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Collegiate awards set; Lacuna UAAP athlete of the year anew

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

MEDIA covering the top collegiate leagues in the country are to hold their annual awards on May 27 at the Amelie Hotel Manila in Malate, with the awardees headlined by champion basketball teams Ateneo de Manila University and San Beda University.

Presented by SportsVision and supported by Chooks-to-Go, Amelie Hotel, Northport, World Balance, and AXA Team EDS, the 2019 Collegiate Press Corps Awards is set to gather and fete anew top performers last season both in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Headlining the awardees are Ateneo and San Beda, which repeated as men’s basketball champions in the UAAP and NCAA, respectively.

The Blue Eagles won back-to-back titles after defeating the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons and their magical run.

Thirdy Ravena and the rest of the Ateneo men’s basketball team proved to be a handful for the Maroons, sweeping the latter in their best-of-three finals after topping the elimination round with a 12-2 record.

San Beda, meanwhile, won its third straight NCAA title in Season 94 on the lead of veterans and now-pro players Robert Bolick and Javee Mocon.

The Red Lions met the Lyceum Pirates for the second year in a row and the result was the same with San Beda claiming the title via sweep.

The annual collegiate awards are given by sportswriters from print and online outfits covering the UAAP and NCAA.

LACUNA IS UAAP AWARDEE ANEW
Meanwhile, Olympian and champion swimmer Jessie King Lacuna of Ateneo was the recipient of the UAAP Athlete of the Year, his third in five illustrious years with the Katipunan-based school.

In closing ceremonies for UAAP Season 81 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Tuesday, Lacuna got his award for athlete of the year in individual sports, joined by University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses volleyball star Sisi Rondina who got hers for team sports.

In the juniors’s division it was basketball player Kai Sotto of Ateneo High School who won for team sports with swimmer Philip Joaquin Santos winning in the individual sports category.

Bestowed once again with the prestigious honor, Lacuna said he is very thankful of the recognition, more so on his final year in the UAAP.

“I’m very thankful for this award. It is such a humbling experience to be given this award once again. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this. I thought I was just going to receive the MVP award. I’m very happy,” said Lacuna, a graduate of interdisciplinary studies, after receiving his award.

“Season 81 was one of the best seasons for me. It was my final year and I needed to perform. There were a lot of good rookies and I had to take on the challenge,” he added.

He went on to say that he is very thankful of the opportunities he had with Ateneo and the UAAP, and believed he was able to do his part in improving the level of competition and the skills of the athletes in the league.

“Being in the UAAP and Ateneo, as an athlete I put up a high standard I think. As a swimmer you want to lift the competition and I think I was able to do that,” he said.

With Ateneo, he led the school to five titles in men’s swimming and won 35 gold medals and four MVP awards.

Lacuna is now focusing on the Southeast Asian Games happening in the country later this year as a member of the national team.

Ticha Penicheiro: Once a Monarch, always a Monarch

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

WNBA legend Ticha Penicheiro — ALVIN S. GO

MADE a name for herself in Women’s National Basketball Association while playing in Sacramento, guard Ticha Penicheiro shared that those years with the Monarchs were the best years she had in the league and something she still cherishes even now in retirement.

Recently in the country as part of the culminating activities of the Jr. NBA Philippines 2019 program, Ms. Penicheiro, 44, said the Monarchs team holds a special place in heart for providing her with the opportunity to showcase what she could do as a player coming off college, be an All-Star and a champion and, more importantly, inspire people in the community.

And while the Monarchs are no longer in the WNBA, the Portugal native is still hoping that someday a team would rise up again in Sacramento, who she believes deserves a WNBA team.

“It was in 2009 when the team unexpectedly folded. The owners just decided they did not want to invest in us anymore and they wanted to save money. And a lot of people in that area, not just in Sacramento but also in the Bay Area, are still heartbroken and they have pages on Facebook where say they want the Monarchs back,” said Ms. Penicheiro in one of her sessions with media while here.

“And I truly hope that soon we will have a team in Sacramento or the Bay Area so they could go to the games. They are still supporting the league until now, watching the games on TV. But going to the games and watching it live, there is nothing like it, and hopefully one day there is another team out there,” she added.

While with the Monarchs from 1998 to 2009, Ms. Penicheiro was a four-time All-Star and a two-time member of the All-NBA First Team (1999-2000).

She also won a title in 2005 and was recognized as one of the 15 top players of all time in the WNBA back in 2011.

Ms. Penicheiro, who played collegiate ball at Old Dominion University, finished her WNBA career with averages of 6 ppg, 5.7 apg, 3.3 rpg and 1.7 ppg in 454 games.

After Sacramento, she had stops with the Los Angeles Sparks and Chicago Sky before retiring in 2012.

She also played internationally during the WNBA offseason.

In Sacramento, Ms. Penicheiro played with great players like Yolanda Griffith and Ruthie Bolton-Holyfield, who she considers some of the best players that played the game and did a lot to further hone her skills.

“Yolanda is any point guard’s dream. She has amazing hands and you can throw anything to her and she would finish. When you are a point guard, a pass-first point guard like me, you depend on your teammates to look good and she certainly did that for me. She is an amazing rebounder, great heart and competitor. Ruthie is a great shooter much like Steph Curry. Besides being good players they are good people and teammates,” she added.

Adding, “I wish Sacramento did not fold and I would have played my whole career there. I really enjoyed playing there.”

JR. NBA ALL-STARS
Meanwhile, this year’s edition of Jr. NBA Philippines ended last Sunday with the naming of the All-Stars who will represent the country at the first Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia Pacific Selection Camp in Jakarta, Indonesia, in June.

After a series of multi-level selection process, selected were Dianne Camille Nolasco, 14, of Miriam College; Karylle Sierba, 13, of Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation; Mikylla Taborada, 14, Corpus Christi School Cagayan de Oro; Justine Mhyrra Vibangco, 13, Saint Joseph Parish School; and Princess BJ Marie Villarin, 13, De La Salle Zobel for the girls side.

On the boys’ side are Henjz Gabriel Demisana, 14, Bacolod Tay Tung High School; Joshua Minguillo, 13; Zhan Paolo Moreno, 14, Xavier University Cagayan de Oro; Sebastian Roy Reyes, 14, Nazareth School of National University; and Lionel Metthew Rubico, 14, De La Salle Lipa.

Jr. NBA Philippines 2019 was presented by Alaska, with AXA, Gatorade, Globe, Panasonic, Rexona and Vivo as official partners.

Another Magnus show

GRENKE Chess Classic 2019
Karlsruhe/Baden Baden
April 18-29, 2019

Final Standings

1. Grandmaster (GM) Magnus Carlsen NOR 2845, 7.5/9

2. GM Fabiano Caruana USA 2819, 6.0/9

3-4. GM Arkadij Naiditsch AZE 2695, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA 2773, 5.0/9

5-7. GM Viswanathan Anand IND 2774, GM Levon Aronian ARM 2762, GM Peter Svidler RUS 2735, 4.5/9

8. GM Francisco Vallejo Pons ESP 2693, 4.0/9

9-10. GM George Meier GER 2628, IM Vincent Keymer GER 2516, 2.0/9

Average Rating: 2724 Category 19

Time Control: 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 50 minutes for the next 20 moves, followed by 15 minutes play-to-finish. Thirty seconds is added to your clock after every move starting move 1.

Twenty-one draws in a row. Magnus Carlsen did not take part in the Batumi Chess Olympiad last year and instead participated in the less stressful European Club Cup where he peacefully drew all five of his games. His next event was the World Championship Match in London versus Fabiano Caruana where, for the first time in history, all 12 games were drawn and they had to resort to rapid tie-breaks to determine who the next world chess champion would be. That’s 17 consecutive draws. When at the start of the Tata Steel Tournament in Wijk aan Zee Magnus Carlsen drew his first four games the friendly ribbing escalated and the press was writing about Carlsen forgetting how to win, that he is the new “Leko,” the drawing master. And then came the game with Jorden van Foreest.

Born in Utrecht on 30 April 1999 and raised in Groningen, Van Foreest comes from the noble chess family of Van Foreest. He is the great-great grandson of Arnold van Foreest and great-great grandnephew of Dirk van Foreest. Between the two of them they have 6 Dutch Championships (Arnold: 1889, 1893, 1902; Dirk: 1885, 1886, 1887).

Jorden is the eldest child of his family and has five siblings: four brothers and one sister. His eldest brother, Lucas (born 2001), became an International Grandmaster in 2019. His sister, Machteld (born 2007), won the Dutch Girls’ U10 Championship at the age of 6 and shared second place in the Dutch Girls’ U20 Championship when she was 9. In 2017, she became the first girl ever to win the Dutch U12 Championship (the Open Division, mostly Boys).

Jorden Van Foreest decided to try out the Sveshnikov Variation against Magnus. Keep in mind that this was one of Magnus’ main weapons in his recent match with Caruana so the chances were high that there is some “residual preparation” left over.

Van Foreest, Jorden (2612) — Carlsen, Magnus (2835) [B33]
Tata Steel Masters 2019 Wijk aan Zee (5.6), 16.01.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5

So far in 2019 Carlsen’s score with White is nine wins and five draws. With Black it is seven wins and 10 draws and out of the 7 wins three came from the Sveshnikov. It has become his most potent weapon.

6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Ne7 9.c4 Ng6 10.Qa4 Bd7 11.Qb4 Qb8 12.h4 h5

This move has become Magnus’ trademark in the Sveshi. The idea is to follow-up with …e5–e4 and …Ne5 to establish a central strongpoint with dominance over the white squares.

13.Be3 a6 14.Nc3 f5 15.0–0–0 Be7 16.g3 0–0

As he has shown in subsequent games Magnus does not mind giving up the h5–pawn so long as his knight gets its desired outpost on e5.

17.Be2 e4 18.Bd4

White did not like 18.Bxh5 Ne5 19.Be2 b5 20.cxb5 axb5 with lots of compensation for Black but not taking the pawn gets Van Foreest into a worse situation and this time he has no material plus.

18…Bf6 19.Bxf6 Rxf6 20.Qb6

The last chance for Van Foreest to take the pawn.

20…Ne5 21.Kb1 Be8 22.Rd2 Nd7 23.Qd4 Qc7 24.Nd1 Ne5 25.Ne3

White wants to put his knight on f4 via g2, but Black beats him to the punch.

25…f4! 26.gxf4 Rxf4 27.Rg1 Bg6 28.Ka1 Raf8 29.c5 Rxf2 30.Qc3 Qxc5 31.Qxc5 dxc5 32.d6 Kh7 33.d7 Nf3 0–1

Huge material losses follow 33…Nf3 34.Bxf3 (Or 34.d8Q Rxd8 35.Rxd8 Rxe2 36.Rc1 Rxe3 37.Rd7 b5) 34…Rxd2.

Smooth as silk. Nothing spectacular, but this game got the juices flowing again and, as Magnus commented, “since then it’s kind of just clicked.”Magnus won the next game as well, and then all his remaining white games in Wijk aan Zee to finish with the tournament victory a final score of 9.0/13, a performance rating of 2887.

March 30 saw the start of the Vugar Gashimov Memorial in Shamkir, Azerbaijan and Magnus Carlsen was even more impressive. In a 9-round event he finished two points ahead of the next higher-placed with five wins and fourdraws. This was a powerful category 22 and his performance rating was 2988. Take a look at the names of the people he defeated: Vishy Anand, David Navara, Anish Giri, Sergey Karjakin and Alexander Grischuk.

The GRENKE Chess Classic started a mere 10 days after the closing ceremonies of the Gashimov Memorial, and it was a continuation of the Carlsen Show. The world chess champion dominated the event with a score of 7.5/9 and a performance rating of 2990 (!!). It could have been even better, for he had a winning position against Viswanathan Anand but just could not land the finishing blow. Carlsen’s finish of 4/4 though left no doubt as to who is the boss.

Svidler, Peter (2737) — Carlsen, Magnus (2845) [B30]
Grenke Classic 2019 Karlsruhe/Baden Baden (8.3), 28.04.2019

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3

Svidler didn’t want anything to do with Magnus’ Sveshnikov.

3…e5 4.Bc4 Be7 5.d3 d6 6.Nd2

On its way to e3 via f1

6…Nf6 7.Nf1 Nd7

White’s bishop is too strong on c4 and so this knight makes its way to b6 to destroy it. White now had two ways to preserve his bishop. Either 8.a3 to give it a hiding place on a2 or 8.Nd5 to exchange off the black knight when it reaches b6.

8.Nd5 Nb6 9.Nxb6 axb6

Now Black is planning to harass the c4–bishop with 10…b5 because 11.Bxb5? loses it to 11…Qa5+

10.c3

Ok, now no more check possible on the e1–a5 diagonal. So what does Black do now? Well, due to his pawns on b6, c5, d6 and e5 his dark-squared bishop has no scope so he should play something like 10…Bg5 to exchange it off against its white counterpart, but 10…Bg5 right away is refuted by 11.Qh5, threatening mate on f7 and thus winning the bishop, so first he has to castle.

10…0–0 11.Ne3 Bg5 12.0–0 Kh8

Obviously planning to play …f7–f5.

13.a3 f5

Svidler remarked after the game that he was surprised by this move. I will show you why later.

14.Nxf5

[14.Nd5 is met by 14…f4]

14…Bxc1 15.Rxc1 Bxf5 16.exf5 d5!

Svidler has planned to answer 16…Rxf5 with 17.Bd5! and …Be4 when his bishop gets a strong outpost on e4. The text move escaped his attention.

17.Ba2 Rxf5

Black has seized the initiative and he does not let go of it.

18.Qg4 Rf6 19.f4 exf4 20.Qg5

Not 20.Rxf4? Ne5 21.Qg3 Rxf4 22.Qxf4 Nxd3.

20…Qf8! 21.Qxd5

Forced. 21.Bxd5? is met by 21…Rf5

21…Rd8 22.Qf3 Ne5 23.Qe4

Nothing better. 23.Qe2 Nxd3 24.Rcd1 c4! (pointed out by Svidler after the game) 25.Bxc4? Qc5+

23…Ng4!

Better than 23…Nxd3 24.Rcd1 Nxb2 now White’s bishop gets back into the game with 25.Bb1 g6 26.Rxd8 Qxd8 27.Qe2 Na4 28.Rd1 queen is going to c4 or e5

24.Rce1 Ne3 25.Rf2 Re8 26.Qxb7 g5 27.Rfe2? <D>

POSITION AFTER 27.RFE2

Hereabouts White obviously realizes that he is lost and is just waiting around for Black to make a move. The final attack comes swiftly.

27…g4 28.Rf2 Qh6 29.Qc7 Ref8

Taking the rook out of the e-file so that he can play 30…g3 31.hxg3 Ng4.

30.h3 gxh3 31.g3

[31.gxh3 Rg6+ 32.Kh2 Qxh3+ 33.Kxh3 Rh6#]

31…fxg3 32.Rxf6 h2+ 33.Kh1 g2# 0–1

So far for 2019 Magnus Carlsen has played 31 games with 16 wins and 15 draws, no losses. This is an overall performance rating of 2942. His live rating has ballooned to 2875 and there is already speculation whether he will be the first human being to ever break 2900. As you know the higher you go the infinitely more difficult it is to raise your rating. At present form though Magnus Carlsen looks unstoppable.

 

Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.

bobby@cpamd.net

Dysfunction

The Lakers haven’t had a good year. In fact, they’ve arguably gone through one of the worst seasons in their storied history — a development made even more shocking in light of the promise it had at the beginning. To be sure, much of their travails can be traced to sheer bad luck; their campaign for their first playoff stint in six years was beset by a rash of injuries to key players, prized recruit LeBron James included. On the other hand, even more is attributable to self-inflicted wounds that showcase their capacity to be their own worst enemies.

Perhaps the writing was on the wall from the outset. Having nabbed James on the very first day of free agency, the Lakers had ample time to construct a roster that banked on the transcendent star’s strengths. Instead of surrounding him with shooters in recognition of his otherworldly playmaking skills, however, they went about signing other ball-dominant players who just so happened to have excess baggage they didn’t need. Still, they persevered, and, at one point early on, benefited from a soft schedule and his transcendent talents to climb to as high as fourth in conference standings.

And then James showed his age for the first time in a 15-year pro career, getting hurt and sidelined just as things were looking up. His inability to take to the court told on the Lakers, who promptly went on a swoon that even his subsequent return could not arrest. No doubt, it stemmed from the mixed signals he sent while he was out, with his trust (or lack thereof) on those around him manifesting in his pronounced pining for fellow All-Star Anthony Davis heading into the trade deadline. Their subsequent failure to nab the fellow Rich Paul client played out spectacularly in public and dampened team morale in private.

James could have healed wounds by words and action in the aftermath, but he wound up wanting on both. Lakers president of hoops operations Magic Johnson then piled on by contending that those whose names became part of trade rumors as the Davis drama was playing out needed to be professionals and accept reality with understanding. And when it became apparent that a postseason berth would remain elusive, they went on tanking mode in an effort to secure better positioning in the rookie draft.

To be fair, the move paid off, with the Lakers bucking the odds and jumping to fourth in the selection sequence. Before then, though, they had to endure the ignominy of Johnson’s abrupt resignation from his position on the very last day of their ill-fated 2018-19 run. He sprung his shocker just before they were to trek to the court for the last time, ensuring that the cloud of uncertainty already enveloping them would extend to the offseason. Meanwhile, they parted ways with Luke Walton and began a protracted search for a new head coach. Absent a new honcho, they resolved to decide by committee and ended up with Frank Vogel, their third choice, after not even presenting Monty Williams with an offer and then lowballing Tyronn Lue.

Still and all, the Lakers strove to stay even-keeled and hopeful that the worst would be behind them. Forget that they opted not to get a new president of hoops operations, as much an indication of their indecisiveness as a reflection of their flawed understanding of the complexities of running a franchise. Unfortunately, Johnson saw fit to give them the finger one more time, appearing on ESPN’s First Take right before Vogel’s formal introduction as their bench tactician and using the opportunity to go scorched earth on them in the name of truth.

In the live program co-hosted by the always-controversial Stephen A. Smith, Johnson professed an undying love for the Lakers, only to proceed to eviscerate them. He enjoined Tim Harris (president of business operations), Joey Buss (head of the G-League Lakers), and Jesse Buss (scouting director) to “stay in that lane. Because what’s happening is there are too many opinions, too many voices and everybody thinks their way is the right way. That’s why you can’t make good decisions because you got six, eight voices and everybody thinks their strategy is the right one. You can’t have that.”

As all and sundry know, Johnson saved his best — or, depending on perspective, worst — for “backstabbing” general manager Rob Pelinka, who, he argued, gunned for his job and did so by disparaging his performance to others in the franchise. That he effectively did the very same thing on First Take in standing for what he deems the unvarnished truth was, of course, lost on him. In any case, the Lakers lost anew. Vogel’s introduction as their new bench tactician was overrun by queries on their evident dysfunction.

And speaking of dysfunction, it was, perhaps, only natural for the Lakers to insist on Vogel’s acceptance of Jason Kidd as assistant coach. Yes, he’s the same soon-to-be Hall of Famer who not too long ago eased out Lawrence Frank from the Nets and then finagled a job from the Bucks — in other words, the exact type of behind-the-scenes maneuvering Johnson accused Pelinka of having done. Looking ahead, observers don’t need a vivid imagination to foresee the jockeying in the sidelines once the Lakers perform below expectations on the court.

True, the Lakers will survive the mess they’re also responsible for prolonging. Their name is nearly as strong as, say, that of the Knicks, who know a thing or two about missteps and less than that about learning from the past. That said, they’re wasting grand opportunities, and how. They may have cap space to lure a star to pair with James and ample assets to swap for another, but their brain trust doesn’t seem prepared to use them well. Their lines of reporting are informal and confusing at best, and not conducive to proper and timely analysis of available options. Little wonder, then, that fans are left crossing their fingers and hoping against hope that the stars will still align, and that all that glitters is truly purple and gold.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

Shares end higher as market hunts for bargains

By Arra B. Francia, Senior Reporter

SHARES firmed up on Wednesday as investors continued their bargain hunting after the heavy sell-off seen in the previous week.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) jumped 1.21% or 93.51 points to 7,815.07, extending gains for the fourth straight session. The broader all-shares index likewise climbed 0.83% or 39.71 points to 4,821.85.

“This is still due to investors taking positions out of the selling streak from May 9 to 16. The sell-off may have been overdone given that our company fundamentals remain sound, which is why investors especially local ones, are coming back causing the four-day rally,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Associate Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco said in a text message.

Mr. Tantiangco said first-quarter net income of index-member firms went up 8.71% to P140.04 billion on the back of a 10.89% increase in revenues to P1.287 trillion.

Papa Securities Corp. Sales Associate Gabriel Jose F. Perez noted how several index heavyweights posted strong gains.

“Ayala Corp. (+6.5%) had the highest gain of the day after news early on in the day about AC buying back its shares from Mitsubishi. JG Summit Holdings, Inc, (+4.3%), and Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (+4.0%) followed,” Mr. Perez said in an e-mail.

The PSEi also got a boost from positive sentiment in Wall Street overnight after the US Commerce department on Tuesday granted Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. a temporary license to buy American goods, which will allow the firm’s smartphones to still receive Android software updates. This will minimize disruption for its customers.

This led to a rally in tech shares on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.77% or 197.43 points to 25,877.33. The S&P 500 index rose 0.85% or 24.13 points to 2,864.36, while the Nasdaq Composite index was up 1.08% or 83.35 points to 7,785.72.

Meanwhile, Asian indices were mixed as investors digested how Washington’s temporary reprieve for Huawei will affect the company, even as Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei called the reprieve “meaningless” because it has already “prepared for the worst.”

Back home, mining and oil was the lone counter that dropped, ending 1.1% or 80.98 points lower at 7,228.88. The rest were in positive territory, led by holding firms which soared 2.78% or 200.89 points to 7,416.26. Services edged higher by 0.47% or 7.84 points to 1,661.66; industrials added 0.44% or 50.92 points to 11,397.19; property was up 0.37% or 15.71 points to 4,211.73; while financials gained 0.19% or 3.38 points to 1,726.99.

Turnover rose to P10.14 billion — almost double Tuesday’s P5.41 billion — after some 850.19 million issues switched hands.

Net foreign outflows, however, ballooned to P3.52 billion versus the previous session’s P327.80 million.

Advancers outpaced decliners, 112 to 78, while 43 names were unchanged.

Peso drops on US-China issues

THE PESO declined against the dollar on the ongoing US-China trade war.

THE PESO weakened against the dollar on Wednesday as investors flocked to safer currencies following news of possible ban on Chinese firms in the United States.

The peso closed Wednesday’s session at P52.53 versus the greenback, 5.5 centavos weaker than P52.475 finish on Tuesday.

The peso opened the session a tad stronger at P52.47 per US currency, strengthening to as high as P52.425 intraday. Meanwhile, its worst showing for the day was logged at P52.54 against the dollar.

Trading volume thinned to $777.95 million from the $1.102 billion that changed hands the previous day.

“The peso weakened amid safe-haven demand from the heightening US-China conflict following reports that the US is considering to blacklist additional five Chinese surveillance companies in dealing with US companies,” a foreign exchange trader said in an e-mail on Wednesday.

The New York Times reported that US President Donald J. Trump is considering blacklisting Chinese video surveillance technology firm Hikvision, a move seen to further fuel trade tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.

Last Thursday, the US Commerce Department issued a rule prohibiting US companies to purchase equipment from Chinese technology firm Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

Washington and Beijing started imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on each other’s imports once more earlier this month, starting with higher levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25% from the previous 10%. China retaliated by raising tariffs on American goods worth $60 billion.

“We saw the market trade higher after lunch after we saw the US looking to ban five surveillance firms from China. This triggered slight risk off sentiment,” another trader said.

The second trader added that investors trimmed their positions in the morning session ahead of the release of the minutes of the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting.

For today, both traders expect the peso to move between P52.35 and P52.65 versus the dollar, while a third trader gave a P52.40-P52.70 range. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal

Comelec proclaims winners in senatorial race

By Gillian M. Cortez, Reporter

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday proclaimed the top 12 in the 2019 senatorial race as the official winners in that contest.

The Comelec en banc, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBoC), proclaimed the newly elected senators on Wednesday morning, after the NBoC finished its canvassing at midnight of a total of 167 certificates of canvass (COCs).

As per NBoC Resolution No. 002-19, the following are proclaimed senators serving the term of June 30 this year to June 30, 2025:

1. Cynthia A. Villar — 25,283,727; 2. Grace Poe-Llamanzares — 22,029,788; 3. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go — 20,657,702; 4. Pilar Juliana “Pia” S. Cayetano — 19,789,019; 5. Ronald “Bato” M. Dela Rosa — 19,004,225; 6. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara — 18,161,862; 7. Manuel “Lito” Lapid — 16,965,464; 8. Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos — 15,882,628; 9. Francis N. Tolentino — 15,510,026; 10. Aquilino Martin “Koko” D. Pimentel III — 14,668,665; 11. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. — 14,624,445; and 12. Maria Lourdes “Nancy” S. Binay — 14,504,936

“These 12 now stand with us here today to accept the responsibility and duty that we the voters have entrusted to them,” said Comelec Chairman Sheriff A. Abas in his opening statement at the proclamation.

Five of the proclaimed are reelectionists: Mses. Villar, Llamanzares, and Binay, and Messrs. Angara and Pimentel.

Three are former senators to serve fresh terms: Ms. Cayetano and Messrs. Lapid and Revilla.

And four are new personalities to serve in the Senate: Messrs. Go, Dela Rosa, and Tolentino, and Ms. Marcos.

As of this reporting, the NBoC will proclaim on Wednesday evening the 51 winning party-list groups. The top five leading party-list groups in the unofficial count are ACT-CIS, Bayan Muna, Ako Bicol, CIBAC, and Ang Probinsyano.

Mr. Abas said the Comelec is aware of criticisms on the character of some groups availing themselves of the party-list systems. “We will send our recommendations to Congress,” he said.

For his part, House Minority Leader Danilo E. Suarez said in a news conference that the poll body should look into the technical malfunctions in the automated elections. “Given the existing policies, the Minority calls for a revisit(ing) of the procurement process. We understand the intent of the laws. However, this should not lead to the deterioration of the quality of the supplies provided to the government, especially when it involves activities affecting the fundamental rights of the citizens,” he said. — with Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Speaker Arroyo to Senate: Tackle Duterte’s agenda

OUTGOING House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is calling the Senate to push for the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo R. Duterte before the 17th Congress ends in three weeks.

“We want to achieve the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as he listed in his 2018 State of the Nation Address (SONA), plus the bill lowering the age of criminality that he personally requested last January,” said Ms. Arroyo in her letter addressed to Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III dated May 21. The Senate has scheduled a caucus on Wednesday.

The 11 bills that were already passed on third and final reading by the House of Representatives are the Security of Tenure Act (approved by the Senate as of Wednesday afternoon), An Act Creating the Coconut Industry Trust Fund, the National Land Use Act, Department of Disaster Resilience Act, Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High Quality Opportunities, An Act Establishing the Fiscal Regime for Mining Industry, An Act Amending the Excise Tax on Alcohol Products, An Act Increasing the Excise Tax Rate on Tobacco Products, An Act Instituting Reforms in Real Property Valuation and Assessment in the Philippines, the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act of 2019, and a Resolution Proposing the Revision of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.

Ms. Arroyo also pointed out that the House reintroduced a bill on the creation of the Coconut Industry Trust Fund which she hopes would “conform more to the policy direction of the Executive and thus constitute…our main priority for our last three weeks’ work in the House of Representatives.” The said bill was vetoed by the President.

The 17th Congress will end on June 7 and a new Congress will start on July 22. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

PNP chief names possible successors

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar D. Albayalde on Wednesday named his three possible successors.

“I think we have the same list,…the same as Gen. Bato Dela Rosa,” Mr. Albayalde said, referring to his predecessor who also made recommendations regarding Mr. Albayalde’s successor.

“Kasi sila naman ang medyo senior at sila ang next in line (Because they are the seniors and they are the ones next in line), besides, of course,…General Eleazar who is [part of] Class ’87. Pero doon sa performance naman niya (But based on his performance), I think he will do good, also the same as the other two, General Cascolan and General Gamboa,” Mr. Albayalde told reporters on Wednesday, May 22, at Camp Crame.

Mr. Albayalde was referring to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo T. Eleazar, PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, and PNP Directorial Staff chief Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan.

Mr. Albayalde was the former NCRPO chief and he was succeeded by then Quezon City Police chief Mr. Eleazar.

The PNP chief added, “I think sa kanila naman tatlo (I think that among the three of them), they all have the credentials and they all deserve to be the next chief of PNP.”

Mr. Albayalde will retire in November. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Palace: PHL to ‘shoulder all expenses’ in shipping back Canadian trash

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter

MALACAÑANG on Wednesday said the Philippine government will now shoulder all expenses for shipping back Canada’s garbage.

In a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said President Rodrigo R. Duterte was “upset” about the delay in the shipment of Canada’s garbage.

The Canadian government missed Mr. Duterte’s May 15 deadline for the shipment of garbage dumped in the Philippines back to Canada.

“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is upset about the inordinate delay of Canada in shipping back its containers of garbage. We are extremely disappointed with Canada’s neither here nor there pronouncement on the matter,” Mr. Panelo said.

He added that, “Obviously Canada is not taking this issue nor our country seriously.”

“The Filipino people are gravely insulted about Canada treating this country as a dumpsite.”

As a result of this “offending delay,” Mr. Panelo said the President has “instructed the appropriate office to look for a private shipping company which will bring back Canada’s trash to the latter’s jurisdiction.”

“The government of the Philippines will shoulder all expenses. And we do not mind,” he also said.

If the Canadian government will not accept the trash, Mr. Panelo said the Philippines “will leave the same within its territorial waters or 12 nautical miles out to sea from the baseline of any” of Canada’s shores.

“The President’s stance is principled as it is uncompromising: The Philippines as an independent sovereign nation must not be treated as trash by other foreign nations. We hope this message resonates well with the other countries of the world,” he added.

Palace: DoJ to look into corruption allegations against dismissed FDA chief

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter

MALACAÑANG on Wednesday said the Department of Justice (DoJ) will look into corruption allegations against dismissed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director-General Nela Charade G. Puno.

“Perhaps in the coming days, according to [Health] Secretary [Francisco T.] Duque [III], the findings of the CoA (Commission on Audit), as well as other documents, have been forwarded to the Department of Justice for evaluation and for the filing of whatever charges that the Department may find to be appropriate,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said in a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon.

He added: “The President also wants to share to the public that he has received numerous, as in numerous, complaints from doctors, including his own doctor, about the former director-general. And many complaints, coming from many sectors. And the Palace is just awaiting the submission of sworn statements, which shall be forwarded to the Department of Justice.”

Asked about the nature of complaints from doctors, he said: “I think, corruption. How? I don’t know…. Let’s wait for the sworn statements coming from the so-called victims.”

In a statement on May 17, Ms. Puno said she did not have any “ill feelings” about her dismissal but she took exception “to the mention of so-called ‘corruption allegations.’”

“I have not been charged in any legal proceedings nor am I aware of any official investigations being undertaken in relation to corruption involving me. Of course, if there will be any such allegations forthcoming, I am more than ready to face these in any forum,” she said.

DepEd says it is ready for ROTC revival

THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said it is ready for the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) in the senior high school program. In a press briefing at the Palace, DepEd Undersecretary Alain Del B. Pascua said at least 100 schools have been identified to participate in the proposed two-year pilot implementation program. “If the Senate will be passing the bill before June 7, then they will meet as a bicam and have the bill submitted to the President. If we can implement that by June, for example, of this year, that would depend if the law would be signed by the President by that time,” he said. “After which, every year thereafter, we will be reporting to a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the implementation and other details of the implementation before it will be fully implemented — that is with the presumption that the law will be signed before the new Congress would convene,” he added. Mr. Pascua explained that the pilot 100 schools were identified based on their proximity to military bases and having open grounds big enough for the drills. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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