The Stands: An INQUIRER Sports Newsletter

 

April 26, 2024

National University gets a playoff bonus first. (AUGUST DELA CRUZ)

Hey there sports fan, Before anything else, how about we give the St. Benilde Lady Blazers their much-deserved share of the spotlight? Also, we did an interesting primer on the three artistic gymnastics events that Carlos Yulo will focus on as he seeks podium finishes in the Paris Olympics later this year. You can read the three-part "The Art of Yulo" series here, here and here.    That series will give you an  idea about how performances are scored in the Olympics and will also  introduce you to Yulo's bag of tricks, including the answer to this trivia question: The Nagornyy triple pike is a move performed in what event in artistic gymnastics? We will share the answer here at the end of this email. So, it must feel great to be a Lady Bulldog nowadays. Entering the second preliminary round of the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament, National U was at third place, behind the surprising University of Santo Tomas and defending champion La Salle. But NU has swept the second round and is now the first team to qualify for twice-to-beat protection in the Final Four. And make ni mistake about it, the Lady Bulldogs plan to leave that semifinal benefit unused.

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Chery Tiggo drove itself into the semifinals and PLDT out of contention.  (AUGUST DELA CRUZ)

Meanwhile... The present and the future clashed in the PVL All-Filipino, with Choco Mucho's powerful Sisi Rondina battling Farm Fresh rising star Trisha Tubu. Both are excellent hitters and served up a preview of future clashes. Needless to say, Rondina was impressed with what she saw.  Meanwhile, it took some serious work but Chery Tiggo reached the semifinals anyway. The Crossovers found the Galeries Tower Highrisers a surprisingly tough nut to crack and had to rally for a five-set victory on Thursday evening.  That win but Chery Tiggo in the Final Four and also sealed that cast after officially ousting PLDT.  What we're up to next: We will be tracking three-point milestones in the PBA as well as keep tabs on the Philippine Cup, which is now moving to the homestretch of the elimination round. We'll also continue our coverage of the PVL, UAAP and the NCAA volleyball tournaments so keep it here on all your Inquirer platforms. Number of the Week: 53 Three-pointers Marcio Lassiter needs to make as of this letter's posting to become the all-time leader in that department.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “We are the saling pusa (outsiders) compared to NU and La Salle, so we would really just want to gate-crash their party.” —UST Tigresses coach Kungfu Reyes, on chasing a top-two berth.

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Floor exercise. That's the answer to the trivia question above. Think you can ace the rest of the quiz? head over to our Viber community and try the test out! Buy the Inquirer at newsstands, subscribe to our digital edition, Inquirer Plus, visit our online site and follow us on socials (Twitter: @inquirersports; FB: facebook.com/inquirersports) for more stories and updates—or to send us questions or suggestions of stories you'd want to read. See you next Friday! Francis Francis T. J. Ochoa is the Sports Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. For comments, suggestions and questions, hit him up on Twitter (@ftjochoaINQ).

The Stands: An INQUIRER Sports Newsletter

 

April 5, 2024

Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo says au revoir to Paris bid. (REUTERS)

Hey there sports fan, Calvin Abueva has been fined again, this time for flipping the bird. But since we've all cleansed our inner selves over the Holy Week break, let's do away with that story. Instead, this bittersweet update from the world of weightlifting. The Philippines has qualified three lifters to the Paris Olympics: Rosegie Ramos, John Febaur Ceniza and Elreen Ann Ando.  Catching Ando's name there may have given followers of the sport, and of the country's Olympians, a jolt. Could it be? Sadly, yes. Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo failed to make the grade for the Paris Games. Diaz-Naranjo and Ando, both of whom saw their pet divisions scrubbed off the olympic calendar this year, found themselves caught in the same weight class: The women's 59-kg division. And since Olympic rules limit each country to one qualifier per weight, that meant the two lifters would have to go head-to-head. And in the final Olympic qualifier in Thailand, Ando managed to slip past Diaz-Naranjo to book her Paris ticket. “I love this sport, I don’t want to stop,” Diaz-Naranjo told the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). “But what I have to do now is take a good rest and think about the priorities in my life. Today wasn’t my day. Paris was not to be.”

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Angeline Poyos is on fire.  (UAAP MEDIA)

oMeanwhile... There have been some awesome performances in the UAAP women's volleyball tournament. With Angel Canino struck down by injury, La Salle turned to its bench to show that it is not a one-woman show. National U, meanwhile, has hit its stride and Bella Belen knows why: The Lady Bulldogs have been trying too hard to make this season a redemption tour that they forgot the joy of playing their game. Not anymore. And oh, Angeline Poyos! The early days in the UAAP calendar may have been filled with Casiey Dongallo highlight reels but the University of Santo TOmas rookie is slowly emerging as a star-in-the-making after punching in a season-best 31 points. What we're up to next: UAAP women's volleyball, PVL All-Filipino Conference, PBA Philippine Cup. Need we say anything more? Stick to our platforms for the most in-depth and engaging sports content. Number of the Week: 41 Points scored by Caitlin Clark in the Iowa-LSU Elite Eight showdown in the NCAA women's basketball tournament.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I’ve given a lot to this sport and it’s given a lot to me.” —Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, after missing out on the Paris Olympics.

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There are two answers to our weekly sports quiz in this newsletter. Think you can ace the rest of the quiz? head over to our Viber community and try the test out! Buy the Inquirer at newsstands, subscribe to our digital edition, Inquirer Plus, visit our online site and follow us on socials (Twitter: @inquirersports; FB: facebook.com/inquirersports) for more stories and updates—or to send us questions or suggestions of stories you'd want to read. See you next Friday! Francis Francis T. J. Ochoa is the Sports Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. For comments, suggestions and questions, hit him up on Twitter (@ftjochoaINQ).The Stands

El Niño-induced wildfires break out in Mindanao, Visayas

VILLAGE THREAT A grass fire has already spread across a two-hectare area at Barangay Bata in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, by the time this drone shot was taken on Tuesday morning. JOSE ANTONIO ROSELLO

By: Carla Gomez, Nestle Semilla, Ryan D. Rosauro - @inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:34 AM April 04, 2024

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Rising heat levels due to the El Niño weather phenomenon have been causing wildfires in various parts of Mindanao and the Visayas, with the latest on Wednesday threatening to engulf the airport in General Santos City (in Soccsksargen or Region 12).

Firefighters battled for four hours a wildfire in Barangay San Isidro that broke out around 11 a.m., was put under control after three hours and eventually put out by 3 p.m.

It was the most serious incident so far since wildfires broke out in various parts of Mindanao beginning last month.

San Isidro village chief Edward Frederick Yumang led the barangay’s fire and rescue brigade in extinguishing the blaze, aided by the Bureau of Fire Protection’s Calumpang substation and the fire brigades of Calumpang, Labangal and Bula villages, the firefighting team of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and three volunteer fire brigades.

The fire, according to Yumang, started inside the airport compound but no damage was reported to its facilities and other nearby properties.

On Wednesday, General Santos City was expected to register a heat index of 38 to 40 degrees Celsius and a video shared on social media by a certain Francis Sablon taken from inside a landed plane showed thick smoke hovering near the airport’s traffic control tower.

Near airport

Six days earlier, a wildfire also broke out near the airport compound in Barangay Fatima.

The most wildfires, per monitoring by the Inquirer, were in Koronadal City, the capital of South Cotabato province, with six incidents starting on March 4.

The most serious was on March 19, in Barangay Paraiso, when the blaze threatened a power distribution facility, leading to an unscheduled power interruption in the city.

Wildfires also broke out in Banga, Tantangan and Polomolok towns.

In Cotabato province, a grass fire spread on Tuesday night and engulfed portions of an oil palm plantation in Mlang town, local media organizations reported.

Also, on Tuesday night, a fire spread across a grassland in the hinterlands of Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur, toward its boundary with Digos City. The fire was put out by 2 a.m. on Wednesday through the combined efforts of the fire stations of Digos, Sta. Cruz and volunteer firefighters.

Rising heat index

In Bacolod City, at least 13 fire incidents, 10 of which were grass fires, were recorded on April 2 amid the forecast heat index of 42 C.

A grass fire with alarmingly huge flames hit seven hectares near the Northbound Terminal in Barangay Banago at 5:41 p.m. and was extinguished around 8 p.m., the Bacolod City Fire Station reported.

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez visited the Missionaries of Charity in Barangay Banago, which cares for the indigent elderly and sick, as the alarm was raised since the raging grass fire was close to their facility and the smoke could be harmful to its patients.

Benitez said the nuns and patients at the facility were okay.

A grass fire also hit two hectares in Barangay Bata at 7:46 a.m. and was declared out at 9:51 a.m.

Fire also destroyed the house of Roland Dillapeña Tulopia at Bangga Totong, Barangay Felisa, Bacolod City, while rubbish and vehicular fires were also reported on Tuesday.

Early reporting crucial

Benitez called on the public, as well as all barangay and purok officials, to be extra vigilant against grass fires and other fire incidents and to immediately report them to the nearest fire station, said lawyer Caesar Distrito, the mayor’s spokesperson.

“The mayor also asked barangays to organize or reactivate volunteers as part of the firefighting initiatives of the city,” Distrito said.

The mayor reminded Bacolod residents to avoid burning their garbage and to make sure fire-prone and combustible materials were stored safely.

DOH chief reminds public: Hydrate, ‘cool off’ vs summer diseases

 

By: Maila Ager - Reporter / @MAgerINQ

MANILA, Philippines — Summer time is here, and so are heat-related illnesses.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa on Tuesday explained that heat-related diseases are due to long exposure to the sun.

“Ang unang sign niyan [ay] dehydration, uhaw. Pangalawa: fatigue, ‘yung heat exhaustion, madaling mapapagod, tapos nun magkakaroon ng heat fatigue, tapos magkakaroon ng heat stroke,” Herbosa said in an interview in the Senate.

(The first signs are dehydration and thirst. Secondly, fatigue and heat exhaustion — you become easily tired, leading to heat fatigue, and eventually, heat stroke.)

“’Yung heat stroke hinimatay, ‘yung nag-collapse sa init, so ‘yung heat stroke madadala na kayo sa emergency room,” he added.

(A heat stroke can cause fainting or collapsing due to the heat. So, if you experience a heat stroke, you may need to be taken to the emergency room.)

To prevent falling ill due to hot weather conditions, the health chief advised the public to drink water and “cool off” or go to a cooler place.

“Kailangan ‘pag nag-umpisa pa lang ‘yung pakiramdam ng thirst, mag-hydrate na,” Herbosa said.

(When you start feeling thirsty, it’s important to drink water to hydrate immediately.)

“’Pag nakaramdam ng heat exhaustion, ‘yung parang pagod na pagod at parang lanta na yung katawan mo… mag-cool off na kayo.”

(When you start feeling heat exhaustion, or extremely tired and your body feels drained… it’s time to cool off.)

“You better go to a cooler place. Huwag masyadong mabilis cooling at kailangan ‘wag masyadong malamig ang inumin ng tubig kasi pwede ring magkaroon ng side effect,” he added.

(You better go to a cooler place. Don’t cool down too quickly, and make sure not to drink water that is too cold as doing this may also have side effects.)

To cool down, Herbosa said one may look for a covered place first, preferably under a roof or tree, or go to an air-conditioned room before taking a shower.

Long exposure to the sun is more dangerous for individuals with hypertension, heart ailments, and other existing illnesses, the health chief warned.

“Kung ikaw may hypertension [at] mapunta ka sa init ng araw, baka makaroon ka ng heart attack or heat stroke. Hindi lang heat stroke, [kundi] totoong stroke,” he said.

(If you have hypertension and you expose yourself to the heat of the sun, you might have a heart attack or heat stroke. Not just heat stroke; it can be a real stroke)

“Every time we have other illnesses, whether it’s kidney failure, cancer, mahirap ma-expose sa extremes ng weather, so very important to protect yourself, ‘wag pong maglagi sa labas,” he added.

(When we have other illnesses, such as kidney failure or cancer, it’s difficult to expose ourselves to extreme weather conditions, so it’s very important to protect yourself. Avoid staying outdoors for too long.)

Herbosa said other common diseases during summer include food-related and water-borne illnesses.

“Kasi ‘yung food, pagdating ng hapon, during hot weather, ‘yung niluto mo kaninang umaga, sa hapon panis na yun. Dati, ‘pag cooler ang weather, medyo mas tumatagal,” he pointed out.

(During hot weather, the food you cook in the morning might already be spoiled in the afternoon. In the past, when the weather was cooler, it used to last a bit longer.)

AboitizPower’s TSI plants 1 million trees to complete carbon sink goal in Davao

 

By: Antonio Iñares - @inquirerdotnet

DAVAO CITY – Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI) completed its Carbon Sink Management Program (CSMP) by planting one million trees in Davao City, including areas covering the ancestral domains of indigenous peoples (IP).

Through a collaborative effort with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI), alongside project partners including the Matigsalug Council of Elders Marilog District Davao City, Inc. and the Matigsalug Manobo Tribal People Council of Elders Davao, Inc., TSI successfully planted a variety of endemic, fruit-bearing, and high-value trees in Marilog District.

A carbon sink is anything that absorbs more carbon than it releases, helping lower the amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Along with the environmental benefits, the CSMP established and supported partnerships with diverse IP groups and communities in Davao City.

Since 2015, the program has collaborated with more than 500 farmers and IPs, resulting in the restoration and rehabilitation of over 845 hectares of their ancestral domain.

“This milestone reflects our advocacy of environmental responsibility and shows the positive outcome of strengthening collaborative partnerships with the indigenous communities. Together, we’re making a positive impact on carbon sequestration and fostering sustainable development while producing reliable power to Mindanao,” said TSI Vice President for Operations and Maintenance Abe Nisnisan.

TSI and RAFI also conducted various technical training sessions to educate and empower partner communities in farm planning, nursery establishment and seedling production, site preparation and plantation establishment and plantation maintenance and monitoring.

“Part of any tribal member’s duty is to foster the richness of both our cultural heritage and our ancestral lands. A tribe’s culture is deeply intertwined with the natural environment it inhabits. With this, we extend our gratitude to AboitizPower, TSI, and RAFI for their recognition and support in our journey to rehabilitate our ancestral domain”, said Datu Juanito Mandahay, president of the Matigsalug Council of Elders Marilog District.

At present, TSI and RAFI are collaborating with the Davao City Agricultural Office to further enhance the skills of IP farmers, particularly in cacao production, marketing, and networking.

This initiative aims to transform the CSMP into a livelihood program that sustainably supports the community.

Every year, TSI organizes and joins tree-planting initiatives in collaboration with government and non-government agencies. A location for a new CSMP is currently being identified for future plans.

BINI wants to help women realize their worth through music

BINI members (from left) Sheena, Gwen, Jhoanna, Mikha, Maloi, Colet, Stacey, and Aiah. Image: Courtesy of Star Music

By: Hannah Mallorca

In a time where women are taking charge of their destiny, BINI has emerged at the forefront of young Filipinas looking for inspiration to keep going. Their smash hit “Pantropiko” catapulted the eight-member girl group into superstar status, and the throng of screaming fans, outpour of activities, and a solo concert on the way is a sign of their stars shining brighter.

The Filipino girl group — consisting of Jhoanna Robles, Aiah Arceta, Colet Vergara, Maloi Ricalde, Gwen Apuli, Stacey Sevilleja, Mikha Lim, and Sheena Catacutan — was launched to the public in June 2021. A string of songs including “Da Coconut Nut,” “Born To Win,” “Golden Arrow,” “Na Na Na,” “Lagi,” “I Feel Good,” and “Karera” were added to their discography, which is akin to BINI exploring genres before finding their sound.

“Ang dami naming in-explore na genre, to be honest. Nag-‘Born To Win’ kami, then biglang nag-cutesy,” Gwen recalled in an interview with INQUIRER.net. “But when we started with ‘Lagi,’ pumatok na siya sa tao. Nag-boom din ang ‘Na Na Na’ sa Tiktok.”

This, in turn, dawned on the group that it was the sign they found their niche. But the group’s leader Jhoanna said they’re open to exploring more genres that showcased their identity as empowered Filipinas.

Empowering women

Apart from their music, BINI’s on- and off-screen personalities — playful, witty, and energetic — made a mark on social media. This led to a stream of people (particularly K-pop fans) joining their fanbase or Blooms. Colet admitted there’s “pressure” in the attention, but they would rather focus on enjoying the journey.