IN the days leading up to the Tokyo Olympics, officials of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap) found ways to keep the team in high spirits before the quest for medals.
One of the ways Abap did was to give entertainment to the boxing team, with secretary general Ed Picson inviting comedian Isko Salvador, also known as ‘Brod Pete,’ to do comedy skits virtually.
Loosen up
Picson has been friends with Salvador since their days as part of the cast of ‘John En Marsha’ of Dolphy and Nida Blanca in the 1980s, and he thought of inviting Salvador.
At first, Picson said Salvador was hesitant for fear that the national boxers will not be able to relate to his jokes.
“Kailangan maaliwalas ‘yung aura natin. Kaya a few days before the opening, inimbitahan ko si Brod Pete ng Dating Doon. Matagal ko nang barkada ‘yan. Nung 1980s pa. Tinawagan ko. Sabi niya, anong gagawin ko diyan, di naman ako ano diyan sa boxing. Ang kakilala daw niya na mga boksingero sila Dodie Boy Peñalosa at si Rolando Navarrete. Di ko na kilala ‘yung iba.”
“Sabi ko, hindi naman kailangan tungkol sa boxing eh. Tungkol sa everyday life lang. Kahit mga lumang material mo na ginagamit mo. Sabi niya, ‘Puwede ba mga 10 to 15 minutes lang. Sige na nga, gagawin ko para sa bayan.’ Makatulong man lang kahit papano. Pero kung hindi maka-relate sa mga jokes ko ‘yung mga bata, titigil ko na ha.”
It happened on the same day of the opening ceremonies. And what was supposed to be a 10 to 15-minute program became a 45-minute show that the boxers and the coaches loved.

“Hagalpakan sila,” Picson said. “Pati mga coaches. Sabi nga ni Don Abnett, ‘yung Australian coach namin, hindi naman niya naiintindihan dahil Tagalog, pero natatawa siya. Nahahawa siya sa tawa.
"Pagkatapos nun, a few days after, sabi niya sa akin, they were still laughing two days after. Dalawang araw na nakakalipas, nagtatawanan pa sila and they were still mentioning ‘yung jokes ni Brod Pete.”
Prior to the Olympics, Picson also helped the boxers spiritually in Tokyo with a mass thanks to a priest friend based in Sapporo, Japan.
“Spiritually, nabigyan natin sila ng konting sustansya. Nung opening, tuwang tuwa sila para mabigyan ng pagkakataon na makahinga-hinga ng konti after a very rigorous training. We try to balance everything. Puspusan ang training tapos may konting relaxation para maluwag ang pakiramdam,” said Picson.
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