Rudell Siglos annexed his first Buglasan Open title over a competitive field of a hundred participants in the 2015 Buglasan Chess Festival 3rd Governor Degamo Cup held at the Convention Center.
After seven grueling rounds, Siglos tied with four other combatants but emerged on top with a tie-break score over 2nd placer Patrick Chua of Silliman University. Master caliber Michael Barron won at 3rd spot, and top local campaigner Gemon Tolentino won at 4th place.
Rounding out the top 10 placers are Steve Ursua, George Albis, Bernabe Tagulo, Christopher Gabo, Adrian dela Cruz, and Genesis Borromeo.
Open special awards went to Chua as Top Junior, Nilo Sayre as Most Improved, Tyronne Diputado as Most Promising, Valerio Mangubat as Top HS Player, Carlito Ybio as Top Executive Player, Sherwin Polancos as Top Provincial Player, Sheila Chua and Quennie Mariñas as Top Women Players, Alnie Jane Aum and Khay Sonjaco as Top Junior Female Awardees, and Philip Vilos as Outstanding PWD Player.
In the Batang Pinoy Category, St. Louis School Don Bosco’s national medalist duo of Sara Francine Olendo and Alfonzo Louis Olendo made a title-retention sweep in the biggest turn-out of schools and teams in the Buglasan.
In a record field of 60 teams, Don Bosco was a clear first, with 2nd place going to the unseeded Tayasan Team bannered by Aliahne Aum and Neil Dayapan, 3rd place went to perennial contender NOHS with Kurt Pis-an and Misty Catequista, 4th place was awarded to Team Valencia featuring the Cabebe brothers Rhed and Dream Lance, St. Paul University, with mainstays Ivan Adaro and Joseph Masing sharing 5th spot with Camanjac’s tandem of Charlize Marie Ybio and Mindi Rosene Solon.
Special awards went to the Olendo siblings as Board Champions, Joseph Diaz as Top Kiddie, Ben Jariol as Promising HS Player, Diane Quezon as Promising HS Female, Rhed Cabebe as Top 10&Under, Lance Nathaniel Orlina as Top 8&Under, Justin Benedict Barron as Promising Elementary Player, Kerry Sonjaco as Most Improved, Mary Faith Paredes as Top Elementary Female, Sara Francine Olendo as Top HS Female, and Sedrick Jed Caraig as the Youngest Participant.
In the Seniors Category, Val Mangubat hoisted the championship trophy with a slim half-point victory over the pre-tournament favorite Engr. Teodoro Nacar, Jr. who gamely settled for 2nd place. Third place went to Leopoldo Ortega, with Romy Espino snatching the 4th spot, while foreigner Michael Lamb joining the winner’s circle at 5th place. Michael Teves took home the Most Improved award while Siquijor’s Abelardo Gomez securing the Senior Citizen special award.
Special trophy awards went to Municipality of Tayasan as Best Represented LGU, Camanjac Chess Enthusiasts Society as Best Represented Club, Silliman University as Best Represented Collegiate Varsity, ABC Learning Center as Biggest Elementary Delegation, SLS – Don Bosco as Best Represented School, and the Amahit family of Bindoy as Best Represented Family joining the event.
Cash prizes, trophies, medals and certificates from the Negros Oriental Sports Development Program and NOrSports were handed out during the awarding ceremony attended by a host of city and provincial officials; with Negros Club 64 President Hilbert Arinaza and Junob Barangay Capt.Isagani Bana as over-all tournament coordinator. (Florendo Zamora/PR)
