Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube
Home Blog Page 10185

Philippine men’s ice hockey team eyes home celebration at 30th SEA Games

The Philippine men’s ice hockey team is shooting to celebrate another SEA Games gold but here at home soil. — HOCKEY PHILIPPINES FACEBOOK PAGE

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE Philippine men’s ice hockey team, defending Southeast Asian Games gold medallist, seeks to make a successful title defense in this year’s edition of the sporting meet which the country’s is hosting beginning this weekend.

The Philippine Eagles, as the team is known, will try to make it back-to-back SEA Games titles and at home soil at that in ice action happening from Dec. 1 to 8 at the SM Mall of Asia Skating Rink in Pasay.

“Our immediate goal in the SEA Games is to defend our gold, especially now that we’re in our home soil. We have the home court advantage this time but this doesn’t mean we can be complacent. We have to bring pride to the Philippines,” said team captain Steven Fuglister.

In the 2017 SEA Games in Malaysia, the Philippine ice hockey team surprised many with its performance, which has since been fondly referred to as “Miracle on Ice.”

The Philippines completed a sweep of its four-game assignment, beating Indonesia, 12-0, in the opener before following it up with 7-2 and 8-7 victories over Singapore and host Malaysia, respectively, in the round-robin phase.

It capped its performance by edging Thailand, 5-4, in a thrilling final match that earned it the gold medal.

As the defending champions, the Eagles know they have a target on their back but expressed readiness to take on the challenge.

“We have a target behind our back. We’re expecting the other four teams to be stronger, faster and we’re preparing for that,” said Francois Gautier executive vice-president of Hockey Philippines and senior member of the Eagles.

“Of course the goal is to get the gold but we know it’s going to be tougher than before. Thailand and Malaysia will be tougher, Singapore and Indonesia are making improvements. We are confident of our chances but we still need to put in the work,” he added.

The Philippines will begin its ice hockey campaign on Dec. 1 against Malaysia, followed by Singapore on Dec. 3, Indonesia on Dec. 4 and Thailand on Dec. 6. All games will be played at 7 p.m.

Tournament format will be a single round-robin with the top four teams advancing to the next round. The winning teams in the semifinals battle in the finals with the losers disputing the bronze medal.

“We want to bring pride to the country and show the world that hockey can thrive here in a hot, tropical country and that we have the talent to be a hockey-playing country,” said Mr. Gautier.

Myanmar defeats Azkals, 2-1

Philippines 2019 SEA Games logo

GAMES TODAY
(Binan Stadium)

4 p.m. — Vietnam vs. Laos (Group B, men)

4 p.m. — Brunei vs. Thailand (Group B, men)

8 p.m. — Indonesia vs. Singapore (Group, men)

THE PHILIPPINES dropped a close 1-2 decision to Myanmar in Group A yesterday in the 30th Southeast Asian Games men’s football tournament in front of an animated and sizeable hometown crowd at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

Atoning for an earlier miscue, defender Justin Baas scored the Young Azkals’ lone goal in the 45th minute of the first half that ended in a 1-all deadlock off a feed by Dennis Chung, who was the hero in the Philippine squad’s 1-all draw against Cambodia last Monday

But striker Win Naing Tun struck the winning goal in the 79th that boosted the Burmese to the top of the group with four points while the hosts slipped to third place and remained with one point after their first setback in the five-team bracket.

Still playing at press time was the match between Timor Leste and Cambodia, with the winner moving up to second spot. Malaysia had a rest day.

Although the charges of Goran Milojevic began strong, it was Myanmar which took to the early lead as Aung Kung Mann caught Philippine goalie Anthony Pintus offguard after Baas was out of position in the 16th minute.

Just before the first half ended Chung chested a cross to Baas, who scored a point-blank marker to send the game tied at the break.

Midfielder Kaung Khant continued to probe the hosts’ defenses and he found a gap, assisting Naing Tun, who came rushing in for the marginal marker.

The Filipinos hope to regroup and will be gunning for their first win when they face the Malaysians on Friday at the resumption of Group A play.

Leonard, Clippers manhandle Mavericks for 6th straight win

DALLAS — Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points, and Paul George added 17 of his 26 points in the first quarter as the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to six games with a 114-99 victory over the host Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

George and Leonard were playing together in a road game for the first time, and they were on the court as teammates for just the fourth time overall.

Luka Doncic had 22 points and eight rebounds, and Kristaps Porzingis added 15 points and 10 boards for the Mavericks, who saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. Dallas lost a home game for the first time since Nov. 8.

The Clippers’ defense, led by guard Patrick Beverley, clamped down on Doncic, who entered averaging 30.6 points per game, third best in the NBA. The Mavericks were also the second-best scoring team in the NBA at 119.1 points per game.

George shot five of nine from the field and four of six from 3-point range in the first quarter. The Clippers went seven of 11 (63.6%) from beyond the arc in the opening 12 minutes but hit just 39.3% from the field overall during the quarter.

The fast start helped the Clippers to a 62-46 halftime lead, with the Mavericks shooting just 31.4% from the field in the opening two quarters. They finished at 38 percent in the game while the Clippers converted 42.3%.

Doncic had 15 first-half points but was just two of nine from the field and nil of five from 3-point range, though he did go 11 of 11 from the free-throw line.

Seth Curry finished the night with 13 points for Dallas, and J.J. Barea added 12 points in just his third game of the season.

The Clippers built their advantage to as many as 22 in the third quarter when they shot 54.5 percent from the field, and they led 93-77 at the start of the fourth.

Lou Williams had 21 off the Los Angeles bench, and Montrezl Harrell added 12 as the Clippers won at Dallas for the first time since November 2016. — Reuters

NOFA’s Ricky Yanson to push for added dimension to PFF in bid to be president

Negros Occidental Football Association president Ricky Yanson in anchoring his bid for the presidency of the Philippine Football Federation on pushing for more grassroots development programs for the sport. — NOFA FACEBOOK PAGE

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

NEGROS Occidental Football Association (NOFA) president Ricardo “Ricky” Yanson is running for Philippine Football Federation (PFF) head with his bid anchored on pushing for more development programs for the sport.

To challenge incumbent PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta for the position in elections set for Nov. 29 at the Century Park Hotel in Manila, Mr. Yanson, 48, seeks to push further dimension to the PFF’s thrust as an organization, particularly in rearing the federation to addressing the lack of national age-group tournaments which is key, he said, to deepening the pool of local talent in the country and truly cultivating the growth of the sport from the grassroots.

“Sadly, in the previous years, we have not seen enough of these (age-group tournaments). And the PFF has not invested enough resources, to grow the game, especially in the regions,” said Mr. Yanson at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Nov. 19.

The NOFA president said he would do such programs in strong collaboration with different football associations in the country.

“Under a new administration, there will be deeper involvement by the football associations, in the plans and programs of the PFF,” said Mr. Yanson.

Since taking the leadership of NOFA, Mr. Yanson has helped make football thrive in the Negros region. NOFA organizes the Dynamic Football League (DFL) for boys and girls of different age groups; DFL runs all year round and holds multiple conferences.

NOFA also collaborates with fellow FAs to mount tournaments in different regions; such as the Mindanao Cup that was organized in cooperation with the Davao South Regional Football Association, and the Luzon Cup in partnership with the Central Luzon Football Association (CLFA).

NOFA supports coaches’ and referees’ education through hosting coaching/refereeing license courses conducted by the Technical Department of the Philippine Football Federation. NOFA also runs its own NOFA Football Academy where talented young players are taught not just football skills but more importantly, values and proper work ethic to carry them through the rest of their lives.

Mr. Yanson announced his intention to run for PFF president in September during the launch of the Mindanao Cup in Davao.

Concerns, however, have been lodged against Mr. Yanson that the company dispute between him and three of his siblings with their younger brother Leo Rey, the owner of top football club Ceres-Negros, would affect the unity of stakeholders.

But the NOFA president was quick to allay the fears, saying it would be a non-issue in dispensing his duties as PFF president if privileged enough to be voted into the office.

Hamburg FIDE Grand Prix (2)

Hamburg FIDE Grand Prix
Hamburg, Germany
Nov. 4–18, 2019

Round 1

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA 2774 vs. Wei Yi CHN 2736, 1.5-0.5

Veselin Topalov BUL 2736 vs. Hikaru Nakamura USA 2745, 1.5-0.5

David Navara DZE 2724 vs. Nikita Vitiugov RUS 2732, 3.0-1.0

Alexander Grischuk RUS 2759 vs. Radoslaw Wojtaszek POL 2739, 2.5-1.5

Daniil Dubov RUS 2699 vs. Teimour Radjabov AZE 2758, 4.5-3.5

Peter Svidler RUS 2729 vs. Pentala Harikrishna IND 2746, 1.5-0.5

Yu Yangyi CHN 2763 vs. Dmitry Jakovenko RUS 2681, 2.5-1.5

Jan-Krzysztof Duda POL 2730 vs. Ian Nepomniachtchi RUS 2776, 1.5-0.5

Round 2 (Quarterfinals)

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA 2774 vs. Veselin Topalov BUL 2736, 1.5-0.5

Alexander Grischuk RUS 2759 vs. David Navara CZE 2724, 1.5-0.5

Daniil Dubov RUS 2699 vs. Peter Svidler RUS 2729, 3.5-2.5

Jan-Krzysztof Duda POL 2730 vs. Yu Yangyi CHN 2763, 1.5-0.5

Round 3 (Semifinals)

Alexander Grischuk RUS 2759 vs. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA 2774, 1.5-0.5

Jan-Krzysztof Duda POL 2730 vs. Daniil Dubov RUS 2699, 3.5-2.5

Round 4 (Final)

Alexander Grischuk RUS 2759 vs. Jan-Krzysztof Duda POL 2748, 3.5-2.5

Hamburg FIDE Grand Prix is part of the world championship cycle. Here is how it goes:

Twenty-two players are qualified by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) to participate in the Grand Prix

There are four legs in the Grand Prix: Moscow (May 16–30, 2019), which was won by Ian Nepomniachtchi, Jurmala, Riga (July 11–25), won by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Hamburg (Nov. 4–18 and Jerusalem December 10–24, 2019). Each leg has a €130,000 (roughly P7.3 million) prize fund, with €24,000 (around P1.3 million) for first place.

Each of the 22 participants compete in three of the four tournaments.

There are grand prix points awarded to the players depending on how they finish in the tournament. Winner gets eight GP points, runner-up five GPpts, semifinal loser three GPpts, round 2 (quarterfinals) loser one GPpt. There is also one additional point for each match win without tie-breaks. For example, in Hamburg the tournament winner Grischuk got eight GPpts plus an additional two for defeating David Navara (1.5-0.5) and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (1.5-0.5) in the regulation two-game match, without need of tie-breaks.

The two players with most Grand Prix points qualify for the 2020 Candidates tournament which is scheduled to be held in March 2020 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

The overall winner of the Grand Prix also receives an additional €50,000 (P2.8 million), and the runner-up €45,000 (roughly P2.5 million).

As of the end of the Hamburg Grand Prix the top 5 are:

Alexander Grischuk*, 20 GPpts

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, 13 GPpts

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, 10 GPpts

Ian Nepomniachtchi, 9 GPpts

Jan-Krzysztof Duda*, 8 GPpts

*have already completed 3 legs

As can be seen, Grischuk is virtually certain to qualify for the 2020 Yekaterinburg Candidates’ tournament while the no. 2 qualifier depends on how Vachier-Lagrave, Mamedyarov and Nepomniachtchi do in the forthcoming Jerusalem Grand Prix.

Jan-Krzysztof Duda is no longer in the running for the final Candidates’ place as he has already completed 3 legs and is not participating in Jerusalem. Having said that, his play recently and especially here in the Hamburg Grand Prix leaves a very strong impression. He always plays to win and while perhaps his opening knowledge is not of the highest standard he more than makes up for it with extreme resourcefulness, tactical brilliance, and very strong endgame play.

Duda, Jan-Krzysztof (2748) — Yu, Yangyi (2753) [D94]
Hamburg FIDE Grand Prix (2.2), 09.11.2019

Ding Liren made history when he qualified for the 2018 Berlin Candidates tournament — the first Chinese player ever to do so. This year he repeated the feat by finishing second in the 2019 Khanty-Mansiysk World Cup and once again qualifying.

Wang Hao also made history earlier this year by winning the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament in the Isle of Man and in so doing become the second Chinese ever to qualify for the Candidates’ tournament. A very impressive feather in the cap for the Chinese Chess Federation for now they have two Chinese GMs in the 2020 Yekaterinburg Candidates.

And now along comes Yu Yangyi. He was the one Ding Liren beat in the semi-finals of the World Cup (remember, the two finalists get automatic slots to Yekaterinburg), and now he is contending strongly in the Grand Prix. If he can continue with his powerful form then perhaps he can really make history by becoming the third Chinese GM in the Candidates’ Tournament?

The problem is that his opponent Duda is in the zone where he sees everything and throws every trick in the book at you.

1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.d4 Bg7 6.Be2 0–0 7.0–0 Ne4

A sideline. More common are either:

7…Bg4 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.Qb3 b6 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 e6; or

7…dxc4 8.Bxc4 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Nbd7 11.Rd1 e5.

8.Nxe4 dxe4 9.Nd2 c5

An attempt to improve on a previous game which went 9…f5 10.f3 e5 this is Mozetic, D. (2540)-Matulovic, M. (2445) from Novi Sad 1995 (0–1 46). In that game White continued 11.d5 but he could have played 11.fxe4 fxe4 12.Rxf8+ Qxf8 13.d5 with the advantage. The e4–pawn will soon fall and White’s pieces are better than their counterparts.

10.dxc5 f5 11.Rb1

In contrast with the variation above after 11.f3 White does not have any d4–d5 or c4–c5 ideas anymore, opening up the a2–g8 diagonal.

11…a5 12.a3 a4 13.b4 axb3 14.Nxb3 Qxd1 15.Rxd1

The opening phase is over and the game hinges on under what circumstances can Black win back his pawn? In this stage of the game Duda plays very well and manages to create threats.

15…Nd7 16.Kf1 h5 17.Bd2 Rxa3 18.Na5 Nxc5 19.Bb4 Ra2 20.Bxc5 Rxa5 21.Bxe7 Rf7 22.Bb4 Ra8 23.Rd8+ Kh7 24.Bd6

Intending c4–c5 followed by Bc4. Yangyi decides to give up a pawn to make sure this does not happen.

24…Rd7 25.Rxd7 Bxd7 26.g4!

Yangyi was counting on the fact that 26.Rxb7?? is not possible because of 26…Ra1+.

26…fxg4

Taking with the f-pawn is better because it leaves f5 open for his light-squared bishop to take refuge. After 26…hxg4 27.Rxb7 Bc8 28.Re7 Kh6 29.c5 Ra1+ 30.Kg2 Rc1 31.Bb5 the bishop on c8 is in a very bad situation.

27.Rxb7 Bc8 28.Re7 Kh6 29.Bf4+

Not 29.Rxe4? Ra1+ 30.Kg2 Re1! (this is even stronger than 30…Bb7) 31.Re8 Bb7+ 32.Kg3 Rxe2 Black has turned the tables.

29…g5 30.Bxg5+ Kxg5 31.Rxg7+ Kh4! 32.Rg8 <D>

POSITION AFTER 32.RG8

Yu Yangyi has defended very well but now commits a fatal mistake.

32…Kh3?

Correct is 32…Ra1+ 33.Kg2 Bf5 34.Rf8 Kg5 Black should be able to hold. Obviously, with his last move he threatens the devastating 33…Ra1+, but White has a no less shattering response:

33.Bxg4+!!

I was watching this game online and must confess that this move really took me by surprise.

33…Kh4

He is mated after 33…hxg4 34.Rh8#

34.Rxc8 Ra1+ 35.Kg2 hxg4 36.Re8 1–0

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (MVL) is currently in the Grand Prix no. 2 position and he has made known that he really wants to qualify. The organizer of the 2020 Candidates Tournament, the Sverdlovsk Chess Federation, is allowed to nominate one player directly into the Candidates subject to some criteria but has already announced that this wild-car entry will only be given to a Russian player. This means that even if Alexander Grischuk or Ian Nepomniachtchi (the only other eligible Russian player is Kirill Alekseenko, who is not in the Grand Prix) do not make it to the top 2 in the Grand Prix they still have a chance to play in the Candidates as a wild-card entry. MVL has no choice but to do well in Jerusalem in order to book his ticket to Yekaterinburg.

Ian Nepomniachtchi won the first leg of the Grand Prix but got eliminated in the first round here and did not earn any Grand Prix points. He obviously needs a good performance in Jerusalem. I am afraid though that once again he let his emotions get the better of him after his elimination by getting into a bad twitter exchange with the organizer of the Grand Prix tournaments, “World Chess” which is owned by Ilya Merenzon through his company Agon Limited:

Nepomniachtchi: Hamburg Grand Prix organization recipe from @theworldchess: choose the most expensive and nice hotel and the most cheap and unsuitable playing venue. At least I rejoice I shouldn’t go there anymore. Good luck to remaining players 🙂

World Chess/Agon: sorry you lost bro.

Ian Nepomniachtchi: Fortunately, I’m not your bro, Mr. Golden Standard of pathetic organization. You should be put to the weights and measures department.

Definitely the Jerusalem Grand Prix this December will be a very interesting event!

 

Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.

bobby@cpamd.net

Clippers clip Luka

Luka Doncic was on a roll. In fact, he had been marching confidently along uncharted territory; he put up at least 30 points and 10 assists in leading the Mavericks to victory in each of their last four games, a torrid stretch no other player in franchise history had been able to carve. And so it wasn’t without reason that he figured to do the same against the vaunted Clippers. Far more than simply being in familiar confines, he exuded the type of confidence and carried the gait that only all-world LeBron James managed to at his age.

Unfortunately for Doncic, the Clippers aren’t like any of the opponents he torched over the last week. They’re certainly loads better than the overmatched Warriors, Spurs, and Cavaliers, and superior even to the highly regarded Rockets. And if there’s anything they wanted to prove heading into the American Airlines Center, it’s that they really have no peer when they greet opening tip with a full complement. And, yesterday, they underscored their dominance from the get-go; they were all over the Rookie of the Year, trapping him at every opportunity and forcing him to press.

That the Clippers didn’t take long to compel Doncic to stray from his comfort zone speaks to both their defensive prowess and his youth. For all the praises having been sung his way, he hasn’t yet found all the possible answers to sophisticated coverages around the league, and certainly not to those he saw thrown at him yesterday. Against the unparalleled length and athleticism presented by the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George-Patrick Beverley-Jamychal Green-Montrezl Harrell-Maurice Harkless tandem, he proved to be at his most vulnerable for the season to date.

Doncic did manage to go to the line a whopping 16 times, but the extremely physical defense nonetheless took its toll on him; he canned a mere four of his 14 attempts from the field, and none of eight three-point tries. Just as tellingly, he finished with just six dimes versus seven — yes, seven — turnovers, as clear a manifestation as any of his inability to find release valves in the midst of stifling pressure. Little wonder, then, that the Clippers won in convincing fashion, and that he was left to stew in the aftermath.

True, Doncic will get better — make that much, much better. It’s a scary proposition given how much he has already accomplished. Then again, the Clippers did show that he still has a lot to learn. The Mavericks are good, even respectable, because of him, so it necessarily follows that their ceiling is his. And, as yesterday showed, he has a long way to go before he trumps the capacity of the best of the best in the league to keep it low.

 

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.

Launchgarage bets on QC to lead Philippine tech innovation

Launchgarage, the country’s largest tech accelerator, last week organized the first Quezon City Tech Day, a community-building event aimed at bringing together and empowering the innovative startups of the nation’s largest city to solve some of its most complex problems.

As part of Philippine Startup Week 2019, Quezon City Tech Day served as both culmination of and launching point for Launchgarage’s efforts to turn their city into an innovation capital. CEO Jay Fajardo believes Quezon City’s startup scene, often lumped in with the rest of Metro Manila, doesn’t get enough attention.

Based in the largest city in the country (approx. 2.7 million citizens) and second biggest in terms of assets (roughly P68 billion in 2018), Fajardo envisions a thriving ecosystem that goes beyond the traditional formula that was once used to measure business and industrial centers. Today’s startup ecosystems put a huge emphasis on community and a healthy human resource potential from the grass roots. “When one looks at today’s startup ecosystems, they are defined not just by a tech culture but also by a creative culture. This creates a new type of innovation culture that will take us right into the fourth industrial revolution.”

Along their home in Calle Industria alone, Eastwood City’s riverside business hub, many of the country’s most exciting startups have set up shop. These include PayMongo, the Y-Combinator acceleratee that recently hauled in one of the largest recorded seed-stage investments in the Philippines earlier this year, and Dragon’s Nest, a newly established venture builder.

At Quezon City Tech Day, Jojo Flores, co-founder of Launchgarage and Plug & Play Tech Center (a Silicon Valley pioneer often touted as the largest accelerator in the world) expressed much delight and enthusiasm in light of the recent developments around the area. Flores claims that there is much potential in local startups, and that Launchgarage can help bring these products and services to the global market through their resources and extensive network. Local software industry veterans Joey Gurango and Jun Lozada were also present in the event.

Launchgarage, now in its fourth year of operations, has housed over 40 of the most recognizable companies in the Philippine startup industry. It began as a joint program with Kickstart Ventures before branching off to become its own entity in 2016. Since then, the accelerator has created measurable and integral impact through its services, events and partnerships forged in both the public and private sectors. Recently, EXPAND PH, an intensive four-week long market access program for Malaysian companies, was conducted in partnership with UnionBank and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). It was announced during the event that the collaboration with MDEC would continue for at least four more years.

From nightlife to tech life: Kumu’s Angelo Mendez on having fun at work

California-based Angelo Mendez first fell in love with the Philippines in 2006 when what was supposed to be a holiday turned out to be a six-month love affair with Manila’s underground art and music scenes.

Weaving through Manila’s club scene and spinning at destination spots like Boracay’s Juice Bar, Angelo’s entrepreneurial gears began to turn. Not even his return to San Francisco could stop the roots beginning to set in. “I packed up and left, but my love for the Philippines was already rooted and I knew I’ve always wanted to live here,” he said.

Today, Angelo is at the helm of live streaming platform Kumu, the fastest growing social media app in the country. Following his two-pronged journey as both a tech innovator and professional DJ, it seems it’s a role he was always meant to play.

By 2008, Angelo was reaping success in his own social media startup venture called Imeem which was the fastest growing website in the world in 2007. “We were a top ten site in a lot of Southeast Asian countries, but at that time there was no way to monetize these regions. I was sent out to Singapore to work with a few digital ad agencies. But in 2008 the market crashed and I decided to move back to Philippines full-time to build hotels and night clubs.”

From then on, Angelo’s journey as a marketing specialist, and eventually towards his role as a huge contributor to the growth of Kumu, had begun.

Angelo Over Pressure

Angelo is no stranger in building great things from scratch. Aside from his big roles in Sound in Color and Imeem, Angelo also developed the first 3D printed hotel room for Lewis Grand Hotel in Pampanga (which he also co-founded in 2008); created clubbing brand Black Market Manila in 2013; all leading to his role as head of programming in Kumu.

“Whether it’s throwing parties, building hotels, or DJing, I’ve always enjoyed creating. Coming up with concepts with my team and best friends and executing our ideas is exciting for me,” he said.

Aside from the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, what Angelo also learned from all his successful ventures is how to deal with pressure moments and how to find fun in everything he does. “You’re going to face a lot of pressure moments,” he shared. “How you deal with them can make or break you. I’ve always been a passionate person so learning to separate the passion from emotion and stay level-headed help a lot when venturing into the unknown,” he adds.

When asked how he exactly deals with work’s entailing pressure, he advises: “Don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s ok to mess up. Keep experimenting because eventually, something will stick.”

“Our office is loud and obnoxious to other people. But what I love most about being part of the KUMU team is that you can tell we’re having fun. It’s like a nightclub at the office,” he said.

Engaging a Fast and Loyal Following

As head of Kumu’s programming, Angelo is tasked to find new and exciting ways to make users feel welcome and extend loyalty to the brand. Angelo says it’s not too dissimilar to a previous project of his, Bad Decisions Wednesdays.

“When we started Bad Decisions in 2013, the entire Manila nightlife scene was entirely electronic dance music (EDM), and EDM copy cats that were generic and corny,” he said. “Black Market was trying to be an alternative venue. I asked my partners there to give me the worst night and let me do whatever I wanted, which ended up becoming Bad Decisions Wednesday. The whole point was: with everyone who goes out, there were a few outcasts who didn’t want to be part of that EDM scene and we were there to provide a venue where they could express themselves while listening to really dirty rap music. It was different and authentic and it showed especially in those early years,” he said.

Six years later, Bad Decision Wednesdays is still going strong.

“When we started KUMU, we knew that we were going up against companies where the perception was to have your photos faked to get ‘likes’,” he said. “Social media apps like that were everywhere at that time. We wanted to build a platform for Filipinos who wanted to have real conversations and be themselves- where they didn’t have to fake having a perfect life.”

And as time and again, Angelo succeeds in not only creating loyalty and excitement among its users, but also in providing them a welcoming community (or as they style it: kumunity) that supports each other and engages in campaigns, contents, and conversations. “Today, with over 1.5 million users in just over a year from launch, Kumu has become the safe space where Pinoys can be authentic, tambay and livestream to their hearts content.”

UCPB Peso Bond Fund bags Best Managed Fund Award for second consecutive year

The UCPB Peso Bond Fund was once again recognized as the Best Managed Fund for 2019 under the Long-Term Bond Fund using Pure Fair Value Profit and Loss Valuation (PESO-FVPL) category in the recent Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Society Philippines’ Best Managed Fund of the Year Awards.

“The back-to-back award is a testament to UCPB Trust Banking Group’s commitment to deliver consistent long-term capital growth for our investors,” UCPB FVP and Trust Banking Group Head Arturo I. Lipio, Jr. said. “The Best Managed Fund Award looks at long-term historical fund performance — both the risk and return aspects of the fund — and factors in the length of the investment period. UCPB’s robust investment and risk management process is critical to achieving consistent growth over the investment period. This ensures we provide our clients with the best possible returns while efficiently managing risks.”

UCPB Trust Banking Group FVP and Head of Trust Banking Group Arturo I. Lipio, Jr., and VP and Head of Investments and Portfolio Management Department Karen Khristine N. Jonas proudly showcase UCPB’s back-to-back Best Managed Fund Awards.

Given during the Philippine Junior Finance and Investment Summit 2019 held last Sept. 7, 2019 at the SMX Convention Center-Manila, the CFA Society Philippines’ Best Managed Fund Awards has been the global standard of excellence in the investment industry since it was launched in 2016. The CFA Best Managed Fund of the Year Awards recognizes excellence in managing investable funds based on their five-year, risk-adjusted returns. A total of 89 funds from 16 investment houses joined this year’s search. UCPB has received the award for two consecutive years.

“Our investment process employs a “top-down” approach which means our portfolio managers look at the macro economy first before focusing on the individual companies when making investment decisions. Our risk management processes, meanwhile, are integrated across the front, the middle, and the back office to ensure risks are understood and are managed to the fullest extent possible,” Vice-President and Investments and Portfolio Management Department Head Karen Khristine N. Jonas added.

The UCPB Peso Bond Fund is suited for individuals who would like to establish a long-term investment plan with relatively stable returns. For more information on the UCPB Peso Bond Fund as well as other UCPB investment products suited to your objectives, visit any UCPB branch near you or call the UCPB Trust Banking Group at (02) 8811-9515 and (02) 8811-9522.

IEMOP’s bright year as WESM operator

By Mark Louis F. Ferrolino, Special Features Writer

With its assumption of the operations of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) on Sept. 28, 2018, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) marked its first year with significant milestones and achievements. Despite some challenges, IEMOP was able to effectively carry out its mandate and laid down a good foundation for a bright future for the country’s power industry.

As IEMOP Corporate Communications Manager Eric Niño U. Louis shared in an interview with BusinessWorld, IEMOP’s first year journey was a combination of triumphs and challenges. It also involved the establishment of crucial programs and activities that would set up the rest of its milestones in the future, he said.

A new beginning

IEMOP’s assumption of WESM operations last year embodies the fulfillment of what the Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), requires — the transition of WESM operations from its governing body, the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC), to an independent market operator (IMO).

As an IMO, IEMOP carries out the mandate to pursue the WESM’s objective to have a transparent, fair, competitive, and reliable market for the trading of electricity throughout the country. It facilitates the registration and participation of generating companies, distribution utilities, directly-connected customers or bulk users, suppliers and contestable customers in the WESM; and manages the metering, billing, settlement and collection of spot trading amounts for the benefit of the market participants.

Moreover, IEMOP determines the hourly schedules of generating units that will supply electricity to the grid, as well as the corresponding spot market prices of electricity.

A progressive year

Although IEMOP has merely been operating WESM for a short span of time, it has accomplished a lot, igniting several initiatives in pursuit of competitive electric power industry.

Exactly a month after taking over the WESM operations, IEMOP was able to pay its loan with the state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) that was used for procuring the Market Management System (MMS), or the information technology-enabled trading platform, for the WESM.

In the matter of tax issues besetting the WESM and its participants, IEMOP sought for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Rulings. To address various outstanding issues, IEMOP recommended the issuance of revenue memorandum circulars and proposed its designation as withholding agent for expanded withholding tax for WESM transactions.

Meanwhile, to assess the readiness of WESM stakeholders for the implementation of the enhanced WESM design and the commercial operations of the new market systems, the Parallel Operations Program (POP) was launched last April.

In the course of POP, assessment of the results of the scheduling, pricing and settlement processes was performed, as well as the assessment of market operator’s performance.

IEMOP has also been actively involved in strengthening its stakeholder communication and engagement initiatives. It conducts consultation meetings with partner organizations and WESM members, which it called “Kapihan.” This has served as a good platform for IEMOP to share its latest activities as an IMO and discuss updates on market operations and the new market systems. At the same time, it has served as an avenue for the stakeholders to voice out market-related concerns and issues.

Last April, IEMOP also held the first-ever Market Participants Update (MPU), arranged to apprise participants on market outcome, system performance and recent developments as well as to create discourse on relevant policy and operational issues in the WESM.

These engagements are critical for IEMOP to gain feedback from participants and use them to emerge as a more reliable and customer-responsive market operator than ever before.

“We know that the challenges can be addressed by knowing what the actual challenges we are facing, knowing and understanding what our goals are, gauging participants’ satisfaction on current services, and engaging them to obtain feedback on how to improve our processes and systems,” Mr. Louis said.

Moreover, IEMOP has also embarked on some initiatives that contribute to the growth of the country’s education. Last June, for instance, it signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) for the Science Immersion Program (SIP) that equip the students with knowledge about the power industry and electricity market.

“We believe that IEMOP’s service is not limited to the industry, it also contributes to the growth of education of the country, at the same time, helping shape the future of our young and brilliant minds,” Mr. Louis said.

And as a testament to IEMOP’s unwavering commitment to uphold the culture of excellence, it has successfully fulfilled the requirements for certification of compliance with ISO 9001:2015 standard and ISO 27001:2013 standard.

A bright future ahead

Despite momentous milestones and achievements it has attained over the past year, IEMOP strives to improve the delivery of its services in the coming years by integrating technologies in its operations.

A significant part of this is the anticipated introduction of the new MMS and the Central Registration and Settlement System (CRSS), an enterprise system that serves as the main platform for the registration, metering and settlement processes of the WESM.

“So, we plan to have a more digital future. To use technology in our transactions, to streamline our processes by using user interfaces, thus, creating efficiency,” Mr. Louis said.

IEMOP, according to Mr. Louis, is also looking to introduce e-learning courses for trainings on its Web site, the development of a mobile application, and the utilization of cloud computing in its data exchanges.

“IEMOP will continue to become a partner of the trading participants and WESM stakeholders in ensuring the realization of EPIRA’s objectives to promote competition in the power industry by operating an independent market operator that pursues transparency, fairness and reliability in our market operations,” Mr. Louis said.

“Together with participants, we know that we will be able to achieve our objectives and we will be able to exceed their expectations. We will continue to strive and work hard to meet all of that — their needs, their requirements, and the EPIRA’s objectives. Of course, we will continue our relationship with the government and the entire power industry,” he added.

Early next year, IEMOP intends to formally operate WESM in Mindanao, which expected to provide the region a fairer and a more competitive electricity market.

Police: Vice President didn’t commit missteps

VICE President Maria Leonor G. Robredo did not commit “missteps” as President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s drug czar, Philippine police said yesterday, contradicting the presidential palace.

“We haven’t really noticed any report or missteps but in the continuing discussion, of course there is that exchange of ideas,” Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Brigadier General Bernard M. Banac told the ABS-CBN News Channel.

Mr. Duterte fired the opposition leader whom he put in charge of his deadly war on drugs late Sunday, days after her appointment. His spokesman Salvador S. Panelo earlier said Ms. Robredo “had it coming,” citing her missteps including meeting with officials of the United States Embassy and United Nations.

Philippine police have said they have killed about 6,000 people in illegal drug raids, many of them resisting arrest. Some local nongovernmental organizations and the national Commission on Human Rights have placed the death toll at more than 27,000.

PNP was open to Ms. Robredo’s suggestions so it can improve the campaign against high-value targets and promote community-based drug rehabilitation, Mr. Banac said in a separate statement.

Mr. Banac said five regions remained notorious for the illegal drug trade, namely Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Central Visayas and Western Visayas.

Also yesterday, Ms. Robredo’s co-head in the Duterte administration’s anti-drug drive yesterday dared her to divulge her findings on the campaign.

“I am personally encouraging VP Leni Robredo to make her revelations,” Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director-General Aaron Aquino said in a statement.

Mr. Aquino said he had no problem with the vice president reporting to the public what she had found out about the anti-drug campaign during her short stint.

Ms. Robredo had said she would reveal what she had uncovered while head of the Interagency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs.

Mr. Aquino said Ms. Robredo’s findings would help them improve the anti-illegal drug campaign.

Human Rights Watch on Monday criticized Mr. Duterte for firing the vice president “on ludicrous grounds.” It said the president was never even remotely sincere, and that his appointment of Ms. Robredo was a “total sham.”

Ms. Robredo this month said she had agreed to head the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign, if only to stop the killings. She accepted the post against the advice of many of her party mates, who said the appointment might be a trap.

The opposition leader has vowed to enforce the state’s anti-illegal drug campaign within the bounds of the law. She said she would treat the drug problem not only as a crime, but also as a health issue. — Emmanuel Tupas, Philippine Star

Permits fast-tracked for energy projects

THE DEPARTMENT of Energy (DoE) has certified four new projects as nationally significant, adding to its list of projects that will enjoy a faster permitting process under a law that seeks to ensure energy security in the country.

The department identified the four entities with newly issued certificates of energy project of national significance (EPNS) as Galoc Production Co., Energy Development Corp. (EDC), Therma Marine, Inc. and Philippine Geothermal Production Company, Inc.

The department said it had issued as of mid-August EPNS certificates to 140 projects. Additions to the list were certified between Aug. 19 and Sept. 20.

“Out of 297 accepted applications, 140 were certified,” it said, adding that 157 applications remain under evaluation.

Philippine Geothermal’s Mt. Malinao geothermal project was the latest to be certified on Sept. 20, although the DoE has yet to release details of the venture. The others are Therma Marine, which is developing a hybrid power facility; EDC, with its Mahanagdong geothermal brine optimization plant; and Galoc, which is developing an exploration field.

The DoE said it had so far received a total of 368 EPNS applications, of which 43% are under evaluation, 38% with EPNS issuance, and 19% notified of non-compliance with documentary requirements.

The issuance of the certificate for nationally significant projects is stipulated in Section 5 (a) of Executive Order (EO) No. 30 s. 2017, which intends to establish a simplified approval process and harmonize the relevant rules and regulations of all government agencies involved in the permitting process.

EO 30 was signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in June 2017, while the Energy department issued the implementing rules and regulations in April 2018. The law created the Energy Investment Coordinating Council, which came out with the guidelines on how energy-related projects can qualify.

During the pre-development phase, the certificate entitles project proponents to all the rights and privileges provided for under EO 30, including action on the application within 30 working days.

A certified project will also be accorded presumption of prior approval, that is, it is presumed to have already complied with requirements of and permits from other government permitting agencies.

It will be deemed approved if no action is made five days after the lapse of the 30 working-day period for processing of the application. — Victor V. Saulon

1...10,18410,18510,186...14,246Page 10,185 of 14,246
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube