THE Philippine Badminton National Open returns on Monday after three years at the Dragonsmash Badminton Center along Chino Roces Avenue in Makati City.
The weeklong tournament that ends Sunday is part of the national ranking system and the national team’s buildup to the 32nd SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in May.
“On behalf of the MVP Sports Foundation, chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, and our president Al S. Panlilio, badminton is one of the sports that we identified where the Filipino can be a world-class athlete,” Philippine Badminton Association vice president Jude Turcuato said.
A total of P1 million in prizes are at stake in five Super 500 events—men and women singles and doubles and mixed doubles.
The singles winners will receive P70,000 each, while the doubles champions will get P150,000 each.
This tournament backed by Yamaha, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Smart Telecommunications, MWell, Maynilad, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation and Ducksports.
Jewel Angelo Albo and Mika De Guzman are two of the favorites, along with Alvin Morada and Christian Bernardo, who recently won three international men’s doubles titles.
Ros Pedrosa is the defending men’s singles champion after overcoming Lanz Zafra, while Bianca Carlos battled cramps to take the women’s singles title against Sarah Barredo.
Thea Pomar and Ariel Magnaye took home two titles after defeating their respective partners Alyssa Leonardo and Alvin Morada in mixed doubles.
This year’s tournament is also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee.