Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio believes Team Philippines’ medal haul at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games reflects a significant step forward for the country’s sports development, particularly with podium finishes coming from as many as 18 to 19 different sports.
Gregorio said the wider spread of medals is what stood out most to him, especially compared to the Philippines’ performance at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
“We’re very happy we won so many medals in so many sports kung ’di po ako nagkakamali, 18, 19 sports. In China, we won in 11 sports. ’Yan po ang malaking pagbabago, at ’yan po ang importante sa ating development ng Philippine sports, sa ating grassroots program,” the PSC chief said.
Gregorio also revealed that the government’s initial computation of incentives for Filipino medalists and their coaches had already reached approximately P35 million, with more medals still potentially adding to the amount.
“Umaabot na po siya sa higit-kumulang mga P35 million in incentives or rewards to the Filipino athletes who won a medal, and that’s for the athletes and for the coaches,” he added.
Gregorio said he hopes the incentive pool continues to grow, with corporate sponsors and the Office of the President also expected to support the country’s medalists.
Beyond the numbers, Gregorio urged Filipinos to appreciate the sacrifices behind every medal, pointing to 18-year-old taekwondo silver medalist Tachiana Keizha Mangin as an example.
Mangin fought her way into the women’s -49kgs final after overcoming a three-point deficit against Japan’s Ruka Okamoto in the final second of their semifinal before eventually losing the gold-medal match to China’s Ma Jingyue.
“When she cried when she entered the finals, it was the same tears when she lost the gold. ’Yun ho ’yung dapat maintindihan ng mga kababayan natin,” the sports official continued.
For Gregorio, the growing number of medal-producing sports and the stories behind each podium finish are signs of a broader movement in Philippine sports. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
