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India backs Philippines in sea dispute with China
New Delhi has drawn a strong response from Beijing after reiterating its support for Manila in a territorial dispute India has "firmly reiterated" its support for the Philippines and its "national sovereignty," as Manila remains locked in a territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea. Ten.....»»
Philippines backs Germany’s statement on China
Germany should not be criticized for speaking out against China as its dangerous actions in the West Philippine Sea are also the international community’s concern, according to Philippine Coast Guard-WPS spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela......»»
Chinese youths trade city-living for ceramics
China's "Porcelain Capital" Jingdezhen is attracting droves of young people drawn to the city of artisans in search of an escape from the urban rat race among its ceramics workshops. The picturesque eastern city home to China's best-known porcelain has seen an influx of young professionals seeking to learn an ancient art taught there for more than a thousand years. Times are tough for young people in China, with youth unemployment at record highs, sluggish economic growth and, for many, the opportunities their parents' generation enjoyed are simply not attainable. But in Jingdezhen they find something different: low rent, a slower pace of life and a proximity to nature in a city of just 1.6 million inhabitants, very small by Chinese standards. From her one-bedroom apartment on the seventh floor, He Yun, a 28-year-old illustrator, enjoys a panoramic view of the surrounding green hills for just 500 yuan ($68) a month. She arrived in Jingdezhen in June after being laid off and found a place where she didn't feel "any pressure". "I came because on social media everyone was saying that it was a great place for craft fans, like me, and that there was a scent of freedom," she said. "When I lost my job, I stayed at home and got depressed. But once I arrived here, I found that it's super easy to make friends." "No more need to set the alarm in the morning," she smiled. "I have zero pressure now!" - 'Looking for meaning' - A typical day for He starts with a laid-back breakfast, before heading to a workshop to make her ceramic candle holders and necklaces, which are then fired in one of the city's many kilns. "At the end of the afternoon, we go to the surrounding villages and swim in the streams to relax," she said. "I put my work on Xiaohongshu" -- a Chinese app similar to Instagram -- "where people contact me to buy. But we mainly sell at the market," she said. Between trendy cafes, boutiques and stands offer glasses, bowls, cups, teapots, plates, necklaces or earrings. Chen Jia, 24 with dyed red hair, makes feminist pendants in the shape of sanitary napkins. A music graduate who arrived in June, her first jobs as a piano teacher and in a milk tea shop and cafe weren't to her liking. "I am looking for meaning in my life," she said. "Many young people today no longer want to clock in at work at a fixed time." China's transformative economic rise was built on the backs of a growing middle class, who were promised they could enjoy the trappings of prosperity and give their children a better life if they worked hard enough. But the country's millennials and Gen Z have faced altogether different prospects: youth unemployment has reached a record level, exceeding 20 percent according to official figures, and pay is low. It's in that context that the "tangping" counterculture has thrived. Literally meaning "lying flat", it's come to represent a general rejection of society's expectations, giving up a great career and money to concentrate on a simple life and pleasures. And Jingdezhen has become a haven for those seeking just that. At the Dashu pottery school, around 20 students work with clay on their pottery wheels or chat as they sip iced lattes. Training costs 4,500 yuan a month ($617), a very affordable price. "Many young people cannot find work" explained the 39-year-old director who calls herself Anna. "They come here to reduce their anxiety." "Ceramics are very accessible. In two weeks, they can produce simple works and sell them at markets." - 'New life' - One of them, Guo Yiyang, 27, resigned in March from a well-paid job as a computer programmer. After working overtime for years, he said he wanted to "take a breather". "In big cities... you just work. You don't have your own life," he said, adding he "never again" sees himself working that way. "The desire for another way of life" is also what motivated Xiao Fei, 27, a former interior designer who resigned and came to Jingdezhen in June. "I didn't have time for myself," she said. "I came home tired and I didn't want to talk to others." "I feel happier, more free and I meet people who have the same ideals." According to Chinese media, 30,000 young urbanites lived in Jingdezhen in 2022. Few stay long-term but Xiao already knows that she doesn't want to go back. "After tasting this new life, I don't want to go back to an office job at all." ehl-oho/je/mtp/sn/pbt © Agence France-Presse The post Chinese youths trade city-living for ceramics appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
JV backs Kalayaan reso on Chinese envoy
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Monday expressed his support for a resolution approved by the Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan declaring Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian persona non grata. In a Viber message, Ejercito, a staunch critic of China’s encroachment in the West Philippine Sea, justified the resolution declaring the Chinese envoy to the Philippines persona non grata. “The Chinese Ambassador representing the Chinese government has been caught lying several times,” he told DAILY TRIBUNE. Last week, the municipality of Kalayaan — the lone municipality in the West Philippine Sea — declared Huang a persona non grata. In its Resolution 125-0125, SB of Kalayaan, Palawan, declared Huang a persona non grata after the latter defended the harassment of the China Coast Guard against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea last 5 August. For his part, Ejercito said the Philippine government should no longer consider China as an “ally,” stressing its repeated illegal actions in the West Philippine Sea. “China should not be regarded as an ally anymore but instead as an adversary,” he said. “Note verbales coming from the Philippine government seem to be falling on deaf ears,” he added. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, as of 7 August, the country had filed a total of 445 diplomatic protests in the past three years. This year alone, the country has filed a total of 35 diplomatic protests, including the 5 August incident where China used a water cannon and dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels while en route for a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. ‘Go slow’ Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday reminded local government units to be cautious in declaring foreign ambassadors in the country persona non grata. “We should go slow in declaring foreign ambassadors as personas non grata,” Pimentel told Daily Tribune. “Avoid this as much as possible,” he added. According to the Minority leader, an ambassador of a foreign country to the Philippines is the representative of that country to our country. He noted that grievances against any foreign diplomats in the country must be coursed through the Department of Foreign Affairs to be addressed “professionally.” “All grievances related to ambassadors and foreign relations must be coursed through our Department of Foreign Affairs so these grievances can be professionally handled,” he said. The vast South China Sea, which is claimed by the People’s Republic of China, covers the West Philippine Sea, which is also claimed by the Philippines. On 12 July 2016, the Philippines won its arbitral case against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration — a landmark decision that the People’s Republic of China continues to reject. The post JV backs Kalayaan reso on Chinese envoy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
House backs hike in DND spending
The House of Representatives is keen on giving the Department of National Defense a big chunk of the proposed P5.768-trillion 2024 budget amid the ongoing escalation of geopolitical dispute in the West Philippine Sea. While the deliberations on 2024 have yet to start, Speaker Martin Romualdez vowed on Tuesday that the House would surely back the DND’s increased spending for next year to further bolster the agency’s capabilities in protecting and upholding Philippine sovereignty. Under the proposed 2024 budget, the allocation for the defense sector is P282.7 billion, or 21.6 percent more compared to the P203.4 billion funding under this year’s budget. “Our commitment to safeguarding our territorial integrity and ensuring the safety of our citizens remains unwavering,” Romualdez said. “As a nation, we must take proactive measures to enhance our defense capabilities and ensure that we have the necessary resources to effectively protect our sovereign rights,” he added. The House chief’s remark was an offshoot of China’s most-recent harassment against Philippine vessels in which the Chinese Coast Guard fired water cannon at a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. The continued encroachment of China in the country’s maritime territory warrants a bigger budget for the defense sector, which the House will back. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his budget message to Congress, disclosed that the P282.7 billion of the Executive Department’s allocation for DND would support the Land, Air, and Naval Forces Defense Programs, totaling P188.5 billion, as well as the UN Peacekeeping Mission, among others, to ensure domestic security. “This allocation demonstrates our dedication to maintaining a strong and credible defense posture, one that sends a clear message that we will not compromise when it comes to safeguarding our national interests,” Romualdez echoed. A robust defense, he said, is not merely a tool for confrontation but a means to uphold peace, stability, and the rule of law. “By prioritizing our defense sector in the budget, we are making a commitment to our people, to our allies, and to the international community that reflects our unwavering resolve to protect our sovereignty and promote regional stability,” the Speaker added. With Beijing’s constant encroachment, a resolution, which would “effectively shrink” the Philippines’ ties with Beijing, is set to be filed at the House of Representatives, according to lawyer-lawmaker Rufus Rodriguez. The post House backs hike in DND spending appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Guess who?
It is amusing, if not vexing, to see some high officials and members of the deliberative body competing with each other to call attention to themselves. They blabber inane remarks to the exasperation and vexation of the public. A few of them boxed in into any controversy that catches national intention and inflicts us with what obviously appears to be nonsensical, unthinking, and intelligent narratives, forgetting that they look ridiculous and comical in the process. A few others sponsor resolutions on matters not within their turf and expertise. They express their opinions without studying the subject matter and foist theories and ideas exposing their intellectual barrenness. They inject their unstudied take on foreign policy. They try very hard to upstage the Chief Executive in matters of foreign policy, particularly on the issue of our foreign relations with China and the United States. They also have the gumption to teach the President what to do about the enforcement of the arbitral ruling in favor of the Philippines rendered by the Permanent Arbitration Court vis-a-vis the conflicting claims in the West Philippine Sea, by giving him options on what to undertake either to enforce the favorable ruling or to rally the other countries to support the Philippines in putting to a halt the Chinese unlawful incursions to the former’s territory. They also input their pretended nationalism on the issue of human rights violations and the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. At least two of them contradict the President on many occasions in the matter of the ICC jurisdiction. Despite being called out on the nitwittery of their action they foolishly cling to it. Others initiate and pursue investigations on almost anything that fancies them or that will give them the opportunity to put them in the limelight for a free media mileage. A few numbers eyeing re-election in 2025 have started campaigning by advertising themselves in media outlets under the guise of asking the public to support a particular government program, introducing themselves completely with an accompanying campaign jingle heralding their names. Others use different tact, they shamelessly use their offices and positions and travel around the country using taxpayers’ money under the guise of official work but actually have slowly established a network of local government officials, for a shot at high national positions. Still others, do it brazenly, committing treasonous acts by plunging the dagger at the backs of their unsuspecting potential rivals for power. There are those, of course, who always make it a point to be on the side of the President in every official and social event that the latter attends, to make it appear they are close to him. They are always in praise of the principal in whatever he does, making themselves more popish than the Pope. Those whose exposure to the fourth estate brought them to where they are now, bring their pomposity and grandstanding in their official activities, acting as if they are still in their talk and public service shows. They browbeat and insult invited guests during inquiries believing their antics appeal to the peanut galleries. They strain themselves showing that they are smart and even scold cerebral academicians only to retreat and hide behind a growl while shifting to another topic in an attempt to camouflage their ignorance. There are also former government men who, in their desire to return to power and influence, the source of their ill-gotten wealth, ingratiate themselves to the present dispensation by publicly siding with the official pronouncements coming from the side of the Pasig River, always praising their bogus credentials. Finally, those who have managed to shockingly get appointments, delude themselves into believing that they were placed there because they deserved to be there, when in reality, it’s a political accommodation to pay off for their asinine pretended loyalty, using gutter language and indecency to get the support of the political followers of the presidential candidate. They have been unmasked as undeserving of the professions they used to belong to. Yes, you guess it right, they are the people being referred to in this article. The post Guess who? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Labor group backs review of Philippines-China ties
The labor group Federation of Free Workers is backing calls for a thorough examination of the Philippines’ diplomatic relations with China......»»
US backs right to peaceful protests in China
'We've long said everyone has the right to peacefully protest, here in the United States and around the world. This includes in the PRC,' says a White House National Security Council spokesperson.....»»
PH Protests China Fishing Ban in WPS, US Backs PH Protest
The Philippines once again filed a diplomatic protest against China on Monday, this time due to a unilateral imposition of a three-and-half-month long fishing ban which includes areas of Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. In a diplomatic note dated May 30, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the Philippines has “sovereignty, […].....»»
Japan Prime Minister backs Duterte on West Philippine Sea
Amid the concerns over the West Philippine Sea, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has expressed support for President Duterte’s stance, aired before the United Nations General Assembly last year, that the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s claims in disputed waters should be respected in the international arena......»»
TUCP backs calls for China pullout from reef
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines supports the statements of Secretaries Delfin Lorenzana and Teodoro Locsin Jr. in demanding the withdrawal of Chinese naval, militia and maritime presence in and around Julian Felipe Reef......»»
Manny Pangilinan backs planned PBA vs China exhibition to start season
Pangilinan sounded off on the idea on Saturday, after Vargas proposed the matchup on Friday — the 46th anniversary of Asia's first-ever professional basketball league......»»
FIBA: Mighty Jimmy and the shot that introduced Gilas to the World
This story was originally published on Feb. 24, 2019 It’s Saturday night at Mall of Asia and the arena is absolutely rocking. Eternal basketball rivals in the Philippines and South Korea are delivering another classic. Gilas Pilipinas is down to the final minute of regulation against its longtime tormentor in the second of two semifinal games. The national team is up by two, 81-79. The Philippines is hosting the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championships where three tickets to the 2014 World Cup are at stake and the winner of this particular game gets one of those tickets. Given the rich history of both teams and what it would mean to the winner, this pivotal game has gone down the wire as everyone pretty much expected. Also knowing the history of both teams in international play, Gilas’ precarious two-point lead was not safe at all. A ghost was lurking in the background and a dreaded curse felt almost inevitable. Down to the final minute of the crucial grudge match between the Philippines and South Korea, guard Jimmy Alapag has the ball and a two-point lead. What he will do will help define not only his career but the legacy of the Gilas name as a national team. WAKE-UP CALL Even before the Philippines-Korea game, Gilas Pilipinas already had to go through one emotional game early in its homestand for the Asian Championships. In a preliminary round showdown against Chinese Taipei, the Filipinos collapsed in the fourth quarter, allowing the Taiwanese to steal a morale-boosting 84-79 win. In 2013, the relationship between the two countries hit a rough patch over the death of one Taiwanese fisherman. In an updated May 17 report by CNN’s Jethro Mullen, “Taiwan has reacted angrily after one of its fishermen was killed by a Philippine coast guard vessel.” Taiwan had frozen applications from OFWs seeking jobs in its territory and the government of then President Ma Ying-jeou demanded an apology, among other things, from the Philippines. While the national basketball teams of both countries never really had any prior animosity with each other, tension was naturally present as both teams squared off in Group A action. Gilas Pilipinas and Chinese-Taipei both entered the showdown with identical 2-0 records and the winner would take control of solo Group A lead heading into round 2. Taking a good lead into the fourth quarter, the Philippines was outscored by 18 in the last 10 minutes and the national team took its worst home loss in quite some time. “At the time, it was a huge game for us. We understood what was happening in Taipei during that particular time. We really wanted to win for what our kababayans were going through at that time,” guard Jimmy Alapag said on that first home loss in the 2013 Asian Championships. “We didn’t get the job done, and it was tough especially to lose a game like that, it was a very emotional and it was a game that we knew we needed,” he added. The crushing loss meant that the Philippines had little room for error in round 2. While Gilas didn’t have any world beaters lined up in the second round, anything less than a perfect run would have meant an early clash with Asia’s established powerhouse teams in the knockout stages. On the other side of the bracket, defending champion China, Iran, and South Korea were battling for position and were expected to finish in the top-3. That means if Gilas Pilipinas failed to finish no. 1 in its group, the national team would have faced one of those teams in the quarterfinals. Gilas picked up a crucial win over Qatar in the 6th of August and the day after, the Philippines got some help from those same Qataris as they beat Taipei in a close decision. At the end of round 2, all teams finished with identical win-loss records but Gilas Pilipinas would take over first place after all tiebreaks were considered, barely edging out Taipei. The Philippines ended up avoiding defending champion China, Iran, and South Korea and instead got Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals. No. 2 Taipei drew China and the third-running Qataris were matched up with the South Koreans. “I think that was the moment we grew up and grew closer. I think that was the lowest of the lows, just because of the atmosphere and what was going on between both countries. It kind of felt that we let our end of the bargain down, you know what I mean? We’re on our home soil and we didn’t take care of business. I think that was one of those moments where we had to really check ourselves and find a way to make it right,” forward Gabe Norwood said of the Taipei loss. “But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. In tournaments like FIBA-Asia it’s important that you have short-term memory whether it was a win or a loss. We needed to let go of that game and continue to stay the course, keep our focus in the tournament,” Alapag added. On August 7, four days after Gilas lost to Taipei, the rift between the Philippines and Taiwan would reach a resolution and the latter country lifted its freeze hiring and other sanctions on the former. The Philippines also did issue on official apology over the death of the Taiwanese fisherman a couple of months prior and the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila recommended the pressing of homicide charges to erring members of the Philippine Coast Guard. DARK HISTORY If the word “rival” is to be defined as a, “person or group that tries to defeat or be more successful than another person or group” then sure, the Philippines and South Korea are rivals. Both countries are rivals in the Asian basketball scene and they have been going at it for a very long time. But if the word rival can also mean “equal” or “peer,” is the Philippines really a worthy basketball rival to South Korea? The Philippines’ history with South Korea in terms of basketball is dark. Very dark. Consider the most high-profile matches between the two countries and you’ll see that the Philippine national team is just not at the level of South Korea. Or at the very least, Koreans always seem to reach 120 percent of their potential when they play Filipinos and we barely bring out 80 percent of our abilities when matched up against our East Asian neighbors. The 1998 PBA Centennial team, arguably the greatest Philippine team ever assembled, was demolished by South Korea in the Asian Games. A national team set up for gold only settled for bronze. Speaking of a bronze medal game, the original Gilas Pilipinas team lost a podium finish to South Korea in the 2011 FIBA-Asia Championships. That team squandered a double-digit lead and collapsed late. Of course, who can forget the semifinals of the 2002 Asian Games in Busan when Olsen Racela had the chance to put the Philippines up four but missed two free throws. South Korea would win with a booming triple at the buzzer off a broken play and would later take down China to capture the gold medal. South Korea is the Philippines’ basketball nemesis for all intents and purposes. A worthy adversary that always seem to emerge victorious at our expense. Still, all that previous disappointment didn’t seem to bother Gilas Pilipinas six years ago. The team was not scared and instead, they were excited even. One factor to greatly consider was that fact that the game was in Manila. It makes all the difference to play at home. “We understood the bad history that we had with Korea. We haven’t been very successful with them in quite some time but we knew from Day 1 that if ever we got an opportunity to play them at home, then we have a great chance,” Alapag said. “Man, pre-game, it was just the focus. Everybody was up for the challenge, I don’t think anybody was really nervous, I think it was just the anxiety... we wanted to get out there and do it already,” Norwood added. Playing at home had its perks for sure, but it also had its drawbacks. For all the painful losses the Philippines suffered at the hands of South Korea, it would have been devastating if Gilas actually took a beating in Manila. Stakes were extra high in this particular chapter of this long, ongoing saga. “There was always pressure, it was something that we acknowledged early. Playing at home, it’s great having that support but at the same time, there is some added pressure because you wanna make sure that you make our home crowd proud of the team that they watch and ultimately, win games,” Alapag said, making sure to note that the national team knew of the disadvantages of playing at home even before the Korea game. “It was there but it was something that we acknowledged and we wanted to make sure that we took advantage of the opportunity playing at home,” he added. ALL FILIPINO, ALL HEART Once it was go time, the Philippines-South Korea game went about pretty normal, as you would expect any game from these two national teams. But even before halftime, an injury to Gilas center Marcus Douthit changed the complexion of the semifinals showdown. All of a sudden, the Philippines was without its anchor, without its best player. Sure, there were players on the Gilas bench that can come in and replace Douthit’s size but there was simply no one on the Gilas bench that can come in and replace his talent, production, and just overall presence. June Mar Fajardo was in that Gilas bench but it 2013, the would-be five-time PBA Most Valuable Player was just not at that level yet. It would have been easy for Gilas Pilipinas to fold like cheap furniture and succumb to the overwhelming pressure of trying to overcome South Korea to reach a stage very few Filipinos have reached before. Gilas didn’t fold and instead, the Douthit injury rallied the team even further. “Alam mo sa totoo lang, puso na lang yun eh. Nung nawala si Marcus talaga, sabi ni coach kailangan doble kayod tayo. Dahil sobrang dehado tayo kumbaga, wala na tayong import, wala tayong malaki,” forward Marc Pingris said. With Douthit gone, Ping ate up all of his minutes and worked by committee with guys like Ranidel De Ocampo and Japeth Aguilar to fill in the gaps. “As a player naman, kami nagusap-usap kami na kahit anong mangyari, lalaban kami. Yung time na yun, talagang patay kung patay,” Ping added. Despite losing its best player to an untimely injury, Gilas Pilipinas’ confidence in winning never wavered. With their collective backs against the wall, the Philippine national team played even better. Unlike the later iterations of Gilas Pilipinas, the 2013 team, aptly called Gilas 2.0, had the luxury of having actual preparation before the FIBA-Asia Championships. The amount of work that came before the tournament and the Korea game, the bond built over countless hours of training, all of that helped the national team avoid a monumental meltdown in front of a rabid Manila crowd. “We were such a close-knit team in terms of our chemistry, in terms of the talent that we had, so we felt confident even when Marcus went down early in the game. If you looked at our huddle, you had 11 more very confident guys, not just in themselves but more importantly, in each other,” Alapag said. “That just boiled down to the chemistry that we had. I don’t think any of us panicked, we were all confident in each other. We’ve all been into that situation with our PBA teams, having the ball in our hands and making a play. Knowing that we had five weapons on the floor that could make the winning play, I think it made us very confident and we were able to sustain our composure,” the former Gilas captain added. THE GHOST AND ITS CURSE Shin Dong Pa, Hur Jae, Lee Sang-min, Oh Se-Keun, TJ Moon, and Cho Sung-min are just some players from the South Korean national team that inflicted incredible damage to the Philippines over the course of decades. The dreaded Ghost of South Korea takes form in these players and its curse is to give Filipinos the most heart-crushing loss possible. In 2013, the Ghost was Kim Min-goo and his curse was to beat Gilas Pilipinas in Manila. Despite losing Marcus Douthit and trailing by three points at the break, the Philippines started to turn the tables in the second half. Gilas Pilipinas unleashed Jayson Castro and the Blur led a blazing offense in the third quarter, finding a way to take a 10-point lead over South Korea, the Philippines’ largest of the night. But as the dust settled and Gilas holding a 65-56 lead entering the final period, an ominous figure would make his presence felt. The Korean Ghost has arrived and his name was Kim Min-goo. His curse? Beat Gilas Pilipinas in Manila. Kim was 22 and a senior in college when he made the South Korean national basketball team as a backup shooter in 2013. In nine games in Manila, Kim would play well enough to make the tournament’s All-Star team, averaging 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He led Asian Championships with 25 three-point field goals, 10 came in the last two games and five came against Gilas Pilipinas. Kim drilled back-to-back triples to open the fourth quarter against the Philippines. Later, his fifth triple — a four-point play at that — pushed the Koreans to within a point, 72-73. South Korea would take over soon after as Lee Seung-jun dunked the basketball on a fastbreak. The Ghost has arrived and his curse is in effect. “Ako pumasok sa isip ko yun nung lumamang Korea, na putek ito na naman,” Pingris said. “Pero ang sabi ko, sayang yung opportunity, kaya naman eh. So sabi ni Jimmy samin, no matter what happens wag kami gi-give up. Pinaghirapan natin to at may goal tayo, this year aalis tayo,” he added, noting the team’s goal to get into Spain and compete with the world’s best national teams. Faced with the possibility of dealing with a devastating defeat, Gilas had enough mental fortitude to keep things going. Trust your system, trust your preparation, trust your crowd, trust your teammates, and more importantly, trust yourselves. “You’re never out of the game if you’re playing at home,” Norwood said as they stared a deficit late against their destined rivals. “I think that was our mindset, keep it close and just find a way,” he added. Jimmy Alapag found a way. BORN READY Down 73-75, Jimmy Alapag was under heavy duress when he let go of a three-pointer from the left wing just in front of his bench. It was good to go. The Philippines was back on top by one as Alapag somehow managed to get his team to snap out of an initial shock following Korea’s strong fourth-quarter rally. The stage is now set for a wild finish and Jimmy will star in the final act of what has been an incredible show by Gilas and South Korea. “In situations like that, as an athlete and as a pro, that’s the situations that you dream about,” Alapag said. “Those are shots that you practice when you were a kid. When the shot clock is winding down, to have an opportunity to knock down a shot. It’s a shot that I practiced thousands of times,” he added. After the Philippines and South Korea traded baskets for the lead, Alapag made perhaps the most underrated play in this crazy and emotional encounter between two basketball rivals. Tasked with inbounding the ball just near underneath his own basket, Alapag found his Talk ‘N Text teammate Ranidel De Ocampo for an open look at three. Swish. Gilas leads, 81-77, with 91 seconds to go. “Ranidel was my favorite target for a very, very long time in my career,” Alapag said on the play that most people probably don’t even remember. “Once I saw that he got open, I wanted to make sure that I gave him as great a pass as possible and Ranidel has been known for a long time to take care of the rest,” he added. THE EXORCIST “Yeah, I was right under the basket,” Gabe Norwood says with a laugh when asked if he remembers the shot that changed the course of Gilas Pilipinas as a national team. Late in the fourth quarter of what was essentially a heavyweight bout, the Philippines just landed two strong haymakers but South Korea would refuse to go down without a fight, beating the count of 10 each time. Down to the final minute of a crucial grudge match with a World Cup berth on the line, Jimmy Alapag had his hands on the basketball as Gilas would go to its halfcourt set. Jimmy will never let go of said basketball. Up two, Jimmy did what Olsen wished he could 11 years prior. Up two against South Korea in a pivotal semifinal game, Alapag received a screen from Marc Pingris, which was enough to momentarily shake off Kim Tae-sul. With some room, Alapag drifted to his left and let a three-point shot fly. Boom. Gilas leads, 84-79, with 54 seconds to go. The shot would later be remembered as the one that ended the Korean Curse, the one that finally exorcised the Ghost. “The first thought that came to my mind was don’t miss,” Jimmy said of the clutch jumper. “That last one, Ping sets a good screen and I got a clean look. It’s a shot that myself, and Jayson [Castro], and Larry [Fonacier], and Gary [David], and Jeff [Chan], all of us, we practice that shot time and time again after practice. So you know, it was a shot that I was confident in but in that moment, all you’re thinking about was don’t miss,” he added. It’s one thing to be confident in yourself and to be confidednt in your preparation. It’s a different thing to actually perform under such pressure. As soon as Alapag managed to shoot his shot, Gabe Norwood did what any other good teammate would do and got in position to get the offensive rebound. You know, just in case. Gabe got the ball alright, but he got it after it swished through the rim. “When he put the shot up, I tried to crash for the rebound but I basically knew that it was going in,” he said. “I had probably the best view, I was right under the basket. I think caught it after it went through too,” Norwood added. Alapag checked out moments later as the Philippines went to its defensive lineup in order to stop another Korean comeback. South Korea turned to its most effective shooter in Kim and as he rose up to try and answer Alapag’s triple, Norwood met him at the apex for the game’s most dramatic stop. Gabe blocked Kim and Gilas would finish things off with a final Marc Pingris basket on the other end. A historic 86-79 win was complete. “I still get chills thinking about it, to look up and see grown men just breaking down. My wife was trying to hold my kids and she was holding back tears. It was just an awesome moment, the bond that we had on that team, the stuff that we did to get prepare, I think we poured it all out in that game,” Norwood said on the monumental victory. “I think it probably didn’t hit me until the final buzzer sounded. Not just for me but for the entire team, when that final buzzer sounded, it was such a special group of guys and the fact that we could share that moment with not just with each other but the entire country, it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Alapag added, savoring the moment of a Philippine win over Korea 28 years in the making. THE INTRODUCTION Gilas Pilipinas would lose to Iran the next day in the Finals of the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championships. The Philippines put up a fight but Hamed Haddadi would prove to be too powerful to stop. It would take another two years for Gilas to beat Iran but that didn’t really matter in the moment. The Philippines is headed to the World Championships for the first time in three decades. The Philippines has beaten South Korea and one singular shot has allowed the Gilas name to be known around the world. Jimmy wouldn’t say that though. At least not directly in that way. “For me, that shot was the biggest for my career. But really, it was our entire team. We’ve gone through so much and that was just one particular play that really culminated the entire game and all the contributions from other guys from Gabe’s defense, to Ping’s rebounding, to Japeth’s rim protecting, to Jayson and LA doing a lot of the legwork,” Alapag said. “Everybody had their part in contribution to the game. After the shot, after the buzzer sounded, it was just a very special moment for us as a team and for Philippine basketball to show that all of the sacrifices, all of the hard work, now it’s given an opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to the world,” he added. Jimmy wouldn’t say it, but his teammates would. That shot of his that beat South Korea in the 2013 FIBA-Asia Championships introduced the Gilas name to the world. It announced that the Philippines has finally arrived. Gilas’ breakthrough overtime win a year later in Spain against Senegal — a game Jimmy pretty much decided late as well — made it known that Filipinos are here to stay on the World stage. “I would say so, it got us to where we wanted to be in the World Cup. I think we shocked some people there as well. But just the work that went in, I think it showed the country that we can get back to where we want to be as long as you work together,” Norwood said. “Yung puso ni Jimmy, grabe naman. Makikita mo maliit pero gusto lang niya talaga manalo. Ang liit pero parang lion pag nagalit eh, nandoon yung tiwala namin sa kanya. Ano pa ba masasabi mo, Jimmy is Jimmy Alapag,” Pingris would add. [NOTES: At the time of original publishing, Gilas Pilipinas was fighting to make a return trip to the FIBA World Cup, this time in China in 2019. To secure its slot, the the Philippine national team needed to beat Kazakhstan in Astana plus a loss from Japan, Jordan, and/or Lebanon. One of the teams that can help Gilas is South Korea... ironically. Jimmy Alapag retired from national team play in 2014 and retired playing for good in 2016. He has since made himself a champion basketball coach in the ABL. Marc Pingris suffered an ACL injury in 2018 and is in the process of returning for his PBA team in the current 2019 season. Gabe Norwood is still in Gilas. He’s still an effective two-way weapon. He can still dunk and will stop your best player too.] [Updated Notes: The Philippines beat Kazakhstan to make the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China. Gilas got help from... South Korea. The Koreans beat Lebanon on the road, allowing Gilas to advance to the World Championships outright with a victory over Kazakhstan.] — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
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