BACOLOD City – His hometown of Bago City, Negros Occidental honored Rogen Ladon for winning a silver medal in the 18th Asian Games.
Ladon, who gave the Philippines its second medal in the competition in Jakarta, Indonesia, was greeted with a motorcade and a program at the Bantayan Park on Monday.
Aside from two silver medals the Filipino delegation also netted four gold medals and 15 bronze medals, and finished 19th overall.
At the program Mayor Nicholas Yulo gave Ladon a certificate of recognition and a P50,000 check from the local government.
On the other hand Vice Mayor Ramon Torres handed the young boxer a copy of a Sangguniang Panlungsod resolution congratulating him.
A native of Barangay Lag-asan, Bago City, the 24-year-old fighter completed his primary education at Lag-asan Elementary School and went to first year high school at Ramon Torres National High School.
His training at the ABAP Gym helped Ladon make his way to national competitions.
When he qualified to the national team Ladon continued his studies at Baguio City National High School and graduated in 2012.
He said his silver medal in the men’s flyweight (52kg) event at this year’s Asian Games was an addition to his achievements.
In the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore the first-time fighter bagged a silver medal in the light flyweight (49kg) category.
In 2016 he made it alongside Olympian boxers when he qualified to the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil edition.
Yulo said Bago City – dubbed the “Boxing Capital of the Philippines” – held a homecoming event for Ladon in appreciation of his sacrifices to achieve glory.
The local government also wanted to encourage the youth who may want to follow Ladon’s footsteps, he added./PN
