CARLO Biado’s victory in the US Open Pool Championship has put billiards back into the consciousness of casual Filipino fans, at least for the time being, and local officials hope that the win would spark a renaissance of the sport.
However, Biado admits the involvement of private sponsors will aid in the reinvigoration of the sport in the country.
“Para mag-boom uli ang billiards sa atin, kailangan may sponsor o mahilig sa bilyar na magkainteresado sa ganyang laro,” said Biado, who won against rising star Aloysius Yapp of Singapore, 13-8, to win the $50,000 top prize.
Billiards in PH
Billiards enjoyed immense popularity during the 1990s and 2000s, with the country even hosting several international tournaments that drew the top names of the sport. Personalities like Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante became household names as well.

After being one of the most popular sports in the country, billiards, at least, locally has suffered lean years in terms of number of tournaments, and the win of Biado was one of the few bright spots of the sport in recent years especially during the pandemic.
Biado noted that the sport was so popular decades ago due to patrons like Aristeo "Putch" Puyat, who was the manager of several players including Reyes and Bustamante. During that era, Reyes and Bustamante were regulars in the international circuit, either in the United States or even in Asia.
The robust condition of billiards in the country also led to several hosting of tournaments including the Asian 9-Ball Tour from 2003 to 2006 and the World Pool Championship from 2006 to 2007
“Ang talagang nagpaboom ng bilyar sa atin si Sir Puyat,” said Biado.
Currently though, private support for the sport has been little to none. Persons close to the sport said Puyat, though still a stakeholder, is no longer as active in the sport as before. There are other managers outside Puyat before but some are no longer involved in the sport or players have left them already, SPIN learned.
Billiard Sports Confederation of the Philippines (BSCP) president Robert Mananquil said that due to the absence of managers, Filipino players are forced to look for themselves, even spending their own money. Mananquil said it is also difficult to seek for government support since billiard players are, technically, professionals.
Still, members of the national pool, including Biado, are receiving allowances from the Philippine Sports Commission but that is not enough to fund for professional international tournaments abroad.
“Ang laki kasi ng gastos. In this case, hindi naman kami puwedeng humingi sa PSC kasi sasabihin, pro ‘yan, hindi naman part ng AIMAG (Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games), SEA Games, Asian Games na kailangan ng international exposure.”
“On the part of the BSCP, we are the poorest among the NSAs to be honest. Wala kaming pera para makasuporta sa national training pool,” said Mananquil.
In the case of Biado, he was forced to go to the United States due to lack of tournaments locally also because of the restrictions in the Philippines to sports. It was in the United States where Biado trained and competed in several tournaments in the build-up to the US Open.
“Pumunta ako sa Amerika para magsasali sa mga local events dito para bago man dumating ‘yung mga international event dito katulad ng World 10-ball at US Open, at least ready ako sa mga tournament na ‘yun,” said Biado, who has been in the US since May 16.
“Maraming events dito kaya pumunta ako ng maaga. Kung diyan sa atin, wala akong mapageensayuhan na table dahil bawal lumabas dahil nakaquarantine tayong lahat. Siyempre kailangan ko rin maghanapbuhay kaya nagpunta ako dito,” he said.
Biado said it is the private sponsorships that also boosted their opponents overseas. Some countries are also getting support from different government agencies including the school system.
“Nagsisigalingan mga players sa kanila kasi suportado sila ng mga sponsor at ng gobyerno katulad ng China, ginagawa na nilang school ‘yung billiard. Kung makikita mo, ‘yung mga batang magagaling sa Taiwan, napakabata. 14 years old, 15 years old, magagaling na. Sumasabay na sa mga tira namin. ‘Yun ang kulang sa atin sa totoo lang.”
Mananquil admitted the sport is still suffering the impression that billiards is a "kanto" game until today. Proof of this is that billiards is still not part of the curriculum of school sports even though it is already part of the Batang Pinoy National Games, an event sanctioned by the PSC.
“May stigma eh. ‘Yun ang gusto naming palitan. Hopefully mawala na nga ‘yan na dapat sa collegiate level sa billiard sports, makapasok either sa NCAA or UAAP which is a long shot because alam mo naman ang pagtingin nila sa billiard sports ay larong kanto. It is also a sport. It’s in the World Games, an IOC-sanctioned event,” said Mananquil.
The return of patrons, though, would go a long way as the Philippines is still a hotbed of billiards talents, according to Biado.
“Sana merong ganun or pwede nating ilapit kay Sen. Manny Pacquiao na sana magpalaro ng mga pa-event sa atin. Siguro pagkatapos ng pandemic pwede ‘yan para mahikayat natin ‘yung mga players na magagaling sa Pilipinas,” said Biado.
“Napakaraming player sa atin sa Pilipinas kaya lang kulang talaga sa exposure at kulang sa mga sponsors,” he added.
Mananquil also agrees.
“Hopefully, someday, may makuha kaming company or corporate sponsors like other NSAs have been doing. Hopefully, Mr. Puyat would be able to give us some support as one of the major sponsors of billiard sports in the Philippines,” he said.
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