PHILIPPINE EMBASSY, KUALA LUMPUR WELCOMES PHILIPPINE DELEGATION TO THE 9^TH FESPIC GAMES 2006

29 November 2006 — Chargé d’Affaires, a. i. (CDA) Antonio A. Morales of the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Embassy welcomed the Philippine Delegation to the 9^th Far East and South Pacific (FESPIC) Games 2006 as its members visited the Embassy on 24 November 2006.

CDA Morales, on behalf of Ambassador Victoriano M. Lecaros, welcomed Mr. Gerardo Rosario, Chef de Mission; Mr. Michael I. Barredo, Head of Delegation; and the 43-member Philippine Delegation comprised of officials, coaches, and athletes, to the 9^th FESPIC Games 2006.

CDA Morales expressed the support of the Philippine Embassy and of the Filipino community in Malaysia for the Filipino athletes participating in the sporting event.

In typical Filipino fashion, the visit became an impromptu party as Embassy officials and personnel exchanged pleasantries with athletes and members of the delegation. Filipino food was also served, and Embassy personnel and athletes dished out their favorite songs intended to warm them up for the intense competition of the Games.

Malaysia hosts to the 9^th FESPIC Games 2006 from 25 November to 1 December 2006. With its theme, "Overcoming Challenges, Inspiring Others", the 9^th FESPIC Games was opened by His Excellency Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia, in ceremonies held at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium on 25 November 2006, and was attended by over 3,500 officials, coaches, and athletes from 47 participating countries. CDA Morales attended the opening ceremonies.

About 2,357 athletes compete for the 2,845 medals at stake in nineteen (19) sports discipline - archery, athletics, badminton, boccia, cycling, fencing, goal ball, judo, lawn bowls, power lifting, sailing, shooting, soccer, swimming, table tennis, tenpin bowling, volleyball sitting, wheelchair basketball, and wheelchair tennis. The Philippine delegation will compete in the following events: athletics, judo, power lifting, sailing, swimming, and table tennis. The games will be held in various locations in Kuala Lumpur, Bangi, Shah alam, Subang, and Port Dickson.

Held every four years since its Inaugural Games in Oita, Japan in 1975, the FESPIC Games is the biggest multi-sports and multi-disability event for athletes with disabilities in Asia and Oceania. It is the second largest games of its kind in the world after the Paralympics Games. Its participants are drawn from people with multi-disabilities like those suffering from blindness, being wheelchair-bound, amputees, cerebral palsy, and the intellectually differently abled.

The FESPIC Games aims to promote general interest and welfare.for the differently abled in the region through participation in sports events and other activities; to deepen mutual understanding and friendship of the differently abled; and to promote rehabilitation for the differently abled in the region through sports activities.

The last FESPIC Games was held in Busan, Republic of Korea, in 2002 which gathered 3,800 officials and athletes from 43 participating countries. Past FESPIC Games were held in the following countries: Bangkok, Thailand (1999); Beijing, PROC (1994); Kobe, Japan (1989); Surakarta, Indonesia (1986); Sha Tin, HongKong (1982); Parramata, Australia (1977), and Oita, Japan (1975). END

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