MANILA, Philippines – Yeng Guiao has always been an underdog.

In the PBA, he coaches one of the few independent teams, Rain or Shine, and it has been a decade since he won his last championship as the league continues to be dominated by the same clubs which have taken turns at the throne. 

Rare as the instance may be, though, underdogs find ways to win.

Guiao scored what he considers the biggest achievement of his career — in sports and in legislation — as the Supreme Court granted his petition compelling the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to remit the full amount of 5% of its gross annual income from 1993 to present to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in accordance with Republic Act No. 6847. 

The Supreme Court also ordered the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to remit to the PSC 30% representing the charity fund of the proceeds of six sweepstakes or lottery draws per year, including its lotto draws from 2006 to the present. 

It is a monumental victory that earned Guiao the President’s Award from the Philippine Sportswriters Association as he became the first non-athlete to be bestowed the honor.

“This is my way of paying it forward. Sports has given me a good life – my family and I. It’s given me material things, wisdom, knowledge, and great experience. And for me, the best way to pay it forward was just to stake my effort and reputation to pursuing this case,” said Guiao in his captivating acceptance speech. 

Guiao filed the petition in 2016 just months before he ended his term as congressman of Pampanga’s 1st District.

He thought it was “political suicide” to go up against PAGCOR, PCSO, and the Office of the President, but the firebrand mentor known for his ferocity and gumption gritted his teeth and soldiered on in what seemed like a David-versus-Goliath battle.

It helped that Guiao had a supporting cast in his former chief of staff Mon Navarra and lawyer Jun Guzman, whom he both asked to be on stage with him during the awards night at the Diamond Hotel on Monday, February 16. 

After nearly a decade, the Supreme Court ruled in Guiao’s favor in 2024 and denied the motions for reconsideration filed by PAGCOR and PCSO in 2025. 

Guiao said he estimates that Philippine sports will benefit a total of P37 billion in accumulated funds — a staggering amount that, according to him, will raise PSC’s monthly budget from an average of P180 million to close to P500 million. 

“We shot for the moon. It was a long shot, but once in a while, you’ll hit it big. We did not actually expect that we could win this one. When we were planning it out, we thought that we could convince others to join us,” said Guiao. 

“Who is Yeng Guiao to go to the Supreme Court and ask the Supreme Court to take away billions of funds from the Office of the President? It was political suicide. If the president gets angry, you’re done. But maybe somebody had to commit political suicide so that Philippine sports can breathe some fresh air.” 

Guiao paid tribute to his late father Bren, a former governor of Pampanga, and mother Teresita, crediting his parents for his upbringing. 

“Yes, I may be strict. I may be yelling at my players. But deep inside, I’m still a kind person. And that was ingrained in me by my parents — to live a simple life, to care for others, to value competence and integrity, and to be a bulldog when you know you are right,” he said. 

“I’ve always believed that you honor your parents with the person that you become. So I’d like to honor my parents with this award.” 

Now that he has done his part, Guiao trusts the PSC, under the leadership of chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, to put the funds to good use as he hopes to see more Filipino sports heroes excel on the world stage. 

“This victory is a victory for athletes of the coming generation. It’s a victory for our sports leaders. It’s a victory for our countrymen in general. I hope there will be more like Carlos Yulo, like Hidilyn Diaz, like Alex Eala, like EJ Obiena. And I will be happy and satisfied that we’ve had a small part in that,” said Guiao. 

“In a week, in a month’s time, in a year’s time, we will be forgotten. But that is not important because we did not do this to be remembered. We did this to be of service, whether we’re forgotten or not, and we know we will be. But the satisfaction that is knowing that in our own small way, we have paid it forward.”

“The best stories in the world are sports stories, are athletes stories, because they’re always authentic. You cannot fake stories of athletes,” he added. “And I’m thankful and happy that somehow, maybe I’ll be in the stories of the next generation of athletes.” – Rappler.com