ORMOC CITY– Sports officials, youth leaders, coaches, and local government executives from across Eastern Visayas convened in Ormoc City on Tuesday, August 4, for the Eastern Visayas Sports and Youth Summit, underscoring the region’s push to strengthen grassroots sports development and highlighting the city’s growing stature as a premier sports destination.
The two-day summit, held at the Ormoc City Sports Development Training and Convention Center, is jointly organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the National Youth Commission (NYC), the House of Representatives, and the Ormoc City Government.
Leyte Fourth District Rep. Richard Gomez and Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez welcomed participants, stressing the role of sports in promoting youth development, leadership, and community empowerment.
During the summit, Ormoc City Sports Office Officer-in-Charge Rafael Antonio Muñoz outlined the city’s sports development program, citing its sustained investment in athletes, coaches, and sports infrastructure that has helped elevate Ormoc into one of Eastern Visayas’ top-performing local government units in sports.
Muñoz said Ormoc has captured six consecutive overall championships in the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) Meet from 2018 to 2026, excluding the pandemic years when the competition was suspended. He added that the city also improved its standing in the Batang Pinoy national games, rising from 81st place in 2022 to 15th place in 2025.
He attributed these achievements to the city’s long-term investment in athlete development through programs such as the Support to Athletes in Pursuit of Accomplishing Total Life-changing Opportunities in Sports (S.A.P.A.T.O.S.), which provides training, equipment, and other assistance to local athletes.
As part of its long-term strategy, the city government is also developing a more than three-hectare sports village in Barangay Juaton that will feature world-class facilities capable of hosting regional and national competitions while boosting sports tourism.
Among the flagship projects are the P103-million Badminton Center, a 1,300-square-meter BMX Pump Track and Skate Plaza, two padel courts, and the P120-million Ormoc City Convention Center. Since 2022, the city government has allocated about P2 billion for sports infrastructure development.
The existing Ormoc City Sports Complex is likewise undergoing expansion with additional facilities, including an athletics oval, grandstand, athletes’ dormitory, boxing gym with a new boxing ring developed in partnership with the PSC, as well as fencing and modern pentathlon halls.
Gomez said these investments are intended to position Ormoc as Eastern Visayas’ leading sports hub while supporting the national government’s efforts to develop more competitive Filipino athletes by providing modern training and competition venues.
Philippine Sports Commission Chairman John Patrick C. Gregorio said the agency is committed to expanding regional sports development programs and strengthening support for athletes, while National Youth Commission Chairperson Joseph Francisco R. Ortega emphasized that sports remain an effective platform for developing leadership, discipline, and civic responsibility among the youth.
Organizers said the summit aims to strengthen collaboration among government agencies, local government units, sports organizations, coaches, and youth leaders in building a more inclusive and sustainable grassroots sports development program across Eastern Visayas.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Dealing with our fears
FEAR is one of those emotions woven into every human heart. By itself, it is neither good nor bad. Its value depends on what awakens it, where it is directed, and whether it draws us closer to God or quietly pulls us away from him.
Among the beautiful gifts of the Holy Spirit is the fear of the Lord. It is not a fear of punishment but the loving hesitation to offend the One who created us and calls us his children. The opposite is the fear Christ gently dispelled whenever he said, “Be not afraid.”
We see this fear in St. Peter. At Christ’s command he walked upon the water, but when the wind grew fierce and the waves became threatening, his eyes shifted from the Master to the storm, and doubt began to sink him. (cf. Mt. 14:28-30)
The same fear can quietly enter our hearts whenever our faith begins to loosen its hold on Christ. We need to guard against it with care. With him beside us, no circumstance is truly beyond hope, and even what seems impossible slowly becomes possible through his grace.
Such fear often appears when we lean more upon our own strength than upon the limitless power of God. Yet he delights in sharing his life with us, for we were created in his image and likeness, destined to reflect his goodness and to share in his divine life.
This is the secret of the saints, especially the martyrs. They accomplished extraordinary deeds, even surrendering their own lives, because their confidence rested not in themselves but in God. Their human gifts blossomed only because they followed his will.
Since fear will always accompany our earthly journey, we should allow it to become a teacher of humility and trust. The disciples themselves learned this lesson when they saw Christ walking upon the sea. (cf. Mt. 14:33) Their fear opened the way to worship.
When Jesus entered their boat, their hearts found peace, and their lips confessed, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Fear had become the doorway to deeper faith. Such grace is always waiting whenever we humbly place ourselves in God’s loving hands.
The answer, then, is not simply to resist fear through determination alone. We overcome it by believing more deeply and surrendering ourselves more completely to God’s loving designs. Even our struggles become occasions for growing in faith.
To live wisely is to expect trials, disappointments, and seasons of suffering. Yet we should never allow these shadows to eclipse God’s constant presence. His faithful love remains unchanged, quietly sustaining us through every storm that comes our way.
Whenever fear rises within us, Christ still speaks the same reassuring words: “Take heart… it is I; do not be afraid.” (Mt. 14:27) Those words are not merely comforting; they are an invitation to anchor our hearts firmly in his abiding presence.
Peter’s experience upon the sea reminds us that faith is often tested when life’s winds become strongest. During such moments, we must resist fixing our eyes on the waves and instead keep them lovingly fixed on the Lord who walks above every storm.
Yes, pressure can either weaken or deepen our faith. Rather than allowing fear to multiply within us, we should let trust grow stronger. Every challenge can become another step toward a more confident and enduring friendship with God.
Indeed, the fears that arise so naturally before life’s uncertainties are not merely obstacles to endure. In God’s loving providence, they become precious invitations to believe more deeply, love more faithfully, and walk ever more confidently with Christ.