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Houston Rockets rout struggling Cleveland Cavs

LOS ANGELES — Chris Paul finished with 22 points and 11 assists as the Houston Rockets became the latest team to pummel LeBron James’ struggling Cleveland Cavaliers with a 120-88 win on Saturday.

The Rockets did it without a big night from James Harden who finished with 16 points, while on the other side James had just 11 points and didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach.

Harden has been averaging 31 points a game this season for the Rockets, who won their fourth consecutive game and their 11th in their last 13.

Since losing at Golden State on Christmas Day, Cleveland have been humiliated in several matchups against top level NBA clubs. They lost by 28 at Minnesota, 34 in Toronto, 24 at home to Oklahoma City and now by 32 to the Rockets.

The Cavaliers looked nothing like the team that has made it to the last three NBA finals. The defending Eastern Conference champs played their second game without injured all-star forward Kevin Love, who suffered a broken left hand earlier this week and could be out for two months.

Isaiah Thomas scored 12 for Cleveland, who have lost 12 of 18 and don’t seem to have any answers on the floor for what ails them.

In Detroit, Andre Drummond had 23 points and 20 rebounds and Ish Smith tallied a season-high 25, including a clutch triple in the final minute, as the Detroit Pistons beat the Miami Heat, 111-107.

Blake Griffin helped offset a poor shooting night by making a key three pointer with 44 seconds remaining in the fourth.

The 28-year-old Griffin, who spent all eight NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers before being traded to the Pistons on Monday, missed his first five shots from beyond the arc before making one in the final minute. He finished six-of-19 from the field with 16 total points.

GRIFFIN MAKES THREE
The Pistons won their third straight game since the trade and are 2-0 with Griffin in uniform as they pulled within a game of .500 with a 25-26 record on the season.

Goran Dragic scored 33 points for the Heat, who have lost three in a row. Miami was missing center Hassan Whiteside, who was sidelined with an illness.

With the Pistons ahead by four and 44 seconds to play, Griffin hit a triple to give Detroit a 108-101 lead.

Dragic responded with a four-point play, making a three-pointer while being fouled with 32 seconds left.

Detroit ran the clock down and on the next possession Griffin found a wide-open Smith who sank his only three-point attempt of the game with 14 seconds left to restore the lead to six points.

Elsewhere, Tobias Harris scored 24 points in his Clippers debut, leading Los Angeles to a 113-103 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Danilo Gallinari also had 24 points, Lou Williams added 21 points and six assists, and Montrezl Harrell scored 14 as the Clippers won for the third time in four games. — AFP

All-day wear Air Max 270 to be released in March

THE POPULAR Nike Air Max takes on a new iteration in the Air Max 270 which will be made available locally in March.

Hailed as a 100% lifestyle Air shoe, the 270 is designed with the same rigor as sport performance but also perfect for all-day wear.

It boasts of a 32-mm heel bag — the tallest-ever Max Air Heel Unit — which offers a super-soft bounce perfect for long days out.

The Air Max 270 takes inspiration from the Air Max 93 and 180, with the “270” coined by Nike designers in reference to the 270 degrees of visibility in the air unit found in the 93.

National Basketball Association superstar and champion Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors was one of the first to rock the 270 and came away impressed, particularly with the Air Max 270 unit height that offers the biggest heel volume displacement for maximum air cushion comfort.

Nike said the 270 will feature a variety of silhouettes and colors throughout the year.

The Nike Air Max 270 will be available starting March 2 at select Nike stores, Commonwealth, Sole Academy, The Athlete’s Foot and Capital with a retail price of P7,645. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Germany’s potential coalition partners agree on energy, wrangle over health

BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) reached agreement on energy and agriculture on Saturday, but were still in dispute over health care during talks to form a government, more than four months after the election.

The two camps aimed to seal a deal by the end of Sunday to renew the “grand coalition” that has governed since 2013, although some politicians say they could run into Monday or Tuesday.

Speaking at the end of talks on Saturday, conservative politician Michael Grosse-Broemer said the two blocs intended to stick to the timeframe but issues like labor policy, health care and rents still needed to be resolved.

“The coalition treaty is slowly taking shape but we’ll only be able to say with more certainty tomorrow whether it will come to a conclusion,” he said.

SPD deputy Manuela Schwesig urged the conservatives to compromise on abolishing fixed-term contracts for workers and reforming Germany’s public-private health care system.

“I don’t think Mrs. Merkel can explain why there can’t be any movement there,” she said as she arrived for talks.

The SPD wants to prove to its sceptical members that it would be able to push through those core policies in the role of junior partner to make another “grand coalition” more appealing.

Many of the SPD’s 443,000 members — who will get to vote on any coalition deal — would prefer their party to revamp in opposition rather than join another alliance with Merkel after suffering their worst post-war election result in September.

Health care is a big stumbling block and party sources said Merkel and her Bavarian ally Horst Seehofer discussed the issue before meeting the SPD.

Most Germans have public health insurance, but a minority, mainly high earners, have private insurance instead. The SPD wants to replace the system with one insurance system for all, a change the conservatives reject.

Talks are now expected to focus on improving public health care, such as by changing billing rules for doctors, who earn more by treating private patients.

The parties are not expected to come to an agreement on the most controversial issues, which include health care and labor market policy, until the near the end of negotiations.

The conservatives have offered to ban the repeated renewal of fixed-term contracts but do not want to prevent employers from using them as the SPD demands.

The two camps made some progress on labor policy on Friday by agreeing that employees in companies with more than 45 workers should have the right to move seamlessly back and forth between full- and part-time employment.

ENERGY AND FARMING
In a sign they are getting closer to a deal, the parties reached an accord on energy and the environment, agreeing to set legally binding climate targets for sectors like energy, transport, agriculture and construction to reach by 2030.

Environment Minister and SPD member Barbara Hendricks said national climate targets for 2020 would not be quite reached but the new targets, which would be written into law in 2019, would ensure Germany can remain a “climate protection pioneer.”

They also agreed on agriculture, saying they wanted to put an end to the use of weedkiller glyphosate as quickly as possible and ban the cultivation of genetically modified plants.

They reached a deal on migration on Friday, agreeing to stick to the wording of January’s coalition blueprint that said the parties did not expect annual migration to exceed 220,000 per year.

But the two blocs were still wrangling over its meaning on Saturday, with Joachim Herrmann — a member of Merkel’s CSU Bavarian allies who have called for an upper limit — telling the Rheinische Post his party had secured a migrant cap.

SPD deputy Ralf Stegner said the number was merely a prediction, writing on Twitter: “The fact remains that the SPD has not agreed to any upper limit and will not do so.”

Migration is a sensitive issue given the influx of more than a million migrants since mid-2015 and the conservatives’ subsequent loss of support to the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany in September’s national election. — Reuters

Batangas City, Navotas pick up win no. 2 to share MPBL lead

BATANGAS CITY — Whether playing away or at home, the Batangas City Athletics-Tanduay and the Navotas Clutch have found ways to win.

The Athletics endured an explosive game from ex-PBA star Gary David behind a balance scoring production en route to an easy 88-73 triumph over the Bataan Defenders-BaiShipping late Saturday night at the Batangas City Coliseum.

Mr. David, a scoring champion in the PBA for several years, knocked in 32 points, but failed to get much support from the rest of the Defenders, who dropped to their second loss in as many games.

While Bataan appeared to be a one man show, Batangas City relied on everyone and not on anyone.

The Athletics drew double-digit production from seven players with Val Acuña leading the way with 13 points.

Moncrief Rogado and Paul Varilla contributed 11 apiece while Jaymo Eguilos, Lester Alvarez and Bernabe Teodoro had 10 each in a display of balance firepower by Batangas City.

Despite the win, Batangas City coach Mac Tan wasn’t satisfied.

“I’m not fully satisfied because we underestimated our opponents,” said Mr. Tan. “We prepared to run, but we didn’t take care of the ball.”

By halftime, the heavily favored Athletics led by a slim 37-36 edge, but after getting a tongue-lasher from Tan, the home team behind Messrs. Acuña, Alvarez and Rogado, conspired in a dizzying 11-2 run to turn a 44-all count to a 55-46 advantage and Batangas City never looked back from there.

If Batangas City won decisively, Navotas went through a wringer.

The Clutch needed to go to an extra period before outlasting an equally tough Bulacan Kuyas-Ligo Sardines, 77-76, in the league’s first overtime game.

Gino Jumao-as finished with 16 points, including back-to-back jumpers in overtime as the Clutch joined the Athletics in a share of the lead with a 2-0 record. — Rey Joble

State dep’t says drug-interdiction remarks by Trump unhelpful

WASHINGTON — A senior State department official said that President Donald Trump’s remarks about cutting aid to countries that allow drugs into the US was unhelpful, exposing anew the rift that’s emerged between the White House and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s agency.

Mr. Trump made the comments Friday, the same day that Mr. Tillerson was meeting with top Mexican officials and delivering a message of greater cooperation in efforts to stem the flow of drugs across the border.

Mr. Tillerson said it was only fair the US take some of the blame because it drives the demand for those drugs.

During a roundtable at the Border Patrol National Targeting Center in Sterling, Virginia, Mr. Trump discussed the flow of drugs with Kevin McAleenan, acting commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection.

Mr. McAleenan informed the president that cocaine sent to the US was produced “in Colombia and Peru, primarily” and trafficked up through Central America and Mexico.

“I won’t mention names right now, but I look at these countries, I look at the numbers we send them — we send them massive aid and they’re pouring drugs into our country and they’re laughing at us,” Mr. Trump said.

“So I’m not a believer in that. I want to stop the aid. I want to stop the aid.”

‘JOINT EFFORT’
Mr. Tillerson is on a weeklong tour of the region, visiting Argentina and Jamaica as well as Peru and Colombia, following a one-night stop in Mexico City.

The senior State department official, who asked not to be identified to speak freely, suggested that the remarks complicated Mr. Tillerson’s efforts.

At the same time Mr. Trump was speaking, Mr. Tillerson was holding a press conference with Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray to discuss new joint initiatives on combating drug- and gun-trafficking.

“So this is a joint effort that is very, very active, it is very robust, and we intend to maintain this effort well in until we have resolved this problem,” Mr. Tillerson said.

It was only the latest example of conflicting messages emerging from the White House and the State Department.

After Mr. Tillerson visited Beijing in 2017, he raised the possibility of direct talks with North Korea — an idea that Mr. Trump swiftly dismissed over Twitter.

Earlier in his term, Mr. Tillerson had sought to strike an even tone on the Qatar blockade, while Mr. Trump came down firmly on the side of Saudi Arabia, which led the economic crackdown.

AID THREATS
Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut off aid to countries or organizations that have angered him.

He followed through in recent months by cutting security assistance to Pakistan over its failure to crack down on terror groups, and slashing aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, which assists Palestinian refugees.

In his State of the Union speech, Mr. Trump also said he would ask Congress to pass a law to “ensure American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to America’s friends.”

Mr. Tillerson, meanwhile, has struck a more moderate tone. He successfully persuaded Mr. Trump to release at least some financial help to UNRWA and took a far more moderate tone in Mexico on issues such as illegal immigration, describing the US as a nation of immigrants and all people as deserving respect.

Steve Goldstein, the State department’s undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, said there was no daylight between Mr. Tillerson’s actions and the administration’s stance.

“Different people speak different ways but the policy hasn’t changed,” Mr. Goldstein said.

“We have more to do but we’re all on the same page and heading toward the same goal.” — Bloomberg

Philab allots $150M to establish clinics, invest in genomics

PHILAB HOLDINGS Corp. has set a spending plan of $150 million for 2018, as it targets to launch satellite clinics across the country and to invest more into genomics. 

“It depends on how much we could raise…but I would probably put around $150 million for this year,” Philab Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Hector Thomas A. Navasero told reporters after a press conference for its partnership with genetics firm Veritas Genetics last Friday in Makati City.

A total of $100 million of the capital expenditure budget will be used for the development of up to 60 satellite clinics in the country, which can serve primary care to patients unable to immediately reach hospitals.

Mr. Navasero noted these clinics, to be called Philsat, will be attached to potentially larger hospitals.

“They’ll be modern, equipped with the most modern medicine, technology. We can put them up to reduce the costs of health care across the country,” Mr. Navasero said, adding they are studying to establish the first one in Tacloban, Leyte.

For the clinics, the company will be using prefabricated buildings, which will allow them to set up one in 30 to 45 days. A fully equipped clinic could cost up to $1 million each.

In the long term, the company is targeting up to 1,000 satellite clinics in the country.

The Philab executive said the company is looking to partner with the Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., since these are the government entities in charge of putting up such facilities for the people.

Meanwhile, the remaining $50 million will be used to invest in companies with interests in genomics. Genomics is defined as “an emerging medical discipline that involves using genomic information about an individual as part of their clinical care.”

This would complement Philab’s recent partnership with United States-based Veritas Genetics. Philab will be managing Veritas’ operations in the Asia-Pacific region, after investing an initial P500 million into the firm. With this, Veritas will build a facility in Clark, Pampanga that will oversee genetics testing in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding China.

“There will be $50 million for the genetics, pharmaceuticals… Specialized medicine I think is where we’re going,” Mr. Navasero said.

Asked how the capex program will be funded, Mr. Navasero said the company has around $55 million in commitments from several investors.

“We have commitments from specific investors, family funds that are very keen on what we’re doing,” he said. 

To raise the remaining amount needed for the capex, Mr. Navasero said he is willing to bring down his ownership in the firm to as low as 30-40%.

A regulatory filing shows Mr. Navasero held a total of 1.70 billion shares in Philab as of Dec. 31, 2017, equivalent to an 82.436% stake in the company.

“I know it’s dilutive, but we’re not here to keep control of our large company… So we hopefully will raise $100 to $150 million,” Mr. Navasero said. 

Philab widened its net loss to P107.85 million in the first nine months of 2017, against the P860,006 it posted in the same period a year ago. Revenues stood at P155.15 million. — Arra B. Francia

Costume beauty

LOOKING AS if dug up fresh from a sunken ship, what looked like a small fortune in opals was placed near my plate during the launch of Les Nereides in Greenbelt 3 last January. Named after the daughters of Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea culled from Greek myth, one of course expects a certain degree of opulence and mystery. Imagine the surprise we felt when the small fortune in “opals” cost well below P10,000.

If precious stones are one of nature’s gifts to mankind, then their polishing and setting are mankind’s gifts to themselves. The old master jeweler Faberge achieved his degree of artistry by veering away from focusing on the stone: in his case, he used the precious stones only as secondary tools to craftsmanship and design. In the case of Les Nereides, a French purveyor of costume jewelry, eliminating the precious stone altogether gives the artisan free rein to focus on its appearance, instead of its purported value.

And my, what an appearance! Collections presented during the launch included pieces inspired by jellyfish, anemone, ballerinas, birds, and gardens. The pieces were executed in handpainted enamel, gold-plated brass, and artificial stones.

The company was brought to the Philippines by Peejay and Anne Yambao, Arthur and Martha King, Ninoy Roco, and jewelers Kristine Dee and Paul Syjuco. The whole thing began when Mr. Yambao made an inquiry directly to the company about a bracelet that charmed his wife Anne. It just so happened that Les Nereides, owned by the Amaddeo family, was looking into expansions in the area. To date, the Philippines is the 40th country to carry the brand’s merchandise, with a reach spanning from Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Les Nereides 2

Old World-women might sniff at the thought of wearing costume jewelry. While precious stones may be traded in times of need or want, costume jewelry serve only as adornment. But perhaps, there is more nobility in buying an object not for its projected financial value, but the joy in can give to its wearer. “You invest in fine jewelry, but sometimes, you need to invest in yourself,” was Mr. Syjuco’s view. “Adornment has always been a strong psychological [need] for human beings. Humans always [want to] create something beautiful.”

Maybe, that something beautiful is yourself.

Les Nereides is located at the Ground Level of Greenbelt 3. — Joseph L. Garcia

PAGCOR revenues up 7.6% in 2017

By Elijah J. C. Tubayan,
Reporter

THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said revenues rose 7.6% in 2017, with the opening of new casino sites and the entry of offshore gaming operators.

Based on its statement of comprehensive income posted on its Web site, PAGCOR’s full-year income from gaming operations stood at P57.34 billion, higher than the P53.3 billion recorded in 2016. This was also 25% higher than its P45.76-billion full-year target.

Jose S. Tria, Jr., PAGCOR special assistant to the chairman, said this was due to the new income-sharing scheme with lessors in favor of the casino operator, as well as the entry of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).

“The opening of some new casino sites and the conversion of some of our agreements to a 65%-35% sharing with our private proponents placed PAGCOR in a better standing as to our revenues,” Mr. Tria said in a mobile phone message yesterday.

Mr. Tria added the POGO program contributed “almost P4 billion in revenues” last year.

PAGCOR data show registered offshore, or online gaming operators stood at 50 as of end-November last year. The POGO program was institutionalized in September 2016.

Companies seeking an offshore gaming license must pay $50,000 in application and processing fees for e-casinos and $40,000 for sports betting. They must pay another $200,000 for an e-casino license and $150,000 for a sports betting license upon receiving approval from PAGCOR.

On top of that, online gaming operators with live-studio setups should pay gaming taxes of $10,000 a month, 2% of gross gaming revenue for random-number games, and $40,000 a month for sports betting.

However, Mr. Tria noted 2017’s gross revenue growth of 7.5% was slower than 2016’s 22.88% year-on-year growth from 2015. He attributed the slower revenue growth to the implementation of a nationwide smoking ban, which also covered casinos. 

Aside from its casinos, PAGCOR earns income from shares and license fees from licensed casinos and offshore gaming operations, as well as rental, entertainment, and interest income.

As mandated, the casino operator remitted half of its income, or P27.17 billion to the Bureau of the Treasury.

It also handed over some P60 million to the Dangerous Drugs Board per Republic Act No. 9165 or the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,” to fund adequate drug rehabilitation centers in the country and its maintenance and operations.

This year, PAGCOR set a P61.66-billion revenue target which is 34.72% higher than the target in 2017, and 7.53% higher than the actual recorded revenue last year.

Jordan Brand NBA All-Star uniforms out

WEEKS BEFORE the National Basketball Association Midseason Classic All-Star Game, specially made Jordan Brand uniforms to mark the event were released.

It will mark the first time that the iconic Jumpman will be seen on the chests of the game’s biggest stars as they take part in the festivities set for Feb. 17 to 19 (Manila time).

The uniforms were unveiled in the “Future of Flight” event held recently in Los Angeles, home of the NBA All-Star Game for 2018.

In addition to the uniforms, the brand also highlighted four product priorities in Jordan Sportswear, Jordan Women’s, Russell Westbrook’s Why Not Zero.1, and the Air Jordan 32.

The Jordan Brand NBA All-Star Edition uniform blends the brand’s style with the latest innovation, adding another element of distinction to this year’s game by utilizing a clean black-and-white color scheme featuring individual team logos and a font inspired by Los Angeles street sign typography. Its elevated aesthetic creates a premium look on and off the court.

The All-Star Edition jerseys are now available in the country at the NBA Stores, Nike stores, and select Titan doors for P4,095.

Among the hot sneakers due to release, meanwhile, is the Air Jordan 3 Black Cement which is set to come out at Titan, Nike stores, the Athlete’s Foot, and Capital stores. The shoe is priced P9,895. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

North Korea said to make $200 million by dodging United Nations sanctions

NEW YORK — North Korea received almost $200 million between January and September 2017 from exports of coal, iron, steel and other commodities banned under United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions meant to crack down on Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions, according to a confidential report.

Coal shipments were delivered to China, Malaysia, South Korea, Russia and Vietnam by ships using combination of “deceptive navigation patterns, signals manipulation, transshipment,” independent United Nations monitors said in the report, which was seen by Bloomberg News.

The report noted that increased sanctions have created lucrative markets for North Korean traders to procure petroleum products and export natural resources, and that more action is needed by countries to stop such oil and coal transfers.

The panel of experts’ report also warned of continuing cooperation on ballistic missile development between North Korea and Myanmar and Syria, which have been providing logistical support, military technicians and intelligence operations and using front companies.

The UN Security Council on Dec. 23 approved new steps tightening the screws on North Korea’s economy following the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile in November, which North Korean leader Kim Jong UN’s regime said shows it can now target the entire continental United States.

The latest restrictions were meant to slash imports of refined petroleum products, restrict shipping, and impose a deadline for expatriate North Korean workers to be sent home.

In January, the Trump administration announced a new round of sanctions targeting North Korea’s oil industry and shipping companies, as well as individuals or entities in China and Russia, two countries the US says needs to do more to rein in Kim’s nuclear weapons program. — Bloomberg

David deserves another crack at PBA

In one stretch in the third period, Gary “El Granada” David exploded to keep the Bataan Defenders-BaiShipping afloat in their second game in the MPBL-Anta Rajah Cup.

There, Gary David, the former scoring champion in the PBA for several years, was able to put on a shooting clinic. He scored 13 points in the third quarter alone and by the end of the quarter he produced 26 markers.

But not even another explosive night for the 6-foot-2 former Lyceum stalwart could carry the Defenders to victory as the team absorbed its second straight loss in as many games.

David has embraced the role not only as go-to-guy of the Defenders but also as the ambassador of this fledgling league that has drawn attention throughout the country.

He has become the face of the league as every player in the MPBL emulates the way he plays and takes the opportunity of playing either against him or with him.

But I won’t be surprised if David would only stay in the MPBL in a short time as he would attract attention from several PBA ball clubs, especially with the kind of performance he displayed.

He finished with 22 in the team’s first loss to Quezon City then spewed fire anew Saturday night as he erupted for 32 in a loss to host Batangas City Athletics-Tanduay.

David is not closing the doors for a possible PBA return, thus using the MPBL as a platform in his potential return for a bigger stage.

It would be exciting to see David torching the hoops, but it would be more interesting if his squad could provide the sensational veteran swingman all the support he needed.

David doesn’t have many more chances left and it’s not ideal if El Granada would carry the firepower alone for the Defenders.

This is not the Gary David of 2012, the one we’ve seen in Powerade, which burned the then no. 1 seed B-Meg Llamados being coached by Tim Cone in his first conference, and helped the Tigers make a Cinderella Run.

We’re seeing a David, who needs to be paced and preserved for the crucial stretch in order for him to be more productive.

David definitely needs a lot of help.

We’ve seen greatness in display in the MPBL and David is one bright star out there.

And he’s just warming up.

 

Rey Joble has been has been covering the PBA games for more than a decade. He is a member of the PBA Press Corps and Philippine Sportswriters Association.

reyjoble09@gmail.com

PLDT to ramp up expansion of fixed, mobile networks

PLDT, Inc. is ramping up the expansion of its fixed and mobile networks as part of its five-year P260-billion capital expenditure (capex) program.

In a statement, the telecommunications giant said it has earmarked over P50 billion for this year’s capex. The company’s capital spending is expected to stay at the same level in the next two years. PLDT said this is separate from the P175 billion or $3.4 billion of capex that it invested in network building in the previous five-year period (2011 to 2015).

“What this means is that for every P1 of service revenue, we reinvest between P0.30-0.35 in the business to super-charge our networks and advance our digital transformation program. This is a massive effort to turn our networks into powerful, pervasive and resilient platforms for delivering relevant digital services and solutions that our people can use to improve their daily lives, as well as enable the country to compete and thrive in this digital age,” PLDT President, Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said in a statement. 

For its fixed line business, PLDT said it aiming to double its fiber and hybrid fiber broadband capacity to over 2.2 million ports, with about 650,000 of the additional ports for fiber and another 550,000 for hybrid fiber broadband. The company said by 2019, virtually all of PLDT’s 1.2 million copper-based digital subscriber line (DSL) subscribers will enjoy fiber-fast Internet. Within the next five-year cycle of network development (2021-2025), PLDT could have as many as 10 million homes passed with fiber-to-the-home (FTTH).

For mobile, PLDT’s wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. is targeting to double the number of long-term evolution (LTE) base stations to about 17,700 and increase the number of LTE-equipped cell sites to over 6,800. The number of 3G base stations will be over 12,400, while cell sites equipped with new 3G base stations will be over 8,000. Most of the new 4G and 3G base stations will be using frequencies acquired from San Miguel Corporation’s telecommunications unit.

PLDT said its total fiber footprint grew 45% from about 120,000 kilometers as of end-2015 to over 174,000 kilometers by end-2017.  For this year, PLDT will add another 33,000 kilometers of fiber cables and raise the total to nearly 210,000 kilometers by yearend.

Total capacity of its international fiber network is expected to jump 80% to 8.92 Terabits per second (Tbps) by end-2019, of which 8.11 Tbps will terminate in the Philippines. This will be boosted by its P7-billion investment in the new Trans-Pacific undersea cable system called Jupiter, which will boost the capacity and resiliency of its direct undersea fiber links to the West Coast of the United States and Japan. Jupiter will be built by a consortium of global companies which include Amazon, Facebook, SoftBank, PCCW Global and NTT Communications.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

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