GRAND PLAN

Officials of the Cebu Provincial Sports Commission, (from left): (CPSC) Nimrod Quiñones, commissioner; lawyer Ramil Abing, executive director; Miguel Antonio Magpale, vice chairman; and Brando Velasquez, Sports Development officer, led the launching of a futsal tournament, one of the projects that the new-look CPSC is spearheading after its reconstruction. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)

Cebu Provincial Sports Commission lines up several projects

After undergoing reconstruction, the Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) has lined up various projects that will focus on the province’s sports grassroots program.

The various projects will include the holding of sporting clinics, training programs and tournaments, which will be held through a district-wide level featuring priority sports that the commission has identified.

Led by the commission’s executive director, lawyer Ramil Abing, commissioner Nimrod Quiñones, vice chairman Miguel Antonio Magpale and sports development officer Brando Velasquez, the new-look CPSC was introduced to the public in a press conference yesterday.

Abing said CPSC has already plotted out various projects for next year, starting with the two-day province-wide futsal tournament today at the Enan Chiong Sports Complex in Naga City, southern Cebu.

The tournament will feature 40 teams which will be competing in four age-groups namely: mixed under-11, boys and girls’ under-15 and girls’ under-18.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner Mon Fernandez will be the guest of honor in the opening ceremonies. The tournament is sanctioned by the Cebu Football Association (CFA).
Next to unfold is the 447th Cebu Province Founding Anniversary Fun Run that will start and end at the Cebu Provincial Capitol grounds on August 28. The cash-rich running event will have four distances namely: 20k, 10k, 5k and 3k. Around 300 runners have signed up for the event which will offer total of P150,000 in cash prizes.

The footrace will feature a group of children from Barangay Guba, Cebu City who are the beneficiaries of the free running clinic conducted by running coach John Philip Dueñas and his Olympian partner Mary Joy Tabal.

“Starting next year, we will make this running event a province-wide event that will be held in districts. The winning runners will then compete in the final leg. This is also our way of scouting potential talents in province,” said Abing.

Quiñones revealed CPSC is planning to revive the province-wide volleyball tournament, which was halted more than six years ago. The defunct GUV Cup will adapt major changes in its tournament format.

“We have produced a lot of volleyball players who are now competing in the UAAP and V-League so we hope we can sustain sending Cebuano athletes to major tournaments. We also plan to do this in football,” said Quiñones.

Magpale said careful planning is needed to ensure the success of the programs. He said a budget has been allocated for the various projects.

“We will manage it in the district level and we will try to perfect it,” said Magpale.

The commission will also conduct free province-wide coaching and officiating training camp. “You need also to develop people that will guide the athletes,” said Quiñones. “In this way we will provide them livelihood at the same time they will serve as our officiating officials whenever we have tournaments in their respective districts.”

Part of the sports commission’s plans next year is to renovate old and unused sporting facilities in the province. The first target is the Dumanjug track oval.

“Our ultimate goal is to strengthen Cebu Province in its priority sports and we will start in the grassroots level. Our dear governor (Hilario Davide III) encouraged us to make this happen under his term,” said Abing.

CPSC will also hold tryouts to form a relay team that will represent the province in next year’s Cobra IronMan 70.3 in Cebu.