Time to collect gifts, call it a day

HAIL TO THE CHIEF: Tom Carrasco, chief of mission of the RP delegation to the 14th Asian Games, has done a pretty good job, if not an excellent one, in looking over the country’s participation in the biggest Asiad ever.

But his job isn’t finished yet with all the preparations being done for Wednesday’s Philippine Airlines flight back home for the remaining 114 Filipino athletes and officials, medical personnel and administrative staff, not counting the tons of paperwork for the transportation of the equipment.

"Well, it was fulfilling being the RP chief of mission to this Asian Games. Fulfilling but tiring. I had to summon all my strength and everything I know in management and all other things. But I had a good team with me," said the RP triathlon president.

"Of course, we had some difficulties, but I really think we did a pretty good job," added Carrasco.

One thing Carrasco learned is that as chief of mission, you’ll never run out of things to do, problems to solve and expectations to meet.

But he really did a pretty good job. And the chief deserves the hail.

GIVEAWAYS, GIVEAWAYS: Collecting the attractive giveaways from Games sponsors and a couple of countries which had more to give turned out to be the one great pastime, or hobby, for the print and broadcast mediamen who covered the Busan Asiad.

And some of the Filipinos, as expected, just wouldn’t allow themselves to be left behind, each night retreating to their respective hotel rooms with more than a handful of giveaways – ballpens, pins, t-shirts, caps, key chains, fans and other souvenir items like an elegant table clock courtesy of Doha, Qatar, the site of the 2006 Asian Games, that was given away during a press conference Sunday.

But probably the luckiest among the Filipino scribes that worked the Games was Edilberto "Tito" Talao Jr. of the Tempo-Bulletin who won one of only four high-tech digital cameras from Samsung, the official Games sponsors, in a raffle held on the final day for the thousands who cast their votes for the Busan Asiad MVP Award.

It was sweet redemption for the grizzled Pinoy scribbler who had earlier lost his "precious" Doha bag of giveaways inside the main press working area.

"When you’re good, you’re lucky," said The STAR sports editor Lito Tacujan, also a good one, but not as lucky.

LU-KING GOOD: Do you know Tony Lu, the famous camera-clicking character who always seems to be in haste to beat a self-imposed deadline?

Well, don’t be surprised if you see him back home, probably in the next couple of days, with a little limp, a result of a freak accident last Saturday night just outside the main press working area.

Heavy with his camera bag and a baseball cap full of pins, Tony was running as he crossed the street, unaware of the knee-high ropes tied to trees on the center island, tripping over it, then finding himself, and his things, sprawled all over the pavement.

"Gutom na gutom na kasi ako kaya tumatakbo patawid. Kakain sana diyan ako sa Homeplus. Eh nadapa naman," said Tony the day after the incident, still trying to recover from a bruised hip and some pain on his right shoulder.

But he’s okay now and in fact, the veteran of quite a number of SEA Games, Asian Games and even the Olympics shared with us his secret medication after the incident.

"Pinuno ko lang ng hot water ang bathtub ko sa hotel at nagbabad ako ng mga 30 minutes. Nabawasan talaga ang sakit. Medyo okay na ngayon," he said with a wink and already quite looking good.

COMING HOME SOON: After almost 20 working days, a lot of stories told and a roomful of memories to keep, the members of the Philippine media in Busan are just about ready to call it a day.

Some had already left but those who stayed behind just got fortunate enough to witness and share the country’s third gold medal won by equestrienne Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, who outjumped, outsmarted and outcharmed the opposition on the final day of competition.

The RP media group scheduled to fly home Wednesday is composed of Aldrin Cardona, Jun Lomibao, Tito Talao, Rey Mallari, Eddie Alinea, Jean Malanum, Roy Luarca, Dave Coros, Dina Villena, Virgie Romano and Danny Simon. And of course, big guns Joe Antonio, Jimmy Cantor, Philip Evardone, Al Mendoza, Ding Marcelo, Ernie Gonzales, Gus Villanueva, Recah Trinidad and Lito Tacujan.

Also, there was the radio group of Ricky Yap Santos, Judith Caringal and Michelle Madrid, TV panelists Sev Sarmenta, Yeng Guiao and Chino Trinidad and photographers Luis "Boy" Garcia, Romy Florante, Jess Yuson, Ramon Vecina, Tony Lu, Nicky Gocuan and Joey Mendoza.

And before I forget, my snoring roommate Francis Ochoa.

From Busan, here’s the Philippine coverage of the 14th Asian Games signing off.