It was gay-restauranteur Annie Taylor who revealed to us that there is one wonder man from Las Navas, Northern Samar who is making waves in the world of sports in Region 8.
"Tito Boy, napakagaling po niya sa basketball kahit na siya ay may kapansanan. Siya po ay nakakalikha ng mahuhusay na basketball players kahit siya ay pilay (He is very good in basketball even if he is a paraplegic. Even if he is a Person with Disabilities--PWD. He can create sports heroes and sharpshooting basketball players even if he is lame)," said Annie.
We've known Taylor for the longest time when she was an assistant to the late entertainment writer and former publicist of Vicor Music Corporation Dave Rojo.
Annie knows too a potential sportsman when she meets one.
But it is not only meeting but seeing and experiencing firsthand a PWD basketball coach.
Because Annie knows Mark Pluma from way, way back.
"Magkababayan po kami ni Mark sa Las Navas. Saksi po ako sa galing niyang magbasketball. Kaya naisipan kong sabihin sa inyo, Tito Boy, para maisulat mo siya at malaman ng mga kababayan natin na mahusay siya sa (Mark and I are townmates from Las Navas. I am a witness to his expertise and agility in playing basketball. That is why I thought of referring him to you, Tito Boy, so that you can write about his so that our fellow Filipinos might be familiar with him that he excels in) sports," gushed Taylor who manages a small eatery here in Manila.
How could a disabled shoot a ball to the ring from a distance?
"Perpekto po siyang mag-shoot ng bola kahit (He is a perfect shooter of balls even in) long shot," Taylor imparted.
At the moment, Pluma coaches a lot of young basketball players not only in Las Navas but also in neighboring towns in Northern Samar like Pambujan, the town of filmmaker Noriel Jarito.
Meanwhile, the late popular movie journalist Ricky F. Lo was a townmate of both Annue and Mark
In August 22, during the town fiesta of Las Navas, there will be a lot of basketball tournaments in the place, most of teams in competition are tutored by Pluma.