San Miguel creates history, clinches back-to-back PBA PH Cup championships

MANILA, Philippines - The San Miguel Beermen made a history after becoming the first PBA team to escape 3-0 deficit and won the championship, 96-89 over Alaska Aces in the Game 7 of the 2016 PBA Philippine Cup Finals held on Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

San Miguel wins 2016 PBA Philippine Cup title. Photo Credit: @chinoluipio

San Miguel also clinched their back-to-back Philippine Cup championships and their 22nd overall.

SMB's guard Chris Ross was hailed Finals MVP finishing with a conference-high 21 points along with five rebounds and five assists. Ross averaged 8.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, four assists, 1.7 steals in the series.

Congrats to @cmross6 for winning Finals MVP! #PBAFinals pic.twitter.com/YpE8rQsxdk

— Chino Lui Pio (@chinoluipio) February 3, 2016

June Mar Fajardo, who missed the first four games of the series topped with 21 points and 15 rebounds.

Marcio Lassiter had 15 points while Arwind Santos added a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards.

Meanwhile, Chris Banchero led the Aces with 21 points while Calvin Abueva finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.

The scores:
San Miguel (96) – Fajardo 21, Ross 21, Lassiter 15, Santos 13, Cabagnot 8, Tubid 7, De Ocampo 7, Lutz 2, Espinas 2, Heruela 0.

Alaska (89) – Banchero 21, Abueva 16, Baguio 10, Exciminiano 8, Casio 8, Hontiveros 6, Thoss 4, Baclao 4, Jazul 4, Dela Rosa 3, Manuel 3, Dela Cruz 2, Eman 0, Menk 0.

Quarterscores: 22-16, 43-38, 68-51, 96-89.

Filipino-made drone can help boost search and rescue operations

MANILA, Philippines- “Project Kwago,” a drone project made by a team of three Filipinos, aims to improve search and rescue operations particularly during catastrophes.

Project Kwago aims to improve search and rescue operations during catastrophes.
PHOTO CREDIT: Dronesforgood.ae

A semifinalist at the 2016 Drones for Good Awards in the United Arab Emirates, the search and rescue drone has pattern recognition, collision avoidance, sonars as well auto take-off and landing features. It is also equipped with a thermal camera that allows it to detect heat signatures from the ground.

According to its inventors, Kwago specializes in night operations as most drones used in search and rescue operations are only capable of capturing photos or videos during daytime.

So how exactly does Kwago work?

Users can plot the coordinates of the target area on the map using the Kwago app. Kwago will then conduct a high altitude thermal scan of the area, which is approximately 400 feet, to identify and detect thermal signatures from the ground. The system will then mark as soon as a thermal signature is detected. Afterwards, Kwago will carry out a low attitude scan of the area, approximately 40 to 50 feet, in order to get the exact location as well as the coordinates of the detected heat signatures.

Once the coordinates are obtained, these will be transmitted in real time either to the ground station or to the rescuer nearest to the location.

Interestingly, Kwago can hover and beam light on top of the target while waiting for rescuers. The drone can also mark as well as submit the coordinates of the target to the ground station and go on with the sweep.

The rescue team can also save a lot of time since Kwago can move on to the next target area when no heat signature is detected.

Created by video editor and hobbyist Mac Eugenio (project head), freelance cameraman Ari Trofeom and software architect Vince Villena, Kwago has the chance to be awarded US$1,000,000 in funding if it beats 19 other semifinalists in the contest to be held on February 6, 2016 at the Dubai Internet City.

"It is up to us to gear up to these challenges, to be creative, to be innovative and believe that we can do something more for humanity through technology. Once Kwago flies and does it job, we know we have done our part," Eugenio explained.

Watch the video.


-Mini/The Summit Express

UP student stands up against a “maniac” at Robinsons Place Manila

MANILA, Philippines- Like most Filipinas, UP Manila student Mary Nicole De Guzman is no stranger to catcalls.

De Guzman would often get lustful stares and catcalls from strangers as well as invitation from polite foreigners to go on a date in the past, but no one has ever dared to touch the young lady. But on Monday, February 1, De Guzman personally experienced sexual harassment after an unidentified man touched her “behind” while she was at Robinson’s Place Manila.

According to De Guzman, she noticed a man staring at her several times at the second floor of the mall while she was waiting for someone to fetch her. This prompted her to give the man an angry glare and enter some shops to drive him away. Unfortunately, De Guzman’s strategy didn’t seem to work as the man was still around the area moments later.

When she decided to enter another store, the man in question briefly passed her and “touched her behind”.

“I was startled, dumbfounded and angry all at the same time, since i dont swear, all i could blurt out was ‘ang kapal ng mukha mo ah!’(‘you’re thick-skinned!’), kahit pa sobrang mas malala pa dun ang gusto long sabihin sa kanya (even if I wanted to say something much worse),” De Guzman wrote.

Seeing De Guzman’s reaction, the man immediately walked straight ahead fast making it difficult for the victim to follow him. A minute later, De Guzman was surprised to see that the man was still following her.

This drove De Guzman to take out her phone and capture photos of the man.

Embarrassed by the situation, the man who was already hiding his face quickly walked away from De Guzman towards the elevator. De Guzman opted to follow the man to take more photos of him.

Since there were several people witnessing the incident, De Guzman shouted: “Pasensya na po, pinpipicturan ko lang yung lalakeng binastos ako."

( I apologize. I’m just taking a photo of the man who disrespected me.)

Although De Guzman broke down after the incident, she is definite that she was able to avenge herself by taking photos of the man. The victim is planning to give out printed copies of the photos of the man to the mall security guards and talk to the mall manager to prevent the man from returning. She also intends to file a police blotter against the man and eventually have him imprisoned even for six months.

“Mahuli man siya o hindi, it brings me joy na nakaganti ako kahit papano. Nung hinabol ko siya to take a pic of him, fear and panic was written all over his face, just like mine when he "touched" me,” she wrote.

(Whether he will be caught or not, it brings me joy that I was able to avenge myself in a way. When I ran after him to take his photo, fear and panic was written all over his face, just like mine when he “touched” me.)

Read her full story.

Sa araw-araw na paglakad ko from UP to rob, i get stared at in lecherous ways, i get cat-called a lot, and the polite...
Posted by Mary Nicole De Guzman on Monday, February 1, 2016

-Mini/The Summit Express

VIDEO: Alleged employee of Sen. JV Ejercito tries to bribe traffic enforcer

MANILA, Philippines- A motorist claiming to be an employee of Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito was caught on video attempting to bride an unidentified traffic enforcer.

Alleged employee of Senator JV Ejercito tries to bribe enforcer

In the viral video posted by a certain Lenard Bernardo, the enforcer was seen stopping a colorum vehicle near the border of Pasig City and Cainta to inform the motorist that he is loading passengers in an area that was not designated for loading and unloading.

Instead of surrendering his license to the traffic enforcer, the driver began name dropping Sen. Ejercito. Stating that he is connected with the lawmaker, the driver attempted to settle the matter by offering to pay the enforcer while the latter was issuing a ticket. But the enforcer chose to do the right thing and didn’t let the name dropping get in the way of accomplishing his duty.

The video uploaded on Tuesday, February 2 quickly spread like wildfire on social media getting more than 6,500 shares on Facebook as of press time.

Watch the video.

Posted by Lenard Bernardo on Monday, February 1, 2016

On Wednesday, February 3, Sen. Ejercito denied the man’s claim that he is connected to the Senator and his Senate office. According to Sen. Ejercito, the man he identified as “Jun” is indeed from San Juan, Metro Manila but was never part of his staff.

“It is unfortunate that he had to name drop me and my office just to get away with a traffic violation. Just want to make this clear with the video going viral in social media,” he added.

To those asking, Jun - the man caught on cam brazenly violating traffic rules and apprehended by a traffic officer - is...
Posted by Jv Ejercito on Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Under the Land Transportation Office-Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTO-LTFRB) joint administrative order 2014-01, a vehicle is considered operating as colorum under the following circumstances:

• If a private vehicle operates as a public utility vehicle (PUV) without the necessary franchise from LTFRB)
• If a PUV operates outside of its authorized zone or route
• If a PUV continues operation despite suspension, cancellation or expiration of franchise
• If a PUV operates differently from its authorized denomination.

-Mini/The Summit Express