Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube
Home Blog Page 10877

Expropriation hearing continues on July 2 as Iloilo court denies PECO’s motion to suspend proceedings

THE REGIONAL Trial Court Branch 37 in Iloilo City has set on July 2 the continuation of the hearings on the application for writ of possession of MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power), after it denied Panay Electric Co.’s (PECO) plea to stop the proceedings. The order was issued by Pairing Judge Victor E. Gelvezon on June 13. One of the grounds cited by PECO in seeking a suspension of the expropriation case is its petition before the Supreme Court seeking the transfer of the case to a Metro Manila court. PECO said the case has become controversial and local media commentaries could affect the judge’s decision. On the other hand, MORE Power’s lawyer, Hector P. Teodosio, said they will oppose PECO’s plea to transfer the proceedings. “We will file an opposition (to) their motion to transfer the venue on the ground that the expropriation case should be here because the properties are here in Iloilo,” he said in an interview. On the application for a writ of possession, the court gave MORE Power 10 days to submit the necessary documents and determine the updated total assessed value of PECO’s distribution assets. MORE Power has been granted the franchise to distribute electricity in Iloilo City through Republic Act No. 11212. PECO’s congressional franchise expired on Jan. 19 while its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) expired on May 25. PECO, however, continues to distribute power on the basis of a provisional CPCN issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

Region eyed as tourist attraction

THE DEPARTMENT of Tourism (DoT) is looking at transforming Region 4-B or the Mimaropa Region 9 Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) into a world-class tourist attraction through adding more airline flights and water routes in the area. “The private entities, including flag-carrier Philippine Airlines and four other airlines and five shipping companies, pledged to comply immediately with accreditation requirements. Transport services are considered ‘primary tourism establishments’ that need accreditation, pursuant to Republic Act 9593 or Tourism Act of 2009,” DoT said in a statement on Saturday, which cited a recent meeting with, among others, AirAsia Inc., Air Juan Aviation Inc (Air Juan), AirSWIFT Transport Inc., Magnum Air Inc. (Skyjet), 2Go Group Inc., Montenegro Shipping Lines Inc., Navios Shipping Lines Inc., Starhorse Shipping Lines Inc., and Starlite Ferries Inc. For his part, DoT Mimaropa Director Danilo B. Intong said, “We are elated as we share the renewed optimism over the continued growth of (the) tourism industry, which proves to be a key economic driver that can help uplift the lives of the poor in the countryside.”

Moratorium on oil projects may not be lifted soon

ALMOST two years after President Rodrigo R. Duterte said he might order the lifting of the moratorium on all oil and gas projects in the West Philippines Sea, including Service Contract 72 in the highly disputed Recto Bank, the Palace is unsure whether the lifting will still push. “‘Di natin alam kung ma-lift (We do not know if it will be lifted),” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo told BusinessWorld in an ambush interview last Thursday when asked regarding the request by the Department of Energy (DoE) to lift the moratorium on Service Contract 72 or the Recto Bank concession. “‘Di natin alam kung malabo, basta kung iyan ang sitwasyon, talagang wala pa (We do not know if it is unlikely, but if that is the situation, there is really no [decision] for now).” The Service Contract 72 is west of Palawan and southwest of the Shell-operated Malampaya Gas field, a deepwater gas-to-power project in Service Contract 38. The Department of Energy (DoE) issued a moratorium on all exploration and drilling activities in Service Contracts 72 and 75 in 2014 and 2015, respectively, due to the dispute between the Philippines and China over the West Philippine Sea. After his meeting with Chinese Premiere Li Keqiang in Manila in Nov. 2017, Mr. Duterte said the lifting of the moratorium was a possibility. “It’s one of the possibilities that will happen or can happen or will happen in South China Sea,” he said. Sought for comment, DoE Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella said in a phone message: “The request to lift the moratorium at WPS has been submitted to OP (Office of the President) last February. Apparently, the same has been referred to the different cabinet clusters for the ‘whole of government’ decision on the matter.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

Drug rehab program gets boost

INDIVIDUALS in the Davao Region who have themselves in for drug rehabilitation will soon get help from the Yakap Bayan Framework Intervention whose P57.3-million financial assistance will help them start livelihood activities and capacity building, said Dahlia S. Padillo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Ms. Padillo said the DSWD will also extend technical assistance to local government units for their rehabilitation programs. She cited further a “case management system for social workers handling recovering drug dependents.” Ronaldo a. Rivera, technical adviser of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council, said for his part, “We teach them to lead a lifestyle that would make it difficult for them to go back or use drugs again.” — Carmelito Q. Francisco

DoTr, airlines to determine penalties on flight delays

THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation (DoTr) and at least three airline companies are set to decide June 24 on the amount of penalties to be imposed on “unreasonable” flight delays at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), according to Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade. “Ang una po, doon sa NAIA 1, 2, 3 and 4, nagpulong-pulong po ako kasama iyong mga may-ari ng ating mga airline companies…. Nandiyan na ho iyong Philippine Airlines, ang Cebu Pacific at AirAsia na kung saan nagkasundo po na kailangan tingnan iyong tinatawag na on time punctuality record ng ating mga paliparan at iyong mga airline company (Regarding NAIA 1, 2, 3, and 4, we had a meeting with the owners of Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and AirAsia where it was agreed that there is a need for time punctuality records from our airports and airline companies),” Mr. Tugade said in a Cabinet Report sa Teleradyo interview transcript emailed by the Presidential Communications Office to reporters on Saturday. “Pinag-uusapan namin iyan na by 24th of June, magkakaroon na kami ng kaliwanagan at kasunduan kung magkano iyong amount (We agreed that by the 24th of June, there will be clarification and agreement on the amount),” he added. “Napagkasunduan din ho namin na magkakaroon ng slots’ removal kung magiging sobra na iyong mga delay.” (It was also agreed that there will be removal of slots regarding delays that take too long.) On Monday last week, Civil Aeronautics Board Executive Director Carmelo L. Arcilla issued an advisory saying: “All scheduled air carriers are reminded of their obligation to properly explain to their passengers and make truthful announcements of the reason/s of any flight delay and cancellation.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

Unpaid bills at PAF flagged

THE COMMISSION on Audit flagged the Philippine Air Force (PAF) for its laxity in imposing sanctions on military personnel for unpaid electricity and water bills and delinquent occupancy in its housing facilities. According to CoA’s annual audit report for 2018, bills on electricity, water, rentals, and garbage collection amounting to P21.8 million and charged to military personnel and concessionaires were not collected on or before their due dates. CoA noted, on the other hand, that PAF has been paying for light and water consumption out of their regular fund for 2018. “The non-collection of outstanding balances may be attributable to lenient/laxity in the enforcement of policy set by each filed bases in connection to collection of outstanding balances. Furthermore, the Command failed to impose sanction to occupants with delinquent accounts, such as but not limited to: disconnection of electricity and water, cancellation of revocable permit/contract, and eviction,” said the report. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Woodland holds nerve to stay top at US Open

PEBBLE BEACH, CA. — An ice cool Gary Woodland held his nerve under mounting pressure to secure a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the US Open after seeing off challenges from Justin Rose and Brooks Koepka at Pebble Beach on Saturday.

Woodland, who could not manage a top-10 finish in his first 27 majors, looked as if he played for the biggest prizes in the game every week as he carded a third round two-under 69 that featured three birdies and a lone bogey.

If Woodland faced intense pressure on Saturday, it is nothing to what awaits him on Sunday with former winners Rose and Koepka breathing down his neck and major champions Louis Oosthuizen and Rory McIlroy lining up to take a run.

“We just got to play golf shots and hopefully come up with one less than anyone else,” said Woodland.

“Sleep is not an issue, I’ll be rested for tomorrow. I’m playing pretty good, I’m comfortable with my game, we’re at Pebble Beach for the US Open so should be pretty exciting.”

Rose, US Open champion in 2013, started the day two shots back and ended it with a birdie for a three-under 68 that trimmed Woodland’s advantage to a single stroke.

Both Woodland and Rose will be looking over their shoulders for Koepka, who had a tidy bogey-free 68 that left him four off the pace with his hopes of becoming the first player in over a century to sweep three straight US Opens very much alive.

Also lurking four back are South African Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion who carding a one-under 70, and Chez Reavie, who fired a 68 to move into contention.

Not to be overlooked is McIlroy, who returned a scrappy 70 to leave him five back but not out of range of a second US Open title.

A three-time winner on the PGA Tour, Woodland began smartly picking up two birdies on his outward nine and at one point increased his advantage to four strokes.

But a bogey at the eighth, his first in 34 holes, combined with a Rose birdie cut the advantage to two.

MONSTER PUTT
Woodland’s would post just one birdie on back nine that was highlighted by two huge par saves, a chip in for par at the 12th and monster 43-foot for another at 14 that kept him from losing ground to Rose.

“When I chipped in on 12 and made the long putt on 14 for par, he (Rose) executed putts right after that on top of that,” said Woodland. “He’s been putting well all week.

“I’m just trying to stay within myself. I’m trying to extend the lead.

“I’m trying to execute everything to the best of my ability, and I’ve done that really well.”

Two of the Pebble Beach headliners Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be reduced to opening acts on Sunday, going off early after disappointing third rounds saw them drop out of contention.

Woods, nine back to start the day, began his round in the same frustrating fashion that he ended the second round — with a bogey — and did nothing to improve his mood by picking up another at the third.

The early miscues appeared to fire up the 15-time major winner, and Woods responded with back-to-back birdies but the relief was only temporary as he gave back those two shots with bogeys at seven and 12.

Woods would birdie three of his final five holes, including the 18th but it was too little to late an even-par 71 leaving him at even par for the tournament and 10 behind the pacesetter Woodland. “I got off to a crap start,” summed up Woods. “I got off to an awful start, and clawed it around.”

While Woods at least walked off on a positive note, Mickelson signed off with a triple bogey. Runner-up at US Open a record six times and needing a victory here to complete the career grand slam, Mickelson will not get it done this year after signing for four-over 75 to leave him at three-over going into Sunday’s final round. — Reuters

Gilas FIBA World Cup preparations start rolling

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

WITH the FIBA Basketball World Cup in China less than three months away, the Philippine national men’s basketball team is girding to get its preparations going, looking to put in as much practice time as possible to have a competitive showing in the global hoops spectacle.

Backed by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) anew, Gilas Pilipinas will begin twice-a-week practices beginning today, progressing to daily training eventually and lining up tune-up games abroad as part of its build-up for the World Cup.

“First consideration for us is we want the team to be able to get in enough practice days [in the lead-up]. But it is going to be a balancing act with the PBA schedule,” shared national team coach Yeng Guiao following his NLEX Road Warriors’ PBA game on Friday.

“So our once-a-week practice we made it twice a week beginning Monday (today) until August. And by August we hope to do every day practices already,” he added.

Aside from Monday, Gilas is also to do practices on Thursday.

The fiery coach, who took over the team last year, said they are set to go to Spain in August where they are to see action against the Spanish national team as well as some African teams.

Mr. Guiao expects the Spain training to help their cause as they are going up against opponents featuring world-class talents and should be a good gauge of their progress as a team.

After that, the team returns to the country and continue practicing, building on the learnings from Spain before flying to China for the tournament proper, happening from Aug. 31 to Sept. 15.

“So that is the plan. When we come back here, again [from Spain], we will reset and see how we can make adjustments and improve based on the tune-up games and then on Aug. 27 we fly to China. I don’t know if we can still get scrimmages in China, if not, then we will practice by ourselves,” the coach said.

“I think this is the best plan wherein we will have the practices needed and at the same not disrupt too much the schedule of the PBA,” Mr. Guiao said.

The PBA Commissioner’s Cup is currently ongoing and is set to reach the championship rounds come August.

Gilas Pilipinas qualified for the FIBA World Cup by way of the back door, qualifying as the best fourth-placed team in the qualifiers.

The Philippines is in Group D along with Serbia, Italy and Angola.

The other groupings are composed of Cote d’Ivoire, Poland, Venezuela and host China in Group A; Russia, Argentina, Korea and Nigeria in Group B; Spain, Iran, Puerto Rico and Tunisia in Group C; Turkey, Czech Republic, USA and Japan in Group E; Greece, New Zealand, Brazil and Montenegro in Group F; Dominican Republic, France, Germany and Jordan in Group G; and Canada, Senegal, Lithuania and Australia in Group H.

FIBA World Cup format calls for the top two teams from the eight groupings in the first round advancing to the second phase. From there the teams are further weeded out until the top two teams are left to contest the title.

PFL: Kaya races to third win in a row; Stallion routs Mendiola

KAYA FC-Iloilo kept its unblemished record in the Philippines Football League intact while Stallion Laguna FC was a big winner in league action on Saturday.

Back after the FIFA international break, Kaya hacked out a 1-0 victory over Global Cebu FC at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium with Alfred Osei providing the winning goal.

Kaya dictated the opening half with solid opportunities to score but could not complete them.

In the 52nd minute though its efforts paid off when Mr. Osei found himself in the right spot.

As Jovin Bedic was attempting to wriggle free inside Global’s box, the ball fell to Mr. Osei, who while on the ground, managed to opportunistically steer a low shot into goal for the 1-0 lead.

“Honestly, it was a lucky goal, but I’ll take that any day, especially with a performance like that, being that sloppy in front of goal. The chance was there, and I just took it. We had 19 shots in the first half, only four on target. That’s not good enough. When the ball came, I was thinking, ‘Just hit the target.’ Most importantly, we got three points on the board,” said Mr. Osei after the match.

“It’s a good thing that we got three points today. As a bonus, we were able to maintain the clean sheet. That’s all that matters. But we have to be conscious moving forward,” Iloilo head coach Noel Marcaida, for his part, said.

“It’s not that we played badly. We created chances, we were able to play that ball around well. But moving forward, we need to work on our finishing. We need to be more clinical and composed in front of goal,” he added.

The loss pushed Global to a record of 0-0-3, the lone team still without a point.

STALLION WINS TWO IN A ROW
Meanwhile, Stallion notched back-to-back wins after a 6-1 victory over Mendiola FC 1991 at the Biñan Football Stadium.

Substitute Chima Uzoka scored a hat trick, with Fitch Arboleda adding a brace and Nathan Alquiros a goal to help their team fashion out the rout.

Mr. Alquiros opened the scoring, finding the goal just two minutes into the contest.

His teammate Arboleda doubled their lead, 2-0, six minutes later.

Mendiola managed to narrow the gap, 2-1, in the 20th minute off a penalty kick of Ashley Flores.

The scored held up to the halftime break.

In the second half it was all Stallion with Mr. Uzoka scoring in the 55th and 83rd minute to make it a 4-1 count.

The home team put the finishing touches after with Messrs, Arboleda and Uzoka adding a goal each for the final score.

The win was the second straight for Stallion (2-1-1), in follow-up to its 3-0 victory over Philippine Air Force FC previously. It pushed the team to third spot in the standings with seven points.

Mendiola with the loss, meanwhile, fell to 0-1-2 with a point after three matches.

Aussie Hill takes Stage Three of Le Tour; Dutch Meijers still overall leader

LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY — Australian Samuel Hill of Team Nero Bianchi outlasted a pair of Filipino challengers in the final stretch to claim his first-ever lap victory in Stage Three even as Dutch Jeroen Meijers of Taiyuan Miogee Cycling Team of China clung to the Air21 purple jersey in the 10th Le Tour de Filipinas on Sunday.

Hill, 23, was with the small five-rider group that broke loose as early as the first three kilometers of this 183.7-kilometer stage and then made his move against local bets Dominic Perez of 7Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines and Mark Galedo of Celeste Cycles-Bianchi Phls in the final 10km downhill path to claim his very first stage win.

The Newcastle native clocked four hours, 33 minutes and 12 seconds while Perez and Galedo, the 2014 winner here, timed in 4:34:03 and 4:34:06, respectively, in this stage that started in Daet, Camarines Norte, and ended at the Rizal Avenue here.

It was a big turnaround from the disastrous Stage Two when Hill slipped from the lead pack after puncturing a tire.

“Yesterday (Saturday) was just a bad day and I was so sad of what happened, so this is the best feeling ever and I feel so stoked about it,” said Hill.

The podium finish for Perez and Galedo, however, gave the Filipinos, who are seeking to gain Olympic qualifying points to the 2020 Tokyo Games, something to cheer about as they were the first two local bets to crash into the top three.

And the 33-year-old Galedo, who climbed to 14th overall, hopes it will not be the last.

“There are still two stages to go so there is still a big chance for us to keep improving,” said Galedo in Filipino.

A day after losing and regaining the general classification lead in Stage Two, Meijers made sure his closest pursuer, Singaporean Goh Choon Huat of Terengganu Inc. TSG Cycling Team of Malaysia, will not be out of sight and stuck with him the whole time and finished in the peloton that clocked 4:35:06.

After three stages, Meijers kept his grip of the general classification lead with an aggregate time of 12:34:06, or 45 seconds ahead of Goh, who was stuck at second with 12:34:51 in this five-stage race sponsored by Air21, Cargohaus, NMM, Ufreight, SPL and marked by the full cooperation of the PNP, AFP and Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.

And Meijers is expected to employ the same plan in today’s 176-km Stage Four that will start and end in Legazpi City but will pass Sorsogon towns like Casiguran and Gubat.

Aussie Angus Lyons of Oliver’s Real Food Racing of Australia ended up at fourth in the stage in 4:35:01 and stayed at No. 3 overall in 12:35:44.

The Philippines’ Marcelo Felipe of 7Eleven reclaimed his spot at No. 10 from No. 11 after Stage Two with a total time of 12:36:42, a few rungs ahead of Galedo, who was at No. 14 in 12:39:16.

7Eleven’s Daniel Habtemichael (12:36:19), PGN Road Cycling Team’s Sandy Nur Hasan (12:36:31) and Aiman Cahyadi (12:36:38), Team Ukyo’s Kohei Yokotsuka (12:36:38) and Naoya Yoshioka (12:36:40) and Team Sapura Cycling’s Muhsin Al Redha Misbah (12:36:41) rounded up the top 10.

Pasig Kings win Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Patriot’s Cup’s first leg in Cebu

CEBU CITY — In case anyone forgot, the Gold’s Gym-Pasig Kings are the gold standard in Philippine 3×3 basketball.

The quartet of Taylor Statham, Joshua Munzon, Dylan Ababou, and Nikola Pavlovic ended the dream start of the Phenom-Basilan Steel, picking up a 21-15 victory with 2:08 to spare, in the Finals of the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Patriot’s Cup’s first leg presented by Coca-Cola, Sunday, at SM Seaside City.

“It’s great. Honestly this is what our team needed,” expressed Statham after Pasig went winless in the Kunshan and Tinkoff Moscow Challengers during the offseason.

Statham was unstoppable all game long, finishing with 13 points.

With Pasig clinging to a 12-10 lead midway through the contest, Statham took charge as he went on a personal 5-2 run against Basilan. The highlight of the rally was a between-the-leg pass by Joshua Munzon to a cutting Statham.

Munzon and import Nikola Pavlovic added four points each for Pasig.

Basilan import Marcus Hammond paced Phenom-Basilan with 11 points as Franky Johnson, Roosevelt Adams, and Troy Rike were shut down by the swarming Pasig defense.

To make it to the finals, Pasig needed to defeat world no. 14 VetHealth-Delhi 3BL, 21-16 (3:00).

“Those are two great teams we just played. Can’t make too many turnovers and mistakes,” shared Statham.

Pasig took home P100,000 while gaining pole position to end the first stop with 100 points.

VetHealth-Delhi, who swept Pool D that included the Zamboanga Valientes and the Tycoon-QC Ballers, played with just three players as Arsh Deep Singh’s visa was not able to make it on time.

Basilan, on the other hand, swept Pool C that featured the MiGuard-Vigan Wolves and host Max4-Birada Cebu.

Behind Fil-Am guard Franky Johnson’s 11-point explosion, Phenom-Basilan stunned Alvin Pasaol and the Wilkin’s Balanga Pure in the semis, 21-19 (1:52).

David Carlos took down the Coca-Cola Slam Dunk competition while VetHealth-Delhi’s Kiran Shastri outsniped Cebu’s Mark-Gil Panerio in the finals of the Coca-Cola Two-point shootout, 14-9.

The Scores:

Pasig 21 — Statham 13, Munzon 4, Pavlovic 4, Ababou 0

Basilan 15 — Hammonds 11, Johnson 2, Adams 2, Rike 0

Confluences of events

Competition never stops in the National Basketball Association. For those locked in battle for the ultimate prize, the next challenge comes in the here and now. It’s why the Raptors managed to hog news headlines for all of one day before their status as champions became overshadowed by subsequent events. As they celebrated in Las Vegas, they found themselves alongside the supposedly woebegone Lakers, fresh off a tumultuous season and a still-hazy offseason and yet already installed as favorites for the 2020 title following a triumphant bid for all-world Anthony Davis.

Not that the Raptors’ ascent to the top was unmerited. On the contrary, it was borne of a solid strategy that underscored the benefits of prescient management, confident personnel, and no small measure of good fortune. Yet, it’s telling that the fates of Masai Ujiri, the architect behind the ambitious roster — and culture — dismantling, and Kawhi Leonard, the superstar that carved their status as the best of the best, remain huge question marks. Their achievements have made them understandable targets for poaching, and their pursuit of the next mountain to climb has them open to the possibility of bolting.

Certainly, confluences of events have helped shape fans’ never-ending clamor for adrenaline rushes. Who would have thought the Raptors’ speculative “load management” program would net an ultra-sharp playoff-version Leonard? Who would have figured the law of averages finally catching up with the Warriors? Who would have predicted the Lakers, victimized by otherwise-debilitating dysfunction, to be winners of the Davis sweepstakes? These and more have avid followers of the pro hoops scene awaiting developments — and, meanwhile, contributing to the chatter — with edge-of-seat interest.

Considering the heightened expectations, disappointment seems the most likely outcome. If nothing else, however, the NBA has shown an uncanny capacity to deliver the goods, and how. The increased mobility of marquee names has promoted unpredictability — which, from commissioner Adam Silver’s vantage point, means success. No wonder all and sundry have no choice but to tune in. With so much happening, there is need to keep up.

 

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

1...10,87610,87710,878...14,247Page 10,877 of 14,247
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin X Youtube