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Labor group seeks relief for workers as LRT, MRT poised to raise fares

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

A LABOR group said workers need relief more urgently than the capital’s light rail systems, whose proposed fare hikes have been billed as a means of helping them recover from losses incurred during the pandemic.

“It was reported that the fare hike is being considered to offset the losses incurred by the train systems due to the pandemic. However, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) asserts that workers should not be made to bear the cost of these losses,” the FFW said in a statement.

Metro Manila’s commuter railway operators are the Manila Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Manila Light Rail Transit System (LRT). LRT Line 1 is seeking a fare increase of P17-P44 from the current P11 to P30. LRT Line 2 is seeking stored value fare increases of P14-P33 from the current P12-P28, while raising the single-value ticket fare by P15-P35 from the current P15-P30.

The MRT proposed a fare hike of P4-P6.

“The proposed fare hike will impose a heavy burden on workers who are already struggling to make ends meet due to the high cost of living,” FFW Vice-President Jun Mendoza Ramirez said.

The FFW is asking the Department of Transportation (DoTr) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) “to prioritize the welfare of workers and find solutions that do not involve a fare hike.”

Transportation Science Society of the Philippines Ex-President Rene S. Santiago said that the price increase is expected, but he said the bigger issue is how much the increase will be.

“To reduce subsidies, rail transit fares have to go up. Only urban commuters benefit from subsidies to rail, but the majority of Filipinos (are not) and they are poorer. What the government has failed to do, for decades, is to rebalance fares among buses, jeepneys, trikes, taxi in terms of value-for-money,” Mr. Santiago said.

The government needs to establish a responsive fare collection system just like in other countries, according to Libra Konsult, Inc. Senior Adviser Nigel Paul Villarete.

“The sooner the government can come up with the correct Service Contracting and Fare Collection systems, the sooner our mobility woes will come to pass,” Mr. Villarete added.

The increase in fares reflects the rising price of fuel and electricity, analysts said.

“The public never likes price hikes. No different for fare hikes. But it is necessary, especially for rail because it is most capital intensive among all transport modes, import dependent, and (endures the most delayed fare adjustments),” Mr. Santiago said.

“The rising cost of living is impacting almost all sectors and it was only a matter of time that fares would need to be adjusted to cover expensive energy costs,” ING Bank N.V. Manila Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa said in a Viber message.

“The increase in fares however is an example of second round effects and could feed into more price pressures in the coming months,” he added.

“Personally, I think fare hikes are the least of our concerns. What’s crucial and exigent is the bad state of our mobility sector … If DoTr remains clueless in addressing mobility, people will continue to suffer, and so will the Philippine economy,” Mr. Villarete said.

“Fare rates should not even matter because transportation has always been and will always remain beneficial with excellent economic returns,” he added.

On Friday, the Department of Transportation held a public hearing for the proposed fare hikes, with petitioners Light Rail Manila Corp. and Light Rail Transit Authority pitching the fare hikes as a means of financing improvements and rehabilitation of their facilities.

The fare hike is also expected to “unburden” the National Government, which provides a P1-billion subsidy to MRT-3. MRT-3 General Manager Federico Canar, Jr. said these funds can be realigned to other government priority projects. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Deepening the strategic value of the CHRO

(First of two parts)

Organizations have been undergoing wave after wave of transformation since disruption is now a modern-day constant, and managing talent plays a key role to overcoming every obstacle that organizations encounter. The war for talent continues to heat up in today’s uncertain business landscape.

In order to support and counsel the CEO on their transformation and growth strategy, Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) and their equivalents have had to go well beyond traditional human resources territory. However, in order to recruit, keep, and utilize the best talent now and in the future, organizations must acknowledge that talented workers have a significant amount of negotiating power.

The CHRO is responsible for all things related to people in an organization, including the development and implementation of a people management strategy. This includes how to attract, onboard, engage, develop, reward, and retain the talent necessary for the organization to succeed. It also includes succession for C-Suites, change management, executive compensation, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives.

In the current talent landscape, the role expands further to include purpose, culture, and well-being, which are all increasingly important factors for employees. More recently, these factors include access to more flexibility in ways of working as well as development opportunities.

Boards must manage the talent agenda in a way that takes the current dynamic into account. This means ensuring that the CHRO role is elevated from business function to strategic collaborator, and that talent management continues to be a primary business focus. Additionally, it entails helping the CHRO listen to employees and influence the company to develop a human-centered culture and a more tailored employee experience.

In order to better understand why the connection between the board and the CHRO is becoming more crucial, insights from EY thought leaders and clients were gathered to further uncover the strategic value of the CHRO role. These insights fueled strategies to improve the board and CHRO dynamic along with the ways of working. Instead of merely reducing potential risk, organizations can find opportunities in current, unheard-of labor trends to gain a competitive advantage.

CHALLENGES IN TALENT
The responsibility of the board is to ensure that management provides the organization with the key talent it needs to execute its strategy. However, in recent years, a depleting talent pool and rising employee demands have made this difficult. The pandemic and its economic repercussions compounded the issue by creating a shift in what employees value in both their professional and personal lives — and the situation is still evolving.

Talent challenges are being exacerbated by a constantly evolving environment. Just three years ago, flexible working was a differentiator or a means of achieving a competitive edge. Now, according to the EY 2022 Work Reimagined Survey, as much as 90% of the respondents said they would think about quitting their current position if flexible working was not an option. Flexibility also has different meanings, as younger individuals might prefer to work from the office more as a result of rising heating and cooling expenditures. However, those who drive or commute to work are more inclined to prefer the reverse to save money on fuel and time.

A recent EY survey of graduates and interns looked into what will keep younger generations engaged and motivated due to their tendency to shift employment more frequently. Since flexibility is becoming more and more synonymous with mobility for these groups, governments all around the world need to develop policies that can compete with the attractiveness of traveling abroad for work. This reality is particularly true for the Philippines with our sizable overseas worker population.

Meanwhile, since the COVID-19 pandemic started, a sizable number of the population over the age of 50 have quit working in some advanced economies. Organizations have to assess the effects of this shift while monitoring market conditions and, where necessary, think about strategies to entice this group back.

Organizations are being forced to react quickly in the short term as a result of this ongoing disruption. One way is by assessing how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting employees and developing assistance strategies. However, focusing on the short term may also keep CHROs and their boards from thinking strategically. The organization must be able to assess the talent it currently has, the talent it will require in the future, and the best way to bridge the talent gap.

PERCEPTION GAPS WITH EMPLOYEES
Boards and their CHROs must make decisions about how to carry out commitments related to the talent agenda while navigating a rapidly shifting, occasionally contradictory reality. While they are better positioned to do so now than before the pandemic, the EY 2022 Work Reimagined Survey found that employers and employees are not always on the same page when it comes to employee engagement.

For instance, when asked why they would change professions, employees most frequently cited career advancement and an increase in overall salary. On the other hand, employers say that learning, skills development, and well-being are some of the key elements to ensuring their employees can thrive. Additionally, there is a “loyalty disconnect” where employers think younger generations are less dependable. However, younger workers claim that they merely have different loyalties and values. Younger workers, for instance, place a higher priority on mental health, the mission of an organization, and its ethical standards than they do on management structures or the actual work.

Organizations must act fast to close these perception gaps while maximizing the abilities of each and every worker. Putting humans at the center needs to be a strategic focus for the board and the CHRO to better understand what employees across all demographics want.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR BOARDS
Boards will need to ask themselves how they enhance both formal and informal talent governance to support and reflect the strategic relevance of the CHRO role. By collaborating with the CHRO, they can make sure the company stays on top of talent issues and can deal with the constantly shifting attitudes of its employees.

The management group and the larger employee organization will have to determine how they uphold the culture and values of the company, as well as the systems in place to quantify this. Boards will also have to determine if the company has the necessary expertise and abilities, particularly those for future leadership, to execute its business plan.

Lastly, board members must ask themselves what role they see themselves playing in developing a sustainable workforce and advancing the talent agenda. This can range from retraining the workforce and gauging the employee experience to boosting staff retention and integrating hybrid working styles into organizational culture.

The second part of this article will discuss three strategies for boards and CHROs to help each other succeed: strengthening and enabling the CHRO role, re-examining the risk framework to support the talent agenda, and supporting CHROs in developing a human-centric strategy and employee value proposition.

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional advice where the facts and circumstances warrant. The views and opinions expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of SGV & Co.

 

Lisa Marie T. Escaler is the People Advisory Services Workforce Advisory (PAS WFA) leader of SGV & Co.

Rise in sea tensions expected with impending military drills

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD FACEBOOK PAGE

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

TENSIONS between the United States and China could worsen in the Indo-Pacific region this year as Washington holds its biggest joint military drills with the Philippines since 2015, according to security analysts.

The two superpowers are expected to use their economic and cultural platforms to gain influence in the region, which has been beset by the South China Sea dispute and tensions between China and self-ruled Taiwan, they said.

“There will be a tug of war of military strength as the US is expected to mount its biggest Balikatan exercises with the Philippine Armed Forces,” Chester B. Cabalza, who studied national security and policymaking at the University of Delaware, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“This is while China is perfecting its simulation of new weapon system using electronic and cyber-capabilities.”

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., 65, took office in June amid tensions in the South China Sea and naval competition between the US and China.

Analysts said his independent foreign policy talks would be challenged by regional tensions as well as economic realities facing the Philippines, which is under pressure to fund its economic recovery programs.

“We will see an intensified showdown of economic prowess in the Philippines between the world’s two biggest economies,” Mr. Cabalza said.

“We will see heightened cognitive warfare as the two superpowers are expected to compete for people and cultural engagements to win the hearts and minds of people through scholarships, alumni associations and recognition of historical ties,” he added.

He noted that Washington has boosted the US Trade and Development Agency, which links US businesses to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which counters China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

“If mainland Chinese businesses become convinced or are brought on side by the Chinese Communist Party in its posturings in the region, that’s when we should be really worried,” Hansley A. Juliano, a political economy researcher, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“If Belt and Road is doing its job of carving the intended Chinese sphere of influence, it really doesn’t make sense for them to escalate.”

He said the US and European Union (EU) might impose economic sanctions on the US once it continues with aggressive activities in the region.

Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have also undermined regional stability, with analysts expecting China to invade self-ruled Taiwan in the coming years.

“The Russia-Ukraine case is being seen as the test case since the contraction of the Russian economy via imposed economic sanctions from the US and European Union is also what can deter China,” Mr. Juliano said. “However, if China has already realized its preferred economic supply chain via Belt and Road, that might blunt the effects of US-EU sanctions.”

“Scholars, security analysts and journalists must watch out for that.”

Mr. Marcos visited New York last year for the United Nations General Assembly, where he called for a rule-based order in the South China Sea, which is being claimed by China almost in its entirety.  

On the sidelines of the United Nations event, Mr. Marcos met with US President Joseph R. Biden. 

Last month, the Philippine leader met with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing, with Mr. Xi promising to find a solution to avoid tensions in the South China Sea. The two leaders signed bilateral deals covering agriculture, energy, maritime security and tourism.

‘WATERS AND ROCKS’
But despite the Philippine-China talks, conflicts have persisted.

The Philippine Coast Guard has accused its Chinese counterpart of trying to block a resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal on Feb. 6 by pointing a military-grade laser on a Philippine vessel.

The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest, but China insists it had only used a handheld laser to ensure navigational safety.

“As long as Xi Jinping leads China, his hawkish leadership toward his country’s stronger armed forces will be direct and astute in the contested waterways of the West Philippine Sea,” Mr. Cabalza said, referring to areas of the sea within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

He said China would continuously challenge the Philippines’ claims to the South China Sea “while pushing Manila to its limits.”

“Not only will Beijing test Washington’s commitments to Manila but it will try to distract it until the ties crack.”

On Saturday, Mr. Marcos said the laser incident committed by China was not enough for him to invoke the Philippines’ 1995 Mutual Defense Treaty with the US.

“Chinese control over the sea has been a pretty transparent, objective, and recent episodes do not bode well that China will respect borders in good faith — not when they have found it easy to intimidate and play with former President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Marcos, Jr.,” Mr. Juliano said.

The Philippines has given the US access to four more military bases under their Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. Mr. Marcos earlier this month expressed willingness to a three-way defense pact with the US and Japan, which are seen as major obstacles to China’s global ambitions.

“The agreed EDCA locations, especially the additional ones, joint patrols with the US in the South China Sea and a brewing trilateral security arrangement with the US and Japan may signal where Manila stands in the US-China competition,” Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, a research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, said in a Messenger chat.

“This may limit the country’s legroom in navigating this growing great power gulf and puts it in a precarious position should tensions escalate.”

Mr. Pitlo said the Philippines’ aggressiveness in pursuing defense deals happen while its neighbors in the region “remain on the fence.”

Regional peers are “probably agreeing for more strongly worded expressions of concern and call for restraint but are unlikely to offer military access to either side.”

He urged the Marcos government to address its sea dispute with China peacefully, especially since US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China’s top diplomat Wang Yi had both agreed to address South China Sea tensions diplomatically  on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

“If rival great powers who clash across the board continue to hold talks, why not neighbors quarrelling over waters and rocks?” Mr. Pitlo said.

Philippine labor group urges Marcos gov’t to work with ICC probe of Duterte

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

THE BIGGEST labor coalition in the Philippines on Sunday urged the government of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) probe of his predecessor’s deadly war on drugs, saying the tribunal has the authority to probe abuses during the period.

“The ICC’s intervention does not mean that the Philippine justice system is incapable of delivering justice,” Nagkaisa said in a statement.

“It only means that the ICC is stepping in, due to a special circumstance because the domestic justice system has failed to hold perpetrators accountable and provide justice to victims of extrajudicial killings related to the anti-drug war,” it added.

Last month, the ICC pre-trial chamber reopened its investigation into the killings and so-called crimes against humanity under ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign

The Hague-based tribunal said it was not satisfied with Philippine efforts to probe the deaths.

Mr. Marcos on Saturday called the ICC’s probe a threat to the country’s sovereignty, saying the international tribunal did not have jurisdiction over the Philippines.

“I have stated it often, even before I took office as president, that there are many questions about their jurisdiction and what can be — what we in the Philippines regard as an intrusion into our internal matters and a threat to our sovereignty,” he told reporters.

He said the Philippines has a working justice system that can hold erring officials accountable.

In a decision on Feb. 17, the ICC appeals chamber granted the Philippine government’s request for more time to file its appeal to suspend the probe. It gave the country up to March 13.

ICC prosecutor Karim Ahmad A. Khan had asked the international court to deny the Philippines’ request, saying it did not raise arguments to justify halting the probe.

“The prosecution submits that granting suspensive effect is not necessary in the circumstances of this case,” he said in a five-page letter to the appeals chamber dated Feb. 16.

The international tribunal, which tries people charged with crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes and aggression, suspended its probe of Mr. Duterte’s deadly war on drugs in 2021 upon the Philippine government’s request.

It was also set to probe vigilante-style killings in Davao City when Mr. Duterte was still its vice mayor and mayor.

Nagkaisa said it was disappointed with former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s call to defend Mr. Duterte.

“It was during her time that capital punishment was abolished and this commitment to human rights and the rule of law is a legacy that the Philippines must uphold,” the labor group said.

Last week, Ms. Arroyo and more than a dozen congressmen filed a resolution seeking the “unequivocal defense” of Mr. Duterte.

The labor group cited government efforts to look into extralegal killings in the labor sector when it met with representatives from the International Labor Organization (ILO) who were looking into cases of violence and killings against workers.

Last month, Philippine trade unions told ILO officials in a joint report the Philippine government had failed to comply with international conventions on freedom of association and the right to organize.

“The government should be consistent with its commitment to serve justice for slain workers and their families by accepting the ICC investigation with open arms,” Nagkaisa said.

“The ICC is a threat to mass murderers, despots and tyrants, not to Philippine sovereignty per se,”  Maria Kristina C. Conti, secretary general of the National Union of People’s Lawyers in Metro Manila and legal counsel for several victims of the drug war, said in an e-mail.

“Filipinos, victims of the war on drugs, asked for the international court and community to step in because our government could not and would not give them genuine justice here.”

Ephraim B. Cortez, president of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, said the ICC could still investigate Mr. Duterte over drug war abuses since they happened before the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2018.

“The process for withdrawal is explicitly laid down in the Rome Statute and the Philippine government is supposed to be aware of this when they ratified it,” he said in a Viber message.

Mr. Marcos has said the Philippines would not rejoin the international court.

Mr. Cortez said House support for Mr. Duterte showed the Philippine government’s failure to provide relief to the families of drug war victims.

At least 6,117 suspected drug dealers had been killed in police operations, according to data released by the Philippine government in June 2021. Human rights groups estimate that as many as 30,000 suspects died.

The Philippine Human Rights Commission has said the Duterte government had encouraged a culture of impunity by hindering independent inquiries and failing to prosecute erring cops.

“President Marcos is duty-bound to protect the father of a major player in the Marcos bloc — Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio,” Arjan P. Aguirre, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “He is aware too that people still support Duterte and that also helped him in the May 2022 elections.”

More than 30 member-states of the United Nations Human Rights Council in November urged the Philippine government to do something about extralegal killings in connection with Mr. Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

The Philippines has accepted 200 recommendations from the UN Human Rights Council, including investigating extralegal killings and protecting journalists and activists.

“The ICC’s investigation is not a threat to Philippine sovereignty,” Nagkaisa said. “Rather, it will strengthen respect for human rights in the country as well, as it is a legitimate exercise of the ICC of its mandate under the Rome Statute, to which the Philippines was once a signatory.”

Gatchalian calls for immediate termination of contract between PAGCOR, third-party auditor 

A SENATOR has called for the termination of the contract between the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) and its third-party auditor after a New York-based bank denied issuing a certificate to the latter that supposedly qualified it for the P6-billion government engagement.   

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, chair of the Senate ways and means committee, called for the “immediate” termination of the contract following a letter from Soleil Chartered Bank (SCB) that categorically denied providing any certification.   

“SCB would like to make record that it did not issue the questioned bank certification dated June 15, 2017,” it said in the letter.   

The Senate committee’s recent hearings on PAGCOR showed the government-owned corporation failed to comply with existing procurement rules when it awarded a 10-year contract to the auditor despite its inability to meet the operating capital requirement.    

The bank also said that it does not have a record of any account of the auditing consortium, certifying that it was not a client of SCB.  

The bank added that it did not engage in banking operations nor maintain an office in the Philippines, and its supposed address in the country, as claimed by the auditor, is “spurious.”  

“The bank guarantee submitted by the third-party contractor to PAGCOR is clearly fake,” Mr. Gatchalian said.   

“Because of this, the declared income of POGOs is questionable because it appears that the audit process has no credibility,” he said, referring to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators. 

The auditor was supposed to review the income declaration of PAGCOR-licensed POGOs. 

In the same letter, the bank also noted that those involved in the issuance of the fake bank guarantee will be brought to court.  

“We trust that this matter has been clarified and hope that whoever may have committed this forgery will be dealt with accordingly in the proper court of law,” the SCB said.  

Offices declared by the consortium to PAGCOR were also found to be fictitious and inappropriate venues of operation. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan 

Possible Cessna crash site in Albay found 

MEMBERS of the Camalig disaster response teams were immediately deployed on Feb. 18 for search and rescue operations on the Cessna 340 aircraft, with four people on board, that went missing shortly after taking off from the Bicol International Airport. — BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION-CAMALIG

THE POSSIBLE crash site of the Cessna plane that went down early Saturday morning in the town of Camalig has been found based on a photo taken by a foreign search and rescue volunteer, according to the mayor.   

“The camera revealed debris hanging from a tree, along with some broken branches,” Camalig Mayor Carlos Irwin G. Baldo, Jr. said in post on his Facebook page around noon Sunday.   

He said responders were already on their way to the area.   

“As of 11:42 AM, 256 responders, 12 drones, and 4 K9 dogs are presently deployed in Anoling and Quirangay,” the mayor said.   

A Cessna 340 aircraft went missing in Camalig, Albay at 6:46 a.m. on Feb. 18, just three minutes after taking off from the Bicol International Airport, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).  

The flight, bound for Manila, had four people on board — a pilot, a crew member and two passengers, CAAP said in a statement on Saturday.   

The incident comes after another Cessna 206 type aircraft crashed in Isabela on Jan. 24 and has yet to be found.   

It had six persons on board, including the pilot.   

It left Cauayan Airport and was bound for Maconacon, Isabela on a 30-minute flight.

Solon pushes for appointment of an ‘air traffic czar’

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

A HOUSE minority leader is pushing for more government control of commercial flight operations to decongest the main gateway in Manila by appointing an administrator who will coordinate with airlines.    

“We would urge Malacañang to look for an air traffic czar who can manage commercial flight activity, compel airlines to reschedule flights if necessary, and to oversee the shift to Clark,” 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino C. Libanan said in a statement on Sunday.  

He earlier recommended that government should force airlines to transfer about half of their flights from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila to the Clark International Airport located about 115 kilometers north of the capital.   

He added that the government must provide subsidies for the airlines’ relocation costs.   

“There’s really no point in overloading NAIA with more flights, considering that we have Clark nearby that is four times larger, has unused capacity, and is ready to handle more aircraft and passengers at any given time,” Mr. Libanan said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz 

CHR backs bill on higher compensation for victims of violent crimes, rights violations 

THE AUTHOR of a bill that will increase the compensation for victims of rape, other violent crimes, and rights violations vowed to push for its speedy passage after the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) backed the measure.    

In a statement on Sunday, Quezon City Rep. Marvin C. Rillo said he will lobby to “expedite the bill’s approval by Congress.”  

The CHR, in a statement on Wednesday last week, expressed support to House Bill No. 5029, which aims to increase the financial compensation given to rape victims, those unjustly accused and imprisoned, arbitrarily or illegally detained, and other violent crimes.  

“Through the VCP (Victims Compensation Program), victims or their surviving next of kin can claim monetary reparation for grave human rights violations,” the commission said.  

CHR said that reparations acknowledge that violations were committed against victims and that redress measures are needed, especially if the violation was committed by state authorities.  

“Financial compensation likewise empowers victims to pursue legal action or allows them to receive reimbursement for any other losses they may have incurred,” CHR said.  

Under House Bill No. 5029, victims of unjust imprisonment or detention will be provided financial assistance of up to P5,000 per month. The compensation will be based on the number of months of imprisonment or detention and every fraction thereof shall be considered one month.  

In special cases, the victims could be given up to P50,000 or the amount needed to reimburse the claimant for expenses on medical treatment, loss of wage, loss of support, or other costs related to the injury.  

If enacted into law, the measure would be allocated P10 million yearly from the national budget, 3% from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., and another 3% from the proceeds, sales, and other disposition of military camps in Metro Manila by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.  

The bill will amend Republic Act. No. 7309, which created the Board of Claims of the Justice department. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz 

1,500 farmers in Western Visayas receive e-titles 

A TOTAL of 1,500 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Western Visayas received their electronic land titles (e-titles) and land ownership certificate, according to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).  

In a statement on Saturday, the DAR said it distributed the documents covering 1,649.58 hectares of agricultural land under the agency’s Support to Parcelization of Land for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project.  

“We will provide you with more lands and necessary support services to help you improve your economic lives,” said DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III during the ceremony held in Passi City, Iloilo on Friday.   

The department also turned over farm-to-market roads worth P100 million, and farm machineries and equipment worth P14.36 million agrarian reform beneficiary organizations. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Letran Lady Knights sweep San Beda Lady Red Spikers in 3 sets

LETRAN LADY KNIGHTS bared its fangs early as it downed San Beda Lady Red Lions, 25-20, 25-23, 28-26. — NCAA/SYNERGY-GMA

Games Tuesday
(San Andres Complex)
9 a.m. — Mapua vs LPU (M/W)
12 p.m. — UPHSD vs JRU (W/M)

FROM languishing in the NCAA volleyball cellar a season ago, the Letran Lady Knights knew they have nowhere to go but up.

Making a crucial tweak in the roster and picking up a valuable rookie from out of nowhere, Letran bared its fangs early as it downed San Beda, 25-20, 25-23, 28-26, yesterday to seize an early share of the lead in NCAA Season 98 at the San Andres Complex.

Daisy Melendres led all hitters with 15 points including eight on kills and five on blocks to help the Lady Knights launch their ambitious campaign of making the Final Four and, perhaps, advance farther to the finals where they hope to earn a shot at their first title in 25 years.

“We have a good chance this year. Goal is top four, then whatever happens after, will just be a bonus,” said head coach Mike Inoferio, whose charges finished 10th and dead last a year ago with a 2-7 record.

Two of the reasons Letran got off to a great start were Lea Rizel Tapang’s return as spiker from being libero a season ago and the acquisition of neophyte Judiel Nitura.

The brave Ms. Tapang chipped in seven hits while Ms. Nitura, who was from Adamson high school, scattered in limited action eight points including a pair of booming kills late in the third and final set that sealed the hardworking girls from Muralla, Intramuros the win.

“She wanted to play as a libero and learn to play defense because she dreams of playing in the commercial leagues,” said Mr. Inoferio referring to Ms. Tapang’s change of roles.

“And since I punished my libero back then for having low grades, I agreed to it,” he added.

It was a heartbreaking loss for San Beda Lady Red Spikers, which blew big leads in the opening set and two set points in the third that could have kept it in the game and possibly change its outcome.

Meanwhile, in the other game, Perpetual Help Lady Altas turned back Emilio Aguinaldo College Lady Generals , 25-21, 26-24, 25-16, to open its season on a bright note. — Joey Villar

Absent Robert ‘The Big J’ Jaworski represented by son Dodot Jaworski in Toyota’s golden anniversary

SERVING as representative of his father, Dodot (Jaworski) who’s also the vice mayor in Pasig City, recollected accounts of Sonny to his Toyota brothers fifty years after they started in 1973 what shaped up to be one of the country’s most iconic basketball franchises. — PHILIPPINE STAR/JOHN BRYAN ULANDAY

ROBERT Jaworski may have been understandably absent due to illness in Toyota’s golden anniversary but his son, Dodot Jaworski made sure to make his presence felt — as if “The Big J” was also in the nostalgic air with the Tamaraws in their rare journey back in time like yesterday.

Serving as representation of his father, Dodot (Jaworski) who’s also the vice mayor in Pasig City, recollected accounts of Sonny to his Toyota brothers fifty years after they started in 1973 what shaped up to be one of the country’s most iconic basketball franchises.

Dodot said his father, one of the pioneer members of the great Toyota squad with Ramon Fernandez and Francis Arnaiz, and the owner of the PBA’s first-ever three-point shot, is now doing okay after being released from the hospital.

But with his unavailability for now, Sonny assured his message would reach each and every one of his teammates-turned-brothers through Dodot — who went on to become an extension of the Toyota family as a companion of his dad during his playing days.

“Toyota is like immediate family. So, this reunion is something very special…,” beamed Dodot, who also brought his son Renzo, clad in a retro Toyota No. 7 jersey as a tribute to his grandfather.

The head of that family is team owner, manager and coach Dante Silverio, fondly called by his players “OssBok” (Boss Ko). Through the years, Mr. Silverio kept his players intact before Gil Cortez, the PBA’s first Rookie of the Year, organized a grand reunion for their golden year.

“We’re the same Toyota family,” said Mr. Silverio as Toyota, winner of nine PBA crowns, offered prayers to the fast recovery of Sonny, who’s turning 77 on March 8, before the nostalgic get-together. — John Bryan Ulanday

J&T Express edges TNT to snatch Leg 6 of PBA 3×3 3rd Conference

J&T banked P100,000 and joined previous leg rulers San Miguel Beer (Leg 1), TNT (Leg 2), Barangay Ginebra (Leg 3), Cavitex (Leg 4) and Platinum (Leg 5) in the honor roll of season-ending tournament. — PBA MEDIA

J&T EXPRESS delivered an epic 21-20 come-from-behind victory over TNT to win Leg 6 of the PBA 3×3 Season 2 Third Conference yesterday at Robinsons Place Manila.

Showing no quit despite the Tropang Giga getting on the hill at 20-13, J&T’s Joseph Sedurifa, Keith Datu, Marvin Hayes and Robin Rono unleashed a strong 8-0 closing barrage to steal it from their stunned rivals.

Mr. Sedurifa sparked that fortune-reversing final charge with a bucket and back-to-back booming two-balls as he posted a game-high 10 markers for the victors.

Mr. Datu shot five while Messrs.  Rono and Hayes added three apiece in sending J&T to the top again after a nine-leg slump. The guest team last tasted triumph in Leg 2 of the Second Conference.

Mr. Rono whose crucial two-pointer pulled J&T to within 20-17 and eventually set the stage for Mr. Sedurifa’s closing bombs.

J&T banked P100,000 and joined previous leg rulers San Miguel Beer (Leg 1), TNT (Leg 2), Barangay Ginebra (Leg 3), Cavitex (Leg 4) and Platinum (Leg 5) in the honor roll of season-ending tournament, which will culminate with the Grand Finals on Sunday at Robinsons Las Piñas.

TNT’s Almond Vosotros, Lervin Flores, Luis Villegas and Ping Exciminiano settled for runner-up honors and P50,000.

Meanwhile, Meralco beat Cavitex, 20-17, for the bronze and P30,000. — Olmin Leyba

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