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Our tax laws are significantly evolving. I had said this before and I would say this once again. Many tax laws have been passed in the previous years, and we expect further changes and developments in taxation, with a number of tax bills pending in Congress. One of these proposals is the GINHAWA Bill (S.B. 56), which was filed in July of 2025. The GINHAWA Bill is short for ‘Granting Increase in Take-Home Pay for All Working Filipinos Act.’
Among the features of this bill are mentioned here. The GINHAWA Bill proposes to increase the amount of income of individual taxpayers that is exempt from income tax, from the present P250,000 to P400,000, while still keeping the same graduated income tax rates of 0 percent to 35 percent. The amount of tax-exempt 13th month pay, bonuses and other benefits would also be increased from P90,000 to P150,000.
The proposed measure also intends to exclude as part of the taxable income any additional compensation required to be paid to employees under the Labor Code of the Philippines -such as holiday pay, overtime pay, night shift differential pay, hazard pay, and service charges. Exclusion of overtime pay shall, however, be limited to P100,000 only. While the graduated income tax rates are kept, the tax rate on employee fringe benefits would no longer be fixed at 35 percent. Under the bill, fringe benefits would be subjected to the same graduated tax rates, depending on the amount of income of the taxpayer, regardless of the position of the employee. Life or health insurance and other non-life insurance premiums borne by the employer for its employees shall no longer be considered taxable fringe benefits. That means life and health insurance costs of employees borne by the employer shall not be considered taxable benefits.
In the GINHAWA Bill, minimum wage earners remain exempt from the payment of tax on their income. But, here, not only their basic pay, holiday pay, overtime pay, night shift differential pay, and hazard pay would be exempt, but also their share in service charges.
Other than the proposed changes for individual taxpayers, there are also proposed changes that may affect small businesses. There is a proposal to allow 50 percent additional deduction for the labor expenses paid to the employees of micro taxpayers. They will also be exempted from the coverage of creditable withholding tax obligations on their purchases. True to its name, the bill seeks to improve the level of disposable income and cost of living of individual taxpayers, especially employees, by enhancing deductions, exemptions and exclusions from their taxable income, and thereby lowering the total amount of taxes they need to pay. The bill likewise advances the benefits that may be indirectly enjoyed by them by cutting down on the passed-on taxes. These provide the taxpayers sort of relief from the burden of taxation and the daily costs of living. I hope Congress will consider this.
The Roman Empire’s grain supply ran through a single corridor: the sea lanes from Egypt and North Africa to the port of Rome. For centuries that corridor was an asset. Then it became the measure of Roman vulnerability, because whoever controlled those lanes controlled Rome’s food supply. It took King Gaiseric and his Vandal fleet capturing Carthage in 439 AD to cut it. Iran handed the equivalent away without a single enemy boot on Persian soil.
For three decades, Iran treated the Strait of Hormuz as a geopolitical asset. The arithmetic looked convincing: roughly 20 percent of global seaborne oil threading through a passage 33 kilometers wide at its narrowest, and Tehran sitting astride it with mines, missiles, and a navy large enough to create chaos. Western war-game planners spent careers modeling any disruption. The threat was priced into every Brent oil futures contract. Iran never needed to close the Strait. It only needed the world to believe it could.
The belief was the weapon. The weapon was always pointed in the wrong direction. Nearly 90 percent of Iranian crude exports, and approximately 80 percent of total exports, depend on Hormuz transit. Around 25 percent of Iranian GDP and 60 percent of government revenues require the Strait to be open. Before the current conflict, Iran was shipping roughly 1.7 million barrels per day and collecting approximately $160 million in daily export revenue. The regime was not holding the world hostage. It was holding itself.
The fragility beneath that posture had been accumulating for a decade. Iranian inflation averaged above 30 percent annually for 10 years from 2013, by IMF estimates, peaking near 47 percent in 2022 and 2023. Real GDP growth over the same period was near zero. In dollar terms it was likely negative. Capital flight reached $15 billion in the first half of 2025 alone. The rial collapsed. The government allocated 51 percent of oil revenues to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, leaving the budget simultaneously dependent on a single export route and incapable of absorbing its loss.
Ninety-five percent of Iranian crude at sea went to a single buyer: China. That is not an export market. That is a captive supplier and Beijing could set the price at will. Discounts of $10 to $11 per barrel were standard. Tehran needed those sales badly enough to accept them. That is not leverage.
Then the context shifted entirely. US crude production hit a record 13.6 million barrels per day in 2025. American petroleum exports reached 5.2 million barrels of crude and 7.2 million barrels of petroleum products daily by March 2026, both global records. US LNG exports surpassed Qatar and Australia. The one country Iran’s deterrent was designed to punish through energy pain had become the world’s largest producer, largest exporter, and the supplier of last resort for every market Hormuz disruption was supposed to hold at risk.
Operation Economic Fury imposed a full naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iranian naval losses exceeded 150 vessels in the first 38 days. The ceasefire framework under negotiation requires Iranian dismantlement, not American concession. The United States clears the Strait now as a service to China, Japan, Korea, and Germany. Four percent of Hormuz traffic is American-bound, per SandP Global. President Trump said as much publicly in April 2026, and no one disputed the arithmetic.
When throughput at the Strait collapsed from roughly 20 million barrels per day to 3.8 million following the outbreak of war, 80 percent of displaced volume was rerouted or replaced within 30 days. Iran’s crude shipments fell 94 percent. The regime tried levying a $2 million toll per vessel. The toll was ignored.
The Philippine exposure is direct. The country imports all of its crude. Energy already consumed nearly 20 percent of total import spending before a single shot was fired. Three billion dollars in annual Gulf remittances now flow from an economy repricing its entire energy infrastructure. Brent above $90 passes through to fuel, power, and transport faster than monetary policy can follow. BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. admitted as much before he raised rates anyway. Rate hikes do not stop an oil shock.
Iran built its grand strategy on a threat it could not survive executing. The Strait was a deterrent only as long as the deterrent was credible, the adversary was energy-dependent, and Iran’s own economy retained the durability to wait. None of those conditions survived 2018.
Iran did not lose the Strait of Hormuz in April 2026. It lost it when the economic deterioration became irreversible and American energy production made the threat geography obsolete. The war only made the accounting visible.
A chokepoint is only as powerful as the party that can afford to use it.
When structured properly, competition among sub-nationals can be one of the most powerful drivers of development. The recent move by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) to spotlight Nigeria’s most reform-driven states and connect them to global capital is, therefore, a step in the right direction. But its success will depend on one critical factor, transparency.
At the heart of this initiative is a simple idea – reward states that make it easier to do business. By ranking performance across key indicators such as infrastructure, electricity, land administration, and regulatory efficiency, PEBEC is effectively creating a league table of governance. Predictably, Lagos State tops the list, followed by Kaduna State and Oyo State, with others like the Federal Capital Territory and Ogun State also making strong showings.
This model, if sustained, could reshape Nigeria’s development trajectory. Rather than waiting for federal direction, states are incentivised to compete on policy clarity, infrastructure delivery, and investor friendliness. In a nation with over 39 million micro, small, and medium enterprises, most of which operate at the state level, this decentralised approach is not just desirable but essential.
However, competition without transparency can be dangerous. Rankings must be credible, data-driven, and free from political manipulation. Investors are not swayed by glossy reports; they respond to consistency, predictability, and verifiable outcomes. If states are to truly compete for capital, the rules of engagement must be clear and fair.
Global experience reinforces this point. In India, the ease of doing business rankings among states has spurred remarkable reforms. States like Gujarat and Maharashtra improved land registration systems, digitised services, and streamlined approvals, not because they were compelled by the federal government, but because they wanted to attract investment ahead of their peers. The transparency of the ranking system ensured credibility and sustained investor interest.
Similarly, in Brazil, competition among states for industrial investment has driven improvements in infrastructure and regulatory efficiency. States that created clear, investor-friendly policies saw manufacturing hubs emerge, while those that lagged behind struggled to attract capital.
Even within Africa, Rwanda provides a compelling example. Though smaller in size, its commitment to transparent, data-driven reforms has made it one of the easiest places to do business on the continent. The lesson is clear – transparency builds trust, and trust attracts capital.
Nigeria stands to gain enormously from this approach if done right. The benefits of healthy competition among states are far-reaching. It drives policy innovation. States begin to experiment with reforms (digital land registries, one-stop investment centres, commercial courts) that reduce bureaucratic friction. Successful models are then replicated across the federation.
Also, it improves accountability. When performance is measured and published, citizens can hold their governments responsible. A state that consistently ranks poorly cannot hide behind talk; the data will speak for itself.
Likewise, it enhances investor confidence. For both domestic and foreign investors, the ability to compare states using standardised metrics reduces uncertainty. Investment decisions become less about guesswork and more about evidence.
Yet, the risks must not be ignored. If rankings are perceived as biased or politically influenced, the entire system collapses. States may focus on ‘gaming’ the indicators rather than implementing genuine reforms. Worse still, it could deepen regional inequalities if only a few states consistently attract investment while others fall further behind.
To avoid this, several safeguards are necessary. Independent verification of data must be strengthened. The methodology for rankings should be publicly available and subject to periodic review. Stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society, should be involved in the assessment process to ensure credibility.
Furthermore, reform must go beyond measurement to actual outcomes. Faster business registration, improved electricity access, and efficient dispute resolution must translate into real economic activity – factories built, jobs created, and incomes improved.
There is also a need for collaboration alongside competition. States should not operate in isolation. Regional partnerships, particularly in areas like trade logistics, power generation, and transportation, can amplify the benefits of individual reforms. Healthy competition should not preclude strategic cooperation.
The broader implication is clear – Nigeria’s economic future will be shaped less by federal pronouncements and more by state-level execution. As the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning has rightly noted, capital flows where certainty grows. That certainty is built not just on policy announcements but on consistent, transparent, and measurable performance.
PEBEC’s initiative, therefore, represents more than a ranking exercise; it is a governance framework. It challenges states to rise above complacency, to compete not in talks but in results. For a nation seeking to build a trillion-dollar economy, this shift is both timely and necessary.
If Nigeria can institutionalise transparent, data-driven competition among its states, the outcome will be transformative. Investment will follow performance. Innovation will follow competition. And development will no longer be an aspiration but become a measurable reality.
The Gathering on 100 has officially concluded its pilot edition, closing out 100 continuous hours of culture, creativity, and community engagement at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
At the climax of the five-day immersive youth experience, MTN Nigeria and the gatherers of the event unveiled the defining message of the movement: ‘Live It 100.’
The event brought together thousands of young Nigerians in a massive convergence of music, sports, gaming, and creative sessions. From watching the sunrise for four consecutive mornings to actively shaping culture in real-time, attendees experienced a shared journey rooted in endurance and expression.
Operating under a partnership model rather than a traditional corporate sponsorship, MTN stepped back to let the youth lead. The techo embraced the primary narrative that ‘The Gathering is the fire; MTN is the oxygen’.
Karl Toriola, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, said: ‘The energy we have witnessed here in Surulere over the past 100 hours is proof of the unstoppable spirit of the Nigerian youth. Our strategic intent was to position MTN as the critical engine behind this vibrant youth movement, ensuring the brand is seen as an enabler, not an intruder. The Gathering is the fire; MTN is the oxygen. ‘Live It 100′ is our commitment to powering the platform where the conversation happens. We are giving them the autonomy to lead, while we listen.’
A focal point of the event was the high-stakes Pitchathon segment, which provided a structured arena for startups to showcase working products. Rather than a traditional, heavily branded corporate event, the space felt authentic, unscripted, and transparent, allowing founders to interact directly with expert judges, potential investors, and a live audience.
Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, chief marketing officer, MTN Nigeria, shared: ‘The ideas and partnerships formed over these 100 hours show exactly what happens when corporate Nigeria is finally listening to young Nigerians. We recognise that traditional business engagement doesn’t always work for this generation, which is why we empowered the youth to lead. By supporting The Gathering, we are not just celebrating culture; we are fueling the young Nigerian through youth-led innovation and actively investing in their economic potential.’
Beyond business activity, the event recorded consistent engagement across its programming, providing deep insight into the evolving role of youth within Nigeria’s economy. The sustained 100-hour activity highlighted a growing, resilient base of digitally engaged participants who own their lanes and actively create their own opportunities.
As the event closed, MTN reaffirmed their commitment to expanding the platform, ensuring that The Gathering on 100 will continue to evolve as a vital space for both cultural expression and youth-led economic opportunity.
The Gathering is a youth-driven community and cultural movement built to bring young Nigerians together to create, connect, and showcase their individuality. Rooted online across Instagram, TikTok, and X, it has grown into a platform where creatives, digital natives, and innovators collaborate to shape culture in real-time. It is built by young Nigerians, for young Nigerians.
The flagship live experience of The Gathering community, this 100-hour event was held at the National Stadium from April 22-26, 2026, featuring activities across entrepreneurship, innovation, fashion, and lifestyle, including networking, a pitchathon, gaming, movie screenings, tattooing, fashion showcases, and live parties, all curated by the Gatherers as a form of self-expression and to reinforce a sense of ownership within the community.
Police arrested two Chinese tourists in Bangkok on Monday evening on charges of robbing a gold shop in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima of gold rings worth about 380,000 baht.
Police said the two men are aged 19 and 27 years and come from Sichuan and Guangdong provinces in China.
They were arrested when returning a rented car, a white Toyota Yaris, to a firm in Prawet district.
According to police, the two suspects rented a car there and drove to Nakhon Ratchasima where they robbed the Yaowarat Dan Kwian gold shop in tambon Dan Kwian of Chok Chai district late Monday morning.
Police identified the suspects from security camera footage and were waiting for them at the car rental office. They allegedly had the stolen gold in their possession but not the gun they allegedly used in the holdup and told police they threw it away while making their escape.
The men told police they had spent all their money during their travels in Thailand, and also had Thai girlfriends.
The gold shop was robbed by two men wearing black, long-sleeved shirts, shorts and balaclavas. They carried a pistol and used a hammer to break a showcase. They made off with about 30 gold rings worth about 380,000 baht, fleeing in a white Toyota Yaris.
The two suspects were being held in police custody pending further legal action.
‘Thank you, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, for your official visit and the meaningful discussions we held today in Gabala. It is a double privilege that this was your first official visit outside the EU. Our political relations are strong, and today’s exchanges once again confirmed our shared commitment to further deepening Azerbaijan-Czechia ties. While our trade turnover is already at a solid level, we see clear potential to further structure and diversify our economic cooperation,’ President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in a post on his social media account X.
‘The Business Forum held within the framework of the visit, bringing together representatives of our business communities, is an important step in this direction. We jointly decided to elevate the level of the intergovernmental economic commission, which will contribute to more effective coordination, particularly in energy, industry, and other key sectors.
We also highly value our cooperation in the defense industry and see good prospects for its further development.
I am pleased to accept your kind invitation to visit the Czech Republic and thank you once again for your friendship and partnership,’ the head of state stressed.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors applied a higher standards in gathering evidence and building the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte due to the Philippines’ current status as a non-member of the Rome Statute, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said.
Trillanes, who filed the crimes against humanity complaint in 2017, said investigators anticipated limited cooperation from Philippine authorities and prepared evidence accordingly before seeking an arrest warrant.
‘And because the Philippines is a non-member state, the threshold of evidence before they apply for a warrant of arrest is very high,’ he said in an April 24 interview on ANC’s ‘Dateline Philippines.”
‘If we were a member, the threshold would only be probable cause. In our case… the evidence was already enough to convict,’ he added.
Under Article 58 of ICC rules, pre-trial judges must determine there are ‘reasonable grounds to believe’ a suspect committed a crime before issuing an arrest warrant, a standard broadly comparable to probable cause.
Trillanes said prosecutors went beyond that threshold in the Duterte case.
‘When they apply for a warrant, the evidence they have should be able to stand in court until conviction,’ he said.
The case easily met the standard required at the next stage, where judges assess whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial, the former lawmaker said.
‘Remember, the threshold for confirmation of charges is only probable cause. They had already far exceeded that,’ Trillanes said.
Jurisdiction after withdrawal
The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in March 2019 under Duterte, but the ICC has maintained it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the country was still a member until 2019.
The court’s Appeals Chamber has since affirmed that position, allowing the case to proceed.
Legal analysts have said this distinction is central, as it enables the ICC to investigate alleged abuses tied to Duterte’s anti-drug campaign before the withdrawal took effect.
Trillanes said the ICC’s approach reflects its role as a ‘court of last resort,’ particularly in cases where mechanisms for accountability at home are limited.
The higher evidentiary threshold, he said, helps ensure that cases brought before the tribunal are trial-ready even before suspects are arrested or transferred to The Hague.
Numbers do not lie. An estimated 13 million Filipinos, or 11.2% of the Philippine population, are afflicted with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
Even more alarming is the fact that one out of three of these CKD patients are already in Stages 3 to 5, which is a point where the cost of care can increase to 11 times more than when it is detected early and intervention is commenced immediately. What is most devastating about it is that a number of them do not even know it.
CKD often goes unnoticed until it reaches an advanced stage, when the kidneys have already been severely damaged and their function has significantly declined. ‘Discovery’ of the disease at this point may already require dialysis for the patients, which will surely bring substantial financial strain and emotional burden to their respective families, particularly to those who live on day-to-day subsistence.
Looking at these figures and aiming to help address this growing health challenge, pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim recently launched “Iwas Dialysis, Ligtas Kidneys: Get CheCKD Habang Maaga Pa!”
It is an initiative aimed at improving early detection and increasing kidney health awareness at the community level. The program officially kicked off with a pilot run in District 1, Quezon City, followed by a city-wide rollout in Antipolo City.
‘Iwas Dialysis, Ligtas Kidneys: Get CheCKD Habang Maaga Pa!’ falls under the company’s Sustainable Development for Generations (SD4G) commitment to improve health equity and outcomes for 50 million people in underserved communities worldwide.
By working directly with barangay health centers, the program ensures that kidney health services, such as screening and education, are accessible to all residents, providing early detection and intervention – and therefore higher chances of survival – for those found to be afflicted with it.
‘Our SD4G commitment guides us to work where the needs are greatest,’ said Dr. Bin Wang, general manager, Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines) Inc. ‘By partnering with barangay health centers and equipping community health workers, we help bring essential kidney health services closer to families who may otherwise have limited access. Early detection can make a real difference in people’s lives, and we are proud to support these efforts.’
Key program components include kidney health screenings, community education sessions, and practical guidance to help residents better understand their health and reduce long-term risks. Patients with abnormal screening results are guided towards timely referrals to appropriate healthcare facilities.
To date, more than 1,500 Filipinos have received kidney health screening through the pharmaceutical company’s ‘Iwas Dialysis, Ligtas Kidney’ initiative.
‘Symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, or skin irritation are often overlooked or mistaken for minor concerns,’ shared Dr. Greta Cortez, head of medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines) Inc.
‘As a result, many patients only receive a diagnosis during an emergency or when managing conditions. Early screening, especially with individuals with diabetes or hypertension, allows us to intervene and help prevent progression to end-stage renal disease,” the doctor added.
“When one family member has Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), the entire family suffers emotionally and financially. We want to break that cycle. By bringing kidney health screenings directly to our barangays, we are giving our parents and grandparents a chance to stay healthy and present for their loved ones. Alagaan natin ang ating mga bato, para sa kinabukasan ng ating pamilya (Let’s take care of our kidneys to safeguard our family’s future),’ urged Antipolo City Mayor Casimiro ‘Jun’ A. Ynares III, M.D., who recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the company officials to commence collaborative work on barangay-based kidney health services under the ‘Iwas Dialysis, Ligtas Kidneys’ program.
A central element of the program is the empowerment of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs). Through targeted training, BHWs are given not just training but also the proper tools that empower them to become community kidney health advocates.
This means equipping BHWs with the proper knowledge and necessary tools to perform initial health assessments, master effective patient communication, and assist in conducting urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) tests. The program has trained over 200 healthcare providers, specifically doctors and barangay health workers, who represent 20 barangays.
Albumin, a specific type of protein, in the urine is an important early indicator of kidney damage. With portable and user-friendly technology, BHWs support nurses in conducting uACR tests that deliver quick results and enable earlier identification of at-risk individuals – often before symptoms appear.
While diabetes and hypertension remain to be the leading causes of CKD, additional factors such as age, smoking, obesity, and family history also increase the risk of developing the disease. Lifestyle habits, particularly high-sugar and high-sodium diets, chronic stress, and physical inactivity, further contribute to the disease burden.
‘Early detection is life-saving. We welcome efforts that strengthen early kidney screening and raise awareness across our barangays about the importance of renal health,” said Quezon City Councilor Dorothy Delarmente. “With the support of our health partners and dedicated barangay officials, more residents will now have access to free check-ups, proper medical knowledge, and essential services.’
In a space of two months, between May and July this year, Botswana Tennis Association (BTA) will host two high profile tournaments.
The first of these, two ITF M15 and W15 tournaments, will be hosted in two consecutive weeks from the 11th to the 23rd of May 2026. The second one, the 2026 Billie Jean Cup Group 3 Africa tournament, will be on the 13th to the 18th of July 2026.
Hosting these events is part of BTA’s long term strategy to turn the country into a tennis powerhouse. It is also the BTA’s long term vision to contribute to the country’s economy through sport. And suffice to say, signs are there that both could be achieved.
On the sporting front, the ITF M15 and W15 pave the way for the country’s senior players who aspire to reach professional level. The ITF M15 and W15 tournament are an entry level professional tournament. For the two consecutive ITF M15 and W15 tournaments, a combined prize purse of US$60 000 (+/- P802 000) prize awaits.
For local players, the prize monies, though wanted, will not be the main focus. Limited opportunities at entry level professional tournaments have starved them of opportunities to get a foot into the professional setup. The ITF M15 and W15 tournaments will create such an entry.
As such, Botswana’s senior national team players, most of whom are playing college tennis in the USA, are expected to grace the tournament. Players like Ekoua Youri, Mark Nawa and Ntungamili Raguin, just to name three, are expected to be in the draw.
‘We expect most of our senior players to be available for the two consecutive ITF M15/W15 tournaments. Ntungamili on the other hand is expected to be available for one tournament only as he is expected to leave for the French Open juniors,’ BTA vice president technical Nonofo Othusitse says.
The BTA vice president technical says the ITF M15/W15 will also help the senior national team players to prepare for upcoming international assignments. The men will compete at the Davies Cup Africa Group IV scheduled for Nairobi, Kenya from the 17th to the 20th of June this year. The ladies on the other hand will be preparing for the 2026 Billie Jean Cup Africa Group 3 which will be hosted here in July.
Speaking of the latter tournament, Othusitse says eleven (11) countries, including hosts Botswana will attend. The countries will be vying for promotion to the Billie Jean King Cup Euro/Africa Group 2, a group composed of African and European countries.
For the local ladies, playing here at home will serve as a motivation as they make yet another attempt to get promoted. Last year during the same tournament in Namibia, the local ladies finished third behind Kenya and winners Morocco.
It is hoped the local ladies, backed by the home crowd, will emulate their male counterparts. Last year during the Davies Cup Africa Group V tournament here in Gaborone, the men’s senior team used the home ground advantage to gain promotion to Davies Cup Africa Group IV.
On the impact of hosting international tournaments in the economy, Othusitse says the country stands to benefit. Players from outside Botswana, their support staff and some of their supporters will descend into the country, injecting money into the local economy.
‘A total revenue of P6 million was generated from hosting international tournaments in 2025. This shows how hosting can impact the economy.’
During the period in time, the BTA says P5 million was spent on hotel accommodations, P1 million spent on air travel, P700 000 spent on catering and a further P50 000 spent on local transport and communications. It further says 200 seasonal jobs were created during the same period.
Of greater importance, Othusitse says 80 percent of the funding used to host came from outside the country. He says the BTA got grants from both the Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to host.
‘And for this year’s ITF M15 tournament, we have been funded by Tiriac Foundation. They have committed US$30 000 to the tournament. We are now currently negotiating with other potential sponsors for a further US$30 000 to cover all the prize monies for the two consecutive tournaments.’
With so much to benefit from, the BTA is open to sponsorships and partnerships in kind to make the tournaments a success. Aside from prize monies, there is a need for monies towards logistics and administration of events.
‘We are open to both monetary and in kind partnerships and sponsorships to cover different services needed,’ Othusitse says.