AND since we are still celebrating International Women’s Month, it is but fitting that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will now pay tribute to all the outstanding women in sports.

The PSC, headed by Chairman Richard Bachmann and Commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo, is set to honor more than 100 female sports personalities for its first-ever Women in Sports Awards on March 20 at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Vito Cruz, Manila.

“This is our way of paying homage to our national women athletes who did their flag and country proud in 2023. They are shining examples of what women’s empowerment is all about,” said Coo, who is widely considered as one of the country’s greatest female bowlers.

“They are our models of pushing the envelope of gender equality, whichis a major thrust of the Philippine Commission for Women,” added Coo, who was appointed by President Marcos as the only female commissioner of the government sports agency.

Coo said a total of 139 awardees, including 84 athletes, 13 coaches and nine executives, from different sports will be honored.

Among the awardees are:

— Tokyo Olympics weightlifting gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz
— Tokyo Olympics boxing silver medalist Nesthy Petecio.
— Tennis queen Alex Eala
— Football superstar Sarina Bolden
— Billiards superstar Rubilen Amit
— Skateboarder Margielyn Didal
— Asian 400-meter hurdles queen Robyn Brown
— Gilas Pilipinas mainstay Jack Animam
— Volleyball great Alyssa Valdez
— Southeast Asian Games golf double gold medalist Bianca Pagdanganan
— Olympic-bound gymnast Aleah Finnegan
–Top fencer Samantha Kyle Catantan
–Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna
— Golf superstar Rianne Malixi
— Karate idol Jamie Lim
— Women’s world 10-ball champion Chezka Centeno.
— Weightlifting champion Vanessa Sarno
— Wushu superstar Agatha Wong
— Motosports sensation Bianca Bustamante
— Obstacle course queen Kaizen de la Serna
— Motocross rider Pia Gabriel
— Powerlifting star Joyce Gail Reboton
— Figure skater Isabella Gamez
— Sambo star Sydney Sy-Tancontian
— Fencing champion Juliana Gomez
— Mountain-climber Carina Dayondon
— Chess player Jan Jodilyn Fronda
— Jiu-jitsu prodigy Aielle Auilar
— Table tennis star Keith Rhynn Cruz
— Hangzhou Asian Para Games chess champion Cheyzer Mendoza
— Para Dance World Championships wheelchair dancer Edelyn de Asis.

“The success of our national athletes requires a strong support group, which includes their coaches, nutritionists, and sports psychologists so that they can be at their best and excel in international play,” explained Coo.

Leading the top executives to be feted are International Olympic Committee representative Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, Erika Dy (basketball), Karina Picson (boxing), Len Escollante (canoe kayak/dragon boat), Cynthia Carrion (gymnastics), Ronalyn Greenlees (lawn bowls), Karen Caballero (sepak takraw), Pearl Managuelod (muay thai) and Ada Milby (rugby).

Among the coaches to be honored are Joy Marino (archery), Haydee Ong ( basketball), Mau Belen ( 3×3 basketball), Josephine Canare (bowling), Francine Duchess (canoe kayak), Precious Ocaya-Delarmino (muaythai) Precious Aguilar (obstacle course), Maricon Fornea (rowing), Divina Gracia Escala (soft tennis), Ana Santiago (softball), Rani Ortega (taekwondo), Ani de Leon Brown (triathlon) and Joanna Franquelli (handball).

Lifetime Achievement awardees are Bong Coo (bowling), Elma Muros-Posadas (athletics), Akiko Thomson-Guevarra (swimming), Adeline Dumapong (powerlifting), Bea Lucero (taekwondo), Lydia de Vega (athletics), Erlinda Lavandia (athletics) and Arianne Cerdena (bowling).

If you’re a genuine sports fan, March 20 will be a real great opportunity to see all these outstanding female athletes together under one roof.

Maybe you didn’t see Hidilyn Diaz made the country proud by winning the gold medal in Tokyo.

Maybe you didn’t see Sarina Bolden and the rest of the Philippine women’s football team shocked the world with their 1-0 upset victory over New Zealand during the Women’s World Cup last year.

Maybe you didn’t see Alex Eala stunned the tennis world when she captured her first junior singles title at the 2022 US Open to become the first Filipino player to win a junior Grand Slam singles title.

Maybe you didn’t see Nesthy Petecio bagged a silver medal in the inaugural women’s featherweight event at the 2020 Summer Olympics and become the first Filipino woman to win an Olympic medal in boxing.

Maybe you didn’t see Bianca Bustamante wowed the motorsports world when she competed in a W Series test in Arizona, United States in 2022.

Maybe you didn’t see all these beautiful ladies bring honors to the country in the wonderful world of sports.

But you’ll see them all during the first Women in Sports Awards at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz — which is the closest thing.

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