Ex-PBA cager in thick of Palaro staging

Former Barangay Ginebra guard Macky Escalona has gone back to his roots in Tarlac after playing two seasons in the PBA and he’s enjoying the return to his home province.

Escalona, 25, expressed no regrets in trying his luck in the pros but that dream is over and he’s looking forward to bigger dreams. The Ateneo graduate could’ve tried out for other teams and extended his PBA career. It just wasn’t meant to be. Playing the game he loves was a blessing. Now, it’s time to give back.

What’s keeping Escalona busy is his role as Tarlac Gov. Vic Yap’s executive assistant and spokesman for this year’s Palarong Pambansa which the Central Luzon province is hosting on April 11-17.

“The undertaking is very close to my heart as one, it is sports and two, I am a native of Tarlac,” said Escalona. “Both sides of my family, the Escalonas and Zamoras, are from Tarlac City. But more importantly, I am solidly behind Gov. Yap’s advocacy to help young athletes obtain scholarships from different schools and universities through sports. This is one thing I truly believe in as I was blessed to get a very good education as a student-athlete.”

Escalona starred for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP then was picked on the first round by Ginebra in the 2007 PBA draft where the top overall choice was Joe DeVance. Players selected after Escalona included Ronjay Buenafe, Ryan Arana, Marvin Cruz, Jojo Duncil and Ardy Larong who were all named on the second round. 

In 41 total games, the 5-9 quarterback scored 88 points, grabbed 22 rebounds and dished off 27 assists for the Kings. Escalona hit a career-high 10 points in Ginebra’s 102-95 loss to Air21 during the 2007-08 Philippine Cup.

Despite Ginebra’s overloaded guard corps, Escalona was given the breaks to play by coach Joseph Uichico. In his rookie conference, he saw action in 11 games, sharing minutes with Jay-Jay Helterbrand, Ronald Tubid, Paul Artadi and Johnny Abarrientos at point guard. In the last Philippine Cup, Escalona played every game even as Chris Pacana joined the rotation. He was relegated to the reserve list in the Fiesta Conference last year before opting to retire.

Breaking into the PBA is something Escalona will always be proud of. And it’s a memory he will cherish forever.

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Escalona said Gov. Yap is going all out to make sure the Palarong Pambansa is a rousing success. Expected to participate in the 16-sport event covering the country’s 17 regions are 8,569 athletes, coaches and delegates.

It will be the 53rd edition of the annual sports extravaganza for boys and girls in the elementary and high school levels. The Palarong Pambansa was introduced in 1948 and has spawned the likes of Lydia de Vega, Elma Muros and Miguel Molina.

Escalona said 13 venues will be used to stage the competitions with the Tarlac Recreational Park, a 100-hectare world-class sports complex, as the main facility. The park was constructed during Gov. Yap’s administration and is considered a landmark project in Central Luzon.

“Under the leadership of Gov. Yap, the people of Tarlac are excited to host an event that will build, ignite and foster dreams,” continued Escalona. “Athletes from the elementary and high school levels are our future national and professional sports heroes. Through athletic scholarships, we hope that these athletes become the country’s future leaders in the fields of business, politics and social work.”

Escalona said both the Department of Education and the Tarlac provincial government are in deep preparation for the Palaro. “There is still a lot of work to be done but we’re confident that we will witness a very successful Palaro this year,” he went on. “Although the government is involved in staging this event, the focus will be far from political. Our focus is the event itself, putting the spotlight on the athletes and showcasing their aspirations to excel on the playing field.”

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Escalona said Tarlac will mobilize 19 public and private schools to serve as major billeting quarters for the Palaro visitors. There are also 22 hotels and inns to accommodate the participants. The province has two major public markets, seven major malls and supermarkets and five government and 14 private hospitals.

“Tarlac is one of the most peaceful provinces in Central Luzon,” said Escalona. “With the creation of the SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway), we are only an hour and a half away from Balintawak. There are lots of sites to visit, like the Monasterio de Tarlac, the reliquary of the true Cross of Jesus Christ, the Mt. Pinatubo crater via Capas, the Timangguyob Falls Bueno Hot Springs, the Kiti-Calao waterfalls, Mt. Tangisan, the home of Sen. Ninoy Aquino, the Capas death march monument, the Maria Cristina Park, the Luisita golf club and the Lubigan Ecotourism Park.”

Escalona said Tarlac has the proud legacy of producing great men and women, including President Cory Aquino, Sen. Ninoy Aquino, Ambassador Danding Cojuangco, Carlos P. Romulo, Alberto Romulo, Cristina Galang, Leonor Rivera and presidential aspirants Noynoy Aquino and Gilbert Teodoro. Among Tarlac’s famous sports personalities are Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco, Jr., Henry Cojuangco, Django Bustamante, Mikee Cojuangco, Niño Canaleta, Banjo Calpito, former world boxing champion Joselito Rivera and Escalona himself.