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mong the conflictof-interest questions swirling around US Presidentelect Donald Trump’s global business interests, Trump Tower at Century City in Manila’s financial district stands out.
Century Properties Group Inc. of Manila, the company behind the $150 million tower that’s set to open next year, paid as much as $5 million to use the Trump name, in a licensing agreement that’s common for the president-elect. Trump has at least 10 similar licensing deals around the world, each of which might complicate his administration’s international diplomacy, according to ethics specialists. But in Manila, there’s an extra connection: Century Properties’ chief executive and controlling stakeholder, Jose Antonio, was appointed last month to serve as a special government envoy to the US for President Rodrigo Duterte, who has vowed to expel American troops from his country and ranted against President Barack Obama. Antonio says he sees no conflict between his public role and private partnership. “My role is to enlarge the relationship bet ween the two countries,” he said in an interview. Of his business tie to Trump, he said: “I guess it would be an asset.” Antonio told Bloomberg News that he visited Trump Tower in New York days after the US election; he didn’t speak to the president-elect, Antonio said, but he saw Trump talking with potential appointees. Asked about his account, Hope Hicks, a Trump spokeswoman said: “They did not meet.”
Business
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2016 Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@thestandard.com.ph
MANILA’S MAN IN WASHINGTON Duterte was quoted as saying earlier this year. He changed his tone after Trump’s victory, saying: “Long live Mr. Trump! We both curse at the slightest reason. We are alike.” Scan this icon to view the PDF
‘SMOOTH RELATIONSHIPS’
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
Regardless, Antonio’s dual roles as private business partner and official government envoy underscore the global scale of the potential conflicts facing Trump and his family even before he’s sworn in as the 45th president. Questions have been raised in two instances: Trump took a break from transition discussions to meet with three business partners who are building Trump-branded towers in India, according to media reports. And a spokesman for Argentine President Mauricio Macri odenied a report in La Nacion newspaper that Trump had asked for help with permits for a Buenos Aires real-estate project during a post-election call with Macri. Trump rejected concerns about his potential conflicts of interest. “Prior to the election it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world,” he posted on Twitter Monday night. “Only the crooked media makes this a big deal!” Kellyanne Conway, a top Trump aide, told reporters Monday that while Trump’s widespread business interests mean “we’re in unprecedented times,” he’s getting advice from “various lawyers, accountants and advisers telling him what he can and can’t do.” “I’m very confident he is not breaking any laws,” Conway said.
COMPLICATIONS
There’s nothing illegal about Trump interacting with Antonio as a special envoy to the US on trade and economic policy while also being his business partner but it creates unnecessary complications for US diplomacy, according to Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota law professor who was President George W. Bush’s chief ethics lawyer. The arrangement means that as president, Trump may have to respond to requests from a business partner who has paid
TRUMP TOWER.
Century Properties Group Inc. chairman Jose E. B. Antonio (right) is building Trump Tower in Makati City. him millions, he said. “We have a president in the Philippines who is clearly volatile,” Painter said of Duterte. “We don’t want a situation where the U.S. president is financially involved with a whole bunch of his supporters. That will have an adverse impact on our policy and our ability to figure out how to deal with Duterte and try to put back together our relationship with the Philippines.” US-Philippine relations have soured since Duterte won the presidency in May. A key US ally in Asia since World War II, the Philippines under Duterte has sought rapprochement with China and tried to pivot away from the U.S. In an October visit to Beijing, Duterte announced his “separation” from the US and vowed to resolve his country’s dispute with China over the South China Sea through talks and closer commercial links. “America has lost,” Duterte told a gathering of business leaders in the Great Hall of the People. Earlier that month, Duterte had told Obama to “go to hell” after US criticism of his war on drugs, which has resulted in more than 3,000 people being killed since he took office. Trump spent much of his campaign promising to counter China’s growing economic power, but also railed against US protection of overseas allies in Asia and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which was designed in part to stem China’s influence. Some analysts have compared Duterte to Trump, a comparison Duterte rejected. “He’s a bigot, I am not,”
The Trump Organization’s interests in the Philippines “might do something to smooth relationships” between the two countries, said Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Affairs. Those interests may expand. Antonio said he’s discussing additional projects with the Trump family in the Philippine resort and leisure sector. For now, though, Trump and Antonio are partnered in Trump Tower at Century City in Makati, Manila’s financial district. At 280 meters, it will be one of the city’s tallest structures. Antonio said the tower will open in the second quarter of 2017; it has already sold all its 250 condo units, he said. Trump has said he’ll avoid conflicts of interest by having his oldest children, Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka, take over the management of his businesses. But ethics specialists have questioned whether that move would be effective in walling off his private interests from his public duties. And his children’s involvement in his transition planning has raised further questions about the plan. Antonio said that he visited New York days after Trump’s Nov. 8 victory. He said he went to Trump Tower, where he saw the president-elect talking with several “cabinet contenders,” including Michael Flynn, his eventual choice to become national security adviser. While he didn’t speak directly to the presidentelect during that visit, he did talk with members of Trump’s family, Antonio said. Hicks and Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., didn’t respond to e-mail requests for comment, sent after normal business hours M onday, about discussions with family members. Antonio said he first met Trump in 1990 in New York, introduced by a mutual friend. Their children know each other, he said. Antonio’s 39-year-old son, Robbie, is listed as a resident of Trump Tower New York and is a real-estate investor and ar t collector. A feature in Vanity Fair magazine in 2013
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Xurpas Inc. president and chief operating officer Raymond Gerard Racaza
XURPAS COO BAGS GLOBAL AWARD R O M E, I taly—Xurpas I nc. president and chief operating officer Raymond Gerard Racaza w a s re ce n t l y c i te d a s t h e 2016 Executive of the Year in the consumer non-durables category of the International Business Awards, the world’s only international, all-encompassing business awards program. The IBAs is part of a confederation of seven programs generally referred to as the Stevie Awards, which garners over 10,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 60 countries. As president and COO, Racaza is responsible for managing the overall growth and expansion strategy of Xurpas Inc., after its highly successful initial public offering in 2014. Since joining the local bourse two years ago, the company has successfully entered the most critical Pan-Asian markets like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and China. He also helped shape Xurpas to become the Philippines’ leading technology firm with a total of six subsidiaries and five investee companies, employing more than 900 people, and having capabilities for mobile content creation and distribution, enterprise solutions management, HR technology solutions, search, casual games development, and most recently mobile advertising. “As we grow our business to new heights it will be anchored by a robust mobile content creation and distribution platform, through in-house development and via local and international technology acquisitions. Our investments have been very strategic and it is a vertical integration with our core products and services,” says Racaza. He attributes the growth of Xurpas to this brand of creative and strategic administration. Raymond Racaza is a technology executive who knows how to pitch, how to win, and how to code. A computer engineer with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, major in Information Technology, he was part of the original development team that built the first dynamic wireless application protocol or WAP site in the Philippines and deployed the country’s first mobile internet site in 1999, as well as the country’s first interactive SMS service called SMS Chat.
Business
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2016 business@thestandard.com.ph
HOPE BRINGS JOY TO GENSAN HEALTH drinks company Vita Coco and a non-profit group behind the “Hope In A Bottle” brand have added a basketball court to facilities it has built for one of General Santos City’s poorest schools. The new basketball court, built for the General Santos City National Secondary School for the Arts and Trade, was inaugurated last month. Top executives from Vita Coco and Friends of Hope were at the ribboncutting ceremony. Vita Coco was represented by Patrick Baskin and Sophie Higgins, global brand managers for the United States and the United Kingdom, respectively, and Tyler Humes, from Nashville, and Chris De Vos, from South Africa. Hope program director Jorgen Abellera and General Santos City mayor Ronnel Rivera were also there. Vita Coco and Hope have already built six new classrooms for GSCNSSAT under the Education Department’s “Adopt A School” program. The classrooms are now being used by 508 students in Grades 7 to 9. Before Vita Coco and Hope stepped in, some of the students have had to hold classes beneath trees or a shed. Bienvenido Ruedas, the school principal, said the new basketball court has led to an increase in student participation and attendance”. “What’s more important, though, is that the school no longer has to worry about the safety and welfare of its students. Whether it’s sunny or rainy, we are sure that the students are safe and dry. Extreme change of weather is no longer a problem.” he said. The school is also jump-starting an initiative to increase the reading proficiency of their students, said Ruedas. “We designated a portion of the classrooms as reading corners to encourage the students to read. Even during lunch breaks, the teachers stay in the classroom and make use of these spaces to develop the students’ reading habits,” he said.
FUND MANAGER NAMES NEW CEO P
HILAM Asset Management Inc., a leading mutual fund manager, announced the appointment of Eric Lustre as its new president and chief executive effective Nov. 21, 2016.
Philam Asset Management Inc. chief executive Eric Lustre
Lustre will succeed Nanjo Berba who has been the company’s president and CEO since 2014. Berba will remain in PAMI as its new chairman of the board. PAMI, a wholly owned company of Philam Life, is an asset management company that administers, distributes and provides investment advisory to nine mutual funds. Philam Life is a life insurance company and a member company of the AIA Group, the largest panAsian life insurance group. Established in 1992, PAMI had more than P40 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2014. Prior to his appointment, Lustre was the head of corporate finance and real estate department of the investment division of The Philippine American Life and General Insurance Company. Berba said “Eric’s appointment will bring a breath of fresh air to PAMI, and I believe that with his leadership the company will be able to maintain its current standard of excellence. Eric has held multiple positions both with Philam Life and with other organizations. His experience will undoubtedly be a major contributionto PAMI.” Lustre received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management
from the Ateneo de Manila University and a Master’s degree in Business Management with a major in Finance at the Asian Institute of Management. From there, he went on to hold various positions within the financial sector. He is a director in the following companies representing Philam Life: Phinma Corp., PhilamEquitable Life Assurance Company, ICCP Holdings Inc., Science Park of the Philippines Inc., Regatta Properties Inc., Beacon Property Ventures, Inc. Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation, Cebu Light Industrial Park Inc. and RFM-Science Park of the Philippines Inc. With these qualifications, Lustre was the optimal choice to be at the helm of a company that is regarded as one most successful asset management companies in the Philippines. As PAMI president and CEO, Lustre intends to propel the company to new heights, providing Filipinos with smart investment opportunities, while still promoting the current PAMI products that have given multiple Filipinos financial success. AIA Group Limited and its subsidiaries comprise the largest independent publicly listed pan- Asian life insurance group.
CAVITE STUDENTS WIN HACKATON CHALLENGE
MANILA’S...
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titled “The Museum of Me” detailed how he commissioned a series of portraits of himself by renowned artists, including Julian Schnabel. Robbie Antonio didn’t respond to requests for comment. Century Properties is known for branding deals with global names, including American socialite Paris Hilton and Versace; it commissioned French designer Philippe Starck to design high-rise developments in Manila. Ivanka Trump markets her jewelry on the company website that promotes the Trump-branded tower. Antonio said he hopes to see one of the Trump children at the opening ceremony for the tower next year. The company may not be immune from softening in the luxury residential real-estate market. Vacancies in luxury apartments in the Makati central business district rose to about 13 percent in the three months ending September from 9.8 percent in the second quarter, broker Colliers International estimates. Century’s real estate sales fell to 4.19 billion pesos ($84 million) in the nine months through September from 6.62 billion a year ago. The decline “is attributable to a significant portion of revenue recognized in 2015 and prior years from completed projects, as well as less pre-sales and less new project launches,” according to Century Properties. Antonio said owners of the Trumpbranded units in Manila are “probably very happy” Trump won the election and that the skyscraper now bears the name of the incoming US president. He hopes Trump will still make time for him once he takes office, Antonio said, but either way he expects to remain close to the rest of the family. “We interact with everyone—Donald, the kids,” he said. “I guess he’ll be very busy now in his new job.” Bloomberg
Team Pentagon demonstrates their winning solution, PLDT TechGo, to the judges. Team Pentagon from Cavite State University was awarded as the ultimate winner in the #PLDT88 Hackathon Challenge for its innovative solution called PLDT TechGo that enables a PLDT subscriber in need of technical support to contact the nearest technician around the area. Team Pentagon received a cash prize of P100,000. Special awards were given by the board of judges to Team White Cloak for best in idea and implementation while Daniella Javilles, a member of Team DUitYUSIP from Davao, was cited as best presenter. Six winning teams from the Luzon and VisMin legs who created innovative digital solutions to enhance customer experience competed in the Ultimate Pitch, set in PLDT Innolab at the ePLDT Vitro in Makati. “Our commitment is clear continuously improve customer service and we are doubling our efforts to become the leading proponent of digital ser-
vices and solutions in the country as we celebrate PLDT’s 88th anniversary,” said PLDT chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan. “This hackathon to develop innovative customer solutions is fully aligned with our digital pivot,” Pangilinan said. Team Pentagon is made up of four students from Cavite State University. Carlo Pastoral, Abel James Lualhati, Marck Ivan Camama and Gideon del Mundo, were hailed as winners of the first ever #PLDT88 Hackathon Challenge, which was proclaimed by the board of judges composed of PLDT top management with extensive experience in innovation and customer experience. The other teams who competed in the Ultimate Pitch are Teams White Cloak and Pocket Market from the Luzon leg, Team Logic from Cebu, and Teams Sweet and Halang and DUItYuSip from Davao. PLDT TechGO, the solution developed by Team Pentagon, is an android
communication app that is able to search and contact the nearest certified PLDT technician to the customer in need of technical support instead of the usually demanding customer service-technician flow using the landline. The team members, whose ages range from 19 to 23, are Computer Engineering students from the Cavite State University. The team’s winning digital solution will have the opportunity to be further developed and used. In an interview, Pastoral, leader of Team Pentagon, said his team was initially intimidated by other “professional and more experienced” competitors in app development. “This [victory] hasn’t sunk in yet. We still couldn’t believe we won. I guess we made it because of our close friendship and our empathy to customer issues and eagerness to help address problems in network troubleshooting,” Pastoral said. The winning TechGO app uses GPS
technology and is able to immediately contact PLDT technicians within a five-kilometer radius from a customer’s home and features a rating system for technicians to enhance customer service and productivity. “PLDT helped to bring out the best in us by making an application in a short period of time, working on it under pressure and under crucial circumstances,” Camama, also a member of Pentagon, said. “Despite the lack of resources, we were inspired [by PLDT] not to stop and to continue to the end. Now we hope this app we developed will help customers save time in troubleshooting and in solving their network problems,” he said. Reinforcing its commitment to enhance its customer experience, PLDT’s hackathon challenge is part of its 88th anniversary celebration on Nov. 28. It is also an avenue through which the company provides support for local developers nationwide.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2016 reuelvidal@yahoo.com
SAN BEDA LADY RED SPIKERS SURPRISE FIELD
A young goalkeeper (right) deflects the football after a spirited challenge between two boys during heated action in the Alaska Football Cup at the Ayala Alabang Village football field.
ALASKA MILK HOLDS 21ST FOOTBALL CUP By Reuel Vidal
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HIS one’s for the children and the sport. Alaska Milk continues its advocacy of helping children learn positive values through an active healthy lifestyle by holding the 21st Alaska Football Cup at the Alabang Country Club in Ayala Alabang Village this weekend. The Alaska Football Cup is the biggest grassroots development competition in the country with over 4,000 athletes representing close to 400 teams from all over the Philippines participating. Players as young as six years old will gather once again at the Ayala Alabang Village football field to participate in the longest-running and most successful nationwide competition in local football. “This marks another monumental event for Alaska. We will have football players from all over the Philippines together in one venue, all united by their love for football. It is with great pride that we witness how the Alaska Sports Program has engaged young athletes into this kind of culture, and how they live by the values inherent in sports,” said Wilfred Uytengsu, President and CEO of Alaska Milk Corporation. The annual Alaska Milk Football Cup allows children to participate in sports like football. But other than just football skills children also learn discipline, hard work, determination, teamwork and sportsmanship through their training. This year’s Alaska Football Cup follows closely the quest of the Philippine national football team the Azkals to advance to the semifinals of the Asean Football Federation’s Suzuki Cup. The Azkals narrowly missed accomplishing that goal after suffering a heartbreaking 0-1 loss to Thailand last Friday night in home territory at the
Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. With the loss the Azkals failed to tally their fourth consecutive appearance in the semifinals of the AFF Suzuki Cup. The Azkals seemed on the way to a scoreless draw against the Thailand War Elephants until Thailand’s Sarawut Masuk broke free late in the match to slot the winning goal past Filipino keeper Roland Mueller. The Azkals failed to exploit their home court advantage to bow out. Still the interest in the competition was sky high with games broadcast live to a wide national audience. School teams and football clubs from Masbate, Baguio, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Davao, Palawan, Legaspi, Laguna, Batangas, Bukidnon, Zambales, Pampanga, Tarlac, Ilocos, Bicol, Romblon, Davao Sur, Compostela Valley, Quezon, Cavite, Albay, Pangasinan, Bacolod, Iloilo, Mindoro and Metro Manila will converge in Alabang to participate in the event. The Alaska Football Cup hopes to wean children from passive activities such as watching television, surfing the Internet, or spending too much time on social media. Alaska Milk encourages children to go out and play in sports like football as an active alternative and avoid a sedentary lifestyle. The National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) said health issues are best addressed by adopting an active life-
Alaska Milk President and CEO Wilfred Uytengsu (center) prepares to kick off the ceremonial ball during the launch of the Alaska Football Cup last year.
style along with a healthy diet and regular drinking of milk, at least twice daily. Alaska Milk hopes to develop the athletic and social skills of children through participation in sports tournaments. These programs allow children to experience healthy competition among members of the same age group which boosts physical and mental development. For more information about Alaska Milk visit www.alaskamilk.com. For general information about the 21st Alaska Football Cup visit www.alaskapowercamp.com/football; and for live updates follow PlayPH on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
OLYMPIAN SCHOOLING SCHOOLED IN MMA
Olympic gold medalist Joseph Schooling manages a wry smile as he is submitted with a rear naked choke by ONE Championship Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee. ONE Championship
RIO Olympics swimming gold medalist Joseph Schooling learned a thing or two about Mixed Martial Arts thanks to siblings Christian and Angela Lee. Schooling was the special guest of the MMA seminar that was spearheaded by the Lee siblings at the Evolve MMA Gym in Far East Square in Singapore on Thursday, November 24. Christian and Angela taught Schooling some basic MMA techniques as the swimming prodigy engaged in a plethora of both striking and grappling drills. Christian taught Schooling the proper execution of various kicks and punches. ONE Championship Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela shared the trade secrets of her highlyregarded submission skills. Angela said the athletic Schooling actually had potential as an MMA fighter. Angela, who held up the punch mitts for Schooling, said the 21-year-
THEY came into NCAA Season 92 Women’s Volleyball tournament with a modest goal. To make the Final Four. They’ve since surprised the experts with back-to-back resounding victories over powerhouse teams. The Lady Red Spikers defeated the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Lady Altas in four sets, 25-19, 20-25, 25-21, and 2521. This after an equally impressive victory over the Emilio Aguinaldo College Lady Generals, 2725, 25-17, 25-22. Against Emilio Aguinaldo Chesca Racraquin unleashed 20 points, 19 from attacks, to lead her squad. Team captain and setter Becca Cuevas orchestrated the San Beda attack with 35 excellent sets. Racraquin again topscored for the Bedans against Perpetual with 14 points off 12 attacks. Nieza Viray added 11. Rebecca Cuevas produced 28 excellent sets. The victory over the Lady Generals made everyone sit up and watch. The victory over perennial title contender Perpetual Help have the other top teams worried and experts picking the Lady Red Spikers as title contenders. The hard-earned victory over Perpetual showed the composure of the Lady Red Spikers. The Lady Altas started slow and committed unforced errors as the Bedans posted a 17-13. Perpetual scored off tips and blocks, but could not execute their power game off spikes. SBC on the other hand was humming as the Lady Spikers nailed down-the-line and through-the-block smashes by Racraquin and Viray. San Beda eventually won, 25-19.
old Olympian possesses power in both hands. “Joseph (Schooling) is a strong athlete, which I find very impressive. I know Olympic swimming doesn’t involve anything even remotely near fighting, but he just has that natural power. I was able to feel it while I was holding the pads,” she said. Schooling is a natural athlete who can easily adapt to any sport according to Angela. “Joseph is really strong and flexible, his body composition is perfect for martial arts. He’s a natural,” said Angela. Christian himself reiterated that even though Schooling belongs to a sport with less physical contact, he respects his dedication as an athlete. “MMA and Olympic swimming are two different sports, but as athletes, I feel we are all the same. We spend tremendous amounts of time and effort to reach our goals. The swimming pool
is Joseph’s battlefield just as much as the cage is ours. I tip my hat off to him with respect,” Christian asserted. Schooling made history at the 2016 Rio Olympics by becoming the first Singaporean to capture a gold medal in the quadrennial multi-sport competition. He clocked 50.39 seconds in Rio to win the 100-meter butterfly category, beating childhood hero Michael Phelps and making it to Olympic stage in first place. “He has done so much for Singapore. It’s an honor to share the cage and train with him,” Christian said. Christian asserted that the Evolve MMA Gym’s doors are always open for Schooling. “We will always welcome Joseph with open arms. If he decides to train MMA in the future, even for sport or just for fun and fitness. We are here to help him,” Christian said.
San Beda Lady Red Spikers iddle blocker Satrriani Espiritu (10) smashes the volleyball through the blocking hands of Shyra Mae Umandal (12) of University of Perpetual Help System during the women’s NCAA season 92 Volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.
The Lady Altas came roaring back in the second set to equalize through a 25-20 victory. The Lady Red Spikers were not disheartened as they went on to post a 25-21 victory in the third to go up 2-1. Both squads played with composure in the fourth as neither team could pull away. The Perps actually took a two-point lead, 19-17. But they couldn’t contain the attacks by the Lady Red Spikers who unloaded an 8-2 scoring spree capped by a vicious Racraquin down-the-line smash. San Beda won the set 25-20 to prevail 3-1 in four sets. The ever-demanding San Beda head coach Nemesio Gavino could only speak about their lost second set which prevented his team from scoring a sweep. San Beda (2-0) will look to go up 3-0 against a relatively lightweight Lyceum Lady Pirates tomorrow Monday, November 28. Reuel Vidal
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2016 Riera U. Mallari, Editor / Reuel Vidal, Issue Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
QUE, TABUENA READY FOR HK OPEN
A return to the Fanling course where Anquelo Que posted a tied 13th result in last year’s showpiece and finished in share of fifth place in 2013 will give the Filipino an extra spring in his step at the US$2 million event.
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ILIPINO golfer Angelo Que is somebody who doesn’t give up just like that.
That is why in the coming UBS Hong Kong Open, an event where he has enjoyed solid results including a runner-up finish, he will once again try to win that elusive title. The bubbly Filipino, who is a three-time Asian Tour winner but not since 2010, finished second in the 2014 showpiece, losing on the first extra hole to Scott Hend of Australia at the venerable Hong Kong Golf Club. A return to the Fanling course where he posted a tied 13th result in last year’s showpiece and finished in share of fifth place in 2013 will give the Filipino an extra spring in his step at the US$2 million event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour from Dec. 8 to 11. “I love Hong Kong and I think it is a great event. The course is great because you can play it so many different ways. After playing at Fanling for so many years, you kind of get used to it. Things become comfortable and that’s why I love playing in the event,” said Que. The Filipino golfer, who speaks fluent Mandarin, will contend for the prestigious title
alongside defending champion and Olympic Gold medallist Justin Rose, Masters champion Danny Willett and Ryder Cup stars Patrick Reed and Rafa Cabrera Bello. Currently Order of Merit leader Hend, Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines an Thai stars Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Thongchai Jaidee, who holds an unprecedented three Order of Merit crowns, will also feature in the event. Que remembers the 2014 edition vividly, especially the final birdie on the tricky 18th hole where he hit a superb nine iron from the rough for a tap-in birdie. “That is the best shot I’ve hit in my career,” said Que. “I was under a pressure to get a birdie and I hit it to a foot. I hit it exactly how I wanted it from the rough. It had the right shape and it came out pretty high. As soon as I hit it, I knew it would be good but I didn’t expect it to be that good!” “I remember I had a lot of people supporting me. Hong Kong is close to the Philippines so there’s a lot Filipinos working in the country. I like the food in Hong Kong and the course suits my eye so it would be nice to win one there,” he added. Tabuena, ranked sixth on the Order of Merit, hopes to end his best year on the Asian Tour with a victory at the UBS Hong Kong Open. The young Filipino posted two runner-up results this year
and also represented his country in the Olympic Golf and World Cup of Golf. In hopes of doing well at the tree-lined Fanling course, Tabuena will put a two-iron in his golf bang. “I never had a good finish in Hong Kong but I’m swinging it well and I have some course knowledge now. You have to drive the ball well in Hong Kong. I have a two-iron in my bag now. It is a stinger and goes about 270 yards so that will help,” he said. “My goal this year is to win at least one tournament. I won the Philippine Open and that was the last event of the year (2015) so hopefully I can replicate that in Hong Kong and end the year with a bang,” added Tabuena. Entry to the first two rounds of this year’s tournament on Dec. 8 and 9 will be free of charge. Those aged under 21 will be admitted free of charge for all four days of the tournament, as the organisers push to introduce the game to wider segments of the Hong Kong community in 2016. Following the success of the inaugural event last year, the UBS Hong Kong Open Charity Cup will return on Dec. 14 with local singer and artist, Alan Tam, as Official Ambassador. The $2.3 million was raised in 2015 for three local charities, making it the most successful fundraising initiative for the entire European Tour season.
BATANG PINOY: WHERE DREAMS BEGIN TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte—The Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy National Championships kicks off today with over 9,000 young athletes set to compete in 26 sports at the Davao Del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex. Twenty-four gold medals are offered in swimming on the first day of competitions, while action in arnis, archery, lawn tennis, rugby football, baseball, softball, chess, judo and taekwondo also commence in the games, where sporting dreams of the youth begin. ``We are focused and committed on grassroots sports development,’’ said Davao del Norte governor Anthony Del Rosario during Saturday’s press conference. Del Rosario will officially open the weeklong sports conclave for athletes 17 years old and under, along with House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez. ``When I was told about the Batang Pinoy’s goal of producing future national athletes, I knew right away that this is the event that I want to host,’’ said Del Rosario. Also present during the presser were PSC commissioner Celia Kiram, Batang Pinoy overall project director Ronnel Abrenica and project manager Dr. Lauro Domingo. ``We’re expecting to find more talents to increase the number of athletes in the national training pool,’’ said Ramirez. Basketball will also start today, along with the one-day cycling races in criterium, road race, BMX and mountain bike events. Medal-rich athletics is calendared tomorrow along with weightlifting, the sport that gave the Philippines an Olympic silver medal through the efforts of Hidilyn Diaz. Gymnastics and wushu will be played at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila on Dec. 4 to 11 and Dec. 5 to 8, respectively.
ARAYI GIVES BACK TO PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL By Lito Cinco WOMEN’S basketball in the Philippines is a very far cry from its counterpart in the men’s side. The sport is a national pastime of Filipinos, but unfortunately, only for the men’s side. And that is why you have to give it to this half Filipina-half Nigerian, Ewon Rosete Arayi, a long-time member of the national women’s basketball team as she has been doing her share for the national squad since she made it to the team in 2007, making her the longest-serving player of the nationals. Arayi got into basketball at an early age in Bolinao, Pangasinan, where her uncle used to bring her to watch him play the game. She got interested too, playing in small tournaments in the province, but it was in 2003 when she first got a chance to play organized basketball as she made it to the Adamson women’s team in the UAAP, where she won back-to-back titles. After finishing her Banking & Finance degree in Adamson, she was asked to try out with the national team and played
under former PBA cager Fritz Gaston and Heidi Ong. “These two coaches gave me the opportunity, especially coach Fritz, who taught me to be a defensive player,” said Arayi, who was cut off afterwards when Fil-Am players arrived to reinforce the team. Fortunately, she was recalled as a reserve player in the same year and had her first SEABA championship in 2010. This year, Arayi was also on the SEABA champion team handled by NU’s Patrick Aquino, but as a cheerer and not as a player because she was hospitalized with dengue about a month before the tournament started. It was in 2014 when without fanfare, she first launched her Pinay Ballers League, a no frills-just-play-the-game league exclusively for women. This was after realizing that after collegiate basketball, female players here have practically nowhere to go. She wanted the players to continue playing the game, and did so to the extent of spending her own money sans corporate sponsorships. Arayi succeeded in attracting ex-UAAP players who either
got companies to support them or the players pooled their resources to pay the entry fees. Arayi did not receive allowances or salary as an organizer as her priority was for the league to survive. “I wanted to make sure first that the venue rental and the payment to the referees and the table officials were paid. I was lucky I had a small group led by PBL Commissioner Cai Lim, who supported me with the same objective of helping women’s basketball here,” Arayi said. She admitted though that she had mixed feelings when other women’s league emerged like the Liga Filipina, Liga Manila, and the Next 5 Hoops, though it was only Liga Filipina that was exclusively for women as the other two league also featured men’s competitions. “I believe it would be better if all of us got together and pool our resources, I am not after taking the credit, I just want to see women’s basketball get off the ground and grow. That is why I am happy that the PBA has introduced its 3 on 3 women’s basketball and created more awareness to the fact that there are a lot of women basketball players out there, just waiting
for a real women’s league to emerge where they can continue playing, “ added Arayi. In the PBL, Arayi has three different divisions, one for Aspirants, another for Elite or those with UAAP experience, and lately, an Open one, where two elite players reinforce aspirants. She has also started the Philippine Collegiate Championships for school-based teams. Now, she is looking at helping establish an Under-18 league for women. On the side, Arayi conducts basketball clinics for kids and has invested in her own equipment to enable her to bring the game to the provinces with some LGUs, companies, and kind-hearted individuals giving support. Now, Arayi is in a crossroads of sorts, torn between the desire to continue playing for the national team or go full time into coaching (she mentors One Cainta) and basketball organizing. But whatever choice she makes, basketball will always Ewon Rosete Arayi: I just want to see women’s basketball get off the ground and grow. remain her focus.