The president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, Quirino governor Dax Cua called on his fellow local leaders to help “nurture the Olympic dream” by creating more sports facilities in communities across the country.
“Grassroots development is a crucial aspect in sports. We at the local level certainly can help nurture the Olympic dream by allocating funds for inclusive facilities that can house multiple sports and training implements,” Cua said.
Cua said that creating such facilities nationwide would contribute to the early identification of talent and providing aspiring athletes with a place to hone their skills.
“As these Olympics have shown, there are potential stars in the provinces. By having multi-sports facilities we can unearth more athletes who will bring pride and joy to the country. Add to that, we will be promoting a culture of health and wellness that will benefit the people in our communities,” he added.
The governor also proposed linking athletes to government health facilities to ensure they get treated and rehabilitated for injuries as soon as possible.
“We at the local level certainly can help nurture the Olympic dream by allocating funds for inclusive facilities that can house multiple sports and training implements.”
“We can further democratize the medical and rehabilitative aspects of sports, especially for athletes in our national teams, by linking up with government hospitals. Sa halip na bumyahe pa sila halimbawa para sa dedicated rehab ng Philippine Sports Commission, pwede na lang sana na sa local government hospital para hindi na magastos sa pera at oras ng ating mga atleta,” said Cua.
Cua also thanked the Filipino Olympians for their valiant efforts during the meet.
“Our Olympians are valiant heroes who have united and inspired us through their exploits. Taos-pusong pasasalamat hindi lang kina Carlos Yulo, Nesthy Petecio, at Aira Villegas, kundi sa buong contingent sa paglaban at pagbandera ninyo ng ating bansa,” he said.
The Philippine contingent to the Olympics garnered four medals: Yulo’s historic double gold in artistic gymnastics, and boxers Petecio and Villegas’s respective bronze.
The country is currently ranked 26th in the medal tally.
