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| PSC chairman Pato Gregorio is glad that more sports gave the Philippine team Asian Games medals. POC Media Pool (file photo) |
NAGOYA—Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, joined by PSC commissioner Walter Torres and executive director Atty. Guillermo Iroy, expressed his overwhelming pride over Team Philippines' performance at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games—highlighting how the country’s medal surge across 18 to 19 different sports signals a massive leap forward for Philippine grassroots and elite sports development.
Speaking to the Philippine sports media in Nagoya, Gregorio congratulated the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) headed by president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and secretary general Wharton Chan, as well as the various national sports associations (NSAs) that delivered both multiple medals and first-time breakthroughs in Japan.
“We’re very happy we won so many medals in so many sports—kung ’di po ako nagkakamali, 18, 19 sports. In China [2023 Hangzhou Asian Games], we won in 11 sports. ’Yan po ang malaking pagbabago, at ’yan po ang importante sa ating development ng Philippine sports, sa ating grassroots program,” Gregorio said.
P35 million in incentives and counting
According to Gregorio, the PSC’s initial computation of government cash incentives for the Filipino medalists and their coaches has already reached approximately P35 million—a figure he hopes will climb even higher with events still remaining and corporate sponsors, alongside the Office of the President, ready to reward the athletes.
“Umaabot na po siya sa higit-kumulang mga P35 million in incentives or rewards to the Filipino athletes who won a medal, and that’s for the athletes and for the coaches. Sana dagdagan pa ’yang 35 na ’yan! Sana dumami pa, wala po tayong problema diyan,” the PSC chief shared with a smile.
Defending the Filipino athlete: The heart of Tachiana Mangin
Asked about social media critics who focus on losses while overlooking the country's upward trajectory in Olympic disciplines, Gregorio urged Filipinos to appreciate the true spirit of competition and the blood and tears behind every podium finish—citing 18-year-old taekwondo silver medalist Tachiana Keizha Mangin’s dramatic run on Friday night.
“Look at our gold medal tally: we have four, hopefully five; we have eight, nine silver medals, and look at the number of bronze medals,” Gregorio pointed out.
“Alam niyo, ’yung realization ko was when I watched Tachiana Mangin last night. Paano po siya napunta sa finals? She was down by three points against her Japanese foe [Ruka Okamoto] in the last one second. Na-roundhouse kick pa niya ’yung kalaban niyang Japanese. Nanalo pa siya nung countback, nagpunta siya sa finals.”
Gregorio noted that when Mangin faced China’s Ma Jingyue in the Women’s -49kg Gold Medal Contest, both fighters battled to a 0-0 deadlock in Round 1 and 0-0 in Round 2 before the Chinese bet was awarded the bout via superiority.
“When she cried when she entered the finals, it was the same tears when she lost the gold. ’Yun ho ’yung dapat maintindihan ng mga kababayan natin,” Gregorio emphasized.
