Dondon Hontiveros: Decorated basketball player to no.1 Cebu City councilor

Cebuano Hotshot Dondon Hontiveros is interviewed by members of the media during the proclamation of the new set of Cebu City councilors at the Social Hall of the Cebu City Hall on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. | videograb from CDN Digital’s livestream

Cebu City, Philippines—Although Dondon Hontiveros was an All-Star in the pros and a member of the Philippine national men’s basketball team many times over, one of his most cherished traits was actually his unselfishness on and off the hardcourt. 

He once again put that on display in the aftermath of the May 13, 2019 midterm elections. 

Even after he was informed that he was the top vote getter for the position of councilor in Cebu City’s south district, Hontiveros’ attention was still on his party mates and where they were in the rankings.

“I was working out when I received messages that I was number one. But I wasn’t thinking about my ranks but that of the top three spots and our fellow candidates in the council,” shared the 41-year old who ran under Partido Barug.

The former San Miguel Beer and Alaska Milk star amassed 160,984 votes to emerge as the councilor with the most number of votes among all councilorial bets in both north and south districts of Cebu City. 

Hontiveros scores during the PBA Legends – Return of the Rivals game between San Miguel Beer and Alaska Milk at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last February 17, 2019. Contributed photo | PBA Images

He said he was surprised by the poll results but was more delighted with the fact that his party’s candidates for mayor and vice-mayor were triumphant.

Partido Barug standard bearer Edgardo Labella won the city’s top post while former mayor Michael Rama was elected vice mayor.

IN PHOTOS: Edgardo Labella is proclaimed new Cebu City mayor

“I really wish we had more guys in the south and north. But like what I told my family, we leave everything to the Lord,” Hontiveros said.

This is the first foray into politics by Hontiveros, known as a sharpshooter during his decorated basketball career but it he is already showing signs of maturity in his new chosen arena.

Read more: Mayor Labella promises ‘inclusive’ government, VM Rama returns to city hall

In fact, in addressing the criticisms thrown at him, Hontiveros calmly answered “Well, when you are a competitor, you use that as a motivation. You use that to help you get better because di na nimo sila ma please tanan. (You can’t please them all.)  

WATCH PART OF HONTIVEROS’ INTERVIEW HERE:

https://www.facebook.com/cdndigital/videos/1195378103964576/

Hontiveros’ basketball career started in high school when he joined the Don Bosco Technology Center’s (DBTC) varsity squad. He eventually moved on to play for the University of Cebu (UC)  in the defunct Cebu Amateur Athletics Association (CAAA).

Basketball career

In 1998, he joined the hometown Cebu Gems in the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA)  and quickly became the team’s marquee attraction. He soon made his way to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in 2000 with Tanduay before he was acquired by San Miguel two years later. 

He was a member of the two championships won by San Miguel in 2004-2005 Fiesta Conference and the 2009 Fiesta Conference.

After spending nine years with the San Miguel franchise, he was traded to Air21 and not long after, was shipped to Alaska, where he spent five more years. 

After his contract with Alaska expired, Hontiveros then played a season with the San Miguel Alab Pilipinas in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), winning a championship during the 2017-2018 season. /bmjo