SUBIC–Let’s give credit where credit’s due.
The success of the Philippine campaign in the 30th Southeast Asian Games should be credited to the athletes primarily. But it’s not a stretch to say that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) must also be given credit.
Thank you PSC for its bottomless support to the athletes. From training to international exposure and even the athlete’s health and nutrition are a priority by the PSC.
Credit also the Phisgoc for its unwavering belief and hard work that things will go for the better even in the face of early adversities.
The hosting is far from perfect (and we must learn from our mistakes) but there is no doubt that the 30th SEA Games, battered by negativity at the early going, has survived the trials with passing colors. Just ask the foreign contingents, and they will say that the country’s hosting is a huge success.
Look what unity and positivity can do to our dear country.
‘Pearl of the Orient’
There is nothing to suggest that the woman being praised for the growing attention to the art of seven limbs or more popularly known as muay thai, is capable of hurting someone who makes the mistakes of bullying her.
Always full of life, Pearl Managuelod, who finds joy running marathons and triathlons, happens to be the secretary-general of the ruling Muay Association of the Philippines (MAP) which is under the umbrella of the World Muaythai Council, the sport’s world governing body.
Managuelod became the secretary-general of MAP in 2015 and since then the sport has grown leaps and bounds judging from the number of practitioners and clubs which sprouted all over Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
“The sport is growing,’’ said Managuelod after cheering local bet Alexis Mayag at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center. “I’m also happy that the number of women participating in muay is growing.’’
The Philippine team here is known as ‘‘Team Bagsik.’’
Before the start of action, Pearl, whose father is MAP President and Police General Lucas Managuelod (ret), who shone as CIDG chief, made a conservative estimate of three to four golds for the national team in combat.
She was on target as the national team sent five fighters to the finals. As the smoke of the battle cleared, though, only two–Philip Delarmino and Ariel Lampacan– walked away with gold medals.
Jerome Calica and Jeomar Gallaza triumphed in the men’s waikru mai muaythai for the sport’s first gold.
Waikru was held for the first time in the biennial Games and while it’s actually a dance ritual being done by fighters before plunging into action, competitors must impress the judges with their elegant, fluent motions and realistic combative forms.
Managuelod has a masteral degree in Human Movement Science at the University of the Philippines, where she graduated with a degree in Sports Psychology, which should come in handy in handling the various whims of athletes. She also has a Masters in Human Kinetics—Intervention and Consultation (performance psychology) at the University of Ottawa. Managuelod, also studied finance at Les Roches Global Hospitality Education in Switzerland.
Although she is not a muay practitioner, Managuelod explained, “I don’t think there’s any difference for any sports once you’re an athlete. I think you can apply all the skills the knowledge you have in other sports. I’m also a business manager running an organization and it requires management skills, so I think that’s more important because it’s easy to learn sports but the management side difficult.”
Managuelod said she focuses on getting sponsors for the team and leaving the coaching to the coaches. She’s also happy that the Philippine Sports Commission has contributed a lot to the well-being of the athletes especially in nutrition and the renovation of venues.
“When I came in, they already had programs. I’m not saying I’m more knowledgeable, but I know the needs of the athletes and merge it with the management side so the program that we’ve been implementing since I came in I think are more solid which results to a better muay thai as you can see,’’ she said.
Managuelod competed in the New York Marathon last November and she plans to continue pounding the roads in the years to come.
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