THE Davao City Tenpin Bowling Association Inc. (Datba) opens its 18th Kadayawan Open Championships on Monday, August 10, running through August 16 at the SM Bowling Center, SM Lanang Premier, Davao City.
World Bowling Hall of Famer Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno is set to grace this year's tournament anew, following his appearance at last year's edition.
Datba president Rameses Tancontian said the tournament continues to draw strong interest from bowlers of all ages, noting that the sport remains accessible to a wide range of participants.
"Ang bowling kasi is for all. Pwede pang senior, may mga bata," he said.
(Bowling is for everyone. Senior citizens can join; there are also children.)
Tancontian said the tournament has drawn strong participation, with an estimated 130 to 150 bowlers expected to compete this year. Of that number, around 40 are from Davao, while the rest are coming from Manila and Cebu.
The tournament, morally sanctioned by the Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF), features four divisions — Mixed Masters, Mixed Classified, Mixed Seniors, and Mixed Novice — with squads rolling off daily leading up to division finals: Mixed Novice on August 13, Mixed Seniors on August 14, Mixed Classified on August 15, and Mixed Masters on August 16. Tancontian said Datba is looking to expand the tournament to six categories by next year.
Registration fee is set at ₱3,900, inclusive of two sets of three games each, payable in full before the first game. Entry to the Mixed Masters event costs ₱4,000, while the Mixed Classified and Mixed Seniors events are priced at ₱3,700 each, and the Mixed Novice event at ₱2,800.
Aside from the competition, Tancontian said that they are continuously intensifying Datba for their beneficiaries, like the youth bowling clinic and outreach program, which benefited people in Marahan last year. The association is also looking for more sponsors to support the initiative.
Tancontian added that Datba hopes to increase enthusiasm among new players, even women, and encourage more Dabawenyas to join the sport, describing the tournament as an avenue for camaraderie and fellowship among bowlers.
The tournament comes a year after Datba's Bam Tongo won the 17th Datba Kadayawan Open mixed masters title over teammate Crystal Chavez, 198–154, while Nepomuceno placed second runner-up in his return to Davao 50 years after his first title win in the city. GRS
