The Philippine Sports Commission board of commissioners is going all-in on its grassroots sports development programs while seeking full involvement in its support to national athletes competing in major international events.
PSC chairperson Richard “Dickie” Bachmann said their goal is to reach all provinces in the country to discover fresh talents who will soon represent the country in various international competitions.
“It is our goal to touch every single province in the country, and provide a comprehensive program for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Bachmann said.
The PSC chief said they will stage three regional competitions for the Philippine National Games in the fourth quarter of 2023 and national finals set in the first quarter of 2024.
The Batang Pinoy, meanwhile, will stage its regional legs in the third quarter of 2024 and national championships in 2025.
“We have to make sure our grassroots sports programs go in the right way,” Bachmann said.
“Our goal is to eliminate the gap of grassroots to the elite, and that is through connecting them to the national sports associations.”
‘It is our goal to touch every single province in the country, and provide a comprehensive program for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.’
PSC commissioner Edward Hayco agrees, saying that it’s about time for the agency to create new sports heroes.
“It is building a career path for all these athletes,” said Hayco, a distinguished sports leader in Cebu before being appointed as PSC executive.
“If we did this in Cebu, if we can replicate it all over the Philippines, we cannot only have one Hidilyn (Diaz), one (Elreen) Ando, we can have probably 15 of them with the right program.”
The PSC officials also shared their experiences and evaluation of Team Philippines’ recent stint at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, highlighting the necessary adjustments that they need to make.
“I don’t want the PSC to just be the funding arm to our elite level athletes,” Bachmann said.
“We really have to get involved in working with the Philippine Olympic Committee, see common ground and understand each sport and its NSAs. We should take full responsibility in caring for our athletes.”
Bachmann added that the PSC and the POC will form a joint task force that will draft the comprehensive criteria in support to national athletes who will be competing in the 19th Asian Games in China in September.
PSC commissioner Matthew “Fritz” Gaston echoed Bachmann’s statement, saying that “we are athletes, we know their needs. We need to provide better and more competitive facilities. But we also have to be critical in terms of selection.”
