Filipino Stalwart Rocky Batolbatol Hungry to Get First Win in ONE Championship

Wazzup Pilipinas!

When Rocky Batolbatol directed his career path to ONE Championship nearly three years ago, he was once touted as a promising Filipino talent from the beautiful city of Bacolod in the Philippine province of Negros Occidental.

However, the luster of his billing as a top-notch prospect slowly faded when a string of setbacks came his way.

The 31-year-old Bacolod City native suffered a second-round submission loss at the hands of Aussie standout Martin Nguyen in his November 2014 promotional debut.

Batolbatol encountered the same fate in his second ONE Championship outing as he tasted a first-round submission defeat to Dutch-Indonesian journeyman Anthony “Archangel” Engelen in February 2016.

A victory under the ONE Championship umbrella remained elusive for Batolbatol as he yielded to up-and-coming Singaporean martial arts superstar Christian Lee via first-round technical knockout in May 2016.

Determined to break his three-match losing skid in Asia's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, Batolbatol makes his return to action by squaring off with Indonesian combatant “The Terminator” Sunoto on ONE Championship’s inaugural card in Surabaya, Indonesia.

Fulfill Your Dreams, Join the Brown&Proud Movement

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"It's not the color of your skin, But the color of your heart"

When you hear those words you will think that it's about fighting racial discrimination. But we were introduced into a "movement" that seeks to empower Filipinos, or whoever seeks to wield a financial sword that's ready to swing and slash all hesitations to become wealthy and successful.

This could be done by getting rewarding incentives that would surely motivate anyone looking to earn big bucks while at the same time promoting a proudly Filipino brand.

The founders of MyPhone has launched what they call as the Brown&Proud Movement which uses the familiar Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) method incorporated on their business plan for their new products they have branded as "Brown."

#BrownAndProud is a new Generation Multi-Level Marketing with Security and Integrity through it's 70 years old business legacy and 21 years public listed company, Solid Group Inc. They've set up a Dream Portal where people could log in and experience a combination of Live Video, E-Magazine, Mobile Commerce and Financial Technology.

Foreign(er) Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay is an "Alien"

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Yasay it best when Yasay nothing at all." 

Yasay is apparently "stateless." That lying (dying?) old man is "stateless."

I could swore I heard myself singing, but that's just in my head. Nothing said saved me from the ridicule. But Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Acting Secretary Perfecto Yasay has not learned his lesson when it comes to keeping mum about his nationality, and thus he is now in deep shit with regards to his appointment.

Sec. Yasay takes the meaning of foreign secretary literally, as he is truly a foreign(er) in real life.

Though we all know he is there at the DFA only to keep it warm for former Senator and Vice Presidential running mate of Rodrigo Duterte, Allan Peter Cayetano, he still needs to undergo an appointment at the Commission on Appointments (CA).

Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. says he is a "Filipino in thought, in word, and in deed. But then we also have that video in which Yasay lied under oath with regard to his U.S Visa.

Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato says Yasay handed her last week an envelope containing docus showing he was granted US citizenship.

Ramirez-Sato to Yasay: Were you ever an American citizen? Yes or no? 

Yasay: I have always admitted I was granted US citizenship in 1986.

But Yasay also said he never became an American citizen. He said he had documents to prove he was not an American.

Practicing lawyers in the U.S. have also spoken. Sec. Yasay, you have a lot of explaining to do. Taking an oath of allegiance to the United States is not a requirement to obtain LPR/green card status. But it is a requirement to become a naturalized citizen of the US.

Is Yasay saying that the US Embassy where he applied for disqualification ran out of forms so they gave him a form for renunciation instead?

Yasay apologizes for 'inadvertently' misleading on US citizenship. But misleading is an understatement. Yasay lied and he knows it!

Now, Yasay admits he had a US passport. He has apparently discovered his US passport but still can't find his backbone.

Yasay should set the record straight. His citizenship is moot in my opinion but he should be honest as he is a gov't. official.

Both Duterte and Yasay are putting the Philippines' national security and sovereignty at risk!

Yasay, stop using alternative facts smh!!! You are a US citizen and that's it! Ang dami pang paligoy ligoy! He thinks he can get away with it by citing lying by omission and perpetuation of continuing misrepresentation? Lol!

When Yasay flip flops, it's not Yasay vs. Yasay but Yasay vs. Yasaid. He's consistently inconsistent. Not once, not twice. But perhaps all the time. This guy is is boneless.

The fate of SFA Yasay will be announced later during the plenary session of the CA. Junk or approve the ad interim appointment of Sec. Yasay? A resounding "Yes" is inevitable.

"Any assertion that I am an alien must be proven in the proper forum in accordance to the rule of law and due process" - Perfecto Yasay

Rabin Catalan Draws Inspiration from Teammates to Continue MMA Career

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Filipino fighter Rabin “The Rock” Catalan when his maiden appearance on an international mixed martial arts (MMA) stage ten months ago did not go into his favor.

The 30-year-old native of Iloilo City lost his ONE Championship debut via second-round technical knockout at the hands of Team Lakay’s Joshua Pacio in April 2016.

Catalan had difficulties in dealing with the stoppage setback to Pacio, prompting him to shy away from the spotlight and assess his future in the sport

With the help of his brothers-in-arms at Mindanao Ultimate Mixed Martial Arts (MUMMA), Catalan reignited his desire to compete in MMA.

Headquartered in Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental, MUMMA houses the best and the brightest MMA talents in the Philippine’s southernmost major island of Mindanao, including Catalan and fellow ONE Championship athlete Rocky Batolbatol.

Catalan revealed that he draws his inspiration to continue his professional MMA career from his MUMMA teammates.

“They are always there for me. My teammates uplifted me when I was down and out. I’ve found a family in my comrades,” he said. “Now, I am inspired to go back inside the cage and put on a great performance.”

Catalan is slated to return to action as he squares off with Thai standout Pongsiri “Punhod” Mitsatit on the undercard of ONE: WARRIOR KINGDOM, which takes place at the 12,000-capacity Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand on 11 March.

An undefeated prospect from Chiang Mai, Thailand, Mitsatit holds a stellar win-loss standing of 7-0, with five knockout triumphs and one submission victory.

The Filipino Komiks and Art Market "KOMIKET" Gears Up for its 3rd Year

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Artists, writers, readers and enthusiasts are expected to converge again in the third Filipino Komiks and Art Market (KOMIKET). This year, there will be two different events -- the February 25 (Saturday) Komiks and Art Market at the Elements at Centris and the February 26 (Sunday) Artist Talks at the U-View Theater at Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City.

Whether you are a curious newbie or an art market enthusiast, organizers are inviting everyone to two days of fun as a way to support Filipino comics or "komiks."

SATURDAY ART MARKET

Meet and greet over 300 authors, illustrators and "komiks" creators who eagerly want to share what they have worked on the past few months. Get a first crack at their latest works, story compilations, graphic novels, stickers, postcards, art prints and original artworks up for grabs on February 25, Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Elements at Centris.

The Komiket Inc. will also release its first book, KOMIKS CUM LAUDE, a student comic book anthology featuring ten of the top student creators today: Mich Cervantes, Juan Carlos Panlilio, Aljon Perdon and Jose Victor Perey (De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde); Danielle Riña, Gia Duran, Danielle Dy-Liacco and Japhet Marquez (UP Diliman); Richard Mercado, Kevin Samala and Ianthe Pimentel (Ateneo de Manila University); Diklap Aytin (Ateneo Junior High School) and Tori Tadiar, Jess Santiago and Jez Nabong (Komiket’s Comic Book Creator’s Workshops).

SUNDAY ARTIST TALK

Listen and learn from superstar comics creators like Arnold Arre, Manix Abrera, Carlo Vergara, Eugene Madayag (Libreng Komiks) as they talk back with readers at the Komiket Artist Talks on February 26, Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the U-View Theater at the Basement of Fully Booked BGC. Only limited seats (70 per set) are available for the talks, and tickets will be sold at the venue.

The winners of the Komiket Awards will also be announced. The Best Komiks, Best Komiks Writer, Best Komiks Artist and Best Student Komiks will win komikstarter prizes—a five thousand-peso reimbursable fund to help kickstart their next "komiks."

LOVE LOCAL, SUPPORT LOCAL

The KOMIKET aims to help cultivate, promote and nurture local creators who would like to share their work to more readers. To those who want to show their support, see you at the 3rd Filipino Komiks and Art Market. Entrance tickets to the market cost 50 pesos each. Registration to the talk is at 550 pesos. 

Elements at Centris is located at Eton Centris, EDSA corner Quezon Avenue, QC. Fully Booked BGC is at B6 Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Like KOMIKET on Facebook for more details.