Commissioner Matthew “Fritz” Gaston exudes command and leadership, standing among the hardworking men and women of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

A former national basketball team player and head coach of the Philippine women’s squad, Gaston knows all too well the needs of the national athletes.

Being one of them, he empathizes with national athletes’ struggles. He works to address their issues and even goes above and beyond his duty to fight for the much-needed support for the nation’s sports heroes, for them to perform at their best and eventually bring glory and honor to the country.

Like a father who wants nothing but the best for his children, Gaston works with paternal instincts.

Serving the government agency with heart and purpose is Gaston’s brand of leadership.

“When I was a player for the national team, we were given allowances for the whole tournament in the Asian Youth that time and then in the men’s (squad). I was a recipient as an athlete and then as a coach, we also received allowances from the PSC, so we already had that relationship at that time. That was under the financial support of the PSC,” Gaston said in a meaty interview at Off the Court, the weekly online sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE.

A trusted man by no less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Gaston was appointed as one of the commissioners under PSC Chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann back in September 2023.

His first order of business when he assumed office was to make sure athletes would have adequate financial backing and support from the government.

“Now, from the other side of the spectrum, I am in the PSC, we are the ones who support the NSAs (national sports association), and the athletes,” he said.

“It’s easy in the sense na ito pala kami dati (as athletes) ngayon naman ito (as PSC officials). I have that now, at least in my experience, then it’s easy for us (in the PSC) to decide how to give them funding, how to extend support. We have those policies and rules.”

An old hand and a respected figure in sports administration, Gaston has built a good working relationship not only with his comrades in the PSC but also with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and other sports stakeholders.

“We work hand-in-hand with POC. See, that’s the interesting thing because POC heads the sports itself, the NSAs. They are the ones who are accredited, they are the ones who will say that they will endorse that, or the athletes can do that,” he said.

Challenge accepted

Handling an agency catering to 78 and still increasing the number of NSAs is no easy task.

But it’s a challenge Gaston embraced.

Just like the reliable baller he was during his heydays in the collegiate ranks, the national team and in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), he delivers during crunch time.

“Well, the hardest part is that all NSAs that come to us, all teams that come to us, they expect the biggest budget,” the former Games and Amusement Board chief said.

“Then that’s the difficulty in having to explain to them how the budgeting is, how it is divided, or how it is given to all.”

The PSC devised a careful plan to prioritize the sports that have the biggest potential for success on the international stage. In sports terms, always go for the high percentage shot.

“So, what we did this year, again, this was through the guidance of the chairman, what we did this year is we put them in groupings. What we’ve done, at least for this year, can’t be all the same. Our sight there would be the Olympics. It would be our basis,” Gaston explained.

A brilliant and practical plan that would allocate a lion’s share of taxpayers’ money to well-performing sports like gymnastics, which had a successful run in the 2024 Paris Olympics behind Caloy Yulo’s double gold.

“We actually want the top, the highest for our event is the Olympics. And then the next would be the Asian and then the SEA Games. That’s the level that we in the PSC support. So, what we’ve done is that we put them into what we call groupings,” he said.

“The bigger portion of the budget goes to the teams or the NSAs that have a chance in the Olympics. Second is the individual sports, because the thing is, from the funding point of view.”

Hands-on leader

Gaston is a busy man.

He doesn’t sit around his office to do paper works and enjoy merienda while waiting for the clock to strike his end of shift.

Gaston will always be on the ground, talking to NSA leaders, listening to coaches and athletes.

The four PSC commissioners, with the others being Olivia “Bong” Coo, Edward Hayco and Walter Torres, divided the 78 NSAs among themselves to oversee them more efficiently.

“Basically, we have 17 to 20 sports that we oversee. So, we’re the ones managing them. We talk to them about the budget, and then make sure that their programs are followed,” Gaston said.

“If they have requests for financial assistance, we go through it. We discuss it with them. And then, we pass it to the board. That’s what we discuss with the board.”

Family man

Although managing the country’s sports affairs occupies the bulk of his busy schedule, Gaston would always find time for his family.

A father of three daughters and a son, he would spend time checking and bonding with his only child still in the country, professional volleyball player Pauline Gaston.

Two of his daughters, including Therese, who is a former volleyball player and beauty queen like her mother 1984 Miss Asia Pacific winner Aurora, are in Australia studying and working. His son has his own family and is now based in Guam.

“The only one here is Ponggay. During weekdays we won’t be able to see her. She’s in a condo staying with a teammate. And then, they train every day,” he said.

“So, we would get a chance to see her on a Saturday, but if they have training, on a Sunday. So, we would go out to Mass together and then we would have dinner or lunch together with her, the three of us, her mom, her and me. That’s our quality time together.”

Gaston exemplifies the kind of work ethic of champions.

A father that Philippine sports could rely on.