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Agribusiness and corporate farming

The good news about Philippines agriculture is that the average yield per hectare of many crops keeps rising, thanks to technological modernization. The bad news is that there is continuing land conversion from forest to agriculture — and residential, industrial, commercial — uses.

I checked data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) over the past five decades, I picked the Philippine crops with millions of tons of output in a year, meaning major crops. Sugarcane and pineapples have the highest productivity and crop intensity per hectare, although sugar yields were generally flat for five decades while pineapples showed consistent rise. Bananas reached 20+ tons/hectare/year in 2010-2012 but there were bad harvests in recent years. The biggest crops in terms of huge land use, with millions of hectares planted, are rice, coconuts, and corn, and it is here where average productivity is among the lowest in the country (see Table 1).

Then I checked the productivity of three crops for selected Asian countries. Surprisingly, despite the modern corporate farming of the Philippines’ pineapple and banana industry (although there are also huge backyard, small-scale pineapple and banana plantations), Indonesia has much bigger output per hectare in these crops than the Philippines (see Table 2).

Our rice industry needs to take the path taken by the banana and pineapple industries which have some big corporate farming growers in the Philippines. Wide areas — hundreds or thousands of hectares — are managed by few entities that employ the most modern crop sciences (agronomy, insectology, biotechnology, and molecular biology, etc.) and machines (tractors, irrigation, harvesters, drones, etc.).

Lands need not be owned by these corporate farms — they can be leased for five years or so, although a long-term lease of 15 years or more and wide corporate land ownership are preferable. Farm owners will just wait for their annual land rents plus the opportunity to work in these corporate farms and earn extra, more stable incomes.

The government’s endless, no timetable agrarian reform or forced redistribution of private farm lands — from Marcos’ 1972 agrarian reform to Cory Aquino’s 1998 CARP and extensions — is among the big hindrances to dynamic agribusiness (and mass housing) development in the country. Government should end this continuing rural business uncertainty.

Meanwhile, The Arangkada Philippines Project (TAPP) conference on Nov. 21 at the Marriot Hotel Manila will tackle the TAP (Tourism, Agribusiness and Power) as focused sectors. Local and foreign businesses and researchers in these and related sectors will learn new data and perspectives at this big event.

 

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Minimal Government Thinkers.

minimalgovernment@gmail.com

Dark clouds and silver linings

In recent days, we’ve seen the passing of high-profile personalities who I’ve known one way or the other. It’s been a sobering year as age hurtles faster at warp speed toward the inevitable. As the saying goes, “We’ll never get out of this world alive.”

• Prospero “Boy” Nograles, former House Speaker (we called each other “primo”), who I interacted with for the passage of the RH Law.

• Franciso “Bobby” Mañosa, renowned architect and National Artist, who helped me conceptualize a War and Peace Museum on Corregidor when I was Secretary of Tourism.

• Eddie “Manoy” Garcia, multi-awarded actor, director and producer; honorary member of PMA “Marangal” Class 1974 to which I, too, belong.

• Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr., former Senate President, and author of the law that founded the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in 1991, which I headed from 1992-96.

• John “Big John” Gokongwei, Jr., nation-builder, entrepreneur and philanthropist; a businessman’s businessman. I serviced his polyester needs for Robina Textiles when I was in Filsyn.

• Ernest Leung, Jr., former colleague in the 1990 RP-US Bases Talks and in the Ramos Cabinet; a dyed-in-the-wool financial wizard, patriot, nature lover and adventurer.

Some were not high profile. They were regular folks whose passage I mourn.

• Octavio “Tavoy” Labayen, brother of the late-Bishop Julio Labayen who kept faith with before, during, and after the electoral campaigns of 2016 and 2019.

• SPO4 Jimmy L. Caguioa, my long-time security officer from DILG days till after he retired from the service last year.

As if those personal shocks were not disturbing enough, the global unrest I read about today is seemingly everywhere. There may have varying triggers but the fuel is familiar: stagnating middle classes, stifled democracy, and the bone-deep conviction that things can be different — even if the alternative isn’t always clear.

Here’s a glimpse of what’s happening around the world:

• Lebanon: protests on a tax on WhatsApp and endemic corruption.

• Iraq: protests against poverty, corruption, and a miserable quality of life

• Iran: anti-fuel hike

• China: protests against corruption, abusive governance, environmental degradation, lack of religious freedom and civil liberties, one-party rule

• Hong Kong: protests against extradition and creeping authoritarianism.

• Indonesia: protests against a proposed jail sentence for pre-marital sex

• Algeria: protests against a fifth term for its president and military rule.

• UK: anti-Brexit and pro-Brexit protests

• France: protests against fuel and other tax hikes, social injustice

• Russia: anti-corruption and anti-dynasty protests

• Serbia: anti-political violence and authoritarian rule.

• Albania: anti-electoral cheating, corruption and organized crime in government.

• Spain: independence for Catalonia

• Brazil: anti-deforestation and corruption protests

• Chile: anti-fare hike and rampant inequality.

• Peru: anti-government protests and the country’s uncertain future

• Bolivia: anti-presidential term extension (4th) for Evo Morales

• Ecuador: anti-cancellation of austerity measures and fuel subsidies

• Venezuela: anti-authoritarian rule and economic hardships

• Colombia: anti-violence protests by indigenous peoples.

Freedom of information is placing 20th-century power structures under enormous pressure. There’s a social revolution with a growing demand for participatory democracy. The widening gaps between the haves and have-nots are radicalizing the youth. Extinction Rebellion protests are gaining traction worldwide at the inaction of world leaders on the climate crisis. Over here, protests have been manifested in the form of coup attempts, rebellions and armed insurgencies reflecting the weaknesses of our governance, citizenship, moral foundations, and social bonds.

Such protests could be further fueled by more economic hardships ahead as headwinds threaten recession, perhaps after 2020. The signs are there.

• Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics: “There’s an ‘uncomfortably high’ chance that a recession could hit the global economy in the next 12-18 months, and policymakers may not be able to reverse that course. It requires staying on script that includes avoiding an escalation of the US-China trade war; finding a resolution to Brexit; and central banks continuing their monetary stimulus.”

• The UN’s trade and development body, UNCTAD: “2019 will endure the weakest expansion in a decade and the slowdown could turn into outright contraction next year. Warning lights are flashing around trade wars, currency gyrations, a no-deal Brexit and movements in long-term interest rates. Yet, policymakers are hardly preparing for the coming storm.”

• National Association for Business Economics (NABE): “The risk of a recession is rising, and the main threat to the economy is the Trump administration’s trade war. The rise in protectionism, pervasive trade policy uncertainty, and slower global growth are considered key downside risks to US economic activity.”

Vice-President Leni Robredo’s appointment as co-chair of the war on drugs provides hope for unity, teamwork, and a holistic approach in addressing this grave national security problem. President Duterte can focus his attention on crushing the supply side (syndicates) while the VP Leni can address the demand side (addicts) through social transformation and performance excellence in drug rehab. As co-leaders and thinkers, they must properly select and provide their “whole-of-nation” doers the wherewithal to accomplish their missions.

But let me end on a high note. Recent news of victories and recognition in academics, sports, and the arts have reflated Pinoy pride. In times of stress and distress, there’s nothing like earned recognition for excellence to lift one’s spirit and national morale.

• Breanna Labadan, Daniella Reggie de la Pisa, Carlos Yulo: gold medals in gymnastics

• Carina Dayondon: WWF Conservation Hero award. Mountaineer (Mt. Everest, Seven Summits)

• Dr. Yanga Colleges: World Robot Olympiad gold medal

• Five Philippine Science High School-Western Visayas Campus students, Kirsten Dianne Delmo, Nico Andrei Serrato, Joecile Faith Monana, Frelean Faith Engallado, and Raphael Francis Dequilla: take the silver award at the Young Inventors Challenge 2019 in Malaysia for a device converting noise to electricity

• Fundador Supremo 18: best brandy in the world at the International Wine and Spirits Competition.

• Katarina Cruz: four gold medals in ice skating

• Andrea Robles: Macau Archery Open gold medal

• Margarita Fores: Knighted by the Italian government for culinary excellence.

• The PHL Team of 94 students: 17 gold, 14 silver, 19 bronze and 17 honorable mention awards for math and science in various competitions

• The PH National Dragon Boat Team: perennial gold medal winners

Life is bittersweet. Let’s make the most of it with good behavior, good faith, good relations, and good memories. Be good.

 

Rafael M. Alunan III is a former Secretary of Interior and Local Government and chairs the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations.

rmalunan@gmail.com

map@map.org.ph

http://map.org.ph

Stocks decline as markets watch US-China talks

SHARES continued to drop on Monday as investors stayed on the sidelines until further developments in the US-China trade talks.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost 52.02 points or 0.65% to close at 7,880.94 on Monday. This is its fourth straight day of decline and lowest finish since Oct. 15 when it ended at 7,840.31.

The broader all-shares index also fell 31.55 points or 0.66% to close at 4,720.26.

“The local market extended its losses today as investors continue to watch out for developments with the US-China negotiations,” Senior Research Analyst Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco of Philstocks Financial, Inc. said in a text message on Monday.

Regina Capital Development Corp. Head of Sales Luis A. Limlingan pointed to the same reason, saying in a mobile message: “Investors continued selling in the Philippines market as sentiment in the US became more positive….”

Mr. Tantiangco noted the market was affected by the “skepticism with respect to the talks particularly the positive remarks given by both parties over the weekend.” He was referring to comments of White House Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow late last week, saying the two countries are inching closer to an agreement. China state-run press Xinhua News Agency also reported over the weekend that US and China were maintaining communication over phone to discuss items of the trade deal.

“At the same time, sentiments are also dented by the political unrest in Hong Kong,” Mr. Tantiangco added. Reuters reported tensions continue to rise in Hong Kong as protesters and the police stand off at a university, where rubber bullets and tear gas were used by the authorities to attack protesters aided with petrol bombs and homemade weapons.

But Mr. Tantiangco noted these overseas events are “overshadowing” local fundamentals that should be driving the market up.

“Third quarter corporate earnings season has just ended with index members’ combined first nine months net income up by about 15% year-on-year. Despite this, investors remain cautious as they seek for more clarity regarding the ongoing global narratives,” he said.

All sectoral indices closed in the red on Monday.

Mining and oil descended 192.05 points or 2.19% to 8,550.09; property dropped 46.30 points or 1.12% to 4,073.54; industrials lost 66.19 points or 0.65% to 10,016.15; financials decreased 10.91 points or 0.56% to 1,909.94; holding firms fell 38.14 points or 0.48% to 7,772.28; and services slipped 3.62 points or 0.23% to close at 1,543.85.

Value turnover on Monday stood at P4.32 billion, down from Friday’s P6.85 billion, with 430.55 million issues changing hands.

More stocks declined compared to those that advanced, 128 against 52, while 51 ended unchanged.

Net foreign buying totaled P100.23 million on Monday, a reversal of Friday’s net selling worth P404.88 million. — Denise A. Valdez

Peso inches lower amid cautious trade

THE PESO declined slightly as markets await developments overseas.

THE PESO moved sideways as it traded within a tight range yesterday with the market staying on the sidelines, anticipating central bank developments overseas.

The local unit closed at P50.66 apiece against the greenback on Monday, slightly weaker than the P50.65-per-dollar finish on Friday, based on data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

The peso opened the session at P50.60 to a dollar. Its weakest point for the day was at P50.69, while its strongest was at P50.575 against the greenback.

Total volume traded yesterday dropped to $884.8 million from $1.12 billion posted on Friday.

A trader yesterday said the market stayed on the sidelines ahead of minutes of the US Federal Reserve’s latest meeting that will be released on Wednesday, as shown in the “quiet” and low trading volume.

“There will be central bank minutes that will be released on Wednesday, then on Thursday, the ECB (European Central Bank) speech… With that said, we just traded a very tight range,” the trader said in a phone call.

The trader added that the market is awaiting the first time new ECB President Christine Lagarde will discuss the euro zone’s policy direction given economic conditions in the bloc.

Meanwhile, another trader said the local unit weakened yesterday with “the release of upbeat US retail sales report last Friday” indicating the “ongoing strength of US consumer spending.”

The traders said the peso may decline further ahead of US data.

“The local currency might continue depreciating from dollar bargain-hunting and expectations of upbeat US housing data releases,” the trader said in an email.

The first trader expect the peso trade slightly higher on Tuesday or within the P50.55-P50.75 range on the lack of fresh leads. For the second trader, the local unit will likely move in the P50.60-50.80 range. — BML

Democratization of higher education and responsible internationalization:Bridging the gap towards an accessible and inclusive education

Democratization of higher education and responsible internationalization: Bridging the gap towards an accessible and inclusive education

Broadly defined, democratization is the process of applying the principles of democracy to a given structure or system, allowing the same to exist in a more participative and open society (United Nations, 1996). In the context of higher education, democratization means the process of making higher education accessible and available to anyone who wants to access it for different purposes (Blessinger, 2015). One such purpose — despite the system being unique per country given variations in socio-political and demographic contexts — is the production or creation of knowledge. This has resulted in a pronounced increase in the worldwide demand for higher education, corresponded by an even more rapid increase in supply from higher education institutions (HEIs). In a 2014 publication by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), higher education participation in 2009 reached as many as 165 million students across the OECD member countries and selected non-OECD member countries, with enrollment projected to reach 262 million by 2025. In Asia, enrollment rates have been on the rise over the past two decades. By 2025, the projected enrollment for higher education in Asia is expected to reach over 300 million (Calderon, UNESCO, 2018). Such explosive growth in higher education participation in Asia is affected by an increased population over the past 20 years, along with emphasis placed on the relationship of education and an individual’s subsequent opportunities in life (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2014).

Even with the exponential growth that makes up more than 50% of global enrollment, tertiary participation among a number of developing countries in the East and Asia-Pacific region remains varied. For instance, data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) showed that Cambodia’s higher education participation in 2017 was just .2 percent of the overall enrollment in the region, compared with China’s 60%. While population is a relevant factor in analyzing the disparity of enrollment data between countries, economic conditions do play a more considerable role. This is especially true for the East and Asia Pacific region, which has some of the most financially stable countries, as well the poorest and developing ones. A 2013 policy paper from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (United Nations ESCAP) explains the correlation of higher income and standards of living with that of higher educational attainment. The study indicates that high-income earning countries in the region register an enrollment rate of 75%, while those bracketed as Least Developing Countries (LDCs) register an average of 20% only. Beyond the quantifiable data, this information means a deeper social divide with unequal opportunities is created within a society. The divide is an assault on the democratization of higher education, with those already coming from high-income groups having even more access to higher education than those from low-income groups.

What are the variables that can bridge this gap? Government spending is one. Low spending on higher education compromises quality of education, lifelong learning opportunities, and other reforms that promote access to and availability of higher education for those who want to participate in it. A closer look at the social and economic impact of higher education will emphasize its transformative nature. Education transforms a society. Higher education leads to better jobs, stimulates economic growth, reduces vulnerability among the marginalized, and breaks patterns of poverty. Institutional adjustments may also be necessary, such as on admissions policies, program designs, and learning strategies. The use of technology to upgrade and democratize both the tools for learning and for teaching could transform the HEIs’ education system and its corresponding resources to something more accessible by optimizing the use of limited resources, making these available to more individuals through proper data management. Democratization of higher education must confront questions on accessibility, availability, affordability, participation, and quality.

RESPONSIBLE INTERNATIONALIZATION: A PUSH FOR INCLUSIVENESS
Internationalization of higher education continues to be a buzz-phrase in the sphere of tertiary education. HEIs go through great lengths to catch up with the constantly evolving nature of this phenomenon by subscribing to and promoting practices that correspond to what is considered standard in the overall discourse of internationalization. Globally, there is an undeniable upward trend in credit and degree mobility which can be both attributed to internationalization practices toward student, staff, and faculty mobility. New frameworks to further internationalize practices in HEIs continue to emerge while professionals in the higher education industry invest aggressively on what has worked thus far — putting an international face on institutional elements, from curricula to campus environment, all the way to program designs. To the uninitiated, these trends — which include increasing growth in inbound and outbound mobility as well as the deepening of partnerships with counterparts abroad — signify considerable success done in the name of internationalization. This is success hinged on the analysis of quantifiable data. Such quantitative analysis, however, is not inclusive and falls short in terms of understanding what internationalization could mean beyond numbers.

For internationalization to embody inclusivity, various economic and socio-political contexts across the globe must be confronted, particularly issues borne out of policies that leave out a great majority of student population worldwide behind (De Wit and Jones, 2018). Current internationalization practices are only able to reach a small population of mostly elite students and universities, especially since not all universities worldwide adapt internationalization practices as a response to the processes of globalization. This exclusivity marginalizes a population that either has no access to known internationalization practices such as mobility or is not keen to participate in both credit and degree mobility options. De Wit and Jones (2018) cite a study by Universities UK that shows students with mobility experiences earn better salaries than their non-mobile counterparts. While literature is scant on this development, it presents an alarming possibility because it exacerbates the advantage of the privileged over those who have no chance of participating in internationalization.

Pushing for more responsible internationalization entails providing equal opportunities and horizontal reciprocity among partner HEIs as well as broadening internationalization beyond the numbers provided by outbound and inbound mobility of students. Inclusion may involve integrating international components in the overall planning of activities within the HEI campuses to provide that internationalization opportunity even to those whose access to mobility is limited. Responsible internationalization must aim to mitigate the elitism inherent to internationalization itself.

 

Pilar Preciousa Pajayon-Berse, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Political Science.

Federalism: For better or for worse?

(Last of two parts)

THE FEDERAL OPTION
In search for a better governance structure — that would best fit to address “distant regional circumstances and local lesser interests” and would best “accommodate differences among populations divided by ethnic, religious or cultural cleavages yet seeking a common, often democratic, political system” otherwise ignored by the distant center of a unitary political order — a Consultative Committee (ConCom) on charter change came about. Thus, the proposed draft Constitution for a Federal Republic which says… “shall at all times uphold federalism, national unity and territorial integrity.”

But first, what is Federalism? Internet resources tell us that Federalism is about non-centralization of political power. It is “a theory for dividing political powers between member units and a common government. And this division of power is typically entrenched in a constitution which neither a member unit nor the common government can alter unilaterally. In comparison, decentralized authority in unitary states can typically be revoked by the central legislature at will.”

“The division of power between the member unit and the center may vary. Units at each level can be self-governing and have final authority in some issue area. Typically the center has powers regarding defense and foreign policy, but member units may also have international roles. The decision-making bodies of member units may also participate in central decision-making bodies (‘in a kind of collective compositional arrangement’).”

Several authors identify two quite distinct processes that lead to a federal political order (Friedrich 1968, Buchanan 1995, Stepan 1999 and others):

• “Coming together federal political order wherein independent states may aggregate by ceding or pooling sovereign powers in certain domains for the sake of goods otherwise unattainable, such as security or economic prosperity. It is so typically arranged to constrain the center and prevent majorities from overriding a member unit. Examples include Australia, Canada, USA, and Switzerland.”

• “Holding together federal political order which develops from unitary states, as governments devolve authority to alleviate threats of unrest or secession by territorially clustered minorities. Such federal political orders often grant some member units particular domains of sovereignty, e.g. over language and cultural rights in an asymmetric federation, while maintaining broad scope of action for the central government and majorities. Examples include Belgium, India and Spain.”

In a situation where “member unit representatives can participate within central bodies — in cabinets or legislatures — and get involve in central decision-making,” a so-called interlocking or cooperative federalism takes form.

The draft Constitution appears similar to the “holding together” type but cooperative in persuasion. It takes off from a unitary centralized system… moving to a non-centralized political authority, yet under a strong center where the executive power of the Federal Republic is vested on the President.

The creation of 16 constitutionally federated regions and the set-up of four high courts under the draft federalist constitution (which also has other essential game-changing provisions) appear to be the main structural changes to the Constitution and also the main bone of contention. Since it involves a new layer of governance in response to expanded functions… a complementing administrative structure necessarily results in the form of regional executive, regional legislature and regional judiciary. And this involves a movement and/or increase in “manpower, materials and processes” which translate to a good amount of talent, time, effort and financial cost.

WHY FEDERALISM?
This expanded setup brings us back to the apprehensions of the skeptics as to: (1) the economic viability and sustainability of a federal system, i.e., the risk of a federal region breaking away and/or experiencing economic/financial stress; (2) the likely spread of political dynasties; and, (3) whether the end-goal of region-wide development and inclusive growth, that is skipping off under the existing centralized system, is more attainable and worth the investment — on the premise that this time “local circumstances and distant regional interests” can be better understood, better attended to and closely followed through to its logical end.

Be that as it may, it is this non-centralization factor itself that is being strongly pointed out to favor a federated regional order precisely because “local decisions would prevent an overload of centralised decision-making, and local decision-makers may also have a better grasp of affected preferences and alternatives, making for better service than would be provided by a central government that tends to ignore local preference variations” (Smith 1776, 680).

Likewise, the “granting of powers to population subsets that share preferences regarding public services may also increase efficiency by allowing these subsets to create such ‘internalities’ and ‘club goods’ at costs borne only by them” (Musgrave 1959, 179–80, Olson 1969, Oates’ 1972 “Decentralization Theorem”). Not to mention that “a federal political order may additionally increase the opportunities for citizen-participation in public decision-making through deliberation in both member unit offices and central bodies that ensures character formation through political participation among more citizens” (Mill 1861, ch. 15).

STRENGTHENING THE FEDERAL SYSTEM
To strengthen, in every respect, the draft Federalist Constitution and effectively fortify it versus the perceived inadequacies of the existing unitary system, relevant provisions found their way to the proposed draft, thus:

1. On economic viability: A provision for an “Equalization Fund under the General Appropriation Act for regions in need of further support to achieve financial viability and economic sustainability… to be determined and distributed on needs-basis by the Federal Intergovernmental Commission;”

2. On structural stability: The same basic executive power is vested on the President (elected along with the vice-president as a team by direct vote of the people) with the added “step in power in all regions” to prevent break-up and/or violation/non-performance of duties under the Constitution.” Checks and balances are preserved with a functioning legislature and judiciary down to regional levels.

3. On political dynasties: Inclusion of an expanded SELF-EXECUTING constitutional anti-dynasty provision.

4. On judicial reform: The creation of four high courts — the Supreme Court, a Constitutional Court, an Administrative Court and an Electoral Court — to assure speedy delivery and swift application of justice as a necessary ingredient in our quest for peace and order and discipline, as well as a major deterrent to criminality.

5. On electoral reform: A provision to regulate campaign finance and to create a Democracy Fund as a repository of campaign funds to be administered by the Federal Commission on Elections and subject to review by the Federal Commission on Audit. Also, provision against changing of political parties within their term of office, among others;

6. On Federated Regions: Constitutionally creating 16 regions plus the Bangsamoro and the Cordilleras, complete with each region’s legislature, executive, and judiciary (but with the “prohibition to advocate, demand for, or support the secession of any region from the Federal Republic”). And to argue that the regions might not be prepared for this new governance structure, because they have no prior exposure, is to take the shadow for the substance. A plain misapprehension! For how can anyone, for that matter, ever have the experience/exposure without going through it in the first place? Nobody ever learned to ride a bicycle in a classroom! And with the advances in technology and communication all around us, it is quite presumptuous to conclude and judge them as incapable of self-determination.

If the essence therefore of the charter change lies in its federal regional order, then a quite heavy load on finance it will be, given the scope of the would-be functional adjustment. And since cost and structure follow function, it will be futile without one or the other.

This makes the whole federal political advocacy more like an issue of finance! How shall it be sourced, how much and for how long? Can we indeed not afford it, when in the past it has been proven that we have the wherewithal to even fund the immorality of pork barrels, from one administration to the next?

Even so, federal proponents still have options open to them — e.g., improving revenue generation/collection and equitable sharing thereof to meet cost; and/or scaling down/reconfiguring the regional structure to something like lesser number of regions so as to be within budget limits.

Wouldn’t this advocacy be worth the investment in time, talent and effort, given the promise of Federalism… vis-à-vis the existing unitary system that has only proven to work for and benefit only the elite who has the economy in its strangle-hold, with the middle class going the way of an endangered specie, and everybody else rendered impoverished, helplessly witnessing the country’s descent to the bottom of the Asian economic totem pole?

As William Shakespeare puts it: “To be or not to be, that is the question:

Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them?”

 

This article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or the MAP.

 

Antonio T. Hernandez is management and development finance consultant; Past President& Advisory Council member of the Government Association of CPAs; Past Director — PICPA; and former Senior officer of Land Bank of the Philippines.

map@map.org.ph

ath7543@yahoo.com

http://map.org.ph

Kings snap Celtics’ 10-game streak

LOS ANGELES — Richaun Holmes hit a pair of go-ahead free throws with 13.3 seconds left as the host Sacramento Kings ended the Boston Celtics’ 10-game winning streak with a 100-99 victory Sunday afternoon.

Buddy Hield led all scorers with 35 points and hit seven 3-pointers, as the Kings won for the fifth time in seven games. Nemanja Bjelica (12 points, 14 rebounds) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (12 points, 10 assists) each had double-doubles.

Jaylen Brown led six Celtics in double figures with 18 points, and Daniel Theis had 10 rebounds to go with his 14 points. Boston lost for the first time since its season opener Oct. 23.

The game featured 24 lead changes and nine ties. After Marcus Smart was assessed a loose ball foul on a scrum under the net that withstood a coach’s challenge, Holmes put Sacramento up for good with his two makes.

NUGGETS 131, GRIZZLIES 114
Jamal Murray contributed a dunk and two assists to a 15-0, second-quarter flurry that erased a deficit and propelled Denver to a romp at Memphis.

Murray finished with 39 points and eight assists for the Nuggets, who won for the sixth time in their last seven games. Jaren Jackson Jr. paced Memphis with 22 points.

Paul Millsap and Will Barton capped the 15-0 burst with hoops that made it 53-40 with 4:34 remaining in the half. Denver extended its lead to as many as 25 in the second period and never allowed the Grizzlies closer than 17 in the second half.

76ERS 114, CAVALIERS 95
Tobias Harris scored 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting, Joel Embiid added 14 points and Philadelphia led for all but a few minutes in a win at Cleveland.

James Ennis III contributed 14 points and Furkan Korkmaz had 13 for the Sixers, who snapped a two-game losing streak overall and a five-game road skid. Al Horford had 11 points, and Ben Simmons had 10 points and 11 assists. — Reuters

Vikings rally to survive Broncos

LOS ANGELES — The Minnesota Vikings made up for three bad quarters of football with a dominant one on Sunday.

Kirk Cousins was 29-of-35 passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns to lead Minnesota to a come-from-behind 27-23 home win over the Denver Broncos.

The Vikings (8-3) trailed 20-0 at halftime and 23-7 after three quarters, but scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to rally and win for the sixth time in their past seven games. Cousins hit Kyle Rudolph for a 32-yard touchdown pass with 6:01 remaining to give the Vikings a 27-23 lead, their first of the game.

Denver (3-7) took the ball and put together a 19-play drive to the Minnesota 4-yard line in the final seconds, but the Broncos couldn’t connect on three consecutive passing plays before time ran out. — Reuters

PSC wants to find more local talents in under-13 football meet

KEEN on discovering more homegrown talents in football, the Philippine Sports Commission will come up with a national tournament for under-13 players next year at the newly-refurbished Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez made the announcement in support of the “Football Para Sa Lahat” development program of the various football associations (FAs) in the country.

The PSC commitment was made during the launch of the Luzon Cup football tournament for Under-12 players spearheaded by the Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) and the Central Luzon Football Association (CLFA).

“We will offer Rizal Memorial Stadium for the national championship to add some support, para tuluy-tuloy na kayo,” Ramirez told the enthusiastic crowd.

The Luzon Cup will be held from Nov. 21 till Nov. 24 at the Jose V. Yap Sports and Recreational Complex in San Jose, Tarlac. The Luzon Cup is supported by the Tarlac provincial and local governments and the Department of Education.

Ramirez delighted the FAs and football enthusiasts present at the launch with his surprise announcement of a new national age-group tourney, with the PSC chair expressing his gratitude for the FAs’ efforts to promote sports development in the regions.

He said the new tourney will feature the champions of the NOFA Cup (Visayas leg), Mindanao Cup, and the coming Luzon Cup, age-group tournaments backed by the NOFA headed by its president Ricky Yanson Jr. and their partner FAs.

“Football has a special place in my heart because my grand daughter based in the US competes at a high level for a spot in the US age-group teams,” said Ramirez.

Chairman Ramirez noted the NOFA’s efforts under Yanson to partner with other FAs throughout the country to replicate NOFA’s successful “Football para sa lahat” development programs in the Visayas.

In cooperation with fellow football associations and football stakeholders, NOFA has been organizing tournaments for Under-12 and Under-13 boys, beginning with its own Bacolod-based NOFA Cup which has completed four successful editions since 2015.

In October, the Davao Central Football Association and NOFA successfully held the Mindanao Cup in Davao City for 16 Under-12 teams, with Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte in attendance.

Yanson thanked Ramirez, saying a new national age-group tourney in Manila will be the perfect cap-stone to the triangle of Bacolod, Davao, and Tarlac age-group tourneys put up by the FAs.

“Our dream, through “Football para sa lahat,” is to support more tournaments and activities for all age groups. We want more Filipinos to enjoy football,” said Yanson.

CLFA General Secretary Mr. Ed Flaminiano said the upcoming Luzon Cup is a significant development.

“Malaking bagay ito para sa amin sa Central Luzon at sa buong Luzon dahil for the past three years, there have been no tournaments in Central Luzon,” said Flaminiano of the Luzon Cup, which is expecting 16 teams, including Mindanao Cup champion the Bukidnon Football Association team.

European team championship

22nd European Team Championship
Batumi, Georgia
Oct 24 — Nov 2, 2019

Final Top Standings (match points)

1. Russia, 15/18. bd01 GM Dmitry Andreikin 2741, 5.5/8, bd02 GM Nikita Vitiugov 2732, 4.5/7, bd03 GM Kirill Aleksenko 2674, 4.5/8, bd04 GM Maxim Matlakov 2716, 2.5/6, bd05 GM Daniil Dubov 2699, 5.5/7.

2. Ukraine, 14/18. bd01 Vassily Ivanchuk 2686, 5.5/9, bd092 GM Yuriy Kuzubov 2636, 4/6, bd03 GM Andrei Volokitin 2627, 4.5/7, bd04 GM Alexander Moiseenko 2635, 2.5/6, bd05 GM Vladimir Onischuk 2616, 6/8.

3. England, 14/18. bd01 GM Michael Adams 2694, 5.5/9, bd092 GM Luke McShane 2682, 5/8, bd03 GM David Howell 2694, 5/9, bd04 GM Gawain Jones 2688, 5.5/8, bd05 GM Nicholas Pert 2557, 1.5/2.

4. Armenia, 13/18

5. Croatia, 12/18

6–10. Azerbaijan, Spain, Germany, France, Czech Republic, 11/18

Total of 40 participants: 140 Grandmaster, 41 International Master, 14 FM

Time Control: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes play-to-finish with 30 seconds added to your clock after every move starting move 1.

Here in Batumi it was interesting to see the changes taking place within the various team rosters. We start with almost no change in the English squad (the 47-year-old Michael Adams has been representing England since 1989, 38-years old Luke McShane played for England in the 2002 Bled Olympiad, interned at Goldman Sachs in 2006 and retired from chess in 2007 to become a trader. He is just recently coming back to chess) to France’s 12-year-old Marc Maurizzi.

One veteran who is experiencing a resurgence of form is the 47-year “Fire on Board” Alexei Shirov. Shirov was ranked no. 2 in the world behind Karpov in 1994 and was among the world’s top 10 from 1992 up to 2001. He is already past his prime and has seen his rating slip down to the mid 2600s in the past 5 years. However, Shirov’s play in the FIDE Grand Swiss last month and now in the Batumi Team Championship once again shows his tactical mastery and aggressive pushing for the full point.

Shirov, Alexei (2664) — Westerberg, Jonathan (2546) [D06]
22nd EU-chT Open 2019 Batumi (9.27), 02.11.2019

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c5

The former Russian Champion GM Aleksei Bezgodov has written a well-received book on this line, calling it The Double Queen’s Gambit. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov is the elite player who regularly adopts this line, especially in fast time controls. I agree with the assessment of Dennis Monokroussos in The Chess Mind: If you want complications and structural imbalances, this probably isn’t the opening for you. If on the other hand you like relatively simpler structures, this could be just what you’re looking for, as both players’ c- and d-pawns tend to speedily disappear from the board.

3.cxd5 Qxd5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nc3 Qa5

Here is one finesse you have to be familiar with. 5…Qd8? in such positions is not considered good because after 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 (6…Nc6 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 (7…Nxd8? 8.Nb5 Ne6 9.Ng5 Nxg5 10.Bxg5 Kd8 11.Rd1+ Bd7 12.Nd6 f6 13.Nf7+ Ke8 14.Nxh8 fxg5 15.Nf7 and he escapes with the extra material) 8.Bf4 f6 9.0–0–0+ Bd7 White has easier play. Karsa, L. (2340)-Groszpeter, A. (2480) Budapest 1980 1/2 40) 7.Nxd4 Nf6 8.Ndb5 Na6 9.g3 Black’s knight on a6 gets locked out of action. Let’s bring the analysis forth a few more moves: 9…Bd7 10.Bg2 Bc6 11.0–0 e6 12.a3 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Be7 14.Be3 b6 15.b4 0–0 16.Rac1 it is clear Black is in trouble.

6.Nxd4

An interesting line from Bezgodov’s book: 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Qd5 Qc7 8.Nb5 Qb8! (8…Qb6?! 9.Be3 White has the initiative. Videki,S (2430)-Penz,H (2307) Austria 2003 1/2 54.) 9.Qc4 (intending Bf4) 9…a6! (9…Nf6? 10.Ng5; 9…Be6 10.Qf4 in both cases White is clearly better) 10.Nbd4 Bd7 11.Nxc6 Bxc6, and according to Bezgodov (in his book he analyses this position even further) Black is okay here.

6…Nf6 7.Bd2 e5 8.Ndb5 Bb4?

Black has not been doing too well with either 8…Na6 or 8…Qb6, but this move is even worse.

9.a3 Bxc3 10.Nd6+!

This is why Black’s 8th move was bad.

10…Ke7 11.Bxc3 Qd5 12.Bb4 Nc6

[12…Qxd1+? 13.Rxd1 Ke6 14.e3 White’s coming Bc4 will be crushing]

13.Nxc8+ Ke6 <D>

POSITION AFTER 13…KE6

And now for the star move.

14.g3!

Threatening Bh3+. Taking the queen won’t work because after 14.Qxd5+ Nxd5 White’s knight has nowhere to go.

14…Qxh1 15.Qd6+! Kf5 16.Qd3+ e4

Alternatives:

16…Ke6 17.0–0–0 Qxh2 18.Qb3+ Kf5 19.Nd6+ Kg5 (19…Kg6 20.Qxf7+ Kg5 21.Bd2+ Kg4 22.Qxg7+ Kh5 23.Qg5#) 20.Bd2+ Kh5 21.Qf3+ Ng4 22.Qf5+ g5 23.Qxg5#;

16…Ne4 17.Nd6+ Kg6 18.Nxe4;

16…Qe4 17.Nd6+

17.Nd6+ Kg6 18.Qb5

With the idea of Qf5+, Bd2+, and mate.

18…Ne7 19.Nc4 Nc6 20.Qxb7 Nxb4 21.Ne5+! Kf5 22.axb4

Intending to follow-up with Ra5!

22…a5 23.Nxf7 Rhf8 24.Rc1

Now intending Rc5+

24…h6 25.Nd6+ Kg6 26.Rc7!

Yes, the fire on board of old, with threats coming from everywhere.

26…Nh5 27.f3! Kh7

[27…exf3 28.Qe4+ Kg5 29.h4+]

28.Qxe4+ Kg8 29.Qd5+ Kh7 30.Qxh5 Rf6 31.Ne4 Rg6 32.Qf5! Raa6

[32…Qxh2 33.Nf6+ Kh8 34.Rc8+ Rxc8 35.Qxc8#]

33.h4 1–0

The team from the host country Georgia did not do too well, finishing in 11th place. They lost to Slovenia and the Czech Republic and were held to draws by Finland (!), Germany, Norway and Israel. This despite having ex-Bulgarian GM Ivan Cheparinov playing on their second board and finishing with a powerful 6.5/9 on second board.

Their problem is that team leader Baadur Jobava was not in good form. In the following game for example he used his patented 1.b3 attack and already had a very bad position after 11 moves!

Jobava, Baadur (2617) — Lenic, Luka (2644) [A03]
22nd EU-chT Open Batumi GEO (4.1), 27.10.2019

1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.e3 e6 4.f4 Nf6 5.Nf3 h6 6.Nc3 a6 7.h3 c5 8.g4 Bh7 9.Ne2 Nc6 10.Bg2 Nb4 11.d3 c4! 12.bxc4 dxc4 13.Ne5

Castling kingside loses a pawn, either to …cxd3 or …Nxc2!

13…Nfd5 14.Nxc4 b5 15.Bxd5

Going back is not possible: 15.Ne5 Nxe3 there is a double attack on white’s queen and g2–bishop.

15…Nxd5 16.e4 bxc4 17.exd5 Qxd5 18.Rh2 cxd3 19.cxd3 Bxd3 20.Rc1 0–1

Jobava resigns without waiting for 20.Rc1 Rd8 followed by …Bd7–h4+

There are eight slots in the Candidates’ Tournament to be held in Yekaterinburg come March 2020. One of the slots is for the player with the highest average FIDE rating not otherwise qualified. For this purpose they will use the standard rating lists of February 2019 up to January 2020. As of now the GM who qualifies under this criteria is Anish Giri.

It is therefore imperative that Giri’s rating not take a tumble between now and January 2020 because otherwise maybe Maxime Vachier-Lagrave or Mamedyarov might overtake him. It was expected that Anish Giri would play conservatively in this tournament to preserve his rating. The opposite happened as Giri pout in a powerful display of attacking chess.

Giri, Anish (2780) — Anton Guijarro, David (2674) [C54]
22nd EU-chT Open Batumi GEO (3.1), 26.10.2019

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0–0 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 a5 7.Re1 0–0 8.h3 h6 9.Nbd2 Be6 10.Bb5 Qb8

Black seeks to relocate his queen to the g1–a7 diagonal.

11.Bxc6

[11.Nf1 Qa7 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Nxe3 Ne7 Black has no trouble equalizing. Carlsen,M (2837)-Ding,L (2774) Saint Louis 2017 1/2 44.]

11…bxc6 12.d4 exd4 13.cxd4 Bb6?!

This is what is usually played, but I think it would be better to swap out the bishop with 13…Bb4 rather than have it hemmed in by the white pawns.

14.a4 Re8 15.Ra3

And in addition to blocking off Black’s bishop the a2–a4 move allows the white rook to centralize quickly.

15…Qb7 16.Rae3 Rab8 17.b3 Ba7 18.Bb2 d5 19.e5 Nd7 20.Nh4

With Black’s pieces all clumped up in the queenside the coast is clear for Giri to launch a kingside assault.

20…c5 21.Rg3 Qa6

[21…cxd4?! 22.Qh5 Kh7 23.Nf5 Bxf5 24.Qxf7 Rg8 25.Qxf5+ Kh8 26.Qxd7 is easily winning for White]

22.Qh5 Kh8 23.Bc1 Rg8 24.Ndf3 Nf8 25.Bxh6 g6

[25…gxh6 26.Qxh6+ Nh7 27.Ng5 wins]

26.Nxg6+ fxg6 27.Qh4 Nh7 28.Ng5 Qb5 29.Nxh7 Qd7 30.f4 1–0

[30.f4 Qxh7 31.Qf6+ Rg7 32.Bxg7+ Qxg7 33.Qxe6]

 

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

bobby@cpamd.net

Homecourt edge

The Kings had plenty to say in the aftermath of a loss against the vaunted Lakers the other day. Despite being shorthanded in the absence of rotation regulars De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley, and Trevor Ariza, they managed to stay close until the waning seconds of the match. And for all the pressure being brought to bear by the partisan crowd at the Staples Center, they were on the cusp of an upset. Until, that is, the referees called a questionable foul on Harrison Barnes that sent LeBron James to the line for two shots with the score tied and five and a half seconds remaining in regulation. The charities proved to be the difference maker, leading to interesting interviews in which opinions were carefully couched to avoid fines from the league office while still making the displeasure clear.

Certainly, the Kings didn’t lose the game on the whistle of Rodney Mott, who, along with Sean Wright and Natalie Sago, officiated the match. Never mind the glaring 22-to-nine disparity in free throws. And forget that, on the next play, Barnes appeared to have been inadvertently tripped by James as he made his way to the basket, leading to an awkward try to force overtime that a lying-in-wait Anthony Davis had no trouble defending. Still, their sentiments were clear; homecourt advantage coupled with star power tilted the balance of calls in the Lakers’ favor.

Interestingly, the National Basketball Association’s Last Two Minute Report on the set-to validated one of the Kings’ concerns and negated another. It acknowledged that James “extends his elbow into Barnes’s chin before any contact is initiated by Barnes on the perimeter,” and should thus have been charged with an offensive foul. It likewise noted that the contact between the two in the subsequent play was “marginal” and “incidental.” Not that either determination changes the outcome; at best, it promotes speculation on what could have been.

Creditably, the Kings used the experience as fodder for motivation. Yesterday, they hosted the red-hot Celtics, proud owners of a 10-game win streak heading into the Golden 1 Center, and managed to eke out a hard-earned win. Rather than dwell on the wasted chance for victory, they focused on the opportunity before them — and promptly succeeded. As head coach Luke Walton argued, “I don’t care [about the Last Two Minute Report]. I don’t look at it. Our mindset is ‘What’s next? What are we doing next?’” And this time around, they got a whistle that sent Richaun Holmes to the line with 13.3 seconds left to set up a triumph by the slimmest of margins. The call was second-guessed, to be sure, but ultimately upheld following a coach’s challenge.

Moving forward, the Kings are right not to dwell too much on any one win or loss. They may have a 5-7 slate, but they’re moving up in the West standings, seemingly rounding into form after five consecutive setbacks to start the season. There remains a lot of hoops to negotiate, and if there’s anything the outcomes of their two most recent contests showed, it’s that they’re best served dwelling on things they can control, and quickly turning their back on things they can’t.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Senator pushes budget transfer to quake victims

A SENATOR yesterday proposed to realign P3 billion worth of unspent housing funds to victims of earthquake victims in the Mindanao region.

Senator Risa Hontiveros-Barraquel sought the transfer during budget deliberations on key shelter agencies, according to a statement posted on the Senate website.

The lawmaker, who heads the finance subcommittee that tackles the budget for the housing sector, noted that the National Housing Authority (NHA) and Social Housing Finance Corp. have very low budget use rates. The funds, she added, would be better used to rehabilitate damaged houses and infrastructure in Mindanao.

“We don’t want these funds to go stale, so it’s better that they be dedicated to the most urgent needs,” she said. “This is where the government should put flesh to its ‘Build, build, build’ rhetoric.”

Hontiveros cited the need for “new and better ways of doing things” to increase the housing sector’s “absorptive capacity,” according to the statement.

She said the government should not limit its options when it comes to providing poor and homeless families with decent and affordable housing. “We should link up and identify possible partnerships with institutions both public and private which are willing and able to help our people.”

Ms. Hontiveros said that the local governments have been formulating their local shelter plans for years but they have not been matched with resources. She also said both the NHA and Home Development Mutual Fund have entered into Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).

“Let’s see which partnerships work and are effective in allowing us to hit more of our housing targets,” she said. “Successful ones should be scaled up and replicated in the long term.

At least 24 people died in a magnitude 6.6 quake that hit central Mindanao on Oct. 29 and in a temblor that followed two days later, according to a Nov. 18 report by the national agency on disasters.

The agency said 66,395 families consisting of 324,720 people were affected by the earthquakes, it said. — Gillian M. Cortez

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