Lea Salonga: Don’t push Filipino sports superstars to ‘defect’ for lack of funding

Photo from @msleasalonga on Instagram

MANILA, Philippines — Broadway icon Lea Salonga has joined calls for more support to Filipino athletes, as she reminded the government to not push Filipino sports superstars to “defect” or represent other countries due to lack of funding.

Sharing an article titled “It’s time PH paid attention to sports outside basketball” over her Twitter account, Salonga underscored the many sports Filipinos could excel in.

“Football (soccer), artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, martial arts, weightlifting, and so many other sports our people can and do excel in…” Salonga wrote Monday in a Twitter post.

Football (soccer), artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, martial arts, weightlifting, and so many other sports our people can and do excel in… let’s not wait for the day that these superstars decide to defect for lack of funding and other forms of… https://t.co/k7gcYXf58M

— Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) December 2, 2019

She added: “Let’s not wait for the day that these superstars decide to defect for lack of funding and other forms of…”

The Philippines has so far bagged 47 gold medals in the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games being held in the country.

Also bringing pride to the country are the recent breakthrough world championship triumphs of gymnast Carlos Yulo and female boxer Nesthy Petecio.

Boxing icon and Senator Manny Pacquiao have also called on the country’s sports policymakers to shift its focus on other disciplines.

Edited by KGA