Philippine sports also mourn ex-President Aquino's demise

Corazon C. Aquino, the President during the “Miracle of ‘91", will surely be remembered by the country’s sports leaders. Mrs. Aquino, who officially opened the 16th Southeast Asian Games during the country’s hosting in 1991, died early Saturday morning at the Makati Medical Center due to cardiorespiratory arrest. She witnessed three SEA Games, two Asian Games and one Olympic Games ever supporting the Philippine campaign in international tournaments. “She (Mrs. Aquino) is a humble person who loves and takes pride of the national athletes," said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) spokesperson Joey Romasanta. POC president Jose “Peping" Cojuangco Jr. is Mrs. Aquino’s brother. She was catapulted into the highest post after the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolt. That same year, the Philippines competed in the Seoul Asian Games where the country finished sixth in the medal standings with six gold, five silver and nine bronze medals. In the 1987 Jakarta Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) the Philippine delegation brought home 59 gold medals.

The 1987 SEAG Philippine delegation made a courtesy call at Malacañang immediately after their arrival from Jakarta where they met with the President. Romasanta, the Project Gintong Alay chairman, presented the athletes where he said to Mrs. Aquino that the 59 gold medals was a modest achievement for the Philippine team. “Nagalit si Ma’am dahil hindi daw modest yun at dapat daw ikarangal ang ginawang tagumpay ng atleta," he said. Another stunning feat in RP sports during Mrs. Aquino’s term was the gold medal won by Arianne Cerdeña in the 1988 Seoul Olympics in the demonstration sport of bowling. The country won 127 medals (26-37-64) in the 1989 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and had a 4-5-9 gold-silver-bronze medal finish during the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, China. But she would best be remembered as the President who helped the athletes’ campaign during the “Miracle of ‘91" where the country hosted the 1991 SEA Games coming in a medal short of winning the overall title. The Philippines won 91 gold, the most the country had since competing in the biennial meet in 1977, 62 silver and 86 bronze medals. Organizers later deducted one gold to the RP tally after one medal from boxing was proclaimed unofficial. The said gold medal was won by a Thai boxer against a Filipino. The Thai boxer was later found to be positive in doping and the medal was awarded to the Philippines but after a few days, the SEAG Organizing Committee declared that there will be no medalists for the said event. Romasanta said Mrs. Aquino is irreplaceable. “Mahirap nang makakita pa ng isang Cory Aquino in our lifetime. Much as it is a personal loss, it’s a greater loss for the country." “She was our great unifier in 1986. She unified the country during EDSA and today she unifies the nation through prayers," he added. Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Harry Angping also expressed his condolences to the Aquino family. “The PSC family mourns (Aquino’s) death and Philippine sports would be forever grateful for her contributions. It was during her term that the PSC was enacted," Angping said. Powerade-Team Pilipinas coach Yeng Guiao was also saddened with the passing of his wedding godmother. “Malungkot but I am privileged and honored for the opportunity of working with her and being close to her and the Aquino family." Guiao has been a close family friend of the former Chief Executive since his late father and one-time Pampanga governor, Bren Guiao, was a close ally of Mrs. Aquino during her term. Guiao also allowed James Yap be excused from the RP team’s activities following the death of Yap’s mother-in-law. Yap is the husband of Aquino's youngest child popular actress and TV host Kristina Bernadette A. Yap. – GMANews.TV