Sports as a national priority

In our recent Christmas Contest, we asked readers to write in three sentences or less, why or why not sports should be a priority in the national government agenda. Our first prize winner Fundador Soriano’s brief essay was excerpted in this column last Tuesday. It’s interesting to find out what people have to say about this. Here’s what some of the other winners said:

Josephine Ramos, 41, schoolteacher: “Sports should be a priority in our national government agenda. It helps to promote unity among Filipinos and gives inspiration to everyone.”

Roel Abe, 44, bank employee: “Philippine government should focus and give priority and importance to the level of competence of sports in the country. Because of the impact and excellence of our athletes nowadays, government must do something different in order to sustain and continue to be more progressive in the field of sports such as boxing, basketball, football, to name a few. Sports makes the country to be united and binding – it can bring us to a greater horizon.”

Dalton Chiong, 27, law graduate: “Gone are the days when power and standing of a nation are measured by its capacity to wage war and to defend the integrity of its territory. The modern-day barometer does not cause bloodshed and hatred but awakens the heart and passion of the people through sports. So, sports should be a priority of the national government.”

Augusto Mendoza, 66, retired employee: “I think sports should be a priority in our government’s agenda because basically, when people are engaged in sports, they become healthy and more productive. The youth, who are into sports like basketball, boxing, etc., have a healthy lifestyle instead of becoming drug addicts and a menace to our society. Through sports, we also develop great talents like Manny Pacquiao, Kobe Paras, et al.”

Tony Gioketo, 42, administrative officer, Gapan District Hospital, Nueva Ecija: “If there is one particular field where Filipinos can be at par and can excel globally, it is in the field of sports. If there is one thing that can inspire a nation stricken by poverty, frequently battered by calamities and hounded by tragedies one after another, it is sports. And so, for a nation whose passion for sports is next to none, the least that the government can do to uplift the morale of the citizenry is to make sports a priority in the national agenda.”

Joel Quinantoto, 48, housekeeper: “Dapat maging priority ang sports kasi karangalan ng ating bansa ang makapag-uwi ng medalya sa Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games at Olympics.”

Eduardo Isleta, 44, Jollibee restaurant manager: “Sports should be a priority in our national government agenda because sports is one of the most powerful communication tools due to its universal appeal, its convening power and its many positive associations. It has the ability to communicate messages such as cooperation, co-existence or how to graciously manage victory of defeat.”

John Matthew de la Cruz, 17, student: “Sports should be a priority in our national government agenda because with sports, our country is known. We are great with all kinds of sports and recently, after almost 70 years, we were back in the FIBA World Cup and it’s a big blessing to our country. Filipinos love sports, especially basketball so that in every corner of the Philippines, you will see Filipinos playing in public courts, backyards or even the streets.”

Benedicto Rivera, 69, retired: “Sports development that focuses on sports that were proven to bring recognition for our country wherein we have a strong pool of talents however lack financial assistance. Sports business that focuses on investing in state-of-the-art facilities which can bring us at the forefront of sports excellence that potentially invite international franchises, sponsors and investors. Sports education that focuses on reinforcement of sports among the youth, out-of-school youth and working professionals to alleviate increasing physical inactivity which can hit the country’s overall wellness which ultimate impacts our economic standing.”

Angelique Agulto, 27, QA engineer: “We’ve seen enough proof of how sports, in general, unites the country, promotes a healthy lifestyle, keeps the youth away from bad vices. Physical and mental health, social skills, values formation, fun and recreation, long-term investment and national treasure – that’s sports. National government, hello?”

Francis Joseph Acop, 42, barefoot running coach: “Sports should be a priority in our national agenda because sports, I believe, teaches us to live in the present moment wisely and passionately, to be in the now. It also teaches us the values of hard work, discipline plus courage and integrity which are what the Filipino and the Philippines badly need right now.”

Leslie Comon-Lituanas, 41, travel coach: “Sports should be a priority in our national agenda because sports brings every Filipino individual and community together, highlighting the commonalities and bridging cultural or ethnic divides we have in us. Sports breaks barriers that divide social classes in our society, making it a powerful tool to support conflict prevention and peace-building efforts, symbolically at the country level and very practically within communities that promote social integration and foster tolerance, helping to reduce tension and generating dialogue in our ever ethnic strife-torn Philippines.”

Ariel Clarito, 37, sales training manager, Abbott Laboratories: “Sports, along with the arts, is the lifeblood and soul of a nation. There is nothing like a national team, like Gilas Pilipinas during the FIBA World Cup and the Azkals in the Suzuki Cup, or a major sporting event that can galvanize a people and instill in them pride, honor and love for flag and country. We become more of a nation when we can rally behind our national heroes, our athletes as they compete in the international arena and carry with them the hopes and aspirations of our people.”