Manila: The Philippines and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) are looking to improve cooperation on sports development, including on athletes' training, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said on Friday evening. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, president of the Qatar Olympic Committee, to discuss opportunities for closer collaboration during the latter's courtesy call at Malaca±an Palace in Manila on Friday.

According to Philippines News Agency, beyond athletes' training, the discussion also focused on strengthening institutional collaboration and the possibility for the Philippines to host future regional and international competitions. Both sides emphasized the importance of deepening engagement with the Olympic Council of Asia to expand access to programs and resources supporting Filipino athletes.

The visit marks the first high-level engagement between the Olympic Council of Asia and the current administration. The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) mentioned that this interaction reflects 'strong confidence in the Philippines as a reliable partner in advancing sports excellence and regional cooperation.'

The OCA is an independent non-governmental international Asian sport organization, with 45 member Asian National Olympic Committees.