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Cool Smashers barge into PVL finals

April 4, 2022 12:44 p.m.

ITS will and character tested, Creamline took Choco Mucho’s challenge to heart, battling back from a set down and pounding out a 23-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-15 victory to clinch the first championship berth in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference in Pasay Sunday.

The big crowd were back at the MOA Arena and so were the Cool Smashers in the finals as the 2018-19 champions came away with two decisive scoring runs in the last two sets, the first shattering a 15-all count with a six-point roll and the other breaking a 7-all game with a seven-point binge for a pair of breakaway romps.

Creamline, which failed to make it three-in-a-row in the league’s centerpiece event after losing to Chery Tiggo in Ilocos Norte last August, awaits the winner in the other semifinal duel pitting Cignal HD and Petro Gazz.

Game One of the Finals will start Wednesday, also at the MOA Arena.

A victory by Petro Gazz will set a knockout match for the other finals berth today (Monday).
Creamline also subdued Choco Mucho in four, 25-18, 17-25, 25-19, 25-11, in Game One at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan last Friday.

While the Flying Titans surprised the Cool Smashers with their solid net defense in the opening set that saw them produce seven blocks against their rivals’ one, the latter went to their vaunted power game, raining Choco Mucho with 62 attacks points, 26 more than their sister team.

“We’re thankful that we were able to recover from our first set loss. We came up short but the team’s maturity and chemistry are there. We only have to play our game,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses.

And play they did.

The high-flying, jump-serving Tots Carlos stood at the forefront of Creamline’s offense with 23 points, including 19 attacks, while Jema Galanza unloaded 16 attacks and finished with 18 points and skipper Alyssa Valdez backed them up with a solid 17-hit effort.

Pangs Panaga added 10 points, making her presence felt at the end of the fourth set where she pumped in back-to-back attacks that likewise exposed the Flying Titans’ inability to respond to the Cool Smashers’ quick plays.

“We really trained hard and studied Choco Mucho’s play,” said Galanza, named the best player of the game that actually produced a lot of heroes for the Cool Smashers, who drew inspiration from and lived through the roars of the crowd all game to mark their return to the Open finals for the fourth straight year.

It was a sorry setback for the young Flying Titans, who had appeared headed to extending the series with an impressive win in the opening set. But they slowed down in net defense in the next two, scoring just two in the second and had zero blocks in the third.

Kat Tolentino finished with 14 points while Des Cheng scored 13 points, the last two kept the team in the hunt at 14-20 and 15-22. But the Cool Smashers pulled away again on those Panaga’s hits and Valdez did what she does best, closing out their rivals with a power hit that pierced through Bea de Leon’s stretched-out arms.

De Leon made nine points in a three-set stint while Aduke Ogunsanya and Cherry Nunag added six points apiece for the Flying Titans, who scored 23 points off the Cool Smashers’ unforced errors but yielded 10 aces.Stung by the Flying Titans’ strong start, the Cool Smashers drew level with an imposing win in the second set then broke away from a tight game midway in the third frame.

Fully regaining their confidence, not to mention the momentum, the crowd favorites squandered an early 6-1 lead in the fourth but like in the previous set, they broke a 7-all count with a decisive seven-point run on their way to completing a sweep of the Flying Titans.

Choco Mucho also had a fair share of the cheers and screams, particularly when the Flying Titans stymied the dreaded Creamline attacking game with solid blocking in the opening set and in the fourth when they rallied from 7-14 down to within 12-14 on a five-point roll capped by Isa Molde’s back-to-back hits.

But the heavy-handed Cool Smashers came out of the huddle an organized lot, firing away hits after hits behind Carlos, Valdez and Galanza on their way to posting another 21-14 cushion that proved to be too big a deficit for the Flying Titans to overcome.

NEWS

DITO delivers superior network performance, turning digital aspirations into possibilities

8:11 p.m. August 28, 2025

DITO Telecommunity showcased how superior connectivity transforms Filipino digital aspirations into achievable realities during the successful media launch of the telco’s latest campaign, Kaya DITO, held at Manila House, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. 

Built on True 5G standalone technology and as validated by a global leader in mobile analytics and insights, Opensignal, as the Philippines’ Fastest Mobile Network, DITO’s ecosystem proves that the Filipino telecommunity’s demand for seamless network connectivity, value-driven services and unified digital experience aren’t distant possibilities, but today’s basic expectations—this challenges what the telco industry has long normalized.

“For too long, outages, dropped calls, and overpriced data have been treated as normal. Let us say it bluntly: It is not normal. Every Filipino has limitless potential when equipped with the right tools, and the game is now changing since DITO has joined the fray and taken up the cause to disrupt the status quo—to deliver inclusive, next-gen technology to the  Filipino people. “Kaya DITO!” is our battle cry to symbolically break that cycle, because we truly believe that Filipinos deserve better,” shared by DITO Telecommunity President Eric Alberto in the event.

The Telco that Truly Takes Care of its Users 

DITO’s prepaid solutions eliminate the frustration of wasted data through Level-Up Packs with ViLTE technology, making DITO the primary telco offering unlimited DITO-to-DITO HD video calls and unli mobile calls. Combined with Viber and Prime Video inclusions and flexible data packages with longer validity periods, users can now maximize their every peso without worrying about abruptly expiring data allocations.

The Telco that Offers Value-Packed Postpaid Plans

DITOFlexPlan 888 redefines what postpaid should offer—comprehensive inclusions and generous data at prices that make sense for Filipino budgets. Whether you choose SIM-only or device bundles, these plans prove that premium network performance doesn’t have to break the bank, empowering users to pursue their goals without connectivity compromises.

The Telco that Brings True 5G Home Internet Convenience 

DITO WoWFi Pro 365 makes home connectivity effortless with a year-long unlimited connection that works when you need it. Families enjoy the convenience of reliable internet for work, study, and entertainment without the inconvenience of data top-ups and complicated installations; just network performance that simplifies your digital life at home.  Just ask any of your relatives and friends who have already ditched ordinary WiFi and jumped onto WoWFi— they will tell you what you’ve been missing out on.

The Telco that Built Everything You Need in One App

The DITO App represents one of the industry’s most comprehensive digital platforms, built from the ground up to handle the entire customer journey. From SIM and load purchase to account management and a wide range of OTT apps, users enjoy complete digital control with custom special offers, DITO Rewards points, and 24/7 customer support—managing everything while earning exclusive benefits.

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NEWS

Pay with GCash and turn daily payments into big wins

11:39 a.m. August 27, 2025

GCash, the country’s leading finance super app, is making everyday payments more rewarding with “Pay It, Win It”, where every ₱50 spent on GCash builds your chances to win over ₱20 million worth of exciting rewards.

With “Pay It, Win It”, everyday payments turn into extraordinary wins with prizes designed to match the passion and lifestyle of all GCash users. Every two weeks, new and bigger rewards drop, bringing you closer to the life upgrade you’ve been dreaming of.
GCash takes it further by listening to what its users truly value and showing up where they are. Whether it’s in the daily grind, their fandoms, or their passions, rewards don’t just excite, but they resonate in everyday life.

Upgrade Your Everyday
Every peso spent gives users a chance to win must-have prizes that can upgrade their everyday lives– from driving home a brand-new BYD Seal 5 DM-i Dynamic or zipping through the city on a Yamaha NMAX, to bringing homea Samsung Smart TV.

A Trip to the K-Land 
For all dedicated and passionate K-pop fans, you can turn your bills and shopping receipts into plane tickets, taking you a step closer to your bias.  Win a trip for two to Seoul or Busan and make your ultimate K-dream a reality.

Level Up Your Play
For PC and console gamers, leveling up has never been this thrilling. Win the latest gaming console (PlayStation™ 5), a high-performance gaming laptop (ASUS ROG Strix G16), and the ultimate gaming phone (ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro), because every gamer knows that better gear leads to better performance.

Joining is simple; just head over to the “Pay It, Win It” page by clicking the “Tap for Promos” banner on your GCash app and choosing a prize to register. Every ₱50 spent instantly counts as a raffle entry.

Pay any way you like, whether it’s scanning or generating a QR code, paying with your GCash Card, paying online, buying load or paying bills inside the GCash app, paying with GCash Tap to Pay, or generating a QR with your Huawei Watch. No extra forms, no fuss, just keep using GCash everyday.

Winners are drawn weekly and announced every Friday through the official social media channels of GCash and in-app promo page. All winners will be notified via email, and in-app alerts.

With “Pay It, Win It,” GCash proves that every payment isn’t just a flow of funds from users’ wallets; it’s a step toward progress, a connection to your passion, and a chance to unlock rewards that truly matter.  For more information about GCash, visit www.new.gcash.com.

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‘Gender dimension’ will make urban spaces more inclusive, useful — expert

11:12 a.m. August 26, 2025

Urban planners must consider the “gender dimension” to make public spaces more inclusive and allow better use of infrastructures designed to make users move comfortably, according to a US-based expert supporting movements for greater public mobility.

Benjie de la Peña, CEO of the Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC) and chair of the Global Network for Popular Transportation, said buildings, walkways or sidewalks, and transport terminals should not be mere infrastructures as they must be public spaces where people should be able to move comfortably.

Engineers tend to think of efficiency and movement alone and they don’t think about the waiting part, right? … It’s always about the moving and not about the waiting. But in a good system, you think about how it is to wait and dwell,” De la Peña told participants of the Philippine Mobility Series 2025’s “Mobility Chat” recently.

For instance, De la Peña said, women and caregivers have different trip patterns from men and regular office workers, hence, the significance to create mobility hubs for women, as well as caregivers.

In their analysis, De la Peña noted that in most cities, available public transport services go to the employment areas and serves particular times, but that’s not how women and caregivers move. 

“They sometimes have to stop over at school to drop off the kids, or on the way home, stop over and pick up a grocery, or if they’re caring for someone older, they have to take them to the doctor or to the pharmacy. And so, none of the public transportation systems are particularly friendly to that,” said the Filipino urban transport expert.

“This is precisely why Grab in the Philippines is supporting the Philippine Mobility Series 2025. We need to hear more civilian voices. We need a platform to allow exchanges of ideas to flow in order to improve mobility in the country,” according to Booey Bonifacio of Grab.

After interviewing 100 women aged 11 to 95 on their transportation needs and challenges, De la Peña noted how the framework they designed had radically changed when gender dimension was added.

If we design for the people with the most challenges, it works better for everyone else,” De la Peña told the “Mobility Chat” organized by AltMobility PH and co-presented by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and in partnership with Grab and the Move As One Coalition.

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