Building champions through local universitiesI have pointed out in my previous columns the governance dysfunctions and the lack of organized tertiary sports development, which hinder the growth of world-class Filipino athletes. The DepEd Palarong Pambansa covers basic education, while the Philippine Sports Commission hosts the Philippine National Games for top-tier and national athletes. But the most surprising development coming out of the SEA Games was the contribution of a local university – University of Makati (Umak) – to the Philippine contingent. David William Peliño represented the country in international squash competitions at both the Asian Games and SEA Games. In archery, Paul Marton dela Cruz and Rachel Cabral dela Cruz represented the Philippines in the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympic Games.

Source: Philippine Star March 20, 2026 16:47 UTC