THE Philippine Sports Committee (PSC), in partnership with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), unveiled the seven legendary figures set to be enshrined in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame on May 20 at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio and POC President Abraham Tolentino led the announcement, honoring athletes whose achievements brought pride and glory to the nation.
Dubbed the “Magnificent 7,” this year’s inductees are Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta (Para Powerlifting), Beatriz Lucero Lhuillier (Gymnastics/Taekwondo), Cecil Valdeavilla Mamiit (Tennis), Eduardo Alvir Pacheco (Football/Basketball), Isidro Del Prado (Athletics), Mansueto Velasco Jr. (Boxing) and Ramon Sadaya Fernandez (Basketball).
Each honoree will receive a P500,000 cash incentive and a trophy crafted by renowned sculptor Leandro Baldemor, the artist behind the iconic Eddys Trophy.
“The Philippine Sports Hall of Fame is more than an honor roll of medals — it is a living ledger of greatness that defines what it means to be Filipino in sport,” Gregorio said.
From an initial pool of 75 nominees, the list was trimmed to 15 before the final seven were selected through a rigorous evaluation process.
Tolentino also shared plans to broaden the scope of future inductions. “We should also honor sports patrons and contributors to sports. We need to be progressive, and these are among the amendments we are working on,” he said.
A panel of respected sports journalists led the selection, including Quinito Henson, Al Mendoza, Dodo Catacutan, Jun Lomibao and Ignacio Dee, who carefully assessed each nominee’s achievements.
Since its inaugural induction in 2010, the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame has honored 47 icons.
Henson underscored the thorough selection process, noting how the original list was methodically narrowed down to produce this year’s “Magnificent Seven.”