Mary Joy Tabal-Jimenez. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Politics is expected to shake up Cebu’s sports leadership as newly elected officials take their oath, with several key figures, especially those in Metro Cebu’s sports commissions, possibly being replaced.
One of them is Olympian and marathon queen Mary Joy Tabal-Jimenez, who currently serves as the officer-in-charge and sports development officer of the Mandaue Athletics and Sports Development Office.
Although Tabal has only held the post for two years, she has made a notable impact by reshaping Mandaue City’s sports program with a focus on a centralized grassroots development system and the city’s capacity to host major sports events.
She also introduced sports science seminars for local coaches and trainers, a major shift from the city’s usual barangay-level, league-based tournaments.
Speaking during the recent Online Sports Leadership Program (OSLP) Summit 2025, which was one of her initiatives in partnership with Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC), Tabal expressed hope that the programs she started will continue, even if she’s replaced.
“Ang ako lang gyud hangyo sa successor nako kay ma-sustain nato ang programs kay sayang kaayo. Pwede ra gyud ta magtinabangay para sa tanan. We move to become better gyud. Ako, non-partisan man ko kay ang focus nako kay ang mga atleta gyud,” said Tabal, a native of Barangay Guba, Cebu City.
(My only request to my successor is that the programs be sustained because it would be such a waste. We can really help each other for everyone’s benefit. We truly strive to improve. I’m non-partisan because my focus is really on the athletes.)
“We’ll push to sustain this project because as an athlete myself, daghan gyud ta’g na-accomplish. Nagbuhat ta’g centralized system.”
(We’ll push to sustain this project because as an athlete myself, we’ve really accomplished a lot. We established a centralized system.)
Tabal was appointed by former Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes to head the city’s sports office, thanks to her impressive credentials and long-standing experience as an elite athlete.
Although she remains a permanent employee of the sports office, she’s unsure whether she will continue as officer-in-charge.
Still, she described her two-year stint as deeply fulfilling—one that went beyond organizing leagues and tournaments. It focused instead on long-term athlete development at the grassroots level. The result: Mandaue became a legitimate contender in both regional and national meets.
“It was very fulfilling. In just two years, we achieved a lot. We prioritized the development of athletes and coaches. We launched the city’s first centralized grassroots training program—something different from the usual,” Tabal said.
(What makes it different is that it’s centralized. Barangays can have their own grassroots programs, but in this setup, we have a head trainer for each sport. The training is synchronized, standardized, not done separately.)
She also enforced a fairer and more transparent system for selecting Mandaue’s representatives for competitions, ending the practice of favoritism often influenced by parents.
“We made it clear that if you’re from Mandaue City, there’s no favoritism. I think that’s one advantage I had since I’m not from Mandaue. So during selection, walay pabor-pabor. Some parents questioned me about why their kids weren’t chosen, but I stood by the policy. We focus on talent identification and give opportunities to those who qualify under the grassroots program,” she added.
(We made it clear that if you’re from Mandaue City, there’s no favoritism. I think that’s one advantage I had since I’m not from Mandaue. So during selection, there’s no special treatment. Some parents questioned me about why their kids weren’t chosen, but I stood by the policy. We focus on talent identification and give opportunities to those who qualify under the grassroots program.)