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 Clemeña, 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,
