The
City of Muntinlupa can’t wait to have Michael Christian Martinez come home to
its arms.
A
grand hero’s welcome awaits the young, multi-titled skater who captured the
hearts and minds of the local and international audience as he returns from a
successful first-ever appearance for a Filipino in the Winter Olympics.
“He
is first and foremost a Muntinlupeño and our City is proud of him,” Mayor Jaime
R. Fresnedi said. “We are very privileged to have an Olympian in our midst, and
young as he is, he is an inspiration to us all that indeed, dreams are still
possible.”
A
resolution recognizing Martinez’ record 19th-place finish in the Winter Games
in Sochi, Russia, was immediately passed unanimously by the City Council. A
hero’s welcome, complete with motorcade, is likewise to be prepared for the
young Olympian.
A
total of Php100,000.00 will also be awarded to Martinez in recognition of his
achievement, which will be taken from the Special Activities Fund of City Mayor
2014 Executive Budget.
His
entry into the final round of the men’s figure skating competition caught the
attention of international analysts, and his gallant showing as he battled
fatigue and the pressure, coupled with his coming from a tropical country where
snow doesn’t exist, endeared him to the international audience even more.
Martinez
actually held a firm grip on third place in the overall standings for several
rounds before being overtaken by more experienced skaters as the competition
progressed. This early, though, he is setting his sights on the next Winter
Olympics in South Korea in 2018.
A
similar resolution recognizing the Muntinlupa School for Child Development
(MSCD) in which Martinez is studying, was also passed by the City Council in
its Monday morning session, commending the school for its role in shaping
Martinez into a model Muntinlupeño and Filipino.
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