President Marcos with the Philippine women’s football team. Photo courtesy of PSC
Football champs pay courtesy call to President Marcos
Photo courtesy of PSC
SPORTS means more than just playing games. It means developing discipline and learning to sacrifice.
This was stressed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as he welcomed the Philippine women’s national football team in Malacañang on Wednesday and congratulated them for winning the 2022 AFF Championship.
President Marcos said that the Filipino heart shown by the Filipinas in the competition brought honor along with the championship.
“Sports means more than just playing games, it means developing discipline, learning to sacrifice, to be gracious in victory. Learning to work with other people, as a team, which are lessons we carry on in our life. And that’s how important sports is’,” President Marcos was quoted as saying.
The President thanked the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) for the continued success of sports. He said that the success of the team was from years of effort and hard work.
PSC officer-in-charge and executive director Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr. presented a Philippine national team jacket to President Marcos.
The PFF, headed by president Mariano Araneta Jr., PFF secretary-general Atty. Edwin Gastanes and team manager Jefferson Cheng’ also provided a football signed by the members of the national team’ along with a football shirt with the president’s name.
They were the first batch of athletes and officials to be received by President Marcos in Malacañang since he assumed office.
Iroy also said President Marcos instructed the PSC to extend all help possible to support to track and field legend Lydia de Vega-Mercado, who is said to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
The delegation also met with Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez and Presidential Management Staff Secretary Ma. Zenaida Benedicto-Angping.
Sec. Rodriguez also thanked the athletes for the honor they brought to the country.
Photos of the courtesy visit were posted by the PSC on its Facebook page.
The courtesy call to President Marcos came one day after bowling legend Olivia “Bong” Coo was appointed as commissioner of the PSC.
Still to be appointed to the government sports agency are the chairman and three more commissioners.
