Articles
SPABA Team Sports Events
2007 Special Olympics Bowling Athletes Reaps Gold at Shanghai, China
2007 Silos and Ng shine in the Special Olympics Games
2005 First Philippine Game Olympic Championship
2005 First Philippine Special Olympic Championship
2005 Special Olympics at Sta. Lucia
2005 Singapore Special Olympics Invitational Games
2005 Filipino special athletes to see action in 6th Special Olympics
2005 RP aims for gold in Special Olympic Games
2005 Slxth Singapore National Invitational Special Olympics
2005 6th Special Olympics Singapore National Games brings home awards
2003 Special Olympic World Summer Game - Dublin Ireland
2002 4th Asian Special Olympic Games - Labuan, Malaysia
2002 RP team tops Special OlympIcs - Sep. 4
1996 China began participating in Special Olympics
Special Olympics Bowling Athletes Reaps Gold:
2007 Shanghai, China
Team Philippines once again showed to the world what it takes to become sports champions. In the just-concluded 12th World Special Olympic Games held in Shanghai, China, our delegation won a total of 9 gold 23 silver and 19 bronze medals. Literally, it rivals the achievements of the regular Olympics wherein the Philippines has yet to win a single gold medal in official competition.
165 nations participated in the quadrennial event for the intellectually challenged with the Philippines sending 52 special athletes. The Philippines brought home the proverbial bacon garnering a total of 48 medals. “I Know I Can” was the theme of the Shanghai Games. Appropriate enough as our athletes gave their all for the honor of our country.
Worth mentioning is our bowling delegation which harvested 2 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze medals. The team of Anton Silos, Roxanne Ng, Mark Inductivo and Stephanie Babst drew the respect of the predominantly Chinese spectators with their heads up plays. The most memorable was the performance of the beautiful Roxanne Ng, wherein whe lost by only 1 pin to the Chinese bowler after leading in the first two games. The hefty Anton Silos lost by only 6 pins to his Canadian opponent. Roxanne Ng won silver in the Bowling Female Singles Division with a total score of 462 after 3 games. Anton Silos likewise earned a silver medal in the male Singes Division with 376 total pinfalls. Babst and Inductivo likewise shone in their respective doubles events both winning the silver medal. Determined Stephanie Babst earned a bronze medal while Mark got a commemorative medal in their respective singles event. The four bowlers won the bronze in the team event. The coach of the team was Ms. Cristy Gacuma ably assisted by Ms. Suzette Babst
Since their first participation in the 1995 Connecticut, USA World Special Olympics, the special athletes of the sports of tenpin bowling have not gone home empty handed in the medal quest.
Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and without intellectual disabilities. Through year-round sports training and athletic competition and other related programming for more than 2.5 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 165 countries, Special Olympics has created a model community that celebrates people’s diverse gifts. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provide people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, and demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship. The Special Olympics Athlete Oath is: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” Its mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Timothy Shriver, a recent visitor in the Philippines, serves as Chairman of the Board. The Special Olympics World Summer Games are held every four years.
SPABA and SPECIAL OLYMPICS are grateful to World Master’s Champ Biboy Rivera for helping out in the training program of the special Olympics bowling team. Biboy was a Masters Champion at the 2006 World Championships, 2006 Philippine Sports Writers Association – Athlete of the Year and gold medalist in the doubles competition at the 2002 Asian Championships. and Has scored 32 perfect (300) games in his young career.
We would also like to thank our sponsors who gave their overall support for our bowling team: Molecules,Prima Pasta, Mariposa and Phinma Foundation, Magsaysay Maritime Corp., Philippine Bowling Congress, Powerbowl,DFJ Sports Good Marketing, Ebonite, Magallanes Bowling Association Avia ,Accel. Philippine Daily Inquirer and Manila Bulletin, Phil. Star, Creative Response, Teacher- Mom, and Igan Foundation of Mr. Arnold Clavio.
Silos and Ng shine in the Special Olympics Games:
The Philippine Star - February 6, 2007
Tenpin Bowlers Anton Silos and Roxanne Ng from NCR South Chilpter were the biggest winners in the recently concluded National Special Olympic Games at the Sta. Lucia East Bowling Center. Silos, averaged 197 pin falls, and Ng towe.d their team to a gold medal in the Division I team event. Forty-four Special athletes competed in the tourhament sponsored by SHELL Vpower, Gardenia Bakeries Phil. Inc, Go Nuts Donuts, Creative Response, Oishi, Sterling Paper Products, Aqua Safe, Teacher Mom, Roland Roldan’s Photography and Sta. Lucia East Bowling Center.
Tournament director, Atty. Gani Zulueta said that the event Was coordinated and organized by the Special Athletes Bowling Association of the Philippines (SPABAl. an affiliate of the Special Olympics Philippines. Arnold Clavio, GMA TV host awarded the medals assisted by Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia.
2005 First Philippine Game Olympic Championship - July 23-24
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2005 - Special Olympic bowl set at Sta. Lucia lanes
Special athletes from Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo and two teams each from NCR-North and NCR-South show their wares as the first Philippine Special Olympic Bowling Championships rolls off at the Sta. Lucia East Bowling Center on July 23-24.
The event coincides with the National Disability, Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) week and the celebration of the founding of the Special Olympics Movement on July 20,1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of the late US President John F. Kennedy. The tournament starts the various preparations of the Special Olympics Philippines for the Shanghai (China) World Special Olympics Summer Games on September 2007.
Giving support to the tournament are Accel, Shell Better Mileage Gasoline, Super Premium; Super Unleaded and Velocity; Go Nuts Donuts and Mr. Juicy; Creative Response, Teacher Mom, Game Plan, Nestle, Cafe Puro and Fibisco, Sustagen, Pepsi Cola, Tropicana Twister, Lipton, Lemon Square, Jenjoo Juice, Oishi Prawn Cracker and Peanutsu, Baby Flo, Sta. Lucia East Bowling Center and SLETBA, Sterling Paper, St. Lourdes and Mizzle Mineral Water, Wave 89.1, RX 93.1, Joey 92.3 and 105.1 Crossover.
2005 First Philippine Special Olympic Championship
The Philippine Star Friday, April 29, 2006
Special Olympics Philippines (SOP) will be holding the 1st SOP National Bowling Championship come July 23-24,2005 at the Sta. Lucia East Bowling Center. About 32 special athlete-bowlers from Iloilo, Bacolod, Baguio, NCR-North and NCR-South will be participating. This is in celebration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week, and likewise in commemoration of July 20 as the 1st Special Olympic Games held in Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois, USA in 1968.
SOP President Alexander Babst said that delegates from the Asia Pacific Special Olympics International will be joining said celebration. Joining, too, were sponsors Accel, Nestle, Cafe Puro and FibiscoBiscuit, Sustagen, Pepsi, Tropicana Twister, Lipton, Lemon Square, Go Nuts Donuts, Jenjoo Juice, Oishi Prawn Cracker and Peanutsu, Babyflo, Sta. Lucia East Bowling Center, Sta. Lucia East Tenpin Bowling Association, Sterling Paper, Wave89.1, RX93.1, Joey92.3, 105.1 Crossover, Creative Response,Teacher-Mom, SOP-Bowling Club Inc., and Shell Better Mileage Gasoline: Super Premium; Super Unleaded, and Velocity.
The Special Olympics Philippines, an affiliate of Special Olympics International founded by Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation, is a non-stock, non-profit, humanitarian organization created to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, language delay, mental retardation and Down’s syndrome achieve their potentials through an organized year-round program of sports training, athletes’ competition and recreation.
TroyCreisen and Simon Kho, managing director dnd senior manager-organizational development respectively of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Region, will be the Guests of Honor.
For more information, especially on how to become a volunteer or sponsor, contact: 899-3678at the Teacher-Mom Special School, Makati City.
SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2005 - PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER: Special Olympics at Sta. Lucia
THIRTY-TWO special athletes will compete in the First Special Olympics National Bowling Championships to be held at the Sta. Lucia Bowling Center along Marcos Highway, Cainta, tomorrow and Sunday. The event coincides with the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week and the celebration of the founding of the Special Olympics Movement on July 20,1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of the late US President John F. Kennedy.
Teams from Baguio, Iloilo, Bacolod and Cebu, and two teams each from NCR-North and South, will vie for various team-and singles-event honors in the two-day event. The tournament will launch the various preparations of the Special Olympics Philippines forthe Shanghai World Special Olympics Summer Games in September 2007.
2005 Singapore Special Olympics Invitational Games
RP aims for gold in Singapore’s Inuitational Special Olympics Games
Front row (from left) Mark Inductivo, Stephanie Babst, Roxanne Ng, Alfred Abueg and Anton Silos; back row (from left) Lawrence Cruz, Jonathan Zulueta and coach Cristy Caiiizares-Gacuma.
Special Olympics Philippines’ 17-members delegation to the 6th Special Olympics Singapore National (Invitational) Games 2005 on June 2-7, 2005 are determined to surpass their previous medal harvest and bring home more gold in the Bowling events as well as in Bocce, a new outdoor lawn bowling-like game. The Singapore Invitational is a prelude to the 2007 World Special Olympic Summer Games to be held in Shanghai, China.
Alex Babst, president of Special Olympics Philippines (SOP) identified Teacher-Morn’s Roxanne Ng, a young adult with autism, who won 3 gold medals in the bowling individual, doubles and team events in last 2003 World Special Olympics Summer Games held in Dublin, Ireland, as well as upcoming national medalist Anton Silos to lead our 14-special athletes and 5-coach delegation to victory in Singapore.
Bowling Team Philippines is headed by Coach Cristina Gacuma of Teacher-Morn, and assisted by Suzette Babst. Other members of the team include Stephanie Babst, Mark David Inductivo, Jonathan Zulueta, Alfred Abueg,Lawrence Cruz and Roberto Jesus Clarino. The Bocce Team is coached by Irene Soriano and includes Margaret Babst, Ken Lawrence Yu, Ana Luisa Se, and Neil Sebastian. Stephen Sia heads the delegation, assisted by Manny Inductivo.
Team Philippines special athletes are undergoing fitness and gym training sessions sponsored by Red Corner Fitness and Boxing Club at the Hotel Intercontinental Manila and Power Bowl at the Power Plant, Rockwell, Makati City. Other sponsors include Reebok, Burlington socks, Penshoppe and The Creative Response Co., Inc.
Special Olympics Philippines is a nonprofit humanitarian organization created to help intellectually challenged youths to developtheir talents to the optimum by creating myriad opportunities for participation in athletic competitions here and abroad. Special Olympics promotes tolerance and equality epitomizing the triumph of the human spirit over disabilities, as exemplified by its slogan: Let Me Win, But If I Cannot win. Let Me Be Brave In The Attempt.
For more information, please contact Alex Babst at 926-6946 or email at special_olympics@yahoo.com, or Cristy Gacuma at Teacher-Mom, 889-3678
Filipino special athletes to see action in 6th Special Olympics
Business World - MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2005
Filipino Special Olympics athletes will represent the country in the 6th Special Olympics Singapore National (Invitational) Games 2005 on June 2-7. At the core of the 19-member Philippine Special Olympic delegation is Bowling Team Philippines, composed of 10 youths who are spearheading the quest to brIng home honor and glory.
The team aspires to surpass, if not equal, its medal harvest in past international competitions such as the World Special Olympics Games held in Dublin, Ireland. Bowling Team Philippines include Alfred Abueg, Stephanie Babst, Roberto Jesus Clarifio, Lawrence Cruz, Mark Inductivo, Roxanne Ng, Anton Silos and Jonathan Zulueta. It is headed by coach Cristy Cafiizares-Gacuma.
A fourcmember athletic delegation for bocce, a game similar to lawn bowling and played on a long, narrow court, will also see action in the Singapore Games. The country’s participation in international invitational games is part of the program of Special Olympics Philippines to prepare special athletes for the 2007 Special Olympics World Games to be held in Shanghai, China.
For more information and support, contact Ms. Cafiiza.res~Gacuma at 899-367 or 0917-837-7092, or e-mail teachermomspecialschool@yahoo.com.
RP aims for gold in Special Olympic Games
Philippine Daily Inquirer - Sunday, May 29, 2005
SPECIAL Olympics Philippines’ 17cmember delegation to the 6th Special Olympics Singapore National (Invitational) Games 2005 on June 2 to 7 are determined· to surpass their previous medal harvest and bring home more gold in the bowling events as well as in Bocce, a relatively new outdoor lawn bowling-like game in the World Games, where we are participating for the first time. The Singapore Invitational is a prelude to the 2007 World Special Olympic Summer Games to be held in Shanghai, China.
Alex Babst, president of the Special Olympics Philippines (SOP) identified Teacher-Mom’s Roxanne Ng, a young adult with autism, who won 3 gold medals in the bowling individual, doubles· and team events in last 2003 World Special Olympics Summer Games held in Dublin Ireland, as well as upcoming national medalist Anton Silos to lead our 14-special athletes and 5-coach delegation to victory in Singapore.
Bowling Team Philippines is headed by coach Cristina Gacuma of Teacher-Mom, and assisted by Suzette Babst. Other members of the team include Stephanie Babst, Mark David Inductivo, Jonathan Zulueta, Alfred Abueg, Lawrence Cruz and Roberto Jesus Clarino. The Bocce Team is coached by Irene Soriano and includes Margaret Babst, Ken Lawrence Yu, Ana Luisa Se and Neil Sebastian. Stephen Sia heads the delegation, assisted by Manny Inductivo.
Team Philippines special athletes are undergoing fitness and gym training sessions sponsored by Red Comer Fitness and Boxing Club at the Hotel Intercontinental Manila and Power Bowl at the Power Plant, Rockwell, Makati City. Other sponsors include Reebok, Burlington’ socks, Penshoppe and The Creative Response Co Inc.
Special Olympics Philippines is a non-profit humanitarian organization created to help intellectually challenged youths to develop their talents to the optimum by creating myriad opportunities for participation in athletic competitions here and abroad. Special Olympics promotes tolerance and equality epitomizing the triumph of the human spirit over disabilities, as exemplified by its slogan: “Let me win, but if i cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” For more information or support, contact Alex Babst at 926-6946 or email at speciat olympics@yahoo.com, or Cristy Gacuma at Teacher-Mom, 899-3678.
MANlLA TIMES
June 08, 2005
Best in bowling. The RP bowling squad stows off the medals they won in the Slxth Singapore National Invitational. Special Olympics at their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino Airport on Tuesday. The RP contingent won seven gold, nine silver and five bronze medals in the sportsfest where eight countries took part.
PHILIPPINE DELEGATION TO 6th SPECIAL OLYMPICS SINGAPORE NATIONAL GAMES BRINGS HOME AWARDS
03 August 2005 – The Philippine Embassy in Singapore reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the thirteen-member Philippine team to the 6th Special Olympics Singapore National Games held in 3-6 June 2005 brought home several awards in bowling and bocce.
Ambassador Belen F. Anota welcomed the delegation and encouraged them to continue to enhance their athletic skills. Consul Crescente R. Relacion attended the opening ceremonies held in Jurong East Sports and Cultural Centre. The Filipino bowlers captured gold in the team competition and gold, silver, bronze and 4th place in the singles competition. The bowling team is composed of Mark David Inductivo, Alfred Abueg, Jonathan Zulueta, Roxanne Ng, Anton Silos, Stephanie Babst, Lawrence Cruz, Roberto Clarino, Alfred Abueg and Vincent Biado. For bocce, Neil Sebastian and Anna Luisa Se both bagged the silver award for the singles competition; while Neil Sebastian and Ken Yu won the silver for the doubles competition; and Margaret Babst and Anna Luisa Se won the bronze award also for the doubles.
The Special Olympics is an international program with the objective of providing year-round sports training and athletic competition for differently-abled persons around the world. It aims to specifically give these special persons an opportunity to participate in a variety of Olympics-type sports to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and establish friendships with the international community. In Singapore, it enjoys the patronage of President S.R. Nathan.
This year’s event saw the participation of special athletes from Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Australia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines together with several special schools from Singapore. The special athletes competed in eight games, which include aquatics, athletics, badminton, bowling, bocce, floor hockey, soccer and equestrian. The Philippine team comprised of thirteen athletes and five coaches with several parents and guardians. Bocce is played with a set of 8 large bocce balls (4 green and 4 red) and one smaller target ball called a ”pallino”. The object of the game of Bocce is for one team to get as many of their balls closer to the pallino than any of the opponent’s balls.
2003 Special Olympic World Summer Game - Dublin Ireland
Manila Standard
Golden child Roxanne Ng may never realize it, but her three gold medals in bowling from the Special Olympics in Dublin, Ireland, are living proof that excellence in sports knows no boundaries. Ng arrived with other special athletes yesterday after taking part in the quadrennial meet for the mentally challenged. ANTONIO DE LARA
Philippine Star
Tripte-gold winner Roxanne Ng and her teammates display their medals from the Special Olympics in Dublin, Ireland upon arrival at the NAIA. The delegation took part in the quadrennial meet for the mentally challenged.
2002 Labuan, Malaysia 4th Asian Special Olympic Games
The Philippine Star XVII NO. 27 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2002′
Special Olympics team reaps six golds in bowl
The Philippine Special Olympics. team emerged as one cit the winningest teams in the fourth Asial1Zol1e Invitational tenpin bowlingcompetitior,s held in the Federal territory of Labuan in Malaysia Aug. 8-11. The nine-athlete delegation brought home six gold medals and 10 bronze medals from the three-day meet participated in by 11 teams from Chinese Tapei, Macau, Selangor/Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak (Kuching, Miri and Sibu) and Sabah.
Gold medalists are the boy’s team composed of Roberto Jesus Clarino, Antonio Ranel Lopez, Reginald Reyes and Jonathan Daniel Zulueta, singles event champions Roxanne Ng and Catherine Uy (girls’ A&B divisions). Bronze medalists are the mixed team, ccmposed of Stephanie Babst, Henry Calderon, Roxanne Ng, Catherine Uy and Jeffrey Calon for the various singles events.
The team officials are Cristy Gacuma, head of delegation, coaches Mye Navarro and Angel Agustines, and Jesusa Babst and Atty. Gani Zulueta, deputy team officials. The delegation is a joint project of Power Bowl at Rockwell which provided the venue for the practices and Molecules which provided the outfit of the team.
Alex Babst, chairman of the Special Olympics Philippines, explained that the Special Olympics is an international organization that is dedicated to empowering intellectually disabled individuals to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competitions in various Special Olympics sports disciplines.
4th Asian Zone Invitational Tenpin Bowling competitions - Labuan, Malaysia
Philippine Daily Inquirer - Sportswatch
RP pockets 6 golds
THE PHILIPPINES won six gold medals in the recent 4th Asian Zone Invitational Tenpin Bowling competitions in the federal territory of Labuan in Malaysia. The nine-athlete delegation also won 10 bronze medals from the three-day meet participated in by 11 teams from Chinese Taipei. Macau, Selangor/Kuala Lumpur, Sarav/ak (Kuching, Miri & Sibu) and Sabah. The gold medaiist were Roberto Jesus Clarino, Antonio Ranel Lopez, Reginald Reyes, Jonathan Daniel ZUlueta, Roxanne Ng, Catherine Uy.
The bronze medalists were Stephanie Babst, Henry.Calderori, Roxanne Ng, Catherine Uy,Jeffrey Calon,Robin Clarino, Jonathan Zulueta, Ranel Lopez, Reginald Reyes, Henry Calderon, Jeffrey Calon and Stephanie Babst. The team officials were Cristy Gacuma, Mye Navarro, Angel Agustines, Jesusa Babst and Gani Zulueta. The delegation is a joint project of Power Bowl at Rockwell which provided the venue for practices and Molec.ules which provid. ed the outfit of the team.
Talent, stout hearts, and a good dose of corporate responsibility translated to a well-deserved victory as RP athletes participating in the 4th Asian zone special Olympics bagged six gold medals in Labuan, Malaysia. The Special Olympics Federal Territory of Labuan spearheaded the gathering of differently-abled participants from the Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Macau, Selangor & Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak (Kuching, Miri, Sibu) and host country, Sabah.
From August 8 to 11 at the WPL Bowling Center in Labuan, some 118 differently-abled athletes participated in the 4th Special Olympics Invitational Ten Pin Bowling Competition. Nine athletes with special needs and five officials represented the RP delegation. The team’s attendance and participation in the bowling tournament were the result of a joint project between Power Bowl at Rockwell and Molecules.
Power Bowl served as the training ground of the special athletes while Molecules, a garments corporation, provided the team’s official outfit. Also on hand to support the Special Olympic athletes was Teacher-Mom Foundation, which aims to create public awareness for the welfare of the intellectually challenged.
“The Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to empowering intellectually disabled individuals so they can become physically fit, productive, and respected members of society. “We feel we can help them achieve this through sports training and competition,” says a beaming Alex Babst, chairman of Special Olympics Philippines. He adds: “Special Olympics provides year-round training and competition in 26 Olympics-type summer and winter sports to children and adults who are mentally challenged. “In Special Olympics, every athlete is a winner,” stresses Babst. For her part, Cristy Gacuma, I1cCld and official delegate of the Philippine team, says that Special Olympics taugllt its participants the value of sportsmanship, camaraderie, greater self-confidence and a more positive self-image.
The champion team for the male Division and Class G included Roberto Jesus Clarino (471), Jonathan Daniel Zulueta (359), Reginald Reyes (322) and Antonio Ranel Lopez (283). Catherine Uy (308), Roxanne Salve Ng (471), Marie Stephanie Babst (287), and Henry Calderon (446) bagged the bronze medal in the Female Team Mixed Division-Class C. For the Mixed Team Event, Jeffrey Calon placed third in Class C with 482 points. He played with the athletes from PDK Labuan, and PDK Miri. The final round was action-filled as athletes tried ,their best to win the top position. At the end of two (2) rounds, 21-yearold Roxanne Ng from Teacher-Mom Foundation emerged as champion for Class A with a score of 225.
Catherine Uy of Elsie Gaches Village bowled her way to victory, emerging as gold medallist in Class B with 175 points, while Marie Stephanie Babst of Cupertino Center finished third, with a total score of 142 in the individual female age group, Class B. With patience, determination and a pure fighting heart, Hoberto Jesus Clarino of Teacher-Mom scored 231 points wllile Henry Calcleron of Elsie Gaches Village garnered 163 points in Class A. Tile two placed third and fourth respectively, earning two more bronze medals for tile Philippines.
Other Filipino athletes with bronze medals were Jonathan Zulueta (Teacher-Mom) with a score of 220 pinfalls and Jeffrey Calon (EGV), 154 points of Class B; Reginald Reyes (Teacher-Mom), 154 points from Class C and Antonio Ranel Lopez (TeacherMom), 130 points of Class D. The athletes are currently preparing for the National Garnes in December and the Special Olympics 2003 World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland.
RP team tops Special OlympIcs
THE United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg looks like it is going to fail. Ten years after the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, ”we have no reason to celebrate,” cried a glum Jacques Chirac, the president of France. The summit is expected to endorse a draft declaration that falls short of world expectations. A key failure is the absence of United States President George Bush. He would rather go to war in Iraq than attend a summit to assure sustainable growth for generations yet to come. The US has yet to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty intended to prevent global warming. The US has become isolated in the quest for a better world to live in, one with fewer poisonous gases from vehicles, fewer killer floods, more adequate food and water, and better-behaved nature.
The draft declaration at Johannesburg provides a “moral imperative” for action on the major summit themes, according to yesterday’s International Herald Tribune (IHT). These are water, energy, health, agriculture, and biodiversity. Having covered so many international conferences and summits, I think “moral imperative” simply means something you are supposed to do but there is no penalty nor obligation to do it. In other words, the declaration is a useless document. It does not, says the IHT, commit countries to the specific targets that poor states wanted. Lamented South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma bluntly: “The draft implementation plan is not going to be a strong document.” The environmental group Friends of the Earth had wanted multinationals to be made accountable for the pollution and environmental degradation they cause. The draft declaration merely urges the world leader to instruct the UN General Assembly to pursue “the matter of corporate responsibility and the social contribution of the private sector.” Corporations not being UN members, you can be sure nothing will come out of this provision. Big Business has rejected the notion of international corporate accountability. This rejection means that polluting plants that are banned in the US can still be relocated to willing victims like the poor developing countries wanting in foreign investments.
The British Prime Minister decried that a failure of political will could lead to Asia, Europe and America. Those floods could be prevented if world leaders have the resolve to take drastic steps to arrest the degradation of the environment.
Meanwhile, the Philippines was a big winner in the fourth Special Olympics Invitational Ten Pin Bowling in the Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia, August 8-11, just before Kuala Lumpur started deporting and maltreating overstaying Filipinos in Sabah. About 118 differently disabled participants came from Chinese Taipei, Macau, the Philippines, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak (Kuching, Miri, Sibu), and host state Sabah.
Nine athletes with special needs and five officials represented the Philippine delegation at the fourth Asian Zone Special Olympics. Everybody emerged winners. The Philippines was champion in Male Division Class B. The winning team was composed of Roberto Jesus Clarino, Jonathan Daniel Zulueta, Reginald Reyes, and Antonio Ranel Lopez. They all got gold medals. For the Female Mixed Divisor Class C, the Philippines garnered bronze. The team was composed of Catherine Uy, Roxanne Salve Ng, Marie Stephanie Babst, and Henry Calderon. For the Mixed Team Event, Jeffrey Calon placed third in Class C. He played with the athletes from PDK Labuan and PDK Miri.
The final round was action-filled. Each athlete tried his best to win the top slot. After two rounds, Roxanne Ng, 21, emerged champion for Class A. She studies at Teacher Mom Foundation School in Makati. Catharine Uy of Elsie Gaches Villages bagged the gold in Class B division. Compatriot Marie Stephanie Babst of Cupertino fighting spirit, Robert Jesus Clarino of Teacher Mom Foundation and Henry Calderon of Elsie Gaches of Class A placed third and fourth, respectively, resulting in two more bronze medals for the Philippines. Also garnering bronze medals were: JonathanZulueta (Teacher Mom) and Jeffrey Calon (Elsie Gaches) in Class B; Reginald Reyes (Teacher Mom), for Class C, and Ranel Lopez (Teacher Mom) in Class D.
Alex Babst, chairman of Special Olympics Philippines, says that Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to empowering special individuals to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics provides them year-round training and competition in 26 Olympic summer and winter sports.
A big winner too was Teacher Mom school headed by CristyGacuma. “All players came out winners because of sportsmanship, camaraderie, greater self-confidence, and more positive self-image gained from tournament,” said Mrs. Gacuma, who also led the powerhouse Philippine delegation. The next target of the athletes: Championship in the National Games in December and the Special Olympics 2003 World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland.
At this year’s Games,
Xiaoqiang represents China in the bowling competltion. The 21-year-old from Xi’an, Shaanxi Province in China began participating in Special Olympics in 1996. Since then, he has collected quite a few medals.
Xiaoqiang took silver in the long jump at the Special Olympics City Games in Macau and bronze in the 100-metre dash at the 1999 Shanghai Asia Pacific Special Olympics Games. Last year, he won a gold medal in bowling and a silver medal in table tennis. Xiaoqiang loves sports and always enjoys training. When he is not practising or competing, 118 works in an air conditioning factory.
Bowling is popular because it is a sport of leisure as weil as competition. The sport was first offered at the 1987 Special Olympics World Summer Garnes. It is now one of the movement’s fastest growing sports, with 126,472 athletes in more than 20 countries enjoying it.
Although there are some modifications made for athletes with physical disabilities, most athletes compete under the same rules and circumstances as athletes on a professional tour.
Special Olympics bowling also includes a Unified Sports’” division, where athletes with and without a learning disability compete on the same team. Their score is averaged, and the best average score wins. In this year’s competition, athletes may participate in a maximum of three events.
Events:
- Singles: Male, Female
- Singles: Ramp Unassisted Bowl
- Doub!es: Male. Female (Two persons)
- Doubles: Mixed (Two persons)
- Unified Sports” Doubles (Two persons)
- Team Bowling (Four persons)
- Team Bowling Mixed (Four persons)
- Unified Sports” Team (Four persons)Venue: Leisureplex
Sponsor: Irish Farmers Association
Athletes: 290
