Monthly Archives

November 2020

Entertainment

“We Children Of The Night”: Them Bloody Royals dance the pain away

Them Bloody Royals revisit the glory days of ‘80s synth pop with the release of their new song “We Children Of The Night.” Bringing effervescent joy back to the dance floor, the Filipino four-piece band’s new single struts confidently around pulse-pounding rhythms, sparkly synthesizers, and angular guitars in an effort to knock the walls down—at least for the entire party run.

Outside of its jagged spirit and blissful retro appeal, “We Children Of The Night” is more than just swagger and sweat; it’s an attempt to capture the feeling of losing one’s self in the moment, drunken and ready to dance the pain away. Lyrically, it showcases “the excitement of meeting new people, flirting with strangers, and having fun,” as vocalist Sib Sibulo puts it.  “The song dances around with the idea of falling love, the thrill of it, but also not wanting to fully commit to anything.”

Behind the incessant groove that repeatedly thumps on ‘We Children Of The Night” is a common sentiment shared by broken people trying to escape from their personal horrors. Sibulo has a better way to describe it: “You can be so broken and jaded with the idea of getting into serious relations, that you just wanna say, “fuck it, I just wanna have fun.”

On the happy-sappy chorus, the lead singer even pleads, “Here we are / Wishing this night would never end / We fall in love, we fall apart,” as if finding refuge ephemeral romance would make you forget about your struggles in life and love.

Production-wise, the song in general – the entirety of it – is the result of Them Bloody Royals’ attempt to reinvent and outdo their previous work. “We wanted to see if we could come up with a legitimate banger, and set a good pace for the next things down the pipeline,” Sibulo shares.

Written and produced by Them Bloody Royals, and recorded at Pointbee Multimedia, “We Children Of The Night” is out now on all streaming and digital platforms worldwide via Lilystars Records.

 

 

 

Entertainment

‘ROSE’ FIRST SINGLE DEBUT OF FILIPINA SINGER-SONGWRITER MARIAN CARMEL

 

Marian Carmel releases her first single ‘Rose’ from her upcoming debut concept album on Friday, 6th November 2020 via Singapore-based indie label, Where Are The Fruits. Inspired by the phrase “rose-tinted glasses”, ‘Rose’ is about the blessing and the curse of being too optimistic. This single is a form of catharsis for the 23-year-old singer-songwriter, as she makes peace with her personal growth. She sings ‘I have grown a little older, I have learnt a little more / but whatever happens, hope it’s not forgotten / or seen with glasses tinted rose’. With lush and enveloping harmonies, ‘Rose’ is the first single kick starting Marian’s musical journey in the next few months leading up to her album release.

The album is centered around the concept of letters. ‘Rose’ being the first letter of the album, is a reply to her debut single entitled, ‘Might Never Get Better’ – where Marian shares about the frustrations she faced around her journey towards healing. Marian quotes, “Rose’ is about being okay with that; including the mistakes you’ve made, whatever your coping mechanisms are, and giving yourself credit for your growth. Something I wish I knew back then, but I’m happy to know now.

The single release of ‘Rose’ is accompanied by an AR-activated postcard for her fans to participate in the album’s theme. Illustrated by Beverley Ng (@madebybeverley), and engineered by Samson Sim (@samson.img), Marian hopes that the postcards inspire her fans to send letters to their loved ones. The postcards are available on Marian’s website here: https://www.mariancarmel.com/store

‘Rose’ by Marian Carmel is available on all digital streaming platforms here: https://orcd.co/mariancarmel-rose

About Marian Carmel

Born in the Philippines and based in Singapore, singer-songwriter Marian Carmel has an innate ability to evoke emotions. Her ethereal vocals breathe life into the melancholic nature of her songs and are influenced by the soulful R&B tunes of Emily King, Lianne La Havas, and Sabrina Claudio.

The 23-year-old has also collaborated with many artists around the globe, including Japanese electronic-pop outfit Tokimeki Records, Boston-based Singaporean singer-songwriter LEW, and Indonesian electro-jazz duo Mantra Vutura. Her debut solo single, an upbeat track called ‘Might Never Get Better’, was released in late-2019, and debuted on 10 Spotify-curated playlists all over the world.

Marian’s first release was ‘Thursday’, a feature co-written and performed with Axel Brizzy. On top of being dubbed “Best Song to Sing Along to” at the Singapore Youth Music Awards 2019, the tune has garnered close to a million streams on Spotify. In 2016, Marian was a mentee in Singapore’s Noise Music Mentorship Programme under the guidance of Jack Ho of Jack & Rai, and has participated in competitions such as MTV Asia’s Project: Aloft Star where she was flown to Bangkok, Thailand to compete in the Top 5 Final; and Yamaha Asian Beat, where she emerged as the 1st Runner Up in Singapore.

Most recently, Marian participated in The Great Singapore Replay: Season 2, a talent development programme presented by Temasek Holdings, where Marian worked with established artists and producers such as Charlie Lim and Evanturetime. She came out of the programme with an original song ‘Still Here’, which crosses lyrics echoing Singapore’s colonial history with an indie sound.

About Where Are The Fruits

Sowing seeds, tilling the soil, and watering the plants, Where Are The Fruits is a Singapore-based label that is founded on a singular purpose: To help our musicians reap the fruits of their labour. Part-question and part-exclamation, WATF provides distribution, publishing, and marketing services tailored to the needs of emerging artists within the Southeast Asia region.

 

Lifestyle

Former Eduard Folayang Foe Pieter Buist Believes Filipino Buckled Under Pressure in His Last Bout

Third-ranked ONE lightweight contender Pieter “The Archangel” Buist of The Netherlands fought and defeated former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of the Philippines as recently as January of this year. So he is familiar with the Filipino’s game and the kinds of threats he poses.

Which is why Buist, who witnessed Folayang’s most recent loss against Australia’s Alex Caruso, believes the 36-year-old veteran came into the bout at a mental disadvantage.

Folayang dropped a close unanimous decision to Caruso just last week, at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX in Singapore. Prior to the bout, many fans and analysts wondered if “Landslide” would consider riding off into the sunset and calling it a career if he suffered another setback. With the Caruso loss, Folayang has now dropped four of his last five.

In a recent interview, Buist explained how important a role mindset plays in every fight.

“It looked like Eduard was missing some batteries. Against me he was more aggressive, more outgoing. And now he was hesitating. I think he buckled under the pressure of ‘yeah he has to win this fight, because if he doesn’t win, he must stop’,” said Buist.

“You know, for a fighter, a lot of people don’t understand, especially those who don’t fight. It’s around 85 to 90 percent mental. The rest is physical. So if mentally, you’re not there, you will lose.”

Against Caruso, Folayang certainly did not appear like his true self, or at the very least, was unable to show what he was truly capable of in the Circle. The Filipino veteran appeared a step behind Caruso for the duration of the contest, noticeably lagging behind his younger foe in both striking and grappling exchanges.

Having also fought and defeated Caruso just last year, Buist could see the specific difficulties Folayang had against his Australian foe. Buist is convinced that Folayang’s mental state greatly affected the former lightweight king’s output.

“No matter how strong physically you are, for all the fighters, it’s the same. It’s mental warfare always. It begins with mental warfare and ends with mental warfare,” said Buist.

“The physical part is punching, beating, choking, you know. I think mentally, he wasn’t there. But Caruso is a good fighter. I fought him also. He’s a true warrior. He comes to fight. For him, it was the same thing. I think Caruso was, mentally, better prepared than Eduard.”

Buist returns to action this Friday night at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX II, a previously-recorded event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore scheduled for air on 6 November. “The Archangel” takes on fourth-ranked lightweight contender Timofey Nastyukhin in what is expected to be an action-packed affair.

The headline bout features reigning ONE Welterweight World Champion Kiamrian “Brazen” Abbasov of Kyrgyzstan defending his title against undefeated American James Nakashima.

Watch the event this Friday, 6 November on One Sports+ at 8:30 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT). One Sports will air the event on a same-day delay at 9 p.m. PHT. Additionally, TV5 will air the event on a next-day delay at 11 p.m. PHT.

 

 

News

Ramon Gonzales Tells Fans the Best is Yet to Come in Bout Against Eko Roni Saputra

Ramon Gonzales

3-time Filipino Kyokushin Karate Champion Ramon “The Bicolano” Gonzales is heading into his next bout with momentum. Despite suffering a decision loss to China’s Hexigetu last November, Gonzales is a winner of three of his last four contests, all three wins coming by way of impressive submission.

Gonzales is next to face multiple-time Indonesian national wrestling champion Eko Roni Saputra at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX II, a previously-recorded event in Singapore scheduled for global broadcast this Friday, 6 November.

“The Bicolano” has been training hard over the past few months, especially during community quarantine, where he was able to sharpen his skills as necessary. The 33-year-old martial arts veteran is eager to erase the painful memory of his most recent defeat with a win, and is looking forward to clashing with a world-class grappler in Saputra.

“Indeed, this pandemic has affected the lives of the people around the world. But as I always instill in my mind, we should look for the positive sides of the situation,” said Gonzales.

“During the lockdown, I was able to train everyday, together with my students which are the Uchi-deshi. We used the time we couldn’t go out to stay in the gym, focus on our skills, and train.”

Against Saputra, Gonzales faces a legitimate threat that is constantly evolving with every performance. The 29-year-old Indonesian flyweight transitioned from wrestling to mixed martial arts in 2019, initially having difficulty adjusting to the different dynamics of the Circle. But after a few bouts of experience under his belt, Saputra is slowly coming into his own.

Gonzales feels their matchup will be an exciting one.

“I haven’t met Mr. Saputra personally, but I already watched his fights, and I think he is a great fighter,” said Gonzales.

“I make sure that when it’s time to enter the Circle, I am ready. I promise my fans that will show them the best of me this time.”

ONE Championship returns with ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX II, a previously-recorded event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore scheduled for air this Friday night, 6 November.

In the main event, reigning ONE Welterweight World Champion Kiamrian Abbasov of Kyrgyzstan makes the first defense of his world title against undefeated top contender James Nakashima of the United States.

Gonzales is inspired to take his career to the next level, and continues to fight for the people closest to him, to give them a better life.

“I always try to find ways to be motivated. My family remains a constant inspiration for me to do more, to train more,” said Gonzales.

“And I believe that we need to be inspired and be motivated to move forward so we can stay ready for the challenges ahead of us.”

 

Health and Wellness, Lifestyle

Do you experience Pamamanhid or Pangangalay everytime your doing simple everyday task?

Yes, I experienced it!

Tingling feeling in the hands

Pamamanhid. If you’ve experienced this during your daily routine, you have probably thought nothing of it. As a matter of fact, Filipinos, as early as 35 years old, have experienced tingling, numbness, and tiredness, even with simple daily activities.

A recent survey shows that 53% of those who reported these symptoms do not know that what they were experiencing could be early signs of nerve damage or Neuropathy. They unknowingly carry on with their everyday tasks without thinking about the long-term irreversible effects of this condition. Even worse, they tend to self-medicate without proper diagnosis.

Numbness in the feet

Neuropathy is a clinical condition where there is damage to the nerves caused by deficiency of B vitamins. It is most common among those aged 35 and up, especially those who perform repetitive movements and put stress on their hands, legs, or feet.  People with diabetes are at risk to have this condition, including those with family history, alcohol and smoking consumption, and lifestyle predisposition.

According to a local consumer survey commissioned by P&G Health, individuals with Neuropathy report difficulty in doing everyday mundane tasks such as standing for a prolonged period, walking long distances, picking up items, holding things, writing, grabbing items, opening a lid, doing needlework and more.

Lack of knowledge about Neuropathy, however, has led most people to brush off nerve damage indicators if they still get to do the things they need in a day even with little to serious discomforts. Surprisingly, survey respondents understand that these symptoms might indicate a health condition, but they also admit that the only time they begin to pay attention to these is when the symptoms become annoying and make them difficult to perform or manage daily tasks.

Being mindful of your nerve health and early detection of neuropathy are very important.  Under normal conditions, nerves repair naturally through nerve regeneration (Hoke, 2011).  However, this is only possible if less than 50% of the fibers of the nerve tissue is damaged.  Otherwise, this is called “point of no return” by experts.

Neurobion Pack

Thankfully, there is a way to help relieve the symptoms of Neuropathy.  Clinically proven Vitamins B1+B6+B12 (Neurobion) helps relieve nerve damage and regenerate the nerves.

It is never too late to start taking care of your nerves. You can be unstoppable in doing what you love and of being of help to others.

Neurobion – Vitamin B cartoon

Take care of your nerves and always remember to consult your doctor. Choose Vitamins B1+B6+B12 (Neurobion) so you can have the strength to power through and carry on with the everyday acts of being a True Hero.

For the latest updates, check out the brand’s official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NeurobionPhilippines/ and the official website at https://www.neurobion.com/en_PH/home.html

If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
ASC Ref. Code P126P102620NS

 

News

ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera’s New Hobby Draws Similarities to Martial Arts

ONE Championship continues to bring together the unique ecosystems of martial arts end esports. Since establishing ONE Esports in 2019, the organization has revitalized competitive video gaming in Asia, introducing a new major player in the esports sphere.

ONE Esports’ latest initiative is a co-activation between athletes of the Baguio City-based Team Lakay and Filipino-American ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera.

The recently-launched “Truth x Lakay Gaming” features superstars such as former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard Folayang, ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio, and Vera himself. The athletes take turns “streaming” their gaming sessions live.

Vera says he’s enjoyed his time so far, plying the online routes, especially during lockdowns imposed by Covid-19.

“I started gaming about a year ago with ONE Esports and a couple of popular gaming live streamers in Quezon City (Philippines). I believe it was with Rumble Royale and Kuya Pein and Kuya Lex,” said Vera.

“It has been a lot of fun so far, while being at home for now.”

Vera and Team Lakay have streamed mobile game “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang” so far, although they might branch out to other popular mobile games in the future, including popular FPS titles such as “Call of Duty: Mobile” and “PUBG Mobile.”

Vera, who has held the ONE Heavyweight World Championship since capturing the inaugural title in 2015, said the game has many similarities to his work inside the ONE Circle. In many ways, “The Truth” believes the game is a great stress reliever for casual play, but can get pretty intense if matches are serious.

“The game is like a combat version of chess that changes every game with an infinite amount of oncoming problems depending on characters and styles of play — almost like our other job as martial artists,” said Vera.

“I think it is a stress reliever and a stress giver (laughs). It just depends on how serious the matches are. Either way it is a lot more relaxing than our regular job.”

Vera is currently in Guam right now, spending time with his wife Jessica and newborn son Atreyu. He isn’t slated to see action this year, but is expected to defend his title some time in 2021, against former UFC star Arjan Bhullar.

“The Truth” has a lot of time on his hands right now, so don’t be surprised if you catch him in a public game in Mobile Legends.

Vera warned fans he could potentially play with online, he’s pretty good at this game.

“No one noticed us until we started going live. They didn’t know they were playing with world champions. Then everybody wanted to ask me about it,” Vera said about anonymity in the game before rating his playing skills.

“I would say I am in the 80th percentile when I’m playing smart (laughs).”

ONE Championship returns with ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX II, a previously-recorded event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore scheduled for air this Friday night, 6 November.

In the main event, reigning ONE Welterweight World Champion Kiamrian Abbasov of Kyrgyzstan makes the first defense of his world title against undefeated top contender James Nakashima of the United States.

 

 

News, Tech

Decode 2020: Trend Micro PH Aims to Elevate Cyberdefenders’ Skills amid a Transforming World

The need for any business to transform has become urgently necessary, more especially with the abrupt and unexpected emergence of the ‘new normal.’ As numerous businesses are forced to streamline or even halt their operations, it is not surprising that cybercriminals continuously thrive, even more creatively and strategically than ever.

“The pandemic did not just change the way businesses—and subsequently, their employees—operate; the nature of certain criminal activities have also changed in this time of isolation,” said cybersecurity experts in the Trend Micro 2020 Mid-Year Security Report.

“Trend Micro’s mission is to make the internet a safer place, and we will continue to proactively disrupt cybercriminal activities. We’ve never felt more motivated to work toward this mission as people need protection during such times as these. Mutual help and support are extremely important for our goal to succeed.”

Elevate beyond the ordinary

As new threats arise, all organizations must accept the need for transformation. Logically, this is the time when information technology (IT) professionals should be armed not only with the right tools but also with the right knowledge and skills. As cyber-defenders, they must elevate to facilitate

their businesses’ transformation in the most rapid, seamless, and secure way possible.

This timely concern and more come into focus in the fourth edition of Decode PH. With the theme ‘Elevate: Transform Rapidly, Seamlessly, Securely,’ the annual conference itself is transforming as it goes fully virtual. From being a one-day event, it will also expand into a 3-day summit from November 10 to 12, 2020.

Decode 2020 is aiming to gather over 3,000 Filipino IT experts from various organizations across the country, and even abroad. The 3-day conference will discuss up-to-date information about the threat landscape, industry trends, and new technologies for the participants’ further empowerment amid the interesting times.

Decode 2020 sessions

As the summit goes virtual, it is more than doubling the number of sessions—from 15 in the previous edition to 40 this year. Each of the 30-minute session will be streamed one by one, instead of simultaneously, which was how it was done physically in the previous three years.

Among the highlights are keynote sessions of Hathaway Global, LLC President Melissa Hathaway, who will discuss the way digital infrastructures are responding to ‘new normal’ demands; SyCip GorresVelayo& Co Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Trusted Technology Principal Philip Casanova, who will share timeless principles he learned in his over two-decade journey as a Philippine-based cybersecurity professional; and Trend Micro Director and Data Scientist for Threat Research Jon Oliver, who will share his assessment of the ongoing evolution of the malware and security landscapes.

Moreover, Decode 2020 will also feature sidetracks outside the regular sessions. As a virtual conference, it will also introduce new features like the virtual lounge where participants can do their networking via a chat box during breaks. At the same time, Decode will be emerging as a community aside from being an annual summit. Successful registrants will be able to keep their accounts for a year so they can readily playback the summit sessions anytime and possibly interact with other IT professionals in the network.