The last quarter of the year saw a successful showing of the Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) mission to fast track sports development both in elite and grassroots level.
Under chairman Noli Eala, who only assumed post last in August, Filipino athletes achieved greater heights that include Hidilyn Diaz clinching the 2022 IWF World Weightlifting Championship gold medals in Colombia, Carlo Paalam’s golden romp at the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Jordan, Carlos Yulo’s silver and bronze-medal victories in the 51st FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, and world championships titles for jiu jitsu athletes Meggie Ochoa and Kimberly Anne Custodio, among others.
The PSC also focused on hosting the Batang Pinoy National Championships in Ilocos Sur this month after a few years of hiatus due to the pandemic. The event, where more than 6,000 delegates from 140 cities and municipalities across the country, served as one of the sports agency’s talent identification programs.
In between these programs, Eala, along with Commissioner Bong Coo, also began conducting consultative meetings where he met with officials from 68 out of 74 national sports associations (NSAs).
Eala asserted the need for mutual respect between the agency and the NSAs, and responsible autonomy rooted in transparent management of government funds.
Aside from laying out the agency’s plans and programs, Eala also laid out the framework of his administration's national sports agenda saying, “We will establish a pathway to success beginning with the “Duyan ng Magiting” or the “Cradle of the Brave” at the grassroots level leading to the tweaked version of the Gintong Alay which we will call Project: Gintong Laban which is to be implemented at the elite level.”
Improving the relationship with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) was also top priority for the PSC.