Pacquiao, Manalo to lead int’l invitational billiards tourney in September in GenSan

By Danny Simon
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – World boxing icon Manny Pacquiao will lead the participants in the inaugural MP Gen San Tuna Festival International Open Doubles Billiards 10-Ball Tournament at the Pacman Stadium in General Santos City in Sept. 1-5.

Pacquiao is expected to showcase his skills as a pool player when he takes on the best billiards players from around the world in a 10-ball event.
Pacquiao will be paired with battle- tested and international pool champion Marlon ‘Marvelous’ Manalo against equally powerhouse local and foreign tandems out to capture the inaugural title in the event organized by MP Pool Promotions headed by former national pool player Edgar Acaba and assisted by Aries Sacayanan, according to a report of Danny Simon.
Sanctioned by the World Pocket Billiards Association, the tournament will also feature world billiards champion Ralf Soquet and Thorsten Hohmand of Germany, Earl Strickland and Mike Dechaine of the United States; Dutch Shane Van Boening and Jason Shaw of Canada; Darren Appleton and Carl Boyes of the United Kingdom; Finnish Mike Immonnen and American Rodney Morris, Taiwanese siblings Ko Pin Yi and Ko Pin Chen; Qatar’s Mojid Bihali and Basser Hussain; Abdullah Al Youseff of Kuwait and Allan Quartero of the Philippines; Stuart Pettman of UK and Oliver Jay Villefuerte, also of the Philippines and the pair of Saleh of the UAE and Filipino Oliver Mendenilla.
Bannering the Philippine doubles pairs will be Pacman and Manalo; compadres Efren ‘Bata Reyes and Django Bustamanrte; Dennis Orcollo and Carlo Biado; Jeff de Luna and Jeffrey Ignacio; Gaga Gabica and Israel Rota, Nickoy Lining and Ramil Gallego; Roel Esquillo and Romeo Silvano and the team of Johann Chua and Jayjay Millares.
Acaba who personally invited Pacman and Manalo to join the event, said it was Pacquiao who picked the Southeast Asian gold medalist and Asian snooker champ Manalo to be his partner, assuring an explosive and blockbuster partnership that will surely pack the Pacman Stadium to the rafters to watch the pair play against powerhouse bets not only from the Philippines but from practically the rest of the world.
“They are both champions in their sports and are distinguished public servants. Pacquiao represents Sarangani in Congress, while Manalo leads Barangay Malamig, the most-developed barangay in Mandaluyong City as its barangay captain. They are both winners and leaders to their people and that will make an interesting and explosive pair at the pool,”Acaba said
The pool event which is also supported by billiards patron Sebastian Chua of Star Billiards offers a guaranteed $100,000 purse where $40.000 will be pocketed by the champion pair aside from going home with the handsome Pacman Cup. The first runner-up will get $15,000 while the 3rd placer to 16th will receive corresponding prizes.
Entry fee for the tournament is pegged at $300 .The competition’s format is a double elimination race 11. The top four will figure in a crossover race to 13 event and the championship is also a race to 15 affair.
For more details contact or text Acaba 09278582469 or Sacayanan 09154239950.