EXECUTIVE Secretary Ralph Recto met with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for the roll out of initiatives for upgrading sports facilities and strengthening athlete development. The meeting took place in Malacañang last Jan. 15 as a follow up to the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to discover and mold world-class Filipino athletes and make the Philippines a competitive sporting nation. “Pagcor and PSC will work together to provide the right facilities, the right support, and a proper space for Filipinos to hone their skills,” Recto said in Filipino in a statement. “Through this partnership, we reaffirm the government’s commitment to investing in Filipino potential, building not only champions in sports, but also national pride and opportunity for communities across the country,” he added. Among the key facilities to be completed is the Ilocos Norte Sports Institute and Research Building, which will house training venues for bowling, gymnastics, badminton, sepak takraw, and other sports. The Pagcor-PSC partnership will also fast-track the development of the General Luna Convention Center in Siargao into a specialized watersports training facility and academy for surfing, coastal rowing, beach sprints, and dragon boat racing. The Siargao Sports Complex will be upgraded to include facilities for basketball, volleyball, badminton, a rubberized track oval, athletes’ dormitory, and a convention center. In Mindanao, the Zamboanga City Sports Complex will be transformed into a Regional Training Center for the Zamboanga Peninsula. The Athletic Bowl in Baguio City is undergoing rehabilitation and upgrading to serve as the Regional Training Center for the Cordilleras. The facility will feature a track and field oval with grandstand, an Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, and other athletic amenities. Beyond athlete training, the facilities are expected to boost sports tourism and enable the Philippines to host international competitions, further strengthening its standing on the global sports stage. In addition to infrastructure development, Pagcor also committed to support the PSC’s sports value chain empowerment initiatives, including a revitalized grassroots sports development program. This includes the provision of sports equipment nationwide, integration of sports education, coach empowerment, and the systematic identification and development of athletic talent.