NEWS
Tabuena quashes Mondilla in playoff to capture ICTSI Luisita golf crown
March 25, 2022 8:19 p.m.
TARLAC – Miguel Tabuena showed firm resolve in the clutch and staying power in debilitating heat, foiling Clyde Mondilla’s scorching rally with a six-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole to capture the ICTSI Luisita Championship here yesterday.
Both birdied the tough closing par-4 hole in regulation in separate flights with Mondilla doing the feat first off a superb 56-degree wedge shot from 96 yards to within five feet to spike a closing 65 highlighted by four straight bogeys from No. 4.
Tabuena, on the other hand, bounced back from a disastrous bogey on the 17th with a birdie putt from close range off a near-perfect drive to save a 70 and tie Mondilla at nine-under 279.
But after both matched pars on the first playoff hole, also on No. 18, Tabuena proved steadier in the end, drilling a delicate putt back on the 18th after Mondilla flubbed his own bid from 10 feet and ending up on top in the P2 million championship that kicked off the new Philippine Golf Tour season after a year-long break due to global health crisis.
The victory, worth P360,000, likewise extended the ace shotmaker’s winning run at the Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed layout to four, including the Philippine Open in 2015.
“I struck the ball better compared to the first three days but I didn’t putt as well that’s why I didn’t have as many birdies,” said Tabuena, who had five birdies against three bogeys in his closing pair of 35s.
“But I’m pretty happy with the outcome, obviously. But a win is a win and it’s my first win as a married man, so thank you Lord,” added Tabuena, who married his long-time Lauren Nocum in the US last month.
Despite his big lead following Michael Bibat’s early meltdown, Tabuena knew someone very familiar with the tight, challenging course would step up and mount a charge.
“Congrats to Clyde, he played the best round, but I wasn’t so shocked (of his comeback),” he said of Mondilla. “I was expecting someone to chase me and I had very good feeling it would be Clyde, who basically practiced and lived here for few months before the pandemic so he really knew the course.”
Mondilla missed duplicating his feat at Pradera Verde two years ago but admitted he yielded to a better player.
“Getting to the playoff was something, considering that I was down by five. My putting just clicked and I was in the hunt,” said Mondilla, who actually fell by as many as seven with a bogey on No. 2 which Tabuena birdied in a flight behind.
“But I misread my line of putt (on the second playoff hole). But that’s okay, me mas magaling pa kesa sa akin (there’s someone better than me),” said Mondilla, who had hoped to match his feat at ICTSI Pradera Verde where he also rallied from five down in the final round and best four others in the playoff in the most crowded playoff cast in PGT history in Jan. 2020 before the circuit took a long break due to global health crisis. He received P236,000.
Earlier, Tabuena pounced on Bibat’s early stumble to build up a big cushion, only to find himself faced with a tougher task of stopping a hot-finishing Mondilla on his tracks.
As the Del Monte native strung up four straight birdies from No. 4 to launch his fightback and sustained it with four more birdies in the last 10 holes, Tabuena went on a roller-coaster ride, mixing two birdies with two bogeys from No. 4 to the 14th, enabling Mondilla to force a tie at eight-under overall.
He birdied the 16th to regain the lead but stumbled with a bogey on the 17th and needed to produce a birdie on the 72nd hole to force a playoff.
Amateur Perry Bucay also proved to be a revelation, finishing a strong joint third with third round joint leader Michael Bibat at four-under 284 total after a 70 in sweltering heat.
His confidence boosted by a fiery 66 Thursday that lifted him from joint 15th to joint fourth, Bucay snapped a one-birdie, one-bogey game with three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 12 and could’ve claimed solo third if not for a bogey on No. 17.
Still, it was impressive stint for the rising amateur star, who turned in a pair of so-so 74s in the first two rounds but went on a birdie-spree in the third day before closing out with another under-par card.
He nearly upstaged Bibat, who sparked hopes of ending a long title spell after forging ahead with Tabuena with a second 68 in three days Thursday. But the 2013 ICTSI Pueblo de Oro champion failed to recover from a bogey and double bogey stumble on Nos. 1 and 3, respectively, and yielded two more strokes on the first two holes at the back.
But he birdied two of the next three, missed a chance on the 16th and parred the rest for a 75. He took home P136,000 with Bucay claiming the low amateur trophy in the 72-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.
Reymon Jaraula carded a 70 and Lascuña shot a 71 as they shared fifth at 286 worth P96,000 each while Zanieboy Gialon matched par 72 for seventh at 287 worth P76,000, and rookie pro Sean Ramos fumbled with a 75 and tumbled to eighth at 288 for his first paycheck of P66,000.
Next up for the PGT is the ICTSI Splendido Challenge on April 18-22 to be held with the 54-hole Ladies PGT at Splendido Taal Golf Club in Tagaytay.
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
NEWS
‘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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DITO delivers superior network performance, turning digital aspirations into possibilities
Pay with GCash and turn daily payments into big wins
