Top Pinay cue artist Amit sticks to billiards despite leadership row

The joy of representing the country in an international tournament is more than enough reason for Rubilen Amit to stick with billiards despite the continuous leadership dispute in the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP), the sport’s governing body.

The BSCP leadership is being disputed by two groups, one headed by Arturo Ilagan who is recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) with the other led by the World Pool Association-backed faction of Sebastian Chua. The ugly mess has left the players to make sacrifices as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has distanced itself from supporting the Pinoy cue artists. The leadership dispute forced the PSC to close down BSCP’s training venue located inside the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine. Still, Amit has kept her desire to play for flag and country saying that is a privilege not every Filipino can have. “Mahirap din po kaya nagpapasalamat kami kay Mr. Aristeo Puyat dahil siya na ang sumasagot sa aming allowances. Ang mga bagay na ito at ang pagkakaroon ng pagkakataong bigyan uli ng karangalan ang bansa ang siyang nagtutulak sa amin na magsanay pa rin ng husto kahit patuloy ang problema sa (BSCP)," said Amit who along with national women's coach Boyet Asonto and fellow player Mary Grace Basas attended a sports forum in Manila on Friday. Amit, who last June became the first world champion in a women’s 10-ball event, is one of 13 top Filipino cue artists who will represent the country in the Laos Southeast Asian Games in December. The RP squad is said to be the “Dream Team" of Philippine billiards since the line-up is made up of the top cue artists majority of which are world renowned players who have excelled in tough international tournament such as the World Championships. “This is a dream team made up of the best pool players in the country. I don't think anybody can lay claim that they can form a much better team that the one we have sent to the POC," said Asonto, who is the women’s billiards coach. Alex Pagulayan, Renato Alcano and Efren Reyes – all former world champions – lead the team and will compete in different billiards events in Laos. Pagulayan will banner the snooker team and he will be competing in the singles and doubles, Alcano will try to defend his 8-ball singles crown that he won in the 2007 Thailand SEAG while Reyes will see action in the English billiards. Other top players and their events are Roberto Gomez (singles and doubles snooker), Benjie Guevarra (English billiards), Francisco Bustamante (8-ball singles), Dennis Orcollo and Ramil Gallego (9-ball singles), Warren Kiamco and Gandy Valle (9-ball doubles), Basas (women's 8-ball singles) and Irish Ranola (women's 9-ball singles). "Our strength will be in the pool events and I will not be surprised if we sweep the five pool events. But we are also formidable in the snooker and carom events and if luck will be in our side, we might be able to win all the gold medals at stake in billiards," added Asonto. The Philippines remain a force in billiards in the SEA Games after winning eight gold, two silver and one bronze medals in the 2005 edition and 2 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals in 2007. – GMANews.TV