Connect with us

NEWS

Gilas Pilipinas finds Italy’s outside shooting too hot to handle

August 29, 2023 11:30 p.m.

Gilas Pilipinas battled world No. 10 Italy on even terms early on in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Tuesday night until the Azzuri’s sporadic three-point shots turned into an avalanche.

The Philippines’ final shot at making the second round was essentially put down from there although the Nationals did make a last-ditch attempt to turn things around only to fall short.

Italy found the perfect time to find the mark from deep, torching the Filipinos with 17 triples on the way to a 90-83 victory on the final day of Group A action at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ranked last in three-point shooting in the tournament with a 12-of-60 clip through the first two games, the Italians were dared to shoot treys and made Gilas Pilipinas pay in punching their ticket to the next round of FIBA’s global showpiece.

Italy finished with a 2-1 record just behind Dominican Republic which earlier swept its group assignments, 3-0, after a 75-67 victory over Angola.

That win opened a window for the Philippines to slip in after it lost its first two games – against Dominican Republic and Angola. But Italy quickly shut it closed in the third quarter.

Simone Fontecchio, Jordan Clarkson’s Utah Jazz teammate, bucked a busted lip early in the first half in leading the three-point barrage with three triples to finish with 18 points while Marco Spissu and Giampaolo Ricci had four treys each to finish with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

It was also a balanced attack for the Azzurri with Stefano Tonut, Alessandro Pajola, and Nicolo Melli chipping in 13, 11, and 10 as they surged to a sizeable margin that went to as high as 18 points, 80-62, in the second half.

The win, however, didn’t come without a scare as the Filipinos, behind the 11,821 rallying them on, tried to mount another comeback with an inspired 10-0 run that cut the lead down to just seven, 88-81 with still 1:43 left.

Italy, however, showed great poise in front of the roaring crowd, completing two huge defensive stops against the comebacking host team before Pajola sealed the deal for the Azzurri with two late free throws.

Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes complimented his players for not giving up on their hopes.

“[I’m] very proud of the effort of our players. What a way to fight, coming off those two painful losses and to still show up tonight, give it their all against [the] top ten team in the world,” said Reyes.

“Couldn’t ask for more, but we just came up short. But we continued to fight, that’s all we can do.”

Clarkson led Gilas with 23 points, but was 8-of-20 from the field, including 1-of-7 from three point range, with four turnovers.

The Philippines shot slightly better from the field overall, but was 10-of-29 from beyond the arc, a 21- point difference that proved too much to overcome.

Dwight Reyes was the only other Filipino in double-figures with 14, but even he fell victim to a shooting funk in going 2-of-8 from deep.

Up next for Gilas Pilipinas is the classification stage where it will face the No. 3 team from Group B – either South Sudan, China, or Puerto Rico – on Thursday, Aug. 31.

NEWS

“Priceless” Nino Muhlach FAMAS trophy sold to Boss Toyo 

12:59 p.m. May 15, 2024

Entrepreneur and child actor Nino Muhlach gave Boss Toyo one of his prized awards from the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) in exchange for P500,000.

But Boss Toyo reiterated that Muhlach’s award is “priceless” and will become part of his future museum. 

In an episode of Pinoy Pawnstars last Monday, Boss Toyo haggled with Muhlach, who personally visited the content creator’s shop in Quezon City to personally give one of his five FAMAS awards and make it as part of his collection.

“Aalagaan mo ‘yan, irerestore mo yan [Take care of that, restore it],” Muhlach told Boss Toyo. 

Boss Toyo said that he wants to restore the award, one of Muhlach’s five FAMAS awards to its former glory and showcase it in his planned museum alongside the award that Jiro Manio sold to Boss Toyo a few months ago. 

Muhlach said that it was Toyo who personally inquired about the award and decided to sell to the content creator one of the five Best Child Performer awards that he received in his career. 

“I decided to give it to him, pero big deal, kailangan alagaan niya and irestore niya and ilagay niya sa museum niya, dahil hindi ko na naalagaan, ‘yun ang deal namin [I decided to give it to him, but big deal because he needs to take care of it seriously, restore it and put it in his museum because I never take care of it. That’s our deal],” Muhlach said.

Boss Toyo said that Nino Muhlach’s FAMAS award is one of his dream items as he wants to note how Muhlach changed Filipino entertainment through his movies with noted Filipino actors such as the King of Filipino movies and legends such as Fernando Poe Jr. and Dolphy. 

“Ikaw ang barometer, ‘pag sinabing ‘child actor’, tandaan natin, wala pa akong nakitang nakadaig sayo as a child actor [You are the barometer of a ‘child actor’ because we have to remember nobody does it better than you],” Toyo said. 

Apart from the award, Muhlach gave to Boss Toyo some of the theater lobby cards from the movies he starred in and produced. 

Aside from acting, Muhlach also dabbled in several businesses, including the El Nino Apartments and Muhlach Ensaymada, which was gifted to Boss Toyo.

Continue Reading

NEWS

Check out this Next-Gen ID of Ateneo De Manila University, powered by Maya 

12:30 p.m. May 15, 2024

Have you caught sight of the latest innovation making waves at the Ateneo de Manila University? Maya, the #1 Digital Bank in the Philippines, has unveiled its cutting-edge ID card at the Ateneo de Manila University, redefining campus experiences and revolutionizing security and cashless transactions for students, faculty, and staff alike.

Featuring a sleek design and an embedded RFID chip, this Maya-powered ID card provides seamless access to vital university points, ensuring convenience and security not only on campus but also beyond. But here’s the kicker—it’s not just about identification. Maya’s collaboration with Ateneo goes beyond mere convenience—it’s about revolutionizing the entire campus experience by linking this innovative ID card to the Maya app. Together with Maya’s end-to-end cashless ecosystem, it simplifies identification, empowers students, faculty, and staff to make secure payments across the campus, and drives adoption of financial services.

Additionally, the Ateneo community can experience smooth transactions not just within campus establishments like Kitchen City and Macroasia, but also at nearby off-campus establishments like McDonald’s and Starbucks. And there’s more—this ID card offers exclusive offers and promotions through the Maya app, in addition to enabling users to purchase load, pay bills, open savings accounts, and invest in Funds and Stocks, among other features.

With Maya leading the charge, the groundbreaking partnerships established with UP-Diliman in 2019, UP-Cebu last year, and this year’s collaboration with Ateneo are reshaping the educational landscape through cutting-edge technology. Say hello to secure, efficient, and modern campus environments, welcoming a new era of university experiences across the Philippines.

To dive deeper into the Maya experience, head over to maya.ph and mayabank.ph. Don’t forget to follow Maya at @mayaiseverything on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, and @mayaofficialph on Twitter for the latest updates.

Continue Reading

NEWS

foodpanda logistics pays tribute to Ka-panda moms

2:00 p.m. May 14, 2024

They say that being a mother is a tough job in itself, especially when you’re also a working mom. But these mom heroes are taking it a notch higher by taking on a job typically dominated by men – navigating busy streets and traffic to support their families as delivery partners. Their resilience and dedication make them truly exceptional, embodying the spirit of hard work and determination.

Last Mother’s Day, delivery service provider foodpanda logistics paid tribute to the mothers in their Ka-panda delivery fleet who broke barriers and paved the way for themselves and their families, one delivery at a time.

Mom & daughter tandem

The bond between a mother and daughter is undoubtedly one of the most powerful relationships there is, and this dynamic duo takes it to the streets as freelance delivery partner bikers. Nina Heroda is a newcomer Ka-panda, having joined just four months ago, and her mother Purita followed shortly after.

“Pinagsasabay ko ang pag-aasikaso sa mga anak ko at pagha-hanapbuhay. Kahit uuwing pagod, kakayod ulit kinabukasan. Go lang nang go,” Nina shared.

Purita was also drawn to becoming a Ka-panda because of the opportunities it offered. Besides the typical motorcycle riders, bikers also have the chance to deliver orders, while enjoying the flexibility in their hours. “Ang kagandahan sa pagiging delivery partner ay nakakaya kong i-manage yung oras ko sa pagiging ina at pagiging Ka-panda. Ulirang ina sa umaga, tapos kukuha naman ako ng delivery session pagdating ng hapon. ”

Riding towards the future

A single mom maneuvering through the streets delivering food and grocery orders on her e-scooter – that is Jay Ann Martinez.Her e-scooter gives her the freedom and independence to build a brighter future for her daughter, even as a single parent.

“Kapag minsan na masama pakiramdam ko, pwedeng hindi muna kumuha ng session. Pero kapag gumaling, balik agad. Bilang nanay, kailangan natin ma-provide yung mga kailangan ng mga anak natin kahit mahirap dahil wala tayong hindi kakayanin para sa pamilya.”

Soldiering on foot

The Ka-panda delivery fleet’s inclusivity even extends its opportunities to walkers who fulfill orders on foot. This presents a unique chance for individuals who either don’t own vehicles or lack the know-how to operate one, such as Reena Dolores. She decided to become a Ka-panda to join her husband.

“Sa kagustuhan ko tumulong sa asawa ko, pinapasok ko na rin ang pagiging delivery partner. Nagagampanan ko pa rin naman ang pagiging ina dahil minsan, maghahatid ako ng mga anak ko tapos magde-deliver.”

A tribute to Ka-panda SuperwoMoms

The Ka-panda moms were treated to gifts from foodpanda logistics brand partners Silverworks and Motivo, as well as cash giveaways. They also had the opportunity to bond with their family members to celebrate the special occassion.

“It’s amazing how these women delivery partners show that they are just as capable as men in this line of work. We pay tribute to the amazing mothers in our delivery fleet because they represent the resilience and dedication we admire,” said foodpanda logistics Rider Experience Lead Ron Sanders.

In addition to rewarding the moms, foodpanda logistics also provided special Quests for its delivery fleet, allowing them to earn extra income by completing a series of orders on Mother’s Day last May 12. Raffle entries were also available for a chance to win one of the brand-new motorcycles.

“On Mother’s Day, we honored the exceptional contributions of Ka-panda moms and extend a warm invitation to aspiring mothers to become part of our Ka-panda community,” Sanders emphasized.

Visit the foodpanda riders Facebook page to discover the compelling stories of these Ka-pandas, alongside other Ka-panda mothers.

Continue Reading