Olympians are both born and made. Our country’s programs to produce future Olympians should, therefore, include maternal care, infant health, and child care because that’s where it all starts–from the moment of conception and the health of the parents, especially the mother.
Healthy mothers and healthy babies must be the baseline of any national sports development program because the basics of brain capacity and physical abilities start in the mother’s womb and the reproductive health of both mother and father.
These ideas must be part of any comprehensive, long-term Olympics program and the sustainable development goals on human resource development. This is why the proposed Magna Carta of Children and the Magna Carta of BHWs (barangay health workers) are much more important now than ever before. These Magna Cartas must be part of the superstructure that leads to having more world champions, Olympians and Olympic medals.
At the core of the priorities must be proper nutrition, close monitoring, and sustenance for fetal and infant growth, along with the physical condition, mental health, and home environment of the mother. This is where our laws against violence against women and children become relevant in the Olympics plan.
After the child is born, there must be a potent combination of infant care, child support, daycare, parental education, and gainful employment and entrepreneurship for both parents. Families with more than one income earner have greater chances of success than single breadwinner households.
It will take at least six years before kindergarten, play learning, physical education, and school sports become relevant on the path to the Olympics.