Guv Pogi’s advocacy

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

OUR young and energetic province chief executive Amado Espino III with less than a year governing our province, is obviously showing his fervent love for sports not only for the young ones but also to aging people. He already organized a province-wide sports activities like the prestigious inter-town basketball tournament, volleyball, chess, cycling and the Unity Games among LGUs. I guess we will see more on May 1 during our celebration of the nation’s well-known Pista’y Dayat. Fondly called “Pogi” by his friends, relatives and his constituents, our sports-minded and dynamic governor already signed an executive order No. 0008-2017 creating a Provincial Sports Development Council for the establishment of the Pangasinan Sports Academy and Program aimed at strengthening the development of the province’ sports program to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human development especially among the youth. According to my friend the skilled province sports consultant Modesto Operania, the Pangasinan Sports Development Council will (1) Formulate plans and evaluate sports activities aimed at excelling in national and international sports competitions; (2) Invite and engage the services of sports consultants and experts for the various forms of sports activities in the province; (3) Coordinate with and enlist all sports organizations and associations in our province and even in the region/country for a planned and concerted effort to realistically attain full implementation of all sports programs including the institutionalization of sports academy of the province; (4) Provide the athletes, coaches, and trainers with technical assistance, exposures and access to high training standards by top-caliber athletes and mentors; (5) Provide the athletes and coaches with adequate and sports facilities; and (6) Propose measures and perform such other duties and functions as may be necessary for the improvement of the sports program of the province.
Reading through them, I have to agree that it’s a brilliant idea. With the exception of his father and now the province fifth district Representative Amado T. Espino, Jr., no other chief executive of our province conceptualized and implemented such a plan. “Like father like son” as the saying goes.
Guv Pogi pointed out that the province of Pangasinan has the capacity to provide the needed training with the international standard sports facilities at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC), It has become a favorite sports training ground and destination for both local and international sports occasions. In fact, it already served the annual DepEd IRAA meet countless times and twice as venue of the Palarong Pambansa in 1995 and 2012. He added that the province’ Sports Development Program Management Council headed by himself and vice chaired by Ms. Benita M. Pizarro of the Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator and Operania as the executive officer will oversee the implementation of the project, especially the all-year-round training of our athletes in order to have better chances of winning in the local, national and even in international competitions.

I doff my hat to our governor for his advocacy in sports. The planned sports academy and the inter-town cage tourney (in progress) are clear proofs that the young guy from Bautista town is unquestionably a die-hard sportsman. The Pangasinenses, especially the young ones, have won his heart.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: One Lord, one faith, one baptism; One God and Father of all, who is above, and through all, and in you all. EPHESIANS 4: 5-6

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