Recognizing the best

Baguio City, Philippines  – In my many trips back to Baguio the past 14 years, I’ve never taken on like this, which somehow completes some unfinished business.

Today, I will be marching again with my classmates from the Sambisig Class of 1991 to celebrate 20 years since their graduation from the often controversial, but nevertheless premiere military school of the country, the PMA.

I never thought I could make this wonderful albeit sentimental journey, but here I am after crossing the seas of the Visayas, hiking the plains of Luzon, and climbing the mountains of Baguio once again.

But before I start to wax poetic here, let me go back to writing my column.

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Today, the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC) will be honoring the top athletes, sportsmen and teams of 2010 in the All-Cebu Sports Awards.

In my more than 20 years as a sportswriter, this is only the second time that I would miss the event.

I do have a couple of judo athlete of the year awards among my small collection of trophies at home, which remind me of those days when it wasn’t too painful to do many things.

Now, I’ll have to be satisfied with getting a chance to watch the competitions and from time to time stray into the dojo during practices and share my little knowledge with the students.

While SAC, with the backing of San Miguel Corporation, making sure that the top performers of the previous year get recognized, there is also the Cebu Sports Hall of Fame that recognizes not only the best for one year, but the best of many generations of athletes.

In the course of my daily life, I meet many descendants of the sports hall of famers, who had passed on.

Among them is Banat News sports editor Yoyo Abayan, whose maternal grandfather is in the hall of fame for his accomplishments in baseball.

The hall of fame may already have about 150 individuals and teams enshrined, but there is definitely room for more.

Unfortunately, this room does not also mean we can just put anybody there. Some may have had sterling performances in one historic game, but there are also guidelines that, I would say, are still evolving, to guide us on who to accept.

When I posted on my Facebook page the call for nominations, there were many individuals and teams mentioned.

I’d like to follow through on those names and hope that there would be some documents that would be submitted to the Cebu City Sports Commission office soon.

You can look for our executive director Brando Velasquez or Raul Manawatao to submit the documents and pictures.

I am also eagerly looking forward to the Cebu Sports Museum and last Wednesday, Archt. Peter Bordador, one of the members of the M.Lhuillier-Cebu football team of 1988, which was enshrined into the hall of fame, offered to help out in terms of design.

While only very few people may have hall of fame careers and achievements, the rest of us will have to be happy with getting to know more about what they’ve done and remembering them.

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MILESTONES: Happy birthday greetings go to Dollie Miranda-Weissert, Dindo Bacalso, Jovy Tan, and Yin Caseñas, who are celebrating today.

Advance greetings go to my former students Marjorie Ann Aballe-Avergonzado and Mars Cabildo, who are celebrating tomorrow.

Congratulations to my mistahs from PMA Sambisig class of 1991 on the 20th anniversary of your graduation.

More power to all of you!