MANILA, PHILIPPINES---Reigning Manila SEA Games gold medalist Dennis "Surigao" Orcollo, is all set to bring his act to the United States.
The US embassy in Manila finally granted him a visa Thursday, a fitting birthday gift for a guy denied of it twice before.
Orcollo, who turns 27 today,(Sunday), is invited to play in the Hard Times Billiards on Feb. 17-19, 2006 in Bellflower, California. He will also compete in the money-rich International Pool Tour (IPT) event.Last year he's invited to play in the tough US Open but failed to get a visa.
"The issuance of my US visa is I consider my most memorable gift in my birthday". said Orcollo, a former fisherman from Surigao del Sur.
"It's been my obsession to compete in the US billiards circuit because when knew that world's top cue player are playing in the US soil." added Orcollo, world's ranked 59th in the last season.
"To play against the best maybe makes me stronger and better player". said the Murphy, Quezon City based Orcollo.
It wouldn't have been possible without the help of his benefactors Perry Mariano and Solar Sports and Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) headed by its' president Ernesto "Ernie" Fajardo.
"I personally thank Mr. Perry Mariano for helping my US documents to obtain my visa. I owed a lot to him. I would also like to thank BSCP president Ernesto Fajardo and Solar Sports for endorsing me in the US consulate. I will take this opportunity and promise to do my very best. "
Aside from Orcollo, Mariano is also managing pool stars Antonio 'Ga-Ga' Gabica and Ronnie 'Calamba' Alcano, and upcoming Jeffrey 'Jeff Bata' De Luna.
Mariano believes that Orcollo has the talent and skills to become the next Filipino world champion and possible follow the foot-step of 1999 world champion Efren 'Bata' Reyes and 2004 world champion Alex 'The Lion' Pagulayan if he competes in the land of milk and honey.
"Orcollo will be given a needed respect by the world-class players if he performed well in his US campaign," said Mariano, owner of Bugsy's Lair Billiards Hall in Sgt. Esquerra Street near Timog in Quezon City who recalled the excellent performances of Reyes, Pagulayan, Francisco 'Django' Bustamante, Marlon 'Marvelous' Manalo, Santos Sambajon and Jose 'Amang' Parica in the US billiards circuit last year.
