Marcos Jr to boost Philippines sports anti-dope body

MANILA, Philippines — To strengthen the country’s compliance with international rules against the use of drugs in sports, President Marcos is amenable to increasing the manpower of the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization – the accredited anti-doping organization under the Philippine Sports Commission or PSC.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement issued yesterday that Marcos has directed the budget department to look for funding to provide the organization additional manpower.

PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann and Executive Director Paulo Francisco Tatad met with Marcos in Malacañang last Friday to discuss the country’s compliance with the world anti-doping code.

The issue came after the World Anti-Doping Agency informed PSC in September of its supposed failure to comply with the code, which could result in the country’s suspension from international sporting events. Earlier this month, WADA said the Philippines has yet to resolve a number of “critical non-conformities.”

The PSC has given an assurance that efforts are underway to resolve the issue.

For one, it is suggesting the institutionalization of an operationally independent Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization or PHI-NADO to ensure the code is continuously followed in preparation for the upcoming WADA audit.

“We need to be independent in terms of operational decisions and activities as provided by the World Anti-Doping Code [Article] 20.5.1 granted to the NADOs,” the PCO quoted Tatad as saying.

In a separate Facebook post, the PCO said Marcos has directed agencies to strengthen the PHI-NADO in line with the provisions of the WADC and to ensure the country’s compliance with the code.