Go, who promoted Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs, corruption and criminality, said sports programmes would benefit the youth and most Filipinos.
“For as long as we can remember, sports has always played an important role in every society. Aside from strengthening social ties, sports channels the collective energy of the community and harnesses it towards nation-building,” Go said.
He added that engaging in sports is instrumental for youth empowerment as it “promotes good health and physical fitness” and “encourages the youth to keep an active lifestyle.”
“It provides an outlet for the youth to spend their free time and relieve boredom, keeping them away from destructive vices, crime and illegal drugs,” Go said.
“It instills discipline, hard work and excellence, which prepares the youth to become successful and productive individuals in the future,” he added.
Go said Duterte himself understands the positive benefits of sports participation.
During the opening of the 2018 Philippine National Games on May 19 at the Cebu City Sports Centre, Go said the president urged top sports officials, particularly the Philippine Sports Commission, to promote and strengthen sports programmes nationwide.
“In fact, he has doubled the prizes for the top five performing Local Government Units in the National Games to further encourage the development of our athletes,” he said.
Go said they were also on a mission to encourage the youth to focus more on sports to instil in them values of discipline, sportsmanship, and teamwork.
Go, an avid basketball fan, has always been involved in charity basketball events to spread this advocacy to the youth.
“As his special assistant, I am driven by the same passion for sports development for our countrymen, especially the youth. During the 2018 Palarong Pambasa in Ilocos, I urged our young athletes to continue striving for excellence in sports and stay away from illegal drugs and criminality,” he said.
Go said he also expressed the same sentiments during his visit to the 2018 Philippine National Games in Cebu City where he interacted with some of the athletes and swapped two pairs of shoes as part of his programme, “Sapatos ni SAP, Tsinelas Ka Swap.”
“In these events, I make sure to promote the government’s three-point campaign against illegal drugs, corruption and criminality,” the president’s top aide said.
To promote sports, Go said the country will host several events such as the Southeast Asian Games in 2019 and the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023.
“These events will not just benefit the economy, they also serve to inspire us to continue developing our sports programme so that our young athletes can realize their full potential,” Go said.
