A STATUE THAT BUILT ITSELF

Oftentimes, people are inspired by the stories of an underdog making his or her way to the climax of the story. We witnessed them starting from scratch. We identified the hardships and challenges they overcome. But have you pondered if this is the way we should normally accept reality?

Let’s take the context of a nine-year-old Bicolano chess wizard Bince Rafael Operiano. By the introduction, yes, Bince is a genius chess prodigy all the way from Barangay Busac in Oas, Albay. He comes from a poor family with Mr. Ben Operiano and Mrs. Rosemary Roblico Operiano. Born on October 24, 2013, this young and bright boy just participated and was hailed the champion in the 6th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship held in Bangkok, Thailand from November 4 to 12, 2022.

Talking about the journey of this kid before being known as a young chess wizard, Bince qualified for the 6th EAYCC in Thailand after winning in the National Youth and Schools Chess Championship Grand Finals Boys Under 9 Category held at the Dapitan City Cultural Complex in Zamboanga del Norte in September 2022.

Bince outsmarted and proved domination after defeating this many 29 participants worldwide through nine rounds until achieving the gold medal home in the pride of the Philippines. Inspiring, right?

While this may be a great feat accomplished, there’s more behind the said contribution that this poor chess wizard to the country. Making it to the national television news headlines was not something like ‘A Filipino World class Chess Wizard’ but ‘Young Filipino Chess Champion, Stranded in Airport for 3 Days.’

The opportunity to bring pride to the country comes not only with the bright mind that Bince has, but also with the reality of considering financial factors such as the allowance, lodging fee, plane ticket, and, etc. According to his parents, in order to join and fulfill this Filipino pride and dream, they needed to secure sponsors for the plane ticket and other expenses for they cannot provide the money to be spent.

In a Facebook post by Albay 3rd District Representative Fernando Cabredo last November 13, he shared the experiences that Bince had in the said competition. “Due to limited funds and while waiting for the plane ticket sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Bince and his father spent three nights at the airport with those benches as their bed.”

While it is somehow good to know that the Philippine Sports Commission sponsored the plane ticket, in the mind and reasoning of a critic, don’t you think that the sponsored late ticket manifests trivializing Bince’s case?

Being grateful for the help and contributions of select and private groups and individuals may be a normal thing but with the government, they have a major role in this. The welfare of the people comes into the hands of the government as manifested by the multiple sectors and departments that they have. We can look for no other than the government when it comes to our needs and support, especially when it comes to calamities, peacekeeping, or in this case, an opportunity to bring pride to the country of the Philippines.

As stated also in the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, Article 2, Section 9, “The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all.”

For the minimum, we admit that there’s still a battle for relieving people up from the poverty line and it is not for the government to supply Bince’s family and the like the fortune for an improved quality of life but the solid support that once heard in the radar, they would be there to render service and care just as much as the candidate perseveres giving the pride back to our homeland.

Yes. This is a mindopener to the citizens of the Philippines but this is not new. This is another repeating case from time to time as the focus on our Filipino athletes is still yet blurry. Take it with the struggles of our now-known Olympics gold-winner Hidilyn Diaz and the worldclass pole vaulter Earnest John ‘EJ’ Obiena, Alex Aela, Edwin Villanueva, Adrian Asul, Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Wesley S, Michael Martinez, and other aspiring to professional athletes with the multiple unheard stories of them asking for the support of the government. For this is the reality, the likes of Bince’s case let them focus on how they can make it with the solution to the problem even if it comes with many sacrifices unseen by the people that congratulate them and the likes of the government then-appreciating their effort in contributing pride to the country. They have a responsibility to the community. This bittersweet and inspiring crawl to the top is not something we should normalize. The government is supposed to be one’s shoulder to lie on especially when we’re working on one particular goal and not seeing ourselves hardened down up top until finally yet late to be seen, like a statue that built itself from the ground up.

DWCC-SDP HOLDS FIRST-EVER IN-HOUSE VOLLEYBALL CLINIC

KARL BRYAN CHAVEZ

Tostrengthen the school’s sports program by creating a pool of dedicated coaches, assistant coaches, and trainers, the DWCC Sports Development Program (SDP) conducted a two-day In-House Volleyball Sports Clinic which invited two national coaches.

The sports clinic was held last September 24-25 at the College Gymnasium and was participated by the DWCC Halcons’ coaches, assistant coaches, trainers, Bachelor of Physical Education students, TDH organization, and volleyball team student-athletes.

The training program was graced by two (2) national coaches namely: Roberto Javier, national referee level III, a three-time NCAA champion, and the UAAP Juniors’ Coach of the University of the East; and Herbert Matimatico, a national referee level III and a DepEd Rizal Tournament Manager.

According to Annie Amuguis, SDP Chair, the event can become a foundation for the improvement of the school’s sports team, especially in the sport volleyball, even if they face multiple challenges while setting the program including the number of participants allowed, the budget, and precautionary measures as the community is still in the light of pandemic. LALABAN ITO. LALABAN ITONG DWCC.

National Coach Javier, who focused on sports skills and coaching, told TDG that DWCC’s athletes are ‘competitive’ and bound with discipline taught by their school coaches.

He also visioned that their actions done in the training were manifestations that the team could be great.

While applauding the DWCC team, Javier suggested adjusting the sets for the offensive attack as that gives an advantage when they play in the real game.

“DWCC players are competitive. Lalaban ito. Sa tingen ko sa klase ng ginagalaw nila. Lalaban itong DWCC. Malakas itong team na ito,” Javier said.

READY TO OFFICIATE.

National coach Matimatico lauded the institution’s effort in creating the program that, for him, is an opportunity to excel and mold the discipline in sports. For Matimatico, BPEd students were the right participants as he acknowledged that the focus of their course was physical education.

“Itong school na ito, [DWCC], napakagandang program ang ginawa nila. Sobrang na-appreciate namin