Solons bat for creation of Olympian Memorial

MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Speaker Eric Martinez led a group of congressmen who filed a bill in Congress Thursday seeking to memorialize the heroism of Filipino Olympians.

House Bill No. 10096 is eyeing to rename the New Clark Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac after 1932 Olympic high jump bronze medalist Simeon Toribio and the nearby New Clark City Aquatics Center after swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso, who copped Olympic bronze medals in the 200-meter breaststroke in 1928 in Amsterdam and 1932 in LA.

Martinez, a former House sports committee chairman from the second district of Valenzuela, also proposes the Philippine Institute of Sports Football and Athletics Stadium, formerly ULTRA, in Pasig be named after hurdler Miguel White, the country’s last Olympic medal in track field (400m hurdles bronze) in 1936 in Berlin.

Martinez, along with Reps. Faustino Michael Carlos Dy, Yul Servo, Dale Malapitan and Edward Maceda, also seeks to establish the Philippine Olympian Memorial, a museum that will be stationed at the New Clark City.

“Our national athletes have not, historically, been given the recognition, material and moral support they rightfully deserve,” said Martinez, who predicted early last year that the country would end its search for the elusive first Olympic gold in Tokyo.

“The resources extended to them are historically way below compared to what many of our neighboring countries have been regularly providing for their national athletes.

“It is, therefore, through this memorialization of our athletes’ successes that the country reciprocates for the sacrifices they have given and from which today’s and the future generations could draw inspiration from,” he added.

Interestingly, the Philippine Sports Commission has just named the weightlifting gym at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who delivered the country’s breakthrough mint in Tokyo.

The PSC board chaired by William Ramirez has also agreed to rename its other sports facilities after Olympic heroes Felicisimo Ampo (tennis court), Teofilo Yldefonso (RMSC pool) and Simeon Toribio (RMSC track oval).

Soon, the PSC Multi-Purpose Gym, formerly the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, will be called the Carlos Loyzaga Stadium after the person widely considered the greatest Filipino basketball player of all time.