SPORTS: PRISAA in Davao City opens Feb. 22, judo & football back

Rico Biliran/MindaNews

Tuesday, 15 January 2008 02:08

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/14 Jan) – This year's edition of the Davao City Private School Athletic Association (DC-PRISAA) Meet will be held starting Feb. 22 with a total of 14 sport events and ushering in the reentry of judo and football. But advance games for basketball and volleyball will begin on Jan. 26, according to DC-PRISAA athletic manager Joaquin Sarabia. "We have decided to have advance games for basketball and volleyball because a lot of teams are competing in the two events," said Sarabia of the University of Mindanao. These games, he added, will be held every Saturday and Sunday until Feb. 9 and 10, a weekend before the opening ceremonies. Twelve of the 13 participating member schools are entered in the men's basketball led by defending champs University of Mindanao Wildcats. Half of this number will vie for title in the women's basketball. In volleyball, 11 teams will see action in the men's class and eight in the distaff side led by reigning titlist Holy Cross of Davao College volleybelles. Sarabia said football is back in the calendar of PRISAA activities after five years. "Football is now part of the regular event of the National PRISAA, that's why we will be having an elimination this year," said Sarabia. A total of four teams will vie for top honors in the revival of football in the DC-PRISAA with multi-titled University of Mindanao touted as heavy favorites. Expected to provide stiff competition for UM are Ateneo de Davao University, Agro Industrial Foundation College and Brokenshire College. DC-PRISAA officials are now screening the requirements of the team entries, most especially on the eligibility of the players. "There are few problems but we are optimistic that all of those will be OK before the competition starts, " he said. Winners in the city meet will represent Davao City in the Davao Region PRISAA Meet slated in second week of March. The National PRISAA Championships will be on April 7-13 in Zamboanga City. (Rico Biliran / MindaNews)

SPORTS: PATAFA says fewer track & field athetes now

PATAFA says fewer track & field athetes now

Rico Biliran/MindaNews

Tuesday, 15 January 2008 02:05

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/14 Jan) -- The number of track and field athletes in Southern Mindanao is declining, according to Belen Kempis-Taala, regional chief of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA). "We have athletes but only few. The number is reducing," Taala, who was alarmed by the current dilemma the sport is facing, told MindaNews on Monday. Taala blamed the lack of competition and slow promotion that slightly hampered the grassroots development of the sport in the region. "When I visit schools, it's sad to learn that there are only a few students who engage or has an interest in playing the sport," Taala lamented. "If this will continue, we will have a problem," she added. Addressing the debacle, Taala said she is planning to conduct monthly competitions to provide tournaments and encourage the young ones to play the sport. "This is one way of promoting the sport," said Taala. In this city, the Davao City Private School Athletic Association (DC-PRISAA) and its regional competition, the Southern Mindanao PRISAA, are the only tournaments for the tertiary athletes. In the case of elementary and high school athletes, only the Davao City Athletic Association (DCAA) and the Davao Region Athletic Association (DAVRAA) offer tournaments for track and field. Both school-based competitions are held annually. There is no track and field competition in the calendar of Davao Association of Colleges and Schools (DACS), one of the multi-sport inter-school competitions in the region. Track stars in Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental are also competing in the Southern Mindanao PRISAA and DAVRAA that serve as selection basis for the region's delegation to the annual National PRISAA championships and Palarong Pambansa. Taala also called for the development of the Davao City National High School track oval so that local athletes would have a venue for training and for future competitions. "It's beautiful. It's a standard oval," said Taala of the DCNH oval. Davao Oriental has its own track oval inside the Mati Centennial Sports Complex in the City of Mati while Davao del Norte has one at the Capitol Sports Complex in Tagum City, the capital. Despite the problems track and field is facing the past several years, the Southern Mindanao PRISAA men's team ruled last year's National PRISAA Championships Athletics competition in Iloilo City, according to Joaquin Sarabia, SM-PRISAA athletic manager. Also last year, Anthony Nevza, a native of Davao del Sur, won gold medal in the 400-meter run during the Palarong Pambansa that was held in Koronadal City, South Cotabato. (Rico Biliran / MindaNews)

SPORTS: Fitness center to organize cage fest for healthy living

Rico Biliran/MindaNews

Friday, 18 January 2008 00:12

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/17 Jan) -- Holiday Gym and Spa (HGS), among the leading fitness centers in Mindanao, is organizing a 3-on-3 basketball tournament in line with its campaign for healthy living. Dubbed as Holiday Basketball League (HBL), the tournament will kick off Feb. 16-17 at the Holiday Gym and Spa newly-built two 3-on-3 basketball courts. Ivy Fernandez, HGS chief operations officer, said the tournament is categorized into "three age categories" that includes 16-21, 22- 27 and 28 years old and above. "This is open to all Davaoeños," said Fernandez during the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum on Thursday. She added they will send invitations to schools and companies because "we are also looking for young professionals to engage in the sport," the country’s most popular. Mechanics of the tournament is now being finalized, according to Cocoy Malbog, gym supervisor and tournament director. "We are now finalizing the mechanics of the tournament and definitely, we will be using the usual format of a 3-on3 competition," said Malbog, who joined Fernandez in the weekly sports forum. HGS owns and operates a fully integrated sports, fitness and spa complex, offering quality facilities and services -- a world-class gym, boxing gym, covered jogging track, badminton courts, swimming pool, sauna and steam bath, group exercise classes, body, foot massage and now basketball court. It encourages everybody to integrate healthy and physical activity into their every day life -- at home, at school, at work, at play. Fernandez said HGS is planning to put up branches in the cities of Zamboanga and General Santos. "We have already a spa in GenSan but we are looking for a much bigger place to build the fitness center," said Fernandez, adding that everything is set for the construction of the fitness center in Zamboanga City. (Rico Biliran / MindaNews)

"Consequences of Mindanao war have been very painful - and costly"

"Consequences of Mindanao war have been very painful - and costly"

Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society

Wednesday, 09 January 2008 23:00

MARAWI CITY (Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society/09 January) — It was early as 6:00 a.m. and some 20,000 people from all walks of life started to troop from the different towns of Lanao del Sur to Tomas Cabili Plaza in Barangay Banggolo, here. A number of them were transported by vehicles of different sizes; some crossed the Lanao Lake onboard water vessels; the rest were on foot. At 8:00 a.m. the city turned red with red streamers, placards, t-shirts and flaglets. Written on them was “Allahu Akbar!”, Arabic term for “God is Great.” It was Jan. 9, 2008, and the people in Lanao del Sur were having a march-rally. It was the second leg of the series of Mindanao-wide peace rally led by the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), a network of 164 civil society organizations (CSOs) in Mindanao. The organizer of the rally in the region is the Ranaw Regional Management Committee of CBCS, led by Amenodin Cali. “The failure of peace agreements in the past can be attributed mainly to the non-participation of the Bangsamoro people, because non-participation means they do not own a peace agreement,” said Abdullah Dalidig of the Islamic Movement for Electoral Reform and Good Governance (IMERGG) and Muslim Multi-sectoral Movement for Peace and Development (MMMPD). “As real stakeholders, their collective voice should be basis of authority and the last word in the solution of the problem.” “The consequences of war in Mindanao have been very painful and costly. More than 150,000 people died and 100,000 were estimated to be injured. Millions were displaced from their homes and several hundred thousands, including more than 200,000 Bangsamoro who sought refuge in the Malaysian State of Sabah have not returned home,” Dalidig added. Anwar Saluwang, deputy secretary-general of United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD), an organization of Muslim youths based in Cotabato City called for the immediate return to the negotiating table of both the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels. “We the Bangsamoro in Central Mindanao feel exactly what is felt by people in Ranaw. The Government should not wait for the Bangsamoro to becomes Bangsamoro Armed Forces,” he cited. Saluwang was there with the Marawi-based members of UNYPAD. The first leg of the peace rally was held in Cotabato City and participated by more than 30,000 sectoral representatives. Still, the call is addressed to both the Government and the MILF to immediately resolve the present gaps in the peace talks. “The Bangsamoro does not belong to the MILF or the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) but the MILF and the MNLF belong to the Bangsamoro,” said Sammy Maulana, secretary-general of CBCS, as he called for the dismissal of early misconceptions that the rally was “pro-MILF” and anti-government. A number of questions have been raised by the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that participated in the second leg of the rally regarding the present status of the peace talks, as written in their united statements. “Is it due to the lack of sincerity of both parties? Or shall we blame the MNLF, MILF and ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) who seem disunited? Or is it due to inadequate international involvement of the paid spoilers (alleged terrorists)? Or is the review of the GRP-MNLF-FPA, an obstacle to the GRP-MILF Peace process? Can there be a creative and yet acceptable process without violating the Philippine Constitution? What will happen in the event of the collapse of the MILF-GRP Peace Talks?” “There is no doubt that the failure of peace agreement will lead to violence, chaos and war. But the people are tired of war. It is anti-people and violates the very core values of all religions and civil society: love, peace, nonviolence,” the CSOs stated. (Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society)

SPORTS: 2 Mindanawon RP standouts to train abroad

Rico Biliran/MindaNews

Wednesday, 09 January 2008 20:43

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/09 January) – Two Mindanawon members of the national baseball team are set to attend training camp abroad. Davao City ’s Edmer Del Socorro and Jonas Fonce of Zamboanga City will be joining training camp’s in Japan and Taiwan respectively. Del Socorro and Fonce were part of the Team Philippines that won gold medal during the 2005 Southeast Asian Games held in Manila and took silver medal in the recent 24th Seag in Thailand last December. Fonce, a center fielder, might end up playing for a professional team. He has been invited to join the try out of the Lanyo Bears in Taiwan , according to his teammate Ruel Batuto who is also from Davao City. Del Socorro, a product of University of Mindanao, will leave for Japan later this month in time for the February 1 -17 training camp of a Japan College Team. His trip is bankrolled by a Japanese citizen. "This training would be a big help for my personal evaluation of the game, "said the former UM star pitcher Del Socorro who gave Southern Mindanao several championships in the National PRISAA Meet before joining the national team. Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA) Southern Mindanao chief Joaquin Sarabia said he is elated to learn the opportunity given to Del Socorroto to train in Japan . "We all know the baseball in Japan . It would help him understand more the game and boost his knowledge of the sport, of course, improve his skills," said Sarabia, who is also the UM sports coordinator and baseball team head coach. Del Socorro said he needs to go back to Manila hopefully next week to prepare his travel documents.(Rico Biliran/MindaNews)

SPORTS: Perez off to China for Beijing Olympics qualifying preparation

Rico Biliran/MindaNews

Friday, 04 January 2008 02:36

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/3 Jan) -- Davao City diving sensation Shiela Mae Perez will leave for China today to join her fellow Dabawenyo teammates in the Philippine national diving team for a six-week training in time for the World Cup slated February 19. Perez, who won a gold and a silver in the 24th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Thailand, will join Dabawenyos Zandro Domenios, Ryan Fabriga, Nino Carog and Jaime Asok who arrived in China two days ago. The China World Cup is a qualifying tournament for the August 2008 Beijing Olympics, with the top 36 making it to Olympics. The 22-year-old lass is optimistic that she would qualify to the summer games. But she was quick to add, with a laugh: “If I won't qualify, I will take a vacation here in Davao.” Perez had already showed her worth in the international scene. She made it to the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and winning three gold medals during the 2005 SEAG in Manila. Last month in Thailand, Perez, touted as Davao's wonder girl for her remarkable showing in the sport, won one gold medal. But she believes she won two. A native of Barangay Sasa, she convincingly won the gold in the 3-m springboard and settled for silver in the controversial 1-m springboard. “Wala tayong magagawa, e. Pero alam ng lahat na hindi ako natalo sa dive (referring to the 1-m springboard). Sa totoo lang, akin pa rin ang gold, sa judges ang silver,” she told sports journalist during the Davao Sportswriters Association Forum on Thursday. She ruled the two events in the 2005 SEAG that was held in Trace College Aquatics Center in Los Baños, Laguna. Perez has set her sight now on the upcoming qualifying rounds for the Beijing Olympics. Winning an Olympic gold is her long time dream. "It's historic when you get the Olympic gold, especially if it's for your country. I want to have the honor of giving it to the Philippines," she said in http://firstfilipina.blogspot.com. She appeared in the prestigious blog for being the First Filipina to win three gold medals in the 2005 SEAG. (Rico Biliran / MindaNews)

SPORTS: Mindanawons banners RP in Thailand Seag

Mindanawons banners RP in Thailand Seag

Rico Jhone Biliran / MindaNews

Monday, 03 December 2007 10:16

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/02 December) -- After showing their worth in the previous Southeast Asian Games, Mindanawons will be at the forefront of Team Philippines’ bid to retain overall championship when the 24th edition of the biennial meet unfolds on December 6 – 16 in Thailand. Mindanawons led by Davao City’s diving sensation Shiela Mae Perez and South Cotabato’s Henry Dagmil contributed numerous gold medals when the Filipinos reigned supreme in the SEAG which the country hosted two years ago. Perez won three gold medals while Dagmil pocketed two, one coming from the hotly-contested long jump event which he ruled in record-breaking fashion. Perez and Dagmil will banner their respective events in the Bangkok SEAG where the Philippines will be sending more than 400 athletes for its title-retention bid. Though Perez and Dagmil are both recuperating from injuries, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez was optimistic they could still deliver the goods for the country. "She (Perez) has an injury, but she is set for Seag," said Ramirez who proudly told sports journalists here that the RP diving team is mostly composed of Dabawenyos. Joining Perez in the Dabawenyo-dominated diving team are Jaime Asok, Niño Carog and Zandro Domenios who also won gold medals during the 2005 RP Seag. Dagmil, who is still recuperating from a left hamstring injury he sustained in May during his training in Temekula, Southern California , will also be joined by several Mindanawons in the track squad, including Seag first-timer Jho-anne Banayag of Davao City. Cue artist Lee Van Corteza of Davao City is also expected to win a gold medal in the Thailand Seag. Batters Edmer Del Socorro and Ruel Batuto who played vital roles when the Philippines beat Thailand in the finals are still in the official roster of the RP baseball squad. The other Dabawenyos who will see action in Bangkok are Mary Anne Basas of billiards, Anna Celina Gonzales of swimming, Ruth Dugaduga of judo, Frazier and Norton Alamara and Mansueto Pelenio of water polo and Merlo Albano and Rachelle Delos Reyes of football and golfers Jhonnel Ababa and Jay Bayron. Ramirez acknowledged it would not be easy to defend the title in Thailand , although he remained confident the Filipino athletes are capable of doing it. “We will go there to win and defend the overall crown not by finishing second, “he said. Ramirez said the government is spending P100 million for the country's title-retention bid. "We will not spend P100 million to be second. As a leader, you don't want to fight to be second. You fight to win,” he added.