Naga City—Hundreds of Bicolanos trooped to newly-built E Mall to view the past exploits of Filipino athletes in various international competitions as added attraction to the on going Palarong Pambansa.

        Filipino athletes of yesteryears whose brilliant exploits shown on television include Miguel White, Teofilo Yldefonso, Simeon Toribio, Cely Villanueva, Lydia de Vega-Mercado, Elma Muros-Posadas, Roel Velasco, Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco, Leodoldo Serrantes, Leopoldo Cantancio, Arianne Cerdena, Eric Buhain, Jun Baylon, Gretchen Malalad, Anthony Villanueva and Bicol’s pride Isidro del Prado and Roel Ramirez.

        Del Prado, a native of Sorsogon, was a former SEA Games middle distance holder and member of the dreaded “Bicol Express” and Ramirez, a native of Naga and the first Filipino to win a medal in the 2005 World Gymnastics held in New York, USA.


INSPECTION of playing venues by (from right to left) PSC commissioner Leon Montemayor, Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo, DepEd OIC Undersecretary Fe Hidalgo, PSC Chairman William Ramirez, DepEd Bikol Director Celedonio Layon, Jr., and Naga City DepEd Superintendent Nenita L. Ramos.

        Yldefonso won the bronze in 200-m backstroke in1928 Amsterdam Olympics and 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, White bagged bronze in 400-m hurdles in 1936 Berlin Olympics, Villanueva bronze in boxing in 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, son Anthony silver in 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Roel Velasco bronze 1992 Barelona Olympics, younger brother, Mansueto silver boxing in 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

        Cerdenia won gold in the 1988 Seoul Olympics at the time bowling was played as demonstration sport.

        De Vega, former Asia’s sprint queen, and Muros-Posadas gave the Philippines countless recognition in athletics.

        “We put up this exhibits precisely to show to the people not only the Bicolanos the outstanding performances of the Filipino athletes in various international competitions,” said PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, who graced the exhibits with Commissioner Leon Montemayor, Education Undersecretary Fe Hidalgo, Mayor Jesse Robredo and other local officials.

        Also exhibited are softball team, basketball, shooting, baseball and badminton. (Clyde Mariano).