Karylle sings to grandpa, guests in PSA rites

MANILA, Philippines - Singer-actress Karylle serenades the top sports achievers of 2010 as she will be the special guest performer during the PSA-Coca-Cola Annual Awards Night this Saturday at the Manila Hotel.

The 29-year-old daughter of well-known singer and actress Zsa Zsa Padilla is the latest in a long line of celebrity artists to grace the yearly sports affair. Among past performers who lent their time and gave tribute to Filipino athletes include Kyla, Viva recording artist Triz Reyes, popular bands The Dawn, Mojofly and comedienne Marissa Sanchez.

Incidentally, Karylle’s equally popular grandfather, renowned international boxing referee Carlos Padilla Jr., is one of two recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award during the same formal ceremony presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), San Miguel Corp., Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), Samsung, Harbour Centre, Accel and Nihao Mineral Resources International Inc.  

Leading the year’s top awardees are world No. 1 cue artist Francisco “Django” Bustamante, and Asian Games gold medal winners Biboy Rivera (bowling), Rey Saludar (boxing) and Dennis Orcollo (billiards).

All four will be the receiving the coveted Athlete of the Year honors from the country’s oldest media organization composed of editors and sportswriters from the different national broadsheets and tabloids.

Boxing superstar and world No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Manny Pacquiao serves as the affair’s special guest of honor, a first in the 62-year history of the PSA in which an active Filipino athlete will be its main speaker during the Awards Night.

 The Philippine men’s football team and manager Dan Palami are also going to be honored with the PSA Presidential Achievement Award and Executive of the Year, respectively, for an astounding 2010 campaign that saw the popular Team Azkals barge into the semifinals of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup for the first time.

Legendary coach Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan joins Padilla as the beneficiary of the Lifetime Achievement honor, while billiards icon Efren “Bata” Reyes and the late former FIDE president Florencio Campomanes will be elevated into the PSA Hall of Fame.

On the other hand, the Philippine men’s poomsae team that ruled the world poomsae championship lead a total of 14 personalities to be feted with a major award, even as the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) receives its second National Sports Association (NSA) award in the last five years.