24 May 2006 – Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Virginia A. Benavidez reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Embassy’s Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) team took advantage of the closing matches of the just-concluded “Philippine Ambassador’s Cup” by conducting field registrations of voters during the semi-final and championship rounds held on 10 and 14 May 2006.

Ambassador Benavidez said two batches of OAV teams alternatively headed by Consuls Arlene Tullid-Magno and Jaime Ramon T. Ascalon endured the heat of the venue at the Harun’s Gym and competed with the excitement of the games to register players, basketball fans and tournament officials on those two days.

The Ambassador graced the championship match on 14 May and awarded the trophies to the top four teams of the league category.  In the gala night at the Holiday Lodge Hotel that followed the match, Ambassador Benavidez awarded the rest of the trophies medals and individual awards.

In her message, she congratulated the Filipino Basketball Association for successfully organizing the “Philippine Ambassador’s Cup” which has provided the Filipinos in Brunei with a healthy and wholesome way to spend their free time and an exciting reason to get together after work and on weekends.  She affirmed the great wealth of talents and skills in basketball even among Filipinos in Brunei and looked forward to the holding of more such events in the near future.

The “Philippine Ambassador’s Cup” opened on 26 February 2006 with 18 teams participating in the tournament and league categories.  The Philippine Embassy fielded its own team composed of officers and staff who competed in the tournament and showed their solidarity with the Filipino organizers and the rest of the participants.  The Filipino Basketball Association is already preparing for the start of its second conference in June, Ambassador Benavidez said. END