05/26/2026
Elite sporting talent hidden within the diaspora could soon compete on the national stage, as the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) explore pathways to recruit student athletes from Philippine Schools Overseas (PSOs) to compete in national tournaments or even represent the country in international competitions.
The two agencies are mapping out a framework that could lead to the formation of an official PSO student-athlete delegation to compete in the Batang Pinoy and the Palarong Pambansa—the country’s flagship national youth games.
𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗦 𝗜 𝗖𝗙𝗢, 𝗣𝗦𝗖, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗹-𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
Manila - The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and Fil-Nation Select met on May 22, 2026 to explore potential collaborations centered on engaging with the Filipino diaspora through sports.
The meeting led by PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio and Commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo focused on potential collaborations with CFO designed to connect with the Filipino diaspora, and with the help of Fil-Nation Select, identify talent through cultural immersion initiatives to connect Filipino athletes with their heritage.
The meeting opened with a presentation by Coach Cris Gopez, founder of Fil-Nation Select—a global sports organization dedicated to connecting Filipino athletes worldwide. Coach Gopez highlighted their global projects, including international sporting events and an on-ground donation drive providing basketball shoes to grassroots Filipino athletes across various local barangays. He also expressed his strong enthusiasm for collaborating with the PSC and CFO to map out initiatives specifically aimed at scouting and recruiting overseas Filipino talent, thereby harnessing diaspora heritage to strengthen the country’s national teams.
Read the full article at https://cfo.gov.ph/News-Press-Releases-Detail/27000
