CEBUANO sportsman Edward Hayco has been appointed as one of the commissioners of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

The former chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) took his oath of office on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in Manila.

In his 12-year stint as the top brass of CCSC, Hayco intensified the grassroots development program of Cebu City that produced and molded athletes to be winners.

Dancesport duo Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Cañeda, who won gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games, are among the prominent athletes who came out of the City’s vaunted grassroots program.

The success story of the grassroots program paved the way for Hayco’s appointment to the country’s sports agency.

“Sports stakeholders who believed in our grassroots program endorsed me for commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission,” Hayco said. “I was requested to be in Manila to accept the appointment.”

“Our region will be blessed with this rare opportunity and [I] will endeavor to serve Cebu from a new perspective,” added the founder of Dancesport Team Cebu City.

Also appointed as new commissioner is the former national fencer and Olympian Walter Francis Torres. Hayco and Torres will join bowling legend Bong Coo on the PSC board.

On the same day, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appointed Richard Bachmann as the new chairman of PSC, replacing Noli Eala, whose term lasted only 120 days.

Bachmann previously served as commissioner of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and general manager of the defunct Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association.