FINDING ANSWERS Former Senator
Atty. Joey Lina In the ’80s, Filipino track legend Lydia de Vega was our country’s source of immense pride as the undisputed sprint queen of Asia with her national record of 11.28 seconds in the 100-meter dash remaining unbroken for three decades. With all her successes in the Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Athletics Championships where she consistently won many gold medals in the 100 and 200-meter events, Lydia gave Filipinos tremendous honor and prestige. Now it’s time to give back as she needs help and prayers. Lydia is suffering from complications from Stage 4 breast cancer and is now in “very critical” condition. "She was diagnosed with this in 2018, and has been silently fighting the disease for the past four years," according to her daughter Stephanie Mercado-de Koenigswarter. "As the disease is progressing, her condition is quickly worsening despite undergoing many procedures including brain surgery." Lydia not only gave honor and pride to our country as the fastest in all of Asia, but also influenced greatly the grassroots development of sports thru the infusion of enormous support from government and the private sector. I remember those times when I was chairman of the Senate youth and sports committee in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Lydia served as the poster girl for the Create a Sports Hero program that I conceptualized. With Lydia also at the forefront of Create a Sports Hero, we had mobilized massive private sector support to ensure not only the success of our country’s hosting of the SEA Games then, but also the success of our athletes. I remember how we enlisted the support of schools and encouraged students to write inspirational letters to our athletes and assure them of our whole-hearted support and fervent prayers. Knowing Lydia the sprint queen and sports darling was the poster girl for the program, students’ letters of support filled many sacks. Private companies threw their support in many ways, including providing vitamins for our athletes, as well as acting as foster parents for athletes they adopted. It was a sort of a golden era for sports during those times when the sense of national pride and unity was overwhelming, all because Lydia gave her all in reaping successes and inspiring many others. At the peak of her legendary successes, Lydia showed how efforts of the national government despite meager resources, but working hand in hand with the private sector and local government units, can go a long way in harnessing local athletes and developing grassroots sports. For all of her invaluable contribution in sports development and for the immense pride she brought for the Philippines, Lydia deserves all our help at this crucial time. Let’s all pray for Lydia. Email: [email protected]