The Philippine Sports Commission will pour most of its energy into its search for promising athletes in the countryside.
PSC Chair Butch Ramirez said the agency would leave the training and participation of elite athletes under the Philippine Olympic Committee.
“The totality of sports in the Philippines for grassroots development belongs to the government,” said Ramirez after the Rising Together Baton Run, featuring some of the country’s sports heroes, that began at Malacañang grounds and ended at CCP Complex on Sunday.
“But focus on international competitions such as the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympics belongs to the NSAs (national sports associations) and the POC,” added Ramirez.
The run was organized by the Malaysian government and the PSC to drumbeat the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games slated in August.