KINALAMPAG!
Ni Edwin Rollon
ALAMIN: Mga inisyatibo ng NCCA sa pagpapakilala ng kultura ng mga katutubo
KABUUANG 13 contact at combat sports association leaders, sa pangunguna ni Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (PEKAF) president Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri ang lumagda sa ‘Joint Position Paper’ na humihiling na isantabi at busisiin muna ang mga impormasyon bago magsagawa ng public hearing hingil sa House Bill 1526.
Iginiit ni Zubiri na malaki ang epekto at magreresulta sa mababang kalidad ng mga atleta ang isinusulong na HB 1526 (An Act Banning Minor From Full-Contact Competitive Sports) na naglalayon na pagbawalan ang kabataan na makilahok sa full-contact sports tulad ng boxing, mixed martial arts, jiu jitsu, muay thai, judo, wrestling, kickboxing, taekwondo at karate.
“Our grassroots is the foundation of our sports. It feeds into the elite level of sports and cannot start in an athlete’s late teens. They need to develop skills, muscle memory, and absorbed stock knowledge in their formative years. Early sport participation is a worldwide practice, and we would be fatuous to discredit this.
“In the National Boxing Team, around 20 % of the composition is reserved for boxers aged 15 and below to expose them to local and high-level competitions. It takes years to develop an elite athlete,” ayon sa position paper na nakatakdang isumite sa House Committee on Youth and Sports Development na pinamumunuan ni Manila third district Rep. Yul Servo Nieto.
Nakatakdang isagawa ang first reading sa HB 1526, isinusulong nina Ako Bicol Reps. Alfredo Garbin at Elizaldy Co, sa Miyerkoles, ayon sa imbitasyon na natanggap ng mga naturang asosasyon.
"While acknowledging the importance, benefits, and values that can be derived from participating in these sports, this bill also recognizes the paramount need to protect the minors. Such responsibility is imposed on parents, guardians, schools, and sports associations because the minors areincapacitated to give consent nor can they waive any right of action for injuries inflicted upon them during and in connection with such activities," ayon sa depensa ni Garbin.
Para sa lalabag, inirerekomenda sa HB 1526 ang pagpapataw ng penalties sa mga magulang, guardians, sports associations, organizations, event organizers, schools, and sports educational institutions, gayundin ang tuluyang pagpapara sa mga ito.
“We urge our honourable lawmakers to consider the proceeding information in their deliberations on this bill. We hope that the impact such a bill could make on our respective sports development would be taken to mind before any decisions are made,” pahayag ng mga sports leaders na kinabibilangan ni Fencing chief at Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez.
Lumagda rin sa position paper ang mga lider at kinatawan ng Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines, Inc; Wushu Federation of the Philippines; Jiu-jitsu Federation of the Philippines; Muaythai Association of the Philippines, Inc.; Philippine Judo Federation; Karate Pilipinas Sports Foundation, Inc.; Philippine Taekwondo Association; Wrestling Association of the Philippines; Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas, Inc.; Sambo Federation and Philsilat Sports Association, Inc.
Sa Olympics, ang boxing ang may pinakamaraming medalya – dalawang silver at tatlong bronze – na napagwagihan, habang nakaginto ang taekwondo (exhibition) mula kay Stephen Fernandez noong 1988. Boxing din ang nangungunang professional sports na nagbibigay ng karangalan sa bansa, habang patuloy ang pag-angat ng local fighters sa mundo ng MMA at kickboxing.
