The Greatest Filipina Athlete to Captain Team Asia in 亚美娱乐 AM8.com Queens Cup

The most decorated female sports figure of her country, reigning World Champion Rubilen Amit will represent the Philippines in the 2015 亚美娱乐 AM8.com Queens Cup. She has also been called to duty as the captain of Team Asia this time around following her stunning performance from last year.

The 5-Times SEA Games gold medalist says she is up for the task. The greatest rivalry in women’s billiards is about to ignite. On April 16-18th, 2015 the second installment of the 亚美娱乐 AM8.com Queens Cup will feature champions vs champions as the best women from Asia will take on the best in the West! Last year, Team Asia had a dominating performance over Team West during the 3 days of competition. This year the USA & Europe will be looking to even the score. The 亚美娱乐 AM8.com Queens Cup will be hosted by the award winning Resorts World Manila Casino & Hotel and sponsored by Andy Cloth , Aramith Balls, and Viking Cue. The Queens Cup is a Dragon Promotions production.

Pay-per-view is now available at a special $20 pre-event sale by going to DragonPromotions.com or clicking here

“Bingkay (Amit’s nickname) is the kind of Filipina athlete we can all look up to. She is incredibly disciplined and makes the most of her talent. She really deserves to be a part of this team, since she has a track record of success.”, explains Bob Guerrero of Yahoo Sports. The ABS-CBN football and billiards sports analyst adds, “Bingkay should also be a terrific captain. She has the personality to bring out the best in the other Asian players, with whom she is very close to. Bingkay is a fun-loving young lady, so for sure she will keep things loose and fun as well. The East team will be very tough to beat with her in it.”

“The last 亚美娱乐 AM8.com Queens Cup was truly an experience to remember. Im honored and thankful to be able to participate in this exciting event. Being chosen captain is such a huge honor and to be honest, it’s a lot more pressure. But I learned so much from being a part of the past team events from leaders such as Efren Reyes. He is so inspiring with his will to win. I will follow in the footsteps of these great men and women that have led me in the past. I’m up for the challenge”, said Amit when asked about moving from her typical role of player to leader.

“Rubilen is one of those quiet champions that doesn’t make a lot of noise, but when you talk about the best of the best, you have to include her. She has the humility of Efren Reyes, the precision of Dennis Orcullo, and the heart of Alex Pagulayan. And her stats in team competition is incredible. She was the obvious choice to captain Team Asia this year”, explained Charlie Williams , Executive Producer of the 亚美娱乐 AM8.com Queens Cup .

The Queens Cup will showcase the rivalry between the Asians and their western counterparts in Europe and USA, very similar to the Ryder Cup in golf or Davis Cup in tennis. Elite professional ladies from their respective countries and continents are selected onto two sides representing the East and West. The event will last 3 days in a 10-Ball format that will conclude when one team reaches 10 match wins. Style of play will include singles, doubles, triples, and 4-on-4. Captains will be put to the test to create the best strategy in partnerships and chemistry of match-ups. If the matches go 9 to 9 hill-hill, a final 4-on-4 play will set the scene for the dramatic conclusion.

Rubilen Amit was born in the Cebu region of the Philippines, and graduated with an accounting degree along with a couple collegiate billiard titles. In 2005, she started officially representing her country as she was selected on the Philippines National Team for the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) where she won took home the gold. This would be the first of 7 gold medals that she would win in her career for her country. Her breakthrough came when she shocked the world by winning the Women’s World 10-Ball in 2009, and then becoming the only player to repeat the feat when she won again. Aside from singles events, Amit has had an unusually high success rate in team competitions. She has won two World Mixed Doubles titles with her hero Efren Reyes both times, took the silver in the Team Philippines finale at the World Team Championship, and nearly went undefeated for Team Asia all 3 days of the last Queens Cup.

The AM8.com Queens Cup brings a level of excitement and pressure never before seen in women’s billiards. On April 16th, The Empresses of Pool Battle for Glory.

Rubilen feels blessed to have learned from such masters as “Bata” and will use those pearls to lead Team Asia to victory

Manny Pacquiao Defeats Chris Algieri via Unanimous Decision

Manny Pacquiao defeated Chris Algieri via unanimous decision to retain the WBO welterweight belt at the jampacked Cotai Arena in the luxurious Venetian Macau.

Judges scored the fight 119-103, 119-103, and 120-102, all in favor of the eight-division champion.

An hour before the main fight, Rambo and Terminator visited both boxers’ locker room. Manny now doing some mitts inside the dressing room.

Round 1 goes to Pacquiao

Round 2 goes to Pacquiao – Algieri had slip referee called it a KO

Round 3 goes to Pacquiao – less punch from Algeri, a bit slow

Round 4 goes to Pacquiao – Great upper cut from Pacman

Round 5 goes to Pacquiao – Algieri connected with right punch

Round 6 goes to Pacquiao – Pretty boy Algieri doing good defense but went down. KO’d twice.

Round 7 goes to Pacquiao – Algieri playing offense

Round 8 goes to Pacquiao – Pacman landed a punch before the bell

Round 9 goes to Pacquiao – Another KO after Pacman connected with a left punch. The pretty boy couldn’t keep up. Hugged Pacman couple of times. Crowd went wild.

Round 10 goes to Pacquiao – Backed pedals from Algieri. Another KO before the bell.

Round 11 goes to Pacquiao – Offense play from Algieri saving his face.

Final Round – No TKO but Pacman now defeated the undefeated Algieri.

 

Floyd Mayweather mocks Manny Pacquiao on Instagram

If a picture paints a thousand words, Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s photo on Instagram can certainly paint millions.

The boxing champ pokes fun at Manny Pacquiao on photo sharing site and mobile app with a caption: “This is my Christmas card to the world…Happy Sleepy Holidays zzzzzz.”

Smart Gilas Pilipinas vs Iran

Backed by the partisan and rabid crowd, the Smart Gilas Pilipinas outclassed South Korea in an intense make or break game on Saturday. This Sunday though, Iran won against Philippines, 85-71 in the FIBA Asia 2013 Championship Finals held at Mall of Asia Arena. Iran and Smart Gilas Pilipinas are now the top contenders of Asia in FIBA World Cup 2014 in Spain.

Don Allado’s controversial tweets vs PBA

Barako Bull’s Don Allado has issued on apology Wednesday night after posting some tweets against the Philippine Basketball Association. The cager has also deleted his tweets after being heavily criticized.

“I would like to extend my sincerest apologies to Comm Salud & entire PBA for last night’s tweets that’s now a subject of controversy,” said Allado on a tweet.

“It was an error in judgement on my part to let my passion for this game get the best of me. As a professional I should’ve known better. I understand my statement may be construed by many as discrediting the PBA. Let it be known, however, that such is not my intention. Again, my sincerest apologies to the Comm Salud, Board of Governors & entire PBA,” he furthered.

Here’s the screen grab of his controversial tweets right after his team, the Barako Bulls, lost the game to Powerade  Tigers.

Kapuso nominees in Asian TV awards

by Nickie Wang

Kapuso network may have been outnumbered by the Kapamilya station in the recently-concluded PMPC Star Awards, but this time it has something to be proud of. Out of seven nominations received by the Philippines in the upcoming 15th Asian Television Awards, GMA-7 leads the pack with six nominations and its closest rival ABS-CBN with just only one.

Derek Ramsay’s healthy 5-kilometer run

By Nickie Wang

PLAYING different kinds of sport plays a big role in Derek Ramsay’s life. Participating in extreme physical activities sculpted his body into a form envied by men and admired by women.

What’s good in Sarah’s ‘Record Breaker’ concert?

By Nickie Wang

These days, only few local music artists can fill up the Big Dome. One of them is Sarah Geronimo who can now comfortably sit in the Concert Queen throne after staging her fourth full house concert last Nov. 7.

Live action showdown at the Big Dome

By Nickie Wang

The popular source of action-packed entertainment is going to visit the country to provide live wrestling showdown experience. So for professional wrestling fanatics, today is a red letter day, and the Big Dome is the place to be.

World Wrestling Entertainment brings two of its brands (ECW and Smackdown) to the Philippines for the very first time. Today at 7 p.m., WWE superstars Jeff Hardy, Edge, Batista, Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Mark Henry, John Morrison, The Great Khali, Michelle McCool, CM Punk, and many others will set the wrestling ring blazing with high-flying action.

We had the chance to have an exclusive phone interview with CM Punk, also known as Phil Brooks, to give details on what to expect in the much-anticipated live wrestling event.

CM Punk is already a household name in the United States where WWE headquarter is located. The 30-year-old professional wrestler initially made a name for himself when he worked a few house shows and dark matches, and the real fame came about when he signed with the WWE in 2005 and was drafted to Smackdown.

As the reigning World Heavyweight Champion, he also has three other championship belts (Ring of Honor Championship, ECW Championship, and WWE Intercontinental Championship) that make him one of the most popular and successful personalities in the world of American professional wrestling. He made history for being the only wrestler to win the Money In The Bank Ladder Match twice, in 2008 and 2009.

The Money in the Bank ladder match is held by WWE annually. It features six to eight participants, with the objective to retrieve a briefcase that is suspended above the ring. The briefcase contains a contract, which guarantees a match for any of WWE’s three world titles: the WWE Championship, ECW Championship, or the World Heavyweight Championship.

“I have won many titles but that doesn’t mean that I already have the reason to stop improving my craft. Every match is a learning experience and it enhances my skill. It also prepares me for a bigger fight. You need to practice, train, and learn more. Complacency has no room in the world of professional wrestling,” CM Punk exclaimed.

Born to Smackdown

CM Punk’s first venture into wrestling was a stint in a small wrestling federation called the Lunatic Wrestling Federation in the mid-’90s. He first used his name CM Punk when he was put into a tag band named the Chick Magnets. One of the artists in the band named CM Venom skipped out and he was there all available to take the vacated slot.

“I believe I’m really meant to be a wrestler because when I was young I tried other sports but I just hurt my self badly. I tried skateboarding but it didn’t work out on me,” the wrestler revealed.

At six-foot-one in height, more than 200 pounds in weight, and with numerous tattoos adorning his body, this Chicago, Illinois- born superstar admits that it is heartwarming that people recognize him when he goes out on the street.

“They ask for autographs or take pictures with  me, and it’s a nice feeling how these people especially young kids look up to me. What they see on TV is pretty much the same, I’m CM Punk and I think why people approach me because of being Straight Edge,” he said.

Throughout his career, he is famed for adhering to a lifestyle called Straight Edge. It is a kind of lifestyle wherein advocates make a lifetime commitment to refrain from drinking alcohol, using tobacco products, and taking recreational drugs.

Words of a wrestler

“I have this role to act responsibly. Wrestling is a unique sports-entertainment. Well, people can be involved in basketball, baseball, and to other sports they see on television but the emotional attachment they can have with wrestling is different. There are lots of emotions involved,” CM Punk conveyed.

It’s far too complicated to explain why professional wrestling fanatics look at wrestlers like super heroes. CM Punk is just one of those wrestlers who are treated like celebrities and receive extraordinary attention and admiration from fans, most especially from young kids who believe that what they see on television is real and that there are no gimmicks involved.

“The actions people see really affect them. What they see on television put them closer to wrestlers like me, possibly there’s a psychological explanation for that. They become more hooked up considering wrestlers as their idols. So we promote advocacies to let people know that we only want to bring entertainment and become role models,” the champion wrestler explained.

But there is always a line that separates his profession and his personal life. Punk openly discusses his issues as a wrestler but don’t usually divulge any matter concerning his private life as Phil Brooks.

“I’m like Batman. I keep a lot of things to myself most especially my personal life. It’s not that I don’t want to share myself with the people it’s just that everyone has a personal space or life that they just keep to themselves,” he clarified.

First time in the Philippines

“I’ve never been to the Philippines, and I know nothing about the country. But I will try to Google it after we finish this interview. But going to a place I’ve never been before gives me a lot of things to look forward to,” he said and laughed and continued that answering questions in phone interviews is one of the things he does when he is out of the ring.

We mentioned by chance that WWE and its brands are popular in the Philippines and they have lots of followers. The wrestler just extended his gratitude and ended the interview saying that if Filipino fans are excited to see him and the other WWE World Tour participants, he is more than excited to finally meet the people who are miles away yet still able to support his career.

Judy Ann is happy 24/7

By Nickie Wang/ Manila Standard Today Everybody is wondering how is Judy Ann feeling now that her surname is spelled as Santos-Agoncillo. The answer is: contented and very happy. A month after her much talked-about wedding with Ryan Agoncillo, Judy Ann made a recent public appearance and answered all the questions people are dying to ask her. At the launching of Sun Double Unlimited at Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila in Quezon City, the young superstar threw nothing but smiles and chuckles as she officially resumes to endorsing products. “I’m overwhelmed with all the trust these products are giving me. Being the newest endorser of Sun and the latest addition to the Sun family make me feel proud. I chose this product simply because it’s affordable,” Judy Ann said. “For a person like me who is starting to have a family, Sun [Double Unlimited] is very practical to have.” As the newest face of Sun Cellular, Judy Ann endorses the Sun Double Unlimited offer that gives subscribers the flexibility of a cellular phone plus the practicality of a landline. These services all come in one sleek unit, all in one single payment and as Judy Ann said, “both in an unlimited service.” “Sun is the fastest growing mobile network in town. Very much like Judy Ann, Sun continues to be more exciting,” said Joan Dueñas, Sun Cellular’s vice president for prepaid marketing, while introducing the actress. Judy Ann’s new civil status allows her to take more endorsements that do not just cater to a particular market. She said that she is beginning to realize that she can now promote products and services that people of different age brackets can avail. “It’s fulfilling in a way that I made a sudden shift. Before the products I endorsed were only for women. Now I can actually endorse products that young children or the whole family can use,” the 31-year-old actress said. On her silent wedding A month ago, Judy Ann and husband Ryan Agoncillo graced the front page of almost all the newspapers in the country. In a very solemn occasion and with a few friends and relatives in attendance, Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo tied the knot on April 28 in San Juan, Batangas. “It was a silent wedding pero it doesn’t mean na hindi makikita ng mga tao kasi utang ko sa kanila kung ano ako ngayon,” the actress explained. “We can’t believe na nakalusot ’yung wedding namin, all the people around us had to lie to keep the wedding secret. We realized that there are people who got inspired with our wedding, so we are very happy.” The newlyweds also had to make it clear that there were two reception parties and the one held in Manila on May 2 was really part of the whole wedding plan. “Hindi ’yun putok sa buho, we really arranged that party for those na hindi talaga makakapunta sa Batangas. Besides, the venue in Batangas was very small and it couldn’t accommodate all the guests,” she furthered. Living under one roof Just like George and Cecil, the couple’s latest television project that will be aired on ABS-CBN, Judy Ann and Ryan are facing new challenges in discovering new things about each other. Now that they are living under one roof, Judy Ann made a few revelations about her married life. “I can say that I’m very happy that I married a perfect husband. Nakakatawa kasi isang buwan na pala kaming kasal. It only means that I’m very happy right now. The only thing na hindi ko pa nakakasanayan ay ’yung tawag ko sa in-laws ko. I used to call them Tito and Tita,” Juday (the actress’ nickname) shared. While the couple temporarily lives in the house of the Agoncillo’s, Judy Ann revealed that there’s a special place that they are still trying to finish designing and furnishing. She did not give any other details about it but she said that the special place is located somewhere in South Luzon. “We are busy with the new house. It has four bedrooms on the second floor and one on the first floor. It’s not that really big but it’s enough for people like us who are starting a family,” the actress said. The Agoncillo couple is just like any other new couples who want to start building a home. Ryan and Judy Ann are excited to have an angel who will be a brother or a sister to Yohan, Judy Ann’s adopted daughter. “Ewan ko parang puro hangin lang ang laman ng tiyan ko. But having a baby soon is our plan, pero kung hindi pa ibibigay, we can patiently wait,” she shared. On her perfect husband To walk down the aisle is every woman’s dream. The actress said that she had attended six wedding ceremonies and thought that she will never have the chance to exchange vows with someone who will be her lifetime partner. “I thought I’m going to be an old maid kasi lagi na lang akong bridesmaid sa mga kasal na pinupuntahan ko,” she quipped. “Kaya when my time came to walk down the aisle, I wore my hair down, and chose a perfect gown. I felt like I was a fairy.” When it was her time to tie the knot, she made sure that the wedding will go smoothly like the way she and Ryan planned it. As her face exudes a certain aura of happiness, she said that she has found a perfect match and a perfect husband in Ryan, who has become more caring and loving to her after the wedding. “Masarap isipin na ’pag gising mo sa umaga kaharap mo ’yung taong mahal mo. We are taking small steps in enjoying the married life. Now that we are married, Ryan became more caring, mas maalaga siya ngayon,” Judy Ann said. Although they already made this lifetime commitment, Judy Ann said that they still keep a personal space. As a Culinary Arts graduate, Judy keeps the kitchen as her territory or the place where she can explore and work alone. “In the house I was telling about, nandoon ’yung dream kitchen ko. Ryan and I agreed na akin ’yun at sa kanya ang garahe,” she ended while still wearing a sweet smile as if her wedding just happened yesterday.

Making Boracay even hotter this summer

By Nickie Wang/Manila Standard Today

What makes the tropical island Boracay the hottest and best beach this side of the planet?

It’s not the 7-km stretch of powdery white sand beach with pristine blue water or the upscale resorts and hotels that are lined up along the beach of the tropical island. It’s actually the lifestyle and culture distinct to the island that match the expectations of party people, beach bums, backpackers, and tourists alike.

While the rest of Luzon was being ravaged by a typhoon, Boracay island made everyone’s sky bright and sunny as celebrities trooped to the small paradise for some summer actions. From May 8 to 9, a bevy of television personalities attended the Nestea Fit Beach Volley National Circuit ’09, this year’s hottest summer event, and gave the adage “work hard and party harder,” a whole new meaning.

Celebrity volley

Nestea Fit Beach Volley is an annual sports event that gathers some of the country’s best collegiate teams. This year, 18 dynamic teams from different colleges and universities battled out for a hundred-thousand-peso cash prize and the prestige to be called the country’s best.

The real highlight of the summer event was not the presence of the athletes or the physically vigorous sport, but it was the appearance of local celebrities who brought entertainment to the crowd at the white sand court of Bora. Crowds couldn’t help but cheered for their favorite celebrities and consumed megabytes of memory taking gigabytes in digital snapshots of Rhian Ramos, Paolo Contis, Alfred Vargas, Iza Calzado, Polo Ravales, JC Tiuseco, and Survivor Philippines finalists Jace Flores, Kiko Rustia, Kaye Alipio, Nikki Dacullo, Rob Sy, and Vern Domingo.

“We are here to enjoy and have fun, that’s the real essence of the entire game,” Survivor Philippines first sole survivor JC Tiuseco told us after his team ruled the sand court and won the celebrity volley showdown.

Most of the personalities who participated in the celebrity matches admitted that they don’t know how to spike or didn’t even have a short volleyball crash course beforehand. In short, most of them often hit the inflatable ball out of the line and committed numerous service errors like not having the ball reached the other side of the court or hitting the ball in a straight upward direction.

Sure these celebrities drink Nestea Fit with L-Carnitine, which is a naturally occurring amino acid that plays a vital role in the metabolism of fat, because they look oozing hot, and we are actually pertaining to Iza and Rhian who basked in the sun without wearing any make-up (the way it is supposed to be because it’s a beach, right?).

“It’s also our chance to meet and bond with other people. With our busy schedule back in Manila, it’s hard for us to play and enjoy because we need to work. I can’t even go to the gym as often as I have to,” JC, who became an instant celebrity after winning a reality contest, shared.

Beach buddies

Enjoying the sight of picturesque Boracay, we often see people enjoying some activities together. JC Tiuseco with close friend and fellow Survivor Jace Flores consider their Boracay summer experience as their time to catch up with friends, even most of the time they have to pose for photo opportunities whenever people recognize them while walking around the busier side of the island.

“I feel like I’m still in the Survivor series. The location is pretty much the same and I’m reunited with the people who were also part of the Survivor series. So the whole game was not really hard. I used to play volleyball but this one is a different kind of fun. We didn’t look at it as game but a friendly competition,” Jace explained. “If we would consider the beach volleyball a challenge, it’s nothing compared to the challenges we had in Survivor. Kaya it’s like, kahit saan na kami dalhin, we are quite sure that we can easily do all the challenges,” JC quickly added.

While Survivor buddies JC and Jace were having a good time and nostalgic about their beach experience, smitten couple Paolo Contis and Lian Paz looked so inseparable. Lian was like Paolo’s number one fan supporting and cheering her boyfriend most especially when he makes service aces during the celebrity matches.

On the other hand, Polo Ravales and rumored ex-girlfriend Bianca Paz Villamores were also seen together holding hands in public. “Are they back together, were they really an item or what?” asked one of the guests of the event.

All roads lead to a party

Beach party, that is. With Boracay’s reputation as the country’s premier summer destination for party animals, Nestea Fit Beach Volley National Circuit ’09 featured an array of events dedicated to people who purposely visited Boracay to have a moonlit merriment with overflowing bottles of beer and glasses of cocktails.

After the fashion show dubbed “Hot and Fit Body of Work” featuring invited celebrities and the Survivor castaways sporting the latest summer island wear designed by PJ Arañador at Juice Bar at Plazoleta on May 8, people present at the venue continued to party the night away with feel-good music and bottles of malt drink, wine and vodka.

“This year’s event is much bigger; aside from the new product [Nestea fit], we also expanded the event by including parties and concerts that guarantee unique Nestea summer experience. So far, all our expectations have been met and we can basically say that whole event was very successful,” Ronald Chuacokiang, Nestea brand activation executive, told us before the dinner arranged during the victory party.

Capping off the three-day event was a victory party cum concert on May 9 headlined by music heavyweights Sandwich and 6cyclemind as they rocked Boracay with their famous hits at Paraiso Bar. Members of the press, celebrities, athletes and Nestea officials partied all night with a safe idea that next year will be just another exciting time to celebrate fitness and enjoyment with the iconic brand Nestea.

Muziklaban plays new kind of rock ‘n roll

By Nickie Wang/ Manila Standard Today

The venue of the Red Horse Beer Muziklaban’s press launch last week at the San Miguel Training Center in Tagaytay was an apt location to experience rock music, extreme sports, tattoo and independent film making and all the eventualities in between.

This year, Red Horse Muziklaban, the biggest and longest amateur rock band search organized and sponsored by the country’s iconic malt drink Red Horse Beer, takes the competition beyond music and extends the search by including the Art of Tattoo, Popular Extreme Sports and Independent Film Making in the roster of activities.

“Red Horse Beer has always been supportive of the Pinoy talent. While the brand will continue to discover amateur rock bands, it will also open doors to hopefuls from the world of creative arts and extreme sports,” Red Horse Beer brand manager Ray Encomienda explained.

“Iba na ang laban,” was the overused expression while members of the media were challenged to perform extreme tasks that included tight-rope crossing while on a harness and twenty feet off the ground, wall climbing, bunny hopping with a BMX bike that had to be assembled first by the participants, indie film making, and real tattoo art making using swine skin. The challenges tested the participants’ agility, mind focus, and team work.

Having a solid game plan really mattered and we agreed that the media challenge was a fitting way to introduce the 11th year of Muziklaban and its undying effort to discover new artists who would soon dominate the local rock music scene and other creative fields.

While performing all those tasks, we happened to meet the new endorsers of Red Horse Beer. We had no idea that the people who facilitated the challenges were the people we would soon meet for a short interview.

Called legends in their own respective fields, the three new brand endorsers join rock legend Pepe Smith in representing Red Horse Beer’s “Bago na ang Labanan” battlecry for 2009.

“Our new endorsers characterize the distinct Red Horse Beer appeal with their sense of adventure, strength of character and passion for their craft. We believe that their presence in all Muziklaban activities for the year will allow both rockers and non-rockers to relate to the brand,” Encomienda related.

Ricky Sta. Ana, the country’s top tattoo artist, represented the art of tattooing. Biker Armand Mariano, who has done the country proud for his international accolades, represented the Extreme Sports. RA Rivera, one of the country’s frontrunners in music video and independent film directing, represented independent film making.

“Iba talaga ang natutulong ng Red Horse, isa pa nga,” Sta. Ana quipped while answering the questions from the press. He said that Muziklaban is a perfect avenue to introduce Filipino artistry through skin art. “We have are own designs, very Filipino designs that reflect our own culture.”

“When I think about beer or Red Horse, it’s not intoxication that is on my mind. When someone mentions Red Horse, rock music ang naiisip ko. Most of my works in the span of five years ay puro music videos ng mga rock artists. That’s how I relate Red Horse Beer and my craft,” director and filmmaker RA Rivera explained.

On May 15, Red Horse Beer Muziklaban will kick off simultaneously in different locations: Super 8 Parking Lot, Rosario, Pasig; Service Road, Balibago, Angeles; Robinsons Lipa, Batangas and Rizal Park in Dumaguete.

For the Tattoo Challenge, activities will be held on May 22 (White Beach, Puerto Galera), June 12 (Generator Bar, Panay Ave.), and on July 17 (Philippine Trading Center, Roxas Boulevard).

Meanwhile, Extreme Sports fanatics may take the challenge on May 30 (Starmall Parking, Las Piñas); SM San Fernando, Pampanga (July 25); and Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall Parking, Cainta (Sept. 26).

For the Indie Film Challenge, see the Red Horse Beer team on July 31 (Mogwai, Cubao); Aug. 14 (Saguijo, Makati); Sept. 18 (Club Dredd, Eastwood, Libis); Oct. 2 (6 Underground, Pearl Drive, Ortigas); and on Oct. 23 (Mag:Net, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig).

A bigger Red Horse Beer Muziklaban also means more exciting prizes for the winning participants in the various competitions. Winners will have the opportunity to become Red Horse Beer Muziklaban endorsers. Just like the previous years, the winning band for the amateur band competition will take home P1 million cash prize and a guaranteed recording contract.

Harlem Globetrotters back in Manila

By Nickie Wang

Basketball-playing circus Harlem Globetrotters is known more for entertainment than sports, but every basketball enthusiast has seen this exhibition team on television or perhaps has DVD collection of its exhibition games. Indeed, many fanatics follow this exhibition team that has been entertaining people across the globe for almost nine decades now.

A Globetrotter is known for his athleticism, agility on the hard court, exceptional dribbling talent and for his ability to make incredible and unusual highflying dunks and trick shots. He is skillful in handling one or more basketballs. He can pass them in between players while leaving his opponent in the state of awe. He performs all of these skills and combines them with slapstick comedy.

In an effort to give Filipino fans a rare chance to see the Harlem Globetrotters live again after seventeen years, Solar Entertainment and Max Entertainment have teamed up to bring the world’s oldest and most successful basketball team to the country.

On May 24 and 25, the Araneta Coliseum will hear the instantly recognizable whistle tune, “Sweet Georgia Brown,” as the likes of Anthony “Buckets” Blakes, Hi Rise Brown, and Skyscraper Alleyne  give a one-of-a-kind basketball entertainment.

“We are proud to be able to bring the Harlem Globetrotters Tour to the Philippines . We have been bringing the best of basketball to viewers in the country through coverage of the NBA and PBA and we continue with the live version of the Harlem Globetrotters,” Peter Chanliong of Solar Entertainment said.

Part of the tour’s promotion, one of Globetrotters’ top performer Buckets Blakes arrived in the country recently to give fans a sneak peek of what to expect in May. The 6-foot-2 cager performed some basketball tricks during the PBA All Star Game last Sunday and served as one of the judges for the Slam Dunk Competition where James Yap and import David Noel adjudged as big winners.

“We are looking forward to doing something wonderful for the Filipino fans. It’s been seventeen years and I think we’re going to leave a lasting impression. The reception I’ve got being here has been wonderful; there are warm welcomes and great food,” 32-year-old Anthony “Buckets” Blakes told the press before the All Star Game.

According to Blakes, the team is very family-oriented and it is the most accessible professional basketball team because after the game, instead of heading to the locker room, members stay at the court to  sign autographs and take pictures with the fans.

“Aside from seeing us, people will also have the chance to meet us. I want them to know that these guys are hand-picked by our scouts and the guys are not just great basketball players but great individuals as well. We are not about being the most famous personality or popular player; we just want to be the best people we could possibly be,” the basketball player and Wyoming University graduate assured.

With his incredible skill as a Guard he said that he doesn’t want to join the NBA because he definitely found his calling with the Globetrotters. Now in his seventh season with the team, Blakes loves working with and mentoring kids.

“You need to be a good basketball player, a good entertainer and a good person. And I can assure that we’ve let a lot of good basketball players go in our tryouts because they didn’t meet some of those qualifications,” Harlem Globetrotters official said and added, “Any of our players could baby-sit your kids.”

Each Globetrotter tries to exemplify that the team is an ambassador of goodwill on and off the court. Globetrotters are known for being good role models to children.

The basketball team was organized in 1926 initially to be a competitive team. It first won world professional championship in 1940 and for the last 50 years, it has played exhibition games all over the world, displaying spectacular ball handling and humorous antics. Globetrotters are well-known for their uniform that resembles the American flag. The team has played more than 20,000 exhibition games in 118 countries over the years.

Among the players who have been Globetrotters are NBA greats Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, Connie “The Hawk” Hawkins, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton , George “Meadowlark” Lemon, Reece “Goose” Tatum, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Hubert “Geese” Ausbie.

“Some guys are given names and some guys come with their own names. Buckets came as ah, I can score; let us put it that way. I can get buckets,” Anthony Blakes ended.

Pacquiao returns to GMA-7

By Nickie Wang/ Manila Standard Today

After announcing that his much-awaited fight against Ricky Hatton will be aired on ABS-CBN, Pacquiao made an apologetic announcement honoring the exclusive rights of GMA-7 and Solar Sports to broadcast his May 2 title bout.

It’s a mission accomplished for GMA Network vice president for entertainment Wilma Galvante, who personally flew to Los Angeles to have a serious talk with the boxing champ. In a text message sent by the executive, she said, “God is good and Manny Pacquiao will remain a Kapuso.”

Pacquiao, who is part of the series Totoy Bato that also stars Robin Padilla and Regine Velasquez, is having his rigid training in the States to prepare for his fight  scheduled in May. He made a controversial announcement that surprised both GMA Network and Solar Sports.

“We were very very surprised and at the same time very disappointed because we looked at all angles and we felt that wasn’t a smart decision,” Solar Sports’ vice president for sales and marketing Jude Turcuaco told Standard Today last week.

Solar Sports immediately held a press conference to discuss the matter with the media and to answer questions hounding the issue. According to Turcuaco, the network’s president and chief executive Wilson Tieng and chief operating officer Peter Chanliong flew to Los Angeles to talk to Pacquiao.

The major development happened after the executive had a thorough discussion with the boxing champ and convinced him not to rescind his contract with Solar Sports because it’s binding and valid.

Meanwhile at the same press conference, the lawyers who are handling the issue stated that Manny Pacquiao’s announcement and attempt to cancel the license agreement was based on the misinterpretation of facts. They added that Pacquiao may have been misled or misguided that Solar Entertainment has committed a breach of contract, but the fact is that Solar has complied with the agreement.

The sports cable channel signed a block-time agreement with GMA-7 to telecast all the fights of Pacquiao until May 2011.

The controversy started when Solar Sports apparently didn’t fulfill its financial obligation to Pacman who was supposed to receive 25 percent of the payment 10 days after the fight contract was signed last January. The boxer made a decision to rescind his contract to Solar Sports and chose ABS-CBN to cover his bout with Hatton and his three remaining fights scheduled within the next two years.

It was reported that Pacquiao also chose ABS-CBN because it can give better coverage and bigger exposure in helping him for his bid for the elections in 2010.

Solar Sports, however, denied that it was negligent to its financial obligation to the boxing icon. But the cable channel apparently deposited the money, which Pacquiao was asking in advance, only last March 17.

The sports cable channel executive Turcuaco stated that legal means are its last option, the initially prepared P150-million lawsuit against Pacquiao was supposed to protect all parties involved in the contract. Now that Pacquiao has decided to cooperate with Solar Sports and GMA-7, everything is well and all parties are back at work.

On the latest development, ABS-CBN made an announcement that it respects the decision of Manny Pacquiao to reconsider his contract to GMA and Solar Sports. The network made this decision to ease things out and avoid for the matter to reach the courtroom.