by Nearlyn Lumayno || Photo Credit: Sarah Jane Canalita Robrigado/Good News Pilipinas

Bince Rafael Operiano, a chess genius from Albay, Philippines, won a trophy and four medals from the recently concluded 6th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship held in Bangkok, Thailand. However, his journey to compete in a foreign country included sleeping at the Thailand airport for three nights due to the lack of lodging funds.

“We don’t have enough money to meet the needs of my son during the competition. In fact, we sourced out funds by soliciting from friends and local officials,” stated his mother, Rosemary Operiano, after Bince almost did not fly to Thailand.

In the post of the Albay 3rd District Representative Fernando Cabredo, he explained, “Due to limited funds and while waiting for the plane ticket sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Bince and his father spent three nights at the airport with those benches as their bed.” He then added that Bince had to fly to Thailand first without the company of his father. 

Later, his mother revealed that the parents of other contestants saw the little boy crying because he missed his father, Mr. Ben Operiano. As a 9-year-old boy, it was difficult for him to be in a foreign country without any of his parents to accompany him—all while competing internationally. 

Although Bince withstood the first game with no parent around to root for him, he soon felt pressured and dropped his first game. Luckily, his father arrived in Thailand early enough to root for Bince in his next games. From that time, Bince was more comfortable and eager to win the games. 

Since his father’s arrival, Bince had won the succeeding rounds and made it to the top. According to Mr. Operiano, his son was more motivated and driven to bag the championship title. The little boy ranked first in the U-10—under ten years old—category after overthrowing 20 other contestants from different countries. 

Mr. Operiano is absolutely proud of Bince’s achievements and solid commitment to do his best in the games despite all the challenges. This 9-year-old boy undoubtedly made everyone in his hometown and country proud. 

The struggles that Bince had to resist to win the Chess Championship are unsettling because he endured them young. However, this only exposes how the Philippine government does not give its athletes the best support. In fact, it is one of the most pressing issues that athletes who participate on the international stage face constantly—and this must soon change. It is just fitting that the government should provide extensive care to the country’s athletes, as they need to be in the best condition to compete.

by:  Margarette Joelly Nunez || Photos Credit: PSHS System Ugnayan

Ugnayan 2022 Theme: “Breaking barriers of stereotyping in sports, dance, and music.”

After two years of pandemic pause, the PSHS System kicked off Ugnayan 2022 last November 7-10, 2022, in Baguio City with PSHS – Cordillera Administrative Region Campus as the host. 

The cultural and sporting event consisted of 5 clusters: Yellow Sami-Sami (IRC, MRC, CVisC, SMC), Red Abuyo (CVC, CBZRC, WVC, CRC), White Kullaaw (CLC, MC, EVC, SRC), Blue Tuwato (CARC, BRC, CMC, ZRC), and Green Dudon (OED, ExeCom, BOT, NAA).

Warming the shivers on the 7th of November, the Ugnayan delegates gathered before sunrise and were accompanied by the Philippine Military Band as they marched from Hill Station to Baguio Convention Center. The parade was followed by the opening program involving Torch Lighting, Kapihan sa Baguio, and the Gender and Development Seminar. 

After the opening program, the Chorale and Dancesport competitions of the PSHS personnel from different campuses began. EVC’s very own chorale group won 5th place with their winning piece, “Leron Leron Sinta.” In dancesport, EVC’s duo, Nomer Gutierrez and Darry Portillo, danced the night away in Cha-cha, Rhumba, and Jive during the qualifying round but failed to progress to the final round; nonetheless, the victorious pair came from the same cluster, White Kullaaw. 

Starting with the ball games, the sports fest commenced on November 8 at Benguet State University. In volleyball, EVC representatives Margarette Nuñez and Tiffany Afable claimed the 4th spot after losing two matches. On the other hand, Leslie Cruto and Herma Morales dominated the court to clinch 1st place in the personnel category of women’s volleyball with a clean sweep. 

Shooting their shot to the championships, Vince Boonyarat and Job Beau Linao of basketball girls and boys, respectively, secured their silver medals after battling teams from the same cluster, Red Abuyo. The basketball girls won the first game against the champions but failed in the second due to a twice-to-beat advantage. Meanwhile, the men’s basketball team of the personnel category, composed of Francis Ebio and Fernando Asis, landed 4th. 

Held the same day at Baguio Athletic Bowl was the athletics competition, which was joined by Alexandrei Delector, Helena Enero, Dachel Raagas, and Joven Sumayod. Delector ran 200 meters and clinched 4th, while Raagas secured 4th in the 100-meter dash. Meanwhile, Helena Enero won silver and gold in the 100-meter dash and 4×100-meter relay, respectively. Lastly, Joven Sumayod placed silver in the men’s running long jump. 

In chess, EVC representative Quiara Macasa bagged gold after establishing dominance among her opponents. Ana Riza Gozon also claimed her medal as she placed bronze in the personnel’s category.

On the third day, the racket games filled the courts of Benguet State University. EVC’s badminton players went home triumphant after Franze Go fought his way to 3rd place in the boy’s singles division, while Vinci Gabumpa and his mixed doubles pair Antonette Occeña dominated the scene after gaining 0 losses and a gold medal. 

Battling alongside the courts of BSU were the table tennis athletes. In girl’s doubles, Jewess Alban and her partner successfully took home bronze. From the boy’s doubles category, Laurence Abuda landed 4th place after two consecutive losses. Similarly, Jennifer De Los Reyes and Xavier De Los Reyes bagged the 4th spot in the mixed personnel category. 

On the last day, the personnel pitched in the Laro ng Lahi, which consisted of familiar Filipino games such as sack race, tug-of-war, and kadang-kadang. Aside from the chorale stage, Neil Rabino and Alexandra Buñales proved prowess in the tug-of-war, where they won 1st place.

To formally conclude PSHS System Ugnayan 2022, an awarding ceremony was held after Laro ng Lahi. First, the host announced the 5th place in overall points, Cluster 5 – Green Dudon; then, Cluster 3 – White Kullaaw in 4th; and Cluster 1 – Yellow Sami-Sami in 3rd place. Down to two clusters, screams of joy filled the gymnasium as Red Abuyo sealed the overall champion title, handing the 2nd spot to Blue Tuwato.

The chant, “Agyaman kami, CARC! [Thank you, CARC],” poured around Benguet State University as the delegates of Ugnayan 2022 expressed their gratefulness. 

For the final stop, the delegates toured around Philippine Military Academy in Benguet, Baguio. The PMA Band played their hearts out through their drums and trumpets, enchanting the PSHS System. The graduating cadets also showcased their routines that anchored symbols of their values. Finally, alumni of PISAY shared their stories of becoming a cadet, inspiring fellow scholars to join the academy. 

PSHS System Ugnayan 2023 is set to connect the campuses once more in Iloilo as PSHS – Western Visayas Campus accepts the challenge of holding this passionate and exciting event.

by Jesslie Yu || Photo Credit: MPL Philippines​/ABS-CBN News

Blacklist International broke the code again and claimed their third MPL Philippines title after defeating ECHO Philippines in a best-of-7 series, 4-2, on Sunday, October 23, 2022.

EDWARD, the Exp Laner of Blacklist International, was hailed as the Finals MVP for having a diverse hero pool and for being the pillar the agents needed to win the series. This proves his prowess from his pseudonym, Agent Zero, as the first-ever recruit of the team. 

Before the tournament proper, the Royal Duo, Danerie James “Wise” Del Rosario and Jonmar “OhmyV33nus” Villaluna, were welcomed with the MLBB’s Hall of Legends award after their break in Season 9. With recharged energies, they led the agents to victory using unorthodox picks and flawless synergy with Salic “Hadji” Imam, Kiel “OHEB” Soriano, and Edward “EDWARD” Dapadap.

“Thank you for supporting and believing in us throughout the season. Even though we struggled in the regular season, we managed to get back and win this season,” Kristoffer “BON CHAN” Ed Ricaplaza, the coach of Blacklist International, stated in an interview.

In Game 1, Wise thrilled the crowd with a peculiar Valentina jungle pick, pulling two mage heroes in the draft. Not only was ECHO baffled in this game, but also the haters who ridiculed the hero pool of King Wise. 

Bouncing back in Game 2, ECHO shut down the Estes and Faramis hero combo with an awestruck pick in the tournament, Yawi’s Valir, that dismantled the legendary UBE strategy of the Agents, dominating the battlegrounds all the way. 

Persisting their momentum, ECHO gained the upper hand in the series, 2-1, as Yawi picked the Roam Jawhead to dominate in ganks along with KarlTzy’s Jungle Akai. 

However, the iconic Benedetta pick of EDWARD from Blacklist International did wonders in Game 4, carrying the game with split pushes. Agent Zero freely roamed the map while baiting ECHO to commit to the intention that tied the series to 2-2.

In the last two games, Blacklist International established pure dominance by bringing King Wise’s Valentina Jungle for Game 4 and Guinevere Jungle for Game 5 on the table and paired up with the Lolita of OhmyV33nus. The sublime connection and expertise in commanding plays gave them the upper hand, wherein they fully controlled the two games to reclaim the trophy, 4-2.

Despite having phenomenal performances coming from Jungler of the ECHO Philippines, Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno, and the Roamer, Tristan “Yawi” Cabrera, they were bested by the Blacklist International for this series. But, the rivalry between the two teams does not end here as they will face once more in the M4 World Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia.

by Kyle Andrew Abello || Photo Credit: FIBA/Inquirer.net

William Navarro, a player of the Gilas Pilipinas, was caught in the middle of an upset as fellow basketball stars and fans went to social media to express their dismay with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) not giving Navarro clearance to play in the Korean Basketball Association (KBA) for the Seoul Samsung Thunders. 

“I’m sorry but this is crazy. THIS HAS TO STOP. You got players who’ve been working hard and dreaming to play basketball at the highest level they can reach and we got our own people stopping us from achieving greatness,” said Kai Sotto on Twitter after news broke out that the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and SBP did not clear Navarro for the Korean Basketball League (KBL).

Other prominent basketball players, namely Greg Slaughter and Matthew Wright, also called out the actions of the SBP. Wright stated that Filipino basketball players still represent Pinoy Pride wherever they go, while Slaughter described their actions as ‘crab mentality at its highest.’

While it is true that the SBP should not withhold its players from grabbing opportunities that would better themselves as athletes, it is important to know the reasoning behind such actions. It would be unreasonable for the SBP to limit their players, so it begs to ask the question: why did the SBP not clear Navarro?

“The SBP respects players’ rights to look for greener pastures. But players also need to respect agreements they have entered into with their teams,” SBP said in a statement Sunday, Sept. 18. “Mr. Navarro has an existing contract to: 1) play for the national team, attend activities, practices, social and business functions and 2) with his undeniable agreement, be assigned to only and no other team or ballclub than his PBA drafting team, the NorthPort Batang Pier. The SBP does not intend to unduly prevent players from furthering their careers with other teams here or overseas. But it is a fundamental and ethical practice for players to honor their existing contracts with their mother teams.”

Based on the statement of the SBP, it is true that an athlete should uphold and honor their contract. Since Navarro still has an ongoing obligation, it would dishonor his contract if he would play in the KBL, hence SBP not giving him clearance to participate in the said stint abroad. The statements of his fellow basketball players may sound right, but in reality, it does not hold a legal basis.

However, it should be understood where the players are coming from. As athletes, they know the importance of stepping out of their comfort zone and maximizing every opportunity that comes their way, as it is what allows them to improve. They know how great the opportunity would have been for Navarro and how having exposure to playing abroad might even be beneficial for Gilas Pilipinas.

Although it makes more sense for the SBP to allow Navarro to let him spread his wings, this argument would have no legs in the court of law because of the presence of the contract that bars Navarro from reaching greatness and from having freedom as an athlete. 

Freedom is fundamental when expanding your horizons, but that freedom might be tainted by a contract. If there’s a lesson from this stirrup, it would be that if one wants to have the freedom to seek greener pastures, carefully review the contract that is to be signed, or better yet, don’t sign it at all.

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 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.

by: Kyrus Mathew Pampanga || Photo Credit: Little League

Representing the Asia-Pacific region, the young Negros Occidental softball team from the Philippines bowed down to their towering Virginian rival, 0-9, during the 2022 Little League Softball World Series (LLSWS) last August 16, 2022, Philippine Standard Time, in Greenville, North Carolina, USA.

As the shortest in the World Series with an average height of 5’0, the team was composed of talented Filipino girls all from different towns and cities of Negros Occidental.

Coming off a stellar performance throughout the league, Virginia’s Kaylee Hodges once again exemplified her prowess as she emerged victorious, conquering their final match-up with an impeccable strikeout spree and commanding pitches.

Kicking things off with a roaring crowd, the two teams put out an intense exchange of nerves, clouding the start with foul plays and stagnant strikeouts that left the scoreboard unruffled even after four innings for both teams.

Finally, Virginia embarked on the scoreboard after a clean base hit by Isabela Viruet following a swift execution to touch the home plate, taking the lead at 0-1.

Persisting still in a battle reminiscent of the Bible’s David and Goliath, Negros Occidental’s Jacey Pajotal took the lead for her team to try and counter Virginia’s dominance in offense and defense. 

But only then did the rain arrive, and things took a turn in their hopes to score over the Americans, shutting all doors to be neck-in-neck with the other team’s score, 0-4.

The Virginian ace batter Kammie Walter reigned over as she kept their formidable offense in check and generated striking base hits, which led her team to victory, outlasting the Filipinos by a wide margin, 0-9.

Despite their loss against the giants, the Negrese Softbelles ended their World Series campaign on a good note. The team was crowned with the 2022 Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award after exhibiting strong discipline, a bright attitude, and sportsmanship on and off the field.

“On behalf of all of us at the Little League Softball World Series, we are honored to present the 2022 Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award to Negros Occidental Little League,” Ashlea Nash, the Little League Director of Softball Development, said. “Since the moment they arrived, the players of Negros Occidental Little League have shown the excitement and sportsmanship that makes the Little League World Series experience so meaningful and have proven what it means to be Girls with Game.”

“The award surprised everyone as among the twelve competing teams, the Negros Occidental team got the award which, we feel is a gold award at that,” stated Anthony Carlo Agustin, the head of delegation and the Provincial Sports Office of Negros Occidental.

by: Jesslie Joed Yu || Photo Credit: PVL Images/Manila Bulletin

Creamline Cool Smashers proved their dominance in the finals match of the PVL Invitational Conference after a 3-set sweep against KingWhale Taipei, 25-21, 25-19, 25-8, at the Mall of Asia Arena last Sunday, August 14.

Tots Carlos, the conference’s Most Valuable Player led Creamline’s victory with 14 points, followed by Jema Galanza with 13 markers, and the Finals Most Valuable Player, Ced Domingo with 11 points.

“Everyone is focused, we really have to go all out to secure this game since it is only a 1-game finals match,” said Finals MVP Ced Domingo.

In the first set, Creamline established a strong start with an early 6-1 run that pushed the Taiwanese team to step up their game. KingWhale tried to crawl back by making a 5-2 run which closed the gap to a 2-point deficit, 21-19, but Domingo proved her MVP prowess and stopped their momentum with a block, slashing the first blood, 25-21. 

Eager to turn the tables, KingWhale owned the second set from start to mid game, maintaining a 5-point gap against Creamline. But the Cool Smashers denied their attempt and came alive with the service ace of Valdez, restoring order with a massive 15-3 run that halted the set to 25-19.

Creamline broke the spirits of the KingWhale as they dominated the third set with ease, not even letting them score in double-digits as Valdez finished the game with a powerful kill to clinch the championship, 25-8.

Performing 9 points on the scoreboard along with 13 excellent digs and 8 excellent receptions, Alyssa Valdez remained as the best outside spiker despite her recent ankle injury. 

Meanwhile, KingWhale Taipei’s great playmaker Liao Yi-Jen and agile defender Qui Shi-Qing nabbed the best setter and best libero awards, respectively. 

As agreed, the champions Creamline faces no break as they now fly out to defend the country’s pride as representatives in the AVC Cup 2022.

“Not all are given the chance to represent or be in the national team. We’re glad that the whole team will represent, and we’ll really give our best to give all teams a nice game. We’re really excited to play,” said Conference MVP Tots Carlos. 

by Kirstin Malinao || Photo credits: ONE Esports

Conquering the rematch, SIBOL managed to safeguard their crown after emerging victorious against Indonesia, 3-1, in the 31st Southeast Asian Games Mobile Legends: Bang Bang event last May 20, 2022. 

The SIBOL MLBB team was comprised of veterans from Blacklist International, which included Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna, Danerie “Wise” Del Rosario, Salic “Hadji” Imam, and Dexter “DEX STAR” Alaba. Newly minted rookies Howard “Owl” Gonzales, Kyle “Dominic” Soto, and Russel “Eyon” Usi completed the lineup.

Meanwhile, the Philippine team’s opponent in the finals, Team Indonesia, was composed of professionals from a variety of well-known groups. Their roster included Albert “Alberttt” Neilsen Iskandar, “Vyn” Calvin, and Rivaldi “R7” Fatah from RRQ Hoshi; Calvin “CW” Winata, “Sanz” Gilang, and Nicky “Kiboy” Fernando Pontonuwu from ONIC Esports; and “Luminaire” Ihsan Besari Kusudana from EVOS Legends.

The event consisted of two stages: commencing with the group stage wherein the top 2 teams from each group would qualify for the finals. The group stage divides the 7 teams, representing seven countries, into two sets. The groups in each set would compete, with group A having 4 teams and group B having 3. In group A, the Philippines and Malaysia were able to qualify after overthrowing Myanmar and Laos. On the other hand, group B had Indonesia and Singapore move on to the next stage after Vietnam suffered from no wins.

The final stage was in a Best-of-3 format, followed by a grand final with a Best-of-5. The semi-finals ended with the Philippines winning over Singapore, 2-1, and Indonesia thwarting Malaysia with 2-0. The two teams then played four games, with SIBOL claiming first place, 3-1. Indonesia and Singapore came in second and third, respectively.

by: Margarette Joelly Nuñez || Photo credit: SF 2021-2022 Documentation Comittee

PSHS-EVC’s Virtual Sportsfest unleashed its final hurrah last March 31, 2022. House X, similar to the past year, bagged the overall champion title while Houses Z and Y placed 2nd and 3rd, respectively.  

The final wave of games began on March 30-31, featuring the Online Amazing Race, Valorant, and SF Live Quiz. Conducted by section, the Online Amazing Race included a series of questions and links that led to a finish point, with sections Diamond, Jasmine, Sodium, Neutron, and Section A dominating the scene. Meanwhile, Lapid Phenomenal Basketball of House Klotho struck gold in Valorant, which mandated two teams per house (in an open category) and was conducted in a 5v5 first-person hero shooter game. Finally, for the concluding game, the Live Quiz rewarded winning players with 200 pesos and ten house points in which Houses X, Y, and Z garnered 100, 50, and 40 points, respectively.  

To ignite the energy of the spectators, selected students and guest band Vyses showcased their talents through pre-recorded performances during the closing program;  games were also held alongside these to maintain the zest. 

The hosts finally declared House Klotho as this year’s champions, having seized 1678 points in total. House Atropos, only four points behind with a score of 1674, secured the second spot. Lastly, House Lachesis landed in third with a total of 1480 points. 

“Despite the setup, we succeeded in pushing this victory. However, the real win here was really the bond that we met along the way. This event allowed us to ease the distance between Pisay scholars in the region,” stated Margarette Nunez, the General Athletic Manager of House Klotho.

To conclude the event, Batch and Athletic Council Adviser Mrs. Daisy Gaut expressed, “This event is not only a mere experience, but it is also an enjoyable moment.”