PSC to launch Physical Fitness and Sports Development Council

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) takes its next step to affect change in the local scene is by launching the Physical Fitness and Sports Development Council in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

For the Visayas, mayors and governors will be convened here in Cebu City on March 14 for the launching of the council as announced by PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez during a lunch press conference Monday, February 20. 

The launching of the council will also lay the grounds for the setting up of a Regional Training Center, with Cebu being one of the 12 regions where these centers will be put up.

This is still in line with empowering the community’s involvement in sports development through the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI), the main program of which is to have a “true, genuine talent identification program” that starts at the community.

With the council convened, athletes who have the potential to be part of the national team will now be backed by their local government aside from the PSC should they, for some reason, be ignored by the National Sports Associations (NSAs).

“Para di na macompromise ang athletes, duna nay daghan katabang ang athletes sa grassroots because let’s face it, the athletes, they belong to barangays, towns and provinces, di ba, naa jud ang talent didto,” said Fernandez.

(So our athletes will not be compromised, our grassroots athletes will now be getting a lot of help because let’s face it, the athletes, they belong to barangays, towns and provinces, right, the talents are really from there.)

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Fernandez also said that athletes with potential can approach PSC for financial assistance especially for training abroad or international competitions and not have to wait to become a member of the training pool. 

Fernandez also reiterated that the deadline for all NSAs to submit their liquidation report to the PSC is March 16. Otherwise, the PSC will be pulling out financial support from NSAs which have unliquidated funds. Aside from that, cases will also be filed against the NSAs which cannot comply with the liquidation.

PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez had earlier said that PSC will also be pulling out financial aid to NSAs which have internal conflicts. – Rappler.com