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Green shoots and mobility: Philippine economic prospects

 

On July 16, we wrote about what many believed to be the three initial signs of business revival after several months of the pandemic. They were the slower decline in external trade, the softer drop in manufacturing output and expansion in capacity utilization, all in May. We called these green shoots, but not quite at the time.

Updates on these backward-looking indicators would point to some promising improvements eight months into the pandemic. But it remains a mixed bag.

Based on their performance in the third quarter against the second quarter this year, there was strong recovery in both total trade and production volume. Year on year, however, both of them continued to decline although at a slower pace.

Capacity utilization was compressed from 84.3% in the first three quarters of 2019 to 75% in the same period this year.

Looking ahead, it’s likely to see some modest recovery in the last quarter of 2020 and next year but for one important issue. The so-called economic scars. Last week, we wrote that the IMF had already documented that the lockdown in the Philippines produced weak results so an early opening was ill-advised. Infections remained widespread. Re-opening took time and as a result, we suffered one of the deepest recessions in the world. The narrative was very simple for the Philippines. While we faced the pandemic with good macroeconomic buffers, our public health system was our Achilles’ heel. Testing, tracing, quarantining and treating took off like a diesel engine of the old variety.

In the recent panel discussion during the opening session of the 58th Annual Meeting and Conference of the Philippine Economic Society, we suggested that these findings for the Philippines establish the sad outcome of the so-called “voluntary social distancing.” Business and entertainment activities remain weak because people continue to be afraid of the virus and what it can inflict on them.

In getting the virus, people anticipate prolonged quarantine and therefore economic lockdown. Chat groups in Viber and Messenger abound with stories of sudden death and millions of pesos in expenses with very little help from the public treasury. One single misstep could be the tipping point to the beyond. A fairly intelligent person would therefore avoid doing what he would normally do including shopping at the malls, eating out, and doing some travels.

Recent mobility data continue to support this change in human behavior.

Google mobility indicators, for instance, appear to be showing some signs of life. Turnaround point was between May and June. However, looking at more granular data, we see that mobility in public transport hubs and workplaces has remained flat. In places of residence, Google indicators show even downward mobility.

Other mobility trend indicators are also showing the same narrative. Apple mobility trends whether for driving, transit or walking are consistent with mileage-based Waze indicators: some slight increase but nowhere close to pre-COVID-19 levels.

These mobility markers would have been excellent leading indicators of the third quarter results of the national income accounts. The lower propensity of people to move around translated into a huge decline in private consumption, gross investment and even net trade. Real GDP further dropped by 11.5% from the second quarter’s decline of 16.9%. For the first nine months of 2020, real gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 10% compared to year-ago growth of 5.8%. The early business revival projected in the third quarter did not materialize.

Adjusted for inflation, national output shrank from P14.1 trillion to P12.7 trillion. With the population steadily growing by 1.4%, each Filipino received his share of the total output that is smaller by 11%. What is worse is that unemployment doubled from 5.4% in July 2019 to 10% in July 2020. This means for every 100 people in the labor force, 10 are out of work. This is not surprising because average capacity utilization shrank.

Since these three high frequency mobility indicators already cover part of November 2020, and the picture remains one of limited mobility, we are not therefore too sanguine about the prospects for the last three months of 2020.

While backward-looking, financial data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) provide us with additional forward-looking insights. During this pandemic, people would rather keep their money in the banks rather than engage in bonds, stocks or business. But banks have chosen to be procyclical: they tightened rather than eased their lending standards in this downcycle and lending rates remained elevated despite the accommodative monetary policy stance of the authorities.

As of September, loans outstanding, net of placements in BSP’s overnight instruments, grew by a measly 2.8% versus last year’s 10.5%. Yet, deposit liabilities continued to grow double digit at 10.6%, almost double last year’s 5.4%. With banks absorbing more deposits, they maintained their viability only by turning around and lending at a high interest rate and depositing their excess funds with the BSP or buying government securities, which they all did. Deposit rates, whether savings or time, were half of their levels last year. In effect, savers are penalized and if this is to carry over to future periods, both capital formation and growth may be undermined.

Policy-wise, further monetary accommodation will be good only for signaling purposes but its efficacy is questionable because credit remains weak. The extra liquidity released to the system simply flows back to and at the expense of the BSP itself. The transmission of monetary policy is hamstrung by the pandemic’s debilitating effect on human behavior.

Thus, we cannot agree more with Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez’ statement yesterday that “the government needs to address the stagnant consumer confidence that places a drag on the pace of the nation’s recovery.” He was correct in clarifying that confidence remains a function of our public health capacity. But recent findings in the Philippine Senate are not exactly encouraging. As the press reported “despite having nearly double the minimum required number of contact tracers for COVID-19 cases, the Philippines’ contact tracing campaign remains weak and inefficient.” This is hardly the way to inspire consumer and business confidence.

It will be enormously confidence-boosting if we see both a repurposing of many lump sum items in the 2021 budget to health and education and targeted infrastructure as well as firm fiscal support. While government final consumption was just over 10% of private consumption in 2019, this actually doubled in the first three quarters of 2020. Public construction also contributed significantly to gross capital formation and growth with more than one-on-one multiplier effects. Having strong fiscal response can help pandemic mitigation buoy up public confidence.

The only drawback is absorptive capacity. The pandemic scare, exacerbated by Ulysses, would not allow public works to continue in affected areas, floods restrict movement of people and materials. Crowded spaces are not allowed by health protocols. We cannot just simply spend our way to quick economic recovery as some would suggest.

We are not quite certain about the present trajectories of both the business cycle and the financial cycle. But the challenge for the whole of society is to sustain the improvement in pandemic mitigation with steady monetary and ample fiscal support to avoid a convergence of these two cycles in the downturn. We would not want to discount what the glitter of Christmas lights and decor could do to heal consumer spending and empower business spirit.

 

Diwa C. Guinigundo is the former Deputy Governor for the Monetary and Economics Sector, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). He served the BSP for 41 years. In 2001-2003, he was Alternate Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. He is the senior pastor of the Fullness of Christ International Ministries in Mandaluyong.

Grief in the time of the pandemic

One of the well-attended webinar topics in the Ako Para Sa Bata online conference was “How to handle grief.”

The panel had distinguished psychiatrist and UP Professor Emeritus Dr. Cornelio G. Banaag on Grief recovery and Mental First Aid, and Grief and transitions coach-author Catherine Sanchez-Babao. The moderator was pediatrician Dr. Michellaine Taup Tolentino.

Dr. Banaag opened the discussion on grief that will give us “a better understanding of what it is like to have lost someone in the COVID. How we can understand children who have gone through this sad arena of grief. Grief unspoken can leave a very long lasting impact in our lives.” He introduced Ms. Babao, a popular columnist and a lecturer at Ateneo University on the dynamics of grief in the Filipino context.

Grief is defined as “a response to loss that affects our physical, emotional, behavioral, social, financial and spiritual lives… a constellation of feelings and emotions.” It occurs when there is a death or any important loss. Among them: the loss of routine and freedom, employment, income, the ability to freely visit loved ones and friends, the chance to be present when people are dying or grieving.

Grief literacy is the capacity to access, process and use knowledge regarding the experience of loss.

Mourning is the expression “grief gone public.” It is a process required for healing.

We have had what are called “bad deaths” during the pandemic. The bereaved family members have difficulty grieving. They have heightened psychological symptoms because of the inability to say “goodbye” and to be together in the traditional rituals that provide support and solace. We have to be creative and use virtual platforms.

The World Health Organization identified the stressors: “Social isolation, financial problems, health concerns, worries about other family members, death of other friends and family, and anxiety about one’s own mortality.”

The pain of loss is magnified during this time. The accumulation of losses overwhelms the bereaved.

We should increase grief literacy. One should be aware of one’s own experience and understand it. There are many forms of grief and it is unique for each individual. There are no stages in grief.

“It is ok not to be ok.”

The skills needed are:

Compassionate listening. Asking questions in a sensitive manner. Helping the grieving individual find resources.

Connection. We should reach out through letters and cards or send packages when possible. Most people connect via text, phone calls, video chat or social media. Grief cannot be fixed. We can offer our attention and time to reduce the feeling of isolation.

Children need special attention and help. One should listen well. Ask them what they know and feel. Do not assume what they know based on their age. The experts say, “A child old enough to love is old enough to grieve.”

In explaining death, “the goal is to provide an age-appropriate understanding of what happened so that the child can begin to come to terms with the finality and consequences of the death.” One should provide the essential facts about the death and circumstances. Allow the child to ask questions (omit the graphic details). Keep the family routines intact as much as possible. One can plan opportunities for positive experiences, as a family. Meeting friends is not possible during this time.

Let children know that showing their feelings is ok. Show them how you cope. It is good for them to cry and talk with friends. Seek spiritual comfort and remember good things about the person who died. Have conversations with your children. Most important is to have an emotional and physical presence. Hug and talk. Show support to children and teens and adults so that they can cope with their loss.

Children express their feelings by using play and creative activities, drawing, writing. These artworks provide clues. Let them explain their art. Anger is a normal and natural response. Children can have physical activities such as sports or dancing. But they should not express anger by hitting or hurting others.

Hope and resilience are essential to survival in coping with COVID-19 related loss. “We can help families reorient hope…”

There is overwhelming despair. We need energy to rebuild lives; we need to cope in the midst of uncertainty. Studies show that resilience is developed by “focusing to master the possible, accepting that which is beyond control, and coming to terms with what cannot be changed.”

“Practice the art of the possible. Do all you can, with what you have, in the time you have, in the place you are.”

In the Q&A, the lack of sleep and memories were discussed. Dr. Banaag said, “It could be part of a depression. It is the effect of the pandemic weighing heavily on us.”

Prolonged sleep-deprivation can lead to anxiety disorder and depression. There are good sleep-aids and physicians can prescribe sedatives.

Dr. Banaag said, “We have to recognize that a certain age, like very young children, the expression of grief waxes and wanes. When they are with friends, they play. But when they are alone, they feel the sadness. At night, they cry and look at the picture of the parent… We should not be deceived by the fact that they can play.

“There are snippets of memories… A lost parent is carried in the mind. They talk to the parent. This is the richness of the imagination of childhood. They carry the memory and talk to their parent,” he explained. We lose the imagination when we grow older. “The child builds and forms the image of the lost parent in her own memory.” From what others say. “Children are like sponges. We want every child to reserve and carry a good memory of the parent.”

“Most of us in the helping profession are wounded. We have to touch people with compassion.”

“Reinvest into something. Remove the emotional investment in the person who died. We need to do that. We need to reengage in the realities around us.

“Grief is a work of the heart and the mind,” Dr. Banaag stated.

A delegate asked, “When am I healed?”

“Reconcile with your loss and look forward. And reinvest. There is no chronology in grief. Hang on. Keep the hope. Kindness and compassion,” Ms. Babao said.

Dr. Banaag added, “We feel compassion and grief and we don’t talk about that… We work with abused children…

“Grief and depression are similar. One is a normal process that we all go through. There is a difference between sadness expressing grief. Depression is an illness.

“Clinical depression could run parallel to grief. Grief needs to be expressed.”

Dr. Banaag thanked the organizers, Child Protection Network (CPN), for making this discussion possible. “We should be mindful of how we are getting traumatized. I am deeply grateful to them (CPN) and to Cathy for taking this topic and walking us through this painful process …in confronting our own grief. This has given us an opportunity to have practical tips on how to help others and to help one another,” Dr. Banaag remarked.

The webinar on grief had 3,000 attendees on Zoom and FaceBook live. (According to the registration, 48% of the audience has experienced grief in the pandemic.)

Ako Para Sa Bata webinars, presented by Child Protection Network and UNICEF, will run every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. until Nov. 24.

 

Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions.

mavrufino@gmail.com

Time for the Senate to look into RCEP

The big news is last weekend’s signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. Touted as the world’s biggest free trade agreement, the RCEP is said to promise gazillions for the Philippines.

On paper the RCEP does seem impressive, covering (according to a Joint Leaders statement) “a market of 2.2 billion people, or almost 30% of the world’s population, with a combined GDP of 26.2 trillion US dollars or about 30% of global GDP.”

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez was also reported by BusinessWorld as saying that “the RCEP will further broaden the Philippines’ economic engagements with its trading partners through improved trade and investment, enhanced transparency, integrated regional supply chains, and strengthened economic cooperation.”

And yet, it still needs to be asked: what does RCEP really do for the Philippines? The question is appropriate due to the obtuseness of the proceedings and (until recently) text of the agreement (a copy though can now be seen at the ASEAN website).

India, it should be remembered, pulled out of the RCEP negotiations over concerns the intellectual property provisions unduly restrict its ability to provide cheaper medicines for its citizens. There are also worries of Chinese goods flooding the market, either by way of dumping or an outright import surge.

And for all of RCEP’s vaunted GDP coverage, a free trade agreement however is about trade. And the RCEP on that score merely accounts for “28% of global trade (based on 2019 figures)” of countries at varying degrees of development.

It’s also a fairly intricate, complicated document, covering 20 chapters (not counting the opening and signing section), plus four Annexes of country “Schedules.” It covers the usual (e.g., trade in goods, rules of origin, services, etc.), as well as some relatively new areas (e-commerce and SME’s).

Notably, the RCEP is without the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism, which proved so controversial it became one of the reasons the United States pulled out of the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership). The RCEP does not, however, close itself off to the idea: member countries promised to look again into the matter within two years after the agreement enters into force.

The RCEP membership itself is something needing examination. Set aside the fact that our closest security ally, the US, is excluded from the agreement, the Philippines already has free trade agreements with all of the RCEP countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. What the RCEP brings is that the other FTA’s don’t need further elucidation.

Right there should also raise concerns on what this “noodle bowl” of trade agreements has on our overworked bureaucracy. The depth and complexity of RCEP leads to further questions on Philippine companies’ capacity for utilization of benefits. After all, we’re still trying to attain the rewards promised by AFTA, JPEPA, and others.

Which should lead to an examination on whether there’s still a need for the Philippines to be part of the previous agreements should the RCEP prove beneficial.

Then there’s the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which at least could add for the Philippines new free trading partners like Canada, Peru, Mexico, and Chile.

It’s also doubtful, particularly in these times when the Philippines is struggling at all levels with this COVID-19 pandemic, whether people are actually aware of the RCEP and its implications for the country.

The possible issue, then, confronting RCEP is “adverse selection.” It refers roughly to a situation whereby a possible wrong decision is made due to the absence of information, perhaps asymmetric information, or even wrong information.

The important next step thus is to ensure the Senate looks into the RCEP.

Executive Order No. 459/s.1997 allows the Department of Foreign Affairs to determine whether an agreement is an executive agreement or a treaty. The Supreme Court had occasion to affirm this authority, both when ruling on the country’s accession to the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks, as well as its ruling on EDCA.

There’s also Section 1609 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, by which Congress authorized the president to enter into “trade agreements with foreign governments or instrumentalities thereof” for the purpose of “expanding foreign markets for Philippine products as a means of assisting in the economic development of the country, in overcoming domestic unemployment, in increasing the purchasing power of the Philippine peso, and in establishing and maintaining better relations between the Philippines and other countries.”

Undoubtedly, the foregoing should not override the Constitution’s Article VII.21 provision, requiring treaties to be “concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate.” Free trade agreements, like the RCEP, are treaties. Note that the Philippine-European Free Trade Association Free Trade Agreement (PH-Efta FTA) needed Senate concurrence.

So, like the present lockdown, even assuming the RCEP does bring benefits, the more important question is: at what cost?

 

Jemy Gatdula is a Senior Fellow of the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations and a Philippine Judicial Academy law lecturer for constitutional philosophy and jurisprudence.

jemygatdula@yahoo.com

www.jemygatdula. blogspot.com

facebook.com/jemy.gatdula

Twitter @jemygatdula

Top seed Barangay Ginebra shoots for 2-0 semis series lead vs Meralco

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

DREW first blood in their best-of-five PBA Philippine Cup semifinal bid, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings look to create further distance from the Meralco Bolts in Game Two on Friday at the Angeles University Foundation (AUF) Arena in Pampanga.

The top seeds Kings strolled to a 96-79 victory in the series-opener with a balanced effort, punctuated by six players finishing in double-digit scoring.

It was a close match in the opening quarter before Barangay Ginebra cranked its attack up in the middle quarters to create a comfortable cushion.

Meralco tried to make a last-ditch attempt for a comeback in the final frame, but Barangay Ginebra was not to allow it much headway on the way to securing the win.

Stanley Pringle bannered the Kings’ scoring parade with 19 points to go along with seven rebounds.

Scottie Thompson had a near triple-double of 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists while rookie Arvin Tolentino also had 13 markers.

LA Tenorio and Aljon Mariano had 11 points each, with Prince Caperal adding 10 for Barangay Ginebra.

For Meralco, it was Allein Maliksi who top-scored with 24 points, followed by Chris Newsome with 13.

Postgame, Kings coach Tim Cone pointed out that the longer rest period afforded them entering the semifinals helped the team to come out with more spring in their game.

“We were able to rest and prepare and it helped us,” said Mr. Cone, whose team was the first through the semifinals after barging in on Friday as opposed to the Bolts who still had to play on Sunday to book their place in the semifinals.

“The players made full use of the time we had and came out with a solid team game,” he added.

The Kings go for the 2-0 series lead in the game set for 3:45 p.m.

OTHER SEMIS
Meanwhile, the TNT Tropang Giga also go for a 2-0 series advantage in their own joust with the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters.

TNT bucked a slow start before riding the late heroics of veteran Jayson Castro to get their semifinal push in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) All-Filipino tournament on a winning note, 95-92.

It was nip-and-tuck heading into the last two minutes of the contest, with the Tropang Giga ahead by just one point, 87-86.

Mr. Castro then took over the attack of TNT, scoring seven of his team’s last eight points to keep Phoenix at bay en route to the victory.

The seasoned TNT guard finished with a team-high 20 points, paired with six rebounds and six assists.

Ray Parks, Jr. ended up with 17 points while Roger Pogoy had 16.

For Phoenix, it was RJ Jazul who showed the way with 21 markers.

The Fuel Masters played much of the contest without leading scorer Matthew Wright, who hurt his right ankle in the first quarter and did not come back.

He, however, is expected to play in Game Two set for 6:30 p.m.

Uichico is Gilas coach for FIBA Asia Cup November window

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

Veteran coach Jong Uichico will be manning the sidelines for Gilas Pilipinas when it plunges into action next week for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in Manama, Bahrain.

Mr. Uichico, 58, was officially announced as the Gilas coach for the November window of the qualifiers on Thursday in a virtual media conference attended by officials of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, including president Al Panlilio and chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan.

In the coaching staff with Mr. Uichico are SBP project director Tab Baldwin, assistant coach Boyet Fernandez, and skills coach Alton Lister.

Mr. Uichico’s designation as coach followed that of the naming last week of the pool of players from which the team that will be competing in the Asia Cup qualifiers from Nov. 26 to 30 will be drawn from.

Part of the 16-man Gilas pool of amateur and collegiate stars are Kobe Paras, Juan and Javi Gomez De Liano and Jaydee Tungcab of the University of the Philippines, Dwight Ramos, Dave Ildefonso and Will Navarro of Ateneo, Justine Baltazar of La Salle, and Calvin Oftana and Kenmark Carino of San Beda.

They join Gilas Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) draftees Matt and Mike Nieto, Rey Suerte, Isaac Go and Allyn Bulanadi.

Angelo Kouame of Ateneo is also included as a naturalized player, but whether he gets to play is to be determined as his papers are still being processed.

“This is something new for me (handling an all-cadet national team) but it is a challenge I welcome,” said Mr. Uichico, who led the Philippine men’s basketball team to the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games in 2017.

“We are now in the process of preparing them for the international game. They’re young so we’re trying to make it simple for them given the limited time we have,” added the coach, also the head of the SBP coaches academy.

The Gilas team is currently training in a bubble at the INSPIRE Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna, after getting the go-signal from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

It is set to leave for Bahrain on Sunday, Nov. 22.

Currently, the Philippines sports a 1-0 record in Group A of the qualifiers after defeating Indonesia, 100-70, in February, behind Korea (2-0).

Gilas is set to face Thailand (0-1) twice in the November window (Nov. 26 and 30) and Korea once (Nov. 28).

Korea, however, made it known it would not be sending a team to Bahrain to compete because of the ongoing concern with the coronavirus pandemic. It remains to be seen if the Koreans’ absence would result in an automatic win for the Philippines by forfeiture.

Young Filipino tennis star Alex Eala has typhoon-hit Philippines in mind

WHILE she is in far away Spain, young Filipino tennis star Alex Eala still has the Philippines in mind, especially now that it has been ravaged by strong typhoons.

Currently competing at the W25 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria at the Canary Islands, 15-year-old Eala shared that she feels for the victims of typhoons Rolly and Ulysses that have hit different parts of the country and that she is praying for their fast recovery.

“… I saw some photos and videos of the flooding from the typhoons which have hit the Philippines in the last three weeks. I pray that everyone recovers fast,” Eala, a Globe brand ambassador, wrote in a post on her Facebook page.

She made her sentiments known as she started her campaign at the W25 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which is a pro tournament.

Eala, a scholar of the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, got her bid on a winning start, upsetting tournament eighth seed and world number 241 Francesca Jones of Germany, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), on Thursday (Manila time).

Entered the tournament as a wild card, the Filipino ace immediately made waves, holding her own against Jones, who is five years her senior.

Eala had her way in the opening set, but faced stiffer challenge in the second.

But Eala held steady in the tiebreaker to book the win that sent her to the next round, where she would face 21-year-old Belgian Lara Salden.

Despite the limitations presented by the coronavirus pandemic to the tennis scene, and sports in general, Eala has had it solid in 2020.

She captured the 2020 Australia Open Juniors women’s doubles title with playing partner Priska Nugroho of Indonesia in January, then made further history by reaching the semifinals of this year’s French Open Juniors tournament in October.

The good showing saw her continue to ascend in the world rankings and solidify her standing as one of the talents to watch out for.

Eala is hoping to translate such success as well in her career in the pro circuit. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

2020 NBA Draft: Edwards, Wiseman go 1-2

GEORGIA guard Anthony Edwards is headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves as the first pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Edwards, who turned 19 in August, is slotted to receive a four-year contract worth $44.2 million under terms of the existing collective bargaining agreement.

It was the 11th consecutive draft in which the top player was a one-and-done at the college level.

Another college freshman, Memphis 7-footer James Wiseman, was selected No. 2 by the Golden State Warriors. Wiseman played only three games for the Tigers before an NCAA suspension directed him to the NBA.

Golden State reached the NBA Finals five years in a row before leading the league in losses last season. The selection came on the same day the Warriors learned shooting guard Klay Thompson, who missed last season with a torn left anterior cruciate ligament, hurt his right leg in a pickup game.

Edwards joins 2015 No. 1 pick Karl-Anthony Towns with the Timberwolves, who had 19 wins in 2019-2020. He averaged 19.1 points per game at Georgia.

Point guard LaMelo Ball, the 6-7 younger brother of New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball, was picked third by the Charlotte Hornets. Lonzo Ball was the No. 2 pick (Los Angeles Lakers) in the 2017 NBA Draft.

At No. 4, the Chicago Bulls surprised with the Florida State small forward Patrick Williams, the Atlantic Coast Conference Sixth Man of the Year last season. Williams, 19, is one of the youngest players in the draft. — Reuters

Manila Chooks TM goes to battle at FIBA 3X3 Doha World Tour Masters

THE grind for Manila Chooks TM at the 2020 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) 3X3 Doha World Tour Masters begins on Friday in Qatar with the team looking to go deep in the tournament amid tough competition.

The team from the Philippines, composed of top 3×3 players Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Troy Rike, and Santi Santillan, opens its campaign in Pool A where it is lumped with world number one team Liman and home squad Lusail.

While recognizing that it is going to be a challenge for the team at the onset, Manila Chooks TM said it is up to the task at hand and vowed to do everything they can to bring pride not only for the team but also to the country.

“It’s definitely going to be a test for us to square against those European teams, but you know, I think we’re ready mentally, physically,” said Mr. Munzon, the country’s number one-ranked 3×3 player.

“I think we’re ready as we can be and we’ll see how things go. I am confident with my team. We’re ready to get after it,” he added.

The team is coming off a successful run in the Chooks-to-Go 3×3 Pilipinas tournament where it emerged as the biggest winner and champion while playing as the Family Brand’s Sardines-Zamboanga City squad.

That experience should serve the team in good stead in the Doha World Tour Masters, said Mr. Rike.

“We have played more recently than probably most of the other teams here. We’re kinda still in game mode and team mode heading right into that,” said the former National University player.

The team left for Doha early this week and has been able to squeeze in practice time in the lead-up.

“Practice has been doing well and we’re able to execute what we want to do. By Friday, we’ll be ready,” said Mr. Pasaol.

First for Manila Chooks TM is a showdown with Liman at 11:55 p.m. (Manila time). Liman is led by 2017 FIBA 3X3 World Tour most valuable player Stefan Stojacic, world no. 3 Stefan Kojic, no. 4 Mihailo Vasic, and no. 6 Aleksandar Ratkov.

The team then takes on Lusail at 1:35 a.m. early Saturday. Lusail has 36-year-old Greek Vasileiadis Kostantinos, 23-year-old Ousseynou Mbow of Senegal, and homegrown talents 32-year-old Qatari Mame Ndour and 18-year-old

Hamza Radi.

If Manila Chooks TM manages to land in the top two in its pool, it advances to the crossover knockout quarterfinal round where it will be pitted against those who advance from Pool C, which is composed of world number four team New York Harlem, no. 14 Lausanne of Switzerland, and Lithuania’s Utena.

The winner of the Doha World Tour Masters gets $40,000, with the runner-up getting $30,000 and third place $20,000.

Also up for grabs in the tournament are spots at next month’s World Tour Final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Local professional chess league set for launch next year

THE LOCAL CHESS scene is set to get a boost with the setting up of the first professional league for the sport in the country.

Organized by the Philippine Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), and in collaboration with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), the newly organized pro chess league is set for launch next year with the end view of bringing further to the fore the sport of chess, which has experienced a resurgence during this time of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a virtual media conference hosted by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) on Wednesday, PCAP, which recently got its government license to operate a professional league, said it is bullish of its plans as it provides another platform for players to showcase what they can do and give chess its due recognition as a sport that Filipinos can excel in.

PCAP, through its president Atty. Paul Elauria, said that a number of chess teams have also expressed interest in securing their professional licenses from GAB and compete in their inaugural tournament pencilled to start in January.

As a pro league, PCAP has set up certain regulations pertaining to the salary of the players and composition of the teams.

For the NCAP, the setting up of the PCAP is a welcome development for the sport and expressed hope that the pro league gets to succeed in its mission.

Meanwhile, Wednesday’s media conference was also used as an opportunity to present to Filipino chess icon and Grandmaster Eugene Torre the very first government professional chess license.

Mr. Torre also hailed the newly established professional league, saying “This will go a long way in developing chess and provide opportunities for chess players of all forms, including women and para-athletes.”

The GM did not say if he would join the tournaments, but the PCAP said the door is open for him and that many teams have actually expressed interest in getting the services of Mr. Torre. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

PTA-Milo online taekwondo national championships set this weekend

ONLINE taekwondo action takes front and center this weekend as the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) and Milo Philippines hold their national championships.

Adjusted to the conditions presented by the coronavirus pandemic, the PTA-MILO national taekwondo championships will be held on a digital arena from Nov. 21 to 22.

Some 2,000 young athletes are expected to showcase their skills and compete in the speed kicking and poomsae categories.

“Through this competition, we are able to give our young taekwondo players the exposure to compete with their contemporaries, which is an important aspect to build their experience as athletes,” said PTA secretary-general Rocky Samson as to the significance of the tournament and their decision to forge ahead despite the limitations brought about by the pandemic.

The championships will be broadcast live on the PTA’s Facebook page, YouTube channel, and website. Video submissions of registered participants in both the poomsae and speed kicking divisions serve as their official entries to the competition, where it will be judged and scored real time. The top winners of both divisions will each receive a Milo electronic medal, certificate and electronic voucher.

For Milo, the staging of the National Online Taekwondo Championships reaffirms its commitment to supporting children’s drive to become champions not only on the sporting stage, but also in life.

“We look forward to seeing our athletes exhibit their sporting excellence and may this motivate them to continue their champion journey and aspire for greatness,” said Lester P. Castillo, assistant vice-president, Nestlé Philippines – Milo. — MASM

Dodgers follow championship with team-wide layoffs

NOT even a World Series title could make the Los Angeles Dodgers immune from financial losses during a season without fans, so the team was forced to lay off employees throughout the organization on Wednesday.

The move follows the same made by teams throughout baseball as a typical 162-game season was reduced to 60 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all with no fans in attendance. Paying fans did not attend MLB games until a limited number were allowed at the National League Championship Series and World Series at Arlington, Texas.

The Dodgers won their first title in 32 years when they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games at Arlington. But team president Stan Kasten estimated losses exceeding $100 million in 2020.

“While the Dodgers had a championship season, the organization has not been immune from the widespread economic devastation caused by the coronavirus,” the Dodgers said in a statement. “Since March, we have worked hard to minimize the impact on our employees. The ongoing economic crisis, however, forces us to make difficult personnel decisions throughout the organization, going forward for the 2021 season.”

Teams reportedly are preparing for the possibility of playing next season without fans as well, although there is the hope that venues can begin to welcome fans again in 2021.

“This is a heartbreaking decision,” the Dodgers said in their statement. “This year, more than ever, we are truly grateful for the role each member of our Dodgers family plays in our success.”

The Dodgers’ annual revenue is among the highest in baseball with the team drawing three million fans in 18 of 19 seasons before playing in an empty home stadium in 2020. The Dodgers also own their own television network, although it has a limited reach in the Los Angeles area.

Teams that have recently announced organization-wide layoffs along with the Dodgers include the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, and San Francisco Giants. — Reuters

Czechs pip Scotland for promotion; Russia hopes end in humiliation

CZECH Republic beats neighbors Slovakia 2-0 to pip Scotland for promotion to the top tier of the Nations League on Wednesday while Russia’s hopes ended with a 5-0 humiliation in Serbia as Hungary went up instead.

Wales also qualified, beating Finland 3-1 after the visitors had Jere Uronen sent off after only 12 minutes, and Austria completed the quartet of promoted sides with a 1-1 draw at home to Norway.

Scotland began the evening of League B games one point clear at the top of Group B2, but paid for a flurry of missed first-half chances as they lost 1-0 to Israel with Manor Solomon scoring the winner one minute before halftime.

The Czechs took full advantage as goals in each half from Tomas Soucek and Zdenek Ondrasek gave them a 2-0 win over Slovakia who went down to League C.

Russia also had a chance of qualifying from Group B3, but were swept away as Serbia scored four goals before halftime.

Luka Jovic helped himself to a brace while Nemanja Radonjic and Dusan Vlahovic were also on target, with Filip Mladenovic adding a fifth in the second half.

Still, Russian coach Stanislav Cherchesov seemed unperturbed after their worst defeat since 2004.

“We started the campaign well, ended not so well. We have a lot of new young players and it’s not easy to succeed straight away,” he said. “We have a team, that’s the most important thing.”

Hungary topped the group with 11 points, three clear of Russia, after second-half goals from David Siger and Kevin Varga gave them a 2-0 win over Turkey who were relegated.

Adrian Grbic struck in the last minute to give Austria a 1-1 draw at home to Norway, who had gone ahead through Ghayas Zahid just after the hour. Northern Ireland were held 1-1 at home by Romania in the other Group B1 game and were relegated.

Austria topped the group with 13 points, three clear of Norway who, shortly before kickoff, learned they had forfeited Saturday’s match in Romania after their government prevented them from travelling over a positive COVID-19 results.

UEFA handed Romania a 3-0 win.

Wales needed only a draw against Finland to top Group B4 and that never looked in doubt after Uronen was sent off for hauling down Harry Wilson when he was clear on goal in the 12th minute.

Wilson gave Wales the lead from Gareth Bale’s pass in the 29th minute and Daniel James added another one minute after the restart. Teemu Pukki pulled one back and Kieffer Moore completed the Welsh win six minutes from time.

Bulgaria were relegated after a 0-0 draw with Ireland. — Reuters

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