INQUIRER Sports

UNITING all tennis clubs in Cebu and inviting international tennis players to play in friendly matches here is the aim of Jess Lagman, the newly appointed regional vice president (RVP) for Central Visayas of the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta).

Lagman replaced John Pages, who resigned from the post last month due to other commitments.

?I've been the RVP for a few years and 2010 will particularly be a busy year for me, both at work and with my commitments to several organizations/projects, many sports-related. The time has come for someone to take over,? Pages stated in an email.

Pages described Lagman as someone who is passionate about tennis and has the extensive knowledge about the sport having traveled to Spain, United States of America, Australia and other parts of the world in an effort to learn more about tennis.

Lagman is also the father of Jacob Lagman, considered to be one of the top young players in the country.

Lagman said he aims to revive the local tennis scene and is bursting forth with plans despite having just taken over the post.

He hopes to unite all tennis clubs in the province under a group which he plans to form. The group, Lagman said, will oversee all the tennis programs in Cebu.

At the moment, Lagman said he is doing an inventory of all the tennis clubs in the province. He said he will let them know of his plans and encourage them to join his planned group. The new RVP also hopes to urge all clubs to have their own training pool from where the best of the best will eventually be selected and made to comprise an elite group who will represent Cebu in tournaments especially in the national level.

Lagman plans to tap the help of the tennis clubs in holding more inter-club tournaments and eventually inter-city competitions. ?Perhaps we can start in Cebu City, then Mandaue then Bogo,? he said.

Aside from the local tournaments, another plan of Lagman is to invite players from Indonesia, Malaysia and maybe Japan for friendly tournaments.

?This way, our young players will be able to keep abreast with the sport outside the Philippines,? said Lagman, whose son trained in Spain last year. He admitted the country's top players have dwindled with the lack of exposure in international events.

Lagman, however, said that the biggest hindrance in barging into the international tennis scene is the budgetary constraints.

?I know it won't be easy at hindi madali. We have to take it slowly and one by one, but this is all doable. This is for the good of everybody,? Lagman said. CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON