Honest athletes: The Palaro’s first heroes

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY
THE 2015 Palarong Pambansa has not yet started, but three Davao athletes have already been hailed champions by delegation officials for their honesty.
Brian Albert Q. Buhian and Janliver S. Estabaya of Davao del Sur and Louie H. Villacorte Jr. of Davao City are deep in training for the gymnastics event of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa. If they win in their events, they are bound to receive medals estimated to cost around P500 each.
Two weeks before the games formally open, the three were shocked to find a bundle of money inside their billeting quarter at the Tagum Comprehensive National High School in Tagum City, Davao del Norte which amounted to P50,000. That much money is enough to buy the young athletes 100 gold medals, about the number of medals needed for a delegation to win the overall championship of the annual sports conclave.
Instead, the trio returned the money to Department of Education (Deped) 11 officials.
The money, in 500 peso denominations, was said to have been accidentally dropped at a kiosk inside the school when the athletes found the lost cash at around 6:30 p.m. Friday night and turned this over to Deped 11 spokesperson Jenielito Atillo.
The P50,000 was intended for the Panabo City athletes as their training allowance.
“We commend the concerned athletes for doing what is best and what is right. The three epitomizes what a real sportsman should be,” Atillo said.
“We would like to thank their parents, too, for raising them as good individuals. My double salute to the three gymnasts,” he added.
Buhian and Estabaya are students of Sinawilan National High School in Davao del Sur while Villacorte is from Sta. Ana National High School.
The Davao Eagles have moved to the Tagum Comprehensive National High School as early as April 6 as part of their training for the Palarong Pambansa which gets underway from May 3 to 9 in Davao del Norte.
The Eagles placed eight in last year’s Palaro in Laguna and are eyeing at least a fifth-place finish this time while playing on home turf.
Buhian, Estabaya and Villacorte face formidable foes in gymnastics in the week-long meet. But the thrill of winning medals has far outweighed the lure of money. Win or lose, these three athletes have left an imprint no medal in the games can even match.