PNoy’s nephew keeps low profile in Palaro

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — With the game knotted at 0-0 and Eastern Visayas poised to pull off an upset over the NCR baseball team, pitcher Jaime Ignacio Guingona Cojuangco, nephew of President Benigno Aquino III, went to the bench for a short breather.

One of the team’s assistant coaches said, “What do you want? Water or Gatorade?”

The lanky lad simply answered, “Anything, coach, I’ll take what’s available.”

The surname “Cojuangco” strikes awe as it refers to the powerful clan from Tarlac, but this young gun has chosen to keep his feet firmly on the ground and even considers himself as an ordinary baseball player blessed to be showcasing his prowess in the Palaro.

Cojuangco, whose father Martin is Aquino’s cousin, fell in love with baseball when his family was still residing in Tarlac.

“My cousins and I used to always play baseball back then,” said the 18-year-old La Salle Green Hills alumnus. “Baseball is really my sport, because it’s not common unlike basketball and football.”

People often misconstrue baseball as a sport for the rich. But for Cojuangco, who has blood of national icons running through his veins, baseball is for everyone.

“Anyone can play baseball if you put your heart into it,” he added. “You know I’ve seen people play with rubber balls, rubber bands and kartons. It’s for everyone.” 

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No special treatment

So it’s no surprise that Cojuangco, whose mother is the niece of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, believes he shouldn’t be given special treatment while competing here in Dumaguete.

“We’re all treated the same and are expected to come up with the same output,” quipped the incoming Ateneo freshman.

That output is winning — championships, if you may — and Cojuangco has shown he’s a born winner, with two Palaro titles tucked under his belt.

And now that he is bidding goodbye to the annual sports spectacle, he vows to give it all to give NCR yet another baseball crown.

“It’s very special to me,” Cojuangco said. “I’m trying to make the most out of it and it’s something that I will really treasure.” – Rappler.com