Philippine Sportswriters Association to honor sports greats

MANILA, Philippines - One of the founders of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) and a slew of former national athletes and sports officials are among those to be handed out with posthumous award in the San Miguel Corporation-PSA Annual Awards Night this coming Friday.

Zacarias “Taby” Tabanag, among the pillars of the country’s oldest media organization when it was first established in 1949, leads 13 others who will be honored as such by the men and women of the country’s sportswriting fraternity.

A former sportswriter who succeeded the late Ricky Llanos as PSA president, Tabanag was also a lawyer and a star pitcher during his college days with the University of Santo Tomas.

Also to be feted with posthumous award are golf legend Luis “Golem” Silverio, cage great Narciso Bernardo, Olympian Gabby Fajardo, Asian Games gold medalist Andy Franco, cager Cristino “Tino” Reynoso and former Philippine Sports Commission chairman and shooting president Carlos “Butch” Tuason.

“It is only fitting for the PSA to honor these men and women for all the good things they’ve done for Philippine sports,” said PSA president Aldrin Cardona of the Daily Tribune.

The rest included in the posthumous list are golf official Amalia Montecillo, RP men’s gymnastics coach Sonny Ty, Triple crown champion jockey Elpidio Aguila, legendary race caller Tony Trinidad, long-time PBA legal counsel Atty. Butch Cleofe and sportswriters Willie Salumbides and Ric dela Cruz.

 For the fifth time in seven years, boxing phenom Manny Pacquiao is being honored as Athlete of the Year in the simple annual rite sponsored by the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

The PSA Hall of Fame will also be bestowed on the 30-year old pride of General Santos City during the program that starts at 8 p.m. and will have television personalities Ed Piczon and Patricia Bermudez-Hizon as hosts.

The two-hour ceremony is to be broadcast live over DZSR Sports Radio 918.

Supporting the Annual Awards Night are the Villar Foundation, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Shakey’s, Accel, PBA, PBL, NCRAA, PCSO, SBP, Purefoods, Ginebra, Alaska, Sta. Lucia, Rain or Shine, Ever Bilena, Harbour Centre, Liga Pilipinas, Secretary Lito Atienza, Pharex, GAB and Mighty Sports Association.