Batch 64: New Vacancies at DepEd Central Office

DepEd Central Office welcomes competent and dedicated people of all backgrounds.  Join now -  work together and inspire others!

Batch 62: New Vacancies at DepEd

Hello guys,

Sharing you the vacancies at DepEd-CO.  Join now.

Notice of Vacancy (Batch 60): DepEd Central Office

Guys,

Meron na naman vacancy sa DepEd-CO.  Halika na, join na.

A Challenging Adventure to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A Knight’s Gambit in Kuala Lumpur

August 8–11, 2019 | Astro Merdeka Rapid Open Team Championship

This wasn’t your typical travel story. It was an unexpected opening, a mid-game twist, and a chaotic but unforgettable endgame — all set against the urban charm of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The adventure began with a message from my twin brother, who was in Oriental Mindoro at the time. He asked me to book a ticket to Malaysia ASAP — we were supposed to represent the Philippines in the prestigious Astro Merdeka Rapid Open Team Championship 2019. Being the die-hard chess enthusiast that I am, I didn’t hesitate. No questions, no blink — just pure instinct and a swipe of my BDO credit card
.
Flight booked. Bags packed. Chess spirit? Lit.

Checkmate Before the First Move?

When I finally arrived at the tournament venue, I was hit with a hard reality — our team didn’t exist. My twin had a falling-out with a local chess official, which left us stranded — no teammates, no registration, no backup plan.

But in true Asi fashion, we didn’t fold.

Instead, we roamed. Met legendary Filipino players — GMs, WGMs, IMs, FMs, and other national masters. Their encouragement and energy made the setback a little lighter. We explored nearby attractions in Kuala Lumpur, soaking up culture between nervous sighs and hopeful glances at the tournament board.

Then Came the Twist…

Just minutes before the start of Round 1, a Malaysian lady — a tournament lifesaver — approached us. She asked for our names. She said, “You can join our team — just cover a bit of the cost.”

We agreed. Instantly. Like two chess pieces finally moving after being stuck for too long.

PAMA 2 was our team name. It sounded like power... but what followed was a comedy of missed chances.

The Battle (and the Blunder)

We fought. Oh, how we fought.

Unfortunately, our teammates from other countries didn’t score a single win across all eight rounds. Yes, you read that right — zero. Zilch. A statistical nightmare.

But every dark board has its highlight — and that was my twin brother, who clinched a bronze medal on Board 2 by scoring 6.5 out of 8. A clutch performance amid chaos. Props to you, bro!

Three Moves Ahead: Lessons Learned

Form your team ahead of time. Don’t play roulette with your roster.

Bring extra funds. Hidden costs always lurk behind the clock.

Study the venue online. Know where you’re going before you land — chess isn’t the only game you’ll be playing.

Final Thought:

We came for victory. We left with stories, memories, and battle scars only real tournaments can give. That’s chess — and that’s life. Not always the position you expected, but always a game worth playing.

Until the next move.

— Arena International Master Joselito Bandelaria Asi
Lessons learned:
1)  Form a team ahead of time.
2)  Bring additional funds for other expenses.
3)  Scan the venue through the internet for some vital information.

 Sharing with you some light moments with the Philippines chess experts

 Asi brothers with Jollibee

UE Players: Erwin Tabor, E. Asi, GM Nelson Mariano II, and J. Asi

 GM-elect Haridas Pascua with Asi twins

 Asean Chess Academy tarp with E. Asi

 

  Asi brothers with WGM Janelle Mae Frayna 

 

 IM John Marvin Miciano, et. al.

  Roberto Suelo, Jr., et. al.

 

GM Darwin Laylo, GM-elect Ronald Dableo, et. al.

 Emmanuel Emperado, et. al.

 

 Philippines - GM Joey Antonio, et. al.

 

 Philippines - 2nd Place led by Haridas Pascua and Emmanuel Senador

 

 Board 2 Bronze Medalist - Emmanuel Asi

UE Players (L-R): Robert Gene Mariano, Ronald Castro, 

Malik Faizal, Emmanuel Asi, and Joselito Asi

P.S.
A word of gratitude to GM Nelson Mariano (who is now a resident of Singapore) for extending us help, to all the UE players who were there, and to all the Filipino players for making our lives easy and fine.

Batch 59: Notice of Vacancy at DepEd CO

Sir/Madam,

There are 23 plantilla positions available at the Department of Education - Central Office.  If you have what it takes to be a public servant then please join the biggest government organization in the country.  It is your call.  Join now!

Notice of Vacancy: Batch 58 - DepEd Central Office

Guys,

In case you have plans of joining the biggest government institution in the Philippines, now is the right time to submit your application forms.  The deadline is on July 15, 2019, Monday.  Be the one!

New Vacancies @DepEd-CO Batch 57

Hi everyone,

I would like to share with you the new vacancies at the Department of Education, Central Office.  The deadliest deadline would be on June 18 (Wednesday) and that would be tomorrow.

If you think you have what it takes to be one of the officers at DepEd, then now is the right time to apply for these positions.

Be the one, join now!

A Remarkable Game Worth Sharing

Good day, everyone!

It’s been a while since my last post, but this one’s worth the wait.

Let me take you back to a thrilling battle I had a couple of weeks ago at Alphaland Southgate Mall in Makati City, Philippines, during the 36th Golden Minds Dalawahan Chess Tournament — a fierce and fun event for dynamic duos.

Each team consisted of two players. In our case, it was a family affair — my twin brother took charge of Board 1, while I held the line at Board 2. (Just a little fun fact: we’re both proud holders of the FIDE Arena International Master title.) BTW, I am an Arena Grandmaster now.

In Round 1, I wasted no time. We were paired against the formidable Lucion Chess Team — a seasoned duo known in the local scene. But as they say in chess and in life, you don’t back down from a strong opening — you meet it head-on. We did just that. The match ended 1.5 - 0.5 in our favor.

Now, let’s talk about my game — a clash against a tough opponent known locally as “Biscuit.” And no, he was no snack on the board.

This is where things got spicy.

Queen Sacrifice on Move 7?!

Yes, you read that right.

On the seventh move, I offered my Queen — not out of desperation, but pure calculated madness. A line I had prepared, sharpened, and hidden in my mental arsenal for moments exactly like this. But here’s the kicker: the Queen sacrifice never left the board — I kept offering her up, move after move, like a tempting poison, waiting for my opponent to bite.

It became a psychological dance. Would he take it? Could he resist it? Each move pushed us closer to chaos or glory.

Without giving too much away (chessboard replays coming soon), let’s just say: it was a game that reminds us why we love this 64-square battlefield. Drama, risk, creativity — all wrapped in a blitz of instinct and preparation.

Stay tuned — I’ll be posting the full PGN soon with annotations and commentary.

For now, just remember: Sometimes, the boldest move you can make is offering everything... and waiting for the world to blink first.

Until next move,

AIM Joselito Bandelaria Asi

What a finish.  I am so delighted with this game!

New Vacancies @ the Department of Education Central Office

Guys,

There are new vacancies at the DepEd Central Office (Batch 56).  The deadline for submission of application forms will be on the 13th day of June 2019. Join now!

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Vacancy Announcement at DepEd-BLR

Hello everyone.  There are vacancies for "Contract of Service" positions at the Department of Education-Bureau of Learning Resources-Production Division.   Interested? The deadline for submission of documents and application forms is on May 30, 2019.

Tidbits - Whatever It is (Canada's Garbage)

Just when I thought that Canada is helping the Philippines, I later realized that the former is the one bullying us.

I admire President Rodrigo Duterte (PDu30) who was very vocal on his pronouncement to bring back the 69 container vans of garbage shipped from Canada to the Philippines in the years 2013 and 2014.  Why did the previous administration allow this injustice to our beloved country?  PDu30's deadline of May 15, 2019, to ship out these tons of garbage backed to Ottawa was not met by Canada thus severing its ties with us.  The wanton disregard by Canada to retrieve these wastes are unacceptable and a direct insult to our sovereignty.

The Philippines was belittled, degraded, and downgraded by Canada and I felt we were betrayed by a country whom I thought from the start is an ally.

By far, this was the most disrespectful thing a country, with educated leaders, had done to us!

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Recently, reports revealed that there were places in the country that became dumpsite of other well-developed countries as well.  This morning DZBB shared information that these countries are, OMG, Australia, South Korea, and Hong Kong. Is the Philippines the keeper of other nation's shit?

Back to the Game I Love

Whew, after long years of hiatus I was again back to playing the game I so dearly love - CHESS.  Yesterday, I had an opportunity to play at the Malabon Chess Club,  a place I am so familiar with as I lived in the nearby town Navotas for almost 5 years.  I am still active on playing online as I am an Arena International International Master (AIM) recognized by FIDE but felt so rusty over the board.

On my first game, I was paired with a small boy - whom I beat already before.  This time he was ready to kill me.  The time control was 5 minutes with 3 seconds increment.  I was so confident for a while but my complacency faded as I was, little by little, outplayed during the game.

 Photo credits: Ernie Baltazar (I was there on the left side)

My second game was as awful as the first one, but this time I was winning, however, I failed to convert and didn't see the winning combination.

After the 2nd game, I recomposed myself by taking a short walk and returned to the playing venue just in time for the next game.  I successfully won my 3rd to 6th games but again lost my seventh game to the top seed.

I was in trouble of not getting into the top 10 should I lose my next 2 important games - so I needed to be careful.  With 4 points out of 7 games, I was paired with a player with 5.5 points (there were 3 players with the same scores).  Luckily, I beat my opponent and the other 2 players with 5.5 scores lost too so I am sure that I will be paired against one of them.  Truly enough, I was paired with Josso Baldera, the father of the boy who beat me during the first round, remember?

Well, I got my vengeance as I beat the father in the last round, and guess what? All those with 5.5 points were also beaten.

God was so good to me during that day as I also got 2nd to 3rd place position!