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Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis

With the exception of clean drinking water, it has been proven that vaccines are the most effective means of reducing and preventing contagious diseases, preventing an estimated 2.5 million deaths each year. Among the deaths prevented are those that may come as a result of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis that also afflict children.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Diphtheria causes a thick covering in the back of the throat, leading to difficulty in breathing, heart failure, paralysis, and even death. Diphtheria is transmitted by droplets spread through sneezing, coughing, and close personal contact. The risk of diphtheria transmission is increased in schools, hospitals, households, and in crowded areas, warns the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Meanwhile, tetanus is a bacterial infection caused by Clostridium tetani. When the bacteria invade the body, they produce a poison (toxin) that causes painful muscle contractions. Another name for tetanus is “lockjaw” as it often causes a person’s neck and jaw muscles to lock, making it hard to open the mouth or swallow. Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) is among the most common life-threatening consequences of unclean deliveries and umbilical cord care practices. When tetanus develops, mortality rates are extremely high, especially when appropriate medical care is not available. This happens despite the fact that MNT deaths can be prevented by hygienic delivery and cord care practices, and/or by immunizing children and women with Tetanus Toxoid Containing Vaccines (TTCV), including the DTaP vaccine.
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is known for uncontrollable violent coughing which often makes it hard to breathe. After cough fits, someone with pertussis often needs to take deep breaths, which result in a “whooping” sound. Pertussis can affect people of all ages, but can be very serious, even deadly, for babies less than a year old. Infants have trouble fighting off the infection, therefore, they suffer the highest rates of hospital admission and death.
Pertussis is a contagious disease and is spread through the air from person to person by direct contact with respiratory droplets generated during sneezing and coughing. Infants often get pertussis from older brothers and sisters, parents, or other caregivers who might not even know they have it. The advice is to keep anyone with a cough away from babies and newborns. Another way is to make sure that everyone who comes in contact with infants is up-to-date on their vaccination.
Under the Expanded Program on Immunization of the Department of Health, infants are immunized with three doses of the DTaP vaccine to protect them from diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Most children who are vaccinated with DTaP will be protected from these infectious diseases throughout childhood.
For more information, please consult your doctor.
 
References:

1. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/dtap.html

2. https://www.doh.gov.ph/Health-Advisory/Diphtheria

3. https://www.cdc.gov/tetanus/index.html

4. https://www.who.int/immunization/diseases/MNTE_initiative/en/

5. https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/

6. http://www.health.ri.gov/diseases/vaccinepreventable/?parm=12

 
Teodoro B. Padilla is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP). Medicine Cabinet is a weekly PHAP column that aims to promote awareness on public health and health care-related issues.
medicinecabinet@phap.org.ph.

Sleazy journalism can serve the public good

By Stephen Mihm
Bloomberg Opinion
THERE are plenty of reasons to sympathize with Jeff Bezos in his battle with the National Enquirer. If true, the accusations of blackmail brought by the billionaire founder of Amazon would be just the latest outrage from the tabloid, which has made a specialty of scabrous reporting and ethically questionable tactics and techniques.
But that doesn’t mean we should always applaud the campaigns of powerful moguls to silence sleazy newspapers. History shows that even the most odious publications and the worst practices of scandal sheets can inadvertently play an important role in maintaining the freedom of the press. There’s no better illustration than the sordid story of the Saturday Press.
In the early 20th century, hundreds if not thousands of small, local newspapers began imitating the “yellow journalism” style pioneered by William Randolph Hearst. These papers, most of them small-time weeklies, wallowed in the gutter. They viciously attacked minorities; they also published lurid stories of sex and crime as well as what one historian has described as “grossly exaggerated accounts of malfeasance by public officials.”
The editors displayed a brazen disregard for journalistic ethics, creating entirely bogus stories, or hyping more modest scandals with salacious details. Then, copy in hand, they would approach the person they implicated in funny business, threatening to go public unless the victim made it worth their while to stay silent. Most victims acceded to editorial demands: Extortion was difficult to prove in court.
Among the editors accused of this practice was a miscreant from Minnesota named Howard Guilford who had a hand in several scandal sheets. It’s little surprise that the wealthy and powerful hated Guilford, and they may have been behind trumped-up accusations of counterfeiting and other crimes leveled against him. More credible, though, were multiple charges of libel and extortion, though he was only found guilty on a couple of occasions.
In 1915, Guilford published the Twin City Reporter, a paper that trafficked in sex, attacks on the wealthy and powerful, but also went after the Salvation Army, the Catholic Church and other institutions. In addition, it aimed a constant stream of epithets and invective against minority groups.
The Twin City Reporter eventually went under, but Guilford joined up with another lowlife named Jay Near a decade later to publish the Saturday Press in Minneapolis. In the first issue, the duo claimed: “No blackmail ever dirtied our hands although we are aware that the taint of blackmail sullies our reputations.”
With that out of the way, they promised to clean up the city, which was, by almost universal assent, one of the most corrupt in the country, thanks to bootlegging and other forms of organized crime. Guilford and Near wasted no time, immediately accusing the police, the mayor, and the county district attorney, Floyd Olson, of corruption.
These charges were accompanied by rank anti-Semitism.
“There have been too many men in this city who have been taking orders from JEW GANGSTERS… Therefore we have Jew gangsters practically ruling Minneapolis. It is Jew thugs who have ‘pulled’ practically every robbery in this city… Practically every vendor of vile hooch, every owner of a moonshine still, every snake-faced gangster and embryonic yegg [a safecracker] in the Twin Cities is a JEW.”
Minnesota’s legislature had passed a measure called the Public Nuisance Abatement Law a few years earlier. This statute, which took direct aim at scandal sheets, used the “prior restraint” doctrine to empower the state to suppress newspapers deemed “malicious, scandalous, and defamatory.” This perfectly captured the editorial line of the Saturday Press.
After the paper called Olson a “Jew lover,” the district attorney filed suit under the law, shutting it down for defaming the Jewish community, the police, and just about everyone else of importance in the Twin Cities. After a jury found the paper guilty of the charge, Guilford abandoned the cause. But Near took the case to the state Supreme Court, arguing that the state law infringed on the freedom of the press.
Near’s attorney made a novel, if honest, argument: “Every person does have a constitutional right to publish malicious, scandalous, and defamatory matter, though untrue, and with bad motives, and for unjustifiable ends.” The state, he argued, could not quash such stupidity in advance; it could only prosecute the newspaper after the fact.
Chief Justice Samuel B. Wilson, writing in the majority opinion, didn’t buy it: “No agency can hush the sincere and honest voice of the press; but our Constitution was never intended to protect malice, scandal, and defamation, when untrue or published without justifiable ends.”
The court ruled against Near, and ordered the Saturday Press shuttered for the foreseeable future.
But by this time, other newspapers, most notably the Chicago Tribune, decided to lend their support to Near — not because they admired him, but because they believed a deeper issue was at stake. Col. Robert R. McCormick, the Tribune’s publisher, had already been sued by the city of Chicago for libel. He had won that suit; now he hoped to help Near win his legal battle, too.
From late 1929 to 1931, the case rolled toward the US Supreme Court, underwritten by McCormick and the American Newspaper Publishers Association. In June 1931, the Supreme Court handed down a narrow, 5-4 decision in favor of Near and declared the Minnesota statute unconstitutional.
The four conservative judges dissenting in the case focused on the fact that Guilford and Near had been disreputable, anti-Semitic rabble-rousers for many years. The judges lambasted the duo’s earlier “criminal” partnership at the Twin City Reporter, and argued that the law that had closed their subsequent collaboration at the Saturday Press was an appropriate response to publishers who “contrive and put into effect a scheme or program for oppression, blackmail or extortion.”
Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes, writing for the majority, ignored the indefensible character of Guilford and Near, as well as the assertion that Olson may have in fact enjoyed an “impeccable” reputation prior to the attacks on his character. A bigger question was at stake: “The fact that liberty of the press can be abused does not make less necessary the immunity of the press from previous restraint.”
The case became a landmark decision that established new, expansive definitions of freedom of the press. It has since become the basis of important decisions that have nothing to do with the rants of a couple of Minnesota anti-Semites. When the New York Times fought an attempt to halt the publication of the Pentagon Papers, for example, Near v. Minnesota played a starring role, buttressing their case.
Which brings us back to the National Enquirer. At the moment, the issues in the Bezos imbroglio look pretty pedestrian. But should the billionaire pursue a legal case on the grounds of privacy or libel law, courts will rule in ways that could have profound implications for the freedom of the press down the line.
 
Stephen Mihm, an associate professor of history at the University of Georgia, is a contributor to Bloomberg Opinion.
smihm1@bloomberg.net.

Aces edge Elite

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Alaska Aces made it back-to-back wins in the PBA Philippine Cup after defeating the struggling Blackwater Elite, 103-101, on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Greatly challenged by their opponents throughout, the Aces, despite continuing to play undermanned, were steady down the stretch to book the win and improve to 2-1 in the season-opening Philippine Basketball Association tournament while sending the Elite (1-6) to their fourth straight loss.
Knowing the importance of the contest, it was cutthroat between the protagonists at the start of the contest.
The count stood at 14-all midway into the opening quarter and continued to be tight the rest of the way en route to a slim one-point advantage, 29-28, in favor of the Aces after the first 12 minutes.
In the second quarter, Alaska tried to create some separation on the lead of guard Ping Exciminiano.
The Aces outscored the Elite, 17-8, to race to a 46-36 lead by the 4:12 mark of the period.
But Blackwater would move to stop the bleeding after, towed by forward Reymar Jose to come within one point, 49-48, by the halftime break.
Alaska started the third quarter strong with Jeron Teng and Chris Banchero further making their presence felt in the match.
It built a 13-point cushion, 63-50, with just four minutes lapsing in the period.
Like in the previous quarters though, the Elite would find ways to claw their way back, narrowing their deficit to just three points, 75-72, entering the fourth.
The Elite took cue from their spirited finish in the third canto to begin the fourth quarter, momentarily seizing the lead, 75-74, in the opening minute after two free throws made by rookie Paul Desiderio.
Alaska though would make a sprint to an 86-79 advantage with 8:28 to go.
Blackwater came back again as Allein Maliksi started humming.
The score was knotted at 90-all with a little over four minutes left in the game.
The two teams went back-and-forth after, fighting to a 97-96 count, with Blackwater on top, inside the last two minutes.
A triple by Carl Bryan Cruz with 1:28 remaining gave back the lead to the Aces, 99-97.
Mr. Maliksi answered back with a triple of his own 10 seconds later only to be answered by Mr. Banchero with a deuce to keep Alaska ahead, 101-100.
Blackwater tried to go ahead anew after but Mr. Maliksi’s jumper failed to connect.
Veteran Sonny Thoss made it a three-point lead, 103-100, with a jumper with 36 ticks left.
A split from the charity line by guard Roi Sumang pushed the Elite to within two points, 103-10, with 30 seconds to go.
They would not go beyond that though as the Aces held on for the win.
Messrs. Cruz and Teng led Alaska with 18 points apiece with Mr. Thoss adding 16.
Mr. Exciminiano finished with 14 points while Mr. Banchero had 11 points and 16 assists.
For Blackwater it was Mr. Maliksi who showed the way with 25 points with Mr. Sumang winding up with 18.
“We are still missing a lot of our key players but a lot of the guys stepped up. I’m proud of my teammates. It was a total team effort for us,” said Mr. Thoss, named player of the game, of his team which was still sans Vic Manuel, JVee Casio, Simon Enciso and Kevin Racal because of injuries.
After yesterday’s twin bill, the PBA takes a two-week break to give way to the campaign of PBA-backed Gilas Pilipinas in the sixth and final window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

Celtics earn emotional win over 76ers

LOS ANGELES — Gordon Hayward scored 26 points off the bench to lead the visiting Boston Celtics past the Philadelphia 76ers 112-109 on Tuesday in a game full of playoff atmosphere.
Al Horford scored 23 points while Jayson Tatum added 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Celtics snapped a two-game losing streak. All-Star guard Kyrie Irving sat out with an injured knee.
Joel Embiid had 23 points and 14 rebounds for his league-leading 47th double-double, and Jimmy Butler added 22 points and nine rebounds. Ben Simmons and JJ Redick scored 16 points each.
Trailing by three with 1.8 seconds left, Butler was unable to release a potential 3-pointer in time.
The Sixers had their two-game winning streak halted and lost their first game since acquiring Tobias Harris in a trade-deadline deal with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Celtics jumped out to a 28-18 lead before the Sixers closed the first quarter with a 5-0 run to get within five.
Boston used an 8-0 spurt late in the second to take a 52-44 lead. Embiid knocked down a jumper to get the Sixers within 52-46 at halftime.
Horford, who received a technical foul early in the half, led the Celtics with 13 points. Butler paced the Sixers with 10 on 4-of-6 shooting.
The Sixers came out very aggressive on the defensive end, and it translated into a 20-4 run and a 64-56 lead midway through the third.
Boston later responded with an 11-2 run capped by a 3-pointer from Hayward for a 67-66 advantage with 2:55 left in the third.
Horford hit two late 3-pointers before Butler came back and converted a driving layup at the buzzer. The Celtics led 77-74 after three quarters.
The Celtics made six of their first seven shots in the fourth quarter to go ahead 90-81.
But Embiid made a trey, and the Sixers sliced the lead to 92-89 with 7:01 remaining.
After the Sixers tied the game at 94, Tatum and Terry Rozier each connected on a 3-pointer for a 100-94 Celtics lead with 5:17 left.
Embiid converted a three-point play with 2:11 left, and the Sixers regained the lead at 103-102.
Marcus Smart threw down a vicious dunk with 23.9 seconds left for a 108-104 Boston advantage, attacking Embiid — who had five fouls at the time.
HAWKS TOP LAKERS DESPITE LEBRON’S TRIPLE-DOUBLE
John Collins and Trae Young each scored 22 points and helped the Atlanta Hawks end their three-game losing streak with a 117-113 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
That offset a triple-double from Los Angeles forward LeBron James, who had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 16 assists. It was his fifth triple-double of the season.
Atlanta ended a five-game losing streak to the Lakers and defeated Los Angeles for the first time since March 4, 2016. The victory also ended Atlanta’s five-game home losing streak.
Collins scored Atlanta’s first eight points and had 17 at the half. He was 8-for-15 from the field and added eight rebounds and three assists for the game. Young was only 6-for-19 from the floor but made three 3-pointers and had 14 assists and six rebounds.
Atlanta also got 17 points and six rebounds from Taurean Prince and 12 points from Dewayne Dedmon.
The Lakers added 19 points each from Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram, 15 from Reggie Bullock and 13 apiece from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Rajon Rondo.
The Hawks used an 11-0 run in the first quarter and made 10 3-pointers in taking a 38-32 lead after one quarter. Atlanta cooled off in the second period, and Ingram, who had 16 first-half points, sparked the Lakers to take a 69-65 halftime lead.
The third quarter was close, with neither team leading by more than five. Atlanta took a 100-95 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
SPURS SLIP BY GRIZZLIES TO SNAP LOSING STREAK
LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Patty Mills scored a season-best 22 points as the San Antonio Spurs halted a season-worst four-game losing streak with a 108-107 win over the host Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night.
Davis Bertans added 17 points and Rudy Gay recorded 15 points, 12 rebounds and a season-high eight assists as the Spurs improved to 1-4 on their eight-game Rodeo Road Trip. DeMar DeRozan scored 12 points and Marco Belinelli added 11.
Avery Bradley scored a season-best 33 points for Memphis in his second game since being acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers.
Jonas Valanciunas added 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting and collected 10 rebounds in his Grizzlies debut. Valanciunas was acquired from the Toronto Raptors in last week’s trade involving Marc Gasol.
Justin Holiday added 11 points and CJ Miles scored 10 for Memphis, which shot 49.4% from the field, including eight of 24 from 3-point range. — Reuters

NBA superstars go to Charlotte for the All-Star Weekend

IT’S that time of the year where 24 of the brightest NBA stars converge in one arena and put on a show for fans all over the world. The mid-season classic of the NBA, the 2019 All-Star Weekend, will be held in Charlotte this Feb. 16-18 (Manila Time) and Solar Entertainment’s — Basketball TV & NBA Premium TV — guarantees that you never miss the action.
First event will be the Mountain Dew Rising Stars where top NBA rookies and sophomores are divided into Team USA & Team World take the centerstage on Feb. 16, Live at 10 a.m. Team USA will be represented by Rookies Trae Young and Marvin Bagley III team up with 2nd year players Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum and face Team World with super rookie Luka Doncic from Slovenia teaming up with last year’s Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons (Australia) and 2018 #1 Pick DeAndre Ayton (Bahamas).
The second day of the weekend, the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will highlight the highly skilled players of the NBA thru different side activities like the Skills Challenge, 3 Point shootout and the most awaited event — the Dunk Contest. NBA stars that have confirmed participation for the side events include 2x NBA MVP Steph Curry & brother Seth (3 Point Shootout), 2nd year players Kyle Kuzma & Jayson Tatum (Skills Challenge) and Young players Dennis Smith & John Collins (Dunk Contest). Never miss out on all the side activities of the 2019 NBA All-Star on Feb. 17, Live at 9 a.m.
Team Lebron vs. Team Giannis. The 2019 NBA All-Star Game pits 24 of the best performing players of the first half of the season. The team rosters will be unpredictable for the second straight year as the two captains are set to draft the players who will be their teammates during the All-Star Game. Catch the 2019 NBA All-Star Game Live at 9 a.m. on Feb. 18.
For those who want to experience the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend Live, fans can troop down to the “BTV All-Star Festival 2019” on February 17 at Eastwood Central Plaza. Fans will be treated to a day of Live NBA events plus different basketball activities that will bring the All-Star Experience closer to you! Admission to the event is free and you also get a chance to win exclusive merchandise from NBA partners.

Arellano Lady Chiefs grab on opportunity to make school history

Arellano Chiefs
FOR the third straight year the Arellano Lady Chiefs are the champions in women’s volleyball of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a product, the team said, of just grabbing every opportunity that were presented to them.
In Game Three of the finals against the lower-seeded Perpetual Help System Dalta Lady Altas, the Lady Chiefs avoided an upset and stayed at the summit of women’s NCAA volleyball by winning in four sets, 22-25, 25-15, 25-18 and 25-18, en route to another title.
The win completed for the Legarda-based team a comeback from going 0-1 down in the best-of-three finals series against Perpetual Help, which was one win away from completing a fairy-tale run in NCAA Season 94.
And that stiff challenge from the Lady Altas played a huge role in the Lady Chiefs’ push, saying it made them wanted it more.
“Perpetual Help challenged us. Because of that we realized what we needed to do and it brought the best out of us,” said Arellano coach Obet Javier in the vernacular as he described how the series was for them following Game Three.
“We just grabbed on every opportunity that was presented to us to set history for the school. All these hard work and accomplishments is for the school,” he added.
In Game Three on Tuesday at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan, Regine Anne Arocha fired a match-best 16 points including five on service aces to help power the Lady Chiefs. It was an effort that also won for Arocha her second straight Finals MVP award.
Princess Bello scattered 12 hits for Arellano while the power-spiking Nicole Ebuen, the newly-crowned season MVP, drilled in 11 points, all coming on kills.
Dominant anew with a third straight title, fourth in the last five seasons, the Lady Chiefs said they are determined to keep it going, more so with the kind of support they have been getting from the school.
“Because of the tremendous support from management we were able to achieve all these. We will try to keep holding on to it and stay on top. Not because we won a three-peat we will stop learning. No. We will continue working hard. We still need to improve on certain things to stay consistent,” Mr. Javier said.
Despite falling short in its title quest, Perpetual Help, for its part, still had a fruitful Season 94 that saw it making it to the Final Four as the fourth seed and bucking a twice-to-beat disadvantage to upset top-seeds College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers in the semifinals.
The Lady Altas stole the finals series opener from the Lady Chiefs on Feb. 1, 21-25, 25-17, 25-21 and 25-20, to gain the early series lead that led to the rubber match last Tuesday. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

MPBL: Bataan stays on top, Valenzuela moves up

IT SEEMS that the Bataan Risers will not settle for anything less and they’ve shown their desire to stay on top Tuesday night by dealing the Mandaluyong El Tigre a sound beating, 109-65, in the MPBL Datu Cup at the Valenzuela Astrodome.
In notching their 20th win in 22 matches, the Zetapro-backed Risers dealt the El Tigre a career-tying most lopsided setback in history.
More importantly, Bataan was able to keep a hold of the solo lead in the tough northern division of the tournament.
Gab Dagangon played yet another productive game for the Risers, scoring 15 points, the same output tallied by Richard Escoto. Pamboy Raymundo and Byron Villarias added 12 apiece for the Risers, who moved at least two games ahead of closest pursuer Manila.
The Risers shot a steady 77% from the field (44-of-57) and asserted their domination against the El Tigre all game long, 60 of their points came from inside the shaded lane, compared to only 38 for their rivals.
But Bataan was also active crashing the boards as it outrebounded its counterpart, 58-34.
Following its latest loss, Mandaluyong dropped to 11th spot as it fell to 8-14.
That allowed Valenzuela to move a notch higher as the Classic defeated the Bulacan Kuyas, 84-75, in the other game. Valenzuela, however, will be praying that none among Quezon City, Navotas and Pampanga exceed the 10-win mark.
Chris de Chavez finished with 17 points while Hans Thiele played his most productive game, contributing 16 markers. — Rey Joble

Marlon ‘Marvelous Captain’ Manalo to compete in US Open 9-Ball in Las Vegas

INTERNATIONAL snooker/billiards champion Marlon “Marvelous Captain” Manalo will showcase his talent in the money-rich 43rd US Open 9-Ball Championship on April 21 to 26, 2019 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
He will make his return to the pool world after a long hiatus when he competes in this year’s $300,000 total pot prize tournament, the US Open 9-Ball, the longest-running pool tournament in the United States.
The affable cue artist and chairman of Barangay Malamig in Mandaluyong City, who is also the League of Barangays of the Philippines Press Relation Officer and ABC president, captivated the billiard circuit by clustering victories against noted pool sharks Yang Ching-shun of Taiwan and countrymen Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante in the knockout stage of the World Pool Championship in 2004.
“I hope to do well in the upcoming 43rd US Open 9-Ball Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada,” said the Jose Rizal University AB Economics graduate Manalo, a many-time winner in the US Pool Circuit and runner-up to Mr. Reyes in the 2004 World 8-Ball Championship.
“I will pour all that I know in the cue sports,” added Mr. Manalo, who settled for a silver medal in the snooker event by placing second to Bjorn Haneveer of Belgium in the 2001 Akita, Japan World Games.
The following year, the 2000 Asian Snooker Champion and 2008 National Champion Manalo went all the way to the semifinals of the same event before bowing to eventual champion Wu Chia-ching (Wu Jia-qing).
Although he’s been away from big competition the past few years, Mr. Manalo kept himself in shape by practicing daily in his own pool hall in Talumpung, Mandaluyong and famous Star Billiards Center in Grace Village, Quezon City, hosted by long-time sports patron Sebastian “Baste” Chua.
At this point, Mr. Manalo’s quest for honor and glory received a needed shot in the arm from his long-time benefactors Solar Sports head Ronald Tieng, Mr. Chua and Mandaluyong City mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Aguilar Abalos. — Marlon Bernardino

Games from Tata Steel Masters

81st Tata Steel Masters
Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands
Jan. 22-31, 2019

Final Standings (all GMs)

1. Magnus Carlsen NOR 2835, 9.0/13

2. Anish Giri NED 2783, 8.5/13

3-5. Ian Nepomniachtchi RUS 2763, Ding Liren CHN 2813, Viswanathan Anand IND 2773, 7.5/13

6. Vidit Santosh Gujrathi IND 2695, 7.0/13

7-9. Teimour Radjabov AZE 2757, Samuel Shankland USA 2725, Richard Rapport HUN 2731, 6.5/13

10. Jan-Krzysztof Duda POL 2738, 5.5/13

11-12. Vladimir Fedoseev RUS 2724, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov AZE 2817, 5.0/13

13-14. Jorden Van Foreest NED 2612, Vladimir Kramnik RUS 2777, 4.5/13

Average Rating 2753 Category 21
Time Control: 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 50 minutes for the next 20 moves, followed by 15 minutes for the rest of the game with 30 seconds added to your time after every move starting move 1
GM Teimour Radjabov (born March 12, 1987 in Baku, Azerbaijan) was a child prodigy he attained the international grandmaster title in 2001 at the age of 14, making him the second youngest grandmaster in history at the time. This record has since been broken multiple times, but is rise to the top was faster than anybody with perhaps the sole exception of Magnus Carlsen.
In 2013 he was already competing for the world title in the Candidates Tournament in London. He single-handedly revived the popularity of the King’s Indian Defense for Black and his play became known for creative and imaginative play.
Radjabov has not been very active in recent years but every once in a while gives us a glimpse of his wonderful attacking instinct.

Radjabov, Teimour (2757) — Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi (2695) [D38]
Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (7.6), 19.01.2019

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qa4+ Nc6
If you are still relying on your old Fred Reinfeld or Al Horowitz opening books you will say that Black has a bad position because the c6–knight blocks his own c-pawn. But the openings have evolved and this particular formation is part of Ragozin System. Black will go for a pawn break on e5.
6.e3 0–0 7.Qc2
For example, after 7.Bd2 Black will go 7…dxc4! 8.Bxc4 Bd6 9.0–0 e5 and there is nothing wrong with his position. In fact, Black scores well with this in actual tournament play.
7…Re8 8.Bd2 Bd6 9.h3
Can’t White play 9.c5 forcing back the bishop? Yes, but that’s the point of Black’s earlier …Re8. Now, after 9…Bf8 White cannot prevent …e6–e5.
9…a6 10.a3 Bd7 11.Be2 dxc4 12.Bxc4 h6 13.g4!
Previously White had automatically castled here. Radjabov has a different idea.
13…e5
Yup! That’s what they teach us, right? A flank attack is met by a central advance.
14.g5 b5 15.Ba2 exd4
Looks like Black has refuted White’s rash attacking attempts. But …
16.gxh6!
Take note that White is threatening to follow-up with Qg6!
16…dxc3 17.Bxc3 Be6 18.Bxe6 Rxe6 19.Rg1 Ne8 20.Bxg7 Nxg7 21.Rxg7+ Kf8 22.Qh7
With the idea of Qg8+ followed by Rxf7 mate.
22…Qf6
[22…Rf6 23.Rg8+ Ke7 24.Rxd8]
23.Ng5 Rxe3+! 24.Kf1!
Not 24.fxe3?? which allows Black to draw with 24…Bg3+ 25.Kd1 Qf1+ 26.Kc2 Qc4+ 27.Kb1 Qf1+ with perpetual check.
24…Nd8 25.Qg8+ Ke7 26.h7 Bg3 27.Ne4!
The fact that Radjabov had to see this beautiful counter several moves ahead is what is impressive.
27…Rxe4 28.Rxg3 Rh4 29.Rd1 Rxh7 30.Re3+ Ne6 31.Qxa8 Rh8 32.Qc6 Kf8
White is not yet done sacrificing.
33.Rxe6! Qxe6
[Or 33…fxe6 34.Rd7 followed by Qa8+]
34.Rd8+ Kg7 35.Qc3+ f6 36.Qxc7+ 1–0
A beautiful game.
Now we look at another fighter — Vladimir Vasilyevich Fedoseev (born Feb. 16, 1995) learned chess from his father at the age of seven and rapidly gained in strength, soon becoming a Russian and European Under 18 champion. His big year was 2017, at the age of 22, when he won the super-strong Aeroflot Open, which qualified him for the Dortmund super-tournament later that year. He went on to cross 2700 for the first time and surprised the chess world even more when he finished 2nd in Dortmund.
In June of that year he tied for first in the European Championship. Later on in that same month Fedoseev won the silver medal with the Russian team in the World Team Championship. He was not yet done. In September 2017 he reached the quarterfinals of the Tbilisi World Cup in the process knocking out Hikaru Nakamura before being eliminated by Wesley So.
Fedoseev wasn’t able to keep up that pace in 2018, sometimes his hyper-aggressive play and unwillingness to take a draw backfired on him, but, as GM Alex Yermolinsky noted, only he could have won the following game against Radjabov. You can jump straight to the diagram after move 41.

Radjabov, Teimour (2757) — Fedoseev, Vladimir (2724) [D15]
Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (9.7), 22.01.2019

1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.e3 Bf5 6.Qb3 Ra7 7.Nh4 Bc8 8.Bd2 e6 9.c5 Nbd7
GM (Grandmaster) Daniel Fernandez pointed out here that 9…e5 is already possible and if 10.dxe5 Nfd7. However, instead of taking the e5-pawn White can play 10.Nf3 e4 11.Ne5 Be7 12.0-0-0 where both sides have chances but White’s pieces are more aggressively placed. Fedoseev prefers to be the one to do the attacking.
10.Nf3 e5!? 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nd7 13.Na4 Bxc5 14.Nxc5 Nxc5 15.Qc2 Ne4 16.Bd3 Nxd2 17.Qxd2 0–0 18.0–0 f6 19.exf6 Qxf6 20.e4 dxe4 21.Bxe4 Be6 22.b3 Raa8 23.Qc2 g6 24.Rad1 Rad8 25.Rfe1 Kg7 26.Rd2 Rxd2 27.Qxd2 Rd8 28.Qc2 Qd4 29.h3 Qb4 30.Re2 Bf7 31.Bf3 Rd4 32.g3 Qd6 33.Kg2 Kg8 34.h4 a5 35.Qb2 b6 36.Qc3 c5 37.Qe3 Qf6 38.Qc3 Qd8 39.Qe3 Qd6 40.Qg5 Kg7 41.Qe7 <D>
Position after 41.Qe7
Time to shake hands? Fedoseev wants to keep on playing.]
41…Rd3 42.Qb7 Qf6
[42…Rxf3 43.Qxf3 Bd5 44.Re7+ Kh6 45.Re4!= the position is equal]
43.Bc6 Kf8 44.Qb8+
[44.Qxb6?? Bd5+ wins the bishop]
44…Rd8 45.Qb7 Rd6 46.Bf3 h5 47.Qa8+ Kg7 48.Qb7 Kf8 49.Qa8+ Qd8 50.Qb7 Rd7 51.Qc6 Kg7 52.Qe4 Rd3 53.Qb7 Qd7
Radjabov still cannot take the b6–pawn. There will follow 54.Qxb6? Rxf3! 55.Kxf3 Qg4+ 56.Ke3 Qd4+ 57.Kf3 Bd5+ and then there is checkmate.
54.Re7 Qxb7 55.Rxb7 Rd6 56.Be4
Time to shake hands? Fedoseev does not agree.
56…Kf6 57.Kf3 c4 58.bxc4 Bxc4 59.a3 Ke5 60.Ke3 Bd5 61.f4+!
Radjabov will be exchanging bishops but if he does so now Black will have a more active king. He maneuvers it so that after the exchange his own king is in position.
61…Ke6 62.Rb8 Bxe4 63.Kxe4
Go back to my comment on move 61. It is small things like this which distinguish a grandmaster from a master.
63…Rc6 64.a4 Rc4+ 65.Kf3 Rc3+ 66.Ke4 Rb3 67.Rg8 Kf7 68.Rb8 Kf6 69.Rf8+ Ke7 70.Rg8 Rxg3 71.Ke5 Re3+ 72.Kd4 Rg3 73.Ke5 Kf7 74.Rb8 Re3+ 75.Kd4 Re6 76.Kd5 Ke7 77.Rg8 Rd6+ 78.Ke5 Kd7 79.Rg7+?
The mistake. 79.Rb8 Kc7 80.Re8 Black cannot make any headway, if he tries to go after White’s a-pawn then 80…Kc6 81.Rc8+ forces the king back.
79…Kc6
See? Fedoseev goes after the a4–pawn and White does not have any backrank checks.
80.Rg8 Kc5! 81.Rc8+ Rc6 82.Rxc6+ Kxc6 83.Kf6
It’s still a draw, right? After 83…b5 84.axb5+ Kxb5 85.Kxg6 a4 86.f5 a3 87.f6 a2 88.f7 a1Q 89.f8Q Black is the one who has to be careful here, but anyway 89…Qe5 90.Qf5 Qxf5+ 91.Kxf5 Kc5 92.Kg5 Kd6 93.Kxh5 Ke7 94.Kg6 Kf8 is a clear book draw.
Wrong!
83…b5 84.axb5+ Kd6!! 0–1
Radjabov resigns. The point is that after 84…Kd6 85.Kxg6 a4 86.f5 a3 87.f6 a2 88.f7 Ke7! 89.Kg7 a1Q+ is with check and Black wins.
 
Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant, he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.
bobby@cpamd.net

Celtics potential

“I guess it just kind of snowballs on you,” reserve Gordon Hayward said in the aftermath of the Celtics’ loss to the Clippers over the weekend. “It’s the NBA, man. It’s how it works.” He was, of course, referring to the way the match swung all the way to the opposite end after they appeared to have it in hand against competition that just traded away five key players. They led by 28 at one point in the first half and started the third quarter 21 up, but ultimately could not survive the sidelining of top scorer and playmaker Kyrie Irving.
Still, the outcome could not have been anything but a disappointment to fans who rightly figured the decimated Clippers were ripe for the picking. And having been party to a last-second heartbreaker against the hated Lakers in the previous outing, they had Casey to believe that the Celtics would be our for blood. Instead, they were treated to an up-and-down performance that reflected the confounding nature of their favorites. At any given set-to and, even more tellingly, within any given set-to, the green and white would prove susceptible to showing a debilitating Hyde side.
To be sure, Hayward’s quote can be viewed the other way as well. Yesterday, the Celtics took the measure of the vaunted Sixers, who had run roughshod over the Nuggets and Lakers following the arrival of erstwhile Clippers top dog Tobias Harris. It didn’t matter that Irving remained decommissioned due to a bum knee. Never mind that the hosts sported a heady 23-6 slate at the Wells Fargo Center. They were engaged from the get-go, and, in the crunch, proved their capacity to deliver on both ends of the court.
Perhaps it was no coincidence that Hayward, who was celebrated last year as a vital free-agent pickup but who then suffered a freak injury that stunted his ascent as an All-Star, came up big under pressure. Nonetheless, it bears noting that the Celtics displayed much of the joy and esprit de corps that characterized their run to the 2018 East Finals, and that starter Marcus Morris declared to be missing of late. Moving forward, the hope is that they can finally summon the consistency to stay true to potential. They are, after all, the Celtics. Nothing less is expected, and nothing less will suffice.
 
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

Reelectionist senators band together for campaign

REELECTIONIST SENATORS belonging to different political affiliations have banded together and held a proclamation rally in Tondo, Manila City on the second day of the campaign period for the 2019 midterm elections on May 13.
The gathering was organized by independent candidate Senator Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares, who did not secure an endorsement from the administration.
Her fellow reelectionist senators — Nancy S. Binay-Angeles, Aquilino L. Pimentel III, Cynthia A. Villar, Juan Edgardo M. Angara, and Joseph Victor G. Ejercito — attended the event.
Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, who was in Camarines Sur for the opposition slate’s proclamation rally, was not present.
In a statement, Ms. Binay-Angeles said the gathering showed a “testament of unity in diversity in the Senate.”
“One thing notable with our group is that we the reelectionists have established good rapport and have helped each other during debates and in times of differences of opinion. From an institutional perspective, we find an acceptable balance between unity and diversity, instead of dwelling on irreconcilable principles,” she said.
“I’m asking for your support. We have worked very well in the Senate. Opposition or administration, my colleagues will pass many laws that will benefit you,” Ms. Poe-Llamanzares said in Filipino during the televised rally.
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, along with Senators Sherwin T. Gatchalian and Francis G. Escudero, were also present during the rally to campaign for their fellow lawmakers.
“I am standing here today because it’s elections time. We need to maintain the independence of the Senate and to find ways on how the legislature can help the country,“ Mr. Sotto said at the rally.
“We have a high approval rating, the high trust rating in the Senate because of my colleagues,” he added.
The reelectionist senators cited the laws they have passed during their six-year term.
Ms. Poe-Llamanares noted the school-based National Feeding Law, Mr. Angara mentioned the discounts granted to students and senior citizens, while Mr. Ejercito cited the universal health program.
Ms. Villar said she has created livelihood projects which provided jobs to many Filipinos. Ms. Binay-Angeles, meanwhile, recalled that her father, former Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, Sr., announced his vice presidential bid in Tondo, Manila City.
Mr. Pimentel said he helped pass the laws extending the validity of passports and driver’s license as well as the free tuition law during his stint as Senate President.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has cleared the way for Mr. Pimentel’s candidacy after it announced on Wednesday that it has dismissed all disqualification cases filed against him.
The first and second congressional districts of Manila City cover Tondo with a combined 344,000 registered voters, based on the 2016 Comelec data.
Ms. Binay-Angeles is from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), Mr. Pimentel is from the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban), Ms. Villar is from the Nacionalista Party (NP), Mr. Angara is from the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), and Mr. Ejercito is from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
Meanwhile, senatorial candidates under the opposition slate Otso Diretso trooped to Camarines Sur, the hometown of Liberal Party ally and chairman Vice President Leni G. Robredo.
As of 2016, the province has about one million registered voters, according to Comelec.
Senatorial candidates endorsed by Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) held its second-day rally in Mariveles, Bataan, which has about 494,000 registered voters.
SOCIAL MEDIA
In another development, the recent guidelines issued by the Comelec on the regulation of social media for campaigning during elections are legally debatable, according to election lawyer George Erwin M. Garcia.
Mr. said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum on Wednesday that while he applauds the Comelec’s attempt to include social media in outlets they will regulate during the campaign period, there is still no legal basis for this.
“(Our) Fair Election Acts or Republic Act No. 9006 provided that the Comelec can regulate television, radio, newspapers and other means and such other ways. The problem is wala tayong (we don’t have) specific na law which regulates social media,” Mr. Garcia said.
He added, “The Comelec would like to punish violators of their rules on social media but can the Comelec punish something which the law does not mention? It’s highly questionable.”
Comelec released Resolution 10488 last Jan. 30, containing social media guidelines for the election campaign period.
Section 9-C of the resolution states that internet, mobile, and social media propaganda are already considered part of mass media.
Comelec Spokesperson James B. Jimenez said in the same forum, “Mass media is a technical term. The definition of mass media includes social media.” — Camille A. Aguinaldo and Gillian M. Cortez

DoH sees drop in measles cases by next month

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) foresees that measles cases will begin to decrease by next month as they further strengthen their vaccination programs in partnership with other government agencies as a response to the outbreak.
In a statement on Wednesday, DoH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said they are working with various other departments and local government units (LGU) for measles prevention.
“The Department of Health is working side by side with other government agencies in quickly responding to mitigate the Measles outbreak. This government is conducting a massive information dissemination and immunization campaign to encourage Filipinos to get vaccinated,” he said.
Mr. Duque also said that the vaccination activities are targeted to be completed by next month, and “cases will start to decrease by that time as the number of susceptibles will have already been vaccinated come March.”
Earlier this week, DoH reported that there were 4,302 measles cases nationwide from Jan. 1 to Feb. 9 of this year, with 70 deaths.
The National Capital Region (NCR) had the highest number of measles cases out of all the regions with 1,296.
Some government agencies aiding in the DoH’s efforts to aid measles immunization are the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Transportation (DoTr), Department of Education (DepEd) Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
In another statement on Wednesday, DoH said they will sign an agreement with DepEd to formalize their collaboration in immunizing school-aged children.
REGIONS
In Western Visayas, the DoH-Center for Health Development regional office (DoH-CHD 6) said 359 suspected measles cases have been recorded since the declaration of the nationwide outbreak.
“Out of the 359 suspected cases, ten are confirmed measles cases with three deaths from Negros Occidental and Antique,” Mary Jane R. Juanico, medical officer III and Child Health team leader of DoH-CHD 6, said in a press conference late Tuesday.
Based on the DoH data, Negros Occidental has the highest number of measles cases with 144, followed by Antique with 101. The rest are in Bacolod City (53), Iloilo province (20), Capiz (15), Aklan (15), and Iloilo City (8).
Ms. Juanico said they are doing their best to combat the spike in measles cases in the region through supplemental immunization program.
In an earlier press conference, DoH-CHD Regional Director Marlyn W. Convocar emphasized the role of parents in getting their children vaccinated.
“Now is the best time for the parents to have their children immunized. It is the parents’ obligation to have their children vaccinated and it is the right of the child to be protected from diseases. They should not be deprived of it,” she said.
In the Davao Region, the DoH recorded one death due to measles with at least 140 cases reported.
DoH Regional Director Anabelle P. Yumang noted that this number was “75% lower compared with the same period of last year.”
“Reported measles cases spiked on the first quarter (of 2018) that prompted the agency to conduct Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI) that year,” she said.
Nonetheless, Ms. Yumang echoed calls for parents to have their children vaccinated to protect them from measles and other illnesses. — Gillian M. Cortez with reports from Emme Rose S. Santiagudo and Carmelito Q. Francisco

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