by Moses Billacura
Mitsubishi Motors-KarAsia is this year’s presentor of the 3rd Mindanao Chairman’s Cup on July 9 to 11 at the scenic Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao City.
Tournament chairman lawyer Larry F. Pasquil has sent invitation letters to golf club presidents and team managers for them to come to have fun in the city, Mindanao’s top golf destination.
Pasquil said the tournament, dubbed “Lingaw sa Davao”, offers golfers not only the best in golf, but the beauty of the city that offers fine beaches, majestic mountain resorts like Eden Nature Park Resort, abundant fruits, world-class hotels like The Marco Polo Davao and Royal Mandaya Hotel, fine eating at Yellowfin Restaurant and Ah Fat Restaurant and friendly people that includes the city’s tourism chief, Bong Aportadera.
Mitsubishi Motors and KarAsia Inc. Davao’s top honchos led by Al Barreto, know that supporting the Chairman’s Cup is the thing to do to promote Davao City as a tourism destination.
Cortess Printing Corporation, according to Sir Larry, has also joined the list of backers. That’s not a surprise because the owners, Juan “Jonjon” Ramirez and son Jeffrey are hard-core golfers.
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Philippine Tchoukball Federation officials will be busy on June 18 to 19 as Davao City hosts a Coaching, Official and Referees Seminar.
Jeff Ang, general secretary of the Federacion Internationale de Tchoukball, international referee Melissa Lim and other officials will be in Davao to handle the event.
Interested participants may call the PTF Secretariat at (082) 2212670, (0916) 2222142, (0922)3545710.
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Congratulations to Mario Mojica and Henry Labio of the Davao Volleyball Association for passing the FIVB-PVF Volleyball Cooperation Program International Coaching Course Level 1 recently in Iloilo City.
FIVB coach/instructor III Zohair Ammar of Egypt gave 28 out of 37 participants passing marks.
I hope in the next coaching course, they will pass and move to another level. And one more thing, bring the coaching course to Davao City.
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Photojournalist Edgar Arro’s death came as a shocking news.
At 52, Edgar, a humble security guard before deciding to tote a camera around for a living as a photojournalist , left us too early. But such is life. Nobody lives forever.
Back in 2008, I suggested to Mindanao Times editor-in-chief Amy Cabusao to allow a hesitant Edgar to cover the 61st edition of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub Golf Tournament in Bacolod City.
Amy, of course, agreed knowing that the PAL coverage would give the hard-working photojournalist a break from the daily grind at the Times. You see, the annual PAL golf tournament is a reunion not only of amateur golfers but also of sportswriters and photographers in the country, so it is always an enjoyable time. And what is even nice about it is the fact that newsmen covering the event get to fly round trip for free courtesy of PAL and are booked for free at first class hotels and all the perks that go with it like free food and drinks, transportation from hotel to the golf course and back, etc.
Charles Maxey, our Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) president, cannot forget Edgar’s way of enjoying the red wine served at the Casino Filipino Hotel Bacolod. If there’s breakfast in bed, for Edgar, there’s red wine in bed after a sumptuous dinner, usually at a place where PAL’s Pinky Magiba-Balagtas would take us. We would look at Edgar enjoying himself and we would kid him a lot and burst into laughter.
He enjoyed his debut PAL golf coverage so much. The next year, it was Davao City’s turn to host the tournament and Edgar and there was Edgar having the time of his life again. With red wine in bed.
Such is life. The DSA has lost a talented photojournalist, loyal member and friend.
I lift my glass of Jost maple wine, the award-winning product of the Jost Winery in Malagash, N.S.,Canada, to your memory, my friend. Thanks for the good memories. Adios, mi amigo!
