CAGE great Ramon Fernandez wishes the speedy recovery of former teammate and rival Robert Jaworski.
The four-time PBA MVP personally conveyed his well wishes to Jaworski’s eldest son and namesake Robert ‘Dudut’ Jaworski Jr when the two met during the formal launching of the commemorative stamp honoring the Big J.
“My prayers go to him as I’ve told Dudut. That we’re praying for his eventual recovery,” said the 68-year-old Fernandez, who was a teammate of Jaworski for almost a decade at Toyota before they turned fierce rivals following the fabled PBA team's disbandment.
Jaworski was honored with his own commemorative stamp last week by the Philippine Postal Corporation, the first in a number of iconic Filipino athletes to be honored for their great contributions in Philippine sports.
Fernandez said he was truly happy to see Jaworski be given with such a distinct honor at this stage when he’s trying to recuperate from a rare blood disorder.
“I’m glad he is the first I think, among the basketball players. And it’s very important that it also happens on his 75th birthday,” said ‘El Presidente’ of Jaowrski, who celebrated his diamond year last March 8.


“So I would like to thank and congratulate PHLPost for honoring Mr. Jaworski or coach Sonny and the (Filipino) athletes for that matter,” added the PSC commissioner.
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao had his own commemorative stamp launched in 2015 during the time when he faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a title fight that went down as the richest ever in boxing history.
Just last month, the country’s first ever Olympic gold medal winner Hidilyn Diaz was given her own personal stamp, along with the three other medalists in the last Tokyo Games, namely, silver winners Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, and bronze winner Eumir Marcial.
Torre, Bata, Paeng next
Fernandez said more athletes would also be given tribute by the Phlpost in the coming months, among them Asia’s first grandmaster Eugene Torre, pool icon Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes, six-time World Cup champion Paeng Nepomuceno, among others.
“I believe some more athletes are going to be put on a stamp. Also I’m so glad really that they recognize the contributions of athletes in nation building,” said the PBA great.
Asked if he would be given his own special stamp, Fernandez said it would truly be an honor.
“Well for any athlete or for anybody for that matter, to be put in there would be a great privilege and honor,” he stressed.
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