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Eala comes up short vs French foe in W40 Pentange final
Alex Eala ran out of steam and fell short of her third singles’ tennis title this year after bowing to the mighty Oceane Dodin of France, 1-6, 5-7, in the final of the W40 Pentange singles tournament......»»
Tamaraws shown door in loss to UP
The FEU Tamaraws have been eliminated from Final Four contention of the 86th UAAP men's basketball tournament after bowing to the UP Fighting Maroons, 81-64, Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City......»»
TNT to bring in stand-in import if Hollis-Jefferson remains sidelined for PBA
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson sits out with gastroenteritis as TNT falls to 0-2 in the East Asia Super League after bowing to the Chiba Jets.....»»
PH bet loses elims match
Catacutan lost her first elimination match in BC1 Pool B of the individual female Boccia event, bowing to Phromsiri Satanan of Thailand, 0-8. Ahead by just one point after the first end, Phromsiri surged to a 6-0 lead following a near-perfect roll in the second end on the way to the lopsided win. In this precision sport specifically designed for athletes with cerebral palsy and other motor-related conditions, the game is divided into four parts called “end.” Each player in the individual contest is given six to score. The goal is to throw the leader balls nearest to the white target ball called “jack.” Catacutan is classified at BC1 which is assigned for players who can throw by the hand or foot. Male compatriot David Gonzaga also suffered a similar blowout loss in the form of a 14-0 spanking from Thai Vongsa Watcharaphon in their BC2 Pool A match at Court 1......»»
Gilas loses steam vs Jordan for 1st Asiad loss
Gilas Pilipinas lost its first game in the Hangzhou Asian Games after bowing to Jordan, 87-62, Saturday night in the final game of Group C at the HOC Gymnasium in China......»»
Sluggish start dooms Rain or Shine anew vs Chinese Taipei B in Jones Cup
A fourth-quarter rally came a little too late to rescue Rain or Shine from falling to its second-straight Jones Cup defeat, bowing to Chinese Taipei B, 89-79, at the Taipei Heping Gymnasium......»»
ARTA backpedals, nixes TOP-CRMS
The Anti-Red Tape Authority, or ARTA, made a surprising move in backtracking on an earlier approval of a port digitalization plan, apparently bowing to pressures from several powerful groups. ARTA’s about-face effectively shot down what could be the Marcos administration’s most potent anti-smuggling weapon. ARTA issued a memorandum last 25 July signed by ARTA director general, Secretary Ernesto Perez, in which it said its reevaluation of the Trusted Operator Program-Container Registry and Monitoring System or TOP-CRMS regulatory impact statement, or RIS, convinced it that reducing the cost of container deposits from the scheme was not accurate based on the benefit-cost analysis. Perez said the decision is “final” and denied bowing to outside pressures. “That’s our final recommendation unless either party will submit to us additional relevant documents,” Perez indicated. Part of the ARTA report reads: “Port congestion may not be used by PPA or Philippine Port Authority as a justification for government intervention,” with the proposed TOP-CRMS. It added that the PPA “cannot use congestion as a justification or basis to establish the proposed... TOP-CRMS.” The PPA which is the main beneficiary of the digitalization scheme indicated that it is studying its options. “We’ll study our options. As far as we are concerned, ARTA already issued a Good Practice RIS with a 36/40 rating for the TOP-CRMS program. I don’t think they have retracted that or recalled the rating which they previously issued,” PPA general manager Jay Santiago said. “So I don’t know what was the purpose of that ARTA memo nor its value or its effect on the previously issued Good Practice RIS rating. We submitted all required documents to ARTA sometimes twice even and they even consulted all stakeholders including oppositors before they issued the Good Practice RIS. The situation has not changed so we don’t understand what happened,” Santiago added. Complete reversal The latest ARTA memorandum is a complete turnaround from its 2 February evaluation which greenlighted the TOP-CRMS implementation and allowed the PPA to resume its suspended modernization plan. ARTA gave the program a rating of 36, meaning a “Good Practice RIS.” ARTA said in a February statement after it assessed the program, “PPA has provided concise and satisfactory evidence on all RIA sections. Hence, the RIS was assessed as Good Practice.” ARTA stressed there should be more regulations to address the current issue, which is also the leading cause of the problem. The PPA’s TOP-CRMS also meets ARTA’s criteria for cost-saving mechanisms, including the fee on container deposits and port access roads, and has reduced the dwell time of empty container returns to less than 72 hours. Under Section 6 of Presidential Decree 857, PPA must supervise, control, regulate, construct, maintain, operate, and provide facilities or services belonging to the Authority. Thus, under this mandate, TOP-CRMS will provide efficient port services to the public. Santiago said then, “With the approval by ARTA, I believe the concern on ease of doing business has been sufficiently addressed.” “PPA will continue to fine-tune the program, and the implementation of PPA AO No. 04-2021 and its IOG will be constantly monitored, and the necessary adjustments to the IOG will be made as necessary. TOP-CRMS seeks to remove the payment of container deposits and efficiently manage the return of empty containers. There have been a series of public consultations, and we have adjusted based on the need of the stakeholders,” Santiago added. Anti-smuggling initiative Ironically, ARTA reversed its TOP-CRMS recommendation a day after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned in his State of the Nation Address that the days of smugglers and hoarders of agricultural products are numbered as he identified the proposed Amendment of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act as a priority legislation. The Chief Executive said in Filipino, “One of the reasons behind the higher prices is that smugglers and hoarders manipulate the prices of agricultural products. We will run after them, and we will file charges against them. We will not let these practices continue. The days of the smugglers and hoarders are numbered.” The President is also the secretary of agriculture. The PPA’s TOP-CRMS is a government-owned container monitoring system providing a whole-of-government approach to tracking container movement and management by giving relevant government agencies access to information and even automating and streamlining their processes. The anti-smuggling feature of the TOP-CRMS preempts cargo diversion or diverting shipments to another warehouse with real-time container tracking. Law enforcers could quickly identify where the shipments are located, which port stakeholders said would eliminate “for hire consignees,” as all foreign-owned shipping containers, both laden and empty, are monitored. Similar to the tracking system now in use among private port operators, the technology makes it easy for investigators to identify and prosecute suspected smugglers. Pressure from smugglers Industry insiders suspect that a powerful group of smugglers is pressuring concerned government agencies and regulators to stop the implementation of the TOP-CRMS because it would have a profound negative impact on their illegal activities. More importantly, the TOP-CRMS can detect illegal contraband and prevent entry into the country’s ports. It can eliminate smuggled drugs from entering any country’s entry points, including illegal arms shipments and, God forbid, nuclear materials. The data collected by the system can be shared with concerned agencies in charge of tax collection, law enforcement, import permit authorization, trade department, anti-smuggling units, intelligence units, etc. The wealth of data from the system will provide the PNP, AFP, BOC, BIR, DTI, DA, DSWD, Intelligence Community, and other relevant agencies an efficient tool to deter all forms of smuggling activities. The post ARTA backpedals, nixes TOP-CRMS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ARTA backtracks on PPA port digitalization plan
The Anti-Red Tape Authority, or ARTA, made a surprising move in backtracking on an earlier approval of a port digitalization plan, apparently bowing to pressure from several powerful groups. ARTA’s about-face effectively shot down what could be the Marcos administration's most potent anti-smuggling weapon. ARTA director general Secretary Ernesto Perez said the decision to reject TOP-CRMS is “final” and denied bowing to outside pressure. “We’ll study our options. As far as we are concerned, ARTA already issued a Good Practice RIS (regulatory impact statement) with a 36/40 rating for the TOP-CRMS program. I don’t think they have retracted that or recalled the rating which they previously issued,” Philippine Ports Authority general manager Jay Santiago said Santiago added: "We submitted all required documents to ARTA sometimes twice even and they even consulted all stakeholders including oppositors before they issued the Good Practice RIS. The situation has not changed, so we don’t understand what happened." The post ARTA backtracks on PPA port digitalization plan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dyed-in-wool hypocrites
Taking the position of ignoring the International Criminal Court is the proper move of the government to counter a proceeding oozing with prejudice and hypocrisy. In “Observations on behalf of Victims on the Philippines Government Appeal against the Decision Authorizing the Resumption of the Investigation,” Prosecutor Karim Khan had practically prejudged the domestic justice system. The ICC official stated, “In relation to the proceedings conducted by the PNP-IAS (Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service, as well as the DoJ (Department of Justice) Panel and its case referral to the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) and NPS (National Prosecution Service), the Philippines attempted to justify its assertations by evoking an overall case analysis through a three-phase procedure.” Khan added: “In its assessment of internal disciplinary proceedings conducted by the PNP-IAS, the Chamber emphasized that the information provided suggests that such procedure does not have the (primary) aim to further criminal proceedings and it is not known whether it leads to criminal investigations.” It was not stated how Khan concluded that the agencies had not initiated serious investigations into the deaths related to the war on drugs of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Khan claimed the Chamber “properly concluded that said proceedings do not meet the threshold for a deferral.” “Regarding the mandate of the DoJ Panel and its case referral to the NBI and NPS, the second and third stages of the process, according to the Philippines, the Chamber concluded that: (i) ‘nanlaban’ cases referred to the NBI concerned administrative liability; (ii) the charts submitted by the Philippines of 250 NPS cases not only contained limited information but also had no information on the initiation of criminal investigations and prosecutions against those involved; (iii) there is lack of information on how the DoJ Panel conducts its review and if it investigates by itself; and (iv) the DoJ Panel reviewed a low number of cases. In sum, Khan said the Chamber reasonably found that it “appears that the DoJ Panel review does not amount to relevant investigations within the meaning of Articles 17 and 18 of the Statute.” He then assessed that the three-phase procedural cycle claimed by the Philippines as demonstrating the overall “investigative processes connected to the anti-illegal drug operations” was flawed. The cycle that Khan referred to is how the litigation system works, however slow, in the country in which foreign entities, even the ICC, have no business passing judgment. Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, who represented the country in engaging the ICC, called the impending probe an indictment against the entire legal and judicial system and encroaching on Philippine sovereignty as an independent and law-abiding nation. “The Philippines is not legally and morally bound to cooperate with the ICC,” he said. Guevarra pointed out that while it remains unclear when the Philippine government’s appeal will be resolved, the ICC ruled to proceed with the investigation in the meantime. According to the top state lawyer, the ICC pre-trial chamber authorized the resumption of the drug war probe in January but the Office of the Solicitor General filed an appeal brief on 13 March that sought the reversal of the tribunal’s decision. The decision on the Philippine petition “may come in a few months, maybe it will take years, yet the ICC appeals chamber has denied our reasonable request to suspend the investigation until the issues of jurisdiction and admissibility of the Philippine situation have been resolved to our satisfaction,” Guevarra said. The implication was that there was a deeper agenda in the ICC’s rush to conduct the probe on the Philippines. “It places us in the same class of rogue nations where the rule of law is not respected. It tends to humiliate us in the eyes of the international community, and this affront is irreversible and uncorrectable even if we eventually win on the merits of our appeal,” Guevarra said. From the start, the ICC aimed to make the Philippines a showcase of a developing nation bowing to Western impositions. It just happened that the Philippines, as a sovereign nation, refused to bow down. The post Dyed-in-wool hypocrites appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Orchestra-conducting robot wows audience in S. Korean capital
A South Korean-made robot made its debut as an orchestra conductor before a sell-out crowd in Seoul on Friday, wowing the audience with a flawless performance in place of a human maestro. Named "EveR 6", the five-foot-ten-inch-tall (1.8m) robot guided more than 60 musicians of the National Orchestra of Korea who was playing traditional Korean instruments. The robot successfully guided the compositions, both independently and in collaboration with a human maestro who was standing next to it for about half an hour, entertaining the more than 950 audience members who had packed the National Theater of Korea. The robot was showered with applause when it first appeared from below the stage on a lift and turned to face the audience, bowing in greeting. Throughout the performance, the robot's blue eyes stared unblinkingly at the musicians, only nodding its head in time to the music. The rookie performed well on its stage debut, audience members said. "I came here worried whether this robot could pull this off without a glitch," Kim Ji-min, a 19-year-old college student majoring in music, told AFP. "But I found it to be in great harmony with the musicians... It felt like a whole new world for me." While there have been musical performances led by robotic conductors in the past, including a 2017 concert led by the robot YuMi in Italy, this was the first time South Koreans were able to witness a robotic conductor on stage. EveR 6, developed by the state-run Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, was programmed to replicate the movements of a human conductor through motion capture technology. The machine is not capable of listening or improvising in real-time, however. EveR 6's developers are currently working on enabling the robot to make gestures that are not pre-programmed, said Lee Dong-Wook, the robot's engineer. Improvising and communicating with musicians in real-time is the next big step, said Song Joo-ho, a music columnist who came to see the performance. "It needs to improvise in real-time when musicians make a mistake or things go wrong." The post Orchestra-conducting robot wows audience in S. Korean capital appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Archers on quick turnaround
Reigning champion EcoOil-La Salle, after bowing to University of the Philippines in the Filoil finals, made a quick turnaround with a 108-82 rout of Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda in the opener of the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup finale yesterday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig......»»
Archers vent ire on Lions, draw first blood in PBA D-League finals
Reigning champion EcoOil-La Salle, after bowing to the University of the Philippines in the Filoil finals, vented its ire on Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda, 108-82, to seize Game 1 in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup finale......»»
The gold that mattered most
The sight of Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes pumping his fist in the air in midcourt while looking at the boisterous Cambodian crowd that supported their so-called national team peppered with naturalized players must have said it all. Redemption was written all over Chot’s face as the Filipinos finally slayed the ghost of their 68-79 debacle at the hands of the same team the first time they met last week in the basketball competitions of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games. The 80-69 revenge win over the host Cambodians came like a soothing balm for the wounded egos of the perennial regional champions who were roundly criticized after missing the gold two years ago and then again this year after bowing down to erstwhile doormat Cambodia. Less than 24 hours earlier, the gutsy Philippine five got back at Indonesia, the team that stripped them of the gold in the 2021 Vietnam Games, marking only the second time a Philippine squad failed to bring home the bacon in their favorite national pastime. “I know a lot of people doubted this time the first time we lost, what I didn’t tell you was that after the loss, I told them that ‘this is the loss that we could afford.’ We needed that loss, actually,” Chot said in the din of the celebration, marking the 19th time that the Philippines won the gold medal in men’s basketball. “The players did a hell of a job, they stuck together. We kept this Cambodian team of five, six Americans below 70 points,” he said referring to Cambodia’s naturalized players who surprised the Filipinos with a first-ever win last Thursday. The issue of naturalized players participating in the SEA Games, particularly in basketball, is a topic that has generated debates and differing opinions. While some argue that the presence of naturalized players undermines the integrity and spirit of the competition, others believe that it adds a new level of competitiveness and helps raise the overall standard of play. Critics argue that the inclusion of naturalized players creates an unfair advantage for certain countries. The disparity in skill and experience between naturalized players and those who have grown up within the country’s basketball development system can lead to lopsided contests, potentially diminishing the value of the competition. The increased reliance on naturalized players has reduced opportunities for local talents to represent their country at the Games. It has also hindered the growth and development of homegrown athletes who would otherwise have a chance to compete and gain experience on an international stage. Some contend that the essence of the SEA Games lies in promoting national pride and showcasing the skills of athletes who embody the spirit of their respective nations. The presence of naturalized players can dilute this sense of national identity and representation. In many international competitions, including the Olympics, the use of naturalized players has been a common practice. While adapting to this trend aligns the SEA Games with global sporting norms, it is probably still essential to find a balance that takes into consideration the perspectives of both sides. Establishing eligibility criteria and limitations on the number of naturalized players in a team could be a potential solution. This would allow for the participation of naturalized players while ensuring that local athletes continue to have ample opportunities to represent their country and develop their skills. Whether the presence of naturalized players has turned the SEA Games into a “sham” depends on individual viewpoints. It is therefore crucial for sports authorities to strike a balance between the inclusion of naturalized players and providing opportunities for local talents which we believe is key to maintaining the spirit and relevance of the SEA Games. e-mail:mannyangeles27@gmail.com The post The gold that mattered most appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lady Spikers go for twice-to-beat
League-leading De La Salle University sets its sights on securing a Final Four twice-to-beat advantage in a clash with Adamson University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Ahead of the pack sporting a 10-1 win-loss record, the Lady Spikers only need to hurdle the Lady Falcons in their 2 p.m. encounter to assure themselves of a Top 2 finish with just two weeks left before the elimination round closes. On the other hand, Adamson, which shares the second to fourth spot in the standings with an 8-3 card tied with idle University of Santo Tomas and defending champion National University, shoots for a semis berth. La Salle bounced back mightily from a sorry four-set setback at the hands of UST before the Holy Week break with a convincing, 25-15, 25-16, 25-16, win over University of the Philippines last Sunday. Rookie Angel Canino is expected to show the same aggressiveness she displayed in the Lady Spikers’ first round win over the Adamson, 22-25, 25-14, 25-16, 25-19, last 19 March when she dropped 21 points. Aside from Canino and usual scorers Thea Gagate, Fifi Sharma and Jolina dela Cruz, La Salle has also a new weapon in rookie opposite spiker Shevana Laput. The 6-foot-1 winger made an immediate impact in her first start last game as she poured in nine points. But despite their height and depth advantage and with the semis bonus within reach, Lady Spikers assistant coach Noel Orcullo doesn’t want his players to look too far ahead. “We need to continue the right things we are doing. Just take it one game at a time. Our mindset right now is to finish the second round the right way,” he said. The Lady Falcons are fresh from a 25-16, 25-19, 20-25, 27-25, victory over University of the East last Saturday. Adamson will rely on Kate Santiago, Trisha Tubu, Lorene Toring and setter Louie Romero to get back at La Salle. Meanwhile, Far Eastern University tries to salvage its semis bid in a must-win game against Ateneo de Manila University at 12 p.m. Holding a 5-6 card, the Lady Tamaraws need to sweep all of their remaining three games wish that one from the Lady Falcons, Tigresses and Lady Bulldogs won’t reach nine wins to force a playoff for the last Final Four seat. FEU beat Ateneo in five sets in the first round. Both teams are coming off setbacks with the Lady Tamaraws bowing down to the Lady Bulldogs in straight sets while the Blue Eagles missed the semis for the first time in 14 years after losing to the Tigresses in four frames. A win by Ateneo (4-7) will put the semis race to a close. In men’s play, Ateneo (5-6) and FEU (6-5) at 10 a.m. while La Salle (6-5) and Adamson (1-10) meet at 4 p.m. The post Lady Spikers go for twice-to-beat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Alcantara, Chinese partner fall in ITF Singapore finals
Francis Casey Alcantara and partner Sun Fajing fall short of the ITF M15 Singapore crown after bowing to Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands and Justin Barki of Indonesia in the finals.....»»
Comeback falls short as Filipinas end Spain tourney title bid
Meryll Serrano scores a sensational left-footed free kick, but it’s not enough to save the Philippine women’s football team from bowing out of contention in the Pinatar Cup .....»»
Malixi fades with 73 as Zhao takes solo control in Annika Invitational golf tilt
Rianne Malixi struggled on Eagle Creek’s tricky surface and settled for a two-birdie, two-bogey card and a 73, virtually bowing out of title contention in the Annika Invitational......»»
Filipinas settle for 2nd seed in AFF semis after bowing to Thais
MANILA - The Philippine women's football team had to settle for the second seed in the AFF Women's Championship after Thailand sneaked in a 1-0 win at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.Kanyanat Chetthabutr scored the marginal goal for the Thais in the 75th minute after a defensive.....»»
Magno& rsquo;s journey not yet finished
Tokyo—Irish Magno may have become the first casualty of the Philippine boxing team after bowing to a crafty Thailand foe in Jutamas Jitpong in the women’s 48-51kg division of the Summer Olympic Games’ boxing competitions at the Kokugikan Arena here on Thursday......»»
Scottie would have loved one more year with Bright and Prince
All those playoff exits at the hands of San Beda University still pains Scottie Thompson. “Lahat-lahat,” he answered when asked in The Prospects Pod which of University of Perpetual Help’s Final Four losses to the Red Lions hurt the most. “Nasira pangarap naming lahat eh.” Despite bowing out to the red and white in three of his five years as an Alta, however, the 6-foot-1 playmaker said his most painful defeat actually came from Colegio de San Juan de Letran. “Actually, hindi San Beda yung pinakamasakit,” he shared. “Yung pinakamasakit is yung last year ko. Non-bearing na sa Letran tapos may bearing sa amin, dapat papasok kami ng Final Four pag manalo kami.” Thompson was talking about the wine and gold’s last elimination round assignment in NCAA 91 - a closely contested season that saw six squads all have a shot at the Final Four. Before that game, Perps stood at joint third at 11-6 and a win would have staked claim to the fourth and final playoff berth, thereby closing the door on Mapua University, Jose Rizal University, and Arellano University. On the other hand, the Knights had already clinched a top two finish - though they were still in a dead heat for the top-seed with archrival San Beda. In the end, Letran triumphed. In the end, Perpetual stood on the outside looking into the playoff picture. And in the end, that was the former MVP’s last game in the NCAA. “Dahil dun sa talong yun, hindi kami nakapasok ng Final Four sa mismong last year ko pa. Hindi ko makakalimutan yun,” he said. Even more, that Altas team was fully loaded as aside from Thompson, it had future MVPs Bright Akhuetie and Prince Eze. If only he had one more go-round, the now-27-year-old has no doubt that he, Akhuetie, and Eze would be back with a vengeance come Season 92. “Siguro, kung nabigyan pa ako ng isang chance na makasama sila, may chance kaming makabawi. Isang year lang kaming nagkasabay eh,” he said. He then continued, “Kulang lang ng isang taon. Siguro, kung isang taon pa, baka sakali lang.” A Scottie Thompson completely comfortable with Bright Akhuetie and Prince Eze? That sounds like a recipe for success for Perpetual and a recipe for disaster for the rest of the league. —— Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»