Inspired by Manny Pacquiao, Lito Adiwang Is Following in the Footsteps of His Hero

Filipino rising star Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang is one of the most explosive action heroes on the ONE Championship roster today. A ONE Warrior Series top product, Adiwang has captivated audiences each time he’s stepped through the ropes or entered the Circle.

The 26-year-old stalwart brings with him a unique adrenaline rush with his fan-friendly style, whenever he comes to compete. Under the guidance of legendary Filipino martial artist Mark Sangiao, and his brothers-in-arms at the famed Team Lakay, Adiwang is blazing a trail through ONE Championship’s strawweight division. 

But he wasn’t always a martial arts action hero. Growing up in Baguio City, Adiwang had a rough upbringing.

“I was born the youngest in a family of seven children. Life was tough and we had to get through a lot of trials. My parents used to plant crops in an open lot so we would have food to eat, but it wasn’t enough,” Adiwang recounted.

“It really taught me a lot about overcoming adversity in life. I wanted to help my family, but I felt powerless. Then I lost my fourth sibling in a mining accident. My parents separated when I was a teenager. I just felt hopeless.”

Just when things were progressively getting tougher for the young Adiwang, he found hope in a Philippine sporting icon.

Like many children growing up in the Philippines, Adiwang was captivated by legendary boxer, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. The young “Thunder Kid” drew strength and inspiration from Pacquiao’s incredible career.

Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight division world champion, is arguably the greatest boxer of his generation. He’s captured multiple world titles, defeated legends, and achieved worldwide fame and fortune.

It soon became Adiwang’s dream to be just like his idol.

“Growing up watching the rise of Manny Pacquiao, I was motivated to become a boxer just like him. I wanted to represent my country and make my people proud too. I wanted to help bring my family out of hardship and poverty,” said Adiwang.

“There used to be an old church on the streets where I grew up, where I initially started to learn how to box. I was 12 years old at the time. I would shadowbox and imagine I was Manny Pacquiao, fighting against legends like Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera. I loved his relentless style. His opponents couldn’t handle him.” 

Today, there are similarities in Adiwang’s dynamite-laden strikes and Pacquiao’s ferociousness. Just like Pacquiao, Adiwang features a relentless attack. He throws punches with no caution, and everything he comes forward with is packed with bout-ending power.

The results have been absolutely stunning.

Adiwang is thus far unbeaten in his ONE Championship stint. Gaining his start on the uber popular ONE Warrior Series, Adiwang’s star has truly shined. He won his first three bouts under the watchful eye of mixed martial arts legend Rich Franklin.

Not long after, the 26-year-old earned a six-figure contract with ONE Championship, after Franklin saw immediate potential. He then strung together two incredible finishes as part of ONE’s main roster.

“I knew Lito [Adiwang] was something special the moment I saw him train, and eventually compete. He just has that finishing instinct that not everyone has. With some polish, I knew Lito would make a huge impact in ONE Championship,” said Franklin, ONE Warrior Series CEO.

“He’s a phenomenal athlete and I just see him powering through the division. He still has much to learn, but he’s also developing at such a rapid pace. I’m really proud of what he’s accomplished so far, and very excited for what the future holds for him.”

It’s still early in his career and the possibilities are endless. Whether Adiwang goes down the path of his idol, Manny Pacquiao, remains to be seen. But there’s no denying the “Thunder Kid” is traversing a similar road.

“To be even considered in the same breath as Manny, it’s such an honor. If I can accomplish even a fraction of what he has in his career, I can consider my career a success,” said Adiwang.

“Right now I’m just focused on being the best that I can be. I really want to prove myself against the best opponents, and I feel I am ready.”

Tiktok Teams Up with The Trade Desk in New Advertising Campaign for Asia Pacific.

The Trade Desk (Nasdaq: TTD) and TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile video, have announced a new advertising partnership covering key Asia Pacific markets. The partnership will allow advertisers to directly access premium TikTok inventory across Asia-Pacific via The Trade Desk platform. TikTok is the first short-form video platform to integrate its ad offerings with The Trade Desk, making this a unique industry-leading development for brands in the region.

TikTok is a destination for creating and discovering real, interesting, and fun short-form mobile videos and brands are excited with the opportunity to connect with millions of users on the platform. The integration with The Trade Desk, a leading global advertising technology platform, will make it easier for advertisers to incorporate TikTok into their campaigns. PepsiCo is the first client to access TikTok inventory via The Trade Desk, running a campaign for the Lays portfolio in the Thailand, with the Mindshare media agency. 

"As our advertising solutions scale, we're always looking to partner with industry leaders like The Trade Desk to bring quality and high-performing advertising options to brands in Asia Pacific, including India. The key objective of this is to enable more brands to tap into TikTok's short-form mobile video as part of their omni-channel campaigns," said Sam Singh, Vice President of Monetization, India, TikTok.

“We are delighted to launch this partnership with TikTok across Asia Pacific,” said Mitch Waters, Senior Vice President South Asia, The Trade Desk. “Everyone in this region understands the scope of TikTok’s reach, particularly with smartphone native users in India and Indonesia. Brands will be able to scale their campaigns to include short videos, simply and safely.”

“The smartphone-first demographic across Asia is absolutely critical for PepsiCo,” stated Arun Mehra, Sr. Director – Marketing Services, PepsiCo. “The partnership between TikTok and The Trade Desk makes reaching this audience easier and more precise. Having piloted in the Thailand, we are looking to extend our work through the partnership across the region.”

Manivannan Ramasamy, Regional Managing Director, Mindshare added, “Brands have been tracking the rise of short-form mobile videos worldwide, but particularly in Asia. The partnership between TikTok and The Trade Desk provides a measurable pathway to engage via this trend, while ensuring brand safety.”

Campaigns that run on The Trade Desk Platform are pseudonymous, which means that they do not directly identify people. Clients and partners are prohibited from providing personal data into The Trade Desk platform, emphasizing TikTok’s commitment to privacy. The partnership will also combine expertise in marketplace quality, blocking non-human impressions before they are purchased, thus ensuring brand safety. Currently, the partnership between The Trade Desk and TikTok covers 11 Asia-Pacific markets (including Southeast Asia, India, Australia and Japan) as well as Russia.

Dethroning the “Corona”: Here’s What You Can Do

With the enhanced community quarantine in effect, social platforms, like TikTok, provide a great avenue to stay connected with the rest of the world. Here are digital ways you can do to fight the new coronavirus: 

Get Informed 

 Access to accurate and timely information is our first line of defense. TikTok created a special page within the platform for you to know the Things About About Coronavirus. These include advisories and preventive measures to protect yourself with the help of the World Health Organization. There’s also a special section called Mythbusters to debunk fallacies about the virus and fight misinformation. 

Wash Hands Properly

Because Singing “Happy Birthday” twice for handwashing is pretty much outdated, users and creators on the platform are using their favorite songs for the full, clinically-approved 20 seconds of handwashing! 

Earlier this March, the Ghen Cô Vy (English Version) was released in response to a recent PSA from Vietnam which has turned coronavirus caution into a grooving choreography to inspire hand sanitation. TikTok users are joining the #HandwashTunes challenge to encourage people across the globe to wash hands the right way.

@tjmusicmonterde ##HandWashChallenge ##handwashtunes
♬ original sound - TJ Monterde

It is safe to assume that sinks will now be the new stadium for 20-second concerts!


 Spread the Good 

In these challenging times, the things that we should spread right now are Love, Hope and Positivity! TikTok users from around the globe is taking part in the hashtag challenge #LoveInTheTimeOfCorona and you should, too!

Get inspired with this video.

@kuyaching ##loveinthetimeofcorona Good deeds should be done with intention, not for attention.@Swerab Smith @Keanne Go ##chingsters ##teamramen ##laughingjackz
♬ Someone You Loved - Lewis Capaldi

Also, music brings hope and peace along with the message of love and compassion.

In your TikTok videos, you can use the new collaborative song titled “Forever Beautiful: All for One Version” featuring our very own Ben&Ben alongside Eric Chou and 13 artists across Asia.

 Stay Social and Connected 

While Keeping the Distance Take advantage of your time at home to catch up on your friends and family through your inbox. Try new things for self-improvement. Perhaps, learn a new language or try a new dish. You can also share good vibes and entertain people. This is the best time to create tons of TikTok videos to save in Drafts for future uploading.

 Together, we can fight the virus while maintaining our social interactions through the aid of social platforms. Just always remember that like all trials and tribulations in human history, this too shall pass.

Five PH Films Scheduled to Screen in 15th Osaka Asian Film Festival

A selection of five Filipino films will be screened in this year’s Osaka Asian Film Festival (OAFF). Crisanto Aquino’s Write About Love (2019) and Rae Red’s Babae at Baril will screen in the Osaka Asian Film Festival’s official competition section. Meanwhile, Metamorphosis (dir. Jose Enrique Tiglao, 2019) and Sunshine Family (dir. Tai-sik Kim, 2019) join Jade Castro’s official 2019 PPP entry LSS (Last Song Syndrome) in the festival’s “Special Program: New Action! Southeast Asia.” 

Write About Love and Babae at Baril, among the 15 films competing in the OAFF’s main competition, will be making their international premieres in Osaka. In the festival’s main competition, a group of international jurors—including Filipino filmmaker Jade Castro—will select the winners of the Grand Prix and Most Promising Talent Award. 

Babae at Baril participated in the ‘First Cut Story Development Lab’ in FDCP’s 2019 ‘First Cut Lab.’ This lab, which held its first edition in the Philippines supported 16 projects under various workshops. Through the four-day story development lab, Red’s film underwent script treatment from a variety of international industry veterans. The film has seen success since its premiere and director Rae Red bagged the ‘Best Director Award’ from the QCinema International Film Festival in 2019. Write About Love has been successful as well having won various awards from the Metro Manila Film Festival including the Special Jury Prize for the feature films category.

The festival’s “Special Program: New Action! Southeast Asia” highlights new movements in Southeast Asian cinema and features a wide variety of films from the region. Under this program, LSS and Metamorphosis will make their international premieres and Sunshine Family will make its Japan Premiere.

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño expressed joy for the films selected. “The selections for this year’s Osaka Asian Film Festival are particularly important because two of the projects—Babae at Baril and LSS—were part of previous FDCP programs. Their international premieres in Osaka points to their continued progress and promoting Philippine movies on the international stage.”

The OAFF runs this year from March 6 to 15. This is the 15th edition of OAFF as it continues to “facilitate human resources development and exchange, invigorate the Osaka economy, and promote Osaka as a gateway for Asian films.” 

The Osaka Asian Film Festival has consistently screened several Filipino films in previous iterations. Last year, the festival had a selection of five Filipino movies that included: (The Girl in the Orange Dress, Tanabata’s Wife, Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus, Billie & Emma, and The Eternity Between Seconds).

See the official press release at: http://fdcp.ph/media/five-ph-films-scheduled-screen-15th-osaka-asian-film-festival

#UAAP82 Juniors Basketball Finals Game 1: Bullpups draw first blood over foul-plagued Baby Tamaraws

The defending champs NU Bullpups manages to fend off the gritty Baby Tamaraws to take the first game of the finals 79-61.

The Baby Tams were able to open the game with an early 17-3 advantage, but the Bullpups manages to erase it and took control of the game as foul trouble plagued the Baby Tams through out the game.

Cholo Anonuevo led the Baby Tams with 13 points and 11 rebounds, Jorick Bautista and JanRey Pasaol both added 10 points.

Fighting the Virus with Virality: TikTok #HandwashingMove dance challenge informs COVID-19 Prevention

Dance challenges on TikTok has proven once again that it has the power to go viral--- or fight a virus in this case. Users of the platform in Vietnam are spreading awareness on the prevention of COVID-19 with the hashtag challenges #handwashingmove and #ghencovychallenge. As of writing, the challenge already has 18.1M views and 2.4M views respectively. Quang Dang video

@im.quangdang Cùng nâng cao và bảo vệ sức khỏe bằng cách lan tỏa ##vudieuruatay Bạn sẵn sàng tham gia cùng Đăng chứ? 😉 ##quangdang ##tiktokvietnam
♬ Ghen Cô Vy (Vũ Điệu Rửa Tay) - Khắc Hưng, MIN, ERIK

One of Vietnam’s popular dancers, Quang Dang, choreographed the #handwashingmove with six handwashing moves based on the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent the spread of diseases.

 The dance easily gained popularity with the help of the catchy song “Ghen Co Vy” (a song under communication project by Vietnam’s Ministry of Health) which literally translated as “Jealous Coronavirus”. 

The virus will surely be jealous as the dance even earned the approval of host and comedian John Oliver on his show Last Week Tonight. "It absolutely slaps! That's a genuine club-banger right there!,” commented Oliver. #handwashingmove and #ghencovychallenge mark another #TikTokforGood effort to spread useful and correct information to the community. Not only an act to raise awareness about healthcare habits, the challenges also deliver TikTok’s optimistic spirit in the fight against COVID-19 epidemic. The platform will be present as a worldwide trustworthy, helpful yet joyful information channel for the public during this serious period. 

 “Simple knowledge of disease prevention such as keeping warm, wearing medical masks or washing hands properly are basic practices that everyone needs to acquire. With the advantage in technology and the diverse in background music, TikTok will contribute in equipping users with these useful information and skills, encouraging each person to protect their health, as well as their family and the community”, said Mr. Nguyen Lam Thanh - Head of Public Policy, TikTok Vietnam.

 “I believe that dancing to lively music is the best way to remember properly healthcare knowledge, such as 6 steps of washing hands. I hope #handwashingmove, along with many other healthcare tips delivered through short videos in this campaign will be helpful and cheerful for all users”, said dancer Quang Dang. Try out the #handwashingmove with this step by step video tutorial from the choreographer himself! Step-By-Step Tutorial

@im.quangdang Ai làm được Phần 1 là phải comment liền để Phần 2 được lên sóng ngay nhé 🤗🤗 ##vudieuruatay ##ghencovychallenge ##tiktokvietnam ##coronavirus
♬ Ghen Cô Vy (Vũ Điệu Rửa Tay) - Khắc Hưng, MIN, ERIK

TikTok Creators support tourism and kick-start DOT #GoCreatePH dance challenge

Travel and Philippine tourism gained the spotlight as Pinoy TikTok content creators kick-started the latest dance challenge, #GoCreatePH, which was launched by the Department of Tourism (DOT) last February 24, 2020.

The beauty of Cebu and Bohol was captured through uniquely created TikTok videos from the perspectives of: Chierald Tan, Michael Joseph Uy, Simon Joseph Javier, Pamela Evangelista, Sairalen Brual, Lennie Enverga, Alyssa Profeta, Alicia Rigonan, Shaine Buhat, Chairein Kris Cordoviz, Kimberly Dianne Vinson Ilag, Pamela Reyes, Nelson Morato, Duke De Castro, Ian Carl De Jesus, Cedric Rosal, Carla Zara, and Amber Miles.

“TikTok supports the Department of Tourism in its unrelenting efforts to boost the local tourism. Our creators are happy to lend their talents and be part of this campaign to kickstart the #GoCreatePH challenge. We are looking forward to hundreds, if not thousands, of creative executions and show users around the globe that the Philippines is a fun place to be --- from our majestic mountains and shores to the genius and creativity of Filipinos,” said TikTok Philippines Operations and Community Manager John Castro.

  

DOT is the first Philippine government agency to partner with TikTok and utilize the platform to boost tourism in the country. The partnership, forged in December 2019,  is a perfect marriage of each party’s campaign: TikTok’s ongoing global campaign #TikTokTravel which aims to capture feel-good and meaningful travel moments; and DOT’s umbrella campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” which aims to showcase the best of the Philippines.

“The DOT is always looking for new, fresh, and definitely fun ways to tell everyone that ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’,” said DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. “We can’t wait to see all the different creative and entertaining ways our fellow Filipinos shine the spotlight on our beautiful country.”

Join the #GoCreatePH Challenge!

Showcase the best of your province with these easy steps:

1. A dance challenge requires power moves. Not a dancer? Believe in yourself and let your personality shine through.
2. Transition from one location to another. The more seamless, the better. Respect hallowed places such as churches, cemeteries, and memorial sites of war. 
3. Identify each location through Tiktok’s geotagging feature.
4. Change your outfits for maximum effect.
5. Caption your video with the hashtags #GoCreatePH, #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines, and #TikTokTravel until March 31, 2020.

The most creative and viral videos will be rewarded with exciting prizes from DOT.

Get inspiration from these awesome creators:

Simon Joseph Javier https://vt.tiktok.com/jRtyjE/ 

Yanyan de Jesus https://vt.tiktok.com/jRvKPc/ 

Sai Datinguinoo https://vt.tiktok.com/jRncPs/ 

Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2020: Mechanics, Co-Production Funds & Intensified Sine Kabataan

The Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP), which will be on its fourth edition this September, has leveled up in four ways. Firstly, it will produce an esteemed lineup of 10 films. Secondly, it will be choosing six finished films or films in post-production and four projects in their advanced development stage or production stage. Thirdly, it will be offering co-production funds of up to PHP 2 million via the FilmPhilippines Philippine Co-Production Fund. Finally, it will hold a beefed up Sine Kabataan 4, which will also offer production grants and film development lab sessions to young filmmakers.

PPP 4, which will be held from September 11 to 17, 2020 is organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in partnership with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP). The opening day of PPP is the final day of the year-long Philippine Cinema Centennial celebration as mandated by Presidential Proclamation No. 622, Series of 2018. 

The PP3 Best Picture was "Lola Igna"

As the country officially closes the celebration of One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema, the FDCP aims for PPP to be the venue to gather the entire film industry together as it looks to the future of the next hundred years of the industry. In line with this momentous celebration, PPP has a lot more in store this year.

PPP 4 will feature 10 films, making it the second year in a row that PPP will be screening 10 entries in more than 900 cinemas nationwide. It will be accepting four projects in their advanced stage of development or production stage and six finished films or films in post-production. FDCP has set the deadlines for PPP applications: March 20, 2020 for projects in their advanced stage of development or production stage and June 15, 2020 for finished films or films in post-production.

A wide variety of genre films with commercial and global appeal will be showcased in PPP 4. These could be family-oriented, romantic-comedy, horror, fantasy, and historical films, or arthouse films that reflect Filipino culture and sensibilities. A maximum of two entries per genre will be included in the final selection (e.g., romance, comedy, action, etc.).

Meanwhile, PPP 4 also introduces the Philippine Co-Production Fund (PCOF) of FDCP’s FilmPhilippines Program. The PCOF will give funding of up to PHP 2 million to selected works in their advanced stage of development or production stage via the PCOF co-production investment fund. Selected finished films or films in post-production may also opt to receive up to PHP 2 million from the PCOF.

Director Adolfo Alix, JR. with the cast of "Circa" led by Anita Linda and Enchong Dee

As for Sine Kabataan, it will return on its fourth year as an amped-up short film competition that now has a film development lab program. Sine Kabataan aims to encourage filmmakers aged 18 to 30 to make short films on issues relevant to the youth revolving around family values, education, health, or security and peace building. Sine Kabataan, which runs alongside PPP, will also grant production funds to applications featuring story concepts. 

Each Sine Kabataan finalist is set to receive a PHP 50,000 cash grant and another PHP 50,000 worth of post-production grant. The finalists’ short films (with a maximum length of 5 minutes) will be shown nationwide during the PPP duration, with one short film to be shown before an official PPP entry. Sine Kabataan 4 finalists will also get to learn about script development, film production, film editing, and post-production in the Sine Kabataan Film Lab sessions that will be held throughout the year. The deadline for Sine Kabataan applications is on March 20, 2020.

FDCP Chairperson/CEO Liza Diño at the PPP 3 Sine Sandaan Press Conference with Sponsors and Partners

With all the new things happening in PPP 4, FDCP expects its flagship program to add vibrancy to the commemoration of the One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema. PPP hopes to sustain the culture of support that it has created by encouraging Filipinos to watch local films in cinemas (student admission prices are PHP 180 for Metro Manila cinemas and PHP 130 for provincial theaters) and enjoining local filmmakers to showcase their creativity and originality with the support of production grants. 

To view the PPP 2020 Mechanics, visit 

http://pistangpelikulangpilipino.ph/mechanics.

For the Sine Kabataan 4 Guidelines, go to http://pistangpelikulangpilipino.ph/sine-kabataan-4.

For submission inquiries and further information, contact the PPP Secretariat c/o Film Development Council of the Philippines at 855 T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila or (02) 8256-9948 local 104.

For Sine Kabatan inquiries, send a message to sinekabataan2020@gmail.com.

For more pictures visit: http://fdcp.ph/media/pista-ng-pelikulang-pilipino-2020-mechanics-co-production-funds-intensified-sine-kabataan