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Win-or-go home Friday

TNT Tropang Giga vs Phoenix Fuel Masters, Barangay Ginebra Kings against Meralco Bolts for finals spot

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

IT is win or go home for the four remaining teams in the PBA Philippine Cup as they play in a pair of semifinal rubber matches on Friday at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena in Pampanga.

All knotted up at 2-2 in their respective best-of-five series, the TNT Tropang Giga and Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters on one bracket and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings and the Meralco Bolts on the other make one last go at booking a spot in the finals of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) All-Filipino tournament.

Kicking off the proceedings at 3:45 p.m. is the clash between the Tropang Giga and Fuel Masters.

TNT forced the do-or-die on Wednesday after taking Game Four, 102-101.

It was another close game in the tightly fought series with the outcome not decided until the dying seconds of the contest.

Ray Parks Jr. led the way for the Tropang Giga in their gutsy Game Four victory, finishing with a game-high 36 points, 12 coming in the fourth quarter, to go along with six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Veteran Jayson Castro had 21 markers and five dimes while Roger Pogoy finished with 18 points.

Also stepping up for TNT was guard Simon Enciso who had 14 points, going 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.

For Phoenix, which showed a lot of resilience despite the loss, Matthew Wright had another solid outing coming from injury, finishing with 34 points, nine assists and five rebounds. Jason Perkins, meanwhile, had 19 points.

Do-it-all Calvin Abueva, for his part, had 17 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Fuel Masters before fouling out.

Given how highly competitive the series has been, with the average winning margin pegged at 3.5 points, TNT coach Bong Ravena said they have to be ready for what is expected to be another grind of a match in the winner-take-all.

“There is no relaxing on our part. We just tied the series. There is nothing to celebrate yet,” said Mr. Ravena postgame.

“We have to want it more in the next game and keep a high level of play.”

KINGS VS. BOLTS
Capping off the do-or-die day for the PBA is the clash between the Kings and the Bolts at 6:30 p.m.

Meralco dug deep in the last game to hack out an 83-80 win to stay alive in the Philippine Cup.

Game Four between the Kings and Bolts was marked by runs and counterruns, setting up a cardiac end game.

Reynel Hugnatan, who top-scored for Meralco with 19 points, drained a crucial long basket in the closing seconds of the match while Raymond Almazan produced a game-saving defensive gem — blocking Stanley Pringle’s go-ahead basket attempt — to help their team to the big win.

Chris Newsome had 16 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and five assists, while Cliff Hodge also had 16 markers for the Bolts.

For Barangay Ginebra, it was Mr. Pringle who was the high point man with 18 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists.

Jared Dillinger had 15 points with Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar chipping in 12 points apiece.

Having put themselves in a position to advance to the finals, Meralco coach Norman Black said they have every intent to see their championship push through.

“We have to win two games to move to the next stage. We’re halfway through,” said Mr. Black., adding that he is hoping that his players play their respective roles and more so as to give them a better chance to win in the rubber match.

Argentina mourns death of Diego Maradona, 60

HAVANA — Argentina football legend Diego Maradona said his hero, late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro — whom he considered a “second father” and whose face he had tattooed on his leg — once urged him to go into politics.

Maradona, who died on Wednesday aged 60, never fulfilled those aspirations but he did play a role in championing leftist leaders across Latin America — such as Castro, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, and Bolivia’s Evo Morales — and in helping to lend them broader international appeal.

“Everything Fidel does, everything Chavez does for me is the best (that can be done),” Maradona said on Chavez’s weekly television show in 2007.

“I hate everything that comes from the United States. I hate it with all my strength.”

The son of a factory worker raised in a shantytown on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Maradona first met Castro in 1987, a year after helping Argentina win the World Cup and four years before the fall of the Soviet Union that would usher in a new era of economic hardship in communist Cuba.

An unlikely friendship between the often outlandish footballer and the well-read revolutionary deepened at the start of the century when Maradona spent four years in Havana to shake an addiction to drugs.

“Coming from such humble beginnings, Castro was his idol,” said Alfredo Tedeschi, an Argentine TV producer now based in Belgium who became close friends with Maradona during a stint working for Reuters in Havana.

“It was like he fell in love (with Castro), and then came Chavez, Morales, and the rest,” said Tedeschi, who would often invite the footballer over for traditional Argentine steak barbecue dinners.

Tedeschi recalls the time Maradona knocked on his door and proposed a spontaneous visit to Castro. The Cuban leader received them within minutes of their arrival and cleared his busy agenda to spend three hours with them, including to play football in his office.

“They would always talk about politics — Diego was really interested in politics,” said Tedeschi, adding that Castro would also pay spontaneous visits to his Havana home.

In 2005, Maradona interviewed Castro on his Argentine TV show, asking how George W. Bush had been re-elected president of the United States, to which Castro responded: “Fraud. The terrorist mafia of Miami!”

As such, Maradona was also a propaganda tool for Latin America’s leftist leaders, said Tedeschi.

“Diego was the kind of guy where anything he said would have a repercussion,” said Tedeschi. “And for Fidel, that kind of propaganda was welcome.” — Reuters

Gilas takes on Thailand in FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers

GILAS Pilipinas begins its campaign in the November window of the qualifiers for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup on Friday, taking on Thailand in the first of a slated two-game series in Manama, Bahrain.

Bannered this time around by amateur and collegiate stars, the Philippine men’s basketball team, currently sporting a 1-0 record in the tournament, is looking to stay unscathed and build momentum for future windows of the qualifiers.

Fourteen players are included in the Gilas pool for the window, namely: Kobe Paras, Juan and Javi Gomez De Liano, Jaydee Tungcab, Dwight Ramos, Dave Ildefonso, Will Navarro, Justine Baltazar, Calvin Oftana, Kenmark Carino, Isaac Go, Matt and Mike Nieto, and Rey Suerte.

As of this writing, the team has yet to announce who the final 12 players will be on tap for the team’s first game, set for 9 p.m. (Manila time), at the Khalifa Sports City Stadium.

Coach of the team is veteran Jong Uichico, supported by SBP program director Tab Baldwin, assistant coach Boyet Fernandez, and skills coach Alton Lister.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas said it is excited to see the young Gilas crew in action, seeing it as laying the groundwork for the future, including the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup in 2023 where the Philippines is one of the hosts.

“I am excited because it’s only gonna level up Philippine basketball with this experience and yes, a lot of pool of young men I’m excited to see who among these players will be there in 2023 and of course to be competing slots with PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) veterans,” said SBP president Al Panlilio on Tiebreaker Vods’ 2OT podcast on Tuesday.

“We’re really looking at this as a long-term program for the national team,” he added.

Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Philippines has played only one game to date in Group A, a 100-70 win over Indonesia (0-2) in February in Jakarta.

Thirdy Ravena, currently playing in the Japan league, led the way for Gilas in said game, finishing with 24 points and eight rebounds. PBA stars CJ Perez and Roger Pogoy backstopped him with 20 and 19 points, respectively.

Messrs. Ramos and Go and Juan Gomez De Liano and Matt Nieto were also part of the team then, combining for 31 points.

Thailand, for its part, has also played only one game, losing to group leader South Korea (2-0), 93-86.

Thai-American Tyler Lamb paced his team in said game, finishing with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Nakorn Jaisanuk followed with 15 points, with Chanatip Jakrawan and Wattana Suttisin adding 13 and 12 points apiece.

As per tournament format, the top two teams in the group at the end of the qualifiers advance to the FIBA Asia Cup set for August next year.

Gilas versus Thailand will be broadcast live over One Sports and ONE Sports+.

The second game between the two teams will be on Nov. 30. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Filipinos have potential to excel in Lethwei, says WLC

BELIEVING that Filipinos have the potential to excel in the Burmese martial art of Lethwei, the World Lethwei Championship (WLC) is looking to feature fighters from the Philippines beginning next year, part of the group’s push to expand its operations and help grow the sport.

One of the fastest-rising combat sports in the world, Lethwei originated from Myanmar where competitors can showcase their full offensive arsenal, including head-butts, punches, elbows, knees, kicks, clinching, sweeps, and throws.

While it has been around for a long time now, Lethwei has been brought to the fore of late, helped by WLC, whose thrust is anchored on providing live entertainment combined with historic traditions.

Since setting up shop in 2017, Yangon-based WLC has held almost 20 sold-out events across Myanmar, and has attracted top martial artists from different parts of the world, including Dave Leduc from Canada and Filipino-Australian sensation Michael Badato.

Now the promotion is angling to stretch the sport’s reach to more areas and people, one of which is the Philippines.

“The Philippines is a hotbed for combat sports and the fans are some of the most passionate in the world. Filipino combat sports athletes have all the skills to translate well into Lethwei, and I truly believe that there could be a Filipino world champion in Lethwei in the near future,” said Gerald Ng, WLC chief executive officer, in a statement.

The group has already named at least four strikers right now who could leave their mark in the sport, namely: Jean Claude Saclag, Ariel Lee Lampacan, Ryan Jakiri and Fritz Biagtan.

Mr. Saclag, 26, part of noted combat sports group Team Lakay of Baguio City, is a wushu practitioner, who won a silver medal in the 2014 Asian Games and turned heads and won gold in last year’s Southeast Asian Games here in kickboxing.

He has also parlayed his skills in ONE Championship.

Another SEA Games gold medallist in muay thai is Mr. Lampacan, also of Team Lakay. He has been making a name for himself in martial arts since picking it up at the age of 14, winning medals after medals en route to being a member of the national team.

Apart from his remarkable standing in muay thai, Mr. Lampacan also owns an impressive mixed martial arts record of 4-1 as part of the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC).

Known by the moniker “Filipino Assassin,” Mr. Jakiri, meanwhile, is a six-time Philippine national muay thai champion.

He made an appearance in ONE Super Series in October 2018 and won a silver-medal finish in the 2019 SEA Games.

Mr. Biagtan, 25, for his part, is a former URCC strawweight champion, who also fought in Rizin and is a noted boxer.  

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, WLC is staying resilient, with its last event happening in September. Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Varquez, Anton rule Race 3 of Phoenix Pulse FV1 Virtual Cup

ANDRE Varquez and Iñigo Anton ruled their respective categories in Race 3 of the Phoenix Pulse Formula V1 Virtual Cup, which was broadcast last weekend by Tuason Racing.

Done on a replica of the Laguna Seca racetrack, Messrs. Varquez and Anton once again showed their top-class skills, mastering the field in the Reverse Grid Position of the PC-based Assetto Corsa game.

Mr. Varquez topped in Race 3 of the AM Class, setting the fastest lap time of 01:34.424 along the way.

“I had a good start on the race. I already secured my position at the first corner of the racetrack. I’ve seen that there was a huge pile at the back, so I kept going on. I don’t have to push myself, I just need to retain my consistency. Laguna Seca is super slippery, one mistake, and it will make a huge loss in everyone’s performance,” said Mr. Varquez after the race.

Coming behind Mr. Varquez was Race 2 champion Julian Colvin Tang in second place, and Patrick Malicsi at third spot.

Mr. Anton, meanwhile, emerged on top in the PRO Class category.

He was challenged by Estefano Rivera and Russel Reyes, but held on amid the slippery track, to secure the top spot. Mr. Rivera, however, set the fastest lap time of 01:32.603.

“The track was so difficult and the grip level was so low. So during the race, I got a very keen start and very keen lap. From there on, I just kept the level head and just tried to be very consistent and at the same time try not to commit any mistakes,” said Mr. Anton.

Organizers of the Cup are very excited for the final round of the Cup set for broadcast next month as it would feature the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga as the virtual track.

The Virtual Cup is backed by Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc., Tuason Racing, LG Philippines, BlueChem, Bendix, PC Express, and Family Mart.

It was set up to keep interest in motorsports going, despite the challenges presented by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Organizers admitted that going virtual is not easy, but they are undeterred and looking at flipping its downside into opportunities. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Bayern reaches knockout stage with 3-1 win over Salzburg

MUNICH, Germany — Holders Bayern Munich failed to hit top form, but did enough for a 3-1 win over visitors Salzburg on Wednesday to book their spot in the Champions League knockout stage with two games to spare.

The German champions stretched their record run to 15 straight wins in the competition, with Robert Lewandowski firing in on the rebound in the 43rd minute after the hosts had struggled with Salzburg’s high-intensity pressing during the first half.

Lewandowski now has 71 goals in the competition and is joint third-best scorer of all time, along with Spaniard Raul, behind Lionel Messi and leader Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Austrians had started much stronger, putting the hosts on the back foot, and would have been ahead in the 16th minute were it not for keeper Manuel Neuer’s superb double save.

“It is very important that we are already now confirmed group winners,” Neuer said. “It is a clear step in the right direction.”

Bayern, who slipped up in the Bundesliga with a draw against Werder Bremen on Saturday, were lacking their usual spark and got lucky in the 52nd minute when Salzburg defender Maximilian Woeber deflected Kingsley Coman’s shot into his own net.

Bayern were left with 10 men in the 66th following the dismissal of Marc Roca with a second booking, but two minutes later, Leroy Sane settled their nerves, heading in their third goal.

Salzburg cut the deficit through Mergim Berisha in the 73rd after Neuer had pulled off another sensational double save minutes earlier.

The Bavarians, who have now scored two or more goals in all four of their group games, top Group A on 12 points, with Salzburg in last place on one. Atletico Madrid are second on five following their goalless draw with Lokomotiv Moscow, who have three. — Reuters

Warriors’ Thompson undergoes surgery, expected to make full recovery

LOS ANGELES — Golden State Warriors’ All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson underwent season-ending surgery to repair his torn Achilles on Wednesday and is expected to make a full recovery, the team said.

“Klay Thompson underwent successful surgery earlier this morning to repair a torn right Achilles,” the team said in a statement.

“The surgery, performed by Dr. Richard Ferkel in Los Angeles, is expected to keep Klay sidelined for the entire 2020-21 NBA season. He is expected to make a full recovery.”

The three-time NBA champion suffered the injury a week ago while playing in a practice game in his native Southern California. The 30-year-old will miss his second consecutive season after being forced to sit out last season with a torn left anterior cruciate ligament.

Thompson is a five-time All-Star and is widely considered one of the greatest shooters ever to play the game.

He holds the record for most points scored in a single quarter (37), most three pointers made in a regular-season game (14) and most three pointers made in a playoff game (11), and is an elite defender.

After making the NBA Finals five years in a row, the Warriors posted the worst record in the league last season as Thompson and fellow sharp-shooting “Splash Brother” Stephen Curry were sidelined by injuries.

Curry offered words of encouragement to Thompson this week.

“Klay can come back strong,” he said. “He’s a guy that loves the game so much. He is going to do whatever it takes to get back out there on the floor and be himself.”

In light of Thompson’s injury, the Warriors recently signed small forward Kelly Oubre Jr.

The NBA regular season kicks off on Dec. 22. — Reuters

Bogdanovic misstep

It’s easy to see why the Bucks wanted to load up in the offseason. For the second straight campaign, they headed into the playoffs as the league leaders, only to find themselves falling short of expectations. Last year, they fell to the rampaging Raptors in six games despite having claimed the first two of the East Finals. And then, in early September, they were pilloried by the upstart Heat, who needed just five contests to advance to the conference finals. That they bowed to achievers was of no consequence to them. There could be no downplaying the extent of their disappointment; after all, they had reigning Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo heading their cause, and, moving forward, they needed to meet expectations.

In assessing all possible options, the Bucks knew the value of moving fast. As things turned out, they did so too quickly for comfort. Free agency hadn’t yet begun when practically every observer in every nook and cranny of the National Basketball Association got wind of their deal with the Kings for Bogdan Bogdanovic. It was a coup, to be sure; the shooting guard was personally close to — and, more importantly, figured to be a stylistic fit with — Antetokounmpo. Strong on both sides of the court, the would-be addition was seen to a vital cog alongside All-Star Khrushchev Middleton and new acquisition Jrue Holiday. Unfortunately, the undue haste with which they acted prompted the league to launch an investigation, thereby turning off their target.

That the Bucks’ failure to nab Bogdanovic dealt them a heavy blow is an understatement. They were wise to pivot as much as they could, but the damage had been done. They managed to bring back rotation regular Pat Connaughton and welcome to the fold solid bench contributors D.J. Augustin, Torrey Craig, Bryn Forbes, and Bobby Portis. Still, the impression they left following their scrambling to recover from their faux pas was that they hadn’t done enough to shore up their cause, especially with the champion Lakers and other threats in the East becoming even better. In short, the question being asked when the free agency battlesmoke cleared wasn’t if they improved. It was if they improved, only to find that they failed to even keep pace with the best of the best.

The Bucks will, no doubt, remain in the thick of things. It’s what the presence of Antetokounmpo guarantees. That said, relevancy is not their goal; it’s success. And, precisely because they have the owner of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy on tap, success means claiming the title and nothing less. And, certainly, their position becomes even more precarious given the ticking clock. The upcoming season will be the Greek Freak’s last under his current contract, and if he doesn’t opt to sign a supermax extension prior to its culmination, he’ll be heading into free agency unencumbered in his quest to find a landing spot that puts him closer to a title.

And so the Bucks are left to look to the future with no small measure of trepidation. They’ll have a full, if shortened, season’s worth of reckoning. And unless and until Antetokounmpo signs on the dotted line, they’ll keep casting a moist eye on the immediate past and ruminate on the myriad What Ifs emanating from the Bogdanovic misstep.

 

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.

Airlines stir doubts with ‘flying is safe’ claim on virus

AIRLINES have loudly insisted that it’s safe to fly during the coronavirus pandemic, and US travel is surging before the Thanksgiving holiday despite a nationwide spike in virus cases.

Yet top US infectious disease experts say the findings underpinning the carriers’ safety claims aren’t that conclusive.

Concerned about the “misinterpretation” of their findings, researchers on a Defense Department study that has been widely cited by the industry added a cautionary revision. A senior expert in travel-health issues declined to participate in an airline trade group’s press conference, citing what he called their “bad math.” Prompted by the uncertainty, lawmakers on Wednesday called for more in-depth government research.

“The airline industry got a little ahead of itself trying to say the risk is zero,” said David Freedman, a University of Alabama at Birmingham professor emeritus who balked at appearing with an International Air Transport Association event that cited his work.

US airlines, hit with an unprecedented drop in demand since the virus began spreading widely in March, are enjoying their strongest week since then. Even as health officials warn against travel during the Thanksgiving holiday because of a surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, more than 4.9 million people traversed airports between Friday and Tuesday.

The risk of being infected with the novel coronavirus on planes — which have highly effective filters that remove virus from the air and where mask usage is required — is probably fairly low, scientists say.

But the research is far from clear and some recent cases have documented transmission on flights even when passengers wore masks and sat far apart, according to a review of recent cases and interviews with academics and disease specialists.

“I definitely can say it’s premature to say that air travel is very safe,” said Qingyan Chen, an engineering professor at Purdue University in Indiana who’s written extensively on disease transmission on planes.

Airline officials, responding to the historic drop in passengers, have repeatedly defended the protections against infection on flights.

“Flying is safe,” Nicholas Calio, president of Airlines for America, a trade group for large carriers, said at a Nov. 12 briefing. “I will state that categorically.”

A4A declined to add additional comments. It has highlighted the efforts to force passengers to wear masks and to remain apart during boarding and exiting, and to disinfect aircraft. Montreal-based IATA defended its use of Freedman’s data on confirmed in-flight transmissions, saying it never characterized the results as definitive.

A4A has frequently cited a study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which was funded by the trade group and other aviation industry sources, that concluded the risk of transmission on an airliner was “very low.” But authors cautioned that their projections depended on adherence to mask usage and they also urged airlines to improve ventilation while planes are parked at the gate.

Another study airlines point to was conducted by the Defense Department with the assistance of United Airlines Holdings, Inc. and Boeing Co. It attempted to measure how aerosol virus particles were exhaled by a simulated masked passenger.

United said in promotional materials released Oct. 15 the study “determined the risk is almost non-existent.”

However, after news coverage of the study, the authors added a revision, saying they were “concerned about the potential misinterpretation of the findings.” They also acknowledged they based their results on a person exhaling relatively few virus particles, an amount well below levels documented in some cases.

The airplane filters and mask usage “significantly reduces” exposure to infectious aerosols, they wrote. “However, the current established scientific understanding of SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics is not sufficient to calculate definitive SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk from these measurements of aerosol transport.”

United spokeswoman Leslie Scott responded in an email that “Throughout the pandemic, our top priority has been the health and safety of our customers and crew.”

“It’s why we supported military officials, medical experts and aviation engineers in their work demonstrating that aircraft cabins are among the safest of public indoor environments thanks to advanced air filtration systems, required mask-wearing and diligent cleaning protocols,” she added.

Overall, there are few confirmed reports of infections linked to flights. However, because of limited contact tracing in the US and the difficulty of finding transmission cases, it’s hard to say for sure what that means, researchers said.

“I haven’t seen any studies come out and say it’s highly risky,” said Byron Jones, an engineering professor at Kansas State University who has studied airliner cabin-air safety. “But I haven’t seen the study that says it’s definitively safe either.”

The US Centers for Disease Control summarizes the risks from air travel this way on its website: “Most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes. However, keeping your distance is difficult on crowded flights, and sitting within six feet of others, sometimes for hours, may increase your risk of getting COVID-19.”

Citing what they called the government’s unwillingness to create a plan for handling disease outbreaks in air travel — which is required under an international treaty — and the need for better understanding transmission, US House of Representatives’ leaders on transportation policy asked a watchdog agency to study the issue. 

Representatives Peter DeFazio, the Oregon Democrat who is chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rick Larsen, a Washington Democrat who heads the aviation subcommittee, called on the Government Accountability Office to review research on how the disease is spread in air travel, and the government and industry’s response.

Until a vaccine against the coronavirus is widely distributed, “the US airline industry will depend in large part on a better understanding of how diseases, particularly those that are airborne, spread through air travel and identifying technologies and practices that can help mitigate disease transmission,” the lawmakers said in a letter to the GAO on Wednesday.

While some studies have shown cases in which no one on a flight became infected in spite of the presence of contagious passengers, other data have documented in-flight transmissions.

Purdue’s Chen said he’s been following news reports in China of possible infection between passengers on a Nov. 9 Air China flight from Los Angeles to Tianjin.

Ten people who weren’t connected to each other and resided in different parts of the US tested positive for Covid-19 after arrival. All the passengers had tested negative for the disease before the flight, suggesting at least some of the transmission occurred on the plane, he said.

Such incidents are confounding because they seem to contradict Chen’s own earlier research showing mask usage can dramatically lower risks of infection, he said.

“That’s why I’m having doubts about what’s going on in airplanes,” he said.

Government researchers in Ireland documented as many as 13 cases linked to a single flight last summer, according to a paper published in October. The infections in five of the cases were genetically linked, “strongly suggesting a single point source of infection,” the authors said.

The wide-body jet was largely empty, people were spaced out on the plane and almost everyone whose activity could be documented said they wore masks. Nevertheless, the authors estimated that 10-18% of passengers became infected.

“It is interesting that four of the flight cases were not seated next to any other positive case, had no contact in the transit lounge, wore face masks in-flight and would not be deemed close contacts under current guidance from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control,” the authors said. — Bloomberg

New Zealand’s Ardern set to declare climate emergency

WELLINGTON — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s government is to declare a climate emergency in a symbolic step to increase pressure for action to combat global warming.

The government will put forward a motion to declare the emergency next Wednesday, the government said as parliament reconvened after a general election won by Ardern’s party.

“We’ve always considered climate change to be a huge threat to our region, and it is something we must take immediate action on,” Ms. Ardern said, according to state broadcaster TVNZ.

“Unfortunately, we were unable to progress a motion around a climate emergency in parliament in the last term, but now we’re able to.”

Ms. Ardern returned to power last month delivering the biggest election victory for her centre-left Labour Party in half a century as voters rewarded her for a decisive response to the novel coronavirus.

The resounding win allows Ms. Ardern’s party to govern alone although she has joined forces with the Green Party for the next three-year term.

The newly elected members of parliament were sworn in on Tuesday and resumed work on Wednesday in New Zealand’s most diverse parliament ever. It has several people of color, members of rainbow communities and a large number of women.

In her last term, Ms. Ardern’s government passed a Zero Carbon Bill, which sets the framework for net zero emissions by 2050, with cross-party support in parliament.

If a climate emergency is passed, New Zealand would join countries like Canada, France and Britain that have taken the same course to focus efforts on tackling climate change.

Last week, Japanese lawmakers declared a climate emergency and committed to a firm timetable for net-zero emissions. — Reuters

Shop for a Cause This Christmas at Globe myBusiness Gift Local E-Bazaar

Christmas shopping has always been an exciting tradition during the holidays where everyone is filled with the spirit of giving and the desire to find that perfect gift for their friends and loved ones. And no matter how different this year’s celebration is, you can still recreate the holiday shopping experience from home, and even support a cause through the Gift Local E-Bazaar.

From November 27 to 29, the Globe myBusiness Gift Local E-Bazaar in Lazada will feature SME merchants and bazaaristas from the retail, food, and tourism industries, and even social enterprises. Everyday at 6PM for the duration of the event, selected merchants will have a live-selling that will be shown on Lazada’s platform and the Globe myBusiness Facebook page. Fun games, exciting raffle prizes, and entertainment courtesy of Globe Voices also await all e-shoppers!

Here are some of the participating merchants for the e-bazaar:

  • Kajg jewelry and accessories
  • TeeshertCo
  • BEBE CO.
  • miNEEYture
  • Obra Kinaiya
  • Crafts by Lesy
  • Terra Philippines
  • Old World Food Enterprise
  • Everything About Snack

Aside from giving shoppers a virtual one-stop shop where they can buy gifts for their families and even for themselves, Globe myBusiness will be donating 100% of the merchants’ joining fee to Ayala Foundation’s Brigada ng Ayala project that seeks to provide help to disaster-affected areas as well as provide connectivity to public school teachers and students.

“The Gift Local campaign is all about supporting our local entrepreneurs by encouraging Christmas shoppers to buy local products. But this bazaar is unlike any other, because it incorporates the newly launched Globe myBusiness’ Unli Internet Plans, which brings the bazaar experience online for unli enjoyment,” said Alyssa Gil, Globe myBusiness Segment Marketing Manager.

Globe myBusiness’ new Unli Internet Plans is the ideal connectivity tool for those who want to start their e-commerce journey. It comes with better internet experience and free digital services for MSMEs to enjoy such as Amber SMS Blast for sending the latest promos to customers and KonsultaMD for ensuring health and safety of employees.

Don’t miss the Gift Local E-Bazaar on Lazada on November 27 to 29, and make sure to visit Globe myBusiness’ Facebook page to know more about its new Unli Internet Plans and other solutions to help you digitally transform your business!

Peso tipped for strong December on record remittances

The Philippine peso, which lagged its peers in Asia this quarter, may get a boost in December with millions of Filipinos abroad set to send record amounts of money home to help families suffering from the pandemic and the recent typhoons.

December is a seasonally strong month for the peso, with the currency gaining in the period in five of the past six years. It is also the month when remittances, which totaled more than $30 billion in 2019, reached their highest levels for the year since 2009.

“With increased unemployment as a result of the pandemic and the impact of the typhoons, we expect extra remittances in order to support families at home,” said Wouter van Eijkelenburg, an economist at Rabobank in the Netherlands. “This would support the strength of the peso.”

The peso will edge higher to 48.08 per dollar over the next three months, according to Rabobank. It has risen 0.8% this quarter to 48.10, lagging behind some Asian currencies.

RISING INFLOWS

Remittances, the nation’s largest source of foreign exchange after exports, unexpectedly climbed 9.3% in September from a year earlier, the fastest pace in more than two years. That’s despite the repatriation of more than 300,000 workers from abroad who’ve lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

The overall flow of money from workers abroad to the Philippines are estimated to drop by 5% in 2020, taking into consideration those who have returned to the country, according to the World Bank. Still, as the major year-end holidays approach, coupled with the recent typhoons, it is possible that funds to the country will show resilience, said Dilip Ratha, World Bank lead economist on migration and remittances in Washington D.C.

For some, it’s not as though the Philippine currency has overcome all the headwinds. The peso may continue to lag behind regional peers given the Philippine economy is more domestically-oriented and less sensitive to bouts of risk-on from external factors, said Yanxi Tan, a strategist at Malayan Banking Bhd. in Singapore. It also depends on whether the recent tapering in daily virus cases in the Philippines can be sustained, Tan said.

Still, coupled with the remittance support, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp.’s Terence Wu expects foreign flows to the nation’s stock market will start to pick up as vaccine progress boosts global appetite for risk assets.

“These developments should be positive for the peso going into the year-end,” said Wu, a currency strategist at OCBC in Singapore. — Karl Lester M. Yap/Bloomberg