MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Sports Commission has hatched twin projects that will benefit the country’s past and future champions.

PSC chair William “Butch” Ramirez said the sports agency’s board has tabled a proposal that will help all living Filipino Olympians with medical problems.

The Philippine Center for Sports Medicine will provide doctors, nurses and even medicines to the Olympians.

Among those who will benefit from this is 1964 Tokyo Olympics boxing silver medalist Anthony Villanueva, who once said he wanted to sell his medal to support his medical needs.

The 63-year-old featherweight, who lost in the finals to Soviet Union’s Stanislav Stepashkin, suffers from diabetes and hypertension. He now lives in Canlubang, Laguna.

“This is not included in our charter, but we will enact this through a board resolution,” said Ramirez. “The Olympians are our national treasure.”

Another project in the PSC drawing board is the setting up of a sports high school exclusive to national pool athletes aged 18 and below.

Ramirez said he has forged a partnership with Milo for the grassroots development project, which aims to identify at least 60 athletically gifted teenagers across the country.

“We will put [the students] in a dormitory, send them to one school and prepare them to become elite athletes someday,” said Ramirez.