Month: October 2024

Tony Aldeguer and Monico Puentevella

Tony Aldeguer and Monico Puentevella have plenty in common. Both are from Bacolod. Both studied in La Salle. Both consider the word “sports” as their ultimate love and passion. 

Last Wednesday, I had the privilege of meeting the two legends of Philippine sports. The former Bacolod mayor and congressman Monico and I have been seeing each other regularly (including at the Paris Olympics) and we longed to get together with the godfather of Cebu boxing.

After a few messages with Chris Aldeguer, the date and venue were set. We met at the sprawling home of Mr. Aldeguer in Maria Luisa, filled with plants and overlooking Cebu. 

We all know Antonio Lopez Aldeguer as ALA (boxing) but did you know that Bidoy Aldeguer was the basketball varsity coach of Monico? While still in college (La Salle), Bidoy coached the high school team of Monico. They not only won the Bacolod trophy but, in the national finals against Mapua, they lost by a mere point to the nation’s strongest team.

“I have met many coaches in my life,” said Monico, “but no one can inspire and motivate better than Bidoy. He would pick me up at 7am and make me run five rounds before we’d start each practice. My love for basketball and sports started with him as my mentor.”

For over 90 minutes last Wednesday afternoon, partaking of palabok and fresh lumpia, our trio tackled a variety of topics ranging from politics (Cebu, Bacolod and national) to ALA Boxing (which spanned 35 years) to the Olympics. We talked about La Salle, Ateneo and UAAP basketball.

Bidoy called Monico by his nickname, “Nyoks.” The former POC Chairman and current Phil. weightlifting president, in turn, would often call him, “Coach.”

We talked about good health and how both are exercising regularly. The 83-year-old Aldeguer exercises daily in the swimming pool. Monico still plays “commercial” tennis at the age of 78. Though both had some issues with their heart, they are looking fit and good.

In our next meeting, Monico promised to bring his tennis racket so we can play in the private tennis court of the Aldeguers.

My Mom Allen

Sept. 23, 2024

I’M INSPIRED by the sharings of two of my favorite columnists.

Publio “Pubs” Briones wrote about reaching the golden age of 50 in his “On The Go” column last Saturday. He spoke of challenges with his eyesight and hairline in the funny piece, “What it’s like to be in my 50s.”

Melanie Lim, the day after, in her award-winning column, “Wide Awake,” and in a piece entitled, “Proof of Age,” spoke of a recent experience at a pharmacy when the guard wouldn’t believe that she’s a senior citizen. (Confession: Melanie was my UP Cebu College marketing professor, alongside my wife Jasmin.. and she’s the best. One more admission: I agree with the guard! I saw Melanie at the Press Freedom Week columnists’ night last week and she’s younger-looking than me and Pubs.)

Pubs and Melanie, aside from being SunStar writers, share one more passion. Both are runners. Pubs runs from Monday to Friday at the CCSC oval while Melanie has hurdled multiple half-marathons and will run the 25K in the 2025 Cebu Marathon.

So if Pubs turned 50 and Melanie is 60, I’m inspired to write about someone very, very, very close to me who’s more than a decade older.

She’s my mom Maria Elena “Allen” Castelo Zaldarriaga.. who, this May, will turn 75!

How young is she? Two days ago in Iloilo, she sent me a message with an all-smiling, all-sweating photo of her finishing a 7-km. run with the caption, “Bright 7K day!”

Yes, nearly three-quarters of a century old, my mom still has enough energy to outrun and outwork many 30-year-olds.

She founded our school, BRIGHT Academy / Play House Children’s Center, back in 1992. And though 32 years have passed, her love for her students is just as strong as it was when our family first converted a small garage into a classroom in Paradise Village.

My mom is often at the Bright Academy campus in Banilad as early as 7:15 a.m. and works tirelessly all day long. And what gives her extra power is her almost-daily exercise routine.

Walking/running is her favorite. On early (5:30 a.m.) Sunday mornings, she’d be at the Cebu Business Park to trek the winding roads for two hours. We’d message each other after and I’m often amazed that she’s outrun me with a farther distance.

Recently, she sent me this Viber message: “10 w/ 4… can you take a guess?”

I knew what it was: 10 kilometers including four bridges.

One of her goals is to run bridges around the world. And so in every city that my mom visits, she climbs the bridge. Golden Gate. Sydney Harbour. Brooklyn. London Bridge. She has also completed the half marathons in Singapore and Hong Kong. The three bridges (Cansaga-Marcelo Fernan-Mactan bridges) 25K event organized by Dr. Yong Larrazabal several years back? My mom has completed that.

Did I tell you she’ll be turning sweet 75 soon?

I think all of us can learn a couple of lessons from my mom.

First, enjoy what you do. “If you do what you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” There is no more passionate person that I know of with children than my mom Allen.

Second.. “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” That’s a mantra that my mom lives by. And it shows in her physique; still very slim and fit at her age. (Another confession: My only gripe with my mom, because of her healthy eating habits, is that she did not take after her mom, our Lola Ita. Our Lola loved Coca-Cola and imparted this “Coke addiction” to all of her apos. My mom never drinks Coke.)

“You don’t stop running because you get old; you get old because you stop running.”

To my running idol.. I love you, MOM!

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