Work hand in hand for sports

The media and the athletes should work together for the common good of the sports community, said Philippine Star sports columnist Joaquin "Quinito" Henson, urging the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC) and the awardees to maintain a cordial relationship with each other.

Henson, the guest speaker yesterday in the 24th All Cebu Sports Awards at the Rajah Park Hotel, talked about the "Media and the Athletes: Working Together for Progress."

The event was supported by San Miguel Corporation.

One of the experienced sports columnists here in the country, Henson pointed several roles, which both the media and the athletes need to adhere to further the development of sports in the country.

He said athletes make the news and the media will be there to deliver the news in a responsible and objective way, adding that both of them are powerful tools for the promotion of sports consciousness and sports development.

"But such roles carry great responsibility and it should be guarded from abuse," said Henson, explaining that the media has the great power to shape public opinion.

He said the media can write things that are wrong, especially with regard to things that can harm the sports society. Pointing out the role of the media as a watchdog, Henson compared its duties to that of an alarm clock, which will ring if "things do not go on the right way."

To maintain the good relationship with each other, Henson urged the media and the athletes to be sensitive and understanding with each other.

He asked the athletes, even when burned out or tired after a game, "to give a little bit of allowance to the media" because they have deadlines to beat and at the same time he told the media not to be pushy with the athletes.

"Nobody, even nothing, is bigger than the sports," he said even as he praised the congeniality and respect of the media and the athletes here in Cebu.

Meanwhile, former Cebu City Sports Commission chairman Jonathan Guardo, who was also the chairman of the Cebu Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (CEBUSOC) shared his award as Sportsman of the Year to the sportswriters, who also contributed to Cebu's successful hosting of the 23rd SEA Games last year.

"The SEA Games was a big endeavor. We are very proud of it. And with it, I would like to thank the Philippine Olympic Committee with its then president Celso Dayrit, for giving us the opportunity to host of the events and to the other cities for all the help," he said.

He mentioned co-hosts like the local governments of Mandaue City with Cheryl Ouano, Danao City with councilor Oscar "Boying" Rodriguez, to Cebu Province with Governor Gwen Garcia and "of course to my friend Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena."

The awardees were led by Cebuano member of the Philippine team in the 23rd Southeast (SEA) Games, which the country hosted last year. They received the coveted "Athletes of the Year" award.

They are Marniel Dimla (pencak silat), Baby Marites Bitbit (mountainbike), Kevin Kong and Andrea Marie Rafanan (diving), Julius Nierras (athletics), Cresencio Vidal Jr. (sportsclimbing), Ruel Empacis (baseball), and Michael Mendoza (dancesport).

Sharing the limelight with them are champion softballers in Manuel Bacarisas, Darius Bacarisas, Jasper Cabrera, Ben Maravilles, Roger Roxas, and Florante Acuña.

Football coach Francis Ramirez received for Japanese national Harou Iwanaga, the "Presidental Award" for his benevolent, year-round support to football, while the "ORLACSAN Memorial Award" went to web developer Dong Secuya for creating the www.mannypacquiao.ph and www.philboxing.com, an exclusive website featuring Filipino boxers.