Press Release
September 6, 2021

SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA
SPEECH/MANIFESTATION CONGRATULATING AND COMMENDING THE TOKYO 2020 PH OLYMPIC MEDALISTS, POC & PSC
September 6, 2021

"We're here to serve, not to be served." These were the words of Representative Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, quoted by a news article. And although for sure we have heard those words many times over, whether in these halls or outside of them, they certainly ring truer, coming from someone who, in leading the Philippine Olympic Committee, helped the Philippines to achieve its best Olympic run yet.

It is always good to begin with a story. In the year 2020, the entire world faced the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the Philippines, the pandemic was not the only problem. We also had our share of natural disasters in the past year alone. None of us could forget beginning the year with a volcanic eruption. Or the string of typhoons in a time when we should have been looking forward to Christmas. 2020 was, in many ways, a year that challenged all of us, right down to our very core. Was it still possible to believe that there is something good to come?

The Philippine Olympic Committee was more than ready to rise to the challenge, Mr. President. POC President Representative Tolentino, and the respective members of the Executive Board, sought ways to sustain the development of sports in the country. President Tolentino proposed the enacted provision in the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 Law that earmarked a significant amount of public funds for our national athletes and their coaches. Upang masigurong walang atleta o coach na magugutom. Nobody gets left behind, ika nga.

With the same commitment as our Philippine Olympic Committee, our Philippine Sports Commission was there for our athletes since the beginning. Under the leadership of Chairperson William "Butch" Ramirez, with Commissioners Arnold Agustin, Ramon Fernandez, Celia Kiram, and Charles Raymond Maxey, the training and preparation for the Olympics became a real team effort. And we all know the climax of this story, Mr. President: with the Philippines bringing home not just one, but four Olympic medals.

We simply cannot discount the contribution of the PSC and POC in ensuring that our athletes get the training and care they need and deserve. Alam nating lahat ang hirap na dulot nitong pandemya, ngunit hindi kailanman ito ginamit na dahilan ng POC at PSC upang sila'y tumigil sa pagtupad ng kanilang tungkulin at mandato bilang tagapangalaga ng ating mga atleta.

Mr. President, our Olympic Medalists had their fair share of challenges in life.

The same way that exemplary men and women worked hard for their success, our Olympic Gold Medalist Hidilyn Diaz went through the same. She knows what it's like to come home with very little food to eat. She experienced the sorrow too well when one fails despite the hard work exerted. Hidilyn knows what it's like to have none. So, when we see her as she is, and when we see how she lived her life with diligence and selflessness, only then will we come close to understanding the weight she bore on her shoulders.

When we look closer into the life of athlete Hidilyn Diaz, we will see beyond the achievements she gained through her medals and winnings. When she lifted that barbell, she did it because she knows the weight of her early life, which molded her to become no less than an Olympic Gold Medalist.

Sa murang edad naturuan naman si Nesthy ng kanyang mga magulang na huwag sumuko sa kabila ng kahirapan, pangungutya, at pagsubok na darating sa buhay. It is a great feat that she rose from the lowest points of life. She punched her way through the greatest boxers who aim for the championship and all the glory that boxing can give; but Nesthy is different. She fought for something beyond what money and fame could offer. She fought for her family and country.

You see, Mr. President, I am proud to say that Nesthy and I share a lot in common. We both come from our humble birthplace, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. Both of us worked our way from poverty into victory, for our loved ones and our country.

We share, the common denominator between us, with Nesthy is that dadaan kami ng isang sementeryo sa tuwing papasok sa eskwelahan. at tuwing pauwi na ng hapon, kasi yung pera ng pamasahe ay binili ko ng banana cue, wala na akong masahe so I had to walk my way back home. The same na ginagawa ni Nesthy pag papasok sya sa Tuban Elementary School. Dadaan kami ng sementeryo, at yung sementeryo na yan pag hapo, alam mo na pag bata ka, takot ka sa multo, pinipikit ko nalang yung mata ko 'dyan at tatakbo ako. At io-open ko yung mata ko pag lampas na ng sementeryo. So siguro kaya nadevelop na magagaling na atleta yung mga taga Sta. Cruz, dahil sa sementeryo na yon na dinadaanan namin.

In the midst of doubts if Carlo Paalam could win any medal, especially when he was up against the Olympic and World Champion, Shakhobidin Zoirov of Uzbekistan, Paalam bravely pushed along. In the end, he scored a huge win against the favored opponent and attained a sure bronze medal. Pero hindi po dito nagtapos ang laban ni Paalam; he trusted in himself and fought Japan's representative, Ryomei Tanaka, earning a unanimous decision win to finally attain the Olympic Silver Medal. He became the fourth Filipino boxer to win an Olympic silver medal in the history of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Eumir Marcial's effort and humility shone all throughout his fights. At the early age of seven (7), he started his fight through life, in order to help his family, and live a life of comfort. Instead of playing with toys, he trained; instead of relying on their parents to provide, he took up his tattered gloves to fight for those he loves. Kapag ang mga mahal natin sa buhay ang nakataya sa laban, walang kalaban ang hindi natin haharapin, at walang hirap na hindi natin titiisin. Eumir has already won numerous boxing fights, but his recent bout in the Olympics so far is the highlight among all his fights.

What makes these victories so special and sweet, Mr. President, is that whenever we commend our athletes, the POC and the PSC for a job well done, we are also, in fact, congratulating every single Filipino for helping to make it happen. With our taxes. With our prayers. With our love for sports, and most especially, our love for our country.

Mahirap. Mahirap mangarap sa panahon ng pagsubok. Kung sa bisaya pa, Mr. President, dili gyud lalim. Ngunit, sa kabila ng lahat ng hirap, nakayanan ng mga Pilipinong atleta na mangarap at magtiwala na may liwanag sa dulo ng lagusang ito, sa tulong at suporta nating lahat na hindi nagsawang maniwala at manalangin para sa kanila.

We are here to serve, not to be served. It still amazes me how much change can be brought forth when a person, or better yet, an entire nation, would dare take those words seriously and act on them. As we found out in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, when people are true to the commitment to serve and not be served, they can change the course of history, for the better.

It was our first time to win a gold medal in the Olympics. Our first time to win four medals in the Olympics. And with the help of people who have their hearts in the right place, it will certainly not be the last.

Again, let me extend our heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to our Olympic Medalists Hidilyn Diaz, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Eumir Marcial Philippine Sports Commission, and Philippine Olympic Committee.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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