FILE–The Philippine national team had a four-medal haul in the 2023 Asian Games with pole vault star EJ Obiena and jiujitsu women’s stars Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez leading the way.
Representatives Alfred Delos Santos and Joel Chua push for strengthening “sports economy,” urging different government sectors to support Filipino athletes through various programs and policies.
The two congressmen said that recognizing the sports sector as a sports economy will allow major investments from the private sector and government to pour in to elevate the Philippines’ ranking in the international sports scene like the Olympics.
“Looking to the future, I call for recognition and intensive focus on the sports economy so that sports will be among the same category of national development priorities as agriculture, services, manufacturing, infrastructure, and information technology,” said deputy majority leader Alfred Delos Santos in a statement.
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“By treating the sports sector as a sports economy, the government and private sector can pour into it the massive investments needed to elevate the Philippines to a sports powerhouse in Asia and the world. Only with massive investments can we sustainably level up our medal harvests in the Olympics, world championships, and regional competitions,” Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua expressed.
While donations and sponsorships pour in for Filipino athletes, the lawmakers said that these are “not enough and short term, and not sustainable.”
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While Filipino athletes are preparing for the Paris Olympics, Chua called on the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) to include sports in the trade and investment chapter.
“To the NEDA, I appeal that they recognize, promote, and support the Sports Economy. The Philippine Development Plan mentions sports only five times in its human resource chapter, and none of those five times are about sports as human capital, investment, or economic activities. In the trade and investment chapter, there is zero mention of sports as an economic or investment sector,” he said.
The Manila 3rd District Representative also urged the Board of Investment on the creation of a local industry that will massively produce high quality equipment for the sports sector. He also nudged the Department of Finance to craft policies “that promote investments in sports as human capital” to further invite companies engaged with sports to register in the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Chua further stated that major investment in sports will extra boost the efforts of the sports community in the country.
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“I commend the ongoing efforts of Gilas Pilipinas, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and all the other sports groups. They are doing the unenviable and herculean tasks needed in Philippine sports. Their plans and programs need the super boost and upsizing that only massive investments can produce.”
The Philippines could have as many as 23 athletes competing at the Paris Olympics set from July 26 to August with hurdlers John Cabang and Lauren Hoffman and sprinter Kristina Knott just awaiting confirmation of inclusion.
Gilas Pilipinas is also looking to book a trip to the Paris Games via the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia. Gilas is two wins away from an Olympic berth, facing Brazil later at 8:30 p.m. for a spot in the OQT final.
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