WOMAN National Master Cecilia Gaburno Cuizon, a former Philippine women’s team member in the World Chess Olympiad, is a valuable sports figure in Cagayan de Oro.
And so on her 60th birthday, the local chess community will honor her name by organizing an exclusive Invitational Executive Chess Tournament on November 14.
Arbiter Lorenzo ‘Jun’ Cuizon, Cecilia’s better half whose eldest daughter with her Loreshyl is also an Olympiad veteran, told Gold Star Daily that the day-long tourney will be held at their place in Upper Palalan, Barangay Lumbia.
It will be a 15-board round-robin affair, using the rapid time control of 10 minutes plus three three-second increments.
“What Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental have become today in terms of chess development may not be possible without the immense contribution of Cecilia nga kugi kaayo sa una mo-train sa mga bata,” said one of her local chess contemporaries, Joseph ‘Alamid ng Mindanao’ Maestrado Jr in vernacular.
Invited to play and share the celebration are businessman Aerol Torralba, barangay councilor and Lumbia Eagles Club president; lawyer Nand Flores, Land Transportation Office (LTO)-Region 10 Officer; lawyer Rene Arroyo, retired judge of Misamis Oriental; businessman Rene Goopio, supplier of agri-farm products at SM Malls; retired police officer Rolando Gomonit, retired DepEd-MisOr officer Mario Arroyo, retired Emcor Mindanao manager Cleto 'Bong' Vasquez, businessman Benoni Wabe of the Golden Chess Friends, lawyer Condrado Mahinay, retired prov'l head of DENR-10; sailor man/ship captain Ronald Banaag, Ads advertising and printing businessman Gino Damasing, Camiguin municipal councilor Junard Labadan, retired Commission on Audit (COA-10) officer Oscar Arroro, retired Department of Justice (DOJ) personnel Oscar Cardenas and your's truly.
