A former government official has urged the Marcos administration to increase the budget for sports development in the proposed 2025 P6.352-trillion national budget currently being deliberated in the House of Representatives.

In a virtual press conference on Monday, Atty. Nicasio Conti, a former Presidential Anti-Graft Commission commissioner and ex-Maritime Industry Administration deputy administrator, emphasized the importance of highlighting to lawmakers the need for increased funding for overall sports development to produce more gold-winning athletes.

Conti, who is now chief of public affairs at Capstone Intel Corp., made the call following the success of gymnast Carlos Yulo who has won two gold medals at the Paris Olympics, which demonstrates that Filipino athletes can compete at the highest level.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports and vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, reaffirmed his commitment to promote athletics and enhance the country’s competitive edge in sports.

The Philippine Sports Commission, with Go’s support, had seen its 2024 budget substantially increased, from an initial proposal of P174 million in the National Expenditure Program to P1.156 billion as approved in the General Appropriations Act.

As the sponsor of the sports budget in the Senate, Go emphasized that the allocation was designed to cover a broad spectrum of sports-related activities, including grassroots programs, international competitions and the rehabilitation of sports facilities.

Go had previously stressed the need for substantial investments in sports infrastructure, with a notable allocation of P275 million for the repair and enhancement of two vital sporting facilities — the Philsports Complex in Pasig City and the Rizal Memorial Complex in Manila.