FORMER Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional director Yogi Felimon Ruiz truly believes that the future of Cebu City lies in the Cebuano youth and what better way to mold them to become future leaders and better individuals than through sports.
Ruiz has huge plans for the youth and will be kicking off his “#kuYogiMi Sports For All Advocacy For A Better Cebu City” program next month that will target all the barangays of Cebu City.
“We should have a comprehensive sports program. They should be involved in sports activities during their vacation. It should be simultaneous in all barangays, fostering competition. We want to teach the kids sportsmanship. We should teach them that losing is a lesson to better themselves and become stronger and more equipped to become winners,” said Ruiz in a press conference on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, at the Feria Restaurant of the Radisson Blu Cebu.
Ruiz believes that sports is an integral part of developing the youth and he wants it to be readily available at the barangay level.
“Every gym should have equipment and not deprive the kids to become better. Maybe we’ll find the next Manny Pacquiao here.
The future is our children and let’s develop them,” said Ruiz, who is an arnisador and a boxing fitness practitioner.
Ruiz wants to keep the kids away from vices, like drugs, through sports.
Ruiz’s sports program will be realized with the help of huge corporate companies that are willing to help him in his advocacy.
“This won’t come from my personal funds. I’ll just be serving as a conduit for this with multinational companies. We will tap their resources and the winner will be the Cebuano youth,” he said.
Some of the sports Ruiz mentioned as part of his sports program are boxing, arnis, basketball, volleyball, tennis, futsal and skateboarding, to name a few.
“I’ve been poor and I’ve felt how they feel. I want a chance to help our brothers and sisters that need it more,” said Ruiz.
Ruiz, who aspires to become Cebu City mayor, graduated from a barangay high school. He worked his way up the ranks from being a waiter, a salesman, a City Hall casual to later occupy premier executive positions. The highlights of his career is his position as regional director of PDEA, head of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Enforcement and Security Services and the first Cebuano commissioner of the BOC.