NON-CONTACT SPORT. Bowling is a non-contact sport that must be allowed now that Baguio is under general community quarantine, said Jayson Nikko Go (right), head of the Summer Capital Ten Pin Bowling Association and organizer of the annual SCTBA Prima Pasta Open Masters Championship at the Puyat Center. The tournament was supposed to be staged last March but was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of the SCTBA)
BAGUIO CITY – Baguio’s top bowler who was supposed to host last March’s PHP500,000 national event here is hoping the city will include the opening of bowling alleys as there is no contact among players in said sport.
Jayson Nikko Go, president of the Summer Capital Ten Pin Bowling Association, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that bowling is “non-contact sport, plausible to open bowling center, maintain a number of players at a time with possible scheduling.”
Go, who is also the executive vice president of the Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF), said the opening of lanes will depend on the Inter-agency Task Force but they first need to have an audience with the Philippine Sports Commission.
He said that the PBF has already made some policies on the conduct of games.
“We are awaiting actions of the national (IATF) since the PBF has authored said policies and if approved, this will be applied in the city,” he said.
The opening of lanes, which have been closed due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, has not only saw the annual bowling tournament deferment but also regular leagues like the Monday and Thursday’s International Mixed Bowling League.
While the former is a new organization that was organized by members of the various Rotary Clubs that play in regular bowling leagues, the latter has been extant for almost 50 years and some of the members even used to play at the Camp John Hay.
Their return to the lanes that serve as stress relievers from their businesses or work is in a limbo even after the city shifted to general community quarantine (GCQ).
Some sports that observe physical distancing are now allowed like running/walking and Zumba on city roads or at the Burnham Park and Baguio athletic bowl.
Go and the SCTBA was supposed to host the 11th SCTBA Prima Pasta Open Masters Championship last March 17 to 22 where the open champion stands to win PHP50,000, the graded a PHP40,000 check which is the same amount to be won by the associated and seniors champions.
He hopes to stage the event in September if the IATF includes bowling in its list of allowable sports during the pandemic. (PNA)
