Tuesday, August 07, 2007 Guv: Keen on hosting MOF than winning
GOVERNOR Oscar S. Moreno and the Provincial Capitol may seem be contented hosting the local Philippine Olympic Festival qualifier than solidifying its roster of athletes in the fight for the top honors.
This, after the organizing committee of the MOF qualifying games did not virtually "lift a finger" to convince certain school directors here to cooperate by allowing their top-notch students-athletes to compete.
With only a week to go before the multifarious event uncorks at the Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Center, updates on the varsity athletes' participation in the MOF remain to be in the negative side.
"Although conflict sa exam period sa mga bata ang playdates sa MOF, I think mapangitaan man tingali na og pamaagi basta magpadala lang og formal letter of request ang host province," one sports coordinator of a private school told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Corpus Christi in Macasandig and Xavier University are two of the leading private school institutions in the city which accommodated promising athletes in their respective varsity scholarship sports programs.
Corpus has the likes of RP's table tennis princess Ian Lariba and taekwondo hopeful Josafath Licayan, while XU has the multi-titled lawn tennis age-group hotshot Francis Casey Alcantara and former Batang Pinoy chess champion Sittie Halia Sabo.
During the MOF's launching forum with the local press at the Capitol, Gov. Moreno, however, stressed out that winning is not the "only thing" or "everything" in a sporting meet.
"By hosting alone the Mindanao Olympic Festival ma-consider na nga daug `ta kay kini nga programa dakong tabang pag-diskubre sa mga talents in the grassroots area," words similar to what had been emphasized earlier by the good governor.
Latest words from him aired by Bombo Radyo yesterday revealed that Misamis Oriental is on a round-the-clock preparation to ensure the success of the week-long competition.
"Tanan busy labi na pagpreparar sa kapuy-an sa mga atleta, ilang transportation ug uban pa. Busa akong gihangyo atong mga kaigsoonan sa Misamis Oriental ug dakbayan sa Cagayan de Oro paghatag sa ilang suporta niini nga kalihokan," Moreno said.
Events to be disputed are in athletics, aquatics, karatedo, taekwondo, gymnastics, table tennis, judo, archery, baseball, chess, sepak takraw, basketball, arnis, football, muay, powerlifting and wrestling. (LLS)
