HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin G. Romualdez on Sunday commended the 19 Filipino athletes for their superb performance, making the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics the country’s best Olympic bid ever with record-breaking four medals.

“Thank you for bringing pride, glory and inspiration to the Filipino people. Thank you for a mission accomplished,” Romualdez, chairman of the House committee on rules, as Team Philippines finished its Olympic bid with the country’s historic, first gold, two silvers and one bronze medals.

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the gold medal while boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam bagged a silver medal each and boxer Eumir Marcial got bronze.

Other members of the 19-strong Team Philippines in the Tokyo Olympics were Carlos Yulo (Gymnastics), EJ Obiena (Pole Vault), Yuka Saso (Women’s Golf), Kristina Knott (Women’s 200m), Cris Nievarez (Rowing), Irish Magno (Boxing), Margielyn Didal (Skateboarding), Kiyomi Watanabe (Judo), Jayson Valdez (Shooting), Kurt Barbosa (Taekwando), Luke Gebbie (Swimming), Remedy Rule (Swimming), Bianca Pagdanganan (Women’s Golf), Juvic Pangunsan (Men’s Golf), and Elreen Ando (Weighlifting).

“Your achievements inspired many Filipinos to soar to greater heights and achieve great success in life,” said Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).

Romualdez also thanked the country’s various sports organizations and donors, including the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) for joining forces behind the outstanding and excellent performance of Filipino athletes.

“Our gratitude to the country’s sports officials and donors for giving their solid support to our Filipino athletes. Had it not been from them, our athletes could have not achieved this historic victory. Thank you,” added Romualdez, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP) and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) or the oldest and well-respectable association of legal luminaries in the country.

Earlier, the House of Representatives adopted House Resolution (HR) No. 1981—introduced by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Romualdez and House Minority Leader and Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” S. Paduano — to institutionalize the Congressional Medal of Excellence for national athletes who will win gold medal in Olympics.

The House of Representatives also adopted HR 2041 congratulating, commending and awarding the Congressional Medal of Excellence to Diaz for her historic gold medal win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

COMMENDATION FOR PAALAM

HR 2041 was introduced by Velasco, Romualdez, Paduano, Isabela 5th District Rep. Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe.

In a related development, Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed a resolution urging the House of Representatives to commend and congratulate Paalam, who is from Cagayan de Oro.

“Carlo Paalam has brought pride and joy to the Philippines and to Cagayan de Oro by winning the silver medal in the flyweight division at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” Rodriguez said in his resolution.

Rodriguez added the Kagay-anon boxer was a former scavenger in the city and won his first match at the age of seven.

He started training in 2009 at a facility set up by the city government, which shouldered the participants’ board and lodging and allowances on the condition that they continued going to school.

Paalam’s coach was two-time SEA Games silver medalist Elmer Pamisa, Rodriguez added.

“Boxing has turned Carlo’s life around from a time when he did not have a permanent address to now where he has built his family a home in Barangay Canitoan in Cagayan de Oro City,” he stressed.

He pointed out that Paalam’s father and family members describe him as a good and helpful son.

For his part, Velasco said “huge congratulations to first-time Olympian Carlo Paalam for winning the silver medal in the men’s boxing flyweight category!”

“We thank him for putting up a good fight representing the country. Carlo is an amazing young boxer with a bright future. We look forward to him and fellow boxing silver medalist Nesthy Petecio claiming the country’s first-ever Olympic boxing gold medal in the 2024 Paris Games. Maraming salamat at mabuhay ka, Carlo Paalam!” Velasco said.