The National Darts Federation of the Philippines (NDFP) gave recognition to distinguished darters at the recently concluded P120,000 Free Registration Darterong Pinoy 2012 last October 20, 2012 at the Sta. Lucia Mall in Cainta, Rizal.

The NDFP has strived to set the highest standards of excellence, uplift and professionalize the sport of darts, and attain global recognition and respect for its players. Through the years, it has acknowledged individuals and organizations that have set and met such standards of excellence in their own fields of dart endeavors.

Hence, in the morning of the second day, the NDFP opened its “Araw ng Parangal” to honor the next President’s Awardee, award this year’s new NDFP National Master, and recognize the past Darterong Pinoy champions,

The NDFP President’s Award
The NDFP President’s Award was given to Mr. Romeo “Butch” Echiverre, President of the Zambales Darters Federation.

The NDFP President’s Award is given to individuals or organizations who demonstrated exemplary leadership in unity and progress towards the fulfillment of the vision and direction of the NDFP for the growth and development of darts in the Philippines.

Butch Echiverre launched a very unique youth dart development program of “no school no play”, all youth participants are required to be officially enrolled in school. The program has not only produced competitive youth darters players as can be seen in the results of the Darterong Pinoy Youth Singles but the program also encouraged the youth to value the enrichment of education. This is a natural instinct of Butch Echeverri being a teacher by profession.

He is also instrumental in organizing the most number of major dart tournaments coming from a municipality. The town of San Antonio, Zambales has the distinction as the leading municipality nationwide that has far produced three P100,000 and over dart tournaments since 2009.

Butch Echeverri as the President of the Zambales Darter’s Federation influenced the expansion of darts, not only in the Municipality of San Antonio, but in the entire province of Zambales. His programs also initiated aid and participation for the handicap.

Induction of a New National Master
The title of the NDFP National Master recognizes darters who have won at least three (3) NDFP national ranking events or NDFP-sanctioned major tournaments worth P75,000 and over, since 2005.

Such distinction has so far been granted to seven (7) darters who now form part of the elite group of NDFP National Masters: (1) Dixie Ybanez, with three titles; (2) Bert Lozano, with three titles; (3) Boy Gionson, with five titles; (4) Jojo Barellano, with five titles; (5) Lourence Ilagan, with eight titles; (6) Boie Parfan, with twelve titles, and; (7) Ian Perez, with fourteen titles.

This year, the NDFP welcomed its 8th NDFP National Master to its roster, Noel Malicdem from Pasig City, who has championed at the 2006 Darterong Pinoy, and at the 2011 and 2012 Bicol Dart Challenge.

A Tribute to the Darterong Pinoy Champions
A celebration of the 15 years of Darterong Pinoy, and its 10th year as the only P100,000 and over free registration tournament in the country, the NDFP called on stage to recognize the champions of the Open Singles event from the past 14 years.

The Open Singles event is perhaps the most anticipated and most exciting event of Darterong Pinoy. Every year, participation in this event goes by the hundreds. The Darterong Pinoy Champions consists of: Boie Parfan, Bobby Concepcion, Ricky Mijares, Joseph Domanais (2002 and 2003), Rey Sevillo, Noel Malicdem, Raul dela Flor, Lourence Ilagan (2008, 2009, 2010), and then defending champion and 2005 winner, Ian Perez.