...the featherweight showdown

This is PH's victory, says Donaire

 

ABS-CBNnews.com

 11/10/2013

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – Former world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire dedicated his victory to the Philippines after stopping Armenian fighter Vic Darchinyan in the ninth round of their featherweight showdown Saturday in Corpus Christi, Texas (Sunday in Manila).

Fighting for the first time at the featherweight division, Donaire overcame a sluggish start and felled Darchinyan in the ninth round with his left hook, eventually forcing the referee to stop the fight after he unloaded several bombs on the wobbly Armenian.

“It wasn’t my win tonight, it was the Philippines’ win,” Donaire posted on his social media accounts following his victory. “We are strong and we have faith. Thank you Lord for keeping me safe, giving me a sound mind, helping me see what needed to be done.”

“Thank you to the Archangels and especially all the fans and Filipinos who watched despite the typhoon,” he added.

The Philippines is reeling from the effects of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan), with authorities estimating that at least 10,000 people were killed in Leyte.

In an interview following his victory, Donaire had asked for prayers for his motherland.

"First and foremost, prayers to people in the Philippines who were hit by the typhoon," he said.

"Please have your prayers for people in the Philippines."

Even prior to the fight, Donaire said he was dedicating his performance to the Filipino people.

“Dedicating my fight to uplift the Filipinos’ spirits. Our indomitable spirit has been recognized worldwide,” he said. “Keep the faith, He will not abandon us in our time of need. Continued prayers for the earthquake and typhoon victims.”

Even so, Darchinyan came very close to avenging his 2007 loss to Donaire, taking control of the fight in the middle rounds and at the end of the fifth round, unleashing a flurry of punches on the Filipino, who was saved by the bell.

Donaire even admitted that he doubted himself at one point in the fight.

“When he hit me in the cheek, I felt like he broke my cheek, and I thought, ‘Is this it for me? I’m losing the fight. Should I keep going?’ But I put my heart into it, and you know what, I will never, ever quit,” he said.

Malacañang on Sunday commended Donaire and beauty queen Ariella Arida for bringing pride to the Philippines during these trying times.

“We extend our congratulations to Ms. Arida and the Filipino Flash. We appreciate their efforts to bring a bt of smile to Filipinos who are going through so much,” said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on radio dzRB on Sunday.

Arida had finished third-runner up in the 2013 Miss Universe pageant, a feat which she also dedicated to her countrymen.

 

...the Dutch-Pinoy flick at Copenhagen fest

Dutch-Filipino film wins at Copenhagen filmfest

byIra Agting
09/19/2013

 

SNOW WHITE. Sandy Talag in a brave role. Screen grab from the trailer


MANILA, Philippines - "Once upon a time," opens the film's trailer, "there was a girl in the Philippines named Snow White. But one day, her mother and stepfather made her eat a poisoned apple."

"Lilet Never Happened," a riveting narrative on the Philippines' underground sex trade, won Best Youth Film at the 2013 Copenhagen International Film Festival held September 5 to 15.

The film, by Dutch director Jacco Groen, stars Sandy Talag, as 11-year-old Filipino-American streetgirl Lilet.

The young girl, introduced as Snow White to "clients," has big dreams of becoming an actress in order to lift herself and her brother from poverty.

Meanwhile, Gloria, a foreign social worker, tries desperately to save Snow White.

In an interview with Filmz TV, Groen recalled meeting a real-life Lilet who inspired him to make this film. He met the young girl in a mental hospital a day after she tried to commit suicide.

Despite the film's earnest and complex themes, Groen said the movie is not meant to be depressing.
"This story never left my mind," he said. "It's not a depressing type of film because the girl I met is a tough kind of girl."

Groen said a psychologist was on the set for consultation.

Sandy Talag, the film's 15-year-old lead actress, said her imagination helped her to act out the scenes.
"I would imagine, 'Okay, Sandy, this is not a taping, this is real. You're on the streets and you're selling your body just to have money, just to eat something.' I just imagine things and, voilà," she told Filmz TV.

Groen said the film is meant to reach out to the youth.

“'Lilet Never Happened' is made for the younger audience, you need to reach the new generation who will say enough is enough, we cannot accept this anymore in a society that we call civilized.”

“With this movie, we really hope to raise awareness about the sad reality of child prostitutes not only in the Philippines, but all over the world."

Watch the trailer here:



"Lilet Never Happened" has already been shown in more than 22 international film festivals in 2012.
In the coming months, the film will travel to Switzerland, Australia, Armenia, Dubai, and India. It will be shown in the Philippines in December.

Others in the cast are John Arcilla, Marife Necesito, and Dutch actress Johanna ter Steege. - Rappler.com

 

...the Asian Youth Boxing Champions

FOUR FILIPINO BOXERS WIN GOLD IN ASIAN YOUTH BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 17 Mar 2013



Four talented and courageous young Filipinos won gold medals in the Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships at the Subic Freeport on Saturday providing a boost to the grassroots development program initiated by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines headed by its president Ricky Vargas and the eminent businessman-sportsman Manny Pangilinan as chairman.

Light flyweight Jade Bornea, light welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial, flyweight Ian Clark Bautista and lightweight James Palicte fulfilled the expectations of the ABAP leaders and executive director Ed Picson with the finest showing of the country in years.

The support from hometown fans certainly lifted the spirits of the young fighters and gave them an advantage especially in close fights.

A bronze medalist in the World Youth Championship in Armenia last December light flyweight Bornea defeated Shatlykmyrat Myradov of Tukmenistan, 17-10, in their 49-kilogram semifinal bout but had a much tougher time against Japan’s Kosei Tanaka before taking the country’s first gold 15-13.

The score was tied at 8-8 going into the final round before Bornea with a solid left followed by a right which jolted Tanaka emerged winner 7-5 to edge the game Japanese.

Ian Clark Bautista won the flyweight gold with a 19-10 win over Uzbekistan’s tough Mirazizbek Murzahalilov after coasting to a 6-3 lead in the opening round marked by a cracking left hook and a right straight. A counter left by Bautista in the second round staggered the Uzbek fighter who was unable to penetrate the solid defense of the Filipino.

Lightweight James Palicte took the first round by a close 5-4 margin against China’s Liu Xiaoshuaichn and held on to that lead 10-9 at the end of the second due mainly to a terrific uppercut that stunned the Chinese boxer who kept pressing the action. Another solid uppercut by Palicte sealed a 17-13 win although the final score was no indication of the closeness of the bout.

The fourth and final gold medal of the Philippines was won by Eumir Felix Marcial who put on the most impressive performance by the Filipinos beating Mongolia’s Batzorig Otgonjorgal by a runaway 29-12 margin.

The switch-hitting Marcial, the reigning World Junior Champion who is a power puncher battered his opponent from the opening bell to take a 11-5 lead at the end of round one nailing the Mongolian with a vicious left straight and a solid combination.

Marcial kept up the pressure in a second round slugfest with some big shots to move ahead 22-11 before coasting in the final round for the big win that won the hearts of fight fans.

Amateur Boxing Association president and former Philippine Boxing Association chairman Ricky Vargas was ecstatic over the performance of the youth squad as he said “while we cheer for every boxer we reserved even louder cheers for the ABAP team that has been working hard for an efficient and properly run tournament.”

ABAP chairman Manny Pangilinan was overjoyed over the boxers showing and texted the Manila Standard saying “Congrats to ABAP. Mabuhay ang Pinoy boxers. Go ABAP!”

 

...the happiest countries

Philippines among 10 'happiest' countries

(philstar.com)

December 20, 2012

 

 

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is among the 10 happiest countries in the world, according to a recent survey by a US-based polling firm.

 

US based polling firm Gallup Inc. said that the nation with "highest positive emotions worldwide" were Panama and Paraguay with 85 percent answering YES to the questions: Did you feel well-respected yesterday? Were you treated with respect all day yesterday? Did you laugh or smile a lot yesterday? Did you learn or do something interesting yesterday? Did you experience the following feelings during a lot of the day yesterday? How about enjoyment?

 

Next to Panama and Paraguay were El Salvador and Venezuela with 84 percent and on third place were Trinidad and Tobago and Thailand with 83 percent.

 

The Philippines shared the 4th place with Guatemala, where 82 percent of the surveyed persons answered YES to the six questions.

 

The last pair on 5th place was Ecuador and Costa Rica, which both got 81 percent.

 

An Associated Press news article quoted one of the surveyed Filipinos: a 35-year-old security guard named Felicio Sayat.

 

Sayat commented in the survey: "Just being with my family makes me happy ... We have fun together as a family. ... We have bonding time and we say prayers together. ... They are my inspiration. As long as we are all healthy, I am happy. There is nothing better than that."

 

Sayat works as a security guard at a parking lot in Manila.

 

Gallup Inc. said that the surveys were conducted in 148 countries in 2011.

 

"Results are based on telephone and face-to-face interviews with 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2011 in 148 countries and areas," it said.

 

Meanwhile, the polling firm reported that the country with the "lowest positive emotions worldwide" was Singapore, where only 46 percent answered YES to the six questions.

 

Following Singapore was Armenia with 49 percent; Iraq with 50 percent; Georgia, Yemen and Serbia, with 52 percent; Belarus with 53 percent; Lithuania and Madagascar, both with 54 percent; Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Haiti, Togo and Macedonia with 55 percent.

...the PH corruption index ranking

PH rises in 'corruption perception' rankings

 

By Kim Arveen Patria

Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom

Wed, Dec 5, 2012

 

AFP Relax - Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines

The Philippines has been ranked 105th out of 176 countries (2011: ranked 129th) in the "Corruption Perception Index" put out by anti-corruption coalition Transparency International.


The government's efforts at curbing corruption seems to have borne fruit as the Philippines moved up a global ranking of countries based on perception on corruption.

The Philippines has been ranked 105th out of 176 countries in the "Corruption Perception Index" put out by anti-corruption coalition Transparency International.

This compares to its ranking of 129th out of 183 countries in the 2011 list.

The Philippines scored 34 out of 100 in the composite index, which is based on "a combination of surveys and assessments of corruption, collected by a variety of reputable institutions," the report said.

A score of zero means that a country is perceived as "highly corrupt" and 100 means it is perceived as "very clean."

Last year, the Philippines got a composite index score of 2.6 out of 10, where 0 means it is perceived as "highly corrupt and 10 as "very clean."

"Governments need to integrate anti-corruption actions into all aspects of decision-making," Transparency International said.

"They must prioritize better rules on lobbying and political financing, make public spending and contracting more transparent, and make public bodies more accountable," it added.

This, as it noted that corruption "translates into human suffering" and "generates popular anger."

Commenting on the report, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the improvement is "an affirmation of the efforts to strengthen institutions, provide deterrents against corrupt practices, and hold accountable those who have used power for personal gain."

The administration of President Benigno Aquino III, however, "acknowledges that the anti-corruption drive remains a work in progress," Lacierda said.

"Transparency needs to be instituted across all government agencies, whether on the national or local level. There are still bumps that need to be evened out for the playing field to be truly leveled. In many cases, justice remains to be served," he added.

The Philippines shared the 105th spot with Algeria, Armenia, Bolivia, Gambia, Kosovo and Mali.

Among the nine Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines was the fifth perceived to be least corrupt.

Ranked higher than the Philippines were Singapore, which ranked 5th globally; Brunei (46th); Malaysia; (54th) and Thailand (88th).

The country, however, performed better than Indonesia (118th), Vietnam (123rd), Cambodia (157th), and Laos (160th).

Denmark, Finland and New Zealand are perceived to be the least corrupt countries this year, sharing the top spot in the ranking.

Rounding out the top 10, meanwhile, are Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, Australia, Norway, Canada and the Netherlands.

At the bottom of the list are Somalia, North Korea, Afghanistan, Sudan, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Venezuela, Haiti, Chad and Burundi.

...the junior pug

Pinoy nabs gold in World Jr boxing

 

abs-cbnNEWS.com

07/30/2011

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino amateur boxer Eumir Felix Marcial won a gold medal in the AIBA World Junior Boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

 

The 15-year-old boxer from Zamboanga City defeated Turkey’s Cengiz Onat in the finals of the 53 kilogram category.

Marcial first defeated Henrik Hovannisyan of Armenia and Azerbaijan Nasraddin Mammadov.
He outboxed Eduard Vaha of Belarus in the semifinal round to arrange a final showdown against Onat.

Marcial is coached by 3-time Olympian Romeo Brin.

...the chess master to World Cup

Paragua books trip to World Cup (The Philippine Star) May 31, 2011

  

GM Mark Paragua| Zoom

MANILA, Philippines - Three-time Olympiad veteran GM Mark Paragua beat IM Wei Ming Goh of Singapore in the final round to finish second in the Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championships and clinch the last berth in this year’s World Cup.

Paragua outwitted Goh in 35 moves of the Sicilian and wound up with 6.5 points in the nine-round tournament topped by Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto at the Tagaytay International Convention Center in Tagaytay yesterday.

Paragua, 27, actually finished tied with top seed Zhang Zhong of Singapore and compatriot IM Richard Bitoon but took the second and last World Cup berth with a superior tiebreak score.

Megaranto downed GM Joey Antonio to emerge the solo champion with seven points in the event organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in cooperation with the Tagaytay City government.

Megaranto’s win over Antonio came exactly 12 hours after he stopped erstwhile leader GM Darwin Laylo in the penultimate round.

“I’m very happy to make it to the World Cup again. It’s been a long time since I last played there,” said Paragua, who earlier escaped with a hard-fought draw with Zhang in the eighth round.

Paragua made it to the 2004 World Cup in Tripoli, Libya, losing to GM Viktor Bologan of Moldova, 1.5-.5, Russia in the first round.

In 2006, he defeated GM Sergei Movsesian of Armenia, 1.5-.5, in the first round but lost to GM Alexei Dreev of Russia in the blitz playoffs, 6-5, in the second round.

Zhang foiled Laylo, while Bitoon crushed GM Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam for joint second.

Newly crowned Asian Youth 16-under gold medalist Jan Emmanuel Garcia settled for a draw with IM Nguyen Huyn Monh of Vietnam, while IM Rolando Nolte beat GM Cerdas Barus of Indonesia for joint fifth with six points.

Garcia also earned an outright IM title based on his exceptional showing.

The 16-year-old Ateneo student also won over Wei Ming Goh of Singapore in the eighth round.

In women’s play, WIM Beverly Mendoza drew with Hoang Thi Nhu of Vietnam to emerge as the highest-placed Filipina player at 11th with 5.5 points after the tiebreak.

Mendoza finished a full point behind top seed IM Li Ruofan of Singapore and WGM Hoang Thi Bao of Vietnam.