VIPs to grace PSA rites

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Chiz Escudero and Pia Cayetano, along with Smart and PLDT chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, are just among the long list of friends of local sports expected to add glitter and glamour to the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA)-Coca-Cola Annual Awards Night at the Manila Hotel on March 5.

Joining the three VIPs in the formal rites presented by the country’s oldest media organization, are top Filipino sports officials and personalities led by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) headed by chairman Richie Garcia, and International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative to the Philippines Frank Elizalde.

Escudero and Pangilinan both served as speaker and special guest of honor during the annual PSA program in 2010 and 2009, respectively.

For Garcia, the guest appearance marks the first time the PSC chairman will be appearing in the formal rites after he was formally appointed last July as head of the government sports agency.

The two-hour rites are also sponsored by Samsung, San Miguel Corp., Harbour Centre, Accel, Philippine Sports Commission, ICTSI, and Pagcor.

Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is this year’s special guest of honor, making him the first active Filipino athlete to be accorded with esteem reverence by the oldest media organization in the land composed of editors and sportswriters from the national broadsheets and tabloids.

All of them will be there to honor and toast the top achievers of the year just past bannered by billiards icon Francisco “Django” Bustamante and the Asian Games gold medalists – boxer Rey Saludar, bowler Biboy Rivera and rising cue artist Dennis Orcullo.

The four have been named Athletes of the Year awardees.

The Philippine men’s football team (Azkals) meanwhile, will be handed out with the PSA Presidential Achievement Award, and its manager, Dan Palami, the Executive of the Year award.

Receiving major awards in their respective fields are 14 outstanding individuals led by the brother tandem of Jean-Pierre and Brian Sabido along with Anthony Matias, who bagged the gold medal in the fifth WTF World Poomsae Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The year’s National Sports Association award is going to be hand out to the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP), while coaching legend Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan and celebrated international boxing referee Carlos Padilla Jr. are to be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Taking their place in the PSA Hall of Fame for 2010 are billiards icon Efren “Bata” Reyes and the late FIDE president Florencio Campomanes.

List of PSA awardees:

Athletes of the Year – Francisco `Django’ Bustamante, Dennis Orcollo, Rey Saludar, Biboy Rivera

PSA Presidential Achievement Award – Philippine men’s football team (Azkals)

Executive of the Year – Dan Palami.

Major Awardees – National men’s poomsae team, national women’s basketball team, national men’s chess team, Warren Kiamco, Miguel Tabuena, Annie Albania, Nonito Donaire Jr, Ana Julaton, Donnie Nietes, Angelo Que, James Yap, RR Garcia, Yes Pogi, Jesse Guce

National Sports Association of the Year – Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP)

Hall of Fame – Efren `Bata’ Reyes, Florencio Campomanes

Lifetime Achievement Award – Carlos Padilla, Virgilio `Baby’ Dalupan

Tony Siddayao Awards – Kiefer Ravena, Melvinne Alcala, Andie Unson, John Keithley Chan, Jerrick Mitra

Citations – Philippine Patriots, Davis Cup, Ateneo Blue Eagles, Ateneo Blue Eaglets, San Beda Red Lions, Kenneth San Andres, Marlon Stockinger, Ronald Salvador,Artemio Murakami, Cyna Rodriguez, Mia Piccio, SMART Sports, ICTSI , Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP), Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA), Milo Marathon, Araw ng Kagitingan Ultra Marathon, Jerick Ternida