source: Olmin Leyba | philstar.com

With only one athlete in boxer Mark Anthony Barriga qualified for the 2012 Olympics so far and others still scrambling for slots, sports officials are bracing for what probably could be the smallest Phl delegation in recent years.

“The way it looks, our assessment is maybe five to six athletes will be included in the delegation, so that’s a far cry from the last two Olympics,” Philippine Olympic Committee first vice president and chef de mission Manny Lopez said yesterday.

Phl sent 15 bets to Beijing in 2008 and 16 in Athens four years earlier. And even if the POC’s conservative target of six would be met, it would be the lowest since 12 carried the flag in 1996. But in that meet, boxer Onyok Velasco brought home a silver medal, the best the country can produce in the Olympiad and Phl’s last medal to date.

Barriga placed ninth in the AIBA World Championships to qualify. His teammates led by Asiad champ Rey Saludar and the women’s delegation will try to follow suit in the separate qualifying meets next year as do weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and a group of shooters. Swimming and athletics are assured of mandatory slots, one male and one female each.

Most of the Olympic hopefuls are looking to make it via the backdoor, that is through the “Tripartite Invitation Places “or TIPs in 16 sports and reallocation of “unused slots” or vacancies in six sports.

Lopez, however, revealed that Phl has been disqualified for TIPs since only countries with six or less Olympians in the past two editions are entitled to such. Phl is left to seek unused slots in boxing, cycling, fencing, taekwondo and wrestling.

“Our only chance is if some slots will be given up in six sports where we can get it as substitutes. So we’re encouraging NSAs to convince their respective international federations to grant them slots,” said Lopez, reportedly groomed as a candidate for the next POC polls.

He lamented the dwindling number of Pinoy bets in the Olympics.

“While others have been improving by leaps and bounds, sad to say, we’ve not been developing competitively on a high standard. For the first time, wag naman sana, this would be our lowest number of contingent for the Olympics. But we’re still thinking on the positive side kaya pinipilit naming gawin ang lahat para madagdagan,” he said.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has bought a P25-million yacht as a Christmas gift to his family.

The Italian-made yacht, named “Sarangani’s Pride,” is Pacquiao’s surprise treat to his family following his successful bout against Mexican champion Juan Manuel Marquez last November 12.

Pacquiao’s wife, Jinkee, said they had been dreaming of owning a yacht for sometime now.

“Andaming blessing na dumating atsaka ‘yung yate, iniisip lang namin dati na kelan kaya kami magkakaroon ng ganyan? Tapos ngayon, eto na,” she said.

The fully furnished vessel was blessed by a priest on Wednesday.

Pacquiao’s boat is considered as the “Ferrari” of yachts.

It carries 3 jet skis, worth P1 million each, and it can travel from Sarangani to Manila in a day-and-a-half.

Pacquiao said he and his family will have plenty of bonding time while riding the yacht.

“Regalo ko sa pamilya ko at sa mga kids ko, wife ko after ng [Marquez] fight,” he said.

The “gift” is also seen by some as Pacquiao’s way to make up for a recent issue surrounding his marriage.

Shortly before the Marquez fight, rumors about Jinkee’s supposed plan to have her marriage to Pacquiao annulled circulated.

But this was vehemently denied by the boxing champion.

Jinkee now maintains that their problems are already a thing of the past.

“Actually, hindi ko na iniisip eh. Hindi ko na dapat iniisip ulit. Saka ‘di ko na dapat balikan pa,” said Jinkee. — With a report from Jay Dayupay, ABS-CBN News SOKSARGEN

Manny Pacquiao buys P25-M yacht (VIDEO)

source: Abac Cordero | philstar.com

As the new training center remains on the drawing board, the hundreds of national athletes will have to make do with what the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission could offer.

Jose Cojuangco, the POC president, said they are looking at the renovation of the training facilities in Baguio City, and the development of existing venues for shooting, archery and other combat sports.

“We know what we have in mind,” said Cojuangco, who sat down with President Aquino a couple of weeks ago to stress the need for the construction of a new training center for the national athletes.

Cojuangco has been batting for this the last couple of years, but the project remains easier said than done because of the huge budget needed for the construction of the training center outside of Metro Manila.

Cojuangco is looking at an area in Clark in Pampanga as the ideal site, and said if it happens, the national athletes will be pulled out of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and Philsports in Pasig.

The POC chief said Metro Manila, with all the pollution and distractions, is no longer conducive for the national athletes.

President Aquino, according to Cojuangco, is open to the idea of a new training center but for the meantime he suggested that the POC as well as the PSC try to maximize what they have right now, especially when it comes to funding.

The President urged the top sports leaders to prioritize the sports that will receive full backing from the government, and just seek additional help from the private sector so there will be enough for the others national sports associations (NSAs).

Richie Garcia, the PSC chairman, said they are looking at 15 sports, all Olympic events, that will get full funding from the government sports agency starting next year.

The idea of selling the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex was even brought up, and the huge portion of the sale would be used for the new training center like that of the other countries.

“All the leaders in sports in Asia have training centers. I told President Noynoy that we need it. But since it would take time to put up the training center, we agreed to develop the sports facility in Baguio City first,” said Cojuangco.

“Then we can develop the Teachers Camp, and the venues in shooting, archery, taekwondo and the other combat sports,” he added.

Filipino boxing icon and Sarangani representative Manny Pacquiao promised to help the victims of Tropical Storm “Sendong,” which lashed Southern Philippines over the weekend and left over 900 people dead.

Pacquiao was celebrating his 33rd birthday in Sarangani when Sendong unleashed its wrath on Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, where flash floods caused massive loss of lives and damage to property.

“Kinausap ko ang mga staff ko ngayon, magpadala ng relief goods para makatulong sa ating mga kababayan doon,” Pacquiao said after he was officially installed as the executive officer of the 1st Ready Sarangani Reserve Battalion.

Pacquiao said he sent in his staff to the badly-hit areas of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City.

“Sinabihan ko, pinapunta ko ang mga tao natin. Hindi lang sila magbibigay kundi makatulong doon, kung ano pa ang gagawin doon,” he said.

Pacquiao’s camp has already started preparing bottled water and sacks of rice that will be distributed to the victims by December 23.

Pacquiao’s legal adviser, Atty. Franklin Gacal, said the boxer has complied with the call of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, who asked House members to help.

“He immediately complied to House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte’s call for all congressmen to slash P1-million from their PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Funds),” Gacal said.

Pacquiao also called on other Filipinos to do what they can to help the victims of Sendong.

“Sa mga kababayan natin na maluwag sa buhay, kung may extra kayo, kung ano ang sobra ay tulungan natin ang mga kababayan natin na nasalanta ng bagyo,” he said.

He then called on Sendong’s victims to keep on praying and to not lose hope.

“Tayo ang lumayo sa Panginoon, kaya hindi tayo naprotektahan,” he said. “Dapat marunong tayong lumapit sa Panginoon at magdasal. Walang imposible sa Kanya.” — With reports from Anne Santos, ABS-CBN News; and Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star.

source: Ederic Eder | ph.news.yahoo.com

Tropical storm Sendong (international name: Washi) brought landslides and floods that took the lives of more than 900 people in Mindanao. It hit the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan the most. Below are ways to help the victims. We will continue to update this page.

How to donate:

Department of Social Welfare and Development
DSWD welcomes volunteers. Inquire at the following DSWD offices:

DSWD National Resource Operation Center
NAIA Chapel Road, Pasay City (beside Airport Police Department and back of Air Transportation Office)
Tel. Nos.: (02) 852-8081, (02) 851-2681
Mobile No.: (0918) 930-2356

DSWD Field Office 10
Masterson Avenue, Upper Carmen
Cagayan de Oro City
Tel. Nos. (088) 858-8134, (088) 858-6333
Mobile No. (0906) 615-0095 c/o Manny Borres

DSWD also accepts cash donations at these bank accounts:

Land Bank of the Philippines
Peso: DSWD Donation – 3122-1011-84
Dollar: DSWD Donation – 3124-0055-81

Donations may also be sent via GCash. Text DONATEAMOUNTMPINDSWD and send to 2882. Example: DONATE 1000 1234 DSWD

Philippine Red Cross
Bonifacio Drive, Port Area,
PO Box 280, Manila 2803
Tel. No: 527-0000
Email: prc@redcross.org.ph

Philippine Red Cross accepts cash donations at these bank accounts:

Banco De Oro (BDO)
Peso: 00-453-0018647
Dollar: 10-453-0039482
Swift Code: BNORPHMM

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
Peso: 4991-0036-52
Dollar: 004994-0103-15
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

Metrobank
Peso: 151-3-041631228
Dollar: 151-2-15100218-2
Swift Code: MBTCPHMM

Philippine National Bank (PNB)
Peso: 3752 8350 0034
Dollar: 3752 8350 0042
Swift Code: PNBMPHMM

Unionbank of the Philippines
Peso: 1015 4000 0201
Dollar: 1315 4000 0090
Swift Code: UNPHPHMM

To donate via SMS, text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4143 (Smart). For G-Cash, text DONATEAMOUNT4-digit M-PINREDCROSS to 2882.

You can donate the following denominations:
Globe: 5, 25, 100, 300, 500 or 1000
Smart: 10, 25, 50, 100, 300, 500 or 1000

Red Cross also accepts cash donations at any of the 1,500 Cebuana Lhuillier pawnshops nationwide.

For more info, visit Red Cross’ Donate Now page.

GMA Kapuso Foundation
Kapuso Foundation’s Operation Bayanihan in Cagayan de Oro accepts rice, instant noodles, canned goods, bottled water, clothing, and medicines:

GMA Kapuso Foundation Operation Bayanihan Command Post
Capitol University Gym, Corrales Ext., Cagayan de Oro City.
Mobile No.: (0919) 574-9835 c/o Armi Sobremisana

For those in Metro Manila and other areas, you may send cash donations to:

GMA Kapuso Foundation
2nd Floor Kapuso Center
GMA Network Center
EDSA, Diliman, Quezon City
Tel. Nos.: (02) 928-4299, (02) 928-9351

The foundation also accepts donations via its bank accounts under the name GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc.:

Metrobank
Peso: 3-098-51034-7
Dollar: 2-098-00244-2
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB)
Peso: 115-184777-2 or 160-111277-7
Dollar: 01-115-301177-9 or 01-160-300427-6

BDO
Peso Savings: 469-0022189
Dollar Savings: 469-0072135
Swift Code: BNORPHMM
Note: Bank collects service fee

PNB
Peso: 121-003200017
Dollar: 121-003200025
Swift Code: PNB MPH MM

Note: Bank collects service fee

ABS-CBN Foundation
ABS-CBN Foundation’s Sagip Kapamilya accepts in-kind donations at:

ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.,
Mother Ignacia cor. Eugenio Lopez St.,
Diliman, Quezon City.

Cash donations may be deposited to the following accounts under the name ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya:

BDO
Peso: 39301-14199
Dollar: 39300-81622
Swift Code: BNORPHMM

PNB
Peso: 419-539-5000-13
Swift Code: PNBMPHMM

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
Peso: 3051-1127-75
Dollar: 3054-0270-35
Branch: West Triangle, Quezon City
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

Alagang Kapatid Foundation
TV5′s Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc. accepts cash donations through its bank accounts:

BDO
Peso: 005310-410164

BPI
Peso: 1443-05333-2

Donations in kind may be sent to News5 Aksyon Center, TV5 office in San Bartlolome, Novaliches, Quezon City.

For more info, please call (02) 938-6393.

RockEd Philippines
Donations to Rock Ed Philippines’ potable water fund for Cagayan de Oro may be deposited to the following bank account:

BPI
Peso: 3080-0073-44
Branch: Loyola Heights

Tulong Kabataan
The volunteer and relief network of the National Union of Students of the Philippines and other youth organizations accepts relief goods:

No. 89 K-7 Street, Kamias, Quezon City
Mobile No.: (0926) 170-3655 c/o Vanessa; (0947) 316-8407 c/o Rainier; and (0932) 401-5588 c/o Athena

Cash donations may also be deposited to following bank account under the National Union of Students of the Philippines – Head Office, Inc.:

Chinabank
Peso: 107-248551-3
Branch: Quezon Avenue

More info at the NUSP website.

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
Tel. No.: (02) 376-7330
Mobile No: (0910) 495-0095
Email: nujphil@gmail.com

The NUJP is also collecting donations for media workers in areas hit hard by Sendong:

Metrobank
Peso: 229-722-9507-458

LBC Foundation
LBC will ship donations to Sendong victims for free. Just drop it off at any LBC branch in the Philippines, as well as in KSA, UAE, Singapore, HK, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, UK, Spain, and Italy.

Smart Communications
Smart subscribers all over the country may donate to Smart’s Baha Fund by transferring funds to Smart Money account number 5577 5130 6822 1104. Donors may also deposit cash to the same Smart Money account number in any BDO branch nationwide or through Hapinoy and Cebuana Lhuillier outlets.

via Ederic Eder, Yahoo! Southeast Asia | ph.news.yahoo.com

Typhoon Sendong – Cagayan de Oro Aerial View

source: Nick Giongco | mb.com.ph

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has filed a graft case with the Ombudsman against its former chairman Harry Angping, who labeled the lawsuit as “pure harassment.”

The case was filed by PSC commissioner Salvador Andrada last Dec. 9 and it also included Edmundo Montanes of Philcare Manpower Services, alleging that he connived with Angping in doubling the number of janitors without the approval of the PSC Board, chairman Richie Garcia declared.

Garcia said the PSC has a solid case against Angping, who served from February 2009 until July 2010, stressing that documents gathered prove that Angping did not consult the board in making decisions.

“The law is clear that when you augment manpower, you have to do it by just 25 percent. Anything more than 25 percent, you have to go through the normal practice of bidding,” said Garcia, who was joined during a press conference by lawyer Luis Rivera and Andrada.

Garcia noted that he is not singling out Angping, saying that if the PSC doesn’t file a case, “we’d all be remiss in our duties.”

Angping said he is confident nothing will come out of the case filed against him by the PSC.

source: June Navarro | inquirer.net

Until a new training center is built, the national athletes will have to make do with the old training facility in Baguio City being maintained by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

“Since it would take time and money to put up a new training center, we agreed to develop the sports facility in Baguio City first,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. after a recent meeting with President Aquino.

While Cojuangco said the President agreed to his proposal to build an exclusive training center for athletes in Clark Field, Pampanga, the project remained in the planning stage due to financial concerns.

Cojuangco said they would begin transferring sports like taekwondo, archery, shooting and other combat disciplines from the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and the Philsports Complex in Pasig City to high-altitude Baguio.

“We can make arrangements with the schools there [in Baguio],” said Cojuangco. “The athletes will be encouraged to divide their time for school and training.”

The PSC maintains a track oval and several dormitories for athletes and coaches inside the Teachers Camp in Baguio City. Boxers and track and field athletes train there year-round.

In his meeting with the President, Cojuangco said he pointed out that the countries which excel in sports have state-of-the-art facilities to nurture their athletes.

“All the leaders in sports here in Asia have a training center of their own,” said Cojuangco, referring to Olympic powerhouse China, South Korea and Japan.

“Inside the training center, all the needs of the athletes will be addressed to keep them sharp and competitive for international competitions,” said Cojuangco.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

GUANGZHOU, China—The Philippine Memory team completed a successful campaign at the conclusion of 20th World Memory Championship (WMC) here at the Mount River Resort Hotel in Guangzhou, China on Friday.

The Philippine team, composed of Johann Randall Abrina, Roberto Racasa, Christopher Carandang, Mark Anthony Castaneda, Axelyancy Cowan Tabernilla, Erwin Balines and Mark Anthony Adarlo, finished second overall in the team competition.

“This is our early Christmas gift to the Filipino people worldwide. We hope this victory will unite all the Filipino and support the memory games,” said Aurelio “Reli” de leon, team manager of the Philippine Memory team.

“This proves once again that the Filipino can be at par with the world’s best memory athletes. And with ample training and preparation, we can even become world champion,” said team coach and chess master Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr., for his part.

Powerhouse China took the gold medal, while Mongolia captured the bronze.

Other countries which took part in the event were the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Poland, Japan, Uzbekistan, South Africa, India, Hongkong, Singapore, Malaysia, Maldives and Indonesia.

Some of the stand-out results included:

· Johann Randall Abrina – bronze (Historical/Future Dates category)
· Mark Anthony Castaneda – nabbed Grandmaster (GM) of Memory status.
· Erwin Balines – won 2 GM norms.

Castaneda memorized a 1,140 digit number in an hour en route to his 1st grandmaster (GM) norm. He also memorized a deck of card in 1 minute and 10 seconds in the speed card category for his 2nd GM norm.

Castaneda then memorized 13 decks of cards (equivalent to 676 playing cards) in an hour for his 3rd and final GM norm.

Balines, meanwhile, memorized a 1,340 digit numbers in an hour to earn his 1st grandmaster (GM) norm.

He also memorized a deck of card in 1 minute and 19 seconds in the speed card category for his 2nd GM norm.

The Philippine memory team is supported by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes (PCSO), Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos Jr., Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales II, Bagong Henerasyon Party-List Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Herma Group of companies, St. Francis Square’s Luke Rojas, Bicycle playing cards, ACCEL, Dra. Regina Canlas of Makati Medical Center, PBA legend and former Senator Robert “Sonny” Jaworski, Terry Capistrano, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and Human Plus Pro Biotics. – MB

source: Marc Anthony Reyes | inquirer.net

The Philippine Olympic Committee plans to further dissect the country’s flop in the recent Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia after less than half of the National Sports Association showed up for an assessment meeting, an official from the ruling sports body said Wednesday.

Julian Camacho, deputy chief of mission of the PH delegation to the SEA Games, said only 14 of the 29 NSAs showed up during the meeting. Camacho said more probes and investigations would be conducted before the POC releases its SEA Games report.

Camacho didn’t say which NSAs showed up, adding food was partly to blame for the debacle.

“It’s not so much the spice but there are ingredients in their food which didn’t sit well with the Filipino stomach,” said Camacho. “We had reports that some athletes experienced bum stomach going into the finals of their events.”

POC secretary general Steve Hontiveros said they won’t offer excuses for the debacle but vowed “this will not happen again in Myanmar in 2013.”

The Philippines brought home 36 gold medals, way off the 70-gold target set by top sports officials.

Badminton, which has not won a single medal in the biennial games since 2003, was among the teams that flunked in the SEA Games, along with futsal and football.

Among those that failed to win a gold medal were swimming, golf and karate.

Taekwondo and boxing each chipped in four gold medals for the country.