Fernandez: Rise in COVID cases may push back resumption of reg’l, national sports meets
Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez, PSC commissioner. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The possible resumption of regional and national meets this year may be pushed back due to the uptrend of the COVID-19 infections.
Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner, said this in an interview with CDNDigital today, January 24.
Fernandez, said that the only obstacle stopping the resumption of meets such as Batang Pinoy regional and national finals and the Philippine National Games (PNG) was the surge of infections due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
“Ready naman ta for the return of Batang Pinoy, PNG, pero ang Omicron ni sulod man. So, ma push back na sad na,” said Fernandez who is the chef de mission for the Philippine delegation in the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Hanoi, Vietnam in May.
(We are ready for the return of Batang Pinoy PNG, but Omicron entered. So these will have to be pushed back again.)
Last year, the PSC already laid out the blueprints for the possible resumption of PNG and Batang Pinoy with the right health and safety protocols.
The PSC already already had webinars and consultations with various local government units (LGU) in case the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the Department of Health (DOH) approve the resumption of the athletic meets.
The PNG, Batang Pinoy, the Indigenous People’s Games, Sports Summit and the Children’s Games were last held in 2019, and since then, the PSC formulated a safer way to continue its grassroots sports programs.
For the past two years, the PSC had been conducting webinars and virtual coaches cerfitication trainings that drew the participation of various local coaches and trainers around the country.
“Ang grassroots sports events stop una karon. We have to wait until everybody’s been vaccinated and mohinay na ang Omicron,” added Fernandez.
(The grassroots sports events have to stop for now. We have to wait until everybody has been vaccinated and Omicron will slow down.)
The main goal for PSC’s virtual coaches certification trainings and webinars is to prepare local coaches in various LGUs for the resumption of the athletic meets.
“Ang programs ron ang webinars, virtual coaches certifications. It is about preparing coaches in the LGU once open na para Batang Pinoy and PNG. Para pud na nga naa sila competency on their field of sports. Getting ready lang gyud una tanan. Pero kutob naman lang mi sa June 30, that is up to the next administration if they continue our program,” said Fernandez.
(The programs and webinars now, virtual coaches certifications. It is about preparing coaches in the LGU once we are open for Batang Pinoy and PNG. That is also for them to have competency on their field of sports. So for now, all are just for getting ready. But we (our term) will just be until June 30, that is up to the next administration if they would continue our program.)
Currently, the PSC is busy preparing the Philippine delegation for the 31st SEA Games.
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