Recently at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, two Chinese nationals who tried to leave the country using fake visas were intercepted by operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), according to a GMA Network news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
Operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested two Chinese passengers who attempted to leave the Philippines using counterfeit visas.
According to the BI, passengers Wang Dingku, 31, and Su Zhengkun, 25, were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 after trying to board a flight bound for Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday.
The BI said the travelers presented themselves at the immigration counter for departure formalities when the immigration officers noticed discrepancies in their visas. This prompted the BI officers to refer the documents to the forensic documents laboratory for checking, which later confirmed the documents as fake.
The BI said the Chinese passengers also allegedly used the counterfeit documents to enter the country.
The two will be charged with violating the Philippine Immigration Act before the BI board of commissioners, which will issue the order for their summary deportation.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the Chinese nationals living within your local community used fake documents to enter the Philippines and will use them to go overseas?
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
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 topics and the related videos I found.
#1 Akira revisited – The 1988 anime feature film Akira has often been cited as a masterpiece and some pointed it for making anime more popular in the West. For the newcomers reading this, Akira actually started in Japan as a manga/comic book series before getting adapted into anime. Strangely enough, the literary Akira was still publishing when the 1988 feature film was released. As of this writing, there are two English-dubbed versions of it in existence and the Blu-ray copy I own has them both.
It is not surprising that the animated Akira got featured by many YouTubers in the form of retro reviews, reaction videos, documentaries and video analysis. If you have not seen Akira, I encourage you to watch it on Blu-ray first. Otherwise, enjoy the selected videos below.
#2Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd. (the Donkey Kong case) – Have you ever played Donkey Kong back in the 1980s? That is a classic game from Nintendo. It was a hit in the arcades and made its way to multiple platforms in the years that followed. Believe it or not, Univeral Studios sued Nintendo alleging that Donkey Kong was a trademark infringement of King Kong. The video below will explain the details as to what happened and I can say it is also amusing to watch.
#3 PatmanQC examines Q*bert – Released in the arcades in 1982, Q*bert became a hit in America and went on to become one of the highest grossing arcade games in 1983. A very fun game, it is remembered for cleverly blending puzzle play with 3D-like movement and avoidance of both obstacles and enemies. You might be wondering who came up with Q*bert, what led to its production and what inspired the game creators to design it. To find out, watch PatmanQC’s detailed examination of Q*bert below…
#4 The Terminator’s connection with The Outer Limits explored – Remember watching 1984’s The Terminator? That was the memorable sci-fi action movie from director James Cameron which went on to become a multimedia franchise of movies, a TV series, comic books, video games and more. If you truly believe that the story is a purely original work written by Cameron (and by those who were involved behind the scenes), you will have to think twice because The Terminator’s sci-fi concept shares some notable similarities with a certain episode of The Outer Limits written by Harlan Ellison. To find out more, watch the video below…
#5 Al Jazeera is the terrorist news network and Qatar’s tool of deception – I will say it out loud right here: Al Jazeera is absolutely not a professional news outlet. Al Jazeera is, in fact, the Islamic terrorist news network and also the tool of Qatar which itself has sinister plans. Qatar may be a small nation but its ambitions for greater influence on the Middle East are very big and they have sinister intentions to grow big. Be aware that Qatar funded anti-Israel movements through American universities. That being said, I urge you all to boycott Al Jazeera. To take a close look at the evil of Al Jazeera and why Qatar should be held accountable, watch the video below.
#6 Ashleigh Burton reacts to The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – Back in 2014, I saw The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in the local cinema which was fully crowded. Even though I had modest expectations, I still left the cinema feeling disappointed. I was convinced that Sony Pictures, Andrew Garfield and director Marc Webb really had nowhere else to go with the way they were handling the Spider-Man film franchise. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 remains a divisive film and yet I had more fun with it by watching Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video. Watch it now.
#7 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Million Dollar Baby – When was the last time you saw YouTuber Popcorn in Bed get emotional and cry during a movie reaction video? If you have already seen Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby, then you should be aware of its very heartbreaking moments directly related to its very tragic concept. Popcorn in Bed recently reacted to the film and how it impacted her on an emotional level is a must-watch.
#8 SHIFT’s 2024 King of Thong video (Miami Swim Week) – A thong is “an article of swimwear or underwear with the back portion consisting of a narrow strip of cloth that passes between the buttocks and connects with a waistband.” Several months ago, the swimsuit fashion YouTube channel SHIFT posted a video of its coverage of the 2024 Miami Swim Week focusing on a show of King of Thong. For almost nine minutes, you’ll see lots of women appear in thongs showing lots of skin with carefully selected tunes playing. It’s a must-watch for those who enjoy women’s swimwear fashion and thongs. Also, there might be some fashion models you could recognize.
The Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) – the entity responsible for making investments on behalf of the Philippines – will be making its first investment within the first quarter of 2025, according to a BusinessWorld news report. Take note that it has been over eighteen months since the Maharlika Investment Fund was formally signed into law. The IRR (implementing rules and regulations) has already been finalized.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE MAHARLIKA Investment Corp. (MIC) is expected to make its first investment this quarter, most likely in the energy sector, its top official said.
“Definitely the first quarter. I think we had a year to set up. We had a year to basically put our governance in place. We obtained our formal approval to begin hiring last end of July,” MIC President and Chief Executive Officer Rafael D. Consing, Jr. said in an interview with BusinessWorld on Jan. 2.
The MIC has yet to make any investments since President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed the law creating the country’s first wealth fund in July 2023. The Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) had initially committed to make its first investments before the end of 2024.
Mr. Consing said sovereign wealth fund is “ready” and backed with funding and the needed workforce, but will not invest “without the benefit of due diligence.”
MIC earned P2.3 billion in interest income in 2024, Mr. Consing said.
Under the law, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines were mandated to contribute P25 billion and P50 billion, respectively, as the initial seed capital for the MIF. The two state lenders have remitted the funds to the Bureau of the Treasury in September 2023.
Mr. Consing said the MIC’s strategic plan will be up for board approval on Jan. 9. This after it made some changes after meeting with the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GCG) before the holidays, he added.
The MIC is looking into investing in energy, food security, healthcare, and resource development, particularly mining.
“In the first quarter, that would be the energy sector. Healthcare, if it turns out okay, if our due diligence results turn out okay, first half. I would say early second quarter for the latter two,” Mr. Consing said.
Mr. Consing said he believes that investments in the energy sector, particularly transmission lines, would be “most impactful.”
“That’s why ideally, we’d like to be able to buy into the national grid, if we’re able to. Or number two, we have also separately signed MOUs (memoranda of understanding) with the likes of Mindoro and Palawan, which fall under the SPUGS [small power utilities group] category,” he said.
In 2024, the MIC signed an agreement with Occidental and Oriental Mindoro to support investments in critical energy infrastructure.
“There are about 34 SPUGS in the country. The two biggest are Mindoro and Palawan. And we believe that given the contribution of Palawan when it comes to tourism, and also the population that lives in there, and the potential contribution of Mindoro in respect to the entire electricity sector in the Philippines, we felt that these are two priority areas where we can help, in fact, build transmission lines,” he said.
However, Mr. Consing declined to comment on the MIC’s plan to invest in the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).
He said the National Power Corp. is currently doing an inventory of all its assets in Mindoro and MIC “will have to sit down and determine which part of those assets it would need as part of the expansion of these lines.”
“Where we are now is we’re procuring the services of the technical consultant and the team that will be putting together the whole feasibility study. Because all of these will require regulatory approval by the Energy Regulatory Commission,” he added.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that the MIC will be able to make smart decisions with regards to making the investments? Do you think the Maharlika Investment Fund will make positive impact on the market and encourage others to invest?
In recent times, the inflation rate of the Philippines increased by 2.9% during the month of December 2024 which contributed to a final inflation result of 3.2% for the entire year, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
Inflation settled at 2.9 percent in December last year, bringing the 2024 average inflation rate to 3.2 percent, well within the government’s 2 percent to 4 percent target, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
In a briefing on Tuesday, National Statistician Dennis Mapa attributed the downtrend in the annual average inflation to the lower increase in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.4 percent in 2024 from 7.9 percent in 2023. Food inflation, in particular, decelerated from 8 percent in 2023 to 4.5 percent last year.
According to Mapa, rice inflation also slowed to 0.8 percent, the lowest since January 2022.
“Iyong inflation rate sa bigas ay bumababa na. In fact, baka mayroon tayong expectation na maging negative na ‘yong inflation sa rice sa January (The rice inflation rate is going down. In fact, we expect negative rice inflation in January). That’s part of the good news,” he said.
The lower annual average inflation of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 1.7 percent in 2024 from 4.9 percent in 2023, also contributed to the downtrend in 2024’s overall inflation.
Except for education services, the indices of other commodity groups recorded a downtrend in their annual average inflation in 2024 compared with 2023, with financial services recording an average decline of 0.6 percent in 2024 from a zero percent average inflation in 2023.
“The 3.2 percent average inflation rate in 2024 is a significant improvement from the 6 percent figure in 2023. Despite the risks we encountered throughout the year, our combined efforts to temper inflation have largely been successful. We will build upon this momentum as we commit to keep the inflation rate within our target range in 2025,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a separate statement.
“In pursuit of price stability, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas maintains a calibrated approach to its monetary policy easing while the relevant agencies continue to pursue measures to ensure adequate food supply and affordable prices.“
NEDA noted that the government would continue to ramp up efforts to ensure water and food security amid climate risks.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are managing a business, did inflation have any severe impact on the finances of your business? Do you think inflation all over the Philippines will somewhat ease this year?
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, over five hundred senior citizens of Barangay Talon Uno got vaccinated for flu for free thanks to the vaccination program of health office of Las Piñas City, according to the City Government’s social media post. Vice Mayor April Aguilar personally attended the vaccination activity.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the City Government’s social media announcement. Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas City Health Office successfully conducted a Free Flu Vaccination Program for Senior Citizens on Friday, December 20, at the Talon Uno Covered Court. The initiative aimed to provide protection against seasonal flu, with over 500 senior citizens receiving their free flu shots.
Healthcare professionals administered the vaccines and offered consultations to ensure the safety and well-being of the elderly participants. The event was efficiently managed, prioritizing ease of access and comfort for senior residents.
Vice Mayor April Aguilar graced the event, interacting with attendees and showing her support for the health program. Her presence emphasized the city government’s dedication to delivering essential healthcare services to its senior citizens.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? How many senior citizens of your local got vaccinated for flu over the past six months?
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
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Asteroids Deluxe arcade flyer
The arcade flyer for North America.
Given the fact that Asteroids was a massive hit for Atari in the arcades, it was not surprising that a sequel was made called Asteroids Deluxe. In preparation for its 1981 release, Atari made this Asteroids Deluxe arcade flyer showing three machine that arcade operators can choose from complete with technical details displayed. They even emphasized the QuadraScan video graphics as a technological advancement with regards to graphics. By today’s standards, this arcade flyer is still sensible with regards to promoting the game to both arcade operators and players.
2. Missile Command arcade flyer
Engaging art work on display at the front of the arcade flyer.
Released in the arcades in 1980, Missile Command is a classic game from Atari and its concept of defending cities from incoming enemy missiles proved to be relevant with people living with the fear of a nuclear missile attack during the days of the Cold War. In my experience, I mainly played the Atari 2600 version and it was only recently I finally started playing the arcade classic on my Xbox Series X using the Atari 50 Collection software. As for the arcade flyer itself, Atari simply used highly detailed painted art for the front which clearly emphasized the science fiction portrayal of a military officer using a console inside a base to come up with defensive response to incoming ballistic missiles. The game was a massive hit in the arcades and in my view, Atari’s simply yet direct way of promoting the concept of Missile Command with the arcade flyer remains compelling to look at.
3. Gun.Smoke European arcade flyer
Nice art on the front of this arcade flyer for the European market.
Long before they struck gold with Street Fighter II, Japanese company Capcom scored a hit with gamers in the arcades with 1985’s Gun.Smoke. It was a vertically scrolling run-and-gun game with an Old West setting and it was designed by Yoshiko Okamoto (Final Fight and Street Fighter II). To promote the game for European arcades, Capcom simply used hand-drawn artwork for the arcade flyer’s front which emphasized the Wild West setting, and an American Cowboy and bounty hunter named Billie Bob who is the playable character gamers got to play. In my view, the artwork gave the game a strong Wild West image that is also memorable.
4. Sei Senshi Amatelass arcade flyer
Does the model look sexy or tough?
Released in Japanese arcades in 1986 by Nichibutsu, Sei Senshi Amatelass is a vertical scrolling run-and-gun game with a science fantasy concept. To promote the game and really sell its concept, Nichibutsu hired a model posing with a sword and a shield in fantasy inspired costume. Using the remaining spaces of the flyer, some screenshots and an image of the arcade machine were displayed. This flyer showed the company exerting effort to sell Sei Senshi Amatelass with a touch of beauty and subtle sexiness.
5. Sweet Gal arcade flyer
Seriously, are you interested in playing mahjong in digital form?
Here is another digital mahjong arcade game from Nichibutsu…Sweet Gal. As typical of the company, a model was hired to add subtle sexiness into the promotion of the game and they even added a digital image of a sexy girl. Sweet Gal clearly was promoted to attract men who enjoy playing mahjong in electronic format and there were some arcade spots in Japan that catered to such mahjong enthusiasts.
6. Moon Patrol print ad
This is a fun-looking, comic book style way of promoting a video game.
Here is one of those video game print ads I saw while reading comic books back in the early 1980s. Moon Patrol is a sci-fi, side-scrolling game by Atari known for introducing full parallax scrolling in side-scrolling games. Instead of showing screenshots of the console versions of the game, this print ad used nice looking hand-drawn artworks presented with a comic book-inspired style to emphasize the concept. I still remember how captivating this ad and its super short story was the first time I saw it. It was enough to make me interested in the game.
7. Tron Atari 2600 games print ad
Calling all Tron fans to look at this.
I was very captivated by the 1982 sci-fi movie Tron which I saw on home video. It had very flashy computer-generated visuals, a very memorable story and the fine performance by Jeff Bridges. Tron was also very reflective about the video game culture of its time. When I first saw this print ad while reading a comic book, I was really excited. If you look closely, it had nice artwork dominating the space and screenshots that each promoted the games Tron: Deadly Discs and Adventures of Tron. Even though the graphics were primitive, I still recognized the Tron-related images which added to my excitement.
8. Q*bert print ad
This print ad by Parker Brothers really captured the essence of the game.
The puzzle-oriented 2D action game Q*bert became an arcade hit in America shortly after its 1982 release and even went on to become one of the highest grossing arcade games in 1983. Q*bert is one of those 2D games that cleverly blended puzzle play with 3D-like movement and avoidance of both obstacles and enemies. As expected, the game made its way into gaming console and this particular print ad had artwork that strongly captured the very essence of the game complete with the very catchy line “It’s not easy being Q*bert, but it’s fun.”
9. Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man print ad
Calling all He-Man fans.
I saw this print ad of Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man (for Atari 2600 and Intellivision) while reading a comic book long ago. Like the Tron games ad, this made me excited as I was fond of watching the He-Man cartoon series of the 1980s. While the selected screenshots caught my attention, it was the hand-drawn art of He-Man facing off with Skeletor and his minions that captivated me simply because it reminded me of the animated series. This is a fine example of promoting a video game that would instantly resonate with fans of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe franchise.
10. UFO Robo Dangar North American arcade flyer
The giant robot concept of this game gave some viewers the impression that it was based on some giant robot anime series from Japan even though the art work used does not suggest it.
Here is another arcade game from Nichibutsu but for the North American market and without the use of a model and without the subtle sexiness. UFO Robo Dangar is a 2D vertically scrolling science fiction shooting game and players get to control a giant robot (composed of flying vehicles that merged into one mechanical body) that has to go through countless waves of enemies in order to advance from one level to another. The arcade flyer used nice looking sci-fi art of ships with the game’s title having a robot and several screenshots of the game. The flyer even made a hard pitch towards arcade operators that UFO Robo Danger will transform their games into profits with proven longevity.
11. Aliens Japanese arcade flyer
The front.
The other side of the flyer of the 1990 arcade hit Aliens.
Quite arguably, Konami’s 1990 arcade hit Aliens is the best video game of any game design to be based on the 1986 film directed by James Cameron. Not only was Aliens a big hit in the arcades, it also won an award from the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA). Aliens was released in Japanese arcades in February of 1990 and Konami released an arcade flyer that was much more visually striking than its North American arcade flyer. The front had detailed artwork of the Xenomorph while the rear had the instructions and screenshots presented in an orderly manner. The photograph of the Xenomorph alien was added intensity on selling the game. This is still a great looking arcade flyer.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of GMA. Some parts in boldface…
The Department of Justice on Sunday warned foreign Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) workers to surrender to authorities or face legal consequences that include permanent blacklisting.
“The President is unequivocally clear that POGOs have no place here in the Philippines and we vow to give our all-out support for the sake and welfare of the Filipino people,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a statement.
“This Administration stands firm in its resolve to intensifying its guerilla operations against non-compliant POGOs,” he added.
In July 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs after several businesses were implicated in a variety (of) crimes, including human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and money scams.
According to the Bureau of Immigration, 22,609 of the 33,863 foreign POGO workers have already left the Philippines. This means around 11,000 foreign POGO workers are still in the country.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that the authorities will be able to find the 11,000+ foreign POGO workers who are remaining in the country? Do you think that local candidates running for positions in the 2025 National and Local Elections could secretly have been funded by POGOs?
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Persons harboring foreign workers of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) will be prosecuted, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
“Harboring illegal aliens is a serious offense, and we will pursue violations with utmost resolve,” said Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.
He stressed that “the BI will not hesitate to file charges against anyone found violating Section 46 of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.“
Section 46 of the Philippine Immigration Act prohibits the “bringing of alien in the Philippines who is not lawfully entitled to enter or reside there, concealing or harboring an alien who is not lawfully entitled to enter or reside there, and attempting, conspiring with, or aiding another to commit any of the prohibited acts.”
Viado issued the warning after the BI revealed that over 11,000 foreign workers of POGOs failed to leave the Philippines on the Dec. 31, 2024 deadline.
For continuing to remain in the Philippines, the bureau said these aliens will be arrested and will face deportation proceedings, he said.
“Anyone who enables these individuals to remain in the Philippines illegally will face the consequences, and the law is clear, and there will be no exceptions,” he stressed.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are there many foreign workers of POGOs secretly living within your local community right now? Do you think there are still POGOs secretly operating in your city?
With Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) already banned and a lot of their foreign employees have left the country, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) required the local government units (LGUs) to submit “no POGO” certificates by the end of January 2025, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. In relation, this involves the inspection of commercial buildings and other ways of checking the compliance with the POGO ban.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
Local governments and police have been given the green light to inspect commercial buildings covered by business permits as well as residences in their jurisdiction to check for compliance with the government’s total ban on POGOs (Philippine Overseas Gaming Operations), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with Justice officials, DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla said local government units (LGUs) are required to submit “No POGO” certificates in their localities by the end of the month.
“LGUs are responsible for checking all the buildings, (and utilize) the occupancy permits, the electric permits, the fire safety permits so they would have full capacity to enter all the buildings,” Remulla explained.
Aside from commercial and residential building inspections, LGUs may also check if owners are paying correct real property taxes. Remulla noted that POGOs operate where there is available bandwidth.
“They cannot operate in remote areas because there would be no Internet there. They have a high bandwidth requirement to be able to operate,” he said.
Remulla also clarified that special economic zone areas or SEZAs are not exempt from the ban under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order No. 74.
“It is very clear that with EO 74, CEZA, PEZA zones are not exempted. We have no boundaries. There are no walls high for us to climb. All these areas, we can inspect,” he said.
“The government’s anti-POGO campaign is an ongoing thing, (it’s) forever. We will continue to be vigilant about it,” Remulla stressed.
He added that the DILG will enforce a “zero tolerance” policy on erring local government officials in the campaign against POGOs.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think local governments will really work to meet the requirement of the DILG regarding POGOs? Does your local government still allow POGOs to operate?
As the 2025 season opener of the National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) series is set to take place on January 25 and 26 at the Subic Bay Boardwalk inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Cebu’s very own Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) medalists Andrew Kim Remolino and Raven Faith Alcoseba are seen as the heavy favorites in their respective categories, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) sports article.
In addition, there are several triathletes from Cebu who will be joining the Subic Bay triathlon across different categories. For the Philippines triathlon team, this event is crucial as it serves as a qualifying race for this year’s SEA Games which will be hosted by Thailand.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the sports news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…
Cebu will be sending a big delegation to the 2025 National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) tournament scheduled Jan. 25 and 26 at Subic Bay Freeport.
Leading the contingent is Andrew Kim Remolino, the defending men’s elite titlist in the competition organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines.
“It’s gonna be a hard race to start the season since everyone’s really getting ready for it,” Remolino said in an interview on Sunday.
“The NAGT is the first qualifying race to get a slot for the SEA (Southeast) Games in Thailand, so for now, we are just preparing for the things we could improve before the race day,” added the 23-year-old who hails from Talisay.
He bagged an aquathlon silver at the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games.
The Thailand SEA Games is set in December this year.
Remolino won the 2024 NAAT, with an Olympic distance 1.5-kilometer swim, 40K bike and 10K run, in 56 minutes and 56 seconds, beating fellow Cebuano Matthew Justine Hermosa who registered a personal best 56:57 and Baguio City’s Dayshaun Ramos (57:31).
Also back this year is Raven Faith Alcoseba, who clocked 1:03:55 to rule the women’s division over Erika Nicole Burgos of Tanauan, Batangas (1:05:39) and Kira Ellis (1:06:16).
Hermosa, Burgos, Ellis and Iñaki Emil Lorbes bagged the mixed team gold medal at the Cambodia SEA Games.
Other Cebuanos in the lineup are Renz Wynn Corbin (men’s elite); John Michael Lalimos (men’s junior elite); Nicole Marie Del Rosario (women’s elite); Alex Niño Silverio and Cedei Abellana (para triathlon); Zackary Angelo Da Silva and Henry Ezekiel Go (youth male); Christy Ann Perez, Niala Kyrzl Limas and Henia Ethania Go (youth female); John Wayne Ybañez (age group men); Venice Herbias (age group women); Kian Manabat (16-19); Mika Natural (13-15); Zia Angel Da Silva (8-under); Theodore Son and John Luigi Remolino II (9-10); Safficka Son and Zoe Angel Da Silva (11-12); and Althea Arciaga (9-10).
Author Carlo Carrasco 