Connect with us

NEWS

PH women’s team takes pride in its heart, fighting spirit

WELLINGTON – Goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel and  midfielder Tahnai Annis were both asked what Filipino word came to mind in describing the Filipinas’ FIFA Women’s World Cup monumental 1-0 upset of the Ferns in front of a packed hometown crowd at the Wellington Stadium here Tuesday night.  

“Puso (heart)” both McDaniel and Annis replied in separate interviews moments after their milestone triumph that kept them alive in Group A to bounce  back from  a  0-1 loss to Switzerland in their first match last week in Dunedin.  

“It was a huge privilege for me to finally get to play in the World Cup. A moment to remember and to be cherished. We fought hard with heart,” said Annis, who came off the bench in the second half after sitting out the first game.

Chandler, who took Player of the Match honors, echoed her teammate’s sentiments of the collective big fighting heart they displayed not only against their rivals but also  in the face of a jammed arena of over 30,000 animated local fans who rooted for the hosts to win.

It was left to Australian coach Alen Stajcic to elaborate and explain what both players said.

“Of heart and spirit, this team has got it in spades. In all those factors, they are 10 of 10,” said Stajcic, who tried to hold back his own emotions during the post-match conference, while relishing their huge achievement.  

“They (the Filipinas) are one of the best teams in the world for unity, collective effort and playing above themselves as a unit. When you see that and you know what you have, that is what makes it really special,” the two-time World Cup veteran mentor stressed.

He amplified the significance of the win in just the squad’s second game of the World Cup, comparing the feat to  what other countries had to go through in attaining one.  

“For New Zealand I think it was their 15th or 16th match or five or six World Cups,” he recalled of the hosts’  record of futility until they scored a breakthrough 1-0 triumph over Norway at Eden Park in Auckland last week.  

“While watching Colombia and (South) Korea  before our game, the commentator said they have one win each. Korea has been at least in five or six world cups and Colombia three or four,” he pointed out.  

 “To think that we have done it in our second match in our first World Cup. You can’t really appreciate how far we’ve come back in the pack compared to where those countries where in terms of their football history, their culture and investment,” the Australian tactician explained.

Likening the New Zealand game to a boxing match, Stajcic said “that there was no doubt if this was a boxing match, they (the Ferns) were the better team but we earned that win with other qualities,” he said.

Or in a word – “puso.”   

Caption: Goalie Olivia McDaniel (left) leads the other Filipinas in  saluting the crowd after their upset of the Ferns. With her are: Sofia Harrison (second from left), Ryley Bugay, Isabella Flanigan and Quinley Quezada. 

NEWS

Katapult Digital chairman to conduct free brand-building conference in Manila on Thursday

 9:47 p.m. November 5, 2024    

GLOBAL CEO and sports coach James Michael Lafferty will be returning to Manila for a one-day business conference on how to build a top brand nowadays in the age of fast-growing technological revolutions at the Hilton Hotel Newport on Thursday.

Lafferty, the coach and personal adviser of two-time Olympian and Asia’s No. 1 pole vault king EJ Obiena, will conduct a free 2 to 4 p.m. exclusive networking talk on mastering the art of building global brands in an era of rapidly evolving consumer presence.

The two-hour free conference entitled “Building Global Brands” for a limited 30-person attendees plus a livestream availability is organized by Lafferty, who is the chairman of Katapult Digital, and their CEO Francis Uy.

Lafferty, who was recently named for the fourth time as one of the top 100 CEOs by Forbes, has held CEO positions in some of the most iconic branded companies including Procter and Gamble and Coca-Cola.

He is considered one of the world’s leading experts on branding.

Aside from Obiena, former Southeast Asian Games long jump queen Marestella Torres-Sunang was also one of the Filipino national athletes mentored by Lafferty up to now.

Uy will also discuss the Revolution of Artificial Intelligence and Hyper-Targeting and discover how AI and precision marketing are transforming growth strategies and redefining success in the digital age.

For inquiries and interested parties, please RSVP now before spots fill up: Email: roland.espiritu@katapultdigital.com Contact: +639064993789

Continue Reading

NEWS

SM Super Pets Club offers more than paw-sibilities with new Facebook group

9:40 p.m. November 5, 2024

Calling all fur parents! The SM Super Pets Club Facebook group has officially launched in partnership with Grab Pet, and exclusive promos await! Connect with other pet owners, gain first dibs on new discounts from partner brands, and receive free consultations from veterinarians–all by joining the SM Super Pets Club.

The winning super pet and fur-parent duo pose in matching superhero-themed costumes.

The launch, held at SM Aura’s Paw Park on October 19, 2024, brought together excited pet parents for an afternoon filled with fun, bonding, and exclusive freebies. Pets arrived in their best costumes for a contest that saw both parents and furry friends show off their ensembles on stage.

Pets socialize with one another at SM Aura’s Paw Park, located at Skypark on Level 5.

Paw-syal at SM is now easier than ever with Grab Pet, which allows passengers to bring their fur-babies along for the ride.

With Grab Pet, passengers can safely bring their furry friends with them to any SM Paw Park in Metro Manila.

SM Supermalls continues to be a pet-friendly space, with this latest initiative creating an interactive hub for pet owners to share their experiences, tips, and more. Fur parents can expect more exciting events, deals, and community activities as the group expands.

Join the SM Super Pets Club Facebook group to connect with other fur parents and exchange photos of your pets.

Want to see more highlights from the launch event and learn more about the paw-sibilities that await you? Watch the video here:

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsmsupermalls%2Fvideos%2F583719037641608%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0

If you haven’t yet joined the SM Super Pets Club Facebook group, now is the perfect time to do so. For more information, visit www.smsuperpetsclub.com or follow SM Supermalls on all social media.

Continue Reading

NEWS

DITO earns global recognition with 5 awards at 21st International Business Awards

8:00 p.m. November 4, 2024

DITO Telecommunity, the fastest-growing telco in the country, continues to prove its grounds as it recently bagged five awards at the recently concluded 21st International Business Awards (IBA) held in Istanbul, Turkey.

DITO won two silver awards- Influencer Marketing Campaign of the Year and Communications or PR Campaign of the Year-Social Media-Focused – for its Galing DITO 2024 campaign, which was launched early this year and headlined by the emerging Pinoy Pop boy group Alamat.

Moreover, DITO’s commitment to innovation was recognized with three bronze awards- Marketing Disruptor of the Year, User-Centered Redesign Drives Conversions Category: Achievement in User Experience, and Fastest-growing Company of the Year in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.  These awards underscore DITO’s relentless pursuit of enhancing connectivity and customer service experience for the Filipino people.

According to Evelyn Jimenez, DITO Chief Revenue Officer for Consumer Business, these internationally acclaimed awards reinforce DITO’s position as a dynamic force in the Philippine telecommunications industry.

“As a young telco, we’re honored by these global recognitions that not only validate our team’s hard work and dedication but also cement our position in the Philippine telco industry,” Jimenez said.

“The GalingDITO campaign, which champions Filipino talent and excellence, was one of our key initiatives this year. This campaign is more than just an avenue to spotlight homegrown talents but also a reflection of our continuous commitment towards empowering more Filipinos powered by our inclusive, next-generation technology,” Jimenez added.

The IBA, also known as the “International Stevies,” is the world’s premier business awards program, recognizing outstanding achievements in various industries worldwide.

For more information, check out @DITOphofficial at Facebook and Instagram or visit https://dito.ph/.

Continue Reading