The Senate formally recognized the national soft tennis squad following its victorious performance in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games last month.
In the Senate Resolution 66, the Upper House commended the performance of the Philippine Soft Tennis Association headed by chairman Antonio Tamayo and president Bobby Moran for winning three gold, one silver and one bronze medal in the prestigious biennial meet in Phnom Penh.
The squad, under head coach Divine Escala and coaches Michael John Enriquez and Josephine Paguyo, ruled the men’s singles event courtesy of Joseph Arcilla as well as the women’s doubles event courtesy of Bien Zoleta and Princess Catindig.
The netters also ruled the women’s team event with Zoleta, Catindig, Bambi Zoleta, Virvienial Bejosano, Christy Sanosa and Famima Amirul to complete their three-gold romp.
Bambi won a silver in the women’s singles event while the men’s team of Arcilla, Dheo Talatayod, Mark Anthony Alcoseba, Sherwin Ray Nuguit, Adjuthor Moralde and George Patrick Mendoza settled for bronze in the team event.
Sanosa, who is taking up International Hospitality Management, and Nuguit, a Grade 10 student, both study at University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, which is being chaired by Tamayo.
Arcilla, for his part, is also a former student-athlete of Perpetual.
The Senate resolution, co-authored by Senators Sonny Angara and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go stressed that the team’s recent performance in Cambodia “not only showcased the prowess of our Filipino athletes but also their determination to bring home the glory to a proud and grateful nation.”
Tamayo thanked the lawmakers for the recognition, saying that they will work doubly hard to give more glory to the country.
“We thank the Senate for recognizing the efforts of our athletes and the Philippine Soft Tennis Association in the last SEA Games. This will inspire all of us to work harder and continue to win more gold and glory for our country,” Tamayo added.
The Philippine team also won one silver and six bronze medals in the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia and three gold medals in the 2019 SEA Games in the country.
