Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday said he wants to bring to light how much dedication and hard work go into being an athlete and working in the sports industry.
“The future Hidilyn Diaz, the future Manny Pacquiao, are all there. Minsan hindi lang napapansin until sikat na sila,” Cayetano said during the Sampung Libong Pag-asa episode on September 3, 2021 which was dedicated to those in the sports industry.
(The future Hidilyn Diaz, the future Manny Pacquiao, are all there. Sometimes we just don’t notice them until they are famous.)
A long time supporter of establishing a grassroots program for sports, Cayetano said the recent performance of our national athletes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics raised the nation’s spirits and gave a sense of hope to Filipinos.
He said he wants to give back the same sense of hope to sports workers themselves through the 10K Ayuda initiative.
Due to the pandemic and the enforcement of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), sports workers are finding themselves struggling to earn a livelihood as basketball courts, gyms, and other sports facilities have been forced to close.
“Everyone is affected, kaya the more na kailangan nating tumulong,” Cayetano said.
(Everyone is affected, therefore there is more reason for us to help.)
During Friday’s episode, 100 displaced workers from the sports industry were chosen as beneficiaries, including referees, coaches, assistant coaches, athletes, and sports officials.
An additional 51 people were selected from the Facebook livestream’s comments section, bringing the day’s total to 151 beneficiaries.
As of September 3, 2021,, the Sampung Libong Pag-asa program has helped a total of 9,887 Filipinos.
The former Speaker was joined during the program by Philippine volleyball national team members Dawn Macandili, Aby Maraño, and John Vic de Guzman as well as former Azkals member James Younghusband who has a football academy in Taguig City.
Reflecting on the pandemic and how it has affected thousands of Filipino livelihoods and the Philippine economy, Cayetano expressed his hope that the national government will adapt the 10K Ayuda initiative.
“Since nagawa natin sa Bayanihan 1 ang 10K — two gives nga lang — gusto natin magbigay ang gobyerno ng 10K sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino, not just for one year but for three years para makabwelo at makaahon sila,” he said.
(Since we were able to add 10K in Bayanihan 1 — given in two tranches — we want the government to do the same thing but for every Filipino family. This will not just be for one year, but for three years so that they can make a living and recover.)
