Passionate disabled player gets love, support from Pingris, fellow athletes

'Walang kahit anong pwedeng maging hadlang sa pangarap na makapag-basketball'
Nov 10, 2020

WITH the power of the internet and local sports fandom, 39-year-old ligang labas player Titeng Wenceslao is able to make his hoop dreams come true.

Just last week, a ‘dayo’ pal from the area filmed a 30-second video of Wenceslao playing his usual game one lazy afternoon in Las Piñas.

The 22-year-old Giovanni Bualan had just recently opened a basketball YouTube channel called Banwall TV, so he decided to take a video of Wenceslao and upload the clip on social media.


Despite losing his right leg in an accident, Wenceslao is shown on the clip holding his own against a team of other players.

The next thing Bualan knew, the video went viral with a total of over a hundred thousand views, thanks to a signal boost from citizen-established basketball fanpage Hoopjunkie, on Instagram.

“Dati na naming siyang nakakalaban sa basketball. Kaming magto-tropa, nagpapawis lang. Kaibigan namin ‘yung may-ari ng pinaglalaruan namin, tapos kumpare niya si kuya Titeng,” Bualan told SPIN Life when we asked him about the clip he filmed of the one-legged Wenceslao.

He continued: “Tapos nitong Linggo, pumunta siya. Natuwa lang ako, na-a-amaze kasi ako sa kalagayan niya kaya naisipan kong videohan, magaling siya at nakakatuwa kalaro.”

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Impressed and moved by the short passionate film, the instance opened doors of opportunities for Wenceslao. Since it was posted, a lot of people have asked how they could donate or otherwise help him out, including PBA veteran Marc Pingris, University of the Philippines’ Juan Gomez de Liano, Far Eastern University’s RJ Abarrientos, and Meralco S&C coach Diego Lozano.

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“Kahapon magkasama kami, iyak siya nang iyak dahil sa dami ng blessings na dumadating. Tinawagan siya ni Marc Pingris at sinabi na pupuntahan siya dito para maghatid ng tulong. Tapos mamaya naman po, magme-meet kami nila Hoopjunkie para ibigay ‘yung mga donations na ipinadala sa kanya,” he shared.

Bualan also said that Wenceslao is raising a family of four by doing part-time work in a local mechanic shop to sustain two children and a loving partner.

His missing leg was the result of a road accident that happened over a decade ago, when he was just 21 years old.

But the disability has not stopped him from playing basketball.


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“Matagal na po yung kapansanan niya, pero ilang beses na din po na may nakapansin sa kanya mga ilang taon nang nakakaraan nung na-meet niya ang idol niyang si Calvin Abueva ‘nung championship ng Alaska,” Bualan said of his friend.

Bualan added: “Nakaka-inspire siya dahil pinatunayan niya na walang kahit anong pwedeng maging hadlang sa pangarap na makapag-basketball. Sobrang proud ako na sa simpleng video na nilabas ko, naipakita ko sa buong Pilipinas ang kakayahan niya.”

Now, he’s earned not just a great on-court pal, but a newfound buddy and friend he’s helping to chase once-impossible hoop dreams.

“Masaya lang ako para sa kanya kasi nabanggit niya sakin na kung tutuusin, pang-apat na buhay niya na to dahil sa mga aksidente, pero ito siya, buhay at nagba-basketball pa,” he said.

Through the help of the one-man team behind Hoopjunkie, who's taken the lead in delivering the goods and donations, Juan GDL, RJ Abarrientos, and Aldo Panlilio were able to hand their gifts to Wenceslao.

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An important note, however. While we do applaud the tenacity of Titeng Wenceslao, we would like to remind our readers that mass gatherings, including the holding of sports events, are still prohibited in all levels of community quarantine.

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