Senate lauds national team

MANILA, Philippines - Senators lauded yesterday the Gilas Pilipinas team for what it accomplished despite failing to make it to the second round of the ongoing FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Aside from gaining the respect of strongest teams in the world, the Senate Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports led by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara said Gilas Pilipinas’ performance has opened up new opportunities, not only for the country’s basketball players, but also for athletes from other fields.

“Gilas Pilipinas has provided the seed for us to attain victory in the next international tournaments,” Angara said in Filipino.

Sen. Nancy Binay said Gilas Pilipinas showed that Filipinos can compete with the best in the world.

“This is a historic moment for the country as we are back in the world stage after 36 years. For the last few days, the team has united the whole country, with every Filipino rooting for every play, every shot, every assist and every rebound that would lead us to victory,” Binay said.

“Gilas Pilipinas has shown that if we put our hearts and minds into whatever we do, despite adversities, we can and will succeed. I hope that through Gilas Pilipinas and other sports, every Filipino will be continuously inspired to achieve their dreams,” Binay said.

For his part, Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV pushed for the establishment of a national sports training center to help the country’s athletes in becoming more competitive in the international stage.

Aquino filed Senate Bill No. 2367, calling for the establishment of the national sports training center, which he said would not only serve as the official venue of training for athletes, but as a center for sports science research and development.

“The development of grassroots sports in the country has long been overdue. Despite the Filipinos’ love for sports and athletics, support to achieve sustained excellence in sports from the private and public sector has been lacking,” Aquino said.

“Through this center, we hope to produce another Lydia de Vega, Elma Muros-Posadas and Felix Barrientos, who made the country proud in the international stage. Also, our basketball team Gilas Pilipinas, football team Azkals and the dragon boat squad will have a permanent center for training and conditioning in preparation for international events,” he added.

In the House of Representatives, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco in separate statements said the victory of the national basketball team over Senegal signaled that the Philippines was back in the game.

Haresco said the Glias team helped unite the country again and inspired Filipinos, who are now beset by many economic problems.

Lagman filed a resolution to congratulate the team. “Gilas Pilipinas performed way above popular expectations and emerged victorious over Senegal for its final game,” the resolution said.