Hero's welcome awaits So

MANILA, Philippines - World Chess Cup sensation GM Wesley So and his two other companions will get a hero’s welcome when they arrive at 1:45 p.m. today at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via Philippine Airlines.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president/chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay and secretary-general Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino will welcome So and GMs Rogelio Antonio Jr. and Darwin Laylo.

The three players will then be brought to the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Bldg, in Diliman, Quezon City in time for the opening of the National Interclub Chess Championships and the yearend NCFP General Assembly.

“Wesley, Joey and Darwin made the country proud with their participation in the World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia,” said Pichay, who personally supported the three players’ campaign together with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

“In fact, Wesley was even hailed by the foreign chess media as the World Cup’s biggest sensation on the strength of his upset victories over GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and defending champion GM Gata Kamsky of the United States,” said Pichay, also the chairman of LWUA.