P-Noy bares all-out support to elite sports for int'l meets

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan  ,Philippines – President Aquino made mention of the Philippine Sports Commission’s proposed road map that focuses on priority sports in his keynote speech in the opening ceremony of the Palarong Pambansa at the packed Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here yesterday.

Speaking in Filipino before some 10,000 athletes, coaches and officials from 17 participating regions and 20,000 spectators and guests, including former President Fidel Ramos, the Chief Executive was referring to the PSC’s plan of pouring support mostly to boxing, taekwondo, athletics, swimming, wushu, archery, wrestling, bowling, weightlifting and billiards.

“Bukod naman sa pakikituwang sa DepEd sa pangangasiwa sa mga kompetisyon, nakalatag na rin po ang 2011-2016 Phl Sports Roadmap ng Phl Sports Commission (Aside from the help of DepEd in organizing the Palarong Pambansa, there is also the 2011-2016 Phl Sports Road map of the PSC),” said the Chief Executive.

“Halos 200 milyon po, o 33 percent ng tinataya nating annual remittance sa ilalim ng National Sports Development Fund ang ilalaan para sa pagpapaunlad ng mga sports na ito (Almost P200 million, or 33 percent of our estimated annual remittance under the NSDF are among the budget we’re allocating to help in the development of these sports),” he added.

P-Noy also cited the revival of the Batang Pinoy National Games late last year and the creation of the Philippine National Games as part of the government’s program to scout potential members of future national teams.

The Chief Executive also stressed the need to support the disabled athletes and prison inmates through the PSC.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. and Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia and commissioner Jolly Gomez were also present in festive ceremonial rites and liked what they heard.

“We hope that we can integrate the Batang Pinoy with the Palaro so that grassroots sports will have a wider base,” said Cojuangco, who recently attended the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) meeting in Moscow, Russia.

“In Russia, in fact, 40-percent of their youth are into sports while we only have five to seven percent. This is the main thrust of all NOCs now, in fact in Russia,” he added.

A colorful parade and the lighting of the games’ urn done by no less than PBA star Danny Ildefonso and the President himself highlighted the day that officially ushered in this annual multi-sports meet for elementary and secondary athletes.

Also present during the opening rites were some of Aquino’s Cabinet secretaries and political allies, including local officials headed by host Gov. Amado Espino Jr.