Baguio, Cordillera national games ‘heroes’ cited in rites

BAGUIO CITY – The city government paid tribute to its athlete-heroes who were instrumental in Cordillera Administrative Region’s improved showing in the Palarong Pambansa held recently in Antique. 

Mayor Mauricio Domogan led city officials and employees in feting the contingent led by archer Charmaine Angela Villamor and runner Jeremiah Hipol who contributed the most number of medals among the city athletes and fueled Team Cordillera’s fifth runner-up finish with a medal haul of 26 gold, 21 silver and 21 bronze medals.

Villamor of the Baguio City High School won four gold medals in the 40, 50, 60 meters and FITA Round, two silvers in the Individual Olympic Round and Mixed Team Olympic Round and one bronze in the Team Olympic Round while Hipol of Apolinario Mabini Elementary School copped three golds by topping the 400 meter dash, 800 meter dash, 1500 meter run and one silver in the 4x400 meter relay.

Taekwondo jin Rain Ramon of the University of Baguio topped the elementary girls taekwondo poomsae individual B, the kroyugi category 4 and the poomsae group competition while chess wizards  Samantha Glo Revita of St. Louis University Laboratory High School won three golds in chess standard individual, standard and blitz team and Bea Mendoza of UB also had three golds in chess blitz individual, standard and blitz team competitions.  

Mayor Mauricio Domogan toasted the athletes’ and the team’s performance which he described as impressive considering Cordillera’s status as the newest region in the pack.

The other honorees in the elementary division were gold medalists Kayle Dreyshanne Bulwayan (St. Louis University Laboratory) and Kamille Faith Revenila Calaycay of Grace Bible Academy  in taekwondo poomsae group (Calaycay also won a bronze in the kroyugi category 3); Khyla Kreanzzel Guinto (Hope Christian Academy Inc.) and Gabriel Ivan Inacay of Dona Aurora Elementary School poomsae mixed pair (Inacay added another gold in poomsae individual A and a silver in kroyugi category 2), the team of Joshua Aaron Erece of SLU, Mozart Rhyme Adviento (SPED Center) and Adrian Paul Yadao of UB in the poomsae group (Yadao won a bronze in kroyugi category 4);

Silver medalists James Leann Poblete of Fort Del Pilar Elementary School and Kraven Kurt Carpio in 4x400 meter relay; Guinto in poomsae individual A; and Jan Edward Kyle Salao of SPED in taekwondo kroyugi category 5; and

Bronze medalists Ylitz Angela Oslo, Glyzel Garambas and Maritoni Domogen all of Elpidio Quirino Elementary School in arnis anyo event team and in the arnis anyo event team double identical weapon; and Aezra Indra Liporada in taekwondo kroyugi category 5

In the secondary level, the honorees were gold medalists Eza Rai Yalong of the UB High School in arnis Individual Likha Anyo Single Weapon (Yalong added a bronze in Anyo Event Individual Espada Y Daga and another bronze in full contact half light weight); Jhester Neil Pasicolan of UBHS (arnis Anyo Event Individual); Leia Simoune Soria, Chelsea Xen Tacay and Jessa Tumlayen of UB in the taekwondo poomsae group; Liquiza Obas of SLU Center in taekwondo kroyugi middle weight; Lemuel Dalgo of Irisan National High School in wrestling 50 kg and Gedion Fred Padua of Pines City National High School in wushu group A 52 kg.;

Silver medalists Roberto Calalo Jr. of Philippine Science High School in archery mixed team olumpic round and a bronze in 60 meters; the team of Shanna Ruzzel Longan, Angelyn Datuin and Cristine Mae Bartolome of the UBHS in arnis anyo event team single weapon; Elmer Manalaps of Irisan National High, anyo individual event double weapon; Tacay in taekwondo poomsae individual A; Angel Louise Dy of Small World in poomsae individual B; Josea Dizon of Mt. Carmel Montessori in kroyugi bantamweight; Aila Mathel Calip of UB in kroyugi welter weight; Realis Lorena Tabiando of UB in kroyugi light middle weight; Khristian Daniel Mamitag of UB kroyugi welter weight; Gabriel Salaknib Soria of UB kroyugi light heavy weight; Ellerson Langaoen of Irisan in wrestling 54 kg; Jessalyn Angaga of Irisan in wrestling 44 kg; Colin John Banusan of San Vicenter High School in wushu group B 42 kg; and Jeremiah Tundagui of Easter College SPED, two silvers in special events (400 meter dash and long jump);

Bronze medalists Kate Louise Balageo of SLU-LHS archery 40 meters; Datuin in arnis full contact featherweight; Jesus Macalanda Jr. of UBHS in arnis full contract pin weight; Manlapas in full contact extra lightweight; Tacay in taekwondo kroyugi featherweight; Jessa Tumlayen of UB in kroyugi lightweight; Justin Cyrus De Guzman, Mamitag, and Soria of UB in poomsae group and Asher Rifani of Guisad Valley National High School in wushu group A 48 kg.

The athletes will receive their cash incentives from the city government soon with the gold medalists receiving P10,000; silver, P5,000; and bronze, P3,000 under the revised incentives ordinance of the city.  – Aileen P. Refuerzo