Saturday, March 03, 2007 Boking, Magbalot sponsor cage meet By Dante M. Fabian
MABALACAT -- Mayor Marino "Boking" Morales has announced the opening of the Inter-Toda Basketball League in Barangay San Francisco here at 4 p.m. on Saturday, a municipal official said Friday.
Dionisio "Jun" Magbalot, municipal administrator, disclosed to Sun. Star Pampanga that at least 15 teams will join the league for some 2,000 tricycle drivers here. He added that the teams will not pay a single centavo for their entrance fees.
Magbalot said he will be assisted by Nick Pecson and Manny Dingal, a former member of the Mabalacat Selection basketball team, to ensure the smooth flow of the basketball league. The municipal administrator will also sit as the league commissioner.
Magbalot said the contest was realized when Morales instructed him to make "worthy and healthy projects for his constituents.
Earlier, Magbalot spearheaded the recent successful multi-sports tournament for the some 500 municipal employees.
Dingal said the Mabalacat Referees Association (MRA) will officiate the games at the covered court in San Francisco.
MRA president Edwin Lazatin praised Morales and Magbalot for giving them the opportunity to officiate the contest for tricycle drivers. He added that Morales "is indeed pro-poor and he will do everything to give livelihood to the people."
Dingal said Morales is expected to toss the ball in the ceremonial jump ball in the opening game.
