CAGAYAN DE OR CITY — Mindanao is pushing for stronger local sports programs and funding as national officials seek to bring more athlete development opportunities closer to where young talents live and train.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) reaffirmed their partnership during the World Archery Philippines Regional Championships in Davao City, which drew more than 500 young competitors.
More than half came from Mindanao provinces, including Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.
MinDA Secretary Leo Tereso A. Magno said the goal is to build stronger pathways for homegrown athletes and ensure Mindanao remains a major contributor to Philippine sports.
The push follows the PSC’s “80% Rule,” which recognizes that a large majority of elite Filipino athletes come from the provinces and calls for stronger development programs outside Metro Manila.
More local funding
Sports officials are also urging local government units (LGUs) to set aside 1% of their annual budgets for sports development.
The proposed funding would help sustain grassroots programs, improve training opportunities and develop athletes before they reach the national level.
Plans also include establishing regional training hubs in partnership with state universities, including the University of the Philippines Mindanao.
For young athletes, the approach could mean more access to coaching, facilities and competitions without having to move to Metro Manila at an early stage of their careers.
Mindanao already producing champions
Existing regional sports programs have also shown Mindanao’s potential.
Through long-standing ties under the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games, Mindanao athletes helped Team Philippines A win the overall championship in late 2024, collecting 82 of the Philippines’ 102 medals against athletes from Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Sports development is also being used beyond competition.
In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the PSC works with regional agencies to conduct sports clinics aimed at youth empowerment and peacebuilding.
For Mindanao’s young athletes, officials say the goal is clear: build opportunities where talent is found—and give provincial athletes a stronger path to the national and international stage.
