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NGCP ordered to procure ‘sufficient’ ancillary services

THE DEPARTMENT of Energy (DoE) has ordered the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) to procure ancillary services that are “sufficient” to ensure adequate supply during shortages. 

The DoE formalized the order through a department circular issued Tuesday, though it had advised the NGCP to do so in June in the wake of several yellow alerts, in which the grid’s supply margins thinned, resulting in outages.

Ancillary services are on call to be tapped to supplement the power supply, and are typically higher-cost than baseload supply. The NGCP has warned that raising the level of ancillary coverage will result in higher power costs.

The NGCP was ordered to open up a competitive selection process to qualified companies.

The DoE said NGCP must “ensure sufficient and least-cost provision of the (ancillary services)” in order to protect the public interest.

The NGCP will be held responsible for ensuring that the procurement is carried out in a timely manner, “particularly the capability-testing of generating facilities” and that key documents are promptly issued.

The DoE also required the NGCP to submit an Ancillary Service Agreement Procurement Plan (ASAPP) which contains the grid operator’s projected ancillary service requirements for the next 10 years and a plan for the acquisition of such services on or before March 31 every year.

The outcome of the DoE’s review of the ASAPP will be posted on the NGCP’s website not later than the end of April every year.

The DoE said the auctions must take place six months after the circular takes effect. The contract period for suppliers of ancillary services is capped at five years.

The order will take effect on Friday, 15 days after it was published in two general-circulation newspapers on Oct. 14.

The DoE has recommended the return of control over power grid operations to the government after power outages in Luzon in June, allegedly due to NGCP’s non-compliance with ancillary services coverage standards.

NGCP is privately owned by holding company Synergy Grid and Development Philippines, Inc., which has a 60% stake. The remaining 40% is owned by the State Grid Corp. of China. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

DoE’s Cusi sees oil prices falling in next few months

REUTERS

ENERGY SECRETARY Alfonso G. Cusi said he expects oil prices to fall in the next few months with global oil prices slowly normalizing. 

“In the coming months, oil prices may not be as high as what we have now as the prices (are correcting) in the world market,” Mr. Cusi said in a televised interview with Daily Tribune Wednesday.

“(The price of) diesel has stabilized, and for gas, only very little adjustments are needed,” he added.

Oil benchmark prices have breached $80 per barrel, the highest levels since October 2018, when prices were a little less than $90.

In the Philippines, the prices of petroleum products have risen for nine straight weeks.

In separate advisories Tuesday, fuel companies such as Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., and Seaoil Philippines, Inc. raised the prices of their gasoline by P1.15, diesel by P0.45, and kerosene by P0.55 per liter. 

To deal with higher prices, Mr. Cusi said during the interview that President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved a P1-billion fuel subsidy for drivers of public utility vehicles.

The Department of Transportation said Tuesday that the subsidy will benefit around 178,000 drivers and will be distributed via cash cards issued by the Land Bank of the Philippines. 

Mr. Cusi added that Shell and Petron have agreed to provide discounts for trucks that transport food and other basic goods to head off higher consumer prices.

“Oil companies were also tapped to give discounts to fishermen,” he added. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

P10-B fishery project backed by WB nearing implementation

PHILSTAR

A WORLD BANK (WB)-supported fisheries program with funding of $200 million (P10 billion) is close to being approved for implementation, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

In a statement Wednesday, the DA said the seven-year project, known as the Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) initiative, is expected to launch early next year. It is expected to benefit 500,000 fisherfolk and other stakeholders in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

The project will be implemented by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

“It aims to support the scaling-up and modernization of the Philippine capture fisheries and aquaculture industry, through the provision of technical support and innovation, access to modern and resilient fisheries infrastructure and post-harvest facilities, and promotion of efficient connectivity and product value addition, among other initiatives,” the DA said.

It said the project has been set targets that include a 3% increase in household income and value-added for fishery commodities, a 5% reduction in postharvest losses, and a 1% to 5% reduction in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing incidences.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the project will be implemented in Fisheries Management Areas (FMA) 6 and 9, which covers 11 regions and 24 provinces spanning 32 million hectares of coastal and marine waters.

FMA 6 consists of the coastal waters that include Pagudpud Bay, Subic Bay, and Manila Bay while FMA 9 covers the Bohol Sea, Panguil Bay, Iligan Bay, Gingoog Bay, Butuan Bay, and Sogod Bay. 

“We are optimistic that the FishCoRe Project will establish examples of good governance mechanisms, leading to better management of the ‘blue resources’ and aquaculture development in two FMAs,” Mr. Dar said.

The BFAR has divided the country into 12 FMAs.

The DA said the World Bank has been supportive since the negotiations for the project started in 2020.

“We fully support the goals of the FishCoRe Project to sustainably improve incomes of Filipino fisherfolk, and support resilient coastal communities through enhanced ecosystem management, productivity-enhancing technologies, aquaculture, reduced post-harvest losses, value-chain infrastructure, and related activities,” World Bank Country Director Achim Fock said in a previous letter to Mr. Dar. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

House bill extending PSALM corporate life approved in committee

A HOUSE COMMITTEE approved Wednesday a bill that proposes to extend the corporate life of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM), giving it more time to dispose of assets to settle the obligations of the industry before it was largely privatized.

The House Committee on Energy passed an unnumbered substitute bill and committee report to House Bill 10006 that was written by Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel M. Arroyo.

The measure, if signed into law, would amend Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) by extending PSALM’s corporate life by 30 years until June 26, 2056.

Mr. Arroyo said the extension of PSALM’s corporate life will help reduce the public sector deficit and help the agency securing longer-term financing for power projects.

He said projects such as the Agus-Pulangi hydropower complex that is awaiting rehabilitation before privatization will require PSALM to be around long-term to enhance confidence among financing entities.

PSALM was created under EPIRA to lead the privatization of generation and transmission assets of the National Power Corp. and the National Transmission Corp.

PSALM manages financial obligations involving power projects such as capital lease payments to Independent Power Producers as well as obligations of electric cooperatives to the National Electrification Administration.

PSALM’s corporate life was originally due to expire on June 26, 2026 or 25 years after the effectivity of EPIRA. Should PSALM be dissolved, all of its assets and liabilities will reverted to the National Government. — Russell Louis C. Ku

Experts back local-level financing, insurance to address climate risks

THE newly appointed technical experts on climate change have proposed a local government climate and disaster-risk financing and insurance pilot program to help communities prepare for climate-related disasters.

The national panel of technical experts advising the Climate Change Commission said action plans to mitigate climate risk should include green and disaster-risk financing access for local government units (LGUs), the Department of Finance (DoF) said in a statement Wednesday.

The Climate Change Commission recently replaced its panel with 16 new members as it transitioned towards project implementation.

The panel met for the first time with Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, the chairman-designate of the commission, to identify the priority climate risks that need to be addressed.

Top risks include rising sea levels, coastal erosion, flooding, frequent and severe tropical cyclones, and extreme drought. Rising temperatures, extreme rainfall, climate-influenced diseases, wind patterns, and biodiversity loss were also identified as top concerns.

Climate risks harm food security and water sources, worsen malnutrition, and endanger coastal communities, panel member Doracie Zoleta Nantes said. These risks also threaten marine resources, lead to shoreline erosion and trigger pest and disease outbreaks, she added.

“She pointed out that rising sea levels could not only threaten the country’s food security and water sources, but could force the displacement of small island communities, particularly in the Visayas, and has already led to a 1- to 2-meter increase in seawater levels that affect Metro Manila, Cavite, Pampanga, and Bulacan,” the DoF said.

The panel recommended that the government conduct climate and health impact assessments for all provinces and cities, and examine climate finance plans in local government investment proposals.

“The panel underscored, moreover, the need to align local climate action with the sustainable fund frameworks of banks to make LGUs eligible for financing, and capacitate these local governments to enable them to revive the municipal bond market for green bond floats,” the DoF said.

The panel said climate indicators must be used to evaluate government projects and localized data should be provided to vulnerable LGUs.

The DoF said that Mr. Dominguez formally adopted the panel’s action plans and instructed the Finance department to set up a timetable to implement the plans.

“He also instructed the Commission to integrate these in the upcoming updating of the National Climate Change Action Plan to help local governments craft action-oriented local climate change adaptation plans,” DoF added.

The Philippines is sending a 19-member delegation led by Mr. Dominguez to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland next week. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Philippine Energy Plan seen inadequate for meeting climate pledges

SENATOR Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who chairs his chamber’s energy committee, said the updated Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) is not sufficient to meet the Philippines’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs) for keeping climate change i n check.

“It’s unfortunate that PEP is not harmonized with NDCs. We’re flagging both the CCC (Climate Change Commission) and the DoE (Department of Energy) to put that harmonization together so that the (allocation of) resources and (future) generation mix are linked to how we will reduce our GHG (greenhouse gases) as per our commitments to the Paris Agreement,” he said in a virtual briefing Wednesday.

NDCs are a feature of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, a legally-binding treaty which aims to limit the global temperature rise to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius.

According to Mr. Gatchalian, there is a need to integrate the climate commitments into the PEP in order for greenhouse gas emission targets to be coherent.

The PEP, which was recently published by the Energy department, said it aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 12% by 2040 in order to meet the NDCs under a clean-energy scenario.

In another webinar Wednesday, World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines Head of Climate Change and Energy Angela Consuelo S. Ibay said that the PEP should have set firm targets.

The plan has set an “aspirational” target of a 35% renewable energy share in the power generation mix by 2030 and more than 50% share by 2040.

“They just mentioned an aspirational target. It should be hard-coded instead,” Ms. Ibay said.

The updated PEP covers the 2020 to 2040 period.

GEOTHERMAL POWER
“Personally, I’m quite bullish with geothermal because any way of minimizing imports of coal and potential natural gas in the future should be pursued,” Mr. Gatchalian said Wednesday.

He was one of the speakers at the 2nd Philippine International Geothermal Conference.

Mr. Gatchalian noted that geothermal development requires significant outlays for exploration, which can discourage potential investors.

“We know that exploring… is quite risky and the risk involved there is actually a disincentive for proponents for further explore potential areas,” he said.

As a result, he is studying the possibility of setting up a geothermal fund which will allow the public and private sectors to share the risk of developing such projects.

“(This geothermal fund) encourages the private sector to explore more and to look (in) different areas,” he said.

Citing DoF data, Mr. Gatchalian said that the Philippines is projected to supplement its geothermal capacity by more than 800 megawatts, according to renewable energy contracts issued by the government as of May 2020.

Last year, geothermal power plants accounted for around 11% of aggregate electricity output. — Angelica Y. Yang

Well-milled rice prices fall in nine regional trading centers 

NEDA

NINE REGIONAL trading centers posted lower average retail prices for well-milled rice in early October, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The PSA said in a report that the retail prices cover a period that it calls the first phase of October (Oct. 1-5), and were compared with the second phase of September (Sept. 15-17).

The average price of well-milled rice declined in Butuan by P2.91 to P39.69 per kilogram.

The average price of well-milled rice declined in San Fernando City by P1.19 to P37.83, in Kidapawan City by 98 centavos to P42.21, in Batangas City by 75 centavos to P44.40, and in Baguio City by 43 centavos to P37.83.

Lower prices were also reported in the National Capital Region (NCR), where they fell 25 centavos to P42.85, in Calapan City by 17 centavos to P43.60, in Tuguegarao City by 13 centavos to P35.38, and in Iloilo City by eight centavos to P38.58.

The PSA said the average price of bone-in pork rose in five trading centers during the period.

Kidapawan City prices rose P20 to P230/kg, in Butuan City by P14.91 to P259.91, in Cebu City by P10.83 to P205.83, in San Fernando City by P5 to P300, and in Legazpi City by P3.38 to P343.74.

The PSA said prices fell in Calapan City by P27.63 to P257.84, in Tuguegarao City by P20 to P290, in the NCR by P18.49 to P269.85, and in Iloilo City by P14 to P226.

The PSA said the average price of round scad (galunggong) declined in Baguio City by P34 to P170/kg, in San Fernando City by P10 to P180, in Butuan City by P9.35 to P158.91, in Pagadian City by P8.75 to P96.25, and in the NCR by P5.59 to P226.75.

Price increases were recorded in Digos City by P40 to P155, in Tuguegarao City by P10 to P200, and in Iloilo City by P4.16 to P162.08. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave 

Meat processors question wider distribution of pork imports 

MEAT PROCESSORS said they oppose plans to more widely distribute pork imports to areas where prices are high, saying the measure will not significantly address high prices.

In a statement, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors, Inc. (PAMPI) said Memorandum Circular No. 23 issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Oct. 25 “is an exercise in futility and will not address the unabated high prices of pork.”

In a memorandum circular, the department cleared the distribution of pork imports to include areas with “relatively high” prices of pork outside the current coverage area known as the National Capital Region Plus (NCR Plus), which consists of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite.

Initially, the DA had allowed the sale of pork imports in wet markets, supermarkets, and Kadiwa outlets within the NCR Plus.

The memorandum circular also allowed the selling of pork imports under MAV plus to processors and institutional buyers.

According to PAMPI, the government increased the volume of pork imports and reduced tariffs without addressing the constraints on selling imported pork, which is frozen, in wet markets without freezers.

“Stall owners in wet markets do not have freezers. They barely have enough capital to pay for daily deliveries of fresh pork. So how can they sell imported pork even if they are priced cheaper?” PAMPI said.

“On the other hand, importers and traders who fell for the reduced tariff incentive cannot move their imported pork to the wet markets. As a result, imported pork products are tied up in cold storage,” it added.

As of Oct. 11, the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) estimated that frozen pork in accredited cold storage facilities at 73,294.01 metric tons (MT), up 60.2% from a year earlier.

Rolando E. Tambago, Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines, Inc. president, said in a mobile phone interview with BusinessWorld that the recent memorandum circular of the DA is “ridiculously unreasonable.”

“The DA should offer tangible solutions to help hog producers and make sure that the surplus supply from the Visayas and Mindanao is reallocated to other major market areas,” Mr. Tambago said.

“In fact, there are regions in the Visayas and Mindanao that are experiencing massive surpluses of pork,” he added.

Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura Executive Director Jayson H. Cainglet said in a statement that there is no mechanism for distinguishing pork imports within the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) quota, which are covered by the order, from those exceeding the MAV quota once the products exit the port of first entry.

“Since there is no first border quarantine inspection, we would not even know if these pork imports are tainted with African Swine Fever (ASF) or not,” Mr. Cainglet said.

On May 10, President Rodrigo R. Duterte issued EO 133, which expanded the MAV quota for pork to 254,210 MT from the previous 54,210 MT, referred to as the so-called MAV plus, in order to increase supply and stabilize prices in the wake of the African Swine Fever outbreak.

The additional 200,000 MT worth of pork imports were divided into two tranches, with 140,000 MT scheduled to arrive between July and October and the remaining 60,000 MT landing between November and January. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave 

PHL may tap Hungarian expertise in digitization, transport  

PHILSTAR

THE PHILIPPINES expects to collaborate with Hungary in areas like digitalization and transportation, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

In a statement Wednesday, the DTI said it met with Hungarian representatives on Oct. 18 and 19 for the third meeting of the two countries’ Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation.

The DTI said discussions on transport cooperation are expected to begin soon with a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) already tabled for consideration.

It added that the two sides also clarified their plans to cooperate on the environment.

“The meeting also paved the way for discussions on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) cooperation and science, technology and innovation through MoUs being finalized by relevant agencies with their Hungarian counterparts,” the DTI said.

Agreements announced include a material transfer agreement between the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Bureau of Plant and Industry for a project in Barangay Don Bosco, Parañaque City. The agreement involves vegetable seed for testing and experimentation.

Another agreement was a partnership agreement between Startup Campus Inkubator Plc., Hungary and QBO Innovation Hub.

“(The agreement) aims to capitalize on the rapidly growing startup ecosystems with government support in high-growth services such as artificial intelligence, big data, and financial technology, among others,” the DTI said.

The DTI said discussions are continuing on finalizing a loan package to implement projects of the Laguna Lake Development Authority and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

“The projects include an online water quality monitoring system in Laguna de Bay and its tributaries and the purchase of compact water treatment units for use during disasters and other emergencies,” the DTI said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave  

BIR form 2316, substituted filing and e-signatures

With the end of the year approaching, most people start preparing for the holidays. For accountants and tax practitioners, this is also the time to plan for year-end statutory obligations, such as the Certificate of Compensation Payment/Tax Withheld for Compensation Payment With or Without Tax Withheld (BIR Form 2316) which must be issued to employees and submitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

BIR Form 2316 must be accomplished by an employer for each employee receiving salaries, wages, and other forms of remuneration, indicating the total amount paid and the taxes withheld for the calendar year. It must be issued to the employee on or before Jan. 31 of the succeeding year, or on the day of last payment of wages in case of termination from employment. This certificate, in turn, should be attached to the employee’s Annual Income Tax Return (AITR) in case the employee opts to file one or is not qualified for substituted filing.

EMPLOYEES QUALIFIED FOR SUBSTITUTED FILING
Employees who meet certain conditions need not file an AITR. The BIR Form 2316 filed by their employers serves as their AITR (i.e., substituted filing). Under Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 2-98, as amended, individual taxpayers qualified for substituted filing are: 1. those receiving purely compensation income, regardless of the amount, 2. Those with only one employer in the Philippines for the calendar year, and 3. those whose income taxes have been withheld correctly by the employer. Qualified employees must signify their intention for substituted filing by signing the declaration portion of BIR Form 2316 in three copies and returning it to the employer.  The employer must file the duplicate copy of the form to the BIR with the certified list of qualified employees, reflecting the name of the employee, their tax identification number (TIN), their compensation income, tax due, and tax withheld.

Under BIR rules, should the employee need a BIR-stamped ‘Received’ copy of BIR Form 2316, this may be requested from the BIR through submission of a form accompanied by the employer’s certification of inclusion in the list of employees qualified for substituted filing. Employers may also handle this request on behalf of their employees.

EMPLOYER OBLIGATIONS FOR BIR FORM 2316
The employer is to prepare BIR Form 2316 in triplicate, to be distributed as follows: original — employee’s copy; duplicate — BIR’s copy; and triplicate — employer’s copy, to be retained for 10 years.

BIR Form 2316 must be signed by both the employer’s authorized officer and the employee, under penalty of perjury. The employer must give the original copy to the employee, while a duplicate copy is to be submitted by the employer to the concerned BIR office no later than Feb. 28 of the succeeding year.

On Aug. 3, 2021, the BIR issued RR 16-2021, further amending the provisions on the manner of submitting BIR Form 2316. Under the RR, only scanned copies of BIR Form 2316 are to be accepted by the BIR. Taxpayers should therefore ensure that the file format and naming conventions, including the actual submission of the form, comply with the rules of the BIR.

Under the RR, all taxpayers must manually submit a Digital Versatile Disc Recordable (DVD-R) containing the soft copies of BIR Form 2316 using PDF file format with the filenames alphabetically arranged in the DVD-R. The filename must contain the employee’s surname, TIN, and the taxable period (e.g., Dela Cruz_123456789000_12312021). In addition, the DVD-R must be labeled following the format prescribed by the BIR along with a notarized sworn declaration that the soft copies contained in the DVD-R are the complete and exact copies of the originals.

Since there are still months to go, I’m hoping that the BIR also comes up with a platform for the online submission of these documents, similar to the Electronic Audited Financial Statements (eAFS) System, which is the platform used for the online submission of required attachments to the AITR. It will eliminate the need for taxpayers to flock to the BIR offices, and make complying with this obligation more convenient and efficient, not to mention safer for all concerned.

ARE ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES ALLOWED FOR BIR FORM 2316?
On Feb. 26, 2021, the BIR circulated Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 29-2021, allowing the use of e-signatures on certain BIR Forms/Certificates, including BIR Form 2316. This was in response to the continuing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and compliance with Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

Under the circular, employees and withholding agents/employers have the option to use e-signatures on the BIR Forms even without seeking prior approval from the BIR. An e-signature includes digital signatures and other methods. Previously, the requirement was that the forms should be signed manually or in wet ink to be considered valid and binding.

It is also worth noting that under RMC 18-2021 circulated on Feb. 2, 2021, the BIR allowed the submission of duplicate copies of BIR Form 2316 even without the employees’ signatures, provided that the authorized representative of the taxpayer-employer signed it. Although this RMC was specifically for the taxable year 2020, let’s hope that the BIR also implements this for the 2021 submission.

Considering that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect our way of working, the BIR should continue to develop and implement new measures and platforms that will help taxpayers to meet their statutory obligations. After all, in precarious times, adaptation is the key to moving forward.

The views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Isla Lipana & Co. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.

 

Renz Anthony K. Boaloy is a manager with the Client Accounting Services group of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of the PwC network.

+63 (2) 8845-2728

renz.anthony.k.boaloy@pwc.com

Atlanta defeats Houston 6-2 to win Game One of World Series

ATLANTA Braves designated hitter Jorge Soler hits an infield single against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning in Game One of the 2021 World Series at Minute Maid Park. — REUTERS

JORGE Soler and Adam Duvall slugged home runs and the Atlanta Braves overcame the loss of right-hander Charlie Morton by riding an early outburst to a 6-2 victory over the host Houston Astros in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday.

The Braves scored in each of their first three at-bats, building a 5-0 lead against Houston’s Framber Valdez (0-1). The left-hander had twirled eight spectacular innings in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Boston Red Sox, but three pitches into his fourth start this postseason, Valdez found himself trailing.

Soler drilled a 2-0 sinker from Valdez into the Crawford Boxes in left field, a 382-foot leadoff blast that signaled the start of an abbreviated outing for Valdez. The Braves recorded three batted balls with exit velocities of at least 105 mph in the top of the first inning, including an Austin Riley RBI double that scored Ozzie Albies and doubled the lead to 2-0.

After facing six batters in the first inning, Valdez faced seven more in the second, with Soler plating Travis d’Arnaud with a fielder’s choice grounder. Despite those struggles, Valdez retook the mound in the third, but he faced only two batters, with Duvall following an Eddie Rosario single with a two-run homer to left that traveled 387 feet with a 111.7 mph exit velocity.

Valdez allowed five runs on eight hits and one walk with two strikeouts in two-plus innings.

Morton pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first thanks in part to a dazzling defensive play from Albies, who smothered a grounder from Kyle Tucker before assisting on the final out. Morton opened the second by taking a sharp grounder from Yuli Gurriel off his lower right leg but appeared unfazed while retiring the bottom of the Houston lineup in order.

In the third inning, Morton winced and buckled while recording a called third strike on the leadoff batter, Jose Altuve. He departed with Atlanta medical personnel, and the Braves later announced that Morton sustained a fractured right fibula that would sideline him for the remainder of the World Series.

Armed with a five-run lead, Braves relievers A.J. Minter (1-0), Luke Jackson, Tyler Matzek and Will Smith covered the final 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk with eight strikeouts. Minter threw a career-high 43 pitches in 2 2/3 innings after replacing Morton in the third.

Houston got run-scoring groundouts from Chas McCormick in the fourth inning and Carlos Correa in the eighth. Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth.

Soler, Albies and Rosario each had two hits for the Braves. Houston got three hits from Michael Brantley and two apiece from Kyle Tucker and Gurriel.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played on Wednesday in Houston. — Reuters

Top conference players have eyes on the PBA championship

PBA Philippine Cup BPC candidates (from left) Ian Sangalang and Calvin Abueva of the Magnolia Hotshots and Mikey Williams of the TnT Tropang Giga have their eyes on the championship but proud and honored to have been considered for the tournament’s top individual award. — PBA IMAGES

GAME Four of the best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals series was played on Wednesday just as the best player of the conference (BPC) award was handed out.

Three players in the running for the top individual plum are currently seeing action in the championship of the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) tournament, namely: Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots’ Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang, and TnT Tropang Giga rookie Mikey Williams.

While they were proud and honored to be among those in the hunt for the BPC award, all three made it known that still primary for them is to win the championship.

“To win the BPC award is just a bonus for me,” said Mr. Abueva in Filipino during the pre-finals press conference on Oct. 20.

He was leading in statistical points (SPs) in the most recent update of the league on the race with 34.2 SPs, built on averages of 15.2 points, 10 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 blocks and a steal through the semifinals.

“The stats you don’t pay too much attention to that. You go to the finals to win the trophy above all else,” he added.

The same goes for teammate Mr. Sangalang, third-running as per the last update.

“I went here to the bubble not to be a candidate for the BPC, but to get back to the finals and win,” said the Magnolia big man, who had 33.0 SPs from norms of 16.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

“I’m just playing my game and making sure I’m ready each time. All other things are just going to be a bonus.”

For Mr. Williams, fourth in the race with 32 SPs, winning the championship with TnT has always been the goal.

“I came to the team trying to fit in and do my share in our push to win the championship and here we are. That was the goal and I’m just being ready,” said the number four pick in this year’s rookie draft.

Entering Game Four, Mr. Williams and the Tropang Giga had the inside track to win the title, leading the series at 2-1.

Mr. Williams had been solid in the first three games of the series, averaging 29.3 points, punctuated by a 39-point outburst in their Game Three loss where he made a PBA finals record 10 three-pointers. He was complementing it with 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and a steal.

The Hotshots dropped to a 0-2 hole early in the series but managed to break through with a win in the third game to gain some traction.

Mr. Abueva had been churning out a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds while Mr. Sangalang had been steady for 16.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks.

Other players in the running for the BPC award were Northport’s Robert Bolick with 33.7 SPs (second) and San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo with 31.8 SPs (fifth).