Li'l League Phils holds eliminations

Bacolod City will host the 2000 Little League Philippine Series May 1-6 to determine the country's representatives to the Far East baseball qualifying tournament and the Little League Softball World Series in August.

Newly-elected Little League president Karlo Butiong and Bacolod City Mayor Oscar Verdeflor said 25 charters, representing 55 teams in baseball and softball, led by multi-titlists Bacolod City and Guagua West of Pampanga, have already renewed their registration.

Filomeno "Boy" Codiñera, national tournament director, said the tournaments will be be open only to charters registered with Little League Philippines and Little League International.

The others are Baguio City, Baylum (Imus), Bulacan, Cabuyao, Cagayan, Caloocan City, Canlubang, International Little League Association of Manila, Laoag City, La Trinidad, Legazpi City, Mt. Province, Navotas, Nueva Ecija, Marist School, Pampanga, Palayan City, Baguio, Rosario (Cavite), Sta. Cruz (Laguna), San Luis (Aurora), Tacloban City, SWU-Cebu City and Zamboanga City.

The tournaments are Little League (11-12 years), Junior League (13-14) and Senior League (14-16) for baseball and girls' softball.

Butiong said the champion in the softball tournament will represent the Philippines in three Girls Softball World Series in the US in August. They are the Little League in Portland, Junior League in Kirkland, Washington and the Senior League in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

In baseball the Philippines has to pass through the Far East qualifying tournaments for Little League, Junior League, Senior League and Big League, all to be hosted this year by Guam.

Butiong said ILLAM has been seeded to represent the Philippines in the Big League (16-18) tournament where Guam, Saipan-CNMI and Palau are competing.

Winners in the baseball regional tournaments will proceed to the United States for the World Series.

Little League is the world's biggest organization for youth baseball and is the most prestigious and largest youth sports program on the grassroots level. The Little League program was adopted by the Philippine Sports Commission for this year's Batang Pinoy and Palaro ng Bayan programs.