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Cebu’s P1.3-B Capitol Resource Center project hits snag

THE CEBU provincial capital complex. — TAGUM CIO

THE planned 20-storey Capitol Resource Center project of the Cebu provincial government has hit a snag after a board resolution authorizing Gov. Hilario P. Davide III to enter into a contract with the winning contractor failed to get majority approval. The provincial board members voted 8-6-3 in favor, against, and abstention. The Department of Interior and Local Government has issued a clarification on the matter, declaring that eight favorable votes does not meet the required majority. The resolution would have given Mr. Davide the go signal to sign the deal with WT Construction for P1.3-billion building project within the Capitol compound. Vice-Governor Agnes A. Magpale, who chairs the provincial board, said she is disappointed at how the project had been politicized. Cebu 3rd District Rep. Gwendolyn F. Garcia earlier wrote to Ms. Magpale and all the members of the board, warning them of possible legal problems if they push through with the project. Ms. Magpale and Ms. Garcia are running against each other as governor in the May 2019 midterm elections. Ms. Garcia said the project would violate the heritage law considering that the Capitol building has been declared a heritage site. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) earlier questioned the project for lack of approval from them as mandated under the law. — The Freeman

Military could have been ‘tricked’ by NPA in Agusan del Sur, says DND chief

By Vince Angelo C. Ferreras
DEFENSE SECRETARY Delfin N. Lorenzana said there is a possibility that the military was infiltrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Agusan del Sur, which led to the attack and hostage-taking of two Army soldiers and 12 members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) on Wednesday.
He said the military detachment might have “relaxed” or an NPA member pretended to be an ally.
“We are still investigating kung ano talaga nangyari kasi nga hostage sila lahat e, ibig sabihin walang fire-fight, walang labanan so mukhang nabigla sila (what really happened because they were taken hostage, which means there was no fire-fight, there was no fight so it seems they were taken by surprise),” said Mr. Lorenzana in a press conference on Thursday, Dec. 20.
A report said around 50 NPA members attacked the New Tubigon Patrol Base in Sibagat, Agusan del Sur at around 3 a.m. last Dec. 19.
The Defense chief also said that they are not disregarding the possibility that the communist rebels aim to use the hostages as leverage to demand for a stop in military operations in the area.
“But we will not stop. The soldiers know we are at war with these people. Being held hostage is part of the job of these people,” he said.
OPAPP
Mr. Lorenzana said the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), which is now headed by former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., will help in negotiating for the release of the soldiers.
“I think the OPAPP, Gen. Galvez will also be on top of this also,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) congratulated its armed wing, the NPA, for its “successful” attack in Agusan del Sur.
“The Communist Party of the Philippines applauds the successful tactical offensives mounted by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Agusan del Sur, Samar, Sorsogon and elsewhere over the past two days. The NPA tactical offensives are resounding blows against the Duterte regime’s martial law rule in Mindanao and across the country,” said CPP in a statement on Thursday.
It added, “The tactical offensives of the NPA displays the superiority of the NPA in terms of support of the people and mastery in guerrilla warfare. It also manifests demoralization among the AFP and paramilitary forces who are being used as canon fodder in defense of a rotten system and corruption of their superiors. We urge all enemy foot soldiers to surrender to the NPA.”
The CPP said they will only release the soldiers if the AFP will stop its offenses.
“All prisoners-of-war who were captured after surrendering during the raid in Agusan del Sur are being treated leniently. They will be released soonest so long as the AFP relents in their offensive in order to pave the way for their orderly and safe release and give them the opportunity to be with their families this Christmas. We urge third party facilitators to coordinate and cooperate with the local NPA command,” the statement read.
The CPP-NPA will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Dec. 26. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

1st free TECH4ED station opens in Tagum City

THE FIRST of three TECH4ED Centers — a facility with computers, internet service, and training area — was opened by the Tagum City government on Dec. 18, located at the Center of Justice Building. The center, which can be used for free from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, is primarily intended to benefit students under the Alternative Learning System (ALS). In a statement, the city government said the other two TECH4ED stations will be set up at the soon-to-open new public library and the Palengskwelahan building near the public market. The project is being handled by the city’s Public Education and Employment Services Office (PEESO) in partnership with the Department of Information and Communication Technology. PEESO said the idea comes from the Philippine Community e-Center program, which is a National Digital Inclusion initiative.

Nation at a Glance — (12/21/18)

News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.

Main index drops as US central bank hikes rates

STOCKS SLIPPED on Thursday following the US Federal Reserve’s decision to hike benchmark rates during its last policy meeting for 2018.
The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) tumbled 0.21% or 16.21 points to close at 7,563.41 yesterday. The broader all-shares index, meanwhile, eked out gains of 0.05% or 2.42 points to 4,544.13.
“Philippine shares traded mildly lower at close, as attention shifted to the Fed, which still raised their policy rates,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis A. Limlingan said in a mobile message.
The Fed’s policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee decided to hike interest rates by 25 basis points yesterday, bringing key interest rates within the 2.25% to 2.5% range. At the same time, the Fed hinted at two more tightening moves in 2019, lower than the previous forecast of three.
“Changes to the post-meeting statement were generally dovish as well. While the growth characterization was more upbeat than we had expected, the policy guidance was a bit more dovish than we had expected,” Mr. Limlingan said.
Markets in the US plunged following the decision, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling to a 52-week low after it shed 351.98 points or 1.49% to 23,323.66. The S&P 500 index slumped 1.54% or 39.20 points to 2,506.96, while the Nasdaq Composite index also lost 2.17% or 147.08 points to 6,636.83.
Papa Securities Corp. Sales Associate Gabriel Jose F. Perez also attributed the PSEi’s weakness to the US markets’ performance, in addition to foreign investors’ position.
“Another red day for the PSEi today as another decline from the US markets [Wednesday] night coupled with more net foreign selling dampened the general sentiment,” Mr. Perez said in an e-mail.
Net foreign selling swelled to P490.56 million on Thursday versus P72.98 million in the previous session.
Four sectoral indices ended the day on a negative note, led by the mining and oil counter which dropped 1.49% or 122.46 points to 8,060.22. Property shed 0.98% or 36.54 points to 3,692.06; holding firms dipped 0.17% or 13.26 points to 7,422.19, while industrials went down 0.11% or 13.17 points to 11,061.69.
In contrast, services gained 0.6% or 8.76 points to 1,459.81. Financials also rose 0.18% or 3.32 points to 1,779.60.
Value turnover stood at P5.88 billion yesterday after some 875.14 million issues switched hands, down slightly from Wednesday’s P5.97 billion.
Despite the PSEi’s drop, market breadth favored advancers over losers, 117 to 78, while 42 names were unchanged.
“With a long Christmas weekend ahead of us, we might see muted trading for the last day of the week. The persistent net foreign selling remains as well as a significant overhang for the market, preventing it from surging any further,” Mr. Perez said. — Arra B. Francia

Peso weakens versus dollar on Powell’s hawkish remarks after fresh Fed rate hike

THE PESO weakened versus the dollar on Thursday as the US Federal Reserve made hawkish remarks despite expectations of a pause after its interest rate hike.
The local currency closed at P53.10 against the greenback yesterday, losing three centavos from the P53.07-per-dollar close on Wednesday.
It depreciated at the session’s start, opening at P53.15 versus the dollar. It dropped to as low as P53.25 yesterday. Meanwhile, its intraday high was logged at P53.09 against the greenback.
Total volume grew slightly, with dollars traded amounting to $685.92 million on Thursday from $658.85 million in the previous session.
Traders interviewed said the market took into account the unexpected hawkish stance by the Fed at the close of its two-day policy meeting, causing a sell-off among Asian and emerging-market currencies.
“The peso weakened after the rather hawkish remarks made by US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell following the widely expected 25-basis-point policy rate hike [on Thursday[, contrary to market expectations of dovish signals from the Fed,” an analyst said in an email.
“The local currency might appreciate on likely weaker US economic data on inflation and personal consumption. Exchange rates are likely to move between P53.00 and P53.20 range,” the analyst added.
After weeks of market volatility and calls by President Donald Trump for the Federal Reserve to stop raising interest rates, the US central bank instead did it again, and stuck by a plan to keep withdrawing support from an economy it views as strong.
Wednesday’s rate increase, the fourth of the year, pushed the central bank’s key overnight lending rate to a range of 2.25% to 2.5%.
In a news conference after the release of the policy statement, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank would continue trimming its balance sheet by $50 billion each month, and left open the possibility that continued strong data could force it to raise rates to the point where they start to brake the economy’s momentum.
Another trader said despite the initial sell-off due to the hawkish tone, markets are considering that the remarks were actually relatively dovish, which helped the peso gain before the market closed.
“The spike in dollar-peso is more or less the reflection of less dovish, and expected rate hike overnight. Market was hoping for a more dovish stance, looking for a neutral statement, but the Fed said there might be possible further rate hikes, like cautious rate hikes in 2019,” a trader said in a phone interview.
“In the afternoon…it reversed, market is digesting the rate hike is still dovish,” the trader added. — E.J.C. Tubayan with Reuters

Magnolia celebrates return to PBA summit

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE MAGNOLIA Hotshots Pambansang Manok are once again back on the summit of the Philippine Basketball Association after clinching their 14th league title by completing the defeat of the Alaska Aces in their best-of-seven Governors’ Cup finals series, 4-2.
Channeling the unstoppable in Game Six of the series on Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City, the Hotshots sped to a 102-86 victory to be crowned champions anew after a wait that lasted for four years.
Having waited long and endured several “pains” along the way, the Hotshots said their latest conquest has a certain specialness to it all, underscoring as well that it is a result of things coming together for them.
“This feeling [of a champion] is really new to me personally. I’m just proud of what the team has accomplished. All our sacrifices really paid off,” a jubilant Magnolia coach Chito Victolero said during the postgame press conference following their Game Six triumph.
“We really worked hard for this. We got the players we wanted and worked from there. It came together for us finally but it surely was not done overnight,” added Mr. Victolero, whose name is now part of the list of PBA champion coaches with his debut title.
The last time that Magnolia won a title prior to this latest was in the 2014 Governors’ Cup, completing what was a grand slam under the name of San Mig Coffee which was coached by Tim Cone.
After that “dark times” befell the franchise as it failed to advance to the finals in the next nine conferences.
It made it to the finals of the recent Philippine Cup but bowed to the San Miguel Beermen in their best-of-seven championship series, 4-1 .

Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok 2
Magnolia’s Mark Barroca was named PBA Governors’ Cup finals most valuable player by averaging 11 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.8 steals in six matches. — ALVIN S. GO

The Hotshots continued to work hard after that though, fine-tuning their collective game and bringing in pieces that could help complete their championship goals.
Mr. Victolero said Game Six was a testament to how the players were reared by their experiences in the last couple of years.
“We really prepared hard during the break. I saw in the players that they really wanted this game and the championship. They were focused on what needed to be done. And in the first two minutes of the game (Game Six) it really showed. We had a good start and sustained it all the way to the end,” said Mr. Victolero, referring to the five-day break that the PBA had in between Games Five and Six to give way to the annual rookie draft.
In Game Six, Magnolia started hot, outscoring Alaska, 12-0, and never looked back after that despite repeated attempts by the Aces to catch up and extend the series to a do-or-die.
Romeo Travis led Magnolia in the clincher with 32 points, 17 rebounds and six assists.
Paul Lee and Ian Sangalang each had 16 points while Mark Barroca, who was adjudged Finals MVP, added 13 markers.
Jio Jalalon was the other Magnolia player in double digits in scoring with 11 points.
“We are just thankful for all the blessings. Credit to the whole team for working hard to get this championship,” Mr. Victolero said.

George comes up big for Thunder; Bucks win

FORCED INTO an expanded role thanks to a pair of suspensions, Paul George turned in yet another big-time performance for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, scoring 43 in a 132-113 road win over the Sacramento Kings.
While George started in his typical spot, he was forced to also serve as the Thunder’s backup point guard after the NBA handed down one-game suspensions to both Dennis Schroder and Raymond Felton earlier in the day.
Schroder and Felton were each suspended for coming off the bench during an altercation on Monday’s win over Chicago.
That forced George onto the floor during some stretches when he would have normally been on the bench along with starting point guard Russell Westbrook.
George scored 15 of his points in the second quarter, as Oklahoma City outscored the Kings 35-19 in the quarter to build a lead that grew as large as 22 in the frame.
While the Thunder were shorthanded and able to find ways to be successful, the Kings were even more shorthanded and it showed.
Already without rookie forward Marvin Bagley, Sacramento also did not have Bogdan Bogdanovic or Iman Shumpert available. Bogdanovic is managing a sore foot while Shumpert is still feeling the effects of a hip injury suffered last Friday.
Westbrook had his eighth triple-double of the season, with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 17 assists. Nine of Westbrook’s assists came in the fourth quarter after the Kings pulled within single-digits of the Thunder.
Steven Adams had 20 points and a career-high 23 rebounds. Adams’ previous career high was 20 in January 2015 during his second season in the league.
Jerami Grant added 22 points, going 9 of 11 from the floor.
About the only thing that did not go well for the Thunder was the free-throw shooting of Westbrook and Grant. The two combined to shoot just 4-of-13 from the line. Westbrook is shooting more than 10% worse from the free-throw line as he has in any other season as a pro.
Buddy Hield scored a career-high 37 points for Sacramento, hitting seven three-pointers. De’Aaron Fox added 28 points and 12 assists in the loss.
BUCKS TOP PELICANS
Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to help the Milwaukee Bucks post a 123-115 victory over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans also on Wednesday.
Malcolm Brogdon added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Khris Middleton had 14 points for Milwaukee, which won for the fifth time in the past six games.
Anthony Davis led New Orleans with 27 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes. — Reuters

Federal bill would regulate US sports betting market

NEW YORK — The nascent US legal sports betting market would be subject to federal oversight under a bill introduced in Congress on Wednesday, one that will surely face opposition from the casino industry and some states.
Republican Senator Orrin Hatch and Democratic Senator Charles Schumer introduced the bill, which aims to protect consumers and sports integrity and would require states to seek federal approval to run a sports betting program.
The legislation would create a national clearinghouse for wagering data and require that sportsbooks use only official game data from professional leagues — something that has already begun happening through a series of private deals.
For years, the leagues fought legalization, arguing that sports betting posed a danger to game integrity. That all changed when the US Supreme Court in May left it up to states to decide whether to regulate the wagers.
Now, the new US market is potentially worth many billions of dollars to sports leagues, casinos, sportsbook operators, tech firms, advertisers and others.
States like New Jersey, which has long sought to capitalize on sports betting by legalizing and taxing it, may be upset over any efforts at federal oversight.
It was, after all, a 1992 federal bill co-authored by Hatch that banned the activity in the first place, outside of Nevada, which was grandfathered into the law.
US Representative Dina Titus, of Nevada, said the bill “would inject uncertainty into an established and regulated industry, weaken Nevada’s ability to promptly adapt to maintain its gold standard, and risk causing bettors and operators to leave the regulated market.”
The bill is not likely to be passed this year with only a few days left in the legislative season.
While Hatch is retiring from the Senate and acknowledged that the bill was a “placeholder,” Schumer will return next year and said he will push the bill forward for a vote “very soon.”
The National Football League, National Council on Problem Gambling, United States Tennis Association and NCAA praised the bill.
Sara Slane, senior vice-president of public affairs for the American Gaming Association, a casino industry group, said the legislation is “an unprecedented and inappropriate expansion of federal involvement in the gaming industry, which is currently one of the most strictly regulated in the country.”
For some, it failed on other accounts. The Sports Fans Coalition said it would push for the inclusion of more robust consumer protections, according to Executive Director Brian Hess. — Reuters

Triathletes of all ages dominate MediCard Sprint Tri 2018 in Clark

BEGINNER AND seasoned triathletes prevailed over the first-ever MediCard Sprint Triathlon at Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Pampanga, with teenager Adrian Thomas Dionisio (male category aged 15-17) clinching the top spot at 1:07:46 and Julie Somoso (female category aged 50 and above) leading her age group at 1:59:28.
The triathlon included a 600-m swim, 20-km bike, and 5-km run course. Athletes took several laps in the Olympic-sized pool and went on to a one-loop bike course around the Clark grounds, and to a single-loop run on the resort. It also featured a relay category for family, friends, or teammates.
“This is one of the best ways to encourage everyone — from little kids to adults, even the more senior ones — to exercise and move,” said MediCard president Nicky Montoya.
Ian Banzon of Sante Barley (F, 30-34) reached the finish line at 1:19:53 while Gianmarco Anton Sibayan (M, 25-29) clocked in at 1:11:38, followed by Pierce Tan (M, 18-24) at 1:11:49. Ma. Lourdes Cabero (F, 35-39) finished the course to claim second-fastest female spot at 1:29:51, whereas Alfie Yu (F, 40-44) finished third.
Among the top 10 male finish times were the performances of older age group champions Levy Ang (45-49), clocking in at 1:15:31, and Rune Stroem (55-59) with 1:16:39.
Other age-group female champions in the MediCard Sprint Tri were Therese Malapad (15-17), Isabel Parco (18-24), Alessandra Castaneda (25-29), and Ymelle Reyes (45- 49). Male champions include Angelo Leaño (35-39), Brett Petrillo (40-44), Jerry Santos (50-54), and Chicho Mantaring (60 and above).
Champions in the relay category were Team Fuego (all-female), Team Pukers (all-male, mixed), and Team ActiveHealth (family).

Djokovic back on top as old guard refuse to let go

LONDON — — Young German Alexander Zverev’s breakthrough title at the ATP Finals in London last month brought the future into focus but the year ended with men’s tennis in the grip of a block of 30-something led by a resurgent Novak Djokovic.
Serbian Djokovic, 31, needed elbow surgery in February to cure a problem that surfaced in 2017, but after some jarring defeats he returned to the kind of domination he achieved in 2015, winning Wimbledon and the US Open.
Roger Federer continued to hold back the clock as only he can by winning the Australian Open, aged 36 and a few weeks later became the ATP’s oldest world number one.
Rafael Nadal, 32, had an injury-hit year but that did not stop the Spaniard winning an 11th French Open title.
By the time the long season wrapped up, Djokovic, Nadal and Federer were one, two and three in the ATP rankings with seven of the top 10 aged 30 or over.
The eagerly awaited return of Serena Williams to the women’s game after giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia last September failed to deliver the American a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, although she was tantalizingly close.
It is not the majestic tennis she played en route to the Wimbledon and US Open finals that will be remembered, however, but her controversial Flushing Meadows showdown against Japan’s Naomi Osaka and the ensuing fallout and allegations of sexism.
In one of the most infamous matches played in the New York cauldron, Williams raged after being given a code violation for “off-court coaching” in the second set, got a point penalty for angrily smashing a racket and was docked a game for calling umpire Carlos Ramos a “liar.”
Osaka, who has since turned 21, somehow stayed calm in the bedlam to beat her childhood idol, but was reduced to tears as the crowd booed during the postmatch presentations — angry at the perceived unfair treatment of the queen of women’s tennis.
Patience paid off for two of the WTA’s ultimate battlers.
Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki beat Simona Halep on an oven-like Rod Laver Arena to win the Australian Open and claim her first Grand Slam title, at the 43rd attempt.
A few months later Halep became the first Romanian to win a Grand Slam title for 40 years as she beat American Sloane Stephens at Roland Garros.
‘COULDN’T BREATHE’
She had lost her previous three finals, including the year before in Paris from a winning position, but after losing the first set against Stephens roared back to claim the most popular victory of the year.
“In the last game I couldn’t breathe, I just didn’t want to repeat what happened the other years,” Halep, who finished 2018 as world number one, said.
Germany’s Angelique Kerber ripped up the script at Wimbledon. Serena Williams had looked unstoppable during a blazing fortnight on the All England Club lawns and was odds-on to claim an eighth singles title, equal Margaret Court’s 24 slams and become the first mum to win Wimbledon for 38 years.
With support in the Royal Box from friend Meghan Markle, wife of Britain’s Prince Harry, the stage was set for Serena but an inspired Kerber dropped just six games to become the first German woman to win the title since Steffi Graf in 1996.
That final was controversially played after the conclusion of the men’s semis between Djokovic and Nadal, itself delayed by South African Kevin Anderson’s epic, six-hour-36-minute defeat of American John Isner, 26-24 in the deciding set.
Djokovic took brutal advantage of a fatigued Anderson in the final and later in the year Wimbledon called time on “never-ending” matches as they announced that from 2019 onwards tiebreaks would be played at 12-12 in the decider.
Wimbledon lit the blue touch-paper for Djokovic who had entered the Championships seeded 12 after slipping to his lowest ranking since 2006.
After ending a two-year Grand Slam drought he went 28-3 for the rest of the year, including winning 16 consecutive sets to march to the U.S. Open title where he beat Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro in the final.
That took him level on 14 Grand Slams with Pete Sampras and hunting Nadal (17) and Federer (20) on the all-time list.
Young guns like Zverev, Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov are expected to chip away at the old order in 2019 but the changing of the guard is happening at a glacial pace.
Time has caught up with the 118-year-old Davis Cup, however.
This year’s final, won by Croatia in France, was the last before a controversial revamp kicks in after sweeping changes were voted in by the International Tennis Federation.
Next November in Madrid, 18 nations will contest a soccer World Cup-style climax to the event. — Reuters

ONE Championship ushers in ‘new era’ in Japan event

ONE CHAMPIONSHIP will stage its first event in Japan next year and it is coming in loaded with a fight card headlined by three world title fights.
Dubbed “ONE: A New Era” and set to take place on March 31 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, the event will feature the world title clashes of reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan of China against ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee of Singapore; Middleweight World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang of Myanmar against Ken Hasegawa of Japan; and Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of the Philippines against Japanese legend Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki.
In addition, newly signed ONE athletes Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez are set to make their debut with the promotion.
Mr. Johnson’s opponent for his first ONE Championship bout will be Japan’s Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu while Mr. Alvarez will face top lightweight contender Timofey Nastyukhin of Russia.
Also on tap is the kickoff of the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix, featuring a series of compelling bouts.
The scheduled fight of Mr. Folayang will mark the first time he is defending the lightweight gold after reclaiming it with an impressive unanimous decision victory over Singaporean Amir Khan last month.
It is also a rematch for Mr. Folayang against Mr. Aoki, who he beat in 2016 by way of technical knockout (knees and punches) in the third round to get first hold of the lightweight belt.
Both Messrs. Folayang and Aoki are currently riding three-fight winning streaks. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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