Perry Mariano: Radical thoughts on Philippine sports

Perry Mariano: Radical thoughts on Philippine sports - Manila Standard Today

“Billiards is a dying sport.”

You would expect this declaration from so-called armchair sports experts and self-confessed sports gurus, and perhaps from the more jaded sportswriters.

Certainly not from Perry Mariano, president of Bugsy Promotions, co-founder (along with Aristeo “Putch” Puyat) of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines, and a longtime biilliards aficionado.

Perry, who also manages along with his wife Verna, a new restaurant called Boss Tapa, calls it as it is. A straight-shooter, the popular and controversial billiards manager and businessman says the same thing about Philippine sports in general, and is adamant in proposing that national sports associations should be abolished and the PSC and POC replaced by a Department of Sports directly answerable only to Malacanang, a proposal also being pushed by quite a number of lawmakers.

He also boldly proposes that the government should allow “sports betting” in the country, which he said is the only way that sports can get huge funding for it to prosper.

But back to billiards.

Perry, who started Bugsy Promotions 14 years ago, said that Philippine billiards reached its peak and competitiveness seven years ago, when the names of Efren “Bata” Reyes, Django Bustamante, Ronnie Alcano, Alex Pagulayan and company sent shivers to the spines of their foreign counterparts, but the sport slowly lost its luster after the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (now known as the Billiards Sport Confederation of the Philippines) and the BMPAP clashed on issues such as rightful representation, funding, leadership and loyalties.

To this day, however, Perry denies that the BMPAP wanted to replace the BSCP as billiard’s national sports association, saying that his group only wanted to help the billiards players continue to find their mark in the world stage.

“Ever since, we never wanted to be the NSA of billiards. Sa kanila na yan. Puro sakit lang ng ulo ibibigay niyan sa akin,” Perry says.

The issue has died a natural death, and so, as Perry claims, the popularity of billiards. He adds that even if Philippine Olympic Committee president Peping Cojuangco offers the NSA presidency today, he would flat out reject the offer. He offers the same advice to his friend and partner Puyat.

“Sabi ko kay Putch, hayaan mo ng mamatay yan (billiards). Huwag na tayong sumali diyan. Baka madamay pa tayo sa tuluyang pagbagsak niyan,” Perry says.

Besides, he adds, training and managing a young player to be a champion entails lots of money. He figures that you need at least P2 million to manage a single player to become competitive enough in two years’ time.

Not that Perry has totally abandoned the sport. In fact, he still manages both local and foreign players, all of them world-beaters.

The locals are Dennis “Moneygame King” Orcollo and Carlo Biado and Taiwanese hotshots, lady billiard player Pei Chen “Penny” Tsai, ranked no. 4 in Taiwan, Ko Pin-Yi, ranked no. 4 in the world, and current world champion Chang Jung-Lin.

Perry manages the Taiwanese players based on a 60-40 scheme, meaning that he gets 40 percent and the players get 60 from their purse, minus expenses.

The Bugsy Promotions chief said it is a joy managing the Taiwanese, who he said are very disciplined and committed to their craft.

The Taiwanese fly in the country, stays for a month here training then fly out to play in local and international tournaments. While in training, the Taiwanese spend hours perfecting their craft.

“Magtrai-train yan starting 10 a.m. Aalis ako, pagbalik ko ng 9 p.m., nandoon pa rin sila. Aalis uli ako, pagbalik ko mga 2 a.m., nandun pa rin sila, Ganun sila ka-disiplinado.”

Meanwhile, the Pinoy billiards player, Perry says: Pagkatapos magpraktis ng isang oras, nagpopoker na.”

Perry says that the Taiwanese got their discipline from the training that they get from their NSA, which provides for all their needs, including top notch billiards tables.

“E tayo, ang mga billiards tables natin sa Rizal (Rizal Memorial Coliseum) sira-sira na. Mayroon tayong snooker table na nag-iisa. Imagine that, we have 7,100 islands, pero ang snooker table natin, nag-iisa. Di ba nakakatwa yun? Pero bakit may snooker, kasi may sumesweldo, may allowance.”

He adds: “Ang NSAs natin, allowance-based, hindi performance-based”

This led him to the idea that NSAs should be abolished if they can not perform well and produce champions.

Radical idea

Still, Perry admits that aside from the problem of leadership in sports associations, the bottom line is still the money (and the lack of it) that sports is getting from the government.

This is why Perry is advocating the creation of a system where the government would allow its citizens to engage in sports betting, much like in Las Vegas.

“Did you know that around $700 billion dollars pass by the country every year through sports betting? Pero sino ang nakikinabang? Mga foreigners. The Americans, Australians, the Chinese. These are all syndicates. “

Perry cites Pacquiao’s fights in Las Vegas as a good example. “Yung mga laban ni Pacquiao sa Las Vegas, ang mga Americans and nakikinabang. Eto pa, ang NBA, mga big tennis and golf tournaments, ipinapalabas sa atin, pero walang nakikinabang sa atin kasi wala tayong sports betting.”

Perry, a commerce graduate from De La Salle, said the money generated from sports betting could be then channeled into sports and handled by the Department of Sports.

“Malaking pera ito para sa sports. Kailangan lang buksan lang natin ang mata natin sa realidad.”

Giving back

Perry also deplores the sports officials’ lack of appreciation of the support they receive.

In particular, Perry cited Philippine Gaming Corp. or Pagcor, undoubtedly the biggest single contributor for sports development, which he said is not appreciated for the contribution that they extend to Philippine sports.

“Panay ang suporta sa atin ng Pagcor, pero may nakita ba tayo na patch man lang ng Pagcor na nakalagay sa mga uniforms ng athletes natin? Nare-recognize ba sila? Gusto lang natin humingi, pero wala naman tayong itinutulong.”

Perry’s plaint about Pagcor is not only about making sound marketing strategy, but is a way of giving back not only to Pagcor, but to all those who faithfully support the development of sports in the country.