Tag: No. 9

I NEVER understood the power of a photograph until I became a photojournalist.

I did not know that I could use my camera not only as an instrument to produce art, but as a tool for sparking change.

When I started doing photography, I really did not care much about the people or the places that I captured through my lens.

But as I pursued this passion, I realized that there was more to just capturing a moment through my camera.

Photography, oriented toward journalism, has the bigger and nobler purpose of telling stories and conveying messages behind the images that are captured.

From caring only with aesthetics, I am now more focused on finding the meaning of every event that I go to.

THE UST Growling Tigers fumbled in the final play and allowed the De La Salle University Green Archers to escape with a thrilling 84-82 victory and book a quarterfinals slot in the 2015 Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup at The Arena in San Juan last June 6.

Tied at 82 with 6.5 seconds left, UST regained ball possession after a La Salle turnover but Jamil Sheriff slipped during the inbound play, allowing star Green Archer Jeron Teng to score the game-winning layup to end the Tigers' Filoil run.

BITTERSWEET inclusion.

Former Golden Tigress and five-time Shakey’s V-League Most Valuable Player Aiza Maizo-Pontillas still flew with the Philippine national team to Singapore, but not as an official part of the 12-player women’s volleyball roster competing in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Maizo was instead appointed as one of the assistants of head coach Roger Gorayeb and trainer Tai Bundit. She was also listed as a reserve player.

However, Maizo will not replace Gretchel Soltones, who will most likely miss the SEA games because of a right shoulder injury, according to a report from the ABS-CBN.com.

THE INSTITUTE of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) offered its very first program starting last academic year 2013-2014, with the hope of contributing to the country’s sports industry.

IPEA opened the Bachelor of Physical Education major in Sports and Wellness Management (BPE-SWM) for enrollment after the Commission on Higher Education(CHEd) approved its application based on the CHEdMemorandum Order (CMO) no. 23 series of 2011.

Under the CMO, CHEd set the minimum standards for physical education programs with the purpose of rationalizing the importance of physical education in the country as it aims to keep in pace with the “demands of global competitiveness.”

DESPITE improved defense, the UST Golden Booters proved to be no match against Division I powerhouse Loyola Meralco Sparks, suffering an embarrassing 0-7 shutout in the group stage action of the 2015 United Football League (UFL) Cup at the Rizal Memorial Stadium last May 24.

Led by the defensive efforts of goal keeper Jose Zaldy Abraham, the Golden Booters managed to force a scoreless first half against the perennial UFL contenders.

The second half was a different story.

Loyola immediately scored one minute into the second half courtesy of Graham Caygill.

Napoleon Bustillo added two more goals in the 76th and 82nd minute as the Sparks, posted a commanding 3-0 lead.

HEAD coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes said he would rebuild UST's women's volleyball squad from scratch.

With the team failing to land in the Final Four anew last season, Reyes looks to revamp the lineup to hopefully re-establish UST as a premier women’s volleyball squad.

Veterans, Team B players and rookies will all have equal opportunities to prove their worth and earn a spot in the main roster, Reyes said.

“‘Yung team last year is the team last year, iba na pinaguusapan ngayon. Sa madaling salita, ‘yung team last year, wala na,” he told the Varsitarian.

The Philippine Army assistant coach said he already had his eyes set on some recruits and veterans who could be included in the lineup next season.

UST LADY Judoka Annie Ramirez, one of the country’s leading martial artists, has been making waves in the international scene with her multiple appearances in major Brazilian Jiu-jitsu competitions.

The two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player (MVP) ended the country’s six-year medal drought in jiu-jitsu after snatching the gold in the 60-kilogram (kg) category at the 2014 Asian Beach Games, last November in Thailand.

Ramirez bagged another gold in the Southeast Asian Grappling Challenge last April in the under-65 kg division in Singapore and copped silver in Copa de Hong Kong in the over-58.5 kg category last year.

THREE Golden Sox players, along with other members of the national baseball team, notched the championship in the 2015 East Asian Cup held in Jakarta, Indonesia last May 3 to 8.

The Philippines swept the Baseball Federation of Asia-organized tournament which also gathered teams from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore.

Among the handpicked roster are Golden Sox outgoing team captain Arvin Plaza and UST pitchers Lesmar Ventura and Kirk Daquis.

Despite playing limited minutes, the trio stuck to their mantra of “Pusong Tomasino ang umiiral sa amin, pusong palaban,” as they lived out their dream of playing for the country.