Iriga City Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen only played a few minutes of volleyball in Iriga City’s win over Baguio, 25-22, 25-17, 26-24, in the Shaeky’s V-League Open Conference, but her brief moment was just a consolation for what she can potentially do for her teammates.
Not only is Alfelor-Gazmen juggling duties as volleyball player and team manager, the 45-year-old is also serving as the mayor of Iriga, a city in Camarines Sur.
Alfelor-Gazmen, who was re-elected in the last elections, is now spearheading the growth of volleyball in her hometown.
“Breeding ground talaga ng volleyball ang Bicol dati, medyo nawala lang so hopefully ito ang comeback,” said Alfelor-Gazmen. “Sana makahanap kami ng magagaling na volleyball players from Bicol.”
“At ma-encourage ang mga bata na ma-involve sa sports, sa kahit anong sport na kung saan sila mag excel.”
Lizlee Ann Pantoje and Kathy Bersola Kyla Atienza are just some Bicolanas who have made their name in the local volleyball landscape.
Alfelor-Gazmen first served as mayor for nine straight years but as law mandates she couldn’t run for a fourth consecutive term so she had to give up the position for a while.
In those nine years in office, the protégé of the late Jesse Robredo witnessed how the sport of volleyball blossomed in her hometown and made it a point to unify her town through sports.
“May inter-agency na palaro sa Iriga kasama RTC [Regional Trial Court], water district, electric cooperative,” said Alfelor-Gazmen. “Basketball and volleyball ang hilig then dun na nagsimula.”
“Practice kami doon, naghahanap ng magagaling and practice kami para ma improve ang craft namin.”/rga