VILLARDS CALABARZON REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CUM VILLAR CUP QUALIFIERS ON

(photo caption): Senator Manny B. Villar receives from BMPAP and BSCP officials the Plaque of Appreciation for his unwavering support to the sport of billiards and to the country’s cue artists. Giving the plaque are BSCP officers Mahar Mangahas, Aristeo “Putch” Puyat (chairman) and Arturo Ilagan (president). Also in photo are is BMPAP president Atty. Vic Rodriguez, along with the country’s top cue artists led by Efren “Bata” Reyes.

LIPA CITY – Dozens of cue artists from the provinces of Cavite , Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon gather to compete in the Villards Calabarzon Regional Championship and slots to the main draw of The Manny Villar Cup Calabarzon leg today at the activity center of SM City Mall here.

This one-day event serves as the kick-off stage of a series of regional championships, where the top performers will receive berths to the national championship slated late this year.

For this one, the top six players will also get a chance to strut their wares against the country’s top pool masters as they will fill the remaining seats in the 32-man main draw of the Villar Cup, a prestigious island-hopping series presented by Senator Manny B. Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports.

“We are happy to bring the Villar Cup to the people of Calabarzon and give those aspiring billiards players there a chance to pit their skills against our world-class players,” said Atty. Vic Rodriguez, president of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines, which is coorganizing the event sponsored by Camella Communities and sanctioned by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.

“This is part of Senator Manny Villar’s commitment to help promote sports to our kababayans, particularly those sports, where we Filipinos are among the bests worldwide,” he added.

No less than the game’s icon Efren “Bata” Reyes will once again banner the elite cast of players competing for the coveted title and a lion’s share of the close to P1-million cash prize.

The 55-year-old Magician is looking to improve his semifinals finish in the recently-held Isabela leg.

Besides Reyes, other marquee names vying in this event are newly-crowned International 10-Ball champion Dennis Orcollo, former world champion Ronnie Alcano, Lee Van Corteza, and former leg winners Warren Kiamco (Alabang), Gandy Valle (Cebu), Ramil Gallego (Bulacan), Rodolfo Luat ( Bacolod ) and Francisco “Django” Bustamante ( Baguio ).

These veteran internationalists will also be joined by up and coming stars led by two-time World Juniors campaigner and former Villar Cup Sipag at Tiyaga Division champion Rene Mar David, Joven Bustamante, Egie Geronimo, Ricky Zerna, Michael Feliciano and last year’s Search for the New Billiards Idol grand winner Mike Takayama.