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Philippines to develop islands in South China Sea

AN AERIAL VIEW of the BRP Sierra Madre at the contested Second Thomas Shoal on March 9, 2023. — REUTERS

THE PHILIPPINES will develop islands it is occupying in the South China Sea, according to its military chief.

Among the islands that will be developed are Thitu and Nanshan islands, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Romeo S. Brawner, Jr. told reporters on Monday.

The Philippines would develop the islands to make them more habitable for troops, he added.

The plans come amid heightened tensions between the Philippines and China, both of which claim territory in the South China Sea and have traded accusations of aggressive behavior in the strategic waterway.

Apart from the Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin, the Philippines occupies eight other features in the South China Sea and considers them part of its exclusive economic zone.

“We’d like to improve all the nine, especially the islands we are occupying,” Mr. Brawner said after attending a command conference led by Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. at the military headquarters near the capital.

The features include Thitu island, the biggest and most strategically important in the South China Sea. Known locally as Pag-asa, Thitu lies about 300 miles (480 km) west of the Philippine province of Palawan.

The military wants to bring a desalination machine for troops living aboard a warship that the Philippines deliberately grounded at Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 to assert its sovereignty claim, he said.

Besides the Philippines, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea, a conduit for goods in excess of $3 trillion every year.

Also included in the military’s modernization plan is the acquisition of more ships, radars and aircraft as the Philippines shifts its focus to territorial from internal defense, Mr. Brawner said.

The Philippine Congress has earmarked P800 million to build a fishing port on Nanshan Island in the South China Sea to encourage civilian settlements, Makati Rep. Luis Jose Angel N. Campos, Jr. said on Sunday.

The port is separate from the P1.5 billion allotted for the expansion of an airport on Thitu Island, the lawmaker, who is vice chairman of the House of Representatives committee on appropriations, said in a statement.

“The shelter port and the airport expansion projects give substance to Speaker Martin Romualdez’s pledge to develop the Kalayaan Island Group in a bid to encourage civilian settlements there,” he added.

Mr. Campos said the port could be used by Filipino fishermen as a shelter amid increasing tensions with China.

Funding for the Nanshan shelter port is included in the Transportation department’s 2024 maritime transportation infrastructure program.

The Philippines has been unable to enforce a United Nations-backed arbitration court ruling in 2016 that voided China’s claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea and has since filed hundreds of protests over what it calls encroachment and harassment by China’s coast guard and its vast fishing fleet.

China reclaimed about 3,200 acres (1,295 hectares) of land in the South China Sea from 2013 to 2016, according to US think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The Philippine Foreign Affairs department has urged China to stop what it called the “militarization of the South China Sea.”

In December, Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said an additional P10.47 billion had been earmarked to upgrade the Philippines’ defense capacity and strengthen its presence in the South China Sea.

Nanshan Island, which the Philippines calls Lawak, is the eighth-largest natural island in the Spratly Islands, and the fourth-largest of the Philippine-occupied islands. It has an area of 7.93 hectares and is 158 kilometers east of Thitu Island, which the Philippines calls Pag-asa.

About 200 Filipinos live on Pag-asa Island, where the government set up a municipality under Palawan province in 1978. — Reuters

Senate chief rallying support for ‘Cha-cha’

THE INAUGURAL session of the Constitutional Commission of 1987 presided over by Vice-President Salvador Laurel. — OFFICIALGAZETTE.GOV.PH

By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter

SENATE President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri is rallying support for a push to ease economic restrictions in the 1987 Constitution on the request of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., he said on Monday.

Amending the Philippine Charter through a people’s initiative is “exploiting our democratic process,” he told a news briefing. “The President agreed with us that the proposal was too divisive and asked the Senate to instead take the lead in reviewing the economic provisions of the Constitution.”

“In this way, we can preserve our bicameral nature of legislation.”

The House of Representatives will then adopt the Senate’s proposed constitutional changes, Mr. Zubiri said, quoting Mr. Marcos.

Presidential Communications Office chief Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

Senators last year brushed off proposals to amend the Constitution, saying changes to several laws including the Public Service Act, which now allows 100% foreign ownership in telecommunications, airlines and railways, were enough.

“We, however, recognize that a case assailing the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 11659 is currently before the Supreme Court,” Mr. Zubiri said, adding that foreign investors are reluctant to enter the Philippines pending judgment on the case.

The Senate president said changes to the Constitution would be limited to easing  economic restrictions in public services, education and advertising.

Senate Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 seeks to insert the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” in section 11 of article 12 and section 4 of article 14 of the Constitution regarding the operation of public utilities and basic educational institutions, respectively.

The phrase is also proposed to be included in section 11 under article 16 of the Charter regarding the operation of the advertising industry.

Land ownership in the Philippines is restricted to Filipino citizens and corporations that are at least 60% Filipino-owned. The Philippine Condominium Act allows foreigners to own units.

The resolution also proposed that changes to the Constitution be voted on separately by both chambers of Congress.

“The nation’s economic policy must be reframed under the demands of the increasingly globalized age, while still protecting the general policy of Filipino-first that guides the economic provisions of the Constitution,” according to a copy of the resolution.

Mr. Zubiri said Mr. Marcos is against foreign ownership of land, citing potential problems in the government’s housing program, as well as an increase in tax rates and land prices.

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara is tasked to lead the subcommittee on constitutional amendments.

Mr. Zubiri said Charter change (“Cha-cha”) deliberations in the Senate might be finished before the Holy Week break.

In a statement, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez backed the Senate’s call to review the Constitution, “particularly in terms of relaxing economic provisions that currently restrict the entry of foreign direct investments.”

The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) also backed the plan to remove foreign equity restrictions in the Charter.

“Removing them from the Constitution will send the right signal to investors and provide the government flexibility to adjust policies as needed and to take advantage of economic opportunities,” Executive Director Ebb Hinchliffe said in a Viber message.

British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Executive Director Chris Nelson said easing the restrictions would enhance the country’s competitiveness as an investment hub.

“Anywhere you don’t have clarity obviously gives investors the opportunity to pause or wait for developments,” he said by telephone. “Where there is no clarity, that will cause some investors to hold back.”

Partido Federal told to fast-track Senate slate for 2025

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE RULING Partido Federal ng Pilipinas should work double time in fielding its 12-candidate Senate slate for the 2025 midterm elections, party Vice Chairman and presidential son Sandro A. Marcos said in a statement on Monday.

The Ilocos representative cited the need to complete the roster of senatorial candidates who share the ideals of the government of his father, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

Partido Federal issued the statement after a meeting at the presidential palace.

“We have to work double time,” he said at the party’s national directorate meeting on Jan. 12. “Let’s take it all upon ourselves to take the initiative… We need to make our presence felt.”

Partido Federal President and South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. “accepted the presidential son’s challenge and vowed to strengthen the party and form a strong slate,” according to the statement.

Mr. Tamayo, who is also the chairman of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines and president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines, said 23 of the country’s provincial governors have joined the ruling party, which he said has established a presence in 60% of villages nationwide.

The party was formed by supporters of ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte, whose push for a federal type of government failed in the past.

President Marcos last month said his government was beginning to study Charter change (“Cha-cha”) proposals “because we keep talking about economic provisions that are getting in the way with some of the potential investors that we are trying to bring to the Philippines.”

On Monday, Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said the President had asked senators to lead the constitutional review.

Mr. Marcos, 66, has veered away from key policies of his predecessor, including standing up to China and pursuing closer defense ties with the US and other western allies.

“Now, more than ever, Partido Federal needs to prove that it is and will always be an invaluable extension of the Marcos administration as it builds a culture of unity, peace and prosperity towards an inclusive and sustainable Bagong Pilipinas,” Mr. Tamayo told his party-mates.

He also announced the party’s roadmap for “a more effective membership-building” as well as efforts to expand its base through “grassroots mass orientation” and recruitment of local officials and lawmakers. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Transport official assures sufficient public rides as modernization begins

Commuters wait for public transportation along Ortigas Extension in Cainta, Rizal, Sept. 14, 2022. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ WALTER BOLLOZOS

A TRANSPORTATION agency official assured the riding public on Monday of sufficient transport options in Metro Manila as the government pushes through with its end-January deadline for a modernization program that consequently phases out traditional jeepneys from their routes nationwide.

Speaking at a Palace briefing, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Director Zona Russet Tamayo said that about 97% of the registered public utility jeepneys (PUJ) in Metro Manila for 2023 have already complied with the consolidation requirement under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

On a national scale, more than 70% of transport franchises have already consolidated.

Ms. Tamayo stressed that many of those that have failed to consolidate “belong to short-distance routes which can be covered by long-route jeepneys after the consolidation.”

Citing LTFRB’s route mapping, she said there will be no problems in terms of public transport supply.

“When we map out the routes in NCR, the majority of its main thoroughfares have consolidated or are operating transport in other modes — perhaps buses, UVs, and even jeepneys,” Ms. Tamayo said. “There will be sufficient supply of public transport in the NCR.”

The agency has contingency plans in case of shortage issues, she added.

“We have coordinated with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority as well as with different local government units in case that there would be a need.”

Ms. Tamayo said the number of jeepneys in Metro Manila seeking franchise over the last years has been on a decline.

Jeepney drivers have been given until Jan. 31 to comply with the consolidation requirement, which pushed transport group Manibela to launch another protest action today, Jan. 16.

The LTFRB said it will assess in January whether routes have attained at least 60% consolidation.

“Those who have failed to consolidate will no longer be allowed to run the routes, except if we see, if we analyze that there is a need,” Ms. Tamayo said. “But so far, by February 1 they will no longer be allowed to ply the routes.”

She said drivers who will be flagged by authorities need to present a copy of their vehicle registration and a copy of their application for consolidation.

The LTFRB said it has yet to issue special permits that would allow jeepneys that have failed to comply with the requirement to service routes where the consolidation rate remains low.

At the weekend, the Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC), an attached agency of the Department of Transportation (DoTr), said public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators who failed to meet the Dec. 31, 2023 consolidation deadline would not be allowed to ply their routes beginning Feb. 1.

Mr. Marcos last month did not heed the call for a deadline extension, saying 70% of all operators in the country had already complied with the consolidation requirement.

He said the government cannot let the minority cause further delays to the program.

Speaking at the Palace briefing, OTC Chairperson Jesus Ortega said the numbers presented to the President in a meeting last month were “transparent.”

“So about misleading the President or anything negative, it did not happen. The President knows the program very well,” he said, after Manibela president Mar Valbuena accused the LTFRB and other agencies behind the PUV modernization program of misinforming Mr. Marcos.

“Days before, and even a day before we met the President, the list that we presented was updated,” said Mr. Ortega. “Nationwide, per mode, per region, it was all stated there. Secretary Bautista ordered that we should be transparent in all the information that we have to give and that is what we did.”

Manibela, which announced a protest caravan that will move from Quezon City to the Supreme Court (SC) on Taft Avenue, Manila today, has been urging the government to recall the so-called modernization program as it would leave thousands of jeepney drivers jobless.

Piston, another transport group opposed to the program, has already asked the SC to issue a temporary restraining order against the consolidation requirement.

The government should prioritize the completion of its route rationalization study, which was halted during the pandemic, before preventing jeepney drivers who fail to join cooperatives from continuing operations, other groups said.

Ms. Tamayo said the DoTr is “crafting with the financing in order for the rationalization study to continue in the next years.”

At the same briefing, the transport officials said the projected P50-fare hike in the next five years due to the modernization program is a “baseless” claim — referring to a projection by Ibon Foundation.

Mr. Ortega said there will only be a P2 difference in fare, noting that six years ago, the fare in modern jeeps was P11 for every commuter as opposed to P9 in a traditional jeepney.

“The P2 difference is maintained today when fare in traditional jeeps cost P13 and modern jeeps cost P15,” she said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

DepEd extends voucher program

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) is extending its voucher program to 17,751 remaining Grade 11 students enrolled in state and local universities and colleges until they graduate, a department official told congressmen on Monday.

Earlier, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) ordered the discontinuance of offering senior high school (SHS) programs at state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs).

“The Vice President has already given out instructions that DepEd will again be extending its voucher program to the Grade 11 learners in SUCs and LUCs for this current school year,” Education Undersecretary Michael T. Poa told the House basic education committee.

With this declaration, the department assures students enrolling for Grade 12 next school year to enjoy the benefit of the voucher system.

In cutting the SHS programs, CHED Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III told the same committee tat SUCs and LUCs would need additional facilities for tertiary education students, citing increased enrolment in SUCs in the last three years.

“We have to remember that the decision to offer senior high under the DepEd-CHED agreement was an optional provision based on the availability of rooms and teachers in public higher education,” Mr. De Vera said.

He noted that as of Jan. 11, 53 out of the 103 SUCs are not offering the Grade 11 program, while 52 have stopped offering Grade 12.

He added that out of the 114 LUCs, 104 no longer offer Grade 11 while 97 do not offer Grade 12 anymore. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Farmers seek arable gov’t lands

JCOMP-FREEPIK

FARMERS are calling on the government to properly distribute arable land of the state to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), according to an executive order issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s predecessor.

During the Duterte administration, an order was issued for all unclassified public lands and government lands that are suitable for agriculture and no longer needed to be turned over to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for distribution to qualified ARBs.

“Some government agencies seem to be flouting the clear provisions of Executive Order No. 75 issued by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in 2019,” Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) Chairman Leonardo Q. Montemayor said in a statement on Monday.

The FFF claimed that government agencies had favored large corporations to lease large swaths of land under their jurisdiction. Mr. Montemayor said that the large properties should have been used, instead, for agricultural purposes. — Adrian H. Halili

FastCat to ply Zamboanga, Basilan

COTABATO CITY — FastCat Shipping Lines (FCSL), a newcomer in the local shipping scene, has received government approval to operate the Zamboanga-Basilan sea route, drawing support and optimism from the Bangsamoro region’s business community.

Basilan Governor Hadjiman H. Salliman said that Mark M. Saladino, FCSL’s assistant vice president for operations, visited him in Isabela City to discuss the upcoming voyages of their passenger vessels set to commence in about two months. At present, the construction of a ramp for FCSL fast crafts is underway at the Isabela City port.

Victor Moore I. Ututalum, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Isabela City, expressed satisfaction with the FCSL’s operation, citing its positive impact on Basilan’s economy, which comprises two cities and 11 municipalities. 

There are three shipping companies operating in the Zamboanga-Basilan, Basilan-Zamboanga routes: Aleson Shipping Lines Incorporated, Montenegro Shipping Lines Incorporated, and SRN Shipping Lines Incorporated.

Cotabato City-based entrepreneur Ronald Hallid D. Torres, who chairs the Bangsamoro Business Council, welcomed the news of additional vessels from FCSL plying the sea routes, citing its positive impact on commerce and trade in Basilan.

Brigadier General Alvin V. Luzon, Commander of the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade in Basilan, interpreted the entry of a new shipping firm as a sign of peace in the region. He pledged collaborative efforts with the police units to ensure the security of these new boats. — John Felix M. Unson

Denied discounts to be probed

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

HOUSE Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday called for an investigation on enterprises allegedly not providing discounts to senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

“If there are several instances of the improper grant of these privileges and benefits, it becomes the common practice, so it cannot remain unchecked,” Mr. Romualdez said in a statement.

He said that refusal to grant incentives to senior citizens and PWDs violate several laws, including the Expanded Senior Citizens Act (Republic Act No. 9994) and the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability (Republic Act No. 10754).

Mr. Romualdez cited a coffee shop chain reportedly limiting the 20% discount and 12% value-added tax to one food item and one drink for every of visit of a senior citizen or PWD.

Under Republic Act (RA) No. 9994, senior citizens are entitled to a 20% discount VAT exemption on the sale of goods and services from all establishments, as well as medicines and other services.

RA 10754 also mandates a 20% discount and VAT exemption for PWDs.

“Discounts granted to senior citizens and PWDs should not be limited in any way, for as long as they are for their use and personal consumption,” Mr. Romualdez said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

BI aligns upgrades with tourism

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) said on Monday that it is gearing up for extensive modernization projects in 2024 that aligns with the country’s ambitious tourism targets.

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco revealed that the BI is set to replace 25% of its manual operations with electronic gates this year as part of a medium-term plan.

This is strategically timed with an expected influx of tourists, following the Department of Tourism’s (DoT) aggressive promotional efforts.

Earlier, the DoT reported 5.45 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2023, surpassing the anticipated 4.8 million visitors for the year. The DoT’s 2024 goal is to achieve 7.7 million international visitor arrivals.

For the BI, it aims for half of its operations to be electronic by 2026 for a more seamless international travel experience that would attract more foreigners to explore the Philippines.

While Mr. Tansingco had said that the agency’s P2.7-billion approved budget for 2024 is intended for upgrading its facilities at airports, these modernization efforts also include implementing online visa extensions and streamlining immigration processing for cruise tourists.

Last week, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) reported the first international cruise ship to visit the Philippines this year: the “MV Vasco da Gama,” which carried no less than 650 mostly German passengers and making stops at four Philippine destinations from Jan. 6 to 10.

The PPA said that over 80,000 cruise ship passengers from various shipping companies visited the country in 2023.

Mr. Tansingco said he is also looking forward to the enactment of the proposed BI modernization law, citing the support of Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri for the measure.

The proposed legislation seeks to empower the BI to utilize its income for acquiring advanced tools and technologies, enhancing its operational efficiency in upholding national security.

The bill, currently under deliberation in the Senate, aims to update the 84-year-old Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. — Nate C. Barretto

Manila sees US presidential trade mission bolstering public-private partnerships

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS FACEBOOK PAGE

THE UNITED States’ upcoming Presidential Trade and Investment Mission (PITM) in Manila is expected to bolster public-private partnerships between the two countries, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday.

“The PTIM will be the first of a series of major commercial events between the Philippines and the United States (US) for the year,” the DFA said in a statement sent to reporters via WhatsApp.

In a Jan. 12 statement, US National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the PITM delegation will be led by US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and will run from March 11 to 12.

Ms. Watson said the PITM “will enhance US companies’ contributions to the Philippines’ innovation economy, connective infrastructure, clean energy transition, critical minerals sector, and the food security of its people.”

The PITM is expected to “forge broader and deeper public-private partnerships for enduring, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development,” the DFA added. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Aaron Jones, Jordan Love lead Packers to rout of the Cowboys

AARON JONES rushed for 118 yards and three touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers stormed to a 48-32 win over the Dallas Cowboys in an National Football Conference (NFC) wild-card playoff game on Sunday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.

Jordan Love completed 16 of 21 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns to win his first career playoff start for Green Bay Packers. Romeo Doubs caught six passes for 151 yards and a touchdown, and Darnell Savage had a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown.

“Man, Jordan Love, wow, that’s about all I can say, is wow,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.

Dak Prescott completed 41 of 60 passes for 403 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions for Dallas. Jake Ferguson caught all three touchdown passes for the Cowboys, who were bounced out of the wild-card round for the second time in the past three seasons.

Green Bay Packers tied a team record for most points scored in a playoff game. The Packers also scored 48 against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC divisional round in the 2010 season.

The Packers jumped to a 27-0 lead to stun a Dallas crowd that included Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who shook his head as he watched from his private suite.

“We’re very disappointed. I don’t think anybody saw this coming,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “You got to give Green Bay credit. They came in here hot. And this, you just saw on film over the past month. You know, they executed, and we didn’t. So, we didn’t get it done in any of the phases.”

Aaron Jones opened the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter.

In the first minute of the second quarter, Aaron Jones scored again, this time on a 1-yard run.

Love connected with Dontayvion Wicks for a 20-yard touchdown with 3:23 to go in the first half.

With Dallas down by 20, Mr. Prescott tried to force a pass to CeeDee Lamb to give the Cowboys a spark. Mr. Savage followed Mr. Prescott’s eyes and stepped in front of Mr. Lamb for a pick-6 to make it 27-0.

Dallas got on the scoreboard on the final play of the first half. Mr. Prescott rolled right and hit Mr. Ferguson for a 1-yard touchdown.

The Cowboys pulled within 27-10 on the opening drive of the second half when Brandon Aubrey made a 34-yard field goal.

The Packers quickly responded with Aaron Jones’ third rushing touchdown of the game. His 9-yard run increased the Packers’ lead to 34-10.

Tony Pollard pulled the Cowboys within 34-16 on a 1-yard touchdown run with 3:03 left in the third quarter.

Green Bay needed only 96 seconds to answer. Mr. Love found a wide-open Luke Musgrave, who powered into the end zone for a 38-yard touchdown.

Mr. Doubs caught a 3-yard touchdown pass — Mr. Love’s third — early in the fourth quarter. Mr. Ferguson had a 7-yard touchdown reception with 5:54 remaining.

Mr. Prescott connected with Mr. Ferguson from 14 yards out for a third and final touchdown reception with 3:25 to go.

“We’ve been counted out a lot of the season, but everybody keeps battling, keeps competing,” Mr. Love said. “I think it’s just noise on the outside. We’re not worried about it. We keep coming out here and showing what we’re about, and that’s what we’re going to do.” — Reuters

Pogoy considers it a miracle to play again after illness

RR POGOY — PBA.PH

FAITH kept TNT star RR Pogoy going when he was diagnosed with myocarditis — an inflammation of the heart muscle — that could lead to a six-month layoff, if not end his career.

He considered it a “miracle” that he recovered in less time and even got to return to playing in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup some four months after his heart condition was initially discovered.

Mr. Pogoy who felt ill after the World Cup last September, underwent tests and treatment and eventually failed to join Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games campaign.

Mr. Pogoy was actually cleared to play as early as December but he and the team felt he needed a little more time to get his wind back.

And last Sunday, 134 days after suiting up for Gilas in its 96-75 romp over China, the Cebuano sniper got his first taste of action again. Coming off the bench, Mr. Pogoy made his first shot off a spin move and knocked down three triples the rest of the way for an 11-point outing in 20 minutes.

More importantly, Mr. Pogoy’s inspiring presence and infectious energy helped the TNT Tropang Giga beat Phoenix, 116-96, and clinch the last ticket to the quarterfinals at 5-6. — Olmin Leyba

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