MANILA, Philippines - The country’s leading junior tennis players and rising stars brace for another busy year as the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Regional Age Group 2015 presented by Tecnifibre stages a 38-leg nationwide circuit beginning Jan. 15-19 in Ormoc City.
The country’s leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center and Tecnifibre have re-affirmed their support to junior tennis as they lined up a series of ranking tournaments aimed at further boosting the sport that has seen the emergence of young talents from Philta’s year-long, nationwide program.
“It has been our desire to help boost the sport and at the same time tap new talents who can be developed and trained to become world-class athletes,” said Bobby Castro, COO of Palawan Pawnshop.
“The Palawan Pawnshop regional age-group series hopes to serve as a venue for junior players to hone their skills and talents and give opportunities to compete against the best,” said Philta president and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez.
The circuit, sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association and staged in the key cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, is backed by Philta’s regional vice presidents, including Mayor Ramon Orfanel (Region 4A), Ferdinand Medina (Region 1), Mayor Rollen Paulino (Region 3B), Dr. Andres Bayona (Region 6A), Fernando Arguelles (Region 6B), Jesus Lagman (Region 7A), Ernesto Uy (Region 7B), Mario Rizon (Region 7C), Ken Salimbangon (Region 7D), Rafael Antonio Muñoz (Region 8), Jimlani Imlan (Region 9), Carolina Angel (Region 11B) and Dr. Julian Galinato (Region 12).
Inspired by the success of their 30-stage tour last year, launched to address the need for a national tournament program for junior tennis, the circuit is also designed as a conduit of Philta in developing a positive outlook among the youth.
For details, call Palawan Pawnshop secretariat at 09154046464.
In Mindanao, Palawan Pawnshop and Tecnifibre opened the tournament for free in an effort to encourage more young players to participate and at the same time help boost the local host clubs’ junior development program.
“This junior tennis program is designed to instill the benefits of physical fitness and core values that promote tennis and aid in addressing the problem of juvenile delinquency,” said Tecnifibre Manager and former Davis Cupper Roland So.
Four National Opens, featuring the country’s aces, will spice up this year’s staging of the circuit, including the Cainta Open on March 18-22, the Olivarez Open on Aug. 14-30, the Tuna Festival Men’s Open in Gen. Santos City on Sept. 4-13, and the Dagitap Tennis Festival Open in Naga City, Cebu on Dec. 17-22.
Palawan Pawnshop has poured in P5 million while Tecnifibre has chipped in P1 million in kind to sustain the 38-leg grassroots circuit also held to mark Palawan Pawnshop–Palawan Express Pera Padala 30 years of excellence and at the same time share the company’s blessing with the Filipino masses.