Tam, Calica happy not to be forgotten with faces in athletic bowl mural

May 7, 2022 Metro BLISTT

When Rey Tam saw his likeness on the wall at one of the dugouts of the Baguio athletic bowl, his face turned to a big smile.
“It was one of the best things I saw, seeing him brighten up when he saw his face,” said artist Gladys Labsan, who made the nearly seven-foot mural of the former World Boxing Council super featherweight number one contender.
Tam with his left eye unseeing is but a shade of the one-time gladiator who struck fear among his opponent. He almost made it to the top when he fought the legendary Nicaraguan Alexis Arguello on April 29 in 1978 at the Forum in Inglewood, California, one time home of the Los Angeles Lakers.
But on the fifth round, the Baguio raised prizefighter called it quits. “He was my inspiration. The inspiration for me to take up boxing,” said mayor Benjamin Magalong during the official launching of the HEROES: Wall of Fame mural paintings last Monday.
Magalong said that he took up the sport as a Philippine Military Academy plebe and remains to box. “I have my gym and still do boxing,” intimated the mayor to this writer.
It was the reaction that Labsan had hoped for from one of the athletes honored at the walls of the sports facility. A reaction that Tam could not convey now in words. “Ni karuprupak met (Oh, it looks like me),” he muttered as he approached his wall with his family including his wife Grace.
“I wish I could tell you more, but he cannot just do it. He has Alzheimer’s,” said Tam’s wife, Grace, who thanked the artists and the organizers of the mural works for “remembering my husband.”
“We are just so happy that he is not forgotten,” said Grace who nearly spoke the same words when her husband was feted as Hall of Fame in the inaugural Benguet CARES (Cordillera Athletic Recognition for Excellence in Sports).
Former two-time Southeast Jearome Calica asked that he be photographed with the boxing legend in front of Tam’s mural and asked the old man to strike a pose. It took Tam several minutes to comprehend what he was asked to do.
Calica, himself, has his own portrait at the sports complex, at the top of the bleachers along with five now and 26 more once the component of the Heroes mural works backed by the Bureau of Copyrights and Related Rights is completed.
“I thank the organizers and the artists in recognizing our efforts, at least we are not forgotten,” said the part time actor and fight coordinator.
The Calica mural was done by Labsan and she has done also the faces of 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medalists Mariane Mariano and Benjie Rivera, World Boxing Association junior welterweight king Roberto Cruz, former three time world karate champion Julian Chees and Christabel Martes.
Labsan will later paint the faces of strongmen Sammy Ayochok and Nemecio Dolmalsin, sportsmen and patrons Fernando Bautista, Sr. of University of Baguio, mediaman and former Gintong Alay camp director Narciso Padilla, the late University of the Cordilleras athletic director and Philippine Volleyball Federation president Pedro Mendoza and Wushu Federation of the Philippines – Cordillera/Baguio president Tony Candelaria.
Artist Harold Banario will do the faces of martial artists including his seniors Mark Eddiva, Rhea May Rifani for wushu sanda, Jean Claude Saclag now with kickboxing, karate masters Edgar Kapawen and Rey Hilario, former three time world muay Thai champion Brent Velasco, judoka Helen Dawa, Sharon and Ronald Dino and boxer Alice Kate Aparri.
Under Ged Alangui are wushi taolu great Daniel Parantac, archer Kareel Meer Hongitan, International Master Haridas Pascua, Estie Gay Liwanen of kurash, golfer Mars Pucay, Majoy Baron of volleyball, car racing father and son duo Carlos and Inigo Anton and former Ateneo de Manila standouts Gerry Verzosa and Doug Kramer.
The murals are expected to be completed before the end of May and will be launched on June, said BCRR director Emerson Cuyo, who joined the artists during the Monday launch.
Cuyo said that the amount the agency provided to help stage the mural paintings may not be enough to pay for the work and sheer talent of the artists but it is an effort to help in expressing the artists’ creativity.
Pigeon Lobien