Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Pia Cayetano wants cyclists exempted from mandatory face shield rule
Sen. Pia Cayetano on Tuesday urged the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on COVID-19 to exempt cyclists and joggers from the mandatory wearing of face shields, saying the transparent head gear could cause accidents.
Cayetano, a former national athlete and a triathlete, issued the appeal a week after the national government said face shields - just like face masks - are now required to be worn in all public areas.
"As a cyclist, I’m very concerned about the safety of fellow cyclists being required to use face shields," Cayetano said in a tweet.
"This could drastically impair their vision and perception of space, which may lead to accidents," she said.
The senator also urged the IATF to allow joggers not to wear face shields when they are in open spaces.
"Recognizing the role of exercise in promoting mental and physical health, I also ask the IATF to exempt joggers from the requirement when jogging in open spaces, provided they observe social distancing measures," she said.
Health experts earlier questioned the policy of wearing face shields in public, saying it could impair breathing for some people.
"Equipment alone will not protect us from COVID-19, even with the face shield and face mask. It's important to follow guidelines to protect us from the coronavirus infection," infectious disease expert Benjamin Co said in an earlier interview.
"I think they should review the recommendations," he said.
Thursday, December 17, 2020
UAAP hopes to open Season 84 in September 2021
The UAAP is targeting a "traditional opening" for its upcoming season, after being forced to cancel Season 83 for health and safety reasons.
UAAP executive director Atty. Rebo Saguisag acknowledged that at the moment, there have been no discussions so far regarding the target opening date for Season 84.
"But kung walang discussion, we stay with the default which is the traditional opening. And that's September of 2021, if all goes well," he said in a press conference, Thursday.
"Hopefully, the vaccines are here, and we have better protocols, the situation has improved. So that's the target, the traditional opening," he added.
The UAAP Board of Managing Directors and Board of Trustees can still make adjustments, Saguisag added.
The league terminated Season 82 in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with several events left unfinished -- including the highly popular women's volleyball tournament. Other competitions, including athletics, did not even start.
While everything remains up in the air, Saguisag is doubtful that the league will hold a preseason, citing the risks involved in setting up such a competition.
"We are preparing for next season," he stressed.
As for the eligibility of the student-athletes, that has yet to be discussed as well by the various stakeholders.
"All eligibility matters na affected for Season 83 will be tackled at the proper time," said Saguisag. "Right now, we will definitely sit down and discuss each and every nuance."
"The Board of Managing Directors has a history of being responsive and dynamic, and now we also have another layer of wisdom with the Board of Trustees. So I am confident that we will come up with the right adjustments to address the concerns of everyone," he added.
Though Season 83 will not be held -- the first time a UAAP season has been cancelled since World War II -- Saguisag said it will not be stricken from the record books. "We cannot just skip a season," he explained. The league, when it returns, will hold Season 84.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/17/20/uaap-hopes-to-open-season-84-in-september-2021
Sunday, December 13, 2020
Basketball: Thirdy rusty in return, as NeoPhoenix snaps skid
Thirdy Ravena returned to the basketball court on Saturday, as his team San-En NeoPhoenix picked up a 83-69 blowout win against Levanga Hokkaido in the Japan B.League.
Ravena, who has recovered from COVID-19, had yet to get his conditioning back, showing signs of rust after being sidelined for 2 weeks.
The former UAAP superstar scored 5 points to go with his 3 rebounds and a couple of assists.
He caught the virus on November 27, and when he recovered was allowed to join team practice.
Stevan Jelovac led the way for NeoPhoenix with 21 points to break the slump and improve the team's record to 3-17.
San-En will play Levanga again on Sunday.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/12/20/basketball-thirdy-rusty-in-return-as-neophoenix-snaps-skid
Wednesday, December 09, 2020
Enchong not taking it against stars who jump ship
In a recent digital conference, Enchong Dee said that he understands fellow Kapamilya talents who opted to accept job offers from other networks. He stated that he can’t blame them for simply looking for jobs.
“They need to work in order to earn. A lot of my contemporaries are breadwinners. Considering the shutdown of ABS-CBN and the difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, you can’t take it against them if they do projects for other TV stations,” he related.
It is public knowledge that at present, many Kapamilya stars can be seen appearing in shows produced by other networks, particularly, TV 5. Some of these stars include Piolo Pascual, Maja Salvador, Catriona Gray, Billy Crawford, Jake Cuenca, Ian Veneracion, Dimples Romana, Alex Gonzaga, Pokwang, Ria Atayde, Beauty Gonzales, Miles Ocampo, and Maris Racal.
Meanwhile, some also decided to leave Star Magic like Julia Barretto and McCoy de Leon who recently inked a contract with Viva Artists Agency. Bea Alonzo has also sought new management after 19 years with the Kapamilya’s talent management arm.
As for Enchong, he still remains loyal to ABS-CBN.
“Yes, for 15 years! But actually, during these critical times, I’ve realized that you can’t measure loyalty by staying in your mother studio. As I’ve said, times are hard and everybody needs to earn a living. It just so happened that I was able to prepare before the pandemic hit.”
Tuesday, December 08, 2020
Kenya’s Kandie smashes half marathon world record in Valencia
Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie smashed the half marathon world record by 29 seconds on Sunday, becoming the first person to break 58 minutes at the Valencia Half Marathon.
Kandie, who finished second at the world half marathon championships in Gdynia in October, finished the Spanish annual race in 57 minutes and 32 seconds, breaking the previous record of 58:01 set by compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor in September 2019.
“I can’t believe it, I have beaten Kamworor’s world record by half a minute,” Kandie said. “Today is a great day for me and also for Kenya.”
The top four men all ran under the previous world best, with Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda finishing second in 57:37, Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto third in 57:49 and Kenyan Alexander Mutiso taking fourth place in 57:59.
Kandie, 24, led the chasing pack, which included reigning world champion Kiplimo, through the 15-kilometer mark in 41:10.
The pair traded the lead over the next six km before Kandie made the decisive move, to finish more than a minute off his previous personal best of 58:37.
Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba won the women’s race in 1:05:18, setting the fastest time for a debut over the distance.
https://sports.inquirer.net/410423/kenyas-kandie-smashes-half-marathon-world-record-in-valencia