GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Filipino boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the 2006 Kalilangan Festival Invitational Amateur Boxing Championships on February 23 at the Oval Plaza covered court here.
Adriano “Rey” Golingan Jr., president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) General Santos City Chapter that spearheaded the 13-team tournament, said he already invited Pacquiao to attend the opening rites at 2 p.m. Thursday Pacquiao is expected to fly in anytime before Thursday from the US where he acted as a ringside commentator for the Philippine-beamed satellite television coverage of the Viloria-Aguirre fight Sunday.
Pacquiao, along with Golingan and City Mayor Pedro B. Acharon, Jr., is scheduled to deliver an inspirational message before the formal opening of the tournament.
Earlier, Pacquiao committed to donate at least P78,000 in additional cash prizes for the 124 boxers from the Visayas and Mindanao who are slated to rumble in 10 categories.
No less than Abap secretary-general Rogelio M. Fortaleza would act as tournament director. He would be assisted by two new Mindanao-based international referee-judges – Ramon Vicente and Dodong Rebamonte – and 10 national, regional and local referee-judges.
Golingan presided a meeting with local Abap officers and ring officials last Monday to thresh out the preparations for the four-day competition. Vicente, also Abap RJ Commissioner for Region 11, City Boxing Coordinator Osorio Gubaton and Abap-General Santos Chapter vice president and Dadiangas West Barangay Chairman George “Bobby” Acharon were present during the conference.
The participating teams are the hosts General Santos City and Metro Dadiangas, Bacolod City, Misamis Oriental, Sindangan-Zamboanga del Sur, Panabo-Davao del Norte, Davao City, North Cotabato, Tres de Mayo-Holiday Bus, Surallah-South Cotabato, Koronadal City, Sarangani, and Maasim.
The tournament would be held in celebration of the 67th Foundation Anniversary of General Santos City and the seventh Kalilangan Festival.
The SouthPhil Arts and Sports Promotion would carry live radio coverage of the tournament over RGMA radio station dxBB Super Radyo Gensan with the support of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Holiday Bus, and other companies and individuals. (Press release)
