CLEAN SLATE: More Children’s Games in Mindanao, great! But what happened to the Sports for Peace kids in Midsayap?

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is eyeing to hold more Children’s Games in Mindanao this year.

That is a welcome development after seeing Professor Henry Daut’s posts on his FB account of the various Children’s Games conducted in Marawi, Iligan and Basilan which he spearheaded on behalf of the PSC and the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) with the help of kind-hearted sponsors.

I would like to see the Children’s Games in Jolo, Sulu where our good friend Fr.Romeo Saniel, O.M.I., president of the Notre Dame of Jolo College, is currently assigned as its president.

Fr.Saniel, when he was president of Notre Dame of Midsayap College, along with Father Colin Bagaforo  partnered with PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez  to conduct the Sports for Peace activities in 2008.

Children from Libongan, Aleosan, Pikit, Kabantalan, Baliki and other conflict-areas in Cotabato and Maguindanao areas successfully competed in the various try-outs in basketball, volleyball, football, softball and baseball and after the try-outs in their local areas, the players were brought to the Notre Dame campus where psychologists, guidance counselors and sports experts trained them and helped them adjust after being affected by the fighting between rebels and government troops in their area.

I wonder what happened to the kids who took part in that event after nine years.

For sure, just a phone call by Fr.Saniel to his contacts in Midsayap will give us information as to whereabouts of the participants and follow up on them what happened to them after that.

And if it’s possible that PSC Commissioner Charles Maxey can revisit those kids and checked on them. Did they still keep their shoes wrapped on plastics to preserve it all these years? Are the equipment still there or gone?  Did the volunteers in Midsayap kept a sports data on the effects of the Sports for Peace activities?

These are just a few questions that should be answered.

You see, when we envisioned the Sports for Peace for Mindanao program, it was not designed to be a piecemeal program.

I can perfectly understand that without funding, the program will stop.  But hey guys, while President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is still in power, why don’t you follow up on this noble project that took place in 2008.

I’m not saying don’t travel abroad for the government-funded sports events but don’t you think it would be more effective if we focus our resources for the children of Mindanao?

Just asking my friends, nangutana lang ko.

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