By: Marianne L. Saberon-Abalayan of Sunstar Davao
This story was published in Sunstar Davao's August 24, 2008 issue: http://sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/08/24/sports/gaisano.south.(gs).cup.home.of.the.rising.stars.html
IT HAS embarked on a city-wide grassroots sports basketball program for the past 14 years but little has been known about how the Gaisano South (GS) Cup, formerly known as JS Gaisano Cup, specifically on how it came to be or how vast is its contributions to local sports.
Not to mention the many prominent players who played on its court just like Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants' Peter June Simon who steered the University of Mindanao (UM) Wildcats to a series of championships and earning the coveted most valuable player (MVP) for three straight years.
And who could ever forget former six-foot-nine Wildcats slotman Samigue Eman, who made quite a stir in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) and now a mainstay of PBA's Magnolia Beverage Masters? He, too, was a GS Cup MVP along with UM teammate Eder John Saldua. Both cagers also had stints in the RP Team that saw action in international tournaments.
Sunday Salvacion, a former Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC) Bulldog, is also making a name in the pro league as a reliable member of the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings. He also played in
Karla Palermo-Corcino, Ad and Promo Head of the Gaisano South Citimall, recalled, "It was sometime in 1994, that former owner Sir John Gaisano and Sir William "Butch" Ramirez planned the basketball program already named JS Gaisano Cup. It started out with a few teams being played at the Almendras Gym or at any gym that was available."
Humble beginnings
Corcino, in an interview with Sun.Star Davao at her office recently, said it was only in 1997 that Sir John put the league at its newly built SkyGym. The JS Gaisano Cup, which then featured college and high school divisions, at last found a place it can call home.
On the same year, according to Corcino, the GS Cup Board of Commissioners was formed to help organize the league.
"I think it was in the 3rd JS Cup in 1997 that we had our first motorcade from PTA to JS to usher the opening rites. It was like institutionalizing the league that's why we had the official logo and the rest of the staff and organizers had official shirts, too," she said.
With its noble aim to provide the city with a true and viable grassroots sports development program on basketball, the JS Cup included the mini and cadet divisions in 2000 upon the encouragement of Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) regional director Regino "Boy" Cua.
It has also introduced its own All-Star Game that attracted hundreds of spectators who filled the SkyGym to the rafters.
The girls' event was included only later and in 1999, the search for Miss JS Cup made its debut.
Corcino added: "In 2002, there was a change of management. Sir John continued the JS Cup in Gaisano Tagum while our new chairman Benito Gaisano, also wanted to keep the program. So the Gaisano South (GS) Cup was born. We're now on our eighth year. It's just the name of the league that changed but its noble objectives and good intentions for the city's youth are the same."
This year's season of the region's premier youth cagefest also made another milestone with visitors Holy Trinity College of General Santos City and Panabo State College of Davao del Norte.
"This is the biggest season ever with a total of 66 teams entered in the meet. We are very happy with this development. This just proves that the league is making a good impact on our youth and schools in the region," she said.
She said mounting up one season of the league costs the management some P700,000 or more.
She went on saying: "There was even a time, we hit P1 million but the budget was sliced in later seasons. It really costs so much considering that this is not a sales-generating event. The P7 or P10 ticket sales every game could not even cover half of the operating expenses. We are really happy that management decided to give its all-out support despite the budgetary requirements. It's a good feeling that we get to help these kids hone their skills and start a career path for them in basketball one way or the other."
Meanwhile, Joseph Encabo, chief-of-staff of Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Ramirez, said: "GS Cup for me is a sporting event that promotes a true talent identification program - from a raw talent to elite. This has been proven after it has produced players now playing in PBA and PBL."
Veteran sports scribe Jon Develos, who once served as member of the GS Cup board, recalled, "I think it was Joshua Ramirez of Ateneo who was named the first MVP of the league."
The GS Cup, according to tournament director Rico Jhone Biliran, has also become BAP-SBP's basis for
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