Noy honors Phl paddlers, vows to end politics in sports

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino vowed yesterday to remove politics from sports as he paid tribute to members of the Cobra Philippine dragon boat team in Malacañang for making the country proud with their achievements.

The 29-member rowing team arrived to a heroes’ welcome early yesterday morning at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after stamping its class at the 10th World Dragon Boat Racing championships in Tampa, Florida.

The team dominated the event with a harvest of five gold and two silver medals.

The President gave the rowers a presidential citation and thanked them for bringing honor and pride to the country, but admitted he was sad the sport was getting “politicized.”

“Politics should have been left to us politicians. But to those of you who really provide significant and positive role models to our country, I can assure you that the government will be behind you,” the President said in a brief message to the team, who were also given a small token each by the Palace.

“We will strive especially to remove politics from sports, which should be a unifying rather than a divisive activity. Again, thank you in behalf of our countrymen who are proud of your achievements,” Aquino said.

He also thanked the sponsors of the team, saying without their support the victory could not have happened.

In a subsequent ambush interview, Aquino said the government would study a possible reward for the team aside from those to be given by several lawmakers.

“We are having a study right now. I will also talk to the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission),” he said.

In the citation, the President praised the rowers for establishing “themselves as an inspiration to their countrymen” and for bringing “pride to the Filipino people.”

Earlier, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Palace would conduct its own investigation on the reason behind the government’s supposed failure to recognize and provide support for the Philippine dragon boat team.

“We are hoping to find out what really happened. We’re asking for a briefer from the Presidential Management Staff on what really happened,” he said.

“Since they are under the Philippine Sports Commission’s jurisdiction, we also asked about the dragon boat team’s status. We’re just looking at the details of what really transpired,” Lacierda added.

The Philippine dragon boat team is also not recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee, the mother organization of all national sports associations in the country.

Because of this, the dragon boat athletes and coaches were not able to receive monthly allowances from the state-funded PSC.

The team even failed to participate in last year’s 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China due to lack of funding.

Lacierda said the Aquino administration was proud of the dragon boat team and expressed hope that it will continue to set an example of excellence to Filipinos.

Private entities take up cudgels for local heroes

Sen. Pia Cayetano on Tuesday has already filed Senate Resolution 551 to find out why the Philippine dragon boat team members were not recognized as national athletes.

Most of the members of the dragon boat team are enlisted personnel of the Philippine Army.

From the airport, the athletes were brought to Century Park Hotel in Manila where they had breakfast before facing the media.

During breakfast, they were welcomed by Asia Brewery Inc. (ABI) and Philippine Airlines (PAL) executives led by Michael Tan, ABI chief operating officer; and Vivienne Tan, PAL executive vice president, representing their father, Dr. Lucio Tan; Jaime Bautista, PAL president; and Hubert Tan, ABI marketing vice president.

“This rousing victory reaffirms our belief in the compatibility of our product, Cobra energy drink, with the superior rowing power of the Philippine dragon boat team,” said Michael Tan.

“Our decision to fly them to the US came with the dearth of support for them. We just did what our father taught us early on – to help those in most need,” said Vivienne.

PAL provided free tickets to Los Angeles and back, while ABI shouldered the onward trip to Florida and other incidental expenses, including hotel accommodation.

“PAL’s support of world-class athletes has been demonstrated through the decades. It befits them to be flown by the national flag carrier when they compete for country and flag at tournaments abroad,” said Bautista.

The team won the gold in Men’s 1,000 meters, Mixed 200 meters, Men’s 200 meters, Mixed 500 meters and Men’s 500 meters; and the silver in All Comers 200 meters and All Comers 200 meters.

The team successfully defended their title as overall Men’s and Mixed champions, having ruled the 2007 and 2009 editions of the World Dragon Boat Racing in Australia and the Czech Republic, respectively. – Rudy Santos