Marcos hails Pinoy triumph in ‘Talent Olympics’

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos hailed Team Philippines for bagging 236 medals at the 26th annual World Championships for Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Anaheim, California.

“We take pride in celebrating our Filipino talents for their achievement,” the President said in a post on social media on Friday.

“As you continue to captivate the world with your creativity, rest assured that your government is steadfastly behind you, offering our utmost support,” he said.

The 102-member Filipino delegation took home 86 gold, 91 silver and 59 bronze medals.

The Philippine delegation brought home the first Grand Champion titles in six years, including the Overall Grand Champion for the most medals and awards, the Top Team Rank and the Top Division Winner Rank.

According to the WCOPA website, the international competition is often cited as the official “Talent Olympics” for aspiring performers and entertainers, and the only event of its kind held annually in the “Hollywood area,” entertainment capital of the world.

Marcos had said one of the greatest assets of the Filipinos is their creativity, and the government must find many ways to highlight that to the rest of the world.

Republic Act 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, which lapsed into law on July 27 last year, mandates the promotion and development of Philippine creative industries by protecting and strengthening the rights and capacities of creative firms, artists, artisans, creators, workers, indigenous cultural communities, content providers and other stakeholders in the creative industries.

The law defines the creative industries as “trades involving persons, whether natural or juridical,that produce cultural, artistic and innovative goods and services originating in human creativity, skill and talent, and having a potential to create wealth and livelihood through the generation and utilization of intellectual property.”