Country Philippines Created August 1997 President Michael I. Barredo | Code PHI Headquarters Pasig Secretary General Gerardo A. Rosario | |
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The Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) (formerly known as Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled—National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines), is the national sports association for physically impaired athletes, tasked to spearhead developing sport competency for Filipino persons with disabilities. It is the Philippine National Paralympic Committee recognized by the International Paralympic Committee
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The Philippine Sports Commission provides funding support for Philspada-NPC Philippines' operations and sport competitions. Just like the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philspada-NPC Philippines is the parallel organization sending qualified disabled national athletes to represent the country in international competitions, from regional to the elite, Paralympic level.
History
The formation of the national sports association that focuses on sports played for Persons with Disabilities or PWDs started as an idea by Michael Barredo, then-former director of the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDA) appointed by former president Fidel V. Ramos in December 1996, after the series of consultations between stakeholders of the sport together with the Philippine Sports Commission and the national strategic planning workshops through the help of then-PSC chairman Philip Ella Juico, NCWDA, and the consultants of Australian Sports Commission who involved in the development and promotion of olympic and paralympic sports in Australia. In 1997, the PHILSPADA was formed and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 3 years later, PHILSPADA was one of the pioneer accredited member of the International Paralympic Committee. During the time when Butch Tuazon as appointed as PSC Chairman, Philspada inaugurated its main office in the Building E of the Philsports Complex in Pasig. Under the administration of Joseph Estrada, the President allocated funds for the promotion of paralympic sports in the country, including the formation of Philspada chapters across the 17 regions and established relationships with Deped, DILG, PSC, POC, other government agencies and the private sector.
In 2002, PHILSPADA became the founding member of the Asean Parasport Federation. In circa 2006–07, due to IPC requirement for those who considered as National Paralympic Committees, the name National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines was included in the organization's name.
Among the projects that successfully conceived by Philspada during the first years are 3-on-3 wheelchair basketball, powerlifting, the first national team in the 2000 Summer Paralympics and the hosting of the 3rd ASEAN Paragames in 2005, coinciding with the Southeast Asian Games.
In 2016, PHILSPADA-NPC Philippines was renamed as the Philippine Paralympic Committee.
Regional Sporting Events
Headed by Chief de Mission Gerardo "Ral" Rosario for PhilSPADA-NPC Philippines, the Philippine delegation of 65 Filipino differently abled athletes recently competed in the 2015 ASEAN Para Games, a multi-sport event held from 3 to 9 December 2015, in Singapore. Among the athletes were Paralympians, seasoned veterans and a few debutants to the Games. The para athletes won a total 59 medals which placed the Philippines at 7th place out of 10 ASEAN nations, bringing home:
The national para athletes will compete in upcoming regional sports events aside from the Paralympics:
The Philippines in the Paralympic Games
Four para athletes have qualified for the 2016 Rio Paralympics by achieving their sport qualifying standards during the recent 2015 ASEAN Para Games.
2016 PhilSPADA-NPC Philippines hopes a few more athletes will qualify within the next few months for the upcoming Paralympics.
It had previously fielded:
Recognition
Philspada-NPC Philippines was named Disabled Group of the Year by the Apolinario Mabini Awards Committee in August 6, 2008. Philspada-NPC Phils. President Michael Barredo, former PSC commissioner, accepted the award from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañan Palace.