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Cebu City council committee junks proposed habal-habal regulation

THE PROPOSED local law for regulating the operations of habal-habal, motorcycles that are informally used as public utility vehicles, has been rejected by the Cebu City council’s committee on laws, ordinances, and styling. Councilor Sisinio M. Andales, committee chairperson, said the basis for the disapproval is that there is no national law that will support it. “Unless and until a national law be enacted regulating motorcycle-for-hire or habal-habal, this committee is constrained to opine that the proposed ordinance is beyond the power of this Sanggunian (council) to enact,” read a portion of the committee report. Councilor Pastor M. Alcover, Jr., proponent of the measure, said he is dismayed with the decision considering that habal-habals have been operating for over 20 years. “The government has not done anything to regulate this kind of transportation, which is being used by the public because of traffic situation of the city,” he said. — The Freeman

Nation at a Glance — (06/06/18)

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

Staking new ‘Terra-tory’

Text and photos by Aries B. Espinosa

IN perhaps what could be considered a long-overdue move, Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. has finally made its presence felt in the midsize SUV category with the regional introduction of its new frame-based Terra.
Nissan Philippines, Inc. (NPI) hosted the launch program at the Clark Global City open grounds in Clark Economic Zone, Pampanga, with more than a hundred motoring journalists from across Southeast Asia and Oceania witnessing the Terra make its grand entrance late afternoon of May 28 on an elaborately landscaped terrain.
Executives from the regional headquarters of Nissan and NPI answered queries, among them was the obvious “why just now?”, when the automaker’s research and development efforts for a mid-sized SUV were already underway as early as four years ago.
Ashwani Gupta, Alliance senior vice-president of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi light commercial vehicle (LCV) business unit, replied; “We started this way back, no doubt about it. But we wanted to come up with a differentiation. So we’re the last mover [in this segment], but consider what’s different. We have the Nissan Intelligent Mobility, and then specific features for the Philippines, such as that it’s a seven-seater, and then developing the powertrains, from gasoline to diesel. Now we feel it’s the right time.”
Mr. Gupta added that the entry of the Terra would also fill in the midsize SUV segment where Nissan has been missing out on all the heated action. “In Nissan, one out of every six vehicles sold are light commercial vehicles. When you look at the global market, out of maybe 92 million vehicles sold, 21 million are LCVs. So, globally, one out of six sold is an LCV. Ours is one out of six, because we didn’t have the mid-size SUV. And now we have the Terra. Our growth will mainly come from here, because we missed this one segment.”
It’s an outlook reflected locally by NPI, as company President and Managing Director Ramesh Narasimhan said: “We are entering into a segment where there is an opportunity for Nissan to grow, and I am confident that the product will do extremely well. Our expectation is that we will grow versus last year, and the Terra will be the strongest contributor to the business growth of NPI in 2018.”
THE TERRA DIFFERENCE
This regional launch, then, was meant for journalists and the dealers to experience firsthand all things different with the Terra, inside and out. The 40-kilometer ride-and-drive activity held May 29, on the well-paved streets of Clark and on the ever-changing river trail of Sacobia, showed how the SUV’s design and engineering inputs would combine seamlessly with the technology, performance and safety features of the Terra.
From a design standpoint, the Terra harks back to way more than the four or five years of its actual development. Terra is a descendant of the Patrol, Nissan’s off-road icon originally designed for police and military use. “Over 60 years of SUV heritage went into the development of the Terra,” Mr. Narasimhan stressed.
But where the Patrol diverges into an eight-seat off-road beast, the Terra forms into the more “docile” seven-seat hybrid urban and outdoor adventure SUV configuration. Docile, because it offers creature comforts, such as the first-in-class second-row, one-touch remote fold-and-tumble seats, premium leather seats, ambient lights, overhead entertainment, and Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies such as the lane departure warning, blind spot warning and Intelligent Around View Monitor with moving object detection, and the smart rear-view mirror that allows drivers to see images from a back-mounted camera.
The beast in the Terra was unleashed by way of its 2.5-liter YD25 diesel engine that produces 190 hp at 3,600 rpm and maximum torque of 450 Nm at 2,000 rpm — more than enough muscle for the vehicle to negotiate the rocky and sandy surfaces of the so-called “Delta 5” course, even with four or five warm bodies on board.
Rough as the course may have been, the Terra provided exceptional comfort with its reinforced chassis, five-link coil spring suspension system and rigid rear-wheel axle. The 4WD DIFF-Lock system, coupled with hill-descent control and hill-start assist gave drivers more confidence in negotiating difficult stretches of the route.
NPI was loathe to admit that it had the advantage of studying the best price point of its Terra variants by coming in late in the game, offering the tech-laden SUV at an attractive range starting from the base variant 2.5L Mid 4×2 six-speed manual transmission at P1.499 million to the top-of-the-line 2.5L Premium 4×4 7AT for P2.096 million.
Nissan dealerships have started accepting reservations since June 1, while actual units from Thailand will be available in the Philippines on Aug. 20.

Volkswagen’s China-sourced units expected to grow PHL sales by 60%

By Kap Maceda Aguila
TO BE perfectly honest, not a few mouths were left agape when Volkswagen Philippines announced a five-model onslaught last May 18. The China-sourced and badged models — the Santana, Santana GTS, long-wheelbase Tiguan, Lavida and Lamando — are widely expected to reestablish the German brand’s presence here while boosting sales.
Three parts of the five-headed hydra embodying the VW resurgence are already available, led by the P686,000 Santana, which effectively becomes the most affordable ticket to a previously prohibitive pool party of Euro vehicles.
But, first things first. China, despite its proximity to the Philippines and a shared affinity for left-hand-drive vehicles, had never been a source for vehicles. Chinese government fiat prohibited locally produced cars from leaving the country and were, instead, solely earmarked to satisfy domestic demand.
“Before, we had to ship units from so far away,” said Volkswagen Philippines chief operating adviser Klaus Schadewald in an exclusive interview with BusinessWorld. “In the past, it was difficult for us to get cars at the right price point [and] we were… suffering from 30% import tax. Aside from the higher price there was the excise tax. Sometimes, we paid up to 100% just in taxes.” Mr. Schadewald rued that at times it felt like being “doubly penalized.”
All this has changed through a free trade agreement with China which took effect in January 2018. The ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreements meant “the taxes of cars from [there] went down to 5%… it now makes [their] cars very affordable,” continued the VW executive. “For us, it was a chance to open up the discussion… with our joint venture partners to look into possible sourcing from China.”
Now, Volkswagen Philippines is immensely bullish about its sales prospects for the rest of the year, expecting 50-60% improvement owing to the more inexpensively priced new nameplates.
Our country has the honor of becoming the first market to import the China-made and branded VW units (from Shanghai). Mr. Schadewald said the Santana is primed for “the biggest segment in the Philippines, the P600,000-P800,000 [niche].” Above that is “another quite interesting level, the P1-million to P1.2-million segment [for which] we brought in the Lavida.”
Meanwhile, the long wheelbase version of the Tiguan SUV is priced with “a very, very attractive” tag of P2.259 million.
The Santana GTS, set to arrive in November, leverages the “success of the Golf GTS in the market,” according to Mr. Schadewald. “People are really loving this.” Lastly, the Lamando, also to set to appear that month, “is the symbol and statement about product quality and technology… This car has everything in it with a very attractive price.”
The new China-sourced models will not supplant VW Philippines’ previous offerings. Said marketing director Franz Henri L. Decloedt in a text message to this writer, “For now, the focus will be on the newly launched models. However, we’ll continue to sell the Golf, Jetta, and Polo while we still have inventory.
“If the demand is still there for these units, we’ll evaluate the sales lineup at that point again. Regardless, VW Philippines will ensure parts availability for all vehicles introduced by our group in order to provide customers the best after-sales experience possible.”
If anything, the opening of China as a source of vehicles promises enhanced access to “best offers” across VW’s 120 production plants around the world. China is undoubtedly one of the more important markets for the German car maker. According to a release, “of the 10,038,650 passenger cars the Volkswagen Group sold globally in 2017, 41.6%, or 4,173,834 units, were in China.”
Volkswagen Philippines further stated that, regardless of source, all its “vehicles meet the premium German car maker’s world-class design, engineering, manufacturing and safety standards that have cemented [its] reputation and heritage across cultures and generations.”
Three of the five new China-sourced models are already available in all eight Volkswagen Philippines dealerships. These are the Santana, the Lavida, and the Tiguan. The Santana GTS and the Lamando will be offered in November. Two automatic-transmission variants of the Santana are also scheduled for release that month.
Underscored Mr. Schadewald; “What we are looking at from a strategic [perspective] is [that we will have access] to the best, most suitable models for the [local] market — wherever the car comes from. I’m not saying that in the future, all cars will come from China. That’s not true… We’re looking now into the best offers with the most attractive price. It can be from China, from Europe, from South America, or from the US.”
Volkswagen is a little coy about the next nameplates set to hit local showrooms, but VW Philippines’ chief operating adviser does offer a tip: To look at the VW models on the company’s China website, and try to see which models would be perfect for import here.
One thing is certain. “More will be coming,” promised Mr. Schadewald.

Mazda brings out upgraded MX-5

THE upgraded Mazda MX-5 sports roadster, with new safety features and performance enhancements, is now available in all 20 showrooms of Mazda Philippines.
New for the 2018 MX-5 Soft Top line is the limited edition Dark Cherry fabric canopy, which comes exclusively with the six-speed SkyActiv automatic transmission variant, and the signature Mazda Machine Gray body color as an option. Mazda added its new Soul Red Crystal color is now also offered in select variants.
Among the primary mechanical improvements for the 2018 MX-5 Soft Top are the car’s retuned rear suspension and power steering system, which Mazda said ensures “even more agile handling and improved ride comfort for the lightweight roadster.”
Meanwhile, offered as an option for the MX-5 Retractable Fastback variant is Mazda’s six-speed manual SkyActiv transmission. Nappa leather remains optional for the hardtop with an automatic transmission while black leather is standard for the manual.
Additional safety features for both MX-5 variants are adaptive LED head lamps and lane departure warning.
Prices for the 2018 MX-5 range between P1.880 million and P2.3 million.

New RS 5 Coupe arrives in local Audi showrooms

THE high-performance version of Audi’s midsize coupe is now in the Philippines.
Introduced by the brand’s local distributor during a recent program was the second-generation Audi RS 5 Coupe. The car is the top variant in Audi’s A5 range, which is composed of a two-door coupe, two-door convertible and five-door fastback hatch. It was presented by Audi Sport GmBH driving instructor Christoph Klapper.
“The Audi RS 5 Coupe is a car that exudes character — from its progressive design to its sporty interior. Not only does the new RS 5 defines perfection in design, comfort and safety, it also delivers sophisticated performance one can only expect from Audi,” said the head of Audi Philippines, Benedicto T. Coyiuto.
Among other features, distinguishing the RS 5 Coupe from the rest of the A5 variants is its 2.9 TFSI V6 engine. Audi said this new twin-turbocharged mill sees “sharp increases in power and efficiency,” and also emits an “incomparably full-bodied” exhaust note for which RS variants are known. It makes 444 hp and 600 Nm of torque, 170 Nm more than that which the engine in the previous RS 5 produced. Audi also noted this output is available from 1,900 — 5,000 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends the power to a Quattro all-wheel drive system.
The car maker quoted performance figures of the RS 5 Coupe as: 0-100 kph in 3.9 seconds, 250 kph top speed (280 kph if the car is fitted with the optional RS dynamic package), 8.7 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, and 197 grams of CO2 spewed per kilometer. A body 60 kilograms lighter than that on the previous model is partly credited for the new car’s improved numbers.
Propping the car is a revised five-link suspension in front, and also a similar five-link setup in the rear (replacing the trapezoidal-link suspension used in the previous model). Audi said the change improves agility and comfort “significantly.” The RS 5 Coupe is also equipped with Dynamic Ride Control that’s specifically tuned for the car. Options include ceramic brakes and dynamic steering.
Audi said the RS 5 Coupe is first to feature the current RS design, and was inspired by motor sport details of the Audi 90 Quattro IMSA GTO race car. Massive honeycomb air inlets, a wider single frame grille, air intakes next to the head lights and tail lamps, tinted bezels around the optional Matrix LED head lights, Quattro blisters over the wheel arches, 20-inch wheels, and RS-specific diffuser insert and oval tailpipes identify the exterior of the RS 5 Coupe.
RS sport seats, a flat-bottom multifunction sport leather steering wheel, and special RS displays in Audi’s virtual cockpit are some of the car’s cabin features.
The RS 5 Coupe is now sold at Audi Philippines dealerships.

Porsche set to double investment in future tech

PORSCHE said it would have invested more than $7 billion in its electromobility projects by 2022, which will come on top of “sizeable investments in its sports car business.” Spending will focus on derivatives of its Mission E model, hybridization and electrification of its current model range, as well as on developing smart mobility and charging infrastructure.
The announcement was made after the car maker said its worldwide deliveries of vehicles rose 4% in 2017, or to 246,375 units, and that its revenue for the same period increased 5%, to $27.4 billion. The company added its operating profit grew 7%, to $4.78 billion.
“This successful financial statement confirms our strategy. We are using our high earnings level to support an unprecedented future development plan,” said Oliver Blume, chairman of the executive board at Porsche AG.
“We have succeeded in boosting our operating result by over 50% within the last three years,” noted Lutz Meschke, deputy chairman of the executive board at Porsche AG. “Porsche continues to be among the most profitable automobile manufacturers in the world. This is down to continuous improvements in productivity, our stringent cost management strategy, as well as our outstanding product range.”
Mr. Meschke added Porsche’s aim for 2018 is to “stabilize revenue and deliveries at [a] high level,” while also expecting the “next boost in sales” to come from the launch of the Mission E — the brand’s first purely electric vehicle.
The car maker said it already started building derivatives of the Mission E — like the production-ready concept study of the Cross Turismo, shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The model has a system power of over 600 hp, a range of more than 500 kilometers, and can accelerate from rest to 100 kph in under 3.5 seconds. Battery charging time is four minutes for a range of approximately 100 kilometers, Porsche said.
Porsche also unveiled the 911 GT3 RS in Geneva. “The GT3 RS features the most powerful naturally aspirated engine Porsche has to offer,” said Mr. Blume. The car makes 520 hp, accelerates from rest to 100 kph in just 3.2 seconds, and has a top speed of 312 kph.
Mr. Blume also emphasized the “non-financial aspects” — or social responsibility — Porsche’s business.
“We never view our economic success in isolation… We don’t see conflict between economic, ecological and social aspects. They must work in harmony with each other,” he said.
The executive cited as an example the company’s plan to increase the number of technical training students from the current 106 people to 156 people, all of whom set to work on the Mission E project. He added there are “around 750 training places” currently available at Porsche.
In the Philippines, the Porsche Training and Recruitment Center Asia provides world-class training and financial sponsorship to underprivileged Filipino youths wanting to become Porsche service specialists. The program is the first of its kind outside Germany, according to Porsche.

Feeling blue

BLUECHEM products have been used exclusively in various auto dealerships in the Philippines since 2009. Now, the German brand’s range of cleaners and flushers for engines and transmissions can be purchased directly by consumers through select stores and online channels. Among the products offered by BlueChem Philippines are its oil system cleaner, which the company said can thoroughly flush out the old oil so this would not contaminate the fresh oil put into the engine; the gasoline and diesel fuel system cleaner that can emulsify water entering fuel lines and tanks; the Nano engine protection that provides an extra film of anti-friction barrier and lubrication for internal engine components; the transmission flush and conditioner that are said to also recondition seals and gaskets; and the Klima Fresh and foam cleaner for air-conditioners, which can eliminate bad odor and ensure that fresh air flows into the system, BlueChem said.

How important is brand value in the car industry?

I ask the question because the market research firm Millward Brown has just released its annual brand equity report called the “BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands.” In it, the biggest companies in the world are ranked according to their so-called brand value. So first, a definition: What exactly is brand value?
For me, brand value is the sum of prestige, desirability and trustworthiness resulting from a company’s past performance in several areas: product quality, professionalism, customer service and corporate social responsibility. A company that excels in these departments may be considered as having a strong brand, while one that flounders in them is seen as having a weak brand.
Someone explained brand value this way: It is a company’s ability to charge customers a premium for its products or services. In this sense, I guess you may also swap “brand” with “reputation.” If your company enjoys a spotless reputation, you’re able to sell most anything to people — perhaps even the San Juanico Bridge. If your reputation sucks, you get jeered at every time you announce a product launch — nobody wants to touch your merchandise with a 10-foot pole and a pair of industrial gloves. It’s how Apple, for instance, can get away with insanely priced gadgets whose specs and features are virtually the same as (if not inferior to) those made by less esteemed rivals.
Brand value is the shine — the X factor — that makes consumers want to purchase an item or avail of a service regardless of the asking price.
So, going back to the above-mentioned brand equity report, the leading global brands today are mostly in the digital tech industry, the top 10 being Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Tencent, Facebook, Visa, McDonald’s, Alibaba Group and AT&T. In the top 100, only five automakers made it to the list: Toyota (No. 36), Mercedes-Benz (No. 46), BMW (No. 47), Ford (No. 96) and Honda (No. 97). Outside of the top 100 and making up the top 10 in the automotive category, we have Nissan, Audi, Tesla, Maruti Suzuki and Volkswagen.
A reason car assemblers aren’t exactly on pedestals in most people’s minds could be the backlash against motor vehicles in the areas of environment protection and traffic congestion. Many young individuals actually associate cars with other societal evils.
One of my online readers wondered how certain car brands could make the cut when they were notorious for poor after-sales service in our market. But the ranking is a global one and not just Philippine-based. Besides, as I already pointed out, brand value isn’t just the result of product quality or customer service. A company that produces mediocre cars but heavily invests in feel-good CSR campaigns can maintain a fairly reputable brand — while a firm that admirably (and consistently) creates excellent vehicles but is run by misogynist douchebags may see its stocks diving after a former female employee exposes a sexual-harassment incident.
The tricky thing about brand value is that it mostly hinges on market perception. It’s basically an organization’s public image, so it could get pretty arbitrary. A classic example is how my father still looks down on Japanese car brands to this day. To him, Toyota and company are still the same unreliable manufacturers he knew from his youth — and that American vehicles are still far better than Japanese ones. Which explains why he almost puked when I tried to convince him to get a Camry or a CR-V instead of a very impractical (for his age and needs) Mustang. That’s what brand value does for you: Sometimes it changes; at other times it’s for life.
I think brand value is most crucial in the car business, considering the kind of money a customer needs to pay in order to own a product. When a shopper is deciding on a purchase, all the stories he or she has heard about the brand come into play. If these stories are pleasant, writing that check becomes a much easier hurdle; if they’re appalling, they tend to be a deal-breaker.
So the next time you look at car sales charts, keep in mind that the numbers aren’t necessarily the exclusive consequence of exterior styling, specs, technology and pricing. They could also be the by-product of branding.

Defending champ SMB looks to pad winning run

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
SEEMINGLY found their footing after a rough start to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup, the defending champions San Miguel Beermen look to extend the winning run they are currently having when they collide with the Columbian Dyip in the 7 p.m. main game today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Opened their campaign in the midseason PBA tournament with three straight losses, the Beermen have since won back-to-back matches to improve to 2-3 and serve notice to the rest of the league that the “sleeping giant” may have awaken.
The most recent of San Miguel’s victories came at the expense of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, a hard-earned 107-94 overtime win in their battle of struggling teams on June 3.
San Miguel had to dig deep to pull out the win, needing to make a crucial basket in the dying seconds of regulation before pulling away in extra period.
Import Renaldo Balkman led all scorers with 27 points to go along with 11 rebounds.
June Mar Fajardo had a monster double-double of 24 points and 19 rebounds while Arwind Santos added 19 points.
“We really needed the win because falling down to 1-4 [with a loss] would have made things harder for us. So everybody had to work hard. It was a total team effort for us,” Mr. Fajardo, named player of the game, said after the game.
Incidentally, the 24-19 statline of reigning league most valuable player Fajardo notched for him the PBA player of the week honors.
The numbers padded Mr. Fajardo’s numbers to 16.5 points and 16 rebounds in their last two games, all victories, while also dishing out three assists and having 1.5 blocks per game.
In winning the award, the “Kraken” beat out teammate Santos, TNT’s Terrence Romeo and Jericho Cruz, Rain or Shine’s Raymond Almazan, Alaska’s Vic Manuel and Chris Banchero and Meralco’s Chris Newsome and Anjo Caram.
SLIDING COLUMBIAN
Out to derail San Miguel while infusing much-needed boost to its suddenly sliding campaign is the Columbian.
Started out with a 3-2 record in its first five games, the Dyip dropped their last two games to fall below .500 at 3-4 and is danger of falling out of the playoff picture.
Columbian was blown off the court by the TNT KaTropa, 123-95, on June 1, something that left Dyip coach Ricky Dandan very disappointed, leading to him not talking to his team postgame.
The Dyip trailed from start to finish and were not able to really get their game to take off.
Import John Fields had 34 points and 20 rebounds but was not able to get much support from the rest of the team.
Meanwhile, the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok (3-2) try to get back on the winning track when they take on the still-winless Blackwater Elite (0-7) in the 4:30 p.m. curtain-raiser.

Djokovic and Zverev eye semis; US hopes for double

PARIS — Novak Djokovic can reach a 32nd Grand Slam semi-final on Tuesday when the 12-time major winner faces unseeded Italian Marco Cecchinato in the last-eight of the French Open.
Alexander Zverev, the second seeded German, is in his first quarterfinal at the majors where he faces Dominic Thiem who has made the semifinals in Paris in the last two years.
With world number two Caroline Wozniacki and defending champion Jelena Ostapenko already eliminated, the bottom half of the women’s draw has been throw wide open.
World number 98 Yulia Putintseva, a quarterfinalist two years ago, tackles Madison Keys of the United States.
Keys’s close friend Sloane Stephens, the US Open champion, takes on Russia’s Daria Kasatkina who put out Wozniacki.
AFP Sport looks at Tuesday’s four quarterfinals:
NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SRB X20) V MARCO CECCHINATO (ITA)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: FIRST MEETING
2016 champion Djokovic, in a 12th Roland Garros quarterfinal and 40th at the majors, is bidding to reach his 32nd Grand Slam semifinal when he faces world number 72 Cecchinato.
Playing at his lowest ranking for almost 12 years after months of struggling with an elbow injury and indifferent form, Djokovic has made the last eight by dropping just one set.
Cecchinato is bidding to become the first Italian man to reach the semifinals at a Grand Slam since Corrado Barazzutti in Paris in 1978.
The Italian, who has one career title to Djokovic’s 68, had never won a match at the majors before this year’s French Open.
Two years ago, his career was almost derailed when he became embroiled in match fixing allegations.
He was suspended for 18 months by the Italian tennis federation in July 2016 before later being cleared of any wrongdoing.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV (GER X2) V DOMINIC THIEM (AUT X7)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: THIEM LEADS 4-2
Zverev is playing in a quarterfinal at the Slams for the first time while Thiem has made the semifinals in Paris for the last two years.
After fighting through three consecutive five-set match-wins, Zverev is still on track to be the first German men’s champion at Roland Garros since 1937.
Even though he trails Thiem in their head-to-head, he won their most recent meeting on clay in the Madrid final this year.
Thiem boasts being the only player to have defeated Rafael Nadal on clay prior to Roland Garros this year in the Madrid quarter-finals, ending the 10-time French Open champion’s 21-match winning streak on clay. It was the first time Nadal had dropped a set on clay since Thiem’s victory against him in Rome in 2017.
YULIA PUTINTSEVA (KAZ) V MADISON KEYS (USA X13)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: FIRST MEETING
Kazakhstan’s Putintseva will be playing her second quarterfinal at Roland Garros, but this time it has been more of a surprise after slipping to 98th in the world rankings.
Keys had always struggled on clay before this year, but has now reached the last eight at all four Grand Slams after impressively cruising through the draw without dropping a set.
“Once you get to the second week, every match obviously has more nerves, and there’s more on the line and all of that,” said last year’s US Open runner-up. “So now it’s really just managing your expectations and your nerves and the moment.”
SLOANE STEPHENS (USA X10) V DARIA KASATKINA (RUS X14)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: FIRST MEETING
Like her compatriot and good friend Keys, US Open champion Stephens is in the quarterfinals for the first time and hoping to set up a repeat of last year’s final in New York.
But the 10th seed will have to be wary of the dangerous Kasatkina, who saw off Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets to notch her third consecutive win over the Australian Open winner.
The Russian also reached the Indian Wells final earlier this year, and has now won six times against players ranked in the world’s top two. — AFP

Gatorade ambassador Scottie Thompson ready to step it up further

ONE of the celebrated young guns in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Scottie Thompson of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings has accomplished quite a lot and signified his readiness to take his burgeoning career to another level.
The latest brand ambassador in the country of sports drink Gatorade, Mr. Thompson, the fifth pick in the 2015 PBA rookie draft, shared that the latest feather in his cap only serves to inspire him some more to explore his basketball potential to the fullest and live his dreams as he envisioned it growing up in Davao.
“When Gatorade contacted me about being one of their brand ambassadors in the Philippines I was really excited. Growing up I dreamt of being part of the brand joining those that I saw on TV like Michael Jordan and other top athletes. And now I’m here,” said Mr. Thompson, 24, during the official signing and announcement of his being a brand ambassador on Monday at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong City.
He went on to say that while he is happy to be part of the Gatorade family, joining the likes of Barangay Ginebra teammate LA Tenorio, collegiate standout Ricci Rivero and volleyball star Alyssa Valdez, he knows that there are responsibilities that go with it, something he is determined to live up to.
“I know being part of Gatorade a lot is expected from me, to be on top of my game and embody everything that the brand stands for. I am going to work hard to repay their trust and represent Gatorade as best as I can,” said Mr. Thompson, a former National Collegiate Athletic Association most valuable player while playing for the Perpetual Help Altas.
PLAYING FOR GINEBRA
Three years since being drafted in the pros, Mr. Thompson said he could not have written a better start to a career in the PBA.
To date, the do-it-all player has been a winner through and through — a member of the All-Rookie Team in 2016, a three-time All-Star and two-time champion — made all the more special by playing for the most popular team in the league.
“I’m happy to be playing for Ginebra. There is pressure, of course. But I’m enjoying myself and doing everything I can to make the team happy and so do the fans who have given so much support to me since I entered the league,” he said.
“The excitement is always there for me every time I step on the court. I always follow what my veterans tell me. I learn from them because I know what they teach me I’ll be able to use them for my career moving forward,” added Mr. Thompson.
ROUGH CAMPAIGN
Asked by BusinessWorld for the rough campaign they are having so far in the ongoing PBA Commissioner’s Cup where they are sporting a 1-5 record midway into it, Mr. Thompson said it has been tough but they are not about to give up.
“It was a tough loss for us. We really wanted to win against San Miguel and prepared hard for it. But it is what it is. It happens so we just have to keep moving forward. Like what Coach Tim [Cone] said we have to stay positive. Treat it as one game at a time. So from here on, it’s all important games for us,” he said, referring to their 107-94 overtime loss to the Beermen on June 3.
He also shared his thoughts on what happened to PBA rookie Kiefer Ravena and the importance of being aware of what athletes put into their bodies.
“It’s really a wake-up call for all of us athletes here in the country to mind what we take in our body. It’s just sad that it had to be Kiefer. He’s a great guy, great player. But I know he can handle it. He has a strong character. Just the same let what happened to him be a lesson for everybody,” he said.
National player Ravena, who plays for the NLEX Road Warriors, was suspended by FIBA for 18 months after failing a doping test stemming from World Anti-Doping Agency banned substances found in the pre-workout supplement he drank prior to one of the games of Gilas Pilipinas early this year.
Mr. Thompson further said he is in favor of including tests for performance-enhancing drugs as part of the PBA’s drug policy. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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