MANILA, 2 January 2004 — Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Eric Buhain gave the athletes two thumbs up for a job well done in 2003 even as he urged them to face the challenges of the new year and 2005, when the country takes its turn to host the Southeast Asian Games.

In his year-end statement to the athletes, Buhain said: “Thank you very much for making us, Filipinos, proud to have a fighting core of national athletes like you. Despite the hardships and the limited resources, you came through it all and gave your best. We also thank you for the fourth place finish in Vietnam (SEA Games) and before we say cheers to the new year, please allow our humble selves to first bow to all of you. Congratulations!”

Buhain also urged the athletes to go for the marbles in Athens, which hosts the Olympics in 2004, and relayed President Arroyo’s assurances to the athletes of continued support in her dream of the overall championship for the Philippines in the 2005 Sea Games.

Close to 13 million pesos in incentives from Malaca?ang were released by the PSC to national athletes last Dec. 23 for their contributions to the overall success of the Philippine campaign in Vietnam, which surpassed its most recent SEA Games stints in terms of medals won with 48 gold, 54 silver and 75 bronze medals.

“While the athletes themselves say the incentives are secondary to their heroism, the government tries to reciprocate in whatever way it could in giving back to the athletes the support they deserve, including the incentives,” said Buhain of the 100,000 pesos given by the President to all gold medalists, 50,000 pesos to silver medal winners and 10,000 pesos for each bronze medal winner.Buhain also thanked First Gentleman Atty. Mike Arroyo for helping the Filipino athletes “up to the last minute (of their Vietnam stint).”

Legendary Golfers in PSA Hall of Fame

Two local living legends in the game of golf, Celestino Tugot and Ben Arda, will be enshrined to the Hall of Fame during the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s Annual Awards Ceremony on Jan. 9 at the Holiday Inn-Manila Pavilion.

The stirring achievements of Tugot and Arda spawned the rise not just of Filipino golfers but Asians in the early years of the overseas tours, specially in the Asian Circuit where they both shot their way to unparalleled fame. Tugot, now 89, survived a boat tragedy in his teens to become one of the greatest Filipino golfers of all time. He is a six-time champion of the Philippine Open, one of Asia’s oldest professional tournament, including a stretch of four straight victories from 1955. Aside from a rare stint in the US Masters, Tugot also went on to establish himself as a dominant power in the local circuit.

Drawing inspiration from Tugot, Arda led the next generation of golfing stars from the Philippines.

From a ball boy and a caddie at the Cebu Country Club, he turned pro years after the second World War.

It was not until the early 1960s when Arda hit it big, winning the first two of his three RP Open titles in 1961 and 1963.

Palawan to Host Qualifying Slugfest for Athens Olympics

A memorandum of agreement was recently signed by leaders of Palawan, Puerto Princesa City and the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, paving the way for the holding of the 22nd Asian Boxing First Olympic qualifying tourney in Palawan from Jan. 10-18 next year.

Palawan Gov. Joel T. Reyes, Mayor Edward Hagedorn of Puerto Princesa City and ABAP president Manny Lopez signed the agreement. The top two winners in each division will earn the right to see action in next year’s Olympics in Athens.

“It is with honor and pride that Puerto Princesa and Palawan will host this gigantic gathering of Asia’s leading boxers. We will join hands in making sure this event would be a tremendous success,” said Hagedorn and Reyes.

Known for their tremendous support for sports development, Reyes and Hagedorn expressed confidence the qualifying tourney would lead to victories of Filipino bets over their Asian counterparts. “Palawan and Puerto Princesa are active partners of the national passion for the Olympic gold. By hosting the qualifying, we are doing our humble share and at the same time promoting the unspoiled beauty and warmth of Palawe?os,” both political stalwarts said.

Gov. Reyes and Mayor Hagedorn also thanked the ABAP under Lopez for its support and belief in the capabilities of Palawan and Puerto Princesa to host an international sporting event.

Known as the Last Frontier for its vast natural resources which attract domestic and foreign tourists, Palawan and Puerto Princesa have successfully hosted various sporting events like the National Boxing Open, International Sepak Takraw championships, BIMP-EAGA Games and the Air21 Cycling Challenge, among others. It also hosted with great success PBA games and regional multi-events like the Palarong Pambansa.

Triathlon, Dancesport in SEAG ’05 Calendar

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is eager to introduce the events of triathlon and dancesport when the country hosts the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in 2005.

POC secretary general Romeo Riba?o said triathlon and dancesport - two potential gold mines for Filipinos athletes will be among the 20-24 events the country will prioritize for its hosting of the 2005 conclave.

“If ever, this will be the first time triathlon, which was already played in the Sydney Olympics, and dancesport will be held in the SEA Games. Hopefully we can win the gold medals in those events,” Riba?o said.

The Filipino tri-athletes are among the powerhouses in the 1.5-k swim, 40-k bike, 10-k run event, figuring prominently even in the Asian-level competitions. The Filipinos’ natural grace, meanwhile, make them good dancesport competitors.

Also in the priority list, Riba?o added, are bowling and golf, two traditional sources of mints for RP which were scrapped in the last Vietnam SEA Games.

Pacquiao Fights Dual Champ Marquez Next

World champion Manny Pacquiao is set to face World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight king Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez of Mexico in a 12-round titular showdown in Las Vegas either in the last week of March or in early April.

The 25-year-old Pacquiao (38-2-1, 30 KOs) will stake his pound-for-pound billing in this bout, while Marquez (42-2, 33 KOs) risks his two world title belts in a fight that has “Fight of the Year” written all over it. The southpaw Pacquiao is leaving for the United States this month to sign the contract for the fight, where he will reportedly get $1 million (about 55 million pesos) as purse.

The Pacquiao-Marquez bout will be promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank promotion, which also promotes Marquez.

Among the talents also being promoted by Top Rank are Oscar De la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Erik Morales, Paulie Ayala, Bones Adams, Jesus Chavez, Jose Luis Castillo, Miguel Cotto, and Erik Morel.

Win Sends Lunas to Top 10 in WBA

Pan-Asia flyweight champion Rolly Lunas is expected to be in the top 10 rankings of the World Boxing Association when the Venezuela-based sanctioning body releases its rankings next month.

The Tabako City-raised Lunas, with a record of 16 wins, two losses with nine KOs, successfully defended his PABA title last Dec. 19 in Balanga, Bataan, knocking out Thai Phises Vor Surapol in six rounds. The win will most likely catapult Lunas, ranked No. 14 in the WBA, into the top 10.