The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is ready to extend additional support to Filipino athletes as accommodation problems continue to hound the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.

PSC chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said the agency is prepared to provide a supplemental budget for athletes and coaches who will have to stay outside the host city because of a surge in the number of participants.

“The accommodation in Nagoya is challenging. Even the mayor and the Games management said they prepared for 11,000 athletes and coaches, but they’re now at 15,000 or 16,000,” Gregorio said.

“We will add funds to the Philippine Sports Commission to have a supplemental budget because we have a lot of athletes who will be staying outside of Nagoya.”

Gregorio said he and commissioners Walter “Wawit” Torres, Olivia “Bong” Coo, Matthew “Fritz” Gaston and Edward Hayco will take turns in Nagoya to ensure the needs of the Filipino delegation are immediately addressed.

“We are divided among the commissioners. When we travel, we are not together. I will be there from 18 to 23 September,” Gregorio said.

“While I’m not there, our commissioners are there — Commissioner Ed, Commissioner Fritz, Commissioner Wawit and Commissioner Bong. That’s what we did with the Southeast Asian Games. We are plotting things so that the operation of the Philippine Sports Commission will not stop at our head office.”

The Nagoya Asiad is expected to draw more than 17,000 athletes and officials, well beyond the capacity originally planned by the organizers.

The Philippines will field 443 athletes in 38 sports, making it the country’s biggest Asian Games delegation since the 524-athlete contingent sent to Hiroshima in 1994.

The national team is also aiming to surpass its four-gold medal haul from the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.

Among the country’s leading medal hopes are tennis sensation Alex Eala, weightlifter Elreen Ando, gymnastics brothers Carlos and Eldrew Yulo, pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena and jiu-jitsu ace Annie Ramirez.

With the PSC preparing for logistical challenges in Nagoya, Gregorio said the agency’s priority is to make sure accommodation issues do not distract the athletes from their medal campaign.