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Ligaya bids Saipan adieu
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Posted on Mar 21 2006
Local tennis champion Ligaya “Ghay” Pacula-nang said goodbye to her home of 12 years yesterday, as she along with her two daughters left Saipan for the Philippines and would soon reunite with her husband in Scotland.
Before she left, however, Saipan Tennis Association feted the Country House Restaurant cook with a despidida party last Saturday.
During the event the local sports club also awarded Paculanang with a plaque of recognition for years of service, most recently as treasurer, for STA.
STA vice president Nelia Luna said Paculanang would be missed by the organization, especially her expertise in handling the monies of the group as well as cooking their favorite dishes, like spaghetti and adobo, which usually comes in abundance whenever Paculanang wins during tournaments.
A little over 50 STA members and tennis friends attended the send-off for Paculanang held at the American Memorial Park tennis courts, where trays of pancit, barbecue, fruits, cakes, and everyone’s favorite adobo were served.
Luna said Paculanang felt happy at the same time sad for leaving the Commonwealth. Happy, because she and her daughters—Bianca and Matis—would finally be together with her husband and their father in Scotland, and sad, because she would be saying goodbye to a lot of friends on Saipan.
Paculanang intimated that she would try to continue playing tennis in Scotland whenever her schedule allows.
She, however, said that her priority right now is resettling her family and find her daughters good schools. Paculanang is set to join her husband in working at a hotel in the European country.
Paculanang leaves carrying a truckload of trophies in her baggage. Among her recent victories include championships in the 4.0 women’s doubles (with Audrey Motto) of the 2nd Annual Toyota Tennis Tournament, women’s 3.0 doubles (with Mina Solomon), women’s doubles 4.0 (with Cleofe Santos), mixed doubles 3.0 (with Archie Monticello) in the inaugural Taga Tennis Tournament, and mixed doubles 3.0 (with Lemuel Arabelo) of the 2nd Taga Tennis Tournament.
