PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday congratulated Filipino artists and athletes, who competed and won in various international events, thanking them for putting the country on the global map anew.
“Getting to know Filipinos who sing well, act well, are really good at the arts and also, culture. So thank you very much for the honor that you have brought to the country and the enjoyment that you give to so many people,” President Marcos said during a meet-and-greet in Malacañang.
The President urged the artists and athletes to continue bringing glory to the Philippines, saying the very important part of their achievement is highlighting the grand tradition of Filipino artists and athletes in putting the Philippines once again on the global map.
“The Philippines and its people will remember us once more as this grand culture with such great capacity, with such great potential that you are now showing to the rest of the world. Thank you once again for all that you have done,” he said.
The country, he said, has a lot of potential in sports and it can produce great players through dedication, hard training, and proper coaching.
Among those who paid a courtesy on the President include Filipino singer Jex Marc De Castro; boxers Melvin O. Jerusalem, Charly C. Suarez, and Marlon T. Tapales; the Makati Football Club; and the Philippine Men’s National Ice Hockey Team.
The athletes and artists won in various international competitions from January to April, 2023.
De Castro, the 5th Filipino Grand Prix winner, won the Stars of the Albion Grand Prix Title (singing category) in the Euro Talent Festival 2023 held last March in London, United Kingdom.
Jerusalem won the World Boxing Organization’s Mini Flyweight World Title via a technical knockout against Japanese boxer Masataka Taniguchi on January 6, 2023.
Suarez won the International Boxing Organization’s World Eliminator on March 15, 2023 against the formerly undefeated Australian boxer Paul Fleming via a TKO.
Also meeting the President was Tapales, who clinched the IBF World Super Bantamweight Title and the WBA World Super Bantamweight belt against Uzbekistan boxer Murodjon “MJ” Akhmadaliev via split decision on April 8, 2023.
On the other hand, the MFC, founded in 1976, has over 1,000 players nationwide, representing the Philippines in international competitions since 1983. It won the Paul Parker Overall Championship in the Junior Soccer School and League Singapore Academy 7s 2023 on April 7 to 9, 2023.
Meanwhile, the Ice Hockey Team bagged gold in its debut at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Ice Hockey World Championship Division IV, held on March 23 to 26, 2023 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The championship title also promoted the Philippines to Division IIIB next season.