Philippines Takes Home Country Team Honors at Subaru Palm Challenge 2019

The Philippine team had a strong showing at the Last Palm Standing – the 18th Subaru Palm Challenge, bagging the Country Team honors in the process thanks to a combined time of 424 hours and 54 minutes.

The 2019 team, consisting of Donn Marc Pantaleon, Carlo Talahib, Isaah Locsin, Mark Guballa, Cyrus Corpuz, Lordgie Vallente Reggie Purugganan, Nikko Paolo Blancada, Filmark Bernante, and Joaquin Ireneo Fabros battled the intense heat and humidity in Ngee Ann City, Singapore. The team started strong initially, standing complete after the first 24 hours (the only country to do so). It was only on Day 2 when the team started falling victim to Singapore’s unrelenting climate.

Joaquin Ireneo Fabros was the last Filipino standing and for that, he’s declared as the Country Winner champion as well.

For their collective efforts, the Philippine Team amassed enough combined time to walk away from Singapore with the title of Country Team honors and with that, SGD 10,000 (~P 342,000) which will be divided equally among the contestants. Fabros gets an additional SGD 1,000 (~P 34,200) for being the last Filipino standing with a time of 64 hours and 51 minutes.

In the end though, it was Thai Siripong Toosadee who took the overall crown after 76 hours and 55 minutes and 5 seconds. The 41-year old and six-time Subaru Palm Challenge veteran beat Vietnamese Luu Van Quoc. With that, Toosadee brings home a brand-new Subaru Forester 2.0i-L as well as the title of Asian Winner and Thailand Country Winner.

After four days of battling fatigue and enduring high humidity under the scorching sun and a short spell of rain on the last day, Toosadee was visibly emotional when he was crowned the winner.

6 Filipinos Drop Out as Subaru Palm Challenge Enters Third Day

Fatigue set in as the Last Palm Standing – Mediacorp Subaru Palm Challenge entered the third day in Singapore. A total of 55 individuals are still standing (as of 7 AM today), with 345 dropping out during the night of the second day.

As the ultimate test of endurance and wills hit the critical third day, 6 Filipinos are among those who dropped out, despite earning bonus 5-minute breaks thanks to an outpouring of support. Among the “casualties” are:

• Donn Marc Pantaleon
• Carlo Talahib
• Isaah Locsin
• Mark Guballa
• Cyrus Corpuz
• Lordgie Vallente

The four remaining Filipinos could use all the help they could get. Supporters can log onto this website and play an online game.

The highest scores will earn their chosen contestants an additional 5-minute break. A total of three 5-minute breaks is up for grabs: 10 AM, 4 PM, and 10 PM and scores are reset to zero after each Reward or Bonus Break is conducted. Enter the following contestant numbers:

• Reggie Purugganan (050)
• Nikko Paolo Blancada (024)
• Filmark Bernante (046)
• Joaquin Ireneo Fabros (055)

For as long as the four Filipinos hang on, the Philippines stands to win the Country Team Winner prize which will win the ten a cash prize of SGD 10,000 (~ P 372,000) divided equally.

Philippine Team Still Complete at Start of Day 2 of Subaru Palm Challenge 2019

The Philippine team continued strong as Day 2 of the 18th Subaru Palm Challenge rolled in at Ngee Ann City, Singapore. During the opening, humidity was the main challenge as well as the sweltering heat, with the temperature soaring past 34 degrees Celsius.

However, thanks to cooling temperatures brought about by a late-night rain shower, the Philippine team consisting of: Reggie Purugganan, Nikko Paolo Blancada, Don Marc Gerald Pantaleon, Lordgie Vallente, Isaah Kevin Locsin, Filmark Bernante, Mark Alber Gubala, Joaquin Ireneo Fabros, Carlo Talahib, and Cyrus Corpuz made it to Day 2 completely unscathed. Currently, only the Philippine and Vietnam team remain complete with 10 members still standing each. A total of 168 contestants still remain with 232 dropping out.

Help out the Philippine team by earning them a bonus 5-minute break by playing this online game.

Supporters can assign Reward/Bonus Break rewards to a contestant who’s still in the game. The top 10 ranked scorers in each round of the game will be assigned an extra 5-minute break at the following times: 10 AM, 4 PM, and 10 PM on Sunday, November 3 to Monday, Tuesday, November 5, and they can even bring one fellow contestant as well.

Scores will be reset to zero after each Reward/Bonus Break is conducted.

Enter the following “Contestant Number” before playing the game:

• Reggie Purugganan (050), 
• Nikko Paolo Blancada (024), 
• Don Marc Gerald Pantaleon (R31), 
• Lordgie Vallente (062), 
• Isaah Kevin Locsin (028), 
• Filmark Bernante (046), 
• Mark Alber Gubala (059), 
• Joaquin Ireneo Fabros (055), 
• Carlo Talahib (007), 
• Cyrus Corpuz (056)

"Last Palm Standing," 18th Mediacorp Subaru Palm Challenge Kicks Off

Amidst the high temperatures and unforgiving humidity, four hundred individuals are all vying for a brand-new Subaru automobile in the 18th edition of the Mediacorp Subaru Palm Challenge. Officially titled, “Last Palm Standing,” its one of Asia’s toughest endurance competitions.

At exactly 13:00 (1:00 PM) Singapore time, contestants from Singapore, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam placed their right palms onto specified palm decals on a Subaru car and will keep it there until only one remains.

As with every Subaru Palm Challenge competition, contestants are given a five-minute break after every six hours. This year though, contestants get the chance to win an additional five-minute break through an online poll (details will be revealed by tonight). Moreover, contestants who cross the three-hour mark stand to win consolation prizes, and additional incentives are given for those who cross the 48-hour mark.

Ms. Debra Soon, Head of Group Corporate Management at Tan Chong International Limited, said: “This annual event has grown from strength to strength and emerged as one of the most highly-anticipated endurance competitions in Asia. Through this deceptively simple but immensely grueling contest, we hope to inspire more people to push themselves beyond their limits and achieve their biggest goals, as aligned with the philosophy behind the Subaru brand.”

The Mediacorp Subaru Palm Challenge started in 2002. Last year’s winner, Analiza Binte Mokhtar clocked in 75 hours and 17 minutes. The only non-Singaporean to have won the competition to date is Vietnamese Nguyen Phuoc Huynh in 2015. He lasted 77 hours and 58 minutes.

Philippines, This is Your 2019 Subaru Palm Challenge Team

Philippines, this is the team that will represent the country at the Subaru Palm Challenge Finals in Singapore. Due to the unforgiving weather, only three of the 2018 Philippine Team made it to the Top 10 this year.

The stormy weather served as an ominous backdrop to this year’s Palm Challenge which saw experienced competitors Rheden Pinoliad and Mark Joseph Trinos, both part of the 2017 Philippine team, not making it to this year’s roster.

After eight hours, the field narrowed down to the final 10, but all of them held their ground until the last second. Newbie Cyrus Corpuz outgunned last year’s Regional Palm Challenge Country Runner-up Juntie Flores.

Returning to the Top 10 this year are: last year’s Country Winner, Filmark Bernante, along with long-time team Captain Carlo Talahib, who has been donning the Philippine colors for 8 years already. Mark Guballa, also a veteran, placed seventh in this year’s run.

The competition’s highlight, however, was the battle between veteran Reggie Purugganan and newcomer Nikko Blancada. Purugganan was able to bag the award by besting Blancada by just over nine seconds.

The 18th edition of the Subaru Palm Challenge will be held at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza from November 2 to 5. The Philippine team will go against four hundred participants from Singapore, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam to vie for a brand-new Subaru Forester.

2019 Subaru Palm Challenge Philippine Face Off Winners

1. Reggie Purugganan (08:14:50)
2. Nikko Paolo Blancada (08:14:41)
3. Don Marc Gerald Pantaleon (08:13:25)
4. Lordgie Vallente (08:12:48)
5. Isaah Kevin Locsin (08:11:48)
6. Filmark Bernante (08:11:29)
7. Mark Alber Gubala (08:10:41)
8. Joaquin Ireneo Fabros (08:10:29)
9. Carlo Talahib (08:10:21)
10. Cyrus Corpuz (08:07:30)

Share Your Subie Love at the Subaru Festival 2019

If you share no love for Bimmers, perhaps you’ve got a thing or two for Subies? Well, you’re in luck because also happening this weekend at the Bonifacio Global City is the annual Subaru Festival from Saturday, September 21 to Sunday, September 22 at the Amphitheater area.

See what makes Subaru a Subaru by taking the entire line-up for a spin around the block from 10AM to 10PM throughout the two days. Of course, this includes the all-new Forester and the recently-launched Subaru XV GT Edition.

Bookings and reservations done during the two-day event also get freebies from event sponsors Motul and Shell.

On Saturday, witness hundreds compete against physical and mental challenges at the Subaru Palm Challenge. A test of will and endurance, see who’ll be part of the Top 10 participants; they’ll officially represent the Philippines at the Regional Finals in Singapore this November.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, various Subaru car clubs will display their beloved rides from the iconic Forester XT to the rally-bred WRX STI.