LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDEE

Former Bacolod Congressman and City Mayor Monico Puentevella (left) was recently feted with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the San Miguel Corp. – Philippine Sportswriters Association 2025 Awards Night at the Diamond Hotel Manila last week. Puentevella was among five leading figures who played a major part in shaping Philippine sports. Puentevella served as PSC commissioner (1996-2001) before becoming the head of the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas. It was under his leadership that the country won its first-ever gold medal in the Olympics behind protégé Hidilyn Diaz during the 2020 Tokyo Games. He was inducted into the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Hall of Fame in 2022. In photo from left: Puentevella, Eugene Adiong of Manila Times, and Arman Toga of Negros Daily Bulletin in a recent meet over coffee in Bacolod.* (MSM photo)