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Manila to get 4.6M AstraZeneca doses in May, says WHO 

THE PHILIPPINES will take delivery of 4.58 million doses of coronavirus vaccines made by AstraZeneca Plc in May under a global initiative for equal access, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

“The Philippines is receiving one of the largest consignments of COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access vaccines in this first initial consignment,” WHO Country Representative Rabindara Abeyasinghe told an online news briefing on Thursday.

The government was set to get the first delivery of 487,000 AstraZeneca vaccines on Thursday night. The vaccines got delayed by a few days due to supply problems.

Mr. Abeyasinghe said there was no exact date yet on the arrival of the vaccines but these would come in larger batches. The country needs to set up enough storage capacity to manage the coming vaccine stocks, he added.

The WHO representative said the government would soon take delivery of 117,000 doses of Pfizer, Inc. vaccines that got delayed after the government failed to submit documents freeing the drug maker from potential lawsuits.

More vaccine allocations from Pfizer would be known before the end of the month, he said.

Mr. Abeyasinghe said vaccines under the COVAX facility should be given to the most vulnerable population first including health workers, the elderly and people with comorbidities.

He urged the Department of Health (DoH) and partners engaged in the rollout of the vaccines to follow the COVAX protocol.

“If we want to ensure that we continue to access the vaccines from the COVAX facility, we need to demonstrate that we can follow this prioritization,” he added.

Mr. Abeyasinghe said the AstraZeneca vaccine can be used against the coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa.

OCTA Research fellow Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco on Wednesday cited the need to eliminate the South African coronavirus variant because the AstraZeneca vaccine efficacy against it is reduced to 10% from 70%.

Mr. Abeyasinghe said that they are looking into these reports, but noted that the sample used for the study on the efficacy was less than 2,000. He added that there was no evidence yet of a large-scale presence of the South African variant in the country.

The WHO thinks the AstraZeneca vaccine is still effective even in places with many cases of the coronavirus variant, he said.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire on Tuesday said both the South African and United Kingdom variants are more contagious. The South African variant’s mutation might affect vaccine efficacy, she added.

The Health department on Tuesday reported the first six cases of the variant first reported in South Africa, three of whom were from Pasay City. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Rappler chief takes witness stand for first time in tax cases

A PHILIPPINE journalist critical of President Rodrigo R. Duterte took the witness stand for the first time on Thursday to answer tax evasion charges that she said were politically motivated.

Maria Ressa, founder of news website Rappler, also accused the government of harassment.

“You don’t get 10 arrest warrants in less than two years if it isn’t harassment,” she told a news briefing after the court hearing.

Ms. Ressa said she would not let the government intimidate her. “I will argue the case because I know my right.”

A Philippine trial court last year convicted her and former researcher Reynaldo Santos, Jr. for violating a law against cyber-libel.

Critics view the verdict, which could lead to a jail term of up to six years, as a major setback for democratic rights in the country.

Global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has said the twin convictions showed the Philippine justice system’s lack of independence from the Executive branch.

Ms. Ressa told reporters she would not settle her tax cases because Rapper had “paid appropriate taxes.”

Rappler, which Mr. Duterte has called a “fake news outlet,” had also appealed an order by the Securities and Exchange Commission to close its operations for violating foreign equity restrictions in mass media. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Nationwide round-up (03/04/21)

House committee approves proposed quarterly payment of senior citizens’ pension

A House of Representatives panel has approved a proposed measure for the quarterly distribution of pension to indigent senior citizens instead of every six months. In its hearing on Thursday, the House special committee on senior citizens approved House Resolution 1047, which will change the release schedule for the P500 per month pension for every senior beneficiary. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) handles the fund distribution. House Deputy Speaker Rufus B. Rodriguez, who filed the resolution, said the semi-annual schedule is “too long,” especially with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. “A six months wait, and they’re indigent too, is certainly not the proper way to be of help to our senior citizens,” he said in the hearing. He added that ideally, the DSWD should distributing monthly, but every three months is “not a tall order” for the agency to implement. — Gillian M. Cortez

DFA again calls on Filipinos in Myanmar to take caution as violence escalates

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday reiterated its call to Filipinos in Myanmar to remain cautious and avoid going to areas of protests. “The Philippine government is deeply concerned with the recent escalation of violence in Myanmar and calls on security forces to exercise restraint and refrain from using excessive force against unarmed demonstrators,” the department said in a statement late Wednesday. “Filipinos in Myanmar are once more advised to avoid places of protest, monitor developments through reputable sources, and check with the Philippine Embassy in Yangon for further advisories,” it added. The military in Myanmar is back in charge and has declared a year-long state of emergency after seizing control on Feb. 1 following a general election that Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD party won by a landslide. Ms. Suu Kyi and other officials have been detained. The public took to the street its dissent to the military’s take over of the  government. On Wednesday, 38 protesters were killed, bringing the total to over 50, according to an article by the Associated Press, citing United Nations special envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. in an informal online meeting with foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Tuesday said the government is “deeply concerned” about developments there. He has called for a return to the previous state of affairs there and the immediate release of Ms. Suu Kyi. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Energy sector on the watch to ensure uninterrupted power supply for vaccine rollout

THE Energy department has instructed generation companies to be on the watch and ensure uninterrupted power supply, especially in areas where the coronavirus vaccination program is already being rolled out. The advisory issued Tuesday comes after a similar list of guidelines was released to distribution utilities in mid-February to provide stable and continuous electricity supply to cold storage and healthcare facilities for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. The guidelines include setting up back-up sources and a response plan for emergency situations. Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, in a statement on Thursday said the department has been “meeting with the members of the energy family to fortify our strategies.” The government’s vaccination program started earlier this week in Metro Manila and vaccine doses have been distributed to major cities outside the capital. — Angelica Y. Yang

Supreme Court to look at alternatives as AstraZeneca vaccine not immediately available

THE Supreme Court, which has allocated funds to vaccinate members of the judiciary against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is now looking at other options after being informed that the AstraZeneca brand will not be immediately available. “The Judiciary will have to consider other options,” the court’s Chief Public Information Officer Brian Keith F. Hosaka told reporters via Viber on Wednesday. “Hopefully, the Judiciary will be able to procure vaccines at the soonest possible time considering the crucial role which the courts play in times of crisis,” Mr. Hosaka said. He added that Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta wants the country’s judges and court personnel to be fully protected from COVID-19 as they “have direct contact with the public on a daily basis.” The Supreme Court announced on Feb. 11 the approval of the vaccine procurement plan. About 30,000 justices, judges, officials, and employees of the judiciary are expected to get inoculated. The Philippine’s vaccination program started earlier this week with the delivery of Sinovac vaccines donated by the Chinese government, while AstraZeneca doses under the World Health Organization’s COVAX facility were expected to arrive Thursday night. The priority list of recipients include healthcare frontliners, senior citizens, indigents, and uniformed personnel. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Regional Updates (03/04/21)

Mt. Pinatubo alert level raised, but no ‘imminent eruption’ forecast

THE alert warning for Mt. Pinatubo, located in the central Luzon area, was raised on Thursday to level 1 from 0 due to continued seismic activities, but no “imminent eruption is foreseen,” according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). In its Mar. 4 bulletin, Phivolcs said 1,722 “imperceptible” earthquakes have been detected under the volcano’s range since Jan. 20. The tremors’ local magnitude range between 0.2 to 2.8. Phivolcs recommends staying away from the Pinatubo crater or be done with extreme caution if unavoidable. “Communities and local government units surrounding Pinatubo are reminded to be always prepared for both earthquake and volcanic hazards and to review, prepare and strengthen their contingency, emergency and other disaster preparedness plans,” the agency said. Phivolcs, a unit under the Department of Science and Technology, also assured that it “continues to strengthen its monitoring of the volcano with ongoing upgrades to the Pinatubo Volcano Network and periodic geochemical surveys of the Pinatubo crater lake and satellite analysis of ground deformation.” Mt. Pinatubo last erupted on June 15, 1991, considered as the second largest volcanic eruption in recorded history. The volcano straddles provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga, and Zambales. — MSJ

50-seater boat added to Pasig River Ferry Service, more stations to be reopened

MMDA

REAL estate firm New San Jose Builders, Inc. has donated a 50-seater boat to the Pasig River Ferry Service, adding to the current fleet of 11 vessels that operate at 50% capacity in consideration of health protocols. Benhur D. Abalos, Jr., chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) that operates the ferry system, said the new boat is a most welcome addition as they slowly expand the transport service and provide an alternative to land travel in the congested capital. “We assure the public that we will continue to improve the ferry service for a comfortable and safe riding experience of the public,” he said during the boat’s formal turnover ceremony on Thursday at the Guadalupe station in Makati. Mr. Abalos said their aim is to double the ferry boats, shorten the waiting time of one hour to 30 mins to encourage more passengers, and open the Napindan dockyard in Taguig. He added that they plan to add more routes that will interconnect Manila Bay, Pasig River, and Laguna Lake. The Pasig River ferry, revived in December 2019, runs between Pinagbuhatan in Pasig and Escolta in Manila. The 11 boats currently has a combined passenger capacity of 455 per one-way trip. New San Jose Builders Chairman Jose L. Acuzar said they are glad to contribute in easing traffic congestion. “The Pasig River Ferry Service is an effective alternative transportation that doesn’t just lessen the land vehicle volume but also promotes the beauty of the historic river,” Mr. Acuzar said.

Attack on lawyer in Iloilo unlikely to be just a robbery case — NUPL, IBP

LAWYERS groups doubt that the attack on one of their colleagues involved in the 37 petitions filed against the anti-terrorism law, who was seriously injured Wednesday night in Iloilo City, was a theft-motivated case. National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) President Edre U. Olalia, in a press briefing Thursday, said the snatching of the belongings of Angelo Karlo T. Guillen, the group’s  assistant vice president for Visayas, “is a decoy or distraction.” NUPL Vice President Rene C. Estocapio said Mr. Guillen, who has also been handling human rights cases, has received many life threats before the incident, and “in fact changed his residence because he was stalked.” Two still unidentified men stabbed Mr. Guillen with a screwdriver while he was walking back to his hotel at the Iloilo City Center. Mr. Estocapio confirmed in a mobile message that Mr. Guillen “is now stable with normal vital signs, although he sustained multiple wounds in the face, neck and the back.” The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), called the latest attack on a member of the legal community as “criminality in the highest degree.” IBP President Domingo Egon Q. Cayosa said they are waiting for updates from the Supreme Court on the Summit on Lawyer Security, which is supposed to be held this March. Mr. Cayosa said they “hope it happens before Chief Justice (Diosdado M.) Peralta retires.” NUPL said at least 54 lawyers and judges have been killed since the Duterte administration started in 2016. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

List of PBA rookie applicants for March 14 draft set to be finalized

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

THE final list of rookie applicants in this year’s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) draft is set to be settled when the deadline for Filipino-foreign hopefuls to complete their papers lapses on Friday.

Application for the draft ended last January, but the league decided to defer coming out with the final list to give Fil-foreign applicants the opportunity to get the needed documents for them to be eligible to be picked by the teams in the March 14 draft.

The league said that given the current situation with the pandemic, working on the needed papers would be tougher than usual and, thus, it decided to give those concerned extra time.

A record total 97 players have applied for the draft, 31 of which are Fil-foreigners.

But days before the deadline set lapses, almost half of the non-homegrown applicants reportedly have yet to complete their documents, risking non-inclusion in the draft proceedings.

Said players still have to submit their certification from the Bureau of Immigration and recognition from the Department of Justice.

Among those reported not to have yet completed his papers is highly regarded point guard Jason Brickman.

Mr. Brickman, 29, impressively paraded his wares in the ASEAN Basketball League and PBA D-League and considered to be a shoo-in in the top five selection in the draft.

His possible non-inclusion is expected to alter the direction the draft will take.

Others still working on completing their papers are Jeremiah Gray, Jerrick Ahanmisi, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Taylor Statham, Tyrus Hill, and Alec Stockton.

Interestingly, Andre Paras, son of PBA legend Benjie Paras and is also an actor, is considered as a Fil-foreigner, having been born in the United States in 1995. He, too, has yet to complete his papers.

Those who have completed their requirements and have been cleared by the PBA, meanwhile, include Joshua Munzon, Jamie Malonzo, Taylor Brown, Brian Enriquez, Troy Rike, Jordan Heading, David Murrell, Franky Johnson, James Laput, and Mikey Williams.

The final list is being awaited by the 12 teams before they make their decision on who to pick.

In this year’s draft, Terrafirma will once again select first (also at eighth), followed by Northport (also at 11th), NLEX (third and fourth), Rain or Shine, Alaska, Phoenix Super LPG, Meralco, Magnolia and Barangay Ginebra.

PBA TEAMS TO BE HONORED
Meanwhile, all the 12 competing teams in the PBA will be honored with the President’s Award in the special virtual awards night by the league press corps on Sunday, March 7.

Dubbed Heroic 12, Barangay Ginebra, TNT, Meralco, Phoenix, San Miguel, Alaska, Magnolia, Rain or Shine, NLEX, Blackwater, NorthPort and Terrafirma are being cited for their all-out support in making the lone PBA tournament last year, done in a “bubble” setup in Clark, Pampanga, a success.

Also to be given the President’s Award is Bulakan, Bulacan mayor and former PBA most valuable player Vergel Meneses.

The one-hour awards program is presented by Cignal TV and to be shown on PBA Rush on March 8.

Former league MVP Kelly Williams back with TNT

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

Former Philippine Basketball Association most valuable player Kelly Williams is back with the TNT Tropang GIGA, the team announced on Thursday.

Decided to retire last year just as the league was gearing up to play its “bubble” tournament, Mr. Williams, the 2007 PBA rookie of the year and MVP the following year, apparently reconsidered his decision and signed a two-year deal to play for TNT anew.

“We would like to welcome Kelly back to TNT Tropang GIGA. His leadership and experience will help us achieve success in the upcoming conference,” said TNT team manager Gabby Cui in a statement. 

Thirty-nine-year-old Williams spent 10 seasons with the TNT franchise prior to announcing his retirement after spending his first few years in the league with the now-defunct Sta. Lucia Realtors.

During that run with TNT he helped the team to five league titles, the last one coming in 2015 with the Commissioner’s Cup.

He holds career averages of 10.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

In his return, Mr. Williams is expected to provide leadership and shore up the frontline of the team, now handled by the also-TNT returning Chot Reyes. 

TNT had a good run in the lone PBA tournament last year, finishing runner-up to the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in the Philippine Cup finals.

Rolando Dy out to prove worth as a title contender

ON-A-ROLL Rolando “Dy Incredible” Dy of the Philippines returns to Brave Combat Federation (CF) action and is looking to prove further his worth as a title contender in the promotion’s lightweight division.

Mr. Dy, 29, sporting a 14-9-1 record, is to take on Abdysalam Kubanychiev of Kyrgyzstan in the headlining fight for “Brave CF 47: Asian Domination” on March 11 in Bahrain.

The reigning Brave Fighter of the Year stakes his two-fight winning streak in the contest which serves as an eliminator, with the winner having a shot at the title currently held by Frenchman Amin Ayoub.

Given what is at stake, Mr. Dy, son of Filipino boxing legend Rolando Navarette, said he will do everything he can to come out on top in the fight.

“I know what’s at stake in this fight. It’s my dream, the dream of fighting for the title. That’s on the line here. I am here to fight for it. I believe I deserve that title shot, and the best way to show everyone that I am real the title contender is by winning. That’s the only option,” he said.

He acknowledged that Mr. Abdysalam (16-2) will be no easy opponent as attested by his nine-fight winning streak, making the fight all the more significant for him.

“Abdysalam, in my opinion, is the toughest fighter I will ever face in my career. He is a top-rated fighter in his country and in Russia. If you have that kind of rating as a fighter, it means you’re a monster. I consider this fight as a very important fight,” Mr. Dy said.

He went on to share that entering the fight they are confident, thanks to having a full training camp, something his team hopes to pay dividends for them.

“Unlike my last two fights, I have a full training camp this time around. I am 100% ready. I will try my best to be the more active fighter. If there’s a chance to finish the fight in the first round, I will take it. If I have to go the distance and dominate him every round, then so be it. I will give everything I have to win.”

Mr. Dy finished 2020 strong after months of limited activity because of the restrictions forced by the pandemic.

He had two straight victories in September and November en route to willing himself as one of the noteworthy fighters in Brave.

Mr. Dy first edged Polish knockout artist Maciej Gierszewski via a split decision then dominated John Brewin of New Zealand to a unanimous decision victory.

LAUSA MAKES BRAVE DEBUT
Meanwhile, also seeing action at Brave CF 47 is Iloilo native Jenel Lausa, who is making a return to mixed martial arts action after three years and is debuting with the promotion.

Thirty-two-year-old Lausa (7-5) will battle Afghanistan’s Rahmatullah Yousufzai.

Mr. Lausa, also a champion boxer, signed a multi-fight contract with the Bahrain-based promotion last month.

He last fought in MMA in 2018 and is looking to do well as he starts fresh with Brave CF. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Joel Embiid’s big night lifts Sixers over Jazz

JOEL Embiid scored 40 points and grabbed 19 rebounds to lift the host Philadelphia 76ers past the Utah Jazz (131-123) in overtime on Wednesday.

It was the fifth game this season that Embiid posted at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in a game.

Tobias Harris scored 11 of his 22 points in overtime to go along with 10 rebounds and Ben Simmons added 17 points. Seth Curry contributed 14 and Dwight Howard and Shake Milton had 12 each.

The Sixers capitalized on a late 8-0 run in overtime to seal the victory.

Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz with 33 points and eight rebounds, but was ejected in the final minute of overtime after receiving his second technical foul.

Bojan Bogdanović and Mike Conley added 18 apiece and Joe Ingles had 16 for the Jazz, who hit 21 of 44 treys.

The Jazz built a 13-point lead midway through the second quarter before the Sixers responded with a 6-0 run to close within 46-39.

Embiid kept the Sixers close with 20 points, but the Sixers trailed 61-52 at halftime. It was the 18th time this season that Embiid scored at least 20 in any half.

Curry knocked down a trey, just the team’s second of the game, and Philadelphia closed within 72-69 with 7:20 to go in the third.

Mitchell completed a spectacular three-point play to extend the Utah advantage to 81-75. Mitchell was bumped by Embiid in midair, but somehow contorted his body to hit the shot.

Furkan Korkmaz keyed an early 11-3 run in the fourth and the Sixers went ahead 95-92.

Rudy Gobert (12 points, nine rebounds) threw down an alley-oop dunk with 6:26 left and the Jazz pulled ahead 103-99. Embiid dropped in a trey with 3:56 remaining to give the Sixers a 107-106 lead.

Mitchell responded with a 3-pointer and Utah led by two.

Gobert’s dunk with 2:17 to go extended the Jazz advantage to 114-109.

Embiid came back with a layup and two free throws to cut the deficit to 114-113 with 1:47 remaining.

Embiid’s trey with 5.9 seconds left tied the game at 118 and forced overtime. — Reuters

Barcelona reach Copa final with epic comeback win over Sevilla

BARCELONA — Barcelona pulled off a stirring comeback to overturn a two-goal deficit and reach the Copa del Rey final, beating Sevilla 3-0 after extra time in Wednesday’s semifinal second leg to go through 3-2 on aggregate.

Danish forward Martin Braithwaite grabbed the decisive goal with a scrappy diving header early in the extra period after Ousmane Dembélé had given Barça the lead in the 12th minute and Gerard Piqué had levelled the tie deep in added time, moments after Fernando had been sent off for Sevilla.

Sevilla, who won the first leg at home 2-0, deployed uncharacteristically negative tactics yet they wasted a glorious chance to make it 1-1 in the second half and effectively kill the tie when Lucas Ocampos squandered a penalty.

Barça will meet either Levante or Athletic Bilbao in the final in Seville on April 17, looking to lift the Copa del Rey for a record-extending 31st time.

Barca had won 2-0 at Sevilla on Saturday to go second in La Liga, leading their coach Ronald Koeman to declare his side had every chance of turning the tie around. But their preparations were overshadowed when former President Josep Maria Bartomeu was arrested on Monday and the club’s Camp Nou offices were raided in a probe related to allegations of improper management and business corruption.

The club will elect a new leader on Sunday and the three candidates, Joan Laporta, Victor Font and Toni Freixa, were all present in the Presidential box to witness the comeback.

Koeman described the night as his best since he took charge of the team last August and set his sights on lifting his first trophy as Barça coach after plenty of successes as a player under Johan Cruyff. — Reuters

Investigators probe ‘black box’ in car crashed by golfer Tiger Woods

THE Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is examining data from the “black box” recorder of the car driven by Tiger Woods last week when the champion golfer lost control of the vehicle and seriously injured his leg and ankle in a one-car crash.

Investigators would not say what they were looking for, but in the days after the crash have been trying to determine what caused Woods, 45, to lose control of the gray Genesis sport utility vehicle.

“Traffic collision investigators are continuing the investigation into the cause of the collision involving Mr. Woods,” Deputy Trina Schrader said in a statement e-mailed to Reuters on Wednesday.

“On March 1, 2021, they executed a search warrant to retrieve data from the vehicles ‘black box.’ At this time, there is no additional information regarding the recovered data.”

Woods was negotiating a curved, downhill stretch of highway that authorities have said was notoriously dangerous when the luxury SUV veered across the opposite lanes, collided with a road sign and rolled several times.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said last week that he did not anticipate filing any criminal charges in connection with the accident.

Sheriff’s deputies responding to the wreck found no indication that Woods had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs and said he was “lucid” following the accident.

“This remains an accident and an accident is not a crime,” Villanueva said at a news briefing. “They do happen, unfortunately.”

Woods, celebrated as one of golf’s all-time greats, had to be pried from the crumpled SUV through the shattered windshield.

Woods is the only modern professional to win all four major golf titles in succession, taking the US Open, British Open and PGA Championship in 2000 and the Masters title in 2001, a feat that became known as the “Tiger Slam.”

His 15 major titles stand second only to the record 18 won by Jack Nicklaus.

But he has suffered years of injuries and undergone multiple surgeries on his back and knees, limiting his ability to compete. — Reuters

Didal Women’s Asia Skater of the Year

TOP Philippine skateboarder Margielyn Didal was awarded Women’s Asia Skater of the Year this week in the 2020 Asia Skate Awards. The 21-year-old Cebu native beat out seven other finalists. In winning the award, the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games gold medalist received $1,500. Ms. Didal also topped the Style for Miles and Fastest Feet in the East categories. Currently ranked 14th in the world, Ms. Didal is training in Cebu and hopes to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics later this year.

Local beach volleyball players credit stint in BVR for their growth

Jackie Estoquia and DM Demontaño have become household names in the country’s beach volleyball scene and they credit their stint in Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) for their growth.

Hailing from Iloilo, the two players made it big in 2016 when they became regulars in the BVR on Tour, consistently churning out podium finishes in every leg.

“BVR is one of the popular beach volleyball leagues in the country. It paved the way for us players from the province to show what we can do in the sport, and against good players from Manila,” said Ms. Estoquia in Filipino as she shared the big role the league has played in her career. 

“The BVR really honed our skills, allowing us to play in the National Championship where you really have to play your best,” she added.

And their steady good showing in the league, Ms. Demontaño said, prepared them to compete in other local leagues and international tournaments. 

“Playing in BVR was one of the turning points of my beach volleyball career because it paved the way for local players like me to show our skills and play against the best players locally and internationally,” said Demontaño, who currently plays for Sta. Lucia along with Ms. Estoquia.

Misses Estoquia and Demontaño are just two of the many BVR players coming from the Visayas who are steadily making a name for themselves, the others being Negros Occidental products Alexa Polidario, Erjane Magdato and Jennifer Cosas.

BVR was formed in 2015 by former Ateneo players, led by Philippine National Volleyball Federation board member Charo Soriano.

It organizes beach volleyball tournaments in different parts of the country with the end view of growing the sport among Filipinos.

Just like most in the local sports scene, BVR was affected by the pandemic last year but is planning to make a comeback in 2021. – Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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