Sunday, April 20, 2008 Palaro is future of RP sports: Ramirez
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- The Palarong Pambansa, which is set to open at the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex Sunday, is the future of Philippine sports.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William "Butch" Ramirez issued this statement to Davao City sportswriters at his room in the Philsports dormitory in Pasig, Metro Manila Friday morning.
"The Palaro is a youth grassroots sports program that is like a taclobo of the pearl. It is the future of sports in the country. We get our potential national team athletes from the Palaro," said Ramirez, who will be missed at the opening rites.
"I'm really scheduled to go to Palawan but I'm down with pneumonia. I'm reserving my energy for my trip to China on Monday to supervise the training of our Olympic-bound athletes as tasked by President (Gloria Macapagal) Arroyo," he said.
Ramirez, however, maintained that, "we are supporting the Palaro all the way."
We help the hosts with the equipment, mats and technical support from PSC," he said.
When asked about his wish for this year's staging of the nationwide sportsfest for elementary and secondary athletes, the PSC chief said: "I believe the Department of Education and the host have learned lessons from what happened in Koronadal. I haven't been remiss of my advice. Life is a team."
The Palaro held in Koronadal last year had recorded deaths due to heatstroke.
"I'm confident that the athletes and delegates will have a grand time in Palawan. It is the frontier of tourism. It is one of the best, if not the best, places in the world," Ramirez said.
"I congratulate Mayor Edward Hagedorn and DepEd (Department of Education) Secretary Jesli Lapus for being the frontrunners of this year's Palaro," he added.
After his trip in China, particularly in Beijing, he will fly to Korea in May then to Cuba then to the USA in June.
The Philippines has yet to win a gold medal in the quadrennial meet to be held in Beijing in August this year. (MLSA)
