Facade of the Senate building in Pasay City. (Philippine Daily Inquirer file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has hailed Antique’s Larry Apolinario for his “exceptional performance” as the winner of the first-ever Philippine Trail Running Association (Philtra) national championships.
During Tuesday’s plenary, the upper chamber adopted Senate Resolution No. 547, congratulating and commending Apolinario for dominating the competition held on February 26 in Bontoc, Mountain Provinces.
Senate Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, who filed and sponsored the resolution, noted that finishing a 3,000-meter mountain marathon as Apolinario did is “not an endeavor for the lighthearted.”
“I commend Larry’s determination, grit and perseverance for remaining steadfast in his pursuit of a professional trail running career despite several of life’s challenges,” she said.
Apolinario, 26, comes from the Iraynon Bukidnon community in Barangay Capnayan in the town of Laua-an, Antique.
He will be joining Philtra’s national development team that will select a Philippine representative for the World [Mountain] Running Championships from June 6 to 10 in Innsbruck-Stubai, Austria.
“As exhibited by Larry, Filipinos have a huge potential in dominating the international trail running scene. He not only serves as an inspiration to his community but also to all Filipinos, especially the Indigenous Peoples community, to continuously aim for their dreams and to believe in their full potential,” Legarda said.
Senator Christopher Go, who chairs the chamber’s panel on sports, co-sponsored the resolution as he likewise lauded Apolinario for the “astonishing feat [that] truly demonstrates the rising talent and excellence of Filipino athletes in various disciplines of sports.”
All members of the Senate were made co-authors of the resolution that was later adopted by the chamber with no objections. — Mae Anne Bilolo, trainee
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