CTQ to launch Bayambang sports development

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

VERY rarely do I get to chat personally with Bayambang’s new town executive, business tycoon Cesar T. Quiambao. The last time was June 2013 when a bikefest was held in the town. It was one of the biggest open road races in the province that involved professional and elite amateur cyclists in the country. Many of our local bets participated, thanks to his sponsorship. I finally met him again last June 28, this time at his newly built and beautiful big house in the town where we talked about sports and, of course, also politics.

Quiambao, better known as “CTQ” by his friends and the press people, was straight to the point to tell me that of all the sports that he wants to promote is boxing starting with the young ones for interscholastic meet, up to the region, national and international scene. This was echoed by the town’s former Veem Boy Ramos, now the town’s sports director. Obviously CTQ’s principal objective is to curb the drug menace in the town admittedly now badly affecting the future of the town’s youth. Yes, he is right. He also said he wants to build a standard boxing gym at the town exclusively for the Bayambangenos, to make it accessible for his constituents who want to be boxers.

Besides boxing, he also wants to promote cycling, volleyball, taekwondo lawn and table tennis, to name some, but will not totally set aside basketball. In fact, he told me that if there are young and potential cyclists from Bayambang, he’d be glad to shoulder the costs to have them trained rigorously, intensively and scientifically. Wow, I doff my hat to him for that brilliant advocacy. Honestly, he’s the only town hizzoner in the province whom I met to have a great plan for cycling. Like his plan for boxing, to develop a cyclist‘s potential is a long shot but very doable. I’d be happy to help if asked to. To succeed, it will need a focused attention, superb supervision, motivation and, first and foremost, discipline.

Remember, the father of Philippine cycling and the organizer of the fabled Tour of Luzon was the late Atty. Geruncio Lacuesta, a native of Bayambang. In fact there was a Bayambang team during the 1974 Tour of Luzon/Visayas won by the late and Basista-born Teodorico Rimarim. The Bayambang squad then skippered by Mangaldanon Cesar Catambay with Rimarim as the team’s adjutant, won the team overall championship. I believe this is what the sports-minded CTQ really wants, to place Bayambang in the limelight in any sports competition, locally, regionally, nationally or even internationally especially boxing (his favorite sport) during his term, backed by Ramos.

If General Santos City can produce a boxing icon like Manny Pacquiao, I don’t see any reason why we can’t produce our own. It is all a matter of proper development. And now that Bayambang town has a sports patron in the person of CTQ, nothing is impossible. Given time, CTQ will do wonders for Bayambang athletes! Don’t even doubt it.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; ISAIAH 45: 5-6

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