ALKHOBAR, 11 January — The Filipino Tenpin Bowlers — Eastern Region (Filbowler), a club of Filipino bowling enthusiasts and aficionados in the Eastern Region, is hosting the 2002 Haj Goodwill Games to be held at the Algosaibi Bowling Center from Feb. 22 to 24.

The theme of this year’s games is "Pagkakaisa At Pagkakaibigan Ng Mga Pilipino Sa Ibayong Dagat" through bowling as a team building and invited to attend the games are the following bowling clubs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:

1. Filipino Tenpin Bowlers of Jeddah (FTBJ) represented by its president, Rally Zamora;

2. Asir Tenpin Bowling League (ATBL) represented by its president, Vher Crisostomo.

3. Overseas Filipino Workers Bowlers of Riyadh (OFWBR) represented by its chairman, Noli Ritual;

4. Filipino Overseas Bowlers of Riyadh (FOBR) represented by its chairman, Boy Fogata;

5. Riyadh 500 represented by its president, Dante Prado ; and

6. Filipiniana/Khobar 500 represented by its chairpersons, Willie Abella and Jun Canar

The events to be played during the three-day bowling festivity are team, doubles, singles, and the prestigious masters. Elegant trophies and fabulous attractive gifts and prizes await the lucky participants/delegates winning in each of the scheduled events.

Preparations for the forthcoming event are in high gear to ensure the success of the games.

Boy Tuazon, Filbowler president, said that the hosting of the event is the culmination of the joint efforts by the members and their dedication to the club.

Filbowler is hosting the 2002 Goodwill Games after a long hiatus since the Alkhobar bowlers last hosted the games in 1998. He thanked their fellow bowlers in Riyadh for their encouragement and the inspiration they provided when Filbowler was invited to participate in the 2001 Haj Goodwill Games hosted by OFWBR and during the first-ever Friendship Games with FOBR.

The club felt it strongly to reciprocate the exceptional gesture and hospitality and build further on the bond of friendship with fellow Filipino bowlers in the Kingdom.

This is the reason for this year’s theme of the games — "Pagkakaisa At Pagkakaibigan Ng Mga Pilipino Sa Ibayong Dagat." Last year’s 2001 All Filipino Haj Goodwill games held in Riyadh and organized by the Overseas Filipino Workers Bowlers of Riyadh (OFWBR), the Filbowler delegation won home by dominating mostly the major awards including the prestigious masters event crown won by Ely Soberano.