The 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships will be among the first international events to benefit from the newly established National Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee (NST-IAC), created by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairperson Patrick Gregorio said the NST-IAC will provide full support for the tournament, set at the Manila Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom in Pasay City from November 20 to 24, which will gather 762 participants from 72 countries.
“In bidding for the hosting of international meets, both the private sector represented by national sports associations (NSAs) and the government will be on the same page,” Gregorio said during an inter-agency coordination meeting on November 3.
“With the NST-IAC, both sectors can now work together without overlapping—how to maximize the brands like the Junior World Championships and the support of government agencies involved,” he added.
Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carrion, who successfully bid for the hosting during the 2024 FIG Congress in Doha, Qatar, said the country earned praise for its organization.
“When the FIG technical officials visited for an ocular inspection last August, the GAP was given a gold medal for our organization,” Carrion said.
The NST-IAC is tasked to plan, source, and allocate funds for hosting international sports events, and to develop marketing strategies that promote sports tourism and generate cultural and economic benefits.
“So if an NSA wants to bid, present us the budget and we’ll work it out. We can go to President BBM and Congress to ask for funding support,” Gregorio explained. “Now we have a systematic and all-encompassing process for hosting international sporting events.”
Carrion also shared positive feedback from visiting teams, noting the convenience of the venue setup. “Newport World Resorts hotels have really rolled out the welcome mat for our delegates,” she said.
