Sunday, August 26, 2007 Hontiveros, Sun.Star, Cesafi play for charity
CEBUANO basketball hot-shot, Dondon Hontiveros, made true his promise to continue a charity program he had started last year.
Hontiveros, San Miguel Beer’s shooting guard and a member of the national team, collaborated with Sun.Star Publishing HR manager Raymund Garcia in the charity game where his team, the San Miguel Beermen, will be challenged by the locals bannered by the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) selection on Sept. 2 at the Cebu Coliseum.
The true blue Cebuano said that this endeavor is his way of giving back to people the blessings that he received and hopes that his actions will inspire more young players to do the same for others in the future.
This is only the beginning of a string of good deeds for Hontiveros and Garcia as the two are now cooking up plans to put up a foundation that will give out scholarships.
For the record
Last year’s charity game was able to raise P400,000 mostly in gate sales. The bulk of which went to the St. Bernard landslide victims and other charitable institution. This year, it will go to the JP Garcia Foundation in coordination with Gawad Kalinga and the Don Bosco Boys Home.
Last year, San Miguel went up against local team M. Lhuillier, but the latter has a busy schedule this year so Hontiveros opted to play against Cesafi. The predecessor of the Cesafi-the CAAA-had catapulted him into staggering popularity.
For their match-up against the pros, Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy said that they will come all prepared for battle as they will field the top players in the league.
Calling the shots for the Cesafi selections is University of the Visayas Green Lancers head coach Elmer Boy Cabahug, who had chosen UV players as the core of his team.
Cesafi Selections will be manned by UV’s pivotal big men led by 6-foot-11 Greg Slaughter, Chris Diputado, Ariel Mepaña, Rino Berame, Michael Luga and Harry Von Lanete.
Help
Cabahug also tapped the services of University of San Carlos’ Enrico Llanto and Niño Ramirez, University of San Jose Recoletos Jaguars John Malinao and Lyndon Gudez, University of Cebu’s Allain Abellanosa, Cebu Institute of Technology’s Sherwin Abobo, Southwestern University’s Eric Zanoria, University of Southern Philippines Foundation’s Moncrief Rogado and Don Bosco College’s Ricmar Perturbos.
SMB will also come full force. Though people will not be seeing Dorian Peña and Danny Seigle, who are currently on vacation, the Beermen will be fielding its first round pick, the 6-foot-9 Samigue Eman.
Garcia for his part said that he calls on everyone to take part in this project because other than ticket prices are very affordable, they will have a chance to help others while enjoying hard core basketball action.
“We’re inviting basketball fans to watch this game kay gawas nga malingaw na sila, makatabang pa sila sa atong less fortunate kids,” said Garcia.
Tickets, which prices range from P30 for general admission, P75 for upper box, P175 for lower box and P250 for ringside, will be available at all Sunstar offices starting Thursday and in Mail and More outlets in SM and Ayala. (MCB)
