{"id":2358,"date":"2014-03-04T05:07:06","date_gmt":"2014-03-04T13:07:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=2358"},"modified":"2014-03-22T09:10:52","modified_gmt":"2014-03-22T16:10:52","slug":"sotto-files-resolution-commending-michael-martinez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2014\/03\/04\/sotto-files-resolution-commending-michael-martinez\/","title":{"rendered":"Sotto files resolution commending Michael Martinez"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Michael<\/a>
Michael Christian Martinez \/ AP file photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

A resolution commending Michael Christian Martinez for being the first skater from Southeast Asia to qualify for Winter Olympics and for finishing 19th\u00a0place in the 2014 winter Olympics held in Sochi, Russia has been filed\u00a0 at the\u00a0 Senate.<\/p>\n

Senator Vicente \u201cTito\u201d \u00a0Sotto III , who filed Senate Resolution No. 505, said the Senate should commend and congratulate Martinez \u201cfor bringing pride, joy and honor to the Filipino people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMartinez\u2019 achievement has brought pride, recognition and honor to the country and to Filipino people. \u00a0He rightfully deserves commendation from the Philippine Senate for remarkably showing to the world the exceptional talent of Filipinos,\u201d Sotto said in a statement on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

The senator noted how Martinez pursued to learn and develop his skills in figure skating in various shopping mall rinks in the Philippines despite his family\u2019s limited resources and severe asthma medical condition.<\/p>\n

\u201cMartinez has proved to Filipinos that with perseverance, determination and hardwork, it is possible to attain and fulfill one\u2019s goals,\u201d \u00a0he said.<\/p>\n

Sotto also cited Section 17 of article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, \u00a0which provides that \u201cthe State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and development.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malaca\u00f1ang on Sunday said that the allocation of the national budget was what prevented the Philippine government from providing funds for figure skater Michael Christian Martinez who represented the country in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.<\/p>\n

Secretary Herminio Coloma of the Presidential Communication Operations Office said in a radio interview that the priority of the government is to improve the livelihoods of the marginalized members of the society.<\/p>\n

He added that what was left of the budget allocated to athletics is for sports, which President Benigno Aquino III believes Filipinos have the \u201ccompetitive edge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEver since, the President believed that the government should focus to sports where Filipinos have a competitive edge,\u201d Coloma said in Filipino. \u201cThese are the sports where the Philippines can compete for a medal spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

The secretary, however, said that the government can ask the private sector to continue the help it gives to some national sports teams.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I see that helping each other is the solution here,\u201d Coloma said. \u201cIf we unite and give help to exceptional athletes like Martinez, and others, surely they can achieve their goals in their fields.\u201d<\/p>\n

With reports from Maila Ager and Bong Lozada, Inquirer.net<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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