FORMER Sen. Joey Lina urged the Philippine basketball team vying in the 10th Gen. Zheng Chenggong Cup international invitational basketball championship in Fujian, China on Oct. 19-26 to “continue to represent the country well and foster friendship and camaraderie with our Asian brothers through sports.”

In the sendoff party for the 18-man Philippine team headed by chef de mission Ret. PNP Gen. Noel Estanislao and coach Johny Tam at the Manila Hotel last Saturday, Lina said the eight-team, week-long competition is another good opportunity for the Filipinos to promote the country as a peace-loving nation even while vying in the sporting field.

“Let me congratulate all of you for this opportunity to represent our country. Go out there and do your best to promote peace through sports,” said Lina, also.the author of the law that created the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in 1990.

Lina, the architect of the “Miracle of 91” during the 1991 Southeast Asian Games in Manila, also recalled the country’s long friendship with China and its people dating back to hundreds of years.

Lina also thanked sports patrons Ruddy Tan of Burlington Socks, Nelson Guevarra of PG Flex Linoleum, Alvin Tai Lian of Bestank, Christian Tan of Healthy Options, Jeff Lao of Victory Candles and Raffy Alejandro of Lucky Chinatown for their continued support to sports development.

The well-known lawyer-politician from Laguna also talked about his newest advocacy of promoting and supporting the first 1,000 days of mother and child nationwide and how it can help develop more physically-strong and mentally-gifted athletes like China.

“Gusto nating lahat ng matataas, malalakas at matatalinong athletes, mahalaga na magsimula tayo simula sa sinapupunan ng ina hanggang sa first 1,000 days or 2 1/2 years ng bata para sa kanilang physical at mental development.”

Tan, on the other hand, said Burlington is very happy to be part of the team competing in Fujian again exactly 20 years after also bankrolling the FedEx-Burlington team which captured the championship of the same tournament in 2003.

It was the second straight championships for the Tam-mentored Filipinos, who also brought home the crown with the Bobby Parks-led Laguna Lakers in 1999.

Tam and team captain Brian Ilad responded to the support given by Lina and other team benefactors by promising to give their best in the tournament, which also attracted teams from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Maldives and host Fujian.

Leading the Filipinos’ campaign are Ilad, former PBA players James Martinez and Raphy Reyes, former CESAFI Rookie-MVP winner Hernal “Wowie” Escosio and American import Raymond Miller.

Martinez, Escosio and Miller are fresh from winning the championship in the Thailand Basketball League, while playing for the Phuket Waves.