Congressman Monsour Del Rosario to push for laws supporting athletes

MANILA, Philippines – Makati City 1st District Representative Monsour Del Rosario, a former actor and a taekwondo champion, said on Tuesday, July 26, that he would push for sports-related laws.

In a press release, Del Rosario said he wants measures providing support for the country’s national athletes.

Del Rosario, a 6th degree black belt, became a member and captain of the Philippine national taekwondo team from 1982 to 1989. He is the current secretary general of the Philippine Taekwondo Association.

Del Rosario said he also wants to address bullying, as he experienced it firsthand in grade school.

“When I was a kid, I was a big fan of Bruce Lee but at the same time, I was also being bullied in my school in Bacolod where I grew up. That’s because I could not speak Ilonggo and only spoke Spanish and English,” Del Rosario was quoted as saying.

“I would get into fights and I would lose, so I guess that’s what drove me to martial arts.”

Del Rosario added that taekwondo helped build his character. “The reason I joined the movies was to promote taekwondo to the next generation, expose the sport and the martial art through my action films so that taekwondo will be a household name.”

He also promised livelihood opportunities, medical aid, and burial assistance.

“When people express that they wish to serve, to make a positive difference in the lives of those who are vulnerable, the words may sound like the opening lines of a cliché,” Del Rosario said.

“But there isn’t anything funny or tiresome about this intention. It is only when we extend ourselves to others that we truly grow and find meaning as a person.” – Rappler.com