Siklab Atleta bats for 1st PH Olympic gold

Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Foundation executive director, Atty. Raymond Zorilla said the foundation aims to raise PHP1billion to fund its program (Photo: Philippine Sports Commission)

MANILA — The Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Sports Foundation was launched on Saturday to help the country win its first Olympic gold medal.

“Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Foundation will fuel the Philippines’ best athletes to make the country’s dream of bagging an Olympic gold a reality. We need to provide our athletes the support befitting their stature as our country’s representative to the world,” Phoenix Petroleum President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Uy said during the launching at the Century Park Hotel.

The foundation’s goals include selecting top-flight, elite Filipino athletes who have the prime potentials to bring pride and honor to the country through winning gold medals in the Olympic Games, and provide the chosen athletes financial and other logistical support in the form of training equipment and facilities, coaching expertise, international competition and exposure, as well as education, housing and livelihood.

The initial list of athletes supported by the foundation include Nicole Tagle (archery); Shawn Cray, Trenton Beram and EJ Obiena (athletics); James Dieparine and Nicole Oliva (aquatics); Eumir Marcial and John Tupas (boxing); Marella Salamat, Ariana Dormitorio and Sienna Flores (cycling); Hermie Macaranas and OJ Fuentes (canoe-kayak); Carlos Yulo and Kaitlin de Guzman (gymnastics); Kiyomi Watanabe, Mariya Takahashi, Shugen Nakano and Kesei Nakano (judo); James Delos Santos (karate); Philmar Alipayo and Edito Alcala (surfing); Elaine Alora, Pauline Lopez (taekwondo); Kim Mangrobang (triathlon); Hidilyn Diaz and Kristel Macrohon (weightlifting); and Geylord Coveta and Yancy Kabigan (windsurfing).

Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Foundation executive director, Atty. Raymond Zorilla, said the foundation aims to raise PHP1 billion to fund its program.

“To our athletes, you can count on the administration and Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Sports Foundation to do our best to provide you with the support you need to bring pride and honor to the country. To our benefactors, thank you for partnering with us and for believing that the Filipino can be the best in the world,” said Uy, who also serves as presidential adviser for sports.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez, who is a member of the foundation’s executive committee, also graced the launching.

“I truly believe that Filipino talent is excellent and that if cultivated properly, it can not just show the world how amazing the Filipino people are but also prove to them just how great we can become,” said Cayetano in his speech.

“Our athletes have continuously trained their minds and bodies to bring pride to the Philippines and it is about time we give them stronger support for them to achieve their dreams and for the Philippines to continue blazing forth in the international arena,” he added.

Other officials present were Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Abraham Tolentino, president Victorico Vargas and auditor Jonne Go, PSC commissioners Ramon Fernandez and Celia Kiram, taekwondo president Robert Aventajado, weightlifting president Monico Puentevella, gymnastics president Cynthia Carrion, squash president Robert Bachmann, tennis vice president Martin Misa, and triathlon secretary general Tom Carrasco.

The Philippines has won 10 medals — three silvers and seven bronzes — since it started competing in the Olympic Games.