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Main index declines anew on Brexit, China data

LOCAL STOCKS slid slightly on Tuesday as investors awaited the British parliament’s take on a historic vote on the Brexit deal, while China’s trade data brought disappointment.
The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) inched down 0.13% or 10.72 points to 8,013.42. The broader all-shares index, meanwhile, went up 0.04% or 2.02 points to 4,788.62.
“Our index ended slightly lower today but still above the 8,000 level as investors turn cautious amidst the Brexit deal which appears to be a crushing defeat for Theresa May,” Jervin S. de Celis, Timson Securities, Inc. trader, said in a mobile message on Tuesday.
However, Mr. De Celis noted that the report on the 2.8% growth in Philippine cash remittances in November “may also have kept our market above that level while foreign investors are assessing the gravity of an apparent failure in the Brexit deal.”
Local shares also declined Tuesday due to the weak Chinese trade data, according to Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis A. Limlingan, who said it “sparked fear over a prolonged weakness in global growth.”
“Tech shares led the way lower after a weaker-than-expected China trade data sparked fresh fears of a global economic slowdown,” Mr. Limlingan said in a mobile phone message yesterday.
Mr. Limlingan added that “corporate results are also in the spotlight as fourth-quarter earnings season gets underway.”
Counters were mixed on Tuesday, with gainers beating losers.
Mining and oil climbed 0.88% or 77.72 points to 8,829.93; property rose 0.42% or 16.92 points to 4,011.69; financials advanced 0.36% or 6.55 points to 1,803.61; and services added 0.1% or less than a point to end at 1,544.89.
Meanwhile, industrials fell 0.67% or 78.88 points to 11,653.79, while holding firms slid 0.43% or 34.88 points to 7,976.59.
Advancers trumped losers, 102 to 86, while 63 names were unchanged.
Turnover yesterday stood at P6.52 billion as 3.10 billion shares switched hands, little changed from the prior session’s P6.80 billion worth of shares.
Net foreign buying dropped to P258.98 million yesterday from Monday’s net purchases worth P985.89 million.
On the other hand, most Southeast Asian stock markets recovered on Tuesday with Singapore leading the gains, as China hinted at supportive monetary policies to strengthen its economy.
China will strengthen monitoring of its economic situation and improve its “reserve” of economic policies, the National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement.
The stimulus from the region’s largest trading partner spurred a positive movement in most of the markets, after they fell on Monday following an unexpected fall in China’s December exports and imports.
Singapore’s benchmark index led gains in the region to rise to an over three-month high.— J.C. Lim with Reuters

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Duterte to join campaign for BOL approval

By Tajallih S. Basman, Correspondent
COTABATO CITY — Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim expressed confidence in the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) given the vigorous campaign that various sectors have been conducting in the past weeks.
For his part, President Rodrigo R. Duterte is scheduled to appear in Cotabato City on Friday to attend a “Peace Assembly for the Ratification of the Republic Act No. 11054 or the BOL,” according to his spokesman, Salvador S. Panelo.
Mr. Murad said in a telephone interview on Monday, “I am confident. I have personally gone to the entire area of the current provinces of ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao). I went to the island provinces as well as the mainland areas. I saw that as far as the people are concerned, their support to the BOL is overwhelming.”
He still acknowledged the “challenge” posed by opposition to the law that will create the expanded Bangsamoro ARMM (BARMM), particularly in the cities of Isabela and Cotabato and the “add-on” areas in Cotabato province and Lanao del Norte.
All these areas are currently outside the ARMM jurisdiction.
Mr. Murad said he believes that “majority of the voters will vote yes.”
“We have been consistently conducting dialogues with opposition groups and we made them understand that the BOL serves everyone — not only MILF, MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front), Muslims, but everyone. We have explained its benefits for the areas which will be included in the BARMM,” he added.
The MILF and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) have been campaigning for the law, which is subject to a plebiscite, since late last year, together with several civil society groups.
“BOL represents the aspirations of the Bangsamoro,” Mr. Murad said. “As separate people, we need our identity acknowledged.”
“It is a fact that the region is rich in natural resources. However, the poverty incidence here remains high,” he added. “BOL addresses these concerns since there are specific provisions for this issue.”
Mr. Duterte’s part in the campaign will be two days before the first plebiscite scheduled on Jan. 21 in the ARMM and the cities of Cotabato and Isabela. The remaining areas will hold their plebiscite on Feb. 6.
“The President himself has been very persistent in the ratification of the BOL. We hope that it will be a big help for the inclusion of Cotabato City in BARMM,” Mr. Murad said.
For his part, Mr. Panelo said if “the overwhelming majority or even a slight majority says ayaw nila (they do not like it), the President cannot do anything but to comply with the sovereign voice of the people in Mindanao.”
Sought for comment, political history assistant professor Marlon B. Lopez of the Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography said in a phone message: “There is no question of Duterte’s popularity being a factor to BOL’s ratification. Most posters campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote…bear Duterte’s face. Just having the face of Duterte in posters favorable to BOL is more than enough, plus proclamations would be a resounding ‘Yes.’”
Mr. Lopez pointed out there is “quite a problem particularly with Cotabato City because Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi publicly declared her negative stance on the BOL, and this has (caused) doubts over the BOL ratification on non-ARMM territories.”
Asked if Mr. Duterte’s presence in Cotabato City on Friday may help change the sentiments towards the BOL of Ms. Sayadi’s supporters, Mr. Lopez said: “It will. But having an understanding of the Cotabato City politics and society, it is difficult to see the city being under the Bangsamoro. There is a slim possibility of it (joining the new region).”
“The resistance of large Local Government Units (cities and municipalities) to be under the BARMM can be felt but suppressed due to popular affirmative opinion on it. I believe politics will play its part,” he said. — with Arjay L. Balinbin

Arroyo falls to ‘poor,’ Robredo drops to ‘moderate’ in 4th Quarter SWS survey

THE Fourth Quarter 2018 Social Weather Survey by the Social Weather Stations found House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s net satisfaction rating fall 17 points from a “neutral” -4 last September to “poor” -21 (28% satisfied and 49% dissatisfied).
On the other hand, net satisfaction for Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo dropped 7 points to +27 “moderate” (53% satisfied and 26% dissatisfied).
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s net satisfaction rating stayed “very good,” up by 6 points from +55 in September 2018 to +61 in December ( 72% satisfied and 11% dissatisfied).
net satisfaction with top national officials
Chief Justice Bersamin’s overall net satisfaction rating, his first in this poll on the country’s top officials, was a “moderate” +11 (36% satisfied and 25% dissatisfied).
“The 17-point decline in the overall net satisfaction rating of Speaker Macapagal-Arroyo was due to decreases in all areas, especially in the Visayas,” the survey said. Net satisfaction with Ms. Arroyo fell from 23 points in that region to “poor” -15 in December. In Metro Manila, her rating fell 11 points from “poor” to “bad” -36 in December.
The Speaker’s net satisfaction rating fell in all socio-demographics, except among class ABC.
“The 7-point decline in Ms. Robredo’s overall net satisfaction rating was due to decreases of 15 points in Balance Luzon, 7 points in Metro Manila, and 3 points in Mindanao, combined with a 9-point increase in the Visayas,” the polling group said.
And compared to September 2018, Ms. Robredo’s net satisfaction rating declined in all socio-demographics except among the 18-24 year olds.
The noncommissioned survey was conducted from December 16-19, 2018, using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao (with sampling error margins of ±2.6% for national percentages, and ±5% each for the said areas).

Azkals make another go at win, possible KO spot

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Philippine men’s national football team plays in its final scheduled group play match today against Kyrgyz Republic wherein it looks to book a breakthrough win in its AFC Asian Cup debut and pad its cause for a possible spot in the knockout stage of the continental football spectacle.
Currently outside looking in with two defeats and zero points in Group C, the Philippine Azkals battle Kyrgyzstan (0-0-2) at 9:30 p.m. (Manila time) at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where a win could possible merit for them a spot in the next round as one of the four best third-placed teams among the six groupings.
The Azkals saw their campaign take a big hit after losing to China People’s Republic, 3-0, on Jan. 11.
While they gallantly fought for much of the opening half, the Azkals just could not stop things from cascading when the Chinese started tearing down the Philippine defensive wall.
Forward Wu Lei got China on the score board for a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute before completing his brace in the 66th minute.
For good measure, China added a third goal in the 80th minute care of substitute Yu Dabao to complete the win that thrust their team to the next round of the competition.
The defeat was the second for the Azkals after their 1-0 loss to Korea Republic in their opener on Jan. 7.
While needing to go through the eye of the needle just to make it through the next round, the Azkals are undeterred and determined to still deliver on their promise of not just being participants in their first Asian Cup but also to go through.
“Overall, in the two games we have played, we have shown that we can play football. We are not going home yet, and we will see what happens in the last group stage game,” Azkals coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was quoted as saying by the official AFC Asian Cup Website after their game against China.
The coach’s sentiment was shared by veteran Azkals Phil Younghusband, who underscored that there is still much to play for against Krygyzstan in their final group play match just as he said that it would not be easy and that they have to play at their best.
“We have to win the next game. We have played [Kyrgyzstan] twice in the last few years. Played them away, played them home and we got two wins. But this is a different stage, they may have different players, we have different players. It’s a different arena,” said Mr. Younghusband.
“It will be a difficult game and they have some players we’ll need to watch out for, but we’ll now have time to prepare for all those things ahead of the match,” he added.
KYRGYZSTAN
Looking to bag its first win as well is Kyrgyzstan, which like the Philippines is in its first AFC Asian Cup appearance.
Kyrgyzstan, too, is earning its keep in the tournament, churning out spirited performances in “limiting” damage in their defeats.
It gave China a scare in their opener before bowing down, 2-1. The team then gave its all in losing, 1-0, to Korea.
“My team have played very well and the players on the pitch did everything possible and it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t get any points. But we are working with optimism going to the next game and, with three points, we can still get to the next round,” Kyrgyz Republic coach Alexander Krestinin was quoted as saying by the AFC.
Adding, “I’m not happy with the result. We have no points after these two games but the spirit of the team is good and we’ve done well in our first appearance in this tournament. We will analyze every game and we prepare for every game separately.”
The Philippines-Kyrgyzstan match will be shown live over FOX Sports 2.

Davao court denies petition by DoJ on hold-departure order against Trillanes

A DAVAO CITY court denied the Dec. 4, 2018 motion of the Department of Justice (DoJ) for issuance of hold departure order (HDO) against Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV over his four libel cases, ruling that he is not a flight risk.
The opposition senator and staunch critic of President Rodrigo R. Duterte flew to the President’s hometown on Tuesday to plead not guilty in the libel complaints filed against him by presidential son Paolo Z. Duterte and his brother-in-law Manases R. Carpio.
Emerging from the closed proceedings before the Davao Regional Trial Court Branch 54 under Judge Melinda A. Dayanghirang, Mr. Trillanes reiterated his position that the cases against him were “purely political harassment.”
“Despite (the cases being harassment) we are here in Davao (City) to face these, so we can show that we are not running away or turning our back on these,” said the senator, a leading critic of the President and his family.
The court denied the Department of Justice’s (DoJ) petition for a hold-departure order against Mr. Trillanes, saying he is “not a flight risk and that he will abide with his conditions imposed for his provisional liberty including his appearance before this Court when required.”
Mr. Trillanes is facing four counts of libel for allegedly accusing Messrs. Duterte and Carpio in media interviews of being involved in extortion and illegal drugs.
The complainants are also seeking P5 million in moral damages.
Mr. Trillanes did not request for security during his visit, but police officer Florizil F. Villarin told the media the local police decided to dispatch about 30 personnel to secure the senator.
Meanwhile, one of the lawyers of the complainants, Rainier L. Madrid, said the arraignment was a welcome development because it signals the start of the court proceedings on the cases.
Sought for comment on Mr. Trillanes’s petition for a change of trial venue, Mr. Madrid said, “As you can see he has not been harassed here, the people of Davao have been so kind to him.” — Carmelito Q. Francisco with Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Phoenix’s Perkins looks to build on ROY campaign

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
WHILE admitting that his first year in the Philippine Basketball Association was not an easy one, Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters forward Jason Perkins said he learned a lot from his debut campaign and improved as a player en route to winning the Rookie of the Year (ROY).
Officially claimed the top award given to PBA freshmen on Sunday at the annual Leo Awards at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, Mr. Perkins, selected fourth overall in the 2017 PBA rookie draft, said his focus now is building on his steady first year entering his sophomore campaign in the premier local professional league.
“My rookie year was not easy at all. The work I put in college, it was twice of that here in the PBA. It was really a learning experience for me. Every day I was asking a lot of questions to constantly learn. It was really difficult,” Mr. Perkins shared to members of the PBA press in the league’s first-ever Media Day last week.
The former De La Salle University standout had season averages of 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists last year in helping Phoenix become one of the more steady teams in the league.
In winning the rookie of the year award, Mr. Perkins bested Alaska’s Jeron Teng, Magnolia’s Robbie Herndon, Blackwater’s Raymar Jose and Rain or Shine’s Rey Nambatac.
The top two picks in the draft — San Miguel’s Christian Standhardinger and NLEX’s Kiefer Ravena — were ruled ineligible for the award for varying reasons.
Mr. Standhardinger did not play in the season-opening Philippine Cup to finish his contract with the Hong Kong team in the ASEAN Basketball League while Mr. Ravena was taken out of the race after his 18-month suspension by world governing body FIBA.
Mr. Perkins was a runaway winner for ROY, collecting total points of 2,863 from the statistical points and votes from media, players and Commissioner’s Office.
In second was Mr. Teng with 1,639 points.
Coming into his second year in the PBA, Mr. Perkins, 26, said the learning will continue for him.
“The learning continues for me in my second year. I hope to be a more consistent shooter and to be able to read the games better,” he said.
“Nothing is really given. I know my process, the process that the team is taking and something positive has come out of it. We are working hard right now. We are taking our time and being patient getting to know each other,” Mr. Perkins added.
Mr. Perkins and the Fuel Masters make their 2019 Philippine Cup debut today against the Meralco Bolts at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Also on tap today is Blackwater Elite versus the Northport Batang Pier in the curtain-raiser at 4:30 p.m.

DICT finds no violation in info security

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Tuesday said its initial evaluation found “organizations” in government compliant with information security standards.
Also on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. clarified this time that there was no breach in passport data as reported by the current passport maker APO Production Unit, Inc. (APUI) to the agency.
In a statement, the DICT said its CyberSecurity Bureau ‚ “is currently in the process of conducting its own investigation but data consistently shows that organizations are compliant with the international information security standard ISO/IEC 27001 / 27002.”
ISO/IEC 27000 are the standards set by the International Organization for Standardization on information security management systems worldwide.
For his part, Mr. Locsin said, “For now, the Department of Foreign Affairs is taking the word of APO Production Unit that there is no breach in passport data and as sufficient justification in removing the birth certificate requirement in the renewal of passports.”
“Only a Senate investigation will assure the public that there was no breach or loss of data. Until then, the Department can give no assurances on the safety and security of some data,” he added.
Mr. Locsin earlier explained on Tuesday that the data taken away by the previous passport maker was only made “inaccessible and in part corrupted.”
Responding to a tweet asking him whether the passport data of Filipinos were stolen or deleted, the Foreign Affairs Secretary said, “Inaccessible and in part corrupted but actually we don’t need it. I believe that if you have an old passport whatever vintage you can get it renewed on the strength of presenting it to DFA. Checking the legality of that belief.”
In another tweet, Mr. Locsin said APUI has assured him that they were able to access the data but it was “not much of use.”
“Data is not run-away-able but made inaccessible. Access denied. But APO assured me they were able to access but not much use and parts corrupted,” he said.
“APO agrees with me that old passports are best evidence of identity and join me in despising those who don’t agree with me,” he added.
In a related development, Mr. Locsin posted on Twitter a Department Order that will remove birth certificate in the regular passport renewal requirements.
Department Order No. 03-2019 indicated that the presentation of birth certificates is only required in first-time passport applications, renewal applications for lost and mutilated passports, renewal applications requiring changes in the passport entries, renewal applications of old brown and green passports bearing no complete middle name, and applicants included in the Department’s Watchlist.
Other requirements in passport applications listed in existing circulars remain, according to the department order. Foreign Service Posts and Consular Offices may also require additional documents to verify the Philippine citizenship of passport applications or proof of filiation for minors.
The passport data breach surfaced after an overseas Filipino worker reached out to Mr. Locsin on Twitter about his troubles with renewing his passport. — Camille A. Aguinaldo and Denise A. Valdez

Late penalty knocks India out of Asian Cup as Bahrain progresses

AL AIN — India had their hearts broken by an injury time penalty as Bahrain handed Stephen Constantine’s side a late 1-0 defeat that knocked them out of the Asian Cup on Monday evening.
India needed a draw to progress beyond the group phase for the first time in their history, but Jamal Rashed’s spot kick a minute into injury time gave Bahrain a victory that sees them advance as to the next round as third place finishers in group A.
They join hosts the United Arab Emirates and Thailand in the Round of 16 after the pair played out a 1-1 draw in Al Ain that ensured Alberto Zaccheroni’s side took top spot, with the Thais in second thanks to their superior head-to-head record over Bahrain.
The top two nations in each of the six groups at the newly-expanded 24-team Asian Cup advance to the knockout rounds, with the four third placed teams with the best records also progressing.
Bahrain, with four points from their three games, cannot be surpassed by more than two of the third-placed teams no matter the outcome of the remaining group games.
UAE topped the group with five points from their three games, wile the Thais progressed to the next phase for the first time since 1972. “I was expecting a better performance,” said UAE coach Zaccheroni after his side’s draw.
“We scored the early goal and controlled the game, but after scoring we conceded the equalizer. We lost concentration and didn’t take advantage of playing at home.”
Mabkhout gave UAE the lead with just seven minutes on the clock when he headed in from close range after Ismail Al Hammadi’s earlier effort had come back off the woodwork.
The Thais levelled with four minutes remaining in the half when Chanathip Songkrasin’s ball into the penalty area caused the home defense to panic, and Thitiphan Puangjan capitalized to slide the ball in.
CONSTANTINE QUITS AS INDIA COACH AFTER ASIAN CUP EXIT
Stephen Constantine has resigned as India’s head coach after they were knocked out of the AFC Asian Cup following a 1-0 defeat by Bahrain in Sharjah on Monday.
Needing a draw to progress to the knockout stage for the first time, India finished bottom of Group A after conceding an injury-time penalty that allowed Bahrain to leapfrog them into third place.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed on its Twitter account that the former Millwall coach, who took over the job in 2015 for a second stint with the team, had stepped down.
“We haven’t received any official communication from him yet but we accept his decision & thank him for his contribution to #Indianfootball,” AIFF general secretary Kushal Das was quoted as saying.
Constantine said he was stepping down having achieved the target of helping India qualify for the continental showpiece after an eight-year gap. The side also broke into the top 100 in the FIFA rankings last year.
“My objective from day one was to qualify for the Asian Cup,” the 56-year-old Englishman, who first coached India from 2002-2005, told reporters after the match.
“I’ve done that and I’m exceptionally proud of the players for everything they have given.
“I think my cycle has finished. I did what I was asked to and a little bit more and, after four years, it’s time to leave.
“I’m sad to be leaving, the players and staff have been fantastic throughout … even those who failed to make the final squad.” — Reuters

Davao-UP Sports Complex nears completion as local gov’t gears up for hosting games

By Carmencita A. Carillo
Correspondent
DAVAO CITY — Construction of the P8-billion Davao City-UP Sports Complex is now 80% complete and the local government is positioning to host national and international events, including the 2019 South East Asian Games (SEA Games) in December.
“With today’s signing, we move closer to the attainment of our vision of transforming Davao City into a premier sports-tourism destination,” Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said during the signing last Jan. 10 of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the city government and the University of the Philippines as represented by its president, Danilo L. Concepcion.
The MOA seals the collaboration that started in 2015 for the development, construction, and operation of a sports complex in the city.
The Davao-UP Sports Complex is located in a 20-hectare area of the UP Mindanao complex in Mintal.
“We intend to use the sports complex for the Davao Region Athletic Association (DavRAA) Meet as a practice for the 2019 Palarong Pambansa and other sports events in the future,” Ms. Carpio said.
The DavRAA Meet is set on Jan. 27 to Feb. 2.
Michael Denton Aportadera, head of the City Sports Development Division, gave assurance that the facility will be ready for the regional event.
As of Jan. 13, he said, the finishing touches for the multi-purpose gym and the oval track were underway while the aquatics center was on its last phase of completion.
“Aside from the DavRAA and the Palarong Pambansa, the sports complex is also being eyed as a possible venue for the 2019 South East Asian Games (SEA Games) that will be held in Davao City,” Mr. Aportadera said.
TRAINING
Ms. Carpio also said that with the new facility, local athletes now have a better training venue and “I am confident that we will be seeing more Dabawenyos succeed in their respective fields in sports.”
Assistant City Administrator for Operations Lawrence T. Bantiding said the local government is also hoping that UP, as part of its expansion plans in Mindanao, will consider the establishment of sports-related courses to enhance the skills of athletes from the country’s southern islands.
“We cannot recruit many athletes from Mindanao because of the lack of facilities to help them train,” Mr. Bantiding said.
Mr. Concepcion, for his part, also urged UP Mindanao to spearhead the establishment of Mindanao’s version of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), which has eight universities in Metro Manila as members.

Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 kicks off with President’s Cup

IT’S all systems go for the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 as it officially unveiled early this week the 2019 President’s Cup.
A tournament that has the winner having a chance to compete at the world stage, the season-opening President’s Cup has attracted 12 pioneering teams which hope to do well in the six legs on tap, beginning Feb. 16.
“First of all, I would like to thank the team owners for their trust and support for this league. Our objective is to exude love of country for our countrymen. We are using this league to deliver that message,” said league owner Ronald Mascariñas during the league press conference on Monday at Tipsy Pig at Capitol Commons in Pasig City..
The 12 pioneering teams in the league are the Bacoor Strikers, the 1Bataan, the Bulacan Kuyas, the Cebu-Max 4 Birada, the Manila Stars, the Marikina Shoemakers, the Pasig-Grindhouse Kings, the Quezon City-Zark’s Jawbreakers, the San Juan-Go for Gold Knights, the Valenzuela Classic, the Vigan Baluarte, and the Zamboanga Valientes.
During the first conference, there will be six legs. The league will follow FIBA’s 3×3’s format. There will be one champion team per leg.
Teams will be ranked according to the point system under FIBA. The rankings for the grand finals will be determined by the points gathered by the teams during the first five legs.
The top four teams will automatically gain a quarterfinals berth in the Grand Finals.
Besides winning the President’s Cup, the winner will get P1 million. Besides this, the President’s Cup champion will have a chance to represent the country in the FIBA 3X3 World Tour.
All the games will be held at either SM Megamall and SM Fairview. Moreover, all legs will be shown live on ESPN5.
Mr. Mascariñas is calling for cooperation from the team owners to make the first conference a success.
“We are not promising a smooth-sailing first conference but just like our reputation in the business industry, you are our partners. Kung may problema man, we will have open communications with the owners,” the amiable executive said.

LBC Ronda eyes Olympics qualifier for cycling

THE LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2019 has set its sights on helping the country qualify a cyclist to the Olympics for the first time in decades as it holds a five-stage race slated Feb. 8-12 that will go start in Iloilo City and pass through Guimaras, Roxas City and Antique.
Sanctioned by the world governing Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for the first time in the nine-year history of the country’s biggest cycling race, the event has drawn participation from 15 teams including seven local teams headed by reigning champion Navy-Standard Insurance and international teams Go for Gold and 7 Eleven CLIQQ-Air21 by Roadbike Phls.
LBC Ronda executive project director Moe Chulani yesterday said they are in one with the country’s bid in gaining enough points that will secure the country a spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“LBC Ronda Pilipinas was conceptualized to discover talents and give our local cyclists a chance to shine and earn a living. After eight editions, we at LBC Ronda Pilipinas decided to focus our shift to our ultimate goal from the start, which is the Olympics,” said Chulani.
“And it’s been almost three decades since a Filipino made it to the Olympics and this is LBC Ronda Pilipinas’ way of helping the country achieve its dream of sending a Filipino cyclist back in the Olympics,” he added.
UCI is using a new qualification rule in this Olympic cycle leading Tokyo will allows the top 50 countries to make it straight to the quadrennial meet and LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2019’s presence gives the country a chance to earn more qualifying points.
Other local teams seeing action are Army Bicycology, Team Franzia, Team Tarlac and Bike Xtreme while the international challenge will come from Matrix Powertag Japan, Nex Cycling, Korail Team Korea, PGN Road Cycling Team, Sri Lanka Navy Cycle Team, Customs Cycling Indonesia, Terengganu Cycling Team and Cambodia Cycling Team.
The Navymen will be spearheaded by former Ronda champions Ronald Oranza and Jan Paul Morales while Go for Gold and 7 Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Phls are expected to rely on their international experience to fend off the strong foreign charge.
The race opens with the 197.6-kilometer Iloilo-Iloilo Stage One on Feb. 8 and will proceed with the 101.8km Guimaras-Guimaras Stage Two the next day.
The cavalcade will then go back to Iloilo for the 179.4km Iloilo-Roxas City Stage Three on Feb. 10 followed by the 146.9km Roxas-Roxas Stage Four on Feb. 11.
It will conclude with the 148.9km Roxas-Antique Stage Five on Feb. 12.

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