Mayor Tudela to grace badminton league opening

By Jon Perez
Reporter

Raj Jayalalal of Sri Lanka in action in this file photo from a recent Northern Marianas Badminton Federation tournament. (Jacqueline Hernandez) Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela will be one of the special guests who will attend the opening rites of the inaugural Northern Marianas Badminton Federation Team Competition, which opens on Oct. 6 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Tudela is one of the special guests the NMBF has invited for its Davis Cup-style tournament. Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association president Michael A. White will send a representative, while House Speaker Oscar Babauta has already confirmed his attendance.

Tudela said promoting a healthy lifestyle has been a priority of his administration. “For the past years, healthy living and physical activities have been a priority in our ways of life.”

Promoting a healthy lifestyle of living through physical activities and sports development is one of the NMBF's main objectives.

Tudela said a healthy lifestyle could be achieved through tournaments and outdoor activities such as the NMBF's league-type format competition. “With your new organization, one can also enjoy physical activities through [badminton].”

The NMBF is a two-year organization that also aims to develop badminton at the grassroots level and hopefully in the next five years send one or two local players as representatives to international competitions.

Tudela commended the NMBF for taking the lead in promoting an active and healthy lifestyle on Saipan. “As we strive forward to more challenges in our life, I would like to commend [the NMBF] in taking the extra step in ensuring that active lifestyles are paramount in our community.”

The seven-team tournament follows a round-robin type format and is expected to end on Nov. 17. The tournament format will have one team play four events of seven games in one day consisting of one men's singles, two games each in the men's and women's doubles, mixed doubles, and one open event.

It will be anything goes in the open event, where team captains can field their strongest players.

Each team in any of the seven games will accumulate wins with the squad that has the most wins declared champion. Cash prizes and trophies await the Top 3 finishers.

Shuttlers must have played a minimum of five games in any of the four events offered in the duration of the tournament. No player is allowed to play three games in one day.

Organizers of the tournament have already sought several companies for assistance in sponsoring a team or teams in the Saturday-only tournament.

Some of the companies and businesses that committed to sponsor a team or donate prizes are Pacific Telecom Inc., Traders Insurance, Labtech, Pure H20, Sun Palace, Admaran International, Salon de Manila, Tan Holdings, SaipanCell, and B&E Construction.

The entrance fee per team is $500 where $300 will be shouldered by a sponsor/s, while the remaining amount will be divided among the eight players of a team.

Early this year, the NMBF held the Inaugural Traders Insurance/PTI Cup Badminton Tournament with 27 pairs being honored in the month-long tournament.

The NMBF held its first tournament on Oct. 9, 2006 where close to 40 players joined the five-day competition.

For more information, call NMBF vice president Edwin Montoya at 288-1436, or email at NMBF@yahoogroups.com.

Badminton returns at Ada Gym

The newly formed Northern Marianas Badminton Federation announced that the weekday and weekend badminton sessions at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium returns starting tomorrow, July 10.

NMBF president Jonathan Perez said he has obtained permission from the Division of Sports and Recreation to restart badminton sessions at the gym from 7:30am to 10:30am Mondays to Fridays and from 4pm onwards on Saturdays.

NMBF cancelled their weekday and weekend badminton sessions at the Oleai Sports Complex to make way for the 6th Micronesian Games, which Saipan hosted from June 23 to July 2.

Badminton players regularly played at the gym on weekdays and weekends prior to the month-long Micro Games break. DSR charges $1 per day per player for the use of the facility's lights.

In related news, the regional association for badminton has adopted the rally point system for the sport and local badminton players are encouraged to adopt it in their games to quicken the pace of turnover on the courts' use. Matches are suggested to be best-of-three affairs and up to 25 points. (PR)

Badminton returns to Ada Gym

Northern Marianas Badminton Federation announced that weekday morning sessions for badminton resume this morning at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium following a three-week break.

Starting today, the Oleai Sports Complex venue will be reserved for the NMBF and its members from 8am to 11am Sundays to Fridays.

Badminton's morning schedule was scratched last month to give way to the 2007 Sports Camp.

In addition to the morning schedule, the association has also secured evening sessions from 6pm to 9pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

NMBF would like to thank the Division of Sports and Recreation, especially director Joe Lizama, for accommodating badminton sessions at the government-run indoor facility.

For more information about the NMBF, contact NMBF president Jon Perez at 235-1533, NMBF PRO Mark Rabago at 235-0515, or email at NMBF@yahoogroups.com. (PR)

Traders Insurance/PTI Cup winners feted

Winners of the Inaugural Traders Insurance/PTI Cup Badminton Tournament pose with their trophies during the awards banquet of the Northern Marianas Badminton Federation-organized event Saturday at the Seaside Hall of the Saipan Grand Hotel.

Northern Marianas Badminton Federation concluded another successful competition for the fledgling sports association with Saturday night's Inaugural Traders Insurance/PTI Cup Badminton Tournament awards banquet.

Sumptuous food and a bevy of in-kind and cash raffle prizes overflowed at the Seaside Hall of Saipan Grand Hotel as over 60 NMBF members attended the banquet.

NMBF president Jonathan Perez congratulated all winners of the tournament as well as thanked all its participants. He also gave kudos to the competition's main sponsors-Traders Insurance and Pacific Telecoms Inc.

During the announcement of raffle winners and awarding of trophies, which were especially ordered from the Philippines, event hosts Macoi Aguda and Hapi Gabriel left the crowd in stitches with their stand-up comedy act.

Helping Perez hand out the trophies were NMBF vice president Edwin Montoya and Traders Insurance owner Lito Mendoza.

The Traders Insurance/PTI Cup was held in late April in early May. Raj Jayalal was the tournament's biggest winner as he took home two first-place trophies. The Sri Lankan won the Men's Doubles A crown with Aguda and also reigned supreme in the Mixed Doubles A/B with Ingrid Sanchez.

Mendoza and Achas came in second in the Men's Doubles A with Gabriel and Raymond Togonon finishing third.

Winning the Women's Doubles A/B was the pair of Christy Villaflor and Loyda Ito with the tandems of Diane Dar Juan and Shirley Kim and Jinky De Belen and Janis Parcon coming in second and third, respectively.

The championship in the Men's Doubles B went to Alvin Alvarez and Eric Peña with Emil De Belen and Robert Reyes and Saul Gargallo and Hector Benitez taking home the first runner-up and second runner-up plums.

Ariel Mariano and Narlou Achas, meanwhile, were without peer in the Men's Doubles C division. Jason Junio and Aries Cordero finished second with Chris Hilario and Efren Cacdac coming in third.

The pairs of Deborah Fisher and Camille Samonte, Rose Lazaro and Lea Estinopo, and Lupe Sabino and Malou Mendoza finished first, second, and third in the Women's Doubles C.

Ryan Achas and Elma Labuson came in second to Jayalal and Sanchez in the Mixed Doubles A/B with Peña and Marlene Peraja coming in third.

Fisher won her second championship of the tournament after pairing with Milo Valdez to top the Mixed Doubles C division, while Sabino and Cacdac settled for second. The pairing of Cordero and Samonte finished third.

Aside from Traders Insurance and PTI, Admaran International Inc., Pure H2O, Treasure Island, Fiesta Resort and Spa, Saipan Grand Hotel, Pacific Islands Club, and Sun Palace Hotel also sponsored the tournament.

For more information about Inaugural Traders Insurance/PTI Cup Badminton Tournament, contact NMBF president Jon Perez at 235-1533, NMBF PRO Mark Rabago at 235-0515, or email at NMBF@yahoogroups.com. (PR)

NMBF thanks supporters

The Northern Marianas Badminton Federation thanked all of its supporters that helped them in the Traders Insurance/PTI Cup Badminton Tournament.

The tournament started on April 16 and matches progressed through May 12 to accommodate the number of pairs that competed in the Mixed Doubles division.

Games were played Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday in the first week of competitions, and Saturday and Sunday only as the tournament goes on.

NMBF officials, led by NMBF president Jon Perez, thanked Traders Insurance and PTI for sponsoring the league and are looking forward for their continued support for the fledgling group.

Other sponsors that helped the NMBF are Admaran International Inc., Fiesta Resort & Spa, Pacific Islands Club, Pure H2O, and Treasure Island.

NMBF officials are already organizing the awards banquet as soon as the trophies arrive from the Philippines this week. The banquet is tentatively scheduled on June 16 with the venue and time to be announced at a later date.

The champions in each division will receive their trophies while all participants in the tournament will receive certificates.

The list of champions are Raj Jayalal and Macoi Aguda (Men's A); Alvin Alvarez and Erik Peña (Men's B); Narlou Achas and Ariel Mariano (Men's C); Loida Ito and Cristy Villaflor (Women's A/B combined); Debbie Fisher and Camille Samonte (Women's C).

Jayalal joined Ingrid Sanchez to win the combined A/B Mixed Doubles division, while Fisher teamed up with Milo Valdez in the C class.

In other news, the Division of Sports and Recreation allowed the NMBF to hold night practices every Tuesday and Thursday from 6pm to 9pm at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (PR)

A Letter from the President

A letter he sent to NMBF Yahoo Groups regarding the Friday play mix-up on schedules and of course the tournament:

I would like to apologize for the mix up.

Let me explain what really happened, when we played
last Thursday the sports and recreation division staff
said they won't allow the students of this particular
school to use the facility because they only resreved
the gym by word of mouh, verbally.

I talked to them, Director Joe Lizama in particular,
in the morning during our game and the gym staff gave
us the assurance that we still have our morning
schedule.

When I came back at the gym in the afternoon, around 4
I think, to pick up some score sheets, they told me
that they allowed the students to use the facility on
Friday and gave our time slot to them.

I don't have enought time to inform everyone even
Marconi, who by the way is my co-worker and a stone's
throw away from my desk.

I only had the chance to tell Ate Gigi, Hapi, Jinky,
Emil, and Edwin (I think) when I dropped by during
their bowling game at CBC. As for the rest, I was
planning to go on a text brigade but I don't have the
contact numbers of the regular people who play weekday
mornings. Plus my mobile phone's battery went dead.

When I had the chance to charge my batteries my mind
was preoccupied with other things.

I am sorry if for the past few weeks I have been
slacking off with my job as preisdent of our
organization. I would pick up where I left off to
continue serve and lead the badminton federation.

To Merlie, sorry to spoil your birthday party. Belated
happy birthday.

A thousand apologies to everyone.

As for the tournament, unless we find an alternative
venue we can not go on with it. The gym people won't
consider in lowering the fees, they said the $75 usage
fee and $10 for the electricity is the rate that the
DCCA and CUC gave them.

We can not afford paying almost $100/day. What if our
tournament lasted more than 10 days that's more than
$1000 just for using the gym. We will use up our
funds, plus the entrance fee just for this tournament.

The gym people even told me the organizers of the
baseball and softball leagues pay more than $300 a
game. If we can get another sponsor to back us up with
the fees and everything then we can push through with
the tournament.

As of now, it is put on hold until we and the Sports
and Rec division agree with the fees.

From 'cocks' to "bowls'

NMBF members try their hands on bowling. As the Saipan Tribune editor quipped "NMBF members fed up of shuttle-COCKS now they're trying the Bowls--So from Cock to Bowls....get it?"

The members as guided by professional bowlers and NMBF members Gigi Zapanta and Roger Valles have joined the tournament that started last Thursday. Team members are: Hapi, Marconi, Gigi, Malou, Lito, Diane, Edwin, Rosel, Emil and Jinky.

Traders Ins. is the official sponsor for the group...Yeeha!

Watch and support whenever you have the time, every Thursday now!!!

Never a Dull Moment

October 2006
Saipan, CNMI, MP96950


Badminton regulars turned hosts Happy Gabriel, Macoi Aguda, and Marconi Calindas brought the house down with their comic antics during the awards banquet for the Inaugural Northern Marianas Badminton Federation Tournament held last Saturday night at Club V of Saipan Grand Hotel.

The awarding of winners for the fledgling organization's first formal competition, which took place on Oct. 9-14 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, took a backseat as the trio put on an impromptu comedy show spiced up by special numbers from songbird Ingrid Sanchez and impersonator extraordinaire Noel Wong.

The event, however, started on a somber note as club president Jonathan Perez requested a moment of silence in honor of the late Jojo Aglipay, one of the pioneers of NMBF who died only a few months after the organization was formed.


NMBF adviser Lito Mendoza then swore in Perez, vice president Edwin Montoya, assistant secretary Diane Dar Juan, treasurer Jinky De Belen, and public relation officer Mark Rabago in a simple induction ceremony.

Gabriel, Calindas, and Aguda-the latter whenever he could escape from his emceeing duties at a wedding ceremony next door-then started the comedic ball rolling by good-naturedly poking fun on almost everyone who came up the stage from Perez, who remained on stage to help with the raffle drawing, to the raffle winners, to the tournament victors.


At one point, Calindas referred to Mendoza as a member of the Hong Kong triad, while Gabriel commented on Perez's choice of shoes and belt.

The two also did a number on Montoya and Rabago, clarifying to the audience that they are not Richard and Raymond Gutierrez from the Nestle Twin commercial of years back.


Even the normally serious awards ceremony was raucous, as exemplified when the tournament's most winningest competitor, Janice Bungalos, received her award.


Bungalos, who is two months pregnant and won the mixed doubles (with Aguda), women's doubles (with Gigi Zapanta), and was runner-up in the women's singles, was “forced” to publicly thank her husband, Neil, for her now delicate disposition.


Gabriel and Calindas also playfully claimed Priyawathan Wijay and Ryan Achas' trophies for themselves, after the men's doubles champions failed to make an appearance during the awards banquet, and gamely posed for photos as if they were the true winners of the division.


Aside from Bungalos, Wijay, and Achas, other winners of the first-ever NMBF tourney were women's singles champion and women's doubles runner-up (with Merle Savellano) Dar Juan, mixed doubles champion (with Bungalos), men's singles runner-up, and men's doubles third place (with Calindas) Aguda, men's doubles runner-up (with Erick Pena), and mixed doubles third place (with Elma Labuson) Raj Jayalal, women's singles third place Cleofe Santos, women's doubles third place Cristy Villaflor and Shirley Kim, and mixed doubles runner-up Montoya and Villaflor.


The Inaugural NMBF Tournament was sponsored by Coca-Cola Beverage Co. Inc., Aqua Resort Club, Fiesta Resort & Spa, Pacific Amusement, Pacific Islands Club, YCO Corp.-Jollibee, Pacific Telecom, Inc. Micronesian Brokers Inc., Jhem's Restaurant, Shirley's Coffee Shop, and Danielle's Massage and Beauty Salon. (PR)