Manila – Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president Monico Puentevella is advocating for a policy change in the upcoming joint Batang Pinoy (BP) and Philippine National Games (PNG) competition. He has requested the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to permit national athletes to represent their local government units (LGUs) in the event scheduled from December 17 to 22 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.
According to Philippines News Agency, he wrote to PSC chairperson Richard Bachmann on Thursday seeking reconsideration of the current policy. The existing rule states that athletes from the National Training Pool (NTP) may participate optionally, as decided by the National Sports Associations (NSAs). If they do participate, they are classified as NTP in the medal tally and are not allowed to represent any LGU.
Puentevella highlighted the financial burden on national athletes, especially those from provinces and cities outside Metro Manila, who would have to personally cover their expenses without LGU support. He argued that allowing LGUs to support these athletes would result in savings for the PSC and increased participation in these national grassroots programs. Puentevella, who initiated the Batang Pinoy during his tenure as PSC commissioner in 2000, emphasized the importance of national athletes competing against newcomers. Such competition serves as a benchmark and a platform for discovering and nurturing future elite athletes.
He cited the success of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz and other potential Paris Olympians who were discovered through the Batang Pinoy, representing their LGUs. Puentevella’s vision is to create an environment where aspiring young athletes can compete against the best, incentivizing LGUs to support and invest in their athletes and add pride to their cities and municipalities.
The BP and PNG tournaments, organized by the PSC, will feature 20 disciplines including archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball 3×3, boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, esports, gymnastics, karatedo, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, beach volleyball, weightlifting, and wushu. The PNG, catering to athletes 18 years and older, was established as the country’s main sports program through Executive Order No. 163 in 1994. The Batang Pinoy, for athletes 17 years and below, was created through Executive Order No. 44 in 1998.