Sports Eye
Recalling my first Singapore visit
By Jesus A. Garcia, Jr.
SINGAPORE – I’m making this piece here in this booming and beautiful city-state considered as the cleanest place in Asia. I’m here this time for a three-day respite to unwind my mind, loose some woes that I encountered way back home. This is my second time to visit this country. My first was during the 2010 Youth Olympic Games together with my cumpadre Recah Trinidad, the well-known sports columnist of PDI in August 22-26, 2010. We were here to watch the finals of the 3-on-3 basketball games that saw Serbia bagging the gold, demolishing Croatia, 22-9. The U.S.A. was stunned by Greece, 34-25, to just land fourth and Greece took the bronze.
Unfortunately, our PH team just landed 9th with National University Bulldogs Ray Parks at the helm after beating Puerto Rico, 34-23, for the place. In the women’s division, China beat Australia in the finals, 33-29, to collect the gold and the U.S. team clobbered Canada, 34-16, for the bronze. I had intended to watch my favorite sport cycling but we missed it. The morning papers here said Colombian riders spearheaded by mountain climber Brayan Ramirez took the gold in the combined-mixed division, Italy second and Netherlands third. Singapore’s favorite sport is football. And we learned that the host Singapore will fight against Montenegro for the bronze, Recah and I proceeded to at Jelan Besar stadium, around two kilometers away from Footprints Hostel where we were billeted. But we eventually ended up watching the match on TV all tickets were sold out. Singapore beat Montenegro, 4-1. Of course as expected, the partisan crowd was in hysterical jubilation after the game and pandemonium almost erupted inside and outside the stadium but luckily no violence cropped up. Bolivia shut out Haiti, 5-0, in the first game to snatch the gold. The 2014 Youth Olympic Games (for 14-18 years old) will be held in Nanjing, China. If we have the time and importantly the dinero, I believe Recah and I will sojourn the place. I’ve never been to China, except Hong Kong.
The Filipinos and the locals that I had talked to yearn to watch a Manny Pacquiao fight to be staged here . They said they expect many Filipinos and foreigners especially to arrive for the fight. Francis Menor, a hotel clerk here from Davao City said that if Macau, China can stage a Pacman’s fight like against Brandon Rios on November 24, Singapore can also host a financially rewarding Pacquiao fight. “The only problem here is the tax. I believe the taxes here are as high as Las Vegas,” said Menor. I told them that it’s a decision for Top Rank Promotions top honcho Bob Arum to make.
The locals here are also avid fans of Pacman so they are hoping to see him fight here before Pacman eventually hang up his gloves for good. The Singaporeans are also sports-minded people. Remember, they beat us in the Southeast Asia (SEA) Games two years ago in the overall medal standing. I hope they will not beat us again on this December in Myanmar. Or else it will be another humiliation for PH.
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A phone call from my neighbor Jojo Lajera reached me here to inform me that my village (Buenlag, Mangaldan) has a new elected barangay captain in the person of Silvestre “Bistre” Aquino and five new barangay kagawads were elected, namely Dante Soriano, Pastor Eclevia, Belen Enriquez, Lita Manaois and Gary Garin. The reelected councilmen were Felipe Cabrera and Eric Quinto. Aquino, who succeeded the three-termer and undefeated barangay chair and Mangaldan business tycoon Melchor D. de Guzman, the proprietor of the newly erected three-star Hotel Trish, promised (his barangay mates including this writer) during the campaign time that sports will one of his pet projects. Hopefully, Aquino, a distant relative of mine, will “walk the talk.” Let’s wait and see. Mabuhay po kayo and good luck. And to the losers, ‘better luck next time.’
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And God said “You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ ISAIAH 41: 9-10
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