Among the immediate priorities of the new Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) administration is the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia slated for May.
PSC chairman Richard Bachmann, upon assuming the role as chief sportsman of the government, vowed the athletes will be his prime customers.
“I’m here to serve the athletes and serve sports, nothing else,” Bachmann said.
His immediate plans consist of four focus-interests: have a better system for timely release of athletes’ allowances, improvement of training facilities, provision of meals for athletes, and take care of the PSC back-of-house.
Bachmann has been making rounds to personally meet the athletes and coaches in their training venues as well as those billeted at the PSC facilities in Philsports in Pasig and the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
“For me, to serve the athletes well, kailangan ko silang makilala. So I told myself that I need to go around and meet these athletes. I don’t want to be that chairman who’s stuck in the office. I want to go and meet them.”
Aside from the ceremonial routines, the PSC board, that includes commissioners Olivia “Bong” Coo, Walter Torres and Edward Hayco, should start doing decisive action related to the biennial meet which is less than two months away.
Bachmann has given assurances the sports agency’s focus is to ensure their (national athletes) needs are all taken care of to help them perform well.
He noted nutrition is very vital to the preparation of the athletes.
The athletes are now in the thick of preparation and they need good meals and supplementation to perform at high peak in training.
The cafeterias at the PSC-managed Philsports and RMSC, however, are not yet operational and there is no announcement yet as to when they will be opened for the athletes.
For combat sports athletes that maintain desired weight, foods with high nutritional value are so significant that if these promised nutritious meals come late, they would not be of good use anymore.
They should not have been mentioned in the press releases.
Combat athletes in boxing, wushu, wrestling and other martial arts are going on a strict diet two to three weeks before the fight, especially those who are cutting weight.
So far, credit goes to the National Sports Associations for providing every need of their athletes—food and supplements, training gears, etc.
The new PSC leadership has a big shoe to fill as the previous administration of chairman Butch Ramirez proved successful in the last two SEA Games and Olympics in Tokyo where the Philippines won its first ever gold medal courtesy of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.
With all the members of the new PSC board coming with genuine sports pedigree, there is great expectation the athletes are indeed in good hands.