10 Pinoys gain berths in World Pool meet

After the successful staging of the RP Open, the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines is now looking forward to the bigger and tougher World Pool Championship.

The country will host the prestigious world event on Nov. 4 to 12 at the Philippine International Convention Center where 132 players representing 46 countries will vie for fame and fortune.

It will be the first time that the Philippines is hosting the event won by Filipinos Efren Reyes in 1999 in Cardiff, Wales, and Alex Pagulayan in 2004 in Kaoshiung, Taiwan.

"We’re now moving on to the more prestigious World Pool Championship. Our preparations are now on a hectic phase," said BSCP chairman Yen Makabenta yesterday.

With almost three months left and a series of qualifying tournaments to go, 10 Filipino cue artists led by Reyes and Pagulayan are already assured of slots to the WPC.

Aside from Reyes and Pagulayan, winner of the P1 million top prize in last week’s RP Open, also gaining berths to the WPC are Marlon Manalo, Jose Parica, Gandy Valle, Jeffrey de Luna, Ronato Alcano and Dennis Orcullo.

The two others who are in as a result of their strong showing in the ongoing San Miguel Asian Tour are Ramil Gallego and Rodolfo Luat.

Reyes, Gallego and Luat have won the first three legs of the San Miguel event in Singapore, Bangkok and Kaoshiung, respectively. The fourth and last leg is set in Jakarta next month.

Makabenta yesterday told the PSA Forum that he expects at least six more Filipinos to make it to the WPC. — Abac Cordero