Filipino pool masters forced to work as coaches abroad

Source: ABS CBN NEWS
Several billiard masters, including former world champion Ronato “The Volcano” Alcano, are leaving the Philippines in search for greener pastures abroad.

Ceferino “Perry” Mariano, Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) head, told dzSR Sports Radio the absence of regular competitions and support from the government has forced the billiard players to look for coaching stints abroad.

“Marami na tayong mga player na nagtuturo sa ibang bansa kasi wala gaanong suporta ang bilyar sa ating bansa. Wala ding gaanong torneo dito,” said sportsman/ businessman Mariano.

(We have many players doing coaching jobs abroad because of lack of support for billiards here in our country. We also don’t have many tournaments here).

Mariano said Alcano, who won the World 9-ball and 8-Ball titles in 2007, will be joining other Pinoy cue artists in the Middle East where they will work as coaches.

Other players, who are already in the Middle East include 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball gold winner Antonio “Ga-Ga” Gabica, Asiad 9-ball silver winner Jeffrey de Luna, snooker specialist Joven Alba and Joven Bustamante.

Gabi is now in Dubai, De Luna in Saudi Arabia, and Alba and Bustamante are in Kuwait. Alcano will be working in Qatar.

The governments of several Middle East countries recognize the exceptional talents of the Filipino cue artists, prompting them to directly hire Filipinos to teach their youth to play the sport.

The local players are reportedly offered a minimum monthly payment of $3,000 (roughly P120,000). The Filipinos are also allowed to bring their families, who can also look for other jobs in the Middle East.

“Sana ‘yung gobyerno natin ay suportahan ‘yung mga organizers natin ng bilyar gaya ng Raya Sports (of Yen Makabenta), Star Billiards Center (of Sebastian Chua), Puyat Sports (of Putch Puyat), Negros Billiards Stable (of Jonathan Sy) at iba pang local organizers at managers,” added Mariano, also the president of the Bugsy Promotions.

(We hope our government extends support to our billiards organizers like Raya Sports, Star Billiards Center, Puyat Sports, Negros Billiards Stable and other pool managers).

By doing so, Mariano said organizers can produce more tournaments where the pool players can compete.

While waiting for his papers, Alcano will be joining a month-long billiards summer clinic in May at the Bugsy Morato headquarters in Tomas Morato, Quezon City. He will be preparing the students for the forthcoming Inter-Collegiate competition later this year.

As some pool masters look for coaching stints abroad, others leave the sport altogether for other pursuits. The promising junior cue master—Mike “Tsoke” Takayama has already stopped playing billiards and now plays poker.

He reportedly won a P2 million-worth BMW in a recent poker tournament.

Mariano said the migration of Filipino billiards players will affect future stints of the Philippine national team in international competitions—like the Asian games and South Asian games.