World Class Billiards to be held in Gensan
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 28 Dec 2014
World Pool Association championship returns to the Philippines after a seven-year absence with General Santos City in South Cotabato as the site. World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, himself a billiards practitioner - besides involving in other sports like basketball, chess and darts, among others, - has agreed to host the WPA 10-Ball tourney in February next year.
At least the top 100 players in the world, according to the eight-division boxing champion, including reining titlist Niels Faijen of The Netherlands, who is also ranked nol.1 in the world, will be invited to vie for what could be the biggest and most lucrative gathering of cue artists in terms of participation and money at stake.
?Yeah, magho-host na rin lamang tayo ng world championship eh di lakihan na natin ang premyo para mas maraming magagaling sa mundo ang lumahok,? Pacquiao told this writer last week following his hosting of the $150,000 Second MP Internatiional 10-Ball Singles and Doubles Championships held also in GenSan and swept by the Filipino pool sharks.
?Besides, hosting the world tournament in GenSan will be my way of introducing the city to the world as one of the better places in the country to visit by tourists, especially for reason that our city is located in MIndanao, a placer which we should all project as a peaceful place contrary to what is being reported abroad ? Pacquiao said.
Ageless Efren ?Bata? Reyes, the 1999 WPA 9-Ball winner, emerged triumphant in the singles event, while the unheralded duo of Jordan Legaspi and Romeo Sevillano ramped off with the doubles title as they, following along while, once again proved to the entire universe the caliber of the Filipinos atop the clothed table.
?That?s precisely the reason why I consented in hosting the 2015 world championship, to relive the Filipino cue artists glory days in the sport, which, incidentally, our countrymen, led by Bata himself, popularized and respected the world over,? Pacquiao, who turned 36 last December 17 and in whose honor the MP International tournament was held, said.
?Hindi naman maikakaila na tayong mga Pilipino ang nagpasikat sa bilyar sa buong mundo,? he averred. ?Hindi lamang yun, mga Pilipino rin ang nagnagbigay ng bagong pagkakilala sa bilyar bilang sport.?
Reyes agreed, saying ?ang kahusayan nating mgga Pilipino ang nakapagbago sa pagkilala ng buond mundo sa larong bilyar. Dati, ang bilyar ay kilalang nilalaro sa madilim na kuwarto na puno ng usok at amoy alak. Pero noong magsimula tayong manalo sa mga international tornament, nabago yun at ngayon ay nilalaro na sa mga nagga-gandahan at naglalakihang hotel.?
?That?s why I welcome Congressman Pacquiaoi?s involvement in the sport,? Reyes declared. ?At magiging mas maganda at mas hahangaan tayong mga Pilipino kung tayo ang mananalo sa darating na world championship, Higit sa lahat, mababalik na rin ang interest ng mga kababayan natin sa bilyar na intong mga nakaraang taon ay parang nakalimutan na.?
?Kaya dapat magpasalamat ang lahat ng ilipinong bilyarista at pati na ang mga dayuhan sa pagkakaroon natin ng isang Cong. Pacquiao na handang tumulong na mag-organisa ng malalakaing tornero gaya ng world championship,? he said.
Reyes attributed the fall of billiards in lack of sponsors, who only a decade ago were responsible for the rise and growth of the sport in the country.
?Dati, nang nagpapanalo kami, nagkakandarapa ang mga sponor na mag-host ng international events dito. Ang media, lahat kinokober ang laro. Ngayon hindi na halos nadya-dyaryo ang mga torneo. Kahit malalaki ang premyo, ? Reyes lamented.
Outside of Feijen, among those to be invited, according to Ishi Caparras and Troy Danao, who ran the First Second MP International 10-Ball events held in a span nearly four months, are Chang Yu Lung of Taiwan, Shane Van Boening of the United States, Hewen Li of China, Dennis Orcullo of the Philippines, Aloin Ouscnan of Australia, Carlo Biado, also of the Philippines, Nick Ekonomopouios of Greece, Johan Gonzales Chua of the Philippines and Chang Jung Lin of Taipei, ranked second to 10th in the world.
Former Filipino world champions Francisco ?Django? Bustamente and Ronnie Alcano and Fil-Canadian Alex Pagulayan have also confirmed participation as well as Raymund Faraon, Warren Kiamco and Jeffrey Ignacio, all in the list of top 20 players in the world today.
Pacquiao said he is seeking recognition from the WPA for the purpose of those who would perform creditably could world rankings. The last time the world championship was held in the country was in 2007 in Quezon City where Daryl Peach beat local boy Roberto Gomez for the crown.
Photo: Filipino pool legends Efren 'Bata' Reyes (L) and Francisco 'Django' Bustamante teamed up at the MP Billiards Doubles Tournament in General Santos this month. Photo by Rupert Wendell Alinea.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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