The city is lucky to have a mayor like Al

By Al S. Mendoza

I TIP MY HAT OFF once again to Mayor Al Fernandez, the seemingly ageless father of the city. (The mayor and I call each other “Buloy.”)

With his patented cool mien and poignant poise, he will once again spotlight the city’s well-known ability to play host to a huge sporting event with the blast-off today, February 22, of the IRAA (Ilocos Region Athletic Association).

The last time Mayor Al hosted an event of this magnitude was in 2000, when the city staged the World Junior Volleyball tilt, that unforgettable conclave of the world’s best junior volley belles that drew packed crowds at the People’s Astrodome daily for almost a week.

Even the practice games of the foreign teams attracted unimaginable crowds that Mayor Al had to instantly device ways and means to make every single fan happy during the entirety of the event.

Although I was in Australia that year covering the 2000 Sydney Olympics for the Philippine Daily Inquirer (I retired in that distinguished paper in 2006 after 20 years of service), I feel I had to share in the glory of that global meet since I was part of the Working Committee that conceptualized it.

Mayor Al passed the test in flying colors, earning plaudits from the world volleyball governing body for his expert handling of the event.

The IRAA meet will surely showcase once more the city’s inalienable right to stage a big tournament with gusto as Mayor Al stays in the forefront of things like a general yelling out instructions to his soldiers in the battlefield.

The city, indeed, is proud to have a mayor who is a true-blue sportsman.

Time and again, Mayor Al has demonstrated his love for sports.

I’ve known him for more than two decades and his penchant for sports is legend.

Each morning when he grabs the papers, the first section that he reads is the Sports Page.

A mean basketball player himself, he’d almost religiously go to the Cubao Big Dome and the ULTRA in Pasig to watch PBA games, particularly during the heyday of the likes of Robert Jaworski, Bogs Adornado, Philip Cezar and Atoy Co.

Then after the games – I did the PBA radio games’ broadcast back then from1985 to 1994 – Mayor Al and I would repair to the nearest bar for ice-cold San Miguel Beer.

When I flew to the U.S. in 1991 to cover Frankie Minoza’s stint at the Masters in Augusta, Georgia, by coincidence, Mayor Al was with me in the same PAL flight to San Francisco on my way to Atlanta.

Call it coincidence but we were even seatmates!

After the IRAA meet on Sunday, February 28, where almost 8,000 officials and athletes are in attendance, Mayor Al will next stage the National Open Track & Field Championship.

This time, Mayor Al will be in tandem with Guv Spines as competition will be held at the Ramos Stadium in nearby Lingayen.

Asian countries, including those from the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia, are expected to participate and flock to the city where they will be billeted for the National Open in early May.

“Mayor Al’s capabilities to host big sports events will be put to the fore again,” said Go Teng Kok, the president of the Philippine Amateur Track & Field Association. “I am certain we will have another smashing success. This early, my gratitude goes to Mayor Al and the people of Dagupan for accommodating us in May.”

This early, take a bow, Buloy Al.

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