PPS-PEPP kicks off 58-leg tour in Bukidnon

MANILA, Philippines - Junior netters brace for another busy season as the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional tennis tour, the country’s longest-running and most comprehensive age-group circuit, fires off tomorrow in Mindanao with 58 events lined up for the year.

The Visayas leg of the nationwide tour, backed by new presentor Asiatraders Corp., will have 20 age-groupers and three Open championships while the Mindanao and Luzon swings will hold 20 and 18 juniors tournaments, respectively with two Open tournaments each.

“It has been our long-time commitment to help develop and promote the sport from the grassroots level and after another banner season, we are inspired to put up more tournaments this year, both in junior and Open ranks,” said Palawan Pawnshop CEO/president Bobby Castro.

“With Asiatraders Corp. as our new partner, we have come up with a year-long circuit that will keep our youth busy all year, especially from the countryside,” said Castro, referring to the country’s authorized sole distributor of Dunlop and Slazenger sporting goods. Slazenger is the circuit’s official ball.

“We are honored to be the presentor of this prestigious age-group tennis circuit that has continued to produce talents for future national pool and teams,” said Asiatraders Corp. vice president John Christopher Tan.

The 2017 circuit will kick off in Dangcagan, Bukidnon with the four-day tournament while Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Butuan City and Cagayan De Oro, will host the next three stops on Jan. 26-29, Feb. 2-6 and Feb 9-13, respectively, according to tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay, also the PPS-PEPP sports program development director. For details, call 0915-4046464.

For complete schedule, visit www.palawanpawnshoptennis.com.

Mangunay added that aside from the regular Philta rankings, the PPS-PEPP will have its own ranking system.

“Asiatraders Corp.’s entry as the PPS-PEPP presentor comes at a time when Philippine tennis, particularly the juniors ranks, is enjoying boom with tournaments held almost every week spiced up by a number of events for the country’s elite players,” said Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, the former Philta chief and long-time tennis backer.