To play or not to play
THERE’S no doubt that women’s volleyball tournaments, particularly the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) and Shakey’s Super League (SSL), are getting a lot of attention from local sports fans, especially with exciting games and young, talented and beautiful players.
Sportswriters covering the PVL and SSL games swear that almost all the games are certified box-office hits, meaning the venues are almost always filled to the rafters.
Still, basketball remains as the country’s No.1 pastime if you look as the longevity of most leagues.
In fact, the PBA remains No. 1, as shown by crowd attendance and TV ratings of the recent PBA Governors’ Cup title showdown between back-to-back champions TNT Tropang Giga and Barangay Ginebra.
The MPBL, which is now on its championship phase pitting North Conference champion Pampanga Giant Lanterns and South Conference titlists Quezon Huskers, is bringing in record crowds to most of its provincial venues.
Same with top collegiate leagues, such as the UAAP, NCAA, NAASCU and NCRAA, which regularly draw their own legion of fans.
One of these long-running and widely-followed basketball league for public servants s is the UNTV Cup, a one-of-a kind charity sports league managed by PBA legends Fortunato “Atoy” Co and Ed Cordero.
Last Oct. 28, the UNTV Cup Season 11 formally got underway at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with 15 teams divided into two groups.
Group A is composed of DA Food Masters, Ombudsman Graftbusters, PhilHealth Konsulta, PNP Responders, DFA Emissaries, Senate Defenders and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Warriors.
In Group B are AFP Cavaliers, COMELEC Vanguards, SSS Pension Boosters, BJMP Greyhounds, Judiciary Magis, NHA Home Masters, DOJ Beacons and GSIS Furies.
Opening-day action saw the DOJ Beacons upset crowd favorite GSIS Furies, 108-86.
There are a few questions, however, that are still being asked even by loyal basketball fans.
One of these questions is the playing schedule, with most of the players also working as government employees.
A sportswriter-friend asked if these government employees have office clearance to play even during office hours.
Will the absence of these government employees due to playing basketball during office hours affect or not affect the services they are supposed to render?
Our good friends Atoy Co and Ed Cordero should have the answers.
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The Association of Philippine Journalists- Samahang Plaridel, Inc., now headed by veteran journalist Evelyn Quiroz, will hold its first major undertaking for the year: a golf tournament for media personalities and friends in both the government and private sectors.
Dubbed as the “8th Samahang Plaridel invitational golf championships”, the fund-raising competition is scheduled at the Villamor Golf Club on Tuesday, November 26.
More than 100 golfers are expected to join the fun and excitement of the tournament that will follow the System 36 handicapping.
The event will have a shotgun start at 7 a.m. after the ceremonial tee-off to be participated by top private and government officials.
A Jetour Ice Cream electric vehicle, a Segway e-scooter and P100,000 in cash prizes will be at stake for the hole-in-one winner.
Other exciting prizes and giveways will also be raffled off.
Ticket price is only P4,500,
Aside from Quiroz, the other APJ-Samahang Plaridel officers are Rolly Estabillo, chairman; Andy Sevilla, vice-president; Hector Villacorta, secretary-legal counsel; Jinky Jorgio, treasurer; Carmelita Valdez, auditor; Rowena Ocfemia and Joey de Guzman, PROs; and Dante Ang II, Vito Barcelo, Ed Andaya, Raymond Burgos, Milo Rivera, Marc Anthony Reyes, Ron de los Reyes and Monch Henares, trustees.
For more inquiries about the APJ-Samahang Plaridel Golf 2024, call Nelly Lumbaca at 0966-7812422/ 0968-6601740 or email at apjsamahangplaridel2gmail.com
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