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Satellite project-tracking scheme issues first report

ABOUT 88.2% of road projects connecting to seaports and airports scheduled for this year have entered the construction stage, based on the government’s satellite and geo-tagging project-tracking system.
The Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) Digital Imaging for Monitoring and Evaluation system, or Project DIME, released its first progress report yesterday after being launched in March.
“As of Aug. 30, the program has reported an 88.2% movement of projects equivalent to 105 projects out of 119 total projects already ongoing, including 11 seaport projects already completed,” Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno in a media briefing on Wednesday.
The road projects are worth P6.2 billion, and are implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“However there are projects that we noticed that even if budgets are allocated, some have not started. We’re following up, with the help of our regions, following up such projects. We’re asking who the contractors are, asking why they’re delayed,” Budget Undersecretary Lilia C. Guillermo said.
Project DIME aims to improve the monitoring of projects, especially those in far-flung areas, by using satellite technology.
“Some so-called ghost projects (with) claims of completed (have) actually not started. So through this system we can say goodbye to ghost projects,” Mr. Diokno said.
Mr. Diokno said the DBM can only track a limited number of projects under the system, including 13 big-ticket programs, or one large-scale project per government agency.
“We’re at the early stage of monitoring. The mere fact that line agencies know that we’re monitoring them, I think they’ll be on their toes,” said Mr. Diokno.
He said that he aims to increase the number of monitored projects every year, as the task is delegated to regional offices.
“You cannot expect us to monitor all projects, 100% coverage is not possible given limited resource but we selected high-value projects,” Mr. Diokno said.
The monitored roads include the P23-million BOMEDCO Transloading Road at Medellin, Cebu, and the P65.8 million New Ibajay-Mabini-Sandoval access road to Taytay Airport in Palawan. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Finance department queried on fuel excise suspension plans

SENATOR Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV asked the government how it intends to carry out the suspension of the fuel excise tax if the average Dubai crude oil benchmark remains at $80 or above in the next three months.
In a speech invoking legislative privilege on Wednesday, Mr. Aquino noted that the provision in Republic Act No. 10963 or the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law requires the Department of Finance (DoF) to review and to make a recommendation, based on the assessment of the Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC), to either implement or suspend the increase of fuel excise tax when oil prices breach targets.
“The question: when will they conduct the review? What will be the basis of this group to the possible suspension to the incoming increase of excise tax on petroleum products?” he said.
“The Senate must call on the DoF to issue clear guidelines, timelines, rules and regulations on how to suspend the upcoming increases on the excise taxes on petroleum products,” he added.
The TRAIN law imposes excise taxes on gasoline and diesel of P7 per liter and P2.50 per liter, respectively. Starting Jan. 1, 2019, gasoline excise tax will rise to P9 while diesel excise will increase to P4.50. The law also contains a suspension provision if the average Dubai crude benchmark is at or exceeds $80 per barrel for three months prior to the scheduled excise tax increase.
Mr. Aquino said the tax reform law should have provided the automatic suspension of the excise taxes instead of providing conditions that the DoF should review before issuing its recommendation.
“For us lawmakers and for me who suggested this safeguard, the suspension of the scheduled increase should have been automatic” once the conditions were met, he said.
“What is tragic is if we reach the price that was stated in the law, but due to the lack of review or lack of recommendation by the administration, the suspension of the scheduled increase of this excise tax will not go through,” he added. — Camille A. Aguinaldo

DPWH to open Tacloban bypass road in Q3 2019

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said a bypass road in Tacloban City is now expected to open in August 2019, after delays to its original completion date of April 2017.
In a statement on Wednesday, the DPWH said the P1.183-billion project is in the last two phases of construction.
“Construction works for the four-lane road implemented in the first three phases has been completed last year while the fourth and fifth phases are up for completion in August 2019,” it said.
The 8.23-kilometer road is expected to benefit some 1,000 motorists a day by cutting travel time along the Maharlika Highway to 30 minutes from 90.
“The project will improve the accessibility of the road network and increase the development potential of the region,” it said.
Last year, DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar said the Tacloban bypass road “will ease traffic congestion of the city proper and will provide an alternate route traversing Barangays Abucay, Apitong and Caibaan.” — Denise A. Valdez

When rules are not enough

Black’s Law Dictionary defines a corporation’s by-laws as “regulations, ordinances, or rules enacted by a private corporation for its own government.”
The late Justice Emilio Gancayco of the Supreme Court (G.R. No. 91478, Feb. 7, 1991) elucidated the concept by saying, “The by-laws of a corporation are its own private laws which substantially have the same effect as the laws of the corporation. They are in effect, written, into the charter. In this sense they become part of the fundamental law of the corporation with which the corporation and its directors and officers must comply.”
Having said this, by-law provisions are a guide to how a corporation runs its internal affairs. In general, they provide a guide on the subscription of shares, conduct of meetings, powers of the Board of Directors, appointment of officers, amendments, etc. As long as the rules are embodied in the by-laws, a corporation can act in the manner and within the formalities prescribed under such rules.
But if a change in the rules is required, how do we proceed in amending a corporation’s by-laws?
Section 48 of the Corporation Code (Code) outlines the procedure in introducing amendments to by-laws. It prescribes the manner of amendment consisting of the conduct of the meeting, quorum requirement, and minimum stockholder votes for an amendments to be valid and binding. It also mentions the effectivity of the by-law amendment which is when the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issues a Certificate of Amendment of By-Laws.
While the provisions of the Code may have captured the steps in amending the by-laws, the SEC had the occasion to discuss in a legal opinion why Section 48 of the Code is not enough to enforce an amendment to a corporation’s by-laws.
In an opinion dated April 20, the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) of the SEC resolved the issue of whether a corporation can delegate to its board the power to amend or repeal its by-laws. The question arose from a proposed amendment to a corporation’s by-laws which delegates to its board the authority to amend or repeal its own by-laws. The opinion requested from the SEC was based on the provisions of Section of 48 of the Code, with the relevant provision quoted below:
“… The owners of two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding capital stock or two-thirds (2/3) of the members in a non-stock corporation may delegate to the board of directors or trustees the power to amend or repeal any by-laws or adopt new by-laws.”
Citing previous SEC Opinions, the OGC explained that the delegation to the board of the power to amend or repeal by-laws or adopt new by-laws should not be embodied in the by-laws alone, but must be supported by a resolution adopted by 2/3 of the subscribed capital stock of the corporation. The rationale for this is that the vested authority is only temporary in nature. At any time, stockholders may decide to revoke the delegated power by a majority vote in a meeting called for this purpose.
If the power is provided in the by-laws, the authority may have been revoked already, but may still appear therein until the corresponding amendment is made and filed with the SEC. Considering the length of time since the authority was granted by the stockholders, it is unlikely that the alleged delegated authority of the board will remain effective then.
The OGC added that what is not allowed in the by-law amendment is the simple inclusion of the very provision on the delegated power. Merely lifting the provisions of Section 48 of the Code and adopting it in the by-laws is not sufficient to comply with the requirement. Actual delegation must be embodied in a resolution, i.e. 2/3 of the stockholders must explicitly vote to delegate to the board the power to amend or repeal the by-laws.
In the case at hand, the corporation failed to satisfy the requirement since it merely lifted Section 48 of the Corporation Code on the power of its stockholders to delegate the authority to amend or repeal, without complying with the resolution requirement. To operationalize the delegation requirement, owners of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding capital stock must pass the appropriate resolution in a stockholder’s meeting. The resolution may spell out the extent or limits of the delegated authority, including when it expires or becomes ‘functus officio.’
While the Code and the by-laws itself have explicitly outlined the rules to amend a corporation’s by-laws, the shareholders as owners of the corporation will still have the final say. Delegation of the stockholder’s authority should be considered more of an exception from the regular course of corporate procedures. Hence, the legal requirements must be construed strictly against delegation of authority.
The views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Isla Lipana & Co. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.
 
Larissa C. Dalistan-Levosada is a senior manager at the Tax Services Department of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of the PwC network.
+63 (2) 845-2728
larissa.c.dalistan@ph.pwc.com

A school is only as good as its best teachers

Tomorrow, Oct. 5, is World Teacher’s Day, a campaign started in 1994 and mounted each year since then to help people better understand the role teachers play in developing students and the society. Please allow me to devote my space today to all the teachers out there, past and present, as my way of giving thanks to them for all their contributions to the world.
I recall a Thai advertisement that has gone viral recently. It highlighted the life of a schoolteacher in a small town whose mother was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Not having anyone else to take care of his mother, but also not one to neglect his teaching duties, the teacher decides to bring his mother along to school every day and lets her sit in class. However, the situation does not sit well with some parents, who complain to the headmaster about it.
Eventually, the parents realize that by what he was doing and his actions, the teacher was creating a strong positive impression or positive influence on his young students. That indirectly, and unintentionally, he was actually inculcating in them positive values: love of parent; care for the elderly; a strong sense of duty and obligation to family; a strong sense of duty and obligation to one’s professional calling; perseverance; and the fortitude to overcome difficulties and obstacles in life.
These, I believe, are the more important lessons in life, way beyond reading and writing or even mathematics and science. It is in this line that I am also batting for a stronger and more effective approach to values education and values formation in our schools, more so in the 5-12 years age group. Nowadays, we can no longer rely solely on parents and the home to promote positive values.
Going beyond what can be taught, a teacher’s actions and behavior also significantly impact and influence the children they teach, particularly the younger ones. It is in this sense that we consider them “second parents” or “parents in school,” to whom we entrust the education and nurturing of our children to become responsible and upright citizens and good human beings. After schooling, they should end up better people.
However, this is not to say that we should abdicate our roles as parents, and leave all the “parenting” to schools while we devote ourselves entirely to the role of “provider.” Easier said than done, I know, especially during hard times. But, if in providing for our children we also neglect to make them better people than we are, then we are failures as parents.
teacher
In the same manner, if we fail to provide educators and schools the priority and support they need, and the environment they require to provide a proper education to our children, then we are also failing as parents. Worse, if we cannot compel our public officials to prioritize children’s education and health, then we are also failing as a people.
Future generations will be facing far harsher conditions, politically, economically, and socially. Climate change, environmental degradation, overpopulation, poverty and hunger, and fierce competition for scarce resources like land and water and food are only a few of the adverse conditions that they are encountering now and will continue to encounter in the future. Honestly, are they prepared to face such difficulties and overcome them?
The objective, in my opinion, is clear: make our children better people than who or what we are now, in every way possible. But, if they end up becoming worse than who and what we are now, or weaker, then what will be the future of humanity? Policies and actions today impact and create the World of Tomorrow. There are no two ways about that.
I understand that parents, and homes, can only do so much in molding the young of today. Homes and parents can provide basics, but we need better schools and better teachers to help children level up. And improving the education system cannot be left to the government alone. The private sector needs to do its part as well, and so far, it has been.
But I also feel we are still a long way from achieving the ideal. Mergers of school system, like the one being undertaken now by the Yuchengcos and the Zobel de Ayalas in bringing together their school system to provide for a more integrated approach, is a welcome development. But the public-school system should not be left behind. It should get more support from the government in terms of infrastructure and curriculum development, among others.
However, the bottom line is that even the best-equipped and heavily funded schools will fail unless they have good teachers — the type that effectively mold our young intellectually, morally, and socially. In this line, I believe the most important factor in this scenario is teacher development. We need more teachers, better teachers. We need to devote more time and resources to producing quality teachers that can produce quality students.
Society, to me, is a community of people and their values. And the maturity of that society can be best gauged by how much it values its artists. But the wisdom of that society can be measured by how much it values its educators. Economics is about means and ends, while politics is nothing but an afterthought.
 
Marvin Tort is a former managing editor of BusinessWorld, and a former chairman of the Philippines Press Council
matort@yahoo.com

The Teacher

Oct. 5 is observed worldwide as World Teachers’ Day. In the Philippines, the observance of a National Teachers’ Month and Day is led by government and the private teaching community. This formal honoring of teachers in the Philippines, which is aligned with the worldwide celebration of World Teachers’ Day, has drawn and continues to draw, heavy support from volunteer groups such as the Metrobank Foundation.
The Metrobank Foundation, led by its president, Aniceto Sobrepeña, launched its Teacher’s Month Campaign in 2008 with the theme, “Teacher Ko, Idol Ko,” an obvious reference to teachers as role models. In 2009, the theme was tweaked to “My Teacher, My Hero.”
In recognition of the Foundation’s and other sectors’ efforts, President Benigno Aquino III signed in 2011 Proclamation 242 “declaring the period of Sept. 5 to Oct. 5 of every year as National Teachers’ Month.” The following year, another milestone was achieved when Metrobank Foundation was invited to share its National Teacher’s Month (NTM) initiative at the 2012 UNESCO World Teachers’ Day celebration in Paris, France.
In 2014, the NTM Digital celebration was held for the first time. In 2015, more than 6,000 teachers participated in the World Teachers’ Day celebration at the Philsports Arena with President Aquino as guest speaker.
In 2016, Mr. Aquino signed Republic Act No. 10743 declaring Oct. 5 as “National Teachers’ Day.” The next year, the culture of appreciation for teachers was intensified by the holding of a three-day experiential lecture series for teachers, in partnership with the Government Service Insurance System, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the National Museum.
As a former teacher, I appreciate all the efforts at institutionalizing programs and traditions to ensure that honoring teachers becomes a permanent feature in Philippine education. It is just proper that teachers are honored on a special month and day. This is because teachers face many challenges, foremost of which are their modest salaries, which serve as a disincentive in continuing the pursuit of the teaching profession or continuing to refine and polish one’s teaching skills and knowledge to be shared with students.
Another serious challenge is that teachers have to impart both skills and values. In effect, they serve as role models — a rather daunting task especially if one is in full view of students at least once a week.
The burden of being a role model becomes both intricate and complex, and even dangerous, when both teacher and student are confronted with the harsh realities of political life. Teachers can be tempted to throw away the book when these realities confront them and to instead depend almost solely on their instincts.
Students look upon their teachers as some kind of moral compass, especially in perilous times. I can only recall the Martial Law days when teachers who openly spoke against martial rule because they believed it was evil had both their careers and lives cut short.
But teachers and universities are mandated to tackle the great issues in the country; they cannot be considered great if they shy away from them. Values such as respect for life and the rights of others are basic rights that teachers should promote, protect, and defend. So, it is both ironic and timely that Teacher’s Month covers that infamous day in Philippine history, Sept. 21, 1972, the proclamation of Martial Law.
The condemnation of the Martial Law proclamation on National Teachers’ Month has given teachers and educational institutions the opportunity to breathe life into their teachings on core values. It serves as some kind of test to “walk one’s talk,” to advocate that respect for human dignity is inconsistent with disrespect for basic human rights.
As Teachers’ Month ends tomorrow, we can only look forward to an even bigger and more meaningful celebration next year so that teachers receive all the encouragement they need and deserve. After all, Albert Einstein once said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy, creative expression and knowledge.” And as one other wise man said, “The guru (the teacher) is the ‘remover of ignorance.’”
 
Philip Ella Juico was Dean of the Graduate School of Business of De La Salle University from 2002 to 2008. He taught at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs of various colleges and universities in the Philippines and other Asian countries from 1973 to 2017.
philip.juico@yahoo.com.ph

Mandatory and coercive welfarism by private enterprises

The private sector and civil society groups are the domain of voluntary exchange and volunteerism. In a competitive environment, people sell something, a commodity or service. If the price is good and attractive to many buyers and donors, sellers can prosper; if the price is high compared to quality, buyers and donors will shy away and sellers/providers can go bankrupt.
The government and state is the domain of force and coercion. People should not steal or damage/burn properties by others, people should not abduct, harm, shoot or kill others even if they have a valid complaint. The state will penalize them hard.
When the government coerces private enterprises to do mandatory services, to coerce price discounts and yet the state will not give a tax rebate for the decline in revenue and reduced profit, then the state abuses its coercive power and this will result in negative, unintended consequences to society.
In the Philippines, there are many new mandatory services, mandatory price discounts — on top of existing ones — proposed in Congress:

1. Mandatory maternity leave with pay for 100 days (HB 4113) or 120 days (SB 1305), parental leave with pay for adoptive parents, additional 30 days for solo mothers (same SB). It has passed the bicameral committee.

2. Requiring all employers to pay their employees a 14th month pay (HBs 402, 3815 & 8095).

3. Security of Tenure (SoT) bill (SB 1826) aka Anti-ENDO bill, certified as urgent by President Duterte.

4. Granting bereavement leave of 10 working days with pay to employees on death of an immediate family member (HBs 4071, 6043, 6581), or five working days with pay (HBs 5711 & 6119).

5. Expanded students’ 20% fare discount (SB 1597) – to become year-round, to cover all Filipino students from elementary to college and in technical-vocational schools, to apply even during weekends, holidays and sem break, and cover all means of transportation from buses, jeepneys, taxis, tricycles, transport network vehicle services (TNVS), MRT, LRT, to airlines and passenger ships. The Senate has passed this bill on third and final reading.

Proposal #1 will lead to less hiring of women in the formal sector, so more women workers will be relegated to the informal sector where multiple labor and related laws are often not enforced.
#2, #3 and #4 will lead to less hiring of workers, men and women, and more employers will use more machines, robots and AI in work that are generally repetitive. Their customers demand stable or cheap prices so they must cut costs somewhere. Employees already have vacation leave, sick leave with pay of 15 working days each, maternity leave with pay of 60 days, etc.
#5 will lead to higher fares in land, sea and air public transportation. Since there will be many students, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities that must be given 20% discount all year round, the fare of non-students, non-senior citizens must rise to compensate for reduced revenues.
Again, those proposals are on top of existing mandates and forced price discounts. These will further raise the cost of hiring people so companies will either hire less people and use more machines and unemployment can rise. Or some companies will dishonor those new laws and bribe labor inspectors instead as government corruption remains high until today.
The Philippines also has high corporate income tax (CIT) compared with many neighbors in Asia. Tax competition is very real as many countries and economies further reduce their CIT to attract more investors and make them stay.
Corporate Income Tax (CIT)
The TRABAHO (aka TRAIN 2) bill in Congress, if enacted into law, intends to remove many fiscal incentives by 2019 but will reduce CIT from 30% to 20% by 2029. Sigurista.
Since the country’s business competitiveness will be adversely affected by those mandatory welfarism by private enterprises, the government should compensate by having a deep tax cut in CIT. An 18-20% starting 2019 will improve our competitiveness.
 
Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Minimal Government Thinkers and a Fellow of Stratbase-ADRi.
minimalgovernment@gmail.com.

Do you really just want to have coffee?

By Tony Samson
CAN the same task under different situational contexts be perceived and priced differently? Dan Ariely, writing about irrational behavior in purchasing decisions, notes the distinction between social and market norms, and how they are sometimes blurred.
The distinction between a social situation where even hard tasks (washing clothes for the family; cooking Christmas dinner at home) are offered for free and a market norm where the same services (doing the hotel laundry; dining out for the holidays) are charged appropriately. Such distinctions can get entangled in a culture that tries to ensure what Filipino anthropologist Mary R. Hollnsteiner calls, Smooth Interpersonal Relationship (SIR) which avoids discomfort and embarrassment. Can someone staying in a friend’s house abroad be treated as a guest, for free? What if the visit extends to three months? Can hotel (or Airbnb) rates then apply? (Hey, Buddy, you need to move out or pay rent.)
Even in the corporate world, not all relationships are governed by market norms with contracts defining rights, obligations, fees, and “deliverables.” Does a professional consultant who gives solicited advice on a business issue like asset reallocation simply be treated for lunch? (Next one is on you.)
Informal consultations covering business topics over social occasions like lunch or parties are trapped in Ariely’s social norms. Even consultants who give advice for a living feel awkward moving the informal consultations towards a market norm, and putting a value on their inputs, especially when these have been acted on. If the consultant even hints of possible compensation, the timid request to formalize the arrangement is met with an incredulous stare — you mean you’re going to send me a bill for your jokes? Remember who paid for lunch.
Architects, lawyers, PR operatives (whether for demolition or spiking of news stories), doctors, ghostwriters, landscape designers, and tax accountants show agility in avoiding this jam of shifting the context from a social to a market norm. They have a ready response when anyone attempts to bring up a problem for free consultation — I have this occasional ache below my third rib. Before the complainer can remove his barong, and get any farther, he is quickly instructed to make an appointment with the cardiologist’s secretary next week for a proper diagnosis at the clinic, so the problem can be properly evaluated…and billed.
Still, even the successful professional who gets paid by the hour for his advice can be generous with free insights. He understands where the line for market charging can be drawn as when contracts and pleadings need to be drafted. A seemingly generous sharing of ideas can be an effective demonstration of expertise and justification for high fees later. It is part of marketing expertise, like free samples of shampoo sachets.
In our culture, someone who puts everything on a market norm, including informal opinions, is perceived as crass. The vernacular characterization of such a consistently money-for-my-opinion approach is contemptuous, “mukhang pera,” which roughly translates to: “you look like Jose Abad Santos with his two companions.” The putdown loses something in the translation.
In the realm of philanthropy and good works, market norms can be subsumed under social advocacy. Legal skills can be provided pro bono in the service of persecuted sectors, like senators in dire straits or victims of road rage.
The blurring of social and market norms sometimes becomes a problem over time. A professional relationship initially based on market norms entailing the provision of wellness services on a transactional basis can evolve into a more complex bond with expectations and financial commitments, the inflicting of pain with unanswered text messages (I’m still here, waiting), even possessiveness and computation of past investments made.
The emotional roller coaster of pain and relief is not limited to dental care. (You didn’t use to charge for prophylaxis.) It can apply to other situations where regular flossing doesn’t help.
It’s best for the professional who wants to establish the applicable norms for her services to establish a clear protocol. Having a market-related framing, like an office, clinic, or spa, promotes the presumption of fees to be paid. However, an invitation for a tête-à-tête, with no expectations of any other services, should be established right away — do you really just want to have coffee?
 
A.R. Samson is chairman and CEO TOUCH xda
ar.samson@yahoo.com

Magnolia races to 3rd win in a row, share of top spot

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok stretched current winning streak in the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup to three games after adding the Columbian Dyip to their list of victims, 113-95, on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Established control right from the get-go, the Hotshots just sustained their fine play as the contest moved on to dominate the Dyip to improve to 5-1 in the ongoing tournament and get a share of the top spot along with defending champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.
The Hotshots began proceedings with their vaunted defense, holding down the Dyip to take an 18-8 lead at the 4:42 mark of the first quarter.
They would continue to dictate the tempo the rest of the way to go on top, 31-20, after the opening frame.
Magnolia sustained their strong in the second quarter with Mark Barroca and import Romeo Travis leading the way.
It extended its lead to 15 points, 45-30, after five minutes into the period.
Columbian tried to rally back behind import Akeem Wright and Jackson Corpuz, coming to within 11 points, 52-41, with 3:40 to go.
The Dyip did not go closer than that though as the Hotshots pulled away anew to build a 60-46 halftime advantage.
In the third quarter, the Hotshots’ cushion piled up as more players joined the scoring fray.
The lead ballooned to 28 points, 77-49, at the 7:11 mark.
Columbian though would continue to fight back, managing to trim its deficit, 92-70, at the end of three quarters.
Led by backup guard Dan Sara, the Dyip showed some signs of life to start the fourth period, cutting the Hotshots’ lead to just 16 by the 9:56 mark of the quarter, 93-77.
It proved to be short-lived though as Magnolia forced its will anew and nipped the Columbian mini rally.
The lead was back at 20 points, 102-82, with 6:37 to go before the Hotshots sped away and booked the victory.
Mr. Travis nearly finished with a triple-double with 32 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, followed by Mr. Barroca who added 16 points.
Paul Lee had 13 points while Ian Sangalang finished with 11.
Mr. Corpuz paced still-winless Columbian (0-7) with 20 points to go along with nine rebounds with Mr. Wright adding 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Jerramy King and RaShawn McCarthy had 12 points each.
“This was a very important game for us and we cannot afford to relax. This was our fourth game in 10 days and we needed to finish strong. And we had to keep our mindset, particularly on defense, there and help our chances in the tournament,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero after their win.

Green Archers dominate ex-coach, Growling Tigers

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE De La Salle Green Archers got the better of former coach Aldin Ayo after beating the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 99-72, in University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 action on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Met for the first time since parting ways late last year, the Archers (3-2) dominated Mr. Ayo and the Tigers (1-4) right from the start to move back into the win column of the ongoing season while sending UST to its third straight defeat.
The teams had a brief feeling-out period to start the contest before La Salle began its move.
It scored the first four points before racing to an 11-2 lead by the halfway point of the opening quarter led by big man Justine Baltazar.
UST tried to make up for lost ground behind Renzo Subido and Joshua Marcos but had little headway as they trailed, 28-13, after 10 minutes.
The Archers continued to pound on the Tigers, outscoring the latter, 12-5, in the first three minutes of the second canto to stretch their lead to 40-18.
From there it was all La Salle with the team holding a 54-34 advantage after the first half.
To start the third, the Tigers came out with more bite, scoring five quick points to narrow the gap, 54-39, with a minute and a half lapsing.
Baltazar and Aljun Melicio though would stand high for the Archers, helping their team keep its dominance, 60-43, at the halfway juncture of the frame.
The Tigers kept on angling to claw their way back only to be rebuffed by the Archers each time.
The count stood at 71-51 entering the fourth period.
With the match pretty much sealed, La Salle spent the final canto holding down any fight-back attempts by UST.
The Archers’ lead was at 26 points, 82-56, with five minutes remaining and they just cruised from there to the victory.
Baltazar led the way for La Salle with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks followed by Melecio with 19 points.
Andrei Caracut had 13 points while Santi Santillan and Jolo Go had 11 points each.
Subido finished with 16 points to lead UST with Marvin Lee and Zach Wang adding 13 apiece.
“The game plan today was to play at a high level for 40 minutes and I think we were able to do that. Good thing many contributed and stepped up,” said winning coach Louie Gonzalez in the postgame press conference.
“We really needed to win this game to put us in a good position moving forward,” he added.
La Salle next plays rival Ateneo de Manila University on Oct. 6 while UST takes on University of the East on the same day.

Smart recognizes Philippines 2018 Asian Games medalists

SMART Communications recently joined the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) in honoring Filipino athletes who bagged medals during the 2018 Asian Games held in Indonesia last Aug. 18 – Sept. 2.
During the awarding ceremonies held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Filipino Asian Games 2018 medalists received incentives from Smart, on top of their grants from POC’s donors including the MVP Sports Foundation, Inc. The gold and silver medalists received smartphones powered by Smart postpaid plans. Meanwhile, bronze medalists were given pre-loaded Smart Pocket WiFi kits.
“We want our PH medalists to experience our fastest LTE network,” said Gabby Cui, Smart assistant vice president and head of community development and partnerships. “We hope that with these Smart-powered phones, we are able to empower them in preparing themselves for future games; and of course, to connect them with their loved ones.”
Filipino Asian Games medalists received incentives from Smart Communications on top of their cash grant from the Philippine Olympic Committee and its partners.
During their stint at the Asian Games 2018, the Filipino medalists learned the value of teamwork and discipline despite the high level of competition.
“What I learned here is no matter what happens just don’t give up, persevere,” said Pauline Lopez, Bronze medalist for Taekwondo.
She also mentioned that camaraderie among teammates and the other Philippine national delegates helped them survive the pressure at the tournament.
For the Philippines’ first female athlete to win the Asian Games Gold medal for weightlifting, Hidilyn Diaz, she claims her strong faith in God made her win.
“Syempre sa hirap ng pinagdadaanan ko kinukwestiyon ko na ang sarili ko kung kaya ko pa ba and minsan kinikwestiyon ko siya minsan sa pressure na nararamdaman ko pero dahil nagtitiwala ako kay God, nanghihingi ako ng wisdom sa kanya at dahil du’n nagawa ko lahat” Diaz added.
Currently, Hidilyn is preparing for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Asian Games 2018 first-time athlete, Yuka Saso, gold medalist for the golf tournament, mentioned that she doesn’t let pressure get into her, and asserts that teamwork is the key to surpassing everything.
For Margielyn Didal, women’s street skateboarding gold medalist, her strong ties with her family and supporters back home contributed greatly to her winning performance.
FUTURE PLANS
Smart has been a staunch supporter of the sports industry in the Philippines and they have better plans for our PHL athletes in the future.
“We are looking at different ways to support Smart, on how they support Sports with POC and PSC. We are looking at certain technologies that we can use together, certain platforms for the athletes, to improve para they can use technology in sports science,” Cui added.

Don Gimperoso to represent Philippines in Red Bull Kumite global last chance qualifier

THE inaugural Philippine Red Bull Kumite Qualifier was successfully held last weekend with veteran player Don Gimperoso emerging as the winner and will represent the Philippines in the global Last Chance Qualifier at the Red Bull Kumite Finals in Paris, France, in November.
Up against other top Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition players in the land, PBE Don, as Mr. Gimperoso is popular known, stood triumphant at the Chaos Nightclub in City of Dreams, Manila, to earn the all-expenses-paid trip to the French capital as Philippines’ representative.
“I’m very happy since I won the tournament. It was a close match. My opponent made last-minute adjustments and I had a hard time closing out the game,” said Don, who defeated James Prado (PBE James) in an emotionally charged finals.
Don has competed in numerous tournaments overseas and regarded as one of the most dominant forces in the local gaming scene.
Red Bull Kumite is a showdown between the best Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition players in the world.
The contest has reached gamers all over the world, with qualifications now open across new territories. Each game takes place inside a cage until only one player is left standing.
This year marked the first time that the Philippines hosted a regional qualifier, which gathered players from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Competing at the global Last Chance Qualifier, Don will be among 256 players colliding for the last two remaining spots in the World Finals.
In the World Finals, a total of 16 players, two from the Last Chance Qualifier and 14 of the best Street Fighter V players invited by Red Bull, will square off in a series of head-to-head battles on Nov. 11 to determine the 2018 Red Bull Kumite Champion.
Don said he is not too pressured despite the tough battle ahead and instead basking in the excitement of facing the top players in the world.
“There’s very little pressure for me. I’m excited, and I expect the best players from around the world. My strategy is to watch their matches online and familiarize myself with their move set,” said Don. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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