29 June 2016 – The 10th IRemit Cup Basketball and Volleyball Tournament of the Philippine Basketball League in Lebanon (PHILBALL), the annual sports event for OFWs in Lebanon, held its opening ceremony in Beirut on Sunday, June 19, at the Michel El Murr Sports Stadium in Dora near Beirut. The Embassy’s Vice Consul Grace Perpetua, attended in behalf of Ambassador Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz, accompanied by Embassy, POLO and OWWA personnel.
Vice Consul Perpetua and the event’s sponsor IRemit Global Remittance General Manager Mr. Leon Gostanian formally opened the tournament, which will be taking place every Sunday up to October.
Nine (9) teams are competing for the men’s basketball, namely: Filipino Community Association (FCA), Bakod, RP Eagles, Mistah, Filipino Investment Association (FIVA), Manila Samafil, Solid Brothers Club Lebanon, Rockers, and Filipino Workers Association in Metn (FILWAM). Fourteen (14) teams are participating in the women’s volleyball namely: Bakod, RP Eagles, Chopsticks, Filipino Investment Association (FIVA), Filipino Workers Association in Metn (FILWAM), Manila Samafil, Mistah, Rockstar Lady Sniper, OFW Magbaysay Organization in Lebanon, Warayan Association in Lebanon, Western Visayas Association in Lebanon (WEVAL), Philcom and AIM Global-VIVA Power.
The opening ceremony featured the parade of the participating teams, the presentation of their respective muses and team uniforms, and the cheering squad exhibitions.
In behalf of Ambassador Ruiz, Vice Consul Perpetua congratulated the officers of PHILBALL and the different community organizations present at the event for working together to strengthen unity, camaraderie and sportsmanship among Filipinos in Beirut and the whole of Lebanon. END
