Teamwork

After the State of the Nation Address of President Noynoy Aquino outlining plans for a public and private sector partnership for development, my belief in that such can also be effective in sports was further strengthened.

The man, who introduced me to the concept was former Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Philip Ella Juico, who pushed such during his stint in the sports body.

Locally, I've seen this work in the Cebu City Sports Commission's program inviting godfathers for the different sporting events.

Although the success rate has not been 100 percent for all the sports that were picked, some have really become very successful like DanceSports Team Cebu City under Edward Hayco.

The two components - government and the private sector - have worked hand in hand for the success of the program that has brought DanceSports to the remotest of places in the city's mountain barangays and to the big stages around the world.

There is so much that can be learned from the success of DanceSport that even resulted to a World Record that has been officially entered in the Guinness Book.

The cooperation of the private sector and government for sports development must be encouraged in all levels of government.

It is a fact that government alone can't make things happen for sports and the private sector alone, cannot also do it on a larger scale without government backing.

This takes us back to the relationship between the PSC and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) that has to be properly cultivated in order to achieve our goals of sports excellence.

The first step is to find a common ground and then both sectors can take it from there.

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This year's La Salle-Ateneo Golf Tournament is set on August 16 and 17 at the Cebu Country Club.

The tournament is an 18-hole contest, but you have the option to play for two days and submit the better score. If you plan to do that, you have to pay twice though.

I still don't have the complete details regarding the entry fees, but the non-members of the host club will have to pay more.

La Salle has only won the overall title once, I think that was two years ago, and hopes to win it again this year, but to do that, the team needs more warm bodies.

If you happen to have spent two years in a La Salle school, yes including our beloved ASMS de la Salle now La Salle-Andres Soriano Memorial College, you can join the tournament and help the cause of the team in green.

Those from Jesuit schools can also suit up for Ateneo.

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MILESTONES: Belated birthday greetings to Rep. Tommy Osmeña of the South District of Cebu City. He turned a year older last Monday.

Belated greetings also go to Asian Tour pro Ricardo 'RJ' Liwanag, who is also of PMA class '81, who turned a year older yesterday. The same goes to Dawn Faith 'Ating' Hormachuelos-Santos, my Tao brother Julius Cesar Uy, and to Joyce Mabalay.

Today's greetings go to Edeliz Lingaro, Josephine Maristella Cavada-Suson, Allan Torrevillas, and Joy Siguenza.

More power to all of you!