The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) hopes it could resume its grassroots development program next year after being hampered by the pandemic for the last two years.
PSC chairman Butch Ramirez said they are looking forward to collaborating again with local government units, the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education in staging multisport events such as the Batang Pinoy, Philippine National Games and Children’s Games.
The government sports agency also aims to stage again the Indigenous Games and the quarterly coaches education programs in city-provincials across the country.
Grassroots programs have been instrumental in providing opportunities for aspiring national athletes particularly in provinces. Some members of the national team have been discovered through grassroots events.
Ramirez also said the PSC also aims to bolster its elite program to sustain the country’s successful campaign in the international scene.
It has been a golden year for sports this year following the historic showing of the PH team in the Tokyo Olympics where it went home with the country’s first Olympic gold medal courtesy of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.
The country also won two silvers and one bronze medal from boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial, and produced world champions like gymnast Carlos Yulo and muaythai’s Phillip Delarmino.
“We are hoping that funding for the Elite Athletes Program will be sustained,” Ramirez said.
“2021 was the product of 2011 to 2021 financial support of more than 100 athletes to high level foreign training and competitions whose target is to get medals in the Tokyo Olympics. We have spent billions since 2016 and no wonder, we performed well in several elite tournaments.”
Next year would be a busier one for national athletes with the staging of the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, the 19th Asian Games in China, the Beijing Winter Olympics and several world championships.