Saturday, October 8, 2016

(1272) COMPLIMENTARY CERTIFICATES CONTROVERSY

PALAU CHESS TEAM VISIT QUSAR, AZERBAIJAN
    During the rest day of 42nd World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Palau Chess Team took a 320-km trip to Qusar. They drop by at a tire shop and store to buy some chips and corn on a cob. Everybody has his own camera but this photo was taken by Palau Delegate and PCF President Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps, using his own camera. From left to right -- Roberto Hernandez, Allan Alcid, Jeffrey Balbalosa, Dennis Gonzales and CM Joselito Marcos.

            COMPLIMENTARY 
                 CERTIFICATES
                     CONTROVERSY
 

I WROTE a letter to Palau Royal Resort’s General Manager Masayuki Kawaguchi that says:

Text Box: August 16, 2016


Mr. Masayuki Kawaguchi
General Manager
Palau Royal Resort
P. O. Box 10108
Koror, Palau 96940


Dear GM Kawaguchi,

                The Palau Chess Federation will be participating in the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan from Sept. 01-14, 2016 and Palau Royal Resort will have two representatives in that event—Roberto Hernandez, PRR Musician and Paquito Suringa, Jr., Chief Cook at Cafeteria.

                Mr. Hernandez, currently No. 2 chess player of Palau, has been to Australia in 2009, in Russia in 2010, in Istanbul, Turkey in 2012 and in Norway in 2014 representing Palau and Palau Royal Resort. He always bring with him brochures, business cards and other advertisement products to promote PRR in his own capacity.

                He will do it again to promote PRR to the 181-member countries of World Chess Federation (FIDE). Please provide him with brochures and other promotion materials of Palau Royal Resort.

                This Chess Olympiad is non-election year so the participants have to shoulder their own expenses in going there. The PCF will shoulder only 60% of the total expenditures of players that’s why Mr. Hernandez is asking for some financial support from the management of PRR. The cheapest airfare is $1,363.00 Palau-Manila-Dubai-Moscow-Azerbaijan round-trip.

                Because PCF is updated in its obligation as a non-profit organization, whatever amount that you could give Roberto would be 10% refundable. If cash donation is not possible, Roberto will be happy for a dinner for two gift certificate.

                The other members of Team Palau are Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps, Delegate; Dennis Gonzales of Hanpa; Jeffrey Balbalosa of Surangel and Sons; Allan Alcid of Graphic Design Print and our Head of Delegation is Joselito Marcos from Papua New Guinea, who stayed at PRR with his wife and daughter in Dec. 2011 while participating in the 3rd Palau Invitational Chess Championship.

                Mr. Hernandez is hoping for your consideration regarding this matter.

Respectfully yours,

_____________________________                                          
      Roberto Hernandez  







                                                                                   

                Instead of cash, he gave me 3 vouchers (Complimentary Certificate) of dinner for 2 at Waves Restaurant of PRR to expire on Nov. 30, 2016.
                I keep 1 and went to the office of PCF President Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps to give him the 2nd one but he is off island. I gave the other one to Paquito ‘Pax’ Suringa, Jr., my teammate in Baku Chess Olympiad. I said to him that he can use it with his wife and eat at Waves Restaurant. He said he will use it after coming back from Baku. While we are packing our things for the trip to Baku on Aug. 26, 2016, I gave Pax half of the brochures that I get from Lorna. It also includes a chess set and a mechanical chess clock to be used at the Olympiad for practicing, analyzing and preparing against our opponents. I bring another one set with digital clock for my own use.
                When we are checking-in for our trip to Baku via Bangkok and Istanbul, everybody noticed that Pax baggage is good enough to be hand-carried. We will spend 2 weeks in Azerbaijan and he had clothes/things for just 2 days.
                I asked him, “Where are the brochures and chess set?” He didn’t bring it! I feel so mad for his irresponsible behavior and said, “I gave you those brochures to promote PRR that’s why I gave you the complimentary certificate. You also didn’t bring the chess set and clock. I’m going to get the certificate back.”
                During the last 5 days of the Olympiad, I’m running out of brochures so I’m giving away to my opponents, team captains, arbiters, chess friends and new friends my business cards and the CD of Palau Royal Resort where it shows me playing piano at Waves Restaurant of PRR. I get those CDs from Lorna and she gave me 50 of those. I didn’t give Pax CDs because it’s heavier than the brochures.
                Even from our way back to Manila at Istanbul airport, I still promote PRR to Asia’s first Grand Master Eugene Torre’s wife Marylin but without the brochure.
                When we arrived in Palau in the morning of Sept. 17, I saw Pax wife Nancy at the airport and she asked about Pax. I said he’s just behind me at the line in the immigration and she is fetching him while I ride with PRR service car.
                That afternoon, Pax returned to me the chess set and mechanical chess clock while I’m doing my laundry. Later, I asked him to return to me the complimentary certificate. He said his wife had it. When I asked for her number, he started to get mad and said, “Next time, don’t include my name when you ask for donation.” I said I didn’t include your name when asking for those and that his name is only mention because he’s part of the team. When Pax said that I’m selfish and thinks only about myself, I know that he doesn’t realize yet how I pioneered chess in Palau and writing chess articles for free for 14 years in Tia Belau newspaper and dedicated more than half of my 24 years in Palau in the promotion of chess. It's the first time I hear from somebody that I'm selfish.
                I asked him, “We were given 3 complimentary certificates where I asked for only one to promote PRR and I gave you half of the brochures and you didn’t bring it. I have the dispensation to give it to anybody or do whatever I like to do with those. You’re irresponsible with those little things so I will get it back. You don’t deserve it. I asked you also to bring those chess set and clock and you didn’t bring also. We’re going to Olympiad and you don’t have anything to practice on. You don’t even have a laptop. It’s like you’re going to war and you don’t have a gun. You said, “I can buy in Azerbaijan.” But when you buy it, it’s already half way in the Olympiad and you lost 6 straight games already. Your first win is a forfeit game and it shows really how unprepared you are.” Pax only win is at the last round vs. Djouboti.

                I text Pax wife with this: “Hi Nancy, this is Robert of PRR. I always promote PRR wherever I go… to Australia, Russia, Turkey, Norway and now Azerbaijan. PRR GM gave me 3 vouchers of dinner for 2. Pax is not included when I ask for that donation. There are 50 ad materials that were given to me. I gave Pax half of the brochures and he didn’t bring it. That’s why I ran out of brochures. Even chess set and clock, he didn’t bring also. I got mad to his irresponsible behavior that I said to him that I will take back the voucher. I will give it to Jeff, the other one to Eric and to me.” There is a ! sign in this message that’s why I think Nancy didn’t receive it. The shorter one “Hi Nancy, this is Robert of PRR” was received.
               
                When PCF Board Meeting was held in Sept. 21, 2016, it was agreed to use the 3 certificates for a meeting/gathering of all Olympiad participants at PRR on Oct. 08 dinner time as Jeff Balbalosa is coming back to Palau on Oct. 07. PCF President Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps will use his together with Allan Alcid, the one with Pax will be given to Dennis and Jeff and Eric will pay for Tito Cabunagan and Cyril Tomas Montel, Jr.’s buffet dinner.
                I told Pax about it with the bright idea of him and me taking our dinner at PRR Cafeteria and use the last certificate for my wife Flor and his wife Nancy on Oct. 17 (Monday) so that our wives will get to know each other more. Pax said he will see if Nancy is available on that date. And that he had the certificate with him already.

                The next day, Pax complain to Ivana Bautista, who gave me those 3 certificates on Aug. 24, that I am getting back the certificates that I gave him. Of course, he’s not telling her about the reason.

 Ella Asuncion, GM secretary, clarified to Ivana one very important thing: 

                “WE DONATE TO THOSE WHO ASK FOR DONATION. WE DON’T CARE ANYMORE ABOUT WHAT THE RECIPIENT WILL DO TO THOSE.”




Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- September 30, 2016

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               To be published as a book in the future

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
               April 25, 2013 -- September 30, 2016

               The History of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               June 09, 2002 -- September 30, 2016  
                

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