SAC-SMB Sports Awards for 2017

It’s that time of the year when the “Oscars” of Cebu Sports takes place. It’s the 36th San Miguel-Sportswriters Association of Cebu Cebu Sports Awards for 2017, and it takes place tomorrow at 3:00pm at the Robinson’s Galleria. It’s an annual tradition that we sportswriters host to recognize and cite the biggest achievers of Cebu sports for the year that passed. The awardees are those who are Cebu-based or Cebuanos who excelled outside Cebu. More importantly, they are not only the best of Cebu, but the best in the country. Mary Joy Tabal, the first Pinay Olympian in the marathon and gold medalist for marathon at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games is proudly Cebuana (from Barangay Guba, Cebu City). So is four-time PBA MVP and Gilas Pilipinas ace June Mar Fajardo of Pinamungajan. IBF world flyweight champion Donnie Nietes fights out of the ALA Boxing Gym and traces his roots to Murcia, Negros Occidental. You’ll have a chance to see them and the best of Cebu sports tomorrow.

Who was who in Cebu sports in 2017? Archery standouts are Rogelio Tremedal and Lloyd Apawan. Tabal, Samantha Limos and Riza Jane Vallente will be cited for their feats in Athletics. In badminton, we have Joel Jr. Barriga, Carl Bernard Bejasa, Anton Pete Abellana, Dean Harvey Tungul, Dean Harvey Tungul, Tricia Merced Opon, Elloise Carillo and Tricia Merced Opon. The “Kraken” leads the basketball awardees. Other recipients are Greg Slaughter, Roger Pogoy, University of the Visayas college basketball team, University of the Visayas high school basketball team, Jaybie Mantilla, Beirn Laurente, Reinhard Jumamoy, Chinnsai Demana and Jed Cabellon. Billiard/pool’s lone awardee is Rubilen Amit. In boxing, the awardees are Nietes, Milan Melindo, Jonas Sultan, Mark Magsayo, Jhack Tepora, Christian Araneta, Joe Noynay and Denmar Cardeno.

Bowling’s awardee is Jomar Jumapao, while the Boy Pestaño awardee for Chess is Jerish John Velarde. The late Nong Boy was a member of the SAC. Other chess awardees are Jave Mareck Peteros, Kristen Yochabel, Marie Sanchez, Alphecca Gonzalez, Laila Carmel Nadera and Regina Catherine Quinanola. Dancesport’s awardees are Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Caneda. We’ll also cite Dragonboat’s Cebu Pink Paddlers. Daniela Reggie Dela Pisa returns to receive an award for Gymnastics. In Golf, we’ll cite Peter Tyler Po, Lloyd Jefferson Go, Lois Kaye Go, Junia Gabasa and Weiwei Gao.

Football’s awardees are Kintaro Miyagi, ER Orale, Pietrus Dakay, Joaquin Buyco, Jacob Braun, Jordan Jarvis, Trizza Mae Musni, Riza Mae Ugbaniel, the Don Bosco Technology Center elementary football team, Ivan Marcel Ouano, Josh Rupert Asignar and Jessie Semblante. Kiyomi Watanabe will receive an award for Judo, while OJ Delos Santos is cited for Karate. MMA’s Ekin Caniga will also be cited. In Motorsports, William John Riley Go, Vince Adrian Rojo and Team Cebu City Vios Cup team are the awardees. For Sepak takraw, it’s Rhey Ortuoste. Swimming’s awardees are Fredrick Albert Yuan Chiongbian, Christante Veloso and Johann Matthew Tubesa. We’ll also cite the Labangon softball team. Taekwondo also had a set of awardees: McAvygnr Alob, Lyan Llanto, Lee Navales, Aidaine Laxa, Alyssa Llenes, Alexander Llenes, Johann Concepcion, Francis Arquero, Rinna Babanto and Nica Farces. Arthur Craig Pantino receives an award in tennis.

For our special awards, Dr. Tony San Juan and Dr. Rhoel Dejaño, two doctors who are also athletes themselves and have taken care of Cebu athletes, are our ORLACSAN awardees. Rico Ramirez is the Presidential Awardee. Jean Henri Lhuillier is the Sportsman of the Year.

Looking at this list of achievers, Cebu is proud to cite that we have the country’s top lady marathoner, basketball’s most dominating player and one of the country’s world boxing champions. This proves that Cebu Sports isn’t far behind the big boys of Manila in producing world-class athletes. Looking at the timing of the ceremony, we can’t also help but asking what else we can do to uplift Cebu Sports. The Palarong Pambansa is coming up and the bad news is that the CVIRAA has been going down in the medal standings through the past three years. This is why we have only a handful of Palaro winners among our SAC awardees for 2017. The Cebu City sports program for schools that was recently announced by Councilor Joy Young, Ed Hayco and Ricky Ballesteros is welcome news in the push for youth-based sports. I pray that the program is well-implemented so it can discover new gems in the rough who can eventually shine for Cebu. There’s a deep well of talents in public schools waiting to be discovered and all they need is be recognized. Give them attention through a comprehensive program that should include regular training sessions, support for nutrition, equipment and gear; a calendar of games and tournaments, and competent coaches/trainors. I guaranty they’ll be SAC awardees in the future if the program runs well. But why is Cebu City the only LGU doing this now? The Cebu Province has also launched its program, but where are the rest? May we ask the likes of Mandaue and Lapu--Lapu to also boost its sports programs?

My personal dream is to have a SAC Awarding Ceremony where there will be too many awardees to handle that we’d have to hold this on two separate occasions/days. There will be too many Palaro gold medal winners along with the string of world champions in boxing, national team members in football and dominating presence in basketball and so much more. And the good news is that they’ll all be products of the different sports programs of our LGUs, schools, local chapters/offices of the national sports associations and private initiatives.

Thanks again to San Miguel, Girlie Garces for supporting the SAC Awards for the 36th straight year. Congratulations to all awardees, your parents and coaches. May this serve as a path on your road map to do more. Kudos to Cebu Sports!