By Anthony A. Araos
Since the playing venues were scattered throughout the town (as well as some in Lagawe) and travel was not as easy at best, adjustments were the mode for most of the delegations.
Thanks to Mayor Raldis Andrei Bulayungan obstacles were hurdled. As his achievements prove from Day 1 of this year’s Ifugao provincial athletic meet in Kiangan, the set of new generation of young officials refuses to be just chips off the aged block as they bring forth their youth to the table and inject fresh blood back into the veins at the officialdom.
Ifugao officials have been offering the same presentations to the same folks for years- so don’t you think it’s about time to revitalize this sports meet?
Mayor Bulayungan is a rare gift to Ifugao’s sporting world! He is a three-term mayor who can do wonders. He is a dedicated public servant- from councilor to mayor, and everything in between.
Here is why.
At the heart of Mayor Bulayungan’s stellar handling of the preparations before and during the meet lies in the positive respond of barangay council officials and municipal government personnel to ensure smooth operations on a day-to-day basis. This is where tried, tested and trusted expertise of Mayor Bulayungan is experienced beyond the halls of the Office of the Mayor.
Putting so much time and energy to this grueling meet was all worth it as Mayor Bulayungan aptly showed. This couldn’t have happened if he didn’t diligently prepare out the details.
Throughout the years, Mayor Bulayungan continues to set forth in the enhancement of Kiangan athletes to help nourish the sports landscape of the town.
Many great things were unveiled at the various playing sites. At the end of the day, there are so many “success stories” and are now, undeniably part of history.
I also can’t help but point out that I come from a position of privilege by having covered a number of Ifugao provincial athletic meets and CARAA, thus stress out the following point. For Bulayungan, also a lawyer always put tribute to the strength, discipline and perseverance that define the athlete’s character.
By extolling traits like these, I hope that I’m able to bring inspiration and creative energy to all the promising Ifugao athletes. Likewise, it further broadens partnership between well-meaning public servants and leaders in the private sector.
Beyond the drum and lyre bands performances, the Kiangan meet also rekindles the concern for improving of athlete’s accommodations at public schools and provision of more funds for equipment and training.
The meet is also about connecting talent and skills across the province. Excellence, dedication and teamwork easily brought pride and honor to the athlete’s schools, towns and their families. The enthusiastic participation of the youth on sports reflects that attraction of sports to youngsters that needs to be sustained to ensure the invigoration of the youth sector.
Post-Kiangan meet postscript: The goal is clearly to perform well in the forthcoming CARAA in Benguet. I see good opportunities to push for sending athlete, with the highest gold medal potentials to Baguio City about three weeks before competition time to train and acclimatize to cooler weather.
Inventing in sports is an inevitable outcome of good governance’s growing impact in people’s lives.
Ifugao has been blessed with a future, better than now. More power and God bless, Mayor Raldis Andrei Bulayungan.
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