Go roots for Team Philippines, calls for more gov’t, private support
(Photo from Sen. Bong Go FB)
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports, continues to advocate for the development of a stronger and improved sports sector in the country.
On Thursday, 11 May, the senator flew to Cambodia to show his support and cheer for the Filipino athletes participating in the ongoing Southeast Asian Games. He emphasized the importance of sports in promoting national pride and unity, and thanked the athletes for bringing honor to the country.
"Nandito po kami ni Senate President Migz Zubiri, Senator Francis Tolentino… full force po ang Senado to support our athletes. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports, full support po ako parati sa lahat ng sports… sana po ay makahabol tayo. Kilala naman ang mga Pilipino na lumalaban at may puso. Go Philippines! Go! Go! Go! Go for gold," he said in an interview while watching the events in Cambodia.
"Congratulations po sa ating mga atleta! Ang Pilipino po ay kilala dahil sa ating puso at lumalaban tayo hanggang sa huli. Talagang lumalaban ang Pilipino. Inspirasyon kayo ng mga kababayan natin, mga atleta, kaya nandito kami to support you," he also said earlier in an ambush interview after his visit to Tondo, Manila on Wednesday, 10 May.
Go maintained that sports can have a positive impact on the country, not just in terms of promoting a healthy lifestyle but also in creating opportunities for Filipinos to excel in the field and bring pride to the nation.
He likewise emphasized the need for a more comprehensive and holistic approach to sports development. He shared that he sponsored and defended additional funding for the Philippine Sports Commission during its 2023 budget deliberation, particularly for grassroots sports development and in support of athletes joining international competitions.
"Gaya po noon, full support po ako sa ating mga atleta. In fact, ang na-aprubahan po na budget sa PSC ay more or less P200 million. Ako po ang nagsulong na madagdagan po ng P1 billion ang budget po ng PSC para po sa grassroots program, para po suporta sa ating mga atletang nagko-compete po sa SEA Games, Asian Games and even sa Olympics," Go cited.