The singer, who shot to fame in the 1970s with hits including “Hot Stuff” and “Bad Girls,” before songs like “She Works Hard for the Money” in the 1980s, died in Florida, it reported.

LOS ANGELES—Manny Pacquiao says he loves and supports gays and lesbians, even though he does not approve of gay marriage.

The Filipino world boxing champion and congressman has been criticized ever since he was quoted in an interview on the examiner.com website saying he opposed US President Barack Obama’s support for gay marriage.

Pacquiao said on Wednesday in an interview with The Associated Press that he doesn’t support gay marriage because of his Roman Catholic beliefs. But he said he has gay friends and relatives, and supports their rights.

“I’m not against the gay people,” Pacquiao said. “I’m not condemning them. … I have a cousin (who is) gay. I have relatives (who are) gay. I have a lot of friends (who are) gay, so I’m not condemning gays. What I said is I’m not in favor of same-sex marriage. That’s the one thing I said to the guy.

“I told (the reporter) I’m against same-sex marriage,” Pacquiao added. “He said,  ‘Why?’ I said,  ‘It’s the law of God.’ That’s all I said.”

The examiner.com story contained a Bible passage from Leviticus calling for the death of “a man (who) lies with a man,” and Pacquiao said many readers erroneously believed he had quoted that verse.

Clarification from writer

He said he had not, and the writer, Granville Ampong, later clarified in a follow-up post that he was not quoting Pacquiao and he had included the verse himself.

“[N]owhere in my supposition and integration of my interview with Pacquiao did I mention that Pacquiao recited this Leviticus 20:13 nor did I imply that Pacquiao had quoted such,” Ampong wrote in his blog post. “I have simply reminded in my column how God made it clear in the Old Testament time that such practice of same-sex marriage is detestable and strictly forbidden, in as much as God wants to encourage his people practices that lead to health and happiness and fullness of life.”

He called on writers for USA Today and LA Weekly who also attributed the Leviticus citation to Pacquiao to retract their stories.

“My favorite verse in the Bible is  ‘Love one another,’ and  ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself,’” Pacquiao said. “It’s in the Bible: Do not judge. I’m not judging.”

Not enough

Pacquiao was banned from a popular Hollywood shopping mall after the article was publicized on Tuesday, and an online petition encouraging sponsor Nike to drop Pacquiao received 4,868 signatures before it was suspended on Wednesday morning. The petition site, change.org, posted a note saying that the author of the original article had clarified that Pacquiao didn’t cite the Bible passage.

But the clarifications were not enough for Barangay Los Angeles, the biggest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) Filipino-Americans here. “Congressman Pacquiao should be cautious and sensitive when advocating his religious views while he remains a public official representing a mass population, including LGBTQ individuals,” said Robert Julius Maullon, president of Barangay Los Angeles.

Maullon asked Pacquiao to talk with the LGBTQ community. “Regardless of potential misquotations and misrepresentation, the message of negativity has been spotlighted and must be used to educate others to highlight … intolerance that exists in our community,” Maullon said.

Other groups said that Filipino-Americans should continue to stand behind Pacquiao in the boxing arena, but that he should learn a lesson from the controversy.

“He should keep in mind that he’s not just a boxing champion but he’s also a public official, a representative of the Filipino people,” said Austin Baul Jr., president of the Filipino-American Community of Los Angeles. “He has to conduct himself with proper decorum.”

Second chance

Art Garcia, head of the Philippine Alliance and Justice for Filipino-American Veterans, said Pacquiao had freedom of speech, “but as a public official, he should honor the separation of church and state, as stipulated in the Constitution, and not proselytize on his personal beliefs.” Reports from Greg Beacham, AP; and Nimfa U. Rueda, Inquirer US correspondent

By: Pocholo Concepcion
Philippine Daily Inquirer

AUSPICIOUS: Chad Borja (left) and Yutaka Yokokura pick up where they left off 14 years ago. Pocholo Concepcion

The timing could not have been more auspicious.

Chad Borja, the highly regarded Filipino singer who took a long break from the music scene while being treated for thyroid cancer, felt it was right to stage a comeback. Four months ago during a routine checkup, his doctors broke the good news. “They said I could now do whatever I wanted. It’s been 12 years since I fully recovered,” he told Inquirer Entertainment recently.

The only thing he wanted to do again, he said, was to sing. He longed to record a new album, and needed somebody to collaborate with.

He planned to relocate to Manila from Davao, where he was based with his family. His wife gave her blessing for Chad to pursue his passion.

He found his collaborator by chance, though he’s not just anybody, but Yutaka Yokokura—the jazz/world/ethnic fusion musician-songwriter-producer whose 1978 debut album, “Lovelight,” was produced by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen on their GRP label.

Yutaka—who has worked with Patti Austin, Pauline Wilson, Sergio Mendes, and was involved in Lorraine Feather’s 2011 Grammy-nominated jazz album “Ages”—said he knew that Chad grew up with one of his relatives, Alvin del Rosario, in Cebu.

“Yes, Alvin was my best friend,” said Chad, who was with Yutaka in a restaurant in Ortigas Center during this interview. “I met Yutaka through Alvin in Los Angeles when I did a show with Kuh Ledesma in 1997.”

That first meeting led to Yutaka producing Chad’s 1998 album, “Show Me the Way” (Warner Music), which did not get much attention because that was also the time that Chad fell ill.

Hesitation

He admitted to initially feeling hesitant to go back to music—anxious that he might not have totally conquered the disease, even as his doctors had given him a clean bill of health.

But after reading a book by American cycling champ and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, Chad realized that he really had been given a second chance.

Things came full circle when, out of the blue, Yutaka sent an e-mail saying he was flying to Manila for a visit. Chad was overjoyed. He knew this was a sign that he should proceed with his plan.

“In a way we felt that we didn’t finish it,” Yutaka said, referring to Chad’s ‘Show Me the Way’ album. “It was sort of hanging.”

Like Chad, Yutaka believed fate intervened and they should now seize the opportunity.

For starters, they worked on five songs that would be released as an EP. One of these tracks, a ballad called “Ikaw Lang sa Habang Buhay” (written by Jimmy Borja), will serve as the first single to mark Chad’s return to the scene.

More mature

Yutaka had the track recorded in Los Angeles, with a team of renowned session musicians including guitarist Ramon Stagnaro (who has worked with the likes of Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli), percussionist Walter Rodriguez (who’s played with Herb Alpert, Robbie Robertson, Alex Acuña), and bassist Rene Camacho (who’s had stints with Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Linda Ronstadt, Rickie Lee Jones).

As for the other songs, Chad said he enlisted the services of Vehnee Saturno, Jay Durias and Marvin Querido—all accomplished songwriters-producers.

The day after the interview, Yutaka supervised Chad’s recording of some vocal parts at Pink Noise studio in Quezon City.

“Chad sounds so much better now, more mature,” quipped Yutaka.

Asked how he stays fit, Chad said: “Bedtime at 9 p.m., wake up at 4 a.m., jogging … I avoid stress. I think I got sick from too much stress.”

While preparing for his album’s release, Chad is likewise gearing up for a one-night gig on May 23 at 19 East in Sucat, Parañaque. He will perform with an eight-piece band.

Honda Motor Co.'s new robotics technology, Uni-Cub, is demonstrated by former Space Shuttle Endeavour mission specialist Mamoru Mohri at his science museum in Tokyo, Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Swaying your body from side to side is all you need to do to turn, rotate full circle and zip around on the Uni-Cub, which looks a bit like a floating car seat. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

TOKYO, Japan — Look, no hands. Scooting about in a unicycle is no sweat with Honda’s new robotics technology.

Swaying your body from side to side is all you need to do to turn, rotate full circle and zip around on the Uni-Cub, which looks a bit like a floating car seat.

Reporters got a test ride on the machine Tuesday. It takes some getting used to but responds smoothly and quietly.

Honda Motor Co. said Uni-Cub is not dangerous to pedestrians even if it crashes. But it can only be used on flat surfaces.

It will be on display at a Tokyo science museum and go through some tests for feedback. There are no plans yet for a commercial product. Honda declined comment on pricing or timing.

The way prices of some commodities are dipping, it’s not only more fun in the Philippines, but cheaper too.

Starting today (Tuesday), the minimum jeepney fare has been reduced by 50 centavos to P8.00 in Luzon, and P7.50 in the Visayas and Mindanao. Watch out as well for the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Diskwento Caravan, which will offer up to 50-percent discount on school supplies and hefty savings on basic goods.  Pan de sal will cost P23 or P1 less per pack of 10 starting May 29, while the cost of sardines might be cut by as much as P1.30 a can.

President Benigno Aquino III lauded the rollback of  jeepney fares and attributed the feat to the “cooperative” sector.

“There’s good news here and it still might change, so I was in a hurry to get here,” Aquino said in jest, drawing laughter from the audience at the national transport conference at Marikina Hotel.

“I salute what you’ve done in reverting the jeepney fare from P8.50 to P8. Without force, without the shoving, without the bickering, this came from your own initiative,” Aquino said in Filipino.

Aquino flew in from Davao City with Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Director General Joel Villanueva at the event organized by 1-Utak party-list group.

“You have the opposite of crab mentality  (utak-alimango) because you focus on the collective growth and welfare of the people,” Aquino told the party list and said that the government would find ways to cut the prices of spare parts and other drivers’ needs.

“Tiyak ko po, sa matitipid na pera’t extra income ng ating mga drayber, lalo kayong magiging sweet lover (I’m sure that with these savings and extra income, you, our drivers, will be sweet lovers even more),” Aquino said.

He said the government had also deployed “honesty teams” to watch out for the “kotong cops” (extortionists) and colorum vehicles.

LTFRB order

Following the biggest rollback in fuel prices by oil companies since the start of this year, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Monday signed an order recalling the 50-centavo adjustment in minimum jeepney fares granted in March.

In the same order, the LTFRB denied the consolidated petition of several transport groups for a permanent P2 increase in jeepney fares, saying that a substantial hike would be too much of a burden for passengers.

“The big-time rollback in the prices of diesel was implemented by some oil companies, which now brings diesel prices below P45 per liter, and [this rollback is] likely to continue in the weeks to come,” the LTFRB said in its decision.

At the start of the week, oil companies rolled back diesel and gasoline prices by P1.50 per liter and P1.65 per liter, respectively.

“Transport petitioners … manifested and announced in public that they will withdraw the petition for increase of fares in the event that prices of diesel shall be reduced to the P45 level,” the LTFRB said.

Meanwhile, the trade and industry department is eyeing a cut in the suggested retail price of canned sardines from the current P13 to P13.50 per

155-gram can to P12.80.

In a briefing Monday, Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said the government was studying this move because the three-month fishing ban that started in December last year had been lifted on March 2.

Fishing ban

In a separate statement, Trade Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya explained that the DTI had previously allowed “increases in the prices of some brands of canned sardines in the first quarter of this year when [manufacturers] reported the high cost of fish due to the fishing ban in Mindanao.”

The government had imposed the ban in areas covering the East Sulu Sea, Basilan Strait and Sibuguey Bay in December to allow the spawning of tamban—the fish variety primarily used in the manufacture of canned and bottled sardines—and thwart the decline of the sardine species. The lower volume of available tamban, however, led to a

10.8-percent increase in the price of the fish and subsequently, of canned sardines, according to the DTI.

Also starting today, the DTI’s flagship project Diskwento Caravan is set to go around key cities across the country to offer consumers deeply discounted prices on school supplies and basic goods.

In a statement issued Monday, the DTI said the one-day sale, dubbed as “Diskwento Caravan: Balik Eskwela” edition, would ease the burden of rising prices of a variety of products, including school supplies, school uniforms, children’s shoes and school bags, canned goods, processed meat, bread, cooking oil and detergent soap. Local products made by micro, small and medium entrepreneurs will also be featured.

Joining the Diskwento Caravan to offer frontline services are the Tesda, National Statistics Office, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Internal Revenue and Social Security System.

Several caravans will be held across the country on separate dates until the end of May.

The trade secretary also announced that Pinoy Pan de Sal would cost P1 less per 10-piece pack weighing 250 grams.

“The cost of flour has gone down so the good news is that the cost of Pinoy Pan de Sal has gone down to P23 per pack. Two months ago it was P25,” Domingo said.

In a separate briefing Monday, Philippine Baking Industry Group (PhilBaking) director Walter Co said the price reduction would take effect by May 29 this year. He, however, noted that the slash in flour prices was borne out of “goodwill” on their part, and is meant to urge local flour millers to bring down the cost of flour. Doing so would allow PhilBaking members to also reduce the price of Pinoy Tasty and possibly, trigger price cuts among other commercial loaf bread variants.

Indonesian vs local flour

Co said the cost of Indonesian flour being used for Pinoy Pan de Sal was much lower at P840 per 25-kilogram bag, compared to the P870 to P930 cost per bag of local flour. Pinoy Tasty uses 100-percent locally milled flour, which is more expensive.

But Co added that they could not use Indonesian flour for the loaf bread as this gives the bread a yellowish color. Local flour gives loaf bread that whitish tinge.

The petitioners that filed for the increase in jeepney fares were the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Liga ng mga Tsuper sa Pilipinas Inc., Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization and Pangkalahatang Sangguniang Metro Manila and Suburb Association.

LTFRB board member Manuel Iway said fares may be hiked back to P8.50 per passenger if diesel prices climb to around P48 per liter.

National Council for Commuters Protection president Elvira Medina welcomed the fare reduction, saying this would help the millions of Filipino students going back to school this June. She also praised the LTFRB for acting fast on recalling the fare hike following the drop in fuel prices.

Domingo said that the DTI is now working closely with the Department of Agriculture to check the country’s fish supply. The cost of fish makes up

40 percent to 60 percent of the production cost of canned sardines.

Some groups, however, are recommending a more thorough scientific study on the spawning behavior of tamban instead of a fishing ban.  The study was supposedly meant to ensure that future fishing bans would accurately fall on the peak spawning months, and that the fishing industry would get the most out of upcoming conservation measures.

The Zamboanga Peninsula is considered as the country’s sardine capital. The fishing, canning and other allied industries employ up to 35,000 people in the region.

The 12 canneries based in Zamboanga City alone supply about 80 percent of the country’s demand for canned sardines.  Dipolog City has become known for pioneering the processing of tamban into Spanish-style bottled sardines. With a report by Niña Calleja

MANILA, Philippines—Puregold Price Club Inc. has finalized its P16.5 billion acquisition of 100 percent of the operator of S&R Membership Shopping through a share-swap with their common shareholder, the family of Chinese-Filipino Lucio Co.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday, Puregold said it had signed the agreement with the sellers of S&R operator Kareila Management Corp. on May 13.

Subject to the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as stated in the deed of exchange, Puregold will acquire 1.7 million shares of Kareila representing 100 percent of its outstanding capital stock in exchange for about 766.4 million shares of Puregold with the Co family.

The deal, which is seen to enhance the company’s position as the second-largest player in the formal retail trade industry, had been approved by Puregold’s shareholders in a meeting earlier this month. The consolidation will give Puregold-S&R a combined market share of close to a fifth of the modern retail trade industry, ranking second-largest next to the SM group of retail tycoon Henry Sy.

Puregold has a current market share of 16 percent while S&R has a market share of 3.3 percent.

Kareila through its membership shopping business has a membership base of 215,000 nationwide coming from the A-B market segment, complementing Puregold’s C-D-E market.

Based on its latest filing, Puregold has a gross margin of 14.2 percent and a net margin of 4 percent but S&R enjoys higher comparative margins of 18.3 percent and 9.9 percent, respectively.

The consolidation is seen boosting the net profits of the publicly listed Puregold by 4-7 percent. Before the S&R takeover plan was finalized, Puregold was aiming for a net profit of P1.94 billion this year equivalent to earnings per share of P0.97.

S&R was set up in 2000 in partnership with Price Smart of the US and acquired by the Co family in 2006. Operator Kareila has six stores located at Bonifacio Global City; Congressional Ave. in Quezon City; Alabang, Muntinlupa; Aseana business park in Baclaran; San Fernando in Pampanga; and Mandaue City in Cebu.

Puregold grew its first-quarter net profit by 24.5 percent to P469 million year on year as robust domestic consumer spending and new store openings sustained a double-digit growth in sales. Its net sales for the three-month period went up by 30.3 percent year on year to P10.74 billion largely due to the increase in turnover as a result of opening of new stores in the last three quarters of last year.

The company has a total of 101 stores including 62 hypermarkets, 28 supermarkets and 11 discounters as of end-March.

The retailer’s capital spending for this year is budgeted at P3 billion. The plan is to open 25 new stores, including the first hypermarket that was already opened in La Trinidad, Benguet, in January. Continuing suppliers’ support arising from scale of operations is seen to contribute to the sustainability of margins. Puregold aims to maintain gross and net profit margins at least 14 percent and 4 percent respectively this year.