Our national sport, arnis, has to be given the respect it deserves!
In the Philippine Olympic Committee – Philippine Sports Commission (POC-PSC) “Batang Pinoy” Luzon leg National qualifying held in Malolos, Bulacan, last July 18-23, our very own National Sports and Martial Arts ARNIS was held in a venue not suitable for the sport.
But thanks to Malolos Central School for lending your school for the venue.
It seems there is discrimination as other sports event during the Batang Pinoy are held in cool and comfortable venues like malls and closed courts with proper ventilation and cool air condition.
Others endure the heat in covered courts and flood prone venues.
The sad part is our national sports and martial arts arnis where athletes have to find comfort in manual fan, ice water and other remedies they could come up just to bear the humidity and perform as expected in their competition.
The same can also be said in other competitions, not only in Batang Pinoy.
The only venue that suited a conducive playing area was the venue in Silay, Bacolod, during the 2009 or 2010 (PNG) Philippine National Games (if I’m not mistaken).
Other than that, all playing venues for arnis are like an oven and a torture for the arnis athletes.
I remember in one PNG where athletes were fainting due to the humidity of the venue and athletes were taking their shirts off just to cool themselves a little and continue competing.
There are more to this sentiment. So if anyone in our Philippine Sports Commission would care, please seek the stories of the athletes who are billeted in schools, and playing in humid venues, not only in arnis but in all sports because majority have their stories to tell about the discomfort of being an athlete with the provided billeting and playing venues.
Please hear their stories and maybe your heart would be touched and hope there is something that could be done to improve it if not totally change it for the better.
To the Baguio Arnis Team who is stricken with many circumstances but still rose to the expectation, Congratulations! To the respective coaches, yours’ truly, Andre Foman-eg, Raymart Guttierez and Kristen Pearl Tamiking a job well done! Thank you to all those who in one way or another expressed and handed their support and prayers! Still the over-all champions! A precedence of the just concluded Philippine National Games Luzon Leg held in Marikina Riverbanks, where Baguio Arnis Team Also bagged the over-all championship.
To the whole Baguio delegation, congratulations! God bless us all!