Pia and The Great Wall of Ghana

MASTER BLASTER (Mindanao Daily Mirror, March 16, 2009)
Neil Bravo


There are unexplainable things known to man which simply go by the genus of providential.

So when I got a text message from someone very familiar, I never realized the text I sent earlier was the answer to a question.

Yes, I follow the blog, www.whereispianow.com which is a journal of where Senator Pia Cayetano is on a given day. But on that day, the Senator herself admitted to asking “where is Neil now?”

That sounds very heartwarming. I may even run a blog and name it www.whereisneilnow.com but that would not be original.

Let’s stick to the providential.

Anyways, the rest is history and on Saturday night, Pia blew into town with her running shoes. The next day, she was to run 10 kilometers in a marathon. I guess not even the running she had to do in the elections will tire this woman lawmaker, undoubtedly the fittest and most athletic elected official in the land, the men included.

I bet only Manny Pacquiao, if he makes it to the next Congress, can surpass that fitness.

Sunday’s 10-kilometer mileage was even a whimper compared to her earlier mileage of 104 kilometers in January last year when she pedalled from Davao City to Tagum via Panabo, Sto. Tomas, Kapalong and Asuncion in Davao del Norte. Pia was with some members of the Davao sportswriting fraternity Saturday night or a few hours before she ran. Just a few hours back in Manila, she had logged 5 kilometers in another Pinay In Action (PIA) run, which is her advocacy for healthy living, clean environment and women empowerment.

While the encounter with Pia was providential, the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey non-fight was a farce, a stab at the gods of boxing. Good thing is, Manny still is providential to the sport of boxing.

Pia must not have tired running that day because she was just as quick as Manny in sharing her thoughts of Pacman’s pummelling win. "Manny Pacquiao is a winner through and through. Excellence is achieved through hard work over time. His victory cannot be diminished by a non-performing opponent."

Aside from Pia’s thoughts, I also received a few comments right after the fight (come on, I insist there was no fight at all).

City councillor Pete Lavina texted just a few minutes after Manny raised his record to 51-3-2 (38 inside the distance) called Joshua Clottey as The Great Wall of Ghana. Pete, ever the articulate in sports matters, nailed it right in the head. Clottey didn’t come to fight. As my kumpadre Al Mendoza of the Business Mirror said, he came for a dance.

I share Pete’s thoughts too. I think Clottey came like a turtle that night. He hid under his shell to cover himself from Manny’s spitfirish fists. Manny unloaded 1,231 punches in all landing 246 of them. By contrast, Clottey in the few occasions that he opened his armpit threw 399 landing 162, a slew of them were slaps and uppercuts from close range.

Bong Go, the Mayor’s executive assistant, said the win was expected. “But not very convincing. Let’s rejoice again for the country.”

Al Mendoza texted this: “Clottey did not come to fight. He came to collect his $3 Million purse.”

Charles Maxey, resident of the Davao Sportswriters Association: “Clottey did not come to fight, that’s for sure. He came to Dallas just to survive. A lot of people were disappointed with that one but a win is a win.”

Julius Espina, court interpreter from the MTCC Branch 2: “That’s his way to defy the prophecy and predictions.”

Thanks for the thoughts, guys. I agree. Clottey came to the Cowboys Stadium as a credit collector. Dancing his way into the stadium to comply with a contract of appearance, not a contract to fight, Clottey hid himself under his shell. A ninja turtle would have been a better foe, but this Clottey turtle would simply not come out and engage.

He threw just enough to comply with the obligation and give it a semblance of a fight. If his mother were around, I am sure he would hid under her skirt. He covered his face with his gloves that in most part of the coverage, you would not see his face. I must have thought too that he protected a face like it was Ghana’s prettiest.

I lost my gana.

But I confined myself to believing there are unexplainable things known to man that goes by the genus providential. And for Clottey, Sunday’s date with Manny was already providential to the tune of 3 Million dollars.

Senator Pia runs in Araw ng Dabaw

Senator Pia Cayetano will lead a cast of 1,800 today in the Araw ng Dabaw Run which fires off on an out and back course at the Gaisano Mall.

The beauteous running lawmaker, who has championed the advocacy on healthy living, environment and women, will add today’s race to her running mileage which includes stints in international races around the world and a host of regular races organized by her Pinay In Action (PIA) program.

Today’s race is also held under the auspices of Pinay In Action.

But more than her running prowess, the lady Senator will once again carry the message for women empowerment and healthy living which has made her the running icon for such advocacies.

It will be the second time in two years for Senator Pia to see action in Davao. In January last year, she brought her annual Bike For Hope fun ride to the city where she pedalled along with 750 other riders in a 90-kilometer ride stretching from Davao to Tagum City via Panabo, Sto. Tomas and Kapalong in Davao del Norte.

Despite her hectic campaign sorties as a reelectionist Senator, she takes a break from the election trail for a fine weekend workout.

The Araw ng Dabaw Run includes 3-kilometer race for kids along with the regular 5-K and the premier 10-K race. Participants from the Kidapawan, Tagum City and Digos City will join regular running enthusiasts from Davao in today’s race as part of the celebration of the 73rd Araw ng Dabaw. (NJB)

I got the feeling

MASTER BLASTER
Neil Bravo


I got the feeling

Mark this Sunday on your calendar, sports fans. I got the feeling Sunday will be a beautiful day.

For four or five hours this Sunday, the world stops. It’s those four or five hours when the applause will crack like fireworks indoors and the outdoors will be in deafening silence.

It is that moment when Arnel Pineda of the Journey belts out his version of the national anthem, feel the heart pound in throbbing pride for a country curtained in crisis and despair. It is that moment when our hero garbed in red robes frolic in cheerful cadence. It is that moment when Michael Buffer rants a familiar name in prolonged baritone and the world roars in chorus. It is that moment when the bell rings and our hero rushes out of his corner dancing.

Yes, I got the feeling.

It is this twice-or-thrice-a-year occurrence as anticipated as an eclipse. It is this 12 or less than rounds as fervently yearned as rain in the midst of an El Nino spell. When the punches hit their target, it will be like drops of rain on cracked earth. When our hero ducks under a flurry of attack, it will be like air blowing from windmills on a hot summer day.

Yes, I got the feeling.

This beautiful Sunday, the country will forget about politics. Not minding that the hero himself is now a politician. I have seen many fights of our hero where politicians surround him in the ring after each win. I will be glad not to see most of them around. Nevertheless, prepare yourself to stretch your patience when you watch this fight on tv. Expect the barrage of political ads in between breaks.

Yes, I got the feeling.

People will troop to cinemas, to restaurants, hotels, bars, and just about every corner showing this fight. There will be free viewing in parks and gymnasiums courtesy of politicians. Those who cannot afford the price of pay-per-view will be happy with their ears glued on their radios. And then there will be those who will view this fight enduring the long litany of commercials. It is this time of the year when the battlefields in the mountains will be most peaceful. No need to declare ceasefire.

Yes, I got the feeling.

When he raises his arms in the air atop his corner, this country will erupt like Mt. Mayon and tremble like Haiti and Chile combined. There is no heat more intense than a Manny Pacquiao win. Not even this summer heat made more intense by El Nino and rotational brownouts. It is high-strung and highly emotional. I can say that with anticipation. A win by Manny over Clottey is like deliverance from despair and crisis. Albeit momentary.

I have seen many mothers other than Nanay Dionesia shed tears of unexplained joy and relief, grandfathers jumping what remains of the aging hop, children yelling in Christmas glee, ladies giggle in orgasmic delight and men fall in love with such an enviable machismo.

Yes, I got the feeling.

Chill the beer early. Prepare for a wild celebration. I bet even the President has asked the Press Secretary to prepare her statement. Sunday will be a beautiful Sunday. As sweet as Daniel Boone’s oldies song Beautiful Sunday. Yes, I think this Sunday I’ll take a walk in the park.

Yes, I got the feeling.

I’ll lend my thoughts once more barking on the radio via DXDC to give color and analysis to this fight. I am getting ready for the dance. I hope this will be over by lunch. I am wary though and I must submit to the rationality of Murphy’s Law. If anything can go wrong, it will.

I got this funny feeling at the back of my mind that if there is one thing that can beat Manny this Sunday, it will be the brownout, or blackout, whichever is appropriate. I hope they don’t spoil the party. No rotational brownout please. No blackout. Not this Sunday.

Clottey is black, but I bet he’ll be out.

Dean Q and the Maroon 46

MASTER BLASTER (Mindanao Daily Mirror, March 10, 2010)
Neil Bravo


Dean Q was grinning from ear to ear on Saturday night.

For those who don’t know Dean Q, he is Atty. J Melchor Quitain, Dean of the College of Law of the University of Mindanao, and former City Legal Officer.

Dean Q, looking dapper in jusi barong tagalong, proudly gave tribute to his students in the College of Law that Saturday night in one glitzy and glamorous event hosted by the Juniors led by my kababayan and active student governor Abdul Kader Tambuang.

Indeed, I will not contest Dean Q’s declaration. He was the night’s most handsome guy. No one objected. Not even Abdul. I smiled from my seat submitting to the declaration and declaring my inhibition to contest the same.

I did my own bold declarations too. Objectionable but everyone agreed to let go. I did the class prophecy on behalf of the graduating class which I have nicknamed UM’s “Maroon 46.”

I have not made significant predictions in my life that went true to form. But this one was the biggest gamble. A 100% passing for the school’s bar candidates come September. Never has it happened. Not even close. That is why I know for sure only myself believed in the prophecy. Not even my good buddy Ronnel believes me. Not even Glendale who was adjudged best dressed among ladies. Not even Atty. Santos Torrena who came up to me after the program.

I have made it clear though. The purpose of a prophecy is not to tell the truth but to make it happen. Making it happen now lies on the shoulders of those who will take the biggest challenge in September.

But I will stand by my first prediction for the night. That one goes to Dean Q who is poised to run for one of the Council seats in the city’s first district.

I hope my luck bails me out from these predictions. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for Dean Q and the Maroon 46. This early, I run a short list that includes Dean Q, former PSC chair Butch Ramirez and good friend Nonoy Militar.

Talk about luck, Colleague Roy Geonzon is one lucky guy.

The DXUM Radyo Ukay station manager won the recent friendly golf event among friends of Philip Morris at the Rancho Palos Verdes. Roy was a last minute substitute for the absent Leo Palo of the Mindanao Daily Mirror and should be working on that day when he got a late call from Edith Regalado. Roy would’ve said no but Edith knows her way. She called up Roy’s boss Willie Torres and the rest was history.

Roy received an “order” from the Big Boss to play that day.

If you are a guy like Roy and your boss orders you to play, you must be the luckiest guy on earth. That’s because you have a boss who’s very much into sports.

And so, Roy went on to beat the rest of us in our class. Had he not played, another colleague, Bong Gonzaga, would have won it. Bong finished runner-up instead, although to his consolation, Bong proved luckier late in the night as he won the top prize in the raffle—a brand new golf bag. He also came close to winning the poker fun tournament.

The next night, the guys were back again for one late night out. This time, there was a lot of pigging out and a lot of San Mig Lite bottles to down. No more Grey Goose. No more Scotch 7. But the night was made special with the presence of vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda who belted out some Carpenter songs. I am not a big Loren fan but that night, I was awestruck with her presence and singing. To cap the night, everyone was caught by surprise by Edith who called an impromptu meeting that turned out to be a midnight serenade for birthday boy Bing Gonzales of the Mirror.

Jojo Terencio, the PR guy of Philip Morris, dropped a message on my Facebook account to say thanks for the piece that I wrote last week. For the nth time I say, no worries. Like Roy, I had a lot of fun in a losing bid to win.

The most memorable shot though should go to another Mirror columnist and flightmate Lito delos Reyes. Tolits’ short iron slipped his grip and went a-flying and I was lucky to duck just in time.

It happens. At least, I had luck even in unpredictable situations.