Tag: women’s interest

2026 NTT Asia Triathlon Cup Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) Set For May 2 And 3, Registration Ongoing

2026 NTT Asia Triathlon Cup Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) Set For May 2 And 3, Registration Ongoing

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The Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) – the longest running international triathlon event of the Philippines – will be held on May 2 and 3, 2026, inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and already online registration (note: RaceYa account is required) is ongoing.

The event is formally referred to as the 2026 NTT Asia Triathlon Cup Subic Bay International Triathlon which will be organized by Triathlon Philippines (TriPhil) and is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Gatorade and the Western Guaranty Corporation.

Available details

On May 2, Sprint Distance (750 Meter Swim – 20 Kilometer Bike – 5 Kilometer Run) races will be held.

On May 3, the Standard Distance (1.5 Km Swim – 40 Km Bike – 10 Km Run), Sprint Distance, Super Sprint Distance (500 M swim – 13 Km Bike – 2.5 Km Run) and Super TriKids events will take place.

Race categories are the Elite, Age Group Sprint, Age Group Standard, Age Group U15 Super Sprint and Super TriKids

Registration fees

The Early Bird period of registration fees is now in effect and the fees are as follows:

Standard Distance – P6,000 plus online registration fees

Sprint Distance – P5,500 plus online registration fees

Super Sprint Distance – P4,500 plus online registration fees

Super TriKids – P3,500 plus online registration fees

The Early Bird period of registration will last until February 28, 2026.

Effective March 1, 2026, the Regular registration fees will take effect which are as follows:

Standard Distance – P6,500 plus online registration fees

Sprint Distance – P6,000 plus online registration fees

Super Sprint Distance – P5,000 plus online registration fees

Super TriKids – P4,000 plus online registration fees

The Regular period of registration will last until March 31, 2026.

Effective April 1, 2026, the Late registration fees will take effect which are as follows:

Standard Distance – P7,500 plus online registration fees

Sprint Distance – P7,000 plus online registration fees

Super Sprint Distance – P6,000 plus online registration fees

Super TriKids – P5,000 plus online registration fees

Online banner of the 2026 NTT Asia Cup Subic Bay International Triathlon.

Other key details of the event such as the final schedules, the race maps and more will be updated at the official event page at RaceYa.

To get registered for the 2026 NTT Asia Triathlon Cup Subic Bay International Triathlon, click https://register.raceya.fit/event/subit2026

To receive more triathlon and multisport updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil.  

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at Elven #3 (1995)

A Look Back at Elven #3 (1995)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine one of the many tales of the Ultraverse through the Elven mini-series.

Having read the first two issues (click here and here), I can say that there is indeed progressive development of the personality of Elvia and her fantasy inspired identity as Elven. At the same time, the fantasy elements of the Ultraverse itself were portrayed in lively fashion. Clearly, Elven’s own corner of the Ultraverse has been established and there is some excitement to find out what would happen next and how it could affect others within the UV.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Elven #3, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by Len Strazewski and illustrated by Aaron Lopresti (Sludge).

The cover.

Early story

The story begins on top of the building with Elven and Prime meeting again. Tensions are high as Elven accuses him of lying. By this time, she learned a lot of details about her origin from the demon she fought with which convinced her that Prime lied to her about their genetic connections with each other (note: Doctor Vincent Gross was involved as he wanted to create ultras).

Elven rejects the science as she is strong convinced she is of magical origin from a mystical world and happens to be trapped on Earth. As Prime tries to put sense into her, Elven strikes him with a blast of energy to push him back. The blast turned to be of biological energy instead of magic.

As Elven reveals that she learned crucial information from the demon she fought with, Prime realizes it is none other than the one enemy he fought with some time ago…

Quality

Once again, Elven impulsively uses violence on individuals to help Bruno.

Following the events of issue #2, Elven here remains confused and even lost as she has a lot of trouble figuring out the facts. Of course, being a fanatic of fantasy and Elfquest, Elven clings on to the belief that the fantasy realm is real and that she is of magical origin (which conflicts with the biology and science of her abilities and physical transformation). This is evident in the early part of the comic book when she has a tense reunion with Prime who did his best to explain details and help her understand.

When it comes to the very conflict of the story itself, the stakes were raised when Strazewski has Prime-Evil and elements of unethical science present during the later stage. Apart from abducting Elven, Prime-Evil has his own agenda pursuing Mantra (who in turn has an evil version called Necro Mantra) and a lot of arrogance within. Literally, Prime-Evil’s presence added intrigue to the plot and only made Elven’s struggle to realize the truth of her origin – both the scientific and fantasy aspects – even more complicated.

Bruno, who was a significant and surprising factor behind the conflict in issue #2, gets his nice share of the spotlight. Without spoiling the plot, I can say that he is a lot more than what he seems and has more to add to the conflict.

Considering the intensity of the conflict in issue #2, I find it very weird that Bruno and Elvia were not even reported to the local authorities for questioning and accountability. Perhaps the psychiatrist did not bother to do what is right since he was so fascinated with the fantastic conflict and unexplained moments that happened in his office (note: his own office assistant even became naked suddenly), and he has ambitions to become America’s next big name with his knowledge.

Conclusion

Elvia with Bruno and their psychiatrist.

At this particular stage of the mini-series, Elven #3 (1995) had an even more intriguing story to tell while gradually moving forward with Elven’s quest for the truth of her origin and her own purpose. The Strazewski-Lopresti duo did fine work in this comic book for the most part and ultimately the story convinced me to look forward to the next issue. I can say that the ending of this comic book is more suspenseful than that of issue #2.

Overall, Elven #3 (1995) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

A Look Back at Elven #2 (1995)

A Look Back at Elven #2 (1995)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine one of the many tales of the Ultraverse through the Elven mini-series.

When I grabbed a copy of Elven #1, I did not expect much entertainment and surprise. But as I started reading it and witnessed Elven’s interactions with Prime, the narrative became even more engaging to read. In addition, Len Strazewski’s writing clearly defined the personality of fantasy fanatic and confused girl Elvia Swanson and established Elven as a twisted female parallel to Prime. Along the way, Aaron Lopresti’s art showed a lot of details, emotions and dynamism (on the action).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Elven #2, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by Len Strazewski and illustrated by Aaron Lopresti (Sludge).

The cover.

Early story

The story begins inside the office of a psychiatrist where Elven encounters a demon which just came out of the teenage boy Bruno. As the two fight each other violently, the psychiatrist watches them obsessively and writes down the notable details for a potential advancement in his career. Bruno, who carried the demon in him some time prior, watches the fight from a distance marveling at Elven while also observing how chaotic the demon is.

Elven fights the demon hard while maintaining a mindset of pride and even being superior. The demon reveals his link with Boneyard (for reference, click here) confirming he came from a distant world.

After getting hit by Elven’s elf-fire, the demon begins to laugh at her. Elven gets triggered and starts hitting the demon more…

Quality

By giving in to her impulses, Elven commits a very violent move on a man. This also shows her inability to restrain herself.

While issue #1 established Elvia Swenson personality and her super-powered, fantasy inspired Elven identity who has a genetic connection with Prime, this comic book emphasizes the deeper fantasy aspects of the Ultraverse while expanding the lore within Elven’s part of the shared comic book universe.

Similar to Prime (Kevin Green in disguise), Elven gets triggered emotionally which is the result of the youth and obvious lack of maturity of Elvia. That being said, the moments of Elven getting more violent and shedding a few tears after getting laughed at by the demon deserve any reader’s attention.

Len Strazewski’s writing is pretty rich here and he pulled of some clever moves with the narrative. As the battle between Elven and the demon intensified, there were signs that the conflict would turn into an even bigger and more destructive battle. Instead, there were these deep revelations that happened (note: for relevance, you will have to read Prime #5 which I reviewed some time ago) and even the arrogant boy Bruno has his own share of what has been going on. Even the psychiatrist turned out to be a pretty significant bystander during the battle which suggests a build-up for a sub-plot.

As such, Strazewski wrote the story to be very intriguing and the plot threads are not limited to Elven and the demon. The way I see it, something is being built up and to grasp the relevance, you will have to read some issues of the Prime and Mantra comic book series.

If there is any weakness in the storytelling, it is the fact that the psychiatrist and his office assistant very easily forgot the moments of Bruno turning evil during the late part of issue #1. The way they reacted in this comic book after the end of the battle between Elven and the demon, they did not make any moves to hold Bruno accountable nor did they question Elven’s way of handling matters (which includes the eventual ruining of the office).

Conclusion

After getting triggered (being laughed at by the demon), Elven acted move violently and impulsively.

While there were a few weak spots in certain parts of the story, Elven #2 (1995) is another solid read from the Strazewski-Lopresti duo. Elven got developed even more through conflict with the demon, and her own search for the truth about her origin. Aside from that, the fantasy elements implemented in the story expanded the lore of the Ultraverse in a very unique way. Ultimately, I am looking forward to reading the next chapter of this mini-series.

Overall, Elven #2 (1995) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

A Look Back at Elven #1 (1995)

A Look Back at Elven #1 (1995)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Ultraverse fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to examine one of the many tales of the Ultraverse.

For the newcomers to the Ultraverse, Prime is one of its most definitive heroes and his true identity is the teenager Kevin Green who can transform into an overly muscular caped adult superhero. The Prime monthly series of comic books ran for two years and the title character appeared in many other Ultraverse comic books.

Considering the prominence of Prime, it is not surprising that Malibu Comics proceeded to create comic books featuring a female counterpart to Prime. That counterpart is called Elven who appeared in a few early issues of the Ultraverse Premiere series and eventually Prime interacted with her.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Elven #1, published by Malibu Comics in 1995 with a story written by Len Strazewski and illustrated by Aaron Lopresti (Sludge).

The cover.

Early story

The story begins deep within a city when a beautiful blonde woman got hurt by a very angry man named Billy. With the lady down on the floor, the man raises his metallic weapon intending to strike her not realizing that someone is emerging from behind. He turns and sees a scantily clad caped woman who immediately hits him hard. The caped woman is Elven who believes she is helping the blonde woman.

To Elven’s surprise, the blonde woman tells her to stop and not hurt the man who was violent towards her. The man hits Elven on the face with his weapon but ended up getting hit hard again in retaliation. Elven then uses an optic blast at the wall as she tells the blonde woman to leave.

With the violent man down and hurt, Elven decides to kill him but is prevented by Prime from behind. After telling Prime that she told him not to interfere with her, she hits him with an energy blast…

Quality

Elvia with her hard-working mother. The lack of a loving father affected Elvia deeply.

Being written by Prime co-creator and series co-author Len Strazewski, this Ultraverse tale about Elven is very good and there is a lot of depth in the plot. You will meet Elven and the true human behind her named Elvia Swenson, a teenage girl who has a painful past, has an obsession with fantasy tales, and was created through the very same secret government fertility research program as Kevin Green/Prime. Elven’s disturbing look (with elvish features) reflects Elvia’s fantasy obsession and personally belief of using violence against men. She and Prime are genetically related due to the top secret project.

This comic book examines Elvia whose life lacks direction and her abusive father really impacted her negatively. With her mother’s love and guidance remaining in her life, Elvia is literally in a quest to find purpose, happiness and friendship. Unfortunately, the young guy Bruno is in the neighborhood and he is actually a demon. Bruno’s presence literally raised the stakes of the story which justifies Elvia’s transformation into Elven for the eventually good-versus-evil conflict. All throughout, there is tension and drama which got balanced with superhero spectacle. The way Elven is portrayed here makes her comparable with the arrogant, man-bashing, rabid feminists of modern society.

When it comes to Prime himself, this comic book features a really mature portrayal of him. I am talking about the early part of the story when Prime did his best to calm Elven down, restrain her and convince her to think first as a way to prevent her recklessness. Long-time Ultraverse readers should now that Prime is actually teenager Kevin Green inside all that muscle and he often has an awkward or a tense way of communicating with others (note: imagine the teenager pretending to think and act like an adult). That said, Prime here really interacts maturely and his attempt to put a lot of sense into the impulsive Elven is very believable. This is clever writing by Strazewski and it is one of the more notable portrayals of Prime.  

When it comes to the visual side, artist Aaron Lopresti’s style worked smoothly in this comic book. I have seen his works in the Sludge series and he really excels with facial expressions, spectacle and the monsters looking very creepy. Strangely enough, Lopresti’s take on Elven is noticeable smaller and less muscular when compared to how the character appeared in Elven #0 and Ultraverse Premiere drawn by Greg Luzniak.

Conclusion

Prime struggles to calm the impulsive and reckless Elven down. Without Prime’s intervention, Elven definitely would have committed murder against a man who harmed a woman moments earlier.

Elven #1 (1995) is clearly a very solid read and easily one of the best spin-off comic books of the Ultraverse. Strazewski and Lopresti crafted a tale that was intense and dramatic while successfully defining Elven and her true identity as the teenage Elvia. Considering her painful background and current situation, Elvia is sympathetic although things got twisted when she becomes Elven which brings out her violent side, her recklessness and distorted view about helping women by using violence. That being said, Elven at this stage in the Ultraverse is not really a likable lead character and that only makes her more unique when compared to Prime. Will Elven become as terrible as the evil ones? There is more to discover as this comic book is part of the limited series.

The specific portrayals of Elvia and Elven is very tricky to write down and Strazewski succeeded in making it work. Ultimately, this comic book added strong fantasy elements within the Ultraverse.

Overall, Elven #1 (1995) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

Philippines Wins Two Silvers And A Bronze In 2025 SEA Games Individual Triathlon Contests

Philippines Wins Two Silvers And A Bronze In 2025 SEA Games Individual Triathlon Contests

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The Philippines won the two silver medals and a bronze in the individual triathlon contests of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) held yesterday in Thailand. The two silver medalists Kira Ellis (women’s triathlon) and Andrew Kim Remolino (men’s triathlon) delivered their best as they encountered strong competitors in their respective races while also struggling with health problems.

To put things in perspective about the Philippines’ gold medal victories in the all-men relay and all-women relay contests, posted below is an excerpt from the sports news report of One Sports. Some parts in boldface…

Despite battling food poisoning, Philippine triathletes Kira Ellis and Kim Remolino pushed through to claim silver in their individual events, with Fernando Jose Casares bagged bronze at the 2025 SEA Games.

Kira Ellis didn’t just race against the field in the women’s individual triathlon at the 33rd SEA Games—she also raced against her own body.

The 19-year-old Filipino triathlete revealed she was hospitalized after falling ill following the team relay events, leaving her with limited time to recover ahead of the individual race. Yet when it mattered most, she still found a way to stand on the podium.

Despite the health scare, Ellis bagged silver to add another chapter to what has been a breakout 2025 SEA Games campaign in Thailand.

She finished with a time of 01:01:03, while Indonesia’s Martina Ayu Pratiwi claimed gold in 01:00:11. Singapore’s Herlene Natasha Yu Zhihui rounded out the podium with 01:02:41.

Ellis and Ayu were virtually even through the swim, bike and even on both T1 and T2 transitions, but Ayu edged ahead during the run, covering the final leg 45 seconds faster than the Philippine triathlete.

“It was a crazy lead-up to the individual race,” Ellis shared in a post-race interview. “I got food poisoned after the triathlon relays and I was at the hospital that night. We were supposed to be resting in between the days before this.“

The illness also struck close to home, as teammate Raven Alcoseba was forced to miss the individual event after suffering the same fate.

“I was lucky I got it earlier and had a day to rest,” Ellis said. “She got it the night before, and it was really unfortunate. She should be here more than me—she’s our strongest athlete. I’m really heartbroken that we couldn’t race together because I know we could’ve done it side by side.”

Already proven on the international stage—most recently winning the Europe Triathlon Junior Cup in Riga, Latvia—Ellis admitted the illness took a physical toll, but it never broke her focus.

“It did affect my energy, but the training was there,” she bared. “Despite everything, you just have to block it out and give your best.”

The silver medal capped a demanding schedule that saw Ellis compete in five events at the Games, walking away with an impressive haul: two golds in the women’s and mixed team triathlon, plus silvers in the mixed team aquathlon, the all-women relay, and the individual race.

By the time she crossed the finish line, the result felt bigger than any medal.

 “I’m happy. I raced in five events, and I couldn’t be prouder of my teammates. Everyone came here and gave their best,” Ellis said.

In the men’s individual event, the Philippines celebrated a strong showing as Kim Remolino and Fernando Jose Casares claimed silver and bronze, respectively.

But it was Rashif Amila Yaqin of Indonesia who stole the spotlight, clocking a winning time of 54:37 to dethrone Casares, who had taken gold in the same event at the 2023 edition in Cambodia.

Remolino — much like Ellis — had to battle through the lingering effects of food poisoning and went head-to-head with Yaqin throughout the race.

The Filipino triathlete matched Yaqin with a 28:31 bike split, but the Indonesian pulled ahead in the swim and run to keep the gold out of reach. In the end, he crossed the finish line at 55:03, while teammate Fernando Jose Casares settled for 56:56.

Silver medal of SEA Games mixed relay captured

The other day (December 18), the Philippines won the silver medal of the mixed relay duathlon contest thanks to the combined efforts of Erika Burgos, Maynard Pecson, Merry Joy Trupa, and Franklin Ferdie Yee. Posted below is an excerpt from the sports news report of ABS-CBN.

The mixed team relay of Erika Burgos, Maynard Pecson, Merry Joy Trupa, and Franklin Ferdie Yee copped a silver for the Philippines in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games duathlon competitions at the Laem Mae Phim Beach in Rayong, Thailand.

The squad clocked one hour, 35 minutes, and 35 seconds to secure a podium finish on Thursday, sneaking in to grab a medal after running fourth at one point in the race.

Trupa helped the Philippines move in contention for a medal when she clocked the best time of 24:26 among the participants in the third leg.

The anchor Yee closed the race with the second-best time with 23:18 to finish the race that featured a 2km run, 8km bike, and 1km run course.

The Indonesia team of Martina Ayu Pratiwi, Azizah Khunsul Qotimah, Ronald Bintang Setiawan, and Alias Praji took the gold in 1:33:58. Singapore clinched the bronze with a time of 1:36:47.

The women’s and men’s team relay both finished fourth, the day after the Philippines swept all three events in the triathlon relay events.

Praise and thank the Lord for the victories the multisports team of the Philippines achieved in the 2025 SEA Games.

To receive more triathlon and multisport updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil.  

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Philippines Wins Three Triathlon Relay Gold Medals At The 2025 SEA Games

Philippines Wins Three Triathlon Relay Gold Medals At The 2025 SEA Games

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The Philippines won the gold medals in the all-women triathlon relay, the all-men triathlon relay and the mixed triathlon events of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) held yesterday in Thailand which has since been reported by GMA News (click here) and the Philippine Daily Inquirer (click here and here) and revealed via social media by Triathlon Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission (click here, here, here and here). The Daily Tribune and the Manila Standard also published their respective stories (click here and here).

To put things in perspective about the Philippines’ gold medal victories in the all-men relay and all-women relay contests, posted below is an excerpt from the sports news report of GMA News. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippines continued its golden surge in the 2025 SEA Games after its triathlon teams delivered a pair of gold medals on Wednesday in Thailand.

The men’s and women’s squads both ruled the team relay competitions, adding two more gold medals to the country’s tally with three days left in the biennial event.

The women’s team, composed of Kira Ellis, Kim Mangrobang, and Raven Alcoseba, reigned supreme after clocking in one hour, 10 minutes, and 14 seconds.

Indonesia’s Martina Ayu Pratiwi, Kayla Nadia Shafa, and Renata Berliana Aditya copped the silver with 1:10:48 while Singapore’s Yen Ling Kathlyn Yeo, Louisa Marie Middleditch, and Herlene Natasha Yu settled for bronze with 1:12:00.

The Philippine men’s team also shone with Aki Lorbes, Matthew Hermosa, and Fernando Casares by finishing the relay in one hour, four minutes, and five seconds.

GMA News eventually posted another sports news report which includes the Philippines’ gold medal victory in the triathlon mixed relay contest. Posted below is the excerpt from their report.

The Philippines proved its dominance in triathlon after ruling the mixed team relay in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday in Thailand.

The quartet of Kira Ellis, Fernando Casares, Kim Remolino, and Raven Alcoseba dominated the event to clinch the country’s third triathlon gold medal.

Earlier, Ellis and Alcoseba teamed up with Kim Mangrobang to reign supreme in the women’s team relay while Cesares connived with Aki Lorbes and Matthew Hermosa to emerge victorious in the men’s team relay event.

The Philippines first stamped its authority in the mixed relay back in 2019, with former triathlon stars John Chicano, Maria Claire Adorna, along with Mangrobang and Casares, leading the charge to gold.

In the sports story of the Manila Standard, a tactical move was done which turned out to be crucial in achieving the gold medal victories.

For the newcomers reading this, yesterday was the 2nd day of SEA Games action for the Philippine’s multisport team. There are still other multisport contests pending as of this writing.

As the Philippines won the gold medals of the SEA Games all-women relay, the all-men relay and the mixed relay, December 17, 2025 is a day that will be remembered for a long time. For visual reference, posted below are the social media posts from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

2 silvers and a bronze in SEA Games aquathlon events

During their first day of SEA Games competition in Thailand, the same multisport team won two silver medals and one bronze medal in the aquathlon relay contests (all-women, all-men and mixed). For insight, posted below is the excerpt from the Inquirer sports report. Some parts in boldface…

Team Philippines nabbed two silver medals and a bronze in the aquathlon in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Tuesday at Leam Mae Phim, Klaeng Distic in Rayong.

Kira Ellis, Matthew Hermosa, Raven Faith Alcoseba, and Andrew Remolino clocked 1:04:58 to finish with a silver medal in the mixed team relay final.

The group fell short of surpassing Indonesia’s 1:04:14 as the latter won gold in the event. Malaysia finished with a bronze medal, finishing the race at 1:08:37.

Ellis, with Erika Nicole Burgos and Kim Mangrobang, also had a runner-up finish in the women’s relay final, with a time of 51:46.

Indonesia escaped the Philippines anew, winning the gold with a time of 51:23. Singapore won bronze with a 53:58 finish.

Remolino, Inaki Emil Lorbes, and Joshua Alexander Ramos earned a bronze medal from the men’s relay event, clocking 47:52.

Praise and thank the Lord for the victories and the opportunities for the Philippines’ multisports team to win more gold medals in the contests ahead of them.

To receive more triathlon and multisport updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil.  

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 103

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 103

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Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Behind the Scenes of the Tokaido Shinkansen in Japan – I have been to Osaka and Tokyo when I traveled to Japan, but I never had the opportunity to ride the train connecting to both cities. Recently, I spotted this really information and captivating Nippon TV video about the Tokaido Shinkansen which is the high-speed rail line that connects Tokyo with Osaka. The video looks at the operators of the train, why their work involves a lot of precision and what is done to maintain the rail line. I encourage you to watch the video now!

#2 Japanese steak, rice and more – While I ate in several places in Japan during the few visits I made there, I don’t ever remember eating steak there. Recently, I found this video by the Japanese Food Noodles channel which focused on a certain food joint in Japan that specializes on steak. In fact, it is eat-all-you-can steak with rice or some other food. There is a lot to learn here from how to cook steak, how to operate a restaurant, how to keep customers satisfied, and more.

#3 GoodBadFlicks examines cartoons based on video games – Remember decades ago in America when there were these cartoon shows on TV that were based on video game properties? As a kid, I saw several cartoon shows based on video games and they were mostly fun to watch. You can discover more and you might have fun watching the recent video by GoodBadFlicks posted below.

#4 Reaction videos about Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining  – Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of the late movie director Stanley Kubrick. I’m not a fan of Stephen King as well. Believe it or not, the two were not aligned with each other when 1980’s The Shining was released in cinemas. Based on King’s novel, the movie was essentially Kubrick’s very own version and he had his creative touch all over it. While King was very turned-off with the cinematic version (which had a younger Jack Nicholson), many moviegoers and film buffs enjoyed Kubrick’s version a lot. It is not surprising that the 1980 film is the subject of multiple videos in YouTube. You can see how The Shining movie impacts YouTubers by watching the selected videos below.

#5 Rhetorical Thrill reacts to Excalibur  – I can hardly believe I first saw Excalibur on local TV way back in 1988. Fifteen years later, I saw it on home video and eventually bought my first-ever DVD copy of it some years later. Having replayed Excalibur as an adult, I eventually recognized the established actors like Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson and Patrick Stewart. After checking out recent reaction videos of Excalibur on YouTube, I found the video by Rhetorical Thrill actually entertaining to watch. I encourage you to watch her video below.

#6 The Dazed, the Dumb and the Delusional from the Leftists – Now for some serious stuff. The Satanic Left always have extremists who are delusional, dumb, dazed, and even evil without realizing it. Democrats and their fellow Leftists have so much wokeness, they lost their touch with reality and they cannot realize how wrong they are. The recent edition of Lefties Losing It hosted by Rita Panahi posted below will show you exactly what I mean. Enjoy!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 98

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 98

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Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 The Fly Revisited – In 1986, The Fly was released in cinemas and it impacted the science fiction genre, the horror genre and pop culture with body horror presentation under the direction of David Cronenberg. The film, which was a remake of the 1958 original, established Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum as cinematic artists. The movie even became an allegory about AIDS and how people care about those who are living with diseases. That being said, it is not surprising that The Fly became the subject of many YouTube videos in the form of retro reviews, reaction videos and trivia videos. To enjoy The Fly, watch the selected videos below…

#2 Steve Ditko Remembered – Are you familiar with the late illustrator Steve Ditko? He was the co-creator of Spider-Man and he illustrated the first 38 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man comic book series. Unlike the other Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee (who went on to be famous and celebrated a lot), Ditko had a low-key profile and did not want to be interviewed. If you want to learn more about the late illustrator, watch the video below.

#3 Pro-Palestine Activist Riddhi Patel Bashes City Officials And Threatens Them With Violence – I have seen a lot of Islamo-Leftist activists and zealots. Most of the time, they hate Israel and took sides with Palestinians and the Islamic terrorists. Also many of them activists are so extreme, they became entitled, arrogant and disrespectful to higher authorities. In the Communist state of California, the pro-Palestine activist Riddhi Patel spoke to city officials of Bakersfield and went as far as threatening them with violence. She even misused the name of Jesus. In her own words, Patel said “We’ll murder you.” To find out more, watch the video from SaharTV below.

#4 Wood-Fired Rice Balls Served By Store in Japan – Have you eaten any freshly cooked onigiri (Japanese rice ball) lately? I live here in the Philippines and because onigiri is not a common food, my only options are to buy them from the convenience store or from a foreign food vendor. In Japan, onigiri is widely available and customers can avail of them freshly cooked. There is this store in Japan that sells onigiri which are prepared with rice (cooked by wood fire) and fresh ingredients. Watch and learn from the video below.

#5 Meet The Programmer Behind The Classic Game Centipede  – While I never had the chance to play the classic Atari game Centipede in the arcades in the 1980s, I played the Atari 2600 port a lot and enjoy it. Because I have a copy of the Atari 50 collection on my Xbox Series X, I am able to play the Centipede arcade version in the comfort of home. For the newcomers reading this, Centipede is a tremendous success in the arcades ending up as one of the Top 4 arcade games of 1982 in America. It was also ported to many consoles and home computers years later. Recently, I found a YouTube video featuring Dona Bailey, one of the programmers behind Centipede.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Kira Ellis Wins 2025 Europe Triathlon Junior Cup Title

Kira Ellis Wins 2025 Europe Triathlon Junior Cup Title

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This past weekend, national triathlete Kira Ellis achieved tremendous honor for the Philippines by winning the gold in the 2025 Europe Triathlon Junior Cup held at Riga, Latvia, according to a Manila Bulletin sports news report.

For the newcomers reading this, Kira Ellis came back from injury and was sidelined for several months which makes her victory in Latvia even more special not only for her career but for the entire nation. It should be recalled that she was the champion in the 2024 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup. To see the official race results of this past weekend’s event, click here.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the sports news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Triathlete Kira Ellis lived up to her lofty billing as she captured the Junior Women crown in the 2025 Europe Triathlon Cup in Riga, Latvia over the weekend.

Despite being the lone Filipina and Asian in the class, Ellis, 18, impressed and timed in one hour, five minutes, and seven seconds in the 750m-swim, 22km-bike, and 5.1km-run event to outshine 15 other foreign rivals.

It was also a sort of stellar comeback for Ellis who suffered a shin splint (medial tibial stress syndrome) that sidelined her for six months.

The feat just added to Ellis’ trophy collection that includes golds in 2024 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup in Malaysia and in 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.

To receive more local triathlon and multisport updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil.  

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Parañaque Congressman Yamsuan seeks passage of Equal Maternity Protection Act

Parañaque Congressman Yamsuan seeks passage of Equal Maternity Protection Act

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Following the 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Parañaque’s 2nd District Representative Brian Yamsuan seeks passage of House Bill No. 224 (Equal Maternity Protection Act) which is one of his more notable proposals in the House of Representatives, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Parañaque City 2nd Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan has highlighted the significance of one of his pet bills in the 20th Congress following President Marcos’ his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) earlier this week.

In a statement Wednesday, July 30, Yamsuan sought the passage of House Bill (HB) No.2240, or the Equal Maternity Protection Act. It aims to provide maternity cash benefits for women workers in the informal sector.

Specifically, the measure seeks “a one-time direct maternity cash benefit per delivery” to informal sector female workers “equivalent to the prevailing minimum wage rate in their region of residence multiplied by 22 days”.

Once the bill becomes law, a female worker in the informal economy who lives in Metro Manila where the prevailing minimum wage rate is P695 will receive P15,290 from the DSWD after giving birth.

Yamsuan’s proposal covers women workers in the informal economy who are not members of the Social Security System (SSS), whether on a regular or voluntary basis. These include freelancers, own-account workers, home-based workers and workers in unrecognized or unregulated employment relationships.

In his SONA last Monday, July 30, President Marcos expressed a renewed commitment to expand opportunities for low-income Filipinos to set up small businesses. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said that among the expected beneficiaries of this SONA commitment are women.

“Malaking bahagi ng ating mga informal workers na kasama sa pagpapasigla ng ating ekonomiya ay mga kababaihan at karamihan sa kanila ay walang benefits na natatanggap mula sa gobyerno. Ang ating panukalang batas ay layuning mabago ang ganitong di-patas na pagtrato sa kanila,” Yamsuan said.

(A big chunk of our informal workers who contribute to energizing our economy are women and many of them do not receive any benefits from the government. Our bill aims to change this unfair treatment of them.).

HB No.2240 intends to amend certain provisions of Republic Act (RA) No.11210, or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law in which eligibility is limited only to women who are SSS members and contributors.

Yamsuan said that in his district alone where he has helped provide jobs and livelihood opportunities through his Bigay Negosyo and Dagdag Pangkabuhayan programs, the majority of the beneficiaries were women.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you find the details of Congressman Yamsuan’s proposal clear and concise? Do you think the proposal will be able to help a lot of women in the informal sector once it becomes a law? If you are a 2nd district voter of Parañaque, do you like what Congressman Yamsuan is doing?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673