State lawyer slain; suspect nabbed

June 11, 2024 | 8:14 pm

gun-1678989_1920 — STOCK PHOTO | Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

COTABATO CITY — Police arrested the half-brother of a lady state prosecutor hours after she was gunned down in Barangay Aplaya, Digos City in the Southern Philippines on Monday afternoon.

Lt. Col. Florante S. Retes, Digos City police chief, told reporters on Tuesday that they are preparing to charge the half-brother of Eleanor P. dela Peña, the assistant provincial prosecutor in Davao Occidental, as the prime suspect in her killing.

Mr. Retes said witnesses had positively identified the suspect as the gunman who shot and killed the 54-year-old state prosecutor inside her Ford Raptor pick-up truck.

He said relatives and friends of Ms. Dela Peña confirmed that she and her half-brother were locked in a dispute over a family-owned parcel of land somewhere in Davao del Sur. — John Felix M. Unson

DBM pay hike review nears end

June 11, 2024 | 8:13 pm

THE ONGOING study on increasing government workers’ salaries will be completed by the end of June, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced on Tuesday.

“The Compensation and Benefits Study on the possible salary adjustment for government workers is ongoing,” the DBM said in statement. “It involves benchmarking activities against the private sector and seeks to establish a fair and sustainable pay structure that will enhance the welfare and productivity of government workers, considering the effects of inflation.”

The review is exploring potential improvements in current salaries, benefits, and allowance schemes.

Results of the study will inform adjustments to the Total Compensation Framework for civilian government personnel.

The Governance Commission for GOCCs has engaged a consultant to conduct the study. If salary adjustments are enacted, the DBM said it is prepared to support implementation. “We will find a way to fund its implementation, subject to excess revenue to be collected by the national government.”

Separately, the DBM has approved the creation of 89 new positions to support the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP). In a statement, the DBM said these new plantilla positions will bolster existing staff and enhance operations.

“We believe that these organizational and staffing changes will significantly enhance the National Museum’s operations, allowing the agency to better serve the public and fulfill its mission to preserve and promote our cultural heritage,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.

The Budget Chief issued the Notice of Organization, Staffing, and Compensation Action on May 21. This notice outlined the roles, functions, and activities of the new positions. The DBM also approved the reclassification and conversion of certain positions to include tasks such as providing lectures or gallery talks, preparing reports and other documents, and handling other technical and support duties.

The NMP oversees four major museums in the capital region — fine arts, anthropology, natural history, and the National Planetarium — as well as several regional, area, and site museums across the country. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Urgent teacher education sought

June 11, 2024 | 8:13 pm

Teacher-students-classroom — BW FILE PHOTO

THE PHILIPPINE Business for Education (PBEd) has called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to promptly establish the Teacher Education Council (TEC) to enhance teaching quality in the country.

“It has been two years since the law was signed and a year since implementing rules and regulations were published. The enhancements proposed in the law have not been fully realized because officials have yet to be appointed to start the necessary work,” PBEd Executive Director Justine B. Raagas said in a statement Tuesday.

Ms. Raagas urged Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio to appoint officials to the TEC to benefit aspiring teachers and improve student outcomes.

A PBEd study last year revealed that over half of all teacher education institutions (TEIs) in the country performed below average in the yearly licensure exam for teachers, based on 12 years of data from the Professional Regulatory Commission and the Commission on Higher Education.

The research showed that only 2% of these institutions are considered “high-performing,” with at least a 75% passing rate.

It also found that over 81% of Teacher Education Centers of Excellence and 91% of Centers of Development did not achieve high passing rates in licensure exams.

The ongoing work of the Second Congressional Commission on Education and the Research Institute for Teacher Quality in their profiling study on TEIs can benefit from implementing the TEC.

“While we acknowledge the administration’s efforts to support our teachers, operationalizing the TEC is also a necessary step towards improving teacher education in the country,” said Ms. Raagas.

The Excellence in Teacher Education Act (RA No. 11713) establishes and requires fundamental standards for teacher preparation programs. The law mandates that the TEC create a plan of action for the proactive development of Teacher Education Centers of Excellence in every region. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Farmers need help amid tariff cuts

June 11, 2024 | 8:12 pm

Rice-Palay-farmers — Farmers are seen in a rice field in Bustos, Bulacan, Oct. 17, 2023. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KJ ROSALES

THE GOVERNMENT should look to strengthen support for farmers to bolster domestic agricultural production, allowing it to compete with the influx of imported goods amid its decision to cut tariffs, a congressman said Monday.

The congressman sees a measure increasing farmers’ income while lowering the retail prices of rice as equally important in the government’s efforts to stifle mounting prices of rice products.

“In every policy of the government, the government should always consider… our farmers. They’re the ones who will be affected by the tariff reductions, which would result in the influx of imported products,” Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said in a statement in mixed English and Filipino.

The government earlier in June approved a revised tariff program for 2024 to 2028 — which includes a reduction of rice tariffs to 15% from 35%.

The influx of imported goods would harm the domestic agricultural industry, he said. “They would be forced to sell at a loss or be buried in debt. This would kill the livelihood of our farmers,” he said in Filipino.

Passing House Bill (HB) No. 9020 would help farmers make income as the measure mandates the government to buy local palay above prevailing farmgate prices, he said, despite the entry of imported rice products.

While Mr. Lee sees the tariff reduction as lowering the retail prices of rice, it remains a “short-term solution” as global events could affect the country’s access to the staple food.

“If farmers have sufficient income, they would be encouraged to further develop their production, and if they increase their production, there would be more supply of rice which would reduce the retail prices of rice,” said Mr. Lee in Filipino. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

San Miguel in crucial Game 4 of title series as Meralco leads 2-1

June 11, 2024 | 7:40 pm

Game Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7:30 p.m. — Meralco vs San Miguel Beer (Finals, Game 4)
*Bolts lead series, 2-1

IT’S MERALCO 2, San Miguel Beer (SMB) 1 in the hard-fought PBA Philippine Cup title series.

As good as the count looks, the Bolts don’t feel safe at all. As bad as it appears, the Beermen aren’t rattled.

The two protagonists have been in similar situations before and experienced different endings after the first three matches.

The Meralco Bolts held such an advantage against Barangay Ginebra in the 2016 and 2022 Governors’ Cup finals, only to lose in the end. For their part, the San Miguel Beermen overcame a 1-2 deficit and went on to win the 2011 Governors Cup, 2015 and 2019 Philippine Cup and 2019 Commissioner’s Cup titles.

“We’ve been here before but the result didn’t pan out the way we wanted it to,” Meralco star Chris Newsome, determined to help the Bolts change fortunes this time, get on the hill and send SMB to the brink of dethronement Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Those of us who were there during that 2-1 lead, we’re passing our knowledge now on the things that we could have done better during our 2-1 leads, to capitalize on the situation and turn it into a 3-1 lead,” he added.

But for Meralco to repeat its winning performance in Game 3 (93-89) and meet this objective in the 7:30 p.m. fourth match, it would take another high-powered effort.

“You’re going up against San Miguel, who’s the best team of the decade and they’re playoffs-ready. They’ve been through a lot of series so it’s going to be tough to go up 3-1 against them. Especially after this win by us, they’re going to be hungry. Again, that’s going to be on the veterans in the team to come out and lead,” said Mr. Newsome.

SMB’s proud crew vowed to move heaven and earth to tie it up anew at 2-2.

“Game 4 is crucial,” said CJ Perez, on a personal redemption mission after missing a critical layup in their Game 3 loss.

Halfway on the road to a milestone PBA title, the Bolts expressed readiness to follow through.

“We’ll get them grounded,” said Meralco coach Luigi Trillo.

“We know this team (San Miguel), they’re very capable of coming back and we know they’ve been down before. As for us, we can’t celebrate and we believe we can play better… We’ll be ready (for Game 4).” — Olmin Leyba

Fajardo edges Bolick in All-Filipino BPC

June 11, 2024 | 7:38 pm

PBA-Fajardo — JUNE MAR FAJARDO — FACEBOOK.COM/PBAOFFICIAL

SAN Miguel Beer stalwart June Mar Fajardo is out for a record-extending 10^th Best Player of Conference (BPC) award Wednesday night with NLEX’ Robert Bolick and Terrafirma rookie Stephen Holt providing a tough challenge.

The tournament’s top individual performer in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup takes centerstage in simple awarding rites shortly before Game 4 of the finals between Meralco and SMB.

Mr. Fajardo wrested pole position in the stats-based race at the conclusion of the semifinals with 43.12 average statistical points (SPs).

Mr. Bolick, who held the pace until the Road Warriors’ exit in the quarterfinals, sits at No. 2 with a close 43.08 SPs followed by Mr. Holt, a key element in the Dyip’s run to the Last-8, with 40.8 SPs.

Seven-time Most Valuable Player Mr. Fajardo, who’s been consistently churning double-double outputs, is gunning for his eighth BPC in the All-Filipino conference while Mr. Bolick, the league’s premier scorer and assist-issuer, and Mr. Holt are both seeking their breakthrough.

Commissioner’s Cup BPC CJ Perez of SMB (39.18 SPs) and Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger (39.16) round out the shortlist of nominees for the award, the winner of which will be determined through average SPs (45 percent), media votes (30 percent) and players’ votes (25 percent). — Olmin Leyba

Top-dog status not a concern to team-first Celtics

June 11, 2024 | 7:38 pm

BOSTON — Prior to the Celtics’ 105-98 victory over the Mavericks in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, Dallas coach Jason Kidd seemingly tried to pit Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown against each other.

Speaking to reporters Saturday, Mr. Kidd referred to Mr. Brown as the Celtics’ best player. Both Mr. Brown and Mr. Tatum were unfazed by the remark, but it later became evident that Boston coach Joe Mazzulla took it to heart.

“I’m really tired of hearing about one guy or this guy or that guy and everybody trying to make it out to be anything other than Celtic basketball,” Mr. Mazzulla said following Sunday’s win. “Everybody that stepped on that court today made winning plays on both ends of the floor, is the most important thing.”

Mr. Brown scored 21 points and Mr. Tatum finished with 18 to go along with 12 assists and nine rebounds in Game 2. However, it was Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard that ended up stealing the spotlight.

Mr. Holiday supplied team highs in points with 26 and rebounds with 11, while White sealed the victory by ferociously blocking P.J. Washington’s dunk attempt with 50.5 seconds left in regulation to prevent Dallas from pulling within 103-100. Mr. Pritchard gave the Celtics a lift as the buzzer sounded in the third quarter, banking in a 34-foot 3-pointer to put Boston up by nine.

And those plays didn’t go unnoticed by the man who was anointed as the Celtics’ best player just one day earlier.

“We got a lot of weapons on our team, so we just got to trust what we’ve been doing all season long, trust our game plan,” Brown said. “I thought we had a bunch of great looks. If you go back and look in the first half, Sam (Hauser) had a bunch of great looks, D-White had some looks that didn’t go down.

“But we didn’t panic. We kept guarding, we stayed in the game and we kept trusting it and we made enough (Sunday) to win the game. But we expect to shoot the ball better going forward when we get on the road.”

The series now shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Wednesday, but playing as the visitor has presented few challenges for Boston. The Celtics are 6-0 on the road during the playoffs, and they have won 22 of their past 27 games away from home dating back to the regular season.

“They haven’t lost a game since May something, right? Yeah, they’re hot,” Mr. Kidd said of the Celtics. “And not just on the road, but at home. We’ve got to protect home, and that’s it. We’ve got to find a way, continue, again, to build on our defense. Our defense put us in a position to win (Sunday). Unfortunately, our offense didn’t help us.”

Mr. Kidd is hoping guard Kyrie Irving can get back on track, as the former Celtic has scored just 28 points on 13-of-37 shooting (35.1 percent) through the first two games of the Finals.

Boston fans were jawing at Irving any time he touched the ball in Games 1 and 2, a reaction stemming from Irving’s decision to leave the Celtics for the Brooklyn Nets once free agency hit in June 2019.

“You have to accept the ups and downs of this. That’s, I would say, the toughest challenge when you’re in a series,” Mr. Irving said. “You want to play extremely well, especially when you’re playing in a Finals. … (Sunday’s loss) wasn’t all on me, but I’m definitely taking the majority of it because my teammates look to me to convert a lot of these shots and ease the burden of not just Luka (Doncic) but everyone else and settle our team.

“We definitely made our dinner on the defensive end, but now offensively I have to play better.”

Mr. Doncic posted a triple-double on Sunday, racking up 32 points, 11 boards and 11 assists. Washington had 17 points and Irving chipped in 16.

“At the end of the day, it’s basketball, away or home,” Mr. Doncic said. “We’ve just got to play better basketball to win.” — Reuters

Free agent Abando joins Strong Group-Pilipinas for William Jones Cup

June 11, 2024 | 7:37 pm

Gilas-Abando — RHENZ ABANDO — FIBA.BASKETBALL

ANOTHER Gilas Pilipinas standout will shore up the Strong Group-Pilipinas for the coming 43^rdWilliam Jones Cup on July 13 to 21 in Taiwan.

Ace forward Rhenz Abando has been added to the Strong Group squad after he parted ways with mother club Anyang Jung Kwan Jang in the Korean Basketball League (KBL), Strong Group announced yesterday.

Now a free agent, Mr. Abando will boost the Philippine representative currently featuring Gilas naturalized player Ange Kouame, Kiefer Ravena, RJ Abarrientos, Jordan Heading, Caelan Tiongson and former PBA champion import Chris McCullough.

Mr. Abando will bring his versatility and sweet shooting touch to the Strong Group after averaging 9.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists last season in the KBL.

He’s a former NCAA Rookie-MVP from Letran and Slam Dunk Contest champion in the KBL, where he also served as key cog in Anyang’s championship last year. He’s also an East Asia Super League champion (EASL) with the same team.

“I’m happy to have the opportunity to finally coach Rhenz (Abando). I’ve coached against him in the past, and I think he’s a great player. He gives us a lot of athleticism and firepower,” said Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu, who’s also an NCAA mentor for College of St. Benilde.

“I’m looking forward to be under coach Charles,” added Mr. Abando.

More players, including high-caliber imports, are expected to be signed by Strong Group to complete its squad with still over a month to go before the tourney, where the Philippine bet is hoping to win the country’s seventh title. — John Bryan Ulanday

Carlos, Galanza, NU’s Belen and Solomon beef up Alas Pilipinas

June 11, 2024 | 7:35 pm

HERE comes the brigade.

Alas Pilipinas has sent in the cavalry in Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza of Creamline and Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon of National University (NU) it gears up for the FIVB Challenger Cup set July 4 to 7 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

National team coach Jorge Souza de Brito, who recently got an extension up to December next year, made the announcement yesterday.

The four should add more firepower to an already loaded Alas Pilipinas side, which claimed a historic bronze medal in the AVC Challenge Cup at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum a few weeks ago.

They were actually part of the pool but Ms. Carlos and Ms. Galanza had to beg off from joining the team in the AVC Challenge Cup due to a pre-booked Spain trip.

Also being reportedly eyed by Mr. De Brito for potential inclusion are Choco Mucho setter Mars Alba and middle blocker Maddie Madayag, Akari’s newly acquired spiker from Nxled Ivy Lacsina, Farm Fresh’s Jolina dela Cruz, Far Eastern University’s Tin Ubaldo and College of St. Benilde’s Gayle Pascual. — Joey Villar

Adam Silver: NBA expansion talks on list after media deal

June 11, 2024 | 7:35 pm

ONCE the National Basketball Association (NBA) finalizes an expected long and lucrative media-rights deal, Commissioner Adam Silver said the focus can turn to expansion.

Speaking on NBC Sports Boston’s pregame show before Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night, Mr. Silver said no decisions have been made on expansion but that it will merit consideration.

The NBA has 30 teams, two fewer than the NFL and NHL.

“We have to understand what our long-term media relationships are before we look to expansion. We’re in the process of wrapping up those deals now,” Mr. Silver said. “They’re going to be long-term deals. I’m hoping, we’re not done yet, but they’ll be successful in terms of generating more money for the league and the teams and then we’ll be in a position to look at expansion.”

The league is in negotiation with current and potential media partners for a new deal beginning with the 2025-26 season. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the package could run 11 years and be in the range of $75 billion.

“It’s not preordained that we’ll expand,” Mr. vSilver said. “I’ve said it before, you’ve got to look at the dilution, potentially, of talent, but there’s so much great basketball being played around the world. I don’t think there’s any doubt that over time, this league can sustain two more teams. And there’s interest in the market, so once we finish our media deals, we’ll turn our attention to that.”

Mr. Silver said Seattle and Las Vegas have drawn the most attention as sites for prospective expansion teams in the US Looking down the road, Mexico City could become the NBA’s second international city.

But he wasn’t willing to commit to any combination of those three cities on Sunday, saying there were “lots of other US cities and Canadian cities, frankly, that have reached out to us to tell us they’d be interested.”

The league last expanded in 2004 with the addition of the Charlotte Bobcats, now the Hornets. The previous Charlotte Hornets moved to New Orleans, later rebranded as the Pelicans, and returned the franchise name to the North Carolina city. — Reuters

Hurley turns down LA Lakers offer

June 11, 2024 | 7:34 pm

Don’t think for a moment that Man of the Hour Dan Hurley’s decision to stay with the University of Connecticut effectively moves the spotlight away from the Lakers. Their search for a new head coach will continue to take on a circus atmosphere — in part because any vacancy in the National Basketball Association merits headlines, and in far larger measure because, well, anything they do is magnified. For reasons both obvious and obfuscated, glitz and glamour accompany their every move.

Perhaps the intense scrutiny that will invariably come with being part of the Lakers soured Hurley on the opportunity. The offer dangled in front of him — reportedly a whopping $70 million over six years — was certainly no joke, but neither were the heightened expectations and the circumstances accompanying its acceptance. It’s human nature to resist change, and especially if the tradeoffs serve to amp up the uncertainty. Leaving UConn would have meant turning his back on the chance to make history. And the big bucks were coming his way, anyway.

In the face of Hurley’s rejection, not a few quarters have speculated that he simply strung the Lakers along for the sole purpose of raising his value with UConn. Which may well be true. All things considered, however, it’s more likely that he deems a rare Division I men’s three-peat to be the more compelling challenge. For all the pitfalls of college hoops in the era of the transfer window and the ascendancy of the individual over the collective, he remains well positioned to achieve what only the legendary John Wooden has.

In any case, the Lakers are back to square one in their quest for stability. It may not be evident to many, but they’re looking for more than just a bench tactician. They’re out to reframe their reputation as unreasonable employers. It’s no coincidence that seven minds have occupied the hot seat since Hall of Famer Phil Jackson left in 2011, and they’re bent on finally getting the eighth right. They won’t know if they do on the day of the hiring, so they need to both trust the process and swing for the fences. Controlled boldness comes with risk — and, as it so happens, also invites success.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

UN Security Council backs Israel-Hamas ceasefire

June 11, 2024 | 5:37 pm

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations (UN) Security Council on Monday backed a proposal outlined by President Joseph R. Biden for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and urged the Palestinian militants to accept the deal aimed at ending the eight-month-long war.

Hamas welcomed the adoption of the US-drafted resolution and said in a statement that it is ready to cooperate with mediators over implementing the principles of the plan “that are consistent with the demands of our people and resistance.”

Russia abstained from the UN vote, while the remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution supporting a three-phase ceasefire plan laid out by Mr. Biden on May 31 that he described as an Israeli initiative.

“Today we voted for peace,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council after the vote.

The resolution welcomes the new ceasefire proposal, states that Israel has accepted it, calls on Hamas to agree to it and “urges both parties to fully implement its terms without delay and without condition.”

Algeria, the only Arab member of the council, supported the resolution because “we believe it can represent a step forward toward an immediate and lasting ceasefire,” Algeria’s UN Ambassador Amar Bendjama told the council.

“It offers a glimmer of hope to the Palestinians,” he said. “It’s time to halt the killing.”

The resolution also goes into detail about the proposal, and spells out that “if the negotiations take longer than six weeks for phase one, the ceasefire will still continue as long as negotiations continue.”

ISRAEL’S GOALS
However, it did not contain enough detail for Moscow. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia asked what Israel had specifically agreed to and said the Security Council should not be signing up to agreements with “vague parameters.”

“We did not wish to block the resolution simply because it, as much as we understand, is supported by the Arab world,” Mr. Nebenzia told the council.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan was present for the vote, but did not address the council. Instead, senior Israeli UN diplomat Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly told the body that Israel’s goals in Gaza had always been clear.

“Israel is committed to these goals — to free all the hostages, to destroy Hamas’ military and governing capabilities and to ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future,” she said. “It is Hamas that is preventing this war from ending. Hamas and Hamas alone.”

The council in March demanded for an immediate ceasefire and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas.

For months, negotiators from the US, Egypt and Qatar have been trying to mediate a ceasefire. Hamas says it wants a permanent end to the war in the Gaza Strip and Israeli withdrawal from the enclave of 2.3 million people.

Israel is retaliating against Hamas, which rules Gaza, over an Oct. 7 attack by its militants.

More than 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies. More than 100 hostages are believed to remain captive in Gaza.

Israel launched an air, ground and sea assault on the Palestinian territory, killing more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. — Reuters