Bata, Django mamumuno sa coaching staff ng bagong billiards group

MANILA, Philippines -- Pamumunuan nina billiards legends Efren “Bata” Reyes at Francisco “Django” Bustamante ang coaching staff ng bagong National Sports Association (NSA) na National League for Billiard Sports of the Philippines (NLBSPh).

Ang NLBSPh ang ipinalit sa Billiards Sports Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) na sinuspinde ng Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports dahil sa kabiguang magdaos ng regular elections at iba pang isyu.

Makakasama nina Reyes at Bustamante sa coaching staff ng NLBSPh si carom ace Francisco de la Cruz.

“We are very serious in bringing back the luster of Filipino billiards,” ani NLBSPh president Atty. Wharton Chan kahapon sa kanilang general assembly. “We are optimistic the programs we are

laying down will put the Philippines back where it is supposed to be in world billiards."

Tumayong 'caretaker' ang Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) ng BSCP hanggang tuluyan na itong mabigong sumunod sa kautusan ng kanilang continental confederation patungo sa pagkakatanggal nito sa POC.

Dumalo rin sa general assembly sina pool stars Carlo Biado (pocket), AJ Manas (pocket), Alfredo Ferrer, Basil Hassan Alshajjar (snooker), Reyna Maria Legaspi (snooker), Carmille Buhat (snooker), Rubilen Amit (pocket), Michael Angelo Mengorio (snooker), Sofhia Yvanca Rosales (pocket), Rhaki Roj Constantino (pocket), Charles Ladiana (pocket) at Johann Chua (pocket).

Kasama ni Chan, ang secretary-general ng POC, sa NLBSPh executive board sina secretary-general Kevin Wong, treasurer Dr. Paulo Pagteilan Jr. executive director Roselyn Hung at executive director for external affairs Alfredo Ferrer. Naging bisita rin si POC president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino sa kauna-unahang general assembly ng NLBSPh.

Naniniwala si Tolentino na maigigiya ni Chan ang NLBSPh sa tamang landas para sa tagumpay sa mga lalahukang international tournaments.

“We are bringing together absolute icons as players and coaches in Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante with today's fiercest competitors — Rubilen Amit, Chezka Centeno, Carlo Biado, Johann Chua, Basil Hasan Alshajjar and social media sensation AJ Manas,” ani Chan.

Nakatakdang lumahok ang NLBSPh sa darating na Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games at sa Southeast Asian Plus Youth Games sa 2027.