THE National Correspondents Club of Baguio (NCCB) Kafagway Sports Program Committee congratulates Edward “The Landslide” Folayang for retaining the ONE World lightweight championship crown against Malaysian MMA superstar Ev Ting, last week.
Folayang, like a wounded tiger, attacked his opponent with his devastating strikes and flying kicks from the first round to the fifth to gain a unanimous decision from the three judges. The Baguio Team Lakay warrior was given a standing ovation by the thousands of spectators at the “Kings of Destiny” fighting venue in Quezon City.
Folayang, a veteran Southeast Asian Games gold, silver and bronze medalist before he shifted to MMA received the championship belt from Senator Manny Pacquiao who watched our ONE national hero’s aggressive performance on the sideline, together with former Vice President Jojo Binay and group of top government officials.
After the brief award ceremony, Folayang who sustained a cut on his right eyebrow caused by a headbutt and a swell below his left eye thanked profusely his overseas fans as well as the throng of spectators who crowded the gym to watch the sports spectacles. He also thanked his Cordillera supporters and teammates for their prayers and support.
“I trained very hard with outmost dedication and I also prayed very hard to the Lord to earn the victory,” the Bontoc Igoriot Baguio resident added. On its own, the NCCB and the devotees of the Shrine of the Brown Madonna, last Sunday during its regular 4th Sunday Holy Mass at the Shrine also dedicated the occasion as a thanksgiving offering for the victorious Team, Lakay superstar and teammates.
I remember vividly that some years ago, the NCCB Sports Award Committee together with Tong Candelaria, president of the Wushu Federation of the part for Folayang, Mark Sangiao and other top national wushu every time they came home with their rich harvest of medals.
The events gave added inspiration to the athletes while our Magandang Baguio and the Cordillera Region beamed with pride, prestige and glory.
Last January, Folayang, led a core of the most outstanding international athletes from our highland region who were recognized and presented distinguished achievement awards by the NCCB Kafagway International Sports Luminary Awards Committee held at the Silungan Center of the City Social Welfare and Development Office along Upper Session Road.
The honorees which included veteran senior citizen athletics ace Erlinda Lavandia, wushu two times gold medalist Divine Wally, father and son car racing champions Carlos and Inigo Anton, Lakay founder Sangiao, among others, were also honored with a “lechon-pinikpikan” fellowship party, courtesy of City Councilor Lilia Farinas, CSWDO officer Betty Fangasan, Tong Candelaria and yours truly as NCCB President and Kafagway Sports Award Program chairman which started in 1986.
The other victorious ONE Championship fighters from the city last week were 28-year old Kevin Belingon, Honorio Banario, Danny Kingad and Team Lakay lady warrior Gina “Conviction” Iniong. Oh yes, Team Lakay was also NCCB Kafagway Sports “Team of the Year 2016” awardee. Again, we raise our glass of “tapoey” to honor our ONE Championship heroes and heroine! May your tribe increase as the years come and go.
Yesterday, was the last and final day of the 21st National Social Welfare and Development Forum and National Assembly held at the SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang in Davao City.
The convention was sponsored by the Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines (ALSWDOPI) headed by its incumbent president, our very own, Betty Fangasan.
Betty also served as the overall chairperson of the four-day general assembly which started with a bang last April 25, highlighted with the ALSWDOPI awards program honoring the most outstanding government executives in the municipalities, cities and provinces and other instrumentalities in social welfare and development undertakings.
Happily, our warmest and most sincere congratulation to city mayor Mauricio Domogan who was cited as one of the two national “Gawad Parangal” awardees in the Highly Urbanized City category. The other awardee was City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan of Angeles City. Congratulations to all the awardees.
Congratulations also to CSWDO delegates to the convention which included CSWDO Assistant City Social Welfare and Development Officer Edith Furigay, social workers Myrna Valencerina, Ana Codley, Florecita Tul-an, Joy Hilario, Jeterda Junio, Liza Balao, Ellen Dayag, Annie Germaine Alngangeo and Coralie Dulnuan.
Mrs. Fangasan and other ladies will surely have their hands full of work when they arrive here in the city by the weekend. On the trail ahead, is the inaugural program of the newly constructed third floor of the Senior Citizens Center at Salud Mitra Barangay, scheduled on May 1 as part of the commemorative Labor Day celebration on the city, My good friend Punong Barangay Edita Ibarra, president of the Federation of Baguio Senior Citizens Association (FBASECA) is also deeply involved in the inaugurals.
Edita told me last week that the additional floor in the Center will become a “one stop” center for Senior Citizens activities to include the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), FBASECA, the Philippine Government Retirees Association (PGRA) Baguio Chapter and other elderly associations in the city. I hope that BEA will be given an office space in the center.
This morning the monthly general assembly of the BAROP Foundation will be led at the Center along Bokawkan Road. All the officers and members of the foundation are reminded to please attend the meeting in uniform. The meeting will start at 9am in the morning.