Newly-appointed Manila Sports Council (MASCO) chairman Dale Evangelista is eyeing a strong showing for this year’s Batang Pinoy in General Santos City from 25 to 31 October.

Evangelitsa, a former national water polo team player, said in an episode of “Off the Court” that they would like to contend for medals, especially in swimming.

“For now, our first step, of course, is the Batang Pinoy. We know that Manila was not in the Top 30 in the past. If you want to join the Batang Pinoy, you want to win and get medals,” Evangelista told hosts Mark Escarlote and Jason Mago.

“We'll start with swimming and water polo and other sports.”

“We have sports complexes, but we're rehabilitating via the Public Recreation Bureau so that when we start using it, it will be good.”

Evangelista said this is in line with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno-Domagoso’s vision of producing world-class athletes like Carlos Yulo of gymnastics, who won two gold medals in the Paris Olympics last year.

“The program he (Domagoso) wants, he doesn't just want to produce grassroots athletes. He wants to produce world champions and Olympians from the city of Manila,” Evangelista said.