Honoring a commitment

WITH ALL DUE respect to those who have promoted pool for decades and supported the country’s icons in the sport, it was pool enthusiast, journalist and presidential speech writer Yen Makabenta’s Raya Sports that had the foresight to stage the 2006 World Pool Championships in Manila. The distinguished brothers Aristeo “Putch” Puyat and former congressman Jose “Popit” Puyat supported such legends as Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco “Django” Bustamante and several others internationally.
But it was Makabenta’s efforts in a hugely successful event—staged at the Philippine International Convention Center, in partnership with Matchroom Sport and ESPN—that earned the country the distinction of being recognized as the epicenter of pool.
Because of his achievement, Yen was deservedly adjudged “Man of the Year” by the prestigious Billiards Digest magazine.
But like any sports venture of such magnitude, there were ups and downs.
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While Makabenta also staged the World Pool Championships the following year, it was nowhere near as successful as the inaugural event.
Ronnie Alcano swept European ace Ralf Souquet in an epic 2006 victory before an ecstatic hometown crowd in the finals.
Although the next year’s event was held at the Araneta Coliseum, the recognized mecca of Philippine sports and entertainment, the venue didn’t draw the expected crowds.
Roberto Gomez choked and lost to Briton Darryl Peach in the finals, rounding off a disappointing sequence. This, despite the terrific job of Raya Sports people and the Araneta management to construct platforms that held tables in the upper box area.
Makabenta, refusing to be fazed in his determined bid to reinforce the Philippines’ standing in the sport, organized the World 10-Ball Championships with the blessings of the World Pool Association and its head, Ian Anderson of Australia.
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Yen, however, ran into trouble trying to collect the sponsorship money committed by some government agencies in the twilight of an administration that was soon to be replaced.
The result was that several foreign players did not receive their prize money, including the winner Mika Immonen who was supposed to get $60,000.
The players e-mailed us, through a friend from the Spanish federation, and sought our help in getting paid.
We did communicate with Raya Sports executive JP Fenix after we learned that Makabenta had suffered a stroke which, thank God, he has recovered from.
Forced to nudge Yen and Raya Sports in an Inquirer column, we were pleased to learn that he took immediate steps to have the players paid.
We learned on Thursday from abroad that all the players had been paid their prize money in full.
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While we were disturbed that the long-delayed payment was hurting our international reputation in pool, Makabenta’s effort in honoring commitments, although delayed by a year, is truly commendable.
When an individual keeps a commitment, no matter the delay, it says something about his sense of honor.
The end result should please lovers of pool. Perhaps more importantly, it sets the stage for another crack at staging the 2010 World 10-Ball Championship early next year.
Hopefully Yen will receive the support of government agencies such as Pagcor, PCSO and the Department of Tourism, as well as private corporations such as San Miguel Corp., that realize the value of the event’s impact on our country’s image.