The STANDS - An INQUIRER Sports Newsletter

 

July 12, 2024

It was quite the performance for Gilas Pilipinas during the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. (FIBA PHOTO)

Hey there sports fan, Before we dive into one national team, let's check up on the problems brewing beneath the surface of another. It isn't quite the controversy just yet, but already, there were some grumblings heard when Chery Tiggo kept standouts Eya Laure and Jennifer Nierva from practicing with Alas Pilipinas, the country's women's volleyball national team. Talks are being held to clarify the situation, but there is a hanging sanction that teams face if they withhold players from the national program. If you ask me, it's a sanction worth studying as far as other professional sports are concerned.  For now, Gilas Pilipinas is encountering no problems of that nature. The 12 players Tim Cone picked for the squad are still committed to the program and Cone has said he is committed to those 12. His only worry now is getting the injured standouts back to full health. Gilas was undermanned when it participated in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia recently, but even that did not stop the national squad from shocking the world No. 5 hosts—and the world, for that matter. That win was certainly a great headline to wake up to (or stay awake for). The Philippines even moved to within two wins of ending a long string of missed Olympic stints in basketball when it snatched triumph in defeat, advancing to the semifinals of the OQT despite losing a close decision to Georgia. Gilas eventually lost to Brazil in the semifinals, but the Nationals had made their mark in the tournament by proving that Philippine basketball is truly world-class.

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Former La Salle standout Thea Gagate, to no one's surprise, was the No. 1 pick of the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft. (MARLO CUETO)

Meanwhile... …It's not like ZUS Coffee said anything differently. The team had been vocal about their choice for the No. 1 overall pick in the PVL Draft and made good on that by selecting Thea Gagate. The middle blocker out of La Salle's vaunted volleyball program, however, admitted that she still had butterflies in her stomach on selection night. She later voiced her excitement over being given the chance to breathe life into a club that was stranded at the bottom last season. For more volleyball stories and our coverage of the Rookie Draft, check out this menu. Speaking of volleyball, do you know how many of the 12 teams currently in the PVL have won championships already? Answer is at the end of this email. What we're up to next: We will begin our coverage of Team Philippines to the Paris Olympics over the weekend so watch out for that. There's also the opening of the PVL Reinforced Conference to look forward to. We've had dispatches from the PBA Rookie Combine and you can follow our coverage of the PBA rookie draft across all our platforms. Number of the Week: 1972 Last time the Philippines competed in the basketball event of the Olympics.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “It’s, kinda like a ‘now we know’ moment—[that] now, we know we can compete.” —Tim Cone, Gilas Pilipinas coach, on the natiomal team's performance during the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

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Three. That's the answer to the trivia question above. Think you can ace the rest of our weekly sports 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).

Kitchen honey! The Miele and Half Saints connection

Bringing the German global home appliance brand Miele and the local food brand Half Saints together at the Miele BGC showroom

Jul 11, 2024 11:04 PM

  

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Bringing the German global home appliance brand Miele and the local food brand Half Saints together at the Miele BGC showroom is a stroke of marketing genius. Half Saints, led by Christine Roque and Jo Arciaga, has always stood for high quality, fresh ingredients, and culinary creativity that transcends geographical boundaries. With two stores now in Tokyo, they strongly believe that if Japanese food brands can travel and succeed in the Philippines, Filipino brands can achieve the same success in Japan.

Steven Sy and Angela Sy of Focus Global with Christine Roque and Jo Arciaga of Half Saints at the Miele BGC Showroom

It’s a “can do” spirit and ambition that Miele, a 125-year-old brand, can fully appreciate. After all, Miele, founded in 1899 and still a family-owned enterprise, has the historical precedent of taking the technology of a machine for churning butter and realizing the same tech would work for washing clothes. They haven’t looked back since, constantly improving and aiming for that Life Beyond Ordinary.

Angela Sy, head of finance and strategy at Focus Global Inc., and Christine Roque welcomed guests to the Miele showroom and announced the pop-up of Half Saints Bakes. This is a welcome move for anyone who has been to their Quezon City home and sampled their great food and pastries. I’ve been there twice and was happy to know I can get their goodies right here in BGC while the pop-up lasts. 

The Washing Machine and Dryer with the Honeycomb design

Pairing Half Saints with Miele is one “kitchen honey” move; and yes, I’m playing on the “Miel” in Miele, which literally means honey in French. I also took note of the distinct honeycomb design found in the top-rated Miele washing machines and dryers. It seems the upmarket, luxury German domestic appliance brand welcomes this association with honey and all things sweet.

Half Saints pop-up and products

Baked goods including their bestselling cake and pies

If the Miele product range focuses on the kitchen, the laundry room, and floor care, don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s like any other brand in the same retail arena. With the guiding principle of “Immer Besser,” which founders Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann printed on their very first machines, the standards for durability, performance, ease of use, energy efficiency, design, and service were all set in stone. Its consistent positioning in the premium segment is a testament to 125 years of this steadfast strategic position. “Immer Besser” translates to "Forever Better."

Fast forward to today, and the short tour I was taken on by Migs of Focus Global was an eye-opener to how Miele and technology are strong bedfellows. Miele has embraced cutting-edge technology to make their appliances even smarter and more efficient than we could imagine or anticipate.

Angela and Audrey Sy

Their convection oven has a built-in camera so that you can always see what’s happening inside. The exhaust or hood tops for their cooking range are diverse and flexible. As for the range itself, with over six positions, it is smart enough to detect when one position is being used and will automatically shut down when not in use or when the pot or pan has been transferred to another position. 

The Miele Dishwasher

Their top-of-the-line dishwasher is a solid investment with a lifespan of more than 10 years. It automatically programs according to the amount of load and washing solution required, efficiently handling even the most stubborn sediments and smears. I was told it also uniquely handles glassware.

The Miele Vacuum Cleaner line

Alongside the state-of-the-art vacuum cleaners, there’s truly so much to discover at the Miele showroom. Making your visit even sweeter is the opportunity to take home a box of Half Saints Bakes. Their Ruby Chocolate Pistachio Tart and Merci Buko Cream Puffs offer a delightful introduction to the Half Saints world. And I personally love the Chocolate Tart. 

Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra wins at the 16th Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival

The group is reaping awards in Europe

Jul 11, 2024 04:01 PM

  

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The MSJO gathers outside of Musikverein to commemorate their memorable feat

The Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra (MSJO) once again clinched an award in Europe, securing First Place with Outstanding Success in the String Orchestra Category at the 16th Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival in Vienna, Austria, held on July 7, 2024, at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein. This year’s festival, directed by Prof. Saul Saks and Managing Director Christian Bender, is renowned as one of the most prestigious for young musicians, drawing over 2000 participants from 14 countries and 38 ensembles.

The competition also awarded first place to the Hsing Lung String Orchestra from Taiwan, with the Hong Kong Youth Strings and the Taipei Municipal Zhongzheng Junior High School taking second place, and the Singapore National Youth String Orchestra securing third place.

It can be recalled this is not the first time MJOS bagged an award from this competition. Back in 2018, the group took home the first prize award. For this year, they are led by Maestro Jeffrey Solares and their trainers Sara Maria Gonzales and Arnold Josue. The 40-member MSJO embarked on their European Concert Tour on June 29. 

Their tour included performances in Budapest and Salzburg, followed by  competitions in Bratislava and Vienna. They will continue their tour with concerts at the MuTh Theater in Vienna and perform at the Winner's Concert at the Vienna Konzerthaus. They will conclude their tour with a final performance at the Smetana Hall in Prague on July 11, 2024, before returning to the Philippines on July 13. 

The MSJO’s repertoire featured Puccini’s “Crisantemi”, Dvorak’s “Scherzo” from “Serenade for Strings”, Stephan Koncz’s “A New Satiesfaction”, Ernani Cuenca’s “Naha”n arranged by Cyro Cloud Bon Moral, and Ryle Nicole Claudio’s “Tagu-taguan” by Ryle, performed entirely from memory. 

Prior to the 16th Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival, on July 4, 2024 the MSJO also won the Gold and the Grand Prix at the 6th Bratislava International Music Festival in Slovakia. The 2024 European Tour of the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra is sponsored by Standard Insurance.

Athlete-beauty queen Michelle Gumabao says she's done with pageants, wants to try action series

  

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Michelle Gumabao

Former beauty queen and volleyball player Michelle Gumabao is returning to show business and hopes to pursue action series or movies.

During a press conference at Victorino's in Timog, Quezon City, on July 11, Michelle revealed she's open to action projects, considering her interests in adventure and extreme sports.

"Isa yun sa hino-hope ko rin na magkaroon ng isang role sa isang project. Kung kaya ko rin matutunan yung ibang stunts, it's also something na gusto ko rin masubukan if given an opportunity," Michelle said. 

When she returned to showbiz, Michelle said she would continue volleyball. She explained why she decided to focus on sports before showbiz.

"At that time ang dami ko pang pangarap sa volleyball. When I started volleyball, halos college na talaga. Coming from the De La Salle na nag champion kami papuntang professional league, na kakaumpisa pa lang, I wanted to see kung hanggang saan ang contribution ko sa sport.

"Hindi rin naman ako agad makakapasok sa showbiz if not for sports. So that time, I wanted to give back to sports muna na nagbigay sa aking ng maraming opportunity. 

"Excited kami how everything will unfold kasi nga bago ang volleyball professional league. Volleyball is now gaining popularity and attention locally and internationally," said Michelle, brother of hunk actor Marco Gumabao.

Michelle, 31, believes her height of 5'10 is not an issue regarding having a leading man.

"Actually I considered acting after Pinoy Big Brother kaso wala silang mahanap na partner ko kasi ang tangkad ko. Joke lang!

"Pero kahit na hindi naman mas matangkad sa akin okay lang naman kung yun lang naman ang storyline. Wala naman akong taong ina-eye. Sana lang yung taong magiging ka-partner of taong I am familiar with para comfortable ako if ever I would star in my first acting project," she said.

Michelle hopes to work with Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz, Marian Rivera, and Toni Gonzaga-Soriano 

No regrets

Michelle said she had no regrets about joining pageants. In 2018, Michelle was crowned Bb. Pilipinas Globe. And in 2020, she joined Miss Universe Philippines.

She expressed disappointment at not being able to attend the 60th Binibining Pilipinas at the Araneta Coliseum on July 7. But she watched the finals online.

"Ang pagsali ko sa pageant is a big learning experience rin sa akin. Hindi ko talaga siya dream when I was a kid. Peor nakita ko kasi yung impact ng isang beauty queen. Nakita ko yung platform nila so sabi ko I wanted to try. It gave me a lot of opportunities.

"Ang dami kong nakilala. I gained many sisters and friends in the process. I will never regret any experience, whether successful or not. There will always be an advantage for me. Marami naman siyang naidulot sa akin," she said.

Michelle stated she was finished with pageants, even though the age restrictions had been lifted. "Hindi na talaga ako sasali uli. "

One of the best lessons learned in pageantry Michelle said: "You have to be genuine. Makikita talaga ng tao kung nagpapanggap ka or nagsisinungaling ka. Pinanghahawakan ko talaga na to be true to yourself. Even until now, I try to hold onto na kahit na sumikat ka, hindi mo talaga makakalimutan kung sino ka at saan ka nanggaling."

The daughter of actor Dennis Roldan revealed she's currently in a relationship but prefers to keep it private.

Michelle will be managed by Joel Roslin, the same manager as comedians Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola.