ALAS PILIPINAS WOMEN VOLLEYBALL TEAM ON TO AVC 2025 FINALS

 

Congratulations to ALAS PILIPINAS Women Volleyball Team as they continue to make history in the ongoing Asian Volleyball Conference this year.

Alas Pilipinas will make it to the AVC Nations Cup Finals after the duelling match versus Chinese Taipei last night, Manila time, 25-17, 25-21, 18-25, 15-25 and the deciding 5th set 15-12. 

Eya Laure has once again proved to be crucial to Team Pilipinas during the final set together with Fifi Sharma, of course these were all made possible through the excellent sets and distribution of plays and ball possession by the team captain, Jia De Guzman. Of Laure’s nine points, six were delivered during the last set.

But of course, credit was also due to the performance of the rookies in the AVC of Mhicaela Belen who delivered 15 points, of which 11 from attacks and four blocks, as well as her 16 excellent digs and 19 excellent receives. Alyssa Solomon, and Sharma likewise contributed significantly to the campaign of the Alas Pilipinas as they poured in 12, and 10 points respectively. 

Also, the big win of the Alas women team would have not been possible if not for the guidance of head coach Jorge Souza De Brito who has kept his optimism and confidence in Team Alas Pilipinas.

The new Pontiff

 

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Congratulations to all the Catholic faithfuls globally as the new Pope has now been chosen by the College of Cardinals. 

Born Robert Francis Prevost from Chicago, USA, is the 69 year old Cardinal  Robert who will eventually be called Pope Leo XIV. Cardinal Prevost is a member of the Augustinian order, and will now serve as the 267th pontiff.

 

LWUA’s probe on Villar’s PrimeWater a long overdue response

 

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     Whether the move of the Local Water Utilities Administration to dig deeper on the issues surrounding the Villar owned PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. is politically motivated or they have finally found the courage to act decisively on the issue, I share the observation of Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, also House Assistant Majority Leader, that the investigation is long overdue.

Water is a primary commodity critical to the people’s daily survival especially this summer season that humidity is unbearable. 

And noting that there are 73 joint ventures agreements that PrimeWater has entered into, yet, the people, the community and the local governments are already seeking justice to their lack of essential supply should be treated with prompt action. Because the service being demanded on PrimeWater is essential to everyone’s daily life.

Among the areas seeking justice to the very poor service or no service action at all of PrimeWater includes the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Bohol and Pangasinan. Last month I chance upon Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando and Vice Gov. Alex Castro aired their frustration over an online press conference asking if the Senate could help the people of Bulacan address their water issues against PrimeWater saying their complaints were left in deaf ears.

While on April 21, Cong. Khonghun used the social media Facebook to call on PrimeWater to improve their service as more and more barangays in Subic, Zambales suffer from water interruptions which has been going on as early as March. Khonghun said the Villar-owned water utilities were given sufficient time to improve their service as they suggested therefore it is also proper to seek the service they owe to the public. 

So I wonder why the Vice President of the Philippines has the courage to speak for the Villars on the issue of PrimeWater, or maybe because she is not privy to the poor quality of their service since Davao City's water is provided by Davao City Water District. 

          For my 2Cents, as a water consumer myself (thanks to Manila Water), I find the idea of LWUA investigation too lame. The problem has been there way too long, why investigate only now?  Are there not supposed to be sanctions? heads to roll? Because PrimeWater is under your jurisdiction?  You see the idea of investigating one of the business ventures of the Villars has become an issue too big to handle (for the family of a Filipino billionaire who was on the top Forbes Magazine on the Forbes op 15 list of Pinoy Billionaires,) that’s why the strategist of the Villar-Duterte camp is to connect and drag the administration on the issue as part of its “supposed” political gimmick. That the Marcos government was using the issue to attack the friends of the Dutertes? I hate to defend the Marcos, but the issue of PrimeWater is not political, rather a reality that every Filipino especially those in power should have to secure and address for the benefit of the people whether they are voters or not. I hope I am making sense here as each of us deserves a right to potable water anytime of the day.