Atienza bats for permanent MYG

The Manila Youth Games will be here to stay.

Stressing the importance of teaching children proper values through sports, the organizing Manila Sports Council (Masco) has pushed for an ordinance that would finally make the annual sportsfest — which draws no line between the rich and the poor — part of the city’s agenda.

Ali Atienza, the youthful Masco chairman and son of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, said he doesn’t see any problem passing the ordinance that would keep the MYG, now on its third year, going even long before his father’s third and last term as city mayor ends in 2007.

"What I’d like to see is for the Manila Youth Games to stay. Even when I’m gone," said Ali, a former Asian taekwondo champion, of his brainchild which gathered 4,000 athletes, both from private and public schools, competing in 15 events during its inaugural year in 2002.

Despite a low budget of P2.7 million, this year’s edition drew 8,000 athletes for seven days of action in athletics, badminton, baseball, chess, dance sport, football, gymnastics, lawn tennis, paralympics, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball and cheering.

Ali said Masco only draws an annual budget of P2 million from the city hall, making it almost impossible to stage the MYG if not for the help of generous private sponsors and hundreds of volunteers — from the technical side to the organizational aspect of running the games.

The MYG has continued to produce great talents in taekwondo, dance sport, badminton and chess, including the country’s youngest Woman National Master in 14-year-old Aices Salvador, the reigning national junior champion.

For next year, Ali said he expects no less than 10,000 athletes to compete, making it necessary for them to add more events like wushu, karate or even boxing. They also plan to include a higher division for those aged 16 to 17 years. The age limit this year was pegged at 15.

Ali is trying to find ways on how to reward those who excel in the MYG. In fact, he’s looking at the International Children Games (ICG) scheduled in Ohio next month as the proper venue. He just received an invitation for the multi-nation event for him to bring a maximum of 30 athletes.

"We’re still studying it. But even if we push through with it, I don’t think we can send a full delegation because of the cost. Around 15 athletes and fewer officials will do," said Ali.