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Wizards’ playoff push

“We don’t know who we play, and we really don’t care who we play,” head Coach Scott Brooks said when asked about the Wizards’ preferences for the first round of the postseason. The premise of the query was sound. After all, they had lost four of their last five games heading into yesterday’s homestand against the Hornets. And were the playoffs to begin today, they would be facing the dysfunctional-but-always-dangerous Cavaliers starring All-World LeBron James. Still, the bench tactician wasn’t wrong to focus on the positives. As he argued, “we just want to play well.”
In this regard, Brooks was, no doubt, buoyed by the return to action of acknowledged leader John Wall. The Wizards floundered in his two-month absence due to injury, going 15 and 12 after looking all roses at the start. Clearly, they need him to right the ship through their last six regular-season matches and into the playoffs, especially if they do wind up drawing the Cavaliers at the outset. And if his sterling showing yesterday is any indication, he’ll be able to do so.
Certainly, Brooks was pleased, describing Wall as a “Ferrari” who “got a lot of open shots for a lot of players. That’s what he does at the highest level.” Which is to say the break did him wonders. Prior to going under the knife for viscosupplementation and debridement of his troublesome left knee, he spent much of his time on the court seemingly stationary and far from his normal whirling-dervish self. Yesterday, he looked like he got back his bounce, with his spring and vision generating myriad open looks for teammates.
In the immediate term, Wall will most definitely help. The Wizards had hitherto looked listless and lost, especially against supposedly overmatched opponents; losses to the likes of the Knicks and the Pistons last week reflected their rudderless plight. Now, they’re at full strength and poised to make a run at a higher seeding in the East. A tall order with just a couple of weeks on the calendar? Perhaps. Then again, what’s most important is the effort, which, at best, sustains momentum. Again, as Brooks contended, “we just want to play well.”
 
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

PET set to start recount on 2016 VP race

By Dane Angelo M. Enerio
THE Supreme Court (SC), acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), begins on Monday what it calls the revision of votes between Vice-President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo and her rival in the 2016 vice-presidential contest, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr.
Revision is the “process of verifying the physical count of the ballots; to recount the votes of the parties; and to record the objections or claims of the parties; to mark the ballots objected to or claimed by the parties,” according to PET spokesperson lawyer Jose Lemuel S. Arenas.
Ms. Robredo edged out Mr. Marcos in the said race with 263,473 votes, following the latter’s lead throughout Election Day. This   prompted Mr. Marcos to file an election protest.
The revision — which has been delayed twice — will only cover three provinces chosen by each party.
Mr. Marcos’s chosen provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental will be the first to undergo the process.
The revision will take place at the SC and Court of Appeals’ (CA) converted gymnasium at the 5th floor of their premises in Padre Faura, Manila.
They will be conducted by revision committees (RC) composed of a head revisor hired by the PET and one revisor each from the parties of Ms. Robredo and Mr. Marcos.
Mr. Arenas said the revisors were private individuals who applied and undergone an interview, a psychological test to dispel bias, and an aptitude test.
It will run from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with short breaks in between for the RCs.
RCs will be given a time limit of five hours and 30 minutes for boxes with less than 300 ballots, 8 hours and 15 minutes for boxes with 300-699 ballots, and 11 hours for boxes with more than 700 ballots.
Mr. Arenas explained they plan to hire more head revisors as only 40 RCs will be present on Monday despite the site being able to accommodate up to 50 RCs.
He also pointed out that a total of 5,418 ballot boxes have been retrieved by PET, each representing a clustered precinct from Mr. Marcos’s chosen provinces.
Only 1,400 boxes from Camarines Sur, however, were present on-site at the SC/CA due to limited storage capabilities, he added.
The remaining boxes will be moved in once the RCs are done with the initial 1,400.
Lawyer Ma. Carina M. Cunanan, another PET representative, said the site is monitored by CCTV surveillance and a handful of security personnel, who they plan to augment in the future.
She pointed out that aside from the regular SC security, also present were personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Ms. Robredo will attend Mass on Monday morning before proceeding to the SC for the recount, according to her camp.
The Marcos camp in its latest statement called on its supporters “to remain calm and be with us in prayers.”

PDP-Laban’s Senate slate being finalized

By Camille A. Aguinaldo
SENATE PRESIDENT Aquilino L. Pimentel III said the senatorial slate of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) for the upcoming 2019 midterm elections would be finalized by September.“Definitely September, it’s final,” he said in an interview with reporters.
Mr. Pimentel, who is also PDP-Laban president, said he would reconcile the list of nominees for the lineup with the ruling party’s secretary-general House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez after the Lenten break. Both Messrs. Pimentel and Alvarez earlier bared their preferred senatorial candidates under the PDP-Laban banner, with the former taking in five reelectionist senators belonging to the Senate majority bloc.
Mr. Pimentel is seeking reelection in the midterm polls, along with majority bloc Senators Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay, Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, Grace Poe S. Llamanzares-Poe and Cynthia A. Villar. Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, the lone reelectionist under the Senate minority bloc, has said he would be joining the “genuine opposition” senatorial slate.
The Senate leader also noted that President Rodrigo R. Duterte, being the ruling party’s chairman, would still have the last word on the senatorial lineup.
“The Speaker and I are working on coming up with a semi-final list. And then, of course, we will finalize it with the President,” he said.
“This is because we will ask his help campaigning for his people whom he will endorse and raise hands during the campaign. He will mention their characteristics and accomplishments. The President should be confident with the PDP-Laban lineup for senators,” he added in a mix of Filipino and English.
Asked if Mr. Duterte would actively participate in the campaign trail, Mr. Pimentel said, “I think he would love to campaign for his senatorial candidates.”
Aside from consultations with the party chairman, Mr. Pimentel said they would also conduct an internal survey to determine who among the nominees would have the “political strength” to win.
He added that the party would also examine the nominees’ track record as well as their support for the political party and its chairman, Mr. Duterte. He also reiterated that candidates under the PDP-Laban banner should be not against federalism, or should at least be open to the party’s advocacy, in order to have a unified message in the upcoming elections.
“When we are in the same stage campaigning in 2019, I hope that we will not be out of tune….My prediction is that, especially if the plebiscite is conducted at the same time with the elections, it will be a campaign issue or campaign topic. I hope we have one voice when it came to federalism,” Mr. Pimentel said.

Guidelines issued on minors in entertainment

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) on Sunday, April 1, announced the amended rules on the hiring of minors in public entertainment.
The rules under newly issued Department Circular No. 2 series of 2018 are applicable to minors who are “picked or chosen as a contestant from the audience of a live television; a contestant of a singing, dance or talent contest for a television show but has not yet been selected as a semifinalist; a recipient of gift-giving activities in television; a participant in school-related performance such as play, skit, or recital; a participant in sports activities, trainings or workshops aimed at developing the child’s talent or skills.”
DoLE in a statement also said minors “who will be featured in a documentary material will no longer need to secure a work permit prior to engaging in public entertainment or information related projects.”
“In case the child in the documentary material is engaged in child labor, the producer shall refer the child to the nearest DoLE regional/provincial/field office for the necessary services needed by the child and his/her family.”
The said circular covers children and adolescents below 15 years of age who are engaged in public entertainment or information.
As for the child laborer, the producer “is enjoined not to disclose his/her identity including his or her photographs, images or video footages for the best interest of the minor pursuant to the Guide for Media Practitioners on the Reporting and Coverage of Cases Involving Children.”
“For group working permits, the DoLE Office must issue a group permit for children appearing in a single project covering those without working child permit yet.”
Also under the new rule, “in case there is a need to re-schedule the performance of the child outside the validity period indicated in the Working Child Permit, the employer shall notify in writing the DoLE regional/provincial/field office which issued the permit at least two days prior to the performance of the work.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

Peso seen weakening

THE PESO is seen to weaken against the dollar this week on the back of upbeat US economic reports and hawkish expectations on the remarks of American policy makers.
Last Wednesday, the local currency ended the session at P52.16 versus the dollar, 16 centavos stronger than its P52.32 finish on Tuesday as investors took profits ahead of the Holy Week break.
Week on week, the peso also strengthened from its P52.39-per-dollar finish on March 23.
Guian Angelo S. Dumalagan, market analyst at Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), said in an e-mail that the greenback might generally recover this week “fuelled by relatively strong US economic reports and more hawkish remarks from various US policy makers.”
Last Wednesday, the US Commerce Department announced that the US economy grew 2.9% in the last quarter of 2017, faster than the previously recorded 2.5% as well as the 2.7% revision according to a poll from Reuters. However, the October-to-December figure was slightly slower compared with the 3.2% figure logged in the previous quarter.
According to Mr. Dumalagan, the “upbeat” gross domestic product data, as well as reports on US personal consumption expenditures index, personal spending, and personal income, will likely push the dollar upwards in the first three days of the week, as these reports support views of at least two more rate hikes from the Federal Reserve this year.
“The impact of these strong US reports might be amplified by the recent remark of [Atlanta Fed President Raphael W. Bostic] about the need to raise rates closer to a neutral level of 2.9%,” Mr. Dumalagan added, noting that three other Fed officials might echo Mr. Bostic’s remarks during their speeches this week.
Meanwhile, a trader interviewed on last week said investors may look at the domestic inflation figure to be released on Thursday.
A BusinessWorld poll of nine economists showed that inflation likely quickened to 4.2% last month, breaching the 2-4% target range set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for this year.
The “upbeat” inflation report of the BSP and European Central Bank (ECB), LANDBANK’s market economist said, will raise the chances of a rate hike this year by monetary authorities.
“Consequently, expectations of higher rates domestically and in the Eurozone could lessen the greenback’s attractiveness against the peso and a basket of other currencies,” he added.
For this week, Mr. Dumalagan sees the peso moving between P51.85 and P52.35 versus the dollar, while the trader gave a slimmer range of P52.15 to P52.45.
“The factors that could reverse the dollar’s projected upward bias include hints from BSP officials of a possible rate hike in May 2018, remarks from the ECB suggesting a rate increase in December, renewed political noise on global trade protectionism, and unexpected dovish comments from US Federal Reserve officials,” Mr. Dumalagan noted. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal

PDEA checking on local anti-drug councils

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s Western Visayas office (PDEA-6) has started verifying if anti-drug councils at the municipal and barangay levels are functioning. Senior Superintendent Marlon A. Tayaba, head of the Iloilo provincial police, earlier flagged concerns over non-functional local anti-drug councils.
PDEA-6 Regional Director Wardley M. Getalla said they are now checking on the municipal anti-drug abuse councils (MADAC) and the barangay anti-drug abuse councils (BADAC) in the region.
“Based on data from the Department of the Interior and Local Government), almost 100% of the local government units were given lectures on how to activate their MADACs and BADACs. It is not only enough that you have established these councils. It remains under debate whether they serve their mandate,” Mr. Getalla told the media last week, “They should have an auxiliary team. They should meet every day and conduct monthly activities.”
He also noted that one of the criteria in declaring a barangay “drug-cleared” is the functionality of the BADAC. Mr. Getalla said PDEA aims to make all barangays active in drug-clearing operations by June 2018. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

Caves, waterfalls, culture take spotlight in tourism program 

THE provincial government of Cotabato, also referred to as North Cotabato, is developing eight tourism destinations that highlight its natural environment and indigenous culture.
These are: Pisan Caves in Kabacan; Asik-Asik Falls in Dado Alamada; Hillside Spring Resort in President Roxas; Liliongan Cave and Tourism Park at Liliongan, Carmen; 1,100-meter zipline, also in Carmen; Kirungdong Falls Ecotourism Park and a tribal village in Magpet; and the Pavilion Canopy in the capital Kidapawan City.
Governor Emmylou “Lala” Talino-Mendoza, in her State of the Province Address in late March, said there is already a budget allocation for the tourism development program and preparations are under way for implementation. Other sites that will also be developed include the UK Peak in Aleosan, Matigol Falls in Arakan, and a tribal village in Magpet. Ms. Mendoza said enhancing the environment and “preserving culture” is at the core of the tourism program, citing their Museyo Kutawato in Kidapawan City.
“We hope that this collection of art will not only remind us of our rich culture but also promote community awareness of the history of struggle and of coexistence of the tri-people in Cotabato Province. Museyo Kutawato has now 258 objects properly documented, housed and conserved,” she said. The governor said the province had 114,496 visitors in 2017. — Maya M. Padillo

Congressman wants ‘no tattoo rule’ in recruitment in AFP, PNP dropped

A LAWMAKER called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to drop its “no tattoo rule” on potential recruits.
“For our military and police organizations to bar the entry of capable and well-meaning Filipinos in their ranks on the basis of tattoos is quite archaic, if only because tattoos are no longer taboo in this day and age. Thus, we call for the removal of this ban,” Davao City Representative Karlo Alexei B. Nograles said in a statement on Easter Sunday.
He added that applicants who meet the requirements such as being physically fit, with good moral character, and no criminal record, “should not be denied the right to serve the country.” — M. N. R. dela Cruz

NLEX-SLEX project set to start

NLEX Corp. is set to start the NLEX-SLEX Connector Project by June or July. NLEX Corp. President Rodrigo E. Franco said additional right-of-way works are ongoing.
Beginning of construction was intended for the first quarter of this year. Target date of completion is by April 2021. The P23.30-billion project is an eight-kilometer all-elevated toll expressway extending the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) southward from the end of Segment 10 in C3 Road, Caloocan City to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
The project also involves a connection to the Skyway Stage 3, and will include two interchanges located at C3 Road and España, Manila. Mr. Franco said they are hoping that the government will continue the plan to link the project to Skyway, with possible changes in the alignment of Skyway Stage 3 project. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

Osmeña: Drugs linger because Du30 is ‘scared of China’

CEBU CITY Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the drug problem will persist unless the Duterte administration will make a move against China, which he believes is the source of drugs in the Philippines.
“If you ask me, from where I stand, it’s from China. It’s certainly not from America, not from Japan, possibly Taiwan. Even in the laboratories in Manila, they’re all made in China. I wonder what the government will do about this,” Mr. Osmeña said on the sidelines of a luncheon meeting with officials of the Cebu City Police Office on Saturday.
>> See full story https://goo.gl/YFq3aS

Jelawat out of PAR

TROPICAL STORM Jelawat has rapidly weakened as it continues to move east northeastward, the state weather bureau said in an advisory on Sunday before noon. The storm was estimated as of that bulletin at 2,445 kilometers (kms) east of Basco, Batanes, already out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). Jelawat will be 2,735 kms further along that direction by Monday morning.

Easter rite

PHILIPPINE STAR_MICHAEL VARCAS

A GIRL takes the veil of an image of the Virgin Mary, to signify the end of mourning and the resurrection of Jesus Christ during religious rites at Nativity of the Lord Parish in Cubao in Quezon City, April 1.
The event, locally known as “Salubong,” dramatizes the first meeting of the Virgin Mary and the Risen Christ in this predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

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