Below the belt

Although I have been kept away from the judo mats due to a problem with my spine, I have kept in touch with my closest friends in the judo community of Cebu and have been a card-carrying member of the Philippine Amateur Judo Association for more than 20 years.

When I got my new PAJA ID yesterday from my college buddy and now president of the PAJA Cebu Chapter, Atty. Vicente Fernandez II, he told me about how somebody seems to be trying to destroy the Cebu City Judo Club that has its home in the Cebu City Sports Center (Abellana to those who call it that way).

He told me to check the thread on www.istorya.net about judo and jiujitsu where somebody is trying to destroy the reputation of the club with a question about what the club is teaching.

I feel very bad about this, because I was there when the club started and have worked hard to get a space in the sports center so that judo can continue to thrive in Cebu.

When I was actively competing in the sports alongside Vic during our college days, there were four clubs in Cebu – UP (our club), USC, Cebu Judo Club and Docemusa Judo Club.

The UP club died a natural death years after we left college as the room that we used to occupy had to be used as a classroom.

When we found the space at the Cebu City Sports Center, it was like hitting the mother lode as our club has once again found a home where we can teach judo for free.

The comment made questioning the kind of judo being taught at Abellana (CCSC) was something that was really upsetting.

I hope that the senior instructors of the person, who posted that comment, can call his attention and tell him to do things properly. The act is like hitting somebody below the belt and is not something that people practicing the martial art that espouses the gentle way should do.

The Cebu City Judo Club despite the limited resources has been working very hard to send athletes to the national tournaments and has been earning medals regularly the past few years.

Thanks to the dedication of Vic and other other instructors like my fraternity brother Tracy Tradio, who are teaching for free.

Our desire is only to give back what our instructors like Gogo and Jojo Roa once did by teaching us for free.

I hope this should help set things straight and I'd also like to congratulate Allan Antingua and Bryan Canillo of the Univertsity of Cebu, who won bronze medals last Sunday in the 2009 National Judo Seniors Championships at SM Marikina.

More power to you guys at the Cebu City Judo Club and the players of UC. 

By the way, the guy who posted that message tried to explain his side and I hope he really means it. Let's keep the flame of judo burning so enough of this nonsense.

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It's golfing season once again for kids with the summer programs of Alta Vista Golf and Country Club and Cebu Country Club opening last Monday.

Tomorrow, the Kadaugan sa Mactan 9th Island Tee is also set to tee off at the Mactan Island Golf Club in Lapu-Lapu City.

To all those who will be spending time under the sun, don't forget the sunscreen.

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MILESTONES: Belated birthday greetings to Rosemarie Holganza-Borromeo of the Interpol, who turned a year older last Monday.

The same goes to Louie Palang, who turned a year older yesterday.

Today, I'd like to wish Kent Ong and Alexis Yap of RCTV a very happy birthday!

More power to all of you! (THE FREEMAN)