Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17) — House Speaker and Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) chairperson Alan Peter Cayetano said that strengthening the Philippine National Games would help athletes prepare for international competitions.
Following the recent achievement of Filipino athletes, Cayetano suggested to incentivize the said multi-sport event of the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee by giving higher cash prize.
“We don’t fund them to be one day, one week, one-month champions…So, I think we should strengthen ‘yung ating National Games, hold it every other year, at i-organize well, and then matataas ‘yung mga premyo, aside from recognition. That way, all sports of all ages, mate-train tayo,” said Cayetano.
[Translation: We don’t fund them to be one day, one week, one-month champions…So, I think we should strengthen our national games, hold it every other year, and organize it well. Then we could give higher prizes aside from recognition. In that way, we would be trained in all sports and in all ages.]
Further, local government units would also receive an incentive for providing training facilities for athletes.
“So, ‘pag ginawa mong very strong ‘yung Philippine National Games and every other year, at matataas ang premyo, meron ding incentive ang mga LGUs to build the facilities and to help in the training of their athletes,” said Cayetano.
[Translation: If we will strengthen the Philippine National Games and hold it every other year, aside from the high cash prize, LGUS will be also given an incentive to build facilities and to help in training of their athletes.]
The Philippine national team had an impressive stint in the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games, wherein the country’s squad bagged 387 overall medals with 149 golds, 117 silvers, and 121 bronze medals.
Cayetano also said that all sports must be included in the national multi-sport event citing that the recent SEA Games highlighted Filipino athletes from non-mainstream sports.
“So, I think the more inclusive we can be, remember there are billions of people around the world, iba-iba talaga ang skill, iba-iba ang hilig talaga, no, and Filipinos sometimes focus on two or three sports, or wherever we win a gold medal. Pero we can be great at so, so many different sports,” he said.
[Translation: So, I think the more inclusive we can be, remember there are billions of people around the world with different skills and interests, and Filipinos sometimes focus on two or three sports, or wherever we win a gold medal. But we can be great at so many different sports.]
Arnis collected the most number of gold medals, gathering 14, while athletics had 11, and dancesport chipping in 10 golds.
Aside from the Philippine National Games, another multi-sport event in the country is the Palarong Pambansa which showcases athleticism of elementary and high school students.
READ: PH is 2019 SEA Games overall champion
The most recent edition of the Philippine National Games was held in Cebu City last 2018.
