Senator Christopher "Bong" Go is pushing for the development of a stronger grassroots sports program across the Philippines to help develop the country's rich talent pool in various sports.

Go's stance follows the induction, on 15 September, of the Curling Winter Sports Association of the Philippines into the World Curling Federation (WCF), and its successful performance at the World Combat Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 20 to 30 October, where it secured three gold, five silver, and five bronze medals.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, emphasized the importance of nurturing young talent across the country and exposing them to various sports competitions for them to discover their potential and have more opportunities to excel.

"Kailangan nating palakasin ang suporta sa grassroots sports development. Hindi lang sa mga kilalang sports, kundi pati na rin sa mga hindi masyadong napapansin na larangan kung saan maaaring magtagumpay ang ating mga kababayan," he said.

"Hindi lang basketball o boxing ang ating kaya. Marami pang ibang sports na pwede tayong mag-excel, tulad ng curling at martial arts," added Go, emphasizing the need to diversify the sports where Filipinos can excel.

The acceptance of the Philippines as a member of WCF marks a significant milestone in the country's sports history. The Philippine team, composed of athletes with Filipino heritage, has already shown promise by securing a second-place finish at the Prague Open from 5 to 8 October in Prague, Czech Republic.

The senator expressed his excitement about the country's foray into the world of curling.

"Ito ay isang malaking hakbang para sa ating bansa at sa ating mga atleta. Ang pagiging bahagi ng World Curling Federation ay bubuo ng bagong landas para sa ating mga kabataan na may pangarap na makilahok sa mga pandaigdigang kompetisyon," he said.

"Bagamat walang winter sa ating bansa, hindi hadlang ito para pasukin rin ng ating mga kababayan ang mga laro na kung saan ay maaari silang magtagumpay at magbigay karangalan sa kanilang pamilya at sa buong bansa," he asserted.

The men's team, led by Marc Pfister, a three-time world men's championship participant, aims to reach the Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina 2026. With a team composed of seasoned athletes like Christian Haller and newcomer Alan Frei, the Philippines is poised for a promising future in curling.