PSA fetes old, new of the best in 2015

MANILA, Philippines - The heroes and stars of Philippine sports in the year just passed will be honored tonight when the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) holds its traditional Annual Awards Night presented by Milo and San Miguel Corp.

Two world boxing champions and a rising golf star who scored his breakthrough win in the rich Asian Tour circuit, lead the long list of awardees to be feted on this night of celebration at the One Esplanade in Pasay City.

World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-bantamweight title holder Nonito Donaire Jr., long-time WBO light-flyweight champ Donnie Nietes, and Asian Tour winner Miguel Tabuena will be featured  in the two-hour program on the eve of Valentine’s Day as the three had been named co-winners of the prestigious Athlete of the Year award by the country’s oldest media organization under president Riera Mallari, sports editor of The Standard.

For the 33-year-old Donaire, it will be the fourth time he’ll be recognized with the honor, having won it in 2007, 2011, and 2012, while Nietes, 33, and Tabuena, 21, are both first time winners of the award handed out by the sportswriting fraternity to deserving Filipino athletes.

Fellow athletes, executives, and officials are expected to grace the rites lauding the feats of the awardees, numbering 111 in all.

Quinito Henson and Patricia Bermudez-Hizon are hosting the program that starts at 7:30 p.m. and which has the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) as major sponsor and supported by long-time friends of sports such as Smart, MVP Foundation, Maynilad, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Philippine Basketball Association, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office/Philracom, Accel, Sen. Chiz Escudero, SM Prime Holdings, Rain or Shine, Globalport, National University, and One Esplanade.

Also a big chunk of the spotlight is expected to fall on Gilas Pilipinas national cage team, which will be the recipient of the President’s Award, and Alaska chief executive officer and president Wilfred Uytengsu Jr., who is the top choice as Executive of the Year.

Uytengsu, a former member of the national swimming team and now an active triathlete, will also address the sports community as guest speaker of the two-hour formal rites.

Other special awards to be given out are the Lifetime Achievement trophy to baseball and softball great Filomeno “Boy” Codiñera, the National Sports Association of the Year to the Wushu Federation of the Philippines, Mr. Basketball to the exciting duo of Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva, and Ms. Volleyball to superstar Alyssa Valdez.

Top achievers in their respective fields will be the recipient of major awards led by San Miguel Beer main man June Mar Fajardo.

The gold medalists in the 28th Southeast Asian Games and ASEAN Para Games top the long list of those to be given out with citations, while eight departed sports personalities will be honored with posthumous awards.

Nine young achievers make up the year’s batch of Tony Siddayao awardees, who are going to be joined by youthful Justine Kobe Macario and Kyla Soguilon, recipients of the MILO Junior Male and Female Athlete of the Year, respectively.

Awardees and guests who personally fail to get their invitations may get them right at the lobby of One Esplanade.

2015-16 PSA AWARDS HONOR ROLL (Complete list)

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Nonito Donaire Jr., Donnie Nietes, Miguel Tabuena

PRESIDENT’S AWARD – Gilas Pilipinas

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR – Wilfred Uytengsu Jr.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – Filomena ‘Boy’ Codinera

NSA OF THE YEAR – Wushu Federation of the Philippines

MR. BASKETBALL – Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva

MS. VOLLEYBALL – Alyssa Valdez  

MAJOR AWARDS

June Mar Fajardo (pro basketball), Mark Belo (amateur basketball), Mark Cruz (amateur basketball), Eric Shauwn Cray (athletics), Amaya Paz-Cojuangco (archery), Chezka Centeno (billiards), Santy Barnachea (cycling), Cyna Rodriguez (pro golf), Princess Mary Superal (amateur golf), Jonathan Hernandez (horseracing), Raniel Resuello (motorsports), Katharina Lehnert (tennis), Alberto ‘AJ’ Lim Jr. (tennis), Divine Wally (wushu), Arnel Mandal (wushu).

CITATIONS

SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES GOLD MEDALISTS

ASEAN PARA GAMES GOLD MEDALISTS

Mary Joy Tabal, Rafael Poliquit, Philippine archery team, Kobe Paras, Batang Gilas, Perlas Blackwater Team, Philippine Dragon Boat team, Kristina Charisse Santiago, Kenneth San Andres, Milo Rivera, Ernesto ‘Judes’ Echaus, Michael Christian Martinez, Hagen Alexander Topacio, Petron Blaze Spikers, Hidilyn Diaz, Nestor Colonia, ALA Promotions, International Premier Tennis League, Manila North 3x3 Team, MVP Sports Foundation, NU Pep Squad, Philippine baseball team, Philippine powerlifting team, Philippine Superliga, SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc., Jean Henri Lhuillier and tennis patrons, and 2019 FIBA World hosting team, National University Ever Bilena women’s team

MILO JUNIOR MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Justine Kobe Macario

MILO JUNIOR FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Kyla Soguilon

TONY SIDDAYAO AWARD

Pauline Del Rosario, Abegail ‘Abby’ Arevalo, Jacob Ang, Maurice Sacho Ilustre, Nicole Pamintuan, Miguel Barreto, Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh, Sean Terence Zamora, Nicole Eijansantos

POSTHUMOUS AWARDS

Ronald Charles ‘Ron’ Jacobs, Enrique ‘Henry’ Cojuangco Sr., Arturo ‘Art’ Macapagal, Lim Eng Beng, Servillano Aquino Padiz Jr., Ramil Cruz, Ireneo ‘Nayong’ Federigan, Jose ‘Jun’ Castro Jr.