By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
It has been four months and counting and it’s still tough for Iloilo City Sports to come up with events and tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the hardships they are currently facing, Executive Assistant for Sports Mr. Rudiver Jungco Sr.’s ultimate plan and goal hasn’t changed, and that’s building an Academy for Sports in Iloilo.
After the National Academy of Sports act was already signed by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, Jungco and his team are also optimistic that Iloilo will be blessed with its own academy.
Since assuming office last July 2019, it was Jungco Sr. who formulated the Iloilo City Sports Academy, a free sports program for Ilonggo kids in various sports such as lawn tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, boxing, volleyball, and football.
Jungco considers building and nurturing the program the first step in achieving his end-goal of a formal sports academy to be the main avenue for Ilonggo athletes that will represent the city.
“One mag laylo ini ang pandemic, gusto ko gd tani e push ang dugay ko na nga goal nga Iloilo Sports academy, ipatukod ta ini siya. This was always my vision sa pag start ko pa lang as Executive Assistant for Sports sang aton syudad,” said Mr. Jungco Sr. during an exclusive interview with the Daily Guardian.
Despite the ongoing battle against the pandemic, Mr. Jungco Sr. and the rest of the Iloilo City Sports Development Division are still optimistic that the local sports scene will recover.
“Once mag stabilize ang tanan, almost back to normal after the pandemic, this will be my first proposal to Mayor Jerry Treñas. Ang main goal ta indi dapat madula,” Mr. Jungco Sr. added.
