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PNVF forms coaching sataff for world meet
Seasoned coach Dante Alinsunurin will make a comeback as one of the deputies for the national men’s team as host Philippines pulls out all the stops to parade a competitive squad against the best of the best in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championships 2025......»»
Alinsunurin appointed Philippine men’s volleyball assistant coach
Seasoned mentor Dante Alinsunurin will make a comeback as one of the deputies for the national men’s team as the host Philippines pulls out all the stops to parade a competitive squad against the best of the best in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championships 2025......»»
Red carpet to be rolled out for FIVB world meet
The Philippines will leave no stone unturned for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championships 2025 – in terms of hosting the event for the first time ever and competing anew after 50 long years......»»
Philippines vows hosting readiness for men’s volleyball world championship
The Philippines assured to leave no stone unturned in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championships 2025 — in terms of hosting for the first time ever and competing anew after 50 long years......»»
McKeown becomes first woman to hold every backstroke world record
Australian Kaylee McKeown said she was "super stoked" after becoming the first woman to hold world records in all three backstroke disciplines by smashing the 50m mark. The 22-year-old clocked 26.86 seconds at the World Cup in Budapest on Friday to better the previous best of 26.98 set by China's Liu Xiang in 2018. "I am super stoked with that," said McKeown, who is a red-hot favorite to dominate in the pool at next year's Paris Olympics. "The only thing I can keep doing is training hard and keep believing in myself and believing in my coach. "I never saw myself as a sprinter so it's really nice to have that under my belt. "Next year is going to be a really tough year so the more confidence I can build, the better," she added. McKeown has held the 100m world record since June 2021 and bagged the 200m in March. She swept the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke titles at the world championships in July and also owns the Olympic 100m and 200m golds. The 50m back is not contested at the Olympics. mp/smw © Agence France-Presse The post McKeown becomes first woman to hold every backstroke world record appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How Hong Kong became a fencing powerhouse and cheered up a city
Hong Kong is one of the smaller Asian Games teams by population, but when it comes to fencing the city is a regional heavyweight with ambitious medal hopes. Edgar Cheung won gold at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games two years ago -- Hong Kong's first Olympic fencing title and first Olympic gold in any sport in a quarter of a century. It turned Cheung into a celebrity overnight and prompted parents across the Chinese territory of 7.5 million people to rush and sign their children up for fencing classes. Cheung's historic win in the foil competition was a much-needed dose of good news for a city mired in social unrest and pandemic gloom at the time. With more funding and public attention as a result, Cheung and his team-mates now hope to stamp their mark on the Asian Games in Hangzhou when they open on Saturday. Despite a strong record at recent editions, including eight medals in the sport in 2018, Hong Kong is yet to win fencing gold at the Asian Games. "No matter for individual or team events, I hope we can (win gold at last)," the softly spoken Cheung, 26, said. The city will have 24 fencers, 12 women and 12 men, at the Games. Another gold-medal contender is 29-year-old Vivian Kong, who is ranked number two in the world in women's epee. There is also Ryan Choi, who along with Cheung was part of the Hong Kong team that won bronze in the men's team foil at the world championships in July. Cheung said the Hong Kong team have "improved greatly" since the 2018 Games in Jakarta. The left-hander, who has recovered from a recent wrist injury, told AFP he wanted to "prove to our competitors they need to beware of us". - Pathway to success - Fencing in the city stretches back decades, to when Hong Kong was a British colony, with its amateur fencing association founded in 1949. The city had occasional success in the early 2000s, but it was the 2010 Asian Games, where Hong Kong fencers won seven medals, that first established them as a regional powerhouse. Local organisers made efforts to popularise the sport, bringing classes to schools and community hubs in the past two decades -– that is where Cheung had his first taste of fencing. Fencers also benefited from a reform to Hong Kong's pipeline for discovering and training talent which allowed Cheung to devote himself to the sport full-time when he was 17 with his parents' blessing. Cheung's final bout at the Tokyo Olympics drew hundreds of fans who crowded into a Hong Kong mall to watch the live broadcast, popping champagne corks after he emerged victorious. Days later, then-city leader Carrie Lam announced more funding for elite Hong Kong athletes, including an expansion to the fencing hall at the institute where Cheung trains. Fencing schools reported a spike in applications, although observers say interest has since tapered off somewhat. - Warning for star man - Gregory Koenig, who previously coached in his native France and also Taiwan, began working with Hong Kong's fencers five years ago and has developed a close relationship with Cheung. He had a warning for Hong Kong's star man, who has slipped to seventh in the men's foil world rankings. "When you're Olympic champion it's very hard because everybody has an eye on you and everybody's fighting hard against you," Koenig said. He said he told Cheung: "You have to understand that many people fight all their life to reach the goal you've already reached." "Okay, do you think you reached the maximum level and you want to stop here? Or are you still motivated for more?" Koenig says he told Cheung. "He told me, 'No, I really want to put my name in the history of fencing.'" hol/pst © Agence France-Presse The post How Hong Kong became a fencing powerhouse and cheered up a city appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tolentino: Our athletes are prepared
Team Philippines will be prepared and ready to win when it marches to the 19th Asian Games that will open on Saturday at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, China. No less than Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino declared their readiness, saying that they will deploy the best and most prepared athletes in the prestigious quadrennial meet that got delayed by a year due to Covid pandemic. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, the first Filipino to win an Olympic gold medal, will be at the helm together with other standouts like pole vaulter EJ Obiena, swimmer Kayla Sanchez, and boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam. Although expectations will be tempered on the chances of Diaz as she will compete in the heavier 59-kilogram category, she is still expected to make her presence felt as she had already warmed up in the World Weightlifting Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after finishing seventh. Even the boxers will be ready as they are coming off an intensive training in India and Australia in a bid to dominate the Asian Games that will also serve as a qualifying tourney for the Paris Olympics. Tolentino said he has high hopes for the 396-man national delegation. “We are very much prepared. Some of our athletes are coming off from their training abroad,” said Tolentino, who will join Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann in leading the send-off ceremony for Team Philippines on Monday at the Philippine International Convention Center. In the previous edition of the Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, the Filipinos finished 19th after pocketing four gold, two silver and 15 bronze medals. It was the country’s best finish since grabbing five gold medals in 1951 in New Delhi, seven gold medals in 1962 in Jakarta, eight gold medals in 1958 in Tokyo and 14 gold medals in 1954 in Manila. The first batch of Filipino athletes had already left for Hangzhou. First to leave were Olympian Cris Nievarez and the national rowing team composed of Joanie Delgaco, Tammy Sha, Feiza Lenton, Edgar Ilas, and Zuriel Sumintac with coaches Shukhrat Ganiev, Ed Maerina, Nic Jasmin and Con Fornea. The rowers will kick off their campaign in the men’s single sculls, lightweight men’s double sculls, women’s single sculls, and lightweight women’s double sculls on Wednesday at the Olympic Sports Expo Center. Also first to arrive in the bustling city in Hangzhou, the capital and most populous city in Zhejiang Province, are the staff of the national women’s football team, windsurfers and indoor and beach volleyball players. The national booters, popularly known as the Filipinas, are expected to arrive in the coming days in batches as they kick off their campaign on Tuesday. Tolentino said exceeding their performance in the previous Asian Games will already be considered as a success. “This will be the best of the team. We hope to exceed our performance for the last four years,” said Tolentino, who is pinning his hopes on Diaz as well as Asia’s best vaulter Obiena, Olympic medalists Marcial, Petecio and Paalam, and two-time Olympic medalist Sanchez. “We have high hopes for medals in weightlifting, boxing, swimming, and e-sports, with potential surprises in martial arts as well.” The post Tolentino: Our athletes are prepared appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Huge’ overfishing problem shows need to ratify ocean treaty: Greenpeace
Overfishing in international waters has surged in the past five years and demonstrates the need to ratify a recent global treaty to protect the high seas, a Greenpeace report said Wednesday. The non-governmental network is calling on as many countries as possible to sign the treaty next week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Finalized in June, the text was hailed as a "historic" accord with the potential to better safeguard the oceans. A key element in the treaty is the creation of a legal framework to protect high seas marine areas -- beyond 230 miles (370 kilometers) from coastlines -- whose good health is vital to humanity. But without enforcement of the accord, such protections are minimal, the report warned. "Reality at sea is moving in the opposite direction from the ambition laid out in the Treaty," it said. Governments must step up immediately, urged Greenpeace oceans campaigner Chris Thorne, aboard the group's ship Arctic Sunrise, which was docked Wednesday in Long Beach, California for an event marking the report's release. To protect 30 percent of Earth's land and oceans by 2030, the target adopted last year by the COP15 convention on biological diversity, "there is no time to waste," he told AFP. Fishing hours on the high seas increased by 8.5 percent between 2018 and 2022, according to the report, which compiles data from an organization capable of tracking boat movements via their transmitters. Such intensification is especially pronounced in the ecologically sensitive areas identified by the UN as potential future marine sanctuaries. Greenpeace reported fishing there has increased by 22.5 percent over the same period. "Overfishing is a huge problem," Thorne said. "That fishing pressure is just absolutely unsustainable, and it's pushing our oceans to the brink." Greenpeace's report notes that in the span of 30 years, stocks of Pacific bluefin tuna have collapsed by more than 90 percent. It also draws attention to the damage caused in open seas by longline fishing, which uses cords fitted with thousands of baited hooks dozens of miles long. The destructive method catches many sharks by mistake. 'Let her heal' Given such dire situations, using the treaty to create high seas sanctuaries is crucial, said Samantha Murray, a marine biodiversity specialist at the University of California San Diego. "We have up to 670 percent greater biomass inside highly protected and fully protected reserves," she told reporters. "When we sort of leave the ocean alone and let it be who she is and let her heal, we get more complex ecosystems that can be more resilient." In order to come into force before the next UN Ocean Conference, in 2025, the treaty will need ratification from at least 60 nations. This would enable convening a conference of the parties, empowered to create the marine sanctuaries. Scientists and non-governmental organizations have already identified a dozen priority high seas zones needing protection. They include the Costa Rica Thermal Dome, a nutrient-rich marine biodiversity hotspot hospitable to blue whales; the Emperor seamount chain of underwater mountains near Hawaii; and the Atlantic's Sargasso Sea region. In addition, the Salas y Gomez and Nazca ridges off Chile's coast may be among the first sanctuaries to see the light of day. The post ‘Huge’ overfishing problem shows need to ratify ocean treaty: Greenpeace appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bottoms up!
Meaning: An encouragement to drink or to finish one’s drink. Did you know that the term “Bottoms up” originated in an era when English sailors were encouraged to drink? There is a popular story behind its history where English sailors used to be bribed with coins to join the navy and many times, they would be tricked into joining by being given a beer with a coin at the bottom of the glass. Sounds fun, right? There is a reward after drinking a reward. I can drink to that! According to the legend, men began to say “Bottoms up” to their drinking buddies so they could see if there were coins in the glasses before the drinks were finished. Now, in modern times, most people say, “Bottoms up!” to cheer their buddies when drinking alcohol, having fun, and celebrating an event. It used to be a happy term, but did you know that it could also be a negative phrase? In some situations, people say “Bottoms up!” to encourage drinking something unpleasant. For example, you need to drink your medicine despite its bitter so someone will say to you “Bottoms Up!” until you finish it. Yes, my dear readers, how are you after the long weekend? Have you recharged and had fun together with friends and families? Nothing wrong with having fun, of course, as long as it does not hurt anyone or as long as it is after working hours. Speaking of “Bottoms up!,” it has been all over the news recently, have you seen it? In case you haven’t, then let me fill you in on some spicy information. Last week, on 16 August, acting port managers and seven other officials of the Philippine Ports Authority assigned to the Port Management Office of Bohol were caught on CCTV drinking inside the PPA office multipurpose hall to celebrate the acting port manager’s birthday. That’s not the worst of it. Aside from drinking on the premises of a government facility, they used the office chairs and tables (supposedly for meetings and official functions) for their drinking session with lots of bottles of alcohol, an invited band, and the attorneys and port police dancing as shown on the CCTV footage. Like I said, having fun is not bad at all, celebrating birthdays is okay, and being together with friends or co-workers on a special day is totally fine.... but not to the extent of using government facilities and resources to fuel that fun. These eight officials of PPA Bohol, including the acting port manager/birthday celebrator, two legal attorneys, four port police officials, and the Port Services Department Bohol head, were removed from their posts pending an investigation. Recently, PPA General Manager Jay Santiago issued a memorandum reiterating Memo Circular No. 013-2023, otherwise known as the “Strict prohibition on the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the workplace.” The memorandum was first issued in 2018 under the same management after the former DoTr officials issued a directive prohibiting alcoholic beverages in the workplace — all in accordance with Civil Service Commission Memorandum No. 4, series of 2011, stating the policy guidelines on the prohibition of alcoholic beverages among government officials and employees. See? No government official or employee is excused for drinking inside a government office. An official is expected to serve the public, to give assistance, to make their lives easier, to be of great service to the community, and not to be another source of conflicts and problems within their areas of responsibility. Ports operate 24/7, thus there is no need to be complacent at any moment. Thank goodness for the high-tech surveillance system of the PPA, serious negligence and deliberate negative acts like these can be monitored from the head office. To be fair, drinking has long been the center of workplace culture, whether for socialization or to gain each other’s trust. In fact, in China, drinking with business partners serves as a moral contract in which the potential work partners get drunk together until they become friends and gain each other’s trust and professional interests. But we are not in China, we are here in our beloved country striving to always change to rise from the difficulties of being in a third-world country. A lot of people, or even more deserving people, need jobs, hence, any job, especially a government position, should not be taken for granted and abused. Now this brings us to a question: Does alcohol have a place at work and should it? Your guess is as good as mine. Let us not normalize alcohol drinking at work or the pressure to participate. It may seem like a nice gesture to subsidize alcohol at events to build camaraderie, but it is not necessary in carrying out government functions, especially inside office areas. There you go, fellow boat riders, yes, we either sink or swim all together because we are in the same boat, but this time we’re not in the same boat because no one wants to be bonding with booze and boss in an office setup on a weekday. Smells like a “Bottoms up!” disaster. Yikes! The post Bottoms up! appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go lauds para athletes for 16th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships win
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go expressed his heartfelt admiration and support to the Philippine Accessible Disability Services (Pads) Paradragon Elite Team for their incredible achievement at the 16th International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) World Dragon Boat Racing Championships held in Rayong-Pattaya, Thailand from August 7 to 13. The Cebu-based dragon boat team took home an astounding six gold medals, outshining their previous record of four gold medals in 2019. “I am immensely proud of our Paradragon Elite Team for representing our country with honor and courage," said Go. "Despite the challenges, you show the world the true strength of the Filipino spirit. Proud po kaming lahat sa inyong tagumpay!” he added. Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, has been a fervent advocate of sports development, particularly for differently-abled athletes. The senator's unwavering commitment is embodied in his key legislative initiatives, including Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2116, which aims to amend the "National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act" to provide increased incentives for para-athletes. In a Senate public hearing on August 14, Go stressed the necessity of upgrading incentives for para athletes to help improve their capabilities in international competitions. "Through the years, we have witnessed how the Filipino athletes stand out in various international sports competitions, such as the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games, para games, world championships, and Olympics," he said. "We can excel in sports with hard work, perseverance, and determination,” Go continued, focusing on the inspirational stories of Filipino athletes, particularly the differently-abled, who have demonstrated immense resilience and determination in their respective sports. SBN 2116 seeks to upgrade the incentives for para athletes to be at par with other international competitions of the same caliber. This bill intends to provide equal opportunities and recognition to all athletes, thereby promoting inclusivity and diversity in sports The senator also acknowledged the essential support extended by former president Rodrigo Duterte in securing prosthesis for the athletes. "The former president and I are glad to have been able to provide the much-needed support. Maliit na bagay ito kumpara sa malaking katapangan at tiyaga na pinapakita ng mga atleta,” he said. Go then highlighted the broader meaning of Pads’ victory, saying, “Hindi lang kayo nanalo ng isang kompetisyon. You've won hearts, inspired minds, at gave pride to our country. Your win is our win, and your triumph is the nation's triumph,” he concluded. Meanwhile, Go is also pushing for SBN 423, known as the Philippine National Games Act, aiming to provide a platform for athletes across the nation, particularly young individuals, to showcase their skills and compete at the national level. The post Bong Go lauds para athletes for 16th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships win appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Edu’s dream comes true
It’s been AJ Edu’s dream to play for the Philippines at the senior level since making his national team debut at the FIBA Asia U18 Championships in Thailand in 2018 and now, reality will kick in at the FIBA World Cup......»»
PADS loses gold due to time penalty
CEBU CITY, Philippines– In an unexpected turn of events, the gold medal that the Philippine Accessible Disability Services Inc. (PADS) Dragon Boat Team won in the 16th International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) World Dragon Boat Racing Championships was replaced with a silver medal. PADS has been campaigning in the world championships in Pattaya, Thailand for […] The post PADS loses gold due to time penalty appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
PADS to vie in Bohol Dragon Boat Festival 2023 ahead of Thailand World Championships
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The renowned Philippine Accessible Disability Services, Inc. (PADS) Dragon Boat Team will vie in the Bohol Dragon Boat Festival 2023 this weekend in Dauis town, Bohol. The Cebu-based PADS will field in over 60 paddlers that will compete in the masters open small boat, women’s small boat, mixed standard boat, and […] The post PADS to vie in Bohol Dragon Boat Festival 2023 ahead of Thailand World Championships appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Star gymnast Biles poised for August return to competition
Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles is poised to compete in August for the first time since mental health and safety concerns cut short her Tokyo Olympics campaign, entering the August US Classic near Chicago. USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that the four-time Olympic gold medallist was entered in the August 4-5 event, which would be her first since she withdrew from most of her events in Tokyo in 2021. "Registration...does not guarantee participation," USA Gymnastics warned in the statement. "Every athlete is at a different place in their season and career, and we will support each of them, wherever they are in their journey," said USA Gymnastics chief programs officer Stefanie Korepin. Biles electrified the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where she won gold in team, all-around, vault and floor exercise as well as a balance beam bronze. She entered the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as a heavy favorite to win as many as five gold medals. She hadn't lost an all-around competition since 2013 and her build up to the Games included mastery of a daring Yurchenko double pike vault that had never before been seen in women's competition. However, she would depart Tokyo with only team silver and a balance beam bronze, however, her campaign cut short after she experienced the "twisties" -- the phenomenon in which gymnasts lose the ability to orientate themselves in mid-air. Biles withdrew from the team event after performing on one apparatus and later withdrew from the all-around competition and the finals for vault, uneven bars and floor exercise, saying at the time she needed to prioritze her mental health. Biles said in a video released after Tokyo that her problems had been building for a while. "I wouldn't even say it started in Tokyo. I feel like it was probably a little bit deeper-rooted than that," Biles said. "I think it was just the stress factor. It kind of built up over time, and my body and my mind just said no. But even I didn't know I was going through it until it just happened." "It just sucks," Biles said in the video. "But I know that I helped a lot of people and athletes speak out about mental health and saying no. Because I knew I couldn't go out there and compete. I knew I was going to get hurt." After the Tokyo Games, in September 2021, Biles testified before a U.S. Senate committee looking into FBI failures in investigating sexual abuse by former gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. Nassar received a life sentence after pleading guilty in late 2017 and early 2018 to sexually assaulting women and girls while working as a sports medicine doctor at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. - Another Olympics? - In recent months Biles's popular social media feeds have featured not gymnastics but news of her personal life, including her marriage to NFL Safety Jonathan Owens, then with the Houston Texans, in April. When Owens signed with the Green Bay Packers in May she endeared herself to Green Bay fans by soliciting suggestions on what to see and do in the couple's new town. Biles has won 25 world championships medals, 19 of them gold, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden in 2022. Although she hasn't outlined her plans, the US Classic is roughly a year out from the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Biles has used the event to launch a comeback before. She returned to competition at the meeting in 2018, having taken a break after her stunning Rio Games campaign. bb/pb/nr © Agence France-Presse The post Star gymnast Biles poised for August return to competition appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Parents of Syrians missing in Greece boat tragedy ‘pray day and night’
In war-torn Syria, parents of teenagers missing in a shipwreck off the Greek coast are clinging to hope their children might be alive, days after the tragedy. A fishing boat overloaded with migrants capsized and sank off Greece's Peloponnese peninsula on Wednesday, killing at least 78 people. While the exact number of passengers on the rusty trawler is unknown, hundreds are feared missing, and relatives and activists have told AFP at least 141 Syrians were aboard. Iyad from Jassem in the southern province of Daraa, the cradle of Syria's 12-year civil war, said his 19-year-old son Ali was still unaccounted for. "I have had no news of my son. I haven't spoken to him. I haven't heard his voice," said Iyad, who works at a school and declined to provide his surname. "His mother hasn't stopped crying for three days." The 47-year-old said he had heard of two Greek reports -- one listing his son among the survivors and another among the dead. "I still have hope that he will be among the survivors," Iyad told AFP by telephone on Saturday. "We are praying to God day and night." A better life The teenager was looking for a better life in Libya, his father said, and had traveled there by plane from Damascus. "He told us he wanted to work in a restaurant" and had planned to send money to help the family, Iyad added. "We didn't know he wanted to take a boat," he said. "If we'd known, we wouldn't have allowed him to go." Activists at the Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office told AFP on Saturday that 106 people aboard the trawler were from the country's south, mainly from Daraa province, where they said the "living and security situation... is absolutely unbearable". Only 34 so far were known to have survived, they added. A blind 15-year-old boy and his 28-year-old sister from Daraa province were also among those missing, their uncle told AFP on Friday, declining to be identified for security reasons. Daraa province was the cradle of the 2011 uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but it returned to regime control in 2018. Iyad said Ali's uncle in Germany had traveled to Greece to search for the boy, but "it's like looking for a needle in a haystack". "For us, he is missing. We have not mourned and we will not mourn until we are sure what has happened," he said. "If he is found alive, we'll bring him back to Syria. I don't want my son to be far away from me... not even for one more second. "We borrowed a large amount of money to send him to Libya to work -- not to die." Fleeing death, finding death In Kobane in Syria's Kurdish-held north, Mohammed Mohammed said he too was awaiting news of the fate of his 15-year-old son Diyar. "Every day, hope is fading of seeing my son again," Mohammed, a tire repairman, told AFP by telephone late Friday. Diyar "left because the situation here is terrible", the 48-year-old said. Kobane became a symbol of victory over the Islamic State group after US-backed Kurdish forces drove the jihadists out in 2015. But the city, also known as Ain al-Arab, is in the crosshairs of Ankara, which wants Kurdish forces to withdraw from frontier areas. Turkey has carried out deadly raids in the area and threatened a new ground offensive. Mohammed said the family lived less than one kilometer (little more than half a mile) from the Turkish border. Diyar's "dream was to go to Germany to be with my brother who lives there", he said. "Everyone wants to leave," he said, adding Diyar had been with four friends. At least 35 people aboard the boat were from Kurdish-held areas in Syria's north, a relative told AFP on Friday. Mohammed said his brother had traveled to Greece in the hope of finding Diyar but was denied entry to hospitals where he had hoped to speak to survivors. "People are fleeing death, but finding death" along the way, he said. The post Parents of Syrians missing in Greece boat tragedy ‘pray day and night’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taiwanese vessel rescues Pinoy fishermen
Two Filipino fishermen were saved by the crew of a Taiwanese fishing vessel in the vicinity waters off Y’ami Island in Taiwan, authorities reported on Monday. According to the report from Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines, the rescued fishermen were identified as Gerald Alarcado, 29 years old, and his brother Jenevis, 28, both residents of Batanes province. The report said Taiwanese fishing vessel Maan Shenq Fa No. 6 (CT3-3887) saw the victims onboard a small fishing boat drifting in the waters about 20 nautical miles north of Y’ami Island as it encountered an engine malfunction at around 5 p.m. on 23 May. “The captain and crew members of Maan Shenq Fa No. 6 immediately rescued the fishermen and coordinated the situation with the Taiwan Fisheries Agency and the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration,” the report said. The TECO report also disclosed that because of rough sea conditions, the Taiwanese fishing vessel opted to transport the Filipinos to Taiwan and had them turned over to TCG cutter Weihsing (CG-102) docked in Kaohsiung Port to be assisted by officials from the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in coordination with the TECO. In a correspondence between the TCG Attaché of TECO and the Philippine Coast Guard, Batanes Congressman Ciriaco Gato Jr. conveyed his concerns and requested kind assistance from Taiwan for his constituents. To recall, in 2018, 2019 and 2022, similar situations took place and were all successfully coordinated by both Taiwan and the Philippines through mutual efforts from the respective representative offices and coast guard agencies. In these kinds of circumstances, Taiwan is always ready and dedicated to lending a hand to its good neighbors and friends. The post Taiwanese vessel rescues Pinoy fishermen appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The Tiamzons, dead or alive? (1)
A puzzling statement was issued that couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were dead. It was not an assumption but a confirmation made by the faceless spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines, Marco Valbuena, on Thursday that their top-ranking leaders did not die from a sea encounter in Catbalogan, Samar but were tortured and killed by the military. Ahead of DNA test results on human remains believed to be the Tiamzons, Valbuena made a premature claim. Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., said the PNP Forensic Group has yet to release its official DNA report which is also being awaited by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Tiamzons were traveling with eight members of a guerilla group on a boat off Catbalogan City when they figured in a firefight with Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on 22 August 2022. The military believed the group perished after their boat exploded. Human remains were found in the water in the succeeding days but were not identified. Who really are the Tiamzons? Benito, 71, National Democratic Front consultant, was the vice chairman, executive committee member, and political bureau member of the CPP–New People’s Army-NDF. Wilma, 70, was CPP secretary general and, like her husband, was a member of the executive committee and political bureau of the CPP-NPA-NDF. She was also NDFP negotiating panel national consultant and the National Finance Commission secretary. The couple were arrested on 22 March 2014 and detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame, Quezon City. Two years after, they were granted bail when the peace talks with the government resumed under the Duterte administration in August 2016. When the peace talks collapsed in 2017, the couple refused to surrender and went into hiding until a Quezon City court ordered their re-arrest in 2018. On 27 November 2020, Benito and Wilma were sentenced to up to 40 years in prison after being convicted of the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of Lt. Abraham Claro Casis and three other Army officers in Quezon in 1988. They were also ordered arrested for 15 counts of murder, issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 32 in Manila on 17 September 2017, in connection with the alleged 1985 purge in Leyte of communist rebels accused of being military informants, known as the “Inopacan massacre.” After running around headless since the death of its ideological founder in December 2022, timing is everything for the orphaned communist groups. Yes, everything happens at the perfect time. And, yes, the NDF’s 50th anniversary on Monday, 24 April is the perfect time. According to security forces, on occasions like this, CPP-affiliated organizations are expected to continue propagating issues and propaganda to portray them as still winning against the government and to expedite their recruitment of new revolutionaries. This is their strategy to portray the AFP as the primary violator of human rights in the country; and that the Philippine and American governments are conspiring to execute the apprehended terrorists. True enough, their digital spokesperson, whose face is always left to everyone’s imagination, announced that at the break of dawn on 24 April, all NPA units have been ordered to stand in formation and silently perform a 21-gun salute to pay respects and give the highest salute to the Tiamzon couple — their heroes for a day. (To be continued) The post The Tiamzons, dead or alive? (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Acaylar repays Perpetual trust
University of Perpetual Help System Dalta coach Sammy Acaylar is repaying the trust given to him by leading the Altas to its third straight title in the men’s volleyball tournament of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Acaylar said the trust given to him by the school has never changed, inspiring him to work hard to lead the Altas to the NCAA title year in and year out. Since getting hired in 1984, Acaylar led Perpetual to a 13 NCAA crowns to tie with Letran College for the most number of championships in the country’s oldest collegiate league. “My goal every year is for Perpetual to win. This is for the Perpetual community and for the Tamayo family,” said Acaylar, expressing gratitude to the family of Perpetual owner Dr. Antonio Tamayo. “I’m not thinking about getting the best coach or any individual awards. The only thing that is on my mind is winning.” With Acaylar, who was part of the coaching staff of the team that won the country’s last gold medal in the women’s volleyball event of the Southeast Asian Games in 1993, at the helm, the Altas were unstoppable. They swept the eliminations to gain an outright spot in the best-of-three finals against San Beda University, who survived the grueling step-ladder phase. The Altas won Game 1, 25-20, 25-16, 25-22 but the Red Spikers froze the series at 1-1 after registering a 17-25, 25-27, 25-22, 25-13, 15-11 win, snapping the Altas’ 32-game winning streak dating back to 19 February 2018. But in Game 3 last Sunday, Perpetual pulled off a 25-21, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22 win to finally complete the coveted three-peat behind Season 98 league and Finals Most Valuable Player Louie Ramirez, Jeff Marapoc, Michael Medalla and KC Andrade, JC Eneraciso and libero Philip Pepito. Acaylar said it’s discipline and dedication that fuels Perpetual to win aside from the school pride that is synonymous to winning. “We have three D’s: discipline, determination and dedication. I even added hard work and commitment to our values and that’s why we’re intact,” Acaylar, who also emerged as Coach of the Year, said. “We would easily get recruits because whenever people mention Perpetual, it’s associated with men’s volleyball.” The post Acaylar repays Perpetual trust appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Swaggy P open to play in PBA
The man called Swaggy P said yesterday he’s open to play in the PBA Governors Cup where the import height limit is under 6-6. Nick Young, a 12-year NBA veteran who won a championship ring with the Golden State Warriors in 2018, is in town training for The Strong Group booked to play in the 10-team 32nd Dubai International Basketball Championships on Jan. 27-Feb. 5......»»
PADS dragon boat racers brace for loaded 2023
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The world-renowned Philippine Accessible Disability Services, Inc. (PADS) Dragon Boat Team welcomes 2023 with a busy schedule. PADS, which won four gold medals in last July’s International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) 13th Club Crew World Championships in Sarasota, Florida will be organizing and joining various dragon boat events this year. It […] The post PADS dragon boat racers brace for loaded 2023 appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»