Filipino of the Century There are no more beautiful words in a song than those written by a simple man they

called Levi Celerio. His songs cherish life, convey nationalistic sentiments and utter grand philosophies that all sound wonderful. His melodies are even more impressive and proud is the least a Filipino could be upon hearing them. As a composer and lyricist, Levi wrote more than 4000 songs. Among them are popular pieces, which many would hasten to call "immortal". At one time or another, no Filipino could miss the tune or lyrics of Levi's Christmas songs: Pasko na Naman, Ang Pasko ay Sumapit, and Misa de Gallo. Who would not fall in love upon listening to the following love songs: Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Kahit Konting Pagtingin, Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal, Kapag Puso'y Sinugatan, and Ikaw. Who would not feel like dancing upon hearing the lyrics and melodies of the following folk songs: Ang Pipit, Tinikling, Tunay na Tunay, Itik-Itik, Waray-Waray, Pitong Gatang, Ako ay May Singsing, Alibangbang, Alembong, Galawgaw, Caprichosa, Ang Tapis Ni Inday, Dungawin Mo Hirang, Umaga na Neneng, Ikaw Kasi and Basta't Mahal Kita. His best songs combine great poetry, philosophy and passion. These are O Maliwanag na Buwan, Dahil Sa Isang Bulaklak, Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, Bagong Pagsilang and Sapagkat Kami'y Tao Lamang. Levi also wrote nationalistic songs such as Ang Bagong Lipunan, Lupang Pangarap, and Tinig ng Bayan. Imagine the world without these songs, and the Philippines would have been less known for its happy, romantic and enthusiastic people. Known as a poet of Philippine music, Levi wrote songs that set the standards for class and quality. Other Filipino songs, which lack luster and rhetoric, were soon forgotten and rarely heard again. But not Levi's songs. They are classic, if not timeless. The full meaning and emotion of a particular theme is best captured in his lyrics, as in the song, Ang Pipit: May pumukol sa pipit sa sanga ng isang kahoy At nahagip ng bato ang pakpak ng munting ibon Dahil sa sakit, di na nakaya pang lumipad At ang nangyari ay nahulog Ngunit parang taong bumigkas, "Mamang kay lupit, ang puso mo'y di na nahabag, Pag pumanaw ang buhay ko May isang pipit na iiyak!" Ironically, Levi, the master lyricist, became famous around the world for his other distinct talent. For a time, the Guinness Book of World Records has recognized him as the only man who could play beautiful music with a leaf. Because of his rare talent, Levi was invited to the Mel Griffin show where he played "All The Things That You Are" with 39 musicians in front of nine microphones and camera. Using his leaf, Levi wowed the crowd and got the attention of the Guinness Book of World Records. The Book later listed the entry: "The only leaf player in the world is in the Philippines". Born in Tondo on April 30, 1910, Levi received his scholarship at the Academy of Music in Manila and became the youngest member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra. A great number of his songs have been written for the local movies which earned for him the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Film Academy of the Philippines. In 1997, he was chosen as the National Artist in Literature and Music. The award is the highest national recognition given to Filipino artists who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts and to the cultural heritage of the country. It is aimed at recognizing Filipino artistic accomplishment at its highest level and to promote creative expression as significant to the development of a national cultural identity. In his old age, Levi occasionally appeared in public, like when there was a big thing happening at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He was also playing at a Quezon City bar from time to time. He just could not be stopped from making beautiful music, even when shuttling between home and hospital.

Levi was a poor man, so poor in fact that he could not pay for his hospital bills. A newspaper report said that "This shouldn't be happening to him." That is Levi. He wrote 4000 songs and remained poor. But that is something every man of his kind takes pride of. As they say, poverty is an honor and privilege bestowed on all great poets. Levi has been a great poet, the most heard Filipino poet of all time. He has been a poor man all these years, but his songs have enriched the Filipino's identity and culture. Particularly, the man I've never met a single time touched me in many ways. He died at the Delgado Clinic in Kamuning Quezon City on April 2, 2002. At 91, a beautiful song ended. Levi! Grand Old Man of Politics Jovito Salonga, or Ka Jovy as most people fondly call him, spoke of great dreams for this country. He spoke of economic development, social equality, and moral advancement. Although already retired from the public office, Ka Jovy still speaks of the same dreams today. Ka Jovy was born a winner. In his political career, he lost only once, and that was in the 1992 presidential election. He could have been a president, had the Filipino electorate ignored rumors that his health was failing because of old age. Now at 81, Ka Jovy still exudes the vigor and wisdom of a young patriot. His soft voice commands respect; his judgment remains firm as ever. With the insights of a philosopher, he utters propositions that are of highest importance. At a time the country is plagued by corruption and ethical issues, Ka Jovy raises a moral voice, which reminds us to change our ways. The people call Ka Jovy as the "grand old man of Philippine politics". He is a survivor of the same generation, which produced the most illustrious names like Raul Manglapus, Arturo Tolentino, Jose Diokno, Soc Rodgrigo, and Wigberto Taada. Known for his lofty ideals and eloquent speech, Ka Jovy is of the same rank as Jose Rizal and Carlos Romulo, who were arguably the brightest men this country has ever known. Ka Jovy's outstanding career included almost five decades of unblemished record in public service. He was a three-time senator, having been elected in 1965, 1971 and 1987. A son of a Presbyterian minister, he was born on June 22, 1920. He was an honor student in elementary and high school and took up Law in college. He passed the bar with a rating of 95.3 percent, a record, which remains unsurpassed to this day. He practiced law in 1944 until he joined the Far Eastern University as Dean of the Institute of Law in 1961. He topped the senatorial election in 1965, the beginning of his colorful political career. He became a tough critic of the Marcos rule and was a victim of the Plaza Miranda bombing on August 21, 1971. (He later blamed the communists for the bombing.) After the 1986 People Power Revolution, newly elected President Corazon Aquino appointed him as the first Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), whose role was to recover the ill-gotten wealth of President Marcos and his cronies. In 1987, Ka Jovy topped the senatorial elections and eventually became the Senate President. On September 16, 1991, the Philippine senate, under his presidency, rejected the ten-year extension of the U.S. bases in the Philippines, thereby formally ending the presence of foreign armed forces in the Philippine territory after four centuries. He ran for the highest position in the land in 1992 with a political platform completely different from other candidates. Under the banner of the progressive Liberal Party, Ka Jovy was campaigning for social equality, a term which caused fear among the eighty one families who control most of the country's wealth. Ka Jovy lost in the election, but this did not stop him from serving the cause of the nation. Since 1992, he initiated the founding of four organizations: Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which put up a memorial for more than a hundred contemporary heroes and martyrs of the nation; Kilosbayan, a forum for raising political consciousness and citizens' participation in governance; Bantay Katarungan, an NGO dedicated to the pursuit of justice and protection of human rights; and the Salonga Foundation for Human Development, a group which promotes social and moral awareness.

He remains an active speaker, denouncing the social ills in Philippine society. He is the most vocal critic of cronyism in the Estrada administration and the government's continuing promotion of gambling in the form of online lottery. He is also a religious figure, delivering sermons in the gatherings of the Philippine Presbyterian Church. It is difficult to find words to describe Ka Jovy with all his fine qualities, but perhaps, no one will disagree with Belinda Olivares-Cunanan, an Inquirer columnist, when she referred to him as a "national treasure". Pulitzer Prize Awardee Alex Tizon is a victor in what America does best - exercising press freedom. As a journalist in the "Land of the Free", Tizon has decided to follow the lead of Ernest Hemingway whose task was "to write hard and clear about what hurts." The 43-year-old journalist was born in Manila but grew up in the United States. He assimilated well into the American culture, learned to write, and became the model of all aspiring Filipino-American journalists. When asked how he made it big in the very competitive field of American Journalism, he had this to say: "Most big achievements happen when great effort intersects with good luck. I've worked hard, and I've been lucky, which is another way of saying that I've been blessed." "It pays to be prepared, to be as good as you can be in your field, because you never know when luck or opportunity or grace or whatever you want to call it may come knocking. It pays to be up to the task of answering the call in full riot gear -- that is, fully prepared," he said. In 1997, Tizon received the coveted Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting, a plum that symbolizes professional excellence in the field of Journalism. This plaudit came half a century after Carlos P. Romulo won the Pulitzer Prize in International Journalism in 1941. That award must have helped Romulo become the President of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1949. Like Romulo, Tizon, a Seattle Times journalist, is proud to say that he has full Filipino blood running in his veins. As a part of the minority group in the United States, the four-time Pulitzer Prize nominee has written articles, which advanced the cause of the marginal sectors of the American society. For his more than 17 years of stint with the Seattle Times, he has earned distinction for his coverage of youth gangs, immigrant groups and Native American tribes. He has written extensively about race and ethnicity, crime and law enforcement. Along with two colleagues, he won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for a series of stories exposing widespread fraud in the federal Indian Housing Program. He has also received the Phoenix Award, a Penney Missouri Lifestyle Award and the Clarion Award for his numerous articles in the Seattle Times, Pacific, The Times' Sunday magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek magazine and CBS News. Tizon immigrated with his family to the United States at the age of four. His father, Francisco Tizon Jr., a Kapampangan, served as a commercial attach for the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, Seattle and Honolulu. His mother, the late Leticia Asuncion Tizon of Tarlac, was a UP-educated doctor who worked at the Swedish Medical Center, now the largest hospital in Washington. The family became most rooted in Seattle, which Alex considers his home. "I've lived in Seattle on and off for more than 20 years, and it is, despite my aversion to the cold, wet, gray climate, my home," he said. This is also where he met his wife, Melissa, whom he describes as a "first-generation Pinay". She is a Seattle-based writer and editor. The couple is blessed with two daughters - the nine-year-old Dylan and the 11-month-old Maya. Tizon originally considered going to law school, but a Sociology professor convinced him to take up Journalism. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon and his master's degree from Stanford University. In June 2000, the University of Oregon honored him as its 2000 Outstanding Young Alumnus. Asked of his advice to young journalists, Tizon said: "Read, read, read. Think, think, think. Write, write, write. Go into the dark places and write about them."

UN President Carlos P. Romulo, the first Asian president of the United Nations General Assembly, was also the first Filipino to have received the prestigious Pulitzer Prize (Correspondence). He was awarded the coveted Journalism prize for a series of articles about World War II that appeared on the pages of Philippine Herald in 1941. Romulo wrote and published 18 books that included "I Walked with Heroes" (autobiography) and "Mother America". Fifty-six years later, Romulo's feat was repeated by two Filipino-Americans. In 1997, Seattle Times' Alex Tizon and Byron Acohido were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their outstanding contributions to American journalism. Tizon was cited for his series of articles about American subcultures for the Seattle Times, where he has been a staff reporter for nearly 14 years. He was born in Manila and immigrated with his family to the United States at the age of four. He studied political science at the University of Oregon before earning an M.A. in journalism from Stanford University in 1986. Acohido received the Pulitzer prize for his reporting on the conditions of aerospace industry. He was also writing for the Seattle Times. Filipina Tycoon Loida Nicolas-Lewis is probably the richest Filipino living outside her home country. She is the chairman and CEO of TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc., a two-billion-dollar corporation of 64 companies based in 31 countries. TLC is a marketer of ice cream in Spain and the Canary Islands, the leading manufacturer of potato chips in Ireland, and a prime distributor of beverage in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Thailand. A lawyer by profession, Loida is also an author, a philanthropist, and an active leader of the Filipino community in the United States. She owns the distinction of having been the first Asian woman to pass the New York State bar exam without having studied law in the U.S. As a businesswoman, she was ranked number 1 among the "Top 50 Women Business Owners in America" by the Working Woman magazine in 1994. In the United States, she is known as the remarkable woman behind the success of Reginald Lewis, the first Afro-American to hit the US$1B-in-assets mark. In January 1993, Reginald died of brain cancer. So revered was Loida's love for her late husband and "tutor" that she later wrote a book, entitled "Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun? How Reginald F. Lewis Created a Billion Dollar Business Empire." It sold several hundred thousand copies. Reginald's untimely death left Loida with the responsibility of raising their two daughters alone and taking care of the family business. She finished her AB course at the Saint Theresa's College and her law degree at the University of the Philippines. Miss America Angela Perez Baraquio, the 25-year-old Physical Education teacher who was crowned Miss America in October 2000, is a daughter of Philippine-born parents living in Hawaii. Her father, Claudio Fernandez Baraquio was born in Pangasinan, while her mother, Rigolette Perez grew up in Manila. Angela has three brothers and six sisters, the three eldest of whom were also born in the Philippines. The beauty queen, on the other hand, was born in Hawaii and has yet to make her first visit to Manila. The Baraquio family has found success in the American state which is inhabited mostly by Asians and whose governor, Benjamin Cayetano, grew up in the Philippines. On October 14, 2000, Angela was crowned Miss America 2001 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, replacing former title holder, Heather Renee French of Kentucky. Angela is the first Asian American to win the Miss America title, and the second Miss Hawaii to win Miss America, after Carolyn Sapp won it in 1992. Angela was born on June 1, 1976. She graduated from the Moanalua High School in 1994 and earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education at the University of Hawaii-Manoa in 1999. She was a consistent honor student in high school and a standout athlete in girls' basketball. She was in the dean's list in college and was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society.

Beauty Queens Gloria Diaz won the Miss Universe title for the Philippines in 1969 and Miss Margarita Moran did in again in 1973. The Miss International crown was worn by Gemma Cruz in 1964, by Aurora Pijuan in 1970 and by Melanie Marquez in 1979. Filipino women have also won the Miss Asia Pacific award four times since 1965. They are Ines Zaragoza who brought home the crown in 1982; Gloria Dimayacyac, 1983; Lorna Legaspi, 1989; and Michelle Aldana, 1993. Dotcom CEO At the height of the dotcom craze in 1999, a 30-year-old Filipino-American woman set the fashion trend among Internet executives in New York's Silicon Alley, the East Coast version of California's Silicon Valley. Her name is Cecilia Pagkalinawan, the founding president and CEO of Boutique Y3K (www.boutiquey3k. com), an online fashion retail and marketing company. As a computer professional, she drew the admiration not only of the IT people but also of the discriminating fashion editors in New York. One publication described her as an example of the new "cyberstyle". She appeared in the pages of various international magazines, such as Vogue, A. Magazine, Industry Standard, Internet World, and AsiaWeek. The US-based Filipinas Magazine gave her an Achievement Award. In 1998, she was named as one of the ''10 Hot Asian American Entrepreneurs under 30.'' The following year, she was included in the Silicon Alley Reporter's "Top 100 Internet Executives in New York". In March 2000, she was named "New York City Woman Business Owner of the Year" by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). Cecilia was born in the Philippines. Her mother used to own a restaurant near the UST Hospital while his father had a paint store in Bulacan province. She was only eight years old when her middle class family moved to US. The President's Doctor For more than eight years, a Filipino-American has made sure that the world's most powerful person was physically fit to do his work. Her name is Eleanor "Connie" Mariano, a 47-year-old physician and a top-ranking officer of the US Navy. Mariano was the director of the White House medical unit attending to the health of former President Bill Clinton. After President Clinton's term ended in January 2001, Mariano pursued her duty as rear admiral of the US Navy, the highest military post ever occupied by a Filipino-American woman in the mighty US Armed Forces. First Lady Hillary Clinton, who has just won a seat in the senate in the recent elections, personally thanked Mariano for her service to the American nation. "Our family loves you and we're grateful to you," Mrs. Clinton told Mariano in a ceremony tended for her in June 2000 when she was promoted as rear admiral of the US Navy. Mariano was born at the former Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga in 1955. She was only two years old when her parents, Angel and Lu Mariano, immigrated to the United States in 1957. Her father served in the US Navy as a steward and retired as a master chef after serving 29 years. Mariano's four Filipino godfathers were also Navy master chefs. Mariano grew up in Imperial Beach near the Mexican border. She graduated valedictorian from Mar Vista High School in 1973 and cum laude from Revelle College at the University of California where she obtained a degree in Biology in 1977. She earned her medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland in 1981. Following an internship in Internal Medicine at San Diego Naval Hospital in 1982, Mariano was assigned as the General Officer on board USS Prairie where she served as the sole physician for a ship's company of 750 men and women. In 1991, she was selected as the hospital's head of internal medicine. In June 1992, she became the first military woman to serve as White House physician under President George Bush. When he got elected, President Clinton asked her to stay and even promoted her as Senior White House Physician in February 1994 and director of the White House Medical Unit.

By attending to two American presidents for more than eight years, Mariano had the longest service as a White House physician in American history. The National Federation of Filipino American Associations honored Mariano for her remarkable achievements. Filipino Generals in the US Three Filipino-Americans had the distinction of becoming U.S. Army generals. They are Maj. Gen. Edward Soriano, Brig. Gen. Archine Laano, and Brig. Gen. Antonio Taguba. Soriano is the only Filipino to have attained the rank of major general in the U.S. Armed Forces. He was born in Pangasinan and migrated to the U.S. with his family at an early age. In 2001, he was the director of operations, readiness and mobilization at the office of America's Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans. Laano, on the other hand, is a physician by profession and a 1963 graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. President Ronald Reagan appointed him brigadier general in 1988. He also served as the president of the Philippine Medical Association of America and as such, represented the group in several medical missions in the Philippines. Taguba is the third Filipino American general in the U.S. Armed Forces. He was born in Sampaloc, Manila and moved to Hawaii at age 11. He holds three master's degrees: Public Administration from Webster University, International Relations from Salve Regina College, and National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College. Top Student at Wharton The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, considered as the world's top business school by the Businessweek magazine, recognized a Filipino as its best graduating MBA student in May 2001. On May 21, 2001, Victor Franco Calanog received the Thomas Gerrity Leadership Award, the highest honor given to a graduating MBA student by the Wharton School. Calanog, a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, was singled out as the best candidate for the award for his excellence in both academic achievement and extracurricular involvement. Calanog was the chair of student affairs for the Graduate and Professional Students Assembly, the student government for the graduate and professional students of the 12 schools of the University of Pennsylvania. He also received various scholarship grants from AT&T, Ford Foundation and other companies in the United States. He completed his MBA with a triple major in finance, entrepreneurial management and multinational management at the top of his class. (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer) First at Harvard School of Medicine The first Asian to have entered the prestigious Harvard University's School of Medicine is Dr. Fe del Mundo, a world-famous pediatrician. Del Mundo, an International Pediatric Association (IPA) awardee, is an alumna of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine. She was chosen by former President Manuel Quezon to receive a fellowship program at the world's premiere medical school in 1936. She was also the first woman to become a part of the traditionally all-male student body of the medical school. So strong were her academic records that the head of the Pediatrics Department saw no reason not to accept her. She also studied and trained at Columbia University, University of Chicago, Boston University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since 1941, del Mundo has contributed more than 100 articles to medical journals in the U.S., Philippines and India. In 1966, she received the Elizabeth Blackwell Award, for her "outstanding service to mankind". In 1977, she was bestowed the Ramon Magsaysay Award for outstanding public service. First Filipino-American Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano is the first and only American of Filipino ancestry who became a state governor in the United States. He was first elected as governor of Hawaii in 1994 and was reelected in 1998. A Democrat and a lawyer by profession, Cayetano had served as a congressman of Hawaii from 1975 to 1978 and as a senator from 1979 to 1986 before becoming a lieutenant governor in 1990.

First Filipino New Jersey Mayor Robert Rivas, 51, is the first Filipino-American mayor in the New Jersey area. A lawyer by profession, Rivas was elected mayor of Bergenfield in November 1999, with the large support coming from his fellow Filipino-Americans. Bergenfield, a working-class town of 25,000 residents, most of whom are white, is only 15 miles from New York City. Prior to his election, Rivas had served as a Bergenfield councilman (1996-98). While on the City Council, he chaired its Finance, Administration and Personnel Committee and was a member of its Police, Buildings and Grounds; Capital Improvements; and Community Affairs Committees. He has practiced law for 24 years. He graduated from the Seton Hall University School of Law. He was the president of the Filipino-American Association of Bergenfield from 1997 to 1999. He immigrated to the United States in 1968. The first Filipino-American in US Congress was Virginia Rep. Robert CortezScott, a Harvard alumnus. Fashion Designer in New York A Filipino-American fashion designer has been making waves in the New York fashion industry. Josie Natorie, who was born in Manila in 1947, owns and manages Natorie Lingerie. In 2001, she was one of the Asian-American awardees of the nonprofit Asians United to Raise Awareness (AURA) Fund. Natorie was already a successful stockbroker and investment banker even before she established her lingerie business. She had served as the head of the Manila branch of Bache Securities and as an executive of the investment banking division of Merrill Lynch. One of the World's Finest Poets Jose Garcia Villa (Doveglion) was one of the world's finest contemporary poets. Villa, who spent most of his life in a New York apartment, was praised by critics for his beautiful poetry. American poet, e.e. cummings even wrote a poem, Doveglion, Adventures in Value, for Villa. Another American poet, Dame Edith had praised Villa's works as being "amongst the most beautiful written in our time." Among Villa's acclaimed works are Many Voices (1939), Poems (1941),Have Come Am Here (1941), Selected Poems and New (1942) and ADoveglion Book of Philippine Poetry (1962). Villa was born in Singalong, Manila on August 5, 1908. He was expelled from the University of the Philippines (UP) for writing a series of erotic poems, Man Songs in 1929. He migrated to the United States and enrolled at the University of New Mexico where he edited and published a mimeographed literary magazine. In 1973, Villa who used the pen name Doveglion (dove, eagle, lion) received the National Artist Award for Literature from President Ferdinand Marcos. At 88, Villa died on February 7, 1997. He had lived in New York for 67 years. Broadway Diva We first knew her as a ten-year-old girl singing "I Am But A Small Voice" in 1981. With her sweet and tender music, the young Lea Salonga charmed a crowd of foreign diplomats who gave her a standing ovation. Two decades passed, and the young girl with a small voice blossomed into a fine lady who gave her nation pride and inspiration. Now at 31, Lea's voice has not only been the most heard, but also the most enjoyed, among Filipino performers. And her country is mighty proud of her because what she has become, as a "citizen of the world" (a phrase in her song), now represents a tale of achievement every Filipino mother tells her children. Lea was born in Manila on February 22, 1971 to Feliciano Salonga and Ligaya Imutan. She has two siblings - Gerard and Sheila. As a young performer, she appeared in various television programs and joined several stage plays while studying elementary and high school at the OB Montessori, where she graduated with flying colors. In 1989, she auditioned and was accepted for the lead role in Miss Saigon, the multi-million-dollar production of Sir Cameron Mackintosh. During the audition, she sang "On My Own", a ballad from the musical play Les Miserables. Lea eventually got the part of Kim and moved to London's West End where she stayed for two years.

In London, Lea received the most coveted Laurence Olivier Award for playing the role of Kim. It was the start of a series of international awards that were about to come her way. When the musicale moved to New York's Broadway in 1991, Lea won the prestigious Tony Awards, Outer Critics' Circle, and Theater World Awards. Her stint at Miss Saigon also paved the way for bigger opportunities. The magnificent singing voice of Princess Jasmine in the Walt Disney animated production, Aladdin belongs to her. She became the first Filipino to have performed at the celebrated Oscar Awards, when she rendered the Disney song "A Whole New World" before Hollywood celebrities during the 65th annual event in Los Angeles. Lea also had the chance to perform before the most prominent persons in the world. She was invited twice to the White House, first to sing in a social gathering hosted by former First Lady Barbara Bush, then to grace an occasion hosted by President Bill Clinton. While in England, she was invited to the Buckingham Palace to perform before Queen Elizabeth II. In 1993, she played the role of Eponine in the Broadway production of Victor Hugo's novel, Les Misrables. She went on to appear in the London and Honolulu productions of the same play whose music and lyrics were composed by the same people behind Miss Saigon: Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg. In the words of Rosalinda Orosa, a writer on Filipino culture, Lea did something more than making Filipinos proud. "Lea has made theater history for Filipinos," says Orosa. Action King People call him the "King of Action Movies". For more than four decades now, he has ruled the local big screen, even putting in the sideline another actor and friend who became more successful in politics. Fernando Poe Jr. is an icon admired by millions of Filipinos and by his best friend, no less than former President Joseph Estrada. They have been close friends since their days together in the early '60s as stars of action movies. It was Poe who first used the word "Erap" to refer to former President Estrada. As an actor, Poe has mastered the role of a kind-hearted, selfless and invincible super hero who defends the aggrieved people against the forces of evil. The Filipino viewers look up to him because he represents the good and noble in Filipino culture. He was born Ron Allan but had to change his name to bank on the popularity of his father who was a top actor in his time. Fernando Poe Sr. died from a dog's rabies at 35, leaving the young Poe as the family's breadwinner. At 14, the young Poe began his career with a starring role in "Anak ni Palaris". He made his first mark in the '60s with "Tatlong Hari". He was an award-winning actor, having accumulated the most number of best actor awards at FAMAS. He won awards for Mga Alabok ng Lupa (1967), Asedillo (1971), Durugin si Totoy Bato (1979), Umpisahan Mo, Tatapusin Ko (1983), and Magnum 357 (1987). In most of his films, Poe has doubled either as a director or a producer. As a director, he used the name "Ronwaldo Reyes". Lately, there were rumors that Poe might seek the presidency in the year 2004. It would be easy enough for him, considering that he enjoys the same mass-based popularity that catapulted his friend to Malacaang. Poe, however, had no experience in politics, except for his joining the political campaigns of former President Estrada in 1998. Comedy King He shared many moments of great laughs with the Filipino audience. As an actor and prime comedian, Dolphy entertained the nation with his physical humor and classic jokes. At 74, he still does and calls himself a happy man. His real name is Rodolfo Vera Quizon, but for millions of his followers, he is simply Dolphy or Kosme, the character he portrays in the weekly television sitcom, "Home Along Da Riles". Many people envy him for his wonderful career and interesting lifestyle. For them, Dolphy is the "king of comedy" who views life with joy and excitement. Born on July 25, 1928, he was raised by his poor parents, Melencio Espinosa Quizon and Salud dela Rosa Vera. He started as a struggling performer onstage during the Japanese Occupation. The late Fernando Poe Sr. gave him his first break as a character actor. His comic talents

became well known in the films, "Jack en Jill" and "Facifica Falayfay". Soon, he made many comedy films, alongside fellow comedians, Pugo, Tugo, Babalu, Panchito, Ike Lozada and German Moreno. He was paired with Nida Blanca in "John en Marsha", the most-watched prime time television program in the 1980s. He almost retired from the industry in 1989 when he was romantically involved with another actress. In 1979, Dolphy was named as the "king of Philippine movies". A decade later, he was declared as the "all-time favorite actor of Philippine movies". In 1994, he was given the Dangal ng Lipi award by the Bert Amorcelo Memorial Foundation and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by Urian. In 1999, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) named Dolphy as one of the "100 Influential Filipino Artists of the Century. He was also a Parangal ng Bayan and Golden Father Foundation awardee. Master Painters Juan Luna is considered as the finest painter this country has ever produced. He was born in Badoc, Ilocos Norte on October 23, 1857. He became a part of the Philippine Reform Movement, a group seeking social reforms from the colonial government of Spain in the late 19th Century. In 1880, Luna joined the Madrid Exposition where his painting, "The Death of Cleopatra" won the second prize. This masterpiece is now on exhibit at the Museo Nacional de Pinturas in Madrid. In 1884, Luna's huge painting, "Spolarium", won the first Gold Medal at the Exposicion Nacional de Bellas Artes, also in Spain. Coincidentally, another Filipino, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo won the second prize in the same event for his painting, "Antigone". Luna's Spolarium depicts fallen gladiators being dragged to an unseen pile of corpses in a chamber beneath the Roman arena. Considered as the largest painting in the country, it has a height of 4.6 meters and a length of 7.72 meters. It is now on display at the National Museum in Manila. Aside from Luna and Hidalgo, other noted Filipino painters include Fernando Amorsolo, Vicente Manansala, Guillermo Tolentino, Emilio Aguilar Cruz, Fabian dela Rosa, Hernando Ocampo, Victor Edades, Martino Abellana, Arturo Rogerio Luz, Jose Joya, Carlos Francisco, Cesar Legaspi, and Mauro "Malang" Santos. Living Treasures Since 1993, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has recognized eight national living treasures - folk or traditional artists who have employed indigenous materials to create valuable artworks depicting their respective communities. Those rewarded were Masino Intaray, a poet, musician and story teller from Makagwa Valley, Palawan; Samaon Sulaiman, a kutyapi player from Maganoy, Maguindanao; Ginaw Bilog, a Mangyan poet from Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro; Lang Dulay, a T'boli artist from South Cotobato; Salinta Monon, a Tagabawa-Bagobo weaver from Bansalan, Davao del Sur; Alonzo Saclag, a dance researcher from Lubuagan, Kalinga; Federico Caballero, a Sulod-Bukidnon epic chanter from Kalinog, Iloilo; and Uwang Ahadas, a Yakan musician from Lamitan, Basilan. (Source: National Commission for Culture and the Arts) Hollywood Celebrities Among the Hollywood celebrities who have claimed that they have Filipino blood running in their veins are Dean Devlin, writer and producer of several hit films like Independence Day and Godzilla; Rob Schneider, a comedian, writer and actor who appeared in Judge Dredd, Down Periscope, Big Daddy, Deuce Bigolow and The Animal; Lou Diamond Phillips, the lead actor in Bats; Paolo Montalban, the lead actor in the hit TV series Mortal Kombat; Tia Carrere, a pretty actress from Hawaii who starred in True Lies alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger; and Ernie Reyes Jr., a martial arts expert, who appeared in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Famous Singers Among the Filipino singers who gained recognition in the international scene are Lea Salonga for her starring role in the musical play Miss Saigon and Jocelyn Enriquez who popularized the song Do You Miss Me in 1996. Regine Velasquez was once considered as "Asia's songbird" while Pilita Corales was also tagged as "Asia's Queen of Songs". Among the songs that gained recognition abroad are "Anak" by Freddie Aguilar and "Christmas in Our Hearts" by Jose Marie Chan.

Robert Cortez Scott US Democratic Congressman Robert Cortez Scott, who represents Hampton Roads, Virginia, has Filipino blood. His mother is a Filipina.Philippine Trivia Notable Filipino-Americans In the book The Filipino Americans (1783-Present): Their History, Culture and Traditions, author Veltisezar Bautista has recognized the following for their outstanding contribution to their respective fields: Benjamin Cayetano, Peter Aduja, Pedro dela Cruz, Thelma Buchholdt, Glenn Olea, Irene Natividad, Gene Canque Liddell, David Mercado Valderrama, Velma Veloria, Robert Bunda, Ron Menor, Reynaldo Graulty, Henry Manayan, Maria Luisa Mabilangan Haley, Philip Vera Cruz, Pete Fajardo, Juventino Fajardo, Roberto Rivas, Gene Canque Liddel, G. Monty Manibog, Henry Manayan, Michael Guingona Jr., Edward Soriano, Antonio Taguba and Eleanor Mariano for public service; Loida Nicolas Lewis, Josie Natori, Lilia Calderon Clemente, and Cecilia Pagkalinawan for business; Jose Garcia Villa, N.V.M. Gonzales, Carlos Bulosan, Bienvenido Santos, Jessica Hagedorn, and Ninotchka Rosca for literature; Alex Tizon, Byron Acohido, Tita Dioso Gillespie, Cielo Buenaventura, Howard Chua, Hermenegildo "Hermie" A. Azarcon, Veronica Pedrosa and Lisa Foronda for journalism; Pacita Abad, Genara Banzon, Manuel Rodriguez, Sr., Venancio Igarta, Jose Romero and for painting and arts; Lawrence Que Jr., Stella Evangelista, Ernesto Espaldon, Rolando Castro, Neonilo Tejano, Enriquez Ostrea, Domingo Alvear, Ofelia Dirige, Jose Evangelista, Ananias Diokno, Jorge Camara, Eduardo Padlan, Francis Duhaylongsod, and Eleanor Marinao for science and medicine; and Ceferino Garcia, Roman Gabriel, Salvador"Dado" Marino, Speedy Dado, Tai Babilonia, Benny Agbayani, Bobby Balcena, Elizabeth Punsalan and Vicky Manalo Drakes for sports. Government Officials in the US Among the Filipino-Americans who were elected to office in the US government are Governor Benjamin Cayetano of Hawaii; Hawaii State Senate President Robert Bunda; State Representatives Jeff Coleman of Pennsylvania and Jon Amores of West Virginia; and Mayors Juventino Fajardo of Glendale Heights, Illinois; Antonio "Tony" Cartagena of Walnut, California; Pete Pajardo of Carson, California; Michael Guingona Jr. of Daly City, California; Gene Canque Liddel; Henry Manayan and Jose Estevez of Milpitas, California; Teresita Santiago of Delano City, California; and Robert Rivas or Bergenfield, New Jersey.
Abadilla, Alejandro - poet; 1904-1969 Abelardo, Nicanor - composer; San Miguel, Bulacan; 1893-1934 Abueva, Napoleon - sculptor; Bohol; 1930 Aglipay, Gregorio - religious leader; Ilocos Norte; 1860-1940 Agoncillo, Felipe - nationalist; Taal, Batangas; 1859-1941 Aguinaldo, Emilio - president and general; Kawit, Cavite; 1869-1964 Alcala, Larry - cartoonist; Daraga, Albay; 1926-2002 Amorsolo, Fernando - painter; Manila; 1892-1972 Antonio, Pablo - architect; Balanga, Bataan; 1901-1974 Aquino, Benigno -senator and martyr; Concepcion, Tarlac; 1932-1983 Aquino, Corazon Cojuango - president; Luisita, Tarlac; January 25, 1933 Aquino, Francisca Reyes - culture and dance researcher; Bocaue, Bulacan; 1899-1983 Aquino, Melchora - nationalist; Kalookan; 1812-1919 Arguilla, Manuel - writer; Bauang, La Union; 1910-1944 Arcellana, Francisco - short story writer; Manila; 1916-2002 Arroyo, Gloria Macapagal - president; Manila; April 5, 1947 Avellana, Lamberto - film director; Bontoc, Mountain Province; 1915-1991 Balagtas, Francisco - poet; Balagtas, Bulacan; 1788-1862 Baraquio, Angela Perez - beauty queen; Hawaii; June 1, 1976

Bernal, Ishmael - film director; Manila; 1938-1997 Blanca, Nida - film actress; Gapan, Nueva Ecija; 1936-2001 Bonifacio, Andres - nationalist; Manila; 1863-1897 Brocka, Lino - film director; Pilar, Sorsogon; 1939-1991 Buenaventura, Antonino - composer; Baliuag, Bulacan; 1904-1996 Bulosan, Carlos - writer; Pangasinan; 1911-1956 Cayetano, Benjamin - governor of Hawaii; November 14, 1939 Celerio, Levi - poet and songwriter; Manila; 1910-2002 Constantino, Renato - historian; 1919-1999 Cuenco, Ernani - composer; Malolos, Bulacan; 1936-1988 Dagohoy, Francisco - nationalist; Bohol; 1744-1829 (revolt) De Jesus, Gregoria - nationalist; Kalookan; 1875-1943 De Jesus, Jose Corazon - poet; Sta. Maria, Bulacan; 1896-1932 Dela Rama, Honorata "Atang" - actress; Pandacan, Manila; 1902-1991 De Leon, Felipe - composer; Penaranda, Nueva Ecija; 1912-1992 De Leon, Gerardo - film director; Manila; 1913-1981 Delos Santos, Efipanio - writer and nationalist; Malabon; 1871-1928 Del Pilar, Gregorio - nationalist and general; Bulacan; 1875-1899 Del Pilar, Marcelo - journalist and nationalist; Bulacan, Bulacan; 1850-1896 De Ocampo, Roberto - finance secretary and banker; Manila; January 10, 1946 De Venecia, Jose Jr. - House speaker; Dagupan City; December 26, 1936 Edades, Victorio - painter; Pangasinan; 1895-1985 Estrada, Joseph - president; Manila; April 19,1937 Enrile, Juan Ponce - senator and defense minister; Gonzaga, Cagayan; February 14, 1924 Felipe, Julian - composer; Cavite City; 1861-1941 Flavier, Juan - senator and barrio doctor; Manila; June 23, 1935 Francisco, Carlos - painter; Angono, Rizal; 1913-1969 Fuentes, Jovita - opera singer; Capiz, 1895-1978 Garcia, Carlos - president; Talibon, Bohol; 1896-1971 Gokongwei, John Jr. - business tycoon; Cebu City; July 4, 1926 Gonzalez, N.V.M. - writer; Romblon, Romblon; 1917-1999 Goquingco, Leonor Orosa - writer and dancer; Jolo, Sulu; Guerrero, Fernando Ma. - nationalist; Manila; 1873-1929 Guerrero, Wilfredo Ma. - scriptwriter; 1910-1995 Guingona, Teofisto - vice-president; San Juan, Metro Manila; July 4, 1928 Hernandez, Amado - poet; San Miguel, Bulacan; 1903-1970 Hidalgo, Felix Resureccion - painter; 1853-1913 Jacinto, Emilio - nationalist; Tondo, Manila; 1875-1899 Jaena, Graciano Lopez - nationalist and editor; Jaro, Iloilo; 1856-1896 Jaworski, Robert - senator and basketball player; Baguio City; March 8, 1946 Joaquin, Nick - writer; Manila; May 4, 1917 Jose, F. Sionil - writer; Rosales, Pangasinan; December 3, 1924 Kasilag, Lucrecia - composer; San Fernando, La Union; August 31, 1819 Kiukok, Ang - painter; Davao City; March 1, 1931 Laurel, Jose P. - president; Tanauan, Batangas; 1891-1959 Legaspi, Cesar - painter; Tondo, Manila; 1917-1994 Locsin, Leandro - architect; Silay, Negros Occidental; 1928-1994 Luna, Juan - painter and nationalist; Badoc, Ilocos Note; 1857-1899 Luz, Arturo - painter; Manila; November 29, 1926 Mabini, Apolinario - nationalist; Tanauan, Batangas; 1864-1903 Macapagal, Diosdado - president; Lubao, Pampanga; 1910-1997 Maceda, Jose - composer; Manila; January 31, 1917 Magsaysay, Ramon - president; Iba, Zambales; 1907-1957 Manansala, Vicente - painter; Macabebe, Pampanga; 1910-1981 Marcos, Ferdinand - president; Sarrat, Ilocos Norte; 1917-1989 Mariano, Eleanor - physician and US general; Angeles City; 1955 Molina, Antonio - composer; Manila; 1894-1980 Nakpil, Juan - architect; Manila; 1899-1986

Natorie, Josie - fashion designer; Manila; 1947 Navarro, Jerry Elizalde - painter; 1924-1999 Nepomuceno, Rafael - bowling champion; January 30, 1957 Ocampo, Hernando - painter; Manila; 1911-1978 Ople, Blas - senator; Bulacan; February 3, 1927 Osmena, Sergio - president; Cebu City; 1878-1961 Pagkalinawan, Cecilia - IT executive in New York; Manila; 1969 Palma, Jose - poet and songwriter; 1876-1903 Perez, Eugenio - congressman; San Carlos, Pangasinan; 1896-1957 Pimentel, Aquilino - senator; Claveria, Misamis Oriental; December 11, 1933 Ponce, Mariano - nationalist; Baliuag, Bulacan; 1861-1918 Puyat, Gil - nationalist; Manila; 1907-1981 Quezon, Manuel - president; Baler, Tayabas; 1878-1944 Quirino, Elpidio - president; Vigan, Ilocos Sur; 1890-1956 Quizon, Rodolfo (Dolphy) - film actor and comedian; Pampanga; July 25, 1928 Ramos, Fidel - president; Lingayen, Pangasinan; March 18, 1928 Reyes, Severino - playwright; 1861-1942 Rizal, Jose - poet, novelist and martyr; Calamba, Laguna; 1861-1896 Roco, Raul - senator and education secretary; Naga City; October 26, 1941 Romulo, Carlos - UN president and journalist; Camiling, Tarlac; 1899-1985 Roxas, Manuel - president; Roxas City, Capiz; 1892-1948 Salonga, Jovito - senate president and nationalist; Rizal; June 22, 1920 Salonga, Lea - stage actress; Manila; February 22, 1971 San Pedro, Lucio - composer; Angono, Rizal; 1913-2002 Santiago, Miriam Defensor - senator; Iloilo City; June 15, 1945 Santos, Jose Abad - statesman and nationalist; San Fernando, Pampanga; 1886Santos, Lope - novelist and linguist; 1879-1963 Silang, Diego - nationalist; Ilocos Sur; 1730-1763 Silang, Gabriela - nationalist; Ilocos Sur; 1731-1763 Sin, Cardinal Jaime - Catholic archbishop; Aklan; August 21, 1928 Sycip, Washington - businessman; Manila; January 30, 1921 Tiempo, Edith - writer; Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya; April 22, 1919 Tinio, Rolando - playwright; Manila; 1937-1997 Tizon, Alex - journalist; Pampanga; 1958 Tolentino, Aurelio - playwright; 1868-1915 Tolentino, Guillermo - sculptor; Malolos, Bulacan; 1890-1976 Urtula, Lucrecia Reyes - dancer; Calamba, Laguna; Valencia, Teodoro - journalist; Tanauan, Batangas; 1913Veneracion, Andrea - choirmaster; Manila; June 11, 1928 Vergara, Benito Sibug - scientist; Manila; June 23, 1934 Villa, Jose Garcia - poet; Manila; 1909-1997 Villa, Pancho - boxing champion; Iloilo; 1901 Villar, Manuel Jr. - senator and real estate magnate; Las Pinas City; December 13, 1949

Bonifacio Abdon - father of modern kundiman Nicanor Abelardo - master of kundiman Napoleon Abueva - father of modern Philippine sculpture Avelino Galang Adriano - dean of furniture makers Macario Adriatico - father of Manila charter Faustino Aguilar - Alexander Dumas of the Philippines Emilio Aguinaldo - first Philippine president Arturo Alcaraz - father of geothermal energy development Dalisay Aldaba - great little butterfly from the Philippines Benjamin Almeda - father of Filipino inventors Fernando Amorsolo - grand old man of Philippine art Pablo Antonio - renaissance man Cecilio Apostol - prince of poets in Spanish

Francisca Reyes Aquino - folk dance pioneer Melchora Aquino - grand old woman of revolution Francisco Arcellana - an artist of a very monster Nora Aunor - superstar Lamberto Avellana - boy wonder of Philippine movies Natalio Bacalso - king of Visayan writers Francisco dela Cruz Balagtas - father of Philippine literature Jose Bautista - giant of Philippine Journalism Ishmael Bernal - the genius of Philippine cinema Andres Bonifacio - the great plebian Pedro Bukaneg - father of Ilocano Poetry Felipe Calderon - author of the Malolos Constitution Patronicio Tagamora de Carvajal - dean of stars in Philippine theater Modesto Castro - prince of Tagalog prose Narciso Claveria - count of Manila Levi Celerio - poet of Philippine music Pilita Corales - Asia's queen of songs Gregoria de Jesus - Lakambini Jose Corazon de Jesus - father of Balagtasan Sharon Cuneta - megastar Atang dela Rama - the once and future star Felipe de Leon - nationalist composer Gerardo de Leon - master filmmaker Narcisa de Leon - grand old woman of Philippine movies Isabelo delos Reyes - father of Philippine labor movement Gregorio del Pilar - hero of Tirad Pass Marcelo del Pilar - father of Philipppine Journalism Bert del Rosario - father of Tagalog short stories Nieves Baens del Rosario - champion of the workingman Geminiano de Ocampo - father of modern ophthalmology in the Philippines Jose Drillon - father of Philippine agribusiness Victor Edades - father of modern Philippine painting Josefa Llanes Escoda - Florence Nightingale of the Philippines Alberto Feliciano - Dr. Filipino Julian Felipe - father of national anthem Juan Flores - dean of Filipino woodcarvers Germie Fontilla - queen of chess Jovita Fuentes - the Philippines' prima donna Eugenio Juan Gonzales - father of Philippine condominiums Leonor Orosa Goquingco - mother of Philippine theater dance Fernando Ma. Guerrero - prince of Filipino lyric poets in Spanish Leon Ma. Guerrero - father of Philippine botany Luis Guerrero - dean of medicine in the Philippines Wilfredo Ma. Guerrero - pioneer of outreach theater Laureano Guevarra - father of Marikina shoe industry Amando Hernandez - poet for the common man Guillermo Hernandez - dean of Filipino sportscasters Jose Hernandez - dean of Filipino diplomats

Graciano Lopez Jaena - prince of Filipino orators Emilio Jacinto - brain of the Katipunan Nick Joaquin - megabuck writer Maximo Kalaw - father of political science in the Philippines Lucrecia Kasilag - tita king Amparo Lardizabal - teacher of teachers Trinidad Legarda - mother of the symphony movement in the Philippines Cesar Legaspi - trailblazer of modern Philippine art Leandro Locsin - a poet of space Jose Luna - official physician of the revolution Apolinario Mabini - the sublime paralytic Joce Maceda - the ethnomusicologist Vicente Madrigal - charcoal king Teresa Magbanua - Visayan Joan of Arc Ramon Magsaysay - champion of the masses Francisco Makabuhos - liberator of Tarlac Jose Malcampo - count of Mindanao Anastacio Mamaril - trumpet king of the Philippines Jose "Pitoy" Moreno - dean of Filipino couturiers Juak Nakpil - pioneer in Philippine architecture Jose Nepomuceno - father of Filipino movies Hernando Ocampo - radical modernist Sergio Osmena Sr. - architect of Filipino nationalism Jose Palma - poet soldier Rafael Palma - apostle of Filipinism Jose Ma. Panganiban - avenger of Filipino honor Valeriano Hernandez Pena - father of modern Tagalog novels Leon Pichay - king of Ilocano poets Fernando Poe Jr. - king of action films Manuel Quezon - father of Philippine national language Carlos Quirino - man for all seasons Dolphy Quizon - king of comedy films Claro M. Recto - Paladin of Philippine nationalism Bobby Regiono - banjo king Jose Rizal - pride of the Malay race Alejandro Roces Sr. - exponent of modern Journalism Lolita Rodriquez - first lady of Philippine movies Carlos P. Romulo - hero of the republic Tessie Rumarao - queen of hula-hoop Lucio San Pedro - creative nationalist Francisco Santiago - father of nationalism in Philippine music Lope K. Santos - laureate of Tagalog literature Vilma Santos - star for all seasons Gloria Sevilla - queen of Visayan movies Diego Silang - liberator of the Ilocos Gabriela Silang - Joan of Arc of Ilocandia Trinidad Perez Tecson - mother of Philippine Red Cross Rolando Tinio - creative genius

Guillermo Tolentino - father of Philippine arts Lina Flor Trinidad - dean of Filipino soap operas Lucrecia Reyes Urtula - the woman behind Bayanihan Dance Co. Teodoro Valencia - dean of columnists Luis Rodriguez Varela - the first Filipino Jose Gacia Villa - international poet Gliceria Marella Villavicencio - godmother of revolution Flavio Zaragoza - poet laureate in Ilongo literature
Sajid Bulig On July 2, 1993, a pagoda carrying hundreds of Catholic devotees during the annual pagoda festival in Bocaue, Bulacan sank into the muddy Bocaue River. About 279 people, including children, drowned in the incident. One victim, Sajid Bulig, died a hero after saving four children out of the river. Aris Canoy Espinosa On January 30, 1994, Aris Canoy Espinosa, a 13-year-old boy from Lanao del Norte province, did something for his friends. A grenade on the ground was about to explode near the children. Aris quickly jumped and covered the grenade with his own body. The children were saved, thanks to the sacrifice of Aris! Rona Mahilum On May 26, 1996, a fire broke out inside a house in Barangay Divina Colonia, Sagay town, Negros Occidental province. Rona Mahilum, a young girl, sustained third degree burns on her back. Despite the pain, she rescued her five brothers and sisters out of the house on fire. Then she tried to put out the fire with water from the nearby well. In 1997, Rona was cited for her bravery and heroism. Amazing! Chrisanta Seboc On July 5, 1996, Chrisanta Seboc, a four-year girl from Barangay Sta. Teresa in Jordan town, Guimaras province saved the lives of her three-year-old sister and two-year-old brother from fire which engulfed their house at a time their parents were away for work. She was about to rescue another sister, an infant, when her neighbors stopped her from going into the house on fire. She cried because she could not help her. Enteng Tagle In its September 2002 issue, the Reader's Digest cited the heroics of Enteng Tagle, who was ten years old when he saved the lives of his one-year-old brother and eight-year-old playmate at the Payatas tragedy on July 12, 2000. Nearly 500 garbage scavengers who were living literally at the Payatas dumpsite in Quezon City were buried alive under tons of garbage when a 50foot garbage mountain collapsed on their makeshift houses at the height of torrential rains. Agapito and Garcia In the devastating earthquake that hit Luzon in June 1990, Florencio Agapito and Robin Garcia of Cabanatuan City died helping their schoolmates out of the Christian Colleges of the Philippines building that collapsed. Cayabyab and Naga In November 2002, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has recognized 15-year-old Rico Cayabyab, 12-year-old Elorde Naga, and two adult fishermen of Paranaque City for saving three survivors, including an Australian tourist, from an airplane crash at the Manila Bay on November 11. Godofredo Latoga In 1985, Godofredo Latoga lost his life while rescuing his tour group members from a fire at the Pines Hotel. Emilio Advincula Emilio Advincula, a taxi driver, has been cited for his sheer honesty. In 1996, his passenger, a Filipino expatriate, left jewelry amounting to P2 million and several thousands of US dollars inside the car. Advincula returned everything. Ma. Fe Sotelo Ma. Fe Sotelo, a security guard, achieved her dream of becoming a police officer when the national police waived its height and age requirements just for her. This was after she returned P500,000 to a Chinese businessman who left his bag at the comfort room of the Festival Mall in Alabang on January 7, 2003. The businessman tried to give her money as a reward but the honest guard politely declined the offer. She said she did not think twice about returning the money.

It is a real challenge to come up with a list of the country's best athletes, both past and present. Fortunately, sports institutions like the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sportswriters Association have named several athletes in their Hall of Fame or sorts. While being guided by the lists drawn up by the country's respectable sports institutions, our own list dares to be different in the sense that it takes into account the true essence of the term "world champion". By the term world champion, an athlete must have been declared a champion in an

international competition or he or she must have won at least a bronze medal in the Olympics. Here is our own list of 27 Filipino world champions, in the order that we deem proper. 1. Bowler Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno, for being the "Greatest Filipino Athlete of All Time", "Athlete of the Century", and "International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium"; for receiving the prestigious International Olympic Committee (IOC) President's Trophy; for winning over 100 tournaments, including four World Cups and two other prestigious international titles; for winning an Asiad gold medal; and for still being an active player 2. Billiard player Efren "Bata" Reyes, for being declared as the best billiard player of all time; for winning the World 8-Ball championship five times; for clinching the 1999 World 9-Ball title; for winning over 100 international tournaments; and for still being an active player 3. Golfer Dorothy Delasin, for winning three world championships: the 2000 LPGA Giant Eagle Classic when she was only 19, the 2001 LPGA Giant Eagle Classic, and the Samsung World Championship; for being the Rookie of the Year in 2000; for being the Amateur Golfer of the Year in 1998; for winning the US Women's Amateur Championship, California Women's Championship, the US Girls Championship and the Junior World Cup; and for still being an active player 4. Boxer Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, for being declared "the greatest world junior lightweight boxing champion in WBC history"; for defending his title in 10 bouts for seven years, making him the longest reigning world junior lightweight champion ever; and for being inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame 5. Basketball player Carlos Loyzaga, for stirring the Philippine basketball team that placed third in the World Basketball Championship (WBC) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1954; for being named to the Mythical Team at the 1954 WBC; for being the captain of the team that won 4 Asiad gold medals; and for participating several times in the Olympic Games 6. Boxer Pancho Villa, for being considered the greatest flyweight of the century; for becoming Asia's first world champion in boxing; and for being inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame 7. Tennis player Felicisimo Ampon, for winning the Davis Cup singles championship in 1937, the singles title in the Pan-American championship in Mexico City in 1950, the Wimbledon Plate championship in 1953; and for being considered the best tennis player in the world, pound for pound 8. High jumper Simeon Toribio, for winning a bronze medal at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics; for winning gold medals in many Far Eastern Games; and for being considered the "Filipino Field Athlete of the Half Century" and "Asia's Best Athlete" 9. Boxer Roel Velasco, for winning a gold medal at the first Muhammad Ali Cup Invitational Boxing Championship, a silver at the 1997 World Boxing Championships, a bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and a bronze at the 1998 Goodwill Games 10. Bowler Bong Coo, for winning the 1979 World Cup and FIQ World Championship; for clinching five gold medals at the Asian Games; and for collecting over 100 national and international awards

11. Shooter Jethro "the Jet" Dionisio, for being considered the world's fastest shooter and for being a six-time world champion in pistol shooting; and for still being an active player 12. Billiard player Francisco "Django" Bustamante, for being declared the world's number 1 billiard player in 1998; for winning an Asiad gold medal in 2002; for bagging the World Pool Masters Championship twice; for winning several other international tournaments; and for still being an active player 13. Boxer Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco, for clinching the country's second Olympic silver medal in 1996 and an Asiad gold medal in 1994 14. Swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso, for winning two Olympic bronze medals in swimming 15. Boxer Ceferino Garcia, for being the heaviest Filipino boxer who became a world champion when he knocked out world middleweight champion Fred Apostoli in New York in 1939; and for being inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame and into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1981 16. Chess player Eugene Torre, for being Asia's first grandmaster in 1974; and for stirring the Philippine team that placed 7th at the 1988 Greece Olympiad 17. Bowler Arianne Cerdena, for winning an Olympic gold medal in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, although her medal was not included in the regular medal tally; and for representing the country in many Southeast Asian Games 18. Boxer Luisito Epinosa, for holding two different world-boxing titles: the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight crown and the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight belt; and for being one of the longest reigning Filipino world champion 19. Boxer Manny Pacquiao, for becoming an International Boxing Federation (IBF) world super bantamweight champion and World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight champion; and for still being an active player 20. Sprinter Lydia de Vega, for winning two gold medals in the 100-meter dash at the 1982 New Delhi Asiad and 1986 Seoul Asiad 21. Boxer Ben Villaflor, for becoming world junior lightweight champion at the age of 18 years old; and for defending his title from 1972 to 1976 22. Swimmer Haydee Coloso-Espino, for collecting a total of three gold, five silver, and two bronze medals from the Asian Games in the 1950s and 1960s 23. Boxer Erbito Salavarria, for becoming the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight champion and the Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight champion 24. Boxer Gerry Penalosa, for winning two titles: the World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight crown and the World Boxing Association (WBA) North American junior bantamweight title

25. Boxer Anthony Villanueva, for winning a silver medal in a close match with Russian Stanislave Stephaskin in featherweight finals at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics 26. Weightlifter Salvador del Rosario, for winning a gold medal in the flyweight division of the World Weightlifting Championships held in Columbus, Ohio, USA in 1970 27. Racer Angelo Barreto, for winning several times at the European Endurance Touring Car Circuit in 2000 and at the Group N Touring Cars Championships also in Europe; and for clinching the championship in Le Mans Classic in France in September 2002 While we limit the list to only 27 athletes, we also recognize the fact that other athletes should have also been in the list. Among such athletes are Frankie Minoza, Roberto Cruz, Ambrosio Padilla, Inocencia Solis, Mona Sulaiman, Mark Rosales, Julita Tayo, Jose "Amang" Parica, Ben Arda, Lolita Reformado, Miguel White, Jose "Cely" Villanueva, Pedro Adigue, Rodolfo Tan Cardoso, Dodi Boy Penalosa, Leopoldo Serantes, Jennifer Rosales, Andres Franco, Elma Muros, Lauro Mumar, Angeline Dumapong, Rolando Navarette, Adolfo Feliciano, Purita Jacinto, Lita dela Rosa, Frank Cedeno, Bea Lucero, among others. Bowling, billiards, boxing and basketball are the four big Bs of Philippine sports. These four sports events have rewarded the country richly and produced world champions like Paeng, Coo, Bata, Django, Amang, Flash, Pancho, Onyok, and Caloy.
In a 1999 survey, local poll firm Social Weather Stations claimed that the most popular sports in the Philippines were basketball (72 percent), boxing (55 percent), billiards (37 percent) and bowling (15 percent). Bowlers Bowling, one of the four big Bs of Philippine sports is no doubt a field where Filipinos have excelled in. Two Filipinos have been included in the 1993 inaugural International Bowling Hall of Fame, namely: Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo. Bowling has also produced an Olympic gold medal and six Asiad gold medals for the Philippines. Too bad, bowling was just a demonstration sports when Arianne Cerdena won a gold in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Nevertheless, Filipinos have already etched their names on top of more than 100 million bowlers worldwide. Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno Paeng owns the following distinctions: "Greatest Filipino Athlete of All Time", "Athlete of the Century", and "International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium." He has won the World Cup in bowling four times in three decades. He could even win his fifth in fourth decade. He won his first World Cup in Tehran, Iran on November 19, 1976 when he was only 19 years old; his second World Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia on November 1, 1980; his third World Cup in Le Mans, France on November 8, 1992; and his fourth World Cup in Belfast, Northern Ireland on November 23, 1996. Paeng also won two equally prestigious international titles, namely: the International Tournament championship in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 8, 1984 and the World Tenpin Masters championship in London, England on March 7, 1999. On October 4, 2002, Paeng won a gold medal together with RJ Bautista in bowling's double event for men at the Asian Games held in Pusan, South Korea. All in all, Paeng has won over 100 tournament titles. He is the only bowler who had received the prestigious International Olympic Committee (IOC) President's Trophy and was the first enshrined in the International Bowling Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri in 1993. In November 1999, the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) named Paeng as the "International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium." In a ceremony held in Dubai, United Arab Ermirates, an FIQ official cited Paeng with these words: "No international bowling athlete is more deserving of recognition than Paeng. In addition to his long list of well-known achievements as a world champion in three decades, Paeng truly has been and continues to be an extraordinary ambassador for our sport. I congratulate Paeng for receiving the highest award possible from the IOC. Being the first time an IOC recognition has been given to a bowling athlete, I can only say: On behalf of 100 million bowlers in the world, I salute Paeng Nepomuceno as the international bowling athlete of the millennium." Paeng, who is still an active player, was born in Manila on January 30, 1957. Truly, Paeng is a world champion and we are proud to say that Paeng is a Filipino! Bong Coo Like Paeng Nepomuceno, Bong Coo dubbed as "Asia's Bowling Queen" was enshrined in the World Bowling Hall of Fame in 1993. She is the most awarded female Filipino athlete in history, having won 107 national and international titles including two

world titles, one World Cup and five Asiad gold medals. She set three world records in consecutive FIQ World Championships in 1979 and 1983 and one world record in 1979 World Cup. Lita dela Rosa Lita dela Rosa won bowling's World Cup in Bogota, Colombia in 1978. Arianne Cerdena It was a Filipino triumph just the same. Despite being excluded from the regular gold medal tally, Arianne Cerdena's Olympic gold medal, which she won at Royal Bowling Center in Seoul, South Korea on September 18, 1988 only proves that the Philippines could easily beat other countries for that elusive Olympic gold. For the record, bowling was considered only as a demonstration sport in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Asiad Gold Medallists Bong Coo has won five gold medals in the Asian Games from 1978 to 1986. Her teammates in five-person team events were Lita de la Rosa, Rosario de Leon, Lily Reformado, and Nellie Castillo. On October 4, 2002, Paeng Nepomuceno and RJ Bautista won the men's doubles bowling event at the 14th Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. It was the first Asiad gold for Nepomuceno. Both Paeng and RJ are left-handed. Other Champion Bowlers Among the other Filipino bowlers who have performed competitively in World Cup and other international tournaments include Irene Benitez, Jojo Canare, Liza Clutario, Angelo Constantino, Rosario de Leon, Liza del Rosario, Benito Dytoc, Jorge Fernandez, Cecilia Gaffud, Delfin Garcia, Irene Garcia, Chester King, Loreto Maranan, Richard Poblete, Lolita Reformado, Leonardo Rey, Linda Reyes, Rene Reyes, Engelbert Rivera, Virgilio Sablan, Rudy Salazar, Jose Santos, Catalina Solis, Christian Suarez, Manny Sugatan, Diana Tanlimco, Paulo Valdez, Bec Watanabe, and Cecilia Yap.

Billiards Players Billiards, one of the four big Bs of Philippine sports, has been a consistent source of pride for Filipino sports aficionados. So popular has this game become that it has edged out basketball as the number one sports among Filipino youth, if one is to consider the number of pool halls in the country today.
This trend can be attributed to the exploits of Filipino cue artists who have invaded various international tournaments in the past two decades. The mere mention of the names Bata, Django, Amang, Lining and others could quickly elicit admiration from Filipino billiard aficionados. It is a proven fact, and not a hyperbole if we claim that Filipino cue artists are among the world's best that have played the game. Efren "Bata" Reyes While Paeng is recognized as the finest Filipino athlete, Efren "Bata" Reyes is undoubtedly the most admired Filipino champion. A 1999 survey conducted by local poll firm Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that "the Magician" is the sports personality most admired by Filipinos. Bata's magic can be attributed to his humility and his sheer delight in associating with the common tao. His charm can also be credited to the fact that he has been a world champion for many times and is considered the finest billiard player of all time. In 1995, Bata was ranked as the world's number 1 billiard player. Least known among his exploits is the fact that Bata is a fourtime World 8-Ball champion. It is said that nobody could rival Bata's strategy in the 8-ball. In 1999, he clinched the World 9-Ball Championship in Wales, proving that he is an all-around billiard player. Because of his exploits in Wales, his two gold medals in the 20th Southeast Asian Games in Brunei, and five other major international titles all in one year, Bata received the Athlete of the Year in 1999. For the second time, he was named Athlete of the Year for his exploits in 2001. In its December 21, 2001 issue, the prestigious Time Magazine has included Reyes in its roster world's best in sports and described him as the Philippines' "sole bona fide international sports superstar". Aside from the World 8-Ball and Word 9-Ball championships, other international tournaments he has bagged since 1985 include the Tokyo 9-Ball Tournament, the World League Title, International Challenge of Champions 9-Ball Classic, First Masters 9-Ball Championship, Pro-Tour Championship, Derby City One-Pocket, Camel Pro 8-Ball, Masters 9-Ball, among others. In 1995, the US magazine "Billiards Digest" named him as the Player of the Year. Bata Reyes, who is still an active player, was born in Pampanga in 1953. Francisco "Django" Bustamante In 1998, Django Bustamante, who has the most smashing break in billiards, was considered the world's number one billiard player because of the string of victories he won in the United States, Europe, Japan and the Philippines. The US magazine "Billiards Digest" also named him as the Player of the Year for 1998. Django has bagged the World Pool Masters Championship twice (1998 and 2001). Other international tournaments he has won over the years include the Camel Pro Billiards Series, ESPN Champion of Champions, Japan Open 9-ball event, Peninsula 9-Ball Open, Riviera Hotel Pro- 8-Ball Open Championship in Las Vegas, All-Japan Championship, and IBC 9-Ball. Despite the death of her young daughter, Bustamante placed second behind Earl Strickland of the United States in the World 9Ball Championship held in Cardiff, Wales in July 2002. In October of the same year, Django together with Antonio "Nikoy" Lining won a gold medal in the 9-ball doubles event of the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.

Django was born in Tarlac in 1964 and is based in Germany. Asian Gold Medallists Billiards has produced two Asiad gold medals for the Philippines. In the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, Romeo Villanueva and Gandy Valle brought home the country's only gold medal, after capturing the 9-ball doubles event title. On October 7, 2002, Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Antonio "Nikoy" duplicated the feat by winning the 9-ball doubles event at the 14th Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea. Other Billiards Champions Aside from Bata and Django, the Philippines teems with world billiards champions. Jose "Amang" Parica, for example, was the number one pool player in the US in 1997. Other champions include Edgar Acaba, Dodong Andam, Lee Van Corteza, Ramon del Rosario, Ramil Gallego, Warren Kiamco, Antonio "Nikoy" Lining, Rodolfo Luat, Dennis Orcullo, Alex Pagulayan, Santos Sambajon, and Romeo Villanueva.

Boxers Boxing, one of the four big Bs of Philippine sports, has not only produced the most number of Filipino world champions but has also contributed five of the nine Olympic medals harvested by Filipino athletes since the country participated in the Olympics in 1924. The country's two Olympic silver medals came from boxing.
Boxing has also produced the country's lone bronze medal in the Goodwill Games and has hauled 12 gold medals from the Asian Games, the most among sports events that Filipinos participated in. Two of the four Asians enshrined in the New York-based International Boxing Hall of Fame were Filipinos, namely: Pancho Villa in the old-timer category and Gabriel "Flash" Elorde in the modern category. Aside from Villa and Elorde, the Philippines has also produced world boxing greats like Ceferino Garcia, Ben Villaflor, Erbito Salavarria, Pedro Adigue, Rolando Navarette, Luisito Espinosa, Gerry Penalosa, and Manny Pacquiao. Pancho Villa Pancho Villa, who has been touted as the greatest flyweight of the century by the Associated Press, was also the first world champion from Asia. He was one of only four Asians enshrined into the New York-based International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994. He was also inducted to the World Boxing Hall of Fame. Born as Francisco Guilledo in Ilog, Negros Occidental on August 1, 1901, he began his boxing career in 1919 and adopted the name Pancho Villa after a famous Mexican revolutionary leader. After his successful bids in the Philippines, he went to New York in pursuit of international bouts. Known for his whirlwind style, Villa, then 22, knocked out reigning world flyweight champion Jimmy Wilde of England in the seventh round at New York's Polo Grounds on June 18, 1923. Among the opponents that he trounced were Benny Schwartz, Georgie Marks, Frankie Ash and Clever Sencio. During his entire boxing career, Villa engaged in 99 bouts - 22 knockouts, 49 wins by decision, 5 losses, 4 draws and 19 nodecision bouts. Gabriel "Flash" Elorde In 1974, the World Boxing Council named Gabriel "Flash Elorde" as "the greatest world junior lightweight boxing champion in WBC history" for winning 79 bouts in his professional boxing career. In 1993, he became the first Asian inducted into the New York-based International Boxing Hall of Fame. He was also enshrined into the World Boxing Hall of Fame. Elorde became a world champion in the 130-pound division on March 16, 1960 when he knocked out American Harold Gomes at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. Since then, he has defended his title in 10 bouts for seven years, making him the longest reigning world junior lightweight champion ever. He finally lost to Japanese Yoshiaki Numata in a 15-round match in Tokyo on June 15, 1967. Elorde was born in Bogo, Cebu in 1935 and died in 1985. Roel Velasco A gold medal at the first Muhammad Ali Cup Invitational Boxing Championship, a silver at the 1997 World Boxing Championships, a bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and a bronze at the 1998 Goodwill Games. These are just a few of the many honors Roel Velasco has brought home from grueling international boxing competitions. With such feats, Roel, the older brother of Olympic silver medallist Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco, is perhaps the country's most successful amateur boxer. In September 1997, Roel, a light flyweight, won the country's first gold medal in the Muhammad Ali Cup Invitational Boxing Championship. That was his third international gold medal in that year, after winning gold medals at the Italian Boxing Championship in Italy and the Balado Memorial Cup in Cuba. In July 1998, then 24-year-old Roel also won the country's first-ever bronze medal in the Goodwill Games held in New York, USA when he outclassed an American opponent. He later lost to a Russian boxer in the semifinals to settle for the bronze. Before this, Roel won the silver medal in the World Championships held in Budapest, Hungary in 1997. Roel was the sole Filipino medallist (outside demonstration sports) in the 1992 Olympic Games held in Barcelona, Spain. He won the Olympic bronze medal when he was only 18 years old. Roel was born in Bago City, Negros Occidental province in 1974. He is a member of the Philippine Navy.

Ceferino Garcia Ceferino Garcia was the heaviest Filipino ever who became a world-boxing champion. Known for his bolo punch, he captured the world middleweight title on October 2, 1939 when he knocked out Fred Apostoli in New York. He defended his crown against top rivals twice (Americans Glen Lee and Henry Armstrong) before losing his title in May 1940. Before he switched to the middleweight division, Garcia became a welterweight champion when he knocked out boxing legend and war hero Barney Ross in 1937 and Henry Armstrong in 1938. He was born in 1912 and grew up in Tondo, Manila. In 1977, Ceferino Garcia was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame and into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1981. Luisito Espinosa For five years, Luisito "Lindol" Espinosa has held two different world-boxing titles: the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight crown and the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight belt. In 1996, Luisito Espinosa was named "Athlete of the Year" for defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight crown twice. He edged out Olympic silver medallist Mansueto Velasco in the country's top athlete award. He was again feted the "Athlete of the Year" award in 1999 alongside golfer Frankie Minoza. The five-foot-seven boxer was born in Tondo, Manila on June 26, 1967. Manny Pacquiao Manny Pacquiao, one of the finest Filipino power punchers, is an International Boxing Federation (IBF) world super bantamweight champion and a former World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight champion. He was the first Filipino to clinch a world boxing title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena where he floored Lehlo Ledwaba of South Africa in the sixth round to bag the IBF super bantamweight title in June 2001. Before this, Pacquiao knocked out a Thai champion in the 8th round of their match in Bangkok on December 3, 1998 to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title. Pacquiao was born in Bukidnon province (northern Mindanao) on December 12, 1976. He is married to the beautiful Jinky. Ben Villaflor Another world junior lightweight champion was Ben Villaflor, who was only 18 years old, when he dethroned Alfredo Marcano on April 25, 1972. He lost his title to a Japanese contender but regained it seven months later. Villaflor was able to defend his crown for five times until 1976. Erbito Salavarria On December 7, 1970, Erbito Salavarria wore the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight belt when he beat a Thai world champion. On April 1, 1975, he grabbed the World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight crown from a Japanese fighter. Rolando Navarette In August 1981, Rolando Navarrete knocked out a British boxer in the fifth round to clinch the World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight championship. Navarrete kept the title until May 1982 when he lost to a Mexican pug. Pedro Adigue Jr. Pedro Adigue Jr. had reportedly held five different titles in his professional boxing career. His career reached its peak on December 14, 1968 when he defeated American Adolph Pruitt to bag the World Boxing Council (WBC) junior welterweight crown. Gerry Penalosa Gerry Penalosa won the World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight crown on February 20, 1997 and was able to defend it three times until August 1998. In June 1999, he knocked out a Mexican fighter to clinch the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) North American junior bantamweight title in Mississippi. Penalosa, the brother of former world champion Dodie Boy Penalosa, was born in Cebu. Small Montana His real name was Benjamin Gan. Based in the US, Small Montana became the world flyweight champion in 1935. He kept the title until 1937. Little Dado Another Filipino who fought in the US, Little Dado kept the National Boxing Association (NBA) flyweight crown from 1938 to 1940. NBA is the predecessor of the World Boxing Association (WBA). Salvador "Dado" Marino On August 1, 1950, Salvador "Dado" Marino defeated Terry Allen to bag the world flyweight boxing championship. He kept the title until May 1952. Roberto Cruz Roberto Cruz knocked out Raymundo Torres in the first round to clinch the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) junior welterweight crown in Los Angeles, California on March 20, 1964. He was born in Baguio City on November 2, 1941. Rene Barrientos Rene Barrientos became a world-boxing champion when he defeated American fighter Ruben Navarro in 1969. In particular, Barrientos was declared World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight champion of the world in Tokyo, Japan on February 15, 1969.

Bernabe Villacampo On October 20, 1969, Bernabe Villacampo defeated a Japanese opponent to bag the World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight crown. He kept the title until April 1970. Frank Cedeno On September 27, 1983, Frank Cedeno defeated Charlie Magri at Wembley Arena in London, England to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight championship. He kept the title until January 1984. Dodi "Boy" Penalosa On February 22, 1987, Dodi Penalosa, the older brother of Gerry Penalosa, beat a South Korean champion to become the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight champion. He lost the title to another South Korean pug in September of the same year. Rolando Bohol Rolando Bohol beat a South Korean champion to become the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight champion at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on January 16, 1988. He lost his crown to a British opponent in London in October of the same year. Tacy Macalos On November 5, 1988, Tacy Macalos defeated a South Korean boxer to clinch the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight title in a bout held in Manila. Macalos he kept the cronw until May 1989 when he lost to a Thai contender in Bangkok. Eric Chavez In September 1989, Eric Chavez was crowned the International Boxing Federation (IBF) mini flyweight champion of the world. Rolando Pascua On December 19, 1990, Rolando Pascua knocked out Chiquita Gonzalez in the sixth round to bag the World Boxing Council (WBC) light flyweight title. He lost the crown in his first defense match in March 1991. Manny Melchor In September 1992, Manny Melchor defeated a Thai fighter to win the International Boxing Federation (IBF) straw weight championship. Melchor, a boxer from Oriental Mindoro province, relinquished the title to another Thai fighter two months later. Eric Jamili In December 1997, Eric Jamili defeated a British boxer to bag the World Boxing Organization (WBO) straw weight title. He lost the title in May 1998. Samuel Duran Samuel Duran became an Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) featherweight champion in 1998. He also once held the World Boxing council (WBC) international bantamweight title. Melvin Magramo On February 14, 1998, Melvin Magramo defeated a Thai champion to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) flyweight crown in front of 10,000 Filipino fans in Las Pinas City. Joma Gamboa On December 4, 1999, Joma Gamboa knocked out a Japanese fighter in Nagoya, Japan to become the World Boxing Association (WBA) minimum weight (105 pounds) champion. He defeated a Venezuelan boxer in August 2000 but lost the title to another Japanese opponent in December of that year. Malcolm Tuacao Malcolm Tuacao was the only reigning Filipino world boxing champion in the year 2000. At 21 years old, Tuacao grabbed the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight crown from a Thai boxer in Bangkok on May 21, 2000 and was able to defend it for the rest of the year. Tuacao was born in Mandaue City in 1978. Andy Tabanas In February 2001, Andy Tabanas edged out a Thai fighter to become the leading World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior flyweight. He kept the interim title for two months. Tiger Ari Tiger Ari won the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super featherweight title in early 2002. Other Boxing Champions Among other Filipino champions who have won a world tile or figured in international boxing bouts include Manfredo Alipala, Rey Asis, Dencio Cabanella, Little Cezar, Speedy Dado (Diosdado Posadas), Johnny Jamito, Ronnie Jones, Rocky Kalingo, Baby Lorona, Pretty Boy Lucas, Orlando Medina, Benigno Clever Sison, Roberto Somodio, and Young Terror.

Manseuto "Onyok"Velasco Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco nearly clinched the country's first Olympic gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when he slugged it out with Bulgarian Daniel Bojilov in the light-flyweight finals. The

controversial bout led to Velasco bringing home the silver medal. Before this, Velasco was one of the three Filipino boxers who clinched gold medals in the 1994 Asian Games held in Hiroshima, Japan. Anthony Villanueva The country's first Olympic silver medal came in 1964 when then 19-year-old Anthony Villanueva, son of 1932 bronze medallist Cely Villanueva, fought Russian Stanislave Stephaskin in boxing's featherweight finals at the Tokyo Olympics. Villanueva lost the gold in a split decision to the Russian. Leopoldo Serantes Leopoldo Serantes, a light flyweight, completes the cast of Filipino boxers who have brought home five Olympic medals, and joins the father-and-son tandem of the Villanuevas and the Velasco brothers. Serantes clinched a bronze medal in the Olympic Games held in Seoul, South Korea in 1988. Leopoldo Contancio Leopoldo Contancio won a gold medal in the Asian Challenge Cup in Manila in 1983. Asiad Gold Medallists Filipino athletes have won 12 of their total haul of 56 Asiad gold medals in boxing. Five of these 12 boxing gold medals came from the 1954 Asian Games, which Manila hosted while three came from the 1994 Asian Games held in Hiroshima, Japan. Other Amateur Champions Aside from the Velasco brothers, the father and son tandem of the Villanuevas and Leopoldo Serantes, other amateur boxers who have shown impressive performance in international competitions include Celedonio Espinosa, Ricardo Fortaleza, Reynaldo Galido, Roberto Janaiz, Alejandro Ortuoste, Ernesto Porto, Elias Recaido, Ernesto Sajo, and Vicente Tunacao.
Basketball Players

Basketball is arguably the most loved sports in the Philippines. Despite the lack in height, Filipinos have dominated basketball in Southeast Asia and formed world competitive teams in the 1950s. The Philippines performed well in its participation in the Olympic basketball event from the 1930s to the 1950s and placed third in the 1954 World Basketball Championship (WBC) held in Brazil. Basketball has produced four Asiad gold medals for the Philippines. The country also won the Asian Basketball Conference (ABC) championships in 1960, 1963, 1967, 1973 and 1986 and the William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament in 1986 and 1998. The Philippine basketball team, composed of Philippine Basketball League (PBL) players, has also won the ABC Champions Cup four times: 1984, 1988, 1995 and 1996. The Philippines Basketball Association (PBA), widely considered the first and oldest professional basketball league in the Asian region, is also the country's number one spectator event. Olympic Participation The Philippine basketball team that placed fifth in the basketball event of the 1936 Olympic Games during the Nazi rule in Berlin, Germany, should have won at least a bronze medal, if not for a controversial ruling. Despite winning four of its five games, the country did not bring home any medal. It lost only to the United States, which eventually clinched the gold medal, but defeated Mexico, Estonia, Italy and Uruguay. The members of that fabled 1936 Philippine basketball team were Ambrosio Padilla (team captain), who later became a senator; Charles Borck, who at 6'1" was the tallest in the team; Jacinto Ciria Cruz, Primitivo Martinez, Jesus Marzan, Franco Marquicias, Fortunato Yambao, Amador Obondo, Bibjano Quano and Johnny Worrel. The Philippine basketball team also performed superbly well in its other Olympic participations, including placing 12th at the 1948 London Olympics, 7th at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, and 11th at the 1960 Rome Olympics. World Basketball Championship The Philippine basketball team, captained by Carlos Loyzaga, placed third in the World Basketball Championship (WBC) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1954. The Philippines beat the favored Uruguay

team, 67-63, to clinch the third place on November 5, 1954, which was to become the greatest mark in the history of Philippine basketball. As expected, the U.S. team won the title against the host Brazil. Loyzaga was chosen as a member of the Mythical Five - the world's best basketball players in 1954. His teammates included Lauro Mumar, Florentino Bautista and Mariano Tolentino. In 1959, the Philippines also placed 9th at the WBC held in Chile. Asian Basketball The Philippine basketball team won the title in the first Asian Basketball Conference (ABC) championship held in Manila in 1960. It duplicated the feat in 1963, 1967, 1973, 1986 and 1996. Basketball has also produced four consecutive Asiad gold medals for the Philippines. The country won the basketball gold in the 1951 New Delhi Asiad, 1954 Manila Asiad, 1958 Tokyo Asiad, and 1962 Jakarta Asiad. The Philippine basketball team, composed of professional celebrities, won a silver medal in the 1990 Asiad, and a bronze medal in 1998 Asiad. The country was the consistent winner in the basketball event at the Southeast Asian Games. Carlos "The Big Difference" Loyzaga There was something in common in the country's third place finish in the 1954 World Basketball championship, its four consecutive gold medals in the Asian Games from 1951 to 1962, and its good performance in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and 1960 Rome Olympics. The common thing was Carlos Loyzaga, who was ironically dubbed as the "Big Difference" of Philippine basketball. A two-time Olympian, Loyzaga, the team captain, was responsible for steering the fabled Philippine team to third place finish in the World Basketball Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on November 5, 1954. He was named to the Mythical Selection for his sterling performance because he was the third best individual scorer in the world event. The Philippines beat Uruguay, 67-63 to win the third place. The title was won by the United States against Brazil. Loyzaga was the first basketball player to be inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Hall of Famers As of 2002, there are 22 basketball players enshrined into the Hall of Fame. Aside from Loyzaga, other basketball players who have been named to the National Basketball Hall of Fame since 1999 include Kurt Bachmann, Carlos Badion, Narciso Bernardo, Charlie Borck, Ramoncito Campos, Loreto Carbonell, Jacinto Ciria-Cruz, Geronimo Cruz, Fely and Gabby Fajardo, Tony Genato, Rafael Hechanova, Eddie Lim, Alfonso (Boy) Marquez, Antonio and Primitivo Martinez, Lauro Mumar, Ed Ocampo, Ambrosio Padilla, Mariano Tolentino, and Francisco Vestil. All-Time Mythical Five In January 1998, the Philippine Basketball Association has recognized the All-Time Mythical Five of Philippine Basketball: Carlos Loyzaga, Narciso Bernardo, Robert Jaworski, Hector Calma and Alvin Patrimonio representing five decades of Philippine basketball. Loyzaga was cited for his exploits in the 1950s, Bernardo in the 1960s, Jaworski in the 1970s, Calma in the 1980s and Patrimonio in the 1990s. 25 Best PBA Players The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has recognized the "25 All-Time Greatest Players" in the league: Johnny Abarrientos, William "Bogs" Adornado, Ato Agustin, Francis Arnaiz, Lim Eng Beng, Ricardo Brown, Allan Caidic, Hector Calma, Philip Cezar, Atoy Co, Jerry Codiera, Kenneth Duremdes, Bernard Fabiosa, Ramon Fernandez, Danny Florencio, Alberto Guidaben, Freddie Hubalde, Robert Jaworski, Jojo Lastimosa, Samboy Lim, Ronnie Magsanoc, Vergel Meneses, Manny Paner, Benjie Paras, and Alvin Patrimonio. Present Batch of Celebrities A new batch of tall basketball players, many of them Filipino-Americans, has been recently hogging the PBA limelight. Standing at least six feet and six inches tall, these players include Marlou Aquino, Bonel Balingit, Davonn Harp, Dennis Espino, Edward Joseph Feihl, Danny Ildefonso, Jun Limpot, Eric Menk,

Mick Pennisi, Andy and Danny Seigle, Paul "Asi" Taulava, and James Walkvist. Feihl, for one, stands seven feet tall. Four-Time MVPs Two PBA players hold the record of having won the MVP awards four times in their career. These players are Ramon Fernandez of Crispa Redmanizers and Alvin Patrimonio of TJ Hotdogs. Fernandez retired from the PBA in the early 1990s while Patrimonio remains an active player for the Hotdogs. Benjie Paras Benjie Paras of Formula Shell was the first and only PBA player who won the MVP and the Rookie of the Year awards in the same year. Paras, with the moniker "Tower of Power", accomplished his double feats in 1989. When tall Filipino-American players posed a threat to this record, Paras again rose to the occasion and bagged the coveted MVP title in 1999. Bobby Parks Bobby Parks won the "Best Import" award in the PBA for seven times. Parks has played for Shell and is now one of the team's consultants. Grand Slam Coaches Four PBA coaches were able to win a grand slam (three championship titles in a year) each for their respective teams. They are Baby Dalupan and Tommy Manotoc of Crispa Redmanizers, Norman Black of San Miguel Beer, and Tim Cone of Alaska Milk. Allan Caidic Allan Caidic, probably the best three-point shooter in the land during his heyday, has represented the Philippines as a player in four Asian Games (1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998) and as an assistant coach in the 2002 Asian Games. He was a part of the basketball team that won the Jones Cup in 1985 and 1998 and played a large part in clinching the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) championship in 1986. Hector Calma Hector Calma was a part of the Philippine basketball team that won the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) juniors championship in 1978 and 1982 and played a pivotal role in clinching the ABC men's title in 1986. Calma was also a part of the Philippines in Asian Games in 1990 and 1994.
Filipino athletes are known for being quick and sturdy. What they lack in height, they make up for in speed and tenacity. They move swiftly and with grace and strive for focus and precision in movement.

They are born tacticians, who carefully calculate speed, motion, force and space to determine the target. Although not as disciplined or as scientific as western athletes, they have agility to compensate. When lacking in experience and training, they have their loved ones to inspire them. They fight like they dance, to the tune of their avid and ever loyal Filipino fans who shout like a harmonic orchestra. Hooray! What a sight to behold a Filipino being crowned as a champion! Athletics Champions Athletics has produced a number of gold medals for the Philippines in the Far Eastern Games before the war. It also gave the country two bronze medals in the Olympics and 11 gold medals in the Asian Games. In the 1920s, two Filipinos were among the world's fastest men. In the 1930s, a Filipino was considered Asia's best athlete. From the 1950s to the 1980s, Filipino women were among the fastest in Asia. Simeon Toribio Simeon Toribio, the pride of Zamboanga, was considered the "Filipino Field Athlete of the Half Century" and "Asia's Best Athlete" for winning gold medals in the high jump event in the Far Eastern Olympics in 1921, 1923, 1927, 1930 and 1934 and a bronze medal in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. According to author Jorge Afable, Toribio could have won the gold medal, if not only for the "call of nature." It was a grueling four-hour competition to jump over the bar raised at 6 feet and six inches high. Toribio, who once made the jump, failed to overcome it the second time because he was

distressed by call of nature. Before this, Toribio narrowly missed the bronze in the 1928 Amsterdam Games. In 1930, Toribio was awarded the Helms World Trophy for being Asia's greatest athlete. He became a lawyer and a congressman representing Bohol province where he later settled. Miguel White Miguel White, a former army officer with an American father, represented the Philippines in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where he must have met American track and field legend Jesse Owens. White brought home a bronze medal in 400-meter hurdles event. Nepomuceno and Catalon Two Filipinos - David Nepomuceno and Fortunato Catalon - were considered world-class sprinters in the 1920s. The two, rivals in the local scene, have hauled gold medals from the Far Eastern Games. In 1924, Nepomuceno represented the Philippines in the Paris Olympiad where he ran the 100 meters in 10.8 seconds and was clocked 22.5 seconds in the 200-meter dash. In 1925, Nepomuceno ran the 100 meters in only two-tenths of a second short of the world record then. Meanwhile, Charles Paddock, the fastest man in the 1920s, in a visit to the Philippines, described Fortunato Catalon as your "champion of champions". Andres Franco Andres Franco won a gold medal in the high jump event at the 1951 New Delhi Asiad and a bronze medal in the same event at the 1954 Manila Asiad. Other Male Sprinters Genaro Cabrera, who finished the 100-meter race in 10.7 seconds, won the silver medal at the 1954 Manila Asiad. Isaac Gomez won a bronze in the same event at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad while Rogelio Onofre added another bronze at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad. Enrique Bautista also clinched the bronze in the 200-meter dash at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. In the 400-meter race, Pablo Somblingo won the silver at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad and Isidro del Prado also got the silver at the 1986 Seoul Asiad. Lydia De Vega Lydia de Vega-Mercado was considered Asia's fastest woman in the 1980s. As Asia's sprint queen, she ran away with the gold medal in the 100-meter dash in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad and duplicated the feat in the 1986 Seoul Asiad where she was clocked 11.53 seconds. She also brought home a silver medal in the 200-meter race from the 1986 Seoul Asiad. De Vega now serves as a councilor of her native Meycauayan town in Bulacan province. Mona Sulaiman Before Lydia de Vega entered the scene, there was Mona Sulaiman, a Mindanao-born sprinter who was declared Asia's fastest woman when she won two gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash events at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad. She finished the 100-meter race in 11.93 seconds ahead of two Japanese runners and the 200-meter sprint in 24.63 seconds ahead of a Japanese and a Sri Lankan. She also won a bronze in shot put event at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad. Inocencia Solis Inocencia Solis was declared the fastest women in All of Asia in 1958 when she finished the 100-meter sprint in 12.5 seconds ahead of two Japanese runners in the Tokyo Asian Games. Before this, she won the bronze medal in the 200-meter dash event at the 1954 Manila Asiad. She was from Iloilo City. Amelita Alanes Amelita Alanes won the silver medal in the 200-meter dash at the 1970 Bangkok Asiad. Rogelia Ferrer Rogelia Ferrer, a hurdler, was an Asian Games medallist in the 1950s. Ferrer was born in Negros Occidental province. Lolita Lagrosas Lolita Lagrosas had collected a total of five Asiad medals. She won the silver medals in women's high

jump event at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad and 1966 Bangkok Asiad and the bronze in the same event at the 1970 Bangkok Asiad. She clinched the bronze medals in pentathlon at the 1966 and 1970 Bangkok Asiads. Visitacion Badana Visitacion Badana brought home the gold medal in the long jump event from the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. Josephine dela Vina Josephine dela Vina clinched the gold medal in the discuss throw event at the 1966 Bangkok Asiad. Before this, she won the bronze in the same event at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad. Elma Muros Elma Muros-Posadas, a sprinter, hurdler and long jumper, has collected a total of 13 gold medals from her numerous stints at the Southeast Asian Games. She also brought home a bronze medal in 400-meter hurdles from the 1990 Beijing Asiad and another bronze in long jump from the 1994 Hiroshima Asiad. Relay Champions The Philippine men's team won the gold medals in the 4 x 100 meter relay at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad and 1962 Jakarta Asiad and the bronze medals in 1951, 1954 and 1966. In the 4 x 400 meter relay, the Philippine men's team won bronze in 1951, 1954, 1958 and 1986. Meanwhile, the Philippine women's team won the gold medal in the 4 X 100 meter relay at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad and the silver at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. It won the bronze medals at the 1954 Manila Asiad and at the 1978 Bangkok Asiad. Other Track and Field Stars Among other athletes who have rewarded the country with honor by their sterling performance in track and field are Aurelio Amante, Leopoldo Anillo, Marcelina Alonzo, Roberta Anore, Jovencio Ardina, Erasma Arellano, Gaspar Azares, Visitacion Badana, Lerma Balauitan Ciriaco Baronda, Hector Begeo, Tomas Bennet, Eduardo Buenavista, Manolita Cinco, Artemio Cortez, and Isabel Cruz; Eusebio Ensong, Susano Erang, Romero Gido, Arsenio Jasmin, Lolita Lagrosas, Honesto Larce, Erlinda Lavandia, Bievenido Llaneda, Tokal Mokalam, Cristabel Martes; Cipriano Niera, Irene Penuela, Jaime Pimentel, Nilo Ramirez, Visitacion Ribagorda, Ernesto Rodriguez, Amelita Saberon, Fracisca Sanopal, Vivencia Subido, Lydia Sylvanetto, Lucila Tolentino and Roy Vence. Golfers Golf produced a golf medal for the Philippines in the 1986 Asian Games, courtesy of Ramon Brobio, a former world junior champion. Aside from Brobio, other young golfers who have given the country honor include Dorothy Delasin, Jennifer and Gerald Rosales, Gerard Cantada, Carlito Villaroman, Tom Concon, Ruby Chico, Philip Ang, Dottie Ardina and Mary Grace Estuesta. Since 1978, young Filipino golfers have won several world titles like the Junior World Championships in San Diego, California; the Asia Pacific Junior Golf Confederation; and the Toppolino trophy in Italy. The country has also produced world-class golfers in the persons of Ben Arda, Celestino Tugot, Caloy Nival and Frankie Minoza, who have joined international tours in Asia, Europe and the United States. Dorothy Delasin Dorothy Delasin, a daughter of a Filipino couple living in Daly City, is a two-time Filipino Athlete of the Year awardee, for winning three world championships (as this was being written). Delasin won the LPGA Giant Eagle Classic for two consecutive years, first in 2000 when she was only 19 and then in 2001, becoming the youngest LPGA winner in 25 years. She was the Rookie of the Year in 2000. In October 2001, she clinched her third international title by beating the world's top 20 women players in the Samsung World Championship in Vallejo, California. In 1999, the California Golf Writers Association named her as the Amateur Golfer of the Year for her string of victories. As an amateur, she captured the US Women's Amateur Championship, California Women's Championship and US Girls Championship. In 1993, she won the Junior World Cup held in Japan.

In 1996, she won a gold medal for the Philippines in the 1996 Southeast Asian Games and a bronze in the 1998 Bangkok Asiad. She also represented the country in the 1996 World Amateurs. Delasin was born in Lubbock, Texas and lives with her family in Daly City, otherwise known as the "Adobo City" because of its huge Filipino population. Ramon Brobio Ramon Brobio gave the country a gold medal in golf at the Asian Games. He accomplished the feat in 1986 when he defeated other bets from Asian countries in men's individual golf title. Before this, Brobio became the first triple winner of the 18th junior world golf championship held in San Diego, California on July 18, 1985. Carlito Villaroman Carlito Villaroman holds the 15 under par record at the Boy's Class A Division of the Junior World Championship. Jennifer Rosales Jennifer Rosales won the US NCAA Individual Championship in 1999. She also won the US NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship held in Wisconsin on May 24, 1998. In 2002, Jennifer finished fourth at the British Open. Gerald Rosales Gerald Rosales, a brother of Jennifer, is a many-time champion at the Asian junior golf circuit. Philip Ang In July 1999, Philip Ang won the 1999 International Junior Championship (11-13 years old division title) at the Menifee Lakes Country Club in Temecula, California. He had to beat fellow Filipino Jenz Tecson and a Korean youngster to bag the title. Ang became the second Filipino to win the title after Gerard Cantada. Dottie Ardina In July 2002, Dottie Ardina won the 2002 Callaway Junior World golf championships - Class E division in San Diego, California. Jayvee Agojo In July 2002, Jayvee Agojo, a student of OB Montessori won the Temecula International Jr. Championships and the Optimist International Golf Championships in Florida. Frankie Minoza Frankie Minoza is a two-time Filipino Athlete of the Year awardee (1990, 1998) for his string of victories in the Asian Circuit, particularly in the lucrative Japanese PGA Tour. In May 2001, for example, he brought home some US$183,000 from the Fuji Sankei Classic in Japan. Before this, he won the Philippine Open and the Kirin Open in 1998. In July 1998, Minoza finished 52nd at the British Open and outperformed defending champion Justin Leonard and Fred Couples. It was held at the Royal Birksdale course. In August 1999, Minoza, ranked 56th in the world then, had the chance to play at the prestigious U.S. PGA Tour at the Sahalee Country Club in Redmond, Washington. Only the world's top 64 players were invited to the event. Minoza lost his first round match to former world number 1 Nick Price and settled for US$25,000. Minoza was born in Bukidnon province in 1960. Ben Arda Ben Arda was the first Filipino who qualified to play at Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia and at the British Open. He also participated in a number of World Cups in the 1960s. Arda won the Philippine Open three times during his professional career and clinched the Asia Golf Circuit overall championship in 1969. He was born in Cebu. Angelo Que Angelo Que placed third at the World Amateur Championship held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2002.

Other Famous Golfers Among other famous Filipino golfers who have participated in various international and local competitions include Gil and Cesar Ababa, Eddie Bagtas, Danilo Cabajar, Felix "Cassius" Casas, Rodrigo Cuello, Mary Grace Estueta, Antolin Fernando, Noli Kempis, Vince Lauron, Rogelio Leo, Bong Lopez, Rey Martin Luna, Mario Manubay, Caloy Nival, Robert Pactolerin, Juvic Pagunsan, Ria Denice Quiazon, Luis "Golem" Silverio, Norman Sto. Domingo, Celestino Tugot, Wilfredo Victoria, and Danny Zarate. Chess Players Chess has also contributed a lot to the country's winning tradition in sports. Filipinos take pride in having compatriots who became the first international master and grandmaster in Asia. In 1988, the country's top bets placed 7th in the 1988 World Chess Olympiad held in Thessaloniki, Greece. In the year 2000, the Philippine team finished 17th at the Istanbul Chess Olympiad. The Philippines has been participating in the Chess Olympiad since 1956. Fernando Canon Fernando Canon is considered the country's first chess champion. He won a chess tournament held in Barcelona, Spain in 1905. Rodolfo Tan Cardoso The first international master in Asia was Rodolfo Tan Cardoso, a Pangasinan born chess champion. Cardoso placed 5th in the world junior chess tournament in Toronto, Canada in 1957 and became the first Asian chess champion at the age of 25. In his participation in world chess tournaments, Cardoso has defeated the likes of David Bronstein and Bobby Fischer and has drawn with former world number 1 Michael Tahl. While Cardoso has gained a grandmaster norm, he failed to become a grandmaster. Eugene Torre Eugene Torre is considered as the first grandmaster in Asia. He accomplished the feat at the age of 22 and won a silver medal at the 21st World Chess Olympiad held in Nice, France in 1974 when the Philippines placed 11th overall. Torre has been a veteran of the World Chess Olympiad for three decades and led the Philippine team to a 7th place finish at the 1988 Greece Olympiad. He also has a collection of three Olympiad silver medals. Grandmasters Aside from Eugene Torre, the country had three other grandmasters, namely: Joey Antonio, Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor, and Rosendo Balinas. Mark Paragua Mark Paragua placed fifth in the World Youth Chess Championships (boys' under 18) held in Crete, Greece in November 2002. Before this, Paragua became the country's youngest international master at the age of 16 in January 2000. Glenn Bordonada Glenn Bordonada won a gold medal in the 1978 Buenos Aires Chess Olympiad. Rico Mascarinas Rico Mascarinas won a gold medal in the 1982 Lucerne Chess Olympiad. Other Chess Champions Other Filipino chess champions include Rogelio Barcenilla Jr., Richard Bitoon, Arianne Caoili, Kathrynn Cruz, Idelfonso Datu, Joy Lomibao, Nelson Mariano, Beverly Mendoza, Allan Petronio and Roca Sayson. Tennis Aces Tennis has produced three gold medals for the Philippines in the Asian Games. This sports event became famous in the country because of the exploits of Felicisimo Ampon, Eddie Cruz and Alredo Diy. Felicisimo Ampon Felicisimo Ampon, who was only five feet tall, was once considered the best tennis player in the world, pound for pound. Ampon, dubbed as the "Mighty Mite" won the Davis Cup singles championship in

1937 and the singles title in the Pan-American championship in Mexico City in 1950. Because of this, the Filipino tennis ace was declared the first Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) in the same year. He was a gold medallist in the Far Eastern Games before the war and clinched a doubles' gold with Raymundo Deyro in the 1958 Asian Games. He nearly defeated world number 1 Frank Seigman in the quarterfinals of the French Open in May 1952. In 1953, Ampon won the Wimbledon Plate championship, a tournament among first- and second-round losers in the Wimbledon Open. Raymundo Deyro Raymundo Deyro brought home two gold medals from the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. He first won a gold medal in the singles event and teamed with Felicisimo Ampon for the doubles gold. In the 1962 Jakarta Asiad, Johnny Jose took the singles gold. Eddie Cruz Eddie Cruz was the First Filipino to have played in prestigious international tennis events like the US Open, the Italian Open, the French Open and the Wimbledon Open. Alfredo Diy Alfredo Diy was considered the dean of Philippine tennis. He represented the country in the 1934 Far Eastern Games and in the 1937 International Championships. Other Tennis Champions Among other Filipino tennis players who have represented the country in international tournaments include Felix Barrientos, Dyan Castillejo, Miguel Dungo Jr., Maricris Fernandez, Guillermo Hernandez, Johnny Jose, Bryan Juinio and Joseph Lizardo. Sharp Shooters Practical shooting is also a game where Filipinos excel. The Philippine shooting team, for example, won first place overall at the World Shooting Championship from 1999 to 2001. It was also the AustralAsian champion in 2001. The names of Adolfo Feliciano, Jethro Dionisio, Jag Lejano, Athena Lee and Kay Cabalatungan are known in the shooting world as names of practical shooting champions. The Philippines has also hauled in a total of six gold medals from shooting competitions at the Asian Games since 1954. Gold Medallists At the 1954 Manila Asiad, Hernando Castelo Albert von Einsiedel, Chito Feliciano, Martin Gison each won a gold medal in shooting. Feliciano and Gison also won a gold medal each in the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. Jethro "the Jet" Dionisio Jethro Dionisio, dubbed as "the Jet" because of the speed of his hands, is a six-time world champion in pistol shooting. He won his first national title in 1989 at the age of 17. He won his first international title in California the following year. From practical shooting, Dionisio has now shifted to shotgun firing. Adolfo Feliciano Adolfo Feliciano won a gold medal, two silver medals and a bronze medal in the World Shooting Championships held in Germany in 1966. Two years later, he added two gold medals and a bronze medal in the same competition held in Phoenix, Arizona. Before this, he won a gold medal in the First Asian Shooting tournament held in Tokyo, Japan and a silver medal in "markmanship" (a demonstration event) at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Athena Lee In November 1999, Athena Lee won the Open Ladies title at the 12th World Shoot Championship. In 2002, Lee placed second to Kaye Cabalatungan in the same event. She is from Cagayan de Oro City. Kaye Cabalatungan On September 21, 2002, Kaye Cabalatungan won the ladies title at the 13th World Shoot Championship held in Pietersburg, South Africa. Ironically, she beat Athena Lee, another Filipina, to win the

championship. Cabalatungan, Lee, Grace Tan and Amanda Kangleon also captured the ladies team title in the event held by the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC). Cabalatungan was born in Negros Occidental province in 1981. Other Shooting Champions Among the Filipino shooters who have participated in various international meets include Jay Agayan, Eric Ang, Leopoldo Ang, Antonio Arguelles, Enrique Beech, Patricio Bernardo, Philip Chua, Roberto del Castillo, George Earnshaw, Ludovico Espinosa, Cesar Jayme, Jasmin Luis, Patrick Marvin, Simeon Lee, Arturo Macapagal, Jose Medina, Antonio Mendoza, Jamie Recio, Bernardo San Juan, Raymundo Quitoriano, Danny Torrevillas, Nelson Uygongco, and Jose Zalvidea. Swimmers Swimming has given the country numerous honors in the past. Filipino swimmers used to dominate the Far Eastern Games, a pre-war sports competition between the Philippines, Japan and China and the Asian Games in the 1950s. Filipino swimmers have fished two bronze medals from the Olympics and 10 gold medals from the Asian Games. The likes of Teofilo Yldefonso and Haydee Coloso-Espino are among the many Filipino athletes who have swum to sports glory in this marvelous event. Teofilo Yldefonso Teofilo Yldefonso is considered as the finest Filipino swimmer ever. Known as the "Ilocano Shark", Yldefonso is best remembered for accomplishing two feats: being the first Filipino to win an Olympic medal and the only Filipino who won two Olympic medals. He won his first bronze medal at the 200meter breaststroke event in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and his second bronze at the same event in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. His fastest time was 2 minutes and 48.4 seconds in the 200-meter breaststroke. Yldefonso was born in Piddig town, Ilocos Norte province. Haydee Coloso-Espino Haydee Coloso-Espino was acknowledged as the "Asian Swim Queen" in the 1950s. With a total haul of 10 medals, she is the most bemedalled Filipino athlete who participated in the Asian Games. Her medals include three golds, five silvers and two bronzes which she won in 1954 Manila Asiad, 1958 Tokyo Asiad and 1962 Jakarta Asiad. Her gold medals came from the 100-meter freestyle and butterfly events. Ral Rosario Ral Rosario, a participant in the 200-meter freestyle event, won the country's only gold medal in the 1978 Asian Games. Before this, Rosario won a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke and another silver in the 200-meter backstroke in the 1974 Tehran Asiad. He later became the secretary-general of the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA). Other Swimming Champions Among the Filipino swimmers who have triumphed in various international competitions include Edgardo and Rosalina Abreu, Dolores and Rudy Agustin, C. Aiville, Lourdes Alba, Sotero Alcantara, Rene Amabuyok, Betina Abdula Ampoc, Ulpiano Bacol, Raul Badulis, Condrado Benitez, Edilberto Bonus, Edrin Borja, Carlos Brosas, Walter Brown, Eric Buhain, Bertulfo Cacheco, Victoria Cagayat, Jacinto Cayco, and Robert Collins; Angel Comenares, Lorenzo Cortes, L. Cristobal, Victoria Cullen, Imlani Dae, Nancy Deanio, J. del Pan, Freddie Elizalde, Helen Elliot, Angela Fermin, Hedy Garcia Galang, Jocelyn, Sandra, Sonia and Sylvia Von Giese, Leroy Geoff, Norma Guerrero, Grace Gustimbase, Annurhussin Hamsain, and Sampang Hassan; Christine Jacob, Jairulla Jaitulla, Amado Jimenez, Mark Joseph, Ana Labayan, Rolando Landrito, Agapito Lozada, Gertrudes Lozada, Nulsali Maddin, Mohammad Mala, Victorino Marcelino, Sukarno Maut, Ibenoratica Muksan, Parson Nabuila, Andres Ofilada, Eugeino Palileo, Ryan Papa, Encarnacion Partilo, Nurhatab Rajab, Lolita Ramirez, Bana Sailani, Artemio Salamat, Dan Salvador, Roland Santos, Akiko Thomson, Kemalpasa Umih, Serafin Villanueva, Artemio Villavieja, Erudito Vito, William "Billy" Wilson, and Norma Yldefonso.

Martial Arts Champions Martial arts are undoubtedly popular in the Philippines because of the country's proximity to China, Japan and Korea where most of martial arts forms originated. There is a strong possibility that a Filipino martial artist will bag the country's first Olympic gold medal in the near future. In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Filipino taekwondo-jins Stephen Fernandez and Bea Lucero brought home two bronze medals, although they were not included in the medal tally because taekwondo was just a demonstration sports in the quadrennial event. Filipino wushu and taekwondo artists have won gold medals in international competitions. The Philippines is also the perennial champion in the World Eskrima Arnis Championship, owing to the fact that it is the Filipinos who introduced arnis to the world. Roberto Cruz Roberto Cruz became a world taekwondo champion in 1999 when he won a gold medal in the finweight division (56 kilograms) of the World Cup Taekwondo. Before this, he was a bronze medallist in the World Cup held in Germany in 1998. Cruz is also a five-time Southeast Asian Games champion. Donald David Geisler Donald Geisler won a silver medal in the 1998 World Cup Taekwondo held in Germany. He is also a Southeast Asian Games gold medallist. Tshomlee Go Tshomlee Go won a silver medal in the flyweight division of the World Cup Taekwondo 2001 Championships held in Vietnam. Before this, God also won a silver medal in the Asian Championship and a bronze medal in the US Open. Eva Marie Ditan Eva Marie Ditan won a silver medal in the flyweight division of the 1998 World Cup Taekwondo held in Sindelfingen, Germany. Other Taekwondo Jins Among other taekwondo jins who have participated in various international competitions include Margarita Bonifacio, Francis Cabarce, Daleen Cordero, Rodolfo Demafelix Jr, Eva Marie Ditan, Veronica Domingo, Aileen Embay, Edrick Galing, Donald Geisler, Jefferthom Go, John Paul Lizardo, Alessandro Lubiano, Dax Alberto Morfe, Osmundo Quitain, Jr., Magnolia Ragas, Manuel Rivero, Jr., Manuel Rosario II, Dindo Simpao, Sally Solis, Jasmin Strachan, Joaquin Vasquez and Ma. Nelia Sy-Ycasas. Mark Rosales Mark Robert Rosales, a cudgel champion, won a gold medal in the 4th World Wushu Championships held in Rome, Italy in November 1997. Rosales was an expert at cudgel play, a routine exercise that falls under the category of Taulu. The other category in wushu is Sanshou, or the combat exercise. The Philippine wushu team also won a silver medal, courtesy of Rolly Chulhang and three bronze medals during the same tournament, which was participated in by contestants from 76 countries. Other Wushu Artists Among other Filipino wushu artists who have competed in international tournaments include Jerome Calica, Bobby Co, Rolly Chulhang, Edouard Folayang, Daniel Go, Jerome Lumabas, Rexel Nganhayna, Marques Sanguiao; Marvin Sicomen, Arvin Ting, and Willy Wang. Other Martial Arts Champions Among other Filipino martial arts champions include Leo Gaje, Richard Anthony Lim, Gretchen Malalad, Maty Munieza, Mary Therese Nable, Jose Ma. Pabillore, and Gaudioso Ruby in karate; John Baylon, Neonie Esguerra, Aristotle Lucero, and Abraham Pulia in judo; and Jesse Diestro in sikaran. Weightlifters Weightlifting has produced a Filipino world champion and a bronze medal in the Paralympic Games. It is said that Anthony Clark, a super heavy weight lifter once dubbed as the world's strongest man, was born in Angeles City in Pampanga province.

Salvador del Rosario Salvador del Rosario, a nephew of Olympian Rodrigo del Rosario, was declared the world's strongest man in the flyweight division when he plucked a gold medal in the World Weightlifting Championships held in Columbus, Ohio, USA in 1970. Del Rosario actually won the title by technicality because three of his top rivals were disqualified for using illegal drugs. Angeline Dumapong Angeline Dumapong gave the country its first medal in the Paralympic Games when she lifted 110 kilograms to win the bronze in the women's 82.5-kilogram division in Sydney, Australia in December 2000. Paralympics is a major sports competition participated in by differently-abled athletes from around the world and held just after the Olympics. Before this, Dumapong won gold medals at the Malaysia Paralympiad and the Asian Millennium Bench Press tournaments. She is from Ifugao province. Rodrigo del Rosario Rodrigo del Rosario nearly won a bronze medal when he placed fourth in weightlifting's featherweight division at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Antonio Taguibao Antonio Taguibao, a member of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) with the rank of lieutenant colonel, is a three-time World Masters champion in powerlifting at the 52-kilogram class. Taguibao won the title in 2000, 2001 and 2002. In the World Masters Powerlifting Championship held in Villa Maria, Argentina in October 2002, Taguibao actually won three gold medals and a silver medal by lifting a total of 963 pounds. Other Weightlifting Champions Among other Filipino weightlifters who have gained international exposure include Aurelio Amante, Rodolfo Caparas, Pedro Landero, Erlina Pecante, and Eddie Torres. Batters Softball and baseball were probably the most popular spectators' events in the Philippines before the war. There are historical claims that baseball was first played in Cavite province by American marines after they defeated the Spanish troops in 1898. Frenzy over these two games reached its peak in 1934, when Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the rest of the American all-star team played at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. If not only for the country's hot and wet weather, these two games would have been as popular today. RP Blue Girls The legendary RP-Blue Girls, led by pitcher Julita Tayo of San Miguel, Bulacan placed third in the World Softball Championship held in Tokyo, Japan in 1967. Other softball stars in the 1960s include Lourdes Balindao, Brigida Bellesta and Purita Jacinto. San Miguel Softball Team The Philippine team, composed of 14 girls aged between 14 and 16 years old from San Miguel, Bulacan could have won the Little League World Softball Championship held in Kalamazoo, Michigan in August 2000 if not for a controversial ruling. The other team in the final, the Santa Cruz Valley team from Arizona, had five boys in its lineup. Softball is traditionally an all-girls event. The San Miguel team decided to forfeit its game in the final series in protest of rules employed in the traditionally all-girls world series. The girls may have not won the crown but drew the admiration and support of the American audience just the same. It even defeated the Santa Cruz team once, 3-2, prior to the championship. Little League Champion The all-boys team from Zamboanga City won the Little League World Baseball Championship in 1992, but was stripped of their title after American organizers of the event found out that some of the boys in the Zamboanga team were over the age limit.

Other Champion Teams Philippine softball teams were perennial winners at the Far Eastern Games, thereby advancing to the World Series held in the United States. Among these teams were the Maynila Golden Girls and the Guagua Little League Girls' Softball team. Racers Racing has also produced world-class Filipino athletes, among them are Angelo Barreto, Jovy Marcelo, Jojo Silverio and Enzo Pastor. In motorsports, there are also Glenn Aguilar, Dodie Ayuyao and Kenneth San Andres. Angelo Barreto Angelo Barreto is perhaps the most successful Filipino racer so far. He won several times at the European Endurance Touring Car Circuit in 2000 and at the Group N Touring Cars Championships also in Europe. In September 2002, Barreto was a part of a three-man team that won the championship in Le Mans Classic in France. The tournament was participated in by 600 racers with cars manufactured from 1925 to 1975. Barreto co-drove a 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 with Thierry Perrier. Barreto's other teammate was Jean-Paul Richard. More Champions The list includes more athletes who have participated and won in various international competitions. One limitation of this list is that it may have focused more on the present batch of athletes, but this is not intentional. Availability of information is also a problem encountered by legitimate sports institutions like the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) or the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). Mikee Cojuangco Mikee Cojuangco, a former actress and mother of two, clinched a gold medal in the equestrian individual show jumping event at the 14th Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea in October 2002. Mikee was 28 then. Before this, Mikee won a silver medal in the team show jumping category alongside teammates Danielle Schulze Cojuangco, Toni Leviste, and Maria Michelle Berrera. Mikee is a daughter of former Tarlac Governor Margarita Cojuangco and former Congressman Jose Cojuangco, a younger brother of former President Corazon Aquino. Her husband is Dodot Jaworski, the son of basketball legend and Senator Robert Jaworski. Other equestrians who have gained international recognition include Fidelino Barba and Jose Montila. Pia Adelle Reyes Pia Adelle Reyes, a young gymnast, won three gold medals at the Jakarta Southeast Asian Games in 1997. The Philippine Sportswriters Assocation (PSA) later declared Reyes and world boxing champion Gerry Penalosa as 1997 Athletes of the Year. Gymnastics has also produced fine champions like Rolando Albuera and Bea Lucero. Dragon Boat Champion The Philippine team won the gold medal in Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Race 2001. The Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation-Dragon Pilipinas finished ahead of the pack composed of participants from Hong Kong, Canada, Germany, Japan, China and Malaysia. Well-known Filipino rowers who had international exposure include Alvin Amposta, Nestor Cordova, Jose Rodriguez, and Benjie Tolentino. Ice Skaters The SM-Philippine ice-skating team won 12 gold medals to finish third overall in the 1999 World Recreational Team Championships held in California, USA. The team also won 44 gold medals to place 4th at the 2001 ISI World Recreational Team Championships held in Columbus, Ohio. The international competition draws participants from the United States, Japan, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and the Philippines. Other Champions Other Filipino athletes who have gained international exposure include Ramon Aldean, Jennifer Chan,

Purita Joy Marino, and Janina Bianco Ortiz in archery; Amparo Lim in badminton; Roman Cortuna Jr., Levy Macasiano and Alfredo Trazona Jr. in bodybuilding; Deogracias Asuncion, Warren Davadilla, Victor Espiritu, Diomedes Pantaleon, Edgardo Pagarigan and Placido Valdez in cycling; Deborah Civardi and Alberto Dimarucot in dancesports; Bumbi Velasco in dart; Zardo Domenios and Sheila Mae Perez in diving; Wally Mendoza in fencing; Ildefonso Tronqued Sr. in football; John Dee, Paul and Wacky del Rosario, and Carlo Garcia in jet ski; Memo Gracia and Bautista Heguy in polo; Policarpio Ortega in windsurfing; and Nicolas Arcales, Basilio Fabia and Mansueto Napilay in wrestling.