Barredo: differently-abled athletes need more help

CEBU – Special athletes are now actively participating in competitions; helping them is another story.

This is what Mike Barredo, president of the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently-Abled (PHILSPADA) told The Freeman in an interview yesterday.

Barredo, who is totally blind on both eyes, told The Freeman that currently, athletes that excel in international competitions are supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and are covered by PhilHealth insurance.

He, however, said that the incentives are not sufficient. Barredo is hoping that Sen. Gringo Honasan could push for amendments in Republic Act 9064, otherwise known as the Athletes Incentive Act.

“Nasapawan ng other concerns sa lower house. Pero, sana talaga maamendahan. But you know, as compared to like 12 years ago, talagang wala, now, the support is improving and we now have MOU’s with the Philippines Olympic Committee and the different NSAs, the Philippine Sports Commission and others,”Barredo said. (“It has been overtaken by other concerns in the lower house. However, I hope it will be amended. But you know, as compared to like 12 years ago, where the athletes received nothing, now the support is improving and we now have MOU’s with the Philippines Olympic Committee and the different NSAs, the Philippine Sports Commission and others,”)

Barredo is in Cebu to lead the Training the Trainors Seminar at the Cebu City Sports Center. The 3-day seminar is focusing on five sports – athletics, aquatics, table tennis, goalball/futsal and boccia and had attracted close to 90 coaches, trainors and athletes from Bohol, Iloilo and different parts of Cebu.

At the end of the seminar, athletes will get their classification through a talent identification competition on the final day.

Barredo is hoping to discover new talents for next year’s Asian Youth Para Games in Tokyo, Japan, the 5th ASEAN Paragames in Malaysia and then the London Paragames in 2012.

“Malay natin, ang unang gintong medalya sa Paralympics will come from the Visayas,” Barredo told the participants. (“We’ll never know, perhaps our first medal in Paralympics will come from the Visayas.”)

Special athletes started competing in Palarong Pambansa when it was held in Tubod some years ago. Since then, these special athletes have been active in the Games.

Acting Mayor Michael Rama, who attended yesterday’s opening ceremony, promised full support to PHILSPADA and Barredo whom he described as a person who may have lost his sight, but never a vision…to make the differently-abled athletes one with the able-bodied Pinoys athletes through sports. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol (THE FREEMAN)