FVR: Ama ng Philippine National Games
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 08 Aug 2022
Bukas, ika-9 ng Agosto, ay ilalagak na sa kanyang huling hantungan ang mga labi ni dating Pangulong Fidel Valdez Ramos, ang ika-12 Punong Tagapagpaganap ng Pilipinas na kinilalang Ama ng Philippine National Games bilang tampok na programa ng kanyang administrasyon sa pagpapaunlad ng sports sa bansa.
Ang PNG ay bahagi ng pambansang polisiya ng ‘Sports For All’ na nagbigay katotohanan para mabuksan ang sports sa mas malawak na base ng mga kabataang Pilipino, di tulad noong una na iilan lamang ang nakinabang.
Ang taunang Philippine National Games na nagsimulang ganapin noong 1994, ay nagpatunay na ang ating mga pambansang atleta, ayon na rin kay Pangulong FVR mismo, ay posibleng lumahok at magwagi sa mga kompetisyon batay sa mga pamantayang pandaigdigan at regulasyon.
Pinatunayan ito, wika niya, ng boksingerong si Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco na sa pagkakaton ay hinandugan ang Pilipinas ng Olympic silver medal sa pagdiriwang ng ika-100 taong ng Olimpiyada na idinaos noong 1996, sa Atlanta, USA. O dalawang taon matapos mailunsad ang PNG.
“This year of heroes has been a great year for Philippine sports, wika ni FVR. “This sports revival is the fruit of the collective efforts of many.”
“Besides Onyok’s victory, this is also the first time that the Philippines has qualified by Olympic standards for badminton (Weena Lim) and equestrian sport (Denise Cojuangco),” paliwanag ng matagal na naging pangulo ng Philippine Badminton Association at pangalawang pangulo ng Philippine Olympic Committee.
Inihambing ni Pangulong FVR ang tagumpay ni Onyiok sa Atlanta Games sa pagsasabing “this stunning performance in the 1996 Olympics, Velasco is already our hero. In the eyes of our people, it is like he had won the gold.”
“Velasco’s gallant campaign could not have come at a more appropriate time—in this year of our heroes, in tribute to the courageous Filipinos who a century ago started the struggle for our independence,” aniya.
“In Velasco we affirm the legacy of Rizal, Aguinaldo and Bonifacio—that the tradition of grit, determination and heroism—is alive in the present generation,” pagtitiyak niya.
Bukod sa kabayanihan ni Onyok, ang mga binibining sina Weena at Denise may iba pang atletang Pinoy ang nakapagbigay ng karangalan sa bansa at sa lahing Kayumanggi sai iba’t-ibang sporting arena sa buong daigdig sa panahon ng pamamahala ni FVR.
”We also hail Jennifer Rosales, our girl jun-golfer, who is the reigning world champion in her age bracket. Dorothy Dilasin comes a close second,” wika ng Pangulo.
Ang iba pang sports kung saan ay nagpakitang gilas ang mga atletang Pinoy sa kani-kanyang kompetisyong pang-internasyonal ay ang regatta sailing, choreographic ice skating, triathlon, rally-car racing, wu-shu, taekwondo at karate.
Mga Pilipno rin ang naging kampeon sa Asya sa panahon ng kanyang panunungkulan sa chess, bowling at men’s junior golf. Nakilala rin si Luisito Espinosa, featherweight champion ng World Boxing Association.
Ang pinaka-mahalagang kontribusyon ng PNG sa programa para paunlarin ang palakasan sa bansa ay ang paglapitin ang agwat sa pagitan ng “grassroot and high-level sports through the participation of all sectors of our society in community-based and year-round competitions that had been organized and administered by various agencies.”
Ang PNG bilang centerpiece ng programa ay itinatag ng Execujtive Order no. 163 na nilgdaan ng Pangulo noong Marso 3, 1993, alinsunod sa Section 19(1), Article XIV, ng 1987 Saligang Batas na nagsasaad: “The State shall promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions, and amateur sports, including training for international competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry.”
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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