Is the Philippines’ quest for gold in Beijing over?
This was the question asked by many after boxer Harry Tañamor lost to his Ghanian opponent in the first round of the light flyweight division.
It could be, but then as I have always said, I remain hopeful of a miracle. Or maybe something short of one.
Let us not write off the taekwondo jins yet. Tshomlee Go and Toni Rivero might yet pull the rug from under the favorites. That is a long shot, but then who knows.
The jins would be competing late next week, which means there remains to be hope that our country can snatch a medal or two and not end up with another row of zeros on the medal table.
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I took a long-overdue trip down memory lane yesterday morning when I had a chance to visit the school, where I spent my first three years in a real classroom.
I went to Lutopan, Toledo City to visit the Andres Soriano Memorial College (ASMC) La Salle, 31 years since I left the school to study in Cebu City. I was with my classmates Xenia Lecaros, Dr. Shiela Jorgio, Elizabeth Maza, and Hazel Dia-Solon and we were also meet by Boyet Sibal and Nanette Cavada, who both work for the school.
While so much has changed like the many fences that now block our view around the campus and the sad state of some buildings, it felt good to have come back after such a long time.
I remember those days when waiting for the school bus to take us to Sangi, Toledo City meant spending about an hour at the grassy area near the Magnetite Learning Community (High School Department) trying to emulate our favorite martial arts hero, Bruce Lee.
The campus then was in tip-top shape. Grass was green, the basketball courts were plenty, there was a soccer field and then the classrooms were carpeted.
The La Salle Toledo of today is different, but there was definitely one thing that I still found there – the indomitable La Sallian spirit of the school’s administration, faculty and students.
My classmates and I had a chance to meet the school president, Dr. Genesa Paragados, who gave us a briefing about the situation in the school and how enrollment has gone up recently.
Dr. Paragados also told us of some dire needs that maybe the alumni can help source for the school. She told us that many of the school’s alumni have recently been visiting and the reopening of the mine have been blessings that ASMC has been receiving.
There was also one more thing I learned yesterday aside from the fact that my kindergarten classroom is now to room assigned to the student body – ASMC is reviving its sports program and this is something that fellow La Sallians like brothers Henry and Rico Navarro, Romeo Cal, and Dr. Tony San Juan can probably come in and help.
It’s always good to be giving something back and I hope the others from ASMC, whether graduates or not, would heed the call.
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MILESTONES: I’d like to wish a belated happy birthday some friends, who recently turned another page. They would not want to call it turning a year older so I have to make it sound a bit nice.
Greetings to my buddy Rod Anthony Arriola, who celebrated his birthday yesterday along with former Bogo Mayor Tining Martinez and The FREEMAN community editor Divine Sanchez-Ngujo.
The same goes to Gregory ‘Heartthrob’ Balberan, who celebrated his birthday last August 14.
By the way, I learned the other day that Arthur Go eagled the par-4 hole No. 6 of Cebu Country Club.
Atot used a wedge from 72 feet to sink his second shot on the hole, whose green I guarded by a water hazard in front. It was witnessed by my big brothers Rasmon Sebastian, Joni Cimafranca, Ang Chiong, and Ahia Tony Tankaw.
More power!