New PSA president Francis Ochoa eyes expansion, ties with Cebu sports media

Francis T.J. Ochoa | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Francis T.J. Ochoa, sports editor of Inquirer Sports, has been officially elected as the new president of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) and is focused on expanding the organization’s reach.

Ochoa’s election was announced on Friday, March 15. He succeeds former PSA president Nelson Beltran of The Philippine Star. Notably, Ochoa is the brother of CDN Digital’s social media strategist and former sports editor, Brian Ochoa.

Joining Ochoa in the new PSA leadership are Rappler sports editor Jasmine W. Payo as vice president and Manila Bulletin sports editor Ramon Bonilla as secretary general.

In an interview with CDN Digital, Ochoa emphasized the PSA’s commitment to building on the progress of the previous administration while increasing the association’s public relevance.

READ: The triumphs and tribulations of Cebu’s sports scene in 2024

One of his key initiatives is expanding the PSA’s reach by strengthening collaboration with Cebu’s sports media through the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC).

“We already have plans to start this in Cebu, and we’re really excited about it. We’ve reached out to Cebu’s sports media to figure out how we can help each other grow,” Ochoa said.

“We want to make the PSA even more publicly relevant than it already is. The previous administration took the PSA to new heights, and our goal is to build on those gains.”

Ochoa has a deep connection to Cebu, having been raised and nurtured in the city.

Beyond this, he also stressed the importance of fully implementing the PSA’s new constitution, which aims to protect sportswriters’ rights and enhance their skills.

“We are looking to actively implement the new PSA constitution, which includes protecting the rights of sportswriters and helping them develop their craft,” Ochoa added.

“We also aim to expand the PSA by including affiliate members across the country while reaching out to aspiring sportswriters in the provinces, providing them with training to sharpen their journalistic skills.”