Senate honors PHL arnis team for SEA Games win, Lapid wants movie with them

The Senate adopted Monday resolutions honoring the Philippine National Arnis Team (PNAT) for its sterling performance in the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian Games and commending Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri for leading it.

The Arnis players delivered 14 gold, four silver, and two bronze medals for the Philippines, for a total of 20 medals. The gold medal haul of the PNAT represents 10 percent of the total gold medal tally of the Philippine contingent in the SEA Games.

The senators took turns honoring the team and Zubiri expressed their desire to co-author the resolutions.

FULL COVERAGE: 30th Southeast Asian Games on GMA News Online

Even Senator Lito Lapid, who rarely takes the podium, stood up to congratulate them.

“Nais ko lang pong susugan ang sinabi ng aking mga colleagues na sina Senator Villanueva, lalo na ang aking kasamahan (Zubiri). Kung natatandaan siguro ano, congressman palang siya (Zubiri) sa lower House, siya po ang nag-sponsor ng batas na ito [Republic Act No. 9850] at ako naman po sa Senado. Ten years na po ang nakaraan—December 11, 2009, kaya tamang tama po, sampung taon ang Arnis ay nagkaroon ng gold medal—labing-apat na ginto, apat na silver, dalawang bronze medal.” he said.

Republic Act 9850 declares Arnis as the national martial art and sport of the Philippines.

Lapid also recalled the movie he made where he used Arnis.

“Ang ginawa kong pelikula ‘yung Kamagong, sabi nila baka gusto kong gawing part 2 kasi ang natatandaan nilang dialogue ko d’un ay, ‘lumipad ka na parang isang ibon, dumapo ka na parang isang dahon na tuyo sa lupa’,” he said.

Lapid said he wants to make a comeback movie that would feature the arnis team.

“Kaya po iyong lahat ng mga nanalo, umasa kayong gagawin natin iyong Kamagong Part 2. Kayo ang bida,” Lapid said. —LDF, GMA News