CAGAYAN de Oro assembled one of the strongest teams in the 1st Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Albee Benitez Masskara Festival National Inter Provinces, Cities, and Municipalities Chess Team Championship slated on Oct. 12 to 16 at the Forest Park Resort in Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
Reinforced by the top guns of the Philippines Airforce, the Cagayan de Oro Chess team is expected to vie strongly for the top honors in this five-day event which offers around P600,000 in total cash prizes.
“Ever since, our good Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy has been very supportive to local sports development especially chess hence our participation in Bacolod,” newly-minted city sports coordinator Romarey Gorro told Gold Star Daily.
Gorro tapped the services of International Master Richelieu ‘Jongjong’ Salcedo III and Lennon Hart Salgados, both from the Philippine Airforce to man the top two boards of Team Cagayan de Oro.
Salcedo, a native of Inobulan, Salay, Misamis Oriental, and Salgados, who hails from Cagayan de Oro, were former teammates with the multi-titled Far Eastern University Senior Tamaraws in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines chess war.
Retired Airman Allan Cantonjos of Gingoog City will play board 3, while another home ground Christian Arroyo ― also an FEU alumnus ― completes the team, hoping to be the scoring machine on board 4 in the inter-cities rivalry sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.
“Kining upat pinili gyod nga mga tirador confident ang syudad nga moaway dako'g chance nga sila makahatag og dakong dungog kanato sa Bacolod Masskara Festival Chess Championships,” said Jashper Gonzales, who will guide the Oro Higalas alongside team manager Gorro and fellow coaching staff Renan Cantilado and Loloy Duman-ag.
