By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
House Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero (1-Pacman Partylist) vowed to introduce a house resolution to prioritize national athletes in the government’s vaccination program.
Romero said PH athletes could be considered as frontliners since they are also sacrificing for the country.
The resolution would focus on prioritizing first elite athletes who are bound for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics this July, as well as the 2021 Vietnam Southeast Asian Games late November.
“Sa order of priority kasi, ang uunahin dyan are the senior citizens and the medical and military frontliners. Ang mga athletes, baka nasa baba pa. So ang gagawin lang naman natin, papantayan lang natin ang mga frontliners,” Romero said in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters’ Association Online Forum.
Romero added the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already come up with a policy that all competitors to Tokyo “should and would be vaccinated.”
“That’s the standard ngayon ng IOC and the Tokyo Organizing Committee so I think it would be safe,” Romero said.
Romero said vaccines could be available in the country in March or April with the Congress prioritizing 80 million vaccines to 40 million Filipinos for the double dosage.
So far, the country only has four Olympic qualifiers in pole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and boxers Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno. But select athletes have already resumed training for upcoming qualifying with hopes of landing Olympic berths.
In fact, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has organized a training bubble for athletes in taekwondo, boxing and karatedo for 90 days at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Romero is optimistic more athletes will qualify to the Tokyo Games in the coming months and eventually win that elusive first Olympic gold medal for the country.
“Hopefully, mas marami ngayong (qualifiers). We’re hoping to get the gold (medal). Sana ma-nail na natin yun kasi matagal na rin nating hinihintay yon,” Romero said.
“It’s long overdue.”
Romero, who also happens to be a polo athlete, is also doing his best to come up with programs and resolutions to improve Philippine sports.
They are working on converting New Clark City, one of the main venues in the 2019 SEAG that the country hosted, as training venues for athletes like athletics and swimming.
“I think most athletes na dati nagti-train in Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, kailangang mag-base na sa New Clark City because the facilities are there already. Sana matapos na yung paggamit ng facilities doon for quarantine,” Romero said.
Romero said he wanted to concentrate on giving training centers to as many athletes as possible and getting more budget appropriated for the PSC for the athletes.
