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Assessment

“Gilas holds off Iran to give World Cup bid a boost.’ Had the head and lead ready with seven minutes left… then found myself backspacing and backspacing some more… ”
Thus read part of my Face book post on Monday night as I sat at the media tribune of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The post was prompted after seeing national team Gilas Pilipinas collapse in the end game against Iran in their key Group F match and slump to a 78-70 loss.
The defeat was telling as it dropped the Philippines to fourth place in the grouping with a 5-5 record and is now at risk of missing the World Cup bus altogether with just two games left on its plate in the qualifiers.
As per tournament format, only the top three teams in the two merged groupings advance to the 2019 Basketball World Cup in China.
The Philippines currently sits behind Australia (9-1), Iran (7-3) and Japan (6-4) in the standings in Group F.
More telling in the defeat of Gilas at the hands of Iran was the manner with which the nationals lost.
They were up there in the match and actually had the Iranians on the ropes, especially with big men Rouzbeh Arghavan and Meisam Mirzaei already fouled out with still a lot of time in the fourth period.
But instead of charging ahead, Gilas regressed, falling to one too many miscues and failing to capitalize on the opportunities presented to it to win the game.
Interestingly, the same could be said in its last game against Kazakhstan on Nov. 30 where the Philippines lost, 92-88.
In the aftermath of the shutout of Gilas in its home stand in the fifth window of the qualifiers, coach Yeng Guiao underscored the need to assess thoroughly the Gilas program, particularly on having a permanent national team which will have ample time to prepare and have international exposure.
Doing so, Guiao said, would afford sustainability and stability of the program moving forward.
“As good as these [Gilas] players are, you know if a team is mature or not. It’s going to show in the way you play your game under pressure and I felt when we were under pressure, our maturity didn’t show and that’s a function of time together and seeing and experiencing adversity, which we didn’t have enough of,” Guiao said in the postgame press conference after the game versus Iran as he underscored his point for an assessment.
Seeing how it went for Gilas in its last two matches, this space surely supports the call for another assessment of the national team.
It was surely an eye-opener.
I mean, the tournament was already in the fifth window and yet the steadiness you would expect from the team was not there.
Of course, along the way there were a lot of things that had happened, foremost of which was the infamous brawl with Australia in July that resulted in majority of Gilas being suspended for numbers of games and pushing the team to make a myriad of changes.
But still, playing at home and for the most part at a good position to come away with victories, one just could not help but feel that we missed out on our chances and would love to have those back.
Whether the Philippines gets to qualify in the 2019 World Cup remains to be seen but no doubt the called-for assessment has to happen.
Such would go a long way not only in the qualifiers but more so in the future tournaments that the nationals will be competing in.
Make this happen. Laban Pilipinas!
 
Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.
msmurillo@bworldonline.com

Mixed signals

Fred Hoiberg was doomed to fail from the start. It certainly didn’t help that he latched on to the Bulls’ head coaching position under the weight of great expectations. The previous occupant of the hot seat was no less than the highly regarded Tom Thibodeau, and president of hoops operations John Paxson and general manager Gar Heard, who handpicked him for the job, expected him to do better. They plucked him from Iowa State, impressed with the success of his pace-and-space system and figured he could make it work for the red and white.
Needless to say, Hoiberg was gung-go and confident that he would live up to billing. There was just one problem, however. He didn’t have the right personnel at his disposal. Instead of players placing a premium on movement in pursuit of the best-possible shot at the most opportune time, he took charge of a cacophony of veritable black holes who preferred to dribble the air out of the ball and compete on their own terms. He asked for the right people, got anything but from Paxson and Heard, and was thus forced to compromise.
Hoiberg changed his outlook. He didn’t want to, but he was forced to. Outwardly, he continued to preach the very principles that endeared him to his employers in the first place. Unfortunately, practical considerations coupled with mixed signals painted him in a corner. He managed to last three full seasons and change with the Bulls, with his roller-coaster ride reflecting as much his failings as those whose orders he had to follow. At times, he was asked to preside over tank jobs in an apparent rebuild. At others, he got the impression that a playoff berth took precedence.
So, yes, Hoiberg underperformed, and to the point where a different voice needed to be heard. That said, the timing is suspect at best. He could have been given the pink slip before the start of the season, when a fresh perspective would have received the benefit of training camp. Instead, he got it after a predictable swoon borne of injuries to vital cogs had the Bulls scraping the bottom of the barrel. In his place is erstwhile assistant Jim Boylen, who, at the very least, can count on a healthy foundation-for-the-future Lauri Markkanen from here on.
In any case, the Bulls don’t look headed anywhere else but the lottery. In firing Hoiberg, Paxson, and Forman gave the impression that they’re out to win. Indeed. Everyone should be. The question is when, and if they know what’s good for the cause, it should be then and there and not here and now. Given the utter dominance of the usual suspects, the middle is precisely where they don’t want to find themselves in. And yet the middle is where they seem to be casting moist eyes on. Too bad.
 
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

Refreshed, re-imagined:Bentley Manila showroom opens in BGC

Text and photos by Kap Maceda Aguila

A CAR showroom isn’t, and shouldn’t be, solely about selling cars, and premium luxury marque Bentley Motors subscribes to this way of thinking.
Averred Bentley Manila managing director Christopher Chan: “The brand is not just about cars… It’s also a lifestyle, and our showroom should mirror that lifestyle through a comfortable space for customers.”
Concurred the Bentley Motors Asia Pacific director Katya Zavialova: “The showroom should draw you in to spend time with the brand.”
Carving out a reputation for both opulence and heightened performance since its inception in 1919, Bentley has always looked after all facets of its image which, again, extends beyond the actual vehicles the company makes. “Through the years, the brand has epitomized luxury, innovation and excellence. In keeping with these values, the world-class showroom bears sophisticated design and effortless elegance, showcasing a space with a bespoke and uniquely British feel,” said the company in a news release.
Bentley’s new Manila showroom in Bonifacio Global City is bright and inviting — illuminated by sunlight filtering through its glass walls. It is cool and comfortable within the 250-square-meter-plus space, which can accommodate three cars. Bentley Manila also showcases the re-imagined corporate identity initiated by the brand two years ago, and which it rolled out starting 2017.
“Before, there used to be a lot of wood,” explained Ms. Zavialova to BusinessWorld. “We’d have wooden floors, green walls, green furniture… It just needed a refresh or uplift.” There’s nothing facetious about the facelift either, as the executive maintained it’s about “taking the brand into the 21st century.” At the “configuration area” is a white round table with four swivel chairs. Swatches of leather and other materials adorn a white display panel, while a flat-screen TV hangs from a light-hued wooden panel. Adjacent to this space is a lounge which allows the customers to do some reading while perhaps sipping on some coffee or even whisky. A wood-framed cabinet displays Bentley lifestyle items such as branded shirts, jackets, caps, luggage, and other paraphernalia.
As one would correctly guess, this deliberate refresh means relevancy to a new generation of wealthy, discriminating and younger car buyers — which actually reflects not only a planned direction, but one which is already happening.
Bentley is not averse to the use of technology when it can enhance the experience. For instance, tablets have made their way onto the scene of the point of sale. Again, change doesn’t come for its own sake. There’s always good reason and rational thinking behind it.
What makes a Bentley a Bentley will never be sacrificed — such as the tactile experience afforded its customers in pursuit of customized perfection. “Traditional Bentley comes in via a bespoke configuration area which is regularly updated to make sure we showcase all our samples. The digital aspect is in using the configurator, although [we want to make it about] touching, feeling, smelling,” underscored Ms. Zavialova.
NEW CONTINENTAL GT CONVERTIBLE
Meanwhile, Bentley last week took the wraps off the all-new Continental GT Convertible, which further bolsters its reputation for designing and producing much-coveted grand tourers. Said Bentley Motors chairman and chief executive Adrian Hallmark in a news release: “We have been building luxury Grand Tourers since the company was founded in 1919 and, as we approach our centenary year, the Continental GT Convertible joins a highly acclaimed range — arguably the strongest and most technologically advanced portfolio of products the world has ever seen in one luxury brand.”
Powered by a 6.0-liter W12 engine mated to a dual-clutch eight-speed transmission, the convertible accesses 626hp and 900Nm to post a standstill-to-100kph time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 333kph.
The British automaker revealed the tailored convertible roof can be deployed or stowed in just 19 seconds even with the car moving at speeds of up to 50kph. “This transforms the Continental GT Convertible from a luxurious coupe into an open-top grand tourer at the touch of a button. Seven different fabric hood colors are available, including an authentic tweed finish for the first time.”
The vehicle introduces new features within, such as a more advanced, fully digital, driver-focused instrument panel and Bentley Rotating Display — the latter predicated on a 12.3-inch touch screen housed in a three-sided unit, which revolves from pure veneer to reveal either a touch screen or three analog dials.
Mr. Chan anticipates the Continental GT Convertible to be available locally late in the third quarter of 2019.

This is the new Porsche 911

WHILE there were not many details supplied regarding the eighth-generation Porsche 911 — the 992 — which was introduced at the ongoing Los Angeles Auto Show, information made available points to a more powerful and “digitized” car. This means that complementing the new 911’s expectedly evolutionary styling are major changes beneath the sheet metal. Here are key features of the 992:
• Porsche Communication Management now has a 10,9-inch touch screen panel integrated into the dashboard, evoking the instrument layout of 911s from the 1970s.
• Online navigation feature of Porsche Communication Management relies on swarm data.
• “Road Trip” app provides information on curated routes, hotel and restaurant recommendations, and points of interest; “360+” app functions as a personal lifestyle assistant to 911 owners; “Impact” app calculates the financial contributions that Porsche customers can pay internationally certified eco-preservation projects — wind, hydro and solar power, and forest protection among them — to offset their CO2 footprint.
• Wet mode comes as standard. The function detects water on the road, preconditions control systems, and warns the driver about it. The warning and brake assist systems also detect potential collisions with moving objects and initiate emergency braking if necessary.
Porsche 911 2
• Night Vision Assist uses a thermal imaging camera to assist the driver when visibility is poor.
• Adaptive cruise control can keep the car’s distance from the vehicle it is following. It works in stop-and-go traffic, too.
• A front end that’s 45 millimeters wider, door handles that pop out electrically (but remain flush when not needed), deep recess between LED headlamps that evoke early 911s, a wide variable-position rear spoiler, and a full-width light bar define a redesigned body that’s mostly made up of aluminum.
• Wider wheel housings arch over the 20-inch front wheels and 21-inch rear wheels.
• Carrera S and all-wheel drive Carrera 4S propelled by turbocharged flat-six engine that makes 30hp more — or 444hp — than that in the 991.2 which the 992 replaced. Credit here goes to better injectors and a revised layout for the turbocharger. The engine is matched to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Nissan Formula E car stars in Nismo Festival


THE Nissan e.dams Formula E car served as one of the main attractions at this year’s edition of Nismo Festival, held on Dec. 1-2 at the Fuji International Speedway. Enthusiasts of Nismo — or Nissan Motorsports — products were able to see the electric street racing car on the track, as well as up close, during the event.
The Formula E car was featured in the Nissan EV show, which also displayed some of the brand’s electric-powered models. The EV race car is set to make its Formula E debut on Dec. 15 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The car maker said the Formula E car “represents the performance side of Nissan Intelligent Mobility,” or what it explained is the “company’s vision for changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated into society.”
Nissan in Tokyo also named its Formula E team drivers for the upcoming fifth season of the race series — Sebastien Buemi and Oliver Rowland.
Along with the EV display, the Nismo Festival also featured the annual Z-challenge race, the Nissan Historic exhibition race, an historic car demo run, and the annual Nismo GP, in which cars from both Super GT and Super Taikyu series took part. The 21st annual fan appreciation day was held, too. More than 50 cars that have competed globally and in Japan — rally cars from the 1950s to the 1980s, prototype cars from the 1990s, and current GT cars — appeared during the event.

Kymco debuts ‘smart’ scooter in PHL


A SCOOTER with smartphone navigation connectivity heads Taiwanese motorcycle-maker Kymco’s latest products in the Philippines.
Launched by the company on Nov. 28 were the Xciting 300i, Like 150i ABS and Like 150i Noodoe.
Noodoe is integrated into the Like 150i’s dashboard. It connects to a smartphone via an app, allowing it to be used as an onboard navigation device. Noodoe also allows users to communicate with other bikers through its cloud.
The retro-styled Like 150i is fitted with LED head lamp and taillight, a TFT LCD instrument panel, a lockable glove box, a helmet compartment under the saddle, a fuel filler cap in front, and a USB charging port. Its air-cooled, fuel-injected, four-valve 150cc engine makes 13.5hp and 12.5Nm, and is started electrically. Sending the power to the 12-inch alloy wheels — suspended in front by a telescopic fork and a swing arm in the rear — is a CVT. The Like 150i ABS is identically kitted with the same equipment, but deletes Noodoe in lieu of an ABS.
The latest Xciting 300i received new equipment, which includes a multi-function digital instrument panel, a 12-volt charger, an LED head lamp, a front fuel filler opening, Bosch ABS front and rear, and several storage compartments. The bike is powered by an electrically started 299cc engine that, partly through liquid cooling and fuel injection, makes 29hp and 30.1Nm. The output is sent to the rear wheel by a CVT.
The Xciting 300i’s wheels are sized 14 inches in front, 13 inches in the rear. Suspension is a telescopic fork and a double swing arm with five preload adjustments, fore and aft.
Kymco said the introduction of the new models is a response to the optimistic outlook of the domestic motorcycle market. “We at Kymco recognize the search of Filipino riders for easier and faster ways to move around the city, and we will continue to offer options that will meet their needs, and products that will fit local traffic and road conditions,” said the company’s head in the Philippines, Frank Yang, during the scooters’ launch program.
The new Xciting 300i, Like 150i ABS and Like 150i Noodoe are now sold at Kymco dealerships for P239,000, P98,800 and P119,900, respectively.

House OK’s draft federal charter on 2nd reading

THE HOUSE of Representatives has approved on second reading a resolution on its version of a draft federal charter.
The approval, via voice vote on Tuesday, of “Resolution Of Both Houses Proposing The Revision Of The 1987 Constitution Of The Republic Of The Philippines” comes after three sessions of debate and interpellation at the plenary.
The resolution is expected to be passed on third reading by Monday.
“The third reading could be on Monday. Now, it becomes a problem between the Senate and the President. We have done our job,” Constitutional Amendments Chair Vicente S. E. Veloso of the 3rd district of Leyte told reporters following the House approval on second reading.
“It’s beyond us. Our point and the Speaker, at least we don’t have remaining jobs. Nobody can say that we sat on the problem despite being paid by the taxpayers because there are really a lot of things that have to be changed in the Constitution,” Mr. Veloso also said.
The proposed constitution mandates the “creation of a presidential-bicameral-federal system” and provides for a mechanism allowing Congress to establish a federal state by way of legislation.
Among the points of contention in the House version is its having no provision on term limits and on the ban on political dynasties.
During the period of amendments, Act Teachers Rep. Antonio L. Tinio proposed to reinstate the said provisions, but this was rejected by the plenary. — C.A. Tadalan

House panel approves resolution on PHL’s withdrawal from IPU

THE HOUSE Committee on Interparliamentary Relations and Diplomacy approved on Tuesday the resolution supporting the Philippines’ withdrawal of its membership from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
House Resolution No. 2270, introduced by Minority Leader Danilo E. Suarez of Quezon, was filed following Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s recommendation to withdraw.
This stemmed from the IPU’s resolution to visit the Philippines and look into the detention of Senator Leila M. De Lima and the revival of rebellion charges against Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV, both opposition lawmakers.
“Clearly, the IPU stepped out of its boundaries with its interference in the country’s judicial processes, which runs counter to the principle of State sovereignty,” Mr. Suarez told the panel.
“For the benefit of our country and our people, together with our Speaker, the entire House of Representatives must express its support for the withdrawal of membership of the IPU,” he added.
Sought for comment, Director Corazon B. Alano of the Office of the Secretary-General, a resource speaker at the committee’s hearings, said, “There’s nothing to say about this, other than the decision belongs to Congress….The decision is supposed to be a dual thing, House and the Senate.” — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Marquez, others join roster of aspirants for SC associate justice

SUPREME COURT (SC) justices have recommended to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) three Court of Appeals (CA) justices and Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez for the position of associate justice to be vacated by retiring Justice Noel J. Tijam.
Making it to the recommendation submitted to the JBC is CA Justice Manuel M. Barrios with seven points. CA justices Ramon M. Bato, Jr., and Ramon D.R. Garcia and Mr. Marquez had six points each.
The JBC will conduct a public interview on Wednesday, Dec. 5, for those vying to replace Mr. Tijam, who will retire on Jan. 5, 2019.
To be interviewed in the morning are CA justices Ramon A. Cruz, Eduardo B. Peralta, Jr., and Ricardo R. Rosario; and in the afternoon, Mr. Bato and Sandiganbayan Justices Amparo M. Cabotaje-Tang and Efren N. de la Cruz.
Candidates for the position whose previous public interviews are still valid are Messrs. Barrios, Garcia, and Marquez; CA justices Apolinario D. Bruselas, Jr., Stephen C. Cruz, Edgardo L. Delos Santos, Japar B. Dimaampao, Mario V. Lopez, and Amy C. Lazaro-Javier; lawyer Rita Linda V. Jimeno; Ms. Javier; Sandiganbayan Judge Alex D.L. Quiroz; former Ateneo Law dean Cesar L. Villanueva; and Tagum City judge Virginia D. Tehano-Ang. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Mother takes legal battle to block son as Sagay massacre witness

THE mother of a 14-year-old child, who was among the survivors of the Oct. 20 Sagay massacre, has filed charges against the father of her son and several police officers for insisting on using the minor as a state witness in the incident.
Vic Elisan Pedaso, the father, is facing charges for psychological abuse under Republic Act No. 9262, the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act.
Police Chief Inspector Robert Mansueto, head of the Negros Occidental provincial police, Special Police Officer 1 (SPO) Julie Ann Diaz and PO Christine Magpusaw, on the other hand, have been slapped with violation of RA No. 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, and the Rule on Examination of Child Witness.
Lawyer Katherine A. Panguban of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said Mr. Pedaso has threatened their clients to take the child into his custody and file charges against the mother.
Mr. Pedaso, on Oct. 30, filed kidnapping and serious illegal detention raps against Ms. Panguban.
“Ang malinaw pinipilit n’ya ‘yung nanay, ‘yung mag-ina na bumalik sa kanya at lumapit sa mga pulis…kahit paulit ulit na sinasabi ng kliyente namin na ayaw n’yang sumama sa kanila at gusto n’yang ilayo ‘yung bata mula doon sa schema na gustong siyang gamiting witness para sa isang hindi naman totoong naratibo ng mga pulis at ng army. (What is clear is that he (father) is forcing the mother, the mother and son, to return to his company and take them to the police… even if our clients insist that they don’t want to be with him and she wants her child away from being used as state witness for a false narrative of the police and the army),” Ms. Panguban said.
The NUPL lawyer also noted that the child could not identify the faces of those who shot at them as the area where the massacre occurred was dark.
During the police interview, Ms. Panguban said the minor was not accompanied by an authorized adult while giving his supposed testimony.
Last Oct. 20, nine sugar farmers, including two minors and four women, were shot dead by unidentified men in a hacienda in Sagay City.
Philippine National Police Director-General Oscar D. Albayalde said on Oct. 22 that “all indications suggest” that the massacre is linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army, but emphasized that they are still looking at all possible angles. The military, meanwhile, said the Sagay massacre is connected to communists’ alleged destabilization plot. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Pimentel defends reelection bid

SENATOR Aquilino “Koko” L. Pimentel’s camp has maintained that his reelection bid for next year’s midterm elections is legal amid disqualification cases filed against him.
Mr. Pimentel’s lawyer, George Erwin M. Garcia, appeared before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday for the preliminary conference regarding the disqualification cases filed by lawyers Ferdinand S. Topacio and Glenn A. Chong, who both claim that Mr. Pimentel should be barred from running again next year because he has already served two consecutive terms at the Senate.
The senator was elected in 2007, but only assumed his post in 2011, after the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) ruled in his favor in the electoral protest case against Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri.
“Ang contention namin ay hindi ‘yan termino (Our contention is, that was not one term),” Mr. Garcia told reporters, referring to the 2011-2013 period.
He further explained that this should be considered as a “tenure,” which is different from a “term.”
“This is tenure, which under the Constitution is, it should be two consecutive terms in order to prohibit the candidacy, therefore he is still entitled to one more term. A term is different from tenure,” Mr. Garcia said in mixed English and Filipino.
Mr. Pimentel’s submitted Verified Answers to Mr. Topacio and Mr. Chong on Nov. 16 and Nov. 29, respectively, asserts that he “has not fully served as Senator for two (2) consecutive terms since he was not able to serve a full term of six (six) years during his 2007 to 2013 term for reasons contrary or against his will.”
It added that Mr. Pimentel was only proclaimed the 12th winning senator four years after the 2007 elections, and to consider him to have fully served the 2007-2013 term would not only be an injustice to the senator but also to the electorate.
On the other hand, Mr. Topacio insisted that it still counts as one term.
“Ang term na ‘yun (That term) is retroactive from 2007,” Mr. Topacio told reporters.
Mr. Topacio added that even if they only count the period 2011-2013, Mr. Pimentel would still violate the constitutional limit of 12 years because he would have served for 14 years, assuming the incumbent senator wins in 2019 and finishes his term in 2025.
For his part, Mr. Chong said the disqualification case he filed is the first of its kind, and expects that it will be appealed before the Supreme Court.
“This is the first case for a senator, which is why we’re bringing it up to the Commission on Elections and eventually, perhaps kung sino mananalo sa atin (whoever wins), we will go to the Supreme Court.” — Gillian M. Cortez

Davao City endorses Mindanao railway with conditions

THE DAVAO City council has approved a resolution endorsing the Mindanao Railway Project, but set conditions for the local segment’s implementation.
The endorsement covers the required certificate of no objection under Section 27 under the Local Government Code for major projects.
“The government has made available P5.6 billion for land acquisition and road right of way, but the committee has yet to conduct further hearings on the technical aspect,” said Councilor Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III, proponent of the resolution and chair of the committee on public works and vice-chairman of the committee on transportation.
Among the conditions raised in the resolution are a review of the planned route within Davao City and the location of one of the three stations.
The Davao City segment will pass through 23 barangays and have three stations located in Mudiang, beside the Davao Christian School along the diversion road), and Toril in front of the Gaisano Mall.
Mr. Zozobrado said the councilors are worried about the number of barangays affected and the possible impact on vehicular traffic as well existing residential and commercial developments.
“Davao will be mangled. Imagine, 23 barangays and subdivisions will be hit by the project. Why don’t we move it up in areas where subdivisions are not located?” said Councilor Conrado C. Baluran, chair of the committee on transportation.
On the stations, Councilor Diosdado A. Mahipus, chair of the committee on environment, questioned the choice of Mudiang.
“Mudiang is not only a remote area and not only sloping but is a ravine. Maybe we should dip our fingers on where the railway should pass as it might be a problem instead of a solution for commuters,” Mr. Mahipus said, adding that a better option would be somewhere near the Davao International Airport.
Meanwhile, Councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang noted the absence of Department of Transportation (DoTr) officials in the committee hearings for railway project.
“I understand that this is one of the projects of the President and we support him. We welcome the project but the DoTr people seems not interested,” Mr. Dayanghirang said, adding that passing the resolution of endorsement could allow DoTr to completely disregard the conditions.
Mr. Mahipus, on the other hand, said the city government could still stand its ground.
“They won’t be able to proceed with the project anyway if we don’t approve it just like the Sasa Port Project,” he said.
The first segment of the planned Mindanao Railway system will traverse Digos City in Davao del Sur, Davao City, and Tagum City in Davao del Norte.
The first segment of the planned Mindanao Railway system will traverse Digos City in Davao del Sur, Davao City, and Tagum City in Davao del Norte.
Construction is targeted to start by Feb. 2019. — Carmencita A. Carillo