PHL to accept Afghan refugees only under government-to-government arrangement

August 30, 2021 | 8:14 pm

THE PHILIPPINES will be accepting Afghan refugees only under government-to-government agreements, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said on Monday.

“The Philippines will not accept nor listen to any proposition to accept any refugees unless it is government to government and only by their respective Foreign and Justice ministers; especially of the UK, the US, and other Western countries most active in the evacuation,” Mr. Locsin said on Twitter.

He said the country will not entertain any request for asylum coming from non-government organizations or any other non-state parties, citing potential illegal transactions under such arrangement.

“I believe that refugees will be the next lucrative order of business, having plenty of cash in hand or in foreign bank accounts. The temptation will be resistible to help them and help oneself to them. That will never happen under the administration or in my watch,” said Mr. Locsin.

He said he wanted to ensure the Philippines “aren’t dragged into a racket.”

The Palace earlier said the country would open its doors to Afghans fleeing Taliban rule. “Asylum seekers are welcome in the Philippines,” the President’s spokesperson said. The Justice chief also said mechanisms are in place for processing refugees from Afghanistan under the department’s Refugees and Stateless Persons unit.

The Philippines has already completed the evacuation of its citizens from Afghanistan. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Youth groups press for extended voters registration period

August 30, 2021 | 8:13 pm

SEVERAL YOUTH groups are submitting on Tuesday a petition for an extension of the voter registration period despite an Aug. 18 decision by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) rejecting such calls, citing timeline constraints and health protocols.

More than 60 youth and student organizations signed the petition, led by Akbayan Youth, First Time Voters’ Network, and the Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking.

The groups will also ask the government’s task force managing the coronavirus response to allow voter registration activities even in areas under strict quarantine levels.

They cited that eight months’ worth of registration days were lost due to the lockdowns.

Comelec Spokesperson James B. Jimenez previously said the poll body’s en banc junked an earlier petition because an extension from the Sept. 30 deadline may delay preparations for the 2022 polls. The filing of certificates of candidacy starts Oct. 1.

In another online forum on June 28, Mr. Jimenez said the commission has reached its goal of having at least four million new registrants for the 2022 national and local elections.

He also posted on social media that the Philippines now has a total of 61.06 million registered voters as of Aug. 24, which is more than the commission’s expectation of 59 million. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

ASF cases in Cagayan already under control, says vet

August 30, 2021 | 8:12 pm

THE NEW cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) detected in four towns in Cagayan are already under control, according to its provincial veterinarian.

“The (new) detected ASF cases are just isolated cases and are already under control. The provincial veterinary office is closely monitoring these cases,” Cagayan Acting Provincial Veterinarian Noli V. Buen said in a television interview on Monday.

The Cagayan Provincial Veterinary Office recently confirmed that new ASF cases were detected in the towns of Claveria, Ballesteros, Piat, and Aparri.

Mr. Buen said hog farmers affected by ASF in Cagayan as of Aug. 23 reached 1,411 while a total of 5,535 hogs were culled.

Mr. Buen said the new ASF cases could be attributed to the halt in “inter-municipal” checkpoints to prevent the spread of the disease after those deployed at the borders were infected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Those stationed in the checkpoints tested positive for COVID-19. We see this as the reason why there were new ASF cases detected in Cagayan,” he said.

Recently, the Department of Agriculture announced that ASF incidence in the country is already dropping.

“To date, 484 cities and municipalities have no reported ASF cases for at least three months, of which 74 have no reported cases for three to six months, and 410 have no cases for more than six months,” Bureau of Animal Industry Executive Director Reildrin G. Morales said in a statement on Aug. 23. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

4,000 Baguio tourism workers lined up for vaccination

August 30, 2021 | 8:12 pm

BAGUIO CITY, one of the most popular tourist destinations in northern Luzon, is vaccinating 4,000 of its more than 5,000 tourism sector workers from Monday to Wednesday.

“Earlier, the local tourism industry stakeholders disclosed that only 454 or 8.3% of the registered 5,458 workers in the different tourism-related establishments had been vaccinated since the roll-out of the government’s mass vaccination program last March,” the city government said in a statement.

The mountain destination currently allows entry for people on non-essential travel only if they are from areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ) or modified GCQ, the two most relaxed quarantine levels.

The city’s ongoing vaccination program includes home service for senior citizens who could not go to the designated sites.

As of Aug. 29, Baguio had 787 active coronavirus cases out of the 17,263 recorded since the start of the pandemic. There were 16,135 recoveries and 341 deaths.

Baguio City, dubbed as the country’s ‘summer capital’, will celebrate its 112^th charter day anniversary on Sept. 1. — MSJ

Waste-to-energy power plants may be rated RE for baseload

August 30, 2021 | 7:20 pm

THE DEPARTMENT of Energy (DoE) may reclassify waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities as renewable energy (RE) units capable of supplying always-on baseload power.

The plans were flagged in a draft circular posted on the DoE’s website last week, outlining the department’s intent to promote the development of the WTE industry.

“This circular is being issued to… promote WTE facilities as baseload renewable energy which can contribute to solid waste management, benefit to the local economy, and create green jobs, among others,” the Energy department said.

The DoE is proposing to categorize WTE technology as “another kind of RE source.” WTE converts various types of waste material into usable heat, electricity or fuel.

According to its proposed circular, qualified generators using such technology should be considered “must dispatch” units in order to promote investment in WTE development.

Eligible RE plants are identified by the wholesale electricity spot market as “must dispatch” units that enjoy preference in the dispatch schedule.

The DoE said it will hold a series of public consultations on the draft WTE circular on Sept. 3, 6 and 8 for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao participants, respectively. All hearings will be held at 9 a.m.

Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology President Riedo A. Panaligan said that the DoE’s proposed rules contradict current law.

“Promoting municipal solid waste (MSW) as feedstock for incineration (or) waste-to-energy goes beyond what is prescribed under the Renewable Energy Act. Burning of MSW also contradicts the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act that espouses source separation, segregated waste collection and treatment. These legal hurdles put participating parties, especially city governments and local government units, at risk for future lawsuits,” Mr. Panaligan told BusinessWorld in an e-mail Monday.

He said WTE is the most “inefficient and expensive way” to generate power, based on the experience of developed nations.

“Incineration, if categorized as renewable, will further compete with other genuine renewable energy projects such as solar, wind and biomass for already small incentive support and market share,” Mr. Panaligan added.

A Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) administrative order from 2019 details the requirements that must be met before a WTE plant can be built.

Last month, environment advocates and groups filed a petition with the Supreme Court to nullify the DENR’s guidelines on building WTE facilities, claiming that their implementation will cause “irreparable” harm to human health and the environment. — Angelica Y. Yang

Gov’t plan to sell imported fish at P88/kg seen unlikely

August 30, 2021 | 7:19 pm

fish-galunggong — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE GOVERNMENT is unlikely to realize its plan to sell imported fish for P88 per kilogram (/kg) wholesale because of tight supply in the region and high freight costs, fisheries industry experts said.

Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., Frabelle Group president, said in a virtual briefing Monday that the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) plan to import 60,000 metric tons (MT) of fish has come too late because fishing season in other countries has ended or is running down.

According to Mr. Laurel, China’s fishing season runs from June to September, while Vietnam’s is from March to June.

Administrative Order No. 22, issued by the DA on Aug. 27, requires that importers “sell the imported fish at P88/kg wholesale, based on the 2020 certificate of necessity to import (CNI) fish auction conducted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), or lower as a result of the cost unbundling for imported small pelagic fishes.”

The DA recently authorized the issue of a CNI, valid from Sept. 2 to December, covering 60,000 MT of fish to address supply issues in the domestic market during the closed season in many major fishing grounds.

Mr. Laurel estimated a minimum landed cost for imported fish of P100 per kilogram.

“It is possible to price it at P88/kg but that would be difficult and highly unlikely. Especially with the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, freight costs are high,” Mr. Laurel said.

“The imports will be expensive since these will be shipped after the fishing season, which means that the products have already been bought by others,” he added.

Norberto O. Chingcuanco, co-convenor of food security advocacy Tugon Kabuhayan, questioned the need to import with the pandemic depressing demand.

“What is the urgency to import something that would be more expensive and is already frozen? Imagine the health hazard when you deliver frozen fish to public markets in remote areas which do not have freezers,” Mr. Chingcuanco said.

“Why focus on imports when we are an archipelago that can produce fish beyond our needs. We are an exporter of fish such as milkfish (bangus) and tuna,” he added.

Meanwhile, Foundation for Economic Freedom President Calixto V. Chikiamco said in a mobile phone interview that the government should abolish quantitative restrictions for fish imports and allow full import liberalization by the private sector with tariffication.

“We should allow import liberalization for all fish, except for fish species such as bangus and tilapia since we have enough supply through aquaculture,” Mr. Chikiamco said.

“It is correct to augment the supply of fish to prevent fish prices from rising any further and affecting consumers. In fact, the 60,000 MT may not be enough, considering that we are heading into the Christmas season when food demand rises,” he added.

The DA has said that the CNI authorizes imports of small pelagic fish such as round scad (galunggong), mackerel, and bonito, for sale in public wet markets.

The closed fishing season is implemented annually in the Davao Gulf (June 1 to Aug. 31), Visayan Sea (Nov. 15 to Feb. 15), Sulu Sea (Dec. 1 to March 1), and Northeast Palawan (November to January).

The National Economic and Development Authority has recommended a fish import cap of 200,000 MT for the fourth quarter of 2021 and first quarter of 2022. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

NEDA backs trials for in-person classes this school year

August 30, 2021 | 7:18 pm

THE NATIONAL Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said it supports a pilot test of face-to-face classes in low-risk areas for the incoming school year, which is set to begin next month.

In a Viber message Monday, NEDA Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said the country can learn from the pilot test how to gradually reopen in-person classes for more schools.

“Same position. Pilot in low-risk areas and learn from it to gradually expand,” Mr. Chua said in his message.

The Philippines is one of five countries that are still not allowing face-to-face classes since the pandemic began last year, affecting 27 million students, according to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the government’s pandemic response is set to review the pilot-testing proposal and make a recommendation to President Rodrigo R. Duterte for a decision, the President’s Spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said last week.

The 2021-22 school year officially starts on Sept. 13 and runs to June 24, 2022, but face-to-face classes are still awaiting approval from the President, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

Mr. Duterte has rejected proposals to resume in-person classes, citing the need to curb the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection rate and to vaccinate a larger portion of the population.

“While the face-to-face class setup is ideal, it might be too risky for the Philippines given our current healthcare capacity, vaccination pace, and infection rates,” Asian Institute of Management Economist John Paolo R. Rivera said via Viber Monday.

He said a return to the classroom can only be done safely once the student age groups are vaccinated, to protect them from severe COVID-19. Otherwise, he said the risk is too high and costs continue to outweigh the benefits.

Around 12% of the total population has been vaccinated as of Aug. 25, according to Our World in Data. The government is only allowing people 18 years and older to receive vaccinations at the moment but is considering jabs for children as young as 12 years.

“We cannot afford to let education quality decline because of the pandemic but new problems require new solutions — government (DepEd and Commission on Higher Education or CHED) needs to be more innovative, creative, novel in uplifting quality of education despite the pandemic,” Mr. Rivera added.

The World Bank’s head of the Education Global Practice, Jaime Saavedra, believes the impact of prolonged school closures on children’s future productivity has resulted in the “most serious education crisis in the last 100 years.”

“There are no estimates of the benefits of school closures. In contrast, the cost of keeping schools closed in terms of children’s learning, mental health, and socio-emotional development is extortionate,” he said in a blog post.

“Despite countries’ laudable and indispensable efforts to provide remote education, which involved rapid adjustments, many countries are aware that remote learning has been a weak, unequal, and very partial compensation for face-to-face education. The evidence of that is mounting,” he added.

Mr. Saavedra argued that there is no scientific evidence proving virus transmission in schools is worse than in working and recreational environments. The World Bank estimates that the learning poverty rate — the portion of 10-year-olds unable to read and understand simple text — increased to 63% from 53% before the pandemic hit.

By keeping schools closed, he said countries are also losing the ability to equalize opportunities for children since these are considered “safe spaces for stimulation, socialization and meaningful learning.”

Learning opportunities are also constrained by home study, favoring those with good internet connections, better access to books and space to work and depriving those who have no access to these of valuable learning experience.

“The reopening process must be an evidence-based decision. Hence, the main recommendation is ensuring schools have several prevention strategies in place to minimize the spread of COVID-19,” Mr. Saavedra said.

BusinessWorld asked DepEd and CHED for comment but they had not replied at deadline time. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Gov’t warned not to regulate delivery services too early

August 30, 2021 | 7:09 pm

THE GOVERNMENT needs to hold off on regulating the nascent delivery industry in order not to stifle its growth, a prominent economist said.

“It might be too early for government to regulate these on-demand delivery services,” Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis board member Calixto V. Chikiamco said in a mobile message Monday.

“These are just taking off (so the) government should be careful of overregulating and killing the industry,” Mr. Chikiamco added.

He said recent terminations of delivery riders may have been done for valid reasons such as “not following company policies and endangering the service’s (reputation with) customers.”

Separately, Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress Party National Vice-President Eva B. Arcos said terminated delivery personnel have the right to due process, and called for an investigation into their removals.

Ms. Arcos added that the latest advisory of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) covering all delivery and courier services must be fully enforced, and that efforts must be increased to monitor companies’ compliance with labor standards.

In a statement Friday, a rider association known as the Kapatiran sa Dalawang Gulong urged the DoLE to issue a department order to protect delivery riders, rather a labor advisory, which they said is less binding.

Assistant Labor Secretary Dominique R. Tutay said in a mobile message on Monday that the department cannot issue a department order yet as there are “no existing laws on these new forms of working arrangements.”

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said the department will consider the request in another mobile message Monday.

In July, Foodpanda Philippines suspended 100 of its delivery riders in Davao City for 10 years, allegedly for planning a wage protest.

Some 57 riders were later reinstated.

On Friday, 100 food delivery riders in Cebu who were dismissed by Grab Philippines, which claimed fraud, asked the Labor department to help them be reinstated.

“We are carefully investigating the matter, and we will continuously rely on the facts and our open communication channels with our delivery-partners,” Grab Philippines said Friday.

DoLE’s regional office on Cebu had yet to reply to a request for comment at deadline time. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

ADB studying feasibility of acquiring, retiring coal plants in PHL

August 30, 2021 | 7:01 pm

By Angelica Y. Yang, Reporter

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it is in the final stages of conducting pre-feasibility studies on coal plant acquisition and retirement in three Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines.

“ADB is finalizing… pre-feasibility stud(ies) — consisting of initial system level analysis, plant level modeling, and regulatory and policy review — in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam… (This) will be followed shortly by an in-depth feasibility analysis. Throughout the process, ADB is collaborating with its longstanding and valued partners and other local stakeholders to determine the best path forward for (the) ETM (energy transition mechanism) in these three countries,” the ADB told BusinessWorld through its communications department last week.

It clarified that it was looking at the possibility of having a partnership of investors — none of which are confirmed and which may or may not include the ADB — in acquiring coal-fired plants and retiring them, while replacing them with renewable energy (RE) sources in the three countries.

Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Prudential UK, Citi, HSBC and BlackRock Real Assets are preparing plans to hasten the closure of coal-fired plants in Asia in a bid to lower carbon emissions. The “novel proposal” was said to have been driven by the ADB.

The group aims to create public-private partnerships to “buy out the plants and wind them down within 15 years,” thereby helping countries shift to RE.

According to the news report, ADB allotted around $1.7 million for feasibility studies in Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam to estimate the costs of early coal plant closures, and to identify assets could be acquired, among others.

In an Aug. 24 letter addressed to ADB officials, environmental think tank Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED) asked about the progress of the feasibility studies and a list of coal plants that were included in the proposal.

CEED Executive Director Gerard C. Arances noted that it appears “counterintuitive” that the bank is partnering with financial institutions which he said were funding coal-fired plants in the country.

“BlackRock invests in AYC Finance Ltd. — an offshore subsidiary of Ayala Corp. In turn, AYC is involved in three coal-fired power plants (CFPP): GNPower Dinginin, GNPower Kauswagan, and Calaca South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp. power plant. Citigroup and HSBC also invest in Ayala Corp. which indirectly owns these three CFPPs,” Mr. Arances said in the letter.

“BlackRock and HSBC are also funding JGSH Philippines Ltd. — an offshore subsidiary of JG Summit Holdings, Inc. (JGSHI). JGSHI is involved in 5 CFPPs: Global Luzon, Merbau, Atimonan, Toledo, and Panay. SMC Global Power Holdings, which owns, whether directly or indirectly, the following CFPPs: Limay Power Station, Mariveles Power Station, Malita Power Station, and Masinloc Power station — gets funding from HSBC and Prudential,” he added.

Mr. Arances said implementing the proposal to buy out coal plants would violate the ADB’s “no coal” policy.

“It is explicitly stated that ADB will not support any coal-related operations which include coal-fired generation as it is increasingly difficult to reconcile new coal-fired capacity with the long-term environmental plans of the developing member countries,” he said, referring to the bank’s latest draft of its energy policy.

“However, by buying out CFPPs, ADB is effectively going to finance and, at the same time, take part in the operations and share in the profits of these projects for another 15 years, which essentially contradicts its express pronouncements against coal,” he added.

In its draft energy policy posted on its website three months ago, ADB announced its intention to desist from funding new coal power and thermal plants, as well as coal mining, oil and natural gas field exploration, drilling and extraction.

In death we (do not) part

August 30, 2021 | 7:00 pm

“Until death do us part.” This is a standard vow in many traditional wedding ceremonies. This means that only death can end a marriage. It is considered a lifelong commitment, one where only the death of one party can break the bond. Sadly, this is not the case for tax authorities and taxpayers. There is tax even after death.

The transfer of the net estate of a decedent to his heir must be subjected to estate tax. Under the TRAIN Law, otherwise known as Republic Act (RA) 10963, estate tax has been decreased to 6% of the taxable net estate. For estate taxes incurred prior to the TRAIN Law which remain unpaid, Congress passed a law originally granting an estate tax amnesty to allow the heirs to finally settle estate taxes until June 14, 2021. The amnesty covers only the estate of decedents who died on or before Dec. 31, 2017. The estate tax amnesty rate is at the reduced rate of 6% of the decedent’s total net taxable estate at the time of death, but without penalties and surcharges for late payment. Lastly, the minimum estate amnesty tax for the transfer of the estate of each decedent is P5,000.00.

When the pandemic struck in 2020, many taxpayers wanting to avail of the amnesty were not able to file their applications and collate documentary requirements. Fortunately, RA 11569 extended the deadline of the Estate Tax Amnesty until June 14, 2023.

Revenue Regulation (RR) No. 17-2021, which amended RR No. 6-2019, streamlines the requirements and procedures of this one-time opportunity to settle estate tax obligations through the estate tax amnesty program. The main changes that RR No. 17-2021 introduced include the extended deadline and place of filing of the Estate Tax Amnesty Return (ETAR or BIR Form 2118-EA). The ETAR must be filed not later than June 14, 2023 with the Revenue District Office (RDO) having jurisdiction over the last residence of the decedent. For non-resident decedents, the ETAR must be filed with the RDO where the executor/administrator is registered or if not yet registered, at the executor’s/administrator’s legal residence. In cases of non-resident decedents with no executor/administrator in the Philippines, the ETAR must be filed with RDO No. 39 — South Quezon City.

The proof of settlement of the estate, whether judicial or extra-judicial, need not accompany the ETAR if it is not yet available at the time of filing. However, the electronic Certificate Authorizing Registration (eCAR) will not be issued unless such proof is presented and submitted to the concerned RDO. Note that certain properties such as lots, condominiums, and shares of stock will only be transferred to the heirs once the eCAR has been issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

After payment, the ETAR and Acceptance Payment Form (APF or BIR Form No. 0621-EA), together with the documentary requirements, must be submitted to the concerned RDO. Failure to submit until June 14, 2023 is tantamount to non-availment of the estate tax amnesty. If complied with, a Certificate of Availment of the Estate Tax Amnesty and eCAR of the subject properties will be issued.

The extension of the estate tax amnesty is definitely a welcome development for taxpayers wishing to finally enjoy their inheritance. The road to paying estate taxes is cobbled and entails arduous travel. The list of documentary requirements is long and there are challenges along the way in completing them to beat the deadline.

Securing the certification of the Barangay Captain of the last residence of the decedent and claimed family home while everyone is lining up for the distribution of “ayuda” is a unique experience one would not want to repeat.

Finalizing the Deed of Extra-Judicial Settlement (EJS) of the estate presents its own unique set of challenges. Some heirs are residing outside the country and the process of having documents notarized and apostilled or authenticated may seem insurmountable. Hence, the provision allowing the availment of the amnesty even without the submission of the EJS surely expedited the process. However, without the eCAR, the entire process will be for naught as the objective of most taxpayers is to either have the title transferred in their name or finally be able to sell the property to a third party.

Another major challenge involves properties which were sold to the decedent where the titles have not yet been transferred to the decedent at the time of death. Considering that among the requirements needed are the transfer certificates of title and the tax declaration on the subject properties, the preliminary steps of transferring ownership to the decedent have to be completed first.

Expect also that there would be requirements unique to certain RDOs which are not included in the list of requirements published in the BIR website. One RDO required the submission of a family tree with certified true copies of birth certificates of every family member presumably to establish filiation. Because establishing a family tree is complicated, complying with this requirement was not as simple as filing a request with the National Statistics Office.

The lesson is clear — taxpayers need to anticipate that a substantial amount of time is needed if heirs wish to avail of the estate tax amnesty. Hence, it is important to start gathering and collating documents as soon as possible. Pretty soon, it will be June 14, 2023 and we cannot expect that another extension to be granted by Congress.

It is clear that the death of a taxpayer does not necessarily mean that the applicable taxes on the properties he or she has left behind are also extinguished. For in this case, death only creates another kind of inescapable tax.

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

Alexander M. Querido, Jr. is a senior associate of Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd.

pagrantthornton@ph.gt.com

Osaka, fans back for US Open

August 30, 2021 | 6:53 pm

NEW YORK — Naomi Osaka returns to the Grand Slam stage at the US Open on Monday and the buzz will also be back with fans bringing the celebrated New York energy to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for what could be an exciting fortnight.

While the year’s final Grand Slam has been stripped of some of the marquee names, with Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Serena Williams injured, it is still shaping up as an absorbing event in Flushing Meadows as Novak Djokovic bids to complete the calendar-year slam.

Already the winner of the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon, the Serb needs a New York triumph to become the third man, and first since Rod Laver in 1969, to accomplish the feat.

The history-hunting Djokovic opens his account on Tuesday with a first-round match against Danish qualifier Holger Rune.

Third seed Osaka will be the headliner on Day One when she launches the defense of her US Open crown against the Czech Republic’s Marie Bouzková.

It will mark the 23-year-old’s first appearance in a Grand Slam since dropping out of the French Open in June and skipping Wimbledon to deal with mental health issues.

The contest is sure to pull in a crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium with fans, who must show proof of vaccination to enter the grounds, filling seats in the massive venue after a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced last year’s event to unfold in eerie emptiness.

“It’s certainly nice to be back here now,” said Australia’s women’s top seed Ash Barty.

“This week is going to be exciting. It’s got fans. That’s going to bring a lot of energy to this tournament.

“This is a tournament that thrives with the energy.”

Opening day will see two of the big threats to Djokovic’s shot at history, with second-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev and Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas both in action.

Medvedev, finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2019, takes on Frenchman Richard Gasquet, while French Open finalist Tsitsipas faces 2012 US Open champion Briton Andy Murray.

Centre court action kicks off with an all-American rematch of the 2017 women’s final featuring Madison Keys and winner Sloane Stephens.

A long day’s play will end with the possibility of some late-night fireworks with unpredictable Australian Nick Kyrgios taking on Spain’s 18^th seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the last match at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

EALA SEEDED SECOND IN JUNIORS PLAY
Meanwhile, Filipino teen tennis ace Alex M. Eala will try to bag another Grand Slam juniors title as she competes as the second seed in the 2021 US Open girls juniors tournament happening from Sept. 6 to 11 also at Flushing Meadows.

Ms. Eala, 16, also the number two-ranked juniors player in the world, has won two Grand Slam girls doubles titles — 2020 Australian Open and 2021 French Open — and is looking to extend her ascent in the sport.

The Rafa Nadal Academy scholar is currently ranked 755^thin the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings.

The US Open juniors tournament makes a return this year after the event was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. — Reuters with Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Ernie Gawilan wraps up Tokyo Paralympic Games campaign

August 30, 2021 | 6:53 pm

FILIPINO para-swimmer Ernie Gawilan ended his Paralympic Games campaign on Monday, finishing 10^th out of 11 swimmers in the heats for the men’s 100m backstroke S7 event at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre.

The result was not enough to thrust the 30-year-old Mr. Gawilan to the finals later in the day, officially drawing the curtain on his second campaign in the sports event for the differently abled.

Mr. Gawilan, who is lacking both legs and has an underdeveloped left limb, competed in three events in this year’s edition of the Paralympics, reaching the finals once in the 400m freestyle S7 event. He also competed in the 200m individual medley SM7 race.

In his last event, Mr. Gawilan, who a campaigner in the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, clocked a time of 1:21.60. Argentina’s Pipo Carlomagno topped the heat with a personal best time of 1:09.12.

Only the top eight swimmers in the heats advanced to the finals.

Meanwhile, Mr. Gawilan’s teammate, Gary Bejino, also failed to advance to the finals of the men’s 50m butterfly-S6 event.

Twenty-five-year-old Mr. Bejino ended up 14^th among 16 swimmers with a time of 36.14 seconds. He finished seventh in his heat.

His campaign continues later this week, seeing action in the men’s 400m freestyle-S6 (Sept. 2) and 100m backstroke-S6 (Sept. 3). — Michael Angelo S. Murillo