A ranking lawmaker said he looks forward to seeing and hearing officials of the Philippine Sports Commission present their budget to Congress in the coming weeks.
“There is a strong need to improve the scales of the allowances and cost of living assistance given to the members of the national training pool because the current levels are not enough for the basic needs of our athletes. I await the proposal of the PSC on how the allowances and stipends can be reasonably and affordably increased. I hope the PSC will make a strong pitch for increasing the allowances and stipends,” House deputy minority leader Alfred delos Santos said.
“We understand there are DBM ceilings in effect during the budget formulation process, but Congress has the power of the purse, pulls the purse strings, so we also expect the PSC to take a stand supportive of our athletes in the national training pool,” the Ang Probinsyano Party-list congressman added.
“Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo are on the right trajectory leading up to the Paris Olympics about 12 months from now.”
Delos Santos opined that “Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo are on the right trajectory leading up to the Paris Olympics about 12 months from now. EJ Obiena is building momentum, abilities, and confidence toward that point where he can directly challenge the reigning pole vault champion and world record holder Armand Duplantis at the Paris Olympics.”
“In his mind, Obiena has to be able to visualize how it is possible to surpass Duplantis. The challenge is essentially a mental one. Slowly but surely, Obiena is well on his way,” the legislator stressed.
“Obiena continues to soar as high as he could, making podium finishes, earning some gold medals and titles along the way, to become the formidable challenger for the crown Duplantis now holds. That is what a challenger does and Obiena is great at it,” the lawmaker added.
“It is also key that the next generation of pole vaulters rise from the ranks of those athletes competing in the leagues at the university, high school, and elementary school levels, so EJ Obiena will eventually have a team of pole vaulters in tow at the international tournaments.”
He pointed out that “the burden on us here in the Philippines and in Congress is to do what we can to make sure the support he needs is there when he needs it. It is also key that the next generation of pole vaulters rise from the ranks of those athletes competing in the leagues at the university, high school, and elementary school levels, so EJ Obiena will eventually have a team of pole vaulters in tow at the international tournaments.”
“This is why I await with excitement the return of the Palarong Pambansa in July, wherein the pole vault event is part of the athletics program at the secondary level,” he added.
Delos Santos also said, “Another Olympian we keep our eye on is Carlos Yulo, who continues to expand his gymnastics repertoire. Like Obiena, Yulo is also on a trajectory prioritizing early qualification to the Paris Olympics, podium finishes, and multiple Olympic golds and world championship titles. He was known for floor exercises but is now competitive in the vault and parallel bars.”
“Clearly, Yulo and his coach are aiming for the all-around high rankings, as can be seen with the gold and other medals he won in the most recent Asian Championships. Caloy Yulo is competing against a field wider than that Obiena faces now,” he stressed.
“But the great thing is, Caloy is no longer alone in the limelight. The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines has done a great job building a team of young men and women who go with Caloy Yulo in international tournaments. Fortunately for the Philippines, the Yulo family is filled with strong gymnasts, as Caloy’s siblings are progressively rising and honing their prowess. The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines has a growing stable of other gymnasts besides the Yulo siblings,” Delos Santos assessed.
