Pinoy Pride makes Cebuanos proud

I had a chance to join Maj. General Jesus A. Fajardo for his champagne flight yesterday morning on board a UH-1H or Huey helicopter.

This is a tradition for retiring aviators, who are given honors on the last time they fly their aircraft.

Gen. Fajardo is retiring on January 6 yet, but the honor given to him by the 20th Tactical Helicopter Wing was held yesterday due to the busy schedule for the Christmas holidays.

Today, members of the Mactan Island Golf Club (MIGC) where the general sits as chairman of the council as commander of the 2nd Air Division, will be holding their year-end tournament.

It is a team event from what I saw in the bulletin board yesterday morning.

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While this will be a busy golfing weekend with three different tournaments happening simultaneously in three golf courses, Pinoy Pride X set at the Hoops Dome tonight should be the biggest event of the weekend.

If you don’t know what Pinoy Pride is, it is a series of slambang boxing events by the ALA Promotions.

Tonight’s main event pitting Rey ‘Boom Boom’ Bautista against Mexico’s Miguel Mendoza is seen as make-or-break for Bautista. The reason for such, according to some boxing pundits is that Boom Boom hasn’t really impressed the very discerning Cebuano fans in previous appearances.

The Mexican opponent has a very impressive record of 17 wins all by way of knockout without any loss.

Bautista will surely have his hands full tonight and the drive to Mactan Island for us living in the main island would probably be really worth it.

It’s just too bad that my commitments to the golf tournament of our club, Alta Vista, will keep me from watching Pinoy Pride X.

I still look forward to the XI and succeeding editions, because the Pinoy Pride series has definitely lifted the standard of boxing promotions in Cebu.

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Without the shopping malls and cable TV to fill our days during the Christmas break many years ago, there was the Christmas tournament of the Cebu Basketball League for the sports fans to enjoy every December.

The CBL has long been gone and there are now many new ways to entertain ourselves, but some sports events will definitely be something to look forward to in the coming weeks.

This weekend, the GUV Cup or the Gov. Gwendolyn F. Garcia Unity Volleyball Cup continues in Mandaue City.

Next weekend, there is an endurance race at Kartzone.

There is also the much delayed opening of the NBA to look forward to on Christmas Day in the US, which is the 26th here at home.

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MILESTONES: Happy birthday greetings to my fellow columnist Bobby Motus, who turns a year older today. The same goes to Chona Kilongkilong-Rosell, Janice Tangub, Anjie Zozobrado, Jerome Mil, and Waterfront’s Shelley Arciaga.

Advance greetings go to my aunt Ofelia Quiñones-Gabbidon, my cousin Sharon Rose Dadang, Dr. Claudia Cabrera-Rafanan, Dr. Joseph Burt Ruedas, Lori Lauron, and my Tao sis Angeli Saromines, who are celebrating tomorrow.

More power to all of you!