CHAMPION. Philippine Army commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (2nd from right) poses with Army champion boxer Pvt. Charly Suarez (2nd from left) during a courtesy call at the PA headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Thursday (Dec. 22, 2022). Brawner pledged more support to Army athletes to ensure their professional growth so that they would continue to bring honor to the country. (Photo courtesy of the Philippine Army)
MANILA – Philippine Army (PA) commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. has assured all athletes enlisted in the service that they would be provided with the necessary support to ensure their professional growth so they could continue to bring honor to the country.
Brawner made this commitment after champion boxer, Pvt. Charly Suarez, visited him at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Thursday to thank the PA leadership for their untiring support for his recent boxing matches.
"Lt. Gen. Brawner discussed that the Army constantly recognizes individual skills and capabilities to empower them to do the best they can for the country. The Army chief also assured the Special Service Center, Installation Management Command that the command will continue to optimize the utilization of funds that would help with the Army boxer’s developing career," PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement Friday.
Trinidad said the support for Army athletes could be in the form of "more training and exposure," including training in the country and abroad and other skills enhancement activities.
Suarez recently bagged the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Asia Junior Lightweight belt after beating his Indonesian opponent Defry Palulu via technical knockout (TKO) in Vietnam on December 10.
"The Army champion boxer said his latest victory will usher toward a world boxing championship belt next year. Pvt. Suarez’s professional boxing record remained unblemished with 14 wins, 0 losses, and seven knockouts. Pvt. Suarez is coached by Army reservist 1st Lt. Delfin Boholst," Trinidad said.
PH Army gets 2 vehicles from AFPMBAI
Meanwhile, the PA received two new vehicles from the Armed Forces and Police Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. (AFPMBAI) on Thursday.
"Army vice commander, Maj. Gen. Adonis R. Bajao, received one ambulance and one garbage compactor from AFPMBAI executives led by its president and chief executive officer (retired) Maj. Gen. Rizaldo B. Limoso. The ambulance will be turned over to the 11th Division Training School, 11th Infantry Division while the garbage compactor will be utilized by the Headquarters and Headquarters Support Group, Philippine Army," Trinidad said.
The donation is part of the AFPMBAI's Health and General Welfare Program, which benefits the organization's members and families.
Bajao expressed his appreciation to AFPMBAI for their generous contribution to the Army and its personnel's well-being.
2023 PH ROTC Games
In order to provide a platform for Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) cadets to compete in an Olympic-level, national sports association-sanctioned sporting event, the Department of National Defense (DND), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) signed a tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the 2023 Philippine ROTC Games (PRG) on Friday at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
The launch was led by DND officer in charge Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino, Jr.; CHED Chairperson Dr. J. Prospero E. De Vera III, DPA; PSC Chairperson Jose Emmanuel M. Eala, and attended by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente O. Bacarro as well as officials from the DND, CHED, PSC, and AFP.
With the theme, “Tibay at Galing ay Pagyamanin, Suportahan ang Palarong ROTC Natin,” the aim of the PRG is to highlight sports development, discover new talents, and promote the ROTC program.
Faustino, the appointed Chairman of the PRG 2023 Executive Organizing Committee (EOC), and members of the EOC, De Vera and Eala expressed their commitment in ensuring the fulfillment of the first ROTC Games in the country.
Faustino said that the PRG will revitalize the ROTC as the current administration continues to advocate reinstitutionalizing the program in higher education curriculum instead of just being one of the three national service training program options.
“I look forward to a dramatic increase in our ROTC enrollees with this endeavor. ROTC is expected to help save our youths from the influence of radicalization and deceptive recruitment of nefarious groups preying upon the young,” he added.
Meanwhile, Senator Francis Tolentino, lead sponsor of the 2023 PRG as well as guest of honor and speaker during the event, said that the shared goal for the agreement is to strengthen nationalism and sports through the ROTC program.
“The launching of the 2023 Philippine ROTC Games signals the beginning of our quest for young Filipino athletes who will not only excel in sports, but who will, more importantly, showcase to the world that the Filipino heart is the heart of a champion,” Tolentino said. (PNA)
