Dwight Ramos has powered through rigorous training sessions and tune up games against select teams from Europe, as well as the Ukraine U-21 team in Estonia and Lithuania.

This Gilas Pilipinas key player refuses to be slowed down by injury — and a big part of injury prevention is proper exercise and hydration. By fueling up and replenishing electrolytes lost during games and practice, Ramos doesn’t miss out on any session in between flights from Manila to China for tune up games.

Now in the final stages of Gilas’ prep behind closed doors, Ramos can go the extra mile with Gatorade, the official electrolyte partner of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

Staying hydrated is the key to longevity - proven quite a number of times by another key player for Gilas and resident import of Barangay Ginebra - Justin Brownlee - who had to learn this lesson the hard way.

Amidst uncomfortable playing conditions in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games earlier this year, Brownlee battled with cramps and had to miss a crucial part of the match due to fluid loss.

“His legs were cramping up due to the heat and exhaustion,” said Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes when the Philippines lost 68-79 to host team Cambodia in a match played under 41-degree weather.

However, the six-time PBA champion bounced back stronger and more determined than ever to lead Gilas in their redemption tour, bringing the SEA Games gold medal within reach.

After all, in every 40-minute, high stakes game, players need to give their all while battling fatigue and exhaustion. That’s why Gatorade, the official electrolyte drink of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, plays a valuable role in the biggest basketball stage.

Players need to keep rehydrating with the necessary fluids and replacing lost electrolytes to keep them playing longer and the Gatorade formula has been proven to do just that by scientists, nutritionists, and world class athletes for more than 50 years.

With qualifying teams all over the world coming to the Philippines, the tournament can expect the world’s number 1 sports drink to keep world class players fueled up for every match.

To date, other countries have completed their lineup, while the Gilas Pilipinas coaching staff will finalize the final national roster after a round of friendly games with other participating countries.

Among those expected to play are Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (Canada), Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Chicago Bulls' Nikola Vucevic (Montenegro) and Gatorade’s own ambassador from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Karl Anthony Towns (Dominican Republic).

Representing the Philippines, Utah Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson will don the Gilas blue jersey, rallying the country’s best athletes towards victory

With these basketball superstars on the stage, Gatorade is sure to make history one bottle and one game at a time.

One of the contending team for the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League or MPBL just recently launched its new name. From Makati SkyScrapers they will now be known as the Makati Super Crunch. It seems that I'm becoming an enthusiast of sports. Anyway, I should be because I have two boys and who knows I might be cheering for them one day.

Team Owner Paolo Orbeta is happy to announce its partnership with Super Crunch, a leading product of PriFood, owned by Enrico Yap Jr. They will be bringing the name and crunching in the game.


"We are happy with the support of Super Crunch and we are grateful to Mr. Yap for the trust in the Makati Team," Orbeta says.


"We Promise to work harder and play better games so we can make Super Crunch proud of us," says co owner Paolo Pineda.

"Dont look now but Super Crunch has plans to enter the PBA in the coming years and if given the chance would like to be of help also to our national team and other sports as well," says Makati team Manager Martin Arenas.

Watch out as Super Crunch Supports a Super MPBL Makati team.

Perhaps we will be checking out more about the team and of course MPBL.

Coach Ruben Lanot II (center) receives the Gawad Pilipinoy 2018 trophy from (L-R) Mang Inasal Head Jojo Subido and Marketing Head Aileen Natividad.

Basketball is the most-loved sport in the Philippines. For Filipinos, the ball game is more than just a pastime – it is training ground for discipline and sportsmanship, as well as for building friendships and camaraderie.

Making use of basketball as a means to inspire and teach life lessons to underprivileged youth, 35-year-old Ruben Lanot II, a tireless and dedicated basketball coach, was recently honored as the Mang Inasal’s 2018 Gawad Pilipinoy awardee.

The leading Pinoy chicken inasal brand’s very own recognition program for the country’s modern-day heroes, Gawad Pilipinoy cites outstanding individuals who represent galing ng Pinoy by fulfilling a passion or vocation that uplifts the lives of the less fortunate.

“Mang Inasal Philippines wishes to promote positive Filipino values by recognizing individuals who exemplify them, like Coach Ruben, who dedicated his life to teaching the youth the importance of sportsmanship and realizing their dreams through basketball. He fulfills his passion for the game while inspiring kids to love the sport and make it as an instrument to improve their lives,” said Mang Inasal Head Jojo P. Subido.

Utilizing basketball as a means to inspire and teach life lessons to underprivileged youth, Coach Ruben Lanot II was recently honored as the Mang Inasal’s 2018 Gawad Pilipinoy awardee.

Coach Ruben started his love affair with the game at a very young age of six. He grew a deep liking for the sport while watching Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) games. He became a varsity player in his senior year at the University of Sto. Tomas, and after graduation, eventually found coaching basketball as his calling.
His decision to quit his day job as an office employee in favor of coaching was further strengthened when he was commissioned to join the Junior NBA program as coach, where he was able to meet and coach talented young players from different provinces. It was there that he thought that these raw talents, when given the right training, equipment, and the opportunity to play, would become even better players.

Founder of Hoops Dreams, Coach Ruben holds basketball training sessions at the Taguig Tenement, where the young players are not only coached on the game, but also on life lessons that will help them achieve their dreams.

“I was able to relate to those aspiring young players since I myself didn’t come from an affluent family. When I was just starting to play, I didn’t have access to scientific basketball. That’s why I want these kids to experience what I didn’t get to enjoy before. Wala ako noong coach na masasabi kong naghulma sa akin nung bata ako about basketball (I didn’t have a coach whom I can say molded me as a young kid trying to play basketball),” Coach Ruben said.
These experiences inspired him to start his “Hoop Dreams” advocacy program, which aims to help those youth who aspire of becoming basketball players by giving them the skills, the drills, the right values, and even the jerseys and the shoes they need for the game. For the program, Coach Ruben partners with different orphanages, associations and organizations, which are looking for ways to give indigent youth better opportunities.

Coach Ruben holds basketball training sessions at the Taguig Tenement, where the young players are coached on the game, but also on life lessons that will help them achieve their dreams. As far as Coach Ruben is concerned, he exerts the same amount of sacrifice and effort to train the kids from the tenement as well as those children attending the private school where Ruben also coaches.

“Through basketball, I am able to give the youth, especially the underprivileged ones, a new reason to dream and hope that they can be good at something. That’s the best thing about pursuing my passion in basketball – I am able to fulfill the purpose behind that passion – that is, to be able to help others. Kaya’t hanggang may batang gustong matuto, nandito lang si Coach Ruben para sa kanila (As long as there are kids who want to learn, Coach Ruben is just here for them),” he said.

With Coach Ruben’s selfless use of his skills and passion to help the Pinoy youth through basketball, he is definitely a deserving recipient of the 2018 Gawad Pilipinoy award. Get to know more about Coach Ruben from the 2018 Gawad Pilipinoy Awards video at Mang Inasal Philippines’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MangInasalPhilippines/).

About Mang Inasal

Mang Inasal is the number one Chicken Inasal in the country, known for its 2-in-1 sa Laki, Nuot-sa-Ihaw Sarap. Today, Mang Inasal leads the market with its strong portfolio of Chicken Inasal, Pork and Bangus Sisig, Pork BBQ, Palabok, Lumpiang Togue and Pinoy Halo-Halo. Currently, the company has over 500 stores nationwide to cater to the growing love of Filipinos for the brand.

The brand has also received numerous awards including the Most Outstanding Quick Service Restaurant and Most Outstanding Chicken Inasal restaurant from the 2010 Dangal ng Bayan Awards, and the Outstanding Filipino Franchise Award from the 2015 Franchise Excellence Awards. Recently, it was recognized by the Philippine Association of National Advertisers with a bronze award for Mang Inasal’s National Halo-Halo Sarap Day activation.

Global smartphone brand Vivo has successfully mounted the first-ever Vivo HoopBattle Championship Philippines as the top eight teams battled it out to claim 3x3 court supremacy.

The top eight teams who faced off at the Market! Market! on Sunday were Ballers, Metrostar Realty, Team F4, BS Susim Shipping, Team Core, Just Coco, Arellano University, and Team Enderun.

The final two teams will be sent to Guangzhou, China in August 2018 and play against other groups in Asia to claim the HoopBattle Champion title. Aside from the chance to play at an international basketball game, the two winning teams will get Php200,000 or Php100,000.

If the Philippine team enters the top three in the final games, they will also bring home RMB400,000 (around P3 million), RMB120,000 (around Php900,000), and RMB80,000 (around Php600,000).

The HoopBattle Championship is an annual 3x3 basketball tournament held in some districts in China and other Asian countries. In the Philippines, the tourney was organized in cooperation with the Ayala Malls.

Vivo, a brand that encourages its users to pursue an energetic lifestyle, has been at the forefront of throwing support for sports. It has tapped basketball superstar Stephen Curry as its global ambassador.

Vivo also forged a partnership with FIFA World Cup as its Exclusive Smartphone Sponsor for the 2018 and 2022 football tournaments.

In the Philippines, Vivo has also sponsored the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. #

For inquiries about Vivo, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vivophil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivo_philippines/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts.

Combining the Filipino passion for basketball and the Taiwanese drive for innovation, the first-ever Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp recently filled the Mall of Asia Music Hall with an intense 3-on-3 Hoop Challenge, top-notch innovations from Taiwan Excellence, and PBA stars.

A partnership between Taiwan Excellence and legendary PBA star Coach Eric Altamirano, the two-day Camp aimed to promote sportsmanship as it brought together some of the Metro’s most promising basketball players while highlighting the incredible products awarded with the Taiwan Excellence Seal.
“Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp is an exemplary showcase of excellence from both countries: the fighting spirit of the Filipinos further empowered by the products of Taiwan,” said Alfred Wang, Director of the Economic Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO).

With its aim of promoting the leading products, Taiwan Excellence shares to the world a variety of truly innovative brands. Initiated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Taiwan, R.O.C., in 1992, the symbol of Taiwan Excellence is continuously recognized by 102 countries.

The symbol of Taiwan Excellence, according to Wang, honors Taiwan’s most innovative products “that provide tremendous value to users worldwide.” Each product has been selected for a specific Taiwan Excellence Award based on their excellence in the following categories: design, quality, marketing, Taiwanese R&D, and manufacturing.

Boasting participation of 192 amateur Pinoy ballers, the Camp put their skills to the test in a rigorous 3-on-3 matches while 3 PBA stars are on the sidelines showing support.

Alongside Coach E of Alaska Aces, local court heroes JC Intal and Doug Kramer of Phoenix Fuel Masters also gave their support to the budding ballers. Also integral to the whole Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp set up is the Taiwan Excellence Experience Zone which exhibits the top-of-the-line products of Taiwan.

With products from tech giant Asus, fitness company Johnson, and bike manufacturer Tern, among others, the Taiwan Excellence Zone got everyone up close and personal with impressive products championed by Taiwan. Wang hopes these superior products from Taiwan will boost the way of life and strengthen the love of Filipinos for basketball and sports in general.

“They did a great job in showcasing the best products that Taiwan can offer. The quality can go head to head with other global brands,” said Christian Ramos, one of the players for the Camp.

Meanwhile, the two celebrity players look forward to using the products themselves. “I am really excited about the bikes from Tern. They make biking and going around the city a much more fun experience,” said Intal. As for Kramer, he has his sights on the Paper Shoot, compact digital cameras with cases made out of eco-friendly paper. “I really feel that the whole family will fall in love with it. It is so simple and sophisticated, I know my kids will love using Paper Shoot.” Kramer said.

For updates about Taiwan Excellence, visit their website https://www.taiwanexcellence.org/ph and follow their Facebook page at facebook.com/TaiwanExcellence.ph.

Even moms like me do love basketball, also in my teenage years. I used watch games at the local leagues where some of my relatives and even my brothers are playing. So, to me basketball is perhaps been a part of my life. My hubby also plays basketball but not that hardcore in playing. He just plays when there's opportunity but he make sure that our kids do play basketball.

It was unveiled recently the "First Pinoy Anime Series" entitled "Barangay 143" and what's even great is that this anime will aired in GMA 7. Now my kids will have some basketball watching to do. Unfortunately the time and day of the TV series have been declared yet. The anime series is produced by a group of companies joined together to have this "First Pinoy Anime Series". Teamed up together, Jyotirmoy Saha, CEO of August Media Holdings; Jackeline Chua, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Synergy88 Entertainment Media Inc., Takahiro Kishimoto, Head of Animation, International Business Department of TV Asahi, and Joey Abacan, Head of Acquisition, GMA Network and made announcement of the airing on GMA 7 of "Barangay 143" Anime series.

Barangay 143 – as the series is known is the first-ever Filipino Anime series. Co-produced between Synergy88, TV Asahi (Japan) and August Media Holdings (Singapore), Barangay 143 will feature a glittering celebrity cast including Cherie Gil, Alice Dixon and John Arcilla and millennial heartthrobs, Julie Anne San Jose, Kelley Day, Migo Adacer, and Ruru Madrid.








Barangay 143 is a feel-good coming of age story of a young Korean boy whose search for his father brings him to the Philippines. Lost and desperate for answers, is here in this foreign land that he finds an unlikely family in a team of misfits whose only ambition is to bring glory to their hometown. It's a story about love and family set against the action-packed world of street basketball, where the stakes are always high and life the biggest game you can win.

“Philippines has a vibrant TV and film industry with a rich culture of storytelling. Right from the onset we were determined develop the show right here so that it captures the essence of life in Manila. I am immensely proud of what we have finally created in Barangay 143”, said Jyotirmoy Saha, CEO, August Media Holdings.



Fans can enjoy Barangay 143 not just as a TV Series but digitally, in print and as consumer products. The Barangay 143 Street League mobile game is already available on the Google Play Store for Android and the iOS App Store. The narrative story within the mobile game leads to the suspense and drama that drives the story for the upcoming TV Series.



“Within the series, the comic strip and even the game we have tried to capture the real-life experiences of the Philippines through the art and the sounds.,” said Jackeline Chua, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Synergy88 Digital. “With Barangay 143 Street League we also created a unique experience that helps players compete with friends in cyberspace but get their wins rewarded in the real world.”



Set against the backdrop of gritty Tondo, the series also features original music from a whole host of celebrity Filipino singers and musicians. The series is painstakingly designed and produced here in Manila with the help crew from across Japan, South Korea, USA, Malaysia and Singapore.
“When we first came across Barangay 143 during its development phase, it seemed like a natural choice for us to be a part of. We hope that Japanese creativity will bring light into the Filipino story and characters to life.”, said Takahiro Kishimoto, Head of Animation at International Business Department of TV Asahi.
Leading up to the start of the broadcast, fans will be treated to a series on Barangay 143 themed concerts featuring music stars like Gloc-9, Shanti Dope, Julie Ann San Jose and more. We expect to also treat our audiences with many other “GMA has always been known to support anything that champions Filipino talent and promotes our culture. We are immensely proud to be the network carrying the first Filipino anime drama series,” said Joey Abacan, First Vice President, Program Management at GMA.

Executive Producers of the TV Series have mentioned that they are committed to develop the property further and are already contemplating more content surrounding Barangay 143 the brand.

Filipino basketball fans nationwide now have another tournament to keep monitor. The Vivo Hoop Battle Championship Philippines has officially started its knockout rounds.

It was an action-packed first round of eliminations of the Vivo Hoop Battle Championship Philippines.

On July 1, the 3x3 basketball tourney had its first game in Glorietta where 12 teams played against each other. These were Team Ballers, Metro Star Realty, Pio Makati, Arellano University 1, Mamba Army MNL, Team Downtown, New Born: St. Claire College, Bigshot Burger, Glorietta, Zion, Turbo, and Team 3WC. Team Ballers and Metro Star Realty eventually came out as victors.

The second game was held on July 8 in TriNoma. The teams that played were F4, Alphas, D’Engineers, California Supreme, Fuego Heneral, Bulacan Hoopers, Spartans, Radiant Hoops, Ballerz, Team Mommy Kate, BS Susim Shipping, and Team 3WA. But the rest were outplayed by F4 and the BS Susim Shipping teams.

In these rounds, Vivo gave the passionate spectators to have a chance of what it feels like to be playing the 3x3 Hoop Battle court to the delight of the basketball fans.

The young global smartphone brand picked three players from the audience to show off their layup, free throw, and 3-point shooting skills. The fastest player to perfectly complete these shots received premium prize from Vivo.


Another 12 teams will then face off on July 15 in South Park for the third leg of the tournament. The last elimination rounds will be on July 22 in Fairview Terraces. All the top two teams per elimination round will advance to the finals to be held on July 29 in Market! Market!

The best two teams will be sent to Guangzhou, China in August 2018 and play against other groups in Asia to claim the Hoop Battle Champion title. Aside from a trip to China for a chance to play at an international basketball game, the two winning teams will get Php200,000 or Php100,000.

The Hoop Battle Championship is an annual 3x3 basketball tournament held in some districts in China and other Asian countries.

Catch all the 3x3 action LIVE on Vivo’s official Facebook and Twitter accounts on July 15, 22, and 29. 

For inquiries about Vivo, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vivophil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivo_philippines/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts.

After a successful digital episodic series six years ago which was originally conceived by Pepsi, the fan-favorite character jumps from the digital world to the big screen in “Uncle Drew.”


The episodic franchise has amassed over 95 million views since inception and now, NBA All-star Kyrie Irving gets to reprise his role as Uncle Drew and his bringing his friends with him and some more. After draining his life savings to enter a team in the Rucker Classic street ball tournament in Harlem, Dax (Lil Rel Howery) is dealt a series of unfortunate setbacks, including losing his team to his longtime rival (Nick Kroll). Desperate to win the tournament and the cash prize, Dax stumbles upon the man, the myth, the legend UNCLE DREW (NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving) and convinces him to return to the court one more time. The two men embark on a road trip to round up Drew's old basketball squad (Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, and Lisa Leslie) and prove that a group of septuagenarians can still win the big one. The film is rated G by the MTRCB which means all ages can enter the cinema with or without an adult.
The film, aside from showcasing basketball, also tackles themes such as family, friendship and teamwork. “Uncle Drew” opens in Philippine cinemas June 27, 2018 from Lionsgate Pictures, locally distributed by Rafaella Films International.

One of the number one fan of Basketball, Senator Manny Pacquiao will give an interesting view of Filipino Basketball as the created league, the Maharlika Pilipina Basketball League (MPBL) kicks off this coming January 25. This gives fresh Filipino Basketball talents from local communities and former collegiate and professional players their chance to shine on national TV at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The opening ceremonies, followed by a match-up between the Paranaque Patriots and Caloocan Supremos, will air live on ABS-CBN S+A starting at 7pm.

"This will support the youth who are interested in the sport. This will be a great help to them. From the grassroots, we are going to discover good players," said MPBL founder Senator Manny Pacquiao."Hindi naman kami nakikipag-compete sa ibang liga, kundi ito ay ambag, tulong din sa pag promote ng basketball dito sa Pilipinas. It's possible that players who shine in the MPBL will eventually get the opportunity to be drafted by other leagues so it could be complementary."
Arnold Vegafria, ALV Events International chairman who happens to be business manager of Pacquiao and overall head of production and marketing of MPBL says, "Through Senator Manny Pacquiao's vision, we have a basketball league that truly reaches the grassroots level. Finally, Filipinos from all walks of life who have the talent and passion for the game will be able to show their mettle on the hard court.We are thankful for this opportunity and hope advertisers and basketball fans support this. This is another platform where Pinoys can find their potential basketball heroes."

ABS-CBN Sports head Dino Laurena expressed his excitement with the entry of the MPBL S+A, which aims to give grassroots athletes and undrafted or untapped basketball players a venue to showcase their skills and continue to pursue their basketball dreams. "It was very natural for us to get together because of our shared vision for Philippines sports and our desire to support Filipino athletes in the grassroots level. Seredipitously, we are celebrating the anniversary of the MBA (Metropolitan Basketball Association) this year, which had the same concept and objective," he said.

Similar to the MBA, the MPBL features teams that represent a province, city or municipality in the country and has a home and away format that will give the teams a chance to play in their home court in front of fans. Currently, the league has 10 teams from Metro Manila and Luzon representing Bataan, Batangas, Bulacan, Caloocan, Imus, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Paranque, Quezon City and Valenzuela. They plan to eventually include teams from Visayas and Mindanao.

MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes also said that each team is required to have at least three players that are truly homegrown to the area. "The advantage of this is really the pride of the players playing for their respective provinces and cities. We also believe that it will be more exciting because of the support of the fans for their teams. In the preseason , we can really see that they are exited as they aslo want to see their home players succeed," he said.

MPBL team coordinator Emmerson Oreta, a former professional player like Duremdes, added that their long-term goal is to have all teams featuring all homegrown players, like their preseason champion , the Bulacan Kuyas.

Helping Duremdes and Oreta is former professional and national team player Zaldy Realubit, who heads the operations, and assistant commisioner Satar Macantal, Pacquiao's childhood friend who played for Pacquiao's local team and helped him organize basketball leagues in thier hometown of General Santos City.
To further encourage fans to watch the opening at the Araneta Coliseum, Vegafria said the MPBL will be giving away one car and ten motorbikes on January 25.

The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League telecast is a production of ALV Events International and ABS-CBN Sports+Action. It airs 7pm January 25 live from the Smart Araneta Coliseum on S+A and S+A HD. Catch the games every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 7pm to 11pm.

When it comes to sports I like only a few of them and one of them is basketball. Maybe the reason is that it is one of the sports where Filipinos love very much and it unites us all and shares a bond with everyone. For us Filipinos it is already part of our culture. Being more than just a game and a sport, it has become the country's source of pride. If you've noticed our local basketball games seats were never empty during the season and the love for the sport even grew when our Philippine basketball team marked a great leap in the global basketball arena.


Gilas Pilipinas, who wouldn't know name. it is our country's pride, the national basketball squad which became famous for its unique brand of basketball as it turns a collective heartbeat each time the team steps on the hardcourt. "Puso" became the teams tagline when they were up against with tough opponents.



The solid support from Manuel V. Pangilinan and Smart Communications united the entire country in one hope that Gilas Pilipinas will finally triumph.
For 2017, as the team suits up for its renewed quest, Chooks-To-Go joins Smart to reinforce Gilas' campaign in its quest to qualify for the 2020 Olympics.

Dubbed the event as the "#ManokNgBayan, Chooks-to-Go hosted the new partnership with Smart and Gilas Pilipinas. Aside from the partnership Chooks-to-Go also honors MVP and Mr. Ronald Mascariñas, President of Bountry AgroVentures, Inc., said "It is only right for the entire country to recognize the selfless and overwhelming support of MVP and Smart of Gilas Pilipinas. The journey united the country and gave Filipinos hope that we can compete with the best in the world", he also added that " We are extremely honored to be given the chance to participate in this glorious quest of MVP and Smart to regain Philippine basketball supremacy in Asia. We are optimistic that Gilas Pilipinas will qualify in the 2020 Olympics, wow the world with the Filipino brand of basketball and instill pride among the Filipino people."
What's great and interesting with the #ManokNgBayan is that three of Filipino favorite brands team-up for the sole purpose of making a stronger impact on the global basketball arena. Another exciting thing to know is that Chot Reyes returns as the National Team's Head Coach.




With this stronger alliances Filipinos will be shouting more of "Puso" as we cheer for the country's bet the #ManokNgBayan.