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    Bambol Tolentino urges athletes to keep being inspirations amid pandemic

    POC president dedicates President's Award to all athletes, coaches
    Mar 28, 2021
    PHOTO: Screenshot from PSA Awards Night coverage

    DESPITE these trying times, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino urged the athletes to stay the course and continue fighting for the country.

    Tolentino was the recipient of the President's Award on Saturday's SMC-PSA Awards Night and pointed out that distinctions like these give hope to all in the sports industry as we wade through the COVID-19 pandemic.

    "Sa gitna ng pandemya, inspirasyon ito sa ating mga atleta at stakeholders para patuloy na magkaroon ng inspirasyon magensayo at sila'y mabigyang pansin bilang ambassador ng bansa sa larangan ng sports," he said in the annual event from the country's oldest media organization headed by its president Tito S. Talao of Manila Bulletin, presented by San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and backed by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and Cignal TV.

    Tolentino, who was re-elected as the president of POC and the International Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling) last year, was the lead steward of Philippine sports in 2020 as he lobbied measures that benefitted the national team athletes and coaches in the House of Representatives.

    The 57-year-old representative of Cavite's eighth district pushed for a P180-million item in the Republic Act. No. 11494, more known as Bayanihan to Recover as One Act 2, which was geared to hand monthly allowances to national team members in full starting November of last year.

    The measures also allowed national team members to receive by retroactive the 50-percent cut from their allowances from July, when the government decided to channel funds to its anti-COVID-19 pandemic campaign, as well as providing a one-time P5,000 pandemic assistance to Philippine athletes and coaches.

    "Alay ko ito sa ating mga atleta at coaches," said Tolentino. "Ito na ang panahon ng pagpapalakas ng sports industry sa ating bansa. Nawa'y tayo'y palaging biyayaan ng malakas na katawan at maayos na kaisipan para sabay-sabay nating malampasan ang pandemya na kasalukuyan nating kalaban."

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      PHOTO: Screenshot from PSA Awards Night coverage
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