TIME sure flew fast.

It is already the first day of January 2024, a doubly special day for me because it is also the birthday of my one and only grand daughter Livi who turned 8 .

And my biggest wish for this new year is for it to be a better year in Philippine sports, better in so many ways at that.

I have been working with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Fritz Gaston for around six months already, something that I enjoy doing as it brings me back full circle into the world of sports, considering my age now.

This has provided me more opportunities to interact with sports personalities, coaches, athletes, and officials, sometimes in sports where I have not been exposed to even with the length of time I have been writing about sports, 47 years this year.

Unfortunately it also allows me to see more clearly how it is in sports, particularly the politics side of it, something that many consider as the bane of Philippine sports.

However, I have already concluded a long tine ago that politics can never be eliminated in our local world of sports.

The different National Sports Associations (NSAs), now numbering over 70, elect their officers who in turn elect the officers of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

Throw in the fact that a lot of people in politics are also involved in sports as senior officials, then for the PSC, every time there is a new Philippine President, the Chairnan and its four Commissioners get replaced, the positions being part of the political spoils of victory.

This is why for my wish to come true in 2024, come to think of it, this is an Olympic year with the summer Olympics set in Paris later this year, we need to see less politics and what is better than seeing the POC and the PSC working together as a real team to promote and develop sports, and help our athletes get to that next level.

The last Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 was the best ever for us in terms of medal production, we won one gold, from Hidilyn Diaz in weightlifting, two silvers in boxing, courtesy of Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, and a bronze by Eumir Marcial, also in boxing.

This will be difficult but not impossible to match, with pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnast CJ Yulo at the helm, and again our boxers as potential winners too, provided they qualify.

Hidilyn,I believe will be there but she is not the same four years ago though still competitive.

Our athletes need all the help they can get and that is why more than ever, the partnership between the POC, the NSAs, and the PSC need to be more in substance than ever.

As in the past, the personalities of our sports officials will come into play as it has always been in the past but then if the priority will be sports and the rest of the issues will be put aside, then we will have a better chance I believe.

.This year, I have had several one on ones with Gintong Alay founder Mike Keon, and he says the same thing about the working relationship between the POC and the PSC as the key factor.

And if there is someone who can look at sports and see how it can work, Mike is the guy.

Now let us see how things play out in 2024.

Looking back from a personal point of view outside of sports, I consider the past year as a good year for me, not for my personal benefit but due to the fact that in my yearly outreach program every Christmas season for Manila’ s street kids and families and my indigent kids in Banahaw, I got so much support from people, a lot from the world of sports too, that I was able to support other projects outside of what I personally undertake.

This includes a Mangyan community in Mindoro by my kayaking friends Val and Didi Camara and a CSR program by a construction company in Leveriza, these two alone benefited more than 600 kids plus my own activities, maybe close to a thousand kids in all.

My special thanks to all who have helped me sustain this programs for close to 20 years already.

Happy New Year to all.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Lito Cinco