These days it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find things to be happy or positive about. It seems that the news is full of new COVID-19 variants, cases exploding, and a vaccination drive that isn’t anywhere as fast as it needs to be. It makes us all wonder when (and if) things are going to get better, especially how the world is going to look when we come out the other side.
That’s why whenever we do receive good news, we hold on to it as tight as possible because we are all hard-pressed to feel happy during these trying times. Between the constant virus news and all the stories of politicking starting as early as now for the upcoming elections, we’re being pulled in so many different directions.
But there are still spots of light in the darkness, and achievements to be proud of despite all the issues. One of these was the stunning performance the Philippines displayed at the recent Tokyo Olympics. I know I wasn’t alone watching the games and cheering for our country’s athletes.
What a medal haul we had this year, and a pandemic year at that. It’s incredible to think that during the most challenging times, our athletes were able to pull off something unbelievable. It’s true, what they say, that real champions can overcome all odds and come out even stronger. That’s what our athletes showcased and how they inspire us all.
A couple of weeks ago, I touched on the historic win of Hidilyn Diaz. It was not an understatement to say that she carried the hopes of the entire nation when she pulled off that amazing final lift. But who knew that her gold medal was just going to be one of the many amazing feats that the Philippines showcased at the games.
Not long after Diaz won the gold, we had Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial in medal contention as well, pulling off amazing performances. And it isn’t just about the medals, but also about the incredible heart and the “never give up” spirit they displayed. The same is true for all of our Olympic athletes, not just the ones who were able to stand on the podium.
I think I can say with absolute certainty that everyone all over the world fell in love with Margielyn Didal who truly showcased the Olympic spirit. Her infectious smile during her event was contagious and she became a social media darling because of her vibrant personality and for cheering for all the competitors with all her heart. She served as a timely reminder of what the Olympics is truly about – champions supporting one another and supporting each other’s successes.
Now that our athletes have made some historic wins and have shown what they are capable of, it’s time we reinvigorate our sports programs and give them the support that they deserve. We have such incredible talent here in the Philippines and I think that with the proper financial support for training and learning, we can do even better the next time around. I know younger athletes are now inspired to try their hand at their passions and to make an Olympic showing too. After all, it’s every athlete’s dream to wear their country’s colors at the biggest sporting event in the world.
So for all the sacrifices that everyone has made, and the tireless training and work they put in, we celebrate all our Olympic athletes. Diaz, Petecio, Paalam, and Marcial. As well as Didal, Carlos Yulo, Yuka Saso, Irish Magno, Bianca Pagdanganan, Juvic Pagunsan, Kiyomi Watanabe, Elreen Ando, Cris Nievarez, Kurt Barbosa, Jayson Valdez, Luke Gebbie, Kristina Knott, and Remedy Rule.
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Speaking of athletic support, San Miguel Corp. president Ramon S. Ang added his generous personal contribution to the victors of the recently concluded games. He awarded generous monetary gifts to Marcial, Paalam, Petecio, and to Diaz who is especially close to his heart as they have supported her for several years. Her victory serves as a reminder of what our talents can achieve if we give them the platform and the support they need.
Ang, a longtime supporter of Philippine sports, shared that the Olympics have shown us that truly nothing is impossible. For our athletes to have been able to do what they did in this unprecedented time is nothing short of incredible, and the businessman and philanthropist feels that this is just the beginning of what will hopefully be a new and exciting era of Philippine athletics.
Ang’s support for the country doesn’t end with sports. The generous taipan has always played a part of nation building and is currently working on several infrastructure projects in the country. SMC has also been a mainstay during COVID-19, donating monetary support generously throughout the pandemic and helping get food and essential goods to those in need. Now the company is rolling out its COVID-19 vaccination program “Ligtas Lahat” and has already vaccinated 22,000 of the SMC workforce in just two weeks.
This initial tally puts them on track to quickly meet the goal of vaccinating roughly 35,000 employees within the month. Given the spread and emergence of the Delta variant, we truly need all hands on deck and we need to inoculate as many people as possible. Vaccination drives conducted by private companies like SMC will go a long way towards helping our government meet its vaccination goals.
As Ang noted, this is our third hard lockdown in the metro. But if we, along with the government and private sector, all work together, practice safety protocols, and get as many people safely vaccinated as possible, we can remain hopeful that it will be our last.