By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Officials of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will use the valuable experiences they learned in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in their bid to better support the Filipino athletes in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China late September.
PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann said they need to further step up in providing the vital needs of the athletes during competitions particularly in a high-level tournament such as the quadrennial meet.
“We will make improvements for the coming Asian Games,” Bachmann said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Tuesday, May 30.
Bachmann and Commissioners Bong Coo, Walter Torres and Edward Hayco were in Phnom Penh, Cambodia during the duration of the SEAG early this month to also observe the athletes in action.
Bachmann said they are also working on the criteria for sports that will be allowed in the Asian Games, work this with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and see a common ground with all the sports going.
“The key is to understand the sport and how to improve the sport. We are not only here to give funding. We want to get more involved in the PSC-POC relationship and also to show how we can improve sports,” Bachmann said.
While focus is on improving athletes’ performance in elite levels, the PSC has also set its sights on developing its grassroots program.
The agency is looking at hosting Batang Pinoy and the Philippine National Games next year, while also upgrading facilities to a more competitive level.
“We all know how Hidilyn Diaz became who she is now. If we can replicate this program to athletes, we can have 50 or more just like Hidilyn,” said Hayco.
