1 week Ago By John Z. Pages
LAST Saturday afternoon, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., I had the best seat in the Cube Wing of SM Seaside City Cebu as I watched Cebu’s finest athletes step into the spotlight.
As president of the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC), I presided over the 39th SAC-SMB Cebu Sports Awards — our annual tradition of honoring the year’s outstanding athletes, coaches, and sports personalities. Leading this year’s roster was Jessica “Jiji” Jawad-Honoridez, who received the “Sports Person of the Year” award. I’ve known Jiji for many years.
She’s part of the Cebu City Sports Commission (which I chaired for three years) and serves as the Athletic Director of the University of Cebu (UC). She also organizes the Jawad Cup — the country’s longest-running table tennis tournament (33 years). In her heartfelt speech, Jiji paid tribute to her late brother, Ernie Jawad, and urged the athletes present to chase excellence — both in sports and in life.
For “Athlete of the Year,” we had two winners: boxing champ Melvin Jerusalem and billiards legend Rubilen Amit. Melvin, the WBC minimumweight world champion, regained the crown by defeating Japan’s Yudai Shigeoka last year. Though he couldn’t join us in person, his victories — inside the ring and for Cebu — were celebrated loudly.
Rubilen Amit was with us two days ago. And what an afternoon it was for “Bingkay.” At 43, Rubilen keeps rewriting the record books.
A two-time world 10-ball champion, she made history last year by becoming the first Filipina to win the WPA Women’s World 9-Ball Championship. Her achievements in the SEA Games are just as impressive: 10 golds, five silvers, and a bronze. Rubilen’s acceptance speech, spoken in both Bisaya and English, was very inspiring: “To be given this award, in my hometown, is a huge honor for me.
Here, in Cebu, is where it all began. My dreams, my faith, my passion for life. I remember spending weekends at my cousin’s house in Tupas — those simple, happy moments shaped who I am today: grateful, resilient, and driven.
” Rubilen thanked SAC and said she was grateful — not just for the personal recognition, but because the award shines a light on the sport she loves. Billiards, she said, despite the old stigma of being linked to vice, is a true sport. It teaches values and builds character.
One of only two Filipinos to capture both the 9-ball and 10-ball world crowns, Rubilen spoke about her love of God: “An important pillar in my life is my faith,” she said. “Here in Cebu, that faith has strengthened through our deep devotion to our Santo Niño. And the celebration of Sinulog instilled in me the importance of glorifying God in all things.
It reminds me, to this day, that every blessing, every victory, and every challenge I overcome comes from Him. Faith has been my anchor. Not just in my career, but in my life as a whole.
” To all the awardees, congratulations! And hope to see you again next year as we celebrate — in grander fashion — the 40th edition of the SAC-SMB Cebu Sports Awards..
