Bangon, Pilipinas!
THERE were a number of interesting topics and burning issues that I struggled with choosing for my commentary today, so I decided instead to touch on each one of these and took the unavoidable risk of surface-skimming: sports as a source of national pride and the insights drawn from victory and defeat; the abusive use of public funds for self-serving interests; our pushback in the West Philippines Sea in carefully calibrated and calculated steps; the winds of war in Europe, the Middle East and Indo-Pacific; and our national and civil defense preparations.
Sports glory and national pride are morale boosters that are indispensable to nation-building. As president of the Philippine Taekwondo Association, I had the privilege of leading our delegation at the Asian Games in Hangzhou and observing our athletes' competitiveness. Our hearts swelled with each report of medals won in taekwondo, wushu, jujitsu, boxing, karate, tennis, athletics, basketball, cycling, weightlifting and sepak takraw, and sympathized with those who didn't, either due to the luck of the draw, faulty systems, breaks of the game or better-prepared opponents who were taller, tougher, more resilient and faster.
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