Looking for Pingris’ father

Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June every year and with the milestone in mind, I thought of asking Purefoods basketball player Jean Marc Pingris Jr., about the whereabouts of his long-lost dad.

Pingris, 24, said he doesn’t know where his father, a Frenchman, is or if he’s alive or not. But he’d like to know, reconnect if he’s still alive and learn of his French roots.

Pingris was only three years old when his father, Jean Marc F. Pingris Sr., left Manila after completing his contract as a consultant with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) in 1984.

According to Pingris, his mother Erlinda Prado of San Manuel, Pangasinan, was a tour guide when she met his father in Manila. She has two children—Joanne, now 27, and Regine, now 26—from a previous relationship with a man who now lives in Canada. Pingris is the youngest of his mother’s three children.

Pingris’ parents were married in Pozorrubio, Pangasinan, and lived in the posh White Plains subdivision in Quezon City before his father left.

Pingris said his father was tall, handsome and curly-haired. He has pictures of him in the family album and recalled being carried in his father’s arms as a little boy. Because his mother is 5-7 and his father 6-5, Pingris grew up to be tall, too—6-3 1/2, to be exact, with an 80-inch wingspan.

According to Pingris, his father was a race car driver in the Formula-1 circuit. He said his father’s mother, who is French, once wrote asking if he could be sent to Paris but nothing ever came of the offer. Pingris was in Grade 4 when the letter arrived. Besides, Pingris said he would never leave his mother.

Purefoods representative to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Board of Governors Rene Pardo tried to google Pingris’ father in the internet but couldn’t find anything conclusive. Pardo said the last time anyone heard of Pingris’ father was when he lived somewhere in Morocco and that was light years ago.

Pingris said his father worked in a submarine in Morocco where he was reported to be missing.

When Pingris’ father left Manila, he promised to return but never did.

There is some feeling of emptiness in Pingris’ heart because he never really knew his father and he’d like to find out whatever happened to him. His girlfriend, actress Danica Sotto, is helping in the search.

Pingris said Danica has gone from website to website in the internet and has come up with 478 hits with the Pingris surname. She plans to dig into each one’s background until there is a link to the PBA star.

"May balak kami ni Danica na pumunta sa France at hanapin ang mga kamag-anak ko (Danica and I plan to go to France and look for my relatives)," said Pingris. "May mga kaibigan at kamag-anak si Danica sa Switzerland na tutulong sa aming paghahanap (Danica has friends and relatives in Switzerland who will help in our search)."

A clue could be provided by his French grandmother’s letter which asked for him to go to Paris. The letter has a return address.

As for Purefoods’ zooming to No. 1 in the PBA standings, Pingris said it’s the result of a lot of hard work, sacrifice and determination.

"Masaya kaming lahat kasi pinaghirapan namin’ yun (We’re all happy because we worked hard for it)," said Pingris. "But hindi pa kami satisfied. Hanggang kailan kami kaya No. 1" Even if kulang kami sa tao, with so many injuries, okay pa rin ang laro namin kasi we play as a team (But we’re not satisfied. Up to when will we be No. 1" Even if we’re shorthanded, with so many injuries, we’re still playing well because we play as a team)."

Pingris said other teams may be complete but if they don’t play with teamwork, they won’t succeed.

"Inspired kami by Eugene (Tejada)," continued Pingris. "Siya ang aming inspiration ngayon, hindi muna ang mga pamilya namin. Lahat kami nagbibigayan—from Papa Jun (Limpot) to Kerby (Raymundo) to James (Yap) to our last man. Pinagpawisan namin ang pagkuha ng outright semifinals slot (We’re inspired by Eugene. He’s now our inspiration, not our families for the moment. We’re all working as a team from Papa Jun to Kerby to James to our last man. We sweated it out for the outright semifinals slot)."

Pingris said his most memorable moments as a player are when he suited up for the Philippine team (with Yap, Ranidel de Ocampo, Erwin Sotto and Rich Alvarez, among others under coach Aric del Rosario) that won the Southeast Asian Games gold medal in 2003, when he won his first championship with Welcoat Paints in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL), when he broke the ring and tore off the hoop from the backboard during a PBL slam dunk contest (won by Niño Canaleta) and when he played in the PBA Finals for Purefoods in the last conference.

Pingris, who loves pinakbet, said of all players, he admires New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter for his talent and Ginebra center Romel Adducul for his attitude.

Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio said Pingris is the only cager he’s seen who can draw oohs and aahs from the crowd by jumping over taller players’ heads to grab a rebound.

"He’s very motivated, inspired, talented and coachable," said Gregorio. "I don’t think his showboating antics are detrimental to the team. It’s just his way of expressing himself. I like his attitude and his athleticism is incredible. I notice after a dunk or a block, he looks at Danica in the stands. That’s why I think he’s very inspired. He’s making a big contribution to our team."

By the way, Pingris leads the league in average blocked shots and is No. 4 in rebounding. He’s averaging a double-double with 11 points and 11.1 boards a game.

Postscript. You have until tomorrow, Wednesday, to submit your entries to ‘The NBA Finals,’ A Sporting Chance, The Philippine Star, R. Oca Jr. and Railroad Streets, Port Area, Metro Manila. Just pick the two teams you think will advance to the title playoffs and in 100 words or less, explain why you love the NBA. We’ll choose 15 winners, each to receive an authentic NBA Finals T-shirt, exclusively from the NBA (not available locally), and a video of ‘The Year of the Yao’ from C-Interactive Digital Entertainment through Tony Atayde of Virtual Ideas. Don’t forget to write your name, address, signature, phone number, age and occupation (if student, what school, grade or year and course) on each entry. You may send your entries—as many as you like—directly to the Star office. Cut-off is 5 p.m. tomorrow.