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PHL growth seen on track to 2017 target

THE PHILIPPINES is on track to hitting its economic growth goal this year, with improved public spending fueling faster expansion despite a slow start in the first quarter, analysts at Nomura Global Research said.

In a report released yesterday, the global bank said the Philippine economy can still achieve its 6.5-7.5% growth target for 2017, with faster budget releases seen to lift gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

Nomura expects a 6.7% expansion for the full year, partly on the back of an already-fast 6.4% climb recorded in the first quarter but slightly weaker than 2016’s 6.9% pace.

The Philippine Statistics Authority is scheduled today to report second-quarter GDP growth, which a BusinessWorld poll of economists late last week put at a 6.5% median and which Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia has said will likely approach seven percent. On Monday, Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran said it was “possible” that GDP growth last quarter exceeded even seven percent.

Nomura said the 13.6% pickup in government spending — “led by capital expenditures” — seen last quarter, from just four percent in January-March, should have helped spur overall economic growth. “…[T]his effectively reversed the slow start to spending this year which… is typical after an election year,” the report read.

The government incurred a P154.5-billion deficit as of end-June, seven percent more than the P143.8-billion program for those six months and 28% bigger than the year-ago P120.3 billion, according to the Treasury bureau.

Noting that the budget deficit widened to 2.6% of GDP as of end-June, Nomura cited “a strong focus by the government on avoiding past problems of undershooting budget expenditures… [that] was particularly problematic during the early years of the previous administration.” The government of President Rodrigo R. Duterte capped this year’s budget shortfall at P478.1 billion, equivalent to 3.0% of GDP, which if realized would be wider than the actual P353.422 billion — 2.4% of GDP — recorded in 2016.

“… [T]hese fiscal developments continue to support our view that GDP growth will improve from 6.4% y-o-y in Q1 to 6.7% for full-year 2017,” Nomura said.

“More progress on infrastructure spending, which crowds in private investment, should continue to boost productivity and medium-term potential growth,” it added in its report.

Apart from the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand are also expected to incur bigger fiscal deficits this year as the governments there spend more, particularly for capital formation.

“All these factors continue to support our view that, for these countries, the underlying quality of spending is generally improving towards more productive allocations that boost potential growth,” Nomura said. — Melissa Luz T. Lopez

Competitiveness council cites top local governments

CITIES and municipalities must undergo digital transformation to efficiently deliver public services and improve competitiveness, according to a summit yesterday of the National Competitiveness Council (NCC), which also released its index that named Quezon City as the most competitive highly urbanized city.

Bill Luz
NCC Co-Chairman Guillermo M. Luz speaks with BusinessWorld at the NCC headquarters in Makati, in this 2012 file photo. BW FILE PHOTO

During the fifth Regional Competitiveness Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Guillermo M. Luz, private sector co-chairman of the NCC, said investing in technology and innovation is key to increasing the competitiveness of local government units (LGU) at a time when competition among Southeast Asian nations for investments, trade, jobs and even tourists is shifting to higher gear.

“ICT (information and communication technology) is a crucial enabler for delivering sustainable development at the local and national level by maximizing productivity,” Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Rodolfo A. Salalima said in a keynote speech during the summit.

“Through automation, we are also improving the efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of public service.”

The goal, Mr. Luz said, is for entrepreneurs and businesses to be able to file and pay online and for the government to be able to issue license or permits electronically where possible.

“If a city can put its services online or through a phone, we’ll break through,” Mr. Luz said.

“If you want to be competitive, that’s the way to go.”

The summit highlighted the efforts of Makati and Cagayan de Oro to use technology in enhancing public service. Makati was cited as a leader in creating a digitally connected citizenry through several public-private partnerships, while Cagayan de Oro has implemented an online system for assessing and paying taxes, translating to higher revenues for the city.

TOPNOTCHERS
Under the 2017 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI), Quezon City emerged as the most competitive overall under the highly urbanized cities category after securing the top spot in infrastructure, and placing second in economic dynamism, government efficiency and resilience.

Joining Quezon City as the most competitive overall were Antipolo under the Component Cities category; Cainta, Rizal among the Class 1-2 municipalities; and Baler, Aurora among Class 3-6 municipalities.

Rizal was named the most competitive province.

The CMCI introduced a new category to recognize LGU efforts to prepare for natural disasters.

The most resilient cities were Davao (among highly urbanized cities) and Bayawan, Negros Oriental (among component cities), while the most resilient municipalities were Cainta, Rizal (Class 1-2) and Mambajao, Camiguin (Class 3-6).

GUIDE
The CMCI is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities developed by the NCC that can be used as a diagnostic tool by LGUs to assess the competitiveness of their city or municipality against global standards, identify areas for improvement and collaboration, as well as launch reforms and initiatives to further boost competitiveness.

For the business community, the index can serve as a guide for deciding where to locate.

Aside from the overall score, data on the various indicators could prove helpful, depending on the specific needs of the inquiring business.

The latest edition of the CMCI covered 91% or 1,487 cities and municipalities — the highest participation on record — out of 1,634 local governments in the Philippines.

Coverage has been growing since 2013 when only 285 cities and municipalities formed part of the index.

The increasing coverage of the index signifies a higher level of awareness among LGUs of the importance of being measured against specific pillars and their stronger commitment to improve performance.

Moreover, the Philippine Business Data Bank — a Web-based application that enables government agencies to access data on a particular business — was launched at the summit.

The initiative serves as a quick “Yellow Page” of businesses, enabling the public to verify the legitimacy of customers, vendors and other businesses. The data bank is currently in testing phase and will officially go live on Nov. 30. — Krista Angela M. Montealegre

BSP to lift rates if economy overheats

SINGAPORE — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is prepared to raise interest rates if it sees signs the economy is growing too fast, while tolerating a weaker currency for now, according to Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr.

Philippine Central Bank Deputy Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr.

“When you do start jacking up interest rates is when we see signs of overheating in the economy,” he said in an interview in Singapore on Tuesday.

“We’re not there yet,” Mr. Espenilla said, adding that the peso’s decline should be a signal to companies to avoid too much foreign borrowing and hedge their currency risk.

Economic growth in the Philippines — already among the world’s highest — probably accelerated in the second quarter, officials said before data due Thursday.

The country is set to post its first annual current-account deficit in 15 years amid strong domestic spending and an infrastructure program that’s pushing up imports.

The budget shortfall is widening and the peso has dropped 3.2% against the dollar this year, the worst performance in Asia.

Mr. Espenilla, who took over as governor last month, is “much more laissez faire” about the currency and isn’t worried about peso weakness, Citigroup Inc. analysts including Johanna Chua in Hong Kong wrote in a note released Wednesday. Solid fundamentals will eventually cap declines, they wrote.

The Philippine currency plumbed a new 11-year low of 51.61 per dollar on Wednesday.

“The peso is market-determined,” Mr. Espenilla said. “In accepting that the currency will adjust and will be more volatile, that also sends a signal. It creates market discipline as well.”

Formerly BSP deputy governor, Mr. Espenilla kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged at three percent on Aug. 10 in his first policy decision since taking office. Most economists surveyed by Bloomberg predict the central bank will raise rates by at least 25 basis points this year.

Inflation and the fiscal position remain under control, the governor said.

The current-account deficit isn’t blowing up in a way that’s hard to sustain, and previous surpluses were due to under-spending, he added.

Nevertheless, any shortfall will be kept within one percent of GDP, which is “very manageable and sustainable” and consistent with the Philippines’ economic growth potential of 7.0%, Mr. Espenilla said.

GDP REPORT
Gross domestic product data for the second quarter will probably exceed the 6.4% pace recorded in the first three months of the year, Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said in a Bloomberg TV interview on Tuesday.

GDP increased 6.4% last quarter from a year earlier, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey.

The economy is on track to post growth of 7.0% for the full year, he said, underpinned by President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s plan to ramp up spending on roads and railways.

Mr. Espenilla said the central bank also isn’t worried on the inflationary impact from a tax reform bill that would help fund the government’s infrastructure spending of $160 billion to $170 billion over the next five years.

Inflation could quicken by 0.5 percentage point next year to 3.7%, from a revised forecast of 3.2%, and then fall in 2019 as the tax reforms lure “confidence-building” inflows that are expected to boost the peso, he said.

“The tax reform should not be responded to by monetary policy.” — Bloomberg

Budget department tells Senate it sees relative debt decline to continue

A LOWER SHARE of debt relative to the 2018 budget will allow the government more fiscal space to back projects that are “more productive,” economic managers said yesterday.

The Development Budget Coordinating Committee briefed Senators yesterday on macroeconomic conditions amid the start of deliberations on the P3.767-trillion budget.

The Senate committee on finance is scheduled to discuss the proposed budget of the Department of Justice and Department of Foreign Affairs today.

“Interest payments and net lending will continue to fall, with its 2018 share to be lower at 9.8%, compared to 10.5% last year. This will allow the budget to be used to the more productive sectors,” Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said yesterday.

Mr. Diokno added that the growth in debt payments to P370.8 billion next year is slower at 5.5%, from the 10% uptick to P351.6 billion in the 2017 budget.

Interest payments have a P354.01 billion allocation in the proposed budget, 5.7% greater than the P334.87 billion this year, while net lending is expected to be little changed, growing only 0.2% to P16.8 billion.

Mr. Diokno said this situation enables allocations for economic services — which include infrastructure and other capital outlays — to rise by 25%, outpacing the 7.3% growth in social services spending.

Although social services still take up the largest share of the budget at 38.5%, or P1.45 trillion, economic services are at 30.6%, or P1.15 trillion.

The country’s rapid gross domestic product (GDP) growth will continue to overtake the growth in outstanding debt, which is expected to hit nearly P7 trillion next year.

“This budget strategy is sound, is appropriate, and sustainable as the debt-to-gross domestic product will continue to fall as we accept that GDP growth will outpace the rise in debt accumulation,” said Mr. Diokno.

The government targets a 37.7% debt-to-GDP ratio in 2018, from the current 40.6%.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said that the government’s fiscal position will continue to be sustainable, noting that the tax take has been expanding over the recent years.

“Tax effort will be increased to 15.3% of GDP in 2018 to be able to finance needed social expenditures,” Mr. Dominguez said during the hearing, noting that he targets a 17% ratio by the time the administration’s term ends in 2022. The 2016 level was 13.7%.

Factored into the budget is the additional revenue expected from the tax reform program — where P133.8 billion will be generated in the first year — even though it has yet to be approved by the Senate. Mr. Dominguez said during the hearing that without the measure, the government would not be able to afford half of its P8.4-trillion infrastructure program over the medium term.

The government targets 6.5-7.5% GDP growth this year and 7-8% in 2018 to 2022.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor A. Espenilla said that despite the rapid expansion of the country’s economy, inflation remains within its 2-4% medium term inflation target.

“GDP growth remains resilient, driven by strong domestic demand and manageable inflation… Inflation is likely to settle near the midpoint of the government target range,” said Mr. Espenilla.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said that “while the macroeconomy appears robust, inequality across households and regions remains and chronic poverty persists.”

Mr. Pernia said the government aims to diminish poverty incidence from the current 21.6% to 14% in 2022, with the unemployment rate projected to decline to 3% from 5.7% by the end of the administration’s term. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

TDF rates mixed as bids dip

RATES fetched under the term deposit facility (TDF) saw mixed movements yesterday, with banks continuing to crowd the week-long tenor as players look for opportunities to deploy their excess liquidity.

Demand for term deposits remained skewed towards the seven-day tenor on Wednesday according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), with total tenders at P153.379 billion, slipping from last week’s P180.174 billion and below the P180-billion offer.

The seven-day term deposits remained oversubscribed, with tenders at P50.051 billion, slipping from the P60.818 billion received last week but remaining above the P40 billion which the central bank wanted to auction off.

As bids remained above offer, returns sought by banks dipped to 3.3241%, coming from the previous week’s 3.3327% average rate as the players asked for margins within 3.3-3.35%.

Meanwhile, the 28-day tenor continued to attract bids below the P140-billion offering to settle at P103.328 billion, which the central bank accepted. Yields averaged 3.4958%, picking up from last week’s 3.4936% and hovering closer to the BSP’s 3.5% ceiling rate.

Since June 2016, the TDF has been the central bank’s main platform to capture excess money supply in the financial system, where banks can park idle funds for a small return.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo has said the financial system remains liquid, with banks holding more than enough cash to grant more loans, buy more dollars, and get hold of more debt papers. Those left untapped after these investment activities would find its way to the TDF.

For next week, the central bank kept the auction volume steady at P180 billion, divided into P40 billion under the week-long term and P140 billion for the month-long term deposits. — Melissa Luz T. Lopez

Commission on Appointments rejects DSWD’s Taguiwalo

LAWMAKERS of the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday, Aug. 16, rejected the appointment of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Social Welfare secretary after more than a year in office, marking the fourth exit from Mr. Duterte’s Cabinet this year and the third on the CA’s watch.

PRIB-Taguiwalo
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo watches from the sidelines of her confirmation hearing August 16, 2017. The Commission on Appointments (CA), after a lengthy deliberation, rejected Taguiwalo’s confirmation as DSWD secretary. — SENATE PRIB

Judy M. Taguiwalo, a left-wing activist who was jailed during the 1970s martial-law era of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, failed to acquire the 13 votes needed to get approval by the 24-member commission.

Ms. Taguiwalo’s appointment had been bypassed five times. It was not immediately clear why she was rejected, but speculation had been rife that her future was in doubt after the near-collapse of Mr. Duterte’s peace process with communist rebels, which was one of his top objectives when he took office.

Ms. Taguiwalo was nominated to the post by the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and Duterte hoped to show inclusivity and demonstrate his commitment to peace talks by giving two leftists Cabinet positions.

Ms. Taguiwalo suffered the same fate as former Foreign Affairs secretary Perfecto R. Yasay, who was found to have lied about holding US citizenship, and Environment and Natural Resources secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez, who was deemed unsuitable over her widespread suspensions and closures of mines.

Ismael D. Sueño was sacked by Mr. Duterte as interior and local government secretary over corruption allegations.

Ms. Taguiwalo is the third appointee of Mr. Duterte rejected by a legislative body otherwise dominated by his allies. Mr. Duterte has insisted he does not try to influence the commission, even though he has a legislative super majority.

“It is ironic that the allies of the administration rejected the President’s appointee,” the opposition Liberal Party said in a statement, which noted that all its four members in the Senate, including Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto, voted in favor of Ms. Taguiwalo’s confirmation.

In a speech endorsing Ms. Taguiwalo’s confirmation, Mr. Recto commended her academic credentials as well as her experience in the progressive movement dating back to the Marcos dictatorship.

“She is also an alumnae of three Martial Law prisons, went underground, and joined the resistance – only because legal pathways for change were blocked, and peaceful avenues to protest were closed,” the senator said.

“To those who would see this as impediment to a Cabinet post, here’s my rebuttal: Political imprisonment is no bar to public office and neither is the taking up of arms when conditions warrant,” Mr. Recto added.

“So if we would like to know her views about poverty, we can leaf through the forest of newsprint that contains her writings. But if we would like to know if she really cares about the poor, then her stints in factories, in farms and in forests are enough to dispel any doubt,” he also said.

“If she is an ideologue, then the ideology she subscribes to is the same one we believe in, and that ideology is to serve the people.”

Mr. Recto also noted Ms. Taguiwalo’s being an admirer of his grandfather, the late nationalist senator Claro M. Recto, and of his wife, actress and now congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto.

“Don Claro would only have the deepest esteem for someone who did not only agree with his causes, but spent a lifetime fighting for it. And Vi would find in her, as she does, a real life character who looms larger than Sister Stella L, and who has more guts and grit than all the strong women she had played on the silver screen,” the senator said.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella expressed sadness at Ms. Taguiwalo’s rejection, saying she had impacted the lives of many Filipinos and served the Duterte administration with passion, professionalism and integrity.

Wednesday’s CA proceedings were also marked by the addition of new members, Senators Juan Edgardo M. Angara and Cynthia A. Villar. — main report by Reuters, with interaksyon.com

Bill wants gov’t officials to take public transport

IT’S an idea that’s been bandied about since the last administration: If government officials had to endure the daily agony of Metro Manila’s commuters, they might do everything to solve the National Capital Region’s nightmare traffic.

Now a party-list lawmaker has filed a bill that seeks to do exactly that.

House Bill No. 6195 of Aangat Tayo party-list Representative Harlin Neil Abayon III would require elected and appointed local and National Government officials, from division chiefs to Cabinet secretaries, to take public transport to and from work or official business during rush hours at least once during each calendar month.

The measure proposes they use the transport available in the places where these officials live: passenger buses, commuter trains, light rail transit systems, taxis and transport network vehicle services, public utility jeepneys, and tricycles.

“Public service requires empathy and concern for the people served… Public servants should maintain their empathy with and compassion for the people by riding public transportation on occasion,” Mr. Abayon said in the bill’s explanatory note.

“The personal, first-hand experience of riding public transportation will enable legislators to gain real world perspectives and inputs in aid of legislation,” he added.

The bill also limits all elected and appointed officials, regardless of rank, to economy class air travel.

The only exceptions to these limitations are:

• actual existing physical handicap or serious medical condition that significantly limits physical movement and mobility as certified by a licensed practicing medical specialist

• security threats and concerns involving the President, Vice-President, the Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court. However, these particular constitutional officials may voluntarily set aside the exception but they may be accompanied by a personal security team whose number, members, and security measures shall be determined by the Presidential Security Group and by the Philippine National Police office responsible for security details of very important personalities

The bill, however, does not propose any penalty on violators.

In 2014, a petition was placed online through change.org urging public officials to take public transport once a month.

“The only way government officials will understand the plight of commuters is if they themselves take public transit regularly,” the petition said.

Government officials are known to take public transport in other countries. Some foreign government officials known to regularly use public transport are:

• David Cameron (former Prime Minister, United Kingdom) frequently takes the Tube (the London Underground). He has also told government ministers to forget the limo and take the Tube.

• François Hollande (former President, France) use the train to official journeys within France, and to European summits in Brussels.

• Rahm Emanuel (Mayor, Chicago City) takes the train to his city hall office about twice a week.

• Boris Johnson (former Mayor, City of London) is regularly seen biking through London and also uses the Tube. — interaksyon.com

Philippines’ communist rebellion: A new generation

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The New People’s Army, one of Asia’s oldest insurgencies, is not concerned by President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s threats to end peace talks.

A KEROSENE lamp flickers beside a Macbook in a jungle camp as aging Philippine communist leader Jaime Padilla plots the next step in one of Asia’s oldest insurgencies with a new generation of fighters.

Fueled by one of the world’s starkest rich-poor divides, a Maoist rebellion that began months before the first human landed on the moon plods on even though the country now boasts one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

“There’s a big pool of young people who will pursue the people’s war even if it takes us a hundred or more years,” 70-year-old Mr. Padilla, one of the Philippines’ most-wanted men, said at a rare news conference for a small group of reporters.

Mr. Padilla, who joined the New People’s Army (NPA) a few years after the insurgency began in the late 1960s, insisted the rebels were not concerned by President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s threats to end peace talks.

“We’ve been fighting for 50 years. What does it matter if it takes another 50 years?” – Jaime Padilla, NPA leader

A self-proclaimed socialist, Mr. Duterte swiftly launched negotiations with the Maoists after winning presidential elections last year and there were high hopes he could end the rebellion, which the military estimates has claimed 30,000 lives.

But last month, Mr. Duterte angrily declared there would be no more talks because the NPA continued to extort money from businesses and ambush security forces.

Mr. Padilla, a slight, bespectacled ex-farmer who goes by the alias “Ka (Comrade) Diego,” heads the Melito Glor Command, one of the most important units of the NPA, the communists’ 3,800-member armed wing, military commanders told AFP.

The unit operates across the south of the main island of Luzon, the country’s industrial heartland that lies next to the capital of Manila, typically attacking isolated security outposts and taking guns from slain police and soldiers.

It also collects “revolutionary taxes” from businesses, ranging from big power plants and even small pig farms, as well as local politicians, Mr. Padilla said.

The Melito Glor Command operates across the south of the main island of Luzon, the country’s industrial heartland that lies next to the capital of Manila, typically attacking isolated security outposts and taking guns from slain police and soldiers.

HAMMER AND SICKLE
The guerrillas sleep in hammocks near streams and rural hamlets, help farmers harvest crops, and melt into nearby forests to evade any approaching large military forces.

They choose only to fight smaller units, according to Mr. Padilla.

His press conference was held on a hilltop ringed with wild banana plants, about two hours’ hike from a poor, coconut-growing hamlet.

The 50 or so gunmen escorting him wore olive military-style uniforms inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, the movement’s ideological godfather.

Most also had on thick red makeup, many decorated with the hammer-and-sickle communist logo rendered in yellow, to conceal their identities.

While their numbers are relatively small, there continue to be frequent reports of communists killing security forces across the Philippines.

 NPA leader Jaime Padilla said millions more young Filipino adults fared little better working in low-paying contractual jobs after completing their schooling. This made the NPA a viable option even for fresh graduates of the country’s top universities.

Last month the rebels killed six policemen and a civilian in an ambush on the central island of Negros, according to the police, and wounded five of Mr. Duterte’s military bodyguards in another encounter in the southern Philippines.

Mr. Padilla said the rebels wanted the talks, held in Europe, to continue. But they stood ready to fight.

“We’ve been fighting for 50 years. What does it matter if it takes another 50 years,” said Mr. Padilla, who gave a slide presentation by lamp light with the help of a young female guerrilla.

Mr. Padilla defended the continuing NPA attacks, calling them a form of “self-defense” against military operations in areas where their shadow government was in place.

NPA members wanted the peace talks, held in Europe, to continue. But they stood ready to fight.

EXTORTION
He also insisted it was legitimate to demand the equivalent of 2% of any business project in revolutionary taxes, but admitted companies that refused to pay were punished “harshly,” with their equipment usually burnt.

The payments are vital to the communists’ survival.

They net the rebels up to P2 billion each year, Philippine military spokesman Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla, no relation to the rebel leader, told AFP, branding the practice plain “extortion.”

“This paralyzes the local economies, keeps people poor and makes it easier to recruit them. It’s a vicious cycle,” the general said.

Another key reason that the Philippines continues to host a communist rebellion when Marxism has dissolved almost everywhere else around the world is an economic system that has created huge wealth but left tens of millions in deep poverty.

 The NPA said its continuing attacks are a form of “self-defense” against military operations in areas where their shadow government was in place.

The Philippines has one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia and has grown by more than 6% for much of the past decade.

But 22 million, or one in five Filipinos, continue to earn a dollar or less each day, according to government data.

Mr. Padilla, the NPA leader, said millions more young Filipino adults fared little better working in low-paying contractual jobs after completing their schooling.

This made the NPA a viable option even for fresh graduates of the country’s top universities, he added.

One of them, a 25 year old from a middle-class family who called herself Ka Kathryn, told AFP she joined the NPA five years ago after her father, an engineer, was fired for organizing a union at an energy company.

“We are facing an enemy who has committed atrocities against the people,” said Kathryn, who had studied to become a television presenter but now carries an M16 rifle.

“We should stand up to them and not cower in fear.” — AFP

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Red Lions visit Altas’ Las Piñas home turf

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Reporter

THE DEFENDING National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champions San Beda Red Lions go on tour today as they visit the home of the Perpetual Help Altas in Las Piñas in this week’s edition of the “NCAA on Tour” in Season 93.

Red Lions visit Altas’ Las Piñas home turf
The defending champions San Beda Red Lions visit the Perpetual Help Altas today in this week’s edition of the “NCAA on Tour.” — ALVIN S. GO

Currently sporting a near-intact 6-1 record and winners of their last five games, the Lions are out to sustain their steady form in their 4 p.m. encounter against an Altas crew, which is coming off a big victory in its last game.

San Beda comes into the contest fresh from a 66-55 win over bottom-scraping Mapua Cardinals last Friday where Cameroonian big man Donald Tankoua, coming off an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury, had a breakout game.

The 6’6” Tankoua capitalized on the extended playing time given to him by Lions coach Boyet Fernandez to tally season-highs of 11 points and 16 rebounds.

This is apart from the stability he gave to San Beda’s attack while he was on the court as they dominated the Cardinals.

“Donald made the most out of his opportunities and we hope to slowly give him more minutes as the season progresses,” said Mr. Fernandez of his prized big man as they wrap their first-round assignments and begin the second.

Jayvee Mocon added 10 points while Davon Potts and Robert Bolick had eight and six points, respectively, in the easy win.

DEFEND HOME
Looking to defend its home against visiting San Beda is Perpetual Help, which won in its last game against the Arellano Chiefs just last Tuesday, 68-59.

Nigerian Prince Eze took front and center in the win as he unleashed a monster double-double of 23 points (career-high) and 21 rebounds to go along with five blocks.

The Altas needed to rely on their defense late in the game to pull off the win as the Chiefs made a spirited fight back in the second half after struggling early in the game.

GJ Ylagan also had a solid game for Perpetual Help with 11 points and eight rebounds while Gab Dagangon had 10 points and six boards.

“We knew we needed to really play tough defense to have a chance of making it to the Final Four and in this game, we did just that,” said Perpetual Help coach Jimwell Gican in the postgame press conference.

“Next for us is San Beda. Hopefully we can build on this victory,” added the coach, whose wards improved to 3-4 in the standings, good for joint fifth place with two other teams.

The NCAA on Tour is one of the notable changes for the league this season. It has the league holding games in the premises of member schools. The NCAA said the reason behind it is to bring the league closer to its various stakeholders, particularly the students, and to further enhance interest in the league among them. In holding the games on the road, the NCAA said it has made sure that the venues are at par with tournament standards and security is beefed up to guard the safety of the participants and spectators.

Iloilo, though never been hit by bird flu, puts up alert status

THE ILOILO Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) has intensified monitoring activities to prevent the entry of avian influenza virus (bird flu) in the province. PAO chief Ildefonso T. Toledo said that while the province is far from Pampanga, the infected area, and remains free from the disease, they remain alert on the possible spread of the virus. “My office is collaborating with the municipal agriculture officers as well as the Provincial Veterinarian Office,” he said. Mr. Toledo said there is no particular season on when the diseases attack as the virus could be dispersed through winds or birds as carrier. Poultry farmers have also been warned of potential signs of the disease. “If they have noticed any peculiar indication on chickens, ducks and quails that they are raising, they should immediately report it to the municipal agriculture office or to our office so we could verify it and act on it,” he added. The agriculture officer noted that there has been no record of bird flu in the province in the past. The bird flu outbreak was recorded in San Luis, Pampanga, with the province now placed under a state of calamity. The Department of Agriculture has also taken quarantine and culling measures to contain the disease. Poultry from Luzon are prohibited from being brought to Visayas or Mindanao. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

AirAsia plans to return to Clark by January

By Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

PHILIPPINES AIRASIA, Inc. is planning to return to Clark International Airport by January 2018, its President and Chief Executive Officer Dexter M. Comendador said.

“Initially, we scheduled it for around November or December… But there was a delayed delivery of the Airbus units, so it was moved to January,” Mr. Comendador said, referring to two Airbus 320 units, in an interview on Monday.

AirAsia started its Philippine operations in Clark, Pampanga in 2012. In 2013, it moved its hub to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 4 in line with reduced operations. It has since resumed domestic flights from Clark to Davao and Kalibo, but Manila remains its main hub.

“It’s going to be a primary base for us. We were born in Clark, we will come back,” Mr. Comendador added. “It’s useless to compete with PAL (Philippine Airlines), Cebu Pacific here… The (Manila) runway is very limited, and it has reached its peak capacity.”

The return to Clark comes ahead of the budget carrier’s plan to have 70 planes in 10 to 15 years. Mr. Comendador said AirAsia is looking to prioritize flights with high utilization in Clark, particularly flights to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia; Hong Kong; and Singapore.

ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING EFFORTS
AirAsia Foundation kicked off its anti-human trafficking initiative road show in Manila earlier this week, as part of its efforts to combat the global problem.

The budget airline will start training its front line personnel, such as cabin crew and ground attendants to recognize signs of human trafficking in passengers and to communicate possible cases to proper authorities.

“We’ve been receiving reports from the media and NGO workers that many people are being trafficked, and using our airlines,” Yap Mun Ching, executive director of AirAsia Foundation, told reporters.

AirAsia Foundation worked with US-based nongovernment organization (NGO) Airline Ambassadors International (AAI) to find out how United States carriers are tackling this problem. The initiative also received funding support from the US Department of State.

Ms. Yap cited a United Nations report showed 25% of persons trafficked in the world are from Southeast Asia.

The Philippines is also the only ASEAN country included in the Tier 1 category in the 2017 US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report. Being under the Tier 1 category means the government acknowledges the existence of human trafficking, has made efforts to address the problem, and complies with the minimum standards of the US legislation, Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.

“We feel that if we’re going to do something in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), we need to share best practices in the region and Philippines is the leader,” Ms. Yap said.

Nancy Rivard, AAI president and a retired crew member from American Airlines who has provided anti-trafficking training for airlines around the world, said more traffickers are using commercial airlines, including budget carriers, to easily move trafficking victims to “keep them powerless.”

Ms. Rivard said moving victims across countries is a strategy to further trap the victims in their situations, as they are without a support network and unfamiliar with the language and culture. Having illegal status in these countries where they did not obtain license to work also makes them afraid to go to law enforcement authorities.

Ms. Yap said that after the training of airline personnel, they will be coordinating with airport and immigration authorities in the Philippines to promote cooperation, as well as launching public awareness campaigns.

On-standby Belo high on Gilas team’s chances in SEA Games

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Reporter

HIS STATUS in playing for Gilas Pilipinas in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games may still be uncertain, but Philippine Basketball Association star rookie Mac Belo is still very much committed to the national team and high on its chances in the regional biennial meet.

On-standby Belo high on Gilas team’s chances in SEA Games
Gilas cadet and PBA rookie standout Mac Belo still hopes he can make it to the team’s roster for the SEA Games but is nonetheless committed and high on Gilas’ chances. — ALVIN S. GO

Left out from the SEA Games roster because of a knee injury he suffered earlier this year, doctors recently gave the Gilas cadet the green light to compete but it came a tad too late as the official team roster had already been submitted to event organizers.

Gilas officials has been appealing to the SEA games committee to let Mr. Belo play for the team, in place of Carl Bryan Cruz who is still playing for the Philippines in the FIBA Asia Cup, but there is still no word yet if it has been granted as of this writing.

But just the same, the Blackwater star rookie has been practicing with the national team and is set to join Gilas when it travels to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the Games.

“It is still not sure if I will be able to play in Malaysia for the SEA Games but I’m staying in condition, practicing with the team, and I’m ready if they call me up for duty,” said Mr. Belo in an interview with BusinessWorld during the send-off for Filipino athletes for the SEA Games last week hosted by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission.

“Of course, there is a little frustration since my status is still uncertain but it something beyond my control. Despite that I’m still committed to the team and it has my full support,” the 24-year-old former Far Eastern University standout said.

Mr. Belo went on to say that Gilas should expect improved competition in the SEA Games, recognizing how other teams in the region have worked on their game.

“The other teams in Southeast Asia have improved in recent years and are being competitive. But that is not lost to us. We are looking at it as a challenge for us to improve our game as well and fine-tune the Gilas program moving forward,” he said.

With the Philippines acknowledged as the king of basketball in the region, Mr. Belo said there is pressure on their part to live up to it but he said the team is ready and will give its all come the competition proper.

“The pressure is there because we always take the gold but we accept that. Our mind-set is to be champions. We are young as most of the members of the team are cadet players but we are ready and I believe it’s going to be a good experience for us,” said Mr. Belo even as he expressed honor and pride in having been given the opportunity to represent the country in international basketball competitions.

In the list submitted by the Gilas think tank for the SEA Games are PBA campaigners Troy Rosario (TNT), Baser Amer (Meralco), Von Pessumal (San Miguel), Kevin Ferrer (Barangay Ginebra), Mike Tolomia (Meralco), Mr. Cruz (Alaska) and Almond Vosotros (free agent).

Also included are collegiate standouts Kiefer Ravena, Ray Parks and Raymar Jose, US collegiate player Kobe Paras and Filipino-German Christian Standhardinger. Coach of the team is Jong Uichico.

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