BY WAYLON GALVEZ
Three more water polo national team athletes are expected to become the newest members of frontliners from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) as they are now on the final phase of their training.
Adan Gonzales, McGyver Reyes and Abnel Amiladjid are training with the Air Force, and are likely to be placed in various destinations of the military-controlled areas in the fight against COVID-19 once they completed their training.
“Malapit na matapos yung tatlo from their training,” said Maui Valdez, an enlisted officer of the Navy who has been assigned at camp duties and checkpoint the past four months, or since the government implemented community quarantine in different parts of the country.
“Matagal din, ilang months din nag-training. Dapat sana April sana tapos na sila, pero dahil nga nagka-COVID-19 outbreak, medyo natagalan sila sa training nila,” added Valdez.
Aside from Valdez, Romark Belo is also part of the Navy.
The country has more than 150 enlisted athletes.
Valdez, Belo, Gonzales, Reyes and Amiladjid were part of the national water polo team that won silver medal during the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games here.
They all played crucial roles for the national team in that SEAG campaign for a first podium finish for the country in nine years.
Because of their service with the military, the five players have missed the online training session of the national team.
“Nami-miss na namin sila yung samahan at kulitan, but of course, naiintidihan namin yung sitwasyon nila sa kanilang serbisyo publiko,” said water polo PH team coach Dale Evangelista.”
“But we at water polo national team, we are proud that there are three more of our players joining the frontline in the fight with COVID-19,” added Evangelista, himself a former navy personnel who has continued with public service as chairman of a Barangay 56 in Tondo, Manila.
