Pia commended local organizers and players on the successful hosting of 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup
Sen. Pia Cayetano's speech co-sponsoring Senate Resolution No. 857

Thank you, Mr President. For the record, our Senate President can outwalk anyone. So kung walking, until midnight, hindi ho yan magpapatigil because I've experienced many official trips where we walk home, which is a great part of our experiences together.

Anyway, Mr President, it is my honor to stand before all of you today to co-sponsor Senate Resolution No. 857, otherwise known as the resolution congratulating the FIBA for the successful hosting of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Mr President, my colleagues have put on record what we have achieved by hosting the World Cup, so let me just share some personal anecdotes and stories to complete the picture. Some time in 2018, my brother Alan said to me, I have an interesting project for you. Coming from Alan, and for those of you who know him, you'll never know what he means when he says he has something interesting. So in my mind, I was like, seryoso? Para sa akin o para sayo? What's interesting? Because what's interesting to me is not necessarily interesting to you, and vice versa. But he said to me, promise you will love it.

And as it turned out, the project was to bid for the FIBA World Cup in 2023. Remember, this was in 2018, so in 2018, five years, ang layo niyan. Ang layo pa. But the opportunity to be part of history and to join MVP and the SBP team was really too hard to resist. And so, I joined them in late 2018 and we headed to Geneva for a series of visits to complete the bid. So with us, not a very big group, but of course, the founder and Chairman Emeritus, MVP was there, President Al Panlilio, on my first trip, Sen. Sonny Angara wasn't with us, but he was on the second trip, where the official bid was made. And it's an interesting experience for me because I was able to use my experience as a world parliamentarian. We actually made a bid with co-host Indonesia and Japan. And our counterpart in Indonesia was actually a member of parliament. And so we also had the opportunity to have many exchanges, and he continues to be a friend to this day.

And on that fateful day, we made our bid with Indonesia and Japan, made our pitch, and then we had to wait. And the waiting was intense. If you recall, we were in the cafeteria, I think MVP was in and out of the important meetings, and we had lunch, and then we waited, and we ate snacks, and we waited, and we ate more snacks, and we waited. And finally, we were called to hear the announcement.

Well, the rest is history. Obviously, we won the bid, we were extremely elated, we were so happy. I mean, this is really something that I really had the honor to be a part of over the last few months. But clearly, MVP and the SBP group had really been working on this for many years.

So fast forward, and the photo that you see now is fast forward to five years later, in 2023, I believe this was the hosting in Taguig, was it the team managers? For the draw? The first night? Anyway, so this was the first night, so fast forward, five years, here we are. And my colleagues have recounted the thrill of watching the games. It was a thrill for me as well. I belong to a basketball family. Everyone in my family, all the men, to be clear, all the men in my family play basketball. I play basketball. But this is the one sport that my brothers are actually better than me. I submit.

But it was an amazing experience. The photo that you see on the right is my brother, Ren, who was a varsity basketball player, and his son, who is also starting to shoot balls as well. And this just illustrates how basketball brings together families, communities, the whole country. In the other photo, the Senate President was probably busy with other people, but in the photo with me is his daughter, and we watched the games together. So sports really gives families an opportunity to be together, to bond, to cheer for their team. And like I always say, Mr. President, when we encounter challenges in our own country, or in the region, there's one thing that unites us, and it's sports. It's the one time that we can all rally together and set aside the differences we have and be united. So I am such a believer, Mr President, of what sports can do for our country.

According to a news article, the effect of the hosting created an economic impact of 17.8B, 1.5B cumulative viewers on TV and live streaming, and 1.9B worth of media value for Manila as the host city. The Philippines recorded a record-breaking crowd of 38,115 fans during the opening ceremony, which I was happily a part of, at the Philippine Arena, and this beat the previous record of 32,618 in 1994 World Cup in Canada.

But Mr President, I'd also like to focus on the unseen effects of the hosting of the World Cup. I have always believed that sports is a great equalizer. I have spoken about it many times. It gives people the opportunity to discover their talents, and change their future. The United Nations also states that sports is an important enabler of sustainable development. It contributes to the realization of development and peace, and its promotion of tolerance and respect. It also makes a contribution to the empowerment of women, of young people, individuals, and communities.

Mr. President, as the Chairman of our Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking, I need to emphasize that by hosting the World Cup, we create interests in being healthy, we create a desire to be able to move, if not like the athletes, maybe 5 percent of the way the athletes move. So it contributes to SDG 3 on good health. It contributes to SDG 4 on quality of education. Many players will share their story that despite family problems, despite difficulties in school, one reason that they wanted to go to school was to play their sport. And many of them have gone on to finish college, to become successful entrepreneurs. Because of sports, but which then enabled them to complete their education. SDG 5, on gender equality. Although the hosting was for the World Cup men's edition, I am sure that SBP will be more than happy to continue hosting more events for women as well. We actually had the 3-on-3, right, which included women, right? So there are many opportunities for women as well. And SDG 10, reduced inequalities, which as I said, provides opportunities for those who may not have the same opportunities available to them. And SDG 16, peace, justice, and strong institutions.

Mr President, as a former student-athlete and a national athlete, I personally believe in sports transforming lives and communities. I thank MVP and the entire SBP group for putting the Philippines on the map as a World Cup host. This opens the door for many more hosting opportunities. It opens up tourism, creates jobs, and promotes our country. I wish I was at liberty to say which is the next World Cup hosting that we hope to have the privilege of doing, but that will have to wait for another time when the timing is right.

So on that note, Mr President, I end by thanking once again the FIBA Local Organizing Committee, of course, that's SBP, and all the government agencies and the private sectors for successfully hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Thank you, Mr President.