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Understanding the four industrial revolutions

FREEPIK

Part 4

As we have seen, the Philippine economy is simultaneously undergoing the four industrial revolutions.

The first one (IR1), also known as the Machine Age, improved human productivity with machines. There is still much to be done in the Philippines to improve the productivity of agricultural workers and farmers by the introduction of more mechanized systems of farming, not to mention improving by increased mechanization the productivity of workers in post-harvest, storage, transport, food processing and all the other phases of the supply chain in agribusiness up to the ultimate consumers.

The second revolution (IR2) had to do with the discovery of electricity and assembly line production. There is still much to do to bring electricity to the remote areas of the Philippine archipelago where some of the poorest Filipinos live. It was also during IR2 when Henry Ford (1863-1947) took the idea of mass production from a slaughterhouse in Chicago in which the pigs hung from conveyor belts and each butcher performed only a part of the task of butchering the animal. Ford carried over these principles into automobile production and drastically altered it in the process. While before one station assembled an entire automobile, now the vehicles were produced in partial steps on the conveyor belt, significantly faster and at lower cost. The Philippines has advanced significantly in this stage of IR2 by being part of the global supply chains through manufacturing for exports auto parts and semiconductor devices, among others.

The third industrial revolution (IR3) began in the 1970s through partial automation using memory-programmable controls and computers. Since these technologies were introduced, we have been able to automate an entire production process without human assistance. Examples of this are robots that perform programmed sequences without human intervention. Leading Philippine corporations are beneficiaries of the advances in electronics and the invention and manufacturing of electronic devices such as transistors, memory programmable controls, and computers. In addition, software systems and processes were developed, like Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP), product flow scheduling, and shipping logistics. Supply chain management concept was formalized during this period. These practices are very much in use in the Philippine corporate sector. In fact, one of the sectors that took a quantum leap during the pandemic is logistics or supply chain management.

Today there is a lot of excitement about the fourth industrial revolution (IR4). Also referred to as the age of digitalization, this phase of the industrial revolution is changing the way we connect and exchange information. Powered by information, communication technologies and use of cyber-physical systems, it has introduced the concept of connected devices (the Internet of Things or IoT), cloud computing, additive manufacturing, robotics, augmented reality, smart factories, data analytics, and artificial intelligence technologies to further automate the processes. We see these advances especially applied in our country to the financial sector, logistics, research institutions, and manufacturing. Although IR4 will have limited impact on the biggest economic challenge to our society, which is eradicating mass poverty, we should maximize its use in supporting digital financial inclusion addressed to the close to 70% of our population who are unbanked, especially the 20% who fall below the poverty line.

IR4 is especially relevant to the inclusion initiatives of the Philippine Central Bank (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP). The BSP has put in place the building blocks of an inclusive digital finance ecosystem, namely, 1.) democratized access to a transaction account; 2.) expanded network of low-cost financial touch points; and, 3.) interoperable digital payments. Through the tools made available by IR4, the BSP intends to accomplish the following inclusion initiatives: 1.) Increasing the number of Filipinos with an account by leveraging on compelling use cases; 2.) Enhancing the digital infrastructure to support digital financial inclusion; and, 3.) Promoting access to finance for the agricultural and MSME sectors. Through these initiatives, the BSP hopes to bring 70% of adult Filipinos into the banked population by 2023. It is also targeted that by that year, 50% of transactions, both in terms of volume and value, will be done digitally. Additionally, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has also introduced the new framework called CHIP (Connect, Harness, Innovate, and Protect) that seeks to expand the uptake of digital services in mobile payments, telemedicine, and e-commerce. Also significant are efforts of private enterprises to provide digital solutions to small farmers so that they can be in direct online touch with markets about prices of their products, thus freeing themselves from the oligopolistic hold of middlemen.

Another development that is enabled by IR4 is leading to the convergence of the telecom, IT, and media sectors. This trend can do much to help achieve inclusive growth. As Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research reported recently, government subsidies to about 6 million Filipinos as well as the relatively high mobile penetration rate of 58% in the Philippines will help boost digital transactions and open up opportunities for fintech players. Because broadband is still very limited across the archipelago, players that are part of telecommunication companies like Globe and PLDT have a competitive advantage. For example, Globe Telecom, Inc.’s mobile wallet GCash already has 31 million users, many of them being OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and their relatives, with transactions surpassing the P1 trillion mark. Predictably, the other strong player in the market is PayMaya, owned by PLDT, Inc., which has 28 million users, with the value of transactions coursed through the platform growing 3.5 times at the end of 2020 from the prior year. Voyager Innovations, also owned by PLDT, has recently moved into adjacent verticals such as providing business loans and health insurance. What Voyager has done is just one step away from digital banking which can do much to address the needs of the unbanked, especially in the rural areas where 75% of the poorest of the poor live and work. As an aside, an example of the convergence of telecom, IT, and mass media — as reported by L.W.T. Noble in this paper (July 9-10) — is the majority ownership by PLDT of BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star group, which it controls.

As the Philippines transition from a low-middle income to an upper-middle income economy in the next three years, it is reasonable that we aspire to be fully integrated into Industrial Revolution 4.0 and avoid the unfortunate experiences of the past during which we literally missed the boat in having our IR1, IR2 and IR3 because of failed economic policies. Our having given short shrift to agricultural and rural development and adopting an inward-looking, import-substitution industrialization strategy prevented us from fully benefiting from the first three industrial revolutions. Before we become overly excited about Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Big Data, autonomous vehicles, nanotechnology, etc., however, let us have a reality check. Let us make sure that our main objective in using the tools and technology of IR4 will be to liberate our more than 20 million fellow citizens who are still suffering from dehumanizing poverty. That is why, I have given much importance above to a prime example of how IR4 can help both the rural and urban poor have access to financial services through digital banking and similar applications. I am especially appealing to Generation Z or the centennials, born with a smart phone in their hands, to make sure that IR4 will be a means to help to reduce our poverty incidence to zero in their lifetime, as some of our Southeast Asian neighbors have already done.

To be continued.

 

Bernardo M. Villegas has a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Asia and the Pacific, and a Visiting Professor at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He was a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.

bernardo.villegas@uap.asia

Correct a glaring policy flaw

FREEPIK

In a statement released recently by the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) and the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU), private schools nationwide urged legislators to immediately pass into law pending bills that would permanently resolve the tax controversy that increased the sector’s income tax rate by 150%.

As a backgrounder, it is necessary to first point out that on July 28 of this year, the Department of Finance (DoF) approved Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Regulation No. 14-2021 (RR 14) that “suspends the implementation of certain provisions of RR No. 5-2021 relative to taxation of proprietary educational institutions,” which was issued on April 8. Revenue Regulations No. 5-2021 imposes an onerous tax policy that, among others, more than doubles the 10% tax rate applied to private schools since 1968 to 25%. This is highly questionable, especially in the context of the economic slump that we all face under the current pandemic which has already caused the closure of no less than at least 900 private learning institutions since last year, displacing tens of thousands of students, education workers, and a whole slew of businesses allied to educational service delivery.

In fact, this policy move totally ignores and in effect counters the spirit of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act or CREATE Act. This law was passed just last March to supposedly grant tax relief for companies in financial need, provide transparent tax provisions, and to further increase the competitiveness of the country. The CREATE Act actually set a 1% tax rate for private school operations, a time bound alleviation measure to counter the disruptive effects of COVID-19.

It needs to be underscored that private schools have been diligent, innovative, and agile partners of government in actually making education more accessible to Filipinos. It also needs to be understood that school closures since last year include the negative impact on allied services or businesses, as a school in a community actually creates a local socio-economic ecosystem. If a school closes, whether public or private, other businesses in the community are also adversely affected. Indeed, BIR’s RR 5–2021 puts at extreme risk the economic situation of so many private education institutions across the archipelago. It even negates the education nurturing government program called the GASTPE or Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education and other supportive reforms initiated by the President.

COCOPEA, in its most recent statement regarding the issue, stressed that a “curative legislation” is necessary and not just the suspension order from the BIR as “it may be withdrawn again or reversed anytime by the BIR and DoF given the history of revenue issuances on this matter.”

Hence, COCOPEA now urgently appeals for the swift approval of House Bill 9913, sponsored by Representative Joey Salceda, Deputy Speaker Rufus, Representatives Kiko Benitez, Luis Villafuerte, Mark Go, Joy Tambunting, and co-authored by 68 other congressmen, and Senate Bill 2272 sponsored by Senator Sonny Angara and supported by 15 other senators.

It is not an overstatement that these need to be consolidated and signed into law as soon as possible before the new school year starts this coming September. Moreover, time is of the essence given the calendar of congressional sessions, as the Philippine Congress is about to start its annual budget deliberations.

In a survey done last April by the private education network PACU, it was found out that “over 50% of their survey respondents, which are their member private schools with higher education program offerings, have experienced a decline in enrollment of 10 to 50+% in SY 2020-21 compared to the prior schoolyear.” This translates to over a million students, faculty, and school personnel in private schools being displaced or less academic programs to enroll in.

Undeniably then, our esteemed members of Congress need to listen to the voice of the private schools as represented by COCOPEA and PACU. This is not the time to further regulate and levy higher taxes on these private sector service institutions. The imperative to provide them with better public support has become more evident. As several our legislators have already taken the lead, we sincerely hope that the other members of the House of Representatives and the Senate would follow suit. Let us not allow an ill-conceived revenue policy make an already serious situation even worse. Ignoring the CREATE Law and enforcing BIR’s RR 5–2021 is like rubbing salt on the gaping wounds of our beleaguered educational system.

In the interest of the whole nation, BIR’s RR 5–2021 must be rescinded and the private school system be further supported to survive through these troubled times. A new law is needed immediately to correct this glaring policy flaw and to enliven the flagging private education ecosystem.

 

Louie C. Montemar, a Professor of Sociology and Political Science, is an Education Fellow of the Stratbase ADR Institute.

No vaccine, no work

KERFIN7-FREEPIK

It was reported in the news recently, that CNN in New York, USA fired three employees who violated company policy by reporting for work unvaccinated against the COVID-19 virus1. Jeff Zucker, CNN chief, was reported to have said that CNN has a zero-tolerance policy on the matter — referring to the policy requiring employees reporting onsite to get vaccinated. In another piece of news, United Airlines will require all its more than 67,000 US employees to get vaccinated by no later than Oct. 25 this year or risk termination2.

Unlike gender or race, for instance, a person’s vaccination status is not currently one of the legally protected characteristics or classifications under federal and state laws, thus, the prevailing sentiment in the US is that employers can legally make employment decisions based on the vaccination status of their employees. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of the US has, in fact, issued guidelines providing, among others, that businesses generally may require workers who report onsite to be vaccinated without running afoul of the country’s anti-discrimination laws. However, due consideration and reasonable accommodations must be afforded to employees who refuse a vaccine for religious or medical reasons. To address this conundrum, some states have already proposed legislation prohibiting discrimination in the workplace and elsewhere based on vaccination status.

In contrast, the Philippine government, through the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), issued on March 12, Labor Advisory No. 03, Series of 2021 (Guidelines on the Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Workplaces), proscribing the adoption and implementation of a “no vaccine, no work” policy. In the said Advisory, “covered establishments and employers shall endeavor to encourage their employees to get vaccinated. However, any employee who refuses or fails to be vaccinated shall not be discriminated against in terms of tenure, promotion, training, pay, and other benefits, among others, or terminated from employment.” Furthermore, under Republic Act No. 11525 — “the vaccine card shall not be considered as an additional mandatory requirement for educational, employment, and other similar government transaction processes.”

The intent of the DoLE Advisory and RA 11525 to prohibit discrimination is laudable. By virtue of the advisory and the law, vaccination status may arguably now be considered as a legally protected characteristic or classification, along with gender (Articles 133-135, Labor Code), age (RA 10911; DoLE DO 170, Series of 2017), disability (RA 7277), medical conditions (RA 11166 — HIV/AIDS); civil status (RA 8972), race or tribe (RA 8371), and mental health (RA 11036), among others. Therefore, unlike in the US where employers can discriminate in the absence of a specific law classifying vaccination status as a legally protected characteristic, the employees in the Philippines can cite the DoLE Advisory and law in parrying any attempt on the part of the employer to implement a policy discriminating against unvaccinated employees.

But then, is this absolute?

Note that even under the above-cited laws prohibiting discrimination, there are exceptions. For example, an employer may discriminate as to age or physical disability if it is a bona fide occupational qualification or BFOQ. Case law in fact allows discrimination as to the weight of flight attendants because it is a reasonable BFOQ in the airline industry (Yrasuegi vs. PAL, G.R. No. 168081, 17 October 2008). To justify a BFOQ, the Supreme Court held that the employer must prove two things: 1.) the employment qualification is reasonably related to the essential operation of the job involved; and, 2.) that there is factual basis for believing that all or substantially all persons meeting the qualification would be unable to properly perform the duties of the job (Star Paper Corp. vs. Simbol, G.R. No. 164774, 12 April 2006).

It is not clear though how this concept of BFOQ will fit into the issue of vaccination discrimination. You can probably make a case for hospitals and other medical institutions and argue that vaccination is reasonably related to the essential operation in the workplace, but this may not be so in other industries.

Perhaps given that Advisory No. 03 is couched in general terms, employers may want to clarify with the DoLE the nature and extent of the prohibition against discrimination. For example, while there should be no discrimination in terms of training, is it discriminatory to segregate the employees and schedule separate training days for the vaccinated and unvaccinated? Or, while everybody is allowed to report for work onsite regardless of vaccination status, can an employer say that all vaccinated employees should occupy the ground floor and the unvaccinated the second floor? Or is the employer allowed to assign a separate shuttle bus for the unvaccinated employees? Medically speaking there may not be difference because now news reports say that even vaccinated individuals can also be infected and can infect others and, therefore, there is no substantial basis to distinguish between the two groups of employees. However, on the other hand, note that the unvaccinated employees are not being deprived of their right to go to work, attend training, or avail of the shuttle service; it is just that they exercise and enjoy these rights under a different set-up or location. Sure, there may be emotional distress or psychological impact at being left out or separated, but could this serve as sufficient basis to hold the employer liable for discrimination? How about the “right” of the vaccinated employees to feel secure or comfortable, at least psychologically?

On another point, do you treat anti-vaxxer employees who do not want to get the jab because of their irrational and unfounded conspiracy theories, differently from those who refuse to be vaccinated on religious and medical grounds? Bluntly, can idiocy be a basis to make a substantial distinction? How I wish it was that easy.

Beyond the employment setting, discrimination against unvaccinated individuals is also a lingering issue. Recently, to presumably address the issue of vaccine hesitancy among the populace, the President allegedly remarked that he will order the arrest of people who refuse to get the jab and that they will not be eligible to get the “ayuda” during the ECQ Part III (enhanced community quarantine, which is the strictest quarantine level). This reportedly forced people to go in droves to vaccination sites, particularly in the cities of Manila and Las Piñas, resulting in chaos and cancellation of inoculations. This was readily dismissed by the Palace as fake news.

Fake news or not, these unfortunate incidents in the said cities — which may well be considered as super spreader events — emphasize the need to come up with an enabling law to implement the general welfare clause in the Constitution, bearing in mind the equal protection clause therein. Hopefully this enabling law will en route also clarify and answer the questions posed above on discrimination in the workplace. n

1 https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/aug/05/cnn-fires-employees-covid-unvaccinated-office

2 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/06/united-airlines-vaccine-mandate-employees.hml

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not offered and does not constitute legal advice or legal opinion.

 

Neptali B. Salvanera is a Partner at the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices or ACCRALAW.

(632) 8830-8000

nbsalvanera@accralaw.com

Singapore hits 70% full vaccination as rules ease

SINGAPORE said 70% of its population has been fully vaccinated, and 79% have received at least one dose, giving the city-state one of the best vaccination rates in the world as today it starts to ease social distancing restrictions and restart parts of the economy.

In an effort to vaccinate the rest, the island trade hub said citizens and long-term residents will no longer need to make an appointment to get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and can instead walk in to any of the more than two dozen clinics offering it to get a jab. The country earlier this month also made the Moderna vaccine available on a walk-in basis.

Singapore has made “good progress” in its national COVID-19 vaccination program, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. “Vaccination remains a key enabler in our fight against COVID-19. We urge all who are eligible to be vaccinated.”

Singapore today began easing some of its COVID rules, allowing dining in to resume and raising group sizes to five for those who’ve been fully vaccinated. Work-from-home rules are expected to ease next week.

Singapore will also “very soon” be able to offer vaccinations to short-term visa holders who have been living in Singapore, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a Facebook post.

The first reported virus case in a recent karaoke lounge cluster was of an individual who had entered the country via a short-term visa pass, one of a number of short-term visa holders linked to the outbreak. The cluster sparked a furor about the government’s short-term visa rules as well as questions on why those people were ineligible for vaccination.

The country is targeting vaccinating 80% of its population by early September in order to start relaxing some of its toughest restrictions, including allowing quarantine-free travel for vaccinated travelers where frequent testing could replace mandatory stay-home rules on arrival. — Bloomberg

Improvements must continue after Tokyo Games success, says MVP Sports Foundation

“It’s a milestone and a breakthrough for Philippine sports, and the best haul in so many years. It’s right for the athletes and the nation to celebrate the achievement that was made [at the Tokyo Olympics]. But when the celebration dies down, we have to start working again. It has been our best performance so far and our job is to keep improving,” said MVPSF Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan.

FOLLOWING the multi-medal performance of Team Philippines in the just-concluded Tokyo Olympic Games, efforts to sustain the achievement’s gains and push for improvement must be made moving forward, the MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) said.

Speaking on One News’ The Chiefs on Monday night, officials of MVPSF noted that while the breakthrough showing of the country in the Olympics is something to celebrate about, the work continues for sustained success to be achieved.

“It’s a milestone and a breakthrough for Philippine sports, and the best haul in so many years. It’s right for the athletes and the nation to celebrate the achievement that was made,” said Manny V. Pangilinan, MVPSF chairman.

“But when the celebration dies down, we have to start working again. It has been our best performance so far and our job is to keep improving,” he added.

In the Tokyo Games, the Philippines hauled a total of four medals, including a first-ever gold won by weightlifter Hidilyn F. Diaz.

Boxers Nesthy A. Petecio and Carlo Paalam secured silver medals, while Eumir Felix D. Marcial also of boxing added a bronze.

The performance was the first multi-medal showing for the Philippines since the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles where three bronze medals were won.

The 1-2-1 medal haul for the country was also good for 50th place overall at the Tokyo Games.

Established 10 years ago, part of the vision of MVPSF was to help in winning the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal.

Since its inception, the organization has poured in at least P2 billion, apart from personal investments of its officials, towards achieving its goals for Philippine sports.

In the recent Olympics, MVPSF was well represented as the majority of the athletes who competed were supported by the foundation in one form or another, including Ms. Diaz and the boxing team.

Seeing its efforts make significant headways, the MVPSF is more determined to continue what it has started and reach even greater heights as far as its mission.

“We should sit down by September, look at the overall sports program that we undertook for the past 10 years; see what went wrong and what went right. Also, we should also plan ahead for future competitions,” Mr. Pangilinan said.

And it is not only the MVPSF but also the other sports stakeholders in the country.

“There is also a need not only from the private sector, but also from the government to really keep it (success) going. We set the bar high in Tokyo. The training of the athletes must continue and we have to give them the needed exposure to develop their game,” said MVPSF President Alfredo “Al” S. Panlilio.

LONG TERM
Long-term efforts, too, must also be laid out, said Mr. Pangilinan.

From their end, part of their thrust moving on is setting up a Center for Sports Excellence, which would serve as a learning and training hub for athletes.

“It already has the hotel facilities there, rooms, and then space to build badminton courts, boxing gyms, basketball courts. And we’ll have sports psychologists, trainers, coaches living there as well, so it will effectively be a National Sports Center,” Mr. Pangilinan said.

As interest in supporting sports is expected to gain wind with the Filipino athletes’ success in Tokyo, the idea for the Philippine Business for Sports Development (PBSD) is now needed more than ever.

The PBSD, whose formation is being spearheaded by Mr. Pangilinan, is designed to strengthen private sector support for Filipino athletes.

“We should have a Philippine Business for Sports Development, invite major companies, sponsors, that might be willing to support,” he said, taking note of its impact on the training of elite athletes and grassroots sports initiatives.

The journey for the MVPSF has been a challenging one and it expects to continue being so, but Mr. Pangilinan said it is all worth it, especially seeing what the athletes have achieved and the efforts they put in. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

US-South Korea drills begin despite North’s warning

REUTERS

SEOUL — South Korea and the United States will face even greater security threats for going ahead with annual joint military drills due to begin this week, Kim Yo Jong, a powerful North Korean official and sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said on Tuesday.

South Korea and the United States began preliminary training on Tuesday with larger, computer-simulated exercises scheduled for next week, the Yonhap news agency reported, despite nuclear-armed North Korea’s warning that the exercises would set back progress in improving inter-Korean relations.

The drills are an “unwelcome, self-destructive action” that threaten the North Korean people and raise tensions on the Korean peninsula, Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA.

“The United States and South Korea will face a more serious security threat by ignoring our repeated warnings to push ahead with the dangerous war exercises,” she said.

She accused South Korea of “treacherous treatment” for going ahead with the drills shortly after a hotline between Pyongyang and Seoul was reconnected in a bid to ease tensions.

North Korea’s reaction to the drills threatens to upend efforts by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to reopen a joint liaison office that Pyongyang blew up last year and to hold a summit as part of efforts to restore relations.

US Department of Defense spokesman Martin Meiners declined to comment on the North Korean statement and said it was against policy to comment on training.

“Combined training events are a ROK-US bilateral decision, and any decisions will be a mutual agreement,” he said, using the initials of South Korea’s official name.

A spokesman for South Korea’s defense ministry declined to comment on the preliminary drills during a briefing on Tuesday, and said the two countries were still discussing the timing, scale and method of the regular exercises.

The United States stations around 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, which ended in an armistice rather than a peace deal, leaving the peninsula in a technical state of war.

The exercises have been scaled back in recent years to facilitate talks aimed at dismantling Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs in return for U.S. sanctions relief.

But the negotiations collapsed in 2019, and while both North Korea and the United States say they are open to diplomacy, both also say it is up to the other side to take action.

Kim said US military actions showed that Washington’s talk of diplomacy is a hypocritical cover for aggression on the peninsula, and that peace would only be possible if the United States dismantled its military force in the South.

North Korea would boost its “absolute deterrence,” including a “strong pre-emptive strike capability,” to counter the ever-increasing US military threat, she said.

“The reality has proven that only practical deterrence, not words, can guarantee peace and security of the Korean peninsula, and that it is an imperative for us to build up power to strongly contain external threats,” she said. — Reuters

Creamline Cool Smashers back in another PVL finals

THE CREAMLINE Cool Smashers are back in the PVL Finals once again. — PVL MEDIA BUREAU

THE Creamline Cool Smashers are back in familiar territory after barging into another finals in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

Creamline booked a spot in the championship series of the PVL Open Conference after completing a sweep of the Petro Gazz Angels in their best-of-three semifinals in Game Two on Monday at the PSV Socio-Civic & Cultural Center in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.

The Cool Smashers eliminated the Angels in straight sets, 27-25, 25-22, 25-16.

While Creamline faced another stiff challenge from Petro Gazz, it was not like in the series-opener where it had to dig deeper and come from behind to claim the match in five sets.

Tots Carlos continued with her stellar play for the Cool Smashers in Game Two, top-scoring with 21 points, 18 off attacks.

Jema Galanza backstopped her with 12 while Alyssa Valdez and Risa Sato had nine and eight points, respectively.

“It’s a total team effort. All our coaches’ reminders were on point and we were able to apply all of them,” said Ms. Valdez of their performance.

For Petro Gazz, it was Ria Meneses who led with nine points, followed by Ces Molina with eight and Remy Palma seven points.

Creamline, a three-time PVL champion, would either face in the finals Chery Tiggo Crossovers and Choco Mucho Flying Titans, who were to meet in their rubber match semifinals later on Tuesday.

The PVL Open Conference finals is set for Wednesday. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Filipino teen tennis ace Eala falls short of making it to main draw of W25 Koksijde

FILIPINO tennis ace Alex Eala is the second seed in the upcoming 2021 Roland Garros Junior Championships.
FILIPINO tennis ace Alex Eala — ALEX EALA FB PAGE

FILIPINO teen tennis ace Alex M. Eala fell short in her push to make it to the main draw of the International Tennis Federation’s W25 Koksijde tournament in Belgium after losing to American Taylor Ng, 3-6, 6-4, 9-11, in the second round of the qualifying draw on Monday night.

After breezing through in the opening round, 16-year-old Ms. Eala found a tougher challenge in 26-year-old Ms. Ng in the next phase of the $25,000 clay tournament.

The Rafa Nadal Academy scholar fought hard in the contest despite struggling with her serve once again, but in the end, Ms. Ng just had the breaks late in the third set to book the win.

The result was the second straight early exit in a tournament for Ms. Eala after the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 250 tournament in Romania previously, where she fell in the Round of 16.

Ms. Eala is the number two-ranked junior player in the world and ranked 505th on the WTA. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

House leaders seek to confer Congressional Medal of Distinction to three Olympic boxers

KEY HOUSE lawmakers are seeking to confer the Congressional Medal of Distinction to Filipino boxers Nesthy A. Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Felix D. Marcial after winning silver and bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“Winning a medal at the Olympics was no easy feat as our boxers had to compete against the best athletes in the world,” said House Speaker Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco on Tuesday.

House Bill 2093 filed by Mr. Velasco, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, and Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen S. Paduano seeks to confer the Congressional Medal of Distinction to Ms. Petecio for her “significant” triumph in the Tokyo Games as she brought the Philippines’ first Olympic medal in women’s boxing.

The Congressional Medal of Distinction is awarded by the House of Representatives for Filipino achievers in the field of sports, medicine, science, business, and other related fields.

“Petecio’s win is also noteworthy because a Filipina has brought home the long-sought honor for a sport considered by majority of Filipinos to be the domain of men,” House leaders said in a statement.

Similar honors will also be filed by House leaders for Mr. Paalam and Mr. Marcial. — Russell Louis C. Ku

Mavericks’ Luka Dončić agrees to five-year, $207-M deal

DALLAS Mavericks superstar guard Luka Dončić agreed to terms on a five-year, $207-million supermax rookie extension, multiple media outlets reported on Monday.

The Mavericks announced they will hold a news conference Tuesday in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Dončić and agent Bill Duffy, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, general manager Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd are expected to participate.

Dončić, 22, is eligible for the designated rookie max extension since he’s been voted first-team All-NBA on two occasions.

“Today is a dream come true,” Dončić told ESPN in a statement. “The game of basketball has given me so much and has taken me to so many amazing places. I am humbled and excited to remain in Dallas as part of the Mavericks and appreciate the support of my fans. — Reuters

Velasco on PSC and Philippine sports in NSS final session

Philippine Sports Commission Chief of Staff and National Sports Summit Project Director Marc Edward Velasco will talk about the PSC and Philippine sports in the 25th and final session of the online NSS 2021 on Wednesday.

“We’re now down to our final session and with that, we want to give our participants, our partners in developing sports programs in the country, a chance to see what the PSC does in the whole scheme of things in the sports community,” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez who, along with Mr. Velasco, supported and witnessed the historic and best-ever performance of our national athletes in the 2020+1 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Mr. Ramirez said that it is important to the PSC board for the agency’s stakeholders to understand the mandate and role of the PSC as this can help them know “where we can help them” in their own efforts for sports in their areas and own capacities.

Mr. Velasco is also the National Training Director of the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) for over five years now.

From 2004-2008, he headed the Strength and Conditioning Unit of the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine of the PSC now known as the Medical Scientific Athletes Services Unit (MSAS). He also served as the Strength and Conditioning Coach and Consultant of the Hong Kong Sports Institute (2008-2013) and Hong Kong Rugby Union (2015-2016).

The online PSC summit is aimed at taking insights of different sports stakeholders and using them as foundations in crafting a sustainable and workable short to long-term plan for Philippine sports.

The PSC said all data gathered from the web series will be processed and studied to create a new set of resolutions to be presented to sports leaders for action.

Barça fans ‘devastated’ at Messi exit; one files legal complaints

BARCELONA/PARIS — Lionel Messi appeared in no hurry to leave his home in Barcelona on Monday as fans gathered outside spoke of their sadness at the departure of the club’s greatest player and Paris St.-Germain (PSG) supporters clamored for his arrival.

One Barça member filed complaints with a French court and with the European Commission to try to block any move by PSG to sign Messi, according to documents seen by Reuters on Monday.

The 34-year-old Argentine on Sunday bid farewell to the club he has spent his entire career at and confirmed that he was talking with the Paris club over a possible move.

There were no signs of any imminent exit from the player’s house in the hills of the wealthy Barcelona district of Castelldefels on Monday, however.

Messi was glimpsed in the afternoon in swimming trunks.

“He’s clearly still here, looking very relaxed indeed,” Sky Sports News Reporter Gary Cotterill told British television viewers in a live update from outside the house.

Barcelona fans were still coming to terms with events.

“I feel devastated,” said Cristian Garcia, wearing a Barça shirt with Messi’s name and number 10 on the back.

“To see a player that I have always followed, who is an example for me, to see him leave now brings me a lot of pain.”

Messi said he had agreed a 50% pay cut in order to stay at Barça and sign a new contract but was unable to finalize the deal due to the Spanish league’s financial control rules and the club’s debts, which total more than €1 billion ($1.2 billion).

La Liga said last Wednesday it had secured a private equity injection of €2.7 billion from firm CVC, with the funds to be shared among the clubs in return for 10% of the league’s revenue.

It had been believed this would allow Barcelona to get the Messi deal done, but after Real Madrid rejected the proposal and said they would take legal action against La Liga, Barça also came out against it.

“I don’t think the club has done enough to make him stay, I think it was in the club’s hands to make him stay, beyond the money,” said Barça and Argentina fan Gonzalo Moreno.

Messi said on Sunday that PSG was “a possibility,” but that he had not yet signed any deal.

LEGAL COMPLAINT
In the Barcelona member’s legal complaints, shared by the fan’s lawyer, the member claims that French football authorities have failed to enforce their own financial fair play (FFP) rules in order to help PSG become a force in European football.

Barcelona, like their main La Liga rivals Real Madrid, are fully owned by their subscription-paying members known as “socios.”

The FFP rules notably forbid top European soccer clubs to pay their playing squads an excessive share of their total revenues, according to the complaints, which also state that the transfer of Messi to PSG would breach the code.

PSG and the French football league did not immediately respond to e-mailed requests for comment.

Messi said he wants to carry on playing for as long as possible, adding he still harbors ambitions to win another Champions League trophy.

“We’re waiting for a legend, the legend that is Leo Messi,” said PSG fan Mehmet Sen, who had been waiting at the gates to Paris’ Le Bourget airport since 2 a.m. for a glimpse of the star. — Reuters

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