SURAKARTA, Indonesia – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. is looking forward to a fruitful campaign of Filipino para-athletes competing in the 11th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games.
“Siguro naman mapapantayan ninyo ang mga success stories ng mga ibang atleta na lumaban sa mga international games kagaya nito,” Mr. Marcos said in a videotaped inspirational message released by the Philippine Sports Commission addressed to the country’s campaigners last Friday.
He cited the successes of Filipino athletes in international play such as karateka Junna Tsukii, who won the country’s second gold medal in The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama and the Filipinas capturing the AFF Women’s Championship trophy for the first time in front of a hometown crowd at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in July.
The most recent triumph came from pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, who bagged a bronze medal in the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon with a new Asian and national record of 5.94 meters last week.
“Good luck sa inyong lahat at ako’y nakakasiguro na pasisikatin ninyong muli ang Pilipinas,” said Mr. Marcos in expressing his confidence that the national para-athletes would deliver and bring home the bacon from the 11-nation sportsfest.
Philippine Paralympic Committee was grateful to Mr. Marcos’ show of support for the country’s para-athletes in bringing pride and glory to the country during the ASEAN Para Games.