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Road repairs suspended, 24-hour traffic alert implemented in Metro Cebu to avoid repeat of Dec. 2017 ‘carmageddon’

LOCAL government units (LGUs) within Metro Cebu have started implementing a 24-hour traffic management program to avoid a repeat of the road chaos experienced in December 2017, which Cebuanos refer to as their “carmageddon.” Gov. Hilario P. Davide III of Cebu province met with the local officials last week to coordinate traffic management plans, which includes the suspension of all road works in Cebu City until Jan. 16, except the Mambaling underpass project. Other measures are the deployment of more personnel, clearing operations, and installation of road dividers. “I hope the LGUs will cooperate… for the coming season to help alleviate the people’s concern over traffic,” Mr. Davide said during the meeting. Officials of the regional offices of the Land Transportation Office, Department of Public Works and Highways, Highway Patrol Group, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) also attended the meeting.

ASEAN members identify next steps to protect migratory birds

MEMBERS of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have outlined the next steps for the conservation of migratory birds that navigate along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). At the sidelines of the 10th Meeting of the Partners to the EAAF in Hainan, China earlier this month, members of the ASEAN Flyway Network (AFN) and the EAAF raised the need to, among other points, increase capacity “for technically sound and effective surveys and monitoring of migratory birds and the flyway” sites, “financial support for regular surveys,” and expanding cooperation from government and non-government groups outside the conservation community. “Besides supporting a quarter of global bird diversity, the Southeast Asian region is an integral part of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, hosting more than 15 globally threatened migratory waterbirds… Close coordination beyond national borders is vital in ensuring the adequate protection of these birds,” Mr. How Choon Beng from the National Parks Board (NParks) of Singapore is quoted in a statement released by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). The establishment of the AFN was facilitated by the ACB through the project “Improving Biodiversity Conservation of Wetlands and Migratory Waterbirds in ASEAN Region–Phase I.” The project is being supported by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund and is led by Singapore, through the NParks. The AFN has “site managers” from Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
THREATS
The resting and feeding areas of migratory birds along the EAAF are under threat due to land conversion, agriculture, mining, and urban development, among other disturbances.

27 government lots in SOCCSKSARGEN, Maguindanao up for bidding

THE PRIVATIZATION and Management Office (PMO) will bid out 27 lots located in General Santos City Sarangani, South Cotabato — all within the SOCCSKSARGEN Region — and Maguindanao in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on an “as is where is” basis. In an ad published Dec. 16, the PMO said the bid documents will be available starting Dec. 19 and a pre-bid conference is scheduled on Dec. 21, 11 a.m., at the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) office in General Santos City. The properties range from as small as 91 square meters (sq.m.) to as big as 12,010 sq.m. For more information, contact the PMO via email md1@pmo.gov.ph or telephone numbers (02)-8188305 or 0920-9085643.

Davao passes rule institutionalizing more environment-friendly paving systems

THE DAVAO City Council approved last week an ordinance institutionalizing Permeable Paving Systems (PPS) in the construction of car parking spaces, walkways, open spaces, and low-traffic roads of establishments. “PPS is a storm water management facility that allows water to move through void spaces within the pavement and eventually infiltrate into underlying soils,” explained Councilor Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III, chair of the committee on public works. Mr. Zozobrado noted that a provision of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change requires the adoption of precautionary measures to prevent or minimize the causes of climate change and mitigate its adverse effects. “The use of the PPS is one of the alternative options eyed to solve the environmental problems caused by conventional concrete,” he said. The committees on public works and highways, and environment and natural resources convened in July to draft the ordinance after the non-government group Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) Inc. requested the passage of more environment-friendly construction policies in the city. — Carmencita A. Carillo

Magnolia welcomes finals break, vows to work hard

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
WITH their best-of-seven Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup finals taking a gruelling route, the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok said they welcome the one-day break afforded them but nonetheless vowed to continue working with the end view of putting the finishing touches to the series.
Now up 3-2 over the Alaska Aces in the finals series of the season-ending PBA tournament after claiming Game Five, 79-78, in cardiac fashion on Friday, the Hotshots have to wait some time for a shot at completing a championship conquest with the finals schedule adjusted for the annual league draft.
Instead of having Game Six happen yesterday, it had been moved to Wednesday, Dec. 19, leaving the combatants a five-day break in between games.
For Magnolia coach Chito Victolero, while they would rather continue playing and build on the momentum from their gutsy Game Five victory, they still welcome the break as it gives them a chance to recharge and think things over.
“Both teams need this rest. I think both us are equally drained both physically and mentally from this tightly fought series. It would help us in a way to rest our mind and body,” said Mr. Victolero following their win on Friday.
In Game Five, both Magnolia and Alaska battled all the way to the end with the Hotshots eventually getting the better of the latter, thanks to the game-winner of guard Paul Lee with 1.3 seconds remaining.
Off a time out with less than 20 seconds to play, and Alaska on top, 78-77, the Hotshots fashioned out a play that saw import Romeo Travis make his way to the paint.
It was initially foiled by the Aces but Mr. Lee came to the rescue of the Hotshots by collaring the ball off a scramble and then pulling up for a midrange jumper that went in and gave his team the 79-78 lead.
Alaska had a chance to win the game but the jumper of import Mike Harris as time expired failed to connect, handing the win to Magnolia, which moved to a win away from the championship.
“We are happy with the victory. But the work is not over for us. We should not be content with this win. We must avoid complacency heading into Game Six and stay hungry and prepared,” said Mr. Victolero, who also shared that he might not join the team in Sunday’s draft to focus on the things they have to do come the next game.
On the part of game hero Lee, closeout games are difficult which is why they must be ready.
“It is going to be hard next game because it’s a closeout game. In basketball it’s common knowledge that it is the toughest of games. We need to prepare for the next game but also we should be mindful not to put too much pressure on ourselves and just play our game,” said the best player of the conference, who finished Game Five with 11 points and 10 rebounds to go along with his game-winner.
He was seconded by Ian Sangalang, named best player in Game Five, who said “Next game we have to keep our focus because this series with Alaska has not been easy. They will make the adjustments next game and we must ready for it.”
Game Six is set at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

World Pool’s stars into KO stage

By Ted Lerner
WPA Press Officer
DOHA, QATAR — A veritable armada of pool’s biggest stars pushed their way through to the Final 64 knockout stage at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha today, as the business end of proceedings quickly started to take shape at the 2018 World 9-ball Championship.
It was a very busy day which saw 32 players qualify for the money rounds, and another 32 players see their dreams of glory come to a screeching halt.
Of course it was quite expected when the tournament began on Friday that over half the original field of 128 players from over 40 countries had no chance at actually winning the event. But the outcomes today were somewhat surprising in that we saw few of the upsets fans have come to expect in the group stages over the years. The only big name to fall by the wayside and get a pink slip was 2001 World 9-ball Champion and Hall of Famer Mika Immonen, who lost his second straight match in as many days.
World number one Klenti Kaci hasn’t looked his sharpest so far. But the 19-year-old Albanian did what he had to do in a steady 9-6 win over Kuwaiti Meshaal Al Murdhi.
Defending champion Carlo Biado of the Philippines seemed to be on cruise control in his 9-5 win over Russia’s Sergey Lutsker. Despite being the reigning 9-ball king, the Filipino great benefits from being so humble and so low key that he plays almost unnoticed.
The biggest winners Saturday in terms of countries was Taiwan, which saw a whopping seven of its players qualify for the round of 64. 2015 World 9-ball champion Ko Pin Yi looked the goods today as he handily beat Czech Republic’s Roman Hybler, 9-4. 2017 semi-finalist Lin Wu Kun grinded out a solid 9–7 victory over former champion Yukio Akagariyama of Japan. Ko’s younger brother Ko Ping Chung took a 9–6 win over Greece’s Nikolas Malai. Hsieh Chia Chen beat Russian strongman Ruslan Chinhov 9-8 to make it through. Lui Ri Ten beat American Billy Thorpe 9-7 to make it through.
The USA’s Shane Van Boening, who is one of the heavy favorites this week in Doha, didn’t have as easy a time today as he did on day one. But he was never in real trouble against Venezuelan veteran Jalal Al Sarisi, winning 9-7. SVB’s Mosconi Cup teammate Corey Duel played steady 9-ball and easily defeated Finland’s Petri Makkonen 9-4 to make the knockout stage.
World number six and 2014 champion Niels Feijen had another solid day, defeating Spain’s Francisco Diaz-Pizarro, 9-7. The Dutchman’s Mosconi teammate Albin Ouschan didn’t fare as well as he took a thumping from Poland’s Konrad Juszczyszyn, 9-4. Juszczyszyn may not be a household name to pool fans but it should be noted that he is the current European 9-ball champion. Another Pole who scored a very big victory was Mateusz Sniegocki who took down a very tough Filipino, Jeffrey Ignacio, 9-5. Tomasz Kaplan made it three for Poland today with a win over South Africa’s Jason Theron.
It was good day for the Germans as both Ralf Souquet and Joshua Filler won their second straight matches to qualify for the final 64. 18-year-old Russian Fedor Gorst continued to impress as he qualified with a handy 9-1 win over Jeong Young Hwa of Korea.
It was a very big day for the Japanese side as three players made it through with impressive wins. Takano Tomoo took down former world champion Wu Jiaqing 9-8. Naoyuki Oi was a 9–4 winner over Finland’s Casper Matikainen. And Tomoya Iima took a 9-7 win over Hoang Guong Quoc of Vietnam.
Other winners who qualified for the knockout rounds included the Philippines’ Jeffrey De Luna, Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp, Canada’s Alex Pagulayan, Myanmar’s talented Phone Myint Kyaw, Spain’s Fracisco Sanchez Ruiz, Greece’s Alex Kazakis, China’s Wang Can and Russia’s Konstantin Stepanov.
Chris Melling, the lone Brit in the field, again looked the goods as he easily beat South Africa’s Richard Halliday, 9-3. Qatar’s Waleed Majid also won his second straight to make it through, beating China’s Xu Xiacong, 9-6.
Play continues on Sunday in Doha at the Al Arabi with the action beginning at 12 p.m. local time(GMT +3.) All matches on Sunday will be do or die, losers side matches with the winners advancing to the knockout round and the losers going out of the event.
The winner of the 2018 World 9-ball Championship will receive $40,000. The runner up will receive $20,000. The total prize fund is $200,000.

CJ Perez no. 1 PBA rookie pick; Parks, Bolick follow

AS expected, Lyceum of the Philippines University standout CJ Perez was selected first overall in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Rookie Draft on Sunday at the Robinsons Place Manila in Ermita.
Touted for his all-around skills set and tremendous motor, 6’1” Perez, 25, was picked first by Columbian Dyip in the annual draft and is expected to give a boost to the Dyip’s cause as early as his first year.
Selected second was Bobby Ray Parks, who went to the Blackwater Elite, followed by Robert Bolick at third to the Northport Batang Pier.
Going at fourth to the NLEX Road Warriors was University of the Philippines’ Paul Desiderio and fifth was Filipino-foreigner Trevis Jackson to the Meralco Bolts.
Rounding out the first round were Javee Mocon (6th) to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Abu Tratter (7th) to NLEX, JayJay Alejandro (8th) to Rain or Shine, Jesper Ayaay (9th) to the Alaska Aces, Michael Calisaan (10th) to the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok, JP Calvo (11th) to Columbian, and Jorey Napoles (12th) to the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters.
Mr. Perez was the National Collegiate Athletic Association most valuable player in Season 93.
He helped the Pirates to back-to-back finals appearances, including an unblemished run in the elimination round during his MVP year.
Unfortunately Mr. Perez and Lyceum would not win a title, falling both times to the San Beda Red Lions in 2017 and 2018.
He said he hopes to continue improving as a player now that he is in the PBA and establish a fruitful career.
“This is a a dream come true for me. Looking forward to helping Columbian through my hard work and hustle,” said Mr. Perez after being selected first overall.
Mr. Parks, son of legendary PBA import Bobby, meanwhile, finally made his way to the premier professional basketball league.
A two-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines MVP while with National University, as well as a two-time ASEAN Basketball League local MVP, Mr. Parks is expected to shore up the front court of the Elite.
Mr. Parks was also part of various iterations of Gilas Pilipinas.
Third-pick Bolick, for his part, is considered as one of the top young guards in the land.
He helped San Beda to three straight NCAA titles on his final three years while also part of the 2013 UAAP champ De La Salle University.
He is seen to be the running-mate in the backcourt of current Northport star Stanley Pringle. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Pistons snap six-game skid, halt Celtics’ winning streak

LOS ANGELES — Blake Griffin had 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists and the host Detroit Pistons snapped a six-game losing streak while ending the Boston Celtics’ eight-game winning streak with a 113-104 victory on Saturday.
Andre Drummond posted 19 points, 20 rebounds, five blocks and three steals for Detroit. Reggie Bullock, returning after a five-game absence due to an ankle sprain, supplied 15 points while Langston Galloway tossed in 14 off the bench and Reggie Jackson chipped in 12. Luke Kennard added 10 points and three assists.
Kyrie Irving’s 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals led the Celtics. Marcus Smart had 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals while Jayson Tatum contributed 17 points and eight rebounds.
Boston led 66-63 early in the second half but the Pistons scored the next 13 points. Jackson got the outburst going with a putback. Drummond contributed a layup and a dunk, and Kennard hit a 3-pointer and assisted on another basket.
That run gave Detroit a 76-66 lead with 5:42 left in the quarter. Griffin made two free throws late in the quarter to give the Pistons an 11-point advantage.
The Celtics closed the gap to 85-78 before the quarter ended.
Sparked by a Drummond three-point play, the Pistons opened the fourth with a 10-1 run. The bench took over the scoring duties the remainder of that spurt. Galloway made a layup, and Jose Calderon and Stanley Johnson drained jump shots.
Smart hit a corner three for Boston’s first field goal of the quarter with 4:29 remaining, cutting Detroit’s lead to 97-88.
Bullock’s three with 3:37 left gave the Pistons a 100-90 lead. The Celtics had a chance to cut to seven with 1:25 left but Drummond swatted a Tatum layup attempt.
Irving eventually made it a seven-point game with a three but Boston couldn’t get any closer.
The Pistons led 57-56 at halftime. Griffin led Detroit with 11 points and Galloway had 10. Irving paced the Celtics with 17.
Boston won the first two meetings in late October. — Reuters

Revised trade sends Ariza to Wizards, two to Suns

LOS ANGELES — The Phoenix Suns traded Trevor Ariza to the Washington Wizards on Saturday morning for Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers, according to multiple reports.
The deal capped a confusing series of events that unfolded Friday night when a proposed three-team trade fell apart over confusion about whether Dillon Brooks or MarShon Brooks would be included.
The trade, as proposed originally, would have sent Ariza from the Suns to the Wizards, Oubre from the Wizards to the Memphis Grizzlies, and Rivers from the Wizards to the Suns. The Grizzlies would have sent Wayne Selden to the Suns.
The Suns thought the Grizzlies would be sending them Dillon Brooks. Grizzlies officials thought it was MarShon Brooks they’d be trading. The mixup happened because the Suns and Grizzlies didn’t talk to each other. The Wizards were the conduit of information and the identity of the proper Brooks got lost along the way, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine will miss at least two games with an injured left ankle, coach Jim Boylen said.
LaVine has a sprained deltoid ligament and will undergo further testing, Boylen confirmed prior to the Bulls’ game at the San Antonio Spurs. The Bulls finish a three-game road trip Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
LaVine, who is averaging a team-high 23.8 points per game, suffered the injury in Thursday’s loss to the Orlando Magic in Mexico City.
Sacramento Kings rookie forward Marvin Bagley III will miss at least 10 days after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee during Friday night’s loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The Kings revealed after the contest that an MRI exam detected the injury. Bagley, who is averaging 12.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in 26 games off the bench, will be re-evaluated in 10 to 14 days.
Bagley was injured in the second quarter after taking a hard fall to the floor. He initially stayed in the game before soon motioning to the bench that he needed to be replaced.
The NBA has fined Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner $15,000 for making an “inappropriate gesture” toward spectators during Friday night’s 113-101 win at Philadelphia.
The punishment was announced by Kiki VanDeWeghe, the league’s executive vice president of basketball operations. — Reuters

Vietnam Golden Stars bag second Suzuki Cup title

VIETNAM is once again the AFF Suzuki Cup champion after claiming the 2018 edition of the biennial regional event with a 1-0 victory over Malaysia in the second leg of their final in Hanoi. The win allowed the Golden Stars to get the better of their opponents, 3-2, on aggregate to claim their second title.
The host team did not waste time in getting on the board with Nguyen Anh Duc scoring just six minutes into the contest, sending their faithful at the My Dinh National Stadium into frenzy.
The two sides continued to battle after but Malaysia would not find the breakthrough it was angling for as it slumped to the defeat.
The latest conquest of Vietnam is its second Suzuki Cup in addition to the one it won in 2008.
Having waited long for another title, the significance of being champions anew is not lost to the Golden Stars.
“For us, after 10 years we did it again. All Vietnamese people were waiting for 10 years so we’re so happy,” Vietnamese goalkeeper Dang Van Lam was quoted as saying by the official AFF Suzuki Cup Web site following their title conquest.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be able to do this again 10 years after the last time. The whole team did everything we could and to win here in front of our home supporters at My Dinh and to have a Gold Medal and the Cup we’re just so happy,” he added.
In winning the 2018 Suzuki Cup, Vietnam was dominant, going undefeated in group play with three wins and a draw before defeating the Philippines in the semifinals, 4-2, on aggregate.
Vietnam is now in solo 3rd place in titles won in the AFF Suzuki Cup, behind Thailand (five titles) and Singapore (four). Malaysia is the other team to have won a title with one. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

SE Asian Games 2019 venue clusters identified

THE Southeast Asian Games that the Philippines is hosting next year will be spread across different areas in line with its vision “to strengthen the cities and communities where the events will take place.”
In a Facebook posting last week, organizers of the SEA Games 2019 shared the venues where the sporting events will be held.
The venues are divided into four clusters, as per the posting, namely, Clark, Pampanga, Metro Manila; Subic, Zambales; and the Batangas, La Union and Tagaytay cluster.
In the Clark cluster are aquatics, underwater hockey, athletics, archery, rugby 7’S, arnis, baseball, softball, floorball, indoor hockey, net ball, golf, judo, jujitsu, kurash, smabo, wrestling, lawn balls, petanque, shooting and wakeboarding.
Identified areas in Clark include the Parade Grounds, The Villages, Royce Hotel, Luisita Golf, ASEAN Convention Center, Clark Global City and Clark Wakepark.
Part of the Metro Manila cluster, meanwhile, are badminton, basketball (3-on-3), basketball full court, taekwondo. Bowling, boxing, fencing, kickboxing, wushu, figure skating, ice hockey, football, gymnastics, rowing, soft tennis, tennis, squash, volleyball, Esports and billiards.
Among the venues are Philippine Sports Commission Philippines Arena, SM Mall of Asia Activity Arena, MOA Arena. Ninoy Aquino Stadium, World Trade Center, La Mesa Ecopark, Manila Polo Club and Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Venues for Esports and billards are still to be determined.
In Subic, to be played are beach volleyball, beach handball, chess, muay, vovinam, pancak silat, table tennis, weightlifting, karatedo, sepak takraw, obstacle sports, sailing, windsurfing, traditional boat race, triathlon and duathlon.
Areas of competition include Subic Tennis Court, Subic Bay Exhibition & Convention Center, Subic Gymnasium and Subic Bay Yacht Club.
Polo will be played in Calatagan, Batangas. Surfing is in La Union while cycling and skateboarding are to be held in Tagaytay.
The 2019 SEA Games Philippines will take place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.
Fifty-six sports disciplines were approved by the organizers, who recently started the one-year countdown for the event in ceremonies held in Clark.

Preparing national cage team

Putting Tab Baldwin as head coach of the national youth men’s basketball team is the right thing to do.
That’s one way of streamlining the Philippine squad’s program, one that could smoothen the transition of preparing the youth squad and integrating them to the men’s team.
While Yeng Guiao is feeling his way back as head mentor of Gilas Pilipinas national squad, the top officials of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas are now preparing and streamlining the program that would link the youth and the men’s squad.
In a subtle way, Guiao had already started that integration by including young talents like Kai Sotto and Ricci Rivero in the program.
Sotto is the only high school player to become part of the national men’s training team and given the chance to compete against some of the best big men in the PBA – June Mar Fajardo, Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar among others — the sky is the limit for the 7-foot-1, 16-year-old center.
Rivero, on he other hand, is a talented two guard who was put on red shirt while waiting for the opportunity to play for the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons next season. But he had already been included in the national men’s team program by Guiao as early as August while the PBA-backed squad was preparing for the Asian Games.
The integration has just started and it would only be a matter of time for Sotto and Rivero to crack the men’s line up in future tournaments.
Now here comes Baldwin, fresh from steering the Ateneo Blue Eagles to back-to-back championships.
Over the last three years, the American-Kiwi, who had a brief stint handling Gilas Pilipinas and leading the team all the way to the gold medal game in the 2015 FIBA Asia Cup, had since then been involved handling the young men’s program of Ateneo.
That two title runs were testament enough that Baldwin deserves another call up to oversee the youth program of the national team. Now you have Guiao for the men’s squad and Baldwin for the young men’s team, if ever the latter pushes thru.
“Nothing is concrete yet as no one has approached me from the SBP regarding that idea, but if ever that happens, it would be an honor to be back in the national team program. We’ll see,” Baldwin says.
Baldwin is no stranger handling the youth team, having coached the under-20 team of New Zealand nearly two decades ago.
For Baldwin, coaching the men’s national team and the youth squad presents two different challenges.
“With the men’s team, especially now that some of them are already playing in the pros, the challenge is how can you make these players believe on what you want to achieve,” he added. “With the young men’s team, it entails a lot of teaching and for me, that’s the most challenging part.”
The SBP has just started streamlining the program and it won’t be surprising to see Guiao and Baldwin exchanging ideas in the future.
 
Rey Joble is a member of the PBA Press Corps and Philippine Sportswriters Association.
reyjoble09@gmail.com

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