"If the present structural situation continues, the Filipino people can say goodbye to SEA Games glory and be prepared for a near-the-bottom finish."
"If the present structural situation continues, the Filipino people can say goodbye to SEA Games glory and be prepared for a near-the-bottom finish."There should be widespread excitement and pride regarding the Philippines’ being the host this year of the largest sports event in Southeast Asia—the SEA Games—but such feelings can hardly be discerned beyond the groups and people directly involved. The Filipino people have become largely apathetic to developments in Philippine sports other than basketball and Senator Manny Pacquiao’s fights. Occasionally, a Hidilyn Diaz comes along and they get excited, but the excitement and feeling of national pride are short-lived. After a brief while, apathy sets in again.
Filipinos have done well, and have excelled, in many fields of human endeavor—the humanities, science, the arts, and cultural pursuits —but, except for the occasional Diaz and Anthony Villanueva, Filipinos have not accomplished much in the field of sports. The Philippines has not figured prominently in the world of international sports and it is not likely to do so anytime soon.
Since 1948, the year of the first post-World War II Olympics, this country has posted very few successes in international competitions, which, in the Philippines’ case, consists mainly of the Olympics, the Asian Games, the SEA Games and the tournaments staged by FIBA (Federation of International Basketball Associations) and FIFA (International Federation of Football Associations). A tally of Philippine sports successes during the last seven decades consists only of: (1) this country’s number-four finish in the 1953 FIBA championship in Rio de Janeiro, (2) a track-and-field runner-up win in the 1928 Olympics, (3) silver medal and bronze medal wins by Olympic boxers (4) wins by runners Mona Sulayman and Lydia de Vega in the SEA Games, (5) and a victory in taekwondo in the SEA Games and, last and best of all, (6) weightlifter Diaz’s gold medal victory in the most recent Asian Games.
Without intending to belittle the individual performances of the mentioned athletes, that medals tally is quite meager. This country is capable of doing better—much better—han that.
Why is that not happening?
What has prevented and continues to prevent the Philippines from achieving greater success in international sports competitions?
The answer to this quintessential question lies in the word “turf”—more precisely the obsession with, and fighting for, turf among the government officials vested with supervisory authority over Philippine sports. The latest manifestation of this fighting for turf is the recent resignation of Ricardo Vargas from the chairmanship of PSC (Philippine Sports Commission). Although he cited health reasons for his resignation, media reports have suggested that Mr Vargas, from whom much was expected, left PSC out of frustration with internal politics in that institution.
In one of the media reports, there was mention of the Cojuangco factor—an apparent reference to former Rep. Jose Cojuangco Jr., the younger brother of the late President Corazon Aquino. It has long been known that Mr. Cojuangco, the former chairman of the POC (Philippine Olympic Committee) has a lingering influence over many of the NSA (National Sports Associations) that make up the PSC constituency. The Vargas resignation will seem to provide confirmation of this.
Two questions bear asking in this regard. If the insinuations are true, why does Mr. Cojuangco continue to have such a strong interest in Philippine sports other than the equestrian events, in which his daughter Mikee has competed? The other question that bears asking is, why do some NSA officials have a patently deferential attitude toward Mr. Cojuangco, who is not himself closely associated with any sport?
The problem with Philippine sports—and the key to the reversal of its success-deficient situation—is neither an available talent nor inadequate resources. In martial arts, track and field, boxing, swimming and other sports that do not require great height—basketball fanatics, please take note—the Philippines has abundant talent, and for a well-prepared sports development plan, adequate government funds are bound to be forthcoming.
The central problem of Philippine sports is structural: the Philippine sports community is disunited and is beset by factionalism. The existence of two governing bodies—POC and PSC —has got to end; there must be only one central authority. I really cannot see why the IOC (International Olympic Committee) should object to PSC’s serving as IOC’s representative in this country. After all, IOC and the Philippine government have a common objective—the optimal development of Philippine sports.
If the present structural situation in Philippine sports, with two bodies calling the shots, continues, the Filipino people can say goodbye to SEA Games glory and be prepared for a near-the-bottom finish.
That would be too bad because sports have a unifying power and give a people a sense of communal pride. Even totalitarian regimes such as Adolf Hitler’s and Josef Stalin’s saw great value in international sports success. Indeed, a nation’s development is not really complete without a well-developed and thriving sports sector.