Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 6448

Trae Young scores 48 as Hawks stun Bucks in Game 1

THE Milwaukee Bucks finally figured out a way to slow down Trae Young on Wednesday night. They’d love to carry it over into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on Friday.

Only one problem: It cost them Game 1.

Harassed by a smaller, quicker version of a Milwaukee defense that he thrashed earlier, Young misfired on a short-range shot with a chance to put Atlanta ahead in the final minute during the opener of the best-of-seven series.

However, smaller on the perimeter also meant smaller at the hoop, and Atlanta big man Clint Capela converted an offensive rebound into a layup with 29.8 seconds left that gave the visiting Hawks a lead they never relinquished in a 116-113 stunner.

Young went for a postseason-career-high 48 points and the underdog Hawks held the third-seeded Bucks without a field goal over the final 2:08, resulting in fifth-seeded Atlanta’s third straight win in a playoff-series opener this season.

Afterward, Young had a message for the Bucks: They’re not facing Kevin Durant and the one-dimensional Brooklyn Nets anymore.

“They got some good players over there, a lot of lottery people,” the third-year guard said of the Bucks. “We got weapons, too.”

On a night when Young shot 17-for-34, he found time for a game-high 11 assists to get Capela and John Collins involved. They each posted a double-double, Capela with 12 points and a game-high 19 rebounds, Collins with 23 points and 15 boards.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points to complement a team-high 12 rebounds plus nine assists, and Jrue Holiday poured in 33 points to go with a team-high 10 assists for the Bucks, who had gone 5-0 at home in their previous two series.

Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer admitted afterward he and his staff spent much of the night trying to design an answer for Young, only to never find one for the Hawks as a whole.

That search will continue in a team film session on Thursday’s day off.

“We’re going to have to get a lot better in Game 2,” he said. “We talked about changing up the look. I think we’ll do more.

“Young is a great player. He had a great night, give him credit. We feel we can play better.”

Budenholzer found himself scratching his head during Young’s most impressive stretch on a highlight-reel night, which occurred after Antetokounmpo gave Milwaukee a 65-58 lead in the second minute of the third period.

Over the course of the next eight minutes, the smallest man on the court had two 3-pointers, three 2-pointers and four assists, including an off-the-backboard alley-oop to Collins. Young’s work produced a 28-13 flurry that flipped the score in Atlanta’s favor, 86-78.

“Trae obviously is an elite passer, and I’m a freak athlete in my own right,” Collins said. “I feel when the chemistry is right between us, that can happen. I just got to go get it.”

Despite Young’s brilliance, the Hawks, making their first trip to the Eastern Conference finals since getting swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015, found themselves down 105-98 after a Holiday 3-pointer with 4:18 to go.

It was still a four-point game following a Holiday lob to Antetokounmpo with 2:08 to play before Collins countered with a 3-pointer to get the Hawks within one. That set up Capela’s put-back for a 112-111 lead after Young’s errant floater.

“A lot of people overlook us,” Collins said. “For us to come out here and get a win is big-time.”

The Bucks’ only points after Capela’s hoop came on two Antetokounmpo free throws with 5.3 seconds left, but they were sandwiched by a pair of Young 2-for-2 efforts at the line.

Kevin Huerter had 13 points for the Hawks, who won despite shooting just 8-for-32 on 3-point attempts.

Middleton shot 6-for-23 on a 15-point night for Milwaukee, missing all nine of his 3-point tries. Bobby Portis chipped in 11 points off the bench.

With Antetokounmpo missing both his attempts, the Bucks finished 8-for-36 from long distance. — Reuters

Chris Paul to return for Suns, not Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard

WHILE the Phoenix Suns’ Chris Paul is expected to make his series debut in Friday’s Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard will remain unavailable.

The Suns, who won the first two games of the series on their home court, listed Paul as probable, after he entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols last week. Paul tested positive for COVID-19 despite reportedly being vaccinated.

The Clippers officially ruled out Leonard, described variously as a right knee sprain and a sprained ACL, and ESPN reported that the team isn’t sure Leonard will play at all in the series.

The 36-year-old Paul, a 10-time All-NBA guard, was stellar in the Suns’ four-game sweep of the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals before testing positive. He shot 62.7 percent from the field to average 25.5 points per game, along with 10.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds.

Leonard hasn’t played since Game 4 of the conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz. The Clippers eliminated the Jazz in six games.

In 11 games played this postseason, he is averaging 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists. — Reuters

Injury pall hangs over wide open women’s field at Wimbledon

WITH top seed Ash Barty and defending champion Simona Halep both heading into Wimbledon without a single match on grass this season after recent injury concerns, the women’s field is wide open.

The French Open this month crowned a first-time women’s major winner for the sixth straight year and it could well be Wimbledon’s turn to witness a new Grand Slam champion on July 10 for the first time since France’s Marion Bartoli lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2013.

Top-ranked Barty, who picks grass as her favourite surface despite winning her maiden major on Parisian clay in 2019, retired from her last two tournaments but more worryingly for the Australian those were due to different physical ailments.

The 25-year-old’s Roland Garros campaign was curtailed in the second round when she had to retire due to a hip injury she suffered in training while a muscle strain in her serving arm forced her to quit during the quarter-finals in Rome.

Halep was denied a chance to defend her 2019 title when Wimbledon was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a pall of injury worry will hang over the second-seeded Romanian when she starts her campaign next week.

Like Barty, Halep also exited the WTA 1000 event in Rome midway after suffering a calf injury during her second-round outing against Angelique Kerber and was subsequently forced to miss the French Open.

With injury worries to the top two seeds and world number two Naomi Osaka also missing in action after skipping Wimbledon following her withdrawal from Roland Garros over mental health issues, a new set of challengers could stake their claim.

FREAK FALL
Petra Kvitova, another proven contender on grass and a two-time Wimbledon Champion, also injured her ankle at Roland Garros in a freak fall while performing her post-match media duties, resulting in a second-round walkover.

The decision of the French Open organizers to delay the claycourt major by a week has also left players with little time to switch their game for grass ahead of Wimbledon.

With no standout favorite in the women’s field, it could provide an ideal stage for American Serena Williams to finally end her quest for an elusive 24th Grand Slam title.

Since winning the 2017 Australian Open, Williams has stayed in the hunt by reaching four major finals but has failed to win the title that would see her match Margaret Court’s record haul.

“If ever the field was at its most vulnerable, I would think it would be this year with the injuries, with the lack of grass court practice,” ESPN tennis analyst Chris Evert, an 18-times Grand Slam singles champion, said.

“This is to me her (Williams) golden opportunity.”

Williams has come within one win of a 24th major title the last two times Wimbledon has been held but fell lost both finals — to Angelique Kerber in 2018 and Halep the following year.

The Australian Open and the Wimbledon remain Williams’ happiest hunting grounds with seven titles each.

The American’s long-time coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes grass amplifies Williams’ strong points as a player and the shorter points on the surface also poses a lesser challenge for her physical fitness.

“She will always have more chances to win on the surface that highlights her biggest qualities, which are the serve, the ability to accelerate the ball,” Mouratoglou told Reuters. — Reuters

Volleyball players play esports for charity

DOUBLETAP Gaming Entertainment will host an esports online charity tournament involving some of the country’s top volleyball players on June 27.

Done in cooperation with Sports Bytes Philippines, the event will feature a Mobile Legends: Bang Bang competition with the proceeds given to the frontliners of different hospitals in the metro.

The tournament will be for two days, with the next play date happening on July 4. The games will start streaming at 3:00 p.m.

Participating teams will come from the Premier Volleyball League, which include the BaliPure Purest Water Defenders, Petro Gazz Angels, Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors, PLDT Home Fibr Hitters, Chery Tigo 7 Pro Crossovers and the UAC Power Hitters.

Among the registered players who will play for their respective teams are Graze Bombita and Alina Joyce Bicar of Balipure, Grethcel Soltones and Myla Pablo of Petro Gazz, Mylene Paat of Chery Tigo, Andrea Marzan and Jonah Sabete of Sta. Lucia and Angeli Araneta and Dimdim Pacres of UAC.

Also competing are collegiate teams from San Beda, LPU Lady Pirates and the UP Fighting Lady Maroons.

Each team will be made up of five players that will play in a single-round robin tournament.

“The idea just popped up when we started to talk with some players from Balipure that was set up by team manager Gil Cortez back in April. In the course of our conversations with the Purest Water Defenders, I was surprised to find most of them seriously into playing Mobile Legends. So I thought of setting up an online match between them against my nephews and niece plainly for fun. The attention soon spread and then it was there where I learned that there were a lot of players from the PVL teams into MLBB,” Brian Yalung, Sports Bytes PH founder, said.

The event is sponsored by Smart Communications, Inc. and Sta. Lucia Realty.

All games for the charity event will be streamed live via the Facebook Pages of DoubleTap Gaming (https://www.facebook.com/DoubleTapEntph), Sports Bytes Philippines (https://www.facebook.com/sportsbytesph/) and Smart Sports (https://www.facebook.com/SMARTSportsPhilippines).

Playoffs thriller

Casual observers still on the fence about the state of the 2021 National Basketball Association Playoffs following the elimination of popular protagonists need only revisit the pressure-packed end to the Suns-Clippers thriller the other night. Forget that the live-ball sequences, while officially clocking in at 90 seconds all told, unfolded in a span of 33 real-time minutes due to numerous stoppages and reviews. Notably, the Last Two Minute Report featured not a single incorrect call or non-call. More importantly, patience was rewarded by the outcome, and especially by its run-up.

Beginning with All-Star Paul George’s twisting layin with 30.9 ticks left, four lead changes kept league habitues on the edge of their seats. Fellow All-Star Devin Booker responded with a full-extension 15-footer against the outstretched arms of defensive specialist Patrick Beverley on the right shoulder. And after another counter by PG-13, the final score was sealed when 2018 first-overall pick DeAndre Ayton turned a perfect baseline inbounds pass from surprisingly consistent Jae Crowder into a dunk at the buzzer.

Not even NBA commissioner Adam Silver could have conjured a better storybook finish. That said, the twists and turns of the set-to — reflecting the twists and turns of the postseason thus far — underscore the intrinsic pull of pro hoops. So what if the Lakers fizzled in the first round? Never mind that the Nets ended their supposedly certain championship campaign with a gassed showing in overtime of Game Seven of their semifinal-round affair against the Bucks. The proceedings remain fan-tastic — which is to say exactly what fans want, but in an even grander scale.

And speaking of the Suns, it’s clear that they’re no fluke. They claimed the first two matches of their best-of-seven series against the seemingly more seasoned Clippers without the quarantined Chris Paul. Even as the competition was likewise handicapped by the absence of 2019 Finals Most Valuable Player awardee Kawhi Leonard, they deserve props for hanging tough and performing to potential under extreme pressure. And, for their uncanny poise, credit belongs to head coach Monty Williams, who, not coincidentally, set up productive plays off his last two time outs, the game winner included.

Finally, the Suns are being accorded the respect they feel they have long deserved. They certainly earned it, parlaying their perfect record in last year’s bubble at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex into the league’s second-best 2020-21 regular season slate. In between, they pulled the trigger on savvy offseason moves that led to Paul’s arrival and low-key general manager James Jones’ recognition as Executive of the Year. As they know, though, all the effort figures to pay off only when they have the Larry O-Brien Trophy in their hands. And so they’re taking their challenges one play at a time. The mind-set led to a win the other day, and, as far as they’re concerned, will keep reaping dividends for them.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Chevron’s Caltex Business Solutions launches new VARTECH solution

New VARTECH™ Technology optimizes efficiency, reduces downtime, and improves revenue gain

Caltex Business Solutions just launched VARTECH Solution, its proprietary total solution for varnish control in power generation, oil and gas, manufacturing, and other turbine applications in Asia Pacific countries, including the Philippines. VARTECH Solution is a two-step solution consisting of VARTECH Industrial System Cleaner (ISC) and a new range of GST®Advantage Turbine Oils formulated with VARTECH Technology.

VARTECH ISC helps to clean the varnish that has infiltrated turbine systems while GST Advantage Turbine Oils with VARTECH technology protects turbines from future varnish build-up by inhibiting new varnish formation in the system.

  1. VARTECH ISC: This is Step One of the new holistic solution to control varnish. The advanced chemistry in this product allows operators to solubilize and clean existing varnish out of their equipment system to prepare it for fresh oil.
  2. GST Advantage Turbine Oils formulated with VARTECH Technology: This is Step Two where the freshly cleaned system resulting from Step One is subsequently filled with the appropriate GST Advantage Turbine Oil for the operation. GST Advantage Turbine Oils formulated with VARTECH Technology help limit the precursors that can precipitate out of oil leading to varnish formation.

Modern turbine systems such as those used by power generation companies are experiencing an increase in varnish issues which may impact efficiency. The problem arises because these modern turbines operate at higher speeds and temperatures and deposits form on critical components, which subsequently affects the output.

Varnish build-up affects the heat transfer rate between the oil and metal surfaces, causing the system to run hotter and hotter. This not only threatens equipment longevity but it also hits the bottom line.

“In speaking to our customers, we recognized that industrial operators have long been aware of the potential damage from varnish that can inevitably impact their operations. Even the smallest amount of varnish can result in poor system performance and equipment failures on modern turbine systems. Caltex Business Solutions wants to let our customers know that this issue can actually be managed through the benefits of our proprietary VARTECH Solution,” said Dean Gilbert, General Manager for Marketing and Sales Support, Chevron International Fuels, and Lubricants.

“To enhance our overall customer experience, our technical experts at Chevron have developed VARTECH ISC, a proprietary cleaning product that can be directly added to the oil in use during operation, so as to clean the system of varnish and sludge before a scheduled oil change,” added Dean.

VARTECH ISC has been successfully trialed by several customers. Recently, VARTECH ISC helped restore a major customer’s equipment in San Joaquin Valley, California by removing varnish from its turbine oil coolers, thus returning the turbine oil coolers to maximum productivity for an annual revenue gain of over US$350,000[1].

An efficient cleaning process can save time and money and has a direct impact on the bottom line. Unlike other available cleaners in the market, VARTECH ISC does not require shutdowns of the turbines, allowing the operation to remain online and productive.

Triple-action technology 

VARTECH ISC utilizes proprietary technology to clean efficiently without creating operational constraints. The solution is added near the end of the life of the in-service oil; and it cleans existing varnish from the equipment while the equipment itself remains online and productive. It delivers results by:

  • Cutting through hard varnish, removing it as micro-sized varnish particles.
  • Capturing and stabilizing the micro-sized varnish particles in a protective barrier to enable effective removal of the varnish from the system without re-depositing in the equipment; and
  • Providing compatibility with the in-service oil for optimal operational flexibility while maintaining system performance during the cleaning cycle to prepare for the change out to fresh oil.

Cleaning without compromise

Once the cleaning process is complete, VARTECH ISC and the used oil are drained and the system is flushed, preparing it for fresh oil. VARTECH ISC can also remain in the system for up to four weeks without causing operational constraints, giving industrial enterprises the flexibility to schedule maintenance activities around other operational priorities and unexpected delays.

Unlike other industry solutions, VARTECH ISC has minimal impact on the performance of new oil. VARTECH ISC’s excellent compatibility cuts down the cleaning process significantly, mitigating complex additional steps such as external filtration, multiple rinse cycles, and compatibility testing with fresh oil. Depending on the extent of varnish in the system, VARTECH ISC can be used for up to 20 percent treat rate without compromising the performance of new oil (arising from any residual oil that is left over).

Availability

VARTECH ISC and GST Advantage Turbine Oils with VARTECH Technologyare available across all major markets in the US, China, Middle East, Africa, and AsiaPacific to support the requirements of industrial customers in power generation, oil and gas, and manufacturing segments.  Complementing this is Caltex Business Solutions’ Reliability-based Lubrication (RBL™) Program which offers a suite of tailored services like operational assessments, best practices and oil analysis.

For more information, please contact a local Caltex Business Solutions representative.

 

 

All the President’s words: Remembering PNoy through his speeches

BW FILE PHOTO

Speech at the 25th Anniversary of BusinessWorld

Mr. Aquino’s remarks delivered at the Marriott Hotel, Pasay City, on July 27, 2012, on the occasion of this newspaper’s 25th anniversary. Transcript via the Presidential Communications Operations Office. 

Secretary Albert del Rosario; Secretary Mar Roxas; Secretary Ramon Carandang; Secretary Butch Abad; Secretary Kim Henares (I think you are a favorite of this crowd); of course, Mr. Vergel Santos; ex-Prime Minister Cesar Virata; Mr. Anthony Cuaycong; Mr. Manny Pangilinan; Mr. Washington Sycip; other members of the business community present; other officials and staff of the BusinessWorld Publishing Corporation; fellow workers in government; honored guests; ladies and gentlemen: 

Good evening. 

Twenty-five years ago today, this newspaper began anew. During Martial Law, it was known as BusinessDay; and under the leadership of Mr. Raul Locsin, this paper took great effort to deliver fair, balanced reporting in an environment where the news was heavily monitored and censored as a dictator sought control of society. When Martial Law finally ended, and democracy was restored, BusinessWorld became part of what was supposed to be the renaissance of free media—free to pursue the integrity, accuracy, and balance that Raul Locsin had long espoused as a journalist. 

That was the vision back in 1986; sadly, the general state of our national media makes us aware that its full realization has yet to be achieved. Nevertheless, there are those who we can always count on to fight the good fight. BusinessWorld, for example, now being steered by the steady hand of Vergel Santos, still adheres to its founder’s memory and vision. 

The late Raul Locsin had said, and I quote: “If this paper became in danger of falling in the wrong hands, I’d prefer it run to the ground.” With Vergel’s guidance, BusinessWorld is still here; and it doesn’t seem to be headed towards the ground anytime soon. I imagine your founder would have been very proud of what this paper has grown into. 

Both Raul Locsin and Vergel Santos belong to a generation of newsmen who gained the full trust of readers. They knew how important it was to stand by the truth—that a newsman’s credibility is his currency. And the readers, in turn, were assured that when they read the news, it was driven by facts, and not merely by an unhealthy appetite for a wider readership, which is something we unfortunately see in some media outlets today. I am glad that this fact-based style of reportage is still the guiding light of newspapers like BusinessWorld. 

Today, more than ever, we need more people to make a commitment to a higher standard in journalism. After all, our entire country is on a mission to change the behavior in our institutions—and media is not exempt from that. 

Too often, these days, when we switch our televisions to the news, or when we browse through the pages of our papers, we are greeted with negativity. We tend to hear more about the latest car-napping victim, as opposed to the car-napping cases dropping by more than half, in fact, from 2,200 instances in 2010 to 966 in 2011. We tend to hear about crimes when they are committed, but not when they are resolved. And even when there are reports of resolved crimes, like when notorious car thief Raymond Dominguez was sentenced to prison, it only takes up a tiny portion of the bottom of the front page, if at all. 

And it is not like there’s a shortage of good news to report these days. The reporters at BusinessWorld would know this more than anyone. As I mentioned in my SONA earlier this week, our GDP growth in the first quarter of 2012 surprised many analysts by surpassing expectations—clocking in at 6.4 percent. Apart from what I mentioned in the SONA, there is the 62.2 percent increase in infrastructure spending in the first quarter of 2012—directly creating jobs for our construction workers. There is the newfound vitality in our factories: production of apparel increased by 52.2 percent, while furniture production increased by 86.6 percent in the same period. 

Truly, if we go by the facts, we are seeing that the Philippines—as one observer has said—is no longer a joke. I am not saying that media should be there to praise the government all the time. But the news shouldn’t be about competing with other outfits on who can sell the most negative headlines; it shouldn’t just be about attracting more and more readers in the short term. Think about it: In the long term, how many people would be willing to pay just to have their day daily ruined? How long can an audience withstand negativism day in and day out? 

The news should be about informing the readers—about giving them accurate, timely, and contextualized facts, both the good and the bad, so that they can decide for themselves what to feel. 

By all means: do criticize us, disagree with us, but make sure you do so on the basis of properly contextualized facts. And when these facts show that progress has been made, then you must also tell it like it is. This is media’s responsibility to their viewers, listeners, and readers. If our country is progressing, it can only be because our countrymen—both in and out of government—have worked hard at it. And after all, don’t they deserve to know of the successes that they have achieved in lifting this country? 

The media, the government, and the people must work together to create an environment of positive, progressive discourse between them. We must veer away from negativity and sensationalism. These must not run the course of our national discussions. Negativity leads to despair, which leads to apathy, which then perpetuates the vicious cycle. Our people are denied the chance, and the capacity to dream. Hopelessness then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

But this mindset can be and is being changed. This is possible in the way government is run; in the way we are improving our economy, creating jobs, and empowering our people. It is possible in our own homes, where parents reinforce positive attitudes. It is not rocket science—and it is definitely possible in the media, too. Stick to facts, provide the context, and get your reporting straight. Build an impermeable barrier between opinion, reportage, and advertising. Raul Locsin famously said about BusinessWorld, and I quote again: “Editorial space is never for sale, advertising space is.” And with that, he ran a successful business model that has survived, and thrived, for the past 25 years. This is a lesson many of us can learn from. More importantly, this is a lesson that can turn around our country, sooner rather than later. 

There are truths that can encourage our countrymen to participate in the large-scale turnaround of this country. There are truths that can empower our people to become active agents for change—and inspire them to give rise to their own bits of good news, no matter how small, because these individual stories make up the vibrant tapestry of a nation finally reclaiming its national dignity. 

Adhering to the truth does not always mean seeing what is lacking or what is wrong. In fact, there are times, and they are becoming more frequent, when the truth can elevate our opinions of ourselves, of others, and of our nation; it can restore and strengthen confidence. This ignites a virtuous cycle, where good leads to more good; positive energy begets more positive energy; and dreams get that much more closer to becoming tangible realities. 

We have already achieved so much. Imagine how much more we can achieve when everyone begins to believe: Nothing is impossible to a united Filipino nation. 

Thank you, good evening. 

Get discounted vivo smartphones from Shopee on the Super Brand Day

Treat yourself with an affordable smartphone without hassle as vivo joins Shopee for the Super Brand Day on June 26 to 28.

“We are very excited for our first regional Super Brand Day with a leading player like Shopee to scale our presence in the region,” said Charisma Buan, public relations lead at vivo Philippines.

Shopee Philippines Director Martin Yu also expressed his delight in taking the e-commerce platform’s partnership with vivo to the next level. “This collaboration comes at an opportune time where more people are shopping from home, and we are pleased to work with vivo to deliver even more value to shoppers looking to purchase their products,” he said.

“We saw great results for our past few campaigns with Shopee. Building on this track record, we will continue to leverage Shopee’s wide reach and engagement features to give our shoppers the best shopping experience,” Ms. Buan added.

Shoppers can purchase selected vivo smartphones at a discounted price on Shopee. Aside from enjoying this big sale of up to P9,000 for the vivo smartphones, shoppers also have a chance to win additional gifts and vouchers only from the brand’s official store.

For buyers looking for excellent selfie phones, the vivo V21 and V21e will be priced at the best value. These smartphones encompass the world’s first 44-megapixel selfie camera. Both of their front and rear cameras also have stabilization, which makes every photo high quality.

The V21 and V21e are also ideal choices for buyers who want to have a great gaming experience and faster internet usage, being equipped with 8GB + 3GB extended RAM.

For those who prefer much more budget-friendly smartphones, vivo offers their bestselling Y1s and Y12s. Even with their cheaper prices, buyers will own stunning smartphones with their slim design and Halo FullView™ Display, AI Face Beauty, and long-lasting battery.

The Y1s is available at only P4,799 with a P100 off voucher applicable. Meanwhile, the discounted price of Y12s is P5,799, with a P300 off voucher available. Get an additional P200 off when purchasing the Wireless Sport Lite with any phone.

The vivo Y20s G (4+128), an online-exclusive, can also be purchased, which would save the buyer a total of P1,600 when combining the P1,300 discount and P300 voucher. It comes with a free DITO sim card, while stocks last.

There will also be a special and limited number of P6,000 off vouchers for the vivo V20.

More vivo smartphones will sell at a discounted price, where shoppers can also receive exclusive vouchers of P1,000.

To increase the anticipation further on the Super Brand Day, vouchers from vivo of up to P1,000 off storewide await winning shoppers on the exclusive Instagram story filter game created by vivo. Coins collected can be exchangeable for gifts and vouchers through the official store of vivo on Shopee.

vivo also launches a promotion where buyers on Shopee can win exclusive prizes. Simply follow its official Shopee store and get a chance to receive gifts from vivo when they reach 950,000 and one million followers.

For the prices, discounts, and vouchers of vivo products on Shopee for the Super Brand Day, refer to the following details:

Shopee Super Brand Day Sale Price (PHP):

Model Original Price (PHP) Shopee Super Brand Day Sale Price (PHP) Additional Voucher Total Savings
Y1s 5,499 4,799 100 800
Y12s 6,499 5,799 300 1,000
Y20i 2021 7,499 6,999 300 800
Y20s G (4+128) 8,999 7,699 300 1,600
Y30 9,999 7,999 300 2,300
V20 19,999 16,999 Max 6,000 9,000
V21e 17,999 16,999 1,000 2,000

 

Vouchers:

  • P50 OFF voucher (no min. spend)
  • P100 OFF voucher (min. spend P4,000)
  • P300 OFF voucher (min. spend P5,000)
  • P500 OFF voucher (min. spend P9,000)
  • P1,000 OFF on selected vivo phones – V15, V17 Pro, V19 Neo, V20and V20 Pro
  • P6,000 OFF on selected vivo phones – V20 (limited only)

Do not miss the exciting partnership of vivo and Shopee on Super Brand Day. For more information on these amazing deals, visit vivo’s official Shopee store. Head on to https://www.vivoglobal.ph/ or to vivo’s official Facebook and Instagram pages for the full specs of these smartphones.

IABC Philippines elects new Board of Trustees

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines announced its new Board of Trustees for 2021 – 2023 with proven expertise and fresh perspectives in the dynamic field of business communications.

The diverse group of trustees include leading communications professionals from different fields, such as banking, insurance, media and entertainment, utilities, and advocacy groups, to the heavyweights of the country’s top communications agencies.

Joe Zaldarriaga will continue to serve as Chairman and Chair of the IABC Philippines Forum Series. He is the Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications of the Manila Electric Company, spearheading the corporate communications team of the Philippines’ biggest private electric power distributor. He is a recipient of the Medallion of Honor and Scroll of Commendation from the University of Manila – a testament to his years in public service exemplified by outstanding communication excellence.

Belle Tiongco was reelected as President of IABC Philippines. She is the Co-Founder of Football for Humanity, an independent (CIO) charity registered in the UK and the Philippines harnessing the power of play to educate, empower and protect children facing the threat of violence, exploitation and poverty. In IABC, she has thrice chaired the Philippine Quill Awards and CEO Excel Awards.

Richard Arboleda will serve as Vice President and Co-Chair of the Digital and Publicity Committee of IABC Philippines. He is currently the President and COO of EON Group, one of the largest Filipino integrated communication agencies in the country. Prior to joining EON, he held communication leadership roles in Wyeth and Samsung. In IABC, he has chaired the Philippine Quill Awards and the Student Quill Awards twice and has also served as Chair of the CEO Excel Awards.

Ferdinand Bondoy was named as Secretary and Chair of the Digital and Publicity Committee. A certified digital marketer and crisis counselor in Asia-Pacific, he is the Regional Integration and Chief Executive Director of ComCo Southeast Asia, a global award-winning integrated communications agency in the Philippines with affiliate network presence in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. In IABC, he chaired the recent Student Quill Awards and continues to manage the CommChat Series.

Sherryl Yao was elected as Treasurer of IABC Philippines. The Head of Public Service of TV5 Network Inc., she leads Rescue 5, the Emergency Response Unit of News5. Rescue 5 made the pioneering move in the Philippines to equip news reporters and camera men with emergency medical service and other lifesaving skills and was also the first in the broadcast industry to become an affiliated reserve unit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine Air Force (AFP-PAF).

Ramon Isberto will serve as Auditor of the Board of Trustees. He was Public Affairs Head of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) and its wholly-owned wireless subsidiary, Smart Communications Inc. He now hosts the weekly TV show “Tech Ka Muna” which is aired on Cignal TV One PH, along with doing consultancy work and contributing articles to various news publications.

Dave Devilles was named Chair of the Membership, Learning and Engagement Committee. He is currently the Vice President for Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and Employee Relations of Union Bank of the Philippines. During his stint as Chair of the Philippine Quill Awards, IABC Philippines redesigned the online facility for an efficient and eco-friendly management system.

Melody Del Rosario will serve as Chair of the Environment, Social and Governance Committee. She is Metro Pacific Investment Corporations’ (MPIC) Vice President of Corporate Communications and President of the Metro Pacific Investments Foundation Inc. She has over 28 years of experience heading MPIC’s public and media relations, corporate communications, advertising, and CSR.

Robert “Bobby” Vito was named Chair of the Philippine CEO Excel Awards. He is the Managing Director of Ripple8, the public relations company of the DDB Group in the Philippines. He has been in the business of communications for 25 years and is a founding member of Ripple8, one of the most award-winning PR agencies in the country.

Abigail Ho-Torres will serve as Chair of the Philippine Quill Awards. She is the Assistant Vice President and Head of Advocacy and Marketing of Maynilad Water Services, Inc. She leads the corporate social responsibility, brand building, marketing management, and market research initiatives of the company. Abigail was formerly a business reporter of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Leah Caringal was named Chair of the Sponsorship Committee. As the CEO of Greenbulb Communications and RedTorch Communications, Leah has established experience in leading communications campaigns for a variety of clients, from government, consumer, FMCG, financial and technology industries.

The new board is supported by a distinguished roster of veteran communicators and past presidents: Elpi Cuna, IABC Fellow and Consultant of San Miguel Corporation; Rey Anthony David, President of Great Wall Advertising; Carmencita Arce, Vice President and Executive Director of Philippine Business Center Inc.; Ritzi Villarico-Ronquillo, IABC Fellow and Consultant for Business Communication and Strategic PR, and Kane Errol Choa, Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications, ABS-CBN Corporation.

IABC Philippines President Belle Tiongco shared, “In my second term, I think I would like to steer IABC Philippines to a continuous drive towards upgrading our knowledge and appreciation of the technology and the developments surrounding our industry. We survived the pandemic because we adjusted and evolved so quickly; so, let’s keep evolving!”

“Establishing this new era of diverse, highly-effective and inspiring leadership is a timely development now that we are ushering in the “next normal” way of living and working, one where authentic communications has proven to be integral,” said Joe Zaldarriaga, IABC Philippines Chairman. “I know that IABC PH is in the hands of trailblazers who have deep foundations in excellent business communications and strategic PR that can bring the organization to new heights. We look forward to continuously raising the bar of communication excellence that the Philippine chapter is known for and one of the organizations looked up to even at the global level.”

IABC Philippines is the first IABC country chapter in Asia. It is an association of top business, industrial and organizational communicators and professionals that supports the highest professional standards and practice of exceptional quality and innovation in organization and business communication. It advocates for continued professional growth, learning, and communication excellence, linking Filipino practitioners with colleagues and practices worldwide. Its two major communication excellence industry awards are the Philippine Quill and the Philippine CEO EXCEL Awards. IABC is a member of the Global Alliance of Public Relations and Communication Management.

To know more about IABC Philippines, please visit https://www.facebook.com/iabcph or e-mail iabcphilippinesat30@gmail.com.

Britain wants to allow people to travel again – minister says

LONDON – Britain wants to allow people to travel abroad again for a foreign holiday but new variants of the novel coronavirus are complicating plans to relax its rules, Environment Secretary George Eustice said.

Asked on Sky News if Brits would be able to enjoy a foreign holiday on Spanish islands this year amid speculation that restrictions on travel to Ibiza and Mallorca could be eased, Eustice said:

“Well, personally I want us to get back to a position where we can support those who want to travel to do so, nobody likes the draconian restrictions we’ve had to put in place over this last year.”

Transport minister Grant Shapps will publish an update on Thursday showing whether any other countries have been added to England’s green list for safe travel, Eustice said.

Malta and the Portuguese island of Madeira have also been touted as possible additions to the list.

Currently there are just 11 “green” destinations where people can go without having to quarantine on their return, effectively ensuring the travel industry stays shut despite the easing of lockdown domestically.

Those rules mean there has been no recovery for airlines and holiday companies which are already on their knees after nearly 18 months of COVID-19 restrictions.

A wider reopening of travel from the UK also faces a new challenge as European destinations could start to restrict Britons’ entry.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday she would like other European countries to require people entering them from countries where there are high levels of the Delta variant, like Britain, to go into quarantine, as is the case in Germany. – Reuters

U.S. bans imports of solar panel material from Chinese company

STOCK PHOTO

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration on Wednesday ordered a ban on U.S. imports of a key solar panel material from Chinese-based Hoshine Silicon Industry Co over forced labor allegations, said two sources briefed on the matter.

The U.S. Commerce Department separately restricted exports to Hoshine, three other Chinese companies and the paramilitary Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), saying they were involved with the forced labor of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang.

The three other companies added to the U.S. economic blacklist include Xinjiang Daqo New Energy Co, a unit of Daqo New Energy Corp; Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co, a subsidiary of Shanghai-based manufacturing giant East Hope Group; and Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Co, part of GCL New Energy Holdings Ltd.

The Commerce Department said the companies and XPCC “have been implicated in human rights violations and abuses in the implementation of China’s campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, forced labor and high-technology surveillance against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups in” Xinjiang.

At least some of the companies listed by the Commerce Department are major manufacturers of monocrystalline silicon and polysilicon that are used in solar panel production.

The companies or their parent firms did not immediately respond to requests for comment, or could not immediately be reached. XPCC could not immediately be reached for comment.

The immediate effect of the restrictions would be limited as the companies named do not have “vast contracts” with U.S. based wafer companies, Dennis Ip, Regional Head of Power, Utilities, Renewables & Environment (PURE) Research at Daiwa said in a note to clients.

“However, we see possibility for the ban to gradually extend to include restrictions on all solar modules which contain Xinjiang-produced polysilicon,” he said.

Chinese module producers could still use polysilicon from Inner Mongolia and Yunnan for their U.S.-bound module shipments, he added.

About 45% of all polysilicon used in solar module production is produced in Xinjiang, with 35% produced in other parts of China. The remainder comes from outside China.

The global solar energy supply chain has been squeezed by record high costs for polysilicon, labour and freight.

When asked for comment, China’s embassy in Washington referred to remarks on Tuesday by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian who dismissed accusations of genocide and forced labor in Xinjiang as “nothing but rumors with ulterior motives and downright lies.”

The “Withhold Release Order” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection only blocks imports of the material from Hoshine. A source familiar with the order said it does not impact the majority of U.S. imports of polysilicon and other silica-based products.

A second source said the move does not conflict with President Joe Biden’s climate goals and support for the domestic solar industry.

The Biden administration in March announced a target to cut the cost of solar energy by 60% within the next 10 years. President Biden has set a goal of a 100% clean electricity grid by 2035.

The sources said the United States is continuing to investigate allegations of forced labor by Chinese companies who supply polysilicon.

The Xinjiang region accounts for approximately 45% of the world’s solar-grade polysilicon supply, a report by solar industry analysts found.

The two sources familiar with the policy said the White House sees the actions as a “natural continuation” of the G7 agreement earlier this month to eliminate forced labor from supply chains.

“We view these three actions as putting that commitment into action,” one of the sources said. “We believe these actions demonstrate a commitment to imposing additional costs on the PRC for engaging in cruel and inhumane forced labor practices.”

The XPCC, a paramilitary organization sent to Xinjiang in the 1950s to build farms and settlements, remains powerful in the region’s energy and agriculture sectors, operating almost like a parallel state.

Foreign governments and human rights activists say it has been a force in the crackdown and surveillance of Uyghurs in the region, running some detention camps. The U.S. Treasury Department last year sanctioned XPCC for “serious rights abuses against ethnic minorities.” – Reuters

Taiwan says discussing COVID-19 vaccine passports

TAIPEI – Taiwan is in talks with international bodies about COVID-19 vaccine passports, the head of its Centres for Disease Control said on Thursday, which could help ease long-standing travel restrictions.

Taiwan has previously considered such a scheme, but has been extremely cautious about opening its largely-closed borders lest it lets in more infections, and is currently on high alert to stop the highly contagious Delta variant.

Taiwan Centres for Disease Control Director-General Chou Jih-haw told reporters they have already begun talks with other governments and international organisations about vaccine passports.

“We hope we can quickly get into step with the international community,” he said, without giving details.

The government is trying to speed a vaccination programme hobbled by supply delays, with around 7% of a population of 23.5 million having received at least one of the required two doses.

Chou said getting vaccines was still very difficult due to global shortages, but that they were working hard and he had no concrete timetable for when more might arrive.

Taiwan’s government said last week it would allow Terry Gou, the billionaire founder of Apple Inc supplier Foxconn , and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd to negotiate on its behalf for vaccines from Germany’s BioNTech SE.

Cabinet spokesman Lo Ping-cheng told the same news conference there was an “opportunity” for this plan to succeed.

“I want to emphasise that it is an opportunity, because there is almost no international use of this procurement method,” he said.

Taiwan is dealing with a cluster of domestic infections, almost all the previously globally dominant Alpha variant, though numbers are stabilising and the outbreak has been comparatively small.

Still, the cases have unnerved the government, which has enacted curbs on public gatherings and closed entertainment venues.

Taiwan has only reported five infections of the Delta variant to date, Chou said, all imported and who were identified while undergoing the strict two weeks quarantine overseas arrivals are subject to. – Reuters

1...6,4476,4486,449...12,796Page 6,448 of 12,796
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube