Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. (fourth from left) is given a memento after delivering his keynote speech during the launching of the PSI yesterday. He is joined on stage by PSC Chairman William Ramirez (third from left) and his commissioners, including Ramon Fernandez (leftmost). (CDN PHOTO / CALVIN CORDOVA)
Pasig City- In front of hundreds of athletes, coaches of the Philippine Team and major sports stakeholders, William “Butch” Ramirez admitted he had some sleepless nights thinking the state of the country’s sports program.
“On my way here, a friend of mine asked me ‘how are you?’ I didn’t know what to say. I was speechless with the seriousness of the situation of the Philippine sports. Nasaan na ba tayo? (Where are we now?),” said Ramirez, chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Ramirez sounded skeptical at first but became a picture of an optimistic sports leader afterwards, believing that the country’s sports is headed in the right direction with the launching of the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) yesterday at the PSC Multi-Purpose Arena.
The PSI is a project of the PSC that will look into further developing the elite athletes of the country and strengthening the grassroots program at the same time, all in the hopes of producing world-class athletes.
“The core objective of PSI is aligned with the sports management directives of President Rodrigo Duterte,” said Ramirez. “I am calling all athletes, coaches and sports associations to support the PSI. Let us work together for Philippine sports.”
In this project, the PSC will be getting the needed support from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). Peping Cojuangco, president of (POC), assured that help will be given.
“Tama na ang pabida-bida. Ang mga bida dito ay ang mga atleta (Enough of self-preservation. The focus here are the athletes),” said Cojuangco, whose organization got into some trouble with PSC over alleged unliquidated funds.
Ramirez explained that the POC will be PSC’s partner when it comes to improving elite athletes through sports science. The PSI will take care of the grassroots level through sports community programs.
Ramirez said an initial 12 regional training legs will be put in various places in the country.
The PSC got a needed boost when Dennis Uy, presidential adviser on Sports, announced that he will lead in raising P1 billion from various private companies to help fund country’s sports program.
“We also wish to further develop our elite athletes program and in the end, win that much-coveted Olympic gold medal,” Uy said.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco was the keynote speaker in lieu of President Duterte, who skipped the event since he had to attend some meetings in relation to Asean Summit.
“The marching order is that all funds must be used in Filipino tangible sports even in the far-flung areas and rural regions in training and for sports not to be treated as only for the elite,” Evasco said.
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