Home Blog Page 652

3 schoolgirls dead after truck ramming in Bukidnon

COTABATO CITY — A speeding truck rammed three grade schoolgirls walking along a stretch of a highway in Barangay Cayaga in San Fernando, Bukidnon on Tuesday, killing all of them instantly.

Senior officials of the Bukidnon Provincial Police Office told reporters on Wednesday that truck driver Reynaldo Algame Camaso first sped away but surrendered eventually several hours later to the San Fernando Municipal Police Station.

Major Christian D. Serdeña, San Fernando municipal police chief, said Mr. Camaso is now detained and that they have compelled the owner of the truck to reach out to the families of the three fatalities and provide them with essential support needed for their burials.

Mr. Serdeña said the Mitsubishi Fuso truck, bearing license plates RJT 835, is now in their custody.

Witnesses told police investigators who responded to the incident that the victims were on their way to the Cayaga Elementary School when they were hit by the truck, headed in the same direction, at the highway in Purol 2-B in Barangay Cayaga. — John Felix M. Unson

LRT-1 Cavite extension phase 2 alignment seen finalized by Q1

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) is hoping to finalize the realignment of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite extension within the first quarter.

“Around February or March,” Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy S. Regino told reporters in response to queries about the timeline.

The Transportation department considers the LRT-1 extension as among its 16 flagship infrastructure projects.

Mr. Regino said the second phase of the LRT-1 Cavite extension, which includes Las Piñas and Zapote stations, needs to be realigned due to a flyover set to be built in the area.

“Once we resolve the conflict with the skyway, we also hope to resolve the remaining right-of-way acquisition in Las Piñas within the year,” he said.

Last year, the first phase of the LRT-1 Cavite extension was opened which will accommodate an additional 80,000 passengers daily. This initial phase adds a total of 6.2 kilometers from Pasay City to Parañaque City. The five new stations are Redemptorist–Aseana Station, MIA Road Station, PITX Station, Ninoy Aquino Avenue Station, and Dr. Santos (formerly Sucat) Station.

In August the DoTr said the second and third phases of construction of the LRT-1 Cavite extension may begin by 2026 amid right-of-way acquisition issues. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

NFA seeks extra P9B for rice procurement

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE National Food Authority (NFA) said on Wednesday that it is seeking an additional P9 billion to procure domestically grown rice that it plans to add to its grain reserves this year.

In a statement, the NFA said that the increased funding would allow it to accomplish its buffer stock goals in compliance with Republic Act (RA) No. 12708 or the Agricultural Tariffication Act.

“We were initially allocated a budget of P9 billion for buffer stocking this year, based on the nine-day requirement. But the additional six days will necessitate an extra P9 billion considering that our palay procurement price increased in 2024,” NFA Administrator Larry R. Lacson said.

RA 12708 raised the NFA minimum rice reserve level to 15 days’ demand from the previous nine days.

The law also allocates about P2 billion for NFA rice procurement from rice tariffs in excess of the P30 billion earmarked for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

The NFA said that the national consumption of rice is projected to average 37,000 metric tons (MT) per day.

“The additional six days of reserve will require the NFA to procure approximately 300,000 MT of palay (unmilled rice) from farmers at an estimated price of P23 per kilo,” the agency said.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said NFA procurement should be equivalent to up to 20% of domestic production or about 4 million MT. The NFA’s current procurement rate is 3% to 4% of the harvest.

“The NFA used to be a market maker — both a buyer and seller of rice. Now it is restricted to buffer stocking and buying rice from rice farmers,” Mr. Laurel added.

“We aim to restore its influence on palay pricing by purchasing more rice, helping to boost farmers’ profitability,” he said.

Additionally, the NFA Council had also approved a resolution allowing the NFA to sell rice stocks to local government units (LGUs) for disaster preparedness.

“The NFA should ideally release around 25,000 MT of rice every month to LGUs without jeopardizing the buffer stock needed to respond to emergencies, calamities, or a national food emergency declaration aimed at stabilizing rice supply and prices,” Mr. Lacson added.

Last week, Mr. Laurel said the Department of Agriculture is proposing to declare a food security emergency focused on rice to enable the NFA to offload 300,000 MT in rice stocks onto the market. — Adrian H. Halili

Tourism department targets Indian market for growth

REUTERS

THE Department of Tourism (DoT) said it hopes to increase visitor arrivals from India by executing the memorandum of cooperation on tourism signed by India and the Philippines in 2019. 

In a statement on Wednesday, Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina G. Frasco said that the Philippines welcomed around 79,000 Indian visitors last year, up 12.4%.

“While this number is smaller relative to our ASEAN neighbors, it represents significant growth,” Ms. Frasco said.

“We see tremendous potential in India’s outbound tourism market, and we are committed to making the Philippines a top destination for Indian tourists,” she added.

Ms. Frasco met with Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat of India’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism on the sidelines of the ASEAN Tourism Forum meetings.

She expressed the Philippines’ readiness to sign an implementation program to execute the 2019 Memorandum of Cooperation.

“We are very hopeful that through our meeting today, through the forthcoming implementation program, and the work that both our teams will do, we can increase from the 79,000 Indians that arrived in the Philippines last year to allow the Philippines to have a bigger share of the over 5 million that arrived to ASEAN in 2024,” Ms. Frasco said. 

The implementation program would cover the expansion of air connectivity, the exchange of travel professionals, and joint marketing promotions to mutually increase tourism flows.

“India and the Philippines both share a long (history of) cultural ties,” said Mr. Singh.

He added that the Philippines “deserves much more” of a share of Indian tourists visiting ASEAN.

VISA LIBERALIZATION
At the Kapihan sa Manila Prince on Wednesday, Ms. Frasco said: “What happened after the pandemic is that our ASEAN neighbors became very aggressive in their visa liberalization policies, either by adopting electronic visas or implementing visa-free policies for citizens of many countries,” she said.

“That is why the DoT, as early as the start of the administration, advocated (for more liberal visa policies with) the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Bureau of Immigration,” she added.

An electronic visa system used to be in place for Chinese visiting the Philippines; however, this scheme was suspended.

“Visa liberalization is critical. And so with the challenges that we are facing pertaining to the Chinese market, we are now looking at India,” she said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has given a directive to improve and implement a more efficient and competitive e-visa system for Indians.

“During the ASEAN Tourism Ministers meetings, Thailand announced that it is removing visa requirements, if I’m not mistaken, for at least 90 countries,” Ms. Frasco said.

She added that the Philippines should try to liberalize visa policies for as many countries as possible.

“But in terms of priority, it’s really India that we’re looking at right now for visa liberalization,” she added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

SRA to support millgate prices by holding raw sugar in reserve

BOC - PUBLIC INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE DIVISION (BOC-PIAD)

THE Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said it will undertake a limited voluntary purchasing program for raw sugar to prop up soft millgate prices.

“The target for this voluntary limited-volume purchase of domestically produced raw sugar is to ensure a stable and reasonable farmgate price while maintaining the prevailing level of retail price,” the regulator said in a draft sugar order (SO).

The SRA has reported that millgate price for raw sugar had declined to as little as P2,400 per 50-kilogram bag.

The regulator said the purchasing program will acquire a maximum of 300,000 metric tons (MT).

Raw sugar purchased through the program will be reclassified as “C” or reserve sugar, to be kept from market circulation.

Participants deemed eligible for the purchasing program are farmers, farmer’s groups, farmer’s cooperatives, farmer’s associations, sugar millers/refiners, manufacturers, and beverage makers.

Participants in the SRA’s voluntary purchase program will be eligible to take part in a future round of imports.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis S. Azcona said it hopes the draft sugar order can be signed within the month, with the maximum volume subject to change.

During the 2023-2024 crop year, the SRA had implemented a voluntarily purchase program to stabilize farmgate and retail prices. Participants were also eligible for allocations of imported sugar.

Under Sugar Order No. 2, the SRA allowed qualified participants to purchase 300,000 MT of raw sugar to stabilize prices.

Last year, the SRA had approved the import of 200,000 MT of refined sugar to stabilize retail prices.

Separately, the Sugar Council said that the proposed SO will protect farms from price fluctuations during the peak of the harvest.

It added in a statement that Mr. Azcona has reiterated that “there will be no imports until May or June when the harvest is finished.”

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has said that it will postpone any sugar import plans until the middle of the year, as domestic supply is expected to be sufficient.

The SRA projects a 7.2% drop in sugar production from the 1.92 MMT reported during the previous crop year, citing damage sustained during the dry conditions brought about by El Niño.

It added that the move should reduce the volume of available sugar in the domestic market during the harvest months “thus helping stabilize millgate sugar prices.” — Adrian H. Halili

DBM outlines plan to immunize spending from Congress tweaks

BW FILE PHOTO

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said it has prescribed measures for agencies finding their budgets disrupted by last-minute adjustments by Congress.

“This is to clarify matters pertaining to the instruction of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to various National Government Agencies (NGAs) to ensure sufficient funding of legacy projects and programs, which were affected by Congress-introduced changes or adjustments in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA),” the DBM said in a statement. 

Mr. Marcos had directed agencies to focus on programs ready for implementation and to look for possible savings that can be reprogrammed, in light of “suboptimal” spending plans resulting from budget cuts.

The DBM said it is committed to remedy any funding deficiencies of various departments in 2025, through the use of the Contingent Fund or Unprogrammed Appropriations, as well as savings realized by the agencies.

It said any such releases are subject to conditions and requirements prescribed in the applicable Special and General Provisions contained in the P6.326-trillion 2025 GAA.

“First, available allotments within an agency’s budget can be declared as savings, as defined in Section 77 of the General Provisions of the 2025 GAA. The utilization of these funds will be subject to the rules on augmentation provided in Section 78,” it said.

Tapping of the Contingent Fund — which is used exclusively for requirements of new and/or urgent projects and activities — must be paid during the year, and requires Presidential approval.

The DBM also listed the infrastructure and social programs that may be covered by Unprogrammed Appropriations. The conditions attached to the use of such funds include the availability of excess revenue, which must be certified by the Bureau of the Treasury.

“We are one with the President in addressing the validated funding deficiencies,” the DBM said.

“Nevertheless, it is understood that the process and procedures to be undertaken shall strictly adhere to budgeting, accounting, and auditing laws, rules and regulations,” it added.

In a separate statement, the DBM also rejected allegations that it altered the GAA.

“There is no truth to the rumors disseminated by fake news peddlers and professional government destabilizers that the DBM edited the 2025 General Appropriations Act to fill in the blanks, as there is no single page or figure missing from the 2025 GAA,” the DBM said. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

‘Moderate’ global FDI growth seen on improved financing, pickup in M&A

REUTERS

GLOBAL foreign direct investment (FDI) flows are expected to post moderate growth this year, driven by strong economic prospects in the US and the European Union (EU), according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

In its Global Investment Trends Monitor, UNCTAD said that it is “cautiously optimistic” about global FDI growth this year.

“Looking to 2025, moderate FDI growth is expected, supported by improved financing conditions and renewed M&A (mergers and acquisitions) activity. However, risks and uncertainties — including geopolitical tensions and global economic instability — pose significant challenges,” it said.

In 2024, global FDI flows grew 11% to $1.4 trillion. However, flows dropped 8% when financial flows through European conduit economies are excluded.

“Greenfield project announcements, primarily in industrial sectors, saw a moderate decline of 8% in number and 7% in value,” UNCTAD said. 

“Despite the drop, the value of greenfield projects remained high, second only to the record reached in 2023, driven by large-scale investments in semiconductor manufacturing and AI technologies,” it added.

UNCTAD said that it expects FDI flows to grow more rapidly in the US due to strong economic growth prospects and in the European Union, which currently has very low levels of investment.

According to the report, North America posted a 13% rise in FDI in 2024 due to an 80% increase in M&A, while FDI in Europe fell 45% with 18 out of 27 EU countries seeing drops.

Meanwhile, UNCTAD said that regions that are well connected to major developed markets could benefit from global supply chain restructuring.

These include ASEAN, Eastern Europe, West Asia, North Africa, and parts of Central America.

ASEAN posted 2% growth in FDI last year to $235 billion. This is a record for the 10-economy bloc.

Asia had a 7% decline in FDI, Latin America and the Caribbean a 9% drop, and Africa an 89% jump to $94 billion.

“The continued decline in greenfield investments and international project finance underscores the need for robust, diversified strategies to attract and sustain investment, especially in sectors critical for sustainable development,” UNCTAD said.

“For both developed and developing economies, the stakes are high as they navigate this complex landscape,” it added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Negros, Catanduanes, Leyte port rehab, expansion deals awarded 

DOTR FACEBOOK FILE PHOTO

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said it awarded expansion and rehabilitation contracts for three ports, valued at a combined P773 million.

In separate notices posted on its website, PPA said it awarded the contract for the San Carlos, Negros Occidental port improvement project; the Virac, Catanduanes port rehabilitation project; and the San Ricardo, Southern Leyte port expansion project. 

The PPA said the San Carlos contract of P350.13 million was awarded to Silver Dragon Construction and Lumber and Glass Supply, Inc. 

The Bacolod City-based company will have 630 days to complete the improvement works.

Meanwhile, a Bicol-based construction company, Bemkar Construction and Supply, bagged the P119-million Virac project.

The company was given 450 days to complete the rehabilitation works.

Additionally, the PPA said Quezon City-based MRBII Construction Corp. secured the P303.80-million San Ricardo expansion and upgrade contract, which it was given 660 days to complete. 

For the year, PPA said it will continue accelerate its infrastructure projects to help sustain cargo and passenger volume growth.

Between 2024 and 2028, the PPA has allocated about P16 billion to fund infrastructure works, including 14 flagship projects. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Can a discount be a gift?

As we hold public officers and employees to higher standards of conduct and ethics, we also recognize the importance of supporting them in fulfilling these exacting principles of public service. This will reduce the burden of generally perceived low wages, and even boost morale. Given limited resources, it has become a normal practice for concerned and reputable businesses to voluntarily provide their services at discounted prices, with the aim of contributing to the well-being of those who serve the public.

For several years, the Civil Service Commission has teamed up with numerous private business establishments to offer discounts and freebies to civil servants and retired government workers. These business establishments include banks, food chains, retail stores, health and wellness clinics, travel agencies, hotels, and amusement parks. In fact, not a few airlines have partnered and signed a Government Fares Agreement with the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management to give discounted fares to government employees on official business trips. Even government workers using the MRT and LRT fares have been given discounts.

In August, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 88-2024, publishing the full text of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the BIR and the Philippine-Chinese Charitable Association, Inc. (PCCAI). The PCCAI is the owner and operator of the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center.

Under the MoA, the PCCAI offers its medical facilities and services at a discount to the BIR for a year (subject to extension), through its hospital as a charitable project. PCCAI is to provide diagnosis and treatment to officials and employees of the BIR and grant a 50% discount on charges for room occupancy and a 30% discount on laboratory (except blood related procedures), pulmonary (except for the embedded professional fee in ABG) and x-ray (except handling fee) services. This also includes out-patient medical services but excludes the cost of medicine. With this MoA, the BIR aims to provide adequate medical services available to its officials and employees thereby ensuring their health, welfare, and safety.

The MoA clearly provides BIR officials a brief respite to the high cost of medical services in the Philippines, and both the BIR and PCCAI can be lauded for coming up with this. To the curious though, how are these discounts to government workers viewed under Philippine law?

Discounts may potentially be seen as “gifts.” Republic Act (RA) No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, defines a “Gift” as referring to a thing or a right to dispose of gratuitously, or any act or liberality, in favor of another who accepts it. It does not include an unsolicited gift of nominal or insignificant value not given in anticipation of, or in exchange for, a favor from a public official or employee. What is considered a gift of nominal value will depend on the circumstances of each case, taking into account the salary of the official or employee, the frequency or infrequency of the giving, the expectation of benefits, and other similar factors.

The RA prohibits public officials and employees from soliciting or accepting (either directly or indirectly) any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction that may be affected by the functions of their office.

Moreover, RA 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), define the act of “receiving any gift” by a public officer as including accepting, directly or indirectly, a gift from a person other than a member of the public officer’s immediate family, on behalf of himself or of any member of his family or relative within the fourth civil degree (either by consanguinity or affinity), even on the occasion of a family celebration or national festivity like Christmas, if the value of the gift is under the circumstances manifestly excessive.

With the oft-repeated adage that a public office is a public trust, it has been the consistent policy of the State to promote high ethical standards in public service. Thus, public officials and employees are encouraged to discharge their functions with the utmost responsibility and integrity.

While discounted healthcare is a tremendous gift in the general sense, in my view, it does not appear to violate the prohibitions under the RA since the discount seems gratuitously given to everyone at the BIR. Likewise, the BIR’s acceptance is made in consideration of its employees’ health, welfare, and safety. It does not appear to be given by PCCAI in the course of the BIR’s conduct of official duties, or connected to any operation or transaction that may be affected by the functions of their office.

Perhaps some may be concerned that unlike the discounts given by other private businesses to all government workers, the discount under the MoA is given only to a specific government agency — the BIR. As humans, we may, at times, be influenced by special treatments given to us. Perhaps, in the future, a partnership that involves the broader government, though possibly with a lower discount, might warrant less scrutiny.

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

 

Charilyn Caliwag is a senior legal advisor of Cabrera & Co., a Philippine member firm of the PwC network.

charilyn.caliwag@pwc.com

Tabuena leads local golfers in Philippine Open

MIGUEL TABUENA — FACEBOOK.COM/ASIANTOURGOLF

Smart Infinity Philippine Open — newly revived and reintegrated into the Asian Tour

CARMONA, Cavite — For a pro golfer, nothing beats the feeling of hoisting his country’s National Open against an international field in front of kababayans and loved ones.

This essentially will serve as the driving force for 39 Filipino bets as they vie for honors in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open — newly revived and reintegrated into the Asian Tour — for the next four days at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club.

“It’s nice to have the Asian Tour here this week, it’s nice to be playing at home. Hopefully we can keep the Philippine Open with Filipino hands,” Pinoy star Miguel Tabuena said on the eve of the $500,000 event, which marks the Open’s first staging since 2019 as well as its return to the Tour after a decade-long absence.

Mr. Tabuena is gunning for a third crown after prior triumphs in 2015 — the last time the tourney was played as part of the Continental circuit — and 2018.

“Like any other event that I play, I want to win and hopefully, I can win for the third time,” he said.

The 30-year-old leads the local charge that includes former winners Angelo Que (2008) and Gerald Rosales (2000), Justin de los Santos, Tony Lascuña and top female amateur Rianne Malixi against crack foreign bets headlined by former champion Steve Lewton, LIV Golf star Chase Koepka and Tour Order of Merit champions Sihwan Kim, Jazz Janewattananond and Liang Wenchong.

“I’m going against guys who are half my age so I’m going to take it easy,” said 46-year-old Mr. Que ahead of his “homecoming.”

“It’s a plus that we’re playing here in Manila Southwoods, my home course. I’ve been here for 26 years. I’m here everyday. Pressure (of being one of the Filipino stalwarts) is there but I won’t think too much about it.”

With the hazard-laden 7,138-yard Masters course reimagined into a challenging par-70 layout, precision and composure would be key.

“It’s much tougher,” Mr. Tabuena said of the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

“Some of the players who aren’t long off the tee will have trouble especially with the rough being this long. But I believe there’s still some local knowledge out there to be used and I have some of that for sure.”

Mr. Que shared this sentiment.

“I think off the tee, you need to find the fairways because the rough’s a bit thick, eh. So if you can find the fairways more, then you have better chances of going for the pin,” he noted.

“And with wind blowing now like this (mid-day), it’s going to be challenging for everybody.” — Olmin Leyba

Swiatek charges into Australian Open semifinals; Keys overpowers Svitolina

IGA SWIATEK — AUSOPEN.COM

MELBOURNE — A rampaging Iga Swiatek stormed into her second Australian Open semifinal with a 6-1, 6-2 center court demolition of eighth seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday as the world number two underlined her title credentials once again at Melbourne Park.

The quarterfinal passed with a note of controversy, though, with Swiatek scooping up a drop shot that looked perilously close to a double-bounce in the fifth game of the second set, which proved a hammer blow for Navarro.

A throbbing ball of energy from the first point to the last, Swiatek’s win at a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena set up another American match-up with Madison Keys, who overhauled Elina Svitolina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the earlier quarterfinal.

“I think it was much more tougher than the score shows,” Swiatek said on court.

The Pole has a 4-1 record against her next opponent Keys but expected a tough test against the American.

“Madison is a great player and really experienced, so you never know. The match that I lost, she kind of killed me, so I think it can be tricky,” she added.

After beating Ukrainian Svitolina, Keys had said she looked forward to cheering on Navarro as her compatriot took on the five-time Grand Slam champion.

But she was left to ponder the scale of her task as she looks to secure her first Grand Slam final since the 2017 US Open.

Most eyes had been focused on the top half of the women’s draw, where favorite and double-defending champion Aryna Sabalenka booked a semifinal with Paula Badosa on Tuesday.

But it may be the free-swinging Swiatek in pole position for the title, having conceded only 14 games in her five matches.

Though the scoreline suggested otherwise, Navarro gave Swiatek a proper battle in the second set and had a breakpoint in the fifth game tinged by controversy.

Swiatek bolted forward to retrieve a drop shot that appeared to have bounced twice on certain angles of the replay before her racket scooped it up.

Play went on, though, with Swiatek winning both the point and the game with a passing shot, leaving Navarro to remonstrate fruitlessly with the chair umpire.

Navarro could not recover from the blow, losing the next three games to bow out.

While Swiatek squandered a first match point with a poor return into the net, she sealed it on the second when a desperate Navarro fired just wide of the line.

FEARLESS
Keys had earlier blasted into a third Australian Open semifinal with characteristic aggression to notch up her 10th win in succession.

“To be here 10 years later in the semifinals again, I’m really proud of myself and really excited to play another semifinal here in Melbourne,” said Keys, who reached the last four in 2015 and 2022.

“I kind of just had to start playing a little bit more aggressive and try to get to the net a bit quicker.

“I think I played a little bit smarter for sure. Probably a little bit less fearless.”

The 29-year-old from Rock Island, Illinois had lost the last two of her three Grand Slam match-ups with Svitolina, most recently in the fourth round of the 2019 US Open.

And she appeared set for another setback as the counter-punching Ukrainian took full advantage of Keys’ early waywardness on a cool and breezy morning.

Keys dropped serve in the eighth game with an unforced error and then gifted the set with another error as Gael Monfils nodded approval at his wife Svitolina from the player’s box.

Keys raised her game, though, pressuring Svitolina on serve to earn a breakpoint in the fourth game of the second set.

But Svitolina saved it with a brilliant reflex volley that left the American smiling ruefully.

Two games later, Svitolina finally buckled on serve as Keys found her range with a forehand winner. Keys had two set points at 5-3 but blew one with a wild forehand into the tramlines before closing it out with a big serve.

She kept up the firepower, raising two break points at 2-2 in the third set with a forehand down the line before taking Svitolina’s serve with a ferocious backhand return.

Keys marched on in a barrage of power hitting, claiming the win on the first match point when a harried Svitolina thumped a backhand well past the baseline. — Reuters

PLDT battles Choco Mucho for magic 4 slot

Games on Thursday
(PhilSports Arena)
4 p.m. – Akari vs Nxled
6:30 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs PLDT

PLDT eyes to stay inside the magic four while Choco Mucho fights for it as the two collide Thursday in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

The High Speed Hitters settled an old score with the Akari Chargers following a quick, merciless 25-22, 25-16, 25-15 victory on Saturday that sent it inside the magic four with a 4-2 record.

But more than exacting revenge on the franchise that denied it a potential title shot in the Reinforced Conference last year, PLDT spiker Savi Davison said it was all about starting the year right.

“I think the most important part was winning our first game in 2025 and starting on a high note,” said Ms. Davison, who is expected to carry the cudgels anew after dropping a 15-point effort in that ghastly decimation over Akari.

The Flying Titans, for their part, aim to barge into the top four and improve on their 4-3 record.

Choco Mucho, which survived ZUS Coffee’s upset try with a come-from-behind 20-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 15-9 win also on Saturday, however, will be minus star spiker Kat Tolentino.

Ms. Tolentino will be out for a while after going under the knife to remove a ruptured appendix on Tuesday, which would be a big blow to a franchise seeking to boost its stock.

Game time is at 6:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, sister teams Akari (3-4) and Nxled (0-6) tangle at 4 p.m. — Joey Villar