Little Chess Prodigy Hailed as Youngest Natatanging Pasigueño Awardee
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 27 Aug 2024
Last August 26, 2024, in celebration of National Heroes Day, Pasig City awarded its modern-day heroes in its Gawad Parangal sa Mga Natatanging Pasigueño at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig. 12-year-old Nika Juris Nicolas made history as the youngest awardee of the Natatanging Pasigueño in the Field of Sports & Sports Development.
Born, raised and educated in Pasig City, Nicolas, an incoming Grade 7 student at Victory Christian International School, is the Philippines’ first and only National Chess Master who is female, a title given only to those who emerge triumphant in the Open Division of chess tournaments as opposed to the Women Division. In an astonishingly short span of two years, this chess beginner blossomed to a National Youth Champion, Asian Youth Medalist, Woman National Master, Eastern Asia Silver Medalist, Batang Pinoy Champion, National Master and Woman Candidate Master (FIDE)- Elect.
In her acceptance speech, Nicolas thanked her family, nominators Franco Camillo of Pasig Grassroots and Raymond Samson of the Valle Verde 6 Homeowners‘Association, Coaches Raul Damuy, Lourecel Ecot, Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. She made special mention of Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Pasig Congressman Roman Romulo who supported her journey from the time she started competing in tournaments up to present time. For this reason, she offered her Double Gold Medals secured from the Chinese Taipei Chess Association International Open Tournament held in Taoyuan, Taiwan last July 22 – 27, 2024 where she made history as the First Filipina to achieve such feat.
Pasig Councilor and Chairperson of the Committee on Culture and Tourism Angelu De Leon noted that the Gawad Parangal sa Mga Natatanging Pasigueño is a longstanding tradition of Pasig in recognizing the lives and achievements of outstanding Pasigueños which was first celebrated on the 421st Araw ng Pasig in 1994. She added that since its inception, this award has evolved through decades as a source of great pride and inspiration for Pasigueños everywhere. The 2024 Selection Committee for the Award consisted of luminaries in their respective fields namely Mr. Aljon Patrick Acupan, Mr. Jared Carlo L. Echevarria, Mr. Randy Carlos Guevarra, Dr. Wensley M. Reyes, Mr. Noel T. Rivera, Ms. Maria Victoria L. Santiago and Dr. Jesus Rodrigo F. Torres.
The other recipients of the Natatanging Pasigueño Award 2024 are Dr. Nestor T. Castro (Education and the Academe), William I. Sidayon, Jr. (Civic Involvement and Volunteerism), Francis Gabriel O. Santos (Youth Leadership), Cipriano M. De Guzman, Jr. (Culture and the Arts – Music), Stephen T. Viñas (Culture and the Arts – Theatre), Christopher Simoun C. Andres (Culture and the Arts - Fashion Design) and Victor Francesco C. Cham (Culture and the Arts – Painting).-Marlon Bernardino -
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