In commemoration of the United Nations’ International Day of Peace and the 48th anniversary of the proclamation of Martial Law in the Philippines, The GUIDON Sports aims to shed light on what peace means to Atenean student-athletes.
ON SEPTEMBER 21, the United Nations (UN) celebrates the annual International Day of Peace—a day created to stand against violence of all kinds. Simultaneously, it serves as a stark reminder of a painful memory for many Filipinos: The day that the dictator Ferdinand Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law in 1972.
As Filipinos remember the injustices brought by a dark era on this day of peace, these student-athletes reflect on finding inner peace in light of the historical and emotional significance of today.
SJ Belangel
“Peace for me is when you stay calm, gather yourself, put in a situation wherein nasa gilid ka lang. You’re alone, disregarding any distraction, basically when I’m with God, I find peace kapag nandiyan si God sa akin.. Peace for me is a way wherein I can talk to God.”
Photo by Zoey Ignacio
For SJ Belangel of the Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team, this day of peace is dedicated to the heroes of the past. “When we look forward, we must remember the strong efforts of our fellow countrymen who fought so hard back then to attain peace,” stated Belangel. “We reflect, we find peace, and we learn, that’s September 21 for me.”
As a person who takes his spirituality very seriously, SJ experiences peace when he is alone and connecting with God. Being alone with his thoughts allows SJ to reflect and learn from everything going on in his life. “Peace for me is when you stay calm, gather yourself, put in a situation wherein nasa gilid ka lang (you’re just on the side). You’re alone, disregarding any distraction, basically when I’m with God, I find peace kapag nandiyan si God sa akin (when God is with me). Peace for me is a way wherein I can talk to God,” he said.
Other than his spirituality, SJ looks to his loved ones and his passion for basketball in attaining peace. “When I’m on the court, nag-rereflect yung kung sino ka as a person (my identity as a person is reflected.) So when I’m playing, I always tell myself na I do this for God, for my family, and for the school itself. When I’m on the court, I’m at peace, nagfofocus ako sa [basketball] (I get to focus on basketball), and I’m not here if not for basketball, if not for my parents, and if not for God,” he said.
Gabriel Tiamson
“Having peace is very important when we know what we’re doing, and when we’re comfortable doing things that we love, there aren’t any consequences to it.”
Photo Courtesy of Gabriel Tiamson
Gabriel Tiamson of the Ateneo Men’s Lawn Tennis Team offers another perspective, as he attains peace when he is able to balance doing what he loves and being with his loved ones. “Peace for me is when everything is at balance. There’s nothing stressing you out. There’s nothing hindering you,” shared Gabriel.
From a bird’s-eye view, Gabriel believes that the balance needed to attain peace is predicated on one’s freedom of expression, as opposed to the circumstances of those who were silenced during Martial Law. “Having peace is very important when we know what we’re doing, and when we’re comfortable doing things that we love, there aren’t any consequences to it,” he stated.
On a personal level, playing tennis is how Gabriel expresses himself, which in turn provides him the balance needed to achieve personal peace. “By being able to play tennis—my passion—[during the quarantine], I was finally able to do what I love to do,” he shared.
Apart from providing him with personal space, tennis has also honed Gabriel’s relationships with his teammates. With Gabriel considering the team as his second family, they continue to be an integral part of how he gets to be at peace with himself. “We’ve trained together, suffered together, they make me feel at home. Even when we’re just talking in Zoom after training, they give me peace,” he expressed.
While Gabriel has found his balance in attaining his personal peace by having freedom to do what he loves, he implored others to explore how they might find their own state of peace on September 21.“To those people struggling to find peace, I encourage them to find something that they love to do, their passion, and people who also have the same love for that passion,” he said.
Danielle Morales
“Externally, [it’s] trying to do what makes me happy without affecting others in a negative way. Internally, peace is about taking stock of what I experience everyday, my blessings, everything I’m grateful for, and everything that gives me peace, especially right now with so much uncertainty.”
Photo courtesy of Danielle Morales
Danielle Morales of the Ateneo Women’s Taekwondo Team shares in remembering September 21 by paying tribute to the heroes who died to fight the atrocities of the Martial Law regime. “The people who spearheaded the fight against Martial Law are probably people who we owe a lot to, given our current freedom, and probably why most of us have the ability to find peace ourselves,” she shared.
Danielle’s own quest for peace features three values instilled in her by taekwondo: Discipline, responsibility, and respect. As a practitioner of a sport that is primarily associated with violence and aggressive styles of play, Danielle credits taekwondo for giving her peace.
She stated that the nature of taekwondo—one of fighting and conflict—actually reinforces the peacefulness of the martial art. In her perspective, these values necessitate that she must be at peace with herself first before stepping on the mat to fight an opponent.
Off the mat, Danielle continues to carry discipline, responsibility, and respect in whatever she does because these attributes help her find peace internally and externally. As a member of society, Danielle takes responsibility for others by ensuring that her actions and choices do not negatively affect those around her. On the other hand, she finds her inner peace by reflecting on the various aspects of her life. This encompasses the things she is grateful for and the things she can improve on. “Externally, [it’s] trying to do what makes me happy without affecting others in a negative way. Internally, peace is about taking stock of what I experience everyday, my blessings, everything I’m grateful for, and everything that gives me peace, especially right now with so much uncertainty,” she shared.
Danielle finds that there is no sure-fire way to find peace, as a certain degree of experimentation is necessary. Simultaneously, Danielle stressed how vital it is not to compare oneself with others. “Find what suits you, I guess, is what I’m trying to say. I don’t think there’s a formula for [peace],” she shared.
A peaceful push forward
Despite their different ways of achieving peace, SJ, Gabriel, and Danielle are testaments to the universality of peace. As the world commemorates the UN’s International Day of Peace on the 48th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, these three athletes all shine a light on the importance of finding inner peace to bring about change on a larger scale. People like SJ, Gabriel, and Danielle serve as role models for those who have lost track of the peaceful path towards a better self, nation, and world.
