Looking Back

I have observed. I have encountered. I have seen the beauty of the sport. I made new relationships – something that is of substance and not that is clinging in thin air. I know that ULTIMATE is worth playing – nothing more, nothing less. So, here I am trying to transcribe in black and white how I got in to this interesting sport. I have been playing it for more than a year now, there have been the “dry and wet seasons”, but, one thing’s for sure, ULTIMATE is more than the sport. It is a community of people who believes in the Spirit of the Game! Thanks to my former teammate for helping me out back track the facts, Mr. Aldrin Redolme is one of the pioneers of Davao Ultimate who recently migrated to Australia and now tossin’ it off in Geelong, Victoria South of Australia. Okay ra ka dira bordz?! Hehehe….

Amongst the blooming metropolis of Davao, the hustle and the bustle fused with the ‘laid back’ Davaoeño lifestyle, it was not that long ago when ULTIMATE started in the Land of Promise. Two disc-infected personalities felt the urge of starting the elegant sport here namely, Ms. Roxanne “Lu-an” Lu and Mr. Francis Diano. Starting it through pure enticement of common friends holding their sessions at the Matina Town Square and University of South Eastern Philippines fields for a common goal of introducing the sport and having a community of disc aficionados. It started humble. It started simple. It started with fun!

On April 4, 2006, with the confidence of Mr. Jacob Chua to this remarkable sport (Roxanne’s family friend), Nestlé’s chocolate malt beverage, MILO became one of the advocates of Ultimate here in Davao. Francis and Lu-an hosted a summer clinic teaching everyone what the sport is all about, how it is played and what the Spirit of the Game is! Under the dry scorching heat of the summer sun, there they played, tossed, hacked, hustled, sprinted and were moulded to become an ULTIMATE player. Someone who is competitive and elegant at the same time, someone who knows how to respect, someone who values courtesy and someone who is dedicated in spreading the LOVE! They were both successful in that endeavour. It gained popularity and reaped camaraderie amongst the pioneers. Thus, it was the birth of the first Davao team, ULTIMATE South Team Durian. Religiously, they attended the Tuesday and Thursday nights session at the AGRO Fields as well as, at the USEP field during Sunday afternoons—a “freaknic” I must say since all we do over there was to eat and bond on a Sunday. Hehehe…great memories! ULTIMATE simply fitted the Davao lifestyle.

On May 27 and 28, 2006, Francis and Lu-an hosted the 1^st Summer Beach Frisbee tourney at Bago Beach Resort.

The local disc community as well as, its event sponsors’ supported this tournament. It definitely gave way to the budding disc community in Davao. It summoned to the birth of a growing disc community.

June of 2006, Francis went back to Manila to continue his studies, and left DAVAO ULTIMATE to Lu-an’s care (she left the month after). Mr. Ipe Borja and friends from other teams in Manila and of the Philippine Ultimate Association visited the Davao Ultimate players during their practice and training. They continued to promote the love to this growing team, Ultimate STD and invited the team to participate in the Manila Spirits ’06 at the Manila Polo Club. Everyone got excited and in full swing went the extra mile in devoting time, energy and effort in learning ULTIMATE. They were all simply mesmerized in making a debut for the Davao team in an International Competition. Nothing to loose though, all for the love of the fame…esté game!

With all the available resources and never-ending meetings after practices in organizing the whole team, the players decided to conduct a “fund-raising” tournament in sponsoring the Ultimate STD in Manila. They conducted an election of officers to divide the responsibility to each member. There, Mr. Noel Uy became the first Davao Ultimate Association President, Mr. Mark Chua the Vice President, Ms. Bing Alcala the Secretary, Ms. Jenny Nalla as Treasurer, Mr. Michael Sibbaluca as Auditor, Mr. Aldrin Redolme as Public Relations Officer, Mr. BJ Yñiguez as Prince Charming, Ms. Mae-An Lu and Ms. Mishi Fidelino as the association’s muses. It was fun though! The association rode the same wave then. The mission: to recruit and to raise funds!

On the side, the Public Relations and Recruitment Committees continued to recruit by going to different colleges and universities in Davao sugar coated with house parties at BJ Yñiguez’s house to promote camaraderie and bring in the culture of the Davao Disc community. Definitely, a series of no curfew parties!

On October 20^th and 21^st of the same year, the Davao Ultimate Association hosted it’s 1^st Halloween Ultimate Tournament at the Tionko fields entitled, “DULA ‘ta Ultimate bai!” for the benefit of BANTAY BATA DAVAO. It was participated by Iligan Red Horses as well as, local teams namely, Team Mulatto,

Team Holy Cross, Team Ateneo, Team Pakshet and Team Bullshet, three of which were composed of different members from the Ultimate STD team having their own separate independent playing team during the tournament. Having your own separate team then was never an issue, since, the community whole-heartedly embraced it and did not want to limit the players. The event pulled off and phenomenally was a success! With our deepest gratitude to all our event sponsors namely, Ginebra San Miguel, Milo, Hype Magazine, Mulatto, Madayaw Outdoor Shop, Byteworld, Coca Cola, Holiday Spa, My Concepts, Mega Arts Design Concepts, 98.7 Home Radio, Bak-Bak Native Chicken House, Battery Doctors and the bands who played during the culmination night – our unending credit to your support.

After that very ‘diverse’ event, intensive trainings were conducted during the remaining weeks before the Manila Spirits ’06, now at the Alabang Country Club. “One team. One purpose. One sport.” Was the vision of the Davao Disc Community in sending off their only team on the said event. The team went to Manila and got to know the bigger colony of disc maniacs—all sort of personalities, background and culture but, playing only ONE ULTIMATE SPORT. With heads held high, the Ultimate South Team Durian played and partied with everyone who shares their common interest and that is, the Spirit of the Game. With things that they did and will do are now parts of this history.

Caramba Nights feat. Chad Borja

October was definitely a busy month for the hype events team. Almost like in a battlefield lined up with a vast array of different parties and events marching like ‘trigger happy’ soldiers yet, safeguarding it not with guns or ammo but with the sheer drive to produce something apt for the Davao lounging crowd. October 13 was definitely a night of pure lounging at the busy street of Rizal.

The 1^st CARAMBA NIGHTS featured a cascade of classic hits from the 60s and 70s that was relived again by the newly-formed Green Zone band (Boy Tamayo – keys, Boy dela Cerna – guitars, Terio Bacalso – drums, Alex Bebura – bass guitars, Chico Zambrano – percussions & Noven Bravo – saxophone) topping it off with the special performance of Davao’s premier lounge act, Ms. Angel Balbin as well as, the soothing balladeer of the South, Mr. Chad Borja. The band played songs like “Smooth” by Santana, Main Ingredient’s “I just don’t want to be lonely”, songs from the Carpenters and all the premium most loved classic hits of that pined for decade.

It was a one-night show for the benefit of BANTAY BATA DAVAO—a national foundation for abused kids, hitting the Davao shores. The team would like to extend their utmost appreciation to Mr. Leo Magno of SWIG bar and staff, Mindanao Insider, Mr. Joseph Garcia of G&G Logistics and Ms. Emy Gross of Grosswood Enterprises, Mr. Chris Fabian of Mindanao Times, SCOOP Association, Ms. Emilord Guino-o and friends, Ms. Emma Gadi, Ms. Rica Magno-Villanueva, Ms. Athens Garrote for the laptop, Mr. James Pitt of Ultro for the LCD projector, Ms. Rhea Magallanes, Mr. Nice Alegado and associates, Ms. Abeth Cordero and family, Ms. Teng Sabanpan and friends, Ms. AJ Montecalvo of Bantay Bata Davao and colleagues, Mrs. Boots Maglana and friends, Mr. Earl Calma of Elena Shipping, Mr. Peewee Lozada of Mix-a-tune Studio, Blu Gré Café (Land Co. branch) and Basti’s Brew (Victoria Plaza branch) for allowing us to post our posters, our personal friends and supporters, our heartfelt appreciation. Thank you for making a stand in fighting child abuse through us! Cheers!

review of El Barangay Pride (Serye Uno)

El Barangay Pride Spreads “One Love”
by Athens Garrote

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More than a month passed and I'm still having the BEST hangover from the first ever El Barangay Pride "A Reggae-SKA Acoustic Ensemble Dub Tribe" last August 16, 2007 at Bakbak Chicken House. It was (and will always be) a fun filled Thursday night of acoustic Reggae, Ska, good vibes and literally ice cold beer flowing on a God-given KADAYAWAN night! The said event was Hype Magazine's contribution to the week long Kadayawan 2007 celebration and a kick off start to the party filled Kadayawan weekend. Local bands such as Nico, Project Hope, Zeph Dew and Skankers&the Rolling MOngos participated the event and filled the cool air with their warm and good vibes songs that made the crowd feel what partner ARN ROJAS and big man and event organizer JUAN GADI says "One Love".

One love it is, because Davao's version of the Jamaican Nights, aside from showcasing local talents was also for the benefit of the kids of BANTAY BATA DAVAO 163. Organizers, sponsors, participants and guests gave their share of reaching out (giving used clothes and donations) before partying the night away. The cause didn't end there because all through the night, hosts Carlo and Vanessa made it clear and heard to join in the fight against violence and abuse on children. Simply, partying with an edge!

The tandem did a great job on handling the crowd (which was growing every minute) as party goers where eager to participate in their "bring me" and gulp it all down; ice cold Red Horse game. Winners went home with gift items from event sponsors Coca Cola, San Miguel Beer & Marlboro.

All four bands got the laid back Davao crowd upbeat to their feet and it was a tough call for judges Mr. Gio Gadi & Mr. JP Magno to decide which band would be the night's winner. Everyone sang their hearts out, grooved with the acoustic beats and spread that "REGGAE LOVE" in one phenomenal event. And at the end of the night, Zeph Dew was hailed as the night's winner and the bragging rights to the 1st El Barangay Pride's reggae-ska pride. The night didn’t cap there since after the bands did their strums & beats, some members of the audience gathered up on stage and continued filling in the night with music that sends that slow chill through your spine. Ice cold beer and i repeat ICE COLD!

kept flowing for everyone to gulp in with the music. The crowd got officially Hype-ed and it was another hat off plus a straight up drink to the people behind Hype Events.

It was my first event night with El Barangay and I got the message loud and clear alright, no dramas no bad vibes, purely non stop partying!

Cant wait to keep the "One Love" spreading on Serye Dos.