Ernest John “EJ”Obiena, pole vault (Facebook photo)
MANILA – The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will hold an invitational golf tournament at Canlubang Golf and Country Club in Laguna on June 14 to raise additional funds for athletes going to the Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games.
So far, 15 Filipino athletes have booked tickets to the July 26 to Aug. 11 Paris Games – world No. 3 pole vaulter EJ Obiena; gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Levi Jung- Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyo; boxers Aira Villegas, Nesthy Petecio, Hergie Bacyadan, Eumir Marcial and Carlo Paalam; rower Joanie Delgaco; weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, John Ceniza and Elreen Ando; and fencer Sam Catantan.
Those who have qualified for the Paralympics, set. Aug. 28 to Sept. 8, are swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Angel Otom, taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin and archer Agustina Bantiloc.
“We would like to thank all the sponsors who have committed their support for this event and we ensure these can go a long way for our athletes,” PSC chair Richard Bachmann said in a statement on Monday.
Philippine Airlines, Smart and Senator Bong Go are the major sponsors of the tournament, while San Miguel Corporation, Strong Group Athletics, Chooks-to-Go, Senator Sonny Angara, Uratex Philippines and Parola Maritime Inc. also assured their support.
Also sponsoring the event are Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy, Converge, Shakey’s Philippines, Mariano Araneta, Johnny Air Cargo, TMS Ship Agencies Inc., CEL Logistics Inc., Winford Manila, Peak Sports, Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. Parikit Manila, BLK, Happy Skin, and Representatives Faustino Michael Dy III (Isabela 5th District), Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque, Lone District), Marvin Rillo (Quezon City 4th District), Richard Gomez (Leyte 4th District) and Dino Tanjuatco (Rizal 2nd District).
The Government Service Insurance System and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation also pledged to help the project, which aims to raise more than PHP2 million to be equally divided among the qualified athletes for their training.
Bachmann previously said Filipino athletes who qualified for Paris will receive cash incentives from senators.
“Twenty-three million is only from Senator Risa Hontiveros, then Senator Bong Go has a figure already. He has additional. There’s also additional from other senators direct to the athletes already na pinasa lang sa (that was just coursed through the) PSC and I just signed a cheque siguro mga (of around) PHP30 million plus,” Bachmann said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association weekly forum on June 4. (PNA)
