WATCH: Sa wakas, nagka ginto na tayo. Ating pag usapan ang pagkakapanalo ni Hidilyn Diaz ng unang gold medal ng Pilipinas sa Olympics at paano na overshadow nito ang SONA ng Pangulo. Tayo na sa isang malalimang talakayan kasamang muli si G. Ariel Sebellino Executive Director ng Philippine Press Institute dito lamang sa loob ng Press Room.
July 26th, 2021, the day Hidilyn Diaz bagged the country’s first Olympic gold, is a “welcome respite,” and the present generation is “lucky” for witnessing it, Ariel Sebellino, executive director of the Philippine Press Institute said.
In a recent episode of PressOne.ph’s podcast, The Press Room, Sebellino said Filipinos are looking for someone to “lift” them up amid the current predicament they are in, and they found that in the weightlifting champion.
“[Diaz’s win] is both historic and historical, [because] it’s a welcome respite amidst all the tribulations we are encountering as a nation,” Sebellino said, noting the contrast it had with the supposed critical outlook reserved for the State of the Nation Address (SONA)
Diaz’s win happened on the same day as Duterte’s last SONA.
Commenting on the quick shift of attention from President Rodrigo Duterte’s last SONA to Diaz’s win, Sebellino says the win was more “more important” because of its “values,” making the present generation very fortunate.
“[The present generation] is so lucky to have someone like Hidilyn. That regardless of our political affiliations and beliefs, mayroon siyang pinaglaban… She carries the weight of a nation waiting for glory. So basking siya in glory. But we too share that glory for everyone to namnamin.”
(The present generation is so lucky to have someone like Hidilyn. That regardless of our political affiliations and beliefs, she fought for something… She carries the weight of a nation waiting for glory. She is basking in glory. But we too share that glory for everyone to savor.)
The day after the historic win, Diaz headlined top broadsheets in the country, overshadowing accomplishments claimed in the SONA. Pledges of support immediately poured in and made rounds on social media. Dunston Chi Esquivel