Newly-appointed Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said that taking care of athletes could be likened to rearing up a family.
“When you take care of athletes, you are like extending a family because you are a sports leader,” Gregorio said in a recent interview at Forefront, a program hosted by Atty. Karen Jimeno at Bilyonaryo.com channel.
“That is the passion that is needed if you want to become a successful sports leader. Kailangan ampunin mo yung atleta,” he added.
With his involvement in sports in various capacities spanning 30 years, Gregorio said that taking care of athletes also means supporting the livelihood of their families.
He said that athletes in regional, national and international competitions must not be distracted with thoughts of how their families back home are doing.
Gregorio said with the instructions of President Marcos to look after the welfare of the athletes, the PSC Board approved an additional P5,000 monthly allowance within 72 hours after his appointment by Malacañang.
The across the board increase would benefit 2,000 national athletes starting this August. National athletes receive a minimum P10,200 allowance per month, an amount which is lower than minimum wage monthly salary of an employee. Upper class athletes receive a maximum of P45,000 monthly, an amount that may not sustain nutrition, supplements, physical medicine support for Southeast Asian Games- or Olympics-bound athletes.
He acknowledged that the financial support may not be enough.
“It’s not just the amount. It is the gesture that we in PSC (and the Philippine Olymoic Committee) care about our athletes,” he said.
A former chairman of National Sports Association of basketball, boxing and rowing, Gregorio also went out of his way to distribute food packs to athletes housed in various training facilities at the height of flooding spawned by recent typhoons and monsoon rains.
He said the PSC and national athletes are in the thick of preparations for regional and international competitions. These include the SEAG in Thailand this December, the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan next year and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Prior to his appointment as PSC Chairman last July 1, Gregorio is widely credited for successfully steering the Philippine Rowing team which made it to the Paris Olympics last year. Also, he and Arrey Perez of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation have been acknowledged for the successful revival of Tour of Luzon in May this year.
Bilyonaryo.Com’s Forefront program has also dubbed him as “Problem Solver” in its 1-hour interview.
