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Senator: TNVS cap ‘still inadequate’

SENATOR GRACE Poe-Llamanzares on Thursday said the 65,000 cap on transport network vehicle service (TNVS) allowed to operate in Metro Manila is not yet enough to meet passenger demand amid the difficulties in public transportation services.

However, she also pointed out the cap should still be enforced in order to pave the way for colorum vehicles under the TNVS to be registered at the LTFRB.

“The truth is, it is still inadequate because a lot of people are complaining that the services are not enough due to the lacking public transportation. But let’s allow it for now so the registration could be done. Then let’s lift the cap again,” she told reporters in Filipino after Thursday’s hearing by the Senate committee on public services, which she heads, regarding issues hounding the TNVS sector.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Monday issued a memorandum circular increasing the number of Uber and Grab vehicles allowed on the streets of Metro Manila from 45,000 to 65,000 in order to meet passenger demand.

Ms. Llamanzares said the TNVS cap could still be adjusted if the demand remained high.

“Let’s start with 65,000 but let’s reevaluate after that. If the demand is unmet then we need to be able to make adjustments again,” she said at the hearing.

At the hearing, LTFRB chair Martin B. Delgra III said the agency is processing about 12,000 pending applications which would be part of the 65,000 vehicles allowed to operate.

He also discouraged the public from purchasing vehicles to enroll these under Grab or Uber because LTRFB would not act on new applications.

“Don’t buy new cars before applying for a franchise. We’re trying not to raise expectations,” he said.

Mr. Arnel Caluya from the TNVS community expressed reservations on the cap issued by LTFRB.

“Our position is there should not be a cap on the number of vehicles because these cars are already existing… it should be serving the public. What we suggest is don’t put the cap,” he said.

As for fare hike increase requested by both Grab and Uber, Mr. Delgra said the petitions are under deliberation, noting that ongoing hearings were being held by the agency up until March on the matter. — Camille A. Aguinaldo

3 Chinese firms interested in Kaliwa dam

By Victor V. Saulon, Sub-Editor

METROPOLITAN WATERWORKS and Sewerage System (MWSS) expects three Chinese companies to secure procurement documents for the Kaliwa dam project which will be bid out in March, its top official said.

MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco said funding for the project is already available through official development assistance (ODA) from China, and had been approved by the National Economic and Development Authority and President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

“May funding ’yan,” he told reporters, adding that no changes had been made about the funding commitment from China.

Mr. Velasco said last year China pledged P10 billion in ODA to fund the project.

MWSS has also revived a plan to build the Kanan dam as a proponent came forward with a project under a public-private partnership, Mr. Velasco said.

Under the previous administration, the P18.72-billion Kaliwa dam had two pre-qualified bidders, which are now out of the picture because of the government’s new procurement mode for the project. It used to be a public-private partnership, with MWSS as implementing agency.

Since the project is funded by ODA from China, Mr. Velasco said there will be no pre-qualification stage since the Chinese embassy identifies the three pre-qualified companies.

“Dapat ’yung gagawa may experience in both dam and tunnel buildings. Okay naman kasi ’yung dalawa diyan top five ng China, ’yung isa top 15 pero may experience sa dam and building (The contractor must have experience in building dams and tunnels. Two of them are fine because they belong to China’s top five. The other one is the top 15 but it has experience in dams and building.),” he added.

Mr. Velasco said the project is required to be finished by 2023, although he has told the Chinese consul to make sure that the contractors are good “because I want this finished before 2022” or before the term of the President ends.

However, he did not identify the three short-listed Chinese companies.

Kaliwa dam, or what the previous administration called New Centennial Water Source Project, was conceived as a new water source for the booming population of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, which is estimated at nearly 12 million.

The dam is meant to be a “medium-term” water source for the Philippine capital, supplementing the supply from the aging Angat transmission system that delivers more than 95% of its water needs.

Angat dam will be having a fourth tunnel connecting Ipo dam to the Bigte settling basin. Water from Angat dam flows to Ipo dam where the release of water is regulated. The project was started towards the end of the past administration and is expected to be completed by 2020.

Kaliwa dam is located along the Kaliwa River in the towns of General Nakar and Infanta, Quezon province. It is expected to provide 600 million liters per day (MLD), adding to the existing supply of 4,132 MLD and enough to meet a demand of a little less than 4,000 MLD by 2020.

A 27-kilometer tunnel will convey the new water from Kaliwa reservoir to the outlet portal in Teresa, Rizal where it will be treated before distribution.

KANAN DAM
Mr. Velasco placed the size of Kaliwa dam as only one-fifth that of the Kanan dam. He said a group led by Quezon Representative Danilo E. Suarez is behind the proposal.

“Pinapa-review ko kasi ang immediate source niyan is Laiban (I’m having it reviewed because the immediate source is Laiban). It will be a big problem because of 4,500 families that will be affected (and relocated),” he said, referring to a populated barangay.

“Now with the modern technology, we might opt for the Kanan [dam], which is a bigger dam that has a bigger capacity. Laiban is only 1,800 MLD. Kanan will amount [to] 3,000 MLD but we have to study. You have to project the requirement of the people [of] Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan,” Mr. Velasco said.

He said Kanan dam might be implemented as a public-private partnership (PPP), and that he was trying to convince Mr. Suarez to agree to the scheme.

“’Yung project niya is more of hydropower. So the water is just a by-product. Sabi ko, basta maibigay mo sa amin ng mura ’yung tubig, okay na ’yan. Water is a national property naman. We give out water permit. So kung kikita siya sa hydro, ’yung water niya bibilhin ko (His project is more of hydropower. So the water is just a by-product. I told him that as long as you can sell water cheaply, that is fine. Water is a national property. We give out water permit. So if he will earn from hydro, I’ll buy his water),” he said.

Mr. Velasco said the capacity of the hydro-electric power project was placed at 400 megawatts.

ALI boosts capex to P111B in 2018

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter

AYALA LAND, Inc. (ALI) is ramping up spending for 2018, as the property giant sees solid demand for residential projects.

ALI Chief Finance Officer Augusto Cesar D. Bengzon said this year’s P110.8-billion capital expenditure budget is higher than the annual average of P80 billion it spent from 2013 to 2017.

“I think this year, 2018, will be a landmark year. It’s a transition for the company given that we see good prospects for the market and at the same time, we recognize that we have that platform that we can unlock,” Mr. Bengzon said in a press briefing in Makati City on Wednesday.

The 2018 capital spending is 21% higher than the P91.4 billion ALI spent in 2017. The company has originally set its 2017 capex at P88 billion, but said that they were prompted to spend more given the strength of demand from the property sector.

Residential projects will account for 43% or P47.4 billion of this year’s capex, while 17% or P18.7 billion will be poured into mall projects. Around 12% or P14 billion will be allocated for land acquisitions.

Meanwhile, P8.5 billion will be used for office projects, and P8.8 billion will be for the development of existing estates. ALI also continues to develop its hotels and resorts business, with an allocation of P7 billion for the year.

The remaining P6.4 billion will be spent for services and other investments.

PROJECT LAUNCHES
ALI also plans to launch P125 billion worth of projects this year. This is 25% higher than the company’s goal of launching up to P100 billion worth of projects last year.

Mr. Bengzon, however, noted ALI was not able to reach its target project launches last year, unveiling 28 projects worth only P88 billion.

Majority of the projects in the pipeline are residential and offices for sale, which will account for P100 billion of projects to be launched this year. The residential projects will be under its AyalaLand Premier, Alveo, Avida, Amaia, and BellaVita brands.

ALI said it will launch two estates in 2018, one located in the Visayas-Mindanao area and another in Quezon City, noting the latter will be a pocket development covering 11 to 12 hectares.

The company currently has 25 mixed-use estates, and a developable land bank of 10,285 hectares.

The remaining P25 billion will be used to develop leasable properties such as malls and offices.

This year, ALI will open two new shopping malls, the first being One Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Scheduled to open in March, the mall has a gross leasable area (GLA) of 23,000 square meters.

Set to open in June is Circuit Mall, located in the company’s mixed-use estate in Makati City. The mall will have a GLA of 54,000 sq.m. This will bring ALI’s GLA from malls to 2.57 million sq.m., after ending 2017 with 1.8 million sq.m.

For its office segment, ALI will be opening Ayala North Exchange HQ in Quezon City with a GLA of 20,000 sq.m. in June, and Vertis North BPO 3 with a GLA of 38,000 sq.m. The additional spaces will supplement the company’s 1.02 million sq.m. of leasable space as of end-2017.

“We now have a very broad leasing base, firmly the second largest mall operator in the country… and the largest office landlord in the Philippines today,” Mr. Bengzon said.

FUND-RAISING
To fund this year’s capex, ALI is looking to tap the bond market after other issuers, specifically San Miguel Corp. and SM Prime Holdings, Inc., have conducted their bond offerings.

“You should expect us to be going out very soon, for a combination of bonds and we will also do some bilaterals because there are banks that continue to offer us very good rates,” Mr. Bengzon said.

“The capex roughly will require us to raise about P20 billion, so we’re looking at half from the retail bond segment, and the half from bilaterals owing to banks,” he added.

ALI’s attributable profit grew 21% to P25.3 billion in 2017, as revenues penciled in a 14% increase to P142.3 billion during the period.

Shares in ALI were down by 50 centavos or 1.11% to close at P44.60 apiece at the stock exchange on Thursday.

PBB to raise funding

PHILIPPINE BUSINESS Bank (PBB) is set to conduct capital-raising activities to capitalize on lending opportunities.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Thursday, the Yao-led PBB said it will convert its existing preferred shares to common stocks “to further strengthen its balance sheet.”

The bank’s planned conversion of preferred shares to common shares is still subject to regulatory approvals, it said.

The lender added that it is also looking at raising up to P10 billion through the offer of long-term negotiable certificates of deposit (LTNCD).

“The additional funding will allow the Bank to capitalize on attractive lending opportunities as the Philippine economy continues to expand,” PBB said in the disclosure.

LTNCDs are similar to regular time deposits which offer higher interest rates, but the difference is that these cannot be pre-terminated. Being “negotiable” means that these can be traded at the secondary market prior to maturity date.

Earlier this year, Philippine National Bank and East West Banking Corp. said they will sell LTNCDs worth P20 billion and P15 billion, respectively.

Meanwhile, UnionBank last month offered some P3 billion in certificates, the first tranche of its P20-billion LTNCD program.

PBB posted lower earnings in the third quarter of 2017 due to a decline in trading gains and higher expenses. It booked a net profit of P125.78 million, down from the P329.96 million it earned in 2016.

Shares in PBB fell by 0.3% or four centavos to P13.20 apiece on Thursday. — KANV

PAL considers acquisition of A350-1000 jet

By Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo,
Reporter

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES (PAL) is considering the acquisition of the new Airbus A350-1000, amid the flag carrier’s aggressive fleet expansion program.

PAL President Jaime J. Bautista on Thursday said the airline can earn savings with the new long-range aircraft, the largest of the Airbus A350 series.

“It’s a bigger version of the 350-900. Its advantage, if we take delivery of this, the engine is the same. A little bit bigger but there is commonality, the spare parts. With training, the pilot can fly the same aircraft. So, in terms of pilot training, cabin crew training, we have savings in training. There are savings on spare parts because there is commonality in the airline, is very important,” Mr. Bautista told reporters on the sidelines of the A350-1000 demonstration at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2.

In 2016, the flag carrier ordered six A350-900s. PAL expected to take delivery of four of the A350s this year.

Mr. Bautista said there is an option to convert the A350-900s to A350-1000s.

“We can. I’m sure. We have an order of six option. That option, I’m sure Airbus will be happy if we convert those to 350-1000,” he added, noting the lease price is $200 million.

Airbus is set to deliver the first A350-1000 aircraft to Qatar Airways on Feb. 20.

Airbus brought the A350-1000 to Manila as part of its Asia-Pacific road show. The Airbus A350-1000 is the newest product in the A350 WXB family. The twin-aisle aircraft is seven meters longer than the A350-900 and can seat 366 passengers in three-class configuration.

This year, PAL is expected to take delivery of six A321neos, and five Bombardier Q400s. The $2-billion fleet expansion comes amid the airline’s efforts to secure five-star rating by 2020.

PAL earlier said it is targeting to carry 16.5 million passengers this year.

Okada lures in familes with PLAY

THE SPRAWLING 44-hectare Okada Manila integrated casino-resort has launched a space specifically made for the little ones in a bid to make the property more family friendly.

Simply named PLAY — meaning “Purposeful Learning and Activities for the Young” — the 1,200 square meter space located at the property’s Coral Wing houses eight “purpose-built play areas” suitable for children up to 16 years old, according to a company press release.

“Allowing children to play, explore and interact with other children, either in a free or structured manner, rewards them with a lot more beyond just a few moment of fun,” Vikki Aquino, director of spa, fitness, and recreation at Okada Manila, was quoted as saying in the press release.

“More than just a playspace, PLAY was built to incorporate learning components so children can learn while playing,” she told BusinessWorld during its launch on Feb. 3.

She added that the property employs SPED-certified (special education) instructors so children with special needs would likewise enjoy the space.

“What we’ve noticed is that children with special needs, even if they want to play with their peers, find it harder to insert themselves into activities, so we had all of the facilitators be SPED-certified so children — regardless of their needs — would be able to play,” she said.

The play areas within space are: Wizard’s den, an interactive video game space; Mini Steps & Mini Me, a dedicated play and learning space for children up to three years old; Little Town, a space which allows children to play in banking, postal, school, grocery and home environments; Little Park, a two-level playground and maze; Sports Zone, an active zone with an artificial grass court; Janguru (Japanese pronunciation of “jungle”), a multi-level playground and maze for children over 110 centimeters tall; The Stage, for performance arts; and My Party Place, an event and gaming space for birthday parties and other occasions.

Ms. Aquino stressed that during the construction of PLAY, they took all necessary measures — and more — to ensure the safety of the children. The floors at the main play area, for instance, are anti-bacterial.

Other features include child-friendly comfort rooms, an emergency response team, a snack bar, a kiddie gift shop, and over 30 closed-circuit television cameras.

Aside from the spaces, PLAY will also conduct learning programs “designed to address the developmental needs of children,” including Colors and Creation, an arts and crafts program; Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, a program aimed at enhancing the child’s development; Music and Movement for performing arts, music, and dance; and Life Skills, classes focusing on “practical matters such as social graces, good housekeeping, etc.”

Ticket prices for PLAY at Okada Manila start at P750 for children which includes five hours of play time, and P300 for the child’s guardian. Discounted rates are offered for rewards members, preferred/junket members, and those celebrating their birthdays.

PLAY also offers a multi-entry pass which starts at P10,183 for six months (Moon pass) and includes one child and one guardian. This can go up as high as P35,437 for the Star Family tier for three children.

For more information, e-mail play@okadamanila.com or call 888-0777. — Zsarlene B. Chua

Skidding Hotshots seek to reverse losing trend

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

HAVING lost their last two games in the PBA Philippine Cup, the Magnolia Hotshots are out to reverse the trend and get back to winning when they take on the GlobalPort Batang Pier today in the 7 p.m. main game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Winners of five straight matches in the season-opening Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) tournament at one point, the Hotshots (6-3) have hit a road block and dropped two consecutive matches which have stymied their assault on a top two finish in the eliminations and earn the twice-to-beat incentive that goes with it in the next round.

Magnolia lost to the defending champions San Miguel Beermen and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in that order with the last one coming last weekend in an out-of-town contest in Pangasinan.

The Hotshots never really got much headway in said match, trailing the E-Painters throughout en route to a 101-95 defeat.

Aldrech Ramos paced Magnolia against Rain or Shine with 27 points with Rome Dela Rosa and Jio Jalalon chipping in 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Mark Barroca was the other Hotshots player who scored in double-digits with 10 points.

“We have to have the proper mind-set heading into the playoffs. Our goal is to get to the top two and to achieve that we have to stay focused in our games,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero as they hit the homestretch of their elimination round campaign where they are currently in joint second place with the idle Alaska Aces (6-3), behind league-leading San Miguel (6-2).

SHORT TURNAROUND
Looking to keep the Hotshots grounded are the Batang Pier, who are playing in a short turnaround after playing their last game on Wednesday, a win over the TNT KaTropa, 99-84.

The win improved GlobalPort to 4-4, in good position to claim a playoff spot with three games remaining in its elimination round schedule.

Guard Nico Elorde had a solid all-around game in the win finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Stanley Pringle had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds while Bradwyn Guinto and Yousef Taha added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

“The players really want to enter the playoffs and this win certainly helps our push. We started aggressively and made sure to make it hard for TNT by being physical on defense,” said winning coach Pido Jarencio of the mind-set they had last time around.

Meanwhile in the opener at 4:30 p.m., the Blackwater Elite (3-5) and Kia Picanto (1-7) tussle.

The Elite, who had a good start to the conference before stumbling midway, will try to save their campaign by winning as many games as possible in their remaining assignments, hoping to book a spot in the tail end of the playoff race.

Kia, for its part, tries to wiggle out from a three-game losing streak and earn a respectable finish in yet another rebuilding campaign in the PBA.

Also today the voting for the PBA All-Star Game begins both online and in various PBA playing venues.

The first phase of the voting ends after the semifinals of the Philippine Cup and resumes thereafter until the first week of the eliminations of the Commissioner’s Cup.

Just like last year, the PBA All-Star festivities will be island-hopping from May 23 to 27 with events set in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Winter Olympians Martinez, Miller plunge into action

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

PHILIPPINE bets in the ongoing 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, plunge into action in their respective disciplines in events set for this weekend.

Figure skater Michael Martinez, a returning Winter Olympian, will compete in the men’s single skating event set for 9 a.m. today where he hopes to go far and improve on his 19th place finish in the last Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in 2014.

Mr. Martinez, 21, got into the PyeongChang Games by way of a late call-up following the pullout of Sweden’s Alexander Majorov for the quadrennial games.

His name was inserted in on the strength of finishing eighth in the final Olympic qualifier in September last year at the Nebelhorn Trophy Competition.

The finish was just a spot away from advancing as the top seven in the tournament earned Olympic berths.

Despite given the short notice, Mr. Martinez expressed readiness to compete as he has been training consistently with his coach and choreographer in the United States.

He also vowed to give his best as he represents the country anew.

The other Filipino bet, Alpine skier Asa Miller, will see action on Sunday, Feb. 18, at the men’s giant slalom.

Run 1 of the event is set for 9:15 a.m. while Run 2 is at 12:45 p.m.

This marks the first time that Filipino-American Miller will represent the country in the Olympics.

The 17-year-old Miller, who resides in Portland, Oregon, and traces his roots to Manila by a Filipino mother, competed in last year’s Junior World Championships in Sweden and is using the Olympic Games to further carve his niche as an Alpine skier.

For Philippine chef de mission to the PyeongChang Games Tomas C. Carrasco, to have two representatives in this year’s Olympics from one last time around (Martinez) is a great achievement for a tropical country like the Philippines.

“In 2014, we had only one participant and to have two now from a tropical country is very significant because it shows we are expanding our horizons and going to the Winter Games,” said Mr. Carrasco in an interview with BusinessWorld prior to their departure.

He was quick to say though that they have tempered expectations, recognizing that this is still part of the early steps for the Philippines in its Winter Games journey.

“We’re not really expecting much but what we are hoping to get from it is the experience and long-term development of our athletes especially those like Asa. We are actually surprised that we have an athlete competing in Alpine skiing. Hopefully they could inspire more young athletes to develop their talent and compete for the country,” the chef de mission said.

Filipinos can see Messrs. Martinez and Miller in action over ESPN5.

Netflix, Amazon billions lure Hollywood hitmakers to jump ship

NETFLIX, INC.’s surprise $300-million deal to poach Ryan Murphy from 21st Century Fox, Inc. shows just how easy it’s getting for rich tech companies to steal Hollywood’s top talent.

Netflix, which released its first original series just six years ago, has now lured two of the most successful producers in TV — Murphy and Shonda Rhimes — from two of the industry’s most valuable companies. Rhimes, the producer of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, bolted from Walt Disney Co.’s ABC in August.

No longer content to license shows from other media companies, Netflix and fellow technology giant Amazon.com, Inc. are throwing money at Hollywood’s top talent to lure them away from those studios. They are upending the TV business in the process, driving up the cost of talent and weakening many of the traditional powers.

Hollywood studios have endured threats from outsiders before, but the list of talent making the jump grows by the day.

HORROR STORY
Netflix, with an annual budget of $8 billion, is paying Murphy, the producer of American Horror Story, about $300 million over five years to make shows and movies for the streaming service. The money will support overhead for Ryan Murphy Productions along with his fees for writing, directing and producing.

Murphy was in the process of negotiating a new deal at Fox when Disney agreed to buy its crosstown rival for more than $52 billion. Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger made a personal call to Murphy, assuring him that “the reason Disney was interested in buying Fox is they believed in the assets and the executives and their creators,” the producer recalled. “He was very sweet and transparent and kind.”

SHONDALAND
Rhimes was the biggest name to leave traditional TV for streaming when she announced she was signing a long-term deal with Netflix. She’d worked at ABC for more than a decade, becoming one of the few showrunners and TV writers known to the public.

Rhimes is also one of the few prominent black showrunners in Hollywood, and has led the way in creating more diversity onscreen. Netflix gave her more than $100 million to ease the transition in a multiyear deal.

ZOMBIES
Robert Kirkman, the creator of cable TV’s biggest hit, The Walking Dead, signed a two-year deal with Amazon last August, days before Netflix announced its deal with Rhimes. Amazon spent an estimated $4.5 billion on video programming last year and plans to increase its budget this year. Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel won the Golden Globe award for best TV comedy.

MILLARWORLD
Netflix knows its customers love comic book movies and TV shows thanks to a pair of deals with Disney, owner of Marvel Studios. So last year it acquired the company that published graphic novels Wanted and Kick-Ass, both of which were adapted into hit movies for Universal Pictures.

Netflix and Millarworld founder Mark Millar will jointly produce films, series, and children’s shows based on comic-book characters for the streaming service, while the publisher will also continue to make comics under the Netflix label. The streaming service will turn some of Millar’s other creations into film and TV properties that can replace Marvel when its deal with Disney ends.

NEW GOLDEN BOY
Shawn Levy rose through the ranks of Hollywood by directing comedy films for major studios, including Cheaper by the Dozen and Night at the Museum. Yet he has since been reborn as one of the hottest producers in TV thanks to Stranger Things, the surprise Netflix fantasy hit. The streaming service locked up Levy’s TV business last year, and now funnels all kinds of high-concept projects his way.

Amazon has also allied itself with Sharon Horgan, the British comic and actress who created its critically beloved comedy Catastrophe. Though Horgan has a show on HBO (Divorce), Amazon gets first dibs on all future work. — Bloomberg

Arellano and San Beda begin best-of-three NCAA women’s volleyball finals

THE defending champions Arellano Lady Chiefs and San Beda Lady Red Spikers get their National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 93 women’s volleyball championship encounter going with Game One of their best-of-three series today at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

After two rounds of competitive play, left standing are the Lady Chiefs and Lady Red Spikers, who incidentally were the top two teams at the end of the elimination round with identical 8-1 cards.

The two teams had twice-to-beat advantages in the Final Four but saw no need to use them as they dispatched their respective opponents at the first instance last week.

Arellano is making its second consecutive appearance in the NCAA finals and is looking to come out triumphant anew.

The Lady Chiefs had it dominant from the start of Season 93, winning their first seven matches before being derailed by the College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers in their penultimate outing in the elimination round.

They faced the Jose Rizal University Lady Bombers in the semifinals, defeating the latter in straight sets, 25-13, 25-20 and 25-17, to barge into the finals.

Setter Sarah Verutiao stepped up for Arellano in the win, dishing out a career-best 39 excellent sets.

Leading the way for the Lady Chiefs, meanwhile, was Regine Arocha with 15 points, 12 coming from spikes, to go along with 15 digs and five excellent receptions.

“We will try our best to defend the title. San Beda is making its first appearance in the finals and we are sure they want to win and we have to be ready for them,” said Arellano coach Obet Javier.

FIRST-TIMERS
On the part of San Beda, its debut finals appearance in the NCAA is something it is taking with special pride as it sees it as a product of their collective effort.

“This is the product of the team’s hard work. This team endured a lot of things,” said San Beda coach Messio Gavino after they booked a ticket to the championship.

The Lady Red Spikers won six straight to start their campaign until they were stopped by Arellano.

They immediately picked up the pieces and won their last two assignments in the classification phase before getting the better of the Perpetual Help Lady Altas in the semifinals in three sets, 25-21, 25-15 and 25-23.

San Beda drew strength from twins Maria Nieza and Maria Jiezela Viray, who fired 16 and eight points, respectively, while combining for 22 digs, in the big win.

Captain Cesca Racraquin struggled but still managed to have nine hits.

Game One of the best-of-three finals between Arellano and San Beda is set for 4 p.m. It will be shown live over ABS-CBN S+A. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Taylor Swift shakes off lawsuit over hit song

LOS ANGELES — A lawsuit accusing singer Taylor Swift of stealing lyrics for her song “Shake It Off” was thrown out on Tuesday by a judge, who ruled the phrases in question were not sufficiently original to merit copyright protection.

Swift’s 2014 song reached No. 1 on the pop charts and marked her evolution from country to pop music.

Two songwriters said in a copyright infringement lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles last year that Swift’s song was based on the phrase “players, they gonna play, and haters, they gonna hate,” that they coined for a 2001 song “Playas Gon’ Play” by R&B girl group 3LW.

Swift’s lyrics from the chorus of “Shake It Off” are, “the players gonna play, play, play, play, play, and the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.”

Attorneys for Swift asked US District Judge Michael Fitzgerald in January to dismiss the case.

“In order for such short phrases to be protected under the Copyright Act, they must be more creative than the lyrics at issue here,” Fitzgerald ruled, according to court papers.

The songwriters who sued Swift — Sean Hall and Nathan Butler — did not allege Swift’s song stole musical elements, the judge said, and phrases about players and haters existed in pop culture before 2001.

“In short, combining two truisms about playas and haters, both well-worn notions as of 2001, is simply not enough,” the judge said in his ruling.

The judge left the door open for Hall and Butler to file a revised lawsuit.

But Gerard Fox, the attorney for the two songwriters, said he had no intention to file an amended complaint and would instead appeal Fitzgerald’s ruling to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

Fitzgerald made a mistake by assessing the originality of the lyrics for himself, instead of relying on experts, Fox said.

“He cannot make himself an expert in the music industry, I‘m sorry it’s actually embarrassing,” Fox said.

A representative for Swift did not immediately return a call or e-mail seeking comment.

Hall is a songwriter and producer for artists such as Justin Bieber and Maroon 5, and Butler has worked with artists such as Backstreet Boys and Luther Vandross.

Swedish producer and songwriter Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster, another Swede who is known professionally as Shellback, are credited as co-writers, along with Swift, on “Shake It Off.” — Reuters

DeAndre Jordan stars as Clippers down Celtics

LOS ANGELES — DeAndre Jordan scored a career-high 30 points as the Los Angeles Clippers sent the Boston Celtics spinning to a fourth defeat in five games with a 129-119 victory at the TD Garden on Thursday.

Jordan — the Clippers’ de facto team leader — produced an inspirational performance that included 13 rebounds, three assists and four steals to give his side a deserved road victory heading into the All-Star break.

The win left Los Angeles firmly in the hunt in the Western Conference playoff race, taking them to 30-26.

Boston leaned heavily on a 33-point haul from Kyrie Irving but it was not enough to stop them from a third straight loss.

The Celtics are second in the Eastern Conference on 40-19, trailing the Toronto Raptors, who crushed the Chicago Bulls, 122-98, elsewhere on Thursday.

The Clippers had Boston on the back foot almost from the outset, leading by 14 points in the first half before the Celtics hit back to close within four points at 61-57 at halftime.

A see-saw second half saw the lead change hands repeatedly, with Irving firing Boston ahead with a superb three-pointer late in the third.

The Clippers, however, rattled off 10 unanswered points in the fourth to take an unassailable lead.

“We got so many guys who draw a lot of attention,” Jordan said afterwards. “I was able to roll. My teammates did a really good job of finding me tonight.

“I was just really confident tonight.”

All five of the Clippers starters cracked double figures, while Lou Williams came off the bench to deliver 19 points.

“Everybody has a job to do on this team,” Jordan said. “We’ve got to keep it up and stay healthy.”

But while the Clippers battled to a deserved win, there was no such luck for their city rivals the Los Angeles Lakers, who were demolished 139-117 by an Anthony Davis-inspired New Orleans Pelicans.

Davis conjured another hefty exhibition of scoring, pouring on 42 points with 15 rebounds and three assists to take his team to 31-26.

However, the action was overshadowed by a stormy contest which saw the Pelicans’ Rajon Rondo and the Lakers’ new signing Isaiah Thomas — former team-mates with the Boston Celtics — ejected after a fracas in the first quarter.

Lakers coach Luke Walton was also given his marching orders, sent to the locker room in the second quarter after an expletive-laden tirade at the officiating crew following a foul against Kyle Kuzma.

In other games Thursday, James Harden had 28 points as the Houston Rockets maintained their pace at the top of the Western Conference with a 100-91 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Houston are now 44-13, neck and neck with the Golden State Warriors who are playing later Thursday. — AFP

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