PBA: SMC official urges Perez to work on his college degree

Now that he's part of the San Miguel family, CJ Perez has been getting fatherly advice from some of the company's big bosses.

One of them is San Miguel Corporation (SMC) Sports Director Alfrancis Chua.

Chua urged the 2019 PBA Rookie of the Year that it would be wise for him to finish his studies and get his college diploma, just like what his teammate Chris Ross did recently.

"Tapusin mo ang pag-aaral mo. Napaka-importante niyan," Chua said about his advice Perez in the PBA website.

He added that it would be easier for Perez to complete his studies under the online setup of learning since the COVID-19 outbreak.

"Diniin ko talaga sa kanya, 'ilang sem ka na lang, tapusin mo yan,'" added the SMC executive. "Grumaduate ka lalo na ngayon, zoom-zoom na lang (ang classes)," said Chua.

Perez has a few semesters left to complete his Business Management major. He promised to earn a college degree for the sake of his kids.

"Sabi ko (sa kanya), 'May mga anak ka ba?' Sabi niya, 'Meron na boss,'" recalled Chua.

"So OK lang ba na hindi sila grumaduate?' 'Ay hindi ho puwede.' 'O eh, bakit ikaw, OK lang?'" he added. "Kaya nangako naman sa akin yung bata na tatapusin niya ang kanyang pag-aaral."

The Beermen acquired the high-scoring Perez during an off season trade with Terrafirma.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/pba-smc-official-urges-perez-to-work-on-his-college-degree

MMA: Louie Sangalang is the lone male survivor in ‘The Apprentice’

Pinoy candidate Louie Sangalang continues to astound fellow candidates in The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.

In Episode 8, the former MMA champion and cancer survivor emerged as the “last man standing” after besting all other male candidates on the show and is still going strong in his quest to be “The One”.

Sangalang’s Team Valor also edged out Team Conquest in the most death-defying physical task given to the candidates yet. 

MMA legend and multiple-time mixed martial arts world champion Rich Franklin took charge in the physical task – a big treat for Sangalang who has been a big fan of Franklin since his fighting days.

The survival skills of the candidates were severely tested as they were made to disengage themselves from a sunken helicopter, locate the windows and swim through them, then go up for air and climb onto a raft.

Franklin, one of the world renowned names in MMA, won the UFC Middleweight Championship and had two successful defenses before retiring in November 2012 with a 29-7 (1 NC) record. 

Since then, the American grappler has dabbled in the world of business and is now vice president of ONE Championship.

Sangalang has a similar path as he is a mixed martial arts practitioner himself and a former champion who owns a purple belt in jiu-jitsu but is now a procurement consultant.

The accomplishment in the physical challenge spurred the 43-year-old Filipino to do his best for Team Valor in the business challenge: selling sustainable goods for both B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) markets, negotiating with customers, and seeking high sales and profit margins.

Although he did not take the lead and ceded the role to Paulina, Louie shone in the task as he collaborated with her in negotiating on the retail side, hoping to sell more by quantity.

He earned a team-high S$1,026 in sales and was the biggest individual contributor to the team's S$15,769 overall haul.

Even ONE Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong was intrigued but Sangalang explained he was no stranger to being a seller as he was involved in it since two decades back.

"To be honest, it's been a while since I've been in sales. At the age of 21, I actually sold encyclopedias and credit cards, so I knew that if I could establish that rapport, I would be able to sell. So I'm proud of that," he said.

Despite Sangalang's exceptional selling skills, it was Team Conquest's whopping S$26,416 earnings that won the nod of the judges as they focused more on personal sales over the retail side.

Sangalang was the only candidate saved from being sent to The Boardroom.

Being on the losing team, Sangalang’s Indian teammate Niraj Puran Rao was the one sent home, leaving Sangalang as the only male running after the prize of a US$250,000 job offer as Sityodtong's protégé and ONE chief of staff. 

The winner would also become head of a business development unit at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/mma-louie-sangalang-is-the-lone-male-survivor-in-the-apprentice

Boxing: Marcial, ABAP at odds over financial support

It is now just over two months away from the Tokyo Olympics and yet Filipino Olympian Eumir Marcial and the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) are still having issues regarding his training expenses.

In an interview on Noli Eala's Power & Play, Marcial claimed he has not been receiving much support from concerned agencies while he continues his preparations for the Games which will take place in Tokyo starting July 23. 

"Since nung umalis po ako, wala po akong natanggap na tulong galing po sa ating mga tumutulong sa sports," said the heavy-handed middleweight, who is among heavily favored to win an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.

Although he did not mention which agency he was referring to, but he is apparently alluding to ABAP and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

"Never ako magsalita na sana about sa ganyan kasi gusto ko training lang ako papuntang Olympics... kung ‘yung support katulad ng mga qualifiers tulad nina Hidilyn (Diaz), nina Carlos Yulo at EJ Obiena at iba pa, ako po wala po akong natatanggap,” said Marcial.

Marcial is currently training in his hometown of Zamboanga after a lengthy stay in the US where he made his professional debut.

He chose to be in Zamboanga instead of joining his teammates to visit his ailing father.

"Sa ngayon po ang tumutulong sa'min si Sir Junie Navarro ng Zamboanga Valientes at yung ibang taong sumusuporta sa akin dito," said Marcial. 

ABAP secretary-general Ed Picson refuted his claims, citing that they tried to provide everything Marcial needs even while the majority of Luzon was locked down last year due to the pandemic.

“We were taken aback by his statements na wala raw suporta from the PSC and from ABAP, which is completely untrue,” Picson said in the weekly Philippine Sports Association (PSA) Forum. 

Picson said that even during the lockdown last year they provided Marcial training equipment and internet router so he can train while he was staying in his Cavite residence.

He added that they even volunteered to send Australian coach Don Abnett every day to Cavite to oversee his training.

"I told Coach Don and I said na I’ll pay for your transportation expenses to go to Cavite every day. And Coach Don tried to call and text him, he never replied,” said Picson.

“And we had online trainings. He said mahina ang signal, we gave him a router... He never used it. He never trained a single day. So we were very disappointed.”

Picson said ABAP also rewarded Marcial an incentive for qualifying for the Olympics, which is aside from the incentive provided by the PSC.

"'Yung incentive from qualifying to the Olympics, it's not mandatory for ABAP to give him that incentive pero binigyan siya... Mr. Vargas really worked for that kasi lockdown noon and it is very difficult to source funds that time," he said.

Picson said that even when Marcial arrived in Zamboanga, ABAP provided him a coach in Gerson Nietes.

“When he came home from the States, biglaan, ‘di namin alam. Sabi niya, kailangan ko ng coach o binigyan namin, si Gerson Nietes which is his good friend... Kaya siya ang kinuha ko because he and Gerson Nietes are very good friends," he said.

“So by and large, napakaraming–iba pa ‘yung mga personal naming tulong sa kanila … Meron naman kaming binibigay sa kanya. Ang problema lang talaga, medyo naguguluhan yata siya sa role niya as a professional and as a national athlete."

For his part, Commissioner Ramon Fernandez of the Philippine Sports Commission said they made sure that the government provides Marcial's training allowance especially since he is an Olympian. 

"Tuloy tuloy naman ang allowance niya, maski nga nag-pro na siya pinatuloy namin ang allowance niya, because we know very well he is going to play for the country sa Olympics. I believe he is also geting allowance from the Air Force. Nagreact lang ako roon, mali naman 'yun," he said.

"Baka kulang lang sa communication si Marcial sa ABAP. Practically lahat ng request especially with regards to their training ang competitions abroad and anywhere, sinusuportahan namin yan lalo ang mga Olympians natin."

Marcial will be joining his fellow Pinoy boxers in the Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships later this month. He added that he plans to join the national team's training camp in Thailand after the tourney.

It remains to be seen how their recent pronouncements will affect their working relationship ahead the games in Tokyo. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/boxing-marcial-abap-at-odds-over-financial-support

The World Tonight | ANC (11 May 2021)

How To Grow Spiritually At Any Age

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.  Psalm 48:14

“The trouble with being over the hill,” quipped one pundit, “is that I can’t remember ever being at the top.”  A lot of folks can relate to that.  When that nebulous divider of life arrives‑‑about age 40‑‑they panic, thinking that from then on, they are on the downhill run.              The Royal Bank of Canada monthly newsletter described it, saying, “It is a time that policemen start looking young to you, and you find yourself in the midst of a party wishing you were home in bed.  It is when you cannot recall the name of the girl or boy you once loved madly, and when you meet young grown‑ups you knew as babies.  It is when you conclude, like George Bernard Shaw, that youth is wasted on the young.”

A long time ago, Francis Bacon wrote in his Regimen of Health, “Age will not be defied,” yet in recent years better nutrition and preventive medicine have done a great deal to defy age and to lengthen the life span of the average man or woman.  Worldwide, the average male today lives to over age 71, his female counterpart to age 75, and if you split the life span down the middle you would have to say that a woman would be in her middle years at age 37 and a male at age 35, yet this hardly coincides with our common understanding of the middle years.

Another fact of life, seldom considered by those who are fearful of the middle years, is that most of life’s greatest accomplishments are made not in the exuberance of youth when our bodies are beautiful and strong, but in the prime of the middle years when we have learned the lessons of youth and can apply our hearts to the wisdom of middle age.

“It should not be overlooked,” says the Royal Bank of Canada monthly letter, “that most of the great achievements in history, in philosophy, statecraft, science, and the arts, have been by people from the ages of 40 to 70.  This makes it puzzling that middle age should so often be regarded as a period of mental, as well as physical decline.  The best available scientific evidence on the functioning of the human brain suggests that what middle‑aged people lack in intellectual adaptability they make up in knowledge and understanding.  A British researcher recently investigated the productivity of deceased artists, scientists and scholars in 16 different fields of endeavor.  The most productive ages were from 40 to 50 in almost all these groups.  In only one field, chamber music, did the greatest productivity come earlier.  Not until the age of 60 did the mathematicians included in the study hit their productive peak.”

As my wife and I had breakfast in a coffee shop, a little woman about 80 years of age came in and sat down across from us.  She was withered and her skin was wrinkled like a hand which had been soaked in hot water for two hours, yet she had a sparkle in her eye and a pleasant smile which caused the wrinkles of age to disappear.

I could not help but be reminded of Isaiah 40, which may refer to the three periods of life when the prophet said, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint” (KJV).  In youth we mount up with wings as eagles; in our middle years we may run and not be weary; and as we wait upon Him in our final years, we can walk and not faint. And that is what really, really counts!

Resource reading:  Psalm 46: 1-7

https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/how-to-grow-spiritually-at-any-age/

Tokyo Olympics: Japan's Osaka 'not sure' games should happen as doubts grow

Japanese superstar Naomi Osaka admitted she was "not really sure" the coronavirus-hit Tokyo Olympics should go ahead as doubts grew about the Games just weeks before the opening ceremony.

The four-time tennis Grand Slam winner joined fellow Japanese player Kei Nishikori in raising concerns, with Tokyo and other parts of Japan under a virus state of emergency.

A top politician also warned that Japan still had to make a "careful decision" about whether to hold the Games, which have scant public support according to opinion polls.

Scrapping the 2020 Olympics, postponed last year as the pandemic advanced, is a concept that has never quite gone away, despite repeated assertions from officials that they will proceed.

A survey by a leading Japanese daily released on Monday found 59 percent of respondents want the Olympics cancelled, underlining persistent public concerns over the risk of infections.

Osaka, Japan's biggest sports star and a major gold-medal prospect, said "to be honest, I'm not really sure", when asked if the Olympics should take place as planned.

"I'm an athlete, and of course my immediate thought is that I want to play in the Olympics," the four-time Grand Slam winner told the BBC.

"But as a human, I would say we're in a pandemic, and if people aren't healthy, and if they're not feeling safe, then it's definitely a really big cause for concern."

Nishikori said there "definitely should be a discussion" on whether Tokyo should plough ahead.

"I don't know how much they are thinking about how they are gonna make (a) bubble, because this is not like 100 people," he said.

"It's 10,000 people in the village and playing tournaments. So I don't think it's easy, especially (with) what's happening right now in Japan."

- 'So much to think about' -

America's Serena Williams, who has 23 Grand Slam titles -- one off the all-time record -- as well as four Olympic golds, said she was yet to commit to Tokyo.

"I haven't spent 24 hours without her (three-year-old daughter Olympia) so that kind of answers the question itself," she said at the WTA tournament in Rome.

"I haven't really thought much about Tokyo, because it was supposed to be last year and now it's this year, and then there is this pandemic and there is so much to think about."

Athletes until now have largely stayed quiet about the Olympics, in contrast to last year when there was a welter of complaints before the historic postponement in March.

A series of test events have been cancelled, postponed or held behind closed doors, underlining the challenges facing organisers.

At a para-athletics rehearsal on Tuesday, competitors told AFP they were training on the assumption the Games would be held.

"It's only natural that there are voices of disapproval. Can we really hold safe Olympics for everyone under these circumstances? I don't think we can say yes with confidence right now," said Tomomi Tozawa, a 100m T63 runner.

"But as an athlete, until we are told it's cancelled, we need to presume it's going ahead and prepare for that," she said.

Another para-athlete, Ikoma Tomoki, said he had "a strong desire for them to hold it, even given the circumstances".

Olympic officials insist the Games can still be held safely and have released rulebooks they say will ensure the biggest international event since the pandemic begandoes not spread the virus.

On Monday, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach was forced to cancel a visit to Japan planned for this month, after the state of emergency was extended last week.

Toshihiro Nikai, number two in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Japan needed to take advice from "Olympic experts" before deciding whether to hold the Games.

"A careful decision will be necessary in the future," he said late on Monday, according to the Jiji Press news agency.

burs/kaf/th

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/tokyo-olympics-japans-osaka-not-sure-games-should-happen-as-doubts-grow

WATCH: PCSO 9 PM Lotto Draw, May 11, 2021

‘Nakakag**o’? John Arcilla gets fuming message from ‘Probinsyano’ viewer, tells them to ‘chill’

John Arcilla’s character, not the actor himself, is ruthless in his ambition to steal the Philippines’ presidency — a distinction which the screen veteran had to lay out clearly, in response to a fuming message from a viewer of “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.”

On Twitter, Arcilla shared the angry comment, which read, unedited: “Hoy hwg ka mangarap Na mgng president ng buong Pilipinas galng mo nmn kung ikw ang papalit mgng president ng Pilipinas ngpatawa ka ba ah eh sa role mo plng sa probinsyano ngkakagago ka noh drug addict ka”.

Arcilla, in his tweet, wrote, “Hindi ko po alam kung seryoso siya o nagpapatawa.”

Addressing the viewer, he added: “Relax ka lang… Ang teleserye ho e hindi totoong buhay. Chill chill lang po.”

In “Ang Probinsyano,” Arcilla portrays Renato Hipolito, a terrorist leader who has long managed to infiltrate national government, first as the secretary of defense, and later as senator.

In the ongoing season of the series, Renato has managed a firm grip on the Palace, having installed a body double impersonating the rightful President Oscar Hidalgo, who follows his every order. The real president (Rowell Santiago) remains in a drug-induced coma, carried out by Renato and the First Lady, Lily (Lorna Tolentino).

Not satisfied with orchestrating the imposter’s decisions, Renato has set his sights on officially becoming the country’s president, first by being appointed as the chief executive’s special adviser publicly.

“Ang Probinsyano” airs new episodes weeknights, and is accessible Kapamilya Channel, CineMo, A2Z, TV5, TFC, Kapamilya Online Live, iWant TFC, WeTV, and iflix.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/11/21/nakakago-john-arcilla-gets-fuming-message-from-probinsyano-viewer-tells-them-to-chill

VisMin Cup: Mac Cardona seeks comeback through Zamboanga team

Former PBA player Mac Cardona is reviving his basketball career by joining the Zamboanga Los Valientes which will play in the upcoming Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Mindanao leg.

Cardona recently flew to Zamboanga and even joined world junior bantam king Jerwin Ancajas and Filipino Olympian Eumir Marcial in training.

The former De La Salle superstar recently went through legal troubles and twice landed in jail.

He was once arrested for stabbing his live-in partner Bianca Jackes. 

His most recent arrest two months ago stemmed from a parking lot brawl in Taguig City in February 2020.

But the former PBA pro is determined to bring his basketball career into life by joining the Los Valientes.

The last time Cardona played was in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) when he helped the San Juan Knights win the 2019 Datu Cup.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/vismin-cup-mac-cardona-seeks-comeback-through-zamboanga-team

Sarah G, Sue Ramirez join Thai stars in local telco's new campaign

A local telecommunications company has unveiled its latest campaign featuring two Filipino stars and three of Thailand’s most popular actors.

Nonkul Chanon (Bad Genius), Gulf Kanawut (TharnType: The Series), and Thai superstar Mario Maurer (Love of Siam, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Pee Mak) are part of TNT’s “Kilig Saya” campaign, starring in a three-minute music video with Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo and actress Sue Ramirez.

The ad was launched via livestream during a virtual conference on Tuesday.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News and other media representatives from the Philippines, Chanon, Kanawut, and Maurer shared how they feel now that they are finally part of the TNT-Smart family.

“I am very honored to do this job. Thank you, TNT, for choosing me and my brothers, Nonkul and Gulf. I am very happy to work with them both and also to work with the Filipino team again,” Maurer said.

Chanon and Kanawut share the same feelings, with the latter saying that being part of the prepaid brand is another opportunity for them to get closer to their Filipino fans.

When asked to describe their experience filming the music video, Kanawut said: “The shoot was fun and it’s great to be working with Mario and Nonkul. Because I’m the youngest, they always make me feel comfortable around the shoot. I am very happy to be working with them.”

Meanwhile, Chanon shared his impression of the Filipino people considering he’s been to the country already.

“One thing about Filipinos, a lot of them sing very, very good. There’s a moment [during an event I headlined in the Philippines when] I jumped down [from the stage] and I sang. And then I put the mic out and [the person sang] very good, better than me,” he said.

“I was like, ‘No. How can you be better than me? If you’re better than me then what’s the point that I’m singing?’ So I changed the person, and he sang better than me again. So I was like, never mind. I will just sing to myself now. That’s the impression I got for the Filipino people,” he added.

TNT’s move to tap Chanon, Kanawut, and Maurer comes as more Filipino youth have turned into big fans of Thai series and films amid the phenomenon of Thai content’s growing prominence in the international pop culture scene.

Jane Basas, SVP and head of consumer wireless business at Smart, explained the concept behind the music video and how they arrived at choosing the three Thai actors to be their new ambassadors.

“When we were conceptualizing the campaign, we wanted it to be in the context of the pandemic and how we can all stay positive in the middle of all these issues,” she said.

“We are stuck in our homes, but just because we are stuck in our homes doesn’t mean that we have to give up the things that make us inspired or the things that keep us happy… The music video really conveys how we can all stay connected to the things that give us joy,” she added.

Basas said the idea of getting the three began around the third or fourth quarter of 2020.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/11/21/sarah-g-sue-ramirez-join-thai-stars-in-local-telcos-new-campaign

GOT7's Jay B signs with Jay Park's H1GHR Music

Following months of rumors and speculations, GOT7's Jay B (Lim Jaebom) has officially signed with H1GHR Music.

The agency announced on Tuesday that JayB is their newest artist and that his new single will be released on May 14, at 6 p.m. Korean time (5 p.m. in the Philippines). 

H1GHR Music, founded by Jay Park and Cha Cha Malone in 2017, is home to artists like South Korean rappers pH-1, Sik-K, and HAON. 

Instantly, the news became number the top trending topic on Twitter Philippines as well as worldwide. 

This means all GOT7 members are now signed with various labels after leaving their former agency, JYP Entertainment. 

Yugyeom, the group's youngest member, is now with Park's hip hop label AOMG while Mark Tuan, who is now based in the United States, signed with top talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). 

Youngjae inked a deal with Sublime Artist Agency. Meanwhile, Jackson still works with his own label Team Wang, which also announced a partnership with Sublime Artist Agency. 

On the other hand, Bambam recently signed with Abyss company while Jinyoung joined BH Entertainment to pursue his acting career. 

Despite joining different labels after leaving their home agency for 7 years, GOT7 clarified that they did not disband and they plan to continue working together as a group. 

Last February, the septet surprised fans with their new song "ENCORE" just weeks after leaving JYP. It was a bold statement from the boys, since most K-pop groups who withdrew from their home label usually end up disbanding or remaining on hiatus for an indefinite period of time. 

The support was overwhelming that even the members' respective new agency also promoted their new single as a group. 

Known for their chart-topping songs and hard-hitting choreography on stage, GOT7 has been a consistent popular act in various countries worldwide, having released five studio albums and 15 mini albums since their debut in 2014. 

Their 2019 world tour ended in Manila with a sold out concert at the Mall of Asia Arena. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/11/21/got7s-jay-b-signs-with-jay-parks-h1ghr-music

Vice Ganda umarkila ng private plane, beachfront sa nakanselang bakasyon para sana sa kaarawan

Naging content na lamang sa kaniyang YouTube channel ang mga dapat sana’y susuotin ng komedyante at mainstay host ng “It’s Showtime” na si Vice Ganda matapos amining nakansela ang naplanong beach trip sa kaniyang kaarawan. 

Sa kaniyang vlog, ikinuwento ni Vice na nagplano siya kasama ang kaniyang mga kaibigan ng gagawin nila para sa kaniyang birthday noong Marso.

Ngunit dahil sa pagpapataw muli ng lockdown sa Metro Manila at karatig na mga probinsya, nakansela ang nirentahang beachfront ng host at maging ang private plane na sasakyan sana ng kaniyang pamilya. 

“Umarkila kami ng private plane for my family dahil ayokong isabay ang nanay ko sa commercial flights. Pero biglang nag-lockdown ulit, so cancelled,” ani Vice. 

Isa pa sa pinanghihinayangan ng komedyante ay ang mga designer swimsuits na binili niya para sana sa kanilang beach trip. 

“Ipapakita ko sa inyo ang summer paandar 2021 ko na nawalan ng saysay dahil hindi naman tayo nakapag-beach ngayong summer. Dahil quarantine pa rin tayo, girl,” natatawang saad nito. 

Ayon kay Vice, inakala niya na mababawi ngayong 2021 ang bigong pagdiriwang ng kaarawan noong nakaraang taon. 

Kuwento pa nito, ginastusan talaga niya ang planong maikling bakasyon kasama ang pamilya at malalapit na kaibigan dahil na rin sa mga kalungkutan at stress na naranasan noong 2020. 

“Last year wala namang ganap, babawi ako this year. Deserve ko naman. Kasi nalungkot ako, na-stress ako, nagtrabaho naman ako. Sabi ko regaluhan ko naman sarili ko,” saad nito. 

Isa-isang pinakita ni Vice ang mga swimwear niyang binili at ipinagawa, kagaya na lamang ng dalawang Versace at Balmain swimsuits na tingin niyang papatok sana sa social media accounts niya. 

Bumili rin ito ng Gucci brim hat na plano umano niyang suotin habang nakasakay sa bangka. Mayroon din siyang Versace t-shirt na pang-beach volleyball at personalized bath robe. 

Nagpatahi rin ito ng mga dress at swimsuit sa kaibigang si Jaz Cerezo, kabilang ang isang pulang dress na susuotin sana niya sa mismong birthday niya. 

Sa huli, sinuot na lamang ni Vice ang mga ito sa kaniyang bagong bahay at nag-model sa kaniyang swimming pool. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/11/21/vice-ganda-umarkila-ng-private-plane-beachfront-sa-nakanselang-bakasyon-para-sana-sa-kaarawan

BGYO debuts at No. 2 on Billboard’s Next Big Sound chart

The breakout P-pop group BGYO marked on Tuesday its Billboard chart debut, just over three months after their official launch.

The group, composed of Gelo, Akira, JL, Nate, and Mikki, ranked second in Billboard’s Next Big Sound chart for the week of May 15.

The chart tracks “the fastest accelerating artists during the past week, across all major social music sites, statistically predicted to achieve future success,” according to Billboard.

Next Big Sound’s tally is measured by the US namesake company, described in its website as the “leading provider of online music analytics and insights,” with its tracking of “hundreds of thousands of artists around the world.”

Filipino acts who previously ranked in the Next Big Sound chart include Morissette, The Juans, and SB19.

BGYO, which had trained for two years under ABS-CBN’s Star Hunt Academy, officially debuted as a P-pop group in January.

The boys have since released two singles — their launch track “The Light” and the series theme song “He’s Into Her.” 

They are set to release a third song, “Feel Good Pilipinas,” with KZ Tandingan.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/11/21/bgyo-debuts-at-no-2-on-billboards-next-big-sound-chart

Football: United City to play AFC Champions League matches in Uzbekistan

United City FC, the reigning champions of the Philippines Football League (PFL), will be headed to Uzbekistan next month for its group matches in the AFC Champions League.

The AFC announced Monday that the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) will host the centralized matches of Groups H and I from the East region, scheduled for June 25 to July 11.

United City FC is in Group I, along with Beijing FC from China PR and reigning J.League champions Kawasaki Frontale. They will be joined by the winner of the playoff match between Korea Republic's Daegu FC and Chiangrai United of Thailand.

The group stage matches were originally scheduled for April but rescheduled to June due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This marks the first time that the club will compete in the Champions League as United City FC, having previously been known as Ceres-Negros before a much-publicized sale in July 2020.

The winners of the group will advance to the round-of-16, while the three best second-placed teams in the region will also advance. 

United City, bannered by Philippine Azkals skipper Stephan Schrock and naturalization candidate Bienvenido Maranon, failed to make it past the playoff round in the 2020 edition of the tournament as they were beaten by FC Tokyo, 2-0.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/football-united-city-to-play-afc-champions-league-matches-in-uzbekistan

Football: Parker willing to lead relegated Fulham's promotion bid

 Fulham manager Scott Parker has been linked with the managerial vacancy at Tottenham but says his priority is to try and help his current club make an immediate return to the Premier League.

Fulham joined West Brom and Sheffield United in being relegated from the Premier League following a 2-0 loss to Burnley on Monday.

It is the first time that relegation from the division has been resolved with three games remaining.

Parker has been linked with Spurs -- who he played for from 2011-13 -- due to the crowd-pleasing style Fulham have played since he took over, initially in a caretaker capacity, in 2019.

However, the 40-year-old former England midfielder said he was focused on having his say on where things went wrong and how Fulham can bounce straight back and avoid continuing the "rollercoaster" of relegation, promotion and relegation.

"I've been committed since I came here -- that's always been the case," said Parker, who signed an improved three-year contract last September to keep him at the club until the summer of 2023.

Fulham's season only got going following the loan signings of Ademola Lookman and England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, after the first four games yielded no points.

Those two though could well return to their respective clubs -- Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and Chelsea.

However, Fulham will have funds to spend as they will receive £42 million ($60 million) in parachute payments for being relegated.

Parker can take encouragement that two of the three teams relegated last season have made immediate returns -- Norwich and Watford -- with the third team, Bournemouth, in the play-offs.

"What's key for me is we sit down, analyse and learn, are brave enough to see where we've gone wrong and not go through the same cycle," said Parker.

"I'll be the first to put my point across along with all the others to bring this club back into this league and hopefully stay here."

Parker can point to impressive results against some of the heavyweights.

They recorded away wins at Leicester City, Liverpool and Everton as well as draws at Spurs and Arsenal.

However, they only won five league matches all season and have the second-worst goalscoring record with 25 goals from 35 matches.

Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, one of those who failed to find his form by scoring just three league goals compared to 26 in the promotion season, did not mince his words.

"We have failed this season," he said.

"It was not good enough. We did not deserve to stay up.

"Overall, we have finished where we deserve to be. We did not show the big character, big mentality and we cracked under the pressure.

"We tried, we fought, we worked hard but we needed more quality on the ball. We got punished today and this season."

pi/jc/bsp 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/football-parker-willing-to-lead-relegated-fulhams-promotion-bid

Thirdy on bout with COVID-19: 'I couldn't smell anything until April'

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

Thirdy Ravena dealt with symptoms of COVID-19 for months after he returned to action for San-En NeoPhoenix in Japan's B.League.

The former Ateneo star tested positive for the novel coronavirus on November 27, 2020, causing him to be sidelined for two weeks. He returned on December 12 against Levanga Hokkaido, scoring five points in an 83-69 victory. 

But he revealed that he was still feeling the effects of the virus some four months after he returned to action.

"I felt it probably April, late March, April kasi nawala 'yung sense of smell ko 'til that time," Ravena said. "Like, I couldn't smell anything for that long, kahit mag-spray ako ng pabango sa ilong ko wala akong maamoy."

The loss of smell and taste is among the common early symptoms of COVID-19. According to the NeoPhoenix, Ravena was also "in poor physical condition" when he tested positive, and had a fever of 38.2 degrees Celsius.

"Tapos 'yung chest, like I could feel it in my chest. Especially at the start, you feel na there's weight on your chest and medyo mahirap nga huminga," Ravena also said. "I felt that for months."

That feeling was concerning for Ravena, especially as he tried to work himself back to full fitness with San-En.

"'Yun 'yung medyo nakakatakot mentally kasi you never know. I think if you push yourself too much, baka hindi mo alam kung ano 'yung pwede mangyari sa'yo," he explained. "So I think it also affected me mentally, especially when I was playing, when I got back from that whole COVID experience." 

Many athletes have reported still feeling the effects of COVID-19 months after they recovered.

Notably, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum recently said that he has been using an inhaler before their games to deal with the after-effects. 

Asia Durr of the New York Liberty continues to feel the effects of her COVID-19 ordeal eight months after her diagnosis. In January, she told ESPN that she hopes to play this season but the impact of the disease has been "so unpredictable."

"One day, I feel better. The next, I feel terrible," said Durr, who has been identified as a "long-hauler," or an individual whose COVID-19 symptoms linger indefinitely. "It's just so much about this is unknown. We're still trying to learn. But I'm doing everything I can. I'm a fighter; I'm not going to quit." 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/thirdy-on-bout-with-covid-19-i-couldnt-smell-anything-until-april

McIlroy's wild about Harry, Ariya's tough times: golf talking points

Daniel HICKS, Agence France-Presse

A word to the good and some light after the darkness feature in AFP Sport's golf talking points this week:

Diamond turns to gold

As Rory McIlroy celebrated his first win in 553 days and a return to the world's top-10 on Sunday at Quail Hollow, he was quick to credit his caddie, Harry Diamond, for a crucial piece of advice that got him over the finish line.

Holding a two-shot lead, McIlroy carved his drive on the final par-four hole Sunday left on to the bank of a stream where it held up on a steep slope, buried in deep rough.

The Northern Irishman was contemplating a potentially disastrous hack out with the ball way below his feet when his long-time friend Diamond stepped in to suggest taking a penalty drop outside the hazard instead. 

McIlroy heeded the sage counsel, found the green with his third shot and two putts later his long win drought was over.

"Harry was awesome out there today, especially that decision on the last," said McIlroy of Diamond, who is an accomplished amateur golfer. 

"I was ready to get in there and try to play that with a lob wedge and he was sort of like, 'Let's take a step back, let's think about this, where's the best place you're hitting your third from'. 

"Ultimately we made the right decision. 

"The tough parts that I've had to endure over the last few months, he's been with me every step of the way and it's nice to come through all that with him and to get into the winner's circle again." 

'I just wanted to stop'

While McIlroy was ending his own barren streak, half a world away another former world number one, Ariya Jutanagarn, shot an incredible closing 63 to win the LPGA Thailand.

In the process, she ended a 1,015-day wait for her 11th LPGA Tour title and became the first home winner in the tournament's 15-year history. 

Her last win before Sunday had been the 2018 Ladies Scottish Open and she revealed just how close she had come to walking away from the game during the dark days in between.

"I had really tough time last two years. I don't know how many times I told my psych coach: 'You know what, I want to rest, I want to stop'," said Ariya.

But she kept going and credited her team for keeping her going. "I would say without them I am not who I am. How many times I just wanted to stop."

The year of the comeback

After the drought, the deluge. 

Not only have McIlroy and Ariya returned to the winner's circle this year, but a whole string of players have made it back to the top rung of the leaderboard as 2021 shapes up to be the year of the comeback.

Jordan Spieth hadn't won since the 2017 Open Championship at Birkdale when he won the Texas Open last month.

The following week, Hideki Matsuyama, who also hadn't won for four years, triumphed at Augusta to become the first male Japanese major winner.

In the women's game, Lydia Ko broke a 1,084-day drought at the Lotte Championship, Brooke Henderson won the LA Open for her first triumph since 2019 and Kim Hyo-joo ended the longest run of all last week when she won the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore -- her first LPGA win since 2016.

Who's next? One popular choice will be the colourful Rickie Fowler, who has plunged to 122nd in the world since his last win, which came at the Phoenix Open in February 2019.

The former world number four's latest attempt to turn his form around comes at this week's Byron Nelson Championship in Texas.

World rankings

Latest leading world rankings, updated May 10, 2021:

Men

Dustin Johnson (USA) 10.53 

Justin Thomas (USA) 8.69 

Jon Rahm (ESP) 8.56 

Bryson DeChambeau (USA) 7.19 (+1) 

Xander Schauffele (USA) 7.16 (-1)

Collin Morikawa (USA) 7.00 

Rory McIlroy (NIR) 6.20 (+8) 

Patrick Reed (USA) 6.14 (-1)

Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) 5.90 (-1)

 Webb Simpson (USA) 5.56 (-1)

Women

Ko Jin-young (KOR) 9.64 

 Park In-bee Park (KOR) 8.75 

Kim Sei-young (KOR) 8.04 

Nelly Korda (USA) 7.78 

Brooke Henderson (CAN) 6.42 

Danielle Kang (USA) 6.10 

Kim Hyo-joo (KOR) 5.75 

Lydia Ko (NZL) 5.47 

Lexi Thompson (USA) 5.19 

Nasa Hataoka (JPN) 4.69 (+1)

dh/jfx

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/mcilroys-wild-about-harry-ariyas-tough-times-golf-talking-points

WATCH: PCSO 5 PM Lotto Draw, May 11, 2021

MMA: Arjan Bhullar bares his 'advantage' vs Brandon Vera

Arjan “Singh” Bhullar is ready to handle “The Truth,” and he plans to show it this Saturday when he competes for all the marbles in ONE Championship.

Bhullar takes on longtime ONE heavyweight champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera in the main event of the previously recorded ONE: Dangal, which airs on May 15.

Since 2014, Vera has been unstoppable in the heavyweight division, but Bhullar believes that the Filipino-American’s time on top of the food chain is now up. 

Though their match has been over a year in the making, Bhullar has kept himself in tip-top shape, knowing that it was going to happen anytime. 

Now, he gets the chance to showcase what he has been preparing for. 

“My greatest strength is my insights, which allow me to train daily, weekly, and yearly. For as long as I have, I stay disciplined all the time – not just when I have a fight booked or I have a competition coming up. I keep my eye on the prize,” Bhullar said.

“This is my life, my priority, and my life’s work, and I take it very, very seriously. There is nothing more important to me in my life and no other priority, so my insights will separate me from [Vera].

“Skills are great, and being faster and stronger, all those things [are helpful]. But when you have a war of attrition, it’s the insights that always come out, and that’s going to be the difference in this fight.”

But he knows that the contest will be far from easy, especially with the skills Vera brings to the table. 

The 34-year-old Indian-Canadian acknowledges Vera’s well-roundedness, something that has been overlooked in the World Champ’s game, as he’s been knocking out heavyweights left and right. 

While Vera’s main advantages will be in the striking department, he’s not looking past the Filipino-American's other skills as well. 

“He is older, but he’s undefeated as a heavyweight champion in ONE. He’s been a champ for a very long time now, and he stopped every one of his opponents [at heavyweight], so he’s very dangerous and very experienced. He’s dangerous everywhere,” Bhullar said. 

“He’s good everywhere, and he’s very experienced with his kickboxing, his Muay Thai, his kicks, his knees, and his elbows. He’s good off his back, too. He’s been in the game a long, long time, and you must be ready to go in all places.”

But at the end of the day, he believes that he’s ready for whatever Vera throws at him – wherever the bout might take place. 

“The outcome of this fight will be a stoppage for me and with my arm raised,” Bhullar said.

“The stoppage will be standing up or on the ground, me pounding him out. It depends on the [path of] least resistance he shows, the way he will concede easily. But it will be my hands on his face and his body, and him conceding victory to my will.”

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/mma-arjan-bhullar-bares-his-advantage-vs-brandon-vera

Olympic-bound boxers in good condition, assures coach

Filipino boxers, particularly those bound for the Tokyo Olympics in July, are making good progress in their training camp in Thailand.

According to national team coach Don Abnett, the trio of Nesthy Petecio, Irish Magno, and Carlo Paalam are getting the training that they need for the Summer Games where they all hope to reach the podium.

The country's other Olympic-bound boxer, Eumir Marcial, is currently training in his hometown of Zamboanga but has assured the boxing federation that he will join the national team after competing in the Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships later this month.

"They've got very good sparring partners," said Abnett, who is overseeing the Philippine team's training along with coaches Boy Velasco and Ronald Chavez.

"The training here has been second to none," he assured.

About a dozen Filipino boxers have been training at the Thailand National Sports Center in Muaklek since March. Their overseas camp came on the heels of another training bubble at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna in January.

Abnett acknowledged that the first couple of weeks of training in the Inspire bubble were quite tough, as the boxers were out of shape after nearly a year of inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

They have made great progress from there, and have shown their readiness for the Games in sparring with Thai national boxers.

"They've got good pace, and fitness and strength," said Abnett. "They're sparring very competitively against the Thais."

Chavez made note of the great strides made by Paalam, in particular. The young flyweight -- along with Petecio -- qualified to the Olympic Games by virtue of his world ranking after the cancellation of the final qualifying tournament. 

"Napakaganda ang mga kinikilos ngayon ni Carlo, lalo na sa mga sparring," said Chavez. "Sa ngayon, masasabi ko, si Carlo, very conditioned na siya, baka nasa 80, 90 na 'yung kundisyon ni Carlo."

With some ten weeks to go before the Tokyo Olympics, Abnett said they will ramp up the preparations of the Filipino boxers. 

"In the first week or probably first five days of June, they're gonna have an active recovery week, to let the body and the mind recover, and then we're gonna start the next six weeks going into the Olympic Games," he said. "The next block will be tough."

Petecio, Magno, and Paalam will not compete in the Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships, due to quarantine restrictions that the national coaches fear may set back their training programs. 

However, they are still likely to see action ahead of the Olympic Games via a "mini tournament" that is being organized by Thailand's boxing federation.

According to ABAP secretary-general Ed Picson, Olympic-bound boxers from several countries are headed to Thailand in the coming months to prepare.

"That (mini-tournament) will take the place of any international tournament that we'd like to go to," he said.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/olympic-bound-boxers-in-good-condition-assures-coach

PBA: Paul Lee feels younger, deadlier in healthier weight

Paul Lee plans to stick to his newfound playing weight this coming season after reaping the fruits of his efforts during the bubble conference.

Despite a lengthy lockdown last year, Magnolia's combo guard has managed to keep in shape and trimmed some 30 pounds off his body.

From weighing around 220, Lee went down to 190 to 193 pounds.

"Ang ginawa ko mas lamang 'yung healthy foods and kaunti na lang 'yung kinakain ko ngayon. Hindi na ako ganun kalakas kumain," said Lee in the PBA website. 

This paid dividends during the recent Philippine Cup inside the Clark bubble where he moved more fluently, with lesser weight to carry around.

"Nakakatuwa kasi nakita ko 'yung result noong last bubble. Mabilis maka-recover 'yung katawan ko, walang masyadong sumasakit sa katawan ko, kaya dapat tuluy-tuloy ko lang ito," he said.

Lee was on fire for the Hotshots, leading the team in scoring in what is perhaps the best in his nine-year PBA career.

He normed 19.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.09 assists in 12 games, spiked by a searing 43 percent three-point shooting.

Lee said that with Calvin Abueva coming on board, they anticipate Magnolia to give the rest of the PBA clubs a good fight for the title.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/pba-paul-lee-feels-younger-deadlier-in-healthier-weight

MMA: Brandon Vera hopes change of scenery helps him turn back the clock

Reigning ONE heavyweight champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera is still going strong at the tail end of a long and glorious career. 

Despite nearly two decades of excellence spent competing in the upper echelon of professional MMA, the 43-year-old said he is still constantly improving on his skill set, now more than ever since he has a huge fight coming up.

Vera, along with wife Jessica Craven and son Atreyu Timothy, recently made the big decision to uproot their life in Asia and move to Florida part-time, where “The Truth” has joined fellow ONE athletes Aung La N Sang and Martin Nguyen in training at the renowned Sanford MMA under legendary coach Henri Hooft.

It’s a massive life change that allowed Vera to turn back the clock and revolutionize his camp at this stage in his career.

“Out of all the techniques, out of the perfect training schedule at Sanford MMA, coach Henri Hooft, coach Greg [Jones], how they communicate, out of everything that I could tell you, the best part of me moving to Sanford is that I got to become just a student again,” Vera said.

“I got to go into the gym, and just do what the coach says. I get to go play with the boys. I get to try new things. I get to go be a student of this beautiful game again.”

After a high-profile stint in the UFC, Vera left the North American organization in 2013. He later joined ONE Championship in 2014, winning his first four fights for the promotion. Along the way, Vera captured the inaugural ONE heavyweight world title and has made multiple title defenses since.

During this period, Vera was largely self-trained, working closely with long-time strength and conditioning coach and friend George Castro in the Philippines. Moving to Sanford MMA, Vera now finds himself mixing it up with some of the world’s best fighters from different organizations.

Vera said it is a welcome upheaval, and believes it will spell the difference in his next world title defense.

“Even this far along in my career, I feel like a little kid again. I haven’t felt like this since I first started competing. I’m talking about back in 2005, I haven’t felt like this since. Everybody has been using the words reinvigorated. I’m just really, really happy that I could be a kid again and go play,” Vera said.

“That’s exactly what it feels like. I haven’t been in this good of a shape or this ready for an event in a long time. Even as a world champion, I haven’t been ready like this. I’m excited to go see what I can do.”

Vera is scheduled to face Indian wrestling champion Arjan “Singh” Bhullar next, with his ONE heavyweight title on the line. 

The two men square off in the headline bout at ONE: Dangal, a tape delayed event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore that airs on Saturday, May 15.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/mma-brandon-vera-hopes-change-of-scenery-helps-him-turn-back-the-clock

WNBA star Liz Cambage drops Olympic race row boycott threat

SYNDEY, Australia -- Australian basketball star Liz Cambage on Tuesday withdrew a threat to boycott the Tokyo Olympics over "whitewashed" team photoshoots, but vowed to remain outspoken on social justice issues.

The 29-year-old, a two-time Olympian who is preparing for the new WNBA season with the Las Vegas Aces, last week took issue with two promotional pictures showing predominantly white Australian Olympic athletes.

The first photoshoot organized by the team's apparel sponsor, Jockey, included no people of color, while Indigenous rugby player Maurice Longbottom was the only non-white face in the group pictures in the second.

"HOW AM I MEANT TO REPRESENT A COUNTRY THAT DOESNT EVEN REPRESENT ME #whitewashedaustralia," Cambage posted on Instagram, concluding "until I see you doing more @ausolympicteam imma sit this one out".

Cambage, who has a Nigerian father and Australian mother, backtracked in a post on the same platform Tuesday, saying "I'm in baby, I'm in".

"I'm going to play with my sisters that I've been playing with since I was a wee little thing and imma ball out for all those young brown kids back in Australia watching me," she said.

Cambage's threat received a mixed response in Australia, with some applauding her for taking a stance while others, including former tennis star Todd Woodbridge, accused her of "disrespecting" fellow athletes.

The Australian Olympic Committee conceded Cambage had a point and said future photoshoots would reflect its diversity of athletes.

Cambage, part of the Australian team that won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, was unfazed by criticism and said she would continue to speak out.

"I'm such a psycho b*tch that all the hate that you give me turns me on, it makes me go harder and push for more," she said, vowing to use her voice to "make change".

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/wnba-star-liz-cambage-drops-olympic-race-row-boycott-threat

Manny Pacquiao marks 22nd wedding anniversary with wife Jinkee

Filipino boxing icon and politician Manny Pacquiao attributed all his successes to his wife, Jinkee, as they celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary. 

In an Instagram post, Pacquiao thanked God for allowing him to spend over two decades of his life with Jinkee. 

“Happy 22nd anniversary, babe! On this special day, I thank God for every moment spent loving you. I don’t know where I’d be in life without you,” he said in the caption. 

“With the guidance and grace of our Lord, we have proved that nothing is impossible. My career has reached heights because you are by my side,” he added.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Manny Pacquiao (@mannypacquiao)

The Philippine senator also promised long-lasting love to the mother of his five kids.

Jinkee, on the other hand, penned a shorter but still sweet message to the "Pacman" through her personal social media account. 

“Spending time together is, and always will be, my favorite thing,” she said. 

A day before, the boxing champ also hailed Jinkee during the recent Mother’s Day celebration, highlighting the warmth and comfort she constantly gives to their family. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Manny Pacquiao (@mannypacquiao)

“Ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit patuloy na matatag at masayahin ang ating pamilya. I never could have built a wonderful family without you,” he quipped. 

He also said it was his wife who molded their kids to be God-fearing and compassionate towards other people. 

“Lumalaking mabubuti, mapagmahal, at may takot sa Diyos ang ating mga anak dahil sa walang kapagurang pagtutok at paggabay mo sa bawat isa sa kanila,” Pacquiao said. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/manny-pacquiao-marks-22nd-wedding-anniversary-with-wife-jinkee

Jobert Austria, napatawad na ang totoong ina

Matapos ang mahabang panahon ng hindi pagkikita, muling nakasama ng komedyanteng si Jobert Austria, o mas kilala bilang Kuya Jobert, ang kanyang ina.

Sa pinakabagong vlog na nilabas niya nitong Abril 9, Araw ng mga Ina, ibinahagi ni Austria ang video ng muling pagkikita nila ng kanyang ina na si Armanda Villanueva.

Ayon kay Austria, malaki ang pasasalamat niya sa Diyos sa pagkakataon na muling makita at makasama ang magulang na nagawa siyang ipaampon dahil na rin sa hirap ng buhay.

Sa pamamagitan ng isang mensahe sa Facebook mula sa nagpakilalang kapatid niya, naging posible ang muling pagkikita ni Austria at ng kanyang ina. 

At sa kanilang muling pagtatagpo, agad na nagyakap at bumuhos ang luha ng mag-inang matagal na nagkahiwalay.

Sa kabila ng masakit na nakaraan, malaki ang pasasalamat ni Austria sa kanyang ina.

"Nagpapasalamat ako sa iyo. Alam mo kasi kung hindi nangyari ito, siguro hindi ako naging artista," ani Austria.

Pag-amin ni Armanda: "Miss na miss. Siyempre anak ka, mami-miss ka."

Ayon kay Austria, ang importante ay nagkita na ulit sila ng kanyang ina at nagkapatawaran.

"Ang importante, nagkita tayo. Hindi aksidente ito, nagkita tayo... Nagkapatawaran tayo. Pinapatawad na kita kahit na hindi kita niyakap noong mga panahong mag-isa lang ako na nakatira sa jeep," ani Austria. 

"Ang hirap-hirap kaya noong bata pa ako. Minsan umiiyak ako, hindi ko alam. Iba 'yung pakiramdam ng totoong nanay, di ba?" dagdag niya.

Sa huli, ibinahagi ni Austria ang hiling para sa kanyang ina. 

"Sana humaba pa ang buhay mo. Sana makilala mo ang Diyos. At sana maging malakas ka palagi. Sana malaman mo na pinatawad na kita doon sa mga dating nangyari sa atin noong ako ay binigay mo. Ngayon, okay na. Ito na ako. Napagdaanan na natin lahat ng kailangan nating pagdaanan. Mag-aasawa na ako. Nagpapasalamat ako dahil pagpunta ko sa Canada ay nagkita tayo. Bayaan mo, kapag nandoon na ako, palagi kitang kakamustahin at magkakausap tayo," aniya.

Ang mahabang buhay at patuloy na pagkakaroon ng hanapbuhay ang hiling naman ng ina ng komedyante para sa bunsong anak.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/11/21/jobert-austria-napatawad-na-ang-totoong-ina

Ben&Ben to stage virtual concert on Kumu Live Events

OPM band Ben&Ben is set to stage another virtual concert on May 22.

The show, which will start streaming at 7 p.m., will be mounted by ABS-CBN’s music channel MYX in partnership with Kumu Live Events.

Ben&Ben will be the first-ever act to grace the Kumu Live Events virtual stage.

Composed of Miguel, Paolo, Pat, Agnes, Poch, Keifer, Andrew, Jam, and Toni, the group is expected to serenade fans with hits like "Leaves," "Maybe the Night," "Pagtingin," "Kathang Isip," "Lifetime," and latest single "Upuan."

Tickets for the virtual event are now available for purchase on Kumu, with prices at P499 and P999 for general admission and VIP tickets, respectively.

A general admission ticket allows a holder access to the main show's livestream.

On the other hand, VIP ticket owners will enjoy the additional perk of joining the virtual meet-and-greet with the pop rock band after the show.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/05/11/21/benben-to-stage-virtual-concert-on-kumu-live-eventsge-virtual-concert-on-kumu-live-events

WATCH: PCSO 2 PM Lotto Draw, May 11, 2021

Boxing: Eumir Marcial to join PH team in Thailand camp after Dubai tourney

Olympic-bound boxer Eumir Marcial will join the national boxing team in its training camp in Thailand, following his participation in the Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships later this month.

The competition will take place in Dubai from May 21 to June 1. The event was originally set to take place in the Indian capital of New Delhi, but had to be moved due to the massive spike of COVID-19 cases in the city. 

Marcial is the lone Olympian to represent the Philippines in the event, but other Filipino boxers including five-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Josie Gabuco are also set to compete.

"[We will send] about seven boxers, if I remember correctly," Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines secretary-general Ed Picson said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday. 

"There are also candidates for the SEA Games, so this is a good preparation for them," he added.

Marcial said in a previous interview on "Power and Play" that he is looking forward to the tournament, as it will be his first amateur competition in over a year. The heavy-handed middleweight last fought as an amateur during the Asia-Oceania qualifiers in Jordan, where he secured his ticket to the Tokyo Olympics.

Since then, the 25-year-old Marcial has turned professional, signing with MP Promotions. He made his pro debut in December, outpointing American boxer Andrew Whitfield.

"Makakapag-tune up fight [ako]," Marcial said of the upcoming tournament in Dubai. "Maka-tune up fight ulit sa amateur. After noon, 'yung whole month papuntang Olympics, tuloy-tuloy na po ang training."

According to Picson, Marcial has sent word that he intends to go to Thailand following the Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships, where he will join the national team. The other Filipino boxers -- including fellow Olympians Nesthy Petecio, Irish Magno, and Carlo Paalam -- have been training in Thailand since March 10. 

"We welcome that, I think it's a good decision," Picson said of Marcial's plan. 

"Doon sa Thailand kasi, there is going to be an invitational. Nag-iimbita ang Thailand ng ilang mga bansa to join the training camp. So not just in Asia, darating doon 'yung Colombia, darating doon 'yung Australia, darating doon 'yung I think Azerbaijan, and then some others. Baka Cuba dumating pa," he added.

"So that will be good. We're only ten weeks away from the Olympics, so naghahabol tayo. So we hope that Eumir can catch up and the others are doing very well."

Marcial, a three-time SEA Games gold medalist, is among the brightest medal prospects of the country in the upcoming Tokyo Games. He was a silver medalist in the 2019 AIBA World Championships, and won gold in the Olympic qualifiers in March 2020.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/boxing-eumir-marcial-to-join-ph-team-in-thailand-camp-after-dubai-tourney

NBA: Damian Lillard powers Blazers past Rockets

Damian Lillard scored 28 of his 34 points in the second half and finished with nine rebounds and six assists to help the Portland Trail Blazers notch a 140-129 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Monday night.

CJ McCollum and Norman Powell added 28 points apiece as Portland (40-29) won its fourth straight game and prevailed for the eighth time in its past nine. Jusuf Nurkic added 22 points and Derrick Jones Jr. had 11 for Portland.

Kelly Olynyk registered 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists and D.J. Augustin scored a season-high 21 points as NBA-worst Houston (16-53) dropped its sixth straight contest and 43rd in its past 48.

Armoni Brooks and Khyri Thomas added 18 points apiece for the Rockets, and Kenyon Martin Jr. had 15 points and nine rebounds.

The Trail Blazers trail the fifth-place Dallas Mavericks (40-28) by a half-game in the Western Conference race. Portland moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the seventh-place Los Angeles Lakers (38-30) in the battle to finish sixth and avoid the play-in round.

The victory was Terry Stotts' 400th as Portland's coach.

Carmelo Anthony (ankle) sat out for the Trail Blazers, and Christian Wood (ankle) missed the game for Houston.

Portland made 12 3-point baskets in the opening stanza to match an NBA record for a quarter. Overall, the Trail Blazers were 18 of 40 from long range (45 percent) while shooting 51.1 percent from the field.

Cameron Oliver scored 13 points and Jae'Sean Tate added 12 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Houston, which made 49.4 percent of its field-goal attempts and hit 18 of 38 (47.4 percent) from behind the arc.

The Trail Blazers set a franchise record for points in a quarter with 50 in the opening period. McCollum hit all five of his 3-point attempts in the quarter while scoring 21, and the period ended with Portland leading by 17.

McCollum had 26 at the break as the Trail Blazers led 79-63.

The Rockets pulled within seven in the middle of the third quarter. However, Lillard completed his 20-point third period with a trey with 8.6 seconds remaining to give Portland a 111-101 advantage entering the final stanza.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/nba-blazers-rockets-result-damian-lillard

AFP athletes to ramp up preparations for Olympics, SEA Games

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has released the list of approved personnel for detailed service (DS) to the Philippine Sports Commission as athletes and coaches ramp up their preparations for the Tokyo Olympics and the 31st Southeast Asian Games.

"Nagpapasalamat kami kay Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana through the Office of the Chief of Special Service, AFP. Kasama namin ang POC at NSAs sa bagong detailed service na binigay," PSC Chairman William "Butch" Ramirez said on the PSC Hour at Radyo Pilipinas Dos.

A total of 117 athletes and coaches from 22 sports are enlisted, namely: athletics (13), badminton (2), baseball (6), basketball (4), boxing (8), cycling (9), judo (2), kurash (1), lawn bowls (5), muay (3), obstacle course (1), rowing (6), sailing (5), sambo (1), sepak takraw (10), softball (7), swimming (6), table tennis (2), triathlon (2), weightlifting (6), wrestling (12), and para sports (6).

There are 58 under the Philippine Air Force (PAF), 19 from the Philippine Army (PA), and 40 serving the Philippine Navy (PN).

Ramirez stressed the importance of enlisted national team members complying with the agreement between the PSC, AFP, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), and the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC). 

"Ipinaubaya sila sa sports through the Philippine Sports Commission. They don't just go fly anywhere without consulting us," he explained.

"Dapat maintindihan ito ng atleta na kapag miyembro sila ng Armed Forces at pinirmahan ni Secretary Lorenzana at ng kanilang mga officers, ipinagkatiwala sila sa amin. Karamihan sa kanila baka hindi alam na the Philippine Sports Commission takes responsibility para ma DS sila. Nagpapasalamat kami sa partnership na yan," he added. 

The PSC, POC, PPC, and the AFP will have a formal signing of the Memorandum of Agreement covering the "management, development, and training of identified and potential soldier-athletes" on May 20.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/afp-athletes-to-ramp-up-preparations-for-olympics-sea-games

NBA: Jordan Clarkson scores 41, but Jazz fall to Steph Curry, Warriors

Stephen Curry scored 36 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 14.5 seconds remaining, as the Golden State Warriors upended the Western Conference-leading Utah Jazz 119-116 on Monday in San Francisco.

The Warriors (36-33) won not long after their spot in the postseason play-in tournament was secured.

Jordan Poole added 20 points and Kent Bazemore had 19 for the Warriors, who pushed their lead to as many as 18 points in the fourth quarter before the Jazz rallied late. 

Curry has scored at least 30 points in 37 games this season, reaching that benchmark in 20 of his past 22 contests.

Jordan Clarkson had 41 points for the Jazz, including 24 in the fourth quarter. Bojan Bogdanovic added 27 as Utah (50-19) saw its five-game winning streak come to an end.

Utah pushed ahead on two occasions late, including a 116-114 advantage with 1:11 remaining on a Clarkson step-back 3-pointer. However, Clarkson missed all three of his shots the rest of the way, including a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds remaining.

Utah was without leading scorer Donovan Mitchell (ankle) for the 13th consecutive game and without fellow starting guard Mike Conley (hamstring) for the eighth contest in a row. 

The Jazz lost for just the second time over those eight games.

One season after the Warriors finished with the worst record in the NBA, they will play at least one game after the current regular-season ends. Their play-in spot was clinched after the New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier Monday.

Andrew Wiggins scored 14 points for the Warriors, while Draymond Green added 12 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Kevon Looney added 13 rebounds for Golden State.

Rudy Gobert had 10 points and 16 rebounds for the Jazz, who still have a 1 1/2-game lead on the second-place Phoenix Suns. Utah, which hasn't won a Western Conference regular-season title since 1997-98, has three regular-season games remaining.

Poole hit a shot from just beyond half court at the third-quarter buzzer that gave the Warriors a 89-75 lead. The hosts appeared ready to finish off the victory from there, but Utah stayed in it by outscoring the Warriors 41-30 in the final quarter.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/11/21/nba-jordan-clarkson-scores-41-but-jazz-fall-to-steph-curry-warriors

Sakto | Teleradyo (11 May 2021)

ANG LINDOL NG PANALANGIN - Kape't Pandasal kasama si Cardinal Chito Tagle

UAAP: High-scoring Terrence Fortea commits to UP

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

(UPDATED)-- High-scoring guard Terrence Fortea, who helped the Nazareth School of National University win back-to-back UAAP juniors titles, will play collegiate basketball for University of the Philippines.

Cavite governor Jonvic Remulla, one of the UP men's basketball team's chief backers, made the announcement Monday in an appearance on the "King and Ian" podcast, hosted by Chris King dela Cruz and Ian Racela.

"Terrence Fortea has committed to us," said Remulla. "So, makikita mo that the core of the team going to the next three to five years will be really, really solid."

Fortea joins his high school teammates, Carl Tamayo and Gerry Abadiano, in committing to the Fighting Maroons. The pair made their commitment to UP official in August 2020.

"It makes sense for Terrence to want to play alongside his former teammates," UP coach Bo Perasol told ABS-CBN News in a text message. "We are all hoping that they could carry with them the championship spirit that they have."

In Fortea, UP is getting one of the best scorers in the high school ranks who also has experience in the international level. Fortea averaged 15.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game in Season 82, wherein the Bullpups went 16-0.

He has also suited up for the Philippines in several FIBA youth events, including the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup and the 2018 FIBA Under-18 World Cup.

Last year, Fortea was ranked as the ninth best player in high school.

He joins a loaded UP backcourt that features former UAAP Mythical Team member Ricci Rivero, and transferees CJ Cansino and Joel Cagulangan. 

The Fighting Maroons, who made a second consecutive semifinals appearance in 2019, have reloaded after the loss of ace players including Kobe Paras, Jun Manzo, David Murrell, and Jaydee Tungcab.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/10/21/uaap-high-scoring-terrence-fortea-commits-to-up