PBA LEGENDS TO PLAY IN SAUDI ARABIA
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 25 Sep 2012
The PBA legends USA Foundation headed by its chairman and president, former ?King of the Boards? Abe King will make a historic visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for a series of goodwill games.
PBA Legends Foundation secretary general Rufino Ignacio informed the Manila Standard that the dream of thousands of Filipino expatriates in Saudi Arabia to see the legends in action will come true from October 24 to November 2 with a series of games in the cities of Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh.
Ignacio noted that the PBA Legends games are in time for the annual celebration of the Hajj season in Saudi Arabia . Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca and is one of the greatest religious observances in Islam. The Hajj is expected to fall on October 24-29, 2012.
He said the program is supported by His Royal Highness Prince Nawaf bin Faisal bin Fahad, President General of Youth Welfare, Ministry of Sports and Welfare of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Legends goodwill games are also aimed at strengthening the athletic and cultural ties between the host country and the Philippines. Select local teams from Saudi Arabia will participate in the program.
Ignacio informed us that the program is being managed by Coordinations Est. Company, in cooperation with various regional Filipino basketball organizations in Saudi Arabia such as the Pilipino Basketball Association (PBA) in Dammam; Overseas Filipino Basketball League (OFBL) in Jeddah; and the Philippine Arabia Basketball Association (PABA) in Riyadh.
The program is under the overall leadership of Fahad Ibraheem Al Sekaity, and Abdul Aziz Virgilio "Jawo" Dizon, a 19-year Filipino expatriate executive in the Kingdom.
The following PBA Legends have expressed excitement over the chance to play for their fans in Saudi Arabia. Marlou Aquino, EJ Joseph Fiehl, Bonnel Balingit, Rodney Santos, Bong Hawkins, Gherome Ejercito, Gerald Esplana, Vince Hizon, Bal David, Noli Locsin.
They will be joined by US-based legends Abe King, Ponky Alolor and secretary general Ignacio.
Ignacio explained that the purposes of the program is for sports development and wellness of expatriate Filipino workers and host country citizens and for the entertainment of thousands of OFWs in the Kingdom who have been waiting so long for their PBA idols and heroes.
The program is guided by the principles of "Bridging people from all walks of life through the medium of basketball" and "One Goal, One Dream, One Spirit, One Mission, and One Vision, All for the Love of Sports".
Ignacio said Filipino basketball communities in the Kingdom are a well-knit group of dedicated and hard-workingkababayans who advance the twin cause of basketball and fellowship in that part of the world. In the last fifteen years, this united group has been conducting basketball tournaments, whole-year round in various regions in Saudi Arabia, ala PBA in the Philippines.
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