From UP Fight to UP Flight

Wazzup Pilipinas!

For a time it looked as if the UP Fighting Maroons had nowhere to go but down.

After the 1986 UAAP championship, UP’s performance in the premiere collegiate league could be described as uneventful, even dismal, save for two seasons back in 1996 and 1997 when the team reached the Final Four.

The UP community grew indifferent. And with a string of bottom-dwelling and sometimes winless seasons in 2007, 2010 and 2013, the community seemingly lost all interest. Recruitment suffered. Aspirations towards a championship fizzled out. The UP Maroons continued to battle in the UAAP, but unlike their competition, they appeared less inspired, playing like boys against men.  

Perhaps one reason was that the team operated on a bare-minimum budget. This resulted in so-so recruitment and short-term, season-to-season systems that failed to develop the young players from competitors to winners. Eventually, the once-mighty Maroons of 1986 and the late 90’s lost their winning ways, lacked the will to win and sank into a dismal losing culture. Sad but true, but when the UP Fighting Maroons Men’s Basketball Team was mentioned, the name became synonymous with losing.

So pathetic was the Maroons’ ability to win that in Season 77 in 2014, the team and a community of Maroons fans celebrated their lone win of the season against Adamson U with a bonfire at the UP Sunken Garden. The win had snapped a 27-game losing streak and a loss-soaked 720 days. Some ridiculed UP for celebrating mediocrity with the bonfire. Had the team really sunk so low?

In reality, it was the beginning of a turnaround. Following that bonfire, a UP alumnus posted an article on his Facebook account that bemoaned the sorry state of the UP basketball program, citing hungry athletes, lack of resources including transportation, lack of electricity in their quarters and other woes. The Facebook post became viral. The article sparked outrage, concern, then an outpouring of support from the alumni community. That year UP won just 1 game, but that one game meant everything. It changed the mindset of the players, changed the perception of the UP community towards the athletes and gave birth to the biggest and strongest grassroots support base for the team, the nowheretogobutUP movement. That one game became the spark that started the resurgence of the UP Fighting Maroons. 

Four years after that fateful day in 2014, the Maroons have thrived. Thanks to a strong team management and coaching staff. Thanks to exciting recruits and alumni, fans, friends and students who rallied to the cause. Thanks to sponsors, supporters and donors who have given in big and little ways, the improvement in the team with regards to coaching, line-up and performance has grown by leaps and bounds.

Through Seasons 78 through 80, the UP Fighting Maroons have become Final Four contenders once again. The team that celebrated on the basis of just one win is now poised to target the Final Four in Season 81 and, who knows? Maybe even the championship.

The UP Men’s Basketball Team got its biggest break in the off-season with the support and commitment of 3M Philippines. The global science company that never stops inventing and applies science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily has always believed in talent and most importantly, potential. Ariel Lacsamana, 3M Managing Director and a UP alumnus, said 3M became intrigued with the UP team and its story. Through its long and many struggles, the team never gave up. It kept chipping away at its challenges and solved its problems proudly and creatively. 3M loved the grit and the never-give-up attitude of the UP Fighting Maroons and decided it would take a chance on the UPMBT. It formalized a long-term partnership with the team that will support it through UAAP Season 81 and in other leagues that it would participate in as well.

“This is not the first time we are partnering with educational institutions or talent,” the 3M MD said. “We do what we can to support and provide tools, resources and knowledge. We believe that the UP Men’s Basketball Team is talent worth investing in.”

Come September when the UPMBT faces its most important battle which is UAAP Season 81, the team as well as the entire UP community can’t wait to show how grateful they are for 3M’s faith and generosity. The team will fight to show 3M their trust in the team was all worth it. A new winning tradition is here. There’s #nowheretogobutUP.

3 DOTr Agencies Among Top to Remit Highest 2017 Dividends

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Three (3) state-owned agencies under the Department of Transportation (DOTr) were listed among the GOCCs with the highest amount of dividends remitted to the country’s coffers for 2017. Topping the list is the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (DOTr-CAAP), while Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) ranked as 2nd, and the Manila International Airports Authority (MIAA) ranked 7th.

In a ceremony in Malacanang yesterday, President Rodrigo Duterte recognized the efforts of CAAP, which remitted PhP6.2 Billion in dividends. CAAP went from years of non-remittance from 2011 to 2015 to being the top contributing Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC). 

For 2017, the total amount of dividends from the 125 GOCCs in the country is PhP30.46 Billion.

“Ang dividends na ‘yan ay para sa gobyerno, para sa tao. These dividends will certainly auger well in achieving the objectives set by President Duterte in the service of the country and our fellowmen. Kaya ang bilin ko sa CAAP, ibigay sa gobyerno ang para sa gobyerno,” said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, who received the Certificate of Acknowledgement on behalf of CAAP and other members of the “Billionaire’s Club.”

CAAP’s remittance represents 68% of CAAP’s net income for CY2017 amounting to PhP3.22 billion, including PhP3 billion worth of unpaid dividend arrears.

“Mahigpit po ang bilin sa atin ni Secretary Tugade. CAAP was not only directed to start remitting dividends, but also remit the unpaid dividends over the years. We will continue to do our share in improving the financial performance of the GOCC sector,” said CAAP Director General Jim Sydiongco.

“This achievement is not only for the CAAP, but also an achievement we share with all the CAAP employees who worked hard to make this feat possible. The sacrifices and the dedication I see in them inspires and empowers me to continue doing our good work despite the challenges confronting us in the aviation industry. Likewise, we wish to commend our DOTr Sec. Tugade for his strong and decisive leadership that guided us all throughout the process,” DG Sydiongco added.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), has remitted PhP3 Billion worth of dividends.

“We attribute this historical accomplishment to the men and women of PPA who have worked tirelessly for more than 44 years in order to make PPA one of the most professional and well-managed GOCCs. To our Chairman, Sec. Art Tugade, without whose guidance in fiscal responsibility and good governance we would not have been able to overcome the operational and governance challenges which we faced during the past 2 years; and most especially to our President, who has inspired us to shy away from corruption and put the people’s welfare in the forefront of our daily tasks,” said PPA General Manager Jay Santiago.

For his part, MIAA GM Ed Monreal, whose agency has remitted PhP2.01 Billion to the national coffers, attributed the agency’s good financial performance to strong leadership.

“Everyone is stepping up and doing their part. It’s actually inspiring. Definitely this goes to the hardworking men and women of MIAA who made sure that the revenues are properly guarded, and also created avenues to generate more funds in support of the objectives of President Duterte in the service of Filipino people,” Monreal said.

Last April 13, the 3 agencies turned over the dividends to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez also reported that in the first seven months of 2018, dividends have already reached PhP32-Billion, higher than the dividends for the whole of 2017.

Meanwhile, Sec. Tugade challenged the top grossing agencies to exceed their 2017 performance.

“I extend my sincerest congratulations and appreciatin to your staff—and my challenge for you to exceed our 2017 performance by 20%. It may be difficult but certainly not impossible,” Tugade said.

MARINA Partners with DOF in Upgrading Motorbancas

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) partners with the Department of Finance (DOF) in pushing for the MARINA’s motorbanca upgrading campaign. It will commence next month. 

As the MARINA and DOF encourage the upgrading of wooden vessels into fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) boats, motorbanca owners may avail of the Municipal Development Fund (MDF) from the DOF's Municipal Development Fund Office (MDFO) upon the discretion of their respective LGUs.

Through the MDF, motorbanca owners may have a more effective and reliable structure for their vessels, ready for the future implementation of MARINA’s policy on modernizing the domestic shipping industry.

The MDF was initially allocated to provide concessional financing assistance to LGUs with revenue-generating sub-projects and other infrastructure projects. With the MARINA-DOF partnership, the local maritime industry will now be included in the disbursement of the fund. 

The motorbanca upgrading campaign is in line with the MARINA’s 10-year Maritime Industry Development Program (MIDP) that involves the modernization of domestic ships through strengthening of the capability of local shipyards and fostering the construction of more Philippine-constructed ships.

“The full implementation of the upgrading of motorbancas can only be achieved through strong collaboration and support from national and local government units. This partnership with the DOF is a good start for us,” MARINA Domestic Shipping Service (DSS) Director Sonia Malaluan said. 

Aside from the DOF, the MARINA’s motorbanca upgrading campaign is also supported by the Boating Industry Association of the Philippines (BIAP), Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), and Landbank of the Philippines (LBP).