City to host opening leg of PBaRS 2nd season

The country’s top badminton players will converge in the Queen City of the South as the MVP Sports Foundation-Philippine Badminton Ranking System (PBaRS) opens its second season here in Cebu City on May 19-23 at the Metro Sports Center in Lahug.

The tournament is a three-leg series which has attracted the cream of the crop in Philippine badminton with Toby Gadi, Joper Escueta, Malvinne Alcala, Bianca Carlos, Gelita Castilo and top junior Markie Alcala, who dominated the four-stage inaugural staging of the circuit last year, again expected to lead the title chase in various divisions this year.

But a host of others, including those from the countryside, have prepared just as hard for the upcoming circuit and are raring to prove their worth in a bid to gain ranking points.

Registration is ongoing with deadline set on May 7 at 5 p.m., according to PBaRS tournament director Nelson Asuncion. On-line listup can also be made on pbars.com.

The Philippine Badminton Association, headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, chairman and sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan, and sec-gen Rep. Albee Benitez put up the PBaRS circuit last year in an effort to further raise the level of play in the country and come up with a truly national ranking system.

Meanwhile, the posting of official entries at PBaRS and Match Control websites will be on May 10 while the draw will be held at the Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig on May 14. The match schedule will be posted on May 16 while the managers, coaches and players’ meeting will be held on May 18 at the Metro Sports Center in Cebu.

Matches start at 9 a.m. on May 19.

The second leg will be played Oct. 27-31 in Manila while Cagayan de Oro will host the final stage on Nov. 30-Dec. 4.