During the flag ceremony of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday, the AFP Cavaliers officially gave their 4 million grand prize to their beneficiary, the AFP Educational Benefits System Office (AFP EBSO).

According to AFP Cavalier team captain Sgt. Alvin Zuñiga, they chose AFP EBSO to help in the education of children of fallen soldiers.

“It is our way of doing it the best that we could para mabigay namin iyong P4-M sa mga beneficiary kasi alam namin na mas maraming matatawid na estudyante na mag-aaral ng EBSO (It is our way of doing it the best we could for us to the P4 million to our beneficiary because we know EBSO can provide a lot of scholarships to students),” he said.

He is also grateful to UNTV for the opportunity it has given to help the scholars of AFP EBSO.

“Sa UNTV lalo na kay Kuya Daniel at kay Bro. Eli in behalf of AFP Cavaliers team at ng buong AFP lubos na nagpapasalamat sa malaking pagkakataon na ibinibigay sa amin. Patuloy niyo pa pong palakasin at pagandahin ang ating tournament alang alang po sa mga beneficiary na matatawid at matutulungan po ng ating programa, maraming maraming salamat po sa inyo(Thank you to UNTV, Kuya Daniel and Bro. Eli in behalf of AFP Cavaliers team and the whole AFP. Continue to strengthen our tournament for the beneficiaries that are helping our program. Thank you),” Zuñiga adds.

AFP EBSO chief Col. Antonio Dulnuan said the money they received from the AFP Cavaliers will help 233 students.

“Iyong ating programa covers elementary to college, tuloy tuloy po iyan, basta pumasa and we will support them giving them free tuition fee, allowance at miscellaneous na binibigay sa kanila kahit saang eskwelahan, [Our program covers elementary to college and it will continue as long as they pass the entrance examination, we will support them by giving them free tuition fee]” he said.

Meanwhile, AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr is proud of the achievement of the AFP Cavaliers and its contribution to the armed forces.

“What you have achieved is no small feat yet you have consistently manifested utmost excellence, compassion and patriotism that will serve as an inspiration to do more, to gave more and be more,” he said.—Aileen Cerrudo (with reports from Lea Ylagan)

Tags: AFP-EBSO, Armed Forces of the Philippines, UNTV Cup

Even though PNP Responders just finished 4th place in the seventh season of the league of public servants, they were still entitled to donate P500,000 to their chosen beneficiary.

The cash prize was awarded on March 11, 2019 during the UNTV Cup Season 7 Finals Game 2 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

PARDSS Foundation International has been PNP’s chosen beneficiary for 2 season’s now and in an off-season edition in 2018.

The Peace Action and Rescue with Dedication to Serve the Society (PARDSS) is a SEC-registered non-governmental organization with a mission to assist the PNP and other local government units in promoting peace, unity, public safety and development in the country.

The organization has almost 300 chapters in the Philippines and abroad conducting activities such as feeding programs, relief and rescue operations in times of calamities and disaster, assisting some communities of indigenous people, providing school supplies and shoes for destitute students and organizing medical and dental missions to name a few.

Arcie Fabon, the founder and president of PARDSS Foundation, says that part of their advocacy is to be an anti-crime entity in the society, “Sa bawat chapter po namin ine-endorse po namin sa chief of police sa malapit na station sa kanilang lugar. So dahil po dito nagiging katuwang po ng kapulisan ang ating PARDSS Foundation members sa pag-monitor, gathering information. Dahil po doon, natutulungan po namin sila [PNP] sa kanilang kampanya kontra krimen, kontra droga.”

(We endorse our chapter members to the local PNP officials for us to be of help. We usually help the policemen in monitoring and gathering information which is vital to PNP’s campaign against crime and drugs.)

In the latest executive face off before UNTV Cup Season 7 began, PNP Responders were able to donate P1,000,000 to PARDSS Foundation as championship prize. Part of the prize went to the acquisition of a parcel of land in Taytay, Rizal where they plan to build their national headquarters. The remaining amount went to the purchase of some rescue equipments, medical supplies and as budget for their relief operation in Bataan and Albay.

“Sa amin pong PNP Responders, sa pangunguna ni Chief Police Chief Superintendent Rhodel Sermonia, ang director ng PNP-PCRG, maraming maraming salamat po sa ikatlong pagkakataon na kami ay maging inyong beneficiary,” PARDSS Foundation President Arcie Fabon expressed.

(To PNP Responders, led by PNP-PCRG Director Chief Police Chief Superintendent Rhodel Sermonia, thank you very much. For the third time you chose PARDSS as your beneficiary.)

“To Kuya Daniel and Bro. Eli Soriano, thank you for inspiring us to help others. Dahil po sa inyo, nagkaroon ng UNTV Cup charity basketball league. At dahil po sa inyo, maisasakatuparan ang pangarap ng aming samahan na mas makatulong pa sa ating mga kababayan,” Fabon added.

(To Kuya Daniel [Razon] and Bro. Eli Soriano, thank you for inspiring us to help others. Because of you, a charity basketball league like UNTV Cup came into existence. And also because of you, PARDSS dream of helping more is getting into reality.) — UNTV Cup Staff

Tags: Daniel Razon, PARDSS Foundation, PNP Responders, UNTV Cup

The PITC Global Traders emerged victorious from the 3×3 exhibition match that opened Game 2 of the Best of Three UNTV Cup Season 7 Finals last Monday (March 11) at Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Four UNTV Cup teams participated: PITC Global Traders, Malacañang-PSC Kamao, NHA Builders and the PNP Responders.

In the first match up, the PITC Global Traders took on PNP Responders and dominated 17-12.

Both Rod Vasallo and Haddi Porto produced 7 points and Luis Lopez dropped 12. Richard Villanueva came up with 7 points, Anton Tolentino with 4 points and Jay Mann Misola with one point. PITC shot 80 percent from the field while PNP had a poor 31percent.

In the 2nd match up, Malacañang-PSC Kamao won vs NHA Builders, 18-11. Visnu Das Javier led the Kamao with 10 points. His brother Narayan came up with 5 points while Alvin Catipon made 3 points. Both teams had a low field goal percentage: Builders had 10 percent and Kamao had 32 percent. Most of the points came from the free-throw territory (15 points).

The final 3×3 match was between the PITC vs Malacañang-PSC. Rod Vasallo had 8 points, Haddi Porto came up with 4 points, Ryan Regalado got 2 points and Luis Lopez contributed one point.

On the other hand, Visnu Das Javier put up 10 points, Jason Magadia had 2 points and Alvin Catipon had one point.

It was a close fight, but PITC prevailed 15-13, taking home P20,000 cash prize.

The 3×3 format of basketball gained worldwide exposure when it was promoted by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) but it’s roots can be traced back in the 80s.

“Dating henerasyon ang tawag diyan ay ‘Tatluhan’. Bago magkaroon ng ‘Limahan’ sa nilalaro sa semento o sa gilid-gilid, may laro ng ganyan. Kasi dati mahirap makabuo ng limahan. But in this present generation, gumawa ang FIBA ng tinatawag na 3×3 or in layman’s term ay tatluhan lang yan,” explained by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) 3×3 program head Ronnie Magsanoc.

(The past generation called ‘tatluhan (group of three). Before it became ‘limahan’ (group of five) that is played in the streets, there was ‘tatluhan’. But in this present generation, FIBA calls it 3×3 or in layman’s term it’s also ‘tatluhan’.)

“Sa 3×3, it’s a 10-minute game, 12-second shot clock. So mabilis, exciting at saka patibayan sa maikling panahon. Tapos, 4 lang ang players, 3 ang pwedeng maglaro. Yung penalty, yung mga fouls, kung paano mo ilalabas ang bola mayroon ding difference compared sa 5-on-5. Pero iyan ay clearly stated sa FIBA technical rules,” the PBA legend and UNTV Cup game analyst added.

(3×3 is a 10-minute game with a 12-second shot clock. So, it’s a fast, exciting endurance game. There are only 4 players in a 3×3 team. Only three can play on the court with one on the bench as a substitute player. The penalties, fouls and how to inbound the ball, there’s a difference from 5-on-5. But all of the changes are clearly stated on FIBA’s technical rules.)

In addition, the pointing system on 3×3 is this: every successful shot inside the arc is awarded one point, while every successful shot behind the arc is awarded two points.

To date, according to the FIBA website the basketball 3×3 is set to make quite an entrance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. — Raymond Lacsa

Tags: Malacañang-PSC Kamao, PITC Global Traders, UNTV Cup