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WHEN
business reporters gather for what has been dubbed as
the EJAP Olympics 2008, you can be sure that there will
only be lots of insults playfully flung and riotous
laughter. And, well, also a few flaring tempers, albeit
temporarily, which I shall politely ascribe to, ahem,
heat exhaustion, and not due to the particpants’ overly
competitive streak.
EJAP, or
the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines,
is one of the oldest journalism groups in the country
with its members mostly business reporters and editors
from the major broadsheets, wire agencies and TV
network. They are the ones who give you your daily dose
of stock-market reports, telecoms innovations,
rice-crisis updates, peso-dollar and inflation rate
announcements, and investments/trade outlook.
 For
the first time in its history, under the able leadership
of Donnabelle Gatdula (Star), the annual sportsfest was
held in Two Seasons Resort on Boracay Island. The event
was sponsored by the Coca-Cola Export Corp. as part of
its commitment to health and wellness.
“Coke
hopes to help stop the spread of obesity and other
diseases. Your health is Coca-Cola’s concern. That’s why
the company will continue to promote a healthy and
active lifestyle,” said Caitlin Poblador, the company’s
media-relations specialist, before the sportsfest kicked
off.
During
the event, the members were continuously pumped with
Coke Zero, which has become the favorite drink of many
health-conscious people, especially diabetics like a few
of my friends.
 The
various teams, categorized by their beats (Banking and
Finance, SEC/PSE, Energy/Telecoms and Agri/Environment),
battled it out in the zaniest games, e.g., downing a
mouthful of soda crackers then trying to whistle, or how
about shuffling backward à la Michael Jackson with a
colored plastic ball squeezed between your thighs and
dropping it in a small plastic basket? No doubt even
Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, or Manny Pacquiao will
have tremendous difficulty competing in these
“Olympic-like” sporting events.
While
all the players gave their all in the games, there can
only be one winner. The top prize went to the
Banking/Finance team, whose members exhibited the most
ingenious moves to win most of the games. In the game
where they had to fold and unfold a streamer, the male
players carried the female players on their backs, so
the members’ feet would not go beyond the boundaries of
the streamer! Bangko Sentral Gov. Say Tetangco must be
extremely proud of this extremely talented and united
bunch.
 The
team also took the Early Bird prize for being first to
assemble the hellish hour of 6:30 a.m. on the day of the
sportsfest, and for Best Attire, sporting their blue
Speedo swimsuits and matching aqua Nike shorts for the
women, athletic shirts and shorts for the men.
I can
only take my hat off to Donna and her tireless fellow
officers and board members Lenie Lectura (BusinessMirror),
Alena Mae Flores (Manila Standard Today), Darwin
Amojelar (Manila Times), Paul Anthony Isla (BusinessMirror)
and Mitch Remo (Inquirer), and the rest, for making sure
everyone had a great time. And to all the participants,
cheers to a job well done! |
