Elma Muros-Posadas is first Palarong Pambansa lifetime achievement awardee

The Department of Education has awarded the first-ever Palarong Pambansa lifetime achievement award to athletics and heptathlon champion Elma Muros-Posadas.

Posadas accepted the Palarong Pambansa Parangal Lifetime Achievement Award during the opening ceremony of the 60th Palarong Pambansa in Antique province on Sunday.

“Unang una, thank God dahil sa dinami-dami ako ang napili. Siguro worth it din dahil [dito] ako na-train... Achievement na napakalaki sa buhay ko ito,” Posadas said in a press release from DepEd.

Posadas, known as the Iron Woman of the Philippine Athletics and heptathlon queen of the Southeast Asian Games, competed in the Palaro from 1981 to 1983 as a representative of Region 4-A.

Asked about her most memorable Palaro moment, Posadas replied that it was when she defeated two-time Olympian Lydia de Vega, considered Asia's fastest woman in the 80s.

She also described her co-athletes during her time at the Palaro as dedicated and hardworking, who had a "pusong palaban."

DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali described Posadas as an inspiration to young athletes.

“Marami kasing nananalo na atleta [sa Palaro], pero yung na-inspire yung taong bayan, dapat may ganoong elemento. At pagkatapos nun ay hindi siya tumigil at kaniyang pinagpatuloy ang kaniyang ginagawa," Umali said.

"Siya po ay nagbigay ng inspirasyon sa iba pang atletang kabataang Pilipino na sundan ang kaniyang yapak,” he added.

Training young athletes

Posadas and her husband, Jojo, continue to help students by sending them to school and training them in sports.

Among the couple's proud proteges is UAAP gold medalist—and record-holder for discus throw and shot put—Rhea Joy Sumalpong of the University of the East.

“Nagpapa-aral kami nang walang kapalit. Ayaw ko ng utang na loob. Gusto ko maka-graduate sila, gusto ko mapakinabangan nila yung talento nila. Sa pamamagitan ng talento [nila], makatulong sila sa pamilya plus makabigay ng karangalan sa ating bansa,” Posadas said.

During her acceptance speech, Posadas encouraged the Palaro athletes to strive not just for a gold medal, but also for the honor of representing the country in the world stage.

"Sa mga kasali, 'wag ninyong sayangin yung mga opportunity na binibigay ng DepEd. Yung galing [ninyo], ilabas ninyo… Balang araw magiging Lydia de Vega, Akiko Thomson, Onyok [Velasco], Manny Pacquiao or higitan ninyo pa,” Posadas said.

“Dapat determination, dedication, wag ma-involve sa droga dahil sisirain nun ang buhay natin,” she added. — Joseph Tristan Roxas/BM, GMA News