Sports: Aquino Underscores the Importance of Sports
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - President Benigno Aquino III underscores the importance of sports to discover more talents to represent the country in international sports competition as he addresses about 10,000 athletes and officials in the formal opening of the 2012 Palarong Pambansa at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here yesterday.
He congratulated all athletes, officials, coaches, and the individuals & organization that made this year’s grassroots sports competition.
He underscored the holding of this year’s Palarong Pambansa serving as the huge avenue to excel the Filipino skills and talents in sports competition. He said, in the next few days the athletes from seventeen regions in the country will showcase their prowess in chosen sports events.
"More than six decades already Palarong Pambansa was held starting from the local competitions as we try to discover more talents to lead the country in international sports competitions like discoveries of Lydia De Vega and Elma Muros in athletics, Danny Ildefonso and Marlou Aquino in basketball, Susan Papa and Eric Buhain in swimming, and Chiefy Caligdong and Kristopher Camcam of Azkals in football," he added.
He also underscored the importance of discipline and dedication in order to attain the athletes’ excellence in sports. The athletes serve as model for the youth and inspiration of the nation.
Aquino assured the athletes of his continued support of sports. He claimed that for 2012 Palarong Pambansa, the Department of Education has appropriated about P200 million for equipment and orderly holding of this year’s sports competition.
In cooperation with the DepEd, the President said, preparation of the 2011-2016 Philippine Sports Roadmap of the Philippine Sports Commission have been set. This include the so-called "focus sports policy, " where it focus to improve selected sports including boxing, taekwondo, athletics, swimming, wushu, archery, wrestling, bowling, weightlifting, and billiards.
About P 200-million or about 33% of the annual remittance under the National Sports Development Fund have been set to improve these sports disciplines.
He claimed, in 2011, Batang Pinoy, one program that focus on the young athletes has been revived as well as the Philippine National Games that will serve as the national try-out for our athletes in the grassroots level to give them the chance to be part of the Philippine team. The next PNG will be held in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental also this month.* (CMGarde)
