Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 8382

Water, transparency and mining concerns in the Philippines

The communities of Didipio, Nueva Visacaya have been up in arms against the operation of Oceana Gold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI). OGPI has been operating a copper-gold mine in Barangay Didipio in Kasibu, Province of Nueva Vizcaya. A Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) was awarded to OGPI in 1994, but the company only started its full operations in 2011. The first commercial production was reported in April 2013. Now, the FTAA has expired and is up for renewal.

The negative social and environmental impacts of the mine have been one of the concerns of the local stakeholders. More recently, the communities living near the Didipio mine claimed to have water supply problems including access to potable water, and availability for use in their homes and farms. Media releases from OGPI stated that it has been responsible for water management. The extent of water recycling at the Didipio mines is almost 75% at present, according to Oceana Gold Corp.

Since water is vital in mining, John Morillo, a graduate student of the National Institute of Geological Science of the University of the Philippines, and I decided to do an analysis of the water use of large scale mining in the Philippines. This study was supported by the Natural Resources Governance Institute (NRGI).

The Didipio Mine was one of the large-scale mines we examined. Using publicly available data, we estimated the available surface and groundwater resources of the area and compare these with water consumption at mines to determine if there is over extraction. We also tried to understand the impact of water consumption based on the mining activities and their rate of extraction and timing (i.e. which activities or events possibly correspond to an increase or decrease in consumption) by carrying out statistical analyses to establish correlation. We identified areas affected by water consumption using existing climate and land use data and its short-term and long-term impact to the water use of local communities.

This is what we have learned:

• Looking at the relationship between population and water use, we can see that there has been an increase in water extraction vis-à-vis the increase in population of Didipio. By 2020, the projected population in Didipio will reach 4,000. Based on our estimates, Didipio households are expected to spend 73,000,000 liters or 73,000 m3 of water per annum by 2020. This is roughly 0.4% of the total water extraction by the Didipio Mine operations in 2018 and barely 0.15% of the total projected water budget in the Didipio watershed. Hence, while a significant positive relationship can be seen between water extraction and population, households still have a relatively smaller“ significant consumption compared with the operations of Didipio Mine.

• The most significant positive relationship with water use is the disturbed area of the mine. “Disturbed area” refers to altered land cover by the mine due to operations or mine development such as construction of facilities and roads, tunnels, and removal of rocks from the surface. Increased demand for water may be attributed to commercial production, which began in 2013, and the expansion of operations to underground mining in 2014. It is noteworthy that water extraction increased almost tenfold from 2010 to 2011 when full-swing mine development was commencing. Water extraction also doubled from 2013 to 2014 during the time when OGPI was starting its underground operations and environmental spills were recorded (from the reports of Oceana Gold Corp.).

• The correlation between water extraction and rehabilitation is not as high compared with operations-related activities, but still statistically significant due to water demands in reforestation.

• At times when mine development commences or a significant environmental spill is recorded, a major increase in water extraction arises. On the other hand, while gold and copper production maintained a nearly stable pattern, these did not necessarily lead to increased water extraction (compared with mine development or during an environmental spill), possibly because fresh water is not much used during recovery processes.

Overall, we observed that the operational expansion, mine development, and occurrence of environmental spills in the Didipio Mine are significant contributors to the use of underground water in Didipio. These activities present a certain level of threat to the communities relying on groundwater as a source of potable water. The increase in the use of underground water by Didipio Mine and the expansion of its operation coincide and validate the water problem experienced by the host community. This is a concrete example why communities hosting mining operations vehemently oppose mining activities in their area. While we drool over the potential dollar revenues these minerals may bring us, we overlook the negative environmental and social impacts of these operations to the host communities.

The study is not without limitations. The lack of public disclosure and accessibility of data and inconsistency of reports from private companies limited the methodology that we can use in analyzing this data. It also limited the scope of our analysis. Public availability of relevant, reliable, and up-to-date data help in producing more robust, evidence based studies to support public policy. This brings me to another relevant policy issue.

In 2013, the Philippines joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). We were among the first countries to meet the requirements of the 2013 EITI Standard. However, not much has happened in terms of progress of the initiative in the country since then. EITI is not just about disclosure of revenues. It is an opportunity to create spaces for dialogue between stakeholders of the extractive sector. While the relationship between the stakeholders may not always be friendly, it facilitates an opportunity for dialogue. Disclosure of data and dialogues will not immediately solve the problems of the extractive sector. But it contributes to objective, evidence-based conversations and greater accountability of stakeholders.

The Philippine EITI started to publicly disclose information about the large-scale metallic mining sector. This is supported by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines. In fact, disclosure went beyond what was required by the 2013 Standard. Albeit incomplete, the Philippines was a model in disclosing environmental and social data. The next logical step would have been more systematic disclosure of latest disaggregated data to allow monitoring and independent analysis by communities and the public. Another logical step is to replicate the national level multi-stakeholder conversation and disclosure at the sub-national or local level to also cover the small-scale mining industry. The stakeholders from civil society and the mining industry support this track. But the most important support for good governance in the extractive sector to continue should come from the government.

The commitment of the government has waned since the first validation. Semirara Mining Co., the biggest coal mining company in the country, is still not participating in EITI. Talk about the peak of government regulatory ineffectiveness. The Department of Energy cannot even make a coal company comply with public disclosure. The PH-EITI data are also outdated. Some of the data and information, like the water rights and tree cutting permits of companies, have not been disclosed. The auditor of the 2018 and 2019 PH-EITI reports and other contractors have not been paid. I am sure the waning interest in good governance of the extractive sector is not because of the lack of enthusiasm from the civil society and the extractive companies. The lack of interest and leadership to prioritize good governance in the sector comes from the national government.

The Philippines will again undergo validation of its compliance with the EITI Standard in October 2020. And this time, the commitment of civil society and industry may not be enough to salvage what remains of the reputation of the country in promoting good governance in the extractive sector. If there is anything we learned from this experience, some initiatives are better legislated so that even with the change in government leadership, we are able to institutionalize the gains of reforms. It is time for a law creating the EITI in the Philippines.

 

Cielo Magno, PhD is an Assistant Professor at the UP School of Economics. She is a member of the EITI International Board, the Management Collective of Action for Economic Reforms, and a board member of the Bantay-Kita/Publish What You Pay-Philippines.

In retail, evolve or die

In the early 2000s, the rise of fast-fashion brands like Zara, Mango, H&M, and Topshop caused a bloodbath among traditional fashion retailers. Unable to compete in price, style turnover, and vastness of selections, brands like Nine West, Diesel, and The Limited either filed for bankruptcy or were absorbed by bigger firms. Years later, when fast fashion brands hit the Philippines, local clothing retailers such as Regatta, Tab, Monakiki, Tyler and many others were either bought-out or closed.

Online shopping hit the mainstream some 10 years later, offering quick browsing through the flick of a finger, convenient (and reliable) delivery and secure payment platforms. Traditional brick and mortar retailers who were slow to adapt lost customers in droves. As a result, giants like Toys R’ Us, Barney’s New York, Radio Shack, Sears, Borders Book Store, and Gymboree all declared bankruptcies.

Technology has been the great disruptor of the retail industry. With technology, retailers are able to make the shopping experience more affordable, more convenient, more experiential and more exciting. Technology pushed the standards of retailing upwards. As a result, there is no more room for retailers who still display their goods on racks in a square box to be paid for at a cashier’s counter. The retail business is evolving so rapidly that those unable to adapt are doomed to fail.

A study by the Chicago based retail consultant, McMillan Doolittle, asserts that the 2020’s will usher-in a new wave of innovations in the retail scene. One of the more notable evolutions is that customers will no longer make a distinction between on-line shopping and store shopping. Both are expected to work in tandem to offer more excitement and more personalization. The seamless interface between online and physical shopping is the new “given” and should be part of every retailer’s strategy.

A Berksha store in Italy provides an excellent example of how online and traditional shopping can marry. In this store, customers can download an app where they can browse through the items for sale and place those that are of interest to them in a virtual shopping basket. They can opt to try-on the items or pay for them straight away. Upon pressing the send button, the store staff prepares the goods which will be waiting for the customer in the dressing room or the cashiers counter when he or she arrives at the store.

Inside the dressing rooms, there are tablets on which customers can request for alternative sizes, colors or styles. The app will also recommend complimentary pieces to the garment that is being fitted. For excitement, there are smart mirrors that can zoom in/out, rotate, and take still-shots or videos of the customer wearing the outfit which can be immediately shared on social media.

Berksha’s interface between online and traditional shopping allows customers to browse through the store without carrying a basket full of merchandise. Moreover, it makes the tedious process of fitting clothes much easier and allows customers to immediately share their photos on their social media accounts.

Another emerging trend is to provide “extreme convenience” while shopping. Recognizing that customers these days are busy, progressive retailers are eliminating the friction points in the shopping process. Friction points are factors that prevent a customer from purchasing. This includes grappling with the selection process, paying, having to physically carry the product home, among others.

IKEA Spain shows us how to provide “extreme convenience” through its new store format called IKEA Diseña. This particular store model is not a typical IKEA store with massive retail space. It is a store that can be as small as 25 square meters.

Inside the store is a team of interior designers who attend to customers. Through 3D graphics, they design the customer’s space using IKEA products, all of which are available in the online store. Once the customer is satisfied, the order is made and goods are delivered to the customer for which assembly services are free.

With this model, the customer is relieved from the tedious process of selection and physically hauling the product home. On top that, customers benefit from the expert advise of a professional. The model has been so successful that there are now 12 IKEA Diseña stores around Spain.

Another emerging trend is creating “extreme experiences.” It is all about creating instagrammable moments through lavish displays and grand gestures.

The rationale behind “extreme experience” is that customers do not choose products solely for necessity or value — but more so, for emotion. The higher the emotion, the higher the probability of a purchase and level of brand loyalty.

Hi Panda in Japan provides a perfect example. Hi Panda is a sportwear retailer that is the anti-thesis of Hello Kitty. Hi Panda is a brand that depicts itself as tough, angry and with an attitude. It is focused on consumer below the age of 30.

In its flagship store in Japan, Hi Panda uses augmented reality to heighten the customer’s experience. On the street level, customers are pulled into the store by an angry bear that jumps out at passersby when they point their phones at the store’s façade. Inside the store, augmented reality and light interaction create the illusion of the bear’s ghost appearing between racks of clothes. The ghost also makes an appearance in the fitting rooms.

Visiting the store has become an event for which everyone leaves with a bag of merchandise as a remembrance of their extreme experience.

The fourth trend has to do with sustainability. Today’s customers are extremely conscious about the environment and the food they eat. Customers are looking to align their values with retailers. Consumers connect at a deeper level with brand that makes them feel like they are making a difference.

Lush, a bath and spa retailer, built a store in the United Kingdom with the goal of increasing education around the impact of single use plastic cups. It offers free coffee or tea to all customers who bring their own coffee cup or those who purchase compostable or biodegradable ones. It covered its walls with educational facts about waste reduction to send the message that Lush is all about sustainability.

Through its initiative, Lush demonstrated its commitment to saving the planet. It has since attracted customers who share the same ideals.

The retail industry is a cutthroat business that is evolving at lightning speed. It would be interesting to see how local retailers like SM, Bench, Penshoppe, and Abensons keep up.

 

Andrew J. Masigan is an economist.

The impunity of money laundering

Nulla poena sine lege (Latin for “no penalty without a law”).

It was painfully frustrating to watch the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing last week where incensed legislators skewered and charred the Bureau of Customs (BoC), Department of Finance, Bangko Sentral, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Philippine National Police and the overseer Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for their delayed reaction on the alleged $447 million (P22.68 billion) that entered the Philippines from September 2019 to February 2020, suspected to be from online gambling operations (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs). AMLC chief Mel Racela said that the multimillion-dollar inflows that were flagged by Committee Chair Senator Richard Gordon as “suspicious” were “not unlawful” just yet.

Is there not an Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, RA 9160, “An Act Defining the Crime of Money Laundering, providing penalties therefor and for other purposes”? Yes — but read SEC. 4. Money Laundering Offense: “Money laundering is a crime whereby the proceeds of an unlawful activity are transacted, thereby making them appear to have originated from legitimate sources.” SEC. 3.i. defines “Unlawful activity” as “any act or omission or series or combination thereof involving or having relation to the following”: kidnapping, drugs, graft and corruption, plunder, robbery and extortion, jueteng and other banned gambling, piracy on the high seas, qualified theft, swindling, smuggling, violations of the Electronic Commerce Act of 2000, hijacking, securities fraud, and felonies punishable under the penal laws of other countries. Fourteen specific “predicate crimes” are listed whereby “Any person may be charged with and convicted of BOTH the offense of money laundering and the unlawful activity as defined (SEC. 6.a).”

“We cannot establish money laundering as long as we do not establish the unlawful activity.” Racela said (Inquirer, March 5). “The law that created the AMLC puts the burden of proof on the government and not the alleged money launderer… We need to establish… that these proceeds are proceeds of unlawful activities and the objectives of bringing that into the country is to launder it,” Racela pointed out at the Senate hearing (Rappler, March 5).

Gordon showed a list of suspected “mules” (couriers) who have been regularly bringing in foreign currency in bulk, declaring such huge amounts upon entry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Customs representatives at the Senate hearing said they cannot confiscate amounts brought by inbound passengers, as long as these are outrightly declared. But the BoC said earlier that syndicates were able to bring in P18.7 billion in dirty money to the country with the “help of some police, military, and airport security personnel.” (Rappler, March 3). They knew “who’s who” in suspected money laundering, confirming that a certain “Rodriguez group” brought in around P10.2 billion. The same names were in Gordon’s list presented to the Senate plenary last week.

Yet the BoC could do nothing. And the AMLC just has to wait until concerned government functionaries have done their work, and a case has been filed with the Regional Trial Court for the primary crime (separate, and prior to the money laundering case), which court, upon weighing merits of both cases might issue an authority to look into the bank accounts of the suspects — a critical step in the whole procedure, because there is that formidable “Bank Secrecy Law” that exists in only the Philippines aside from Lebanon, in the whole world. Gasp! And a small detail — who is the “affected” party, the complainant who will file the initial, separate criminal case (chosen from among the 14 qualifying unlawful activities in SEC. 3.i. of the Anti-Money Laundering Law) that will trigger the money laundering case?

The US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, in its International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Volume II, “Money Laundering” (March 2020) knows the legislative and regulatory deficiencies of the anti-money laundering programs in the Philippines:

“Philippine law limits the AMLC’s investigative authority to money laundering and terrorist financing cases, not the underlying predicate acts, which must be investigated by other agencies. But these agencies, unlike AMLC, do not have authority to obtain bank records. AMLC’s cooperation with other law enforcement agencies is minimal, limiting the flow of information and making it harder to connect the predicate act with the money laundering.”

Republic Act 1405, the Philippines’ bank secrecy act, limits disclosures of and inquiry into financial information held at banking institutions within the Philippines. The act’s strict guidelines impede law enforcement investigations and remain a significant deficiency in the current AML regime.

“Tax evasion, the falsification of public documents, and non-currency forgeries are not listed as predicate offenses to money laundering.”

And the US AMLA says there must be a connection between the POGOs and money laundering:

“The single-transaction reporting threshold for gaming transactions remains high at $100,000. The online gaming industry, which targets offshore players, has grown rapidly over the past three years, and authorities have expressed concern regarding potential money laundering through these operations, although there have been no money laundering cases related to online gaming.”

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said last week that it was “stupid” for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) to allow Chinese-run online gambling operations in the Philippines just for government revenues (Rappler, March 05, 2020). At the Senate hearing, he “scolded” Pagcor AVP Dave Sevilla, citing the crimes on the rise linked to POGO operations aside from money laundering, such as the favored passport and visa “arrangements” with immigration, the sex trafficking and kidnapping.

But while the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee was turning blue in the face ranting and raving about the POGOs and money laundering, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, announced on simultaneous nationwide TV that President Rodrigo Duterte “cannot be rushed” into deciding on calls to suspend POGO operations over supposed crime links. Why not, when “in July 26, 2019, Duterte ordered the closure of all gaming schemes operated, licensed, and franchised by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) due to ‘massive corruption,’ but restored lotto operations four days later amid widespread criticism over the inclusion of the state-sanctioned numbers game,” Rappler taunted on March 5.

“You don’t want POGOs? Pass a law!” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III boomed at legislators in fiery challenge (Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 06). “We are not the ones who make things legal or illegal — it’s the legislature,” Dominguez said using “we” to refer to the Executive branch.

In a speech before new local treasurers on Friday (March 6), Dominguez reiterated that the DoF and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) had been pushing for amendments to AMLA and the Bank Secrecy law to “strengthen our ability to fight tax evasion and other financial crimes.”

The Legislature has best to look into amending and upgrading the laws on Money Laundering and ending the Bank Secrecy Act that coddles and protects wrongdoers.

Otherwise, it will always be “Nulla poena sine lege.”

 

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

ahcylagan@yahoo.com

To understand the world today, read Thucydides

FREEPIK

By Andreas Kluth

IN 416 BCE a mighty army from Athens, the superpower of the day, showed up on the small and neutral island of Melos in the Aegean Sea. The Athenians told the Melians to submit and pay tribute or be obliterated. Stunned, the Melians appealed to morality, justice, law, even the gods. There’s been a misunderstanding, the Athenians replied: You simply have a choice between doing as you’re told and being destroyed, so please stop wasting our time. This isn’t fair, the Melians insisted.

So the Athenians “put to death all the grown men whom they took, and sold the women and children for slaves, and subsequently sent out 500 colonists and inhabited the place themselves.”

With this final sentence, perhaps the tersest in world literature, the Greek historian Thucydides concludes the Melian dialogue in his History of the Peloponnesian War. (I’ve abridged the dialogue here, the full version is here: https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/melian.htm.) The text is a classic in international relations — and a good guide to understanding our world today.

That’s because it was the first expression of two traditions that have run through world politics ever since. The Athenian mentality Thucydides described is called realism. It views the world as a stage organized only by power and self-interest. Might makes right.

The Melian approach is called idealism. This tradition hasn’t always been as weak as the Melians were. It developed over time into the notion of international law, as it was later embodied, for example, in the United Nations and the European Union. Here rules are supposed to take precedence over — or at least to temper — power to protect the weak from the strong for the ultimate benefit of all.

The Western world after World War II was shaped largely into an architecture the Melians would have admired. A big reason was that it was led by a superpower, the US, which was realist in military preparedness but idealist in vision and values. The UN stood for legalism and conflict resolution without war. Other institutions, from the International Monetary Fund to the forerunner to today’s World Trade Organization, signaled that rules existed to constrain naked power in world affairs.

Nobody embraced this Melian mentality more eagerly than the war-traumatized Europeans, and especially the Germans, who had only recently committed a genocide the Athenians couldn’t have imagined. Rhetorically, the Germans renounced hard power and self-interest altogether, which is one reason why they still disdain and underfund their own army.

For more than a decade after the end of the Cold War, idealism seemed to be the future. Some authors celebrated the “end of history” as the liberal international order prevailed. Many were especially enthusiastic about the EU, the pinnacle of legalistic and post-national multilateralism, predicting that “Europe will run the 21st century,” that “the European way is the best hope,” and that the EU will be become “the new superpower.”

What’s been happening instead is a sharp turn away from idealism and back to realism. Some ancient-but-modern powers, such as post-Soviet Russia, post-Ottoman Turkey, and post-imperial China, have at different times felt spurned or humiliated by the West and its idealist dogma. Newly ascendant (China) or newly assertive (Russia and Turkey), they are now arch-realists.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Georgia in 2008 and annexed Crimea in 2014, for instance, he did so with the mentality of the Athenians in Melos, caring not a whit that he was breaking international law. After all, who was going to stop him? When Putin’s warplanes drop bombs on Syria to help his crony Bashar al-Assad, he regards the human beings below with Athenian disdain, turning millions into refugees who will, he hopes, make their way to the EU to cause chaos.

It’s with the same dark realism that Chinese president Xi Jinping views his neighborhood. Where he can assert his power and get away with it, he will — for instance, by taking a few islets in the South China Sea to turn them into Chinese aircraft carriers. Where he calculates that his power isn’t sufficient yet or could provoke a (still) superior force like the US, he waits, as in Taiwan.

We don’t know how Thucydides personally felt about the Melian episode; he merely described and interpreted it. Realism may indeed be the default state in nature. But the world is more bearable when those in power also have ideals.

Europe, unfortunately, seems destined only to have values but no power. Meanwhile, the US under President Donald Trump seems temporarily to have lost interest in ideals, putting “America first,” whatever that means. That could change again this year, of course, after the presidential election. Let’s hope it does. For the US remains the only nation today that potentially has both power and ideals, and that can prevent a world in which, as the Athenians told the Melians, “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.”

 

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Defending champs Bulldogs race to their 2nd straight win

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

DEFENDING UAAP men’s volleyball champions National University Bulldogs made it two straight wins to begin their Season 82 campaign after defeating the Adamson Soaring Falcons in three sets, 25-21, 25-17, 25-23, in the opening game on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Nico Almendras led the back-to-back University Athletic Association of the Philippines champions, tallying a double-double of 16 points and 18 receptions.

He was backstopped by team captain James Natividad, who finished with 12 points.

The Bulldogs, which opened their title defense with a four-set victory over University of Santo Tomas in their season debut on March 4, were in their element as they fended off a spirited challenge from the Falcons, who were making their Season 82 debut.

Towed as well by the steady playmaking of setter Joshua Retamar, NU’s offensive thrust was more fluid than their opening game, helping considerably their cause yesterday.

Adamson, which was led by eight points each from Ed Camposano and Berhashidin Daymil, tried to extend the game in the third frame but just could not complete the task with Almendras and Natividad providing key hits down the stretch to preserve NU’s win.

Unblemished in their first two matches in the season, NU coach Dante Alinsunurin expressed delight albeit underscored that there is still a long way to go and more work needs to be done.

“Hopefully we get to sustain this form. Thankful with the way players are moving and have their focus,” said Mr. Alinsunurin, in Filipino, postgame.

“We played better in this game than the last one but we have to continue to improve and increase our chances of winning,” he added.

LADY BULLDOGS WIN, TOO
The NU Lady Bulldogs, meanwhile, followed suit in the second game, dominating the Adamson Lady Falcons in straight sets, 26-24, 25-14, 25-21.

Veteran Aubrey Paran paced the NU women in the victory with 15 points from 10 kills, three aces and two blocks.

NU took the first two sets in contrasting fashion, hanging tough to survive the opening frame before flexing their collective muscle in the second for a runaway win.

In the third frame, the Lady Falcons showed better fight but the Lady Bulldogs were steady in their attack to hold on for the win.

Rookie Margot Mutshima tallied 13 points on seven attacks, three blocks and three aces with Ivy Lacsina and Risa Sato contributing nine and eight points, respectively, in the NU win.

Trisha Genesis led Adamson with 12 points, followed by Grace Toring with 11.

Next for NU is University of the East on March 14 while Adamson plays Far Eastern University on March 11.

San Miguel’s Fajardo PBA MVP for sixth straight time

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

FOR the sixth straight year the Philippine Basketball Association most valuable player award ended up in the hands of San Miguel big man June Mar Fajardo.

In the Annual Leo Awards on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, which recognized top-performing individuals last season, Mr. Fajardo wound up with the biggest prize anew, something he has gotten hold of since 2014.

In winning his sixth MVP plum, Mr. Fajardo, 30, beat out Jayson Castro of the TNT KaTropa, Christian Standhardinger of the Northport Batang Pier and CJ Perez of the Columbian Dyip.

The “Kraken,” as Mr. Fajardo is monikered, put himself in solid position for the award after helping the Beermen to the titles in the Philippine Cup and the Commissioner’s Cup, and winning the best player of the conference award in the former.

San Miguel, however, missed out on the opportunity to win a rare PBA grand slam after being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the season-ending Governors’ Cup.

Unfortunately, the “Kraken” is set to miss considerable time in Season 45, which kicked off also yesterday, after injuring his leg in practice and undergoing surgery.

“I would like to thank my team and Boss RSA (San Miguel boss Ramon S. Ang) for their support. I really don’t know what to say but this is another blessing. Unfortunately I’m going to miss some time this season but I’m trying to stay positive. And I know God has a plan for me,” said Mr. Fajardo in the vernacular as he received the MVP award.

Mr. Fajardo made his way to center court to receive his award on a three-wheeled scooter.

The San Miguel big man led the first mythical selection as well, joined by Messrs. Castro, Standhardinger and Perez and Sean Anthony of Northport.

Second mythical selection was Roger Pogoy and Troy Rosario of TNT, Ian Sangalang (Magnolia), Japeth Aguilar and Stanley Pringle (Barangay Ginebra).

Rookie of the Year was Mr. Perez, who led the league in scoring throughout with an average of 20.8 points.

All-Defensive Team was made up of Messrs. Fajardo, Aguilar, Anthony and Perez and Chris Ross (San Miguel).

Most Improved Player was Mo Tautuaa (SMB) while the Sportsmanship Award went to Gabe Norwood (Rain or Shine).

UP Maroons happy to rebound after so-so showing in opener

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE UNIVERSITY of the Philippines Fighting Maroons got some redemption following their so-so debut in UAAP Season 82 women’s volleyball, beating the University of the East Lady Warriors in four sets, 25-23, 25-20, 18-25, 25-17, in league action on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Dominated by defending champions Ateneo Lady Eagles in a three-set loss on Wednesday, the Maroons made sure to come out better against the Lady Warriors and set their University Athletic Association of the Philippines season push back on a track.

The veteran duo of Isa Molde and Tots Carlos showed the way for the Diliman-based spikers with the former notching 24 points built on 18 attacks and four blocks while the latter paraded her all-around game with 15 markers and nine digs.

UP built an early 2-0 cushion before UE managed to snag the third set.

In the fourth frame, however, the Maroons would get back their bearing as they went on to book their first victory of the season.

“We are happy for the win. The players fought and it’s a good feeling as opposed to the first game we played. Today we are happy for the win,” said UP coach Godfrey Okumu following their victory over the Lady Warriors.

The coach went on to say that the loss they absorbed at the hands of Ateneo was a rude wake-up call for them, and that they have to shape up lest they find themselves going nowhere.

“What we did was train (after the Ateneo loss) — that’s what people do when you lose, you train. We talked about it and as I said we only played ten percent of the volleyball that we know. We couldn’t pass, we could see the average of spiking, five balls in a set, it’s really low… It wasn’t easy for the team but I hope we’ll be able to recover and move on strong,” said Mr. Okumu.

Next for the Maroons is a clash with the De La Salle Lady Spikers, who had an impressive season debut of their own on Saturday, topping Ateneo in four sets.

The Maroons said it is another strong early test for them and they hope to take a cue from their performance in the UE match.

“It’s always interesting when you play against La Salle. La Salle is a very good team and it doesn’t matter whether they have rookies or experienced players, they are always a force to be reckoned with. It’s always nice to play against La Salle. That’s when we go full force, we respect La Salle because of the program that they have,” said Mr. Okumu.

The UP-La Salle match is set for Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Filipino netters savor chance to play tough opponent at Davis Cup

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

WHILE as expected they found the going tough against Greece in their World Group II Davis Cup tie at the weekend, still the Filipino netters savored the opportunity to play against top talent and gauge where they are at.

Faced world no. 6-ranked player Stefanos Tsitsipas and his Greek squad, the Philippines saw its Davis Cup push derailed, losing, 3-1, in the two-day tie from March 6 to 7 at the Philippine Columbian Association’s Plaza Dilao courts in Paco, Manila.

Mr. Tsitsipas proved to be a huge torn on the side of the Filipinos as the world top 10 player set the tone for Greece in the competition, winning the first game for his team on Friday and then notched the tie-clinching victory on Saturday.

Twenty-one-year-old Tsitsipas overwhelmed the Philippines’ AJ Lim, 6-2, 6-1, in the opening match in the tie then smashed the hopes of the Filipinos by beating Jeson Patrombon, 6-2, 6-1, to complete their 3-1 conquest of the host and advance to the next phase of the Davis Cup.

“We know they are tough especially with a world-class player like Stefanos Tsitsipas. But we will do our best to make the country proud,” said Team Philippines member Francis Casey Alcantara in the lead-up to the competition.

And it was a thrust that the Filipinos took to heart, giving their all despite the odds even managing to claim a victory in the doubles event, care of Mr. Alcantara and Ruben Gonzales.

Drawing inspiration from the hometown fans and knowing that their backs were against the wall, the Alcantara-Gonzales tandem dug deep and got the better of the Greek duo of Petros Tsitsipas and Markos Kalovelonis, 7-6 (5), 6-4, to infuse life back to what the then flickering hopes of the Philippines.

“The atmosphere was electric, the crowd gave us the energy we needed to get this win,” said Mr. Gonzales of their gallant stand.

“We were trailing in the second set but the crowd willed us to fight back,” Mr. Alcantara, who won the doubles gold in the 30th Southeast Asian Games last December, meanwhile, said.

The celebration for the Filipinos was short-lived though as Mr. Tsitsipas finished things off in the next match.

With the loss, the Philippines fell back to Asia and Oceania Regional Group III where it will attempt anew to go back to World Group II later this year.

The showdown with the Greeks marked the first time that the Filipinos tackled a non-Asian nation since they battled the Swedes in the World Cup qualifier in 1991.

Zafra, De Guzman take Prima Pasta open titles

LANZ Ralf Zafra and Mikaela Joy Miranda De Guzman bested their respective foes to win the open singles titles of the 13th Prima Pasta Badminton Championships at the Powersmash badminton courts in Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City recently.

Zafra delivered his best performance over 2018 Prima Pasta open singles champion Rabie Jayson Oba-ob to score a 21-7, 19-21, 21-15 victory in the men’s singles finale to take home the crown of the annual competition organized by Prima Pasta.

Zafra, a member of the Philippine team, dethroned last year defending champion Malaysian Shahrul Shazwan, 16-21, 21-11, 21-16, in the quarterfinals before outlasting Ros Leenard Pedrosa in the semifinals, 21-19, 21-7, to get into the finals.

De Guzman upset Sarah Joy Barredo, 21-13, 21-18, to bring home the women’s open singles title.

In the doubles open categories, Peter Gabriel Magnaye and Alvin Morada beat Philip Joper Escueta and Paul John Pantig, 21-19, 21-15, to capture the men’s doubles open crown.

Alyssa Ysabel Leonardo and Thea Marie Pomar outlasted Jochelle Alvarez and Joella Geva Ramos De Vera, 21-13, 21-14, to win the women’s doubles open trophy.

In the mixed doubles open finals, Magnaye got his second title as he teamed up with Pomar to defeat Abhinaya Adira and Eleanor Christine Inlayo, 21-15, 21-13, for the crown.

Other doubles champions were Christian Bernardo and John Matthew Bernardo (men’s A); Aldreen Rae Concepcion and Susmita Angelique Ramos (women’s B); Anthone Abellana and Emil Jose Mangubat (men’s B); and Maria Virginia Lopez and Joyce Pauline Santos (women’s C); John Edgar Reyes and Michael Verdejo (men’s C); Althea Rio Fuentespina and Angel Valle (women’s D); Rainiel Lloyd Nguyen and Jose Miguel Ranada (men’s D); Samantha Quinsanos and Janella Quinto (women’s F); Daniel Gabriel Luciano and Jojo Meilat (men’s F); and Daniel Cabacungan and Kurt Luis Catap (men’s G).

Jazz down Pistons for 5th straight win

DETROIT — Bojan Bogdanovic fired in 32 points and the visiting Utah Jazz stretched their winning streak to five games by topping the Detroit Pistons 111-105 on Saturday.

The Jazz, who were closing out a four-game road trip, have won the last eight meetings between the clubs. They were playing the second end of a back-to-back after winning in Boston on Friday.

Donovan Mitchell supplied 25 points, Jordan Clarkson contributed 14 points off the bench, and Mike Conley added 12.

Christian Wood led the Pistons with a career-high 30 points and 11 rebounds. Langston Galloway and Jordan McRae had 14 points apiece off the bench.

Detroit has lost 10 of its last 11 games.

Utah jumped to a 55-39 halftime lead. Bogdanovic was the main offensive weapon, tallying 16 points, while Mitchell tossed in a dozen more. Wood led Detroit with 10 points.

Earlier this week, Pistons coach Dwane Casey said the team’s defense against Oklahoma City in a 114-107 loss on Wednesday might have been the worst he’s seen since taking over as head coach prior to last season. The Pistons gave up 69 first-half points on 69-percent shooting from the field that night.

Their defense wasn’t much better in the first half on Saturday. They guarded the 3-point line well, but the Jazz converted 18 of 23 field-goal tries inside the arc and led by as many as 22 points.

Detroit hung around during the third quarter, however. John Henson tossed in a 3-pointer from the corner to make it 62-49 with 6:50 to play in the quarter, but Bogdanovic answered with one of his own. A three-point play from Wood cut Utah’s lead to 10 with 4:18 left in the quarter.

Sekou Doumbouya’s fastbreak layup a minute later made it 68-60. Clarkson soon scored twice in the lane, but with Wood scoring 13 points in the quarter, the Jazz lead was down to 79-73 entering the fourth.

The Pistons then scored the first six points of the fourth, including four by Wood, to tie it at 79-all.

But Conley slowed Detroit’s momentum with a steal and a layup, which kicked off a 7-0 Utah run. Bogdanovic’s three-point play with 7:05 left restored Utah’s double-digit advantage at 93-81.

The Pistons rallied in the late going and pulled within three on McRae’s layup with 42 seconds left. Rudy Gobert (10 points, 12 rebounds) then made two free throws with 18.5 seconds left, and Mitchell added four more in the closing seconds. — Reuters

Philam Vitality supports Spartan Philippines 2020 race season

IN line with its group mission of helping the market it serves lead a healthier life, Philam Vitality moved to present the Spartan Philippines 2020 Race Season last month.

The total wellness program of AIA Philam Life, Philam Vitality served as a partner of Spartan Philippines, whose season kicked off with a race on Feb. 22 at the 1800-hectare property of Alviera in Porac, Pampanga.

Of their involvement in the Spartan Race, AIA Philam Life said it views it as a good platform to see its group vision through.

“The Spartan Race is a good opportunity for us at AIA Philam Life to continue supporting activities that allow us to bring to life our brand promise of helping Filipinos live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives,” said Bernadette Chincuanco, AIA Philam Life Head of Branding and Communications, in a release.

She was seconded by Kats Cajucom, Head of Philam Vitality, who also added how the Spartan Race mirrors what Philam Vitality wants to push.

“Just as the Spartan Race has grown and differentiated itself in the field of obstacle course racing, Philam Vitality continues to act as a differentiator in the life insurance industry by injecting wellness into otherwise traditional life insurance,” said Philam Vitality official.

Under its program, Philam Vitality seeks to inspire its members to be healthy through rewards.

Through it members earn points as they know the status of their health and work towards improving it, ultimately increasing their status.

Depending on their Philam Vitality Status, customers can earn rewards in the form of discounts with health and wellness partners, or instant rewards such as eGifts for free coffee and mobile credits.

Also, the most rewarding aspect of the program is the 20% upfront additional coverage on life insurance upon purchase, with the potential to increase up to 50% based on membership status, or how active they are in the program.

New Jersey Nets’ superior culture gone

When Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving formally announced their decision to sign with the Nets in the offseason, they made sure to underscore the prevailing culture as a primary reason for the move. The more illustrious Knicks — who counted the Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of hoops and just a subway ride from Barclays Center — were among the numerous suitors who likewise knocked on their doors, but they decided to latch their futures on a franchise historically closer to futility than success. They argued that the foundations were solid — epitomized by the two-way collaboration between management and the coaching staff, and particularly between general manager Sean Marks and head coach Kenny Atkinson.

Today, that “culture” is gone. The so-called partnership built through two years of toiling in lottery territory and then another season of certain progress before Durant and Irving latched on has fallen by the wayside, once again underscoring the considerable currency players hold in establishing the status quo. In making the public announcement yesterday, the Nets took pains to highlight that the development was agreed upon mutually, and that the parties noted the need for “another voice” to get them “to the next level.” Yet, it’s telling that they likewise conceded the result to be a “compromise that both Kenny and I and ownership came up with.”

Needless to say, Atkinson didn’t want to part ways with the Nets. That Marks presided over a news conference he didn’t attend is the first telling sign he’s not on board with the outcome. What bench tactician would not want to reap the fruits of his labor? The next season was supposed to be the first in which he stands to harvest the gains of his sacrifices. Instead, he was effectively given the boot because, in the opinion of other stakeholders, he doesn’t have as good a “voice” in feast as in famine. And forget about the platitudes Durant and Irving bestowed on him upon their arrival; if they truly wanted him to be their coach moving forward, he would be their coach moving forward. As the GM admitted yesterday, “I just got done talking with them now and updating them.”

Perhaps the Net did really have to make the change immediately, and not at the end of their 2019–20 campaign as planned. Perhaps the players had enough of Atkinson, whose predisposition for substitution patterns as dictated by circumstances grated on them. That said, there can be no devaluing his contributions; he led them to the playoffs last year, and then looked to be doing the same this season despite all the injuries and lack of lineup continuity. And it’s all right; it’s the prerogative — responsibility, even — of franchise owner Joseph Tsai and Marks to deal with the cards as dealt.

From here on, though, let it not be said that the Nets have superior culture. It may have been their biggest asset during Atkinson’s time. It’s no longer one from here on. They just proved they’re no different from the rest. It’s not right or wrong. It’s just how things now are for them, and far be it for them to be disingenuous and insist they’re still better in that regard. They know they took a step back yesterday, but they believe it’s what will have them taking two steps ahead. Point granted. The sooner they own up to it, though, the faster they will get to where they want to be.

 

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.

1...8,3818,3828,383...12,834Page 8,382 of 12,834
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube