The Goducate Sports Program in Laguna, Philippines, is drawing in an average of over 300 people each night to watch the Goducate-organized barangay (village) competition.
When I was there last week, I attended the competition held in the barangay of Tranca, the second village where Goducate has introduced the basketball program. The highlight of that night was the presence of Paul C Zamar, the son of the Head of Goducate Sports Program, Boycie Zamar. Paul is one of the rising basketball stars in the Philippines. He is presently in the PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) D Team waiting to be drafted into the professional ranks of PBA.
Paul took on 7 of the top shooters in the barangay for a 3-point shoot-out. As he netted one shot after another, the gasps from the crowd could be heard. The final score— Paul 138, the 7 others 39! Paul then gave out his fan-club T-shirts to the gallant 7 and went on to autograph many more T-shirts that night.
So far the Basketball program has trained about a dozen referees —who can now earn 300 pesos for each official game they referee. Coach Boycie has also got a sports scholarship for a young basketball player from to attend a university in Manila. Five more talented young men are now going for trials in different colleges in Manila.
Besides helping men to earn some extra income as referees, and getting
sports scholarships for young men unable to afford a college education, the Goducate Sports Program trains young men in discipline, punctuality, sportsmanship, and other life-skills that will help them to become more employable.
Goducate Sports Program helps Asians help themselves.