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Must we ‘Cha-cha’ in the pandemic?

In the languor and lassitude forced by the unabating 10 month-long COVID-19 quarantine, it adds insult to injury to make the anxious, near-catatonic people dance like pitiful puppets to the cha-cha-cha of autocratic governance.

Granted that some autocratic firmness must be employed in herding the people to follow recommended procedures to safeguard public health and survival in the pandemic, it would still be incumbent upon leaders to observe and respect democratic rights, particularly the peoples’ rights to know, to choose, and to speak. “Emergency powers” are for the management of the pandemic, and do not sweep out human rights. Yet it may also be that the lethargy of forced isolation and restrictions has dulled the senses to a stupor in the mind — how many strange happenings have there been in the past almost-a-year that by political sleight of hand, are now part of our laws and social-political mores, entrenched in the fearful, sluggish collective consciousness?

On the first Sunday after New Year’s Day weekend, House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco announced that the House of Representatives will immediately commence debates on constitutional amendments (Charter Change or Cha-cha), which changes will be presented for the public’s ratification alongside the 2022 national elections.

“Days after taking over the House leadership in October last year, Velasco said there was ‘no more time’ to pursue charter change as government should focus on the COVID-19 pandemic,” ABS-CBN News reminded all in a newscast on Jan. 10. It was news indeed that the House turned around and now pushes for Cha-cha again, even while the pandemic is still raging, and the country has not even made up its mind on the vaccine to be used to control the rising contagion of the coronavirus.

But like the forward-backward dance steps of the cha-cha-cha, lawmakers had gone yes-and-no on proposing the charter changes. Due to expressed public suspicions that Cha-cha was a ruse to extend elective positions, President Rodrigo Duterte’s 2016 campaign promise to shift to federalism by amending the constitution has been whittled down to proposals to change only some economic provisions. In July 2019, Velasco had filed a bill to amend Articles II, XIV, and XVI, which are provisions in the Constitution that prevent foreign ownership of land and businesses in the country. The easing of restrictions on the ownership and management of mass media, public utilities, educational institutions, investments and capital to foreign investors is also proposed by HB 2.

Lawyer-economist and civic leader Christian Monsod said this is the fourth time that it has been proposed to change the economic provisions of the Constitution. The first try was the Constitutional Correction for Development (Concord) under former president Joseph Estrada, then the Sigaw ng Bayan under former president Gloria Arroyo, then another initiative by former House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. In a Teleradyo interview on Jan. 8, Monsod, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, called fresh moves to change the constitution “very dangerous and insidious.”

“It is a sin to be even talking about changing the Constitution when there is still no end in sight to the pandemic, when the government is struggling to secure funding for COVID-19 vaccines, and when the country is still reeling from the continuing impact of the pandemic and the recent typhoons,” Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon said in a news interview on ABS-CBN on Jan. 7. But the “sin” was perhaps absentmindedly permitted by an emotionally numbed people, diverted from pandemic fears by the welcome break of Christmas and the New Year. Senators Francis Tolentino and Ronald dela Rosa (alleged allies of President Duterte) had already filed in December a resolution for both houses of Congress to convene as a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) in lieu of a people-participative Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) to discuss limited amendments to the Constitution.

“This is really not the time to talk about this,” Opposition Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said. But the Senate has already been effectively drawn into the Con-Ass way of fast-tracking the proposed Cha-cha on at least the economic provisions. And if the House of Representatives has its way, the Con-Ass will be voting as one instead of the 304-man House of Representatives and the 24-man Senate voting separately for approval of the proposed changes, as consolidated and distilled in the plenaries. In joint voting (as one), does the Senate really have a say, with its disproportionately small number?

Ay, Senators Drilon and Pangilinan, even voting separately might not mean the Senate will chorus your vehement “No” to Cha-cha on economic provisions. “After the 2019 (mid-term) polls, the ruling party PDP-Laban (Duterte’s party) and its allies take both the Senate and the House,” Rappler noted on July 2, 2019. “But you need three-fourths vote to approve Consti amendments,” Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto quite uselessly reminded, careless of the arithmetic. And in the daze of the depressing COVID isolation and social distancing, will there be enough energy for a groundswell of people protesting?

The implications of the proposed economic amendments to the 1987 Constitution are indeed heightened by the COVID situation. If, before COVID, it was a matter of weighing costs against the economic benefits of allowing foreign ownership of land and businesses in the country and easing of restrictions on the ownership and management of mass media, public utilities, educational institutions, investments and capital to foreign investors — now all previous assumptions and projections must be restated; analyses and calibrations must be reviewed and perhaps even totally junked. There is a “New Now” after COVID-19. Have we not heard the New Now repeatedly called upon by economists and politicians, theorists and practitioners, as the reason (or their alibi) for why things do not now work out the way they did, using the same tools and techniques?

In the long drawn-out and economically draining pandemic, land and indigenous natural resources have been confirmed as the most basic resource for survival, given that economic activity derives from this without dependence on external sourcing that will extort costly competitive pricing. Why, when the world has shrunk inwards in the pandemic, when countries must think of conserving what they naturally have, do we even think of opening to foreign ownership of our scarce (and shrinking vis-à-vis increasing population growth) resources? Do we allow foreigners to poach what is ours, as they increase their wealth using our natural capital?

House Speaker Velasco counters: “Foreign investment plays a crucial role in the Philippine economy by supporting domestic jobs and the creation of physical and knowledge capital across a range of industries. The need to attract foreign capital is critical to support our economy’s recovery from COVID-19” (ABS-CBN, Jan. 10, 2021).

Prof. Monsod points out deep socio-economic costs: “Even the foreign chambers of commerce admit that when you open the land, the prices of land will go up and will be beyond the reach of the poor,” he said. “Those who support it are big businessmen who have the money and corrupt lawmakers making it easy to do transactional legislation. The Philippines has a serious problem of mass poverty and inequality,” he said (ABS-CBN News, Jan. 8, 2021).

And inequality among nations will be even more marked in the exacting New Now, in a world decimated to the bare bones and weakened into sinking to its supplicating knees by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We must not Cha-cha in the pandemic.

 

Amelia H. C. Ylagan is a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of the Philippines.

ahcylagan@yahoo.com

Eco ‘Cha-cha,’ now!

The funny things about our politicians are that most of them know exactly what’s wrong with the country and the reforms needed to neutralize them. Sadly, however, vested interests get in the way and these reforms never see the light of day. For example, they all know that political dynasties work against national interests since they concentrate power in a narrow elite and make it nearly impossible for outsiders to win an election no matter how capable they are. Yet, the law banning political dynasties has been in legislative limbo for 35 years simply because the very people tasked to pass the law are themselves members of dynasties.

The same is true for the economic provisions of the constitution. We all know that by reserving certain industries exclusively for Filipinos (or Filipino majorities), we deprived the nation of valuable forex investments, technology transfers, tax revenues, export earnings and employment opportunities. Yet, amendments to the economic provisions of the constitution (Eco Cha-cha) have never made it to law simply because certain families stand to lose their stronghold on industries and the lingering doubt that once the constitution is opened for amendment, dubious legislators would push for lifting term limits.

The good news is that Eco Cha-cha is presently being deliberated in the legislature, thanks to the leadership of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. This is a rare but welcome development which we should all support. Not only will Eco Cha-cha accelerate our economic recovery, it will also increase our competitiveness relative to our regional neighbors.

The restrictive provisions of the constitution have held back the country’s development for more than 30 years. From the 1980s up to the close of the century, countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand leapfrogged economically on the back of a deluge foreign direct investments (FDIs). During that period, the Philippines share of regional FDIs was a paltry 3% in good years and 2% in normal years. The flawed economic laws of the constitution are largely to blame for this. Lately, Vietnam has taken the lion’s share of FDIs, leaving the Philippines in the dust.

See, embedded in the 1987 constitutions is a list of industries in which foreigners are precluded from participation. These industries include agriculture, public utilities, transportation, retail, construction, media, and education, among others. (For those unaware, these industries are collectively known as “the negative list”). Apart from depriving the country of forex investments, technology transfer and job opportunities, the lack of competition from abroad has created monopolies and oligopolies owned by a handful of families. These families earn scandalous profits even though they are inefficient.

Our flawed economic laws are the reason why our agricultural sector has not industrialized and why food security eludes us. It is why our manufacturing sector has not fully developed. It is why we lost the opportunity to be Asia’s entertainment and production capital despite our Americanized culture (Netflix located its Asian headquarters in Singapore, Disney in Malaysia, MTV in Hong Kong, and Paramount Studios in Taiwan). It is why our education standards have remained embarrassingly behind the rest of the world.

The constitution limits foreigners from owning more than 40% equity share in corporations. In addition, foreigners are barred from owning land. These provisions have caused us to lose-out on big-ticket investments which would have made all the difference in job and revenue generation. Not too long ago, we lost a multi-billion dollar investment from a US auto manufacturing company which instead went to Thailand. We lost a multi-billion smartphone plant by Samsung which went to Vietnam. Limiting equity ownership to a minority stake and prohibiting land ownership is a great disincentive for companies investing in large manufacturing plants with a useful life of more than 50 years. Land is used as equity for business financing and to take this away from the business model is enough reason for investors to take their business elsewhere.

Speaker Lord Velasco hopes to finish Eco Cha-cha debates before the end of 2021. The intention is to insert the phrase “unless otherwise provided by the law” in the constitution’s economic provisions that restrict foreign participation. This insertion will give us the flexibility to accept foreign investors involved in the negative list of industries. The bill may also relax the extent of foreign ownership.

The manner by which Eco Cha-cha will be effected is via a constituent assembly. In other words, it is the congressmen and senators themselves who draft and vote on constitutional changes. A three fourths vote will get the amendments passed. Assuming there is no difference between the House and Senate versions, the final draft of the amendment will be set for ratification through a plebiscite during the 2022 national elections.

Although time is tight for deliberations, there is a good chance that Eco Cha-cha will succeed since the political parties in the House have all expressed their support. This should make the deliberations move faster.

Earlier this month, Representatives of PDP-Laban, the Nationalist People’s Coalition, the Nacionalista Party, the National Unity Party, Lakas-NUCD, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the Liberal Party, and the Party-list Coalition Foundation signed a manifesto to support the proposed amendments.

The impediments I see is if members of the House attempt to tinker with the political provisions of the constitution to extend or lift term limits. The other impediment is if Congress and the Senate get caught up in procedural details like whether to vote on the matter jointly or separately. These hiccups can derail the process.

As for the concern on political amendments, House committee on constitutional amendments chairman, Alfredo Garbin, Jr., gave his assurance that Congress will limit discussions to provisions relating to the economy and will not touch the political sections of the Charter. Senate President Tito Sotto said that charter change will succeed in the Senate only if economic provisions are changed. Even President Duterte himself said that even if they handed him a fresh six-year term on a silver platter, he will reject it.

Still, as we have learned through experience, numerous Congressmen cannot be trusted to keep matters free and clean of political interest. Hence, we must remain vigilant.

There is an urgency to this. US-based banking giant Citigroup said that if nothing changes, the Philippines will be the last to recover from the pandemic in Southeast Asia. The pandemic has already relegated 8.7% of our countrymen to unemployment and 26% of the population to poverty. It is also estimated that as much as 25% of all MSMEs have closed due to bankruptcy. The entry of foreign investments will provide the jobs we need to fill the poverty gap.

Times have changed and so must our basic laws. Our laws must keep up with the ever-shifting global order, new technologies and globalization. Our economic laws must change if we are to keep up with our neighbors and not fall further behind. Even former NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) Secretaries Ernesto Pernia and Gerardo Sicat agree that Eco Cha-cha is long overdue.

Back to my first example, unlike the Anti-Dynasty Bill which has the same chances of being passed as the eradication of the pork barrel fund, we are fortunate that Eco Cha-cha has a fair shot of being ratified at this time. We have a small window and we must make sure we do not squander the opportunity. If Eco Cha-cha fails this time, it will take years before this important piece of legislation will be revisited again. Meanwhile, the opportunity losses will mount and we will fall further behind the region’s development race. I ask our legislators to treat this with the utmost priority and to please make Eco Cha-cha happen.

 

Andrew J. Masigan is an economist

andrew_rs6@yahoo.com

Twitter @aj_masigan

Gilas working on game plan for FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

PREPARATIONS of the Philippine national men’s basketball team for the third and final window of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup Qualifiers in February are now in motion with the team working on a system and a game plan that suit the pieces available to it.

Speaking on the Power & Play with Noli Eala program on Saturday, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) special assistant to the SBP president Ryan Gregorio shared that the “bubble” training of Gilas Pilipinas at the INSPIRE Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna, is now in full swing.

The team is just awaiting the arrival of a couple more players to join the pool, the SBP official said.

In the bubble right now are Gilas cadet players, who comprised the team that represented the country and did well in the second window of the ACQ last November in Manama, Bahrain.

They are Isaac Go, Rey Suerte, Matt and Mike Nieto, Juan and Javi Gomez de Liaño, Will Navarro, Calvin Oftana, Kemark Carino, Dave Ildefonso, Angelo Kouame (naturalized player candidate), and Justine Baltazar.

The young cogs are joined by Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) players Kiefer Ravena and Raul Soyud (NLEX), Troy Rosario and Roger Pogoy (TNT), Justin Chua (Phoenix Super LPG), and CJ Perez (Terrafirma).

The team is still expecting to be joined by cadet Dwight Ramos and National Basketball Association (NBA) G League player Kai Sotto in the coming days. Both players are coming from the United States.

Leading the training and preparation are head coach Jong Uichico and assistants Norman Black, Caloy Garcia, and Sandy Arespacochaga as well as program director Tab Baldwin.

Mr. Gregorio admitted that there are notable names not present in the bubble training, particularly from the pro ranks, but that they in the SBP are not taking any issues on that.

“We at the SBP are working with what is presented to us. And we always move on,” said Mr. Gregorio, who is also a champion PBA coach.

He went on to underscore that when one is invited for Gilas, it is “purely voluntary in nature.”

Mr. Gregorio said they heard the side of the players who declined to play for the upcoming window and were satisfied with their reasons.

“All of the reasons presented to us were pretty much acceptable. Some of them are stuck in the United States. Others are nursing injuries, while some have medical emergencies,” he said.

But the SBP is prepared and is adjusting with the situation, Mr. Gregorio was quick to add.

“There are plans instituted by SBP and Coach Tab. There’s a short-term plan, midterm plan and for the long haul… We’re not necessarily looking for the best players, but more of who can fit in the team. They have specific roles to play,” the SBP official said.

As to Mr. Sotto joining the team, Mr. Gregorio said the SBP welcomes his decision and that they are working double time to bring the top young prospect over as soon as possible.

“We’re in touch with the camp of Kai Sotto, making sure we follow strict protocols and not cut corners. We’re happy with the commitment he has shown to play for the country. We also made sure that he got G League approval to play here,” Mr. Gregorio said.

Mr. Sotto surprised many last week when he announced that he will play for Gilas next month when the bubble tournament of the G League also starts next month.

Reports have that Mr. Sotto did get approval from the league and his team Ignite to play in the ACQ window, but he is expected to miss the early goings of the G League tournament.

Mr. Sotto is in the G League in the hopes of fulfilling his dream of playing in the NBA.

The third window of the FIBA ACQ happens from Feb. 18 to 22 at Clark City in Pampanga.

Gilas is to play three games — two against Korea (Feb. 18 and 22) and one versus Indonesia (Feb. 20).

The Philippines currently leads Group A with an unblemished record of 3-0 and six points. Second running is Korea (2-0), followed by Indonesia (1-2) and Thailand (0-3).

In the qualifiers, the top two teams for each group in the end book an outright spot in the Asia Cup later this year in Indonesia.

Curry adds three-point milestone, but Warriors fall to Jazz, 127-108

STEPH Curry moved up to No. 2 on the NBA’s all-time 3-pointers list, but that was about the only thing that went the Golden State Warriors’ way Saturday night in a 127-108 blowout loss against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City.

Donovan Mitchell led a balanced and explosive offensive performance for the red-hot Jazz — who led the whole game and by as many as 40 — with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists in just 27 minutes.

Five other players scored in double-figures for the Jazz, who won their league-leading eighth consecutive game.

Mike Conley hit five of the Jazz’s 20 3-pointers and scored 17 points. Bojan Bogdanović totaled 14 points, a career-high eight assists and seven rebounds in 26 minutes. Rudy Gobert contributed 11 points and 14 rebounds, while Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles combined for 27 off the bench.

Curry finished with 24 points and five 3-pointers, with his fourth 3-pointer pushing him past Hall of Famer Reggie Miller for the second-most made triples in NBA history. Curry has made 2,562, trailing only Ray Allen (2,973).

Despite that milestone, the Warriors dropped their fourth game in six outings and their ninth in their last 11 vs. the Jazz.

The Jazz had a sensational first half to set the tone.

Utah opened on a 14-0 run thanks to two 3-pointers apiece by Royce O’Neale (nine points) and Conley sandwiched around a Gobert layup.

It eventually got a bit better and then a lot worse for the Warriors.

Golden State pulled within six points at 39-33 early in the second quarter, but the Jazz fired back with a 10-2 run. Utah finished the dominant half with a 14-1 surge for a 30-point halftime lead at 77-47.

Utah padded its lead to 115-75 on a Clarkson 3-pointer with 10:05 remaining.

James Wiseman (15 points) and Andrew Wiggins (13 points) were the only other Warriors to score in double figures.

Former Utah resident Nico Mannion scored his first NBA basket, a 3-pointer, for the Warriors with his dad, ex-Jazz player Pace Mannion, in attendance. The second-round pick from Arizona scored eight points. — Reuters

Adiwang looking to take on all comers in division

AFTER an impressive knockout victory at ONE Championship’s “Unbreakable” event in Singapore last Friday, Filipino fighter Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang is now turning his attention on taking all comers in the promotion’s strawweight division.

Coming off a defeat in the ONE Circle late last year, Mr. Adiwang (12-3) said he is happy to be back on the winning track and is determined to stay the course moving forward.  

“I have so many emotions right now. To God be the glory for this win,” said Mr. Adiwang in the virtual press conference following his second-round knockout victory over Japanese Namiki Kawahara.

Team Lakay’s Adiwang was on top of his game throughout the contest, never allowing his opponent to gain much headway. He capped his impressive performance with a well-timed left hook to the jaw of Mr. Kawahara, which signalled the end to the fight.

The win was a bounce back for Mr. Adiwang, who lost in his previous fight to Hiroshi Minowa of Japan by way of a close split decision last November.

Mr. Adiwang shared that he had it tough in the lead up to the Kawahara fight, making the victory more gratifying.

Not only did he deal with the tough loss, he also had the toughest training camp in his career considering the many limitations of the coronavirus pandemic. Compounding things was the passing of his mother in December, which he admitted their family is still coming to terms with.

“I had the toughest training camp for this fight — the preparations and the other issues that had happened for me. I was nervous entering the fight, not because of my opponent, but more if I could compete the way I wanted to after all that I had to go through,” said the ONE Warrior Series product.

Mr. Adiwang said that he is hoping for a short turnaround for him and expressed readiness to go up against anybody in the division, even Mr. Minowa in a rematch.

“It’s up to ONE if I will have a rematch with Minowa. But there is so much talent in the division and I’m looking forward to fighting each one of them. I’m just happy to be back in the Circle and enjoy what I do. Hopefully, it will just be a short turnaround for me after this win,” Mr. Adiwang said.

Other winners at ONE: Unbreakable was Capitan Petchyindee Academy of Thailand, who seized the world bantamweight kickboxing title from Russia’s Alaverdi Ramazanov in just two rounds in the headlining fight; and mixed martial arts legend Shinya Aoki of Japan, who submitted American James Nakashima (rear-naked choke) in the first round.

Next for ONE Championship is “Unbreakable II” on Jan. 29 in Singapore, which will be headlined by the heavyweight MMA clash between Italy’s Mauro Cerelli and Russia’s Abdulbasir Vagabov. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo   

Kang leads LPGA Tournament of Champions despite Korda’s 60

DANIELLE Kang continued her torrid play with an 8-under 63 on Saturday to hold a two-shot lead over fellow American Jessica Korda after three rounds of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Lake Buena Vista, FLA.

Kang stands at 21-under 192 and has played bogey-free golf through three rounds at the Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club.

Kang matched her career-best score, but only holds a two-stroke lead due to Korda shooting a blistering 11-under 60 on Saturday.

Korda was sensational on the back nine with an eagle on the par-5, 17th hole and seven birdies. She had nine birdies overall.

Korda’s round was two shots better than her previous low and she fell one shot shy of matching Annika Sorenstam’s record 59 at the 2001 Standard Register PING in Phoenix. Overall, she is the sixth Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) golfer to record a 60 or lower.

Korda hit 17 of 18 greens and needed just 25 putts in her lava-hot round.

“Days like today don’t come often, so you really cherish them when they do,” said Ms. Korda, whose previous-best 62 came in the second round of the 2018 Honda LPGA Thailand, a tournament she won. “Everything has to come together to have a day like today, so I’m very grateful that it came.”

Korda’s stellar round was the only thing preventing Kang from opening up a large lead as she pursues her sixth career victory.

Kang, 28, had four birdies on the front nine and four more on the back.

“I think my mental game is pretty strong this week,” Ms. Kang said. “Just kind of chugging along. I know I’m being really repetitive, but that’s what I’m doing, is just focusing on what I need to hit and what I need to execute. That’s pretty much it.”

Jessica Korda is also seeking her sixth win as she enters Sunday’s final round paired with Kang and younger sister Nelly.

Nelly Korda is six shots behind Kang after carding a 67 in the third round. The 22-year-old Korda had six birdies, but faltered late with bogeys on 15 and 18.

South Korea’s In Gee Chun carded a 67 and is alone in fourth place at 13-under 200.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson (65) is in fifth place at 12 under and American Cheyenne Knight (67) is at 11 under.

American Angela Stanford (67) resides at 10 under, while American Brittany Lincicome (64), France’s Celine Boutier (65), Germany’s Sophia Popov (67), and defending champion Gaby Lopez (71) of Mexico are tied for eighth at 9-under 204.

In the celebrity competition using the Modified Stableford scoring system, former professional tennis player Mardy Fish holds the lead at +118 through three rounds. New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks and former NFL kicker Josh Scobee are tied for second at +111. — Reuters

Holders Arsenal knocked out, Man City survive Cheltenham scare

SOUTHAMPTON — Holders Arsenal bowed out of the Football Association (FA) Cup in the fourth round in disappointing fashion as Gabriel’s first-half own goal condemned them to a 1-0 defeat by Southampton on Saturday.

Manchester City also looked to be on the brink of defeat at fourth-tier Cheltenham Town, but they scored three times in the last 10 minutes to avoid one of the competition’s great shocks.

Southampton and City were joined in the last 16 by top-flight rivals West Ham United who crushed third-tier Doncaster Rovers 4-0, Brighton & Hove Albion who beat Blackpool 2-1, and Sheffield United who edged Plymouth Argyle 2-1.

Arsenal claimed a record-extending 14th FA Cup title by beating Chelsea in August, but Mikel Arteta’s side’s defense of the trophy ended with a whimper.

Southampton deservedly took the lead in the 24th minute when Kyle Walker-Peters drilled a low cross into the area and Gabriel inadvertently touched it past keeper Bernd Leno.

Arsenal could have fallen further behind with home striker Danny Ings going close for the hosts on several occasions.

The visitors, who made a raft of changes for the tie on the south coast, did apply some second-half pressure with Rob Holding wasting their best chance, but Southampton held on to set up a fifth-round clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It was their first FA Cup win over Arsenal.

“We had in the first half more punch and more power,” Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said.

“In the second half, it’s normal they have a lift. We must make the second goal. We made one or two chances — Shane Long should have got a penalty.

“It was a good team performance today.”

Arsenal’s first defeat in seven matches was a bitter pill for Arteta to swallow.

“Really sad to be out of the competition. Disappointed to be out and the way we conceded,” the Spaniard said.

For FA Cup romantics, Cheltenham almost provided a classic addition to the competition’s rich history.

When Cheltenham skipper Ben Tozer launched yet another humongous throw-in into the City area just before the hour and in the resulting scramble Alfie May prodded home, raising the prospect of sending Pep Guardiola’s side packing.

They held on until the 81st minute when Phil Foden volleyed in an equalizer. When Gabriel Jesus scored again three minutes later, City could breathe easy. Ferran Torres added a late third.

Guardiola will not forget the tie in a hurry though.

“They used their quality in the box, they are taller and better than us there and we showed clips on how to solve it. It is difficult to control that,” he said after his side’s 10th successive victory in all competitions.

For Cheltenham manager Michael Duff, it was a case of what might have been.

“I’m incredibly proud. The players they brought on from the bench and the way they celebrated the goals tells you something. They know they’ve been in a game. They’ve done that to better teams than us,” he said.

City will face Championship high-flyers Swansea City in the fifth round after the Welsh club crushed Nottingham Forest 5-1.

Norwich City lost 1-0 at Barnsley, while Bristol City were 3-0 winners away to Millwall.

In Sunday’s big tie, Manchester United host Liverpool while struggling Chelsea face Luton Town. — Reuters

Nets defense

Heading into the set-to against the Heat yesterday, head coach Steve Nash conceded that the Nets weren’t built to be a defensive powerhouse. He was underscoring the obvious, to be sure; their mediocre position gave way to an even worse standing once they had to give up significant personnel to acquire former Most Valuable Player James Harden from the Rockets. As excited as he was to consider the potential of his new acquisition alongside offensive stalwarts Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, he admitted that his charges needed to do better on the other end of the court.

Not that Nash wasn’t optimistic. He understood that the Nets required time to jell as a unit, and he expressed confidence that significant progress would come sooner rather than later. Given their performance yesterday, however, he would do well to exhibit not inconsiderable patience. For the fourth straight time, they allowed the competition to practically score at will. And it wasn’t as if the Heat, who could do no better than put up 81 against the underwhelming Raptors on the first outing of a back-to-back set, relied on noted scorers to post a whopping 124 on the second. With vital cogs Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro unable to suit up, otherwise offensively challenged Bam Adebayo managed a career-high 41 markers on 20 shots.

Granted, the Nets did go on to claim the victory, their first in three matches with their heralded Big Three on tap. On the other hand, they had to lean on an otherworldly showing from Irving and the steady hands of Durant and Harden in the crunch. Heck, they even got a scare in the dying seconds; their eight-point advantage with just under a minute to go got whittled down to two while there was still ample time on the clock. Only a miscalculation by Heat bench tactician Erik Spoelstra — who chose not to call a timeout with five ticks left — allowed them to avert overtime, or, worse, a collapse in regulation.

Again, Nash is right. The Nets will improve, and there will be many an encounter they will win simply on the basis of their superior offense. Then again, they’re not after a respectable showing in the regular season. Considering all the assets they forked over in order to claim Harden, they cannot — and should not — but be focused on meeting the ultimate objective. Anything less is a bust — in which case they have to do the less glamorous part of hooping as well. Else, they’ll find themselves disproving the hypothesis of their grand experiment, much to their dismay.

 

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.

Trial for ‘wonder’ drug that may reduce COVID-19 deaths planned

OXFORD University researchers are planning a large-scale trial of an inexpensive drug that could help dramatically reduce COVID-19 deaths globally, according to a report in the Times.

The goal is to find treatments that could be used at home, shortly after symptoms appear, to catch the disease early and prevent serious illness.

This batch of medicines will include ivermectin, which for decades has been used to treat livestock and people infested with parasitic worms, the newspaper reported. Supporters call it a “wonder drug,” but others say it hasn’t been properly evaluated.

While the drug has potential antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, “there’s a gap in the data,” Chris Butler, professor of primary care at the University of Oxford and a co-chief of the trial, told the Times. “There’s not been a really rigorous trial.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently suggested it has encouraging effects, the newspaper said. The drug is approved in the UK as a topical agent for skin infections and inflammation. — Bloomberg

Taiwan air force warns Chinese aircraft to leave

TAIPEI — Eight Chinese bomber planes and four fighter jets entered the southwestern corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone on Saturday, and Taiwan’s air force deployed missiles to “monitor” the incursion, the island’s defence ministry said.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has conducted almost daily flights over the waters between the southern part of Taiwan and the Taiwan-controled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea in recent months.

However, they have generally consisted of just one or two reconnaissance aircraft.

The presence of so many Chinese combat aircraft on this mission — Taiwan said it was made up of eight nuclear-capable H-6K bombers and four J-16 fighter jets — was unusual.

A map provided by Taiwan’s defense ministry showed that the Chinese aircraft, including a Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, flew over the same waters where the most recent Chinese missions have been taking place near the Pratas Islands, though still well away from mainland Taiwan.

Taiwan’s air force warned away the Chinese aircraft and deployed missiles to monitor them, the ministry said, using standard wording for how it responds to such activities.

“Airborne alert sorties had been tasked, radio warnings issued and air defense missile systems deployed to monitor the activity,” it said in a brief statement.

The US State Department urged China to stop pressuring Taiwan and reaffirmed its commitment to the island and desire to deepen ties.

“We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected representatives,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

“We will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability.”

There was no immediate comment from China. In the past, China has said it has been carrying out exercises to defend its sovereignty and security.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry expressed its thanks for the show of US support, adding they would work closely with the Biden administration to strengthen their close partnership.

Lo Chih-Cheng, a senior lawmaker for Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party who sits on parliament’s foreign affairs and defense committee, told Reuters China was trying to deter the new US government from backing the island.

“It’s sending a message to the Biden administration,” he said.

Beijing has watched with growing concern increasing US support for democratic Taiwan, especially during Donald Trump’s administration, which left office on Wednesday.

Last year, during visits by senior US officials to Taipei, Chinese aircraft briefly crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which normally serves as an unofficial buffer.

The flight by the Chinese bombers and fighters on Saturday came just days after Joe Biden assumed the US presidency.

Emily Horne, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, said the US commitment to Taiwan was “rock-solid” after the island’s de facto ambassador in Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, attended Mr. Biden’s swearing-in on Wednesday. — Reuters

New Zealand probes what may be 1st community COVID-19 case in months

WELLINGTON — New Zealand health officials said on Sunday they were investigating what they said was probably the country’s first community coronavirus case, in months in a woman who recently returned from overseas.

The 56-year-old, who returned to New Zealand on Dec. 30, tested positive for the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) days after leaving a two-week mandatory quarantine at the border where she had twice tested negative.

“We are working under the assumptions that this is a positive case and that it is a more transmissible variant, either the one identified first in South Africa or the UK, or potentially Brazil — or another transmissible variant,” Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told a news conference.

It is not known how the woman was infected or whether the infection is new, Ms. Bloomfield said. But since the woman tested positive several days after being released from quarantine and has been at home, the authorities are treating it as a “probable community case”.

New Zealand, one of the most successful developed nations in controling the spread of the pandemic, last recorded a community coronavirus transmission on Nov. 18, according to the Health Ministry website.

A tough lockdown and geographical isolation helped New Zealand virtually eliminate the novel coronavirus within its borders.

The country of 5 million people has had only 1,927 confirmed cases. But with the pandemic raging globally, more people are returning to New Zealand with infections, including the new variants, raising concerns the virus may spread in the community again.

The woman, who lives in Northland on New Zealand’s North Island, quarantined upon arrival in a managed isolation facility in Auckland where several the highly virulent COVID-19 cases have been recorded in recent weeks, Bloomfield said.

“This is a reminder to all of us that the pandemic continues and that this is a tricky virus,” he said.

Social media users rushed to express concern and frustration about the new case, with one user describing the reactions on Twitter as a “collective groan”.

On Sunday, there were eight new infections, all returning travellers quarantined at the border, bringing active cases among those quarantined to 79, the ministry said in a statement. — Reuters

Don’t talk on the subway, say French doctors, to limit COVID-19 spread

PARIS — Passengers on public transport systems should avoid talking to one another or on the phone in order to minimize the risk of spreading coronavirus, the French National Academy of Medicine said.

“The mandatory wearing of masks on public transport, where social distancing is not possible, should by accompanied by one very simple precaution: avoid talking and making phone calls,” the academy said in a statement.

Academy member Patrick Berche said on BFM TV on Saturday that if there were only three people in a subway car there was no problem, but if you were only two centimeters away from the next person it made sense not to converse or talk on the phone.

“It is not an obligation, it is a recommendation,” he said.

The academy is not an official advisory body. It can respond to government questions but also issues recommendations, which sometimes go against official policy.

The academy – which was founded in 1820 – criticized a recent government recommendation to wear only surgical masks in public, rather than masks made of fabric.

“The proposed tightening of regulation (on masks) is based on a precautionary principle but it lacks scientific proof,” the academy said.

It said that fabric or homemade masks were efficient against the spread of coronavirus as long as they were worn correctly and that most infections took place in situations where people took off their masks.

“Such a change in recommendations concerning a practice with which the entire population had become familiar, risks sparking incomprehension and could revive doubts about the soundness of official policies,” the academy said. — REUTERS (Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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