2016: The Year Filipino Fighters Stood Tall in ONE Championship

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines has produced many notable boxers throughout the years, including Francisco “Pancho Villa” Guilledo, Gabriel "Flash" Elorde and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao.

Although the country has become a breeding ground of world-class boxers, it is quickly carving a niche in other combat sports, particularly in mixed martial arts (MMA).

The nation has been deeply involved with MMA since 1995 when Kung Fu practitioner Onassis Parungao made his professional debut in the United States, but it took seven years before the sport was formally introduced on local shores.

For over two decades, it has been a dizzying rollercoaster ride for Filipino fighters as they encountered a mix of sweet triumphs and heartbreaks.

However, it was a different story in 2016 as Filipino combatants glimmered like diamonds atop an international MMA stage.

Over the course of 14 events in ONE Championship’s 2016 calendar, Filipino competitors tallied 24 victories, including a successful title defense and a stunning championship-winning performance.

Let us explore the moments that left an indelible mark in 2016, courtesy of the gallant warriors from the Philippines.

Hontiveros Sees Health and Gender Equality Bills at the Forefront of 2017 Legislative Agenda

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday vowed to prioritize the passage of several health and gender equality bills in 2017, saying that she and her fellow senators will build on the gains they made last year in the promotion of progressive laws.

Hontiveros, who serves as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, sees longer maternity leave for women this year. She filed Senate Bill No. 215 or the Extended Maternity Leave Act which seeks to extend the maternity leaves of working women from the current 60 days to 120 days and150 days for solo mothers.

President Rodrigo Duterte recently threw his support for a longer maternity leave. Duterte said that mothers should have a longer rest period to give them more time to breastfeed their babies."I agree that you need a longer period of rest for maternity leave. Gusto ko nga isang taon eh (I even want it to last for a year)," he said.

Hontiveros said that her committee is already in the process of preparing its committee report on the different versions of the bill.

Hontiveros also vowed to push Senate Bill No. 935 or the Anti-Discrimination Bill which she filed to penalize discrimination against sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in schools and workplaces, and offer equal protection to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

The said bill already made its way to the plenary and is ready for second reading. LGBT advocates said that Hontiveros' proposed measure is the first anti-discrimination bill to reach the Senate plenary.

As part of her campaign promise, Hontiveros seeks to stop the practice of hospitals asking for advance payment before admitting patients in emergency situation. Hontiveros, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Health, filed Senate Bill No. 216 or the Amendments to the Anti-Hospital Deposit Act that seek heavier penalties on hospitals that continue to violate the law while providing tax incentives to those that will admit indigent or poor patients in cases of emergency.

"We will conduct another hearing on this issue, submit the bill to the technical working group and release a committee report as soon as possible," Hontiveros said.

"The Anti-hospital deposit bill is part of my priority legislative bills this new year. We cannot allow the lives and health well-being of our people to be sacrificed any longer in the name of profit," Hontiveros added.

PETA Marks 50th Anniversary and Announces Line Up This 2017

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) recently invited members of the media to a preview of their upcoming shows scheduled for 2017 which is also their grand 50th anniversary.

Several shows are lined-up and since PETA is trying to live up to its name of presenting educational shows, it is not surprising to still find some offerings intended for children which also aims to keep the Filipino culture intact. Though they are starting their year with a revived musical comedy offering showcasing members of the third sex via the Caredivas this February,  come April they will be starting to commemorate their 5oth Anniversary with a series of "going back to their origins" presentations with a concert called Rites at the Fort featuring performances by renowned theater and music giants singing new renditions of PETA's musical gems and original compositions through the decades.

At the media presentation, it was evident that PETA as a whole is somehow politically aligned to a certain perspective when their lead executives expressed their sentiments against the happenings within the current administration or government. But they emphasized to still maintain mutual respect among each other when it comes to political beliefs and affiliations. This will be surely evident when they conduct their year-round A Game of Trolls show, a timely and educational production about Martial Law meant for students and Millennials.

PETA Workshop Express, an annual workshop for kids, teens, and adults will go the extra mile as it travels to different regions across the country to conduct satellite classes in key cities. 

PETA will also gather its local and international partners to a festival of ideas and best practices in the field of Advocacy Theater, of which it is a pioneer, with its Festival of Windows offering

This will be followed on November by Living Voices which is a retrospect of the most significant plays originally mounted at the Rajah Sulayman Theater, with live testimonies shared by PETA legends, and will wrap up in December with a Grand Alumni Homecoming to celebrate those who dedicated their lives to PETA, considered as one of the most original and exceptionally relevant cultural phenomena in Philippine cultural history.