HOLLYWOOD, California — Score “Round One” in favor of Erik Morales.

HOLLYWOOD, California — At around 8 p.m. of Saturday, as Manny Pacquiao was preparing to go to bed, his mobile phone rang.

HOLLYWOOD, California — Freddie Roach is confident of a victory by Manny Pacquiao over Erik Morales on March 19 in Las Vegas that the selection of the three judges at ringside is probably the least of his worries.

IF ANDRES Bonifacio and his Katipuneros used the "First Cry of Balintawak" to signal the start of a revolt to free the country from almost 400 years of Spanish occupation, the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee will use the same strategy in proclaiming to all concerned the nation’s readiness to host the 23rd edition of the biennial conclave.

‘Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.’

IRENE TATSUMI and Nancy Tsay took the deciding aggregate match as rampaging Orchard pulled off a close 2 -1 win over the Manila Golf Club to assure itself of a semifinals slot in the inaugural Ladies Federation Golf League matches recently.

SIX OF the country’s top amateurs, who could easily make it as spearheads of the national team in any international competition, get the rare chance to play alongside the revered men of the tour in The Country Club Invitational golf championship unfolding March 17 at The Country Club layout in Canlubang.

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — Riding fireworks from the top riders and teams in the Asia Pacific region await the legions of motocross fans expected to troop here to witness this year’s biggest motorsports spectacle, the 2005 Motocross Masters of Asia, round 2 of this year’s FIM Asian Motocross Championship set in this city’s FIM-compliant motocross racetrack on March 19-20.

LOCAL SLO-PITCH softball is poised to make headway with the recent appointment of Jean Henri Lhuillier as Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asaphil) commissioner.

There’s going to be a big, star-studded party at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada this Saturday, March 19 (Sunday in Manila) when Filipinos from the Philippines and from all over the United States of America converge for the much-awaited fight between our very own Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Erik Morales.

RED BULL coach Yeng Guiao raced to the press room after picking up two technical fouls midway in the third period of Red Bull Barako Thunder’s 94-90 victory last night in the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — National Capital Region, represented by Philippine Navy, outsteadied Negros Occidental in a gripping penalty shoot-out Friday, 4-3, to retain its crown in the PFF-Adidas National Men’s Championship before a huge crowd at the Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Center here.

THEY wanted revenge and they got it — in grand style. Frustrated last year, Philippine Army’s Jennifer Bohawe and Patricia Siatan humbled erstwhile tormentor Cecille Tabuena and new partner Erika Tiamzon to score a 21-8, 21-10 victory and rule the first leg of the 2005 Petron Ladies’ Beach Volleyball Tournament yesterday at the Clearwater Country Club in Clarkfield, Pampanga.

COVER GIRL grabbed the limelight once again yesterday as she outclassed arch rival Empire King to win the Philracom Commissioner’s Cup Stakes race before a roaring crowd at the San Lazaro Leisure Park.

The revitalized Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) reached out yesterday to overseas Filipinos when Senator Edgardo J. Angara encouraged his balikbayan (returning Filipino) classmate at the University of the Philippines to organize party-list group in the United States to take part in the congressional elections for 2007.

The leader of a Muslim group, the Bangsamoro National Congress (BNC), deplored yesterday the declaration of the Arroyo government that no ceasefire will be implemented with the Misuari Breakaway Group and Abu Sayyaf Group in the Sulu conflict, saying that "it only confirms the underlying anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic prejudice that has fundamentally marked the centuries of colonial and neocolonial relations with the Bangsamoro people."

LOS ANGELES — Las Vegas is rolling out the red carpet for Manny Pacquiao and his entourage early Monday night, five days before his HBO Pay-PerView showdown with Mexican Erik Morales at the ultra-chic MGM Grand. Pacquiao will lead the parade of vehicles roaring off from the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood at 1:30 p.m. A VIP check in is already in place for Pacquiao and his handlers at 6 p.m.

LOS ANGELES — Manny Pacquiao’s Australian conditioning coach said on Sunday that Erik Morales is going to be in “his best shape ever” when he squares off with the Filipino icon this weekend in Las Vegas.

Senator Richard Gordon and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. clashed last week over the state of the country’s preparations for the 23rd Southeast Asian Games.

FUEL PRICES are rising. People are working to death to meet the cost of living. Pretty soon even our favorite merienda — camote — may have to be sold with the warning sign: Eating this may be dangerous to your health. Things just look bleak all around. If life is a race track, marshals should be waving yellow flags all over the course. We may even have the safety car out on track to help us safely negotiate the hazards on the track.

THE country’s best amateur referees will soon go international. In line with the thrusts to further upgrade officiating skills, the governing Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) will be sending 13 of its top national referees to two prestigious international events – The Super Basketball League in Taipei City, Taiwan and the Asian WheelChairs Competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Dear Mr. Marcelo,

OLYMPIAN ANTOINETTE Leviste jumped with Leap of Faith to the top spot in the Sony Ericsson Showjumping Classic held over the weekend at the Alabang Country Club. Leviste edged out Asian Games gold medalist Mikaela Cojuangco-Jaworski for top honors in the event — the first of four qualifying events for the Philippine equestrian team to the SEA Games which the country will be hosting late this year.

ATHENS OLYMPICS veteran Jackie Pangilinan, the country’s brightest hope to end an agonizing 14-year wait for a women’s swimming gold in the Southeast Asian Games, will represent Harvard University in the US NCAA swimming competitions in Indiana on March 17-19.

NEGROS NAVIGATION Corporation (NENACO) yesterday declared its intention to join the PBL Unity Cup, raising hopes of another blockbuster season-opening tournament.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Spring Cooking Oil-backed Laguna Spring crushed the Cagayan de Oro Stars, 101-78, Sunday to split their two-game NBC (National Basketball Conference) - Sulpicio Lines pre-season series at the ACSAT (Asian College of Science and Technology) gym here.

LEE VAN Corteza escaped with two close victories to lead the cast in the winner’s bracket of the Asian 9-Ball qualifying tournament yesterday at Coronado Lanes in Makati City.