Team Philippines, patuloy ang paghahanda para sa nalalapit na Paris Olympics;
Pinoy athletes, sasabak sa Metz Training Camp
Pinoy athletes, sasabak sa Metz Training Camp
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00:00 Preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics and updates to the Filipino athletes.
00:06 Let's find out together with Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham "Bumble" Tolentino,
00:11 the President of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
00:14 Mayor Tolentino, good afternoon.
00:16 Good afternoon, Asec and Nina.
00:21 Good afternoon to you.
00:24 Yes, Mayor. First of all,
00:26 how is the preparation of the Philippine team for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics?
00:33 What sports will our country participate in?
00:37 Well, as of today, we have 12 athletes who have already qualified.
00:44 There's Samantha, fencing, rowing, of course, EJ,
00:53 three from gymnastics, and three from boxing,
01:01 and again, three from weightlifting.
01:04 So, we're still waiting. We're expecting, God willing,
01:10 we're still praying and expecting that there will be more,
01:14 there will be more for sure.
01:16 And, of course, there will be more athletes who will qualify for the Olympics.
01:25 What are the sports that you plan to add, sir?
01:28 What other sports can our athletes add to the Paralympics?
01:35 Nina, this coming end of the month, the first week of June,
01:42 we have the last qualifying event for boxing.
01:47 So, we have four of us in the team,
01:49 even though it's a bit tight, but we'll have a strong fight there.
01:54 We have golf.
01:56 One of us has already entered, I'm just not announcing it yet,
01:59 so we have two reserve athletes.
02:01 We have cycling, mountain bike, and BMX.
02:06 The majority of the athletes will be from boxing and long jump,
02:14 aside from the ones who already qualified for EJ, Paul Paul.
02:19 We also have two sure aquatics, swimming,
02:24 skateboarding also, we're expecting one,
02:28 and judo, we're expecting one.
02:32 So, if you total it, we have more than 12 athletes who can qualify.
02:43 So, with that, we'll be beating the Tokyo Olympics,
02:47 where our athletes qualified in 19.
02:52 So, this will be one of the biggest since, I think, since 1950s, so 1956 Olympics.
03:00 Okay, so that's good to know, sir,
03:02 that we can send more than 20 to the Paris Olympics.
03:07 Correct.
03:08 Alright, based on the latest report,
03:10 the Filipino athletes who will fight in the Paris Olympics
03:14 will be doing their training in the METS training camp.
03:19 Is this still ongoing,
03:21 and when are they expected to leave for this training?
03:27 It's still ongoing, sir.
03:30 We've been planning this for a long time, since last year.
03:35 We scouted where the training camp will be.
03:41 So, we got it one month before the games.
03:48 We already have a venue,
03:50 sports labs, sports clinic, all the equipment needed.
03:58 What equipment will be used in the Olympics,
04:01 they will procure.
04:04 It's like a program in a city in France,
04:07 that attracts people who want to train there.
04:13 It was sponsored by, subsidized by La Moselle,
04:17 but locally, it's sponsored by some private stakeholders.
04:25 So, the Philippine Sports Commission is also included.
04:28 So, it's the first time.
04:30 It's the first time we'll have a training camp before the Olympics.
04:36 The acclimatization is there,
04:38 so that everyone can get used to it.
04:40 It's like agriculture, right?
04:42 It's like our cattle.
04:45 You have to get used to the weather.
04:47 It's the first time since 1924 that we've been here.
04:55 We are celebrating 100 years of participation in the Olympics,
04:59 since 1924.
05:02 That's what I researched.
05:05 It's just a coincidence that our first Olympian came early in 1924,
05:11 David Nepomuceno.
05:14 He arrived in Paris, in France,
05:19 33 days.
05:21 One week before the Olympics, he traveled by boat for 33 days.
05:26 He went to Hong Kong, Manila, Hong Kong,
05:30 then Hong Kong to Vietnam, then Vietnam to France, steamboat.
05:35 He was number one in Asia after his event.
05:38 He was number four.
05:39 He really didn't practice.
05:43 He just played the game,
05:46 he just played the game,
05:49 and he just ran in the crowd.
05:51 That's how it started.
05:52 So now, after 100 years,
05:54 it's the same.
05:55 The venue is in France.
05:59 We have a training camp.
06:03 Everyone is there.
06:05 That will be a good preparation for all of their games.
06:10 Mayor, in all sports that our Filipino athletes participate in,
06:15 for you, where does the Philippine team come first?
06:19 All of that, qualifying is a huge achievement.
06:30 But yes, realistically,
06:35 we are strong in boxing,
06:38 gymnastics,
06:40 and of course, in CEJ,
06:43 in polo, as being number two in the world.
06:46 We are number two in the world,
06:49 we are not going to be defeated.
06:51 So, those are our podium goals.
06:57 Mayor, have we chosen who will be the flag bearer of the Philippine team
07:04 in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics?
07:08 The ceremony was excellent.
07:14 We already have a lineup,
07:16 but I'm not saying that until all the qualifying is over,
07:28 who will qualify.
07:30 That also depends on the other qualifiers.
07:33 Because the flag bearer is also included in the delegation of the qualified athletes.
07:43 So, I think with that statement,
07:47 we have a loop for the qualifying.
07:53 Mayor, on another topic,
07:55 we asked for an update on the tourism of your city.
07:59 How is it now, despite the hot weather in El Niño?
08:04 Well, we are not that hot,
08:09 so the entrance of tourists is good.
08:15 We are a tourist-driven economy.
08:19 Our only problem is the tele-profit with our government agency.
08:27 Every time, why is it?
08:31 That's what I'm asking all the mayors and stakeholders here,
08:36 especially the tourism downside.
08:39 Why is it that every weekend,
08:41 the city will release an alert?
08:45 It affects us.
08:48 Even if there is no effect on the market,
08:51 tourists are still watching.
08:55 But every time there is an alert,
08:59 the city will be on alert.
09:02 It's hard to get tourists back.
09:05 That's my call to the people.
09:09 Mayor, how is the...
09:11 I can't say it, but I'll say it slowly.
09:15 We are a tourist-driven economy.
09:18 There are a lot of tourists.
09:20 It's hard to recover.
09:22 That's what we are trying to solve.
09:26 Actually, Mayor, my family,
09:29 personally, we love going to Tagaytay.
09:31 We go there a lot when we can.
09:34 We are trying to curb the traffic, Mayor.
09:37 How can we fix the traffic
09:41 so that we can go to Tagaytay?
09:45 There are many new bypasses that have been opened.
09:51 I don't want to go to Alfonso and Nasugco
09:57 without passing Tagaytay.
09:59 I don't want to go to Easterside, Highlands,
10:01 and other tourist areas without passing the center.
10:05 There are new bypasses that have been opened.
10:07 It's just that there is an ongoing flyover
10:12 that affects the traffic a bit.
10:15 But there are road blocks.
10:18 We are still waiting for a major highway,
10:23 the one that connects Alax to Nasugco.
10:26 That will also boost and ease the traffic of Tagaytay.
10:30 But of course, the more traffic,
10:33 we can't stop it.
10:35 There are a lot of people going there,
10:37 whether it's for culinary, food tourism, or sports tourism.
10:41 They love Tagaytay.
10:44 It's cold and the weather is not that hot.
10:48 It's cold and the weather is nice.
10:51 When will the flyover be completed, Mayor?
10:56 I think it's a DPWH project.
11:01 The target, of course, will be this year.
11:04 This year, okay.
11:06 Mayor, please send a message to the supporters of Team Philippines
11:11 for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
11:15 Well, of course, keep on supporting and keep on praying
11:21 for Tagaytay's religious city.
11:25 We have 90 plus seminaries and convents.
11:31 So, let's pray for our athletes
11:34 to add more to qualify.
11:37 And of course, after that, if our campaign is successful,
11:43 let's pray that we can beat the previous records of Tokyo Olympics.
11:50 And God willing, with your help and support,
11:53 we can deliver.
11:56 I'm confident of that.
11:58 Yes. Thank you very much for your time,
12:01 Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham Bambol Tolentino,
12:04 President of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
12:07 Thank you very much and have a good afternoon.