November 22, 2023 8:30 p.m.

TOP-SEEDED National University needed just one game to dispose of fourth-ranked Ateneo de Manila University, 58-43, and advance to its ninth straight UAAP Women’s Basketball Finals on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Bulldogs will seek their eighth consecutive title when they face the winner between the twice-to-beat UST Growling Tigresses and the UP Fighting Maroons in the Season 86 best-of-three championship series.

The UST-UP game is ongoing as of publishing.

This was also NU’s 12th straight win after losing to UP in the first round last October 8, 69-72.

“I thought it’s always hard to play against Kacey Dela Rosa and Jhazmin Joson kasi they’re considered nga the 1-2 punch of Ateneo that’s why our main goal every time we play them is to limit them,” said Lady Bulldogs head coach Aris Dimaunahan.

And that goal of limiting the “Kobe and Shaq” of Ateneo in their second straight Final Four duel? NU successfully achieved.

Dela Rosa was limited to just 10 points, including just two in the second half, but still grabbed 11 rebounds and two blocks. In her final game for the Blue Eagles, Jhaz Joson was held to just seven points on a woeful 2-of-12 shooting while also committing eight turnovers.

NU made some separation from a slim 31-27 lead at the break with a strong third quarter that saw Ann Pingol score eight points after being held scoreless in the first half, helping build a 48-37 advantage heading into the fourth.

The Lady Bulldogs continued their onslaught to open the payoff period with Marylene Solis, Maymay Canuto, and Pingol contributing for a 55-39 cushion with 6:15 to go.

After Junize Calago’s layup at the 7:09 mark, the Lady Bulldogs tightened up, with the Blue Eagles’ next basket coming in at the 2:41 mark on a Kacey Dela Rosa deuce, 41-58.

“Thank you sa mga teammates ko na in-encourage nila ako para makabawi ako nung second half kasi nung first half wala talaga ako,” said Pingol, who scored all her 10 points in the pivotal second half where the Lady Bulldogs broke away.

Camille Clarin paced NU in the first half, making all of her 12 points there to go with four assists and three rebounds.

Maymay Canuto and Jainaba Konateh both tallied eight points while grabbing nine and seven rebounds, respectively.

After the game, Joson was given her moment by NU and Ateneo at center court.

Just like last season, the Blue Eagles finished the season in fourth place.

Calago led Ateneo with 12 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and three assists but went just 5-of-19 from the field, while Sarah Makanjuola also added eight points, 16 rebounds, and two blocks.

Mille Gastador had also played her last game for the Blue Eagles.

The Final Four battle was also attended by Gilas Pilipinas players Janine Pontejos, Chack Cabinbin, Khate Castillo, Trina Guytingco, and Mikka Cacho.

The Scores:

NU 58 – Clarin 12, Pingol 10, Canuto 8, Konateh 8, Berberabe 4, Solis 4, Cayabyab 3, Betanio 3, Talas 3, Surada 2, Fabruada 1, Alterado 0, Alcantara 0.

Ateneo 43 – Calago 12, Dela Rosa 10, Makanjuola 8, Joson 7, Villacruz 6, Gastador 0, Angala 0, Solis 0, Nieves 0, Mataga 0, Fetalvero 0, Eufemiano 0.

Quarterscores: 13-11, 31-27, 48-37, 58-43.

November 12, 2023 5:50 p.m.

RETIRED eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has just personally congratulated Paris Olympic-bound fighter Eumir Felix Marcial for winning a silver medal in the recent Hangzhou 19th Asian Games in China. 

Not only becoming the first Filipino boxer to qualify for the Paris Games after reaching the Asiad final — an Olympic continental qualifier, the 28-year-old boxer from Zamboanga City got boxing tips from Pacquiao during their meet up at the Forbes Park in Makati City last Friday. 

“He [Marcial] was congratulated by the Senator personally after bagging a silver medal in the Asian Games and making it to the Olympics for the second time,” International matchmaker Sean Gibbons said. “The living legend Pacquiao was so excited to see him, he also gave Eumir some boxing tips.”

But there was a bigger story from there. 

The 44-year-old future hall of famer, according to Gibbons, is planning to set up a pro fight here in an undetermined venue in Manila for Marcial — one of Marcial’s possible two scheduled pro bouts — before competing to the Paris Olympics from July 26 to August 11. 

“The Asiad silver medalist, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist just met with Viva Manny Pacquiao, he presented him the silver medal, and the big news was the senator wants to do a fight here in Manila, maybe in February to be sponsored by the Manny Pacquiao promotions,” Gibbons added. 

Marcial, who is sporting a 4-0 win-loss record with two knockouts, expressed excitement to fight in front of his hometown, noting that the last time he fought in Manila was in 2019 Philippines 30th Southeast Asian Games when he won the gold in the middleweight class. 

“It definitely excites me to hear it from Senator himself that he wanted to arrange a fight here for me under his promotions,” Marcial said. “There are many Filipinos who like to see me fight here. I’m begging for the support of my fellow Filipinos.”

Marcial will definitely be the main event bout of the fight card to be arranged by Gibbons later on, but the training of the four-time Southeast Asian Games middleweight king will definitely stay in the United States. 

“My training stays in the United States for sure because that’s only the ideal place to train not only for my pro bouts but also for my Olympic campaign,” added Marcial. “I will just return to Manila two weeks before the fight if it’s officially announced.”

September 25, 2023 12:39 p.m.

Shown here are (from left) SM Supermalls Vice President Liza Silerio, SM Prime Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans T. Sy, GUUN Chief Executive Officer Shinji Fujieda, GUUN Philippine Branch Senior Managing Director and General Manager Takeshi Konishi

Leading real estate developer in Southeast Asia, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan’s GUUN Co. Ltd. to explore a potential partnership to implement waste management solutions by recycling waste paper and plastics as an alternative source of energy called ‘fluff fuel’.

Fluff Fuels are one type of RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) which are produced from shredded and compressed plastics, papers, and fibers. These are used as fuels in cement manufacturing, paper mill companies, or power companies in Japan.

SM Prime Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans T. Sy is positive that a partnership with GUUN will contribute to the waste reduction goals of the country. “Today, Japan’s waste management and recycling technology is among the most advanced in the world,” he said. “There is no better partner for SM because we do not just talk about being big, we make sure we do it; we do not talk about being environment friendly but we do take bold steps to save the environment. I am looking forward to growing with GUUN as among leaders in solving environmental issues in the Philippines.”

GUUN Co., Ltd., founded in March 2001 and headquartered in Yokohama City, Japan, piloted the production of fluff fuel from plastic waste in Inayawan, Cebu in 2014 and recently inaugurated its P200-million, 2,400-square meter waste recycling plant in Tayud, Consolacion, Cebu.

Since then, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment has adopted GUUN’s waste-to-fuel technology as a model for advanced low-carbon technology innovation for further deployment in developing countries.

“This will be a milestone partnership for us,” GUNN Chief Executive Officer Shinji Fujieda said after the signing ceremony. “I understand very much how important waste management is for SM and for the Philippines and we look forward to more projects we can do with the properties of SM Prime.”

SM Prime’s initiatives for waste management include waste reduction and effective waste collection and segregation. Over the years, it has implemented programs such as Trash to Cash, Plastic Waste Collection, and E-Waste Collection that have contributed to reducing the total solid waste generation across its real estate portfolio.

Through its pioneering Trash to Cash recycling market, SM Prime has collected and recycled 1.4M kg of plastics, paper, metals, and others in 2022. “We have saved 16,766 trees from the 986,222 kg of paper recycled,” SM Prime disclosed in its 2022 Integrated Report to shareholders.

Meanwhile, SM’s Plastic Waste Collection program, a partnership with the Plastic Credit Exchange that was launched in February 2021, has accumulated 42,541kg of plastic waste from 14 mall sites. Also present in all its 83 SM Supermalls is the E-Waste Collection program for the responsible disposal of WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment). This drive has helped process close to 7,000 kilograms of e-waste. (ENDS)