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Trade dep’t sees Hungary possibly investing in farming, water projects

TRADE Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty meets with Istvan Jakab, deputy speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary, in Budapest. — DTI

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it sees opportunities to tap Hungary’s expertise in agriculture, information and communication, and water technologies, leading to possible investments in the Philippines.

“The Philippines and Hungary have established extraordinary friendship that transcends beyond diplomatic relations,” Trade Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty said in a statement on Monday.

“We have established dynamic and productive economic relations over the last five years and are positioned to gain further, particularly in trade and investments,” he added.

The DTI made the statement in the wake of the business forum held on the sidelines of the Philippines-Hungary Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation (JCEC), in which at least 60 Hungarian companies participated.

Investment opportunities could also arise for key Philippine industries such as renewable energy, green metals, electric vehicle manufacturing, and smart and high-tech light manufacturing.

The DTI also said Hungary plans to offer a tied aid loan of $33 million to the Philippines to finance social infrastructure projects related to water management.

The projects include the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project under the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which aims to improve community access to clean and safe drinking water.

In 2022, merchandise trade between the Philippines and Hungary was $189.84 million, making it the seventh-largest export market in the European Union. It was also the 15th largest destination of Philippine goods admitted to the EU under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) concessional scheme.

Hungary currently employs 9,000 overseas Filipino workers, which is expected to increase further amid strong demand for agricultural workers, as well as those in, services, transportation, and healthcare.

The DTI said that talks on education were also held during the event, including the implementation of their memorandum of understanding on Vocational Education and Training signed in 2022.

In the fifth JCEC, the countries discussed the collaboration of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences with various institutions in the Philippines as well as with the Philippine Department of Agriculture.

Mr. Gepty also met with Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary, István Jakab, on the sidelines of the JCEC. Mr. Jakab is the chairman of the Hungary-Philippines Friendship Group.

“Deputy Speaker Jakab highlighted the role of the JCEC in advancing economic cooperation and presenting opportunities for mutual benefit,” the DTI said, citing Mr. Jakab.

“He hopes the JCEC can add further impetus to promote bilateral relations which is the key role played by the Friendship Group of Philippine and Hungarian parliamentarians,” it added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Fuel marking program credited with generating P801.55 billion in revenue 

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said it raised P801.55 billion from marked fuel since the program began in 2019.

“The figures are looking good; every year the collection increases. We are able to catch a lot (of violators). It’s easy to catch, because in fuel marking, there are random inspections of gas stations,” Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio told reporters recently.

The collection totals for marked fuel were generated between Sept. 4, 2019 and Nov. 30, 2023. Volume totals of 70.48 billion liters run from Sept. 4, 2019 to Dec. 2, 2023.

“In 2022, the BoC collected P234.46 billion from its fuel marking program.”

The BoC said revenue from marked fuel consisted of P771.74 billion in customs duties and P29.81 billion in excise taxes since the program began.

“Anyone can just message the bureau if they have doubts on whether the fuel is smuggled or not. No matter where it comes from it has to pay duties and taxes, even if it comes from a freeport. There has to be proof its duties are paid,” Mr. Rubio added.

The fuel marking program was launched in 2019. Fuel is marked with a special dye in order to signify tax compliance, while the absence of the dye is considered an indication that the fuel may be smuggled.

The program is authorized by Republic Act 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.

In 2022, the BoC collected P234.46 billion from marked fuel.

In the first 11 months of 2023, the BoC collected P813.651 billion from all sources, accounting for about 93% of its full-year target. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Budget utilization hits 98% year to date

BUDGET SECRETARY AMENAH F. PANGANDAMAN — COURTESY OF DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT FACEBOOK PAGE

THE GOVERNMENT has spent 98% of its budget in the year to date, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.

“For our budget this year, we have spent roughly 98%,” Ms. Pangandaman said during the Philippine Economic Briefing in Iloilo on Monday.

The DBM had announced a budget release rate as of the end of November of 97.6%, equivalent to P5.406 trillion out of the P5.537-trillion adjusted spending plan this year, leaving P131.25 billion in remaining funds.

In a separate report, the DBM said the cash utilization rate of government agencies hit 94% in the first 10 months.

The National Government (NG), local governments and state-owned companies used P3.39 trillion of the P3.6 trillion worth of notices of cash allocation issued as of the end of October.

“If you’ll notice during the past quarter, our NG spending is not what we expected; thus, our gross domestic product (GDP) growth was not that high in the past quarter,” Ms. Pangandaman said.

She said that agencies were able to expedite spending after they were ordered to draft “catch-up plans” to address the low budget utilization in the first half.

Government spending contracted 7.1% in the second quarter, which brought GDP in the April-June period to a weaker-than-expected 4.3%. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Prescriptive period on false returns

Christmas is just around the corner, and people are busy buying gifts for their loved ones and godchildren, among others. Those who missed the 11.11 sales are probably looking forward to the 12.12 promo today, with avid online shoppers ready to press the “checkout” button on their favorite online store.

Since the pandemic, an increasing number of Filipinos have been using the internet for their shopping needs. Unfortunately, some people are also taking advantage of this season to boost their sales or income by resorting to false advertising, especially on social media. Hence, consumers should be vigilant when buying online.

Currently, we do not have a law that directly punishes social media companies for posts that contain false advertising. However, we have laws and issuances such as the Consumer Act of the Philippines and Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 22-01 issued by the Department of Trade and Industry and other agencies that could be used to penalize sellers for false advertising and unfair trade practices.

The same is true for tax returns.  Filing a false return may also result in the taxpayer’s paying deficiency taxes and penalties, and it may even be grounds for an extension of the prescriptive period if certain conditions are met.

Under the 1997 Tax Code, as amended, the BIR has three years from the filing of the return to issue an assessment against a taxpayer. This prescriptive period aims to protect the interests of taxpayers from unreasonable tax investigations. But there is an exception to this three-year general rule. Section 222(a) of the tax code provides that in the case of a false return or fraudulent return with intent to evade tax or of failure to file a return, the period may be extended to 10 years after the discovery of the falsity, fraud, or omission. Accordingly, the exception to the three-year prescriptive period may apply in three cases, i.e., if the taxpayer: (1) filed a false return; (2) filed a fraudulent return; and (3) failed to file a return. 

The question now from some taxpayers is how Section 222(a) should be interpreted in the case of a false return. Would an unintentional or honest mistake in the figures reported in return render it a false return for purposes of applying the 10-year prescriptive period?  What are the requisites, if any, in determining whether the same may fall under the exception? 

In various cases, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) applied the 10-year prescriptive period in cases of false return with substantial under-declaration by invoking the old Supreme Court (SC) decision, Aznar vs. Court of Tax Appeals. In that case, a return is considered false if it deviates from the truth, whether such deviation was deliberate or inadvertent. Hence, it was interpreted that an honest mistake in a return may be construed as a false return to warrant the application of the extraordinary period to assess.

On the other hand, various SC cases (one of which is Commissioner of Internal Revenue vs. Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc., G.R. No. 213943), which ruled that the entry of wrong information due to a mistake, carelessness, or ignorance, without intent to evade taxes, does not constitute a false return. Hence, there should be sufficient evidence to prove the intentional falsity on the part of the taxpayer in order for the 10-year prescriptive period to be applied.

Because of these diverging decisions, some BIR examiners are still invoking the extraordinary prescriptive period even if the misstatement or error is unintentional, especially if the three-year prescriptive period has lapsed. Taxpayers, on the other hand, are hoping for clear guidelines on the proper application of Section 222(a) to ensure that their rights are protected against unreasonable tax audits.     

Fortunately, in the recent en banc decision of the SC in the case of McDonald’s Philippines Realty Corp. vs. the CIR (G.R. No. 247737), this issue has finally been settled. The Court ruled that for purposes of invoking the extraordinary period under Section 222(a), the BIR must be able to prove that such misstatement or error is intentional and deliberate.

As clearly explained by the Court, the purpose of the examination of the taxpayer’s books by the tax authorities is to determine the correct amount of taxes. Each audit will necessarily expose varying errors and/or irregularities in how the taxpayer computes its tax liabilities. If the BIR’s position is followed (i.e., unintentional errors will be considered false returns under Section 222(a)), then all such inaccuracies committed by the taxpayer — including mere clerical or typographical errors or arithmetic calculations, no matter how trivial — render the return false and may be used as grounds to invoke the exceptional 10-year period. This creates an opportunity for the tax authorities to find errors at whim, renders the basic three-year assessment period under Section 203 of the Tax Code, as amended, superfluous and inoperative, and extends that assessment period virtually in all tax audits. 

Accordingly, the SC specifically stated that the Court’s ruling in the Aznar case, which applied the extraordinary 10-year assessment period under Section 222(a) to false return in general, i.e., regardless of whether the deviation is intentional or not, has been abandoned. The extraordinary period should apply to a false return when: (1) the return contains an error or misstatement, and (2) such error or misstatement was deliberate or willful. Both conditions should be complied with. Otherwise, the regular three-year prescriptive period applies. 

Moreover, the SC pointed out that the BIR has the burden to establish the existence of the above-mentioned statutory requisites with clear and convincing evidence. The BIR, however, may be relieved from such burden of proof when there is prima facie evidence of falsity or fraud as defined under Section 248(B) of the Tax Code, as amended. There is prima facie evidence of false or fraudulent return if BIR is able to ascertain that there is substantial under-declaration of taxable sales, receipts, or income, or substantial overstatement of deductions of expense. The misstatement may be considered substantial if it exceeds 30% of the amount declared in the return. 

Accordingly, the burden of proof is shifted to the taxpayer if there is prima facie evidence of falsity or fraud. If, however, the taxpayer was able to successfully overturn the presumption (e.g., he was able to demonstrate that the misstatement ascertained by the BIR had been inadvertent or attributable to an honest mistake or was not deliberate or willful), the tax authorities cannot rely on the presumption in proving the taxpayer’s intent to evade taxes.

Moreover, the SC emphasized that the assessment notice issued to the taxpayer must clearly state that the extraordinary prescriptive period is being applied on the basis of the allegation of falsity or fraud. The BIR should also not have acted in a manner that is inconsistent with the invocation of the extraordinary period to assess or has misled the taxpayer that the basic period will be applied. All these due process requirements must be complied with. Otherwise, a regular three-year prescriptive shall be applied.

This recent decision of the SC hopefully clarifies and provides guidelines to both the tax authorities and taxpayers on what constitutes a false return for purposes of applying the 10-year prescriptive period. Nevertheless, it is still important that the taxpayer ensure that all items reported in a return are correct to avoid any issues as to whether or not such an error or omission constitutes a false return. Otherwise, such falsity may indeed result in severe consequences.

Christmas signifies the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and serves as a wonderful time to celebrate. Let’s take time this season to reflect on what we already have and be thankful. Christmas is best celebrated with our loved ones and friends if our hearts are full of joy, love, hope, and gratitude. May your Christmas be merry this year.   

Let’s Talk Tax is a weekly newspaper column of P&A Grant Thornton that aims to keep the public informed of various developments in taxation. This article is not intended to be a substitute for competent professional advice.

 

Edward D. Roguel is a partner from the Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton. P&A Grant Thornton is one of the leading audits, tax, advisory, and outsourcing firms  in the Philippines, with 29 Partners and more than 1000 staff members.

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Argentina markets want Milei to deliver fiscal ‘kick’ to economy

ARGENTINE president-elect Javier Milei addresses supporters after winning Argentina’s runoff presidential election, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nov. 19, 2023. — REUTERS

BUENOS AIRES — Argentine voters may have cause to worry about new President Javier Milei’s pledge for painful economic shock therapy, but markets are keen, hoping the libertarian will give the economy a “firm kick” when he lays out his plan this week.

The outsider economist on Sunday reaffirmed plans for tough spending cuts to address the country’s worst economic crisis in two decades and bring down inflation nearing 150%, though warned the situation would get worse before getting better.

“There is no money,” he said repeatedly in his maiden speech, pledging to make tough decisions even if that mean pain for the country. “The challenge we have ahead is titanic.”

Analysts said that Mr. Milei, who won over voters with a “chainsaw” economic plan to cut state spending and overturn a deep deficit, needed to follow through on this tough talk. His election win has buoyed stocks and bonds in recent weeks.

“The biggest risk in the coming days is that the signals are not strong enough,” said consultancy EcoGo in a note. “The signals should include a firm fiscal kick and a clear signal of willingness to carry out structural reforms.”

Mr. Milei and economy chief Luis Caputo are expected to announce a package of economic measures early this week, with investors looking out for a devaluation of the peso, now held by currency controls, public spending cuts and potential privatizations.

“It will be crucial for the new administration to quickly revive confidence,” said economist Gustavo Ber, adding that the government needed social and legislative support given the likely economic pain ahead and inflation spiking further.

“The macroeconomic picture… is, to say the least, terrifying. Although inflation has already hit its highest in the last thirty years, everything indicates that the worst is yet to come,” said the consulting firm GMA Capital Research.

Mr. Milei will need to rebuild depleted central bank reserves analysts estimate to be net $10 billion in the red, ease a looming recession, bring down 40% poverty and revamp a failing $44-billion program with the International Monetary Fund.

His first weeks may set the tone.

“To get out of this situation it will be necessary for the new government to act quickly and eliminate capital controls as soon as possible,” said Lautaro Moschet, economist at the Freedom and Progress Foundation.

Morgan Stanley said in a report said that without a strong economic program, Argentina may need to sharply weaken its exchange rate, currently around 365 per dollar, which could see the price of greenbacks double.

“An FX adjustment seems inevitable,” the investment bank said in the Dec. 7 note, adding that it could weaken to 700 per dollar. “An economy with no credible economic program may need to compensate with a weaker FX to attract investment.” — Reuters

Gaza’s ‘catastrophic’ health situation nearly impossible to improve — WHO chief

CHICKENS walk on top of rubble, at the site of Israeli strikes on houses, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Dec. 10, 2023. — REUTERS

GENEVA — The World Health Organization (WHO) chief said on Sunday it will be all but impossible to improve the “catastrophic” health situation in Gaza even as the board passed an emergency WHO motion by consensus to secure more medical access.

Palestinian officials have also described a disastrous health situation in Gaza, where Israel’s assault has left most of the population homeless, with little electricity, food or clean water, and a medical system facing collapse.

The emergency action, proposed by Afghanistan, Qatar, Yemen and Morocco, seeks passage into Gaza for medical personnel and supplies, requires the WHO to document violence against healthcare workers and patients and to secure funding to rebuild hospitals.

“I must be frank with you: these tasks are almost impossible in the current circumstances,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. Still, he commended countries for finding common ground, saying it was the first time any United Nations motion had been agreed by consensus since the conflict began.

Mr. Tedros told the 34-member board in Geneva that medical needs in Gaza had surged and the risk of disease had grown, yet the health system had been reduced to a third of its pre-conflict capacity.

Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian politician who heads the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees with 25 teams working in Gaza, said: “Half of Gaza is now starving.”

He said 350,000 people had infections including 115,000 with severe respiratory infections and lacking warm clothes, blankets and protection from the rain.

He said many were suffering from stomach complaints because there was little clean water and not enough fuel to use to boil it, risking outbreaks of dysentery, typhoid and cholera.

“To add insult to injury, we have 46,000 injured people who cannot be treated properly because most of the hospitals are not functioning,” he said.

BOMBARDMENT
Gaza hospitals have come under bombardment, and some have been besieged or raided as part of Israel’s response to Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attacks. Hospitals that remain open are overwhelmed by the numbers of dead and wounded arriving and sometimes procedures are carried out without anesthetics.

A WHO database shows there have been 449 attacks on healthcare facilities in Palestinian territories since Oct. 7, without assigning blame.

Mr. Tedros said that it would be hard to meet the board’s requests given the security situation on the ground and said he deeply regretted that the United Nations Security Council could not agree on a ceasefire in Gaza following a United States veto.

“Resupplying health facilities has become extremely difficult and is deeply compromised by the security situation on the ground and inadequate resupply from outside Gaza,” he said.

Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila deplored the critical shortages of medicines. “The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated,” she told the WHO meeting by video link.

WHO board member the United States signaled in the meeting that it would not oppose the text of the motion which was adopted without a vote later on Sunday.

The motion was criticized by Israel, which has said it puts disproportionate focus on Israel, made no mention of the Israeli hostages in Gaza and does not address what Israel describes as Hamas’ use of civilians as human shields, by placing command centers and weapons inside hospitals.

Israeli ambassador Meirav Eilon Shahar called the adopted text a “complete moral failure.” Israel is not a WHO board member.

WHO emergency sessions are rare and have occurred during health crises including during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and during West Africa’s Ebola epidemic in 2015. Qatar, which has mediated in the Israel-Hamas conflict, chaired the session. — Reuters

Harvard faculty members rally around university president Claudine Gay

SEVERAL hundred faculty members at Harvard University on Sunday signed a petition asking school administrators to not bend to political pressure to fire the school’s president over her Congressional testimony about antisemitism on campus.

A concisely worded petition was signed by at least 570 professors and was delivered Sunday evening to the 13-member Harvard Corporation, which has the power to fire university president Claudine Gay. More professors indicated they also wanted to sign, according to a co-author of the petition.

Pressure has hiked on Ms. Gay over the weekend, after University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned on Saturday.

Ms. Gay, Ms. Magill and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth testified before a US House of Representatives committee last week about a rise in antisemitism on college campuses following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

The trio declined to give a definitive “yes” or “no” answer to Republican Representative Elise Stefanik’s question of whether calling for the genocide of Jews would violate their schools’ codes of conduct regarding bullying and harassment, saying they had to balance it against free speech protections.

More than 70 US lawmakers signed onto a letter demanding that the governing boards of the three universities remove the presidents, citing dissatisfaction with their testimony.

But Alison Frank Johnson, a Harvard professor of history and a co-author of the petition delivered to the school’s corporation, rejected the politicized calls for Ms. Gay’s removal.

“I get the impression that many people don’t know how much support she has, as a scholar, colleague, and administrator, within the university — including from people who sometimes disagree with her,” Ms. Frank Johnson wrote in an e-mail. “We don’t want to lose her because of a political stunt.”

Ms. Frank Johnson would not provide the language of the petition, but confirmed that it asks the Harvard Corporation “not to bend to political pressure, including pressure to remove the president.”

Jewish students, families and alumni have accused the schools of tolerating antisemitism, especially in statements by pro-Palestinian demonstrators since the Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and killed around 1,200. That attack prompted a massive counterattack by Israel that has left over 17,700 Palestinians dead, according to the Gaza health ministry. — Reuters

UN appeals for $46B to meet humanitarian needs in 2024

REUTERS

GENEVA — The United Nations (UN) on Monday appealed for $46 billion in funding for 2024 to help millions of people affected by humanitarian crises around the globe, including in the occupied Palestinian territories, Sudan and Ukraine.

In its Global Humanitarian Overview for 2024, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that nearly 300 million people will require humanitarian assistance next year due to conflicts, climate emergencies and economic factors.

That includes 74.1 million people in East and Southern Africa, a large portion of whom are affected by the crisis in Sudan.

“We will target for our specific needs, for the agencies that I represent, 181 million of those 300,” said UN aid chief Martin Griffiths.

He said that other organizations, including the Red cross and national Red Cross societies, had made their own funding appeals.

The humanitarian system is facing a major funding crisis, with just over one-third of the $57 billion required to provide aid funded last year, OCHA said in its annual assessment of global humanitarian needs.

Mr. Griffiths described this as the “worst funding shortfall in years.” He said it had been difficult to decrease the appeal for 2024 and ensure aid agencies were “realistic, focused and tough-minded” when assessing needs.

“I think the Middle East as a whole and Gaza and West Bank in probably going to be the area of greatest need,” Mr. Griffiths said.

“But Ukraine is going through desperate times and a war that will restart in full swing next year. It will need a lot of attention.” — Reuters

Former Japanese soldier fights for justice in landmark sexual assault case

REUTERS

YOKOHAMA — A former Japanese soldier’s years-long fight for justice against the men she has accused of sexually assaulting her will reach a climax on Tuesday when a court delivers a verdict in a trial that has drawn international attention.

After leaving the Self-Defense Forces in 2022, Rina Gonoi, 24, went public with accusations against her ex-colleagues, a rare step in a male-dominated society where speaking out against sexual violence has remained somewhat taboo.

She has received a public apology from the government and global recognition — Time Magazine named Ms. Gonoi in its list of 100 emerging world leaders — but has also been the target of online vitriol.

“I am appreciative of the fact that they value what I’m doing. There is a tendency in Japan when people speak up, they get criticized,” Ms. Gonoi told Reuters in an interview.

“I have gotten many derogatory comments. But I know the world values what I’m doing so I don’t think I made a mistake (of coming forward).”

Ms. Gonoi has said she received constant harassment after enlisting in 2020, which escalated in 2021 when she alleges three male colleagues pinned her to the ground, pulled her legs apart and began pressing their crotches against her in a simulation of a sex act while others watched and laughed.

She complained to her superiors at the time but said she decided to leave when no action was taken. After her complaints began receiving wider attention, Japan’s defense ministry issued a public apology to her and announced that five of the men involved had been dismissed and four others punished.

The sexual assault case is being heard in the Fukushima district court and her alleged attackers deny the charges.

Ms. Gonoi has also lodged a civil case against the government for failing to prevent abuse and investigate her claims.

Her cases come as Japan seeks to recruit more women soldiers and build up its military to deter its powerful neighbor China and nuclear-armed North Korea.

“I think it (my court case) will change (Japanese society) and that is why I’m fighting. There are many Japanese women that cannot speak up and bring their case forward,” said Ms. Gonoi, who now works at a security firm in Tokyo and teaches judo to children and adults on her days off.

“I can’t sleep everyday, this week (before the verdict) feels very long, I saw the guys (defendants) in my dream, I feel pressured… Really, it’s difficult to keep myself together.” — Reuters

PSC gears up for 2023 Batang Pinoy, National Games hosting

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

WITH five days before the opening, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) assured its full preparations to host its highly anticipated 2023 Batang Pinoy (BP) and Philippine National Games (PNG) this Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. As of Dec. 11, close to 14,000 athletes from ages 17 and below are set to take centerstage in BP, with almost 4,000 athletes from ages 18 and above set to showcase their talents in the PNG.

“These games represent another significant milestone in our commitment to promoting sports excellence and development of our young athletes. We are fully committed to providing a world-class platform for our athletes to showcase their talents and compete at the highest level,” said PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann.

The simultaneous staging of BP and PNG will parade 25 sports namely — archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball 3×3, boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, football, gymnastics, judo, karatedo, kickboxing, lawn tennis, muay thai, pencak silat, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, beach volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting and wushu.

“We want to provide the best possible exposure for athletes of the Batang Pinoy and Philippine National Games. There’s a lot of learning that we got from competitions abroad like the way they conduct it from the registration, the pre-game up to the actual competition, and post-game,” said Executive Director Paulo Tatad, in an interview on the PSC Chatroom program.

“One thing we want to pick up is the custom of exchanging pins. We’re encouraging local government units (LGUs) to create their own pins. We’re trying to recreate that feel,” Mr. Tatad added.

All participants, coaches, and delegations from almost 200 LGUs are set to gather in the opening ceremonies on Sunday, expected to be graced by notable BP and PNG alumnus together with other Filipino sports legends at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

To further fuel up the flagship advocacy of advancing the country’s grassroots sports program, the sports agency partnered with private organizations and institutions such as the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Milo Philippines, Otsuka Solar-Pocari Sweat, PLDT and Smart Communications, Grab, Chooks To Go, and Shakey’s Philippines.

Choco Mucho faces Cignal in semifinals sudden death

FACEBOOK.COM/CMFLYINGTITANS

Game Tuesday
(PhilSports Arena)
6 p.m. — Cignal vs Choco Mucho

TWICE, sister teams Creamline and Choco Mucho shattered the Premier Volleyball League’s (PVL) attendance records when the siblings faced off and drew 14,432 and 19,157 crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena a year ago.

The Flying Titans will have a chance to set another milestone and try to arrange a rematch against the mighty Cool Smashers at a bigger stage — the PVL All-Filipino Conference finals also at the Pasay venue.

Standing in the way of that galactic clash of the titans are the dangerous Cignal HD Spikers, who are hoping to go to the finals themselves in search for glory as they face off with Sisi Rondina and her brady bunch in today’s semifinals sudden death at the PhilSports Arena.

Choco Mucho Flying Titans’ Ms. Rondina, a favorite to win the Most Valuable Player plum, stressed they’re ready for war.

“This is war,” said the diminutive juggernaut from University of Santo Tomas, who unleashed a spectacular 23-point masterpiece laced with 20 missile-like attacks.

Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin, for his part, stressed the need for the Flying Titans, who are on the verge of claiming their best finish after a pair of fourth-place finishes, to stay hungry and keep the fire burning.

For Ms. Rondina, staying grounded would also be essential.

“We have to humble ourselves and start all over again. I think the team who will become complacent has the disadvantage and that’s what happened in Game One,” said Ms. Rondina. “I think Cignal will come back with more fire so we have to be ready again,” she added.

But for now, all Philippine fandom can do is wait with bated breath as the rematch between the country’s most popular team materializes. — Joey Villar

NLEX acquires rights to Bolick while SMB gets Trollano

THE ROAD WARRIORS acquired the rights to Robert Bolick (left) while San Miguel Beer gets Don Trollano (right). — PBA

NLEX and San Miguel Beer, teams plagued by injuries to key players, turned to the trading table to fill in holes in their respective rosters.

The Road Warriors acquired the rights to high-scoring guard Robert Bolick and Kent Salado in a deal with NorthPort while shipping Ben Adamos, Don Trollano, Kris Rosales and their 49th season second-round pick in return.

The Batang Pier then dealt Mr. Trollano to San Miguel Beer in exchange for Allyn Bulanadi, Jeepy Faundo and the Beermen’s 51st season second-round selection.

The swaps received the stamp of approval from the PBA Commissioner’s Office yesterday.

For NLEX, the entry of Mr. Bolick, who averaged 20.4 points, five rebounds and 6.1 assists in Season 47, should cushion the impact of ace playmaker Kevin Alas’ absence due to an ACL injury.

First order of business now is to strike a deal with Mr. Bolick, who is back in the country after getting his release from Japan B. League club Fukushima last October. Mr. Bolick joined Fukushima in May at the end of his last contract with NorthPort.

“As of now, nothing yet (timetable on Mr. Bolick’s NLEX debut). We’re hoping he can play the soonest,” team governor Ronald Dulatre told The STAR yesterday.

He had previously described Mr. Bolick as “a remarkable player whose skills and experience will significantly contribute to the NLEX Road Warriors.”

Meanwhile, winger Mr. Trollano gets a reunion with active consultant Leo Austria, Jericho Cruz and Rodney Brondial, whom he spent two seasons with in the UAAP under the Adamson University banner.

The 6-foot-3 Mr. Trollano’s arrival provides needed ammo for a team that’s struggling without injured stalwarts June Mar Fajardo, Terrence Romeo, Jeron Teng, Vic Manuel and Simon Enciso. — Olmin Leyba

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