Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Filipino mixed martial arts fans will surely have something big to look forward to in 2009 as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world’s premiere mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, is planning to expand to Southeast Asia by next year and plans to use the Philippines as its base of operations.

“We’re expanding into Southeast Asia, and we wanna use the Philippines and Manila as a springboard to make it happen,” Lorenzo Fertitta, chairman and chief executive of Zuffa, LLC, the media and entertainment company that owns UFC, told sports reporters during a media day at ABS-CBN’s 9501 restaurant in Quezon City on Monday.

Fertitta, who arrived with two-time UFC lightweight champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell over the weekend, said that the sport has grown so big in America that at times, it has exceeded ratings of other popular sporting events in the US.

“You may or may not know it but the UFC has become one of the largest sports franchises in the United States. The ratings on our TV shows exceeded the NBA, at times exceeded the NFL, exceeded the Major League Baseball, so we’ve grown tremendously in the United States and Canada,” he added.

The next logical step, said Fertitta, is to bring the UFC to the world.

“We’re expanding into Europe, we have an office in the UK, we’re planning fights in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Denmark,” the UFC big boss added.

UFC in Manila by May

Fertitta, meanwhile, has this to say when asked to elaborate on UFC’s plan to establish a base in the Philippines:” We’re currently working on it right now, there’s a lot of planning and a lot of things that have to be put in place to bring in an event of that size and magnitude over here.”

He said that the UFC, together with ABS-CBN, plans to organize something by May 2009.

“We’re hoping that we can organize something for the summertime, maybe around May,” he said.

However, a lot of things will come into play, he added.

Despite these factors, Fertitta assured UFC fans that, “Definitely, we’re going to be here in the Philippines as soon as we possibly could.”

Huge market

The UFC head honcho said they were surprised at the huge turnout at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Sunday when Liddell had an open workout there.

“When we went to the Mall of Asia yesterday (Sunday), we had an incredible turnout. Just walking down the street, everybody recognized Chuck Liddell,” he said.

Fertitta said that following the warm welcome received on Sunday, they are now more certain of the UFC’s chances in the Philippines.

“We love the Philippines, the UFC wants to come here and put on a big show, and become a part of the sports industry here,” he said.

He added that the probability of the UFC to establish a Philippine base of operations is “very high.”

“I think it’s a very high percentage, almost 100 percent,” he said, adding that the UFC is already committed to the Filipino market.

“We love the fans here, we think we can build a real business here and we’ll be here for sure,” he said.

MMA explained; fighter safety on top

A UFC fact sheet explains MMA as “an intense and evolving combat sport in which competitors use interdisciplinary forms of fighting.“

These fighting forms include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and others.

Scoring for MMA events is based on athletic commission-approved definitions for striking (blows with the hands, feet, knees or elbows) and grappling (submission, choke holds, throws or takedowns.

“No single discipline reigns,” UFC said.

Despite the intensity and the physical nature of MMA, the UFC as an organization said fighter safety is very important.
“Fighter safety is of paramount concern to UFC ownership and management: it is noteworthy that no competitor has even been seriously injured in a UFC event,” it said.

Source:ABS-CBN news

Bansalan, Davao del Sur Official MTV!

This year’s 56th anniversary of Bansalan, Davao del Sur — called Bansaulog (from the words “Bansalan” and “saulog,” the Visayan term for celebration) — was colorful, more unique, lively, and weeklong.

“Unlike the past celebrations, we are celebrating our town anniversary this year for one week,” said Edwin Reyes, the town mayor. “Before, we only commemorate the celebration on the town’s anniversary.”

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“Bansalan, Padayon sa Pinasahi nga Pag-uswag” was the theme of the celebration.

“Our town is fast developing but we have to move further to fully develop,” said Reyes, the youngest mayor of the town ever and a businessman. “I am hoping that by 2010, we will have improved economically.”

Bansalan used to be a barrio of the municipality of Santa Cruz. When Digos (now the province’s capital) became a town itself, Bansalan was part of it. The town lies 22 kilometers west of Digos.

On June 6, 1952, Bansalan was separated from Digos and under Executive Order 506 became a town itself. (In 1957, Matan-ao was created out of the territory of Bansalan. Ten years later, Magsaysay followed suit.) The Bagobos were the town’s aborigines.

But it was not until Apolonio Ilagan, a captain in the Philippine Constabulary, that the town celebrated its anniversary. On September 18, 1952, Ilagan assumed office the town’s first mayor.

How did the town get its name? Richard Ortiz, writing for the municipal comprehensive plan, recounted: “Datu Mandu, the adventurous tribal chieftain whose exploits were the first to have been recorded in the local historical data, established along the banks of the Miral River a village that grew so rapidly during his time. His successor, Datu Tumanas, relocated the settlement of his people to the nearby carambulig (a wide patch of cogonal meadows, where cultivation of crops and domestication of animals were started).”

“It was Datu Tumanas who named the place Dansalan, after valiant Datu Dansalan who ruled the tribe some decades past and whose valor and chivalry were legends that came to be passed on by word-of-mouth through generations.“

But how Dansalan became Bansalan is an interesting story in itself. When Americans came to resettlement area, they asked the natives what the name of the place. They replied, “Dansalan.”

Ortiz surmised: “The initial plosive consonant must have been misheard by the Caucasians for they used the term ‘Bansalan,’ and the name stuck from then on.”

However, the Provincial Tourism Development Plan has a different version: “Bansalan got its name from the one simple farmer named Bansalan who one day dug the earth in search of potable water to quench his thirst. Fortunately, he dug a spring that didn’t only satisfy his thirst but also his other companions. Rain widened the spring and the constant erosion of soil led to its formation into a creek, and later into a river. Bansalan did not live long. His companions, who were recipients of Bansalan’s labor, named the river after him.”

As part of this year’s celebration, Bansalan celebrated the event with street dancing called “Sayo tut dalan.” “Street dancing here is much better than in Digos,” said a spectator.

According to Geraldine Batal, the municipal tourism officer, the first winner in the high school level (Category B) was Marber National High School, a grand slam since it had won the top prize for three consecutive years.

The three other contenders settled for runner-ups: Nazareth High School, second; Don Pedro Arches Memorial High School, third; and Holy Cross College of Bansalan, fourth.

In the elementary level (Category A), there were six contenders. The best among them was Bansalan Central Elementary School. The runners were the elementary schools of New Clarin, Dolo, Villa-Doneza, Marber, and Kinuskusan.

Part of its unique celebration was the launching of its “one barangay, one product.” And the town has chosen coconut as its pride. “Coconut has several uses and we found out that we can make several products out of it,” said Julian Albores, the municipal agricultural officer.

Source: Henrylito Tacio/Sunstar Davao

Davao Region is expected to be the top-performing region in the Philippines if and when mining operations led by foreign-owned mining firms are allowed go full blast.

This was according to the region’s National Economic Development Authority (Neda) director, Nicanor Agustin, on the issue of increasing mining investments in this part of the country.

“Mining remains the only hope for the Davao Region to boost and sustain its growth and development,” Agustin said.

The Neda regional director said if more mining investments come into the Davao Region and more mining activities increase, “Davao can surpass other regions in the country and be the top performing region nationwide.”

The flurry of activities in the mining sector was credited for boosting and propping up the sagging Davao region economy last year, enabling it to post a robust 6.7 per cent growth in the total 2007 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).

According to statistics released recently by Neda, mining posted an impressive 11 percent growth last year pushing the growth in the industry sector to 9.6 percent, offsetting the sluggish growth in the agriculture sector and slight decline in the services sector.

Agustin, however, cautioned that the government will only advocate “responsible mining” to safeguard the environment and health of people living around or near the mining areas.

“When we talk of mining, we only mean responsible mining. We don’t want to see indiscriminate diggings or large extractions that only leaves behind destruction and devastation, wiping out our forests and rivers,” Augustin said.

The Neda director warned that the government will only give permits and licenses to mining companies that can afford to invest in new mining technology that protects the environment even while digging for minerals under the ground.

Trade Undersecretary Merly Cruz expressed optimism that the various mining investments now flowing into the Davao Region will contribute to the sustained growth in the region.

“As long as we stick to responsible mining with the government overseeing its operations very closely, the revitalized mining industry can be sustained over the long term and contribute substantially to the growth of the region,” she said.

Source

The three day Mindanao Culinary Festival (MCF) 2008 Summit is set to start on September 25 at the Venue in Davao City with this years theme “Indigenous Flavors, Global Tastes“, which is initiated by Davao Tourism Association.

A Culinary seminar and courses will be conducted together with culinary competition whic will be participated by students and trainers. There will also be cooking demonstratins, valuable learning sessions and trainings to be conducted by experts from Manila. There will be fourteen courses and seminars to be conducted.

Cerificate course for baking and certificate course on cake decoration for students and trainers, URC baking course, Barista course for beginners, seminars on restaurant operations training, common pathogens and food safety and more significant topocs to be presented by culinary specialists, chefs and professors of culinary schools, columnist and editor of culinary magazine.

This summit is open to the public to encourage our SME’s and those who wants to go into food business.

Monday, September 22, 2008

General Luna, Siargao – International surfers and tourists flocked Surigao del Norte last Saturday for the formal opening of the 14th International Surfing Cup.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) Caraga and the local government of General Luna led the ceremonial breaking of a surf board to signal the opening of the event.

The event attracted 48 foreign surfers who tra-veled all the way to Gene-ral Luna to compete in the magnificent waves of Cloud 9 in Siargao Island.

Among the participants are International Surfing defending champion Wade Goodall of Australia and some of the world’s most prolific tube riders including 2006 Pipeline master James O’Brien and professional big wave rider Makua Rothman, both from Hawaii.

Also present in the event are fearless Australian chargers Laurie Towner and Dylan Long-bottom.

The participants are competing for the tourna-ment’s $20,000 top prize.

DOT Caraga Regional Director Leticia Tan said this year’s participants are smaller in number compared to last year’s 56.

She, however, clarified that is has nothing to do with the travel advisory issued by the British embassy regarding the armed conflict in Lanao.

Source

Monday, September 22, 2008

World Lightweight boxing champion Manny “the Pacman” Pacquiao began his extensive training last Thursday (Friday in Manila) while his opponent Oscar de la Hoya has yet to appoint a trainer for their “Dream Fight” on December 6 in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao arrived in LA Sunday night with his Filipino trainers via Philippine Airlines and was mobbed by adoring fans, most of them Filipinos, at the Los Angeles International Airport.

Pacquiao told newsmen that his training will be closed to the public to allow him to fully focus preparing for what he called the “biggest fight in my boxing career.”

“Closed to the public,” a staff at the famous Wild Card Gym in Hollywood said by phone when asked if fans and the media could watch Pacquiao train.

At the De la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions headquarters on Wilshire Avenue here, the buzz is still finding a trainer for the Mexican American ring superstar, who was reported to have started light training last week in his Puerto Rico home.

Oscar is married to Puerto Rican pop singer, Millie Corretjer of San Juan, the capital city.

De la Hoya wanted his long-time trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. to pre-pare him for his Pacquiao bout. But Mayweather has committed to train Britain’s Ricky Hatton for his November 22 welterweight fight with Paulie Malignaggi.

Source

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Filipinos are socializing with their friends not only for real but also in the internet.

The Philippines not only has the reputation as the texting capital of the world, with one billion text messages sent daily, but it also has the highest number of Internet users in the 16 to 64 age group who join social networking groups.

In Universal McCann’s study on social media Wave 3 report, the Philippines had the highest penetration of social networking among Internet users at 83.1 percent, compared with the global average of 57.5 percent.

Social networking is practiced by Web based communities of people who share interests and activities. Users have a variety of ways to interact, such as e-mail, instant messaging services and blogs. Some examples are Multiply, Friendster, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Live Journal and Blogs.

Favorite reading fare

The Philippines also had the second highest incidence of blog-reading among Internet users at 90.3 percent. South Korea topped the blog readership list at 92.1 percent. The global average was 72.8 percent.

All over the world, including the Philippines and South Korea, personal blogs or diary blogs are the favorite reading fare.

About 65.8 percent of Filipino Internet users write blogs, compared with China which topped the survey at 70.3 percent. Globally, 44.8 percent of Internet users blog, mostly about themselves.

Penetration only 15%

This means that Filipinos prefer to read about other people more than write blogs about themselves—but so does the rest of the world.

It must be noted, though, that Internet penetration in the Philippines was relatively low—around 15 percent—compared to cell phone penetration of more than 60 percent. There’s definitely a lot of room for growth.

Still, Universal McCann said its study indicated that blogs and social networks were becoming “mainstream” media and were a valid platform for spreading information.

The study also showed that there was a wealth of opportunities for traditional media publishers as well as advertisers to explore.

But more importantly, it indicated that consumers were no longer passive—they had more control on how they consume content. They also had more ways of telling other people about their views on products, services, people and events.

Universal McCann’s study was undertaken in March 2008 among 17,000 respondents in 29 countries. Those included in the study were Internet users 16 to 54 years old who accessed the World Wide Web every day or every other day.

Source:Inq.net

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has reported that Cebu Pacific is the No.1 domestic airline once again.

That’s why Cebu Pacific is giving out more than 50,000 seats absolutely FREE. You can only avail of this online via www.cebupacificair.com.

You will pay nothing if you don’t have any check-in bags (Go Lite) and if you don’t avail of Travel Insurance (250 pesos). If you decide to bring check-in bags, you pay 200 pesos (all in).

The seat sale starts now, September 19 until September 21, 2008 and is valid for travel from October 16 to December 17, 2008.