MANILA, Philippines — With the dawn of the Junior Philippine Golf Tour looming, young golfers are abuzz with anticipation, their excitement evident as they eagerly await the opening tee-off on Tuesday, May 14, at Splendido Taal Golf Club in Laurel, Batangas.
Crafted to be the ultimate proving ground for the nation’s budding golf stars, the circuit is more than just a series of tournaments, but a stage where dreams take flight and talents are forged under pressure.
In the lead-up to the event, these young athletes have immersed themselves in rigorous training, polishing every aspect of their game. Whether it’s perfecting the long game, mastering delicate chip shots, or honing their precision on the putting green, each golfer is relentlessly pursuing excellence.
Mona Sarines, a finalist in the girls’ 11-12 division from the previous year’s inaugurals that featured drive-chip-and-putt competition, shares her preparation mantra: “I’m focusing on refining my short game and strategic course management to ensure I’m at my best when it counts.”
The PGT circuit promises a thrilling spectacle across multiple age divisions. From the veterans of the 15-18 category to the up-and-coming talents in the younger brackets, every player is primed to showcase their skills over the grueling rounds ahead.
Set apart from other junior golf organizations, the JPGT, organized by the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sponsored by ICTSI, represents a new frontier for young golfers. With a commitment to minimizing scheduling conflicts and maximizing opportunities for growth, it’s a platform designed to nurture talent and foster camaraderie among competitors.
Javie Bautista, riding high on a wave of recent victories, emerges as a standout contender in the boys’ 11-14 category. With a string of wins both at home and abroad, the Ateneo standout is poised to make his mark in the circuit and cement his status as a rising star in Philippine golf.
With his school obligations behind him, top contender Race Manhit is maximizing every moment to fine-tune his game for the upcoming campaign.
Recognizing the constraints on his practice time, he has prioritized polishing his short game, knowing full well that precision around the green will be crucial on longer yardages this year.
“Just finished school, so practice is still limited. We focused on perfecting my short game since the yardage will be longer than last year,” said Manhit, who is also competing in the boys’ 11-14 category.
Exuding confidence and anticipation, Manhit is eager to test his skills against his peers, asserting his readiness to engage in fierce battles on the course.
“I’m prepared to give each of them a formidable challenge. My aim remains the same – to secure a spot at the top earn a seat in the match play finals,” he said.
The 14-leg JPGT circuit, featuring 18-hole tournaments, is open to all youngsters with players aged 15-18 to vie in four-round clashes. Those in the 8-10 and 11-14 divisions will compete in 36-hole and 54-hole tournaments, respectively.
Meanwhile, the tour moves to the Pradera Verde leg in Lubao, Pampanga on May 28-31, while the Pinewoods Golf Club in Baguio will stage the third leg on Hune 11-14.
The circuit will culminate in the Philippine Junior Match Play Championship at The Country Club in October, gathering all the top players after the circuit in a celebration of talent, determination and passion that drives these young athletes to greatness.
MANILA, Philippines — Online job platform Jobstreet by SEEK, SM Supermalls, and the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) on Thursday launched a nationwide campaign for “job opportunity building skills” called “Trabaho Para sa Bayan: J.O.B.S.”
The memorandum of agreement, solidifying the commitment of the signatories to hold hybrid job fairs nationwide, was inked on Thursday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. This marked the kick-off of the whole-day job fair at the Music Hall of SM MOA.
Pasay City reported that 500 applicants registered during the job fair with 238 candidates hired on the spot.
According to Jobstreet by SEEK, the collaboration aims to “generate quality jobs” for Filipinos and help address “job-skill mismatch” through on-ground and online job fairs.
“The campaign offers opportunities across a diverse range of focus industries, each playing a vital role in the economic landscape of the Philippines including but not limited to Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing, healthcare, tourism, manufacturing, and construction,” the press release read.
The job fairs also offers opportunities for applicants to receive advice from experts and free resources such as templates for resumes and cover letters to help them land their jobs.
Danah Majarocon, managing director of Jobstreet by SEEK Philippines, said that their firm is looking forward to similar collaborations that benefit Filipino candidates and hirers. The platform has a talent pool of 11.6 million Filipino-registered candidates.
“We’re honored to have been given the opportunity to work with other like-minded organizations, driving us to continue facilitating better job matches between employers and candidates across the country,” Majarocon said.
On Wednesday, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the country’s underemployment or employed individuals expressed a desire to have an additional job or hours of work 5.39 million in March 2024.
It is a significant decline from the 6.08 million underemployed individuals in February 2024.
Meanwhile, as part of the partnership, succeeding job fairs will be held during the following dates:
The ceremonial signing of the MOA was attended by Majarocon, Deborah Sy, SM Foundation Inc. executive director and trustee.
It was also witnessed by Teresita Sy-Coson, SM Investments Corporation vice-chairperson and PSAC Jobs member and lead for J.O.B.S.; Jose Ma. “Joey” A. Concepcion III, PSAC lead for Jobs and Go Negosyo founder; Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go. — Ian Laqui and Rosette Adel