rizal and Quezon.
On the other hand, the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project, a joint venture between billionaire Enrique Razon’s Prime Infra and businessman Oscar Violago’s San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders Group, is eyed to supply 80 million liters per day of water in 2021 and more than 500 million liters per day in 2025.
The President has been lambasting the water concessionaires after the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in Singapore ordered Manila to pay east zone concessionaire Manila Water P7.4 billion for the nonimplementation of water-rate increases that occurred prior to his presidency. The PCA had also ruled on a similar case filed by west zone concessionaire Maynilad, ordering the State to pay P3.4 billion for Maynilad’s losses from March 2015 to August 2016.
The water concessionaires have since said they will no longer seek payment for the arbitral award from the government.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/12/31/duterte-threatens-to-arrest-water-tycoons-tells-abs-cbn-to-sell/
Duterte said he won’t be letting go of this “issue of corruption” as this would be his “last shot” at life.
“Two years, I’ll be out. So these two years, I will use this for the people. You are asking, ‘Where’s the big fish? Where’s corruption?’… I will deliver to you now: Ayala and Pangilinan,” he said in a speech while visiting earthquake victims in M’lang, Cotabato.
“If those f****** commit a mistake, I will have them arrested. Look at them, when I insulted them, they are not responding anymore. That’s for sure. Syndicated estafa,” he added.
Manila Water is a publicly listed company and a subsidiary of Ayala Corp., while businessman Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) owns a controlling stake in Maynilad.
Despite Cabinet members telling him to negotiate the contracts, Duterte argued that there is nothing to negotiate as the contracts were already “null and void” from the very beginning.
“Because in that contract, the Philippines agreed to waive sovereignty. You cannot do it. And the tax‚corporate income tax, they will pass it on to consumers.
That’s a rip-off,” he said.
Sought to clarify the President’s statement, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said they have yet to find out what the President wants to do with the agreements with the water concessionaires after the Cabinet meeting on January 6.
“This matter is in the agenda for the Cabinet meeting on January 6. The OSG [Office of the Solicitor General] will present a new government version of the water concession agreements, with inputs from the MWSS [Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System], OGCC [Office of the Government Corporate Counsel], and DOJ [Department of Justice]. The DOF [Department of Finance] will also provide inputs on the financial aspect,” Guevarra said in a text message to BusinessMirror.
Just sell, Lopezes told
With three months left before the franchise of local broadcast network ABS-CBN expires, Duterte on Monday advised owners of the TV giant to just sell the network.
“Itong ABS, mag-expire ang contract ninyo. Mag-renew kayo, ewan ko lang kung may mangyari diyan. Kung ako sa inyo, ipagbili niyo na ‘yan [This ABS-CBN, your contract is about to expire. If you ask for a renewal, I don’t know what’s going to happen. If I were you, I would just sell it],” Duterte said in a speech in North Cotabato.
“Kasi ang mga Pilipino ngayon lang makaganti sa inyong kalokohan [Because it’s only now that Filipinos can seek redress for your misconduct]. I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever,” he added.
On December 4, Duterte said he is bent on not granting the renewal of the 25-year congressional franchise to ABS-CBN, still irked by the network’s supposed bias including alleged unfair reports about him and failure to run his paid political advertisements during the 2016 presidential race.
He said he would not change his mind, despite the news outfit’s persistence to come to him “begging.”
Unless the Congress grants its renewal, ABS-CBN’s franchise is set to expire on March 30, 2020.
Several bills have been filed at the House of Representatives, seeking the renewal of the ABS-CBN congressional franchise.
A congressional franchise bill needs to be first approved by the House before it can be transmitted to the Senate.
Once approved by both chambers, it will be submitted to the President to be signed into law. Duterte, however, has the power to veto bills that Congress approves.
Radio and television broadcast firms in the country are required to seek a franchise from Congress, pursuant to Republic Act 3846.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar, however, said ABS-CBN still has other options, should it fail to renew its congressional franchise.
“I’m sure ABS-CBN can find a way how to distribute their content if they lose their franchise,” Andanar said.
Rival TV5 has indicated it is open to the notion of having the Lopezes, owners of the network, to buy block airtime at TV5 and air their content there, but Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of TV5’s parent firm, denied they were selling their network to the Lopezes.
Wawa, Kaliwa
In a related development, the President in another speech on Monday also said he will order authorities to go ahead with the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project as well as the controversial Kaliwa Dam projects, but vowed to pay and relocate the locals who will be affected by the construction.
“I can give you a little bit of elbow room to move. Those who are living there, of course, they are all natives and they are trying to delay the project. We need water,” Duterte said in a speech in Digos City on Monday. “Without Wawa and Kaliwa Dam….this will be the last resort to have water for Manila. I will order them to go ahead.”
The construction of the Chinese-funded P12.2-billion New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project has been opposed by environment groups, citing the damage it will pose to the Sierra Madre and its biodiversity, as well as the displacement of the Dumagat indigenous tribes.
The Kaliwa Dam is also a 600 million liter per day water reservoir project in Rizal and Quezon.
On the other hand, the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project, a joint venture between billionaire Enrique Razon’s Prime Infra and businessman Oscar Violago’s San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders Group, is eyed to supply 80 million liters per day of water in 2021 and more than 500 million liters per day in 2025.
The President has been lambasting the water concessionaires after the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in Singapore ordered Manila to pay east zone concessionaire Manila Water P7.4 billion for the nonimplementation of water-rate increases that occurred prior to his presidency. The PCA had also ruled on a similar case filed by west zone concessionaire Maynilad, ordering the State to pay P3.4 billion for Maynilad’s losses from March 2015 to August 2016.
The water concessionaires have since said they will no longer seek payment for the arbitral award from the government.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/12/31/duterte-threatens-to-arrest-water-tycoons-tells-abs-cbn-to-sell/
Binibining Pilipinas ‘opens a new era’ with 2020 search for new queens
After 56 years, Binibining Pilipinas, in its words, is opening a “new era” as the national pageant announced over the weekend the launch of its 2020 search for new queens.
On its social media channels, pageant organizer Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) said applications for the next year’s competition are now open.
BPCI teased that fans can look forward to “a bigger and better edition of the most prestigious beauty pageant in the country.”
The announcement came with an image of four titlists of the 2019 pageant: Patch Magtanong, who represented the Philippines in Miss International; Leren Bautista, Miss Globe; Emma Tiglao, Miss Intercontinental; and Resham Saeed, Miss Supranational.
Also included in the image is Aya Abesamis, who finished first runner-up in the same batch.
The 2020 pageant of Binibining Pilipinas will mark the first time, it will crown a Miss Universe-Philippines and Miss World-Philippines winners, hence the “new era.”
In the last half-century, the Stella Araneta-led BPCI had been sending winners, from the same pool of annual candidates, to various international pageants, including Miss Universe, Miss International, and at one point, Miss World.
Under BPCI, the country produced four Miss Universe winners — Gloria Diaz in 1969, Margarita Moran in 1973, Pia Wurtzbach in 2015, and Catriona Gray in 2018 — nine runners-up, and ten top 20 finishes.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/12/30/19/binibining-pilipinas-opens-a-new-era-with-2020-search-for-new-queens
On its social media channels, pageant organizer Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) said applications for the next year’s competition are now open.
BPCI teased that fans can look forward to “a bigger and better edition of the most prestigious beauty pageant in the country.”
The announcement came with an image of four titlists of the 2019 pageant: Patch Magtanong, who represented the Philippines in Miss International; Leren Bautista, Miss Globe; Emma Tiglao, Miss Intercontinental; and Resham Saeed, Miss Supranational.
Also included in the image is Aya Abesamis, who finished first runner-up in the same batch.
The 2020 pageant of Binibining Pilipinas will mark the first time, it will crown a Miss Universe-Philippines and Miss World-Philippines winners, hence the “new era.”
In the last half-century, the Stella Araneta-led BPCI had been sending winners, from the same pool of annual candidates, to various international pageants, including Miss Universe, Miss International, and at one point, Miss World.
Under BPCI, the country produced four Miss Universe winners — Gloria Diaz in 1969, Margarita Moran in 1973, Pia Wurtzbach in 2015, and Catriona Gray in 2018 — nine runners-up, and ten top 20 finishes.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/12/30/19/binibining-pilipinas-opens-a-new-era-with-2020-search-for-new-queens
Have fun, stay safe; here's how
By Dona Pazzibugan, Carlito Pablo and Juan Escandor Jr. PDI Southern Luzon Bureau
WHEREVER New Year frolickers plan to party tonight--Ayala, The Fort, Rizal Park and Quezon Memorial Circle--seasoned partygoers advise that the regular party ''rules'' don't apply.
Here's how to stay safe while having the fun of the century based on the rules culled by the INQUIRER from party animals, the police, organizers of the various public parties and other groups concerned with the safety of the end-of-the century bashes.
o One should never be caught alone in millennium party.
o Don't wear drop-dead fashion. Come in something silver and gray, the millennium colors but come comfortable, not provocative. You could end up walking for miles as no vehicles will be allowed inside the party areas.
o Don't tempt the thieves; don't wear expensive jewelry.
o Don't drink too much. Stay alert for anything untoward that may happen.
o Bring small handbags just enough to accommodate a cellphone, extra cash, and maybe first-aid medicines.
o Bring picnic food as food will not be given free. Food, drinks and souvenirs will be sold at different booths at the Ayala party to be set up by Makati's five-star hotels. So, your cash will come in handy.
o You may bring alcoholic beverages as long as they are in plastic containers. Bottled drinks, water, juice, soft drinks, beer, liquor are strictly prohibited.
o Don't bring a gun, firecracker or any pointed objects. Roving members of the Western Police District at the Rizal Park will make sure that you don't. They will screen all suspicious objects seen on your person.
Enjoy life
Despite the dos and don'ts, enjoy the privilege of being there to witness the turn of a century.
Scientists have a simple advice to people who fear the unknown with the changing of the millennium.
''Live your daily life . . . Enjoy life!'' said Edmund Rosales, astronomy instructor at the Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development at the University of the Philippines.
Dr. Leonila Bautista, seismology division chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the countdown was ''just a man-made thing.''
''The course of nature continues and we can't force nature to obey our rules,'' Bautista said.
According to Rosales, the only difference in today's eve of the New Year is that it's one in a thousand years.
He noted that each year, self-styled visionaries and seers would predict deaths and destruction due to health reasons, natural and man-made events, and even the destruction of the world.
''But these are normal occurrences,'' Rosales said. ''Not even God revealed in the Bible when the world is going to end.''
Dealing in his area of specialization, Rosales said no giant asteroid was about to hit the earth like what happened 65 million years ago when one did and wiped out the dinosaurs.
Rosales noted that one asteroid, called the Tautotis, which is three kilometers in diameter was expected to pass by near the earth in the year 2028.
This asteroid will pass at a distance of seven times farther the distance between the Earth and the moon, the latter having a diameter of about 4,000 kilometers.
''But this won't have any effect on us,'' Rosales said. ''So what's there to worry about?''
Biggest party ever
No one's worried down Bicol where the local governments of Naga City and Camarines Sur are geared to host the biggest party today in two separate occasions to welcome the advent of the new century.
In Naga City, the central business district will be closed starting 1 p.m. today to give way for three outdoor concerts and the festivities.
Mayor Sulpicio Roco Jr. said the major streets near Plaza Quezon will be laden with long tables filled with native food and pastries for everybody during the media noche.
A lantern parade will snake down the main streets in Naga called kiri-kiti followed by rock concerts in three designated areas in the city.
At 11 p.m. tonight a fireworks display will be held near Plaza Quezon. The Misa de Milenyo will follow.
Street dancing
In the morning, the Baraylehan sa Tinampo (Dance in the Street) will be held until the first sunrise of year 2000.
Some 15 minutes away from Naga, Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Villafuerte will also host the provincial government-sponsored festivities at the Freedom Sports Complex in Pili town.
The festivities will include singing, dancing and fireworks display to last until the next morning of the first sunrise of the last year of the 2010s decade.
The Filipinas Broadcasting Network will honor 120 persons in Camarines Sur who have contributed to the development of the province for the past 1,000 years.
Oragon Award
Henry Briguera, the organizer of the occasion, dubbed the awarding as the Oragon Award of the Millennium which recognizes individual contribution of persons in Camarines Sur in the field of science, art and music, economic development, leadership, heroism and politics.
Briguera said the Oragon Award was one way of popularizing the unique Bicol term, oragon, to mainstream it as a positive trait of the Bicolanos in this millennium.
''Oragon for Bicol has two meanings depending on what context one is using. But basically oragon means greatness and excellence, if not, the word can also mean shrewdness, wiliness, cunning and craftiness,'' Briguera explained.
Among the awardees are Rep. Joker Arroyo, Sen. Raul Roco, Gov. Luis Villafuerte, former Naga Mayor Jesse Robredo, the 15 martyrs during the 1898 Philippine Revolution, and the founding datu of the settlements in Camarines Sur.
The Oragon Award was held last night at the University of Nueva Caceres Gymnasium.
WHEREVER New Year frolickers plan to party tonight--Ayala, The Fort, Rizal Park and Quezon Memorial Circle--seasoned partygoers advise that the regular party ''rules'' don't apply.
Here's how to stay safe while having the fun of the century based on the rules culled by the INQUIRER from party animals, the police, organizers of the various public parties and other groups concerned with the safety of the end-of-the century bashes.
o One should never be caught alone in millennium party.
o Don't wear drop-dead fashion. Come in something silver and gray, the millennium colors but come comfortable, not provocative. You could end up walking for miles as no vehicles will be allowed inside the party areas.
o Don't tempt the thieves; don't wear expensive jewelry.
o Don't drink too much. Stay alert for anything untoward that may happen.
o Bring small handbags just enough to accommodate a cellphone, extra cash, and maybe first-aid medicines.
o Bring picnic food as food will not be given free. Food, drinks and souvenirs will be sold at different booths at the Ayala party to be set up by Makati's five-star hotels. So, your cash will come in handy.
o You may bring alcoholic beverages as long as they are in plastic containers. Bottled drinks, water, juice, soft drinks, beer, liquor are strictly prohibited.
o Don't bring a gun, firecracker or any pointed objects. Roving members of the Western Police District at the Rizal Park will make sure that you don't. They will screen all suspicious objects seen on your person.
Enjoy life
Despite the dos and don'ts, enjoy the privilege of being there to witness the turn of a century.
Scientists have a simple advice to people who fear the unknown with the changing of the millennium.
''Live your daily life . . . Enjoy life!'' said Edmund Rosales, astronomy instructor at the Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development at the University of the Philippines.
Dr. Leonila Bautista, seismology division chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the countdown was ''just a man-made thing.''
''The course of nature continues and we can't force nature to obey our rules,'' Bautista said.
According to Rosales, the only difference in today's eve of the New Year is that it's one in a thousand years.
He noted that each year, self-styled visionaries and seers would predict deaths and destruction due to health reasons, natural and man-made events, and even the destruction of the world.
''But these are normal occurrences,'' Rosales said. ''Not even God revealed in the Bible when the world is going to end.''
Dealing in his area of specialization, Rosales said no giant asteroid was about to hit the earth like what happened 65 million years ago when one did and wiped out the dinosaurs.
Rosales noted that one asteroid, called the Tautotis, which is three kilometers in diameter was expected to pass by near the earth in the year 2028.
This asteroid will pass at a distance of seven times farther the distance between the Earth and the moon, the latter having a diameter of about 4,000 kilometers.
''But this won't have any effect on us,'' Rosales said. ''So what's there to worry about?''
Biggest party ever
No one's worried down Bicol where the local governments of Naga City and Camarines Sur are geared to host the biggest party today in two separate occasions to welcome the advent of the new century.
In Naga City, the central business district will be closed starting 1 p.m. today to give way for three outdoor concerts and the festivities.
Mayor Sulpicio Roco Jr. said the major streets near Plaza Quezon will be laden with long tables filled with native food and pastries for everybody during the media noche.
A lantern parade will snake down the main streets in Naga called kiri-kiti followed by rock concerts in three designated areas in the city.
At 11 p.m. tonight a fireworks display will be held near Plaza Quezon. The Misa de Milenyo will follow.
Street dancing
In the morning, the Baraylehan sa Tinampo (Dance in the Street) will be held until the first sunrise of year 2000.
Some 15 minutes away from Naga, Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Villafuerte will also host the provincial government-sponsored festivities at the Freedom Sports Complex in Pili town.
The festivities will include singing, dancing and fireworks display to last until the next morning of the first sunrise of the last year of the 2010s decade.
The Filipinas Broadcasting Network will honor 120 persons in Camarines Sur who have contributed to the development of the province for the past 1,000 years.
Oragon Award
Henry Briguera, the organizer of the occasion, dubbed the awarding as the Oragon Award of the Millennium which recognizes individual contribution of persons in Camarines Sur in the field of science, art and music, economic development, leadership, heroism and politics.
Briguera said the Oragon Award was one way of popularizing the unique Bicol term, oragon, to mainstream it as a positive trait of the Bicolanos in this millennium.
''Oragon for Bicol has two meanings depending on what context one is using. But basically oragon means greatness and excellence, if not, the word can also mean shrewdness, wiliness, cunning and craftiness,'' Briguera explained.
Among the awardees are Rep. Joker Arroyo, Sen. Raul Roco, Gov. Luis Villafuerte, former Naga Mayor Jesse Robredo, the 15 martyrs during the 1898 Philippine Revolution, and the founding datu of the settlements in Camarines Sur.
The Oragon Award was held last night at the University of Nueva Caceres Gymnasium.