Brandon Vera, Sage Northcutt join The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition Candidates in Episode 5

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IF last week's episode is already intense enough, you haven't seen what's next.

ONE Championship's longest reigning titlist made his presence felt in episode 5 of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition as reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon "The Truth" Vera paid the candidates a visit as a guest athlete.

The Filipino-American champion is definitely a winner in every sense of the word, as evidenced by him being the division's first and only champion since the organization introduced the belt in December 2015.

Vera has knocked down every challenge that came his way, amassing an impressive 25-8 (1 NC) mixed martial arts record, including emphatic title defenses against the likes of Igor Subora, Paul Cheng, Hideki Sekine, and Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli -- all of whom falling in the first round.

But it could also offer a glimpse of what's in store for the future, all the more with budding contenders like Arjan “Singh” Bhullar and “Mighty Warrior” Kang Ji Won hot on Vera's heels and aching for a shot at the reigning champion.

That alone should make the candidates listen to every advice Vera would be willing to hand out as he provides an imposing presence in the episode's physical task.

But Vera isn't alone in providing their inputs to the candidates as "Super" Sage Northcutt will also be joining the ONE Heavyweight World Champion in the episode.

His good looks may captivate everyone watching, but the 25-year-old lightweight's brute force is no joke as he proved to everyone before that he's not just a pretty face.

Northcutt will be a welcome presence for the candidates as he awaits his next foe after having his ONE on TNT 4 match against Shinya "Tobikan Judan" Aoki in April 28 cancelled.

He, after all, knows a thing or two about being hungry to come back after suffering a first round defeat to Cosmo Alexandre at ONE: Enter The Dragon in May 2019 to go down to an 11-3 win-loss record.

Vera and Northcutt are just the latest from the top-caliber athletes who have appeared on the show after mixed martial arts legends Georges "Rush" St-Pierre and Renzo Gracie, and ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee.

Other athletes set to guest star in future episodes include former ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren, ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious Johnson, Indian Wrestling Champion Ritu Phogat, and ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition invited 16 contestants handpicked from around the world to compete in a high-stakes game of business and physical challenges. The winner will receive a US$250,000 job offer to work directly under Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for a year as his protege in Singapore.



“The Apprentice” is one of the biggest non-scripted reality television programs in history, judging the business skills of candidates who are competing for a job offer under a high-profile CEO. It has aired in more than 120 countries. The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” consists of 13 episodes and will be seen in the Philippines on Thursdays, 8:50 pm on AXN cable network and on Mondays at 9 p.m. on One Sports.

Liza Soberano is Save the Children Philippines’ newest ambassador

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Renowned actress Liza Soberano fulfils her dream to be a child rights advocate as she was appointed Save the Children Philippines Ambassador who will campaign for children’s rights to survival, learning, protection, and meaningful participation.

Save the Children Philippines welcomed Soberano in line with its celebration of its 40th year of lifesaving work for and with children in the country.

“Officially joining Save the Children Philippines as an ambassador is a dream come true for me,” said Soberano who has been silently donating to the child rights organization and sponsoring children in Uganda since 2016.

“I just want to help people in any form and in any way that I can, and I feel like through Save the Children, I’ll be able to do so much more,” Soberano said.

Save the Children Philippines Chief Executive Officer Atty. Alberto Muyot lauds Soberano’s earnest desire to help the most deprived and marginalized children realize their full potential.

“We know that with Liza’s passion and influence, she will be inspiring a lot of children, youth, and adults to prioritize children’s rights at all times and create platforms for meaningful participation of children,” Muyot said.

In the 2021 Global Childhood Report by Save the Children, the Philippines ranked 110th out of 186 countries with children fully experiencing childhood. The study revealed that children in lower ranking countries have been missing out on childhood, including access to healthcare and nutrition, education, and protection from harmful practices like child labor and child marriage.

Prior to becoming an official Ambassador, Soberano has been addressing the said issues in her own ways. In 2018, she participated in Save the Children’s “Lahat Dapat” campaign against hunger and malnutrition, and rallied for children’s fair and equal access to nutritious food.

In 2020, Soberano supported Save the Children Philippines’ #SaveWithStories which raised funds for Project ARAL (Access to Resources for Alternative Learning) to help children from low income families and those with disabilities gain access to alternative learning modalities amidst school closures brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Soberano has also been vocal in her conviction to speak about women and children’s rights, protection of children from online sexual exploitation, and mental health.

Muyot added that working for and with children is both an opportunity and a huge responsibility. With Ambassadors Katarina Rodriguez, Xia Vigor, Ria Atayde, and Liza Soberano working closely with children, they will be able to amplify children’s voices, and help Save the Children engage into meaningful and sustainable partnerships with stakeholders to further support children’s development needs and respond to humanitarian crises.

“There’s nothing more grounding and heartwarming than seeing the look on people’s faces when you give them the simplest of assistance, may it be financial or just showing them that you are physically and mentally there to support them,” said Soberano.

DOST-SEI, partners vow more int’l victories for Pinoy STEM students

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From math Olympiads to robotics competitions, Filipino students have been consistently making their mark in the international arena thanks to the tireless efforts of the Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) and its educational partners—some of whom have been the agency’s allies for well over two decades.

 

The Institute and its partners recently reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing ceremony on April 14, 2021. The entire event was held online, a poignant reminder of the unusual circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as of the determination and creativity of the various agencies to overcome these challenges.

 

“While Filipinos will always be known for our resiliency, it’s time that we thrived beyond that,” said DOST-SEI Director Josette T. Biyo. “We are thankful to our partners for helping us and our Filipino youth to grow into something bigger and brighter, through STEM.”

 

Dir. Biyo presided over the ceremony, with long-time partners in attendance including National Olympiad in Informatics, Philippines; the Asian MathSci League, Inc.; FELTA Multi-Media, Inc.; the Mathematics Trainers’ Guild, Philippines; the Philippine Foundation for Science and Technology; the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology; the Philippine Meterological Society, Inc.; the Philippine Society of Youth Science Clubs, Inc.; and the Mathematical Society of the Philippines.

 

“Though the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the educational landscape around the world, we look forward to continue to inspire our youth to pursue STEM careers by showing them that they have the capability to win against all odds in international competitions,” Dir. Biyo concluded.