FEARLESS during the 30th Southeast Asian Games where they clinched a breakthrough two gold medals, the country’s sepak takraw athletes have brought their act in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
“They have to do their part,” Philippine Amateur Sepak Takraw Association President Karen Tanchanco-Caballero told BusinessMirror on Monday. “But we check on them occasionally and their deployment status.”
The Filipino takraw bets also bagged three bronze medals in the 30th SEA Games the country hosted last December, the best performance so far by the Philippines in the sport endemic to the region.
Thailand won one more gold than the Philippines—but had no silver or bronze—to escape with the overall title, with Indonesia, also a traditional powerhouse with a 1-1-1 gold-silver-bronze tally, and Malaysia with 0-2-1.
But during the monthlong enhanced community quarantine, the takraw players are serving the flag and country in another form—as military personnel answering the call of duty in a competition against an invisible opponent that had taken the lives of thousands.
Armymen John Bobier and John Jeffrey Morcillos and Air Force officer Jason Huerte—half of the men’s hoop team that bagged the SEA Games gold medal—are manning several fronts to help contain the virus.
Bobier is assigned at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City, while Morcillos, stationed at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, is awaiting his deployment.
Huerte, meanwhile, is in Lipa City with fellow Airmen and men’s team doubles bronze medalists Rheyjey Ortouste and Joert Jumawan.
“The coaches of the men’s and women’s teams report to me weekly for head count and whereabouts and status of health. The civilians who I sent home strictly observed 14 days of quarantine and thankfully, no one has gotten sick or show any symptoms,” Tanchanco-Caballero said.
Guarding the shores of Manila is Mark Joseph Gonzales of the Philippine Coast Guard, also a bronze-medal winner in men’s doubles.
Coaches also have their responsibilities—Junmar Aleta and Romulo Ruedas Jr. of the Air Force assist in the relief efforts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development at the Villamor Airbase.
Aleta and Ruedas Jr. and women’s hoop gold medalist Sarah Jean Kalalo are also at the Villamor Airbase.
Metodio Suico Jr. and Esperidion Rodriguez, both from the Air Force, are assigned at the Mactan Airbase in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro, respectively.
Also serving in the quarantine are military personnel from cycling and muay.