The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) hailed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for putting his stamp of approval on the creation of the National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee (NST-IAC) through Administrative Order No. 38.
The President has mandated the NST-IAC to “harmonize, coordinate, and oversee all government initiatives to develop, promote, and sustain sports tourism in the country.”
It stated that the NST-IAC was created to oversee the “development, promotion, and implementation of sports tourism initiatives.”
Under Administrative Order No. 38, which was signed by the President on Oct. 29, 2025, PSC chief Patrick Gregorio will serve as chairman of the NST-IAC with his counterparts from the Department of Tourism (DoT)as vice-chairperson; and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) as members.
Gregorio cited the NST-IAC as “an invaluable recognition of how sports can enable the youth, enable regional development, enable tourism, and enable new industries.”
The PSC chief emphasized, “We understand our role. We are enablers. Whether it’s working with DepEd for grassroots development or with the DoT for sports tourism, sports will be a key catalyst and driver of the national agenda.”
Gregorio said the President, an avid sportsman and the biggest supporter of the Filipino athlete, has recognized the hosting of major international sports events as a perfect avenue to promote the country before a global audience.
“The biggest tourism events in the world are sports events. Sports is a multibillion-dollar industry, and the Philippines can absolutely position itself as a sports hub in the Southeast Asia region,” added Gregorio, citing the full support and cooperation from Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco.
“This is best done in close partnership with the DoT and LGUs that will be hosting these events,” he added.
The creation of the NST-IAC comes on the heels of the country’s successful hosting of the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Championship in 2023 and, recently the FIVB Women’s World Volleyball Championship. This month, the country will also host the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup and the Junior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
The NST-IAC also aims to generate employment, attract investments, stimulate local economies, and contribute to infrastructure and tourism development, strengthening the Philippines' position as a premier international sports destination.
The creation of the NST-IAC is also in line with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 which “highlights the need to expand the country’s participation in major international events and investment missions to strengthen positive global perceptions of the Philippines.”
Gregorio, who was appointed by President Marcos as PSC chairman last July, said the sports-funding agency recognizes sports tourism as a “key driver of economic growth, cultural exchange and international recognition.”
Also in the fold is the Private Sector Advisory Council-Tourism Sector Group (PSAC-TSG) headed by Lance Gokongwei. During a meeting with the President at Malacanang last Sept. 30, the PSAC-TSG recommended adopting a tourism marketing strategy anchored on sports.
