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San Beda Red Lions seek to extend NCAA Season 95 finals series

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

DOWN 0-1 in the best-of-three National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 final series, the defending champions San Beda Red Lions go for a bounce-back win in Game Two today at the Mall of Asia Arena to keep their reign alive and force the series to a sudden-death match.

Challenged greatly by the Letran Knights in the series opener on Nov. 12, the Lions just could not make the necessary plays down the stretch to slump to the narrow 65-64 defeat and fall behind in the series.

San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez lamented the missed opportunity in Game One but is not completely down on his team, believing that his wards have what it takes to rebound and get their title defense back on track.

“The players just have to believe in themselves. This team is very young and this is the finals. Having a perfect slate in the eliminations may have caught up with them. This serves as a lesson for us,” said Mr. Fernandez, whose team nearly sat out for a month after completing a sweep of the elimination round.

Guard Evan Nelle top-scored for the Lions with 20 points but only had one assist, considerably down from his 6.7 dimes average in the tournament.

James Canlas and season most valuable player Calvin Oftana had 11 points each while foreign student athlete Donald Tankoua had seven points and 13 rebounds.

As a team, San Beda shot only 30.2% from the floor in Game One, and just 15% from beyond the arc.

For Letran, while it is happy with the win and going ahead in the series, it knows too well than celebrating early, vowing to continue to work to complete its championship goal and be in a place it has not been in since Season 91.

“We are happy with the win. But it’s not yet over. Hopefully the players would not feel overconfident after this win and continue to work hard for us to achieve our championship goal,” said Letran coach Bonnie Tan after their Game One victory.

Graduating guard Bonbon Batiller led the Knights in Game One with 12 points with fellow veterans Jerrick Balanza and Fran Yu adding 10 points each.

Big men Jeo Ambohot and Larry Muyang, meanwhile, had nine and seven points, respectively.

San Beda is looking for NCAA title number 23, and 11th in the last 13 years, while Letran is seeking its 18th title.

Zlatan the Conqueror to leave LA Galaxy in 2020

LOS ANGELES — Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not return to the LA Galaxy for the 2020 MLS season, the team said in a statement on Wednesday.

The 38-year-old Swedish striker tallied 52 goals and 17 assists in 53 starts for the Galaxy, the team he joined in March 2018 from Manchester United.

The charismatic Ibrahimovic, who has also played for some of Europe’s biggest clubs including Barcelona, Juventus, Paris St. Germain, Inter Milan and AC Milan, said he was leaving Los Angeles on a high note.

“I came, I saw, I conquered,” Ibrahimovic wrote on Twitter.

“Thank you @lagalaxy for making me feel alive again. To the Galaxy fans — you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan,” he said.

“You are welcome. The story continues … Now go back to watching baseball.”

Despite Ibrahimovic being the highest-paid player in the league, pocketing $7.2 million for the 2019 campaign, the Galaxy won just one playoff game in his two seasons.

The team fell to crosstown rivals LAFC 5-3 in the MLS Cup conference semifinals last month.

He was the team’s top goal scorer both seasons and was twice named in the MLS Best XI list.

Few had expected him to return for a third season with his contract expiring at the end of the year and it is unclear what is next for Ibrahimovic, who has been linked in media reports with returns to AC Milan and Manchester United.

“We would like to thank Zlatan for his contributions to the LA Galaxy and Major League Soccer,” LA Galaxy President Chris Klein said in a statement, which described the decision as mutual.

“Since his arrival in 2018, Zlatan has positively influenced the sport of soccer in Los Angeles. We are grateful for his work ethic and passion. We thank Zlatan for his professionalism and immeasurable impact on the Los Angeles community and the soccer community in North America as a whole.” — Reuters

Ex-Arsenal boss Wenger joins FIFA as global development chief

LONDON — Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been appointed as FIFA’s new chief of global football development, with the Frenchman set to oversee the growth of the sport plus technical matters, soccer’s world governing body said on Wednesday.

The 70-year-old was recently linked with the Bayern Munich job following the sacking of Niko Kovac but said that while he was approached he was never a candidate for the job.

Wenger will be the leading authority on technical matters on FIFA’s Football and Technical Advisory Panels involved in the International Football Association Board (IFAB) review and decision-making process on potential changes to the game’s laws.

He will also be the chair of a technical study group.

“I look forward to taking on this important challenge, not only because I have always been interested in analyzing football from a broader perspective but also because FIFA’s mission… is truly global,” Wenger said in the FIFA statement.

“I believe that the new FIFA we have seen emerging in recent years has the sport itself at the heart of its objectives and is determined to develop the game in its many different components. I know I can contribute to this objective and will put all my energy into this.”

Wenger will also focus on educating coaches and contribute to the development of an executive programme that will help former professionals enter management.

Wenger left Arsenal in May last year after a reign of 22 years during which he redefined the Premier League club and became their most successful manager. — Reuters

Columbian Dyip out to strengthen PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinal assault

WITH its spot in the quarterfinals of the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup anything but assured at this point, the Columbian Dyip seek to help their cause by notching a win today against the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in league action at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

At joint seventh place with two other teams with a 4-6 record, the Dyip are out to make the most of their final game of the elimination round and book the win that they hope would be enough for them to secure a place in the next phase of the season-ending PBA tournament.

Columbian has lost back-to-back games entering today’s contest, the last one against the Meralco Bolts, 92-74, on Nov. 8.

The Dyip competed hard versus the Bolts but just sputtered in the end on their way to the defeat.

Rookie CJ Perez led the way for Columbian in said game, finishing with 21 points.

Import Khapri Alston, meanwhile, had a double-double of 19 points and 16 boards for the Dyip.

“If win against Ginebra it will be a big help for our playoff cause, But if we play like we did today against Ginebra it will be difficult for us to advance. We have to play our best and as team,” said Columbian coach John Cardel after their last game.

Looking to frustrate the Dyip are the Kings (6-3), who are already in the quarterfinals but are out to build momentum heading into the playoffs.

Barangay Ginebra are coming off a big 96-93 win over the TNT KaTropa in its last game on Nov. 8.

Japeth Aguilar had a huge game of 29 points and 10 rebounds, with import Justin Brownlee adding 24 points, 16 rebounds and six assists.

LA Tenorio had 19 points and Stanley Pringle 14 for the Kings, who are angling to stay in the top four in the race to earn the twice-to-beat advantage which goes with it in the quarterfinals.

Also playing today are also-rans Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters (2-8) and Blackwater Elite (2-8) in the 4:30 p.m. curtain-raiser. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Araneta eyes national U-17 tourney in ’20

WITH A big global brand expected to back the country’s professional football league in the next three years, Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta vowed to come up with more programs that will benefit age-group players in the future.

Araneta said the impending sponsorship of Qatar Airways to the Philippines Football League will allow the PFF to allot funds for a national Under-17 tournament starting next year.

“We want to start the Under-17 tournament next year,” he said, noting that the PFF had also begun holding a national Under-15 tournament this year that is now in its final stages.

“We really have a lot of football activities coming in and I want to see that this is being implemented properly. We are not neglecting players in the age-group level. In fact, we have been revitalizing our grassroots program to find more homegrown talents in the country.”

On top of the national Under-17 tournament, Araneta said the PFF will also hold Under-16 and Under-18 regional tournament for girls as part of its thrust to develop women’s football. The PFF chief hopes these tournaments will lead to improved performances for the age-group teams in international tournaments.

Araneta is seeking a fresh term as PFF president in the coming elections on Nov. 29. He reportedly has the backing of 25 of the 32 regional football association representatives when he announced his candidacy in Bacolod City, the hometown of presidential hopeful, Ricky Yanson.

POC to host gabs of regional leaders on women in sports

THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is hosting back-to-back women in sports business functions on Nov. 27 and 28 in La Bella Boutique Hotel, Tagaytay City.

Topnotch women leaders from the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the 11 Southeast Asian countries are converging to revisit the state and challenges facing women and sports, and to discuss groundbreaking solutions and initiatives for this sector.

The Southeast Asian NOC Women in Sports Summit is a high-level roundtable sharing and discourse about women in sports. Delegates to the summit will be welcomed by Mayor Agnes Tolentino, the wife of POC President Abraham Tolentino. Mikee Cojuangco, who is the Philippine representative to the IOC, will share updates on the IOC Olympic Solidarity programs, and initiatives on women and sports. Meanwhile, Philippine government initiatives on women and sports will be shared by Commissioner Celia Kiram of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Participating in this high-level gathering are Myanmar’s president of Women and Sports Federation, Khin Khin Lay, and its vice president Yi Yi Win. They will be joined by two other women leaders in sports in Myanmar. Also attending is the head of the Malaysian NOC Women in Sports Dato’ Paduka Mumtaz Jaffar, together with its member Nurul Huda Abdullah. NOC Secretary Grace Ching of Singapore, will be joined by the two top heads of NOC Cambodia, Prak Somphas and Srey Sivleng. Laos will be represented by Chittakone Chanthamalin from the country’s NOC Women in Sports Committee. The full participation of all members of the host NOC Women in Sports Committee is expected to make the consultations and workshop more exciting.

In same venue, the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) members are converging to discuss the role, participation and chances of women in sports in the 30th SEA Games. SEAGF Chairperson Karen Caballero of the Philippines is presiding this meeting.

GM Antonio outlasts Canadian foe in World Seniors

FILIPINO Grandmaster (GM) Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. (elo 2427) outlasted Canadian David Filipovich (elo 2050) in 39 moves of Caro-Kann defense using the white pieces in the second round of the FIDE World Seniors 2019 Chess Championships Wednesday held at the Rin Grand Hotel in Bucharest, Romania.

The win enabled the 57 years old Calapan City, Oriental native Antonio to raise his score to 1.5 points in two outings in the 50-and-above category.

The Quezon City-based Antonio now shares 22nd to 45th placers that includes compatriot International Master (IM) Angelo Young (elo 2288), who was held to a draw by the Romanian Gabriel Dobrescu (elo 1888) in 41 moves of Old Indian defense.

“It’s still a long way to go,” said eighteenth-seed Antonio, who placed second in the 2017 edition of the event held in Acqui Terme, Italy.

Antonio’s trip is sponsored by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by its chairman/president rep. Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chair and CEO Andrea Domingo, Prage Ma-nagement Corp., Xavier School and Mr. Roger Py of Gibi Shoes.

“GM (Rogelio) Joey (Antonio) beat Canadian David Filipovich in Round 2. Praise God for this victory,” said Abraham “Abe” Tecson, a close confidant of Antonio, an alumni batch 73 of Xavier School in San Juan City.

In the 65-and-over section, Fide Master (FM) Cesar Caturla (elo 2276) defeated Italian Fide Master (FM) Giuseppe Valenti (elo 1982) in 49 moves of an English Opening.

Caturla, a member of the Philippine team to the 1976 Haifa (Israel) Chess Olympiad tallied 1.5 points.

In Round 3, Antonio will meet Fide Master (FM) Dale R. Haessel (elo 2128) of Canada, Young will slug it out with International Master (IM) Chan Peng Kong (elo 2123) of Singapore while Caturla goes up against Roland Mayer (elo 2078) of Germany. — Marlon Bernardino

Fighting Nadal

Rafa Nadal was on the verge of a loss, and, as he admitted in the aftermath, considering that he would shortly be leaving the court. “In that moment, what you think is probably in five minutes, you are in the locker room,” he recounted. He was down 1-5 and 30-40 in the deciding set, and, facing a determined Daniil Medvedev, figured the end was near. He hadn’t exactly been playing well, and he was realistic enough to consider a second straight setback. Yet, if there was anything he could also count on doing, it was fighting for every point with the contest still in doubt.

Which was exactly what Nadal did. In part, it helped that he was serving; after saving match point with a sterling drop shot, he closed out the game and thus put pressure on Medvedev to consolidate the upset. In larger measure, it helped that he was, well, himself; he managed to build momentum and strung together five more games before being forced into a tiebreaker. By then, though, the outcome was practically decided. As the would-be winner turned vanquished noted, “Rafa fought his best, because he could just say ‘OK, it’s over at 5-1 and just give me the point,’ but we all know Rafa is not about this.”

Nadal’s umpteenth escape kept him alive at the ATP Finals and still in contention to claim the top of the world rankings by the turn of the year. It’s bad news for the competition, certainly, and not just because he appears to be rounding into form. Heading into the season-ending tournament in London, he found his fitness stunted by an injury that hitherto had him withdrawing from the Paris Masters. His rust was especially apparent in his opener against defending champion Alexander Zverev, during which he committed error after error, lost serve three straight times, and lasted just 83 minutes before bowing out two and four.

Up next for Nadal is Stefanos Tsitsipas, always dangerous but against whom he has claimed four of five meetings. Needless to say, his road to success will likewise be dependent on how the scheduled match between fellow powerhouses Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer plays out. In any case, there can be no counting him out until, as Medvedev can attest, he actually is.

 

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.

Facebook highlights its community-building tools in global workshop series

Social media has become a huge part of the daily routine of Filipinos. They spend the most time on social media daily, logging in 4 hours and 5 minutes when the global average is 2 hours and 23 minutes. And while these platforms were originally created for social purposes, they’ve also evolved into indispensable tools for different kinds of organizations.

Take businesses on Facebook, for example. 50 million users in the country are connected to local enterprises on the platform alone. It’s also building bridges to other shores: 40 million Filipinos are connected to businesses in other countries while 110 million people outside the Philippines are connected to those in our country.

To help further this growth, the social media giant developed Facebook Community Boost.

Equipment and education

Facebook Community Boost is a global initiative that aims to educate enterprises and organizations on their platform’s tools and learning resources, teaching how to best utilize them for optimal reach and growth. They also share content that touches on important topics such as digital marketing and digital literacy and safety.

The latest leg was held last October 23 to 25 in Grand Hyatt Manila, with separate days dedicated to government, non-government organizations, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Two sessions were previously held in Cebu and Negros Oriental last September, while the next and final leg will be held in Davao on November 22.

“We teach them to grow their audience organically first: the different functions and tools, setting up the profile picture, completing the information about their business,” said Philip Felipe, executive director and COO of online education platform Bayan Academy, an organizational partner of the Facebook Community Boost program.

“Then they get a bit aggressive. Once they become familiar with the tools, they start asking about launching ads. It’s very economical for them; a very customized package for them.”

Beyond sales and likes

Some of Facebook’s partners shared how they were able to utilize Facebook’s tools in order to better connect with their audiences. Jalen Elarmo from the social media literacy project #SML (So Much Love), which won Digital Youth Summit 2018, discussed how My Day (Facebook’s equivalent to Instagram’s Stories) allows them to effectively communicate their internal developments.

“With the given length [of each post] on My Day, it’s just enough for the attention span of our audience, which is 15 to 18 years old,” he said.

Life coach and entrepreneur Celia Alamo Jacob, who also owns coworking space Brownroots Brews, uses Facebook Live during activities for audiences who couldn’t make it to the physical venue.

“Once you finish recording, you can share it to your community again, and the learning never ends,” she said. “The moment we share something about what we learned from a specific workshop, we then share it to another community who needs it the most.”

For budding entrepreneurs in Alamo’s community, they’re able to receive motivation and draw support from each other.

“They’re very creative and skilled, but then again, to start a business, they would want someone to guide them,” she said. “Every time somebody is afraid to do something, we just have a buddy to help them in the community.”

It also empowers communities, such as the youth, to express themselves with confidence. When #SML was tasked with holding a webinar for teachers and cybersecurity officers, it was initially daunting for its young members. But they quickly rose to the challenge.

“We proved that you are never too young. And we showed that young people can also be a role model to people,” said Elarmo.

Techtonic Summit welcomes 10,000 attendees to largest tech conference in the country

Techtonic Summit is back – bigger and better this 2019 as they stage the largest tech conference in the country.

This year’s theme, Festival of Innovation, celebrates Philippine innovation and ever-growing startup culture. With 10,000 attendees, 200+ partners, and exhibitors, and over 50 startups, this year’s “Festival of Innovation” spans two days from November 15 to 16, 2019 at SMX Convention Center Aura.

Since 2017, the summit has created a space for startups, stakeholders, and key figures to come together and share ideas, technology, and expertise from all over Southeast Asia. In the past two years since, they’ve had almost 15,000 attendees – a testament to the burning flame of the Philippine startup ecosystem.

This year is an even bigger event featuring two stages: the Main Summit Stage, and the Startup Stage.

The main event of Techtonic Summit is the Ring of Fire Pitching Competition, where budding startups throughout Southeast Asia get a chance to pitch to a curated group of local and global investors and potential partners for a chance to win a cash prize of $10,000, a slot in CNN’s The Final Pitch, and more.

“Techtonic is really meant to be an inclusive platform to celebrate how far we’ve come in championing tech startups and innovation in the country,” said Alea Ladaga, managing director of Techtonic Summit 2019. “The event is made to make noise and shine the spotlight on the PH and our talents vis a-vis the rest of Southeast Asia. Our successful two-year run is a testament to that.”

Aside from startup pitches and exhibits showcasing the newest advancements in the business world, the summit boasts panel discussions with some of the most accomplished professionals in Asia. Guests can expect countless avenues to grow their networks, establish their business presence, and learn from both fellow guests and veritable giants from the corporate, academic, media, and government industries.

With the theme Festival of Innovation, Techtonic Summit celebrates not just the advancements of the industry, but the passion, drive, and joy that continues to move communities of technology and business onward.

The Ring of Fire Pitching Competition Finalists are:

1. Agrabah
2. Autoserved
3. Burket
4. ECFULFILL
5. Experience Philippines
6. Gasmee
7. Jungle
8. Last Mile
9. MedHyve
10. Olivia
11. Omnirio
12. Pandalivery
13. Raven
14. RentalBee
15. Secuna
16. Transitflix
17. Urban Greens
18. Veer
19. Washub
20. Wizher

For more details, reach them through the summit website or their number at 0917 834 4978.

VP meets with US officials on drug war

VICE-PRESIDENT Maria Leonor G. Robredo yesterday met with United States Embassy officials to talk about how the US could help the country’s anti-illegal drug campaign, she said in a statement.

Officials from the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the State Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation and US Agency for International Development gave a “comprehensive briefing,” Ms. Robredo said.

“They signified their full support and cooperation in our campaign against illegal drugs,” Ms. Robredo, the opposition leader whom President Rodrigo R. Duterte put in charge of his administration’s war on drugs, said in Filipino. “As a friend of the Philippines, they will do everything so we will succeed in this fight.”

Ms. Robredo last week vowed to enforce the state’s anti-illegal drug campaign “within the bounds of the rule of law.” She said she would treat the drug problem not only as a crime, but also as a health issue.

The vice-president has repeatedly cited the need to re-assess the government strategy against illegal drugs given the rising number of drug dependents.

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.

“All of them shared their programs in the Philippines in connection with the campaign against illegal drugs,” Ms. Robredo said of the US officials.

The parties also talked about the deficiencies in the drug war and how the US could help in beefing up the campaign, Ms. Robredo said.

Among those discussed yesterday was the possibility of changing the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act to ensure it is still in keeping with the times, Ms. Robredo said.

The government might also have to boost its program for drug use prevention and community-based rehabilitation, she said.

Also yesterday, police Officer-in-Charge Lieutenant General Archie Francisco Gamboa said they would discuss with Ms. Robredo their strategy against illegal drugs.

Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra for his part said he did not want Ms. Robredo to join police anti-illegal drug operations because these could endanger her.

A proposal for police to use body cameras for transparency in raids would suffice to know what happens in operations, he told reporters yesterday. The Justice chief also said her presence could distract law enforcers.

Ms. Robredo last week said she had agreed to head the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign, if only to stop the killings.

The vice-president accepted the post against the advice of many of her party mates, who said the appointment might be a trap. — Charmaine A. Tadalan and Vann Marlo M. Villegas with Emmanuel Tupas, Philippine Star

Drug agency seizes P3.4M of crystal meth

AGENTS of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested a suspected drug pusher in Quezon City yesterday and seized P3.4 million worth of crystal meth, it said in a statement.

The woman was arrested after she sold drugs to an anti-narcotics officer posing as a buyer at the parking lot of a mall in the village of Pasong Putik shortly after noon, said Joel Plaza, the agency’s National Capital Region director.

Authorities confiscated about 500 grams of crystal meth or shabu in transparent plastic bags from the lady, he said. She is facing charges of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Meanwhile, police arrested four drug suspects and seized eight grams of shabu worth P54,400 in a raid in the village of Baesa on Tuesday afternoon, Colonel Ronnie Montejo, acting director of the Quezon City Police District, said in a separate statement.

The four were among the 22 persons arrested for drug-related offenses in Quezon City in the past two days, he said.

In Pasig City, police arrested two people in a buy-bust operation in Kapasigan Village and seized 0.2 gram of shabu worth P1,360. — Emmanuel Tupas, Philippine Star

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