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House panel to review TRAIN implementation on Jan. 14

THE House Committee on the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program will convene to review the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law when Congress resumes session on Jan. 14, Rep. Estrellita B. Suansing said.
“We will convene definitely as soon as the session opens,” Ms. Suansing, who chairs the Committee on Ways and Means and represents the first district of Nueva Ecija, told BusinessWorld over the phone.
Ms. Suansing was recently appointed by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to chair the Committee on the CTRP.
The review comes a year after the implementation of Republic Act No. 10963, or the TRAIN Law, which lowered personal income tax, but increased excise taxes on oil, automobile and tobacco products, among others.
Ms. Suansing said the committee, in particular, will look into the implementation and effectivity of the social protection programs provided under the TRAIN Law.
“We will learn about the status of those programs program. For example, the coupons and vouchers for the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program). Those have to be offered, but in my district the social welfare officers aren’t aware of them,” Ms. Suansing said.
“We’ll find out if (the law is) really meeting its objectives.”
The safety-net measures under the TRAIN Law include the distribution of unconditional cash transfers to low-income households, amounting to P200 per month in 2018. The benefit will increase to P300 in 2019.
The law also provides for fuel vouchers for public utility jeepneys, fare discounts, and discounted purchases of National Food Authority (NFA) rice.
Meanwhile, the House Committee on Ways and Means will continue its deliberations on bills and resolutions that propose to suspend the P2 oil excise tax hike for 2019.
The additional imposition was made effective on Jan. 1, 2019, but Ms. Suansing maintained the panel will hasten passage of the measures to go ahead with the suspension, she said.
The higher taxes were provided for under TRAIN law, which imposed a P2.5 per liter increase in the fuel excise tax in 2018, P2 in 2019 and P1.5 in 2020. A technical working group, led by Rep. Romero S. Quimbo of the second district of Marikina, went over the bills and resolutions ahead of the congressional break on Dec. 14. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Senate panel backs bill requiring harmonized LGU business fees

THE Senate committee on local government is recommending passage of a bill requiring the national government to provide clear guidelines for local government units (LGU) seeking to impose fees and charges on businesses.
Senate Bill No. 2123, under Committee Report No. 533, seeks to amend some provisions in Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code Act of 1990 covering municipal fees and charges, fishery licenses and rental charges, barangay charges, clearance and other fees, as well as common revenue-raising measures such as other LGU fees and charges, public utility charges, and toll charges.
Under the bill, such fees imposed by LGUs will be subject to the guidelines to be provided by the Department of Finance’s (DoF) Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) in consultation with LGU associations.
Guidelines to be formulated in setting the local charges will also take into consideration the recovery of capital, maintenance, and other service delivery costs.
In the case of fishery license fees and rental charges, the bill allows municipalities to levy rents for erecting fish corrals, operating beds for shellfish like oysters, mussels or other species and to levy fees in issuing licenses to operate fishing vessels.
The fishery rental charges will be subject to the guidelines of BLGF, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource (BFAR), in consultation with the league of municipalities. Agencies will take into consideration the costs for environmental maintenance and sustainability of the municipal waters covered.
The authority of the barangay to collect charges for the use of barangay-owned properties or service facilities, to impose fees for barangay clearance or a license for any business activity will be subject to the guidelines of the DoF, in consultation with the Liga ng mga Barangay.
The DoF will have to consult with the league of municipalities on fees and charges for services rendered or conveniences provided to businesses and professions.
The bill also provides a new definition to the “charge” imposed by LGUs as the “liability for services rendered or conveniences provided by the local government unit, the amount of which should be commensurate to such services and capital recovery which ensures continued delivery.”
“Fee” is also redefined as the “liability imposed for the regulation or inspection of a business or activity, the amount of which should be commensurate to the administrative cost of regulation and surveillance.”
Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara, who chairs the committee on local government, said in the bill’s explanatory note that many LGUs lack guidance “on how to fairly and efficiently determine” what fee or charge should be imposed to business activities within their jurisdiction.
He noted that while the Local Government Code gives LGUs greater means to create their revenue sources, many businesses have raised concerns that the imposition of LGU fees has increased their cost of doing businesses.
“With this in mind, this bill mandates several national agencies… to outline clear guidelines in the setting of local fees and charges, which LGUs should then incorporate in their impositions. Such reform will raise LGU competitiveness and strike a healthy balance between revenue generation and private business promotion,” Mr. Angara said. — Camille A. Aguinaldo

Seven more Mindanao products seek approval for PRDP funding

DAVAO CITY — Seven Mindanao commodities are up for funding support by the World Bank-funded Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).
Danilo T. Alesna, an engineer and PRDP-Mindanao deputy director, has said that the PRDP is finalizing the list of additional products that will be supported for development, which are: chevon (goat meat), tuna, sardines, virgin coconut oil (VCO), durian, mangosteen, and lanzones.
These commodities will be added to the initial 27 that have been approved since the start of the PRDP implementation in 2014.
A commodity can be included in the PRDP list if it is part of the value chain analysis and the Provincial Investment Commodity Plan of local governments
Tuna and sardines have been identified as commodities for General Santos City, and parts of the Zamboanga Peninsula and Caraga regions.
Lanzones is cultivated in Northern Mindanao, particularly the island province of Camiguin.
Durian was identified by Davao City as its second commodity after cacao, while VCO is produced in the entire Davao region.
ARMM
The two other products were identified by local government units in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Mangosteen is a Sulu product, while goat meat is produced in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.
Earlier, Sulu and Tawi-tawi both identified seaweed as their priority commodity.
Mr. Alesna said there are some extra challenges in implementing PRDP sub-projects in the ARMM “because its areas are not contiguous.”
The ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur on mainland Mindanao and the BaSulTa, which stands for the Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi islands.
“For example, our supervisor cannot just go to Sulu in one day if he or she is supervising another project in Maguindanao,” he said.
Mr. Alesna said they are hoping to include more projects in the ARMM, but “what we do is we review, approve and fund these proposals; without the proposals we cannot do anything.”
He also noted that in the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP), the forerunner of the PRDP, there were two supervisors assigned to the ARMM.
There is only one project supervisor for the region in the PRDP, which is a scaled-up and nationwide version of the MRDP.
The Department of Agriculture is the lead implementing agency for the program. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

Poultry, pork, fruit supply seen rising

POULTRY PRODUCTION is expected to increase in 2019 with new entrants pushing down prices for consumers but also putting grower earnings under pressure, an industry official said.
“In terms of outcome, the small and medium-scale players will be having a hard time especially during the first semester and maybe in the third quarter because there are a lot of new entrants who are really big. Some of them have foreign capital and the competition will be very fierce because they are looking for space in the market,” United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) President Elias Jose M. Inciong told BusinessWorld in a phone interview on Dec. 28.
“There will be more competition. What will happen there will be greater supply. Prices will go down unless there is a drastic change in the cost of inputs. The expectation is that profit will go down,” Mr. Inciong added.
Mr. Inciong also noted that “in terms of supply there will be definitely an increase. With the (current) broiler breeders, the potential increase is 19%.”
In the pork industry, the outlook for 2019 is also for increased supply, driven by more imports and zero exports.
“As an industry, we strive for positive growth by increasing productivity, improving animal health and lowering cost of production,” National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) chairman and president Chester Warren Y. Tan said in a mobile message.
“More legal imports, no exports for pork yet,” Mr. Tan added.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) meanwhile said that growth in the fruit industry is expected as international markets open up for Philippine exports particularly for banana, mango and pineapple.
“China buys so much banana and pineapple. We have mangoes. Those are the staple items in our exports,” PCCI chairman George T. Barcelon said in a phone interview.
“The market is open in many areas like Eastern Europe. Russia will also buy fruit from the Philippines,” Mr. Barcelon added. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

AmCham hoping for progress on free trade talks

THE US business chamber said it hopes free trade agreement (FTA) talks with the Philippines will get going in 2019.
“We are hoping for bilateral trade talks to get underway in 2019,” American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. Senior Adviser John D. Forbes said in a mobile message late last year.
Mr. Forbes encouraged greater efforts to increase exports particularly from economic zones regulated by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.
The Department of Trade and Industry has said that initial talks to determine the scope of the FTA are expected to make progress this year.
Last year, Manila and Washington announced that they have resolved recurring issues in their Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.
Those issues concerned customs valuation, intellectual property rights, market access for Philippine agricultural products into the US, and meeting international standards for automotive safety and food hygiene.
The Philippines and the US also moved forward from technical and policy dialogues on the National Retail Payments System and other measures related to electronic payment services, including domestic retail debit and credit electronic payment transactions.
Mr. Forbes also delivered the chamber’s outlook for the Philippine economy next year.
“AmCham is optimistic about the economy in 2019. We believe strong growth will continue, inflation will moderate, and job generation will continue to be strong,” he said.
Mr. Forbes also encouraged the government to beat the 8 million tourist arrival mark; provide support for the “challenged” business process outsourcing industry; develop the potential of agriculture, especially for export; and lift the moratorium on new mining production permits, subject to environmental compliance.
Bilateral trade between the Philippines and the US amounted to $27 billion in 2016, of which merchandise goods made up $18 billion.
The Philippines is a beneficiary of the US generalized system of preferences (GSP) under which over 3,000 Philippine products enjoy duty-free access to the US.
About $1.5 billion worth of Philippine goods enter the US tariff-free. — Janina C. Lim

PHL may seek Saudi overflight rights to expand Israel air market

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it hopes to conclude an overflight agreement with Saudi Arabia in order to expand air services with Israel.
Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo told reporters last month the priority for air negotiations in 2019 is access to Saudi air space.
“If you don’t fly over Saudi to Israel, it adds more than an hour of flying time,” he said.
A Philippines-Israel air service agreement was signed in 2013.
Mr. Tamayo said none of the Philippines’ airlines are currently using their air rights, but noted that Philippine Airlines (PAL) may start flying to Tel Aviv soon.
“We’re pushing them to launch flights by next quarter but they say it’s a seasonal market,” he said, adding PAL is considering launching services during the cold months.
In 2018, President Rodrigo R. Duterte visited Israel to sign agreements relating to the employment of Filipino caregivers, scientific cooperation, and collaboration in bilateral direct investment, while both sides also got the ball rolling on increasing air connectivity. — Denise A. Valdez

BoI hoping IB will help firms unlock some TRABAHO incentives

THE Board of Investments (BoI) wants more companies to take advantage of inclusive business incentives, touting them as a pathway to unlock some of the incentives contained in the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities (TRABAHO) Bill.
“We’re really trying to find ways to make it more enticing. The great thing is that under the House version of the TRABAHO Bill, inclusive business is one of the exemptions,” Trade Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya told BusinessWorld in an interview late last year in Pasay City.
“We need to have the same incentives for the Senate version as well so IB can be pushed. We need more companies to do inclusive business,” Ms. Maglaya added.
IB models hope to ensure that the poor members of a community contribute to the company’s core functions and account for a significant portion of its revenue.
IB incentive rules require directly employing them and sourcing from them goods and services that are integrated into the value chain.
Qualified firms are entitled to a five-year income tax holiday.
Under House Bill 8083, which has been approved on third and final reading, the Strategic Investments Priority Plan (SIPP) will include firms that embrace IB and value-added production by micro, small and medium enterprises.
The SIPP is issued every three years and lists the priority investment activities that may be eligible for incentives.
However, Ms. Maglaya said companies that intend to prove that they employ IB will need to clear a number of hurdles to meet the requirements.
Under the 2017 to 2019 Investments Priority Plan, at least 25% of total costs of services must be sourced from micro and small enterprises (MSEs).
Tourism projects, specifically, should hire at least 25 such workers directly while agri-modernization projects should employ at least 300 individuals from the marginalized sector.
On top of these requirements, women must make up 30% of the work force.
The salary given should meet minimum wage or a baseline income plus a 20% increase, whichever is higher.
IB-qualified firms are also required to offer technical assistance and capacity-building to MSEs, and facilitate their access to finance. — Janina C. Lim

PCCI sees rice tariffication measure as model for sugar liberalization

THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) wants a more liberal regime for importing sugar modeled on the rice tariffication bill, with tariffs to benefit domestic sugarcane farmers.
“When it comes to sugar, I don’t think we are being competitive. This will be similar to the rice tariffication. Currently, it is being proposed… There will be a tax but the quantity is more liberal,” PCCI chairman George T. Barcelon told BusinessWorld in an interview on Dec. 27, adding that the chamber expects the proposal to become law this year.
“More drinks that contain sugar are being imported to the detriment of our producers,” Mr. Barcelon said, adding that “for the industry to grow, the limit (on imports) should be removed.”
Mr. Barcelon said that the liberalization of the sugar industry may include the modification of the authority of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), or even abolish the agency.
The rice tariffication reforms removed the National Food Authority’s (NFA) role in importing rice, leaving it to focus on maintaining a buffer stock with rice procured from domestic farmers.
“Toward the latter part (of the reform) is the abolition of the SRA. It may not exactly be abolished but its role will be clarified. The SRA is not helping the sugar industry. Our sugar is expensive, and the high cost is being passed on to consumers),” Mr. Barcelon said.
The proposal is not yet available to legislators, but Mr. Barcelon said that this has been proposed to the SRA itself. He added that he is hoping President Rodrigo R. Duterte can direct lawmakers to pass such a law, which benefits consumers.
“I’m just reading it from the point of view of the President, not from the Congress. The House has indicated that it will follow what the President wants,” Mr. Barcelon said.
“The move to rice tariffication started with consumer complaints about high rice prices,” Mr. Barcelon added.
The SRA, meanwhile, said that abolishing the SRA will be detrimental to sugarcane farmers.
“There is substantial difference between the sugar industry and the rice industry. The reason given to justify the rice tariffication finds no application to the sugar industry and to do otherwise will only bring intolerable injustice to the small sugarcane farmers in particular and the sugar industry in general,” Roland B. Beltran, SRA Board Member, responded in a text message when asked for comment.
Asked if the SRA rejects the proposal, he said, “SRA and the sugar industry stakeholders view it with disfavor.”
University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) Center for Food and Agribusiness executive director and professor Rolando T. Dy noted that the ASEAN tariff for rice is 35% while that for sugar is 5%, and high tariffs can only be imposed to protect domestic agriculture and industry.
“With rare exceptions, high tariffs and non-tariff barriers protect local agriculture and industrial producers be it rice, corn, sugar, meat, etc. Sugar from ASEAN has 5% tariffs but imports need okay from SRA. Only coconut producers have low or no tariffs among the major crops,” Mr. Dy said in a mobile message.
“The question is how long will high tariffs transit into low level of 10% or less. The policy is balancing producer and consumer welfare,” Mr. Dy added. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

TRAIN spurred economic activity, increased poverty — PIDS

THE TAX REFORM for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law may have spurred economic activity with gains in employment and domestic output, but a state-run think tank that reviewed the law said that poverty increased overall, and especially among farmers and fisherfolk.
A discussion paper by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) assessed the impact of the first package of the comprehensive tax reform package in 2018, showing “slightly positive” results in economic output, particularly in the agriculture and service sectors, as well as a rise in employment. However, it noted that poverty incidence increased “slightly,” due to higher commodity prices paid by the poor.
PIDS’ estimates were based on TRAIN provisions that lowered personal income taxes, estate, and donors taxes, reduced value-added tax exemptions, raised excise taxes on fuel, coal, tobacco, automobiles, minerals, new taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, and cosmetic procedures. It also took into account social mitigating measures, such as the P300 per month unconditional cash transfer (UCT) program for affected the affected poor.
PIDS said that coal and mineral production fell 5.2%, while that of petroleum fell 1.2% year-on-year. It also found a 14.2% decline in the production of chemicals, rubber, and plastics, a 25.9% decline in beverage and tobacco output, and a 43.5% decline in the engine and turbine manufacturing sector, except aircraft, vehicle and cycle engines.
However, it noted that agricultural output overall rose by around 5.4%. Food manufacturing grew 3.2%
PIDS said that TRAIN pushed up prices of agricultural commodities, with prices of palay, or unmilled rice, increasing 3.2% year-on-year, while those of corn rose 3.4%, sugar 3.7%, livestock 3.8%, and fish 3.8%.
Prices of beverages also rose 68.9%, petroleum 10.5%, and transportation 16.8%.
The paper also found a net gain of 396,702 employed individuals.
“Under the TRAIN + UCT scenario, the gains are the highest due to the fact that there is increased productive activity which increases returns to all the factors. The greatest gain is for unskilled labor,” PIDS said.
The study also found that household poverty incidence increased by 0.26 percentage points, while poverty among individuals rose 0.65 percentage points. Poverty among fisherfolk rose 1.35 percentage points, and among farmers 0.06 percentage points. It found that poverty incidence for transport workers fell 8.16 percentage points.
“The provision of the cash transfers (assuming 100% coverage for those targeted by the subsidies in the first to fifth lowest income deciles) offsets the increase in poverty incidence across sectors, especially for transport workers; most transportation workers are near poverty so that the income support program results in a significant improvement in their welfare,” PIDS said.
It also said that “while the subsidy is relatively sufficient to meet the increased household expenditure (due to the higher excise taxes) for many of the households, especially in the poorest first to fifth income deciles, there are still households that will be worst off as the composition of expenditures are different from household to household and there are families that would be adversely affected by the reform. In fact, the study noted that assuming that the UCT subsidy would have the same efficiency as the targeting in the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino, poverty incidence will be slightly worse off.” — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Donnie Nietes ends year 2018 with a bang

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
FILIPINO BOXING world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes ended 2018 on very a high note by winning another division title that thrust him to an elite group of fighters in history.
Getting the better of Japanese star fighter Kazuto Ioka in their New Year’s Eve fight for the World Boxing Organization Super Flyweight World Championship by split decision at the Wynn Palace Cotai in Macau, China, Negros Occidental native Nietes joined a select group of fighters who have won world titles in at least four divisions, which include compatriots Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire.
But it did not come easy for the 36-year-old Nietes who had to dig deep to outlast a gallant stand by Mr. Ioka, who was also looking for a fourth division world title with a win.
For 12 competitive rounds the two champion fighters slugged it out and had their moments of brilliance.
In the end though, the score cards would go Mr. Nietes’s way, 118-110, 112-116, 116-112, to add the World Boxing Organization’s 115-pound title to his minimumweight, light flyweight and flyweight belts.
The win padded the professional record of Mr. Nietes to 42-1-5 and extended a winning streak that has lasted for more than a decade now.
STILL IMPRESSIVE
While Mr. Nietes’s latest title conquest was not as dominant as those of the others in the Filipino champion’s illustrious career, still for one local combat sports analyst the win was impressive considering how the fight went and that a fourth division title was but fitting for a fighter with the packs the kind of caliber of Mr. Nietes.
“It’s acceptable to have that kind of verdict because it was a competitive fight, which I would describe as a tactical, toe-to-toe battle. Donnie Nietes controlled the fight early on, scoring big with his right uppercut-right hook combo every time he found an opening. Although Ioka came up with some power shots of his own, he had trouble defending himself from Nietes’ well-timed overhand rights,” said Nissi Icasiano when asked by BusinessWorld for his thoughts post-fight.
“Ioka made it interesting in the fifth round, forcing Nietes to come forward. The Japanese’s tactic paid off as Nietes began falling short with his counters while Ioka took advantage of his speed edge and landed to the body. [But] Knowing that it’s a now-or-never situation, Nietes worked hard to get his rhythm and range back in the championship rounds… A split decision doesn’t leave a bad taste, but the only thing that I find ridiculous is the 118-110 score on the scorecard,” the analyst added.
SAVOR FIRST
Making his mark in the 115-pound division, Mr. Icasiano sees Mr. Nietes being busy with much talent to tackle.
The analyst, however, said the Filipino champion must savor his latest achievement and bask in the fruits of his hard work in training and in the ring first.
“The 115-pound division is a shark tank. There is no shortage of talent. But before we think of what’s next for Donnie Nietes, let him celebrate and savor the moment. [Year] 2018 has been an amazing year for Nietes. He deserves every bit of it,” Mr. Icasiano said.
“It’s fitting for an outstanding pugilist like Donnie Nietes to end the year as a four-division world champion and a seat in the pound-for-pound rankings,” he added.
Apart from Messrs. Pacquiao and Donaire, Mr. Nietes joined the likes of boxing legends Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Erik Morales, Tommy Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard as four-division world champions.

Spurs beat Celtics at home

DERRICK WHITE and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 21 points in the third quarter Monday night as the hosts San Antonio Spurs, after being held to 46 points in the first half, exploded for 46 in the third period to rally past the Boston Celtics, 120-111.
Aldridge totaled 32 points to go with nine rebounds. The Spurs, who trailed by as many as 12 points as they struggled offensively in the first half, recorded their seventh consecutive home victory over the Celtics.
Jaylen Brown scored 30 points on 10-for-15 shooting off the bench for the Celtics, who haven’t won at San Antonio since March 2011.
The Spurs trailed 52-46 at halftime before Patty Mills sank a pair of three-pointers and teammates White, Davis Bertans and Marco Belinelli hit one apiece during the 46-point explosion that produced a 92-82 lead.
WARRIORS 132, SUNS 109
Seven different players contributed points to a 24-7 Golden State run that ended the first half, and the Warriors broke from a second-quarter tie to pound host Phoenix.
Stephen Curry poured in 34 points and Kevin Durant added 25 as the Warriors beat the Suns for the 17th consecutive time, including eight in Phoenix.
Deandre Ayton recorded a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double for Phoenix, which lost its third straight to open a seven-game homestand.
THUNDER 122, MAVERICKS 102
Paul George scored 14 of his 22 points in a game-opening, 25-10 burst that propelled host Oklahoma City to a revenge-achieving shellacking of Dallas.
Russell Westbrook recorded his league-leading 10th triple-double with a game-high 32 points, 11 rebounds and a game-high 11 assists as the Thunder avenged a 105-103 defeat 24 hours earlier at Dallas.
On Monday, the Thunder put up 32 points in the first and third quarters en route to as much as a 22-point lead in the easy win. Harrison Barnes went for a team-high 25 points for the Mavericks, who lost their ninth in a row on the road.
ROCKETS 113, GRIZZLIES 101
James Harden recorded a triple-double by posting 43 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, and Houston completed an unbeaten month at home with a win over Memphis. The Rockets posted their 10th victory in 11 games overall and capped a 9-0 mark at Toyota Center in December.
Harden recorded his fourth consecutive 40-plus-point game and set an NBA record with his eighth successive 35-plus-point, five-plus-assist effort, though he did commit nine turnovers.
Kyle Anderson paced the Grizzlies with 20 points despite going 0-for-6 from the free-throw line. Mike Conley tallied 19 points, and JaMychal Green added 17 off the bench. Marc Gasol recorded a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds.
PACERS 116, HAWKS 108
Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis combined for 62 points to help Indiana to its fifth straight win, beating Atlanta in Indianapolis. The Pacers improved to a season-best 13 games over .500.
Indiana has won 12 of its last 14 games dating to Dec. 4. It is the only team in the NBA to avoid a three-game losing streak this season. Oladipo led the way with 22 points on 9-for-19 shooting and had seven assists and four steals. Turner and Sabonis each totaled 20 points and eight rebounds.
Atlanta’s John Collins had 22 points and 16 rebounds, the 11th time in 12 games that he has posted a double-double. Rookie Kevin Huerter scored a career-high 22 points on 6-for-9 shooting from three-point range.
PELICANS 123, TIMBERWOLVES 114
Julius Randle had 33 points and 11 rebounds as host New Orleans overcame the absence of Anthony Davis to defeat the Timberwolves. Minnesota fell despite getting 28 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and five blocks from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Davis was a last-minute scratch because of illness, but Randle and the Pelicans’ three-point shooting made up for the loss of the All-Star forward. — Reuters

TNT KaTropa look to do well with new-look roster

DECIDED to go for a new-look roster after having a “pedestrian” season at the Philippine Basketball Association last year, the TNT KaTropa aim to do better when a new edition of the premier local professional basketball league unfurls later this month with help from the players they had acquired.
Got role players Brian Heruela, David Semerad, and Mike Miranda in separate deals following the PBA rookie draft last month in exchange for disgruntled player Terrence Romeo and a couple of future rookie picks, the KaTropa are now busy incorporating the new players to get the most out of them as they play alongside the team holdovers.
For TNT coach Bong Ravena, the players they got from the deals they participated in should help their cause in the upcoming PBA season.
“The players we got are the type of players that we need. Heruela will be our backup point guard for Jayson (Castro) while Dave (Semerad) will be our energy guy. Miranda can post up, can play defense and can help our team be taller,” said Mr. Ravena, who took over the TNT team from erstwhile coach Nash Racela midway into last season’s Governors’ Cup and is assisted by consultant Mark Dickel.
TNT got hold of Messrs. Heruela and Semerad and a 2021 first-round pick from the San Miguel Beermen in exchange for Mr. Romeo.
Mr. Miranda, meanwhile, was part of the three-team deal among TNT, Blackwater Elite and NLEX Road Warriors that saw JP Erram going to the Road Warriors from the Elite, Mr. Miranda and a 2021 second-round pick (from Blackwater) to the KaTropa and first-round picks Paul Desiderio and Abu Tratter to Blackwater from NLEX.
With new players on board, Mr. Ravena said the first order of business for them is establishing a system that would harness all the abilities of the players they have to get the desired results.
“We have so many new players and as much as possible we want to involve everybody. Everyone must do their part and not leave bulk of the work to one or two players. We want to instill that when they are on court they have to do their job both offensively and defensively,” Mr. Ravena said.
To help them in their push, the team has set a training camp for this week to see where it stands and work on its game collectively.
“We will go to Tagaytay [for a training camp]. We will try to work on things and see where we can improve,” the TNT coach said.
“The focus of the training camp is for the team to develop chemistry and play as one which will be key as we set for the new season,” Mr. Ravena added.
Last year, TNT compiled a losing record of 17-19 in the three conferences, failing to go past the quarterfinals in the Philippine and Commissioner’s Cup while outright eliminated at the end of the elimination round of the season-ending Governors’ Cup.
The new season of the PBA begins on Jan. 13. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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