Binay, Ming launch Phl badminton ranking system

MANILA, Philippines - Local badminton gets a big boost with the launching of the Philippine Badminton Ranking System (PBaRS), a four-leg nationwide circuit put up to determine the real mettle of the players and rank them according to their strength.

Vice President and incoming Philippine Badminton Association president Jejomar Binay graced the inaugurals of the event last Saturday at the Atrium of Robinsons Place Ermita along with Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez, former First Lady and outgoing PBA president Amelita “Ming” Ramos and Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr.

“We appreciate all the badminton tournaments in the country for the good of the sport,” said the Vice President, a noted badminton enthusiast.

PLDT chair Manny V. Pangilinan, whose GOAL Pilipinas! has included badminton as one of the program’s recipients, was out of the country.

Others who graced the launch were former Olympians Kennie and Kennevic Asuncion and tournament director Nelson Asuncion. The tournament, sponsored by MVP Sports Foundation-Goal Pilipinas! and Yonex-Sunrise, kicks off on March 27 at PowerSmash in Makati with a total prize fund of P1 million at stake, including P700,000 in the centerpiece Open division.

 Meanwhile, registration ends at 6 tonight at the PBaRS office at 20 E. Maclang St. along P. Guevarra, San Juan. For details, contact 725-2568 or telefax 725-4942 or log on to www.pbars.com. The other categories are the Under-15 and Under-19 featuring the men’s and ladies singles and doubles and the mixed doubles events.

The event is backed by Gatorade and Powersmash with The Philippine STAR, TV5, Jam 88.3, Wave 89.1, Magic 89.9, 99.5 RT and 103.5 WOW! as media partners. The elims will be played at PowerSmash until April 1 with the semis and finals set at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on April 2-3.

Meanwhile, Bacolod will host the second on May 29-June 4 while Davao will stage the third leg on July 31-Aug. 6. This will give players in the provinces the chance to play in top-level competitions. The circuit, aimed at further raising the level of play in the country, will culminate in the VP Grand Prix Badminton Open Championships on Oct. 22-29 in Manila.