The Philippine Floorball Association (PFA), led by its president Marco Angelo Ortiz, has officially been elevated to Regular Member status by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), according to the POC.
In its statement, the POC said the move comes after 13 years of grassroots development, regional campaigns, and dedication to the sport. The milestone was ratified during the recent POC 4th General Assembly.
The POC said Philippine floorball has built its competitive foundation for over a decade, fielding national teams in the SEA Games, the Asia-Oceania qualifiers, and the World Floorball Championships. It added that, under Ortiz's leadership, the PFA is now a full-fledged voting member of the national Olympic family.
Floorball is an indoor team sport played six-on-six on a hard court, with five outfielders and a kneeling goalkeeper. Athletes use lightweight composite sticks to maneuver a hollow plastic ball, the POC said.
For POC President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, elevating emerging sports like floorball is a critical piece of the national sports blueprint, according to the statement.
The POC said Regular Membership means deeper integration into the POC's strategic programs, greater access to national funding and support, and a solidified pathway for athletes in major multi-sport events like the SEA Games and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG).
Source: Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), via its official Facebook page