The Philippines is building its biggest pickleball facility yet—and the man who will help run it believes it could change the country’s standing in the sport worldwide.
Kosmas Athletic Ventures Corporation has officially signed a landmark partnership with US-based Johns Design and Consulting, a firm co-founded by international pickleball superstars Ben and Collin Johns, to build the Helios Pickleball Center in Bridgetowne, Pasig City. The deal was sealed on Tuesday, July 28, at Atleta 63, Inc. The flagship facility—under the Robinsons Land Corporation—is slated to open in 2028 and will feature 25 tournament-grade courts and a 2,000-seat championship center court capable of hosting top-tier international events including PPA and Major League Pickleball competitions.
For former Philippine Sports Commission chairman and current KAVC Head of Operations Richard Bachman, Helios is about more than courts and seating. It is about what a facility of this scale can do for a country that has been riding pickleball’s growth wave without the infrastructure to fully capitalise on it.
“We have seen the sudden rise of the sport in the country and we are aware of new courts appearing everywhere,” Bachman said. “If we can sustain this popularity for a new sport like pickleball, maybe we can also give the Philippines an instant foothold in the sport worldwide.”
Helios: Maying the Foundation of a Growing Sport
That foothold requires the right foundation—and Bachman is clear that Helios is designed to be more than a venue. He envisions it as a complete sports ecosystem that blends community play at the grassroots level with the broadcasting and operational capabilities required to host world-class international events. The Pasig site is the flagship, but it will not be the only one. Plans are already in place to build similar hubs across the country, extending the reach of what Helios represents beyond Metro Manila.
To ensure the facilities meet exacting global standards, KAVC brought in JDC for comprehensive technical consulting, architectural design, and facility planning. Collin Johns—a 35-time PPA doubles champion and JDC co-founder—made clear that the Philippines is ready for the attention Helios will attract.
“Pickleball is experiencing explosive growth globally, and the Philippines is poised to become a major hub for the sport in Asia,” Johns said. “Our goal is to ensure facilities are built with precise technical standards—from court surfaces and lighting to player flow.”
Turning the Philippines World-Class
KAVC President Kim Lapus echoed that ambition, describing the JDC partnership as central to their mission of building “world-class environments that empower athletes and elevate sports infrastructure nationwide.”
The flagship Helios center opens in 2028. But the journey begins considerably sooner. A second facility, Helios Beta—featuring 14 tournament-grade courts—is set for completion in the fourth quarter of this year, also in Bridgetowne, Pasig City. It will host the first-ever Philippine leg of the PPA Asia Tour, beginning with the PPA 125 in December and followed by the PPA 500 Manila Open 2027 in January.
The courts are coming. The international events are coming. And if Bachman’s vision holds, the Philippines will not just be a country where pickleball is popular—it will be a country that shapes what the sport looks like in Asia.
