PSA to honor sports greats, colleagues By Cedelf P. Tupas

The Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) will pay tribute to sports luminaries and its own colleagues who passed away last year in its Annual Awards Night presented by Coca-Cola on March 1 at the Manila Hotel.

Among those who will be honored are two-time basketball Olympian Eduardo Pacheco, Philippine Basketball Association founding commissioner Leo Prieto and legendary car racer Pocholo Ramirez Jr. and Angel "Pappy" Nepomuceno, winningest coach in Philippine bowling history (right) and father of six-time world champion Paeng (left).

Olympic weightlifter Rodrigo Del Rosario, boxing manager and promoter Rod Nazario, former PBA chair and Red Bull team manager Tony Chua, long-time Little League official Serge Bernal, Muay Association of the Philippines president Robert Valdez, Powerlifting Association of the Philippines vice-president Dominic Cabalza and former sports editors Roger Flores and Virgilio "Boy" Manuel will also be remembered.

Leading this year's honor roll is boxing star Manny Pacquiao, who will be given the Athlete of the Decade award during the program also presented by Smart Communications Inc., Pacific Online System Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Harbour Centre, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Accel.

Pool player Rubilen Amit, long jumper Marestella Torres and taekwondo jins Cecille Alarilla, Janice Lagman and Rani Ann Ortega will share the Athletes of the Year award.

 

Republished courtesy of Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila, Philippines (Feb. 18, 2010)