by Marlon Bernardino
The Barangay 449 squad reigned supreme in the Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso Inter-Barangay Rapid Chess Team Tournament held September 8, 2025 at the Coleseo de Manila, Vistas Street in Tondo, Manila, Philippines.
Playing for Barangay 449 Chess Team were Board 1 GM candidate Ronald Dableo (5.0 points), Board 2 Samson Chhiu Chhin Lim Iii (5.0 points), Board 3 Marco Jay Mabasa (6.0 points) and Board 4 Arnold Dableo (4.5 points). The Barangay 449 Chess Team finished with six wins and one loss for 12.0 match points and 20.5 game points in seven outings to receive the top purse of P150,000.
“I’m very happy about this achievement,” said Dableo, who got his his third and final GM result or norms during the Dato Arthur Tan-Malaysian Open Chess Championship at the Ballroom, Cititel MidValley Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia wayback August 30, 2009.
But to become a full-fledged GM and join 18 others in the elite Filipino grandmasters list, Dableo needs to jack up his Elo rating to at least 2500.
The Barangay 52 (11.0 match points, 22.0 game points) placed second.
They included on Board 1 GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. (5.5 points), Board 2 Robert Cacho (5.5 points), Board 3 Sherwin Gian Romero (5.0 points) and Board 4 Ruel Nisperos (6.0 points).
The 63-year-old former University of Manila standout Antonio said in an interview after the event “I would like to thank Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and the Manila Sports Council (MASCO) headed by Mr. Dale Evangelista for supporting Philippine chess,” added Antonio, the top board best player who is set to represent the country in the upcoming 33rd FIDE World Senior Chess Championships (50+ and 60+) to be held October 20 to November 2 in Gallipoli, Italy, and the III Open Internacional de Ajedrez on November 8 to 16 in Alicante, Spain.
Placing third was the Barangay 410 (11.0 match points, 19.5 game points). The Barangay 410 is composed of Board 1 IM Michael Concio Jr. (5.5 points), Board 2 Genghis Imperial (4.5 points), Board 3 Mark Oliver Ingcad (4.5 points) and Board 4 Princess Nicole Ballete (5.0 points).
GM Antonio’s team received P100,000 while the IM Concio squad earn P70,000.
Rounding up to the top 10 were Barangay 48 (fourth), Barangay 46 (fifth), Barangay 4 (sixth), Barangay 53 (seventh), Barangay 431 (eight), Barangay 265 (ninth) and Barangay 592 (tenth).-Marlon Bernardino-