Mabini Hall - Access to Justice

What do you say my fellow Filipinos? Shall bid for the right to host the Olympics right here in Manila in 2020? If Beijing and the other world cities can do it, why not the capital of the 90-million strong hardworking and creative Pinoys? Let’s imagine the possibilities.

Cayabyab can compose the theme song; Sarah Geronimo can sing it. The opening ceremony should be cinch with our expertise in entertainment and all that is glossy and glittery. Moving on the venues, this is where we need to do a lot of work. At least we have a new six-year old international airport. Rowing and kayaking can be done in a cleaned-up Pasig River. Basketball and indoor sports we have enough. For swimming, Ultra is Olympic-size. Cycling and allied disciplines can be done in Subic. It is a tremendous task that will make one’s jaw drop, then sit up in amazement and the disbelief that ‘no, it’s impossible!’ To think about the scale of preparation and magnitude of resources will bring one back forcefully to reality. One will sweat with expectation and cry with frustration at the tremendous national effort needed. We are as divided as our islands. But why not? Do we not always say that we Filipino always rise to the challenge of the times be it disasters of nature or the misfortunes of history?

The International Olympic Committee will surely complain seriously about the standard of the facilities even as Marikina City can host the Olympic village. It is a fair accusation given the state of our infrastructure and the incapacity to get things done. In the three hour and a half opening on 80808, there was hardly a glitch for such a massive number. In Pinas, we can’t even start a meeting or pass our budget on time.

Even if we get to hold the Olympics here, will our athletes be up to par instead of being washed out of the pool, hardly making the eliminations and reduced to spectators for the rest of the events? Filipinos of mixed blood might just do the trick dual citizenship allowing.

This piece is not about ranting or being cynical. I might as well point out to the hypocrisy of offering millions of pesos to medal winners, gold at that, knowing that our athletes don’t stand a maya bird’s chance. I join the biggies and offer my life and soul and my lifetime earnings. If our companies were serious and sincere, they should rather work with grass-roots sports development program instead of engaging in marketing and publicity stunts. The flaw in our character rises again: rather deal with one-time blasts rather than a long drawn-out commitment.

This piece is ask for that one shot at establishing our national glory, to be united in the one cause that is pride in our country, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great nations of this world, past and future. And the first step starts with dreaming of hosting the Olympic event in our soil. For far too long we have been trapped in our talangka mentality, honoring the corrupt and greed and scorning the innocent and the pure-hearted.

It is twelve years to 2020, twenty years after Philippines 2000, thirty four years after Edsa – it is a new generation, it is fresh winds blowing, it is tides turning. It is time we think and act boldy. Dare to fail, dare to go for the heights that the human spirit aspires and truly believe that ‘yes, the Filipino can.’ In the meantime, the ARMM elections are peaceful and automated, at last. Peace can come to Mindanao with a final peace agreement. Corruption in the judiciary and everywhere else comes to a head with the Sabio and de Borja accounts. Cross all your fingers - Manila Olympics 2020 might not be that far or impossible as that first Philippine gold.