After months of waiting, seven Filipino sports legends will finally take their well-deserved place in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in a formal ceremony set on Saturday at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) House.
The fifth enshrinement program features the so-called “Magnificent Seven” composed of Olympic boxing silver medalist Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco, basketball great Ramon Fernandez, Paralympics bronze winner Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta of para powerlifting, Cecil Mamiit of tennis, athletics’ Isidro del Prado, and two-sport athletes Bea Lucero-Lhuillier of gymnastics and taekwondo, and the late Eduardo Pacheco of basketball and football.
The country’s top sports officials, led by PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio and Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, lead the Philippine sports community in welcoming all seven personalities into the pantheon of greats.
First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos will deliver a special message during the presentation to be hosted by Dyan Castillejo and Quinito Henson.
The list was first announced last April, and the enshrinement ceremony set in May. However, with the exception of Pacheco, the PSC wanted the rest of the inductees to be present.