THE 11 soldiers who are members of the successful Philippine dragon-boat team received merit medals from the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Monday.

The team, which brought home five gold and two silver medals from the recent 10th International Dragon Boat Federation World Championships in Tampa, Florida, included eight Armymen, two Air Force personnel and one Navyman.

AFP Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen Reynaldo Mapagu awarded the medals.

Maj. Harold Cabunoc, manager of the team, said the Dragon Warriors are now preparing for competitions in Camarines Sur, Busan in South Korea, Shanghai in China and Singapore.

He said the Filipino paddlers would no longer push for their recognitions from the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee as members of the Philippine team.

“That was our wish, to be recognized as the Philippine team. But the POC and the PSC have already issued official statements that it could not be possible,” Cabunoc said.

“What they wanted is impossible. They wanted the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation under the Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation. The implication of this is that if we will be put under the canoe and kayak body and we can only race in the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games,” he added.

The team manager shrugged off negative statements that were previously issued by POC and PSC officials, saying such only fueled them to victory.

Cabunoc said the team would continue racing for as long as they have the support of the Filipinos and even the AFP.