Iloilo City to Host the East Asian Seas Congress this November

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Iloilo City has been chosen as the venue of the upcoming 2018 East Asian Seas Congress to be held on November 27 to 30 at the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC). Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. said that it is a great privilege to be the host city for the upcoming Congress as the ICC’s state of the art facilities has been “home to congregations that encourage dialogues towards sustainable development and bridging potential collaborations towards the future of the East Asian Seas region.”

“With a coastline of approximately 72 kilometers, Iloilo City is a coastal metropolitan area with a population of around 950,000 Ilonggos,” said Governor Defensor. “We extend our warm invitation to the delegates to explore the historic and scenic side of the city and the rest of the province.”

Similarly, Iloilo Mayor Jose Espinosa III expressed that they are “deeply honored that our beloved city has been chosen as the venue for this momentous event.” He added that the City Government of Iloilo supports the efforts of the Congress in “bringing together various stakeholders and working towards aligning local, national and regional actions and goals with that of the global ocean agenda.”

Mayor Espinosa added that “Iloilo is actively pursuing good and responsible governance that promotes social, economic and environmental development. Aside from the different Congress events, get ready to be welcomed with warm Ilonggo hospitality, to indulge in our delicious cuisine, and to immerse in our rich culture.”

Known as the “Heart of the Philippines,” Iloilo City has successfully hosted international assemblies such as the 2015 APEC High-Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and the Blue Economy and ASEAN in the past.

Initial preparations for the Congress have already commenced, as representatives from the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) convened for a preparatory meeting with the local organizing committee (LOC) members from DENR Region 6 and the Provincial and City Governments of Iloilo and Guimaras during a four-day visit last April 17 to 20.

This year’s EAS Congress will feature an International Conference and Environmental Exhibition alongside other events including the Fifth EAS Youth Forum and PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Forum which will culminate with the Sixth Ministerial Forum. A special field visit to a PEMSEA integrated coastal management (ICM) site in the Island of Guimaras will also happen.

Registration for the EAS Congress 2018 is ongoing! For more information and updates about the Congress, visit http://eascongress2018.pemsea.org/. For questions and inquiries, contact the EAS Congress 2018 Secretariat at eascongress2018@pemsea.org. #SeasAsOne

Globe Philippine Pro Gaming League Returns this 2018 with Tekken 7

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The nation's biggest multi-platform esports league, the Globe Philippine Pro Gaming League 2018, is set to return on June 2018 with the return of its flagship fighting game tournament, Tekken 7.

The Globe PPGL 2018 Season 2 Tekken 7 tournament is a national competition that will seek out only the toughest and fiercest fighters from provinces and cities all over the Philippines. The best performing fighters will get a chance to show off their skills on an international level in the upcoming REV Major, which is set to take place later this year.

The search for the nation's best Tekken 7 players continues after the inaugural season of Globe PPGL 2018 crowned PBE|AK as the grand champion. The new season of the national league will be organized by MET, Asia's top esports tournament organizer. PlayBook Esports will be returning as MET’s partner for the Tekken 7 tournament of the Globe PPGL Season 2.



Prize Pool

· 1st Place: PHP 45,000

· 2nd Place: PHP 20,000

· 3rd Place: PHP 12,000

· 4th Place: PHP 9,000

· 5th-6th Place: PHP 4,500

· 7th-8th Place: PHP 2,500



Tournament Schedule

• TEKKEN 7 Timeline: June 23 2018 - August 19, 2018
• Iloilo – June 23, 2018
• Davao – June 30, 2018
• Cagayan De Oro – July 1, 2018
• Cebu – July 7, 2018
• Manila 1 – July 15, 2018
• Manila 2 – July 29, 2018
• Tarlac – August 4, 2018
• Last Chance Qualifiers – August 19, 2018

The grand finals of the Globe PPGL 2018 Season 2 will take place at BrawlFest Versus Arena, a fighting game event, at SM North EDSA, on August 19, 2018. The top four Tekken 7 fighters 

​​Adriano Moraes Prepares for Top-notch Version of Geje Eustaquio in Rematch

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Although he is embarking on an impressive four-bout winning streak, which includes unifying and defending the ONE Flyweight World Championship, Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes prepares for what he perceives as the most difficult title defense of his second reign as the division’s kingpin.

The 29-year-old Brazilian champion is slated to put his coveted gold-plated strap on the line against interim flyweight titleholder Geje Eustaquio of the Philippines in the co-main event of ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER, which takes place at the Studio City Event Center in Macau, China on 23 June.

Moraes may be riding a wave of momentum after defeating Kairat Akhmetov and Danny Kingad to cap off his 2017 campaign, but underestimating a familiar foe like Eustaquio could result to a big blunder.

“Geje Eustaquio has earned the highest level of my respect. If anything, there is no chance of me underestimating him. That would be unwise. We’ve all seen his improvement as a martial artist,” he said.

Both men stood opposite each other for the first time in September 2014 when the two collided for the inaugural ONE Flyweight World Championship.

Moraes derailed Eustaquio’s championship aspirations as he found a way to counteract his opponent’s striking prowess in the second round and then forced the Team Lakay dynamo to wave the white flag with a guillotine choke.

Ever since their initial encounter nearly four year ago, Moraes and Eustaquio have gone from success to success.

Against Eustaquio, Moraes stressed that he will be gearing up for the best version of his Filipino counterpart.

“I am preparing for the best Geje Eustaquio possible, and that is the only way I can prepare to be at my best. I believe this match is going to be a battle between two top-notch martial artists. It is going to be a battle from start to finish,” he expressed.

Eustaquio is coming off a title-clinching performance, defeating Akhmetov via unanimous decision in a rematch for the ONE Interim Flyweight World Championship last January.

Moraes was at cageside when Eustaquio toppled Akhmetov, noticing the evident evolution of the 29-year-old Baguio City native from a pure striker to an all-around competitor.

In his cage encounter with Akhmetov, Eustaquio displayed on-point sprawls and his ability to sinuously execute sweeps and guards, as well as his sturdy top control on the mat.

“I’ve seen many of his fights, including his last one in Manila against Kairat Akhmetov. He’s more of a striker, but he has picked up his game remarkably. He is a different fighter now. That makes him so dangerous,” he stated.

Eustaquio may have exhibited a new facet of his growing skillset that could pose a problem to the Brazilian combatant, but Moraes seems not worried about it as he sees himself as a different mixed martial arts competitor as well.

“I’m not looking past Geje,” he declared. “Every fight is different, and each fighter has his or her strengths and weaknesses. We’ve expanded our skills since the last time we fought each other. He will come in prepared, but one thing is for sure: I will have my hand raised.”

Heavily reliant on his specialization in the grappling department, Moraes has won three of his last four matches by way of submission.

Although Eustaquio appears to have the upper hand in the striking arena due to his Wushu pedigree, Moraes has no qualms when it comes to trading kicks and punches with the Team Lakay representative.

“I know he is a good and technical striker. He was able to show off in his last fight that he now has grappling techniques. Things have changed for him. The same goes with me,” he pointed out.

“I believe that I can stand and bang with the best in the world. With that being said, anywhere I can get the finish. Whether it’s standing or grappling, I’m taking it,” Moraes assured.

Moraes expects that Eustaquio will dig deep to score the improbable upset victory over him, but the proud Brazilian remains optimistic that he will still walk out with the ONE Flyweight World Championship around his waist.

“Geje Eustaquio is hungry. He will bring something new to the table in our rematch, but I am confident in my abilities. I see myself retaining my championship on 23rd of June,” he concluded.

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.​