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)

Image Courtesy of philippinesgraphic.com.ph

Today in Filipino history, September 25, 1879, Lope K. Santos was born in Pasig to Ladislao Santos, a native of Pasig and Victorina Canseco, a native of San Mateo (Rizal).

Santos was a Tagalog language writer and former senator of the Philippines. He is best known for his 1906 socialist novel, Banaag at Sikat and his contributions for the development of Filipino grammar and Tagalog orthography

Banaag at Sikat is considered as the first socialist-oriented book in the Philippines which expounded principles of socialism and seek labor reforms from the government.

The book was later made an inspiration for the assembly of the 1932 Socialist Party of the Philippines and then the 1946 group Hukbalahap.

In early 1910s, he started his campaign on promoting a “national language for the Philippines” through organized lectures, cultural societies which he founded all over the country, and headed the department of national language in various leading universities.

Mang Openg, as he was fondly called by his friends, was elected governor of Rizal province in 1910, served until 1913. In 1918, he was appointed as the first Filipino governor of the newly-resurveyed Nueva Vizcaya until 1920.

Consequently, he was elected to the 5th Philippine Legislature as senator of the twelfth senatorial district representing provinces having a majority of non-Christian population.

He was the primary author of Philippine Legislature Act No. 2946 which enacted November 30 of every year as Bonifacio Day, honoring Andres Bonifacio. He championed the cause of labor with his introduction of several measures designed to better the workers’ working conditions.

In 1940, Santos published the first grammar book of the Filipino language, Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa (Grammar of the National Language) which was commissioned by the Surian ng Wikang Pambansa.

The next year, he was appointed by President Manuel L. Quezon as director of Surian until 1946. When the Philippines became a member of the United Nations he was selected to translate the 1935 Constitution for UNESCO. He was also appointed to assist for the translation of inaugural addresses of presidents Jose P. Laurel and Manuel A. Roxas.

He was married to Simeona Salazar on February 10, 1900. They were blessed with five children.

He died on May 1, 1963 at the age of 86.

References: Philippines News Agency archives
Wikipedia

(Filed by Jr Amigo/AI/MNM)