BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) confirmed on Tuesday the renewal of the tripartite agreement among the PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that grants detailed service (DS) for national athletes and coaches.
PSC Acting Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr. said they are already working on the list of athletes who shall be detailed at the PSC so they can focus on their training for the Olympics or their qualifying tournaments.
In the agency’s letter to the AFP, 78 national athletes and 52 coaches from 19 sports were requested to be granted DS following the expiration of the previous agreement last May.
Present during the meeting were Chief of AFP Special Service Unit Col. Rocky Binag, POC Secretary General Atty Ed Gastanes, and National Sports Association Affairs head Annie Ruiz and Iroy.
Iroy hoped the agreement will be finalized by mid-August.
However, Olympic qualifiers and those who have strong chances of qualifying to the Tokyo Games next year will be prioritized although the country needs as many military frontliners as possible due to coronavirus pandemic.
The goal is to have these athletes focus on their training for the Olympics and their qualifiers.
Among the national athletes serving in the military are three-time Olympian and 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting and Tokyo-bound boxer Eumir Marcial, who are enlisted in the Air Force.
Both, however, have already received the go signal from the AFP to resume training.
