New sport show launched

MANILA, Philippines – A new sports documentary series focusing on the lives of the greatest Filipino athletes of all time premieres on People’s Television Channel 4 tonight. 

Created, written and hosted by STAR columnist Bill Velasco, “Masters of the Game” begins airing on the government network at 8 p.m. The pilot episode delves deep into the life of two-division world boxing champion Luisito Espinosa, who opens up about his 26-year battle to get paid the tens of millions of pesos owed him by promoters for a successful world title defense in Koronadal, South Cotabato in 1997. Espinosa also gives an emotional recollection of how, in the midst of all this and other difficulties he experienced in the US, he was left by his wife, who also took their three children with her.

“This is my love letter, my thank you to all of our all-time greats, who are also my friends,” Velasco said. “Thankfully, it aligned with the decision of PTV’s new management to build on the network’s legacy of being a pioneer in sports coverage.”

The program’s second episode delves into how Olympian Monsour del Rosario went from being a scrawny kid being regularly beaten up by bullies in Bacolod, to singlehandedly propelling taekwondo into the mainstream in the country. This will be followed by the life story of fifteen-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Elma Muros-Posadas, who uprooted herself from her home in Romblon at a very young age to become a pillar of Philippine athletics. 

Velasco, an international documentary filmmaker, is also co-author of the best-selling 2020 book, “Fookien Times Philippines Yearbook 50 Greatest Filipino Athletes of All Time”. He has been a sports broadcaster and journalist for 37 years and has covered the Olympic Games, 17 Southeast Asian Games, and over 500 world title fights, among others. Velasco also created other landmark sports programs like the award-winning "Hardball" and "The Basketball Show."

Masters of the Game will be broadcast over PTV every Sunday at 8 p.m.