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Pagdanganan names Ali Atienza to Philsoc

PHILIPPINE SOUTHEAST Asian Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc) chair Roberto �Obet� Pagdanganan was so impressed by the huge success of the 2nd Manila Marathon that he wants the city government of Manila to play a vital role in the country�s hosting of the 2005 SEA Games.

Pagdanganan, who lauded and congratulated Arnold "Ali" Atienza, chief of the organizing Manila Sports Council (MASCO), was guest during Sunday�s Big City run, which drew over 40,000 runners and was witnessed by an estimated 20,000 people from all walks of life, turning the Rizal Park into a sea of humanity.

So impressed was Pagdanganan by the magnitude of the event, as well as the organizational skill of the MASCO that he offered Atienza the position of Co-Chairman of the Programs and Ceremonies Committee for the biennial sports conclave.

The Philsoc chief officially named Atienza to the post together with renowned television and stage director Maria Vargas-Montelibano during yesterday�s 2005 SEA Games launching and kick-off ceremonies attended by the country�s top sports officials at the Kachina Ballroom of the Century Park Sheraton Hotel in Manila.

Montelibano welcomed Atienza�s appointment saying they both share the same ideas and that they would immediately buckle down to work to ensure the success of various activities, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies lined up for the SEA Games.

For his part, Atienza thanked Pagdanganan and the Philsoc officials for giving him and the MASCO the opportunity to participate and contribute to the country�s hosting of the games.

Envisioned to create awareness in rallying support for Filipino athletes competing in the SEA Games, the Manila Marathon saw runners from Manila�s 897 barangays, various offices in the city government, the city�s various colleges and public elementary and secondary schools, other local government units, government agencies, different non-government organizations, as well as private firms, running clubs, movie and entertainment industry, and the military and police coming in full force to throw in their support behind the staging of the event.

THE SON of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, Arnold "Ali" Ilagan Atienza, is all substance when it comes to sports. He is not flashy but he is thoroughly convincing when he talks about sports.

Speaking in measured tone, Ali said in an interview that he is now preparing in earnest the members of Team MayniLA for the Second Manila Youth Games National Invitational in October after successfully staging the fifth edition of the MY Games won by athletes from Malate at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

A former Asian taekwondo champion and now chair of the Manila Sports Council, Ali stressed: "Parents should involve their children in sports not for the sole reason that someday they would become sports heroes, but because sports and physical fitness play an important role in society."

Born on Sept. 29, 1972 in Manila, Ali is a true-blue sportsman having been a national athlete, sporting event organizer, team manager and national and international sports official.

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athlete, Ali made an impact on the taekwondo scene in 1994 when he beat a highly favored Korean en route to winning the Asian championship at the age of 21. He won the lone gold medal for the Philippines in that 1994 Asian Taekwondo Championships.

As chair of the Manila Sports Council since 2001, Ali is one of the youngest ever to supervise the sports program of the country's premier city. And during his term, the city was able to successfully host the Manila Youth Games, the MY National Invitational and three editions of the Manila Marathon.

As an international official, he traveled abroad to meet with other sports leaders who gave him valuable lessons in sports development and management practice.

A graduate of De La Salle University (BS-Physics with specialization in Computer Applications, 1989-1994), Ali has been cited for his contributions and achievements in sports by, among others, the Philippine Sportswriters Association, the Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission.

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