Coo bats for Batang Pinay

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo is eyeing to have an all-female version of the Batang Pinoy in the future.

While the details are still being discussed, Coo wants the “Batang Pinay” to be started at the National Capital Region (NCR) first with a handful of sports to be played.

Coo is currently attending the 25th edition of the Batang Pinoy alongside PSC Chairperson Richard “Dickie” Bachmann.

“We’d like to start small. We want to do it first in the NCR,” Coo said.

“Seeing how big the Batang Pinoy is, I want to have something like this for the young women for them to excel in sports.”

A lot of female Filipino athletes have gained prominence in recent years on the global stage.

‘Learning how to accept defeat, accept victory, and the camaraderie they will form.’

Jiu-jitsu fighters Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez recently won gold medals in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last year.

Alex Eala is also making waves in women’s tennis by competing in various international tournaments.

Boxer Nesthy Petecio clinched two medals in the Olympics, a silver medal in Tokyo in 2021 and a bronze medal in Paris in 2024 in the women’s 57-kilogram event.

The biggest female athlete for the Filipinos has been weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who took home the gold in the 55-kilogram category of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Interestingly, Diaz is a product of the Batang Pinoy, competing in the 2002 edition.

For now, Coo encourages parents to have their daughters not only gain medals but also learn valuable lessons.

“Parents would usually not allow young females to be involved in sports because it’s dangerous and they could get hurt. They should also be exposed to sports because you would learn a lot from it,” Coo said.

“Learning how to accept defeat, accept victory, and the camaraderie they will form.”