Hey, See you at the PBA All-Star Game

When I was young, I wanted to be a basketball player.

Well, that's because you don't have to finish school, you play ball all your life, date pretty ladies and you'll get paid a six-digit monthly salary by doing that.

With a 5'3 body and a tummy as big as a basketball, I retired the idea after I got two twisted elbows in two different occasions. But the love for the game continues. I love basketball (collegiate, pro or international ball) and consider it the best thing that was ever invented since cheer leaders.

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) granted Mall of Asia Arena the exclusive rights to host the 2014 PBA All-Star Weekend on April 3 – 6, 2014 at the Mall of Asia Arena and selected SM Supermalls.

The PBA All-Star Weekend is the annual assembly of the best players of the PBA playing various events such as the 3-point shootout, skills competition, shooting completion by All-Star Game.

Highlights of the weekend are PBA Greats vs Stalwarts and Skills Challenge game on April 4, 2014 and PBA All-Stars vs Gilas Pilipinas game on April 6, 2014. Other activities will include basketball clinics, hospital visits, medical visits, meet and greet, referee clinics and coaches clinics.

The PBA All-Stars is composed by reigning PBA Most Valuable Player Arwind Santos; Rookie of the Year Calvin Abueva; PJ Simon and Joe Devance of the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers, Marcio Lassiter of the San Miguel Beermen, Nino Canaleta of the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, and Sonny Thoss of Alaska. San Mig Super Coffee guard James Yap and Mark Barroca are joined by Ginebra bigs Mac Baracael, Chris Ellis, and Greg Slaughter as the PBA All-Star starters based on votes from the fans.

Gilas includes Jimmy Alapag, LA Tenorio, Jayson Castro, Larry Fonacier, Gary David, Jeff Chan, Gabe Norwood, Japeth Aguilar, Marc Pingris, Ranidel De Ocampo, June Mar Fajardo, and Marcus Douthit. The original Gilas 12 will be backed up by Paul Lee, Beau Belga, and Jared Dillinger.

Other events to look forward to are the (1) the Slam Dunk competitions featuring depending chapion Chris Ellis, teammate Aguilar, Santos, Rey Guevarra, Abueva, Cliff Hodge, and small but high-leaping Justin Melton.

Chris Tiu will be defending his Three-Point Shootout crown against David, Lassiter, Yap, Fonacier, Baracael, Mac Cardona, JVee Casio, Ronjay Buenafe, and Mark Macapagal.

In the Skills Challenge, the participants are defending champion Jonas Villanueva, Casio, Tenorio, Lee, Barroca, Castro, Willie Miller, Terrence Romeo, John Wilson, and Mercado.

The festivities will start with a game between the PBA Greats and PBA Stalwarts, which are mash-ups for past and present PBA stars.

The Mall of Asia Arena, operated by SM Lifestyle Entertainment, Inc., has a seating capacity of 15,000, with a full-house capacity of 20,000. It has been the venue for world class concerts and sports events in the country. The Mall of Asia Arena, through to its commitment to change the game and elevate entertainment for the Filipino audience, guarantees a world-class events and entertainment experience to its audience.

You can buy tickets at SM Tickets outlets nationwide or visit their website at https://www.smtickets.com/.

The face behind Saint Pedro Calungsod

A Cebuano will officially be canonized as the second Filipino Saint this coming October 21 in Rome.

Catholic cardinals have approved in Rome the canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod of Cebu, that will make him the second Filipino to be recognized a saint by the Catholic Church after San Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila.

Here's some info I found via Wikepedia:  very little is known about Calungsod except that he was an Ilonggo and was born and raised in Iloilo City. In the register for the process of beatification, he was born in Molo, a Chinese district in Iloilo City. He just came to Cebu to preach Christianity then move to Guam.

It is known that he was just one of the boy catechists who went with some Spanish Jesuit missionaries from the Philippines to the to evangelize the Chamorros in the Ladrones Islands in the western Pacific in 1668.

Pope John Paul II beatified both Father Diego Luis de San Vitores (October 6, 1985) and Pedro Calungsod (March 5, 2000) at Saint Peter's Square in Rome.

Pedro was beatified along with other 43 servants of God. About Pedro, the Pope said:

    (...) From his childhood, Pedro Calungsod declared himself unwaveringly for Christ and responded generously to his call. Young people today can draw encouragement and strength from the example of Pedro, whose love of Jesus inspired him to devote his teenage years to teaching the faith as a lay catechist. Leaving family and friends behind, Pedro willingly accepted the challenge put to him by Fr Diego de San Vitores to join him on the Mission to the Chamorros. In a spirit of faith, marked by strong Eucharistic and Marian devotion, Pedro undertook the demanding work asked of him and bravely faced the many obstacles and difficulties he met. In the face of imminent danger, Pedro would not forsake Fr Diego, but as a "good soldier of Christ" preferred to die at the missionary's side (...)

Now, here's some trivia so we won't get confused which one is San Pedro Calungsod and San Lorenzo Ruiz when their holy images are place beside each other. Calungsod doesn’t look Chinese, while Lorenzo Ruiz has Chinese distinction. Second, he is holding the ‘Doctrina Christiana’ and palm leaves while Ruiz holds a rosary.  Lastly, notice that Calungsod’s feet are not positioned firmly on the ground. One foot is slightly raised because it shows his being a missionary, a young man on the move. It shows his dynamism.

Astig316 meets Mr. Fearless

Now, do you want to know about the man who was tapped to be the face of Pedro Calungsod, here's the post The Legend of the Saint that I have written two years ago about my favorite athlete Ronald Tubid, a PBA All-Star who once donned a Brgy Ginebra Kings jersey before he was traded to the Barako Bull Energy early this year. I am just delighted about this news because I'm sure my idol will be more popular in the coming days.

Read on and share your thoughts.

SWABE: Sunday Winners And Big Endings

Yesterday was one of the most exciting Sundays I've ever experienced.

Good thing I was not sleeping (Well, I had a 5-minute nap while hearing mass. Sorry po, Father... it's not you, it's me)

Anyways, if there is one word I can describe July 8, 2012--- it's SWABE because of the many Sunday Winners And Big Endings that just happened in the span of 24 hours.

Boom! From PH with love (Image credit: Yahoo.ph)

Sunday Winner no. 1: Nonito Doñaire
Big Ending: The Filipino Flash dominated South African Jeffrey Mathebula in their super bantamweight title unification held in California thus more people now agree that he is the Philippines’ newest candidate for boxing superstardom.

The newly-crowned Kitchen Star (left) and the proud owner of a brand new stainless Electrolux microwave oven (right)  (Image credit: Green Dei)

Sunday Winner no. 2: Rigette Osoteo
Big Ending: After undergoing a 2-day cooking boot camp under some of the respected and known chefs in the country and another 2 days of exciting kitchen competition, this petite soon-to-be chef took home a prize worth over Php 150,000 after being proclaimed as this year's Electrolux Wok-A-holic Kitchen Star.

The Big J and Big C--- Caguiao, that is (Image credit: Inquirer.net)

Sunday Winner no. 3: Robert Jaworksi
Big Ending: After almost 15 years since he wore the popular no. 7 jersey on the hard court, the Living Legend of Philippine basketball has finally received the fitting tribute that he rightfully deserved. His Ginebra San Miguel uniform was hanged to the rafters and forever will be displayed in Smart Araneta Coliseum where some of his epic battles took place.

Bozeman's buzzer beater (Image credit: Interaksyon.com)

Sunday Winners no. 4: Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings
Big Ending: After the Jaworski tribute, the Gin Kings played a very physical yet exciting ballgame against sister team Petron Boosters. All throughout the game, the Brarangay was outplayed by Petron until the "never-say-die" spirit that the Big J exemplifies somewhat jolted into each and every player of the team en route to a game-winning shot from Ginebra import Cedric Bozeman with .3 seconds left in the ballgame.

Lola Ilang's pink kung pink birthday cake

Sunday Winner no. 5: Lola Ilang
Big Ending: Our beloved lola celebrated her 90th birthday with a big feast in my in-laws home in Quezon City. She vowed to stay as loving and sweet as she is for 30 more years. I was not able to take part of some of the surprises since I was "on duty" in another place the whole afternoon but I was able to witness and the last part of the party--- packing of leftovers! Thus, we had a big dinner in our own house in Pasig.

With this, I wish for more SWABE to come! Let's drink to that!

The Legend of the Saint

I was inspired to blog about my PBA idol after his back-to-back 30-point games vs. Coca Cola and Barako Bull recently.

Did you know why Tubid was known as "The Saint" during his college, PBL and pre-Ginebra days?

Well, it was long story but I will make it short. During a game in his first year as a UE Warrior in the UAAP, Tubid was on the charity line for couple of freethrows. A high-ranked CBCP official was watching the game. This official was actually commissioned to look for "the face" for Pedro Calungsod, the Filipino who lives centuries ago who was ordained to be the second Filipino saint next to San Lorenzo Ruiz

After seeing Tubid on TV, the church official said to himself, "This is the face of Pedro Calungsod!"

And the rest is history!

Today, Tubid is known as "Mr. Fearless" --- 1/3 of Ginebra' "The Fast, the Furious and the Fearless" along with Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark "The Spark Caguiao".
There was also a time Tubid was referred as "The Rocket" by PBA commentators

Let's give the "Rocket" monicker to JC Intal who has been using in the amateur league. I've been a fan of Tubid since his college years. I followed his career to his PBL stint with Welcoat to PBA teams Shell and Air 21 and of course in Ginebra. One thing has never change, his flair and intensity as soon as he steps on the hardwood is still there. Not to mention his remarkable athleticism.

The last time I really got hooked to a basketball player was to the Living Legend Sen. Robert Jaworski (also a UE Alumnus) and NBA's Charles Barkley.

Going back to the monicker thing. I really prefer "The Saint" for Tubid. Since he glides in the air as if he has wings and has been the savior of the Gin Kings when Caguioa and Helterbrand are not available. But the "Fearless" is also a fit.

Hmmm.. how about St. Fearless... parang St. Elmo's Fire and dating :-)