PSC launches reforms, hikes athlete stipends

Ian Paolo Villacencio 

Serving as a boost in the Filipino sports industry, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has officially approved a ₱5,000 monthly stipend increase for all national athletes and coaches, starting August 2025.

The financial raise, first announced by PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio during a general assembly at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, was confirmed in a one-page advisory issued by PSC Officer-in-Charge Executive Director Guillermo Iroy Jr. to all National Sports Associations.

“This is across the board…. We realized that there are still so many athletes getting P10,000 per month….Mas mababa po yun sa minimum wage. How can our athletes survive?,” Gregorio addressed.

According to him, the stipend adjustment will require around ₱10 million monthly, and he appealed to lawmakers present, including Congressmen Roberto V. Puno, Richard Gomez, and Michael Dy III, for additional funding support.

“This is not a political play. This comes from the bottom of our hearts. We cannot imagine a minimum Php 10,000 monthly stipend for our athletes and our coaches,” Gregorio emphasized.

Alongside the financial boost, the PSC is overhauling its documentation process for allowance disbursement. Athletes will no longer be required to submit individually signed daily time records (DTRs) or comprehensive activity reports.

Meanwhile, added by Iroy, NSAs are now required to submit the newly adopted monthly training attendance certification

“This certification must be duly signed by the NSA president or secretary-general and notarized, and shall serve as the official basis for qualified members….to receive their allowance for the particular month,” he stressed.

Moreover, PSC also unveiled additional athlete-centered initiatives, including the revival of athletes’ cafeterias at major training facilities, the restart of training gear procurement, and the creation of a 24/7 help desk. 

Processing of allowances will be shortened to five days, and the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the Philippine Sports Training Center have already been approved by the PSC Board.

The reforms mark a robust start to Gregorio’s tenure, as the PSC aims to build a more supportive and efficient environment for national athletes and coaches.