PSC aligns BP, Palaro for SEA tilt

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will have a hand in making adjustments in the Palarong Pambansa and Batang Pinoy (BP) in line with the programs that will be presented at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Youth Plus Games in 2028.

PSC chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio told DAILY TRIBUNE they are coordinating with the Department of Education (DepEd) to make sure that the Palaro, one of the biggest grassroots competitions in the country, will jive with the SEA Youth Plus Games.

The Philippines is set to host the inaugural edition of the competition in 2028.

“We will definitely align with SEA Youth Plus Games to make sure the pathway is clear because we are on the board and we are the decision makers,” Gregorio said in a phone conversation.

“We will definitely consider it. It’s the right thing to do.”

Both the Palaro and Batang Pinoy have been the proving ground of Filipino athletes before they became world-class stars.

Olympic gold medalists Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting and Carlos Yulo of gymnastics got their start in the country’s grassroots programs as well as Ernest John Obiena of pole vault, Sisi Rondina of volleyball and Scottie Thompson of basketball.

Even athletics legends Elma Muros-Posadas and the late Lydia de Vega-Mercado cut their teeth in the Palaro before reaching stardom.