Pampanga has one son who truly deserves a recognition.
He is one sports personality I know who is really a very fine gentleman. He just goes about doing his thing – sharing and contributing to sports, particularly basketball, sans fanfare.
Gil Cortez, is a Cabalen who has the sole distinction of being the very first Rookie of the Year (ROY) in the PBA. That plum given in 1976 has given rise also to a recognition of how Kapampangan players could become great athletes. Whether by design or not, Cortez’s recognition has inspired fellow Cabalens who eventually became ROY recipients too. These are Jimmy Taguines in 1977 and Jimmy Manansala in 1978. That’s three consecutive years for Pampanga ballers that was paved the way by Kong Gil who made an impressive debut for the Toyota Super Corollas back in the day. Three consecutive ROYs for Kapampangans can be equated to JunMar Fajardo’s 9 MVP awards.
Kong Gil is still grinding it out developing players who aspire to become basketball greats. His good deeds transcend his good looks. He is still into organizing provincial and regional basketball leagues like the United Central Luzon Athletic Association. This is the very league where the likes of muscleman Vic Manuel and Chris Exciminiano had a stint at in their development years. And talk about player development, Cortez had a hand also in the games of the Trillo brothers and Jayson Webb who were his wards in their playing days at La Salle. The latest most successful probably among current PBA players he had help is the burly Dave Marcelo who was part of the Ginebra champion team of 2016 and two other championships tucked in his belt.
Kong Gil is also into Gilas Pilipinas Youth Boys tryouts with his role as Director for Zone 3 of Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas (SBP). Oh by the way, he also has in mind and heart the coaches. Very recently, he was involved in Coaches Academy organized by SBP. Mind you, he is also into professional volleyball where he had managed the Balipure Water Defenders
In the late1990s, Cortez also handled the Pampanga Dragons in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association where the team emerged as its first champions in 1998 with former San Fernando Councilor and PBA MVP Ato Agustin as point guard.
He was also into sports facilities management with his stint as head of the Pampanga Sports Complex in the City of San Fernando. This was a gargantuan task of overseeing the athletic field and oval, the convention center and other sports facilities as Pampanga’s Sports Director, a position entrusted to him by late former Governor Bren Z. Guiao.
In one of his socmed posts after being featured in Sports Lang FB page, he wrote “Proud Kapampangan Moment” as he enthused being proud to share the coveted ROY award with Taguines and Manansala who followed his footsteps.
The thing now is Pampanga also proud of him as one of its son who has given the province honor and pride? I am just saddened to learn that Kong Gil has not been given the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Award or MOKA yet. For the province’s son to still be doing his share, contributing and developing players, perhaps it is about time for him to be given that recognition. He deserves it and it is long overdue.
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MARCO POLO ORTIGAS MANILA. Saying that it was enjoyable would not even cut it.
Yes, the stay accorded us members of Pampanga Press Club at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila was more than that. It was more than just having fun at this luxurious sky hotel with all the amenities, food and beverage and the warmth of its people. It was a grand stay, redefined.
For one, very rarely that a hotel of such top caliber, would extend a 2-nighter. Pampanga media don’t get to enjoy that privilege. Especially for a second visit already. We were there two years ago and to be invited once again is a total pleasure.
I may not go on without mentioning our good friend Francis David, its dashing and debonair Director of Sales and Marketing and his equally amazing boss General Manager Fredrik Johansson. They were such good hosts, including the beauteous Christine Rosellm Catering Director. Staff Daryl Mendoza and Shamrock Valentin were also splendid with their unenviable task to baby sit us.
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Francis, whom we met in Clark working for another luxury brand hotel, puts high premium on his roots, so to speak. He values so much places and people he has come across with. While he may have been away from Clark for many years now, he still keeps the connection , This, perhaps explains why he has planned for this stay that was immersive to the host community – Pasig City.
Not too many hotels do that. Only those whose executives identify themselves as somebody who also belongs to the city, and has high esteem for it.
Marco Polo is so much in appreciation of Pasig City’s heritage This was seen in our visit that took us the 1912-founded Panadera Dimas-alang, Ado’s Panciteria, Bahay Na Tisa, Maybunga Rain Forest Park and the Pasig City Museum. Not too many among us all probably know of these tourist attractions. Whenever Pasig is mentioned, what probably comes to mind are big malls like SM Megamall and Robinsons Galleria. On my part, add the ULTRA where I used to watch Sonny Jaworski and Ginebra started the Never Say Die basketball credo in the 1980s.
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“Verified as one of the finest properties in the world” says Forbes of Marco Polo.
Not once, not twice nor even thrice. The recognition was given seven times. And rightfully so as this sky hotel in Ortigas has all the fine (read: refined) aspects. Not just the property itself but also the people and service, amenities and offerings. This is where the warmth of reception alone already gives you the homely atmosphere. And yes, this immersive tour is truly a showcase of a hotel that is ever so finest.
