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SUNDAY, JULY 9, 2017
Business
Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net
FILIPINOS STILL SHUN MOBILE BANKING
Unisys Asia Pacific financial solutions director Ian Selbie
BUILDER
KEA Industrial Corp. vice president Edmund Araga
CAVITE FAMILY BUILDS VEHICLES
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By Othel V. Campos
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family in Cavite province, which has been supplying metal parts and components to major Japanese brands, is now building its own vehicles—electric tricycles that are considered the future of public transportation. KEA Industrial Corp., the company established by the late Edgardo Araga, is now being managed by his children—Katherine, Elvin and Edmund Araga, who represent the initials of the company. KEA has more than 30 years of experience as a metal fabricator that supplies parts and components to car assemblers Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda Cars, Isuzu and Nissan as well as Yamaha and Honda motorcycles. Egardo established KEA in 1991 in Navotas City, but transferred the operation to Bacoor, Cavite in 2000. The Araga children took on the challenge of sustaining the business after their father passed away last year. Eldest daughter Katherine manages the administrative side of the business, while Elvin, the middle child, is the company president. Edmund, the youngest son, serves as the vice president for manufacturing and operations. “Decision-making is always the most difficult especially if you are working with family. It was easier when Dad was alive. He weighed things, balanced them out and came up with a decision that is the best for the company and family,” Edmund says. Edmund wants to fulfill his father’s dream of becoming known as an electric vehicle builder. “My Dad, before he died, told me to continue the e-trike business so the trikes these days will have a definite direction. He wanted to his e-trike to be known worldwide. We did researches on trends and decided on the e-trike. But we cannot afford
the cost of production. So we sought assistance from the Board of Investments and applied under a pioneer status. We’re very thankful that our application was approved in 2012,” Edmund says. In 2015, KEA started manufacturing e-trikes that are similar to the “tuktuks” of Thailand or conventional three-wheel trikes with the main load located at the rear. The company has built 60 units so far, with ten units owned and operated by KEA itself, plying the stretch of Bacoor Boulevard up to the city hall. The ten units run on lithium-ion batteries which are more expensive than the lead acid batteries it used for the first batch of 50 units. These lithium-ion batteries are based on a “payper-use” agreement with Talino EV, an electric vehicle battery developer. Compared to lead acid that runs 40 to 60 kilometers per full charging, lithium-ion can last up to 100 kilometers when fully charged. It also charges faster. Five charging stations were put up near and along the boulevard where drivers of the e-trikes have easy access to charging or tapping-up charge. The company donated a charging station near the city hall to the city government as a rendition of corporate service responsibility. Living up to the wishes of his father, Edmund says KEA e-trike has recently drawn the interest of a French client and an official of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration who was on a visit to the Philippines. Visitors from Asean countries also complimented KEA’s design and its success with the local condition. Edmund, however, says the hardest challenge with e-trike is letting people know and understand the technology. “The biggest problem is educating people. We noticed the resistance from the conventional to the new technology. Pricing could be one of the deciding factors for this. There is no bank yet that is open to financing e-trikes. It is a hurdle that should be addressed as soon as possible. Of all the e-trikes we sold, those are upfront purchases,” he says.
“This is the reason why we continue to lobby for incentives for the e-vehicle industry,” Edmund says. The government has recently agreed to exempt all e-vehicles from taxes and provide other peripheral perks. However, the local e-vehicle sector considers these as token incentives, below what similar industries are getting from their own governments. “But we are thankful for the assistance. This is now a good start for us,” says Edmund. After considering the prohibitive price of owning an e-trike, KEA came up with a smaller e-trike variant where the load is parallel to the motorbike. Its design is the same as most tricycles. Araga says the plan is to design new models that will fit the lifestyle or the type of business of the owners. He says local government units and subdivisions are supportive of the advocacy to replace about 2 million conventional tricyles with e-trikes. “We now have proof of concept, that this technology really works. It’s sustainable enough for short distances but we can work our way from there. Of the 2 million tricycles, we’re happy enough to be able to replace 30 percent,” says Edmund. “Our capacity is not that much at the moment. But if demand goes up, we are prepared to take on the challenge. We have a property in Silang, Cavite that we bought for exactly the reason of expanding our e-trike manufacturing. We are willing to up the stakes and get more automation when needed,” he says. Right now, e-trike manufacturing shares the company’s metal fabrication facility in Bacoor, Cavite with 111 employees. Married with three kids, Edmund is an avid runner who joins marathons regularly. He is also an occasional golfer and a regular grocery guy. “This is my bonding time with my son. I enjoy doing these menial job for my family as I enjoyed doing it with my mom when I was younger. There’s no bigger joy than to serve your family as I serve mine and the company Dad has built for us—his family,” says Edmund.
CAN GEEKS IN PALAWAN OFFER FIXES TO ENVIRONMENT? THE Department of Information and Communication Technology and private stakeholders of the premier annual tech conference in the Philippines seek to harness the startup community in helping fix the country’s environmental problems. “Aside from gathering tech entrepreneurs and professionals as we have done in previous Geeks on a Beach, we hope serial entrepreneurs, FilipinoAmericans from Silicon Valley, will provide more heft to the event,” said Tina Amper of TechTalks.ph. “Yobie Benjamin, among others, had invested in a startup that protects wild-
life in Kenya and mangrove forests in Brazil and earning the carbon credits in the process. You have to listen to how he does it,” said Amper who is now organizing the fifth Geeks on a Beach or GOAB. Yobie was awarded 2015 Technology Pioneer of the World Economic Forum and is an alumnus of the University of the Philippines. The strong and promising potential for the Philippines to be a location for tech start-ups is “tremendous” because of the talent pool, GlycoProX and Veem co-founder Aldo Carrascoso said. GlycoProX is on the verge of devel-
oping a computation plus instrumentation-based cure for breast cancer. Its co-founders, including Fil-Am Carrascoso, have proven track record of success with value creation of half a billion U.S. dollars. Palawan boasts of global environmental wonders like the underground river, the Tubbataha reef and world class beaches. As such, GOAB will tackle the theme of “Environment and Technology”, and it will also have tracks on “Startups in the Region”, “Creatives for the Future” and “Tech for Challenging the World”, said David Overton, CEO of
Sym.ph and chief GOAB Geek. GOAB will happen on Aug. 24 to 25, 2017 in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan. “We also hope to push DICT projects that we launched recently. These projects like Pipol Konek National Free Wifi Program, the National Government Portal, and the National Broadband Project are designed to give birth to digital Filipinos,” said Undersecretary Mon Ibrahim. PLDT, Smart, Voyager, PayMaya, ePLDT, Smart DevNet, PLDT Enterprise, and PLDT Innolab are supporting GOAB as co-presenters while A Space is coproducer.
By Kristin Mae Cortez and Aletha Jasmine Dela Cruz U NYS I S, a global information technology company, hopes to help accelerate mobile banking adoption in Asia Pacific, despite the results of the Unisys APAC Banking Insights Survey which shows most consumers still prefer face-to-face bank transactions. The Philippines has the highest preference for visiting the branch, based on data by research firm OmniPoll, where 1,000 people from the Philippines, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan were surveyed. “We asked this [preference] because we are interested in the bank customer experience when it comes to fraud protection. Some of the observations surprised us a little,” Unisys Asia Pacific financial solutions director Ian Selbie said in a briefing at Makati Shangri La Hotel. The balance of security and convenience on the costumer experience was also examined. Based on the survey, 51 percent of the respondents said they would feel frustrated by the inconvenience if the bank would block their credit card because of suspected fraudulent transactions even though they are genuine. Even so, they are glad that employees take legal actions to protect them. The findings suggest that banks need to improve their service to accurately detect fraud cases and to prevent inconvenience and losses from the customers. Moreover, two well-known banks were involved in a fraud case which was later commented by Selbie “I don’t think that was fraud. [It must be an] incorrect perception,” he said. Selbie said Unisys aims to improve bank service for better customer service through technology. He does “not expect the branches to go away. They will still play a key role.” Richard Parker, vice president for financial services of Unisys Asia Pacific, said while banks in the Philippines offer a range of digital channels, “they do not yet provide a compelling enough experience for customers to replace visiting the branch.” “This is typical for other emerging markets such as Malaysia and Taiwan and means that the branch remains an important channel within an ever-evolving omichannel strategy,” Parker said. Unisys contributes in providing industr y-focused solutions integrated with leading-edge security to clients in the government, financial services and commercial markets. “ Through the years, Unisys has provided services that the Philippines is actually using. One of the largest banks in the Philippines is using check-processing,” said Selbie.
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SUNDAY, JULY 9, 2017 business@manilastandard.net
Conduent Philippines CEO Jojo Gajitos
BIG BPO FIRM TAPS FILIPINO EXECUTIVE CONDUENT Inc., a leading business services provider, has named Jojo Gajitos as chief executive for all of Conduent’s operations in the Philippines. Previously the country leader of Conduent’s (formerly Xerox Business Services) operations in the Philippines, Gajitos will assume greater responsibility in his new role for the overall management and direction of Conduent’s activities in the Philippines. “Jojo has a strong track record of leading positions in the business process services and information technology industries,” said Pratap Sarker, group chief executive for financial services and healthcare of Conduent. “As CEO for Conduent’s operations in the Philippines, Jojo will implement an operating model that aligns with the company’s transformation program and supports the delivery of profitable growth.” Conduent operations in the Philippines include 8,000 employees based in Metro Manila and Cebu City, and are engaged in a range of activities including finance and accounting services, HR services, transaction processing and customer experience services. “The Conduent organization is a major player in the Philippines business process services industry,” said Gajitos. “The Conduent organization in the Philippines will continue to grow its workforce, deliver operational excellence for all the businesses that its supports and enhance the employee experience,” he said. Gajitos will continue to be based in Pasay City and report to Sarker. Prior to Conduent, Gajitos was country manager of Dell-Perot Systems Philippines Inc. and chief executive of IBM Daksh Business Process Services Philippines Inc. Conduent is the world’s largest provider of diversified business process services with leading capabilities in transaction processing, automation and analytics. The company’s global workforce is dedicated to helping its large and diverse client base deliver quality services to the people they serve. These clients include 76 of the Fortune 100 companies and over 500 government entities.
Ambassador Jose Cuisia
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FINANCE WHIZ HELPS SHAPE PH ECONOMY
HE insurance industry is, without a doubt, a highly dynamic industry. Some of the best business minds in the country have, at some point in their careers, been part of the growth and evolution of the insurance industry.
One such man is Ambassador Jose Cuisia, whose life has been defined and characterized by his commitment to being the best and his inherent ability to adapt to change. These are the very same qualities that allowed him to make big contributions to the Philippine financial sector over the years. A force to be reckoned with, Cuisia helped steer one of the world’s highly esteemed insurance conglomerates, AIG, into a formidable player in the local insurance industry. He is best known in the world of AIG as the chairman of Philam Insurance, prior the appointment of Ambassador Roberto Romulo as chairman of AIG Philippines Insurance Inc. Cuisia was also one of the pioneers who established AIG Shared Services Business Processing I nc., a k nowledge ser vices business process outsourcing company in the Philippines that performs various insurance, IT, finance, accounting and contact center ser vices known to provide high-quality and value-added solutions to AIG business operations worldwide. It is his unique insight into the Philippine economic landscape and the pulse of the Filipino people that ensured AIG, which celebrates its 85th anniversary this year in the country, its top-of-mind position in the non-life insurance
sector as well as an innovator in the BPO sector. “I am fortunate to be part of an organization that is true to its vision of being an agent of positive change, one that continues to make a powerful impact in the communities where it is,” Cuisia said at AIG Philippines’ recently concluded anniversary at The Peninsula Manila. “Through the years, we have offered a wide, comprehensive and innovative range of products and services that help Filipinos and local companies become more resilient.” He began his career in government service as administrator and CEO of the Social Security System in 1986. By 1990, he was appointed Central Bank Governor and chairman of the Monetary Board, where he served until 1993. In concurrent capacity, he was named Governor for the Philippines to the International Monetary Fund and Alternate Governor to the World Bank. It was during this period that Cuisia oversaw the liberalization of foreign exchange controls, which prompted the tide of foreign direct, and portfolio investments into the country that helped boost the peso and the country’s gross international reserves. “During my tenure in Central Bank of the Philippines, it was vital to me to show foreign insurers and key investors the capability of our country to innovate and bring financial success. That is the promise of growth opportunities that I could give to them,” Cuisia said. His stint at the Central Bank would give him that first insight into the insurance industry. Post Central Bank, he joined Philam Life as president and chief executive. He held the post for 16 years. He later became vice chairman of Philam Life and chairman of the board for BPI-Philam Life Assurance Co., the Philam Foundation and Tower Club Inc. “My 16 years in Philam Life molded my
perspective about the importance of quality of life and security in all aspects,” he said. “I guess this is the reason why I look at my career in the insurance industry as the most exciting, and life-defining, for me. It afforded me to be in a unique position to actively participate in building communities that are not just thriving, but are actually resilient.” Recognition also came in the form of honor and distinction to be asked to serve the public once more, this time as Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States of America from April 2, 2011 until June 2016. For this, he was conferred the Lifetime Contributor Award (public sector) by the Asia CEO Forum in 2015, and the Order of the Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross by President Benigno Aquino III in 2016. He was also selected as one of the Ten Outstanding Filipino awardees in December 2016 by the JCI Senate and ANZA Foundation. These days, Cuisia puts his legendary business acumen to good use as a board director at AIG Philippines’ Shared Services- Business Processing Inc., where he oversees the business unit’s overall strategy and plans. AIG operates two captive shared services centers based in Manila and is one of the top 30 BPO companies in the country. It is Cuisia’s conviction that the BPO industry continues to be a vital component in improving the local economy and in raising the employment rate in the Philippines. “I believe Peter Drucker got it right when he said that ‘the best way to predict the future is to create it’. As a man who has seen and been through a lot, from both a personal and professional standpoint, it is my goal to help create a future where we bring out the best in our people and draw out our innate capacity to adapt to the evolving needs of the times.”
FILIPINO COMPANY NOW MANUFACTURES MOBILE PHONES F I L I P I N O technology company Star Telecom Alliance Resources Inc., the parent of smartphone brand Starmobile, announced on June 15 the start of its mobile phone production with an initial goal to assemble 20,000 units of UNO B208 featurephones in a facility in Calamba City, Laguna. The ground-breaking effort officially makes Starmobile the first Filipino brand to assemble mobile phones locally. The facility can assemble a minimum of 1,000 units per day. “Since we started five years ago, it has been the company’s goal to contribute to the local economy and provide employment by assembling phones in the Philippines,” said Starmobile chief operating officer Michael Chen. “Aside from bringing us a step closer to our dream of building up the Philippines an important player in the global tech scene, this will also benefit our bottom line, as it will result in more cost and time-efficient logistics and shipment around the country. In addition, because we will have parts and an assembly facility locally, we expect this to improve our after-sales support for our customers,” said Chen.
While smartphones are more popular than ever in the Philippines, the demand for basic call-and-text feature phones still thrives in the country. Their affordability allows them to be great daily drivers for a large segment of the population, while their focused call-and-text services and compact screens allow them to be very power efficient. The Starmobile UNO B208 is a dual-SIM feature phone with an FM radio, camera with flash, expandable memory, flashlight, multimedia playback, and a battery life of up to two days. It is available in red, blue, or black. Established in 2011, Starmobile is the mobile devices division of Star Inc. It is founded by telco industry experts with extensive experience in retail and product development. Since it first offered Android devices, Starmobile has officially become the winningest Philippine smartphone brand with a slew of innovation awards from reputable media outfits. The company’s flagship Knight series, has won top awards since 2013—a feat that has not been replicated by any local device company.
Sports
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SUNDAY, JULY 9, 2017 randyproject@yahoo.com
FROM BARANGAY BALLER TO NCAA STANDOUT “Itinuturing ko silang para kong pamilya. Mararamdaman mo kasi na hindi ka nila papabayaan at talagang tulong-tulong kami kapag nasa game,” Gorospe said.
Humble Beginnings
Unknown to many, Grospe, a native of Guiguinto, Bulacan, did not play high school basketball, but instead honed his skills by joining several inter-barangay and inter-town tournaments in his hometown. And unlike other aspirants for college basketball, Grospe was picked by Meneses when he walked in a for a tryout held by the team’s coaching staff in Malolos, Bulacan. Meneses, a Bulakenyo like Grospe, may have seen something in Grospe in that tryout that he took a gamble on the young cager. Years later, Meneses’ gamble paid off, as Grospe had proven that he deserves to be part of the team’s regular rotation. Playing the no. 4 position, Grospe has become another scoring option for JRU, especially with the departure of Pontejo and the recent injury that struck Darius Estrella. Still, Grospe said he needs to improve on some aspects of his game, particularly in rebounding. ‘Yung rebounding talaga gusto ko maimprove, kasi yung defense at scoring ko naman medyo okay na. Talagang nagkakaproblema lang ako minsan sa rebound lalo na kasi I play no. 4 kaya mas malalaki yung nababantayan ko,” Grospe said. Like most young college players, Grospe, who idolizes PBA legend Danny Ildefonso and NBA icon Kobe Bryant, dreams of someday making it to the PBA. “Lahat naman siguro ng players gustong mag-PBA. Pangarap ko rin ‘yan. Pero kung hindi ako palarin, siyempre kailangan ko rin maghanap ng ibang trabaho,” said Grospe, a BSBA Management student. Grospe knows that making it to the big league entails a lot of hard work and determination, but for now, his focus is on helping the team achieve its goals of making it to the Final Four. As basketball pundits love to say, “bilog ang bola,” and the ball of fate might one day roll in Grospe’s favor.
John Ervin Grospe honed his skills by joining several inter-barangay and inter-town tournaments in his hometown in Guiguinto, Bulacan before making it to the blue-chip collegiate league
By Arman Armero
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OHN Ervin Grospe is a baller with a mission. Playing under the radar of his more illustrious teammates such as Paolo Pontejos and Tey Teodoro for most of his playing career for the JRU Heavy Bombers, Grospe figures that Season 93 of the upcoming National Collegiate Athletic Association as his most opportune time to finally shine. In fact, in the recent Fil-Oil pre-season tournament, Grospe racked up eye-popping numbers in scoring and rebounding to help the Heavy Bombers reach the Final 4, no mean feat for a team that had struggled in the previous NCAA season. The 6-4 Grospe played his best basketball against the University of Sto. Tomas in the run-up to the semis, where he scored a team-high 18 points, including a dagger trey in the waning seconds of the match.
Grospe credited his transformation from a mediocre performer to a dependable player to his recent stint in the PBA D-League. “Marami talaga ako natutunan sa D-League, kasi naturuan ako dun paano maging tough at saka maging smart sa paglalaro,” Grospe said. Now on his fifth year as a Heavy Bomber, Grospe said he had become comfortable with his coach, Vergel Meneses, and his teammates.
It’s time to shine for John Ervin Grospe
If Japan has sumo and the US has freestyle wrestling, the Ifugaos are proud of Bultong, their traditional form of belt wrestling
GET TO KNOW IFUGAO’S TRADITIONAL WRESTLING By Peter Atencio SEVENTEEN-year-old Roldan Bokdol threw down his rival with all his might to win the Bultong competition of the first Philippine Sports Commission Gender and Development Indigenous Games in Lagawe, Ifugao. It was quickly over when Bokdol used blinding speed to flip his opponent, Joseph Umlano , to the ground. Everything happened so fast after Bokdol wasted no time in pushing Umlano away from the makeshift fight circle and throwing his foe to the ground. The referees were off-duty policemen of the municipality, awarded him the medal. “Tinutulak tulak ko lang siya,” said Bokdol in Ifugao dialect. Bokdol is a Tuwali tribesman studying at Lagawe Extension High School. Bokdol went on to complete a threegame sweep of the Bultong competition’s round robin contest. Bultong is the Ifugao name for their sport of traditional wrestling and it is played in the Cordillera region. It falls under the international classification of “belt wrestling”. Belt wrestling is a form of wrestling that is one of the oldest historically recorded sports. To win in the game, contestants must try to knock each other over by grappling with a belt. It is different from Greco-Roman wrestling where the wrestlers are scored for their performance in two three-minute periods, which can be terminated early by a pin (or fall). It is also different from freestyle wrestling, where a wrestler use skills in tripping to take an opponent to the ground and or grabbing the opponent’s leg. “Dito, kailangan ay humawak sa string at wag kang bibitaw,” said SPO3 Benjamin Gotia jr., who is one of three off-duty police officers who acted as referees. It was a rare display of the old art and sport in a two-day festival featuring ethnic Ifugao sports. Close to 450 elementary and high school boys and girls displayed delight and enthusiasm as they took part in the competition. The two-day event was supported by the Ifugao provincial government led by Gov. Pedro Mayam-o. Similar tribal games were also held in Davao, said PSC commissioner Charles Maxey. “We have done similar competitions of ethnic sports in Davao and were planning one for Mindanao until the Marawi crisis happened.”
PSC FORGES PARTNERSHIPS FOR BIGGER CHILDREN’S GAMES THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is set to partner with different government agencies in the coming editions of the successful Children’s Games, making the project a multifaceted government effort for the youth, 12 years old and below. Boosted by the UNESCO’s unforeseen interest and recognition of the Games as a trailblazing project, the PSC set out to forge partnerships with its counterparts in different government agencies to stage the project on a deeper and wider scope across the country. The Children’s Games took the interest of the UNESCO seeing it as “a model to show others how it should be done” as stated by UNESCO consultant Caroline Baxter Tresise. The project, which preceded even the Kazan Action Plan, an initiative by global sports leaders to set policies on sports as a major tool for sustainable development and peace
Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) Director Marc Velasco, Edna NIto (DOH), Dir. Marlo Guanzon (DILG), PSC Dep. Dir. Ronnel Abrenica, Asst. Secretary Antonio Bautista (DND), PNP Chief Ronal “BAto” dela Rosa, PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez, Usec. Tony Umali (DepEd),Maritoni Gonzales (PMS), Dir. Victor Lorenzo (PMS), Dr. Serg Opena (PSC), Engr. Ronald Liveta (CHED), Head of PSC-PCO Malyn Bamba during the partnership signing. and encourage access for all, is now seen as one of the hallmark projects of PSC Chairman William Ramirez’s administration. PSC got the nod and support of the DepEd, CHED, DOH, DILG, DND, PNP and the PMS in a meeting held
Friday in Mandaluyong City. Asst. Secretary Tony Umali of the Department of Education said that his department is keen on the project and has promised to issue a memorandum to encourage all teachers and students’ support and
participation on different capacities. He also said that “we recognize the role of the PSC to lead the country in the area of sports. On behalf of the 2.2 Million public and private school students, you have our support” Philippine National Police Chief Di-
rector General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa cited the timeliness of the project, citing sports as a way to wean away kids from involvement in the drug trade where, he said, “they are used as couriers and runners.” He further assured Ramirez that the PNP will give its support by way of securing the areas where the Games shall be held. Dela Rosa also enjoined the PSC to involve his staff in other parts of the games aside from security, “they can officiate, they can coach” Engr. Ronaldo Liveta of the CHED recommended to tap university students in the NSTP program to be part of the sports education component of the Games. “Since nationalism and community service are the objectives of the NSTP course in the university level, I think they would be ideal as a part of this project which also has the same sights” he said. On the recommendation of Asst. Secretary Antonio Bautista of the De-
partment of National Defense, the group will meet quarterly to check up on progress and set permanent representatives “to ensure continuity.” Director Marlo Guanzon of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Division Chief Edna NIto of the DOH and PMS Dir. Victor Lorenzo of the PMS likewise gave their pledges of support for the project. As a parting shot, Bato commented that “this proves it is better to work as a team. Hindi kailangan na PNP lang o DILG lang o DOH lang. We can put our efforts and resources together and be more effective” Heartened by the positive reception on the project, Ramirez enjoined the men and women of the PSC to forge on and make a difference in the life of our youth by means of sports for “we can never go wrong investing in our children.” The second edition will be held in La Trinidad, Benguet from July 11 to 14.
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SUNDAY, JULY 9, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor / Reuel Vidal, Issue Editor / Randy Caluag, Issue Editor
sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
IMPORTS REINFORCE PBA TEAMS FOR GOVERNORS’ CUP By Reuel Vidal
Andy Murray AFP
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MURRAY CRITICIZES WIMBLEDON COURTS
HE Philippine Basketball Association teams parade some of the best imports to play in the league this coming 2017 Governors’ Cup With apologies to the Grand Slam-seeking San Miguel Beermen, defending champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel should be considered title favorites, in this conference with a height limit of 6’5” for imports, especially with returning import Justin Brownlee leading the charge. Brownlee propelled the Gin Kings to their first championship in eight years when he scored the game-winning three-pointer to push his team to a 9188 victory during Game 6 of the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals October 19 last year. With the scored tied at 88-all and with 5.5 seconds to go Brownlee dribbled the ball at the top of the keyhole to gain rhythm then unloaded the winning triple which brought Ginebra its ninth championship in franchise history. Brownlee is fully acclimatized having played for Ginebra in the Commissioner’s Cup, which featured imports with a height limit of 6’9”. The Gin Kings played well enough to advance to the Semifinals where they lost to TNT KaTropa. The Alaska Aces on the other hand brought back silky smooth shooter Buck Henton as import. Henton has unfinished business and wants to help the Aces get back to the playoffs this conference. The sharpshooting Alaska reinforcement led the Aces to the quarterfinals in the 2016 PBA Governors Cup. He led the team to a 6-win, 5-loss record after the elimination round which propelled the team to a tie with
Meralco Bolts import Allen Durham (5) drives to the basket. Durham powered the Bolts to their first-ever PBA finals last PBA season but they lost to Barangay Ginebra after Justin Brownlee’s game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer.
Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters import Eugene Phelps (4) grapples for ball possession against Alaska Aces center Sonny Thoss (7). Phelps exploded for 53 points and grabbed 21 rebounds to lead Phoenix to a 118-116 double-overtime victory over Blackwater during the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
the Meralco Bolts and the Mahindra Enforcer at fourth to sixth place. Mired at tenth place and holding a 2-win, 5-loss record, the Aces faced outright elimination at the halfway mark of the conference. Henton led them to four consecutive wins to advance to the Quarterfinals of the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup. The Aces faced Ginebra in the quarterfinals burdened with a twiceto-win handicap. The Aces displayed their usual never-quit attitude by overhauling what seemed like an insurmountable lead but could not convert at crunch time to lose to Ginebra, 104-109, and bowed out of the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup. Henton averaged 31.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 blocks for the Aces. After his stint in the PBA Henton played in the NBA D-League for the Santa Cruz Warriors where he averaged 13.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists. The Aces returned Henton hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup where they missed the playoffs. The Phoenix Petroleum Fuel return scoring machine Eugene Phelps. The prolific Phelps joined the Fuel Masters as early as the past conference. Despite facing a Blackwater’s 6’9” import Phelps exploded for 53 points and grabbed 21 rebounds to lead Phoenix to a 118-116 double-overtime victory over Blackwater last March 18 during the Commissioner’s Cup. Phelps should have stayed to complete the conference but he had to fulfill contractual obligations to play in Puerto Rico. He was so loyal
Barangay Ginebra import Justin Brownlee (right) spins past GlobalPort Batang Pier Sean Anthony. Brownlee propelled the Gin Kings to their first championship in eight years when he scored the game-winning threepointer the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals Oct. 19 last year.
to Phoenix that he hopped in a plane, flew to the Philippines and played one game with the Fuel Masters coming directly from the Taipei league. The Meralco Bolts return super athlete Allen Durham who led the Bolts to a second place finish behind Ginebra last conference. The 28-year-old Durham powered the Bolts to their first-ever PBA finals. But they lost to Barangay Ginebra after Brownlee’s game-winning threepointer at the buzzer. Durham is a supremely athletic basketball talent, but not very smart as he allowed Brownlee enough space to gather himself without any challenge
to bury the dagger triple which propelled Ginebra to the crown. The newly crowned Philippine Cup champions San Miguel Beermen, who are gunning for a Grand Slam this season, brought back bull-strong Wendell McKines. The other teams will bring in new reinforcements hoping to be more competitive in the coming conference. The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters have J.D. Weatherspoon; Star Hotshots, Cinmeon Bowers; TNT KaTropa, Michael Craig; NLEX Road Warriors, Aaron Fuller; Blackwater Elite, Trevis Simpson; GlobalPort Batang Pier, Jabril Trawick; and Kia Picanto, Chane Behanan.
MORADO IMPROVES CREAMLINE COOL SMASHERS THE Creamline Cool Smashers, led by the irrepressible Alyssa Valdez, barely missed the championship round of the Philippine Volleyball League Open Conference just a few weeks ago. They improved exponentially this conference with the addition of former Ateneo De Manila University (also a former teammate of Valdez) setter Jia Morado as well as libero Angela Nunag. This was most evident when the Cool Smashers prevailed over PVL Open Conference runner-up Bali Pure Water Defenders in four hard-fought sets (25-19, 28-30, 25-19, 31-29) last Wednesday to grab a share of the lead. Valdez, enjoying plenty of quality
sets, exploded 39 points which was just two shy of her career-best mark. Morado unloaded a season-best 71 excellent sets thanks in large part to the excellent defense of Nunag who had 31 digs. Valdez, one of the country’s mostfeared hitters, sprayed Bali Pure with 34 spikes, two aces and also had a block while producing 17 digs to help steer the Cool Smashers to their second consecutive victory following their four-set win over the AdamsonAkari Lady Falcons last Saturday. The former UAAP and league MVP downplayed her exploits and insisted it was another team effort that kept them in step with the
hot-starting Lady Warriors. Valdez had a then career-high 39hit output with Customs in a five-set triumph over Laoag last year during the Reinforced Conference. This was more impressive because she tallied the similar output in just four sets. “It was a total team effort and I just wanted to help the team win,” said Valdez, also one of the spearheads of the national team vying in next month SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur. With newcomers Morado, Nunag, Rosemarie Vargas and Rizza Mandapat, the Cool Smashers appear to have completed the pieces needed to make Creamline a worthy title contender in the league backed by
Mikasa and Asics. Morado, a former UAAP best setter and Ateneo star, put up a recordbreaking stint with a season-best 71 excellent sets. Nunag had a matchbest 31 digs. Vargas and Mandapat, who both came from Customs, backed them up with 19 and eight points, respectively. Still, with Valdez sustaining her fierce form and the rest backing her up with superb all-around games, the Cool Smashers could be heading to a solid finish after a fifth-place effort in the recent Reinforced Conference. “We’re still a work in progress but we’re improving and growing as a team every game,” said Valdez.
LONDON, United Kingdom—Defending champion Andy Murray added his voice to the growing list of players unhappy at the state of Wimbledon’s grass courts, even claiming the hallowed Centre Court has developed divots. World number one Murray said the courts were not in as good a condition as they have been in the past. Other players have criticized the state of Court 18 with France’s Kristina Mladenovic claiming that a hole had appeared in the surface. Weeks of hot weather and little rain have left many surfaces stripped of grass after just five days of the two-week long tournament. “The court I don’t think is in as good of condition as previous years,” said Murray after beating Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 on Centre Court on Friday to reach the last-16 for a 10th straight year. “There’s quite a few spots on the court, like just behind the baseline and just in front of the baseline, where there’s quite big lumps of grass, sort of almost like little divots there, which I don’t remember really being the case.” Fognini agreed, saying the court “was really bad”. On Court 17 on Thursday, American star Bethanie Mattek-Sands suffered an horrific right knee injury after her leg buckled. It was not clear, however, whether the state of the surface was a contributing factor in the 32-year-old’s accident. Earlier Friday, Wimbledon officials dismissed concerns over the state of the courts. “The court preparation has been to exactly the same meticulous standard as in previous years,” said the All England Club. “Grass is a natural surface and it is usual for the baselines to start to be showing signs of wear and tear four days into the championships.” However, French 12th seed Mladenovic said Thursday there was a hole on Court 18 and that she and opponent Alison Riske had wanted to stop playing. “The color of the court, the fact that there’s no more grass, the fact that the baseline where we are running, it’s very slippery. There’s no grass,” said Mladenovic, who was beaten in three sets. “There was a huge hole on the side. It was not even flat.” Swiss 19th seed Timea Bacsinszky had similar complaints after beating Olympic champion Monica Puig on the same court on Tuesday – just the second day of the even. “I’m pretty disappointed about the quality of the grass, especially on Court 18. I’m not saying it’s dangerous, but it was the second day of the tournament, and it was already ruined,” said Bacsinszky. AFP
Creamline playmaker Jia Morado (left) catches the Adamson defense napping as she dumps the ball against Adamson’s Rizza Cruz and Jessica Galanza (right) during their PVL Open Conference showdown at the Filoil Center in San Juan.