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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider PSC, Pagcor unite to boost sports development nationwide

PSC, Pagcor unite to boost sports development nationwide

Published Jan 19, 2026 01:49 pm

At A Glance

  • The Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation have closed ranks to fast-track the country's sports development agenda, signaling a unified push to deliver results on the ground, where Filipino athletes could become world-class.
PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio with PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco and Executive Secretary Ralph Recto (PSC)
PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio with PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco and Executive Secretary Ralph Recto (PSC)
The Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation have closed ranks to fast-track the country’s sports development agenda, signaling a unified push to deliver results on the ground, where Filipino athletes could become world-class.
In a recent meeting with Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman Alejandro Tengco, and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Patrick Gregorio agreed to align priority sports projects and strategic plans aimed at accelerating nationwide sports development.
The high-level discussion focused on strengthening regional training centers, expanding grassroots sports programs, and advancing sports tourism initiatives that can simultaneously raise athletic performance and spur local economic growth.
“Magtutulungan ang PAGCOR at PSC para bigyan ng tamang pasilidad, tamang suporta, at maayos na espasyo para mahasa ang galing ng mga Pilipino,” said Executive Secretary Recto.
“Through this partnership, we reaffirm the government’s commitment to investing in Filipino potential, building not only champions in sports, but also national pride and opportunity for communities across the country,” he added.
Recto agreed with Gregorio and Tengco that alignment at the top is critical to ensuring that government investments translate into modern facilities, wider access, and clearer pathways for young athletes.
The initiative is anchored on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to go all-out in sports and youth development, positioning sports not only as a platform for excellence, but as a powerful tool for nation-building.
Recto emphasized his vision of establishing regional training centers in every province across the country.
To accelerate construction, Gregorio emphasized the need to identify and complete unfinished or underutilized facilities, notably the Ilocos Norte Sports Institute and Research Building, sports facilities in Siargao and the Zamboanga Peninsula, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the Athletic Bowl in Baguio City, among others.
The PSC chief also highlighted the importance of partnering with State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) that possess vast tracts of unused land, such as UP Mindanao, UP Diliman, and UP Los Baños.
Construction of sports facilities in UP Mindanao began when Davao hosted the 2019 Palarong Pambansa but has yet to be completed, while the swimming pool inside the UP Diliman campus has remained unfinished for nearly a decade.
“Let’s upgrade and finish these facilities. As an enabler, the PSC will be closely working with the LGUs while collaborating with SUCs to maximize and harness their unused lands with the intention of discovering and developing talent,” said Gregorio.
Gregorio pointed out that the commitment of national sports associations to establish their respective training centers in the provinces—where they usually recruit their athletes—is crucial to the rehabilitation and renovation efforts.
“Equally important is the establishment of sustainable and well-managed training centers for athletes in the provinces, ensuring that these facilities do not end up as white elephants,” said Gregorio.
Running parallel to these efforts is the PSC’s plan to rehabilitate the entire Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, a historic hub of Philippine sports.
The renovation of the tennis center is nearing completion in time for the Philippine Women’s Open WTA 125 scheduled from January 26 to 31.
Meanwhile, the iconic baseball field—long overdue for renovation—will undergo a major facelift, along with the football field and the construction of the adjacent Philippine Sports Plaza that will house a shopping mall and restaurants along Adriatico Street.
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