Pacquiao's Stunning Loss is God's Glorifying Win

Philippians 3:7-8

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

Every time there's a Manny Pacquiao fight, traffic stops, crimes go down and Filipinos are excited and more hopeful. Young, old, men, women, the poor and the rich come together to watch Pacman bring glory to the Philippines. We are so used with Pacman winning game after game after game. We get to a point where we bet not on who's going to win but on which round will Pacman KO his opponent. 

But yesterday was a different story. In a stunning, shocking and an unbelievable twist, Pacman was caught off guard by Juan Manuel Marquez's winning counter punch. The People's Champ fell down. He was KOed at round 6. With Pacman's stunning loss, it seemed like we, as a country, also felt that brutal punch from Marquez. What just happened? It took a while longer for reality to sink in. People were crying, shouting in dismay and some just fell silent. In the cyber world, we all have something to say about the fight. Some were sad, angry and very disappointed. Thankfully, most people are still behind Pacquiao win or lose. 

Most of us could not believe that our champion was defeated. We thought Pacman was invincible. He's supposed to be the "Fighter of the Decade" and we expected him to win this one. This time around, our hero failed to meet our expectations. Why did he lose? Is it because he changed his religion? Or it could be that he did not train enough? Maybe Marquez trained harder than Pacman that's why he seemed leaner and stronger. Or was it just lucky punch?  We can speculate. We can justify. Or we can move on. 

In any kind of sports, there's always a winner and a loser. For this specific fight, Pacman is the loser and Marquez came out victorious. But does life ends when one loses? Does Pacman stop being the People's Champ because of one defeat? Is his legacy ruined because of this? I don't think so. The Filipino pride is intact. He still made us all proud when he accepted defeat graciously. He knows his story doesn't end here.      

Instead of walking out, Pacman smiled and congratulated Marquez. He got up with his honor and faith intact because despite his loss, he managed to give praise to God. He surrendered the results to God knowing that his loss is God's gain. When Pacman gave thanks to God and honored him on international television, he won the biggest battle ever. He may have lost some fans and supporters after this fight but he surely won God's stamp of approval.  

Pinoy TV Gems: Junior Masterchef Pinoy Edition

Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition Hosts 

I've given up TV a long time ago. I can't be bothered with the news and Pinoy teleseryes are way too cheesy and dramatic which doesn't suit my taste anymore. Why should I agonize sitting through dozens of tv advertisements when I could simply skip them and go right ahead google and stream the shows? But as I've said, for me television has lost it's appeal altogether.  

Until Junior Master Chef Pinoy Edition lured me back. It is a tv cooking show that promotes healthy competition among youngsters ages 8 to 12. It is also a venue for the kids to showcase their cooking skills, team spirit and creativity. They are taught how to handle pressure especially that challenges are with time constraints. 

And Junior Master Chef is currently my stress buster. It's the only show I couldn't miss.   

Five reasons why I looooooooove the show:

1. It keeps stress at bay which means I spare myself from the mercy of sugar overdose.

2. It is always pure joy watching kids at a very young age spin off their own recipes. AMAy-zing!

3. It gives me hope that if the kids can, I can too.    

4. I love their kitchen and the plethora of ingredients? WOW. I want one in our house too! 

5. Lastly, it sets a good example for the young and old alike. 

I think we need more shows such as the Junior Master Chef on our television. It's not only a pleasure to watch but it encourages the young generation that age does not matter. They may be young but they can and they should start chasing their dreams. 

Meet the super 12 of Junio Master Chef Pinoy Edition! 

Super 12 Junior Master Chef Pinoy Edition

Keith Lapinig's Gazer Elf to be Macy's Parade Balloon for Thanksgiving

 Keith Lapinig and his creation. Photo courtesy: http://www.bakitwhy.com

A big hurrah for Mr. Keith Lapinig for winning the Macy's Great Elf American Adventure Competition. His elf creation was chosen by thousands of fans on Macy's Facebook page and the verdict is out. Keith Lapinig's creative elf creature will be made into Macy's parade balloon this year.

Keith Lapinig is a 25-year-old Filipino-American who resides in Queensland, NY. He is a graphics and web designer who along with 1000 other participants submitted his entry for the competition.

The Gazer Elf will be one of the helium wonders on Thanksgiving Day to be seen by millions of viewers and it is the newest member to Macy's family of elves.

Again, Congratulations Keith Lapinig!

Watch Keith's video below:

Danielle Mangabat: "I Am...Filipino American" Winner

Photo Courtesy of thefilam.net

A smiling 10-year old Filipino-American girl from New Jersey, Danielle Mangabat, accepts her award for winning the "I am...Filipino American." contest as announced by the Filipino School of New York and New Jersey.

All students of Filipino descent from grades 1-12 were invited to participate in the contest. They were asked to answer some questions with regards to their pride as a Filipino-American.  

Danielle Mangabat wrote an essay and she shares, "Every chance I get to showcase my Philippine roots, I seize. I participate in my school’s cultural shows wearing a “baro at saya,” which is a Filipina’s dress. I truly enjoy our Philippine cuisine and delicacies which I expose my friends to. “Pansit” and “polvoron” are my favorites. I bring back stories punctuated by pictures of my travels to the Philippines, always stating the fact that our 7,100 islands are full of adventure and diversity."


I read her essay and I knew why she won. It was short but sincere, innocent, heartfelt and truthful. She was unabashedly proud to be a Filipino that every moment she grabs as an opportunity to share about the Philippines.

She ended her piece with a declaration, "I am proud to be who I am. An American by birth, but with a strong and steadily beating Filipino heart."

She may be miles away from home but her heartbeat rings loud and clear from across the globe. We should all learn from this young lady. Let us carry the colors of our Motherland proudly and unashamed.


Read Danielle Mangabat's full essay here.

SEA Games 2011: Philippines on 6th Place - November 21, 2011

Barely one left before the 26th SEA Games 2011 come to an end on November 22, 2011. Sadly, we are only half-way close to Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Ritchie Garcia's prediction of at least 70 gold medal the Philippine Team will haul in.


The Philippine Team is currently in 6th place with 36 gold medals, 55 silvers and 76 bronzes.


Below is the official result medal tally for 26th Sea Games 2011 as of November 21, 2011:     

Courtesy of OFFICIAL MEDAL TALLY RESULT

We may not hit the 70 gold medals but we can keep pushing for more golds. As it is, I am extremely proud for the Filipino winners who once again brought honor to the country. 


I am especially excited and happy for Sinag Pilipinas. They proved yet again that they are undefeated in the Men's Basketball category beating Thailand with 85-57. The team sure is a ray of sunshine and they added to the Phillippines' pot of gold.    

Photo Courtesy of Facebook

Filipino Young Mathematicians Bring Honor to Country

A group of young math geniuses from the Philippines snagged the honor of placing second in the Asia Inter-Cities Teenagers Mathematics Olympiad (AITMO) held in Kavre, Nepal. Among the participants are South Korea, China, Indonesia, India, Iran, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Taiwan.

The kids brought home 5 gold medals, 7 silvers and 4 bronzes.  

Competing against 32 other teams, to place second just behind Thailand who topped the competition, it is quite an achievement. Bulgaria took home the 3rd place honor.

I am Pinay and proud indeed especially that two among the medalists were from my high school alma mater.  

Photo Courtesy of NTG

Here are the list of the medalists (Source: abs-cbnnews.com): 

Dr. Simon Chua has said, "With proper training and guidance, Filipino students proved that they can compete with students from other countries in international math competitions such as this [AITMO]." 

Congratulations Team Philippines!

Sea Games 2011 Medal Tally: Team Philippines has 8 Golds, 14 Silver, 20 Bronze Medals

As of November 15, 2011, Team Philippines has bagged 8 golds, 14 silver, and 20 bronze medals. 

Thanks to Marestella Torres, a long jumper, who successfully won the first gold medal for the country last Saturday morning. It was followed by another gold by the taekwondo team of Rani Ortega, Camille Alarilla and Janice Lagman. The third gold was brought in by Maria Camille Manalo for the under-62 kilogram female catergory of taekwondo. Rene Herrera added another gold to the loot. These along with two silvers and five bronzes. 

These are only some of the medals for the Philippine team. It is a total of 42 all in all which puts the Philippines on 6th place just behind Malaysia with 48 medals.

Indonesia, on the other hand, was on top of their game having collected a total of 146 medals. Of that, 60 are golds. Thailand is next with a total of 98 medals and a close third with 91 goes to Vietnam. While Singapore occupies the 4th spot with 67. 

For the winners, congratulations! You won because you were the best among your competitors.

The winners definitely brought honor to the country. But is 8 enough? Is 8 the best that we can do? If Indonesia can win as much as 146, I'm sure the Philippine team is just as able to do such a feat. We need to be more competitive,  more trained and more focused.

The good thing is, there's always next year. And I hope that it can only get better from here.

Team Philippines for Sea Games 2012!   

Unsatisfying Result: The Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez Fight

Photo Credit: Yahoo News

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao was able to retain his World Boxing Organization welterweight title after a 12-round intense and extremely exciting exchange of punches between him and his opponent Juan Manuel Marquez.  

It was a close fight. It was a split decision among the judges. One called it a draw but judges Dave Moretti and Glenn Twobridge favored Pacquiao and thus declared him as winner.

There are a lot of buzz online and some were not satisfied with the results. It was supposed to be a rematch that will finally put an end to the claims of who is the real champ among the two boxers considering that their last two bouts years ago were clouded with controversies.

Marquez fans were furious with the decision which is understandable because it was indeed one close fight. Even Marquez walked out of the MGM Grand Garden Arena upon hearing the final decision.

I was expecting Pacquiao to knock Marquez on the floor and as some has predicted, it will be at either round 6 or 7. Apparently, Marquez did his homework and trained well. He gave "Pacman" a run for his money.

I am happy that Manny Pacquiao was still able to bring the honor to the Philippines but with all these controversies buzzing around, it's hard to be completely celebratory. There are issues of unfairness and who knows where this thing could lead to.

But for now, I just like to say, "Congrats Pacman!"

Puerto Princesa Underground River Among the New 7 Wonders of Nature

The Philippines' Puerto Princesa Underground River was tagged as one of the provisional New 7 Wonders of Nature among 28 finalists. Some included in the list are the Amazon of South America, Halong Bay of Vietnam, Iguazu Falls in Brazil, the Jeju Island of South Korea, Komodo as one of the many islands of Indonesia, and Table Mountain in Africa. It is based on the first count of voting results last 11/11/11.

The winners will be announced starting early next year 2012.

This beautiful creation of nature features "a spectacular limestone or karst landscape that contains an 8.2 km long underground river." The peaceful and very inviting river which flows directly into the sea is a sight to behold. Tourists from the Philippines and around the globe are welcome to visit the navigable underground river.

It is a marvel and a wonder that one should see. Let's cast our vote for the Puerto Princesa Underground River.  Visit the site: http://www.new7wonders.com/ for more details.

Other finalists included in the New 7 Wonders of Nature are the following:

• Angel Falls: Venezuela
• Bay of Fundy: Canada
• Black Forest: Germany
• Bu Tinah Island: United Arab Emirates
• Cliffs of Moher: Ireland
• Dead Sea: Israel, Jordan, Palestine
• El Yunque: Puerto Rico
• Galapagos: Ecuador
• Grand Canyon: USA
• Great Barrier Reef: Australia, PNG
• Jeitta Grotyo: Lebanon
• Kilimanjaro: Tanzania
• Islands of the Maldives: Maldives
• Masurian Lake District: Poland
• Matterhorn/Cervino: Italy, Switzerland
• Milford Sound: New Zealand
• Mud Volcanoes: Azerbaijan
• Sundarbans: Bangladesh, India
• Uturu: Australia
• Vesuvius: Italy
• Yusha: Chinese Taipei 

Photo Credit: www.new7wonders.com