Table tennis thriving in Lapu-Lapu City

Sunday, June 19, 2011

FORMER Southwestern University (SWU) table tennis varsity Maria Charito “Tata” Plando said the table tennis community in Lapu-Lapu City is growing.

Plando, who spearheaded the recent Lapu-Lapu Table tennis Open of the 50th Lapu-Lapu City Charter Day last Friday, was overwhelmed by the support of sports and tourism chairman Harry Radaza, who included table tennis in the charter day celebration.

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“Table tennis is a very popular sport here in Lapu-Lapu next to basketball. Kada naa fiesta diri, we always have a tournament,” said Plando, who is the acting president of the Mactan Table Tennis Association, a group she founded in 1998.

One of their products is the top University of Cebu player Daniel Jay Tormis, who recently won a gold medal in the 17-Under division of the Philippine National Games (PNG) In Bacolod.

“Tormis, who is from Opon, has been playing with us since he was four years old,” Plando said.

Tormis, along with the other Cebuano table tennis members, was recommended by Table Tennis Association of the Philippines (Tatap) to represent the country in the Southeast Asian Table Tennis Championship in Vietnam after they defeated the RP team mainstays during the PNG.

According to Plando, it has always her ambition to discover Lapu-Lapu City players who will become top table tennis players.

During the one-day tournament, Jess Dano defeated Roger Misa, 4-1, for the title.

Dano cruised to the finals after blanking Ronaldo Halasan, 3-0, in the semifinals, while Misa secured the final seat after defeating Evan Lampago, 3-0.