PBC revamps bowling team

The Philippine Bowling Congress (PBC) revamped its national team and vowed to bounce back from its debacle in the 2006 Doha Asian Games after its fancied men’s and ladies squads came home empty-handed despite coming in as one of the favorites.

"We’ re starting from scratch," said Philippine Olympic Committee secretary-general and bowling chief Steve Hontiveros.

RP team manager Jun Lazaro has been tasked to rebuild the national team as the country braces to defend its bowling crown in the 2007 Bangkok Southeast Asian Games slated Dec. 6-16.

The PBC, in fact, held a qualifying tournament last month with 21 bowlers, headed by former national team mainstays Liza del Rosario, Liza Clutario, Markwin Tee, Biboy Rivera and Chester King, making it to the national pool.

"From this number, the coaching staff will now select who will be fielded in three international tournaments we’re lining up for these players," said Hontiveros, also the head of the FIQ or International Bowling Federation.

"After that, those who will perform well will be sent to Bangkok from where we hope to win and erase the stigma of our loss in Doha," he added.

Others who made it in the pool were Jojo Canare, Irene Garcia, Tyrone Ongpauco, Jose Miguel Crisol, Ernesto Gatchalian, Elaine Florencio, Marianne Daisy and Marianne Lara Posadas, Hollie Angelie Josef, Richard Poblete, Raoul Miranda, Ben Zhir Layoso, Jefferson Chan, Paul Julius Sy, Ed Florencio and Ted Robles.

Curiously not in the roster are four-time World Cup champion Paeng Nepomuceno who said he would concentrate more on joining tournaments abroad and SEAG women’s singles gold medallist Cecilia Yap.

Clutario, Gatchalian, and Tee are the players tipped to make it again to the RP team, having powered the Nationals to a four-gold and six-silver medal haul in the Manila Games.

Clutario won the women’s masters while Gatchalian teamed up with CJ Suarez to rule the men’s doubles. Tee emerged the men’s Masters gold medalist in a thrilling showdown with Singapore’s Remy Ong in the final..