Former world champions Efren "Bata" Reyes and Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan and IPT runner-up "Marvelous" Marlon Manalo head the cast of cue artists seeing action in the premier pool competition organized by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines and Raya Sports.
The BSCP National Championship offers a total prize fund of P2 million, with a cool P1 million going to the champion.
Also competing in the six-day event are Francisco "Django" Bustamante, 2006 Japan Open champion Antonio "Nikoy" Lining, and Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego, who recently won the Bangkok leg of the San Miguel 9-Ball Tour.
Joining them as outright qualifiers in the 64-man main draw is Dennis Orcollo, who won the recent Reno Open and placed third in the IPT tilt in Las Vegas last week.
Ronnie Alcano and Lee Van Corteza, who both won gold medals in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, are also ensured of slots in the event.
Filipino pool players based in the US and the Middle East, including Jose "Amang" Parica, are also slated to participate in the prestigious tournament meant to gather established stars and promising players in the game.
"With the likes of Bata, Alex, Django, Nikoy, Bebeng, Amang and Dennis taking part in the National 9-Ball Championship, we can expect exciting and top-class competition from start to finish," BSCP chairman Yen Makabenta said.
Also at stake in the tournament are four berths in the 2006 Philippines World Pool Championship in November.
Tickets to the event are now available at Ticketworld outlets. Ticketworld, the official ticketing provider of the 2006 NPC, has made tickets available at selected National Bookstore branches, Robinson’s Department Stores, Tower Records, Ayala Center Inc., Greenbelt Ticket Booth Cinema Lobby, Glorietta Ticket Booth Cinema Lobby, and on the Ticketworld web site, www.ticketworld.com.ph.