What you mean we?

March 19, 2019 | 9:48 pm

The horrible mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which claimed the lives of 50 (so far) and wounded another 50, was the handiwork of someone believed to be a white supremacist.
When President Donald Trump was asked by media if he considered the problem of “white supremacy” serious, he dismissed the New Zealand incident as a minor case that, apparently, did not merit being condemned by him.
What Trump has chosen to ignore is that all it takes is one person to claim many lives — such as the mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017, perpetrated by one person, Stephen Paddock, and the bombing in Oklahoma in April 1995, also by one person, Timothy McVeigh.
But is it a fact that behind these individual killers is a growing tendency among people in predominantly white countries, such as New Zealand, Australia, most countries in Europe and the United States to feel that they should assert their racial supremacy?
The last two times this has manifested itself like a monster were in Hitler’s Nazi Germany and in South Africa during the long period of apartheid. However, in the US, there appears to be a growing chasm between white supremacists and those they define as “people of color,” meaning anyone who is not “white.”
In a broadcast on National Public Radio in December 2018, radio host Noel King observed:
“In the United States, hate crimes have been on the rise. The FBI reported larger numbers in 2015, and then again in 2016 and a 17 percent jump in 2017. And while the numbers for this year aren’t out yet, in many ways, it felt like a very violent year. Take the last week in October alone. A man in Kentucky killed two black people at a grocery store after he allegedly tried to charge a black church. He reportedly told one witness, whites don’t kill whites. And in Pittsburgh, a shooter killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue. He was reportedly driven by anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant ideology.
“The Southern Poverty Law Center tracks extremist hate groups and acts of violence. The Center’s Intelligence Project director Heidi Beirich told me it isn’t just hate crimes broadly that are rising. In particular, acts of domestic terrorism fueled by white supremacy are growing. The Southern Poverty Law Center counted about one of those every month for the past year. And Beirich said this is a trend the SPLC has been tracking for a while.”
Note that “people of color” refers to Pinoys, as well.
This brought to mind a piece I wrote in November 2002 entitled, “What you mean we?” I think much of what I wrote has become even more relevant these days. Allow me to pick out excerpts from that column.

*****

One of the funniest cartoon strips I ever read in Mad showed The Lone Ranger and his faithful sidekick, Tonto, being surrounded by not-so-friendly Indians.
Said the masked hero, gravely: “Tonto, looks like we’re surrounded.”
At this, Tonto gave his comrade-for-life a baleful look: “What you mean we?”
I thought that was really funny – until today, after reading the morning papers, surfing the Web and taking in the TV news. I have come to realize that Filipino-Americans may be in a Lone Ranger-Tonto situation.
FilAms may be in a situation where people whose values they also believe in and with whom they share allegiance to the United States may be asking in their minds: “What you mean we?”
One news item in the San Francisco Chronicle that struck me was about “die-hard Afrikaners” building an all-white enclave in a desolate spot in South Africa.
Orania is the brainchild of a certain Professor Carel Boshoff, son-in-law of the grand architect of apartheid, the late South African Prime Minister Hendrick Verwoerd. It is considered the last refuge of the descendants of the Dutch, French and German settlers who carved a white country out of black Africa, based on the principle that not all men are created equal.
South Africa is no longer a country ruled by a white minority. Blacks and whites have been working to fulfill the dream of Nelson Mandela of a nation where the color of one’s skin does not decree social status. But there are still those who instinctively see a racial divide that can never be crossed. 600 of them have settled in Orania.
One can presume that if Mandela were to tell Boshoff, “We South Africans must learn to live together in harmony,” the latter would cast the same baleful glance that Tonto gave The Lone Ranger and ask: “What you mean we?”
One may declare with conviction that the USA is a nation of immigrants. One may insist that everyone, except for native Americans, traces his or her roots to another country. And one may believe, rightly, that everyone who was born on US soil or has taken the Oath of Allegiance to Old Glory is as American as those who forged this country from the flames of the revolution against England.
But when push comes to shove, some people may find some others casting a baleful look and snapping: “What you mean we?”
The ones who are likely to hear that statement exploding in their ears will be those whose language, history, culture, religion and race do not match that of the stereotypical “American,” typified by the WASP or White Anglo-Saxon Protestant.
The irony is that among Filipinos who are already Americans, there is a tendency to reinforce that stereotype.
Ask someone from the community to describe a group of two Pinoys and two Anglos sitting together in a room. He will likely say, “There were two Filipinos and two Americans.” It won’t matter that the Pinoys may have been born in the US and the Anglos may have just arrived from Europe.
Ask most Pinoys who are US citizens to describe themselves and they will likely say, “We are Filipino-Americans.” Not simply Americans….
Some months ago, two FilAm columnists, Rodel Rodis and Emil Guillermo, had a mild debate over which term was appropriate for Pinoys. “American-Filipino” or “Filipino-American.” I’m afraid that circumstances have made that discussion irrelevant. They may not be regarded as Americans at all.

*****

I wrote the above excerpts over 17 years ago. If they ring true to this day, it is because of incidents such as that one in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017 where neo-Nazis who terrorized fellow Americans and claimed one innocent life were described by the President of the United States as “very fine people.” At least “some of them.”
These days, it may not be prudent to ask Trump’s voter base what they think of people of color, like us Pinoys, who are US citizens. They might give us a baleful look and snap: “What you mean we?”

Greg B. Macabenta is an advertising and communications man shuttling between San Francisco and Manila and providing unique insights on issues from both perspectives.
gregmacabenta@hotmail.com

Is the Philippine Industrial Revolution forthcoming?

March 19, 2019 | 9:47 pm

In a Facebook post two weeks ago, I said that while the Philippine economy continues to grow in good pace on the back of government spending and consumption, its fundamentals are inferior to that of Vietnam whose economy is driven by investments and exports. I further urged the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to review its industrial policy and begin developing new export winners.
My Facebook post was laced with distress given our deteriorating trade gap (exports – imports). Merchandise exports declined to just US$67.49 billion last year while imports ballooned to US$108.92 billion. The result was a whopping deficit of US$41.43 billion, nearly 50% more than that of 2017.
The weak link in the Philippine growth story is our manufacturing sector. We simply do not produce enough exportable goods which is why export revenues pale in comparison to that of our neighbors.
For context, the Philippines exported US$67.49 billion worth of goods last year. Vietnam, on the other hand, blazed ahead with double digit growth topping US$245 billion in revenues. Thailand’s revenues were US$252 billion while Indonesia’s was US$180 billion. The numbers speak for themselves — we have a lot of catching up to do.
Under the Aquino administration, the DTI initiated a project called the Manufacturing Resurgence Program. It crafted road maps to fast-track the development of some fifty industries. It was a qualified success with the manufacturing sector clocking in an average growth rate of 7.6% between 2010 and 2017.
At this point, however, we need nothing less than 20% growth for us to be regionally competitive. We need to leapfrog.
Secretary Mon Lopez was among the first to respond to my Facebook post. In a private message, he told me that he shares my concern and that he and his team have been working on a solution. He sent me a draft of his plan which is scheduled for nationwide implementation this year.
The fact that Sec. Lopez realizes the urgency of the situation and is confronting the issue squarely is already a win. Most bureaucrats would sweep an issue like this under the rug given its complexity. Sec. Lopez is not that kind of bureaucrat. He plans for the long-term, something that I appreciate. The hope is to ignite our very own industrial revolution.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Before delving on Sec. Lopez’s plan, let me first explain why our manufacturing sector has not developed in the same manner as that our neighbors.
The prohibitive provisions relating to foreign investment of the 1987 Constitution, expensive power cost, inferior infrastructure and difficulty in doing business is one set of ugly reasons. All these have caused foreign manufacturers to invest in more hospitable countries like Vietnam. By doing so, it deprived us from much needed technology transfer and recurring income through exports and tax revenues.
The second reason is government’s lack of spending on research and development (R&D). As we are all aware, R&D is the path to innovation and innovation is what drives the manufacturing sector. Innovation can come in the form of improved products, processes, marketing methods or even business practices. In other words, innovation is all about making products better, faster, safer and/or cheaper.
A UNESCO study shows a direct relation between R&D spending and economic and social development. The higher the R&D budget, the more rapidly industrialization takes place and consequently, the faster social development goals are met. The reverse is true. UNESCO recommends a minimum R&D expenditure of one percent of GDP.
How does the Philippine measure up? In 2017, we spent 0.7% of GDP on R&D while South Korea spent 4.3%, Singapore spent 2.2%, Thailand spent 5%; and Vietnam spent 2%.
No surprise, the Philippines ranks a lowly 73^rd out of 126 countries in term of its capacity to innovate, according to the latest Global Innovation Index.
Exacerbating matters is the scarcity of Filipino scientists and engineers. There are only 0.67 scientists and engineers available per 1,000 Filipinos versus 16 in Korea, 15 in Singapore, 14 in Japan and 1.5 for Vietnam.
To leapfrog, we need a revolution in our attitudes towards the sciences, a massive improvement in our educational curricula and a shift in priorities in the way we appropriate the national budget.
THE I3S PLAN FOR LARGE INDUSTRIES
Innovation is at the heart of Secretary Lopez’s new industrial plan aptly called the “Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy” or “i3S”, for short. Its purpose is to develop globally competitive industries, large and small, using innovation as an enabler.
The Philippines has a few large industries in place that have the potential to either be globally competitive or regionally dominant. Among them are: Shipbuilding, fisheries and agro-industries, electronics, auto parts, aerospace parts, tools and dies, chemicals, iron and steel, design-focused garments and furniture.
The goal is to enable these industries to tap new markets and/or expand market share either through the introduction of new innovative products, new product features or more competitive pricing.
For industries that produce intermediate parts, the goal is for them to deepen their participation in global supply chains through cost efficiency innovations.
Creating a culture of innovation among large industries calls for a strong collaboration between the academe and industry. Unfortunately, this is not the case today.
For decades, the academe has kept an arms-length distance with industry. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is that most faculty members consider teaching and publishing articles in journals as their main mandate, not collaborating with the industry.
A culture of dialogue must be forged between industry and the academe in order for innovation to flourish. This will be achieved by institutionalizing and expanding extension programs (internships); by rewarding faculty members who collaborate with industry; by establishing research groups within universities; by establishing pathways for university publications and patents to translate into industry solutions; and by establishing common fabrication laboratories.
Having a physical place where all stakeholders in the innovation process can converge, collaborate and cooperate is perhaps the most potent way to encourage innovation. The i3S Plan calls for the establishment of Regional Inclusive Innovation Centers (RIICs), a venue where all those who participate in innovation are represented. This includes the academe, industry, MSMEs, government agencies, R&D laboratories, S&T Parks, incubators, fabrication laboratories, funders and investors. RIICs are envisioned to be the cornerstone of the innovation revolution, one that will benefit both large industries and MSMEs.
Finally, The right policy environment must be put in place to accelerate innovation. This is why the i3S plan pushes for the passage of the Innovation Act and Innovative Startups Bill. It also moves to strengthen the implementation of the Technology Transfer Act and ease in applying for intellectual property rights.
THE I3S PLAN FOR MSMES
The goals for the MSME sector are two-pronged. The first is to breed more entrepreneurs from among the youth, the women’s sector and the underemployed and the second is to set them on the path of innovation.
As we are all aware, creating a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation starts from childhood. There is no getting away from it, government’s three education-based agencies must play a role in this revolution.
The i3S plan implores the DepEd to revise its curricula to give greater attention to the sciences, technology, engineering, agro-fisheries, mathematics and entrepreneurship. Early education should also prepare our youth in problem solving, teamwork, communication skills, learning to learn, motivation, discipline, self-confidence, self-awareness and the capacity to embrace change.
For its part, TESDA must compliment its skills training courses with learning tracks on entrepreneurship and leadership.
CHED must improve its programs in a manner that allows greater interaction between our post-grad students and industry. Theoretical classroom training is no longer sufficient.
Central to the i3S plan is to make it as easy as possible for fledgling entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses. The i3S Plan prescribes the expansion of the one-stop-shops for MSMEs that have already begun to mushroom around the country. These one-stop shops provide services including certification, licensing, training, production, and assistance in marketing. Later on, the services offered should include financial consulting and linkage to financial institutions.
Since, most entrepreneurs are hard-pressed for project financing, government must assist them in accessing grants, microcredit and tax incentives as well as equity funding from the private sector. Thus, part of the i3S Plan is to disseminate information on how to source financing and how to qualify for these.
The final component is the proliferation of industry clusters. Industry clusters are groups of similar and related businesses in a defined geographic area that share common markets, technologies and needed worker skills. Industry clustering allows MSMEs to consolidate their R&D efforts, share best practices and possible share the investment of equipment for common use. Industry clusters breeds specialization among localities.
So going back to the title of this piece…. is the Philippine industrial revolution forthcoming? That would depend on how efficiently the DTI can carry out its i3s plan. It’s a sensible plan…. but its success depends on its implementation. We can be assured, however, that the project will be pushed hard by Sec. Lopez.
The next big challenge is commercialization, or monetizing whatever is innovated or invented by large and small Filipino companies. That is the next challenge the DTI must face.

Andrew J. Masigan is an economist.

Lagging teams in key PBA matches today

March 19, 2019 | 9:37 pm

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
STRUGGLING teams in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup battle in key matches today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Alaska Aces, Meralco Bolts, Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok and Northport Batang Pier, teams on the fringes of the playoff picture, plunge into action with the end view of notching a much-needed win to fan their respective causes of advancing to the next round of the season-opening Philippine Basketball Association tournament.
Alaska (3-5) faces off with Meralco (3-6) in the curtain-raiser at 4:30 p.m. while Magnolia (3-5) tussles with Northport (2-5) in the 7 p.m. night cap.
The Aces enter the contest having lost three straight which have considerably stymied their campaign after opening the tournament with a 3-2 card in their first five games.
The most recent of Alaska’s defeats were dealt by the TNT KaTropa, 92-78, on March 15.
Alaska struggled mightily in its offense in said game, unable to keep in step with TNT en route to the defeat.
Carl Bryan Cruz led the Aces with 19 points, followed by Sonny Thoss with 13 and Chris Banchero and Simon Enciso with 12 points apiece.
Seeing how his undermanned team has been struggling in the tournament, Alaska coach Alex Compton is just hoping that they get their groove back in time and play their style of play consistently.
“Hopefully we get healthy and get back to who we are and how we play,” Mr. Compton was quoted as saying in the lead-up to today’s game, which he considers as “huge” relative to their push for a quarterfinal spot.
Alaska continues to play sans key cogs Vic Manuel, JVee Casio and Kevin Racal.
Meralco, for its part, is angling for a positive result as well after dropping a close one to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 88-85, also on March 15.
The Bolts had their chances to win back-to-back games in their match versus the Elasto Painters that would have helped their bid but just could not go over Rain or Shine down the stretch.
Nico Salva was the high point man for Meralco with 18 points with Reynel Hugnatan adding 16. Baser Amer and Brian Faundo each had 10 points for the Bolts but these were not enough to tow their team to the win.
Meralco coach Norman Black said they have to bring their A-game in their last two assignments in the elimination round, beginning with the Alaska game.
Incidentally, like Alaska, the Bolts are missing key pieces in Jared Dillinger and Ranidel De Ocampo because of injuries.
HOTSHOTS VS BATANG PIER
In the second game, the Hotshots and Batang Pier collide, with both teams hoping to catch a break.
Magnolia is coming off a tough overtime loss to the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, 97-93, in their “Manila Clasico” on March 17.
The loss effectively halted for the Hotshots a two-game winning streak and derailed their push up to the top half of the standings.
Leading the way for Magnolia is big man Ian Sangalang with averages of 15.9 points and 10.8 rebounds followed by Mark Barroca with norms of 13.5 points and 4.1 assists.
Jio Jalalon has been do it all for Magnolia with 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while Paul Lee has been adding 11.6 points and 3.6 assists.
In an even deeper hole is Northport, which has seen a solid start to the tournament laid to waste, having lost its last five games.
Started the Philippine Cup with a 2-0 record, the Batang Pier have not won since and are now scrambling to make up for lost time and win majority of their remaining games, if not sweep it all.
Guard Stanley Pringle is spearheading the Northport bid with 22.2 points and 4.8 assists while Sean Anthony is not far behind with 21.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
Big man Mo Tautuaa has been good for 19.9 points and 8.7 rebounds and rookie Robert Bolick 11.3 points and 3.7 assists.
Meanwhile, the PBA player of the week is NLEX Road Warriors’ Bong Galanza.
The rejuvenated NLEX wing man averaged 16 points, three rebounds, 2.5 steals and an assist in their twin victories during the period of March 11-17 to get the nod for the award given by the league press corps.
The NLEX victories afforded the team to improve to 4-5 and still in contention for a playoff spot.

UAAP: Ateneo starts 2nd round vs UST

March 19, 2019 | 9:37 pm

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
SECOND-ROUND action in women’s volleyball in Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippine begins today with the league-leading Ateneo Lady Eagles headlining the festivities.
The hottest team right now in the UAAP, Ateneo (6-1) is to meet an equally streaking team in the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses (5-2) in the 4 p.m. game set at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
Playing in the 2 p.m. opening game are the National University Lady Bulldogs (2-5) and University of the East Lady Warriors. (1-6).
Opened their season campaign with a loss to rivals and defending champions De La Salle Lady Spikers, the Lady Eagles has soared since, going undefeated for the rest of the first round.
Ateneo has been doing it in the collective under the system of coach Oliver Almadro, who is in his first year of handling the Lady Eagles.
Veteran Kat Tolentino has been steady for her team, top-scoring with 15.3 points per game, good for fourth in the league.
She has been getting ample support from Maddie Madayag (11.7 points), the UAAP’s best blocker to date, as well as from Ponggay Gaston (8.6 points), Bea De Leon (8.1 points) and Jules Samonte (seven points).
Team captain De Leon, in particular, has been solid of late, earning for her the UAAP player of the week honors.
As the Lady Eagles closed out the first round, the graduating De Leon averaged 13.5 points, more than doubling her scoring average prior.
Ateneo coach Almadro said he is very happy with De Leon finally finding her game anew as they make a push in what they expect to be another tough grind in the second round.
“I never doubted the leadership of Bea and we’re happy she came back to play for us on her final year. The second round will be another tough one, even tougher than the first. We need everybody contributing,” he said.
Out to pull down the Lady Eagles are the equally humming Tigresses, winners of their last three assignments.
Currently at joint second place with La Salle with a 5-2 record, UST has successfully moved past the injuries that befell the team early in the tournament, notably that of outside hitter Milena Alessandrini, and playing solid now.
Leading the charge for the Tigresses is the explosive duo of veteran Sisi Rondina and top rookie Eya Laure.
Rondina is the top scorer in the league after the first seven games, averaging 17.4 points per match while coming in second is Laure with 16.7 points.
The two are also the best spikers, with the rookie at number one with a 37.88% success percentage in her spikes while the graduating Rondina is at second at 34.26%.
Their efforts have made the Tigresses the best spiking team in UAAP Season 81 with a success percentage of 31.38%.
Apart from the two, the Tigresses are also getting steady contributions from KC Galdones, Caitlin Viray and Dimdim Pacres to fan their “It’s our time” cause for Season 81.
“We’ll just continue working. That’s key for us,” said Rondina in Filipino of the kind of mindset they should have moving forward.
Meanwhile in the first game, NU and UE hope to start the second round on a high note after having it rough in the opening round.
The Lady Bulldogs and Lady Warriors are led by top 10 league scorers in rookie Princess Robles (14.4 points) and Judith Abil (14.1 points), respectively.

QC, San Juan dispatch rivals to set up MPBL Final Four showdown

March 19, 2019 | 9:36 pm

ANDREW Estrella played one of the best games of his career in his team’s most pivotal match to carry the Quezon City Capitals to a hard-earned 77-74 win and sweep their MPBL Datu Cup quarterfinals series against the Makati Super Crunch.
Estrella knocked in 15 of his 19 points in the fourth period as he stabilized the Capitals’ solid game, allowing the seventh seeded squad in making a Cinderella run in the tournament by dispatching the No. 2 seed Super Crunch, once the league’s hottest team which won 15 games in a row, but lost back-to-back games in the most important stretch of the tournament.
The Capitals’ small-ball line-up proved to be a cut out to match up with the pressing defense of the Super Crunch, who failed to adjust to the game plan of coach Vis Valencia.
Estrella joined forces with long-time teammate Hesed Gabo and Joco Tayongtong in continuously attacking the gaps inside the run, jump and switch defense of coach Cholo Villanueva.
“We felt we were gaining advantage when Makati decided to match up with us, using a small line-up,” Valencia told BusinessWorld. “That’s not their normal game. They usually have players who have at least the same height, trying to exploit mismatches.”
Estrella’s triple in the last 2:38 mark of the fourth quarter put the Capitals ahead, 71-61, and the team which didn’t even make the .500 mark in the elimination round, was about to complete one of the biggest turnarounds in the tournament.
The Capitals will next face the San Juan Knights-Big J Sports, who had to endure repeated uprisings from the Navotas Clutch before preserving a 75-69 win.
San Juan folks had to hold their breath in the last few seconds of the game when Donald Gumaru completed a steal and had a chance to cut down the Knights’ lead within striking distance. But the two-way guard committed an error by throwing a bad pass on Samboy de Leon, allowing the Knights to escape with the win.
John Wilson sealed the Knights’ win with two free throws in the last 33 seconds for the final tally. — Rey Joble

Pelicans spoil Dirk’s night with OT win over Mavs

March 19, 2019 | 9:35 pm

LOS ANGELES — Dirk Nowitzki reached a milestone Monday, but his Dallas Mavericks teammates failed to make it a celebratory evening, blowing a four-point lead in the final 19.1 seconds of regulation as the visiting New Orleans Pelicans pulled out a 129-125 overtime victory.
Nowitzki made his first two shots, both trademark jumpers, in the opening four minutes to surpass Wilt Chamberlain as the NBA’s sixth-leading all-time scorer.
Dallas native Julius Randle finished with a game-high 30 points for New Orleans, and Elfrid Payton recorded his fifth consecutive triple-double with 19 points (11 coming in the fourth quarter and overtime), 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
Pelicans star Anthony Davis scored 20 points in just 21 minutes. He produced 14 points in 15 minutes in the first half. He didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter until there was 5.1 seconds left.
Frank Jackson drilled consecutive baskets in the final minute of overtime to secure the seesaw battle for New Orleans.
Dallas, which led by 10 at halftime, then trailed by nine early in the fourth quarter, reclaimed the lead 101-94 with a 14-0 run. The Mavs made it 109-105 with 19.1 seconds left in regulation on two free throws by Luca Doncic.
Payton hit a 3-pointer followed by Mavs guard Tim Hardaway Jr. lobbing an errant inbounds pass that led to a Julius Randle dunk and a 110-109 Pelicans lead with 5.1 seconds to play.
Then Doncic, fouled by a falling Kenrich Williams with 1.9 seconds to go, failed to win it when he missed his first free throw. He got the second one to tie the game. Randle had a good look on a baseline jumper for the win, but it banged off the side iron for overtime.
Nowitzki’s second 20-footer of the game with 8:35 to go in the first quarter pushed him ahead of Chamberlain’s 31,419 points. Nowitzki, in his 21^st season, all with Dallas, finished the game with eight points in 12 minutes to give the league’s highest-scoring European-born player 31,424 career points.
Doncic, despite the big missed free throw, notched his own triple-double with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Hardaway had 21 points but missed two big 3-point attempts on the same possession in overtime. — Reuters

Nowitzki passes Chamberlain for No. 6 on NBA scoring list

March 19, 2019 | 9:35 pm

DALLAS Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki knocked down his first two jumpers during a Monday night matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans to pass Wilt Chamberlain for the No. 6 spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Nowitzki hit the milestone early in the first quarter, making a 20-footer with 8:35 remaining in front of a sellout crowd at Dallas that was mostly on its feet in anticipation of the moment.
He entered the game needing four points to pass Chamberlain, who scored 31,419 career points and now has 31,424. Nowitzki spent several years as the sixth-leading scorer in NBA history before LeBron James passed him, Chamberlain and Michael Jordan earlier this season.
Nowitzki finished the game with eight points, all in the first half, in the Mavericks’ 129-125 overtime loss.
Nowitzki, 40, has yet to make a decision on whether or not he will retire, but he has been enjoying an unofficial farewell tour throughout the season.
The 21-year veteran missed the first 26 games of the season while rehabbing after left ankle surgery. Nowitzki began play Monday averaging 6.0 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in 2018-19.
The top five all-time NBA scorers are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387), Karl Malone (36,928), Kobe Bryant (33,643), James (32,439) and Michael Jordan (32,292). — Reuters

National U begins NBTC title defense with 90-point win

March 19, 2019 | 9:35 pm

NAZARETH School of National University-Manila did not miss a beat in its debut in the 2019 Chooks-to-Go NBTC League National Finals presented by SM, manhandling Isabela Colleges-Cauayan in a huge 135-45 win, Tuesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Terrence Fortea led the Bullpups’ balanced beatdown with 19 points on 4-of-11 shooting from downtown. Diminutive guard Steve Nash Enriquez also made the most of his 13 minutes on the floor with 17 markers on 7-of-10 shooting with two rebounds and two steals.
The defending national champions showed why they are the country’s best high school team as they pounced on Isabela with an early 37-4 barrage in the opening canto. National U kept its foot on the gas from then on, clinching a 50-point lead, 62-12, after a Reyland Torres fastbreak layup near the end of the first half.
They then pushed their gap up to 93 points in the final frame as 13 of 15 players breached the 10-minute mark in the runaway victory.
FilAm Sports USA also continued its dominant stretch, drubbing Perpetual Help JONELTA-Laguna, 86-55, in this tournament sponsored by Chooks-to-Go, Darlington-Exped Socks, EPSON, Huawei, Freego, Purefoods, Gatorade, Go for Gold, SM, Molten, and presented by 5Plus and Lighthouse Events.
Lanky forward Kainoa Ballungay had another great outing, leading the Fil-Ams with 24 points and 10 rebounds, including 11 markers in the first quarter alone. The 6-foot-7 swingman hailing from Ilocos Norte is averaging 21.5 points and 11 rebounds in two games so far in the tourney.
FilAm Sports now moves on to the Supreme 16 to face either Kai Sotto-led Ateneo or Lyceum-Cavite, which were playing as of press time.
Jeron Artest, son of NBA champion Metta World Peace, added 12 points in this one with 10 boards and 6 assists. Reigning FIBA Under-17 World Cup MVP Jalen Green, meanwhile, chipped in 11 markers and four dimes.
While the second day of this tournament had its fair share of blowout affairs, it also had a helping of thrilling finishes such as FEU-Manila outgunning St. Augustine-Pampanga, 90-86.
After being down by as many as 12 points, 57-69, in the third quarter, RJ Abarrientos woke up and dropped 16 of his 21 markers in the final frame. The lead guard went on a perfect 5-of-5 clip from downtown to help push the Baby Tamaraws onto the next round where they meet UAAP rival National U.
In Palm Coast Marina, Vance Caterbas scored the game-winning putback at the buzzer to lift Southern Philippine Colleges-Cagayan de Oro to a 69-67 stunner over AusPinoy Australia.
Calayan Educational Foundation-Lucena also shocked Team Italy Europe Proudly Pinoy with a 69-63 squeaker, as reigning NCAA champions Mapua University survived a late fightback from Zamboanga del Sur National High School Pagadian, 54-46.
The week-long tourney moves on to the Supreme 16 on Wednesday, still free of admission, with fans needing just a valid ID to enter the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The tournament semis and finals, alongside the annual All-Star Game, will be aired live on ESPN5. All games, from the seeding round to the championship round, will also be streamed live over at tv5.espn.com.

National Geographic’s Earth Day run set on April 14 at MOA grounds

March 19, 2019 | 9:34 pm

THE much-awaited annual run for Mother Earth in the country is to happen next month as National Geographic’s Earth Day run is to be staged once again.
Happening on April 14 at the Mall of Asia Open Grounds, this year’s edition of the run will have the theme “Planet or Plastic?”
The theme is in line with National Geographic’s multiyear initiative that aims to raise awareness on plastic pollution and reducing the amount of single-use plastic that enters in the world’s oceans.
Co-Presented by Immunomax, Earth Day Run 2019, now on its 10^th year of staging, is expected to attract 15,000 running enthusiasts participating in four race categories, namely, 3K, 5K, 10K and 21K.
“We are proud of how Earth Day Run has played a vital role in bringing awareness to environmental issues in the country. Now on our 10^th year, we are excited to once again share everyone’s passion in caring for one’s self and the environment as we run together for the planet. With this year’s theme Planet or Plastic?, we aim to raise awareness on the effects of single-use plastic and how important it is to take action today. It is our goal to make Earth Day Run a change driver with how people live their lives. By being more conscious of our actions and the footprint we leave behind, we re-commit and strengthen our promise to help and protect our planet.” said Charo Espedido, Director and Head of Marketing of FOX Networks Group Philippines.
Runners and event-goers at this year’s Earth Day activities in the Philippines will be encouraged to take the official Planet or Plastic? pledge to reduce their use of single-use plastic. No single-use plastics will be allowed at the event, as all runners are encouraged to use the reusable water bottles that will come with every race kit.
Apart from the Earth Day Run and the pledge, the Planet or Plastic? campaign comprises a number of actions leveraging the power of National Geographic’s media portfolio and expansive network. The organization-wide effort — being executed across multiple platforms in the months and years to come — will include major research and scientific initiatives; consumer education and engagement; updated internal corporate sustainability commitments; and innovative partnerships with like-minded corporations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all over the world.
For more information on the Earth Day Run and to sign up, visit www.natgeoearthdayrun.com. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Bianca Andreescu emerges as Canada’s next great hope for Grand Slam glory

March 19, 2019 | 9:34 pm

TORONTO — Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu’s Indian Wells triumph was not shown on television in her home country but that did not dampen the excitement across a nation where the future of women’s tennis is suddenly looking as bright as ever.
Andreescu enjoyed an unprecedented run in the California desert where the 18-year-old became the first wildcard to win the prestigious event that is widely regarded as the biggest tennis tournament outside of the four Grand Slams.
“A STAR IS BORN” screamed the front-page headline of The Toronto Star on Monday above a picture of a grinning Andreescu with her eyes closed and arms around the winner’s trophy.
The Canadian first made waves in January when she beat former world number ones Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams on consecutive nights in a tune-up event for the Australian Open.
But Andreescu took her game to another level in California where her Cinderella run included wins over five seeded players, including former world number one and three-times Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber in Sunday’s final.
The match, however, was not shown on TV in her homeland and many Canadians took to social media to blast the country’s all-sports networks for not securing broadcast rights to the event.
After becoming the first Canadian to win a WTA Premier Mandatory tournament, Andreescu reflected on the journey she took to reach the biggest moment of her career.
“A year ago, during this period, I had been struggling a lot with my tennis and with my body, too. So it’s crazy what a year can do,” Andreescu told reporters after her 6-4 3-6 6-4 win.
“I was playing 25Ks in Japan,” she said, referring to the WTA’s second-tier tournaments, “and now I’m the… champion of Indian Wells. It’s crazy. Crazy is the word of the tournament for me. Just crazy.”
The victory vaulted Andreescu to a dizzyingly high ranking of 24^th in the world, up 128 places since last December. It is even more remarkable considering she entered 2019 with a now-laughable goal of cracking the top 100 by year’s end.
Andreescu’s triumph even caught the attention of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who posted a congratulatory note on his Twitter account which she responded to by saying it is an honor to play for Canada. — Reuters

No easy road

March 19, 2019 | 9:32 pm

At the weekend Gilas Pilipinas and the entire nation finally got to know where the country will begin its FIBA Basketball World Cup campaign later this year after the official draw was made in Shenzhen, China.
Following the star-studded draw, attended by the likes of Kobe Bryant, Yao Ming and officials of the participating teams, it was known that the Philippines will play in Group D of the competition, along with Serbia, Italy and Angola.
Initially Gilas will try to end up in the top two of its grouping to advance to the next round of the tournament and hopefully continue humming after to go deeper.
The draw drew a mixed reactions from Filipino hoops fans, with some welcoming it as the Philippines having a better chance early while others leaving Gilas for doom, seeing the team as having no chance outright and was better off being grouped in a more “favorable” bunch.
For this space, I totally disagree with the latter sentiment, believing that at the World Cup there is no easy road regardless of where you end up.
At this stage you have 31 other teams which deserve to be in the tournament and would go all out to see their respective causes through.
It does not matter what one’s ranking in FIBA is, it is all about getting the wins right then there and delivering. Win or go home. Plain and simple.
I do believe, however, it could have been worse for Gilas, this notwithstanding that in Serbia (4^th), Italy (13^th) and Angola (39^th) we already have our hands full.
The Serbians will be a tall order for us, both literally and figuratively.
Against them we may be up against National Basketball Association stalwarts Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Boban Marjanovic of the Philadelphia Sixers, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nemnaja Bjelica of the Sacramento Kings, among others.
Serbia has been a force in global hoops of late, finishing runner-up in the last edition of the World Cup in 2014 in Spain and in the 2016 Rio Olympics apart from creating major waves in European basketball.
Italy is not doing bad either, banking on a good mix of young and veteran players.
The Azzurri could also feature veteran NBA campaigners in Danilo Gallinari (Los Angeles Clippers) and Marco Bellinelli (San Antonio Spurs) at the World Cup, providing a sure-fire tough challenge for the Philippines.
Angola, for its part, is not shabby as well despite Gilas up several rungs over it in the world rankings.
The Angolans were steady in the qualifiers with solid personnel with the likes of Yanick Moreira and Carlos Morais, leaving their spot in the World Cup spot sans any doubt.
Facing another tough road at the World Cup, it is primary for Gilas to really come in prepared for the competition.
Coach Yeng Guiao said that they intend to start preparations early, which is the way to go about it really.
They should also test their mettle against international competitions in the lead-up, maybe in the form of tune-up matches and not confine themselves training among themselves.
Composition is key as well. It does not have to be an “All-Star” roster but made up of players who can play in synch together on both ends.
If we can squeeze in enough height in the team without compromising balance the better considering the competition we will have.
Andray Blatche as naturalized player was splendid in our salvage job in the qualifiers and if he can keep such form or even improve on it the better for us if ever he is called up anew.
The possibility of maybe having the likes of Filipino-American NBA player Jordan Clarkson and US collegiate player Remy Martin should also be looked at as well if they could help in the final makeup of the squad.
While the road for us in the World Cup is anything but easy, that should not deter us from going for it. All to gain and nothing to lose if you are to look at it. Laban lang Pilipinas!

Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.
msmurillo@bworldonline.com

Lakers with James

March 19, 2019 | 9:31 pm

Just before the Lakers faced the Rockets in their first game after the All-Star break, LeBron James announced to all and sundry that he would be on afterburners for the remainder of the season. “It’s been activated,” he said, turning to a word he had hitherto used in reference to how his intensity level seemed to ramp up in the playoffs. The difference, of course, was that he wasn’t anywhere near the postseason yet. In fact, he was in danger of missing it altogether for the first time since 2005, what with the purple and gold at 28-29 and presumably requiring him to put his nose to the proverbial grindstone in order to avert the possibility.
As things turned out, the Lakers did forge victory against the Rockets, and in dramatic fashion to boot. They had to overcome a 19-point deficit en route to protecting home court against last year’s conference finalists, in the process wiping the stigma off their immediate past defeat against the lowly Hawks. Unfortunately, any confidence they may have picked up from the outcome have proven short-lived; since then, they’ve prevailed only twice in 12 outings, putting them closer to the bottom of the West than to a playoff berth.
Considering how the Lakers have fared, James’ “activated” pronouncement has rightly been viewed with skepticism. Critics have been all over him, wondering why there is a dichotomy in the first place. Shouldn’t the switch always be on? And granting that it isn’t, what does that make of his vaunted LeBron 2.0 Mode given the swoon that followed, anyway? To be sure, it would be unfair to pin the blame wholly on him when they were on track to begin the first round of the playoffs at Staples Center before his freak Christmas Day injury derailed their seemingly steady climb.
Nonetheless, James is James, and in the manner that he garnered accolades with his previous exploits carrying overmatched teams to remarkable runs, he deserves blame for failing to do the same with the Lakers. And, certainly, the optics generated by new lows don’t help. Yesterday, for instance, he snatched defeat from the throes of triumph in coming up with his worst fourth-quarter showing of all time. It wasn’t simply that he went four of 15 from the field in the payoff period against the Knicks, holders of the league’s worst record off the league’s worst defense; he canned zero of six to close the match, and his potential game winner was blocked by a journeyman scrub with tons of experience riding the pine.
James was frustrated in the aftermath, and with reason. Including yesterday’s stinker, the Lakers are embarrassed owners of a 31-39 slate, the exact same one they had this time last year. It’s as if his presence hasn’t mattered — not quite the narrative he’s looking for to bolster his greatest-of-all-time cause. For all his current failures, though, he still has something to turn to: opportunity. He can close the season strong, and then go through the next with purpose from the get-go. Nope, he doesn’t need to get anything “activated.” He just needs to be himself. And the sooner he realizes it, the faster he can move on.

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

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