UNO-R alums Alexa Polidario and Erjane Magdato returns to the site of their successful championship run last year as the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour: Dumaguete Open set to open on Friday. | Contributed photo
Cebu City, Philippines —Perlas’ Bea Tan and Cebuana Florimae “Dij” Rodriguez are hoping to make it three in a row when they compete in the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour: Dumaguete Open on Friday, April 26, 2019, at the Rizal Boulevard sand court in Dumaguete City.
Tan and Rodriguez — a proud product of Southwestern University-Phinma — seek to sustain their undefeated runs in the Puerto Galera and Bantayan Island legs last month.
However, they will be up against some stiff competition from the likes of University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos alums Alexa Polidario and Erjane Magdato, who returns to the site of their successful championship run last year.
Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo hopes that the hosting of the BVR leg will solidify the city’s status as the sports tourism capital in the central Philippines.
The international pair of Yuen Ting Chi and Lok Shun are also eyeing to make an impact in the 12-team field.
The NU-Boysen’s sister tandem of Roma Joy Doromal and Roma Mae Doromal, Air Force 1’s May Ann Pantino and Jozza Cabalsa, Smash Bacolod’s Bianca Lizares and Jennnifer Cosas and the University of Santo Tomas duos of Babylove Barbon and Gen Eslapor, and MJ Ebro and Derie Virtusio are the other women’s pairs to watch.
There are two international pairs in the 12-team men’s division in Chueng Chek Hong and Li Chun Kit, and Wong Ka Yun and Tse Kin Wang, as well as the host Dumaguete, which is represented by Buen Sayson and former University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguar, Reynald Catipay.
Air Force’s Jessie Lopez and Ranran Abdilla, who also ruled Puerto Galera and Santa Fe, Bantayan Island last month, are also vying for their third crown as in many legs this year.
Also slugging it out for the men’s championship are former University of the Visayas aces Jade Becaldo and Mike Abria.
Colegio de San Agustin-Bacolod’s Marvin Haresco and Mike Anton Beronio, NU-Boysen’s James Buytrago and Pol Salvador, UST’s Efraem Dimaculangan and Rancel Varga, USLS-Bacolod’s Herold Parcia and Deanne Neil Depedro, Bacolod’s Christian Marcelino and Simon Aguillon, Gandang Laban’s Rawsa Inaudito and Nichol Jundana, Perpetual Help’s Jayjay Solamillo and John Patrick Ramos. /bmjo