Philippine sports legends Eugene Torre, Paeng Nepomuceno, ‘Bata’ Reyes honored with commemorative stamps

Some world-renowned Filipinos, including several legends of Philippine sports, were honored by the Philippine Postal Corporation on Saturday with the launch of commemorative stamps bearing their images.

Among those that were included in the series are chess grandmaster Eugene Torre, bowling legend Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno, and billiards icon Efren “Bata” Reyes.

Torre and Nepomuceno were present during the launch at the PHLPost grounds in Lawton.

Torre became Asia’s first GM after winning the silver medal in the 1974 Chess Olympiad. He is also the first Asian male to be inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

Nepomuceno, meanwhile, is a multi-time world champion in bowling. He won the Bowling World Cup four times and holds the Guinness World Record for most tenpin bowling titles. He is also part of the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame.

Reyes, also nicknamed “The Magician”, has won world titles in both eight-ball and nine-ball and is considered one of the greatest of all time in his sport.

Others honored in the “World Renowned Filipinos: Living Legends” series are NBA player Jordan Clarkson, innovator and entrepreneur Diosdado Banatao, furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, fashion designer Monique Lhuillier, designer and entrepreneur Josie Natori, singer Lea Salonga, and Filipino icon Jollibee.

—JMB, GMA News