IPOPHL cuts green-tech application fees, expedites approvals

November 5, 2024 | 8:43 pm

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said its Green Technology Incentive Program will offer reduced registration fees and accelerated approval for intellectual property (IP) that mitigates environmental impacts and conserves natural resources.

“IPOPHL hopes to make a contribution to encourage an innovation climate that doesn’t just consider the return of investment but also the costs of what we do to our environment and natural resources, especially when they cost jobs, incomes, homes, and lives,” IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said in a statement on Tuesday.

Starting this month, IPOPHL will start accepting applications for patents, utility models (UMs), and industrial designs (IDs) for such green technologies. The program will run until November 2025, subject to a quota of 30 inventions, 60 UMs, and 60 IDs.

“We will launch it and implement it for an initial one-year period; after one year, we will assess and (decide on an extension),” IPOPHL Assistant Director Cristina P. de Guzman said in a briefing on Tuesday.

Qualified applicants will be entitled to an application fee reduction of P6,600 and faster processing.

Approved applications for inventions may opt to avail of up to a P6,600 reduction in early public fees or up to a P4,200 reduction in substantive examination fees.

Meanwhile, UM and ID registrants can enjoy up to a P960 reduction in second publication fees.

According to Ms. De Guzman, applications for inventions have an average turnaround time of four years, while the average turnaround time for UMs and IDs is 12 months and 3 months, respectively.

“But under this program, you can save up to one year for the application period (for inventions), plus when the application goes through the substantive examination, it will be prioritized,” she said.

For UMs and IDs, she said assuming complete applications, a positive examination may be scheduled for as early as two months and five days, respectively.

“We just need to wait for the publication period of one month because that’s the law. We need to (subject) applications to possible opposition or adverse information,” she said.

“Right after that, we can issue the registration certificate,” she added.

IPOPHL Deputy Director General Ann Claire C. Cabochan said that the new incentive program aims to promote the development of green and sustainable technologies through the IP system.

“By encouraging the search for sustainable solutions, this program will ensure that the Philippines will be empowered to address issues related to climate change, food security, and the environment while also aiming for a low-carbon future,” Ms. Cabochan said.

“These issues are of paramount concern, given how climate change is impacting agriculture as well as our food security,” she added.

She said that IPOPHL believes that IP protection will encourage investors, startups, and business owners to come up with green and sustainable solutions that will address the challenges faced by the country. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Ban on poultry products from Michigan lifted

November 5, 2024 | 8:43 pm

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted a ban on poultry imports from Michigan, following the resolution of reported cases of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the US state.

In a memorandum order issued by the DA on Monday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said the ban was lifted after US veterinary authorities reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health the resolution of all HPAI cases in Michigan.

“No new cases have been reported after July 12,” the DA.

In June, the DA imposed a temporary import ban on domestic and wild birds and their products after receiving reports of the avian flu outbreak in Michigan. The ban covered poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen.

The US has an HPAI regionalization arrangement with the Philippines, allowing for state-wide trade restrictions instead of blanket bans on products from the entire US in the event of an outbreak.

According to Mr. Laurel, the lifting of the ban will take effect immediately but noted “that all import transactions must adhere to all DA rules and regulations pertaining to agricultural food imports.”

In the eight months to August, the Philippines imported 130.81 million kilograms of meat from the US, with chicken, duck, and turkey products accounting for 89.58 million kilograms, or 68.48% of the total. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Oct. spot prices rise in wholesale market

November 5, 2024 | 8:42 pm

ELECTRICITY prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) rose in October due to an increase in demand with the approach of the year-end holidays, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) said.

The national average, however, masked much higher rises in spot prices for the smaller Visayas and Mindanao markets.

At a virtual briefing on Tuesday, Chris Warren C. Manalo, assistant manager for market simulation and analysis trading operations at IEMOP, said that demand increased slightly while supply declined due to a number of planned and forced plant outages.

According to preliminary data from IEMOP, WESM prices rose 13.1% month on month to P4.39 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

“This increase is attributed to a minimal rise in system demand, driven by activities for the upcoming Christmas season,” the operator said.

The operator said available power declined 2.2% to 19,897 megawatts (MW). Demand during the period rose 2% to 13,972 MW.

In Luzon, spot prices rose 2.4% month on month to P3.89 per kWh.

Supply on the grid fell 2.4% to 13,979 MW. Demand, on the other hand, rose 1.7% to 9,915 MW.

The average electricity rate in the Visayas jumped 30.1% to P5.93 per kWh.

Supply increased 5.2% to 2,510 MW. Demand during the period rose 2.5% to 2,003 MW.

Mindanao WESM prices rose 49.3% from a month earlier to P5.20 per kWh.

Supply dropped 6.2% to 3,408 MW, while demand rose 2.8% to 2,054 MW.

“Lower WESM average price is expected with a stable supply and improved demand situation as the colder months approach,” IEMOP said.

IEMOP operates the WESM, where energy companies can buy power when their long-term contracted power supply is insufficient for customer needs. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

More sustainable transport urged as Asia-Pacific faces climate pressures

November 5, 2024 | 8:42 pm

Road-traffic-vehicles — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

ASIA-PACIFIC economies experiencing unprecedented growth must turn to sustainable transport in the face of climate pressures, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

“Asia and the Pacific has experienced unprecedented motorization growth dominated by road transport demand and road infrastructure development, which are contributing to jobs and economic opportunities and increased regional connectivity,” Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said in a study released on Nov. 4.

“Yet, this has also increased energy use, emissions, and road safety concerns at the same time,” Ms. Alisjahbana, who also serves as executive secretary of the ESCAP added.

In the Philippines, road length grew 6.01% between 2010 and 2020, ESCAP said.

Across the region, it said vehicle registration has increased by 64% over the past decade, with passenger road transport nearly three times the size of rail.

It noted that road and rail freight transport are growing rapidly.

It said growth has been accompanied by a 30% rise in carbon dioxide emissions between 2010 and 2011. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Communities hosting energy projects to receive payments via LANDBANK

November 5, 2024 | 8:41 pm

THE Department of Energy (DoE) said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) for the bank to receive payments from energy projects to their host communities.

“Setting up a trust account is a crucial step for these host communities to access and utilize these funds. Without an operational trust account, these communities may miss out on valuable support for local projects that could enhance infrastructure, education, health, and livelihood,” Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara said in a statement on Tuesday.

The DoE said some barangays, indigenous peoples or indigenous cultural communities in remote areas have yet to establish the required trust accounts under the Energy Regulations 1-94 (ER 1-94) Program.

ER 1-94 is intended to compensate communities for hosting energy projects.

Power generation companies contribute one centavo per kilowatt-hour of power for community electrification, livelihood, health, and environmental programs.

Under the MoU, LANDBANK has committed to waive service charges for accounts falling below the maintaining balance to ensure access to financial services.

The bank also committed to disseminate information about this special arrangement across its 607 branches and branch-lite units to ensure communities can access such services. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Budget bill elevated to Senate plenary

November 5, 2024 | 8:40 pm

THE SENATE’S P6.352-trillion national budget bill has been sponsored out for plenary debate, with Congress expected to ratify the spending plan before its break in mid-December.

At Tuesday’s plenary session, Senator and Finance Committee chairperson Mary Grace Natividad S. Poe-Llamanzares said the budget bill features enhanced funding for health and education projects, including an additional P9.9 billion for teaching materials next year.

“Our primary investment is in our citizens, which includes additional funding for health, education, and livelihood. Our goal is to bring healthcare services closer to the people,” she said during her sponsorship speech.

She said the Senate committee added funding to the Department of Health to fund the construction of 700 rural health units, 300 local government units and DoH hospitals, and other clinics and health facilities next year.

The House of Representatives turned over its 2025 General Appropriations Bill to the Senate on Oct. 28.

In the 2025 National Expenditure Program — the document prepared by the National Government detailing its spending priorities before the budget is legislated — the Department of Budget and Management slashed the proposed funding for agriculture, health, and social welfare sectors by 4.7%, 7.6%, and 3.4%, respectively.

Ms. Poe-Llamanzares said the spending plan will also provide socialized housing for over 100,000 families next year, and fund fuel subsidies to over 20,000 public utility vehicle drivers, benefiting 40 million commuters.

She said the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the National Security Council, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will also be getting budget increases this year.

“We will be supporting the PCG’s sea-based operations by helping them procure boats, fuel, oil and lubricant which they need to patrol the seas,” she said in the face of worsening tensions with China in the South China Sea.

The committee will also maintain the P35.19 billion allocated to the Commission on Elections to carry out and oversee the midterm national and local elections, as well as elections for barangays and youth councils, and those of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

For the agriculture budget next year, the Senate committee focused on funding irrigation and fertilizer subsidies. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

TNT to clash with Ginebra in Game 5 of PBA Governors’ Cup Finals

November 5, 2024 | 7:37 pm

Game on Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7:30 p.m. – TNT vs Ginebra (Finals Game 5)*
*Series tied, 2-2

AFTER GOING THROUGH peaks and valleys over four grueling games, holder TNT and challenger Barangay Ginebra proceed to Wednesday’s tiebreaker with the oft-used quote in mind.

Not too high, not too low.

For the Gin Kings, it’s about keeping their feet on the ground after hacking out back-to-back wins that leveled the PBA Governors’ Cup title series from 0-2.

For the Tropang Giga, it’s picking themselves up from the Games 3 and 4 fumble that prevented them from moving one W away from a repeat championship after their two-game running start.

“For us right now, never too high, never too low,” said Ginebra star Scottie Thompson.

“All we did was tie the series. It’s zero-zero now, (a virtual) best of three. So we can’t live off the last two games and just feel good about that. We got to stay forward-moving and forward-thinking,” said his coach Tim Cone.

TNT mentor Chot Reyes said it’s their turn in the pivotal fifth game set at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to try and swing the pendulum back to their side.

“Definitely, they have the momentum. But it’s the same thing with us. We had the momentum after (the first) two games and now we shifted,” said Mr. Reyes.

“And that’s the finals, that’s basketball. In a seven-game series of two very good teams, the momentum can really shift both ways. They have the momentum now (and) we have to find a way to stop it.”

Using its dreaded defense and led by Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s (RHJ) blue-collar work, TNT thoroughly dominated the series opener, 104-88, and quickly followed it up, 96-84.

But tapping into their famous NSD (never-say-die) spirit, Justin Brownlee and the Gin Kings countered hard, 85-73, and 106-92, to make it all square.

In the Game 4 pull-around, Mr. Brownlee finally found his touch from the outside. Moreover, the Gin Kings utilized two weapons that were hardly felt in their first two losses — Stephen Holt, who has assumed the role of RHJ defender and fired 18 with five steals and Maverick Ahanmisi, who shot two triples and a four-ball in a similar 18-point performance.

“They’re really finding their groove, they’re being able to make great reads on their offense and executing their offense well. So it’s incumbent upon us to be able to play better defense,” said Mr. Reyes after Ginebra breached 100 points for the first time in the Last Dance.

“And we need some of our other guys, especially our bench to step up and we hope that we can be better on defense so that we can still have a chance in this,” he added.

Notes: Game 4 was a big hit both in live attendance and TV audience. The 16,783 fans on hand at the Smart Araneta Coliseum marked the largest live crowd since the record 54,589 of Game 7 of the Commissioner’s Cup finals in 2023 at the Philippine Arena. On TV, the game drew a rating of 4.7% on NUTAM (National Urban Television Audience Measurement) and 4.1% on PHINTAM (Philippine National Television Audience Measurement). This also paved the way for RPTV to climb and rank No. 3 in the ratings. The game peaked at 5.34% or viewers of 3.89 million. — Olmin Leyba

3 teams scramble for position at UAAP double header

November 5, 2024 | 7:32 pm

Games on Wednesday
(Mall of Asia Arena)
10 a.m. – FEU vs DLSU (women)
12 p.m. – NU vs UST (women)
3:30 p.m. – FEU vs DLSU (men)
6:30 p.m. – NU vs UST (men)

REIGNING CHAMPION De La Salle University presses up bid for a top-seed finish while three more teams scramble for positions in the crucial double header of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Green Archers, already in the Final Four since before the long break, gained a free hand from Far Eastern University’s (FEU) win over University of the East (UE) to clinch a top-two finish and the other twice-to-beat at 10-1.

But the dribblers from Taft will not be contented from that alone with a handsome chance to go for the No. 1 spot in the homestretch with three games left, starting against the streaking FEU Tamaraws (4-7) at 3:30 p.m.

Holding on to dear life at No. 4, University of Santo Tomas (5-6) then plunges to battle at 6:30 p.m. against National University (NU) (3-8), which gained a shot in the arm off a 67-47 upset against University of the Philippines (9-2) to stay in the thick of the Final Four race.

“We’re always gonna focus on what’s in front of us,” said coach Topex Robinson, whose wards did not take a break in leaving no stone unturned for an approaching title defense bid.

Well, the Tamaraws are, especially in a last-ditch hurrah marked by a big 59-51 win against UE that gave La Salle a free passage to the Top-Two finish and twice-to-beat bonus.

After a 0-5 start, FEU gained ground late in the first phase before winning three of their last four games in the second round to catch up with Adamson University at No. 5 with similar 4-7 slates.

Another win would put them on the doorstep of the Final Four, with the fourth-running UST Tigers figuring in an expected dogfight against the NU Bulldogs, who came from a morale-boosting win against the Fighting Maroons.

“In order for us to be the next team on the top of the hill, we have to be able to do this,” said FEU mentor Sean Chambers as the Morayta-based squad gave La Salle fits in the first round, 68-62.

“We have to match them. We’re going to show up with the mindset that if we play our game, we have a chance to win that game.” — John Bryan Ulanday

Top seed Sabalenka reaches semis at WTA Finals with 6-3, 7-5 win over Paolini

November 5, 2024 | 7:31 pm

WORLD NUMBER ONE Aryna Sabalenka secured a semifinal berth at the WTA Finals by beating Italian fourth seed Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 7-5 on Monday to stay unbeaten in the purple round-robin group.

The 26-year-old is on the brink of clinching the year-end number one ranking. A win over Elena Rybakina in the final group match on Wednesday or a loss from her rival, Poland’s Iga Swiatek, would seal the year-end top spot for the Belarusian.

Sabalenka’s win combined with Chinese Zheng Qinwen’s earlier 7-6(4) 3-6 6-1 victory over Rybakina ensured the top seed will finish first in her group regardless of her final result on Wednesday, making her the first player to reach the final four.

Australian Open and US Open champion Sabalenka also won her opening match in Riyadh against seventh seed Zheng. The Chinese player and Paolini, with 1-1 records, both remain in contention for the semis and meet on Wednesday.

Swiatek is the only player who can overtake Sabalenka. The 23-year-old, who plays Coco Gauff on Tuesday, needs to retain her title undefeated and hope Sabalenka loses her remaining matches in order to claim the year-end number one spot.

“I’m proud of myself. Not only myself, my team,” Sabalenka said after her win. “We were able to overcome a lot of things. To be able to show such great tennis and become world number one, It’s teamwork. It’s not only me.”

“Nobody sees the behind the scenes work. But they do a lot for me. I really appreciate them for everything they do for me. This is motivation for me to keep winning on this court. Those guys deserve to be called the best team ever.”

Sabalenka is the first player to reach back-to-back semis at the WTA Finals as world number one since Serena Williams in 2013-2014.

Zheng, 22, notched her first career win over 25-year-old Kazakh Rybakina in their third meeting, bouncing back from her loss to Sabalenka to become the second Chinese player after Li Na to win a match at the Finals since they started in 1972.

Rybakina suffered her second defeat, having arrived in Riyadh with fitness issues. Zheng, by contrast, came into the event after winning titles in Palermo and Tokyo plus Olympic gold in Paris.

“I’m really happy to win this match because I’d never beaten her before and she’s one of the greatest players right now on tour,” Zheng said.

“Even though I had a chance in the second set and didn’t take it, I’m happy I came back in the third set and stayed focused.” — Reuters

DLSU battles UST at Shakey’s Super League semifinals

November 5, 2024 | 7:30 pm

Games on Wednesday
(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)
3:30 p.m. – CSB vs UP (classification)
6 p.m. – La Salle vs UST (semis)

UAAP powerhouse squads De La Salle University (DLSU) and University of Santo Tomas (UST) dispute the first finale ticket in the knockout semifinal showdown of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Action kicks off at 6 p.m. with the Lady Spikers and the Golden Tigresses eyeing to arrange a championship battle against either reigning champion National University (NU) or unbeaten Far Eastern University (FEU), which collide on Saturday in the other semis pairing.

At 3:30 p.m., NCAA champion College of St. Benilde and University of the Philippines duel in the first phase of the classification stages that also feature Ateneo de Manila University and University of the East on Saturday for the same schedule as the NU-FEU game.

But the spotlight for now is on La Salle, which has swept its way to the semis of the prestigious pre-season tourney to shore up its redemption bid after losing its throne in the UAAP last year.

La Salle set a date with Santo Tomas following a 25-18, 25-20, 20-25, 20-25, 17-15 escape act against archrival Ateneo to maximize its twice-to-beat edge as the No. 1 seed in Pool E.

The Golden Tigresses, second seed in Pool F, also made the most out of their bonus and followed suit with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-21 sweep of the University of the East, boosting their own revenge goal after a pair of bridesmaid finishes to NU in both the UAAP and SSL. — John Bryan Ulanday

Underdog Pinay 5 to host Asean Women’s Futsal Championship

November 5, 2024 | 7:30 pm

IT’S going to be a tall order against more established rivals in the Asean Women’s Futsal Championship but host Philippines expressed readiness to take it head on.

“The national team is preparing well and we’re 100% confident,” player Isabella Bandoja said, speaking on behalf of the Pinay 5 in a presscon Tuesday with coach Vic Hermans, team manager Danny Moran and Philippine Football Federation President John Gutierrez.

At 59^th in the FIFA women’s futsal rankings, the Pinay 5 will go into the Nov. 16 to 21 competition at the PhilSports Arena as the underdogs versus world No. 6 Thailand, No. 11 Vietnam, No. 24 Indonesia and No. 37 Myanmar.

“Against tough teams, we’ll do our best to give a good result for the Philippines,” she added.

Mr. Hermans, a Dutch futsal coaching legend tapped by long-time futsal patron Henry V. Moran Foundation to help grow the game in the country, has assembled a crack 16-member team for this mission.

Joining ace striker Ms. Bandoja in the squad are Filipinas mainstay Alisha del Campo, Cathrine Graversen, Mykaella Abeto, Samantha Hughes, Kayla Santiago, Vrendelle Nuera, Princess Cristobas, Lanie Ortillo, Claire Lubetania, Agot Danton, Jada Bicierro, Althea Rebosura, Hazel Lustan, Louraine Evangelista and Angelica Teves.

The tourney will serve as kickoff of the Pinay 5’s one-year buildup for their stint in the grandest stage — the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s Cup in November next year that the country is also hosting.

“This is the first stage. We’re the lowest ranked team and it would be a very tough journey. But like I said, the journey has risks, challenges and we’re here to face them and I think with the right team, with the right combination, with our mutual help with the PFF, we can achieve a lot,” said Mr. Moran. — Olmin Leyba

LPU Pirates neutralize SSC-R game plan to keep their ship afloat

November 5, 2024 | 7:29 pm

Games on Wednesday
(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
11 a.m. – EAC vs San Beda
2:30 p.m. – UPHSD vs Mapua

LYCEUM of the Philippines University (LPU) coach Gilbert Malabanan had already mapped out a plan that he hoped would neutralize San Sebastian College-Recoletos’ (SSC-R) run-and-gun game — attack inside relentlessly.

It worked.

Drawing strength from its height and heft, the Pirates rammed the smaller Stags, 93-85, on Tuesday that kept their ship afloat in the tight NCAA Season 100 Final Four race at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

LPU’s persistence to pound it inside produced Mr. Malabanan the desired results as it forced SSC-R to foul aplenty that led to the latter making a killing from the foul line where it drilled in 27 of the 38 it attempted there.

LPU captain Renz Villegas waxed hot with 25 points while John Barba contributed 20 in helping power the Pirates to their seventh victory against eight setbacks and back in the semis hunt.

The Stags sputtered to 4-11. — Joey Villar