SMC dropped 3 coal-fired projects, DoE says in letter to think tank

July 4, 2021 | 6:57 pm

SMC GLOBAL Power Holdings Corp. will no longer be pursuing three planned coal-fired projects with a total capacity of 1,500 megawatts (MW), the Department of Energy (DoE) said in a letter released by non-government organizations.

The July 1 letter was sent to an environmental think tank, the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED), in which it identified the proposed projects as SMC Global Power’s circulating fluidized bed coal-fired plants in Pagbilao and Sariaya, Quezon with capacity of 600 MW each; and the company’s 300-MW Looc Malabuyoc coal-fired power plant in Cebu. It described these projects as “discontinued.”

CEED had sought information on seven coal plants which were removed from the department’s list of proposed coal plants in October.

The letter was released by the Power for People Coalition (P4P) over the weekend. It was signed by Mario C. Marasigan, the director of the department’s Electric Power Industry Management Bureau.

In October, the DoE announced that it was enforcing a moratorium on greenfield coal plants to facilitate a shift to a more flexible power generation mix.

BusinessWorld asked SMC Global Power to comment but it had not replied at deadline time.

In its reply to CEED, the DoE also gave updates on coal plants which it has delisted in October. These were identified as the 300-MW SMC Malita power plant project phase II expansion in Malita, Davao Oriental; the 600-MW Merbau coal-fired thermal power plant in Pinamukan Ibaba, Batangas City; and the 300-MW Ozamiz coal-fired power plant in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.

“The DoE has delisted these… projects due to non-submission of the required monthly power project updates,” it explained.

Meanwhile, Orion Pacific Prime Energy, Inc.’s 1,200-MW Quezon coal-fired thermal plant project in Tagkawayan, Quezon is still undergoing review, with the authorities considering whether it should be exempted from the coal moratorium.

The DoE also gave an update on Meralco PowerGen Corp.’s 1,336-MW coal-fired power project in Atimonan, Quezon, saying that the company is in talks with lenders to extend the loan facility “due to challenges encountered in securing power supply agreements.”

‘COAL PIPELINE NEARING ITS END’
In a statement over the weekend, P4P said that the discontinuation of the proposed coal projects in Quezon and Cebu marked the “nearing end of the shrinking coal pipeline.”

“We welcome the good news from DoE officially confirming that the plan to construct new coal plants in Sariaya and Pagbilao is discontinued. We hope this will lead to the cancellation of other ongoing dirty energy projects in the province of Quezon, especially in Atimonan,” Monsignor Noel Villareal, one of the leaders who campaigned against coal plants in Quezon, was quoted as saying.

P4P said both Quezon and Cebu have had a long history with coal.

“As more coal projects get out of the way, we need not and should not make our abundant renewable energy potential wait to be tapped any longer,” Gerry C. Arances, P4P convenor, said.

Meanwhile, National Coordinator of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice Ian Rivera said: “This huge cancellation of coal also signals that Philippine energy is now at a crossroads. This is a challenge to the government to review the Philippine Energy Plan towards an immediate shift to renewable energy and prevention of another supply instability by 2024.” — Angelica Y. Yang

PHL hydro capacity additions seen topping 1 gigawatt by 2030

July 4, 2021 | 6:55 pm

THE PHILIPPINES is projected to increase its hydropower capacity by 1.1 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, with pumped storage plants accounting for more than half of the forecast total, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a special market report issued last week.

The Philippines is expected to add 0.5 GW from pumped storage plants; 0.3 GW from reservoir facilities and 0.2 GW from run-of-river hydro plants by 2030, the IEA said.

The Philippine estimates account for 7% of the expected hydro capacity additions in Southeast Asia for the period, expected at 15.30 GW.

In its report, the IEA said that global hydro capacity additions are expected to hit 1,555 GW by 2030, a 17% increase from the 1,330 GW in 2020.

“Over 2011-2020, hydropower capacity increased 300 GW and we expect 230 GW growth over 2021-2030 so it (will be) 23% lower than the growth in 2011-2020,” the IEA told BusinessWorld in an e-mail last week.

The organization said it expects slowdowns in project development in China, Latin America and Europe, though growth in the Asia Pacific region, Africa and the Middle East will partly offset the decline.

According to the IEA, hydropower is the “forgotten giant of low-carbon power,” with the renewable energy source accounting for one-sixth of global electricity generation, the third-largest source after coal and natural gas in 2020.

“Hydropower’s contribution is 55% higher than nuclear’s and larger than that of all other renewables combined, including wind, solar PV (photovoltaic), bioenergy and geothermal,” IEA said.

It added that emerging and developing economies have led the world’s hydro growth since the 1970’s due to public sector investment in large plants.

Last year, hydro accounted for 7% of power generated by the Philippines, the IEA said. — Angelica Y. Yang

IP waiver for COVID goods seen affecting trade deals

July 4, 2021 | 6:54 pm

THE INTELLECTUAL property (IP) regulator urged caution on proposals to suspend some IP protections in the case of goods needed to contain the pandemic as such a move may affect global trade agreements.

The so-called “TRIPS waiver” would suspend enforcement of parts of the TRIPS agreement, an IP treaty with the World Trade Organization (WTO), to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tools.

TRIPS is more formally known as the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.

Public health advocate Coalition for People’s Right to Health is asking the government to pursue a waiver.

“Of course, the waiver will have implications on the Philippines’ obligations under international trade agreements, particularly those with IP chapters,” Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Bureau of Patents Director Lolibeth R. Medrano said in an event Saturday.

The Philippines has signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a trade pact that includes China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and all 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The deal covers intellectual property, e-commerce, small business, and competition.

RCEP, along with a Philippine deal with the European Free Trade Association, has provisions that are based on TRIPS, Ms. Medrano said.

IPOPHL and government agencies that deal with health and trade are part of a technical committee that is holding consultations to form a national position on the waiver, she said.

“Faced with the developments, the country continues to participate in the discussions at the regional and WTO (levels).”

Legislation will also be needed for a TRIPS waiver, Ms. Medrano said.

“Still, we need a municipal law to have that effective in our jurisdiction. We’re studying actually the implications of the waiver — if it’s approved — to the IP Code provisions.”

The waiver could have implications on IP Code provisions on copyright, patents, and industrial design, potentially prompting amendments to the IP code or a law that would suspend the application of the relevant provisions.

As the Philippines continues to monitor and participate in WTO discussions, she said the government is working on the development of the pharmaceutical industry, specifically vaccine production.

“Current vaccine production capacity is just limited to fill and finish facilities, meaning these are just repacking vaccines in vials. So hopefully this would lead to full-fledged vaccine development facilities.” — Jenina P. Ibañez

Body promises to improve supervision of state firms

July 4, 2021 | 6:53 pm

THE GOVERNANCE Commission for Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GCG) said it will improve its online monitoring system and review its process of assessing state-run firms after the Finance department cited instances of weak oversight.

The GCG said in an e-mail that it is improving its monitoring system to address the poor compliance of GOCCs in submitting their financial reports.

It said the online portal was improved to only accept reports that are compliant with the standards set by the Commission on Audit (CoA).

It will also directly work with CoA to ensure that financial statements submitted by GOCCs comply with accounting and auditing rules as well as CoA’s own requirements.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III in mid-June called on the GCG to improve its oversight after poor compliance by GOCCs.

Mr. Dominguez noted that some assessments made by the commission “contrast sharply” with the conclusions reached by other regulators, while several GOCCs were given high ratings even if they did not comply with accounting and reporting standards.

“The goal of the Governance Commission is one with the Department of Finance in ensuring that the GOCCs are performance-oriented enterprises and significant tools of economic growth,” the GCG said. — Beatrice M. Laforga

A new world where transformation is a precondition

July 4, 2021 | 6:51 pm

In the last decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses were preoccupied with understanding, harnessing, integrating, and enjoying the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Many progressive companies joined the conversation and launched their respective versions of their transformation agenda. Today, a quick look back shows how Business Transformation appears to have been reduced to a buzzword, an empty promise of most corporations trying to reinvent themselves. Articles and anecdotes suggest that during this period, most transformation efforts may have failed for a host of reasons — but while some were external and uncontrollable, most were internal and in fact, preventable. Often, it comes down to the lack of stakeholder support for the scope, prioritization, and scale the business needs to change.

As we continue to make sense of the additional brick wall created by COVID-19, and without an end in sight, we need to ride the wave as we reimagine the post-pandemic world. Certainly, the landscape and market have changed, and technology has even more use cases than ever before. This poses the question: Is your company post-COVID-19-ready?

TRANSFORMATION STARTS WITH RISK RECOGNITION AND ACCEPTANCE
Transformation starts when an organization reflects, collectively understands the risks and accepts that their ambitions and goals could get disrupted, or worse, that they could become irrelevant and quickly obliterated. Many organizations do not realize this until it is too late. This may sound simple but depending on a company’s culture and values, it could be very complicated — and sometimes even a painful process.

While a transformation agenda, with all its imperatives and financial goals, is usually defined by management and well-supported by the board, the participation, engagement, and cooperation of everyone in the organization is an absolute must for it to succeed. A compelling story of change that resonates with everyone and inspires every member of the organization must be clearly communicated on a sustained basis.

In each of the following steps to transformation, executives must consider these questions to determine their own transformation initiatives.

BLUE SKYING
After a thorough assessment of headwinds and tailwinds, companies must ask themselves where they see the business, and where they want to play. Are there new or emerging markets they had not recognized before?

Whether the direction is to complement an existing business or change the business model, the common goal is to stay relevant and profitable, now and in the future. Executives need to set the direction for their future vision for the organization and identify what needs to be done to get there.

BASELINE AND KPI SETTING
Do the customers love the product or service offered by a company? Do they love the brand? Does the company meet all Service Level Agreements with their customers and partners? Does the company have a healthy profit and loss (P&L) with a stable source of revenue and an efficient cost management strategy? Does the company have the right people on board?

Before anything can begin, companies must know exactly how things are, both internally and externally. This is the stage where all the pain points and improvement opportunities are identified. Once a future state has been defined, a roadmap is developed. Processes and systems are assessed, employee and customer inputs are heard, and clear next steps are drawn. The communication of updates, action plans, and time-based milestones are important to all stakeholders, from the Board and management team to the employees.

BUILD OR OPTIMIZE?
Whether the decision is to build or optimize, robust business systems are needed to carry the business forward into the future. This lies at the very heart of any transformation initiative. Customer data, supply chain and logistics, manufacturing and accounting are only some of the important business systems that must be put in place and integrated. While the customer is king, nowadays data is queen. Data now, more than ever, holds an important piece in predicting outcomes in this ever-changing world.

The resource that must go into transforming a business or its systems is almost always a sore point, as it often hinges on the leaders’ investment principles and priorities. As the strongest and most credible sponsor of a transformation agenda, the CEO must push for any big-ticket expense attached to it.

A dedicated, highly skilled and experienced transformation team must also be deployed. To effect change, this team needs organizational and business acumen, the passion to understand the business, its operations, and its customers from top to bottom. Information and data must be made freely available to them.

Regular cadence meetings must be scheduled to report on progress and resolve challenges to allow the opportunity to pivot and re-calibrate plans if needed. Prioritizing transformation-related issues and making timely decisions must be paramount, and stalemate positions must be immediately resolved to meet commitments on time and on budget.

DELIVERY
Transformation will disrupt current operations. An experienced transformation agent is needed to architect and deliver a sound change management program to seamlessly steer the business from its current to its future state. This plan must also have the buy-in of top management, be equipped with the right resources, and get communicated as a non-negotiable priority to the entire organization.

There are cases where a business seems to be on business-as-usual mode, and nothing seems to be going wrong. Should it then consider undergoing transformation? There are studies that prove that a parallel transformation — where the core business is free to operate as usual, as a parallel effort reengineers its version 2.0 — has seen some successes.

Ultimately, transformation, with all the disruption, changes and opportunities created by digital technology, and more recently, the pandemic, is a precondition for any company that wants to stay relevant. Technology will only continue to develop at breakneck speed and force those who understand the risk of being disrupted to innovate at scale. Companies need to continuously innovate, pivot, and always be open to change — while executives must always be aware of the question, what will put me out of business tomorrow?

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.

Randall C. Antonio is a Consulting Principal of SGV & Co.

Vatican cardinal among ten indicted for financial crimes

July 4, 2021 | 6:44 pm

VATICAN CITY — A prominent Italian cardinal was among 10 people sent to trial in the Vatican on Saturday for financial crimes including embezzlement, money laundering, fraud, extortion and abuse of office.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu, formerly a senior official in the Vatican administration, as well as two top officials at the Vatican’s Financial Intelligence Unit will go on trial on July 27 over a multimillion-euro scandal involving the Vatican’s purchase of a building in one of London’s smartest districts.

The trial will inevitably bring a swirl of media interest to the tiny city-state surrounded by Rome, and appears to underscore Pope Francis’s determination to cure the rot in Vatican finances, even if it involves messy public hearings.

Mr. Becciu, 73, whom the pope fired from his senior clerical post last year for alleged nepotism, and who has always maintained his innocence during a two-year investigation, becomes the most senior Vatican official to be charged with financial crimes.

The pope personally gave the required approval last week for Mr. Becciu to be indicted, according to a 487-page indictment request seen by Reuters. The Vatican announced the indictments in a two-page statement.

The charges against Mr. Becciu include embezzlement and abuse of office. An Italian woman who worked for him was charged with embezzlement and the cardinal’s former secretary, Father Mauro Carlino, was accused of extortion.

Mr. Becciu said in a statement that he was a victim of a “machination” and reaffirmed his “absolute innocence.”

Carlino’s lawyer said his client was innocent, had been “acting under orders,” and had saved the Vatican millions of euros. He said starting a trial so soon did not give defense lawyers enough time to prepare. Two Italian brokers, Gianluigi Torzi and Raffaele Mincione, were charged with embezzlement, fraud and money laundering. Mr. Torzi, for whom Italian magistrates issued an arrest warrant in April, was also charged with extortion.

There was no immediate response to attempts to reach their lawyers, but both men have consistently denied wrongdoing.

Four companies associated with individual defendants, two in Switzerland, one in the United States and one in Slovenia, were also indicted, according to the document.

POLICE RAID
The investigation into the purchase of the building became public on Oct. 1, 2019, when Vatican police raided the offices of the Secretariat of State, the administrative heart of the Catholic Church, and those of the Vatican’s Financial Information Authority (AIF).

The then-president of the AIF, Rene Bruelhart, a 48-year-old Swiss, and its former Italian director, Tommaso Di Ruzza, 46, were charged with abuse of office for allegedly failing to adequately protect the Vatican’s interests and giving Mr. Torzi what the indictment request called an “undue advantage.”

Mr. Di Ruzza was also accused of embezzlement related to alleged inappropriate use of his official credit card, and of divulging confidential information.

Mr. Bruelhart said in a text message that he had “always carried out my functions and duties with correctness” and that “the truth about my innocence will emerge.”

Mr. Di Ruzza did not immediately respond to a voicemail seeking comment.

In 2014, the Secretariat of State invested more than 200 million euros, much of it from contributions from the faithful, in a fund run by Mr. Mincione, securing about 45% of a commercial and residential building at 60 Sloane Avenue in London’s South Kensington district.

The indictment request said Mr. Mincione had tried to deceive the Vatican, which in 2018 tried to end the relationship. It turned to Mr. Torzi for help in buying up the rest of the building, but later accused him of extortion.

At the time, Mr. Becciu was in the last year of his post as deputy secretary of state for general affairs, a powerful administrative position that handles hundreds of millions of euros. All told, the Secretariat of State sank more than 350 million euros into the investment, according to Vatican media, and suffered what Cardinal George Pell, the former Vatican treasurer, told Reuters last year were “enormous losses.”

Mr. Torzi was arrested in the Vatican in June 2020, and spent a week in custody.

According to the indictment request, Mr. Becciu is charged with five counts of embezzlement, two of abuse of office, and one count of inducing a witness to perjury. About 75 pages of the document are dedicated to Mr. Becciu.

It says Mr. Becciu tried to “heavily deflect” the inquiry into Vatican investments, including the London building, and tried to discredit the investigating magistrates via the Italian media.

Mr. Becciu continued to have influence over money transfers at the Secretariat even after he left the post, according to the document. The main charges against Becciu involve the alleged funneling of money and contracts to companies or charitable organizations controlled by his brothers on their native island of Sardinia.

Another Sardinian, Cecilia Marogna, 40, who worked for Mr. Becciu, was charged with embezzlement. Her cellphone was not connected. The indictment request said she had received about 575,000 euros from the Secretariat of State in 2018-2019.

She has said on Italian television that the money, sent to her company in Slovenia, was to ransom kidnapped missionaries in Africa. But the indictment request said much of it was used for “personal benefit,” including the purchase of luxury goods. — Reuters

Afghans rue decades of war as US quits Bagram

July 4, 2021 | 6:44 pm

Kabul, Afghanistan — KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — SOHAIB GHYASI-UNSPLASH

KABUL — As American troops left their main military base in Afghanistan on Friday, marking a symbolic end to the longest war in US history, locals living in the shadow of the base and in nearby Kabul were left ruing the past and bracing for what comes next.

Violence has been raging throughout Afghanistan in the weeks since President Joseph R. Biden announced troops would withdraw unconditionally by Sept. 11.

With peace talks in Qatar stuttering, and roughly a quarter of the country’s districts having fallen to the Taliban in recent weeks according to one study, many are concerned that chaos looms.

Malek Mir, a mechanic in Bagram who saw the Soviet Army and then the Americans come and go, said he was left with a deep sense of sadness at the futility of a foreign presence.

“They came with bombing the Taliban and got rid of their regime — but now they have left when the Taliban are so empowered that they will take over any time soon,” he said.

“What was the point of all the destruction, killing and misery they brought us? I wish they had never come.”

More than 3,500 foreign troops have been killed in a two-decade war, which has claimed more than 100,000 civilians since 2009 alone, according to United Nations records. Some, however, say the presence of foreign troops distorted Afghanistan’s economy and that it is time for the country to stand on its own.

“The Americans leave a legacy of failure, they’ve failed in containing the Taliban or corruption,” said Sayed Naqibullah, a shop owner in Bagram. “A small percentage of Afghans got so rich, while the vast majority still live in extreme poverty.

“In a way, we’re happy they’ve gone. We’re Afghans and we’ll find our way.”

In the nearby capital, the news was a fresh reminder of the growing panic that has been gripping many parts of Afghan society, particularly in urban areas, since Mr. Biden announced the withdrawal in April.

“All the people are worried that if foreign forces leave Afghanistan, the Taliban will take over. Then what will we do?” asked Zumarai Wafa, a Kabul shopkeeper.

Wafa and others described a slump in business and signs of many urban residents trying to flee the country, with hundreds lined up outside embassies seeking visas.

Medical student Muzhda, 22, who asked to be identified by only one name for security reasons, said her family had decided to leave the country because of the deterioration in security.

She said she wondered what future awaited women if the Taliban came back to power and restricted access to education for women, as they did during their previous time in power.

The Taliban say they have changed and that they will make provisions for women’s rights in line with cultural traditions and religious rules.

Still, Muzhda said she feels bereft and let down by the American departure.

“The withdrawal of foreign troops in the current situation is irrational,” she said. “It is now clear that the Americans came here for their own purposes, not to help and cooperate with Afghanistan.”

“I’m very sad and disappointed, I had many dreams that will not come true.” — Reuters

UN warns of worsening famine, more clashes in Ethiopia’s Tigray

July 4, 2021 | 6:44 pm

Ethiopia-woman-food donation — A WOMAN stands in line to receive food donations, at the Tsehaye primary school, which was turned into a temporary shelter for people displaced by conflict, in the town of Shire, Tigray, Ethiopia, March 15. — REUTERS

UNITED NATIONS — Top UN officials warned the Security Council on Friday that more than 400,000 people in Ethiopia’s Tigray were now in famine and that there was a risk of more clashes in the region despite a unilateral cease-fire by the federal government.

After six private discussions, the Security Council held its first public meeting since fighting broke out in November between government forces, backed by troops from neighboring Eritrea, and TPLF fighters with Tigray’s former ruling party.

Acting UN aid chief Ramesh Rajasingham told the council that the humanitarian situation in Tigray had “worsened dramatically” in recent weeks with an increase of some 50,000 in the number of people now suffering famine.

“More than 400,000 people are estimated to have crossed the threshold into famine and another 1.8 million people are on the brink of famine. Some are suggesting that the numbers are even higher. 33,000 children are severely malnourished,” he said.

The Ethiopian government declared a unilateral cease-fire on Monday, which the TPLF dismissed as a joke. There are reports of continued clashes in some places as pressure builds internationally for all sides to pull back.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Ethiopia’s government must demonstrate “it truly intends to use the cease-fire to address the humanitarian catastrophe,” warning that any denial of aid access is “not an indication of a humanitarian cease-fire, but of a siege.”

Ethiopia’s UN Ambassador Taye Atske Selassie Amde told reporters after he addressed the council that the purpose of the cease-fire “is not to make a siege, it is to save lives.”

Mr. Amde questioned the need for the public Security Council meeting, telling the body the cease-fire was declared to improve aid access and “should have encouraged our friends to give support and de-escalate the unhelpful pressure.” He said the government had hoped the cease-fire could also spark dialogue.

Thomas-Greenfield urged the parties to the conflict to “seize this moment,” warning that if they failed there could be devastating consequences for Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa.

UN political and peacebuilding affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said Eritrean forces had withdrawn to areas adjacent to the border and that forces from the neighboring region of Amhara remained in areas of western Tigray that they had seized.

“In short, there is potential for more confrontations and a swift deterioration in the security situation, which is extremely concerning,” she told the council, urging the TPLF to endorse the cease-fire and for Eritrean troops to fully withdraw.

While Russia and China did not object to Friday’s public meeting of the Security Council on Tigray, they made clear that they believed the conflict is an internal affair for Ethiopia. Russia’s UN Ambassador said: “We believe that interference by the Security Council in solving it is counterproductive.”

Russia and China are both council veto-powers, along with the United States, France and Britain. — Reuters

NBA Finals: Bucks versus Suns

July 4, 2021 | 6:39 pm

THE Milwaukee Bucks are returning to the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals for the first time since 1974 after Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday combined for 59 points in a 118-107 victory over the host Atlanta Hawks that wrapped up a 4-2 triumph in the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night.

Despite having to play a second straight game without injured Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks earned the right to duel the Western champion Phoenix Suns in a best-of-seven that will tip off on Tuesday in Arizona.

En route to a 51-21 record in the West, which was five games better than Milwaukee’s 46-26 in the East, the Suns swept a pair of thrillers from the Bucks in the regular season, winning 125-124 at home on Feb. 10 and 128-127 in overtime at Milwaukee on April 19.

By virtue of having had the better record in the regular season, the Suns will have the home court advantage in the series. Phoenix was seeded second in the West, Milwaukee third in the East.

Needing a win to stay alive, the Hawks got star guard Trae Young back for Game 6 against the Bucks. But it didn’t matter.

He wasn’t on his game, shooting just four-for-17 overall and 0-for-six on 3-pointers en route to 14 points and a game-high-tying nine assists.

Milwaukee left little doubt, riding Middleton’s 32 points and Holiday’s 27 to a second straight win after the Hawks had rallied to tie the series at 2-2.

As they had done in the first quarter, when they bolted out to a 15-4 lead, the Bucks used a spurt early in the third period to build a double-digit lead. Middleton did all the scoring.

After Clint Capela got the Hawks within 47-45 in the first minute of the second half, Middleton took over, hitting consecutive 3-pointers and a pair of two-pointers that sandwiched a three-point play for a personal 13-point run and a 15-point lead.

He wasn’t done. The All-Star forward then followed a Young layup with another 3-pointer, giving him 16 straight Milwaukee points and the Bucks a 63-47 advantage.

With Holiday bombing in three 3-pointers of his own, the lead was 91-72 by quarter’s end and the Bucks were packing their summer wear for a trip to Phoenix.

Down 20 with 9:31 to go, the Hawks made a desperation run behind a pair of Cam Reddish 3-pointers to get as close as 107-101 with 3:23 to play.

But Holiday stalled the rally with a layup 18 seconds later, Middleton dropped in a pair of free throws and the Hawks never got closer than seven after that.

Brook Lopez (13), Pat Connaughton (13), Bobby Portis (12) and Jeff Teague (11) also scored in double figures for the Bucks, who outshot the Hawks 46.1 percent to 41.3 percent.

Reddish had 21 points and Bogdan Bogdanović 20 to pace the Hawks, who have never made the NBA Finals since their move to Atlanta.

John Collins had a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double for Atlanta, while Capela added 14 points and Danilo Gallinari 13.

The Bucks never trailed in the first half after scoring 15 of the game’s first 19 points. The 11-point lead was their biggest of the first 24 minutes, which ended with Milwaukee holding a 47-43 lead. — Reuters

Gilas Pilipinas to focus on August FIBA Asia Cup

July 4, 2021 | 6:39 pm

GilasGo — GILAS Pilipinas next plays in the FIBA Asia Cup in August in Indonesia. — FIBA

FOLLOWING its spirited run at the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT), Gilas Pilipinas will now focus on its campaign in the Asia Cup in August.

The national men’s basketball team arrived back from the OQT in Serbia at the weekend and is undergoing quarantine before plunging back to work for its next tournament happening in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In the FIBA Asia Cup, the Philippines will be one of 13 teams seeing action.

It booked its spot in the continental tournament by completing a sweep of all its six matches in the three-window qualifiers.

Gilas paraded different versions during its qualifying campaign but sent an all-cadet squad for the last two windows, which admirably performed well.

In the third and final window in June in Clark, Pampanga, the team fashioned out quality victories over Korea (twice) and Indonesia, led by the likes of naturalized player Ange Kouame, collegiate standouts Dwight Ramos, SJ Belangel and Justine Baltazar, and Kai Sotto.

For the OQT it paraded the same team, which also included Will Navarro, RJ Abarrientos, Jordan Heading, Carl Tamayo, Isaac Go, Mike Nieto and Geo Chiu.

And while the team wound up with a 0-2 record in the OQT, it turned heads by being competitive, even forcing host Serbia to the limit before bowing down.

On their campaign in Indonesia, Gilas program director and coach Tab Baldwin said the team will take a much-needed break first before getting together anew to prepare for the Asia Cup later this month.

He said the lineup of the team for the tournament is still to be determined in discussions in the coming weeks with the top basketball officials in the country as well as other stakeholders.

“We haven’t discussed that with the players or with the other basketball stakeholders like the collegiate teams and the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) teams who have our draftees,” said Mr. Baldwin after their FIBA OQT campaign ended on Friday. “We don’t know yet.”

He, however, said that their FIBA Asia Cup preparation will most likely be done under a “bubble” setup anew at the INSPIRE Sports Academy in Laguna.

For both the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and OQT, Gilas spent considerable time inside the Calamba bubble under strict health and safety protocols.

The FIBA Asia Cup happens from Aug. 17 to 29.

Apart from Gilas and host Indonesia, other nation teams seeing action in the tournament are Iran, Korea, Syria, Australia, Japan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Jordan, New Zealand, China and Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, Serbia and Italy will dispute the lone Olympic spot up for grabs in the Belgrade OQT where Gilas competed in.

Serbia and Italy face off in the finals set for Monday. The former defeated Puerto Rico, 102-84, in the crossover semifinals on Saturday while the latter beat the Dominican Republic, 79-59. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

United City seeks to have better showing in ACL group stage play

July 4, 2021 | 6:38 pm

HartmannUCFC — UNITED CITY FC looks to do better when it returns to AFC Champions League group play action on Monday after experiencing back-to-back drubbings previously. — AFC

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

AT the raw end of back-to-back drubbings at the ongoing 2021 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL), reigning Philippines Football League champion United City Football Club seeks to have a better showing when it returns to action on Monday in Uzbekistan.

United City (0-1-2), currently tail-ending in Group I, takes on Japan league champion Kawasaki Frontale (3-0-0) in the scheduled 10 p.m. (Manila time) match at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent.

Group I-leading Kawasaki Frontale was the same team that routed United City, 8-0, on July 2. Prior to it, the Filipino side was the recipient of a 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Korea’s Daegu FC.

Against Kawasaki Frontale last time aroung, United City trailed by two by the midway point with Kaoru Mitoma (33’) and Ryota Oshima (42’) accounting for the goals of the Japanese club.

It only got worse for United City in the second half as Kawasaki Frontale was unrelenting in its attack.

Midfielder Kento Tachibanaba spearheaded his team’s onslaught, scoring a hat trick (56’, 65’ and 70’). Leandro Damiao (50’), Mr. Mitoma and Yasuto Wakizaka (92’) scored the three other goals for Kawasaki Frontale as they went on to book their third straight victory.

United City coach Jason Withe admitted that it has been tough for his team in the ACL so far but encouraged his players to continue to fight it out and improve.

“If you want to play at this level you’ve got to step your game up a little bit. You’re playing against the best players in Asia, so you’ve got to challenge yourself,” he said.

Meanwhile, the other Philippine club in the 2021 ACL — Kaya FC-Iloilo — also returns to action on Monday against defending tournament champion Ulsan Hyundai of Korea in a match set for 6 p.m. at the Pathum Thani Stadium in Thailand.

Kaya FC (0-0-3) is currently last in Group F while Ulsan Hyundai leads with an unblemished 3-0-0 card.

The two met last Friday, with the Korean club winning, 3-0.

In the AFC Champions League, the top teams in each of the groupings advance to the Round of 16 with the second-place clubs qualifying if they end up as among the best runner-up teams.

Filipino Alex Eala begins first Wimbledon girls’ singles bid against Argentina’s Sierra

July 4, 2021 | 6:38 pm

FILIPINO Alex Eala is to begin her Wimbledon girls’ singles campaign on Monday, July 5. — ALEX EALA FB PAGE

FILIPINO tennis wunderkind Alex Eala starts her first-ever Wimbledon girls’ singles campaign on Monday against Argentina’s Solana Sierra.

Rafa Nadal Academy scholar Eala, 16, looks to continue to build on the gains she has had in her young career in Wimbledon, which is also her first-ever major tournament on grass.

The world’s number three women’s juniors player and 629^th-ranked player in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said she is excited to finally compete in Wimbledon after competition last year was scrapped because of the pandemic.

“I’m super excited to go to London. It’s going to be my first time there and also my first time competing on grass. So that’s going to be a new experience,” said Ms. Eala in a recent videoconference with Filipino sports journalists.

She, however, admitted that the road in Wimbledon will be a challenging one, but something she and her team are looking forward to taking on.

“We’re doing everything we can, but in case I’m not able to, then that’s fine as well. I’ll go there and just get used to the court. I have been working hard and my team has been working on my areas of improvement,” Ms. Eala , a long-time Globe ambassador, said.

In preparation for Wimbledon, Ms. Eala recently competed at the J1 Roehampton tournament in London, where she reached the quarterfinals before losing to Linda Fruhvirtová of the Czech Republic (4-6, 1-6).

Looking to spoil Ms. Eala’s Wimbledon debut is 17-year-old Sierra, who is the 1,093^rd-ranked player in the WTA.

Ms. Eala is also set to compete in doubles play, the draw of which is to be announced on Monday. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo