FIRB targets May 17 to pass CREATE IRR

April 18, 2021 | 7:10 pm

THE FISCAL Incentives Review Board (FIRB) aims to sign by May 17 the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, the Department of Finance (DoF) said Sunday.

In a statement, the DoF said the FIRB agreed during its first meeting last week, April 14, that it will sign the IRR covering the expanded functions of the board on the target date.

The board also discussed the possible industries eligible to apply for the new tax incentive system.

Republic Act No. 11534 or the CREATE Act took effect on April 11. It lowered the corporate income tax and reformed the fiscal incentives system.

Government agencies have 90 days from a law’s effectivity to release IRRs.

The draft IRR for provisions covering the FIRB and revised tax incentives should be done by May 10, the DoF said.

Consultation among the DoF and the Trade department, which co-chairs the FIRB, and investment promotion agencies (IPA), will take place on April 26.

IPAs involved are the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO), Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Board of Investments (BoI), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), Clark Development Corporation (CDC), John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Phividec Industrial Authority (PIA), Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC), Regional Board of Investments – Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RBoI-ARMM), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority (ZCSEZA).

The 2020 Investments Priorities Plan (IPP), signed in December, will serve as the temporary list of priority sectors eligible for tax perks while the new SIPP is being finalized, the DoF said.

Activities and sectors currently eligible for perks under the IPP include those related to the pandemic response; investment activities identified by the BoI; those that spur jobs outside urban areas; qualified manufacturing activities such as agro-processing, fishery, and forestry; and other strategic services like integrated circuit design, creative industries, and the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft.

The list also includes healthcare and disaster risk reduction management services; mass housing; infrastructure and logistics; innovation drivers; inclusive business models; environment or climate change-related projects; energy; export activities; those covered by special laws and the list from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The FIRB is tasked to set the target performance metrics that businesses have to hit to avail of tax incentives and ensure these are met. It must also monitor and assess the economic impact of investments enjoying incentives.

Its members also include Executive Secretary (ES), the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

CREATE is projected to result in P251 billion in foregone revenue for the government in the first two years of implementation, providing a combined P1 trillion worth of tax relief to companies over the next 10 years. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Further amendments to charter needed, legislator says

April 18, 2021 | 7:09 pm

House-congress-Philstar-e1591274780658 — PHILSTAR

MORE AMENDMENTS to the 1987 Constitution could still be needed beyond the economic measures certified as urgent by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, a senior legislator said.

In a message to BusinessWorld Sunday, House Committee on Constitutional Amendments Chairman Alfredo A. Garbin, Jr. said the amendments to the Public Service Act, Foreign Investment Act and Retail Trade Liberalization Act can only do so much to effect an economic recovery, even though they are expected to improve foreign direct investment (FDI).

“The passage of the bills, while definitely needed, can only do so much. A look into the restrictive provisions of the 1987 Constitution which have hampered the inflow of FDIs is also warranted. The investment-to-GDP ratio is still very low and FDI is one of the lowest in the region,” he said.

Speaker Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco filed Resolution of Both Houses No. 2 in January, proposing to add the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to economic restrictions in the Constitution.

The measure was approved at committee level on Feb. 2 and was brought to the plenary for debate. Mr. Garbin has said the House aims to pass the measure once Congress resumes session next month. Congress went on break starting March 27.

“With the contraction of our economy, we owe it to the Filipino people to enact all necessary legislation to improve and stimulate our economy including the timely lifting of restrictive provisions in the Constitution,” Mr. Garbin added.

Passage of the proposed economic provisions have been opposed by business groups questioning the timing of the proposals. Amending the Constitution will require a lengthy process of information campaigns and plebiscites.

Last week, the President certified Senate Bills 2094 (Public Service Act), 1156 (Foreign Investments Act) and1840 (Retail Trade Liberalization Act) as urgent, citing the need to boost economic growth and generate jobs. The House counterparts of these bills had been passed prior to the certification.

Research house IBON called the government’s priorities “misplaced,” adding that attention should be given to immediate assistance to millions affected by the lockdowns to contain the virus.

“(A) real stimulus package that prioritizes emergency cash subsidies, support for small businesses and farmers, and strengthening the health system should be top of lawmakers’ legislative priorities. This is more critical… than the bills lifting limits on full foreign ownership in certain economic sectors which the President recently certified as urgent,” IBON said in a statement.

IBON proposed that the government approve a P1.5-trillion package of social amelioration payments for poor and affected families, relief to distressed businesses, and address the needs of displaced workers.

A P370-billion economic relief package in the form of the proposed Bayanihan to Arise as One Act is currently backed by 224 members of Congress. Mr. Velasco has said that the target for approving the measure is before Congress resumes session. — Gillian M. Cortez

Senate bill seeking to impose net neutrality on internet industry

April 18, 2021 | 7:03 pm

computer-shop — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

A BILL has been filed in the Senate seeking to impose net neutrality on the internet industry, to create a “level playing field” for all content sources.

Senator Maria Imelda Josefa R. Marcos filed Senate Bill No. 2103, which imposes the net neutrality standard as well as norms for reliability and affordability on internet providers and telecommunications companies.

“This bill… aims to espouse the principle of net neutrality, to ensure that the internet remains a level playing field, where a tiny blog can reach readers just as well as the social media giants,” according to the measure’s explanatory note.

Ms. Marcos also noted that consumers have variable access to connectivity and content, with some having more freedom while others relying on free data encountering more restrictions or exposed to more fake news and false advertising.

“This bill aims to enact measures to protect the internet end-user, by imposing obligations of transparency and reliability on ISPs (internet service providers), telecommunications providers, and the industry players,” according to the explanatory note.

Ms. Marcos noted that the internet in the Philippines remains “slow, unreliable, and expensive, citing Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index in which the Philippines ranked 110^th out of 139 countries in terms of mobile data speed. It also “ranks in the lower part of the global index in terms of average broadband.”

The Philippines also landed 82^nd out of 85 in the Digital Quality of Life Index 2020 in terms of internet affordability, the senator noted.

Under the bill, Data Transmission Industry Participants are obliged “to treat all internet traffic equally,” providing internet access services without discrimination, restriction or interference.

They should also not impede internet users’ right to access and distribute information and content regardless of their location.

Internet providers will also be required to ensure that any contract that includes internet access services specifies information on traffic management, explanations of volume limitations, speed, and other quality of service parameters, and the impact of services on internet access services.

Minimum, normally available, maximum and advertised download and upload speed in case of fixed networks, and speed in case of mobile networks should be explained, as well as the remedies available in case of discrepancies between actual performance and the performance indicated in the contract.

Traffic management measures should be conducted only when needed to preserve the integrity and security of data transmission industry participants’ network, to prevent impending network congestion or mitigate its effects, and to preserve integrity and security of the terminal equipment of the users, according to the bill. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Hydrogen power touted for emissions-reducing potential

April 18, 2021 | 7:02 pm

hydrogen fuel cell truck-Hyundai — REUTERS

THE ECONOMIC Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) said Southeast Asia stands to benefit from hydrogen, which it said holds the potential for helping countries hit their net zero emissions targets within 30 years.

“We need hydrogen, that is (for) decarbonization and also the net zero emissions. Many OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries set the target for the net zero emissions around 2050,” ERIA Special Advisor on Energy Affairs Shigeru Kimura said during a virtual briefing Wednesday.

The Philippines stands to benefit from using hydrogen power since coal and renewable energy (RE) technologies can be used to produce it, he said. He said hydrogen can be made from coal gasification or electricity generated from renewables.

“I think (the) Philippines is a rich coal mining country so (it can use) gasification technologies with CCS (carbon capture and storage) to produce the hydrogen. It is also rich in geothermal, which is an RE. It can use electricity from geothermal to… produce the hydrogen,” Mr. Kimura said.

If the country becomes a hydrogen power producer, it can export to Japan as well as other neighboring countries, he said.

The Department of Energy (DoE) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Tokyo-based Hydrogen Technology, Inc. to explore the potential of hydrogen as a possible source of power. Earlier this year, the DoE signed a similar agreement with Australian research and development company Star Scientific Ltd.

Gerry C. Arances, executive director of environmental think tank Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development, said that while hydrogen is not among the greenhouse gases which directly contribute to the rise of global temperatures, there is “much concern” about the way it is produced.

“Hydrogen can be produced from either low-carbon or carbon-intensive electricity, but it is also a fact that today, hydrogen from renewable energy processes are minimal compared to those from fossil fuel-based ones. In Europe, where the hype around hydrogen has been around longer, only less than 0.1% of hydrogen produced is in fact ‘green’,” Mr. Arances told BusinessWorld in an e-mail.

He said the DoE needs to address the climate crisis by focusing on tapping into the country’s potential for renewables.

“We do not have the luxury to devote years pursuing technology that may or may not be a solution, especially when it provides fossil fuel industries (a) reason to operate as usual and even expand… Hydrogen is but another deviation from tapping this vast RE potential and pursuing 100% renewable power systems in the Philippines,” Mr. Arances said.

Public policy think tank Infrawatch said the government should support any technology which can help the country wean itself from fossil fuels but hydrogen technology should be further examined to see if it can contribute to carbon neutrality.

Infrawatch Convenor Terry L. Ridon said price should also be considered a factor.

“Due to prohibitive costs, there are only 20 CCUS (carbon capture, usage and storage) projects operating commercially around the world, which is certainly not enough to tackle the global climate crisis,” he told BusinessWorld in an e-mail on Wednesday. CCUS technology extracts hydrogen from fossil fuels.

He added that hydrogen produced from RE sources is even more “cost-prohibitive.”

“There are no large-scale power plants utilizing green hydrogen to power cities due to the high costs of electrolyzer technology,” Mr. Ridon said. If hydrogen producers cannot compete with other technologies, the Philippine market will have a difficult time adopting it, he said. — Angelica Y. Yang

Redefining Philippine Taxation: CREATE

April 18, 2021 | 7:01 pm

Second of four parts

Said to be the first-ever revenue-eroding tax reform package and the largest economic stimulus program in the country’s history, Republic Act No. 11534 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act was signed by the President on March 26. It amends our tax and incentives laws with the goal of helping businesses move into their post-pandemic recovery while encouraging foreign investment.

In the first part of this series, we discussed the passing and goals of the CREATE Act and how it reduces Corporate Income Tax. In this second part, we continue by discussing additional changes: the exemption of foreign-sourced dividends, the repeal of improperly accumulated earnings tax (IAET), tax-free exchange, additional provisions to consider and provisions that were vetoed.

EXEMPTION OF FOREIGN-SOURCED DIVIDENDS
To better compete within ASEAN, the CREATE Act adds a new provision on foreign-sourced dividends for domestic corporations with outbound investment. Generally, dividends received by domestic corporations from their subsidiaries abroad are subject to tax. This new provision states that these dividends are now exempt from income tax, provided that the domestic corporation directly holds at least 20% of the outstanding capital stock of the foreign subsidiary for at least two years at the time of dividend distribution. The funds must also be reinvested in the working capital, capital expenditure, dividend payments, investment in domestic subsidiaries, and infrastructure projects of the domestic corporation within the next taxable year from the time when the dividends were received. All these conditions must be met, otherwise the foreign-sourced dividends are subject to Philippine tax.

This falls within the objective of encouraging businesses — particularly domestic corporations — to reinvest in the Philippines all profits earned here and overseas to help our economy recover from the downturn caused by the pandemic.

REPEAL OF IMPROPERLY ACCUMULATED EARNINGS TAX
There will be no more IAET from 2021 onwards, which is great news for corporations that accumulate earnings beyond the reasonable needs of their business or paid-up capital. The imposition of IAET, ironically, compels the distribution of profits to investors or shareholders, or to repatriate the foreign investor’s money out of the Philippines instead of reinvesting or spending it locally. To address this, the CREATE Act now encourages investors to keep their money in the Philippines and potentially reinvest it in business expansion and generate employment.

Since the repeal does not provide any retroactivity, it will follow the general effectivity date of the CREATE Act. As such, any excess retained earnings in 2020 and prior years will still have to be dealt with by the taxpayers and be appropriated or declared as dividends. Otherwise, it will be penalized through the imposition of 10% IAET on excess retained earnings.

TAX-FREE EXCHANGE
The CREATE Act now expressly provides that a prior Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) confirmatory ruling will not be required to avail of the tax exemption in the case of business reorganizations, including mergers or consolidations, further control, recapitalization, and reincorporation. It likewise reiterates the TRAIN Law provisions that the sale or exchanges of property used for business for shares of stock are exempt from VAT and any gain or loss may not be recognized for tax purposes. This, however, only defers the payment of taxes since any subsequent transfer/s will be subject to applicable taxes on a substituted-cost basis. This new provision will ultimately reduce the problematic and long-running backlog of the BIR.

One notable wording added to the CREATE Act is on “further control” under Section 40 (c)(2). It has put to rest the further control issue, a gray area in the past, by expressly stating that an exchange is tax-free when the “transferor or transferors, collectively, gains or maintains at least 51% of the total voting power of all classes of stocks entitled to vote of the issuing corporation.”

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
The CREATE Act includes more provisions surrounding exemption from VAT. Upon effectivity of the Act, the sale, importation, printing or publication of educational reading materials, including those in digital or electronic format not principally used for advertisements, are exempt from VAT. Additionally exempted beginning Jan. 1, 2021 are the sale of medicines for cancer, mental illness, tuberculosis, and kidney diseases. Moreover, the sale or importation of COVID-19 drugs, vaccines and medical devices, COVID-19 treatment drugs for use in clinical trials, and the capital equipment, spare parts and raw materials for the production of personal protective equipment components are exempt from Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2023.

VETOED PROVISIONS
The President vetoed the increase of the VAT-exempt threshold for the sale of real property by real estate developers, the 90-day period for the processing of general tax refunds, the definition of investment capital and the special corporate income tax incentive for domestic enterprises. Also vetoed were new incentives for same activity of existing registered enterprises, limitations on the power of the Fiscal Incentives Review Board, specific industries under the activity tiers, the power to exempt any investment promotion agency from the reform, and the automatic approval of applications for incentives.

With the veto of the VAT-exempt provision on sale of real property, the sale of house and lot and other residential dwellings with a selling price of more than P2 million, along with residential lots regardless of the selling price, shall continue to be subject to 12% VAT beginning Jan. 1, 2021 except those qualified as socialized housing (based on price ceilings set by the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council) which remain VAT-exempt, pursuant to the TRAIN Law.

Originally, Congress proposed to increase VAT-exempt thresholds to P2.5 million for the sale of house and lot and other residential dwellings, and to P4.2 million for the sale of residential lots which could have benefitted those who can actually afford proper housing. However, the President vetoed it to avoid potential revenue losses of about P155.3 billion.

REDEFINING PHILIPPINE TAXATION FOR RECOVERY AND INVESTMENT
The passage of CREATE is certainly welcome to aid businesses during these challenging times, while also serving as a sign to investors that the Philippines is a worthwhile investment destination. Government efforts to redefine Philippine taxation by developing more globally competitive tax incentives and improving the current corporate tax system through wider tax bases, lowered tax rates and reduced tax leakage will hopefully progress the economy further along the path of post-pandemic recovery.

In the third and fourth parts of this series, we continue our discussion on the CREATE Act by covering the rationalization of incentives.

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional advice where the facts and circumstances warrant. The views and opinions expressed above are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of SGV & Co.

Karen Mae L. Calam And Aiza P. Giltendez are a Tax Senior Manager and Manager, respectively, of SGV & Co.

Preparation for FIBA World Cup hosting progressing, says SBP

April 18, 2021 | 6:57 pm

THE Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is steadily communicating with different partners, including officials from co-hosts Japan and Indonesia, in laying the groundwork for the staging of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, said SBP President Al S. Panlilio. — FIBA

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

NOTWITHSTANDING the challenges presented by the pandemic, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) assured preparation for the country’s hosting of the 2023 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Basketball World Cup is progressing.

Speaking on the Power & Play radio program on Saturday, SBP President Al S. Panlilio shared that the local federation is steadily communicating with different partners, including officials from co-hosts Japan and Indonesia, in laying the groundwork for the staging of the quadrennial basketball spectacle.

“We have been working for this since before the World Cup in China in 2019. During this pandemic, we’ve had a lot of virtual meetings. We’ve been having board meetings at the level of MVP (SBP Chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan) and the heads of the other host countries the past year. We’ve been discussing the budget and other matters. Our objective is to host the best World Cup,” said Mr. Panlilio, who is also first vice-president of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

The SBP official went on to say that for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, their thrust is to provide the best fan experience possible.

“China hosted successfully built around technology and the venues and all of that. We want to push technology, of course, with our own initiatives and in our own way, but we want to have the best fan experience for 2023,” said Mr. Panlilio.

“Hopefully, by that time vaccines are in excess and travel restrictions are already lifted so we can have a ‘normal’ World Cup with the fans in attendance,” he added.

The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup is scheduled to take place from Aug. 25 to Sept. 10 with the Group Phase taking place in all three host countries, and the Final Phase of the tournament happening in the Philippines.

Thirty-two national teams are set to compete in the high-profile tournament.

In winning the hosting job, Philippines-Japan-Indonesia won over the joint bid of Argentina and Uruguay in 2017.

AGHAST AT VISMIN ISSUE
Meanwhile, Mr. Panlilio expressed his displeasure over the recent “game-fixing” controversy in a newly launched regional basketball league.

“I was aghast with that incident. It’s completely disrespecting the game that a lot of us love. Even FIBA will frown on this,” said the SBP official of the game between ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Heroes and Siquijor Mystics last week in the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup.

Said game was marred by “questionable” free throw shooting and botched wide-open fastbreak layups, raising red flags for possible illegal activities by participants.

League officials and the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) immediately took action and stopped the contest midway and conducted an investigation.

After assessment, the league moved to expel and ban the Mystics for wrongdoing and fined and suspended some members of the Heroes for conduct detrimental to the league.

The GAB is also in the process of studying the matter further for possible sanctions on those involved.

For the SBP, Mr. Panlilio said they will conduct their own probe and issue sanctions if needed.

“We’re just checking our bylaws and seeing what sanctions we can give them. I have asked SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios and Operations Director Butch Antonio to look into this, investigate what happened here because this is not acceptable, in any sport, honestly,” he said.

Adding, “There are only a few privileged people to play basketball professionally and they have to show responsibility and show the youth how to play the right way. It is also terrible for the sponsors as this can destroy their brand. There is nothing good about the situation.”

Celtics outduel Warriors; no White House visit for Lakers

April 18, 2021 | 6:56 pm

JAYSON Tatum lost his personal duel with Stephen Curry, but the Boston Celtics won their battle with the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, outfinishing the visitors for a 119-114 win in a nationally televised duel of streaking teams.

Tatum scored a driving hoop to break a tie with 48.8 seconds left, and Kemba Walker delivered the dagger with a three-pointer 24 seconds later, allowing the Celtics to record their sixth straight win.

Tatum finished with a team-high 44 points, three fewer than Curry, who continued his week-long assault on the three-point line with 11 more.

Curry, who turned his left ankle in the fourth quarter but never left the game, topped 32 points for a league-best 10th consecutive game and surpassed 40 for the third time in four games in the last six days.

Curry, the league leader in three-pointers, went 11-for-19 from beyond the arc, giving him 10 or more three times in his six-day flurry.

Tatum shot 16-for-25 overall and 5-for-9 on threes en route to his second-highest point total of the season for the Celtics, who were coming off a 3-0 trip against Western heavyweights Denver, Portland, and the Los Angeles (LA) Lakers.

Tatum also found time to complete a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds.

Walker finished with 26 points and Marcus Smart with 16 for the Celtics. They combined for seven more three-pointers, helping the Celtics nearly keep pace with the Warriors from beyond the arc, making 15 in 46 tries as compared to Golden State’s 17 in 40.

Jabari Parker had 11 points off the bench in his Celtics debut and Peyton Pritchard matched that total for the Celtics, who swept the two-game season series from the Warriors despite sitting out Jaylen Brown.

Andrew Wiggins had 22 points, Kent Bazemore gained 16, and Jordan Poole got 12 for the Warriors, who saw a four-game winning streak come to an end.

Draymond Green, who missed two key interior shots late in the tight game, accumulated a game-high 10 assists to go with five points and five rebounds.

The Warriors not only outscored the Celtics (51-45) on three-pointers, but also outshot them overall, 51.3% to 46.8%.

NO WHITE HOUSE VISIT
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers continue to be stifled by effects from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Lakers were unable to hold a parade to celebrate its 2020 NBA title in Los Angeles, and now they won’t be able to visit the White House, as they had hoped, during a road trip later this month.

The visit to President Joe Biden’s White House is not on the schedule surrounding LA’s April 28 game against the Washington Wizards, according to the Los Angeles Times, because of scheduling conflicts and coronavirus concerns.

Yahoo! Sports wrote early this year that the Lakers sought to make their visit month and that the team was eager to do so.

LeBron James expressed his excitement following the team’s victory in the NBA Finals.

ESPN reported that a future visit was still possible.

The Lakers expect to have James and Anthony Davis back for the playoffs, which begin in mid-May. — Reuters

Filipino golfer Saso ends up at joint sixth in Lotte Championship

April 18, 2021 | 6:53 pm

TOP Filipino golfer Yuka Saso wound up at joint sixth place at the conclusion of the Lotte Championship at the Kapolei Golf Club in Oahu, Hawaii, on Sunday (Manila time).

Ms. Saso, an Asian Games gold medallist for the Philippines in 2018, fired up a 2-under 70 to finish her campaign in the US LPGA tournament.

New Zealand’s Lydia Ko ruled the tournament, which carried a purse of $2 million.

Nineteen-year-old Saso led the event in the early goings, but struggled in the third round and saw her more seasoned opponents take advantage and make their move.

She could not reclaim the lead from there.

Despite falling short, the sixth place finish was the best for Ms. Saso in the US LPGA to date. For her efforts, Ms. Saso took home $54,848 (roughly P2.65 million).

Finishing joint second were South Koreans Inbee Park and Sei Young Kim, Irish Leona Maguire and American Nelly Korda.

Joining Ms. Saso at sixth, meanwhile, were Jenny Shin (South Korea), Wei-Ling Hsu (Taiwan), and Sarah Schmelzel (United States). — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

PBA Board in special meeting to discuss new season

April 18, 2021 | 6:52 pm

THE Board of Governors of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is set to gather for a special meeting on Monday to reassess the direction the league will take for its Season 46 amid the ongoing conditions with the pandemic.

Among the matters the league officials are set to discuss concern those of vaccine rollout for the PBA, the association’s financial standing and the activities to be staged for the season.

The league had already discussed and laid down its thrust for Season 46 in March, but was forced to reevaluate it after the situation with the pandemic turned for the worse of late with coronavirus cases rising.

Initially, the PBA was planning to be “busier” this year after a muted 2020 as its season was greatly affected by the pandemic, limiting it to just a single conference done in a “bubble” at Clark City in Angeles, Pampanga.

The league set to have two conferences for this season running for a combined 10 months in a closed-circuit setup where player movements are confined to home-gym-home instead of staging another expensive bubble.

It is also angling to roll out its inaugural 3×3 tournament, which is planned to run alongside the five-a-side offering.

These are expected to be discussed and recalibrated if needed in Monday’s meeting.

Also to be tackled, the league said, is the PBA’s involvement in the national team both for 5-on-5 and 3×3 basketball.

The meeting will be held with some of the governors physically in attendance, while some will join by way of Zoom Meetings. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

GAB suspends Mindanao leg of Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup

April 18, 2021 | 6:51 pm

2021-Chooks-to-Go-Pilipinas-VisMin-Super-Cup---Visayas---KCS-Mandaue-def-Siquijor---Coach-Joel-Palapal — As the Games and Amusements Board continues with its investigation of wrongdoing and reevaluation of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup, the regulatory body moved to ask for the suspension of the start of the Mindanao leg of the new regional league. (Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup)

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

The fallout from the controversial match in the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup last week extended at the weekend with the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) suspending the yet-to-start Mindanao leg of the newly launched regional basketball league.

In an announcement released on Sunday, GAB said its board had ruled for the deferment of the start of the Mindanao side of the VisMin Cup as the regulatory body reevaluates the league.

The Mindanao leg of the regional league was targeted to start on May 20 in Dipolog City, with nine teams expected to compete.

The GAB action came on the heels of the questionable game between ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Heroes and Siquijor Mystics last Wednesday in the Visayas leg of the VisMin Super Cup “bubble” in Alcantara, Cebu.

Said game was marred by “poor” free throw shooting and botched wide-open fastbreak layups, raising red flags for possible illegal activities, game-fixing in particular, by participants.

League officials and GAB immediately took action and stopped the contest midway and conducted an investigation.

After assessment, the league moved to expel and ban the Mystics for wrongdoing and fined and suspended some members of the Heroes for conduct detrimental to the league.

The GAB is also currently in the process of studying the matter further for possible added sanctions on those involved, forcing it to ask for the suspension of the Mindanao leg.

“We are in the process of investigation and seriously looking into the allegations of wrongdoing. The board would like to further observe the ongoing Visayas leg before giving a go signal for the other,” GAB said in a statement.

“In the meantime, GAB is reviewing the official reports of its field officers in the bubble and that of the league to determine the administrative liability of the licensees as well as the possibility of proceeding with criminal charges if warranted by the circumstances. Our mandate is to ensure the integrity of professional sports/welfare of players and were doing just that,” it added.

Apart from GAB, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the country’s national federation for the sport, too, is set to conduct its own probe on the issue.

The Visayas leg of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup kicked off on April 9.

The league was set up with the end view of spotlighting basketball talents in the south.

Rolando Dy, Jenel Lausa hope to be part of Brave CF’s debut in Belarus

April 18, 2021 | 6:50 pm

FILIPINO Jenel Lausa has expressed his desire and readiness to be part of Brave CF’s first event in Belarus in June if asked. — BRAVE CF

BAHRAIN-BASED Brave Combat Federation (CF) will stage its debut event in Belarus in June, an event that Filipino fighters under the promotion hope to be part of.

To be held at the Falcon Club Arena in Minsk on June 4, “Brave CF 51” has the organization descending on Belarusian soil for the first time, part of its continued push to take its brand of mixed martial arts (MMA) action to more places and fans in the world.

Brave has yet to announce the fight lineup for the breakthrough event but Filipinos Rolando “Dy Incredible” Dy and Jenel “The Demolition Man” Lausa have expressed their desire and readiness to be part of the card if asked.

Coming off a loss in his previous lightweight fight in March to Abdisalam Kubanychbek of Kyrgyzstan, 29-year-old Dy (14-10) is seeking to bounce back and is looking at Brave CF 51 to be the jump-off point.

“I have no other options but to get back up. I know the loss to Kubanychbek will make me a better fighter. I learned a lot from that loss more than I learned from my wins. I will be ready for the next one. I hope I will be back in action very soon,” said Mr. Dy.

The son of Filipino boxing legend Rolando Navarrete is also looking to showcase his MMA skills to European fans if given the opportunity.

“I haven’t been to Europe yet, and it’s enticing to fight over there. Belarus is a great starting point of my road to redemption. I won’t think twice about taking that offer to fight in Europe.”

Redemption is also in the minds of flyweight Lausa (7-6) after dropping his maiden fight in Brave also in March against Ryskulbek Ibraimov of Kyrgyzstan.

The boxing champion who has transitioned to MMA said he is aiming for a quick turnaround and sees the Belarus event as a great opportunity to get back on the winning track.

“I think of it as a lesson. It will serve as an inspiration to push myself to the limit. I will triple my time in training. I’m not discouraged at all. I want to fight as soon as possible. Winning and fighting again will motivate me,” said Iloilo native Lausa of his Brave debut loss and his mindset moving forward.

The chance to fight in Belarus also has added significance, Mr. Lausa shared, as he is a fan of Belarusian MMA legend Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion.

“He’s one of my idols. I admire how he fights in the cage because he’s exciting and gives it all in every fight. It will be a dream come true if I get to fight where he started his career,” Mr. Lausa said.

Founded in 2016, Brave has made significant headway in bringing top-class MMA action in different parts of the globe, including the Philippines.

Since being established, the company has visited more than a dozen countries.

Brave said that by taking MMA to a wider range, it hopes to give a truly global platform to athletes for their in-cage abilities and fighting qualities.

Most recently, the promotion staged an historic four-event stretch, dubbed “21 Days of MMA Mayhem,” which ran from March 11 to April 1. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Olympic President Bach to visit Japan in May, meet PM Suga

April 18, 2021 | 6:49 pm

TOKYO — International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach will visit Japan in May, the Kyodo News agency said at the weekend, as the nation struggles to contain a surge in coronavirus cases before the start of the Games.

Bach will attend a torch relay ceremony in the western city of Hiroshima on May 17 and meet with Prime Minister (PM) Yoshihide Suga the next day, Kyodo said, citing sources close to the matter. Bach is expected to back Japan’s commitment to safely host the Summer Games, Kyodo reported.

“We are aware of President Bach’s intention to come to Japan and would welcome such a visit,” the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee said in a statement. “However, nothing concrete has been decided.”

With fewer than 100 days until the Olympics are due to start in Tokyo, Japan expanded quasi-emergency measures to 10 regions on Friday as a fourth wave of coronavirus cases spread.

Suga, who is on a state visit to the United States, said at a news conference on Friday that he told President Joe Biden he was committed to moving forward with the Games and that Biden offered his support. — Reuters