COBRA-PAL PDBF ELITE TEAM : THE STUFF THAT FILIPINOS ARE MADE OF

courtesy of fullpointcebu.com

I attended the presscon of the Cobra-PAL PDBF Elite Team to see the team that I have grown to love. Through the years, through highs and lows, I like to think that I have become friends with the officers of PDBF and their world champion paddlers. I have shared so many happy and sad moments with the people of PDBF that there is no way but to feel attached to the team.

But what truly binds me to the team are its resiliency and high standard for excellence. Despite the hardships that the team faced in Canada, it managed to win 4 gold medals to qualify for the World Cup in 2016. The team had to sleep in a gym and relied on the generosity of the Filipino community in Ontario for sustenance. Had the team been supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission, such hardships could have been prevented. But then again, POC and PSC choose to be selfish, irresponsible and downright cruel. Thus, the team even had to bring a rice cooker to save on food expenses.

Still the high standard for excellence of the team overcame whatever difficulty it faced and did the country proud. And that, I believe is what being a Filipino is all about. In the midst of hardship, Filipinos still manage to do well and give a world-class performance.

Congratulations Cobra-PAL PDBF Elite Team.