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Durant in command as Warriors down Cavs; Raptors beaten by Sixers

LOS ANGELES — Kevin Durant scored 32 points as the Golden State Warriors overpowered the Cleveland Cavaliers with a late rally to score a 118-108 win in a pulsating clash between the two NBA arch-rivals on Monday.

Durant added seven assists and pulled down four rebounds as the Warriors completed back-to-back wins over the Cavs following their victory in the Christmas Day meeting.

LeBron James and Cleveland had gone into the game at the Quicken Loans Arena determined to halt a three-game losing streak by beating the Warriors, who they have faced in the last three editions of the NBA Finals.

The Cavs had got off to a flying start, jumping out to a seven-point lead late in the first quarter before the Warriors clawed it back to 35-37.

The Cavaliers, however, were again on top in the second quarter, building a 64-57 lead as the halftime buzzer sounded.

But the Warriors came back with renewed vigor after the break, and with Durant and Steph Curry finding their range, were clickly back into the contest.

The Warriors outscored Cleveland by 36-27 in the third quarter, edging into a six-point lead at 91-85 when Durant sunk a 29-foot three-point jumper.

The Warriors led 93-91 heading into the fourth, and with Cleveland starting to tire, the NBA champions turned the screw.

A Draymond Green layup put the Warriors 10 points clear at 105-95 with 5 minutes, 44 seconds on the clock and the visitors duly stretched further clear when Nick Young made a 21-foot jump shot to make it 113-99.

Durant completed a fine night’s work with a sublime 26-foot three-pointer to extend the Warriors lead at 116-104.

While Durant led the scoring, Curry finished with 23 points and added eight assists with four rebounds. Draymond Green (11) and Klay Thompson (17) also made double figures.

A LITTLE UPSET
For Cleveland, James finished with 32 points, with Isaiah Thomas adding 19 and Kevin Love 17.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said an improved defensive effort in the second half had laid the foundations for the win.

“I was a little upset at halftime just because we weren’t guarding anybody, we didn’t play with much intensity,” Kerr said.

“We were going against a team we’ve played in the NBA Finals for three straight years. We should have had more intensity at the start of the game. But it wasn’t there — fortunately we got it going in the second half. We challenged shots a lot better in the second half.”

The win saw the Warriors improve to 36-9 at the top of the Western Conference Standings, the best record in the NBA.

Cleveland, meanwhile, are at 26-17, and are struggling to pull out of a slump in form which has included eight defeats in their last 10 games.

Elsewhere on Monday, a packed program to mark the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday saw the Toronto Raptors (29-13) beaten by the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers’ Ben Simmons and Toronto’s Kyle Lowry were both ejected in the closing seconds of an ill-tempered clash.

Joel Embiid starred for with 34 points and 11 rebounds as the Sixers improved to 20-20.

In Washington, Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 27 points and 20 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Wizards, 104-95.

In Atlanta, the Hawks (12-31) scored an upset over the San Antonio Spurs (29-16) to run out 102-99 victors. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 25 points for the visiting Spurs, but was outshone by Atlanta’s Dennis Schroder who topscored with 26 points.

The Oklahoma City Thunder produced the comeback of the night in their game against the Sacramento Kings, overturning a 15-point deficit to win, 95-88.

Russell Westbrook just missed out on a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists. The Thunder improved to 24-20 with the victory. — AFP

BFAR distributes fingerlings, equipment in Surigao del Norte

THE BUREAU of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Caraga regional office yesterday said it dispersed 60,000 milkfish and 70,000 carp fingerlings in Surigao del Norte to replenish the dwindling marine resources in the region.

In a statement released by the Department of Agriculture (DA), BFAR-Caraga said the dispersal at Lake Mainit last Friday, Jan. 12, is part of the agency’s Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa program.

The project is also expected to preserve the specie Pijanga, which is endemic to the lake.

At the same time, the DA donated 75 units of 14-footer paddle boats and 50 units of 20-footer motorized boats for 175 fishermen, as well as other farm inputs such as coffee seedlings, vegetable seeds and animal vaccines.

The assistance extended to the province had a total value of P7.89 million.

DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol, who visited the province last week, also oversaw the turnover of 60,000 abaca plantlets from the Philippine Fiber Development Authority, an indemnity check worth P265,568 from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), and a P5-million loan from the Production Loan Easy Access program (PLEA).

Jabonga, a municipality in the province, also received a P5-million loan from the same program

The PLEA, managed by the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, is one of the lending programs that does not require any collateral, and is also supported by the PCIC, an attached agency of the DA.

“You may avail of P15,000 per hectare PLEA loan at 6% interest under one condition only — you must register under the Juan Magsasaka ID system so we’ll know that you really are a farmer,” Mr. Piñol said in the statement.

“No ID, no loan: that is our only requirement and of course, you have to pay what you owe [to] the government,” he added. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

Marc Pingris sees Ian Sangalang as ‘next most important big man’ of old Purefoods franchise

THROUGH the years, Purefoods, a proud team which entered the league in 1988, has produced some of the best big men who played in the PBA.

Alvin Patrimonio stood out as the best player the franchise had seen. A league Hall of Famer and member of the 40 Greatest Players in the PBA, The Captain had won five championships, captured four Most Valuable Player awards and became the ultimate Ambassador of the league after Robert Jaworski.

When Patrimonio retired, he passed the baton to Kerby Raymundo, a 6-foot-6 versatile big man who won three championships with the franchise.

Then came Marc Pingris, a defensive master who became an All-Defensive team member several times.

Mr. Pingris is not your typical star player who would get the points, but he’s willing to do the dirty job — getting the rebounds, defending the opposing team’s best players and providing boundless energy that made him endeared to fans.

But the veteran, 6-foot-5 player from Pangasinan knows he won’t have many more chances left and he has to pass the responsibility to a younger player who would become the next most important big man in the franchise.

He has found one in Ian Sangalang, a 6-foot-6 lefty from Pampanga who already won four championships with the franchise, including the last grand slam in 2014.

“Ian Sangalang is stepping up every game. I think he’ll be the next most important big men just like Alvin Patrimonio, Kerby Raymundo or myself. I know, after me and Rafi Reavis retire, he would be the most important big man of the squad,” Mr. Pingris told BusinessWorld in an interview.

As vocal as he is, Mr. Pingris made sure he’ll be every step of the way on the development of Mr. Sangalang.

“I want to make sure I’ll give him pointers. I see his improvement game by game and during practice,” added Mr. Pingris.

For Mr. Sangalang, being guided by Mr. Pingris is a pleasure and an honor, but refused to get carried over by his more illustrious teammate’s praise.

“I don’t think about that but I’m ready to step up every game. If ever there’s somebody not playing, I’m doing the best I can to fill up his absence. I need to step up, that’s all. We need to win,” said Mr. Sangalang.

“But Kuya Ping is very vocal. Inside the court, during the game or practice, he tells me a lot of things. I’m listening because he’s a veteran. It’s always a pleasure to have someone like him on my side.” — Rey Joble

Change is in the air

By Kap Maceda Aguila

THE impassioned, very personal declaration of Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade was but one of the highlights of particularly eventful week for the government agency. “You know where I am coming from? I lost my 11-year-old son because of asthma,” the secretary recently shared. “This country is a polluted country. That was more than 30 years ago. Imagine how more polluted this country is now. That is why I hate (smog). That is why I hate smoke belchers. We need to modernize our PUVs now. We need to save our environment now.”

An Asian Development Bank report released in December 2017, titled “Pathways to Low-Carbon Development for the Philippines,” said the country’s transport sector in 2010 generated an astounding 23.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions — accounting for a 15% share of the total. If trends continue, “annual emissions from road transport vehicles are expected to increase to 48.8 metric tons by 2030 and to 139.9 metric tons by 2050.” According to the same document, the Philippine auto industry mustered a consolidated annual average growth rate of 5.7% from 2007 to 2013. Of course, the “drastic increase vehicle population has led to a deteriorating traffic situation in the country, especially in urban centers,” aside from worsening air quality.

Secretary Tugade made his plea at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) as he scrutinized motor vehicle inspection system (MVIS) prototypes proffered by Polish suppliers. Government is set to acquire 26 mobile MVIS units as part of its public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program, rolling out this year. Over the course of three years, 15-year-old public transportation will be gradually phased out, replaced by vehicles up to code — either electric ones or Euro4-compliant, with added features such as closed-circuit television cameras, GPS system, fare collection system, cameras, and even Wi-Fi connectivity. That said, adequate MVIS deployment and coverage will ensure roadworthiness of existing transportation regardless of age — a nonnegotiable minimum. The end goal in the near future is safer, more convenient conveyance that is also environment-friendly.

A number of transport groups have been up in arms — even staging a number of crippling strikes last year — over what they insist is an anti-poor move by government, despite state financial instruments being made available — specifically through Development Bank of the Philippines-administered assistance package worth P1.5 billion for transport firms and cooperatives.

Nonetheless, government has veritably stepped on the gas pedal with a concerted drive against clunkers and smoke belchers. Last Jan. 10, the so-called “Tanggal Bulok, Tanggal Usok” campaign spearheaded by the DoTr, in cooperation with the iACT, or the Interagency Council for Traffic, was launched to apprehend offending vehicles. The multiagency iACT is composed of the DoTr, LTO, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group.

The first day of the campaign netted more than 250 violators (mostly on EDSA). Drivers were asked to report to the LTO within 24 hours for a more detailed inspection of their vehicles. The on-road inspections were staged in various parts of the metropolis three times a day — with one occurring at night to spot vehicles with lighting issues. Improperly dressed drivers were also apprehended. Additionally, DoTr Undersecretary for Roads Thomas M. Orbos also warned smoke test inspection centers that certify offending vehicles will have their license revoked.

Meanwhile, iACT communications and administrative head Elmer Argaño told BusinessWorld that some unscrupulous drivers have tried to steer clear of inspection points by cutting trips — happening on thoroughfares such as Katipunan and Aurora Avenues. However, local government unit operatives in Marikina City were able to apprehend these offenders, he added. As of 4 p.m. on Jan. 15, iACT had been able to “flag down, ticket, issue summons, and apprehend for various road safety and road worthiness issues close to 1,000 public and private vehicles [with] 80% of the offending vehicles being public utility jeepneys mostly [having] defective or missing parts, or belching smoke.”

Mr. Argaño also revealed the iACT conducts stationary/fixed monitoring on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, then embarks on mobile operations Tuesdays and Thursdays.

DPWH prepositions equipment, sets alternate roads amid Mayon Volcano unrest

REGIONAL AND District Risk Reduction and Management Teams of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Bicol Region are on alert status as indications of unrest and eruptive activity of Mayon Volcano intensifies. The DPWH said in a statement released yesterday that Region 5 Director Danilo E. Versola has ordered the district engineers of the three DPWH offices in Albay to closely monitor national road network and river channels in their jurisdiction that may be affected by the rapid lava flowing down the slopes of Mayon Volcano. Heavy equipment and service vehicles have been prepositioned to provide support for road clearing operations, evacuation of people, and relief distribution. The DPWH has also identified alternate routes to prevent isolation of municipalities highly vulnerable to ash plume and volcanic mudflows known as lahar. The alternate roads are:

• Tabaco-Ligao National Secondary Road for Legazpi-Sto Domingo-Tabaco Road;

• Camalig-Comun-Gapo-Peñafrancia National Secondary Road for the Camalig Section of Daang Maharlika Highway, which is south of Mayon; and

• Ligao-Tabaco Road for the Guinobatan Section of Daang Maharlika Highway

DISPLACED
As of yesterday, the number of displaced families due to Mayon’s activities increased to 5,318 families, composed 21,823 individuals, from 25 barangays in Albay, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Of the total, 4,134 families or 16,887 persons are currently staying in 18 evacuation centers while the rest are with relatives in the municipality of Daraga. DSWD officer-in-charge Emmanuel A. Leyco, in a statement, said the agency has sufficient resources that can be immediately released if necessary. The DSWD regional office has so far provided P124,605 worth of assistance to the local government of Malilipot and is awaiting the request of other local government units for augmentation support.

Mayon, the Philippines’ most active volcano, spewed lava that cascaded downslope and emitted ash that fell on nearby towns, state volcanologists said on Tuesday, prompting the provincial government to shut more schools.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded nine episodes of tremor, four of which accompanied lava fountains, and 75 lava collapse events as pressure builds up leading to lava flows and ash plumes, reiterating its warning that a hazardous eruption could happen any time.

Mount Mayon, a volcano in the coconut-growing central Bicol Region that draws tourists because of its near-perfect cone shape, has shown increased restiveness since Saturday, displacing thousands of residents.

Phivolcs said the advancing lava and pyroclastic flows had reached the six-kilometer radius no-go zone, from which some residents fled.

“Alert level 3 remains in effect over Mayon Volcano, which means that it is currently in a relatively high level of unrest as magma is at the crater and hazardous eruption is possible within weeks or even days,” it said.

Alert level 4 means an eruption is possible “within days” while level 5 is when a hazardous eruption is under way.

The Albay provincial government has expanded its class suspension order to include more towns around the 2,462-meter (8,077-foot) volcano, and advised travelers to avoid ashfall-hit villages amid poor road visibility.

Class suspensions have allowed the government to use schools as temporary shelters for displaced people. — with Reuters

US and its allies from Korean war meet on sanctions as Koreas explore detente

VANCOUVER — A meeting of states that backed South Korea in the Korean war will look at ways to better implement sanctions to push North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons, officials said, even as the North and South explore detente ahead of next month’s Winter Olympics.

Foreign ministers and senior officials from 20 nations will hold a full-day meeting in Vancouver on Tuesday, hosted by the United States and Canada, looking to increase diplomatic and financial pressure on North Korea to give up development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States, a program that has raised fears of a new war.

Canadian and US officials say the meeting will discuss ways to ensure implementation of wide-ranging United Nations (UN) sanctions, including steps agreed last month to further limit Pyongyang’s access to refined petroleum products, crude oil and industrial goods.

Brian Hook, the US State Department’s director of policy planning, said last week that participants, including US Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, would probe how to boost maritime security around North Korea and options to interdict ships carrying prohibited goods in violation of sanctions.

The Vancouver meeting primarily groups nations that assisted South Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War, as well as South Korea and Japan. China and Russia, which backed the North in the war but have since agreed to UN sanctions on Pyongyang, will not be attending.

South Korea and the United States are technically still at war with the North because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a truce, not a peace treaty.

TENSIONS EASING?
The meeting was announced after North Korea tested its biggest ever intercontinental ballistic missile in late November, but now comes amid signs that tensions on the Korean peninsula are easing, at least temporarily.

North and South Korea held formal talks this month for the first time in two years and Pyongyang said it would send athletes across the border to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics to be held in South Korea next month.

China, North Korea’s main ally and principal trading partner, has backed successive rounds of UN sanctions, but has also urged dialogue to solve the crisis. It has reacted angrily to the Vancouver meeting as an example of “Cold War” thinking.

China’s state media said Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a phone call with US President Donald J. Trump, stressed that a hard-earned alleviation of tensions must continue.

“Maintaining international unity on the issue is extremely important,” Mr. Xi said. China was ready to work with the United States to resolve the issue in an appropriate way, state broadcaster CCTV quoted the Chinese leader as saying.

China’s state-run Global Times newspaper said earlier the Vancouver meeting reflected Washington’s desire to “highlight its dominant role in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue and cripple the clout of China and Russia.”

“But the meeting will likely accomplish little,” it said in an editorial.

Diplomats say China’s absence will limit what can be achieved, while North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has shown no sign of being willing to bow to pressure to give up weapons he sees as vital to his survival.

SANCTIONS ‘GAPS’
The White House on Friday welcomed news that China’s North Korea imports plunged in December to their lowest in dollar terms since at least the start of 2014, but Mr. Trump accused Beijing last month of allowing oil into North Korea, a charge Beijing denied.

Western European security sources told Reuters last month that Russian tankers had supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea. Russia says it observes UN sanctions.

Eric Walsh, Canada’s ambassador to South Korea, told a panel at the University of British Columbia that the uneven way sanctions were applied meant “there are a lot of gaps.”

“One of the things we want to do is look at how we can improve enforcement,” he said.

US officials say hawks in the Trump administration remain pessimistic that the North-South contacts will lead anywhere.

Even so, debate within the US administration over whether to give more active consideration to military options, such as a pre-emptive strike on a North Korean nuclear or missile site, has lost momentum ahead of the Olympics, the officials said.

Scott Snyder, director of the US-Korea policy program at Washington’s Council on Foreign Relations, said that if Pyongyang felt tougher sanctions constituted a blockade, it might interpret them as an act of war.

“If sanctions are going to be effective in achieving the objective of bringing about diplomacy, (they) have to be used not as a hammer but actually as a nutcracker or a scalpel,” he told the university panel.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who will be in Vancouver, said the international community had to stand united.

“Sanctions are biting but we need to maintain diplomatic pressure on Kim Jong Un’s regime,” he said in a statement. — Reuters

Senate asks DoE for contingency plans if ERC crisis continues

THE CHAIRMAN of the Senate energy committee has asked the Department of Energy (DoE) to identify the areas in the Philippines that will be hit by power interruptions if the “crisis” at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) lingers for the next six months.

In a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who heads the committee, has also asked for a copy of the DoE’s contingency plan in case some areas end up without power with the ERC’s inability to approve power supply agreements (PSAs) in view of the one-year suspension of its four commissioners.

“According to the DoE earlier, there is now a surplus of supply. The problem is where is that surplus because we have to match now the location and the surplus. If the problematic areas will be in Mindanao, you cannot bring the  surplus from Luzon to Mindanao,” Mr. Gatchalian told reporters on the sidelines of the hearing.

“That’s why we are asking for the contingency measures of the DoE how they will get through the critical next six months especially [during] the summer season,” he said.

Mr. Gatchalian said the “most practical” way forward for the ERC is for the Office of the President to appoint temporary commissioners, a move which he said has legal basis under the administrative code. He said the DoE shares the same view about the legality of the appointment.

The four ERC commissioners, along with the previous ERC chairman, were ordered suspended for one year by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the revised implementation date of the competitive selection process (CSP), which it said favored a few power supply contracts. CSP requires these contracts between power generation companies and distribution utilities to be subjected to price challenges, a process that is aimed at lowering electricity costs.

As a collegial body, the ERC needs the presence of at least three members of the commission to constitute a quorum and the majority vote of two members in a meeting is necessary. But for the approval of electricity rates, the unanimous vote of the three is required.

“If at that time that we really need to beef up the reserves for the supply we have not acted upon, then time and motion will dictate that the probability of brownout will be there,” said ERC Chair Agnes T. Devanadera.

Ms. Devanadera has told Malacañang about the possible impact of an impasse at the ERC due to its inability to perform its quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative functions.

The crippled functions include holding of hearings as notices and schedules are set by the commission; deliberations on applications for approval of power supply agreements, capital expenditure projects of the distribution utilities and the grid operator, rate adjustments, pass-on charges; and issuance or renewal of certificates of compliance or provisional authorities to operate power plants.

The suspension of the four ERC commissioners will put on hold funding for P1.588 trillion worth of energy-related projects and capital outlays that will hit millions of Filipinos, Ms. Devanadera said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the DoE said the law requires it to abide by the year-long suspension order of the Ombudsman against the four ERC commissioners.

“We have already requested for the designation of acting commissioners so that ERC can continue its functions,” it said. “We wish to assure all stakeholders that the suspension will not cause any debilitating effect to the power supply and services in the Philippines.”

The DoE also said that it had been pushing for reserve capacities for possible contingencies.

“This will ensure an uninterrupted supply at all times for power security and reliability,” it said. “Thus, we are certain that we can overcome this recent challenge to the  energy sector.” — Victor V. Saulon

Investigators probe cause of Jakarta mart walkway collapse

JAKARTA — Indonesian investigators were sifting through the rubble at Jakarta’s stock exchange complex Tuesday as they looked for clues on what caused a walkway collapse that left scores injured, including dozens of students.

A mezzanine floor at the tower in the sprawling city’s business district collapsed shortly before lunchtime Monday, injuring a total of 73 people, police said, adding that there were no deaths.

Dramatic CCTV footage showed a group of about 40 visiting students on a balcony section plunge as the floor gave way with a cascade of glass, metal and other material crashing onto the ground floor where several others were walking.

National police spokesman Setyo Wasisto said the investigation team is hoping to gather crucial evidence by the end of Tuesday, though the results of the probe will not be known for several weeks.

Officials have described the collapse as an accident and not the result of an explosion — the tower was bombed by Islamist militants in 2000.

“If they (investigators) are done today, everything can be cleaned up and the…scene can be reopened,” Mr. Wasisto told AFP.

“Some tenants are a bit cautious even though building management said it’s safe. They are also going to check the other mezzanine floor today.”

Most of the injuries were broken bones, Mr. Wasisto said, adding that none were life-threatening.

A dozen people have so far been released from the hospital.

The damaged area remained closed off Tuesday but trading carried on as usual.

After the accident, which took place in one of the two towers in the stock exchange complex, the lobby was filled with debris and toppled-over plants near a Starbucks coffee outlet. The tower was built in the mid-nineties.

Hundreds of panicked employees were evacuated from the building, which also houses the local office of the World Bank.

“I would like to reiterate, it was an accident. It has nothing to do with a bomb or terrorism,” Mr. Wasisto said.

At least 10 people were killed and dozens injured by a car bomb in the 2000 attack.

Some 200 cars were also damaged in the blast which happened in an underground parking lot. — AFP

PHL may see more EVs — industry group

THE Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) said in a statement it is optimistic over the EV industry’s prospects in 2018, especially after the group hosted the ASEAN EV Summit on June 29-30, 2017.

Rommel T. Juan, EVAP president, said the summit “attracted various international players and organizations in the region,” as well as drew “mainstream car companies to showcase and promote their EVs and hybrids.”

This year Mr. Juan said the PUV Modernization Program of the Department of Transportation, which mandates that jeepneys must have either a Euro4-compliant diesel engine or an electric motor, and the exemption from new excise taxes of EVs — as well as the 50% reduction on duties for hybrid vehicles — will lead car makers to introduce their EV platforms in the Philippines.

“One such car maker is Mitsubishi Motors, with its i-MiEV and Outlander PHEV [models],” he said, adding that EVAP is also “looking forward” to a possible local introduction of the Nissan Leaf EV. Mr. Juan noted the new taxation scheme for vehicles “might be the needed push for Toyota to sell more Prius hybrids.”

A decade on, Jr. NBA PHL still building on the momentum

UP in the country for more than a decade now, Jr. NBA Philippines, the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) global youth basketball participation program, has made significant strides in teaching the fundamental skills and core values of the game at the grassroots level in an effort to enhance the youth basketball experience for players, parents and coaches.

And proponents of it in the country said the momentum of the drive has hardly waned all this time and that they are bent on building on it further to continue what they have set out to do with the program.

In ceremonies held at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati last weekend, officials of the NBA, presenting partner Alaska Milk and Don Bosco formally opened the 11th edition of Jr. NBA Philippines.

Just like the previous years, the 2018 program, the officials said, remains free and open to boys and girls ages 10-14 throughout its four stages: skills clinics in schools and communities, Regional Selection Camps, a National Training Camp and an NBA experience trip.

They were happy to share that since its first year in 2007, the Jr. NBA clinics have been implemented in 110 cities and municipalities across the country and the 2018 program will return to key provinces including Agusan del Norte, Batangas, Benguet, Cavite, Misamis Oriental, and Negros Occidental.

“The passion [for the program] is sky high. And even after 11 years, I hear kids — every year they’re looking forward to it. And so, I think we’re at a really good stage where there’s huge momentum going our way with Jr. NBA. It’s well received. Our camps are filled to capacity almost,” said Carlo Singson, NBA Philippines Managing Director, when asked by BusinessWorld for his thoughts on how things have been for the program in the Philippine setting.

“So we continue to see that demand for it. We’re working very closely with our league office and with Alaska to try to see how else we can continue to grow the program. But definitely, the excitement, even after 11 years, continues to grow for Jr. NBA,” he added.

The NBA official went on to say that programs like Jr. NBA, based on their experience, is advisable for countries like the Philippines, thanks to its affinity for the sport.

“Not a lot [of challenges as far as staging the program here]. I mean, there’s a lot of interest obviously in working with us, in partnering with the NBA. Challenges, I guess, I mean just logistically getting to the different parts of the Philippines is tough. As you guys know, we wanna try to bring Jr. NBA everywhere. Just logistically, it’s not possible,” he said.

Adding, “So, one of the things we’re doing is how can we build our digital and mobile assets so that if you were a kid in an island or kid in a province where there’s no Jr. NBA. You can still benefit from the program. So we’re building our assets digitally and our Web site — there’s a lot more content. So, you can practice. You can create play sets. Coaches can download training materials for their kids. So that’s how we’re going to reach many Filipinos. More than their physical camps ’cause those have a limit. It’s on the digital, social and mobile side. We’re gonna try to reach as many Filipinos as possible.”

Jr. NBA Regional Selection Camps will be held in Bacolod (Feb. 10-11), Butuan (Feb. 24-25), Baguio (March 17-18) and Metro Manila (April 7-8), with the top 37 boys and 37 girls advancing for the National Training Camp in Manila in May, which will feature an NBA and WNBA player or legend.

The program will culminate with the selection of 16 Jr. NBA All-Stars, comprised of eight boys and eight girls, who will embark on an overseas NBA experience trip with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Southeast Asia.

Prior editions of the Jr. NBA Philippines program have featured notable alumni including Aljon Mariano, Kobe Paras, Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Ricci Rivero, and Kai Sotto as well as champion collegiate coach Aldin Ayo.

Meanwhile, to reaffirm their commitment as Jr. NBA Philippines partner and add further dimension to the program, Alaska is revving up its participation as it uses it to help ease the country’s malnutrition problem.

“Some of the health problems of children here are malnutrition and obesity. We will continue to do projects that promote an active and healthy lifestyle. Let the children get out and play sports in the sun,” said newly designated Alaska Managing Director Marco Bertacca during the opening.

For more information about Jr. NBA presented by Alaska 2018, visit http://jrnba.asia/philippines/. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Senator seeks update on jeepney modernization program

By Camille A. Aguinaldo

SENATOR Grace L. Poe in a statement on Tuesday called on the Department of Transportation (DoTr) to submit a report on the latest developments of the jeepney modernization program.

“We want to know what has happened to the modernization program. Has the DoTr come up with clear guidelines on how to implement this? There are still many things to be ironed out,” Ms Poe said in her statement.

Ms. Poe also said DoTr should update the public to avoid confusion and misinformation regarding the modernization program.

“All the details should be laid on the table because as far as ordinary jeepney drivers are concerned, it is their livelihood that is at stake here,” she said.

Ms. Poe also appealed to jeepney operators planning to hold protests after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) began implementation of the “Tanggal Bulok, Tanggal Usok” program.

Transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) has been outspoken against DOTr’s plan for a gradual phaseout of old jeepneys within three years under the jeepney modernization program. The transport group is planning another protest action in front of the LTFRB office on Jan. 24.

In a Senate hearing last December, Ms. Poe has recommended a pilot test of the modernization program amid the absence of clear guidelines and lack of consultation with transport groups.

“The government should step in to ensure the public a convenient and safe way to commute, with the opportunity for the drivers and operators to upgrade their vehicles. However, it should not be too burdensome for them,” she said.

The DOTr had placed the cost of a new jeepney between P1.5 million and P1.8 million, with the government subsidizing P80,000.

PSALM to push for decision on Malaya sale, Agus-Pulangi rehab

STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) has laid down its privatization plans for this year, which includes the sale of its most expensive assets as well as the rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric complex in Mindanao.

In a statement on Tuesday, PSALM said it would seek its board’s “definitive policy” on the privatization of Malaya thermal power plant and a coal-fired power plant in Mindanao.

It said the move was meant “to cut on operational costs and to augment funds for paying-off its assumed obligations that will significantly benefit the government and the electricity end-users.”

“The sale of Malaya plant was previously deferred because of the plan of the Department of Energy (DoE) to convert it into a liquefied natural gas plant. PSALM has yet to receive final word from the DoE on the natural gas policy which will be included in the plant’s sale terms of reference,” it added.

For the Mindanao coal power plant, PSALM said it might wait for “appropriate time” to offer the facility on the sale block. The sale was deferred in 2015.

“Reprieved from power outages in recent years, Mindanao, this time, is currently experiencing oversupply of electricity following the entry of new power plants. Under this circumstance, PSALM deems that the plant may not attract maximum investment,” it said.

PSALM was created under Republic Act No. 9136, the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001, the law that restructured the Philippine power sector. It took over the ownership of all existing government-owned power generation assets. Its principal purpose is to manage the orderly sale and privatization of these assets.

In its statement, PSALM said it will continue to manage, trade and sell the energy output of the unified Leyte geothermal power plant, including the 40-megawatt (MW) “strip of energy” under Phinma Energy Corp.’s administration, the agreement of which was mutually terminated recently.

“PSALM may no longer subject the plant to public bidding,” PSALM said, citing the expiring independent power producer contract in 2021-2022.

The agency said it was keen to start the rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric power plants to extend their service life by 30 more years and to increase their reliability and availability.

“As the owner, PSALM must have laid down by 2019 the feasibility, terms of reference including funding options and overall groundwork for the project. As the operator, the National Power Corp. will implement the project,” it said.

The company will also prioritize this year the sale of 231 lots as part of its real estate asset privatization program. It said based on its inventory and profiling, the properties are composed of 6,160 lots with an aggregate area of about 10,000 hectares.

Lined up for public bidding this month are eight lots covering 20,975 square meters of the Manila thermal power plant and 92 lots around the Bauang diesel power plant.

“Interested bidders will have until 22 January 2018 to conduct due diligence for said properties while submission of bids is set on 24 January 2018,” PSALM said.

It said the bidding — on an “as is, where is” basis — is open to individuals and sole proprietorships, partnerships or corporations duly registered and organized under the laws of the Philippines, the company said.

They should at least be 60% Filipino-owned, joint ventures or consortia, and can be government corporate entities and local government units authorized by law to acquire, own, hold or develop real properties in the Philippines.

“The sale of non-power assets will augment PSALM’s funding sources,” the company said.

PSALM said in December 2017, it had issued an “offer to sell” for its two-unit Puerto Azul Ocean Villas Condominium in Cavite to members of the Puerto Azul Golf and Country Club. The offer is valid for six months.

“If the units remain unsold after the expiration of the prescribed period, PSALM will open the sale of the property through public bidding,” it said. — Victor V. Saulon

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