by Melchor Vergara

In a classic case of “Don’t judge a post by its layout,” many Filipinos briefly mourned the imagined demise of boxing sensation Carlos Paalam. 

The Philippine Sports Commission’s announcement, with its somber design, had fans mistaking it for an obituary. 

Cue the collective gasp and frantic Google searches. But before you could say “Rest in Peace,” it became clear: Paalam isn’t pushing up daisies; he’s punching his ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Yes, sports fans, breathe easy—our golden boy is alive and kicking, literally. The supposed death notice was actually a heartwarming update on his Olympic qualification. 

Let’s hope the only thing that dies is our opponents’ hopes as Paalam goes for gold. Until then, here’s a tip for the Sports Commission: maybe save the funeral aesthetics for actual bad news.