Monico renews call to DepEd in bringing PE back

Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella has called on the (DepEd) to put physical education back in the curriculum, seeing that as a catalyst for the athletic careers of young Filipinos.

“Get physical education (PE) back into the curriculum and teach the children more on physical and mental health rather than (allowing) them play games on cell phones every day,’’ said Puentevella, also a former Philippine Olympic Committee chairman and one-time commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission.

“I’m asking and praying for the DepEd to come in. There’s even no weightlifting in the Palarong Pambansa, the sport that gave our country its first gold medal in the Olympics through Hidilyn Diaz,’’ he added.

Puentevella’s remarks comes just days after the Philippines—which dispatched close to 400 bets—won just four gold, two silver and 12 bronze medals in the recently concluded Asian Games.

“We’re in the gutter,’’ said Puentevella, who first aired this same call to the DepEd five years ago.