By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

 

WE have witnessed how the world’s economy was derailed by the COVID-19 for three years (2019-2021) and reportedly killed millions of people worldwide.  As true believer of  our Holy Bible, I expected this to happen given what was written in the Good Book in Deuteronomy 28: 50, Jeremiah 11: 11, Luke 21: 11, Matthew 10: 7, Isaiah 26: 20-21, to name some. I believe more diseases will infect this troubled world as written.

COVID-19 also disrupted many prestigious international sporting events, first and foremost the quadrennial meet 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the biennial meet Southeast Asia (SEA) Games, the annual World Championships, world boxing title bouts, NBA games, PBA games, to name a few of many. In fact, on the local side, the annual Governor’s Cup Pangasinan Inter-Town/City Basketball Tournament that was already in its final quarter series was also canceled. Yes, it was not only the basketball affair, a pet sports project of former Gov. Amado I. Espino III under the directorship of Pangasinan well-known basketball organizer Dr. Edil Abalos, that was cancelled but also the four-day cycling event that I was supposed to direct. Dubbed as the 2019 Governor’s Cup Tour of Pangasinan with the backing of erstwhile Gov. Espino III was set on March 28-31, 2019. It had to be postponed and eventually canceled due to the continued surge of COVID-19.

Luckily, the world is gradually returning to normal, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) that declared that the world economy is slowly but surely progressing until the oil crisis hit the world spawned by the Russia-Ukraine war. Nonetheless, sports activities like NBA, PBA, European Games, SEA Games, World Athletics Championships especially world boxing title bouts are back to normal scheduling with some minor hitches.

We are seeing the same situation taking place in Pangasinan. The cagefest is on but with different format, this time. Unlike in previous years when the provincial government was the sole sponsor, organizer Abalos explained that the cagefest this time will be principally sponsored by Jeverps Manufacturing Corporation, the maker of famous Excellent Noodles owned by well-known Pinoy businessman Alex Billan, a perennial cycling supporter and a cyclist himself from Parañaque City. The tourney will be called “Excellent Noodles Cup Developmental Basketball League/Pangasinan Inter-Town/School Tournament”. It will unfurl its colors on September 25 at Dagupan People’s Astrodome at 8:00 a.m. And unlike the preceding years, it’s exclusively for 18 years old and below Pangasinenses for boys and girls. Abalos also said the boys division with 19 teams participating will be bracketed into three conferences, Eastern, Central and Western while the girls will have only one category.

Teams at the Eastern Conference are from Asingan, Umingan, Binalonan, Villasis (PMW Unzad) Alcala, and Urdaneta City.

The Central Conference entries are: One Manaoag, San Fabian, San Jacinto Justice, Calasiao’s Sir Melan Learning School, Dagupan City’s Pangasinan Merchant Marine Academy, University of Luzon and La Marea Academy.

At the Western Conference are: Sual (Samahang Kabataan Para sa Bayan), Urbiztondo, Lingayen, Malasiqui, San Carlos City Archers, Binmaley Catholic School.

The six teams in the girls category are: Alcala (Cipriano P. Primicias National High School), Dagupan City (Judge Jose de Venecia, Sr. Technical-Vocational Secondary School), Binalonan Female Hustler, Umingan, Binmaley Catholic School, Urdaneta City.

More on this issue next week. See you there.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation. JEREMIAH 10: 10

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