AS ELECTION month at the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)approaches, one of its senior officials moved to remind his colleagues of the need to uphold the spirit of Olympism with the end view of making the body stronger and better.
In a statement shared on Monday, POC first vice-president Jose Romansanta stressed that as the Nov. 27 POC elections draw closer and battle lines are intensely being drawn, members should not lose sight of where their organization is rooted in and what it stands for.
“As sports leaders and POC members, we should aspire to be better men and women not only in pursuing sports excellence but also in setting an example in honesty, integrity, proficiency, and transparency for our followers, our flag, and our country, all in the spirit of Olympism,” Mr. Romasanta said.
Adding, “With the youth of the land among our constituents, we are the standard-bearers in nurturing, promoting, and propagating our respective sports based on the lofty ideals and tenets of Olympism.”
The POC official, also president of the Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas, Inc., made his sentiments known as the election race heats up.
Seeking positions in the local Olympic body are the groups led by incumbent president Abraham Tolentino (cycling) and challenger Clint Aranas (archery).
While both parties have vowed to improve the affairs of the POC, they, however, do not see eye-to-eye on certain issues and have taken one another to task for them, which Mr. Romasanta said could be problematic if left uncontrolled.
That being said, Mr. Romasanta, who is not seeking reelection in the upcoming POC polls, urged his colleagues to be mindful of their decisions and actions since these would reflect greatly on the entire organization.
“These are heavy responsibilities and obligations that we swore to uphold when we became NSA leaders and POC members… Our actions and decisions within our associations and the POC have a larger impact beyond the field of sports and upon society we live in as well,” Mr. Romasanta said.
“Our choice and decision in this crucial election on Nov. 27 will leave a legacy for posterity that will impact succeeding generations. Let us all live up to the Olympic motto of ‘CITIUS, ALTIUS, FORTIUS’ (“Faster, Higher, Stronger”) for a better POC,” he furthered. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
