Pacquiao bats for P335-billion pandemic stimulus bill

Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday filed a bill seeking to create a fresh P335-billion stimulus package for workers and families who still need cash aid a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Under Senate Bill No. 2123, Pacquiao seeks to allocate funds as follows:

 P100 billion to help low-income individuals, households and homeless persons

 P100 billion for worker subsidies

 P100 billion for capacity-building in critically affected sectors

 P30 billion for displaced workers assistance

 P3 billion for internet allowance for DepEd K-12 teachers and students 

 P2 billion for internet allowance for tertiary level teachers and students

"At present, there is no single cohesive action plan in place to cushion the blow brought about by the pandemic to our people's everyday life," Pacquiao said in the bill's explanatory note.

"This bill fills up such void in our current system as it addresses the gaps in our policies while maintaining transparency measures among our agencies," he said.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao files bill pushing for a P335-B stimulus package

- P100B for low-income individuals
- P100B for workers subsidies
- P100B for critically-impacted sectors
- P30B for displaced workers
- P3B for public school teachers
- P2B: internet allowance for SUCs pic.twitter.com/xCYrSIRHla

— Kat Domingo (@_katrinadomingo) March 24, 2021

Pacquiao's bill was filed exactly a year after the Senate passed on final reading the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act"— the Philippines' first COVID-19 stimulus package.

Bayanihan 1 authorized the national government to provide a monthly allowance of between P5,000 and P8,000 to some 18 million indigent families for 2 months, while their sources of income were crippled by the lockdown in Luzon.

It also guaranteed special benefits for health frontliners including the grant of additional compensation on top of their usual hazard pay.

In July 2020, Congress passed the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) to allow the national government to procure more COVID-19 test kits, and help infuse capital into small businesses that were forced to either close or downscale due to COVID-related restrictions.

Last year, legislators decided to extend the validity of the Bayanihan 2 until June 30, 2021 as the government has yet to utilize some P38 billion in aid about a month before its original mid-December expiration date.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/24/21/pacquiao-bats-for-p335-billion-pandemic-stimulus-bill

Enchong Dee for Bench Denim Jacket and Slim Fit Jeans

 

PBA cancels draft combine

The Philippine Basketball Association has cancelled the draft combine on March 10 and 11.

According to the league website, the event was scrapped to "to ensure the safety of the players and the people involved."

The PBA Draft, however, will still push through on March 14 but it may be held virtually.

"The league's paramount duty and responsibility is to ensure the health and safety of all participants and staff that extra precautions are continuously in place to minimize/eliminate the risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus," the PBA said.

Travel protocols which will affect Fil-foreign aspirants and regional draft applicants were also taken into account.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial also said that some applicants have ongoing duties in other leagues, such as the MPBL.

Notable draft applicants include reigning NCAA Most Valuable Player Calvin Oftana, Kapuso actor Andre Paras, San Miguel Alab Pilipinas players Jason Brickman, Jeremiah Gray, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser; and collegiate stars Jerrick Ahanmisi, Andrei Caracut, Jamie Malonzo, and Jun Manzo.

Gilas Pilipinas also announced its picks for the special draft, naming Jaydee Tungcab, Jordan Heading, Tzaddy Rangel, and Will Navarro as its selections.

—MGP, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/basketball/776627/pba-cancels-draft-combine/story/

Martinez aims for third Olympics

After a two-year hiatus from competition, the Muntinlupa sensation who put the Philippines on the world figure skating map is raring to reconquer the ice with the goal of making it to the next two Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022 and Milan in 2026. Michael Martinez, 24, was the first Southeast Asian figure skater to qualify for the Winter Games and has performed in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018. Twice, he topped the Triglav Trophy in Slovenia and also took first place at the Asian Trophy in Bangkok, the Skate Helena in Serbia and the Crystal Skate in Romania. Martinez has represented the country thrice at the World Championships.

Martinez took a step back from the rink after the 2018 Winter Olympics and failed to participate in the 2019 SEA Games, citing a miscommunication with the Philippine Skating Union (PSU). He won a silver in the 2017 SEA Games. To keep himself busy, Martinez turned to coaching and established a social media presence as an influencer in the US where he has lived on and off since 2010. Last June in the midst of the pandemic, Martinez returned home, rethought his career and decided to make a comeback.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life,” said Martinez who is half-Filipino, half-Japanese. “I listened to people who didn’t give me good advice. I asked myself why I am coaching when I should be skating. I was born to perform. I grew up proving myself to other people. Now, I want to prove something to myself. I’m back with Russian coach Nikolai Morozov who has given me new life. He’s in New Jersey so I do zoom training with him, we talk about my choreography, what I need to do to qualify for Beijing. It’s difficult when you’re not training on ice but I’m staying in shape, working three to four hours a day in the gym, doing plyometrics, rotations. Once I go back to the rink, it’ll be like old times.”

Yesterday, Martinez met with prospective sponsors who’ll back up his Olympic quest. He’s in close contact with newly-elected PSU president Nikki Cheng. “Figure skating is an expensive sport,” he said. “I know I have to produce results to get sponsors but I’m hoping to be given the chance to do it.” If Martinez is able to get support, he’ll hook up with Morozov in New Jersey this month to prepare for the Tirnavia Ice Cup in Slovakia on March 11-14. A strong showing in Slovakia will mean qualifying points for the World Championships in Stockholm on March 22-28. Martinez said he also hopes to compete in the Uzbekistan Open on May 14-16 then the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany on Sept. 22-25. The process should bring Martinez back to the Olympics on Feb. 4-20, 2022.

“Coach Nikolai and I have discussed the music for my performance this season,” said Martinez. “For the long program, it will be a medley of Queen songs ‘Another One Bites The Dust,’ ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘We Will Rock You’ and for the short, it will be a Mozart piece. I’ll polish my triple axel but maybe, I won’t try my quads yet until later. I weigh 160 pounds now and I’ll bring it down to 150-153. Once I’m back on ice, I’ll start losing unnecessary muscle. I think I’m a lot stronger now, more mature. My landings will be more exact. World champion Yozuru Hanyu is 26 and I’m two years younger. There are young ones coming up. If I stay active and focused, I believe I’ll be back in the Olympics again.”

Morozov, 46, said he’s confident Martinez will live his dream. “Michael is very talented and I see great potential in him,” said Morozov. “Together with the team that I will be forming exclusively for him, I can help him excel even further. No tropical nation has ever won a Winter Olympic medal and for all intents and purposes, Michael is aiming to be the first. Our main goal is for Michael to be one of the top contenders in the next Winter Olympics. In addition, we are also aiming to win the upcoming competitions. I have high hopes and I’m confident I can make him a champion.”

https://www.philstar.com/sports/2021/02/03/2075001/martinez-aims-third-olympics

Speedo Team Kit

Speedo Team Kit Hoody - Black (8-104290001)

Speedo Team Kit Small Logo T-Shirt - Black (8-104330001)

Speedo Team Kit Track Pant - Black (8-104370001)

Infamously, former UST Tigersharks team captain Miggy Carandang is wearing Speedo Team Kit Hoody - Black (8-104290001), Small Logo T-Shirt - Black (8-104330001) and Track Pant - Black (8-104370001).

Filipino figure skater Michael Martinez eyes 2022 Winter Olympics

 Two-time Filipino Winter Olympian Michael Christian Martinez will be lacing up to represent the country again in this year’s upcoming international competitions, eyeing the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

Philippine Skating Union president Nikki Cheng confirmed this news to PhilSTAR L!fe, that he has been given the “go signal” for Martinez to resume competing internationally.

Martinez will be up against SEA Games silver medalist Christopher Caluza, and two-time Junior national medalist Edrian Celestino for the slot at one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events. 

The 24-year-old Muntinlupa native is the first Filipino to compete in figure skating at the 2014 Winter Olympics held at Sochi, Russia, where he placed 19th overall. 

Being chosen to represent the country once again is an honor, according to Martinez.

“I was ecstatic when I heard the news that I have been chosen to represent our country again,” he says excitedly. “I informed my coach right away and he was very happy to hear it.”

Martinez will be coached by Russian former competitive ice dancer Nikolai Morozov, with whom he previously worked as choreographer for the 2014-2015 season.

“I am definitely excited to start training [under him]. He coached well-known champions like Shizuka Arakawa and Miki-Ando. He will personally handle me throughout my journey to secure a spot for the next Winter Olympics,” he remarks.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Martinez | Athlete (@mz_viral)

Martinez flew home in mid-2020 from the United States, where he has been training for the past 11 years, flying to and from the motherland. He has remained in the country for the time being and plans to return next month to resume preparations.

To keep himself productive during the pandemic, Martinez has been training off-ice which includes rotation, plyometric and strengthening training as well as attending online classes for choreography with Morozov. Martinez has also been making a name for himself online as a game streamer, hoping to support his future training when he returns to the US. 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Martinez | Athlete (@mz_viral)

“Skating became a part of my life. So, this pandemic really made a big impact on me,” he shares. But the great news of going back on ice soon makes me happy and excited.”

Martinez began figure skating at the age of nine and has been competing at local and international competitions since. 

The 2022 Olympic Winter Games are set to take place from Feb. 4 to 20, with the International Olympic Committee recently announcing that health matters and measures are “already being taken” to ensure the safety and security of the quadrennial tournament.

https://philstarlife.com/sports/389600-filipino-figure-skater-michael-martinez

SM Prime issues interest rates for retail bond offer

SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) has set the interest rates for its peso-denominated Series M, 2.5-year retail bond at 2.4565 percent due in 2023, and Series N, 5-year retail bond at 3.8547 percent due in 2026.

 

SM Prime issued an aggregate principal amount of PHP5 billion of the Series M and N bonds, with oversubscription option of an additional PHP5 billion. 

 

“The proceeds of the retail bonds will allow SM Prime to continue its expansion plans in its core business, which will further drive the company’s growth,” SM Prime chief finance officer John Nai Peng Ong said in a statement Tuesday.

 

The retail bonds are offered by SM Prime to investors through underwriters from Jan. 25 to 29 following the receipt of the Permit to Sell from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

 

The retail bonds are set to be issued on Feb. 5, 2021.

 

The proposed issuance is the second drawdown from SM Prime’s PHP100-billion debt securities program under shelf registration registered with the SEC in Markets and Securities Regulations Department (MSRD) Order No. 6, Series of 2020. 

 

Similar to its previous bond issues, the SM Prime Series M and N bonds have been rated PRS Aaa by Philippine Rating Services Corporation (PhilRatings). A rating of PRS Aaa is the highest rating assigned by PhilRatings.This rating is given to long-term debt securities with the smallest degree of investment risk. This also indicates SM Prime’s strong capability to meet its financial commitment.

 

The SM Prime bonds’ joint issue managers are BDO Capital & Investment Corporation and China Bank Capital Corporation, which are also acting as joint lead underwriters together with BPI Capital, First Metro Investment Corporation, and SB Capital Investment Corporation.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1128555

Enchong’s ‘practical’ formula for success

 

Actor-swimmer Enchong Dee has always been enterprising.

When he was still training with the national swimming team, Enchong would sell instant noodle cups and canned meat products to his “unprepared” teammates.

“I would bring these items during competitions and offer them to those who didn’t have any baon. I didn’t mind earning only P10 from each item. I was still young then,” recalled Enchong. “It just goes to show that the self-discipline I gained from training and my passion for business went hand in hand.”

Enchong took up a course in development studies at De LaSalle University. “The theories I learned in class were backed up by practical uses. My parents helped me understand how it works,” he pointed out. “That’s why when I joined show biz (at age 19) it was already clear to me that whatever I would be earning from acting, I would use to put up businesses.”

Slingshot to 13 years later, Enchong, now 32, is already a restaurateur (with 18 branches of Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken and Sauce Bar nationwide) and a real-estate developer.

“You have to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. That way, all your actions will be directed toward achieving that goal,” Enchong advised. “It’s better to always have a backup plan. Always have a Plan B, or even up to Plan Z. Add to that hard work and determination, and you will surely succeed.”

Enchong said his young colleagues in the biz would often seek his advice on how to put up a business.

“My first question for them would always be, ‘What are you passionate about? What’s that special something that, even though you lack sleep and feel tired, would still push you to get out of bed at 7 in the morning?’” Enchong said. “Jameson (Blake, fellow ABS-CBN contract artist) said, ‘I like computers!’ I then told him to start a computer-related business.”

However, Enchong said starting a business requires focus. “You also have to do research on what you’ll be getting into. You can’t be complacent. After all, you will be spending your hard-earned money on it,” he explained. “Even though I am simply ‘a silent partner’ in several businesses, I would still study that particular industry. I’d ask questions on how I could be of help to my partners. That’s another thing: Your role in the company has to be clear to you. You have to do your part, too.”

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/402431/enchongs-practical-formula-for-success

Milo Chance to Become Your Dream with Yulo

 

Great things start from small beginnings

Growing up reach early for your dreams

Face the day there's a new challenge

A chance to be better, a chance to become your dream!

Growing up with champion energy, growing up with Milo!

Milo everyday!

Milo's newest TV commercial with gymnast Carlos Yulo released yesterday on ABS-CBN-2 during FPJ's Ang Probinsyano.

By advancing to the final round of the all-around event of the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Yulo secured qualification to compete for the Philippines at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. At the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, Yulo finished on the podium in every event winning gold in the all-around and floor exercise and silver in the pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar.

Other Milo champions aside from Yulo are figure skaters Katrice delos Reyes and Michael Martinez, swimming stalwarts Miguel Molina, Ernest Lorenzo Dee, Timothy Vincent Yap, Johansen Aguilar, Jhonmar Gonzales, Maurice Ilustre, Kendrick Uy, Charles Walker, Evan Uy, Jan Michael Chiu, Lawin Dacera, Jessie Lacuna, Miguel Barlisan, Axel Ngui, Gio Palencia, Philip Joaquin Santos, Sean Tan, Angelo Carandang, Gaston Beloso, Gian Berino, Gabriel Castelo, Nikita Dacera, Dexter Lacuna, Orpheus Magbanlac and Marielle Infantado, billiards ace Rubilen Amit, figure skaters Katrice delos Reyes and Michael Martinez, taekwondo champions John Paul Lizardo, Pauline Lopez, Tshomlee Go and Mary Antoinette Rivero, basketball players Chris Tiu, Kiefer Ravena, Prince Carlos, Thirdy Ravena, Jeron Teng, Javi and Juan Gomez de Liaño, volleyball players Princess Gaiser and Alyssa Valdez and former Milo marathon King Eduardo Buenavista and Milo marathon Queens Jho-An Banayag and Mary Joy Tabal.

Original video courtesy of NestlePH

© 2020 Nestlé Philippines, Inc.

Alaxan Manny Pacquiao Training