UP student tops PBA writing tilt

A UNIVERSITY of the Philippines (UP) student on Sunday bested 44 others in the 2010 Phoenix Fuel-PBA Press Corps Sports Writing Contest at the Araneta Coliseum.

Josiah Israel Albelda was unanimously chosen by a three-man panel after covering Game 3 of the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series between the Alaska Aces and the Ginebra Kings.

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Serving as judges were Willie Caballes, former PBAPC president and current assistant sports editor of the Manila Bulletin, Gerry Carpio, assistant sports editor of the Philippine Star, and Rickie Santos, former Manila Bulletin sports columnist and now PBA operations and technical committee chief.

Albelda was followed by Camille Eugenia Naredo of Ateneo de Manila and Christian Jerome Lagunzad of Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

The first placer will receive P10,000, the second placer P6,000, and the third placer P4,000, along with Phoenix-PBAPC Certificates of Accomplishment.

The awarding of prizes is set at halftime of Game 4 of the Finals between Alaska and Purefoods on Wednesday, with PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios and Dennis Uy, Phoenix Petroleum president, in attendance.

“It is an honor to be part of this project,” said Uy, “and we wish to congratulate the winners.”

Meanwhile, Handy Fix Multi-Purpose Sealant, under chief executive Derrick A. Tan, has agreed to sponsor the PBA Press Corps Finals Most Valuable Player award, which will be given to the most outstanding performer in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup championship series between the Purefoods Giants and Alaska Aces. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)