I had never been as excited monitoring the Olympics as I was this year. I was a kid when I watched legendary gymnast Nadia Comăneci on black and white TV. Her name was almost synonymous with gymnastics. After decades, we have a Carlos Yulo who’s made a name for himself in gymnastics and in the history of the 2024 Olympics.
There are other Filipinos worthy of our praise: Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, EJ Obiena, and all the strong and brave athletes who represented our country in the Olympics. We salute and honor all of them as they deserve our praise and admiration. They made us proud. We believe they had to undergo tough training sessions as they dedicated everything to their sport to be the best athlete that they could be.
We are elated and feel inspired by Yulo, and even more with his humble demeanor. However, the way media has handled news about him—turning a triumphant and momentous episode into hype exposing the conflict between mother and son—was disturbing. With all the angles that could have been used to amplify the beauty and value of Yulo’s hard work and perseverance, why focus on news about the trouble brewing between mother and son? Exposing the family’s problem does not benefit the people, nor Yulo and his mother.
Spare Yulo from public intrigues. He is a gymnast, an athlete, and an inspiration to many. He is not a rising movie star or politician who needs media mileage to get attention for ads or votes. He is not media savvy enough and has no control over the questions he needs to answer for public consumption. It is good to magnify the best in him, the motivation behind his success, and the friendship he has built with childhood friends in a humble community in Manila. He should be asked questions that would help and encourage others to persevere like he did. Media should highlight the support system he got from his community.
If Yulo and his mother have a conflict, let them solve it privately. Exposing the conflict is not in the best interest of sports, of athletes, and our national pride. I am sure many are praying for him and his mother; with his performance, it is apparent that he is surrounded by good advisers. We should spare the family from prying eyes, not just because it is good manners, but because we respect the fact that Yulo came from the masses and yet achieved athletic greatness. Public intrusion upon their family affair is not only distasteful, it is counterproductive to their needed healing. Let us be respectful of hardships, sacrifices, and misunderstandings encountered along the way, knowing fully well that these can only be more complicated when you come from the working class.
In rooting for Yulo, we root for his family, his neighborhood, and even his country—OUR country. His is an example of an extraordinary journey. Let’s respect him as being the pride of our nation, and surely the pride of all those who helped him, including his family. Decades from now, we’d still smile and feel proud that a young man from Manila has thrived and made a name for himself and for our country. Let this be our memory of him. Let us pray that Yulo will be guided by wisdom and compassion in nurturing his relationship with his family and friends. May he advise the country’s President that for Filipinos to be as strong, athletic, and competitive, the government must provide them their basic and social needs within a social justice framework.
NORMA P. DOLLAGA,
kasimbayan@yahoo.com.ph