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‘Life, death, and the best of us’

The title of this essay does not belong to me. It is Tony La Viña’s. It is the title of his Rappler essay (Jan. 6. 2016), which gave tribute to diverse people whose deaths gave meaning to him and others.

In an act of remembrance on the fourth death anniversary of my wife Mae (she passed on Aug. 30, 2015), I found meaning in re-reading an essay I wrote for BusinessWorld titled “Celebrating life” (Jan. 18, 2016). In this piece, I quoted Tony’s “Life, death, and the best of us.” Tony wrote: “But when those deaths are meaningful because of the lives that were led and the people who loved them grieved and carried their loss with such dignity and love, there is something to celebrate there.”

In “Celebrating life,” I likewise quoted two friends, sociologist Randy David and economist Noel de Dios. Both of them lost loved ones recently — Randy lost his wife Karina in May 2019; Noel lost his elder brother Lito in December 2018. Randy’s and Noel’s messages have an immediate palpability in light of their current sorrow and bereavement. And theirs are indelible words.

In his Philippine Daily Inquirer column titled “Time, lastingness, and gratitude” (Jan. 3, 2016), Randy wrote about the “intimation of mortality.” Without being explicit, Randy had a foreboding of what Karina’s fragile condition would lead to. A foreboding nevertheless does not mitigate the shock and anguish of losing a beloved wife.

In the wake of Mae’s passing, Noel wrote me a private message. I would like to think that it is a message for everyone; hence, I quoted him in my own essay. Said Noel: “We ought to strive to see as much of the compelling movie of Life as we can — even though one knows one can never see the absolute end.”

I also read Noel’s tribute to his brother Lito (whom he fondly calls Gio) which The Philippine Reporter titled “Lito de Dios: My Brother’s Big Heart.” (Feb. 22, 2019). Here, Noel narrated the life of Gio and their closeness.

The part of Noel’s story that was perhaps the most interesting and intriguing to me was about the brothers’ involvement in the revolutionary movement in the early 1970s. In particular, Noel asked: “But where we used and fooled? Were we willing participants in the deception ourselves? How I wish I could I could have had time to discuss this matter at leisure and dispassionately with Gio, the same way we discussed things when he would come home on weekends from seminary. I can imagine how much we might clarify things to ourselves. But alas, that will not happen now.”

I surmise though that the dark chapters in the movement’s history did not make Lito (or Noel) regret that episode in their life. As Noel said, “While the motives and methods of some in the underground Left leadership may be debated, I don’t think the idealism of the many of the youth at the time… can be denied.”

For Lito (or Gio), as Noel described it, life was about the “aesthetic of love.” Noel concluded, “His love proved too big for his heart.”

Accordingly, we return to Randy’s column which I cited above and Noel’s note to me.

Randy ended his essay by quoting several lines from William Wordsworth’s ode, “Intimations of Immortality.” In particular,

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,

Hath had elsewhere its setting,

And cometh from afar:

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home:

Heaven lies about us in our infancy!

Life is colorful, and it contains many happy memories, even magical experiences, which we tend to forget as we near death. Our grief will not vanish all this.

Noel, surely not a Wordsworth but nevertheless a rare kind of poet, has a similar message in his note to me. To repeat: “We ought to strive to see as much of the compelling movie of Life as we can — even though one knows one can never see the absolute end.”

My wife Mae had a short life, but she celebrated life and had a meaningful life. She did not see the absolute ending of the “compelling movie of Life” But her signature smile would tell us that she had resolved that the ending would be a heavenly one.

 

Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III coordinates the Action for Economic Reforms.

www.aer.ph

The Duterte SONA and legacy: tail risks and politics

This is the continuation of my column last week sharing our presentation to international subscribers of GlobalSource Partners (globalsourcepartners.com) at a teleconference on July 23.

So how do we get from our estimate of 6% to government’s 7-8% growth target? I would describe 7-8% as aspirational, considering especially the current global trade environment that has dampened export growth. Although we said Build, Build, Build will add to domestic demand growth, there is high import leakage (40-60% per IMF). An example is cement where imports have grown by a Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% in the last three years. Also, as we said, all the building activity will aggravate strains on traffic, logistics, and power supply, not to mention that manufacturing plants have been operating at over 80% capacity for some time now.

So, growth will be 6%, maybe even 6.5%, inflation is under control especially with freer rice trade, and markets expect easier local monetary policies ahead consistent with the US Fed’s stance. For a time, there were worries about rising risks from the twin deficits, fiscal and external, in an environment of tightening global monetary and financial conditions. But these have subsided with the changed environment and, at the end of the day, we go back to the basic driver of both deficits which is domestic investment activity, both public and private, which are necessary to propel GDP growth to higher rates in the future. Also, the country has built up ample international reserves to serve as a cushion for higher current account deficits. Based on the IMF reserve adequacy computations, the Philippines has one of the highest ARA (Assessment of Reserve Adequacy) metric (1.83 as of June).

Let me add a word on the trade war. Exports, though still important, have not been big driver of Philippine growth. To illustrate, per our estimate, on a value-added basis, export earnings last year amounted to $35 billion or 11% of GDP compared with a total of $50 billion or 15% of GDP for remittances and BPO. Ten years ago, the comparative numbers were both around 14% of GDP. So, my prognosis is that while we will be affected, the overall impact will not drag growth in a major way. But neither is the Philippines expected to gain significantly from ongoing shifts in production bases. Competitiveness issues remain the key constraints in the short-term. (N.B. Since our July teleconference, trade war and global recession risks have intensified with new Trump tweets and tariffs.)

I will also add three tail risks, one is on the sustainability of Philippine Online Gaming Operator (POGO). The other is a possible power shortage, and the third is a key man risk.

First, the risk that the POGO game ends. There has been talk about Premier Xi Jinping asking for President Rodrigo Duterte’s help to do something about it, a strange request until one considers how closely the industry is perhaps tied to the Duterte administration’s China pivot. However, its continued growth, or even existence is vulnerable to change in the Chinese government’s sentiment, for example, less friendly relations with the next Philippine administration, or a crackdown on money laundering that could be initiated by Chinese authorities or multilateral watchdogs. A sudden stop would have adverse effects not only on direct employment but also on real estate prices, office space demand, and banking profitability. (N.B. POGO’s “game over” risks has increased considerably with progressively firmer diplomatic communications against it by the Chinese embassy since our July teleconference.)

My second tail risk is a power shortage. From a situation of surplus power forecast three years ago, the main grid — which includes Metro Manila services — suffered sporadic shortages and red and yellow alerts earlier this year due to unplanned outages/plant shutdowns and the El Niño drought. Reserves have grown thin due to delays in approvals of several power plants, a long story involving the Supreme Court, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), weak oversight and slow regulatory response. While the ERC seems to be trying to clear the backlog, there is a tail risk that the thin reserves will grow even thinner should there be more delays before new plants come on stream to meet the growing power demand in line with GDP growth.

My third tail risk is a key man risk. If, for whatever reason, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III drops out of the scene, all bets are off. Secretary Dominguez, a highly regarded business executive and technocrat, a classmate of President Duterte from kindergarten and his most trusted political ally and confidant for decades, is likely irreplaceable. Without Secretary Dominguez, it may be difficult to check populists measures that threaten macro stability.

I now come to my last topic, politics. Notwithstanding his international image as a despot, President Duterte is very, very popular locally. He enjoys the support of 85% of Filipinos nationwide and he drove the point home in his State of the Nation Address the other day by highlighting the fact that only 3% of survey respondents disapproved of him, the other 11% are “undecided.” Such approval ratings are historically unparalleled.

For a while, there were concerns that the President, with this much political capital and overwhelming influence over the country’s democratic institutions (Congress, the Supreme Court, constitutional bodies such as the Ombudsman, Comelec), and unrestrained in dealing with the media, the church, oligarchs, however he defines them, or anyone in the opposition, may try to do what it takes to change the Constitution and shift to whatever form of government that would keep him in power. At least based on what he said in his State of the Nation Address, he appears to have given up on the campaign promise to a shift to federalism (which his economic managers called “a fiscal nightmare.”) Not a word was mentioned on it during his speech and he told media afterwards that “I’m out of it.”

But he is clearly not a lame duck at this point. After the midterm elections, he has even stronger supermajority support in both houses of Congress. And, without the charter change distraction, the next one to one-and-a-half years would be good for the economic reform agenda. This is why I am very confident that the remaining tax reform packages will pass quickly.

After that, the last year, year-and-a-half of the presidency would be mostly about succession and positioning for the 2022 presidential elections. The Philippine Constitution limits the president’s term of office to a single six-year term. In one of our earlier reports, we observed that historically, only one incumbent, Cory Aquino, had succeeded in making her anointed successor, Fidel Ramos, win, and narrowly at that. History has not been kind to ex-Presidents who did not manage their succession well. Since 1986, one went into exile, one was under house arrest after being thrown out of office, one spent five years in a military hospital with a neck brace. The last president has several criminal cases hanging over his head.

President Duterte’s goal then for 2022 is to choose a successor who will keep him out of harm’s way. This is where his daughter and her HNP (Hugpong ng Pagbabago) party come in. The daughter is Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, who rose to fame decades ago by punching, on camera, a local government executive who went against her orders in an incident involving the demolition of shanties. Like the father, she is a very popular figure and the betting at present is that she will be the anointed one.

But it is too early to say who the “Presidentiables” will be in 2022, much less who will prevail. Random names I’ve heard include any of three Villars (ex-Senator Manny Villar, ranked richest in the Philippines by Forbes magazine, his wife Cynthia who topped the last senatorial race, and their son, current Public Works Secretary Mark), Senator Grace Poe (who ran and lost to President Duterte), and Senator Manny Pacquiao, the Pacman.

We need to bear in mind some history lessons from Philippine elections. One, in a multi-contested election, as has been recent history, a candidate without a clear majority can win. Winners have been surprises. Two, I am also reminded that “necropolitics” has defined presidential election outcomes on more than one occasion in the past. The story of both Aquino presidents. A third lesson from election history, unlike elsewhere, here it is not the early bird who catches the worm. It is the second mouse who gets the cheese.

And speaking of necropolitics, my political tail risk is the death of President Duterte in office. The President is 74 years old and rumored to be sick. His Vice-President, Leni Robredo, an opposition leader, has reportedly doubled her security detail to discourage any assassination attempt by those who may be adversely impacted by inevitable drastic changes. Even the more likely smooth assumption, as the Constitution mandates, could be disruptive — there will be changes in policy across a wide field, projects will be reviewed, there will be leadership changes across major departments.

To summarize: The key messages I would like to leave with you today are: 1.) the economy is doing well thanks to the economic team that has also been able to push for good economic reforms; 2.) the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program is moving forward with government spending reportedly up to 5% of GDP, a level that I think can be sustained through 2022; 3.) economic growth at 6% to 6.5% over the next three years is resilient but will be hard to sustain if higher than that; and 4.) on the political side… well, we don’t really know… the genius of the man is in keeping everybody guessing.

 

Romeo L. Bernardo was finance undersecretary during the Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos administrations.

romeo.lopez.bernardo@gmail.com

What, no homework?

The “holistic approach” to child development was the reason for this jack-in-the-box treat for school children: House Bill (HB) No. 3611 filed by House Deputy Speaker Evelina Escudero proposes to remove homework as a requirement for Kinder to Grade 12 students and prohibit students from taking textbooks home in order to “lighten their physical burden” and to do academic activities solely within school premises; and HB No. 3883 filed by Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas, which seeks to “promote and protect the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being of the youth” and prohibits elementary and high school teachers from assigning take-home assignments to students for the weekend. Senator Grace Poe filed Senate Bill No. 966 to establish a no-homework policy for all primary and secondary schools in the country, according to a GMA News report on Aug. 30.

In the wake of instant fury from upset parents and incensed educators, Mr. Vargas clarified on CNN Philippines’ The Source on Friday last week that the initially imposed P50,000 fine and up to two years of imprisonment on teachers who violate the policy was “just mistakenly included in the bill.” CNN called it a “boo-boo.”

It was a boo-hoo-hoo how Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones last Tuesday so readily expressed support for the lawmakers’ proposal to implement a “no homework” policy among kindergarten to Grade 12 students in the country. “Lahat ng mga lessons dapat during school hours. After that si parents na… Para ’yung mga bata naman ay may time mag-bond sa parents o maglaro o just to relax by themselves (All lessons should be during school hours. After that, the parents are in charge… so that the children have time to bond with the parents, or play or just relax),” Briones said in a report by Oscar Oida on GMA’s 24 Oras.

Ma’am Briones, your father was a school teacher, and you have always been in academe — at Silliman University and the University of the Philippines. Surely, in decades of living and breathing education, from being a student in childhood and youth and through college and doctoral to post-doctoral degrees, and in your career as a professor (to professor emeritus at UP College of Public Administration) you know that lessons are not taught just during school hours — how can you reverse yourself on this fact of life about learning?

Homework, or additional “research,” or supplemental work after, and above and beyond, class lectures, seat work, and recitations are an integral and necessary part of the meticulously calibrated, scientific design of education, to be guided and controlled by the syllabus and course outlines from basic to secondary school to collegiate, masteral and doctoral. For almost five centuries of the Philippine educational system, the Filipino child expected, needed, and accepted “homework” or outside-the-classroom work to supplement what was being taught in the schools. “Read pages so-and-so as your homework for tomorrow/next meeting” is the familiar closing remark of almost every teacher/professor to the class.

Homework is critical because there is specific classroom hours-per-semester and coverage of material to be complied with the DepEd. From experience, the teacher of a one-hour subject with classes held twice or thrice a week cannot physically comply with the requirements, and thus “extra work” or “make-up” must be assigned. Besides, the teacher must be able to mark and grade the student by the individually submitted assignments, aside from quizzes and exams, the latter being too late for both the teacher and the student to remedy. Recitation cannot go around adequately in a class of 30 to 45 pupils, especially if the pupils were not assigned “homework” to prepare for the next meeting for that subject.

That is another argument against the “No homework” proposal: the very high teacher-to-student ratio in primary and secondary education. DepEd Undersecretary Jesus Mateo said the teacher-student ratio improved from one teacher per 45 students in previous years to 1:31 for elementary and senior high school and 1:36 for junior high school. The current DepEd parameter limits the students to a maximum of 30 per class in kindergarten, 35 in Grades 1 to 3, and 40 in Grades 5 to 12, but there is pending legislation that would allow the class size at 35 to 50 students, according to a March 29 story of the Philippine Star. What perverse logic is there to “lessen the load” on Filipino students when there is not even enough instruction to them, thanks to the sorry teacher-to-student ratio, the dire lack of classrooms, and the un-updated textbooks and curriculum?

Some proponents of the no-homework proposal cite Sweden as the model of pupils being taught comprehensively enough during school hours, and thus no need for homework. But Sweden has a teacher-to-pupil ratio of 1:11.9 for primary and 1:13 for secondary levels. The US has 1:15.23 and 1:15.9 respectively (Education Statistics nces.ed.gov/1992) and Singapore has 1:15.2 for total both levels (2017 data.gov.sg 2017).

Now, let’s look at primary and secondary education in Singapore, extolled by the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) in 2014 as having the best educational system in the world. There, on top of homework, is the tradition of the “after-school program” voluntarily paid for by parents to tutor children after regular school hours. A 2012 report by the Asian Development Bank and the University of Hong Kong showed that 97% of all Singaporean students are enrolled in tutoring schools comparatively costing 80% of regular school tuition. The same drive for better education brings nearly 90% percent of South Korean primary students and about 85% of Hong Kong senior secondary students to after-school tutoring, according to the same study.

And here we are, cutting down on the preparation of our young students for life. Mr. Vargas, in proposing HB 3883, cited a 2018 study in South Africa that had argued “that homework is a burden for children and parents,” has caused the decline of family time, and even undermines learning interest,” according to a Rappler story on Aug. 28.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) reacted by chastising Congress to instead focus on reviewing the K to 12 curriculum. “We are not issuing homework to burden our students. It is demanded of us by the K to 12 program, so much (so) that our performance evaluation system ensures its implementation,” ACT was quoted as saying by Rappler. It is really hard to understand that after young students were meted out two more years in K to 12 before college, now, the 180-degrees noblesse oblige to lessen their load by no-homework! Of course, the students will be happy — they will have more time with their gadgets and social media, their curious minds trying out new and could-be dangerous other things. No, it will probably not be bonding with family — Mom and Dad are not home from work yet when children come home in the afternoon. Or the parents are working abroad.

Teacher’s Dignity Coalition said: “Our teachers are trained educators. We know the value of homework. It’s about discipline, responsibility, and continuity of learning,” quoted Rappler. That captures the exacting trade-off of no-homework. The molding of principles and values will be retarded with less training in responsibility and discipline that would have prepared our young students early on for the realities and challenges of adult life. In basic education, the child is ushered into community life outside the controlled environment of the home, where, in the classroom there are individual roles, responsibilities and deliverables under supervision and guidance of an authority who is not a parent. Up the educational ladder, performance is measured and marked, which builds the instinctive discipline to comply and abide by rules and earn “promotion” by the quality and quantity of incremental mental, emotional, and physical development in progress. School is a preparation for a career or profession, not only in terms of the curriculum vitae but in the ingrained values of discipline and responsibility learned above academics. And even in a job or a practice, there is always homework and continuing education!

Lawmakers should have done their homework on their dangerous “No-homework” proposal.

 

Amelia H. C. Ylagan is a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of the Philippines.

ahcylagan@yahoo.com

Science hasn’t found a ‘Gay Gene.’ So what?

FREEPIK/VECTORARTE

By Faye Flam

A NEW, massive study suggests five genes are weakly associated with self-reported same sex encounters. But the results, released last week by a group that included the Broad Institute and 23andMe, are underwhelming. The genes predicted less than 1% of people’s behavior. The researchers struggled at a press conference to tell reporters what the take home message was. We can assume that 23andMe won’t be offering a “gay gene” test any time soon.

But the result still has meaning, seen in the context of history. It’s the latest chapter in a scientific quest that got woven into a massive cultural shift. Science sometimes led, and sometimes followed.

Through most of the 20th century, mainstream psychiatry considered homosexuality a disease, and scientists studying sexual orientation did so to find a “cure.” That slowly changed, but by the 1990s, religious leaders had their own ideas, which held sway over much of the public. That’s where the roots of today’s findings started, when a National Institutes of Health geneticist named Dean Hamer set out to find the genetic basis of homosexuality.

When I interviewed him for a newspaper column in the early 2000s, he told me that he hoped finding a genetic bases for homosexuality could counter a pervasive argument coming from the then-powerful religious right that being gay was a choice — and a sin.

It was under this backdrop that Hamer, who is gay, set about to use science to get at the answer. He said he got warned that if he found any distinct genetic signatures, someone would abuse them for the purposes of discrimination, or worse.

He also got pushback from his fellow scientists who thought that what he was setting out to prove was already obvious. Of course being gay was at least partly genetic. The “gay is a choice” idea was a religious trope, not a scientific paradigm. But at the time, a well-organized group of right-wing evangelicals had pitted religion against science. Those on the side of science felt they had to fight back.

His study was tiny and limited compared to what’s possible today. He found a potential link on the X-chromosome, which got dubbed the “gay gene,” although Hamer considered it a misleading oversimplification. Hamer’s gene didn’t turn up in this new study — it is likely not a “gay gene” after all — but he deserves credit for setting the groundwork that made the new study possible. The project helped people recognize that sexual orientation was rooted in biology, and that same-sex love was part of the natural variation of human behavior — as well as in the behavioral repertoire of many animals, from manatees to mountain rams.

Most of the early studies on genes and homosexuality were done by gay men. The problem wasn’t so much that others didn’t care, but that they worried that their work would do more harm than good and didn’t want to be associated with genetic tests that might be put to bad use. And studying sexual orientation is tricky. There’s a difference between what people say they do, what they really do, and what they desire to do.

But eventually those early studies opened the way for mainstream, big science. The new study released last week was huge, using DNA samples and sexual behavior information from nearly half a million volunteers in the United States and UK and the best tools money can buy. Unlike many earlier studies, it also included subjects of both sexes.

The main findings came in two parts. In the first, the researchers were able to estimate that genes account for 8% to 25% in the variations in same-sex behavior among the subjects using a complicated technique that involved the relatedness of the volunteers.

The second part pinpointed specific genes. The five genes that were identified only make up 1% of genetic influence on same-sex behavior because they are only the tip of the iceberg. The rest of that genetic component may come from rare genes that were not detected, or by networked interactions between genes. And biology can include non-genetic influences as well — exposures to prenatal hormones and antibodies, for example, and so-called epigenetic effects.

Geneticist Michael White of Washington University, St. Louis, who has written about the genetics of sexual orientation, told me that the results are fairly similar to those linking genes to other behavioral traits — from intelligence to years of education to political affiliation. The genetic influences themselves are complex, and these are mixed up with other biological influences as well as environmental and cultural ones. But DNA tests that identify behavioral tendencies are coming. If, someday, someone tries to sell a test of probable sexual orientation, which people may want to test themselves or, possibly, their unborn children, we can only hope that the world is ready.

Seventy countries still criminalize homosexuality. That’s not likely to change because scientists find more genes influencing sexual orientation. Whether this new study had turned up five genes or 500, no result would justify persecuting people on the basis of their sexual orientation.

 

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Gilas looks to bounce back after rough World Cup debut

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

FOLLOWING a rough start to its 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup bid on Saturday, the Philippine men’s national basketball team looks to find some form of redemption and bounce back when it plays Serbia in Group D action today in Foshan, China.

Bamboozled by 46 points, 108-62, in its opening game in the global hoops spectacle by Italy, Gilas Pilipinas seeks to perform better when it treks back to the Foshan International Sports & Cultural Arena in its 7:30 p.m. game against world number four Serbia.

Against a hot-shooting Italian squad, led by National Basketball Association players Danilo Gallinari and Marco Belinelli, Gilas found the going tough right at the onset.

Luigi Datome got Italy to a strong start, helping his team to a 16-4 in the first five minutes of the contest.

The Azzurri then jacked up their game some more, outscoring the Filipinos, 21-4, to take a commanding 37-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Italy kept taking it to Gilas in the second quarter, with the Philippine squad not helping its cause by shooting blanks especially from the outside.

The score was at 48-12 at the 5:40 mark of the frame before Italy closed out the opening half with a 62-24 lead.

While the game was practically out of reach at that point, Gilas still showed some fight in the second half, particularly young guns CJ Perez and Robert Bolick who tried to make things happen for the team on both ends.

But Italy was simply not to be stopped as it made its way to the big win.

Mr. Datome led the Azzurri with 17 points, going seven-of-seven from the field, with Amedeo Della Valle finishing with the same total points.

Mr. Gallinari had 16 while Mr. Belinelli had nine markers in the win.

As a team, Italy shot a solid 58.2% from the floor, and 48.4% from beyond the arc. It also had 30 assists.

For the Philippines, naturalized player Andray Blatche and Mr. Perez finished with 15 points each, followed by June Mar Fajardo with nine points.

Collectively Gilas just shot 39.1% from the field and a dismal 13% from three-point land. The team also had a telling 23 turnovers.

After the game, Gilas acknowledged that the game was hard to swallow because it was not able to meet its expectations and failed to deliver.

But it said the lessons from the Italy game were clear and that it hopes to do better versus Serbia.

“There will be nights like this. Just the experience of being out here — that’s one positive thing. Moving on to the next games is important. We have to think of the next game after that. It’s all about experience,” said Gilas guard Kiefer Ravena, who finished with five points, after the game.

Serbia, for its part, was a 105-62 winner over Angola in its debut also on Saturday.

NBA player Bogdan Bogdanovic was the high point man for Serbia in the win with 24 points followed by Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic and Nikola Milutinov with 14 apiece.

Another NBA player Boban Marjanovic had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Serbia routs Angola, 105-59, as other FIBA World Cup big guns also win

BEIJING — The basketball World Cup heavyweights opened got their campaigns on the right track as Serbia romped to a 105-59 win over Angola, Italy mauled the Philippines 108-62 and 2006 champions Spain strolled to a 101-62 defeat of Tunisia on Saturday.

Russia were forced to dig deep for an 82-77 victory against Nigeria as they erased an eight-point fourth quarter deficit and Puerto Rico produced a strong final period to edge Iran 83-81 after trailing by 18 points at halftime.

Holders the United States start their quest for a third successive and sixth overall title against the Czech Republic late yesterday with a second-string roster after 17 of their household NBA names pulled out of the 32-nation tournament in China.

Serbia, the 2014 runners-up and Olympic silver medallists in 2016, fired on all cylinders against Angola as they nailed 13 three-pointers from 20 attempts.

Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic led the way with 24 points while Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic and the towering Nikola Milutinov added 14 each.

Serbia coach Aleksandar Djordjevic, who won three European championships and the 1998 world title with the former Yugoslavia as a player, was pleased with his team’s no-nonsense approach.

“We made a flying start and controlled every aspect of the game from start to finish,” Djordjevic told reporters.

“This will boost our confidence ahead of the upcoming games. It’s a long road and we have to stay humble, although we know what we want to achieve here.”

Russia looked like ending up as the opening day’s casualties after the unfancied Nigerians took a 71-63 lead midway through the final quarter but a 10-0 run turned the tide as the west African side ran out of steam.

Phoenix Suns playmaker Ricky Rubio led the Spanish charge against Tunisia with 17 points and nine assists and Real Madrid guard Sergio Llull added 16 points.

In the day’s other games, hosts China overpowered Ivory Coast 70-55, Poland beat Venezuela 80-69 and Argentina made light work of South Korea with a 95-69 win. — Reuters

Coco Gauff loses match but learns lessons from Naomi

NEW YORK — Coco Gauff’s US Open came to an abrupt end under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday but the 15-year-old said she would leave New York a better player after falling to world number one Naomi Osaka.

Backed by lively support from the packed home crowd, the young American was clearly overmatched against the defending champion, who needed just over an hour to book her ticket to the fourth round.

Osaka, 21, showed impressive sportsmanship by giving Gauff the opportunity to thank her fans in the post-match interview on the showcase court.

“It was amazing. I’m going to learn a lot from this match,” a tearful Gauff said after the 6-3 6-0 defeat.

“She’s the number one player in the world right now, so I know what I need to do to get to that level.

“After the match, I think she just proved that she’s a true athlete. For me, the definition of an athlete is someone who on the court treats you like your worst enemy but off the court can be your best friend.

“I think that’s what she did tonight,” added Gauff, who trained at the same Florida tennis centre as Osaka when they were younger.

Osaka said she had the idea to invite Gauff into the interview when they were shaking hands at the net.

“The thing that people don’t see is that we go into the locker room and just cry and do press after,” she said.

Naomi Osaka of Japan (R) talks with Coco Gauff of the United States after their match in the 3rd round on Day Six of 2019 US Open tennis tournament at Arthur Ashe Stadium. — GEOFF BURKE-USA TODAY SPORTS

“I thought it would be nice if she addressed the people who came and obviously cheered so hard for her.

“She’s had an incredible week so I thought I’d just make a positive statement out of it.”

While she was full of compassion after the match Osaka was all business on the court, avoiding Gauff’s dangerous backhand and taking advantage of her shaky serving on a warm night in Flushing Meadows.

Osaka predicted Gauff would become a threat to the game’s top players when she builds some more power.

Gauff took the tennis world by storm at Wimbledon this year where she reached the fourth round and was given a wildcard to play at Flushing Meadows.

After a memorable battle in the second round with Tina Babos on Thursday Gauff was unable to make much inroads against Osaka’s powerful serve, converting two of five break point opportunities and issuing seven double faults.

Gauff’s US Open is not quite over, as she will team up with Catherine “Caty” McNally to take on Kveta Peschke and Nicole Melichar in the second round of the women’s doubles on Sunday.

For Osaka, a meeting with the 13th seed Belinda Bencic awaits. — Reuters

Nadal breezes into US Open fourth round; controversial Kyrgios goes quietly into the New York night

NEW YORK — Rafael Nadal cruised into the US Open fourth round with a business-like 6-3 6-4 6-2 win over Chung Hyeon on Saturday.

The three-times champion took control of the match when he broke the South Korean’s serve in the first set to grab a 4-2 lead and never looked back on a sun soaked Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

Next up for Nadal is a last 16-clash with 2014 champion Marin Cilic, who came out on top in his slugfest with John Isner on the Grandstand court.

Nadal had been on court for just over two hours prior to his third round match after defeating John Millman in straight sets on Tuesday before getting a walkover into the third round when Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew.

The second seeded Spaniard, who has been hampered by troublesome knees throughout his career, did not wear his usual tape on his legs during the match.

“Tape is not working anymore,” he said with a smile during his on-court interview.

“I am happy to be playing on hardcourts and I am trying to play a little more aggressive.

Nadal will have his work cut out when he meets big-serving Cilic on Monday, who defeated Isner 7-5 3-6 7-6(6) 6-4.

Nadal said the key was to toppling an opponent like Cilic was holding serve and making the most of his opportunities when receiving.

“Chances are not a lot, so you need to be ready to expect a very tough one,” he told reporters.

“I need to be focused with my serve, as always. I need to be ready to accept the challenge that brings the competition in days like these ones.

“And I hope to be ready to play my highest level, because that’s what I am going to need.”

KYRGIOS
Nick Kyrgios was a lightning rod for controversy at the US Open this week but the fiery Australian was subdued after a third-round loss on Saturday and walked away quietly from the year’s final Grand Slam.

Kyrgios did deliver a one-word jab at a line judge early in his straight-sets loss to Russian Andrey Rublev but otherwise steered clear of any of the sort of drama that he made headlines for earlier in the week.

The Australian delivered a serving masterclass against Rublev but generally lacked his usual intensity and at one point during the match a microphone picked up Kyrgios saying he did not even want to be there.

Still, after the 7-6(5) 7-6(5) 6-3 loss under the bright Arthur Ashe Stadium lights, the Australian 28th seed did not point the blame at anyone but himself.

“He played great tonight. Was super aggressive. I never felt comfortable. That was just credit to him playing his game. Yeah, it was tough,” said Kyrgios. “Nowhere near my best tennis.”

During the first set of his third-round loss Kyrgios did shout “whistle-blower” from his seat in the direction of a line judge who had gone to the chair umpire to report foul language.

It marked a very subdued ending to a week in which Kyrgios got in hot water for calling the ATP corrupt, yelled at fans for leaving their seats during his serve, and threatened not to start a match over a dispute about his outfit.

When asked about the comment picked up by microphones Kyrgios said he has been on the road for over five months and he does not have much down time before playing for Team World at the Sept. 20–22 Laver Cup in Switzerland.

“We’ll see how the scheduling works out. I guess that’s a disadvantage playing from Australia,” said Kyrgios. “I got the very important Asia swing. Don’t want to miss that.”

After Kyrgios suggested he may need rest, one journalist asked if he would in fact welcome a suspension for the way he spoke about the governing body of men’s tennis.

“I don’t know if I look at it like that,” Kyrgios said smiling. “I don’t know. I have no say in it. I guess it’s out of my control.” — Reuters

Siklab Sports Youth Awards unveils future of Philippine sports

THE future heroes of Philippine sports will be honored during the 2nd Siklab Sports Youth Awards today at the Market! Market! Activity Area in BGC, Taguig City.

Leading the awardees are reigning girls PGA champion Yuka Saso, triathlete Andrew Kim Remolino, basketball’s Dave Ildefonso and 19 other athletes from various sports named as POC Siklab Young Heroes during the gala for the finest Filipino athletes 18 years old and younger.

Fencers Maxine Esteban and Samantha Catantan will likewise headline the event organized by the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine Olympic Committee Media Group as well as junior cycling champion Marc Ryan Lago and dragonboat/canoe-kayak world champion paddlers Christine Mae Talledo and Lealyn Baligasa.

Sharing the limelight during the awards night backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart/PLDT, MVP Sports Foundation and Go For Gold are International Masters Kylen Mordido and Marvin Miciano, speed skater Julian Kyle Silverio, pole vaulter Hokett Delos Santos and wrestler Cadel Evance Hualda.

With Market! Market! and Ayala Malls as venue partners, the second edition of the Siklab Sports Youth Awards will also put the spotlight on Super Kids awardees led by gymnast Karl Eldrew Yulo and IM Daniel Quizon.

Bowlers Norel Nuevo and Grace Gella, who both captured bronze medals in the recent junior world championships, also got the recognition that they deserved along with promising skateboarder David Sebastian Chanco and taekwondo jin Ian Matthew Corton.

Receiving the Sports Idols accolade this year are track and field icon Elma Muros-Posadas and jujitsu world champion Meggie Ochoa in the gathering also supported by Pagcor and Cignal TV while PSC Chairman William Ramirez and Go For Gold head Jeremy Go have been named godfathers of the year.

The PSC Children’s Games for Peace Award is exclusive for the top performers of the 2019 Palarong Pambansa and the Batang Pinoy Games led by archer Naina Dominique Tagle and swimmers Xiandi Chua, Michaela Jasmine Mojdeh and Marc Bryant Dula.

Completing the Young Heroes are shooting’s Denise Basila and Michael Angelo Fernandez, skater Diane Panlilio, Jannah Romero (table tennis), Janzeth Gajo (wushu), Joshua Glenn Bullo (sepak takraw), Lanz Zafra (badminton), Samantha Catantan (fencing) and Solomon Padiz Jr. (badminton).

Sandrex Gaisan (wushu), Lovely Mae Orbeta (darts), Patrick Coo (cycling), Mariel Abuan (athletics), Remond Lofranco (boxing), weightlifter Vanessa Sarno, swimmer Ivo Nikolai Enot and Dylan Valmores (jujitsu) will likewise receive the elegant Super Kids trophy.

Andreescu topples Wozniacki to reach US Open last 16

NEW YORK — Canadian Bianca Andreescu brushed aside Caroline Wozniacki on Saturday to reach the last 16 in her US Open main draw debut and now faces her toughest test yet in the form of net-rushing qualifier Taylor Townsend.

Andreescu, who has already won titles at Indian Wells and Toronto during an injury-hit 2019 season, beat twice finalist Wozniacki 6-4 6-4 to remain undefeated in completed matches since early March.

“It feels pretty good, because you never know what can happen in a match,” said Andreescu. “I’m trying not to take anything for granted right now. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing.”

The 19-year-old Canadian, who has yet to drop a set at the year’s final Grand Slam, overwhelmed former world number one Wozniacki with a mix of variety and firepower.

Andreescu’s nerve was tested early in the second set when Wozniacki rallied back from a double-break down to level at 3-3 but the Canadian was unrattled and broke right back and then served her way to the win.

TOWNSEND NEXT
Things could get much trickier for Andreescu when she faces Townsend, whose aggressive net play has left a trail of frustrated opponents, including Wimbledon champion Simona Halep, who was dumped out in the second round.

Andreescu said she has never played anyone who comes to the net on virtually every point like 23-year-old Townsend but is ready to put in the work ahead of their Monday clash.

“Well, there aren’t a lot of players that play like her, so I’m going to do my best to figure out what to do when she comes to the net,” said Andreescu. “Like I said, I’m going to work on my passing shots tomorrow and stay as aggressive as I can.” — Reuters

Closer to success

In terms of star power, the third-round match between Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff yesterday did not disappoint. The capacity crowd of 23,771 that filled Arthur Ashe Stadium included a fair share of celebrities in sports and entertainment eager to see a humdinger that, based on hype alone, looked to rival any other for the United States Open fortnight. Unfortunately, the actual battle failed to approximate its potential. Not even close; it took all of 65 minutes to be decided, with the dismay of the vast majority of spectators borne as much of its duration as of its outcome.

Indeed, Gauff had cheers and chants and shouts of encouragement going her way from the get-go — and not simply because she played in front of her home crowd. At a precocious 15 and in possession of both game and disposition that are intrinsically compelling, she possesses the rare combination of talent and resolve akin to the sport’s champions. And, as in her previous singles and doubles outings at Flushing Meadows, she displayed it in spades yesterday. That said, she clearly lacked the experience and maturity to overcome the gravity of the moment. Against the much more accomplished and polished Osaka, she faltered early and wilted late.

Gauff thought she would do better, and she couldn’t help but give in to her frustration in the aftermath. As the tears flowed, though, she got a boost from an unlikely source. In an unprecedented display of sportsmanship, Osaka comforted her and allowed her to take center stage in an interview before the appreciative throng. And, under a spotlight usually reserved for winners, she repaid the grace showed her in kind. Considering the marquee names on hand, it was probably only fitting that the set-to made its biggest impact well after its last point was played.

On a prospective note, the contest should serve the protagonists well. Even as age restrictions will keep Gauff away from singles play until the turn of the year, she figures to take what she learned to her doubles match with partner Caty McNally today. Meanwhile, Osaka needed the highly charged encounter to concentrate on the task at hand. Beset by injuries and lack of form in the run-up to the final major of the season, she admitted that “this is the most focused I’ve been” since the Australian Open. Will ultimate success be in line for either or both this time next week? The answer isn’t clear, but this much is: They’re closer now than yesterday.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Duterte back after high-stakes China visit

By Arjay L. Balinbin
Reporter

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte returned to Manila on Sunday after his fifth visit to China, where he raised the nation’s arbitral win that voided Beijing’s claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea.

Mr. Duterte raised the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his five-day visit, which the presidential palace called “highly productive,” as he faces mounting domestic pressure to take a tougher stance after a collision that sank a Filipino fishing boat at Reed Bank in June.

In a statement, Malacañang said the president’s visit renewed the commitment between the two countries to further enhance their “comprehensive strategic cooperation.”

At least six agreements were signed during Mr. Duterte’s visit, covering cooperation in education, science and technology, finance and customs, among other things. He also met with Chinese and Filipino businessmen, telling them that their investments in the Philippines would be free from corruption and would yield profit.

At his bilateral meeting on Thursday with Mr. Xi, who described him as an “old friend,” Mr. Duterte invoked the 2016 United Nations ruling that he said was “final, binding and not subject to appeal.”

His Chinese counterpart was unmoved, saying there won’t be any change to Beijing’s position on the sea dispute, according to presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo.

Both leaders vowed to hasten negotiations on a South China Sea Code of Conduct, the palace said.

“We know that China will not honor the Hague ruling,” Maria Ela L. Atienza, a political science professor from the University of the Philippines, said in an email yesterday. “However, the president had to raise it during this state visit, even three years late, to try to placate growing public sentiment against China,” she added.

Mr. Xi’s rejection of the arbitral ruling “shows that while cooperation in economic and other areas between the two countries are deepening, China remains the stronger, bigger country that does not respect international laws and rulings and does not treat the Philippines as an equal,” Ms. Atienza said.

The Duterte administration should have “a clear and viable plan of action,” Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a senior research fellow at the Ateneo de Manila University Policy Center, said in an email.

“Should the bilateral approach be reconsidered or should the multilateral approach be given some serious consideration?” he asked. “These are the questions we should be asking the administration.”

Ms. Atienza said China might be unable to dictate on the dynamics among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations nations. “President Duterte may not be in a strong position to lead Asean in the finalization of the Code of Conduct.”

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