2nd P’sinan Chess IM, basketball players praised
LINGAYEN–Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. praised three Pangasinan athletes who brought laurels to the province and vowed that the provincial government will continue to bolster sports programs for the youth during a courtesy call last April 25 at the Governor’s office, here.
Haridas Pascua, 20, from Mangatarem town, placed second in the Dytm Raja Dr. Nazrin International Open Chess Championships (open category) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on April 3-11 and earned the International Master (IM) chess title.
Pascua, a multi-awarded active participant of the governor’s series of chess clinic and tournaments, recorded 5 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss in said tournament that was participated in by some 88 chess players from 20 countries.
Saying that the chess clinics and tournaments that are sponsored by the province annually had further honed his chess skills, he thanked Espino for the moral and financial support he received from the provincial government for his participation to the international chess tourney.
“Masaya po ‘yung feeling ng pagkapanalo at makakapag-uwi ka ng karangalan para sa probinsya,” he said.
Espino took pride in that after 57 long years since 1957 when the late Rodolfo Tan Cardoso of Alaminos City, an ASNA Balitok awardee of the province, became the first Philippine Chess IM, another Pangasinense has again made history for being the second IM in the province.
He also congratulated Valerie Mae Mamaril and Mark Lester Castillo, students of Pangasinan National High School, who successfully completed a two-week basketball training under the Sports Visitors Program of the US State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) in Washington DC, USA and Miami Florida on March 17-April 1.
Mamaril and Castillo are members of the Pangasinan team who showed immense basketball skills during the Batang Pinoy National Games held in Bacolod City on January 28-February 2.
The triumvirate of Valerie Mae, Trixie Alison Mamaril and Princess No-or downed Bataan team (16-9) and secured the championship title of Basketball 3/3 – Girls while Castillo, together with Alexi Joshua Resurrection and Loms Vincent Marinas, placed third.
Nicholas Ramos, coach of the Basketball 3/3 – Girls champion team, said originally the Philippine Sports Commission included Trixie Alison and No-or in the shortlist, but the US embassy later considered the participation of basketball players from Yolanda-hit provinces in Visayas for the US training.
“Napakalaki po na opportunity na makapag-training abroad. Marami po kaming natutunan duon tulad ng proper shooting at iba pang skills sa paglalaro ng basketball,” Castillo said.
Mamaril, on the other hand, thanked Espino for the financial support that they received from the provincial government.
Towards the end, the provincial chief executive exhorted the young athletes to keep their academics and sports interest in balance for their own good. (PIO)
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