Tangerine Volts

Duterte to athletes:This moment belongs to you

By: Algie C. Dela Peña and Dennis C. Maestrado

“There are things which I have to convey to you, sa inyo mga bata to which this moment belongs to you.”

This was the opening statement of the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during his speech in the 60th Palarong Pambansa at Binirayan Sports Complex, San Jose de Buenavista City, Antique on April 23.

“To you I said to whom the moment rightfully belongs. You deserve the medals and the honors. Ang pagpapasalamat ko ay nandiyan for the participation and the spirit”, Duterte lauded the student-athletes who represented their region.

Duterte highlighted three things that he needed to pass to the youths - sense of responsibility, sense of discipline, and love of country. He underscored that it is a must that aspiring athletes possess such qualities as they are the future of this country.

“Education gets the lion’s share of government funding. Education will save us someday,” he further noted with high hopes as he discussed some issues of the government such as graft and corruption, terrorism and war on drugs.

Speaking to educational leaders and the public, Duterte stressed that his administration has allocated the biggest budget as to the goals of the Department of Education to mold the youngsters to have competitiveness, fairness, values, and a sense of goodwill as they will be soon to be mother and father of the country. He also indicated the need for the athletes to befriend each other while building their muscles, stamina, and physical being.

Duterte tagged his common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña and daughter Veronica in Antique.

Other dignitaries who attended the Opening Ceremony were DepEd Secretary Leonor M. Briones, Sen. Loren Legarda, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, Special Envoy for Overseas Filipino Worker Refugees Roy Cimatu and Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao.