Sports Eye

Gov. Pogi’s sports accomplishments, onwards

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

 

I ATTENDED the SOPA (State of the Province Address) of Gov. Amado “Pogi” Espino III last May 11 held at the Capitol Ground in Lingayen. It was his first SOPA being our new father of the province and his speech that lasted 47 minutes was aired live over Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan. I was there to listen to his report on the province’s accomplishments in sports during his 10 months term as our political leader. And yes, he not only cited our province sports development program but also mentioned the growths of our agricultural products, agro-industrial enterprise, tourism, environment, infrastructure projects like highways and buildings especially hospitals, provincial revenues and good local governance, among others.

But I was more concerned about sports because this is my forte and where my passion lies, not only as sports writer but also as sports broadcaster starting in 1984, during my eleven years of stint in Guam.

Yes, he mentioned the creation of Pangasinan Sports Development and Management Council that will plan and lead our sports development and scholarship programs including the management of the soon to be established Pangasinan Sports Academy which was conceptualized by his father the former governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., now the 5th District Rep. Amado T. Espino, Jr.

He cited other accomplishments of our province having landed in the top ten overall in the Batang Pinoy Games, finished fourth in the Philippine National Games last season and the champion in the Region 1 Athletic Association this year that harvested 157 medals. Elated by the success of our young athletes, the provincial government under the initiative of Gov. Pogi, donated P14M financial assistance to the Department of Education Schools Division 1 and 11 for their sports and development program.

He said he will continue to stage the annual Pangasinan Chess Festival and Training Camp pioneered by his father, and where the Mangatarem born chess whiz kid international master Haridas Pascua was discovered.
He also mentioned his brainchild sports project the very successful First Governor’s Cup Inter-Town/City Basketball Tournament that concluded last April 23 with the Binmaley quintet defeating the Manaoag squad in the best-of-three series held at NRSCC in Lingayen. He also mentioned the ongoing First Pangasinan Inter-LGU Unity Games for city/municipal officials and employees for men’s basketball and women’s volleyball and soon the inter-agency basketball tourney for men to start.

He added that unknown to many, our province’s disabled athletes (PWD) also shined in the 2016 Philippine Sports for the Differently-abled Paralympic Games bringing home 27 medals (9 gold, 10 silver and 8 bronze) and one of our athletes was selected to join the national team to compete in an international meet in China.
He didn’t mention cycling during his speech but in his heart I know that the youthful and sports-minded province chief executive loves cycling because he convened a big one to be conducted this coming May 28 that will start and finish at Capitol Ground in Lingayen with P89,000 in cash prizes, trophies and medals are up for grabs.

More sports activities to come and I guess it will be after the rainy season spearheaded by the second conference of the Pangasinan Inter-Town/City Basketball Tournament. What more can I say, but to believe that the dynamic governor inarguably has won the hearts of the sports-minded Pangasinan people particularly the young ones.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And Jesus Christ said “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in the heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. MARK 13: 32-33

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