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Guv Spines, Mayor Al & Raffy B

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By Al S. Mendoza

TWO of Pangasinan’s most powerful men are pooling their resources together to ensure the success of the National Open Track & Field Championship next month.

I refer to Guv Spines and Mayor Al Fernandez of Dagupan.

Guv Spines will allow the Ramos Sports Complex in Lingayen to be the venue of the four-day meet May 10-13.

Mayor Al will host some 2,000 athletes and officials from about 11 countries in his turf.

“We have spent almost P25 million already refurbishing and rehabilitating the Ramos Sports Complex,” said Raffy Baraan, Guv Spines’ provincial administrator.

Raffy, amiable and clear as a whistle, was speaking at the press conference announcing the event at the Ambassador Hotel in Manila.

“We will make this Track & Field Open the best ever,” said Raffy.

By way of recognizing the national media for their crucial role in helping make the event a success, Raffy said, “We will make sure our friends from the national dailies and other publications will be treated extremely well the way we do to our local media friends in Pangasinan.”

Applause, applause.

Raffy said there will be no more of the trauma of 1995 when sportswriters from Manila covering the National Open then were billeted in Labrador.

“This will be a memorable coverage for every sportswriter and photographer present in the event,” said Raffy.

For his part, Mayor Al said his city “will complement the efforts of Guv Spines” even as he acknowledged the critical role to be played by Raffy during next month’s National Open.

As I said here earlier, Mayor Al is not new to such event.

In 2000, Mayor Al hosted the World Junior Volleyball Championships with several European countries in attendance.

Because of the smashing success of the event, Mayor Al received a rare commendation from the World Volleyball Federation based in Geneva – a first in the history of the sport.

Just very recently, Dagupan likewise hosted the IRAA won by Ilocos Norte.

“This is another rare honor for us and we will not miss doing our best anew to make the National Open another showcase of our hospitality,” said Mayor Al, who was himself re-elected recently Chairman of the organizing Philippine Amateur Track & Field Association (PATAFA).

If plans don’t miscarry, Russian male and female runners are expected to compete with the best from Korea, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and, possibly, even China itself.

Go Teng Kok, the PATAFA president, said the Filipino standouts in the National Open will become strong contenders for slots in the SEA Games in Laos in December.

We must all take pride in having been given the chance to host the centerpiece event in the entire Olympic movement.

Here’s wishing Guv Spines, Mayor Al and Raffy Baraan good luck.

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