MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman and Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) president Philip Ella Juico passed away on Saturday, his son, Quezon City 1st district councilor Joseph Juico announced on Saturday. The elder Juico is 78 years old. “It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my beloved father, Philip ‘Popoy’ Ella Juico, who peacefully joined our Creator at 8:18 PM on Oct. 31, 2026,” the younger Juico said early Sunday on Facebook. “After courageously battling cancer since 2022, my Papa passed away peacefully in his sleep. While our hearts are filled with sadness, we find comfort in knowing that he is finally free from pain and suffering and is now resting in God’s loving embrace,” he added. After serving as Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform from 1987 to 1989, Juico was the 4th Chairman of the PSC, serving from 1996 to 1998. From 2015 to 2022, Juico was president of Patafa. He also served as the Vice President and Chairman of the School and Youth Commission of the Asian Athletics Association.