The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) delivered its promise as it formally increased the allowances of the members of the national team.

In an advisory sent to national sports associations (NSAs) on Tuesday, the government sports agency formally announced the across-the-board increase of P5,000 in the allowances of the athletes and coaches effective August 2025.

The increase of allowance was among the first order of business of Patrick “Pato” Gregorio when he formally assumed the PSC leadership on 1 July.

Gregorio, who spent 20 years as an NSA executive, stressed that having low allowances has been distracting the national athletes, who are supposed to focus on their training and preparation for major international events like the Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games.

“When I was appointed as PSC chief, the main instruction to me by the President was to ‘take care of the athletes,’” Gregorio said, reiterating the statement he made before members of the national team during the general assembly two weeks ago.

“That’s why within 72 hours, I reached out to my commissioners to pass a board resolution that will give all athletes, including those in the training pool, an increase of P5,000 in their allowances.”

It’s going to be the first time since 2016 for the athletes and coaches to get an increase in their allowances.

Although elite athletes like Olympic medalists Carlos Yulo and Nesthy Petecio are taking home around P50,000, members of the national training pool are getting a meager P10,200 — a sum that is barely enough to motivate them to work hard and bring glory to the country.

Gregorio said the P5,000 increase is nothing compared to their sacrifices just to bring glory to the country.

“That’s just around P60,000 a year per athlete — P10 million per month,” Gregorio added, saying that the amount of the increase really doesn’t matter.

“At the end of the day, it’s not just the amount — it’s the gesture. The PSC and the POC (Philippine Olympic Committee), we want to take care of the athletes.”

Aside from that, the agency will also no longer require the NSAs to submit the Daily Time Record that are individually signed by athletes and coaches as well as the Comprehensive Activity Report, effectively cutting down the long and grueling process of determining the qualified beneficiaries of the allowance.

Instead, the PSC will only require the submission of a notarized Monthly Training Attendance Certification that will be signed by the NSA president or secretary general.

“We have a total of around 82 NSAs. If we take good care of them, they will also take good care of our athletes,” added Gregorio, who also established a 24/7 medical hotline for the athletes while improving the food and nutritional needs of those staying in government sports facilities like the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Philsports compound and Teachers Camp.