By Migs
A few days ago, I tuned in to the season ender of “Halikinu Radio”, a radio program geared towards addressing issues relevant to Ateneans. Let’s face it- basketball ranks highly on Ateneans’ “must watch” or “must do” lists. Hence, it came as no surprise that the guests for last night’s season III coup de grace were Seniors Men’s Basketball stars Macky Escalona and JC Intal, and Women’s Division MVP Cassandra “Cassie” Tioseco.
The second segment of the show was devoted to interviewing Cassie. Apart from the usual quips about the Ateneo Women’s Team’s performance over the past season, and how she felt about being named the Lee Pipes “Livewire” Athlete of the Year, one other part of the discussion struck me- Cassie’s future in athletics.
Most Ateneans probably know by now that Cassie is a college senior, which means, according to UAAP rules, that she has the option to play one more year for Ateneo as a “supersenior”. After that though, what gives? Cassie shared that there is a possibility of her going abroad to pursue a job relevant to her undergraduate degree. As great as it is that this belle will more than likely never go hungry because of the fact that she has many open paths towards professional success in predominantly intellectual areas of interest (due to her Ateneo education), what is to become of Cassie the hardcourt warrior?
Unlike countries like the United States and Brazil, the Philippines does not boast of any women’s professional sports leagues. Ergo, many of our lady athletes, particularly, those into basketball, are forced to hang up their sneakers, presumably, long before their bodies say “I Quit”. Instead making long term careers out of athletics, our belles resort to competing in amateur, international, competitions for the Philippines. As much of an honor as it is for someone to compete with your nation’s colors emblazoned upon each and every move you make during the heat of battle, our nation’s overall sports development program hasn’t exactly reached it’s peak yet in terms of funding and coverage (ala Australia or China), hence, a lot of our athletes are made to sacrifice personal, material, affluence, for glory off their physical efforts, that may never come due to the lack of focus given by the Philippine government, which, in turn, leads to apathy on the part of Juan Dela Cruz.
Cassie Tioseco is actually quite fortunate, because of the fact that should she not manage to earn her keep through sports, she still has managed to get a college education which she can use to make her mark in other fields. A lot of Filipinos who choose to literally “run” the fields of life come from families that are financially burdened, hence, making their shot at sports success their one and only opportunity to rise up from poverty.
It’s quite funny how those in the Philippine bureaucracy can manage to splurge so much on vices of the flesh such as luxury cars and extravagant mansions, whilst living to boast about it, while many of our athletes who work (or seek to work) tirelessly to underscore our country’s name with triumph, are left to sleep in the sordid bleachers of an aging arena, and are given gossamer portions of Philippine currency those in power have the oddasity to call “benefits”. This bit of injustice must cease now, if we wish to allot even a morsel of respect for future generations of Filipinos.
Why aren’t there any consistent, professional, women’s sports leagues in the RP? I suppose it has to do with marketing. Many still believe in the idea that women in pro-sports won’t be able to sell tickets as well as their men in sneakers and shorts can, save for the insertion of a sex appeal angle into the former’s selling proposition. Does our consciousness really reside this low on the quality scale, in terms of morality and character? The apt response to this hanging question, ultimately, lies in the hands of those who have been labeled as “subordinates” to those in suits and those who have their bottoms plastered onto seats in grand offices- the citizenry, the masses, we, us, not “them”.
To Cassie, and to all the others who have been bleeding without acknowledgement, who have been tilling this nation’s soil without applause, cheers to you. A girl can indeed do anything a man can, which makes for an even more comprehensive conclusion- any righteous dream, collective or individual, can be reached if the means used do not sow conflict of any kind, and can be attained save for a conspiracy between will, and ill fate. =)
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