The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is also setting its sights on strengthening the country’s grassroots sports program to produce more world-class athletes.
PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann said their goal is to eliminate the gap of grassroots sports to the elite through bolstering their connection 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,” Bachmann said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Tuesday, May 30. Among the projects the government sports agency has lined up is the staging of three regional competitions for the Philippine National Games in the fourth quarter of this year, and the National Finals set in the first quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, the Batang Pinoy will stage its regional legs in the third quarter of 2024 and the national championships in 2025. The two competitions are multi-sport events for student athletes. “It is building a career path for all these athletes,” said Commissioner Edward Hayco. “We all know how Hidilyn Diaz became who she is now. If we can replicate this program to our athletes, we can have 50 or more just like her,” he added, referring to the country’s first Olympic gold medalist who was a product of Batang Pinoy.
*PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann (third from left) with Commissioners (from left) Fritz Gaston, Bong Coo and Edward Hayco.
*PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann said their goal is to eliminate the gap of grassroots sports to the elite through bolstering their connection 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,” Bachmann said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Tuesday, May 30. Among the projects the government sports agency has lined up is the staging of three regional competitions for the Philippine National Games in the fourth quarter of this year, and the National Finals set in the first quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, the Batang Pinoy will stage its regional legs in the third quarter of 2024 and the national championships in 2025. The two competitions are multi-sport events for student athletes. “It is building a career path for all these athletes,” said Commissioner Edward Hayco. “We all know how Hidilyn Diaz became who she is now. If we can replicate this program to our athletes, we can have 50 or more just like her,” he added, referring to the country’s first Olympic gold medalist who was a product of Batang Pinoy.