By: Waylon Galvez
ORMOC CITY — Twenty years after clinching a gold medal in fencing for the Philippines at the Southeast Asian Games, Richard Gomez’s love and passion for the sport remain as strong as ever.
The former actor-turned-politician expressed his excitement as his hometown of Ormoc City hosts the fifth and final leg of the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) senior rankings — a crucial qualifier for this year’s SEA Games.
The tournament, which also includes cadet, junior, and minime categories, will run from June 3 to 8 at the Ormoc City Superdome here.
“It is really a good time to have the last leg here in Ormoc City,” Gomez told Tiebreaker Times.
Gomez, who captured gold in the men’s epee team event at the 2005 SEA Games in Manila alongside Avelino Victorino Jr., Wilfredo “Oniong” Vizcayno, and Armando Bernal, said bringing national-level competitions outside Metro Manila continues the legacy he began during his tenure as PFA president.
During his leadership, fencing tournaments expanded beyond the traditional venue at the Philippine Sports Complex (formerly ULTRA) in Pasig City and were brought to public spaces like malls to promote wider awareness of the sport.
“When I was still the president and a national athlete of the fencing association, I’ve always proposed to have fencing out of ULTRA. We had fencing at the malls through our Epee Team Championships and the Dayrit Cup,” said Gomez, who was recently re-elected as congressman of Leyte’s 4th District.
“I am happy that it continued and is now a bigger event happening at the malls.”
For Gomez, hosting sporting events in the provinces is a strategic step toward talent discovery and athletic development across the country.
“Well, I know for a fact that not all good players are confined in Metro Manila. I know that if we can come up with a strong sports program that is funded properly by both governments — the Philippine Sports Commission and local government units — and the private sector, we can surely develop strong athletes,” he said.
He proudly shared that Ormoc is training athletes in three SEA Games-bound sports: Modern Pentathlon, Fencing, and Shotgun Shooting — with Ormocanons expected to represent the city and the country in December’s regional meet in Thailand.
“We are hoping to win gold medals for Ormoc and for the country,” Gomez added.
The fifth and final senior ranking leg for both men’s and women’s categories — covering all three weapons: foil, epee, and sabre — will take place on June 5 and 6, determining the final composition of the national team for the SEA Games.
Before that, the second-ranking event for the cadet and junior categories will be held on June 3 and 4. The first leg of the PFA Minime category is set for June 7 and 8, also at the Ormoc City Superdome.
The tournament is part of the build-up to the annual “Fiesta sa Ormoc” celebration, which culminates on June 28. For Gomez, sports have become a meaningful way to enrich the city’s cultural festivities.
“In Ormoc City, we come up with different big events during significant periods of the year like Fiesta season and Charter Day in October. Sports is one of them. We also hold big concerts and other events hosted by the LGU,” said Gomez.
“We also try to maximize the use of our sports facilities so that other people from out of Ormoc City can see and enjoy them. We are open for other athletes to train with us,” added Gomez, who also heads the Modern Pentathlon and Sporting Clays Association of the Philippines — both recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the PSC.
