Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino is advocating for the establishment of a permanent POC headquarters that would include a sports museum dedicated to immortalizing the achievements of Filipino athletes, particularly those who have excelled in recent Summer Olympics.
Speaking at The Agenda media forum hosted by Siegfred Mison at Club Filipino in San Juan, Tolentino emphasized the need for the POC to have its own home after a century of participation in the Olympics.
“We’ve participated in the Olympics for a century, but up to now, the POC still needs to have its own home,” Tolentino said.
Tolentino envisions the “House of POC” as a comprehensive facility that would house memorabilia of the country’s greatest athletes, including Olympic weightlifting champion Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo and world-class gymnast Carlos Yulo.
“My vision about the House of POC includes a museum where the memorabilia of our great athletes, including those of Caloy [Carlos Yulo] and Hidilyn [Diaz-Naranjo], could be viewed by Filipinos,” he explained.
The push for a permanent POC headquarters gained momentum after Diaz-Naranjo secured the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Alongside her historic win, boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam earned silver medals, while Eumir Felix Marcial claimed bronze. These achievements underscored the need for a dedicated space to honor the nation’s sporting heroes.
Tolentino initially sought Malacañang’s support for the project, proposing that the headquarters be located within the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex. However, the plan was shelved at the time.
“It would be ideal for the House of POC to be close to the airport for accessibility of foreign sports dignitaries who will come for official functions or for a visit,” he suggested.
Recently, Tolentino renewed his request during a welcome dinner hosted by President Ferdinand R. Marcos for Filipino Olympians returning from Paris, led by double gold medalist Carlos Yulo.
“The President was receptive to the proposal and I’m hopeful our vision would be realized this time,” Tolentino said.
Despite the Philippines’ long history in the Olympics, dating back to its first participation in Paris in 1924, the POC has never had a permanent office or headquarters.
“Call it pathetic, but after a hundred years in the Olympics, we still don’t have a house of our own,” Tolentino lamented.
He noted that even Timor Leste, the smallest country in Southeast Asia, has a national Olympic committee headquarters complete with amenities such as a museum, multi-purpose hall, office rooms, gym, and laboratory.
Currently, the POC operates from a small office at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig, which is controlled by the Department of Education (DepEd).
The POC had previously held office at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex for decades.
“Many don’t even know that there’s a POC office at the DepEd complex in Pasig,” Tolentino remarked.
