MAGANDANG UMAGA SA INYONG LAHAT.
TODAY WE WILL HEAR THE BILLS GRANTING PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP TO BENNIE FRANCOIS BOATWRIGHT III, H.B.N. 6639 AND S.B.N. 1595, AND THE BILLS GRANTING PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP TO MATTHEW JAMES RAMOS, H.B.N. 6644 AND S.B.N. 1613.
NATURALIZATION IS AN ACT OF FAITH IN WHAT A COUNTRY CAN BE. IT IS A SORT OF GAMBLE ON THE COUNTRY YOU WISH TO CALL YOUR OWN.
BENNIE BOATWRIGHT AND MATTHEW RAMOS ARE HERE TODAY. THEY WISH TO BECOME FILIPINO CITIZENS. BUT IN AS MUCH AS THEY ARE TAKING A CHANCE ON THE PHILIPPINES, WE ARE ALSO – THE COUNTRY IS ALSO TAKING A CHANCE ON THEM.
BENNIE IS A 6-FOOT-10 FORWARD FROM LOS ANGELES. HE HAS FOUGHT THROUGH INJURIES AND SETBACKS ACROSS THE N.B.A. G LEAGUE AND INTERNATIONAL LEAGUES. YET, HE KEEPS RETURNING TO THE PHILIPPINES. HE HAS LED THE SAN MIGUEL BEERMEN TO A CHAMPIONSHIP AND IS NOW COMING BACK AGAIN TO DON THEIR COLORS AND, GOD-WILLING, THE COLORS OF OUR FLAG.
MATTHEW, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS BORN IN NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS TO A FILIPINO FATHER, CRESENTE HOLANDAY RAMOS. HE HAS ETCHED HIS NAME IN WRESTLING HISTORY AS A CADET WORLD CHAMPION AND N.C.A.A. ALL-AMERICAN, TOPPLING LEGENDS AND LIFTING PURDUE UNIVERSITY TO NEW HEIGHTS WHILE PROUDLY DECLARING HIS DESIRE TO WRESTLE FOR THE PHILIPPINES.
THROUGH BASKETBALL AND WRESTLING, BENNIE AND MATTHEW HAVE CHOSEN TO CARRY OUR FLAG INTO THE MOST DEMANDING ARENAS OF GLOBAL COMPETITION.
SPORTS CAN BE ONE OF THE PUREST LANGUAGES OF NATIONALISM AND PATRIOTISM.
IN VICTORY AND IN DEFEAT, WE GATHER AROUND THE SAME THREE STARS AND THE SUN. WE SING THE SAME LUPANG HINIRANG. AND WE FEEL THE SAME PULSE OF PRIDE FOR THE NATION WHOSE NAME IS STITCHED ACROSS THE ATHLETE’S CHEST OR THIGH.
ON A PERSONAL CAPACITY, I WAS AN ATHLETE IN MY HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE DAYS. ALSO PLAYED UNIVERSITY VOLLEYBALL IN THE UNIVERSITY – THE UAAP, SO I VALUE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG ATHLETES TO COMPETE FOR OUR COUNTRY.TODAY WE WILL ASK BENNIE AND MATTHEW ABOUT THEIR DESIRE TO BE GRANTED CITIZENSHIP, HOW IT WILL STRENGTHEN OUR NATIONAL TEAMS, AND HOW WE ARE EXPANDING THE CIRCLE OF THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES FILIPINO AND ARE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR PRIME YEARS, THEIR TALENTS, AND THEIR DREAMS TO OUR BELOVED PHILIPPINES. ##