5July 2015

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Contents

8 Love, Basketball, and the Philippines

16 Cock�ght Superbowl!

20 Beach Rugby returns to Barretto

Center Surfs Up!

22 HARP

23 Whitewater Splash!

Advertising

�e Sports Issue

�is month we take a look at Sports. �ere are two sports in the Philippines that are deeply ingrained in the Filipino pyche - Basketball and Cock�ghting.Basketball is considered to be the most popular sport in the Philippines and is played on both the amateur and professional level. �e Philippine Basketball Association currently runs a 12 team competition, but also in Asia’s professional basketball league after the National Basketball Association. A cock�ght is a blood sport between two roosters (cocks), or more accurately gamecocks, held in a ring called a cockpit. Cocks possess congenital aggression toward all males of the same species. Cocks are given the best of care until near the age of two years old. �ey are conditioned, much like professional athletes prior to events or shows. Wagers are often made on the outcome of the match.

Please call Ryan at 0947-891-5494 or Nanette at 0908-977-3806 for information on advertising in QUEST Magazine. For Angeles City contact Arnel at 0921-987-1454. Email randy@questmagazines.com.

and the Philippines

uperbowl!

each Rugby returns �e Sports Issue

QUEST

July 2015Volume 2 Number 7

Travel and Leisure Magazine

If you have any upcoming events for the months of July or later or have some interesting photos of the Region 3 area please email them to randy@questmagazines.com.

Read the current and back issues of QUEST Magazine at issuu.com/questmagazines

7July 2015

Whenever Filipino’s are asked about their favourite sports, Basketball heads the list, while boxing and billiards vie for second spot, followed by popular badminton.Indeed, basketball is by far the most pop-ular team sport in the Philippines. It has been played for nearly a century in the Philippines, brought along by the Amer-icans. �e Philippine Basketball League (PBA) was established in 1975, but prior to that, professional leagues already had a strong following.It is played every day across the country, by men and women alike. Next to the PBA, there are many local and regional basket-ball associations, comprising various teams competing for a title. It is being played everywhere, in the neighborhoods, on the streets, in gyms and at schools. League matches are featured on TV and many Filipinos watch basketball at a venue for a small fee, participating in the merriment. Basketball was brought to the Philippines by the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) during the early American co-lonial period, in the �rst half of the 20th century. Today it is the most popular sport in the country, whether in the streets, at schools, in colleges or on the professional level.�e sport is particularly popular in Phil-ippine universities. Since 1938, the annu-al University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Basketball Compe-tition has been the most anticipated bas-

ketball event for these academic institu-tions. Among the eight teams, the most bitter rivals are Ateneo de Manila Univer-sity (ADMU) and De La Salle University (DLSU).Similarly, the National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball Tournament marks the start of the academic year for 10 col-leges. Established in 1924, the NCAA is the oldest athletic association of the Phil-ippines. �e UAAP is an o�shoot of the NCAA.�e Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is the second oldest professional basketball league in the world, right after the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the US. �e PBA is composed of ten compa-ny-sponsored and -branded teams, such as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel or the Mer-alco Bolts. Most elimination rounds and playo� games are held in Araneta Colise-um, Quezon City.Recently, Philippine representative Gilas Pilipinas participated in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, a �rst for the Phil-ippines in 36 years to compete on world stage after winning a silver medal at the FIBA Asia Championships last year. �e team failed to qualify for the World Cup �nals, having won only once out of four games. During its last day at the competi-tion, the Philippines defeated Senegal in an overtime game.

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Cock�ght Superbowl!�e World Slasher Cup is the Super Bowl of cock�ghting, a �ve-day series of 648 matches held in a coliseum in downtown Quezon City in metro Manila. Outside the sleek chrome entrance, a 30-foot-high in�ated rooster sways in the hot breeze, advertising a formula feed. Next to the event poster featuring two cocks in combat hangs a bill announcing the Miss Philippines contest, displaying a woman in a teal-blue low-cut dress. Ice Capades just �nished a run at the coliseum, and Dionne Warwick will be coming soon.

But for now, the 20,000-seat arena where Joe Frazier once fought Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title belongs to the Filipinos’ favorite traditional pastime. Cock�ghting is also the world’s oldest sport after boxing, and one of humanity’s most ubiquitous gambling games. �ough now illegal around much of the world, you can still �nd cock�ghts in Appalachian farmyards, Venezuelan favelas, and Pakistani back lots. �is sport, in fact, may be responsible for creating the bird that today is the world’s single most important source of protein.

Inside the Araneta, big screens make it easy to watch the birds battle each other with steel spurs. When I take my seat, there are four men in the ring, two of them calmly squatting, each with a cigarette between his lips and a chicken between his legs. �e other two are referees. �ousands of spectators, all men, are standing and shouting, making distinctive hand gestures to one another around the vast space, each gesture part of an intricate system for betting on the birds below. �e noise is deafening.

Suddenly, the squatting smokers release the birds, and the roosters approach each other at a wary angle, hackles rising like rainbow-colored umbrellas from their necks. As they explode forward with the speed and aim of heat-seeking missiles, the clamor outside the ring abruptly halts. Feathers, legs, and a �ash of steel �ll the screens. �e only sound is the vibration of pounded air from hard-�apping wings. In less than a minute, it is over. �e white-feathered victor sends up a triumphant crow next to the still body of its dead opponent. Losers pay up their bets in a rain of folded peso notes as the loudspeaker blares the pop tune “Eye of the Tiger.”

“Here in the cheap seats, they are betting 10 to 100 dollars a match,” says Rolando Luzong, my cock�ghting guide and a journalist, industry consultant, and public relations specialist. We are sitting halfway up, where the crowd thins out. “But there in the preferencia”—he points at the VIP bleachers next to the ring—“they are betting 1,000 to 10,000 dollars.”

�e cup is the high end of global cock�ghting. To enter a single bird in the competition costs $1,750, more than half a year’s salary for the average Filipino. Wealthy owners often have more than just the money; they have dedicated farms and full-time trainers caring for hundreds of fowl that could sell for well over $1,000 apiece. Vaccines, antibiotics, vitamins, and supplements are all part of the modern game fowl’s life. Tradi-tional methods of revving up your bird for a �ght, like slipping cayenne up its anus, have given way to pricey steroids and other powerful drugs.

Like American baseball or the Tour de France, modern Filipino cock�ghting is caught in a tangle of cor-porate sponsors and performance-enhancing drugs. �e brightly lit concession stands, the blaring canned music, and the rows of clean toilets in the restrooms give the event a depressingly modern feel. Still, the people in the cheap seats are the working-class men that you would �nd at any Canadian hockey game, British rugby match, or Brazilian soccer contest. �e real draw, though, seems to be in the gambling outside the ring rather than in the combat inside.

Luzong insists that cock�ghting is a much less corrosive form of gambling than what takes place in the �ashy casinos springing up across Manila. “Here, you only choose between two birds; you have a 50-50 chance,” he says as another shower of peso notes sprinkles through the air at the conclusion of a match. “You can cancel your bet before the roosters are released. When the birds are released, there is no human intervention. And you can leave whenever you want.”

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Sur�ng is all about fun, excitement and intense adventure and the beach at Pundaquit is the perfect destination to surf, learn new styles, meet new friends, get some tips, hang out with other surfers or simply enjoy the laid back lifestyle.

�e Philippines rainy season (August-March) is the best time to start your sur�ng adventure Low pressure areas from the open ocean build up wind. �is then build up waves that drive di�erent heights of swells that can bring even professional surfer the thrill of visiting and riding the waves of Pundaquit season after season.

Surfers come to surf the amazing, rolling left-hand wave appropriate-ly named Magic Left. Left because of left-hand wave it produces, plus its works magic. �e spot is near a river-mouth too, perfect for beginners and long boarders too.

You don’t have to be a pro surfer to enjoy sur�ng at Pundaquit. It’s too bad that most all sur�ng movies show the professionals doing all of these wild and di�cult maneuvers in waves that most surfers can’t and will never ride. Most of us mere mortals can have fun riding waves that are only one foot or maybe 3 to 5 feet on the face of the wave. So, go to Pundaquit and ride your boogieboard or your soft surfboard. Most of us just want to feel comfortable and have fun riding the friendly waves.

SURF’S UP!

Sur�ng PackageRT Transfers from-to Manila / Angeles City / Subic Bay | Sur�ng Lesson |

Included in Sur�ng Tour

Snacks, waterLunch1 session of surf lesson with surfboard rentalRound Land TransferSur�ng Tour Activities

Option One

8:00 am to 10:00 am – Lesson and Sur�ng11:00 am to 3:00 pm – Boat tour to Anawangin or Capones / Lunch on the beach

Option Two

8:00 am to 10:00 am – Lesson and Sur�ng11:00 am to 12:00 pm – Trekking or visit Waterfalls / Lunch2:00 pm to 4:00 pm – Sur�ng

By special request we can also arrange longer tours to Baler and La Union.

For current prices on all the sur�ng packages please call 0998-954-3165 or email info@rj-tours.ph

19July 2015

Proudly sponsored by Trader Ric’s Beach Bar Restaurant and Baretto Blues Rugby Club, the teams are the Clark Jets from Clark Angeles and the local based team the Subic Pirates.

�ese teams now play in the annual tournaments in September the Fat Boys 10’s and the Manila 10’s every March,also the school tournaments, senior level Rugby, kids of all ages welcome.

Coach and current Manager of the Philippine Volcanoes National team teaches all the skills required to become a good Rugby player, sponsored by Mr John Bradley from OVERGAARD BASE IN SBMA. Also associated in sponsorship’s are the Pot Belly Pigs Rugby Club based in Hong Kong.

Beach rugby is a sport that can be based on either of the rugby football codes, league or union. �ere is no centralized regulation of the sport as in beach soccer or beach volleyball, but leagues are common across Europe, and the sport is partic-ularly popular in Italy.

Casual games are played across the world using di�erent sets of rules, but organized leagues use a �eld that is a fraction of the size of a standard rugby �eld, far fewer players on each team, shorter matches, and a simpli�ed scoring system.

Beach Rugby has returned to Barretto!

For further information contact Murray Domb, General Manager, Trader Ric’c 63 929 4420 564

21July 2015

We, who are engaged in the hotel and restau-rant industry in the province of Pampanga, fully conscious of our responsibilities in the economic and social progress of our country, and the important roles we play in the pro-motion and development of tourism in the Philippines and in Pampanga in particular, in cooperation with other instrumentalities in-volved in the industry; We, are the Hotels And Restaurants Association of Pampanga, Inc.

Our Objective

To promote unity and mutual cooperation among those involved in the hotel and restau-rant industry in the province of Pampanga, in order to protect their common interests and welfare;

To act as liaison between the members and government institutions or o�cers and assist in the enactment and enforcement of nation-al and local ordinances or laws a�ecting the industry;

To uphold the highest standard of profession, integrity and e�ciency in the conduct of its business;

To encourage and maintain a feeling of good-will, camaraderie and friendly competition among members;

To prevent unethical practices and resist activ-ities inimical to the right conduct of business required of honorable and fair competition among members;

To participate in community a�airs pertaining to the tourism industry and to act as spokes-person for the members, taking active part in community and civic activities;

To promote harmonious relationship with tourism-allied industries and suppliers in or-der to achieve and meet the highest standard of service and quality of products for the as-sociation;

To work with associations engaged in the tour-ism industry in other localities for closer rap-

port, cooperation and fellowship.

List of O�cers:

MA. MIRASOL SIMONPresidentMaharajah Hotel

MATT DE CASTROVice-President for HotelsHotel La Casa

JOHN TODOROVICVice-President for RestaurantsKokomo’s Hotel & Restaurant

MARY JANE OLIDANCorporate SecretaryPhillies Sports Grill & Bar

ELWIN MORALTreasurerEuropcar

PRECIOUS CUNANANDirector for Airport OperationsWidus Hotel & Casino

VILMA BRAZASDirector for MembershipPerimeter Hotel

JUNE ICBANDirector for Trainings & SeminarsMr. Wang Restaurant

DOMINIC ROLDADirector for Public RelationsTune Hotel

MITCH OTSURUEx-O�cio President 2014Yufuin Japanese Restaurant

JIM DALEAdvisorHotel La Casa

DIR. RONALDO TIOTUICORegional DirectorCentral Luzon

www.goharp.org/

Marlim Mansions Hotel, Arayat Street, Balibago, Angeles, Pam-panga, (045) 892 5089

Now that rainy season is here, the rivers are full and run-ning fast. RJ Tours takes you on a white water experience that begins in a mountain village, where the body of water originates and meanders through the lush greenery with its charming rural scenes. �e next few hours on the water increase sthe pace to a more intense ride, as the river picks up and churns the kayak around with its frothy tide.

�e whitewater rapids of the river are categorized as Class II, which a�ords just the right amount of adventure for neophyte whitewater kayakers. �e rapids are generally smooth and gentle to moderately quick, and the passages between rocks are clear and open.

Shortly thereafter, the river returns to a calmer mood once again, inviting whitewater riders to gaze upon the majestic mountains looming in the distance and to bask in quietude as they recover from the adrenaline rush. For the more adventurous, there are spots along the river to enjoy cli� jumping and kayak sur�ng.

Going through all of the 12.5-kilometer stretch of the river will take whitewater riders around three to four hours, with a good mix of adrenaline rush and peaceful solitude – the perfect antidote to a stress-ridden urban life. Kayaking in the rapids might lead to strained arms and an exhausted body, but the whitewater adventure amidst the beauty and majesty of nature is de�nitely worth it.

White WaterSplash

For more information please call 0998-954-3165 or email info@rjtours.ph

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0920-424-086575 National Hwy, Barretto

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