Ahead of the Geeked Week next month, Netflix release 4 new photos for their upcoming live action adaption of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The photos are from Fire Nation’s Royalty and Powerful;
Fire Lord Ozai, played by Daniel Dae Kim, the tyrannical and sadistic ruler of the Fire Nation, General Iroh’s younger brother, and Prince Zuko and Princess Azula’s father. He also voiced to the Avatar franchise multiple times—the first time in Book 2 of The Last Airbender, where he voiced General Fong, and in The Legend of Korra, where he voiced Hiroshi Sato.
General Iroh, played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, a retired Fire Nation general, Fire Lord Ozai’s elder brother, and the wise and nurturing uncle and mentor to Prince Zuko.
Princess Azula, portrayed by Elizabeth Yu, the younger sister of Prince Zuko and a gifted Princess of the Fire Nation.
Commander Zhao, played by Ken Leung, the arrogant, ruthless, and dishonorable Fire Nation naval officer, who is also after the Avatar for its fame, power and prestige.
Netflix also said that they will reveal more about the coming series at their Geeked Week event. Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, scheduled in 2024 and it is reported to be 8-episode long, each episode is at least an hour long.
Ten movies for the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival have been officially announced. The first four entries was announced back in July, these film were chosen based on script submissions, and the 6 additional film was officially announced in a press conference that was streamed on the organization’s FB page @mmffofficial.
These are the first four entries;
“A Mother and Son’s Story” by Cineko Productions, Inc. starring Sharon Cuneta and Alden Richards
“(K)ampon” by Quantum Films starring Beauty Gonzales and Derek Ramsay
“Penduko” by Sari Sari Network starring Cristine Reyes and Matteo Guidicelli
“Rewind” a Star Cinema project of celebrity couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera
The six additional films to complete the 2023 MMFF entries are:
“When I Met You in Tokyo ” starring Christopher de Leon and Vilma Santos
“Becky and Badette” starring Eugene Domingo and Pokwang
“Mallari” starring Piolo Pascual and Janella Salvador
“Firefly” starring Alessandra de Rossi with Cherry Pie Picache
“Broken Hearts Trip” starring Christian Bables and Andoy Ranay
“Gomburza” starring Enchong Dee, Dante Rivero, Piolo Pascual and Cedrick Juan
The 49th Metro Manila Film Festival will kick-off with the parade of stars on December 17th, this year’s theme is CAMANAVA, then the film festival itself will run from December 25th thru January 7th, 2024. The MMFF Awards night will happen on the 27th of December.
Intel has officially announced the launch of its 14th Generation Core desktop processors. The new lineup, based on the refreshed Raptor Lake architecture, includes the Core i9-14900K/KF, the Core i7-14700K/KF, and the Core i5-14600K/KF2.
The 14th Gen Core desktop processors come in a variety of configurations, delivering up to 24 cores and 32 threads and up to 6 GHz of frequency right out of the box. The top-of-the-line Core i9-14900K processor has a boost frequency of up to6 GHz speeds, making it the fastest desktop processor from Intel to date.
In addition to the performance improvements, the 14th Gen Core desktop processors also include a number of new features, such as support for DDR5 5600 and DDR4 3200 memory speeds. The processors also feature Intel’s new Thread Director technology, which intelligently allocates workloads to the right cores at the right time.
The new 14th gen chips will feature integrated support for Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth 5.3, as well as discrete support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.42. There is also support for Thunderbolt 4 as well as upcoming Thunderbolt 5 wired connectivity – supporting up to 80 Gbps of bi-directional bandwidth.
Let your imagination run wild and create something revolutionary with the new #IntelCore 14th Gen Processors—our best desktop processor to date.
Intel Core 14th Gen desktop processors will be available at retail outlets and via OEM partner systems starting Oct. 17, 2023. They will be compatible with existing 600/700-series motherboards.
Pricing for the new Intel Core 14th Gen desktop processors will be the same as the previous generations, Core i9-14900K at $589, Core i7-1700K at $409, and the Core i5-14600K for $319.
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) just announced that when PBA opens its 48th Season 48 on Nov. 5, live games will now be on A2Z every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Weekday games will be at 4:00 PM for first game and at 8:00 PM for the second game, while weekend games will be at 3 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.
A2Z is a Philippine free-to-air blocktime broadcast television network based in Quezon City, with its studios located in Ortigas Center, Pasig. It serves as a flagship property of ZOE Broadcasting Network in partnership with ABS-CBN Corporation as its main content provider through a blocktime agreement. A2Z’s flagship television station is DZOE-TV which operates on channel 11 (analog broadcast), and channel 20 (digital broadcast). The network’s name is an abbreviation derived from the first letter of the names of two parent companies, ABS-CBN and ZOE, and the channel number of the now-recalled frequency of the former network (which is now owned by Advanced Media Broadcasting System’s All TV).
Pilipinas Live, Cignal TV’s newest streaming platform, will also offer all games live and on demand with multiple viewing options exclusive to the app. It also offers PBA 3×3, PBA D-League and PBA Esports, along with original programs made for PBA fans. Aside from PBA games, Pilipinas Live also cover UAAP, PVL, eSports like Call of Duty and Tekken.
Aside from A2Z and Pilipinas Live, PBA Rush will will continue to air PBA events live and in high definition to all Cignal TV subscribers.
Netflix has released the official trailer for its upcoming anime adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, titled Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. The trailer gives us a glimpse of the show’s vibrant animation style and its faithful adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s beloved graphic novels.
The trailer opens with Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) meeting Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) for the first time. Scott is immediately smitten with Ramona, but he soon learns that he must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends in order to date her.
The 2-mins trailer (below) introduces us to the rest of the cast, including Scott’s friends Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin), Kim Pine (Alison Pill), and Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), as well as Ramona’s ex-boyfriends Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha), Lucas Lee (Chris Evans), Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh), Envy Adams (Brie Larson) and Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman).
Based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s hit graphic novels, which were adapted into the 2010 live-action film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is set to premiere on Netflix on November 17, 2023. The show is produced by Science SARU, the studio behind the critically acclaimed anime series Devilman Crybaby and Star Wars: Visions.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) confirms that a cybersecurity incident involving the House of Representatives (HOR) website occurred on Sunday, 15 October 2023.
The HOR immediately put the website offline to prevent further unauthorized access and reported the incident to the DICT – Philippine National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-PH).
CERT-PH is conducting an investigation to determine if sensitive data has been exfiltrated by the threat actor.
Recommendations were likewise provided to the HOR IT Team to prevent future security breaches on their website.
The DICT informs the public that the HOR website shall be online soon with its security vulnerabilities already addressed.
The next stages of the investigation on the incident, which include threat actor attribution and case build-up, shall be pursued by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, in coordination with our law enforcement agencies.
The DICT reaffirms its commitment to be an active partner of government agencies as they fulfill the primary responsibility of safeguarding their own ICT systems and infrastructure against cyber threats.
By:
Renato A. Paraiso
Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs
DICT Spokesperson
pio@dict.gov.ph
At the sametime, DICT also release a Tagalog version of their statement.
Yesterday, the website of the House of Representative (HoR) was hacked by the hacker group 3MUSKETEERZ, defacing it with the troll face meme captioned it “You’ve been hacked. Have a nice Day! Happy April Fullz Kahit October Palang! Fix your website.” and changed its content with the same messaging.
Website of House of Representative (Congress) have been hacked and defaced by 3MUSKETEERZ.
The group used troll face meme captioned it “You’ve been hacked. Have a nice Day! Happy April Fullz Kahit October Palang! Fix your website.” The group even changed its content with the same messaging.
The official X (twitter) account (@HouseofRepsPH) already release a statement and that they are currently working with Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and law enforcement agencies concerned to investigate the matter.
PRESS STATEMENT
Secretary General Reginald Velasco
We wish to inform the public that the official website of the House of Representatives experienced unauthorized access earlier today. Immediate steps have been taken to address the issue, and we are working closely with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and law enforcement agencies concerned to investigate the matter.
While we work to restore the website fully, we ask for patience and understanding. We are committed to ensure the security and integrity of our digital platforms, and we will implement additional measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
For the moment, we advise the public to be cautious of any suspicious emails or communications that claim to be from the House of Representatives.
We will keep the public updated as more information becomes available.
As of this posting, the website is currently offline and accessing the website http://www.congress.gov.ph/ will just give you the standard “This site can’t be reached” message.
Microsoft has officially acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, the deal has now been finalized after a lengthy regulatory review. The announcement was made by both company and published official statement on their respective website. Bobby Kotick will continue to serve as CEO of Activision Blizzard, and he and his team will maintain their focus on driving efforts to further strengthen the company’s culture and accelerate business growth. Once the deal closes, the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming and will be part of Microsoft’s Xbox Team.
Activision Blizzard is one of the largest and most successful video game companies in the world. It is the publisher of popular franchises such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Candy Crush, and Diablo. Microsoft is already a major player in the gaming industry with its Xbox console and Xbox Game Pass subscription service. However, the acquisition of Activision Blizzard gives Microsoft a significant boost in market share and makes it the third-largest gaming company in the world, behind Tencent and Sony.
When the deal was first announced, it faced regulatory pushback and was delayed due to concerns about competition in the cloud gaming market. To address these concerns, Microsoft made several concessions, including giving consumers in the European Economic Area free licenses to stream their Activision Blizzard games. Microsoft also signed agreements with console rivals Nintendo and Sony, promising them access to Call of Duty games for 10 years.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) was the last regulator to approve the deal. The CMA stated that the concessions made by Microsoft were a “game-changer” that would allow for competitive prices and better services.
In the wake of the PhilHealth Hacking, Philippines’ National Privacy Commission (NPC) launches the “Na-leak ba ang PhilHealth Data ko? Portal. The “Na-leak ba ang PhilHealth Data ko? Portal is a tool to check if your personal data is included in the PhilHealth cyberattack last Sept 22.
NPC explained that “Na-leak ba ang PhilHealth Data ko? Portal is a “simplified database search portal designed to help individuals verify the status of their personal information in light of the recent incident involving the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) database, purportedly exfiltrated by the Medusa Ransomware Group, and posted online on October 5, 2023. As of October 13, 2023, the initial batch of data available on the portal pertains to individuals aged 60 years and above, containing an estimated 1 million records out of 8.5 million senior citizens.”
To access the “Na-leak ba ang PhilHealth Data ko? database search tool, visit: https://philhealthleak.privacy.gov.ph, then just provide your PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN) to know if you are part of the leaked database.
PRESS RELEASE
Empowering PhilHealth Data Subjects: Check Your PhilHealth Data Security with NPC’s “Na-leak ba ang PhilHealth Data ko? Portal
To access the "Na-leak ba ang PhilHealth Data ko? database search tool, visit: https://t.co/2dBOZ7bzgW
Malacañang just release the official Philippine Holiday for next year, 2024. It’s the usual list of Holidays except that EDSA Revolution Anniversary was removed from the list of Special Non-working holiday which is celebrated every February.
Malacañang explained that the EDSA People Power Revolution commemoration was removed, since the event has “minimum socioeconomic impact” as it falls on a Sunday. Malacañang moved the commemoration of the EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary to Feb. 24 this year in lieu of Feb. 25, via Proclamation No. 167, as a special non-working day, to be consistent with holiday economics.
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of civil resistance against regime violence and electoral fraud. The nonviolent revolution led to the ousting of Ferdinand Marcos and his family, including the current President of the Philippines, Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr., who was already in his late 20s at that time, ending of his 20-year dictatorship and corruption, and the restoration of democracy in the Philippines.
Netflix just announced that their live action adaptation of the popular manga and anime series “YuYu Hakusho” will premiere on the streaming platform on the 14th of December.
More than three decades after Yu Yu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi first captured the imagination of readers, the beloved manga gets a live-action adaptation.
The series will star Takumi Kitamura as Yusuke Urameshi (Eugene), Jun Shison as Kurama (Dennis), Kanata Hongo as Hiei (Vincent), and Shuhei Uesugi as Kazuma Kuwabara (Alfred).The series follows the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is killed by a car while saving a child’s life. He is given a second chance at life by the Spirit World, and is tasked with working as a Spirit Detective to investigate cases involving demons.
Based on the manga : Yoshihiro Togashi “Yu Yu Hakusho” (Shueisha Jump Comics)
Director: Sho Tsukikawa
Cast: Takumi Kitamura, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongo, Shuhei Uesugi
Screenplay: Tatsuro Mishima
VFX Supervisor: Ryo Sakaguchi (Scanline VFX)
Executive Producer: Kaata Sakamoto (Netflix)
Producer: Akira Morii
In Association with：THE SEVEN
Production: ROBOT
Produced by: Netflix
Just like Netflix’s live action One Piece, YuYu Hakusho will like focus on the origin story of Urameshi on he became Spirit Detective and how he became “friends” with Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara and Botan, as well as Koenma and Genkai.
You can watch all 4 seasons of the anime series on Netlfix.
Huawei just announced its first gold edition smartwatch, the Huawei Watch Ultimate Design. The Huawei Watch Ultimate Design is a premium smartwatch with a sleek design and long battery life. It is powered by the latest Wear OS operating system and features a number of powerful features, including a built-in GPS, heart rate monitor, and sleep tracker.
Experience the Huawei's first gold smartwatch, allure of the #HUAWEIWATCHULTIMATEDESIGN. With rudder-like black nanocrystal ceramic bezel and six 18K gold inlay — radiating timeless and classic elegance for your sophisticated persona.#FashionForwardpic.twitter.com/wSwFkTo0uA
The Huawei Watch Ultimate Design has a 46mm stainless steel case with a 18K gold and nanocrystal ceramic bezel and sapphire crystal lens. The watch is available in two colors: Gold and black.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate Design has a 1.5 inches LTPO AMOLED color screen with a resolution of 466 × 466 pixels, PPI 311. The display is bright and clear, and it is easy to see in all lighting conditions.
Overall, the Huawei Watch Ultimate Design is a premium smartwatch with a sleek design and long battery life.
14-day maximum battery life
8-day typical battery life
4-day battery life with Always On Display enabled
You can checkout the full specs of the full specs here.
Huawei Watch Ultimate Design is now available for preorder with an SRP of AED 10,999.00 or around SAR 11,232.30. In the Philippines, the Huawei Watch Ultimate Design will retail for ₱159,999.00.
In a very short message, NBA and NBPA issued a statement in support of Israel regarding its conflict with Palestine.
The NBA and NBPA mourn the horrific loss of life in Israel and condemn these acts of terrorism. We stand with the people of Israel and pray for peace for the entire region.
X, formerly known as twitter, just announced that it now has roll-out a feature that allows you to control you can reply to your posts. This feature will be available to your new and even old posts.
There are two ways to control who can reply/comment on your posts;
1. When composing your post, go to the EVERYONE CAN REPLY and the screen to set “WHO CAN REPLY?” will appear.
For published posts, just click/tap on the (…) that’s on the right corner of the post and go to CHANGE WHO CAN REPLY.
The new feature is a good way to filter our users who does nothing but spam in the service and also limit those who can interact with you in X/twitter. For now, the features appears to be available to everyone using the service and won’t surprise me if in this will only be available to verified accounts.
Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA’s reigning MVP, Joel Embiid announced that he will play for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The announcement comes after talking to both Team USA executive director Grant Hill and the representatives from the French national team.
I’m really proud and excited about this decision. It was not easy. I am blessed to call Cameroon, France, and the USA home. After talking to my family, I knew it had to be Team USA. I want to play with my brothers in the league. I want to play for my fans because they’ve… pic.twitter.com/6VHSQTKVl3
Joel Embiid who was born in Cameroon and holds both French and American citizenship, to which team he will be playing have been the talk/debate, since Team USA failed to bring home a medal in the last FIBA World Cup and the coming 2024 Paris Olympics. Embiid joins other NBA superstars like LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant who have expressed interest in playing for Team USA at the next year’s Olympics.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Philippine Embassy in Tel-Aviv, Israel just issue an advisory regarding the “State of War alert” issued by Israel.
𝐔𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞: “𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭” 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW, the Philippine Embassy in Tel-Aviv, Israel (PE-Tel-Aviv) and the Migrant Workers Office – Israel (MWO) are closely monitoring the situation of Filipinos in affected areas in the wake of the “State of War alert” issued by Israel’s Home Front Command.
Filipino community (FilCom) leaders are in touch with their members. They report that they remain calm and are accounted for. FilCom leaders remain in contact with the Philippine Embassy and MWO.
Filipinos in Israel are advised to take specific precautionary safety measures and follow the instructions provided by the Israeli Homefront Command.
The DMW and OWWA has set up a 24/7 Task Force Israel Desk for OFWs in Israel and their families. Please call Hotline +63 2 1348 or the following WhatsApp and Viber nos: +63 9083268344 | +63 9271478186 | +63 9205171059.
One OFW family has sought assistance from the DMW. We have contacted the concerned OFW. She is safe and sound.
Please standby for further announcements as the situation develops in Israel.
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Google has recently announced its latest flagship smartphones, the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. These devices are engineered by Google and built with AI at the center for a more helpful and personal experience.
Design and Display
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are elegantly designed with softer silhouettes, beautiful metal finishes, and recycled materials. The Pixel 8 features a 6.2-inch Actua display with 1080 x 2400 resolution, Smooth Display (60–120 Hz), Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® cover glass and Always-on display with At a Glance and Now Playing features. Google claim that it is brighter than the Pixel 7’s display. It comes in Rose, Hazel, and Obsidian colors.
The Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, boasts a 6.7-inch Super Actua display with 1344 x 2992 resolution, Smooth Display (1–120 Hz) and just liek with the Pixel 8, it features “Always-on display with At a Glance and Now Playing”, this is Google’s brightest display yet with up to 1600 nits (HDR) and up to 2400 nits (peak brightness). It comes in Porcelain, Bay, and Obsidian colors.
Google Pixel 8
Performance
The Pixel 8 comes with a basic 8GB RAM package, and up to 256GB of storage. The Pixel 8 Pro gets a more muscular 12GB of RAM, with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB storage by default — while a 1TB option will be offered in certain markets.
Both phones are powered by the Google Tensor G3, which is based on a nine-core CPU configuration (1×3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4×2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4×2.15 GHz Cortex-A510) and an Immortalis-G715s MC10 GPU, and Titan M2 security coprocessor.
Camera
Every camera on the Pixel 8 Pro has been upgraded. The main 50 MP Octa PD wide camera captures better photos and videos in low-light settings. The bigger 48 MP Quad PD ultrawide camera with autofocus delivers even better Macro Focus, the 48 MP Quad PD telephoto camera captures 56% more light and takes 10x photos at optical quality, and the front-facing 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera now has autofocus for the best selfies on a Pixel phone.
The Pixel 8 has the same updated 50 MP Octa PD wide camera, plus a new 12 MP ultrawide camera with autofocus that enables Macro Focus. It uses the same 10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera, as the Pixel 8 Pro.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Battery
The Pixel 8 Pro is equipped with a Li-Ion 5050 mAh battery, while the Pixel 8 uses 4575 mAh, both provides long-lasting performance.
Software
One of the key selling points of Google’s Pixel phones is their software support. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will get seven years of software updates, including Android OS upgrades, security updates, and regular Feature Drops.
Additional Features
Both phones come with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance (up to 1.5m for 30 min). They also support Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2.4GHz+5GHz+6GHz,2×2+2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, NFC and USB Type-C® 3.2.
For the full specs of Google Pixel 8, you can go here and for Google Pixel 8 Pro, you can check it out here.
The Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are now available for preorder; the Pixel 8 will start at $699 for the 128 GB variant and $759 for the 256 model. The Pixel Pro 8 will retail for $999.00 for the 128 GB, $1,059.00 for the 256 GB and $1,179.00 for the 512 GB model.
Gilas Pilipinas stunned host China with a thrilling 77-76 come-from-behind victory in the semifinals of the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China.
Gilas Pilipinas trailed by as many as 20 points in the third quarter, but they rallied back in spectacular fashion to steal the game. Justin Brownlee scored 17 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter to lead Gilas Pilipinas to victory.
China got off to a hot start, leading by as many as 12 points in the first quarter. Gilas Pilipinas kept pace in the second quarter, but China was able to build an 18 point lead at halftime.
China extended their lead to 20 points, 52-32, in the third quarter with 08:24 remaining, but Gilas Pilipinas refused to give up. They cut the lead to just 12 points entering the 4th. China responded by exchanging basket with Gilas but Justin Brownlee was just starting to heat up.
Gilas Pilipinas tighten their defense and limited China to just 14 pts in the qtr, while Gilas made 27 points, with Brownlee scoring 17 pts of those 27. China had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but ZHANG Zhenlin missed his jumper before the time expires.
Brownlee was the hero for Gilas Pilipinas in this game, scoring 33 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists. He was also perfect from beyond the arc, making all 5 of this three-pointers.
Scottie Thompson also had a big game for Gilas Pilipinas. He finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Junmar Fajardo and Jaymar Perez both added 8 points with 4 and 5 rebounds, respectively.
Rui Zhao led the scoring for China with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
With the win, Gilas Pilipinas advances to the final of the Asian Games for the first time since 1990. They will face Jordan in the final on Friday, October 6, 2023.
The Scores
Philippines 77 – J. Brownlee 33, S. Thompson 13, J. Fajardo 8, J. Perez 8, L. Alas 5, C. Newsome 4, C. Oftana 4, A. Kouame 2, C. Ross 0, M. Lassiter 0, J. Aguilar 0.
China 76 – Zhao R. 18, Hu M. 10, Zhu 10, Wang 10, Zhao J. 9, Hu J. 8, Du 6, Zhang 4, Cui 1, Cheng 0.
Quarters: 17-19, 30-48, 50-62, 77-76.
After a monumental semis win against China, Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone was in awe of Justin Brownlee’s herculean effort in willing our men’s basketball team into the Asiad finals and lauded our Gilas Men’s overall performance. #HangzhouAsianGames#AsianGamespic.twitter.com/BGfC96TpJ6
Already assured of a silver medal, Filipino boxer Eumir Marcial advanced to the finals of the 19th Asian Games men’s middleweight (80kg) division with a dominant second-round knockout win over Syrian boxer Ahmad Ghousoon on October 4, 2023 at the Hangzhou Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China.
Marcial delivered the knockout blow in the second round, when he landed a powerful left hook that sent Ghousoon to the canvas. As much as Ghousoon tried to stand-up the blow was too strong for the Syrian boxer to recover, forcing the referee to stop the fight.
With the win, Marcial is guaranteed at least a silver medal in the Asian Games. He will face China’s Tuohetaer Erbieke in the final on October 6, 2023, for a chance to bring home the Philippines’ first gold in Asian Games boxing in over a ten years.
Marcial’s victory also qualified him for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. He has already secured a berth in the Olympic qualifying tournament, but a gold medal at the Asian Games would give him an automatic spot in the Olympics.
Marcial will join pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
PCG Spokesperson Jay Tarriela has released a statement regarding the Maritime Incident near the Bajo de Masinloc, which resulted in the death of 3 Filipino Fishermen. Here’s the full text of PCG Spokesperson Jay Tarriela statement, which is also posted on his X/twitter account.
PCG Investigates Maritime Incident Involving Capsized Fishing Boat and Casualties
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is currently conducting a thorough investigation into a maritime incident that resulted in the capsizing of a Filipino Fishing Boat (FFB) DEARYN on October 2, 2023. The incident occurred approximately 180 nautical miles from Agno, Pangasinan, after the vessel was hit by an unidentified vessel.
The following individuals have been identified as casualties of the incident:
The eleven (11) fishermen who survived have provided their accounts of the incident. According to their statements, on October 2, 2023, at approximately 4:20 a.m., while FFB DEARYN was moored at their payao, adverse weather conditions and darkness may have contributed to their boat not being detected by the passing unidentified vessel, thus resulting to the incident. They further shared that they used their small service boats to transport the bodies of their fallen companions to Infanta, Pangasinan, as their fishing boat had sustained significant damage.
The PCG is diligently cross-referencing the fishermen’s accounts, along with the date and time, to identify the vessels that passed through the exact location of the incident. Efforts are being made to ascertain the identity of the vessel involved, and once identified, the PCG will reach out to the flag of the vessel and her next port of call for further investigation.
The PCG is committed to ensuring a thorough and impartial investigation into this tragic incident. Updates on the investigation will be provided as new information becomes available. The PCG extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of Captain Dexter Laudencia, Boat Crew Romeo Mejeco, and Boat Crew Benedicto Olandria.
President Bongbong Marcos Jr. has released a statement regarding the death of 3 Fishermen near the Bajo de Masinloc. In his statement, the incident is still under investigation and that the commercial vessel that rammed the fishing boat of the 3 fishermen are still unidentified. He is also asking to “allow the PCG to do its job and investigate, and let us refrain from engaging in speculation in the meantime.”.
Here’s the statement that was published on X, formerly twitter;
We are deeply saddened by the deaths of the three fishermen, including the captain of the fishing vessel. The incident is still under investigation to ascertain the details and circumstances surrounding the collision between the fishing boat and a still unidentified commercial… pic.twitter.com/VKe1eUkiIy
It can be recalled that last Monday, October 2nd, three Filipino fishermen died because an unidentified commercial vessel rammed their fishing boat near the Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal). You can read Rappler’s full report on the incident.
PhilHealth has once again release an announcement that they are calling “Urgent Notice to the Public,” this is in connection to the Cyberattack that was made last Sept 22. The health agency reiterates that no member information have been taken and that membership database is intact and unharmed by the cyberattack last Sept 22.
They later reminded the public to be cautious in opening malicious contents online and on social media, which I suppose, is directed to PhilHealth’s employees. The agency is also working with the authorities to catch the perpetrators.
PhilHealth is currently working with multiple agencies that includes Department of Communication Technology (DICT), National Privacy Commission (NPC), Philippine National Police Cybercrime Division, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the National Bureau of Investigation(NBI) to identify the perpetrators of the hacking.
Here’s the announcement by PhilHealth:
#MyPhilHealth reiterates that its membership database is intact and unharmed by the cyberattack last Sept 22.
The Corporation urges the public to be cautious in opening malicious contents online and on social media. It is working with the authorities to catch the perpetrators. pic.twitter.com/bvxgBsJ7Q9
PhilHealth previously posted a Urgent Notice to the Public explaining what information have been compromised in the cyberattack that happened last Sept 22. Below are compromised PhilHealth member’s information;
Name
Address
Date of Birth
Sex
Phone number
PhilHealth ID number
The Health agency also recommended a number of steps that affected PhilHealth Members can take as a precaution.
The hackers demanded a ransom of $300,000 or approximately P17 million as payment to decrypt the files but according to a report by CNN Philippines, “The DICT confirms that some PhilHealth data affected in the Medusa ransomware attack have been published in the dark web after the deadline to pay ransom money to hackers lapsed.”
BREAKING: The DICT confirms that some PhilHealth data affected in the Medusa ransomware attack have been published in the dark web after the deadline to pay ransom money to hackers lapsed.
Gilas Pilipinas advance to semifinals of the 19th Asian Games after a thrilling game against Iran (84-83) in the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball tournament on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at the Zhegiang University Zijingang Stadium in Hangzhou, China.
The last time that Philippines qualified for the semifinals of the Asian Games was in 2002, that’s 21 years ago. This was during the 2002 Busan Asian Games, the Men’s Philippine team are just a few seconds away from clinching the game and for a Finals berth at the Asian Games,, Olsen Racela missed two freethrows, that could have sealed the game but South Korea’s Lee Sang-min won the game for S.Korean with his buzzer-beating three (69-68).
Justin Brownlee led the scoring for Gilas Pilipinas with 36 points, 8 rebs and 4 assists. Brownless also got a much needed rest in their game against Qatar. Junmar Fajardo is the second leading scorer for Gilas making 18 pts, 8 rebs and 4 assists. Scottie Thompson added 11 points and 6 rebounds.
Iran on the other hand was lead by Mohammadsina Vahedi with his 24 pts, then followed by Navid Rezaeifar who chipped in 14 pts, 2 rebs and 7 assists.
Gilas Pilipinas got off to a strong start, leading as many as 9 points in the opener and ending the quarter with a 6 pts lead (28-22). Gilas ended the first half on a strong note by limiting the Iranians to just 14 2nd-qtr points and ending the first half with a 12 point cushion. In the second half, Gilas lead by as many as 21 points in the third quarter, 62-41, with 5:39 remaining the 3rd, and by 17 at the start of the fourth qtr, 71-54.
But in the final period, the Iranian almost made the comeback of the tournament by cutting the lead to just 3 pts, 72-75, with 5:18 left in the game and took the lead, 81-80, with 1:33 remaining in the game. But Junmar Fajardo grabbed a offensive rebound after Calvin Oftana missed a three-point shot, then making a 2 pts put back, to give the Philippine team a 1 point lead, 82-81. Navid Rezaeifar quickly regain the lead back with his 2 pts drive to the basket (82-83), with 01:02 remaining in the game. This is when Brownlee made his clutch jumper with 44 secs remaining that eventually sealed the game for the Philippine team (84-83).
The win will land Gilas in the final 4 of the 19th Asian Games and they will face China in the semifinals for a shot at a medal at 8 pm on Wednesday, October 4th.
Gilas Pilipinas Men survive a late rally from Iran to reach the semifinals of the 19th Asian Games 5-on-5 basketball tournament! pic.twitter.com/iw5yYHtedR
In just one tweet, Netflix greeted Umbrella Academy’s lead characters a HAPPY BIRTHDAY and at the same time announced that 4th and Final Season of Umbrella Academy to premiere on Netflix in 2024. The tween is accompanied by a 43 secs video of the lead casts.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRELLIES ☂️🖤🎉 the final season of The Umbrella Academy is coming in 2024 👀 pic.twitter.com/odEcag0DE5
Gilas Pilipinas defeated Qatar 85-70 in the qualification round of the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball tournament on October 2, 2023 at the Zhegiang University Zijingang Stadium in Hangzhou, China.
With the win, Gilas Pilipinas advances to the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games, where they will face Iran this Tuesday, 3rd of October at the Zhejiang University Zijingang Gymnasium.
Junemar fajardo and Jaymar Perez lead the balance attack of Gilas with 12 points apiece with 3 rebs and 4 rebs, respectively. Perez also dished out 3 assists and 3 steals. Calvin Oftana also helped with his 11 points and 2 steals, while Justin Brownless and Japeth Aguilar both contributed 9 points and a total of 8 rebs.
Nedim Muslic was the lone brightspot for Qatar making 12 points, 7 rebs and 2 assists. No other Qatar players scored more 7 points the whole game.
Gilas Pilipinas got off to a hot start, leading by as many as 19 points in the first qtr and then limiting the opposing team to just 9 points in the 2nd qtr to build a 34 point lead by the end of 1st half. Qatar tried to make a run but scoring only 7 points in the 3rd qtr did helped and Gilas lead ballooned to 43 points, that technically ended the game.
Counter-Strike 2, the sequel to the popular first-person shooter game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, was released on September 27, 2023. The game was developed by Valve and is available for free on Steam.
Counter-Strike 2 features a number of new features and improvements over its predecessor, including:
Built on the Source 2 engine, which provides sharper graphics, more realistic physics, and better performance.
Includes a number of new maps and weapons, as well as updated versions of classic maps and weapons from the 10 year old Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Together with the updated classic game mode, there will be new modes available in the CS 2.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has denounced the massive illegal recruitment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for jobs in Italy.
Here’s the full text of Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) statement;
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) denounces reported acts of massive illegal recruitment schemes preying on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) being charged with illegal and exorbitant placement and consultancy fees and lured into non-existent jobs in Italy.
The DMW is coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila and the Philippine Consulate General in Milan (PCG-Milan), and our Migrant Workers Office in Milan (MWO-Milan) in the investigation of alleged perpetrator agencies and individuals both in Italy and the Philippines.
The DMW is also working with the Department of Justice (DoJ) through our Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB), in documenting and investigating the complaints of nearly 100 victims last week.
The DMW warns the public on offers of fake overseas job offers and the illegal collection of exorbitant placement fees. Through our AKSYON Fund, the DMW will put the full force of the law to bear on unscrupulous individuals and organizations and seek justice for victimized OFWs.
The DMW urges other victims of illegal recruitment to contact us and report these offenses so we may assist them in the filing of their cases. They may reach us through the Facebook page of our Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) at https://www.facebook.com/airbranch or email at mwpb@dmw.gov.ph and also through their hotline number +63 2 8721-0619.
All-Star guard and NBA Champion Jrue Holiday has been traded to the Boston Celtics. The trade took place just less than a week after the Bucks sent Holiday to Portland that got them Daim Lillard.
In the trade, Portland TrailBlazers will receive Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, 2024 1st-round pick (via Warriors) and an 2029 unprotected 1st-round pick (via Celtics), while the Celtics will get Jrue Holiday.
The trade signals that the Blazers are indeed in rebuilding phase with a mix of youth and veteran, which will accelerate the development of the Blazer’s young core headed by Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick in this year’s draft.
Jrue Holiday on the Celtics will make the team a contender in the East, together with teh Bucks, he’e perfect with Brown and Tatum, since he is a two-way guard that can facilitate, create his own shot and can play off ball, and also his championship experience which will surely be a big help for the Boston Celtics in the Playoffs.
✅ NBA champion ✅ 2-time All-Star ✅ 5-time All-Defense selectee ✅ 3-time Teammate of the Year
Jrue Holiday’s addition should impact us on the court, off the court, and every which way.https://t.co/NBOEBvqSxK
Gilas Pilipinas suffered a disappointing 87-62 loss to Jordan in their final group stage match of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on September 30, 2023.
Jordan had already qualified for the quarterfinals before the game, but they still came out strong and took a 29-42 lead at halftime. Gilas Pilipinas tried to mount a comeback in the third quarter, but Jordan outscored them 28-10 in the final period to seal the victory.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led Jordan with 24 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Fadi Mustafa also helped with 17 pts and 5 assists. Justin Brownlee was the leading scorer for Gilas Pilipinas with 24 points, 3 assists and 1 steal. Aside from Scottie Thompson who made 11 pts and 11 rebounds, no other Gilas players scored more than 10 points in the game.
The loss to Jordan means that Gilas Pilipinas will have to go through the qualification round to reach the quarterfinals. They will face Qatar in the qualification match on October 2, 2023.
Jordan deal Gilas Pilipinas Men their first defeat at the end of the 19th Asian Games Group Stage.
Jordan (87) – Hollis-Jefferson 24, Mustafa 17, Bzai 12, Al Dwairi 10, Bohannon 10, Hussein 7, Al Hamarsheh 5, Al Hendi 2, Al Hammouri Abbaas 0, Qarmash 0.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), through its Cybersecurity Bureau, proactively responded to address a ransomware attack that targeted the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) last September 22, 2023.
Upon learning of the breach, the DICT Cybersecurity Bureau’s National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) went to PhilHealth Head Office and implemented critical security measures which included the disconnection of workstations from the network, prompt coordination with PhilHealth to gauge the extent of the attack, and collection of relevant logs for thorough analysis.
As of September 25, 2023, PhilHealth’s critical web services are only accessible via their IP addresses and currently ongoing comprehensive security scanning. Efforts to restore the functionality of PhilHealth’s DNS server are underway.
The DICT condemns the ransomware attack carried out against PhilHealth in an attempt to illegally access the information of its members. We shall continue to investigate and monitor the acquired logs from PhilHealth’s affected systems. An extensive checklist has been prepared by the DICT to benchmark PhilHealth’s readiness to get their systems online.
The DICT is committed to ensuring the full restoration of security and stability in PhilHealth systems and to safeguarding government systems and infrastructure from malicious cyber threats.
