Sports museum and Cebu's sportsmen

Although I practically spent the whole of yesterday at Yayoy’s Grill, it was actually a very sporty day for me and others involved in various sporting activities in Cebu City.

People involved in various sports organizations aired their concerns as well as their offers to help develop a program for grassroots sports.

On top of that, John Pages, president of the Sportswriters Association of Cebu, who also happens to be a cousin, a fellow sports columnist, a fellow sporting dad, and a fellow in many more things, brought up the plans to set up a sports museum.

This was originally brought up in the email group of SAC and John has moved ahead for the realization of this project working with his Rotary Club and talking with people like Ricky Ballesteros of the Cebu City Sports Center.

The sports museum is still a work in the making and I’m confident that there would be many people, who would come forward and support this.

This sports museum shall also serve as the home of the Cebu Sports Hall of Fame and the memorabilia of the people, who have been enshrined.

Another person, who attended yesterday’s gathering was Ramon Solis, who has been a long-time sporting idol of mine.

Ramon, who has brought the country a lot of honor through his many gold medals won in various international tournaments, is now back in Cebu to help develop our weightlifters.

He is the perfect example for the program that I hope would be developed. This is a program where former national team members, who have retired, would come home to help our young athletes attain their goals.

Ramon has proven that this is possible and so have our volleyball legends like the Jao twins – Marilou Jao-Ramirez and Marichu Jao-San Juan, Thelma Barina, and Grace Antigua. It can really be done.

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I am one of those who are not impressed by Manny Pacquiao’s foray into politics, but the action of Rep. Pacquiao the other day asking his colleagues to focus on their work and not mudslinging was truly a knockout punch.

I’m sure many of the congressmen, who also probably don’t think much of Rep. Manny’s skills, were also stunned to hear him ask them to stop bickering and do their work.

Now that the other congressmen are warned the Pacman can still pack a punch in the halls of Congress, I hope it will encourage them to start doing what the people, who elected them, want done.

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MILESTONES: Belated birthday greetings to my mistah Lt. Col. Haroun Al Rashid Jaji, who turned a year older last Monday. The same goes to my good friend Brucedy Chan and also to Cacay Moras.

Belated greetings also go to Cebu City Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young, who celebrated yesterday. Others, who turned a year older yesterday were Dr. Connie Camaya-Villafania, DBP Director Boboy Durano, Sonia Yuvallos, Mia Bañez-Clerigo and Miriam Uy.

Today’s greetings go to Super Bobby Nalzaro of GMA-7 Cebu and dySS, Sui Nemeño, Cynthia Quimbo-Ruiz, Atty. Marla Barcenilla, and Harry Guinocor.

More power to all of you! – THE FREEMAN