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by The Science Net

Catastrophic floods continue to ravage Pakistan

by Vinci Tamayo || Photo Credit: Akhtar Soomro/The Guardian

Since mid-June 2022, extreme monsoon rainfall and bursting glacial lakes have caused disastrous floods to wreak havoc in Pakistan. Weeks of torrential rain disrupted the lives of 33 million people and resulted in approximately 1,500 deaths as of September 16, 2022. The government has declared the situation a “national emergency” as the flooding continues to cause devastation to the country amidst its economic crisis. Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, described the flooding as the “worst in Pakistan’s history.” 

Although seasonal monsoons are known to usually bring large amounts of rain over the entire country, rainfall for this year’s monsoon season appeared to be much more than expected. Between July to August 2022 alone, Pakistan experienced 190% more rain than the 30-year average. According to Pakistan’s Minister of Climate Change, Sherry Rehman, Sindh and Balochistan—two of the country’s provinces—are currently experiencing the brunt of this disaster, seeing a staggering 784% and 500% increase in rainfall, respectively. This torrential rain has left about one-third of the country inundated as it destroyed homes, automobiles, crops, and livestock, bringing about an estimated $30 billion in damage.

Due to the severity of the situation, the United Nations (UN) launched a $160-million appeal to aid the millions affected by the catastrophe. The organization’s Secretary-General, António Guterres, disclosed to the public that Pakistan is in need of massive financial support as he called for the help of other countries. He further expounded that Pakistan’s flooding was a signal to the rest of the world to step up in combatting climate change. 

“Let’s stop sleepwalking towards the destruction of our planet by climate change. Today, it’s Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country,” Guterres remarked.

Pakistan health authorities also continue to warn the citizens of a looming health crisis in the country as dengue and malaria cases surge due to countless displaced individuals living near stagnant water. Health officials in southern Sindh province have reported 3,830 cases of dengue fever, with at least nine deaths. However, Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, Secretary-General of the Pakistan Medical Association, fears that these numbers do not accurately reflect the severity of the issue and that cases will continue to rise.

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Pakistan, a nation contributing only less than 1% of global carbon emissions, is experiencing a climate disaster. Various factors cause flooding, but the warming of the atmosphere as a result of climate change increases the likelihood of extreme rainfall. Since the start of the industrial period, the world has already warmed by about 1.2°C, and temperatures will continue to rise unless governments and large corporations drastically reduce emissions.

by The Science Net

Mandatory ROTC: The Art of Forced Submission

by Sean Marcus Valle-David || Photo Credit: Kyle Nase

Abraham Maslow once said, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail.”

Reserve Training Corps, or what most people know as ROTC, is a part of the National Service Training Program (NSTP)—a program meant to enhance the youth’s civic consciousness and defense preparedness. Currently, it is optional for college students to participate due to the political pariah surrounding it after the 2001 exposé of Mark Chua and his subsequent death. However, there are now ever louder voices calling for the restoration of its mandatory nature, not just for college students but for senior high school students as well.

Funny enough, the most notable of these voices are Former President and self-proclaimed strongman Rodrigo Duterte, who has famously bragged about faking tuberculosis to dodge the ROTC, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who hasn’t entered a Filipino College, let alone ever qualified to participate in the program at all. Along with them are a slew of primarily right-wing politicians like Vice President Sara Duterte and Senators Robin Padilla, Francis Tolentino, and Bato dela Rosa. These politicians cited the strengthening of public defense and the instilling of discipline, teamwork, and patriotism among the youth as reasons to make it mandatory. 

However, the severe backlash that sparked against the mandatory nature of the program after Mark Chua’s 2001 revelation of the underlying corruption in the ROTC institution must never be overwritten. It is important to remember how it unmasked the institution’s facade and uncovered its role as an authoritarian tool that ingrains messages of blind obedience among the youth. Such a system of mandatory military training only exposes the youth to harsh conditions and even harsher punishments, teaching them not discipline but rather fear of daring to step out of the line of blind submission. 

Furthermore, the amount of equipment and adjustments to the curriculum—which still requires vast academic improvement—needed to make room for the possible implementation of Mandatory ROTC for college and senior high school students is simply an additional burden to CHED and DepEd, who are both occupied with transitioning to post-pandemic learning. Moreover, with the massive budget cuts these departments received under the current administration and the larger problems that loom over the nation, there seems to be not enough reason to bring back its mandatory nature. 

“More people are needed for national defense preparedness.” Isn’t the impending economic crash a more immediate threat than any conflict with a fellow nation in the foreseeable future?

“The youth need to be taught better manners.” Won’t the liberal application of violence as a form of punishment only teach the youth that violence is the most efficient way to solve problems? 

When all you have is a hammer, won’t everything start looking like a nail? 

It is increasingly apparent that the restoration of Mandatory ROTC isn’t an earnest attempt at solving the nation’s problems but instead a blunt political tool meant to suppress the growing discontentment and calls for change emanating from the youth. Its reimposition is yet another attempt by an increasingly authoritarian regime to wrestle control of the narrative from the masses by forcing the youth—the country’s future—into another hail of indoctrination on levels unheard of since the fall of the late Marcos Sr.’s dictatorship. 

Therefore, it is the responsibility, nay, the necessity, of the youth as well as the masses to stop the powers that be from restoring a program that has such tainted history and motivations from ever going into fruition, for its success may very well be the beginning of the end of our hard-earned democracy—as flawed as it may be—that our ancestors fought, bled, and died for.

by The Science Net

Back to F2F: Adjusting Once Again to the Old Normal

by Aine Latoja || Photo Credit: Floydalyn Nitura

New school year, new changes, new me. 

Students at PSHS-EVC are once again adjusting to a blended learning set-up that incorporates both online and face-to-face classes. In this new phase, there are a new set of challenges to accommodate—for one, the adjustment period of students in this hybrid system. 

There are two sides to this coin called blended learning. On one side, students can engage more with their teachers in face-to-face lectures. However, they have to adjust back to doing assignments at a fixed schedule instead of the ‘at your own pace’ learning style of online classes. This brings us to the other side: the online set-up seems more flexible in terms of individual progression. But the disparity between students in terms of resources during the virtual set-up, and the toll it takes on their mental health, reminds us of why the online mode of learning led to a lesser understanding of lessons. Thus, with the present learning mode, we’re kind of getting the best (and worst?) of both worlds. 

The freshies of the new school year have to adjust the most. As if adjusting to Pisay culture isn’t already complicated enough, they also have to consider a now unfamiliar set-up on top of it all. A Grade 7 student even shared that “understanding the schedule and knowing the different places na mag-accomplish ng requirements is a bit hard [understanding the schedule and knowing the different places to accomplish your requirements in is a bit hard],” but meeting more people definitely encouraged them to branch out and gain motivation for the incoming school year. 

As for the older batches, some of whom haven’t even stepped foot on campus since the pandemic hit, they, too, are just like freshies adjusting in Pisay. 

Nina Marmita, a Grade 9 student, said, “I need to adjust again. But that’s not about everything. As I have never experienced being on campus since Grade 7, I feel that this will be a fun and new experience. Even with the need to adjust once again, I am happy that I can experience the freshie moments I always dreamed of, even if it’s late.” 

Moreover, school clubs and organizations are gearing up to become more active in the coming months, so student leaders and seniors alike are also adjusting to this new set-up. With more school content and engagements in motion, students are now somewhat involved in these ventures, might it be a simple interview or a picture. 

When asked about the active mobilizations of An Pukot, the official student Filipino publication of PSHS-EVC, Editor-in-Chief Ranz Go emphasized, “Leading a publication is something new to me, but overall, I don’t find it overwhelming naman. Pukot has active and cooperative members, so I believe we can continue, and even improve, its conduct during the past terms.”

The teachers also shared their thoughts on adjusting back to face-to-face classes. In an interview with Special Science Teacher Emman Patata, he voiced the importance of students being able to learn in a school setting like before the pandemic. He wished that “…All batches adi na ha school [will be here in school], na maka-interact na kamo [that all of you may get to interact] with everyone, and to return to the pre-pandemic setting.” 

Overall, everyone is still adjusting, even the teachers. But don’t worry, it all just takes time. Once time passes by, we’ll be glad to look back to the days when we experienced jitters for our first day of classes or face-to-face lectures. All things considered, I hope these insights by some people from the EVC community have helped you gain some inspiration for the school year, even just a little. 

We’re all in this together, in whatever learning mode it may be.

by The Science Net

Philippines experiences a surge in scam messages

by April Closa || Photo Credit: Tiffany Afable

The Philippines is currently experiencing a spike in fraud messages, which have recently become more rampant and aggressive, with some texts accurately including people’s first names.

The alarming surge has urged telecommunications companies to take action, with PLDT and Smart Communications blocking 23 million scam messages from June 11 to 14, 2022; and Globe Telecom Inc. blocking a total of 784 million unsolicited texts and scams, deactivating 14,058 scam-linked numbers, and blocklisting 8,973 numbers from January to July of the same year.

Last September 8, 2022, GCash updated its system and now censors letters in the recipient’s first names when sending money, compared to its previous version where inputting the recipient’s number completely reveals the corresponding first name and last name initial.

GCash’s new system update now censors the recipient’s name.

Through its initial investigation, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) suggested that the targeted scam messages seem to have been sourced from mobile numbers registered to text services instead of data aggregators.

“Contrary to a P2P transmission, data aggregators use an application-to-phone (A2P) transmission. The messages received through this transmission will not appear to have come from specific mobile numbers. Instead, it will come from a sender with [an] SMS ID (i.e., bank names, organization names, etc.) which identifies the data aggregator, or the brand or business name using the data aggregator’s service,” it said.

During the Committee on Public Services’ hearing last September 8, 2022, presided by Sen. Grace Poe, six senate bills presenting a mandatory SIM card registration were proposed, along with two resolutions to investigate the increasing number of scam messages. Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy also revealed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the ICT Ministry of Singapore that entails a collaboration between DICT and the ICT Ministry of Singapore on cybersecurity. Furthermore, Uy disclosed that Singapore is only one of the countries that the Philippines is eyeing to partner with in fortifying cybersecurity in the country.

Meanwhile, the NPC continues to investigate the sources for these targeted scam messages, examining format in name patterns registered in payment applications, mobile wallets, and messaging applications. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has also ordered telecommunication companies to text blast their consumers, alerting them about these text scams.

“As part of its next steps, the NPC will convene a meeting with representatives from the Telcos and government agencies, which include the NTC, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, the Philippine National Police, and the National Bureau of Investigation, on September 13, 2022,” the NPC stated.

The NPC alerts citizens to remain vigilant in protecting their private information.

by The Science Net

Alex Eala: Philippines’ Young Tennis Heroine

by Margarette Joelly Nunez || Photo Credit: Troi Santos/Rappler Philippines

Alex Eala stamped her name in the book of records as the first Filipino to clinch the Grand Slam singles title after overthrowing World’s No. 3 Lucie Havlickova, 6-2, 6-4, in the finals game of the 2022 US Open Girls Singles in New York last Sunday, September 11 (Manila Time).

The Filipina tennis sensation hatched the best play of the match in the final set at 2-2 with a drop shot-lob-forehand combination, followed by a quick left-handed forehand swift, all to capture the crucial point.

Shaking the early-game jitters off, Eala fell to a 1-2 start in the opening set of the finals game. However, the new record-holder managed to put Czech Republic’s Havlickova in a slump, nabbing five straight games and ending the set at 6-2.

Eager to take back the lost battle, Havlickova put up a hard fight with Eala in the second set, wherein she came off with a 4-3 lead. But the Filipina starlet denied the No. 2 seed of her forceful entry by dominating the next three games that concluded the 68-minute match.

The Rafael Nadal Academy prodigy’s stellar performance clinched her another Grand Slam Juniors title after the two triumphs from doubles 2020 Australian Open and 2021 French Open.

En route to the final match, she stunned Canada’s Annabelle Xu in the first game, 6-3, 6-0; Slovakia’s Nina Vargova in the second round, 6-2, 6-3; Australia’s Taylah Preston, 6-2, 7-6 (1); Russia’s Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals, 6-4, 6-0; and Canada’s Victoria Mboko in the semifinals, 6-1, 7-6 (5).

Eala shares the credit with her tennis icon, Nadal, and the athletic genes in her roots, which sparked her passion for bringing pride to the Philippines.

“Buong puso ko itong ipinaglaban, hindi lang para sa sarili ko kundi para makatulong din ako sa kinabukasan ng Philippine tennis [I fought for this title wholeheartedly, not just for myself but also for the purpose of helping the future of Philippine tennis],” Alex Eala said as she held back her tears during her victory speech.

Finally, she added, “So hindi lang ‘to panalo ko, panalo natin ‘to [This isn’t just my victory, it’s our victory].”

by The Science Net

Saving Lives: How a Little Compassion Can Prevent the Preventable

by Kassie Fallorina || Photo Credit: Nikki Ela Tabaranza

Trigger Warning: 

This article contains discussions of suicide and references to depression and other mental health disorders that may act as triggers. Continue at your own discretion. 

Stress. Anger. Doubt. Frustration. Sadness. 

These feelings may seem familiar to many these days. While some can manage on their own, others get overwhelmed and, eventually, stuck in an unrelenting hole of self-doubt and depression. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 700,000 people die by suicide each year; that’s approximately one person every 40 seconds. The United States Department of Health and Human Services reported that at least 90 percent of these people suffer from one or more mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and alcoholism. 

In the Philippines, mental health workers have noted an increase in calls to suicide prevention hotlines since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase has been attributed to depression over the inability to earn a living, academic pressure, social isolation, and in some cases, disruptive home environments.

To those who are not in the grips of suicidal depression and despair, it may be difficult to understand what drives so many individuals to take their own lives. But a suicidal person is in so much agony that they can see no other way of finding relief except through death. 

The best way to prevent these deaths is by recognizing warning signs and knowing how to respond to them. Warning signs may include talking about killing or harming oneself, exhibiting feelings of hopelessness, and seeking out things that could be used in a suicide attempt, such as drugs and weapons. 

If you spot these warning signs in someone you know, offer an empathetic listening ear. Let them know that they’re not alone and that you care. Don’t, however, try to minimize their pain. Instead, encourage them to seek help and see a mental health professional. You can offer support, but you can’t expect yourself to make them get better. 

As we commemorate World Suicide Prevention Month, it is important that we check up on our friends and relatives, not only today but for all the days to come as well. Strike a conversation and ask them how they’re doing because even the ones with the brightest smiles are hiding the deepest scars. It is not only with the presence of warning signs that we must tap the people around us.

Lastly, to anyone going through a hard time right now: You are not alone. Don’t be afraid of opening up, and find strength in vulnerability. Things will get better. 

If you or someone you know is exhibiting suicidal tendencies, you can dial the following hotlines for help: 

National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline 

Globe/TM: (0917) 899-8727 

Smart/Sun/TNT: (0908) 639-2672 

Telephone: (02) 989-8727 

Hopeline 

PLDT: (02) 804-4673 

Globe: (0917) 558-4673 

Smart/TNT: (0918) 873-4673

In Touch Community Services 

Cellphone: (0917) 800-1123 

Telephone: (02) 893-7603

PSHS-EVC Guidance Counseling Unit

Official GCU Site: https://tinyurl.com/GCUGoogleSite (use your PSHS email to access)

by The Science Net

Bivalent COVID-19 Booster Shots Include Protection Against Omicron

by Dwight Marquez || Photo Credit: Johns Hopkins: Bloomberg School of Public Health

Anticipating an uptick in COVID-19 cases, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorizations of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines to allow the use of newly reformulated vaccines as single-use booster shots.

The updated COVID-19 booster is a bivalent vaccine developed to specifically target both the original COVID-19 strain and the recently circulating Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

On September 2, the Philippines logged 656 new cases of the Omicron subvariants. Of this number, 624 were cases of the Omicron BA.5 subvariant, 13 cases of BA.4, 1 case of BA.2.12.1, and 18 cases tagged as “other sublineages.”

Booster shots are an essential line of defense against the COVID-19 virus as vaccines become less effective when it mutates.

“They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants,” said Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle P. Walensky in a statement after briefing the public of the boosters’ use.

Data from clinical (human) studies with similar BA.1 bivalent boosters and nonclinical trials with BA.4/BA.5 bivalent vaccines have shown increased immune response against Omicron subvariants, while also demonstrating a “non-inferior” antibody response against the ancestral strain. The shots prompted reactions similar to the primary doses and have remained safe.

Pfizer Incorporated’s Vice President, Kena Swanson, suggested during a vaccine advisory committee meeting that preclinical data have “reliably predicted” the clinical results of variant-modified vaccines.

The U.S. FDA authorized the use of Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent boosters for anyone age 12 and older, while Moderna’s bivalent vaccines for adults 18 and older. Both shots require the completion of the primary doses and a 2-month interval following a primary or booster vaccination. The same eligibility criteria were recommended by the CDC.

The Marcos administration promised to look into the updated bivalent boosters and provide the shots to those who need them.

by The Science Net

Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96, ending a reign longer than any British monarch

by Katharine Manalo || Photo Credit: Chris Jackson/Good Morning America

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-ruling monarch, died at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle last September 8, 2022, after more than seven decades of an era-defining reign.

The news of her peaceful passing followed hours after Buckingham Palace announced that doctors were concerned about the deteriorating health of Britain’s Queen, which led her relatives to rush to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to bid their final goodbyes.

The Queen’s 73-year-old eldest son, the next in line to the throne, was proclaimed King Charles III hours after her death, making him the new monarch of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

“The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” King Charles III said in his first statement as monarch.

“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world,” the new monarch added.

Thousands of people gathered in front of Buckingham Place, where a startling quiet ensued when the flag was lowered to half-mast. As soon as the sign about the passing of the only monarch most Britons had ever known was attached to the black iron gates, the crowd rushed to the entrance.

Queen Elizabeth II’s death will be commemorated by a solemn ceremony. No government announcements will be made until after her funeral, which will be recognized as a public holiday in approximately ten days.

by The Science Net

PSHS-EVC implements limited in-person classes for AY 2022-2023

by Aya Ecaldre || Photo Credit: Floydalyn Nitura

After two academic years of virtual learning, the Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS-EVC) finally opened its doors to Grades 10-12 students for limited in-person classes last September 5, 2022.

Prior to the opening of classes, virtual orientations for students were held via Zoom, last August 3, 2022 to September 2, 2022.

The first day of the orientation centered on ALA (Alternative Learning Activity) and SCALE (Service, Creativity, Action, and Leadership Enhancement) talks. Headed by Mr. Dennis Juabot, the ALA Coordinator, the orientation included presentations from representatives and advisers of each group. After two academic years of no implementation, the school’s existing (i.e., Pisayaw, SUGA, ACTS, Muskianta) and new (MUN, Rondalla, and Sikatala) ALAs now welcome students from Grades 7 to 10. In the afternoon, Ms. Nikki Rabe led the SCALE Talk for the SYP students.

On the second day of the virtual orientations, September 1, 2022, different units such as the Guidance and Counseling Unit (GCU), Health Services Unit (HSU), Registrar, Discipline Office (DO), and Residence Hall Unit (RHU) laid the foundation for their respective departments by conducting separate orientation sessions.

The Salubong: Pisay Spirit Day, facilitated by the Student Alliance (SA) last September 2, 2022, concluded the orientation week. The event consisted of games, elections, and organizational meetings that aimed to ignite the Pisay spirit among the batches, provide an avenue for scholars to interact, and offer helpful insights to each other. As the event was coming to an end, an open forum where students exchanged their inquiries and concerns regarding Pisay followed the program.

In-campus classes formally opened on September 5, 2022, at the PSHS-EVC Gymnasium. The flag ceremony was preceded by a short program that included the induction of the Student Alliance, batch, class, and club officers led by Ms. Yvonne Esperas, the Campus Director. Kendra Osias, the SA President, also delivered her inaugural message and quoted, “It is because of a collective effort that we have made it this far, and it will be because of a collective effort that we’ll do it again.” The introduction of faculty and staff from different units followed, headed by Mrs. Anariza Gozon, the CID Chief.

On campus, students, faculty, and staff are still required to follow health protocols such as completion of health declaration forms upon entry, wearing masks, and social distancing.

For the first two weeks of September, Grades 10 to 12 students will attend in-person classes, while Grades 7 to 9 will have their classes virtually. After those two weeks, the cycle repeats, but this time, students in Grades 7 to 9 will have in-person classes, while students in Grades 10 to 12 will attend online classes. The implementation of this alternating schedule is to ensure that there is no overcrowding on the campus as per health protocols. However, due to the unstable electrical connection on the campus, Schedule 2 (half-day classes) is currently being followed. According to the Office of the Campus Director, Schedule 1 (whole-day classes) will be implemented once a stable electricity supply is restored.

Despite the challenge of readjusting to blended learning, scholars express their excitement as they once again experience in-person classes.

Jade Mendiola, a Grade 12 student, shared that despite her nervousness about the new school year and college applications, she is excited to finally meet her batchmates and other people at school after more than two years.

According to a Grade 9 student, Natalie Narrido, she looks forward to having better academic discussions in-person compared to the online setup. “I’ll have a chance to spend more time with my friends who live far [away],” she added.

“The discussions will also be much clearer and easier to understand because we won’t struggle with the internet connection,” Samantha Corona from Grade 8 remarked.

Grade 10 student Sachi Adricula stated that she’s happy because, unlike in online learning, where you have to go through everything alone, you at least have your friends and peers with you in face-to-face classes.

Photo by: Floydalyn Nitura
by The Science Net

Creamline concludes AVC Cup stint, finishes 6th

by Kyle Andrew Abello || Photo Credit: PVL MEDIA BUREAU/Rappler Philippines

After earning their right to represent the Philippines in the 2022 Asian Volleyball Confederation Cup for Women, the Creamline Cool Smashers—champions of the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Invitationals—braved the tournament and concluded their stint with a 6th place finish after bowing to Chinese Taipei in straight sets, 28-26, 25-21, 25-21, last August 29 at the PhilSports Arena.

Creamline’s 6th place finish in the AVC Cup successfully topped the Philippines’ 9th place finish in the 2018 edition held in Thailand. The team had undoubtedly proved their haters wrong by keeping up with the strongest teams across the continent.

Even with little time to prepare and rest after the PVL, they represented the Philippines with high spirits, giving justice to what the Philippines is capable of on the volleyball court.

Creamline’s AVC Cup opener was against one of the powerhouses of Southeast Asian volleyball, Vietnam. Key players Jema Galanza, Michele Gumabao, and Tots Carlos scored 13, 11, and 9 points, respectively. Due to health protocols, captain and setter Jia De Guzman failed to play in their game debut, forcing Kyle Negrito to step into action. Despite starting the two sets with a somewhat slow start for the Philippines, 25-19, 25-17, Carlos and Atienza showcased their grit and managed to extend the third set; however, Vietnam was still able to finish the game in a sweep, 31-29.

Second to face the Philippines was the five-time defending champion, China, who proved court superiority with a straight-set win, 25-16, 25-22, 25-20. Undeterred by their loss, Creamline was proud of their game as they had stuck close with China on the scoreboard for the match’s majority. With De Guzman back in the court, Carlos, Gumabao, and Galanza put up a tough fight against the Chinese. Carlos led the scoreboard of the national team with 15 points, while Gumabao and Galanza followed with 11 points apiece. Meanwhile, libero Atienza guarded the home floor with her superb floor defense.

Following two straight losses, the Cool Smashers finally earned a win after a four-set match against Iran, 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-14. Galanza continued her astonishing performance on the international stage with a sensational 21-point outing. Carlos and Gumabao assisted the win with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the middle blockers Pangs Panaga and Ced Domingo overcame their quiet outings against China with nine points apiece, including three and two block points, respectively.

Slashing their way into the quarter-finals of the AVC Cup, the Philippines showcased their veteran expertise in their fourth game against the young team of South Korea with a sweep, 25-18, 25-13, 25-17. Galanza and Carlos yet again proved their dominance after scoring 12 and 11 points, respectively. Domingo and Gumabao both also contributed 9 points, chipping into the 12 block points of the team with 3 blocks each.

After defeating South Korea, Thailand was the next team for the Philippines. While the first set went to the gold medalists for the 2021 SEA Games Women’s Volleyball Tournament, 18-25, the Philippines managed to steal the second set from the Thais, 25-23. Even with the team staying close for the majority of the third set, Thailand limited their errors and regained momentum, successfully ousting the Philippines from a semifinals seat, 20-25, 9-25. Gumabao, Carlos, and Domingo were the main guns of the country, with 13, 12, and 8 points, respectively.

Barred from the semifinals, the Philippines faced Australia in a classification for 5th to 8th places. Creamline was eager to bounce back from the loss against Thailand, where after a five-set thriller, their hard work and perseverance paid off, 21-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-18, 15-12. Carlos brought home 26 points, backstopped by Galanza and Domingo with 18 points individually.

Finally, in their fight for 5th place, Creamline-Philippines battled against Chinese Taipei. The team, having played six matches in seven days, tried to limit the lead and level the playing field; even so, Chinese Taipei clinched the game and the 5th spot finish. Carlos, who had delivered the big guns in their previous match against Australia, was limited to seven points. On the other hand, Domingo led the charge with 12 points, Gumabao had nine points, and Galanza and Panaga recorded eight markers each.

“We’re very happy with the outcome of the AVC Cup. It could’ve been different also if we had more time to prepare, but the whole team was very willing to step up to the opportunity and we’re very grateful for it,” De Guzman said in an interview with OneSports. “And, you know, the wins and lessons that we got are so priceless and would be a really big help for our team, whether in the PVL or if we are given the chance internationally, we will absolutely take it and we’ll improve.”

The next stop of the team will be in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, for the ASEAN Grand Prix set on September 9-11, 2022. After two days of much-needed and deserved rest, the squad will go back to training as they prepare for their rematch against Thailand and Vietnam.