UP Fighting Maroons cheer up frontliners with Zoomustahan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

With people around the world cheering, applauding and saying thank you to their frontliners from balconies and plazas, the University of the Philippines Men’s Basketball Team (UPMBT) expressed gratitude and appreciation for local frontliners in their own unique way.

UP Fighting Maroons Noah Webb, Kobe Paras, Ricci Rivero, James Spencer, David Murrell, Joe Gomez de Liaño, Jboy Gob, CJ Catapusan, Brix Ramos, Matt Santiago, Ethan Kirkness, Sam Dowd, Malik Diouf and head coach Bo Perasol hopped on a Zoom call with medical and healthcare workers from UP’s Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH) and the UP National Institutes of Health (UP NIH) on Friday, May 8 for a virtual chat called Zoomustahan.

UP coaches Ricky Dandan, Rodney Santos, Moriah Gingrich, Chappy Callanta, Mark Dandan, and Kenneth Raval joined the call as well.

The cheer-up call was received by PGH Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, Dr. Edgar Eufemio, Dr. Anthony Geronimo Cordero, Dr. Louricha Opina-Tan, former Fighting Maroon Dr. Czarlo Dela Victoria, and interns and nurses on the PGH side. NIH health workers and laboratory personnel led by UP Manila Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology science research specialist Stessi Geganzo also chatted with the team.

Kobe Paras got the ball rolling by telling the group how much their sacrifices and bravery were appreciated. “While we are here sitting in our homes, comfortable, you are out there risking your lives for us so I want to say thank you,” said Paras.

Ricci Rivero said they were “really grateful for everything you are doing for our country and our fellow Filipinos. Sobrang saludo po kami sa inyo. We are doing this Zoomustahan with you para naman po makapagshare kami ng konting good vibes sa inyo kahit for a few minutes lang. We’re facing this really big challenge and nandito lang po kami to listen to you, extend our support and continue to pray for you. Hoping for your safety and for sure kakayanin natin ‘to, babangon tayong lahat,” Rivero said.

Coach Bo Perasol thanked UP PGH doctors for their support through the years. “This virtual visit is the least the team could do to give back to you. UP-PGH has been part of our team from the start. Whatever small part we could play now - by saying thank you, by praying for you, or whatever help we could extend to you with our presence – just let us know so we could be part of it,” Perasol said.

The frontliners thanked the Fighting Maroons for taking time and effort to do the Zoomustahan.

“This is really a treat for us - to see faces that are not sick,” quipped Dr. Legaspi. “We are getting all the support that you’re giving us and you keep us inspired to move on. It’s really amazing how the whole UP community stood up to the challenge and are helping us get through this. We’re looking forward to your first game.”

UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita David-Padilla, also extended her greetings and appreciation for the Fighting Maroons’ gesture. “Maraming-maraming salamat, UP Men’s Basketball Team. Malaking-malaking bagay ‘to and salamat sa support sa mga nasa frontlines.”

UP NIH staff and scientists waiting for their shift in the testing center also thanked the Maroons for the video conferencing. “Kami po yong mga off-duty ngayon and we’re waiting for our shift. Thank you so much for this connection. Salamat po sa good vibes.”

The Fighting Maroons hope to reach more frontliners in the days to come to show their support through the UPMBT Zoomustahan. The team looks forward to meeting more medical and healthcare workers, grocery attendants, and other groups that man the frontlines and continue to serve the country during this pandemic.

Instituto Cervantes presents a series of classic Spanish films that you won’t find in Netflix

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Do you like Spanish cinema? The Instituto Cervantes de Manila and the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain invite you to enjoy Spanish film classics with «Clásicos contigo / Classics with You», a cycle that will be shown through the Instituto Cervantes channel on the Vimeo platform, for free.

«Classics with you» brings back eleven great movies that today are considered reference works of Spanish cinema. The selected titles, presented by Spanish actors, directors or screenwriters, belong to the AECID Film Library catalog and will be screened with English subtitles. The eleven movies will be shown over eleven weekends --one film per weekend, being each title available only for 48 hours.

Movies you will not find in Netflix

The program “Classics with you” recovers great feature films that connected with the public of their time and that today are considered reference films of Spanish cinematography. It is a commitment to quality Spanish cinema designed for cinephiles around the world.

The film cycle, which started last May 9 with Death of a Cyclist (Juan Antonio Bardem, 1955), will continue this weekend with Welcome, Mr. Marshall!, the comedy directed by Luis García Berlanga that bagged the International Prize at the 1953 Cannes Film Festival. The film will be available for the Filipino audience on May 16 & 17. To access the link to the movie and password, please log on to Instituto Cervantes de Manila’s website: http://manila.cervantes.es

Two other highly relevant films will complete the May screenings: Luis Buñuel’s masterpiece Viridiana (1961), which will be presented by the director and screenwriter Arancha Echevarría; and El verdugo, the black comedy directed by Luis García Berlanga in 1963, which will contextualize the director and screenwriter David Trueba.

The “Classics with You” program will follow with La vaquilla (1985), by Luis García Berlanga; The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) and The South (1983), directed by Víctor Erice; The good star (1997), by Ricardo Franco; The Holy Innocents, signed by Mario Camus in 1984; Tasio (1984), by Montxo Armendáriz; and Carol's Journey, directed by Imanol Uribe in 2002.

The films are presented by Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain, AECID and the Embassy of Spain. The screenings will be in Spanish with English subtitles. Admission is free. For further information and updates on this film series, please check out http://manila.cervantes.es or Instituto Cervantes’ Facebook page: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila.

The Three Most Entertaining Ford Hatchbacks

Wazzup Pilipinas!

SUVs and crossovers may be the hot stuff in the USA right now and Ford, as well as many other automakers, may have officially stopped production of their once-popular hatchback nameplates.

Nevertheless, a thriving community of car enthusiasts persists, holding strong their passions for the many hot hatches of old and Ford’s Hatchbacks in particular. With Ford establishing an inhouse performance specialist team to work on certain vehicles, came about the existence of the Sport Technology (ST) and Rallye Sport (RS) badged versions of the familiar Ford Fiesta and Focus nomenclatures. This not only resulted in the creation of impressively performing hot-hatches with unmatch handling dynamics but also created a super affordable entry point to true driving enjoyment for all.

Though we won’t be seeing any new hatchbacks around, here we list the most acclaimed Ford hot-hatches that have been in recent times, in order of the level of driving enjoyment they deliver and in correlation with their affordability. Each model is compared alongside one of its top core competitors for a clearer illustration of their performance and value.


Fiesta ST

The ST-badged subcompact hot hatch epitomizes affordable driving fun and is an exemplary testament to the fact that all-out power doesn’t equal all-out fun. The latest model in the USA was equipped with a 1.6-liter turbo-four engine with outputs of only 197 hp. It had a short-throw six-speed manual gearbox and a front-wheel-drive system. Despite less power on hand in comparison to pricier hot hatches, the ST could subsequently be driven at its limits all the time, arguably making it even more enjoyable. Its powertrain, from the throttle responses and the soundtrack it proffered to the refined collaboration between its parts, delivered boundless levels of smile-inducing driver engagement. It was through the corners, however, where the ST unveiled its true aptitude and the source of its driving pleasure.


Top Competitor - Mini Cooper S
While you’re more likely to see the Mini Cooper in feature films, ensuing high-speed chases and nimbly darting through the tight city streets of Italy, in reality, it’s not quite as much the driver’s car as the Fiesta ST proves to be. Though the Mini Cooper S’s 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder motor is bigger and offers a favorably wide torque band, it isn’t very keen on revving out to its redline. This, along with its standard seven-speed DCT automatic transmission, only detract from its overall driver engagement, although a manual is being brought back. The Cooper S is certainly deserving of its sporty hot hatch reputation, but the ST simply feels more enjoyable overall, from its straight-line performance to its handling poise. The ST’s low price only augments its favor over the more expensive Mini as an affordable fun-to-drive hatch.

Focus ST
Like the Fiesta ST, the Focus ST is a really affordable means to a really fun-to-drive hot hatch. It comes equipped with a more powerful engine, is a little larger as a compact, and is a little more expensive, too. It’s not faster than the Fiesta ST and doesn’t handle quite as well either due to its larger dimensions and extra heft. It is more comfortable on the road, however, and offers more passenger and cargo room for the money. Nevertheless, its 252 horsepower 2.0-liter EcoBoost mill, six-speed manual gearbox, and front-wheel-drive system work in harmony together to deliver a driving experience that is as noteworthy as the Fiesta ST’s.

Top Competitor - Volkswagen Golf GTI
In terms of performance, the Golf GTI has the Focus ST beat on a straight, proffering a slightly faster 0-60 mph sprint time (6.4 seconds) and a higher top track speed (155 mph). It’s at the bends where the Focus ST will prove favorable though; it won’t be taking the lead in speed but it’s there where it’ll show off its superior fun factor from a handling perspective, inducing giggles and laughter at every turn. While the GTI is more of an all-rounder to appeal to most people’s mild passions and daily requirements, the ST caters first and foremost to the enthusiastic driver without too much compromise elsewhere.

Focus RS
At an MSRP of around $40k, the Focus RS does boast a comprehensive consignment of high-performance underpinnings and software, and the capability to boot. However, at its price, it drifts away from the affordable fun-to-drive factor and offers performance above that of the ST models that can only truly be enjoyed at a track. Its 350-hp turbo-four motor gives it a 0-60 mph sprint time of 4.7 seconds which will have you glued to the back of your seat, if only momentarily. With an all-wheel-drive system standard-fit, the RS is capable of carrying that performance through into the corners where its as exhilarating, if not more, than the ST models, especially with the available Drift Mode giving you controllable slides beyond the limits of adhesion.

Top Competitor - Honda Civic Type R
Its aggressively sporty looks alone will make you want you to take it on a test drive, and the performance it’ll deliver will make you want to take it out again and again. Its 306-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine may not be as powerful as the Focus RS’s, but its pristine steering feel, masterfully crafted chassis, and six-speed manual gearbox with its shift stick modeled from the original NSX supercar, altogether make it the superior hot hatch. It’s also equipped with an adaptive suspension, a helical limited-slip differential, and large 20-inch high-performance tires with which it skillfully slams into corners with like no other hatch can. Plus, it’s more affordable than the RS too.