Pangasinan wants to host ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships 2014

by Marlon Bernardino

The Province of Pangasinan has launched a bid to host the ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships, which features the best and the brightest "young woodpushers" in the region.

Former Olympian grandmaster (GM) Jayson Gonzales, Executive Director of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) under the leadership of  it's Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., Secretary-General Cavite 7th district Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr. and Deputy Secretary-General Red Dumuk said Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino's promised to back the country’s bid to host the ASEAN tournament.

Subic Freeport, Olongapo City hosted the event in 2010.

“The governor was impressed by the performance of our team which got the 57 medals and awards and finished second overall in last year's edition in Hue, Vietnam," said Gonzales. “He gave us (NCFP) instructions to do what we can in hosting the event here in 2014 and we’ll do our best to get the job done.”

It shall be recalled that the Philippines won 12 golds, 36 silvers and 9 bronze medals in the Standard, Rapid and Blitz competitions. The harvest broke the country’s 2011 haul of 23 medals including 8 golds.

Host Vietnam topped the event with 121 medals including 73 golds, 31 silvers, 17 bronzes followed by Indonesia with 30 medals (12-7-9).

Organized by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) headed by Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., Secretary-General Cavite 7th district Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr. and Deputy Secretary-General Red Dumuk, the Pangasinan leg was held at the Training & Devt. Center, Lingayen, Pangasinan last March 23 to 26 is the thru the initiative and coordination of  NCFP Committee Chairman for Grassroots Development and Promotions Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares of Bayan Muna Party-list group and sponsored by Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino Jr., in close cooperation with Provincial Administrator Rafael Howard Baraan, Provincial Executive Assistant and Sports Director Modesto Operania.

A total of 226 players from all over the country participated in this final qualifying event of the four-stage competition organized by NCFP and also backed up by Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Ricardo Garcia and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose Cojuangco Jr.

The Visayas leg finished last January 9-12 in Cadiz City; the Mindanao Qualifying event concluded last January 31-February 3 and the Luzon leg elimination was held in Malolos City in Bulacan last March 3-6.

In another related story, the Annual General Meeting of the ASEAN Chess Confederation is to take place on Saturday, coincide the on-going 14th ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships 2013 being held at the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand.