Senate commends Winter Olympian Michael Martinez

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Michael Martinez at the Senate. Photo by Maila Ager/ INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate on Wednesday adopted several resolutions, commending Michael Christian Martinez, the first Filipino figure skater to qualify for the Winter Olympics.

Martinez was personally present at the gallery of the session hall when the resolutions were unanimously adopted by the chamber.

“Mr. President, he might not have brought home the gold but he brought home honor to 90 million Filipinos. Michael Christian Martinez, Filipino, mabuhay ka,” Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said when he sponsored on the floor his own resolution.

It was Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who moved for the approval of the resolutions.

After the passage of the resolutions, Cayetano moved to suspend the session to allow the senators to congratulate Martinez and have a photo opportunity with him.

The chamber also adopted separate resolutions congratulating and commending Ariela Arida, who was crowned 3rd runner up in the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant held in Moscow, Russia and Bea Rose Santiago for “honoring” the Philippines with the prestigious Miss International 2013 title in Tokyo, Japan.

Mutya Johanna Datul, who won the Miss Supranational crown in a pageant held in Minsk, Belarus, was also commended by the Senate last year.