President Estrada has been invited as guest of honor and presentor of the top PSA award in the event set at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Manila where he is also expected to announce the government’s new sports policies.
Delasin, a four-time member of the national team who became the youngest player to win an LPGA event in 25 years at 19, beat World Boxing Council flyweight champion Malcolm Tuñacao for the top plum, the first-ever award bestowed on a Fil-Am talent.
"I’m really honored and extremely happy to be voted as PSA Athlete of the Year," said Delasin, whose remarkable rookie campaign in the tough LPGA Tour included a victory in the Giant Eagle Classic in July and a Rookie of the Year award.
PSA president Lito A. Tacujan said invitations to the affair, exclusively for members and their guests, will be available at the PSA reception.
The country’s top sports officials, led by Philippine Sports Commission chair Carlos Tuason and Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit and heads of the various NSAs (national sports associations), are also invited to the event.
Aside from Delasin and Tuñacao, the other major awardees are Grandmaster Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor, racing champion Angelo Barretto, pro cager Danny Ildefonso, amateur cager Ren-Ren Ritualo, amateur golfer Gerard Cantada and physically-challenged powerlifter Angeline Dumapong.
The three-hour rites, sponsored by Red Bull and Agfa and supported by McDonald’s, will be telecast on a later date by Viva-Vintage Television over IBC-13.
Also to be honored are the RP Olympians, including taekwondo jins Roberto Cruz, Eva Marie Ditan, Jasmin Strachan and Donald David Geisler and boxers Larry Semillano, Romeo Brin and brothers Arlan and Danilo Lerio, trackster Lerma Bulauitan, steeplechaser Eduardo Buenavista, archer Jennifer Chan, equestrienne Toni Leviste, rower Benjie Tolentino, shooter Rasheya Jasmin Ruiz, swimmers Miguel Mendoza, Carlo Piccio, Jenny Rose Guerrero and Liza Danila, and divers Zardo Domenios and Sheila Mae Perez and paralympian javelin thrower Andres Lubin.
Citations will be given to the San Miguel Beermen and the San Juan Knights (pro basketball), the La Salle Green Archers (amateur basketball), Mark Paragua (chess), Silver Story (horse of the year), Jennifer Rosales (pro golf-women), Paul del Rosario (jetski), Philip Alvendia (karting), and Glenn Aguilar (motocross), Andres Lubin (paralympics), Antonio Taguibao (powerlifting) and the men’s chess Olympiad team.
Football’s Kasibulan 6-12, the Sporting Edge Management Group, Philippine Tot Baseball Foundation, Inc., Puyat Sports, Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled and Dance Sports of the Philippines will also be cited for their contribution to RP sports by way of promoting and developing sports on the grassroots level.
The PSA will also give recognition to Red Bull, McDonald’s, Agfa, Milo, Adidas and the organizers of the World Volleyball Grand Prix for their continuing support to RP sports through sponsorships and involvement in sports events.
Also to be given special citations are seven of the founding members of the PSA. They are former press secretary and Philippine STAR columnist Teddy Benigno, Rod Reyes, another former press secretary and director of the Taiwan Economic Coordinating Council, Virgilio Pantaleon, public relations consultant of the Yuchengco Group, Malaya executive editor Enrique Romualdez, Ernie Singson, vice-chair of the Journal Group, noted golf rulesman and columnist Taby Tabaniag and Tito Perez de Tagle, columnist and deputy secretary-general of the Basketball Association of the Phils.
Posthumous awards will also be given to taekwondo jin Gerald Pingoy, who was among those who perished in the Air Philippines flight crash, Francisco Vestil, member of the Philippine basketball team which finished 12th in the 1948 London Olympics, Justiniano Montano, former president of the World Boxing Council, and noted boxing trainer Toti Sangalang.