 |
| As he hands out cash incentives to Asian Youth Games medalists, PSC chairman Pato Gregorio also revealed exploratory talks about a possible joint Southeast Asian bid to host the 2036 Olympics. Ivan Saldajeno |
PARAÑAQUE—Will Southeast Asia finally get to host an Olympiad?
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio confirmed on Monday that the possibility was discussed with him by top Indonesian officials during his visit to watch the FIG Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
"Alam nyo po, talagang sinabi nila, 'We can do this together,'" Gregorio said before he announced what the PSC has in store for the Filipino medalists at the Asian Youth Games, which turned out to be cash incentives of PHP100,000 each for bronze medalists, PHP300,000 each for silver medalists, and PHP500,000 each for gold medalists.
The Philippine Olympic Committee, led by Tagaytay Mayor Bambol Tolentino, also handed out cash rewards of its own, increasing the incentives to as much as PHP750,000, and pledged that every medalist would receive an iPhone 17.
Gregorio further revealed that a possible Southeast Asian hosting of the Olympics was also the main agenda during a meeting among the region's sports ministers in Hanoi before his trip to Jakarta.
"Ang sinabi ng Southeast Asia, 'Why can't we work together to one day host the Olympic Games?'" Gregorio further said.
Southeast Asia has been represented in the Olympics since 1924, but never has there been a time when the region got to host the quadrennial event.
The potential Olympic bid would be a multinational one, something that, while it has been done already in global meets for specific sports like the FIBA World Cup, which the Philippines and Indonesia co-hosted in 2023, along with Japan, has never happened before.
A successful joint bid would be historic for Southeast Asia for the two aforementioned reasons alone.
"It's a very good story and narrative that Southeast Asia is willing, open, and interested to work together to build for the Olympic Games," Gregorio further said.
He then said that a joint hosting bid among Southeast Asian nations could be formally placed for the 2036 Summer Olympics.
"As a matter of fact, open pa ang 2036. Sabi nga nila, 'Bidding is one thing, and winning is another thing.' Doon muna tayo sa bidding," Gregorio uttered in particular.
For now, though, Gregorio, who was just tasked to lead an inter-agency committee for sports tourism, is looking at the possibility of the Philippines hosting the 2029 AYG following a historic national team stint this year that saw them win 24 medals, including seven golds.
