22 Local Athletes to join Paralympic Games

The Philippines will be hosting the ASEAN paralympic games which will be on January 2020. In preparation for it, 22 local para athletes will be joining the 7th Philippine Sports Commission PhilSpada National Paralympics games starting tomorrow, May 23 up to May 31, 2019 at the Bulacan Sports Complex, Malolos, Bulacan.

Local athletes to join

14 male and 8 female para athletes aged 16 to 22 will be competing in the following sports:

• Athletics
• Archery
• Bowling
• Swimming
• Badminton

Participants in Athletics

Intellectually-challenged athlete/s

• Erol Christian Gaciles
• Nathaniel Guay
• Hans Joy II Mangaong
• Jackson Limayog
• Lowegi Soriano
• Ana Marie Velasco

Orthopedically–challenged athlete/s

• Allan Campos
• Victoria Elio
• Agustin Kitan
• John Joseph Magpantay
• Jaime Mangiga
• Romeo Tanawa

Participants in Archery

Orthopedically–challenged athlete/s

• Agustina Bantiloc
• Elizabeth Bayla
• William Cablog
• Estela Florendo
• Michael Gorospe
• Giovanni Ola
• Daniel Padilan

Participants in Badminton

Orthopedically–challenged athlete/s

• Carlos Gamboc, Jr

Participants in Bowling

Hearing impaired/challenged athlete/s

• Jennifer Fernandez

Participants in Swimming

Intellectually-challenged athlete/s

• Judy Ann Addongan

Coaches for PhilSpada Games 

To coach and guide the para athletes during the PhilSpada games will be Special Education (SPED) Baguio teachers Reynante Olat (athletics), Arlene Cumpay (athletics & swimming) and John Hongitan of Baguio City National High School (archery).

Big chances to join Paralympic Games

According to Sports Division head Gaudencio Gonzales, the participating para athletes have big chances of winning golds and silvers, specially the “veterans” who have been competing in the past.

According to City Persons with Disability Affairs Officer (PDAO) Samuel Aquino, some of the participants joined the Benguet para games held in Wangal, La Trinidad last May 05-11. They were guided by with coaches Reynante Olat and Arlene Cumpay during the competition. The para games’ objective was to increase awareness of PWD sports, prepare and pool resources for the upcoming PhilSpada and ASEAN events.

When DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano informed local executives last week, he said in his letter that it will be an excellent opportunity for persons with disabilities all over the country to exhibit their sporting ability on a national level with the hope of making it to the national paralympic roster and a chance to quality and participate in the upcoming 2020 ASEAN Para games.

Support for the participation of persons with disabilities were encouraged from all local chief executives and other agencies.