Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Team strategy and communication will be key elements for the North and South squads as they open their three-day, three-format duel for the right to be called the first ICTSI Junior Elite Finals champion starting on Wednesday at the ultra-exclusive The Country Club layout in Laguna.

Four-ball action opens up play where each of the four members from three different age-groups of each team will play, leaving the onus on team captains to pick out the proper tandems for the crucial head start.

Alternate play (foursomes) will be the format on Thursday before the culminating singles are held the day after, as the team that wins 24.5 points first will have bragging rights.

‘Keep the ball in the fairway and greens in regulation,’ Team North coskipper Ryan Tambalque said when asked of team strategy. ‘[We want]them [to] enjoy the game. I’m confident in our players-and they’re all good, strong players.

‘Whichever way we pair them, I know they’ll do their best.’

South skipper Alfred Gaccion, meanwhile, exuded quiet confidence.

‘The opposing team is equally equipped, so we’re focusing on a balanced fielding of players,’ Gaccion said. ‘Fortunately, we have strong representatives in every age division.’

Gaccion singled out the girls’ 15-18 division as a potential game-changer as he has a team that is loaded to the brim. Tashanah Balangauan, Crista Miñoza, Precious Zaragosa and Mikela Guillermo make up his squad. INQ

Maynard Ngu, the tech billionaire behind Cherry Mobile now linked to the billion-peso flood control scandal, has resigned from his post as independent director of Altus Property Ventures Inc.

In a regulatory filing on Tuesday, Altus, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gokongwei-led Robinsons Land Corp., said its board of directors had accepted Ngu’s resignation.

It noted that Ngu had resigned ‘due to personal reasons,’ although his exit from Altus comes just days after he was linked to the corruption allegations surrounding anomalous flood control projects being investigated at Congress.

Kickbacks

Last week, former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo alleged that he had coursed P160 million in kickbacks through Ngu.

This, Bernardo said, was supposedly meant for Sen. Francis Escudero.

The former Senate President has since denied his involvement, saying Bernardo’s claims were part of a ‘well-orchestrated plan to attack the Senate and its members,’ and to ‘divert the public’s attention from the real perpetrators.’

As a result, Ngu is among the 21 individuals, including senators, a congressman and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways, that may face charges of graft, bribery and malversation of funds, among others, according to the National Bureau of Investigation. He joins Escudero, Sen. Joel Villanueva, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and resigned Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co.

Independent director

Ngu, who is currently Malacañang’s special envoy to China for trade and investment, had been serving as Altus’ independent director since 2019.

The 46-year-old businessman is the CEO of Cosmic Technologies Inc. and president of Cherry Mobile, Cosmic Mobile Advertising Inc., Versatile Customer Care Solutions Inc., Kosmos Technomobile Inc. and Fimobile Technoloby Inc.

He is likewise the CEO of Land Traders Properties and Development Co. Inc. and Starway Piping Technology Inc.

Ngu, a management and finance graduate of De La Salle University, holds director positions in several other companies.

NCAA’s 101st season will open with a bang as last year’s Final Four teams clash in a double-header to raise the curtain on the league’s new century.

Jose Rizal University athletic director and NCAA Management Committee member Paul Supan said the league wanted to start strong by pitting its best right away.

‘We have the top four teams on the first day and we already have a salvo between all of them,’ he said during the Philippine Sportswriters’ Association’s weekly forum on Tuesday.

After the opening festivities at 12 noon, host school and defending champion Mapua battles Lyceum at 2:30 p.m. at Araneta Coliseum.

The Cardinals and Pirates last met in Season 100’s semifinals, where Mapua prevailed behind Finals MVP Clint Escamis, who erupted for a career-high 33 points in their 89-79 win.

The second game will feature another semifinal rematch, with College of St. Benilde colliding with San Beda. Like Mapua, the Blazers also advanced by ousting the Red Lions in the Final Four.

Beyond basketball, Supan highlighted the NCAA’s broader role in shaping Philippine sports across generations.

‘I’m sure for the past 100 years of the NCAA, we’ve seen athletes from the member schools rise to the elite level,’ he said. ‘For the next 100 years, with the help of the PSC and all the member schools, we hope that we can sustain our contribution to the national training pool,’ he added.

The NCAA kicks off Season 101 on October 1 at Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

The Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) has moved to protect its members from what it calls censorship disguised as revoked access, adopting new measures after the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) briefly barred Spin.ph from coverage in the recent FIVB World Men’s Championship.

In a statement on Tuesday, the PSA said any official or organization that withholds or forfeits a member’s credentials without due process and prior notice will now be declared persona non grata.

The group stressed that media accreditation must never be used as retaliation for critical reporting. ‘Censorship does not always arrive as a law or an organizational rule. Sometimes it comes as a locked gate, a revoked pass or an admonished question,’ the PSA said.

To ensure the rule is not misused, the PSA said it will police its ranks and give continuing guidance on fair and impartial reporting. It will also create a committee to mediate disputes between journalists and sports officials when accreditation is in question.

‘These measures affirm our singular conviction: The PSA cannot, and will not, accept being silenced, not even temporarily,’ the group said, adding that freedom of the press is a constitutional guarantee no sports body can undermine.

The PSA issued the policy after Spin.ph’s credentials were revoked by PNVF president Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara on Sept. 23 before being later restored. The association said the incident, while resolved, left a ‘chilling effect’ that must not be repeated.

Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. (IMI), the listed semiconductors and electronics manufacturing arm of the Ayala Group, has shut down its Kuichong facility to consolidate its China business in a single location.

In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, IMI said final production activities in Kuichong ended on Tuesday, Sept. 30. They are now integrating operations into IMI’s Pingshan facility.

‘Throughout this transition period, IMI’s management team will prioritize business continuity and ensure that key customer accounts from IMI Kuichong will be served with minimal disruption,’ IMI said in its disclosure.

‘This strategic move is expected to further improve operational efficiency, increase capacity utilization in IMI Pingshan and further streamline IMI’s footprint in China,’ it added.

This follows IMI’s P635-million exit from its Czech Republic business in June as it sought to cut losses and return to profitability.

Its subsidiary, Cooperatief IMI Europe UA, had agreed to sell 100 percent of IMI Czech Republic to Keboda Deutschland GmbH and Co. KG. /dda

San Beda may have opened the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament with a big win, but the path ahead is anything but easy.

Following the Red Lions’ 96-85 win over the College of St. Benilde at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, coach Yuri Escueta quickly turned their attention to their next game day. On Sunday at San Juan Arena, the oldest collegiate rivalry between Letran and San Beda takes center stage and the matchup always demands the best preparation.

‘Playing Letran always brings out the best of the coaches and the players knowing they’re our rivals,’ he said. ‘This year, they’re so strong. They’re like an all-star team.’

Bryan Sajonia, who scored a team-high 16 points with three steals to match, will have to exert the same effort or even more in their outing against their longtime rival.

For one, the Knights will have the services of former Perpetual Help stars Jun Roque and Mark Omega along with veteran shooter Deo Cuajao and Titing Manalili, who sat out last season due to academic deficiencies.

Red Lions forward Yukien Andrada knows just how physical that upcoming clash would be. After all, he’s been through most of the rivalry since his rookie year in the NCAA.

‘I’m expecting a very very physical ballgame but we’ll just play the game the San Beda way,’ he said after dropping 11 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo attended Wednesday, October 1, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) hearing on alleged flood-control irregularities.

Bernardo arrived at the ICI office about 10 a.m. Wednesday to testify as a resource person but declined to comment to the media.

Last week, in his testimony before the Senate blue ribbon committee, Bernardo alleged that Senator Francis Escudero and former Senators Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. and Nancy Binay received kickbacks from allocations for public works projects.

He also named Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, whose P4.7-billion in air assets were recently ordered frozen by the government.

Co resigned as a member of the House of Representatives on Sept. 30./cb

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called on Filipinos to support and nurture the country’s artists as he officially reopened the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) after six months of renovation.

‘As we reopen the doors of the PICC, let us also open ourselves to a greater challenge: to create, to imagine, and to contribute,’ Marcos said in his speech.

‘Support our artists-our painters, our musicians, our performers. For in their creativity, we find not only beauty, but the very soul of our nation. And beyond appreciation, let us take part in that creation ourselves,’ he added.

Marcos urged Filipinos to ensure that the PICC would remain ‘a testament to the artistry, ingenuity, and passion of the Filipino people.’

‘Let it inspire us to carry forward our heritage, so that decades from now, our children, our grandchildren will still look at this place with pride, saying: This is who we are. This is what we can achieve,’ he said. The President was accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and former First Lady Imelda Marcos, as well as other officials, during the reopening.

In encouraging Filipinos to embrace creativity, Marcos said artistic expression can be found in many forms, including ‘a short reflection written in a notebook, a song hummed at the end of a long day, a painting done by a child, or even a simple story shared with the family.’

‘Every act of creation-no matter how small-is an act of courage. It is an act of hope,’ he said.

Marcos also highlighted the role of the PICC as a cultural venue that embodies the resilience of creativity.

‘If the PICC has shown us anything, it is this: That creativity, when nurtured, endures. That artistry, when given space, inspires. And that every Filipino, no matter who or where they are, can bring light, meaning, and beauty to the world,’ the President said.

Residents of Masbate are in need of cash to purchase basic commodities and rehabilitate their communities a week after Typhoon Opong (international name: Bualoi) wiped out the province. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made the assessment on Wednesday during his visit to Masbate City, where he led the distribution of food packs, medicine, and cash aid, to the affected families. ‘I think we have managed to address most of the problems [in Masbate]. But the biggest issue that still needs our attention is the shortage of cash,’ the President told reporters at Nursery Elementary School, which serves as an evacuation center for Masbate City residents. ‘People cannot withdraw their own money because the banks are closed, since there is no electricity, and no internet,’ he added. The President said he had discussed the problem with Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, and the possible immediate solution was ‘to bring large amounts of cash’ to Masbate.

According to the President, he received reports that Masbate residents would withdraw money in as far as Legazpi City in Albay in mainland Bicol Region, or in nearby provinces in the Visayas. Only two branches of the Land Bank of the Philippines are open in the province, but they are in Masbate City and in Cataingan town, which is more than 70 kilometers away or a two-hour travel from the capital. ‘People are going to different places just to borrow money. But no one can loan them because of the situation,’ he said. ‘It’s a problem that we are going to have to solve very, very quickly,’ Marcos added.

‘It is very inconvenient for the people, but we will work on improving the situation as soon as possible.’ Masbate, which is under a state of calamity, was one of the hard-hit areas in Luzon and the Visayas during the onslaught of Opong, which made successive landfalls in the town of Palanas and Milagros on Sept. 26. The Department of Energy (DOE) earlier said that about P400 million will be needed to restore the electricity services in the province. Most of the towns were still struggling with power outages and limited communication lines. According to the DOE, various electric cooperatives nationwide have been arriving in Masbate to speed up restoration efforts of Masbate Electric Cooperative Inc. (Maselco), the province’s energy distributor.

Starting Wednesday, Oct. 1, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) adopted InstaPay for all its inter-institution cash-in transactions for a P15 fee as part of efforts to enhance interoperability of digital financial services in the country.

The Ayala-backed bank said the standard service fee would also apply to transfers to affiliate e-wallet platform GCash.

‘This transition ensures compliance with regulatory standards while continuing to offer customers flexible and affordable ways to manage their finances,’ BPI said in a statement. Standard fee

BPI earlier implemented the same fee for ShopeePay and SeaBank. This will likewise apply to other applications as they comply with a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas directive.

Currently, fund transfers made to GCash via the BPI app carry a P10 fee, although select customer segments and merchant payments enjoy free transfers.

Meanwhile, clients with BPI #MySaveUp accounts in GCash also benefit from zero fees for funds transferred from the BPI app to GSave.