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Baguio’s anti-profanity law at odds with free speech, says Panelo

THE SPOKESMAN of President Rodrigo R. Duterte yesterday said the anti-profanity ordinance recently passed by the Baguio City government is unlikely to stand constitutional scrutiny and is at odds with free speech. The office of Baguio City Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan reported on Oct. 27 the ratification of an ordinance, authored by Councilor Lilia A. Fariñas, “instituting an Anti-Profanity Ordinance in all schools, computer shops, arcades and other business establishments frequented by children, high school and/or college students in the city.” Sought for comment during a press briefing at the Palace on Nov. 8, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said, “You know, profane words are uttered in a moment of anger — so all of us do it. I don’t think I have not heard of anyone not cursing when one is angry.” Mr. Duterte habitually uses expletives during public speeches. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Court orders DoJ to comment on Trillanes motion

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) has been ordered by the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 148 to file its comment on the motion for partial reconsideration filed by Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV on his mutiny case.
Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony D. Fadullon confirmed in a text message that the prosecution has until Monday, Nov. 12, to file its comment/opposition against the appeal of Mr. Trillanes.
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra, also in a text message, said that the senator’s motion is up for hearing on Nov. 16 at 8:30 a.m.
This is in connection with the Oct. 22 order of Judge Andres B. Soriano denying the motion of the DoJ to issue an arrest warrant and hold departure order against Mr. Trillanes for his long dismissed non-bailable coup d’etat case over the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny.
On the other hand, Mr. Soriano also upheld the legality and constitutionality of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Proclamation No. 572, which declared as void from the beginning the amnesty granted to Mr. Trillanes as it is “purely an executive act.”
In his motion for partial reconsideration filed on Nov. 5, Mr. Trillanes said the proclamation is not intended as a mere declaration or proclamation “but is clearly intended as an instrument or devise to nullify and/or declare the nullity” of Proclamation No. 75, Series of 2010, which granted him the amnesty, and the dismissal of the case in Sept. 21, 2011.
“Needless to state, there is a necessity now to declare the illegality and/or unconstitutionality of Proclamation No. 572, Series of 2018…,” the motion read.
“To rule otherwise would be tantamount to giving the President the license or the power to reverse and/or set-aside any court decision at any time he pleases, years or even decades after the same have been rendered,” it added.
In an interview with the media after an Oct. 30 hearing, Reynaldo B. Robles, legal counsel of Mr. Trillanes, said the senator is mulling the filing of partial reconsideration as the executive department is trying to use Proclamation No. 572 to nullify a court decision that is already final.
“It is not allowed under the Constitution, it’s only the courts, particularly the Supreme Court and the lower courts, which could entertain cases for the annulment or nullification of previous court decision as well as presidential proclamations,” he said.
The prosecution filed on Oct. 26 an appeal on the denial of its motion for the arrest of Mr. Trillanes.
Makati City RTC Branch 150 on Sept. 25 issued a different decision and granted the motion of the DoJ to arrest the senator over the 2007 Manila Peninsula Siege.
Mr. Trillanes posted bail on the same day.
Mr. Trillanes’ motion for reception of evidence at Branch 150 has been submitted for resolution. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Several NAIA flights cancelled for navigational system transition

SEVERAL international and domestic flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) next week have been cancelled by airlines upon the request of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to give way to an air navigational system transition. In a statement on Thursday, CAAP said the affected flights are from Nov. 15 to 20. It said it asked local airlines and the Airport Coordination Australia (ACA) to reduce flights by at least four arrivals per hour from the usual 40 per hour for the transition. “The reduction of flights was decided as a safety measure as the old Manila ACC (area control center) radar, which has a limited capacity, undergoes a transition phase to the Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system, which can cover the whole country,” it said. The P10.8-billion new air traffic system, inaugurated in January, is expected to help reduce congestion in the country’s airspace and improve air traffic management safety. CAAP said the CNS/ATM system will benefit more than 40 airports in the country. — Denise A. Valdez

The rich list: Local officials admit inclusiveness is the challenge

OFFICIALS of provinces and cities named among the top 10 richest in the country in terms of assets have cheered their respective rankings, but at the same time acknowledged that the challenge remains on how to make wealth and government services more inclusive.
“(It) says a lot about the promising future of cities outside Luzon, especially the ones from Mindanao,” said Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio of Davao City, which placed 9th in the Commission on Audit’s (CoA) 2017 Financial Report released earlier this week.
The CoA list for cities was dominated by those in the National Capital Region, with seven in the top ten while the two others are Cebu (4th) and Calamba (10th).
The annual report covers the financial condition and operations of the government, its subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations and non-governmental entities subject to CoA audit.
“Despite this recognition, we are trying our hardest to ensure that we identify and reach those who are poor and take them out of poverty. Only then we can truly be happy about being a rich city,” Ms. Duterte said.
Compostela Valley (ComVal), also located in the Davao Region, made it to the list as the second richest province, next to Cebu.
ComVal Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy said the province is “extremely delighted about the news,” which has been described as “an unexpected inclusion.”
“This means that we have improved capacities to respond to the demands of our constituency. While this recognition may not be everything, but strong fundamentals such as high assets will help us in our desire to fully develop our province,” Mr. Uy wrote on his official Facebook page.
VISAYAS
In Cebu province, former governor and now 3rd District Representative Gwendolyn F. Garcia questioned if Cebuanos truly feel the wealth.
“Titles are empty if these do not translate to real and meaningful benefits for the people of Cebu,” said Ms. Garcia, who is running again for governor in next year’s election.
Governor Hilario P. Davide III shrugged off Ms. Garcia’s comments, describing it as baseless, and took a jab at questionable projects under her term that remain under litigation.
Mr. Davide’s ally, Vice Governor Agnes A. Magpale, who is running against Ms. Garcia next year, said she will continue to make Cebu number one if she wins.
She cited that the provincial government has been rolling out numerous projects and programs that benefit farmers and fisherfolk, as well as promoting development in more remote areas.
Meanwhile, in Cebu City, Vice Mayor Edgardo C. Labella said sustaining or improving the city’s ranking as fourth richest would require more efficient and prudent use of resources.
“It’s a welcome development, but more important than being declared as the fourth richest city is also for proper use of government resources to avoid wastage of public funds and resources,” Mr. Labella said.
Councilor Margarita L. Osmeña, chairperson of the council committee on budget and finance, said the challenge for officials is using the wealth such that it would trickle down to residents. — reports from Carmencita A. Carillo and The Freeman

DoE, EU launch green energy program for off-grid areas

THE Department of Energy (DoE) said on Thursday that it had partnered with the European Union (EU) to provide electricity to around 100,000 households in off-grid communities, including those in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
In a statement, the DoE said Energy Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella and the EU’s head of Development Cooperation, Enrico Strampelli, led the switch-on event for the solar power for electrification and livelihood projects on Thursday in Digos City, Davao del Sur.
The initiative will be undertaken through the Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (ASEP), for which the EU has set aside funding for projects such as electrification via renewable resources.
“The EU provided about €60 million grant to the Philippine government for the implementation of a program that would increase the share of indigenous and renewable sources in the energy mix and expand the access to electricity services in remote areas and populations and to pursue new energy efficiency strategies,” the DoE said.
The DoE said the switch-on ceremony at the Dasureco compound in Digos City represented the electrification of households in Sitio New Mabuhay and the thousands others in off-grid areas across the country.
“It also highlights the productive use of renewable energy for increased income generation in rural communities,” the DoE said.
Under ASEP’s photovoltaic (PV) mainstreaming program, about 40,500 solar home systems (SHS), each with a 50-watt peak capacity, will be installed in remote off-grid communities in various provinces in Mindanao.
To date, the SHS installation has been completed in Sitio New Mabuhay, Barangay Little Baguio in the Municipality of Malita, Davao del Sur. About 100 recipient households already benefit from the solar PV lighting.
Through the technical assistance of ASEP, a three-kilowatt solar PV system that powers two units of abaca spindle machines was also installed to show the economic opportunities in remote communities through renewable energy.
These installations in New Mabuhay represent an “electrification with livelihood,” approach for off grid areas, the DoE said.
ASEP, which is being carried out as a partnership between EU and the DoE, has other stakeholders, including the National Electrification Administration, Energy Regulatory Commission, National Power Corp., electric cooperatives and local governments.
Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said his department, along with partners and stakeholders, “will continue to explore more projects that will benefit our brothers and sisters in remote areas through innovative solutions.” — Victor V. Saulon

MIMAROPA MSMEs exceed trade fair target with P70M sales


MICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the MIMAROPA Region raked in P70 million in sales from the five-day 2018 Naturally Agri-trade and Tourism Fair last Oct. 17-21, surpassing its P50 million target. In a statement yesterday, the Department of Trade and Industry said the income made by MSMEs from the provinces of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan comprise of both cash and booked sales. In last year’s fair, the over 130 participating enterprises earned P47.9 million. DTI MIMAROPA Regional Director Joel B. Valera said buyers are starting to recognize and patronize more local goods made by MSMEs with the “intensified efforts” for product development and marketing. “By conducting trade fairs, MSMEs products would be able to reach buyers and clients from Metro Manila. This will really test the potential of the products of our MSMEs,” he said.

Nation at a Glance — (11/09/18)

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

Energized Bolts seek to complete quarters upset

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
LEFT with an opening to advance to the semifinals of the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup, the Meralco Bolts are out to make full use of it when they meet the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the rubber match of their quarterfinal tiff today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Successfully staved off elimination with a 90-74 victory on Wednesday, the Bolts, seeded seventh in the quarterfinals and carrying a twice-to-win handicap in the battle, are now fighting on equal footing with the second seeds Fuel Masters in their winner-take-all set for 7 p.m.
In winning the game and forcing a rubber match, Meralco used a solid third-quarter effort where it outscored Phoenix, 33-20, to turn a two-point deficit, 35-33, at the half to a 66-55 advantage entering the fourth period.
The Fuel Masters tried to rally back in the final quarter but had little success as they failed to hit their mark.
Import Allen Durham led the Bolts with 26 points and 14 rebounds with Chris Newsome adding 16 points.
Baser Amer had 14 points and six assists while Nino Canaleta and Mike Tolomia came off the bench to contribute nine points each.
It was the fifth straight victory for Meralco, stretching back from late in the classification phase that allowed it to enter the playoffs via the backdoor.
But while they are happy to live to fight another day, Meralco coach Norman Black said they are not out of the woods yet and that they have to stay ready and go for it as they believe Phoenix will make the adjustments and not just allow the Bolts to have an upset.
“It’s just one game and we need two. They fought very hard to get that twice-to-win advantage,” Mr. Black said.
“We just have to go out, try to win one more game to make it to the semifinals,” he added.
For Phoenix, it will try recalibrate after struggling from the field throughout the contest last time around.
Only two players managed to score in double-digits for the Fuel Masters — import Eugene Phelps who had 27 points and Calvin Abueva 18 — with the team collectively shooting just 30% (28-of-93) for the game.
The winner of the quarterfinal pairing between Phoenix and Meralco will face off with the Alaska Aces, who eliminated the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen, 96-85, also on Wednesday.
Alaska carried a twice-to-beat advantage but saw no need to use it as it went for the jugular at the first instance.
Meanwhile, playing in the other semifinals are the defending champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings and Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok in another “Manila Clasico” joust.
The semifinal round of the PBA Governors’ Cup, which will be a best-of-five affair, begins this weekend.

Unification bout headlines ONE Championship today

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
SINGAPORE — Top mixed martial arts bantamweight action headlines ONE Championship’s “Heart of the Lion” event today with the unification bout between reigning world champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes of Brazil and interim champ Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of the Philippines.
To happen at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the unification fight is a rematch of the fighters’ 2016 encounter but something Messrs. Fernandes and Belingon both see providing a whole new dynamic.
Mr. Fernandes (22-3) is out to stay on top of the heap in ONE’s bantamweight division, a place he has been at since 2013 when he seized the title.
He has taken all-comers and has successfully defended his belt seven straight times to date.
The Brazilian champion met Mr. Belingon in January of 2016 where he practically had his way, concluding the fight in the opening round by way of submission (kimura).
But while he had the number of the Filipino champion in their first meeting, Mr. Fernandes recognizes that he should know better than taking Mr. Belingon lightly considering how the latter has evolved significantly since they last fought.
“Kevin Belingon has improved immensely. I have seen him grow as a competitor over the past few years. I know that in our rematch, Kevin will be a completely different fighter,” said Mr. Fernandes as a word of caution even as many have him as a favorite to win anew.
He went on to say that he will come in for today’s title fight the only way he knows how to — a winner.
“I have held this world title for a long time, and I’m not about to give it up now. I am ready to go the full five rounds, but I am also ready to finish the bout by knockout or submission when the opportunity presents itself. I look forward to putting on a show this Nov. 9,” Mr. Fernandes said.
IMPORTANT FIGHT
Having successfully bounced back since he lost to Mr. Fernandes, Team Lakay’s Belingon now views his rematch as “the most important bout of my career.”
Baguio native Belingon (19-5) has racked up six straight victories since he was tripped by the Brazilian and he said the defeat taught him a lot and served as one of the inspirations for his ongoing ascent.
“This is the most important bout of my career. I have worked very hard for this. It has taken me years to reach this level, and I have learned so much as a martial artist and as a competitor since I first met Bibiano in 2016,” said Mr. Belingon.
“Since that loss, I have kept my focus on improving my skills and working to erase my weaknesses. Right now, I can confidently say how much I have improved. One of the biggest improvements is my ground game. I know he is a BJJ black belt, I have had the privilege of experiencing his grappling firsthand before. But now, I am better equipped to handle anything he throws at me. I am looking to end matters early, and I vow to become the undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion,” he added.
Incidentally, both Messrs. Fernandes and Belingon are coming off victories over a similar foe in world featherweight champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen.
Mr. Fernandes narrowly beat Mr. Nguyen, also the former lightweight champ, by split decision in March this year while Mr. Belingon won over the Vietnamese-Australian by unanimous decision in July.
STEPPING IN
Meanwhile, stepping in for the erstwhile main event of Heart of the Lion is the featherweight battle between Christian Lee of Singapore and Kazuke Tokudome of Japan.
The fight, serving as co-main event to Fernandes vs. Belingon, was a replacement for the supposed main event featuring the champion-against-champion clash between women’s strawweight champ “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nam of China and women’s atomweight champion Angela “The Unstoppable” Lee of Singapore for the former’s title.
Unfortunately, it was announced on Monday that the battle between Misses Xiong and Lee would not push through due to the back injury sustained by Ms. Lee late in training.
Other fights featured in Heart of the Lion include that between Girgio Petrosyan of Italy and Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy of Thailand in a kickboxing Super Series battle and women’s strawweight Tiffany Teo of Singapore versus Michelle Nicolini of Brazil.

MPBL: Super Crunch in tie-up with Makati team

THERE’S a reason why Super Crunch, a snack pack created down south, is making its presence felt in the metropolis and entering a partnership with Makati in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
“We noticed the MPBL and I talked to my dad like ‘why don’t we sponsor a basketball team’? We thought that MPBL is really growing and Makati is like a really good place. We’re strong in Visayas and Mindanao, but not in Luzon, I think Makati is a good place for us to start for exposure,” said Enrico Yap, who was delegated to head the marketing of the basketball affairs of Super Crunch. “We really pushed for the sponsorship of Makati.”
The partnership started on the right track as the Makati Super Crunch defeated the Zamboanga Valientes-Family’s Brand Sardines, 77-65.
The Super Crunch are currently running fourth in the tough northern division, carrying a 9-4 win-loss mark.
For Mr. Yap, he believes the MPBL is now catching up with the PBA and the concept has become really attractive for the common masses, which is the direct market of Super Crunch.
“Nothing against PBA, but they’ve been supporting companies. Here in MPBL, for example, Makati, you’re supporting Makati and the people of Makati. Makati is the business district, so it’s a good choice in our entry in the MPBL,” said Mr. Yap
Super Crunch, according to Mr. Yap, started by distributing the products to sari-sari stores.
“When the market was growing, we decided to come up with bigger packs. Before, we started with piso packs, small packs for kids. We were doing well in the Visayas and Mindanao and now we want to expand and bring it here in Luzon,” he added.
The partnership with Super Crunch means Makati had to ditch its old moniker of Skyscrapers, but that wouldn’t change the team’s objective.
“We’re ditching the old Skyscrapers moniker for Super Crunch, but our objective remains the same and that is to win the championship,” said team owner Paolo Orbeta.
For the players of Makati, the entry of Super Crunch brings nothing but positive vibes for the rest of the squad.
“We’ll be more motivated to win,” added ex-pro Rudy Lingganay, the premier point guard of the squad. “It means you always have to be on top of your game.”
Cedric Ablaza, a promising forward, agreed with Lingganay’s observation.
“It’s not only good for us, but it’s also good for our families because with Super Crunch, we’ll have a more sustainable campaign in the long season of MPBL,” said Ablaza. “This gives us added motivation to win.” — Rey Joble

Miesha Tate joins ONE Championship as its vice-president

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
SINGAPORE — After an illustrious career as a top and champion fighter, former women’s bantamweight champion Miesha “Cupcake” Tate is taking on a new challenge as an executive of ONE Championship.
Ms. Tate, a former champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Strikeforce, has joined Asia’s largest sports media property as its vice-president.
In an announcement made on Thursday, ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong said their group is very honored to have Ms. Tate onboard as besides her knowledge of mixed martial arts she also embodies what a true martial artist is.
“It is both an honor and a privilege to announce that women’s mixed martial arts world champion Miesha Tate will be joining ONE Championship as vice-president. Miesha has been an incredible pioneer for the sport, and has been an inspiration for many young men and women,” said Mr. Sityodtong in a statement.
“What impresses me most about Miesha is her humility, compassion, honor, and respect. Throughout her career, Miesha has always exemplified the deep-rooted martial arts values of integrity, humility, honor, respect, courage, discipline, and compassion. Not only is she a good friend, but I am proud to have her represent ONE Championship on a global scale. I look forward to welcoming Miesha to her new home in Singapore!” he added.
On the part of Ms. Tate, who was last seen in action in November 2016 in the UFC, she said being part of ONE is a journey she very much welcomes and looks forward to.
“I am thrilled to join ONE Championship as a vice-president. I truly believe in its mission of unleashing real-life superheroes who ignite the world with hope, strength, dreams, and inspiration. I’m honored to bring my experience as a world champion and to help inspire the next generation of athletes. And, of course, I am excited to relocate to my new home, Singapore, and travel throughout Asia!” Ms. Tate said in a separate statement.
Ms. Tate is the latest high-profile athlete to join ONE Championship following former world champions Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.
It also marks the continued shoring-up of ONE Championship as an organization and as a brand to go alongside strategic partnerships with various groups and expansion of its offerings.

Formula One racing welcomes newcomer Vietnam but older race hosts sweat on future

LONDON — Formula One welcomed Vietnam as its newest race on Wednesday while reminding some of the oldest, and British Grand Prix hosts Silverstone in particular, that they could take nothing for granted.
“We’re a 68-year-old entity and the nature of grand prix racing is that it is dynamic,” Formula One’s commercial managing director Sean Bratches said after it was announced that Hanoi will host a street race in April 2020.
“Silverstone was the first grand prix, but we haven’t raced at Silverstone all those 68 years. The race has been held at Brands Hatch and other venues,” he said in a Formula One question and answer.
“Nothing is immutable in this sport in terms of where we race,” he added when asked whether grands prix might be moved from their ‘traditional homes’ to a city street circuit elsewhere in the country.
Silverstone, owned by the British Racing Drivers’ Club, is out of contract after next year’s race having exercised a break clause for financial reasons and in the hope of negotiating a better deal.
Talks between the two sides remain ongoing.
The circuit has boasted sell-out crowds, with some 140,500 fans turning up on race day this year for a grand prix that is home for now-five times world champion Lewis Hamilton and a majority of the teams.
Bratches said the sport valued and wanted to keep the ‘heritage races’ — such as Silverstone, Spa and Monza — and recognized their importance to fans.
“But we are a business,” he added. “We are a public company and we have a lot of stakeholders and shareholders and we’re trying to marry what’s best for fans with running a successful business.”
Formula One has 21 races confirmed for 2019, but Germany’s Hockenheim will also be out of contract at the end of next season along with Italy’s Monza and Spain’s Circuit de Catalunya.
Vietnam is the first race contract negotiated by Liberty media since the US-based company took over Formula One’s commercial rights in January 2017 and ousted long-reigning supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Bratches said Hanoi fitted the new vision of the sport’s owners, with another street race in Miami also in the pipeline.
“One of the things we have been intensely focused on is extending grand prix racing to iconic cities, in downtown areas, where we can best engage fans,” he added.
“Most of our grands prix are currently half an hour to an hour outside cities, so this race in Hanoi fulfills one of our preliminary goals — an iconic city hosting racing on a potentially thrilling street circuit.
“Vietnam’s concept of what grand prix racing should be about matches our vision for the sport.” — Reuters

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