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Farmers’ group proposes using higher MDM tax for COVID-19 vaccines  

THE GOVERNMENT can tap revenues from the 40% tariff rate on mechanically deboned meat (MDM) imports to vaccinate the country’s agricultural workers against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a farmers’ group said.

In a statement, Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) Chairman Rosendo O. So said the impact of the tax on consumers will be minimal while the benefit to the agricultural sector will be significant. 

He cited that the proposed 40% tariff will mean just a P1.20 increase for every 350-gram can of luncheon meat currently priced at P78.85, or an additional 53 centavos for a 150-gram can of meat loaf. 

MDM is used for the production of canned and processed meat products. “Shelling an additional P0.53 to vaccinate workers in the agriculture sector is a good start for our fight against this global pandemic,” Mr. So said.  

SINAG recently said the Philippine government can earn up to P5 billion in additional revenues if it opts to implement a 40% tariff rate on MDM imports instead of the current 5%. In contrast, collection is estimated at around P635 million at the 5% tariff rate. 

The executive order that maintained the tariff at 5% expired on Dec. 31 last year, which means that it will return to 40% unless President Rodrigo R. Duterte signs a new order.

“MDM importation last year was (at) 254 million kilograms, at an average of P50 per kilogram. Reverting to the 5% tariff will deprive the government of much needed revenues,” SINAG said.

Last week, the Cabinet-level Committee on Tariff and Related Matters said it will pass a recommendation to Mr. Duterte to issue a new order that will retain the 5% tariff. “There is no need to increase the tariff to 40% because there (are) no local producers to protect,” Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said on Jan. 4.

Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the agriculture sector employed around 9.70 million people in 2019 and accounted for 22.9% of the total labor force. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Nationwide round-up (01/10/21)

Labor coalition asks religious leaders to step in for resumption of gov’t-communist peace talks

A LABOR coalition called on religious leaders to step in for the revival of peace talks between the government and the communist movement, citing how the conflict affects worker freedom and union movement. In a statement on Sunday, the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition said, “We call on our faith leaders to remind our national leaders, the military and police officers; and the rebels, that peace based on social justice and the common good cannot be achieved through the barrel of a gun.” Nagkaisa addressed its plea to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Iglesia ni Cristo, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, and the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines, among others. “At the workplace level, red-tagging activities are carried out by security forces in the form of anti-union propaganda, union-busting, dismantling of picketlines, illegal arrests, and to the actual killings of trade union organizers,” the group said. It added that the formation of the Joint Industrial Peace Concerns Office (JIPCO) in economic zones stiffles employees’ rights to self-organization and free speech. JIPCO, launched early last year, is a community relations program of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in partnership with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority and the Presidential peace office, to ensure industrial peace within the country’s special ecozones. — Gillian M. Cortez

Labor undersecretary passes away

LABOR Undersecretary Joji V. Aragon passed away Sunday, the department announced in a statement. The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said Ms. Aragon, a career official who was promoted to her position in August last year, died due to complications from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). “She succumbed to cardiac arrest due to the dreaded COVID-19 this morning. It is believed that she contracted the virus following a procedure she underwent in the second week of December last year,” the department said. — Gillian M. Cortez

Regional Updates (01/10/21)

More cities tapping AstraZeneca for COVID-19 vaccine

SEVERAL cities outside the capital Metro Manila have announced signing or preparing for an agreement with British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca Plc for the purchase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. Among these are Dagupan, Ormoc, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Davao. In separate statements over the past week, these local governments said they have either already signed a confidentiality agreement with the company or a tripartite contract involving the COVID-19 national task force. Dagupan Mayor Brian C. Lim announced Saturday that he inked the tripartite agreement Friday to ensure vaccine supply for residents once the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University is approved by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and becomes available in the country.

‘MOST COMPETITIVE’
In Ormoc, the city council on Friday gave Mayor Richard I. Gomez the authority to sign a memorandum of agreement with AstraZeneca for the purchase of 270,000 doses of the vaccine. “It was the most competitive (in price) and most suitable to a tropical country,” City Legal Officer Joy Mejia-Romero said in a statement. Local governments have been preparing localized vaccination plans to complement the national government’s program, which will focus on five priority groups, namely: frontline health workers, indigent senior citizens, remaining senior citizens, remaining indigent population, and non-medical frontline workers such as the police and military. Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the city’s program, similar to the other cities, will cover sectors that will not be inoculated by the national government. — MSJ

SPMC upgrades test capacity with new lab from Metrobank, GT Foundation, AdDU

THE Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), one of the biggest state-run hospitals in the country, has a new molecular laboratory that will increase its testing capacity for the coronavirus and other diseases. The facility, formally launched Friday, is a joint project of Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) and George Ty Foundation, together with Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU). “With the increasing cases that we are receiving, our existing laboratory is definitely not enough. There are also times that we cannot meet the needs of the region anymore so with the new molecular laboratory, we are very much excited to be embarking on new beginnings because this means more and more people will be benefited because more blood samples would be catered by SPMC,” said SPMC officer-in-charge Ricardo B. Audan. He added that the new facility, which can handle 200 coronavirus samples per day, provides a technological upgrade to the hospital’s laboratory. “GT Capital Holdings and Metrobank Group, through Metrobank Foundation and GT Foundation, have been working hard in supporting various initiatives to address and combat the effects of the pandemic since the start of the lockdown. We advocate and support the conduct of test, trace, treat (T3) to identify the various factors in the development and mitigation of the spread of the virus as well as we support the government’s call for the economic resurgence of our country,” Alfred V. Ty, president of GT foundation, Inc. and trustee of MBFI, said during the launching ceremony. — Maya M. Padillo

Caraga forms committee for balik-probinsya program

THE Regional Development Council of Caraga has formed a committee that will focus on assisting those interested in the government’s “Balik-probinsya” program, which aims to encourage migrants in urban areas to move back to their hometowns. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, in a statement on Sunday, said the special committee is also tasked to develop job creation projects and other economic opportunities in the region to attract people to return to their provinces. Caraga is composed of the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and the Dinagat Islands. The region’s economy grew by 5% in 2019, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). However, it accounted for only 1.6% to the national economic output that year. It’s main industries are mining and agriculture. “Now is the time to realize the full potential of our provinces as economic centers and alternatives to established urban economic hubs,” said Mr. Nograles, who heads the special Committee and is the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security for the region. “Our objective in the special committee is to create an environment where Balik Probinsiya could truly be an alternative employment and long-term living option for those who have previously relocated to urban cities but now want to return to their home provinces to start anew,” he said. — Gillian M. Cortez

Only 2,000 MSME loans approved from Bayanihan II allocation

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said about 2,000 loan applications were approved for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) last year out of a P10-billion allocation under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan II), underperforming a target to process 15,000 applications before the end of 2020.

“Now, we have about P10 billion [budget] as mentioned, so we target about more than 50,000 borrowers in the Bayanihan II. Kakaumpisa lang nito kaya andiyan pa lang ang na-approve na dito over 2,000 borrowers (It’s just started so approvals are at over 2,000),” Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said at the “SMe Bayani: Beating the Odds” webinar on Saturday, organized by technology firm e-Methods for Business Management Corp.

Under Bayanihan II or Republic Act No. 11494, the DTI’s Small Business Corp. (SB Corp.) was allocated P10 billion to lend to MSMEs.

Prior to the implementation of Bayanihan II, the agency had P1 billion for the first batch of loan beneficiaries. “Nakapagpahiram tayo sa over 17,000 borrowers (We were able to lend to 17,000 borrowers),” Mr. Lopez said.

In November, Mr. Lopez said SB Corp. will increase its processing capacity to around 15,000 a month, citing improvements in its credit evaluation system.

“We have facilitated the processing to accommodate more MSMEs affected by the pandemic. We expect to release more loans to help businesses recover, especially as we gradually reopen the economy,” he said in a statement.

In September, SB Corp. said it targeted 50,000 loan approvals over the rest of the year, or a monthly rate of 15,000 to 18,000 borrowers starting in October. — Arjay L. Balinbin

House CREATE bicam delegation seeking more tax incentives for rural investment

THE HOUSE contingent to the bicameral conference committee harmonizing the two chambers’ Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bills are pushing for expanded incentives to be awarded to investments made outside the capital region.

Albay Representative Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda said Sunday that House members want “longer incentives for countryside investments” and a “premium” on rural and high-value investments.

“We just want a stronger bias towards countryside development and gross value added. I suppose the differences are because we in the House mostly represent the provinces, while most Senators come from big cities, so the perspective has some differences,” he said in a statement.

In the Senate version, businesses that locate in less-developed areas and areas outside Metro Manila will receive tax incentives for 15-17 years. The House version, meanwhile, wants tax incentives for countryside investments to run for 16-18 years.

Mr. Salceda said the changes introduced during the bicam should be “sensible” and acceptable to the two chambers of Congress.

Mr. Salceda said the bicameral conference will be conducted “fairly and quickly.” “We know time is of the essence. That is in fact why we approved our version three months after this Congress started, in 2019.”

He said he is trying his “best” to smooth out the concerns of the House contingent about the Senate’s version. “We have been working all week long, and I am confident our changes are well-argued and evidence-based, so the bicam should be quick. If it were all up to me, this would have passed last year.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Supply chain diversification, technology seen key to manufacturing survival

MANUFACTURING FIRMS will need to diversify supply chains and leverage technology to survive and thrive during and after the pandemic, according to a supplier of industrial components and tools.

“The pandemic highlighted the importance of diverse supply chains and strong relationships and cooperation to improve the region’s supply chain capabilities,” RS Components Corp. Philippine Country General Manager George R. Santiago told BusinessWorld via e-mail.

“We’ve seen these past months that manufacturers and businesses who equipped themselves with the right technologies and digital capabilities were able to react more quickly to handle disruption and shift ways of working,” he added.

The pandemic has muted global economic activity, forcing businesses to fast-track their technology and digitalization plans as physical distancing is enforced to curb the spread of the virus. This led to stringent measures imposed by governments such as lockdowns starting in the first quarter of 2020.

The manufacturing sector was among the most affected by these restrictions. According to Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data, the sector declined 11.5% in the first nine months of 2020, after a year-earlier expansion of 2.8%.

Gross domestic product declined 10% in the first nine months, with manufacturing accounting for 2.1 percentage points of the decline, according to calculations performed by BusinessWorld.

The PSA also estimated that the volume of production at factories declined for a ninth straight month in November, coming in at minus 10.8%. Capacity utilization has consistently averaged under 80% since March.

Exports of manufactured goods were down 12% as of November, the PSA’s trade data showed. Electronics, which accounted for 70.1% of manufactured goods and 58% of exported goods during the period, declined 8.8%.

With a tech-savvy and English-speaking workforce, manufacturing continues to be robust and plays a key role in the economy, Mr. Santiago said.

“The Philippines continues to be an attractive location for manufacturing and aftermarket services in Asia-Pacific and is equipped to handle increasing demand for export with an auto supply chain involving over 380 parts manufacturers. However, to create more value and remain competitive, investing in infrastructure and facilities must be a priority,” he said.

The pandemic has also underscored the importance of strong inter-country relationships, Mr. Santiago said, citing the interest of Japan to strengthen cooperation with Southeast Asia to make its own supply chain more resilient.

Notwithstanding these setbacks, net inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector grew to $610.9 million from $215.96 million as of October, even as overall FDI net inflows declined 10.2% during the period.

“The low factory output we’ve witnessed in the past months resulted from low consumer demand and mobility restrictions. The recovery was not as smooth but as these figures stabilize, we’re optimistic about the manufacturing industry’s performance in the coming year,” Mr. Santiago said.

“The manufacturing sector has the potential to compete on a global scale, provided businesses take steps to develop a digital strategy and have the support in terms of establishing the right infrastructure and upskilling people,” he added. — Marissa Mae M. Ramos

Electric cooperatives borrow P439.98M in 2020

TWENTY electric cooperatives (ECs) borrowed P439.98 million from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) in 2020, the bulk of which went to funding the distribution utilities’ capital expenditures and working capital needs, the NEA said Sunday.

The NEA, which oversees the rural electrification program, provides financial assistance to ECs through its enhanced lending program.

In a statement, the NEA said that P311.90 million went to 12 ECs.

The remainder, P128.08 million, was handed out as calamity loans. Around P25 million went to First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. or Ficelco to help rehabilitate its power distribution facilities, which were damaged by typhoons Quinta (international name: Molave) and Rolly (international name: Goni).

“The calamity loan, which bears an interest rate of 3.25% per annum, has a 10-year repayment term and one-year grace period,” the NEA said.

The totals were provided by the NEA Accounts Management and Guarantee Department.

The amount exceeds NEA’s 2020 lending target of P245 million. “The P311.903 million translates into (a) 127% accomplishment rate,” the NEA said.

On its website, the NEA said it has 14 financing options in its enhanced lending program for ECs. Some of these include regular calamity and concessional loans, equity financing schemes for ECs, and subsidy releases.

Last month, the NEA reported that over 12,000 rural sitios still did not have access to electricity. NEA Administrator Edgardo R. Masongsong has said the agency needs additional funding for the sitio electrification program, which he described as “crucial for socioeconomic development.” — Angelica Y. Yang

Creating long-term value with sustainability and climate-related disclosures

There has been a radical change in the investment market in recent years with investors measuring business performance with traditional financial factors, and the way companies manage risks related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Economies and businesses are now more cognizant of the importance of decarbonization strategies, value creation, and climate-related investments in achieving long-term sustainable growth.

Businesses that focus on ESG issues such as climate change are considered forward-looking and perceived as having a competitive advantage. Despite the economic pressures brought about by the ongoing pandemic, the philosophy of stakeholder capitalism has gained more support with these non-financial factors considered critical to business resilience and long-term recovery. This shift has increased the demand to make accounting for climate risks a mainstream measure of performance and not just a measure of corporate responsibility.

Companies committed to sustainability may have a better-defined margin and may achieve a lower cost of capital. Financial reports no longer just focus on short-term financial parameters alone, but also consider the long-term importance of investing in clean technologies. When business leaders take into consideration market mechanisms like carbon pricing and emission caps, which can result in financial incentives as well as the lasting positive engagement with stakeholders, they can see that ESG factors now have a direct impact on a company’s cash flows, financial position and financial performance.

CLIMATE-RELATED MATTERS IN FINANCIAL REPORTING
The integrity of financial statements that provide transparency on climate-related matters are becoming increasingly critical for efficient resource allocation and sound decision-making. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) require businesses to report climate-related matters when their effect is material to the financial statements. According to “Effects of climate-related matters on financial statements” published by the IFRS Foundation in November, information is considered material if “omitting, misstating or obscuring it could reasonably be expected to influence the decisions investors make on the basis of those financial statements.”

For instance, the publication mentioned above states that companies must include in their report climate-related issues that may affect estimates of future taxable profits, estimates of recoverable amounts to assess impairment of goodwill and impairment of assets, levies imposed by governments, effects of climate-related matters on the measurement of expected credit losses and on the fair value measurements of assets and liabilities in the financial statements, among others. The use of narrative reporting or management commentary can likewise fill the gaps in financial statements.

CHALLENGES IN CLIMATE RISK DISCLOSURES
Unfortunately, despite the existing IFRS requirements and encouragement to adopt the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which provides a framework to help companies more effectively disclose climate-related risks and opportunities through their existing reporting processes, a number of publicly listed companies still lack comprehensive and transparent climate risk disclosures, simply adopting a “check box” approach in reporting. Businesses need to realize that for many investors, transparency, quality and depth of disclosure warrant credit and not criticism. In addition, disclosing material information on climate change scenario planning enhances risk management, helps execute strategies, and leads to long-term increases in shareholder value.

Although multiple disclosure frameworks and standards such as the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, Global Reporting Initiative, International Integrated Reporting Council and the TCFD provide recommendations on climate risk accounting, there is still a lack of standardized metrics in ESG reporting. Investors require more information from the data presented to them while the complexity and costs of reporting ESG matters against multiple standards and frameworks are often frustrating to businesses.

This situation calls for developing and adopting structured and universal reporting standards to measure corporate sustainability performance. Standardization will not only improve the clarity, comparability and consistency of figures and information but will greatly enhance dialogue between investors and companies.

According to Erkki Liikanen, Chair of the IFRS Foundation Trustees, there is a growing demand for standardization and cooperability on sustainability reporting. A consultation paper on sustainability reporting was published by the Trustees of the IFRS Foundation on Sept. 30, and it sets out possible ways forward, including the plan to create a new separate Sustainability Standards Board. This entity will initially focus on climate-related risk disclosures and will work in parallel with the International Accounting Standards Board under the IFRS Foundation. Consultations are currently being conducted in order to determine global demand and develop possible interventions, with the aim of collaborating with existing national and regional initiatives to develop global standards in sustainability reporting.

Globally applicable standards will guide companies in identifying and mapping out financially material climate scenarios and sustainability topics, as well as in assessing their implications on business risk management. These standards will also minimize complexity and provide the primary users of financial statements (existing and potential investors and creditors) and other stakeholders (customers, suppliers and employees) with a qualitative discussion of ESG topics and key performance indicators (KPIs) that are material to the company’s operations.

In the absence of a globally accepted set of standards, EY and the Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism worked together in 2018 to prepare the Embankment Project for Inclusive Capitalism (EPIC) report to identify common metrics by which companies can measure long-term value. Leveraging the insights from 31 asset management participants from the US and EMEIA, the EPIC report focused on creating new metrics for demonstrating long-term value in four key areas, two of which were Society and Environment, and Corporate Governance.

Uniform standards on climate-related disclosures will also enhance business confidence and efficiency as there will be a consensus on what constitutes an ESG investment. A standard ESG lens will also help companies translate theory into action since businesses will be guided on how their commitment to ESG goals will impact society and the planet. These standards are critical in assessing and communicating climate risks and opportunities as well as in developing strategies to build long-term resilience while facilitating the transition towards a low carbon economy.

THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING
The undeniable strong connection between ESG performance and financial risk and returns calls on the corporate sector to take a huge leap towards securing long-term success by creating more climate-resilient portfolios, integrating holistic and sustainable solutions to the investment process, and ensuring transparency and compliance with reporting requirements. Through these efforts, companies can effectively manage risks and generate sustainable, long-term returns. As stakeholders seek to understand how companies manage ESG risks, transparent, credible and compliant ESG disclosures will be essential in building confidence in what is reported.

Given the foreseeable impact of climate change, and the mounting pressure from investors, employers, leaders, consumers and policymakers to address it, companies, more than ever, are called upon to clearly and transparently integrate ESG considerations into their overall business strategy. As the global economy transitions to a decarbonized future, those who do not keep up will risk being outperformed by companies that embrace climate resiliency.

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional advice where the facts and circumstances warrant. The views and opinions expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of SGV & Co.

 

Benjamin N. Villacorte is a Partner of SGV & Co.

Gilas starts buildup for Feb. window

Final window of the FIBA Asian Cup Qualifier

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

THE Philippine national men’s basketball team has begun preparation for the third and final window of the qualifiers for the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup set for February.

Gilas Pilipinas, currently leading Group A with a 3-0 record, has beefed up its coaching staff and set up camp on Sunday at the INSPIRE Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna, with the end view of forming a formidable team and game plan to do well in the tournament to be held in a “bubble” setting at Clark City in Angeles, Pampanga.

The team is expected to be composed of Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) players and young Gilas stalwarts from the squad that went 2-0 in the second window in November in Manama, Jordan.

To help the team in its cause, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) brought in PBA coaches Norman Black of the Meralco Bolts and Caloy Garcia of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to join interim head coach Jong Uichico, Gilas program director Tab Baldwin and assistant Sandy Arespacochaga in the Gilas brain trust.

Messrs. Black and Garcia are no longer strangers to Gilas, having served under it in different iterations of the team in the past.

Both coaches, who also led their respective teams in the PBA’s own tournament bubble last season, expressed excitement over the chance to work with Gilas once again and contribute in the team’s push to make it to the FIBA Asia Cup.

The two are the latest assistant coaches for Gilas in the qualifiers, following Alex Compton and Topex Robinson in the first window for then interim coach Mark Dickel, Mr. Baldwin, and Boyet Fernandez for Mr. Uichico in the second window.

Among the players early to enter the training camp at INSPIRE were Gilas cadets Isaac Go, Calvin Oftana, and Kemark Cariño, with fellow pool members Juan and Javi Gomez de Liaño, Matt and Mike Nieto, Dave Ildefonso, Justine Baltazar, Kobe Paras, and Rey Suerte also expected to enter on Sunday.

Dwight Ramos, who performed well in the second window, is expected to be due within the week as he is coming from California.

Kiefer Ravena of the NLEX Road Warriors, meanwhile, was among the first PBA players to enter the INSPIRE bubble.

Others tipped to join him include Roger Pogoy and Poy Erram of TNT, CJ Perez of Terrafirma and Japeth Aguilar of Barangay Ginebra. The invited PBA players are expected to arrive in the coming days depending on their availability.

The PBA said it is committed to helping SBP in forming the best team possible for the last window, lending players from its ranks.

“The PBA has been all-out in its support to SBP. Anything it wants, the league is willing to assist,” said PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial.

To preserve the integrity of the training bubble and guard against the spread of the coronavirus, all those participating will undergo required Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing and will need to quarantine themselves until the results come out.

Participants are to stay at INSPIRE for the month-long training.

Meanwhile, in the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers the Philippines will play three matches, two against Korea (2-0) and one versus Indonesia (1-2).

The SBP is expecting a tough run for Gilas in the window as the other teams are seen making a hard push to make it to the tournament proper. Indonesia, however, is already assured of a spot as it hosts the Asia Cup later this year.

Format in the qualifiers has the top two teams in each group, automatically gaining a place in the tournament.

Apart from Group A, Clark will also be the venue for matches in Group C, which has New Zealand (2-0), Australia (1-1), Guam (0-1) and Hong Kong (0-1).

Clark is one of the four venues selected by FIBA to host the final window, all to be done in a bubble, along with Tokyo, Japan (Group B); Manama (Groups D and F); and Doha, Qatar (Group E).

The SBP said the successful staging of the PBA of its own bubble from October till December in the area was considered greatly by FIBA in its decision.

“If not for the PBA bubble, maybe FIBA Asia wouldn’t have chosen the Philippines as host. They saw the level of hosting we did at the PBA bubble. And that experience in the PBA bubble will be the same experience in the FIBA Asia Cup — even better,” said SBP President Al Panlilio.

Tom Brady leads Buccaneers to postseason win over Washington

TOM Brady threw for 381 yards and two touchdowns to propel the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-23 victory over the Washington Football Team on Saturday in an NFC wild card game.

Leonard Fournette added 132 yards from scrimmage (93 rushing, 39 receiving) and a 3-yard touchdown run for the fifth-seeded Buccaneers, who recorded their first playoff win since Super Bowl XXXVII on Jan. 26, 2003.

Tampa Bay’s next opponent will be determined by the result of the New Orleans-Chicago playoff game on Sunday. The Buccaneers would host the sixth-seeded Los Angeles Rams should the Bears win, or they’d visit the second-seeded Saints if New Orleans is victorious.

Washington’s Taylor Heinicke threw for 306 yards with a touchdown and added an 8-yard scoring scamper while starting in place of Alex Smith (calf strain).

Heinicke’s dive for the pylon trimmed Tampa Bay’s lead to 18-16 late in the third quarter, but the Buccaneers responded with Ryan Succop’s 38-yard field goal and Fournette’s touchdown run early in the fourth.

An 11-yard touchdown reception by Steven Sims Jr. was answered by Succop’s fourth field goal, a 37-yarder, to give Tampa Bay a 31-23 lead with 2:49 to play.

Washington turned the ball over on downs on its next possession, effectively ending the game.

Succop kicked a 29-yard field goal to open the scoring, and Brady tossed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown, who found a soft spot in the coverage for his fifth score in the last four games. The touchdown pass in an NFL playoff game made Brady (43 years, 159 days) to oldest accomplish the feat, eclipsing the previous mark held by Hall of Famer George Blanda (43 years, 108 days).

The extra-point attempt was blocked, however, keeping the Buccaneers’ lead at 9-0.

J.D. McKissic capped a 10-play drive by bolting up the middle for a 2-yard score, but Tampa Bay responded in short order. Chris Godwin beat one-on-one coverage from Ronald Darby for a 27-yard touchdown. and Succop added a 23-yard field goal late in the second quarter to extend the Buccaneers’ lead to 18-7. — Reuters

Sotto, Ignite to begin NBA G League campaign next month

IGNITE, the recently launched team for elite National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft-eligible players, begins its NBA G League campaign in February in a tournament “bubble” to be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida.

Coached by five-time NBA champion Brian Shaw, the team will be among 18 squads competing in the non-traditional shortened season of the NBA’s official minor league basketball organization, adjusted to adapt with the prevailing conditions with the coronavirus pandemic.

While in a typical season, Ignite would not have played a full NBA G League slate of games nor be considered a standard G League team for the purposes of league-wide standings. In the upcoming tournament, it is eligible to advance to the playoffs and contend for a championship.

“We’re excited to be a part of the G League schedule at Disney,” said Ignite head coach Brian Shaw in a release. “This is a unique opportunity for our players to showcase their development while gaining a high volume of experience quickly against the caliber of talent they’ll face every day in the NBA.”

One of the featured players of Ignite is Filipino standout Kai Sotto, who is trying to make a push to fulfill his dream of making it to the NBA.

He went to the United States in 2019 after playing for Ateneo’s juniors team to further develop his game.

Mr. Sotto joins an elite crew of top young prospects like Filipino-American Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Isaiah Todd, Daishen Nix, and Princepal Singh.

They have been training under Mr. Shaw in Walnut Creek, California, since August and have competed in four scrimmages leading up to the team’s official opener.

Also part of the squad are NBA and NBA G League veterans Amir Johnson, Reggie Hearn, Brandon Ashley, Cody Demps, and Bobby Brown.

“He is getting stronger, he is getting a better understanding of the game, he’s improving and I am impressed with his skill set for a guy his size,” the Ignite coach said.

“I’m excited to coach these young players. Our job as coaches is to develop these guys and teach them as best as I can from my experience of being a pro on and off the court. I’m excited. It’s going to be challenging because of the pandemic in terms of the protocol, but I’m looking forward to teaching them,” he added.

Aware that it is operating under extraordinary circumstances, the G League said it is hoping that its tournament bubble will also be a success just like the NBA’s when the latter held its own bubble to finish last season also at the Walt Disney World facility.

It has coordinated closely with all concerned and crafted protocols to preserve the integrity of the bubble.

“We worked closely with our teams, the Basketball Players Union, and public health experts to develop a structure that allows our teams to gather at a single site and safely play,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim in a separate release.

Adding, “We are thrilled to get back to basketball and to fulfill our mission as a critical resource for the NBA in developing players, coaches, referees, athletic trainers, and front-office staff.”

Players, coaches, team and league staff living on the NBA G League’s campus at Walt Disney World Resort will be guided by comprehensive league-wide health and safety protocols, which are based on the core principles of social distancing, mask wearing, hand hygiene, and coronavirus testing.

The other participating NBA G League teams are Agua Caliente Clippers (affiliated with the Los Angeles Clippers), Austin Spurs (San Antonio Spurs), Canton Charge (Cleveland Cavaliers), Delaware Blue Coats (Philadelphia 76ers), Erie BayHawks (New Orleans Pelicans), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Indiana Pacers), Greensboro Swarm (Charlotte Hornets), Iowa Wolves (Minnesota Timberwolves), Lakeland Magic (Orlando Magic), Long Island Nets (Brooklyn Nets), Memphis Hustle (Memphis Grizzlies), Oklahoma City Blue (Oklahoma City Thunder), Raptors 905 (Toronto Raptors), Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston Rockets), Salt Lake City Stars (Utah Jazz), Santa Cruz Warriors (Golden State Warriors), and Westchester Knicks (New York Knicks).

League format has the top eight teams advancing to a single-elimination playoff. The league said the complete 2021 game and broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Chulani, co-founder of Ronda Pilipinas, passes away at 45

MOE Chulani, who co-founded Ronda Pilipinas with Dino Araneta, passed away yesterday due to cardiac arrest.

He was 45 years old.

Chulani was the driving force behind the LBC Ronda Pilipinas, which staged its 10th anniversary race in March last year.

He was also a member of the PhilCycling board and a former team manager of the Pasig Pirates of the defunct Metropolitan Basketball League.

National team stalwarts Ronald Oranza, George Oconer, and Jan Paul Morales are among the products of Ronda Pilipinas.

“He’s a loss in the cycling community. He’s very dedicated in cycling,” said Philippine Olympic Committee and PhilCycling president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

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