‘Hidilyn’s Victory Gives Proposed Sports Department A Push’

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’s gold medal victory in the Tokyo Olympics should serve as an eye-opener for government to invest more in national athletes and create a Department of Sports (DOS), a House leader said on Tuesday night, July 27.?

Speaking with “The Chiefs” on Cignal TV’s One News Tuesday night, Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero vowed to pursue the proposed DOS in Congress.

“Hidilyn should make us rethink our sports education and development. The scarcity of resources of our national athletes is precisely the problem in Philippine sports,” Romero of 1-Pacman party-list said.

“Hidilyn’s victory is an eye-opener for the government. This will definitely play a major role,” he added.

Hours after Diaz’s historic win in weightlifting, her Instagram post two years back in which she pleaded for financial support for her preparations made the rounds online.

Romero said he would give Diaz P3 million for bringing home the Olympic gold.

“On the part of the House, we will see how we can increase funding for the sports development program. The Speaker is a sportsman himself so hopefully we can pass this (DOS bill) on third reading. In the Senate, we also have senators who we know are also sportsmen and can support our bill,” he said, referring to House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.

Romero authored the measure since joining the House in the previous Congress, but admitted that it has not been in the priorities of the government due to lack of funding.

“We really need this DOS. Putting up a department means we won’t have a measly P500-million annual budget for our sports programs, including food and allowances of athletes and coaches, which actually even comes from PAGCOR or PCSO. I think P10 billion will give us enough infrastructure to develop our athletes nationwide,” he said.

Romero believes that a DOS would propagate sports all over the country by building stadiums, courts and training centers in provinces, which he said could attract and develop athletes and pave the way for more olympic gold medals in the future.

Like him, Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino also called for bigger funding for the country’s sports programs through the creation of the DOS as he was interviewed in the same program.

“Funding has been the biggest challenge for our athletes. Even our neighbors in ASEAN, they’re putting up billions for sports programs while ours is only a portion of that,” Tolentino, congressman of Cavite’s eighth district, said.

The POC head, who is leading the Philippine contingent in Tokyo, said most countries with successful sports program have their own DOS.

Highest honor

Meanwhile, another House leader called for conferment of the Philippine Legion of Honor to Diaz.

Deputy Speaker and Las Piñas City Rep. Camille Villar filed House Resolution No. 2020 to congratulate and commend the Filipino weightlifting star for her unprecedented victory which brought hope in this time of pandemic.

“It is high time to confer to the four-time Olympian the Philippine Legion of Honor (Lehiyong Pandangal ng Pilipinas) for her heartwarming victory and for uplifting national glory and pride in the world sports stage,” the congresswoman noted.

The Philippine Legion of Honor, the highest award the President can bestow without the need for approval by Congress, is conferred upon civilians or members of the military, Filipino or foreign, in recognition of valuable and meritorious service in relation to military affairs of the Philippines.

On Wednesday, July 28, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana announced that Diaz has been promoted staff sergeant of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) as she arrived from Japan.

Sobejana said her promotion, made effective on July 27, is in recognition of how the soldier-athlete made her country and military family proud.

“We laud and support this move at the General Headquarters to mark SSg. Diaz’s remarkable achievements in the field of sports and for bringing pride and glory to our country,” he said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, PAF chief Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes and Sobejana were among the first to congratulate Diaz after her victory. – With Michael Punongbayan