August 2020 – Cebu Sports Blog by John Pages

All you need is Lab

Yesterday, I narrated how I transformed from being a dog-hater to a dog-Lab-er. I love dogs. No day passes when I don’t play with, squeeze, talk to and walk our four Labrador Retrievers: Bolt (8 yrs. old, brown), sisters Butter and Bean (2 yrs. old, yellow and black), and the puppy of Bolt and Butter, which we named Burger (she’ll turn one this Nov.).

Thanks to this no-thanks pandemic Covid-19, one “positive” has been our being able to spend more time with the dogs.

Jourdan Polotan, my BCBP brother, taught us a formula that we practice. Jourdan calls it EDA: Exercise, Discipline and Affection. The man we call the “Cesar Millan of Cebu” because of his ability to let dogs stay calm and follow his orders, Jourdan advised that EDA should be done in sequence. Before showing affection to your dogs, let them exercise and provide discipline first. Remember this acronym: EDA.

Twice daily, we let our dogs exercise. At 5:45 a.m., our househelp take the dogs on a 20-minute uphill/downhill stroll. They also do their “business” (poop) during this time. Late afternoons, it’s my turn to bond with Bolt, Butter, Bean and Burger. Yes, the 4Bs. I bought two leashes from Caminade and each leash has two chain extensions. With each hand pulling a leash with two mini-chains, I’m able to walk all four Labradors by myself.

Exercise is essential for dogs. I read an article last week that Germany will soon enact a “Dogs Act,” a law requiring that dogs be walked twice a day. Exercising with dogs serves a dual purpose: Both you and your pets get to sweat (in my case, with the 4Bs) and you’re able to fulfill another B: bond with them.

During this pandemic, dogs have an added role in our lives. They help us relax and feel better. Dogs possess healing powers.

In “The Mood-Boosting Power of Pets” (from HealthGuide.org), the article says: “One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that pets fulfill the basic human need for touch.. Stroking, hugging, or otherwise touching a loving animal can rapidly calm and soothe you when you’re stressed or anxious. The companionship of a pet can also ease loneliness, and most dogs are a great stimulus for healthy exercise, which can substantially boost your mood and ease depression.”

In “How Dogs Can Help with Depression,” the author Greer Grenley writes: “Dogs can contribute to your happiness. Studies show that dogs reduce stress, anxiety and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and improve your all-around health. For example, people with dogs have lower blood pressure and are less likely to develop heart disease—just playing with dogs has been shown to elevate oxytocin and dopamine, creating positive feelings and bonding for both the person and their pet.”

Everybody needs some extra love these days. The world’s best anti-depressant, it’s said, has four legs, a wagging tail and comes with unconditional love.

“A dog,” they say, “is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”

Dog Lover

I used to detest these four-legged creatures called “man’s best friend.” Back when I was little and our dog got ran over by a car and tears flowed down my mom’s cheeks, I asked, “Why cry over an animal?”

That was 28 years ago. Now, the sun doesn’t set before I bend down to cuddle, talk to and smother with hugs our Labrador Retrievers.

It started in August 6, 2012. That’s when our first dog arrived. It was the Opening Day of the London Olympics — and so we named him “Bolt,” after the speediest man on earth, Usain Bolt.

At three months old and color brown, Bolt injected a bolt of puppy love into our home. After each schoolday, our then 13-year-old daughter Jana — who was the culprit in convincing us to transplant this hairy creature into our lives — would cuddle and embrace Bolt.

For six years until 2018, Bolt remained our only pet. We’d often play games with him. His favorite: throwing the tennis ball up high as he jumps, in full acrobatic midair (with legs sideways) mode, to catch the yellow orb. Then we’d reward him with his all-time favorite snack: bananas. Bolt loves bananas. His tail would wag and he’d stick out his wet tongue before we say “Sit!” and he’d relax and wait to devour the yellow slices.

Two years ago, we decided to find Bolt a girlfriend. We bought a yellow Lab from a breeder in Subic. But when “Mango” arrived by her lonesome inside a cage via a Clark-Cebu flight, she was in distress, shaking. She had parvovirus and did not last more than a week. It was a sad day. (Lesson learned: never again buy a puppy online — despite those irrestible Facebook photos.)

Jojo Oquias, my neighbor, came to the rescue. His Labrador Retriever (Whitney) just gave birth. When Jana came home from Manila for a short break and we visited the two-month-old puppies, we were smitten.

We decided to get two female Labs: Bean (color black) and Butter (yellow). (An interesting sidenote: the name of Bean’s dad is Kobe. And when you research the full name of the late NBA superstar, it’s “Kobe Bean” Bryant. We didn’t plan this but realized it later.)

When the girls arrived in late 2018, Bolt went berserk. After six years as a lone ranger, Bolt inherited two lovely girlfriends. And so, the inevitable happened: six months later, Butter got pregnant.

Sixty five days after — last November — my wife Jasmin and I arrived home just in time (5 p.m.) to assist in Butter’s giving birth to five healthy puppies. Jana was in Ateneo de Manila then and, thanks to Viber, her OB-Gyn parents livestreamed the occasion.

Early this year (when they turned three months), we gave away four puppies: to my dad Bunny (Sky, yellow male), Ariel Uy (Bailey, yellow female), James Co (Brenda, yellow female) and Dr. Ronnie Medalle (Ashe, black male).

Before the puppies were born, Jana wished that one of them would be a brown female. Her wish came true and we kept one puppy and named her Burger.

Thank you, ALA

“After 35 years, ALA Boxing (ALA Promotions and ALA Gym) would like to say Farewell and Thank you to our supporters from all over the world,” read the opening line of the letter disseminated to the media last Tuesday.

The two-combination punches of COVID-19 and ABS-CBN’s closure have knocked-out ALA Boxing. But like many KOs in this sport, the fighter can stand up. He can request for a rematch or resurrect from retirement. As my columnist-neighbor Atty. Jingo Quijano pointed out, we hope this is a temporary stoppage. What will stop ALA Boxing — led by Michael Pastrano Aldeguer — from making a comeback? If Oscar de la Hoya can do it..

From 1985 to 2020, Antonio Lopez Aldeguer and the boxing outfit bearing his acronym have produced some of the most exciting moments in Philippine sports. I’d like to honor ALA Boxing by enumerating some of the countless accomplishments. Allow me to reprint (from their Official Statement) the highlights:

Helping the less fortunate street kids have better lives.

Grassroots development program in the 1980s.

Jampacked crowds in Cebu Coliseum featuring Edito “ALA” Villamor, Gerry Peñalosa and the ALA Boys with their famous black trunks in the 1990s.

Golden Boy Promotions partnership (2006): Battle of Cebu WBO world title fight between Z “The Dream” Gorres vs. Fernando Montiel with over 25,000 spectators at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Cebu Coliseum (2008) “Laban na Banal” WBA world title fight between AJ “Bazooka” Banal vs. Rafael Concepcion.

“Pinoy Pride,” the most successful and longest-running boxing series in Asia: launching (2010) at the Waterfront Cebu, Mall of Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum.

ALA Promotions – the only Philippine outfit to stage fights in Dubai and the U.S.

Donnie “Ahas” Nietes: producing and guiding one of the Philippines’ best ever fighters, solely through the Pinoy Pride events. Nietes became only the third Pinoy boxer to make it to the Ring Magazine Top 10 Pound for Pound (other two are Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire). He is a four-division world champ and the longest-reigning Filipino champion.

Pinoy Pride 30 “D Day” Donnie Nietes and Nonito Donaire (2015) in the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire event with Top Rank (2016) that drew over 20,000 spectators.

ALDEGUER’s PASSION and CARE. When I look back at having witnessed many of the ALA Boxing events, what stands out most are these two:

Bidoy and Michael Aldeguer’s passion. Their deep-rooted love and devotion for the sport. Their can-do spirit for the progress of boxing.

Bidoy and Michael Aldeguer’s care. They treated their boxers like family. They’d pull them out from poverty, house them, feed them, train and tutor them with the right values; mold them to be respectful — while pummeling the enemy. Selflessness is a trademark of ALA.

Queen Mary’s Kitchen

I am here to promote one of the thousands of new businesses that have sprouted since Covid-19 struck.

If you want to savor delicious muffins, you ought to type “Queen Mary’s Kitchen” in Facebook and place an order. The baker behind these muffins? Clue: Though she uses her hands for this venture, her main profession involves her legs and feet.

Mary Joy Tabal, the queen of running, is now the princess of her kitchen. Used to running hundreds of kilometers outdoors, she was confined indoors, like all of us, starting March.

“Grabeh ako prayers (I prayed a lot), like every night jud, praying for something that would divert my worries, my overthinking,” Joy said of those early weeks. “I always want to be productive and the lockdown was so difficult. I realized that I needed to be creative and think of something that I love and have control of. I believe that whatever we feed will grow.”

Joy’s business started on June 21, Father’s Day.

“I dreamt about my Papa (Rolando, who passed away in 2017) before opening Queen Mary’s Kitchen and he has been my inspiration,” she said. “My papa was a very good cook and I was beside him when I was young. He taught me a lot in the kitchen. When I bake, I always think of my Papa.”

The 6-time Milo Marathon champ opted for baking muffins instead of cooking viands because, she said, “It’s an achievement when you get the right recipe and you’re able to give those who like it joy.”

Since Joy started, she has sold (as of yesterday) 2,755 muffins. That’s impressive (over 40 per day) for a first-time entrepreneur.

“The work is draining because I don’t only do the baking,” she said. “I also work on the packaging, the logo, the designing, the Facebook postings, the promos.”

But it’s all worth it, said the first Filipino to run the marathon in the Olympics (2016 Rio Games). When someone tells Joy that it’s “lami” or “perfect ang sweetness” and when they do repeat orders and become a “suki,” Joy is overjoyed.

I ordered four boxes last Friday. Inside was an assortment of colors and flavors: Banana, Choco-cheese, Banana Milo, and Coffee-choco. The verdict, in the words of my daughter Jana, “the muffins are moist, filling and tasty!” And the package came with a bonus: a Milo powdered drink sachet whose star model was none other than Ms. Joy Tabal. She autographed it with a note of thanks.

“My biggest dream,” she told me, “is to put up my own cafe. A place where I can display everything about my journey while you sip your coffee. You can roam around the shop and read my stories and the journey I’ve had while displaying my goodies. I want to start slow and learn along the way but I look forward to achieving that dream.”

Joy’s determination is evident in both the track oval and the kitchen oven.

“I promised myself that I will put the same hard work and passion (from running) to baking,” she said. “You have to love what you’re cooking or baking and put your heart into it. Papa once told me that the perfect recipe is the one made of pure love and joy.”

Donnie Nietes, entrepreneur

I had a 22-minute-long conversation yesterday with the country’s longest-reigning boxing world champ. Since he scored a TKO against Ricardo Albia in Jan. 29, 2005, the Murcia, Negros-born boxer has not lost in 15 years. But today, boxing is farthest from the mind of Donnie Liboon Nietes.

“Wala na gyud ang boxing (boxing is dead) this year,” said the ALA Boxing Gym legend. “I am not confident in being able to get a fight.”

Nietes with Michael and Antonio Aldeguer

At 38 years old, he was aiming for that career-ending “Dream Fight,” possibly against Chocolatito, Estrada, Ioka or Rungvisai. But Covid-19 struck. To keep himself busy, Donnie exercises daily. At his home in Canduman, Mandaue, a punching bag and speed ball are often battered by his spitfire punches. But it’s biking that he relishes most.

“I have a fat bike (Specialized brand) and I bike at least 3 times a week,” said Donnie. He’s been pedaling the fat bike for three years and used to go offroad trekking with 15 of his friends. But since the lockdown, he often goes solo or, at most, with three others.

“I wear a bonnet because it’s hard to breathe wearing a face mask,” said Donnie, who prefers biking at night, using headlights and blinkers, from 5 to 9 p.m. He also has two fixie bikes.

The boxing champ with John Pages, Ron Eullaran, Ronnie Medalle and Oscar Surez

On boxing, Donnie admitted: “Wala na gyud ta mahimo if boxing ang saligan. Ma pobre gyud ta. (We cannot rely on boxing or else we will become poor).”

Last week, he bought a Kia Bongo truck. “Lipat bahay” services, he calls it, hauling large items from clients anywhere in Cebu. In his Facebook post yesterday, his truck was fully loaded and en route to Bogo City. The driver: Donnie Nietes. “Ako syempre ma-ngunay (I do it myself),” he said.

Supplier of vegetables is another goal of Donnie. He visited farmers in Mantalongon, Dalaguete and aims to deliver fresh supplies to his contacts in Mandaue. “Tabang sad ni sa farmers (this will also help the farmers). They have difficulty with transportation,” he said, targeting to supply “repolyo, pechay, kamatis, sibuyas bombay, pipino, sili, luy-a.”

Donnie also sells Kimchi. No, he doesn’t prepare it himself but has a Korean friend who acts as supplier. Chorizo, alcohol, face masks — these are more items the champ sells.

In Balamban, he has a sand and gravel trucking business (with a partner) and they deliver to Dumanjug, Barili and Toledo.

Botin LPG? Yes, Donnie is a dealer of these refillable LPG canisters (used for portable gas stoves). “Safe and legal ni ang Botin!” Donnie said proudly. He’s also happy that one of his resellers is a dear friend: boxing coach Edito Villamor. “Aside from Botin LPG reseller si Coach Dito, I also plan to supply him with vegetables so he can sell them near his home in Pagsabungan, Mandaue.”

To do business with Donnie — and get the chance of speaking with a Cebu icon — you can message him in his Facebook page or text/call him at 09177168787 or 09338574078.

“Bisag unsa,” he said, “basta maka-negosyo ta.”

That resilience and resourcefulness, my dear friends, is what makes a champion.

Ironman 70.3

Today, August 9, would have been the ninth edition of the Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 race here in Cebu. It was in August 2012 when triathletes first dove into the white sand shores of Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and swam 1.9 kms., when they pedaled 90 kms. to do loops around the South Road Properties (SRP), and when they ran a half-marathon under the scorching noontime heat in Punta Engaño.

Before 7 a.m. today, the starting gun would have been fired in Mactan as thousands of hearts from all over the globe would have started the swim-bike-race craze that’s nicknamed IM70.3.

Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, Jr. is the man responsible for bringing the Ironman brand to the Philippines. He’s Cebuano. We know plenty of successful Cebu-based businessmen family-named Uytengsu.

Fred was born here in Cebu City. And though he was raised in Manila and studied college in America, where better to bring triathlon than a place you call home: Cebu.

“It’s unfortunate that we won’t be able to stage the Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 event for obvious reasons,” Fred wrote me yesterday. “This event is world recognized and popular with many professional and age group triathletes. It also brings a lot of tourism dollars to Cebu.”

Each August for the past eight years, an estimated 10,000 people — including 2,500 triathletes — converge in Cebu for this spectacle. Organized by Sunrise Events, Inc., the Cebu race is often recognized as one of the world’s best, twice hosting the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championships. Participants get to compete alongside pros like Tim Reed, Mauricio Mendez, Belinda Granger and Caroline Steffen.

Back in 2014 when I joined as runner for a relay team, one of the bike relay participants was Pete Jacobs. He was the 2012 Ironman World Championships (Kona, Hawaii) winner. While Pete Jacobs was readying his bike before the Cebu race began, he kept looking at the bike beside him (a sleek Pinarello) and wondered who professional might be beside him. It was my bike relay teammate and best friend Dr. Ronald Eullaran! I can’t think of any other event where you get to stand and prepare beside the world champion.

*Pete Jacobs (right) with our swimmer Rap Sios-e and cyclist Dr. Ronald Eullaran*

With the Regent Aguila Ironman 70.3 race, this 2020, we were struck by Covid-19. And though Sunrise Events, through the indefatigable general manager Princess Galura, did all it could to prepare for the race, there was no stopping this ruthless virus.

“We are guided by ‘safety first’ even as Cebu is on GCQ,” said Fred, bowing to this unseen enemy that has disturbed all sporting events worldwide.

“We would have had to be comfortable enough with our revised safety protocols to hold an event amidst the pandemic and this would have resulted in a drastically smaller race,” said Fred.

“So while we are all disappointed, we realize we are dealing with a much bigger issue and we all have to do our part to observe safety and help mitigate the risks of Covid-19.”

As for the sport of triathlon, Mr. Uytengsu believes that, while racing is on a hiatus, the urge to train and compete will return.

“Once the situation improves,” he said, “I believe triathletes will resume their usual training regimen and the sport of triathlon (and Ironman) will continue to flourish in the Philippines and around the world.”

“Triathlon is not a hobby, it is a lifestyle,” he said. “So many people are new to the sport and are just getting situated. I expect the pent up demand to result in a lot of racing… hopefully in 2021.”

Fred Uytengsu added: “We hope to return to Cebu to continue this great tradition.”

2012 Ironman 70.3 Cebu: Pete Jacobs (center) with (from left) Gandhi Truya, Roger Cuenco, Meyrick Jacalan, John Pages and Tenggoy Colmenares

Fred Uytengsu

The Cebuano who brought Ironman to the Philippines is, himself, an Ironman. And when we say “Ironman,” we mean the full and “pain-full” experience: 3.8 kms of swimming the open seas and 180 kms. of pedaling against headwinds, topped off with a full 42K marathon.

Fred Uytengsu has competed in over 50 events but none more fulfilling than the Ironman World Championships. Of the hundreds of triathlon races worldwide, the one in Kona, Hawaii is most prestigious; it’s the Wimbledon of triathlon. Fred finished twice, recording a personal best of 12.5 hours in 2011.

“But after 17 years of Ironman and triathlon,” Fred told me the other day, “I’ve taken a step back and focused on competitive swimming at the Masters level.”

On swimming, Fred gave this speech during the 2016 PSA Awards in Manila: “I took swimming in a relatively late age, starting off playing baseball, but I like the notion of swimming because, as a baseball player, sometimes you lose because your teammates struck out or someone dropped the ball.

“What I liked about swimming is that you look at yourself in the mirror whether you won or lost, and it is whether your work ethic or your time in the pool or your racing plan was executed that defined winning or losing. If I didn’t train hard enough, I had no one to blame but myself. If I’m successful, it’s because I worked harder.

“I enjoyed that notion competing for 13 years, swimming four hours a day, six days a week, 50 weeks a year. Along the way, I learned a lot about the importance of a great work ethic, commitment, dedication, and sacrifice. All of these would turn out to be great life lessons as I began my working career.”

Fred became the captain of the University of Southern California swimming team. He also represented the Philippines in the 1981 SEA Games.

Several decades later, Fred is back to competing in the pool again.

“Last August 2019, I competed at the World Masters Swimming Championships in Gwangju, Korea and was able to finish in the top ten in the 50 meter and 100 meter butterfly,” he said. “So I’d like to improve on that when the Masters World Championships are held in Fukuoka, Japan (now moves to 2022). I’ll be in a new age group next year (60-64), so looking forward to that.”

These days, given the restrictions of Covid-19, Fred has worked-out at home by focusing on strength and core training with just body weight. He also did jump rope but said, “while it’s a great cardio workout, it was hard on my knees.” Lately, when the restrictions eased up, he’s been back on the bike or on the pool.

“I’m also working on improving my lung capacity using a new gadget called Air-o-Fit,” he said. “So far, so good but I need to keep at it for at least 6 months.”

A Lakers fan, Fred has been stuck in Los Angeles the past months, unable yet to fly back to Manila. His parting words to us: “We need to keep a positive attitude and realize things will get better. #cebustrong #philippinesstrong.”

Hon. Hontiveros

*Dondon (center) with (from left) Manny Villaruel, Raffy Uytiepo, Girlie Garces, John Pages, Edri Aznar and Caecent Magsumbol during the 37th SAC-SMB Cebu Sports Awards held last February 2020*

Donaldo is his first name and Dondon is his nickname but we’d call him by the moniker “Cebuano Hotshot.” He studied in Don Bosco, USJ-R, and as college heartthrob, the University of Cebu. When the Cebu Gems was formed in 1998, he stood as the shining gem.

From the MBA, he hopped to the PBA, playing 17 quality years with Alaska, Petron, Tanduay, Air21, and San Miguel. Among his achievements include being ranked fourth in the list of most 3-point shots made in PBA history, behind Jimmy Alapag, Allan Caidic and Ronnie Magsanoc. He also netted three PBA championships, one with the Aces and two with the Beermen.

In a list of superstars that played in Cebu that include Abet, June Mar, Jojo, Ramon, JR, Aldrech, Greg and Arnie, the name “Dondon” is, on a first-name basis, recognized.

Last year, Dondon Hontiveros played a different game. He dribbled into politics, shooting for a slot as Cebu City councilor. Long accustomed to being a top-scorer, Dondon was the highest pointer among the 16 elected councilors, garnering over 161,00 votes. The tallest stood tallest.

“Basketball is a team game and each player has a role to play,” he told me a few days ago. “But it’s your attitude that helps when facing a challenge. In a game, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll win but when you put in the work, you give yourself a chance.”

The 43-year-old Hontiveros has a different role to play these days, given the Covid-19 pandemic. A few months back, he was inside the Cebu Coliseum — the same arena where he’s spent hundreds of hours assisting and playing basketball — but this time, he was assisting with the relief goods distribution, playing leader as the city helped prepare food kits.

“When I was in-charge of the repacking,” he said, “I was able to get a workout everyday because, with the help of my coaches, we helped carry the boxes of canned goods. I also tried to bring the team some energy.”

Hon. Hontiveros is busy these days, going out almost daily to help with the Normal Oasis for Adaptation and a Home (NOAH) Complex.

“I am the logistics coordinator at NOAH under Atty. Joy Pesquera. Our quarantine facility at the SRP was able to discharge over 306 asymptomatic clients. Currently, we have over 270 at the facility,” he said.

When I asked for advice to his fellow Cebuanos, he had these “positive” words: “Use your energy to make a positive impact. It might be lending a hand, encouraging a person going through a difficult time or saying a prayer. You rise by lifting others. You find fulfillment when you were able to help. We can a make a difference bisag unsa pa na kagamay. It doesn’t matter who gets the credit, what matters is we make a conscious effort to help.”

Finally, I couldn’t end my interview without asking him one thing.

“I am excited with the return of the NBA,” he said. “I was cheering for Kawhi (Leonard) when he was still with the Spurs and Raptors. But LeBron has been amazing, as well as Giannis. My pick: any of the L.A. teams and the Bucks.”