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Shipping firms sign up for weekend scheme to reduce container inventory

THE Manila International Container Port (MICP) said international shipping lines have signed on to a scheme to decongest the ports by increasing their weekend loading of empty containers for re-export, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) said in a statement.
The scheme covers users of the MICP, which is operated by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) and is intended to bring yard utilization to “ideal levels” and resolve “the recurring issue on the difficulty in returning empty containers.”
It said MICP district collector Erastus Sandino B. Austria concluded the agreement with Evergreen Shipping Agency, Wan Hai Lines, CMA-CGM/APL, Ben Line Agencies, Cosco Shipping Lines, KMTC, Hyundai Merchant Marine, TMS Ship Agencies, One Network Express, Yang Ming Shipping, SITC Container Lines, OOCL and Namsung Shipping.
The shippers agreed to bring out an extra 100 to 1,800 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers on weekends, starting March 9 and 10.
The scheme will be supported by the availability to participants of additional weekend double-tansaction slots — a feature of the port booking system that supports and incentivizes the subsequent export of imported containers.
In the statement, ICTSI was quoted as saying that few containers are returned for export, while the shipping firms undertook to persuade their clients to return more containers.
At the meeting with shippers, Mr. Austria was quoted as saying that many ships had more capacity available to take on empty containers.
“On average, far less than 2,000 empty TEUs are loaded for export in a 24-hour cycle,” Mr. Austria said. “That is an unacceptable number.”
The BoC said the scheme could raise MICP’s weekly total of empty containers loaded into outgoing ships to 17,500 TEUs from current levels of about 10,000, which it described as the “high average” level.

DA flags prospect of European coco oil orders

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said the representative of an Austrian-registered firm which controls a distribution network in Eastern Europe is currently inspecting coconut oil mills in southern Luzon to explore the possibility of producing coconut products for export.
“Monaco-based Russian businessman Igor Malyshkov firmed up his Coconut Oil and Products Supply agreement last night (Tuesday night) with the Coconut Industry Investment Fund Oil Mill Group (CIIF-OMG),” Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said in a social media post on Wednesday.
“Tomorrow, Malyshkov will travel to Mulanay, Quezon to inspect a mothballed Southern Luzon Coconut Oil Mill and to the San Pablo Oil Mill in Batangas, which produces coconut oil products under the Minola brand name,” Mr. Piñol added.
“Malyshkov said he will consider leasing the mothballed oil milling facility in anticipation of huge demand for coconut products once it is introduced to Eastern European consumers.”
The official Philippine News Agency on Monday identified Mr. Malyshkov as representing Arteks Generation, an Austrian-registered company that can distribute product across 5,000 outlets. The report said Arteks is also interested in importing palm oil and pineapple.
Mr. Piñol claimed that Mr. Malyshkov can tap a distribution network of 15,000 outlets. He did not explain the discrepancy with the earlier report.
The report said Mr. Malyshkov also represents BANEX Group, with offices in Moscow and Ecuador, which is exploring the possibility of sourcing banana products from a site of about 7,000 hectares in the Bangsamoro region. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

Decoding the revised Corporation Code (Part II)

In the first part of this article on the revised Corporation Code of the Philippines, I mentioned that directors may now be elected by stockholders through remote communication and in absentia if allowed in the by-laws or approved by majority of the board of directors. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will issue rules and regulations to govern the manner of participation through these means. In consonance with this, the by-laws should now mention the allowable modes by which stockholders and directors may attend meetings. In addition, the by-laws should also provide guidelines for setting a director’s compensation, the maximum number of independent directors (which should not exceed the limit under the Code), and the arbitration agreement, if any.
Under the new Code, stockholders are now allowed to vote via remote communication, in absentia or through the traditional proxy. As for the schedule of the regular stockholders’ meeting, if the date is not fixed in the by-laws, it should now be on any date after April 15 of every year, as determined by the board. The period within which to serve the notice has also been changed from two weeks to 21 days prior to the meeting, unless the by-laws provide a specific notice period. Service may now be made electronically or in any manner the SEC may allow.
As for the venue, if holding the meeting at the principal office is not practicable, it may now be held elsewhere within the same city/municipality. Moreover, unless the by-laws provide a longer period, the stock and transfer book should be closed at least 20 days prior to the regular meeting and seven days before a special meeting.
With respect to directors’ regular meetings, notice should now be served within two days instead of only a day prior to the meeting, unless otherwise fixed in the by-laws. Directors may now participate and vote through remote communication such as videoconferencing, teleconferencing, or other alternative modes of communication that will reasonably allow participation, but they still cannot attend or vote through proxy.
In case of mergers and consolidations, the following are now specifically required to be reflected in the Articles of Merger: a) carrying amounts and fair value of the assets and liabilities of the respective corporations as of an agreed cut-off date, b) method to be used in the merging/consolidating the accounts of the companies, c) provisional or pro-formal values, as merged or consolidated, using the applicable accounting method, and d) such other information the SEC may prescribe.
Appraisal right may now be exercised in case the stockholder dissents to the proposed investment of corporate funds for any purpose other than the company’s primary purpose.
The rules on stock corporations and the corresponding changes shall apply to non-stock corporations insofar as stated in the Code. As for the term of the trustees, they shall now all hold office for three years until their successors are elected and qualified. Except for independent trustees of non-stock corporations vested with public interest, only a member can be elected as a trustee of non-stock corporations. Also, a record should now be kept of the list of members and their proxies as may be required by the SEC, and this should be updated 20 days prior to any election.
A distinctive addition under the new Code is the One Person Corporation (OPC). It is worth noting that only a natural person, trust or estate may form an OPC. However, natural persons cannot set up an OPC for the purpose of exercising a profession, except if allowed under special laws. Moreover, banks, quasi-banks, pre-need, trust, insurance, public, publicly-listed and non-chartered government owned and controlled corporations cannot incorporate an OPC.
The OPC has no minimum required capital stock except as provided otherwise by special laws. Its Articles of Incorporation shall be filed similarly to that of a regular stock corporation but the letters “OPC” must be indicated either below or at the end its corporate name. For obvious reasons, it is not required to file by-laws.
The single stockholder (SH) shall be the sole director and president of the OPC. Within 15 days from incorporation, the SH should appoint a treasurer, a corporate secretary (who should be another person), and any other officer he deems necessary. Notice should be filed with the SEC within five days of their appointment. If the SH will also be the treasurer, the SEC will require the submission of a bond and an undertaking to faithfully administer the OPC’s funds. The bond is renewable every two years or as often required.
The SH should also appoint a nominee and an alternative nominee whose details and extent of authority must be stated in the AOI and whose written consent must be attached to the SEC application. The nominee or alternative nominee shall assume and manage the OPC in case of the SH’s death or incapacity. In the event of the SH’s death, the alternate shall transfer the shares to the heirs within seven days from receipt of legal documents from the heirs and notify the SEC, and the heirs should notify the SEC within sixty days after, of their decision either to wind up and dissolve the OPC or to convert it into an ordinary stock corporation. In case of a sole heir, he should be allowed to continue the OPC, if he wishes to.
As regards the liability, upon failure to provide proof that the property of the OPC is independent of the SH’s property, the SH shall be solidarity liable for the debts and liabilities of the OPC. The principle of piercing the corporate veil shall equally apply to the OPC.
An OPC may be converted into an ordinary corporation and vice versa, subject to compliance with the rules that the SEC may promulgate.
The OPC may be dissolved voluntarily upon a duly filed petition by the SH, or by the SEC motu propio or upon verified complaint on the grounds of non-use, in operation, fraud on procuring registration, final judgment of crimes such as tax evasion, smuggling, graft and corrupt practices, among others, as enumerated in the Code. Also, the OPC may be placed under delinquent status upon failure to file three reports to the SEC consecutively or intermittently.
For foreign corporations, the amount of the initial security deposit applicable to branch offices has been raised from P100,000 to P500,000, or such amount that the SEC may fix. The threshold for the additional security deposit has also been increased to 2% of the gross income for the year exceeding P10,000,000 (formerly P5,000,000 only). Moreover, domestic corporations appointed as resident agent should be of sound financial condition and must show proof of its good standing as certified by the SEC.
As to the reports, the annual financial statements of corporations with total assets or liabilities not exceeding P600,000 may merely be certified under oath by the corporation’s treasurer or chief financial officer. In all other cases, the financial statements must be audited by an independent certified public accountant.
The Code also further defined the coverage of the SEC’s power and authority with respect to supervision and regulation of corporations and mandated the development and implementation of an electronic filing and monitoring system which the SEC has already started.
Although it can be said that the much is still left to be done, the significant changes under the Code, such as the introduction of the OPC, removal of minimum paid-in capital, or the grant of perpetual existence to corporations, among others, indicate that deliberate steps are being taken to ease doing business in the Philippines.
The views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Isla Lipana & Co. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.
 
Aimee Rose DG. dela Cruz is a senior manager with the Tax Services Group of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of the PwC network.
(02) 845-27 28
aimee.rose.d.dela.cruz@ph.pwc.com

Inertia

“An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”
Starting something new will always be harder than maintaining the status quo. Scientifically speaking, it is proven that it is more difficult to create motion than maintain one because you have to change the “speed” right from zero to some value. This change of speed will require force and this force will result in work, thus energy is needed. But after the speed is no longer zero, you just need to exert effort to compensate the lost energy due to friction which is lesser than the energy required in starting the motion. Another scientific explanation is the presence of Inertia, or the natural tendency of objects to resist changes in their state of motion. Because of inertia, objects keep on “doing what they are doing” unless an external force comes along and changes its state.
These concepts can also be applied in understanding the behavior of people, particularly employees in the workplace. Based on my observation, there are two kinds of situations where employees tend to resist change. The first one is the changes in their working environment. Whenever a new policy or system is to be implemented, the initial reaction of employees is to complain and question why such changes are needed, especially when they feel like nothing is wrong with the current setup. But after the transition is over, everyone starts to accept the changes like it has always been there and will gradually forget how it was before.
inertia
Recently, our company implemented a new dress code policy and the most controversial provision is the requirement for females to wear black shoes with a minimum of 1-inch heel every day, including Friday, our wash-day. It became a big issue because, first, most females prefer to wear flat shoes since it is a struggle to wear heels when commuting in the Philippines (imagine riding the train in a stiletto); and second, it is not very “fashionable” because the color of our uniform does not match the black shoes and it may clash with their chosen OOTD during Friday. But since it is a new policy for strict implementation, everyone had no choice but to comply. At first, you will see it in their faces how much they hate that policy every morning upon entry in the building but eventually, they all got used to it. A month after the implementation, it became a normal thing, like it always has been that way. Resistance to change is a natural reaction but once you accept the change, it can be an ordinary thing in the long run.
The second situation where employees tend to resist change is when the change is needed for their own personal improvement. Many employers are willing to finance the trainings, seminars, and post-graduate studies of interested employees for an equivalent number of years of service obligation in the company. While most employees want to increase their knowledge, enhance their skills, and improve their talents, they opt not to accept the offer because they do not want to be bound by the required number of years of service obligation.
But this is not always the case. There are employees who do not mind the service obligation but still won’t accept the offer because they have things that they are not willing to give up once they choose that path. An employee may want to enroll in a four-month review session and take an international certification to be marketable globally, but hesitate in doing so because he or she would have to give up equally important things like sleep and travel. On the other hand, there are also employees who are no longer interested in further studies and would like to remain in their comfort zones. They want to maintain their present situation than start something new which, as scientifically explained earlier, takes up a lot of energy.
There will always come a time when an “unbalanced force” will disrupt your current state whether you like it or not. In the end, it all depends on how you react to the changes around you and how long will it take you to adapt to that change. After all, change is the only permanent thing in this world.
 
Alessandra Jill G. Plofino is an MBA student of the De La Salle University Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business. This article was part of the requirements of the course, Strategic Human Resource Management.
alessandra_plofino@dlsu.edu.ph

Children and the horrors of crime

On January 24, 2019, the House of Representatives approved a bill which lowers the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 9 to 12 years old. This occurred after the first version of the bill pegged it at 9-15 years old. If this bill becomes law, children aged 9 to 12 can be subjected to criminal charges if they have committed serious crimes like murder, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and other associated offenses.
The alleged rationale of the bill was the belief that 12-year-old children, when they acted in discernment, may be subject to proceedings involving reversion and intervention. Some of the legislators involved in the formulation of this proposed bill mentioned that the proliferation of crime incidents where children are involved have increased over the years, according to the Philippine National Police. The Executive department chimed in by saying that this piece of law will teach children a sense of accountability for their acts. The more teeth the law has, the more motivation for children not to participate in any way in the commission of crimes.
But how do the existing laws define what is a child and what are his or her rights? The Child and Youth Welfare Code considers as children anyone below 21 years old. On the other hand, the Juvenile Justice Act of 2006 defines a child as a person under the age of eighteen (18) years.
A “Child at Risk” refers to a child who is vulnerable to and at the risk of committing criminal offenses because of personal, family, and social circumstances. So up to the age of 18, a child is exempt from criminal liability. In all of these aforementioned laws, the recurring theme revolves around the right of the child to grow up in an atmosphere of freedom, peace, understanding, tolerance, and brotherhood. It also considers an innate inability of children to really understand the wider, serious implications of their actions, whether or not such amounts to a crime.
The Juvenile Justice Act views discernment as the capacity of the child at the time of the commission of the offense to understand the difference between right and wrong and the consequences of the wrongful act. Now this definition should not be compartmentalized from the societal strata, economic conditions, and other factors that mold a child. It is obvious and I am sure that the PNP will have a plethora of data to support a conclusion that more than a majority of children are in conflict with the law, specifically those drug related crimes, are living in poverty.
While drugs are a real menace children who participate in offenses brought about by it are, in reality, driven by daily “subsistence” issues — where to find food to eat, shelter, and medical care. This is the issue and not their age. Treating children prematurely like adults who have already fully developed a moral or social compass is extremely dangerous.
The way forward is to implement all our laws that seek to protect the rights and welfare of our nation’s children. There are mechanisms provided in these laws that take into account the concerns of our government agencies tasked to promote public order within the context of children in conflict with the law. Children should not be the targets. We adults are ultimately responsible for who they are, what they become, and how they behave in society. More law will not necessarily solve our crime or violence issues. Let us allow our children to be just that. Children.
 
Ariel F. Nepomuceno is a management consultant on strategy and investment.

Living off sunshine

BusinessWorld has reported that a listed company had just “broken ground” on a 1.1-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop project in one of its malls in Mindanao. The project, said to cost P67.4 million, is in line with the firm’s target capacity of 200-MW of electricity from solar PV rooftops in the next two years.
I consider this a very welcome development, considering reports of a possible shortage in the near future. On Tuesday, “reserve energy” in the Luzon grid reportedly dropped to “below minimum levels…due to the unexpected shutdown and limited generation of some power plants.” This was on the back of high demand for electricity. Available capacity on Tuesday was at 10,115 MW, while peak demand during the day hit 9,491 MW.
Electricity transmission grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said it is required to maintain a “regulating reserve” ideally equivalent to 4% of the demand for the hour. In addition, it should have a “contingency reserve” of about 600 MW — equivalent to the capacity of the largest power generating unit online — and “dispatchable reserve,” or readily available power to make up for any lost contingency reserve. Any drop in the level of any of these reserves prompts a system alert, as what happened on Tuesday.
The forecast is that El Niño, or the long dry season, will negatively impact particularly Luzon — where Metro Manila is — with peak demand seen hitting 11,403 MW in May. Hydroelectric power plants in Luzon are expected to reduce capacity by about by 30% in April-June. Luzon will have to import 200 MW from the Visayas grid and get another 150 MW from a diesel-run power plant to mitigate power outages.
It is thus a big deal for us that many businesses like shopping malls have been turning to solar power to make up for the gap in power supply. Solar technology and newer battery technology have now become more accessible to many. And with sunlight being a “free” source of energy, solar makes a lot of sense for a country like ours.
I am told that costs have gone down even for outfitting homes with solar panels, to allow for residential self-generation to some degree. I am uncertain however if solar power producers can still excess supply to the grid, at least to recover some of their costs in producing their own electricity.
Many government buildings now under construction, as well as privately owned commercial and residential buildings, are above ground. It will be great if these developments can already include systems and facilities that will allow for self-generation of electricity, even partially.
The same goes for train (PNR) and light rail (LRT and MRT lines) stations, which are mostly above ground. The same can be powered partly by solar energy by outfitting suitable surfaces with solar panels. A big portion of Metro Manila’s “concrete jungle” can actually be converted into “solar farms.”
In Germany, for instance, which is not even a tropical country like the Philippines, there are already plans to make all trains run on “renewable energy” by 2050. The effort may take 31 more years to achieve, but at least the German nation has a plan that is actually worth pursuing, and the will and determination to make it happen.
solar panels
Germany has previously announced that it would give up nuclear power. At present, the entire country runs on 20% renewable energy. Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway operator, has also announced plans to make all trains run on 100% renewable energy by the year 2050.
The German railway currently uses 2% of the country’s total electricity. So, its goal of going completely renewable will have a “powerful impact upon the nation as a whole,” noted environmental site inhabitat.com.
inhabitat.com added, “Deutsche Bahn’s switch to renewable energy will not only lower CO2 emissions but will also increase the railway’s competitive edge as the need for environmental protection becomes more and more urgent.”
Another interesting case is that of the village of Wildpoldsried in the state of Bavaria, also in Germany. The village reportedly produces “321% more energy than it needs” and “an impressive $5.7 million in annual revenue from renewable energy,” inhabitat.com noted.
And this is done by having “equipped nine new community buildings with solar panels, built four biogas digesters…and installed seven windmills.” In the village itself, inhabitat.com said, 190 private households have solar panels while the district also benefits from three small hydro power plants, ecological flood control, and a natural waste water system.
The Guardian, meantime, in a commentary by energy expert Leo Murray, noted that “solar giant Lightsource…[has] signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with Belfast airport that underwrote a neighboring £5 million solar farm, using a private wire to supply a quarter of the airport’s electricity needs.
It also reported that in the UK, authorities and experts are already looking into solar-powered trains, considering that many trains in the territory already run on electricity. This is given that “Network Rail is the UK’s single largest electricity consumer, with internal decarbonization targets and a strong incentive to reduce operational energy costs,” Murray added.
My point is this: if Germany and the United Kingdom can look into it, why can’t we? We now have more homes, and more shopping malls, using solar power or self-generating part of their electricity requirements. But, in my opinion, we can expand this further, and we can learn from the experience of countries like Germany and the UK.
We have more sunshine here than in Europe, given the longer dry season. But our solar initiative should already go beyond the private sector. There should be the political will on the part of the national government, as well as local governments, to go green when and where they can. Public facilities should shift to renewable energy. This should not be a choice, but a mandate. And voters should insist on it.
 
Marvin Tort is a former managing editor of BusinessWorld, and a former chairman of the Philippines Press Council
matort@yahoo.com

The Appreciative Inquiry way of life

By Raju Mandhyan
THOUGH this habit has impacted me several times and through multiple avenues, I can’t seem to be impressed any lesser every time it happens. The habit of assessing any situation through a proactive stance and doing something concrete about all challenges most often than not generates happy and constructive outcomes.
Some time ago, I spent three months working with a bunch of senior executives of a global corporation. In the previous quarter their sales were down, they were developing lesser and lesser new products. People in several of their departments were low on energy and low on engagement. Upon probing deeper and conversing with people at multiple levels we sensed a drop in trust levels among the senior management.
Though this was barely visible in their behaviors and internal communications, it seemed that production, sales and even marketing had read between the lines and gotten a whiff of the underlying tremors in the senior team. The infliction had spread and was slowing down progress and even routine work.
We used a combination of strategies and interventions to heal the underlying tremors and discords. Most all of them were first focused on impressing upon all departments the value of consistent growth through innovation. Followed by small group discussions which were facilitated such to increase personal and corporate alignment. Once the teams and parts of the organization began to understand what needed to be done, several brainstorming sessions were held where cross-functional teams came up with ideas to innovate on people development, process improvement and suggestions on big-picture strategies for growth.
Of the scores of ideas, a select few were converted to action plans. The miraculous thing about the whole process was that since the dialogues and discussions were held following the Appreciative Inquiry way of life, a soft but a sticky benefit that emerged was increased engagement at all levels of the organization. It may not show on the company’s scorecards yet but the energy levels, the open discussions in the hallways and even the number of hi-five’s went up.
Appreciative Inquiry, in a tiny nutshell, is the habit of zooming in on strengths and successes of a system and then using careful questioning to unleash more strengths and synergies within a system. It is happy acceptance coupled with, say, the Socratic method of unearthing positive wisdom. Together, it makes for powerful magic for growth and development.
In the following months the company recouped and ran surveys on the actual results and numbers. The senior leadership and most all involved felt that what had been done had been done for the better and it is bound to have a long-term positive effect. If you, personally, or your organizations need to catalyze engagement, then development, look no further than appreciating what is and exploring deeper into what can be through the Appreciative Inquiry way of life. In our circle of consultants, we claim that deep inside every harsh desert there lies an oasis.
 
Raju Mandhyan is an author, coach and speaker.
www.mandhyan.com

Columbian Dyip spill ROS Elasto Painters

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE Columbian Dyip put some flicker back into their quarterfinal hopes in the PBA Philippine Cup after an 85-82 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Getting balanced contributions from the rest of team, Columbian upended Rain or Shine to improve to 4-5 in the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association tournament, still in contention for a playoff spot.
Rain or Shine (ROS) got it going early as veteran James Yap was finding his mark and help his team to a 26-15 lead at the end of the first 12 minutes.
But Columbian regrouped in the second quarter, chipping away on its deficit to come to within three points, 32-29, with 5:14 to go and eventually tying the count at 34-all two minutes later.
Pulled by guard Rashawn McCarthy the rest of the quarter, the Dyip completed the turnaround, holding a 42-40 lead at the half.
A back-and-forth marked the start of the third canto before Mr. McCarthy instigated a pullaway by Columbian as they built a 55-46 separation by the 6:47 mark of the frame.
The Elasto Painters tried to claw their way back but the Dyip held strong to stay in control, 66-59, heading into the final canto.
Mark Borboran and Ed Daquioag jolted Rain or Shine to start the fourth.
They levelled the count at 73-all with seven minutes left in the contest after back-to-back triples from Messrs. Borboran and Daquioag.
Columbian scored four quick points after care of Jackson Corpuz and CJ Perez to make it 77-73.
The score was 79-75 with four minutes to go, and the Dyip still on top, before the Elasto Painters made it a one-point game, 83-82, entering the last two minutes.
It stayed that way until Reden Celda made it a three-point cushion for Columbian, 85-82, with 2.3 seconds to go.
Rain or Shine sued for time after to set up a play to extend the contest.
The Elasto Painters went to Mr. Yap for the game-tying trey but his desperation heave as time expired just hit the front of the goal, sending them to the defeat.
Mr. McCarthy paced Columbian with 22 points with Mr. Corpuz adding 12.
Rookie Perez had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Rain or Shine (7-3), meanwhile, had Mr. Borboran top-scoring with 21 points with Mr. Yap and Javee Mocon adding 10 each.
The Elasto Painters have now lost back-to-back matches after winning their previous five.
“It was a total team effort for us. We struggled early but we were able to pick it up with contributions from both the veterans and our rookies,” said winning coach John Cardel after the game.
“This win helps us in our push for the quarterfinals with two games left in the eliminations,” he added.

FEU Tamaraws survive UE Warriors in five sets

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE FAR Eastern University Lady Tamaraws outlasted the University of the East Lady Warriors in their highly competitive UAAP Season 81 match on Wednesday at the FilOil Flying V Arena, winning in five sets, 25-15, 24-26, 25-22, 20-25 and 15-9.
Challenged greatly by a UE crew, FEU held steady in the clutch to win its second game in a row after dropping its previous two matches to get back in the red with a 3-2 record in the ongoing University Athletic Association of the Philippines season.
The two teams split the opening two sets with FEU clinical with its game to take the first, 25-15, before UE dug deep in the second frame to hack out a 26-24 win to level the match.
In the third set the Lady Tamaraws were quick to create some separation led by rookie Lycha Ebon.
They raced to an 8-5 lead by the first technical timeout.
UE stayed within striking distance, paced by Mean Mendrez.
But Ebon and Cel Domingo would not allow FEU be denied of a set win as they conspired to help their team to a 25-22 count and a two sets to one lead for the match.
Getting some leverage, the Lady Tamaraws continued to hold sway at the start of the fourth frame.
They held a narrow 16-15 advantage by the second technical timeout.
FEU extended its lead to 20-17 after only to find itself stopped on its tracks by a ferocious UE fight back that saw the Lady Warriors finish the set with an 8-0 blast to send the contest to a deciding fifth set.
In the deciding set it was UE which came out on a firmer footing with Seth Rodriguez and Laizah Bendong joining in the mix.
The Lady Warriors was up, 8-7, at the exchange.
However, instead of going north, things went south for UE after that as it was outscored by FEU, 8-1, the rest of the way and saw the Lady Tamaraws going home with the win.
Ebon was solid with a career-best 21 points for FEU.
Domingo backstopped their rookie with 17 markers and Jeanette Villarreal adding 10.
For UE (1-4), which has now lost back-to-back, it wad Mendrez who led the way with 21 points followed by Rodriguez and Judith Abil with 10 points each.
FEU next plays on March 10 against Adamson University while UE returns a day earlier on March 9 versus the De La Salle Lady Spikers.

Harden, Rockets dump Raptors

LOS ANGELES — James Harden scored 35 points — 19 in about the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter — as the visiting Houston Rockets lost a 22-point lead before coming back to defeat the Toronto Raptors 107-95 to extend their winning streak to six games.
Gerald Green added 18 points for the Rockets, who won both meetings between the teams this season.
Eric Gordon and Austin Rivers added 13 points each for the Rockets, while Clint Capela had nine points and 15 rebounds and Chris Paul had five points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
Kawhi Leonard led Toronto with 26 points, Pascal Siakam had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka contributed 10 points and 15 rebounds.
TIMBERWOLVES 131, THUNDER 120
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 41 as Minnesota beat visiting Oklahoma City in Minneapolis for its third consecutive win this season over the Thunder.
Oklahoma City’s Paul George returned to the lineup after missing three games with a sore shoulder, but he struggled, making justeight of 25 shots from the field and four of 14 from behind the 3-point arc to finish with 25 points.
Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 38 points and 13 rebounds, sinking 15 of 28 shots and five 3-pointers. Andrew Wiggins finished with 18 points for the Timberwolves.
GRIZZLIES 120, TRAIL BLAZERS 111
Mike Conley scored a career-high 40 points to lead Memphis over visiting Portland, draining six of seven 3-point attempts while connecting on 12 of 18 shots overall.
Delon Wright added 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting for Memphis, and Jonas Valanciunas scored 17 points.
CJ McCollum scored 27 points for the Trail Blazers, who finished 5-2 on a seven-game road trip. Damian Lillard scored 24 points, and Maurice Harkless added a season-best 20.
76ERS 114, MAGIC 106
JJ Redick scored 26 points, his 23rd 20-point game this season, to lead host Philadelphia past Orlando. — Reuters

Philippines ripe for ‘Storm of Warriors’ — Brave CF

SET to make its debut on Philippine soil later this month, Bahrain-based Brave Combat Federation said the timing is but right for the country to experience its brand of mixed martial arts action.
To happen on March 15 at the Mall of Asia Arena, “Brave 22: Storm of Warriors” will mark the first time that the promotion will play the Philippines after building its name in different parts of the world since its establishment in 2016.
The event will be headlined by the title defense of Filipino Brave bantamweight champion Stephen “The Sniper” Loman (12-2) against challenger Elias Boudegzdame (15-5) from Algeria, by way of Montpellier, France.
Also seeing action at Storm of Warriors are Filipinos Jeremy Pacatiw, Marc Alcoba, Rolando Dy, Harold Banario, Rex De Lara, Jayson Margallo, John Cris Corton, Jason Vergara and Jomar Pa-Ac.
For Brave President Mohammed Shahid, their first show in the Philippines was long time coming and that they are looking forward to establishing their footing in the country, especially since Filipino fighters are staples in the promotion.
“[Coming here was] something we were looking forward to for a very long time. This event is for the Filipino fighters and fans. It’s about time that Filipino fighters are recognized back in their home,” said Mr. Shahid.
“When I first came here a few weeks back, a lot of people asked me how come we have not known of Stephen Loman, the champion of Brave CF. They did not know that he was representing your country around the world. He has proven what a world champion is. We hope to change that with Brave 22 and show who he is and what true martial arts is,” he added.
The Brave executive went on to say that a lot of factors led to the setting up of their first event in the country, including the immense growth of MMA in the Asian region, with the Philippines included, and the good relations of Bahrain and the Philippines.
“There are reasons why this finally happened. First point is across Asia the growth of mixed martial arts, including the Philippines, has been tremendous. And one of Brave’s world champions is from the Philippines. Every promotion in the world is recognizing MMA in the Philippines. It’s a no-brainer,” said Mr. Shahid.
Adding, “Also we have had good relations with the Philippine government. Even Ambassador to Bahrain Alfonso Ver said we should come to the Philippines because he saw that Filipino fighters were fighting in Brave and doing well.”
Mr. Shahid said fans should expect a good night of fight action at Storm of Warriors.
He sees Mr. Loman having his hands full versus Mr. Boudegzdame but is all praises for the Filipino champion.
“Stephen Loman is a great champion. He took everything we offered. When we told him that he would defend his title here, he immediately said okay and that he is ready,” Mr. Shahid said.
Live coverage of Brave 22: Storm of Warriors will handled by ESPN5 on various platforms.
Founded three years ago, Brave, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, has made significant headways in bringing top-class MMA action in different parts of the globe.
Since September of 2016, the company has visited 14 countries: Bahrain, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Jordan, Indonesia, Northern Ireland, Morocco, Colombia, Pakistan, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia.
Brave said that by taking MMA to a wider range, it was able to give a truly global platform to athletes for their in-cage abilities and fighting qualities. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Amid shaky start, Southwoods still leads by one

CEBU — Despite falling way short of its opening round target, reigning four-time champion Manila Southwoods yesterday still grabbed a one-point lead over darkhorse Tagaytay Highlands as the exclusive Cebu Country Club layout here proved one tough nut to crack for the talented field.
Ace Yuto Katsuragawa fired an eagle-spiked one-under-par 71 worth 37 points to lead the Carmona-based squad to a 125 tally as Tagaytay Highlands rode the 33s of Marty Ilagan and new recruit Jolo Magcalayo to emerge as the closest pursuer.
Action shifts to Mactan Island Golf Club for the next two days, and Southwoods’ non-playing skipper Thirdy Escano declared that Katsuragawa will be sitting out the next two rounds, guaranteeing that Southwoods will have its biggest gun come the final day on Saturday.
Jolo Magcalayo picked up on the 18th hole after missing his second putt for a bogey, and Highlands counted the 30 of Jonas Magcalayo and the 28 of Lisandro Opulencia for its 124, two points ahead of perennial contender Del Monte Golf, which got a level 36 from Romeo Jaraula.
Luisita, the Senior champion last week, was seven shots off after a 118 built around the 32 of Luigi Paolo Wong and the 31 of Don Petil.
Young Jung-oh’s 22 failed to count for Tagaytay Highlands, which was supposed to play in the lower Founders Division but found itself ranged against the big boys at the last minute after the addition of Jolo Magcalayo.
Highlands also has a formidable bench, with Raymund Sangil and Jenz Tecson in the roster.
Dan Cruz fired 29 points and was the third best scorer for the Luisitans.

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