SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA SPONSORSHIP SPEECH RESOLUTION 2022 INTERNATIONAL PRACTICAL SHOOTING CONFEDERATION

Sen. Bato Dela Rosa: Mr. President, my distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, magandang hapon sa inyong lahat.

I am privileged to sponsor Senate Resolution No. 363, congratulating and commending the Filipino delegates and awardees in the 2022 International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) Handgun World Shoot XIX in Pattaya, Thailand.

Mr. President, firearms, depending on who you ask, may be associated with fear or feeling of security. Hand over a gun to an unstable person and you have given him a weapon of destruction. Entrust it to our law enforcement agents and it will be an instrument of peacekeeping.

We do not often hear people identify guns with sports competitions. The gun, which was customarily used as a deterrent and tool to incapacitate one's enemy, somehow takes on a new purpose.

The Philippine Practical Shooting Association (PPSA) claims that practical shooting is the fastest growing shooting sport in the word to date. It describes practical shooting as a sport that requires combining the elements of Speed, Power, and Accuracy; it is a venue that seeks to develop and test an individual's shooting skills in a controlled sporting environment. Practical shooting

matches are realistic, diverse and fun, mixing props such as barricades, doors, shooting ports, tunnels and other everyday objects with full or partially exposed targets, moving targets, penalty-carrying no-shoot targets and steel reactive targets to test the skills and techniques of the practical shooting competitor.

Practical shooting competitions are held all overall the world to determine the best shooter. Through the years, they have become more and more diverse and inclusive. These competitions have branched out into different categories and divisions and can be considered a sport that is very welcoming to women competitors.

I am proud to announce that Filipinos are doing well in this sport. Modesty aside, Mr. President, this humble representation was set to compete in the recently concluded IPSC Handgun World Shoot 2022, had it not been for our plenary sessions that is always of greater importance. Nonetheless, our delegation exceeded our expectations.

The Philippine Team successfully secured sixty-one (61) medals in different divisions and categories, five (5) new world records and five (5) shoot off champions. Mr. President, allow me to read the names of our medalists:

• Our sharp shooter Jeufro Emil Lejano in Classic Division Overall Category and Kahlil Adrian Viray in Standard Division Overall Category won for us the gold medal; Sila 'yung the best of the best sa mundo, Mr. President. Walang tatalo. Thank you

• We bagged the silver medal in Standard Division Overall Category and Open Division Overall Category because of the proficiency and consistency shown by Rolly Tecson and Edcel John Gino, my son-in-law, respectively, Mr. President;

Senate President Migz Zubiri: My inaanak.

Sen. Bato Dela Rosa: Your inaanak, Mr. President. Sila 'yung silver medalist ng kanilang division.

• We also brought home the bronze medal in Classic Division Overall Category by Alfredo Catalan, Jr. and Production Division Overall Category by Aeron John Lanuza;

• Additional gold medals were won by the Philippine Team under Individual Awards because of the accuracy demonstrated by Jethro Dionisio in Classic Division Senior Category. The Jet, Mr. President.

Senate President Migz Zubiri: May asim pa ang ating kaibigan.

Sen. Bato Dela Rosa: Jerome Jovane Morales in Production Optics Division Senior Category; Aeron John Lanuza in Production Division Junior Category; Kahlil Adrian Viray in Standard Division Junior Category; and Genesis Pible in Standard Division Lady Category;

• Marly Martir, an officer of the Philippine Navy, in Classic Divison Lady Category, Johann Abanilla in Production Optics Division Light Senior Category, and Rolly Tecson in Standard Division Junior Category, bagged us silver medals;

• In addition, the following brought us bronze medal: Alex Lao in Classic Division Super Senior Category; that is my category, Mr. President, Super Senior. James Quing in Classic Division Senior Category; Lydia Cuyong in Production Optics Division Light Lady Category; Arnel Ariate in Production Division Super Senior Category; Robert Po, Standard Division Super Senior Category; Akeen Adrian Viray in Standard Division Junior Category; Luisito Miguel de Guzman in Open Division Super

Junior Category; and Jessica Tampoco in Open Division Lady Category;

The professionalism of our athletes was also shown as they won 39 medals in ten categories of different divisions:

• The team of Jeufro Emil Lejano, Alfredo Catalan, Jr. Lenard Lopez and Edrick Eliseo Chan won us the gold medal in Classic Division Overall Category;

• Standard Division Overall Category, our team composed of Kahlil Adrian Viray, Rolly Nathanie Tecson, Joseph Bernabe Jr., and Gerard Loy, won us another gold medal;

• A silver medal under the Team Awards in Production Division Overall Category was won by Aeron Lanuza, Paul Bryant Yu, Jon Gotamco, and Willard Carrera;

• Edcel John Gino, Nino Roberto Leviste, Keo Dayle Tuan, and Enrico Papa also won silver medals under the Team Awards in Open Division Overall Category;

• Bronze medals under the Team Awards in Production Optics Light Division Overall Category was also won by Paulo Paulino, Roy Harold Malunda, Johann Abanilla, and Ronald Astillero were secured;

• More gold medalists under the Team Awards in Standard Division Super Senior Category were Roberto Po, Israelito Pible, Jose Maochi, and Isagani Buenaflor;

• Additional silver medalists under the Team Awards were secured by the following in their respective division: James Quing, Gilbert Go, Jesus Andres Soriano and Alex Lao, in Classic Division Senior Category; Evelyn Woods, Rizza

Vidallon, Maria Joahna Catalan and Crystalene Gonzales in Production Division Lady Category;

• Anthony Sy, Arnel Ariarte, and Rodolfo Cua, Jr. in Production Division Senior Category, and Jessica Tampoco, Andrea Bernos, Erin Mattea Micor and Janice Navato in Open Division Lady Category, also won us bronze medals;

• The following were the ones who were able to secure New World Records for the Philippines: Jeufro Emil Lejano for Individual Classic, Jethro Dionisio for Individual Class Senior Category, Kahlil Adrian Viray for Individual Standard Junior Category, Jeufro Emil Lejano, also Alfredo Catalan Jr., Edrick Eliseo Chan, and Lenard Lopez for Team Classic Division, and Robert Po, Israelito Pible, Jose Maochi Suela, and Isagani Buenaflor for Team Standard Division Super Senior Category;

• The following were the Shoot-off Winners: Aeron John Lanuza for both Production and Production Junior Divisions, Evelyn Woods for Production Lady, Rolly Nathaniel Tecson for Standard Junior, and Genesis Pible for Standard Lady Division;

Mr. President, this remarkable accomplishment would not be possible without the full support and assistance of the Philippine Practical Shooting Association led by our passionate President and head of the Philippine delegation to the 2022 World Shoot, Mr. Edwin Lim.

Mr. President, Theodore Roosevelt once said, "A good shot must necessarily be a good man since the essence of good marksmanship is self-control and self-control is the essential quality of a good man."

I know from experience that they won't be able to reach these new heights without the effort, the practice and hard work that

they exerted, the preparation that went on for many months and even years, and the iron will that refuses to give up. These are the things you must go through and possess in order to become a champion in practical shooting.

Mr. President, our soldiers fire their guns to bring honor and glory to our nation. Under a different set of circumstances, our sports shooters have done the same. Today, to all the delegates and awardees, you reap the rewards of all that you have sown and we congratulate you for bringing honor and glory to your fellow Filipinos.

Thank you, Mr. President.