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What makes Iberico ham different

JAMON iberico, made from the Spanish native Iberico pig, is one of Spain’s most beloved exports. At its best, it’s a whole leg with a black hoof, a telltale sign that you’re eating a cured ham from the pampered Black Iberico pig.
BusinessWorld caught up with Luis Miguel Arroyo, the export manager of Julian Martin SA, a producer of Iberico hams from Guijuelo, during a Spanish food exposition last month in the Makati Shangri-La as he took of a slice from a whole leg of ham, with the telltale black hoof. Julian Martin is a family owned company, which began in 1933, a few years before the Spanish Civil War. The war hit Julian Martin I’s interests hard, and he began again in 1939. “It sure proves that we have a strong and ambitious family behind [the company], that has pushed and developed the company to what it is today,” said Mr. Arroyo. Julian Martin SA is now run by the family’s third generation, and boasts its own slaughterhouse, processing plant, and farm, on which they have their own genetic strain of Iberico pig (achieved through years of careful breeding), and special feeds tailored to that strain’s needs.
Julian Martin’s hams and sausages have three lines, each with its own color-coded wrapping. A product from a pureblood Iberico pig is wrapped in black, while products from crossbreeding with the Duroc breed but still fed on acorns is wrapped in red. A product from a grain-fed hybrid is wrapped in blue. Iberico hams are protected by a Denominacion de Origen from Spain, and pigs with hams to be called Iberico must have at least one Iberico parent. For a jamón ibérico to be called a bellota, it must be fed on acorns.
Now, Mr. Arroyo pointed out the ankles on his star ham: he noted thinner ankles, and an anatomy more akin to the pig’s ancestor, the wild boar. The Iberico pig is much smaller than its contemporaries, and it takes a longer time for the pigs to mature, so there’s more time for the flavor to develop.
He pointed out the scent of his bellota: it should be smelled from a distance, and it should be a bit gamey. According to him, the crossbreeds have a weaker smell, in fact, “All the senses are dimmed,” he said. The mouthfeel of an excellent bellota should be firm. He pointed out as well that the pig’s diet — the acorns, containing oleic acid — give the pig a nutty and oily aroma and taste, punctuated with some sweetness at the end.
Mr. Arroyo then opened a package of the cereal-fed hams. The fat was thicker, and the taste of the meat was milder, but the salty taste was more pronounced. It didn’t have much of a characteristic smell. The difference of a 100% Iberico ham, and a crossbred cereal-fed one was something that Mr. Arroyo phrased quite romantically: “It’s like comparing a sunny summer day, outdoors,” he said of the 100% Iberico ham; while looking at the summer’s day from a window, for the cereal-fed ham. — JLG

TransUnion’s new-to-credit accounts grow on rise in millennial borrowers

TRANSUNION Philippines saw continued growth in new credit accounts opened by millennials last year on the back of improving finances and technology.
In a statement sent to reporters Wednesday, the credit bureau said 57% of new-to-credit accounts opened as of end-October 2017 were by millennials, up from just 40% in October 2013.
“This is a new trend that has increased over the last four years and has continued to grow in prominence nationwide,” TransUnion added.
New-to-credit (NTC) accounts are banked or unbanked consumers who have no borrowing or payment history from lending facilities such as credit card accounts or personal, automobile, or housing loans.
TransUnion attributed the growing number of millennial borrowers to technology, which enables the younger generation to be informed and avail of financial services.
“Millennials are now at a stage in their professional careers where they have the ability to access services that can help them with their finances,” TransUnion Philippines President Pia Arellano was quoted as saying in the statement.
“The existence of technology that enables them to be aware of such services, coupled with the ease by which they can apply, results in them having more drive in gaining credit and the many benefits it can bring to their economic lives.”
According to Pew Research Center, the millennial generation is born between 1981 and 1996. Currently, millennials have an age from 22-37.
Aside from this, banks and other lenders are becoming more advanced in the way they service NTCs as they are inclined to use scoring and services provided by credit bureaus to assess the creditworthiness of potential clients.
Historically, younger clients have been ignored or had a hard time accessing funds from lenders given that they have no previous record of creditworthiness.
“These advancements are good news because they further drive financial inclusion across the Philippines and is indicative of a growing generation of consumers that has the need for such products and services,” Ms. Arellano added, noting that this puts the economy in a good position as it propels exchange of goods and service.
TransUnion Philippines is an information solutions firm that collates credit information and provides analyses to its clients.
It is one of the credit bureaus accredited by the Credit Information Corp., the state credit registry, alongside CIBI Information, Inc., Compuscan and CRIF S.p.A. — KANV

Melco Resorts to delist shares from Philippine stock market

MELCO RESORTS and Entertainment (Philippines) Corp. (MRP) expects its public float to fall below the required percentage after the completion of its majority shareholder’s tender offer, making it eligible to be removed from the local bourse.
In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Wednesday, MRP said MCO (Philippines) Investments Limited has completed its tender offer, where it accepted 1.34 million common shares tendered by the public, out of the total 1.57 million shares they held.
The shares are scheduled to be crossed on the Philippine Stock Exchange on Dec. 10, after which MCO Investments will own 96.1% of MRP’s outstanding capital stock. With this, only 3.9% will be held by the public.
“As such, after the crossing of the tendered shares, it is expected that MRP’s public ownership will fall below the minimum public ownership requirement under the Amended PSE Rules on Minimum Public Ownership which requires a minimum public float of not less than 10% of the outstanding capital stock,” MRP said.
The company said it will issue another disclosure after the shares are crossed from the PSE.
The PSE suspended trading of MRP shares for one hour from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesday to allow investors to digest this information. It also noted that the company could be delisted from the exchange if it fails to comply with the 10% minimum public ownership rule set by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“(S)hould the company remain non-compliant with the minimum public ownership requirement, MRP shall be automatically delisted from the Official Registry of the Exchange no later than six months thereafter,” the PSE said in a notice.
MRP had intended to voluntarily delist from the PSE last October, citing its inability to raise funds through the local bourse despite efforts to maintain its listed status. The operator of the City of Dreams Manila said MCO Investments will conduct a tender offer in relation to the voluntary delisting, pricing the shares at P7.25 apiece.
Several market participants however, questioned the tender offer price with some noting that it was way below MRP share price of P14 each when it conducted its follow-on offering in 2013.
The company then withdrew its application for voluntary delisting, but decided to pursue a voluntary tender offer. MRP said this would allow MCO Investments to consolidate its shareholdings in the company.
MRP’s net income attributable to the parent surged 367% to P2.19 billion in the first nine months of 2018, while gross revenues were flat at P24.18 billion.
Shares in MRP climbed 2.01% or 14 centavos to close at P7.09 each at the stock exchange on Wednesday. — Arra B. Francia

Realme marks PHL entry with entry-level phone

CHINESE PHONE manufacturer Realme, a sub-brand of OPPO, has officially entered the local market with the launch of the Realme C1.
Realme Philippines recently launched the Realme C1 in the country, which at a price point of P5,990 is marketed as an entry-level smartphone.
Realme C1 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 octa-core processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage (expandable up to 256GB via a microSD slot) and a 6.2-inch notch display with a 1520×720 resolution.
The dual-SIM smartphone also packs a 4230mAh battery which Realme says is equivalent to about 10 hours of gaming, a dual rear camera (13MP+2MP) with portrait mode, and a 5MP AI front camera. It also has an AI facial unlock technology,
Realme C1 is available in two colors in a glossy finish: navy blue and mirror black.
The phone is now available on Lazada Philippines’ LazMall via Realme Philippines’ official store.

Thanksgiving Barolo dinner

NOV. 22 was Thanksgiving Day, a huge American holiday that is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November. The huge annual celebration, along with Christmas and New Year, is part of the official US holiday season. While there were some establishments locally, including some restaurants, that rode along with this American tradition, we Filipinos normally don’t bother with this. Actually in Philippines, the “Christmas holiday feel” commences much earlier and you start hearing Jose Mari Chan songs being played on the airwaves just after All Saints Day, Nov. 2.
In my curiosity about the Thanksgiving tradition, I did my research, and the story of the origin was actually quite interesting. The first Thanksgiving dated back to the fall of 1621, when the English Pilgrims marked their first harvest, which came about because of the help of the Pokanoket Wampanoag Native Americans, with a celebration held in Plymouth, the coastal town in Massachusetts, south of Boston. When the English Pilgrims came to America via the Mayflower on December of 1620, they began building their township. Sadly though months after they arrived, they still had a hard time adapting to their new environment and food rations were really getting scarce. This was when the English colonists established communication and even made a treaty with the Wampanoag tribe, through the leader Massasoit Sachem or Ousamequin. That spring of 1621, the Pilgrims were able to successfully grow crops, fish, and hunt for their food as taught to them by the Native Americans, which now prepared the town for the coming winter. To celebrate their sufficiency in food by the fall of that year, the Pilgrims held a three-day feasting jamboree with Massasoit Sachem and his people joining in — this would turn into Thanksgiving Day in modern times.
PIO CESARE THANKSGIVING DINNER AT OKADA MANILA
While again we do not celebrate Thanksgiving Day, there is always something to be thankful for if you get to attend a sumptuous dinner, with amazing wines, and with even the added comfort of having a family member from the winery explaining the wines as you dine. This happened on Nov. 22, when Augusto Boffa, a 4th generation family member of the famed Pio Cesare winery from Piedmont, was in Manila to join a small group of 40 people for an exclusive wine dinner at La Piazza restaurant in Okada Manila. The Pio Cesare brand has been renowned for its classic Barolos, making the Pio Cesare Borolo wine one of most listed wine brands in the world, and easily found in the best hotels and restaurants.
Augusto Boffa and cousin Pio Boffa are among the 4th generation managing family owners of Pio Cesare, the winery named after Augusto and Pio’s great-grandfather Cesare. The winery has been family owned since its founding in 1881. Pio Cesare is located in the old town center of Alba, in the Langhe region of Piedmont, in the North-Western part of Italy. Despite the global reach of the Pio Cesare brand, the winery is not as big as people would expect. The winery makes around 550,000 bottles annually, with over 75% going to export. At present, the winery owns 70 hectares of vineyards, with primarily ideal hillside growing conditions located in multiple communes within the Barolo and Barbaresco appellations.
The Pio Cesare winery also has the distinction of being located right in the heart of the idyllic Alba town. I love this town — I have visited Alba three times the last six years, and Alba is also known for being the home of the Italian dessert pana cotta, white truffles, and even Nutella. While the other wineries moved out of the city to nearby communes to build new equipment, storage rooms and warehouses during the wine boom and expansion period, Pio Cesare actually stayed put.
The winery is walking distance from the touristy Alba Cathedral. Inconspicuously concealed by its modest facade is a beautiful winery that has been making some of the best Piedmont wines since 1881. The winery, which has been upgraded several times with the most modern wine making facilities, still operates in a cellar built in the 2,000-year-old city’s ancient Roman walls.
Both Augusto, Pio, and the family’s 5th generation, led by their nephew Cesare Benvenuto and Pio’s daughter, Federica Rosy, travel around the world and serve as their own brand ambassadors in events similar to this one at the Okada Manila. This has worked beautifully in keeping Pio Cesare a top-of-mind brand not only among Barolo drinkers, but serious wine lovers in general. And, as I experienced on Nov. 22, tasting Pio Cesare wines while Augusto Boffa was explaining each bottle only make the wines all the more appealing, delicious, and surreal.
Below are my customary tasting notes, with added flair coming from the explanation of Augusto Boffa. The wines were paired with an exquisite menu prepared by Okada’s own chef Gleb Snegin.
In order of serving:
• Pio Cesare Gavi 2015 — as Augusto explained, Cortese, the grape used in Gavi, is the most important white varietal in the region and their version is as good of a quality as you can get; “flinty nose, faint green apple, very subtle, fresh and good acid backbone, quite quaffable and crisp at the end.”
• Pio Cesare Piodilei Chardonnay 2012 — Piodilei is the top Chardonnay of the Pio Cesare estate, and is a single vineyard wine coming from the winery’s own “Il Bricco” Estate, in the Barbaresco area from old vines planted as early as 1980. Chardonnay, being a foreign grape from France, as a varietal was only made into a D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) from I.G.T. (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) around 1994. Pio Cesare is one of the earlier Piedmont wineries to plant Chardonnays; “creamy, warm, vanilla, medium bodied, less fruit nuances, white spices and a long lemon-peel finish; has an aged white Beaune (Burgundy) characteristic in its complexity.”
• Pio Cesare Fides Barbera 2013 — Fides is single vineyard Barbera planted in the winery’s prime Barolo area that could have otherwise been planted with Nebbiolo to make Barolo wines, but instead the family decided to plant and create probably the best Barbera wine in the region; “very grapey, a hearty fruit-bomb, cinnamon, some earthiness, complex, overripe berries, supple tannins on the palate, very rich with good acid backbone, and a succulent juicy finish.”
• Pio Cesare Ornato Barolo 2011 — This is the third single vineyard wine of the dinner; a Borolo wine made from the winery’s prime Ornato vineyard; “spicy nose, black truffle, cigar box, lots of power from both fruit and oak, firm with chewy tannins, long lingering licorice finish; shows so much more potential for aging.”
• Pio Cesare Barolo Classico 2000 — Augusto reminded everyone that calling the Pio Cesare non-single vineyard Barolo wine as regular Barolo is wrong, and it should correctly be called Pio Cesare Barolo Classico. This Barolo has been the winery’s flagship wine since it started, and the winery blends the different Nebbiolo juices coming from their different vineyards in the appellation to create their house style — this house style at its most ravishing was seen in this 18-year-old Barolo Classico 2000; “no sign of its age other than a negligible drop in its hue, the nose remains vibrant, from black cherries, strawberries, herbs, and cinnamon, some tar, still full bodied, very supple tannins and very round and deep at the end; a surprise to most dinner guests as the wine still shows much freshness.”
Now … that was something to give thanks for! Bravo!
The author is now a proud new member of UK-based Circle of Wine Writers. For comments, inquiries, wine event coverage, and other wine-related concerns, e-mail the author at protegeinc@yahoo.com. He is also on Twitter at twitter.com/sherwinlao.

Federal Reserve’s Williams says strong economy warrants further rate hikes

FEDERAL RESERVE Bank of New York President John Williams gave an optimistic review of the US economy, reiterated his support for further gradual interest-rate increases and expressed no concern that market participants have dialed back expectations for policy tightening in 2019.
Markets moved sharply after Chairman Jerome Powell said last week that the Fed is getting closer to its range of estimates for the neutral interest rate — the dividing line between tight and easy policy — and his phrasing was widely interpreted as a dovish signal.
Interest-rate futures pricing adjusted so that they’re now anticipating just one rate increase in 2019 following a hike at their meeting later this month. That’s at odds with the Fed’s Summary of Economic Projections from September, which suggests that officials see a rate increase this month and three more hikes next year. That forecast will be updated when officials gather Dec. 18-19 in Washington.
“My own view is — I think completely consistent with what Chairman Powell said — is that the US economy is strong, but there are definitely” some “risks on the horizon,” Williams said Tuesday in a press briefing. The Fed is in a good position to react to whatever the economy does going forward, he said.
‘WELL-POSITIONED’
“There’s a good — like 50 percent chance — that the economy performs faster, inflation picks up a little bit more than we expect, and I think we’re positioned to adjust to that,” Williams said. “We’re well-positioned to adjust our path of interest rates if the economic data disappoint.”
Despite that nod to uncertainty, Williams painted an overwhelmingly positive picture of a strong economy that’s achieving the Fed’s goal of full employment. He said he expects tailwinds from fiscal stimulus to persist into 2019, and he thinks inflation will move slightly — but not dramatically — above the Fed’s 2% target.
“I expect with the economy continuing to grow nicely above-trend, we’ll see further job gains, further declines in the unemployment rate, and unemployment will edge slightly below 3.5% over the next year or so,” he said. “I do continue to expect that further gradual increases in interest rates will best foster a sustained economic expansion and sustained achievement of our dual mandate goals.”
As the economy improves, the Fed will need to reconsider how much guidance it’s providing, Williams said. The central bank will get to a situation “where it’s not as obvious that we are going to be raising interest rates at a gradual pace over time,” he explained.
LOW UNEMPLOYMENT
“Then it will be appropriate to further step back on how much explicit forward guidance we give in statements,” he said, though he said the dot plot and press conferences will continue to provide a “transparent and comprehensive view” of the Fed’s outlook.
One “open question” is how low unemployment can remain without stoking hotter inflation, the New York Fed chief said. Unemployment is currently at 3.7%, well under the 4.5% that Fed officials have penciled in as the long-run sustainable rate.
“Right now I think we’re in a great position,” Williams said. “We’re in a good position to allow the unemployment rate to be below 4% for the next few years without really having — I don’t have much concern about inflation pressures picking up.”
Against that backdrop, he suggested it’s OK to continue testing the limits. “Over the next couple of years we’re going to continue to learn whether maybe a lower unemployment rate is sustainable without creating inflationary pressures,” he said. — Bloomberg

Microsoft inks agreement with AIM to assist start-ups

MICROSOFT Philippines is offering its technological expertise and cloud solutions to the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) — Dado Banatao Incubator, the school’s program that helps start-ups scale their businesses.
The two organizations signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on Wednesday at the AIM building in Makati City, formalizing the partnership aimed at boosting the school’s incubator program.
“Through Azure and Microsoft regional partner Rhipe’s support, start-ups at The Incubator are provided with cloud enabled tools to help them digitally transform their businesses to become more competitive in their respective industries,” Eileen Ong, Microsoft Philippines director for commercial partners and small medium corporate business unit, said in a statement.
During the signing event, Ms. Ong said Microsoft will provide start-ups with the computing software to help them process the data gathered for their businesses.
“[W]e all know in today’s world how critical it is for companies to be able to have insights for them to be able to understand what the customers need, what are the consumer behaviors, for them to be able to understand how to improve their products to be able to deliver more to their customers, which in turn will help them to be able to improve their own profitability and growth as an organization,” Ms. Ong said.
Aside from the software, Microsoft will also offer a curriculum at the AIM Incubator, which include the training of start-ups on how to utilize cloud tools, create technology architecture and connect with Microsoft’s network of potential partners.
“We wanted a more progressive curriculum… that’s how we approached Microsoft, this is the kind of setup that we wanted. We do not just want these services, but we want your (Microsoft’s) technologists and architects to work with our start-ups,” AIM-DBI Executive Director Prim Paypon said.
The Incubator is a program offered at AIM which allows start-ups to receive mentorship and training from industry experts, rent an in-house office located in Makati City, and use facilities and resources from the AIM campus. — Denise A. Valdez

Fortnite addiction prompts parents to turn to video-game rehab

DEBBIE VITANY is fighting a losing battle against Fortnite.
Her 17-year-old son, Carson, has been logging 12 hours a day on the video game, searching for weapons and resources in a post-apocalyptic world where the goal is being the last person standing. Teachers complain he falls asleep in class and his grades have plummeted.
“We’d made some progress in getting him to cut down his Fortnite hours and get better sleep, but he’s slipped back into his old habits,” Vitany, who lives near Saginaw, Michigan, said in an interview. “I’ve never seen a game that has such control over kids’ minds.”
Vitany’s anguish is echoed by an army of other parents, teachers and bosses around the world grappling with a game that sucks up hours of players’ time — sometimes to the detriment of other activities. More than 200 million people have registered to play Fortnite, which has become a billion-dollar business for its creator, Epic Games Inc. Some desperate parents have sent their kids to rehab.
“This game is like heroin,” said Lorrine Marer, a British behavioral specialist who works with kids battling game addiction. “Once you are hooked, it’s hard to get unhooked.”
Epic has issued past warnings about avoiding Fortnite scammers, but it declined to comment on the addiction issue.
Video-game addiction isn’t new: Parents and teachers have been carping about distracted children — and their joystick-addled hands — since the days of Atari consoles. But the ubiquity of Fortnite has created a more widespread menace. And it’s happening against the backdrop of broader concerns about social-media and smartphone overuse.
SPURRING BREAKUPS
Fortnite, first released in its popular “battle royale” mode in September 2017, isn’t just causing problems for kids. An online UK divorce service says 200 petitions cited Fortnite and other video games this year as the reason for the breakup of marriages.
Professional athletes are getting hooked, too. The National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks had so much trouble getting players to meetings and dinners they banned Fortnite on the road. David Price, star pitcher for Major League Baseball’s World Series-winning Boston Red Sox, was scratched from a May start against the archrival New York Yankees because of wrist problems that may have been exacerbated by Fortnite playing.
Randy Kulman, a child psychologist in Wakefield, Rhode Island, has seen a surge in parents taking their kids to counseling because of video-game addictions.
THREE HUNDRED WINS
“I had a 13-year-old in my office who said he had 300 Fortnite wins,” Kulman said. “I had to stop for a minute and calculate what he had to invest just to get those.”
Michael Jacobus, who runs the Reset Summer Camp for kids with addictions, said about 60 percent of the 120 children he counseled at camps in Santa Barbara, California, and Asheville, North Carolina, last summer were playing Fortnite excessively. Treatment involves a technology detox — their devices are taken away — combined with healthy eating, sleep, and group therapy. Next summer, he plans to enroll more than twice as many kids, with additional locations in Texas, Indiana, and New York.
Fortnite is particularly compelling because the battle-royale version is free to play and available on a range of devices from phones to gaming consoles, notes Cam Adair, who dropped out of high school at age 15 due to his own video-game addiction and now speaks on the subject to schools and others groups. Fortnite players compete in 100-person fights until the last one is standing — matches that make it difficult to quit once they’re started.
‘WORLD WAR III’
“It’s World War III if a parent asks their son to come to dinner because if they leave they lose,” Adair said.
While the game is free, Epic has created opportunities to sell hundreds of dollars of add-ons — including exotic weapons and “skins,” such as Dark Voyager, a black space suit with reflective striping — on credit cards. The company recently partnered with the National Football League to sell jerseys based on players’ favorite teams.
“Parents have lost substantial amounts of money by not paying attention to whether their credit card is tied to the game console,” said Marer, the behavioral specialist.
In October, Epic capitalized on Fortnite’s popularity by raising $1.25 billion from an investor group that included KKR & Co., Vulcan Capital and Kleiner Perkins. The deal values the closely held company at $15 billion.
GRAND THEFT AUTO
Video games have generated a backlash before. The Grand Theft Auto series, made by Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., has at times been banned in countries around the globe for its extreme violence and sexual content. The industry has also drawn criticism following mass shootings that involved individuals linked to video games.
In April, Dutch gaming regulators released a study stating that “loot boxes,” where players purchase merchandise in a game without knowing exactly what they are getting, amounted to gambling and can be addictive.
For now, Fortnite is the game of choice. On a recent afternoon, the game was the most-viewed on Amazon.com Inc.’s Twitch streaming service, with 250,000 people watching others play.
The World Health Organization designated “gaming disorder” as a disease for the first time in June, a move that could make it easier for parents to seek reimbursement for treatment from insurers, according Paul Weigle, a psychiatrist in Mansfield Center, Connecticut.
Weigle, who’s seeing about 20 compulsive Fortnite players, recommends that parents keep kids under 10 from playing video games. And parents need to set limits when they do play. As games get more sophisticated in their ability to hook fans, he sees the issue of addiction only growing.
“It’s going to be more of a problem than it is now,” Weigle said. — Bloomberg

How PSEi member stocks performed — December 5, 2018

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

 
Philippine Stock Exchange’s most active stocks by value turnover — December 5, 2018

Ateneo champs anew

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE Ateneo Blue Eagles made it back-to-back University Athletic Association of the Philippines titles after closing out the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 99-81, in Game Two of their best-of-three Season 81 finals series on Wednesday at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Got early leverage at the beginning of the match, the Eagles just not relented the rest of the way, frustrating every attempt the Maroons made at coming back to complete the closeout.
The win handed Ateneo its 10th overall UAAP title and second straight while putting an end to what was a spirited campaign for Diliman-based UP.
The start of the game was delayed for a few minutes as Ateneo raised concerns on Bright Akhuetie playing with a metal brace as protection after hurting his left knee in Game One.
Eventually UP got suade to remove it and the contest got under way.
Thirdy Ravena got things going for the Eagles, all around once again to help his team to a 14-9 lead with four minutes to go in the opening quarter.
They would extend it to an eight-point cushion, 18-10, with two minutes on the clock, eventually settling for a 25-13 lead after the first 10 minutes.
In the second quarter, Juan Gomez De Liano and Paul Desiderio jump-started UP’s offense, pushing the Maroons to within six points, 28-22, in the first two and a half minutes.
But the Eagles would answer with a 5-0 run in the next minute to restore a double-digit lead, 33-22.
The two went back and forth after, fighting to a 48-37 count, with Ateneo still on top, by halftime.
Ateneo started the third canto on a flurry, creating a wider separation of 18 points, 59-41, by the 6:15 mark of the frame.
The Maroons fashioned comeback attempts but could only come within 13 points, the last time at 59-46 with 5:02 to go in the quarter.
Ateneo poured it on after, holding a 16-point lead, 70-54, heading into the payoff quarter.
Had firm control of the match, the Eagles went for the early kill, led by Tyler Tio and Ravena.
Ateneo’s lead ballooned to 22 points, 81-59, with 6:42 left.
Gomez De Liano tried to ignite a last-ditch run for UP but Ravena And Company would not allow them to have much headway.
The score was at 91-74 for Ateneo at the last two-minute mark and Ravena and the Eagles went for the finish from there.
Ravena had career-high and game-high 38 points to go along with six assists, five rebounds and three steals for Ateneo.
King Eagle Ravena also took finals most valuable player honors for averaging 29.5 points, eight rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.5 steals in two games.
Ange Kouame had a monster double-double of 22 points and 20 rebounds while Raffy Verano had 11 markers.
Gomez De Liano led UP with 24 points while Akhuetie had 19 points and eight boards.
Graduating Desiderio finished his UAAP career with 15 points.
“We’re happy to have been able to defend our title. We’re not here without God. We give everything back to him. Thanks to the players as well. It’s a privilege to have a chance to coach these guys,” said Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin after their win.
The Eagles are now at solo fourth place in overall UAAP titles.
The finals defeat, meanwhile, ended a spirited season for UP which made it back to the UAAP Final Four after 32 years.
Game Two of the finals saw 23,471 in attendance.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Earlier in the day, winners of the top individual awards for the season were officially honored.
Akhuetie led all awardees by taking home the MVP award.
The UP big man, who averaged 18.9 points, 14.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals for the season, topped the race with 82.5 total statistical points.
Akhuetie also headed the mythical five selection, which included University of the East’s Alvin Pasaol (74.57 SPs), UP’s Gomez de Liano (63.86 SPs), La Salle’s Justine Baltazar (61.29 SPs) and Adamson’s Jerrick Ahanmisi (58.38 SPs).
Ateneo’s Kouame, who finished second in the MVP race with 76.21 SPs, bagged rookie of the year honors.
Kouame is not part of the mythical team as league rules only allow the top foreign player to enter the group.
Akhuetie followed Eric Altamirano, part of the last champion UP team in 1986, as UAAP MVP.
In women’s play, Malu Irebu of University of Santo Tomas bagged the MVP award.
Joining her in the mythical team were Clare Castro of Far Eastern University, Jack Animam of five-peat champion National University, Misaela Larosa of UST and Nathalie Prado of Adamson University.
Rookie of the Year was Reynalyn Ferrer of UST.

PHL Azkals shoot for ‘Miracle in Hanoi’ anew

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
BACK in 2010, the Philippine men’s national football team willed itself to national and international consciousness with an upset 2-0 win over then defending AFF Suzuki Cup champion Vietnam to barge into the semifinals in what is now known as the “Miracle in Hanoi.”
It is something the Philippine Azkals are now asked to replicate if they are to make history and advance to their first-ever Suzuki Cup final appearance.
Facing The Golden Stars today in a key semifinal match at the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi, the Azkals have to come up with the same result eight years ago to stave off elimination in this year’s edition of the biennial regional meet and advance to the next stage.
They found themselves in such a situation after bowing to Vietnam, 2-1, in the first leg of their semifinal match on Dec. 2 in Bacolod City.
The Philippines tried its best to get the early pairing lead but the visiting side was not to be denied and was solid throughout the first leg.
Vietnam did not waste much time to get on the scoreboard last time around with Nguyen Anh Duc giving his side the early 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.
It tried to add on to it but the Philippine defense would hold its own for the rest of the opening half.
The Azkals made a last-ditch effort to level the count before the halftime break and was rewarded accordingly with Patrick Reichelt converting a goal off a pass from captain Phil Younghusband inside the three minutes added time in the first half of the contest.
Just like in the opening half, Vietnam would strike early as Phan Van Duc scored just three minutes into the restart.
The Azkals tried to get back the goal they gave but The Golden Stars would continue to frustrate them even as Vietnam had its chances to end up with a bigger lead but could not complete them.
Four minutes were added after regulation but no Philippine comeback was to come as it slumped to the defeat.
While recognizing that the road to the Suzuki Cup final got tougher with their defeat in the first leg, Azkals coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is still optimistic of his team finding its way back and getting the job done.
“Vietnam are the favorites before this game, and now they’re even bigger. I think we did okay today. We still have 90 minutes to go so we’ll see,” said Mr. Eriksson following the first leg.
For Mr. Younghusband, who was part of the team in 2010, their predicament could actually work in their favor, as it could serve as a major catalyst for them to go even harder in the game.
“It means that we now need to go for things in the second game and I think that will suit us better knowing that we have to go and score rather than sitting back,” Mr. Younghusband was quoted as saying by the official AFF Suzuki Cup Website.
But nonetheless he recognizes that it is not going to be easy and that they really have to take the fight to Vietnam if they are to succeed.
“They get so many bodies behind the ball that they’re difficult to break down and maybe if we didn’t score we would’ve gone into the next game thinking it’s a bigger challenge. But knowing that we can score against them gives us confidence going into the second leg,” the Philippine captain said.
“They’re a young team and I think we showed today (first leg) that we can get at them and create chances. And if we can stop them from scoring we’ve got a chance so for me I think it’s all to play for – it’s a one goal difference and we’ve seen bigger miracles in football before and I think we still have a chance,” he added.
The second leg of the semifinal match between the Azkals and Vietnam will be shown live beginning at 8:30 p.m. over ESPN5 and livestream over ESPN5.com.

Magnolia dominates Alaska in Game One

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok drew first blood against the Alaska Aces in their best-of-seven Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup finals series, winning Game One, 100-84, on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Got off to a fiery start, the Hotshots did not take their foot off the gas pedal en route to the commanding victory.
The Aces tried to rally back in the fourth quarter but could not complete any comeback as Magnolia reasserted command when Alaska came too near for comfort.
Import Romeo Travis led the way for the Hotshots with 29 points and 13 rebounds with Mark Barroca adding 16 points, 10 coming in the fourth period to douse cold water on the Alaska rally.
Paul Lee had 14 points while Jio Jalalon had all-around numbers of seven points, 12 rebounds and nine assists for Magnolia.
Alaska, meanwhile, was paced by import Mike Harris with 20 points and 15 boards with Chris Banchero finishing with 12 points.
Game Two of the Governors’ Cup finals is on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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