Senator Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid on Monday commended Filipina martial artists Meggie Ochoa and Kimberly Anne Custodio for their impressive performances in the 2022 JJIF Jiu-Jitsu World Championships in Abu Dhabi, UAE last November 3.
In filing Senate Resolution (P.S. Res.) No. 277, Lapid congratulated Team Philippines’ Ochoa and Custodio for bagging gold in 48kg and -45kg categories, respectively, of the Women’s Adult circuit.
“Again, the three-time jiu-jitsu world champion Meggie Ochoa, Kimberly Anne Custodio, and the whole Team Philippines showed the excellence of Filipino athletes,” he said.
Lapid said the Filipina athletes exhibited their mastery of the grappling sport by claiming another gold for the Philippines,
and thus deserve the recognition and commendation from the Philippine Senate.
Their victory, he noted, “gave us in the government inspiration to work harder to boost the level of support to the Philippine sports and our athletes.” The two martial artists are part of the eight-man roster that
represented the Philippines in the contest.
Joining them were Jenna Kaila Napolis, Ashley Villaret, Myron Mangubat, Jan Cortez, Brendo Pudan, and Philip Alegre.
The group competed in the women’s -52 kg and -45 kg, as well as in the men’s minus -62 kg, -69 kg, and -85 kg.
The performance of Ochoa and Custodio along with the rest of Team Philippines put the country in 4th place overall, just behind host UAE, Canada, and Germany in the final rankings of the adult jiu-jitsu category.
“Team Philippines’ momentous win yet again brings honor and pride to our country, reaffirming our presence in the world of Jiu-Jitsu, the outstanding performance of Meggie Ochoa showcases the relentless desire of our countrymen to achieve excellence in sports,” Lapid said.