US ambassador to coach Smokey Mountain baseball team

MANILA, Philippines –  As one of the ways to promote his favorite sport, US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. is participating as honorary coach of the Smokey Mountain Team in the International Little League Association baseball tournament at 10 a.m. today at the “Field of Dreams” in Tondo, Manila.

The game is part of the regular baseball season of Little League Philippines and will mark the facing off of the boys’ teams from two chapters: The Smokey Mountain Little League Chapter and the International Little League Association of Manila.

“Smokey Mountain’s great team and the inspiring story behind the rise of this field are also improbable stories of success and hope,” Thomas told The STAR in a text message.

The Field of Dreams located in Paradise Heights in Tondo is part of the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Community Development Foundation’s project in the former dumpsite Smokey Mountain. In 2006, GK conducted educational programs for the children in the area who were mostly into gangs and drugs. The team cleared away a huge heap of garbage on an open field and started sports activities for the kids such as baseball and softball.

Earlier this year, GK in partnership with the Junior Chamber International-Manila Chapter built a proper baseball field on the site. A football field next to it was also constructed for their football program.

Many of the children who have participated in the baseball, softball and football programs have left their life of violence and addiction and gone on to obtain athletic scholarships for college.

The most outstanding success story from this program is that if Jenny Pangilinan, who used to scavenge in the dumpsite to survive. She was able to join the Philippine Women’s Softball Team and competed with them in the Big League Softball tournament in Michigan, where she was named the tournament’s best pitcher. She also secured a scholarship at the University of the East for a BS degree.

GK is seeking funding to upgrade the facilities of the Field of Dreams as well as the classroom made from recycled container vans.

“With the help of our friends throughout the Philippines, we are confident that baseball will blossom again here,” Thomas added.