Liga Dabaw tips off

Liga Dabaw tips off
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey

LIGA Dabaw, a sports project conceived not only to stage the game closest to the Filipino's heart but also an undertaking with a social commitment, tips off Saturday afternoon at the Davao City Recreation Center.

A brief but momentous opening ceremony will precede the formal opening of the league aimed to give basketball a major boost in this part of the land, with Davao City's stakeholders joining hands for a significant endeavor for the people to savor.


Businessman and sportsman Guillermo P. Torres Jr. of the University of Mindanao (UM) is at the forefront of the big undertaking as Liga Dabaw president and chair of its Board of Trustees composed of prominent personalities whose passion for the sport is immeasurable.



Liga Dabaw secretary general William "Butch" Ramirez said they are not staging an ordinary tournament, but rather a special one for the league will also cater to the city's poor children in need of government help.

"Liga Dabaw is not only a league of basketball among collegiate, sectoral and commercial teams, but a sports activity with a social commitment focused on the destitute children and street kids. Giving them education and allows sports as vehicle to break the cycle of poverty," Ramirez said.

Torres and Ramirez met with the stakeholders and other members of the Board during a fellowship dinner Thursday night at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Some of those present were vice chair lawyer Manases R. Carpio, husband of Davao City Mayor Inday Sara-Duterte, treasurer Juan V. Ramirez, Councilor Jose Louie Villafuerte, Christopher "Bong" Go of the Office of the Vice Mayor, lawyer Jessie Marvin Melodias of the General Services Office and Samahang Basketbol on Pilipinas Region 11 derictor Regino "Boy" Cua and lawyer Ruben Abarquez.

Liga Dabaw also received as much-needed boost after Cua turned over to Torres a P50,000 check as SBP-Davao's support to the league.

A total of seven teams will be playing in the Collegiate Division, while 12 squads are competing in the Collegiate Division. In the Sectoral Division, some 13 teams are participating.

SBP chair Manny V. Pangilinan and his executive director Noli Eala have been invited to grace today's opening rites as guest speaker and special guest, respectively. Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte is also expected to give an inspirational talk.

Torres will do the welcome remarks while Ramirez will introduce the participating teams and give a brief background of how Liga Dabaw came to be.

Today's opening rites, which will start at 1:30 p.m., will start with a prayer to be led by Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla.

"Sports is the best school of life. For me, every boy and girl must have an opportunity to go through an education. Only so we will be able to have a generation fit for the future, a generation able to cope with the many challenges of our lives," Ramirez said.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on January 08, 2011.