A perfect shot for Paul Lee

Another poor boy making good.

That perfectly describes Paul Lee, hailed as the hero of Gilas Pilipinas for sinking three pressure-packed free throws during the critical game against China in the 2014 FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China, leading the team to an 80-79 win for the bronze medal in what was touted as “the country’s best finish in the biennial event.”

You see, unlike his Rain or Shine teammate Chris Tiu who was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, Paul came from humble beginnings, born in Tondo, Manila, where he still lives in what his grandfather, STAR columnist Wilson Lee-Flores, described as “a small home.”

I learned about Paul’s dramatic background from Wilson’s Will Soon Flourish last Sunday, titled “Paul Lee, the amazing basketball dreamer from Tondo,” which I found so touching. In case you missed Wilson’s column, let me reprint excerpts (in italics) from it.

Wilson recalled that Paul is the grandson of Wilson’s late paternal first cousin Alfonso Lee.

Although our paternal ancestors were pioneer lumber entrepreneurs and philanthropists since the 19th century, not all of the many descendants in our clan have inherited material wealth or businesses. It is also a reality in our clan, or perhaps it’s part of Chinese culture, that we’re quite individualistic and tend to fend for ourselves based on the individual merit rather than depend on relations for support.

Wilson said that his own paternal grandfather died at age 25 and Wilson’s father assumed the leadership of the family and bought five hectares of land in Gagalangin where clan members moved into in the late ‘30s. The lot was used for expansion of the family’s sawmill business. A reversal of fortune happened when Wilson’s father died, reducing Wilson’s family to “lower middle class” status. While Wilson’s widowed mom worked as a teacher in various Chinese schools around the country, one of which was Tabaco Pei Ching High School where your Funfarer graduated. I remember Wilson’s mom as a head-turner (without her trying to be), always prim and proper and pretty in cheongsam, her face demurely made-up.

I learned that Paul’s late grandfather was sickly and not well-off, working as a sales agent and also a checker of lumber inventories in our clan’s sawmill run by our other relatives. Paul’s grandmother told me that she was once an OFW for 10 years in Taiwan.

Paul’s parents, Edwin and Helen, married when they were young and they also struggled economically; their attempt at doing a small business had failed, so the three kids were transferred from private school to public schools when Paul was still a child. His dad is now a pedicab driver in Tondo. Paul’s mother once worked briefly as a caregiver in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. They still live in a small home.

Nicknamed PJ (short for Paul John), Paul never asked for money from his parents. Instead, like other poor kids in the neighborhood, he earned his keep by carrying, counting and sorting out ceramic tiles from containers, and as “pick-up boy” (tagapulot) at a tennis court, getting P20 for it. He also earned a few bucks as pedicab driver.

Thanks to his basketball skills, Paul finished high school at UE as a scholar, including free board and lodging.

Look where he is now!

“He’s a role model,” said Paula Punla who is co-managing Paul (now 25 and a lanky 6’1”) with sports agents Lawrence Chongson and Edgar Tan.

Said Wilson, “Paul is a positive role model for the youth, for his guts, grit, talent, his dreams of overcoming poverty through basketball, his extraordinary passion, discipline, perseverance, hard work and character,” while at the same time wishing Paul (and his teammates) good luck in the FIBA World Cup in Spain, Aug. 30 to Sept. 14, and the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.

“National team coach Chot Reyes has yet to finalize the line-up for the two major basketball events but Paul clearly made a strong case for his inclusion,” said Paula. “Paul will also join the national pool in exhibition matches in Vittoria, Spain, and in an invitational tournament in Antibes, France.”

Paul and the other Gilas members are now in Miami, Florida, for training.

One of these days, we just might see Paul’s life story dramatized in Mel Tiangco’s Magpakailanman show on GMA.

St. Philomena festivities slated for Aug. 2 to 11

Good news for devotees of St. Philomena: Rev. Fr. Rey Hector Paglinawan, parish administrator, and the Living Rosary are inviting everyone to attend the novena in honor of St. Philomena on Aug. 2 to 10, preparatory to her feast day on Aug. 11 at the Santuario de Santa Philomena, Most Holy Redeemer Parish (on Del Monte Ave., Malac St., Masambong, Quezon City). Novena prayers are scheduled  at 6 p.m. and Mass at 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and at 6 p.m. on Sundays.       

Celebrants are Bishops Leopoldo Jaucian of Bangued, Florentino Cinense of Tarlac, Edgardo Juanich (Vicar Apostolic) of Taytay, Mylo Hubert Vergara of Pasig, Precioso Cantillas of Maasin, David William Antonio (Auxiliary) of Nueva Segovia, Deogracias Iñiguez Jr. (Emeritus) of Kalookan, Filomeno Bactol of Naval and Camilo Gregorio of Batanes, on Aug. 2 to 10, respectively. There will be a solemn procession at 3:30 p.m. on Aug.  10.  

On Aug. 11, there will be  Masses at 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Celebrants are Rev. Fr. Eugenio Lopez, OFMCap., Rev. Fr. Socrates Mesiona, MSP, Rev. Fr. Orlando Aceron, O.P. and Rev. Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo, respectively.

The highlight of the special occasion is the 12 o’clock noon Mass by Bishop Gilbert  Garcera of Daet.

There will be anointing of the Holy Oil and veneration of the Holy Relic of St. Philomena after each Mass.

Fathers Aceron and Zerrudo are spiritual directors of  the Universal Living Rosary  Association of St. Philomena  with address at 430 Mayon St., Quezon City.

(For details, text 0918-547-0605 or call landline 365-1011.)     

Cher Calvin wins an Emmy

Pinay news anchor Cher Calvin won an Emmy statuette, News Special category, for KTLA5’s Season of Sharing: Help for the Philippines in the recently-concluded 66th Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards.  

Following the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in the Philippines, particularly in Tacloban, KTLA5 spearheaded a telethon in partnership  with American Red Cross Los Angeles Region to raise money for the typhoon victims that brought in more than $150,000 in donations. The brainchild of the fund-raising special, Cher is also the producer and host of the show.      

Before pursuing her career in the US, Cher was a news anchor and features reporter at GMA Network, CNN Asia and ABS-CBN from 1998 to 2003. Her first jobs in the States, which she held simultaneously, were with Time magazine as news assistant editor and at CNN as assignment desk assistant. Then, she worked with Las Vegas Fox affiliate’s KVVU-TV and later with KTLA. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Political Science from New York University.  

Cher has two other Emmys, won in 2005 and 2012.

Cher’s dad, New York-based Roger Calvin, a former actor who did several films with Lea Productions, was on hand to witness her victory last Saturday, July 26, at the Academy’s Leonard H. Goldenson Theater in North Hollywood, California. —Reported by Celso de Guzman Caparas

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)