PHILIPPINE Sports Commission Chairman Butch Ramirez yesterday exhorted politicians, especially heads of the Local Government Units to play an active role in sports development.
“The strength of sports development program is anchored on LGU’s active participation. This is the real goldmine,” said Ramirez, who spoke before LGU representatives from Metro Manila at the last leg of the multi-city sports caravan at the Shangrila in Makati.
Ramirez recognized the power and financial capabilities of the LGUs to gather their constituents in joining a unified sports program crafted by the national government.
“May mga cities na diyan na may sports programs and they just have to be aligned with the program of the PSC and there are still local governments which do not have programs yet, this is where we come in,” Ramirez added, who was joined by commissioners Arnold Agustin, Mon Fernandez and Charles Maxey.
Ramirez and his commissioners have gone to Cebu, Bacolod, Naga, Batangas and Baguio to strengthen their ties with LGU representatives for their major programs like the Batang Pinoy, National Games and Philippine Sports Institute, headed by Mark Velasco.
“Sa aming pag-ikot, we just realized how important it is to really involve the LGUs in grassroots development and most of them are very enthusiastic. Some of them do not how to do it and we will be providing all their needs,” added Ramirez.
One of the priorities of the program is the revival of the Sports For All Program that was created by EO 63 of former President Fidel Ramos.
“There is a existing law about this whole program and maganda naman ito, we just have to re-launch and implement,” said Ramirez.
Velasco has been laying the groundworks for the PSI and should be working full blast by December.
“We are building brick by brick and by December, we should be working and delivering results already,” said Velaso, who expressed confidence that the program will produce more world-class Filipino athletes.
The program was patterned after the sports programs of China, Australia and Hong Kong, where Velasco spent several years as training coach.