The recent national pride brought about by the victorious stint of the Philippine Dragot Boat Team at Tampa Bay, Florida led to a number of realizations from various angles.
From the perspective of Philippine traditional politics, this Sports event proved how problematic our system for supporting and developing sports is. This morning, while watching the news, I was able to grasp a little bit of information as to why the government did not recognize the Philippine Dragon Boat Team. Mr. Ricardo Garcia of PSC mentioned that PDBT is not affiliated or registered to the Philippine Sports Commission, which makes them an “illegitimate” Philippine team. Being illegitimate, they are also stripped off from the benefits and support provided by the Philippine government. R.A. 9064 (An Act Granting cash and Other non-Monetary Benefits and Incentives to National Athletes, Coaches, and Trainers, Appropriating funds therefor and for other Purposes) defines that a “National Athlete are Filipino citizens, members of the national training pool, recognized and accredited by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and who have represented the country in international competitions”
It’ s just disheartening to realize that the reason why we don’t win in international sports events like the Olympics is not because we lack the skills and the talents, but simply because of papers and of politics. I don’t know what exactly is the conflict between the two parties, but I’m quite sure that this happened because both parties did not reach a clear understanding between and among them.
On the brighter side, from the perspective of athleticism, the Philippine Paddlers proved the cliché “If there’s a will, there’s a way”. A few months ago, they were featured in a news program showing how miserable their status is. The picture of Philippine athletes cooking and eating fish along Manila Bay is more than grotesque, it’s unimaginable. However, with the degree of passion and devotion they have for their craft, these men and women did not let such a circumstance to extinguish the fire in them. Thankfully private citizens and private companies joined hands to support their financial needs in joining the said sports event. Similar to the Philippine Azkals and Philippine Volcanoes, we have proven that even without the presence of the Philippine government, we can really produce quality athletes. Of course, private companies are capitalists in nature, they are helping because it’s a way of marketing and making themselves known, thus increasing sales. But for me, that’s beyond the point. What’s important is that they were able to support and revive our comatosed athletes.
Finally, from the perspective of nationalism and patriotism, Filipinos in Florida proved that despite being away from the country, they still embody the spirit of Bayanihan within them. Bayanihan is possibly more than cultural, it could be biological or spiritual. It is heart-warming and motivating to learn that Filipinos chipped in to support our athletes. It’s something to be proud about.
The Philippine Dragon Boat Team bagged 5 gold medals, but it was never a smooth sailing. They obviously paddled against strong waves discouragements and a tsunami of politicking. But more than the gold, they have brought home the sense of pride, perseverance, and passion. That even without the presence of government support, we can still win. We can still survive.
However, let me be clear that I am not tolerating the corrupt practices of the government. In one way or another, the President Aquino should do something about the PSC, probably ratify or modify the mechanism for registering or affiliating a team or be more open to possibilities and partnerships. Whatever moves they plan to do, they must act soon.
In the end, the lesson that Filipinos should learn from this is John F. Kennedy’s famous lines, "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country"
Manny Pacquiao, Efren “Bata” Reyes, Wesley So, Paeng Nepomuceno, Lydia de Vega, Elma Muros, the Philippine Dragon Boat Team, and Philippine Azkals, and many more did their part. Let’s do ours too.
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