An opportunity to go to college

Many businessmen and corporate executives play golf because there are a lot of business deals that can be made in the four hours or so that you spend playing.

While there are many opportunities to do business, there are also many opportunities to help others when you play this game.

More than a couple of months ago, I chanced upon Andrew Aznar, the young and dynamic chairman of the board of Southwestern University (SWU) while I accompanied my son at the driving range inside Camp Lapu-Lapu.

While my purpose of going there was to take my son to practice and hit a few balls myself, there was an opportunity that Andrew brought up, which I believed was something I could help with.

It had nothing to do with business, but more about giving young men a chance to get a college education and eventually become a world-class seafarer.

Andrew was asking me if I knew of institutions that he could tie up with their school for a “Study Now Pay Later Program” of their maritime department.

The first institution that came to my mind was the Don Bosco Boys Home in Cotcot, Liloan town, which I had a chance to visit last December.

To cut the long story, I contacted my good friend Fr. Jun Paradiang, who is the rector of DBBH, and arranged a meeting between him and Andrew.

Yesterday afternoon, I went to SWU to witness the formal tie up of the two institutions for this program, which also got a major support from Sen. Migz Zubiri.

Fr. Jun said that the boys at DBBH are very excited to take the qualifying exam and become part of the program.  This is their chance to get a college education that could probably help them overcome poverty.

I see the sincerity in Andrew’s eyes when he talks about his project, which he is very passionate about.  I doff my hat to you my friend and I hope that more people with the capacity to help would also do their little share to make life better for others.

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Last week I received a surprise phone call from one of my sporting idols many years before I became a sportswriter.  Ramon Solis, who was once the country’s strongest man, called me up to inform me of his upcoming stint to the Olympics.

Ramon, who became a very close friend during the days when I was actively covering the weightlifting scene, is not going to China as an athlete, but as coach.

I believe he is the only Cebuano in the Philippine team to the quadrennial sporting meet.

As a nation, we would again anxiously wait for news about our athletes and how they would fare against the rest of the world. 

With a huge cash windfall awaiting the first Filipino gold medalist, many think this is what we need to win that medal.

I say no.

The process is long and tedious and unless our sports officials would seriously embark on an honest to goodness development program that gold medal would remain a dream.

Sports development programs are not just holding basketball tournaments for the sake of the many politicians who think they are doing things right.

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MILESTONES: This Monday is a special day for the sports section of The Freeman as Manny Villaruel, the sports editor turns another year older.

Manny was a very trim 17-year-old kid taking up BS in Education when he joined us back in 1997.  Today, he heads the section and has gained not only knowledge but also heft hehehe.

Congratulations to Lt. Col. Ezra James P. Enriquez, who recently assumed command of the Army Aviation Battalion of the Light Armor Brigade.

More power!