The AnitoKid on Billiards | Philippine Sports

Manny Pacquiao 10-Ball Cup on NBN-4! It's Billiards on TV!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:08:00 +0000

Billiards buddies and pool player friends, airing of the Makati Pool Players Association (MAPPA) Manny Pacquiao 10-Ball Cup is this coming Sunday, August 2, 2009! The historic event will be broadcast from 2 PM to 3:30 PM on NBN-4.

Winners of the MAPPA Manny Pacquiao 10-ball competition include:

Class C
Champion - Stephanie Liwanag
1st Runner-up - Emily Dagala
2nd Runner-up - Catherine Albornoz

Class B
Champion - Tony Macahilig
1st Runner-up – Taka Japan
2nd Runner-up - Carlito "Vice" De Castro

Class A
Champion - Cris Ty
1st Runner-up - Mark Fallorina
2nd Runner-up - Dave Rogel

Class O
Champion - Joven Tamang
1st Runner-up - Rico Carballo
2nd Runner-up - Tata Angeles

Congratulations to Jesse (Gonzales) Cambosa (MAPPA President) and the 2009 MAPPA set of officers for a job well done! Kudos to all of you, friends!

And oh! I have already seen a preview of the broadcast, which includes a lot of clips featuring the National Fist, Manny Pacquiao, running out the rack! Truth be told, I am very much impressed with the quality of the production! And I kid you not!

"It's always historic billiards events with The AnitoKid."

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2009 DMC Philippines’ DJ Championship Philippine Finals & DJ Academy Launch!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:57:00 +0000

These days, there is a World Championship for almost everything – and yes, that includes DJ-ing. And this year, the Philippines’ best turntable masters will battle it our once again for the right to represent the country at the 2009 DMC World DJ Championships to be held in London, England.

Photo shows DJ Academy.com board members and faculty - all my good friends in the clubbing circuit. (From left): Jesse (Gonzales) Cambosa – president, Tony Garalde – Chairman of the Board, Lito Saez – Treasurer, DJ Sonny – Head DJ Mentor, Ms. Teresa Macenas – Corporate Secretary, DJ Radikal MK – Mentor, DJ Jet – Mentor, DJ Kimozave – Mentor, and DJ Skin Khadafi – Mentor.

The Philippine eliminations, billed as the 2009 World DJ Championships Philippine Finals, will be held on August 9, 8 p.m. at Stagecraft Trading along EDSA corner Reliance Street in Mandaluyong City.

The event will also serve as the grand launch of DJ Academy.com, a one-of-a-kind school where DJ enthusiasts can learn the basic skills of DJ-ing.

To be featured on the grand finals night are special guest performances by top acts, including Pikaso, Posh, PYT, People’s Future, Pamilia Dimagiba, Miscellaneous, KrazyKyle, and the Mocha Girls.

Last year’s Philippine finals was won by DJ Skin Khadafi, who represented the country at the World Championships. DJ Fly of France won the world title, followed by DJ Slice form the USA; DJ Co-Ma of Japan; DJ Skully of the UK; DJ Final of Norway, and DJ Shub of Canada. The World Team championship title went to the teams from Japan, France, and Italy, respectively.

The event is produced by DMC Philippines and supported by Stagecraft Trading, DJ Academmy.com, Allen & Heath, Pioneer Pro DJ, Jimm’s Coffee, and Odyssey Music & Video. Media partners are Crossover FM 105.1, Jam 88.3, Magic 89.9, NU 107 FM, Max 103.5 FM, 99.5 RT, Yehey, Getzmo, and The AnitoKid of www.anitokid.blogspot.com.

My newest toys - soon!

Who will be this year’s Philippine representative to the World Championship? Will Filipino DJ’s take their place among the world’s best this year? Find out at the 2009 World DJ Championships Philippine Finals on Sunday, August 9!

*For those not in the know, the first picture above was taken by Larawan Photography. It was subsequently published in the July 25, 2009 issue of the Manila Bulletin! And I kid you not! More info on Larawan Photography can be found HERE!

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Efren Bata Reyes on Probe Profiles! Part 1!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Efren Reyes Interview on Probe Profiles
Part 1
Video Link Here

INTRO: And one of the most lethal and legendary players in history…

CHE-CHE LAZARO:
Efren Bata Reyes! The one who became famous! And who made the sports of billiards that popular in the Philippines! And who is the most popular pool player in the world! Where did he come from? What is his success story? And what’s in store for the Magician, now that his magic seems to be waning?

In 30 years of playing billiards, wherein he has amassed so many trophies, awards, championships, and recognitions, does Efren Bata Reyes have any plans of letting go of his cue stick?

Amidst the numerous loses he is experiencing right now, I ask – Are The Magician’s days numbered?

CHE-CHE: (@2:00)
Simple in the way he dresses himself up. Always with a smile – even though toothless! Always scratching his head. At first glance, I couldn’t believe that he is the one they call The Magician in the sport of billiards!

But when he got his cue stick - I see a totally different Efren.

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ:
He is a natural mathematician or whatever you call it. Because he sees the angles like nobody else does. And he takes risks that others don’t take.

CHE-CHE:
Bank shots! Safeties! And awesome trickshots! Efren can definitely easily run out the balls on the billiards table.

ROLLY VICENTE (childhood friend & manager):
Efren is an entertainer. Efren entertains people. That’s why people like him! People are always in awe! It’s his greatest selling point. Simply put - he is spectacular!

DJANGO BUSTAMANTE:
People watching him – it’s as if they hold their breath every time they watch him! And people always clap their hands when Efren enters a pool room.

CHECHE:
Efren’s great ability to control the cue ball endears him to the champions of the sport! He is their idol!

Ronnie “The Volcano” Alcano - the last one to beat Efren Reyes in a major tour a few months ago. But every time that Ronnie opens his mouth, there is no doubt on who inspires him!

RONNIE ALCANO:
Of course, Efren Reyes is my idol! When I began to idolized him, I decided to have my teeth (all of ‘em!) pulled out to look like him! To be like him! Like Efren!

CHE-CHE:
What sets Efren’s game a cut above from the rest?

PUTCH PUYAT:
I believe it’s a God-given talent. In billiards, they call it “touch” – pulso – pulse.

CHE-CHE:
And it’s not just in billiards that Efren Reyes stands out.

RONNIIE NATHANIELSZ:
He is probably the simplest, humblest man I ever met in my life. There are two people that strike me with their humility – Flash Elorde and Bata Reyes.

CHE-CHE:
Why?

RONNIIE NATHANIELSZ:
Not a mean bone in their body. Never said anything nasty about anybody. Took the good with the bad. And they are very nice to the fans.

CHE-CHE:
What sets him apart from other billiard players?

RONNIIE NATHANIELSZ:
His humble beginnings. His very poor beginning.

SUSUNOD (CONTINUATION)

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Efren Bata Reyes on Probe Profiles! Part 2!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:51:00 +0000

Efren Reyes Interview on Probe Profiles
Part 2
Video Link Here

CHE-CHE:
Where did the name Bata originate? Why do they call you Bata?

EFREN:
There used to be a player named Efren when I was starting out – and a good one, too! He was also like famous in the local circuit - carved a name for himself, too. And to differentiate us, when we’re together and for everyone else, e.g., fellow pool players, he was called Efren Matanda (old) and I, Efren Bata (Kid).

CHE-CHE:
According to Putch Puyat, your talent is God-given. What does that mean?

EFREN:
It’s like the One above gave me the talent to excel in billiards. Just imagine, I have like learned all of the tips and tricks there are in this sport. In the beginning, I didn’t even know that this is a sport! Billiards used to be a hush-hush thing! The old ones used to scold us whenever they see us, the young ones, play! They would also forbid us to go to pool halls!

CHE-CHE:
Efren is the 5th child of 9 of a wet market vendor from Culubasa, Mexico, Pampanga.

RUFINO REYES (brother):
He has done no wrong to anyone. Wasn’t mischievous in any sort of way. He is very kind. He doesn’t like fights. He also used to be like aloof – not socializing with anyone who are (inaudible).

CHE-CHE:
To help out the family, Efren’s father decided to bring the 5-year old Efren to Manila. Efren worked as a pool attendant at the Lucky 13 pool hall in Manila, which was owned by one of his uncles.

Efren had absolutely no interest in billiards at that point in time.

EFREN:
My interest in billiards started when I began seeing players hand each other money after their respective matches. I didn’t understand gambling, then. Thus, I started playing in hopes that they’ll give me money, too!

CHE-CHE:
Ha ha ha! Thus, money was like your primary motivation when you started playing billiards! But being a 5-year-old, you could only partially see all of the table! How did you cope with your play?

EFREN:
Whenever I couldn’t reach a shot, I would get three cases of Coca-Cola and stack ‘em one on the top of the other. Then, I’ll stand on the stack for the shot.

CHE-CHE:
Pursigido si Efren!

RUFINO REYES:
He will always be seen playing. Even playing one-handed because he was short – couldn’t see all the table! And he still played even when he couldn’t see all of the table! In the end, he learned. And he learned well!

EFREN:
I remember sleeping on pool tables. I will immediately play whenever I wake up. And I will also play before going to bed. (You could really feel the emotions from Efren when he was saying this. I was there.)

CHE-CHE:
Rufino was very much surprised with Efren’s talent on the pool table.

RUFINO REYES:
We really didn’t expect Efren to become good in billiards. Then, we saw him play! He was really good! In fact, he was very good! Thus, what happened, our uncle started bringing Efren to money-game matches.

BERTING BISAYA (@ 2:52)
He beat the champion here! He became good here (Paki? inaudible). He beat everybody and anybody here! All of us – those really knowledgeable in billiards – he beat us all!

CHE-CHE:
Twelve years old, that’s the age Efren started to become a road player – looking for money-game matches everywhere – and anywhere! And because the motion picture, “The Hustler”, was popular that time, money game matches was the “in” thing in pool halls, too!

According to Mr. Berting Bisaya, Efren had Chinese friends who would bet on him in money-game matches.

BERTING BISAYA:
Efren had a manager (money-game manager/financier) named Guding (from Escolta, Manila). Guding made Efren his tirador – money game player. Efren also received a salary from Guding.

CHE-CHE:
Did you enjoy the trips you made? The ones you made looking for money-game matches?

EFREN:
Why wouldn’t I enjoy them? We always make money every time we were on the road. We always win! And I always get a cut of the money prize. Thus, I always have money to bring home!

ROLLY VICENTE:
This is where I first saw Efren. He lost his first match. And many after that! But after one year, it was a totally different story! A totally different Efren! He was then all wins! He learned very fast!

CHE-CHE:
Rolly is Efren’s childhood friend. Together, both Efren and Rolly toured the country’s billiards halls for money-game matches – hustling.

ROLLY VICENTE:
We used to go to Clark Air Base in Pampanga to play against the US servicemen – to earn money. You know, we would go from billiards joint to another looking for money game matches. Matches also ran in the thousands of pesos back then because bets there were in dollars!

CHE-CHE:
Efren become known for his fancy shots, which he learned and developed from watching players who get lucky with their shots.

EFREN:
Those with fancy shots are those who do not know how to play. It’s all luck! There are players who shoot softly but the shot becomes strong. There are also those who shoot hard, but the outcome is like a soft shot. And then, there are those that aim and shoot at different parts of the cueball, e.g., low, middle, and high, with different effects on the ball.

CHE-CHE:
It was only a matter of time before Efren Reyes’ name and speed spread like wildfire among the local pool halls. He became a feared player in billiards halls!

EFREN:
They see my speed and smarts on the table. And they know that will have a very difficult time playing and winning against me. Thus, there were very, very, very few who would play against me.

CHE-CHE:
Because of fear?

EFREN:
Yes. That is why I decided to get a job in a printing press.

CHE-CHE:
Efren got a job in a printing press – arranging and stacking comic books. But, only after one year, he went back to billiards.

EFREN:
I earned Php90 a month at my job at the printing press. I decided to go back to billiards! I surmised that I’m better off in billiards. I can earn such amount playing billiards. Even in a worst case scenario, I will still earn that Php90 even if I only win once a month!

CHE-CHE:
1975 – the year that an American sportswriter saw Efren Reyes play.

EFREN:
He saw me playing at the Lucky 13 pool hall. He was at the window – shooting pictures. He went back to the United States.

The pool players there were asked about their thoughts on who could possibly beat them – who is the best pool player? A player quipped, “The Japanese. They have a chance to beat us because they always play here.” The American sportswriter said, “There is already man who can beat you. All of you. He will soon be here. A man from the mountains. His name – Efren Reyes!

CHE-CHE:
This news spoiled Efren’s strategies and plans when he comes the US. At this point in time, a Filipino in the US was already planning to bring Efren to the States – winning money game matches while hiding his true speed.

EFREN:
Thus, the name Efren Reyes became known there (United States). So how? How can I go there, hustle, and win? I had no interest in the tournaments there. Our goal there was to hide my speed and win money games – lots of it – by hustling! How could we do that if they know me? If they know my name? I can’t hide my speed and hustle well if they know me.

CHE-CHE:
Because of the news that an Efren Reyes will come to the US, Efren and his backers came up with a new strategy, i.e., Efren used another name to go to the US – Caesar Morales.

ROLLY VICENTE:
In the US, Efren will deny that he is Efren Reyes. Pool players there have already heard of his name and great speed – yet, they do not know how he looks like. When he lands in the US, Efren will be in disguise. Efren’s goal then was to hustle.

If they knew that it was Efren Reyes they’re playing against at, Efren will be having a difficult time finding opponents. It is possible that he will have opponents and matches playing as Efren Reyes – but at difficult odds and weights! But with the name Caesar Morales – now, that’s a totally different story!

CHE-CHE:
Not a single player in the US could match Efren’s speed on the table! Efren sowed the pool joints with ease, discovering new faces and facets of the sport.

EFREN:
‘Twas totally different in the US! Hey! We could actually forego money-game matches because of the big tournaments there! Thus, I entered a tournament using Caesar Morales as my name. My manager said, “I think we should use your real name. Otherwise, they may forfeit your prize if you don’t!” Thus, my manager told my real name to the promoter.

CHE-CHE:
True! True!

EFREN:
At the end of the tournament, I remember the promoter saying, “It is okay if you played under a different name. Because guess what? Your opponent in the finals? He also played under a different name!”

CHE-CHE:
Efren entered his first tournament in the US – The Red’s 9-Ball Open (Houston, TX) – and won it as Caesar Morales! However, the masquerade was soon all over when he signed his real name for a fan asking for an autograph! He signed it “Efren Reyes!”

The Americans were in awe with Efren’s speed - and shots they have never imagined possible nor seen before done on the pool table!

EFREN:
When I started beating them one by one, they said, “That person, Efren Reyes, is not from this world! He is from another planet!” Incidentally, a billiards magazine published a story on me and titled it, “The Man from A Different Planet,” with a picture of me wearing a mask.

CHE-CHE:
Efren Reyes’ first prize in the US (Red’s 9-Ball Tour, 1985) was $10,500! However, he didn’t see a cent of it! He didn’t receive any cut whatsoever! Said the Filipino manager who brought him to the US, he (Efren) still owes him $50 for expenses! This saddened Efren.

EFREN:
I didn’t receive any money. Yet, I did not lose.

CHE-CHE:
What happened to your winnings?

EFREN:
I don’t know. I guess it’s all gone. I haven’t since my managers since then.

CHE-CHE (@ 9:00):
Efren tried again his luck the next year. However, bad luck seemed to follow him, still.

ROLLY VICENTE:
Efren placed 3rd place only. In another tour, 2nd place only. And so on. During that time, Efren confided to me that he felt discouraged with what was happening to him. You know, Efren feels discouraged when he loses – as I surmise from our talks. I said to him, “Maybe, it’s not yet time. Who knows, when we suffer enough loses, and get tired of such, then we will win!

CHE-CHE:
Rolly correctly forecast what was about to happen to Efren! And Efren was soon nicknamed The Magician!

EFREN:
The reason why I’m called The Magician? They say that every time I go to the US, people there would always see and learn something new, i.e., shots and tricks.

CHE-CHE:
Efren’s successive wins and victories earned him the attention of the Puyat brothers. The Puyat brothers set up a showdown between Efren Reyes and Jose Amang Parica, the champion of the Philippines (year 1988).

PUTCH PUYAT:
The nagging question was: Who was the better player: Amang or Efren? People requested to know. Thus, we promoted a one-on-one match between Amang and Efren – race to 35. And Efren won that!

CHE-CHE:
The Puyat brothers were convinced to promote Efren. One notable event supported by the Puyat brothers was the Color of Money - the match against Earl “The Pearl Strickland,” in Hong Kong.

PUTCH PUYAT:
This was a race to 135, thus, it took 3 days to finish. What happened was, my brother accompanied Efren and his pals in Hong Kong. I received daily updates on developments via phone calls.

On the second day, with 17 games to go, Efren was losing/down 35 games! People there said, “It’s futile! It’s a done deal!” Some of the people there with Efren even went back to their hotel room – not finishing the event. They couldn’t bear the thought of seeing Efren massacred by Earl.

CHE-CHE:
On the 3rd day, Efren surprised every one!

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ:
Bata came back on the last day defeating him so badly. Because he was so way ahead in that match! And he thought it was all over! And Bata played some fantastic pool on the final day to beat him!

CHE-CHE:
According to Efren, he managed to win that event by tapping the balls!

EFREN:
Before the balls were set, Earl always tapped the first 3 balls in front of the 9-ball rack. What I did, I also tapped the balls – specifically the same first 3 balls – the 1 ball and the two balls behind it.

CHE-CHE:
Why did you do it? Why did you also tap the balls?

EFREN:
I don’t know. Maybe my thinking/reasoning was Earl kept tapping the balls. He kept tapping the balls! Thus, I tapped the balls to change Earl’s luck during the break – because every time he breaks, at least a ball sinks in. In the end, it was I who was getting good breaks and none for Earl! Ha ha ha! And that’s how I overcome his huge lead and beat him during the event in Hong Kong!

CHE-CHE:
Efren is such a very superstitious person, according to his kumpadre, Django Bustamante.

DJANGO BUSTAMANTE:
For example, Efren takes a bath a day before the start of a tournament. And that’s it! He will not take a bath until the tournament ends. And this is particularly true when he plays very well on a particular day of an event! I guess, he doesn’t want to rub off the luck that is with him! And it’s true! Luck seems to be always with him!

EFREN:
I also correlate my clothes with my luck. I have clothes that I consider lucky. I don’t like wearing that I wore during a lost! Such area already unlucky for me!

CHE-CHE:
And what clothes do you consider lucky?

EFREN:
Polo! Polo shirts! Not t-shirts! Those with a pocket on the left side of my chest. Or two pockets on both left and right side of my chest – like that!

CHE-CHE:
Efren also had a thing to say about his dentures.

ROLLY VICENTE:
I said to him, you’re a rising star. You should wear dentures to be presentable! And thus, I encouraged him to have a dentist in Los Angeles make him one. And a dentist did! However, it seemed that we always lose when he wore the dentures during play.

What happened was, during one of our flights, he went to the comfort room. He had no more dentures when he came back to his seat! I asked, “What happened? Why?” “I threw ‘em away! I can’t move comfortably with them!” said Efren. I guess he was right and I just nodded. With that, I let him be.

CHE-CHE:
The Color of Money had a guaranteed $150,000 in prize money – the biggest prize in billiards then – and Efren won it against Earl Strickland!

SUSUNOD: CONTINUATION

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Efren Bata Reyes on Probe Profiles! Part 3!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Efren Reyes Interview on Probe Profiles
Part 3
Video Link Here

CHE-CHE:
With regards to your winnings, what did you do with it?

EFREN:
I first bought a house, of course. Money prizes in billiards are not that big, in comparison to those won by our boxing idol, i.e., Manny Pacquiao. Imagine, our winnings in the sport pale in comparison to his! Not even 1% of Manny’s earnings from a single fight! I’ve been playing for 30 years, but the earnings I’ve earned from all those years doesn’t even compare to that earned by Manny Pacquiao in a single fight – not even 1%!

RUFINO REYES:
That is the first car that Efren bought.

CHE-CHE:
In Angeles City, Pampanga, one can see the fruits of Efren’s labor. Cars, real estate properties, e.g., apartments. According to Rufino, even when Efren was just starting to play, his younger brother would give away all his winnings, not ever thinking about himself.

RUFINO:
Efren will give all his winnings to our father. All of it! He doesn’t keep anything for himself. And when Efren needs money, he asks from our father. For example, our father would always give Efren money whenever one of my uncles fetches Efren for a money game match.

CHE-CHE:
Ronnie Nathanielsz is all praises for Efren in this regard.

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ:
He looks after all his relatives. He doesn’t give them money. He frowns at giving them money! He sends them to school. He helps them in their housing and food. But he never gives them money. He doesn’t like giving them money because for him that is spoiling. His thinking is, “You work for what you want, but I will help you.”

RUFINO REYES:
He asked us what we want to do with our lives, e.g., business. He gave all of us starting capital to put up our own respective businesses. With regards to my siblings, I don’t know, I guess they used it as a business capital. However, the businesses went bankrupt. I used mine to build a house for my kid.

CHE-CHE:
Besides his winnings from billiards tournaments and money-game matches, Efren’s fame and stardom has allowed him to also earn from commercials and motion pictures.

EFREN:
In 2003, I starred in the motion picture, “Pakners” with Fernando Poe Jr., the king of Filipino movies. I have received many offers to do a movie even before that, e.g., about six offers – the sixth was from Fernando Poe Jr.! I declined them all, saying that I am too shy to appear in such, thus, I cannot do it. Fernando Poe Jr is my idol, and that’s the only reason why I agreed to do a movie with him.

CHE-CHE:
All of Efren’s earnings go straight to his wife, Susan.

SUSAN REYES:
We have successfully acquired a number of properties, including real estate like apartments in Diamond – about eight properties. We also bought a farm – a farm in Porac, Pampanga.

CHE-CHE:
This used to be Susan’s role in Efren’s life when they were still childhood friends.

SUSAN REYES:
I was the one who initially suggested to him that he put his money in the bank, instead of letting it go to waste. You see, Efren just gives all his money away. That’s how he is. I suggested to him that I put his money in the bank for him. I put his money in the bank – starting with an initial deposit of, if I remember correctly, Php40,000.

CHE-CHE:
Susan and Efren first met at the Lucky 13 pool hall in Manila, the pool hall where Efren started playing billiards.

SUSAN REYES:
I was a waitress then. On the 2nd floor of that building was the pool hall owned by his uncle. Efren doesn’t know how to court. He courts using his eyes – he just glances at me. He writes letters. He doesn’t even speak to me. He courts me through letters.

EFREN:
The pool hall was owned by one of my cousins. My cousin had a brother, who is the fiancée of Susan’s sister. We used to be their chaperone on dates.

CHE-CHE:
What happened then?

EFREN:
What happened was, it was Susan and I who successfully ended up with one another. The two we used to chaperone broke up in the end.

CHE-CHE:
Susan and Efren lived together and had two kids. They were living together for almost 10 years when Efren decided to surprise Susan.

SUSAN REYES:
Three days after arriving from the US, Efren said, “Please accompany me. We are going somewhere - a Christening in Pasay City.”

We waited at the 2nd floor of the Pasay City Hall. And waited, still. I thought it was strange. Efren said it was a Christening but nobody was there.

Then the godfathers and godmothers started to arrive, as well as the guests. There was like 10 of us altogether there. Then, the one in charge of the ceremony also arrived. He said, “Shall we start with the wedding?”

I was dumbfounded! Was very much surprised! You see, it was like unthinkable because I was a single mother – I have two children from the first – and Efren was very much single. The thought that Efren would marry me never crossed my mind! I was really surprised! All I could do then was cry.

CHE-CHE (@5:00):
Efren and Susan have 3 kids and 3 grandchildren. Did anyone follow your footsteps?

EFREN:
None. My eldest – my son here.

CHE-CHE:
Oh! He’s here?

EFREN:
He is here. But all he knows is lose on the pool table!

CHE-CHE:
You didn’t teach him?

EFREN:
He doesn’t want me to teach him. I tried to, but he doesn’t want me to do so.

FRENNIE REYES:
People might think that I’m good as my father. But no. I become nervous on the pool table! He tried teaching me, of course. However, he thinks that I should have started young if I really wanted to be good in billiards. I’m 26 years old now, and will have a difficult time becoming good in the sport.

CHE-CHE:
In his heyday, Efren was usually out of the house when the kids were growing up, e.g., tournaments, matches, commitments, and travels. Thus, Efren would miss a number of important events in the kids’ lives. This deeply saddened Efren’s youngest – Cielo.

CIELO REYES:
There were times, e.g., events, that he wasn’t there, which I would have very much liked to have him. He was always busy with his work. Like simple events in school wherein I would perform, it would have been great if he had been there. To watch us. To be with us. However, he could not make it.

SUSAN REYES:
I used to say to him, “You’re kids don’t know you. I’m the only one with them. You’re always out of the house.” The kids weren’t that close to Efren when they were still little, unlike now.

CHE-CHE:
Efren understands this. He understands them.

EFREN:
My family knows that my life – billiards - it’s all about tournaments. My son here always accompanies me whenever I play. Why so? He is always waiting for something. :)

CHE-CHE:
Susan is nervous whenever Efren plays. Always. That is why she seldom accompanies Efren in his matches. According to Efren, he feels his wife’s nervousness whenever he plays.

For Susan, Efren’s win in 1999 in Cardiff, Wales, was the most unforgettable – the most memorable - of all.

SUSAN REYES:
That is where he became famous! We were all very happy! We are all jumping with glee!

CHE-CHE:
This is the very first billiards tournament to be broadcast all over the world.

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ:
Filipinos stayed up till 3 to 4 in the morning to watch him play. We covered it here. But he just mauled the Chinese-Taipei guy! He just played with him!

CHE-CHE:
According to Nathanielsz, Efren’s win in Cardiff changed Efren’s life and the image of billiards in the Philippines forever.

NATHANIELSZ:
He won the championship in 1999. And that’s when pool or billiards caught a boom in the Philippines. Within weeks, billiards halls were sprouting up all over Tomas Morato - all over the country – like the basketball courts in every street corner.

SUSUNOD: CONTINUATION

"Great pool reads always with The AnitoKid!"

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Efren Bata Reyes on Probe Profiles! Part 4!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Efren Reyes Interview on Probe Profiles
Part 4
Video Link Here

CHE-CHE:
When did you realize that you’re already famous? That every one knows you.

EFREN:
It all changed for me in 1999. It wasn’t that way before. Yes, I always won but when I was just starting out to play, my fans were those from the rice fields, mostly kids - way before I joined tournaments! But 1999 changed everything! Now, the whole world knows – even where I will play! There are also countless who want my autographs!

CHE-CHE:
Have you ever thought that you have been instrumental in uplifting the image of the Filipino?

EFREN:
I don’t know if that is the case.

CHE-CHE:
Would you still be joining tournaments? That you still hold the title of being the best pool player in the world?

EFREN:
I don’t ever think of myself being the best or holding such a title.

CHE-CHE: (@1:00)
Nobody could have prepared Efren, particularly with what he was about to see when he arrived in the Philippines – fresh from his World Pool Championship win in Cardiff in 1999.

EFREN:
I cried when I saw the thousands of people of greeted me at the airport.

CHE-CHE:
Why did you cry?

EFREN:
Of course! I was very surprised!

CHE-CHE:
You cried?

EFREN:
Yes, I cried!

CHE-CHE:
What were you thinking then?

EFREN:
What is this? Why? Suddenly, I felt afraid to speak. It wasn’t like this before! Why all this shower of affection for me? It’s too much! I thought, “Maybe my countrymen loves me?”

Efren in Monitor (crying):
Of course, I am very happy.

Announcer in monitor:
Efren has indeed gone far…

CHE-CHE:
What did you feel when you saw the thousands of well-wishers at the airport? people greeting you? Calling and chanting your name?

EFREN:
I become nervous, of course. Thus, I don’t know what to say, especially during interviews. I don’t know what to do anymore.

CHE-CHE:
Since then, the people worshipped Efren.

PUTCH PUYAT:
After he won the World Championship, we played at Senator Manny Villar’s Star Mall (in Alabang, Muntinlupa). It was attended by 10,000 people – probably the most number of attendees in a pool event!

In the match between Django Bustamante and Efren Reyes, people would booo Bustamante every time he comes to the table to shoot – not wanting him to play at all! I said, “They should stop it. Django fill fight it out.” And that’s how the people love Efren!

EFREN:
This is what I won – the World Japan Championship.

CHE-CHE:
Countless accolades, awards and recognitions were bestowed upon Efren since then. Presidential Legion of Honor (2000), Billiards Congress of America Hall of Fame (2001), and inclusion in Time Magazine’s 60 Asian Heroes (2006), which included Cory Aquino, Lee Kwan Yu, Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Teresa.

What did you feel when you were included in Time Magazine’s 60 Asian Heroes?

EFREN:
Why was I included in this? There are so many others, much better than me and more accomplished, like Flash Elorde. Such should be the one in the list! And Paeng Nepomuceno, he was 4x World Champion then! Heck, these were famous and accomplished athletes even before I entered the scene!

PUTCH PUYAT:
I asked the chief editor of Time Magazine of why Efren Reyes was chosen to be in the list. He answered, “All of our junior editors – they unanimously chose him. They are his fans!”

I said, “But billiards is not a popular sport in Hong Kong!”

And the editor answered, “But we see him on TV. He is the unanimous choice.”

CHE-CHE:
Puyat will never forget the speech Efren gave when he received the recognition from Time Magazine.

PUTCH PUYAT:
And he said, “Asian hero? Why me?” “I haven’t done anything to change Asian life!”

CHE-CHE:
Efren said that?

PUTCH PUYAT:
Yes, he said that. He gave his speech In Filipino. His speech was translated by Ronnie Nathanielsz. I was even supposed to read the English translation – my opportunity to speak to the distinguished guests at the event. However, Time Magazine’s senior editor approached me and requested that if he could have the privilege of reading the translation.

I said, “Sure! Go ahead! It’s ok.” But could I do, right?

CHE-CHE:
And what did Efren say in his speech?

PUTCH PUYAT:
Why is he being branded as a hero? That he is no hero. That if he was chosen because of the upsurge in the popularity of the sport, then they got it all wrong. It is not his doing. It is because of, and said thanks to, the promoters, fellow pool players, and sponsors who continue to promote billiards to where it Is today.

CHE-CHE:
So, he has remained humble? He has remained humble?

PUTCH PUYAT:
Yes!

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ:
His humility is is is unbelievable!

CHE-CHE:
Is he, among all the athletes that you have met, Filipino athletes, does he stand out?

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ:
Well, in terms of achievements, I supposed Pacquiao stands out. But in terms of humanity, the human dimensions of an athlete, Bata Reyes and Elorde are way ahead of Pacquiao in my estimation.

CHE-CHE:
In 2006, Efren surprised Nathanielsz even more! Efren entered and won the $500,000 prize in the International Pool Tour of multimillionaire Kevin Trudeau.

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ:
Bata won that but didn’t get paid! The Americans threatened to sue Trudeau. Bata said “No!” Django said, “No!” Efren’s reasoning was: In my first match there, I won $100,000, and was paid right away. This time, I know he (Trudeau) has problems and things like that. We’ll wait. Give him time. And Trudeau did pay in installment! And Bata was very happy about that!

And you know, to him (Bata), money is not a prime consideration. His attitude is to make the Filipino fans in the audience happy! That’s all!

CHE-CHE: (@6:05)
Efren gives more than joy to his countrymen. And to his fellow pool players! He gives much more than that!

PUTCH PUYAT:
He gives honor to our country, the Philippines! And personally, the biggest thing he has done is that whenever he plays abroad, he brings smiles and joys to the country’s newfound heroes, our overseas foreign workers (OFW). Our OFWs would watch him and would be given the chance to wave the Philippine flag – a display of patriotic fervor!

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ:
Remember the little girl who won the Women’s World 10 Ball Championship – Rubilen Amit? She is a tremendous player! She beat some of the men! This is what you like about people like Efren and Django! They spend hours playing with her so she’ll improve her skills, which is the perfect example of the nature of these men who are legends in their time.

CHE-CHE:
Hmmm. Is that why they are champions?

RONNIE NATHANIELSZ:
I think so! Because it’s not the winning or the losing. It’s the way they play the game. And the attitude they show. Their demeanor – at the table and off the table.
Bata! Reyes! Among all the players in the world, they always have a vote to who is their hero. Ninety percent voted for Bata Reyes! And they are his opponents! Ninety percent says he is the nicest man to play the game!

CHE-CHE:
At 54, Efren admits that his game, his speed, is changing - slowly.

EFREN:
No more! My hand can’t do the shots I used to do. My eyes even hurt – especially when I take a long time for a particular shot.

CHE-CHE:
He now misses some shots that he used to execute flawlessly and effortlessly when he was younger.

EFREN:
My neck is now like stiff – can’t seem to bend it well like I used to. That is the reason why I now fail to execute some trickshots. You see, in trickshots, there are different body positions, line of sight, aiming, etc.

CHE-CHE:
And because he is a true champion, Efren is ready to accept losses. Accept defeats.
You said that you can’t win every time. You’ll no longer be a winner all the time, right?

EFREN:
Yes, you are right.

CHE-CHE:
Who is the world’s number one in billiards?

EFREN:
His name is, ranked number one today, Dennis Orcollo.

CHE-CHE:
Is he Filipino?

EFREN:
Yes, he is. He is the one who frequents tournaments nowadays.

CHE-CHE:
I see! Are you happy with that?

EFREN:
And why not? We have so many good Filipino players here! It’s like a challenge for us!

CHE-CHE:
You’re happy – even for other pool players?

EFREN:
Of course! I want more players to improve! Thus, I’ll have more opponents!

CHE-CHE:
It’s been another episode of Profle. You can watch the final parts of our interview on www.ProbeTV.com.

"It is just awesome with The AnitoKid!"

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Puyat Sports 9-Ball Cup: 9-Ball Excitement in the Pool Capital of the World!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:44:00 +0000

Billiards buddies and pool players, come and join the Makati Pool Players Association's (MAPPA) Puyat Sports 9-Ball Cup this coming August 21-22, 28-29, and 31, 2009!

Led by its president, Jesse (Gonzales) Cambosa, and its set of officers for 2009, the MAPPA Puyat Sports 9-Ball Cup is geared toward promoting camaraderie and sportsmanship among all pool players. Open to all amateurs, the competition is red hot with sponsors and all! Prizes and surprises await the winners and participants!

Food galore and overflowing drinks are the order of the day come tournament play! TV crews will dot the landscape of the AMF-Puyat Superbowl, Makati Cinema Square, while lovely usherettes will assist anyone, and everyone, entering the tour! And yes, some of the country's top pool players will also be there, too! And I kid you not!

Fun! Excitement! And more! Come one! Come all! Experience 9-ball competition like you never did before at the MAPPA Puyat Sports 9-Ball Cup!

Mabuhay ang MAPPA!
Mabuhay ang bilyar!
Mabuhay ang manlalarong bilyarista!

"MAPPA, Puyat Sports & The AnitoKid - Awesome!"

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Dedicated Server Hosting at Web Hosting Geeks!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:59:00 +0000

A billiards buddy of mine sent a short email asking for help in finding a dedicated server website. My pool player friend wants to determine the best web hosting providers serving the Internet community. You see, he is planning to put up an online business and knowing his options with regards to dedicated server opportunities would really help him – both in the short and long term.

I quickly activated my ever-dependable online search tools from the United States. My software highlighted a number of interesting dedicated server sites, including that of Web Hosting Geeks.

Web Hosting Geeks features independent reviews of the best web hosting providers, which include cheap professional web hosting services. Some of the sites mentioned at Web Hosting Geeks feature an under $10 a month fee! And get this, such integrate webhosting plans with at least one free domain name registration and a 30 day money back guarantee! Wow! It doesn’t get any better than this, friends!

Moreover, Web Hosting Geeks ranks each site according to a criteria, e.g., best price-value ratio, host reliability, uptime, key features, bonus features, customer support, past and current customer feedbacks, user-friendliness, and hosting awards! You definitely couldn’t go wrong with finding the best dedicated server sites on the planet! And I kid you not!

For those looking for dedicated server sites and reviews, do try Web Hosting Geeks! And realize countless opportunities for your niche markets – now!

World Cup of Pool Finals: Efren Reyes & Django Bustamante vs. Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:46:00 +0000

The World Cup of Pool 2009 Finals is just about to start, billiards buddies and pool players! We are definitely in for a treat! And I kid you not! Team Philippines vs. Team Germany - it’s Efren Bata Reyes and Francisco Django Bustamante against Germany’s Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann!

It’s a Race-to-11 Finals, everyone! Referee is Michaela Tabb (Scotland). The PartyPoker.Net’s World Cup of Pool Finals – I’m watching it live as I type this rack-by-rack account!! RAKRAKAN NA!

Team Germany is introduced first, Ralf and Thorsten, respectively.

The Pride of a nation – Team Philippines, then make their entrance, i.e., Efren and Django, respectively.

Ceremonial break by World Light Flyweight Champion Brian Viloria - a miscue – everyone laughs! He is given a second chance. :)

Rack #1

Thorsten wins the lag of the Race-to-11 Finals!

About 12,000 people are watching the match.

A very good break by Germany. Everything is laid out fine.

A horrible miss by Ralf on the 3 ball! I guess it must be the time pressure!

Efren and Django briefly work out their strategy – they decided to play safe (possibly the best option at this point in time).

Germany successfully hits the 3-ball. Efren then pockets the 3, and this is an easy layout for Team Philippines! Perfect cueball positioning every shot! Django pockets the 9-ball in the corner! Efren and Django exchange several high-5s!

Score: 1-0 (Team Philippines)

Rack #2

Winners break. Django breaks from the left side of the table – it’s an illegal break – the 3-ball barely passes the headstring. Django pleads his case, but the rule needs to be followed. It has been applied to everyone.

The idea behind the rule is to put an end to the soft break, which tends to bring out boring games.

Django really looks upset as Team Germany starts to clear out the table.

A difficult cut shot on the 7-ball has Thorsten call for an extension. He tries to pocket it in the left top corner – a risky decision in my book. Thorsten misses! The crowd claps in glee!

It’s Efren for the 7-ball; he pockets it the corner. Django for an easy 8 in the corner and leaves the cueball for a perfect position for the side. Efren pockets the 9! Great drama here in Manila!

Score: 2-0 (Team Philippines)

Rack #3

Things are not going well for Team Germany is this rack. The Philippines’ bests are in tune with each other. Basic shots from Django and Efren on this one. And it’s a 3 game lead for Team Philippines as Django sinks in the 9! The crowd goes bonkers!

Score: 3-0 (Team Philippines!

Rack # 4

Django breaks – another illegal break! Django is now really upset!

Tabb instructs everyone to keep quiet.

Efren opts for a push out. Team Germany needs this one badly. It’s going to be a battle of safety, friends!

A nice safety by Thorsten hasthe cueball behind a 4,7 cluster! Awesome!

Django successfully hits the 1-ball, though.

Ralf shoots a safety on the 1-ball, which Efren counters! Hohmann then hits the 1-ball via a 2-rail shot.

Django pockets the 1-ball in the corner. Efren softly hits the 2-ball to hide the cueball behind the 8-ball – but effort fails.

The table is now wide open for Team Germany to make the board – and score they did with Ralf pocketing the 9-ball in the corner.

Score: 3-1 (Lead by Team Philippines)

*People are going up and down the escalators over and over again to have a better view of the game.

Rack #5

Ralf breaks this time – two balls down with the cueball almost scratching in the corner pocket! Everyone is holding their breath as the cue ball approached the pocket! Then a low moan!

Hohmann opts for a push out. Django tries a safety of the 3-ball? He lefts the 3 hanging, though. It’s Team Germany on the table again. This one’s going to be an easy-pickin’ table for ‘em. Ralf pockets the 9-ball to cut down their deficit.

Score: 3-2 (Team Philippines leads)

Rack #6

Thorsten breaks – it’s an illegal one!

Efren fails to pocket a difficult 1-ball in the corner!

Ralf plays a safety on the 1-ball, leaving Team Philippines on the defensive now. Django successfully hits the 1-ball. Thorsten goes for a 1-9 carom but misses!
Efren pockets the 1-ball to the delight of the crowd! It’s the master at work! It’s a nice layout now for Team Philippines.

Efren pockets the 9-ball in the side for a 2-rack lead.

Score: 4-2

Rack #7

Efren breaks – 2 balls go in! A terrific kick shot on the 1-ball has changed the complexion of the table - this rack will be easy for ‘em as both players unleash impeccable control on the cueball! Django pockets the 9-ball.

Score: 5-2

Rack #8

Django breaks – a legal one this time! However, no balls went in. I noticed he put in a little more power in this break.

Thorsten fouls! It’s a scratch in the side pocket! Wow! Now, there’s a possible 1-9 combination for Team Philippines! However, Efren doesn’t go for it – and decides to pocket just the 1-ball in the side. I see his point here – table layout is easy, especially with ball in hand!

But wait! Django fails to pocket an easy 6-ball in the corner as he tries to kill the cueball for the 7-ball! Indeed, it is a sorry miss! How things turn out for 9-ball!

Team Germany finishes off the last four balls.

Score: 5-3

Rack #9

Ralf breaks dry for Team Germany. Django calls for a push out. Team Germany gives it back to Team Philippines. Django goes for a safety on the 1-ball, hiding the cueball behind the 7-ball. Thorsten goes for the jump, but leaves the table open for Team Philippines.

Efren unleashes a very nice shot on the 5-ball, which saw the cueball hit 3 rails for a perfect position on the 6-ball for Django! Awesome!

Efren feels the pressure as he misses on the 7-ball! It’s a tough grind at the point in time, friends! This one is going to cost - one cannot make such mistakes when you’re playing against Ralf and Thorsten – who successfully cleans up the rest of the rack.

Score: 5-4

Rack #10

Thorsten downs three balls on the break, with a clean shot on the 2-ball. Everything is laid out well in this particular rack, IMO.

A near miss by Hohmann on the 3-ball going into the corner pocket has the crowd gasping! The crowd gasps again with another near-miss by Ralf on the 4-ball

Germany ties the game!

Score: 5-5

Rack #11

This is turning out to be quite a showdown between the two teams! IT IS never easy to win championship!

Nothing down on the break for Ralf! It’s a difficult rack for Team Philippines. Efren puts a very good safety on the 2-ball – thought-provoking! The cueball is nicely tucked behind the 8-ball, making a jump shot impossible.

Team Germany opts for an intentional foul – putting the 6-and 8-balls in cluster. I call that experience!

Django pockets the 2-ball in the side, leaving a difficult shot on the 3-ball – a very long shot! Efren pockets the 3-ball. Django does a safety on the 4-ball, leaving Ralf with a difficult kick shot via the short rail. Souquet misses.

Efren makes the 4-ball but leaves Django a difficult angle for the 5-ball. Django tries to kick it in – but to no avail – the 5-ball is left hanging in the corner pocket. Team Germany will finish this one – easily – and takes the lead for the first time.

Score: 5-6 (Team Germany leads)

Rack #12

Thorsten Hohmann breaks this time. He pockets the 8-ball. Ralf fails to down the 1-ball as The Kaiser tries to cheat the pocket!
It’s Team Philippines back on the table. Efren and Django will take this one, no problem balls as far as I could tell.

But wait! Efren misses on an easy 6! He got up from the shot too quick! And he knew it! Luckily, the 6-ball is left in an awkward position near the side pocket!

Thorsten fails to pocket the 6-ball via a difficult reverse bank try on the bank!

Efren pockets the 7, with Django cleaning up the 9-ball in the corner pocket! (It was a near miss on the 9-ball, which had the crowd gasping and had Django shuffling!)

Indeed, it’s a thrill ride in this Race-to-11 Finals, friends! It couldn’t get any better than this! WOOOO!!!

Score: 6-6

Efren is swamped by fans as he tries to make his way to the men’s room! Fans with cameras, programs and all flock the Magician!

Rack # 13

Efren breaks this time. You could just feel the drama and excitement in the air! And I kid you not!

A difficult rack to begin with has both teams going for safeties, until the table
Is left open by Team Philippines for Team Germany.

*Ralf almost scratches on the 8-ball!

Score: 6-7 (Team Germany leads)

Rack #14

Ralf breaks dry this time. Problem balls include a 2-7 cluster.

Efren plays a safety on the 1-ball, putting whitey behind the 2-7 cluster!

Hohmann successfully hits the 1-ball via a bank shot.

A poor position on the 2-ball from Efren, which Django subsequently missed to pocket in the corner, has Team Germany back on the table.

Team Germany scratches on the 3-ball!

A cut shot on the 5-ball by Efren is a miss! I could tell Efren is very frustrated at this point in time. The pressure is tremendous!

Who will survive as the World Cup of Pool championship hangs in the balance?

Rack #16

A tough battle of safeties characterizes this rack. I could see the strain on the faces of members of both teams. This is the longest rack of the Finals, everyone.

A spectacular kick shot from Django on the 3-ball has the crowd roaring! No! Efren misses on an easy 4-ball and leaves it for easy picking on the side pocket!

It seems all is well until Ralf misses on an easy 8-ball! The pressure is on!

Django, instead of trying to pocket the 8 via a difficult rail shot, puts it in excellent safety! Awesome! Thorsten has no choice but to try to hit the 8-ball, with the cueball hiding behind the 9-ball! This is a pool match like no other!

Efren pockets the 8. The crowd is cheering for Django for the 9! Django misses! It is all too much to bear – for everyone! The cue ball stops on the short rail – opposite that of the 9-ball – a very difficult shot!

However, it’s Thorsten on for the shot! He strokes his cue. Takes aim. And shoots! It’s in! Wow! This guy is good! He is just pure excitement!
l
Team Germany now has a 2-rack advantage in one of billiards’ most prized titles!

Score: 9-7 (Team Germany leads)

Rack #17

Ralf does an illegal break on this one. Django leaves the 1-ball hanging in the top corner pocket. Not a pretty layout this time for both teams.

Thorsten misses on the 5-ball, which Efren pockets via a reverse bank.

Team Philippines cleans up!

Score: 9-8 (Team Germany leads)

*I just love Ralf’s custom cue! A beautiful work of art!

Rack #18

It’s for the tie! It’s an illegal break for the Magician.

A great shot on the 2-ball by Efren leaves Django with a perfect position for the 3-ball. However, Django falters! Too many errors from both camps could only mean one thing – the pressure is one!

Efren makes an amazing kick shot on the 4-ball, which left the crowd gasping for more! The strain on Efren’s face is very noticeable!

Kaiser on the 5-ball – the ball fails to go in the pocket by a hairline! Oh boy!
I’ve never seen anything like this before!

Efren pockets the 5. Django the 6 – but leaves Efren on the wrong side of the table for the shot! Django is all frowns now because of that! Efren, summoning all his might – does a 7-8 combination – which wows the crowd! Grabe!

Django pockets the 7, and Efren ties the score by pocketing the 9 in the corner! Everyone goes wild! You couldn’t hear yourself think!

*It’s the first time I’ve seen Efren with an expression he has on right now. He is visibly “stressed” by the pressure placed on him and Django! Nothing is easy at this point in time!

Score: 9-9

Rack #19

The Philippines to break! Django takes aim. Fires! It’s a dry one!
Real pressure here right now – for both squads!

The Kaiser does a 2-6 combi – and with authority!

Team Germany looks composed now. Very much composed. It could be because of the layout of the table? But not until an uncharacteristic big miss by Ralf Souquet on the 5-ball!

And what a shot by Efren on the 5-ball for the side-pocket! It had to avoid the 8-ball by a hairline! WOW!

It’s an easy clean up now for Team Philippines! We are on the hill! One more and we will have in our hands the World Cup of Pool, including a historic first – 2x World Cup of Pool Championships by Efren and Django!

Score: 10-9 (Team Philippines is on the hil!)

Rack # 20

Efren breaks! It’s Team Philippines’ last break! An illegal and dry break!
A push out has Team Germany giving it back to Efren and Django.

Django opts for a safety on the 1-ball? Team Germany counters. Efren hits the 1-ball successfully. Ralf now has an open shot for the 1-ball. Ralf calls for an extension! Every one is quiet! You can just feel the tension!

Ralf goes for a safety on the 1-ball! Very nice, if I may say so!

Django counters, which earned him a high 5 from Efren. Team Germany hits the 1-ball, but leaves the Filipinos a chance to open up the table!

Efren hits the 1-ball and caroms and pockets the 2-ball! Awkward position for Django this time. However, Lady Luck is smiling down on him, as Bustamante’s shot turns out into a safety for Team Philippines!

Another counter from Ralf! This is getting to be a headache for all members of both teams!

A stop shot from Efren has the crowd in ooohs and aaahs as Efren makes body language as of trying to shake of signs of being nervous!

Django’s excellent position for the 3-ball could be the clincher here! But wait! Efren’s position for the 4-ball, after pocketing the 3-ball, leaves doubts on everyone’s minds! Django puts the 3-ball into safety. He is not a happy man at this point in time.

A shot and near scratch by Ralfhas everyone holding their breath!

Efren plays a lockdown safety on the 4-ball!

Thorsten successfully hits the 4-ball, but leaves the table open for Team Philippines! We are going to win this! And I kid you not!

Django makes a very difficult 6! Efren pockets the 7 and takes the ball around the world for the 8-ball! A perfect position for Efren for the 9! And WE WIN!!!

Efren dances and grooves! Django gives high 5’s! Django lifts Efren in the air! The crowd goes wild! WOOOO!

Efren and Django are now 2-time World Cup of Pool Champions! It’s a historic first! Awesome!!

"Efren & Django - simply an awesome tandem! The AnitoKid"

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Typhoon Ondoy Floods the Philippine Metro! Luzon Flooded!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 07:03:00 +0000

Typhoon Ondoy floods the Pool Capital of the World!

It was around 9:30 AM when I started the car to go out and participate in a tournament at the billiardsHobbies Billiards Hall in Macapagal Avenue, Pasay City. I noticed that the first street after the village’s gate was flooded. It wasn’t the ankle-deep water that surprised me – ‘twas the fact that the street was flooded! ‘Twas the first time I’ve seen the street as such! I decided to drive back to my house and wait for the weather to clear up.

But clear it did not! The rainfall brought about by tropical depression "Ondoy" to Metro Manila and nearby areas in a span of six hours was the most in recorded history! It even surpassed the previous record for the Pool Capital of the World in 1967! And I kid you not!

The amount of rainfall from Ondoy from 8:00 AM to 2:00 Pm measured 341 millimeters, breaking the record for the highest 24-hour rainfall of 334 millimeters in the metro recorded by Pagasa in June 1967. The amount nearly equaled the Philippines’ average monthly rainfall. And it is still raining as I’m writing this!

A thousand thoughts rushed through my mind as I watched on TV images of flooded streets all over the metro and throughout Luzon. These include stranded commuters and families, crying children, strong currents, power outages, overflowing dams, rescue teams, rubber boats, National Disaster Coordinating Council, weather bulletins, unity, helping hands, much-needed relief goods, public order, poor drainage system, pollution and garbage problem, climate change, and more!

Prayers to my affected kababayans.

Please stay safe, friends!

Ondoy Storm Update:

At least 25 provinces of Luzon including Metro Manila are placed under state of calamity by the government.

Weather bulletin from Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA): Signal No. 2 remains in Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Northern Quezon, and Polilo Island.

Signal No. 1 is up for Isabela, Mountain Province, Ifugai, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro provinces, Lubang Island, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Bataan, Metro Manila and the rest of Quezon.

Typhoon Ondoy continues to move with a maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph. It is expected to leave the country’s area of responsibility by Monday morning.

Licensure Examination for Teachers in Metro Manila on Sunday, September 27, 2009 is postponed.

Bar exams scheduled for September 27, 2009, is postponed to October 4, 2009

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Bagyong Ondoy Floods the Philippines! More Updates! ABS-CBN Telethon!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:07:00 +0000

I have been on the Internet computer network since this 7 AM today – searching for news on the status of my kababayans left homeless and stranded by the wrath of Bagyong Ondoy. Like my television set, my computer screens are filled with images of people struggling to cope with the destruction left by Bagyong Ondoy, e.g., flooded streets and submerged 2-story houses, countless cars piled on top of each other, drowned victims, and search for missing persons.

Then I came upon this news article from the Philippine Star newspaper, “GMA used P800-million emergency fund for foreign trips,” published August 15, 2009.

I don’t know what to think anymore. Instead, I’ll try to focus my efforts on the fate of my kababayans.

There is an on-going telethon at ABS-CBN Channel 2 for my affected kababayans. I believe the telethon is also being shown on ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel (TFC) cable channel. To everyone reading this, please help make the telethon a success – all for my kababayans. After all, we make a living by what we get. But we make a life by what we give.

Contact info for the telethon:
Sagip Kapamilya: 413-2667 and 416-0387

And for friends who would still like to read the post on “GMA used P800-million emergency fund for foreign trips,” here it is in its entirety.

GMA used P800-million emergency fund for foreign trips

President Arroyo used up the government’s P800-million contingency fund for emergencies like calamities for her frequent foreign trips, Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III revealed yesterday.

“She exhausted not only Malacañang’s travel funds but also the P800-million appropriation for emergencies in the 2008 national budget,” he told radio station dzMM.

He said he based his revelation on a Commission on Audit (COA) report submitted to Speaker Prospero Nograles this week.

“I have a copy of the report. An assistant commissioner of COA even briefed us on their shocking findings,” he said.

Guingona said the COA findings show that the 2008 contingency fund was not enough for foreign travels and Mrs. Arroyo had to augment it by P120 million.

“The augmentation was also exhausted,” he added.

Guingona also said the President overspent for her foreign travels between 2003 and 2007 by P1.6 billion.

She has only P1.1 billion under the annual budgets but she spent P2.7 billion over that period, he said.

He said the House of Representatives should have discovered the excess spending during the budget hearings.

“But the House is dominated by the President’s allies, so they just turn a blind eye,” he said.
He accused the President of violating the annual budget law “because she could not augment what Congress had approved and authorized her to spend.”

He said he would demand during the forthcoming budget hearings details on how and when Malacañang’s travel funds and the appropriation for contingencies were used.

Mrs. Arroyo’s latest foreign travel was her weeklong working visit to the United States two weeks ago.

It has become controversial largely due to at least two expensive dinners the President and her entourage of more than 50 enjoyed in posh restaurants in Washington and New York City.

Sen. Francis Escudero has criticized Mrs. Arroyo’s frequent travels abroad, saying she has spent more than P3 billion in taxpayers’ money for them.

Before her latest US visit, she “circumnavigated” the globe by flying to Tokyo, then to Los Angeles, Colombia, Brazil, Dubai, and Hong Kong before returning to Manila, he said.

According to former Senate president Ernesto Maceda, Mrs. Arroyo has spent a total of P5.5 billion for more than 50 foreign trips she has made since 2001.

In a recent television interview, Maceda said appropriations in the annual budgets for the President’s trips totaled P3.3 billion.

“In addition to these, there are contingency funds that could be used for foreign travel. Mrs. Arroyo has realigned a total of P2.2 billion of these funds for her foreign trips,” he said.

He said he got his data from the Department of Budget and Management and the Senate finance committee, of which he was chairman for five years.

He added that Escudero’s P3-billion figure apparently did not include realignments from the contingency funds.

Meanwhile, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez confirmed yesterday that President Arroyo and her large entourage had another expensive dinner in New York City other than the controversial $20,000 meal at the posh Le Cirque French restaurant.

“Yes, there was a second dinner in New York. But I was not there. I had other engagements,” he said.

He could not say where it was exactly or how much the presidential entourage paid.

Text messages purportedly coming from a staff member of the Philippine embassy in Washington claim that Mrs. Arroyo’s party enjoyed two dinners at Le Cirque.

The embassy supposedly paid for the New York City dinners, including the controversial meal on Aug. 2, for which Press Secretary Cerge Remonde claimed Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez shelled out $20,000.

The messages also claim it was the embassy that paid for a $3,500-a-night suite for the President and 60 $950-a-night rooms for her congressional companions at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos used to stay.

Suarez and Rep. Romualdez are among Mrs. Arroyo’s favorite congressional companions whenever she travels abroad.

On Thursday, Suarez claimed that he was the one who paid $15,000 for steaks and lobsters at a Washington DC restaurant last July 30.

COA audit pushed

For a left-wing lawmaker, the Commission on Audit should form a special audit team to review the “lavish” spending of President Arroyo in her US trip.

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño personally went to the office of COA chairman Reynaldo Villar, and handed him a two-page letter containing his request. He said he merely wanted the “whole truth about the controversies surrounding the US trip.”

He also invoked Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct for Public Officials, which may have been violated by government officials who had partaken of the expensive meals in New York and Washington.

“Like most of our countrymen, I wonder, what other lavish expenses were made by the Philippine delegation?” he asked. Casiño finds the meal expenses “irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant or unconscionable even if bills were footed by a private entity.”

Casiño, fellow Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza filed House Resolution 1315 that seeks to direct the House committee on good government to conduct an inquiry on the matter.

Casiño said it is well “within the jurisdiction of COA to determine, through a special audit, if public funds were irregularly used and if laws and policies were violated.”

Anakpawis Rep. Joel Maglunsod said Malacañang must present to the public a detailed accounting of all expenses of the President’s state and working travels abroad, including her latest trip to the US.

“The people deserve to know how much the President spent for her foreign travels,” he said.
“The expensive dinner at Le Cirque and the meal at Bobby Van’s Steak House in Washington are just the tip of the iceberg. Mrs. Arroyo and her entourage are definitely spending more than what they should during their junkets,” Maglunsod added.

“Whether the meals were paid for by private individuals or government officials, Mrs. Arroyo has a lot of explaining to do about her expenses during her trips and her swelling wealth,” he said.

“It is evident that Mrs. Arroyo and other public officials joining working and state visits violated Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees,” Maglunsod said.

No excuse

“The report that the consulate in New York has been asked to foot the bill is disturbing, and if true, exposes the sham behind Malacañang’s claim that taxpayer’s money was not spent for the Le Cirque dinner,” Makati City Mayor and opposition leader Jejomar Binay said.

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Bagyong Ondoy Floods Update!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:01:00 +0000

Storm Ondoy Updates: Here is an update from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, friends. Credits and all go to the article's authors and publisher.

Month’s worth of rain; storm Ondoy kills 40
By Edson C. Tandoc Jr., Nikko Dizon, Marlon Ramos
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Nearly a month’s worth of rain fell in just six hours over Metro Manila Saturday, triggering the worst floods in nearly 40 years, stranding people on rooftops, causing wide-spread blackouts and killing at least 40 people, officials said.

“In my experience, this is the worst that I have seen,” Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said as he described how authorities grappled to deploy limited resources amid a barrage of pleas for help after Storm “Ondoy” slammed ashore.

The government declared a state of calamity in Metro Manila and 25 provinces in Luzon as the massive flooding paralyzed businesses and transportation.

The calamity declaration allows officials to withdraw emergency money for relief and rescue.

While the weather bureau had predicted Ondoy would hit the country, its severity was not expected.

The massive floods turned wide areas of the metropolis virtually into a sea.

Families from across various sectors, including the middle class living in gated communities, were among those marooned in their homes, many stranded on their roofs.

The Philippine Navy said it was the first time the Navy had received such a huge number of simultaneous calls for help.

Chelo Banal-Formoso, a Philippine Daily Inquirer editor, sent this text for help: “We are in Goodrich Village right next to a creek. Our whole first floor is now flooded almost to the ceiling. Water is still rising. I have a son with autism who needs to be in a place with electricity. My brothers tries but could not get us in ordinary cars.”

Toni Carbonell, NGO administrator, was also stranded with her daughter and her two-month old grandchild. She lives at Block 3, Lot 30, Narra St., Dacon Homes in Cainta, Rizal.

Lanie Miculob, manager of Sy-owned Highlands Prime, was also stranded and lives at 4B Block B Fernandez St., San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City.

Candice Lim, Yes Magazine staffer, who lives in Provident Village, Marikina, sent this SOS via text: “No one is sending help because the current is too strong. Inanod na kotse.”

Waters rise to 5 meters

Commuters plodded through floods that reached as high as five meters in some places, police said, while many motorists were forced to drive around in circles to avoid getting stranded in the surging waters.

Dozens of vehicles stalled in Manila, Makati, Pasay, Quezon City and Taguig.

Several thousand people fled to evacuation centers.

Defense Secretary Teodoro said three people were killed in Muntinlupa City, while two were killed in Quezon City.

Thirty-five other people were killed in Rizal province, Tony Mateo, a member of the Rizal provincial disaster coordinating council, told the Inquirer Saturday night. He said they included 16 people killed in Tanay, 10 in Angono, five in Baras, three in Rodriguez and on in Teresa.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo rode an Army truck to check the extent of flooding around Malacañang. She later took the Light Rail Transit (LRT) to attend a meeting of disaster officials at Camp Aguinaldo.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported that at least 90 percent of major thoroughfares in the capital was submerged in floodwaters, bringing traffic in several portions of EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue) to a stop for hours.

“This is the worst flooding I have seen since I was born here,” said Parañaque City’s 60-year-old Mayor Florencio Bernabe.

Pateros Mayor Joey Medina said his town last experienced floods as severe as Saturday’s when Typhoon “Yuling” pounded Metro Manila in 1972.

“Ondoy brought a month’s worth of rain to Metro Manila in one day,” the spokesperson of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Nathaniel Cruz, told the Inquirer.

Metro Manila’s average rainfall for September is 391.7 millimeters. In six hours, Ondoy dumped 341 millimeters of rainfall.

“It’s unusual,” Pagasa weather forecaster Bernie de Leon said. It was also the worst case of flooding seen by Pagasa in recent years, he said.

De Leon said the heavy rainfall might be a “manifestation of climate change.” He added: “It’s not conclusive but it could be one of the reasons,” he said.

2,000 evacuees

Nearly 2,000 people were evacuated in Manila and surrounding areas, an initial report from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said.

The NDCC reported that as of Saturday afternoon, some 1,300 individuals were rescued in San Mateo, Rizal alone. Houses were swept away as the Marikina River rapidly swelled.

The following provinces were placed under a state of calamity: Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon, Isabela, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Camarines Norte and Bataan.

The Philippine Navy spokesperson, Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, said he received numerous phone calls from people he did not know, all asking for help, especially as the night crept in.

“Some of them said they were already staying on the roof of their houses. Some were already begging for help, while some were very angry,” he said.

But he explained that responding to all calls for help was difficult considering the limited number of rescue teams, rubber boats and trucks the Navy had.

The Philippine Air Force also could not fly its helicopters in the morning because of the downpour.

Early NDCC reports said that 33 barangays were heavily flooded in Metro Manila, including nine barangays in San Juan City, six in Malabon City and five each in Quezon and Pasig cities.

Thirty-seven road sections in Metro Manila were impassable.

In Bulacan, 25 barangays were under waste-deep water after the Ipo Dam opened three of its gates.

The Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Ports Authority in Batangas suspended inter-island travel.

More rains today

Cruz said that Pagasa had forecast heavy rains in Metro Manila over the weekend but “we cannot predict the amount of rainfall.”

While a “general improvement” in the weather is expected on Sunday, De Leon said, Ondoy will continue to dump rains in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and the Vizayas until early this week because of the southwest monsoon.

As of 5 p.m. Saturday the eye of the storm was spotted in Pampanga.

It was moving 13 kph west northwest toward Iba, Zambales, packing maximum winds of 85 kilometers per hour with gustiness of 100 kph.

Cruz said that Ondoy had picked up speed and made landfall earlier than expected on Saturday.

Ondoy slammed into the boundary of Aurora and Quezon provinces shortly before noon. Pagasa had predicted it would hit land on Saturday afternoon.

Pagasa said Ondoy was expected to be 190 kilometers northwest of Iba, Zambales, by Sunday noon, and 630 km northwest of the province by Monday afternoon.

Mayor Bernabe said floodwaters reached the rooftops of houses in a private subdivision in Barangay Marcelo.

“Although flooding was common in Parañaque, this is the first time I saw our roads under waist-deep floodwaters. The city was practically at a standstill,” he said.

Parañaque officials some 10,000 families in the city were affected or displaced.

In Las Pinas City, Vice Mayor Henry Medina said over 2,000 families fled their homes in eight villages near the Zapote and Las Piñas rivers.

Pateros residents were also surprised at how swift the waters had risen.

“We were really shocked by what had happened. The floodwaters suddenly went as high as six feet in a matter of three hours,” he said.

The widespread flooding also prompted the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) to close both the north- and south-bound lanes of the South Luzon Expressway to all kinds of vehicles.

Trains also hit

But the storm did not even spare the trains.

MRT3 operations were disrupted from 5 a.m. until 1 p.m. when floodwaters affected the power system of the Quezon Avenue station.

Operations were back to normal after 1 p.m.

Over 500 families were evacuated in Quezon City because of severe flooding as Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. appealed to residents in low lying barangays to go to higher grounds.

Several families in Manila also evacuated to higher grounds.

“The Estero de Paco overflowed leaving the area submerged in knee-deep floodwater,” Jay dela Fuente, chief of the city social welfare office, said. “This is the second time that the estero overflowed. The first time was during Typhoon Frank.”

Low-lying Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela are used to floods but residents were still surprised by the surge of floodwaters Saturday and by the speed with which the waters buried roads up to neck deep.

About 80 to 90 percent of Caloocan City was under water.

Public safety and traffic management chief Alfonso Sta. Maria said this was the worst flooding experienced by the city, submerging majority of its 188 barangays in five feet of waters, if not higher.

Telethon updates for storm victims

Sagip Kapamilya: 413-2667 and 416-0387

ABS-CBN U.S. Foundation (Toll Free): 1-800-527-2820

Sagip Kapamilya Warehouse
(inkind and cash donations)
No.13 Examiner St., Quezon City
Please look for Ms. Girlie Aragon

"Support the Bagyong Ondoy Telethon! The AnitoKid!"

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Bagyong Ondoy: MMDA Number-Coding System Suspended!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:59:00 +0000

Bagyong Ondoy: More updates!

Friends, here is another update related to the aftermath of storm Ondoy.

In light of the destruction brought about by tropical storm Ondoy, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has suspended the number-coding system for vehicles starting tomorrow, Monday, until Friday.

According to MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, the one-week suspension should allow the national and local government to rescue and provide relief to affected areas. It is also geared to speed up rehabilitation efforts, so that life would return to normalcy.

For those not in the know, the number coding system bars private vehicles from using Metro Manila main roads on certain days of the week, based on the number in their license plates.

*Pics are not mine. And I kid you not!

Picture credits: JC Lopez

"Help and prayers for my kababayans.The AnitoKid."

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Typhoon Ondoy Flood Pictures: The Aftermath at UERM!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 05:33:00 +0000

Storm Ondoy Aftermath Pictures: Friends, here is a YouTube video featuring pictures of the destruction left by storm Ondoy at UERM, a hospital in Quezon City.

Picture credits all go to Ron Dizon.

More reads on Ondoy

*MMDA Number-Coding Suspended
*Bagyong Ondoy Floods Update
*ABS-CBN Telethon for Ondoy Victims
*Ondoy Floods the Metro

"Help and prayers for my kababayans.The AnitoKid."

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Ondoy Pictures: Wrath of the Typhoon in YouTube!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:38:00 +0000

Storm Ondoy Update:

Friends, here is a YouTube video featuring more pictures depicting the wrath of, and the havoc left, by Typhoon Ondoy.

More reads on Ondoy

*Ondoy at UERM
*MMDA Number-Coding Suspended
*Bagyong Ondoy Floods Update
*ABS-CBN Telethon for Ondoy Victims
*Ondoy Floods the Metro

Fund raising efforts for flood victims are still ongoing at ABS-CBN.
Contact info:

Sagip Kapamilya: 413-2667 and 416-0387

ABS-CBN U.S. Foundation (Toll Free): 1-800-527-2820

Sagip Kapamilya Warehouse
(in kind and cash donations)
No.13 Examiner St., Quezon City
Please look for Ms. Girlie Aragon

"The AnitoKid Supports the Bagyong Ondoy Telethon!"

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Bagyong Pepeng - Super Typhoon Parma

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:10:00 +0000

I am about to ramble. I was in Ayala, Makati City, around 4:15 PM today. I noticed that there were like hundreds of people on the street.

I asked one of 'em what the fuss was all about, and learned that they were asked to go home to prepare for the incoming super typhoon (Parma aka Pepeng) and to be with their families.

I understood what every one on the street (or most of them) was going through at that point in time. Believe you me, seeing the TV images for the past few days on the destruction brought about by Typhoon Ondoy made me feel strange. It’s neither fear nor anxiety. Anger? No. Sadness? Yes. Most of the images I’ve seen on TV depicted pain and suffering on my kababayan’s faces. And truth be told, it hit me – to the core of my soul.

I got hold of my phone, dialed the number of my twin sons, but to no avail - network busy daw. Tried countless times, but connecting proved futile. Without second thoughts, I canceled two money-related meet ups and decided to go home to be with my sons.

I went to my car, started it, and headed towards the Skyway's entry ramp near Amorsolo. Saw McDonald's at Makati Cinema Square, and suddenly remembered how hungry I was - no breakfast or lunch yet for me the whole day, at mag-gagabi na! And I kid you not! I decided to forego Mcdo and head straight for Skyway.

Experienced almost 2 hours of traffic at Skyway - all the time trying to contact my twins.

Upon reaching home, my twin sons gave me a "Welcome home, Dad" kiss. After resting for about 5 minutes, the three of us had dinner, and chatted while doing such. Like most of you, I am a firm believer in the adage that family always comes first.

It’s 9:40 PM. And it has started raining again.

I pray that everything will be alright for my family and friends, and for each and every Filipino, especially those who have not yet recovered from the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy, which hit us last week. Ramdam ko ang paghihirap at pagdadalamhati ninyo, aking mga kababayan. Kung kaya ko lang kayong tulungan lahat, di kayo mag-dadalawang salita sa akin. You and our beautiful country are always in my prayers.

I guess I am still rambling. No edits, no grammar and spell checks, no nothing. Just rambling. At this point in time, my only wish is that my beautiful country be spared from more destruction – havoc feared to be brought about by the incoming Super Typhoon Parma (Bagyong Pepeng). Sana lumihis. Sana maglahong parang bula. Sana. Sana. Sana.

May God bless the Filipinos.
May He bless my beautiful country.
May the Lord bless us all.

"A thousand things rushing through my mind.The AnitoKid"

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DJ Babey Drew Live in Manila: Support for Ondoy Victims!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Known as the “Messiah of the Turntables” and the “Prince of Urban Music,” he is none other than DJ Babey Drew. And believe you me, he will be coming to Manila for two nights this October 2009!

Sponsored by Seair, DJ Academy, Channel V (The Official Music Channel), The Oxford Suites Hotel, Club LAX, Ascend Superclub, Skye, DMC Philippines, Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin, Don Enrique Mixkila, Magnolia Healthy Beverage, Coke, Purple Label Productions and Green Toad Advertising Concepts with the Manila Bulletin, Manila Times, Max 103.5 FM, Wave 89.1 FM, 99.5RT, Magic 89.9 FM, getzmo.com, yehey.com and www.anitokid.blogspot.com as media partners, DJ Babey Drew’s shows kick off on October 9, 2009, Friday, at Club LAX in San Miguel by the Bay, SM Mall of Asia.

This will then be followed by another show on October 10, Saturday at the Ascend Superclub in Bonifacio High Street, The Fort, Taguig City.

DJ Babey Drew (Andrew Bisnaught) is the official DJ for the Grammy-nominated, R&B singer Chris Brown. Born and raised in Queens, New York, he began by spinning reggae, his first musical love. At the age of 12, and as he grew older, he diversified his skills and learned to play hip-hop, R&B and Top 40 hits. He attended Hampton University and broke into college radio at WHOV 88.1 FM. Starting at an entry level position, he worked his way up to being an on-air DJ. In 2000, he launched "The BabeyDrew College Tour 3”, touring colleges across the US.

What separates Drew from the rest is his ability to rock the MIC and spin records with an unbelievable intensity! Drew is not only the OFFICIAL DJ for R&B sensation Chris Brown: he has also opened for numerous artists including Camron, Chingy, Ying Yang Twins, Bow Wow, Sean Paul, Lil John, Ludacris, Elephant Man, Twisa, Method Man and others.

This event is a fund raising project of DMC Philippines for the benefit of Ondoy victims throught ABS-CBN Foundation.

For his Manila shows, DJ BabeyDrew is gonna rock the house with his own brand of beats that made him a superstar in America and in Chris Brown’s kingdom. And I kid you not! So don’t miss the chance of watching this ghetto wonder as he blazes through the streets of Manila.

DJ BABEY DREW Live in Manila is brought to you by DMC PHILIPPINES. For inquiries, call 0920-945-3205.

"Help and support Ondoy victims.The AnitoKid"

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Titan Poker: Check Out the Titan Poker Bonus Code!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:21:00 +0000

One of my billiards buddy, Darwin David, sent me a Titan Poker link to check out – http://www.titanpokerit.net/. My pool player friend from the East Coast saw the Titan Poker site and wants my thoughts on the gaming site, including the Titan Poker bonus code.

In a nutshell, the Titan Poker site highlights Everest Poker, including a downloadable software on such. It also features Titan Poker and Full Tilt Poker games, as well as a number of other gaming promotions, which are available for all to try.

Do try http://www.titanpokerit.net/! it could be the poker site that you are looking for! And I kid you not!

Allison Fisher Photographs! The Duchess of Doom in Manila!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:47:00 +0000

For billiards buddies and pool player friends who may have missed it, here is a link to the stash of pictures on Allison Fisher! The pictures depict the Duchess of Doom during the Women’s World 10-Ball Championship held at the SM City North Edsa (June 2009).

The stash of pictures comes from the Larawan Photography archive, everyone! And I kid you not!

Link is here, friends!

"The AnitoKid Loves The Duchess of Doom!"

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$8 Rx Eyeglasses from Zenni Optical! A Ton of High Fashion Eyeglasses!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:28:00 +0000

For billiards buddies and pool player friends wanting to purchase fashionable eyeglasses for a reasonable price, do check out the $8 Rx eyeglasses from Zenni Optical!

How you can start spending smart? Just visit Zenni Optical! It offers a ton of great-looking eyeglasses that will surely grab everyone’s attention, while complimenting each individual’s unique fashion sense! And I kid you not!

So what are you waiting for, friends? Browse, purchase, enjoy, and have fun doing it at Zenni Optical!

And oh! See the pics above! They are some of my favorite high fashion eyeglasses from Zenni Optical!

Iris Ranola Wins Arizona Women's Billiard Tour Stop!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:12:00 +0000

Congratulations to Filipina pool player Iris Ranola for winning the Arizona Women’s Billiard Tour Stop over the Labor Day weekend! Iris Ranola, who hails from Zamboanga, beat American Susan Williams (7-6) to win the title at the Bull Shooters in Phoenix, Arizona. The top four finishers include Ashea Erdahl and Heather Torpin.

Indeed, Iris Ranola continues to make her presence felt in the US women’s pool circuit! Prior to her excellent performance in the US Open, Iris was also successful in a number of tours, including the Women’s Open Predator 9-Ball Event in Parsippany, New Jersey.

Congratulations, Iris! You make us all proud! And I kid you not!

"The AnitoKid supports The Fighting Iris!"

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Direct TV Packages at DIRECT SAT TV!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:46:00 +0000

For billiards buddies and pool player friends searching for Direct TV packages, Direct TV offers, and Direct TV deals, do try DIRECT SAT TV. An authorized DIRECTV Reseller and one of the Elite Top 50 DIRECTV dealers from 2005 to 2007, Direct Sat TV is one of the top DIREC TV authorized dealers that features today’s most popular television shows, motion pictures, sporting events, and more!

Synonymous with being the best in entertainment, DIRECT SAT TV offers television viewers access to virtually hundreds of channels of quality programming. Truth be told, television entertainment is provided to every conceivable location, e.g., from homes to airports, condominiums to airports, hotels, and bars, and from hospitals and places of work.

But wait! There’s more! DIRECT SAT TV has an excellent customer service that is primarily geared toward providing only the best In television entertainment to thousands of its clients from all over the country! Indeed, it is DIRECT SAT TV or nothing! And I kid you not!

For Direct TV packages, Direct TV offers, and Direct TV deals, it can only be DIRECT SAT TV for me, friends! And hey! DIRECT SAT TV could also be the entertainment break you are looking for!

THE ANiTOKiD CHRONIKOS

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:17:00 +0000

Billiards buddies and pool player friends, guess what! The Action Report will be providing live streaming coverage of Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao's Pacmania 9 Ball Open Tournament presented by the Manny Pacquiao Darts Association in cooperation with Pacman Productions! And I kid you not!

The Open 9-ball tournament will take place at Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower, California, on October 31 and November 1. Hmmm, maybe my brother from Cool, California – Jeff Elliott aka Masirib5 - would be able to watch this, too - LIVE! The event will feature some of the worlds best players, including Francisco Django Bustamante, Jose Amang Parica, and Roberto "Superman" Gomez, along with the top West Coast players. Lest I forget, the greatest to ever play the sport, Efren Bata Reyes, has been invited as well!

The Pacmania 9 Ball Open Tournament a charity event with the profits going to Manny Pacquiao's foundation and flood relief for the recent disaster in the Philippines, i.e., Ondoy and Pepeng.

Live streaming coverage of the Pacmania 9 Ball Open Tournament will start at 10 AM Pacific Time, Saturday, October 31 at The Action Report. Saturday's coverage will be free and Sunday's coverage will be Pay Per View with all profits going to the charity causes. The Pay Per View price will be $15 for the final day of the tournament and a special challenge match after the event.

Oh wait! There’s more! The challenge match will feature a special player in action! The winner of the tournament will face Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao in a challenge match after the tournament.

Again, it’s Manny Pacquiao and the world billiards community come this Halloween weekend! Join the Pacmania 9 Ball Open Tournament! Have a great time while supporting worthy charities! See you there!

"The AnitoKid supports worthy charities!"

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Code Bonus: Check It Out at Titan Poker!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:06:00 +0000

Kanov Stauch, a billiards buddy, sent me an email highlighting the need to check out the Titan Poker website at www.titanpokerfr.net to learn about new developments on the code bonus Titan Poker.

While I was at it, I browsed the Titan Poker site for news and developments on poker 770, everest poker, full tilt poker, and Pacific Poker – and learned a thing or two about the World Wide Web’s most popular pastime. And I kid you not!

Wait not a second more, everyone! Log on to Titan Poker and experience fun and excitement that online gaming can bring!

Efren Bata Reyes: Inside the Jack Justis Case. A YouTube Video!

anitokid@gmail.com (THE ANiTOKiD) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:46:00 +0000

For billiards buddies and pool players who may have missed it, here is the YouTube video featuring Samm Diep’s interview of the Magician, Efren Bata Reyes!

The YouTube video highlights the cues and billiards equipment carried by Efren Bata Reyes, e.g., Mezz Cues, Cosmo chalk, Jack Justis case, and Johnson’s Baby Powder.

For those not it the know, Efren has a new cue from one of my favorite cuemakers. Will update you on this – soon! And I kid you not!

"The AnitoKid loves The Magician!"

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