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Nationwide round-up (11/05/20)

Palace says no need to realign anti-insurgency funds

THERE is no need to realign the government’s anti-insurgency budget for next year to increase funding for disaster response, Malacañang Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque said on Thursday. In a briefing, he said the funds allocated for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) will go to typhoon-affected and calamity-prone areas anyway because insurgents are active in these regions. “Iyong ELCAC na pondo po ay pupunta doon sa area na mayroong insurgency problem dahil alam naman natin na kinakailangan magkaroon ng pag-unlad para mawala na iyong problema pagdating sa insurgency (The ECLAC fund will go to the areas that have insurgency problems because as we know, development is needed to eradicate the insurgency problem),” he said. Opposition lawmakers have questioned the P19-billion proposed budget for NTF-ELCAC in 2021, and have called for a realignment to other purposes such as recovery programs in areas devastated by natural calamities. — Gillian M. Cortez

Philippines in the running for 5 global categories after winning 4 Asian honors in 2020 World Travel Awards 

THE PHILIPPINES now has four awards from the  27th World Travel Awards after Intramuros, the Spanish-era walled city in the capital Manila, was declared as Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction on Wednesday. The announcement came after the country bagged the Asia awards for leading beach and diving destination, and the Department of Tourism as leading tourist board. “These recognitions are certainly an inspiration to the industry as we safely and gradually reopen our destinations for tourism. These would not be possible without the combined efforts from our tourism stakeholders, local government units, partner agencies, and our fellow Filipinos who have tirelessly promoted our country’s attractions, products, and culture,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Philippines is also in the running for five global categories, including the four that won at the regional level plus Siargao as leading island destination. The tourism industry contributed P2.48 trillion to the economy in 2019, the highest since 2000 based on available government data. Visitor arrivals have been on a steady growth in the past five years, with more than 8.2 million recorded last year from 5.36 million in 2015.

Regional Updates (11/05/20)

Ready for Siony

Batanes residents, known as Ivatans, are no stranger to strong typhoons and have a long tradition of preparing by boarding up their windows with shutters locally called tapangko, and tying up structures or what they call kapanpet. The provincial government said on Thursday morning that the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has been placed under 24/7 alert status for storm Siony (international name: Atsani), which could make landfall by Friday morning, according to the national weather bureau.  Tropical cyclone wind signal #2 was up in Batanes and the neighboring Babuyan Islands. As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Siony was located 340 kilometers (km) east of Basco, Batanes and moving slow at 20 km per hour with winds of 100 km/h and gustiness of up to 125 km/h.

EU sets P63-M assistance for typhoon Rolly relief and recovery operations

THE European Union (EU) is sending €1.3 million (P63 million) in emergency relief aid to families affected by typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni). The funding will go to humanitarian aid groups in the Philippines that are providing shelter, food, water supply, and livelihood assistance in the devastated areas, according to the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Manila. “It will not only cover the immediate needs of the most affected populations, but will also help the Filipino people restore their homes and livelihoods so they can get back on their feet as soon as possible. The EU stands in solidarity with those affected in the Philippines,” EU Commission for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said in the EEAS press statement on Thursday. The fund will be sourced from the EU’s Acute Large Emergency Response Tool (ALERT), which is used to respond to natural hazards in places where over 100,000 people or over half the population are affected. Over 230,000 families composed more than 900,000 people have been affected by the typhoon, mostly in the Bicol Region, based on the national disaster management’s council update as of Nov. 5. More than 14,000 houses were totally destroyed while almost 30,000 bore partial damage.

FARMERS
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday it has allotted P682.43 million worth of assistance to almost 33,000 farmers in Bicol. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, who visited one of the hardest hit provinces, Albay, said P592.43 million will also be released by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. Another P90 million worth of assistance were given to farmers such as hybrid rice seeds, corn, assorted vegetables, urea fertilizer, farm implements, fishing boats, and fishing gears. Mr. Dar said affected farmers and fisherfolk can also avail of a P25,000 rehabilitation loan under the DA’s Agricultural Credit and Policy Council. Damage to agriculture has reached P2.95 billion as of the DA’s Nov. 5 bulletin. About 126,135 metric tons (MT) of farm produce were lost, while 31,573 farmers and fisherfolk were affected across 66,068 hectares of agricultural land in five regions. Commodities that were damaged include rice, corn, abaca, high-value crops (assorted vegetables, cassava, banana, and other fruit trees), livestock, and agricultural facilities. Malacañang, meanwhile, sent 60 tons of relief goods to Catanduanes, the island province where Rolly first made landfall at super typhoon category. Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque assured residents that the government will provide the food and water they need.

POWER SUPPLY
On power facilities, the estimated cost of damage has reached P179.16 million, with the bulk incurred by electric cooperatives in Bicol, according to the National Electrification Administration’s (NEA) report on Thursday. FICELCO in Catanduanes sustained the largest damage at P133.06 million. NEA also reported that 52.27 % of the affected power supply has been restored, covering about a million households in Bicol, and parts of Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Eastern Visayas. However, almost a million other households remain without supply, mostly in Bicol, as several transmission lines are still down. Eighteen transmission lines are still offline, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said in a separate advisory. For Catanduanes, Energy Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella said in a briefing Thursday that 500 linemen will be sent to help repair posts, but full power restoration could take several weeks. — Jenina P. Ibañez, Revin Mikhael D. Ochave, Gillian M. Cortez, and Angelica Y. Yang

House tribunal upholds election victory of Manila’s Lopez

THE House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) upheld the victory of Manila 1st District Rep. Manuel Luis T. Lopez in the 2019 elections. In a resolution dated Aug. 27, released to the media only on Thursday, the HRET junked the electoral protest filed by his opponent, former congressman Benjamin D.R. Asilo. “Our landslide win was clear and irrefutable that even our opponent failed to present his supposed witnesses,” Mr. Lopez said in a statement on Thursday. The nine-member tribunal dismissed the case for being insufficient in form and substance after Mr. Asilo failed to present his 112 intended witnesses who were supposed to prove that “traditional election irregularities, manipulations and anomalies” were committed in the 2019 elections. The HRET, composed of three Supreme Court justices and six members of the House, is currently chaired by Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Davao City council asked to reassess resolution endorsing Samal-Davao Bridge

A FORMER local consumer group leader has asked the Davao City council to reevaluate, or better yet immediately revoke, the resolution endorsing the construction of the Samal-Davao bridge project. Wenifredo Gorrez, a city resident and former executive director of Konsumo-Dabaw, said the endorsement went against procedure because it was passed before the issuance of an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) by the Environment department. “Hence, the City Council may not be able to discharge its duty to maintain ecological balance as provided under the Local Government Code based on a complete set of information on the environmental impacts of the project and issue its timely disapproval where justified. The fast-paced implementation of the project will render the City Council’s intervention moot,” Mr. Gorrez said in his letter sent on Nov. 3 to Councilor Melchor B. Quitain, Jr., temporary presiding officer of the council. The endorsement is contained in Resolution No.0384-2019, titled Favorably Endorsing the Samal-Davao City Connector Bridge Project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). During a virtual public hearing conducted by the DPWH last month for its ECC application, Councilor Pilar C. Braga indicated that the city government should still review concerns raised on the bridge’s final design and location despite the endorsement. — Maya M. Padillo

BSP to start gathering data for small-business credit system

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it will begin work this month compiling a credit risk database (CRD) that will help banks more easily evaluate the creditworthiness of small businesses and wean lenders away from requiring excessive collateral cover.

The project is backed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and will run until 2023, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said.

“Actual data collection will start in the third week of November. Orientation about the data collection process is being conducted for the officers of the 18 participating banks,” Mr. Diokno said in a briefing Thursday. Building the CRD framework will run from 2021 to 2022.

Banks have been reluctant to lend to some small-, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) due to the dearth of credit data for the sector.

“CRD addresses two key issues on SME financing. First is SMEs’ reluctance to seek bank loans due to lack of credit history or collateral. Second is the banks’ perception that SMEs, in general, are high risk,” Mr. Diokno said.

The BSP hopes to provide banks with tools to assess small firms’ capacity to pay back loans and reduce their dependence on collateral for credit decisions.

“Since it will cover certainly more data points and more SME data than what a single bank can come up with, the CRD model can be more stable and accurate in coming up with in terms of predictive analysis,” said Ellen Joyce L. Suficiencia, director of the BSP’s Center for Learning and Inclusion Advocacy.

Ms. Suficiencia said banks that already have their internal credit scoring tools can use the CRD to validate their own evaluations.

The CRD could also enable the practice of risk-based interest, Ms. Suficiencia said.

“If you’re an SME that’s categorized in the lower probably probability of default group, then you should be able to get better loan terms,” she said.

By the end of the three-year project, the CRD will be turned over to a permanent body, either an industry association, a government agency, or the BSP, Ms. Suficiencia said. The target is to encourage adoption by more banks eventually, expanding funding to SME clients.

The Department of Trade and Industry has estimated that the broader category of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) accounted for about 99% of the one million registered businesses in 2018.

The sector received loans worth P208.201 billion in the first quarter, or about 2.47% of the banking system’s loans overall. This is much less than the 10% share required by Republic Act. No. 6977 or the Magna Carta for MSMEs.

The central bank has been encouraging banks to extend credit to small businesses during the pandemic crisis via regulatory relief such as allowing MSME loans to count towards reserve compliance. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Small businesses seen playing key role in achieving SDGs

WWW.UN.ORG

SMALL FIRMS have become more significant in the effort to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) after the pandemic set back many of the gains of recent years, participants at the Sustainability Summit 2020 were told.

At the forum Thursday, United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) CEO and Executive Director Sanda Ojiambo said fallout from the pandemic hit small businesses hard, disrupting supply chains and business operations.

“COVID-19 has caused a humanitarian and economic crisis that threatens to push the global goals even further off track. MSMEs (micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises) are the businesses that have been the hardest hit by the pandemic (and) are feeling the squeeze,” Ms. Ojiambo said during the forum streamed online.

“We firmly believe that the SDGs can be achieved only with active support (and) leadership from these enterprises. That’s why the UNGC in every region has pivoted to help support MSMEs weather the current storm and position themselves for sustainable recovery,” she added.

She said the UNGC has also formed a Sustainable MSME program, which includes providing expertise to develop recovery and resiliency business strategies.

In the Philippines, 99% of businesses are MSMEs generating more than 5.5 million jobs. They also account for 62% of the workforce.

National Economic and Development Authority Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon said at the forum that the pandemic has also forced small businesses to adopt more sustainable practices.

She said a deep review of current business policies, financing mechanisms and government practices is needed to address the ongoing crisis.

“It has been said that this pandemic has come about because of some unsustainable practices we have, whether in production or consumption… Once they emerge from the acute response to the COVID-19, MSMEs will benefit from the creation of a cohesive narrative for their recovery that mobilizes efforts across sectors,” she added.

To help businesses in the post-pandemic era, Ms. Edillon said the government’s plan is focused on five areas: health system improvement, food security, learning continuity, digital transformation and ecological integrity.

“These priorities also coincide with the global goals and their means of implementation and right now it’s too early to know whether the time-bound targets of the SDGs will be reset, but their principles remain useful in organizing a recovery strategy that combines growth, inclusion and sustainability,” she said.

In an October policy brief, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs estimated the goal of eliminating extreme poverty by 2030, one of the 17 SDGs, may no longer be possible because of the pandemic, even under the most optimistic scenario. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Bureau of Customs audits produce additional P1 billion in revenue

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said it generated an additional P1.035 billion in revenue in the 10 months to October after finding violations by importers in post-clearance audits.

“The BoC, through the Post Clearance Audit Group, collected P1.035 billion in additional revenue as a result of post-clearance audits conducted on importers suspected to have violated CMTA (the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act),” the bureau said in its year-to-date accomplishment report.

The bureau conducts regular audits each year to verify importer compliance. The process generates penalties from any adverse audit findings.

The BoC also confiscated P9.963 billion worth of smuggled goods during the period, according to the report, posted on the BoC website.

Smuggled cigarettes and other tobacco products made up half of the total confiscated goods with an estimated value of P4.99 billion. This was followed by illegal drugs worth P1.85 billion or 18.6% of the total, and smuggled cash worth P1.2 billion (12%).

Other top imported items brought in illegally include fake goods valued at P521 million, cars and accessories worth P355 million, general merchandise P310 million, agricultural goods P208 million, food P200 million, and personal protective equipment, medical supplies and cosmetics P196 million.

“The BoC has remained consistent and compliant to its mandate to carry out operational and preventive measures against illicit trade, ensuring secure borders and efficient services,” the BoC said.

The bureau filed 94 cases before the Department of Justice (DoJ) against 205 respondents and cancelled accreditations of 508 importers and 116 Customs brokers.

The BoC investigated 135 Customs personnel and charged 45 of them with administrative cases; seven with criminal charges before the DoJ; 157 cases before the Office of the Ombudsman; and 50 cases before the National Bureau of Investigation.

It dismissed 20 officers and dismissed another four.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has asked the DoJ to form a task group that will investigate alleged corruption in the “entire government” through 2022.

The BoC is among the top five agencies identified by the DoJ as prioritized for investigation, along with Philippine Health Insurance Corp., the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Land Registration Authority, and the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The bureau collected P50.9 billion in October, exceeding its downward-revised collection target by 5.2%.

In the year to date, it collected P448.95 billion, which was 6.75% above target but 14.9% lower than the year-earlier level.

The BoC’s collection target for the year was reduced to P506.15 billion as the economic slowdown and lockdowns here and abroad impact global trade and the government’s tax take. — Beatrice M. Laforga

China trade show target set lower for PHL delegation

THE PHILIPPINE delegation to a trade show in China is targeting $160 million in export deals this year, which would represent a drastic downgrade compared with the year-earlier result after a reduction in the size of its pavilion.

The 40 Philippine food companies are planning to reach 1,300 buyers at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai which ends Nov. 10, the Trade department’s Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) said in a statement Thursday.

Last year, the Philippine delegation generated $300 million at the same event.

The top sellers of the 2019 Philippine delegation of 139 exhibitors, including 32 food vendors, were fresh bananas, pineapples, mangoes and durian along with processed fruits and nuts and coconut products. The exhibition space of more than 240,000 square meters attracted buyers from more than 100 countries.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the trade show will reflect restrictions to doing business imposed by the pandemic.

“This year is a pandemic year. This is a hybrid show this year, where the goods are displayed but negotiations are done via the online B2B facility,” he said in a mobile message.

“The target is also based on the reduced pavilion size this year, as well as the projected decrease in the number of buyers attending CIIE this year.”

The food companies in this year’s delegation are selling tropical fruit, vegetables, and health-oriented snacks.

The delegation held an online business matching session with 40 Chinese buyers on Oct. 29, generating leads for fresh fruit and vegetables, chocolate, healthy snacks, seafood, beverages, and condiments.

The Philippine pavilion this year will include interactive conference pods for virtual business activities and conferencing.

Commercial counsellors will represent the government, helping promote products and relay information, instead of the exhibitors themselves.

“For this hybrid participation, there will be a mix of physical product presentation in the pavilion that will be facilitated by onsite officers from our trade posts in China and online B2B (business to business) matching activities between our companies in Manila and the Chinese buyers who will visit our booth in Shanghai,” CITEM Executive Director Pauline Suaco-Juan said. — Jenina P. Ibañez

EU pledges P8.5 billion worth of grants for Mindanao agri, power

THE European Union (EU) will provide 150 million euros (P8.5 billion) worth of grants to support agricultural development in Mindanao and electricity projects for small island communities in the southern Philippines, the Department of Finance (DoF) said in a statement.

The DoF said Thursday that Thomas Wiersing, the charge d’affaires of the EU Delegation to the Philippines, committed to the financial aid.

At a recent meeting, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III expressed his gratitude for the grants, as well as the EU’s earlier commitment to reorient parts of its aid to help the region deal with the pandemic.

The EU said in July it will reorient up to 15 million euros to support the region’s attempts to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Mr. Dominguez also proposed that the plan to support the electrification of small island communities involve the use of clean energy.

The proposal was supported by the EU Delegation, the DoF said.

The latest grant will add to the 85 million euros worth of total grants the EU provided to the region so far this year.

The EU provided grants worth 24.5 million euros to the Philippines in August to fund the rehabilitation of Marawi City and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s pandemic containment effort.

In July, it also agreed to provide 60.5 million euros to fund selected development programs in Mindanao.

The EU is the country’s 11th biggest source of official development assistance.

During the same meeting, Mr. Dominguez also sought the EU’s assistance in making the manufacturing sector more competitive, specifically in integrating medium-sized enterprises with the supply chains of larger firms. — Beatrice M. Laforga

Bases authority rebids consulting services package of Subic-Clark Railway Project

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is rebidding the P1.5-billion consulting services package of the Subic-Clark Railway Project.

In an announcement published in newspapers Thursday, BCDA said it “intends to apply the sum of P1,520,534,400.00, inclusive of value-added tax and applicable government taxes, being the approved budget for the contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Consulting Services for the Subic-Clark Railway Project.”

BCDA said the Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat will be accepting eligibility documents from interested consultants until Nov. 17 at its corporate center in Taguig City.

“Applications for eligibility will be evaluated based on non-discretionary ‘pass/fail’ criterion,” it added.

Interested bidders may acquire a complete set of bid documents until Dec. 10 for P75,000.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved the 71.13-kilometer railway project in April 2018.

The P50.03-billion project aims to connect Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Clark Freeport Zone “to support current industrial activities and the potential demand for freight services along the Subic-Clark corridor,” according to NEDA’s website.

NEDA said P42.53 billion of the total project cost will be financed via official development assistance or ODA.

“This project (will) help decongest Metro Manila traffic, provide infrastructure for the Metro Luzon Urban Beltway, and spur the development of a freight railway system for Luzon,” NEDA added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

House majority backs priority for anti-corruption legislation

THE HOUSE majority leader said Thursday he endorsed an initial list of anti-corruption measures for possible inclusion in the chamber’s legislative agenda in support of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s campaign against corruption.

“We initially identified five anti-corruption measures and submitted these to Speaker Lord Allan Q. Velasco for his consideration. Prioritizing the passage of these proposed laws can help boost President Duterte’s renewed efforts to curb graft and corruption in the government,” Leyte Representative Martin G. Romualdez, who chairs the House committee on rules, said in a statement.

The list includes House Bill (HB) No. 7230 which seeks to augment the financial resources of the Office of the Ombudsman by giving it a 3% share in any property forfeited in favor of the State under Republic Act No. 139 or the Forfeiture Law. and HB No. 579 which seeks to create the National Independent Commission Against Corruption.

HB Nos. 581 and 6003 which require the inclusion of anti-corruption and governance education in the basic education and higher education curriculum and HB No. 967 which seeks to provide whistleblower protections to persons reporting and providing testimony against corrupt officials.

“Upon instruction of the Speaker, we will back the swift passage of these timely bills,” Mr. Romualdez said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice-led Task Force Against Corruption Operations Center held its first meeting, Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar told reporters Thursday.

Ms. Aglipay-Villar said Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra will chair the task force.

“There will be a case evaluation committee that will do the screening of all information and complaints. The evaluation committee makes a recommendation of where the reports get to be referred to but the referral is approved and signed by the chairperson,” she said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Barangay Ginebra and TNT battle for Philippine Cup solo leadership

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

PACE-SETTING Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings and TNT Tropang Giga battle one another today for solo leadership in the PBA Philippine Cup.

Set for 6:45 p.m. at the Angeles University Foundation Arena in Pampanga, the Kings and Tropang Giga, joint leaders with identical 6-2 records in the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) tournament, are out to solidify their hold of the top spot in the final week of the elimination round.

Barangay Ginebra enters the contest riding back-to-back victories after dropping their two previous matches.

Its latest win came on Wednesday over the Northport Batang Pier, 112-110.

The Kings showcased their depth in outlasting the Batang Pier, with eight players scoring in double digits.

Guard Stanley Pringle led the way for Barangay Ginebra with 17 points to go along with eight rebounds.

Aljon Mariano had 15 points, followed by LA Tenorio and Japeth Aguilar with 13 and Joe Devance with 12.

Prince Caperal and Scottie Thompson each had 11 points with the latter adding eight assists and six rebounds.

Jeff Chan was the other Kings player in double-digit scoring with 10 markers.

Given his team’s performance, Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone could not help but give praise to his wards, especially since the win came just a day after they labored to an 87-81 win over the Alaska Aces.

“I’m really proud of our guys for the effort they gave tonight and for all the, you know, they didn’t get frustrated, they showed a lot of character playing tonight,” said Mr. Cone in the post-game press conference.

TROPANG GIGA
Looking to halt the streak of the Kings while padding their own cause and steadying their ship are the Tropang Giga.

After winning five straight in the PBA tournament “bubble” in Clark City, TNT has lost two of three matches, including its last one against the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok, 102-92, on Wednesday.

Ray Parks Jr. leads the thrust of the Tropang Giga with norms of 22.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists, followed by Roger Pogoy with 19.9 points and 5.5 rebounds.

Veteran Jayson Castro has his minutes being managed by the team, but is still effective for 17.6 points and 5.7 assists while Troy Rosario has been steady for 13 points and 8.9 rebounds.

Offseason acquisitions JP Erram (12.8 ppg and 8 rpg) and Simon Enciso (8 ppg) are also proving themselves to be valuable pieces in the rotation of TNT.

The Tropang Giga are one of the tournament favorites, something they hope to live up to and use as a platform to end seven years of PBA All-Filipino title drought.

The Barangay Ginebra-TNT clash is part of another quadruple-header offering by the PBA for Friday.

Other matches feature the Blackwater Elite (2-5) against Terrafirma Dyip (0-7) at 10 a.m., Alaska Aces (5-4) versus Northport (1-6) at 1 p.m., and NLEX Road Warriors (3-5) vs. San Miguel Beermen (5-2) at 4 p.m.

Quadruple-headers are also slated on Nov. 8, and 11 so as to finish the elimination round on time in the compressed tournament setup of the PBA brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Meralco tops ROS, 85-78; Magnolia rolls to third win in a row

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo. Senior Reporter

The Meralco Bolts defeated the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 85-78, on Thursday at the Angeles University Foundation Arena in Pampanga to fan their top-four push in the PBA Philippine Cup.

Meralco capitalized on a third-quarter explosion where it outscored ROS, 28-7, to create a considerable cushion which it used to hold off its opponent and book its fifth win as opposed to three losses in the Philippine Basketball Association All-Filipino tournament.

Earlier in the day, the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok chalked up their third straight win with a 103-89 victory over winless Terrafirma Dyip to improve to 4-4.

The Meralco-Rain or Shine match was tight in the opening half.

The Elasto Painters, towed by veteran James Yap, were narrowly up, 28-27, at the end of the first quarter before the Bolts had some headway in the second to squeeze their way to a 46-44 advantage at the break.

The third quarter was to be telling as ROS could not get its offense going and it was something Meralco would take full advantage of.

Baser Amer and Bong Quinto keyed the Bolts’ run in the period that had them on top 74-51 in the end.

But the Elasto Painters were not to go down without a fight.

Rookies Adrian Wong and Vince Tolentino were given the chance to play and had an impact, helping their team to narrow its deficit to just six points, 82-76, with 50 seconds to go.

They would not go nearer after that though, leaving Meralco to close out things.

Chris Newsome led the Bolts with 17 points, five rebounds and four assists with Mr. Amer finishing with 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

Forty-two-year-old Reynel Hugnatan, meanwhile, had 13 markers.

For Rain or Shine (4-3), which has now lost two straight, it was Mr. Yap who was the high point man with 18, with Beau Belga and Norbert Torres adding 11 points each.

With the win, Meralco moved to a share for fourth place as of publication time.  

MAGNOLIA STREAK CONTINUES
Meanwhile, in the first game, Magnolia used a strong second-half charge to outlast Terrafirma and pad its push in the Philippine Cup. 

Paul Lee led the way for the Hotshots, who trailed early in the opening half, with 29 points, going 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.

Rome Dela Rosa and Ian Sangalang came off the bench to score 17 and 16 points, respectively. The latter also added 10 rebounds to his tally.

The win pushed Magnolia to solo eighth place, with three games remaining in its elimination round schedule.

For Terrafirma, which slumped to its seventh loss in as many games, it was CJ Perez who top-scored with 19 points, followed by Reden Celda (16) and Eric Camson (14).

Magnolia next plays Rain or Shine on Nov. 7 while Terrafirma takes on the Blackwater Elite on Nov. 6.

POC: Monthly allowances of national athletes to revert back to normal amount

The monthly allowances of national athletes and coaches are expected to revert back to 100% — after they were slashed in half since July because of the coronavirus pandemic — starting next week, according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

Mr. Tolentino said the passing of the Bayanihan Act 2 provides for the country’s sports program that was momentarily sacrificed as government channeled funds in the fight against the pandemic.

“This is good news for our athletes who have become anxious and even lost their focus during the pandemic. With their allowances back to normal, they can now concentrate on their training,” said Mr. Tolentino, who is also a member of the House of Representatives representing the eighth district of Cavite and helped push for the Bayanihan Act 2 in Congress.

Mr. Tolentino said the Bayanihan Act 2 provides P180 million for the national team members’ allowances.

“And that’s retroactive from July,” he said, adding the athletes and coaches will receive the 50% that was cut from their allowances when the Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) budget for the year was channeled to the pandemic efforts.

Mr. Tolentino also said each of the athletes and coaches will receive a one-time P5,000 pandemic assistance.

“The funds are now with the PSC and we expect the allowances to be back to normal on the next pay day for the athletes and coaches,” Mr. Tolentino said.

The national team members under the PSC’s care include 996 athletes, 262 coaches, 280 para athletes and 82 para coaches. The total monthly payroll is P41 million.

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