SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014

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aittimes.net

02 03Lifelong struggle for Philippine

massacre widows

Page 06Buhay mamamahayag sa Kuwait: Isang oras sa loob ng presinto

Pope Francis prefers ‘simple’

papal visit to PH

MANILA: A Filipino woman looks at Santa Claus figurines outside makeshift stalls as people begin shopping for Christmas decorations for theirhomes in Manila, Philippines recently. Christmas is one of the most important holidays in this predominantly Roman Catholic nation. —AP

MANILA: Upang maibsan ang kakulangan sa pampub-likong sasakyan, hinayaan na ng Manila InternationalAirport Authority (MIAA) ang mga pampasaherong bus atmga ordinaryong taxi na mamulot ng mga pasahero saNinoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. Ayon kayMIAA General Manager Jose Angel Honrado ito angpansamantalang solusyon nila sa kakulangan ngmasasakyan mula sa paliparan. “We lack transport.Unfortunately, among the four terminals, Terminal 3 is theonly terminal not being serviced by regular buses since theyhave no bus lines there,” pahayag ni Honrado. Inaasahan dinna iikli ang pila ng mga pasahero para sa mga gustongsumakay pa rin sa mga taxi na accredited ng NAIA.—PSN

Bus, regular na taxi pwede na sa NAIA 3

MANILA: The Philippines said yesterday it hadbanned certain foreign journalists from the countryover an incident last year, when President BenignoAquino was taunted by a group of Hong Kongreporters during a visit to Indonesia.

The immigration bureau said the journalists,whom it did not name, were blacklisted on the recom-mendation of the intelligence services over “acts com-mitted against the president during a summit in Bali,Indonesia”.

“The rationale is that the subject is a threat to pub-lic safety and blacklisting minimises that risk,” immi-gration bureau spokeswoman Elaine Tan said in astatement to AFP. Hong Kong newspapers reportedthat nine journalists from the Chinese territory havebeen banned ahead of the Asia Pacific EconomicCooperation (APEC) summit to be hosted by thePhilippines next year.

In October last year APEC summit host Indonesiawithdrew the credentials of nine Hong Kong journal-ists for shouting questions at the Philippine leader,insisting they had posed a security threat.

Hong Kong media said the journalists and techni-cians were from Now TV, RTHK and Commercial Radio.

An Aquino spokesman at the time said the journal-ists had “crossed the line” by aggressively questioningAquino about a hostage siege in Manila that left eightHong Kong tourists dead in 2010.

Continued on Page 2

Philippines bans some foreign journalists over

APEC Bali incident

MANILA: A Philippine court convicted nine people forgraft Thursday over a 1996 nightclub fire that killed 162people, mostly students celebrating the end of theschool year. The Sandiganbayan anti-graft court con-victed seven former city engineering officials of subur-ban Quezon City and two operators of the Ozone discoand handed out sentences of up to 10 years.

About 400 people were packed in the disco whenthe fire broke out, but many were unable to escapebecause the emergency exit was blocked by a newbuilding next door. Ninety-three others were injured inthe blaze, one of the biggest nightclub fires in theworld in the last 20 years.

The court disqualified the former city officials fromever holding public office for approving the nightclub’sbuilding permit despite non-compliance with thebuilding code and giving preferential treatment to the

disco’s operators. Stephen Santos, president of a groupof the fire survivors, welcomed the court decision butlamented that the verdict took 18 years, in an interviewwith local television network ANC. He said he wasafraid some of those convicted may have already leftthe country. Trials in the Philippines normally takemany years to conclude, with courts burdened by ahuge backlog of cases. Supreme Court Chief JusticeMaria Lourdes Sereno said last month reforms arebeing instituted and more judges are being hired. Twoof the nine had been convicted in 2001 by anothercourt for separate crimes of reckless imprudenceresulting in multiple homicides, sentencing them tofour years in jail and fined 25 million pesos each($555,000). They are Hermilo Ocampo, president ofWestwood Entertainment, the company that operatedthe disco, and Ramon Ng, Westwood’s treasurer.—AP

9 convicted in Manila disco fire that killed 162

MANILA: In this March 20, 1996 file pho-to, a man inspects a part of the collapsedceiling inside the Ozone disco gutted bya fire in Manila, Philippines. —AP

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014 2

Philippines bans ...Continued from Page 1

When an individual “shows disrespect or makes offensive utter-ances to symbols of Philippine authority”, it is sufficient ground toban him or her from the country, immigration spokeswoman Tansaid Saturday.

“If he (or she) submits sufficient proof to reverse the blacklist, itmay be lifted accordingly.”

An Aquino spokesman stressed it had not specifically prevent-ed anyone from covering the APEC summit in the Philippines inNovember next year.

Herminio Coloma said the presidential office, which is in chargeof accrediting journalists who will cover the summit, “has not start-ed the accreditation process for journalists”.

Relations between Hong Kong and the Philippines werestrained for years following a botched rescue attempt by Manila in2010 when Hong Kong tourists were taken hostage inside a bus bya disgraced ex-Manila police officer.

In April the two governments announced they had resolved therow. The Manila city government issued a formal apology whilethe Philippines expressed “its most sorrowful regret and profoundsympathy”.

The Philippine government also provided undisclosed financialcompensation to victims and their relatives from money donatedby private individuals.—AFP

MANILA: For Gloria Teodoro and other womenwidowed by the Philippines’ worst political mas-sacre, the struggle to move on with their lives is aslong and painful as their fight for justice.

Five years since the carnage in the impover-ished farming province of Maguindanao left 58people dead, including 32 journalists, womenthrust into single parenthood juggle odd jobs asthey nurse deep emotional scars. “The tragedy isthat we lost our breadwinner. We are often out ofmoney but we manage to survive,” Teodoro, 45,widow of local newspaper reporter AndresTeodoro, told AFP. “I always tell my kids to toughenup and just hold on.”

Teodoro said she gave manicures and helpedpeople secure land titles and other governmentdocuments for a fee, just to see her two teenagedchildren through high school. “I take on any job aslong as it’s legal... it’s extremely difficult being asingle mother and we’ve been struggling for fiveyears,” Teodoro said. She said her eldest sondropped out of college at the age of 19, threeyears after the murders, to work at his father’snewspaper and help her pay the bills. Around 80schoolchildren lost their fathers after the massacreand their mothers are mostly unemployed, saidJaime Espina, Director of the National Union ofJournalists of the Philippines.

“Most of the victims were sole breadwinnerswho left their families struggling to survive,” Espinatold AFP. Merly Perante, widow of newspaperreporter Ronnie Perante, said she pooled P70,000($1,550) in donations from journalists’ groups tobuild an apartment house to support her threechildren. But she now has to work as a cashier at acockfighting arena in her hometown of GeneralSantos City just to survive.

“I won’t be joining other widows at the mas-sacre site this year because I have to work. I knowmy husband will understand,” Perante, 41, told AFP.

Every year, the victims’ families light candles,offer flowers and say prayers on a hill inMaguindanao province, where the 58 victims wereburied using a backhoe after a brazen daytimeambush. The journalists’ convoy was on its way tocover the election candidacy filing of an localpolitician when they were allegedly waylaid by aprivate militia led by Andal Ampatuan Jnr onNovember 23, 2009.

His father, Andal Ampatuan Snr, had ruledMaguindanao as governor for about a decade

under the patronage of then-president GloriaArroyo, who had funded the clan’s private army asa buffer against Muslim separatist rebels.Ampatuan Jnr is accused of leading the militia ofmore than 100 gunmen in stopping the convoy,which was carrying his political foe’s wife, relatives,lawyers and the journalists, then gunning themdown.

The Ampatuans deny all charges against them.With no one yet convicted and the clan continuingto wield huge influence in Maguindanao, anger isrising among victims’ families. The widows are rep-resented in the murder trial by a handful of privateprosecutors who are helping government lawyersto lay out the evidence — but in the Philippines,even a simple trial involving one accused persontypically takes many years to complete.

Anniversary opens old woundsPerante said her eldest son, who wanted to

become an accountant before his father died, isnow studying to be a policeman.

“That’s how his father’s death affected him.He wants justice for his father,” she said. Perantewas two months pregnant when her husbandwas killed. Her youngest son knows of his fatheronly through pictures and clippings of his arti-cles, she said. “My sons tell our youngest: ‘Here isour father. He is a journalist, and these are theAmpatuans who killed him’,” she said.

Perante and Teodoro said that, ahead ofSunday’s anniversary, their husbands had beenappearing in their dreams.

“In those dreams, we are bonding as a family,like we did when he was alive. It’s his way oftelling us that he’s still there for us,” Perante said.

For Teodoro, the yearly commemorationreopens old wounds. “It’s an indescribable mix offeelings — pain, despair, helplessness,” she said.

“I imagine how my husband and the others

must have felt when they were murdered, beg-ging for their lives.” Teodoro consoles herselfwith the fact that her husband’s death was notin vain as bombings and shootings in the regionappeared to have been reduced.

Ampatuan Snr had gained a reputation as afearsome warlord during his time in power, rul-ing as many politicians do in the impoverishedand violence-plagued southern Philippines.

“Their deaths sparked change in that hell of aplace. They did not die for nothing,” Teodorosaid.

“This is an extraordinary case but we are notlosing hope.”—AFP

Lifelong struggle for Philippine massacre widows

MANILA: Students and members of the press participate in a torch parade condemn-ing the slow paced trial of the Maguindanao Massacre in Manila on Thursday, aheadof the fifth anniversary of the worst political massacre of the country. Five years after58 people were killed in the Philippines’ worst political massacre, anger among vic-tims’ relatives is building, with no one yet convicted and the alleged mastermindsstill enjoying power. —AFP

MAGUINDANAO: In this photo taken onThursday, Gloria Teodoro, widow of localnewspaper reporter Andres Teodoro,lights candles on a marker for her hus-band, one of the 32 journalists killed, atthe massacre site in Ampatuan town,Maguindanao province, in southern islandof Mindanao. For Gloria Teodoro and otherwomen widowed by the Philippines’ worstpolitical massacre, the struggle to moveon with their lives is as long and painful astheir fight for justice. —AFP

MANILA: Fisherman Estelito Marijuan, 58, arranges dried fish at Manila Bay on Thursday. World Fisheries Day iscommemorated every November 21 and was established to draw attention to overfishing, habitat destruction andother serious threats to the sustainability of marine and freshwater resources. —AFP

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014 3MANILA: Pope Francis, the Argentinepope known for espousing a simplerChurch, also wants the same treat-ment for his upcoming visit to thePhilippines next year.

At a press briefing on Thursday,November 20, papal visit media rela-tions sub-committee chair Fr AntonPascual said the Vatican would prefer asimple papal visit with minimal expen-ditures.

The Vatican also urged for moreresources to be spent on helping thevictims of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan)and the earthquake in Bohol in 2013,according to an article on the Catholic

Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines(CBCP) news site.

The Pope will meet with Yolandasurvivors when he goes to TaclobanCity and Palo in Leyte on January 17,2015.

“The call of the Vatican that this visitnot be costly is important because thedesire of the Holy Father is that dona-tions be given instead to the victims ofcalamities. That is the primary purposeof his visit,” Pascual said.

He added, “He wants that whatevergraces received in terms of donationsbe given instead to victims of calami-ties, especially with the ongoing reha-

bilitation for Yolanda victims and sur-vivors of the earthquake in Bohol.”

Pope Francis will be in thePhilippines on January 15 to 19.

The highlights of his first trip to thePhilippines include his lunch withYolanda survivors in Leyte and eventsin the Manila Cathedral, the Universityof Santo Tomas, and the Mall of AsiaArena. (READ:Huge Catholic event inUST during Pope’s Philippine trip)

While Pascual said the Church is alsoopen to donations for the papal visit, CBCPsecretary general Fr Marvin Mejia clarifiedthat the visit should not be treated as a“fund raising event.” —Rappler.com

Pope Francis prefers ‘simple’ papal visit to PH

VATICAN: Pope Francis caresses a child during an audi-ence with health care workers and children with autismin the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, yesterday. —AP

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014 4

KUWAIT: The Filipino Badminton Committee (FBC) success-fully organized its 2nd 50, 40, 30, 25 Badminton Challenge atthe Kuwait Disabled Sports Club, Hawally Friday. Over a hun-dred badminton enthusiast showed up at the gym whichinclude players from various badminton organizations; theIndonesian Badminton Club in Kuwait ( IBCK ), IndianBadminton Association in Kuwait ( IBAK) and Fil ipinoBadminton Association in Ahmadi (FBAA).

FBC Chairman Dr. Chie Umandap said “It is like an FBCFamily reunion! I am really thrilled to see the old members ofFBC playing once again in their old home court. I hope to seethem all again in our next scheduled activities and tourna-ments.”

Here’s the list of winners:National Level WinnersChampion: Bastian James Kanichay & Aneef Latheef

1st runner up: Sarin Joseph George and Jerosh kochy.Advance:

Champion: Relin Thomas and Ranjith1st Runner Up: Dadang Rudianto and Karjan Sanwirja

Intermediate Level WinnersChampion: Gino Gaitano and Alma1st runner up: Jenny Rose and Carlo.Novice Level WinnersChampion: Romro Gonzales and julius Ladiao1st Runner up: Daisy Valdez and Mary jean Luague Meanwhile in suppor t to the All iance of Fi l ipino

Organizations in Kuwait’s 1st Grand Fiesta on November 28,FBC will not be holding its tournament and shall resume itsregular tournament on December 5.

Badminton enthusiast are also invited to visit the FBCwebsite www.fbckpi.com for updates and registration.

FBC successfully organizes 50, 40, 30, 25 badminton challenge

—Photos by Albert Dimaculangan

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014 5

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014 6Balitang Showbiz Plus

CHIKA LANG PO!

Chika-chika lang ito... Tong-tong pakitong kitong angtamaan huwag magal it ang pumiyok ayConcernnnnnnn! Salamat sa ating mga tagasubaybay

ng lingguhang Panorama..walang hangan. Salamat sa inyonglahat at mabuhay ang lahat ng Noypi! Manatiling kalamanteat stay away from trouble! Makuntento kung ano mayroon,magpasalamat sa Diyos sa mga biyaya. Kahit ang iyong kiniki-ta ay barya lang okay lang yan kabayan, basta ba hindi kagumagawa ng karumaldumal at masama. Dito sa ibang bansadapat matatag ang iyong pananampalataya. Puede ka kasingmadala sa sabi ng iba. Kakapit sa patalim kasi malayo namantayo sa ating inang bansa. Naku ingat-ingat din. Ang ilangtao, mahal ka lang kung ikaw ay mapapakionabangan nila.Kuwang wala kana, basahan ka sa kanila! Sasabihin ko pongmuli, lahat tayo mayroong kanya kanyang buhay iba-iba langang pinagdaraanan. Sila man ay nahihirap din hindi lang hala-ta...kaya ikaw din dapat ipakita mong matatag ka! Simple langang buhay...huwag nyong gawing kumplikado!

lll

Wow kasama ni Mommy Dionisia tagabitbit sa Macau angmas batang boyfriend niya. Nakikita sa TV na nakaalalay sakanya ang nasabing BF na parang tagadala pa ng kanyangbag.

Ipagdasal nat in ang panalo ni Manny Pacquiao.Intimidating ang hitsura ng kalaban niyang si Chris Algieri.Ang guwapo kasi at artistahin ang dating.

Nakakakaba dahil oras na maabutan ng lucky punch niAlgieri si Pacman tiyak na mapagbubuntunan ng sisi ay angdyowa ni Mommy D. Pero ang nakakaloka, hindi man langbinabanggit ang pangalan ng BF ni Mommy D sa mga TVreport. —Salve Asis, PSN

BF ni Mommy D. tagabitbit lang ng bag sa Macau!

Ni Bong Pagutayaopanorama@kuwaittimes.net

BengarciaFILES

Ni Ben Garciabengarcia@kuwaittimes.net

Noong isang linggo, binitbit ako ng mga pulishabang nag-iimbestiga ng istorya para saKuwait Times. Hayaan nyong simulan ko ang

paglalahad ng aking kuwento at sabihin sa inyo nahindi madaling maging reporter sa Kuwait maihatidlamang ang mga balitang dapat ninyong malaman atmabasa.

Ang daming mga challenges mula sa paglabas ngbahay hanggang makuha namin ang istoryang amingibabahagi sa inyo. Mahirap kumuha ng impormasyonsa Kuwait lalo na sa kanilang mga kawanihan na min-san lamang mag-entertain ng mga non-Arabic speak-ers. Tulad din sa atin kulang at hindi sapat ang mgarecords/statistics nila. Kakambal ng iyong kagus-tuhang makakuha ng buong istorya ay ang nakaam-bang panganib (risk) na puede kang mahuli at makala-boso at anytime. One of my worst fears ay naganapnitong nakaraang linggo lamang.

Nahuli ako habang palihim na kumukuha nglarawan sa mga uma-arestong pulis sa umano’ykawatan sa may bahagi ng Farwaniya. I was at the rightplace and time pero minalas na ma-angguluhan ngmga pulis habang hinuhuli nila ang umano’y salarin.

Ito ang istorya: Nasa labas ako ng isang maliit nashopping mall habang nag-iimbestiga ng isang balita.Nakita ko ang kumpol ng mga tao na nakapalibot saisang white sedan. Wari ko ay mayroong nagaganapna newsworthy episode kaya agad akong lumapit.Nagtanong ako sa mga bystanders doon kung anuang nagaganap. Sabi ng mga napagtanungan ko,nahuli daw ng taumbayan ang isang kawatan ng cell-phones na ginagamit ang mga ninakaw na civil IDs.Dito sa Kuwait, puwede kang kumuha ng hulugan atmamahaling cellphones ipi-presenta mo lang angiyong civil ID. Nasa loob ng sasakyan ang umano’ymagnanakaw. Dahil wala naman akong professionalcamera, I took a few photos with my mobile kung saannaroroon ang suspect.

Nakita ko naman na kumukuha ng pictures angilang mga bystanders, isa pa tawag iyon ng akingpropisyon na maihatid ang tunay na larawan atkaganapan, kung ako ay nasa ‘scene of the crime’ langnaman. Isa pa, hindi na tayo nabubuhay samakalumang panahon, usong-uso na ngayon angsocial media kung kaya, hindi man ako, maaaringibang tao ang mag-post ng larawang nakuha nila sa‘scene of the crime’. Pero sa Kuwait, kamakailanlamang lumutang ang isang video ng isang pulis nanakunan at naipost sa social media. Pilit niyang pina-pag-push up ang isang nahuling expat sa loob pa dinnaman ng presinto at naging malaking usapin ito saKuwait. Nakukunan na rin ngayon ang mga aksiden-teng nadadaanan sa kalsada at ang madalas na mgaaway sa Avenues Mall sa Kuwait. Ilang sandali langnasa social media na rin.

Dumating ang mga pulis para dalhin sa presintoang alleged suspect makaraan lamang ang ilang minu-to. Naisip ko lang noon na mas-magiging maganda atmarahil pang-front page ang mga kuha kong larawankung makukuha ko ang anggulong dadalhin na sapolice car ang suspect. Kaya dali-dali akong kumuha.Pero nakita ako ng isang police officer. Tinanong akokung bakit ko sila kinukuhanan ng litrato. Sabi ko’yipagpaumanhin po ninyo subalit ako po ay nagta-tra-

baho sa isang lokal na pahayagan. Pilit ko mang ipali-wanag ang sarili, pero hindi nila ako pinakinggan kin-uha ang aking cellphone at civil ID. Ang buong akalako nga, titingnan lang nila iyon, pero ni hindi nga tin-ingnan ang civil ID ko basta sinabi ng pulis na sumamaako sa presinto at ikukulong daw ako.

Sabi ko, officer hindi po ako suspect; ako aykumukuha lamang ng larawan. Ipaliwanag ko na langdaw sa presinto dahil ikukulong ako sa pagkuha ngmga larawan na walang pahintulot. Noong naglalakadako patungo sa police car, nakaramdam ako ng awa sasarili. Lalo na’t naglalakad ako na may-escort na pulispatungo sa mobile car nila kasama ang alleged sus-pect. Nakikita ko ang mga reaksyon sa mukha at mgamata ng mga taong nakakasalubong naming; ang ibaPinoy na tila naaawa sa kinasapitan ko. Deep withinme, hindi ako nag-aalala pero yung iskortan ka ngpolice, iyon ang medyo nakakakaba at hindi magan-dang experience.

Isinakay ako sa likod ng police car kasama ngalleged kawatan. Noong nasa sasakyan na nila akopara akong nasa ‘state of shock’ pero kalmado pa rinnaman; ni hindi r in ako nagsalita hanggang samakarating sa presinto.

Tiningnan ko pa ang orasan, it was noon time.Pagdating sa presinto, yung alleged suspect ay agadna ipinasok sa kulungan habang ako ay inilagay nila sakanilang holding area. Narinig ko pa ang isang policena nagsabing; ilalagay din daw ako sa kulungan even-tually dahil sasampahan nila ako ng kaso sa illegal napaggamit ng personal mobile. Wala pa namang mali-naw na batas ukol sa paggamit ng personal mobile atpagkuha ng mga larawan sa Kuwait gamit iyon kayahindi ko alam honestly kung saan ako nakatayo legally.

Kaya pagdating habang sa presnito na ako,nakiusap ako sa pulis officer kung pupuwedengmatawagan ang mga boss ko sa Kuwait Times. Agadnaman nilang ibinalik ang aking cellphone. Pero kin-uha nila ulit matapos akong tumawag. Ang KuwaitTimes na ang naging abala sa lahat ng legal remediesupang makalaya ako. Bawal daw kuhanan ang mgapolice officers sa Kuwait habang naka-duty at walangpahintulot ng Ministry of Interior. Salamat at makali-pas ang ilang minuto, muli akong ipinatawag ngpolice officer na humili sa akin at inutusan akongburahin ang lahat ng mga larawang nakuha ko sa‘scene of the crime’. Matapos iyon, ibinalik na sa akinang civil ID ko kasama ng cellpone ko. Puede na rawakong umalis!

Check ko ulit ang aking orasan, mula noong hulihinako at hanggang makalaya ako halos isang oras dinpala ang lumipas. Maraming negative impression angmga tao ukol sa mga police officers sa Kuwait, lalo naamong us expats yes, ako man iyon din ang ikinabahalako. Pero nais kong iparating sa inyo na hindi naman akonakaranas ng maltreatment mula sa mga humulingawtoridad sa akin, trinato nila ako with professionalismand courtesy sa loob ng isang oras na iyon.

At the end of the day, sabi ko nga sa sarili, ginagawako lang naman ang aking tungkulin na maiparating sapubliko ang dapat nilang malamang kuwento. Itinuturingko na naman itong isa sa mga bahagi na ng akingbuhay/karanasan bilang isang reporter/mamamahayagsa Kuwait.

Buhay mamamahayag sa Kuwait: Isang oras sa loob ng presinto

Mommy D and her BF

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014 7

By Armando Goyena

KUWAIT: The start of winter season have just started but the temperatureinside the bowling alley of Cozmo-Kheifan starts to rise when the top sixbowlers of the two groups tried to overpower each other in the remainingtwo games of the 6-game series of the Philippine Bowling Association inKuwait 4th Season Team League Tournament’s Master’s edition. For each cat-egory a champion will be declared with trophy and cash at the stake whilethe three runners up will be having a medal and also cash prizes.

Like thoroughbred horses, seven Class A bowlers showed their prowessby scoring more than 200 pinfalls and the forefront was Greg Melamon (260)followed by Joe White (232), Farid Gabriel (229), Kiko Andaya (214),Mohannad Ebrahim (212) Aldin Avila (209), Tony Zulueta (202). For Class Bonly Mike Gonzales scored 216 followed by Ferdie Saliba (196) and Ali Adel(192).

The 16 qualified bowlers who topped the Class A group were: MohannadEbrahim, Aldin Avila, Greg Melamon, Farid Gabriel, Dan Montano, TonyZulueta, Joe White, Noe Mahayag, Fadel Qassem, Kiko Andaya, MarEvangelista, Fahad Abul, Christopher Bush, Jun Husmillo, Donovan Connor,and Camilo Baker lll.

After the two games throw, Joe White who scored 232 and 279 with atotal score of 511 was the frontrunner followed by Mohannad (447), FahadAbul (438), Farid (419), Tony (405), Greg (392), Aldin (386), Mar (385), Kiko(382) and Fadel (372) comprising the top 10. After the summing of the com-pleted 4 games Dan Montano jumped from eleventh to fifth position afterscoring 213/204 and also Camilo after scoring 197/198 to snatched the tenthpost. Joe maintained the prime post with his 903, now tailed by Farid fromfourth rank when he scored 221/245 with total score of 885 followed byFahad (848), Aldin (784) from seventh to fourth position, Greg (768), Mar(765), Mohannad (751) and Tony (749).

Consistency prevailed when rational bowler Farid scored his high gameof 268 in the fifth game tantamount to Joe White’s lowest score of 169 thuslosing the later top ranking and conceded to second place with eight marksdifference. They were followed by Greg (1019) from sixth position, Aldin(1010), Fahad (990), Dan (972), Fadel (969), Tony (941), Mar (937) and Kiko

(928). Finally it was a smooth sailing for Farid to tight grip the beacon whenhe scored his average score of 192 while Joe scored over average of 209 butproved futile due to significant difference. Aldin filched from Greg the thirdposition while the later slumber to the last prized position.

For Class B pinbusters, 17 were qualified who joined the championshipevent and they were: Rudy de Lima, Mike Gonzales, Ferdier Saliba, RashidAhker Ali, Alex Cervantes, Saleh Faraj, Ali Adel Ata Khalil, Eddie Pena, JoelTizon, Rocky Castil, Obet Cabrera, Alonzo Bush, Lito Mercado, Rene Marzan,Mandy Manalo, Joe Presenta and Abdul Aziz Al Aslawi.

After the initial two games, prexy de Lima was the leader with his 385points, followed closely by Rashid (375), Mike (374), Ali Adel (367), Lito (367),Joe (343), Joel (342), Obet (334) and Rene (328) who composed the elite 10.Completing the four games, Ali Adel now snatched the prime post fromfourth place with his 759 followed by Mike (730), Lito (723), Ferdie (710), Joe(698), Rashid (697), Rudy (689), Joel (669), Saleh (656) and Obet (652). Afterthe penultimate game the Big 4 did not change position with Ali Adel (958)on the frontline, ensued by Mike (922), Lito (903) and Ferdie (889). The otherbowlers composing the top 10 were Rashid (865), Joel (863), Joe (860),Mandy Manalo (839), Rudy (831) and Obet (831).

In the final game everybody agreed that Ali Adel will bring home thebeacon because of his game consistency and 36 pins advantage over Mike.But turn of event surprised everybody with big points output by members ofthe top 6. Mike scored his highest game of 235 in the finals overcastted AliAdel’s 171 to seize the championship trophy. Duplicated by Ferdie the feat ofMike, by scoring 244 pinfalls, his best and the highest score in the finals ofClass B the second position was snatched and still overrun Ali by 4 pins whoslide to third place. Fourth place was Rashid who plucked another game end-ing high game of 233 to eject Lito from the booty position.

Standing of the top 10 after the 6 game series are as follows: Class A -Farid Gabriel (1345), Joe White (1281), Aldin Avila (1245), Greg Melamon(1220), Fahad Abul (1188), Fadel Qassem (1181), Dan Montano (1152),Mohannad Ebrahim (1144), Mar Evangelista (1140) and Tony Zulueta(1108).For Class B- Mike Gonzales (1157), Ferdie Saliba (1133), Ali Adel (1129),Rashid (1098), Joel Tizon (1088), Lito Mercado (1081), Joe Presenta (1041),Obet Cabrera (1019), Rudy de Lima (996) and Mandy Manalo (990).

PBAK Master’s Class A and B champions, Farid Gabriel and Mike Gonzales

Participants Men Division Class A nd B Farid Gabriel - Champion - Class MA

Ferdie Saliba - 1st Runner Up- Class MB Ali Adel Ata Khalil - 2nd Runner Up- Class MB Joe White - 1st Runner Up- Class MA

Mike Gonzales - Champion - Class MB

Aldin Avila - 2nd Runner Up- Class MA

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2014

FBC successfully organizes 50, 40, 30,

25 badminton challenge

Page 4

Boxing emerging as big draw with Pacquiao in China

‘Grand Fiesta’ sa Biyernes na!

KUWAIT: Handang-handa na ang mga Pinoy sa Kuwait sapag-tanggap ng mga bisitang magmumula pa sa Pilipinassa darating na Biyernes. Itinakda ang grand-welcome saFakhr Al Din Palace Ballroom sa Dawliah Complex, KuwaitCity. Bibisita sa Kuwait sina Labor Secretary RosalindaBaldoz kasama ang dalawang administrador ng OWWA atPOEA. Si Baldoz ay nakatakdang dumalo sa turn-over cer-emony ng chairmanship ng Abu-Dhabi Dialogue, kungsaan kasalukuyang chairman ang Pilipinas at ihahand-over ang pamumuno sa Kuwait. Bago siya umuwi pabalikng Pilipinas, makiki-isa muna ang kalihim sa ‘Grand Fiesta’na inihanda ng Alliance of Filipino Organizations inKuwait (ALLFIL-OK) na itinakda din sa Biyernes ng libre.

Kabilang sa mga aabangang programa sa Biyernes ang‘Talakayan’ isang bagong konsepto ng talkshow na pan-gungunahan nina Ben Garcia at Maxxy Santiago.Makakasama din sa Talakayan ang iba pang mga Pinoymedia sa Kuwait, mga officers ng ALLFIL-OK kung saanbubuksan ang dayalogo sa publiko. Liban sa Talakayan,tampok din ang ibat-ibang programa kabilang ang com-munity worship/prayer services sa umaga, travel andtourism expo, boodlefight sa tanghali at ang singing com-petition sa hapon.

Isasara ang Grand Fiesta sa gabi sa pamamagitan ngtawanan at halakhakan kasama ang mga artistang kume-dyante mula din sa Pilipinas na kilalang-kilala sa mundo ngpagpapatawa at pagbibigay aliw sa mga taong nalu-lungkot. Taos pusong nagpapasalamat ang mga organizerssa mga local companies na kabilang na sa mga sponsorskasama ang KGL Investment, Cebu Pacific at ang LBC.

MACAU: Bob Arum learned something about Chinese boxing fansearlier this year at the promoter’s first fight card in Shanghai, wherethe crowd yelled and cheered for the home country boxers all theway up until the main event.

Then, with no Chinese fighter in the ring, they suddenly went qui-et.

“There was nothing,” Arum said. “Halfway through the fight halfthe crowd walked out.”

That they stayed that long is an indication that Chinese fans are atleast beginning to understand a sport once banned in the country.That wasn’t the case in April last year when two-time Olympic goldmedalist Zou Shiming made his pro debut and professional boxingmade its debut in the gambling enclave of Macau.

“The first show we did with Zou you could have heard a pin drop,”

the longtime promoter said. “They didn’t know how or when tocheer or seem to understand much about it.”

They will be much louder Sunday morning when Zou is the fea-tured undercard fighter as Manny Pacquiao returns to the ring in themain event against New York’s Chris Algieri. Hotel officials expect thearena at the massive Venetian resort will be filled with bleary-eyedgamblers long before the main event.

“The fact it’s on Sunday is a little inconvenient. The fact it’s on inthe morning doesn’t seem to matter,” said Ed Tracy, president andCEO of the Venetian. “Most of them have been up all night anyway.”

On the state sanctioned CCTV network, a staggering 300 millionpeople are expected to tune in to a broadcast that, unlike in the U.S.,will be free of charge.

If boxing isn’t exactly exploding in China, there’s little doubt it’sbeginning to find its own niche. Pacquiao and Algieri are beingcounted on to fill hotel rooms this weekend and bring in hundreds ofmillions of dollars in extra revenue from visitors who are as eager tospend money in the resort’s lavish shopping mall as they are in thecrowded casinos.

It’s welcome money at a time Macau’s gaming revenues are in afive-month slump that casino executives attribute to a governmentcrackdown on corruption and conspicuous consumption among thewealthy.

Macau may not be Las Vegas, but the concept is the same. Justlike the casinos here began as copies of Vegas resorts, the fights fol-low the same pattern of appealing to sports fans with deep pocketswho enjoy a wager or two.

And Chinese fans are not only learning when to cheer, but howlong to stay.

“They’re beginning to know boxing,” Arum said. “It’s a relativelyeasy sport to understand, which is part of its beauty. But it’s really auniversal thing. The Chinese people are becoming boxing fans.”

Zou is the biggest reason for that. He won Olympic gold medalsin 2008 at home in Beijing and in 2012 in London, becoming anational hero in the process and introducing the sport to millions ofChinese more accustomed to martial arts contests.

Still, when Arum was first presented with the idea of paying big

money to a 112-pounder making his pro debut, he had to thinktwice about it. With a chance to enter the potentially lucrativeChinese market, he ponied up $300,000 for Zou to fight in a four-rounder.

Zou has fought all five of his pro fights at the Venetian, andreportedly has drawn the attention of Chinese president Xi Jimping.Should Zou win as expected on Sunday, the plan is to have him fightThailand’s Amnat Ruenroeng for a title as a headliner Feb. 14 in thesame arena.

“You can look for a very, very different event then that is going tobe very Asian centric,” Tracy said. “It’s a hell of an opportunity for usto put on a very good show.”

Zou isn’t the only home-grown fighter on Sunday’s card. Rex Tso

from neighboring Hong Kong is 14-0 as a super flyweight, while 154-pounder Kuok Kun Ng is a Macau native. The Chinese boxing rosterisn’t exactly deep, but it’s growing relatively fast.

Pacquiao also seems quite at home here, where he doesn’t haveto battle the effects of jet lag to Las Vegas. His 350-memberentourage managed to cram on two planes Monday for a short flightfrom the Philippines to watch their own national hero, who is guar-anteed more than $20 million and won’t have to pay millions in taxesthat would come due from a fight in the U.S.

That doesn’t mean Macau will get the biggest fights. It won’t,even if they involve Pacquiao, who Tracy envisioned fighting three ofhis last five fights in Macau when he made the deal with Arum.

The lights of the Las Vegas Strip still shine brightly when it comesto the biggest events. Pacquiao’s fight here last year against Rios wasa pay-per-view disappointment in the U.S., partly because Rios wasnot considered a credible opponent by many in boxing and partlybecause few bought in on paying money for it because of the mys-tique of a fight coming from China.

There’s increased talk about Pacquiao finally fighting FloydMayweather Jr. next year in what could be boxing’s richest bout ever.But no matter who he fights, his next bout will not be in Macau.

“Manny’s next fight will be in the states,” Arum said. “To be rele-vant in the states you want him to train in California for at least onefight a year.” —AP

MACAU : Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines, left and Chris Algieri of the US gesture during the official weigh-inahead of their World Welterweight Championship bout at the Cotai Arena in Macau on yesterday. —AFP