Wednesday, February 13, 2008 BMPAP eyes pro billiards league in RP
THE Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines wants to usher a new ear of the sport in the country by creating the first Philippine Professional Billiards League (PPBL) later this year.
Perry Mariano of BMPAP told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday that the PPBL will give opportunities to the Filipino billiards players, who mostly rely on tournaments abroad or gambling to earn money for their family, a steady source of income.
“This is for the players, we will go national and this will be a job like the PBA (Philippine basketball Association). They will also receive a monthly salary, SSS, Pag-ibig and other benefits,” said the noted pool manager.
Mariano, who is one of the brains behind the concept along with fellow managers Aristeo Puyat and Jonathan Sy, said in a report posted at Azbilliards.com, that the Pro-billiards league will signal the start of the new era in Philippine billiards.
PBA concept
The newly-formed PPBL of BMPAP, which is recognized by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), will have a season-long tournament with its format and concept patterned after that of the PBA.
They are initially looking at 10 teams, backed by corporate sponsors, of eight players each.
Mariano said they are looking at two seasons a year, with an import-laden conference just like in the pro basketball league.
Draft
Mariano said the country’s top players like Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, Ronnie Alcano, Alex Pagulayan and other top players will be distributed among the teams through drafting to have a balanced competition.
“With the help of our BMPAP chairman Isaac Belmonte, we’re very confident that we could achieve that target. The BMPAP is really dead serious in making sure that the project pushes through this year,” Mariano said in the Azbilliards.com report.
He also said that with the creation of the Pro-billiards league, the players will not to worry about their expenses in any tournament they will compete especially in the international competition since the company will shoulder their expenses in exchange for carrying the name of their company.
He said the tournament will be touring places like Cebu, Davao, and Bacolod and are just waiting for sponsors in the other cities.
“This will make the sport truly a source of pride for the Filipinos,” he said. (NSM)
