Sunday, March 24, 2013

Young Boholanos in Manila

By: Atty. Julius Gregory Delgado
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Association of Young Boholanos in Metro Manila, Inc.

Young Boholanos in the metropolis geared up to battle in different sporting 
events as the Association of Young Boholanos in Metro Manila, Inc. (AYBM) 
opened its annual summer sports festival last March 10, 2013 at the Covered Court of 
the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMCC). Three teams are participating and 
competing in this year's sports tiff billed as "Paugnat sa Kusog: Ikatulong Hugna", 
namely: Red Team Sikatuna, Blue Team Tamblot and Yellow Team Dagohoy. The 
AYBM, led by its President, Engr. Noel ClemeƱa, decided to name the teams in 
honor of three Boholano heroes.
 
Before the hostilities started, a simple opening ceremony was held led by 
AYBM Vice President, Ruth Dolotina, and the Sports and Wellness Committee 
Chairman, Dominic Apale. The program started with an Invocation led by Ted 
Jonathan Visarra followed by the singing of the National Anthem and Awit sa Bohol 
led by Ethel Mae Manlupig, the organization's Finance Committee Chairperson. 
After the introduction of the teams and the members, the lighting of the cauldron then 
followed. Engr. Gina Talo for Blue Team first carried the Olympic torch passed to 
Dolotina who represented the Yellow Team and finally to Red Team's Amir Sol who 
ignited the flame to declare the festivities open. After the torch relay and lighting of 
the cauldron, Jeff Jamonil of Batuan led the recital of the Oath of Sportsmanship to 
cap the opening salvo.
After the opening ceremony, the Basketball eliminations went underway with 
the match between the defending Basketball and Overall Champion, Blue Team, 
going up against the Yellow Team. Led by former college standout Ian Recto who 
scored 24 big points and Loay-born behemoth Carlo Biliran who scored 10 points, the 
Blue Team led most of the game until the last canto when Recto suffered an 
unexpected injury. Yellow Team finally pulled a come-from-behind win 66-61 with 
Julius Limocon chipping 18 points and former Science High School Virus Captain, 
Magnus Bantugan, scattering 13 points. 
The second game saw the Red Team trounced the Yellow Team 80-61 with 
reigning Most Valuable Player, Leo Amatorio, pouring-in 29 points while point guard 
Mark "The Spark" Santander delivering 13 points and man-mountain Arpe John 
Cerezo contributing 8 points. The match likewise saw the basketball rivalry between 
siblings Magnus Bantugan and Jansen Bantugan, both notable cagers during their 
high school days in Bohol. Magnus Bantugan led the Yellow Team scoring 16 points 
while the Lanzaderas Brothers, Pat and Joel, contributed 14 and 10 points, 
respectively.
For the final game in the eliminations, it was a pleasure cruise for the 
tournament-favourite Red Team as Recto of the Blue Team never recovered from the 
injury he suffered during the first game and appears to be sitting out for the remainder 
of the tournament. Spitfire Jansen Bantugan dominated the scoreboard with 22 points, 

Run to Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines

In support of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.'s (RAFI) vision of environmental 
sustainability, PH-922 Child's Haven Student Center signed a memorandum of agreement with 
RAFI for tree plantation maintenance last March. 
PH-922 will adopt one hectare of RAFI Tree Plantation located in Barangay Jaclupan, 
Talisay City where last year's Run to Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines event was held. It will also 
initiate quarterly nurturance activities from March 2013 to February 2015 to ensure seedlings 
planted grow into trees.
Maintenance includes ring weeding, strip brushing, mulching, and replanting. 
On the other hand, RAFI will conduct proper maintenance orientation to participants 
before the actual nurturance activity and provide feedback and suggestion on how to improve 
nurturance activities. 
On March 17, RAFI will conduct tree growing activities and nurturance orientation to PH-
922 participants. 
The tree plantation maintenance is an initiative of RAFI under Generation REdemption, 
and Expansion of Natural resources INitiatives (GREENIN) Philippines Program, which aims to 
ensure environmental sustainability by reversing the loss of environmental resources through 
the utilization of native tree species in its interventions in restoring and rehabilitating degraded 
forests and idle lands. 
GREENIN Philippines Program is one of the programs under RAFI's Integrated 
Development focus area. It aims to address environmental problems by undertaking initiatives 
for the protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of our country's forests. RAFI's other focus 
areas are Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Culture & Heritage, Leadership & Citizenship, and 
Education.