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The European Championship

European Individual Chess Championship
Skopje, Rep of Macedonia
March 18-29, 2019

Final Standings

1-2. GM Vladislav Artemiev RUS 2736, GM Nils Grandelius SWE 2694, 8.5/11

3-11. GM Kacper Piorun POL 2631, GM Maxim Rodshtein ISR 2673, GM Ferenc Berkes HUN 2666, GM David Anton Guijarro ESP 2643, GM Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu GER 2670, GM Sergei Movsesian ARM 2627, GM Niclas Huschenbeth GER 2594, GM Grigoriy Oparin RUS 2613, GM Eltaj Safarli AZE 2662, 8.0/11

12-26. GM Johan Sebastian Christiansen NOR 2539, GM Aleksej Aleksandrov BLR 2574, GM Ivan Cheparinov GEO 2683, IM Paulius Pultinevicius LTU 2439, GM Andrey Esipenko RUS 2603, GM Nikita Petrov RUS 2591, GM Boris Gelfand ISR 2655, GM Benjamin Gledura HUN 2630, GM Alexandr Predke RUS 2611, GM Aleksandr Rakhmanov RUS 2629, GM Mateusz Bartel POL 2609, GM Daniil Dubov RUS 2703, GM Igor Lysyj RUS 2635, GM Ruslan Ponomariov UKR 2667, GM Constantin Lupulescu ROU 2611, 7.5/11

Total participants: 361 players

Tiebreaks: (1) Points scored, (2) Opponents’ rating minus the lowest, (3) Buchholz without the lowest scoring opponent, (4) Buchholz, (5) Direct encounter, (6) Rating

Time control: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes play-to-finish with 30 seconds added to your clock after every move starting move 1

The 20th European Individual Championship took place from 18-29 March 2019 in Skopje, organized by the government of North Macedonia. The prize fund is €100,000 (roughly P5.9 million), with €20,000 (around P1.18 million) for first prize. Aside from the prize money the first 22 placers will qualify for the next World Cup, scheduled to take place Nov. 4-30 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. The World Cup, aside from its huge money prizes (even the losers go home with around P250,000 each), will qualify its top finishers to the Candidates’ tournament, the final step in determining the challenger for the world title.

In the list above you can see the final standings. There was a huge logjam at 7.5/11 which extended from the 12th to 35th places. GMs Nils Grandelius, David Anton, Eltaj Safarli and Ivan Cheparinov had previously qualified for the World Cup from the European Championship last year, so that frees up four additional slots and everybody up to 26th place goes to Khanty-Mansiysk. The names of all qualifiers are shown above.

Sweden’s Nils Grandelius scored the biggest win in his career by tying for first place. Born in Lund, Sweden in June 3, 1993, he has been trained by GM Evgenij Agrest since 2013. He is one of the attractions on the Internet Chess Club with his terrific blitz play and exciting attacks. Grandelius is also known as among the best bughouse players in the world. This chess variant, wildly popular in tournament after-hours, is a game for four players and two chess sets. Players partner up in teams of two, and then two teams play each other. When your partner captures pieces on her board, she passes them to you. On your turn, you may either make an ordinary chess move, or place a piece your partner has given you on any empty square (except no pawns on the first or eighth rank). Ending the game on one board (by flag or checkmate), ends the game for the other board too.

Formerly one of the few GMs (Grandmaster) with dreadlocks, he has an aggressive opening repertoire, is not averse to taking risks and really tries to win every game. Normally this would guarantee a high percentage of wins but also of losses. However, ever since Nils started working as a second of Magnus Carlsen in the Norwegian’s world championship matches he has gotten better and more stable. Take a look at the following game.

Grandelius, Nils (2694) — Keymer, Vincent (2509) [B97]
EU-ch Skopje 2019 Skopje (4.34), 21.03.2019

Vincent Keymer (born Nov. 15, 2004 in Mainz, Germany) is another very promising chess prodigy. Last year he won the Grenke Chess Open ahead of 49 GMs, including four 2700+ grandmasters. His final score was 8/9, achieving his first GM norm at age 13 (only 6.5 points were required, he thus scored 1.5 more points than needed). This event was a qualifier for the Grenke Chess Classic, a tournament of the world’s Top 10 players, including the world champion Magnus Carlsen. We will see later this year how Vincent will do there.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.a3 Nbd7

Not 8…Qxb2? 9.Na4 the queen is trapped

9.Bh4 Be7 10.Bf2 Qc7 11.g4 Nc5 12.Bg2 h6?!

I wonder if this is supposed to be an improvement? The …h6 and …g5 maneuver that Keymer undertakes does not seem to have bite, it does not even prevent White’s e4–e5 pawn thrust.

Perhaps 12…d5 was a better choice. After 13.exd5 Qxf4 14.Qf3 Qe5+ 15.Nde2 exd5 16.h3 Nfe4 17.0–0–0 Nxf2 18.Qxf2 Ne4 Black is doing fine. Polakovic,P (2452)-Nekhaev,A (2512) ICCF email 2016 1/2 29.

13.Qe2 g5 14.e5! dxe5 15.fxe5 Nfd7 16.Bg3 Nf8 <D>

POSITION AFTER 16…NF8

Obviously Black has messed up the opening. The hammer blows come quickly.

17.Nf5! exf5 18.Nd5 Qd8 19.0–0–0 Be6 20.Nf6+ Bxf6 21.exf6!

[21.Rxd8+ Bxd8 22.gxf5 Bxf5 23.Qf2 also wins]

21…Nb3+

Keymer had to face a threat against his queen and gxf5, winning the bishop. 21…Qxf6 cannot be played because of 22.Be5. Checking on b3 allows Black to get his queen out of the way and attempt to close the center.

22.cxb3

[22.Kb1? Nd4 23.Qe1 f4 is what Black was hoping for]

22…Qc8+ 23.Kb1 f4 24.Bf2 Nd7 25.h4 Rg8 26.hxg5 hxg5 27.Rd6 Kf8

[27…Nf8 28.Rc1 Qb8 (nowhere else for this queen to go) 29.Rb6! Ra7 30.Bd5 Black is going to be mated]

28.Rxe6 fxe6 29.Qxe6 1–0

Black cannot prevent mate. 29.Qxe6 Qe8 30.Qd6+ Kf7 31.Rh7+ Kg6 32.Qd3+ Kxf6 33.Qf5#

GM Kacper Piorun rampaged out of the starting line with five wins and a draw in the first six rounds, beating in the process GMs Valeriy Neverov and two of his co-leaders GMs Tal Baron (Israel) and Ferenc Berkes (Hungary). Then he relaxed a bit and finished with five straight draws.

Piorun (born Nov. 24, 1991) is a principal component of the resurgent Polish national team (remember their surprising 4th place finish in the 2018 Batumi Olympiad?) and at the same time a 4-time world champion in chess problem solving (2011 Jesi, 2014 Beerne, 2015 Ostroda and 2016 Belgrade). If you like tactical labyrinths or chaotic positions he is not one to trifle with.

Tsydypov, Zhamsaran (2551) — Piorun, Kacper (2631) [C45]
EU-ch Skopje 2019 Skopje (3.10), 20.03.2019

IM Zhamsaran Tsydypov is a 22–year old IM from Russia. He made a stir last December during the World Blitz Championship when he defeated Anand and Mamedyarov, both former world blitz champions, in successive rounds.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Ba6 9.b3 0–0–0

Black also has 9…g6, 9…g5 and 9…Qh4.

10.Qb2

A rare line but Black is doing well against the usual 10.g3 g5! 11.Bb2 Bg7 12.Bg2 (12.Nd2 (on its way to f3 to give additional support to e5) 12…Nb4 13.Nf3 Rhe8!? Black has completed his development whereas White still doesn’t know where his king will go. Jones,G (2567)-Gajewski,G (2573) Crete GRE 2007 0–1 60.) 12…Rde8 13.0–0 Bxe5 14.Qxe5 Qxe5 15.Bxe5 Rxe5 16.cxd5 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 cxd5 Black has R+2Ps vs White’s B+N. We cannot make any conclusions but so far Black has scored well. Morozevich, A (2751)-Mikhalevski, V (2631) Zuerich 2009 1/2 65.

10…Nb6 11.Be2 Re8 12.f4

[12.Bf4 g5 13.Bg3 Bg7 14.Nc3 f5! (a common theme in this line which our readers should take note of) 15.f4 (15.exf6? Qxf6 16.Rc1 Nd5! 17.cxd5 Rxe2+ Black is clearly winning) 15…gxf4 16.Bxf4 Bxe5 17.Bxe5 Qxe5 18.0–0 Qd4+ 19.Kh1 Rxe2 20.Qxe2 Qxc3 21.Rac1 Qf6 22.a4 Kb8 23.Qh5 Rf8 24.Qxh7 d6 25.Rf3 Bc8 Black’s pieces are unraveling after which he will have a clear advantage. Ljubojevic,L (2605)-Seirawan,Y (2605) Wijk aan Zee 1986 0–1 39. 0–1 (39)]

12…f6!

Black is winning a pawn.

13.a4

Not 13.exf6? Qe4! 14.f7 Re6 15.Nc3 Qxg2 16.Rf1 Bb4 Black is clearly winning; White should have just given away the pawn with 13.0–0 fxe5 14.f5 it is still a fight, but there is no doubt that Black is better.

13…fxe5 14.0–0

[14.f5 as in the previous line no longer works as now Black penetrates with 14…Qh4+ 15.g3 Qe4 16.0–0 Bc5+]

14…exf4 15.Nc3 Nd5! 16.cxd5 Bxe2 17.Rf2?

[17.Nxe2 was the only move. After 17…Qxe2 18.Qxe2 Rxe2 19.dxc6 Bc5+ 20.Kh1 g5 Black is better, but not yet winning]

17…Ba6!

Threatening …Qe1+

18.Bxf4 Qb4

Now the idea is …Bc5.

19.Kh1 Bc5 20.Rf3 Rhf8 21.Qc1 g5 22.Bxg5 Rxf3 23.gxf3 Bd4 24.Bd2 Qf8!

Mark Dvoretsky in one of his books opined that a retreating move like this is the hardest tactic to see.

25.f4 Qg7 0–1

The threat is now …Rg8, and to this White has no defense.

 

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

bobby@cpamd.net

Lakers lose Magic

The Lakers always knew they couldn’t possibly top the high they got on the first day of free agency last July. Armed with purpose and the promise the purple and gold invariably carried in light of their storied past, they managed to secure the commitment of LeBron James, and for the long haul. Widely acknowledged the National Basketball Association’s best player by far, he was supposed to be the first in a series of acquisitions aimed at bringing glory back to Staples Center. Instead, what they wound up doing was fill a roster with disjointed talent, auguring a future full of question marks and engendering trepidation, not hope.

The Lakers weren’t helped any by unfortunate turns of events, to be sure. Suspensions on the first day of the regular season were followed by a string of injuries that prevented them from settling on regular rotations, the most critical being James’ strained groin on Christmas Day. His protracted absence triggered a swoon; from fourth in West standings, they tumbled down to 11th. And when he returned to finish out the 2018-19 campaign, he couldn’t bring back the esprit de corps that hitherto had them humming; rumors of everybody but him being expendable in their desperate bid to trade for the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis disrupted chemistry.

Considering the tumult that accompanied the Lakers, it was but fitting that the last game of their sixth straight season out of the playoffs featured the resignation of living legend Magic Johnson as president. Even the press conference he called to announce the shocker was absent any organization; it was hastily called, and occurred before he could convey his departure to franchise owner Jeanie Buss. He wasn’t happy in his role anymore, he said. “I want to go back to having fun.” Perhaps he also knew the gravity of the work that would have been his in the offseason; most importantly, he and general manager Rob Pelinka would have been hard-pressed to pair James with another transcendent star to truly jump-start their projected run of success.

In any case, Johnson’s “No Mas” moment underscored the depth and breadth of the Lakers’ dysfunction. And how they will move forward is anybody’s guess. Who will Buss tap as the new head of hoops operations? Will it have any effect? With such notables as Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and Klay Thompson set to be available for the taking in July, the last thing they needed was another setback. They always survive, though. They always do. Whether they will while James is still putting up big numbers is, however, another matter altogether.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

Peso strengthens to P51:$1 level

THE PESO returned to the P51-per-dollar level on Wednesday, driven by weak economic data in the United States as well as pent-up remittances after a holiday.

The local unit closed yesterday’s session at P51.90 versus the greenback, 24 centavos stronger than the P52.14 finish last Monday.

The peso traded stronger the whole day, opening the session at its intraday low of P52.10 per dollar. Meanwhile, its best showing for the day was at yesterday’s close.

Dollars traded climbed to $990 million from the $873.93 million that changed hands the previous session.

A trader said the peso opened the session stronger following lower durable goods orders in the US. The US Commerce Department reported on Tuesday that orders for non-defense capital goods slid 0.1% in February, dragged by easing demand for machinery and computers and electronic products, Reuters reported.

Durable goods, on the other hand, declined 1.6% in February, a reversal of a 0.1% increase the previous month.

“We still see there’s still risk-on sentiment over Monday and Tuesday, that’s why the peso was stronger than the dollar,” the trader said.

The trader added that the peso strengthened on dollar selling in the market amid accumulated remittances after a holiday on Tuesday for Araw ng Kagitingan.

Meanwhile, another trader said “muted” expectations for the US inflation data for March, which was scheduled for release Wednesday night, might “spur views of future dovish action from the US Federal Reserve.”

For today, the first trader expects the peso to move between P51.70 and P52.20 versus the dollar, while the other gave a P51.70-P52 range.

“We’re waiting for the local trade balance data release, so if it records a trade deficit, we can expect a weaker peso,” the first trader noted. — KANV

PSE index rises to 8,000 level on bargain hunting

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter

THE MAIN INDEX advanced to the 8,000 level on Wednesday as investors went bargain hunting following the short break, alongside foreign investors’ bullish position on the local bourse.

The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) jumped 1.17% or 92.90 points to close at 8,008.53 yesterday, continuing its upward trajectory after the holiday break on Tuesday. The broader all-shares index likewise climbed 0.88% or 42.92 points to end at 4,909.88.

“Philippine shares made up for the holiday with more bargain hunting as volumes picked up a week before the Holy Week,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan said in a mobile phone message.

“Meanwhile, investors awaited the start of corporate earnings season later this week and the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) minutes of the meeting tonight,” Mr. Limlingan added.

The PSEi bucked the negative performance of markets abroad amid brewing tensions between the US and European Union, after the former threatened to impose $11.2 billion in tariffs on European products such as cheese, wine, and helicopters. The threats come amid already existing fears of a global economic slowdown.

“The index became an outlier today and closed at 8,008.53 due to the continued foreign buying in the market today,” Unicapital Securities, Inc. Technical Analyst Cristopher Adrian T. San Pedro said in a separate message on Wednesday.

Foreign investors recorded net purchases of P970.64 million compared to the previous session’s P496.59 million.

“On a technical note, the index is still consolidating between 7,800 support to 8,032 resistance,” Mr. San Pedro said, noting that the PSEi could retest the 8,100 and 8,237 mark in the short term should it be able to hold the 8,000 level.

The mining and oil counter was the lone sub-index that dropped, ending 0.47% or 36.25 points lower at 7,679.39.

The rest went up, led by holding firms which rose 1.29% or 100.94 points to 7,873.90. Industrials gained 1.16% or 137.21 points to 11,953.64; property firmed up 1.12% or 46.11 points to 4,139.09; services edged higher by 1.05% or 17.01 points to 1,630.98, while financials added 0.15% or 2.68 points to 1,742.48.

Turnover improved to P9.83 billion after some 2.14 billion issues switched hands, significantly higher than Monday’s P5.40 billion. Advancers outpaced decliners, 110 to 96, while 42 names were unchanged.

Other Southeast Asian markets were subdued as another downgrade to global economic growth by the International Monetary Fund and a US threat to slap tariffs on hundreds of European goods dampened investor sentiment.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.3%, a day after it hit its highest since Aug. 1. — with Reuters

MNLF forming panel to tackle federalism with gov’t

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter

THE MORO National Liberation Front (MNLF) is forming a panel that will negotiate with the national government on federalism, the group said in an interview.

“I think the MNLF has started to form a panel. The government also has, I think, though it’s not official, some persons who will constitute its panel,” MNLF legal counsel Randolph C. Parcasio told BusinessWorld.

In an interview at Malacañang last Monday, April 8, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said: “I don’t know yet if they have already started, [but] each panel will be composed of five members: five from the government and five from the MNLF.”

Mr. Parcasio was one of the speakers at the “National Forum and Launch of the Policy Report on Prospects and Proposals for Charter Change and Federalism,” held by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) in Makati on April 5.

The goal, he said, is to talk about federalism and draft a federal constitution.

The Consultative Committee (Con-Com), which President Rodrigo R. Duterte formed to review the 1987 Constitution, completed its draft Bayanihan Federal Constitution last year.

House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has also introduced her own draft, the Resolution of Both Houses No. 15, which was co-authored by 21 other legislators. Her draft, unlike the draft of Mr. Duterte’s Con-Com, is silent on political dynasties.

Mr. Parcasio, who is also a Con-Com member, said Mr. Misuari is supportive of the Con-Com’s draft except for the “configuration” of Mindanao.

“The only disagreement between our draft and the concept of the MNLF is the configuration of Mindanao…. Under our (Con-Com) draft, Mindanao will have six federated regions. He feels that it does not address the problems of Mindanao because we have contentious areas for the indigenous peoples. You have areas for the Bangsamoro, so it will be more appropriate, sabi n’ya (he said), if the Mindanaoans themselves will be the ones or will have the opportunities or privilege to decide on how to reconfigure. ‘Yun lang sa kanya (That’s his only concern),” he explained.

US court orders $13.75-M transfer to rights-abuse victims

By Vann Marlo M. Villegas, Reporter

THE UNITED States Federal Court in New York directed the transfer and distribution of $13.75 million in settlement proceeds to 9,539 human rights-abuse victims during the martial-law period of the Marcos dictatorship.

In a statement dated April 9, lawyer Robert Swift, lead counsel of the victims, said New York Judge Katherine Polk Failla “was intimately involved in negotiating the settlement and knew the authority of each of the parties. Class Counsel will now focus on the distribution of $1,500 to each eligible claimant.”

“The distribution will begin May 1 in Butuan followed by sequential distributions in 15 other cities during May, June and July. I will send eligible Class members letters advising them where and when they may come to receive a check,” he added.

The settlement for the class suit in connection with an art work sequestered from the Marcos family was reached in January but the Office of the Solicitor-General (OSG) tried to halt the settlement and distribution of the proceeds, according to Mr. Swift — a claim the OSG denied.

Mr. Swift said Judge Failla found there is “actual and apparent authority to bind the Republic (of the Philippines) to the settlement.” He also said the country will also receive $4 million from the settlement.

The art work in question is a “Water Lily” painting done by Vilma Bautista, a former secretary of former first lady and Ilocos Norte 2nd District Rep. Imelda R. Marcos. The painting is valued at $32 million.

Members of the class suit “are Filipinos who were tortured, summarily executed or disappeared during the Martial Law years,” Mr. Swift said in his statement.

For its part, the OSG, in its statement, maintained it fully recognizes that the human rights-abuse victims stand to benefit from the order but pointed out that the proper venue for their claims would be the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board or in the probate proceedings where the Marcos estate is being settled.

It nevertheless added that the said procedure is being recognized by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court and the United States Department of Justice.

The OSG said Mr. Swift “refuses to enforce the $2 Billion Hawaii Court award he obtained at the proper fora,” and insists on interfering with government’s efforts in gaining back the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses “in foreign jurisdictions such as cases in the US, Switzerland and Singapore, including the current interpleader proceedings in New York.”

“It appears that Swift’s determination to assert his clients’ claims wherever and whenever he deems possible is driven, not by the purely noble aim to seek justice and retribution for the human rights victims, but by the hefty attorney’s fees he stands to receive,” OSG also said.

SC orders permanent stop to cutting of trees for SM Baguio expansion

THE SUPREME Court (SC) has permanently prohibited the cutting and transferring of trees in Luneta Hill in Baguio City for the expansion of SM Prime Holdings, Inc.’s (SMPHI) SM shopping mall. The justices, in their en banc session on Wednesday held at the SC Compound in Baguio City for the high court’s traditional summer sessions there, made permanent the temporary restraining order it issued on March 24, 2015 on the “cutting and balling of trees” in Luneta Hill, according to SC Public Information Chief Brian Keith F. Hosaka. “This is without prejudice to the filing of another application for an environmental compliance certificate in accordance with existing laws and regulations,” Mr. Hosaka added. SMPHI legal counsel Ryan San Juan, in a statement, said, “We have not received any resolution on this matter from the Supreme Court.” The case stemmed from the petition of the Cordillera Global Network (CGN), which sought to stop the cutting of trees after the management of SM City Baguio reportedly cut 60 old-growth pine trees in Jan. 2015. SM City Baguio proceeded with the clearing of portions of Luneta Hill following the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) in Dec. 2014 that lifted the temporary protection order issued in April 2012. The CA dismissed the petition of CGN, ruling that it failed to prove that the cutting of trees would incur irreparable damage to the environment and cultural heritage. SM City Baguio plans to build a seven-storey ‘Sky Park’ project in the area. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Guevarra says accusations vs Perete in Baldo case unfounded

DEPARTMENT OF Justice (DoJ) Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra has disputed the allegation of the legal counsel of Daraga City Mayor Carlwyn G. Baldo that the department’s undersecretary and spokesperson interfered in the mayor’s indictment over the slay of AKO Bicol Rep. Rodel M. Batocabe in Dec. 2018. “Mayor Baldo’s insinuation of interference by DoJ Usec. Markk (L.) Perete in the investigation of the mayor’s cases is totally unfounded,” Mr. Guevarra told reporters in a text message. “Usec. Perete has no involvement whatsoever in the operations of the prosecution service, which is under the supervision of another undersecretary,” he added. Mr. Guevarra also emphasized that Mr. Perete’s “being a relative” of Daraga Vice-Mayor Victor U. Perete was “purely accidental.” “He (Usec. Perete) has never talked about Mayor Baldo’s cases with anyone, much less with the investigating panel. Usec. Perete is one of the most honest and respected officials of the DoJ,” he said. The DoJ indicted Mr. Baldo in March for a murder charge over the killing of Mr. Batocabe. He was also charged of attempted murder in connection with the wounding of several others during the incident. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Lambunao allocates P9M for interventions after town declares state of calamity due to El Niño

LAMBUNAO IS the second town in Iloilo province to declare a state of calamity due to El Niño and the municipal government is tapping P9 million from its emergency fund to assist affected residents. Mayor Jason R. Gonzales of Lambunao said the dry spell has affected 3,588 farmers as well as water supply in more than 4,000 households. “Our total agricultural losses in value is total P164 million, mostly covering rice, corn, bananas, and various vegetables,” he said. The initial intervention, however, will focus on water supply. “We will use the fund to provide potable water for the residents because that is our priority right now. We will be using it to purchase two water trucks (for) those barangays who have no access to a water source” he said. “This is just for immediate response. We can’t extend help to the farmers in terms of irrigation because the budget is not enough,” he added. For the long-term plan, the mayor said, they will be identifiying new water sources for households and build up to 100 small farm reservoir, which will serve as water collecting ponds to augment the needs of farmers. As of March 31, 2019, the total rice losses in the entire Iloilo province due to El Niño has surged to P1.026 billion, according to Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Elias V. Sandig. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

Fisherfolk affected by red tide given alternative livelihood

FISHERFOLK DEPENDENT on shellfish gathering in the two Davao Region areas affected by red tide have been given alternative livelihood options, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Balite Bay in Mati City and Sta. Maria in Davao Occidental have been declared positive for red tide toxin in the latest BFAR advisory. “BFAR already extended interventions to fisherfolk and what we are doing now is we help them based to their capabilities,” Raul C. Millana, BFAR-Region 11 division head for fish production and support services division. Some have been offered work in fish farms while others were given fiber glass boats and fishing paraphernalia. Maria Loida M. Avorque, BFAR-11 senior aquaculturist, said the El Niño phenomenon contribute to the red tide occurence. “During dry spell the temperature is high and if temperature is high and the water is dirty, so when typhoon Chedeng occurred, there was leaching out of nutrients from the upland and goes to the sea. These toxins are due to algal bloom… This could not be avoided because apart from this is a natural phenomenon, our waters are already polluted,” she said. Mr. Millana said shellfish is among the top five priority commodities being promoted by BFAR and steps are being taken to prevent the spread of the red tide toxins in other areas. “In Region 11, with the collaboration of other local communities, we are closely monitoring beginning with the point of origin. What is important is the toxins should not move from one place to another,” he said. — Maya M. Padillo

Rescued Malaysian captive succumbs to gunshot wound; soldiers fighting Abu Sayyaf get recognition

MALAYSIAN KIDNAP victim Jari Bin Abdullah, who was shot by his Abu Sayyaf captors as he was being rescued in Sulu by government troops last April 4, died on April 9 at the West Metro Medical Center in Zamboanga City after his family consented to the removal of the life support system. The military’s Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) reported that his family, Malaysian Consul General Nur Harun, and officials of the International Monitoring Team were present at the hospital. “We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the families of Abdullah. Our troops are exhausting all efforts to defeat the Abu Sayyaf and bring justice to the victims of terror,” said Lieutenant General Arnel B. Dela Vega, WestMinCom chief. Meanwhile, Indonesian kidnap victim Heri Ardiansyah has flown to Manila on April 9 for his journey home. The body of another Indonesian kidnap victim, identified only as Hariadin, was also brought to Manila last April 8. The two Indonesians were rescued in Sulu on April 5. The three Abu Sayyaf kidnap victims, all fishermen, were abducted early Dec. 2018 in the waters off Kinabatangan in Sabah, Malaysia. Pursuit operations are continuing in Sulu, where President Rodrigo R. Duterte joined the Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) celebration last April 9. As part of the ceremony, Mr. Duterte pinned medals of recognition to soldiers who have been wounded in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf and gave assurance of continued assistance to their families. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Malacañang says Go’s no-tattoo back proves viral video just black propaganda

MALACAÑANG ON Wednesday said the tattoo-free back of Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go, former special assistant of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, proves that the viral video that links him to the illegal drug trade is just “a black propaganda.” “We’ve been saying all along that that was a black propaganda. There are people who believe it — hook line and sinker, and it’s now showing that it’s not true. It’s never been true,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said at a Palace briefing on Wednesday. Mr. Go, who took his shirt off to show his back at a public gathering in Agusan del Sur, said in a press statement that those behind the video are simply “desperate” and the narrator behind the video could himself be the “drug lord.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

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