ANGARA CALLS FOR SUPPORT FOR FILIPINO OLYMPIC ATHLETES

Senator Edgardo J. Angara urged the government to provide adequate support to Filipino athletes competing in the 2012 Olympic Games in London this July.

"Our Filipino athletes bring us great pride from international sporting events such as the Olympics despite our country's great lack in sports infrastructure and policies," said Angara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture.

"Filipinos are natural athletes. Skill, endurance and competition are innate to us. Like most Filipinos, I hope that the Philippines will win its first Olympic Gold," he added.

Eleven Filipino athletes have qualified for the London Games: tracsksters Marestella Torres and Rene Herrera, boxer Mark Barriga, swimmers Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie Lacuña, shooter Brian Rosario, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, BMX rider Daniel Caluag, judoka Tomohiko Hoshina, and archers Mark Javier and Rachel Cabral.

The veteran lawmaker authored Senate Bill No. 48, "An Act Creating the Philippine Sports University, and for Other Purposes" early in the 15th Congress. Also known as the Philippine Sports University Act of 2010, it seeks the creation of an institution to oversee the welfare of our athletes, ensuring world-class training and development.

He had also sponsored the Philippine High School for Sports Act, a measure originally authored by Senator Pia Cayetano, who is an athlete herself.

"As legislators, we have the opportunity to shape the future of Philippine sports by creating policies that would provide our athletes with the support they need," explained Angara. "This would ensure that the raw talent and skill innate among Filipino athletes are honed by world-class trainers and coaches."

He continued, "As a nation, we are very passionate about sports. We must therefore build a sports culture so that our athletes have the opportunities to grow into the champions that they have the potential to be."