Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports Senator Bong Go filed Senate Resolution No. 374 congratulating and commending Joey Maderal Canoy for clinching the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) light flyweight title in a match against Japanese Kenichi Horikawa at Edion Arena in Osaka, Japan recently.
The Filipino boxer from General Santos City beat Horikawa via seventh round technical knockout.
Canoy is currently ninth in the International Boxing Federation minimum weight ranking and ranked 30th in the minimum weight by the World Boxing Council.
“Sa tuluy-tuloy na panalo ng bansa, nagiging inspirasyon po talaga sa ating lahat na ipagpatuloy silang suportahan sa abot ng ating makakaya.”
“Isa na naman pong karangalan para sa ating bansa ang binigay sa atin sa pagkapanalo ni Joey Canoy. Sa tuluy-tuloy na panalo ng bansa, nagiging inspirasyon po talaga sa ating lahat na ipagpatuloy silang suportahan sa abot ng ating makakaya. Ang inyong tagumpay ay talaga naman pong tagumpay din ng buong bansa,” Go said.
“Ang dedikasyon at husay ng ating mga atletang Pilipino ang dahilan kung bakit patuloy ang ating panalo. Patunay din ito na kapag may sapat na suporta mula sa pamahalaan at sa taumbayan, kayang magtagumpay ng atletang Pinoy sa anumang larangan na kanilang naisin,” the veteran legislator continued.
Meanwhile, the resolution cited that the government “shall promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions, and amateur sports, including training for international competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry”.
In line with his commitment to boost sports development in the grassroots, the seasoned lawmaker reiterated that he remains on top of promoting and protecting the welfare of Filipino athletes.
The senator then stressed the need for a more holistic approach in honing the skills of young and aspiring athletes.
He earlier authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 11470, providing for the establishment of the National Academy of Sports at the New Clark City Sports Complex in Capas, Tarlac.
The NAS offers a secondary education program with an integrated special curriculum on sports which was developed in close coordination with the Department of Education and Philippine Sports Commission.
More recently, Go filed Senate Bill No. 423 or the proposed Philippine National Games (PNG) Act of 2022.
Not to be confused with Palarong Pambansa, the PNG is a national multi-sport tournament that aims to widen the base talent identification and efficiently constitute the national pool to be trained for international sports competition.
He also expressed his confidence that if there are more government programs to bolster the sports sector, more Filipinos will be encouraged to participate in sports activities, which will also help them stay away from illegal drugs and other vices.
“Isa talaga sa aking hangarin ang ma-engganyo ang mga Pilipino, lalo na ang ating mga kabataan na get into sports and stay away drugs.”
“Isa talaga sa aking hangarin ang ma-engganyo ang mga Pilipino, lalo na ang ating mga kabataan na get into sports and stay away drugs,” Go expressed.
“Likewise, I want to thank all our athletes for motivating the Filipino people and giving us hope in the midst of these trying times. You persisted in demonstrating that tenacity, diligence, and resolve always pay off,” he previously said.
Aside from Canoy, Go also supported several other resolutions that commended and congratulated more Filipino athletes with their achievements, such as the Filipino shooters who joined the 2022 International Practical Shooting Confederation, Handgun World Shoot XIX in Pattaya, Thailand; Sydney Sy Tancontian who ruled the women’s 80kg sports sambo category and captured a gold medal in the 2022 Asian Sambo Championships in Jounieh, Lebanon; and Hidylyn Diaz for sweeping all three gold medals in the women’s 55kg division of the International Weightlifting Federation World Championships in Bogota, Colombia.
