STA swears in new officers

Aside from toasting the winners of the 2nd Annual Taga Tennis Tournament and holding their Christmas party, the Saipan Tennis Association also inducted three new officers Friday at the Hot City Karaoke Bar in San Jose.

Sworn in as board members were Peter Loyola and Nanding Cajigan, while Edwin Maratas took his oath as public relations officer.

Loyola, Cajigan, and Maratas will hold their new posts until June 2005 when the tennis club elects its new set of officers.

The current STA slate of officers has Roy Pangelinan serving as president, Nelia Luna as vice president-external, Ricky Castro as vice president-internal, Agnes Salazar as secretary, Ligaya Paculanang as treasurer, Noel Manalang as PRO, and Richard Asuncion, Babu Malayil, Lope Padilla, and Cleofe Santos as board members.

Loyola takes over Robert Coracero’s place on the board, while Cajigan’s position was newly created by STA to address the growing needs of the sports organization. Maratas is expected to work closely with Manalang to promote STA to the community.

Loyola works for Triple J Motors. Maratas is employed by GenPro International Inc., while Cajigan used to work at Joeten’s Hafadai Deli & Bakery before moving on to freelance work.

STA said the three were appointed to their respective posts because of the commitment and hard work they displayed in the previous Taga Tennis Tournament.

During the competition, Loyola, Cajigan, and Maratas donated their precious time and expertise in the successful holding of the event.

Loyola, a former semi-pro tennis player in the Philippines who played in the country’s version of the NCAA, had proven himself helpful to tournament directors, who were tasked to settle queries and clarifications brought to their attention during the event.

Cajigan, meanwhile, has been more than accommodating in tutoring beginners at the American Memorial Park tennis court. He also proved to be a valuable cog in drying up and preparing the courts after rain delays.

Maratas, for his part, has shown quite a knack in public relations, obviously honed by his work as sales executive for GenPro. He also serves as PRO for sister tennis group, Filipino-American Tennis Association or FILATA.

The three are also winners on the court as well as off it. Loyola narrowly missed a grand slam in the last tournament, winning the men’s open singles, men’s doubles open, and men’s doubles 4.5. Cajigan was victorious in the men’s 4.5 singles, while Maratas teamed up Jorge Olanda to take home the men’s 4.0 doubles crown.