THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) supported the Asean Sports Ministers’ initiative to add more Olympic and Asian Games sports in future editions of the Southeast Asian Games.
“It’s a clear pathway. I see this as an efficient way to take as we prepare our national athletes for the Olympics while we are preparing them for the SEAG and the Asian Games,” PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said.
Ramirez, along with PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy, Jr., will represent the country in the Sixth Asean Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-6) on Thursday. The meeting will be online.
“From the time of AMMS-5 until now, the strong bond has become more evident in achieving One Asean through Sports,” Ramirez said. “This event posits another opportunity for the Philippines to adopt innovative ideas from our neighboring countries.”
The PSC chief, who chaired the AMMS-5 in 2019, will be joining sports ministers, senior officials and other delegates from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore, host nation of the AMMS-6.
Amont the top priorities in the meeting are initiatives on sports law, women in sports, capacity-building and anti-doping.
“There are five priority areas identified and a number of noteworthy recommendations for supporting activities,” Ramirez said. “I am positive that sports is moving forward as it gets better recognized as an important pillar in nation building and growing a better and stronger Asean.”