By Alex P. Vidal
“Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.” —Bob Riley
VERY inspiring indeed. It’s the first time in a very long history of sports heroism in the Philippines that our athletes were welcomed and treated by the Philippine Government, led by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr and his family, like demigods while arriving Tuesday night on a chartered Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in Paris, France.
Aside from the royal treatment, the financial windfall was also staggering. A wise move from the government.
Acknowledging the hardship and difficulties the 22 Filipino Olympians went through and “no official technical support from the government,” Mr. Marcos Jr. gifted gymnast phenom Carlos Yulo with P20 million ($350,000) for giving us two gold medals.
Vowing to fix the government shortcomings, Mr. Marcos Jr. quipped, “They did it on their own. Of course, there are some who helped, sometimes the government is able to help, but there is no formal structure to help our athletes.”
We are happy that each of the 22 athletes were also awarded with P1 million with or without medals, including coaches who also got P500,000 each.
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Cash and gifts pledged separately by other government offices, business tycoons and leading Philippine corporations for Yulo, including a condominium unit and a resort house south of Manila, would amount to more than 58 million pesos ($1 million) even as prominent companies offered free pizzas, ice cream and lunch and dinner buffets for life along with free domestic and international flights.
Former senator and boxing eight-time world champion Manny Pacquiao, himself a Filipino sports hero, promised to reward Yulo with an unspecified amount of cash.
A celebratory parade for Yulo and the other athletes on Wednesday along Manila’s main streets is expected to draw thousands of people.
It would pass near a poor community where he grew up and first trained in gymnastics with his siblings in a public gym, where a coach first noticed the impressive skills of the then-7-year-old.
Because of the unprecedented largesse, we expect more athletes to also bring home the laurels when they compete in future international competitions aside from the World Olympic Games.
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From the just concluded 2024 Paris Olympics, let’s go to chess tournament in the Philippines. Our regular contributor, National Master Marlon Bernardino has reigned supreme in the 2nd edition of the IIEE-Bayanihan-Greenfield District (IBGD) Blitz Chess Tournament dubbed as Single Knockout Armageddon Tournament (SIKAT) at the Pavilion Mall, Greenfield District, Mandaluyong City on August 9.
A veteran sportswriter and radio commentator, Bernardino bested 21 other participants in the face to face chess tournament supported by Greenfield District Retail Marketing Officer Dawn Suzette Aguila, Marketing Coordinator Joana Sison, Philippine Sports Expo President/CEO Michael Herrera, Rotary Club of Bacoor City President Sunrise Mary France Lodronio, Mr. Encio Santos , Mr. Jason Rojo, Mr. Noli Sangil Cruz and Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines (IIEE) National Past President Engr. Allan Anthony Alvarez.
Also a former Rizal Technological University Mandaluyong City top chess player, Bernardino defeated former FEATI University mainstay Rodel Jose Juadinez in the finals.
On the road to the finals, Quezon City bet Bernardino, a certified United States Chess Master, beat Stephen Zane Quinto (Final 16), Charles Leandro (Final Eight) and Alexis Emil Maribao (Final Four), in order.
Juadinez stepped in the Final after beating NM Romeo Alcodia, Gabriel James Cartel, Danilo Lansangan and Jan Francis Mirano, respectively.
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“I am happy for winning the IIEE-Bayanihan-Greenfield District (IBGD) Blitz Chess Tournament dubbed as Single Knockout Armageddon Tournament (SIKAT) last Friday. I wish that my luck would remain the same in my next international tournament,” said the 47-year-old Bernardino, who is set to compete in the Laos International Chess Open 2024 to be held on September 1 to 7 at the Vientiane Chess Centre, Vientiane, Laos.
The 1st edition of the IBGD SiKAT was won by FM Noel Dela Cruz on July 29, 2024 at IIEE Building in Cubao. The 3rd Edition is slated on August 30, 2024 at EDSA Pavillion Mall.
IBGD SiKAT format is 6 minutes for white and 5 minutes for black without increment. The white piece is a must win situation while black only needs a draw to win to advance to the next round. The pairing set up is not by rating seeding but by random shuffling using the Chollenge System. The winners of this IBDG SiKAT will be featured for battle of champions in December during the Philippine Sports Expo. The tournament is free registration and the pot prize for donors is split 70-30 percent for the champion and runner up.
NM Bernardino, NM Alcodia and CM Genghis Imperial and other chess players also rendered a free chess clinic to kids while a free simultaneous games was also done by NM Bernardino. The IBGD event was graced by the President of the Philippine Sports Expo Michael Herrera and the President of the Rotary Club of Bacoor City Sunrise Mary France Lodronio and Encio Santos.IBDG events and free consultations will be held every Friday at EDSA Pavillion Mall from 10 am to evening.
The ceremonial signing for the exposition of the 100th years Philippine Sports on December 12 to 15, 2024 at Parqal Mall Aseana City, Pasay City was also held in the presence of Philippine Sports Expo President Herrera, Rotary President Lodronio, Former IIEE National Past President Engr. Allan Anthony Alvarez represented both the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines (IIEE) and the Philippine Technological Council (PTC) for and on behalf of PTC-IRC Chairman Romulo Agatep and Chief arbiter/sportswriter NM Bernardino.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)
