FRESH from watching Filipino athletes compete in the ongoing Asian Games, Sen. Bong Go said he is backing the Philippine Olympic Committee’s (POC) plan to bid for the hosting of the 2038 edition, saying the country could use international competitions to boost tourism and create economic opportunities.
Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, said hosting major sporting events would allow the Philippines to showcase its attractions to foreign visitors while generating income for local businesses.
“It is important to link sports with tourism. When there is tourism and tourists arrive, it generates more income for our fellow citizens because we can better showcase the beauty of our country,” Go said in an ambush interview on Wednesday.
His remarks came after POC president Abraham Tolentino said the organization was considering another bid to host the Asian Games, which the country last staged in Manila in 1954.
Go cited the Philippines’ experience in hosting major international competitions, including the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, as an example of how sports could contribute to the tourism industry.
“We’ve seen that when hosting is successful — like with the 2023 FIBA World Cup — our fellow citizens benefit, particularly in the tourism sector, because we can promote our country,” he said.
The Philippines also hosted the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and is scheduled to stage the regional competition again in 2033 after being awarded the hosting rights by the Southeast Asian Games Federation Council.
Go said international sporting events could bring more foreign visitors to the country, helping promote Philippine destinations and potentially encouraging tourism-related investments.
“Maintaining good relations with other countries” was also important, he said, citing the value of international sporting events in strengthening ties among participating nations.
Go made the remarks after traveling to Japan to support Team Philippines and observe Filipino athletes competing in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which officially opened on Sept. 19 and will run until Oct. 4.
The continental competition brings together athletes from 45 countries and regions across 43 sports.
The senator said watching the athletes compete firsthand reinforced the need for sustained institutional and moral support for the national delegation.
He congratulated the Philippine Sports Commission, the POC and the various national sports associations for their support of Filipino athletes, while urging sports officials to keep athletes at the center of their programs.
