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CoA flags Yolanda funds for PCOO employees; National Museum’s poor management of artworks

THE COMMISSION on Audit (CoA) flagged the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) for non-liquidation of assistance funds for its 20 employees who were victims of typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) and the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, which both hit the Visayas in 2013. In its 2018 annual audit report, CoA noted that the non-liquidation of the Yolanda funds deprived the victims of full financial assistance while one beneficiary did not receive her financial aid. The report said the Office of the President (OP) donated P1.37 million from the President’s Social Fund (PSF) to the PCOO in April 2015. The donation was distributed in two tranches. The state auditors said although the full amount was paid to beneficiaries as of August 2015, there was “poor monitoring” of the donations, which resulted to one employee not receiving her P15,000 financial aid for three years. CoA also noted that only the first tranche was released to the PCOO due to the non-fulfillment of the condition for the release of the second tranche, delaying the supposed P30,000 to P100,000 aid for house repairs of the beneficiaries. CoA also stated in the report that during its interview with the concerned PCOO officials and employees, they disclosed that “during the presidency’s transitional stage midyear of 2016, no proper turnover of official files and documents was done by the previous administration.” The auditing agency recommended that PCOO immediately release the P15,000 to the intended beneficiary from the first tranche and submit to the OP the liquidation report of the first tranche to release the remaining fund.

NATIONAL MUSEUM
In the same report, COA called out the National Museum for its “inadequate” and “improper” management of artworks and archeological specimens. It said the museum has “unaccounted and undocumented” borrowed items from external sources, which violates Republic Act No. 8492 or the National Museum Act of 1998. The report indicated that various benefactors, private and government institutions, have lent 864 items to the National Museum’s Fine Arts Division and eight items to the Zoology Division from the University of Santo Tomas Museum. However, only nine of the 23 memoranda of agreements (MOA) were submitted to the Fine Arts section, while none was given to the Zoology Division before displaying the loaned art and historical pieces. “It was noted in the report of Fine Arts Division that there were works of arts being exhibited already but the MOA is either pending for signing or for renewal while Zoology Division was not able to provide any supporting documents,” CoA said. The state auditors also flagged the National Museum for its “unsubstantiated” report on museum collections loaned to government agencies and private institutions. The report showed that 12 art and archaeological pieces were loaned to churches, government agencies, and universities abroad but “no loan agreements or other supporting documentation were provided by the Management despite written requests of the Audit Team.” With these findings, the state auditors recommended that the National Museum “ensure that received artworks and specimens, whether purchased or donated, shall be initially accounted by the Property Custodian.” — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

ROS edges Dyip in OT

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE Rain or Shine Elasto Painters swung back into the win column in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup after holding off the Columbian Dyip, 88-86, in overtime in an out-of-town match in Batangas City on Sunday.

Absorbed a tough defeat last time around where they blew a big lead to an undermanned Northport Batang Pier squad, the Elasto Painters averted dropping back-to-back games by holding tough in the end against a spirited challenge from the Dyip.

The win improved Rain or Shine to 3-3 while sending Columbian down to a third straight defeat and a 1-6 card in the midseason PBA tournament.

The game got to a competitive start with the two teams going on spurts and counter-spurts, eventually fighting to a 27-22 count, with Columbian on top, after the first quarter.

Rain or Shine would open the second canto strong, led by import Denzel Bowles.

It outgunned Columbian, 18-4, in the first six minutes to race to a nine-point advantage, 40-31.

But rookie CJ Perez and the rest of the Dyip would regain their footing the rest of the way, narrowing their deficit to just five points, 44-39, heading into the halfway juncture of the contest.

The nip-and-tuck nature of the game continued in the third frame as the two teams kept the pressure on one another.

Columbian came to within a point, 54-53, at the seven-minute mark, and reclaimed the lead, 55-54, after a minute.

Rain or Shine responded with a 5-0 run after to build a 59-55 advantage with three minutes left in the quarter.

Momentum swung back-and-forth for the remainder of the period with the score winding up knotted at 62-all entering the final 12 minutes.

With the game anything but settled, the two squads jockeyed aggressively to get early control in the fourth.

The Dyip sprinted to a 70-63 lead by the 8:46 mark.

Rain or Shine made attempts to narrow the gap and was successful in it, tying the score at 71-all with 4:42 to go care of import Bowles.

The Elasto Painters continued to take it to the Dyip, seizing a two-point lead, 77-75, with 2:35 remaining after a triple from rookie Javee Mocon.

Rashawn McCarthy then drained a three-pointer to hand back the lead to Columbian, 78-77, with 2:05 remaining.

Rain or Shine, however, came back with a deuce from Rey Nambatac 50 seconds after to go on top, 79-78.

Columbian sued for time after to set up a play but it was forced into a turnover in the inbounds play to hand back the ball to the Elasto Painters.

A split from the charity line by Mr. Bowles increased Rain or Shine’s lead to two points, 80-78, with 47 ticks left.

The Dyip once again called for time after. They went to import Lester Prosper but his three-pointer air-balled.

Rain or Shine secured the rebound then called timeout.

Columbian fouled Mr. Bowles with 24 seconds remaining, who in turn split his charities once again to leave the door open for the Dyip.

The Dyip capitalized on it with Mr. McCarthy draining the game-tying triple with a second left that eventually sent the game to overtime.

Columbian gained early traction to begin extra time with Rain or Shine catching up with it at 84-all with three minutes on the clock.

The score was still knotted at 86-all with 38 seconds remaining.

Mr. Perez managed to find his way to the hoop but failed to finish the basket giving Rain or Shine a chance to win the game with 17 ticks left.

Off a timeout, the Elasto Painters went to Mr. Mocon but Mr. Perez was able to deflect the ball with four seconds remaining in the game.

Rain or Shine called timeout anew and after they went inside the paint to Mr. Nambatac, who connected to hand the lead to his team, 88-86, with 2.6 seconds to go.

Columbian tried to salvage the win but the Elasto Painters’ defense held tough to preserve the victory.

Mr. Bowles led Rain or Shine with a triple double of 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. He, however, went 7-of-21 from the free throw line. Mr. Nambatac and Jewel Ponferrada backstopped him with 10 points each.

For Columbian it was Mr. Prosper who showed the way with 26 points and 15 rebounds with Mr. McCarthy finishing with 15 points.

Back nine 28 helps Reavie to 6-shot lead at Travelers

CONNECTICUT — A blistering seven-under-par 28 for the back nine saw Chez Reavie romp to a six-stroke lead in the third round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut on Saturday.

Six back at the turn, Reavie birdied seven holes coming home to shoot a seven-under 63 as he took aim at his first PGA Tour victory in 11 years.

His 16-under 194 put him comfortably in front of Keegan Bradley (69) and Zack Sucher (71) at TPC River Highlands.

Sucher, the second-round leader, blew a five-stroke lead with a bogey, double-bogey, double-bogey start to the back nine.

Reavie, who tied for third in last week’s US Open, played the final nine holes in a course-record tying 28, 12 strokes better than Sucher.

“I just tried to stay patient and tried not to press,” Reavie said after watching Sucher make four birdies on the front nine.

“So when I start making putts I think he started feeling it a little bit and started playing a little bit more aggressively than he normally would’ve.”

Reavie, whose only PGA Tour win came at the 2008 RBC Canadian Open, put together four consecutive birdies to start the back nine, then added three more at the 15th, 17th and 18th holes.

He also birdied the eighth after his lone bogey at the sixth. “Been feeling great with the putter for a while now,” said Reavie, who also putted well in the US Open.

Sucher was still optimistic despite the meltdown.

“The front nine was a lot of fun; back nine wasn’t much,” he said.

“I don’t feel like I did that much wrong on the back (nine). The doubles on 11 and 12 weren’t far off from being pretty good shots.”

Sucher said he was not thrown off by Reavie’s birdie run.

“It was more about me trying to get in with a good score,” Sucher said.

Australian Jason Day (68) and Mexico’s Roberto Diaz (67) shared fourth at nine-under. Bryson DeChambeau (64) and Kevin Tway (66) were in a group of four at eight-under that also included England’s Tommy Fleetwood (67) and Scotland’s Martin Laird (68).

World number one Brooks Koepka stumbled home with a two-over 72, recording four birdies, four bogeys and a double that left him 15 strokes adrift of Reavie.

“I’m dead. I’m fried,” said Koepka. “My body is starting to ache, too.”

Defending champion Bubba Watson spiralled downward as well with six bogeys in a round of 73 that put him 14 shots behind at two-under for the tournament.

“I’m just trying to gear up and get ready for the next event,” Watson said. “At some point I’m going to have a shot, and so I’ve got to stay ready and try to learn from this and keep moving on.” — Reuters

Game-winning deuce gives VetHealth-Delhi Chooks-to-Go Patriot’s Cup 3×3 second-leg title

FIELDING a complete lineup, VetHealth-Delhi 3BL took down the second leg of the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Patriot’s Cup presented by Coca-Cola.

Still, the world’s no. 15 squad needed a game-winner from Kiran Shastri to outlast the Phenom-Basilan Steel, 21-20 (3:36), Sunday afternoon at the SM Fairview Events Center.

“It was a hard-fought tournament. Really excited to be here,” said Shastri, the no. 62-ranked player in the world. “It was a good win for us and we’re really proud of the way we played.”

Down 19-20 with under four minutes left in the game, Shastri missed a deuce but was rebounded by big man Bikramjit Gill. Bikramjit then found a wide-open Shastri, who knocked down the game-winning deuce.

“Our opponents were great and we just tried to win,” continued Shastri, who had eight points in the game.

Fil-Am guard Franky Johnson was on fire to start the game, scoring 12 of Phenom-Basilan’s first 16 points to give his side a three-point lead with 5:13 left.

However, Bikramjit Gill and newcomer AJ Gill powered VetHealth-Delhi to a 5-0 run, giving the Indian team a two-point cushion.

Needing a bucket to stop the bleeding, import Marcus Hammonds took matters into his own hands, knotting things up with a huge deuce with 4:10 remaining.

Inderbir Gill answered right back by willing his way to the paint for a lay-in to give Delhi the advantage but Roosevelt Adams was not to be denied. The 6-foot-4 sniper knocked down a deuce with 3:57 left in the game to retake the lead for Phenom-Basilan.

This led to the heroics of Shastri.

Indian national team member AJ Gill added seven points for VetHealth-Delhi.

Besides bringing home P 100,000, VetHealth-Delhi closed in on Gold’s Gym-Pasig in the standings.

The Kings, who will miss the third leg as they will join the Poitiers Challenger in France from July 6 to 7, remain on top with 170 points. VetHealth-Delhi and Phenom-Basilan are tied at second with 160 points. Wilkins-Balanga completes the top four with 130 points.

This was the first-ever leg in league history that did not feature either Pasig or Balanga in the finals as the former lost to Basilan, 20-18, while the latter fell to Delhi, 22-15 (1:43).

In the side events, Shastri retained his Coca-Cola Two-point Shootout crown after outlasting Inoza-Gulf Bulacan’s Jan Jamon in the 25-second tiebreaker, 6-5.

On the other hand, David Carlos remained as the Coca-Cola Slam Dunk king after stamping his class over Jebb Bulawan and Kenyan dunk artist Obi Fly.

The third stop of the Patriot’s Cup takes place on Saturday, July 6, at the SM Muntinlupa Events Center.

Smart supports Gilas Pilipinas Youth bid at FIBA Under-19 World Cup

MEMBERS of the Gilas Pilipinas Youth team won’t have any problems keeping in touch with family and friends while representing the country in the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup in Greece starting June 29. The team has been equipped with several Smart Travel WiFi units that will provide them with reliable data connectivity.

Smart Travel WiFi is a plug-and-play wireless modem or pocket WiFi that connects any capable device to the internet. These units were provided by Smart Communications, the wireless subsidiary of leading telecoms and digital services company PLDT, to give the young players with connectivity while they face Greece, Argentina, and Russia during the preliminary rounds.

“The Smart Travel WiFi is a complement to our existing roaming services to keep you connected whenever you travel. Smart Roaming keeps an individual securely connected while Smart Travel WiFi allows more than one phone or gadget to conveniently access the internet without spending a lot of money,” ​said Alice Ramos, Smart vice president and department head of international roaming & carrier business.

“With these Smart Travel WiFi units, the players can stay connected to their families, friends, and fans all over the world, while they raise our flag in the world basketball stage,” said Gabby Cui, Smart assistant vice president and head of community development and partnerships.

PLDT Global and Smart executives provide the Gilas Pilipinas Youth team with Smart Travel WiFi units during the team’s send-off for the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup

The Gilas Pilipinas Youth is composed of Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, Gerry Abadiano, Migs Oczon, Terrence Fortea, Joshua Ramirez, Dalph Panopio, Bismarck Lina, Geo Chiu, Carl Tamayo, Rhayaan Amsali, Dave Ildefonso, Xyrus Torres, and James Spencer.

Under the tutelage of Coach Sandy Arespacochaga, the team will have several tuneup games in the country and in Doha, Qatar, before they head off to the big event in Greece.

Phisgoc still recognized but only as a committee — says new POC president

THE PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) will continue to recognize Taguig Congressman-elect Alan Peter Cayetano as chairman of the ad hoc committee for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Joey Romasanta, the newly installed POC president, yesterday said Cayetano remains on top of the organizing body by virtue of his appointment made by former POC chief Jose “Peping” Cojuangco two years ago.

The Phisgoc, however, has to function as a mere committee under the Olympic council rule and not as chief of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Foundation, Inc., different body formed by Cayetano which he claimed should be on top of the organizing chores for the Games even if it does not have the POC Board’s approval.

Although Cayetano is not an incorporator of the Phisgoc Foundation, members of his inner circle in Ramon Suzara, Donaldo Caringal, Dexter Estacio and Monica Anne Mitra are all part of it, together with recently-resigned POC president Ricky Vargas, POC secretary general Patrick Gregorio, POC communications director Ed Picson and former POC chairman Tom Carrasco.

The Phisgoc Foundation took over the functions of the POC and made some crucial decisions on its own, like the creation of the Games’ official logo, theme, mascot and other marketing collaterals without the approval of the POC board.

It also entered into contracts and is largely blamed for the very slow buildup for the Games as questions in transportation, accommodation, sponsorship, marketing campaign, venues, volunteer program, parade uniform and technical handbook have recently surfaced.

Romasanta said he is set to sit down with Cayetano in the coming days to map out the SEA Games preparations.

“This is a complex problem that needs simple solution,” said Romasanta, the former POC first vice president who assumes the POC presidency via succession after Vargas filed his irrevocable resignation last Tuesday.

“We have to revert to the original plan of having Sec. Cayetano as chairman of the organizing committee under the POC. With that, I am seeking a one-on-one meeting with him before forming a tripartite agreement with him and (Philippine Sports Commission) Chairman Butch Ramirez.”

Discussion is still underway, but a POC board member in lawyer Clint Aranas hinted that they might review all contracts that Phisgoc Foundation had entered into.

Aranas, the designated spokesperson of the POC, said if they don’t see any problem with the contracts, they would gladly approve them before the general assembly.

“First of all, we have to find out what these contracts are about,” said Aranas, the archery president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System.

“We’re going to review these contracts. If they are within the authority given to the chairman (Cayetano) based on his appointment as chief of the organizing committee, and for as long as it accords with the POC charter and by-laws, then I don’t think there will be problems. We will ratify it.”

Romasanta, however, suggested that there should be a cut-off on the dates that the contracts were made.

“Another solution is to come up with a cut-off,” said Romasanta, an old hand in sports after serving as chief of the Project: Gintong Alay in the 1980s.

“We have to agree on the date we assumed position. We will be accountable for the contracts made after we assumed position while they will be answerable to those made before we got here.”

“There are a lot of ways to skin a cat. But at this point, the most important way is to make sure that we come up with a successful hosting of the Southeast Asian Games.”

NBA trade: Hawks move up to No. 4, take Hunter

LOS ANGELES — — The Atlanta Hawks acquired the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft from the New Orleans Pelicans for four picks, according to multiple reports an hour before Thursday’s draft was scheduled to begin.

That pick, which the Pelicans acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Anthony Davis deal, became Virginia forward De’Andre Hunter. Like all other trades, the deal cannot become official until July 6.

The Hawks parted with picks No. 8 (Texas center Jaxson Hayes), No. 17 (Virginia Tech guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker) and No. 35 (Brazil forward Marcos Louzada Silva) this year, plus Cleveland’s 2020 first-round pick. In return, the Pelicans sent Solomon Hill, the No. 57 pick (later traded to Philadelphia and then Detroit) and a future second-round pick to the Hawks, ESPN reported.

Atlanta was flush with first-round picks after a deal during the 2018 draft that sent Luka Doncic to the Dallas Mavericks and brought Trae Young to the Hawks.

IN OTHER DRAFT-DAY MOVES
The Indiana Pacers acquired forward T.J. Warren and the No. 32 pick from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for cash, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

The move clears salary-cap space for the Suns, who would shed the remaining three years and $35 million on Warren’s contract. Warren, 25, contributed 18 points and four rebounds per game last season for Phoenix.

The Pacers later dealt the 32nd pick, which became Stanford forward KZ Okpala, to the Miami Heat for three future second-round picks.

The Suns then dealt the No. 6 pick in the draft to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 11 pick and forward Dario Saric, according to Wojnarowski.

The Wolves used the sixth pick on Texas Tech shooting guard Jarrett Culver, and the Suns took North Carolina forward Cameron Johnson 11th overall.

Saric, 25, moved to Minnesota in the middle of last season in the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers. In a combined 81 games, he averaged 10.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 2018-19, both figures below his career norms.

The Boston Celtics completed a pair of trades with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Suns, adding a future first-round pick while sending big man Aron Baynes to Phoenix, according to multiple reports.

First, the Celtics dealt the 20th overall pick (Washington wing Matisse Thybulle) to the 76ers for the 24th pick (Virginia guard Ty Jerome) and the 33rd pick (Purdue guard Carsen Edwards). Boston then sent Jerome and Baynes to the Suns for a 2020 first-round pick originally owned by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Reports earlier Thursday said the Celtics were interested in moving Baynes to clear cap space for a big free agent addition, with eyes on Butler and Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard.

The Memphis Grizzlies traded up two spots with the Oklahoma City Thunder to land Gonzaga forward Brandon Clarke, sending a 2024 second-round pick in exchange, according to multiple reports.

Clarke was taken 21st overall, and the Thunder got 23rd overall pick Darius Bazley, a forward who committed to Syracuse last year before choosing not to play on a team for the past year.

The Los Angeles Clippers sent the Brooklyn Nets a 2020 first-round pick and the 56th overall pick in Thursday’s draft to acquire the 27th overall pick, according to multiple reports.

The Clippers got Florida State forward Mfiondu Kabengele with the 27th pick, and the Nets got UCLA guard Jaylen Hands at No. 56. The 2020 first-rounder headed to Brooklyn was previously acquired from Philadelphia in the trade of Tobias Harris.

The Cleveland Cavaliers sent four future second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons for the 30th overall pick, USC guard Kevin Porter Jr.

The Hawks traded two future second-round picks and the 57th overall pick (later dealt to Detroit) to the 76ers for the 34th overall pick, Maryland big man Bruno Fernando.

The Golden State Warriors traded two future second-round picks to the Pelicans for the 39th overall pick, Serbian C Alen Smailagic.

The Washington Wizards acquired swingman Jonathon Simmons and the 42nd overall pick, Tennessee forward Admiral Schofield, from the 76ers for cash considerations.

The Denver Nuggets traded a future second-round pick and cash considerations to the Heat for 44th overall pick, Oregon center Bol Bol.

The Los Angeles Lakers traded a future second-round pick and cash considerations to the Orlando Magic for the 46th overall pick, Iowa State forward Talen Horton-Tucker.

The New York Knicks traded up eight spots with the Sacramento Kings to get Michigan guard Ignas Brazdeikis at 47th overall. The Kings get Virginia guard Kyle Guy with the 55th overall pick. Compensation for the swap is not yet known. — Reuters

Roger Federer downs Herbert to take a step closer to 10th Halle title

LONDON — Roger Federer’s Wimbledon preparations gained momentum as the Swiss blasted past Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-3 6-3 on Saturday to reach the final of the Halle Open where he is seeking a 10th title.

The 20-times Grand Slam winner was dragged to three sets in his previous two rounds in Germany but was back to his best in his first meeting with Frenchman Herbert, winning 86% of points on his first serve.

Up next for the 37-year-old, who is looking to win a 102nd tour-level trophy and move closer to Jimmy Connors’ record of 109, is Belgian David Goffin who beat Matteo Berrettini 7-6(4) 6-3 in the other semifinal.

“The last couple of days were hard, that’s why I am thrilled to be in the final,” Federer, who was facing his 337th different opponent, said.

World number 33 Goffin had earlier ended Stuttgart champion Berrettini’s eight-match winning streak, withstanding 14 aces and saving all three break points he faced.

“Matteo is a great player, he’s serving so well. I had to be focussed and aggressive, not too passive,” Goffin said.

“Otherwise he would have had a couple of chances… I played well from the start. That was the key to stay focused from the start. I’m playing well, more aggressive… so, it’s a great feeling this week to be in the final.”

Goffin’s only victory against Federer in eight meetings came at the ATP Finals in London two years ago, where he eventually finished as runner-up.

The Halle Open is a warm-up tournament for Wimbledon which begins on July 1. — Reuters

Citi Philippines comes on board the local Paralympic movement

THE LOCAL Paralympic movement got a new supporter in Citi Philippines, which has vowed to rally behind the country’s differently abled athletes as they compete in international events, including the 10th ASEAN Para Games here in January 2020.

While its partnership with the Philippine Paralympic Committee was formalized in December last year following Citi’s agreement with the International Paralympic Committee, the tie-up in the country was brought to the fore at the weekend with the holding of the inaugural “Lakad Para Atleta” at the University of the Philippines College of Science Oval in Diliman, Quezon City.

A fund-raising walk in support of the Paralympic movement, Lakad Para Atleta, Citi said, is one of the activities the groups hope to stage to help generate excitement and national pride around the extraordinary accomplishments of the country’s para-athletes.

Citi incidentally is sponsoring two of the country’s top para-athletes — Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta (power lifting) and Jerrold Mangliwan (wheelchair racing).

Present during the Lakad Para Atleta last Saturday were officials of the PPC and Citi Philippines, joined by more than 2,000 participants, including 800 Citi employees.

“Citi Philippines is excited about the opportunity to partner with the PPC and to jointly work on the common goal of greater inclusion in sports. We are thrilled to sponsor the inaugural ‘Lakad Para Atleta.’ Our 800 Citi volunteers present today feel honored to be participating side-by-side with the nation’s incredible para-athletes and their supporters,” said Citi Philippines chief executive officer Aftab Ahmed.

For PPC president Michael Barredo, Citi Philippines coming on board of the movement and supporting what they are doing is a big boost.

“We are overwhelmed by the support of our partners, especially Citi Philippines. ‘Lakad Para Atleta’ and our partnership with Citi will help increase awareness of para sports in the country as we prepare for the upcoming ASEAN Para Games in January 2020, as well as the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics later on the same year. We hope to make our fellow Filipinos proud of our achievements both in the sporting arena as well as in our quest to promote equality for all,” said Mr. Barredo.

The Lakad Para Atleta was also supported by UP, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Olympians Association (POA), among other organizations.

The POC is also supporting the PPC by holding a series of sports activities for an “Olympic Day” together with the country’s top athletes from the POA. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Tough times ahead

Free agency in the National Basketball Association doesn’t officially start until the evening of June 30, and yet quite a few movements have already been marked as done — or, at least, as good as done. Among them are the departures of Celtics linchpins Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, the willingness (desire, even) of top management to keep them notwithstanding. Due to an unfortunate confluence of events, a campaign that was looked upon with loads of promise this time last year instead wound up dealing tons of disappointment. Dysfunction reared its ugly head, thus making divorce all but a foregone conclusion.

The operative phrase, to be sure, is “all but.” Despite the seeming certainty of the exits, the fact that there is still time on the clock underscores the possibility of the status quo being perpetuated. And as unlikely as it may seem, pro hoops annals are littered with enough occurrences of the improbable to keep it in play. Never mind that Irving has long been sending signals that he would rather be donning anything other than green and white, and that Horford, by extension, figures to latch on to a better opportunity to chase a ring without sacrificing optimal earning capacity.

Creditably, the Celtics are operating with the worst in mind, and have thereby made draft-day deals designed to provide them with cap room to go after a high-profile free agent, not to mention the flexibility to trade high-potential assets for proven talent. The flipside is that, regardless of outcome, they’re left to scramble and rework their best-laid plans. Their multi-year project to acquire Anthony Davis fell by the wayside, and chemistry issues stunted their aptitude to be greater than the sum of their parts.

In this regard, not a few quarters have pegged the Celtics to be better off accepting the inevitable. After all, it’s not as if they’re rebuilding from scratch. They remain competitive, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown headlining a youthful base boasting of enviable skill sets. On the other hand, they’re not about playoff appearances. Ultimately, they’re about championships. And names on the rise won’t cut it. Stars will, and they’ve got a grand total of one — assuming Gordon Hayward even gets to regain his pre-injury form.

In any case, the Celtics will keep plodding on. Tough times are ahead, but Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens will make sure they’re in the best possible position to contend for the hardware. Are Irving and Horford gone? The answer will come on June 30. No matter what, however, they’ll continue to forge ahead. Which, in the final analysis, is all that matters.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing the 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.

Over 100 retailers rally with Huawei, offers special warranty program to confirm use of Google apps

To assure consumers who are interested in Huawei phones, partner retailers and dealers will offer a “Special Warranty Program” for upcoming purchases of any current Huawei model. All devices covered by this special warranty will have no issue concerning the usage of Google apps and services such as Google Play Store, Gmail, Google Maps, Photos, Chrome, and YouTube. The same goes as well with non-Google ones such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

This special warranty is offered exclusively by participating dealers to show their continued support to the brand while at the same time provide a worry-free experience for consumers with their new Huawei device. Key retail partners such as MemoXpress, Rulls, and around 30 more support the special warranty program, reassuring consumers that all Huawei devices purchased from them are fully equipped with Google services ready to go.

As dealers are offering this special warranty, current users of Huawei models express their confidence in the strength of their phones and also their satisfaction with the exceptional after-sales service.

Mark Anthony Lacsamana, a Huawei Mate 20 Pro User, agreed earnestly when asked if the device was worth his money.

“It’s because everything that I want in a phone is here. The camera, for example, is clear even at a distance. And then, in terms of its durability, it remains sturdy and has no scratches at all even when my phone fell several times,” he said in the vernacular.

Meanwhile, another customer, Ryan Lu, took his Huawei Nova 3i in for Service Day, and he’s proud of his choice of device. “It’s very stylish, unique, and affordable. And also, it’s very powerful,” he said of the device’s features, among them the KIRIN 710 processor. What he likes the most about the phone, however, is its capability for him to personalize and customize.

Ryan Lu shows his Nova 3i

Regarding recent issues involving Huawei and Google, Mr. Lu is unfazed, and he no longer bothers with them as long as the phone works well. In fact, he shared that his family, who would join him on that Service Day, were influenced by his purchase to buy Huawei phones for themselves.

Pauline Delicano is another proud and satisfied Nova 3i owner. Having tried other brands before, she switched to Huawei the moment she had the chance.

“Now, it’s one of the most competitive brands. I think it [the issues] doesn’t really matter as long as we will get the services that we have always been getting. I don’t think it wouldn’t affect us that much as long as the current users won’t be experiencing any problems,” Ms. Delicano said.

On the other hand, Mariel Tanggol, a Huawei concept store supervisor and a firm supporter of the brand, mentioned how thrilled her sales team was after hearing about the warranty program.

“Before the warranty program, I saw the eagerness among the sales promoters to help out consumers with their questions. But after the warranty came out, I also saw, as a supervisor, how they became more confident and motivated in demonstrating the units and explaining to customers about the issue,” she said.

Ms. Tanggol together with her sales team at SM Mall of Asia branch felt the trust and confidence of consumers towards the brand, and she has even seen a significant impact in sales after the announcement of the warranty program.

Huawei sales team

Ultimately, consumers will benefit the most with the warranty program wherein they now think that they are getting the value for the money they spent.

Also, according to the store supervisor, most consumers were surprised by the fact that dealers offer after-sales services like the special warranty. She also found that 99% of the customers who heard the news from the sales promoters expressed ecstatic remarks about this while showing contentment as well.

Furthermore, MemoXpress Vice President for Operations Edward Tan shared his warm response with Huawei’s fine way of addressing recent issues, saying, “We are one with Huawei in pushing for quality service including after-sales initiatives that will surely put Filipino consumers first.”

“We express our support and full trust with Huawei through this special warranty program to prove that Huawei devices are safe to purchase,” Mr. Tan added.

Edward Tan, Vice President for Operations at MemoXpress

Huawei’s products and services are available in more than 170 countries, and are used by a third of the world’s population. Fourteen R&D centers have been set up in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Russia, India and China. Huawei Consumer BG is one of Huawei’s three business units and covers smartphones, PC and tablets, wearables and cloud services, etc. Huawei’s global network is built on almost 30 years of expertise in the telecom industry and is dedicated to delivering the latest technological advances to consumers around the world.

‘Hot money’ flows out for 3rd straight month in May

MORE foreign capital went out of the Philippines in May for the third straight month, amid the escalating trade tensions between the United States and China, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Friday.

Foreign portfolio investments — also known as hot money because of the ease by which these funds enter and leave the economy — saw a net outflow of $749.84 million in May. This was significantly more than the $206.25 million net outflow in May 2018, and the $298.83 million that left the country in April 2019.

This brought the five-month tally to a $685.27 million net outflow, reversing the $813.81 million in net inbound capital logged during the same period in 2018.

The BSP forecasts $4 billion in net inflows for 2019.

Gross outflows stood at $1.988 billion in May, higher than the $1.418 billion seen in the same month last year and the $1.289 billion logged in April.

This offset the $1.238 billion in foreign capital that entered the country in May, a tad higher than the $1.212 billion in gross inflows seen a year ago and the $989.96 million the prior month.

Broken down, all investment instruments posted a net outflow, particularly the listed securities at the Philippine Stock Exchange ($508 million), peso government securities ($241 million) and other local currency debt papers and other portfolio instruments (each at less than $1 million).

The central bank attributed the 54.2% month-on-month increase in gross outflows in May to the “renewed trade tensions between the US and China.”

Trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies simmered again after Beijing and Washington imposed tit-for-tat levies on each other’s imports.

The US increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25% from the previous 10% on May 10. In response, China slapped American imports higher levies of up to 25% on certain goods effective June 1.

President Donald J. Trump said Tuesday he is set to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next week during the G20 Summit next week in Japan to discuss trade issues.

The BSP said the US continued to be the main destination of fund outflows, receiving 81.5% of total remittances.

On the other hand, the central bank said gross inflows grew 25% month-on-month as investors reacted on the lower inflation for April 2019 amid the midterm polls, as well as the BSP’s move to cut the reserve requirement ratio of big banks.

Roughly 81.5% of investments registered in May were in PSE-listed debt papers, particularly in holding firms and companies pertaining to property, banking, food, beverage, tobacco and transportation services.

By country, the top five investors last month were the United Kingdom, the US, Malaysia, Singapore and Luxembourg, accounting for 76.7% of the total.

Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion, UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. chief economist, said there have been “not so good news” about the “protracted” trade conflict between Beijing and Washington.

“Emerging markets like the Philippines are usually very vulnerable to volatility brought by unfavorable sentiments mentioned,” Mr. Asuncion said in a text message. — K.A.N.Vidal

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