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Health department orders hospitals to document vaping-related illnesses

THE Department of Health (DoH) has directed all hospitals to properly document any illnesses that may have resulted from e-cigarette use, in accordance with new World Health Organization disease classification codes.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque said the health care industry must “use proper codes for designating vaping-related disorders to allow the existing health information systems to capture data on vaping-related disorders.”

The World Health Organization has introduced International Classification of Disease 10 code U07.0 which will be used to monitor disease of patients who have used e-cigarettes in the last 90 days, “with no other plausible causes for illnesses.”

“Information on the potential harm of novel and emerging nicotine products can guide future policy directions for electronic cigarettes,” Mr. Duque said.

Mr. Duque also cited a report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the US has documented 1,299 illnesses and 26 deaths determined to be vaping-related.

“Meron siyang classification…Kung wala siyang infection, walang siyang ibang sakit tapos acutely ill siya pagkatapos siya ay gumamit ng e-cigarettes or vapes for the last 90 days, then ‘yun na ‘yung diagnosis niya (The classification for patients with no infections or other illnesses who become acutely ill and who have used e-cgarettes or vapes in the last 90 days) is vaping-related illness,” Undersecretary Rolando Enrique D. Domingo said.

Mr. Domingo said the department and the Food and Drug Administration is requiring all hospitals to report all e-cigarette and vaping-use associated lung injuries (EVALI).

The DoH also urged all health professionals to be “vigilant” in identifying risks during routine clinical evaluations by taking the history of patients’ use of tobacco or e-cigarette.

“Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products are sold in the market as alternatives for smokers trying to wean themselves off tobacco. Some studies claim that they contain fewer chemicals and are less harmful alternatives to cigarettes. We do not support their claim of reduced harm. These products endanger the health of both users and non-users, and are clearly not meant for children,” Mr. Duque said.

Ma. Encarnita C. Blanco-Limpin, a medical doctor and secretary of Philippine College of Physicians, said e-cigarettes should be prohibited and not just regulated as they are “not safe, in fact can kill.”

“It is now time for us not just to think about regulation, it is probably time for us to think about prohibiting such deadly products. It will be probably irresponsible for medical practitioners not to think of prohibition knowing that it can cause death of even just one individual,” she said.

A measure that will further increase excise taxes imposed on electronic cigarettes and vaping products is pending in the 18th Congress.

The proposal, which will amend Republic Act No. 11346, introduced the following rates on vapor products: P10 on 10 milliliter vapor products, P20 on 20 ml, P30 on 30 ml, P40 on 40 ml, P50 on 50 ml and so on.

The House of Representatives, in House Bill No. 1026, proposed to increase rates to P45 per pack beginning January 2020, which will be at par with rates imposed on regular tobacco products. This is to increase by P5 annually until 2023.

The bill further provides a tax rate for vapor products containing nicotine salts, will increase by P5 every year from P30 in 2020 until it reaches P45 in 2023.

In Senate Bill No. 1074, the chamber proposed similar rates for heated tobacco products, but provided higher rates on vapor products with nicotine salts or conventional forms of nicotine.

If enacted, the bill will impose a P45 per 10 milliliter charge by January on vapor products with nicotine salts or conventional forms of nicotine, increasing by P5 per year until it reaches P60 in 2023.

REGISTRATION HALTED
Mr. Domingo said registration for retailers of e-cigarettes has been suspended after a Pasig City regional trial court imposed an injunction in response to a retailer’s questioning of the constitutionality of DoH Administrative Order (AO) 2019-0007 issued in June.

A separate case has been filed in a Manila court.

The AO required makers, sellers, and distributors of electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery system to apply for a license to operate with the Food and Drug Administration.

Mr. Domingo said 152 have applied and some granted a license to operate, mostly retailers. “Others we have to put on hold.”

He called the injunction a “temporary setback” but added: “It doesn’t preclude us from spreading the facts surrounding the use of such a harmful product. So we will go on doing that.” — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

Palm oil body to wield stick to get major consumer goods companies to adopt green practices

KUALA LUMPUR — A palm oil industry watchdog will adopt rules next month that will impose fines on consumer goods companies like Unilever and Nestle if they don’t start buying more green palm oil to help curb deforestation in Southeast Asia, the regulating body said.

Producers of palm oil, a commodity used in everything from ice cream to lipstick, are blamed for destroying millions of hectares of forest in Southeast Asia, in part by using slash-and-burn techniques that blanketed Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia in smog in September.

The growers, though, say palm oil buyers like Unilever, Nestle, Procter & Gamble Co and PepsiCo share responsibility because they don’t buy enough sustainably produced oil, undermining efforts to reward those who adopt greener practises and reduce deforestation.

Last year, growers produced around 13.5 million tonnes of green palm oil — which costs more to grow and process — but only about half of it was sold at premiums to conventional palm oil.

“We are not seeing new demand for sustainable palm oil,” said Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, downstream managing director of Sime Darby Plantation (SIPL.KL), the world’s biggest producer of the environmentally friendly variety.

“How do you get others to move towards (sustainable methods) when there’s not even an incentive for it?”

Planters received premiums of up to $50 a tonne for green palm oil right after certification was launched in 2004, but now they get as little as $1 to $30 over conventional palm oil prices of around $500 a tonne. [POI/]

That makes it hard to cover the extra costs of sustainable palm oil, which, according to Simon Lord, chief sustainability officer at Sime Darby, amount to $8-$12 a tonne, not including staff expenses.

GREEN PALM OIL GOES TO EUROPE
Carl Bek-Nielsen, chief executive of United Plantations, said the consumer goods companies are not doing their part: “When push comes to shove the only thing holding them back is their fear of having to pay a slight premium.”

To force the issue, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) — a regulator whose members include consumer companies, retailers, traders and palm growers — will for the first time make it mandatory for buyers to increase their purchases, according to new draft regulations.

The rules, to be implemented in November, will require RSPO members who buy palm oil to increase the proportion of their sustainable purchases by 15% every year or face fines and possible suspension from the green initiative body.

When asked about the rules, the big consumer firms said they have pledged to eventually use only green palm oil in their products, but also that there are still supply reliability and transportation issues to overcome.

Only a fifth of last year’s global palm oil output of 68 million tonnes had RSPO sustainable certification, which requires growers to meet standards on protecting forests, workers’ rights and transparency.

Part of the problem, the producers say, is that the goods companies buy sustainable oil mostly for products sold in Europe, and not for goods for India and China, the world’s biggest palm oil markets and where price drives consumer demand.

Nestle told the RSPO that last year 56% of the palm oil it used in Europe was sustainable, while only 4% was green in India and none was in China. For Unilever, 97% of its palm oil used in Europe was green, compared with 41% in India and 48% in China.

Nestle said it was committed to achieving RSPO sustainable certification for 100% of its palm oil by 2023.

“Achieving a sustainable palm oil industry… requires all companies in the supply chain to take action,” a Nestle spokeswoman told Reuters by e-mail.

Gemma Shaw, a Unilever spokeswoman, said her company was also committed to sustainable palm oil.

“Although consumer demand… does vary from market to market, our commitment is a global one,” Shaw said, adding that the RSPO numbers were old and that Unilever has made progress since then.

Pepsi and Procter & Gamble did not respond to requests for comment. — Reuters

PHL on track to meet 2020 growth target assuming timely budget approval — BPI

THE Philippines is still on track to meet its target economic growth rate of 6-7% either in the second half of 2019 or in 2020 assuming the 2020 Budget is passed on time and that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) eases rates as expected, the Bank of the Philippine Islands ( BPI) said.

In the bank’s 2020 Economic and Financial Markets Outlook Media Round Table, BPI Lead Economist Emilio S. Neri said the government has realized gains due to reforms like rice tariffication, the first package of tax reform, known as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), and the government’s crackdown on tax evaders.

Mr. Neri, however, believes that the government can do more on reducing poverty, job creation, and competitiveness.

BPI forecasts gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2019 and 2020 of 5.9% and 6.4%, respectively, compared with 6.2% in 2018. Mr. Neri said the weakening of growth follows a global slowdown that has been hitting even domestic trade-oriented countries like India.

“India is like the Philippines to a large extent because it’s very domestic oriented… and yet its economy slowed down from periods of 7.5% growth all the way down to just 5% in the second quarter. So, you should not be surprised if the Philippines is struggling to grow at 6% again, given the other domestic based or domestic-driven economies like India actually suffered,” he said.

S&P Ratings reduced further its growth outlook for the Philippines to 6% from its already downgraded outlook of 6.1% released in June and a 6.3% forecast made in April, which in turn was downgraded from a 6.4% estimate issued in December 2018 and 6.6% in November 2018. In 2020, S&P sees GDP at 6.2%, down from its previous outlook of 6.4% and an even earlier forecast of 6.5%.

“Growth in emerging-market economies remains subpar, stemming from trade frictions, weakening external demand, geopolitical and in some cases domestic policy uncertainties,” S&P said in a report Thursday.

Aside from the slowdown hitting the Philippines, Mr. Neri said the aggressive front-loaded borrowing of the Bureau of Treasury had been parked with the central bank until July, fueling a “massive domestic liquidity squeeze.”

“…it may have practically negated the two percentage point reduction in the reserve requirement ratio,” he said, noting that the muted growth in money supply in the face of all the easing supports this view.

Mr. Neri said another reserve requirement cut could still be in the cards.

“Maybe one more, although it’s a little bit tight because the implementation of the last one is… November. Probably one more but we’re not giving it more than 50% chance… again another percentage point,” he told reporters, noting that there are two more meetings left for the Monetary Board — one on Nov. 14 and another on Dec. 12. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

BoC makes 10 seizures of hazardous shipments since August

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) said it confiscated toxic substances, hazardous and nuclear waste valued at P24 million since the establishment of a special unit focusing on the problem in August.

In a statement late Wednesday, the BoC said the seizures were carried out on 10 occasions by the new unit, which is known as the Environmental Protection and Compliance Division (EPCD).

The latest operation involved refrigerant chemicals from China valued at P4 million at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) on Oct. 7. The shipment lacked permits to legally import the goods.

The ten seizures each featured violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act as well as a directive on the handling of regulated items, known as Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) 9-2015, it said.

“To date, the division has on record 10 apprehensions on violations of RA 10863 also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and CMO 9-2015, ‘On the Strict Enforcement of Rules Concerning Regulated Imports’ in relation to RA 6969 ‘Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes.’ The apprehensions were estimated to be worth at least P24,741,349.91 pesos,” the BoC said.

EPCD monitors the import and export of hazardous, recyclable and other materials requiring environmental permits.

RA 6969 requires the government to regulate and restrict imports of chemical substances that pose a risk to health or the environment, and prohibit the entry of hazardous and nuclear waste.

Separately, the BoC launched its World Customs Organization (WCO) Cargo Targeting System (CTS) yesterday, aiming to boost trade efficiency and strengthen border security.

The Bureau will now require shipping lines to comply with timelines for the submission of manifests through the CTS, which allows foreign vessels and aircraft to transmit electronically the cargo information in advance.

CTS helps customs services perform “advanced profiling of shipments before they arrive at Philippine ports using the manifest data given, it said.

BoC launched the system after it completed pilot testing on Oct. 2. — Beatrice M. Laforga

It’s a sweep for San Beda

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THERE was simply no stopping the San Beda Red Lions from completing a sweep of the elimination round of National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 after they defeated the second-running Lyceum Pirates, 85-62, on Thursday at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

Flexing their collective muscle anew, the Lions were a handful for the Pirates once they got their attack humming, leading to their 18 straight win in the ongoing season of the country’s oldest collegiate league.

The sweep, the second in three years in the NCAA, rendered the semifinals a step-ladder with defending champion San Beda going straight to the finale and will await its opponent for the best-of-three finals series among the three lower-seeded teams in the semifinals.

The contest got off to a fast start as both teams found their swing early.

They fought to a 7-6 count, and San Beda on top, with 7:17 to go in the opening frame before the Lions, led by Donald Tankoua and James Canlas, went on a 13-7 run in the next five minutes to build a 20-13 lead.

But the Pirates would finish strong on the lead of Jaycee Marcelino to narrow the gap, 20-17, at the end of the first period.

In the second quarter the Lions came our roaring, outscoring the Pirates, 19-6, to build a 39-23 lead midway.

They kept pouring it on Lyceum the rest of the frame to stay comfortably ahead, 48-36, at the halftime break.

The third quarter saw San Beda further steadying with leading most valuable candidate Calvin Oftana and Tankoua pouring on for their team on both ends.

Despite efforts by Lyceum to gain some ground back, the Lions remained ahead, 66-49, heading into the fourth quarter.

Comfortably ahead, San Beda went for the early closeout, stretching its lead to 23 points, 76-53, at the 6:05 mark.

From there on the Lions would not be threatened as they went on to close out the contest and made the elimination round sweep official.

Tankoua led the Lions with 26 points and eight rebounds, followed by Oftana with 18 points and 10 boards.

Canlas finished with 17 points while guard Evan Nelle dished out 10 assists to go along with nine rebounds and four points.

For Lyceum (13-5), which was the last team to sweep the eliminations back in Season 93, it was Marcelino who topscored with 17 while Jeff Santos had 12.

Pirates big man Mike Nzeusseu sat out the game because of injury.

In a step-ladder format, the third and fourth seeds battle in the initial step with the winner advancing to meet the second-seeded team in a knockout contest for the right to face San Beda in the finals, which will be a best-of-three affair.

In the first game, meanwhile, the Letran Knights (12-6) cemented their hold of the third spot heading into the semifinals by beating the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 87-79. Larry Muyang led the Knights with 22 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Jerrick Balanza with 20 and Bonbon Batiller with 15 points.

EAC, with the loss, ended their season with a 4-14 record. Graduating player Jethro Mendoza finished his NCAA career on a high, finishing with a career-high 26 points for the Generals.

TNT KaTropa try to make it seven wins in a row

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

ALREADY assured of a quarterfinal spot, the TNT KaTropa try to stay on top of their game and go for their seventh win in as many games in the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup when they face off with the Alaska Aces today at 7 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

The lone unbeaten team left in the season-ending PBA tournament, the text masters seek to keep their affairs as such as they move to preserve their good standing in the top half of the race and gain the twice-to-beat incentive in the next round.

TNT (7-0) saw its unblemished record greatly threatened by Allen Durham and the rest of the Meralco Bolts last time around with the latter forcing the KaTropa in an intense battle all the way to the end with before bagging the win, 116-113, on Oct. 12.

On the lead of super-import KJ McDaniels, the KaTropa managed to get better traction in the payoff quarter which they used with much effectiveness to stave off the Bolts and complete the come-from-behind victory that had them bucking a 16-point deficit early in the contest.

Mr. McDaniels finished with 51 points to go along with 10 rebounds and four blocks.

Roger Pogoy had 23 points while Jayson Castro wound up with 21 points. Troy Rosario was the other KaTropa who finished in double-digit scoring with 12.

“Good thing we have an import like KJ McDaniels who is always there to take charge for us when we need him to,” said a relieved TNT coach Bong Ravena after their win.

Out to stop the streaking KaTropa are the Aces (1-5), who are having it rough in the ongoing tournament but managed to book their first win in their last game.

Opened its campaign with five straight losses, Alaska finally barged into the win column with a 78-71 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Oct. 13.

Import Frank House played huge in said game, finishing with 22 points and 23 rebounds.

Jeron Teng also had a solid outing with 18 points and nine boards to help give Jeffrey Cariaso his first win as Alaska head coach.

“Just really happy to get that monkey off our back. Hopefully we get to sustain this kind of level play in our other games,” said Mr. Cariaso, who replaced Alex Compton as Aces coach during the in between conference break.

Meanwhile, playing in the first game at 4:30 p.m. are the Bolts (3-2) against the Blackwater Elite (2-3).

Meralco will try to bounce back from its loss to TNT in their last game.

Import Durham is leading the way for the Bolts with averages of 29.6 points, 6.4 assists and 5.5 rebounds.

Blackwater, for its part, is angling to make it back-to-back wins after beating the defending champions Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok, 95-89, on Wednesday.

Import Marqus Blakely led the way for the Elite with 21 points and 13 rebounds, with Mac Belo and Michael DiGregorio adding 20 and 15 points, respectively.

For Team Lakay’s Adiwang, ‘smart’ preparation key to ONE winning debut

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

TOKYO — Filipino strawweight fighter Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang made his ONE Championship debut on Oct. 13 at the company’s landmark “ONE: Century” event here, and it was a rousing first outing for the Team Lakay member which he attributed to “smart” preparation on their part in the lead-up.

Took hometown bet and former Pancrase champion Senzo Ikeda in a preliminary fight for Part 1 of the two-pronged Century event held at the famed Ryogoku Kokugikan in Sumida City, Mr. Adiwang (10-2) passed his initial test as part of the main roster of ONE Championship by winning via technical knockout (injury) in the first round.

Mr. Adiwang, the ONE Warrior Series contract winner early this year, showed his range as a fighter against Mr. Ikeda.

Known for his striking, Mr. Adiwang delivered a different facet of his game as he scored an early takedown and immediately executed a scarf-hold armlock. The bout was stopped just moments later after the Japanese suffered an injury to his arm, giving the stoppage win to the Baguio native.

After the fight, Mr. Adiwang expressed satisfaction over being able to execute what they as a team envisioned since the start of training for his debut outing.

“The preparation set everything here. We’ve been preparing hard. Not just hard but smart as well. Senzo Ikeda was not an easy opponent. He is a very tough warrior and he showed that in our fight. Even if his arm was broken he tried to keep going. What fighting spirit,” said Mr. Adiwang to members of Philippine media who covered Century.

“I trained hard for striking. So if he engaged in striking I engage with him. But he attempted to take me down and we were well prepared for striking and ground and I was able to deliver my submission,” he added.

Impressive was Mr. Adiwang’s debut that even ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong could not help but heap praises to the former.

“I was blown away by Lito’s performance. He had a very, very tough opponent, Senzo Ikeda … I thought that fight was going to go three full rounds of both guys going all out, so I was shocked by that judo throw immediately to a keylock, I was blown away. Incredible performance, so I think that’s the perfect debut you could ever ask for, especially coming off ONE Warrior Series,” said Mr. Sityodtong, referring to the fight series of the company designed to find the next and best prospects in different parts of the world.

Mr. Adiwang topped “Warriors Series 7” in August, where he defeated Anthony Do of Vietnam by unanimous decision in the main event to earn a six-figure contract with ONE.

“Lito has a Cinderella fairy-tale story, so let’s see how far he can go, but definitely, with Team Lakay and Mark Sangiao, I think the sky is the limit for Lito,” said Mr. Sityodtong.

With his debut over and done with, Mr. Adiwang said he is ready to take his career even further and succeed as a fighter.

“You can expect more from me. I’ve been visualizing this for years and I really wanted to enter ONE and be a part, not just be a part, I want to be a champion here,” said Mr. Adiwang.

Adding, “Every time I enter the circle I will try to give good shows and continue to improve.”

Top-ranked NCAA Division 1 coaches in Manila to scout junior golfing talent

JUNIOR golfers in the Philippines will get a chance this December to showcase their game and talent and possibly get recruited to some of the best universities in the world.

DreamBig Events, a sports events company dedicated to providing a positive, motivating and challenging platform for young athletes living in Asia to improve their sporting skills, is bringing world-class golf coaches for the first time in Asia.

Its Gold Series Golf Camp, headlined as The Road To US College Golf, is open to junior golfers aged 12 to 18 years old and will be held at the Orchard Golf & Country Club on Dec. 17 and 18.

Golf coaches from topmost schools in the US NCAA Division 1 — UCLA (University of California — Los Angeles), Columbia University and UC Berkeley — will run the two-day golf clinic while actively watching the young golfers participate in the two-day FCG Golf Tournament.

At the camp, campers will experience guided range and short game sessions that will allow them to sharpen their practice and pre-tournament routines. They will be given instruction that will help them expand their course management skills and prepare them for competition, as well as expose them to US coaching styles and competition at a higher level. The camp is limited to 30 participants only to enable personalized and customized instruction for each athlete.

“This is an exceptional opportunity for young golfers to interact with world-class coaches and glimpse the future of how their game can evolve and take them to places they’ve never been before. Learning under these top-caliber coaches is a privilege that only a few can experience, and to have them right here in Manila to train and teach them is a big advantage in terms of savings on time and travel expenses,” said Akshay Maliwal, founder and CEO of DreamBig Events.

Maliwal explained that the camp opens up the pathway to college golf in the US, which in turn will help athletes develop their athleticism and prepare them to compete on the world stage while they become a legitimate part of the US College athletics ecosystem.

“These camps do not just hone young athletes’ skills, they introduce and familiarize athletes with the college recruiting process and lets them experience, even for two days, a day in the life of a college athlete at a top academic and athletic university,” Mr. Maliwal added.

DreamBig Events has been working with coaches from top NCAA Division 1 and Division 3 universities such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, Brown, New York University, Tufts and Carnegie Mellon University, Claremont-Mckenna, Johns Hopkins University, among others, for the last three years.

“Asia, the Philippines in particular, is rich in golfing talent that only needs to be discovered and honed. All young talents need is one big break to change their lives and put this region on the world map of golf. It all begins in camps like these. And because our camps offer a wide array of activities, campers have fun as they learn all the good stuff,” Mr. Maliwal said.

Interested participants may register now at https://dreambig.events/gold-series-golf-camp/.

Vietnam’s Pinaco comes on board for 30th SEAG

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

ADD Pinaco, Vietnam’s leading dry cell and storage battery brand, as one with the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games later this year.

This, after the company signed a commitment of support with the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) to be a platinum sponsor of the regional biennial Games from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 and the 10th ASEAN Para Games next year.

The agreement, brokered once again by sports media agency Mediapro Asia, was formally signed on Thursday at the Pavillion 3 of the Shangri-La at the Fort in Bonifacio Global City.

Present during the signing and the subsequent press conference were officials of PHISGOC, Pinaco and Mediapro.

“It is such a great honor and pride for Pinaco to be one of the official Platinum Partners of this great event in the hopes of contributing to the success of the Games, especially given that the 30th SEA Games is the largest sports event in the region,” said Tran Thanh Van, General Director of Pinaco.

Pinaco, maker of battery brands Eagle, Dongnai and JP, among others, is no longer stranger to sponsoring major sporting events and is leveraging the recently inked partnership with PHISGOC as an opportunity to expand its involvement in regional events, more so since the next SEA Games in 2021 will be held in Vietnam.

On the part of PHISGOC, the coming on board of Pinaco as a sponsor is a welcome development, and a huge boost seeing that not only local companies and groups are rallying behind what they want to accomplish with the Games.

“The overwhelming support of international brands boosts our efforts to facilitate our preparations and inspire us to work even harder every day,” said House Speaker and PHISGOC Chairman Alan Peter Cayetano in a statement.

Mr. Cayetano and PHISGOC were represented in the contract signing by PHISGOC Director of Support and Operations Jojit Alcazar.

Pinaco with the partnership joins a growing list of SEA Games sponsors which include Ajinomoto, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., MG Cars, Philippine Airlines, Skyworth, Mastercard and CooCaa.

Also part of the hosting are Milo, Pocari Sweat, North Luzon Expressway, Pinco and Razer, Asics, SM Lifestyle. Inc., BMW, Molten, Mikasa, Chinabank and PNB.

The 2019 SEA Games is touted to be the biggest to be staged in the Philippines, involving 11,000 athletes and officials from the 11 member nations, 9,000 volunteers, 530 events and 56 sports.

Forty-four venues have been short-listed for the event scattered in different parts of the country, including the world-class facilities at New Clark City in Tarlac.

The last time the country hosted the SEA Games was in 2005.

Good story

Lee Ann Walker didn’t expect to win when she showed up for the first round of the Senior LPGA Championship in French Lick, Indiana. After all, she last played a full season on tour 11 years ago, and the 8,102-yard, par-72 Pete Dye course presented a challenge even regulars in the circuit were slated to be hard-pressed to meet. Still, she figured to be competitive, as she has been in any undertaking. And, above all else, she was determined to have fun; at the very least, the event gave her an opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones.

As things turned out, Walker managed to check one of two boxes. She had a blast, she said, even though she didn’t survive the cut for the final round. In fact, she was nowhere near it, not with a whopping 58 — yes, 58 — penalty strokes added to her score. Her problem was ignorance, which wouldn’t have mattered this time last year. Unfortunately, the start of 2019 saw changes in regulations that included the prohibition of caddies helping players line up their putts. And as she wasn’t part of the tour rota, she didn’t know she was in violation of Rule 10.2b until the fifth hole of her second round.

To be sure, Walker still wouldn’t have been able to negotiate the final 18 of the Senior LPGA in any case. Without the added strokes, her 85 and 74 would have been one shot higher than the mark. Instead, she wound up over by 59, a magic number in golf under any other circumstance. For all her travails, however, she stayed upbeat. She could have mailed in her performance after being told of her predicament; instead, she shot a one-over-par sub-total the rest of the way. In a setup that wound up producing only one score in the red, her effort is nothing short of remarkable.

Tellingly, Walker was even-keeled in her appreciation of the experience she went through. “I’m glad I went,” the Associated Press quoted her as saying. “Everything was great except for my penalties.” And even those she took in stride, noting that “I may have made the Guinness Book of World Records.” What the real property broker by day truly made? Fans who appreciate a good story, and an even better person behind it.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Peso climbs on weak US data

THE PESO ended stronger against dollar yesterday following weaker-than-expected US data on retail sales, which fanned expectations of another policy rate cut by the US Federal Reserve.

The local unit closed at P51.42 against the greenback on Thursday, stronger by 17 centavos from P51.595-per-dollar close last Wednesday.

Dollars traded yesterday climbed to $1.29 billion from $1.16 billion the previous day.

Two traders interviewed said the peso’s strength can be attributed to the decline in US retail sales that “heightened expectations” of another rate cut by the Fed.

“The peso strengthened as the release of weaker-than-expected US retail sales report heightened expectations of another US policy rate cut from the Federal Reserve meeting this month,” the trader said in an e-mail.

US retail sales slumped to 0.3% in September as households cut back spending on motor vehicles, building materials, hobbies and online purchases. This was the first drop since February. Data for August was revised up to show retail sales rising 0.6% instead of 0.4% as previously reported.

“It might have increased the chances of more stimulus in the coming months so the market is already pricing in maybe one to two more cuts this coming month or at the end of the year,” the second trader said by phone.

Back home, the second trader said local developments such as the August remittances data and the cut in the reserve requirement rate (RRR) for bonds issued by banks were all “good news.”

“All news recently is pointing toward peso-strengthening bias…so it’s just a matter of time,” the second trader said.

For today, the peso is expected to rise further on likely weak US data.

“The local currency might continue to appreciate ahead of likely weaker US housing and industrial production data overnight,” the first trader added.

The first trader sees the peso settling between P51.25 and P51.45 today. — BML with Reuters

Bourse extends gains on earnings anticipation

THE MAIN INDEX extended gains on Thursday despite slow trading throughout the session, as investors turned bargain hunters in anticipation of corporate earnings reports.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) improved 15.25 points or 0.19% on Wednesday to close at 7,930.55 — again the highest in nearly a month or since Sept. 17’s 7,932.23 — while the all-shares index inched up 7.24 points or 0.15% to 4,770.93.

“Our index ended positive today due to last-minute buying despite the thin volume and weak US retail sales data released last night. The last-minute buying activity could be a bargain-hunting move among investors as they anticipate more earnings disclosure from index stocks,” Timson Securities, Inc. Trader Jervin S. De Celis said in a text message.

US reported a 0.3% drop in retail sales in September, the first fall in seven months, as consumer spending on cars, building materials and online items slowed.

The report dragged Wall Street down during Wednesday’s trading, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite sliding 0.08%, 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively.

Most major Asian bourses followed suit: Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix indices by 0.09% and 0.45%, respectively, South Korea’s KOSPI by 0.23%, Singapore’s Straits Times index by 0.41% and China’s Shanghai SE Composite by 0.05%.

On the other hand, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gained 0.69% and India’s S&P BSE Sensex index increased by 0.84%.

For Philstocks Financial, Inc. Senior Research Analyst Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco, investors abroad helped spur the bourse for the second straight day, with net foreign buying growing 28.55% to P1.08 billion from Wednesday’s P841.28 million.

At the same time he noted the persistently low value turnover at 587.99 million shares worth P5.71 billion from Wednesday’s 715.39 shares worth P5.55 billion.

“Foreign funds… helped today with net foreign inflows amounting to P1.08 billion. Our worry however is the daily value turnover which has been lethargic lately,” Mr. Tantiangco said in a text message.

“So far this week, average value turnover stands at P4.9 billion, lower compared to the year-to-date average of P7.47 billion. This shows that investors are still on a cautious stance, that many are staying on the sidelines waiting for a catalyst, particularly the 3Q company reports.”

Four out of the six sectoral indices gained on Thursday: industrial by 37.03 points or 0.34% to 10,787.09, financials by 12.45 points or 0.67% to 1,848.34, property by 10.59 points or 0.25% to 4,185.98 and services by 1.39 points or 0.09% to 1,525.74.

The remaining two declined: mining and oil by 129.4 points or 1.42% to 8,956.66, and holding firms by 12.77 points or 0.16% to 7,724.01.

More stocks advanced than declined, 93 to 79, while 57 names were unchanged. — Denise A. Valdez

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