PSC hopes PH’s hosting of international sports events inspire more Filipinos

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick ‘Pato’ Gregorio is thrilled to be bringing more prestigious international sporting events closer to Filipinos by taking on hosting duties.

Gregorio, who was appointed in July as the chief of the sports governing body, oversaw the Philippines’ successful hosting of the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship in September as one of his first agendas at the helm.

The work continues for PSC as the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup and the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships will be simultaneously held at the Philsports Arena and the Manila Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom, respectively, later this week.

“It’s a very exciting time. We have volleyball, world surfing, this one (futsal) which is happening at the same time as gymnastics. The PSC is really pushing forward to host more international events,” said Gregorio on Saturday during the joint launch of the Philippine women’s national futsal team and Philippine men’s national football team uniforms presented by PUMA in Pasig City.

“When we hosted the FIVB Worlds, we announced before the closing that we’re hosting again in 2029 for women's volleyball. That is a long-term development plan. It’s with PNVF and PSC. We want to do the same thing for football,” he added.

With FIFA coming to Manila for the first time, Gregorio wants to put football on the Philippine map anew by proposing a similar long-term development program with the international football body that would cater to young Filipino athletes’ pursuit of being in the world stage.

The PSC is optimistic that hosting the women’s futsal will bear the same outcome for football in the future.

“The president of FIFA is coming, the PFF (Philippine Football Federation) is very aggressive because it will give our young athletes an opportunity to watch here in Manila. How can they watch it if it's in Europe or in America? Very difficult. But now it’s here, in the coming week they have to take advantage of it,” said Gregorio.

“If we’re given a chance to host FIFA here in the Philippines, that means they are also giving us the opportunity to develop the sport,” he added.

The PSC chief was moved into taking action after attending the recently concluded Batang Pinoy in General Santos where over a hundred of young football and futsal players competed in the grassroots.

“We want to support them to pursue what they want completely. That is what we’re trying to do,” he said.

With the Futsal World Cup hosting also came the talks of venue renovations for these tournaments which Gregorio said are taking place in different locations, including the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex where the WTA 125 will also be held in January.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News