PUERTO Princesa City Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron believes the Philippine Sports Commission’s Sports and Youth Summit can help open more opportunities for young athletes and potentially discover the next Alex Eala.
Day one of the two-day Sports and Youth Summit 2026 got underway Monday in Puerto Princesa, bringing together sports leaders, coaches, athletes and youth stakeholders to discuss the development of sports in the city and across Palawan.
Bayron stressed the importance of getting young people involved in sports, saying the benefits go beyond competition and athletic development.
“Mahalaga iyun. Mahalaga iyung sports summit,” Bayron said.
“Kasi nga, iyung mga bata kapag na-involve sa sports, nalalayo sa masasamang issue. Made-develop iyung kanilang katawan, tapos mas magkakaroon ng mas magandang issue.”
The Puerto Princesa mayor also sees sports as a potential avenue for young talents to emerge and make their mark on the national and international stage.
“Saka malay mo mag-shine sila, pareho ni Alex Eala, baka gano’n ang ma-discover natin,” he said.
Bayron emphasized that the impact of getting young athletes involved in sports can extend well beyond their competitive years.
“Mapapakinabangan lang ng mahabang panahon sa buhay nila,” he said.
The summit, co-organized and hosted by the Puerto Princesa City Government in partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission, features discussions on sports development, social media, mainstream sports reporting, high-performance pathways, women in sports, anti-doping and sports psychology.
PSC Chairman John Patrick C. Gregorio also visited the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex during the summit, where he spent time with grassroots sports clubs and highlighted the importance of giving young people more opportunities to play and develop healthy habits.
The two-day summit continues Tuesday as stakeholders work toward strengthening sports and youth development in Puerto Princesa and Palawan (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
