Filipino billiards icon Efren “Bata” Reyes is among the big names joining the 1st Mayor Albee Benitez Bacolod City MassKara Festival 2022 10-Ball Open Billiard Tournament from Oct. 2 to 6 at the SM City Bacolod North Atrium.
Other billiards’ luminaries joining Reyes are Django Bustamante, Jonas Magpantay, Marvin Asis Pastor, and Panfilo Damuag Jr.
The 5-day tournament, which was limited to 128 players, had to close their registration last Sept. 21 after reaching the limit of registrants who will play under the format of a bracket double elimination system for 128 players and onwards to the top 64 single knock-out system.
The grand champion of the billiards tournament will bring home P350,000, while the runner-up will get P100,000. The third and fourth placers will also get P50,000 each, while the fifth to the eighth place will get P15,000 each.
There is also a “no entry fee, no play” policy since there is a P2,500 registration fee for the competitors. Dress code and wearing of face masks for both the players and spectators were also issued.
Aside from billiards, tchoukball, volleyball, and football competitions are also part of the MassKaralympics, and these sporting events are expected to be crowd-drawers in the first week of the 43rd festival staging, a press release from the organizer said.
Festival director Pinky Ocampo said “the billiards, tchoukball, and football matches are just a few among the numerous sports tournaments that will make this festival unique.”
More than 100 football clubs are joining the 1st Mayor Albee Benitez MassKara Football Tournament, which will be held simultaneously on Oct. 1 and 2 at the La Provincia Open Field and at the Panaad Football Field.
A Malaysian football team, headed by Malaysian sports journalist, Tony Mariadass, will grace the opening of the football cup and will also conduct football clinics. The Malaysians brought with them 30 footballs to donate to the clubs.
The MassKara Tchoukball one-day tournament is also scheduled on Oct. 1 at the Bacolod Tay Tung High School, while the 1st Mayor Albee Volleyball Tournament’s elimination round will take place on Oct. 1 and 2 at the Montalbo Volleyball Court in Brgy. 40, with the final rounds scheduled the following weekend, Oct. 6-9, also at the same venue. ||
