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The future of our children

To honor its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Congress on July 2005 passed Republic Act No. 9344, otherwise known as the “Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.” In its Declaration of State Policy, Congress discussed how the State recognizes “the right of every child alleged as, accused of, adjudged, or recognized as having infringed the penal law to be treated in a manner consistent with the promotion of the child’s sense of dignity and worth, taking into account the child’s age and desirability of promoting his/her reintegration.”

Hence, under R.A. 9344, children 15 years of age or under were exempted from criminal liability, subject to an intervention program as outlined in the said law; while children above 15 years of age but below 18 years were likewise exempted from criminal liability unless they acted with discernment.

Almost fifteen years later, the Philippines House of Representatives startled the nation when it sought the passage of House Bill 8858 (HB 8858), lowering the age of criminal responsibility for the commission of crimes to 12 years old. The child would however be subjected to an intervention program under Section 20 of R.A. 9344, which will also be amended to read “that a child who is above twelve years of age up to fifteen (15) years of age and who commits parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention where the victim is killed or raped, robbery with homicide or rape, destructive arson, rape, or carnapping where the driver or occupant is killed or raped or offenses under Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) punishable by more than twelve (12) years of imprisonment, shall be deemed a neglected child under Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended, and shall be mandatorily placed in a special facility within the youth care facility or ‘Bahay Pag-asa’ called the Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center (IJISC).”

Under HB 8858, the Department of Social Welfare and Development will be tasked with the building, funding and operations of these Bahay Pag-Asa, while the respective local government units already operating and maintaining these centers shall continue to retain management of the same, unless the latter opts to yield management to the DSWD.

Further, to deter perpetrators from using children for the commission of crimes, HB 8858 seeks to impose a stiffer penalty on any person who, in the commission of a crime, makes use, takes advantage, or profits from the use, of a child. Such person and anyone who abuses his/her authority over the child, shall be punished by reclusion temporal (12 years to 20 years) if the crime committed is punishable by imprisonment of six (6) years or less, and by reclusion perpetua (20-40 years) if the crime committed is punishable by imprisonment of more than six (6) years.

Subsequent to the passage of HB 8858, the Senate likewise approved Senate Bill 1298 (SB 1298), which concurs with the lowering of the age of criminal responsibility to twelve (12) years old, as well as the provision of stiffer penalties for perpetrators who utilize or coerce children to commit any crime.

SB 1298, however, emphasizes that the allocations necessary for building, funding and operating the Bahay Pag-Asa must be included in the budget of the DSWD in the annual general appropriations act. In addition, children committed to a Bahay Pag-Asa may be released to the child’s parent, guardian or foster parent upon order by a court, and after a comprehensive study conducted by the DSWD.

These recent developments in the separate bodies of Congress have once again stirred debates among members of society. While some believe that the passage of these bills into law is a step backwards from our commitment to uphold the welfare of children, others also believe that the lowering of the age of criminal responsibility is necessary, given what appears to be increasing incidents of crimes being committed by children in conflict with the law. In addition, there is an equally valid concern that the Bahay Pag-Asa we have at present are in reality incapable of meeting the desired goal of reformation of these committed children, owing largely to the lack of facilities.

While several months have passed since the approval of HB 8858 and SB 1298, the upcoming elections appear to have forestalled any development in the passage of a singular bill to finally be voted on by Congress. Whether the next Congress picks up on these bills remains to be seen, but it appears that at the moment, people who are for or against the lowering of the age of criminal responsibility may still have the opportunity to determine the kind of Congress they would want to decide on such crucial matters for the next few years.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not offered as and does not constitute legal advice or legal opinion.

 

Emiko Antonette T. Escovilla is an Associate of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices – Davao Branch (ACCRALAW). She is currently training with the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department at ACCRALAW Head Office in Taguig City.

etescovilla@accralaw.com

(632) 830-8000

Ramboterte

First, Malacañang spokesman Salvador Panelo described as “futile” the recent complaint against Chinese President Xi Jingping filed by former foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales over China’s transgressions in the West Philippine Sea. Now, President Rodrigo Duterte has issued a blunt warning to his erstwhile friend to back off from Pagasa Island or else he will order “suicide missions” against the obviously superior Chinese forces.

The Duterte warning comes after he received reports that over 200 Chinese vessels have begun to apply its “cabbage” tactic against Pagasa, with the apparent objective of choking the Philippine presence on the island.

Duterte, who has insisted that he still wants to remain friends with China, declared, “I will not plead or beg, but I am just telling you that lay off the Pag-asa because I have soldiers there.”

The news has been carried by international media and has been described as the first time Duterte has been this blunt to the Chinese over territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.

Duterte added, “If you touch it (Pagasa), that’s another story. Then I will tell my soldiers ‘prepare for suicide missions.’”

You might call them the Rambotertes.

Of course, the reason for describing an armed conflict with the Chinese as suicidal is because of the obvious superiority of China’s military. The fate of the Rambotertes could be worse than that of the Fallen Forty-four.

But why has Duterte changed his tune?

Has Duterte finally realized that he is being regarded as full of hot air because of his passivity towards the Chinese in contrast to his fire and thunder rhetoric against his political opponents and his undiplomatic language against his international critics? Or is it because he wants to gain brownie points in the forthcoming elections with voters who have begun to doubt his strongman persona?

Or is it because he has been reassured of US military support in case of an armed conflict with the Chinese? In a recent visit to Manila, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reportedly gave the assurance that the US will come to the Philippines’ aid in case of an armed attack by the Chinese. Pompeo was clearly referring to the tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

Observers believe the reasons for Duterte’s bluntness are all of the above. Duterte’s popularity with his base has been mainly due to his tough guy stance. Even his visual symbol is a clenched fist. But his fawning attitude towards the Chinese has increasingly been described by his critics as cowardice – and that apparently is the one thing that hurts Duterte’s macho ego.

To be realistic, the Philippines has a puny military compared to the Chinese and our country would be like a little mouse roaring at the dragon. But critics have demanded that, as the leader of a sovereign nation, Duterte should at very least defend our rights in the proper international forums. Which was what then President Benigno Aquino III and then Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario did, and which was what Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has repeatedly urged Duterte to do.

But Duterte did the opposite when he disregarded the ruling of the international maritime tribunal that China’s claims had no legal basis. Duterte’s apologists have tried to justify this by claiming that ruffling the feathers of the Chinese would jeopardize negotiations for economic aid and infrastructure loans.

But even this rationale has worn thin because of China’s allegedly predatory lending tactics which have resulted in its taking over facilities of countries that have had difficulty paying back development loans.

With his rationalizations becoming less and less defensible, Duterte may have found something to fall back on with the recent reassurance given by Pompeo. Added to this have been the continuing activities of the U.S. navy in the South China Sea, which the Chinese have characterized as increasing tensions in the area.

Just recently, naval forces of the U.S. and the United Kingdom conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea. The Chinese have been unable to do anything about this not-so-subtle warning that there are superior military powers that can make them behave.

The Americans have made it clear that they intend to exercise freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. They are, in a manner of speaking, placing a chip on their shoulder and daring the Chinese to knock it off. At this point, Beijing knows better than to take on the 7th Fleet.

Of course this is not necessarily because of America’s fondness for the Philippines. The South China Sea lanes are of utmost political, military and economic importance to the US and the Americans won’t be deprived of the freedom to navigate the area.

US military officials have expressed growing concern over China’s increasing military might. They know that China is raring to reclaim Taiwan, as well as take over the entire South China Sea area, but they do not believe that China has the capability at this point in time. However, the Chinese are famous for biding their time.

But what could force the hand of the Chinese military is an armed conflict with the Philippines over Pagasa. If Duterte makes good his threat to dispatch suicide missions to defend Philippine sovereignty, the Chinese dragon may have to think twice about crushing the pesky Pinoy mouse.

But the Chinese will have to worry about an American military reaction to such a conflict. Thus, any action that the Chinese may take against the Philippines will have to be “measured” and “calculated.”

The “cabbage” tactic — which is a process of wrapping up the disputed territories like several layers of cabbage leaves — is precisely such a measured and calculated move. If Duterte’s Rambotertes suddenly strike at the Chinese vessels in a suicide or surprise attack, the Chinese can pretend to be the victims of unprovoked violence and will claim the right to “defend” themselves.

The question is, will the US consider such a “defensive” move an “attack” on the Philippines?

This may be a game of chess or Chinese checkers or sungka. Whoever makes the first violent move will be construed as the “attacker.” In such a case, a suicide mission may not be advisable.

What may be advisable is for Duterte (accompanied by Ping Lacson, perhaps) to make an official trip to Pagasa and celebrate Philippine independence day there, complete with a flag raising ceremony.

Better yet, have Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as a guest of honor. Or, at least, US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim. Bets can be safely placed that the Chinese can only seethe with frustration over this. But they won’t dare do more than that. Dragons can get scared too.

Come to think of it, Duterte may also want to invite the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines to the event.

 

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

Four teams dispute last two PBA semifinal spots

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE quarterfinal phase of the PBA Philippine Cup concludes today with a pair of rubber matches to determine the last two cast members in the semifinals of the season-opening Philippine Basketball Association tournament.

Set at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the defending champions San Miguel Beermen, TNT KaTropa, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings and Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok angle to punch their way into the next round.

The Beermen collide with the KaTropa at 4:30 p.m. while the Kings battle the Hotshots at 7 p.m.

San Miguel had its chance to sweep its best-of-three affair with TNT but could not fend off a resilient challenge from the KaTropa in Game Two on Monday, to fall, 93-88, and be forced to a rubber match.

Five-time league most valuable player June Mar Fajardo had a monster double-double of 26 points and 19 rebounds but it was not enough to tow his team to the win.

“It’s a do-or-die Game Three for both teams now. It will be tough for us since TNT is playing well especially on defense. But we will make the adjustments. We hope to have a better start than the first two games and avoid playing catch-up all the time,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria after their Game Two loss.

Christian Standhardinger finished with 18 points for the Beermen while guards Alex Cabagnot and Terrence Romeo added 16 and 12 points, respectively, in their loss.

For TNT, while it is happy to have forced the do-or-die match, it knows it is not out of the woods yet and work is still needed for the team to move past the Beermen.

“We just tied the series and nothing to celebrate just yet,” TNT coach Bong Ravena underscored in the postgame press conference after Game Two.

“San Miguel played well tonight but we were lucky that some of our outside shots went in, something that was lacking last time around. Our defense also held its own and hopefully we get to sustain that in the next game,” he added.

Roger Pogoy top-scored for TNT in Game Two with 20 markers with Jayson Castro adding 19 points and nine assists.

Troy Rosario finished with 15 points and drained a key three-pointer late in the game that gave his team breathing room to run to the victory.

MANILA CLASICO
Meanwhile, the “Manila Clasico” quarterfinals between Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia continue with the latter looking to build on their huge 106-77 victory in Game Two and complete a come-from-behind series win after falling a game down early.

“We have tied the series and the good thing about it, too, was that we played our brand of basketball unlike the first game where we played poorly as a team. I like our chances. We said we wanted to have chance to compete and we are here now,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.

“For Game Three, we will prepare hard to go all the way,” he added.

Ian Sangalang paced the Hotshots in Game Two with 21 points with Robbie Herndon adding 18 points.

Jio Jalalon had a brilliant all-around game of 17 points, six assists, six rebounds and five steals. Mark Barroca and Paul Lee each had 13 in a balanced attack by Magnolia.

For Barangay Ginebra, the order business is to bounce back after a tough and biting loss.

“We weren’t able to match up with them throughout the game. We came close a couple of times but they found ways to pound on us. For Game Three we have to get everybody involved and bring the intensity. It is do-or-die for both teams so we should expect 100% effort from the two teams,” said Kings big man Greg Slaughter on what happened to them in Game Two and what they need to do in today’s game.

Mr. Slaughter struggled to just five points last time around for Barangay Ginebra, which only had Sol Mercado scoring in double digits with 13 points.

UST Tigresses go for key win over Lady Maroons

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses look to fortify their bid for a spot in the Final Four of UAAP Season 81 with a victory today over the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons.

Currently at joint third place with a 7-4 record with the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, UST will create further separation from the chasing pack if it comes out triumphant in their University Athletic Association of the Philippines match against UP at 4 p.m. at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.

The Tigresses are coming off a three-sets win over the University of the East Lady Warriors, 25-20, 25-20 and 25-16, last Saturday.

A win over UP would put UST in a good position to advance to the next round of Season 81 while dealing a big blow to the playoff hopes of the Lady Maroons, who are outside looking in right now with a 6-5 card, good for fifth place.

Versus UE, top rookie Eya Laure led the way for the Tigresses, finishing with 14 points.

Graduating player Sisi Rondina had 11 while Ysabel Jimenez and KC Galdones finished with 10 and eight points, respectively.

“It was a good result for us. Other players stepped up today and it’s a good sign for us as it means we can rely on them moving forward,” said UST coach Emilio “Kung-fu” Reyes after their victory over UE.

The Lady Maroons, for their part, are practically fighting for their tournament lives as a loss could well be the difference in advancing to the Final Four or not.

UP did not help its cause with a four-sets loss to FEU on Saturday, 25-21, 19-25, 25-23 and 25-22, which dropped it outside of the playoff picture.

Tots Carlos led the Lady Maroons with 22 points, followed by Justine Dorog who had 15.

Injured Isa Molde tried to make it a go last time around but played limited time.

The Lady Maroons said they are not yet losing hope and will try to make the most of the three games they now have left to make it to the Final Four.

Playing in the first game at 2 p.m., meanwhile, are FEU (7-4) and National University Lady Bulldogs (3-8) with the former, like UST, looking to win that would pad its playoff cause.

In separate news, Kat Tolentino of the league-leading Ateneo Lady Eagles was named UAAP player of the week.

Tolentino played a key part in Ateneo’s twin wins last week that allowed the Lady Eagles to secure a Final Four spot, the first team to do so in the ongoing season.

She averaged 12 points against FEU and National University, in that order, to earn her second player of the year award.

In winning the plum, given by media covering the league, Tolentino bested teammate Deanna Wong and FEU’s Heather Guino-o.

ONE Championship: Filipino Joshua Pacio seeks to bounce back, recapture title

FORMER ONE CHAMPIONSHIP strawweight champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio of the Philippines makes his cage return later this week, barely three months since losing his title, with the intent of going back on top.

Mr. Pacio (13-3) of Team Lakay reengages with now-champion Yosuke “Tobizaru” Saruta (19-8-3) of Japan in the co-main event for “ONE: Roots of Honor” on April 12 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Main event for the latest Manila show of ONE Championship is the featherweight title clash between reigning champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Australia and former champ Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia.

The upcoming strawweight title clash is generating much interest especially after how Mr. Saruta won the title, by way of a controversial split decision that many thought, including ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, should have gone the other way around, prompting the immediate rematch between Mr. Pacio and the Japanese champion.

The circumstances of the fight only motivate him some more, said Mr. Pacio, and he now looks to churning out a convincing win to bring the title back to the Philippines and his team.

“I hope to showcase the things that I wasn’t able to show last January. I need to be more aggressive, especially being the challenger. I’m hungry to prove myself again and bounce back,” said Mr. Pacio, alluding to his tough loss in January in Jakarta, Indonesia.

While he is confident heading into the rematch, the Filipino mixed martial arts fighter said nothing but his best across all fronts is required if he is to ascend anew to the top of his division.

“Now I need to focus even more, I need to be more confident. From what I saw in our last bout, my confidence was really low, and now I need to be more confident than ever,” said the 23-year-old Pacio.

Adding, “I’m excited and even more motivated because the rematch will happen here in the Philippines. I must admit that there’s a bit of an added pressure on my part to perform, but at the same time, the hunger and the will to win far outweigh that.”

Other Filipinos seeing action at Roots of Honor are Team Lakay’s Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly against South Korea’s Sung Jong Lee in a featherweight clash and Eric “The Natural” Kelly versus Korean Kwon Won Il.

Strawweight Ramon Gonzales is also on tap against Japanese Akihiro Fujisawa.

ONE: Roots of Honor will be shown live over the ONE mobile app and in the Philippines over ABS-CBN S+A, beginning at 8:30 p.m., and iWant Sports. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Jr. NBA Philippines holds regional camp in Butuan

AFTER setting a new attendance record last year, Butuan City will host the Jr. NBA Philippines presented by Alaska Mindanao Regional Selection Camp for the second consecutive year at the Fr. Saturnino Urios University on April 13-14. The league’s youth basketball participation program returns to the Caraga region to teach basketball fundamentals and impart core values of the game to boys and girls ages 10-14.

Participants will be trained by Jr. NBA coaches led by Carlos Barroca of the NBA and PBA Legend Jeffrey Cariaso.

Tipping off on April 13, Saturday, at 7:00 a.m., the two-day event will provide players a series of fundamental basketball drills measuring proficiency in dribbling, passing, shooting, lay-ups and footwork.

Top performers will advance to April 14, Sunday,to experience advanced basketball instruction and participate in team exercises and scrimmages.

Boys and girls will vie for slots to represent Mindanao in the Jr. NBA Philippines National Training Camp in Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati on May 17-19, which will include aspiring Jr. NBA players from the Regional Selection Camps in Benguet, Lucena, Dumaguete, and the final camp in Metro Manila on April 27-28, and the Alaska Power Camp.

As many as five boys and five girls will compose the 2019 Jr. NBA Philippines All-Stars that will participate in the first Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia Pacific Selection Camp, a week-long selection camp in June with top youth players from North Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.

In addition, the top performing 10 boys and 10 girls will represent Asia Pacific in the second Jr. NBA Global Championship held Aug. 6-11 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. The international event will feature talented youth from the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, China, Mexico, Africa, India and the Asia-Pacific.

Jr. NBA Philippines 2019 is presented by Alaska, with AXA, Gatorade, Globe, Panasonic, Rexona, and Vivo as official partners. ABS-CBN S+A, Basketball TV and NBA Premium TV are the official broadcasters of Jr. NBA Philippines.

Participants can register for the Jr. NBA program online at www.jrnba.asia/philippines, and follow Jr. NBA on Facebook and the NBA at www.nba.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

This year’s 7-Eleven Tour attracts 3,000 cyclists

OVER 3,000 professional and recreational cyclists joined one of the largest bike events of the year, the 7-Eleven Tour 2019 which took place last April 7.

The event saw elite and weekend cyclists bike from Clark Global City passing through Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), then to Subic and back.

7-Eleven Tour 2019 drew cyclists of all ages, from as young as 16 years of age to cyclists as old as 75 years.

Participants raced on either the 48-kilometer or 106-kilometer course.

Each course posed different challenges depending on the skill level of the participant, and though the route was quite difficult at times, participants of the 7-Eleven Tour 2019 enjoyed the scenic views in Central Luzon as they passed through via the SCTEX.

The 48-kilometer category’s turnaround point was in Floridablanca in Pampanga while the 106-kilometer category’s turnaround point was in Tipo in Zambales.

Mark John Galedo was named the overall winner of the 7-Eleven Tour 2019.

He finished with a time of 2 hours, 29 minutes, and 48 seconds, taking home a P20,000 cash prize.

Meanwhile, Michael Jan Farre and Rench Michael Bondoc clinched the second and third spots, both clocking in at 2 hours, 29 minutes and 53 seconds.

VIBRANT CYCLING COMMUNITY
“We are heartened by the outcome of Tour 2019,” Philippine Seven Corporation President and CEO Jose Victor Paterno said.

“This is a testament to the vibrant cycling community here in the Philippines, one we have proudly supported over the years. We believe that events such as the 7-Eleven Tour 2019 contribute greatly to the training of professional cyclists and the discovery of young and up-and-coming athletes that can hopefully bring greater pride to our country. Aside from this, the event is the perfect opportunity for recreational cyclists to have an enjoyable ride while taking in the sights of Central Luzon,” Mr. Paterno added.

The 7-Eleven Tour was made possible in partnership with NLEX, SCTEX, and Clark Global City.

Rose ticks all the boxes for a Green Jacket at Masters

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA — World number one Justin Rose is the man to beat at this week’s Masters, where recent history suggests the sport’s heavyweights will populate the leader board by Sunday at a major championship that is more predictable than any other.

Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy is the second favorite from a formidable European contingent, while Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas are the best American bets, even if Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will loom larger in the public imagination.

There has been no long-shot winner at Augusta National since 69th-ranked Angel Cabrera collected the Green Jacket in 2009, though even the Argentine’s victory was far from a huge shock given his pedigree as a US Open champion two years earlier.

Nobody ranked outside the top 30 in the world has won since then, and even Patrick Reed, though not one of the favorites last year, was still ranked a healthy 24th and not a completely unexpected champion.

An Augusta winner must be able to draw his driver, fade his irons from hanging lies and have the artistry to hit great recovery shots. He must also be on form and mentally resilient.

Englishman Rose ticks all these boxes.

It is almost as if Augusta National was designed with him in mind.

He has finished top-15 each of the past five years, including a pair of runner-up finishes, most notably a playoff loss to Sergio Garcia in 2017.

Rose has been a machine from tee to green at Augusta, and if the putter cooperates it will take a mighty performance from someone else to beat him.

But to win, he will have to put out of his mind the thought that the clock is ticking.

Though playing as well as ever at age 38, Rose cannot realistically expect too many more chances.

MCILROY IN FORM OF HIS CAREER
Waiting to pounce could be McIlroy, though he too has plenty of pressure as he tries to complete the career grand slam at a tournament where he wilted in the final round last year after starting three strokes behind Reed.

McIlroy’s stock drive is a right-to-left draw, ideal for Augusta, and he has been working with his irons on hitting the soft, high fade that is required with many approach shots.

He has been the best player in the world in 2019 and top-10 finishes the past five years is all the proof needed to be confident he will be in contention again.

However, can he expunge the demons from last year’s collapse and take the final step to the pinnacle?

World number two Johnson is also in sizzling form. His game is not a perfect match for Augusta, but he is good enough to win anywhere, anytime.

The same goes for Thomas.

Others capable of victory include Europeans Francesco Molinari, Jon Rahm, Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood, and Americans Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson.

Australians Adam Scott, Jason Day and Marc Leishman, and South African Louis Oosthuizen are also capable.

It would be foolish to write off 43-year-old Woods and 48-year-old Mickelson given their respective records at Augusta, where the former has won four times and the latter three.

That said, time waits for no man and age is not on their side.

A victory would make Mickelson the oldest Masters champion, supplanting Jack Nicklaus, who was 46 when he won in 1986, while Woods would become the second-oldest champion.

A victory by either would be monumental, but a herd of lean and hungry young bucks stand in the way, none of them interested in letting a couple of middle-aged guys steal the show.

Even if those middle-aged guys have seven Green Jackets between them. — Reuters

Fuel Masters are legit contenders

For the first time in its young Philippine Basketball Association history the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters are in the semifinals of a league tournament.

After making short work of the Alaska Aces in the quarterfinals of the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup, the Fuel Masters assured themselves of a spot in the Final Four.

It was continuation of what has been a solid campaign for Phoenix to date that also saw it topping the elimination round with a 9-2 record to earn the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, which it found no need to use as it eliminated eighth-seeded Alaska at the first instance.

And the thing about this run by the Fuel Masters, it seems like they are not yet done.

Never mind if in the semifinals they could either face the San Miguel Beermen or TNT KaTropa, the traditional powerhouse teams in the PBA, they have been playing well and have positioned themselves as legit contenders.

Key for the team in the ongoing tournament is the firm grip it has on what it is a team, allowing it more fluidity of play on both ends of the court.

Credit should be given to coach Louie Alas and the rest of the Phoenix think tank for fostering a system where everybody can flourish and contribute.

Confidence, as exemplified by the triumvirate of Calvin Abueva, Matthew Wright and Jason Perkins, has done wonders for the team as well.

Abueva has given team the spunk it needed since joining the team last season, this is apart from his solid numbers of 15.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals and a block a game to help Phoenix take any challenge head-on in the Philippine Cup.

Wright has been steady as well for 18.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 4.6 apg while Perkins (13 ppg and 7.9 rpg), last season’s rookie of the year, has been rising some more in his second year.

Through the lead of the three, the rest of team is also responding.

Guys like Justin Chua, RJ Jazul, Alex Mallari, LA Revilla, Dave Marcelo, Jaypee Mendoza and Doug Kramer never fail to contribute each time they are fielded in on the court.

With more legs to draw a sustained fight from, the sight of a team that gets rattled or has it eyes wide open when a difficult challenge stares it on the face is no longer the case for Phoenix.

When you punch, the Fuel Masters punch. When you kick, they kick back.

That has been the case for the team in its first 12 games as they churn out an impressive .833 winning percentage.

At this point, it is anybody’s guess how far Phoenix would go in the Philippine Cup. But it has made a strong claim at going deeper up to this stage of the competition. Legit contenders, you say? Sure the Fuel Masters are.

 

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

msmurillo@bworldonline.com

Unpredictable Masters

It’s never easy to predict winners in golf, and it’s infinitely harder at the Masters. Forget about the points system the organized tour has had in place since 1986; only four times in the history of the sport’s preeminent tournament has the designated World Number One managed to claim the coveted Green Jacket. Not coincidentally, Tiger Woods was the last to do so; in 2002, he succeeded in defending his title as the prohibitive favorite. And not coincidentally, his odds are pegged at 12/1, the same as that of current rankings pacesetter Justin Rose.

To be sure, form has as much to do with oddsmakers’ assessments as function. Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson are seen to be in the best position to excel given their recent performances, followed by Rose. That said, Woods’s addition to the mix seems to be more a reflection of both sentiment and experience; his sterling resume backstopped by undeniable knowledge of Augusta National’s challenging fairways and greens make him a certified threat. The same with two-time winner Jordan Spieth, whose inconsistency of late is seen to be offset by his familiarity with the layout.

It bears, noting, though, that the Masters is nothing if not unpredictable. It’s why final-nine charges have been a staple, and why proceedings have invariably made for compelling, edge-of-seat fare. Patrick Reed, last year’s winner, was not a pre-event name being bandied to contend. Neither was he a popular choice, given his penchant for courting controversy with seemingly unsportsmanlike actions. And yet he delivered in the clutch, no doubt drawing on his me-against-everybody-else mindset to silence naysayers.

Which, in the end, proves one thing: When it comes to guessing the outcome, it’s always safest to choose the field. And for all the wattage of those angling for a podium finish, they’re winding up second, anyway. Augusta National’s the star. Always has been, and always will be.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.

Peso seen moving sideways versus dollar

THE PESO may edge sideways for the rest of the week.

THE PESO is seen to move sideways against the dollar for the rest of the week due to mixed signals locally and abroad.

On Monday, the peso declined to P52.14 versus the greenback from Friday’s P52.10 finish following the better-than-expected jobs report in the United States.

In an e-mail, a market analyst said the dollar is seen to move sideways with an upward bias on Wednesday until the end of the week “amid mixed signals” domestically and offshore.

“Locally, the softer-than-expected inflation for March 2019…gives the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) more room to cut policy rates this year and accelerate the reduction in the reserve requirement ratio,” the analyst said.

Last week, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that inflation was at 3.3% in March, marking the fifth straight month of easing and slower than the 3.8% print in February.

Market participants said the slower inflation print last month gives the central bank leeway to adjust key interest rates and big banks’ reserve requirements.

However, BSP officials said the central bank still needs to be cautious in setting interest rates in the context of a global economic slowdown as well as the El Niño episode.

“Likewise, in the US and the Eurozone, developments are expected to amplify dovish policy expectations and fuel concerns on slowing global growth,” the analyst added.

The European Central Bank is expected to affirm its view of steady policy rates this year, as it might continue to flag concerns on slowing growth.

On the other hand, the minutes of the March meeting of the US Federal Reserve as well as speeches of various central bank officials might echo a dovish tone.

During their March meeting, the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee opted to keep federal funds rate steady, signalling that no more rate hikes will be coming for the rest of the year.

According to a Reuters poll taken last month, the US Federal Reserve is done raising interest rates until at least the end of next year. Economists gave a 40%chance of at least one rate cut by end-2020.

For this week, the analyst expects the peso to move between P51.90 and P52.60, while a foreign currency trader gave a P52-P52.50 range. — KANV with Reuters

Shares seen sideways as market hunts for leads

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter

SHARES MAY continue trading sideways this week as investors wait for new leads that could help lift sentiment.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) climbed 0.53% or 42.45 points to close at 7,915.63 on Monday, marking its second day in positive territory.

Turnover remained thin at P5.40 billion on Monday, slightly higher than the previous session’s P5.04 billion.

Market breadth on Monday was on the positive side with 107 advancers versus 91 losers, while 50 names ended flat. Foreign investors have been on net buying mode for two straight sessions, posting net purchases of P496.59 million on Monday.

Financial markets were closed yesterday for the Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) holiday.

“Moving forward, the local market may move sideways for the remainder of the week still under thin trading. We don’t have much local catalysts so investors would be looking offshore for clues this week,” Philstocks Financial, Inc. Research Associate Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco said in a mobile phone message.

Mr. Tantiangco pointed to the release of the minutes of the US Federal Reserve’s meeting last March 19 to 20, as well as the result of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) policy review.

“Both of these will provide hints on the direction of the global monetary condition which is highly considered in equity markets,” he explained.

The minutes will show how the Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates steady this year, while hinting at one increase in 2020. This is amid fears about the health of the US economy.

Meanwhile, the ECB will hold its policy meeting on Wednesday, which analysts expect to be uneventful except for speculations that ECB President Mario Draghi may introduce a tiered deposit system to lessen the impact of negative rates on banks.

Happening on the same day as the ECB policy meet is the European Union (EU) summit, which is set to discuss Brexit. The EU will also be holding a summit with China to discuss trade relations.

Locally, investors will be watching out for the release of February trade balance data on April 11, Thursday.

Wall Street indices were mixed on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down by 0.32% or 87.93 points to close at 26,341.02. The S&P 500 index gained 3.03 points or 0.10% to 2,895.77, while the Nasdaq Composite index added 15.19 points or 0.19% to 7,953.88.

“Trading resumes on Wednesday after [Tuesday]’s holiday — movement should be taken from how US markets move the next two nights,” Papa Securities Corp. Sales Associate Gabriel Jose F. Perez said in an e-mail.

The PSEi is set to have another shortened trading period next week, as investors pause for the Holy Week break on April 18, Thursday, and April 19, Friday.

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