Kritsada Kongsrichai Embraces Being Different as He Breaks Out from Typical Thai Martial Arts Mold

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Unlike the other Thai combatants on the burgeoning world-class roster of ONE Championship, Kritsada “Dream Man” Kongsrichai was cut from a different cloth.

While the rest came from striking backgrounds, most prominently Muay Thai, the 26-year-old native of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand has an extensive background as a wrestler.

Kongsrichai is a 13-time Thai wrestling champion who proudly owns an impressive 180-20 record in competition.

“I started out as a wrestler. Unlike some of the other Thai fighters in the sport or in this organization, I didn’t come from a Muay Thai background. It’s quite unusual, but as years passed by, I learned how to embrace it. I realized there are instances that it’s good to be different,” he explained.

Now as a professional mixed martial artist, his approach on his quest of reaching the sport’s summit will not be different as he always finds positives in any situation.

As a dedicated competitor with tons of confidence and humility, Kongsrichai always looks forward on improving and reinventing himself in the constantly-evolving sport of mixed martial arts.

Kongsrichai’s pursuit to prove that he belongs to the ONE Championship cage continues on 24 March in front of his countrymen as he squares off with a young and tough Filipino foe like Robin “The Ilonggo” Catalan.

Both men are slated to lock horns on the undercard of ONE: IRON WILL, which takes place at the 12,000-seater Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

Carrying a professional win-loss standing of 6-3 into his three-round strawweight encounter with Catalan, Kongsrichai stills sees a lot of work that needs to be done after winning two of his assignments in 2017.

Following his submission loss to former world title contender Joshua Pacio in August 2016, Kongsrichai redeemed himself by defeating Indonesian dynamo Adrian Matheis via rear-naked choke in the first round a year ago.

Nine months later, Kongsrichai made quick work of Robin’s brother Rabin Catalan by way of first-round technical knockout.

Although he aced his last two outings under the ONE Championship banner, Kongsrichai refuses to be complacent as he takes every match in his budding career as a lesson that will strengthen him as a martial artist.

"I'm a very positive person. I take each win and loss as a lesson to learn and to develop. We always go back to the drawing board to review and maximize everything that we can get from my previous fights. The best part of it is that I'm improving everyday," Kongsrichai said. “I’m looking forward to have a successful 2018.”

Under the tutelage of coaches Tommy Hayden and Ponlawat Maki along with the whole Thailand-headquartered Team Hunter crew, Kongsrichai is in deep training on upgrading his arsenal for his upcoming meeting with Catalan.

Kongsrichai did not mince words about his excitement on showcasing the reinvented version of himself on 24 March.

"They'll be seeing a different fighting beast on March 24th. I'm very excited on showing the upgraded Kritsada. My team will do everything to help me reach my martial arts dreams," Kongsrichai stated.

With the aim to be a more versatile competitor inside the cage, Kongsrichai revealed that he and his team are very focused on honing his stand-up game to complement his grappling pedigree.

“I want to be a complete martial arts package. I've been fighting and training since seven years old. To reach my goals and fulfill my dreams in life, you need to sacrifice and learn everything to succeed," he revealed. "I'm sharpening everything. I'm putting my Muay Thai and wrestling skills to the next level."

Kongsrichai is fully satisfied with the turnout of his training camp for his return to the ONE Championship cage as he expects a win-hungry opponent in Catalan at ONE: IRON WILL.

Catalan is aiming to place himself back on the winning track after falling short against Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke last December.

“He is a tough and hungry warrior. I know that he also wants to achieve his dreams in this sport, but on March 24, I will be the one to walk out as the winner. This will be a war, and I hope I can win this fight in front of my countrymen with another finish,” Kritsada cautioned.

Kongsrichai believes that a convincing win over Catalan will elevate him into the upper echelon of ONE Championship’s strawweight division.

"I have been dreaming of becoming a world champion since I was a kid, which was also the reason I got my moniker ‘Dream Man.’ Someday, I will be a champion. But my full focus is on my next opponent right now. A win in this fight will definitely improve my position in the division," he ended.

​For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.​

Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami Calls for Support For Crucial Asian Cup Qualifier Match

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Philippine Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami calls for support for the upcoming matches of the national team, taking place on March 22 and March 27, 2018, to be held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Azkals will see action on March 22 against Fiji, for an International Friendly Match, which will serve as a tune-up game for the crucial AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifier match on March 27, 2018.

Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami says, “This is an important match for the country, and the cards are not exactly stacked against us.  We are currently  on top of the table of Group F with 9 points.  We win or we draw, we will move forward and the country will be part of the AFC Asian Cup for the first time.” 

Palami continues, “We want the ‘12th man’ to be there in both the tune-up game and the Asian Cup qualifier match.  This sport deserves all the support it can get, as we have already gone far, since 2010, when I took over as Team Manager of Azkals.”

“We should also be proud of our national team players who are doing well internationally in their various clubs.  Such as Neil Etheridge, currently with Cardiff City, and all other previous PFL club players, who are doing well and are now playing for neighbouring Asian countries, such as Ian Ramsay, who is currently with Felda United and Misagh Bahadoran, who is with Perak FA…And maybe this is the only way that the country or the youth can see, that aspiring for an international football career is not that impossible”, says Palami.

Tajikistan is currently ranked 124th, while the Philippines is currently ranked 122nd, in its latest rankings by FIFA, while Fiji is currently ranked 168th.

Tickets for both the Azkals vs. Fiji match, and the Azkals vs. Tajikistan match are available at www.smtickets.com.

Fortinet Expands its Ecosystem of Fabric-Ready Partners to Advance Security Visibility and Automated Response for Digital Business

Wazzup Pilipinas!

New Fabric-Ready Program partners extend Security Fabric automation, visibility and management into IT and security workflows, multi-cloud and virtualized networks

Fortinet, a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, today announced at its global partner and user conference, Accelerate 18, the addition of 11 industry-leading information technology providers to its Fabric-Ready Partner Program. These new partners further extend the Fortinet Security Fabric across cloud, virtual, and software-defined environments, while simplifying multi-vendor security deployments for enterprises and service providers.

• New Fabric-Ready Program Partners include BackBox, CyberArk, CyGlass, Hughes Network Systems, IBM Security, McAfee, Micro Focus, NEC Corporation, Phantom, ServiceNow and VMware.
• To date, Fortinet has brought together 42 Fabric-Ready Program Partners to deliver pre-integrated, end-to-end offerings ready for deployment, reducing the technical support burden, security management challenges and costs for enterprise customers. 

Developing Strategic Partnerships to Secure the Digital Transformation of Business

It has been reported that 69 percent of senior security and IT executives admit digital transformation requires fundamental changes to the organization’s current cybersecurity strategies. Mobile and cloud computing, IoT and software-defined networks are requiring the industry to undergo a major security transformation with an approach that supports the automation of business processes, while providing complete visibility and protection of these converged network environments. 

As organizations embrace digital transformation strategies, having a security framework where existing technology investments can interoperate is critical. Fabric-Ready partner solutions leverage Fortinet’s well-defined APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for deep integration with the Fortinet Security Fabric for unified security management and control. These integrations further extend Security Fabric capabilities across cloud, virtualized and software-defined environments and ensures seamless interoperation with partner solutions and services.

“As enterprises embrace digital business strategies, their networks are evolving to include IoT, multi-cloud and virtualized environments with complex workflows, driving the need for a security transformation where solutions can interoperate and automate threat responses across the expanded attack surface. Fortinet’s open approach extends the visibility, integrated threat prevention and automated response of its Security Fabric architecture to leading technology alliance partners to deliver unified security management and comprehensive protection for joint enterprise, MSSP and service provider customers”, John Maddison, senior vice president of products and solutions at Fortinet.

The following new technology partners have joined the Fabric-Ready Program across its various API integration points:

• Cloud: VMware
• Endpoint, IoT (Threat Detection & Response): McAfee
• Management/Security Incident Response: BackBox, CyberArk, CyGlass, Hughes Network Systems, IBM Security, Micro Focus, Phantom, ServiceNow
• Virtualization, SDN, NFV: NEC Corporation,VMware

As part of the program, partners undergo solution validation with a commitment to ongoing interoperability. Additionally, Fabric-Ready partners will benefit from joint marketing and go-to-market initiatives with Fortinet.

Fortinet Accelerate 18 Global Partner and User Conference

Fortinet has made several significant announcements today at its annual global partner and user conference, Accelerate 18, including the evolution of its Security Fabric architecture with its FortiOS 6.0 release and its FortiGuard Artificial Intelligence (AI) advanced threat detection technology. For more information on news from the event, visit: https://www.fortinet.com/corporate/about-us/newsroom/press-releases.html.

Fabric-Ready Partners Comment on the Security Fabric Ecosystem

“Data is the core asset to virtually every global business. With the increasingly diverse network landscape spurred by digital transformation, automatic backup of data and infrastructure settings is key to minimize downtime when recovery is needed. Fortinet and BackBox have integrated solutions to ensure seamless backup automation for all security and network security devices.”

- Rafi Zvi, CEO and Co-founder of BackBox

“With broader adoption of cloud technologies and DevOp processes comes a rapidly expanding attack surface. Organizations must prioritize privileged account security and secrets protection to better manage risk in these environments and improve threat response. The integration between the market leading CyberArk Privileged Account Security Solution and Fortinet’s Security Fabric architecture delivers an innovative solution that improves threat insight and the ability to quickly detect and respond to potential threats.”

- Adam Bosnian, executive vice president, global business development, CyberArk

“The ever increasing sophistication, persistence, and occurrence of cyber-attacks, makes it difficult for existing security tools and teams to keep critical IT assets secure.  CyGlass AI based SaaS security platform uncovers, pinpoints, and responds to advanced cyber threats that often evade traditional security controls. The combination of CyGlass and Fortinet’s FortiGate and FortiSIEM products provide unparalleled protection against today’s network based attacks. CyGlass is excited to be part of Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready Partner Program and to collaborate with Fortinet on comprehensive advanced threat detection and remediation solutions that address today’s most sophisticated cyber threats.”

- Ed Jackowiak, chief revenue officer at CyGlass

“Global competition is driving adoption of Cloud services and other new applications and technologies. These new applications, services and technologies are creating complexity and a larger attack surface to manage and protect, while not impeding business productivity. We are very pleased to join Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready Partner Program. Together with Fortinet, we provide global businesses with an integrated, managed SD-WAN and security solution that will make our joint customers more secure, agile and compliant.”

 - Mike Tippets, VP Enterprise Marketing at Hughes Network Systems

“With the cybercrime landscape becoming increasingly complex, collaboration between cybersecurity leaders in the industry is more important than ever. The creation of open API ecosystems like Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready program makes it easier for cybersecurity teams to create a more seamless line of cybersecurity defense across their IT infrastructure  – giving them more time and resources to focus on staying ahead of threats rather than integrating products.”

- Rich Telljohann, Director, Business & Corporate Development, IBM Security

“To support today’s dynamic networks, security needs to see and understand every device on the network to be able to monitor and protect data and resources across the entire distributed environment. A rapid and coordinated response across industry-leading solutions is critical to defend against today’s threats. McAfee is pleased to join Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready Technology Alliance Partner Program, and to collaborate with Fortinet to deliver enhanced, integrated security for our joint customers.”

- DJ Long, Vice President, Strategic Business Development at McAfee

“Micro Focus is committed to helping customers extend their existing investments while embracing new technologies as they transition to hybrid IT environments. Having complete visibility of all elements in these expanded network environments is crucial, and through our collaboration with Fortinet, we are enabling our joint customers to have greater security visibility and unified management of their entire IT and security infrastructure.”

- Travis Grandpre, Head of Security Product Marketing at Micro Focus  

“Enterprises are increasingly adopting SDN to design, build and operate their networks to benefit from the business agility, network automation and centralized provisioning of resources. Building on our long-standing collaboration with Fortinet, we are excited to join its Fabric-Ready program and further integrate the network automation and virtualization capabilities of our NEC ProgrammableFlow^®Controller with the Fortinet Security Fabric to better secure our joint customers’ software-defined networks with integrated threat intelligence and automated response capabilities.”

- Ram Menghani, Vice President of Product Management, NEC Enterprise Technologies

“As the Security Automation and Orchestration (SA&O) leader, Phantom is pleased to be partnering with Fortinet by expanding our combined, robust integration that allows for the seamless automation and orchestration at several key stages of security operations from prevention to triage and resolution, delivering dramatic increases in productivity and effectiveness. The Phantom and Fortinet integrated security solution combines advanced security automation and orchestration capabilities from Phantom together with one of the industry’s best-validated security from Fortinet to deliver security without compromise.”

- Rich Hlavka, VP of Business Development at Phantom

“At the center of this rapidly developing Security Automation and Orchestration market, ServiceNow Security Operations is powered by integrations into leading security technology products. This connectivity with Fortinet allows our mutual customers to bridge tools to people in an automated and repeatable way. Operations is never limited in speed and scale by products like Fortinet, but rather by the ability for process and people to manage through incidents and orchestrate response actions.  We think Fortinet and ServiceNow customers will be really excited about the real and measurable outcomes this type of integration delivers.”

- Odin Olson, senior director Business Development, Security BU at ServiceNow

“FortiGate-VMX with VMware NSX extends the NSX firewall functionality with advanced security services and allows IT to unlock  the benefits of a software defined data center or private cloud with agility and efficiency. IT organizations can automatically provision the delivery of security services from Fortinet where management plane, control plane, and data plane work seamlessly in lockstep.”

- Teri Bruns, vice president, Global Partner Solutions at VMware

Additional Resources

• Blog – Fabric Ready Momentum
• Please visit Fortinet’s Partner homepage for more details about the Fortinet’s Fabric-Ready Partner program.
• Follow Fortinet on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.  

Coney Reyes and Her New Telecine Wanda’s Wonderful World

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Award-winning actress, television host, and producer Coney Reyes as Wanda searches for love as she tries to fill the void in her heart left by a traumatic experience she had when she was young.

Catch her as she gives life to the character of Wanda in CBN Asia’s Holy Week special Wanda’s Wonderful World, on Good Friday, March 30, 11 p.m. at ABS-CBN.

Coney plays the character of Wanda, the CEO of a well-renowned events company, Wanda’s Wonderful World. She thirsts for love and looks for it in all the wrong places.

“Actually, Wanda is sort of a complicated character. But if you dig deep down in her heart, it’s actually simple why she is the way she is. She was a neglected child, so because of that there were certain things she was yearning for in her life,” Coney explained.

One of the things that Coney could relate to was Wanda’s conversations with God. “Not that I questioned God but I would often talk to God,” she said.

“I made a lot of ‘not-so-healthy’ and ‘not-so-godly decisions’ and because of that I ended up with a lot of mess in my personal life. But when I met the Lord Jesus and I really just surrendered my life to Him, everything turned around because God works things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose,” she added.

Wanda’s Wonderful World’s story is a product of the wonderful imagination of CBN Asia’s Special Projects Manager Icko Gonzalez.


Watch Coney Reyes along with other veteran actors Tirso Cruz III and Ricky Davao as CBN Asia presents Wanda’s Wonderful World, a story that will surely satisfy your yearning for love and purpose, on March 30, Good Friday, 11 p.m. at ABS-CBN.

Irish Government Delegates Get a Taste of Home at Marketplace by Rustan’s with Avonmore

Wazzup Pilipinas!

St. Patrick’s Day came early for Irish government delegates as they joined their country’s national holiday celebrations at Marketplace by Rustan’s in Rockwell Power Plant Mall, featuring the No. 1 milk brand of Ireland, Avonmore. 

The famous milk brand, which has full cream, low fat, and skimmed variants, will be available exclusively at Marketplace by Rustan’s and Rustan’s Supermarket branches.

Ambassador to Ireland Geoffrey Keating and Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government John Paul Phelan, TD, were delighted to find one of their country’s most beloved brands on the shelves of a supermarket some 7,000 miles away from Ireland.

“It’s like seeing a bit of home,” says Keating. “I haven’t seen Avonmore in the Southeast Asian region before. This is a first and it’s a very nice feeling to walk into the store and see the display.”

Keating and Phelan were warmly received by Rustan Supercenters, Inc. CEO Irwin Lee during the event and joined by a group that included Rustan’s Commercial Corporation President Donnie V. Tantoco, Rustan’s Supercenters Inc. AVP for Marketing Ana Punongbayan, RSCI Wine Import Manager David Brissonnaud, Consul General and Vice-Consul of the Irish Consulate Philippines Robert F. Trota, Irish Food Board Southeast Asia Director Ciarán Gallagher, and Avonmore representatives Maria Victoria Fuentes and Ramon Fuentes in a guided tour around the store.

RSCI CEO Irwin Lee also looks forward to continue forging a solid partnership with Ireland, one that will hopefully see the arrival of its other world-class goods and brands in these shores. Nicknamed Emerald Isle, Ireland boasts a lush, green terrain that support its thriving meat, fish, dairy, fruit, vegetable, and cereal industries.

“Marketplace by Rustan’s is known for its wide variety of international products, and we want to keep expanding the selection for our customers,” says Lee, who is in talks with the Irish Food Board. “Avonmore is the No. 1 milk brand in Ireland and is our first Irish grocery product, so we’re proud to be able to make it available to our shoppers and offer them a better experience at our stores.”

While it’s grown to become Ireland’s most purchased grocery brand, consumed by over 80 percent of households each day, Avonmore has remained loyal to its roots in supporting the cooperative of rural farmers who maintain free-range, grass-fed cows that are milked twice daily still owning a bulk of the multinational company’s shares.

The milk is also tested an average of 35 times, ensuring quality content in every carton. “The Irish dairy industry has the most carbon-neutral method of producing milk,” says Phelan.

“I’m very proud,” says the minister of how far Avonmore has come more than five decades later. “I’ll be putting this up in my Twitter account in the next few minutes: ‘Avonmore in Manila.’ Who would have guessed?”

For more info, visit www.rustansfresh.com, follow and like rustansfresh on Facebook, and @rustansfresh on Instagram and Twitter.

Marketplace by Rustan’s are located at San Antonio Plaza, Rockwell Power Plant Mall, Central Square Bonifacio High Street, Connecticut San Juan, Eastwood City, Shangri-La Plaza, Paseo de Roces, Santolan Town Plaza, and Three Central. Also, visit Rustan’s Supermarkets located at Makati Area: Glorietta, Greenbelt 1, Paseo de Magallanes, Alphaland Makati Place, Paseo Center, Century City Mall.  North Area: Gateway Mall, Katipunan, Tomas Morato, P. Guevarra, Corinthian Hills, Village Center Antipolo, The Grove by Rockwell, Ayala Malls The 30th. South Area: Ayala Alabang Village, Evia Lifestyle Center, Uptown Mall BGC. Cebu: Oakridge Business Park, Ayala Center, Arcenas Estate CDO: Ayala Centrio Mall

Nationwide Rally for SOGIE Equality Bill

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Thousands of students from catholic schools, religious groups, LGBT+ advocates and allies mobilized on Saturday, March 17 in People Power Monument (PPM) to support the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill.

Dubbed as the Fight for Love, Fight for Equality rally, thousands participated in different mobilizations for the SOGIE Equality bill as events were also set in Albay, Cebu, Iloilo and General Santos City on Saturday.

In Metro Manila, several drag queens went all out in support and perform during the program.

A huge rainbow flag was casted across the People Power Monument (PPM) at the start of the program at 5PM and at the end of the program, where thousands of rainbow lights from the crowd ran across the PPM grounds.

FIGHT FOR LOVE, FIGHT FOR EQUALITY

People Power Monument

Saturday, March 17, 5PM

Energy Sector's Earthquake Readiness Enhanced by Filipino Software

Wazzup Pilipinas!

DOE AND DOST MOVE TO SECURE THE ENERGY FACILITIES: The DOE and DOST signed on 16 March 2018 a Memorandum of Agreement (MO A) to enhance the capacity of the energy sector in assessing the risk hazards of an impending earthquake that may have adverse impacts on energy facilities and services as well as people. The MOA entails training on the use of the Filipino-made Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS) software, which is a tool for preparing and responding to calamities and disasters. Sealing the deal with Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi is DOST Undersecretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. with DOE Senior Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas and PHIVOLCS Associate Scientist Dr. Maria Leonila P. Bautista as witnesses.

“Wag na tayong magpatumpik-tumpik pa,” emphasized Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi during the signing of an agreement with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Friday (16 March) to use a Filipino-made software to enhance the capacity of all stakeholders in earthquake readiness.

This is a timely response to the magnitude 6.5-earthquake that hit Visayas last year, affecting electricity supply delivery in Leyte, Samar and Bohol. This incident revealed the vulnerability of the country’s energy systems to earthquakes.

Cusi pointed out: “It is the mandate of the DOE to ensure that energy services will be available to everyone immediately after an emergency situation.” This pronouncement supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to ensure disaster resilience.

“We need all available tools and technologies to enhance our resiliency planning and implementation,” Cusi emphasized, citing the threat of a magnitude 7.2-earthquake and other calamities, which pose risks to operations in the energy sector.

The Memorandum of Agreement (M OA)  entitled “Capacity Enhancement of the Energy Sector on Hazard, Risk Assessment and Exposure Database Development Through the Use of the Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS) Software” was inked on 16 March at the DOE-Media Center in Taguig City by DOE Sec. Cusi and DOST Undersecretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., and witnessed by DOE Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas and DOST- Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Associate Scientist Dr. Maria Leonila P. Bautista.

For the energy sector’s capacity enhancement, the MOA outlines the development of database on hazard, risk assessment and exposure to earthquake through the use of the DOST-PHIVOLCS’ REDAS software. It can be used as a tool for emergency preparedness, contingency planning and mainstreaming disaster risk reduction.

Under the MOA, the DOE and PHIVOLCS would undertake and pursue intensive REDAS training, endeavor knowledge and resources sharing to complement each other on the implementation of the program, among other assistance and cooperation needed for the attainment of the goals and objectives to prepare the energy sector on possible earthquake hazards.

REDAS will be helpful in providing quick and near-real-time simulated earthquake hazard information to disaster managers which will help them in assessing the distribution and extent of the impacts of a strong earthquake to their people and assets. The data generated could also provide information and insights for better resource management and asset resiliency.

REDAS can be used to compute ground-shaking, earthquake-induced landslides, liquefaction and even tsunamis. Other capabilities of the tool include earthquake sorting capability, generating seismicity maps, onscreen map digitization and building of database on earthquake hazard risks as well as wind hazards.

The partnership of the DOE and DOST-PHIVOLCS is also in line with the recently signed Department Circular No. ‎2018-01- 0001 or the “Adoption of Energy Resiliency in the Planning and Programming of the Energy Sector to Mitigate Potential Impacts of Disasters”, also known as the Energy Resiliency Policy.

The Energy Resiliency Policy was issued as a foundation to make the Philippines an energy-resilient country. The policy also aims to unify the energy sector in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in its plans, programs and activities.

The policy likewise seeks to institutionalize the strengthening of energy systems and facilities, and to enable the quick restoration and provision of an alternative power source that will alleviate consumer conditions during emergencies and disasters.

“Because of this partnership with PHIVOLCS, more collaborative efforts within the energy sector will result and in the end, it will make the country more competitive,” Cusi concluded.

FinTalks x SLSU: Bold Perspectives to Advance Financial Literacy in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

1500 attendees. 10 speakers. 5 series. 1 event. This is FinTalks x SLSU - a series of major seminars organized by fourth year students of BSBA - Financial Management in Southern Luzon State University, Lucban, Quezon in cooperation with SLSU Junior Financial Executives.

#1: Kita Kita: A New Way to See Credit and Collection

The first of the five installments of FinTalks x SLSU was held last March 2, 2016 at SLSU CAM Auditorium. Current College of Business Administration Student Council Governor Ms. Lineth Cruzat served as the motivational speaker. Cruzat in her speech reiterated the importance of believing in oneself. She added, "...naniniwala ako na yung iba sa atin ay nahihiya lang. Yun yung gusto ko na mapag-aralan natin na wag ka matakot mag voice out, wag ka matakot mag share na yung sa palagay mo dapat mong i-share kasi walang mawawala. Makakatulong ka pa..."

Another speaker is Mr. Carlo Magno Sabater who discussed the brief history and the benefits brought by the credit and collection in our economy. He also inspired the attendees to take the risks because the power of change can be found within us. 

#2: Breaking Through Traditions: Harnessing Innovation for Inclusive Finance

The second installment aimed in highlighting the role of Millenials in promoting financial inclusion was held last March 16, 2018 at SLSU Covered Court. The activity was also attended by external participants from selected senior high schools in Quezon province.

One of the speakers is Ms. Joy Anne Pasumbal, who in her early age of 20 was already an entrepreneur and a trader. She discussed the different personal and financial challenges students are facing nowadays and provided tips on how we can overcome those challenges.

Another speaker is Mr. Cesar Augusto Villanueva, who works in the Inclusive Finance Advocacy Office of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. He said that "financial inclusion is a good policy objective." Villanueva in his speech encouraged the attendees to help the BSP in promoting financial inclusion through the use of technology. He also presented the different financial inclusion initiatives conducted by the BSP that are benefiting the Filipinos today.

Join us.

The other series of FinTalks x SLSU will be held on March 26 and April 13 (wholeday). Join us as we make bold perspectives to advance financial literacy in the Philippines. Because we believe that when you go outside the four side of the classroom, your knowledge about our industry matters. For more information visit our official social media accounts at www.facebook.com/slsujfinex and www.twitter.com/jfinexslsu #FinTalks 

FinTalks x SLSU would like to thank the official Media Partners: astig.PH, Wazzup Pilipinas, Psst.PH, Creativoices Production, Voice of the Youth Online, NegoSentro, World Executive Digest, MoneySense and FranchisingPH.

SLSU JFINEX is a proud member of Junior Confederation of Finance Associations - Philippines and a proud student organization affiliate of CFA Society Philippines. 

Understanding and Treating the Gambling While Visiting UK Cheltenham Festival

Wazzup Pilipinas!

If you are anywhere in the UK during the month of March, you would have definitely heard of the Cheltenham Festival. The Cheltenham Festival is the place to go if you wish to experience the best in-class racing from all over the world. 

The joy of watching fine bred horses with their rippling muscles, being led to the finish line by their jockeys in a nail biting race will give you goosebumps. The other attractions the Shopping Village, the Guinness Village, the Hall of Fame, and the AP McCoy Wall to name a few. However, the core identity of the Cheltenham’s Festival remains racing and of course, betting.

If horse racing is an age-old tradition then so is betting on such races. If you are trying to understand the gambling culture around the Cheltenham Festival, you have come to the right place. Here’s how you can get started:

Check Your Wares

Checking out what you are signing up for is the first rule for anything and everything. While the online methods of betting could sound alluring, nothing beats the actual experience of observing and judging the horses during the parade ring. Notice the coordination between the jockey and the horse. Pick what you feel has the greatest chance of winning and then check out the odds of that horse winning the race. Note down the number of the horse.

Placing Bets

Interestingly, Cheltenham offers many ways to place your bets. However, if you still wish to place your bets online, you can always check out some of the best betting websites for Cheltenham Festival.

Once you have placed your bet, you shall receive a receipt containing the details of your bet. Always check and tally the details, if in case there is a mistake in your receipt, bring it to the bookmakers notice.

Types of Bets

There are two types of bets:

·         Win Only: When you are positively sure that your horse will win, you can place a Win Only bet.

·        Each Way: An Each Way bet is double betting, one bet is on the horse that you think will win, and the other for the placement of the bet. So the money you put at stake is basically paid in double.

After the Race

If you have won, all you need to do is produce your ticket to the bookmaker to claim your settlement. If the result was not in your favor, you should still remember to keep the ticket safe. Do not destroy your ticket until the weighed in announcement has been declared. It may be possible that the winning horse could be disqualified or a Stewards’ Enquiry could be invoked. And who knows, in the process, lady luck may have shined on you!

So, now you have a better understanding of gambling and how to place bets at the Cheltenham Festival. Win or lose, the gambling experience will definitely stick by you forever. Just remember to make a calculated decision and be always aware that betting is good way to earn extra cash, but also can be addictive. So, If you want to be rewarded for your prudence, be sure not to miss full experience of Cheltenham Festival. Good luck!