Ramirez looks ahead to Asian Games success, Olympic gold

With all the elements for success available, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chair Butch Ramirez is expecting stories of triumphs in next year’s Asian Games—apart from a first gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Ramirez has expressed confidence that the partnerships forged by the PSC with different government agencies and local government units, along with government money allocated for the training and exposure of national athletes, would yield positive results.

“I see medals in 2018 and a gold in the Olympics,” said Ramirez of his outlook for Philippine sports.

The PSC chief is confident that Filipino athletes will surpass their 2014 Incheon Asian Games output of one gold, three silver and 11 bronze medals in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

“The NSAs (national sports associations) will have an annual budget in 2018 at their disposal, which they can use for the improvement of their elite athletes,” said Ramirez, baring that the PSC executive board has recently agreed to allocate a total of P600 million for the 40 NSAs under the Philippine Olympic Committee.

He added the thrust of the sports agency is toward grassroots development.