Phil-Brit Society notes on a sailor, a sportsman

Being a lifetime member of the Philippine-British Society, I am keenly interested in its activities. Howard Belton is currently PBS president and his choice of speakers at its meetings tends to underscore Fil-British linkages. For instance, past speaker Tessie Tomas, a first-rate comedienne, is married to the British Roger Pullin. For another recent speaker Captain Andrew Malpass is married to a comely Filipina.

In his talk, Andrew confessed that the sea already fascinated him when he was only nine. He became a seafarer at 16 and a captain at 30, thus setting a record in maritime history. Most of his remarks could only be appreciated by those with a maritime background; however, I distinctly remember that Andrew the sailor had a mule on board his ship as well as a fellow sailor who, standing six foot-seven, towered over everyone else.

After Andrew had stepped into the captain’s shoes, a visitor, not knowing Andrew’s identity, insisted on seeing the captain. Forthwith, Andrew took him all over the ship, on deck and below, to “look” for the captain. Finally, stopping at one spot, Andrew asked the weary visitor, “What can I do for you, Sir?”

When Andrew came to the Philippines, he said his life changed. It was here he met the woman who would conquer his heart and his talk ended with a film clip showing him, his wife and children taking a leisurely boat ride. He added that there are some 250,000 Filipino seafarers all over the world. (Or is the number 2,500?)

Earlier, Howard introduced Andrew as the “on shore protector of seamen whether they have faced accidents, kidnapping or another of the many threats to the lives of brave seafarers. Andrew can truly look at his profession through British eyes and through Filipino eyes as so many of his clients today are Filipinos.”

During my tenure as PBS president, activities tended to be cultural owing to my background and orientation. I recall our staging T.S. Eliot’s play “Murder in the Cathedral” with a Filipino cast in the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. John. That was long ago, longer than my feminine vanity will allow me to admit.

Howard announces that the speaker for the next PBS meeting, set for Jan. 13, 2010, at the Swiss Inn Restaurant in Olympia Building, is Wellington Soong. In his invitation, Howard writes that Soong is perhaps best known for his passion for cars. He is the local distributor of Jaguar, and to show his commitment owns nine of them! He also imports Range Rovers, and has recently been supporting team Philippines in off-road racing in China and Malaysia. Soong also imports Italian racers, namely, Ferrari and Maserati. He is also passionate about golf and photography.

I share Soong’s passion for golf. I am a golfer by empathy, my late father, a doctor of medicine, having been a dedicated golfer who won trophies even in his eighties. Earlier, he made a hole-in-one on Wack Wack’s short hole. He was then playing with Chief Justice Ricardo Paras, a classmate in medical school until Paras shifted to law. “Nobody will doubt my claim that I made a hole-in-one because no less than Chief Justice Paras can attest to it,” my father told friends at the time.

I wonder whether Soong has made a hole-in-one.

Having digressed and wandered into the field of sports, I don’t mind candidly admitting that I faithfully watch Manny Pacquiao over television whenever he is slugging it out. It is a great pity he is going into politics — a “sport” that is deeply mired in corrupt practices. I trust Pacquiao will keep to the straight and narrow as he amazingly wins more record-breaking titles.

Further, I earnestly hope Pacquiao does not go the way of Tiger Woods. With the vast fortune Pacquiao has accumulated, he is fair game to the scores of damsels who want to wallow in its delights.

On the other hand, there are many other athletes to admire. Paeng Nepomuceno is certainly one of them. Despite his immense success — he has landed in the Guinness Book of World Records — he has kept his integrity intact and has remained a devoted family man.

Wesley So is too young for us to warn him against indulging in macho vices. Despite his youth, however, he has made his country vastly proud of him.

Incidentally, I am an avid reader of Joaquin “Quinito” Henson.