MVPSF-PBaRS 8th leg kicks off Oct. 26

MANILA, Philippines - The chase for badminton titles and ranking points resumes this month when the MVP Sports Foundation-Philippine Badminton Ranking System (PBaRS) holds its eighth leg on Oct. 26-31 at Powersmash and Robinsons Place Manila.

Registration is ongoing with deadline set on Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. Fee is pegged at P500 for first entry and P250 for succeeding listups. The posting of participants will be on Oct. 16 with the draw set Oct. 18 at the PBaRS office in San Juan City, according to PBaRS tournament director Nelson Asuncion.

The first three days will be held at Powersmash while the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals will be played at Robinsons Place on Oct. 29-31.

The event is the country’s only ranking badminton tournament, sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay with sportsman Manny V. Pangilinan as chairman and Rep. Albee Benitez as sec-gen.

Toby Gadi and Bianca Carlos, both of Golden Shuttle Foundation, swept the premier Open singles titles with the latter also romping off with the U-19 girls singles crown in the seventh staging of the annual event in Pampanga last March.

Others tipped to contend for the crown in the upcoming event are Paul Vivas, Peter Magnaye, Patrick Natividad and Charlo Tengco in the men’s singles, and Gelita Castilo, Janelle de Vera, Nikki Servando, Jen Cayetano, Dia Magno and Danica Bolos in the ladies side.

Others going for repeat are Phl Badminton Association’s Roslee Pedrosa (boys’ U-19), Iyah Sevilla, also of PBA, (girls’ U-15), Daniel Pantanosas of Corpus Christi (boys’ U-15), and doubles winners Jessie Francisco-Lea Inlayo (girls’ U-19), Carlos Cayanan and Alvin Morada (boys’ U-19), Christian Bernardo and Paola Bernardo (mixed U-19), Alyssa Geverjuan and Iyah Sevilla (girls’ U-15), Bryan Bernardo-John Bernardo (boys’ U-15), Matthew Bernardo and Chanelle Lunod (mixed U-15), Gabriel Villanueva and Flo Lamigo (mixed Open), Gelita Castilo and Dia Magno (women’s Open) and Joper Escueta-Ronel Estanislao (men’s Open).

Backing the event are Gatorade, Vineza, Sincere Construction, Victor Pcome Industrial Sales and Krav Maga Philippines with TV 5, The Philippine Star and Badminton Extreme Philippines Magazine as media partners.

For details, calll up the PBaRS office at 20 E. Maclang cor. P. Guevarra streets, San Juan City at 7252568 and 7828202. On-line registration can also be made on pbars.com.