ALLAN THE MAN

After grabbing a historic high in the world football ladder, the Philippine Football team ,Philippine Azkals, dropped one spot in the latest FIFA World Rankings released on Thursday.

The Azkals moved to 144th from the country’s all-time high ranking at 143rd last month to tie Kazakhstan in the ladder. The Philippines, however, still remained as the third best team in Southeast Asia behind Vietnam (132nd) and Thailand (142nd).

Nadal eased past Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-4 and will next face Mikhail Youzhny of Russia for a place in the quarter-finals.

One break in each set was enough for Nadal as he overcame some impressive variety and touch shown by Paire early on to break when the world number 37 was serving at 2-3 down in the opening set, before eventually sealing it 6-3.

Alex Ferguson will retire as Manchester United manager at the end of this season, the English Premier League champions announced Wednesday, bringing down the curtain on one of the most successful careers football has known.

Ferguson, 71, has been in charge at Old Trafford for 26 years, guiding United to 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns.

It was not until Tuesday that rumours of Ferguson’s shock retirement started circulating but he said it was a decision he had been considering for some time.

Queen of All Media Kris Aquino has reacted to a statement by a Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) official that she should not join politics out of delicadeza.

In an interview on Wednesday during a "Rock the Vote" concert here where she campaigned for her cousin, Bam Aquino, Kris said it's too early for people to judge her.

"Ang tagal tagal pa [ng 2016], 3 years, di nga tayo sure kung buhay tayo in 3 years so huwag muna sila mag-judge," she said.

PLDT chairman Manny V. Pangilinan is not pulling the plug on spending for the conglomerate's media units, TV5, although they may be losing money.

Pangilinan said he is giving his newly appointed TV5 chief executive officer Noel Lorenzana enough room to turn around the bleeding network, which lost another P2.8 billion in the first half last year, after losing P4 billion in 2011.

"There's always an effort to turn around TV5," Pangilinan said. "But nothing specific."

Two separate buy-bust operations conducted by a joint police and Globe Telecom security team resulted in the arrest of five people involved in the illegal sale of WIMAX modems in the provinces of Laguna and Cavite. 

In both instances, the modus operandi is to pull-out the WIMAX modem from legitimate subscribers on pretext of an upgrade. The modems are then reconfigured and sold at a one-time cost payment. 

In the first buy-bust operation, Jose Narcida, a resident of Moonwalk Village in Las Pinas City, is alleged to be behind such illegal activity. Following numerous reports of illegal pull-out of Globe WIMAX modems, a joint team from Globe Security, Anti-Fraud and Investigation division and police personnel conducted an entrapment operation last April 15 where Reynald Denapo of Dasmarinas, Cavite was arrested. He was caught in possession of a Globe WIMAX modem he was offering for sale in the amount of PHP3,500. 

Vice Ganda is not impressed with the track record, or the lack of it, of senatorial candidate Nancy Binay.

During a press conference held Monday for his upcoming solo concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on May 17, the "It's Showtime" host mentioned the name of Vice-President Jejomar Binay's daughter when asked if he has any plans to pursue a career in public service.

"Gusto ko president ako agad," Vice Ganda said in jest, "'Yung wala kang background, pero mataas agad, parang 'yung mga pulitiko lang ngayon. Walang background, pero senador agad."