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Miss Saigon co-creator praises musical s Philippine connections
Claude-Michel Schönberg is back in the country to witness the comeback of "Miss Saigon," which has close ties to the Philippines because of all the Filipino actors who took part in its numerous stagings, beginning with theater legend Lea Salonga......»»
Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ mission looks to match Indian success
Hot on the heels of India's historic lunar landing, Japan's space program is hoping to rebound from a string of setbacks next week with the launch of its own mission — "Moon Sniper". The rocket will carry a lander expected to reach the Moon's surface in four to six months as well as an x-ray imaging satellite designed to investigate the evolution of the universe. The launch is scheduled to take place Monday after bad weather pushed it back by a day, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said Friday. Japan's space program is one of the world's largest, but its first attempt to put a lander on the Moon failed in November 2022, and a new type of rocket exploded during a test last month. JAXA's hopes are now centered on the "Smart Lander for Investigating Moon". As its acronym suggests, SLIM is small and light, standing 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) high, 2.7 meters wide, and 1.7 meters long, and weighing around 700 kilograms (1,545 pounds). Dubbed the "Moon Sniper" for its precision, JAXA is aiming to land it within 100 meters of a specific target on the Moon, far less than the usual range of several kilometers. Using a palm-sized mini rover that can change shape, the probe -- developed with a toy company -- aims to investigate how the Moon was formed by examining exposed pieces of the lunar mantle. "Lunar landing remains a very difficult technology," Shinichiro Sakai from the SLIM project team told reporters on Thursday while paying homage to India's success. "To follow suit, we will do our best in our own operations," Sakai said. India success On Wednesday, India landed a craft near the Moon's south pole, a historic triumph for the world's most populous nation and its low-cost space program. Previously, only the United States, Russia, and China had managed to put a spacecraft on the lunar surface, and none on the south pole. India's success came days after a Russian probe crashed in the same region and four years after the previous Indian attempt failed at the last moment. Japan has also tried before, attempting last year to land a lunar probe named Omotenashi, carried on NASA's Artemis 1, but the mission went wrong and communications were lost. And in April, Japanese start-up ispace failed in an ambitious attempt to become the first private company to land on the Moon, losing communication after what the firm called a "hard landing". Japan has also had problems with launch rockets, with failures after liftoff of the next-generation H3 model in March and the normally reliable solid-fuel Epsilon the previous October. Last month, the test of an Epsilon S rocket, an improved version of the Epsilon, ended in an explosion 50 seconds after ignition. Plasma wind The workhorse H2-A rocket launching from Tanegashima in southern Japan on Monday will also carry the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) developed by JAXA, NASA, and the European Space Agency. The satellite's high-resolution X-ray spectroscopic observations of the hot gas plasma wind that blows through the universe will help study the flows of mass and energy as well as the composition and evolution of celestial objects. "There is a theory that dark matter is preventing galaxies from expanding," explained XRISM project manager Hironori Maejima. "The question of why dark matter does not converge, and what are the forces that spread it, is expected to be clarified by measuring plasma with XRISM." The post Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ mission looks to match Indian success appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SB19 performs on ‘KTLA 5 Morning News’
SB19 continues to create headlines around the world as the kings of P-pop recently appeared on Los Angeles morning show KTLA 5 Morning News, as part of the group’s 10-city Pagtatag! world tour in the United States. In their most recent Facebook update, the five-member group shared their amazing experience after visiting KTLA 5 News studio to promote their recently released EP Pagtatag and render an electric performance of their chart-topping hit “GENTO.” “What a great way to start our day! Thank you so much for having us KTLA 5 News KTLA 5 Morning News!,” read their post on FB. SB19’s Josh passionately detailed their sold-out show (last 29 July) at The Grove in Anaheim, Los Angeles, during their guest visit. “Yeah, it was a full house. So, we’re really, really amazed with all the support we received last time, and we would definitely like to come back here in L.A,” said the ecstatic Josh. He also explained the meaning of their EP Pagtatag, which signifies their growth as artists and how they triumphed over obstacles in their career journey. Josh declared, “This is who we are. We are SB19, stronger and bolder.” SB19 also held a show at Webster Hall on 5 August, after conquering Hollywood. They also entertained their Filipino fans in Washington, D.C., on 6 August. The excitement continues as SB19 world tour goes to Canada, performing in Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Edmonton from 11 to 20 August. SB19, officially formed in 2016 by ShowBT Philippines, consists of Pablo, Stell, Ken, Justin and Josh. Among their many hits are “GENTO,” “I WANT YOU,” “WYAT (Where You At),” “CRIMZONE,” “Bazinga” and “Alab.” The post SB19 performs on ‘KTLA 5 Morning News’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Inflation decreases deflation
Money is a subject that can give ordinary folks a headache. In others, the topic can very well cause depression. Income, profit, loss, gain — the world revolves around the subjects of the economy and financial need as it does around other social issues. The majority of people live to survive or simply keep up, and very few are able to progress by leaps and bounds. In 2023, under the 17th President of the Philippines, it appears that people are still “running just to stay in place.” Lewis Carroll’s line that goes, “My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that,” holds true for many. Although the Red Queen was referring to another kind of situation in “Alice in Wonderland,” that phrase is the essence of many woes in the real world, where the struggle for a better life never seems to end. Post-pandemic, the government has worked on strengthening the economy after it suffered intense blows from the halt in business operations, among other factors affecting global movements. Inflation in January was at 8.7 percent and slid in February to 8.6 percent. Despite the slight drop, this meant prices of commodities detailed by the Department of Trade and Industry were up — another blow to consumers whose pockets were getting depleted by lower income and higher prices of goods. Months later, inflation dropped to 3.2 percent, later settling at 5.4 in June from 6.1 in May and 6.1 in June last year. Reports show that consumers will feel this reprieve in goods like “alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 11.6 percent from 12.3 percent; furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 6.0 percent from 6.2 percent; health, 3.9 percent from 4.1 percent; recreation, sports and culture, 4.8 percent from 4.9 percent; and restaurants and accommodation services, 8.2 percent from 8.3 percent.” On the other hand, the Philippine Statistics Authority says, “The index of personal care and miscellaneous goods and services exhibited faster year-on-year growth during the month at 5.8 percent from 5.7 percent in May 2023.” The average Pinoy would likely get a headache trying to absorb the numbers and percentages in reports coming out in glowing terms lately, but what is important for them to understand is that this “downtrend in inflation” was due mainly to the slower movement in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages. This, in turn, is because of the same trend in prices of meat and other agricultural goods, including sugar. Another reason for the downtrend is the decrease in transport costs, due to the lower prices of gasoline and diesel fuel. Meanwhile, PSA said, “Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels was the third main source of deceleration of the headline inflation in June 2023 with 5.6 percent annual growth rate from 6.5 percent in May 2023.” Lest we get veins pulsing on some people’s foreheads, let this be good news for all: this consistent decline in inflation, experts believe, should further lower inflation “back within the government’s 2 percent to 4 percent target range by yearend.” As National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan assured in a statement, “We are making progress in managing inflation and we can expect that it will decline to within 2 (percent) to 4 percent by the end of the year. The government remains committed to protecting the purchasing power of the Filipino people by ensuring food security, reducing transport and logistics costs, and lowering energy costs for Filipino households.” This should ease people’s pain better than any paracetamol. The post Inflation decreases deflation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How disaster-resilient are we?
News stories with accompanying photographs again flood the usual outlets of radio, television, print, and now, even social media, showing school children busy with their lessons while gathered under the shade of towering trees, tents, gymnasiums or basketball courts, crowded corridors of government buildings, even chapels. In previous seasons, the students were displaced from their schools by earthquakes or typhoons. Today, they are refugees fleeing from the lava flow and deadly fumes from a volcano, acting up with signs of worsening disaster ahead. Their schoolrooms have been taken over by entire communities whose residents have left their homes along the fringes of Mayon, the country’s most active volcano, because there is nowhere else to park their hastily-packed belongings and no space to sleep, eat and get on with their lives. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who visited the evacuation sites in Albay province, agreed with local officials that the situation could last longer than expected or at least three months before they could return to their homes. A news report said more than 17,000 students in five Albay towns were affected by the transfer, and more evacuees were distributed to about 20 emergency shelters. “We have to find ways to ensure the learning continuity,” a teacher told a news reporter, adding that learning modules used at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic were again being used. Still, one problem was tracking down the dispersed students. Because of its geography, the Philippines is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries, hosting natural hazards like typhoons (20 to 21 hitting the country a year), floods, earthquakes, storm surges, landslides and volcanic eruptions. There are 24 active volcanoes in the Philippines and more than 1,500 on Earth, which are in Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Ecuador, Italy, El Salvador and Kenya, are at higher risk of volcanic eruptions. As of 15 June 2023, 24 active volcanos have been recorded as erupting worldwide. Considering the statistics in the Philippines, how disaster-resilient are we? Local government units or LGUs on the frontline of building resilient communities want financial aid and technical skills in dealing with disaster risk reduction and resilience-building measures. Several Internet apps on early warning systems can enable local officials to develop real-time analyses and adopt swift solutions as part of disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts. The LGUs’ crucial role in this effort should cascade to their respective communities through early warning systems. Also, due recognition should be given to their powers, authority, and corresponding responsibilities to lessen the adverse effects of calamities descending on their shoes, especially in places with no previous history of disasters. But then again, the question of financial capability comes into play because no local governments are equal in the budget, with bigger LGUs getting a bigger slice of the pie from local revenues than the smaller ones. Observers have cited areas of concern: insufficient data and contingency funds of LGUs, lack of adequate disaster risk reduction skills among political leaders, and not enough planning and contingency measures on the part of school authorities on how to deal with problems arising from the use of their grounds and facilities as evacuation sites. The Philippines, however, is not alone in this regard. In the highly-developed United States, for example, it has been observed that not all state officials “have a game plan for local emergency management that encompasses pre-disaster resilience and long-term rebuilding and recovery. Most solely have a short-term emergency response strategy.” Still, it is never too late to catch up, even if this will require spending more on preventive measures like investing in equipment warning residents of impending disasters, anticipating the problems of evacuees by building safer and more permanent shelters instead of displacing school children from their classrooms, extending safety zones and relocating homes away from risk areas, and planning recovery steps once the disaster blows over. We can no longer afford to sit back and wait for the point of no return, acting only when calamity strikes. Being prepared can save thousands of lives, homes and livelihoods. The post How disaster-resilient are we? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pinoy drag queens shine at DragCon LA, join ‘Drag Race Philippines’ cast reunion
Several Filipino drag queens participated in RuPaul’s DragCon Los Angeles on 12 and 13 May at the Los Angeles Convention Center, California, United States. This year’s expo of drag culture welcomed its first delegation of Filipino drag performers and it was a sizable group, led by Drag Race Philippines’ first winner Precious Paula Nicole. She was joined by Marina Summers, Eva Le Queen, Xilhouete, Minty Fresh, Viñas DeLuxe, Turing, Gigi Era, Corazon and Prince — all contestants of the Philippine version of the phenomenal drag reality series RuPaul’s Drag Race. [caption id="attachment_135144" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Photograph COURTESY of Twitter.com/@minortiz | Double Mints Minty Fresh with Sminty Drop from ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’ Season 4.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_135147" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Photograph COURTESY of Twiiter.com/@VinasDeluxe | Vinas DeLuxe in the Filipiniana version of her famous tuwalya look in ‘Drag Race Philippines.’[/caption] [caption id="attachment_135146" align="aligncenter" width="504"] Photograph COURTESY of FB.com/Prince Marell | Prince, dramatic in black and red.[/caption] The annual RuPaul’s DragCon LA, which started in 2015, is an outgrowth of RuPaul’s Drag Race and is also organized by the series’ producer, World of Wonder. This year, it spotlighted about 150 queens from 12 countries and received thousands of attendees from all over the world. One of the biggest events for drag fans, it featured many events, such as a market, performances, meet-and-greets, wig and sewing workshops, talks and parties. The Queens’ Walk One of the highlights was the Queen’s Walk on the now famous Pink Carpet on the first day after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The queens were introduced to the public one by one and sashayed down the pink carpet in their fabulous outfits. Eva Le Queen was in an all-white ensemble inspired by the Philippine national flower — the sampaguita or Indian jasmine — designed by Ehrran Montoya, who described the outfit as a “long-sleeve corseted column dress with bias folds and structured draping on top” with “a detachable train with voluminous cascades.” [caption id="attachment_135151" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Photograph COURTESY of FB.com/Eva Le Queen | Eva Le Queen’s all-white Pink Carpet outfit.[/caption] Montoya was also behind’s Marina’s pink-carpet look, which is inspired by the sea. “Splashing from the Philippine sea to the pink carpet of @rupaulsdragcon. Bringing the sea to the City of Angels in custom @ehrranmontoya,” Marina wrote on her social media posts. According to Montoya, the gown was a “full-length mesh bodice with slit embellished with rhinestones, pearls and sequins adorned with dangling crystals, attached with voluminous layers of iridescent ruffles and pleated organza on the train, epitomizing a goddess rising from the sea.” Corazon was also in a Montoya creation, inspired by the butterfly. A “Fairytopia Fantasy,” the drag queen described. [caption id="attachment_135143" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Photograph COURTESY of FB.com/Corazon Filipinas | Corazon on the Pink Carpet.[/caption] “Transforming our Lepidoptera SS22 piece into a new breed of majestic full-on metamorphosis look with this full-length serpentine gown with cape adorned with voluminous ruffles and cascades embellished with beadworks and crystals,” the designer explained. Minty was in a gown with an open slit and dripping with large silver sequins, while Precious was in all gold. The Filipino queens took centerstage at one of the reunion events, “Bring Back My Girls.” The Drag Race Philippines cast reunion happened on 13 May with one of the judges, Jiggly Caliente, serving as host. WOWIE winners They also shone at the WOWIES, which celebrates trailblazers in different fields, such as drag, art, activism, pop culture and entertainment. Precious was one of the Breakout Star awardees. The nine other winners were Admira Thunderpussy, Danny Beard, Drag Couenne, Giselle Lullaby, LA Diamond, Matt Rogers, Paloma, Spankie Jackzon and Stephanie Hsu. The awarding ceremony was held on 13 May, hosted by Ts Madison, with special performances by Marina Summers and Sasha Colby. Two more Filipino drag queens were announced as winners — Marina for WOWlebrity on the Rise and Eva Le Queen for Best Beauty Guru. [caption id="attachment_135148" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Photograph Courtesy of David Martinez | WOWlebrity on the Rise Marina Summers’ Pink Carpet look, inspired by the Philippine seas.[/caption] Marina received her The Can’t Get You Out of My Head Award right after her performance, dancing to Beyonce’s “Love on Top.” She bested Anetra, Gemini Dai, Grant Vanderbilt, Kristen Kish, Lemon, Liam Krug and Rylie. On the other hand, Eva bagged the Painted Award, besting Abby Roberts, Bosco, Emira D’Spain, Gigi Gorgeous, Julie Vu, Silky Nutmeg Ganache and Sminty Drop. The other WOWIE winners are Gigi Goode (Best Instagram); Sugar and Spice (Best TikTok); Miss Fiercalicious (Best Twitter): Rock M. Sakura (Best YouTube Channel); Krystal Versace in Girls Aloud Performance at London Marathon (Best Viral Moment); Chase Strangio (Resistor of the Year); Fire of Love (Best Documentary); BenDeLaCreme on The Daily Show (Best Television Appearance); RuPaul’s Black Butta (Best Album); Amethyst (Best New Artist); The House of Avalon (Fiercest Nightlife People); Ariana Grande (Best Ally); Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers of Las Culturistas (Best Podcast); Ts Madison (Best Comedian); Trixie Cosmetics (Best Beauty Line); Sasha Velour’s The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag (Best Book); Taylor Hale (Biggest Drag Superfan); Jazell Royale (Hottest Hottie Award); and Sam Smith, Kim Petras, Gottmik and Violet Chachki at the Grammys (Best Dressed). Meaningful and memorable The Filipino drag queens expressed delight and gratitude for being part of DragCon LA. “After all the madness I just want to say that I had the best time of my life with my family. It just blows my mind to think that this was beyond our wildest dreams a few years back. And to know that Filipino drag is LOVED AND RAVED all the way here. Thank you everyone!,” wrote Eva Le Queen on her Twitter account (@eva_lequeen) on 15 May. “To know and hear it from Queens like Sasha Colby, Angeria and many others that Drag Race PH is their FAVORITE FRANCHISE IN THE WORLD is just f*ckin wild!!! I would think we have made a mark in the PH mainstream but guuurl — we made a mark in the WORLD,” she added. On the other hand, Viñas DeLuxe, on her Twitter (@vinasdeluxe), said: “Being part of @rupaulsdragcon was an unforgettable experience, feeling the love and connection with supporters from all over the world, making an impact one glittery step at a time!” This year’s DragCon had an extra special meaning as attacks on drag queens and trans persons are intensifying and laws against them are being pushed in the United States. The post Pinoy drag queens shine at DragCon LA, join ‘Drag Race Philippines’ cast reunion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Saso blows bid with 75, settles for joint 6th
Staying within three shots off Hara with pars in the first four holes, Saso faded with three straight bogeys from No. 5 on errant shots and a poor short game. Though she fought back with birdies on Nos. 8 and 10, disaster struck the Fil-Japanese, who overshot the par-5 11th on her second shot, needing to use her left hand to extricate herself out of a bad lie from under a tree......»»
Trump, Biden trade blows
MILWAUKEE, United States — Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden traded tough blows Monday as the White House race entered its final stretch, with the Republican leader branding his opponent “stupid” — and the Democrat firing back that the president lacked the “guts” to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. As Biden and his running mate Kamala […] The post Trump, Biden trade blows appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Saso blows record-tying bid with 2nd 71 in Golf5 tourney
Unable to flaunt the form that netted her back-to-back victories in Nagano and Hokkaido, the 19-year-old Fil-Japanese continued to struggle with her long game and iron play at the demanding Mizunami course in Gifu Prefecture. She went one-over at the front for the second straight time and failed to sustain a superb backside start again......»»
Built by Bo, bonded for Bo, believe in Bo
This is not the first time that Bo Perasol has had a recruiting haul this huge. Now heading into his fifth season in the University of the Philippines, he has brought in blue-chip recruits such as Gerry Abadiano and Carl Tamayo and talented transferees like Joel Cagulangan, CJ Cansino, and Malick Diouf to a team that already has Bright Akhuetie, Kobe Paras, and Ricci Rivero. And don't forget that Gomez de Liano brothers Javi and Juan are only sitting out the next season - and what lies beyond for them is yet to be determined. This is not that different from his time in Ateneo de Manila University when he scored UAAP Jrs. Season MVP Jerie Pingoy, UAAP Jrs. Finals MVP Hubert Cani, NCAA Mythical selection CJ Perez, and NCAA Jrs. standout Arvin Tolentino in his first few years. Those promising prospects then joined forces with Blue Eagle stalwarts Kiefer Ravena and Von Pessumal Unfortunately, all of Pingoy, Cani, Perez, and Tolentino - along with the rest of the so-called "Magnificent 7" - found themselves with academic deficiencies and, therefore, ineligible by the blue and white's standards. Not long after, they transferred to different schools and squads and then had varying degrees of success. Will Coach Bo's tale get a different ending this time with the Fighting Maroons? Perasol is making sure of that. "From my experience in Ateneo, natuto ako. Ngayon, meron kaming grupo sa programa na nagha-handle lang ng academics ng players," he shared. He then continued, "Sinasamahan sila sa mga klase, pinapakilala sa mga propesor, ine-explain na player natin yan, pag merong problema, coordinate lang po tayo." Apparently, this academic assistance team is made up of former student-managers who have graduated. Now, their first job is all about seeing to it that State U would not have to go through the same sort of headache Ateneo had with its "Magnificent 7." With that, you could be sure that UP's pillars of honor and excellence still stand strong even as all these new faces join Men's Basketball Team. "Walang special consideration. Pumapasok sila, bumabagsak sila. Binibigyan sila ng extra work, humihingi sila ng extra work," Coach Bo said. He then continued, "Ang ine-explain ko lagi sa players at sa professors, ang mahalaga, basta masipag pumasok at nagpapakita ng intensyong matuto." STARRING AND STRIKING At present, just about everybody is still getting used to blue-chip recruits and talented transferees going for UP. That is why there are more questions than answers each and every time they announce a new player. And along with the question of whether or not all these new faces would be up to par in terms of the honor and excellence the Philippines' prime public university prides itself in, there is a question of just how the Fighting Maroons got here in the first place. How could State U, not that far removed from its self-proclaimed "dark days," get all of these players? And not just players, at that, but many big name players. The categorical answer? The program could now afford it. "Meron nang pondo salamat sa sponsors," head coach Bo Perasol explained. "For example, kung makikita mo lang yung patches sa harap ng jersey, malaking pera yun. Nag-aagawan ang marami para dun." At present, the shot-caller said that UP has eight corporate sponsors all getting together for the funds for the program. And unlike Ateneo which has Manny V. Pangilinan or National University which has Hans Sy as primary backers, the Fighting Maroons' system is quite different. "Ang source ng funds ng UP, halos lahat galing sa alumni. Tapos lahat yun, mina-manage ng nowheretogobutUP," coach Bo said. According to its website, nowheretogobutUP (NTGBUP) is "a volunteer group of UP alumni that aims to help, assist, and support the development, improvement, and advancement of the varsity program of UP." All of the finances it manages, however, are not necessarily donations. As Perasol put it, "Yung model ng UP is unique kasi yung support nila, kailangan may balik din from us." For example, the tactician said that many of their players have made appearances, online in this continuing COVID-19 crisis and in person prior to the pandemic, to cheer up employees of Palawan Pera Padala, one of the team's sponsors. More importantly, Coach Bo reminded yet again that the only reason they have all these new faces is because they have to. He pointed out how Abadiano and Filipino-American Sam Dowd would make up for the losses of Jun Manzo and Juan GDL as well as how Diouf and Cansino are already waiting in the wings once Bright Akhuetie and Ricci Rivero graduate. "We're also recruiting for the impending need," Perasol said. "Hindi naman ito biglaan. Since nagsimula kami rito, we all did this nang dahan-dahan lang. Kaya rin yung support from alumni for funding, hindi na rin naging mahirap." DREAMING Still, the mere fact that UP is now a big-time player on and off the court in collegiate basketball seemed so farfetched just five years ago. Before Bo Perasol, the Fighting Maroons were stuck in a vicious cycle. Now, though, they have back-to-back playoff appearances and have traded blows with traditional powerhouses for recruits and transferees. All of this made possible because the very moment he came in, Coach Bo already knew the secret to success. "You cannot build a program without funds," he said. Perasol furthered that his biggest takeaway from his time in Ateneo was that competing with the traditional powerhouses on the court entailed competing with them as well off of it. "Alam ko yung kakayanan ng Ateneo and siyempre, kakumpetensya ko rin nun yung La Salle so alam ko rin yung kanila. Ganun na rin ang kakayanan ng NU and yung iba pa, kakayanin din nila kung gustuhin nila," he said. He then continued, "Kaya kung ang objective ng programa is to be in the top four, your program should be levelled din sa capacity ng top four." The General Santos native then went on to point out how training in the country or abroad, recruitment local and overseas, housing, and food and nutrition all have costs. "To sum it up, everything you're going to do would entail financing. Hindi ito kakayanin ng UP as a public school dahil wala namang pondo ang gobyerno para dyan," he said. He then continued, "Ang pinakasagot nalang ng school is yung scholarship. And siyempre, yung nag-aaral ka sa UP." That doesn't mean, however, that their hands were tied. In fact, the answer to the questions had always been there. "The good thing about UP is there's millions of alumni all over the world and a lot are successful people and businessmen who are willing to help," Perasol said. BELIEVING Indeed, having educated Filipinos for over 112 years now, UP has, without a doubt, more than a few successful alumni. It was all a matter of uniting - and then unleashing - them. Even before Bo Perasol came home to Diliman, NTGBUP was already organized. They were not necessarily thrilled with the Fighting Maroons, though. "Nung una, dahan-dahan lang, ambag-ambag lang para merong kakainin, pambayad sa dorm. Merong nag-donate ng shoes," Coach Bo said. He then continued, "Pero siyempre, they want first and foremost a program with improvements and direction." NTGBUP and the UP community got just that from Perasol as a 3-11, seventh-place finish in 2015 became a 5-9, sixth-place finish in 2016 in Coach Bo's first year. In his second year, the squad improved to a 6-8, fifth-place finish. From there, the Fighting Maroons have been in the Final Four for back-to-back years now - and even made the Finals in 2018. "Nagsimula maging excited ang alumni nung nagsimula ring manalo," he shared. "When we started winning, nagkaroon hindi lang ng physical support, but financial support as well. We were ascending eh." In his third year at the helm, State U, finally, officially had corporate sponsors. And you know how that year went? That was when they ended a 21-year Final Four drought and then a 32-year Finals absence. Safe to say, the sleeping giant was awoken. "Yes, sleeping giant talaga tayo and when we say nagising, ang pinaka-catalyst was the winning," its fearless leader said. Now, UP MBT has a mean machine of financial support on its back, paving the path for its big-time recruiting haul in 2020. Even better, they now have a loud and proud fanbase that is making up for all the lost time they stayed away during the "dark days." "Actually, sa pitches ko sa recruitment, kasama sa presentation ko yung machi-cheer sila nang ganung klaseng crowd," Coach Bo said. SURVIVING At the same time, though, that loud and proud fanbase expects much, much more from this brand new power. For each and every one of them, Bo Perasol has but one reminder. "What we have done in the past years is to level up lang. We have a new gym, we have all these players, we can train abroad," he said. He then continued, "Pero yung mga Ateneo, La Salle, 20 to 30 years na nilang ginagawa yan. What we did was just to level up alongside them." Again and again, Coach Bo has said that what he has been doing is, put simply, putting UP in the best position to win. Still, with a roster as overflowing with talent as this, he could only acknowledge that just about everybody sees them as having gone championship or bust. Credit to him, however, Perasol was blunt with his assessment that he would also be disappointed if they would not be able to taste their first championship since 1986 sooner than later. "Yes, it will be a failed plan kung hindi tayo makakakuha ng championship in the next three to five years," he said. He then continued, "Yan naman talaga ang plano and ang ginagawa natin ngayon is all going towards that objective." And again and again, he is putting all those great expectations on his shoulders - and on his shoulders alone. "Ako naman, hindi ko rin pwedeng hindi gawin itong ganitong recruitment kasi hindi rin naman ako magkakaroon ng chance kung ganun. I have to be in the best position to succeed so that we are in the best position to succeed," he said. Only time would tell if all the seeds he has sown would bear fruit. But Coach Bo is already guaranteeing that whatever happens then, he would have no regrets. "In the end, alam ko namang babalik ang lahat sa akin. Alam na alam ko namang ako ang leader ng team," he said. He then continued, "Ang mahalaga is we gave ourselves a chance. Anuman ang outcome, basta nabigyan natin ang sarili natin ng pagkakataon." After years and years and years as the laughingstock of men's basketball, it looks like it's now UP's turn to smile and wave. Whether or not that ultimately turns into jumps for joy for their first title in three decades remains to be seen. But maybe, just maybe, Coach Bo is right - this is all worth it just to have a chance to compete. Just remember that in the "dark days," that chance to compete wasn't there at all. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo......»»
DoTA 2 star N0tail sees eSports thriving in new normal
With physical distancing being enforced and mass gatherings being prohibited during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most, if not all major sports have taken big blows. While most professional sports are slowly getting back on their feet, it might take a while - if ever - for the live sports experience to return to normal. For eSports, an industry that really doesn’t require physical interaction or mass gatherings, surviving and thriving in the new normal should not be an issue, and DoTA star Johan “N0tail” Sundstien is confident that will be the case. Speaking to a handful of Filipino media before his 1 on 1 DoTA 2 battle with Filipino gamer Zedrik “Jeff” Dizon, N0tail spoke about how the eSports industry can survive, how it has grown since he began playing, and what Jeff’s 2020 Red Bull r1v1r Runes Championship can do for the Filipino eSports scene. For the 26-year old native of Denmark, eSports should have little to no problems getting back on track after the COVID-19 pandemic. “Yeah, I think eSports is in way better shape than other physical sports, for sure. Physical sports, sports in general, have probably made more of a business and they’ve been used to offline events and monetizing fans coming into stadiums, so obviously they’re having a much harder time than we would be,” N0tail explained. Prior to eSports exploding and becoming a live attraction, tournaments were done mainly online, and N0tail believes that this is one of the industry’s advantages especially in the ’new normal’. “We come from a place where we used to have online tournaments, we used to do these things online purely, and when [the COVID-19 virus pandemic] happened, I think all streaming and all online entertainment platforms had this opportunity to thrive and to exist. It’s a good time to be playing video games and not doing live music or something like that.” “The Coronavirus] hit a lot of people pretty hard, but we have a good chance,” he added. Speaking of the explosion of eSports, N0tail recalls the industry’s humble beginnings and how far it has come now. “When I started, it was nowhere near what it is today. Today, obviously, we travel the world, have all these tournaments, have so many more viewers than we’ve ever had,” N0tail said. “Humanity really likes games, obviously, chess, sports, any kind of game for entertainment, and we’ve come a very long way. We’re way more professional, and financially, way more stable.” The prizes now have also come a long, long way from what they used to be, N0tail shared. “Ten years ago, we were playing for headsets and a couple hundred dollars, and now it’s way, way bigger, for millions. It keeps going up, it keeps getting more traction and attention, and I like to see that trend, I hope it keeps going.” The Philippines has slowly emerged as a hotbed for eSports talent, and Ateneo’s Zedrik “Jeff” Dizon could be on his way to becoming a top star following his 2020 Red Bull R1v1r Runes Championship victory. Apart from the win, Jeff also had the opportunity to go one-on-one with N0tail, Team Captain of the 2-time The Internationals champions Team OG. For an established name and veteran like N0tail, being able to compete against people from all over the world is always a sign of progress for eSports. “DoTA connects people, and whenever somebody from one region that might be weaker plays against another region that might be stronger, or even if they’re both strong or equally [matched], DoTA is a game of ideas and experience, so whenever there’s this cross-country or cross-region game happening, I think there’s always progress. It’s the same when we shape a metagame, when those events were happening, all these teams came together, you quickly saw ideas transfer and a meta being formed between regions and, SC might be doing something one way and it might take something that Europe or NA might be doing, so everytime that it happens, I think it’s a postive thing.” “It makes the ideas evolve and they evolve into something better,” he added. Jeff came up big against N0tail in their one-on-one match, winning 2-1. Catch the replay HERE.....»»
Phil and James Younghusband discuss their retirement and future with Philippine football
In a span of just months, Filipino-British football stars Phil and James Younghusband both announced their retirement from the sport, thus ending the Younghusband era in Philippine football. Phil and James were crucial parts of the Philippine Azkals’ biggest moments, including the Miracle in Hanoi during the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, as well as their recent milestones with the AFC Asian Cup berth. In November of 2019, Phil, the Philippine Azkals’ leading goalscorer announced that he was calling it a career, and in June of 2020, his older brother James followed suit. As it turns out, that wasn’t the original plan for James, who initially wanted hang his spikes up at the end of the year. Speaking to Cedelf Tupas on the Crossover Podcast, James shared that he actually wanted to play out the whole 2020 Philippines Football League season, but the COVID-19 pandemic axed those plans. “Originally, my plan was to finish off the year with Ceres with the whole 2020 season but of course, with the pandemic and the situation and football put on hold especially now here with it still on break, I just felt it was time to announce, I’ve decided to end it a bit earlier,” James said. Ceres-Negros was the final stop on James’ long and decorated professional Philippine club football career, which began in 2011. While 2019 was indeed an eventful year for James on the pitch, he admits he would have wanted a proper end to his career. “Winning the double last year, getting the chance to play in AFC in the Champions League and with AFC Cup, it was a nice way to end it, but of course, would have been nice to finish the year.” With the uncertainty of things given the COVID-19 pandemic however, James felt that the time was right to put a bow on what has been a great career. “Just felt with the momentum of being on break, I had to announce it now, and seeing around, waiting around, wondering when the league would restart but I felt yeah, it was time to announce it and I’m just thankful to everyone for the great messages and the great articles…itreally feels great to see that appreciation.” James admitted that seeing his younger brother retire first did play a part in influencing his decision as well. “Yeah, I think as well. During this time, you’re sitting at home, a lot of time to think and evaluate yourself and your life, and as well, my brother he’s starting a family, me as well I felt there’s other things in life I want to experience as well and a new chapter to begin.” “It played a part as well, we had a great run as well, great memories as well and I just felt the time was right during this pandemic to announce it,” James added. As for Phil, he explained that his decision to retire last year came after a series of setbacks coupled with him getting ready to start a family. “I mean there’s a lot of ups and downs and the downs can really bring you down and it came to a point that I had successive blows with the folding of Davao, with not being able to start in games in the Asian Cup, it was very disappointing and my morale was very low and I was getting married at the time, losing my job when I knew I had to fund a wedding,” Phil admitted. “I just knew my priorities when my wife, we were starting a family and I just felt very unmotivated with football so those successive blows really took its toll on me and I knew I didn’t wanna feel that again and I want security and start a family, your priority is family you gonna want to support them and make sure they never in a vulnerable position so I decided I want to be in a position where I can support them and give them security,” Phil continued. Unfortunately, unlike in most other Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines is still struggling to keep a local club football league afloat, which can largely be attributed to the clubs themselves struggling to get financial support. “Playing in Philippine football is not gonna give me that because there’s been numerous times clubs folded and look what’s going on now, it’s really tough,” Phil said. “I was in the same position of a lot of players are going through now in Philippine football where clubs are going to find financial support and it’s very difficult. I empathize with anyone in that position.” While the Younghusband era in Philippine football may be over in terms of them being players, there remains a large possibility that the two remain involved in a different capacity, whether it be coaching or otherwise. “I think it’s now time where I wanna start pursuing a possibility in coaching and learning more about coaching,” he shared. “I would actually like to travel as well to different countries and learn about different cultures about football also, and different philosophies,” said James. “I wanna travel to different countries and learn different ways of styles of football, coaching football. My goal was always to help develop Philippine football and to go abroad, learn, and come and share that to the Philippines,” he continued. “James and I have always said a lot of our knowledge and experience were gained at Chelsea Football Club. We were able to watch the best players in the world every day, the best facilities, being under the best coaches in the world and most of our knowledge and experience has come from that but we feel if we want to grow in the sport and we want to help develop football even more in the Philippines, we need to go abroad and gain more knowledge, more experience and be able to bring it back again to the Philippines,” Phil added. “I think we still have a lot to offer Philippine football, whether that’s next year or the year after. We don’t know but we still have something to offer,” he continued......»»
Early struggles as coach drove Alapag to prove doubters wrong
Jimmy Alapag has made quite a successful transition from being a player to a head coach. The proof is that his San Miguel-Alab Pilipinas won the ABL title his first year and the team has stayed as a regular championship contender since. However, while his first season as head coach ended up with a championship celebration, the start was pretty rough for Alapag. [Related: ABL Finals: Jimmy Alapag was destined to be a head coach] It was so rough that he heard the criticisms that he wasn't actually ready to coach yet. "For my first season in particular, it was a struggle," Alapag said on Coaches Unfiltered. "We're here in the Philippines and when I retired, there were still some people who felt that I should have continued playing. So you start to hear some of that that I wasn't ready to coach, I just wasn't fit for the position," Jimmy added. As a first-year coach, Alapag wanted to start off on the right foot. But Alab was had a 0-3 record early and had alosing record approaching their second month before rallying to get the no. 3 seed in the playoffs. Even then, they faced the defending champion Hong Kong Eastern in the semifinals and figured in a sudden death Game 5 against Mono Vampire in the Finals. It was quite the journey and it only proved that coaching is not as simple as it may seem, even for a champion point guard like Alapag. "I think when you're a first-year coach, I think you always kinda think about how you start your season. I think you're always hopeful that you'd get out to at least a decent start and get that monkey off your back early," Jimmy said. "But that just drove me to right the ship," he added of their early struggles. "And I was very fortunate to have a great staff with Alab. We just put our minds together." — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
Kaspersky Shares Cybersecurity Tips for a Peaceful Getaway during the holy week
As the holiday season approaches, the urge to unwind and kick back is natural. And it’s all too common for people to let their guard down completely when connecting to the Internet too– but shouldn’t. Recently, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group shared its findings on identity theft cases in the country. Between November […].....»»
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Cebu Pacific books P8 billion profit in 2023
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Reflecting on Your Business Setbacks
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Tenorio aims to keep imparting basketball knowledge
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Will Smith, Vanessa Hudgens back in Bad Boys 4, trailer drops
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