Yoyong owes a lot to PBA

CEBU, Philippines —Former Pasig vice mayor and councilor Yoyong Martirez said yesterday he’ll always be grateful to the PBA for securing his future. Martirez, 72, played in the pros from 1975 to 1984, compiling 752 career steals in 126 games and saw action on two championship teams, Royal Tru-Orange with coach Ed Ocampo in 1979 and San Miguel Beer with coach Tommy Manotoc in 1982.

With his 10-year tenure, Martirez was given educational assistance by the PBA and used it for two children, both finishing at UST. He capitalized on his popularity as a basketball star to become a showbiz comedian and politician. Martirez appeared in at least 20 movies and four TV sitcoms while serving 27 years in public service. He made sure his five children earned degrees and two of his 11 grandchildren have also graduated. His only daughter manages the family’s school Martirez Integrated Academy while a son oversees another family business Laguna Hot Springs, another son is a basketball coach, still another son is a Pasig councilor and the last son is an ophthalmologist.

Martirez was employed 25 years at San Miguel Corp. and used to be a Coca-Cola dealer and a maintenance service contractor for two buildings. He and wife Tess will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next year.

A highlight of his career was playing on the Philippine team at the 1972 Munich Olympics where Mark Spitz bagged seven swimming gold medals, eight Palestinian militants attacked the Olympic Village to kill two Israeli athletes and hold nine others hostage and the US basketball team lost to Russia, 51-50, on a controversial buzzer-beating shot in the last three seconds that were replayed thrice. Martirez was in the stadium for the gold medal game and recalled US guard Doug Collins was a lookalike of PBA player Rudy Kutch.

Martirez was born in Catbalogan, Samar and moved to Cebu where he lived for 11 years playing basketball and running 100 and 200 meters in high school and college. He was recruited by San Miguel coach Ning Ramos and relocated to Manila where the road led to stardom with the national team and in the PBA. He returned here as EASL’s special guest to witness the Final Four at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City this weekend. “It’s an honor for Cebu to host the EASL Final Four,” said Martirez. “EASL has brought the highest level of basketball in East Asia to Cebu which is a tourist destination. My sister lives in Cebu and I visit every year. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to show our hospitality to our EASL visitors and maybe, EASL will make this a yearly event in Cebu.”