Children’s Games made 10,000 kids happy: Butch
PASIG CITY - Some 10,000 children from 12 cities and provinces in the country participated in the Children’s Games, including internally displaced kids from war-torn Marawi City, that was spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine Sports Institute starting May to November this year.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez yesterday bared this during the Coordinators’ Meeting and Workshop at the Multipurpose Hall Dorm G of PhilSports Complex here.
He said, “We have 10,000 children playing with us since we launched the Children’s Games that has been cited by Unesco. We made 10,000 children happy and Unesco appreciated us for that. ”
He also said, “Hindi lang ito laro-laro, may malaking implication sa values ng mga bata lalong-lalo na sa peacemaking.”
Children’s Games, the centrepiece program for grassroots of PSC-PSI, were held in Baguio City, Benguet, Laoag, Ilocos Norte and Bontoc in Luzon with some 3,500 participants; while Children’s Games were also staged in Naga, Cebu, Carcar and mountain areas in the Visayas that drew around 4,200; and similar Games were conducted in Davao City and Iligan City in Mindanao that attracted some 2,300 children.
Ramirez shrugged off criticisms on the Children’s Games, citing that PSC gives value on the children as the United Nations also recognizes every child’s right to play.
“The Constitution also mandated us to nurture the children, promote values formation thereby improving the citizens’ quality of life. Giving value to the children has an institutional foundation. The children are the future of the country,” Ramirez said, adding that PSC’s focus on the children is anchored on UN’s medium development plan.
A total of 23 grassroots coaching seminars, on the other hand, were held since January in Basista, Pangasinan; Navotas City; Tagum City; Butuan City; Marawi City; Laoag, Ilocos Norte; Occidental Mindoro; Muntinlupa City; Vigan; Abra; Isabela, Kalinga, Ifugao; Dagupan City; Malolos, Bulacan; Quirino; Aurora; Abra; Cavite; Camarines Sur; Surigao del Norte; and Legazpi City.
Meanwhile, PSI held the Smart Mapping Action Research Talent (Smart) ID Train the Trainers program in Tagum City, Puerto Princesa City, Vigan and Cebu City.
The PSI also conducted six consultative meetings in Marawi City, Occidental Mindoro, Surigao del Norte, Abra, Laoag and Cavite.
In line of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive to bring grassroots sports development in the periphery, the PSI also held a drug recovery program in Basista, Pangasinan; antidrug campaign in Navotas City and Palaro Kontra Droga at Smokey Mountain in Tondo, Manila.
Ramirez also urged coordinators to continue the good things that they have been doing, saying that, “You are all my extension.”
The coordinators meeting, also graced by PSC Commissioners Charles Raymond A. Maxey and Celia Kiram, will close today with another set of workshop and open forum on 2018 targets. PSC-PSI