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:
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
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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