DENR shuts down all open dumpsites nationwide

May 23, 2021 | 7:36 pm

THE DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said over the weekend that it has achieved its full target of closing down 335 open dumpsites across the country.

Open dumps are places where solid waste is deposited without further planning or consideration for environment or health standards. Under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, these are considered illegal and should have been phased out by Feb. 2006.

“This is a victory for the environment and the DENR. Despite the limitations brought about by the pandemic, our people never wavered in their sworn duty as public servants to get the job done,” DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said in a statement on Sunday.

Benny D. Antiporda, DENR undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units, said the closure of all open dumps sends the message that “the public that they cannot escape the long arm of the law.”

Mr. Antiporda, who also served as the alternate chair of the National Solid Waste Management Commission, said local governments can ask the DENR’s Environment Management Bureau for technical assistance on following the “safe closure and rehabilitation plan” for their respective dumpsites.

With the closure of the dumpsites, local governments must now dispose of their wastes in sanitary landfills or residual containment areas.

There are some 237 sanitary landfills operating nationwide, and 11 more are under construction, based on DENR data.

Earlier this year, Mr. Cimatu ordered the department’s regional offices to shut down all open dumps by the end of March. — Angelica Y. Yang

Bill filed on better pay for village health workers

May 23, 2021 | 7:35 pm

A SENATOR filed a bill to provide more benefits and allowances for barangay health workers (BHWs), who are assigned at community-level facilities and serve as first line responders in emergencies.

Senator Ralph G. Recto filed Senate Bill No. 2151 early this month, citing that Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams, consisting mainly of barangay health workers, have been the first line responders in managing coronavirus-related concerns in communities.

They are also part of monitoring cases and some are members of contact tracing teams. “And yet, despite the immense task imposed on them, our BHWs are still considered voluntary workers and they rank the lowest, among all civil servants, in terms of incentives, benefits, and privileges enjoyed and received,” the senator said in his explanatory note.

The proposed law will expand Republic Act 7883 or the Barangay Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995.

“This bill is filed in recognition of the invaluable contribution of our BHWs in the delivery of much needed health care services at the grassroots,” he added.

The proposed additional benefits include monthly honoraria of P3,000; hazard allowance of 10% of their monthly honoraria for those who render service in areas under state of calamity and emergency; monthly transportation allowance of at least P1,000, and emergency assistance of P5,000, among others.

The fund for the implementation of the measure will be sourced from the share of local governments from national taxes collected by the Bureau of Customs — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

SC reverses anti-graft court’s conviction of former PADF exec

May 23, 2021 | 7:34 pm

THE SUPREME Court has reversed the decision of anti-graft court Sandiganbayan convicting a former vice president of the Philippine Aerospace Development Corp. (PADC).

In the High Court’s decision on May 19, Antonio M. Suba, former acting vice president for the PADC’s maintenance unit, was acquitted for failure of the prosecution to “prove beyond reasonable doubt all the elements of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 (or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) under which Petitioner was charged.”

PADC was an attached agency of the then-Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC).

On Sept. 22, 2017, the Sandiganbayan found Mr. Suba “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” of graft and corruption for attending a conference in Beijing, China on Oct. 10 to 14, 2006 using government funds worth over P241,000 despite the disapproval by then-DoTC Assistant Secretary Emmanuel A. Cruz of the authority to travel

On Sept. 12, 2014, Mr. Suba paid the Commission on Audit the full cost of their travel upon the agency’s request, but the graft case proceeded.

Mr. Suba was sentenced to six years and one month to 10 years in jail.

He appealed the case before the Supreme Court by claiming that his travel companion and superior, the late Roberto R. Navida, then-PADC president, had said that they already had a travel authority.

The High Court ruled that no conclusive evidence was given that Mr. Suba knew of the lack of travel authority.

It said “there is no such thing as presumption of bad faith in cases involving violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. On the contrary, the law presumes the accused innocent, until proven guilty.” — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Gov’t places Iloilo City under modified lockdown

May 23, 2021 | 7:33 pm

ILOILO City in the central part of the Philippines has been placed under a modified enhanced community quarantine, the second strictest lockdown level, from May 23 to 31 following a surge in coronavirus infections.

In a resolution signed on Saturday, the national task force handling the coronavirus response said the decision was made upon the recommendation of its screening committee.

Mayor Jerry P. Trenas earlier asked the national government to implement stricter quarantine rules in the Visayan metropolis as surging infections have weakened its healthcare system.

Data from the Health department showed that the city has recorded more than 7,000 coronavirus cases as of May 22. Of the total, 919 were active, 5,913 were recoveries, and 194 were deaths. The city has a population of about 474, 250.

Meanwhile, the task force also extended the modified lockdown enforced in the provinces of Benguet, Apayao and Cagayan in northern Philippines until the end of the month. The lockdown in these areas was set to expire on May 23.

Health authorities last week said nine more people from Cagayan Valley were infected with the coronavirus variant first detected in the United Kingdom. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Measure seeks expansion of telecommuting law to public sector

May 23, 2021 | 7:31 pm

A SENATOR filed a measure seeking to expand the coverage of the telecommuting law to the public sector.

Senator Ramon B. Revilla, Jr. filed Senate Bill 2189 on May 12, which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11165 or the Act Institutionalizing Telecommuting as an Alternative Work Arrangement for Employees in the Private Sector.

“As seen during this pandemic, telecommuting offers a viable work arrangement in line with the government directive of staying at home, social distancing and quarantine/isolation measures,” he said in his explanatory note.

“This bill expands the coverage of this Act to include employees in the public sector, who are also affected by and need to navigate the massive reforms of working conditions,” he added.

The proposal also includes a P1,000 monthly telecommuting allowance for all employees working under a telecommuting program.

“This incentive allows the workers to shoulder the additional expenses of computer or electronic hardware, internet connection, telephone bills, electric consumption, supplies, among others, attendant to working in their private residence,” he said.

The provision shall not eliminate or diminish supplements or other benefits set prior to the implementation of the law and shall not prohibit employers or the collective bargaining agreement from providing higher rates.

The allowances given by private employers shall be deductible for income tax purposes, according to the bill.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed the telecommuting act into law in Jan. 2019. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

EdTech firm says teachers, as well as students, need help in the digital shift

May 23, 2021 | 7:30 pm

EDUCATION technology firm Blackboard, Inc. said institutions need to focus on teachers, more than on students, as learning systems shift towards a more digital platform.

Blackboard Asia Regional Vice President Philip Murray, in a virtual event last week, said the main focus has been accommodating students’ learning needs in what is now the new normal, but younger people tend to adapt faster to digitalized learning than educators.

“They (teachers) have been asked to make very rapid change from being traditional or conventional decorum of teaching… but (now) they have to learn a lot of new skills,” he said.

“Many teachers have taught the same way for some years and they are a bit concerned with how this new world might look like, will their teaching methods have value and of course they will. But then again, it’s looking at other resources available that will help them,” he added.

He said their company provides the Blackboard Learning Management System, wherein the programs are designed to be easy for educators.

“That is where a lot of our programs especially the digital teaching and learning series have helped remove a lot of fear that faculty have had in making that change,” he said.

Over 150 million users from 80 countries have utilized tools operated by Blackboard that are offered by institutions as part of their remote learning platforms. — Gillian M. Cortez

Manny Pacquiao faces tough battle against Errol Spence — analyst

May 23, 2021 | 7:00 pm

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

EIGHT-DIVISION world champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines will have his hands full when he collides with American welterweight champ Errol Spence, Jr. later this year.

This, is according to one local boxing analyst of the scheduled Aug. 21 title fight between the two top fighters, made official and announced at the weekend by the Filipino boxing superstar.

The Pacquiao-Spence fight will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In an online interview with BusinessWorld, boxing analyst Nissi Icasiano said that while Mr. Pacquiao (62-7-2) and his camp did a good job in choosing Mr. Spence (27-0) as the former’s opponent in his return fight after two years, “Pacman” must brace for a tough battle against the World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion.

“Pacquiao will have his hands full against Errol Spence, Jr. The American has a very effective and economical style which primarily uses his aggressive pressure with the jab to set up a straight left hand to the head or body. He also has very good fundamental boxing skills fighting on the back foot using his jab to maneuver his opponent,” said Mr. Icasiano.

Adding, “The other side of his game is his inside fighting skills where a lot of fighters struggle to withstand his aggression, body work and power. I have to throw out this question [as well], when was the last time Manny Pacquiao fought a fellow southpaw? It’s true that southpaws create problems with right-handed fighters. But in this fight, he won’t be having that advantage.”

The announcement of the Spence fight settled once and for all who the opponent of Mr. Pacquiao, also a sitting senator of the republic, will be for his much-awaited return, that had him at some points being angled to fight former multi-division champion Mikey Garcia and Ultimate Fighting Championship star and champion Conor McGregor.

Mr. Icasiano said that the Spence fight is just too hard to pass up on and he would not blame Mr. Pacquiao’s camp for going such a direction.

“It’s not surprising from my end [that this fight is happening] because Spence was one of the three or four options as the next in-ring foe for Pacquiao. I believe Senator Manny got him a better fight than having Mikey Garcia or even UFC star Conor McGregor as an opponent in his first fight in two years,” he said.

“As early as December 2020, Spence’s name had already been floating as a potential opponent. People often forget that this is the easiest fight to make, especially that both men fight under one promotion.” Mr. Icasiano added, referring to Premier Boxing Champions.

The boxing analyst further said that the August fight carries much significance for both Messrs. Pacquiao and Spence.

“This fight for Pacquiao goes to show he is not afraid to take on the young lions of his division. The Filipino icon is making a big leap in perhaps the final stretch of his illustrious career. If he wins, it will definitely bolster further his legacy as one of the best ever in the sport,” Mr. Icasiano said.

“For Errol Spence, he has a lot to gain in this fight. It’s the biggest fight of his career to date.”

Forty-two-year-old Pacquiao last fought in July 2019 where he beat American Keith Thurman by split decision to win the World Boxing Association welterweight belt. He later vacated the title.

Mr. Spence, 31, meanwhile, is coming off a successful title defense of his WBC and IBF titles against compatriot Danny Garcia last December.

Taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa joins 8 others to Tokyo Olympics

May 23, 2021 | 7:00 pm

Barbosa-(2) — TAEKWONDO jin Kurt Barbosa became the ninth Filipino athlete to book a spot in the rescheduled Olympic Games in Tokyo this year after hitting the mark in the Asian qualifiers in Amman, Jordan, on Saturday. — JORDAN TAEKWONDO FEDERATION

AND then there were nine.

Taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa became the ninth Filipino athlete to book a spot in the rescheduled Olympic Games in Tokyo this year after hitting the mark in the Asian qualifiers in Amman, Jordan, on Saturday.

Mr. Barbosa, 21, scored a thrilling 50-49 victory over hometown bet Zaid Al-Hawani in the qualifying match in the men’s -59 kg division with a buzzer-beating kick.

Down by five points, 48-43, with 24 seconds to go, Mr. Barbosa stayed aggressive and scored on a barrage of kicks to overhaul his deficit, including a kick to the body as time expired to hand him the win and the Olympic spot, one of two up for grabs in his division.

National University student-athlete Barbosa will be the first Filipino taekwondo jin to compete in the Olympic since Tshomlee Go did it in 2008 in Beijing.

Mr. Barbosa joins Filipino athletes EJ Obiena (pole vault), Caloy Yulo (gymnastics), Eumir Felix Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam (boxing), Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting), and Cris Nievarez (rowing) who have qualified for spots to date for the Tokyo Games happening from July 23 to Aug. 8.

Apart from Mr. Barbosa, other jins who competed in the Asian qualifiers were 2016 Rio Olympics campaigner Kirstie Alora, Pauline Lopez and Arven Alcantara. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Dallas Mavericks stun LA Clippers in Game 1

May 23, 2021 | 6:59 pm

DORIAN Finney-Smith hit two late 3-pointers, one triggering a 7-0 burst that broke a tie and propelled the visiting Dallas Mavericks to a 113-103 victory over the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Saturday afternoon.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven is scheduled for Tuesday, also in Los Angeles.

Hitting four of his five 3-point attempts, Finney-Smith finished with 18 points, while Luka Dončić had a game-high 31 as part of a triple-double and Tim Hardaway, Jr. 21 for the Mavericks, who won the season series 2-1 over the Clippers.

Kawhi Leonard had a team-high 26 points and Paul George scored 23 for the Clippers, who beat Dallas (4-2) in a first-round series last year in the bubble.

After the Mavericks, up by as many as 12 in the first half, held a lead for almost the entire first 39 minutes of the game, Nicolas Batum and George buried consecutive 3-pointers to put the Clippers on top 89-87 with 9:00 remaining, setting up a tight finish.

Finney-Smith’s first crucial 3-pointer came during a stretch in which the Mavericks and Clippers exchanged leads seven times over the course of 4:12. His shot gave Dallas a 95-94 advantage with 6:55 left.

The Clippers rallied to go up by as many as three, and a George jumper with 3:12 remaining forged the game’s final tie at 100 all before Dallas made its last surge.

Finney-Smith’s second 3-pointer broke the tie with 2:50 remaining, after which Kristaps Porziņģis added two free throws and Hardaway a layup to complete the seven-point run and put the Mavericks in charge at 107-100 with just 1:24 to play.

The Clippers got no closer than five after that.

Dončić and Hardaway bombed in five 3-pointers apiece as the Mavericks outscored the Clippers (51-33) from beyond the arc.

Dončić completed his triple-double with a game-high-tying 10 rebounds and a game-high 11 assists, while Jalen Brunson chipped in with 15 points and Porziņģis 14 for Dallas. Leonard’s 26 points came on 9-for-22 shooting and George’s 23 on 8-for-18 shooting, as the Clippers were outshot by the visitors 50.0 percent to 44.0 percent.

Leonard completed a double-double with a team-high 10 rebounds. Batum and Rajon Rondo both came off the bench to contribute 11 points to the Los Angeles offense, while Patrick Beverley added 10. — Reuters

Phil Mickelson holds PGA Championship lead

May 23, 2021 | 6:58 pm

KIAWAH ISLAND, SC — Phil Mickelson looked set to run away with the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship until a major stumble saw his five-shot cushion evaporate, but he steadied the ship in time to sit one shot clear of Brooks Koepka after the third round on Saturday.

The 50-year-old Mickelson, who is bidding to become the oldest major winner in history, carded a two-under-par 70 that left him at seven under on the week and one shot clear of Koepka (70), who had a share of the lead until a closing bogey.

Mickelson began the day at the Ocean Course with a one-shot share of the lead with South African Louis Oosthuizen (72) but made a sizzling start with four birdies over the first seven holes and led by five shots after a birdie at the 10^th.

However, things started to unravel at the par-four 12^thhole where Mickelson, whose most recent major triumph came at the 2013 British Open, made his first bogey in 21 holes.

Mickelson’s tee shot at the par-four 13^th then found water en route to a double-bogey that left him just one shot in front of Koepka and Oosthuizen.

Four-times major champion Koepka, playing in the penultimate pairing, moved into a share of the lead with a tap-in birdie at the par-five 16^th but fell one back after two-putting from about six feet at the last.

Former British Open champion Oosthuizen was alone in third place, two shots back of Mickelson.

Masters champion Matsuyama (76), in his second tournament since becoming the first Japanese man to win a major, had been in contention until a disastrous stretch that saw him cover the final eight holes in six over par.

Jordan Spieth (68), who arrived at Kiawah Island seeking a win to become only the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam of winning golf’s four major championships, struggled on the Ocean Course greens and will start the final round seven shots back in a share of 13^th place. — Reuters

Eala, Russian doubles partner finish runners-up in Spain tournament

May 23, 2021 | 6:58 pm

Ealadouble — ALEX EALA of the Philippines (rightmost) and partner Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia were the runners-up in the doubles event of the just-concluded W25 Platja D’Aro tournament in Spain. — ALEX EALA FB PAGE

THE spirited run at the W25 Platja D’Aro tournament in Spain of doubles partners Alex Eala of the Philippines and Oksana Selekhmeteva concluded with a runner-up finish on Saturday (Manila time).

The Eala-Selekhmeteva tandem lost to Justina Mikulskyte and Oana Georgeta Simion, 3-6, 5-7, in the women’s doubles final, which marked the Filipino tennis sensation’s first trip to a professional doubles championship match.

Mses. Eala and Selekhmeteva dug themselves in a deep hole in the opening set, going 1-5 down and never recovered from it.

In the second set, they performed far better, standing toe-to-toe with their Lithuanian-Romanian team opponent.

The Filipino-Russian duo tried hard to extend the contest to a deciding third set but Mses. Mikulskyte and Simion were not to be denied as they took advantage of every opportunity they could get, including racking up three straight points to overhaul a 40-15 deficit in the final game, en route to closing out the contest for the win.

Despite falling short, Ms. Eala, who just turned 16 years old, was still grateful for the solid run they had in the doubles tournament and the opprotunity to further develop her game as a professional.

“Happy to earn my first pro doubles finalist trophy,” Rafa Nadal Academy scholar and long-time Globe ambassador Eala wrote in a post on her Facebook page. “Thanks to my partner, Oksana!”

In the W25 Platja D’Aro doubles tournament, Mses. Eala and Selekhmeteva defeated Valeria Koussenkova of Spain and Warona Mdlulwa of South Africa, 6-2, 6-0, in the opening round then beat the Russian duo of Vlada Koval and Sofya Lansere, 6-3, 2-6, 12-10, in the quarterfinals. They dominated the Dutch tandem of Isabelle Haverlag and Suzan Lamens, 6-3, 6-1, in the semifinals.

Next for Ms. Eala, the number three-ranked juniors player in the world, is the French Open juniors tournament in June. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Lim, Teodoro among winners in inaugural NBL-WNBL-IBC 1v1 basketball

May 23, 2021 | 6:58 pm

NBC-IBC-1v1-Games_Men-Heavyweight_Teodoro — THE innovative one-on-one tournament of the National Basketball League, its women’s division WNBL, and Isolation Basketball Championship was successfully held at the weekend with Allana Lim and Teytey Teodoro (in photo with the ball) among the inaugural winners. — NBL/WNBL

THE innovative one-on-one tournament of the National Basketball League (NBL), its women’s division WNBL, and Isolation Basketball Championship (IBC) was successfully held at the weekend with Allana Lim and Teytey Teodoro among the inaugural winners.

Designed to deviate from the traditional way of staging one-on-one competitions, the NBL-WNBL-IBC 1v1 tournament had organizers classifying players according to their weight.

Ms. Lim, who will play for the Parañaque Lady Aces in the coming season of the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), ruled the light heavyweight division while former Barangay Ginebra player Teodoro won the men’s heavyweight division in the proceedings held last Saturday at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.

In winning the women’s lightweight heavyweight title, Ms. Lim beat Snow Peñaranda (20-17).

Ms. Lim pulled away after scoring four straight points in the third and final round of the contest.

Mr. Teodoro, meanwhile, defeated Arnaud Noah (20-15) in the main event for the men’s side.

Other results saw Raymart Amil blank Marvin Baracael (10-0) in the men’s welterweight for a technical knockout, which means a win with a margin of 10 points or more; Jhenn Angeles defeat Angelica De Austria in the women’s lightweight (17-6); Jolina Go win over Nicole Delos Reyes (14-4) in the women’s featherweight; and Topeng Lagrama beat Mark Tamayo (18-8) in the featherweight class.

Two matches, meanwhile, ended in a free-throw shootout at the end of regulation with Girly Villaflores edging Jo Razalo (19-17) in the women’s heavyweight and Sthefanie Venture winning over Nicole Cancio (14-12) in the women’s welterweight.

Officials of the NBL and WNBL said the 1v1 tournament served as an initial offering for their new season which they hope to kick up with the 5-on-5 tournament in the middle of the year.

It is also something they were looking to incorporate in the succeeding seasons.

The inaugural NBL-WNBL-IBC 1v1 basketball was held under strict health and safety protocols and guided by the Games and Amusements Board and the local government unit concerned. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo