The past weekend was a hectic one for me and my broadcast partner Quinito Henson. We covered two major sporting events in two days in two separate cities in the south.
The two-day swing covered three cities in the south. Saturday morning we took the morning flight to Cagayan de Oro city to cover the PBA All-Star Game for ABC-5. That went well, and after a dinner hosted by workaholic Gov. Oscar Moreno, we were able to hit the sack at around midnight.
The following morning we took another flight to Cebu arriving just in time for lunch, then a fast craft trip of 1 ? hours to Tagbilaran City. After a quick change of clothes, Quinito and I went to the ICM car park in downtown Tagbilaran for the television coverage of the “Stars of the Future” boxing promotion for Solar Sports. Our host, the genial Mayor Dan Neri Lim of Tagbilaran City also feted us with a sumptuous dinner before retiring at past 2 a.m.
Like I said, the pace of the trip was frenetic but entirely heart-warming and satisfying.
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Let me tell you why. In all the three cities we breezed through, we experienced not only the satisfaction of covering highly successful sporting events, but also the typical kindness and hospitality of provincial folk. It was just so refreshing from the oftentimes-cold demeanor us city rats affect owing to the pressures of metropolitan living.
For instance the welcome by people in Cagayan de Oro given to everyone involved in the All-Star Games was incredible. In my over 20 years of covering the PBA, I can honestly say I have not seen such an enthusiastic response to the event.
And it showed in the way the players themselves behaved during the activities. Whether at the All-Star Game itself, the street party or the skills events or the visits to the hospitals and depressed barangays, the players displayed a kind of new-found fervor for their craft as evidenced by the all-out performance they gave.
Credit must be given to Gov. Moreno and staff for the organizational efficiency as well as commissioner Noli Eala of the PBA for the innovations which made the event more entertaining and responsive to the fans.
Truly, that experience in CDO will inspire the hosts of succeeding All-Star events to showcase their own resourcefulness and imagination.
To a man, many of those who spent time during the All Star week were almost sorry it had to end. That’s how good it was.
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The boxing promotion in Tagbilaran was not star-studded, but had you seen and heard the reactions of the crowd, you would have thought it was Pacquiao-Morales III that was on. Boholanos have long been known to be boxing aficionados, but it was such a thrill to see fans again going agog over young and promising talents.
It of course helped that the promotion was handled by respected gentlemen in the field; Tony Aldeguer of the famed ALA stable and Sammy “Don King” GelloAni of SGG Promotions. That they partnered with the no-nonsense chief executive of Tagbilaran, Ateneo-educated lawyer Dan Neri Lim assured the successful formula. Despite the fact that it was held on the eve of the city fiesta when people were so busy with the myriad preparations for an event they are traditionally known to drop everything for, people still trooped to the venue to watch the fights.
Mayor Lim intimated to us that they are planning even more boxing events in his charming city. We can’t hardly wait.
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Aside from the above, so many people made our trip a lot easier, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge at least some of them.
In CDO, long-time friend and former basketball star Val Rosabal and Dan-Dan Jamolin of the DAR saw to our every need.
In Cebu, we enjoyed the kindness and generosity of Jack and Mimi Huang and Esin Huang who took care of us from the time we landed in Cebu, hosted us for a hearty lunch and brought us to the pier.
In Tagbilaran, Mayor Lim’s trusted man Friday, Mark Monton hovered over us for all our requirements. Of course, we enjoyed the company of friends like Aldeguer, Gello-Ani, Hermie Rivera, Kagawad Dan Bantugan, WBO’s Leon Panoncillo, Buboy Fernandez and so many others. We also enjoyed impeccable accommodations at the Bohol Tropics Hotel.
To everyone, daghang salamat!
