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How PSEi member stocks performed — February 22, 2018

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Thursday, February 22, 2018.

Corruption Perceptions Index 2017

THE PHILIPPINES dropped 10 spots globally and languished in the lower third of the Asia-Pacific list in an annual report of businessmen’s corruption perception that tagged the country “among the worst” in terms of dealing with those who “dare to challenge the status quo.” Read the full story.
Corruption Perceptions Index

Sustainable business: transcending CSR theaters

Recent developments across the globe have tested companies in a number of ways. Corporate citizenship, philanthropy and social innovation have been swiftly thrust into the limelight and are no longer regarded as mere buzzwords. And I say rightfully so. Today, there is an increasing pressure and expectations are high for corporations to have greater involvement in addressing a growing list of issues covering the three pillars of sustainability — social, environmental and economic. This article discusses why there is only one way for a business to be sustainable. Companies need to reinvent, integrate and sustain its corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies in a way that will respond to customer and global problems while maintaining the bottom line.

A 2015 study published by the Harvard Business Review suggests that companies with relatively advanced CSR practices operate a multifaceted version of CSR that runs through the gamut of the three theaters of practice. Broad as it may be, the study likewise found that CSR programs are often laden with coordination issues across theaters. This hinders the achievement of maximum positive impact and further highlights the need to operate coordinated and interdependent programs across the CSR portfolio.

THREE THEATERS OF CSR
Theater One focuses purely on philanthropy. CSR programs classified under this theater by nature of its philanthropic objective are not designed to produce profits or directly improve business performance. Examples include donations and engagements in socio-civic organizations and initiatives.

On the other hand, Theater Two aligns closely with improvements in operational effectiveness while functioning within existing business models. Examples include sustainability initiatives that address resource utility and degradation which may result into cost reduction and enhanced productivity.

Finally, Theater Three has an effect of transforming the companies’ business model as it address social or environmental challenges. Achieving positive social or environmental results thru CSR programs under this theater will drive improved business performance.

TRANSCENDING CSR THEATERS
With ever-growing social and environmental concerns, clearly, it is no longer enough for companies to disassociate their CSR activities with its business purpose and values. The boundaries between theaters have now become porous in order to create shared value for the firm, society and the planet.

To illustrate, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) ensures that it carries out relevant and meaningful social responsibility programs that works within its business model, cutting across development imperatives in the environment and social spheres. Its flagship programs are the DBP Forest Program and the DBP Endowment for Education Program (DEEP) now rechristened the DBP Resources for Inclusive and Sustainable Education (RISE) initiative.

Launched in 2005, the DBP Forest Program (DFP) is a non-credit program that aims to curb incidence of denudation and restore the country’s forest cover. Presently, it had 44 projects covering more than 7,054 hectares of forest area with more that 5,600 hectares already planted. Under the program, DBP partners with local government units, state universities and colleges, people’s organizations and other government agencies qualified as forest partners to ensure coordinated efforts for this reforestation initiative.

Aside from helping to address pressing environmental problems, the DFP also provides livelihood opportunities for forest partners and their families through the harvest, sale or processing of fruits and other tree products. Nearly 7,000 individuals — including Palawenos, Tbolis, Igorots, Manobos, Mangyans, and Aetas — have already benefited from this program. The bank has committed funding assistance to the program amounting to P182 million, with over 51% or more that P104 million being released to forest partners during the past 12 years.

On the other hand, the DEEP has supported over 3,500 scholars from indigent families coming from different parts of the country since its launching in 2008. This scholarship program is funded by a P1 billion seed money, which is intended to support government initiatives to scale up investment in the country’s human capital.

Through the years, the DEEP has already produced a pool of qualified and highly-skilled professionals who are already serving the needs of the local and global job markets. To further bolster efforts to improve access to education, the bank is set to launch the DBP RISE later this year. An offshoot of the DEEP, this new program will provide financial assistance to the best and brightest high school graduates of indigent Filipino families.

With an allocation of P500 million, the DBP RISE scholarship program is aimed at complementing the National Government’s thrust towards infrastructure build-up by supporting the education of qualified scholars enrolled in engineering and science courses as well as in programs which are in demand in the job market.

The model of scattered philanthropy is useful to address specific emergencies but the better approach seems to be one integrated with what the institution ultimately stands for. This way leads to transformation that makes a more lasting impact.

Benel D. Lagua is Executive Vice President at the Development Bank of the Philippines.   He is an active FINEX member and a long time advocate of risk-based lending for SMEs. The views expressed herein are his own and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of his office as well as FINEX.

Your Weekend Guide (February 23, 2018)

Philippine Madrigal Singers in concert

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents a concert by the Philippine Madrigal Singers called 5-in 1: Mas Pinalasa, Mas Pinasarap ang Timpla! on Feb. 24, 8 p.m., and Feb. 25, 5 p.m., at the CCP Main Theater. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

A Scene from PETA’s ’Nite, Mother.

PETA’s season ender ’Night, Mother

PETA closes its 50th theater season with Marsha Norman’s Pulitzer-prize winning drama, ’Night, Mother, featuring Eugene Domingo and Sherry Lara. On an otherwise normal evening, Jessie announces to her mother that she plans to kill herself before the night ends. The show runs until March 18 at the PETA Theater Center, No. 5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, Quezon City. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Himala: Isang Musikal returns onstage

AICELLE SANTOS stars as Elsa, a young woman who is looked upon as a desperate town’s savior, in Himala: Isang Musikal. The show runs until March 4 at the PowerMac Center Spotlight, Circuit Lane, Circuit Makati, Makati City. The musical is based on the 1982 Ishmael Bernal film starring Nora Aunor. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Nang Dalawin ng Pag-ibig si Juan Tamad

BASED on a short story in Nick Joaquin’s book Pop Stories for Groovy Kids (1979), Tanghalang Pilipino presents a stage adaptation of Nang Dalawin ng Pag-ibig si Juan Tamad until March 11 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Little Theater. The play was adapted by Rody Vera and directed by Jonathan Tadioan. For tickets and schedules, visit TicketWorld (www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999).

Araneta Center holds art exhibit for a cause

Fourteen employees from the Araneta Center show off their artistic talents in Beginnings: Art for Hope, a charity exhibit that will benefit the key programs of the J. Amado Araneta Foundation. Beginnings is an open theme exhibit that gathers the diverse artworks created by the employees who belong to different departments of the company such as Archives, Business Development, Marketing, Clinic, Property Administration, Architectural & Engineering. Over 40 artworks are on display that use a variety of media including oil, acrylic, yarn, ballpoint, pencil and charcoal. Beginnings is on view at the Gateway Gallery in Araneta Center, Quezon City until Feb. 28.

Museum Foundation’s lecture on cone snails

The Museum Foundation will host a lecture on cone shells.

The first of the Museum Foundation of the Philippines’ Sabado sa Museo Lecture Series will be held on Feb. 24, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at the National Museum Auditorium, National Museum of Fine Arts, P. Burgos St., Manila. The lecture is “Cone Snails: From Natural History Treasures to A Pharmacological Cornucopia for Novel Non-Opioid Drugs for Pain” by Dr. Baldomero “Toto” M. Olivera. The shells of cone snails were among the most highly prized Natural History objects in the 17th to 19th centuries, and today, their venoms are a source of drug leads for pain providing new alternatives to opioids. Dr. Olivera will describe how from his start collecting cone shells as a child, he has become a scientist developing the rich biodiversity of cone shells as an exciting source of potential new drugs. He has published over 300 research papers and described over 30 new species of venomous marine snails from the Philippines. Admission to the lecture is free but participants must pre-register. For details, call 404-2685, text 0915-4688-912, or e-mail inquiry@museumfoundationph.org.

YouTube sensation Alex Aiono at the mall

Alex Aiono

Angeles-based musician and YouTube sensation Alex Aiono will be performing at Megaworld Lifestyle Malls this weekend. He will be at the Uptown Mall on Feb. 23, 7 p.m., Eastwood City on Feb. 24, 6 p.m., and Venice Grand Canal on Feb. 25, 5 p.m. He gained a following after posting his video of a successful mashup attempt of Drake’s “One Dance” and Nicky Jam’s “Hasta el Amanecer” on YouTube. His other tracks include “Thinking About You,” “Work The Middle,” “Does It Feel Like Falling feat. Trinidad Cardona,” among others. For details, contact the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls Concierge at 709-9888, 709-0888 or 0917-8380111 or visit www.megaworldlifestylemalls.com.

Boomers send Gilas crashing in Melbourne

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

AUSTRALIA kept its unblemished record in group play of the FIBA Asian World Cup Qualifiers yesterday, defeating Gilas Pilipinas, 84-68, in their battle of unbeaten teams at the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne.

Greatly challenged in the opening half, the Boomers proved themselves steady in the second fold of the match and out-sprinted Gilas to notch the victory, their third in as many games in Group B of the qualifiers, while sending the Philippines (2-1) to its first defeat in the tournament.

Australia got the scoring going early, outscoring the Philippines, 5-0, in the first two minutes of the opening quarter.

Gilas though would retaliate with five straight points after with Matthew Wright and Gabe Norwood conspiring.

The two teams went back and forth the rest of the way, making runs and counter-runs, finishing the frame leveled at 19-all.

In the second period it was Gilas’ turn to jump-start things, with June Mar Fajardo getting it going.

The Philippines held a five-point cushion, 30-25, at the 5:03 mark of the period.

But Australia did not stay down for long as it began to make its move back.

It retook the lead, 31-30, with 3:26 remaining on a basket by forward Mitchell Creek before outgunning the Philippines for the remainder of the half, 6-2, to build a 37-32 advantage by the halftime break.

Action picked up to start the third canto as both teams had their guns firing.

They fought to a 42-39 count with Australia on top with 7:48 on the clock.

Gilas’ offense, however, tapered off which the home team capitalized on as it built a 10-point gap, 54-44, at the 3:11 mark of the quarter.

Mr. Fajardo scored back-to-back baskets to pull the Philippines to within six points, 54-48.

It was the closest Gilas would come at that point as the Boomers pushed the gas as the frame wound up to extend their lead to 14 points, 63-49, heading into the final 10 minutes of the contest.

Sensing that the momentum was now on their side, the Boomers went for the kill to begin the fourth, going on a 7-0 run to establish their biggest lead of 21 points, 70-49, with over eight minutes remaining.

Gilas continued to fight amid the onslaught of Australia, coming within 14 points twice, 77-63 and 79-65.

The Boomers though would stay steady thereafter and went on to roll to the victory.

Cameron Gliddon led Australia with 16 points followed by Mr. Creek and naturalized player Kevin Lisch with 12 points apiece.

Mr. Fajardo, meanwhile, paced Gilas with 15 points with Mr. Wright adding nine.

Andray Blatche had a strong first half but fizzled out in the second to finish with eight points and seven rebounds.

Despite the loss, the Philippine still remains in second place in the standings in Group B behind Australia.

Japan and Chinese Taipei, which were to battle also yesterday, remained winless in the group.

In the Asian Qualifiers, 16 teams have been divided into four groups to determine the top seven teams joining World Cup host China as representatives of Asia/Oceania at the 32-field Basketball World Cup happening in August 2019.

Gilas Pilipinas next plays on Sunday against Japan at the Mall of Asia Arena at 7 p.m.

Alaska Aces aim to enter quarterfinals on high note

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

WHILE the consecutive losses they absorbed in their last two games in the PBA Philippine Cup dealt a huge blow to their chances of securing a top two finish at the end of the elimination round, and notch the twice-to-beat incentive that goes with it in the next phase, still the Alaska Aces are not being down on themselves and are instead determined to finish on a high note.

To take on the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the 7 p.m. main game today of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Aces (6-4) play their final game in the classification round with the hope of coming out on top and fortifying their place in the quarterfinals.

Currently tied at fourth place, Alaska is outside looking in for the top two but is already assured of a top six finish which would allow it to play in a best-of-three series in the next round.

As per tournament format, only the top eight teams at the end of the elimination round move on to the next phase with the top two enjoying a twice-to-beat edge over the two lowest teams while the middle teams battle in a best-of-three series — #3 vs. #6 and #4 vs. #5.

The Aces come in to their game against third-running Rain or Shine (5-3) off a loss to the league-leading San Miguel Beermen, 109-96, in an out-of-town game in Batangas City last Saturday.

It was their second in as many games after dropping their previous match against the NLEX Road Warriors.

Alaska gave everything they got against the Beermen but just could not complete the win as the latter showed the composure and step-up abilities, anchored by their starters, to withstand the Aces’ challenge.

JVee Casio paced Alaska with 20 points as Sonny Thoss added 15 and Vic Manuel and Kevin Racal had 13 points apiece.

The loss set the Aces back in their push for the top where they were at earlier in the tournament after racking up six consecutive victories midway into.

Despite the slippage, the Aces are not losing focus on their end goal and looking to regroup heading into the higher rounds and go as deep as possible in the conference.

“Our goal is to win the championship at the end of every conference and not to be number one at the end of the elimination round. It remains that way. We want to keep bettering ourselves and learn each time moving forward,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton after their game against San Miguel.

He went on to say that they will try to claim the win over Rain or Shine, which is on a three-game winning streak and off a near two-week break, to have something to build on come the quarterfinals wherever they made end up.

“They (E-Painters) have been playing well. They beat Magnolia in their last game. They are well-rested and will be ready. So we really have to prepare for them,” the Alaska coach said.

Meanwhile, in the first game at 4:30 p.m., San Miguel (7-2) goes for a spot in the top two when they take on also-rans Kia Picanto (1-9).

Nietes pits skills on HBO’s Superfly 2 card

THE Philippines’ longest-reigning boxing world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes returns to the ring after a nearly a one-year break, pitting his skills on HBO Boxing After Dark’s Superfly 2 card this weekend.

Mr. Nietes, 35, will defend his International Boxing Federation flyweight title, which he won last time around, against Argentine challenger Juan Carlos Reveco in the Superfly 2 card at The Forum in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, Feb. 25 (Manila time).

While the fight is not his first time to show his wares in mainland United States, having headlined some fights for ALA Boxing, it is, however, his debut with HBO, and is expected to introduce him to a wider audience that could well take an already successful professional career to another plane.

Considering what is at stake, Mr. Nietes (40-1-4) and his team said they are viewing the fight with much significance and coming in prepared against Mr. Reveco (39-3-0) to create the biggest splash in the event as possible.

In his last fight in April, Mr. Nietes hacked out a unanimous decision victory over Thai Komgrich Nantapech that allowed him joined the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, Jr. as multi-division Filipino world champions.

This is apart from having the distinction as the longest-reigning Filipino champion, a top dog as a light flyweight for more than a decade, beating the record of seven years previously held by legendary fighter Gabriel “Flash” Elorde.

BIGGEST MOMENT
For local fight analyst Nissi Icasiano, Mr. Nietes’ upcoming foray in the United States is undoubtedly a major one notwithstanding his outstanding track record in the boxing ring.

“If you’re going to look at his curriculum vitae in this sport, it is hard to deny Donnie Nietes’ place in boxing history. Although he is the longest-reigning Filipino boxing world champion for 10 years and 8 months and counting, he has yet to prove himself or raise his stock on the other side of the planet. Let’s take note that this is only his third fight on United States soil, but I will say that this is the biggest at the moment,” said Mr. Icasiano when asked by BusinessWorld for his thoughts on the Nietes fight.

“Nietes has long craved for that career-defining bout that will showcase him in front of the captious American boxing audience, and this fight against Juan Carlos Reveco will be a step in the right direction,” he added.

Mr. Icasiano said that Murcia, Negros Occidental native Nietes is very deserving of a spot in the Superfly series.

“Nietes will be on a card that is stacked with outstanding talents such as Srisaket Sur Rungvisai, Juan Francisco Estrada and Carlos Cuadras. Aside from that, the event will be broadcast by HBO. Nietes is about to get his own share of the spotlight in the United States,” he said.

Adding, “He has been competing in lower weight classes which has not been given prime-time attention by most television networks in the United States. However, there was a sudden surge of interest in the lower weight divisions after the success of ‘Super Fly’ in September 2017. The 35-year-old pugilist from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental is really in a great position being part of the HBO’s “Super Fly 2” card.”

As for Mr. Nietes’ opponent, Mr. Reveco, the analyst believes he is good challenge to the Filipino champ but may eventually fall to the latter.

“Reveco is a boxer with good hand speed and lateral movement. He is essentially a boxer, one who works behind a left jab-overhand right combination. Although he also has a championship experience as he held the WBA title before, Reveco has never shared a ring with a pugilist of Nietes’ caliber,” he said.

“Reveco is susceptible to the counter right as he tends to get lazy with the left jab as he moves in. With that being said, it is expected for Nietes to notice what I’ve mentioned and exploit it,” Mr. Icasiano added.

Also seeing action on Superfly 2 is Filipino-American Brian “The Hawaiian Punch” Viloria, who will be fighting for the vacant World Boxing Association flyweight world championship against Ukraine’s Artem Dalakian. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Cheerleading competition will air live on ESPN5

THE National Cheerleading Competition (NCC) has found a string partner in ESPN5, making the event available for international audience.

ESPN5, the collaboration between TV5 and ESPN, will present the exclusive live coverage of the event on Feb. 27 and March 1-2 at the Mall of Asia Arena, but making the biggest cheer and dance competition more significant is the fact that it will be covered live.

This year’s event is also tipped as the biggest as it will be held in three phases.

The Cheer Camps non-competition events, the Regional Qualifiers in Bicol, Visayas, Mindanao and the National Capital Region and the Nationals final round.

The NCC serves as a platform for all schools competing in the cheer and dance competition where competing colleges and universities from the UAAP and the NCAA as well as other institutions from the metropolis and nearby provinces will get a chance to showcase their wares.

Last year, 150 schools consisting of over 3,500 athletes competed in the NCC’s Dance, Cheer, and Drumline competitions. This year promises to have a similar or even bigger number of participants in what promises to be a more exciting competition up ahead.

As part of its coverage, ESPN5 will have a live coverage of the National Dance and National Drumline Championships on Feb. 27 as well as the All-Girl Cheerleading Championships scheduled for March 1 and the Co-Ed Cheerleading Championships on March 2.

All three events will be live streamed on ESPN5.com while the March 1 and 2 events will start airing on Aksyon TV while there will also be a two-hour highlights episode on TV5 on March 3 from 2 to 4PM.

Vincent “Chot” Reyes, President and CEO of TV5 noted that the extensive coverage of the National Cheerleading Competition is part of ESPN5’s efforts to give sports fans the broadest array of Philippine sports content.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the National Cheerleading Championships to bring the sport of cheerleading to larger audience in the Philippines. Aligned with our thrust of super-serving the Filipino sports fan is the goal of providing all sports with a platform to help them reach and grow their audience. What better way to showcase the best our country has to offer than by showing local talent on ESPN5,” Mr. Reyes said.

Carlos Valdes III, president of the National Cheerleading Competition expresses a similar sentiment and said, “We’re excited about this partnership with ESPN5, particularly now that cheerleading is recognized by the Olympics as a sport. Since we started in 2006, the Philippine cheer community has grown by leaps and bounds and is now considered one of the top teams in the world, and with this partnership, we continue to aim to develop our community and continue to compete with best in the world — and maybe even an eventual Olympic medal.”

“I’d like to thank the ESPN5 management for recognizing and supporting cheerleading. The broad coverage plan and media platforms of the ESPN5 network will provide our growing community with an unprecedented opportunity to enjoy the sport as it was meant to be. We hope to continue this partnership in the coming years,” Mr. Valdes enthused. — Rey Joble

ONE Championship creates Super Series league

IN LINE with its vision to continue bringing forward one of Asia’s greatest cultural treasures — martial arts — and the core values of integrity, honor, respect, humility, discipline, courage and compassion that go with it, ONE Championship recently announced the creation of a Super Series designed to complement and enhance what it has charted as an organization.

The Super Series is a unique martial arts league that will feature other Asian martial art forms like Muay Thai, Lethwei, Silat, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Sambo, Kung Fu, Sanda and Wushu.

ONE, Asia’s largest sports media property, hopes that through the league it can provide another pathway for martial artists to showcase what they can do on a professional level apart from the mixed martial arts offerings it has become known for since setting up shop in 2011.

“In the same way that Starbucks offers many flavors of coffee and tea, we offer all martial arts. ONE Championship is the home of martial arts. We have earned that reputation over the last couple of years, and so instead of mixed martial arts, as a fight fan and as a martial arts lover, you now get to see all forms of martial arts for the very first time in history,” said Chatri Sityodtong, ONE chairman and CEO, in a recent conference call with global media whose transcript was shared to BusinessWorld.

“So you will see matches of, you know, Muay Thai versus Tae Kwon Do, or Tae Kwon Do versus Kung Fu, and the list goes on and on. This is a massive game-changing moment, not just for ONE Championship but also for the world of martial arts,” he added.

ONE said that early on the Super Series will be part of its MMA live events but eventually would be an event all its own once it gets its footing among the fans and other stakeholders.

The ONE Super Series is set to debut on April 20 here in Manila at the “ONE: Heroes of Honour” show at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“April 20 is our first ring event. Basically it will be half mixed martial arts and half striking. You’ll see the initial glimpse of what ONE Super Series is all about. But we envision ONE Super Series as a standalone event. This year we plan to do 24 events, but next year we plan to do 36 events and so a big portion of those 36 events will be ONE Super Series standalone events in a ring, or in a cage, depending on the athletes competing. That’s the flexibility we’re offering. Again, it’s a wider platform of martial arts. This is what ONE Championship is all about as the home of martial arts,” Mr. Sityodtong said.

Meanwhile, ONE Championship will have an event today in Myanmar dubbed “Quest for Gold” and will feature the light heavyweight title clash between hometown bet Aung La N Sang and Brazilian challenger Alexandre Machado.

Also competing in the event are Filipinos Roel Rosauro (featherweight) and Krisna Limbaga (women’s atomweight). — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Duremdes says MPBL games more unpredictable in home and away format

TO SEE visiting teams winning more games than the home squads certainly make the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL)-Anta Rajah Cup more unpredictable as exciting games are likewise in store halfway the tournament.

Prior to the Muntinlupa Cagers-Angelis Resort home victory over the Quezon City Capitals-Royal Manila last Tuesday, the ratio of teams winning on the road is six-out-of-10.

MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes has an explanation to this.

“Maybe because home teams are feeling the pressure more,” Mr. Duremdes told BusinessWorld. “They’re pressed to perform and play better in front of their hometown crowd, including their friends and their relatives.”

The Cagers dealt the Capitals their first loss in the tournament and picked up their first victory at home. Curiously, Muntinlupa was the first team to lose a game at home and before its latest win, four teams won on consecutive games on the road.

Batangas City, the only undefeated team in the tournament, visited Navotas a few days ago and the Tanduay-backed Athletics outlasted the Big J Sports-sponsored Clutch, 80-71.

Three other visiting squads also denied home teams victories at their own turf — the Capitals, who won over the Parañaque Patriots, 64-54; the Caloocan Supremos-Longrich, who nipped the BaiShipping-bankrolled Bataan Defenders, 76-69 and the Athletics, who denied host Imus Bandera-GLC Truck and Equipment, 74-56.

The Valenzuela Classic-Yulz was another visiting team which was able to snatch a road win after edging the Supremos, 79-78, last Feb. 1.

So the home court advantage isn’t much of a factor in the tournament, but coaches in the league would prefer playing in front of their hometown cheering crowd, which serves as the sixth man of the squad.

Lito Alvarez, team owner of the Muntinlupa Cagers-Angelis Resort, sees this as one of the reasons why the league has become successful.

“This format is good in terms of drawing the crowd to the venue,” added Mr. Alvarez, who experienced similar situation when he served as team manager of the Laguna Lakers in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association, the precursor of the MPBL.

Mac Tan, head coach of the Athletics, said he would love to play in front of their home court if given the chance.

“The shower of support we’re receiving is something this team needs,” said Mr. Tan. “We know we’re the target of all the teams now, so we’ll be counting on our home town crowd to support us.”

Even Senator Manny Pacquiao, the founder of the MPBL, didn’t give additional reward to teams making the playoffs except giving home court advantage to the top teams. — Rey Joble

Southwoods guns for Interclub history in Bacolod with ‘4-Peat’

MANILA Southwoods knows exactly what it is chasing when regular Men’s Championship division action in the PAL Interclub tees off in two courses in Bacolod on March 8.

“It has never been done before, that’s why the boys are so motivated,” non-playing skipper Thirdy Escaño said as the Carmona-based parbusters gun for an unprecedented fourth straight triumph in the country’s unofficial team golf championship.

“The players have started practicing weeks before and some have even gone to Bacolod to sample the layouts,” Escaño said, knowing well that Marapara and Binitin are courses that vary very much in character compared to the layouts his young squad is used to playing.

Canlubang ang defunct Aguinaldo are the only other teams that have won this event three straight years, with Escaño part of that Agui team together with Bong Lopez and several others more than two decades ago.

And just when they had the chance to go for four, the team was suddenly disbanded.

Reedy Japanese teener Yuto Katsuragawa will spearhead Southwoods in its “Four-Peat” drive, with the former club champion planing in this week after completing academic requirements back home.

The veteran Jun Jun Plana will again be the steadying presence in the squad made up of mostly teenagers, acting the same role he had in Baguio when Southwoods completed a sweep of the Fil-Am Invitational.

Spurs sans Leonard

Of the countless surprises the National Basketball Association has churned out this season, perhaps one of the most understated has been the Spurs’ continued competitiveness in the wild, wild West. In large measure, it’s due to the culture of continuity and consistency that has engulfed the silver and black in the Gregg Popovich dispensation. Still, few projected them to be third in the conference despite losing key players — and especially top dog Kawhi Leonard — due to injury.

Needless to say, the Spurs’ capacity to contend is attributable to Popovich’s brilliance in the sidelines. All the man-hours lost have taken their toll, to be sure, but his confident handling of the obstacles coming his way has, well, spurred his charges no end. Leonard’s protracted convalescence from right quadriceps tendinopathy, for instance, would have compelled quite a few others to tank; given his importance to the cause on both ends of the court, thy wouldn’t have been faulted for deeming themselves better served angling for the draft lottery. Instead, they tweaked their sets on offense, as well as KM defense, to rely more on seemingly forgotten LaMarcus Aldridge.

Yesterday, Popovich cautioned against the idea that Leonard would be returning to make the Spurs even better; if anything, he implied that the two-time All-Star is done for the 2017-2018 campaign, with the possibility of his return to the hardwood tempered by the lack of time to adjust. “We only have X number of games left in the season, and he’s still not ready to go,” the bench tactician said. “If by some chance he is, it’s gonna be pretty late into the season.”

Do the Spurs want Leonard back? Of course. The roster Popovich is forced to work with could certainly use a Finals Lost Valuable Player, even at far less than full strength. On the other hand, the short-term effects cannot be underestimated; reintegration can and will take time. In the nine games he was able to suit up for through the turn of the year, his team went a pedestrian five and four. Which is why the brain trust would rather deal with what they know they have. Meanwhile, he seems to have decided against returning this season, never mind that team doctors have medically cleared him for action; if scuttlebutt is to be believed, a second opinion on his condition has him shutting himself down for the foreseeable future.

In this regard, Popovich is right. The Spurs “have a job to do. We have to do that with or without him. We’re going to have to prepare to make a run with or without him… We still feel like we’re a superior team.” And, under his tutelage, they are — maybe not on paper, but definitely in practice.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.

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