FINAL PUSH OF HEROES WALL OF FAME BEGINS WITH 60 ATHLETES- SPORTSMEN

July 21, 2023 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY

With Islay Erika Bomogao, former wushu taolu player Kariza Kris Chan, Peter Ng and councilor Leandro Yangot, Jr. painting on one of the walls at the big grandstand at the Baguio Athletic Bowl.
Wednesday, the final phase of the Heroes Wall of Fame mural project has formally begun. Painter Gladys Labsan and Ged Alangui were witnesses to the ceremonial painting as tgey gear up to paint some 60 athletes and sportsmen past and present.

It will be the latter who will actually start painting first with Monday as his schedule for six sports personalities in the eponymous Publications and Media Works (e-Pub) project. The third and final
component will be the biggest where nearly 60 athletes/ sportsmen will be featured in the remaining 24 walls at the big grandstand of the Baguio athletic bowl, the e-Pub announced over Facebook.

With no big sponsor this time, the Final Push, as the phase is called, may take longer to be finished with a six month timeline so that e-Pub may be able to get financial backings to finish the work that may even exceed the 60 projected figures. The first six will include four wushu taolu players to be
led by Southeast Asian Games silver medal winner John Keithley Chan who will be joined by the Chan siblings (no relation) Kariza Kris, a two time SEAG bronze medalist anfld her twin brothers Justin and Dustin.

The late Dr. Charles Cheng will join the late journalist Ramon Dacawi in one wall. Cheng may have been the biggest promoter of amateur boxing, where the basement of the Fil Chinese Hospital, which he owns, is used as a gym. He also had researches to help female athletes during their monthly period. Dacawi is a sports journalist who is known for his eco-friendly endeavors. The former head of the Public Information Office – Baguio was the biggest supporter of the famous Baguio women’s football team while also a Games and Amusement Board accredited ring official.

Again, SEAG winners are expected to dominate the wall of fame as well as a world muay Thai champion as one of the highlights. Newly minted world muay Thai queen Islay Erika Bomogao leads the inductees to the wall and she will be joined by kickboxers Gina Iniong Araos and Claudine Veloso. The ONE’s Graceful Jenelyn Olsim will be joined by brother and former kickboxing champion Jerry Olsim.

The siblings have recently opened their own gym at their hometown in Bokod, Benguet. “I do hope that it will be done by manong Harold (Banario),” whispered Olsim during a pictorial with Bomogao, Araos and Veloso at the Jesuit Eco-Park with noted photographer Noli Gabilo. The four were quite impressed with Banario’s work on the Team Lakay mural as well as that of their former team mates Jean Claude Saclag and Rhea May Rifani. Wushu players will dominate this edition with inductees coming from the two disciplines, sanda (combat) and taolu (form).

The late Rexel Nganhayna, athlete turned wushu coach and now restaurateur Michael Humiding, George Lusadan and Rolly Chulhang are among former national team members to grace the walls. Humiding was coach to the other three with Chulhang as the first to earn a silver in the Asian Games. Chulhang and Lusadan were the seniors of Mark Sangiao and Eduard Folayang, while Nganhayna were their teammate when they saw action in 2001 SEAG and where he won a silver medal, while Sangiao and now fight choreographer Jearome Calica were gold medal winners.

The then 18 year old Folayang failed to win a medal. Sangiao later took over the coaching duties of
Humiding, who quit the coaching job to practice his profession, as a psychologist, and later as athletic director for the University of Baguio and later King’s College of the Philippines. They will be joined by the present national wushu sanda player in Gideon Fred Padua. Natasha Laxamana,
Kariza’s partner in the 2015 and 2017 SEAG where they won bronze medals will be joining them, as well as current national team members Jones Inso and Thornton Lou Sayan.

Actually the Wednesday launching will have the Chans as the initial inductees for the last push of the mural project and to be done by Ged Alangui with support from the Baguio Filipino Chinese Community. The other athletes are: Ruscha Bayacsan (Muay Thai) and coaches Billy Alumno, Edzel Ngina and Zaidi Laruan. There is also Kobe Macario from Taekwondo, Buguias mayor Ruben Tindaan and the late Arsenio Bawingan, Jr., both Karate black belts.

There is also judoka Racquel Lorenzo, Helen Aclopen (judo/sambo kurash) and Mark Striegl (sambo). In arnis, it will be two time SEA old medal winner Crisamuel Delfin and 2019 SEAG gold medal winners Elmer Manlapas and Abegail Abad. Athletics will be former Gintong Alay members Alex Cabosura, Manuel and David Carmelo, Ed Laureano and Art Alimbuyao. The others are: Sandi Abahan Che Alberto and Kath Santos. Former Far East Games participant Federico Mandapat, Sr. and his three sons – the late Romy, namesake Federico,Jr. and racing champion Julius, are also slated for painting.

The Ramos family led by Josh and Lou Ann are also scheduled for painting for their promotion of
triathlon. Three basketball players are also included, the legend himself Robert Jaworski and PBA originals Romualdo Cabading and Florendo Ritualo Sr. There are also golfers in Fred Puckett, Fil-Am Golf founder Rogelio dela Rosa and former professional Danny Zarate. Former pro bowler Bec Watanabe is slated this time along with the spouse tandem of Stephanie Sabalo and Angelo Marquez.

The others are: Raniel Resuello (Bike Racing), Raffy Panagan and Brico Santig for boxing promotion; councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales, the late bishop Carlito Cenzon for golf promotion and Leonides Bautista for the promotion of chess. Supporters of the event include Jomarcann Construction, Tiong San Harrison, Larry Puckett and Sizzling Plate.

Pigeon Lobien