48. EDGARDO “ED” L. OCAMPO: From Mr. Football to Mr. Basketball and Three Olympics

The country’s no. 1 sports—basketball—has produced outstanding hardcourt heroes from Pampanga through the years—names like Gerry Cruz, Hector Calma, Ato Agustin, Ponciano Saldana, Jojo Duncil come to mind. But one young Kapampangan stands out for being a legend in his own time, winning honors for the Philippines and for himself in not one, but two sports—football and basketball. It is in the latter discipline that he came to international prominence, earning the title of “Mr. Basketball of 1960” at age 22. His name: Edgardo L. Ocampo.

EDGARDO or "Ed" Luciano OCAMPO, born on 5 October 1938, was one of four children of the “father of modern Philippine Architecture”, the acclaimed Fernando Hizon Ocampo (San Fernando) and the renown Pampanga beauty, Lourdes Magdangal Luciano (Magalang). His siblings included Fernando Jr., also an architect, Oscar, his football team mate at Ateneo and sister Maria Pilar.

Basketball and football caught the young Ocampo’s fancy almost at the same time while enrolled at the Ateneo Grade School. He tried out for the school’s midget basketball team but did not pass the height requirement. Instead, he made it to the football squad where his brilliance in the field became much apparent. By age 17, Ed was acclaimed by sportswriters as “Mr. Football”. Ed qualified for the Philippine National Football team that toured Korea and Spain in 1956.

But in that same year, Ed broke his clavicle during a rough game, promoting doctors to advise him to take off from the sports for half a year. But even before those six months were up, Ed was back in school, joining the basketball tryout for the school’s NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) team. This time, he made it after several Blue Eagles dropped out from the squad. Ed first played in the second round of the 1957 NCAA series.

At 5 feet 9 inches with a stocky built, Ed was certainly not considered tall enough in the sports where “height is might”. But his stamina,power, speed and quick reflexes made him the man to watch on the court. He managed to captain the Blue Eagles to two NCAA championships in 1957 and 1958.

One of his most memorable stints as a basketball collegian was when the Blue Eagles played against the tough Keh Nan team from China in the World Boy Scouts Jamboree benefit at the Rizal Coliseum. The Chinese dribblers were stunned when they saw Ocampo bounce his chest on the floor, intercept a pass and score on the same play. Six thousand roaring fans rose to their feet to give him a standing ovation.

Ed was recruited by YCO where he played as a guard, becoming a key figure in the team’s 1960 victory in the MICAA (Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association), the top basketball league in the 60s. It was Ed who limited Narciso Bernardo of Ysmael Steel—then considered as the country’s best forward—to just 9 measly points in a critical game. For his performance, he was dubbed as “Mr. Basketball” in 1960.

At the peak of his career, young Ocampo was a member of the national basketball team 4 times, played in the world championship in Chile, competed in the Asian Basketball Conference and competed in 3 Olympics (1960-1968-1972). At the 1960 Olympiad in Rome, the Philippines placed a creditable 11th place. Newspaper accounts glowed at how “Ocampo played magnificently, with brilliant reprising and rebounding”.

What has also earned his fans’ admiration is his sportsmanship on and off court. Not even once in any game did he figure in a brawl. That is a feat in itself considering the nature of the fast and furious game. When his playing years ended, he turned to coaching, guiding the San Miguel Beermen, the Toyota Tamaraws and the Pepsi Bottlers of the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association). As coach, he led his teams to 4 championships.

Ed Ocampo was married to the former Maria Lourdes Trinidad. Pampanga’s basketball legend and Hall of Famer passed away on 29 July 1999 at age 54. He was inducted into the Ateneo Hall of Fame (1982), National Basketball Hall of Fame (1999), and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Hall of Fame in 2013.

SOURCES:

Iron Man of Basketball, The Sunday Times Magazine, Vol. XVI No. 23, 15 Jan. 1961

Ed Ocampos' Views on Shackling Shin. The Sunday Times Magazine, 4 Dec. 1970, p. 37

Edgardo L. Ocampo:Basketball Olympian. Views from the Pampang. https://viewsfromthepampang.blogspot.com/2010/12/227-edgardo-ed-l-ocampo-basketball.html

Eduardo Ocampo. Legends and Heroes of Philippine Basketball. By Christian Bocobo and Beth Celis. p. 110

The Greatest Basketball Team Ever? istoryadista.net. https://www.istoryadista.net/2012/09/the-greatest-philippine-basketball-team.html

47. JOSEPHINE “Big Jo” DE LA VIÑA and Her Still-Unbroken 54-Year-Old Discus Throw Record.

The discus throw record of Josephine De La Viña has stood for 54 years, without a doubt, the most enduring record in Philippine sports history. It is for this reason that “Big Jo” is regarded as the best thrower that the country has ever produced, and at her peak, ranked 13^th best discus thrower in the Olympics. She was born on 20 April 1946, the eldest child of American-Mexican Norman and Carolina de La Viña of New Lucena (now, Sta. Barbara) Cebu.

De La Viña recalls that hers was not an athletic family. Her father used to be a professional bowler, and that was it. For some reason, she became attracted to softball, her first sport, which she played as a student of Labangon Elementary School. But her affair with the Grecian discus began when she enrolled at the Cebu Institute of Technology High School that was renowned for producing the most successful women athletes of the Philippines—the likes of Asia’s track queen Inocencia Solis, hurdler-sprinter Francisca Sañopal, javelin thrower Vivencia Subido, and broad jumper Visitacion Badana. From throwing balls,  Josephine discovered her natural flair in the throwing events of discus, javelin and shot put. She caught the eye of Dean Amancio Alcordo and Vicente Tigas, who put her on a scholarship and began training her right away.

The hefty teen, who would grow to an intimidating height of 6 feet, with a weight of 180 lbs,  earned a Bronze at her first ever international competition–the 1st Asian Track and Field Championship in Tokyo–with a heave of 37.39 meters. At the 1963 National Open Track and Field competitions at the Rizal Stadium. She set the audience gasping with an incredible heave of 41. 987 m (137 ft. 9 inches) in the women’s discus throw.

At age 18, she was named to the National  Olympic team, where she put on a show by improving her throw to 42.27 meters at the Tokyo Games in 1964, good enough for 18^th place. De La Viña got even better when she joined the 1965 National Open Championships in Manila, registering a remarkable 158 feet, 9 inches (48.387 m.), topping the Asian mark of Japanese Chizoko Tanaka (150 feet, 7 inches, or 45.89 m.)

The next year, De La Viña was the proud flag bearer at the 5th Asian Games in Bangkok (1966) . Competing against favored Japanese amazons, “Big Jo” held her own and threw the discus to an Asian record-shattering 47.58 meters (156 ft. 1 ¼ inches)—which was not even her best throw–to give the Philippines its first Gold. She had been averaging 162 feet in practices, which would have been enough to place her among the top 6 in the world Olympics.

The civil engineering student would go on to participate in two more Olympic quests in Mexico (1968), where she would improve her ranking to 15^th  of the world’s best. De La Viña was also entered in the Shot Put event, but did not start, opting to focus on her pet event, the Discus.

She went into deep training in the U.S. in between the Olympic years under coach Bob Lawson, and it was there that Big Jo set a personal best and a new Philippine record that would—to this day—remain unsurpassed.  At the 1971 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships that took place on 10 July at the Memorial Stadium on the campus of Bakersfield College in Bakersfield, California, De La Viña threw the discus to an astounding 54.71 meters (179 feet, 5 inches) defeating USA’s Carol Jean Moseke L. Frost, the 1967 Pan American Games gold medalist, and 1968 Olympian.

No other Filipina thrower has come near to this record; in fact, the second-best throw also belongs to De La Viña at 53.92 meters, achieved during the qualifying rounds of the Munich Olympics. She almost qualified for the finals, landing in 13^th place, but only 12 athletes moved forward to contest the medals.

To date, after 54 years, De La Viña is the only Filipina to reach--and exceed--the 50 meter mark in the Discus Throw event. For perspective, Dorie Cortejo’s silver medal heave of 45.26 m.  at the 1989 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games is over 9 meters behind De La Viña’s best. “Big Jo” passed away on 4 November  2011in Iloilo, leaving behind an unbroken record that is expected to endure for many more years, earning her a special place in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

SOURCES:

The Philippine Athlete, P.A.A.F. Official Publication, 1966

“Josephine de la Viña”, olympedia, https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/74514

Quintana, Buddy. “A Most Charming Champion”, The Sunday Times Magazine, 1967

“Josephine de la Viña, Aiming for a Medal”, The Sunday Times Magazine, 13 Oct. 1968 (Cover)

46. Grappling for Glory: Judoka GERONIMO S. DYOGI, 1972 PH Olympian, Asian Judo Medalist

The Philippines sent its first judokas to compete in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and it took 8 years to send another contingent of 3, this time to the 1972 summer games in Munich. Of the three, GERONIMO Samonte DYOGI, was the most seasoned at age 23, and was also the best performing after their judo events, landing 12^th among over 20 judokas.

Nicknamed Ronnie, he was born on 20 July 1949 in Manila to Ramon Dyogi Sr. and the former Aurora Samonte. His father was a Philippine consular accountant, which allowed the family to travel. From age 6 to 12, he lived in Japan. Back then, the young Ronnie showed his athleticism, and took up the Japanese martial sports of judo. He trained at the famed trained Kodokan Institute in Tokyo, by judo founder Jigoro Kano in 1882. At age 15, he got  his first dan (first degree) black belt in Japan—and never looked back.

Returning to the Philippines as a young adult, he attended the Mapúa Institute of Technology, and continued to pursue the sport. He won third place in three Asian Judo Championships held in the Philippines (1966), Kaohsiung, Taiwan (1970), and Seoul,  South Korea (1974)

In 1969, Dyogi was the lone representative to the World Championships held in Mexico (5^th place), and also saw action at the 6^th World Championship in Ludwigshafen, West Germany  in 1971 (7^th place). The Summer Games of the 20^th Olympiad, scheduled on 5 Sep. 1972, opened up an opportunity for a token Philippine representation to the Judo events.

Geronimo, then already with Far Eastern University, along with Renato Repuyan of Meralco (Iighweight),  and Navy’s Fernando Garcia (light heavyweight). Welterweight Oscar Bautista was left out by the National Olympic Committee for lack of funds. Coach Peter Calibo, who frankly assessed that their chances of podium finishes were “slim”,  handled the overall training of the trio.

In April 1972, the judo team went to Los Baños to undergo a “special 8-days concentrated training” under the tutelage of Suzumi Oikawa, a member of the Japanese Peace Corps and a 3^rd dan. He was replaced by another Peace Corps member Toyoji Aoki, a 4^th dan, after he competed his stint in the country.

The Judo Team of Dyogi, Repuyan and Garcia joined the compact Philippine delegation of 53 athletes (48 men, 5 women) to Munich, West Germany in September 1972 for the biggest fights of their lives.

Competing in the welterweight division (now half-middleweight), Dyogi’s Olympic profile sheet describes him as 167 cm tall (5’6”) and weighing 70 kg. (154 pounds). He defeated Hong Kong’s Mok Cheuk Wing by “yuseigachi” (win by decision), but in his next match, he lost by a half-point (“ouchigari”, a foot technique throw) to Austria’s Gerold Jungwirth. He stood in joint 12^th place with 5 other judokas in a field of 28 athletes.

With the Olympics over, Ronnie put his competitive years behind to join his family who had immigrated to the United States. It was in San Francisco, California that he met his future wife, Evelyn. They got married in 1977, and put up his own car repair business to support their 2 daughters. He moved his family to Texas after he secured a job in the Public Works Division of the City of West University Place.

Geronimo Dyogi retired after 15 years of service and was accorded with many awards—including a recognition from the city for having an Olympian in its midst. The judo master passed away just 3 days after his 67^th birthday on 23 Jul. 2016 in Sugarland, Texas, bringing to a close the life of an athlete who so ably represented the country on the world’s major sporting stages.

It would take another 16 years before the Philippines would send again Filipino judokas to another Olympics—that held in Seoul in 1988. The three—Jerry Dino, John Baylon, and Benjamin McMurray were not expected to “slay” the competition in Korea, but their presence alone—much like their Munich predecessors Garcia, Repuyan and Dyogi-- embodies the credo of the Olympics: that even if victory is not achieved, it is the value of participation, of taking part in the pursuit of excellence that matters most.

SOURCES:

“The Philippine Performance”, The Filipino Athlete. Vol. XXV, Sep.-Oct. 1972,

“Judo”, The Sunday Times Magazine, 27 Aug. 1972

Judo in the Philippines, https://www.usadojo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/FMA-Special-Edition_Judo-Philippines.pdf

Obituary, Mr. Geronimo Ronnie Samonte Dyogi, Dignity Memorial,

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/stafford-tx/geronimo-dyogi-7023226

Asian Judo Championship Results 1966-2011, https://web.archive.org/web/20131023103335/http://www2.bbweb-arena.com/cozytoys/media/asia_judo_champions_eng.htm

Geronimo Dyogi, olympedia, https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/33687

40. AMELITA ALANES: PH Olympian, Track Wonder of the 70s

AMELITA ALANES-SABERON earned 2 Asian Games Medals and was a
quarterfinalist in the 200 M. race at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.

Dubbed as one of the “Track Wonders” of Southern Tagalog Athletic Association (STAA) in 1970s, AMELITA ALANES, reigned as the country’s premiere sprinter in the 1970s, winning in the Asian Championships, the Asian Games, and becoming a member of the national athletics team that competed at the tragedy-ridden Munich Olympics in 1972.

She was born in La Carlota, Negros Occidental on 28 Feb. 1952, the daughter of farmer parents. She had her start running barefoot in her hometown in 1966, because her parents could not afford the spiked shoes for sprinting. Yet, she often beat bigger opponents, She then progressed to inter-scholastic meets, where she established 3 junior records.

That was how the shoeless, but fleet-footed Alanes was spotted by Gov. Isidro Rodriguez and Southern Tagalog athletic officials. They offered to train her for inclusion in their much vaunted talent pool. The athletes from Southern Tagalog Athletic Association (STAA) were then considered powerhouse at the Bureau of Public Schools-Interscholastic Athletics Association Games (BPISAA)—which would later be renamed Palarong Pambansa in 1974.

On many occasions, STAA had captured the major championships of the BPISAA Games, lording over tough competition from Western Visayas and Mindanao. Southern Tagalog’s strengths lie in football, basketball and athletics. Alanes joined the Rizal’s women’s athletic team---and her baptism of fire in big league athletics began immediately.

Armed with just her 3 junior records and regional wins, the 18 year old was among the last to be chosen for the 1970 Asiad line-up.

She would come home with a Silver Medal in the 200 meter dash, the highest honor won in Bangkok, by the country’s track and field delegation. She recalls the moments leading to her magnificent win in the Asiad. She had raced in the 200 m. heats, placing second to the formidable Olympic medalist Chi Cheng of Chinese Taipei, who came in at 23.7 secs., a new Asian record, despite pulled muscles in both legs,

Later, it was announced that the frontrunner Chi Cheng was pulling out of the 200 meter finals due to her injury. At the Supachalasai Stadium, she remembers thinking “May pag-asa na rin kahit konti”, as she set her feet on the starting blocks. As the gun sounded, Alanes burst into action and sped off, hands flailing, and reaching the finish bunched up with other runners.

She was uncertain if she had done enough. But when the electronic scoreboard flashed the results, Alanes saw her name in 2^nd place, clocking 25.2 secs. behind Keiko Yamada of Japan  (25 secs.), with Indonesia’s Carolina Rieuwpassa coming in 3^rd (25.4 secs.). She remembers sobbing on the shoulders of her coach and being swamped by her fellow runners.

The Philippine performance at the Bangkok Games turned out to be one of the poorest for the country, with Ricardo Fortaleza’s lone boxing gold. The track delegation could only contribute 3 Bronzes and 1 Silver—courtesy of Alanes, who saved the day for the Philippines. Moving forward upon her return, Alanes resumed her training with her team mates to prepare for the biggest competition in her life—this time, at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

The 1972 BPISAA Games in Vigan held for a week starting on April 11, served as a tryout to the Olympics scheduled later in the year in August. Once more, the Southern Tagalog Athletic Association came ready, armed with its finest athletes, among them,  the Rizal  women’s athletic team. The quartet of track wonders included Lucila Salao, Aida Mantawel, Rosalinda Yumol, and the Asian Games medalist Amelita Alanes. Alanes, with the best credentials, did not disappoint.

Alanes competed in 3 individual events: 100 m., 200 m. and 400 m. She won them all, earning 3 Golds and cementing her reputation as the country’s top sprinter. Together with Salao, Mantawel and Yumol, they won berths in the Philippine National Team that were sent to Munich in August for the 20th Olympic competitions.

The infamous Munich Summer Games were held from Aug. 26 to Sep. 12.  Alanes was entered in her favorite events: the 100 and 200 meter dash, and the team event, 4 x 100 m. relay with Salao, Mantawel and Yumol. In her century dash heat, she ran alongside the East German amazon, Renate Stecher. Alanes made a quick exit, timing in at inexplicably at slow 12.37 secs. As expected Stecher topped that heat and advanced all the way to the Finals to win the Gold with a world record time of 11.06 seconds.

Alanes fared better in the 200 meters, timing in at 24.98 secs. in 7^th place, which was good enough to put her into the Quarterfinal rounds. She was eliminated in Round 1, clocking in at 25.28, and thus did not  advance to the semifinals. Stecher, again, won the 200 m. finals Gold in convincing fashion, with an amazing 22.1 secs. clocking. Alanes also lucked out in the 4 x100 m. relay race, as the team was disqualified in the 1^st heat.

 When Alanes returned to the Philippines, she set her sights on the inaugural 1973 Asian Athletics Championships in Manila. There, at the Rodriguez Sports Center in Marikina, the track wonder won the Gold with an 11.6 seconds in the 100m. ahead of 2 Japanese Michiko Morita and Sayo Yamato who clocked identical 12 secs. 

In 1978, the now married Amelita Alanes-Saberon competed in her last Asian Games, also in Bangkok, Thailand. The 8^th edition of these games, held from Dec. 14-19, were controversial because they were not sanctioned by the International Amateur Athletics Federation due to the exclusion of Israel by the organizers. The Philippines had a dismal showing in Bangkok, with no gold medal to show. Still, Alanes, who was entered in the 4 x 100 M. Relay along with Lucila Tolentino-Salao, Rosalinda Yumol and Lydia Silva-Netto salvaged the Bronze in 47 seconds flat, behind Thailand (Gold, 46.20 secs.) and Japan (Silver, 46. 78 secs.).

Alanes-Saberon registered her personal best of 11.4 seconds for the 100 meter dash in 1974. It stood as a National Record for 13 long years before Lydia de Vega broke it at the 1987 Southeast Asian Games, with a time of 11.28 secs.  

SOURCES

Olympic database, Amelita Alanes, https://www.olympiandatabase.com/index.php?id=53690&L=1

The Filipino Athlete, The Munich Olympics, Oct. 1972

37. THE 1972 PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL TEAM TO THE MUNICH OLYMPICS

At the 20^th Olympiad held in Munich, Germany, the Philippine Basketball Team proved that it was still the best in Asia when it placed 13^th overall after the controversy-tainted finals between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. The Soviet Union snapped the gold medal streak of U.S.A. when it won by a point (51-50) , relegating the Americans to 2nd place, with Cuba placing 3rd. 

The Philippines team suffered defeats against Poland (90-75), Puerto Rico (92-72), West Germany (93-74), Yugoslavia (117-76), Soviet Union (111-80), and Italy (101-81). Undettered despite overwhelming odds, the Philippines won its games against Senegal (78-71), Egypt (2-0, by default) and perennial foe Japan (82-73).

Members of the 1972 Philippine Olympic Basketball Team.

WILLIAM "Bogs" ADORNADO. (b. 26 May 1951). UST college basketball player. Joined Crispa Redmanizers as rookie, achieving star status at the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) All-Filipino Tournament. 3-time Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (1975, 1976, and 1981). Named among the PBA Greatest Players. Inducted in the 2005 PBA Hall of Fame.

NARCISO C. BERNARDO. (b. 27 Jul. 1937 / d. 23 Dec. 2008). Played in the MICAA for Ysmael Steel, Crispa and Mariwasa. Coached the Crispa 400s in the MICAA and later the Crispa Redmanizers in the Philippine Basketball Association, leading the team to the 1984 PBA First All-Filipino Conference championship. Served as councilor in Mandaluyong City, but failed to finish term due to his death.

RICARDO "Joy" CLEOFAS. (b. 9 Feb. 1951). Played college basketball for Ateneo which became NCAA champions in 1969 with team mates Marte Samson, Chito Afable, Jun Ross and Francis Arnaiz. Played for YCO Painters at the MICAA after graduation. Known for his accurate distance shooting and passing. Member of the first Youth team in 1970 that won the first ABC Youth Tournament. Post-Olympics, plated at the 1973 Asian Basketball Confederation and the 1974 World Basketball Confederation in Puerto Rico. Entered the PBA pro league playing for Tanduay.

DANNY Z. FLORENCIO: (b. 5 Sep. 1947/d. 25 Feb. 2018). Nicknamed "Daredevil Danny", original "Skywalker". Played with UST Glowing Goldies (1965–1967). Member, PH Team, which beat South Korea 83-10 for the 1967 ABC Championships won through his last minute 4-points scoring thus earning his 1^st Olympic slot in Mexico. Placed 2^nd  in 1971 ABC Championships, qualifier to the 1972 Munich Olympics.  Played with YCO Painters and Crispa at the MICAA. Turned pro in PBA with the U/Tex Wranglers, the Toyota Super Corollas, 7-Up, and the Galerie Dominique Artistas (1975-83) . Ranked 11th in the all-time scoring plateau with 5,791 points, 8TH in scoring average, and 13th all-time in steals. Named PBA's Greatest Players (2000).  PBA Hall of fame inductee (2007). Retired and settled in San Francisco, California, until his death from a stroke in 2018.

JAIME "Jimmy" MARIANO. (b. 19 Apr. 1941). Known as “Mr. Cool”, the 6'3 1/2" Malabon native first played for the UE Red Warriors team under Coach Baby Dalupan. Later played in the MICAA for Ysmael Steel, Meralco and Concepcion Industries.  2-Time Olympian: 1968 Mexico, and 1972 Munich where he was the country’s flag bearer. Team captain of the national basketball team in the 1974 FIBA World Cup. Began his coaching career in 1981 as coach of  Presto Tivolis and  Red Bull in the Philippine Basketball League. Led Presto to the 1990 All-Filipino championship. Also had coaching stints with University of the East Red Warriors ( 2 UAAP Championship titles).

ROSALIO "Yoyong" MARTIREZ. (b. 9 Sep.1946/ d. 18 June 2024). “Sultan of Swipe. Originally from Samar, moved to Cebu where he played for Southwestern University before being recruited by the San Miguel Beermen. 2-time PBA champion, Guard of PH Team in  the 1972 Munich Games, a World Basketball Championship player in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a Gold Medalist in the 1973 ABC and 1970 Asian Youth tournaments. Saw action in MICAA from 1972-1982. In late 70s, forayed into acting, appearing on TV shows like “Iskul Bukol”, “John en Marsha”, “Pepito Manaloto”, among others. Debuted in the 1985 film “Ma'am May We Go Out? With Tito, Vic & Joey. Served as councilor and later vice mayor of Pasig.

ROGELIO "Tembong" MELENCIO. (b. 27 Sep. 27, 1939/ d. 1995).Tondo-born Melencio played for the Yutivo Opels and for Concepcion Industries in the MICAA. PH Team player at the ABC Championships in Seoul (1967)  and Manila (1973) where the Philippines won Gold. This Munich Olympians was also a key member of the Pesta Sukan Basketball Team. Tragically stabbed and killed in a bar room brawl in 1995.

 EDGARDO "Ed" OCAMPO. (b. 5 Oct. 1938/d. 19 Jul. 1992). Captain of the 1972 PH Olympic basketball team. Son of renown architect Fernando H. Ocampo and Lourdes Luciano. Initially played football for Ateneo, his first interest. Played in Korea and Spain as PH national team member and was named “Mr. Football” at age 17 in 1956. After a football injury, joined the Ateneo basketball team, leading to 2 back-to-back wins at the NCAA in 1957-58. Joined the YCO Painters in the MICAA and became part of its championship teams. Member, PH Basketball team (1959-1972). Placed 8th at the 1959 FIBA World Championship;  Member of 3 PH teams that won 3 ABC championships (1960, 1963, 1967). 3-time Olympian: 1960, 1968, and 1972. Had a long coaching career from 1975-1990. Honors: Ateneo Sports Hall of Fame (1982), National Basketball Hall of Fame (1999), PBA Hall of Fame (2013).

MANUEL “Manny” PANER. (b. 17 May 1949).A Cebuano, 6’ 2”, this Commerce student of University of Visayas, was renown for his strong defense and hook shots. Played in the MICAA for the San Miguel Braves. 1970 Most Outstanding Rebounder of MICAA. Named in the first Mythical Team of the 1975 PBA inaugural season. Left Royal Tru-Orange in 1978 for  Great Taste, after bagging a contract that paid him Php 8,000 a month, an unheard of sum at that time. Played briefly for CDCP Road Builders, but returned to San Miguel in 1982, until 1986. Named a member of the PBA's 25 Greatest Players (2000).  PBA Hall of Fame inductee (2007). Manny is married to actress Daisy Romualdez, father to 2 adopted daughters, Kristina and Danita.

ADRIAN “Jun” R. PAPA Jr. Played in the UAAP for the NU Bulldogs, and in the MICAA for Ysmael Steel Admirals and the Crispa-Floro Redmanizers . Joined Mariwasa in 1975  that played in the PBA, leading his team to 2^nd place in 1977 at the 1977 All-Filipino Conference championships. Named to PBA’s Mythical Five. His stint at the PBA spanned 6 seasons (1975–80).

 MARTE SAMSON. (b. 22 July 1951). Ateneo Blue Eagles ball player; 1969 NCAA champion. Gold medal, 1970 ABC Junior Championship (Now Called FIBA Asia U18 Championship), 1971 PH Team to the ABC tournament.  At age 21, the 6-footer Samson played first  for the Elizalde & Co. team at the MICAA. Had a 5-year stint at PBA  where he suited up as a member of the Painters,  Tanduay Distillery and Royal Tru Orangemen.

 FREDDIE WEBB. (b. 24 Nov. 1942). Schooled in San Beda, and Letran College (A.B. English) where he was a star player of the Letran Knights (1960–64). Played in the MICAA with the YCO Painters (1965–1975) and in the PBA with the Tanduay Rhum Makers (1976–78). Retired in 1978, and became PBA coach for YCO-Tanduay (1981–83) and Shell (1985). Also coached his alma mater Letran team in 1975. Joined politics as Pasay City councilor, 1971-78. Elected as congressman of Parañaque in 1987; Awarded one of the Ten Outstanding Congressman of the Year Award. Elected Senator in 1992. Became a Radio and TV personality as sportscaster, TV host and actor, appearing in the popular “Chicks to Chicks” opposite Nova Villa.

 *************

HEAD COACH IGNACIO RAMOS. Coach Ignacio "Ning" R. Ramos (b/?/ d. 22 Jun. 2012) played for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the NCAA from 1949 -1950. Member of the Gold Medal winning  Philippine national basketball team at the 1951 Asian Games in New Delhi, India. Coached the San Miguel Corporation teams in the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

TEAM MANAGER DOMINGO YULO ITCHON. (1924–2004). MICAA president (1971-74), 2nd president of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Asia's first professional basketball league. Cum laude business administration graduate of the University of the East, CPA board topnotcher and Harvard University graduate. Controller of the Elizalde Group of Companies. Appointed team manager of the Elizalde-owned YCO Painters in the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA), serving for over 20 years. Itchon was also MICAA president from 1971-1974. Itchon also became team manager of four Philippines men's national basketball teams. Posthumously inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame on 8 Apr. 2007.

SOURCES:

THE FILIPINO ATHLETE, Vol. XXV, Sep-Oct 1972 issue.

Wallechinsky, David. The Complete Boof of the Olympics, Penguin Books, 1988. "Basketbal", pp. 178