Catholic Student Councils, Student Leaders Push for SOGIE Equality Bill

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Our faith is grounded on love.

This was the message that student leaders from Catholic schools and law students in Metro Manila had on Wednesday urging the public to support the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill in the Senate.

“Discrimination is real and denying it risks the lives of the LGBT+ community who have to face hate every day,” Mikee De Vega, President of DLSU Student Government said.

“We can no longer stay silent on the issue of discrimination. As student leaders from Catholic schools, love and acceptance is in the core of the teachings of our schools. We are here to make our voices count all around the country for the SOGIE Equality Bill,” De Vega added.

“The passage of a SOGIE Equality bill will be historic as it will introduce the concept of SOGIE in our country’s legislation for the first time,” Hurjae Lubag of FEU Law said.  “This law not only becomes the first law to protect people from the LGBT community from discrimination, it also makes the Philippine state fulfill its international obligations for human rights,”

“Our message to the Senate: we are keeping close watch and we are demanding that the SOGIE Equality bill gets passed,” Kana Takahashi of UST Hiraya said. “We are addressing Senator Joel Villanueva specifically to stay true to his promise of supporting the bill.”

“Senator Villanueva, don’t be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Don’t betray the LGBT+ community by feeding into the misinformation campaign of some groups,” De Vega said. “As an author of an anti-discrimination bill in the Senate, there’s no sense to backbend on your promise.”

De Vega also hit statements that skew the SOGIE bill as a measure against religious freedom: "Religious freedom should not entrap persons in a culture of hate. The SOGIE Equality Bill is about love and respect, values which most religions should believe in."

A big flower heart with the message #EqualityNow was in display in the press conference as the students posed with heart hand signs and placards urging the passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill. 

The student governments and organizations in the press conference also included College of Saint Benilde- CSG, Students Rights and Welfare PH, UP LAW, FEU LAW and DLSU LAW.

The student leaders, advocates and allies will be launching the Fight for Love. Fight for Equality nationwide rally on Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 5PM in People Power Monument to show popular support for the bill protecting LGBT+ Filipinos from discrimination.

There will be simultaneous events and mobilizations in Metro Manila, Albay, Iloilo, Cebu and General Santos City on Saturday. 

Despite Father’s Passing, Hisyam Samsudin Finds Strength in Moving Forward

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Fathers play many roles in parenting responsibilities to their children. Some are involved in every aspect of their children’s lives, while others work on only selective facets.

Regardless of which areas a father chooses, this relationship begins the journey towards an inevitable bond between parent and offspring.

Hisyam “Zephyrus” Samsudin, a professional mixed martial artist who hails from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, looked up to his father all throughout his life and considered him as his personal hero.

“The most important influence in my childhood was my father. My dad was my hero because he's someone I looked up to every single day,” he shared.

Samsudin’s father supported him in the early stages of his martial arts journey as he trained at a local training facility in his hometown to lose weight.

The 27-year-old Malaysian pugilist used to weigh 100 kilograms as an overweight child, whose only exercise was getting up off the couch to use the bathroom.

“I was really fat before. Eating was my hobby. When I was a kid, I was not very active. I was just at home being cozy and always eating. I was shy. I did not really talk to people,” he revealed.

Samsudin’s fitness breakthrough finally came in 2009 when he commenced his college education at a local university in Kota Kinabalu.

During his free time, he checked out the highly-regarded Borneo Tribal Squad, where he met head coach and fellow ONE Championship athlete AJ “Pyro” Lias Mansor.

Samsudin dedicated time and effort to his training, training twice a day with Mansor in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling.

A few months later, Samsudin started to see the result of his hard work, which also won the commendation of his father.

“I became stronger—not only physically, but mentally. My dad was so happy because he knew it was good for my health,” he recalled.

Although Samsudin initially started learning martial arts for shedding excess weight, it led him to a continuous path of self-improvement.

“You should get physical strength by working out or practicing martial arts to protect yourself. I don’t regret anything. Learning martial arts was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life,” he said.

As he progressed deeper into his martial arts journey, Samsudin dabbled into different combat disciplines such as Muay Thai and boxing.

Fascinated by martial arts’ competitive nature, Samsudin eventually transitioned from being a student learning the tricks of the trade to becoming a professional competitor.

Samsudin’s father was a bit hesitant about his choice to compete professionally, but he ultimately earned both of his parents’ support.

“I guess it’s normal for parents to be worried because what we do is so physical. After talking to them and explaining things, they understood. Also, they knew it started to become my passion,” he stated. “They ended up being my strong followers because of my persistence.”

Samsudin experienced major success in the sport of boxing in February 2016 when he replaced an injured Thai athlete in a four-man tourney in Singapore to determine the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Asia-Pacific light heavyweight champion.

Despite being several kilograms underweight, Samsudin won the whole tournament, becoming the first Malaysian to hold a WBF title.

“My parents, especially my father, were really nervous at that time. I am glad that I came home unharmed and as a champion. I celebrated with my family, friends and teammates when I got back. It was such a memorable moment,” he remembered.

After capturing the WBF Asia-Pacific light heavyweight belt, Samsudin elected to hang up his boxing gloves and turned his attention to the ONE Championship cage.

As a mixed martial arts competitor, Samsudin holds a professional record of 2-2 with a pair of wins by way of knockout and submission.

In his second outing as ONE Championship athlete last September, Samsudin claimed a bittersweet victory when he thwarted Indonesian hometown hero Jeremy Meciaz via first-round technical knockout.

Samsudin was incredibly emotional after hearing the announcer declare his name as the winner.

With tears flowing from his eyes, Samsudin dedicated his triumph to his father, who passed away just 24 hours prior to the bout.

“I love you, dad. This is for you,” Samsudin uttered in his post-match interview with color commentator Mitch Chilson.

According to Samsudin, his father’s last wish before he died was for him to notch his first victory on the world’s premier martial arts stage.

“He flew from my hometown to Jakarta with my mom to watch me compete. All he wanted was to see me get my hand raised as the winner of the bout,” he articulated.

After getting the news that his father passed away, Samsudin disclosed that it was his mother who gave him the strength to go on with his bout.

“I was unsure whether to get into the cage, but my mom told me to do it as because my dad came all the way to see me fight,” he said. “He came to Jakarta to support me and see me win. Thankfully, I got the win. I dedicated it to him."

Strutting his wares in front of a partisan crowd and with the passing of his father at the back of his mind, Samsudin came on strong and weathered the storm.

“I was ready to throw in the towel, but my family gave me the motivation and the drive to enter the cage. Even though my father is gone, I still have them. My friends and family are now the source of my strength,” he stated.

Now taking care of his mother, Samsudin believes that he has to hold onto his persistence as he knows that life will never be a straightforward pathway.

“Life can get hard and things can go wrong, but no matter what happens, I’ve got to stay strong for my family. I know deep in my heart that difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations,” he ended.

Samsudin is set to return to action on 24 March as he tests his mettle against “The Terminator” Sunoto of Indonesia on the undercard of ONE: IRON WILL in Bangkok, Thailand.

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. ​

Aspiring Filipino Interior Designers Vie to be Next Design Superstar in The Apartment: Passion for Design on Sony Channel

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Design reality competition premieres March 22, Thursday at 9pm


Aspiring Filipino designers are vying to become Asia’s next interior design superstar in The Apartment: Passion for Design, which returns to Sony Channel starting March 22 at 9pm.

For the first time, there are three Filipino contestants in one season who are all out to show off their design prowess in the biggest design reality series in Asia. Fil-Kiwi model and beauty queen Stephanie Dods, interior decorator Jesy Cruz, and interior designer Eugene del Rosario are determined to provide stiff competition to nine other talented contestants from various backgrounds for the chance to win the biggest prize in the series’ history - the deed to a luxurious UMLand apartment at D’Lagoon, located in Iskandar, Malaysia.

The three are also making a bid to be the next Filipino to win the prestigious competition, after Cebu-based interior designer-best friends Deankie Latonio and Tiara Sison won the third edition in 2013. Like the winning pair, they believe that The Apartment will be a stepping stone for them to showcase their innovative talent in interior design and make a name for themselves in the industry.

“Filipinos are renowned for their exceptional talent and tend to do really well in reality series where their creativity and survival skills are put to the test under high pressure situations. The Amazing Race Asia and Asia’s Got Talent on AXN are two wonderful examples of Filipinos making the country proud. Now with The Apartment: Passion for Design on Sony Channel, the Philippines will show that the country can also excel in interior design,” said Armi Malaluan, Director and Business Head of Sony Television Networks, Asia.

This season, Filipino interior designer and media personality Cat Arambulo joins The Apartment as one of two new judges, together with Tyler Wisler, one of New York’s most influential and dynamic designers. International superstar Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is the principal judge, while award-winning designer and author Jamie Durie returns as host and mentor.

The Apartment: Passion for Design premieres on March 22, Thursday at 9pm on Sony Channel and is presented by Dulux and supported by UMLand.


The Apartment: Passion for Design is a Sony Channel Original Series created and produced by Imagine Group Entertainment, the leading entertainment production company in Asia

For more information, visit TheApartmentTV.com or @TheApartmentTV on Facebook and Twitter.


Sony Channel is available on Cablelink Channel 39, Cignal Channel 120, Destiny Cable Channel 35, G Sat Channel 48, and SKYCable Channel 35.