Phl-Dubai polo friendly set Sunday

MANILA, Philippines - Globalport has partnered with Belo Medical Group as they stage the Philippine-Dubai friendly polo showdown dubbed as “Battle of Titans” this Sunday in Makati.

The partnership was officially sealed Wednesday by Globalport owner Dr. Mikee Romero and Belo Medical Group CEO and founder Dr. Vicki Belo with polo players Rodrigo Bauzada, Andrian Garcia, Anthony Garcia and Tonio Veloso, and Belo’s daughter, Cristalle Henares, in attendance.

Romero was delighted with the support of Belo, whose company has long been acknowledged as the country’s No. 1 medical aesthetic ambulatory clinic.

“We are glad with the support of Dr. Belo because the tournament is the first-ever 17-goal tournament to be held in the country,” said Romero, who also bankrolled the staging of the Philippine Open Polo Championship won by Los Tamaraos three weeks ago.

Belo was equally excited in her first foray in the sporting world, saying the Philippine-Dubai friendly match is part of her many activities to highlight her clinic’s silver anniversary.

The Belo Medical Group has been featured in the prestigious Time magazine being the spearhead of “Beauty Tourism” in the country.

Romero, however, said focus in the event will be on a pair of 7-goaler in Mariano Obregon and Mathias Zabaleta – both heavy hitters. Obregon is coming off a stellar performance in the US Open while Zabaleta was likewise impressive in the recent United Arab Emirates (UAE) Cup.

Romero and Obregon will banner the Philippines along with Miguel Diaz and Anthony Garcia while Sam Instone and Zabaleta are the top players of Dubai.

Instone, who likened polo to a Formula One race, is Dubai’s patron.

Other members of the Dubai team are 5-goaler Nicolas Curto and 4-goaler Nicolas Pieroni.

“The presence of top caliber players will make the Phl-Dubai showdown doubly exciting,” said Romero, who is pushing for the professionalism of the sport in the country. “It’s high time that we form a national association so that we can have a national identity.”