RP’S top billiards genuine supporters—-Perry Mariano

SPORTSMAN/ BUSINESSMAN Ceferino “Perry” Mariano revealed yesterday the true/ genuine supporters of Philippine Billiards.

They are Aristeo “Putch” Puyat, Florentino “Yen” Makabenta, Jonathan “Bacolod” Sy, Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, Sebastian “Baste” Chua, Isaac Belmonte and Jesse Gonzales.

“Kung magsasama-sama lamang itong tunay na supporter ng billiards sa ating bansa gaya nina Putch Puyat, Yen Makabenta, Jonathan Sy, Manny Pacquiao, Sebastian Chua, Isaac Belmonte at Jesse Gonzales ay malayo ang mararating ng billiard,” said Mariano, co-founder of Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP).

“Dream Team ito pag nagsama-sama ang mga taong ito,” said Mariano, who is planning to stage a collegiate billiards tournament later this year.

Mariano heads Bugsy Promotions, which has a stable of star players led by former double world champion Ronnie Alcano, 2007 World Pool Championship runner-up Roberto Gomez, newly-installed World Pool Master titlist Dennis Orcollo and Southeast Asian Games gold medallist Gandy “Yang-Yang” Valle.

Puyat manages Hall-of-Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes, former world champion Alex Pagulayan, former world No.1 Francisco “Django” Bustamante and reigning world women’s ten-ball champion Rubilen Amit.

Makabenta, acknowledge “Man of the Year” by the US based Billiard Digest magazine after bringing the World Pool Championships here in the country twice and also the brain child of World Ten-Ball Championships.

Sy leads the rising Negros Billiards Stable, which has reigning national champion Lee Van Corteza, veteran internationalist Rodolfo Luat, Warren Kiamco and Ramil Gallego on its fold.

Pacquiao, the seven-division world boxing champion, an avid billiard player himself, also sponsored local and international billiards tournament.

Chua, on the other hand, is owner of the famous Star Billiards Center and local distributor of Brunswick billiards table, a long-time billiards patron, hosted a grass-root tournaments.

Belmonte, is the Philippine Star Editor-in-Chief, the chairman of BMPAP, who staged a numerous International Billiards tournament.

Gonzales, the president of Makati Pool Players Association (MAPPA), also staging numerous local tournaments.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO.