IN line with the President’s directive to all Cabinet members and Heads of Agencies, I submitted my courtesy resignation a month ago. This decision was made in good faith, with full respect for the President's authority and prerogative.
The most fulfilling part of public service is witnessing the potential of Filipinos to reach historic achievements. I am deeply grateful to have been part of remarkable milestones in Philippine sports. Our collective efforts have brought joy, inspiration, and strength to the Filipino people.
The country’s impressive performance in the Paris 2024 Olympics inspired the nation, especially as we celebrated the centennial year of Philippine participation in this prestigious event. Philippine sports also demonstrated its growing dynamics with our men’s curling team securing the nation’s first-ever gold in any winter multi-sporting event through the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China.
Filipinos also made an outstanding showing at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, achieving the country’s best overall ranking since the last three decades. We have also further solidified our standing in the Southeast Asian Games, with preparations already underway for this year’s edition in Thailand.
Beyond these international achievements, we have built a strong foundation to optimize the country’s sports landscape. The proactive participation of Filipino youth in programs like Batang Pinoy and the Philippine National Games fills us with hope for a brighter future for Philippine sports. We have also empowered sports as a tool for inclusivity, recognition, and community development through initiatives like enabling the potential of all Persons with Disabilities through the Philippine National Para Games, celebration of significant contributions of Women in Sports, the mobilization of communities through the Laro’t Saya Program, the preservation of Filipino culture through Indigenous Peoples Games, and the commitment to Safe Sport.
We have also stressed the potential of the Philippines as one of the global sporting destinations with our excellent hosting of prestigious tournaments including the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2024 ICF Dragonboat World Championships, among others. Currently, the country’s historic hostings of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championships, the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup, and the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Junior Championships are just around the corner. This has further cemented the capacity of the country as a global sports tourism hub.
I leave the Philippine Sports Commission with a deep sense of fulfillment. I thank the hardworking men and women of the PSC, our national athletes and coaches, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and everyone who has contributed to uplifting Philippine sports. Together, we have implemented policies to strengthen our grassroots and elite athlete programs, delivered organizational optimization for the PSC, and secured significant budget increases from the recent years which benefit all sports stakeholders and empower individuals to achieve their dreams. Major infrastructure projects are also on-going that aim to improve athlete welfare and provide state-of-the-art training facilities in the long run.
I am excited to see the Philippines continue to achieve even greater milestones in the future.
I wish my successor, Mr. John Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, all the best in continuing the mission we all deeply believe in.
Maraming salamat! Bida Ang Bayaning Manlalaro!
