POC recognizes Padel Pilipinas

Padel Pilipinas President Pia Cayetano with coach Bryan Casao

Earlier this week, the Philippine Olympic Committee gave its blessing on Padel Pilipinas as the official padel federation in the Philippines.

In a letter addressed to the International Padel Federation, POC president Bambol Tolentino writes, "Padel Pilipinas has been actively conducting clinics and trainings all over the country. Likewise, the construction of public courts to ensure accessibility to all are underway. I am confident that through the consistent efforts and unwavering dedication of Padel Pilipinas, padel will continue to grow in our country, one locality at a time."

In securing the recognition, Padel Pilipinas Secretary-General Duane Santos shares, "We are happy to receive the trust and support of the POC, the governing body of all National Sports Associations (NSAs) in the Philippines."

He adds, "Under Senator Pia Cayetano's leadership and our team of Filipino coaches, we are committed to prioritizing a grassroots padel program in the country. We will continue to bring the sport closer to more Filipinos."

Santos highlights their talent identification program as a means of finding outstanding players. He notes, "Padel Pilipinas will nurture athletes’ potential and field the very best Filipino athletes in international competitions. The federation will also continue to forge international partnerships to learn from them and to elevate the game of padel in the country. We truly believe that anyone can play padel - from a beginner with zero experience to a pro athlete who wants to compete internationally."

Cayetano, who serves as the president of the organization, says, "I’ve always been a believer that sports is the great equalizer. Through sports, deserving kids can get a good education through scholarships. They get to meet, train with and compete against equally determined and talented individuals outside of their schools and hometowns. Sometimes they’ll win, sometimes they’ll lose. But as long as they get up, they’ll keep getting better. This builds character. It's part of nation-building."

In building up the sport further, Padel Pilipinas has taken the route of having partnerships with local government units to get more people to take up padel.

Bryan Casao, who has a certification from Spain-based PadelMBA, specifically notes that the group has visited Tarlac, Pampanga, Laguna, Batangas, Bataan, and Aurora.