New Philippine sports chief stresses need for better training facilities

MANILA, Philippines – After circling around to visit and talk to national athletes, Philippine Sports Commission chair Richard Bachmann came to one conclusion — they need better training facilities.

“I can say that there are a lot of improvements to be done,” said Bachmann during Monday’s flag-raising rites at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. “We have a lot of work to do, but I know we will be able to accomplish it slowly but surely.”

Bachmann has been roaming around to personally see the athletes since officially taking office a few weeks ago.

His most recent visit was at the PSC’s training camp in Baguio where he met with the boxers, Muay Thai fighters and track and field athletes.

Among those he held discussions with were Tokyo Olympics silver medalists, Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, Asian Games silver winner Rogen Ladon and Olympian Irish Magno.

Paalam lauded Bachmann for personally caring for athletes like him.

“Masaya po kami na mabisita ni chairman Bachmann dito sa Baguio. Dagdag encouragement po ito sa amin na mapanood at ipakita kung paano talaga ang training ng isang atleta araw-araw,” said Paalam, who added a gold in the 2022 ASBC Championships in Jordan to his massive collection.

The pugs, just like the rest of the Nationals, are all primed up for a busy 2023 that included stints in the Phnom Penh Southeast Asian Games in May and the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.

Aside from the training facilities in Baguio City, Bachmann has also visited other national teams in the past two weeks, including windsurfers in Anilao, Batangas, gymnasts in Intramuros, Manila, and athletes from squash, soft tennis, table tennis, water polo and para-athletics teams at both the RMSC and PhilSports Complex in Pasig.