Olympic chief Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. sees the election of his daughter Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski in the International Olympic Committee as a tool to get more Filipinos into sports.
“Our leaders don’t seem to understand what sports means to our country,” said Cojuangco during Tuesday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate.
“At least now, Mikee is here to help me. She will be a big help to put the Philippines in the limelight of sports,” added the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Out of 205 countries, only less than a hundred are blessed with IOC members with the Philippines grabbing one of the 112 seats in the general assembly of the most powerful sports body in the world.
“If we have a Filipino in the IOC, it will put us in the world of sports. If there’s some kind of project that needs approval, it puts the country in a position of importance,” said Cojuangco.
For her part, Cojuangco-Jaworski said outgoing IOC representative to the Philippines Frank Elizalde should be recognized for his achievements and for raising the country’s status in the Swiss-based body.
“The respect that Elizalde earned in the IOC was a big boost for the country. If not for him, they (IOC officials) will not even notice us,” said Cojuangco-Jaworski.
Set to retire at the end of the year, Elizalde served the IOC for 27 years and was named honorary member. He was the chair of the IOC’s nominations committee.
“I have a lot of things to learn. I want to encourage more Filipinos to get into sports,” said Cojuangco-Jaworski, who will serve as IOC member for eight years before her membership is put under balloting every four years.