GILAS FILIPINAS PLACES 6TH IN FIBA

THE Gilas Pilipinas Women’s National Team played catch up until the last four minutes before taking a 71-80 loss to South Korea on Saturday to settle for sixth place in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2023 in at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Center.

A split free throw from Vanessa de Jesus in the last 3:08 saw the Filipinas still in the thick of the fight with the Koreans leading by just five, 71-76.

But after missing three big attempts in the waning minutes, the Koreans went on to claim fifth place, their worst finish since 1965.

Ji Jyun Park topscored for the Koreans with 24 points while Danbi shot 14 points.

Afril Bernardino unloaded 16 points and nine rebounds for the Filipinas, who refused to let Korea take a double-digit lead in the final period.

Jack Animam and Khate Castillo knocked 12 points for the Filipinas, who claimed one of their best finishes since 1984 when they finished in the fourth spot that year.

Coach Patrick Aquino commended the team for managing Korea’s lead, and not letting it go beyond 10 points.

“We fell short. But, still, I’m proud of the girls. They never gave up. I think the gaps are really closing for us. And I hope they continue doing this in the future when we come back,” Aquino said.

After the Filipinas rallied to within five points, Park scored on a layup, while Jisu Park also penetrated to put the Koreans ahead, 80-71, with 1:21 left.

Jisu and Jihyun Shin made 11 points apiece for the Koreans.

BOTH houses of Congress have ratified a bill institutionalizing the Philippine Export Development Program (PEDP) that President Marcos recently approved to make local products more competitive overseas.

With a vibrant export program, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuete said the economy will be “more resilient and inclusive by energizing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

One of the measures ratified by the House of Representatives and the Senate before they adjourned sine die was the bill institutionalizing the nearly decade-old “One Town, One Product (OTOP)” initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to prop up small entrepreneurs and stimulate economic activity, especially in the countryside, said Villafuerte, who had co-authored this measure.

He said the 19th Congress’ approval of the OTOP bill was “timely as the President had just approved the DTI-drafted PEDP amid a weakening export sector resulting from a looming recession in the US (United States) and a global economic slowdown.” Villafuerte said approval of the OTOP bill was also well-timed as the Philippines has just joined the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Chinaled biggest free-trade pact that could benefit Filipino exporters by way of possibly higher sales of their lowertaxed goods to other RCEP membereconomies. Maricel V. Cruz