UP, Puerto Princesa bets win Petron volley opener

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines – A lovely radio disc jockey, a Leila Barros look-alike and four hometown volleybelles from the country’s cleanest and greenest city grabbed the spotlight at the start of the 2009 Petron Ladies’ Beach Volleyball Tournament’s second leg at the Baywalk here.

Mary Ann Panganiban, a pretty DJ of the Mellow Touch (94.7) radio station, and her University of the Philippines partner Rebecca Gail Montero, who resembles Brazilian volleyball great Leila Barros, notched two thrilling wins in the opener of the volley extravaganza that was part of this city’s Pangalipay (Kasiyahan) sa Baybay celebration.

The stunning duo, who elicited the biggest thumbs-up from the local folks during an hour-long motorcade around the city prior to the games, first crushed the challenge of City College of Manila’s Diane Destajo and Renelyn Perez, 21-14, before whipping Feati bets Juniel Reyes and Rocel Moraga, 21-9.

Their UP schoolmates Southlyn Ramos and Pau Genido followed suit with a 21-16 triumph over Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Donna Mae Factor and Bebs Sapalo in this tournament backed by Petron, Speedo (official outfitter), Mikasa (official ball) and the City of Puerto Princesa, headed by Mayor Edward Hagedorn, who made the ceremonial serve, together with organizer Tisha Abundo.

“We want to create awareness about the sports activities that are being hosted by Puerto Princesa, which we want to become a sports and tourism capital of the Philippines,” said Mayor Hagedorn.

With Hagedorn, Vice Mayor Lucilo Bayron and the city’s information officer Al Roben Goh cheering them, Gans Clarianes of Palawan National School and partner Angeline Heredia of Inagawan High, stunned Feati’s Reyes and Moraga, 21-16, before proving their win was no fluke with a 21-14 triumph over Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas’ Verna Imbong and Madel Mendoza.

Using the inspiration of their city mate’s wins, Salve Javarez of Far Eastern University and Pam Ibanes of Holy Trinity College ended the streak of UP bets with a come-from-behind 21-17 win over Lorraine Chua and Amanda Christine Isada, daughter of racing legend Vip Isada.

Chua and Isada, however, bounced back with the day’s most dramatic triumph — a 25-23 clipping of La Salle-Dasma’s Sheila Mae Nanquil and Rizza del Rosario. Destajo and Perez of CCM also rebounded by trouncing the PCU-Dasma tandem of Mendoza and Imbong , 21-15.