POC president Bambol Tolentino (left) and PSC Chair Dickie Bachmann meet for the first time. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Talent discovery and nurturing athletes who have promise have been a devotion for the big chunk of the life of Edward Hayco, who was named a couple of weeks back as one of the commissioners of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Hayco was able to carry out that passion with success for almost four decades, and it has helped Cebu become a dancesport mecca that produced the finest national athletes in the sport.
“Grassroots sports is my ikigai or purpose in life, this is where my heart is,’’ said Hayco, the former chair of the Cebu City Sports Commission for 12 years who laid out the queen city of the south’s blossoming grassroots development program.
In his new role as PSC commissioner, Hayco will bring his wealth of experience in grassroots development on a national level after setting up an enduring template that continues to benefit the development programs of the Cebu City Sports Commission involving 25 sports.
Hayco’s track record can come in handy as the PSC tries to help finding talents from projects like the Batang Pinoy Games, a meet for athletes aged 15 years old and below where the country’s first Olympic gold medalist, Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo and world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo, began their careers.
Meanwhile, Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and PSC Chair Richard Bachmann vowed to go hands-on in the Paris 2024 journey as they concluded a productive first meeting Saturday night at the China Blue restaurant inside Conrad Hotel. INQ