City to laud Tabal, another for being “modern heroes”

For being “modern” heroes, Cebuana marathoner Mary Joy Tabal and the family of the 21-year-old man who got shot when he tried to prevent a robbery will receive plaques of recognition from the Cebu City Government.

City Councilor Margarita Osmeña said the recognition rite will be held on August 28 when the country celebrates the National Heroes Day.

“This is not to lose the heroes we knew from our childhood but just to prove that there are modern heroes that we should honor,” Osmeña told The FREEMAN.

Osmeña, deputy mayor for culture, history and arts, said the city will give a plaque of recognition to Tabal who brought honor and pride for the country and Cebu City when she bagged the gold medal at the ongoing Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last Saturday.

Osmeña said the city will also honor the heroic act of the late Crisanto Amoranto from Barangay Carreta who was killed while helping a lady who was being robbed on July 27.

“Those are the kinds of heroes we are looking for. There are ordinary people who are doing extraordinary jobs,” she said.

As for Tabal, Osmeña said the marathoner has fought her right to be able to run for the country despite the previous pronouncements of the national group that she will be excluded.

Meanwhile, two city councilors of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan are pushing for the giving of financial assistance and incentive to Tabal who brought honor to the country.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña expressed support on the move of Councilor Jerry Guardo for the city to give P500,000 to Tabal for her training expenses for her next marathons.

Councilor Eugenio Gabuya, Jr. also said he will lobby for the city to give P100,000 incentive to Tabal, a pure Cebuana, who made waves in international competition.

Gabuya said he plans to ask Mayor Osmeña to get the P100,000 incentive from the mayor’s discretionary funds so that it will not pass the council’s processes.

Mayor Osmeña, for his part, said the city government will support Tabal in her trainings abroad.

“Joy Tabal is an inspiration to me and I’m sure she’s an inspiration to others,” the mayor said.

He said Tabal has a very strong heart that has the will to win despite all odds against her.

“We will fund her trainings up to the next Asian games. I’m very happy, of course. We want to see how far she will go,” the mayor said.