?Pagpupugay? gets deserved praise, acclaim
By Recah Trinidad
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 12 Aug 2014
Villanueva.
AFTER Cebu sportsman and boxing godfather Tony Aldeguer learned last May that boxer Anthony Villanueva was gravely ill, he wasted no time and sent financial assistance to the first Filipino Olympic silver medal winner.
?It?s quite sad that I learned about his tragic condition only now,? Aldeguer said, with the hope he could still offer comfort and cure to the forgotten sports hero.
The amount, which could?ve been used to bring Villanueva to the hospital, arrived a day late.
The victim of a glaring Olympic boxing robbery during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Villanueva died at home on May 13 where he had lain dying with practically no medical attention for months.
**
Villanueva?s pitiful condition was reported by veteran sports columnist Joaquin Henson with the help of the Taas Noo, Inc. a non-profit organization that has been working for the uplift of sports and the recognition of old, forgotten Filipino sports heroes.
Taas Noo, which searched and found Villanueva in Laguna with the hope of inviting him to a special tribute to forgotten Filipino greats, did not expect the Olympic silver medalist to be in that hopeless condition.
?It?s unthinkable, a shame that national sports authorities had treated the man as junk,? cried the point man behind Taas Noo, Inc.
**
Villanueva got his due, belatedly of course, on June 12, Independence Day, during the gala night of Pagpupugay, a tribute to greatness in Philippine sports the past hundred years, at Resorts World Manila.
His wife, who earlier had been handed Mr. Aldeguer?s assistance, received the unique silver-chrome trophy, which also went to select legends that included Pancho Villa, Ceferino Garcia, Teofilo Yldefonso, Paulino Alcantara, Simeon Toribio, Miguel White, Felicismo Ampon, Ben Arda, Gabriel Elorde, Eugene Torre, Paeng Nepomuceno, Bong Coo, Efren ?Bata? Reyes, Ariane Cerdena, and Mansueto Velasco.
Carlos Loyzaga, standout of the Philippine national basketball team that won the bronze medal in 1954 World Basketball Championship in Brazil, failed to receive his trophy after he broke a leg bone two days before the awards night.
**
The gala night was presented in a television special on Sunday evening over GMA News TV.
Said Ramon Avena, son of the the basketball and volleyball standout Vicente Avena in the Far Eastern Olympic Games: ?It?s a truly great presentation, napakaganda. Hope our national sports authorities get the message. We should never let the dedication and sacrifices of these sports immortals go to waste.?
Multi-awarded television director Bebs Alvarez, a sports specialist, called it a a national sports epic: ?Bravo! It?s just too bad that our government has no sense of history.?
From a plain sports fan in the suburbs: ?I watched Pagpupugay, so great, so awesome, super touching could not help but cry upon learning of the sacrifices of those sports heroes.?
**
Pagpupugay, by the way is an ongoing program.
It didn?t end with the glorious award ceremonies.
In fact, shortly before the awards night, Taas Noo managed to locate boxer Leopoldo Serrantes, bronze medalist in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, who also happened to be sick.
Serrantes was trying to make both ends meet by raising and selling pigeons in his rustic neighborhood.
**
As part of the deserved recognition, Taas Noo handed to Serrantes P50,000 in cash from businessman Diocelso Sy of Blackwater in the PBA, which was originally intended for the awards ceremonies.
Needless to say, Taas Noo will never tire looking for areas where it could be of help, mainly to retired and forgotten athletes.
There are also plans to harness the experience and talents of several other legends before setting up sports clinics in selected localities--while the government is not looking.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THRILLA IN MANILA II RESULTS: JERUSALEM, TAPALES, MARCIAL LEAD WINNERS
By Eric Armit, Sun, 02 Nov 2025Last Pinoy Standing: Jonas Magpantay marches into semis in Qatar World Cup 10-Ball
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 02 Nov 2025WEIGHTS FROM NIGHT OF KNOCKOUTS XXXVII AT MOTORCITY CASINO HOTEL
Sat, 01 Nov 20253 Filipinos Reach Qatar World Cup 10-Ball Last 16, Biado Out
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 01 Nov 2025Joshua Buatsi vs Zack Parker Headlines Manchester Show on DAZN
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 01 Nov 2025NBA Referees will wear headsets during NBA games
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 01 Nov 2025PERO, THOMPSON READY FOR ORLANDO SHOWDOWN SATURDAY NIGHT
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 01 Nov 2025South Cotabato overall champ in Batang Pinoy boxing meet
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 01 Nov 2025Bernardino to play in Malaysia and France chess championship
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 01 Nov 2025Make way for the Philippines' oldest active chess player
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 01 Nov 2025Canada High: Mikaela Mayer Wins Unified Super Welterweight Crown
Fri, 31 Oct 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: The Great Virtues of Champions
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Fri, 31 Oct 2025‘HAPPY’ HEAVYWEIGHT THOMPSON READY FOR PERO WAR
Fri, 31 Oct 2025Lakers Sale Approved: Mark Walter Takes Majority Stake, Ending Buss Family Era
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 31 Oct 2025SBA Season 2 Kicks Off November 10
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 31 Oct 2025