NATUTUWA man ay “inayawan” ni Pinoy pole vaulter EJ Obiena ang mga alok na tulong ng mga pribadong mamamayan para maituloy niya ang kanyang laban sa Asian Indoor Championship sa Kazakshtan.
Umapaw ang alok na tulong kay Obiena matapos itong mag-post hinggil sa estado ng kanyang laban dahil sa mga problemang pang-pinansyal.
Ngunit sa bagong post ni Obiena, sinabi nito na hindi niya kayang tanggapin ang mga alok na tulong mula sa mga pribadong mamamayan.
Labis naman anya siyang natutuwa dahil umiiral pa rin sa bansa ang “bayanihan”, isang ugaling Pinoy na nagpapakita ng pagtutulungan sa isa’t isa.
Narito ang buong post ni Obiena sa Facebook:
“Following my recent post concerning the Asian Indoor Championships in Kazakhstan, many have written amazingly supportive notes; and have volunteered donations from your personal pockets to help pay my team for their lack of salaries for the past year.
“I cannot adequately express to all of you how deeply touched my team and I are by your generosity. Bayanihan still runs strong in Filipinos.
“After consideration, I must say to you that at this time I am unwilling to request of you any donations from your hard-earned money. Why?
“1. I am a national athlete and my expenses have been approved for payment by the PSC and funded from taxpayer revenues. As all of you are taxpayers, I must respect that you have already paid for my training. It is just not the right thing to do to ask you to pay once via paying taxes, and then pay again privately. This is “double dipping” and it’s not ethical.
“2. A team of people is working on the matter now and I must have faith they will resolve it soon. It hence would be questionable for me to accept donations and then having this resolve in the near future and “double dipping”. I should allow some time for this to resolve.
“Therefore, I don’t feel it is right to ask or accept your kind donations at this time.
“Please do not entertain anyone trying to raise money on my behalf on different platforms. If I ever have to come to that point, you will hear it from me.
“Please use your hard-earned money for yourselves and your families. I will try to resolve this with my team and the various sports officials who are assisting me.
“I cannot express how deeply appreciative I am for your support and kindness. I am blessed to have you all.
Laban Pilipinas!
#parasabayan”
