Three more water polo national team members are expected to join the COVID-19 frontline from the Philippine Air Force.
Adan Gonzales, McGyver Reyes and Abnel Amiladjid are on the final phase of training with the Air Force, and are likely to be placed in various destinations in the fight against the coronavirus.
“Malapit na matapos yung tatlo in their training,” said Maui Valdez, an enlisted officer of the Navy who has been assigned to camp duties and checkpoints the past four months.
“Matagal din, ilang months din nag-training. Dapat sana April sana tapos na sila, pero dahil nga nagka-COVID-19 outbreak, medyo natagalan sila sa training nila,” added Valdez.
Aside from Valdez, Romark Belo is also part of the Navy.
There are more than 150 "enlisted" athletes that belong to various mother units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Coast Guard and the police helping the country as frontliners in this health crisis.
Valdez, Belo, Gonzales, Reyes and Amiladjid were with the national water polo team that won the silver medal during the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games here.
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They all played crucial roles for the national team in that SEAG campaign for a first podium finish for the country in nine years.
Because of their service with the military, the five players have missed the online training session of the national team.
“Nami-miss na namin sila, yung samahan at kulitan. But of course, naiintidihan namin yung sitwasyon nila sa kanilang serbisyo publiko,” said water polo team coach Dale Evangelista.”
“But we at water polo national team, we are proud that there are three more of our players joining the frontline in the fight against COVID-19,” added Evangelista, himself a former Navy personnel who has continued with public service as chairman of Barangay 56 in Tondo, Manila.