Friday, June 26, 2015
THE Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) was founded by Chessmoso in the third week of June 1990 with the following original members as co-founders-Art Ynclino (deceased), Sonny Sollano (deceased), Gerry Tomakin (deceased), Danny Pestano (deceased), Bombi Aznar (deceased), Loy Minoza (deceased), Alex Tolentino and Nicnic Climaco.
By September, we were already more than 50 members so we decided to incorporate with the following additional incorporators--Rene Tolo, Elson Ogario, Serge Borres and then Guadalupe Barangay captain Antolin Jariol Jr (deceased),Bob Inocian and Bebs Andales, who is presently a councilor of Cebu City.
The following have been presidents of the club--Chessmoso (charter president for 2 years 1990-92, Alex Tolentino (92-93), Gerry Tomakin (93-94), Ben Dimaano (94-95), Danny Pestano (two terms 95-97), Ogie Reyes (97-98), Arwin Barrios (98-99) Nicnic Climaco (99-2000) Manny Manzanares (2000-01), Vic Legaspina (2001-02), Norway Lara (02-03), Renato Casia (03-04), Jun Olis (two terms 04-06), Mandy Baria (06-07), Emmamuel Matuco (07-08), Bobot Villaluna ( two terms 08-10) , Manny Manzanares (10-11). Jojo Muralla (two terms 11- 13) and Jerry Maratas (now on his second term as president).
Foreigners who became members of the club were Marte Lemvigfog, Graham Maitland Smith, Stelvio Guglielmi, Adlai Adams, Anders Berg and Roar Sorensen.
Honorary members are Bombi Aznar, who was replaced by his son Andrew, Bodjie Lim, Kelly Uy, Darcy Tabotabo, Sonny Bas, Manny Iway, former Mayor Alvin Garcia and Mayor Mike Rama.
Lady members are rare as a dodo. One of the early members was NM Susan Itaas and Marilou Pagarigan, the chess coach of Cebu International school and a teacher who I understand is now teaching in Korea. Susan is the only lady master of Cebu, a member of the Philippine team to the Olympiad and is based now in the USA as an accountant. Other lady members are Therese dela Torre, Harvey Jane Hilvano and Jessa Balbona
Others who are now residents of the USA are Rene Tolo and Josito Dondo. Rene was one of the most outstanding members of the club and Sito made headlines by winning $10,000 in a single tournament there.
Through the years we invited grandmasters to play simuls in Cebu, namely, Jorge Hickl (Germany), Edmar Mednis (USA), Alexander Wojiewich (Poland), Walter Arencibia (Cuba) , Carlos Juarez (Guatemala), Ian Rogers (Australia), Ye Rongguang (China), Dibyendo Barua (India), Jaime Sunye- Neto (Brazil), Eugene Torre and the latest, Cebuano Econg Sevillano.
At the very start we were very active that’s why membership grew to more than 120 members in the first two years. We were based in Baseline thanks to the late owners, Doring and Ponsoy Canizares.
During the first 10 years or so, our tournaments lasted for seven to nine days, as time control was classical, which was 90 minutes per player and only one game was played every day.
We are eternally grateful to the Sports editors of Sun.Star and the Freeman, the late Lando Sanchez and Glenn Basubas for actively covering our tournaments on a daily basis . I also had chess columns in Newstime and Freeman in the mid 90s.
Our arbiter at the start were the late Winnie Badilles and father IM Asing Badilles, who was the judge for our brilliancy prizes.
We also had special team matches against Manila executives , headed by Jenny Mayor, , Mindanao executives, headed by James Infuesto and Rey Urbiztondo. We also had special matches against Lapu-Lapu City seven times, and against Cifyya, three times.
Up to now we are the only organization that has participated in the Sinulog(1992) in three categories--free interpretation (dancing to the Budapest gambit), float and 32 mini- higantes and two higantes representing Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky.
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