Jalasco dedicates her life to sport
By A. Dwi Atmanta
JAKARTA (JP): Trying to participate in too many sports plays havoc with most athletes' bid to reach the heights, but Cristina Ramos-Jalasco has a lot of achievements to her name, earned in a most diverse sporting career.
Jalasco has spent years hanging around volleyball courts, soccer pitches, tennis courts, swimming pools and karate mats -- and sometimes even plunges into deep water for scuba diving, with only a few medals under her belt.
The modest achievement does not seem to worry her at all, however, as the daughter of the incumbent Philippine president Fidel Ramos has her sights sets on the higher target of improving the country's standing in the sporting world.
Jalasco was for here for the 19th Southeast Asian Games, which concluded yesterday, representing the Philippine National Olympic Committee.
First families' deep involvement in sport is nothing new. Jalasco's counterparts in neighboring countries, including Indonesia, are fond of reserving some of their time for organizing sporting activities.
President Soeharto's children hold top positions in various sports organizations: Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana in volleyball, Bambang Trihatmodjo in pencak silat, Siti Hediati Prabowo in table tennis and Hutomo Mandala Putra in automotive sports.
Jalasco thinks such a trend is a good thing. She says: "I believe that my presence on the National Olympic Committee will have positive effects on sports development."
"Being a daughter of the president, I can do a lot of things to encourage people to be active in sports. But I have to convince sponsors, educators and politicians to support my programs," the 37-year-old Jalasco says.
Her ceaseless efforts have to some extent paid dividends, as the sports organization she leads now receives financial backing from many sponsors keen to see the country excel at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
She says the Philippine government puts its weight behind all sports development programs. Athletes receive montly allowances to help them train full-time. They are also awarded bonuses for outstanding performances in international events.
Jalasco attributes her knowledge of athletes and sports to her experience as an active athlete, not to mention her masters degree in Sports Administration. She also covered the 1986 World Cup soccer finals in Mexico, the Asian Track and Field Championships in Singapore in the following year and the Olympics last year as a TV reporter.
Young Cristina, who prefers the male namesake Chris, capped her short soccer career with a bronze in the 1985 SEA Games in Bangkok. She developed her fondness for sport after being the backbone of her school volleyball team.
"I participate in sports because of the challenge they offer and I enjoy physical activities to keep myself in shape. But I get bored easily," says Jalasco, who also holds a masters degree in agricultural business.
Jalasco was raised in a family keen to do sports. Her second sister, Josephine, won a gold medal in water skiing in the 1991 SEA Games on home soil.
"My father used to wake us up at five and ask if we wanted to join him jogging," she recollects.
And the sporting enthusiasm is a heritage worth preserving. "I'm lucky that my children are interested in sports and have opportunities to pursue them," the mother of three children says.