Fellow columnist Dominique Cimafranca pointed out that one of the characteristics of a university town is a “passion for sports.”
In my six years of residency in Dumaguete City, I have noted significant increases in the number of sporting events staged, and participation in sports among the people.
The media reports that the current running boom, unlike that in the 60s and 70s, is not just a fad, and will continue to be part of the lifestyle of the present generation.
Foundation University had institutionalized running in this University Town with its Dumaguete Adventure Marathon initially launched in July 2006.
After three stagings, the DAM has been ranked by an international running magazine among the top in the country, and has served as a precursor for the formation of running clubs and the regular staging of running events in our Province.
As of this writing, 35 teams are participating in its “3-on-3 Volleyball Apil Tanan.” There is a significant increment in the number of participants each summer.
Extreme sports like duathlons, triathlons, ultramaraton, and mountain bike races are being organized by running clubs.
These Negrense extreme sports enthusiasts have also excelled outside the Province: pioneer-ultramarathoners Dr. SimonJohn Eric Flores, Jorly Banogon, and Rosalito Albina;
Ironman Camsur finishers 62-year-old Pio Salvador, Col. Robert Patrimonio, Jeremy & Ylang-Ylang Jordan, and Glenn Gonzalez;
Xterra Hawaii qualifiers Dr. SimonJohn Eric Flores and Jemely Dinopol;
Podium finishers in various triathlons: Florimae Barot-Datoy, Fidel Ovas, Rosalito Albina, Leendy Salve, John Cabrera, Ida Maghanoy, Ritchie & Iris Tirambulo-Armogenia, Bon Academia, and 14-year-old Yona Danielli Academia.
Adding to the excitement of the sporting scene is the historic achievement of five Dumaguete ladies who completed a 50-km. ultramarathon in March in Cebu.
Ladies from this University Town completing a 50-km. ultramarathon was unthinkable, and a farfetched idea just six years ago, yet these ladies — Dulce Flores-Chandiramani, Dr. Vivian Sy, Engr. Geronica Sinco-Martinez, Joyce Catacutan-Solomon, and Dr. Sheila Marie Loo-Flores — will be remembered for inspiring future participation in an event that was once considered inappropriate and unsafe for women to indulge in.
It was only in the 1986 Los Angeles Olympics that women were permitted to run a full 42.195 marathon.
The local governments headed by Provincial Gov. Roel Degamo and Mayor Manuel “Chiquiting” Sagarbarria played host to the national Palarong Batang Pinoy last November and a month from now, they will likewise host the 2nd Philippine National Games.
Hosting two national sporting events six months apart is an achievement which I believe has never been experienced by our local governments.
Upon the request of the Philippine Football Federation organizers last week, FU hurriedly formed a 15-member team to participate in the U13 National Selection Tournament held in Bacolod City.
Despite the short notice and barely practicing together for two days, the team emerged 3rd place in the tournament, and five players were selected to undergo further training: Adelyn Peralta, Angelica Teves and April Joy Curray (Dumagute); team captain Michaela Jumawan (Valencia) who scored six goals in four games; and Florenze Marie Acson (Siaton).
Now the best of the good news: DepEd Order No. 28, series 2012 prescribes the allocation of “P500,000 to secondary schools offering special program in sports”. The only school in the entire Central Visayas region selected as beneficiary of the program is the Negros Oriental National High School.
The half-million funds will be used for the training of teachers and administrators on relevant topic in sports, procurement of instructional materials, sports supplies, and sports uniforms, student development activities such as training, workshops, participation in DepEd- approved competition programs including travel allowance, and participation in DepEd-sponsored scholarships, professional upgrading of teachers including enrollment in master’s degree programs in sports.
These favorable developments in sports poses a great challenge to all those concerned in children and youth sports–the academe, the school officials, and the local government politicians who now should all join hands to support and take advantage of this opportunity to implement a sport program in our University Town that is in consonance with the UN Task Force on Sports for the Millennium Development Goal prescription: “to use sports not for the creation of new sporting heroes, but in broader terms for health, education, social development and peace.”
These same stakeholders should all assume the responsibility of insuring that the transformation of children and young people through sports participation will be realized as embodied in the Olympic ideal: Sports is Peace.
This reminder for the politicians who are aspiring to run for the May 13, 2013 local elections: The countdown is only 51 Sundays from today.
