Think about it
PH a mecca of sports?
By Jun Velasco
“I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it,” Voltaire.
SPORTS-minded Ph.
That should be our country’s tag with Gilas Pilipinas’ stellar performance at the FIBA Championship in Changsia, China.
Our forecast is, in the grand finals, it will be the Philippines versus China. We hope we’ll win to give the bully (in politics) a dose of her own medicine.
On Friday, while we took to our computer to type this column, we came across with sheer delight the 1975 giant photo of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in a do-or-die stance with our own Sonny Padilla (referee) as PDI’s historic sports photo, which took place in Quezon City, now called Ali Mall (named after the boxing champ).
While on sports’ memory lane, we remember on November 20 an overseas call made by our Jess Garcia from Hidalgo, Texas to let us – this columnist and Juan Manuel Marquez—have a shorty chat. That interview landed us atop the sports page of the Manila Bulletin with this head of a story, “I want Pacquiao-Marquez” with our byline.
In their fight, Marquez kayoed our Pinoy boxer Jimrex Jaca, the world’s 5th contender, in the 9th round — WBC Featherweight Division.
Before Jess handed the cellphone to Juan Marquez, we were actually looking for the handsome Oscar dela Joya who we saw earlier in person at the Hyatt in Los Angeles in l992. Jess said, “ he had just left, better interview Juan Marquez.”
If corrupt politics is pulling us down, the exciting world of sports is pushing us up.
Mabuhay, Manny Pacquiao, Pingris, Jess Garcia, et. al!
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Under Ms. Mita Sison-Duque, the President Hotel in Lingayen is becoming an A-1 institution.
It received last week at the Manila Hotel a Golden Globe Award for Business Excellence.
For 2 months now its breakfast club has become a center of public affairs. Last Wednesday, Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Jeremy Rosario proved to all and sundry that he is a consummate speaker, just like his late father, former Governor Agerico S. Rosario.
Jeremy said he wants to go back to his old post in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Which means two Manaoag natives – the other, also a former Board Member, Ramon Bautista – are going back to the SP. Ramon is now Region 1 Medical Center chief of staff.
Will R1MC Director Roland Mejia allow Ramon to leave? He is doing a great job, ably representing the hospital to vital functions.
As this was being written, the facility, although the largest north of Manila, is overflowing with patients, dominated by Dengue cases, raising the need to add new buildings, such as the vaunted 5-story and 11-story buildings.
How about that, Director Mejia, sir?
* * * *
Many Dagupenos are amazed at the extra-big tarpaulins of Mayor Belen Fernandez welcoming the country’s Jaycees headed by her political nemesis, Vice Mayor Brian Lim, to their national confab here on October 8-10.
Is there a political re-alignment at work? Well, fireplayer Gonz Duque is harping on that to boost his favorite mayor’s re-election.
Not bad for Dagupan… but bad for Brian’s mayoral plan being an heir apparent to erpat Benjie’s public service record. BSL was also past JC national president, and by the looks of it, Brian wants to emulate erpat any which way, including possible congress at the right time.
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Jayceeism, by the way, should not be confused with the mandate of civic clubs like the Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis.
Jaycee is self-centered, “being a science and art of leadership training. Jaycee membership is for 40years old and below, who are in the organization to unlock their leadership potentials. The community or country is the lucky beneficiary of their “schooling” in terms of community projects.
We had the distinct privilege of working with former JCP president Chichos Luciano as his spokesman/public relations officer. Chichos later became JCI World president.
We hope the collaboration between Mayor Belen and Vice Mayor Brian will turn a new leaf in Dagupan politics.
* * * *
Due to an undetected ailment, the driver of Atty. Robert Meimban failed to fetch Ka Nilo Tayag, former chairman of the Kabataang Makabayan and now chairman of the Movement for National Salvation and Filipinism, who was scheduled to guest at the President Hotel Breakfast Club last Wednesday.
He, along with technocrat Jovy Bengzon, will address the group on October 14.
We heard Ka Nilo is an adviser of Senator Bongbong Marcos, while Jovy works with former Sec. Mar Roxas.
In last Wednesday’s mock polls at the President Hotel, Bongbong got the highest number of vote.
In their last vice presidential encounter, Mar beat Jojo Binay in Pangasinan by 70,000 votes.
It will be a great meeting of the minds in this 5th edition of the President Hotel Breakfast Club.
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NOTES: We saw the movie Heneral Luna last Sunday, saddened anew by the treasonous act of unheroic Emilio Aguinaldo for the killing of the great general. EA, too, ordered the killing of Andres Bonifacio, who many historians say, should be our first president. Can’t our historians and national leaders do something about this black mark in our past? For all we know, it is our leaders’ failure to unite that works like a curse to our effort to prosper and be great. What, great again?
That era – the Philippine Revolution against Spain – was supposed to be our golden age, with Filipinos united against the colonizers… but, alas, with Aguinaldo backstabbing his comrades, what greatness are we talking about?
(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)
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