Palace backs PSC initiative to fortify college sports

“Make sports accessible to all, involve our youth in sports.”

This was the directive of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William I. Ramirez.

“From the very beginning our direction was clear,” said Ramirez. Under his leadership, the agency embarked on several projects, like the Children’s Games, Indigenous Games and the reactivation of the Philippine Sports Institute, in heeding the Chief Executive’s instructions.

Following up on its initiative last year to gather different groups that has a stake on matters regarding school sports, the PSC shall once again gather stakeholders of collegiate sports in a 2-day conference to tackle a long list of issues and developments.

A National Consultative Meeting for Collegiate Sports will be held at the Philsports Multipurpose Arena in Pasig City from October 17 to 18 to help fortify sports in the collegiate level.

Executive Secretary Salvadador Medialdea, Presidential Advisor for Sports, Dennis Uy, Cong. Conrado Estrella, Cong. Mark Zambar and Cong. Monsour del Rosarion of the Committee on Youth and Sports have been invited and are expected to attend.

Sen Sonny Angara will be Keynote Speaker.

There were a spate of consultations done by the PSC last year with different groups, among them athletic associations in colleges and universities. Ramirez believes “we should not stop asking where and how we could help. We should follow through.”

“Ever since I went back to the PSC, we pursued our mandate to develop sports at the grassroots level. We dove right in to where interest in sports starts -- the family, the community and the school,” expounded Ramirez. This is Ramirez’ second term as the sports agency’s chief.

Representatives from around 140 schools, colleges, universities and athletic associations will sit down with representatives of the PSC, Congress, Senate and Malacanang in the said meeting to continue discussions for strengthening school sports in line with the agency’s efforts to deepen sports engagement among the youth.