Thank God for the gift of mercy

A 3x3 championship was in progress when thick smoke was seen billowing out inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. The smoke was traced to the South Gate where players and coaches enter and exit during PBA game days.

That was on Wednesday (April 20).

Fortunately, only a handful of spectators were on hand that day. Vacating the coliseum was no big deal. Everybody safe.

Firefighters immediately put the situation under control. They said a faulty electrical wiring could have caused the fire of not much significance. Could be wear and tear since the Big Dome was opened in 1960? But knowing the Aranetas to be sticklers of discipline and safety, they were not remiss— surely.

But I must commend Commissioner Willie Marcial of the Philippine Basketball Association for his presence of mind. He immediately called off Game 6 of the PBA Governors’Cup Finals scheduled that evening.

Surely, divine intervention must have played its godly part here.

Imagine what would have happened if the gathering smoke had occurred during the Barangay Ginebra-Meralco championship clash?

Panic would have been the least of eerie scenes happening at the iconic coliseum, whose one grand spectacle decades back was a Flash Elorde fight.

Visualize a pandemonium. Shrieking. Mad rush for the exits. Worst, stampede.

Many could have been hurt. Limbs might have been broken. Lives lost.

We thank God for the gift of mercy.

And speaking of Elorde’s fight— that was a night to remember, indeed. Elorde knocked out American Harold Gomes that cool evening of March 16, 1960, to become the new junior lightweight champion of the world.

The historic knockout happened before a jam packed crowd of 30,000 or so. I know. I was there in the bleachers— a big-eyed toddler tagged along by my boxing-crazy father from Pidigan, Abra (bless his soul, Dear God.)

We glorify God that Game 6 today of the raceto-four Finals would go on unhampered, totally freed from that aborted disaster on Wednesday.

Is Barangay Ginebra’s coronation got merely delayed, or is Meralco’s equalizer of a win finally happening today at the MOA Arena in Pasay City?

Almost in every championship clash, one can never tell.

(Contributed photo) AGREEMENT. BCDA Executive Vice President and COO Aileen R. Zosa (second from right), representing BCDA President and CEO Atty. Aristotle B. Batuhan, and CNLCSCA Secretary General Rolando Dela Cruz (second from left) lead the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of understanding for the use of sports facilities in New Clark City. BCDA SVP for Corporate Services Arrey Perez (rightmost) and CNLCSCA Director and AC Dax Aquatics Swim Club Head Coach Jensen “Dax” Halili (leftmost) serve as witnesses. The signing event was held on April 22, 2022, at the Aquatics Center of New Clark City, Tarlac.