Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Bambol Tolentino said he is asking the incoming 19th Congress to pass a law that will allow all stakeholders to prioritize athletes when it comes to major sporting events.
Tolentino, who is also Tagaytay City representative, said this would ease the process of lending of athletes in all sports when it comes to competitions such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and the Olympics.
“Yun siguro ang magandang solusyon. Pag bandera na ng Pilipinas ang pinag-uusapan, dapat priority,” Tolentino said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum held online on Tuesday.
“This will be for the PBA, UAAP, NCAA...”
Tolentino added he was already in talks with a few senators and members of the House of Representatives regarding this matter.
In the past, players from the collegiate ranks were not allowed to play for the national team while their respective leagues were ongoing.
One example was volleyball when some of the players who had a chance for the national team were forced to choose to play for their respective schools in the UAAP instead of representing the country in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
And if Tolentino’s proposal comes into fruition, the country can form its strongest squad in international meets as all the best and brightest Filipino athletes summoned for national team duties will have no choice but to answer the call.