Sports a priority for ‘Pamana’ awardee

Legario (Ollie) Cantos VII lost his eyesight when he was a baby in Los Angeles. He was born two months premature and suffered nerve damage in both eyes because the oxygen was poorly regulated in the incubator. As a result of the accident that led to the affliction known as retinopathy of prematurity, Cantos is totally blind in the left eye and has three percent vision in his right eye with no depth perception.

Despite the disability, Cantos grew up determined to make a difference in his life. He took up law, became a leading spokesman as a national figure for the disabled, joined the US government and is now the Associate Director of the White House domestic policy council in President George Bush’s office.

Cantos, 36, is the highest-placed disabled executive in the federal government today.

Last week, Cantos received the "Pamana Ng Pilipino" award from President Arroyo in rites honoring Filipino overseas achievers at the Rizal Hall in Malacañang.

Cantos — who traces his roots to Batangas — is in town with his mother Linda on his fourth trip to the country, his first in 19 years. Coming home is something he’d like to do more often. He was 10 on his first visit. The impact he has created in the US as a champion for the disabled, Cantos hopes to replicate here.

Cantos says speaking out for the disabled isn’t about himself. He makes it a point to be visible in media to harp on the importance of the disabled integrating in all aspects of life — politics, personal responsibility where there is no reliance on caddy care and sports.

"Sports is about having fun and enjoying life," says Cantos. "It’s an integral part of nation-building. Sports is a unifying factor, rallying people behind a single cause like Filipinos, regardless of political color or creed, praying for Manny Pacquiao to win every fight. Politicians, who are at odds with each other, are united by sports. Sports also showcases the athletic ability of a people."

It goes without saying that government should prioritize the development of sports as a source of national pride, adds Cantos.

In his own life, Cantos says he finds time for sports as an active participant or a hometeam fan cheering for the California Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Lakers and Clippers.

Believe it or not, Cantos plays basketball and bowling and goes ice-skating, horseback-riding and roller-blading.

"When I was a kid, I played basketball in the backyard of our home with my cousins and I remember hitting a miracle three-pointer once to win a game," recalls Cantos. "Because of my disability, I use my other senses. I listen to things, get a feel of what’s going on around me. In basketball, I listen to people shoot and figure out how high or close I am to the rim. It takes an unbelievable amount of practice to play."

In bowling, Cantos surprised his White House co-workers in a recent friendly series at the Lucky Strike lanes in Washington, D. C, by rolling the second highest individual score. He owns a personalized ball with his name engraved on it, a gift from uncle Ding Dagdagan.

Before throwing a ball, Cantos probes the width of the lane with a cane then positions himself for the roll. He refuses to play with bumpers and says he’ll take a gutter ball if he deserves it.

In 1997, Cantos did the unthinkable by finishing a 26.2-mile bikathon riding in tandem with lawyer Mark West then running a full marathon in Los Angeles on the same morning.

"I was sore for three weeks," says Cantos. "I’ll never do that again. But I did run the L. A. marathon twice more, in 1999 and 2000. I finished ahead of a few thousand runners, considering there were 23,000 starters. I did it for the money — to raise funds for the Legal Aid Foundation of L. A. and the Blind Children’s Center. In all, I’ve raised over $20,000."

Cantos says the key to having fun in sports is to play competitively.

"I support the paralympic games but I’d like to see the day when a disabled athlete is good enough to participate in open competition, in the broader Olympics," he says. "Disabled athletes shouldn’t be kept separated. We should go for it, on our own, integrate and compete with all other athletes."

In 2000, Cantos was the torch bearer in a Los Angeles street parade commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Awareness with Disabilities Act and took the flame into Dodgers Stadium as a prelude to a pro baseball game. That only magnified Cantos’ love for sports and fight for recognition of disabled athletes.

Cantos says he once went to a Clippers game and cheered himself hoarse. His sister Jennifer, 29, is an avid Lakers fan. As a "California kid," Cantos says he supports all the hometeams even if he’s now based in Washington, D. C. He’s a loyal Dodgers fan with a cap and a jacket to show for it.

To keep fit, Cantos jogs or works out in the gym three to four days a week, when his work schedule allows.

"Going to the gym is like a family affair," says Cantos. "Our family has a membership at Bally Total Fitness which has gyms all over the country. In L. A., my father and I used to take a smoothie protein drink after working out and before a sauna. My mom also works out to keep young and some people even think she’s my wife. Now that I live in Washington, D. C., I do little things for exercise like taking the stairs instead of riding the elevator, walking at a fast pace and staying active. When I find the time to work out, I do the treadmill and stairmaster."

Cantos says his fighting weight is 180 pounds but on this trip to Manila, he’s eating without counting calories. Since he’s on vacation, Cantos says he gave himself a nutritional waiver.

Cantos attended Loyola Marymount University. Varsity basketball star Bo Kimble, who played in the NBA, was a classmate in speech and communications class. As an alumnus, Cantos says he is aware that Ron Jacobs is considered one of Loyola Marymount’s greatest coaches.

Cantos says he’s a voracious reader (graduating from novels by John Grisham and Stephen King to the inspiring works of self-help success coaches Stephen Cobey, W. Clement Stone and Anthony Robbins), a big movie fan (science fiction — he was a guest at the launch of the Universal Studios theater with descriptive video facilities for the blind in 2000) and a Big Brother supporter.

"It’s not right to say the blind go to hear, not see, movies," says Cantos. "I enjoy seeing movies like everyone else. There are theaters that provide headsets with descriptive audio, like listening to a play-by-play radio sports announcer. My favorite is all six Star War movies."

Before entering law school, Cantos learned how to cook at a Louisiana center, where the blind are guided to live independently. He bakes cakes from scratch, without using ready mixes, cooks a delicious casserole and whips up a savory chicken dish. But lately, Cantos just eats out because his White House work hours are too unpredictable.

Cantos’ mother is his biggest fan. "Ollie can relate to people of any age, of any persuasion," she says. "He has spoken to audiences of over 6,000 people. He is constantly being interviewed for TV, radio and print. He has given talks to the Army, the Navy and even the FBI. Once, after a trip to Minnesota with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Ollie asked to hitch a ride in his limousine to the White House. That’s how he is — sincere, friendly and with no pretenses."

The Bush Administration defers to Cantos on domestic policy matters relating to the disabled and he is called to brief the President when necessary.

"The President is a down-to-earth kind of a guy, an outdoors man," he says. "He’s the kind of guy you’d like to watch a game on TV with while drinking beer. I admire him a lot. Unfortunately, I haven’t found the opportunity to talk sports with him."

Cantos says he was thrilled to meet President Arroyo.

"She remembers my grandfather Olegario, Sr. who was a Batangas congressman from 1965 to 1969," he says. "President Arroyo even remembers he was a doctor. My grandfather campaigned for President Arroyo’s father and was responsible for President Macapagal’s victory in Batangas. It was President Macapagal who appointed my grandfather to the board of the national waterworks authority before he became a congressman."

Cantos was nominated for the "Pamana" award by Zeny Zoleta of the United Batangueños Association of Southern California.