ONE Championship’s Singapore Event Converted to Closed Door Event

ONE Championship recently announced that the company has made the decision to convert one of its live events into a closed-door event. ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE, which is scheduled for Friday, 28 February in Singapore is to proceed as planned, but the Singapore Indoor Stadium will be closed off to fans and media.

The decision was made with regards to the situation in Singapore surrounding the Novel Coronavirus (official name COVID-19). 

Singapore’s Ministry of Health recently raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level from yellow to orange after having confirmed 75 cases of infection.

ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong made the announcement to convert their event in Singapore to a closed-door event initially on his social media accounts. Shortly after, Sityodtong fielded questions from the media on a global conference call.

“In light of the coronavirus situation in Singapore, I have made the decision to convert ONE: King of the Jungle on February 28 into a closed event for broadcast only. The Singapore Indoor Stadium will not be open to the general public, but the event will proceed behind closed doors as scheduled live on all TV and digital platforms across 150+ countries around the world,” Sityodtong wrote on his official Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/yodchatri/posts/2904888419573300

Fans who purchased tickets to the event will be given a full refund through Sportshub Tix, ONE’s official ticketing partner in Singapore. All bouts are to proceed as scheduled, and will still be available live via TV and digital platforms worldwide, as well as through the ONE Super App.

The main event of ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE will see two-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand defend her ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title against Janet “J.T.” Todd of the United States.

In the co-main event of the evening, reigning ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion Sam-A Gaiyanghadao of Thailand will take on Lachlan “Rocky” Ogden of Australia for the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai World Title.

Representing Singapore on the global stage is former ONE World Title challenger Amir Khan, who is accompanied by fellow Singaporean stars Tiffany “No Chill” Teo and Radeem Rahman. In addition, Singapore-based athletes Troy Worthen and Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat are set to see action.

“We just felt that this was an incredible moment for us to ignite hope and strength across the continent of Asia and to our fans all over the world during this difficult time,” Sityodtong said during the global conference call.

“I also want to say that it is only by love, compassion, and resilience that Singapore as a country and Asia as a continent can overcome and conquer the Coronavirus.”

Sityodtong also says that while Singapore will proceed with its closed-door event, other events the organization has scheduled in other countries will proceed as planned. ONE Championship remains firm in its promise to deliver at least 50 events this year across all of its properties, and will make decisions to alter its events based on various factors as situations change.

“It was not an easy decision for us. In fact, many people were pushing us to cancel the event. But I thought back to why I started ONE Championship in the first place. And our mission since day one has been to unleash real-life superheroes who ignite the world with hope, strength, dreams, and inspiration,” Sityodtong continued.

“It’s a very different mission than all of our other global competitors. Yes we want to put on the greatest fights. Yes, we have the greatest martial artists in the world but there’s a deeper mission for ONE Championship. And in a time of crisis, in a time of fear in the continent of Asia, our heroes are ready to inspire the world.”

Salceda Challenges Deped: “Shape Up Instead of Pharsing Own Testing Results”

House Ways and Means Chair Joey Sarte Salceda (Albay, 2nd District) urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to “shape up” and engage in serious and comprehensive efforts to reform the education system and improve learner outcomes, instead of “explaining away” the issue of functional and latent illiteracy, after an Inquirer article reported that 70,000 grade school students in Bicol "cannot read."

“Yung point ng DepEd, hindi naman daw “no-read, no-write” ang ibig sabihin nung “cannot read” sa sarili nilang evaluation. Most of us economists and policymakers already knew that anyway, just by reading the PISA 2018 report on the Philippines. What PISA says is only about 20 percent of 15 year-olds can use their reading, science, and mathematics skills in some useful manner.”

“By denying that there is no “epidemic” of illiteracy in the country, what DepEd is saying is wala namang delubyo, baha lang. How is that helpful?” Salceda said.

“Look, I am not faulting DepEd for this issue. Kaya nga systemic, kasi walang isang tao lang na may kasalanan. Faceless ang systemic issues. Pero yun na nga yung punto. Systemic yung problema. Hindi pwedeng retail problem-solving for a comprehensive problem. Lalong hindi pwedeng denying away the problem. None of that will work as effectively as just shaping up and admitting that we need to make radical changes.” Salceda said.

“Comprehensive problems require comprehensive solutions. That’s why I have been pushing for the Comprehensive Education Reform Agenda. We need to move towards a better model guided by the simple principle of Not Many But Much. No overloading of the curriculum. No overburdening of teachers. No student left behind.”

“We have models to guide us. The Finnish model, which is recognized as one of the best, if not the best in the world, is light on workload. It has fewer students per teacher. Everyone is trained to be a skilled worker – a hybrid of HUMSS and TESDA. And students are guaranteed free nutritious meals,” Salceda said.

Salceda’s Comprehensive Education Reform Agenda is moving towards the characteristics of the Finnish model of education. HB 6231, or the Teacher Empowerment Act, aims to reduce teacher workload and to improve teacher training to improve the quality of teaching. HB 6247, or the K to 12 Reform Act, will deload the curriculum while enhancing technical and vocational education, improving the quality of learning materials, and correcting other issues in the current K to 12 system. HB 6287, or the Meister Schools Act, will set up schools specially catering to high-value technical skills. HB 6295, or the Universal Free School Meals Program, will guarantee access to free nutritious meals for schoolchildren from low-income households.

Salceda is also pushing for safer schools, financing for underserved schools, and a “Build, Build, Build” for education. The economist-lawmaker says he is filing all of the bills by end of February

“Big problems need big solutions. I urge the Department of Education to look at the Comprehensive Education Reform Agenda. We have enough time in Congress to begin deliberations on these reforms during the first half of the year. They will have to appear on the hearings anyway, so I strongly suggest that they study these reforms and make their recommendations as soon as they can,” Salceda said.

BBDO GUERRERO WINS MARKETING PROJECT FOR PH EXPO 2020 DUBAI

BBDO Guerrero has won the bid to develop the multi-media marketing communications for the Philippine participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai, this October. The agency is tasked to project the country as a highly connected global nation.

BBDO Guerrero will also inform, persuade, and motivate global audiences to visit the Philippines Pavilion at the Expo – dubbed the bangkóta – for the full experience of design, art, and culture, combined with shopping and tasting authentic Filipino food.

Partnering with PR firm FleishmanHillard, the agency is also tasked to build and maintain DTI’s relationships with primary stakeholders in UAE and Manila.

The Philippine participation in Expo 2020 Dubai is led by the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under the leadership of Secretary Ramon Lopez, with the guidance of Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Hjayceelyn Quintana and Consul General Paul Cortez, including the support from member agencies comprising the Philippine Organizing Committee.

The bangkóta, inspired by the ancient Filipino word for coral reef, is designed by the architecture firm Budji+Royal Architecture+Design, with the exhibition content being developed and curated by Marian Pastor-Roces.

DTI Assistant Secretary for the Trade Promotions Group and PH Expo 2020 Dubai, Alternate Commissioner-General Rosvi C. Gaetos says: “We are happy to have BBDO Guerrero and FleishmanHillard as part of the Philippine team that will ensure a successful participation in the Expo. This gives us confidence as we promote our business interest in this region and aim to achieve our trade, tourism and investment objectives”.

BBDO Guerrero Creative Chairman, David Guerrero shares: “It is our privilege to be involved in this country-branding campaign that positions the Philippines as a global force, through the strength of its people that are highly connected, creative, and compassionate”.