The Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation are joining forces to fast-track the country’s sports development, aiming to turn Filipino athletes into world-class competitors.
In a recent meeting with Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, Pagcor Chairman Alejandro Tengco and PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio pledged to align priority projects and strategic plans to accelerate sports development nationwide.
The discussion centered on strengthening regional training centers, expanding grassroots programs, and boosting sports tourism—efforts designed to improve athletic performance while driving local economic growth.
“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,” Recto said
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.
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. PR