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Sharapova wins Slam return, ousts Halep at 2017 US Open

NEW YORK — Former world number one Maria Sharapova made a triumphant return to Grand Slam competition Monday after a 15-month doping ban, outlasting second-ranked Simona Halep 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at the US Open.

Sharapova wins Slam return, ousts Halep at 2017 US Open
Maria Sharapova of Russia returns a shot during her first round Women’s Singles match against Simona Halep of Romania on Day One of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Aug. 28 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. — AFP

The 30-year-old Russian, who had only one hard court tune-up match due to a nagging forearm injury, swatted 60 winners with 64 unforced errors, setting the tempo and baffling Halep at times in a tension-packed thriller at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I just thought this was another day, another opportunity, another match but this was so much more,” Sharapova said.

“You sometimes wonder why you put in all the work and this is exactly why.”

Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova closed her remarks to a supportive crowd by saying that behind her fancy dress and sparkly crystals, “This girl has a lot of grit and she’s not going anywhere.”

Sharapova, who tested positive for the banned blood booster meldonium at last year’s Australian Open, improved to 7-0 in her all-time rivalry with Halep, extending her mastery over the 25-year-old Romanian.

An emotional Sharapova punctuated her shotmaking, at times erratic and other moments spectacular, with screams and fist pumps. She was energetic even at rest, closing her eyes and bouncing her legs as she sat between sets.

After the final point, Sharapova dropped to her knees as a replay appeal showed what she already knew.

She rose and greeted Halep at the net, thanked the umpire, then battled back tears as she blew kisses to spectators, sobbed at times and mouthed “Thank you” to fans that were devoted throughout the two hour and 45 minute drama.

“You never know what you’re going to feel until you win that match point,” she said. “It was so worth it.”

Sharapova won only five of 22 break points in the match while Halep won four of 10 and produced only 15 winners against 14 unforced errors.

It was Sharapova’s first Grand Slam match since a quarterfinal loss to Serena Williams in last year’s Australian Open.

Sharapova, whose major titles include the 2006 US Open, advanced to a second-round matchup against Hungarian Timea Babos, whom she has never played.

Sharapova, ranked 146th, returned in April but the French Open snubbed Sharapova for a wildcard entry and she missed Wimbledon with a thigh injury.

Asked about her low points, Sharapova, said, “There were definitely a few but I don’t think this is the time to talk about that.”

Sharapova walked onto the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium to rousing applause from a clearly supportive crowd.

Sharapova wore a black dress, visor, socks and shoes, the same style she sported in taking the trophy nine years ago on the New York hard courts.

Two early exchanges of breaks left the first set level at 4-4 before Sharapova held and broke Halep with a forehand winner to draw first blood after an hour.

In the second set, Sharapova double faulted away a break to hand Halep a 5-4 edge, then Halep saved three break points and held to force a third set.

‘IT’S PRIME TIME, BABY’
Halep sent a backhand beyond the baseline to hand Sharapova a break and 2-0 lead in the final set. The Russian held to 5-3 and served for the match, escaping a break point when Halep netted a forehand.

A Sharapova backhand winner to set up match point bought huge applause but the truly thunderous ovation came when Halep hit a forehand long to end it, boosting Sharapova to 18-0 in night matches at Ashe.

“It’s prime time baby,” she said. “I love it.”

Reigning Wimbledon champion Muguruza advanced and British seventh seed Johanna Konta. Spanish third seed Muguruza defeated American Varvara Lepchenko 6-0, 6-3. Muguruza, last year’s French Open champion, can reach the US Open third round for the first time Wednesday by defeating China’s Duan Ying-Ying.

“Coming to US Open and having a dark past in the results, I keep it with low expectations,” Muguruza said.

Serbia’s 78th-ranked Aleksandra Krunic upset Australian-born Konta 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

“It’s definitely not an easy loss to take,” Konta said. “She played consistently much better than I did.”

A LITTLE BIT RUSTY
Croatian fifth seed Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion and last month’s Wimbledon runner-up, ousted 105th-ranked American Tennys Sandgren 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

“I feel just a little bit rusty,” Cilic said. “I need a few matches to get into the rhythm.”

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon runner-up, outlasted Slovakia’s 135th-ranked Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. — AFP

CoA questions P28.5-M payroll for Carcar City JO workers

THE COMMISSION on Audit (CoA) has directed the Carcar City government to justify spending P28.5 million for the salary of 257 job order (JO) workers in 2016. CoA said a review of the payroll disclosed that services rendered by the JO workers were not properly documented. “In view of the deficiencies noted in the documents submitted, the validity and legality of the paid payrolls were not established,” CoA said. Further, CoA has discovered that Carcar City has 247 plantilla positions, of which only 141 were filled, while the rest are vacant. As such, CoA has recommended that the vacant positions, which are vital in the delivery of basic services, should be filled, a move that should also lessen the number of JO workers. — The Freeman

Streaking Kings out to claim another win

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Reporter

THE hottest team right now in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, is out to claim another victory when it takes on the struggling Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters in the 7 p.m. main game today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Streaking Kings out to claim another win
The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings gun for their fight straight win in the PBA Governors’ Cup when they take on the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters today at the Mall of Asia Arena. — ALVIN S. GO

Lost in their debut in the season-ending PBA conference, the Kings (4-1) have been unstoppable since, winning their next four games to make their way to the top of the standings.

They hope to continue their streak against the Fuel Masters (2-6), which unfortunately have regressed since opening their campaign with a promising 2-0 start.

Benefitting from a full complement of players, Barangay Ginebra has been doing it collectively, particularly on the offensive end where it is second in the league with an average of 105.2 points per game.

Import Justin Brownlee is leading the team with norms of 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, five assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.

Guard LA Tenorio has been good for 16.8 points and 4.8 assists while comebacking big man Greg Slaughter is tallying 14.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks.

Joe Devance (12 ppg), Japeth Aguilar (9.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg and 1.2 bpg) and Scottie Thompson (7.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 8.6 apg) have also been doing their big share for the Kings in their solid campaign to date.

Barangay Ginebra enters the game today off a victory out of town over the slumping Alaska Aces, 94-80, in Cebu.

As has been the case for much of the tournament, contributions came from different directions for the Kings, which led from start to finish and never really allowed the Aces to get it going.

LOST SIXTH STRAIGHT
But while the Kings are having it great of late, the same cannot be said for the Fuel Masters, which have lost six straight matches.

It has not helped Phoenix that explosive original import Eugene Phelps has been sidelined by foot injury and the team needing to field in a new import in Brandon Brown.

The Fuel Masters also added new players in recent mid-tournament trades, including Jeff Chan, which has Phoenix further adjusting on the fly.

Phoenix’s recent loss was at the hands of the TNT KaTropa, 110-103, last Friday.

Mr. Brown had a monster game of 49 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, five steals and four blocks.

But after him though, hardly any major support came from the locals which made it more difficult for the team to overcome the KaTropa.

Meanwhile in the opening game at 4:15 p.m., TNT (3-2) takes on the Blackwater Elite (3-3).

The KaTropa won in their previous game against Phoenix while the Elite are on a roll, having won three straight after opening their campaign with three losses in a row.

Aside from making great art, visual artists must be articulate

THE 14th Ateneo Art Awards has released its short list of 12 Filipino young visual artists, three of whom will be hailed winners of the Fernando Zobel Prizes for Visual Arts on Oct. 1. And while all of them are superstars in their own right, Ma. Victoria T. Herrera, director and chief curator of the Ateneo Art Gallery, told BusinessWorld that it is also a plus factor if a visual artist is articulate, too.

“While I know some people say ‘kaya nga sila visual artist, eh (that is precisely why they are visual artists),’ [but] it’s also important for young artists to be articulate in that way kasi (because) that is what the art world requires them to be. Personally, I feel it is important to be eloquent, but not in the sense that one has to be good in English, but [that one] can express his or her ideas well,” said Ms. Herrera on Aug. 23 at the sidelines of the announcement of the short-listed artists.

To come up with the three winners from the pool of 12 artists, the deliberation process includes series of interviews, hence her stand on the need to be fluent.

“We get to talk to each artist when we do deliberations, parang [it is like] thesis deliberations, actually. It’s how they are able to translate their ideas and how they talk about it. May cases before when okay ang work but the artist’s ideas, while they are saying the ideas, parang hindi siya nag-jive (they did not seem to jive with their work),” said Ms. Herrera when asked why the art of speaking matters in the visual world.

The Ateneo Art Wards 2017 – Fernando Zobel Prizes for Visual Art are given to three Filipino visual artists below the age of 36, for outstanding works exhibited between May 2016 to May 2017.

In alphabetical order, the 12 short-listed artists, their exhibit, and gallery it was shown at are:

• Catalina Africa – Studies on the Movement of Water (Finale Art File)

• Charles Buenconsejo – Name, Kind, Application, Date Last Opened, Date Added, Date Modified, Date Created, Size, Tags (Artinformal)

• Gino Bueza – Systems of Control (West Gallery)

• Zean Cabangis – Echoes (Discoveries at Art Basel Hong Kong 2017)

• Cian Dayrit – Exposition (Group exhibition at Lopez Museum and Library)

• Gale Encarnacion – Blow Me (UP Diliman College of Fine Arts, Thesis Show)

• Kitty Kaburo – Lifejacket Under your Seat (Group exhibition at Langgeng Art Foundation, Yogyakarta, Indonesa)

• Doktor Karayom – Linya (Cultural Center of the Philippines)

• Czar Kristoff – Configurations (West Gallery)

• Leonardo Onia, Jr. – Microscopic Hysteria (West Gallery)

• Nicole Tee – Quiet Punctuations (UP Diliman College of Fine Arts, Thesis Show)

• Constantino Zicarelli – Prelude to a Billion Years (Artinformal)

Save for Charles Buenconsejo and Cian Dayrit, this year’s batch welcomes a new set of emerging artists, said Ms. Herrera.

“The rest are first timers and I think that is good, which means there are more young artists who are worth recognizing. Every year, it’s a good chance for the jurors to see the kind of works young artists are doing. What’s consistent is how innovative the artists are, not in terms of medium but ideas,” she said.

The three winners will have the chance to get international residency grants in La Trobe Art Institute in Bendigo, Australia, Artesan Gallery + Studio in Singapore, and Liverpool Hope University in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, six writers were short-listed for the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prizes in Art Criticism, which aims to develop the genre of writing and to foster critical public discussion about art. Two writers will be chosen as winners. The six short-listed writers are:

• Christian Benitez – “History is Form: On Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s The Serenity of Madness” (on the exhibit held at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design)

• Carlo Pacolor Garcia – “Beaded Gestures” (on Karl Castro’s exhibit Social Fabric at the Vargas Museum)

• Arianna Mercado – “Dalena’s Curtain Call” (on the exhibit Last Full Show at the Cultural Center of the Philippines)

• John Kenneth Paranada – “Tie A String but Cut it Right in the Middle” (on the exhibit Tie A String Around the World at the Vargas Museum)

• Chanon Kenji Praepipatmongkol – “Equivocal Beliefs: Natee Utarit Ayala Museum” (on the exhibit Optimism is Ridiculous – The Altarpieces at the Ayala Museum) and,

• Josephine V. Roque – “Transits of Meaning” (on the exhibit Almost There at the Vargas Museum).

The winner of the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prize – The Philippine Star will be given a regular column in the Arts & Culture section for one year, while the recipient of the Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Prize – ArtAsiaPacific Magazine will contribute six articles in a year in the publication.

The works of all the short-listed artists and writers are on view at the East Wing of the Shangri-La Plaza mall until Sept. 4. They will then be on view at the Ateneo Art Gallery from Oct. 1 to Dec. 2. The Awarding Ceremony will be held in the Ateneo de Manila University on Oct. 1.

The Ateneo Arts Awards were established to honor the Ateneo Art Gallery’s founding benefactor, Fernando Zobel. – Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman

High-quality rubber remains a challenge for top-producing region

THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture-Zamboanga Peninsula (DA-9) office said the region remains the top producer of natural rubber in the country, but the industry’s capacity to produce high-quality raw materials remains a challenge. Engr. Roger O. Bagaforo, chief of DA’s agriculture research division said some rubber farmers in Zamboanga Peninsula need to improve their production systems. “We urge the rubber farmers and producers to practice what they learn from the forum and stop using materials like battery solutions that deter the quality of rubber,” Mr. Bagaforo said during the Natural Rubber Technology Forum held recently in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. Data from the Philippines Statistics Authority show that in the last decade, Zamboanga Peninsula produced more than 70% of the country’s total production annually. Last year, the region posted 164,413.87 metric tons of rubber. — Albert F. Arcilla

Trolling the troll

TO GET and sustain the youths’ attention, PETA’s musical production Game of Trolls, incorporates all things millennial: rap battles, an LED-light party, a love story, music, and comedy, which will all revolve around the core story of martial law.

“We made it emotionally available for the millennials. We have love, we have music, we made it funny – [which are all] the aesthetics of millennials, while the context is still there,” said PETA’s artistic director, Maribel Legarda, at a press conference on Aug. 22.

Game of Trolls, an advocacy show that will run for the whole month of September, is intended for the millennial audience born long after martial law (1972-1981) who need to know this major Philippine historical event.

“But we don’t want to preach in the choir,” said Ms. Legarda, adding that the aim of the show is to be a platform, a “point of smart conversation amid the polarities of people’s point of views.”

While the main focus of the musical is on martial law, it will also integrate topics on extrajudicial killings (EJKs), albeit in passing. Ms. Legarda likens the show to a newspaper, saying, “we try to be updated and to be a visual chronicler of our time,” she said.

Game of Trolls is the story of Heck (alternately played by Myke Salomon and TJ Valderama), an online troll warrior for Bimbam, the manager of a troll center that is handling an online pro-martial law campaign. Heck’s indifference toward martial law makes him the perfect troll for anyone who is against it because he can easily throw hurtful words online. But when the ghosts of the martial law victims hunt him down from the cloud data storage system, he is forced to reflect on his own beliefs and to reconnect with his mom Tere, a former activist (Upeng Galang-Fernandez and Gail Guanlao-Billones alternate).

Game of Trolls is directed by Ms. Legarda and written by Liza Magtoto, the same tandem behind PETA’s successful musical Rak of Aegis.

“We decided to use a troll for our character to connect to a story about martial law. Although anti-social and noncommital, the protagonist troll in this play can’t be a die-hard believer because if he were, it would be too fantastic to get him to have a change of heart. The cloud, although known as a private storage space, has also become our metaphor of our collective memory,” said Ms. Magtoto.

The production is supported by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation, and DAKILA: Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism.

“Why tell the story of martial law? As artists, we in PETA remain steadfast in our mission to use the arts to reflect peoples’ stories and examine our history so we can find meaning in chaos, make sense of our realities, and have vision amidst doubt and cynicism. Why the need to remember? Because it is in remembering that we understand. With understanding, we care. And then we care, we stand firm, we march, and shout, #NeverAgain,” said Beng Santos-Cabangon, PETA’s executive director, in a statement.

Tickets to Game of Trolls are available on TicketWorld (891 9999, ticketworld.com.ph). Visit www.petatheater.com for tickets and information. – Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman

LBC Express on track to exceed core profit target for this year

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter

LBC EXPRESS Holdings, Inc. may exceed its core net income target for this year by as much as 5%, a top official said on Tuesday.

LBC Investor Relations Officer and Acting Chief Finance Officer Enrique V. Rey, Jr. said the company is banking on its fourth quarter performance to help push its core profit beyond the initial target of P985 million.

“If you see our first half based on our guidance, we’ll probably overshoot our target by 3-5%. Right now we’re on the lower (side), so the first half is usually slower for us. So our mid-year numbers just on a straight line, we’re already hitting our guidance on revenue and net income,” Mr. Rey told reporters after LBC’s annual shareholders meeting in Pasay City.

The listed logistics and money services firm had earlier announced a core profit guidance of P985 million, which is 7% higher than the P920 million recorded in 2016.

For revenues, Mr. Rey said the target is P9.8 billion. In the six months ending June, LBC generated revenues of P4.91 billion, 19% higher year on year.

LBC is looking to tap new partners that would allow it to complete its supply chain.

“We’re talking to both local and foreign. We have been for the last three to four months, regional player and local player. We’re looking for companies that are similar in what we do, increasingly in the limelight most likely because of e-commerce. There are other activities that other people don’t even know they need,” Mr. Rey said.

The company is also banking on the growth of the country’s logistics sector to help propel LBC forward, especially with the rise of the e-commerce industry and the increasing number of small to medium enterprises in need of delivery services.

“For now, the company is targeting to open 100 branches locally to add to its current network of 1,200 branches located both here and abroad, in addition to 4,100 partners and agents.”

“Our focus is strengthening the retail base at the local level. There’s a lot of development in the country… We’re usually the first to come in in small communities. So we see a lot of lower-tiered municipalities, barangays beginning to flourish,” Mr. Rey said.

To finance its expansion, LBC received shareholder approval to issue $50 million in secured convertible notes, which are set to mature in seven years, to CP Briks Pte. Ltd.

The plan to issue the convertible instruments comes after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rejected its application to conduct a follow-on offering amounting to P779.6 million through the sale of 69.1 million common shares.

The SEC rejected the offer due to pending cases filed by the Philippine Depository Insurance Corp. against its now defunct banking unit, LBC Development Bank, Inc. for its supposed unsound management.

Mr. Rey said the company will be revising the prospectus and registration statement with the SEC in order to proceed with the offer.

“We will look at the structure of the offer, in terms of the price, and amount. Right now, what we’ve filed is up to P17. Our intention in the refiling process was to up the share price, considering the earnings per share is much better this fiscal year. However, we’re looking at the offer price and offer size. So before we file the follow-on, restructure the prospectus,” he explained.

Mr. Rey also said the company has provided the SEC with more information on the cases it is facing.

Shares in LBC closed at P15.4 apiece at the stock exchange on Tuesday, lower by 10 centavos or 0.65% from the previous trading day.

Golovkin puts titles on the line in Vegas debut

LOS ANGELES — Gennady Golovkin says defending his world titles against Canelo Alvarez in his first fight in Las Vegas may be the most difficult bout of his career.

Golovkin puts titles on the line in Vegas debut
Gennady Golovkin has his hands taped by trainer Abel Sanchez during a media workout at LA. Live’s Microsoft Square on Aug. 28 in Los Angeles, California. — AFP

“It is the biggest fight of my career,” said Golovkin. “Canelo is the biggest champion and the biggest name out there.”

Three-belt champion Golovkin and Alvarez will meet for middleweight supremacy at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 16.

The 35-year-old Golovkin told a news conference at Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Monday that if he wants to establish a legacy in boxing he needs to beat the likes of Alvarez.

“I need this fight to get back to boxing. I have been working hard in training every day,” said Golovkin, who has fought in seven different countries and 22 cities but never in Las Vegas.

He is undefeated with a 37-0 record while Alvarez has only lost once in 51 fights (49-1-1).

Promoter Tom Loeffler said WBC, IBF and IBO champion Golovkin is having no trouble getting motivated for this fight which is sold out.

“He has the sparkle in his eye again,” said Loeffler.

Alvarez, meanwhile, added that this fight will be on the same level as his 2013 bout against Floyd Mayweather which he lost by a decision.

“It is right there with Mayweather and possibly bigger. That fight taught me a lot. But this fight will bring out the best in me,” said the 27-year-old Mexican.

“(Golovkin) is the most dangerous fighter at this moment. We want to show him that on this side, there is a lot more to give, too.”

Meanwhile, Golovkin, of Kazakhstan, admitted he didn’t see the Mayweather-Conor McGregor spectacle and being a boxing purist he feels he didn’t miss anything. “I didn’t watch it. I am too busy,” he said.

Five-division champion Mayweather won the novelty fight by a TKO in the 10th round to improve to a perfect 50-0 in his career in a one-sided bout that played out the way many had expected.

Golovkin’s advice to McGregor, who was making his professional boxing debut, would be to not quit his day job. “McGregor in boxing, no. He’s not a boxer. He is a UFC fighter.”

Golovkin’s promoter Loeffler said Mayweather shouldn’t be allowed to include that fight in his official boxing results.

ASTERISK NEEDED
“There should be two asterisks,” said Loeffler of Mayweather, who could earn $200 million from the event.

“When you talk about breaking records you can’t count that as a 50th fight. Just like when Muhammad Ali fought Inoki. It was a spectacle.”

Loeffler was referring to another novelty event in 1976 when Ali battled Japanese professional wrestler Antonio Inoki in Tokyo.

Former world champion and Olympic gold medalist Oscar de La Hoya has been one of the biggest critics of Mayweather-McGregor from the start. De La Hoya, who promotes Alvarez, didn’t pull any punches Monday when talking about the Mayweather-McGregor event.

“I thought it was a fraud,” De La Hoya said. “Only Mayweather knows why it lasted 10 rounds.” — AFP

Duterte open to negotiate with Marcoses for partial return of ill-gotten wealth

PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte on Tuesday disclosed the Marcos family’s plan to return a portion of their ill-gotten wealth to state coffers and his willingness to create a new agency that will handle the negotiations. Speaking to newly appointed officials in Malacañang, Mr. Duterte said a spokesman for the Marcoses told him that the family will give back a “few gold bars” to the government to help his administration address “projected deficit spending.” “They are ready to return. How much? They would give me an accounting,” Mr. Duterte said. The President said he is “scouting” for a person who will manage the deal and head a new “anti-graft” agency that he will establish without dissolving the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), whose mandate is to run after the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses. “I will create another office,” he said. — Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral

San Beda Red Lions feast on Arellano Chiefs; JRU ends first round with a win

DEFENDING champions San Beda Red Lions ended their first-round assignments in Season 93 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) with a win yesterday just as the Jose Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers continued to roll.

San Beda Red Lions feast on Arellano Chiefs; JRU ends first round with a win
Robert Bolick and the San Beda Red Lions finished the first round of NCAA Season 93 with a victory over the Arellano Chiefs, 95-70, yesterday. — ALVIN S. GO

Second running as the new season of the country’s longest-standing collegiate league hit the halfway mark, the Lions (8-1) maintained their solid position by feasting on the Arellano Chiefs, 95-70, in their final game in the opening round.

Earlier in the day, the Heavy Bombers (6-3) won their fourth straight game, beating the Mapua Cardinals, 68-59, to fortify their hold of solo third spot at the tournament’s halfway mark.

It was fiery start for both San Beda and Arellano, which disputed the NCAA title in Season 92, with the teams going at it with runs and counterruns.

When the smoke cleared, it was San Beda which was on top, 23-18, at the end of the first period.

The second quarter though would take a dramatic turn in favor of the Lions.

Connecting from all cylinders, San Beda opened up a rather close match, outscoring Arellano, 25-12, to pad its lead, 48-30, at the half.

The Chiefs got it going early in the third period, blitzing for a 10-4 run to slice their deficit, 52-40.

But the Lions would gather their attack and keep Arellano at bay the rest of the period to stay in control, 70-52, end-third quarter.

San Beda did not relent in the fourth canto, outscoring Arellano, 12-8, in the first five minutes to extend its lead to 82-60.

It was a lead it would build on for the remainder of the contest en route to the win.

Robert Bolick top-scored for the Lions with 23 points while Jayvee Mocon ended up with a double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Kent Salado was the top scorer for Arellano with 26 points.

The win kept San Beda within a step back of league-leading Lyceum Pirates (9-0) in the standings with the full second round to still play for.

Arellano (3-6), for its part, slid back anew after winning in its previous game. It is at joint seventh spot along with the Perpetual Help Altas.

FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN
Experiencing a resurgence at the latter part of the opening round, JRU extended its turnaround with a firm stand versus reeling Mapua.

The Heavy Bombers were in a battle with the Cardinals in the opening half, taking narrow leads of 19-16 at the end of the opening frame and 38-34 at the halftime break.

Third period saw both teams in a defensive battle but Kalentong-based JRU would do just enough to remain on top at the end of the frame, 49-42.

With the outcome of the contest still very much open, the teams battled it out in the payoff period.

Laurenz Victoria and Christian Bunag tried to rally the Cardinals back from as much as 19 points down, but the Vergel Meneses-coached Heavy Bombers would maintain their control and held on for the win.

Aaron Bordon led JRU with 17 points to go along with four rebounds.

Jed Mendoza had 12 and Ervin Grospe and Mark Dela Virgen each had 11 points for the Heavy Bombers, now on third place behind Lyceum and San Beda.

Bunag paced Mapua, which has now lost seven straight, with 15 points and 21 rebounds while Victoria finished with 12 points.

“A win is a win, but the way we won, I’m not happy about it. Our turnovers helped them to get back, they converted on our turnovers. Good thing we made our shots in the end,” Mr. Meneses said after the game. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan

TOKYO/SEOUL — North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan’s northern Hokkaido island into the sea early on Tuesday, prompting warnings to residents to take cover and drawing a sharp reaction from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The test, one of the most provocative ever from the reclusive state, came as US and South Korean forces conduct annual military exercises on the peninsula, to which North Korea strenuously objects.

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under young leader Kim Jong Un, the most recent on Saturday, but firing projectiles over mainland Japan is rare.

“North Korea’s reckless action is an unprecedented, serious and a grave threat to our nation,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters.

Mr. Abe said he spoke to US President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday and they agreed to increase pressure on North Korea. Mr. Trump also said the United States was “100% with Japan,” Mr. Abe told reporters.

South Korea’s military said the missile was launched from near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, just before 6 a.m. (2100 GMT Monday) and flew 2,700 km (1,680 miles), reaching an altitude of about 550 km (340 miles).

Four South Korean fighter jets bombed a military firing range on Tuesday after President Moon Jae-in asked the military to demonstrate capabilities to counter North Korea.

South Korea and the United States had discussed deploying additional “strategic assets” on the Korean peninsula, the presidential Blue House said in a statement, without giving more details.

North Korea remained defiant.

“The US should know that it can neither browbeat the DPRK with any economic sanctions and military threats and blackmail nor make the DPRK flinch from the road chosen by itself,” North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun said later on Tuesday, using the initials of the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Global markets reacted to the escalation in tension, buying safe-haven assets such as gold, the Swiss franc and even the Japanese yen on expectation domestic investors would bring large amounts of currency home in times of uncertainty.

Stocks fell, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 index closing down half a percent, and South Korea’s KOSPI index 0.25% lower.

Some experts said the test appeared to have been of a recently developed intermediate-range Hwasong-12 missile, but there was no clear consensus.

This month, North Korea threatened to fire four missiles into the sea near the US Pacific territory of Guam after Mr. Trump said it would face “fire and fury” if it threatened the United States.

“Alas, Pyongyang has demonstrated that its threats to the US base on Guam are not a bluff,” Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of Russia’s upper house of parliament’s international affairs committee, said on social media.

North Korea fired what it said was a rocket carrying a communications satellite into orbit over Japan in 2009 after warning of its plan. The United States, Japan and South Korea considered it a ballistic missile test.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the latest missile fell into the sea 1,180 km (735 miles) east of Cape Erimo on Hokkaido.

The UN Security Council would meet later on Tuesday to discuss the test, diplomats said.

This month, the 15-member Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to two long-range missile launches in July.

PATH TO DIALOGUE?
US Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson appeared to make a peace overture to North Korea last week, welcoming what he called the restraint it had shown by not conducting any tests since July.

The United States has said all options, including military, are on the table, although its preference is for a diplomatic solution.

Some experts said Mr. Kim was trying to pressure Washington to the negotiating table with the latest tests.

“(North Korea) thinks that by exhibiting their capability, the path to dialogue will open,” Masao Okonogi, professor emeritus at Japan’s Keio University, said by phone from Seoul.

“That logic, however, is not understood by the rest of the world, so it’s not easy,” he said.

The Japanese military did not attempt to shoot down the missile, said Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera. The missile may have broken into three pieces, but that was not clear, he added.

Experts say defenses in Japan and South Korea that are designed to hit incoming missiles would struggle to bring down a missile flying high overhead.

In Washington, the Pentagon confirmed the missile flew over Japan but said it did not pose a threat to North America and that it was gathering information.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said China, North Korea’s main ally and trading partner, needed to do more.

“China has to ratchet up the pressure,” Mr. Turnbull told Australian radio. “They have condemned these missiles tests like everyone else but with unique leverage comes unique responsibility.”

China’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its calls for restraint on all sides, saying it opposed North Korea going against UN resolutions to launch missiles but adding that sanctions and pressure could not solve the issue. It calls for the United States and North Korea to open talks.

The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with the North because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The North says it will never give up its weapons programs, saying they are necessary to counter hostility from the United States and its allies. — Reuters

MPTC eyes potential investments in ASEAN

METRO PACIFIC Tollways Corporation (MPTC) is studying the possibility of investing in toll roads and other infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Tuesday, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) said the MPTC board approved the creation of a special committee to “study potential toll road and other infrastructure investments in the Philippines and the ASEAN region.”

The MPTC special committee is also authorized to negotiate the terms and conditions of any possible investments, and to appoint a representative to sign and execute any agreements related to the deal.

“The MPTC Board likewise authorized the company to secure a credit line or standby letter of credit of up to P8,000,000,000 from any local or international financial institution to support such Potential Investments,” MPIC, the parent of MPTC, said.

MPIC said the company will make a formal announcement upon the implementation of any of the potential investments that may be approved and identified by the MPTC special committee.

Among the current projects of MPTC are the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx) C5 South Link, and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway.

MPTC announced earlier this year that it is spending about P153 billion from this year up to the first quarter of 2018 for the public private partnership (PPP) and expansion projects it will start implementing.

Meanwhile, parent company MPIC has set a capital expenditure budget of P79 billion for this year, nearly double from last year’s P40.5 billion. Of the total, between P22 billion and P24 billion were allocated for the construction of more toll roads.

MPIC is one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

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