Budding Philippine Cricket Team

Philippines makes history in cricket World Cup qualifier


Adrian Stewart Co| Buzzer Beater
Panay News
09 December 2018

THE disappointing campaigns of Gilas Pilipinas and the Philippine Azkals notwithstanding, the Philippine cricket team moves closer to qualifying in the T20 Cricket World Cup next year in Australia.

Credit: Fox Sports Philippines

The Philippines completed its dominance in the weeklong tournament serving as the first step to a World Cup qualification with a 138-110 victory over Indonesia on Friday at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Friendship Oval in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Led by four Australian-Filipino players Jonathan Hill, Daniel Smith, Henry Tyler, and Grant Russ, the Philippines was able to keep in step with tough foes.

“The team now has the depth of talent and experience to challenge some of the best sides in the region. There is something special about this side,” said Hill, the Philippine team captain.

“We are a tight-knit group who are immensely proud to play for and represent the Philippines. They never lose focus and when the going gets tough, they get going. It’s an honor to captain them and to make history today,” he added.

Philippines coach Mark Pekin, meanwhile, credited the support of the Filipinos for their triumphant campaign. He hopes the momentum will continue in the next stages of the qualifier.

“In many close games, their support was the difference between us winning and losing. It was like having an extra player on the field. I’m so pleased that we were able to win the Cup for them,” Pekin said.

The Philippine squad will next compete in Papua New Guinea early next year where it will play Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu in the International Cricket Council East Asia Pacific final, where the winner will head to the global qualifying round.

In the global qualifying round, six teams will advance to the World Cup competition.

The First Filipina Victoria's Secret Model

Kelsey Merritt on Making History as the First Filipino Model at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Isis Briones

Teen Vogue

08 November 2018

"We did it Philippines," 21-year-old rising star Kelsey Merritt posted on Instagram in September. She was announced as the first Filipina model ever to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show — which is scheduled to air on Dec 2 on ABC. "It feels like a dream," she told Teen Vogue. "Getting the show is the dream come true but being the first Filipino woman to walk in the show means I’m making history. The show is broadcast on more than 190 countries with models from 20 countries and I got chosen to represent my region. Blessed!"

While Kelsey is undoubtedly making history by bringing more diversity to the runway, she has also received plenty of backlash from the Filipino community. "My only issue with Kelsey Merritt, is that you can almost see that she’s pure American," a user shared on Twitter. "It would not be that difficult for her to get cast as VS as she fits the ff standards: tall, skinny, and white." Another said: "tbh what’s the point of celebrating Kelsey Merritt as the first Filipino to be in VS when she a) is white passing so it’s not exactly representation and b) VS is trash anyways?"

The issue of colorism has always been a huge part of Filipino culture. Kelsey has a Filipino mother and a white American father making her half Filipino. Similarly, a number of the Philippines' well-known actors, singers, and models are often multi-racial with lighter skin as it fits the country's ideal standards of beauty, naturally leaving little opportunity for anyone else trying to make it in the industry.