LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Governor Amado I. Espino III commended the organizers of the 2018 Luzon Age-Group Taekwondo Championships held on August 18 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) gymnasium for choosing Pangasinan as the venue of the event.
Stating that sports is among the top priorities of the provincial government, Gov. Espino said it has been the goal of his administration to develop and harness the potentials of local athletes.
As proof of the provincial government’s support to the grassroots athletes, he disclosed that the Pangasinan Sports Academy which was conceptualized during the term of his father, former governor and now 5th district representative Amado T. Espino, Jr. came into fruition.
“We are 100 percent pushing for sports development in Pangasinan,” he said further stating that the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) is extending an arm to the present administration’s vision to develop and discover future world champions.
The governor also hailed the parents and guardians of the participating athletes for the all-out support they have been extending to their children.
Meanwhile, Congressman Monsour del Rosario, the guest of honor and speaker during the event, hailed the provincial government for paving the way for local athletes to improve their skills and prowess in different sports disciplines.
The 1st district representative of Makati, a world taekwondo champion himself, is currently the Secretary General of the Philippine Taekwondo Association and a Philippine Olympic National Sports Association Martial Arts Council member.
Stressing the importance of discipline in any field of sports, he urged the participants to use the experiences and learnings they gather in every competition to improve their skills even as he remind them to always compete “fair and square.”
“The challenge comes within yourselves and the fact that you have the guts to participate proves that you are accepting the challenge,” Del Rosario said.
Aside from Pangasinan, the hundreds of participants came from Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Laoag, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Vigan and Baguio City. Youngest age bracket of participants is the 4 to 6 group.
Taekwondo originated from Korea and is characterized by its emphasis on head-height kicks, jumping and spinning kicks, and fast kicking techniques.
By: Ruby R. Bernardino