Jawad Cup celebrates 25th year anniversary

Organizers and players of the 25th Jawad Cup gather during a press conference yesterday at the the Robinsons Galleria Cebu (CDN PHOTO/GLENDALE G. ROSAL).

Organizer emotional while remembering humble beginnings

Respected table tennis coach Jessica Jawad Honoridez became emotional when she talked about how the longest-running table tennis tournament in the country, the Jawad Cup, started 25 years ago.

The tournament is held in honor of Honoridez’s late brother, Erne Jawad, a national team member and organizer of the Cebu Open. Erne was slain in Cebu in 1990. A year after, a tournament was organized, and it has since been one of the country’s most prestigious table tennis tournaments.

“I still remember three days before he died. He told me to learn how to write an article for press releases because when he’s gone, I’d be the one writing press releases to the media about our tournament. I never thought that he will be gone,” said Honoridez in the press conference yesterday at the atrium of Robinsons Galleria Cebu, which would be the venue of this year’s tournament that marks its silver anniversary. This was the first time that Honoridez held a press conference in the 25-year existence of the Jawad Cup.

But just like any other tournament, the first year was a tough one to organize. In fact, there were only three participants in the first event, all of whom were former students of Erne.

“It’s a tough task to organize this tournament. There were years that I want to give up because we were not able to get sponsors, but we persevered until we overcame that (sic) challenges,” said Honoridez. “I think the spirit of volunteerism became the key to this tournament’s success. The big help also from the sponsors and media also contributed big.”

From three participants, the tournament has grown with now more than 500 participants competing in 12 different categories in this year’s event that starts today.

One of his Jawad’s supporters, Ricky Ballesteros, now the general manager of the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC), remembered when Jawad borrowed tables for the tournament at the Abellana National School. He was shocked when he read the newspaper the next day that the decorated player was stabbed to death outside the quadrangle of the Cebu Central Colleges, now the University of Cebu.

From then on, Ballesteros did not stop supporting Honoridez in the annual tournament to commemorate Jawad.

“This tournament has become the breeding ground of some national-level players,” Ballesteros said.

Since it’s the silver anniversary of the tournament, the organizers will be giving out around P100,000 worth of cash prizes.

Present during the press conference yesterday also was Honoridez’s mother Esther Jawad, Robinsons Galleria Marketing Manager Joanna Salazar, tournament manager Gerard Caballes, Ballesteros and consultant Danilo Villadolid.

Some of the best teams and players from Manila will be in Cebu to compete.