Thursday, July 19, 2007 Chiongbian: Rumblings in Dancesport Team Cebu City By Edgar R. Chiongbian Teetime
I WENT to visit Mactan Island GC to meet with GM Joya and check out the improvements on the golf course. I was quite surprised to see paved cart paths on five holes and more on the works. And available now are 24 units of four-seater golf carts for rent. MIGC is a walking course but with these carts, weak-kneed golfers now have the opportunity and the pleasure to enjoy this reinvented golf course.
A lot of maintenance work is going on. Sprinklers are installed on some holes, piped drainage are in place to run rainwater to the lakes instead of just soaking the fairways. Tons of soil sprawled around the course to fill depressions from stone removals. The one-of-a-kind 15th-hole island green has been enlarged to give the golfers a better chance to make the green in one. MIGC is one the venues for the 30th PAL Intersports next month.
DISCONTENT. Cebuanos are very proud of our achievements in the international and national dancesport competitions. However, we are hearing rumblings in the woodwork from dancesport enthusiasts who, I guess are disillusioned. Some people are calling this growing pain. Real or not, one thing for sure, it is not easy to run an organization like this and so it becomes self-governing. Chaos? No, maybe authoritarian.
Add to the confusion is the coverage by reporters, which varies in content. Last Monday I read in the sports section of the other paper and it said that a small contingent of Cebuanos, on their own (to mean financially), went to compete in the national mid-year rankings of dancesport at Philsports Arena in Pasig.
It continued to say that these guys took 10 golds, 4 silvers and 3 bronzes, which was better than last years 2 golds, 5 silvers and 3 bronzes.
While this newspaper said these guys got only five golds, one silver and two bronzes and that they were from the Dancesport Team Cebu City (DTCC), when in fact DTCC reported earlier they did not send a contingent to the competition. What is the real scoop? Are we reporting about the athletes using the point (turo-turo) system or whatever seems right at the time?
Knowing how the Filipino mind works, there could be another dancesport organization sprouting out real soon from disgruntled athletes who have been left out in the cold by insensitive attitudes of the people in the driver’s seat.
Congratulations to: Virginia Oyao and Jumil Balcalso (2 golds in the latin & standard youth A); Kevin Minoza and Rhoda Fernandez (2 silvers in the same category); Jefferson Pimentel and Dane Balili; (2 golds in latin & standard Junior A); Ernhel Sarnillo and Hanna Soon (bronze in the Youth 3), on their first try in the national ranking. For this competition, these youngsters were coached by Tom Ingan and Bong Marquez in the Latin, and Bernie Tamarong, Joel and Anna Madera in the standard dances.
The other winners were Mae Lozada and Anselmo Estillore (gold in special event 1 Latin and bronze in grade C); Danilo Gagani and Princess Inocando (gold in standard event 1 and bronze in grade C); Roland Pacana and Maria Moynihan (silver in standard event 1); Kinue Sakurai and Dandan Almario (gold in standard grade D); Dondon Mertas and Samantha Ho (gold in latin grade D); Torreon and Padillo (gold in Latin grade E); Maricris Hermosa and Manuel Kaalim (gold in latin senior A); Bernie Tamarong amd Sweetheart Camacho (silver in standard A); Joel and Anna Madera (bronze in standard A).
