It’s been over a month since the Gilas Pilipinas squad clinched a slot in next year’s FIBA World Championships in Madrid, marking the return of Philippine basketball to the international stage.
However, the euphoria brought about by the squad’s successful campaign seems to have dissipated. But one thing that remains is the blueprint for success at the international level for Philippine sports.
Although the players and coaches that donned the country’s colors during the competition deserve much of the recognition, credit is also due to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), which was spearheaded by its president and local business tycoon, Manuel V. Pangilinan.
With Pangilinan serving as the team’s main benefactor and the SBP no longer plagued by local politics, the men’s national basketball program was rebuilt into the current Gilas Pilipinas program that has successfully re-established the nation’s brand of basketball as world-class.
Unfortunately, the same success isn’t evident in a majority of the other sports that the country chooses to compete in internationally. The country’s performance in the 2012 London Olympics highlights this concern as the Philippine delegation failed to secure a medal for the fourth consecutive Olympic Games.
When it comes to searching for who’s responsible for the nation’s underwhelming performances, fingers are pointed at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). This is the organization responsible for the development and participation of the country’s athletes in international competitions. The PSC, however, has been suffering from a problem that has continually plagued our nation: Destructive politics.
Questionable leadership, power struggles and accusations of mishandling of funds have hindered the agency from providing our athletes with the proper training regimens and sports facilities that would put them in the best position to succeed.
Aside from destructive politics, another reason behind the stagnant state of Philippine sports is the lack of prioritization by the government. For a country that has to deal with more pressing concerns than sports, the result is a negligible budget for athletics development.
With the government’s inability to properly support our nation’s sports endeavors, the country is forced to look elsewhere for proper funding and support. This is when the private sector ideally enters the conversation.
It would be best for national team programs to search for assistance from private sectors just like the men’s national basketball team did. This is a proven formula that has worked wonders in the past, even for sports other than basketball.
The Philippine Football Federation, the body behind the Philippine Azkals, and the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, which produced the country’s biggest name in the 2012 London Olympics, Mark Anthony Barriga, have both utilized the same strategy.
With numerous national teams and athletes beginning to exceed expectations at international competitions due to the backing of the private sector, one thing has become increasingly evident: There is no room for politics in the field of sports.
