The winds of change have finally caught up with the state-run Philippine Sports Commission for good. Or so that was the impression we gathered from Davao boy William “Butch” Ramirez who sits at the helm of the PSC for the second time once more.
Thanks to a new mandate determined to make up for a so-so performance over the past 26 years since it was created by virtue of Republic Act 6847.
That law mandated the PSC “to serve as the sole policy-making and coordinating body of all amateur sports development programs and institutions in the Philippines”.
Its primary function: “to provide the leadership, formulate the policies and to set the priorities and directions of all national sports promotion and development, particularly giving emphasis on grassroots participation”.
But for the past 26 years, the PSC was content on merely shooting the breeze, unable to exercise the mandate the law intended it to be. And for the past 26 years, the fortunes of Philippine sports floated with the ebb and flow of the priorities of whoever was in power.
In fact, the PSC has spent roughly P10 billion over the past 26 years but has nothing to show in return. It failed miserably in fulfilling its mandate.
But Ramirez said his team was not to go into fault-finding. “Besides, they were not given the chance to excel as they were deprived of freedom.”
Ramirez was (he first sat as chair in 2005-2009) no newcomer. But his second tenure comes under different circumstances, this time under a Philippine president determined to wipe out corruption, including the field of sports.
It shaped up initially as a problem of house-keeping. But after having given the situation what amounted to a thorough check-up and reflection, Butch realized the personnel was not at fault. The PSC was not simply ran the way it was supposed to be.
To make the story short, Team Butch has hit upon a two-pronged approach in fulfilling the mandate of PSC.
One novelty was the putting up of a Philippine Institute of Sports, that will eventually link up with the institute of sports of South Korea, Australia and Russia.
The institute, certain to operate initially this January courtesy of a P75 million appropriation, will be equipped with bio-mechanics and exercise physiology machines and equipment, among other things.
Region-wide, the PSC would be putting up modern high performance training centers (equipped with weights and conditioning equipment) in 12 regional training satellites. Five regional training directors and at least 50 sports coordinators will also be working for the first with the League of Governors and Mayors to develop sports at the grassroots.
At the Institute itself, a staff comprising of five sports psychologists, five physiologists, five nutritionists and five medical doctors will be employed on a full-time basis as a pool of expertise in linking up with the provinces and with the different national sports associations.
By reckoning, the institute shapes up as a game-changer for henceforth, the quality and efficiency of athletes will be processed scientifically and systematically. Change has finally begun to shine on Philippine sports.
The PSC will also be providing support to the NSAs The needed support in sports development and will help ensure that no one goes astray.
Added Butch Ramirez: “If the NSAs will not reform or will not behave, then we will focus our budge on the grassroots sports program though the sports institute.
It is a delicate and serious discussion. If we tolerate the situation without discussing seriously about the people’s money, I will not be part of it, because we will be leaving a legacy. I don’t need 1,000 athletes to the SEA games. If we have to send only a hundred or 200 and deliver a good performance, then we will do that.” (30)
