Canlubang Little League tourney today

MANILA, Philippines - The formal opening rites of the Canlubang Little League Championship will be held at 1 p.m. today with officials, headed by league president Andy Locsin, and directors expected to grace the affair at the old Canlubang stadium.

There are 23 teams seeing action in the tournament, which features five age-group brackets with the event also serving as a qualifier for the Philippine Series set next year.

Others expected to grace today’s rites are directors and board members of the Cangolf Little League, including Felix Yulo, Michael Yulo and wife Eva, Tony Sarmiento, Jun Uson, Marice Cruz, Lito Tacujan and PABA official Ely Baradas.

The tournament has actually started last Tuesday and will end by December with league officials hoping to cull the best among the Little Leaguers for the Canlubang teams set to vie in the national championship. The tournament director is Joseph Hardillo.

There are three teams in the eight-year old coach-pitch division, four teams in the 9-10 age bracket (minor league), seven in the 11-12 (major league), four in the 13-14 (junior league) and five in the 15-18 (big league).

The tournament virtually serves as the kickoff event of the Cangolf Little League’s five-year development program aimed at reviving the sport Canlubang was famous for in the past.