Sports for peace, children’s games in OLLP Bangkal

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in partnership with The Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (OLLP) in Bangkal, organized a Sports for Peace: Children’s Games last May 24 to 25 held in the vicinity of the Parish with the Theme: “Para sa Kabataan, Para sa Kapayapaan, Para sa Inang Bayan.”

According to Sis. Thelma Bernasor, Parish PSK Coordinator, the two hundred children were ages 8-11 from the indigent members of the GKKs of OLLP, wherein one 150 of them were from the Catholic faith and 50 from other denominations who were recommended by the PSK of their respective GKKs.

Part of the two-day activities was a Servant-Leadership Training, conducted by the Office of the Philippine Sports Commission, Mr. Eduardo “Ed” Fernandez, Cluster Head PSC Mindanao and Dr. Maria Gemima Valderama, Ateneo de Davao University Professor and Consultant of the Office of the PSC in Sports and Planning Division.

The target participants of the said training was the twenty Facilitators who were coming from the OLLP Youth who acted as the Ate and Kuya. Their role was to facilitate and to take care of the two hundred children during the entire games at 10 children per facilitator. The learning that they have acquired during the training was a great help in discharging their special mission.

“The Commission is moving around to implement the mandate of Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte ‘to make the Sports accessible to all.’ study shows that the children who play, have a high level of confidence ug taas ang pangandoy sa kinabuhi,” said Mr. Ed Fernandez during the training.

One of the purposes of the activities is “to develop the mind-set of the children while they are still young. The real gold are our children as what the Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William I. Ramirez said,” he added.

PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez also an OLLP Parishioner, arrived in the venue before 08:00 a.m. which was the time to start the games.

The PSC Chairman said that was his first time to attend a parade. One of the highlights of his speech was emphasizing the children’s right to play and be happy. He advised the children to give their names to fellow children and make more friends. He interviewed some of them. Chairman Ramirez put into action the effect of sports which is to foster self-discipline, by reminding children to place garbage in the proper places.

In closing his speech, PSC Chairman Ramirez instilled in the innocent minds of the children, that we are one regardless of our faith, whether we are catholic or a non-catholic. Peace starts in Sports. This is not an end, but a beginning to hold similar activities in the future.

The Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, headed by Rev. Fr. Leonie H. Espana, DCD Parish Priest together with the OLLP Sports Committee Chair and Members, extended our heartfelt gratitude to Sirs William “Butch” I. Ramirez and Eduardo “Ed” Fernandez, for the full support of the recent sport activities.

We are forever thankful for their time, talent and treasure afforded to our parish that made the event successful and memorable especially to the children.

Likewise our sincerest thanks to the PSKs and other GSLs for their usual support and cooperation.

The children’s games were non-competitive. The participant-children played and made friends with their playmates. Mabuhay ang mga Kabataan! (Vinny G. Bajo | OLLP Bangkal SoCCom)