BATANGAS 1st District Congressman Eric Buhain led the deliberations and review of the proposed house bills and resolutions recognizing women in sports and building facilities for the country’s grassroots sports development programs.
As an Olympian and Philippine Sports Hall-of-Famer, Buhain asserted that it is an honor to give importance and recognition to outstanding Filipino athletes like him who aspire to bring honor to the country.
“It’s interesting because, as a former athlete, I felt these measures would give every Filipino athlete importance. Also, through this, we will enrich our country’s sports field,” said Buhain, vice chairman of the Youth and Sports Committee in the House of Representatives.
The house bill is a big step by Congress to promote women’s rights and give fair opportunities for female athletes who, according to Buhain, have significantly contributed to sports development in the country.
The proposed resolution aims to recognize and honor international tennis phenom Alex Eala and the Philippine boxing team, which include female fighters Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, and Hergie Bacyadan, for winning the gold medal at the Boxam Elite Tournament in La Nucia, Alicante, Spain.
The success of Petecio (57 kg.) and Villegas (50 kg.) followed when both advanced to the semifinals of the 1st World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, on March 12 to earn the much-coveted tickets in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Meanwhile, it was the second time for the 25-year-old Petecio to make it to the Olympics, where she bagged a silver in the Tokyo edition of the games, while the 23-year-old Villegas is a first-timer in the world’s biggest sports spectacle.
Also cited during the review was Olympic gold medalist lifter Hidilyn Diaz, who praised the great sacrifice of female athletes for giving honor to the country in the past decades.
The resolution for the establishment of sports academies, training centers, and sports arenas in the central provinces of the country was also discussed in the said house hearing last March 19, attended by the officials of the Philippine Sports Commission, led by chairman Richard Bachmann and commissioner Edward Hayco as they vowed to implement the ‘ Regionalization Sports’ program of the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos. Jr.