SEA Games from LA
November 11, 2005 | 12:00am
LOS ANGELES — Weeks before they officially set out for gold in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games set Nov. 27 to Dec. 5 in Manila, the Fil-Am athletes joining the Philippine teams for reinforcement are already looking for gold.
Benito Miranda, vice president of Filipino Athletes International (FAI), explained that of the 12 Fil-Ams scheduled to don the colors of the Philippines in the upcoming biennial meet, seven still don’t have roundtrip tickets to Manila.
"What we have done is we have given some kind of indirect support to the group by requesting friends to share part of their time, their effort, their money because they need to travel, need to call, to do a lot of things. And most of them are spending their own money. And so we help them out in every way we can," said consul general Marciano Paynor of the Philippine Consulate in LA.
Last week, the consulate hosted a reception for the Fil-Am athletes (list to be confirmed by early next week) traveling to Manila for the international sporting event.
"This is actually a way of showing appreciation and acknowledging the fact that we are now trying to get the Filipino Americans to participate, not only in words but in action," Paynor said in his opening remark at the event that was also attended by officials from the consulates of other Southeast Asian countries present in Los Angeles. There were representatives from the Royal Thai Consulate, Consulate of Malaysia and Indonesian Consulate.
"It shows that they support us in our hosting of the SEA Games, among other things. They always support us in all our endeavors. Like I said, it’s a show of ASEAN solidarity and we show it in every way we can, every time we can," Paynor said.
They also launched the campaign to raise funds for these athletes. Some are coming from the different States – Milwaukee, Hawaii and Chicago – to train in Southern California. While here, they will need housing and allowance for food and transportation.
"I anticipate that in conjunction, with the training; with the genetic bonus that a Philippine athlete has, being short, being stocky is very important in the sport of gymnastics; and of course the work ethic instilled in these athletes, they have a very good opportunity in placements," said Tanya Berenson of the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics where the Philippine delegates will be training for a couple weeks. "But we have to help them in their training while they’re here."
According to FAI, one way to help is to join their team by paying minimal membership fees – $25 per individual and $50 per family. FAI operates on a mission is to identify competitive athletes of Filipino ancestry and assist in the procurement of resources for their training and development with a view toward allowing them to reach a standard worthy of representing The Philippines in national, regional and international athletic competitions. The group traces its roots to the Philippine Overseas Olympic Development Committee (POODC).
"It used to be called the Philippine Overseas Olympic Development Committee and because now we have a lot of youth under the Fil-Am sports, but Fil-Am sports stands for Filipino Americans and now we have athletes from Australia, Vancouver, from England. So now we’re called Filipino Athletes International," Miranda said of the name change.
But no matter what name they use, the group maintains that the initiative was born out of the idea that even Fil-foreigners have the right to get to know their ancestors’ country and culture. And having them join Filipino athletes developing from the grassroots level will also facilitate the so-called transfer of technology.
"We just wanted to make sure that we have Filipino athletes who excel in this country to be able to represent the Philippines where they’re from. The Olympic swimmer, Nancy Cocklin, who won five gold medals in the last Olympic, she’s part Filipina," Miranda said.
"Their value here is first of all, they have a specific type of training and the support that will allow for them to participate competitively. We have quite a number of Filipinos who have the potential but don’t have the kind of training, that’s one. Two, they don’t have the coaches that will make them very competitive. With the participation of Filipino-Americans or Filipino athletes worldwide who have had the opportunity of good training and good coaches. Whatever experiences they have are passed on to their colleagues. So we elevate the chances of winning. We also help these athletes of Filipino descendants learn more about their country," Paynor added.
FAI said that the athletes they have fielded to sporting events held in the Philippines have been very successful in their campaign. Just a couple weeks ago, the group took seven members of their competitive pool to participate in the Manila Youth Games National Invitation – Daniel Coakley, Charlie Walker, Renee Balboa, Krizia Apelar, Tahlie Cablayan, Cortlin Cablayan, Michelle van Ruyven.
Of the group, Michele van Ruyven, 17 who competed in the 16-17 girls’ division bagged a gold medal in the long jump and a bronze in the 200m. 10-year-old Tahlie Cablayan took home the gold medal in 200m and another gold medal in the 400m. Krizia Apelar, who’s only 15 years-old was entered in the 16-17 girls’ division where she went on to win a silver medal in the 400m and a first-place finish in the 200m where she beat Palarong Pambansa champion Jasmine Chavez.
"This could probably get her (Krizia) crowned the ‘fastest Filipina," said Jim Apelar, FAI committee chairman for recruitment.
The sprinter from Long Beach Poly High in Long Beach, California also tried out to represent the Philippines in the Track and Field events for the SEA Games. But as of press time, there’s no word yet if she made the cut.
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Benito Miranda, vice president of Filipino Athletes International (FAI), explained that of the 12 Fil-Ams scheduled to don the colors of the Philippines in the upcoming biennial meet, seven still don’t have roundtrip tickets to Manila.
"What we have done is we have given some kind of indirect support to the group by requesting friends to share part of their time, their effort, their money because they need to travel, need to call, to do a lot of things. And most of them are spending their own money. And so we help them out in every way we can," said consul general Marciano Paynor of the Philippine Consulate in LA.
Last week, the consulate hosted a reception for the Fil-Am athletes (list to be confirmed by early next week) traveling to Manila for the international sporting event.
"This is actually a way of showing appreciation and acknowledging the fact that we are now trying to get the Filipino Americans to participate, not only in words but in action," Paynor said in his opening remark at the event that was also attended by officials from the consulates of other Southeast Asian countries present in Los Angeles. There were representatives from the Royal Thai Consulate, Consulate of Malaysia and Indonesian Consulate.
"It shows that they support us in our hosting of the SEA Games, among other things. They always support us in all our endeavors. Like I said, it’s a show of ASEAN solidarity and we show it in every way we can, every time we can," Paynor said.
"I anticipate that in conjunction, with the training; with the genetic bonus that a Philippine athlete has, being short, being stocky is very important in the sport of gymnastics; and of course the work ethic instilled in these athletes, they have a very good opportunity in placements," said Tanya Berenson of the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics where the Philippine delegates will be training for a couple weeks. "But we have to help them in their training while they’re here."
According to FAI, one way to help is to join their team by paying minimal membership fees – $25 per individual and $50 per family. FAI operates on a mission is to identify competitive athletes of Filipino ancestry and assist in the procurement of resources for their training and development with a view toward allowing them to reach a standard worthy of representing The Philippines in national, regional and international athletic competitions. The group traces its roots to the Philippine Overseas Olympic Development Committee (POODC).
"It used to be called the Philippine Overseas Olympic Development Committee and because now we have a lot of youth under the Fil-Am sports, but Fil-Am sports stands for Filipino Americans and now we have athletes from Australia, Vancouver, from England. So now we’re called Filipino Athletes International," Miranda said of the name change.
But no matter what name they use, the group maintains that the initiative was born out of the idea that even Fil-foreigners have the right to get to know their ancestors’ country and culture. And having them join Filipino athletes developing from the grassroots level will also facilitate the so-called transfer of technology.
"We just wanted to make sure that we have Filipino athletes who excel in this country to be able to represent the Philippines where they’re from. The Olympic swimmer, Nancy Cocklin, who won five gold medals in the last Olympic, she’s part Filipina," Miranda said.
"Their value here is first of all, they have a specific type of training and the support that will allow for them to participate competitively. We have quite a number of Filipinos who have the potential but don’t have the kind of training, that’s one. Two, they don’t have the coaches that will make them very competitive. With the participation of Filipino-Americans or Filipino athletes worldwide who have had the opportunity of good training and good coaches. Whatever experiences they have are passed on to their colleagues. So we elevate the chances of winning. We also help these athletes of Filipino descendants learn more about their country," Paynor added.
FAI said that the athletes they have fielded to sporting events held in the Philippines have been very successful in their campaign. Just a couple weeks ago, the group took seven members of their competitive pool to participate in the Manila Youth Games National Invitation – Daniel Coakley, Charlie Walker, Renee Balboa, Krizia Apelar, Tahlie Cablayan, Cortlin Cablayan, Michelle van Ruyven.
Of the group, Michele van Ruyven, 17 who competed in the 16-17 girls’ division bagged a gold medal in the long jump and a bronze in the 200m. 10-year-old Tahlie Cablayan took home the gold medal in 200m and another gold medal in the 400m. Krizia Apelar, who’s only 15 years-old was entered in the 16-17 girls’ division where she went on to win a silver medal in the 400m and a first-place finish in the 200m where she beat Palarong Pambansa champion Jasmine Chavez.
"This could probably get her (Krizia) crowned the ‘fastest Filipina," said Jim Apelar, FAI committee chairman for recruitment.
The sprinter from Long Beach Poly High in Long Beach, California also tried out to represent the Philippines in the Track and Field events for the SEA Games. But as of press time, there’s no word yet if she made the cut.
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