Sports over pandesal

Finally, one of the high-profile candidates for one of the highest positions in government has spoken about sports, and pinpointed its roots in how we can improve our educational system. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who is running for vice-president of the republic, attended the weekly Pandesal Forum at the Kamuning Bakery, and addressed a wide range of issues which, unsurprisingly, included sports. The political fora, organized by bakery owner and fellow STAR columnist Wilson Lee Flores, has presidential, vice-presidential and other candidates appear in front of the media to address current issues and explain their platforms.

The young senator began with a lengthy explanation of his plan to streamline and elevate emergency services to a Cabinet-level agency. His plan for an Emergency Response Department, would unify the disparate components of disaster preparedness and relief operations, as of now, it is spread out over close to a dozen government agencies, which is why deployment sometimes takes too long. Cayetano, himself a basketball enthusiast and memorabilia collector, then started waxing enthusiastic about how sports is a pillar of building up society that we often take for granted. In Cayetano’s mind, the “non-academic” components of education are not given their due importance, more so with the implementation of the new K-12 program throughout the country.

“The question is how prepared are we,” Cayetano began, unprompted by many questions from the media and students in attendance. “We don’t have complete facilities for sports, music, theatre and other activities outside the classroom, where we also teach the ‘soul’ components of education. Those are the things that complete their learning.”

In his plan to become vice-president, Cayetano said someone has to ask the hard questions, including how things can be done better. He gave the example of lower taxes in his bailiwick Taguig. The last five years, the city has lowered taxes, but increased revenues significantly. Cayetano, who even wore boxing gloves for a previous political campaign to symbolize his willingness to take on even the biggest opponents to dig for the truth, added that many core values of the citizenry emerge through sport. All of this we learn as we are exposed to sport and taught different games as children, and all this begins in school.

“Sports is where we learn discipline, teamwork, working together, how to follow the rules,” says Cayetano, one of five family members who have been in various elective positions in government, including his older sister and fellow Sen. Pia and his wife, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano. “The learning that takes place outside the classroom is also important. This is how things work in life. If we don’t learn the rules of the games there, where will we learn them?”

The Cayetanos are no strangers to sports. Aside from basketball, the family has used running, triathlon, capoiera, other martial arts and even arnis as a platform for change and to provide work opportunities for their various constituencies. They have made serious, sincere efforts to advance sports and healthy living as a way of life that will benefit Filipinos for the long term. A few years ago, Alan began studying the possibility of constructing a sports complex within Fort Bonifacio, when part of the remaining 210 hectares being used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines started undergoing development. This underscores the intent to find ways to help succeeding generations improve and learn to handle adversity through the safe confines of sports.

Aside from Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who is also seeking higher office, how many other high-profile candidates have spoken about the importance of sport and health in their early campaign promises? Trillanes, a staunch supporter and official of table tennis, has been attempting to consolidate 11 pieces of legislation into a Sports Department law that will change the system and give the government sports program its independent budget. Other presidential and vice-presidential candidates are still struggling with issues and controversies of the past, and are too preoccupied to participate in informed discussions on sport and its impact on nation-building. Perhaps if their underlings were more enlightened to begin with, we would get somewhere. In the past, only two presidents gave sports its due importance, Ferdinand Marcos and Fidel Ramos. Sadly, as is wont in the Philippines, the winners of succeeding elections erase the programs of their predecessors. 

But this would not be an issue if new systems and infrastructure would be put in place. The long-standing scenario of government vs private sector in sports has held the country back. Almost all countries around the world have sports programs that are either entirely private or entirely government-run. Only in the Philippines are funds and grassroots programs under government supervision, while individual national sports programs have pseudo-independence. Those who can afford to do without government help or rule do, those who cannot, have to deal with the situation. Until a new national leadership realizes that this does not work and acknowledges that it is important, this scenario will continue to persist, and we will lose athletes to higher-paying jobs overseas, or to frustration. 

Granted, there are other forces at play: perhaps a reluctant Department of Budget and Management, skeptical leaders who see sports as a mere indulgence, and legislators with their own agendas. Still, it is a battle worth pursuing. The intangible value of sport is difficult to explain to people who do not want to see it. Hopefully, the next election will bring us leaders who do give a damn about sports, and who are smart enough to realize the long-reaching impact of a successful grassroots to elite sports platform that will make the Philippine healthier, stronger, more inspired and ultimately, more productive.

But I’m not holding my breath.