Before We Call Filipino Athletes Champions

THOUSANDS of runners gathered in Sydney, Australia, last August 30 to test their limits.

Among the 42,000 participants were Filipino runners who trained for a year or more to reach such a feat. They carried not only the weight of the marathon and hope of leaving Sydney with a medal around their necks, but also the familiar red, blue, and yellow of home in every stride.

There is something distinctly Filipino about crossing an ocean to challenge ourselves on unfamiliar ground. Like many of our kababayans, we leave home for better lives, opportunities, and sometimes, to see how far we can go. In sports, this same determination has carried Filipino athletes to the world’s biggest stages.

Today, Alex Eala, EJ Obiena, Hidilyn Diaz, and Carlos Yulo have become synonymous with Filipino pride. Eala has risen to world No. 18 in tennis. Yulo brought home two Olympic gold medals in 2024. Obiena has established himself among the world’s best pole vaulters. Diaz made history as the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist.

But behind each of these medals is a journey that takes our athletes far from home.

Yulo trained in Japan. Obiena built his career in Italy. Eala developed her game at the Rafa Nadal Academy. Diaz spent years training in Malaysia.

Their stories are not evidence that Filipino athletes cannot succeed here. Rather, they show how far Filipino talent can go with the right facilities, coaching, and support.

The problem is not that our athletes leave the country. The problem begins when leaving becomes part of what they must do to reach their full potential.

Our laws already recognize the importance of sports. RA No. 6847, created the Philippine Sports Commission and mandated sports development at the grassroots level.

Meanwhile, RA No. 10699 provides national athletes and coaches with medical care, health coverage, social security, housing opportunities, scholarships, and retirement benefits.

However, a benefit guaranteed by law means little if it cannot be accessed when an athlete needs it most.

In Guiao v. Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, et al. (G.R. No. 223845, 28 May 2024), the Supreme Court highlights this reality. The Court ordered the proper remittance of funds to the PSC, holding that the statutory allocation could not be reduced by unauthorized deductions. More importantly, it recognized that PSC funding directly affects sports development, the progress of Filipino athletes, and nation-building.

Guiao reminds us that having a law is only the beginning. Funding must reach the programs and athletes it is intended to serve.

Perhaps the question we should be asking is: Are we supporting our athletes early enough?

If the Philippines wants to become a sporting nation, our laws must look beyond rewarding victory.

We must build conditions that make victory possible through accessible facilities, sustained grassroots programs, qualified coaches, scholarships, medical and social protection, and long-term funding for promising athletes.

Our athletes should not have to cross borders before we recognize their potential. We celebrate Eala, Diaz, Yulo, and Obiena when they raise our flag abroad. Perhaps it is time we meet our budding athletes at the starting line, give them the tools to run, and support them long before they reach the finish line.

Because if we want more Filipinos to bring home gold, we cannot merely be supporting characters in their victories. We must first build them.