Michelle Ebio is the first to admit her newfound fame still takes a bit of getting used to. As a member of the successful Philippine Dragon Boat Team (PDBT), which left the country still reeling from the euphoria of the team's phenomenal success abroad early August, she has graced multiple honor ceremonies from noon-time variety shows all the way to Malacañang. But the double-degree holder in Tourism and Nursing takes it all in stride and looks at it positively.
"My pamangkins look up to me as a role model," she says. "At least kahit papano naging makabuluhan ang buhay ko."
The PDBT recently hogged headlines following its dramatic medal haul at the 10th International Dragon Boat Federation World Championships in Tampa Bay, Florida. Earning five golds and two silvers, the team emerged as overall champion in the world's most prestigious paddling event despite having had numerous setbacks along the way.
With barely enough resources and virtually no government support, the dragon boat team staged their title retention bid armed only with guts, determination, and support from their local fans. They flew back home as modern-day heroes and darlings of the press – symbols of the indomitable spirit and will of the Filipino athlete in the face of trials.
Ebio, who has been working as a promotional and marketing representative for Vibal Publishing House, Inc. (VPHI) since 2007, has long learned to juggle the strains of her professional career and the strenuous training she does daily with her peers from the dragon boat team. Every morning she joins the rest of her team paddling along Manila Bay for an hour and a half before running back to Quezon City for her work at VPHI.
"Mahirap pag working-athlete ka," she says. "Buti na lang sinusuportahan ako ng supervisor ko."
As a sales agent, Ebio has been assigned to VPHI's offices in both Iloilo and Manila. But unlike before where she had to work doubly hard to get deals done, now it's a totally different ball game, especially when her contacts get wind of her active involvement in the PDBT's recent headline-grabbing feat.
“Nakakatuwa lang,” she relates. “Dati ako ang humahabol pero ngayon sila pa ang nag-a-apologize pag 'di nila ako nakausap.”
For Ebio, getting known for her athletic achievement is both a boon and bane: On the one hand, her accomplishment easily counts as an effective leverage to boost her sales. But on the other hand it also exposes her to tricky situations: Now that people know her, she has to be mindful of everything she does.
Ebio started paddling almost a decade earlier when she joined the UST Aqua Fortis upon the prodding of Marcia Cristobal, current president of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF). Since then she has been a member of the Triton Dragon Boat Racing Team, a club team under the wings of the PDBF, and has been part of numerous victories in tournaments both here and abroad. Ebio also happens to be one of a handful of civilians to be part of the PDBT, which is predominantly composed of active personnel from the Air Force and Navy. (September 01, 2011)