Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 488

WB sees reforms boosting PHL appeal to investors

STOCK PHOTO | Image from Freepik

By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES can become more attractive to investors by pursuing key reforms that allay their concerns about risk, the World Bank (WB) said.

“Uncertainty is a cost for firms, and increasing uncertainty means that investment is deterred,” World Bank Philippine Lead Economist Gonzalo Varela said at the 2025 World Competitiveness Forum on Tuesday.

“To seize that opportunity, what is needed is to offset investment costs from the point of view of domestic reforms,” he added.

Citing the World Bank’s Business Ready report, he said the Philippines is strong in regulatory frameworks, but lags on implementation.

“The challenge is to focus on implementation so that we can take advantage of the fantastic regulatory framework that you have in place,” he said.

He singled out key Philippine reforms like the opening up of renewable energy projects to full foreign ownership, after having previously been capped at 40%.

“That is great, and there is a lot of interest in foreign investment coming into that sector. It is particularly great for a country that does not have fossil fuels and that has high energy prices; it can be a game changer,” he said.

However, he said investors still need to go through hundreds of steps to set up solar energy or onshore wind projects.

“Fixing the implementation challenge is going to be crucial to seizing those opportunities,” he added.

He added that regional trade agreements could also help attract investments as global value chains shift.

“The Philippines has a number of trade agreements in the making. Probably the most significant one is with the European Union,” he said.

“Advancing that is going to be a game changer for the country’s positioning,” he added.

Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) Chair for Ease of Doing Business Ira Paulo A. Pozon said that there remains a need “to curb a lot of corruption and to improve ease of doing business.”

“What the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) has done so far is to improve ease of doing business on a generic scale. The specialized permits now are the challenge,” he said.

“That is affecting our competitiveness. ARTA is doing a good job, but it is really very uphill because there are a lot of layers,” he added.

He said the ideal scenario involves data-sharing by government agencies to allow much of the requested information to be auto-filled.

“At this point, there is nowhere else to go but up, and any improvement once it is felt will really be appreciated,” he said.

“MAP is concerned about ease of doing business because that is the first roadblock for any business application and any foreign investor,” he added.

The Makati Business Club (MBC) welcomed the passage of key reforms in the Congress, as they are expected to “bring in more investors, accelerate key infrastructure projects, and improve transparency.”

In particular, the MBC welcomed the passage of the Right of Way Act amendments, amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act, and the E-Governance Act.

“MBC advocates for improvements in governance, infrastructure, and transparency as key drivers to attract more investors, thereby creating more jobs. We believe that these reforms are aligned with these advocacies,” it said.

“We hope that the proper implementation of these reforms will achieve the intended goal of enhancing the country’s competitiveness,” it added.

More beef imports expected from Brazil after FMD-free declaration

REUTERS/PAULO WHITAKER

A MEAT importer said the Philippines can expect more beef imports from Brazil after the latter was declared free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

“The Philippines will have more beef,” Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA) President Jesus C. Cham said via Viber.

The declaration will allow the Philippines to import bone-in meat, offal, and beef byproducts from Brazil, he said.

Brazil’s embassy in Manila said recently that Brazil’s recognition as an FMD-free without vaccination was conferred during the 92nd General Session of the World Organization for Animal Health in Paris on May 28.

The embassy said the “landmark certification” consolidates Brazil’s “status as a global leader in animal health management and reinforces its reputation as a safe and reliable supplier of animal products to the international market.”

The Pan American Health Organization in April said South America is close to eradicating FMD “with over 65% of livestock in disease-free zones without vaccination.”

Philippine beef imports rose 9.32% year on year to 56,331 metric tons (MT) in April. Brazil was the top source with 20,348 MT.

“Brazil has become an important source of all meat, until bird flu caused a suspension of poultry imports,” Mr. Cham noted.

The Philippines in May imposed a ban on poultry imports from Brazil following a bird flu outbreak that killed almost 7,400 birds in Rio Grande do Sul state.

Mr. Cham said the MITA also expects the Philippines to “continue to buy pork heavily from Brazil.”

Brazil was the Philippines’ largest source of imported chicken (92,232 MT) and pork (91,200 MT) in April. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

PHL wheat import forecast downgraded 3%

REUTERS

THE forecast for Philippine wheat imports has been downgraded 3% to 7.2 million metric tons (MMT), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said, citing weaker demand from the animal feed industry.

In a report, the USDA cut its forecast for the 12 months to June 2026 marketing year from the 7.4 MMT estimate in May.

The Philippines does not produce wheat, importing milling wheat for human consumption and feed wheat for animal feed.

The USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service in Manila has detected softening feed wheat demand in the Philippines, with feed manufacturers shifting their preferred raw material to corn.

Feed wheat is substituted for feed corn when the global price of wheat is more competitive than that of corn.

Feed corn prices are expected to drop in the 2025-2026 marketing year due to increasing global corn production.

In the second half of 2024, the price of imported feed wheat exceeded that of imported corn by $12.22 per MT.

The USDA also downgraded its estimate for Philippine wheat imports in the current market year — the 12 months to July 2025 — to 6.8 MMT from the previous 7.2 MMT projection.

The latest estimate, if borne out, would represent a decline from the actual import total of 6.9 MMT in the 2023-2024 marketing year.

The US was the largest supplier of wheat to the Philippines last year, supplying 2.7 MMT. Other sources were Australia, Brazil, and Canada. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

BCDA remits P3.13 billion in asset disposition proceeds

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) remitted P3.13 billion to the Bureau of the Treasury, representing the proceeds of asset dispositions, the Department of Finance (DoF) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the DoF said the latest remittance comes on top of the P2.04 billion cash dividend the BCDA announced earlier, equivalent to 80% of its net earnings last year.

The P3.13 billion represents the government’s share of 2024 asset disposition proceeds, “making its total contribution P5.17 billion,” the DoF said.

To boost nontax revenue, the DoF earlier requested government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) to increase the share of its net earnings remitted to the National Government to 75%.

Republic Act No. 7656 or the Dividend Law formally requires GOCCs to remit “at least 50%”  of their earnings.

“If channeled to its mandated beneficiary, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), it can boost the welfare and the weaponry of our fighting men,” the DoF said.

The BCDA’s mandate requires it to help fund the modernization of the AFP while establishing integrated developments, dynamic business centers, and vibrant communities on the properties it controls.

“The railway alone to Clark and the subway to BGC are the state’s vote of confidence on the continuing viability of baselands conversion,” Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said.

“As we move forward, the BCDA remains fully committed to doing our part to grow regional economies, unlock more opportunities, and help build a stronger and more inclusive Philippines,” BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua Bingcang said. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Swift impeachment trial to reassure investors, says House spokesman

VICE-PRESIDENT SARA DUTERTE-CARPIO — FACEBOOK.COM/MAYORINDAYSARADUTERTEOFFICIAL

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

THE IMPEACHMENT trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio should proceed without further delay to reassure investors about the country’s political stability, a House of Representatives spokesman said on Tuesday.

A swift trial would also let senators promptly return to their legislative work, ensuring they can focus on economic policymaking without prolonged disruption, Antonio Audie Z. Bucoy, spokesman for the House prosecution team, told a news briefing.

“As this drags on… people become confused,” he said in Filipino. “And what happens? They get angry, they rally, they protest. For foreign investors, this is not good. What they want is stability.”

Senate President Francis G. Escudero has come under fire from critics who accuse him of delaying Ms. Duterte’s trial. She was impeached by the House as early as Feb. 5.

The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, last week sent the ouster charges back to the House to certify that it did not violate the Constitution when it impeached the Vice-President. The trial is expected to start in late July under the 20th Congress.

Ms. Duterte’s trial should proceed without delay, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman George T. Barcelon said by telephone.

“We have to settle that to reduce the political background noise because it affects the country’s ability to project that it’s politically stable,” he said.

“Will there be a swift trial?” Mr. Bucoy asked. “It doesn’t look that way. There’s so much foot-dragging on the part of the impeachment court.”

He said delaying the trial would waste the time of senator-judges. “The Senate’s attention is being diverted instead of focusing on passing laws that would benefit the economy.”

Legislation in the Philippines requires approval by a bicameral Congress and the signature of the President.

Senators must prioritize impeachment proceedings over legislative duties until a final judgment is rendered, according to the Senate’s March rulebook.

“Under the rules of impeachment, the trial must be given priority, requiring senators to pause their legislative work and focus on the proceedings,” Mr. Bucoy said. “This divides their attention, which is not ideal.”

Meanwhile, the prosecution panel might seek the inhibition of some senators with “perceived bias” for Ms. Duterte, he said.

“This matter is being discussed. However, if this would cause delays, perhaps it is best to set it aside,” he added.

He also said House prosecutors would file their pleadings before the impeachment court in the coming days. “Within the next few days, there will be a presentation.”

“It could be a motion or a manifestation,” he said. “Either way, it will seek to clarify the order,” he added, referring to the Senate decision to return the impeachment complaint to the House.

Ms. Duterte, who was impeached without a hearing, has emerged as a likely contender for the 2028 presidential elections.

Her impeachment is the culmination of a months-long feud with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. after his House allies launched an inquiry into her use of confidential and intelligence funds.

She denies all the accusations in the impeachment complaint, from budget anomalies to amassing unusual wealth and threatening the lives of Mr. Marcos, his wife and the Speaker.

“The actions and rulings of Senate President [Francis G.] Escudero as the presiding officer of the impeachment court, such as the remand, are not provided for in the Constitution,” Mr. Bucoy said.

“The remand applies to ordinary cases in ordinary courts, but never in an impeachment court,” he added.

ONLY ‘NEGATIVE THINGS’
Meanwhile, the presidential palace dismissed Ms. Duterte’s remarks that investor sentiment is already low with or without her impeachment.

“That is her belief, and if that’s the narrative she wants to push, there’s little we can do,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing in Filipino. “But we should base our understanding on documents and on the gains we are seeing. It seems the Vice-President only has negative things to say about this administration.”

Ms. Duterte on Monday pushed back against calls from several business groups that want the Senate to proceed with her trial, rejecting their argument that doing so would reassure investors about the country’s commitment to the rule of law.

The Makati Business Club, the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and other private sector groups earlier warned that the Senate’s inaction on the impeachment process could erode investor confidence.

In separate statements, the groups said the refusal to hold a trial might hurt the country’s ability to attract long-term foreign and domestic capital, which is critical for job creation and economic growth.

“Even with or without the impeachment, investor confidence is already gone, so they shouldn’t make me the reason why the economy is doing poorly,” Ms. Duterte told reporters in Filipino on Monday. “If they truly want accountability, then they should file cases in court.”

Mr. Marcos earlier said he does not want to meddle in the impeachment trial.

Also on Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” L. Pimentel III said the House should comply with the impeachment court order to certify that they did not violate the Constitution.

“They should comply with the order of the Senate impeachment court,” he told a news briefing. “They are a party [to the case] because they filed the impeachment case.”

The impeachment complaint was filed and signed by more than 200 congressmen, more than the one-third vote required by law before it could be sent to the Senate.

Mr. Pimentel said remanding the case had caused “unnecessary delay.” “It introduced a detour that did not need to be done, and legal concepts that were not so clear in meaning,” he added.

He was among the five senators who voted against returning the impeachment complaint to the House. The others were Senators Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel, Nancy S. Binay, Sherwin T. Gatchalian and Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares.

“This could have been achieved through an advisory to the House prosecutors,” he added.

Mr. Pimentel said there is no need for senator-judges to recuse themselves from the impeachment proceedings based on their political bias.

“Let those senator-judges take their decision to the end, and then the people will judge the decision of each senator,” he said. “When someone inhibits, they can get away without stating their verdict.”

Ms. Hontiveros urged the Vice-President to promptly reply to the summons issued by the impeachment court last week.

“We are all waiting for her response to this, and the next processes related to the impeachment trial,” she said in a separate statement.

The court ordered the Vice-President to respond to its summons within 15-days. House prosecutors were given five days to reply to her comment.

“When we were sworn in as senator-judges, it was our duty in the Senate to review and vote according to the weight of the evidence presented by both sides in the impeachment trial, whether allies or critics of the vice-president,” she said. “I follow that duty, and I expect the same from other senators.”

Her remarks came after Ms. Duterte singled her out for political bias. — with Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Adrian H. Halili

Philippine military disputes Chinese claim of sea and air patrols

PHILIPPINE STAR/RYAN BALDEMOR

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday rejected a Chinese claim that its naval forces conducted sea and air patrols in the South China Sea last week, saying what it was the continuous “illegal presence” of Chinese ships in the disputed sea.

The statement by China’s Southern Theater Command was meant to reinforce Beijing’s position on key contested features in the waterway, and an attempt to shape the narrative in the South China Sea dispute, Philippine military spokeswoman Francel Margareth Padilla told a news briefing.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

“No alleged coordinated air and sea patrols were conducted as reported,” she said. “What was monitored by the Philippine Navy was the continued illegal presence of the People’s Liberation Army-Navy and China’s Coast Guard in our maritime zones.”

“This report is another attempt on misinformation, disinformation and malinformation to shape the domestic and international narrative favorable to the illegal claims in our maritime zones of the Communist Party of China,” she added.

China’s Southern Theater Command held drills in the South China Sea on Saturday, according to a China Military Online report on Sunday. It said Chinese troops were on “high alert” to guard Beijing’s claims in the contested waterway.

On that day, the Philippine Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force held naval drills in the same water. The Philippines’ newest missile frigate BRP Miguel Malvar and Japanese destroyer JS Takanami performed anti-submarine warfare drills and cross-deck landing exercises involving a helicopter.

A Chinese Navy warship tailed the Philippine and Japanese ships during the joint naval drills, Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent T. Trinidad told the same briefing.

“There was a PLA-Navy that was tailing the formation that also launched and recovered drones,” he said.

The Philippines and China have repeatedly clashed over disputed South China Sea features, fueling tensions as both uphold their claims in the vital trade route.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea via a U-shaped, 1940s nine-dash line map that overlaps with the exclusive waters of the Philippines and neighbors like Vietnam and Malaysia.

A United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016 voided China’s sweeping claims for being illegal, a ruling that Beijing does not recognize.

The joint sea drill was a “success” despite the presence of the Chinese Navy, Ms. Padilla said. “It was conducted professionally, safely, within our exclusive economic zone and firmly within the bounds of international law.”

China frequently claims to have conducted naval drills in the South China Sea following joint maritime exercises by the Philippines and its allies, Mr. Trinidad said.

“They are doing this in order… to gain popular support, raise a sense of nationalism, and to perpetuate the Chinese Communist Party in power,” he said. “Also, it is to shape the international narrative that would be favorable to their illegal claims in our maritime zones.”

“At any rate, let us be very careful in digesting reports that the PLA-Navy or the Southern Theater Command conducted such patrols in our maritime domain,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Air Force said it still plans to buy multi-role fighters even after the Defense department signed a P39.8-billion deal for a dozen Korean-made FA-50 light fighter jets, air force spokesperson Ma. Consuelo N. Castillo told the briefing.

“The proposal to acquire multi-role jet fighters is still pending and is still part of our plans because we still need more [jets],” she said. “In spite of the 12 additional FA-50s, we would still need more fighter aircraft because we have a very wide archipelagic area to protect and monitor.”

Korea Aerospace Industries will export a dozen FA-50s by 2030 to the Philippines, which is seeking to modernize its military as it tries to counter China’s military might in the region. Manila has allotted about $35 billion for military upgrades over the next decade.

Korea Aerospace signed a similar deal with Manila in 2014 and supplied a batch of 12 FA-50 jets in 2017.

The jets are the Southeast Asian nation’s most advanced fighter aircraft in its inventory that mostly comprises turboprop planes.

Ms. Castillo said the air force wants multi-role fighters that offer “better capabilities” as long as these are within the state budget. “We’re looking at longer range, better firepower, among others… the best we can have for the budget that is available.”

The US Department of State in April approved the possible sale of Lockheed Martin’s F-16 multi-role jet fighters to the Philippines in a deal worth $5.58 billion (P316.8 billion).

The Philippines is allotting as much as P400 billion for the acquisition of 40 advanced jets, Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. said last year.

DSWD to launch PWD ID system in crackdown against fake cards

BW FILE PHOTO

THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to launch a real-time, cloud-based unified verification system for tracking identification cards for persons with disabilities (PWDs) amid the proliferation of fake ones, its chief said on Tuesday.

Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian, in a Malacañang briefing, said it will be rolled out “shortly, after the agency completed the procurement of a digital system to authenticate IDs, issued under the National Commission on Disability Affairs (NCDA).

The system will allow instant verification of ID validity through a live or cloud database, potentially preventing misuse and forgery of PWD credentials, Mr. Gatchalian said.

“This is a preventive step. With this new system, when you scan the QR code or other security feature, you’ll know in real time if the ID is active and legitimate,” he added in mixed English and Filipino. “We plan to roll out the pilot soon and will give you the necessary updates.”

Mr. Gatchalian cited three points in the PWD ID issuance process that make it vulnerable to fraud.

The first involves the unregulated issuance of medical certificates by doctors, which the Department of Health (DoH) addressed through a memorandum circular issued earlier this year.

The circular designates medical specialists authorized to issue specific types of certifications.

The second area of concern is data encoding at the local government level, where government workers could potentially manipulate entries.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has since implemented stricter protocols to ensure that only verified individuals are included in the database.

The third point involves forged IDs allegedly being purchased from commercial forgers, such as those in Recto Avenue in Manila City.

The issuance of fake PWD IDs has been a persistent problem in the Philippines, undermining the integrity of government welfare programs. These counterfeit IDs allow ineligible individuals to fraudulently access benefits such as discounts on goods, services, and utilities that are legally reserved for legitimate PWDs under Republic Act No. 10754. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Marcos keeps PCO chief

PCO.GOV.PH

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. retained his Presidential Communications Office (PCO) chief amid his Cabinet revamp, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin told reporters in a Viber chat that Mr. Marcos decided to keep acting PCO Secretary Jaybee C. Ruiz, who was installed in the position in February 2025.

In a separate statement, the veteran journalist said the “fresh mandate” is an “honor and responsibility.”

“Together, we will continue to be invaluable partners in the fight against fake news and in empowering our fellow Filipinos through truthful, timely, and transparent communication,” he added.

Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said 17 courtesy resignations were accepted in the PCO but was unclear if the agency would find replacements for them.

In his June 16 video blog, the President said the entire bureaucracy is under continuous review, criticizing the culture of “business as usual,” which affects progress and development in the country.

He said underperforming officials, regardless of personal ties, have already been quietly replaced at lower levels.

This came a month after he publicly called for a “bold reset” of his administration, signaling dissatisfaction with the pace and quality of government service delivery halfway through his six-year term. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

More teacher support pushed

BW FILE PHOTO

A SENATOR on Tuesday called on the government for better support for teachers amid the roll out of basic education reforms for the current school year.

“The success of the reforms we want to implement in our education system depends on our teachers. We need to support them to ensure that they are effective in their role of ensuring that our young people learn,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Department of Education has started piloting the Strengthened Senior High School (SHS) Program to 800 schools during the school year.

Mr. Gatchalian called for increased adoption of digital technologies to decongest and streamline the workload of teachers.

He also urged for better classroom facilities to ensure effective learning of students.

“In delivering education, it is not enough to have classrooms. We must also ensure that there is electricity, water, and internet for the safety, comfort, and effective learning of students,” he added.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday ordered his government to improve the internet connectivity, electricity, and basic services in public schools as the new school year began. — Adrian H. Halili

Hidden NPA weapons found in South Cotabato

COTABATO CITY — Soldiers had seized assault rifles and components for powerful improvised explosive devices reportedly owned by members of the now apparently weakened New People’s Army (NPA), found in T’boli, South Cotabato on Saturday.

Major Gen. Donald M. Gumiran, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), told reporters on Tuesday that the cache was buried in a secluded area in Barangay Laconon in T’boli, a hinterland town in South Cotabato that has just been virtually cleared from NPA presence by local officials, the police and the military.

The operation that led to the recovery of the three M16 assault rifles, materials for IEDs and other combat supplies was jointly carried out by combined troops of the 37th and 105th Infantry Battalions, both under the 6th ID’s 603rd Infantry Brigade.

Brig. Gen. Michael A. Santos, commander of the 603rd Infantry Brigade, said it was the former NPAs in T’boli, who recently surrendered to the government months, who helped locate the spot where the weapons were hidden.

More than 300 NPAs had surrendered to units of the 6th ID in different towns and cities in Central Mindanao in the past three years, according to officials of the multi-sector Regional Development Council 12. — John Felix M. Unson

Thunder withstand Pacers’ rally to take 3-2 lead in NBA Finals

SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER (white jersey, 2) — FACEBOOK.COM/NBA

OKLAHOMA CITY — Jalen Williams scored 40 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 120-109 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday.

The Thunder lead the series 3-2, moving themselves within a game of the franchise’s first NBA title since the team moved to Oklahoma City.

The series resumes on Thursday in Indianapolis.

Even without much offensive production from Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers cut what was an 18-point first-half deficit to two on Pascal Siakam’s 3-pointer from the wing with 8:30 remaining.

The Thunder immediately responded, though, with Cason Wallace grabbing the rebound on Williams’ missed layup and flipping it to Lu Dort, who found Williams for a 3-pointer.

After making just three 3-pointers in Game 4, the fewest in an NBA Finals win since 2010, Oklahoma City made 14 in Game 5.

On the next possession, Wallace stepped in front of an Andrew Nembhard pass near halfcourt and raced for a fastbreak dunk.

The plays ignited an 18-4 run that helped the Thunder put the game away.

Williams continued his hot stretch in the Finals, going 14-of-25 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. He also added six rebounds and four assists.

Gilgeous-Alexander was 9-for-21 from the field and 13-of-14 at the free-throw line.

After being held without an assist in Game 4, the NBA Most Valuable Player added 10 assists and four blocks. Four of Gilgeous-Alexander’s assists and two steals came in the fourth quarter.

Williams scored 11 of his points in the fourth.

But it was the Thunder’s defense that led the way Monday.

Oklahoma City scored 13 of its 33 fourth-quarter points off eight Indiana turnovers.

The Thunder finished with 32 points off 23 Pacers turnovers.

Haliburton, who stunned the Thunder with the game-winning shot in the final second of Game 1, finished with just four points, going 0 for 6 from the floor. ABC reported during the game that the All-Star guard was battling a leg injury. He did have seven rebounds and six assists.

Siakam led the Pacers with 28 points and T.J. McConnell scored 18 points off the bench. — Reuters

Setter Jia de Guzman is returning to Creamline after the Alas sorties

JIA DE GUZMAN — AVC

CREAMLINE recently received news that should reinvigorate the proud franchise and send shivers down the opponents’ spines — veteran setter Julia “Jia” de Guzman is returning.

“I’m going back to Creamline,” said the courageous Alas Pilipinas team captain in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex where she was accompanied by coach Jorge de Brito and teammate Dell Palomata.

Ms. De Guzman’s impending comeback should be a breath of fresh air for a team that is raring to bounce back from a runner-up finish in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference last April.

The 30-year-old eight-time PVL best setter stressed she’s happy her mother club understands that her priority right now is the national team, which recently captured a historic silver in the AVC Nations Cup in Hanoi, Vietnam a few days back.

“I went to a team that knows that I have responsibilities also for the flag,” she said.

Ms. De Guzman last played for Creamline two years ago in the Invitational Conference where they succumbed to Japanese guest team Kurashiki Ablaze in the finale before she brought her talents to Japan for the Denso Airybees where she played for two seasons.

“Right now, I’m very grateful because they’re allowing me to focus entirely on Alas Pilipinas because we know that we have a responsibility to the country also so I’m grateful to Creamline,” she said.

Ms. De Guzman said they would fly back to Vietnam soon to join in the VTV Cup this month as well as the Southeast Asian V.League next month as part of their preparation for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December. — Joey Villar

1...487488489...13,302Page 488 of 13,302
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube