By MINERVA BC NEWMAN
BOHOL – True to his promise last Christmas, Gov. Arthur Yap gifted former Olympian boxer Teogenes Pelegrino a brand new fishing boat on Wednesday.
Pelegrino, who represented the country in the 1968 Mexico Olympics, had been praying to have a new fishing boat which he can use to earn for a living being a fisherman now.
The fishing boat he had been using for years finally gave up on him two years ago so during the turn over at the Bohol Capitol, Pelegrino was ecstatic for the gift.
Yap recalled his chance meeting with Peligrino in December last year where he expressed astonishment and dismay how such a precious Boholano athlete could have gone into hard times without the provincial government giving him a helping hand.
“How on earth did we have our very own Olympian and not know about it?” Yap asked his staff when they first met in December last year.
In fact, Yap immediately took notice of Pelegrino’s well-built frame although he’s already 71 years old.
According to Provincial Information and Media Relations (PRIMER) officer Ven Arigo, Yap asked the former Olympian what the provincial government could do for him if only to repay him for the recognition and honor he brought to Bohol.
All Pelegrino asked for was a new fishing boat.
“This is one of the reasons why I am a public servant,” Yap said who requested the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) here to transport the boat to Pelegrino’s hometown in Barangay Basdio in Guindulman.
The new fishing boat is expected to turn Pelegrino’s life around for the better as he
had been asking for assistance from the provincial government even before Yap became governor so that he could get a replacement for his battered boat to no avail.
During the Mexico Olympics, Pelegrino fought in the featherweight class but he lost to eventual silver medalist Al Robinson of the United States in the second round.
He turned professional after the Olympics and fought 32 times. He became the no. 3 contender in the featherweight class.
After his boxing career, Pelegrino decided to return and settle down in his hometown to live a simple life.
