READY, SET, QUACK: New chairman Pato starts wading in PSC water
‘There is no dead end for dreams and our dream is to get more gold medals and serve the 110 million Filipinos.’
Daily Tribune‘There is no dead end for dreams and our dream is to get more gold medals and serve the 110 million Filipinos.’
Newly-appointed chairman PATRICK ‘Pato’ Gregorio (left) receives the symbolic flag of the Philippine Sports Commission from Richard ‘Dickie’ Bachmann during the turnover ceremony at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Tuesday.
Photograph courtesy of PSC
Patrick “Pato” Gregorio hit the ground running a few days after being appointed as the 13th chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
After formally receiving his appointment paper on Monday, the 57-year-old Gregorio wasted no time as he dropped by the PSC main office at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Tuesday for the turnover ceremony before meeting the members of the media, his three commissioners and other ranking PSC officials.
Looking sharp in a short-sleeved barong, Gregorio promised “vibrant and exciting transformation” in the government sports agency.
“I am you lucky 13th chairman of the PSC. What I can promise you is expect big changes. Don’t expect anything less than a vibrant and exciting transformation,” said Gregorio, who was given a warm welcome by commissioners Matthew “Fritz” Gaston, Edward Hayco, and Walter Torres as well as deputy executive director Guillermo Iroy in his first official function as PSC chief.
“I think I’ve been known to do things outside the box. Let’s help each other. What’s important to me is the help of the men and women of the agency. We will help each other. No fighting, no hard feelings. I will understand that we understand each other.”
A University of the Philippines-Diliman alumnus and recipient of the Ten Outstanding Young Men award for his work in the hospitality industry in 2003, Gregorio appeared very much ready to head the government sports agency.
In fact, he already has an idea on how to source the funding that will boost the government war chest, giving the Filipino athletes enough resources to train and prepare for major international tournaments ahead.
He said there should be a private institution similar to the Project: Gintong Alay program in the 1980s that will help the government fund the national athletes, especially the elite bets who will be preparing for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
“There needs to be a foundation so that we can continue funding the national athletes — not only during the time when they are winning,” said Gregorio, who has a vast experience in the private sector being the former executive director of Smart Sports, the precursor of the MVP Sports Foundation.
“If we have it, then all those in the private sector who want to help can come together.”
But for now, Gregorio will be very busy in major events that the country will host this year like the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship in September and the 3rd Junior World Artistic Gymnastics in November.
Aside from that, the PSC will also stage the Batang Pinoy National Championship in General Santos City in October while working on the preparation of the national athletes for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in December.
Gregorio vows to give his all and serve to the best of his ability to make sure that the Filipino athletes will be supported as they compete against the world’s best.
“In the next two years, I promise you I will do my best. That’s what I told the PSC employees,” Gregorio said.
“But I can’t do this alone. If we perform well, even our countrymen will applaud us.”
“There is no dead end for dreams and our dream is to get more gold medals and serve the 110 million Filipinos.”
