• 2 months ago
Aired (September 14, 2024): Malaki ang naging parte ng karagatan sa Sulu para sa tatlong binatilyong swimmer na sina Ki, Rhidz at Radz. Dahil imbes na swimming pool, karagatan ang kanilang naging training ground para sa Palarong Pambansa.

Ano kaya ang magiging resulta sa aktwal na laban ng mga atleta ngayong magkaiba ng kalidad ng tubig ang dagat at swimming pool?

Alamin 'yan sa special anniversary episode ng #IWitness kasama si Mav Gonzales.

#iBenteSingko

‘I-Witness’ is GMA Network's longest-running and most awarded documentary program. It is hosted by the country’s top documentarists— Howie Severino, Kara David, Atom Araullo, Mav Gonzales, and John Consulta. ‘I-Witness’ airs every Saturday, 10:15 PM on GMA Network.

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Transcript
00:00The Stilt Houses are like a small island in the municipality of Siasi in Sulu.
00:17Most of the residents here are fishermen.
00:21But in this sea, in the south of the Philippines, it is not only the fishermen who are fishing.
00:40There are three boats that are preparing for the biggest competition of their youth.
00:51They are the K.I.
00:56Reds
01:01and Rads.
01:08They will compete in swimming in the national games.
01:13Their training ground is not a swimming pool, but the sea itself where they grew up and thought.
01:21They will swim in the challenges of life for the medal they are hoping for.
01:52At 6 in the morning in Siasi, Sulu, Coach Alvin arrived at the house of one of his swimmers, K.I.
02:05They had a cup of coffee before the training.
02:11Even if it rains, the practice continues.
02:21It's only been a week since they competed in the national games in 2024, so they need to double their efforts in practice.
02:37Here in the vast sea of Celebes Sea in Sulu Archipelago,
02:42the three young athletes are only practicing with the help of their coaches, Alvin and Husni.
02:51This is where K.I. will start, and this is where he will finish.
03:02There's Reds.
03:04Reds, good job.
03:07You caught up with him.
03:09Rads, you're not done yet?
03:11There's Rads.
03:13There's no swimming pool where they can practice.
03:16The nearest swimming pool facility is in Hulupah, four hours away from Siasi.
03:26This is what we do.
03:28This is the area that we use in practice.
03:34This is how it is.
03:36It's very far from the swimming pool.
03:40Coach Husni is drowning.
03:43Coach Husni is drowning.
03:46This area is used to set up ropes.
03:49This will serve as a marker, or a guide to the distance they will swim.
03:55Sometimes, we put ropes there for touching.
04:00We don't put a lane, because they will just swim.
04:05In the layout, it's just like that, ma'am.
04:07They will just swim as far as they can.
04:37The lower level of this house is also a place they will remember as the end of the ocean.
04:48Bubbles, bubbles.
04:52Bubbles.
04:57Let's fly.
04:59Ready?
05:01One, two, go!
05:08The depth of the water here is five meters when it's low tide.
05:23Bubbles, bubbles.
05:28The quality of the water in the sea and swimming pool is different.
05:32The water in the swimming pool is heavy due to chlorine, while the water in the sea is light.
05:42They are more likely to drown in the sea.
05:45But this is a disadvantage for them.
05:48Because in the actual competition, the type of water in the swimming pool is not like this.
05:52The water in the swimming pool is not like this.
05:58They need a lot of resistance and strength in their body
06:02to be able to fill the 50-meter-deep pool in a national competition.
06:10And one way for them to have endurance,
06:14they will train themselves to swim in the high tide.
06:18However, in order for this to happen, there must be a storm and this is a life-threatening situation for them.
06:26The current, they are trying their best.
06:31Because they are against the tide.
06:36Especially if the weather is bad, in the high tide,
06:40the swimmers are really trying their best.
06:44While the kids are practicing,
06:46there is a neighbor who is quietly watching.
06:50He is Madrigal Jauharon, who qualified for the SEA Games in 2000.
06:55But he did not continue because of financial problems.
06:59My father doesn't want me to continue.
07:01I am weakening because there are a lot of opportunities.
07:07What are you doing now?
07:09Nothing, I am just hanging out.
07:11You can do better, right?
07:13Yes, I can.
07:14Breaking the Philippine record.
07:17What is your record?
07:190.27, the time record.
07:22One, two, three.
07:25Passa Passa is the best swimmer in Siasi.
07:3816 seconds.
07:4016 seconds, 0.12.
07:42Let's do this.
07:44Four?
07:46Yes, four.
07:48I am a swimmer and I was part of the national team.
07:51I used to be a barm player.
07:54In 1996, in General Santos City.
07:57But I was not part of the team.
08:00I did not join the QTS when we played in the national team in General Santos.
08:06Father and son training is what Coach Husni and his only son, K.I. have been doing for 14 years.
08:15In elementary school, K.I. already has potential in swimming.
08:25These medals are the product of winning in various swimming competitions in the Philippines.
08:33In grade 6, I learned breaststroke and butterfly.
08:38I asked my father to teach me.
08:41I told my father that I wanted to become a swimmer so that I could fulfill my dream of going to the Olympics.
08:52It was a very difficult time for me.
08:56This is my dream of going to the Olympics.
09:02This is for Ritz Kimball.
09:04Ritz is the eldest of eight siblings.
09:07He is only 15 years old.
09:09Like K.I., Ritz also won many medals.
09:13These seven, gold and bronze silver.
09:18The seven are for Ritz Kimball.
09:20The other two are for Kimball.
09:26He swam every day.
09:28He swam when he was two years old.
09:31My father also swam.
09:40Ritz's family lives in Laot.
09:50Big Boy earns his living by fishing.
09:57Just like RZ, Ritz's father is also a fisherman.
10:04Ritz's talent in swimming is also used by his father to help him fish.
10:11He is the seventh of seven siblings.
10:14We also swim.
10:16Even if we have clothes, we swim.
10:20Sometimes, when Ritz swims, they also practice together.
10:27Ritz is the youngest of eight siblings.
10:33When he grows up, I will let him go to school.
10:37I will support him.
10:45In Laot, they swim very widely.
10:52But it is far to be a regular practice.
10:57Ritz's favorite place
11:03This is their favorite place.
11:08Their opponent is a slippery rock.
11:14The three of them swim against each other in the sea.
11:17And this wide sea seems to symbolize what they will face in the future.
11:26Their ambition is not only their own dreams,
11:30but also the dreams of the entire Siasi and the entire Barm region.
11:35I want, after the Olympic World, the Olympic.
11:39I want the future of the Olympics.
11:41I want, after the Olympic World, the Olympic.
11:45I want, after the Olympic World, the Olympic.
11:52I want, after the Olympic World, the Olympic.
11:58The day has come for the group to swim.
12:06Let's go.
12:08Bye!
12:42Hello, I'm Mav from Eyewitness.
12:46Hi coach, hello!
12:48There are three additions to the Barm team from Tawi-Tawi and Cotabato.
12:53They are the winners in the regional meet.
12:56They have their own strokes.
12:58It depends on the relay, there are freestyle relays.
13:01Here in Cebu, the components are combined.
13:04What are your strokes?
13:06I'm a freestyle butterfly.
13:08What about you?
13:09Freestyle.
13:10And you, KI?
13:11Freestyle, freestyle.
13:13The training is not difficult because they are from different places.
13:16Or they just meet here.
13:18Here.
13:19There are some adjustments.
13:21That's why it's hard for us because we are not from the same place.
13:25We just practice here, we set here.
13:28Who will swim in the first day, second day, here.
13:31It's hard for us to adjust here.
13:401948, the National Games were held where the best athletes of elementary and high school competed.
13:59Students from private and public schools from all over the country could participate.
14:04According to the rules, when it comes to the swimming event, the overall champions are usually from NCR, Calabarzon, and Western Visayas.
14:17Mindanao, until now, is still hoping for the championship.
14:22But when it comes to talented swimmers, there are also a lot of good swimmers from Sulu, especially from Siasi.
14:31This one, you know him.
14:33Banana.
14:34Yes, Banana.
14:36This one.
14:37He looks like him.
14:39He looks like him too.
14:40Are they your children?
14:41Are they your grandparents?
14:42Alex.
14:44This is Banana, right?
14:45Alex.
14:46This is Banana, right?
14:47Yes.
14:48This is Banana.
14:49This is Banana, right?
14:51This is Banana.
14:52He is the champion of the United.
14:55He is the fastest swimmer in Siasi.
15:01In Siasi, Banana Sailani is known as Banana.
15:06There are stories about why he swam so fast.
15:11When Colonel Banana was young, he swam with a fish.
15:17One day, he saw a small fish, about 2 inches long, and he swam against the current.
15:25At night, Colonel Banana had a dream about the fish.
15:29In his dream, he said,
15:31Don't leave me, take care of me.
15:35This will be your guide or your guide.
15:38Just continue your dream so that you will be successful.
15:44The last fish was the last of Banana.
15:51Whether the story of the fish is true or not,
15:54Banana was still small and he was about to drown.
15:57While swimming, the boat with the books was shaking.
16:01Banana swam 2 kilometers from his house to school.
16:10He won in various national and international competitions,
16:15including the national games, Asian Games, and the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics.
16:23We are praying to Almighty God that they will be like him.
16:28They will be going to follow the footsteps of Banana directly.
16:34But when it comes to competition,
16:37there is an important athlete who was not recognized by the new generation of Siasi.
16:44Do you know him?
16:48Who is he?
16:49We don't know him.
16:51He is also from Siasi.
16:53He is older.
16:56Is he a swimmer?
16:57Swimmer.
16:58We don't know him.
16:59You don't know him?
17:00Have you heard his name, Tuburan Tamse?
17:05He was the first Olympic swimmer.
17:12Before the national games,
17:15there was a Siasi who was known for swimming.
17:18His name is Tuburan Tamse.
17:25He swam 400 meters freestyle and 1,500 meters freestyle in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics for 17 years.
17:38This is the only article about Tamse.
17:42There is no detailed information about the competitions he participated in and won.
17:49It is saddening that the new generation does not know the first Olympic swimmer
17:56who was placed in the municipality of Siasi-Samapa.
18:04He swam 400 meters freestyle and 1,500 meters freestyle.
18:09You don't know him.
18:11Siasi is known for being good at swimming.
18:19Now, why do you think the kids are not interested in swimming?
18:23No, they just like to play.
18:25They are friends.
18:27Team by team.
18:29Basketball, tennis, table tennis.
18:38On the other side,
18:40it's good that he is still continuing what he started.
18:43It's not easy.
18:57At the beginning of the competition,
19:00there was a problem.
19:03I was very nervous.
19:05I thought that their practice will be over soon.
19:09But when it comes here, they will adjust.
19:12They will increase their time.
19:22KI was the first to compete in the 50-meter butterfly.
19:39Go, go, go!
19:53KI was in 4th place.
20:01But in the last round,
20:03the losers were faster.
20:06The water is heavy.
20:09Water is not our priority.
20:12Our preference is the sea.
20:27Team Parm did not win a medal on the first day of the competition.
20:36Block the view of the viewers at their back.
20:43The next day of the competition,
20:50Team Parm was determined to recover.
20:56Rins will compete in the 100-meter butterfly.
21:00Rins will compete in the 100-meter butterfly.
21:16Rins' goggles went through her nose and mouth.
21:30But it continued swimming.
21:44At one point, it suddenly stopped.
21:46At one point, it suddenly stopped.
21:57This year,
21:59Team Parm broke several swimming records.
22:11But Team Parm still did not win a medal.
22:17In Rins' competition, she tried to catch up.
22:20But...
22:40She fixed her goggles.
22:46I tried to catch up.
22:48But I couldn't breathe.
22:50So I stopped.
22:52Do you have a next competition?
22:54No.
22:56This is my last competition.
22:58But I didn't make it.
23:04Rins finished the competition even though she was caught.
23:08But after this happened,
23:11are you more determined to join again next year?
23:14Yes.
23:16I told myself,
23:18I will study diving and turning
23:21so that I won't lose my goggles.
23:23Next year.
23:29But for other athletes,
23:34there is no next year,
23:36like Radz.
23:38Go, go!
23:42This is her first and last time joining a national competition.
23:48Because the competition has an age limit
23:51and she will be 18 years old.
23:55Radz fought one by one.
23:58And the other members of Team Parm.
24:00It's more exciting when you're just watching.
24:03Let's go, let's go!
24:07But all of them were defeated.
24:20I noticed that compared to other swimmers,
24:25Team Parm's equipment is very simple.
24:28The price is very expensive.
24:29Here it is.
24:31They showed us the goggles that they use.
24:35To be honest,
24:37the quality of this is not even a competition.
24:39Is this the tightest?
24:42No, it's because of the adjustment.
24:44It doesn't really fit on the head
24:46because it's not the one that's bent here.
24:49It's fixed.
24:51Yes.
24:53It needs to be adjusted.
24:55The others have adjustments here, right?
24:57Yes.
24:59So that it really fits on your face.
25:01Because when you dive in water,
25:03the impact on the water,
25:05sometimes it moves if the goggles don't fit on your face.
25:08It really moves.
25:10It needs two adjustments.
25:12This is the expensive one.
25:14Team Parm was given a guide,
25:16but they didn't use it in practice,
25:18so they put it aside for now.
25:21If they were to buy this,
25:23it would cost less than Php 2,000.
25:25If the quality is good.
25:27This is the expensive one.
25:29Team Parm was given a guide,
25:31but it's expensive.
25:33This one has this.
25:35You can adjust it on your face.
25:37It's Php 2,300.
25:39Php 2,000?
25:41Yes.
25:43That's a lot.
25:46In Siasi,
25:48aside from not having a swimming pool,
25:50there's also no diving board
25:52that was used in practice.
25:53Training equipment
25:55like paddles and kickboards
25:57that are used by swimmers
25:59are also not available.
26:03And this might be
26:05one of their biggest adjustments.
26:12K.I. is the youngest member of the team
26:15in Sabak Muli.
26:16K.I. fought with a 50-meter breaststroke.
26:19This is the stroke that he's the most expert in.
26:24This time,
26:26K.I. was able to compete with five opponents.
26:36It's not yet known
26:38how many times K.I. was able to fight.
26:41K.I. was able to fight
26:43It's not yet known
26:45how many times K.I. was able to fight
26:47in the overall 50-meter breaststroke
26:50because there were many more people
26:52who were able to fight in the same category.
26:55But in Heat 1,
26:57K.I. was able to win.
27:01They were able to live up to their expectations.
27:04That's why Coach Husni
27:06was finally able to smile.
27:10I was guided
27:11by the coach in Manila.
27:14He said,
27:16your son has talent.
27:19That's what the coach said.
27:21If you can pass this time,
27:23even if you don't have gold,
27:25even if you don't have anything,
27:27if you can only get 31,
27:29it's okay.
27:33But K.I. still has one more fight,
27:36the 100-meter breaststroke.
27:42This was the last chance for Team Bar
27:45to get a medal.
27:55But K.I. was already done.
28:08I dived.
28:09I was not able to tighten my boma.
28:15When I jumped,
28:17it was already removed.
28:19It was not removed,
28:21it was in the water.
28:23It was in the water?
28:25I don't know.
28:27I don't know if I can make it next time.
28:29Why not?
28:31Swimming is different.
28:34I want to win in the high-sea games.
28:37That's my dream.
28:39And now,
28:41I can't make it.
28:43Who knows?
28:45Maybe if there's a training,
28:48we'll see.
28:58Dreams are free.
29:00But the sad truth is,
29:02it's not free to reach.
29:05If they have an equipment,
29:07it will come from them,
29:09they can do it.
29:12Even if it's not okay,
29:14we'll still fight.
29:16We're still fighting.
29:18Even if it's like that.
29:22Team Bar's swimmers are disappointed
29:24with their first match
29:26in the national games.
29:30But sometimes,
29:32the opportunity
29:34will just disappear.
29:40Team Yassie lost.
29:42Team Yassie didn't win a medal.
29:46But there was a blessing.
29:49A coach from the Calabarzon team
29:52approached them
29:54and brought swimming gear.
29:58Coach Hans also grew up in poverty.
30:01But he was able to finish
30:03and rise because of swimming.
30:05Now, he's an advocate
30:06for other swimmers
30:08who have talent
30:10but no support.
30:12I was surprised that the kids,
30:14even if they don't have proper equipment
30:16and proper training,
30:18they're strong.
30:20The kids' dedication is there.
30:22Coach, what are your dreams
30:24for the kids?
30:26My dream is for them
30:28to get gold in the swimming competition.
30:30After your experience here,
30:32do you think you'll come back
30:34next year?
30:36We'll prepare
30:38to practice
30:40and we'll practice
30:42all the strokes
30:44so that we won't lose
30:46our diving skills here.
30:48More than a month
30:50after the national games,
30:52Team Yassie's swimming team
30:54visited Swim League Philippines
30:56and Coach Hans.
30:58They were given equipment
31:00like goggles and fins.
31:02They also did training
31:04for coaches and swimmers.
31:07This is a huge help
31:09for the athletes' group
31:11whose dream is to become
31:13a champion.
31:16In the end,
31:18the real medal
31:20that they wore
31:22was broken
31:25by someone else.
31:30Team Yassie!
31:34This is why
31:36they swim for the gold.
31:45They swim for the family.
31:51They swim for Team Yassie.
31:59I am Mav Gonzalez
32:01and this is Eyewitness.
32:06Thank you so much
32:08for tuning in
32:10to Eyewitness Mga Kapuso.
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