Will the Public Servants team win over Team Celebrity this time?

Roughly a quarter has passed when Team Celebrity emerged victorious over a team of public servants in the first edition of the charity basketball match. Sing and Shoot Part 1 was held last March 19 this year at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

On June 11, the challenge is for the Team Public Servants to edge out the celebrities’ team in their second face-off in Sing and Shoot 2.

The charity event for the free education of La Verdad Christian School will be held at Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Kuya Daniel Razon, together with Breakthrough and Milestones Productions International, will spearhead the event.

Similar to the first Sing and Shoot event, its sequel will highlight the friendly basketball game between the teams of Filipino actors and officials from various government offices. The event will also feature the singing talents of some of the best Filipino music artists and singers in a mini-concert prior the game event.

With a few changes on the line-up of players, Supreme Court Spokesperson Atty. Midas Marquez and Philippine National Police Chief Director Nicanor Bartolome are returning in court for Team Public Servants.

In an interview, PNP Chief Bartolome said in the vernacular, “When it is a good project, I always join. If it is for the scholarship[s] of the students of La Verdad, we always support it like what we did during the Unity Run which was also headed by Kuya Daniel.”

Meanwhile, Actor Ervic Vijandre, who is joining for the second time, said that when he learned that the event was for charity, he did not hesitate to say yes. “I immediately blocked the scheduled date for this event. Of course, this is one of the small things that we can do to help other people,” he explained in the vernacular. Vijandre was awarded Best Player of the Game during the first match in March 2012.

Sing and Shoot 2 will support hundreds of elementary and high school scholars of La Verdad Christian School.

This free school project of Kuya Daniel, who is called Mr. Public Service, is under his advocacy Kahit Isang Araw Lang (Just One Day) that aims to promote citizen volunteerism even for just one day. The same advocacy supports other projects in the fields of journalism and community service all geared to give public service free of charge.

Others who are expected to play for the Public Servants Team are Congressmen Sherwin Tugna, Sigfrido Tinga, Erin Tañada III, PDIR Roque Ramirez and PO2 Marlon Tiglao from the PNP, Rodel Chua from the Supreme Court, Joseph Cabanting, Arnel Cerafica, Dennis Escalona, and coach Bo Perasol.

Meanwhile, Vijandre will be playing under Team Celebrity with Rey “PJ” Abellana, the Legaspi brothers (Zoren, Kier, and Brando), Jordan Herrera, Eric Fructuoso, Dinky Doo, Jr., Dave Almarinez, John Hall, Bobby Henson, Bentot, and FPJ (a Fernando Poe, Jr.-look-a-like). Coaching the celebrities’ team this time is veteran actor Tirso Cruz III.

(Words by Hazel Chavez-David; Editing by Jane Abao)