By Ernest Hernandez

Former PBA player, Cristiano “Cris” Bolado passed away after a motorcycle accident during his trip to Cambodia on the morning of September 17, 2017.



As confirmed through his Facebook page, Bolado’s remains are still in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as of this writing. They will be flown into Lucban, Quezon for his wake.

In his PBA career, Bolado won 11 league championships. From the 1994 Commissioners Cup to the 1997 Commissioners Cup, “Jumbolado” made a record of 10 straight finals appearances.

He was drafted 13th overall (2nd round) by Alaska in the 1994 PBA draft. Bolado is considered one of the biggest winners in the history of the league.

Three of his championships came from the 1996 Alaska grand slam. He also won two championships with San Miguel and Coca-Cola. He won one championship each with Purefoods and Gordon’s Gin.

Bolado played for nine seasons in the PBA before retiring in 2003.

The 6-foot-6 center also made appearances in movies and television. Among his most notable appearances include being one of the castaways of Survivor: Pulao. On his free time, Bolado enjoyed conducting basketball clinics.