ACTION in athletics, boxing, and volleyball heats up on Monday, Oct. 23, in the 2023 ROTC Games National Championships in various Metro Manila venues.

Four gold medals are at stake at the Philsports Track Oval in Pasig City as cadet-athletes compete in the men’s and women’s 200 meters, as well as men’s and women’s 4x100m relay.

Heats in the said four events are scheduled to start at 7 a.m., with the finals happening at 3 p.m.

Elimination bouts in boxing also fire off starting at 2 p.m. at the Dacudao Court inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, even as volleyball hostilities start at 9 a.m. at the Technological State University Gym in Manila.

Raising the curtain in volleyball is Adamson University against Tanauan Institute, followed by Jose Rizal Memorial State University against Tarlac State University.

Guimaras State University and the University of Cagayan Valley follow suit, before the Northern Iloilo State University-Rizal Technological University tussle.

Capping off the day’s matches is the duel between the University of Negros Occidental Recoletos against TSU and Adamson over JRMSU.

Weigh-in and weapons check, as well as pairing and matching are set for arnis at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, even as the drawing of lots and solidarity meetings are scheduled for kickboxing and esports.

The weeklong tournament formally opened on Sunday, Oct. 22, at the Cuneta Astrodome presided over by Sen. Francis Tolentino and other government agency officials like Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Richard Bachmann.

“I am excited to see so many talented athletes from all corners of our nation, competing with the same spirit of unity that binds our diverse archipelago together,” said Bachmann. (ai/mnm)

HANGZHOU – Veteran para swimmer Ernie Gawilan tries to break the golden ice for the country as the 4th Hangzhou Asian Para Games goes full blast Monday at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Complex and surrounding venues here.

Gawilan, 32, will plunge into action in the S7 men’s 200-meter individual medley at the modern 6,000-seat HOC Aquatic Arena at 7:29 p.m., just a stone’s throw away from the 80,000-capacity HOC Stadium where the colorful and festive opening ceremony was held Sunday night.

It will be the first of three events he will aim to defend after capturing three golds in the 2018 edition held in Jakarta, Indonesia in the stint backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.

“Kailangan kong madepensahan yung tatlong main event na naipanalo ko sa Jakarta Asian Games – sa 400-meter freestyle, 200-meter individual medley at 100-meter backstroke. Dun kami nag-concentrate,” said Gawilan on the eve of the meet.

Also seeing action in the swimming championships are Cambodia ASEAN Para Games double gold medalist Gary Bejino in the S6 men’s 100-meter freestyle, Edwin Villanueva in the SM8 men’s 200-meter individual medley, and Muhaimin Ulag in the SB9 men’s 100-meter breaststroke.

The vaunted national para chess team, which delivered five gold, two silver, and six bronze medals in the 2018 Asian Para Games, will also start competing in the men’s and women’s standard events at the Hangzhou Qi-Yuan Chess Hall on the fringe of the HOC Complex.

They are bannered by wheelchair-bound Fide Master Sander Severino, who bagged four golds in the Indonesian capital five years ago, and Darry Bernardo, who was the most prolific chesser in the last Cambodia ASEAN Para Games with six mints in June.

Powerlifting also gets underway at the Xiaoshan Sports Center Gymnasium with Romeo Tayawa and Marydol Pamatian vying in the men’s -54-kilogram and women’s -41kg divisions, respectively.

Thrower Jesebel Tordecilla, who won a silver in the Cambodia ASEAN Para Games, kicks off the country’s drive in track and field in F56 women’s javelin throw at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium about an hour away from the HOC Sports Complex.

“Our national para-athletes have been working and training hard for the 4th Asian Para Games for the last five years. Now is the time for them to shine in this continental sports showcase once again and I encourage our countrymen to pray and support them,” Philippine Paralympic Committee President Mike Barredo said.

“Lord willing, we hope to match or surpass our achievements in the last Asian Para Games in Indonesia,” Barredo, who is also a member of the Asian Paralympic Committee Executive Board, added. (ai/mnm)

By Junex Doronio & Liezelle Soriano

CLAIMING THAT SOME CORRUPT INSIDERS in Malacañang don’t want to resolve the issues facing the transportation sector, the Malayang Alyansa ng Bus Employees at Laborers (MANIBELA) on Sunday suddenly canceled its supposed meeting in Malacañang and vowed to push through with the planned transport strike on Monday, October 16.

MANIBELA president Mar Valbuena said he personally requested to cancel the meeting due to issues with certain “corrupt people” whom he did not identify.

“May mga taong ayaw maayos ito at baka mabuking ang kanilang mga kalokohan. Tsaka ko na sasabihin [kung sino sila], malapit na. Mga corrupt talaga ito,” he said when interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB.

The planned jeepney strike on Monday, October 16, is in protest against the “phasing out” of jeepneys and alleged corruption in the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

MANIBELA’s transport strike intends to hit about 600 routes throughout Luzon, with 150 jeepneys affected per route.

However, seven transport groups, including Pasang Masda and PISTON, have agreed with the government not to participate in the strike.

Valbuena claimed that their supposed Sunday meeting in Malacañang was “sabotaged”.

“‘Yun lang ang nabalitaan na may meeting, hinarang na. Sangkot siguro ‘to sa anomalya. Kilala ko sila, binanggit sa’kin. Pero hindi ko muna sasabihin… Ako na nag-request na mag-cancel kung ganoon ang isyu nila,” he said.

As this developed, some local government units (LGUs) and schools in Metro Manila have already announced Sunday the suspension of face-to-face classes on Monday due to the impending nationwide transtrike.

The list of LGUs:

Cabuyao, Laguna
Calamba, Laguna
Santa Rosa, Laguna
Pampanga

Universities and colleges

Adamson University
De La Salle University – Manila campus
Far Eastern University Manila and Makati campuses
FEU High School
National University – Manila: shift to synchronous learning
National University-Nazareth School
San Beda University – Rizal and Manila campuses: Integrated Basic Education Department (IBED) to shift to online classes
San Sebastian College – Recoletos Manila:
University of the East – Caloocan and Manila campuses
University of Santo Tomas

(ai/mnm)