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Friday, December 05, 2003
Nakamura aces JH's 15th hole
HAWAIIAN golfer James Nakamura will ever cherish the morning of Dec. 3 in the Philippines, particularly at a place where the "tropical" temperature that day went down from an average of 14 to 10 degrees Celsius.
The Hui-o-Hawaii par buster at that moment registered the third ace in the 54th Fil-Am international amateur golf tournament at par 3, 15th hole in the 153-yard of the Camp John Hay (CJH) golf course.
As though nature smiled at this mountain resort hosting a great number of sportsmen used to temperate weather in their homelands, the Siberian winds oscillating from China to this spot caused the drop of the mercury since Monday at an average of 10.6 degrees Celsius.
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) local weatherman Pedro Rigos confirmed that the temperature could still go down to this year's lowest of 7.3 degrees Celsius recorded last Jan. 2, if not the lowest ever in the area at 6.3 degrees Celsius on Jan. 18, 1961.
Incidentally, the most ideal Baguio weather can be a factor why local and foreign golfers at this Fil-Am edition were able to match the event's all time high of five hole-in-one.
Based on the report of former City Councilor Nars Padilla, chair of the Fil-Am media, aside from Nakamura, the four other aces were made by Dr. Inocencio Laranang, par 3 13th hole 186 yards, Baguio Country Club (BCC), Floyd de la Cruz, par 3, 10th hole 168 yards BCC; Eddie Jose, par 3, 6th hole 121 yards CJH; and Virgilio Biscocho, par 3, 12th hole, 164 yards, BCC.
Not only foreigners were lured to this city at this time of the year because of the Fil-Am amenities and cool weather, but also celebrities in the movielandia and politics.
Sen. Vicente Sotto III, despite his busy schedule in view of the 2004 presidential elections found time to play in the third round for his Macabud team in Flight "B" Fil Division, in tandem with his brother, movie-television actor Vic Sotto.
To elongate the list, the Fil-Am camaraderie is shared by other celebrities like Tommy Joson III, NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco, Bataan governor Ding Roman, and others.
According to Jeanine Chan, president of the Baguio Association of Hotels and Inns (BAHAI), there remains the availability of hundreds of hotel rooms of those who will decide to be in the city for the long remainder of summer season to savor the unique climate and world-class tourism facilities here.
"We are thankful for these events to happen in our city. Most of all, we always notice an increase of our occupancy rates whenever President Arroyo visits our city," she said.
She said that even with the high standards of lodging facilities here, rates of rooms per day still range from P800 to P3,000, our roughly US$16 to US$54.
Other tourism officials and businessmen concede that Fil-Am remains as the most important sports event in the city which place Baguio in the world map of tourism - the very reason why the City Council has already passed a resolution declaring every first week of December henceforth will be the "Fil-Am Week".-Aure Galacgac and Sim Dilan
(December 5, 2003 issue)
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