Kai Ting Chuang Intends to Shock the World in ONE Super Series Debut

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Kai Ting “Killer Bee” Chuang is planning to shock the world by making history in her first ONE Championship appearance.

The 23-year-old Taipei will attempt to capture the inaugural ONE Super Series Kickboxing Atomweight World Championship against Thai prospect Yodcherry Sityodtong in the main event of ONE: BATTLE FOR THE HEAVENS, which takes place at the Guangzhou Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou, China on 7 July.

Chuang is taking the most extreme gamble of her budding professional kickboxing career when she crosses paths with Yodcherry in the promotion’s return trip to Guangzhou, China.

Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds, Chuang believes that great risks result to greater rewards as she has an opportunity to establish herself as one of the premier strikers on the planet by claiming a victory over a highly-touted Muay Thai practitioner such as Yodcherry.

“ONE Championship is very famous. Everyone knows about it. But to me, the most exciting part is the fight itself because I am achieving one of my goals,” she stated. “It is my time to finally show what I have been through for the past few years of my life, and what I have learned.”

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Having fought since the age of six years old, Yodcherry is regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound female Muay Thai combatants in the world today.

With an impressive professional record of 81-18-1, Yodcherry has garnered many achievements in the ring, having won various Muay Thai world championships throughout her young career.

As a teenager, she cleaned out all females in her weight division and ended up having to take 30 bouts against males, winning 29 of those matches.

Hailing from the legendary Sityodtong Camp in Thailand, Yodcherry has an aggressive style with knockout power and an iron chin.

Although her Thai opponent boasts an outstanding curriculum vitae as a kickboxer, Chuang is not overly concerned.

“I see many ways that this fight could go. Fighters always need to be prepared for a variety of different outcomes. I have to get ready to beat under any circumstance. This will be a long fight, and I need to prepare for it,” she said.

Training at Iron Boxing in Taichung, Chinese Taiwan, Chuang has compiled a solid 16-5 professional record.

Moreover, Chuang holds a notable triumph over the likes of multiple-time Muay Thai World Champion Ayaka “Little Tiger” Miyauchi on the way to a pair of WAKO kickboxing championship titles.

Her profile as a prizefighter might not be as imposing as Yodcherry’s standing in the sport, but Chuang believes that she will raise her stock as a competitor if she gets her hand raised against the razzle-dazzle Thai dynamo.

“I believe in myself more, I have more confidence, and I feel like I am where I am supposed to be. I always knew I had potential, and now I am starting to show it,” she declared.

Chuang acknowledges Yodcherry’s talent as a kickboxer, but she assures all and sundry that she will walk into the ONE Championship five-rope ring on 7 July with an uncompromising faith in her abilities.

“I believe in my team, I am going to listen to my team, and we are going to get it done,” she mentioned. “I enjoy training when I have big obstacles. I enjoy the fire inside me. I want a challenge. I want people to really think it is impossible for me to win because that is when I am going to show them wrong.”

​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. ​ ​

DOTr Disqualifies Prospective Bidders With Pending Cases vs the Government

Wazzup Pilipinas!

 

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will no longer allow prospective bidders with pending cases against the government to participate in all its bidding activities.

 

In a Memorandum dated June 26, 2018, DOTr Undersecretary for Legal Affairs and Procurement Reinier Paul Yebra said DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade’s instruction is in line with the procurement principles under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act for a streamlined bidding process.

 

“Common sense lang naman ‘yan. May kaso nga, may problema, bakit mo naman hahayaan na kumita pa gamit ang pera ng taumbayan? Prospective bidders who want to do business with government must have a clean record, and must have a history of good dealings with the government. It’s that simple,” said Secretary Tugade.

Usec. Yebra added the DOTr is duty-bound to ensure that all prospective bidders are properly screened towards the goal of preventing opportunities for corruption in government. 

 

Accordingly, Yebra said all prospective bidders are required to submit a Certification, under oath, certifying that they have no pending case/s against the government. This Certification shall be included in the Bid Data Sheet of Bidding Documents that the DOTr requires for all its projects.

 

“Failure of a bidder to comply with the requirement or submission of a false Certification shall constitute a ground for automatic disqualification,” Yebra said.

The disqualification of prospective bidders with pending cases against the government is one of the reforms instituted by Secretary Tugade in an effort to promote good governance and transparency in the agency's bidding and procurement processes. 

For the first time in the agency’s history, Secretary Tugade last year ordered the livestreaming of bidding processes of all DOTr projects. 

He also required bidders seeking to work with DOTr to file  their bids and other correspondences via e-mail to foster a fast, free, convenient and secure bidding procedure.

Smart Deploys Emergency Communications Solutions at Rizal Quake Drill

Wazzup Pilipinas!

PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications has once again provided emergency communications support for the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill, with the activity’s second quarter installment in San Mateo, Rizal.

The drill was spearheaded by the Office of Civil Defense Region IV-A and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in partnership with the local government. It simulated the Big One or a magnitude 7.2 earthquake situation.

During the drill, Smart deployed its multi-equipment on wheels (MEOW) portable cell site and satellite communications suite, and provided libreng tawag (free calls) assistance.

PLDT and Smart public affairs head Ramon R. Isberto said Smart’s participation in the drill was part of the company’s commitment to use technology toward nation-building. “Our various communication tools, including the cellular and data services themselves, are part of our #SafePH advocacy, which aims to help build more resilient communities and reduce disaster risk,” said Isberto.

In line with its #SafePH campaign, Smart has also invested over P500 million on the Emergency Cell Broadcast System. Smart acquired ECBS to fully comply with Republic Act No. 10639 or the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act, which mandates telecommunications service providers to send free mobile alerts in the event of natural and man-made disasters and calamities.

Accompanied by a loud siren sound, ECBS alerts are designed to send urgent messages, such as evacuation notices and earthquake and tsunami warnings, to activated mobile devices within the affected area.

Cell broadcast is effective in disseminating quick hazard alerts because it operates on a radio channel separate from those used by voice calls and text messages or SMS (short messaging service), which may get congested in times of calamities.

The drill was led by NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad, Vice Chair Eduardo Año, and spokesperson Director Edgar Posadas; and Gov. Rebecca “Nini” Ynares, Mayor Tina Diaz, and various representatives of the disaster preparedness and response council and the municipal government.

Posadas noted the importance of communication and information as part of disaster preparedness. “Information is very important—it’s our lifeline. The area-specific alerts are very much appreciated. It’s a work in progress, but these are baby steps in refining our procedures toward resilience,” he said.

At the start of the program, the participants were urged to assume the “duck, cover, and hold” position and converged in an open area near the municipal hall. Residents, workers, students, and government personnel joined the activities, while responders were on standby for mock rescue operations. The drills started at 1 p.m. and were held at various locations across San Mateo.

The drills also simulated other emergency situations such as injuries, typhoons, flooding, evacuation, fire, and prison break.

In times of calamities, Smart has provided emergency communications support such as free SMS, calls, charging, and Wi-Fi, for residents and responders. These services have been deployed, for instance, during the onslaught of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in 2013, the series of earthquakes in Batangas last year, and Mayon Volcano eruption early this year, among other typhoon and earthquake situations in recent times.

The other programs under Smart’s #SafePH include TNT Tropang Ready, which tours schools nationwide to educate the youth on preparedness and empower them to mobilize their communities in times of calamities; and the Batingaw disaster management app, which allows users to report incidents and features tools such as a flashlight, a siren, a radio, and a directory of emergency contact numbers.