P50,000 for first prize winner

For our annual Christmas contest, we’ve now raised P100,000 in cash and P50,000 will go to the first prize winner. So far, we’ve received cash donations from the PSC through chairman Richie Garcia (P50,000), the Herma Group of sportsman Hermie Esguerra (P15,000), Globalport through PBA vice chairman Erick Arejola (P15,000), the POC through first vice president Joey Romasanta (P10,000), the Aldeguer Group of Tony Aldeguer (P5,000) and GAB chairman Monju Guanzon (P5,000).

Additionally, prizes in kind have come in from the Alaska Aces through team manager Dickie Bachmann (five Alaska caps, five Alaska magazines, two Alaska Aces jerseys and 10 Alaska Aces T-shirts), ALA Boxing (six ALA Boxing signature shirts, one ALA Boxing gym bag, one ALA Boxing jacket, 10 Island Souvenirs T-shirts and 10 Island Souvenirs keychains), Sonia Trading through managing director Anil Buxani (six Mikasa volleyballs, six Molten basketballs, four badminton rackets), Gatorade through Tony Atayde (two cases of low-carb Gatorade, 25 trucker caps, 25 squeeze bottles), Ever Bilena through CEO Dioceldo Sy (assorted Blackwater and Ever Bilena products for men and women), PLDT through executive assistant to the chairman Abet Dungo (one PLDT jacket, one PLDT sports bag, one trolley bag, five Meralco bags, one cabinet bag, one American Home rice cooker, three Maynilad stuffed toys, one Metro Pacific umbrella, one Metro Pacific T-shirt, one Metro Pacific body bag, two Metro Pacific bluetooth speaker), Barangay Ginebra San Miguel through PBA governor Alfrancis Chua (two boxes Primera Light, two boxes Ginebra San Miguel Blue, 10 Ginebra T-shirts) and San Miguel Beer through PBA chairman Robert Non (five cases San Mig Light).

More prizes are expected from donors who’ve confirmed to contribute, including SBP executive director Sonny Barrios, PBA president/CEO Chito Salud, Purefoods PBA governor Rene Pardo, San Miguel Corp. vice president Kin Lichauco and others.

In last year’s contest, 76-year-old Fundador Soriano topped the list of winners and received P50,000 cash and a bundle of goods. He was a producer, director and writer of “Kahapon Lamang,” Eddie Ilarde’s radio show on ABS-CBN dzXL. Second prize winner was Josephine Ramos, 41, a schoolteacher from Silang, Cavite. Third prize winner was Roel Abe, 44, who works at the BPI Navotas Northbay branch. We gave prizes to 20 winners.

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This year, we’re giving away cash and kind to at least 10 lucky winners. If we receive more donations, we could go up to as many as 25 winners. This will depend on how many prizes we are able to solicit.

It’s easy to join our Christmas contest. Simply answer these three questions: 1. Who is the tallest player in the PBA Philippine Cup this season? 2. Which schools won the senior men’s basketball championships in the UAAP, NCAA and CESAFI this year? 3. Who is the only Filipino athlete to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics so far?

Place your answers on a slip of paper and in at least three sentences, write why you read the sports section of The Philippine Star and what you would like to happen in Philippine sports in 2016. We’ll choose at least 10 winners with the correct answers to the three questions and the most creative response to why you read the sports section of The Philippine Star and what you would like to happen in Philippine sports in 2016. Don’t forget to write your name, age, occupation (if student, what course, year, school), home address and telephone number on the slip of paper. Attach a clipping of the masthead on the front page of The Philippine Star newspaper showing the date.

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You may send in as many entries as you wish. But each entry must be an original. No Xerox copies of entries or mastheads will be allowed. No need to use an envelope. Just clip the masthead with the slip of paper showing your answers, essay and contact details. It’s one masthead for every entry. Send your entries to The Philippine Star, Sports Section, Railroad and Oca Streets, Port Area, Metro Manila. You may deposit your entries straight into our box at The Philippine Star office lobby or mail to the Philippine Star address.

Deadline for entries is on Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 5 p.m. Winners will be announced in this column in The Philippine Star issue of Thursday, Dec. 17. Prizes will be given to the winners at The Philippine Star office on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 11 a.m.

Since we started our Christmas contest nearly 20 years ago, we’ve been able to make the holiday season a lot happier for the lucky winners. How we wish we could give prizes to each and every one who sends in an entry. You can’t win if you don’t join. Who knows? You could be one of our lucky winners this year and take home P50,000 in cold cash. Don’t delay. Send in your entries now for the chance to win cash and other big prizes.