As the Philippine Embassy continues to promote closer ties through sports among the Filipino community in New Zealand, Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez and the Wellington Filipino Badminton Club (WFBC) represented by Mr. Archie Araza organized the first ever Ambassador’s Cup Badminton Tournament 2014 in the Greater Wellington Area on 25 January 2014 at Badminton Hutt Valley, Lower Hutt. The WFBC was established by Filipinos from all around the Wellington region. They are a group of fun-loving Filipinos of all ages, friendly, and family-oriented sports enthusiasts who love and play the game of badminton with passion, skill, and a good dose of competitiveness.

Filipino community members from the Greater Wellington Area, namely, Wellington, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua, Palmerston North, Levin, and Kapiti Coast fielded individual and doubles badminton teams for the annual tournament which provided wholesome fun, enjoyment and excitement and strengthened camaraderie and goodwill among Filipinos, their families and friends. The event brought Filipinos together in the spirit of friendship, fun, fellowship and sportsmanship.

The championship games were witnessed by Ambassador Benavidez, Minister and Consul Arlene Gonzales-Macaisa, Vice Consul Glenn Joseph Q. Obach, Cultural Officer Ms. Ma. Victoria Reyes, and Property Officer Ms. Monette F. Garcia, and families and members of the Filipino community from the Greater Wellington Area.

In her remarks, Ambassador Benavidez highlighted the importance of badminton as a showcase of Filipino talents in New Zealand and thanked the WFBC, the participating individuals, teams and the organizers for making the games possible, and the Filipinos for their cheers and support. “Sports tournaments provide opportunity for Filipinos to have wholesome recreation and a welcome break from daily work. The Philippine Embassy is thankful to all those who organized the first ever Ambassador’s Cup Badminton Tournament which is an exhibition of the Filipino people’s prowess and skills in the local, regional and international arenas and a mirror of our national spirit promoting sportsmanship, fair play, camaraderie and teamwork,” Ambassador Benavidez stated.

There were five (7) championship categories vied for during the Tournament, namely, Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Player of the Year, and the Ambassador’s Cup which was awarded to the team that garnered the most points during the Tournament. The Ambassador’s Cup will be awarded on rotation to the overall winner during the succeeding annual tournaments.

The winners of each championship categories are Men’s Singles, Mr. Mark Larangan and Mr. Renand Tamayo; Women’s Singles, Ms. Angela Tuason, Ms. Alyssa Ponte, and Ms. Kristina Ponte; Men’s Doubles, Mr. Erick Salandanan and Renand Tamayo, Mr. Mark Larangan and Mr. James Mendoza, Mr. Amory Yarwood and Mr. JP Rabaya; Women’s Doubles, Ms. Angela Tuason and Ms.Alyssa Ponte, Ms. Cherri Yarwood and Cherrique Parker, Ms. Razel Punongbayan and Ms. Jennifer Raymundo; and Mixed Doubles, Mr. Mark Larangan and Ms. Alyssa Ponte , Mr. Renand Tamayo and Ms. Angela Tuason, Mr. Amori Yarwood and Ms. Cherri Yarwood. Chosen as Players of the Year were Mr. Mark Larangan and Ms. Angela Tuason. The much coveted Ambassador’s Cup was awarded to Team Wellington, the team which won the most medals during the tournament. Twenty-six (26) medals, and the Ambassador’s Cup were donated by the Philippine Embassy. The trophy awarded to the Most Valuable Player (MVP) was donated by Zelati Gelato and Sorbet and is called the Zelati Cup.

The Philippine Embassy reiterates its congratulations to the Organizing Committee of the WFBC, namely, Mr. Archie Araza, Mr. Abet Tuason, Mr. Japs Punongbayan, Ms. Razel Punongbayan, Ms. Kristina Ponte, and Mr. Yao Xian Chun, along with the other members of the WFBC and all those who worked behind the scenes to ensure a successful and meaningful Ambassador’s Cup Badminton Tournament 2014.